Sweet obedience

I called the four Monico children to full attention one morning last week as we struggled to get out if the house on time for school. I declared a "laundry" afternoon when we got back home before anything else. I stay current on the washing, this means an average of 4 loads a day, and we were up to the speed on the delivery. Everything was falling apart after the delivery when the piles reached individual rooms. Stuff was in the general location of where it belonged, but it needed to be put on hangers, in cabinets, and baskets. There was a great need for sorting!

When we got home, Blaise quickly set up her home office in the living room. (See picture). When the other kids got bags out of car and stumbled in the house, I said let's start on this laundry project. I usually add a...this will be fun and only take a few minutes, which makes them all sick. I told Blaise jokingly to hang a closed sign in her store window, shut the shop down, and join me in her room.

When I circled back through, her office caught my eye. She had done exactly what I asked her to do! (again, see pic) There was a handwritten closed sign laying across her keyboard. I called out to her, still buried in her pile of hangers and clean clothes, and complimented her on her total obedience.

Leviticus 18:5 touches on this, actually hits this hard and commands us that we are to LIVE in obedience. It says "Keep my rules and laws. The one who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD."

Obedience brings JOY and life. Disobedience, delayed disobedience, or partial obedience brings death, misery, and robs us of any JOY. Blaise made it look easy on this occasion. A close relationship with The Lord will help us all stay in check and obey.

Snakes, birds, and future spouses

I have only a few hobbies left at this stage of motherhood and life. Running, reading, writing, and watching my purple martins. My father in law is the biggest bird nerd and he has trained me well. My three houses are equipped this year with snake guards. Snakes have proven to be a problem in the past for my bird population and one can run your bird family off for good.

Therefore, I was totally surprised when I looked out of my bathroom window Sunday morning and saw a snake up past the guard weaving itself into the bird house. I screamed like a total panicked woman and as usual, my husband grabbed a gun and some bullets. We all ran out in the front yard. Some of us, will not give names, not even in appropriate clothing yet.

The horrible and mean snake got at least 2 of my adult birds. The others are scared and may not return. I was just amazed at the disgusting determination of the snake. Sickened by it. It reminded me of a quote I wrote down last week from my favorite Stormie Omartian book "Power of a Praying Parent." She writes "Remember that your fight is not with your child, it's with the devil. He is your enemy, not your child. Stand strong in prayer until you see a breakthrough in your child's life."

That is another example of frightening determination. The devil will stop at nothing to get to us and our children because his ultimate goal is to hinder the work of Jesus Christ. Pray and be on guard. Recognize that you are in a battle! Sounds a bit "out there" but it is true.

Part 2 of the snake story: I immediately sat down both of my daughters and told them that I needed to have serious talk with them. I made them promise me that they would marry a man who could shoot a gun, kill a snake, and take care of business like their daddy when duty calls. Second to being a Christian, I desire a man for them, and especially if they make their home in the country, who is a good shot.

Broken and used to it.

I get my greatest inspirations when I am vacuuming. Maybe it is because the house is usually empty and I am alone or perhaps because I am so excited that for one day everything in my little world will be half way clean. Either way, some of my finest moments have been had cleaning my house.

This was true last week and a thought occurred to me as I wiped the layers of dried, caked-on, nearly artwork like bits of toothpaste off the bathroom sink. I realized for the first time in over a year or so that my bathroom sink fixture is broken. A entire knob came off of it a really long time ago. I don't even recall how it happened. I have also accepted the flaw and not even made plans to fix it. Company visiting our house must think "OH, I bet that just happened." Not true.

In a way, We are all like the sink: broken and totally used to the brokenness. A recent book study in Sunday School by Beth Moore called "So Long Insecurity" revealed to me some areas in my life that too have been "broken" that I have totally gotten used to. Not good! We can't just settle into life and get so acclimated to our issues that we totally accept them as part of what's normal.

I just read that part of Psalm 139 means God created us all and must have stepped back, looked at His work, and said...Isn't she lovely? Isn't he lovely?

That kind of blows me away and sure does help mend any of the hurts, failed attempts to impress the world, need for approval from man, and even regret over past mistakes. Know TODAY, dear one, that God created you and thinks you are HIS best work. Perfect, no, but His child. If anything IN you is broken, don't accept it or just get so used to it that it becomes the norm, let The Lord heal and fix you.