Encouraging

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25

As I was getting ready for this past April retreat I was really think a lot about worship and our scripture theme verse for the conference. It was a busy time around our house and one of the things that we had to do was attend a school musical that the girls were in. It was called " Once upon a Dream." As you can imagine, the school auditorium was packed full of proud parents, teachers and friends. I had TJ on my lap and she was definitely excited about all the music.

As Caroline came to centre stage to do her song with her friends, TJ was straining to see every moment of her sister's musical debut. When the song was over and the applause was starting to die down and Caroline was making her way back to the side of the stage a young voice could be heard throughout the auditorium. "Caroline, You are sooo beautiful!" Trinity shouted as she clapped with all her might. For a moment I flinched as I knew everyone in the entire room had heard the outburst from the little audience member. Then I saw the glowing smile on Caroline's face. She was absolutely beaming. Trinity had made her night.

Later, as I reflected with Jason, he reminded me that we had witnessed the scripture being lived out by the youngest member of our family. Trinity encouraged Caroline in moment that we will not forget. Thank-you TJ for inspiring us.

I also like the Message translation of these verses.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (The Message)

"So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching."

Fun Things Kids Say

Sometimes kids say the funniest things when they are hanging out with each other. I thought I would pass on this little story. It will give you a bit of a giggle!

This past weekend I was at my Mom's for a bridal shower. While we were there TJ got into a disagreement with her five year old cousin Fiona. As I helped them to work it out I encouraged TJ to say she was sorry and to give her big cousin a hug. They were both hugging and saying they were sorry. It was so sweet. The next thing you know TJ was trying to hold Fiona's hand because she wants to thank Jesus that they are friends again. Her cousin has no idea what TJ s trying to do and she is trying to go back to playing and TJ is saying, "No Fiona, let's pray, right now." Fiona said, "We don't need to pray we already ate!"

Where Have I Been?

If you have been checking my regularly you will have noticed that I have been quiet for a while. It is not that there have not been things to write about but I have been having trouble finding the time to actually sit down and type. Oh the joys of a large family!

The At His Feet Ministries Spring Retreat weekend has come and gone and there are many things for which to be thankful. The Lord blessed us with fabulous weather, an amazing new venue and wonderful company! Thank-you so much to all of the women that came to the retreat to worship with us. Thank-you for sharing your hearts and what the Lord is doing in your lives. I pray that you will continue to endeavor to live out Hebrews 10:19-25. Remember the lesson of the giant redwood trees that interlock their shallow roots with other trees roots so that they do not get blown over in a storm. If you were not at the retreat try to spend some time this week with the passage asking God what it means for your life.

I promise to write more soon about the retreat and everything that is going on at the McGibbon Zoo! Have a blessed day!

Dance to the Music

I had a chance last week to spend some time with Liam. Liam is almost 8 years old and he is a passionate kid. He loves basketball, biking, music and hanging out with his family. The other thing about Liam is that he is always making noise. He really can not be quiet. Even at the dinner table he is constantly humming or singing or reciting a rhyme or poem. As you can imagine in a house of seven people, constant noise can be overwhelming. I have to admit it is usually me that gets overwhelmed first. I can't think when the noise level is over a 100 decibels! So over the past few months poor Liam is constantly hearing the words, "Liam please turn your volume down." or "Liam you have to be quieter." or sometimes "Liam, enough! I can't hear myself think."


I have always said that Liam is the kind of kid who is very secure in our love but as I look back I think I have concentrated more in the last little while on the noise that drives me crazy instead of encouraging the boy who wants some attention. He was having a particularly loud day last weekend when I said, "Please Liam, tone it down. You are going to drive me crazy." The next thing I knew Liam was in tears. "You don't like anything I do." was all he could say. I quickly realized that my constant criticism of his volume was being seen as a removal of my love for him. We needed some one on one time together.

Jason took the rest of the kids out for a walk, and I asked Liam if he wanted to stay home with me. "So what do you want to do?" I asked him. "He responded immediately, "Let's dance." Well, the next thing you know there is my son teaching me how to hip hop to the blasting music of "Can I get a Witness?" by Nicolle C. Mullen. (http://www.nicolecmullen.com/ )

Let's just say it was a good thing that the blinds were closed or the neighbours would have gotten quite a show. After he had played the song a few times I finally had to say that I needed to rest. If the truth be told I thought I might pass out! We laughed some more as we lay on the floor looking up at the ceiling and listening the Newsboys. Once I caught my breath and the oxygen started returning to my brain I realized this was one of those moments with Liam that I would remember forever. How blessed I am that God would allow me to raise such an amazing kid. Now I just need to remember to always be showering him with copious amounts of love as well as encouraging him to adjust his volume. Who knows one day Liam might even be able to teach me how to dance!

Clutter

"If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." - 1 John 1:9

I have been struggling for the past few weeks with a problem that we have in our house. The problem is clutter. We clean ,we really do, but stuff still seems to creep in and the next thing I know I look around and it is everywhere and it is overwhelming. The clutter takeover seems to happen so easily. One minute the house is clean and the next minute every counter surface is covered in papers, kid's agendas, artwork, school notes, church bulletins, grocery lists, books etc. And all this stuff has me fantasizing that somehow the doorbell will ring and it will be the reality TV show Clean Sweep and their crew coming to deal with all the mess so I don't have to. They make it look so easy.

I looked up the definition of clutter and it said the following:
A confused or disordered state or collection; a jumble.
A confused noise; a clatter.
To fill or spread over in a disorderly manner.
To make disorderly or hard to use by filling or covering with objects.


Now this definition started me thinking not just about my house but about my head and my heart. Do you ever have those times where it sounds like there is noise in your head and you just can't think? Or you know you should have a more Godly reaction to something but you don't. Do you think that is because we let our heads and our hearts get filled up with clutter instead of His truth? I have been contemplating that and especially the part of the definition that says clutter is "to make disorderly or hard to use but filling or covering with objects". I have been convicted about how I let my heart get cluttered. I don't mean to do it but it is like my house and it starts with one little thing out of place.

I am going to take a lesson from my stairs. Often something gets put on the stairs instead of being put away properly. Maybe it is book or small bag. It sits on one of the steps and is not really in the way and we see it as we walk up and down the stairs but we don't take the time to deal with it properly. After a while we start not to see it and it becomes like a part of stairs, something that is just there. Then something else gets dumped beside it. We don't take the time to move this either and so by this time the stairs out starting to look like more of a storage unit instead of stairs. Eventually, there is so much stuff on the stairs that it is hard to walk up and down them making the purpose that they were originally created for useless.

I don't want my life to be too messy. I don't want my true purpose to be crowded out. I don't want to become useless. I am off to clean out some clutter.

The Reminder in the Warmth of Spring

"The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, "Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy!...Moses immediately threw himself to the ground and worshiped."

- Exodus 34:6,8

The question has been heard throughout our house almost everyday this winter. "Is everyone sure they have gone to the bathroom?" "Yes, Mom" comes the answer of exasperated children. To which I reply, "Okay, but if you get all your stuff on and then you have to go, you have to take it all off again and we will never get there!" And with that I start the checklist. "Everyone needs snow pants, boots, ski jackets, gloves, if they are wet you need another pair, (honestly you have to specify these things), hats, scarves and don't forget to pack your shoes!" Getting five kids out of the house bundled up and all looking like the Michelin man so that they don't freeze to death is quite a feat.

This past weekend, we got a reminder of what is just around the corner. As I stepped out into the fresh morning air on Saturday I was greeted with the sunny warmth of bright sunshine. No need to be bundled up in protection from the elements. The feeling of nature's heat began to creep through my body and I took a slow, deep breath. It is hard to put into words that first touch of spring but it was like I could feel again. The thaw had begun and it reminded me of the first time that I began to know God for who He really was. I think lots of people know about God just like we know about spring. The nightly news can tell us spring is coming, schools can teach us all about the season of spring itself but until we walk out our door and experience the season for ourselves can we ever really know?


I believe Jesus is the same. You can read about Him, friends can tell you about Him, you can actually know all there is to know but until you experience that first taste, that first touch that enters your heart like nothing I am able to describe, you are clueless as to who He really is. For those of you who are still searching, I would encourage you to not just read or listen to anybody's word about Him but read His word about what He says about himself. Do you ever really know what the water in the pool is like unless you get in yourself? Pray and ask Him about His promises "I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me" Proverbs 8:17 and "Ask, and it will given to you: seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7 Jump in and experience Jesus for yourself.

For those of you who have given your life to him, close your eyes for a moment and think back to that first time that you really realized who Jesus was. Remember the moment that the Lord of the Universe entered your heart and changed the way that you would experience Him forever. Then, just like Moses fall down and worship.

The Mia Bird in My House

"The Voice of Christ: My child this is the way you must speak on every occasion: "Lord if it be pleasing to You, so be it." - Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis

My daughter Trinity Joy loves to talk on the phone. At two and half she is what you would call a chatty Cathy. She can be thoroughly engrossed in a toy or game and not paying any attention to what I am doing until I get on the phone in another room. All of a sudden she is right there beside me asking, "Who is on the phone?" Trying to ignore her inquiries does not work. She is only more insistent on knowing who the person on the end of the phone is. If it is someone that she knows her sweet face breaks into a big smile and she says, "I want to talk to Gramma," or Cheri or any of my other friends that she considers her friends. If I say not right now she will ask, "When?" If I say in a minute she will wait patiently or not so patiently depending on her mood and her ability to listen. The other day she was talking on the phone and I tried to say "Okay it is time to say good-bye". Instead of complying and handing me the phone she ran away. I walked after her and she hid behind the counter, cordless phone still in hand. "No, stop annoying me." she said. Ouch, that hurt. Where would she have heard that? As I thought about it I started to get this sinking feeling that it was probably me. I can make all sorts of excuses like some days I am tired or maybe she misunderstood but the reality is that I am sure I have said it and she listens and repeats what I say. She is constantly learning from me, both the good things and the....well not so good. It was a powerful reminder that I need to always remember that I am influencing her character and in order to do that well I need to be imitating Christ.