Wednesday, June 24, 2009

*Sigh*

The kids and I enjoyed a perfectly blissful four and a half hours at the beach today. The water was surprisingly warm, the sun was ever-so hot, the sky its dutiful blue. As always I sink my toes into wet sand and my senses are filled with so many little treasures of distant but not forgotten days when I was the little one playing in the gentle surf, getting sand in all manner of places! What a treat to see my own children enjoy the rhythmic waves, the soft sand, the coolness of Lake Michigan. Even the greedy gulls cannot snatch us out of this cocoon of hazy, lazy summer fun! They may sneak a sandy crust of peanut butter sandwich or the cheesy remains of a scattered Cheeto after we leave, but for now the pleasure is all ours! We giggle and jump as we strip off our T-shirts, toss our flip flops and splash our way into the lake for the first time. I well remember the feeling of sheer joy and sweet contentment that I see on their sunscreen and sand streaked faces and I am pleased to say that even this thirty-something mother of four was able to set aside the demands of a busy household for a few hours and bask in the glow of a perfect June day! Praise God for this flawless view from my beach chair! Thank you, Father, for the coolness of the fresh water on my sun kissed skin. We will go to bed tonight with a bit of sand in our hair, a hint of warmth on our pink shoulders, and the sweet call of birds and waves and other revelers echoing in our sleepy heads. Here's to a day of accomplishing nothing at all and enjoying every minute of it!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Take 5

As many of you know, I have had a few opportunities to speak in front of groups such as MOPS, and I have been asked to give the same particular talk at a women's conference in September. I am humbled and excited about this opportunity to once again share some things from my heart with a group of ladies. As I prepare and pray this summer, I am asking God to fill me with His grace and truth and to protect me from the evil one who delights in coming between God's people and the work to which He has called them.

The topic of my talk is loving and encouraging one's husband and I use chocolate to help make my points. If you have not heard it, I won't spoil it by telling more here (look for more information here is August about the conference), but as I prayed for my husband this afternoon, I decided to share with you one of the most important points I will share with the ladies in September.

Pray for you husband! Consider these five points as you intercede for him.
1 - Pray for his relationship with God: If he is a believer, praise God for that and if he isn't pray for his salvation and pray that he would find in you a woman who fears the Lord and who provides a quiet example of godliness that might win him without words; pray that he would do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God; pray that he would be a man after God's own heart; pray that he would seek forgiveness when necessary; pray that he would hunger and thirst after righteousness; pray that he would find time in his busy schedule to spend time in prayer and in God's word
2 - Pray for him as he leads your family: pray that he would step up and be the spritual leader God has called him to be; pray that you would recognize that only God can stir his heart and give him the desire to do this and no amount of nagging on your part will ever do it; pray for godly men to come alongside him and encourage him in this area and keep him accountable
3 - Pray for his protection from temptation and sin: pray for a hedge about your marriage and family; pray that your husband would not be decieved by the lies of the world that offers pleasure with no price; pray that he would have Christian coworkers and Christian friends who would encourage him to walk the path God has placed before him rather than be lead astray by the lies of Satan and those who seek to destroy; pray that he will carefully weigh the consequences of his actions; pray for his thought life, that it would be pure
4 - Pray for him in the workplace: pray that he will be bold in his witness for the cause of Christ; pray that he will be a man of integrity, one to whom his coworkers look as an example and from whom they take encouragement; pray for his reputation, that he would be known for his honesty and trustworthiness, his skill and dependability; pray that he will be a hard worker known to put everything he has into his job when he is at his job, but that he would not become a "workaholic"; praise for continued provision in his job, or for the provision of a job!; pray that it would be known in his workplace that he is a godly man who loves and is faithful to his wife
5 - Pray for his physical health and safety: pray for protection as he travels back and forth to his workplace; pray that he will remain healthy so he can continue to care for and provide for your family; pray for continued strength and praise God if your husband is healthy and able to take care of you; pray that none of you would take this for granted and pray that you would remember that there are men who are not able to work or care for their families this way and that each day of strength and health is a gift from our Creator and Great Physician

As the kids and I embark on three months of vacation, and we watch my husband go off to work each day, my hope for myself is that God would remind me daily to bring my husband before my Father in prayer. I am thankful for him and need to remember to praise God for him and pray for him regularly.