I mentioned my friend Amy the other day, from Filled with Praise, and that they are raising money to bring home Elijah from Ethiopia.
Here are some of the new Christmas ornaments they are selling, if you know anyone that has adopted from Africa. Aren't they so beautiful?!!
They also have a really cute Etsy shop now, with baby burp cloths and some beautiful fall floral arrangements. Go check it out by clicking on this link:
Here is her blog link, where you will find all of the information in greater detail :)
Remember that when you buy something from them, you are helping to shape this precious little boy's future!
Last night, we had fun at our lifegroup (small group Bible study). It was us and 2 other couples. We ate when we got there and then sent the kids upstairs to play. We had bible study materials and a video on the same series that we're starting at church on Sunday, called "One Month to Live." We were just talking about how that would change the way you live your life, if you found out you only had one month to live. Everyone decided though, after watching the long video on this study, that we will pick a different topic to study. We're already doing this topic at church, and so next week we are going to play some games to get to know each other better, and then start a new series the following week. One of the couples that was there, just had a new baby Isabella, and that is who I gave the onesie to that I posted yesterday.
So, last night we were telling each other what we would do if we had only one month to live. I said that I would probably just be so sad, knowing that I would have to leave my girls, and would probably cry alot. Real uplifting, huh? It's the truth though! I guess I have a different perspective, because I actually do think about death alot. I would not be worried for myself, because I know exactly where I'm going when I die, but I would be worried for my girls, because I know how incredibly hard it is to live without a Mom. I would probably spend lots of time writing things for them and maybe even doing lots of videos, and of course, trying to create fun memories for them to remember before my time was up! I thought about this more, after I got home, and I honestly think I would also use that time to go out and tell people about the Lord because I know that just the fact that I was dying would really get their attention. It would be my hope that I could convince lots of people to give Him a try! That's what I would love for my legacy to be........that others would come to know Him because of my testimony. Not for my sake, but for theirs!!
My first instinct yesterday, was to talk about how sad I would be to be leaving my girls behind without a Mom, but actually I've been thinking lately something that I think the Lord is trying to show me. If something were to happen to me, and the girls were placed in the position of having to grow up without me, as hard as that would be on them, I know that it was always the Lord's plan for their life. He knew before they were even conceived exactly how long they would have me, and if He chooses to have them grow up without me, then obviously there is a very specific reason for that. Who knows how that would change their lives, how many people they may influence because of their story, etc.
Something else I've been thinking about lately is this........I have spent much of the last 5 years thinking that I could not survive or be happy without my Mom here. I kept thinking that she's not here to talk to, she's not here to make things better, she's not here for me to rely on for advice, she's not here to be my friend anymore, she's not here to help me raise my family, she's not here to
SAVE ME
and then I said to myself, "Wait a minute! Don't I already have a savior? Um, yes I do!!!!" I think that's a huge, major lesson that the Lord has shown me this week. He did not place my Mom on this earth to be my savior. I was not meant to worship and idolize her and I'm sure it hurt His feelings that I kind of forgot along the way that He WAS put on this earth to be my savior! I am meant to worship and idolize him and if I let Him, He will be all those things that I felt I was missing by my Mom not being here with me. He is always here for me to talk to, to make things better, to give me advice, to be my friend, to help me raise my family, and most of all........He died and became my savior so that I would not perish, but have everlasting life with Him (and my Mom)!! Oh my goodness, how I love these "moments" when He teaches me these things!
6 comments:
Talk about a post jam packed with awesome! I checked out that Etsy shop and there are so many cute things to buy!
I am so glad that things went so well at small groups. That would have been a hard topic for me too. Sometimes I think about what it would be like for my girls if I was gone. Sometimes I even tease you know who and tell him that he'd better learn to do more things on his own in case I'm not around. And then he's always like, why should I? Where are you planning on going? :)
I'm glad the Lord has been revealing himself to you and showing you that He is your savior. Reading this last part of your post almost made me want to cry. I love how you shared that in whatever happens to us, it was something the Lord had planned for us. In every thing that happens, he has a purpose. Sometimes its hard to see that in the moment, but I know he loves us so much and has our best interest at heart!
I don't know how anybody's life could not change if they only had a month to live on this earth. It would def be hard to leave your children behind. I like the idea of writing letters and making videos. That would be a great thing to do.
Those ornaments are way cool. I love it too when He uses little things to teach us big lessons. He is so good.
We did the One Month to Live Series,last Jan, and it was really good! I can't wait to see what you all pick for your study! Eric writes all the stuff our church uses for our small groups. I love when God teaches us stuff and then it's like, duh, why didn't I get that before?! So glad you had fun, did Morgan go with you?
Okay, I'm with Veronica ~ this post is full of good stuff! Checkin' out that sweet etsy site in a second. . . . But I teared up just reading about your small group discussion. And you said it beautifully about missing your mom. It's almost 15 years now since my Daddy died, and I still can get so overwhelmed when I think of all he's missing in our lives. But I'm also so thankful to know my Savior in such an intimate Abba Father way that I'm not sure I would've ever learned otherwise. Yes, I do miss my Daddy tremendously, and I know you miss your mom. But we will see them again! That is the amazing beauty of all of it!! HUGS!!!!
Kristin,
What a full post!!! God does want to be our all in all! And, yes He is our only savior! I am so glad that He is filling you so fully with Himself that now as you begin to think about your mom, your thoughts are happy, pleasant and peaceful. It is amazing the work that God can do within our hearts if we look to Him to do so. I am also so excited that you are going to Lifegroup and enjoying it. God is good isn't He?
Christy
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