Moment By Moment

I'm convinced that God gave me five children to teach me some things. To grow me. To complete me. To get me out of my comfort zone.

I'm not one to enjoy a challenge. I love just being at home, reading, enjoying the quiet, predictability of life; never less alone than when alone.

And here I sit with a husband and five children, continuously surrounded by controlled chaos. While others who thrive on companionship and would make great parents remain alone and/or childless.

God has a sense of humor, Amen! :)

He knows our needs better than we do. Even when we stubbornly insist on thinking otherwise; questioning His ways.

If my life would have turned out the way I wanted it to, I would not:

~be blotting mysterious stains out of my carpet as a part-time job. :)

~know how to fix nursemaid's elbow.

~know how to treat just about any illness, naturally.

~know how to get permanent marker, finger nail polish, and blueberry stains off of just about anything.

~be able to enjoy getting five kids ready and loaded up in the van as a matter of course.

~know how to take apart and reassemble a dishwasher.

~have learned how to keep a very-much-lived-in house clean 24/7.

~be able to feed a whole crew of people at a moment's notice without being stressed...three times a day.

~be able to teach a five year old boy (who wants nothing more than to be outside playing in the dirt, and whose forte is numbers, NOT letters) to read and write, while explaining long division to a 9 year old, while trying to help a seven year old learn cursive, while attempting to keep a 2 and three year old out of the water, toilet, permanent markers, cleaners, food and whatever else they can find to get into.

And most importantly...

~have as close a relationship with the Lord as I do as a result of all of the above, and learning to to take it all patiently.

The simple fact is that I cannot do this job alone. I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no. good. thing. Not one. All of my righteousness is as filthy rags. I have nothing to offer.

But He can take nothing, and make it into something beautiful....

if I only choose to die to myself daily.

Moment by moment.

Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus, a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

Never a trial that He is not there,
Never a burden that He doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that He doth not share,
Moment by moment, I'm under His care;

Never a heartache, and never a groan,
Never a tear-drop and never a moan;
Never a danger but there on the throne,
Moment by moment He thinks of His own.

Never a weakness that He doth not feel,
Never a sickness that He cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus, my Savior, abides with me still.

Chorus:

Moment by moment I'm kept in His love;
Moment by moment I've life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

~May Whittle Moody