HE'S ALIVE!! I love this time of year. I love celebrating the fact that those of us who are members of the Family of God serve a risen, not dead and buried, Savior! There is a particular scientist our family admires and appreciates who was a former atheist...then agnostic...and finally got to the point where he wanted to decide for himself if any of the religions of this world were worth following. So he did what any good researcher would do...he studied each of them. Now, this guy is not your ordinary scientist. No...he's a gifted scientist. God has given him an ability to understand science and it's direct correlation with God Himself in such an amazing way. He is an astrophysicist, and uses words I can barely say let alone spell, but the way he came to Christianity, I think, is a great way to do so.
So, you're probably asking yourself how he did it...and wishing I'd get on with it, huh? Well, he decided to study...in detail...each and every religion of the world. He found that in his understanding he could literally explain away every one of the "gods" or "founders" of every world religion except one. Yup. You guessed it...Christianity. Our God ~ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords ~ was the only One he could not explain away or even fully understand. Isn't that cool? The logic behind his thinking is spot on...if I can explain away everything I'm supposed to be doing and learning and having faith in, why do I want to worship that? Wouldn't I rather worship someone bigger than I? Wouldn't I rather worship someone I can't explain because He is so much more than I could ever understand? When the going gets tough I don't want a wimpy goddy-god on my side...I want a GOD...one that can throw mountains into being with a breath! THAT's the kind of God *I* want to serve!!! I admire a thinking Christian. I admire someone who isn't afraid to look at their questions, ask them, and expect truth to filter to the top...and then accept the truth and live it wholeheartedly. This particular scientist isn't afraid of "secular" science...the science many Christians think is evil. He isn't and we shouldn't be...ever.
Why? Because science in it's truest form...all science...will always point to the very God who created science! For those of you who will think we're heathens in this house because we believe a little (for some of you a lot) differently than you do on the scientific stance, I think you should know that a lot of secular, non-Christian scientists don't like what they find and they try to cover it up because it does point directly to exactly what we believe ~ that there is an "Intelligent Designer" and His name is GOD...or, to be more precise...I AM. I never liked science growing up because I was afraid of it..."science was our enemy ~ the greatest foe of Christianity and it couldn't be true! It was all lies!!" I always thought some things could be possible...because God was God and if He wanted to do that, then why not? Now, before you think I'm talking about inter-species evolution, stop right there. Inter-species evolution is not possible, and there are a number of arguments my husband knows (I'm the artsy one in the family, not the scientist...) to prove it's a fallacy. However, why couldn't God take His time in creating the earth? Why does the earth only have to be, what, 3,000 or 10,000 years old? Why can't it be millions of years old?
Now, before you freak out...let me say this, "THIS IS NOT A SALVATION ISSUE!!!" I am still going to heaven! I still love my Jesus more today than yesterday and less today than tomorrow...I still know who is really in charge in my life, and I have no guilt over what I believe. I hold no remorse for anyone who disagrees with me, but I know, and have experienced, some people who disagree with our family on this issue who really believe we cannot be Christians if we think this way. I think they'll be surprised when they get to heaven that God doesn't judge on how old someone thinks the earth is.
Now, I'm not sure why I went off on that particular tangent...sometimes I'm surprised at what comes out my fingertips when I sit down to journal or write...maybe one of you needed to have that discussion opened up, I dunno. But, there it is...maybe some of you will stop reading because you now think I'm a heathen and anything else I may say can't be encouragement in your walk because I'm messed up with something so controversial. I hope and pray the enemy doesn't win on that one ~ it's one of many arguments that goes on in the Christian Community that makes no sense as to why it's such a dividing line.
Whew, I'm sure soapboxy here...don't mean to be. Sorry 'bout that. I guess I've been gone so long and there's so much going on my head that I just feel the need to do a brain dump.
So here's what's been going on with us at the House of Fozzie...
Caleb & Micah are both still loving school. Caleb is now 8 going on 18. Micah is 5 1/2 going on 15...! I swear...praying parents, pray for us!! It's difficult when you see so much potential in your children, see the waywardness of their sin nature, do what you know how to correct them and raise them to be better than they are...and never want them to question your love for them. Now, don't get me wrong...I have no problem being a "mean mom" when it comes to raising my children to be upstanding citizens both of the US and the Family of God, but there are times I just want to resign. Didn't Barbara Johnson write a book about that once? "Where does a mother go to resign?" So...without details, or any reason for any, just pray. (and yes, in our house the problems we're dealing with are probably "child's play" to the problems in some other houses of children our kids' ages, but in our household they're still ones we won't tolerate.) Thanks for praying.
Scott continues to travel with his position at Hercules. Being District Manager is a blessing and curse all at once. Scott is so great as a manager ~ as his wife I admire how he handles sticky situations with integrity, honesty and a clear head for business...as well as how he encourages and challenges his employees to do better, be better and be good representatives of Hercules. He is well admired, too, by his employees and his colleagues as well as his higher ups. I am blessed to have him as my husband and our boys are blessed to have him as their Dad. More than how he lives his business life, though, he lives his private life with integrity and faith. He is willing to...after some time...acknowledge where he needs to work harder and where he needs to surrender, and that takes courage. I remember when Kim and I were roommates in Norfolk, NE, I found this bumper sticker that we just loved. I think it's still around, but it read, very simply, "real men love Jesus" Scott's a real man.
As for me...I've been busy dealing with stuff God keeps bringing my way. How to live with an Attention-Deficit-Disordered mind and realizing how tremendously food affects it is one. Getting my house in order so I can "re-enter" the world of ministry and activity is two. Learning to pray again is a big one...there was a time when I could literally go through my day in a constant attitude of prayer. I miss that time ~ when at the drop of a hat I could converse with my Lord. I haven't had that in a few years ~ quite a few years. Dealing with physical issues as well as spiritual issues I was beat up and beaten down...and my prayer life showed it the most. I have decided to rejoin our MOMS Leadership team for next year ~ I will also continue to do Rock Solid Worship on Wednesday nights ~ and I've committed to being co-chair for our school's book fairs (which means I'm getting more involved in our PTA) Scott's excited about the last one in particular, although I have his support in all of them, but he's said for a few years now he thinks I should run for school board. I laugh and groan at the same time when he does. :) I'm scared a bit about all of them together, but the way I look at it is this: I'm going where God says "go" and I'll let Him work out the details. It's worked in the rest of my life, why should I think differently now?
Well, since this is already a random post with all sorts of topics under it's umbrella, I'll finish with this one...
I'm currently re-reading Frank Peretti's "This Present Darkness." If you haven't read it, or it's been a while since you have, I strongly urge you to pick it up and read it...again. It is a novel, but it really opens my eyes to what may be possible out there. Anyway, the other night the boys and I were talking about praying before bed. Scott & I pray with them most nights (I'll be honest and say we're not consistent), and I love lifting my kids and family and friends and people God lays on our hearts to the Throne. Re-reading this book is reminding me just how important prayer is in our lives.
So here's a little back-story...a show our family is currently really enjoying is "Battle 360" on the History channel. It's a fascinating show about WWII, and we enjoy watching the latest Tivo'd show on Saturday mornings (and putting it to DVD for a certain WWII buff we know...) With that said, it should be no surprise (and it's not a surprise to other mothers of boys) that boys like to pretend they're soldiers...or warriors...and that they have the ability to defeat the enemy. Our boys are no different, and it was the perfect lead-in for our discussion about prayer.
It happened on Monday of this week. Scott was going to a meeting concerning a rather huge issue he's dealing with at one of the mills they service. I knew this meeting was important, and I called the boys into my office asking them to pray with me for Daddy. Because they were playing and on Spring Break they didn't want to stop. So I explained something to them...praying is like going into battle. That caught their attention. I explained a little more that when we pray we call upon God Almighty and His Warriors to help us. He tells us that He "bends down and listens" to our prayers. I love that picture!! I also explained that when two or more are gathered in His name He is there, too. I let them know that I could pray for Daddy, and it would matter, but that if we all three joined our hearts in prayer for Daddy it would hold that much more weight...kind of like 3 battleships going along with the aircraft carrier as they approach the enemy. Then I asked if they'd go into battle with me....they both said yes and they both prayed with me for Scott's meeting as well as some other family members and friends. It was powerful, but I didn't realize how much of an impact a quick little creative way of explaining prayer would be until a couple of days later...
I was on the treadmill and Scott was getting ready to go another meeting concerning this issue. Micah was there in my room playing a game while I walked, and I asked him if he'd pray with me. He looked up and said, "you need me to go into battle with you, Mom?" I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face and my heart.
Prayer matters...please know I'm praying for each of you as I write this. I don't know who reads it...I don't know if anyone checks it anymore since it's been so long, but I do know I'm praying that God says something to you in what I've written here. Thanks for stopping by...I need to get some other stuff done now.
Have a great day!
OH! PS: Here's a great picture of my little prayer warriors:
PPS: clicking on the title of this post will bring you to my favorite blog I write ~ Apples of Gold. I hope you visit and find encouragement...
No comments:
Post a Comment