A lesson?

I don't know what I'm being taught right now, oh wait, the HS just told me a few. Let go, pray, and remain joyful. Wait, there's another: patience. It's going to take a LOT of lessons for me to learn these virtues!

I've lost a few things in the past three weeks, and I don't do well when things are missing. Somehow, Blessing #3's shoes have vanished. We have lost Blessing #1's Cub Scout coupon books (10 of them) and the money from the ones already sold. Blessing #1 and I lost my iPod. I feel like half of my brain is missing as I frantically review where we've been, where these items could be, whom could I ask, etc... This goes on and on and on... I don't sleep well, I don't concentrate well, nothing gets done until the lost item is found. I am usually more organized than this and I know where everything is. So, the Lord is teaching me that I have to let go and let Him know where everything is. I guess "ignorance is bliss" is the saying He wants me thinking right now.

I am praying. Earnestly. My main concern is the people who wrote checks for a coupon book. I don't know all of them. I need to pray that they'll understand. Oh, please understand.

Remaining joyful is one of the hardest things, but I am going to try. I can think on the things we have found (which were also lost) - Blessing #4's shoes. At least I can't lose God and He'll never lost me! (o:

I must be patient and wait for God's timing and answer. If His answer is not what I want to hear, I need to be joyful and love the fact that God still loves me enough to work on me!

Chairs and prayer

A year or so ago, I attended a Bible study where we used a book entitled The Three Chairs. It spoke of Joshua, his children, and grandchildren. Joshua was a godly man, his children heard of God, and his grandchildren didn't believe in God at all. (This is where the chairs come in: the person who is on fire for God is in the first chair, the one who's heard stories of God is in the second chair, and the one who's heart is cold toward God is in the third chair.) One reason why this happened was because the second and third generations heard old-time, long-ago stories and never personal accounts of God in Joshua's life.

I didn't want that to happen to my kids, so I decided to start a prayer journal. I haven't written in it for awhile, but I do write when I can. I feel it will benefit them when they're older and when they ask me about God and answering prayers. They will see that some prayers are answered quickly, some are answered with a "no," and some take time to answer.

I Thess. 5:17 - Pray without ceasing.

Apologize and ask forgiveness

We were heading out the door the other day, late as usual, when my third blessing started crying. She told me blessing #1 pushed her. He said, "Well, I told her to move, and she wouldn't get out of the way!" After admonishing them both, the HS jabbed my heart. I thought about how I'd heard those words before...coming out of my mouth to my oldest. I realized that while I'm trying to teach him to set a good example for his younger siblings, I must be an example for him. It hurt my heart dearly to see my children hurting each other. After putting blessing #4 in his car seat, I apologized to my oldest for not setting a good example, that I was working on it, and would he forgive me. Thankfully, he said he did. I am so glad that we have a "parent" who never has to ask forgiveness. He is perfect and everything he does for us (whether we think it good or bad) is in love.