Yes the above words are inter-related - at least they are for me at this current time. First the convuluted background story. A few months ago my cousin, Tim, died a tthe age of 49. He died 5 weeks after his diagnosis of mucosa melanoma. At the time, his 23 yr old daughter was in jail for accessory after the fact to a murder. She is the mother of 4 children. The oldest was already in the custody of a great aunt. The 3 younger ones were being kept by an aunt and/or grandmother. The 23 yr old gets out of jail and proceeds to tell the children that she had more fun in jail than she does being their mother - so she disappears.
We have since found out that DHS has removed the 3 children (ages 1,3 and 4) because of neglect and abuse. The children are in 3 separate foster homes. There doesn't appear to be anyone to take them together.
Enter stage right - the Mouser sisters. The story has touched our hearts. These are children in need and they are extended family. So...we are praying for and about these children. What does God want for these precious lives? Are we supposed to play a role in their lives? What kind of role? How do we handle it from a space standpoint? Financially? Emotionally? Physically?
What is important in life? How do minister to others? Is this to be our ministry? How do we leave a legacy? What kind of legacy do we leave? I recently read an article about a young Muslim man who was reached for Christ because he saw a joy and peace in the Christian's eyes. He said, "It was the true and genuine love and acceptance for me that I saw in the eyes of those first Christians I met. That broke me!" I think this would be an amazing legacy. Is it to start with these children? I don't have that answer. I just know we are trying to pray openly for God's guidance and that we all would receive the same overwhelming answer - whatever it may be..
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Wonderings
This could probably be a "Seinfeld" post....One about nothing and everything. As you can see - I am not an avid blogger. I think I would like to be, but life and laziness get in the way. I used to be good at keeping a journal. Now I am good about carrying mine everywhere I go and rarely writing it.
It has been an interesting week. Last Sunday, Tammy noticed a young woman walking down the road with a gas can. In all of our busyness, it is rare that we notice others with a need. Sometimes when we notice we are afraid to stop, because the world is a scary place. Tammy noticed and we stopped to help. Helping feels SO good.
Later in the week, I was driving through Chick-Fil-A and noticed a young man sitting outside the door. His knees wer hugged up to his chest and he was rocking back and forth. Car after car drove by - along with me. Something told me to go back around. After buying him a chicken biscuit and bottle of water - I drove on my merry way. Well - not so merry - I was profoundly touched. I hoped and pryed that the interaction met a need - physical through the food and drink or emotional/spiritual by knowing someon cared.
This isn't about me/us or how good we may have been on these couple of occasions. It is about mourning all those opportunities that are probably missed because I am too busy, too preoccupied, too selfish....to stop or to listen. It is about wanting to be more observant, more obedient, more willing to to help provide for physical needs - to say a kind word - to let someone know that they matter.... It is about trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus. How scary that I could be the only "Jesus" someone encounters today.
Matthew West has a song out - My Own Little World...God please help me not to live in just my own little world....
In my own little world it hardly ever rains; I’ve never gone hungry, always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket, shoes on my feet
In my own little world...Population me
I try to stay awake during Sunday morning church; I throw a twenty in the plate, but I never give ’til it hurts
I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see, Yeah,it’s easy to do when it’s
Population: me
Stopped at a red light, looked out my window, I saw a cardboard sign, said “Help this homeless widow”
Above that sign was the face of a human - I thought to myself, “God, what have I been doing?”
So I rolled down the window and I looked her in the eye
Oh how many times have I just passed her by?
So I gave her some money then I drove on through
And my own little world reached Population two
Father break my heart for what breaks Yours - Give me open hands and open doors
Put Your Light in my eyes and let me see that my own little world is not about me
What if there’s a bigger picture? What if I’m missing out?
What if there’s a greater purpose that I could be living right now
I dont want to miss what matters - I wanna be reaching out
Show me the greater purpose - So i can start livin right now
Outside my own little world
It has been an interesting week. Last Sunday, Tammy noticed a young woman walking down the road with a gas can. In all of our busyness, it is rare that we notice others with a need. Sometimes when we notice we are afraid to stop, because the world is a scary place. Tammy noticed and we stopped to help. Helping feels SO good.
Later in the week, I was driving through Chick-Fil-A and noticed a young man sitting outside the door. His knees wer hugged up to his chest and he was rocking back and forth. Car after car drove by - along with me. Something told me to go back around. After buying him a chicken biscuit and bottle of water - I drove on my merry way. Well - not so merry - I was profoundly touched. I hoped and pryed that the interaction met a need - physical through the food and drink or emotional/spiritual by knowing someon cared.
This isn't about me/us or how good we may have been on these couple of occasions. It is about mourning all those opportunities that are probably missed because I am too busy, too preoccupied, too selfish....to stop or to listen. It is about wanting to be more observant, more obedient, more willing to to help provide for physical needs - to say a kind word - to let someone know that they matter.... It is about trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus. How scary that I could be the only "Jesus" someone encounters today.
Matthew West has a song out - My Own Little World...God please help me not to live in just my own little world....
In my own little world it hardly ever rains; I’ve never gone hungry, always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket, shoes on my feet
In my own little world...Population me
I try to stay awake during Sunday morning church; I throw a twenty in the plate, but I never give ’til it hurts
I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see, Yeah,it’s easy to do when it’s
Population: me
Stopped at a red light, looked out my window, I saw a cardboard sign, said “Help this homeless widow”
Above that sign was the face of a human - I thought to myself, “God, what have I been doing?”
So I rolled down the window and I looked her in the eye
Oh how many times have I just passed her by?
So I gave her some money then I drove on through
And my own little world reached Population two
Father break my heart for what breaks Yours - Give me open hands and open doors
Put Your Light in my eyes and let me see that my own little world is not about me
What if there’s a bigger picture? What if I’m missing out?
What if there’s a greater purpose that I could be living right now
I dont want to miss what matters - I wanna be reaching out
Show me the greater purpose - So i can start livin right now
Outside my own little world
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