The Widow's Offering

Luke 21:1-4 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting in their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

I understood something about this passage recently. It is easy to give God your leftovers...it is harder when he demands it all. Then once you realize that he truly does have it all you feel greedy keeping anything from him. It is all his and he should have it. He is faithful to supply so why keep anything for myself? I don't want to sound like I have this all figured out and that I am perfect in my practice because I certainly am not but I was just struck by this thought. Having so much taken away over the years has given me so many intangible things. I want to keep the mindset of the poor widow forever. May I never lose sight of the fact that out of God's abundant mercy He provides what we need and in return we ought to give him our ALL that we have to live on-no dependence or trust in anything but God. That is a tall order. I know what I am challenged to do and you too out there in cyberland; we are called to surrender. That is a huge concept wrapped up in one word but ALL parts of life are for our Lord. Our money, our bodies, our minds, our time, our love, our life, our family, our church, our homes, our hobbies, our talents, our gifts, our experience, our jobs, our ALL. Out of surrender comes obedience, trust and dependence. Oh man are those all qualities that I just yearn for. What would we look like as a church body if we all truly submitted individually to God and collectively to God. We definitely wouldn't need the rocks to sing out! My life is changing...that is scary and exciting. When God works it is hard not to get excited. I pray that these words reach whomever they are supposed to reach. Please know that God gave me this to say for you.

8 months

It has been eight months since Eric died. What else is there to say today...not much. God is good. He has taken care of me and the kids. God is giving me strength to make it through each day and without that I would be lost. People often tell me that I am so strong. I see why they might say that but I know the truth-God is holding me up. I am not strong in myself. I am not keeping a tough upper lip. I am only able to live because I choose God and he lifts me up. We are all able to handle so much more than we think when we let God be in charge. You can't resist where God is taking you or what he has allowed to happen. The way you stay stuck is to stop, dig in and refuse to accept what is right in front of your face. We are all toddlers when it comes right down to it...we ball up our fists, stomp the ground and yell "NO!" Well guess what-that changes absolutely nothing. Get off your butt, put on your big girl pants and accept that life doesn't go your way. God is in charge-get over it. That is what I learned before Eric died and I am so thankful that when Eric died it didn't take years to get that lesson under my belt before I could hold my head up, lean into God and live.