Injustice

(Injustice) I did not take this photo but borrowed from a friend on FB who runs a baby house for abandoned babies in South Africa. Her house is always full of babies in need from tiny to about 2 years old.

 

Shepherd's Keep FB Page (click here!)

 

Injustice to me is instantly when I think of how many that are in need or that are the "least of these" are left with out families and parents. The babies in this home have been abandoned and left without mothers and fathers. I have read stories where infants have been found on the bed of trucks in the field of a park and even in dumpsters and then brought into Shepherd's Keep where they are loved and cared for by some amazing individuals who are truly the hands of God to those who are the most in need. http://www.shepherdskeep.org.za/ [Here is their web page if you would like to read more].

 

Yes God has a plan for every individual and a very special plan for the lives of each of those babies. As a mother I can't always stomach the stories I hear of children being treated wrong neglected or abused in any manner. As a Christan I am overwhelmed on how to deal with the emotions of these stories. How do we fit in and how can we help?

 

I don't know exactly what we can do but we have to support the  causes that are near and dear to our hearts and to be in prayer and a constant state of prayer at that asking where, how and when do we purposefully serve.

 

I do think strongly in our hearts that one day we will adopt a child that will join our family. For now I will trust in God and be thankful for the divine interventions he places in their lives such as Shephard's Keep.

 

Tomorrow "settle"

See- Lent Day 3 # rethinkchurch

(My daughter Hannah (5years old) looking through her glasses this morning)

 

 

Today well yesterday I took this picture of my daughter Hannah for day 3 of Lent photo-a-day for theRethink Church Lent Challenge.

 

For "SEE" I was drawn to Hannah and her precious glasses. When she was two her and my late Uncle Curt called them her "sees". It was the sweetest thing and I always think of him when I hear this.

 

She needs glasses to see the world more clearly. I love her sweet face in her frames and how she wears them without complaint daily and asks for them to be cleaned when they get smudges on them.

She will bring them to me and say "Mom can you clean my glasses" and I do and she puts them back on and we go on with our day.

 

This is really how we all see our daily walk with God and our faith each day. There are some days I feel like I have a little smudge but not blocking my vision and then there are other days that I feel like they are completely covered in thick mud and I am blinded by the dirt.

 

"See" where I am going with this??? ;)

 

How do you clean your "glasses". I need time in the word and quiet time with God usually in the car listening to praise music. This is really where I have my time and I cherish it!

 

Day 4 "injustice"



Return Lent Day 2

(My dogs looking out the window waiting on Dad to return)

 

Okay only day two and I had trouble getting to my blog to write but I did think about it all day. I have to say I LOVE that my husband is doing this project too and we are both focused on our blog and our path this 40 days. Follow him too at....

 

David's Blog (click here!)

 

The picture for today are our dogs Cezar and Addie waiting on David to come home from the store today. They don't know where he went and they don't know when he will be home but they do know that he always comes home. They usually wait right by this window and look for the car to pull up and run to the door to greet him.

 

 

The bible verse I was drawn to with "return" today was

 

Matthew 24: 42

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come"

 

I think this really can become overwhelming to many of us and so much so that we become callused to the fact that Jesus is coming back! How do we live day by day knowing that it could be any minute?

 

When I was little I had a Bible that had a picture of someone sleeping on a park bench and it had a study day talking about "do not sleep always be on watch and ready". Well as a kid this page FREAKED ME OUT! I was so worried I would be caught off guard and Jesus would forget to take me too just pass on by because I was asleep.

 

Obviously that isn't how the scripture reads and not what God has intended for us but we do know that one day will come and heaven will come to earth. What will that look like? I don't know. I could look up many scholars and see what they think or how they perceive it to be but none of us really know. I do know that we have to continue to prepare our hearts and draw closer to God daily.

 

I try to remind myself of the "return" in life by the joy my sweet girls have when I come through the front door after work or after travel. They scream and yell and all run at me excited. (Sadly I know this will not be as big of an event as they grow up but for now I will look forward to it each day!)

 

I picture this type of pure JOY when we do see our Lord face to face.

 

Tomorrow... "see" (stay tuned and please subscribe to the blog to follow posts).

 

Blessings,

Stephanie



Who am I? (Ash Wednesday) #rethink church photo a day #1

(photo leaving our church with ashes 2/13/13)

Who  am I? This is often an easy question to answer in some occasions. I have to introduce myself at work constantly "Hi my name is Stephanie Black  I am faculty chair for the Second Degree BSN Program Option". Or when I am meeting a parent "Hi I am Emma, Hannah and Jenna's Mom" or "Hi I am David's wife" Or "I am Mark and Connie's daughter or Clint's (Amazingly awesome) sister ;) [just a side note to see if my brother reads my blogs].

We truly are defined in many ways it may be by our resume, by our degree, by our family tree, by our accomplishments, by the stores we shop in or any number of worldly things. Is this who we are? No it is how others know us.

What does the Bible say? WHO AM I?

Isaiah 43:1-2
But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine.                                        

How refreshing that we are called to be His. I was inspired this morning on my drive to work by a song that spoke directly to my soul (pretty much a daily occurrence, it's my only alone time coupled with ridiculous traffic in Houston and a lot of time in the car).

Mercy Me "You are I Am"
Mercy Me nails these lyrics as they share what God is speaking to us all I will admit......

"I've been the one to doubt your love I've told myself your not enough.....I've been the one to try and say I'll overcome by my own strength....and try to question who you are"

 



The great thing is Who I am may often be a perception of others so thankfully I can strive to live like the GREAT I AM wants me to. Do I fail?....Yup Daily!

This Lent season I am really striving to let God out of the box I have him in for my life. Follow along as I am going to post a photo-a-day tomorrow #return. @rethinkchurch

Love to you all!

Stephanie

Lent

Photo a day for Lent....stay tuned as I will attempt to blog with each photo here to get up and running and warmed up with my blogger goodness!

http://rethinkchurch.org/article/lenten-photo-day-challenge