They Get It

Friday night we went out to dinner.  I love eating out with our children, they practice their good manners and it's such a pleasant time out.  Prince did something so unexpected but abosolutely precious, I just have to share.  We were eating biscuits, waiting for our entrees to come, when Prince pinches off a piece of bread and gives it to his daddy.  He said, "Jesus was the bread of life.  We are supposed to remember that Jesus died for our sins.  Daddy, the body of Jesus broken for you."  He then does the same for me and his sister.  Prince turned an ordinary dinner into a reminder of what this Lenten season is all about. 

I think I've mentioned before that Prince and Princess learn scriptures each week corresponding with a letter of the alphabet.  Last week their verse was "Visit the orphans and widows in their time of need."  Princess has such a huge heart.  I love this about her.  Lately when she prays she is truly pouring her heart out before God, just telling Him every thing that is on that little mind of hers.  She consistently prays that all of the stray dogs and cats will find good homes, all of the orphans will find new mommies and daddies with happy families, and that the widows will find new husbands.  Our pastor is retiring this summer and she is already praying for him in his retirement and for the new pastor that God will send to our church. 

The 6 year olds get it.  When I grow up I want to be like my kids. 

More of Him, Less of me

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  I used to give things up for Lent, although I haven't in the last few years.  I got to the point where everything I gave up seemed so trivial compared to Christ giving up His life for me.  The last few years I have tried to think of things I can add to my life or things I can do to become closer to Christ.  This year as I have been contemplating what I want to concentrate on during this Lenten season, I have come up with the theme: More of Him, Less of me.  This Lent I want to fix my eyes on Him, and not on me and my circumstances because guess what... it's not about me!  As the Casting Crowns song "Who Am I" says, "not because of who I am, but because of what He's done.  Not because of what I've done, but because of Who You are." 
So many times in my everyday life I am so concerned about how things affect me or how they made me feel but it isn't really about me, is it? 
Philippians 3:7-11 says " But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."

I know that I can never be worthy of His love or the sacrifice He made for me.  I am a sinner, no better than anyone else.  This Lent I want to follow hard after Jesus, to pursue Him and focus on Him.  In the busyness of my life, I want to make time with Him a priority and sit at His feet, to truly know Him and His heart.  I want for my heart to beat in sync with His, to see through His eyes, and to align my life with Him.