Prayers and feverish children

My four year old was burning with fever last night and coughing horribly. My husband who doesn't worry much, was clearly worried about her and clearly exhausted. I prayed over my little one and anointed her head and her feet with oil because James 4:15 was impressed upon my heart. I have done this before with my oldest one who used to get terrible fevers and also frightening febrile seizures. The preciousness of life entrusted to you is magnified when your babies are sick. Thankfully this morning she woke up fairly cheerful and more like herself, although still sick.

As I was praying over her with confidence in the name of the Lord, I also had moments of doubt, which I answered with, "I believe, Lord. Help thou my unbelief." I remembered the miracles of Jesus and his healing of Peter's mother-in-law's fever and the resurrection of Jairus' daughter. And I believed in God for healing, and prayed for him to Help my lack of belief at the same time. Of course, we also were medicating her with cough syrup and ibuprofen which also are gifts from God, for which I always give thanks. I often think of children in the developing world who don't have the simplest medications.

I was also reminded that my prayers should always be so fervent for my children--not just for their physical health but for all aspects of their lives. I believe in the power of effectual, fervent prayer, Lord Jesus. Help thou my unbelief and my complacency. Life is too precious not to bathe in prayer.

Micah Girl

The Lads

The Lads rock. A very cool mission team came to lead VBS at our church and Creator was one of the songs that they used with the kids. Click on the Creator video and enjoy their infectious, retro sound with an awesome message.

Micah Girl

Friday 5 Pet Peeves

Here's my contribution to the Friday Five

1. Grammatical pet peeve--Correcting someone else's grammar. I always hear the mistakes, but I never fix them, unless they are made by my own children!

2. Household pet peeve--When someone gives herself a tour of my house and only the public areas are ready for guests!

3. Arts & Entertainment pet peeve--When people bring small children to wildly inappropriate movies that are sure to traumatize them.

4. Liturgical pet peeve--Poorly done PowerPoint for lyrics with misspellings.

5. Wild card--Drivers who do not pull over for emergency vehicles.

Bonus: What do I do that others might consider a pet peeve? I am sure my husband has a list if you'd like to email him.

Micah Girl

Common Spiritual Sense

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good.
Proverbs 19:8

Wow.

Seeking and obeying wisdom are good for you.

Common spiritual sense.

Micah Girl

Ongoing family fantasy

My husband & I have this ongoing fantasy about selling our house which has greatly appreciated in value in our "entry level" middle class neighborhood and using the profits to move somewhere cheaper, probably south. I have mixed feelings about moving south. Partly it comes from the deeply ingrained Yankee culture which flows through my veins. Partly it comes from the feeling that I finally have a handle on my life here.

My ministry is so exciting. I finally feel like I know how to build and manage a ministry team, set a vision bigger than our present existence. I think I really "get" my college students and their culture. Our family life is good. We are involved in a small, healthy, growing church. We have friends in the neighborhood and in the community. I love homeschooling (although, of course, that can be done anywhere.) I know homeschoolers who homeschool in the city. I am not stuck in a Christian bubble where everyone I know looks and thinks the same. I bump into people I know when I am on campus, at the park, in the library or at the store. My parents and my older sister live only an hour away, so I can see them easily, although we are not as close as I would like.

The advantage, of course, to cutting and running is that we could be almost completely out of debt, except for a modest mortgage. With less debt we could travel more. We would make new friends, have new opportunities for ministry, we would learn new things. But is the financial incentive enough reason? Certainly not if God is not calling us elsewhere. If some of my husband's family lived somewhere other than mega-pricey Southern California then I would strongly consider relocation with less reservation.

Often I am the one most "high" on the idea of staring over in a picturesque and progressive college town, but lately when my husband says--"When we move in a couple of years..." I feel dread. Only God knows the future, and I am praying for discernment regarding our life as a family.

Micah Girl

Head, heart and gut

As I was praying this morning I realized that most often, I like to live inside my head. It's safe in there. I have a great sense of control and expertise in thinking about things. Even though that which is inside my brain does not automatically come to pass, because I am not God, I do have a sense of being in charge.

As passionate and emotional as I can be, I do not like to trust in my emotions. I do not live in my heart, largely because it hurts. I have experienced great sorrow and disappointment and fear and do not wish to live in those shadows. So I trust my emotions only when I feel they are under the control of my brain or--ideally--the mind of Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Finally, I do trust my gut. When I have a sense of right or wrong deep within me, in that area which physically is my gut, woe to me if I do not listen to it. My gut is always right. My heart can be led astray and my mind can be deceived, but my gut is always right.

Ultimately, all three should be controlled by God so that I can discern what is right, so that I can love, so that I do the right things.

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9

Help me, Lord, to rejoice in You with my mind, my heart, and my gut--to think about You, to trust in You and to experience Your peace. I want to live like You, Lord, completely and holistically. Have mercy on me.

Micah Girl

Help me

Lord, let me not be so wrapped up in knowing about You, and instead to seek to be obedient to that which I know. Let me be more interested in transformation than information, more in worship than in intellectual assent, more in love than in seeming wise.

Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

Psalm 17:3

Micah Girl