Joyful Heart

Linda Dillow, in Satisfy My Thirsty Soul, gives several practical ways to cultivate a grateful heart.  Here are two of the ways that she mentioned that I would like to attempt to implement in my own day to day life….

1) Thankful Triggers:  Dillow describes a ‘thankful trigger’ as some thing, sound, or place that you come across frequently during your day that will ‘trigger’ or remind you to say a prayer of thanks to God.  She gave examples of passing a certain church or hearing the sound of a train whistle.  At this point in time, I think that I would like to try to remember to lift up thanks to God whenever I hear our new baby cry.  She should be a good, regular reminder to thank my Lord at least every 2 1/2 to 3 hours for awhile =)

2) Make a Sign:  Dillow shared how her daughter in law had posted a sign in her kitchen to remind her to thank God for her three young children.  Here are words for me to remember as I daily care for our four precious children, ages 5 1/2,  4,  2,  and  3 weeks.

What is truly important for each day?

• Sing praises and songs of worship together.
• Give thanks in ALL things.
• Hugs and kisses.
• Think before committing to a yes or no.  (Try to say yes more often.)
• Stop, look, and listen when they speak.
• Respond with patience and love.
• Be consistent.
• Let the princesses dance.
• Let them help.
• Be their encourager.
• Pray.
• Smile and laugh.
• Sing and read God’s Word together.
• Making messes makes for fun memories.
• Start and end the day with thanksgiving to our Lord.
• Our children will not always be this little. 
  Train them now, but also enjoy them now!

Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the Lord has made. 
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Bowing my attitude…

2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension
that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought
to make it obedient to Christ.

Linda Dillow, in Satisfy My Thirsty Soul, defines ‘attitude’ as “our mental and emotional response to the circumstances of life.”   After the birth of our third child, I did not respond well to the changes in our family’s life. . . not that our little boy was by any means a difficult baby.  He was a good sleeper, nursed well, etc.  However, for me, going from two children to three presented some very difficult challenges.  Over a span of several months, I experienced a lot of ‘negative inward chatter’.  This led to despair and hopelessness because I listened to my thoughts and did not take them captive.  I did not test them against what God’s Word says. 

Now,  after the birth of our fourth child, I am again facing similar challenges.  Ever since I became pregnant with this precious little one, I have been fearing this postpartum time.   I have been praying that I would be spiritually stronger and ready to combat the impending negative thoughts and emotions.

I know what I need to do.  There is a solution and God just reminded me of it in the book by Dillow that I have been reading.  So, as I face this upcomming 3rd postpartum week, I need to…

• draw close to God
• reflect on His attributes
• worship Him with thanksgiving
• cultivate an attitude of gratitude for all things
• test negative thoughts against what God’s Truth is
• continue to pray for strength and peace

So, how is this bowing my attitude?  Dillow explains that ”The sacrifice comes when I put to death my inclinations, when I kill my urge to” grumble and focus on the negative emotions.  “Then, after putting to death my natural tendancy, I must call forth from the deep within me, the buried treasure of praise.”  “A thankful spirit is the way out of the pit.”

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable
—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,
think about such things.

Lord Jesus, I pray that you would help me to take every thought captive, to dwell upon your faithfulness, and to be thankful for all things.

Bowing my words…

Okay, so anyone who knows me in person knows that I am a woman of very few words.  So, why am I blogging about bowing my words?  Well, I really don’t talk much … except with my kids.  I am a typical stay at home mom who must communicate with her children.  Any mom who has lost her voice and has experienced being home alone with one, two, three, or yes - maybe even four little ones knows how difficult it is to not  talk with your kids throughout the day! So, in a normal day, I must give instructions, discipline, explain, question, answer questions, paraphrase, interpret cries and toddler speech, help resolve conflicts, pray over hurts, etc.  Whew!  For someone who doesn’t like to talk much, I sure have to do a lot of it =) 

And, with that much talking throughout the course of the day, it brings about many opportunities to stumble in regards to words - word choices, tone of voice, and words thought through (or not) before being spoken.  Will my words be a cursing or a blessing to my children each day?  Will my words be filled with encouragement or discouragement towards my little ones?  I must remember Proverbs 12:18…

 Reckless words pierce like a sword,
       but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Dillow states, in her book Satisfy My Thirsty Soul, that “bowing our words as an act of worship is not easy.  It is a sacrifice, an offering.”     I want to bow my words so that they bring healing, blessing, and encouragement to those around me.  So, instead of words doused with a harsh, angry tone, I need to be slow to speak and quick to listen and to remember to fill my speech towards my children with qualities found in Ephesians5:19-20…

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus, help me not to grieve the Holy Spirit with my words and tone of voice towards my children.  Help my words to be encouraging and a blessing.  May you help my words to be timely, gentle, and loving.  Amen.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 
Worship the Lord with gladness.  Come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. 
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever. 
His faithfulness continues through all generations. 
Psalm 100

I have been reading some of my long awaited books that are next to the nursing chair .  Satisfy My Thirsty Soul: For I am Desperate For Your Presence by Linda Dillow is the first one that I am working my way through.   I don’t know why, but I was surprised to discover that the way to be closer to God is through worshipping Him.  That is the very thing I love to do - I love to sing His praises!  Could it be that simple?  Dillow states, “Worship can satisfy our thirsty souls.”  It “is the path to experiencing the presence of God.”  We can give our Lord honor, thanksgiving, and praise.  She details several practical ways for anyone, including busy moms, to worship God such as …

• the ABC’s of worship in which you think through each letter of the alphabet Aa-Zz and think of as many words that begin with that letter that describes God (for example, for Aa  ’My God is awesome, amazing, my Abba Father, etc….’)
• finding stillness by creating time for either a retreat (a longer time of worship alone with God) or what she calls ‘little solitudes’ in each day (For example, while nursing I could pray, while folding the laundry I could praise God through the ABC’s of worship, while in the car with my children running errands we can sing along to worship music, while kids are napping, etc.)
  I loved how Dillow said that “the outward clamor of my busy life and the continual inward chatter caused by restlessness has kept me from the blessing of stillness and the felt presence of God.”  Oh, how I can relate!  In addition to a retreat and/or ‘little solitudes’, she suggested always having a pen and piece of paper on hand during your times of prayer and worship.  That way, when inevitable distractions pop up (like thinking of things that need to get done today), just jot them down quickly and continue worshipping.
• searching out a special place to worship (She gave examples of moms who would pray in the closet or worship with headphones on in their walk in pantry for a few minutes of solitude.  A couch, a special chair, a place outside… anywhere!)
• and finding music that lifts your spirit and leads you to worship

We can worship with songs and praises, but Dillow continues to expand upon what worship is.  She explains how I can worship God with all of my life.  I can bow my life, everything, before Him as an act of worship.  Dillow states, “True worship will lead to holy obedience.”   As a true act of worship I can and should bow my words, my attitude, my work, my times of waiting, my pain, and my will.  Now, I have not read all of these chapters yet, but the first two on bowing my words and attitude have already convicted me.  I hope to write my reflections on some of these chapters in upcoming entries.

Psalm 63:1-8
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you.
My soul thirsts for you.  My body longs for you, 
in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods.
With singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you. 
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you.  Your right hand upholds me.

Our baby Olive made it safe and sound into the world one week ago today.  Praise God!  You can read details about her birth on my husband’s blog.  (Yes, he blogged her birth - just a sign of the times I guess.)  At this point, she sleeps and eats … and then sleeps and eats some more = )  A typical one week old who has already stolen our hearts with her sweet, sleepy smiles, her great big yawns, and her ‘I’m not quite awake’ stretches.  Oh yes, she cries and tends to have her days and nights mixed up still, but let’s not think about that right now.  With all of the ’round the clock feedings happening this past week, I realized that for the next few months I get to do something I haven’t been able to do a lot of in the past year or so…  I get to read again!

So, next to the nursing chair, squeezed in with my nursing arsenal (my glass of water, my feeding chart, my Lansinoh, my Medela pump, etc.)  are several books I have been waiting to read…

• Satisfy My Thirsty Soul: For I am Desperate For Your Presence by Linda Dillow 
  (I have read Calm My Anxious Heartby this same author.   I still refer back to it!  I enjoy the way she writes and how she uses biblical references and personal experiences to speak to me and challenge me in areas tht I am struggling with. )
• Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver 
  (I’ve read her first book about Mary and Martha - Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World and could relate well!  I look forward to this second one.)
• Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother by Carolyn Mahaney 
  (My sister in law bought this for me two Chrismas’ ago!  I am ashamed to say that I started it, but never got to finish it.)
• My Bible!
  (I’ll have no excuse for missing my daily reading and devotions for awhile!)

I can’t wait to delve into these books - to refresh my spirit, to glean from other Christian women, and to study and apply God’s Word .. even if it is at 2:30 in the morning when everyone else is asleep =)

God is sovereign in all of life. 

We are expecting our fourth child.  The girls are excited and often ask, “How big is the baby?”  We were reading in Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Glade Curtis that by week nine, the baby is ‘the size of a medium green olive’.  He or she…

• has longer fingers now and the tips are slightly enlarged where touch pads are forming,
• has toes that are formed and feet that are more recognizable,
• has eyelids that almost cover the eyes,
• has external ears that are evident and well formed,
• can move its body, arms, and legs.

God is sovereign in all of life, intricate in every detail.  How amazing is our God?!

Psalm 139:13-16 states…
For you created my inmost being.
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful, 
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you 
when I was made in the secret place. 
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body. 
All the days ordained for me 
were written in your book 
before one of them came to be.

Thank you, Lord, for this precious little life You are creating inside.

We had an ultrasound today.  We got to see our little 10 week old ‘olive’ =)  He or she has a strong heartbeat and is measuring well.  However, it was discovered that there are two small blood clots in my uterus, causing some slight bleeding.  I wanted the doctor to say that everything would be all right, but she didn’t.  She said we’d have to wait and see…. God is still sovereign.   If God decides to help this little one thrive, blessed be the name of the Lord.  If God chooses to take this little life home to be with Him early, blessed be the name of the Lord.  Will it be painful and will there be many tears?  Yes, of course!  But, He is my Lord and I will trust in Him.  ’Oh God, You are my God.  And I will ever praise You.’   May I take to Him all my anxious thoughts and truly trust in Christ, my Lord and Savior.

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because He trusts in You.  (Isaiah 26:3)  

I have been listening to  Praise Baby: Born to Worship with my toddler off and on since last week.  To be honest, my two older children love to sing along with it as well =)   The song, below, is one of the ones used on the DVD.  It is now continually running through my head and I will sometimes burst out singing it while playing with the kids!   

“Here I Am To Worship”
(Song by Tim Hughes) 

Light of the world, 
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore you 
Hope of a life spent with you.

And here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you’re my God,
You’re altogether lovely,
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.

King of all days,
Oh, so highly exalted 
Glorious in heaven above.
Humbly you came to the earth you created.
All for love’s sake became poor.

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you’re my God,
You’re altogether lovely,
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.

I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
No, I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you’re my God,
You’re altogether lovely,
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me. 

So, here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you’re my God… 

What an awesome God we serve AND we get to worship Him through song! 

As a follow up to previous blog entries, I asked my oldest daughter an important ‘Why’ question today that I think we all need to reflect upon.  I asked her “Why did Jesus die?”  Here is her response… To save the world (us) from our sins.  To die on the cross.  And to rise again.  So we can be in heaven with Him.    (From the mouth of a 5 year old!)  

 ”Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say?  ‘Father, save me from this hour?’  No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.  Father, glorify your name!”  These are Jesus’ words in John 12:27-28 when He was speaking of His death.  In C.J. Mahaney’s book, Living the Cross Centered Life, he states that Jesus was not “surprised by death’s approach.  He long ago determined to bear God’s judgement for sin as our substitute, and for months He ..discussed His death repeatedly with His disciples.”  Christ knew why He was sent, why He was here - His purpose.  In Mark 10:45, Jeus tells us that “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  He knew that there was no other way for us to be reconciled with God.  Our debt had to be paid and only He, the sinless One, could pay it.  He lovingly laid down His life for us, taking on our sins and unrighteousness and thus the wrath and abandonment by His Father – that we rightly deserve. 

Mahaney states, “Behold Him…behold His suffering…and recognize His love.” 

Thank You.  Thank You, Lord Jesus.  May I never lose sight of You and Your sacrifice for me.

It is important to tell and remind children why we instruct them in certain ways.  Just as we look to the Bible to see which instructions we need to give our children and for guidance on how to train them, we can look to God’s Word to help us explain the ‘whys’ behind the instructions.  Here are a few examples from Scripture where God clearly answers this ‘why’ question for us.

• “Children obey your parents“ 
  Why?   “for this pleases the Lord.”     Colossians 3:20
• “Honor your father and mother”
  Why?   “—which is the first commandment with a promise— that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”   Ephesians 6:2-3
• “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”
  Why?  “so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of truth…”   Philippians 2:14-16a
• “Give thanks to the Lord”
  Why?  “for He is good.”      Psalm 136:1a
• “Thy word have I hid in my heart”
  Why?  “that I might not sin against Thee.”      Psalm 119:11
• “We love”
  Why?  “because He first loved us.”      1 John 4:19
• “Do not be terrified.  Do not be discouraged.”
  Why?  “For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9b
• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him.”
  Why?  “And He will make your paths straight.”      Proverbs 3:5-6

This has been exciting to see!  May God continue to open our eyes to how we can use His Word for training in righteousness (first in ourselves and then our children =) )    For 2 Timothy 3:14-17  says “…continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you have learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Proverbs 17:22
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

If you could only hear and see our 2 1/2 year old sing this verse!  Her facial expressions are priceless as she sings with a happy heart and wide, gleeful eyes.  No matter how long and hard the day, singing God’s word brings joy to a weary heart.  A joyful heart truly is good medicine.  May we take an ample dose each day.