The Miracle Score

The Lord really filled my heart full of joy this weekend. For those who think that God doesn't perform miracles anymore must not be paying much attention. We saw one this weekend (or I guess I should say the continuance of one). Our 6 year old son scored a goal in his soccer game this weekend! I know for most parents that wouldn't seem like much of a miracle. Most parents were not sitting in a doctors office 5 years and 4 months ago like we were. Most parents were never told that their child had cerebral palsy and may never walk. That's why scoring a goal is a miracle for us.

After his game last week, he told me he wished he could run as fast as the other kids and it nearly broke my heart. His coach worked with him this week and taught him how to stay ahead of the other boys and down by the goal and it worked, he kicked one in! Only God can take us from a broken heart to one filled with joy. He may not be a ball handler because he isn't fast enough, but he was determined to contribute. He is the most determined child I have ever seen and has been from the minute he was born (actually before he was born - I was in pre-term labor for 6 weeks - he was determined to get out whether it was time or not). It is always amazing to me how God can use a 6 year old to encourage me. Not only is he determined to succeed at whatever he is trying, he is usually doing it with a smile. Speaking of smiles the one on his precious face after he scored the goal could have lit up any room. That smile made 5 years worth of therapy 4 to 7 times per week worth it.

I took him and his sister ice skating the past Friday. She has been once before and did very well. This was his first time on the ice and his feet would not stay under him. I had signed them up for a group beginner lesson. The teacher was so patient and wonderful with him. By the time we were finished he could skate slowly with me holding his hand. I was tired and ready to go, so I asked him if he was ready to leave and he said, "No, I'm not stopping until I can do that." He was pointing to a kid whizzing by us as he said that. DETERMINATION! I told him that most people can't be that good on their first time. He was ok with that, and let us stop.

I am so thankful for all the patient people in the world. His soccor coach, the lady giving the ice skating lesson, all his therapists. They are very special people who help him achieve success beyond what we knew he could. They are patient and loving when working with him and they never make him feel different or inadequate. They are always encouraging and building him up. God places them in our life as part of His miracles. He has blessed us tremendously. Although, we would give anything for our son to not have CP we are so thankful that we get to be part of His awesome work, faithfulness, and answered prayers.

Have a blessed week.

Who are you trying to please?

It's been awhile again, but basically I only make posts when God puts something on my heart to say and I follow in obedience by making the time to say it. I am studying Daniel right now. I completed Beth Moore's study on Daniel and now I am doing Kay Arthur's Daniel study. I really enjoy digging into the Bible because then His word becomes alive and active just as He promises.

Anyway this morning this verse caught my attention. Daniel 1:9, "Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel." To catch you up King Nebuchadnezzar had besieged Judah and carried off captives from Judah back to Babylon. With these captives are Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Neb. has sought out the best and brightest from these captives to be educated and indoctinated into Babylonian culture so they may serve in His court. Daniel has made up his mind not to be defiled by this culture and has asked the official in charge of him if he may eat fruit, vegetables and whole grains instead of the "rich" food of the king's table.

In verse 9 you see that God changed the heart of this official to where he will show favor to Daniel. This is not the only time you see this. God did the same thing for Joseph when He was sold into slavery by his brothers. As I was digging a little further, I noticed a cross reference verse with verse 9. It is Proverbs 16:7 which says, "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies live at peace with him."

Often we tend to follow the ways of the world to please those around us. This is the wrong approach. Our only goal should be to follow and please God and then He will cause those around us live at peace with us. They may not think we are "cool" or like us, but they will live at peace with us. Sacrificing our integrity and our committment to God to "fit in" with the crowd will only end up causing us more grief in the end. Often what happens is, if we profess to be christians, but then live as the world does, the people we are trying to please will most likely mock us. We are also being a huge stumbling block.

Many of us are around people that either we don't like or that we are trying to please, the best way to handle this is to just seek God and His will for you. Live your life as He commands and He can change the hearts of others to live peaceably with you.

As a born people pleaser, I have had to learn this lesson the hard way. I know now that it is much easier to stay on my path with God and pray for someone who is causing me grief than to try to be like them so they will like me. Pray for those who are thorns in your side and just like I did, you will see a change in their attitude. The person I learned this with, didn't become my best friend, but she became more amiable and became polite to me as opposed to hateful.

So today I ask you, who are you trying to please on a daily basis? Those around you or God?
May God's Blessings Be upon You!