Facebook Jesus

I took the plunge and joined the rest of this planet on facebook the other night. What took me so long? Well, you know...I still hang on to the old forms of communication - phone, snail mail, email...and now blogging and facebook. Hello? I could be on the computer everyday, all day, just trying to manage it all. But it's fun, isn't it? I confess to a slight facebook "high" after sending and receiving friend invites. I wonder, what would Jesus write if He were on facebook?

I like the idea of my heart being His wall. And He writes on it all the time. Little messages here and there from the breath of His Spirit alive in me. I especially love it when He posts a picture on my heart - something I can take with me throughout the day. What has He posted on your heart, dear friend? A "Hey - loved our conversation over coffee together this morning..." or "You looked so beautiful today - I mean, the way you sacrificed your time for that hurting friend is so ME." Or maybe, "Hey there- I've been writing on your wall for the past several days but haven't heard from you. Seems you have too many other friends right now. I know what's going on with you. Wanna talk about it? I love you so much. I'll be here when you write back."

I'm not here to psycho-analyze why each of us is or isn't on facebook or email or whatever form of techie communication we may use. I'm just simply wondering out loud. So while it's quiet in the house, the kids are tucked in tight, I think I'll just resist that urge to check my email one last time and search for one last little friend on fb. I see the writing on the wall - (no, thank goodness not the wall in Daniel 5 :) The writing on the wall of my heart. I have a facebook date with the King of Kings...and I can't wait :)

Happy Valentines Day, dear friends. I really think this is a great day...aside from the cheesy character valentine cards and cheap chocolate candies, the idea that there is a whole day set aside just to celebrate Love is really cool.
And I have a great reason to celebrate today. No, not because I just bowled a 78 with my two favorite valentine boys. (I know, isn't that just amazing?) But because I am married to the sweetest valentine on the planet. Right now he's eating crackers, cheese and pickles with my other little valentine and telling him stories of his great-grandpa. I love it. No, I love him.
Gregory Noble wins my heart day after day after day. He is a man among men. He proves himself faithful, loving, gentle and devoted every morning and evening. My man loves Jesus and he loves me :)
And the only way I can explain this kind of love is because it begins and ends in the heart of God. Micah's memory verse for this week is "God is Love." I've been chewing on that.
God is Love
God is Love
God is Love
It is such sweet relief to my soul to thing that the I AM, The beginning and the end of all things, The One who always has been and always will be, The One who sits enthroned over all existence - That HE IS LOVE.
And He loves me. And you. And He knows us better than we know ourselves and He is absolutely enamored with us. We are His treasure...He considered us worth dying for. Now if that's not a Valentine hero, I don't know what is.
I pray today we consider ourselves deeply loved and the center of infinite loving affection.
Happy Valentines Day :)

Oh, girls, I need Jesus. We need Jesus. What does a mother of small children write at 8:36 at night when she still hasn't showered, her husband is gone and she's still a bit hungry? I need Jesus. That's what she writes. I've been taking this whole "humility" thing God's been teaching me and applying it in the context of my parenting. Oh, pride reareth it's wicked head faster quicker than Micah says "Yes!" to fruit snacks. It amazes me how quickly I can snap. The flesh is so weak. So very, very weak. Anyway, I've been thinking about how I so often parent from a heart of pride instead of humility. We are commanded to submit ourselves to all men. Does this not include my children? Are they the exception to the rule since they were placed under my authority? How can I submit to a three year old? I'll tell you how. The same way the God of the Universe submitted to us - by humbling himself to death, even death on a cross, for our salvation. True servant leadership. The Son of Man laid down his life every day He walked this earth and ultimately on Calvary. When the disciples reacted in unbelief and selfishness, He did not scorn or curse them, but in great humility, patience and understanding, He let Love dictate His words and actions. He was ever aware of His position before the Father in Heaven, and thus before men. He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Incredible. I can't even go through a day without pridefully letting my anger and impatience get the best of me with my two precious children...and Jesus left His heavenly throne to walk the dust of this earth with broken humanity. So how do I do it? How do I parent in humility? I begin by begging the Father to reveal to me all areas of my life influenced and ruled by pride (including my mothering) and ask Him to uproot it. I ask Him that I might learn of Him, for He is gentle and humble in heart. I pray that in my interactions with Micah and Savannah, I see it as an opportunity to allow Jesus to clothe me with His humility and grace. I begin to see that I am not called to "lord" it over my children, but to gently guide them into all truth but speaking Life into their souls. I beg for help. That's what I do. I surrender my parenting to the sovereign rule of the Heavenly Father and ask Him to help me become more like Jesus everyday as I gently serve and lead two of His precious creations to the foot of the cross. Pride has no place here. Parenting, like all things we are called unto, is sacred ground.