Wednesday, March 17, 2010

When I Grow Up

Our little Simeon is turning 5 this weekend.  He is still such a little guy it’s hard to comprehend that he is already 5.    
I realize, in stating that, that I missed blogging that Kaitlin and Bethany turned 15 and 12, respectively.  Kaitlin was out of town for her birthday.  So we drove over to see her and take her out for her birthday dinner.  Bethany had to wait for Kaitlin and Brandon to get back with us so they could babysit while we took her out to dinner.  
It sure is enjoyable to have the selection again of restaurants.  I’m thankful Simeon’s choice is cheap.
It has been a relief to celebrate their birthdays here in the states.  The ability to find quality toys or gifts at reasonable prices is the biggest plus.  Of course, the variety is great, and we haven’t even gone to Toys R Us...yet!  
My online time is still limited so I’ll close this celebration blog about Simeon with one of his funnies.  
“Daddy, when I grow up and become a Scott and Kere n becomes a Debbie and we have a little boy we are going to name him Simeon.”
Later he had a similar conversation with me saying that he was going to name his son Simeon.  I responded with, “Oh, a Simeon Junior, how nice.”  To which he responded with the same thing he said to Scott.  
This continues to make everyone laugh much to Simeon’s dismay as he doesn’t understand the funny part.  Someday he will.  I hope he forgives me for this blog. :-)

Thursday, March 04, 2010

The Potter's Wheel

I have had good intentions to blog but really have not had the opportunity.  As I write I’m without internet, so I find myself wondering what was it that I last blogged about?  I recall blogging about a furlough meeting, but now I wonder, “Did I really blog that or just think I needed to.”  
Oh, well!  I guess I’ll find out when I get online again, and post this blog.  :-)
The Lord has really been working in my heart the past few weeks.  I do not always appreciate the pressure He has applies as He molds me into the image of Jesus Christ.  It is never easy to be thankful through trials, heartaches, fears, frustrations, and even the results or consequences of our own sin!  Is it?  
I wish I could even say that I am always thankful when He allows me a little glimpse of what He is making me to be.  I can say I’m thankful for His mercy, and lovingkindness as He patiently works with this often hardened lump of clay.  
As I have pondered the work of the Lord in my life and heart lately, the words of the song The Potter’s House have come to mind, almost daily.  I heard this song for the first time during a Sara’s Daughters couples retreat while we were at Ambassador.   
The sounds are so familiar I’ve heard them before
There’ve been days before today, I’ve walked through this same door.
The crushing of the hardened clay, the grinding of the wheel
And out behind the potter’s house there is always the field, always the field
The field is such a sad place all covered with gloom
The vessels who are thrown there n’er see flowers bloom
They fought against the potter and rejected His wheel
Now there’s no place left to put them but out in the field, out in the field.
Make me again precious Lord, I understand
That the Potter Who works with me, toils with nail scarred hands.
Here I am, take me Lord, place me on your wheel,
I’ll gladly stay inside the potter’s house, to stay out of his field, out of his field.
Thanks to the Lord, for taking us to Israel, I have a clear image of the potter’s field which sits outside the walls of the lower city of David.  It is a barren and worthless plot of land.  Nothing about it is appealing.  Sitting on a part of the field is the cliff where, tradition says, Judas Iscariot took his own life after betraying Jesus.  
It is such a sad place!  Why would we choose to be there, when we could sit at the Saviors feet and worship Him?  Why would we choose the hardships and pain of walking apart from Christ, with nothing to show for it afterwards but being thrown into the potter’s field; when we, instead, could choose to allow ourselves to be molded by the nail scarred hands of the One Who died for us?  I don’t know why we choose it, but sadly, we do.
As believers we need to make the choice, daily, or every moment, to place ourselves into the hands of Jesus.  We must yield our will to Him or we mar what Christ is attempting to make of us.  
Pliable.  Flexible.  Supple.  Yielded. Surrendered.  Submissive.  Compliant. Obedient.  Are all words that show us how we need to be on His wheel.   
Do you know that if you have not yet trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior you are walking apart from Him?  You have rejected His wheel and there is no place for you in Heaven.  What a shame it would be if you are reading this blog, as an unbeliever, to choose not to place your life into His hands by agreeing with God about your sin and asking His forgiveness!  Will you reject the free gift of salvation being held out to you right now?  Or will you believe that Christ died and rose again, conquering death... for you!!!
He wants to make a masterpiece out of us.  We merely need to trust Him as He molds and shapes us on His wheel.