Posts Tagged: Gifts

Yielding Peaceful Fruit of Righteousness: The Results of Discipline

Hebrews 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

I shared with you that my son Daniel is learning to play the violin. He is a beginner, but shows real signs of a great musical ear. It is a delight to watch him discover his capabilities. This last week I got a front row seat for a transition in him. His teacher was more firm with Daniel and I saw the look on my son’s face. His response could go one of two ways, either he melted down into tears because he perceived he wasn’t getting it right, or he heard what his teacher was really saying. “Daniel you are too talented for me to let you get by with sloppy playing.” I bit my lip and held my breath watching Daniel process his teacher’s constructive criticism.

“So if I was giving my best, we would be further along in the book?” Daniel asked.

“Yes.” His instructor answered.

From that moment forward Daniel focused and they played a beautiful duet to end the session. Daniel has not been the same this week. He is practicing without much prompting, way past the 15 min we had been requiring, and he has even picked up on how to play the intro to the Star Wars Theme Song just by watching another violinist play it on YouTube. There is a joy, and discipline that wasn’t there a week ago.

What is it that you and I need to take more seriously? God has gifted each of us! Have you taken the risk to find out what that gifting is? Seek the heart of our creator to discover who he has made you to be. Like Daniel and I, you may be in the midst of God’s discipline. We are too beautiful, too loved and too talented, not to embrace our calling. Don’t you dare tell me that you have no gift, I’ve tried that same tactic. To be totally honest I squandered my writing abilities, because I feared rejection, lacked discipline, and didn’t want to take risks. God is changing me through Jonathan’s death, and revealing to me how much my unique creative fingerprint matters. I want to give you comfort and hope in the midst of your trials and circumstances, because God created in me a love for words, they are my violin. There is a drive, and urgency in my sharing my story, because God created my gifts for such a time as this!

What is in Your Hands?: Opening our hands to God’s great gifts

What is in your hands? A common question from parents, seeing their children clenching a object tightly in a effort to hide it. As I grieve I have to be careful not to hold on to tightly to my children, my husband, or objects of remembrance.

We are headed into seasons Jonathan has always been an intricate part of. He loved Christmas! Before Daniel and Natalie were on the scene he was the one getting all the adults up to come down for presents. In recent years he has helped me paint a football field in the yard as part of Daniel’s present. We would come out after lunch Christmas day and play a game.

So today I reveal to my heavenly father what is in my hands. I am holding so tightly to the fact that Jonathan should be here that I’m missing out on creating new memories with Daniel and Natalie. I open my hands to the new gifts God wants to bring to my family this year.

Today we start a new Christmas tradition. Can’t tell you, its a surprise! Just know that it will be filled with love, joy, and peace, especially wrapped for you! What are you holding on to this Thanksgiving and Christmas? Can we open our hands and allow God to give us far greater than anything we hold tightly to?

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