Servant? or status seeker?

While listening to a sermon by Allistair Begg today he said something that stood out to me. "You should be about serving, not status." Read it again, "You should be about serving, not status."

Couldn't we unpack that statement for awhile? As a stay at home mom this could be my mantra. As a wife this could be my mantra. But as a believer shouldn't it be so intimately written on my heart I live this way without thought? Shouldn't it be my desire to live like my Lord who came to be a servant among men? 

I think that statement by Begg stood out to me because it seems to be something brought up in different circles lately. It is observed by those in the generation ahead of me that those in my generation want status, demand status, and serve for the sake of status.

When I think of the qualifications and role of an elder, those of "highest status" in a church, they are the most humble men of character. Isn't that why they were asked to be elders? No elder goes to a church and asks to be put in that position. The church goes to the qualified man and asks him to serve. And serve they do. They pray for the congregation, plan for the congregation, hold fast to the teaching of the Word of God for the congregation, they invest in our lives, give counsel, and do it all that they may serve us and the Lord. They don't do it for status. 

Think about people in the Bible who are honored; Joseph, Daniel, David. They lived lives in quiet submission to the Lord, and after a lifetime of faithfulness the Lord blessed them greatly. 

I hope I don't serve for status, and if I am blind to areas where I do, I hope the Lord strips me of it. 

Marriage Retreat

Our church does a great job of promoting and supporting marriage. Every year they do an event for couples, or a retreat. This year they did a retreat in San Diego and Kyle and I were able to attend.

It was a great little get away. The speaker was one of our favorite pastors and his wife was able to join him on the trip. She is a real gem and I loved spending time with her.

We were able to explore San Diego a bit. Hang out with friends. Enjoy a couple nights sleep without our little one to wake us up ( My sister and brother in law kindly watched him so we could get away) And hear really encouraging sermons on marriage.

Here are a couple of things that were said at the retreat that really stuck out to Kyle and I. (They may not seem to be related to marriage, but they were)

- Less of you, More of Christ.
- Never be ok with making excuses
- "You are strongest together when you are strongest in the Lord alone."
- "Sin will keep you from this book, or this book will keep you from sin."
- Dignity= knowing how to behave in every situation.

Jonathan turned 1

Yep, my baby is one years old! Well he turned one on February 8th. I can't really believe how quickly it went by. I know parents always say "enjoy it, because in no time he'll be graduating high school." Well if the rest of his life goes this quickly It'll seem like his graduation is at the end of the week.

Somehow, at the very same time it seems like the longest year ever. Probably because I am just so tired. I don't remember what consistent sleep was like. Really, I don't remember.

His first birthday was just the sweetest. We wanted to keep it small. I invited about 8 families, and didn't think that all of them would come. But they all came, and brought their entire families and about 30-40 people ended up being at his party. Really it was just a celebration that Kyle and I had kept him alive for a year, and then we handed Jonathan a cupcake, which he wasn't interested in eating.

 

We are SO blessed by our community of friends at church. They have truly become like family. They have loved us so much and supported, come along side, and did I mention loved us? Of course our actual family came down for the birthday and some close friends from LA. J has no idea how loved he is, and it brings me to tears to think about the community he already has at the age of 1.

We celebrated a bit early since Kyle and I were gone the weekend of his birthday for a marriage retreat. We picked him up Sunday afternoon (His actual birthday) took him to Kyle's parents house and had a small celebration.

This time he LOVED his cake and couldn't get enough.

James 4:6

If you still read my blog, then you are aware I haven't written anything since November. I thought about it, and then Jonathan would need me, or I would be planning a wedding, or doing dishes and laundry and things for Jr. High ministry.... and I would also sit down to watch Agent Carter (am I a total nerd for admitting to watching that? I don't care. I really like it.)  while J napped.

When life gets busy, this is the first thing to go. I had to think about it and re-evaluate why it is that I like it, why do I write this blog? Well, I just looked at some old posts and quickly remembered. It's my little online diary with pictures that I get to share with people who want a peek into my life.

I will be adding pictures soon and catching up on posts, like Jonathan turning 1! and Kyle and I slipping away to a marriage retreat :) Today, I am going to catch you up a little on my heart.

Since November Kyle and I have been busier than we have probably ever been. I say probably, just in case I'm forgetting something, but really I believe we have been the busiest we've been and I'm sure that life will only get busier as more children join our family (no I'm not pregnant).  I could write out the list of everything we've done since November, but that would bore you and isn't really the point.

The point is that the Lord has been stretching me and humbling me every day. It's painful, but oh so good. Kyle and I are in a new position within Jr. High ministry at our church, really the new position is just for Kyle, but the one new thing for me is that I am disciplining the staff women. So, the Lord has been humbling me in every way that it is important for a discipler to be humble. Think of that older wiser woman that you go to for advice. Isn't she slow to speak, quick to hear? Don't her words, although strong and firm in truth, drip with honey and encouragement? Doesn't she seem to handle her household in a Proverbs 31 kind of way? Do you admire her discipline?

Well basically all of those are things I fail at, and so the Lord is humbling me and showing me my weakness so that I can be strong in Him to serve my family, serve these women, and ultimately serve the Lord.

It's painful to see your sin. At least it's painful to see mine. It's not subtle at all, it's out there for the whole world to see. I'm pretty sure if you polled anyone who knows me they could tell you without much hesitation faults that they see in me.

Instead of trying to put a pretty face on my sin and appear a bit more put together, I am seeing the great benefit of having people know me this well. I don't get away with anything and thus I am forced to the cross when I would otherwise resist.

James 4:6 is ever on my mind. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

That's My Dad

I just found a draft I had forgotten about, it said: "Dave has the fortitude to take the Stoning of Stephen with joy. He has a strength I am so thankful for and love."

My mom said that about my dad the other day. We were talking on the phone and she was really talking about something else entirely, She was comparing and contrasting and said, "The Lord knew what I needed in a husband, He knew I needed Dave's strength. You know, Dave has the fortitude to take the Stoning of Stephen with joy." She proceeded with the conversation, perhaps not understanding the weight of what she said. It is just a simple truth to her. That, is who my dad is, that is who she married and it needed no explanation so she moved on to make her point.

It struck me so deeply that while we were still on the phone I typed this in a draft so I could save it.

All of you marrieds out there realize that a compliment like this, coming from a wife is a great compliment indeed. No one knows your strengths and weaknesses like a spouse. No one knows your sin better, because it is usually the spouse that is most affected by it.

So, when my mom says that my dad has the fortitude to take the Stoning of Stephen with joy, that carries weight with me.

My heart overflows when I think about this. I feel like shouting "That's MY Dad!"

That guy! The one who would give his life freely to the cause of Christ, and would count it all joy! That's my Dad! The one who doesn't fear death, because death is just the door to where His Father is. That's my Dad! The one who wants more than anything else on this earth to please His Father in Heaven. That, is my dad.

He's my example.

I've been told by many people that "Those Woods girls sure love their Dad."

Yes, I sure do! I couldn't be more proud to be his daughter.

My mom has said many times that the early years of parenting are the physically hard years and the later years are mentally/emotionally hard.

Things are pretty physical around here.

I feel as though I blink and the week is gone. Jonathan is everywhere. He loves to explore and look at every possible thing. He LOVES to be outside. I can't wait for the day we have a yard so we can easily be outside all the time.

I want to stop time. I want to take in every lesson the Lord is teaching me, I want to stare at Jonathan and observe every detail before he changes again. I want to sit and watch Kyle be a dad, to see how the Lord is growing him as a leader, to watch how he is being stretched and molded by the Lord. I get to see these things, but I feel as though I'm watching them in hyper-speed.

Kyle and I were driving to a Halloween party last night and Jonathan fell asleep in the car. We were a bit early so we just drove him around letting him rest and Kyle and I drove through a part of town we hadn't seen before and talked. It was such sweet time. Uninterrupted time. Just us.

I don't want to make it sound like this busy time is something I'm complaining about. I am so loving it I just wish I could slow down to love it more! I never could have imagined the joy of building a family. I can't wait for more babies (no, I'm not pregnant) I can't wait until we have 4 kids and Kyle and I are so exhausted that all we want is to sleep in on a Saturday morning, but instead our kids come in and pile on us! Because really snuggling on a Saturday morning is much better than sleeping on a Saturday morning.

I am so blessed.

I am humbled by it.

I hope I never lose sight of it.

a kiss on the forehead

 Everyone goes through busy times at work, and lately Kyle has been a bit busy. He hasn't complained and has kept a smile on his face, although I know there is one thing that is very hard for him. When he comes home late it means there are days that he doesn't get to see Jonathan.

It's a season, and I am sure that every dad has times when this is true of them as well, and I know that some fathers have it much much worse than we do. It has made me think a lot about the role of a husband and father. They get up early, they work all day, and they do it to provide for the people that they love the most, the people they leave at home every day and who they don't always get to see.

I get to experience the daily blessing of Kyle's hard work. I get to be a stay at home mom, I get to be there for every new thing that Jonathan does. (Kyle has missed every "first") I get to have leisurely quiet times on my porch where I sip coffee, enjoy the morning, and read. Granted, the task of motherhood is not easy, but the task of fatherhood is harder.

Kyle entrusts the daily raising of our son (and future children) to me and yet he is ultimately responsible before God for the state of our home. He is the physical, spiritual, and emotional provider of our home. We pull from his strength.

I am so thankful that Kyle also has a Father. His Heavenly Father provides him with the strength needed to fulfill his task. I am daily thankful for the Lords faithfulness to Kyle.

On those nights that Kyle doesn't get to see Jonathan, he comes home and gives me a kiss and then slips away to sneak into Jonathan's room and give him a kiss on the forehead.  Then, the next time Jonathan is awake, Kyle whispers to him. "I'm sorry we didn't get to spend time together yesterday, but when I got home I came in your room and kissed your forehead. I love you."