No More Minimizing Pain

"There is no suffering gauge in Scripture, as if being burned at the stake scores a 100, Stage IV cancer is an 85, a broken friendship is a 50 and uncomfortable shoes are a 5. ... A suffering gauge would inevitably be accompanied by a compassion meter. ...Too many of us believe that such a system exists."
http://www.ccef.org/blog/no-more-minimizing-pain

I struggle with this. I hear a friend has lost her child to a horrible disease, and then I feel like I am pathetic for asking for prayer for something that seems so insignificant in comparison. In that situation everything in my life seems insignificant. That's my way of doing things; not His. Most of us feel like this at some point or another.

The truth is God cares about the big and the small in our lives. This is the same God who knows the number of hairs on your head (intimate details) and knows when a sparrow falls from the nest. You can safely take all of your concerns to Him.

Bees is Bad!

Our two year old Hannah is going through the stage of development where she has realized not all things are good. A few nights ago, she woke up very upset from a nightmare. She came running to us saying emphatically "I don't like bees! Bees "ting!" Bees is bad!!" When I outreached my arms to her, she eagerly jumped into the safety of them. She settled down quickly and slept peacefully between Clint and I the rest of the night. Clint and I slept very little because Hannah is a bed hog, but that's another story! :-)

The next day, the normally independent Hannah was stuck to me like glue. I was her shelter from the bees that had her fearful. She knew if she was where I was, she was safe from harm. I did not turn her away because I want her to know that she is indeed safe where I am. My arms are always open to my children, and I will do whatever I am able to defend them.

God calls us His children. He tells us in Scripture we are adopted into His family and that He is our Father. This world is a very scary place. I am realizing this hard truth more and more as I grow older and see friends struggling with terminal illness and losing others suddenly to fatal accidents. Watching friends turn from their faith and marriages and abandon their children to seek "fun" has opened my eyes to some hard facts of this struggle we call life.

At 42, I still need and long for the comfort of a parent. The Ultimate Parent is right there waiting for me to run into His loving, sheltering arms for the love, comfort and protection I seek. He will never tell me I no longer have Him as a parent. Since I am covered in the Blood of the Lamb, He will always be there! Like Hannah, I am going to continue to dwell in His presence because I know He offers shelter from every storm. He offers that same shelter to anyone who sincerely seeks Him. He even offers a challenge: Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Psalms 59:16-17 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.

Me and My Gang (minus one)

Article I Contributed to for Crosswalk.com

http://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/kids/why-do-children-lie.html

This is the article I was interviewed for a few weeks back. Thank you Sarah Hamaker for allowing me to contribute.

WELCOME to the visitors from Crosswalk.com! I have some prayer requests for you, if you feel led.

Please pray for a little 4 year old boy named Zach who is losing his battle to mito disease as I type this. His family needs our prayers in a big way right now.

Please pray for Baby Silas. He is a baby in my local area who needs our prayers for healing. Specifially, he needs time for his brain to heal and he needs to be able to sit up and play for a bone marrow transplant Duke offers. Silas's mother is constantly saying "God can!" I admire her for her steadfast faith and determined outlook.

Please pray for Luke, a 3 year old child of family friends, who has Joubert's Syndrome. His family is headed to a conference soon where we are hoping they will get more help and insight to Luke's condition. He is a precious child.

Last, but not least, Rockstar Madison (from my hometown) needs our prayers as she continues her battle with cancer. Madison is a child with a wonderful, sweet, spunky spirit.

James 5:16 Confess faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (emphasis mine)