One of my favorite, most heart-warming things to do at night, is watch Owen sleep through the baby monitor. I love staring at those eye lids and his precious little fingers, that are always sprawled out to his sides as he sleeps; and listening to him breath and grunt in his sleep. I love him with every inch of my being! It sometimes makes me feel like God as I watch him fall asleep, knowing that he can’t see me. Sounds weird, I know; but if you think about it…..Isn’t that what our relationship with God is like?
He is always watching us from above and we can’t see Him, but we have comfort in knowing that He is always there and will always come to us if we call. Just like I do for Owen. He stares down at us and gets a warm, fuzzy feeling inside, just looking at what He created. He loves us unconditionally, the same way that I love Owen as I watch him sleep through the monitor at night. God loves us no matter what we do and is ready to take us back, the moment we screw up, without hesitation. Just like we would our own children when they break our hearts or do something upsetting.
Our preacher spoke today about how we should love each others’ children, the way that we love and care for our own children. We should have a feeling of belonging to our friends, family, and community the way that we did when we lived in college dorms with all of our buddies, who stole from us, stunk sometimes, and even annoyed us at times, and we still loved them. We’ll never again have a close relationship with friends, the way that we did when we were in highschool or college, living in the same building as our friends. We belonged to them and they to us. That is what a Christian community should feel like….a close knit relationship with every brother and sister. It should be second nature to want to know everyone in your congregation, your neighbors, etc. You should love their children, take them food when they are sick, talk to them about their struggles, get into the mess of life with them, instead of trying to keep our distance and avoid trying to get to know our brothers and sisters. In my college years, there was definitely a lot of messiness and annoyances, but I still loved those friends know matter what. I felt convicted today, that I need to have that heart again with others. As an adult, I have become less of a servant to others and I tend to avoid people who are not like me or are going through bad situations. Now as I mature in Christ, I will strive to really live out my love for others and not just read about it or talk about it.
Could you imagine what the World, or the city of Indianapolis, or even the town of Fishers would be like, if everyone who claimed to be a Christian would show their faith by their actions and love their neighbors the way the bible says too? It would change humanity for sure! Think about it!
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:26
Summer is officially over for 2009, and Fall is here. As much as I love the warm summer sun after a cold winter, I also love the cool days of Fall after a hot summer! I think these pictures of the girls, capture it perfectly. Hanging out during one of the last few late evening sunsets, before it starts to get darker, earlier. The leaves have started to fall, Lily has a peacoat on with her flip flops, and they are chatting away on their home made swings. Memories in the making!
Heritage Lake Avenue 