40 years?!?!

I remember growing up thinking that when my parents were in their “40s” they were considered OLD.

Ah, well. How time does fly!! 🙂 🙂

And how history repeats itself! My children whispering to each other, “Mom is OLD! Mom has gray hair!”

I heard a statement from author and radio show host, Mr Eric Metaxas that I want to paraphrase : “The 40 & under generation get it. They understand abortion. They know that they could have been one of the aborted.”

I was thinking over that statement, and trying to place myself in my parents’ shoes forty years ago. They were still newlyweds and could still be considered new to the USA. They did not eat three solid meals every day, sometimes going days without food. The language differences, the low socioeconomic status, poor housing all could have contributed to one simple and easy decision when they found out they were expecting their first child. I have to ask myself, why did they choose me? It was the easier road, less burdensome road to make a different choice that day they found out they were pregnant. They have shown multiple times over my life span the rewards for taking the road less traveled. They have shown me that hard work and sacrifice does pay off at the end of the day. They have shown me that simply trusting the Lord, and not leaning on your own understanding opens doors that you may not have ever imagined.

So while I appreciate the birthday wishes and the jokes about reaching 40, I honor my parents for choosing life, and choosing me. And I encourage you to do so as well!

Love you so much mom and dad!!! God bless you, and thank you for giving me life!

Sue

filed under: Blogs

Stirred not Shaken

Back in my younger days I was a huge James Bond fan. I especially loved the new inventions of Q and seeing Bond in his tuxedo. It didn’t matter who was playing Bond. 🙂 Anyway, that phrase “shaken, not stirred” came into my head this weekend, and I thought I would tell you the story.

The past several months have not been joyful months in my life. There have been the mountain top experiences, but the valley lows always seem to highlight and overwhelm any good thing. I came into church Sunday morning feeling heavy with the cares and concerns of the world. And you know how that old enemy, the devil, will jump on that and add his bit to make everything worse.

I was sitting there listening to the meaning of the Indian song that the praise team was singing. It spoke of the power of God that is in us, and how God works through us. I listened for awhile, then I thought to myself, “Is this the Christian life? Worrying about things that you can’t control? Feeling shame and humiliation? Walking around weak like I have no hope?”

Then enters the thought “shaken not stirred.” Except that if you don’t stir yourself up, then you will settle to the bottom. So I will say that I began to “stir” myself up. I know the life that I am called to live. I know who my Father is, and His plan is not to harm me, but prosper me. I know He has a calling over my family. Though the world labels me in negative terms, I remember my identity in Him, and that is what counts. I began to counter every lie with a promise that God had given.

I have to tell you, friends, this was a fight. The Christian life is not for the faint hearted. It calls for us to DAILY renew our minds, and stir ourselves up with the promises of God. The easy way out is just to let go of it all and go with the flow. The harder thing to do, which may be the right thing to do, is to stand for the Lord and His perfect way, will and work.

We can’t do this alone, but with Him we can do all things. I’ll be praying for you to also STIR yourself up!!

God bless you!

filed under: Blogs