Laced With Grace

Just love them like Jesus, carry them to Him, His yoke is easy, His burden is light, You don’t need the answers to all of life’s questions Just know that He loves them and stay by their side, Love them like Jesus – Mark Hall, Casting Crowns

Have you ever had someone around you hurting and in the trenches of pain? Then worse, not really know what to say?

I have plenty of times. After our time together is over I’ll think, “I should’ve said this or that.” But we don’t always have to have the answers. We just have to love them like Jesus. They need to see a light in us and a love in us. They need to know that they can trust us with their hurt and pain. They need to know we won’t gossip about what they told us. They need to know we won’t think less of them because of their hurts. They need to see the love of Jesus in us.Loving people isn’t always easy.

Loving people isn’t always easy. But the Bible is very clear that love is a fruit of the spirit. The more we grow in Christ, the more we are able to love those around us. There have been times when someone is hurting and will share with me their hurts. I have to admit; sometimes I get a judgmental spirit thinking to myself, “well if only you had not done this or if you did it this way…” We can speak the truth in love without being judgmental. That takes a mature grounding in God’s word. It takes a humble spirit willing to submit to conviction and a resentful heart to recognize impending judgment. Galatians 5:14 says,

The entire law is summed up in a single command: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Our gracious God, teach me to love others the way You have called me to love them. When it is appropriate, give me through Your Holy Spirit the words to say. Help me recall to mind Bible verses that would minister to them in their pain. And help me remember to show love at all times to those around me. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

I guess you would consider me a rotten mommy because I absolutely can’t stand to play trucks or army men or dolls or play pretend. I never enjoyed it as a kid and it is certainly something I don’t enjoy now. After the guilt of not “playing” with the kids sets in for a while, I will give in and generally look for bugs or try to catch lizards or go on a nature hike in the back yard.

Well, the other day we were all on top of the picnic table looking at a few of our catches. We were smooshing a few and enjoying the guts splattering here and there. Actually that is my first daughter’s famous trait. No bug has a chance around her.

We came across one tiny bug that we all just knew would have black guts. After we gave her permission to do her job, the three of us sat up in shock to see that this tiny bug had green guts. We were all so amazed and the kids even wanted to take a picture to show Daddy later. (I chose not to since we have successfully hidden this adventure from him thus far. He would not be proud of us.) Anyway, it was a great day of bug smooshing and we all were amazed at God’s creation!

After the kids had all gone to nap, I sat back ready to just relax for a minute before starting those “no kids around” chores. I was thinking back to our adventure of the day and wondered if God was proud that I had taught my kids to smoosh His creations. I am still not sure of that answer, but I did learn something and I know it was from the Lord.

There are many times I am that bug about to be smooshed or a least put under lots of pressure. The Lord asked me a question, “Leigh, when you are being smooshed and you do begin to ooze, what comes out?” When the kids are squealing and you need just five more minutes to finish dinner, do you ooze patience or do you scream, “Leave me alone”? When you know you have been wrongly accused and can’t do a thing to make it right, do you get angry and pout, or do you ooze kindness and the goodness of God? What are you oozing?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23

Smileplz,
Leigh (Speaking Thru Me)

     Last summer my husband and I broadened our exercise routine.  We went from walking three miles most days to riding bikes.  We can ride all year round here in Texas, and it is a really enjoyable way to exercise.  We found a route that takes us over country roads with very little traffic.  There are just enough hills to make it a pretty good workout.

     Along our route we pass a driveway that intrigues us.  It is just a single lane dirt road with worn tire tracks on either side of a grass median.  It is fairly long, and at the end of it there is a worn gate.  There is no house to be seen,  just that sweet little driveway that reminds me of “The Secret Garden”, winding its way to an unseen home.

    The other day my husband said that driveways remind him a bit of our life here on earth.  Some are long and adventurous, stretching out of sight; while others are just a few feet long leading right to the house.  So it is for us.

     For some life stretches out for many years, winding away into the distance.  And for others, it is just a brief span of time – a short distance home.  My daughter recently lost a friend, a young woman just beginning her life, and our consolation was that she had gone home to be with the Lord.  The short, simple driveway led her home very quickly.  At the same time, we recently celebrated my Dad’s 88th birthday – a long and rich life – a driveway that has still not reached home.  We are very blessed.

     When we have been traveling for any length of time, it always feels good to turn into the driveway and see the lights of home.  My husband built our home, and it is very special to me.  It speaks warmth, family and love every time I walk in the door.

      So it is when we reach the end of the “driveway” of our lives.  The Master Builder has prepared a home for each of us who are His children, and He has made the length of that driveway exactly according to plan.  When we reach the end and see the lights of home, we know that we will find all that heaven has to offer waiting for us.  And He will be there – the One who we have been longing to see.  The One who has given us the hope of heaven and life eternal.  There will be others waiting there as well – those who have made the trip before us.  It is all waiting – warmth, family, love – and Love Himself.

     I am thankful that He knows our days and Has lovingly written the story of our lives before we were even born.  I am thankful that this life is just a “driveway” that will, in His time, lead us home.  I am thankful that that home is a place where there is no more suffering, no tears, no pain, no death, no night.  It is our eternal home – the likes of which we cannot even imagine.  I am thankful for the hope and the promise of heaven. 

Jesus has promised: “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”      John 14: 2,3   (NAS)