"Mommy, look at my picture!"

       One phrase I hear everyday from my kids is “Look at me! Mommy watch me!” and it won’t stop until I have turned my eyes, face and body towards my child. Then when I have watched the thing, we can continue on to the rest of our day. It can be looking at them eating a spoonful of yogurt or jumping off the couch or writing a letter. Big and small things, my girls want me to see them. It reminds me how I want to be seen too. I want to have people look at me, care about who I am and what I am doing. I crave that validation. 

But sometimes, no one sees me or validates what I am doing. Which makes me feel sad and alone. Like my kids, I cry out to Jesus, “Look at me!” And when I tell him that I feel lonely or alone or like no one cares; He shows up for me. It’s happened through a friend reaching out to me or seeing a sign that gives me encouragement. He shows up every time. He never fails to see me, to know me and what I care about. 

If I feel this way sometimes, I know that there are others out there who feel it too.   I think about how God can use me to help others feel seen, known and loved. To be that friend that reaches out or smiles or says hello. Jesus says that we are to see those in need, whether it be spiritual needs or physical needs. 

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  {Matthew 25:35-40}

We all get thoughts that cross our mind about unique ways we can help people or something can bring a certain person to our mind. Act on those thoughts! It might be scary to make that first move, but that person might be dying to be seen, known, and loved! 

How has Jesus helped you feel known? How can you help others feel seen? 

The Power of the Swap

I'm not shy about admitting that life as a mom can be hard. It seems like there is always a million things to be done and then they have to get done again. (Hi, Laundry!) I feel like I am constantly looking for ways to make my life easier and I have found one that I just want to tell everyone about.

The Swap.

Yes. It's a simple as it sounds, you get together with a bunch of other moms/people and share a task so you can all get it done. It's amazing. I just experienced the power of the swap when I participated in a quiet book swap with the Quiet Book Queen.  Every lady in the swap made 20 copies of the same page for a quiet book and then we got together and swapped 'em. The end result was two quiet books with 20 fun pages! (If you are confused about what a quiet book is, it's a book made from felt that keeps your kids busy!) Now I have Christmas presents for my kids finished in September #winning.

Now that you know this information, I challenge you to participate in a swap or even organize one! I've heard of babysitting swaps and freezer meal swaps, I wonder if anyone would participate in a laundry swap or a coffee delivery swap?

Let me know of any swap ideas you come up with!

Music and the Body of Christ

At church last Sunday, we were talking about how it’s important to worship and sing together as the gathered body of Christ. Naturally, I began to focus on the music when it came time to worship. I have a soft spot for the bass line because back in the day I used to play the bass clarinet. I always think of it as the anchor line, Its steady and constant and repeated underneath the melody in a piece. As I was listening to it, I was struck by how living in the body of christ is like music. There are many different instruments, they all have different parts, they all make different sounds, and play different notes. Some notes are more noticeable than others. Some are in the background and you really have to listen to hear them, but when they are all playing together they make a beautiful melody. It’s so beautiful that it can bring people to tears, it can make hearts burst, it moves people. I think that is how God intended the body of Christ to be. To all be playing our different parts and notes together as one, creating a beautiful picture of God’s word that moves the people’s hearts.I don't think that is how the world is seeing believers. They might be hearing a harsh, off key sound clash that is making them cringe and cover their ears. That way they can’t hear it anymore. 

We weren’t meant to play our parts alone. Do you know what the bass line sounds like by itself? Bump, bump, bump…or some variation on that. No fun to listen to all by itself or even play by yourself. It only gets interesting and exciting when you join the other instruments and hear your sounds blending together. I used to get goosebumps when I played my clarinet during band practice because the sound was rich and beautiful that my body couldn’t help responding. I wish that the body of Christ could unify under the mission of spreading the gospel like that.  Then, we could give the world goosebumps instead of making them cover their ears. 

I leave you with this gem. You're welcome.