Delight means something that gives great pleasure to. As a verb it means to give great pleasure, satisfaction, or enjoyment to; or please highly. I have been thinking about this word alot since Sunday when Pastor Blake Shipp gave a sermon about our true name - one whom God dwells and delights in. I have thought about God rejoicing over me with singing.
I heard this song once that just spoke to my heart. It is called Amazed and the lyrics go like this:
"You dance over me while I am unaware
You sing all around But I never hear the sound
Lord I'm amazed by You, Lord I'm amazed by You, Lord I'm amazed by You
How You love me,How wide,How deep,How great, Is Your love for me"
In all my trying to bless others or be a blessing, I sometimes forgot that I am a blessing to God. Read more about this in my blog entry from May 25, 2012.
God is a blessing to me but how am I a blessing to Him? How does he delight in me. He just intrinsically takes pleasure in me for how he made me. The way I understand this is through being a mother. I take pleasure in my son and am well pleased with him just for who he is. He brings me joy apart from what he does. God also sees who we will be not just how we are behaving in a moment in time.
My husband and I want my son to know he is a blessing so here are some of the ways we express this delight:
1. I give him more than he asks for or expects as surprises. This morning, he woke up wanting a cookie or a lollipop. He must have been dreaming about one. Now, I could have said "no we have to eat breakfast first." This morning, however, I wanted to do something out of the ordinary. I was tempted to just give him 1 cookie yet I remembered that the Lord gives us more than we can ask for or imagine. I wanted to surprise my son and so I gave him two cookies and a lollipop all before breakfast. My son's smile can light up a room. His dimples get so big, his face lights up and he gives me this smile that makes my heart melt. I just enjoy seeing him smile.
2. We pick themes from books and live them. For example, we have a wacky wednesday story by Dr. Seuss so some wednesdays we have wacky wednesday in our house.
3. We listen to his stories, we laugh at his jokes. We try to listen more and talk less.
4. We just watch and observe him. The eyes are good receivers.
5. My husband and son do "fast kisses".
6. We play baseball and hockey in our living room (we do away with rules like no balls in the house). Our living room is a room we live in and do things as a family.
7. We let him be who God created him to be rather than who we desire him to be.
8. We let him ask questions without fear that he is being disrespectful.
9. We take adventure walks
10. we go down the slides and climb the playsets with him
11. We sit on the floor and play board games, mold things out of playdough, play with dinosaurs
12. We take him to many new places so he can explore and see what he enjoys.
13. We do most things as a family - sit together in church, go on dates, have family meetings, family church singing and Bible reading. We do projects with him in the home instead of thinking he is too small. He loves to be a part of our family and to help out.
I am going to continue to think upon how and why God delights in me and how I delight in my son. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Early to Bed like my Grandma
All my friends know I am a night owl. I use to stay up until 1 or 2 every night. The many late nights of studying in college and law school reinforced my "night owl" traits. I thought 9 or 10 pm was the beginning of the evening.
Then in March of 2012 my husband started a new job that required him to leave the house by 6or 6:30 (earlier if he goes to the gym at Cornell). Since I am waking up ealier, I am getting tired by 9 p.m. Some nights I am tired by 8 p.m.
When I was younger, my Mom and I would walk to my Grandma's house and she would be in bed at 7 p.m. She did read for awhile before falling asleep. I remember thinking that I could never go to bed by 8 p.m.
I am learning that I like the morning hours. I seem to accomplish more when I am up by 6 a.m. I think better. I have a more regular schedule.
Yesterday, I jumped out of bed at 4:45 a.m. but didn't go to bed until 11 pm. I definitely worked hard all day picking strawberries and processing strawberries. Then I had a mess to clean up before going to bed. I am learning that some nights require me to stay up later but that God always strengthens me when I sing and rejoice in Him.
The Scripture in the Proverbs 31 study is Proverbs 31:18 "She sees that her trading is profitable (work is good) and her lamp does not go out at night."
Observations: (1) the work we do should be accomplished well (2) Sometimes we have to get up early and go to bed late to finish what is set before us. Sometimes the work can wait. I am learning to do the work instead of keeping it to do all at once. It is more manageable to do tasks with my son when they are broken up and routine.
Application: I am learning to do the work instead of keeping it to do all at once. It is more manageable to do tasks with my son when they are broken up and routine. My friends now that I like to play and do a lot of fun stuff with my son. Lately, I have been doing more work as a lot of projects came up all at once. I am learning to have fun and play in the daily work and not just segregate work and play. We can play while we work. I am learning that I can sing while I work. I am learning that I can tickle my son and laugh while we work. I am learning we can play games while we work. I do like to work hard and play abundantly. I am learning to celebrate God in each moment. He is showing me how to put all things first.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that we can play while we work. Thank you that you are a God of joy. I pray that my days would reflect the fruit of your love and that I may be filled with joy. Lord, please forgive me for grumbling about work at times. Thank you for your strength.
Then in March of 2012 my husband started a new job that required him to leave the house by 6or 6:30 (earlier if he goes to the gym at Cornell). Since I am waking up ealier, I am getting tired by 9 p.m. Some nights I am tired by 8 p.m.
When I was younger, my Mom and I would walk to my Grandma's house and she would be in bed at 7 p.m. She did read for awhile before falling asleep. I remember thinking that I could never go to bed by 8 p.m.
I am learning that I like the morning hours. I seem to accomplish more when I am up by 6 a.m. I think better. I have a more regular schedule.
Yesterday, I jumped out of bed at 4:45 a.m. but didn't go to bed until 11 pm. I definitely worked hard all day picking strawberries and processing strawberries. Then I had a mess to clean up before going to bed. I am learning that some nights require me to stay up later but that God always strengthens me when I sing and rejoice in Him.
The Scripture in the Proverbs 31 study is Proverbs 31:18 "She sees that her trading is profitable (work is good) and her lamp does not go out at night."
Observations: (1) the work we do should be accomplished well (2) Sometimes we have to get up early and go to bed late to finish what is set before us. Sometimes the work can wait. I am learning to do the work instead of keeping it to do all at once. It is more manageable to do tasks with my son when they are broken up and routine.
Application: I am learning to do the work instead of keeping it to do all at once. It is more manageable to do tasks with my son when they are broken up and routine. My friends now that I like to play and do a lot of fun stuff with my son. Lately, I have been doing more work as a lot of projects came up all at once. I am learning to have fun and play in the daily work and not just segregate work and play. We can play while we work. I am learning that I can sing while I work. I am learning that I can tickle my son and laugh while we work. I am learning we can play games while we work. I do like to work hard and play abundantly. I am learning to celebrate God in each moment. He is showing me how to put all things first.
Prayer: Lord, thank you that we can play while we work. Thank you that you are a God of joy. I pray that my days would reflect the fruit of your love and that I may be filled with joy. Lord, please forgive me for grumbling about work at times. Thank you for your strength.
This is the Day
Yesterday, I shared how one of the very first things I say in the morning after my son wakes up and I lie down with him is "Today is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." At the time of writing my blog entry, I did not know that the next days reading for the Proverbs 31 study was Psalm 118:24 which is "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." I believe this is the best start of the day in acknowledging God gave us THIS DAY to rejoice and be glad in it.
Philippians chapter 4 is also all about rejoicing when you are in plenty or in need or when you are full or hungry (all circumstances). Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Observations from Psalm 118:24 and Philippians 4:13:
1. We are to rejoice and be glad each day but especially on the Sabbath
2. We can do the things God has put in our life to do because He strengthens us
Application: The application I came away with is that each day I will rejoice. Rejoicing to me is singing to God, laughing, enjoying people He has put in my life, celebrating, and enjoying His Creation. This week, I want to make Sunday the day set apart and made holy as the Lord's day extra special. I have been thinking for a couple of years on the Sabbath. I want it to be a day of joy and celebration. It is a day that I don't want to carry burdens, sorrow, schedules, work and other cares that go along with a normal week. Although I celebrate every day, I want Sunday to be extra special holy onto the Lord. One thing I was thinking is having Sundae Sundays, special music, dancing, games, celebrating with church family and friends, sharing testimonies, eating more on the Word and just sitting at Jesus' feet.
Prayer - Thank you that we can rejoice in you. Thank you that you strengthen us for each task and circumstance we are in. Thank you that you give us a rest from our daily work/chores. Thank you that our rest is found only in you not following rules and not just in giving up things. Thank you Lord that Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.
Philippians chapter 4 is also all about rejoicing when you are in plenty or in need or when you are full or hungry (all circumstances). Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Observations from Psalm 118:24 and Philippians 4:13:
1. We are to rejoice and be glad each day but especially on the Sabbath
2. We can do the things God has put in our life to do because He strengthens us
Application: The application I came away with is that each day I will rejoice. Rejoicing to me is singing to God, laughing, enjoying people He has put in my life, celebrating, and enjoying His Creation. This week, I want to make Sunday the day set apart and made holy as the Lord's day extra special. I have been thinking for a couple of years on the Sabbath. I want it to be a day of joy and celebration. It is a day that I don't want to carry burdens, sorrow, schedules, work and other cares that go along with a normal week. Although I celebrate every day, I want Sunday to be extra special holy onto the Lord. One thing I was thinking is having Sundae Sundays, special music, dancing, games, celebrating with church family and friends, sharing testimonies, eating more on the Word and just sitting at Jesus' feet.
Prayer - Thank you that we can rejoice in you. Thank you that you strengthen us for each task and circumstance we are in. Thank you that you give us a rest from our daily work/chores. Thank you that our rest is found only in you not following rules and not just in giving up things. Thank you Lord that Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)