A Tree Trunk

I hope that everyone had a joy filled and peaceful Christmas. We had a such a great family day on the 25th. We spent the day in our jammies or sweats...Megan spent hours with Madie and Jack playing games and reloading their IPods with new music...played many board games....and made a new tradition of having chinese food for Christmas dinner (maybe I will try it next year...I had veggie soup that I made). It was so nice. Quiet. Simple. Warm. Family time. We all decided that 2010 for our family is going to be all about serving and giving. I can't wait to see what God places in front of us.

I got Jack a $5 long sleeved waffle print t~shirt from Old Navy...and I know he would kill me to tell you that he as worn it for three days straight...yes, even to bed. I told him for sure he had to put in the washer tomorrow...It kind of reminded me of the time Madie got leather patent shoes and she loved them so much she would not take them off for bed...okay...wearing a shirt for three days (and to bed)...is not really the same...at least he took a bath...(and just put it right back on!).

Megan cut Madie's hair, straightened it so cute and then took her shopping today...I think Megan spending time with us and spending the day with Madie today was one of my favorite parts of the week...and that meant Jack and I hung out together today...until his two friends came over and a nerf gun war began... :)

I was so happy to go to church this week. I hadn't been able to go for a few weeks mostly because my van was on the verge of breaking down...van fixed...church bound on Sunday! While I was in worship at church, I saw myself as a tree trunk covered in bark. I know...who wants to be a tree trunk covered in bark....but God was showing me how I had allowed hard layers of life to surround me...to become part of me...to confide me to one place. Over the last year, God has been refining me...and in this picture of me as tree covered in bark...I also saw God standing there strong, yet gentle stripping layers of bark from my trunk. He was stripping the past. He was stripping the familiar emotions and feelings that held me back. He was stripping the protective coating I placed upon my heart. He was slowly and carefully stripping. He was taking each layer one at a time...in the order that He knew best....so that I could move....breathe...and feel the freedom.

God knows what we need and when we need it. God knows that His timing in things is exact and if we are willing to surrender, can you image all that He has for us. I wanted everything gone all at once. I wanted everything to be fixed right away. I wanted to always, at every minute "feel" value and not to compare myself. I wanted all of that to be over. But this stripping process that God has for me is happening at His pace. His pace is the right pace.

This week I have been meditating on the idea that our purpose is to glorify God...that is our purpose. That is our daily purpose....to bring Glory to God. That is my hope as I awake each morning and throughout my day...to purpose my thoughts and my actions so that I will bring glory to God. And as I anticipate the stripping process...I get to understand how much God loves me if he is willing to take time for me to refine me in to the person He created me to be...and guess what...each of you get the same love..the same gift of refining...the same gift of time from our Lord...He knows each of us personally, wholly, with love!

Have an amazing week!
Teresa