The Flame Within

The children went to bed later than normal last night.  Three of the four woke up in rotten moods.  Complaining, grumping, yelling at each other, and “honestly” it seemed they were trying to ruin my morning.  I sat on my front porch, Bible in hand, and attempted to have a moment of quiet.  I longed to hear the sound of the birds singing…  The stillness of the morning breeze…

But…

The {sounds of grumpy children} continually interrupted every attempt to soak up a few quiet moments with God.

In frustration…  I huffed inside and yelled up the stairs…  As I started to yell..  God spoke into my heart…  Call them to the porch…  Read my word to them…  Introduce them to my creation…  {Invite} them to join you as you meet with me. Peace calms frustration “Kids…  Sit down…  Let’s take some time to focus on God.  Sometimes when we’re grumpy…  It is a sign that we need to spend time with God…  that we need to take some time to read His word, experience His creation, and talk to God!”  

The three boys fidgeted, mumbled, and griped…  However… In several minutes they began to calm down…  All of us listening to the beautiful vocals of the birds…  Bible in hand…

God lead me to Psalms 8…  We began to read…

Lord, our Lord.  How majestic is your name in all they earth!  An old hymn came to my mind…  

We sang…

“O Lord, O Lord…  How majestic is your name in all the Earth!  O Lord, O Lord…  How majestic is your name in the Earth.  Oh Lord… We praise your name!  Oh Lord…  We glorify your name!  Prince of peace mighty God…  Oh Lord God our Father!”

The third time singing…  The kids caught on and began singing in unison.

We continued reading Psalm 8…

Lord, our Lord.  how majestic is your name in all the earth!  You have set your glory in the heavens.  Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.  When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place.  

{Kids look around…  God is everywhere.  Look at the trees and the bright green grass.  Can you see Him?}

{Can you feel Him?  He’s in the gentle still breeze…  the peacefulness in the field.  We can feel Him!}

What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

{What are human beings?  The oldest child responds in a know it all tone…  “We are human beings!”  So… God cares for us…  Human beings?  He {really} cares for us!}

 You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.  You made them rulers over the works of your hands, you put everything under their feet. All flocks herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, all that swim the paths of the seas.

{Guys…  Did you hear that?  Listen again…  We have crowned with glory and honor…  And God made {us} rulers over the works of his hands… over His creation.  What does this mean?  “Robby, what does this mean when you are mowing the grass?”  He responds, “We are {rulers} over His creation.  So when I am mowing the grass….  I am ruler over the grass.”  I say, “Robby that is exactly right.  He has entrusted you to care for his creation… the grass. What an honor!!! Daniel and Christopher, he has made you rulers of your room.  You are to care for your room as rulers.” You know? God must really love us, to make us {rulers} over His creation!}

 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.”

I instruct each child to say…  “Thank you God for ___________!”  Robby (12 years old), “Thank you God for the beautiful trees and green grass.”  Caroline (2 years old), “Thank you ummmm…. for princesses!”  Daniel, “Thank you for the flowers and for toads.” Christopher, “Thank you for the tadpoles that turn into frogs.”

As we closed our family porch time…  I prayed…

Oh Lord, our Lord…  How majestic is your name!  Thank you for being so real to us…  Thank you for your love!  Thank you for your beautiful handiwork.  Thank you for trusting us enough to make us rulers of your creation.  Help us to care for your creation with tenderness, compassion, passion, and care.  Help us to do our best.  Take our bad moods and change our attitudes to see the beauty, your goodness, and our blessings all around.  Thank your for your Word!  Thank you for my children, Robby, Christopher, Daniel, and Caroline!  We love you so!!!  

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