The Hard Work of Forgiveness

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."  Colossians 3:13

It's said that practice makes perfect, but I'm not so sure if that's always true when it comes to learning about forgiveness.  I find that forgiveness is hard work most every time.  Some people are easy to forgive, and some circumstances more immediately forgivable, but often it still takes choosing to do the harder thing.

Forgiveness doesn't immediately fix the hurt, or heal relationships, but it does set us on the road God calls us to follow and healing can begin.  I've seen people hold onto unforgiveness for a very long time, and it ruins relationships for a lifetime, and fills hearts with bitterness and anger.  Our unwillingness to forgive someone who has hurt us, actually damages us worse.

I wish that my children didn't have to experience things in their lives where they needed to practice the art of forgiveness, but I know that is unrealistic.  So, I'll just pray that they won't allow bitterness and hurt to take root in their hearts, and forever mess up the important relationships in their lives.

I pray that they will always choose to do the hard work of forgiveness.

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love.  

In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness." 

--Robert Muller

Lord, you bear with your children, and forgive us over and over again.  Thank you, sweet Jesus.  May you helps us to do the same.  Help us to give forgiveness freely, and not hold onto bitterness, anger and hurt, especially in regards to our closest relationships.  Continued to teach us how to do the hard work of forgiveness.  Lord, protect my children from huge hurts in their lives, but where there is hurt (and I know that there will be), I pray they choose to forgive.  And where they hurt others, I pray forgiveness is offered to them.   May my children never let unforgiveness take root in their hearts.  In these moments Lord, I pray that they lean on you for help and guidance.  You are the greatest forgiver of all...may we be more like you! 
 

Thankful Thursday

"You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance."  Psalm 68:9

It's been a week of rest and enjoying God's creation...
and a week of transition and change.

Giving God thanks for it all.

 The boys waiting in line for a midnight run in Fred Meyer.

Lord, you have given abundantly and have refreshed our weariness.  As we reveled in the beauty of your creation we could feel our spirits strengthened and bodies renewed.  Our hearts and minds could not help but be fixed on you in gratefulness.  Thank you, dear Jesus, for also being with our family this week and walking beside us through the changes in our family.  You have been in and among each adventure and new path.  We have much to rejoice in and give you thanks for!  Thank you, Lord, for your ever present love and blessing.

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Go Ahead of Them, Jesus

"He went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go."  Deuteronomy 1:33

 First Day of School (2004)

I have always enjoyed this picture.  I didn't enjoy the moment in which it was taken but now, looking back, I can smile.  The "first day of school" pictures were always worse than school actually starting. 

 

Today is the beginning of a new school year for Kyle (yesterday was Lyssa's)!!  Ready or not, summer has come to a close and it's time for the classes to begin.  I'm pretty sure, as a sophomore this year, Kyle will not be letting us take a picture before he heads out the door.

 

Today is the beginning of a new journey that has great potential...new teachers, exciting classes in  new subjects, and different life experiences. I'm sure that there will be a challenge here and there, but my guess is that God has some fun surprises in store for my dear children too. 

I'm thankful that God goes ahead of Alyssa and Kyle on this journey, and He shows them the way they should go.  This new school year has the potential to be highly pivotal in finding out who God wants them to be, or what He wants them to do, in the future.  I'm just praying that they take hold and enjoy the picture that God has laid out for their lives.

Ready, Set...

Here we go!

Lord, today is a new beginning, and I thank you that you go ahead and behind Alyssa and Kyle.  I look forward to the ways they will go, and how you will show them the paths to follow.  Be with them, dear Jesus, as this new school year begins.  Open their minds to the things they will learn, directing them towards things they need to know, and passions you've instilled in them.  Bring teachers into their lives that challenge them to do their best and try new things, enlightening them to new wonders, and spawning in them a passion to learn.  Prod them to work hard and dismiss their tendency to procrastinate.  Give them moments of fun and laughter in their days that cause them to find joy in being in their learning atmospheres.  You have great things in store for this year, Lord, and we entrust our children to you!

 

Let the Classes Begin

Alyssa is off to college and her classes begin today. 

She's had a busy weekend of moving into her dorm and freshman orientation.  I haven't heard from her yet, but I'm sure she's had a full schedule and could be tired as she starts the work part of the college experience today!

Here's her new home for the next seven months!

We made her bed first thing!  That's something a mom knows how to do.

It's the little things that make it feel like home.

Here's the Class of 2016.  I'm not exactly sure where Lyssa is in the group, but maybe you can find her.

I'm praying that today is a wonderful beginning to her college experience and that the classes and teachers she faces today bring great excitement for the coming school year.


Lord, today is the beginning of a new school year, and a new phase of life for Lyssa.  Be with her today as she attends new classes, meets new friends, and begins the work of her college education.  Help her to be strong and courageous in her interactions and decisions.  Open her mind to adventures and the great world of wisdom and learning.  I pray, dear Jesus, that this college year is foundational to transforming Alyssa's faith and making her the woman you have planned her to be.  Where there is struggles, fears, or hard decisions, be her refuge and strength.  This is the day you have made and I trust you to be by Alyssa's side.

 

Praying Scripture: Psalm 63

 Alyssa and Kyle (2012)

O God, you are Alyssa and Kyle's God;
      I pray that they earnestly search for you.
   And their souls thirst for you;
      their whole body longing for you
   in this parched and weary land
      where there is no water.
I desire that Alyssa and Kyle see you in your sanctuary
      and gaze upon your power and glory.
May they know that Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
      how they will  praise you!
I pray that Alyssa and Kyle will praise you as long as they live,
      lifting up their hands to you in prayer.
You can satisfy them more than the richest feast.
      May they praise you with songs of joy.
And lie awake thinking of you,
      meditating on you through the night.
Because you are Alyssa and Kyle's helper,
      they can sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
They can cling to you;
      your strong right hand holds them securely.
But those plotting to destroy Alyssa and Kyle will come to ruin.
      They will go down into the depths of the earth.
They will die by the sword
      and become the food of jackals.
 But the king will rejoice in God.
      As Alyssa and Kyle trust in him  they will praise him,
      while liars will be silenced.
 

The Cherry on Top

“Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.” Proverbs 17:17 (The Message)

Alyssa and her high school friends! (20120

Friends make life sweeter! Friends are the cherry on top of life! I give God thanks every day for the friends I have in my life. Friends bring a smile to my day, when other things seem be dragging me down. Friends make me laugh, care when I cry, and push me to be the best that I can be. Friends are a blessing beyond compare.

I pray for the friendships that my kids are building now. Some of the friends that they are making will last a lifetime. And some of their friends will hurt them somewhere along the way. Good friends will help them through the bad days, or encourage them to follow Christ in all that they do. Then there are other friends who may lead them down paths that pull them further from God. May God help them choose their friends wisely. And when the hurts come, because they inevitably will, I pray that God will heal their hearts, and help them live in a state of free-flowing forgiveness.

May my kids find friends that
…bring laughter into their lives
…help them make wise choices.
…encourage them when they are down.
…walk with them through thick and thin.
…forgive them when they’ve been hurt.
…push them to be better in school, in relationships, and in all of life.
…And last, but not least, draw them closer to God.

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg

 even though he knows that you are slightly cracked” –Bernard Meltzer

Precious Father, you are the greatest Friend of all, and I pray that my kids live their life in a continual state of building a friendship with you. May you use their friends to bless their lives, and to encourage them in their walk with you. I pray that the friends they choose will follow after you, and journey along with my kids as they live their lives for you. May my kids find friends who will build them up, make them laugh, and encourage them daily, and through thick and thin. Help my kids make wise choices about their friends, and wise choices WITH their friends. In turn, I pray that my kids become good friends, and treat their friends the way that reflects you living in their lives. May their friendships be a blessing!

 

Lyssa-Bean's Big Day

"I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations."  Psalm 89:1

Today, is the day.  The day we've been preparing for and working towards for the last 18 years is now upon us.  Today we drop Alyssa off for her fist year of college.  A new phase of life for her...and for us.

If I don't think too hard about it, I can admit I'm excited for Lyssa's new adventures.  We've come so far, accomplished so much, and now it's time for freedom, adult responsibilities, and a world of new experiences.  I have faith that God has great plans for our girl's life!

(1994)

Looking back I can give Him thanks for so many things in Alyssa's life:

She went from a shy girl to one who is full of confidence.

She always knew what she stood for and believed in.

God gave her precious friends just when she needed them.

And He provided mission trip opportunities that changed her life.

A school that pushed her strong mind and fit her personality.

Sunday school teachers, youth leaders and a church family to teach her!

Alyssa has grown from my darling precious baby into a beautiful and strong woman that I am very proud of!

(2011)

I wish I had the time and ability to put words on my blog to my dear daughter, like my friend Joy did for her daughter heading off to college (read here).  Maybe as I move further from this day I'll be able to follow her example.

I am thankful for friends and family members who are praying for our girl.

I am thankful that God goes with her on this new journey.

I know, with great faith, that He has wonderful experiences and a tremendous future for her.

I believe that she's strong and can do anything she puts her mind to.

I am full of gratitude for God's guidance and help in parenting her, and know that He is not finished with her yet!

God has been so good!

 Some friends praying for Lyss before she left town

I love you, Lyssa-Bean, more than words can say and we going to miss you tons!  Our home will just not be the same without you!  XOXOXO!

Lord, thank you for the precious gift Alyssa has been as our daughter, and for your faithful hand of work in her life.  You have grown her into a woman who reflects you and will do wonderful things with the gifts you have given her.  Protect her, dear Jesus, as she enters this new phase of her life.  Help Alyssa to make choices that fit your plan for her life and give her wisdom, courage, and strength to meet each new day.  Walk with her through the new adjustments and give her friends to pass on encouragement.  May she find this time of her life to be one of the most fun and where she has the greatest spiritual growth.  You have brought Alyssa this far and I know that you hold her future.  Father, we thank you for our dear daughter, and continue to trust you for this new time of life.

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Display of Splendor

We're having a wonderful time at the beach.  Here's the little cabin we're staying in. 

It's a bit small, even for the four of us.  Luckily there is a lower level for the kids to sleep in.  It's still a blessing for our family. 

And the weather has been absolutely perfect.  We couldn't have asked for better!  Each night we have sat out on the beach to enjoy the sunset.  Oh the display of His splendor!

Skies are blazing with his splendor,
   his praises sounding through the earth,
His cloud-brightness like dawn, exploding, spreading,
   forked-lightning shooting from his hand—
   what power hidden in that fist!

--Habakkuk 3:4  (The Message)

You can't help but worship Him!

Lord, the skies are blazing with your splendor and your praises are sounding through the earth.  May our hearts be moved to worship as we revel in your creation.  I pray that praise is always on Alyssa and Kyle's lips as they gaze upon the beauty of your world.  It can be so easily taken for granted.  You, Lord, created something wondrous and beautiful for your children, and it calls us to worship you!  Thank you for such a gift!

 

Days Full of Grace

" Let your conversation be always full of grace..."  Colossians 4:6 

Three days at the beach with the family! 

I'm praying for memories, moments, and connection.  Sometimes when we hang out too long in close quarters its easy to say too much or become too easily irritated.  So far, so good, but as we spend time together and prepare to say "good bye" to Lyssa for her first year at college, I pray that our time is seasoned with grace.

Lord, this is the day you have made, and so I will rejoice and be glad.  Please be living and active in our family this week.  Help our speech to always be full of grace and used for building one another up.  Lord, help us to reflect you to one another in all that we say and do.  Amen.

Salvation Saturday

Today we are leaving home to take Lyss to school.  Everything is packed and her room seems a bit empty (and clean).  Home just won't be the same.  We will be taking a few days at the coast beforehand, so I may be taking the week off of writing blogs.  If I happen to have internet connection, you'll hear from me!  We'll covet your prayers in this week as we say "good bye" to our girl.

Here she is just a few years ago...

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; 

 blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."  Psalm 34:8

 My Lyssa girl!

Lord, today I pray for the salvation of Alyssa and Kyle.  I pray that they always follow you with their hearts, minds and souls, and call you God and Savior.  You love Alyssa and Kyle so much that you gave your one and only Son so that they would have eternal life.  May they know the abundant life you have in store for their lives.  You offer them hope, joy, peace, and strength as they trust in you. Make known to Alyssa and Kyle the path of life; and fill them with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. You are all our children need.  Thank you wooing them to yourself, day after day, and moment by moment, precious Savior.
 

Workin' Hands

"Be pleased with the work of his hands."  Deuteronomy 33:11

We've just got one day left until we take Lyss to college...and little is packed.  Though she's been having a great time hanging out with friends and visiting over coffee, I'm thinking there's lots to bed one before we can leave town.

God, can you just help my daughter get her hands workin'? 
Thanks,
This crazy mom.

Lord, bless the work of Alyssa and Kyle's hands.  May they not eat the bread of idleness (Prov. 31:27).  Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth (Prov. 10:4).  We do not want them to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised (Hebrews 6:12).  The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work (Prov. 21:25).  A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work (Ecc. 2:24).  Whatever their hand finds to do, I pray that they do it with all their might (Ecc. 9:10) May Alyssa and Kyle make it their ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind their own business and to work with their hands, so that their daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that they will not be dependent on anybody (1 Thess. 4:11-12)  Above all, may they lift up their hands in the sanctuary and praise you, Lord.  (Psalm 134:2)

 

Thankful Thursday

"Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness; let us exalt his name together."  Psalm 34:3
 

Today I want to tell you of the Lord's greatness in our lives!

• A Saturday morning excursion with my boys to the area Farmer's Market.  I'm sure it wasn't their ideal way to spend the morning, but they did it just for me.  I loved hanging with my men!

• A call from my daughter after being "out of range" for a week.  It did this mother's heart good and I was glad to hear that she had a great time at camp.  Now, college is in sight and I need to get used to this sporadic check-in schedule.

• The next day Lyss helped lead worship at the church she visited with her friend.  I've been asking her periodically to join me at our church, but to no avail.  Fun to hear about her stepping out and trying something new.

• We have some new staff at church and it feels exciting and encouraging all at the same time.  I loved watching the youth of our church gather around our new youth workers and pray for them this Sunday (picture below).  God's moving I'm thinkin'!

• Sunday, our family was treated to a delicious lunch at my favorite splurge.  I so appreciate the fellowship and encouragement from members of our church family.

• Lyss came home on Monday.  Such sweet contentment that comes when my babies are all under one roof.  

• Happy mail in the mailbox.

• An unexpected and beautiful bouquet of flowers.

• Doctors and medicine and the healing that comes.

• My hubby's continual hard work to care and provide for our family.

• A chat with my mom and dad. 

• Coffee dates.

• Beautiful photos taken by my daughter and the joy it brings her.

• A hug from my "cool" son.

Lord, I love telling of your greatness.  You deserve all of my praise and thanksgiving!   My heart rejoices in you, my Savior and God!  Thank you for your movement and blessing in our lives.  I trust in your unfailing love and my heart rejoices in your salvation.

 

Wordless Wednesday