Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Just What I Needed

I don't know if this has ever happened to you, but I'll be the first to openly admit, that this past Sunday while listening to a great message, I got distracted. I know that is hard to believe, but it happened. A verse caught my attention in Galatians 1, that I really needed to see.

Verse 10 says, "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."

I have struggled and struggled with my confidence with my Spanish. A huge stumbling block for me has been what people are saying. How they compare me to others and their ability. I believe this is difficult for anyone to hear over and over again. However, clearly I am looking for the approval of men, who am I trying to persuade and/or please, men or God?

Then I remembered other verses that God showed me several months back. When Moses was basically questioning God about his ability (or lack of) to speak to the nation of Israel. God firmly asked him, Moses,
Exo 4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

God constantly needs to remind me that I have somewhat of an ability. I have something in my hand. But, my response over and over again... is much like Moses....

Exo 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

And God says, my I remind you, Keeley

Exo 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Exo 4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

God says to me: Now go, Keeley. You worry about pleasing me, not men and use what you have in your hand!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Your being so Nit-picky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have come to understand the term nit-picky very well. I never knew before our experience with lice it's origin. Nits are the little eggs that hatch into lice. Hence the term nit picking. Wowee those little guys are hard to get out.

We have a very regimented routine to try to eradicate those little guys.
Every morning I strip the sheets, and put them in a black trash bag and put them in the hot sun. Every other day I wash them. When the girls get home from school, at the front door (no worries, inside) they strip down and I put their uniforms in a black trash bag and into the hot sun also. For their rest time they either sleep on new sheets or I take off the mattress and let them sleep on the frame. Which by the way most people sleep on this here because it's cooler. It's kind of a woven material. Anyway....if they sleep on sheets then I strip those and put new ones on. After their rest time, they watch a video while we check their hair. It takes all of the video to get everything. We wash their hair with tea tree oil in the shampoo. We have tried EVERYTHING!!!!!! We have even tried a Mayonaise treatment. We were so beautiful. I say we, because yes, I have had the pleasure of having it as well. Everything we have read has said it is a hard battle to beat. They couldn't be more right.

Like with all things, there is always good. In spite of all the extra work that this brings, it has also brought lots of sweet things. We get to spend time every day in close quarters with our girls. They love to watch movies and this way we can watch with them and talk about the things in the movie as it happens. I have always read that it is good to touch your kids. Well, they are getting lots in this hour and a half or so. I bet years from now they will look back fondly on this time, because of the time spent together.

And like with all things, there is always a spiritual side. I was thinking about how much work it takes to stay on top of this issue. When I took the picture of Ryan and Avigail, I thought about how often we should and need to sit at the feet of Jesus and just let him work on our hearts, and our issues. You have to be very intentional to get rid of lice. And you have to be very intentional to work on or let God work on the heart issues and the sin issues in our life. You have to show up and allow Him the time it takes to reveal the problems spots in order for Him to take it out.

Hopefully some day soon, we will be able to say that we beat this battle. But there is always maintenance required in order to keep those critters away. Just like there is maintenance required in our spiritual lives.