Understanding our Heavenly Father

~How great is the love the Father has lavished upon us that we should be called sons and daughters of God!~

Being a parent opens up a whole new view of our relationship with God.

• There have been countless moments when I watch Jonelle sleep, just reviewing the features of her face over and over. God does that too. He made us and loves to look at us. We are His handiwork, the apple of His eye. The beauty of His creation.
  
• Doing everything possible to get her attention and catch a smile. Although God does not need our relationship to sustain His love for us or to sustain Himself, he knows that we need Him. We bring God pleasure by existing. I am sure that our thoughts and love toward Him bring Him great pleasure. We display the glory of God.
  
• Hearing her small cry or voice in the back of my mind when I am away from her. God never dismisses us from His thoughts. He can have the entire world and every single person in His understanding at one time.
  
• Knowing that I know what she needs and what is best for her more than she knows for herself. How many times have I told God that I wanted or needed something and He just looked at me and replied, "No, you don't. You need something else that I already have picked for you." How amazing! God knows what we need before we ask. Yet, how precious it must be when we do ask. Just like how we long for our children to ask us for things when they need them.
  

Let God be your perfect Father today and everyday. By accepting His love for us, we can be better parents.

God's Chosen: Colossians 3:12-13

Colossians 3:12-13 Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. I love verse 12 when we are told as Christians what our lives are supposed to portray not because of the fact that we have chosen God, but because HE has CHOSEN us. We are God's chosen people! That is why He gives us the ability to be holy, filled with compassion, humility, gentleness, and patience. That is why we are able to forgive. Because He first forgave us.

I pray this verse for Jonelle all the time. That she would understand that she has been chosen by her Heavenly Father, loved by Him, and forgiven by Him so that she can show others compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. What a beautiful picture of His grace in our lives!
Praying that you will understand your "choseness" today and everyday. It turns the tables on "I chose Christ" and therefore "I" am a Christian and "I" do good things. It really comes down to God choosing us, giving us the ability to be more like Him.

Sing Over Me

My husband gave me a beautiful CD for Christmas. I love listening to the lyrics to the song, "Hold on to Jesus" by Erin O'Donnell with Janna Long. Here are the lyrics. You can listen to it online as well. Just go to Sing Over Me.

You're a little piece of heaven / You're a golden ray of light / And I wish I could protect you / From the worries of this life / But if there's one thing I could tell you / It's no matter what you do / Hold to Jesus / He's holding on to you // The world will try to tell you / That might is more than right / That beauty's on the outside / And being good's a losing fight / But remember what I've told you / Because the world will make you choose / Hold to Jesus / He's holding on to you // Hold to Jesus / Cling to His love / Rest deep in His mercy / Whenever things get rough / Don't lose sight of His goodness / And don't ever doubt this truth / That when you hold on to Jesus / He's holding on to you // Hear me dear Jesus / Rock this little one to sleep / Keep her close when she's scared / And give her grace when she is weak / I know she'll stumble / But I know she'll make it through / If You hold to her just like / You said You'd do / Hold her, Jesus / So she'll hold on tight to You