The Heart of a Little Child

To say the past couple of years have been anything but "normal" for Lucy would be an understatement. 

The week before Easter 2011, she was going to be a big sister ... 

then the miscarriage on Easter Sunday  (LINK here)

A couple of months later, she was going to be a big sister (again) ... (LINK here)

and her Mommy had to be very careful during this pregnancy which resulted in little brother Tag (Feb 2012)

In the Fall of 2011 her Daddy deployed to Afghanistan for a mission that would last around a year ...

but he was wounded in action 11 days after Tag was born. (LINK here)

For the following 5 months, Lucy divided her time between living on the Walter Reed campus with her parents & baby brother and part of the weeks here at home with her Grandad & Granny.
(post: Sometimes I Forget LINK here)

For a little girl who will be turning 5 years old this September, she's already seen a lot in her lifetime. Her experiences have taught her more than alot of adults know or have seen.  She is keenly aware of others' feelings and is sympathetic when someone is physically hurt, sad or has hurt feelings. When one of her classmates would be sad at preschool, her little heart would hurt & we would pray for that classmate here at home. 

Lucy knows a bit of the medical aspect of life as well. She knows what prosthetic limbs are & what they are made of ... she can even pronounce "prosthesis" better than her Granny.  She has a soft spot in her heart for our country's Little Warriors & wants to make sure they are taken care of along with their heroes.

This past September marked even more changes & growth for Lucy ...
she became a preschooler and a ballerina for the first time.

Here's some highlights from her "school year" ...

September 10, 2012 ...
1st day of preschool

September 21, 2012 ...
1st dance class

September 23, 2012 ...
1st airplane ride
(the pilot let Lucy sit in the co-pilot's seat when the plane was empty)

What a way to spend her 4th birthday!











And Lucy did something very special for a friend of hers one day ...

At snack time, Lucy moved her chair to sit by a friend who didn't have anyone sitting next to her. They had been assigned a snack-seating chart, so this was one of those days when a little girl was just sitting alone. Lucy's heart went out to her friend and she simply did not want her friend to be lonely.

My heart both swelled with pride that she had compassion for her friend ...
and it broke just visualizing how sad the scene was set. 
I honestly believe that God orchestrates situations in our lives that will bring us aware that we are to be as He is -- 
and God absolutely loves our little children ...
ummmm --- HIS little children. 

With so many "firsts" occurring in Lucy's life over this past school year, it has become more evident that she simply puts God first in her heart ... then others ... then herself.  
Oh to have the heart and spirit of a little one. 

Dear Lucy, 
Thank you for being sensitive to others. Your heart shines through in everything you do. Please always follow God's directions for your life & your heart for others. You don't realize this, but you are truly one of the most awesome role models in your Granny's life. 
Whether you're at Walter Reed giving out welcome bags to our
Little Warriors ... 
or off on an adventure with your friends ... 
or learning more about God at preschool or Sunday School ...
or simply just doing everyday here at home -- 
YOU are who I strive to be as ... everyday.  
You are my role model & my inspiration, 
and I just know that God has some mighty awesome plans for you. 
I Love You Always Sweetie, 
Your Granny

My Offering of Worship

Magnificent Holy Father, I stand in awe of all I see, Of all the things You have created, But still You choose to think of me.

Who am I that You should suffer, Your very life to set me free, The only thing that I can give You, Is the life You gave to me.

This is my offering, dear Lord, This is my offering to You, God And I will give You my life For it's all I have to give  Because You gave Your life for me.

I stand before You at this altar, So many have given You more, I may not have much I can offer, 

Yet what I have is truly Yours.

This is my offering, dear Lord, This is my offering to You, God And I will give You my life For it's all I have to give  Because You gave Your life for me.

What a beautiful surrender to God Almighty!  To worship Him by giving Him my life.  It's what I give to God outside of being gathered at church.  It's easy to put on a front to others while singing "Lord I lift Your name on high".  It's easy to smile "I'm doing great, how are you".  It's easy to raise my hands as "I give my life to the Potter's Hands". 

Remember when Samuel went to Jesse's house because God had chosen a king from Jesse's sons?  Samuel looked at Eliab and said "Surely the Lord's anointed one is before him!"  But the Lord said to Samuel, " Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  (I Samuel 16)  

For so many years, I have looked at this passage and just saw the contrast of my looking at someone's physical appearance, but God actually looking deeper into their heart.  But, I've learned over the past several weeks that this passage goes deeper than just the "outward physical appearance".  There's only but so much that I can truly "see" of a person, and only so much someone else can see of me.  But yet, God sees everything.  He sees my life outside my church, my thoughts, my heart, my motives ... yeah, He sees my everything.

My life is my worship to God.  It's my words, my actions, my thoughts, my attitudes, my very most private moments ... every little detail of my life is my worship to God.  I only have one life that God has given to me.  This is the life that I worship Him with --- not just in song, but in every aspect of my breathing.  

I'm coming back to the heart of worship

And it's all about You

It's all about You Jesus.

I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it, 

When it's all about You

It's all about You, Jesus.

My Heart of Worship

When the music fades, And all is stripped away And I simply come

Longing just to bring Something that’s of worth That will bless your heart.

I’ll bring you more than a song For a song in itself Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within Through the ways things appear You’re looking into my heart.

I’m coming back to the heart of worship And it’s all about You All about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it When it’s all about You It’s all about You Jesus.

 

Have you heard the story behind The Heart of Worship?  I encourage you to take time to read it and imagine yourself as a member of the Soul Survivor church in Watford, England.  What would you do if there were no music in your church services?  If your pastor told you that something has been missing from worship – and it’s your heart? 

I remember several years ago a former worship leader asked this question:  What would happen if we actually lived out the words we sing at church on Sundays?  Only trust Him, Only trust Him, He can save you now, And He will surely give you rest by trusting in Him now.  Or how about Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. 

For many years now, the ‘debate’ has been growing about singing hymns in church versus singing contemporary worship songs.  Some people think hymns are the ‘only’ music that is appropriate to worship God.  Others want more contemporary music to relate to their life in today’s society.  My stance on hymns versus contemporary music is this … it really does not matter if you sing a hymn or if you sing a contemporary song.  I do not believe God has a preference to which style of music you sing to Him.  What He is concerned about is our heart attitude.

Let me make a clear statement – I love hymns and I love contemporary worship music.  I really do not have a ‘preference’ as to which style I sing.  I do not think there is a more beautiful image of God than in Amazing Grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found Was blind but now I see.  Or in Just As I Am without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me And that thou bidst me come to thee O Lamb of God, I come, I come.  

But how much thankful for the gift of salvation than This is my offering dear Lord, this is my offering to You God, I will give You my life for it’s all I have to give because You gave Your life for me.  Or to anticipate His Coming For His returning we watch and we pray We will be ready the dawn of that day We’ll join in singing with all the redeemed ‘Cause Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King.

Each song is so meaningful in its own message.  I cry every time I hear them.  I would quickly run out of space in this post if I copied the lyrics to all of them.  But you know something, if my heart isn’t in the right place, even these most beautiful lyrics will be worthless.  I can sing to the top of my lungs, close my eyes, lift my hands … but if my heart isn’t right with God, the words coming from my mouth are for nothing.  And it doesn’t matter if it’s a hymn or a contemporary worship song. I may be able to put on a front to others around me … but not to God.  He knows me inside and out … better than I know myself. 

But I still feel like I’m missing something … is there more to worship than just my singing songs to God on Sundays?  I already know the answer, but that’s for another post. 

God is not interested in my lip-service ... He's interested in my heart-service.