Cover me up!

"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge..."

Psalms 91:4 NIV

Written 7/14/95

Even if it's mid-summer, if Courtney is sleepy, she wants her blanket. In the mornings I wake her up and pick her up to carry to the living room (even though she's five). She immediately says to me "Cover me up!" and pulls the blanket up around her shoulders. The blanket has been hers since birth and I know it is a very comforting and secure feeling for her to be under it.

When we are in Christ, we are covered in His blood and because of this, we are covered with God's love and protection. All we have to do is ask him to cover us up! What a comforting and secure feeling!

footnote ... she still has what is left of that blankie! 2-2010

It is So Boring in this House

"Commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed."
Proverbs 16:3 TLB

Written 7/10/05

We had just gotten home from work and school. I was in the bedroom changing clothes so I could start supper. Courtney came in the bedroom with me and stated (or should I say whined) "It is so boring in the house!" I told her to get up and get busy. Go do something about it!

If we are bored in our Christian life, don't whine about it. Get up and get busy! Go to the nursing home, help the needy, volunteer to work around the church, keep the kids for an overworked mother, etc., etc., etc.! Do something about it!

...I Just Couldn't Stop!

Written 7/7/95

Courtney and I stopped by the grocery store after school for dog food. She spotted the candy rack and begged for "Butterfinger B.B.'s.” I bought them for her but with the understanding she would not open them until after supper.

When we got home, I noticed she was being especially helpful. She even put the "B.B.'s" in the cabinet for me! After we finished eating she remembered her "B.B.'s" so I got them out of the cabinet. They were open and half of them were gone! We had a little talk and I asked her why she had disobeyed me. She said, "But Mom, I just want to see what they tasted like, and they were so good, I just couldn't stop!" I told her that if she had obeyed me to begin with and not opened them and tasted them, she would not have gotten into trouble.

Sin is a lot like "Butterfinger B.B's.” We just want to taste. We think just a taste won't hurt us. The taste may be good and once we've indulged we just can't stop and before we know it we're in big trouble. God's rules are to HELP us, not hurt us. If we just won't taste what we know we're not supposed to, we won't have to worry about stopping and we won't get into trouble!

Jack the Hall

"... The Bereans were eager to hear what Paul and Silas said and studied the scripture every day to find out if these things were true"
Acts 17:11b NCV

11/95

Courtney was learning her Christmas Carols for Children's Choir. Among the songs was Deck the Hall. She was singing her little heart out when I noticed she was singing, Jack the Hall with boughs of Holly.
Now that she is in Kindergarten she is learning to read and has learned the sounds of the letters. I found the page in her songbook that Deck the Hall was on and told her to look at the word Deck and sound it out. When she looked she realized what she heard was not what her book said. Jack does not start with the D sound. I told her she needed to check with the book to make sure what it said.

As Christians we are always hearing different opinions, philosophies, theologies, etc. and many times we think we know what is being said. Before we believe what we hear, check with the Book, God's Word, the Bible, for ourselves to make sure that what we are hearing is what God is saying! Don't Jack the Hall when you are supposed to be Decking the Hall!"

Promise You Won't Be Mad?

"There is therefore no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus...”
Romans 8:1 NKJV

Written 6/16/95
Courtney was in the bathtub and I had given her time to play before she had to wash and get out. I went in to check on her and smelled a different aroma. I asked, "Is that shampoo I smell?" She looks at me and said, "Promise you won't get mad?" I said I wouldn't. She said, "It's No More Tangles, I put it on my baby doll!"

I think sometimes too many of us think God is waiting to get mad at us if we do something wrong. We don't want Him to know (even though He already does). A child of God doesn't have to worry about God being "mad" at them. He took His wrath out on His precious Son Jesus so be could be His child.

He's promised He's not mad; so don't be afraid to tell Him anything! You're His child!

You've Got To Get Up First

"... And God told Abram, 'Leave your own country behind you, and your own people, and go to the land I will guide you to ... So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him..."
Genesis 12:1 & 4 TLB

Written 6/15/95
Courtney was lying on the floor watching cartoons when I heard a little "fit" being thrown. She yelled, "Mama, I need to wipe my nose!" I told her "Come here and I'll help you." She did not come but continued the little "fit." Finally I said, "I'll help you, but you've got to get up first!"

Sometimes we're just "lying on the floor" throwing a little "fit" about something we want God to help us with. It may be that we wants us to get up first before He will help us -- He may just want us to take the first step of obedience and then He'll do the rest.

So ... Get up!

GO!

"... And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming, and was filled with loving pity and ran and embraced him and kissed him."
Luke 15:20 TLB

Written 3/30/95

It was time for bed and, as usual, Courtney was not ready for that! Knowing if she didn't go to bed she would be "grouchy" the next morning, I took her to her room to put her pajamas on her. She was mad, to say the least, but I proceeded with my duties, got her ready for bed and told her I'd stay until she got sleepy, if she wanted me to. NO ... that wouldn't do at all! She turned her back to me and said, "GO!" I turned out the light and lay down beside her and she said again "GO!" So I did (knowing very well as soon as I did the crying would start). As soon as I got to my room the sobbing started. So, back I went to her room. She grabbed my neck and would not let go, sobbing. I stayed with her until she calmed down and got sleepy.

Isn't that us! God is trying to guide us or help us and we get mad and tell him to "GO!" He may say OK and let us have our own way. We may feel He has left us but He's "in the other room" listening for us, waiting for His child to call for Him. He's always right there, waiting to hold us and give us peace. We're His children even when we tell Him to "GO" and He's always there, waiting to hold us even in our rebellion.