I'm sure everyone reading this will agree that we don't have anything spectacular going on in our lives. We aren't finding a cure for cancer, on the next flight to the moon or writing endless pages about how great our lives are. We are (or were) changing diapers, blowing noses, cleaning toilets, reading children's books, driving to school/church/play dates, grocery shopping. We are being supportive wives, washing laundry, doing endless homework. Some of us are working full time jobs on top of that! We are shaping lives, molding the next generation of husbands and wives. We are raising the future presidents of the United States, teachers, pastors, veterinarians, mothers, fathers, any career you can imagine.
No matter how boring our lives feel, they aren't boring at all! We are doing our greatest work while doing the things that seem the most unimportant. We have little eyes watching our every move. Even when we are doing nothing at all, we are doing something in their little eyes.
More importantly, God is watching. Are we busy about our Father's work?
Monday, October 27, 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Preacher's kid
I've never had to make more spiritual decisions in my life as I have in the past 5 or so years.
Growing up as a preacher's kid meant I went to church every time the doors were open. Not because I wanted to. I didn't really get a choice. I was only allowed to miss church if vomiting or fever were present. Not that I'm complaining. I'm thankful for my Christian upbringing and Brad and I are doing many of the same things to our kids.
I didn't get to pick where I went to church. I didn't get to pick what I believed. I didn't feel forced or brainwashed but you know what I mean. I was a good child and did what I was told. =) I never had to make any of those decisions because I was always the preacher's kid or living under the preacher's roof.
Then the preacher moved to NC and left me in WV. I was nearly 25 and for the first time having to think for myself. I'm ashamed to say I had spent many a church service before then not paying much attention and I wasn't prepared. Let's be honest, I had heard it all before. Suddenly, I didn't know what I believed. Suddenly, I didn't know who I was anymore. I was no longer the preacher's daughter. For awhile I was ex-preacher's daughter (awkward!!!). After some time I became plain Elisabeth Palmer, member of Buffalo Baptist Church. I found myself listening to the new pastor's every word, thinking, "Do I believe that?" I remember calling dad more than once to ask him about something that had been said.
Not only that, I was also angry. (I hadn't planned to talk about this part until this very moment) Angry at God, angry at the people at church, angry at the new pastor. If it hadn't been for all these people, my kids might still be learning under the leadership of my dad. I looked forward to the day when he would baptize my kids. I loved the way they ran into church every service and hugged their grandparents and went to the office for a piece of candy. In a matter of days, all that was ripped out from under me, from under us. It was something I never thought would happen.
In time, I realized my parent's moving away was a very important step to me "growing up." It is easy to spend your life saying "because dad says so" about every thing. But when you have to come up with you own beliefs, that's when the rubber meets the road. Looking back, there are so many areas where I can see God's providence in my life and this is just one of them. Once I realized that, it was easy to let go of the anger I had and forgive everyone. Not that anyone really even needed forgiving!
Fast forward 5 years. Now we are in NC. Closer to my parents than we have been in several years but still far enough away that we have to continue making our own choices. =) Now we have to pick a new church. I like to think I have grown some spiritually and am better able to discern the truth. I still seek my parents' guidance from time to time. They are always there when I need them. And as I introduce myself to different people in the church, I always find myself including preacher's kid if we get to talk long enough. It's just hard to get away from that title!
Growing up as a preacher's kid meant I went to church every time the doors were open. Not because I wanted to. I didn't really get a choice. I was only allowed to miss church if vomiting or fever were present. Not that I'm complaining. I'm thankful for my Christian upbringing and Brad and I are doing many of the same things to our kids.
I didn't get to pick where I went to church. I didn't get to pick what I believed. I didn't feel forced or brainwashed but you know what I mean. I was a good child and did what I was told. =) I never had to make any of those decisions because I was always the preacher's kid or living under the preacher's roof.
Then the preacher moved to NC and left me in WV. I was nearly 25 and for the first time having to think for myself. I'm ashamed to say I had spent many a church service before then not paying much attention and I wasn't prepared. Let's be honest, I had heard it all before. Suddenly, I didn't know what I believed. Suddenly, I didn't know who I was anymore. I was no longer the preacher's daughter. For awhile I was ex-preacher's daughter (awkward!!!). After some time I became plain Elisabeth Palmer, member of Buffalo Baptist Church. I found myself listening to the new pastor's every word, thinking, "Do I believe that?" I remember calling dad more than once to ask him about something that had been said.
Not only that, I was also angry. (I hadn't planned to talk about this part until this very moment) Angry at God, angry at the people at church, angry at the new pastor. If it hadn't been for all these people, my kids might still be learning under the leadership of my dad. I looked forward to the day when he would baptize my kids. I loved the way they ran into church every service and hugged their grandparents and went to the office for a piece of candy. In a matter of days, all that was ripped out from under me, from under us. It was something I never thought would happen.
In time, I realized my parent's moving away was a very important step to me "growing up." It is easy to spend your life saying "because dad says so" about every thing. But when you have to come up with you own beliefs, that's when the rubber meets the road. Looking back, there are so many areas where I can see God's providence in my life and this is just one of them. Once I realized that, it was easy to let go of the anger I had and forgive everyone. Not that anyone really even needed forgiving!
Fast forward 5 years. Now we are in NC. Closer to my parents than we have been in several years but still far enough away that we have to continue making our own choices. =) Now we have to pick a new church. I like to think I have grown some spiritually and am better able to discern the truth. I still seek my parents' guidance from time to time. They are always there when I need them. And as I introduce myself to different people in the church, I always find myself including preacher's kid if we get to talk long enough. It's just hard to get away from that title!
Sunday, October 12, 2014
What defines you
While sweeping the kitchen floor earlier I started thinking of the things that define us. I'm not sure what made all this pop into my head but I'm saving it to use for a ladies meeting devotion in the future. So here I am-my family is away, I've been doing whatever I want and yet I am sweeping floors, loading the dishwasher, cleaning out the frig for trash day, etc. Why? Because that's who I am. Or is it? Take a minute and make a mental list of 5 things that define you.
Here are some things that I think could be on your list. A lot of them are on mine.
mother
maid
cook
accountant
wife
dog walker
teacher
grandma
pastor's wife
preacher's kid
The list could go on for days.
But are these really the things that should define us? None of the things listed are bad things but how does God define us? That is the real question!
This is what God's list of things that define you should look like:
Redeemed- Isaiah 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Forgiven- Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Accepted- Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Bought- 1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Child of God- Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Complete-Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Loved- Ephesians 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Conquerors- Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Who's definitions do you like better? Next time you -or I- are getting all wrapped up in the things that define us on earth, take a minute to think of the things that define us to God.
Have anything to add to this devotion? Leave it in the comments!
Here are some things that I think could be on your list. A lot of them are on mine.
mother
maid
cook
accountant
wife
dog walker
teacher
grandma
pastor's wife
preacher's kid
The list could go on for days.
But are these really the things that should define us? None of the things listed are bad things but how does God define us? That is the real question!
This is what God's list of things that define you should look like:
Redeemed- Isaiah 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Forgiven- Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Accepted- Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Bought- 1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Child of God- Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Complete-Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Loved- Ephesians 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Conquerors- Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Who's definitions do you like better? Next time you -or I- are getting all wrapped up in the things that define us on earth, take a minute to think of the things that define us to God.
Have anything to add to this devotion? Leave it in the comments!
Monday, September 22, 2014
Are you wasting your life?
Every day we find ourselves doing the same things over and over. We get up, eat, go to work (or stay home and work), take care of our families and homes, watch a little tv, go to bed and maybe read a verse or two of the Bible in there somewhere. Then we do it all over again. In a lifetime we spend the first 18+ years worrying about school and what we want to do with our lives, only to spend the next 30+ years working at a job we hate, retire and die.
Now, I'm pretty sure the people who read this do not hate their jobs (I think we all have the same job-MOM) but think about people in general. How many people do you know who are basically just existing? They live life because they have to. They don't know what their purpose is. They are just doing what we and millions of people do every day and have done every day for a long time now. As humans we always want more. We are consumed with having the biggest house, nicest cars, lots of "toys" (camper, boat, ATV, etc), making sure our kids get good jobs, making sure we are popular with people, preparing for our retirement and so on.
Do you know what the Bible says about that? More specifically what the wisest man that ever lived besides Jesus says about that?
Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
It is pointless. All of it. If it isn't profiting the Kingdom of God, it is being done in vain.
The preacher at the church we have been attending (this might be the one!) preached on this Wed. Of course I have heard it before. We all have. This time it is really sticking with me. I can't stop thinking about it. How much of what I do on a daily basis is filled with vanity? A lot if you think about it. How much of what I do on a daily basis is building God's kingdom and not mine? Not much. As Christians we should know what our purpose on this earth is. How much of what we do daily in a whole lifetime has to do with our true purpose?
What I realized this weekend is that I don't want my kids growing up thinking they need to have a high paying jobs to be happy or thinking life's purpose is all the things we do for ourselves on earth. I want them to know that their purpose, once saved, is building GOd's kingdom. Of course they will have to have jobs, go to the grocery store, clean their house, have a car but is that stuff really what's important? I don't want them looking at my life and thinking that is what counts. I want every decision they make to start with the question "What does God want me to do here?" or "How is this going to build God's kingdom and not mine?"
All that starts with us parents. Is your life filled with vanity of vanities? I don't want my life to be!
Now, I'm pretty sure the people who read this do not hate their jobs (I think we all have the same job-MOM) but think about people in general. How many people do you know who are basically just existing? They live life because they have to. They don't know what their purpose is. They are just doing what we and millions of people do every day and have done every day for a long time now. As humans we always want more. We are consumed with having the biggest house, nicest cars, lots of "toys" (camper, boat, ATV, etc), making sure our kids get good jobs, making sure we are popular with people, preparing for our retirement and so on.
Do you know what the Bible says about that? More specifically what the wisest man that ever lived besides Jesus says about that?
Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
It is pointless. All of it. If it isn't profiting the Kingdom of God, it is being done in vain.
The preacher at the church we have been attending (this might be the one!) preached on this Wed. Of course I have heard it before. We all have. This time it is really sticking with me. I can't stop thinking about it. How much of what I do on a daily basis is filled with vanity? A lot if you think about it. How much of what I do on a daily basis is building God's kingdom and not mine? Not much. As Christians we should know what our purpose on this earth is. How much of what we do daily in a whole lifetime has to do with our true purpose?
What I realized this weekend is that I don't want my kids growing up thinking they need to have a high paying jobs to be happy or thinking life's purpose is all the things we do for ourselves on earth. I want them to know that their purpose, once saved, is building GOd's kingdom. Of course they will have to have jobs, go to the grocery store, clean their house, have a car but is that stuff really what's important? I don't want them looking at my life and thinking that is what counts. I want every decision they make to start with the question "What does God want me to do here?" or "How is this going to build God's kingdom and not mine?"
All that starts with us parents. Is your life filled with vanity of vanities? I don't want my life to be!
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
New blog, new chapter
Most of you know I had something go funky with my other blog. I hope everyone finds me no trouble! After I got to thinking about it, a new blog is only fitting for this new time in my life!
Things are going very well here in Faith, NC. The kids are adjusting very well. They have made lots of friends and besides needing to "learn to speak North Carolina" I don't think they are having any trouble. The school is twice as big as Buffalo and I don't like not knowing anyone but since I don't get out of my car at drop off or pick up, I really haven't had the chance to meet any other parents. I can't really volunteer in the class because of Abby. She's just not up for sitting still while I read to a class of 2nd graders!
I was finally able to pull my van into the garage. It only took me a month to get it cleared out. But it is still too tight so I'm back to parking in the driveway until I can get some more organizing done. And that is not my forte so it might be awhile!
We love our house. Ryan and Abby sharing a room was definitely the right choice for now. They get a long so well. I can't imagine the headache I would have if Abby was with Hannah. I can hear her dramatic whine now...."Abby won't leave my stuff alone!" We gave up a laundry room and went back to a hallway laundry closet. We didn't get a 4th bedroom. We didn't get property or lots of trees. But I'm sure we are where God wants us to be. That is better than all the bedrooms and trees in the world!
We were hoping that living in a subdivision would give the kids a chance to have some friends, although the neighbor kids was one of my huge complaints in WV. At least half, or more, of the houses here have kids swing sets or play equipment in the yard but NO ONE and I mean NO ONE is ever outside. It is the quietest neighborhood in the world. I am not exaggerating. I wish I was. We did eventually mean a neighbor down the road. They have a 3rd grade girl and a 3 yr old boy. The kids see her at school but she is very busy with after school activities so they are lucky if they see her once a week at home. They don't go to church anywhere so I'm praying we will be a good witness to them and hopefully be taking the kids to church with us at some point.
Speaking of church....that part of moving has not been fun. I didn't realize how hard it was going to be. Having the word "Baptist" on the sign means nothing these days. I've lost count but I think we are on church # 6. I know I definitely took our church in WV for granted. Enough about that.
If you will remember, we sold our camper when we sold the house. We are missing that camper like the dickens! Especially with the cooler weather. It is camping season and we aren't going. =(
We still have some things to take care of WV but we are well on our way to being North Carolinians!
Things are going very well here in Faith, NC. The kids are adjusting very well. They have made lots of friends and besides needing to "learn to speak North Carolina" I don't think they are having any trouble. The school is twice as big as Buffalo and I don't like not knowing anyone but since I don't get out of my car at drop off or pick up, I really haven't had the chance to meet any other parents. I can't really volunteer in the class because of Abby. She's just not up for sitting still while I read to a class of 2nd graders!
I was finally able to pull my van into the garage. It only took me a month to get it cleared out. But it is still too tight so I'm back to parking in the driveway until I can get some more organizing done. And that is not my forte so it might be awhile!
We love our house. Ryan and Abby sharing a room was definitely the right choice for now. They get a long so well. I can't imagine the headache I would have if Abby was with Hannah. I can hear her dramatic whine now...."Abby won't leave my stuff alone!" We gave up a laundry room and went back to a hallway laundry closet. We didn't get a 4th bedroom. We didn't get property or lots of trees. But I'm sure we are where God wants us to be. That is better than all the bedrooms and trees in the world!
We were hoping that living in a subdivision would give the kids a chance to have some friends, although the neighbor kids was one of my huge complaints in WV. At least half, or more, of the houses here have kids swing sets or play equipment in the yard but NO ONE and I mean NO ONE is ever outside. It is the quietest neighborhood in the world. I am not exaggerating. I wish I was. We did eventually mean a neighbor down the road. They have a 3rd grade girl and a 3 yr old boy. The kids see her at school but she is very busy with after school activities so they are lucky if they see her once a week at home. They don't go to church anywhere so I'm praying we will be a good witness to them and hopefully be taking the kids to church with us at some point.
Speaking of church....that part of moving has not been fun. I didn't realize how hard it was going to be. Having the word "Baptist" on the sign means nothing these days. I've lost count but I think we are on church # 6. I know I definitely took our church in WV for granted. Enough about that.
If you will remember, we sold our camper when we sold the house. We are missing that camper like the dickens! Especially with the cooler weather. It is camping season and we aren't going. =(
We still have some things to take care of WV but we are well on our way to being North Carolinians!
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