gracious

Dear Gracious Father,

You have loved me with an everlasting love.

You have guided me through the worst of storms 

and the 

best of times.

You have been there from the beginning,

wooing and pursuing me.

Me.  

Why?

Especially the times in which I flee from your presence.

You still pursue me.

You still love me.

You still guide me.

Thank you, gracious Father for having mercy on me and calling me Yours.

Thank you.

163. L learning how to write her name (even though she has practiced on her walls and doll house.)

164.  that Your Spirit can help with self control and gentleness.

165.  moving boxes that are providing entertainment for the kids.

166.  the crock pot.

167.  thank you for teaching me that praising You gives me great joy too.

168.  Proverbs 31 Ministries 

169.  helping me see who I am in You.  through Your eyes and not my own.

170.  beauty in the rain and how it quenches thirsty ground and souls.

No Pain, No Gain.

Alrighty.

I dislike Walmart.

But, I went today to get math flashcards for Mac.

While I am trying to find them, and trying not to get upset

I saw a t-shirt that said, 

"No Pain, No Gain"

This resonated with me because:
1.  I am running in the Mud Run
2.  My son has gotten 2 notes home from his teacher this week.
3.  We are in the process of moving.

Ok, now I have completed the Mud Run. 
It is over.  I hurt.  I want to cry.
But, I finished.
And that feels so good.
If I had not gone through the actual pain of completing this task, there would be no gain.

Friday was hard. 
So, so disappointed in M. 
His teacher told me that he has not been obeying on the first time.
Not listening during reading time.
Leighton and I made the decision to not let him go canoeing today as punishment.
It pained us to have to take away something that he would have LOVED.
But, without the pain, he will not gain.

We are truly blessed that our home has sold.
Seriously.  It is a God thing.
Then we kind of freaked about finding a home.
It was a big ole pain.
God provided the perfect home for us.
He provided this gain.

So, I guess what I am trying to say is that there is really no way to gain without Jesus.
Jesus suffered the ultimate pain.
He died so we could gain.
His pain was so much worse than we could ever even imagine.
He took the weight of all our sins.
So we could live.

He wants us to live life and live it abundantly.
But, this does not mean that life will be filled with just roses.
There will be thorns.
Thorns hurt.
The pain is worth it.
The gain is even better.

"Look to the Lord and His strength.  Seek His face always."  Psalm 105:4

safe

Tonight as I am putting Mac to bed, he says, 

"I feel safe with you."

My heart just sank and smiled at the same time.

We live in such a harsh world.  

All I ever want for my children is that they would feel safe and loved.

My heart smiled because he said this on the heels of being disciplined.

He got a note sent home from the teacher.

First.One.Ever.

He was reading a book while the teacher was reading.

So, he had to spend the afternoon in his room and no tv today. (He only gets 30 minutes when he gets home....but he LOVES that 30 mins to unwind.)

He feels safe with me, even when I discipline him.

I feel the same with Jesus.  

Safe.

Even when I am disciplined.