You've Got To Feed Yourself

"... Listen and I'll tell you where to get good food that fattens up the soul"
Isaiah 55:2 TLB

Written 7/4/95

Even though Courtney is five years old, she still wants to be babied. She is a very picky eater and I have a hard time getting her to eat (good food anyway!) When I am trying to get her to eat, she still wants me to feed her. I tell her "Only babies have to be fed. When you grow up, you've got to feed yourself."

Christians want to remain babies, too. We want our pastor or teacher to feed us the word of God. We do need them to direct and teach us but when if we are to mature in Christ, we must learn to feed ourselves. Even if we don't know exactly how to study and dig into the Word, we can read God's Word every day. God will teach us even if we just read.

When we learn to feed ourselves, we will grow in God's knowledge and grace.

Thank you for Saving Me!

"One of them came back to Jesus, shouting 'Glory to God, I'm healed.' He fell flat on the ground in front of Jesus, face downward in the dust, thanking Him for what He had done"
Luke 17:15, 16 TLB

Written 7/17/95

We live on a very steep hill so Courtney is not allowed to ride her bike in the driveway. She does, however, ride in our garage. As she was circling in our garage one day, she decided she wanted to ride down a small slope onto our front sidewalk (which is flat). She was a little bit afraid at first but I told her that I would stand between her and the hill and catch her if she lost control. She said "Are you sure you'll catch me?" I said, "Of course, just trust me." She started riding up and down the slope, to the garage, to the sidewalk and back, while I stood there. She was getting a little braver and then, out of control, she flies by me, screaming. I was close enough and caught her and stopped the bike. She looked at me with wide eyes and said "Thank you for saving me, Mom!"

How many times has God and His heavenly warriors been standing between danger and us. We know He's there and we get a little braver and a little braver and get closer to the danger. Before we know it, we're out of control, but He is standing there to catch us! If we are His child through Jesus, He not only saves us from everyday dangers, He has saved us from the ultimate danger, eternal death. Let's not take this for granted and remember to say "Thank you Jesus, for saving me!"

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!