So, it’s only been ALMOST 3 months since my last post…oops! Life has been pretty hectic and busy the past few months you might say. At the end of February we closed on our first home, then in April we moved into our new house, all while working diligently to get our former residence in move-in ready mode for the next tenants. We bought more baby chicks, so we have been working day in and day out to get a new (more permanent) and much larger chicken coop built to house our new hens, and the old ones that we don’t plan to butcher this year… see you in the pot in a few weeks Copper. Getting the house set up the way that we want it to make it feel like our own, my best friend of almost 20 years came to visit for a week (and it was wonderful), then…our baby girl turned one! We have had quite a lot of excitement over the past few months.

However, I know that we are past due on a blog post, so I got out the laptop this morning after my one on one time with God (that I was desperately in need of), a half a pot of coffee (thanks for getting me hooked Chelsea), and the baby eating breakfast in the highchair next  to me. So what do I want to write about today? I could flood my blog post with photos of a one year celebration, or of the new house and chicken coop…but I will save those for another post.

Today I want to talk about my bible study, this morning I began working my way through 1 Thessalonians, always a favorite of mine, but one I haven’t read in quite sometime. I was reading about Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica, what a beautiful message he had to share with them. What a beautiful message that all of us who are Christians have to share. I really love how Paul words it though, he adds context and puts the importance of it into words that truly spoke to me this morning, as a mother/parent.

“…As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 2:6-8 (NIV)

“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (NIV)

I might not have realized the importance, the intimacy, the tenderness of these scriptures earlier in my life. At least not to the depth that I do now. A mother in that time would nurse her children, if you have ever nursed an infant you will understand the deep bond, the intimacy, the tenderness and selflessness. “As a mother gladly gives the very basic food that assures life, so Paul has given to the Thessalonian Christians life-assuring nourishment. The pure milk of the Word has been poured into their lives and they are growing in faith.” (Women of Faith Study Bible, pg. 1956 footnote) Don’t you crave to have that kind of relationship with Christ, to share the good news with others and pour that kind of nourishment into others? I know I do. Maybe that is why these verses captured me today.

Maybe it is also a reminder of Gods love for us. He is our Heavenly Father, he loves us THAT much! He has given us new life, life-assuring nourishment, and the pure milk of the word so that WE can grow in him, in our relationship with him! All to often I find myself getting caught up in the day to day, and often taking for granted all that Christ has given me. I am not the same woman I was yesterday, and I am certainly not the same woman that I was years ago.

God gave me new life, he put people into my life, like the apostle Paul, who were encouraging, comforting, and urged me to live a life worthy of God (1 Thess 2:11), People who cared for me and delighted in me, even when I was not the most delightful. God used friends, family, and strangers to change me, mold me, and breath this life-assuring nourishment into my life, many years ago… and even today God has placed individuals in my life to help me to continue to grow and be steadfast in my faith… and for that I am forever grateful.

So what is my take away this morning? First, don’t take what you have with Christ for granted, he has carried you through far more than you realize and used people in your life to help you even when you didn’t know. Second, be an example of Christ, be like the apostle Paul, “…We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts…We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.” (1 Thess. 2: 4, 6) Do it for Christ, not for others, you never know who you might be breathing life into, so always try to be a light to those around you.

I don’t know if this is what other people get from the scriptures, I know that God speaks to individuals differently, but today when my attitude was not quite what it should be when I woke up, God used these verses to gently remind me of his love and sacrifices for me, and the Godly mother and wife I should strive to be, to remember to always make time for him, even in the busy day to day that we call life; and to be more grateful for even the little things he has given me.