I sometimes figure out what I think about a topic or situation AS I’m talking about it. Hence my boxes and boxes of journals from 10th grade to now. Oy. I like hearing what is rolling around in a friend’s heart or mind, especially if it isn’t entirely figured out yet.
Gratitude as a way to enjoy a moment more fully.
I’ve been saying that I’m okay with time passing, but I just ask God that He’ll help me remember all of it, and one of those things is Anna’s joy. The girl cheeses SO HARD, and I want the image of her toothy grin embedded into my heart. She’s giggling and talking almost constantly, and I love it. How to make the most of the moment? Gratitude. Somehow, acknowledging the great goodness of God in her smile seems to make fuller my enjoyment of it. I feel like I’m almost always breathing words of ‘Thanks’ to Him, and in a way it seems as though knowing a little more of God in this way grounds the moment in my memory. Maybe it was like this for Mary as well, maybe gratitude was a way to treasure things in her heart (Luke 2:19).
Considering God as a parent means I can trust Him to tell me things I need to know.
It’s one of those things that seems more challenging to believe about God but easy when I put it in terms of my own parenting. As in, if I think 10 year old Anna needs to know something (from a warning or an instruction or correction), I’ll make sure she knows. I believe it’s my responsibility as her mom to offer guidance, help and wisdom as she grows. I would never withhold something good from her. (Now what she does with said warning, instruction or correction is in her court, haha). Obviously, this example breaks down a bit, BUT it helps me to consider the same of God, especially with me being a human parent and Him the Divine one. My responsibility is to keep God and His Word in front of me, or at least in my line of vision, not behind me. He is always near, and He is for us, so we can rest, trusting He will give us warnings, instruction or correction when they are needed (Psalm 16:7-11).
Boundaries are more than saying no.
Do you struggle with laying down boundary lines? I always have. Last year the Lord graced me with a new perspective on them. It’s easy to feel selfish when creating boundaries, but it’s better to think of them as a means of loving others well. Setting emotional boundaries helps me see what is God’s responsibility and what is mine in another’s life. For instance, I can’t make everybody happy. Remembering that God is ultimate satisfaction frees me from anxious hustling to make sure everyone is okay all the time. I want them to know Jesus deeper, just like I want to know Him deeper, right? If I strive to always cover discontentment or disappointment, maybe they never think to look to God for what they need. In that scenario, with boundaries, I am loving them by pointing them to Jesus instead of me for happiness. It seems I am ALWAYS learning about the wisdom of boundaries. More to come I’m sure.
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