A Lesson On Pride

I’m not a very confident person. So when I hear about pride I think to myself that I don’t have to worry myself about that. Pride is a sin. Pride is first on the list of the seven deadly sins. Haughtiness, arrogance, conceit, high self-esteem, vanity……you see this every where you look!

To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
   I hate pride and arrogance,
   evil behavior and perverse speech.

Proverbs 8:13 NIV

I was reading an article in Above Rubies about a woman who never asked for help. I never ask for help. I never even thought that not asking for help was prideful. This quote from the article really struck me: “My need to feel capable and strong has unknowingly squashed another one’s need to feel helpful and needed!”

Gosh I never thought of it that way! I almost always turn down help from others! 

When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2 NAS

I will be more humble and accept help when offered and I will try to ask for help when I need it.

What Makes You Happy?

Here are a few things that make me happy 🙂

How Are Preemie Moms Chosen?

I read this on my preemie message board:

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?

 God is hovering over Earth, selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger.

Beth Armstrong, son. Patron Saint, Peter.

Marjorie Forrest, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia.

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles. “Give her a preemie ”

The angel is curious. “Why this one, God? She’s so happy.”

 “Exactly,” smiles God. “Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel.”

 “But does she have the patience?” asks the angel.

 “I don’t want her to have too much patience, or she’ll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she’ll handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I’m going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that’s not going to be easy.”

 “But Lord, I don’t think she even believes in you.”

God smiles. “No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness. ”

The angel gasps, “Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?”

God nods. “If she can’t separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn’t know it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says ‘mama’ for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see as ignorance, cruelty and prejudice and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing My work as surely as she is here by My side.”

 “And what about her Patron Saint?” asks the angel, his pen poised in the air.

 God smiles. “A mirror will suffice.”

God Spoke To Me Last Night!!!

Last night I was ripped from my sleep after hearing (in my mind) the word of God!! Now this may sound odd/weird/crazy to some but this is not the first time I’ve had God speak to me. But this last message was humbling!! He said “Why art thou forsaking Me?” Whoa!!!! Let me back up and explain a few things. I missed the last 2 Sundays at church and we didn’t go to last Wednesday’s service either 😦 I’ve been struggling because even though hubby isn’t working his second job he still isn’t going to church. All summer long he kept saying he’d come to church with us when he was done with his second job. Now hubby really hasn’t gone to church with us very often anyway. I’ve gone back and forth on how I handle it. I’ll nag for a while, I’ll be silent and not say anything or I’ll “punish”  him by leaving the baby home 😦 I know the right thing to do is just go (with all 5 kiddos) and God will take care of the rest…..but sometimes I get in the way. But by doing that I am hurting myself and my kids. What a kick in the butt huh??

God is good

Sun, Sand & God!!!

Ahhh….we had a very nice beach day today. The tide was low…..the sun not too hot. Just what I needed to relax. Almost all the kids were good so all in all an A+ day. Then as we were cleaning up to go a woman I know walked by. As we chatted it became very clear that it was no accident we bumped into each other! The things we talked about were the things that have been on my mind lately. An answer to a prayer!!