Five minute fridays: what mama did

I saw my friend Ali's post on this prompt and I knew that I needed to write this--because today is my momma's birthday. 

My momma carried me 41 1/2 weeks and labored over 24 hours for me. She gave up her nursing career to raise me. She worked a crazy overnight shift Friday night into Saturday and then came home and cared for her stubborn, bottle-refusing, infant daughter. She led me to Jesus in our little blue kitchen in the middle of making pies. She became camp nurse so that her little one could go to camp and still have the comfort of having momma near (I didn't go to camp without her until I was 15!) She drove me everywhere and made that space the place to share everything that was on my heart. She loved my dad and together they gave me the stability of a happy home. She challenged me, rebuked me, corrected me and encouraged me. She got up at 5am with me everyday for 6 months or more to pray for me and trust God with me for each day. She loved me enough to let me go, yet also loves me enough to let me come home anytime I want. She was my role model, as nurse, as mother, as wife and friend. I thank God for her always and wish her a very happy day!

Stuck in Him

I have been thinking an praying about a pretty major decision lately and as I see the Lord reveal His will to me I am thrilled at the confirmations that He has sent my way.

The decision before me would have been a major change in location for a girl who has grown up in the same town since she was 7, the same church since she was born. The girl who likes to travel but always loves coming home. The girl who finally moved out at the age of 25, a mile and a half down the road!

Then I read Ann Voskamp's blog--and she said "I'd just stayed here." 

And this morning Ron Hutchcraft said," Wherever you are, be all there."

And so here I will stay and rejoice in the good gifts that the Father has given me!

Here am I

The answer is "here am I"---the words that Isaiah spoke when the Lord asked "Whom shall I send and who shall go for us?"

I have wrestled with this question--wanting to answer like Isaiah, fearing what that might mean. 

Interestingly enough, the word send carries with it the idea of the shoot growing out from a vine. And the word go carries with it the idea of the manner of life lived. 

Sound familiar? Maybe reminiscent of Jesus' words "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

When the Lord asks, "whom shall I send"---He is asking "who will be a branch from my vine?" And when He asks, "who shall go for us"---He is asking "who will live for Me?"

So maybe the "here I am" is more about who we are in Christ--not where we are geographically or circumstantially.

Here I am. In the same town I grew up in. In the same church that I have always attended. In the same ministry for almost 10 years. And Here I am. Ready and willing Lord to be used of You!