Makes Me Wonder...

Tonight at youth group we are talking about the exodus and the passover. So, last night I settled into bed to begin studying and I actually took the time to pray that God would reveal what He wanted my girls to hear tonight during small group time. I am ashamed to admit it, but I often get hurried and forget to pray for that. So I began in Exodus chapter 4 when Moses packed up his family and headed for Egypt. I stumbled across verse 24-26 and got stuck. It says, " At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met {Moses} and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched {Moses'} feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. So the LORD let him alone."

The Lord was about to kill Moses??!!?? Now, I have never claimed to be a Bible scholar, but I had never read that before. BUT, I know I have because I have read this story a hundred times. How did I miss that? I remembered the bloody husband thing, but I never connected to the verse before it, or to what happened apparently. I read in a commentary and it all made sense, but I could not (and still am not) get over that i missed this and how random it is in scripture. There is no explanation of prior disobedience, just mentions, by the way Moses you are in big trouble. Makes me laugh a little.

I finally was able to continue reading the rest of the story, but I didn't make it past the plague of flies before I went back to read it again. I also checked all of my other Bible versions to make sure it was in all of them...it was. I stopped there and went to bed a little baffled. I was also very disappointed because I still didn't have anything to talk to my girls about regarding the passover (partly b/c i didn't even make it that far in my reading). That, coupled with the spider I saw that I couldn't find to kill, made my night's sleep a little lacking.

I was sharing this new discover with a co-worker today. As I am telling the story to her, the scene is unfolding in my head. It became a very typical occurrence in many marriages today (minus the trowing of foreskin and all).

So, God shows up and Moses didn't so what he was supposed to b/c his wife really didn't want him to. Now, he is in BIG TIME trouble and she feels bad and takes care of it herself, obviously not with a very pleasant attitude. She bails him out and saves his tail. Does that sound familiar to anyone but me? But how can a relate this story to 8th grade girls? Could this be what God revealed to me for them and I missed it until today? Is that why I couldn't get it out of my head?

Moses obviously dropped the ball. His wife had to take care of something that wasn't her responsibility to do. God always accomplishes His will, but who has to suffer in because we didn't obey in the first place? Like Pharaoh's disobedience, all of Egypt suffered for his stubbornness. And in came the Passover.

Answered prayer and a valuable life lesson rolled into one for me. How am I dropping the ball and making others suffer? That is something to ponder.

Small Victories

Today one of Tyler's teachers stopped by my office on her way out. She wanted to let me know that Ty came into her class at lunch time and asked if he could eat with her. She said sure, and asked why. He said, "I don't want to get in trouble with my friends so I want to eat in here with you." What a great life lesson that he is starting to learn. Removing yourself from situations that you know you do not have the self control to handle the right way. Wow, I think we could all use a reminder of that sometimes! I know one young man who will be getting a piece of his Halloween candy tonight. :)

Simple Reminders

Luke 10:38-42
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Today I began a Bible Study, A Woman After God's Own Heart, via an online blog. This will be a new kind of accountability for me and I am praying it does the trick! I am not sure why I struggle so much with spending time with the Lord in prayer and in His Word. But, I do. It has been a struggle for my entire Christian walk. I cannot think of a time where I was consistently in His Word for longer than 2 or 3 months. For me, that is just not good enough.

So, on day one, I read the Words of Christ pointing out that Mary made the better choice. I relate with Martha so much! I am always doing, doing, doing, and much of it is for the Lord. I also find myself wondering why others aren't alongside of me...doing, doing, doing. Oh, how I wish I related to Martha, the one who made the better choice. Here is where I am struggling...How to be Mary & Martha in one body! Let's face it...all of the things that I do still have to be done. But I have a feeling that I could still get them done even if I stop to spend time with my Savior. He does say that it will not return void.

So, here I go on another Bible Study adventure....I can't wait to find out what the Lord has in store for me this time. It will be round 2 with this one, I plan on finishing it this time!

Excited For Life...

Thanks Dani for the title of this blog. I really am excited for life right now. I never thought that God would allow me to work in ministry after the choices I made right out of college. But, the AWESOME God that He is, He did. I have been able to dive in head first into all kinds of ministry opportunities and I am totally stoked about it. I just wanted to give a little shout out to my Heavenly Father for totally hookin' up my life! Thanks! :)

A Duh Moment!

So here I am at 5:30 this morning...awake. If you are close to me you know that this is very weird. I have had trouble sleeping past 5 or so lately. I have been blaming it on my husband who snores; I feel bad getting so frustrated with him because it really isn't his fault. Yet, morning after morning I lay in bed awake for an hour until the alarm goes off and then I am totally grumpy about all of the sleep I just lost. No wonder we have such rough mornings! LOL

Same story this morning accept I didn't stay in bed for that hour. I decided, well, I am not going to sleep anyway...I might as well get up and spend some time with the Lord. While I was sitting there praying and asking for a desire for Him and thanking Him for His gracious provision, it occurred to me. DUH! You have been asking for a desire to spend time with the Lord and wishing you were one of the people who got up early and here you are! Awake at 5:00am!!

I love how the Lord works sometimes. It makes me smile. I am praying that He will keep waking me up and reminding me why I am awake. I hope that everyone has a very blessed day today, I know that I will.

Sailing Into Unknown Waters...

I married my father's numero uno employee. He had worked for my dad since he was 15 and only stopped by his own choice for a year or so. I married into the ultimate job security. It was a very comforting feeling to know that my husband wasn't going to lose his job. I felt safe, secure and carefree.

Four years into our marriage, I lost my job...but that was okay. My husband still worked for daddy and another one would surely come my way. I was only worried for an hour or so and mostly I think it was just a blow to my pride. I took my time and really sought the Lord to lead me to the right path. I wasn't concerned about how long it took. I was only concerned that I ended up where He wanted me to be. It turned out to be in the opposite direction that I was headed. He picked me up, turned me around, and set me on a completely different path. Praise the Lord He did! I know that I am in the place that God had for me and I couldn't be happier.

Now, the tables have turned and my husband has lost his job. He doesn't work for daddy anymore. The downturn in the economy forced my parents to make a terribly hard decision-they had to let him go. One would think that I would have that same faith and confidence that God is leading him to something better as He did me. Guiding him to fulfill his destiny in a way that only God does. But I do not. I want to so badly, but it leaves as quickly as it comes. My heart knows that our Lord is at work, but my brain is shouting at me things like "It doesn't matter what job it is, just find one" or "There is no way that will provide enough for us."

My security that came from him working for my parents is gone. I have to trust my Heavenly Father now. I have to trust that my husband is seeking Him and listening to His voice. I have to lift him up in prayer to our Father and trust Him at His Word. Why is that so hard to do sometimes. I know I can and I desire to but the worry creeps in. I have to commit every thought and fear to Him and be in His Word so those are the words that come to mind when worry and fear and doubt raise their ugly heads and strike at me.

Oh Lord, thank you for your provision. Thank you for being there for my family and for being there to calm every worry and fear and doubt. Please guide my husband down the path that is in total obedience to You. We love and adore You! Amen.

Wisdom...It's not all about me.

I have been praying for wisdom. I am focusing on James 1 at the moment, it is awesome. I have needed wisdom about a certain thing for a very long time now. It replays in my "thought closet" all day - all of these questions - where, how, what if, i just don't know. I have been waiting for wisdom to swoop in and save the day. And today it did.

However, it didn't swoop in the way I thought it would. I was waiting for it to come from me. To all of the sudden appear in my brain and viola! Problem solved! It appeared, but it came from the mouth of another. I sought wise counsel and it totally quieted the record skipping in my head.

Thank you Lord for giving us wisdom is many shapes and voices. I can't always trust the voices in my head you know!