Obedience vs Compliance

 I think we all want our children to obey us, out of respect and love and a desire to please (just as we should all desire to obey our Father in heaven).  

I've been thinking a lot about childrearing lately and about obedience from the heart versus compliance.  I think compliance comes from a place of fear, fear of punishment, fear of failure... that is not necessarily a bad thing in general.  We should comply with traffic laws, for example, or we may get a ticket and have to pay a fine, higher insurance rates, etc. 

But do we want compliance from our children?  Do we want them to fear us?  Fear and respect are not the same thing. Compliance also speaks of an outward action, to me, not of a heart-forward action. 

As with all parenting, discipline must come from a place of desiring to teach and instruct our children, to disciple them. How do we accomplish this?

First, we must realize that teaching our children to obey us will help them to obey God in their lives.  Our hearts must be right with the Lord and our desire to raise our children for His glory must be first in all we do.

Second, we have to make our expectations realistic (to the child's age and ability) and clearly communicated.  It is often a good thing to give a child a directive and then ask them to repeat it back to you.  This will ensure that they clearly understand what is expected of them. For very young children, or ones with difficulty with attention to detail, I often would give one instruction at a time.   "Clean your room" is overwhelming to any age child!  So I would say "Put your toys in your toy box and come back to me".  Then I would give the next instruction, one at a time.  The goal is not to have a clean room but to learn how to clean a room. This mindset is behind the very important part of homeschooling -- teaching your child how to learn. 

We teach our children immediate, cheerful obedience with no questions when they are little.  As they get older and mature, they are allowed and encouraged to respectfully say "May I ask why?" about something they are asked to do.  If it is a good time, we will take the opportunity to explain our request, our reasons, etc... because they need to learn what our thought processes are.  It's part of teaching them.  If it is not a good time for us to explain, we reply "Not now" and they go about their merry way.

Teaching the why behind the do... this is essential to parenting.  It's essential to our children's growth and maturity to learn "why" we do what we do, say what we say, believe what we believe. It ties heartstrings and strengthens relationships. 

Obedience, joyful obedience, is pleasing to our Lord! And that's not just obedience in relation to our children to us, but us to the Lord. 

"They do the hard things first" Part 2

I would like to share a bit more about our family's practice of building relationships with the end goal being marriage.  

It would be our preference not to use labels but we practice our own family's version of a "courtship" model.  I put that in quotes because I don't like labels.  Courtship can mean so many different things and so many people go about things in such different ways... it's really not a clearly-defined word in our society.

But for us... this is what that process of building a relationship with a common end goal of a godly marriage looks like.  

First there is a 'getting to know you' period of time.  This is where the 'do the hard things first' parts come into play.  After the initial chit-chat about easy topics then the discussion turns to more important issues... what are your goals in life?  How do you feel about ... (insert any topic that is important *to you*)?  Out of those discussions a spiritual compatibility will either show itself or not.  If not, then hopefully you will have made a friend and learned more about yourself.  The goal would be for this period of time to not involve the heart and emotions but the soul.  This has to be a purposeful time with a strong effort being made to keep one's heart from being drawn toward the other.  I know that sounds very simplistic and probably difficult to accomplish but that is the general idea.

Then comes the 'courtship' period of time. This is the time for letting down your heart's guard bit by bit.  Also the time for more serious and personal discussions.  The 'courtship' brings with it a commitment that the earlier time does not.  This is the time that you really get to know one another and with much prayer answer the questions: "Can we do more for God together or individually?" and "Do I choose to love this person?"  The 'courtship' time is a precious one, it's so lovely to observe (as a parent).  To see the Lord knitting two hearts together into one... it's just so beautiful.  This period of time can be as long as it takes but should not end until the couple are certain in their decision.

And, ah, the engagement!  Finally!  We believe in longer courtships and shorter engagements.  By the time you reach this part of your relationship and you are certain of what you want then it's time to plan the wedding and step into the next phase of your lives!  

I know this isn't for everyone,  I know every 'courtship' is different, every family is different in how they choose to allow guy/girl relationships.  I just know that this is what the Lord has led us to... and we have seen the beauty of how it works.  

"They do the hard things first..." Part 1

 The Lord has brought a new friend into our lives.  She is a student at university with one of our children.  She has been getting to know our family and the way we do things and was relaying the following story to me.  She said she was talking to her roommate about us and how we do things and her roommate thought it was very odd.  When describing our family's model of relationship building, this is what our friend relayed to me that she shared with her roommate.

"They do the hard things first.  They figure out if their goals align, if they have the same desires in life, how they feel about the important stuff. They get the hard things out of the way first and if they feel compatible in the hard things then they do the fun stuff! Then they allow their hearts to open up a bit, they have fun together, play games, talk a lot.  Learn to know one another."

I thought that was a beautifully insightful thought... "they do the hard things first, then they do the fun stuff".  

I hadn't really thought of it in quite that way, but she is right.  Rather than practice the world's accepted way of trying out people to see if you find one that fits with you... we do things kind of backwards, from the world's perspective.  

I was thinking about this the other day and this analogy came to me.  Please forgive the simplicity and realize that I do have a house full of boys!  lol  It's like buying a car.  You can go about that process one of two ways. 

 First you can find a car that attracts your eye and looks good and fun to drive.  You see the car, take it for a test drive, it's perfect!  It's everything you ever wanted, sharp, fast, fun to drive, looks exactly like what you want.  You 'fall in love' with the car and buy it.  Then... yikes... engine trouble... bad tires... transmission troubles... and it's too late.  It's all yours and now you have to figure out what to do with it.  Sell it, junk it, fix it?  And your dreams are shattered.  Your perfect car isn't perfect any more. 

Or, secondly, you can find the car and do your research.  Check the VIN, has it been in an accident, does it have a clean title?  Have your mechanic check out the engine and transmission.  How are the tires?  What about the mileage and service records?  If all of those things check out, then you take her for a drive!  You've done all the hard stuff first, kept your head in the game and your heart out of it.

I know, maybe a cheap analogy but the thought is the same...  

We believe there is great wisdom in discussing the hard things first.  It's a way of keeping your focus on the purpose of marriage.  Can you do more for God together than apart?  If, after discussing, your goals, desires, opinions on the important (to you) things and if those things line up and you feel like you can do more for God together than you can individually than the next question is this:  Do you chose to love this person?  Because, as we know, love is a choice, a decision, not just an emotion.  Emotion, feelings, they will change... but a decision, well thought out, will stand.  There will be times in marriage when you may not "feel" love but having made that decision to love will pull you through.  

So, yes, I guess it's true to say we "do the hard things first"... it just makes sense to us.  

To The Newlyweds

One of our dearly loved ones recently married.  I wrote them a note of encouragement and shared some things I've learned about marriage.  After I sent it I thought, 'hey, I should ask some friends to share their thoughts also', wisdom in a multitude of counselors and all of that... so I did!  

I posed the following question on Facebook and below you will find the thoughts of my friends and relatives.

If you have been married a "long time" (however you define that) ... I have a question for you!

What is the number one bit of advice you would share with an about-to-be married couple? Thanks!

The "two becoming one" is a lifelong journey that only starts with "I do". It is learning to be a team, working with each other's strength and weaknesses to become stronger by blending their strengths. God plus two is a beautiful thing.  - Martha

I don’t know that this is number 1, but it’s the first thing that came to mind...

Many disagreements and disappointments come from unmet (often unvoiced) expectations. Communication is so important, not just once feelings are hurt, but beforehand to hopefully avoid or at least minimize those hurt feelings. Be clear, be kind, give the benefit of doubt. - Kelly

Communication is everything. Don’t assume things. - Barbara

People think marriage should be all bliss and that it just happens. It’s work and choosing love, joy, respect, etc. - Tawna

Know that disagreements will happens. Work to find mutual ground. - Jennifer

Yield your rights.... it’s true for every believer in every relationship but especially in marriage. - Annette

Don’t go to bed angry and always tell each other you love them. - Amanda

Even if hurt or business keeps a couple from talking about deep issues or expectations, it is so imperative to “voice “ it. Some couples do well talking, others writing or texting each other. Pray pray pray before voicing to clear up emotional strain and under cover manipulation. - Rachel

Be triangular in your marriage. You and your spouse at the bottom, and Christ at the top. There is much more to be said but that is the start. - Steve

Don't make someone else's bad mood personal. It's amazing how many arguments can be avoided if you just give someone else time to get out of their funk-that-has-nothing-to-do-with-you rather than playing off it and making it snowball. - Rachel

Two adages I have adopted at different points in my 22 year marriage are these: 1. Love is not what you say or even what you feel. Love is what you actually do. 2. Expectations ruin relationships. I would also add something that I have tried to instill in all of my children as they begin to look for a spouse is that when you marry someone you are essentially marrying their entire family as well. Choose wisely. - Kent

Things that bug you that your spouse does, can be voiced, and then let go. These are truly little things that do not matter to your relationship. Things that affect you personally, should be voiced, and voiced again if needed. It is not nagging to communicate. - Melissa

If you can learn to "unburden yourself" (download all the thoughts, and frustrations, and things) to Jesus first, you'll make life so much easier for yourself and your spouse. It leaves more time to focus on the real issues and have MORE stress-free moments together. - Chautona

Establish a discipline of praying together. - Amy

It is rarely 50:50. But it still has to add up to 100. Someone will always have to give less for some reason (usually a good reason) and the spouse has to pick up the slack. - Kathy

Prayer together it keeps your marriage strong even through the weak times. - Andrea

You will disagree. You won't always "like" each other. That's okay. The stronger marriages realize that and push through. Don't sweat the small stuff. If he/she squeezes the toothpaste the "wrong way", get two tubes. - Barry

Do not ever go to bed mad or upset with each other. - Vickie

Never ever forget to hug, never go to sleep mad!!! Ever!!..Don't expect your partner to read your mind, that is impossible. Never expect an apology after every disagreement because you will be wrong half of the time!! Want to stop an argument before it starts, simply say  "I am sorry" whether or not you are right... it really is not worth the pain of hard feelings. Love, laugh, be happy and proud of each other! And most importantly, God is first always. !!! -Joann

Never tell mom how bad he is, you will forget, she never will! - Joann

Speak well of him to others, yes even with your mama. - Tally

Always listen to each other. Put each other first. Trust is number one. - Mac

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. One can't forget, but when we do remember offenses, true forgiveness means no malice will be attached. - Michele

Make sure that the things that don't really matter don't become mountains. If I don't think the world revolves around me, this is easy. - Michele

And, wow, was I blown away at all of the collective wisdom shared!  God is good to give us one another to live our lives with, isn't He!  

Below is an excerpt of the letter I sent (with all personal information removed...) I share it because God is so good!  I reflected a lot as I wrote this letter and then to ask on Facebook and have so many friends share the same thoughts... what an awesome God we serve!  

I am so excited for y'all, excited to see how God works in your lives and all that you will accomplish for him!  

Take time to talk.  Always.  Communication is the second most important part of marriage (the first being diligent followers of our Lord).  If your spouse says something that hurts you, don't believe it.  Consider that you may have misunderstood or they may have miscommunicated.  Always, always assume the best, forgive the rest and always say I love you.  And talk it out.  But remember communication is not just talking, it is listening.  I think listening is even more important than talking.  Listening is active not passive.  Listening is not hearing.  Hearing is passive, it happens because you have ears and a brain.  Listening is what your heart does.  Listening is what we do to understand.  Too often we hear and begin to formulate our response while the other person is still talking.  This is self-focused.  Don't do this.  Listen with all you have, listening takes all of your attention.

Speaking of love... remember love is a choice, it is not an emotion.  You have chosen to love one another.  That choice, that commitment will get you through all the rough waters that will come your way.  They will come but you have each other and you will get through everything the Lord allows in your life to His glory.  When you are frustrated or hurt and you don't "feel" all lovey... remember the truth of the situation and that is that you have Chosen this person to love.  Remembering that choice is usually all I need to get my focus back where it needs to be.

I share this with a hope and prayer for you, dear newlyweds.  May God be your guide in all that you do and may He bless your marriage as you seek to live for HIm!

You Don't... What?!

 Did I ever tell you about the time we lived in a desert? 

Well, it wasn't really a desert but it felt like one.  We were all alone, we lived there for five years. We didn't have local friends or a church body but we grew more there, spiritually, than ever in our lives. We had the Lord, His word and one another. 

It was during our desert time that the Lord taught us about

... headship and submission and what it means to be a helpmeet

... modesty and what that really means

... the dangers of age-segregated activities, especially in worship and Bible study

... the principles of a courtship model of relationships

... the health value of eating clean

and more.  Maybe I'll expound on those topics in another post but for now I want to talk about something else.

Why do we believe what we believe?  We realized we could support all of the above and homeschooling and more scripturally.  So we began to look at all of the choices and decisions we made to see if we could support everything with scripture.  

We realized that in the Old Testament when God wanted His people to do something, build something, celebrate something, He gave them very specific details... measurements... dates... times... very specific.  He told them exactly what He expected and how to live pleasing to Him.  In the New Testament we also see commandments... Jesus was baptized so we should be also.  The Last Supper, 'do this in remembrance of me'., and others.  They are more general but still it's very clear what God wants of us. 

This is the filter we began using to evaluate our choices and decisions. And  you know what we found?  God, who so clearly explained in scripture how we could please Him and what He expects of us never asked us to celebrate the birth of His son!  He didn't even tell us when Christ was born. Why?  Surely celebrating the Birth of Jesus is a good thing? Right? Why did God not give us that information?  Why did he not say 'on the x day of the y month in the year z'...?  He certainly did that in many other places. We puzzled over this for a long time.  We read and read.  It's just not there.  Why is it not there?  What does that omission mean?  It has to mean something, God doesn't make mistakes, He didn't just forget to tell us.

That line of questioning led us to research Christmas from a historical perspective.  We learned of it's pagan origins and we read scripture where we are admonished not to 'mix things of this world with the things of the Lord'. Bingo.  We are His, we are set apart. We have to seek Him in all things.  We just don't believe that celebrating Christmas is His desire for us.  

We also believe that we are all on our own walks with God and He will show us what He wants of us in His perfect timing.  We are not all convicted of the same things at the same time, or maybe never?  

But for us... no.  We do not have the freedom from the Lord to celebrate pagan holidays that are mixed with 'godly' ones.  So we do not celebrate Easter either. We certainly teach our children about the birth of Christ and what that means for us.  We also teach them about His death and resurrection.  You don't have to "do" Christmas and Easter for your children to learn about Christ and His sacrifice for us!

You don't know what you don't know...

Today I had an epiphany.  Maybe that's a bit strong... but it *felt* like an epiphany! 

I realized an area in which I have been slack in the training of my children... but you know what?  Now that it has come to my attention, I will address it.  I spent several hours thinking as I was working and trying to figure things out and I realized a few things...

Children don't know what you don't teach them.

Maybe that sounds simplistic but here's what has been going through my head today...

We had an issue that needed to be addressed with our property.  I was outside with the boys thinking and working through the issue (water drainage issues) and I found myself growing frustrated with them at all of the undone things all around me... and then at myself... and I realized something... children don't know what you don't teach them.

When the oldest were young a wise mentor told me "You can do it all yourself when you have two or three but at some point you can't do it all yourself any more.  And you shouldn't.  It isn't fair. To them!" And she was right and I knew it so I purposed, through the Lord's help, to teach them to do household chores, laundry, animal chores, etc... We work together and many hands do make light work!

I went through various 'chore charts' through the years, my system morphed as they grew (maybe I'll address that more fully later).  But, right now, my house runs like a well-oiled machine almost all of the time.  I say that not to brag, at all, but to say 'training pays off'.  They know what to do and they do it.  I very, very rarely even have to remind or double-check... it just all gets done.  And if something isn't getting done, then we reassess and modify until the system is running smoothly again.  I think I took it for granted and somehow thought it would naturally affect all areas of their lives in the same way.

All of this to say, when I was outside working and getting frustrated with the undone stuff I realized we have changed houses again and I need to think through some changes we need to make to suit this house and property.  We've never lived anywhere with such 'needy' property.  This yard needs a lot of upkeep and we have more land here so there's more work to do.  It isn't getting done and that falls to me.  I am not an outdoorsey person, I don't go outside much so I didn't even realize how much is undone.  My children don't *see* the things I see that need to be done. Their eyes aren't trained to see those things and that falls to me.
It wasn't fair of me to expect them to just naturally know what to do.  I quickly realized my frustration wasn't really with them, but with me.  So now what do I do?  I address this just like I have addressed the inside chores.  I will walk around the house and property with my handy clipboard and make a list of all that needs to be done outside.  Ever.  Then I will divide those chores into daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually and annually and make lists.  I love lists.  I will figure out who is best suited to each job and then I will train them to see like I do.

I say all of this to say, when you see something that needs to be changed, change it.  Don't beat yourself up over it.  Recognize your failing and then let it go.  Don't dwell on it but learn from it.

I think this is a lesson for all areas of our lives.  We are our own worst enemies. 

Whose Opinion Matters to You?

Or rather, whose opinion *should* matter to you?

 [Of course, the Lord's opinion of us is all that really matters... but speaking from a human perspective, I continue...]

 Respect.

 The opinion of those whom you respect are the only opinions that you should think twice about, in my opinion. (Ha, accidental play on words there!)

 I say this because I have talked with so many people who are upset because of someone else's opinion... and this "someone else" is most often someone they don't even respect. Why does that opinion matter to you? It shouldn't. Don't let it.

 If you have expertise in some area and someone with less or no expertise tells you that you are doing something wrong... why let that bother you?

 With the exception of Biblical moral standards, there is very little 'right' and 'wrong' in this world. There is 'more than one way to skin a cat'... it's okay for each of us to have our own personal 'right way' but it is Not okay for us to demand others do things our way... or cast judgement on someone for having their own 'right way'. (I'm talking about personal relationships here, not employer/employee ones. Of course, if you are the boss and you want things done your way, that is your right and privilege.)

 Years ago I was an experienced, successful breastfeeding mama and someone expressly shared strong opinions that I was doing it wrong. It made me so mad. I fumed for days. Then I realized how foolish I had been to allow this opinion to affect me so strongly. The opinion giver had never been a breastfeeding mom as he was a man! Ha! Why did I let that bother me so much? It, obviously, stuck with me and I eventually realized whose opinion should really matter to me... those people that I respect, people who have a measure of expertise in their area. The rest, just let go.

Parenting 101

Younger moms, new moms, old moms (lol) often ask me for advice about certain issues they are dealing with so I wanted to compile this list to share with you.  These are thoughts gleaned from watching others, from asking questions, from reading books and mostly from prayer and reading the Word. This is very 'off the cuff' and I'm sure will be victim to much editing but until then I humbly offer... my best advice...

1. Be there.  Be physically present.  Be in the same space as your children.  It's not enough to live life with them, you must live life along side them.  It's not the same thing.  Engage in their lives, engage them in yours.

2.  Look at them when they are speaking to you. Look into their eyes.  Listen to them.  Listen.  Listen to their stories, their dreams, all of their little chatter.  It's important.  You have to train yourself to Look at their faces and Listen to them.  Put down your phone, close the laptop... whatever you are focused on.  If they learn that you will listen to the little stuff, they will talk to you about the big stuff.  And, really, it's all big stuff to them.

3. Don't allow things (behavior, dress, etc...) as a toddler that you know you would never allow as a teen.  A "cute" little sassy two year old will turn into a big sassy 14 year old.  And it won't be cute anymore. That 'itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini' that looks "so adorable" on your toddler... on a teen... 'adorable' may not be an apt description.

4. Be consistent.

5.  Say what you mean and mean what you say. This is one of the ways you build trust with your children.

6.  Words have power.  Power to heal, hurt, create, destroy, build up, encourage.  Don't think your words spoken harshly will have no lasting influence.  They will.  As will words of encouragement, a child is built of words.

7.  Expect their best but don't expect perfection. Expect excellence.  Excellence is one's personal best.  That does not look the same for every child in every situation.  Perfection is a lie.  Excellence is our goal.  But excellence for a four year old making her bed is not the same as excellence for a fourteen year old making her bed, ya know?  Expect what they are capable of accomplishing, just that, nothing more and nothing less.

8..  Teach them how to make decisions.  How?  Give them choices, give them decisions to make.  Talk through the choices, teach them how to discern.

9.  Allow them to fail.  While they are children.  At home,  Under your protection and guidance.  Failing is the first part of succeeding!

10.  Compliment their character not their physical beauty.  "You are so pretty" speaks to something beyond their control.  God make them beautiful.  Compliment their character, "you are kind", "you are good at sharing", "you are such a hard worker".  These are things they control.

11. Be direct with your commands.  Don't say "Johnny, go make your bed. Ok?"  Saying "ok?" implies that it's not a direct command, it's something they can choose to do or not do.  You don't mean it that way, you mean "ok?" to say 'do you understand what I'm saying'.  Children do not get nuances like this.  "Ok?" to them means, 'if you want to'.

12.  Don't thank your child for doing what they are supposed to do in the first place.  Thank them for their courtesies. Don't say 'thank you' when they make their bed.  They didn't do it for you.  They did it because they were supposed to do it.  It's a responsibility. That doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't say "Great job making your bed!" because you absolutely should!  When you say "Johnny, can you bring me my water bottle?  I left it in the kitchen." and he does. Then you say "Thank  you".  He was fulfilling a request, not a command.  It was a courtesy you asked of him and he fulfilled it.

13. Don't use scripture as punishment.  2 Timothy 3:16 says "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..."
I don't think this means that you should have a child write "Children obey your parents" a hundred times when they disobey.  I think this means when they disobey go to the scriptures, show them where their specific act of disobedience is a sin. But don't leave it there, also show them the consequence of that sin... And, most importantly, show them a loving God who sent His perfect son to pay the price for our sins, all of them.  That is doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.  Don't use the Bible for a punishment,  you want your children to Love the word of God!

14.  Time.  Quantity vs. Quality?  Both.  It's not either or.  One is not better than the other.  Both are necessary.  If you are in a season of life where you can not spend a huge quantity of time with your child, don't think that because you can't spend a lot that a little doesn't really matter because it does.  Ten minutes of eye-level, eye-seeking, one-on-one, fully-focused time talking to, playing with, interacting with your child... it makes a difference!  Conversely, if you are in an extremely busy season of life, don't think since you don't have 'quality time' that the quantity of time you spend is unimportant.  Living life alongside your child, having them in the room with you when you are working, allowing them to help wash dishes, and tidy up.. that matters!  Being *there* in a physical sense matters.

15. Major on the majors, minor on the minors.  And figure out what's *really* going on. It's sorta like allopathic medicine vs. naturopathic medicine. One treats the symptoms, one treats the source of the symptoms.  As a parent, we have to find the source and not just apply band-aids.  Don't be a Band-aid Parent.  Why did you child behave the way they did?  What's really going on in there?

16. When at all possible, the punishment should fit the crime (so to say). There is one level of discipline that is effective for acts of direct disobedience... but that is not necessarily (or maybe ever) the best approach for all situations.  I think of discipline as meaning to disciple, to teach, to guide... not to punish. Defiance gets punishment and then discipline... other acts of disobedience get discipline (in the teach, guide meaning).

Letting Go...

"Let go and let God"... such a common phrase... Why is it so hard sometimes though?  There is a particular struggle in my life right now.  It grieves my heart so deeply and I want to 'fix' it so badly.  I should be able to.  I think.  But should I?  Can I?  No to both.

I keep trying.  I keep 'doing all the right things'.  And the struggle is still there.  The hurt and pain... still there.

So, again, I realize the problem is that I keep giving it to Him and then taking it back.  It's not a conscious thing.  I think this is something I should be able to fix.

A few days ago, the struggle reared it's ugly, sinful head again and the Lord deeply convicted my  heart... He told me I need to leave it with Him.  This is not mine to fix.  It is His.  There are complexities to the situation that I do not know... that I do not need to know.  He has this.  He cares way more than I ever could.

And as I wept and truly gave it to Him and purposed in my heart to leave it there He flooded me with His peace... truly a peace that passes all understanding... a peace I can not really explain.  But it's true and deep. That is His... the peace and the ability to heal... His.  Mine is to Leave it there.  To recognize when self tries to fix things again.  Mine is to realize my fallibility... to continually leave it with Him. To keep my heart open and my hands open. He is faithful.

Relationships Are Like Math

A friend posted this on Facebook today:

Relationships are like math problems. Some people add to and multiply each others happiness and success. Others divide or subtract from it.

I hit the 'like' button and replied 'So true.'

Then I wrote "I think also true is this... in all relationships someone is the giver and someone is the taker. In a true relationship that position flips back and forth.  Sometimes we are the givers, sometimes the takers.  It creates a beautiful balance, I think."

I immediately deleted that comment as I didn't want anyone to think it was pointed toward the original poster (as it was just a general thought and not directed toward any specific person). Our relationship is complicated and beautiful and it is one that has taught me much about friendship. But her post did immediately bring other friendships from times past to mind, hence my additional thoughts...

Sometimes we are the givers, sometimes the takers.And when that position flips back and forth, it creates a beautiful balance.  But sometimes God gives us relationships that are not ever going to balance.  Sometimes He calls us to just be the giver and He will give us the balance.  

There are all kinds of 'friendships' out there.  They don't all look the same and I think we miss out on a lot of blessings when we expect them to. 

Don't be afraid to give, expecting nothing in return.  God will meet you there.

Do You Believe It All?

I've been thinking about these verses...

2 Timothy 3:16 - 17 (KJV) 

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

What does 'given by inspiration of God' mean?  Is there some meaning other than the obvious 'inspired by God'?  So I looked in some other popular translations:

(NIV)  All Scripture is God-breathed 

(ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God

(NASB) All Scripture is inspired by God

Imagine you and I have a mutual friend, Cathy.  Neither of us have seen Cathy in a while... You mention that you are going to see Cathy and I say "Tell her I said hi!".  So you get there and you say "Oh, I saw Dana and she said to 'tell you Hi'". Who told Cathy 'hi'?  You did, with your mouth, but they were *MY* words.  Because you voiced them does that make them any less mine? 

So, if you believe this verse and it says all scripture is inspired by God.  All is all. Then that means you believe the whole Bible, everything it says.

We can't pick and choose what verses we believe.  We can't ignore the ones we don't like, the ones that condemn activities in which we participate.  The Bible isn't a 'feel good' book that you can use to justify your choices by cherry picking verses or using bits and pieces of verses.   

Either we believe all of it or none of it.  There's no in between.

And our God, who is mighty enough and awesome enough to create the entire world in six literal days is Surely able to preserve His word for all time!