A child was born into our lives that changed them forever. No, I'm not talking about the baby Jesus whose birthday the world celebrates this month, although we celebrate that birth with all of our hearts. 13 years ago today Michael was born into our family. The world would not have called him a beautiful baby with his deformities and challenges, but we all 5 fell in love with him instantly and welcomed whatever loving him would require of each one of us. He has taught us more and changed us in more ways than I could possibly write down. But one of the ongoing themes in my life since his birth is accepting the task that God gives me and doing all that He gives me to do with all of my heart.
I heard a speaker a couple of years ago talk about a writing class he took during his graduate studies. He wrote a paper that he researched for weeks, spent hours writing and re-writing, and was very pleased with his final paper. When he got the paper back, the writing in red on the top of the page said, "Brilliant research, Very creatively written, Amazing insight...... F (you did the wrong assignment)". That has stayed with me because it made me think of the many times that I work hard at things God has not asked me to do.....often avoiding the things He HAS asked me to do. He presses me to reach out to a difficult neighbor and I sign up to serve at a soup kitchen instead. He asks me to work with all of my heart to reconcile with a family member and I quickly sign up for a mission trip, or give to a service project. He asks me to stay up all night with a sick child and I leave him with a sitter to go and sing for a church service. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with serving the poor, going on mission trips, singing at church and every other good thing you can imagine. I've just learned that I need to spend more time seeking God about what good thing He's asking me to do instead of looking for good things to do. Normally the thing He's asking of me is already right on my doorstep or in my lap!
So today as my family looks back at 13 years with Michael, we are amazed at God's grace and His sustaining love and power. We are amazed at how He takes what seems to be an insignificant task and uses it to touch people around us. We are amazed at how much we can love a broken little boy and therefore amazed at how much God loves a broken world and broken people like ourselves. For all of it, we are grateful!
May your Christmas be filled with joy and peace and love......And may 2008 be a year of seeking your Savior and doing the task HE assigns with all of your heart!
Thanks for logging on
Angela
I heard a speaker a couple of years ago talk about a writing class he took during his graduate studies. He wrote a paper that he researched for weeks, spent hours writing and re-writing, and was very pleased with his final paper. When he got the paper back, the writing in red on the top of the page said, "Brilliant research, Very creatively written, Amazing insight...... F (you did the wrong assignment)". That has stayed with me because it made me think of the many times that I work hard at things God has not asked me to do.....often avoiding the things He HAS asked me to do. He presses me to reach out to a difficult neighbor and I sign up to serve at a soup kitchen instead. He asks me to work with all of my heart to reconcile with a family member and I quickly sign up for a mission trip, or give to a service project. He asks me to stay up all night with a sick child and I leave him with a sitter to go and sing for a church service. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with serving the poor, going on mission trips, singing at church and every other good thing you can imagine. I've just learned that I need to spend more time seeking God about what good thing He's asking me to do instead of looking for good things to do. Normally the thing He's asking of me is already right on my doorstep or in my lap!
So today as my family looks back at 13 years with Michael, we are amazed at God's grace and His sustaining love and power. We are amazed at how He takes what seems to be an insignificant task and uses it to touch people around us. We are amazed at how much we can love a broken little boy and therefore amazed at how much God loves a broken world and broken people like ourselves. For all of it, we are grateful!
May your Christmas be filled with joy and peace and love......And may 2008 be a year of seeking your Savior and doing the task HE assigns with all of your heart!
Thanks for logging on
Angela
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6 comments:
LOVE you michael (or "bichael" as tristan calls you!)
you are such a beautiful treasure....
Thanks! I needed to be reminded that I need to do what God wants me to do, join Him in what I already see Him doing, instead of what I like to do, the easier thing.
Happy Birthday, Michael!
Mike! Greetings from Minnesota! When's that new Tai-Bo video coming out?? Can't wait!
We love the Beises!
So true, If we would all just act on the still small voice of God, that some of us may tend to ignore, who knows what God would do. Happy Birthday to Michael and Merry Christmas to all.
So True, If we would all act on the still small voice of God, instead of ignore it as some of us do, who knows what God would do! Happy Birthday to Michael and a very Merry Christmas to all.
Happy Birthday Michael! I will never forget sitting at your dinner table one evening and you told about one of the girls asking why God gave you Michael. You thought it was going to be "the talk" and then she said something about not being any more special than others. You taught them from the first day that they were fortunate to have Michael as their brother. You teach me so much Angela - I need to listen more closely to what God is saying.
Hope to see you in the late spring!
Love you and your whole family!!
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