A little loving reminder from Hermie...

I am so thankful that God speaks in sometimes the most unexpected ways...

As I was having one of those "gotta make yourself roll off the couch, pull yourself up by your boot straps, suck it up, shut down the pity party, and go" kinda days, I got my little work station set up at the kitchen table and began working on a little lesson for the kiddos at church. As I began reading Hermie: A Common Caterpillar, I at first was just in teacher mode. Lay out the lesson, write down the questions, think of little activities to keep them engaged. But I slowly found myself becoming the student.

Hermie is just a common caterpillar who struggles with being common. Nothing special about him. He is just green and lives a common life. I can relate to little Herms. Let's just put it this way...my life would make the most BORING reality show:). I am a pretty routine girl, just living a simple life. I am about to be 25, still living at home, and single (thank you to all who remind me of the fact that I am getting old and still single;)). And sometimes as I examine my life and myself in general, I struggle to see the special. No doubt everyone needs to see the special in their lives and in themselves.

But one thing that made Hermie uncommon was that He had a relationship with God. He talked to God and God spoke to the sweet depths of his heart. This is the part that I needed to hear...that we all need to be reminded of...here is what God would tell Hermie: "Don't worry Hermie.  I love you just as you are. I am not finished with you yet. I'm giving you a heart like mine." God patiently and lovingly gave Hermie  this reminder on a regular basis as they continued to bring their concerns to their Father. A reminder that God has been whispering into my heart for years. Thank you Father for your loving patience towards me. Oh what powerful words those are!! I love you just as you are, but I am not finished with you yet!

I believe that we are all uniquely and beautifully special not only to God but to one another! We need to be able to help others see what makes them uncommon. I also believe with all my heart that we need to ask God to show us what makes us uncommon. We need to be able to see the special inside ourselves, both inwardly and outwardly! And even though today may see unbearably common, God has beautiful things to come! Things we couldn't even imagine!

I am uncommon today because:
*my nails are a lovely shade of red
*I had a nice morning workout
*my sheets are freshly cleaned
*I am blessed to have a loving family who trusts in the Lord
*I am a part of an exciting church family whose heart is to love God and love others!
*my heart has been given a loving word from my precious Father!

What seems common today is bringing about something wonderfully special for an uncommon day in the future:
*I am single so that God can continue to prepare me to be a Godly wife to a Godly husband in His perfect timing.
*I am living at home...well one day maybe God will reveal that one;)
*I am pinching pennies so that I will learn to be wise with the resources God gives me and to teach me to trust Him with my finances.
*Life is slow so that I can rest and spend time with the Lord.
*I am still learning and struggling through different aspects of teaching so that I can continue to grow and become a better teacher.
*The greatest part of it all is that God is creating in me a heart like His, so I will wait on the Lord as He reveals His loving plans for my future!

Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 139:14, Psalm 37:4, Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 3:5-6: Thank you Lord for the Word, that speaks truth into my heart and life!

OH and of course God's great plan for Hermie was to become a beautiful butterfly, reflecting the beauty and creativity of God Himself!

O Come let us Adore Him...

A moment in history that forever changed the world. The moment our precious Savior, the King of Kings was born of a virgin in a lowly stable. This moment was not broadcast on all the national morning news shows. It was not the headline of every local newspaper. No this moment was told about 700 years before through the prophet Isaiah and fulfilled in undoubtedly the most precious moment of all time. There was indeed a great bit of fanfare, but not the earthly kind. A heavenly host proclaimed the coming of the Lord. I imagine it was a beautiful sound of praise to our Lord. He was not visited by the royalty one would expect would come to show their respect and honor to a King, but instead He was worshipped by some lowly shepherds.

The night of our Savior's birth is a night I hope God shows us in Heaven's movie theatre. Maybe they will even interview some of those involved. Oh how I would love to hear what it was like. ;)

I am unfortunately well aware that it is 93 degrees outside and 6 months from the Christmas season, but as  I begin to study the gospels for the summer , I realize that one of my first thoughts was...Oh I know this story and almost an "I'll just run through this because it's not Christmas" mentality. I have found that as Christmas music, beautiful anthems of my Savior's coming, have come through my Pandora station, I think "it's not even Christmas"and tune it out a bit. Then it hit me. My heart broke that I had boxed in this pivotal moment in the Bible to a few weeks at the end of the year. This beautiful picture which is the beginning of my salvation story, I belittled a bit.

Christmas is absolutely a sweet and special time to celebrate with everyone together the birth of Christ, but it should not be reserved only for this special time. So maybe I will turn on some Christmas music, read a Christmas book, or listen to a Christmas sermon in June to keep me from setting this beautiful piece of my Savior's story on the shelf until Christmas.

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11