Weights and Measures

Last week a mom came to me with tears in her eyes. Her son was being ridiculed.

Last week a mom approached a friend of mine about her daughter being left out of a group function.

Last night a mom was sad because she feared kids didn't want her son to be a part of the Friday night game/pizza outing.

These are the late middle school/early high school years ... and they are brutal.

From athleticism to zits - they worry about it. Is my hair ok, are my shorts ok, is my face too long, my legs too short, am I too fat, too skinny, too tall, too short ...

I won't even tell you the horrible names I was called in middle school today. But the memory of it today lingers even 30 years, college degrees and many friends later ... those words still hang in the closet of my mind.

So over the weekend, I've been pondering how to approach this topic with my homeroom. I know there are lots of teachers who have these kids all together, but somehow I feel like their mine ... and, the mama did come to me.

Today's lesson was to be "read the remainder of the chapter and finish the definitions ... take notes". However, while standing in teacher devotions today, the Lord intervened. He took me off course and prompted me to do a "pre-lab" activity on using the measuring tools in the lab. And to finish the class with a conversation about how we measure people.

We talked about measuring them in worldly terms: how pretty, how ugly, how skinny, how fat, how tall, how short, how cool, how nerdy, how smart, how dumb, how athletic, how clumsy ... and how those things aren't really the measure of a person. We looked at the verse in

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

I talked about how hard it is to be 12, 13, 14 years old and not making it harder than it has to be on someone who's in the same boat!

We talked about measuring ourselves and other believers by the evidence of fruit in their lives ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control ... as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23.

And I found myself convicted. Not so much in how I measure others ... I'm not really like that so much. But rather in how harshly I measure myself. I don't value in myself the spiritual fruits- I look at how I measure up in Randy's eyes, my Dad's eyes, the eyes of someone who I allowed to behave fatherly toward me, the eyes of a friend or more likely the eyes of someone I want to call me a friend but who doesn't really. Why do I do that? Why do I measure myself by anything other than the One who only measures me by the measure of the price of His son on the Cross? Why does that harsh word or sideways glance undo years of healing and send me catapulting back 30 years into the past? Why do I trust those whom I do not believe love me above the One who Loves me the most?

On the way home, as I was beginning to really feel the sting of His Words to me this afternoon- I heard the new Kari Jobe song ... "I Know that You are For Me ... "

You Are For Me
kari jobe


So faithful. So constant.
So loving and so true.
So powerful in all You do.

You fill me. You see me.
You know my every move
and You love for me to sing to You.

I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses

I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.

So patient, So gracious,
So merciful and true…
So wonderful in all You do.
You know me. You see me.
You know my every move.
You love for me to sing to You

Lord, I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.

To remind me that
I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.

I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You will come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me of who You are.

wow ... it's been a whirlwind

of the a few weeks.

It feels like every day runs into every night faster than normal. There are no times to sit and journal or blog or even do my quiet time very effectively.

I find myself flying into conversations, out of them just as quickly and usually leaving a wake in my path ...

this will not work for long.

Things left 'undone' monkey with my brain. Not to mention my heart.

and yet right now, all I want to do is sleep!

out of exhaustion/depression/survival ...

I'm not sure but I think it's going to win out over edline, lesson plans or cornbread before Randy arrives home.

There's a fine line ...

between ministry and manipulation when it comes to praying for someone.


The truth of this struck me as I read it today.

Lord, help me to minister out of the overflow of Your Love, Your Mercy, Your Grace ... and not out of my need to force others to behave in a way that simply meets my needs.

Actions Speak

and words are ... just words.

just words?

really?

I heard those words out of the mouth of someone I deeply respect just days ago.

I had to really stop and ponder that ... because I'm a word girl. I know there is great power in words.

The problem isn't that words in and of themselves aren't enough ... it's that they imply that an action will follow most of the time. They instill a sense of hope and optimism in the delivery. But devastate when just left to swim in the heart of the receiver when neglected.

If as a parent we tell our children that we love them, but never back that up with caring for their needs in ways that are significant to them- they will never fully believe they are loved.

If as a spouse we meet every need that is convenient or easy, but neglect the ones that cost us something ... we appear to be taking advantage of our mate. And personally speaking- I'm guilty.

If as a friend we say "I care about you" but we never really back that up with any action ... then its hard to believe!

Words are easily thrown around ... but action takes sacrifice.

My friend found herself feeling like words were being tossed about carelessly by someone she wants to love her in action and in deed ... not just in theory. Not just when it looks good to those who are around to hear the declaration.

Isn't that what we all want really.

I'm hurt much less by someone who never eludes to what I can expect out of a relationship than I am by someone who makes grandiose statements and yet their actions run contrary to their words.

So begs the question ... are words as she said, "just words" ???

I don't think so.

they are the arrows that pierce a heart when not used wisely.

they are the stone that shatters the vessel when wielded carelessly.

Proverbs 16:24
Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Proverbs 25:11
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

Matthew 7:12
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.