People say the worst things to you at the end of your pregnancy - don't they? Let me give you a few examples from my VAST prenancy experience! You look miserable, you are getting SO big! Haven't you had that baby yet? Are you still around? Now why would someone say that to a 10 month pregnant woman? I wanted to threaten to sit on them. Or after my female OB doctor went on sabbatical, I had to see one of her MALE partners and he said as only a man could - You'll have no problem having a 10 pound baby - your body is made for having babies. This is why I wanted to see a woman doctor!
I also get irritated when woman's bible studies always relate everything to pregnancy and childbirth. But I was highly irritable this spring too. In our book we studied Romans 8:15-28 which is a passage I have read many times, but this time it was in The Message and it sounded a little different. Here's part of it:
All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a prenant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
The last thing I want to be reminded of is being large and in pain. At then end we are fixed on our due date anxiously awaiting delivery. But one we're past all that and are holding a brand new little baby, we realize the joy of our expectancy.
The week I had Maren, a friend of our family died of cancer. She had been battling it for several years. And I was thinking that the same principle applies. No doubt there is groaning and pain when you are terminally ill, but after you pass into the presence of Christ there must be unbelievable joy!
So, I want to use these experineces in life to realize that I need to be anxiously awaiting the return of Christ and the joy that will come with our deliverance from this world. I think my life is too comfy and cushy to really feel like I am eager for that day.
But I can relate to being massively pregnant and having birth pains and how I yearned for deliverance and I can imagine being sick and in pain and yearning for deliveranc into glory. I guess that's what those Bible studies are after, using our life experinces to help us focus more on Christ and eternity.
I'm going to keep re-reading Romans 8:15-28 to keep my focus where it should be!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Monday, May 07, 2007
It's A Girl!
We have a new baby! Maren Pamela Keller
She was very cooperative and arrived right on her due date. She was 8 lbs. 8 oz., 21 inches long and was born at 9:05 p.m. When she was born Mike said "It's another little girl and she looks just like the rest of them!" Pamela is in honor of Mike's mom. Everyone is very excited about their new little sister.
I have some blogs that hopefully between nursing and napping I will get posted this week. Don't give up on me, my wheels are starting to turn again!
Monday, April 02, 2007
Father to the Fatherless
I have been volunteering with kids this winter. My little friend that I've been working with smells bad, like they haven't cleaned up properly after an accident. It was really strong today. Today she announced she had cold lunch. It was a piece of bread in a baggie. That was it! She did at least buy a milk. She struggles in school and is starving for attention.
Most parents are doing their best to love and raise their kids, but there are those on the extreme ends of the spectrum. Some parents are over-achievers as far as outward things go. They'll do whatever they have to so they look good on the outside, although no one knows what things are like with the things that really count. Then there are those kids whose parents don't seem to care at all. I feel so devastated that they care so little. How hard is it to run a bath, wash some clothes or pack a decent lunch? I suppose it could be laziness or lack of interest on their part.
So, I've been wondering, what is my responsibility in these situations? I want to call the parents and yell at them. It seems like a nice little self-esteem boost for me to be able to shake my head and feel like I am so much better than them. I want to look the other way and not think about it. But what I should do is reach out and love. I need to show her the One who is a Father to the fatherless. It isn't easy because I feel like I am so "busy" raising my own family. But these are exactly the times when Jesus wants to use us. When I think of great Christians throughout history, they were simply people that saw a need and used what God had given them to meet the need and show Christ's love. I know there are some simple things I can do to reach out, but it's going to involve time and sacrifice.
It is too easy for me to walk away from the tough situations in life. I don't want to get involved, it might get messy. But Jesus has me in the world to shine His light to those around me, as difficult as they may be to love. I put the card my student made me on my bulletin board so I would not be able to put it out of my mind. Keep me accountable on this one!
Psalm 68:4-6
Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Most parents are doing their best to love and raise their kids, but there are those on the extreme ends of the spectrum. Some parents are over-achievers as far as outward things go. They'll do whatever they have to so they look good on the outside, although no one knows what things are like with the things that really count. Then there are those kids whose parents don't seem to care at all. I feel so devastated that they care so little. How hard is it to run a bath, wash some clothes or pack a decent lunch? I suppose it could be laziness or lack of interest on their part.
So, I've been wondering, what is my responsibility in these situations? I want to call the parents and yell at them. It seems like a nice little self-esteem boost for me to be able to shake my head and feel like I am so much better than them. I want to look the other way and not think about it. But what I should do is reach out and love. I need to show her the One who is a Father to the fatherless. It isn't easy because I feel like I am so "busy" raising my own family. But these are exactly the times when Jesus wants to use us. When I think of great Christians throughout history, they were simply people that saw a need and used what God had given them to meet the need and show Christ's love. I know there are some simple things I can do to reach out, but it's going to involve time and sacrifice.
It is too easy for me to walk away from the tough situations in life. I don't want to get involved, it might get messy. But Jesus has me in the world to shine His light to those around me, as difficult as they may be to love. I put the card my student made me on my bulletin board so I would not be able to put it out of my mind. Keep me accountable on this one!
Psalm 68:4-6
Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts,
Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him.
A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
God makes a home for the lonely;
He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
You Can't Handle the Truth!
It's been a while since I've seen the movie "A Few Good Men", but of course I remember the famous line "You Can't Handle the Truth!". I have two girls that are very curious about how babies come out of a mom's tummy. I'm really not sure how much to tell them. I have tried to brush the questions off, giving them answers like the doctor knows how to get them out and nothing so far has satisfied their questions. I want to be honest with them and at the same time not tell them more than they can handle at the ripe old ages of 5 and 6. I feel like yelling You Can't Handle the Truth! Or maybe I can't handle the truth is more like it. I just hate when I get to these stages of parenting when I feel like I have no idea what to do or how to handle things. The scary thing is that I know this is only the beginning of conversations and questions that I will feel ill equipped to handle.
So what do I do? Can I ship them off to a camp for things like this? When I get to the end of my rope on things I know I have to rely on Christ for help. I guess that is a good thing. If I can always handle everything on my own, then I really have no need for Christ. Who knew my ignorance would be such an asset in my spiritual life?
It's funny how being a parent can give you some perspective on the Christian life. Being the smart person that I am, I assume I know everything. I demand the answers to life's intricacies and tragedies. But I don't always get them and that makes me mad. We don't understand why things happen the way they do or why we just don't know the answer right now. Maybe God is saying You Can't Handle the Truth! I stomp my feet like a 5 year old and think I know what's best. But my heavenly Father will tell me only what he sees fit and good for me at the time. I have to trust in His goodness and wisdom.
It's really humbling to think of my job as a parent this way. There are TV Shows, movies, music, friends and all sorts of other influences that we need to have the role of gatekeepers for our kids and talk with them openly and honestly about the things that are going on. I am so thankful to have access to the heavenly Father's wisdom. I just need a kick in the head to realize that I need to quit trying to do it on my own and spend way more time on my knees before each day of this important job.
Proverbs 9:10-11
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years of life will be added to you." (NKJV)
So what do I do? Can I ship them off to a camp for things like this? When I get to the end of my rope on things I know I have to rely on Christ for help. I guess that is a good thing. If I can always handle everything on my own, then I really have no need for Christ. Who knew my ignorance would be such an asset in my spiritual life?
It's funny how being a parent can give you some perspective on the Christian life. Being the smart person that I am, I assume I know everything. I demand the answers to life's intricacies and tragedies. But I don't always get them and that makes me mad. We don't understand why things happen the way they do or why we just don't know the answer right now. Maybe God is saying You Can't Handle the Truth! I stomp my feet like a 5 year old and think I know what's best. But my heavenly Father will tell me only what he sees fit and good for me at the time. I have to trust in His goodness and wisdom.
It's really humbling to think of my job as a parent this way. There are TV Shows, movies, music, friends and all sorts of other influences that we need to have the role of gatekeepers for our kids and talk with them openly and honestly about the things that are going on. I am so thankful to have access to the heavenly Father's wisdom. I just need a kick in the head to realize that I need to quit trying to do it on my own and spend way more time on my knees before each day of this important job.
Proverbs 9:10-11
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years of life will be added to you." (NKJV)
Friday, March 23, 2007
Faith and Healing
I had an interesting conversation on Wednesday morning. I was running late and frazzled getting everything ready for Bible Study (as usual!). One of the ladies that is new to our group, I'll call her Margie, was early much to my dismay. I was still making coffee and sweeping the floor. They just found out that their son has been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It's been a huge shock and lifestyle adjustment for them. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to deal with that. We had been praying for them since we heard about it.
Well, when Margie got to talking about it she told me she was claiming total healing for her son. She conveyed how difficult it is because never before have they had to have this kind of faith. I was trying to be polite and encouraging at first but as the conversation progressed I realized I was going to have to say something. She had a little booklet they got from their pastor on healing. She was showing me the passages in it. So I dove in. I am so bad at handling conflict and never feel I have the right words to say in those situations but I'm thankful God prompted and led me.
This is a tough subject. Certainly we must have faith in Jesus Christ and certainly I believe that God has the power to heal. There are many examples in scripture and modern life of healing. My father-in-law has such a story. Margie told me that Christ did not come and die so that we would suffer and be sick. It seems to me that ultimately a lot of scriptures are referring to spiritual healing from our sin.
There are some passages I thought of like when Jesus asks for the cup to be taken from him before he goes to the cross (Matthew 26:39) and when Paul asks three times for his thorn in the flesh to be removed (2 Corinthians 12) but it isn't. God's response - My grace is sufficient for you. There is suffering and pain for us in this world. There is no way around that. The negative side of the healing belief that no one wants to talk about is if you are not healed, then you do not have enough faith. Tell that to a Godly person dying of cancer or the young parents we know that just lost a baby. Do those things happen because of a lack of faith on our part? Maybe we give ourselves too much credit.
There are many stories of Jesus and the Apostles healing people in the New Testament. That very day in our study we read about the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and was healed by touching Jesus' clothing (Luke 8:43-48). Healing was a major part of his earthly ministry.
So I am not sure what to make of it. Jesus tells us to expect suffering (Matthew 16:24, Colossians 1:24) and he does not heal everyone. It seems kind of manipulative and demanding to me to say, "Hey God, look at all my faith! You must heal me (or my family member)." Is it not based on God's mercy and grace?
There is a friend of my parents who has cancer. She is not very old and she is not getting better. She has been really honest about her thoughts and feelings. Although she would like to live and see her grandchildren grow up, she has placed herself in God's hands and care. When that is done, we seem to be committing ourselves to the Lord, in his time, in his plans.
Luke 22:42
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;
yet not my will, but yours be done."
Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. " (The Message)
Well, when Margie got to talking about it she told me she was claiming total healing for her son. She conveyed how difficult it is because never before have they had to have this kind of faith. I was trying to be polite and encouraging at first but as the conversation progressed I realized I was going to have to say something. She had a little booklet they got from their pastor on healing. She was showing me the passages in it. So I dove in. I am so bad at handling conflict and never feel I have the right words to say in those situations but I'm thankful God prompted and led me.
This is a tough subject. Certainly we must have faith in Jesus Christ and certainly I believe that God has the power to heal. There are many examples in scripture and modern life of healing. My father-in-law has such a story. Margie told me that Christ did not come and die so that we would suffer and be sick. It seems to me that ultimately a lot of scriptures are referring to spiritual healing from our sin.
There are some passages I thought of like when Jesus asks for the cup to be taken from him before he goes to the cross (Matthew 26:39) and when Paul asks three times for his thorn in the flesh to be removed (2 Corinthians 12) but it isn't. God's response - My grace is sufficient for you. There is suffering and pain for us in this world. There is no way around that. The negative side of the healing belief that no one wants to talk about is if you are not healed, then you do not have enough faith. Tell that to a Godly person dying of cancer or the young parents we know that just lost a baby. Do those things happen because of a lack of faith on our part? Maybe we give ourselves too much credit.
There are many stories of Jesus and the Apostles healing people in the New Testament. That very day in our study we read about the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and was healed by touching Jesus' clothing (Luke 8:43-48). Healing was a major part of his earthly ministry.
So I am not sure what to make of it. Jesus tells us to expect suffering (Matthew 16:24, Colossians 1:24) and he does not heal everyone. It seems kind of manipulative and demanding to me to say, "Hey God, look at all my faith! You must heal me (or my family member)." Is it not based on God's mercy and grace?
There is a friend of my parents who has cancer. She is not very old and she is not getting better. She has been really honest about her thoughts and feelings. Although she would like to live and see her grandchildren grow up, she has placed herself in God's hands and care. When that is done, we seem to be committing ourselves to the Lord, in his time, in his plans.
Luke 22:42
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;
yet not my will, but yours be done."
Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. " (The Message)
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