I am often concerned about people who use the word christian for themselves, but they don't have any idea what is involved in being a christian. They may believe it is a term for believing in God and that is all they know. The word Christian is so abused now days that is scares and turns people off of the real issue. I look at the word Christian and see Christ. Christ at the beginning of the word and at the beginning of everything in this world. What would it be like to tell someone you were an Un-Christian and then go on to explain that you love Jesus Christ and believe in what He did for us all, but do not want them to stereo type them because of the word Christian. Maybe they would relax more and listen to what you have to say. It would be kind of like de-bunking the word Christian. The more I think about the pre-fix Un though it sounds negative and I definitely don't want that.
All I know is that I was born into generations of a Bible believing family. God planned for my life even before my great great grandparents lives, of course he planned for their lives too. He wanted something from them and from me. There is no other answer in my mind as to what He wants from me. To help Him bring others to a relationship with Him. He gave life to me and put me in the family I was born into in order to use me for that purpose. I have no other purpose on this earth. He could have placed me in a family that did not know about the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Or maybe one that says they are Christian but do not live out their words. I thank Him every day for the family He put me in.
I cringe when I see or hear stories about people on TV shows or in some churches that are yelling be saved or go to hell. That is not the gentle loving Christ I know. I do know that you can't conform Christ like a ball of clay to what you want Him to be, or how you want to live life. Lately I have been wondering if someone can lose their salvation. I have heard off and on through my life that you can't. In God's word He tells us that we can not inherit the kingdom of Heaven if we are not living for Him here on earth. It is a hard and scary truth but it is for real. My greatest fear when I was growing up was going to hell. I accepted Christ as a child out of that fear but if I had walked away from Him as I grew and matured doing my own thing and interpreting His word the way I wanted to live it, would He have accepted me into His kingdom? I have never ever wanted to find out. This world is much to scary for me to take that chance.
Christ needed more from me. This blog stems from what He needs from me and it will reach who He wants it to reach. I have determined that it is not enough to accept Christ when you are a child, as you grow and mature in age you also need to grow and mature in Christ. He will never leave you or forsake you and He is always, always a whisper away. You will stand before Him someday and He will judge you and ask you "what have you done with the life I gave you?"
As for me I will continue to plant seeds and let Christ do the harvest. I am not an in your face "Christian" telling others be saved or else. I am a Christian who is trying her best to live out her faith. Or maybe a Un-Christian that knows the true meaning of the word and will not throw it around lightly. The only people that I get "in their face" to much about their faith is my daughters and their honeys. (fiances/boyfriend) God also put you girls in the family you are in because He has a purpose for you.
I do need to do what I fill God put me on this earth to do in my own quite gentle (I hope) way.
My daughters and their men are my biggest field right now. I know girls that you accepted Christ when you were little, but He needs more from you. My prayer is always that you will want to give Him more.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Love you all, Cynthia--Mom
Friday, June 19, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
lessons from Leo and Max
Leo is a high energy, happy puppy that Erika and Jesse got last fall. He reminds me of a curious toddler who is always getting into things or asking questions. No Leo can't verbalize questions, but if he could he would be saying things like...what's this, how come I can't, where are we going now, can we walk a little further, when can we eat again, is that how fast you are going to walk? He has reminded me of some important things in life. Attitude is everything.
Leo has to be in a crate a lot because his mommy and daddy work full time and a puppy is a puppy. Grandma M.(me) tries her best to walk him and get some of his energy out, she even brings him over to her house sometimes for a run in the backyard.
Leo comes out of his crate as if you are an angel from heaven and shows his love in great puppy style with hugs and kisses. His hugs are actually trying to jump on me, but I choose to give him a break and call them hugs. (we'll work on the jumping later, not to much later though)
Leo reminds me that joy is contagious and there is no reason to keep it in.
Leo reminds me to hold my head up high when your going through life so that you can greet everyone you encounter with a smile (a doggie smile???)
Play, run, chase as if there is no tomorrow. I look at Leo and realize that I need to relax and have more fun with whoever lets me out of my crate.
Be thankful for every day God gives me on this earth, Leo is just learning about all the sights and sounds of this world and yesterday he asked me with a short bark.... Grandma if you would just let go of my leash and let me chase that leaf that is blowing away I would be even more thankful.
Now just a few words so that I don't leave out my other Granddog, Max. Andrea and Brad got Max over a year ago and he is a cute miniature dachshund.
Max you are a ball of energy that moves throughout your whole body. You remind me to open my arms and greet the ones I love with all the affection I can muster. You are just like your mommy when she was a toddler, when I tried to cuddle with her sometimes she would let me know...I love you with a kiss, but let me down so I can be on my way.
You are cautious about life looking both ways before you leap into a friendship. You are always happy to see the ones you love, but look out for those strangers, they might get a chewing out before you will let them get close. I need to remember to not make judgment calls like that when meeting new people. It is always better Max to greet people with a smile and a soft hello. Show them how cute you are and how fun it is to play with you.
Lastly Max you have taught me to always get to the bathroom when I first feel like I need to go.
I love you Max and Leo.
Leo has to be in a crate a lot because his mommy and daddy work full time and a puppy is a puppy. Grandma M.(me) tries her best to walk him and get some of his energy out, she even brings him over to her house sometimes for a run in the backyard.
Leo comes out of his crate as if you are an angel from heaven and shows his love in great puppy style with hugs and kisses. His hugs are actually trying to jump on me, but I choose to give him a break and call them hugs. (we'll work on the jumping later, not to much later though)
Leo reminds me that joy is contagious and there is no reason to keep it in.
Leo reminds me to hold my head up high when your going through life so that you can greet everyone you encounter with a smile (a doggie smile???)
Play, run, chase as if there is no tomorrow. I look at Leo and realize that I need to relax and have more fun with whoever lets me out of my crate.
Be thankful for every day God gives me on this earth, Leo is just learning about all the sights and sounds of this world and yesterday he asked me with a short bark.... Grandma if you would just let go of my leash and let me chase that leaf that is blowing away I would be even more thankful.
Now just a few words so that I don't leave out my other Granddog, Max. Andrea and Brad got Max over a year ago and he is a cute miniature dachshund.
Max you are a ball of energy that moves throughout your whole body. You remind me to open my arms and greet the ones I love with all the affection I can muster. You are just like your mommy when she was a toddler, when I tried to cuddle with her sometimes she would let me know...I love you with a kiss, but let me down so I can be on my way.
You are cautious about life looking both ways before you leap into a friendship. You are always happy to see the ones you love, but look out for those strangers, they might get a chewing out before you will let them get close. I need to remember to not make judgment calls like that when meeting new people. It is always better Max to greet people with a smile and a soft hello. Show them how cute you are and how fun it is to play with you.
Lastly Max you have taught me to always get to the bathroom when I first feel like I need to go.
I love you Max and Leo.
Friday, June 5, 2009
struggleing rose
I tend to think, analyze, wonder, and contemplate in the morning hours more then any other time of day. I have even composed letters and stories in the shower and had to get out to write something down before I forget, which happens more often then not these days.
Last week Scott pointed out a struggling rose bush in my garden. I say struggling because last spring I tried to dig it up because it was in an odd place. It had three beautiful pink roses on it that summer, and after it was done blooming I truly thought I would put it someplace else. As I was digging it up though, it struggled to come out, and in the end it wasn’t a pretty site. It really wasn’t a bush it was more like a stick. I thought I got it all out, but low and behold what was left in the ground is trying it’s best to grow this year. It is 17” tall now and looks healthy. It grows along side of what I put in its place after I thought I had dug it all up.
Do I look for a deeper meaning here, u-betcha. That is the way my mind works. Life is like those roses, don’t you think. We all struggle with life in one way or another; we make choices we regret later, we don’t like this or that about ourselves, our jobs, our health, our relationships. Sometimes God will allow us to go through these struggles and difficulties in life in order to get our attention. He wants us in a position where we will have to be totally dependent on Him, to prove to us we cannot be strong enough within ourselves. In the bible God shrank down Gideon’s army from thousands to hundreds to fight a war against thousands. He wanted to show Gideon that He was in control, not the strength of a large army. Like that struggling rose we may need to be too weak in mind, body and spirit to try and figure it all out on our own. I read in a devotional by Joyce Meyer…. “We are not in line for a miracle if anyone but God can help us. There are times when we have too much going for us in the natural for God to give the victory.” We all need to stay humble and under Gods mighty hand in order to make it through all of what life may hand us, totally dependent on Him.
Yes that rose has yet to prove to me that it will produce after what I put it through, it may or may not it doesn’t matter because it is trying. Sometimes it takes those struggles to bring out our full potential in life.
Last week Scott pointed out a struggling rose bush in my garden. I say struggling because last spring I tried to dig it up because it was in an odd place. It had three beautiful pink roses on it that summer, and after it was done blooming I truly thought I would put it someplace else. As I was digging it up though, it struggled to come out, and in the end it wasn’t a pretty site. It really wasn’t a bush it was more like a stick. I thought I got it all out, but low and behold what was left in the ground is trying it’s best to grow this year. It is 17” tall now and looks healthy. It grows along side of what I put in its place after I thought I had dug it all up.
Do I look for a deeper meaning here, u-betcha. That is the way my mind works. Life is like those roses, don’t you think. We all struggle with life in one way or another; we make choices we regret later, we don’t like this or that about ourselves, our jobs, our health, our relationships. Sometimes God will allow us to go through these struggles and difficulties in life in order to get our attention. He wants us in a position where we will have to be totally dependent on Him, to prove to us we cannot be strong enough within ourselves. In the bible God shrank down Gideon’s army from thousands to hundreds to fight a war against thousands. He wanted to show Gideon that He was in control, not the strength of a large army. Like that struggling rose we may need to be too weak in mind, body and spirit to try and figure it all out on our own. I read in a devotional by Joyce Meyer…. “We are not in line for a miracle if anyone but God can help us. There are times when we have too much going for us in the natural for God to give the victory.” We all need to stay humble and under Gods mighty hand in order to make it through all of what life may hand us, totally dependent on Him.
Yes that rose has yet to prove to me that it will produce after what I put it through, it may or may not it doesn’t matter because it is trying. Sometimes it takes those struggles to bring out our full potential in life.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
3rd e-mil sent/ planting seeds for Jesus
I can imagine some of you are wondering what I mean when I say 2nd and 3rd e-mails sent, well I started last weeks sending my family some e-mails about my day and then last night Erika came over with this idea. So I am including these e-mails on my blogspot.
We had a lesson on grace and mercy today. I don't plan these things , I look for opportunities though. Only Danielle, who is going into 5th grade knew kind of what it meant. A couple of things have happen around the house that should have lead to a time out, but they were minor things so I used them to talk about grace and mercy. I told them that I was not going to give them the punishment that they deserved because I was going to give them mercy. Then I explained that God shows us mercy all the time. I explained that because Jesus died and took our punishment we don't have to die for things we do wrong. This lead to the question....Why would we have to die, because God can't tolerate sin and so He gave us an out, Jesus. Thus God's mercy! I tell the kids they have to accept God and what Jesus did for us, then ask forgiveness. Of course I really emphasize that they need to try their best not to do things that would make Jesus sad. I for one am so very glad that when I do mess up all I have to do is ask for forgiveness. Right where I am any time of the day. Most of the time the kids understand, a lot of the time I have to leave the rest to the Lord.
Time to go to Basketball camp.
The last kitten died today.
Danielle is so sad. I'm not sure I am ready to tackle a talk about death and dying!! Maybe........
We had a lesson on grace and mercy today. I don't plan these things , I look for opportunities though. Only Danielle, who is going into 5th grade knew kind of what it meant. A couple of things have happen around the house that should have lead to a time out, but they were minor things so I used them to talk about grace and mercy. I told them that I was not going to give them the punishment that they deserved because I was going to give them mercy. Then I explained that God shows us mercy all the time. I explained that because Jesus died and took our punishment we don't have to die for things we do wrong. This lead to the question....Why would we have to die, because God can't tolerate sin and so He gave us an out, Jesus. Thus God's mercy! I tell the kids they have to accept God and what Jesus did for us, then ask forgiveness. Of course I really emphasize that they need to try their best not to do things that would make Jesus sad. I for one am so very glad that when I do mess up all I have to do is ask for forgiveness. Right where I am any time of the day. Most of the time the kids understand, a lot of the time I have to leave the rest to the Lord.
Time to go to Basketball camp.
The last kitten died today.
Danielle is so sad. I'm not sure I am ready to tackle a talk about death and dying!! Maybe........
2nd e-mail sent
How is your day going? Yes I am talking to you even though this is addressed to everyone. I know, I know you all think I'm a little bit off my rocker. Like I said before Erika thinks I need an outlet, she may be right. Talking to children all day everyday can get repetitive and frustrating.
I asked God for a blessing today as I got up. Life can get pretty hum drum if we don't experience those once and awhile. Oh I consider all of you blessings, but I don't get to see you very often. I sat on the edge of my bed looking out at the bird feeder I put outside of my window. I prayed and I asked God for a blue jay. I have been hoping to get a picture of one all Spring ever since I saw a couple of them hanging around. Now I truly believe in the power of prayer, but rarely have experienced an answer so quickly, but low and behold soon after I ended my prayer (which consisted of a blessing for you all) there on the bird feeder was a blue jay; I got my picture.
Another blessing for my day which I didn't think would be at first was....Danielle and Kyle came to start my day of daycare and with them came 3 brand new baby kittens. They are only 3 days old and their mother abandoned them. Danielle and Kyle's mom asked me if I could help Danielle feed them every couple of hours. UGGG!!!! To make a long story short we have been trying to give them kitten supplement. They were not taken care right away by their mother so they are very weak. I'm not sure if they will make it. Tomorrow will tell.
I asked God for a blessing today as I got up. Life can get pretty hum drum if we don't experience those once and awhile. Oh I consider all of you blessings, but I don't get to see you very often. I sat on the edge of my bed looking out at the bird feeder I put outside of my window. I prayed and I asked God for a blue jay. I have been hoping to get a picture of one all Spring ever since I saw a couple of them hanging around. Now I truly believe in the power of prayer, but rarely have experienced an answer so quickly, but low and behold soon after I ended my prayer (which consisted of a blessing for you all) there on the bird feeder was a blue jay; I got my picture.
Another blessing for my day which I didn't think would be at first was....Danielle and Kyle came to start my day of daycare and with them came 3 brand new baby kittens. They are only 3 days old and their mother abandoned them. Danielle and Kyle's mom asked me if I could help Danielle feed them every couple of hours. UGGG!!!! To make a long story short we have been trying to give them kitten supplement. They were not taken care right away by their mother so they are very weak. I'm not sure if they will make it. Tomorrow will tell.
e-mail from last week
Have a great day everyone
I do daycare during the summer. I will probably refer to them as my summer kids.
I tried to talk to my summer kids at my house about lying today. A couple of them were lying about something and I knew it. They didn't think I did. We discussed lying and how it is a sin in Gods eyes no matter how big or little it is. The children I have watched through the years have always asked questions about what a sin is. After I tell them it is the wrong choices we make they know right away what I am talking about. (we talk about making good choices at school every day, the difference here is that I can talk about God at my house) I told them that it hurts God's heart when we sin and we need to make it right with Him. I do go on to tell them how I make it right when I sin, but I don't force them to do it. I have been fortunate that the parents that I have had through the years do not mind me talking to their kids about God and of course Jesus. I have a Muslim family this year and they have other ideas about Jesus. I will not leave Him out of conversations with the kids though. He is to much apart of my life to do that.
I do daycare during the summer. I will probably refer to them as my summer kids.
I tried to talk to my summer kids at my house about lying today. A couple of them were lying about something and I knew it. They didn't think I did. We discussed lying and how it is a sin in Gods eyes no matter how big or little it is. The children I have watched through the years have always asked questions about what a sin is. After I tell them it is the wrong choices we make they know right away what I am talking about. (we talk about making good choices at school every day, the difference here is that I can talk about God at my house) I told them that it hurts God's heart when we sin and we need to make it right with Him. I do go on to tell them how I make it right when I sin, but I don't force them to do it. I have been fortunate that the parents that I have had through the years do not mind me talking to their kids about God and of course Jesus. I have a Muslim family this year and they have other ideas about Jesus. I will not leave Him out of conversations with the kids though. He is to much apart of my life to do that.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
First Blog
Erika has encouraged me to blog. I had started sending my family e-mails about my day with the kids I am babysitting and she thought this might be an outlet for me. She is a blessing and I appreciate her encouragement to write my thoughts. It is late now but I will post my past e-mails as a starting point for this and then go form there. I will try very hard not to bore any one.
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