Simple and Surrendered...: It's Coming Full Circle...

By the time last night rolled around, MaKayla was sick.
Down.
Flat on the floor.

I hate when either of our girls are sick. Period.

So today, she finds herself on the couch rather than in the sewing room, with Mal by her side. Watching the five hour version of 'Pride & Prejudice'. I get her what she needs & then go back to laundry, handstitching detail work on her craft show projects & flitting from one task to another around the house. :) It's the job of a mom, no matter how old a child grows, and I love it. ♥

I would choose to be no other place...♥

I know some think she is old enough to care for herself...
Most kids her age are off to college...
Or married...
Or on their own, doing their own thing...
But she isn't.
And Kyle & I know she is exactly where God wants her at this place in time.

I am reminded of a family not far from us that are preparing to watch their precious child slip from his present life on earth, to his soon-to-come life with Jesus. No doubt they are counting every breath, heartbeat & movement in order to etch it deep within their aching hearts. I'm sure they are caressing the skin that encapsulates the body that they can instantly recall bringing into this world not so many years ago.

I would be...

And if I would do that for a child preparing to advance to their heavenly home as a result from a deadly disease that has riveted their body...
Why would I not do that for a child who is suffering from a virus...
Or exhaustion...
Or just the weight of life...

So today, I'm a mom caring for a sick girl...♥
And I'm a mom interceding for as set of parents preparing to bid their last farewell...
Preparing to release their child into the safe & secure arms of Jesus...

Humbling...

As I have been sitting this morning stitching yo-yo after yo-yo onto nursing covers for my girl, the Lord continues to bring to my mind the portion of Scripture that I blogged about Thursday... Remember? The blog that I completely lost due to the loss of internet or maybe I lost it simply because the words contained on the page weren't exactly the words that God wanted people to read. But since He continues to bring it to the forefront of my mind, I discern that it is something He wants me to share. It somewhat goes hand-in-hand with this post...

In Mark's gospel, chapter 12, verse 14 we learn this about Jesus...

They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth."

As I read this a few weeks ago, I was drawn to the fact that not being swayed by men & paying no attention to who they (men) are is directly correlated to the word integrity. Any time I think of the word 'integrity', I think of definitions like: honorable, trustworthy, upright, respected, yet as I took this verse in, my curiosity was peaked.

When it comes to fully understanding something from Scripture, one of my closest friends is always insistent on learning the Greek & Hebrew of the word in question, and because of her, I have become much the same way. When I really want to know what it means, I start digging...

Surprisingly what I found as I searched was that integrity is all about being uncorrupted...
Whether it be allowing the pressure/influence of others to lead us to sinful behavior...
Or as a result of allowing the thoughts & words of men to corrupt the way we see ourselves...
And the way we live out our convictions...

As I discovered these things, it made perfect sense in regard to how the word 'integrity' was used in this portion of Scripture describing Christ.

Not swayed by men...

Paying no attention to who men were...

I think about the temptations He was faced with...
He didn't bend.

I think about the ridicule He endured...
It didn't phase Him.

I think about the accusations hurled in His direction...
He responded humbly.

Plain & simple, He wasn't swayed.
Point blank, He gave no thought to man...
For He knew what they were made of.

He was Spirit.
They were flesh.

Kyle & I sat at the kitchen table for a very long time one afternoon upon his return home from work discussing the reality of this & how God would have us to apply it to our individual lives. I mentioned to him how different our salvation would be had Jesus believed the cutting, questioning, demeaning words of the Pharisees.

Think about it...

What if He had taken their offensive words to heart?

What if He had allowed their words to change the direction of His ministry?

What if He had cowered under & concluded that, "They must be right..."?

There wouldn't have been a cross...
Or a crucifixion...
Or a resurrection...

There wouldn't be grace...
Or victory...
Or the promise of eternal life...
For us as Gentiles.

And then I ask myself, how often have I taken the offensive words of others to heart?
Believed them.
Allowed them to change how I see myself...

Through their eyes...
Rather than Christ's.

And in turn changed how I allow God to use me?
My life?
The gifts/talents He has entrusted to me?

I'm just as guilty for believing them...
As they are for speaking them.

- integrity -

uncompromising adherence to moral & ethical principles

honesty

soundness of moral charachter

the quality of being whole or undivided

a sound or unimpaired condition

Jesus wasn't swayed by men...
And neither does He want me to be...
Or you to be...

So as my fingers worked the needle & thread this morning, God asked me again...

"Whose words will you believe?"

Mine?
Or theirs?

Simply put, I'm sick of believing the lie...
And only I...
With God's help...
Can change that.

"Mendi, your life is a reflection of who you believe..."

It's coming full circle...

And it's a challenge...

But I'm up for it.

Are you?

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

A thankful heart for...

A thirteen-year-old who loves to read...♥

And shares with me all she's learning...♥