Let the Games Begin!

As I live and breath...I am beside myself excited.  As soon as I stand up from this computer, I am in the car on my way to Vernon, TX to meet my brother-in-law to pick up my two precious nieces. We will be with them for the next week and a half.  I love them and that they love to come to my house.  What is even more precious to me is that I have three darling nieces that live down the street from me and I will have them all together!  My sweet daughter Madi is going to be in heaven and my mighty young man, Jake, is in for the time of his life...and I am delighted.  I am delighted.

And to top it all off, in the morning at 10:00 am a group of 60 young ladies ready to meet with the King will desend on us for Chosen Camp!!  I love little girls.  I love children.  I love teenagers.  And can I tell you that I love them because I choose to? 

Just a couple weeks ago we had what my man has named "Fab Friday".  We had 3 nieces, 2 nephews, 1 grandboy, my Jake and Madi and 1 sweet friend...that's 9...of the most wonderful kids in the world stay the night.  We had pizza, threw us some washers, played football, side walk chalked and had some chocolate, of course.  It was a ball...

Can I also tell you that when I imagine that, I think the same thing you think...why on earth?  I'm too tired.  I don't know what to do with them.  I will be exhausted.  I don't "have" to....

Children, teens and really just people... the people God has placed in our lives...they can be exhausting.  But do you know my biggest fear, that those closest to me won't have memories of their relationship with me.  It is not by accident that those who join you at the dinner table are at your  table.  You have something to offer them.  They need us to share with them the journeys the Lord has had us on.  They need to see us laugh.  Doesn't hurt for them to see us cry.  They need our hugs.  They need us to tend to them  We are moms.  We are carved out for just that.  To show the nurturing, tender, compassionate side of our King.

So when I feel tired or overwhelmed..I remember that He has equipped us for every good work.  I remember that we are making memories.  I remember that we are building relationships that will last a life time.  They are precious in His sight and they are precious in mine. 

I will rest tomorrow.  I will play today.  Live!

Let the games begin!  Syd and Sam...Here we come!!

Everything changed.

I saw a quote on Twitter recently and I cannot get it off of my mind.  "God has landed on this enemy-occupied world in human form."  C.S. Lewis. 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."  John 1:1-5

Have you ever felt "just in the midst"?  I have and as a matter of fact I have just this week.  I don't know why it seems to be a struggle that I face on a regular basis...being overwhelmed by circumstances.  Daily, we hear heartbreaking stories of young people being overcome by temptation or rebellion.  Stories of young children motherless due to drugs or alcoholism.  Young men trying to be fathers when only months ago they were quarterbacking their high school team.  Godly parents doing all they can to draw their teens back into His protective covering.  Life. Life on a daily basis can be so overwhelming. 

I figure that it is overwhelming because we are mere humans.  We are dust.  Our best efforts fall short.  Our purest motivations are bathed in selfishness.  Our sight is too near.  Our hearts have been broken.  Our minds are a battlefield.  Our strength fades and our faith can be fickle. 

Yet, "he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." Psalm 103:14

Isn't it a beautiful thought to think that God...our Maker...the one who the Word says fashioned us from the dirt of the ground and then breathed the breath of life into our lungs.  Made us in His image.  Our God who is near to us. He sees the situations that scare us.  He knows the relationships that break our hearts and drain our hope.  He notices not only our tears, but our sighs and the loss of the twinkle in our eyes.  He knows when we will cry "Mercy"  before we form the word with our lips.  Him.  He set His perfect, most Holy, unscathed, pure, strong, feet...His feet.  In our dirt. 

I love Him so.  I love that there is no circumstance that makes Him cringe.  He never says, impossible.  He never thinks it's hopeless.  He never feels fear and He will never know defeat.  He is the Great I Am.  He is the King of Kings and the One and and Only.  He is ours!  Our King...our Father.  Our answer.

"The Word became flesh and make his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."  John 1:14

The next time I feel overwhelmed by my circumstance in all of my mere human-ness, I will remember that God has landed here.  When He did, the demons took notice.  Nature bowed.  Our circumstances must obey Him.  Everything changed.