Birthday and Resting...

First... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOST FAVORITE PERSON IN THE WORLD! 

Jacob's day of birth is today! woot woot! 

I love birthdays... especially for people in my house! I love to decorate and eat lots of cake (tooooo much cake last night... ouch!) and spoil the birthday-ee! Our kitchen looks like Party City threw up in there right now, but... I love celebrating! And I love this breaded fella pictured here! :) So... Happy Birthday Jacob! You are wonderful! 

On a completely different note... here's my passage for the week from the Message version: 

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30

I know I've shared this passage before... but it means something different to me in different seasons of life. 

Right now...

No... I'm not physically tired but I'm sure tired of waiting. 

Am I worn out? Not physically... but definitely YES in other ways.

Am I burned out on religion? O yes. I am NOT in any way burned out on my faith - I am learning much each day. But I am more than burned out on complacent, mediocre, apathetic, indifferent church-ianity! It makes me bitter. It makes my heart hurt so bad. It makes me mad. It makes me want to vomit. It's not any church in particular...  but when we as Christians ignore the amazing mercy we receive each and everyday and choose to cross our arms and go through the motions we are screaming with our body language that His sacrifice meant little.

Jesus says to come to Him... and that's where I head everyday... or try to. He will teach us to rest... and He is teaching.  He will work with us... in the most gracious of ways.  When I think of RESTING... I think of climbing into bed after a long, busy day and just releasing all your weight and sinking into the fluffy mattress. That is the best feeling ever. That is what Jesus is offering us... to release all our weight onto Him and just... R.E.S.T. 

That is good...

He is teaching me that He is passionately waiting alongside us for Eric and Ziggy. He is always working on our behalf and He longs to be gracious to His children. Adoption is hard... waiting sucks... but Jesus is waiting with us. He holds the orphan's hands and loves them greatly... adoption is His heart... He is waiting too. He is waiting for the perfect time that He can unite our family and continue our story in Troy.  I must rest in the fact that God is for us, that He fights for the fatherless, and that He has called us to this for such a time as this! He is faithful. - but... can I just get a picture?!?!?!?! Just askin'...

He is teaching me to LOVE His church passionately and to show the love of Jesus RECKLESSLY! To not give up or stay bitter... but to press into relationships. To try not to control results of efforts but to trust and rest in HIS power and plan. To not get offended by people's comments or grimaces. To rejoice in the moments of HOPE and CHANGE and PROGRESS. To LOVE His CHURCH! 

I will choose to watch Him and learn from Him...

To learn about grace... unforced

To live in freedom of His peace and guidance...

I will certainly get away with Him and sit with Him... that is where true peace is...

I don't want unneeded burdens that I place on myself...

I am thankful for this invitation Jesus gives us.

Are you tired? Are you exhausted? Are you doubting? Are you fearful? Are your worried?  Busy out your mind?

GO TO HIM! 

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them,“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31