Content

I sit here in my big comfy chair. (It is actually really comfy, I have fallen asleep in it twice and hubby spent a night in it after falling asleep during a football game.) I am in awe of my life right now.

Earlier today my church had a women's retreat. It was awesome. I love the women at my church. If I need to cry they let me, if I need a laugh they make me. God has met my needs at the church. I was able to focus on the Lord today. Not once did I wonder if I was missing something on Facebook (I missed nothing) I didn't check my phone every five minutes to see if I missed a call (not that many people call me) I didn't text anyone (that was hard for me) We were reminded to slow down several times today. There was time that we closed our eyes for fifteen minutes and did nothing. That was wonderful.

The only thing was that was talked about Sarai (Sarah.) You know Abraham and Sarah. The woman who had a baby when she was ninety? I love stories of women in the Bible. The story of Ruth, Rahab, Esther, Mary. LOVE those women. Sarah...eh, not so much. I can't tell you how may times in the past ten years that someone, with the best intentions, has told me that Sarah had Issiac when she was ninety, it is meant to make me feel better about not having children. I usually tell them that God and I discussed it and I am NOT going to have a baby when I am ninety. I do love Sarah's story. She was faithful. Faithful to her husband, faithful to God. She did make that mistake with Hagar but who hasn't taken situations in their on hands? She has a neat story and I am going to find out more about her.

When I think about being a mom, it's not about having a child of my own but making a difference in the life of a another person. To influence them, to give them unconditional love. To let them know they would always have safe place to come to in times of trouble. But most of all I wanted someone to call me "Mom." I would NEVER attempt to take that title from another woman. I wanted to earn it. I wanted to have the battle scars to show that I deserved it. I wanted someone to call me "Mom" cause they thought I deserved it. I knew that I was just biding my time. I knew that God was going to make me a MOM, maybe not a mother but I would be a Mom one day. I knew just like Sarah knew she was promised a child.

Last summer a wonderful girl started calling me Mom, it always made my heart skip a beat. This summer a precious girl in the youth group started calling me "Mommy" I thought she would stop at the end of summer when we stopped spending so much time together but she didn't. Her sister and grandmother asked me one day if  I had seen my daughter. I had to smile. Last week an older girl in the youth group started calling me mom. All of this was not prompted and not asked for.

Our exchange student calls me mom. Hubby tonight said that the student liked me better then him. He had gone to a thing at school this morning and I wasn't home when he came home. Hubby said the first thing he did when he got home was ask where I was. I try to assure hubby that he was liked too but of course I was doing the victory fist pump inside going "Yeah baby!!"

After years of pleading with God and trying to explain to Him why I needed a child and Him telling me no I finally understood. I am a mom. THIS is what I have been waiting for. How wonderful to know that the Lord answered my prayers. I wonder how He had to wait for me to calm down and realize that he had this in control? I am finally understanding what it means to be content.

Thank you LORD!!!

For I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. Philippians 4:11

Forever Chris Tomlin

Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
With a mighty hand
and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that's been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

Yeah
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever

From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God
We will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Yeah
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
Forever

His love endures forever
His love endures forever
His love endures forever
Forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Yeah
Forever you are faithful
Forever you are strong
Forever you are with us
Forever
And ever
Yeah

Forever you are faithful
Forever you are strong
Forever you are with us
Forever
Forever
You are God.....
Forever
And ever and ever ....

The Last 10 Years

Yesterday was the anniversary of the attacks on America by some radical men. I first wanted to say the attack on the World Trade Center but that leaves out the Pentagon and the plane that went down in Pennsylvania. I don't want to forget them. The people that responded to those tragedies were heroes too. In fact the people on the plane who determined that they were going to give their lives so others may live may be the bravest heroes. (Yes Firefighters and Police officers are heroes too. I have great respect for both of those professions.)

Last night while watching a program that showed memorials all over the world my hubby and I were talking about how it affected the World, not just America. He said that even Muslims were remembering with us. Well....that got me thinking (which is never a good thing) about the way we view people.

I asked him if he was scared of white men in their twenties, He laughed and said no. I reminded him of the Oklahoma City bomber and how he was a white guy and he blew up that building for something he believed in too, except he wasn't willing to die for his cause. We look at Timothy McVeigh and say "Not all Christians are like that" we know that is true. We know that we can't judge an entire population of people because of what one or two do. Surely we Christians don't want to be like that right?

Now what about Muslims? Can we judge an entire population of people because of what a few did? Yes there are still who want to kill Americans, but do you remember the KKK in the forties and fifties who wounded, maimed and killed untold numbers of people because they were black? We still don't judge ALL Americans or ALL Christians because of the callous acts of these few. The majority of Muslims are like you and me, they go to work everyday, they go grocery shopping, put gas in the car, take their children to soccer and dance, come home and cook dinner. Why judge ALL Muslims by the callous acts of a few?

Yes I want Muslims to be won to Christ. I want them to know the Truth but are we being, am I being what they need to see? Am I loving? Compassionate? Can I look past the hijab they wear to see the true person? Can I see that they don't agree with the radical Muslims no more that I agree with the radical Christians?

I have been thinking about this all day. I know some will be upset and call me a liberal because I don't think all Muslims all evil. If I want them to see me as I am then in turn I must see them as they are.

I think Matthew 5:44 says it all "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"