Picture This: Lions Fighting

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”  Revelation 5:5

As a family we have had angel encounters.  Not the wimpy, cutesy, beautiful winged creatures.  I'm talking big, warrior, sword carrying angel!  While my oldest son was in preschool, he often shared about how many angels were in our house, how big and strong they were, how large their swords were and what their hair looked like.  This isn't foreign to our wee one either. 

It was just a year ago that our wee one was getting discharged from the hospital from his battle with Kawasaki's Disease.  It was then that I had my first visible, memorable angel encounter.  I saw a man in my son's hospital room with my husband and youngest son.  This man looked official, so I didn't enter the room in an effort not to be a distraction.  Later during conversation, my husband said there was no man in the hospital room.  

During a recent lunch conversation, my husband asked our wee one if he had seen any angels.  He looked around while intentionally putting his pointer finger up to his chin and said, "hmmm".  Then all of the sudden the wee one says, "There he is.  Want some?"  He was offering his new angelic friend some pizza.  Scott continued to pursue the conversation with our wee one by asking him if he remembered being sick last year.  The wee one's reply was, "hot, hot, hot."  (He ran an extremely high fever for several days.)  Scott continued and asked, "Did you see angels when we were in the hospital?"  The wee one's answer was shocking and when Scott shared this with me tears rolled down this mommy's cheeks.  His answer was, "Lions.  Lions fighting."

Lions are both protectors and predators - depends on their heart, motive and circumstance.  I have no doubt that the vision my son saw was a lion from the Lord God protecting him against a predator lion who was trying to snatch him.  Our Protector is victorious always!

The interesting thing is that the visions of lions haven't stopped.  He occasionally shares, "lion scare me."  So, it appears that our battles, whatever they may be, are not done yet.  We are armed and ready, because our King, and amazing Father never slumbers and is always aware, alive and engaged in every detail of our lives.

Some friends of mine have introduced me to a refreshing way to look at the new year (thanks: Ann, Kara  and Tobitha!).  The days of New Year's Resolutions are gone.  Naming the year is so much better!  After some prayer over the last couple of days, I think I've landed on a name for 2011. 

Father,
I want to be more aware of where you're working so I can join in, experience you more and give you more of the glory You so richly deserve.
I want to be more alive:  living every moment to the fullest wherever I am and with my irreplaceable roles as most important.  Going through more healing and feeling all of it as we walk toward victory for His glory.
I want to be engaged intentionally with obedience, gratitude and more trust in Him with whatever He sets before me - the battles and the victories.
Father, all these things can only be done when I trust you and live victoriously in, for and through You!
So here's to 2011:  the year of living victoriously!

Happy New Year!

Multitude Monday - counting #468 - #504

468.  snow flurries in FL!!

469.  holding my sons and worshipping My Savior simultaneously

470.  a productive last work from home day

471.  letter to Santa

472.  letter to God

473.  that my oldest loves the lyrics "sin has lost its power"

474.  the excitement of ripping the wrapping paper off packages

475.  scarfs

476.  weather forecasts

477.  my father-in-law

478.  missing my mother-in-law

479.  my sister

480.   my mom

481.  my thoughtful husband

482.  studying more about lions

483.  the possibilities of a date night with my honey

484.  contentment

485.  not needing anything, not wanting anything

486.  healthy check-ups

487.  when boxes are the highlight of playtime

488.  comfortable sleep

489.  clean towels

490.  clean sheets

491.  Febreeze

492.  Christmas cookies and treats

493.  Remembering the simplicity of Christmas

494.  What does God require of us?  "to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

495.  The Gift of Strong Words

496.  cough drops

497.  Kleenex and enough breath to blow my nose

498.  seeing a friend released from a long-carried burden and now she is radiant

499.  car mechanics

500.  gas stations with car washes

501.  music that speaks to my heart
502.  confessed sin
503.  grace and freedom when confession and repentance happen
504.  the hopefulness of 2011

Happy 2011!

Multitude Monday - #441 -

No more let sin and sorrow growNor thorns infest the groundHe comes to makeHis blessings flowFar as the curse is foundFar as the curse is found 

 

441.  My husband taking his responsibility of a small group leader seriously

442.  Upward CDs that help me and my kids learn God's word

443.  The Action Bible - God's word presented like a comic book - my oldest loves it and can't wait to dig into God's word more!

444.  listening to the breathing of a sleeping child

445.  Boy adventures - Like father, like son - on their way across the street to look at some cows

 

 

446.  My grandparents celebrating 65 years of marriage

447.  Memories of my mother-in-law

448.  when the sun peaks through the clouds of the day and my sons say, "Praise Jesus!"

449.  safe travels

450.  that I was able to work from home for 6 years - what a blessing

451.  that God will grow me through all the experiences that will happen with the new boss

452.  a little 15-month-old boy is recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, but they caught it early enough that no additional treatment is needed.

453.  The promise of Heaven

454.  That we have the opportunity to speed the return of Christ - see the December 19 message on www.davidtarkington.com

455.  a friend who is choosing to walk a hard road of healing to move toward the full and abundant life and receive victory!

456.  that my kids love to dance and they just don't care what it looks like!

457.  questions

458.  sometimes having the answers to questions and sometimes just coming to grips with the fact that we don't always have the answer

459.  vacation

460.  a good Cuban sandwich

461.  there is a spiritual battle raging all around us, but we are not big enough to see it or even be aware of it

462.  that God knows what we can handle and what is just too much

463.  that Mary pondered the treasure in her heart (Luke 2:19)

464.  that Gabriel said, "Don't be afraid"

465.  that Joesph was faithful

466.  that Jesus' story is so big, yet so simple

467.  that the Christmas story is also in Revelation 12 and Isaiah 61

Merry Christmas!

 

Counting the Multitudes of Blessings - #410 - #440

410.  friendship

411.  memories (and that my brain can store some!)

412.  boy adventures - everyone wants to be a rock star!

 

413.  boy adventures - tree climbing and not worrying about how to get down, just seeing how high he can go!

414.  remembering the joy of 6 years ago and the gift of my oldest

415.  WOW!  He's grown 3 inches in the last year!

416.  The wee one's wonder at the Christmas tree

417.  Watching them play with the Little People's Nativity

418.  white twinkling lights on the Christmas tree

419.  a warm fire on a chilly night

420.  business trips that give you the opportunity to refocus and make new friends

421.  vanilla ice cream and how the kids love it

422.  how my husband has redecorated the boys' rooms

423.  warm sweaters

424.  comfy blue jeans

425.  cozy sweat pants

426.  that God provides for all our needs

427.  that Christmas wouldn't mean much without Easter

428.  that Easter wouldn't mean much without Christmas

429.  that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things (Hebrews 11)

430.  Lions

431.  that angels are real and battle on our behalf in more ways than we know

432.  that God wants to change me with each of our encounters

433.  family

434.  the priviledge of praying with someone

435.  leaving and cleaving

436.  seat belts

437.  His amazing love

438.  the boys giving eachother eskimo kisses and laughing

439.  Jaguars being in 1st place in the division!

440.  Dancing 

 

    

Sunrise Comfort

I'm out of town at a conference.  I'm laying here in a cozy king size bed in my pajamas in my oceanfront hotel room looking out the sliding glass door.  It's frigid outside - in the low 20s.  The heat is on and the covers are raised.  I'm looking out the sliding glass doors to see glimpses of the sunrise.  Sunrises are special to me.  About 6 years ago, God told me I was beautiful and He used a sunrise to do it.  He told me that no matter what others see, He always sees the sunrise as beautiful, even on a foggy day.  He said that this is how He sees me - always beautiful, no matter what others see. 

Today, I have a challenge.  The heat in my hotel room is on and I'm so comfortable that there is condensation on the sliding glass door and I can't get a clear view of the sunrise.  There is also a pole in my direct line of vision.  Ican see the colors and I can tell that the sun is rising, but it's all kind of foggy from the inside. 

I guess that's what happens when we get too cdomfrotable - things get foggy from the inside and we miss seeing all the beauty and wonder He has for us.  I know that my heart gets comforable in my routine of talking with Him, listinenting to Him, studying His word, living life in my comfort zone, not dealing with sin. 

I took a towel and wiped the windows so I could get a clear view.  It helped for a little bit, but now the windows are back to being foggy.  Until I change the temperature in my room, the condensation will still be there mo matter how hard I try or how often I wipe it away it will return.  I think that's the way it is with my heart.  I have to invite God to change my temperature so I can see His beauty and wonder clearly no matter how uncomfortable it is. 

I don't want to miss anything He has to offer, but am I willing to be uncomfortable to experience Him?  I hope and pray so!  I want to be able to see the difference and I know He does too!

Multitude Monday #390 -

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.   1 Corinthians 13:12


390.  Freedom to talk to and about Jesus openly
391.  Celebrating birthdays
392.  http://wheresthelinetoseejesus.com/
393.  chill in the air
394.  minty m&ms
395.  glass of cold milk
396.  warm, cozy blankets
397.  weekends
398.  the wee one going pee-pee in the potty for the first time!
399.  the oldest asking "If someone doesn't know God, do they die forever?"
400.  that God gives me the words to answer his questions
401.  giggles from tickles
402.  laughter from the wee one when his brother tells a joke - sometimes even before the punchline!
403.  when my love pulls me closer
404.  great Christmas music
405.  longing to be more in His presence
406.  trying to be more alive in the moment and soak it all in
407.  the sounds, smells and pictures that trigger memories
408.  God gives wisdom to those who ask Him for it
409.  warm shower on a cold morning

Sorrow and Joy

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a] 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:1-3
 
Just finished Angie Smith's book "I Will Carry You" in which she shares her and her family's story through the diagnosis and loss of their daughter Audrey Caroline.  I couldn't put it down.  I cried, just letting the tears fall wherever they wanted.  I was moved.  Angie showed me things in God's Word that I never thought about before (the smell of Mary's hair after breaking the alabaster jar of perfume at Jesus' feet, that Mary and Martha didn't ask Jesus to heal their brother - they just trusted Him and more!).  The subtitle to this book is "The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy".  What most surprised me was that I got in touch with my heart while I was reading this book.  Funny thing is that I didn't know I was out of touch with it!
 
Please don't hear what I'm not saying.  In no way do I compare what I'm about to share with the magnitude of loss that the Smith family and so many others experience.  So now I continue...
 
I think that we are meant to grieve many things throughout our lives.  Yes, actually grieving the loss of life is one way.  But I think we also are meant to grieve dashed dreams, unmet expectations, stages of our children's lives, new seasons in our relationships and so much more. 
 
What happened to me over this last weekend (yes, the long Thanksgiving weekend!) was that I was able to unplug and simply be with my family.  I wasn't "needed" any where else.  Focused on Jesus and my guys!  It was so wonderful.  I'm hopeful it will stay that way a bit longer (ok - a lot longer!).  But here's what I discovered:  finally, I was living in each moment, enjoying it, soaking it in.
 
There will be many changes at work.  One of them more than likely (yes, please join me in prayer that my assumption is false!) will be that my opportunity to work from home will be taken away.  I get the opportunity this week to do a trial run - have to go in every day this week.  So, today I've been ultra-sensitive and ready to cry at the drop of a hat.  What's up?
 
I'm grieving.  My loss is:

• My boys are getting older.  My oldest has asked to redecorate his room.  He announced that, "Cars is too babyish.  Mom, I want flames, fast cars and monster trucks on my walls."  (Do you know what a challenge it is to find that combination?!)  My wee one is talking up a storm saying big words, following along more intently in a book and more.  They aren't babies any more.  They are boys.  I know someday soon, they'll be men.  So I am grieving the loss of the stages my boys are in, as they are moving on and growing (which also brings great joy - see the turning mourning into joy.
• My time with them more than likely will be shortened so I can work.  The way I calculated it, it appears that if I go into the office each day, I will miss about 6 hours of time with my kids that I currently get.  This makes me so sad.  I want to scream.  I want to be on my own selfish little pity party about how this wasn't my dream, I wanted to be the one to stay home with my kids.  This isn't fair that the love of my life, my sweet and wonderful Scott, gets to be the one helping with homework, carting them to basketball practice, teaching them basic life skills every day. My heart is breaking.  How do I love them the way I want to love them or the way they want to be loved with so little time?  .  This hurts.  It hurt before, but I just "got over it".  Now I need healing! 

Thank you, Jesus for giving us pictures of what it looks like for you to take something sad and hurting and He brings about something beautiful, joyful - something that's healed.  So, Jesus - guess we're about to embark on another healing journey.  I look forward to the adventure: the scent, the sites (beauty), the feelings, the new clothes (of praise that is) and the roots that will continue to grow deeper as I trust Him more.  It will be good simply because He is good.