Big and Strong, lessons from toddlerhood

My son has a phrase he uses. He stands up and says: "Mama, Dada, I big (arms up to the sky) and strong (arms behind his back)." This always puts a smile on my face. Growing up, there are little milestones all along the way. Transitions await around every corner. The transition that our family is in the middle of is that my son is potty training. I even went to the store and got big boy underwear (With Thomas the Tank Engine on them). Now... let me tell you, this is a big transition. The pull-ups my son currently wears have dragons in "the peeing area" that disappear when they get wet. Now, my wife has been telling Josiah that he has to go on the potty because he does not want to make the dragons sad because then they go away. This seems to work, but he still makes them go away. He is starting to get the hang of it and we are very proud of him. We have been rewarding him as he goes along. But as we go through this, God has been smacking me upside the head with several lessons we can all learn through this.

1. Sometimes, Josiah makes mistakes, and goes in his Diaper or Underwear. It is so frustrating because we know he can do it, yet he makes mistakes. How often, do we, as Christians, make mistakes and revert back to our old ways. How frustrating it must be to God when we do this. He knows we can do it, yet we choose not to. How often do we break God's heart in this way. But we can never get discouraged because he is NOT mad at us. He loves us and cares about us just the same. No matter how frustrated I get with Josiah when he doesn't hurry to the potty when he has to potty. I still love him and want the best for him. The same is true of God.

2. God loves us no matter what we do. His love is unconditional. No matter how frustrated He can get with us and our sinful ways. God loves us. He may not like what we do. But he loves us just the same.


Well, thanks for letting me put my random thoughts on paper,

Josh

Aware

Are you Aware? Do you know what's going on? Or do you just wander aimlessly focused on yourself and your own desires?

The lyrics to the song "Aware" by Salvador put it so simply.

"Oh it is you in me that I fail to see
Make me aware, make me see
That everything I am is not all about me
So Take my world and turn it around
So that the obvious can finally be found
Make me aware, make me aware "

The bridge to the song puts it even better -

"I have been missing so much
Not recognizing your touch
Acknowledging that you’re the reason
I am even here
I have been missing so much not recognizing your touch
Make me aware, make me aware "

What are you missing? What am I missing? This life is not about our sinful desires. No, it is about working for our creator. We need to take some time to acknowledge that the creator of the universe has sent his Holy Spirit to come and be with us every day.

Awareness comes from spending time with God and focusing on Him throughout the day. When the Holy Spirit tugs on your heart to talk to that person or help out that individual, will you listen? Or will you walk away and just focus on yourself?

Will you become aware?

I Am A Warrior

Are you a Warrior?

The Lord's Prayer

VERY VERY CUTE!!

Food Court Musical

This is great

NEW

I just received a new pair of hiking boots in the mail that I ordered online. I needed them for a hiking trip I am taking in May ( http://www.yosemitesummit.org ). I was so excited that as soon I got them I had to open them up and try them on. Check them out.

Pretty nice huh? I only paid like $30 for them.

What is our obsession with the word "NEW"



No, No, No, Not that kind of GNU.
N - E - W, NEW.
Although he is kind of cute. lol.

Seriously, when I was a kid I used to love waiting for the mail to arrive for something I had ordered. Ah, who Am I kidding, I still love to receive something new. If I get a new shirt or pants, I have to wear them within a week of getting them.
Isn't that like the unwritten rule?
In our society if something isn't new, its old.
And old is bad?
The word "new" creates an excitement around it. When advertisers put up a sign that says "like new," it sounds a lot better than "slightly used" or "barely used."
It is a buzz like the hyenas in Lion King create when they say the word "Mufasa."


And I quote
"Mufasa" , "ooooohhhhhhh, gives me chills" "Do it again" "Mufasa" "Oooooohhhh" "Mufasa, Mufasa, Mufasa."

Having New things is great! We need to remember that in our daily time with God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come."

We need to put aside the old ways of living and concentrate on the new ways of God. Treat God like you do a new item of clothing or a new toy. Let Him continually give you a new touch from Him. Allow Him to teach you new things about His character and your character everyday.

Steering Wheel

I was thinking as I drove into work this morning about the steering wheel. We can go anywhere we want all we have to do is turn this simple mechanical device and we head in that direction. When I was a teenager we used to love to find icy parking lots or empty wet fields and test the limitations of the steering wheel / tire combination. Yes I am talking about donuts

No, not those donuts


I am talking about donuts you can do by getting up a decent speed and purposely turning the wheel as hard as you can in one direction and slamming on the brake. What a great time we had testing the limitations of this theory.

If we own a car, we own a steering wheel. But who controls the steering wheel of our lives? Do we drive and let Jesus be our passenger, only stepping in when there is an emergency? Do we purposely let our "Cars" spiral out of control so that we can just turn to Jesus to take the wheel?
The problem is that we make a mess and then turn to Jesus to clean it up.

Jesus ain't no janitor

He is supposed to be the driver, not the passenger. If we relinquish control to Him and let him drive our lives, there won't be a mess to clean up.



So....Who has your wheel? Is God really in control or is he merely your passenger? Or even worse, is he just your janitor?
Take your hands off the wheel and let God take control!!