Do You See What I See?

It is hard living in the world we live in. I find it so easy to see nothing but hate, sadness, tragedy, and despair. It is a cold and lonely place out there. We are all pitted against each other in a time when we would gain so much more if we were cheering for each other. This is why I choose not to live of this world but of another. I choose to live in my Father’s kingdom.

 

Do you see what I see? I see a world full of hearts performing random acts of kindness, just because. I see beauty in the different colors and cultures that this world is made of. I see wonder and innocence in the eyes of children. Do you see what I see? I see people deserving of love around every corner I turn. I see scholars, creatives, optimists, and believers walking down the streets. I see moms, dads, grandparents, children, cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters all around me. I see dreams being made and goals being reached.

 

Do you hear what I hear? I turn on the news and I hear of people’s lives being taken by fires, famine, and war. I hear of hate crimes and racial accusations. I hear of elderly people being scammed out of their life savings. I hear of women, even children being raped and bullied. I hear of horrifying diseases spreading rampantly throughout towns and countries. I hear a whole lot of he said she said. I hear the news anchors scaring us into believing that we will soon be out of jobs and homes. I hear political sides accusing each other of stealing, lying and cheating. I hear of kids killing kids and killing themselves because the thought of living a full life in this world is too unbearable to think. I hear people who don’t believe in my God, hating people who do, and people who do, hating those that don’t. I hear racism and fear in voices who are afraid of difference and opposing beliefs.

 

Do you feel what I feel? I feel hope, because I know that God has my life under control (Ephesians 1:11). I feel love, because God sent his only son to die for me (John 3:16). I feel wonder because everything that I believe in is more than my simple mind can comprehend (John 20:29). I feel power because through Christ I can do anything (Matthew 19:26). I feel triumph because my war has already been won (Exodus 14:13-14). I feel rested and burden free because his yolk is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30). I feel happy because God knows what my tomorrow brings (Proverbs 31:25).

 

Do you think what I think? I think that if Christians would show love instead of hate, people would be more open to hearing what God’s message is. I think that the human race needs to grow up and stop blaming everything on one another’s color, culture, and religion. I think that we should teach our children, the new generation, how to love one another and support one another through actions and not words alone. I think that we should love each other because of our differences. I think we should live our lives by a simple code of respect and humility. I think that we should take joy in the small things in life and be thankful that we are even breathing.

 

Do you choose what I choose? I choose to love my neighbor. I choose to be a building block for others. I choose to raise my children with a smile and a hug. I choose to let my children learn the freedom of choice and the consequences that accompany. I choose not to judge the homeless man, the drug addict, the prostitute, the felon. I choose not to judge the tired looking mom in the store. I choose not to hate the person who loves the same sex. I choose to love my family everyday. I choose to forgive and forgive again. I choose not to be afraid of those who have different spiritual beliefs than me. Again, I choose to love my neighbor. I choose to overlook the negativity. I choose to break the mold, redirect the path, and stop the cycle. I choose patience. I choose not to fall for temptation and instant gratification. I choose to believe in something I can’t see. I choose to dream big. I choose to be a light to lead others to grace, mercy, forgiveness and love.

 

If we ever want to see a change in this world for the better, we have to start being better people. We have to stop blaming our problems on everything and everybody else and start looking at ourselves first. We have to stop believing everything we see and hear on the news. We have to stop fearing change and embrace it. We have to stop hating people whose views are not the same as ours. We have to stop judging others for their personal and spiritual choices and freedoms. We have to stop blaming everything on race and culture. Open your eyes and look around, this world is becoming blended and we are all still guilty of trying to draw lines between us. We need to have respect for one another, love one another, give to one another, and pray for one another. We need to stop being people of this world but striving to be people of a higher world, our Father’s world.

 

I see the best in people, I hear laughter, I feel forgiveness, I think joyfully, I choose LOVE. How about you?

 

*This piece is also published on Modernmom.com. 

To my dear child,

This world is scary, it is big, mean, cruel, unjust, cold, evil, unloving, and at times very dark. I want you, my child, to be aware, stay alert and be on your toes at all times. Be ready to fight and stand up for what is right. Be ready to be judged, mocked, laughed at, and sometimes beat down. You will be yelled at, spit upon, cursed, possibly by the person you love the most. There will be times when you have to stay strong in the midst of complete and utter fear and despair. You can’t let your guard down, not even for a second. Your heart will be broken, you will lose jobs, you will lose loved ones to death and sometimes even worse…drugs and alcohol. You will see grown men cry and innocent children hurt beyond repair. In your lifetime you will witness famine and war. You will see people of power, people in which you are suppose to trust, lie, cheat, steal, and kill. Sadly you will hear of people being murdered because of their choice in clothes, lovers, music, freedom of expression. There will be children that kill themselves because the cruelty of other children is unbearable. In your lifetime you will have to watch your spouse, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, or possibly even God forbid your children fight battles with cancer and other diseases. You will suffer loss so horrific that you won’t be able to see the sun shining for weeks, even on the brightest day. Sadly, there will be times you feel scared and alone.

However, you are not alone. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) I want you to know my dear child that through all of this you will never be alone. All earthly people will at times disappoint you, even me, the one who felt you grow from within me for nine months, even me, the one who prayed for your existence in my life and felt you grow within my heart. The greatest people will disappoint you in times of your greatest need. In all of your existence there will only be one that can truly give you what you need. There is only one that will always be there, showing you the love, grace and forgiveness that you need. You will not feel deserving or worthy of it. You won’t believe that it is really there. You will probably always question it. I do. But I want you to know and to believe that you are worthy and deserving and special. You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Our God, your God is always there and never disappointing.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) Now you know that through all the angst of the world in which you have no choice but to live in, there is hope. There is hope in God, and if you have hope in God then you have a chance at life. Please hold onto the hope and love that God gives you. If you can do this, you will live a life full of color and happiness. With hope in your heart you will see hunger being satisfied. You will see smiles and hear laughter. You will see war’s coming to an end and lives being rebuilt. With hope, doors will close and new ones will be opened for you. You will reach for the stars and succeed. You will see the good in helping people up after they have fallen. You will want to be the solid rock in which helps them climb up instead of the jagged edge that trips them. There will be first dates, first kisses and late night phone conversations. You will run and be free and oh baby, you will smile, will you ever smile! You will dance at your wedding and be a witness to life being born. You will know true love and pure joy. There will be sunsets and sunrises that are so beautiful that no words could ever describe. You will sing so loud you’ll lose your voice and dance so hard you’ll lose your breath. You will laugh, oh child, you will laugh so hard tears will fall! You will rejoice in battles that have been won, and you will hold onto those you love when they start to lose hope from battles lost. There will be birthdays and cake, yes, lot’s of cake! You will walk barefoot in soft grass and warm sand. You will swim in waters that have no end in sight. Did I mention you will love and you will be loved? There will be great joy in looking back at the years you have lived and knowing that you lived, you really lived a life full of hope, love, grace, and happiness.

There is one more thing I want you to know. Always remember that I love you. I have loved you from the beginning and I will love you until the end. There will be times I disappoint you and I know that there will be moments I am disappointed in you, but there is one thing that will never end and that is my love for you. A life without disappointment is no life lived at all. Go out and spread your wings. Live this life to the fullest. Achieve the greatest and don’t be afraid to fall, just get up and try again. Smile that beautiful smile of yours. It would be a disservice to the world to keep it to yourself. Try new things. Meet new people. Visit new places. Make mistakes and learn from them. Open your heart and mind and love life. Listen, listen, listen to the sounds of the world. And pray like there is no tomorrow. Ask for God’s guidance in all that you do and you will live a successful, promising life and you will leave a mark on this world to be proud of. “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6)

Love,
Your Mom…

P.S. I hope I’m there to see it all!

Loving Blindly in a Colorful World

Colossians 3:12-14 says: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Imagine if the world loved as God intended us too! If we loved in perfect unity would we suffer from hunger, sickness, abuse of any kind? Would we be terrified of the masses of children seeking shelter in our grand Country? Would we still live in fear to this day of losing what our soldiers, their families and our founding fathers have given their blood, sweat and tears for? Would we have to bring back heroes in coffins with flags draped over? Would we still be fearful of another 9/11 attack? Ask yourself this if we loved the way God asks us too, would we have to worry about our belongings being stolen out of our vehicles or being mugged, raped, or murdered coming out of the store after last minute Christmas shopping? Would our children be safe to walk home from school without carrying whistles and a can of mace? Would we have to worry about our children going to summer camp and being “alone” with other adults? What if our only worry was our child falling down and getting a scrape, when they went out to explore the neighborhood, instead of being snatched up by a stranger. Imagine what kind of world we would live in if more people truly used the Bible, God’s word, as a guide to live life! What if people behaved the same way they do in Church on Sunday throughout the whole week?

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34. Loving each other the way Jesus loves us would require an amazing amount of love, forgiveness, and a huge dose of open mindedness. The code that we live by today tells us that a love like this in impossible. We are taught to be judgmental and close minded. We are taught to be afraid of the homeless, the immigrants, the gays/lesbians and so many more. God doesn’t say show love to only those who YOU think deserve it. He doesn’t say shun the sinners. He doesn’t say only give to those who you know for sure need it. He says, “As I have loved you, you must love one another”. He says, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18. He says, “If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.” Deuteronomy 15:7-8. Did God not give us the WORLD? God does in deed talk about the sin of homosexuality in the bible, if you don’t agree read the book of Romans. But something else that he talks about is the fact that there is no one sin greater than the next. He is adamant in the fact that he, God, is the ONE and ONLY Judge. So for those of you who condemn others for their sin, I ask you one question…Have you, yourself lived a life without sin? LOVE the sinner, hate the sin. If we could hold true to this commandment everything would fall easily into place. To love in this fashion would mean to forgive, to not harbor hate in our hearts, to not spread malicious rumors (gossip), to not judge one another for our mishaps but to help each other up when we fall.

When we were given the choice to give our love to a child through adoption, Snookums and I knew the right answer immediately in our hearts. We sat the boys down (at that time their were 4) and we discussed what it would mean for our family to open up our hearts to another child. A child that would not look like us, a child that we had not been prepared for, a child that would be a different color, a child that may or may not have health concerns that we weren’t aware of, but ultimately a child our Heavenly Father made specifically for us! While discussing this, we explained to our children that people would more than likely look at us and judge. That at times it may be hard for them to take. I’ll never forget Why For’s answer to whether or not we should give our hearts, life and love to this beautiful child that did not grow in my belly. He simply said…”Well, she’s human ain’t she?”… “YES! She is.”, we exclaimed. “She deserves our love then.” he said.

God want’s us to have a child like innocence. To have an innocence like this would mean to love blindly. To love blindly would mean to love in the purest form. Maybe we should all strive to live by State Farm’s motto…”Like a good neighbor, State Farm I’ll be there.” So….imagine if we upheld one of the greatest commandments of all, to love one another the way Jesus loves us. Our world would be full of smiles and laughter. Our children wouldn’t know hunger or prejudice. We would all work together to clothe, feed, and nurture each other. God’s commandments would be our law. Imagine if we lived in a blind world!

Thank you for reading!! If this spoke to you in any way please feel free to share it with the world!! If you are new to my blog and like what you read then click the follow link on my page to get email notifications when I write something new! Tell everyone you know to check out my stuff!! I love hearing back from you so please leave your thoughts about this:) As always I hope you have a truly blessed day! Go out and love blindly!!!!

XOXOXO~
~Mommamamom~