I want to be careful with this post so as to not offend any other Wessner's out there, but I think most will agree that what I am saying is the truth. What am I saying?
The other day, maybe a week ago, Anson was being a little slow in the obedience department. When he finally arrived in the room I had called him to I asked, "Pal, what were you doing that took so long?" He responded, "Just noticing my ears." He's 6, he knows he has ears, I went on, "Really, what were you noticing about them?" He said, very matter-of-factly, "They're kinda big, don't you think?"
I'm not sure what I said at the moment, probably something to the effect that God made him well and blah-blah-blah. A few days later, however, it dawned on me. He has inherited from my side and Mike's side. He actually has what we call, well, "Wessner ears." I happen to love his ears and his Dad's ears. I wanted him to know that his ears were a sign that he was part of a bigger family. He had those ears because he was a Wessner...a pretty great thing to be! So, a few days later I said to him...
"You know bud, I've been thinking about your ears. Do you know why you have those ears? It's because you are a Wessner. That's something neat about some of the Wessner's. You have them because you are part of the family, it's something to remind you of who you belong to. I think it's kind of neat to have something like some other people in the same family. It's like you have it in common, and you can be proud of it, because we are proud to be Wessner's."
As I was talking to him something else came to mind. As we develop as believers there are things that set us apart as children of God. We are marked by God's Spirit. Christ in us sets us apart. What are some of those things? How about love? Joy? Peace? Patience? Kindness? Goodness? Gentleness? Faithfulness? Self-Control? These are not natural in our being, they are fruits of the Spirit that is alive within us. Sometimes we end up with convictions that don't look like our neighbor's or we make choices that seem crazy to a watching world.
I did talk to Anson about this as well. I asked him what things set us apart as followers of God? "When people look at you they know you are a Wessner because they see Daddy and know where you have inherited your ears. (and HIS BRAIN!!! Wessner's are awfully bright!!!) Is there anything that would show people that you belong to Jesus?"
I ask myself that same question. If people just caught a little teeny glimpse at my life, or caught me talking to my children when I didn't know the windows were open, what would I sound like? Would they know I was a member of the family of God?
As I walk in His strength and rely on His Spirit I pray that my life will be a fragrant offering to the Lord.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Disney Theology???
Today was a fun day because we got to be with some of our most precious friends. I was feeling a bit generous, so I gave the kids a break from my John Denver Wildlife Concert CD's and Bebo, so they could listen to one of their Disney Classic CD's. I know, I know, mother of the year material!
On the way home, Hakuna Matata came on. There is something that I love about old Disney songs. Maybe it's that those are the songs that I know, and Disney just doesn't write songs like they used to! So, I was singing along and Anson calls from the back of the van, "Mom, it's right!" I turned it down a bit and asked what was right. "This song. Hakuna Matata. That it means no worries and if we have God on our side, we don't have any worries."
I'd have to say that Disney was right about this one. I thought immediately of Matthew Chapter 6:25-34 and how clear the author is about God's provision for His people. Not only His provision for His people, but how He provides for His creation! The lillies of the field, the birds of the air...why wouldn't He provide for His very own children!
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat? or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kindgom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:31-34
Definitely worth thinking about!
On the way home, Hakuna Matata came on. There is something that I love about old Disney songs. Maybe it's that those are the songs that I know, and Disney just doesn't write songs like they used to! So, I was singing along and Anson calls from the back of the van, "Mom, it's right!" I turned it down a bit and asked what was right. "This song. Hakuna Matata. That it means no worries and if we have God on our side, we don't have any worries."
I'd have to say that Disney was right about this one. I thought immediately of Matthew Chapter 6:25-34 and how clear the author is about God's provision for His people. Not only His provision for His people, but how He provides for His creation! The lillies of the field, the birds of the air...why wouldn't He provide for His very own children!
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat? or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kindgom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:31-34
Definitely worth thinking about!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
If you give a Mom a minute.
Whew! I am in a very busy stage of life and this little diddy has been coming to mind alot lately. I wrote it about 1-2 years ago and never shared it because I didn't know if since it was inspired by some other books I would get in trouble. It just seems to appropriate and I guess I should thank Laura Numeroff for the idea. Ella loves the "If you give a moose a muffin" and we have collected several of her other books. How many of you ever feel like this? It is written with very little periods, because periods represent a break...and we just don't get many of those. If you are out of breath at the end of it...that's the idea. Let's not wait too long to sit down and study our Bibles...even if all we have is a minute. Also I need to thank Lisa-Anne at The Maine Berry Patch for an award that she gave me several weeks ago.(so I just linked to where the award is on her blog...you'll love visiting her...and I am really bad at putting anything but words on this blog!) I was so surprised and humbled by it, I didn't know what to do. I don't know exactly how to move it to my blog...but I wanted to say thank you so much for your sweet words and kind award. It truly blessed my heart! Alright...to the blog...
If you give a mom a minute, she'll probably go to the kitchen to get a glass of water because she is trying to lose weight and stopped drinking sodas and is now forcing herself to drink water. While she's getting the ice out of the freezer she'll pull the meat out for dinner and then check the refrigerator to make sure that the fruit for the fruit salad hasn't gone bad yet. While she's checking the fruit she'll discover the bowl of leftover spaghetti in the back of the refrigerator that went bad and she'll decide she needs to clean out the bowl. Before she can wash the bowl she has to clean the dishes out of the sink that her family forgot to put in the dishwasher. When she opens the dishwasher she remembers that she was too tired to empty it last night and has to empty it before she can load it before she can wash the dishes. As she is putting the last knife in the knife drawer she remembers her friend was missing a knife and asked her to check if she left it at her house. So, she decides since the drawer is open she should clean it out to look for the knife. Then, she hears a loud noise that reminds her that the sheets in the dryer are clean so she pulls the sheets out of the dryer and figures she might as well put them on the bed so that they'll be ready for bedtime because Survivor is coming on and the kids have to be in bed by 8:00 so she won't miss the twist that's never been done before that is wreaking havoc on the island. While she's putting the sheets on the bed she stubs her toe on the metal frame and when she bends down to make sure that her toenail polish didn't chip, and to rub her throbbing toe, she finds the shoe that she couldn't find on Sunday morning. She says, "Praise God." Thinking of God reminds her that she hasn't read her Bible yet and it's already 2:30. She walks out to read her Bible, but as she walks by the kitchen she sees the dishes and remembers that she never finished cleaning out the moldy spaghetti. While she's cleaning out the bowl she thinks she might as well clean out the refrigerator since it needs to be done anyway. When the refrigerator is all cleaned out she realizes now that the moldy spaghetti, soggy salad, and chunky milk are gone, there is no food. So, she'll have to make her grocery list. When she sits down with her pen and paper to make her list, she'll remember when she used to sit down with pen and paper to study her Bible. That will remind her that she still hasn't met with Jesus. Since her Bible is still on the table from Sunday she opens it up and reads, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of living water welling up to eternal life." She'll probably thank Jesus for being the living water and that will remind her of her glass of water she left on the counter. Chances are that if she gets that cup of water, she'll want a minute to go with it.
If you give a mom a minute, she'll probably go to the kitchen to get a glass of water because she is trying to lose weight and stopped drinking sodas and is now forcing herself to drink water. While she's getting the ice out of the freezer she'll pull the meat out for dinner and then check the refrigerator to make sure that the fruit for the fruit salad hasn't gone bad yet. While she's checking the fruit she'll discover the bowl of leftover spaghetti in the back of the refrigerator that went bad and she'll decide she needs to clean out the bowl. Before she can wash the bowl she has to clean the dishes out of the sink that her family forgot to put in the dishwasher. When she opens the dishwasher she remembers that she was too tired to empty it last night and has to empty it before she can load it before she can wash the dishes. As she is putting the last knife in the knife drawer she remembers her friend was missing a knife and asked her to check if she left it at her house. So, she decides since the drawer is open she should clean it out to look for the knife. Then, she hears a loud noise that reminds her that the sheets in the dryer are clean so she pulls the sheets out of the dryer and figures she might as well put them on the bed so that they'll be ready for bedtime because Survivor is coming on and the kids have to be in bed by 8:00 so she won't miss the twist that's never been done before that is wreaking havoc on the island. While she's putting the sheets on the bed she stubs her toe on the metal frame and when she bends down to make sure that her toenail polish didn't chip, and to rub her throbbing toe, she finds the shoe that she couldn't find on Sunday morning. She says, "Praise God." Thinking of God reminds her that she hasn't read her Bible yet and it's already 2:30. She walks out to read her Bible, but as she walks by the kitchen she sees the dishes and remembers that she never finished cleaning out the moldy spaghetti. While she's cleaning out the bowl she thinks she might as well clean out the refrigerator since it needs to be done anyway. When the refrigerator is all cleaned out she realizes now that the moldy spaghetti, soggy salad, and chunky milk are gone, there is no food. So, she'll have to make her grocery list. When she sits down with her pen and paper to make her list, she'll remember when she used to sit down with pen and paper to study her Bible. That will remind her that she still hasn't met with Jesus. Since her Bible is still on the table from Sunday she opens it up and reads, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of living water welling up to eternal life." She'll probably thank Jesus for being the living water and that will remind her of her glass of water she left on the counter. Chances are that if she gets that cup of water, she'll want a minute to go with it.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The Bucket List
A few Friday's ago, Mike and I snuggled up to watch "The Bucket List." I really enjoyed it. Basically it's the story of two men, both dying, and doing all of the things that they've always wanted to do before the "kick the bucket." I loved the idea of it.
I think all of us have plans, dreams, hopes...things that we want to see come to fruition before we do, indeed, kick the bucket and so Mike and I started talking about our own lists. Of course there were large travel plans like, take the kids on an African Safari...in Africa! Perhaps one day we could cruise to the Mediterranean. We'd love to eat a fancy meal at a cafe somewhere. We want to see our children graduate and become people who love God and love others...well. There were other things not as lofty, but still desires, like, well, mop the kitchen floor!
I sort of store things in my head and then when I read something there is a party in my head when two things connect. Well, my brain had a party while I was reading Luke 2:25-32, it's a good read...
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."
This man's bucket list looked like this...
Things to do before I die...
1. See the Christ.
Pretty sweet, I thought.
I think all of us have plans, dreams, hopes...things that we want to see come to fruition before we do, indeed, kick the bucket and so Mike and I started talking about our own lists. Of course there were large travel plans like, take the kids on an African Safari...in Africa! Perhaps one day we could cruise to the Mediterranean. We'd love to eat a fancy meal at a cafe somewhere. We want to see our children graduate and become people who love God and love others...well. There were other things not as lofty, but still desires, like, well, mop the kitchen floor!
I sort of store things in my head and then when I read something there is a party in my head when two things connect. Well, my brain had a party while I was reading Luke 2:25-32, it's a good read...
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."
This man's bucket list looked like this...
Things to do before I die...
1. See the Christ.
Pretty sweet, I thought.
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