The clever switch-a-roo

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struggles, trials, sadness, loss, hurt, pain, worry,stress, shock, 

This list is endless. It is the list that reflects the struggles and pain we all face in this life.

True Christan theology and thinking has a very good, clear understanding of suffering and pain in this life.

I think that modern Christians have lost their understanding of it and yet God never loses us, does he. In his grace he has been and is raising up clear thinkers and good writers and speakers on the truth about suffering.

Over the years God has been drawing and shaping this truth in my thinking and heart too. 

This week I was blessed to read a blog post from Desiring God as well as listen to a Tim Keller sermon on suffering and trials.

Here are some of the gems I gleaned to add to the picture God is painting in my mind and heart.

We look at this world and love pleasure. The good times and happy moments are what we long for and live for.  We have a deep desire for joy which we spend a lifetime looking for. It is a longing in our hearts. We search for it is all sorts of places and in all sorts of ways. Sometimes we might even find it; hold it; only for a moment before it slips away. 

When bad things happen or trials come our way we seem to be shocked, as if someone has intruded into the nice picture we have of life here on earth.

Even as Christians, we are surprised when bad things come along.

Sometimes the bad thing is a shocking bad thing but that is not what I mean here. It is almost as if we are expecting life to flow beautifully without. The perfectly, happy, in control life with everything running smoothly and everyone happy.

This is our hope and what we work for.

 But, what if we have the picture all wrong. What if we are to look at this life, square in the face, and see, truly observe, that in fact it is a life full of trial, suffering, sadness, loss and brokenness. 

I pause here for a moment because that is not the picture we like or want. 

But, if we look really carefully and with eyes that can see. We know that this picture is true. 

Broken dreams and hopes; broken relationships and shattered lives surround us and may even be ours to hold.  If we look around us at the world we see hatred and war. Selfishness rules the day.

Why?

Why is the world so broken, so full of hurting people. 

The answer is rebellion and sin. We have all turned our backs on our creator and lover of our souls and have set our hearts, minds and course on our very own ways. 

This is sin. 

Sin rules us. 

It is our master. 

It is a cruel and faithless master and it breaks and robs us of joy.

It sets people against one another and blinds us from ourselves. It breaks the one, deep and special relationship we all long for.

That of friendship, communion and belonging to a father that loves us more than we can ever, ever imagine.

So, what if this true picture is the real picture. 

What then of joy and happiness. 

Perhaps we should see the joy ; the great times; those precious moments and deeply beautiful moments of deep happiness as notes or letters; post its -from God. 

He is giving us, in his grace, moments of joy to spur us on, to enjoy, to lift our eyes to him, to remind us that, if we are his, if we are in Christ, then this is not our home. His future home for us will far, far, far surpass any of the deepest, purest, most beautiful times we have here on earth.

Are we to live as defeated people. No, on the contrary, we can live as people set free to live lives for him. Knowing that trials and sufferings are the order of the day, here on earth. enjoying and treasuring the deep joys and happy times as gifts from God. as reminders of the joy to come which will far out weigh and  absolutely blow our minds.

Confident that he walks through the trials with us, carrying us when we are week, blowing faith into us as we trust in him and spurring us on till the end.

The real super hero is at work

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Our family loves to watch super hero movies. From Iron Man to The Incredibles we thoroughly enjoy them. There is something fantastical and magical about a super human coming and fixing all the stuff that is wrong and getting the bad guy while he or she is about it. 

Today I had one of those glorious teachable moments when we were talking or rather the kids were moaning about kids who irritate them and are horrible. I always create a space for them to have a moan and groan at home and encourage this as a safe space but more than this I try to get them to take their moan to the Lord. 

Today we talked about how God actually wants us to love that irritating kid. It is his calling on our lives as believers and followers of Jesus Christ, not to be self lovers but to be lovers of others. This is tough for kids to grasp I know, but  somehow today I really wanted them to "get it". This is where the super hero came in.....

Who do we want to change in the irritating kids situation? - mom

the other kid - kid response

well, yes, we can pray for that BUT actually God really wants you to change- mom

down cast look - kid

What if, just like a superhero can fix things and save the day, God wants to do that to you , on the inside. Like the Hulk but on the inside? - mom

aaah bingo- the light goes on.....

conversation to be continued....." :)

It is a great thought though and if the truth be told. it is the truth. God is at work in us through his spirit and his word changing us so that we can like and even love others who are irritating. 

Gods help in us enables us to live lives that are sacrificial for him so that he can use us in the world for his purpose and glory. 

The real super hero does the wondrous work on the inside of us and changes us, not necessarily the other person.

Jesus is in the super hero business. 

He not only saves us from our sin but he changes us to makes us more and more like him.

cool!!

Surprised by prayer and fasting

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I have been a Christian since I was in my 20's. It has been a journey so full of the unexpercted and so marvelouslly full, more than I could ever, ever have dreamed or imagined.  

One of the aspects or experiences of the Christian life that I had not entered into was that of fasting and praying. Praying yes. but fasting.... well it was not really ever something I had engaged with, both interlectually and physically.

Many religions fast. In fact it is about to be the Muslim time of Ramadan and this week I had a chat to a nominal Muslim who was sharing her experience of fasting with us. For her, it was not linked at all to anything spiritual but rather to health and well being.

That is not why I decided to fast.

Towards the end of 2013, I began to feel that God was laying on my heart to fast. Doug and I have some very big things we were really praying for and trusting Jesus to help us with.  I chatted to two different  people, one who fasted a great deal in life and the other who did not. I was gradually persuaded in my head that fasting and praying was something to enter into.

 As 2014 dawned, I began a Beth Moore Bible study with a fab group of woman. The Daniel study began with a fast. Once again that pull from God to step up.

At the same time, a group of friends were and still are going through some big trials. And so, we decided to fast and pray and cling to Jesus for these very big things we were all going through, together. We joined and fasted through weeks that lay ahead together, bearing each other up in prayer to Jesus.

We have a social meadia group chat box and we encourage one another via this media.

It has been a wonderful experience. The denying of food, for a time, joined deeply with praying to our great God who is our everything, joined with my sisters in Christ. well, this has been one of the many glorious times of my Christian walk.

Has God answered our prayers more or especially or in a new way. Yes and no. I know that my fasting actually adds nothing or subtracts nothing from my standing before God.  But it has changed me. It has caused me to pray more, love more and watch and wait all the more. God has moved in and amongst our little group of faithful women. He is busy causing us to trust him more and always and lifting our eyes off of our circumstances and back onto Jesus. I really have experienced a spiritual revival in a sense. This fasting and praying has centred Jesus in his rightful place, in my thinking, heart , attitudes, desires and hopes, trusting that God is busy at work in and through his people.

 Therefore, I have become a convert to prayer and fasting. it has become, a normal and natural part of my life. Thank you Jesus!

How to help an ADHD kid as seen through the eyes of an ADHD kid:)

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Last night while sitting chatting to my husband and our second son, Thomas, we began to have one of those fabulous conversations. You know the kind of conversation I mean. Those that are both fun and profound.

Both Thomas and Doug are ADHD and so this conversation was both full and brief. For those of you who are ADHD or who love those who are, will totally understand what I mean by this. Brief and full!!

Thomas began by saying he though that someone should make an ADHD school. I began to write down the few ideas that he thought would make a school great for ADHD kids.

Here they are.....

1. Posters on the wall that change every day. This would keep the classroom interesting all the time.

2. rooms that changed regularly. Not in the way that made people confused but that just made life at school more interesting. :)

3. during the lesson --- cut to the chase---- get to the point.

at this point Doug joined in and there was a lot of yes and oh   that would be great and that is so awful when the teacher .....

I just loved this. A sharing of the ADHD journey with dad and kid amongst the laughter and fun and will, some very valid points in my opinion.

the list goes on....

4. The teacher should never, ever repeat himself or herself - ever - ever....

5.ha.. a buzzer on the desk that indicated when the child has 'got'  point so the teacher could swiftly move on...

6. speed things up a bit... not so much so that too much homework is given:)

At this point Doug shared his love for watching you tube DVD because I can speed it up and listen to it double time.

Then we were done!!

Saying Goodbye

saying goodbye

Saying goodbye is part of life.  Nothing in life stays as it is.Some goodbyes are temporary while others are more serious and permanent. There is more than a hint of loss with a goodbye. This week we say goodbye to someone who has profoundly touched our lives. Mrs Linda Anderson. She is our grade 4 teacher and this year we are privileged to have her as Samuel's teacher.

We all feel deeply sad to be saying this goodbye. She is an exceptional teacher with insight, empathy and kindness beyond measure. She is wise in her dealings with children. when James was in grade 4 we also had her as his teacher. At the end of the year, she wrote each child a little, personal note. At the end of his school career at Sweet Valley, she wrote him another little note. Full of confirming, godly words. Of all the teachers in grade 7, James chose to give a gift to Mrs A ( as she has become known in our home).

We are blessed with a bunch of excellent teachers at our school but Mrs A we salute you as exceptional. We are" gonna miss you something arwful" BUT know that God is at work in all things and he will bring this bunch of kids through with their new teacher.

Thank you for your kindness and love; for all the chats and laughs and for your heart of deep compassion for people.

God bless you as you journey on with him towards eternity.