Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Our Journey with Jesus: Where's the Hope?

Welcome back!
I'm so glad you're here today and I look forward to continuing on our journey with Jesus.
Yesterday I laid out the problem we all have - that we're sinful by nature and cannot, therefore, be in a relationship with a holy God. That our sin has earned eternal death for us. And some of you may have found yourselves asking, So, where's the hope she's talking about?

Good question!

That's what I want to talk about today, as we continue moving through the book of Romans on our way to Easter.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4

Therein is my hope!

God is righteous and our sin demanded punishment. He could not just "let it slide." Remember? God is holy. And to ignore our sin would be to go against His perfect character.
On our own, we could not take care of our sin problem. Our attempts to follow the Law failed. Our acts of righteousness were not enough. Our religious activities and good deeds have gotten us nowhere.
BUT, because of His great love for us, God made a way for our sin to be paid for - so we could be forgiven. That was the reason Jesus came to this earth.
Jesus lived a sinless life and was therefore worthy of taking our place. He became a sacrifice for us by hanging on the cross, and dying the death each one of us deserved to die.

And the result of that sacrifice, which we see in Romans 8? There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!

Ahhhh, the HOPE!

So, my question for the Journey today: Are you in Christ Jesus? Have you confessed your sin, received the forgiveness of Jesus, and entered into a relationship with God through Him?

If you have, praise God for His great love and His work in your life!

If you have not, perhaps you sense God calling you to Himself today. You can begin that relationship with Him right now by praying. Confess to Him that you know you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Tell Him that you believe Jesus Christ is God's Son and that His death on the cross was for you. Ask Him to forgive you and to come into your life as your Leader and Forgiver.
There are no *magical* words you need to say. God knows your heart, and that's what matters.
And, friend, if you pray today and begin a relationship with God, (Or, if you just have questions which you'd rather not leave in the comments.) please click on the link to the right and email me. I would love to support you in this new relationship.

Please come back tomorrow, and let's continue this journey.


Karen

P.S. My church has just started a blog for the Women's Ministry, and I'm on the blog team. Click here if you'd like to read my post over there today.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Our Journey with Jesus: Who's in Control?

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:20-23
Yesterday I read Romans 3:10-26 to you and talked about the hope we have - in spite of our sinful condition - because of the big BUT God inserted into history. He sent Jesus. And through Jesus, a righteousness from God came to those who believed. So our journey began.

Today I want to continue that thought.

With a question.

Who is in control of your life?

You see, at the beginning of time - when God created the world - everything was perfect. There was no sin and mankind was in a perfect relationship with God. But then sin entered the world through disobedience, and that perfect relationship was broken. And from that point on, all of mankind was sinful by nature - unable to be in the relationship with God for which we were created.
From that point on, there was a battle for control. Would we submit to God? Or would we serve our sinful nature?

Romans 6 tells us that we were all slaves to sin at one time. And the result of that slavery is death. Eternal separation from God. Because God is holy, and cannot be in the presence of sin.
BUT everyone who has faith in Jesus has been set free from sin, and is now controlled by God. And the result of that slavery? Eternal life!

I am so thankful for the Gift of God, and for the hope I have in Jesus!

So, I'll ask you again. Who is in control of your life? Are you still a slave to sin? Or have you become a slave to God?

We are all on a journey with Jesus, somehow. It may be that you are walking with Him, or perhaps you've been trying to avoid Him. My hope for today is that you will honestly consider where you are on this journey, and that you'll come back tomorrow so we can talk some more.


Karen

Friday, March 26, 2010

This Week's WORD

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

These words - and the hope within them - were a balm to my soul. I pray they will be for you, too.

Have a wonderful weekend. And please join me on Monday as we begin a week-long Journey with Jesus. I'm looking forward to it!

Love to you,


Karen

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Cake For Dinner

April Fool's Day is next week. And those of you who have been around here long enough know what that means at my house. But some of you are new, so I feel obligated to share this fun little thing with you. *grin*
Next Thursday, we'll be having...

Cake for dinner!


Sort of.

That cake is really two meat loaves baked in 8-in. cake pans, stacked and "frosted" with mashed potatoes. And decorated with ketchup and mustard dots.
We also have jello that looks like a drink, and "salad" for dessert.
If you'd like the details on how to make those dishes, click here for last year's post.

Enjoy!

Karen

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Today I'm at Faith, Family & Fun

Last summer I took my boys to Lake Lansing Park because they wore me out with their begging asked me to. I had gone through a rushed and hectic morning and hadn't been able to have my quiet time with God. Figured once the boys were happily settled with their fishing rods, I could sit and enjoy the quiet with God.
Yes. It all sounded great to me!

To read the rest, click here.


Oh, and the Moms' Night Out page has just gone 'live' on my website. I'd love to know what you think of it!

Karen

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Conflicted, er, Convicted

To set the scene:
It was Saturday morning, and you know what that means, right?
Gotta do chores. It's the same thing every Saturday morning around here, and at this point I really don't think I should need to remind the kids about it. They know it's Saturday (That's why they didn't get up and go to school, right?) and they know what they need to do.
But for some reason, last Saturday found me prompting and reminding and, OK, nagging more than usual.
And I was not happy.
I started to wonder what would happen if I put as much effort into serving my family as my kids did. Contemplated not doing anything (make dinner, do laundry, get groceries) until they wore themselves out with asking me. I wondered, would they learn a lesson? Would they finally "get it"?

And I began to get some pretty good ideas.

But then I sat down to have my quiet time. And I did something you probably shouldn't do if you want to go down your own road of good selfish ideas.
I asked God to speak to me through His Word.

Oh, He is so faithful!

I read 2 Corinthians 10-13 (HIS plan, not mine!) and after encouraging me about finding my strength in Him, God totally grabbed my heart with the end of chapter 13. Clearly, there were some problems in the Corinthian camp, and Paul was addressing the issues. But his love for the people came out in verse 10.

This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority - the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

(emphasis mine)

As I began to pray, it occurred to me that perhaps the better way to approach my children is as a model. Perhaps I should serve them without complaining. Maybe I need to show them more diligently what it means to be a willing servant. It could be that in my serving I can build them up, rather than tearing them down with nagging.
And then the arguments set in. If I do that, won't I just be enabling them to carry on with ungrateful hearts? I surely don't want to get into enabling. Besides, mocking them would be so fun!
And I lay on my bed.
Conflicted.

Until...

I thought about the fact that I had just asked God to speak to me. And only HE can change my heart. And my heart was certainly being changed.

At which point I moved from being conflicted to being convicted.

Know what I mean?


Karen

Monday, March 22, 2010

Friday, March 19, 2010

This Weeks' WORD

So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

1 Corinthians 14:9

Does anyone else have a pre-teen son who needs to memorize and put this verse into practice???
I know, I know, Paul wasn't talking about mumbling children here. But this verse brought a smile to my face as I thought about how many times I have said, "Joshua, if you don't speak clearly and loudly I cannot understand you!"

Thanks, Paul! Next time I'll try using these words.

BTW, Pam is giving away a copy of Confessions of an Irritable Mother. Click here to enter!

May the LORD bless you and keep you over the weekend. I'll see you back here Monday.

Love to you,


Karen

Thursday, March 18, 2010

He Keeps Me Guessing

So the other day I walked in the door and was met immediately by Joshua rattling off 101 questions and needs.
OK, I may be exaggerating. But it felt like that many!
This type of greeting often puts me in a bad mood, and I was trying my hardest not to go down that road.
As if on cue, Joshua piped in with one more thing. "Hey, Mom, there's another group on Facebook!" (He's really big into the various groups on Facebook. I think he joins at least one a day.)
"Oh, yeah? What's this one called?"
"'We love our moms because they do so much for us.'"
"And are you a member?"
"Yeah!" *grin*

Was I really just about to get annoyed by this kid?


Indeed. He keeps me guessing!


Karen

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Confessions

I confess, LORD.
I want it to be easy!
This was my confession after I sat in silence - having just prayed again that God would bring peace into this home. Especially between Joshua and me.

You see, the other night I watched a show which got me thinking. In it, a daughter and her father were reconciling - having just seen each other for the first time in I don't know how many years, upon the discovery that the father was dying. (Is this ringing a bell for any 24 fans? We're going through season 7 with Netflix. I still have a feeling Jack is somehow going to pull through. I mean, he is Jack Bauer! Please don't tell me how it ends. LOL)
Anyway the daughter - in tears - apologized for her immature ways and all the wasted years. And I couldn't help but have a ray of hope for the day when my son will look back and realize that for all his growing up years I have been doing my best to be a good mom. Couldn't help but long for the day when he recognizes that he was being immature, when he apologizes for the unkind ways he spoke to me and treated me.
But as I thought about it further I realized, I don't want to wait in hope for regret.
No.
I want to enjoy peace right now.
I want to have a loving relationship right now.

So I put that prayer into high gear, and just hoped God would answer.

He did.

With a question.

Why?

Which prompted my confession.

And as I sat there in the presence of the One who loves me tenderly, He spoke to my heart. It sounded something like this:
Karen, darling, do you trust Me? You always say My ways and My timing are perfect. Do you really believe it?
Do you truly believe that I am using the struggles you have as a mother to make you into the woman I want you to be? You say that all the time. Do you really believe it?
Because it's true, dear one.
These struggles with your children are part of My perfect plan. I am teaching you to trust Me, even when it doesn't make sense to you. I am shaping your character. I want you to learn how to choose joy, peace, love - even when the circumstance calls for something else.
I know this is hard for you, Karen. But if every day were an easy day, how would you grow? Darling, you would forget your need for Me. And then, when difficulty arose you would be crushed.
If I only allowed ease into your life, there would be no depth to your character. No strength to your spirit.
And I love you too much to do that to you.
So, darling, I want you to cling to Me through the hard times. I know you want peace. I want that for you, too. And you may have it. You must choose it.
Remember, I will be your Strength.


And now I'm wondering, is He speaking a similar thing to you today?


Karen

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Moms' Night Out Report

From my journal:

March 12, 2010
Here I am on flight 1324 to Minneapolis. Just moments ago we were sitting at the gate and were told there was a heavy fog in Minneapolis. That we were going to be late taking off because there was a ground hold. Maybe 40 minutes of a delay.
Note: Amanda was going to be meeting me at the airport with her children. I really didn't want her to have to stand around that long. PLUS I didn't want to have our time together cut short!
But I prayed. Lord, I asked You to clear the fog. I knew it was nothing too difficult for You.
And just a moment ago the captain addressed us over the speaker again. Said there had been a "dramatic change" in Minneapolis and the ground hold had been lifted.
Now we're in the air and on our way.
Another note: Just so you know how quickly this happened, when I started writing this entry, we were still on the ground!
Thank You, God! I knew You could do it. And I know You did.

Father, I am asking You now - please fill Faith Covenant Church tomorrow night with women who need to know You. Who need a touch from You. Who need hope and joy and encouragement.
Speak through me, Lord. I am Your vessel and I want to be Your instrument.
Father, please show me Your glory!


And can I tell you? That's just what He did! God showed me His glory.
He blessed me sweetly with delightful time to spend with Amanda and Gianna. And I was so very thankful for that gift.
And when I spoke during the Moms' Night Out, I had a blast. Hearing the women laughing, seeing the tears, the smiles, the I've-been-there-too nods - it all brought joy to my heart.
But it was at the end of the night, when Vicki slipped me a note during the dessert reception, that I got over-the-top excited. The note said that seven women had prayed with me when I presented the gospel and invited women to begin a relationship with God through Jesus.
Seven precious women!
Friends, God showed me His glory, and I cannot adequately describe how thrilled I am to have been His instrument. It was not my words, or my songs, or my silly grin. It was my JESUS - the work of His Spirit - who drew those women to Himself. And I am so thankful!
Would you please pause a moment right now and pray for them? That God would continue to draw them close and grow them in their new faith?

Ahhhh, what a wonderful weekend.

Have I said before that I really want to do more events like this one???


Karen

Monday, March 15, 2010

An Interview with Amanda

Happy Monday!
I had an absolutely wonderful weekend. Will you tell you all about it Tuesday.
For now, I'm giving you this interview with Amanda - and I'm heading to bed. (It's after midnight Sunday, and I just got home from the airport.)


Click here to visit Amanda, and see me interviewing her!


Karen

Friday, March 12, 2010

This Week's WORD

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10
Not much more to say, is there?

As I go into this weekend, so looking forward to reaching out to moms with the hope of Jesus Christ, I do it not wanting to please them. Rather to please God.
Pray for me, that I may seek to glorify HIM, and not me. Thank you!

If all goes well, I'll have my interview with Amanda ready to post here for you Monday. Have a great weekend!

Love to you,


Karen

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Last Call!

Tomorrow I am leaving for Minnesota. (But don't worry. I have a post scheduled for you to read!)
I get to meet Amanda and Gianna for some fun Girl Time on Friday. Amanda and I will be doing our video interview. Click here to email her any questions you'd like her to ask me. This is your last call!
And then, Saturday night I am speaking at this Moms' Night Out event at Faith Covenant Church, 12921 Nicollet Ave. in Burnsville.
The festivities will begin at 6:00.
Tickets are $7 at the door.
And I would love to see you there!

For those of you who are too far to come, please be praying. I will be offering hope for moms in the midst of the struggle, and I'm going to be presenting the gospel, too. Please pray that God's Spirit would anoint me and speak through me! Pray that He will bring the women in who He knows need to be there.

Thank you!


Karen

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Now, Was That so Hard?

I
I n
I ne
I nee

Oh, no, I don't!

I need
I need h

But, I don't want to say it!

I need he
I need hel

OK. OK. Here goes nothing.

I need help.

I recently received a call from my son's principal at school, telling me his teachers had recommended him for a class which is specifically meant to help kids learn organizational skills, to get extra help with class work, and to have extra time for studying and homework. It is part of the normal school day, so it wouldn't require any extra time.
That Joshua struggles with school and organizing his work was not a surprise to me. We have worked hard at home on this issue. Through blood, sweat and (lots of)tears. Both of us have become quite frustrated, and convinced that I am NOT cut out to be a teacher. I do my best to help and encourage, but too often it is perceived as nagging and we end up butting heads rather than loving one another.
So, I thought this class sounded like a great idea and was excited to present the opportunity to Joshua. I was sure he would be pleased, too.

He wasn't.

It took a lot of probing but eventually I came to the understanding that Joshua was embarrassed to ask for help. He said he could bring his grades up on his own. He could figure out the organizational stuff on his own. He didn't need that class. He just needed to apply himself.
Yeah. Sounds good, except that he had given us the same song and dance before.

To make a long story short, my husband and I insisted that Joshua take this class.
We were called mean, were told we're unfair and unloving. At first.
Now Joshua loves the class. He says it's a relief to him, and he hopes he can stay in it during the next trimester, too.
See? I told you so!

This whole scenario has made me wonder, Why is it so hard to ask for help???


Karen

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

HE has a (Strange) Sense of Humor

OK. It's late.
I'm really, really tired.
I already had something scheduled to post in the morning.
I should just be getting ready for bed now.
I also make a lot of typing errors when I'm this tired. This might take longer than I anticipate!
But I just have to tell you about my Monday night experience. Because I think God was playing with me. As in, He knew how everything was going to work out and He knew I trust Him. I think He was having a little fun just seeing how long I would last.

I left at 4:00 this afternoon - to make the 1 hour, 26 minute (according to my GPS) trip to speak tonight. Plenty of time for me to be arriving "just after 5:30," right?
Except there was this little accident on the highway.
And traffic was at a stand-still.
And I kept looking at my GPS, watching the estimated time of my arrival slowly tick away. But, alas, with a new arrival time of 5:58, traffic started moving. And I smiled, knowing God was going to get me there on time.

Until I got closer to my destination and discovered the highway was closed.
No big deal, right? That's why I have a GPS. I'll just get off at this exit, I thought, and it will figure out a new route for me.
Yeah, except it kept redirecting me toward the highway. Ms. GPS voice didn't know the highway was closed.
And I? Got so lost!
Forutnately, I was speaking in the city where my brother lives, and he was coming to hear me tonight. Thank You, God! So I called him for help. He assured me I was very close to the church and would be there in no time.
To make a long story short - my brother couldn't figure out where I was so he went to the church to let them know that I was in town and would be there...soon, we hoped! And my sister-in-law came to rescue me.
Once she figured out where I was, she came to me and led me to the church.
Of course, on the way to the church, we got stopped by a very long train.
And I sat there laughing, OK, God. Is this joke almost over? I need to get to the church!
Then the train passed, we continued on, and I was pulling into the parking lot at 6:45. Right when I was supposed to begin speaking.
HE's timely, isn't He?

In the end, everything worked out wonderfully. And God showed me once again that He is sovereign and I can trust Him.

I'm just not so sure about His sense of humor.
Ah, OK. I guess I was laughing, too!


Karen

Monday, March 08, 2010

Friday, March 05, 2010

This Week's WORD

"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

Acts 9:13-16
When I first read these verses this week, my initial reaction was to wonder why we ever question God. Clearly, He has a plan and He knows what He's doing, right? So why do we feel the need to argue with Him???
OK. That's something to think about.

But God led me to think of something more as I reflected on these verses.

Do you know who they're talking about when they say, "this man"?
Do you know who "this man" is? Whom Ananias and many others feared, but whom God had chosen as His instrument?
It is Saul - the Christian hater, who became Paul - the totally sold-out Jesus follower.
And that transformation in Paul made me delight in God's ability to re-make a person.

Do you know someone today who is far from God? Have you stopped praying for them, because you thought they were beyond hope?
May I suggest to you that NO ONE is so far from God that He cannot reach them? Please persist in prayer for that person. And trust that God has a perfect plan!

AND, I am the featured mommy blogger today the The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood. Feel free to stop by to see my interview!

Have a wonderful weekend. I'll see you back here Monday!


Karen

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Unashamed

God used my dog to teach me a wonderful lesson recently. I don't mean the one about my comfort doesn't really matter.
This one was even better.

I walked into the kitchen and said Hello to Mindy. She looked up at me, wagged her tail and immediately flopped onto the floor - on her back, belly up, paws limp, tail wagging, waiting expectantly.
And do you know what I did?

I walked right over to her and started rubbing her tummy, telling her how much I love her.
I mean, what else was I to do? It was clear that she wanted me to love on her. How else should I have responded? Yes, maybe I had laundry to fold, or carrots to cut, or blogs to read. But Mindy was laying there totally vulnerable and unashamed, just waiting for me to love her.
And it was truly a delight for me to give her the attention she craved.

As I knealt there petting my dog, noticing how freely she received my love, something occurred to me. I mused, I think God would like for me to approach Him in much the same way my dog has approached me today.
I realized, I really don't need this dog. Rather, she needs me. She is completely dependent on me to take care of her. She needs me (or one of the kids!) to feed her and give her water. When she needs to go outside, she gets my attention and I let her out. I give Mindy her heartworm pills and take her to the vet for check-ups. I take her on walks (Or, I did until I got this stress-fracture in my foot. Did I tell you about that?) and I even trim her nails.
Yeah, I pretty much do everything for that dog.

Just like God does everything for me.

And as she laid on the floor, basking my love - unashamed and joyful to receive it - I realized something else. In this act of enjoying my love, my dog was doing something for me. She was delighting me heart!

It truly brought me joy to see my dog enjoying my love.

And that's why I think God wants me to come to Him the same way.
Realizing I am completely dependent on Him - for everything - yet totally unashamed to freely receive His love. As I sit in His presence, fully enjoying the love He lavishes on me, I believe I will delight His heart.

So, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go soak in my Father's love. I hope you'll do the same!


Karen

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Category of the Month - Grace for Moms

Ah, it's a new month. And that means it's time to feature a new category in the sidebar. Going off my thoughts from yesterday, I've decided to focus on "Grace for Moms." Here's one for you - origially posted March 25, 2007. I hope you are encouraged by it. Please click on the link in the sidebar for more Grace for Moms.

I'm Desperate

Does that sound bad?

It's true!

I have just finished going through Kathy Troccoli's book Live Like You Mean It with my friend. The last chapter is called "Be a Desperate Woman," and in this chapter Kathy talks extensively about our need for God and His ability to do anything. She writes, I am completely desperate without Him. I sink without Him. Is that weakness? Yes. I am so weak without Him and his presence and guidance. I must get up every day and hold on to hope. Being desperate is something to celebrate because of the position it puts me in with the tender, generous, romantic Lover of my soul. Living a life of passion, romance, and adventure is about panting for God out of sheer desperation so He can satisfy my deepest longings.
And oh, how deep are my longings! God made me a hungry, thirsty, needy woman. He made all of us that way so that we would seek out His richest fare, as if our lives depended on it - because they do. (p. 170-171)
Since Amber and I discussed this chapter the other day, I have been intentional in my thinking about the fact I am desperate. I need Him every moment.
And, as if my own efforts to think about this reality weren't enough, my kids nailed it for me yesterday. Sometimes (OK, a lot of the time!) I am at a loss for what to do with them. I want to raise them well, and train them on the right path. I want to teach them to be respectful and honorable. I want to instill in them the importance and value of obedient behavior. I want them to grow up to be self-controlled, responsible adults. I also want to remember they're kids and it's OK for kids to be loud, and goofy, and obnoxious (a little!) and, well, kids!
Finding the balance between these two worlds (training them and still letting them be kids) is really hard for me. So as I was making my way through the day yesterday I was praying a lot, admitting my desperation to God and begging Him to lead me as I raise these children.
I so want to do it right.
More and more I am aware of the fact I'll never get it right on my own. I need Him every moment.
Finally, this morning in church we sang Breathe. Perhaps you're familiar with it, and you know the chorus...I stood there in His presence declaring the very thing that's been on my mind the past couple of days. I'm desperate for You!

That's the truth. I'm desperate. I'm a desperate mother and, yes, a desperate housewife! And I am not ashamed to admit it because I know He made me this way - to need Him - and because His power is made perfect in my weakness.


Karen

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

The Move

This past weekend I spoke at a baby shower.
About a month ago, "Grandma" (i.e. the Mom of the new Mom) emailed me and asked if I would be willing to come and speak at her daughter's baby shower. And, of course, I agreed.
Because any time I am given the opportunity to share with mothers about the hope I have found in the midst of the struggle? I'm there!

As I thought about what I wanted to say to this new young mother, I was thinking back to how life changed after I had my first baby.
Do you remember?
For me, the biggest change was the move I had to make. Especially because I didn't even know a move was going to be necessary. Didn't realize Theory and Reality were such different worlds.
In Theory, I was a perfect mother. Knew what to do, what to say, and how to respond. Life was so easy in Theory.
*I read books which told me how to raise perfect children.
*I looked at my friends who were having babies - who seemed to drop off the face of the earth after their babies were born - and I thought to myself, I'm not going to do that when I have a baby. I'll be able to continue with a normal life when my baby is born.
*When I was living in Theory, I even thought I had the answers for other parents' questions.
Yes, life in Theory was so easy. I was sure this parenting thing was going to be a breeze.

But then I had my first baby and moved quickly into Reality.
Wow.
I wasn't prepared for that!
No matter how hard a person tried, I don't think anyone could have prepared me for the world of Reality as it pertains to motherhood.

Because in Reality, all of my wonderful theories didn't matter much.
In Reality:
*I discovered I wasn't perfect.
*I began to wonder if the authors of those books even had kids. Or if they were just living in Theory, too.
*I struggled intensely - to the point of questioning God's wisdom in giving me children.

BUT, I learned that God lives in Reality, too. And out of His grace and goodness, He showed me how every single one of my struggles can be met by His strength.
It remains true, living in Theory is still much easier than living in Reality. But the fact is, I am in Reality and so is God. And I am trusting in His strength.

How was your move from Theory to Reality?


Karen

Monday, March 01, 2010

Can You Trust ME Now?

If you aren't familiar with the Verizon commercials, watch this first.





In just eleven days, Amanda and I are going to be interviewing each other. If you haven't sent her a question for me yet, I hope you will!
Click here to send her an email.

Karen