'Destination Disease'....

I am not a morning person....at all! I would love to be able to leisurely wake from my slumber, enjoy a cup of tea, a bowl of granola and fat free yoghurt and spend an hour in meditation and prayer. However instead I have an anti-sleep, day embracing 2 year old, a husband, 2 fish, washing to do (clothes and body), and a face to put on. I usually only manage a slice of toast and cuppa.....in the shower.....with the 2 year old! So in an attempt to start the day right I get an email called Word For Today which consists of a bible reading and some thoughts to ponder. Friday's one was a corker so I thought I must share with you.....

"My life is worth nothing...unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord. Acts 20:24

There's an old saying: 'If you love your job you'll never work a day in your life.' That's not quite true. Most people work hard. But even when they love their job they still have to do things they don't like to do. They give effort above and beyond what's comfortable. It's probably more accurate to say that if you're doing something you believe in, the hard work you do will bring you deep satisfaction. Novelist Ursula K. Le Guin stated, 'It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.' Some folks suffer from 'destination disease.' They think that arriving at a certain place in life will bring them happiness. What a shame. Because the reality is that many times when we arrive, we discover that it wasn't what we expected. If you become fixated on a destination you can miss the great things that happen along the way. You miss the joy of today. If you're convinced that 'someday' is going to be your best day, you won't put enough into today-or get enough out of it. If you're not doing something significant with your life, it doesn't matter how long it is. It's not enough just to survive; you need a reason to live. This is where Christ comes in: He will give you new life, and add purpose to your life-plus the power to fulfil that purpose. D. L. Moody once said, 'Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can."

I spent 5 years in a job which I really didn't love, at all. It was only once I left that I recognised how valuable my time was there and how much God was using it to prepare me for my next role. If only I had enjoyed the journey a bit more at the time. It might not have taken me five years to learn the lessons God was trying to teach me before he moved me on!

Am I Loveable?...

I am part of a brilliant group on facebook called Captivated. It's a place for mums to share encouragement, prayer requests, support and life with kids. A lady called Ruth wrote a post today which I had to share. It's not just for mums but for everyone...

"I was reading my son a bedtime story last night, and it was about a mother hen and her chick. The chick wanted to know how much his mummy loved him, and tried all sorts of things like getting really muddy, coming last in a race and ruining a rose that she'd given him, and he would ask his mummy again 'do you still love me?'. Her answer was something along the lines of 'sometimes you make me sad, sometimes you make me mad, but I'll always love you'. The chick then asks 'Why? why do you love me?'. And the mother's answer is 'Because I'm your mummy'. 

It struck me that this is a brilliant answer, because the love is not dependant on what the chick does or does not do, or even on the fact that the chick is lovable deep down, it's dependant upon the mother. And this is exactly the type of love God has for us... it's a love that's dependant upon Him, His character, His amazing grace, which never, ever changes, no matter what we do, or don't do. Wow! 1 John 4:9-10 'This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins"

What a lovely reminder that when I am being utterly unlovable, I am loved....phew! 

Thanks Ruth.

The Greatest of These.....

My daughter is brilliant. Though lately I have been struggling that some don't think my parenting is. My 2 year old is "spirited", "determined" and "strong minded" (in the words of others). Basically a lovely but sometimes grumpy little madam who has been known to push other kids and has bossy tendencies. People often give me looks (we've all had them), advice, book suggestions, programmes to follow, potty training techniques to use. 

Feeling actually quite judged sometimes, I want to film my daughter when she is patting my back when I sneeze, saying "your welcome" after I say thanks for the imaginary ice-cream she's given me or stroking a newborn's face so delicately. I want to show people and prove that she is a truly wonderful child who is kind and lovely. 

I shared this with a friend today whose 5 kids are all very different. A good old chin-wag gave me some perspective: A trillion parenting books have been written because some stuff works for some and some doesn't. If only there was a magic solution for sleep, meals, dummies, sharing, and life! We try our best (most of the time). We go with what works and we scrap what doesn't. We ask trusted sources for tips and help. And when a disapproving look or comment is given "we're working on it" whilst walking away does the job (with a couple of mental expletives!!) And in the words of the big man "the greatest of these is love". My child knows she is loved. Insanely, irrationally, unconditionally loved, beyond words. And that is my main goal for her everyday? To demonstrate true, biblical love. 

We'll get past the nappy, dummy, pushing, laughing inappropriately stage. But the love.....that's a keeper!!