The earth is the Lord’s.

 

 

I had some thoughts this morning, and thought I’d just throw them out into the abyss of cyberspace.  They may not lead anywhere.  I was reading a blog where the prayer requested was that the children of this particular ministry would give their hearts to Jesus.  A common phrase, a common plea.  But this morning, what came immediately to my mind is the verse from Psalms (24:1).  “The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains.”

So, the earth and everything in it is God’s, but still we have to give him our hearts.  How does that work?  Isn’t my heart his to take? Don’t my children–hearts and all–belong to God?  Why is my heart, their heart, your heart off limits to God to the extent that you have to give it to him?  This confuses me.  It stumps me.  Because, to me, it’s all God’s.  The earth and all that is in it.

And the thought that I have to count on my kids’ own sense, wisdom, humility, what-ev-er, to give their hearts to the Lord in order that they won’t spend an eternity separated from God scares me to death.  Especially since I suck at this parenting thing and my ability to parent them will–to some extent–determine how well or ill equipped they are to give God anything.

I can’t handle the pressure.  I’m going to hide my head back in my Calvinist sandbox and trust that when Scripture says “the earth is the Lord’s and all that it contains,” it includes my kids and their hearts and their lives and their souls.

And I’m going to trust that when Scripture says the Promise is for me and for my children, that Scripture really means it. And I’m going to cling to that promise and live in my hope and I’m going to tell my kids who they are. Children of God, redeemed by the blood of Christ, and called to a life of glorifying God and enjoying him forever.

And I’m going to pray that they never know a minute of a day when they don’t feel and know the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Never know a minute when they are not convinced–assured and convicted–that nothing will separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Not death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, including their own stupidity, pride, stubbornness, or even apathy.

I might be crazy.  I might be under a delusion.  But it’s the only way I can sleep at night.  To God alone be the Glory.

Ministry of Reality M – – er Tuesday

So, I can never seem to post on Monday.  It’s our Saturday.  Or Sunday.  Or Saturday and Sunday all tied up together, the day we collapse into a heap.

So, Tuesday it is.  This week at least.

We just had some of the busiest funnest craziest days.  County fair, electronic wonderland mouse-hosted play space, two amusement parks, an overnight trip to family/friends house (a sermon written and delivered), all between Wednesday afternoon and Monday night.  I don’t live like this.  This is more than my kids do in any given year.  This is more than my kids did in one three-year stretch between 2004 and 2007.  Oh.  And except for the final day, which included the second amusement park, my husband was out of town for these days.

What better chance than this for a Ministry of Reality blog post?

I thought I’d focus on today’s nutrition, continuing to bury my head in the sand over the who-could-count-that-high? number of hours of TV today.

As an indication of the depths of my exhaustion, the extent of the depletion of my energy and enthusiasm, and the heights of my apathy, I share the following:

Our lunch today is brought to you by the color white. In various configurations, my children have eaten white cheese puffs, white popcorn, and white macaroni and cheese (both the cheese and the macaroni are white).  And Hannah kept the white theme going by drinking about a quart of milk today.

You know what is the craziest part of all?  I feel compelled to justify the healthfulness of it all by sharing that the cheese puffs are all natural, the popcorn is homemade using organic, raw coconut oil, and the mac ‘n’ cheese is organic.

Puh-leeeeese!

My kids are now happily, contentedly ensconced on the couch, watching the day’s zillionth minute of TV, entranced in a white-induced stupor.

It’s a good day.  🙂