Mothers day sermon pt 2

Dear friends,

You need to know how faithful God is.

I'm talking, "Nitty gritty get down in the dirt with you, pick you up and brush you off, rock you in His loving arms and whisper in your ear" kind of faithful. NOT stand by and watch YOU pick Yourself up (as you look around to see if someone saw how you looked on your b*tt) and just stand there shaking His head thinking,"clutz, stupid, did you learn your lesson this time?" Kind of God.



Here I stand.
Humbled again.
He met me at church Sunday morning.
It was a beautiful day.
In the 50s when we got up.
The air was crisp and I met my grandpa early to get him my mothers gifts before he made the trip( a few days earlier than expected.) I got home and thought it was my day(not God's) and maybe we should stay home and enjoy the spring in the air. I was running later than I thought because my aunt and uncles home alarm went off and they drove back to figure it out. Back to the story...... I thought , "no one will miss me. Its my day to relax" I am so glad I didn't listen to that voice in my head and went to church anyhow. My twenty yo son had worked all night and got up 15 min before we left to go with us. I was so glad that I got ready since he was making the effort. Could you imagine how that would've felt to have him get up after 2 hours of sleep and get ready and me not be ready to go? "Sorry its my day. I decided we are staying home."

And yet God met me there.



We arrived at church, and as I found my seat and got everything arranged I looked up to see that sign on the altar and it really took my breath away. "Grace". I leaned over to my P. "Do you see that sign. On mothers day? Are you serious?!" (thinking, "God please don't let me be the crying person again." ) Have I told you how sick I am of being "the crying person"? Well I am. Tired of being tenderhearted. Tired of being the person waiting for her turn. ("But God. She said it would take less than 6 months to bring little G home!" ) waiting......whining.

Our message was titled grace. At our house we say "you mean Grace with a little G or a big G-

? verb or noun?" He talked about Gods grace and it was beautiful. The part that got me was the last little bit about Gods grace equipping us to do what we cant on our own........

And remember I mentioned 20 YO son came..... we sang his favorite song. Amazing Grace. May not seem unusual to you but our church is not traditional and we rarely sing the "oldie but goodies." The ones I miss from my childhood that bring the memories and smells flooding back into remembrance........

As usual while he was preaching I was reading the before and after..... thank you Kay Arthur for teaching me that. And here's what I found:



1Peter4 Message Learn to think like Him

Since Jesus went through everything you're going through and more, learn to think like him (ouch says me. no more "stinkin thinkin") Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting your own way(ouch ouch ouch) Then you will be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.(ouch)



now skip down or go ahead and read on and we will meet up with you at vs. 4:7-11



Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide awake in prayer. MOST OF ALL (emphasis mine) Love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.( yes it does!) Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless-cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you(GRACE at work), passing them around so all an get in on it: if words, let ie be Gods words; if help, let it be Gods hearty help. That way, Gods bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and He'll (emphasis his) get the credit as the One mighty in everything- encores to the end of time. Oh Yes!



then we read :

Ephesians 2;1-10 Go ahead and find your bible and read it. its the same message. God has given us Grace and mercy so we need to pass it on.........



Gods Grace equips us to do the things that we cannot do on our own!

I don't have to deal with figuring out our plans on my own.

That was Gods message for me.

His grace is available.



Thank you for standing in the gap.

Holding our arms up.

Cheering us on as we run the race set before us!

All of us, the body of Christ, longing for the finish line!



I remain,

Under His wings,

Anna

first picture of little G



PS I cant wait to share with you..... note cards. So so pretty.......