Are you using your talent?

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. Ecclesiastes 9:10

Have you ever really wanted to do something but you did not have the talent? I have always wanted to sit down at a piano and play a wonderful melody and one day after many lessons by a patient teacher that dream may come true. It is not that I have not played an instrument in the past. During middle school and my first year of high school I played, well let me correct that, I held a saxophone during band class. A lot of my lack of ability is due to the fact that I did not practice and refused to lug the beast home.

I did not play my instrument with all my might and it was not a passion or a talent I had. God has given all of us gifts to use for His Glory. The church is often described as the body of Christ. Often we try to do things that really are not a talent we posses. The hand cannot do what is meant for the elbow to do. By using our talents God knows that we will be filled with contentment. Are you using the gifts God has given to you?

A real princess

Tuesday nights are my oldest son's soccer practice and as usual we were running late. My daughter was wearing her Cinderella costume and there was not time for her to change so she went in her costume. To my amusement both of her older brothers were not impressed with her clothing selection and begged me to keep her in the car during practice. I did not do this as she was so proud to be wearing her princess outfit in public.

When we arrived at the practice Mitch ran off to join his team and the two younger one went to play on the slide and swings. At the end of practice as I was walking back to the car with my children, my daughter picked up a dandelion and blew on it to make a wish. I asked her what she wished and she said to be a real princess. She does not understand that she already is a princess because she is a child of God.

You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:13-14

God's Plan Isaiah 55:9

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:6

I read this scripture today and it struck me that I am always questioning God just like my children always ask "Why?" when told to do something they don't really want to. We often get caught in this dialogue with God asking him constant questions when things do not go the way we want them to go. What we fail to realize is that God's wisdom is greater than ours. We only have a speck of understanding.

I could ask why for the rest of my life and I will not know the answer. Today we have knowledge at our fingertips with computers, media and books. I know on my cell phone I can see what time the movie is playing at the local theater or one in another state. All of my knowledge is just a tiny blip in God's grand plan. If we surrender our lives to him and follow him everything will work out for our good. Of course bad things are going to happen to us. We will lose people we love and sickness will still happen, but in the end we can rest assured that God has a happy ending for our lives if we have given it to him and follow his plan.

My son's decision

Today was a great day in the journey of parenting. My oldest son professed his faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized at church today. He had asked my husband and I on several occasions if he could be baptized but we kept putting him off. I was baptized very early in my life. My mother can remember the event but I do not recall it as vividly as I wish. I really don't believe I understood what I was professing at the time. With this background I knew I wanted my own children to really understand what it means to publicly announce that you are a Christ follower and the desire to live for Him.

You look back at the milestones in your child's life. First tooth, first steps, riding the bike without training wheels, going to kindergarten, going to middle school.... Nothing compares to seeing your son begin his journey to grow closer to God. I caught myself filling with pride at his decision but really the pride is not for me to claim. It is a loving God who created my son and who will continue to be his heavenly Father. It really was an extraordinary day.