Who knew?

Who knew the path that we would take
A child of laughter that would break
And find ourselves in such a mess
Of chemo, pain, despair and stress?

Feeding tubes and cries of "mom"!
Knowing there's nothing to be done
But to grip the Father's hand
And pray that He would help us stand

Who knew the tears that we would weep
Or the love that we would reap?
The friends who call and pray and give
So that we could simply, just, live

The high and lows, the ups and downs
The fleeting smiles, the pain-filled frowns
Weary as we fall on Grace
Through the day we see His face

Father, we hold on to Your hand
Knowing you too had to simply stand
We choose to trust you in this daze
You are our God, of all our ways.

(Praying for Mike and Mel as they walk the dark valley of chemo with little James. No one chooses to walk this path willingly. "Lord, you have searched me and you know me... Even if I rise on the wings of the dawn and settle on the far side of the sea, even there you will find me, yes, your right hand will hold me fast." Hold this family fast, Lord. Let them feel the comfort of your grasp. Let them know that they are not lost or forgotten by you.)

Setting my eyes on things above

Quote from https://mebeingreal.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/what-about-the-kids

I have a question.  Are we doing children’s ministry right?  I mean, is sending them to their classrooms for snacks and a craft and a cute Bible story the best way to do things?

What brings these questions up is an interview that I heard with Philip Mantofa about how his church does things in general.  If you don’t know who Philip Mantofa is a pastor in Indonesia.  His church has over 30,000 members, and he is only in his 30’s.  Most of the people on his staff are under 30, and groups (whether they be Sunday School classes, cell groups, or whatever) are led by all age groups, starting as young as 8.

When he was speaking about the children in his church, he basically said it was a shame to not think that children can respond well to God, and asked how a child could believe if the adults don’t think that the child can.  His statements blew me away because he is right.  Children can respond to the power and call of God, probably better than a lot of adults.  Why would we think otherwise?

My feelings in response: 

My friend's daughter speaks in tongues. She is 5. I yearn and long for that for my children who are 6 and 8. How DO we do church with kids? 

I'm not leading a church, but I can do something at home. 

I guess we need to lay aside Google and how to guides, and simply invite Holy Spirit to be part of our families. Not just a thank you at breakfast, lunch and supper. And we need to give time and space for our God to meet our children through worship, reading the Bible and prayer together. Such a challenge to model this in my family and to create these spaces. 

However, if it's important to me, I can't wait for someone to create a church programme or someone else to do the introductions for me. Or I might wake up and find out that my children are 18 and 16 and not really interested. Mom and Dad are nice people. 

(God, please win the hearts of my children!)

Dear Child of Mine

Dear Child of mine

I see your life and vitality and I love your eagerness to please. Your heart is vibrant. I pray that you will encounter the God who so lovingly formed you to be this small package that simply bounces into a room. 

I pray that you will learn to harness your emotions and hopes, that you will find perseverance in your dreams, that your creativity would unfold in the presence of the God who created you. 

I pray for the man you will one day meet, fall in love with and marry. I pray that he would meet the God who will win your heart, and know the love of a Father who does not disappoint. I pray for you both to hold on, live without sexual regret, and find the gift of giving yourself to one person in your life for the rest of your life. 

So many prayers and hopes and dreams... I have so many in the midst of homework, meals, cleaning, dressing, baths, reading marathons and trying to turn your lights out. 

My daughter, you bring me to my knees as I plead for wisdom in how to parent you. As I fall on the grace of God again and again when I mess up those moments and when we clash hard on seemingly small things. 

I love you, my blonde curly-haired small girl. My greatest desire is not wealth for you, wisdom, humility or anything else. It's that you will fall in love with the God who so deeply, radically loves you and always has and always will. 

Your mom