I write about my kids a lot because not only are they the biggest part of my life but they give me really great material. I probably learn more from them, their questions and curiosities than anything. The other day Maiah was pouting because Mikayla had a doll that she wanted. She already had a doll in her hands, it just wasn’t ‘that doll’. I asked Maiah what her problem was,
“I want that” she said.
“But Maiah you already have a doll right here” I said.
“Yeah I know but I want that one” Maiah replied,
“Maiah” I said “don’t be greedy, be grateful for what you have in your hands”
She continued pouting and I walked away but then I thought…yeah, that was a good word.
Be grateful for what is in your hands
It sounds pretty basic but how often do we not pay attention to what is already in our hands and inside wanting something more or what appears to be more. It could be a million things from something as petty as clothing to where or what stage we are in life. I personally can lose my contentment quite easily if I’m not careful. My mind is full of ideas and I am often in 1000 places at once. While this personality trait comes in a bit handy for multitasking and creativity, it is not always great for being able to rest in what has been placed in my hands.
I’m a dreamer at heart and so I still dream about what I want to be when I grow up. I still want to be a counselor, I might be 87 when I finish my degree but hey, it is a dream. I still want someone to be moved and encouraged by the songs I write, it’s a dream. I still want to write books. Yeah, as a mom of four with my cup overflowing I still have dreams, lots of them. So does that mean I’m not content? No, not at all, unless I let my dreams become more of a focus than what God has already placed in my hands. Moms dream too.
My husband, my precious children, friends, family, the worship ministry I’m privileged to be a part of, the single moms group that I am blessed to serve, this blog that I get to exhale my thoughts to, all these things have been placed in my hands. These are the places where I give my all because it is what has been entrusted to me right now. For such a time as this I have been entrusted with this much.
I might not write the book… I might not finish my degree…but I can still dream.
I can dream without the need to be entitled to my dreams because at the end of the day, if my dreams aren’t something that God dreamt up for me than I don’t want them. I want to be content with His dream, for His dreams supersede anything I could think of and most importantly
His dreams point to Him.
When I was 21, I left my small home town in Washington to move to Florida to get away from an abusive relationship. I was a frightened, numb little girl who had no dreams other than to escape reality; I just wanted to be free. I had no idea what God had dreamt for me. I thought maybe I will move to the sunshine state, get a good job and meet a guy who won’t hurt me. I had no idea that God would arrest my heart the way He did, transform me completely, give me a mended heart and bless me with a man who loves me in a way I never could have dreamt of. I didn’t know, I couldn’t see that far. I couldn’t see that God would use all of my years of heartache and brokenness to mend others. I’ve become a wounded healer. My heart is drawn toward the hurting. I can’t escape them and had I followed my meager dreams of just doing what I wanted, I would have missed my calling. I would have missed what God wanted to place in my hands. I get to walk with hurting people in ministry and help them lift their heads to the one who lifts their hearts. Wow…I couldn’t have dreamt this up if I tried. So as I look back on where I was and where God has brought me I once again am humbled by what He has placed in my hands.
What about you? Is there something, or someone that God has placed in your hands that you cannot see because you are to focused dreaming about “that other thing” to notice what is already there?
What is in your hands?
