Nothing

                                                   Todays writing prompt  NOTHING


Nothing is impossible with me. Nothing is too high, too deep, too wide for my reach. Nothing is too far. Nothing is impossible.Nothing is too hard for me.
Nothing is hidden from my sight. Nothing is too dark.  Nothing is impossible for me. Nothing is too hard for me.
Nothing is too small for me to use. Nothing is too big for me to reduce. Nothing takes me by surprise. Nothing is impossible.Nothing is too hard for me.
Nothing in time restricts me. Nothing in the depths confines me. Nothing in the heights causes me fear. Nothing is impossible.Nothing is too hard for me.
 Let it go. Stop looking to yourself. There is nothing that can separate you from my love.You can do Nothing apart from me. But there is Nothing I cannot do.

IN Real Life People Are Watching, Like ...Two Sons, Hunters and the Game and Fish Dept.

Whatever you do, do as unto the Lord, ( Even skinning an elk I suppose )
 I Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

             The Guys Headed Out , my husband and 15 year old and my ten year old sons.. The truck was full of warm coats, even warmer socks , an ice chest packed with food to last the winter, two rifles, and a backpack full of trail mix. I watched through tiny slits of eyes as they pulled out of the drive at 4am. Full of excitement and anticipation to shoot their elk and bring it home.The guys checked in every night. Calling me over bitter cold toes and in between taking turns in hot showers.They had spotted an elk here and there the past few days, fallowed tracks and even taken a shot and missed. With every new call they had anticipation of the next day.

              On the last day of the hunt at 5 am the blessed moment came. My husband and sons sat in silence on hilltop as elk calls filled the air, fallowed by a big group of elk walking out in the valley below. My husband and 15 year old son zeroed in on a female both took aim and both fired, they had done it. The elk dropped before their view and they headed down their little hill to claim their prize. But as my husband approached his long awaited winters dream with a cheerful hunters glow his countenance quickly changed to one of sadness. As he spotted two small antlers. He had shot a young male and did not know it. He toyed with the thought of what to do as he just stood in shock and  said to the boys," I am going to be in so much trouble."

               He continued to struggle with the idea of what to do. Should he take it and go ? It was his last day, it was an accident. He stopped his thoughts in the frigid air and later told me he asked himself what kind of example he desired to be to our sons.He finally told the boys after much thought and a jab of conviction," I am going to call the game and fish dept. Even if I took this meat boys I couldn't enjoy it." When the officer arrived my husband admitted" this was my mistake I couldn't see the antlers" . The officer agreed they couldn't be seen behind the ears they were so small, it looked just like a female. The officer made some calls to see what he could do, but to no avail. The lady on the other end of the phone would not allow it. She demanded his license be revoked and the elk be taken by the game and fish department.

                When the officer came back to tell my husband,  he found a skinned and quartered elk.my husband and boys had done this for the officer. " Why did you do this? " He asked my husband. " I wanted to do it for you officer !" My husband declared with our boys standing in the snow helping him, " I told you it was my fault" The officer piped up almost shocked," Usually people would take off by now. Most people would have just taken this elk !" He turned to my boys and said, " I hope you know what a great dad you have ?" My boys stood quiet as the officer loaded up the elk and sadly left.Taking the last hope of the hunt with him.

                 In real life we have hard decisions to make. It would have been great to fill our empty freezer with elk meat. It would have been easy to reason, why we should keep it. It would have been easy to grab it and take off. But with our decisions comes a fallow up of events. Guilt maybe, the inability to enjoy what we have gotten away with, and more importantly two boys who were watching their dad and learning from him. To try and tell his boys to do the right thing in life, meant him doing it as well. 
             I was glad to see my boys back at home. I was glad to see they were not down at all. They were not complaining that they didn't get their elk this year.They were laughing, dirty and smelly. But I was even happier to see the bond they had gotten with their dad on this trip.The lessons they had learned. I was also thankful that they did not come home with a tale of how their dad tossed an elk in the truck and bolted down the dusty road in hopes no one would see.  It is so hard to think through our choices and do what is right at times, but well worth it. We as a family as a whole and as individuals do not always make the right choice. We miss the mark a lot actually, We fall short and loose sight of the target. But I hope in life to put God in the center and aim, like a hunters rifle on its target toward the Lord.You never know who is watching. On this real day, my two sons, other hunters and the game and fish department were all watching. It is always a joy to put the Lord in the center of our decisions. To do whatever it is we are doing as unto Him. Sometimes when we do we might loose something we really wanted. But God gives us in return the things that really matter. Enjoy the Hunt !

Titus, Jonnethen and Antonius hunting 2013

  I Corinthians 10: 23-24 , 31 -33 -  “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.  Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,  just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

In Real Life , Stop Treading Water so Hard and Float a Little.

                I don't know about you, but I often feel like I am falling short as a mom. My to do list is long.The things I would love to do for my kids is even longer. My desires for their lives and my husbands life is even longer. I regularly feel as though there is no way I, as one person, one wife, one mom, can ever fill the gaps. Sometimes I feel as though I am drowning.  Drowning in a pool of to do's, to be's with no life preserver to save me. Last week was a week I almost let the deep issues cover me.

                 This weekend we had a small family get away. We spent most of our day in the pool. I enjoyed having this time to relax and reflect. But also while surrounded by water and flying bouncy balls, I felt the pressure of my tasks looming in the week ahead. I know the things I missed this week. I know the work I had left undone. I knew the areas I had probably let my kids down. The feelings ran over me just like the water around me as I sunk underneath. I felt my duties as mom and wife were deeper than the water beneath me.
               As I treaded water  I looked at my husband while he began swimming. I can read him like a book. I could almost look in his heart and see his desire. He desires to be a better swimmer. I think he is swimming wonderfully. He has come such a long way. Having never swam as a kid, he has grown by leaps and bounds as an adult, or should I say strokes and dives. I suddenly realized while watching him plunge beneath the blue water that really I have one very important task as a wife and a mom everyday. To be a supporter and encourager to my family. The weight I had just moments earlier began to ease a little. Instead of  intensely treading water I felt as though I were floating on my back, releasing my heavy load." I can do this God, I can be an encourager. Show me what my husband needs. Show me what my kids need. Show me how to build them up."
                  When my hubby popped up out of the water I told him, " So when are you going to sign up for those swim classes? You can do this honey. You can take your challenge and grow and become the swimmer you want to be. I will go with you, we can do it as a family if you want!" " Yes, we need to do that."  My husband replied.
 I hope to sign up soon for classes spurring him on toward the butterfly stroke, the breaststroke, the side stroke, back stroke, and any other stroke he wants to do.
                In the pool I let go of some very high expectations of myself. I looked around from my husband to my kids and just prayed. "Show me what they need and help me to spur them on toward that Lord." I still don't know what a couple family members need, but I am asking God  to help me and show me. To take this mom and wife thing one day at a time. To give myself grace in the gaps I leave and like my husband, to learn to stroke better and better every time I get in the water.
                Lord, I cannot do this mom thing, this wife thing without you. I desperately need you. There is so much to do and the clock seems to tick everyday. Instead of feeling like I am drowning, show me to glide toward you on life's water. Help me to flip over on my back from time to time and relax and get refreshed. Help me to see the needs of my family so I can spur them on toward their goals and dreams. So I can be their encourager. I am already in the pool, so give me the ability to swim well, Amen.