Thanks!

One of the things that has made our lives a tad busier than usual this term is that our daughter has had nearly 5 weeks off school with pneumonia and spent a few days in hospital. After returning home I went to check on her in her room and found her writing this letter.

"Dear hospital ladies,

Thankyou for looking after me {and} being kind. I hope you have a good day. The needle didn't hurt too much. There was nice food. And a nice lady kept bringing it to me every time I was hungry. I feel a bit better. From Hannah"

It warmed my heart to hear her talking of this lady in hospital, asking me why this nice lady would keep bringing her food when we didnt even ask her! You and I know that it was her job to do that, but at this Thanksgiving and Christmas season, I pray that our eyes would be opened to others and that we would take the time to thank others for what they do for us, even if it is their job. It might be the only thankyou they hear, and it will certainly change our perspective in a awesome way.

Kirstin over at 'We Are THAT Family' said,

"I believe thankfulness is the mark of a great person. A grateful heart does not complain or compare. A grateful heart does not grumble or gripe. A grateful heart is a beautiful thing.

And it is rare.

I want to teach my kids to be thankful. I want them to see the good in their lives as blessings. I want their perspective to mirror their grateful hearts."

Please pop over and read her Thanksgiving post for the 5 Thankful Actions she is putting into practice this season. I couldnt have written it better myself :)

A Problem of the Heart (Part 2)

One of the problems we found out about Josh's heart is that one side of his heart isnt as flexible as the other side and so is not able to pump as efficiently. At the moment, it is not effecting the output of his heart, but it may need to be worked on in the future.

The problem in all of our hearts that reduces our ability to respond to God’s impulses, to be effective in the body and to receive the right treatment is pride. It’s a hardening of our emotional hearts to the promptings of the Spirit or the needs of people around us because we are too concerned with being in control.

The specialist told me not to worry about Josh’s lack of cooperation in laying still for the ultrasound and ECG as he was just ‘exerting authority’ and was ‘normal’. I suppose he is right in a way. Isaiah 53:6 says "we all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way". While this tendency is inherent , I don’t want myself or my children getting used to resisting authority when it’s a matter of health and life.

Unfortunately, I need to start with daily things to teach Josh to relinquish his need to be in control in particular situations. That’s going to require a lot of work on my part. But if I'm honest, there is more work to be done daily in my own heart, relinquishing my right to have things in life happen the way I want them. I havent been sharing all that has been happening lately, but it sure has been crazy, and a tad unfair! But each day I will relinquish the right to have things my way, and take up my cross and follow Him.

And with that bit of cardio exercise Im sure we will see some flexibility return, at least to the 'heart' that we can work on. And I know the Creator of hearts can do all things and I will be asking Him to work on Josh both emotionally and physically!

A Problem of the Heart (Part 1)

Last week, amidst moving in and renovating our new home, we had to take a trip to a city 5 hours away for a specialist appointment.

My son has an aneurysm in his heart and this was his annual checkup. He is only 4 so we spent lots of time practicing how he was going to be still for the ultrasound and ECG. I told stories about being still, we played games simulating the ultrasound machine on his chest, and played freeze games on the way and in the waiting room preparing him for his big moment.

Well, we failed miserably. He cried through the whole ultrasound and would not lay still for the ECG. Afterwards, I was telling him how disappointed I was that he would not lay still when I needed him to, and when he asked why I said “Because you have a problem with your heart”.

I meant that he had a physical problem (a weakness) that needed seeing to, but the deeper meaning hit me straight away. He has a problem with his emotional heart too, a weakness in obedience. Its not just my son that has this problem (although 4 year old boys do seem to exhibit the symptoms more prominently than the rest of us).

We all have a weakness in obedience, a problem of the heart that prevents us from living right and from receiving the right treatment. And so while I will give Josh aspirin every day to keep things flowing smoothly, I will also pray and read God's word daily and talk about what Jesus means to us in the car on the way to school, and prepare meals or donate goods to people less fortunate than ourselves, and spend time being still and listening to God to see if there are any hardened bits that need His attention.

Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow...

Still

I have a friend who seems to be able to sum up what God is doing in my life or in particular circumstances. Recently she likened what was happening to us like rolling waves that seem to be pounding us but are actually moving us closer to the safety of the shore. It was really comforting at the time, but I was discouraged again when the next wave hit and I felt like I was getting ‘dumped’ and not moving anywhere. But she still managed to point me to God and when I heard this song at Church I realized the greater meaning of the analogy.

Hide me now, under Your wings
Cover me within Your mighty hand

Chorus:

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father You are king over the flood
I will be still and know You are God

Find rest my soul in Christ alone,
Know his power, in quietness and trust.

So when the oceans rise, the thunders roar, the waves crash or we are going under once again, we don’t have to rely on circumstances to bring us back to God, he is right there with us carrying us! He is King over the flood, and we don’t just have to catch what little oxygen is available, we can soar by being still and recognizing his authority and control of the situation. He Is God.

The picture above is one I took just a few months ago and will very soon be hanging on my wall at home. It will remind me from now on that no matter how overwhelmed I am feeling, or what is going on with the weather and the waves of life, He carries me through and I will be still and know He is God.