cheater

So... we were playing horseshoes in our backyard the other day. I had made a line where we had to stand when throwing the horseshoes to the stake. I went first and then my son followed. He initially started at the line and then decided to take a few steps in front to finish up his turn. Chloe was next-she didn't even start at the line, she simply just walked up to the stake and put the horseshoe around it and began jumping up and down that she had did it. My son was very peturbed at her and yelled, "but she cheated! She is a cheater." I looked at him and replied, "but so did you." "But I didn't cheat as bad as she did," he replied.
That sounds so "child-like" that he would think his cheating was ok because it wasn't as bad as his sister's cheating, but in reality I still find myself thinking those thoughts sometimes as a grown woman. "My shortcomings aren't near as bad as other peoples. People have a lot more to work on themselves than I do. I am overall a really good person." Right? Then the little, still quiet voice replies, "Compared to who? God continues, "Compared to that person-maybe, but compared to me-no! And I am the standard." The good news for you and me is that he made a way for us to live up to his standard and that is our relationship with his son Jesus Christ!
I don't know about you, but for me I want to do as Paul strived to do, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galations 6:14. I know God has a lot more He wants to do in me before he can complete His work through me.
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!

Mud in your eye

Do you ever feel like things always get worse before they get better? Things can never just get better. Well, if you have felt like that or are feeling like that as we speak this blog entry is for you! I was reading John 9 where Jesus heals the blind man. Let me just set this up for you. You have a blind man who has been blind since birth and he hears footsteps coming towards him. The next thing he knows he hears the person spit on the crowd and then feels mud in his eyes. I can only imagine what he was thinking-"What are you doing? I am already blind and now you have to rub mud in my eyes made by your own spit. Kick a man why he's down why don't ya" (or something like that :)) But then Jesus said go wash it off and the man obeyed (probably just because he wanted to get the mud off his face) and he was shown a whole new world. He was blind and now he could see. Sometimes in order to reach the top of the mountain we have to go through a valley first. We have to know that God is working in your situation right now. Maybe you can't imagine things getting any better. Know you just have mud in your eyes and at some point God is going to wash it off and your eyes will be open. For you were blind to what God wanted to do in you and through you and now you can see that God truly does work all things to the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Whatever your situation is please know you are loved by the creator of the universe and all He wants to do is get the chance to spit in your eye:) (laugh its good for the soul)

Have a super week!

Sarah