Bees and Windshields...

We’ve been dealing with a huge bee/wasp problem for quite some time now. Housing did not install screens in our windows (as they expect us to install them ourselves) and there must be a nest close to our living room window. Multiple times a-day I usher bees/wasps out the window. Then I’ll close the windows – a few minutes later it gets sweltering hot inside (no air conditioning here) so I’ll open the windows – and in come the bees/wasps again. It is the most frustrating never ending battle. Luke is scared of them – and I’m worried that he or Will will get stung as they zoom around the living room. Some are aggressive – others are just in search of food. It seems there is no rest from escorting them out of the house – and anytime we go outside we seem to encounter the same problem (which equals a melt down by Luke.)

I’ve told Luke to tell me when he sees a bee come into the house so that I can promptly show it the window. He’s really good at it. “Bee come in” he’ll say. So the other day as I was putting him in his car seat in the car he said, “Bee window.” I immediately looked at the windshield to try and locate the bee that must have flown in the car (silently shaking my fist and gritting my teeth at the pesky creature.) I didn’t see it. Luke continued pointing right at the window, “Bee…bee.” He did not seem too upset (thankfully) and I still couldn’t locate anything buzzing around the windshield. So I walked to the front of the car to see if there was a bee on the outside of the window. Nothing. Yet Luke is still pointing and saying – “bee wight dare (bee right there).” I looked and looked – I tried to follow his eyes and his pointing finger. Nothing. What was I missing here? Finally – I looked past the windshield and saw quite a few bees in the grass and flowers just in front of the car. Ah ha! He saw the bees THROUGH the window and was just pointing them out to me so I would know.

As I looked at the bees through the windshield I was humored by how near-sighted I was while Luke was clearly persistent in showing me what he saw. He was pointing right at the bees – and I was looking in the right direction – but my focus stopped at the windshield. I did not look through the clear glass. I just looked at it. The picture was clear – I was just focusing on the wrong part. It made me wonder how many times God points out things in my life - right in front of me – right on the very path I walk– and I don’t see them because I don’t look past the “windshield.” It makes me wonder how much clearer the picture would be if I looked beyond the confines of my “windows.” Maybe I wouldn’t stumble so much if I just looked further ahead! =)

I pray that I will begin to see beyond my windshield!

Life Lessons from Hair Conditioner

I suppose we can learn lessons from anything…even hair conditioner. I have very fine – very confused hair (thank you very much post-partum hormones.) I MUST use conditioner daily. Otherwise my hair is a painful tangled mess – and I end up brushing more out than stays in. Ouch! One bottle of conditioner lasts me quite awhile – and it’s not a normal item on my shopping list because of that. This is probably why I never remember to buy it when I need it. I think of it as I’m squeezing the last precious amount into my hand – but forget to pick it up when I’m actually at the store.

Yesterday I realized I was out of conditioner as I frantically shook the bottle to try and find a dollop – just a dollop would do! I managed to squeeze out a very meager amount – but my hair chastised me later as I tried to run the brush through it. This morning my hair felt like straw. Yuck. It needed to be conditioned. To bad I didn’t go to the store yesterday! (But I was keeping the boys in one more day to get over their illnesses.)

So this morning I reached for the empty conditioner bottle and opened it up hoping above all hope to find some conditioner that may have been hiding from me yesterday. And what to my wondering eyes did appear - but a dollop of conditioner! Wahoooo! My hair soaked up the longed-for conditioner and than demanded more – I searched the bottle and scraped out as much as I could reach. My hair was thankful – and so was I! I wouldn’t have to walk around all day feeling like a scarecrow with hay for hair.

So you may be wondering where in the world I found a lesson from all this – and a spiritual one at that! =) As I was scraping the conditioner bottle in a frantic search for more - I was struck with what lengths I went to satisfy the moisture needs of my hair – and how quickly “in need” my hair was for that refreshment.

What of our souls? Our souls need God’s refreshment – not just every-now-and-again – but constantly. Do we seek it out? Do we search for it? Do we scrape the “conditioner bottle” for it? I was humbled when I thought of how eager I was to find the conditioner – but haven’t eagerly searched out God’s refreshment for awhile. “Life just gets in the way,” I say to myself. Then I feel ashamed because God gave and blessed me with that very life. So this is probably why I’m so excited to be getting into this new Genesis study. I forgot how much I longed to drink from His Living Word. My soul is parched and thirsty - I’m ready to drink up!

I know it may sound like a “far reach” to go from hair conditioner to soul refreshment – but that’s the lesson I learned from my bottle of conditioner this morning.

Is your soul refreshed today?

The Deal on Genesis

So after only 2 verses and hours of reading and research – I got really overwhelmed with the study. I needed a study group!!! So – my mom, dad, sister and hubby have joined me on this quest for knowledge. Of course this means another blog! Hehehehe! Here’s the address: http://diggingdeeper4.blogspot.com/. I also linked to it on the side column.

I will keep this blog going with other devotionals, studies and thoughts -but I just wanted to let you know that the Genesis study is moving to a different co-authored blog. We would love for you to follow our study there!

Why do I believe what I believe?

I spent a long time in study of Genesis 1:1-2 …and I’m not close to being done with even my initial thoughts and questions. Since I’m not ready to post on that, I thought I would write a post about why I’ve decided to start with an in-depth study of Genesis.

I’m a follower by nature. Sure, I take leadership in a lot of things, but I always like to have someone above me to give direction and guidance. My tendency to follow can definitely leak into my spiritual life. I’ve been told, taught, shown and read what the scriptures say and how we are supposed to live as Christians. But how much of what I believe is from my own deep searching (I've come to learn that searching is more than just reading the words) – my own thorough reading and research – my own spiritual quest to know what God is saying to me? How much of what I believe are “my own beliefs?” Don’t get me wrong, my sources have been exceptional – Christ-like examples such as my parents, grandparents, sister, family, Chris’s family, friends, professors, mentors, etc. I have a degree in Religion and have done many studies, exegesis’s, and lessons. I have lead many ministries and taught many studies. But it’s easy to fall back into believing what others believe or say without taking the time to really search it out on my own– and though I may believe the exact same thing – I gotta back it up with my own scriptural study and God’s revelations in my life.

I think the biggest thing I have to allow myself to do is ASK QUESTIONS. I’ve always just accepted what I’ve been taught and what I've read. No questions. No why’s. Just accepted. I guess it’s been a hard thing to allow myself to do – but in the last 5 or so years I’ve begun to realize that just because you ask questions about your beliefs – doesn’t mean you don’t still have faith. In searching for answers – one can solidify their beliefs or adjust their beliefs to what they have found in scripture and through God’s revelations.

So, someday when my children ask me why I believe what I believe - I want to be able to tell them without any hesitation. I want to draw from scripture, life experience and God's revelations. So – what better place to begin – than... “in the beginning…”

Getting Organized

As I started reading Genesis, I was immediately drawn to find the actual Hebrew translation of the book. I learned long ago in Greek class (way back in college) that reading the literal language translation can be extremely helpful in understanding the message. Now-a-days, we have a wealth of knowledge and information at our fingertips with the Internet. So, I began to search and found some really excellent resources. The two I was most excited about were Scipture4all.org – which has a Hebrew and Greek Interlinear Bible (you can view them on-line (I linked them on the side column) or download study software for a more in-depth study set-up); I also did a ton of downloading from e-sword.net – another fantastic bible study resource.

If the boys will sleep well tonight, I’ll be able to get my new software organized and then be all set for my new study! Wahooo! =)

Genesis

I have decided to study the book of Genesis. It’s an amazing book with so much packed into it – that I could probably study it for the rest of the year! Maybe I will! =)

I plan on taking my time – not making myself read a set amount each day, but really studying the verses. This may mean one day I read, research and reflect on 1 or 2 verses. Or, I may read 3 or 4 chapters. It just depends.

I’ll post the scripture reading and any thoughts, questions and reflections I have. I would love to hear your thoughts and reflections as well, so feel free to comment with them as you like!

I hope to start my study tomorrow!

The Great Fixer

Luke thinks I can fix anything. As he gets older, he’ll realize that I can’t – but at his age, he truly believes that Mommy can fix anything that gets broken. If a page gets ripped in a book, he brings it to me saying, “fix it.” If he tears one of his stickers in half, he’ll say, “Bwoken – Mommy fix it?” If a toy breaks he hurriedly seeks me out to put it back together.

As I was attempting to “fix” a torn sticker for Luke the other day it made me think about how many times I ask our Heavenly Father to, “fix it, please.” I believe our Lord can fix anything. He may not fix it the way I think it should be done (usually the quick fix method – or just making the problem go away…etc.) Usually, it’s in the way He gives me grace or knowledge and wisdom in how to deal with the “broken” situation or circumstance. Other times, it is I that needs a “fixed” perspective – and He will gently show me what I need to see. Yet other times His peace and love melds together the broken pieces of my heart as he “fixes” my broken spirit. God never said that things in our lives would never get broken. And when they do – He desires for us to trust Him in the “fixing” process. Too often, I try to “fix” it myself. This always brings more frustration and heartache in the end. It’s all about letting go – and letting God. Learning to let go – and let God – has been a continual growing and learning process for me. In doing so though – I am learning so much more about God’s Provision.

So today, I just want to Praise God for being the Great Fixer.