My Girl...Michelle...

Once again, stolen from my daughters blog, "Delighted!"

on happiness

APRIL 17, 2013

image found here

I have been thinking about God’s will a lot lately. I’ve been thinking about how we know (and can be certain of) His plan for our lives.

So this was my divinely inspired thought a few days ago;

My happiness doesn’t mean I’m in God’s will.

My unhappiness doesn’t mean I’m not in God’s will. 

I know what you’re thinking “duh, Michelle”.

But for me, I needed to verbalize it- write it down and say it out loud few times.

You see, I’ve lived a lot of my life this way, without even realizing it.

I look back on difficult situations and circumstances in my life and think “Oh well, I was out of God’s plan then.” or “I must have done something bad and ‘walked away from God’s will’ “. I look towards the future and think ” Well, if we’re happy then we’ll know we’re in God’s will”.

Yes, it’s embarrassing to admit that I’ve been thinking like this (and that’s why I’m writing it here).

Now with this new perspective, I see more clearly that God has used those rather “unhappy” times to make me the person He wants me to be. And He’s used the “happy” times to bless me.

God hasn’t guaranteed our happiness….

“I don’t think the way you think.
The way you work isn’t the way I work.” Isaiah 55:8 (the message)

He has promised us other things…

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28

PS Michelle, I'm delighted in YOU!!

"So Thankful God Asked Me to Be Your Mommy!"

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." - Isaiah 55:8

I guess it was about a year ago that I began a special nightly routine as I would tuck my son, James, into bed. As we prayed together, I would praise God for the wonderful gifts and talents given to my son as well as the positive things I had seen him do that day. This was such a sweet time for James and I because many days were rough and I struggled being his Mommy. I know some say the "Terrible Two's" are bad but when we turned three it seemed like the trials were turned up a notch! Each night after praying I was refreshed though. It always gave me peace to be reminded that there were good parts in our day, even if only a few.  As I would close the door I would softly tell James, "I'm so thankful God asked me to be your Mommy. I love you James Ethan."

On one of my rougher days I can remember crying to a friend who responded with such wisdom saying, "Kate, God chose you to be his Mommy. Only you could be the perfect Mommy for him. He needs you." That is so true...the Lord chose me to be the Mommy of James Ethan and Jack Jack. No one else. Just me. God hand-picked me knowing my flaws. He knew how I needed to grow and be stretched. He knew how it would all work together and cause me to be on my face in prayer more than ever. I have grown in my faith now, as a mother, more than any other time in my life.

This month the boys and I have been focusing (like many of us) on the birth of Christ. We have read Bible stories as well as played with nativity scenes too. As we began to talk about Mary, the mother of Jesus, it got me thinking. God hand-picked Mary too! Yes she was flawed and needed to grow, was stretched in her faith and yet God chose her, no one else to be the mother of Jesus. WOW! What a thought!

The Lord has strung together the perfect personality, intellect, love and charisma in each one of us moms that our little ones need. It is pretty amazing to think that God knows our strengths and weakness and chooses the perfect children in order to refine us through each of them.

I get such comfort as I read that verse. His ways are so much better than my own. He knows the needs of my children and designed me perfectly to match them. What we so often fail to recognize is that in those times we are stretched & confused, it causes us to trust and rely on His strength. Not our own. So thankful for His word that gives such comfort when I am in the midst of craziness!

Challenge: Take a few minutes each day to pray for and with your kids. Allow praises to flow from your mouth to His heart telling about the gift your children are and how thankful you are to be their Mommy.  Allow your children to hear you say aloud, in prayer, the things you love and cherish about them! Then rest in the fact that He hand-picked you to be their Mommy! What a gift! What a treasure!