Kudos to my great grandparents on down

No, I’m not making a thank you speech for winning any awards or notable achievements.  I’m not subconsciously trying to puff myself up in some backwards kind of way.  To the contrary, I’ve become convicted over the last bit of time that I have not been thankful, grateful or honoring to those who have influenced me towards this place of freedom.  I’d be nothing short of a fool (hoodwink, con, deceiver, cheat, bamboozler-that one’s my favorite) if I did not first acknowledge and honor those who have impacted my life to this point. 

I’ve been told that my Swedish great grandmother used to pray regularly for her descendants.  I look forward to meeting her one day to hear how she raised such a brood of boys, 2 girls in the mix, and still had time to make fresh bread, 3 square meals and fresh molasses cookies each day.  I imagine that she was a little less distracted with things like facebook, texting, email and blogs.  Also, I know that my Irish great grandmother on the other side of the family was a praying woman and had great faith in God through the Catholic Church.  No doubt that I believe she prayed for her family down through my generation.  My parents obviously impacted and influenced my spiritual walk, as well as my physical walk.  Thankfully, I was a rather compliant child so I didn’t limp too terribly bad from the infrequent spankings I received.  Actually, I have always been served a “bounty and feast” when it came to Christianity and a relationship with Jesus.  I remember pretending to be a DJ in my living room, sitting on the brown shag carpet in front of our stereo.  The high-tech stereo was littered with switches and buttons that controlled two cassette players, a record player and an AM/FM radio.  I would shuffle through a mix of Amy Grant, Psalty, Sandi Patty, Carmen and Footloose, until I thought my invisible radio audience was satisfied and brought to a closer walk with God through the music I selected for them to hear.  I’m sure I threw a little commentary in as well as I leaned in and whispered into the magnetic buttons that fastened the then-modern glass doors. 

Miracles, healing, spirit-filled laughter, deliverance, dancing in church, banners and flags, speaking in tongues, and more were common terms and occurrences at the churches and home groups my family attended.  The life and freedom I was served growing up has obviously been taken for granted at different times in my life although, the foundations of grace and healing have surely saved me from a plethora of hurt and struggles I could’ve incurred.  Also, the prayers of my in-laws have certainly had an impact on my life.  They prayed from the time they gave birth to their son that God would prepare his future wife.  My husband, the year before we met, felt specifically called to begin praying for his future wife.  Little did he know at that time that I was going through my “wild phase” but was miraculously saved from great hurt (physically and emotionally) in the midst of my rebellion. 

School teachers, pastors, youth pastors, friends, family, mentors, worship leaders, bible study teachers, YWAM leaders, the youth that my husband and I led for seven years, co-workers, bosses and my children have all played a role in shaping me and revealing characteristics of who God is.  I’d be nothing short of a fool/bamboozler if I did not honor and acknowledge the people who have spoken truth, love and rebukes (yes, we’re all in need of being knocked off our horses a time or two, or in my case almost every day) at just the right time to help nurture and mature my spiritual walk.

For all the life, good and spiritual feast that has been served to me through the influencers listed above, I have somehow, countless times, only chosen to see the humanness and negatives from people, instead of the truths that have been offered.  I guess because I’m a resident of planet earth I too have faults and sins, I mean, I guess ;)  But you know what?  God has still chosen to use all of the people I’ve listed, and in His graciousness, myself included, to bless others.  And I’m pretty positive He’s used you too.  In fact, He even used a DONKEY to speak in the book of Numbers 22.

²⁷ This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.
²⁸ Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
²⁹ “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
³⁰ “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”
“No,” Balaam admitted.

When my husband reminded me of this passage my heart leaped and I got so excited that I couldn’t stop my mind from being flooded with the countless truths and messages that I’ve heard in the past, yet had such spiritual pride at the time that I could not receive the truths, only ugly criticism and judgments came out of my heart.  It’s as if I’ve just been awakened from a dream and I’m now recalling the pertinent parts (truths) in clarity instead of the foggy details (or criticisms I once had).  My heart of stone is truly becoming a heart of flesh and I can physically, emotionally and spiritually feel it.  What a more joy-filled, light load this is!!!  (Matthew 11:28-30 ^“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”)

Do you hear the promise here:

Proverbs 17:9 “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends”

            My love for the people listed in this blog entry has actually increased and I want to hear more truths that the Lord would speak through THEM.  It’s as if I’ve expected every person (except myself, of course) to be perfect and to be like God and if I see a fault in them, I’ve discounted all the truth they’ve ever spoken.  

In this season I’ve found it hard to stop “there”.  Or, in this case, right here in this blog.  But, I am practicing self control and my desire is to convey things as clearly as possible.  It is because of love (note the previous entry) that my eyes have been opened and my heart is being washed and these are just fruits of the journey.  I’ve chosen to work backwards in conveying this season to you.  You’ll see why, eventually.

The image I leave you with today is of my daughter.  This was taken last summer.  There's not 1 heavy burden that she's carrying as she's simply doing what kids were created to do.  And oh, what joy and freedom she's experiencing.