So it’s taken this suburbanite turned small town mama a while to feel comfortable in her own skin–
To be in this place where everybody knows my name, and if I happen to be plucking stuff out of the garden on a Thursday I can be sure that half a dozen people at church will let me know they saw me in all my sweat and dirt glory come Sunday.
And, yeah, they probably noticed that gardening is not my gifting.
Neither is cleaning out the car apparently.
Or keeping big dogs from jumping on top of and slobbering all over two terrified girls.
When I’m not so worried about what everyone else thinks about me, I can really start to see the beauty in the way God forms and molds others to shine where I lack. And how there is value in the ways God has gifted me.
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Each of us so similar yet unique.
Each wired in our own God-designed way.
Oh, how boring this world would be if we were all really good at baking and delivering the best blueberry pies ever. (I can just picture the new mother opening her door to another pie to add to her mountain of blueberry goodness.)
I want my kids to see this too. To see that they’ve been crafted in a precious unique way, not to be boastful about, but to bless others. And others have been extraordinarily designed, not to get jealous over, but to appreciate their value.
For all these gifts – they’re given to pour out God’s grace – for His glory!
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Family {Bible} Time – 1 Peter – Week 9
(Corresponds with this week’s 1 Peter 4:1-11 Bible Study!)
And, so, this week we decided to try to highlight these gifts (that may be hard to see at times, but are there for God to use in incredible ways).
And it’s truly blessed my heart!
For it’s been another one of those things that if we could just get this right – if we could see our own value and use it to love deeply and bring glory to God, and if we could see the value in others in the special way God has created each one to pour out His grace in a million different ways – maybe all this battling we do with ourselves and with each other would cease.
Oh, maybe we can’t make all the mommy wars come to an end or keep all the rebellious kids from running away.
But I can just see whole worlds titling towards Christ as one mom in a small town and one mom in the big city and one mom in a jungle somewhere across the ocean begins to see these truths and to pour them out on one child who’s a little bit different, and one child who’s a bit too loud, and one child who’s searching for love and value and grace in all the wrong places…
And maybe it starts with something small.
Maybe it starts by reading these verses scratched out centuries ago and then finding simple ways to make us moms and our kids and our families see.
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In our home it started with me looking through photos to share with each of my kids some of the ways that I’ve noticed (and photographed) how God has wired them in unique, beautiful, God-glorifying ways.
Some are great at helping, some at making others smile; some have a way with words, and some are incredible friends; some strive to protect and some nurture; some work diligently and some are carefully patient; some are affectionate and some are giving; some are passionate and some forgiving.
And as we looked through photos, it turned into this beautifully wacky picture-taking gift-finding scavenger hunt – where we all sought to take pictures of others using their gifts to bless others.
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It’s been a few days now, but at random times throughout the day I’ll still hear, “Mom, can I use your *old* camera? I see my brother blessing my sister.”
And sometimes I say “yes” and at other times I tell them to take a picture in their minds.
These snapshots of His grace tilting worlds and bringing praise to our Creator!
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1 Peter Family {Bible} Times: #1 1 Peter Introduction “When All Our Kids Hearts are Dirty” – #2 1 Peter 1:1-2 “How to Get Kids to Love the Bible” – #3 1 Peter 1:3-12 “How to Share the Gospel With Kids” – #4 1 Peter 1:13-25 “Showing Grace & Teaching Obedience” – #5 1 Peter 2:1-10 “Displaying to Our Kids that God is Good” – #6 1 Peter 2:11-25 “Following in His Steps” – #7 1 Peter 3:1-7 “How to Deal With Sibling Conflict” – #8 1 Peter 3:8-22 “A Secret to (Sisters and Brothers and Everyone) Getting Along”
Maybe This is How We Stop All the Mommy Wars and Sibling Rivalry is a post from: Our Family For His Glory
Click here to download the {FREE} twelve week 1 PETER BIBLE STUDY – Growing in the True Grace of God. {Please give it a few minutes to download… thank you for your grace!}