I am different, you are too: for God's manifestation

 So, after that devotional on loving my children well, being convicted that it really is my job to lead the children, God gave me an opportunity to put on my Big Mama Hat.  We were going to a conference to learn trading, had arranged for all the kids to be in different places- with their friends.  The littles were dropped off the night before, and it was going to be a bit of a scramble to get the bigs to their places and get to the conference on time.  We ended up taking Aliya with us to the conference because her friend hadn't woken up yet.  She was so concerned that her friend would wake up soon so she could leave.  Again, as in the last conference, we had several people come and encourage us and her, that her starting young would set her up for funding herself rather than being funded by someone else (someone else gets to name her value).  

When her friend did finally text, the instructor was mid-testimony of raising her own 5 kids and starting into trade-school.  Her bigs were 18, 15, 13 and then 2 and 1.  Similar to us with the gap- a good wake-up call.  I walked out with her and she said she had to go to the bathroom.  I really got convicted in that bit of a slow down that I really wasn't happy with trying to keep my kids "happy and entertained" and meeting the minimal requirements of school... and not having some assurance that I was setting them up for a secure future in this world.  

I told her I was going to keep her at the conference and shared my thoughts.  She cried, and I prayed over her.  It came to me how we are so focused on pleasing others that we are putting ourselves last, and not putting God's will first.  What if the reason we are constantly looking for friends to hang out with is because we aren't living out our own purpose enough?  What if my ability to be so flexible and spontaneous is because I am not making sure to have purposed, focused, quality instruction and time with the kids.  I've felt like I need to engage better and more with them, now is my time.  Lord help me to do it in everything.  That they are "helpers" when I'm in the kitchen, when I'm outside, no matter what I'm doing, that there's a piece of it for them.  For them to be able to take over on some tasks.  For the treats and rewards to be real treats and rewards- not just easy life.  That they would begin to feel more daily victories.  Lord, help me to train them up well.

My vision was of Aliya someday having a really nice house and being able to hire someone to clean her toilets- a job that she currently does well, though not eagerly, when she wants the money.  In the vision Aliya tells the girl that she does such a wonderful job, but why does she clean toilets?  The girl begins to cry and tells her that somebody told her she had no worth, wasn't good for anything, and so she felt that cleaning toilets was a fitful job for her.  Aliya responds to her that that is so not true, God made her special and she is of greatest worth to Him.  Then Aliya shares with her that she has a high turn-over of toilet cleaners because she shares with them kingdom work, kingdom value, and the way God cares for His children.  The girl looks at her and is so surprised, "you would share that with me?  But I'm not qualified!"  "Everyone is qualified!" Is Aliya's response, "and God says His cup is overflowing, I must share with you."

And then I realised that little girl is Aliya.  I would never tell her that she is only worthy of cleaning toilets.  That is the job that she gets paid for in our house now (other than babysitting), but I would never want her to take on that mentality and think, "I clean toilets well, when I need money I'll go clean other people's toilets."  I really don't think that's good for anyone, other than we all need to experience doing the most despicable jobs to love those who end up doing it better.  

I said, "Aliya, I want to set you up better.  Your friends won't give up on you for this one time of cancelling.  And there will be other times.  A good friend endures.  But you have to take care of yourself in this way, so that you can be a better friend, and not a homeless friend, at the mercy of whomever has pity on you or tells you what your worth.  Even as a hired person, we let someone else tell us what we're worth.  That should only come from God, and God thinks we are worth everything when we are doing His work.  He will keep blessing us, there is no glass ceiling with Him."

I shared similarly with Nathaniel (but of grass-cutting) when we picked him up.  Lord, I want to teach my children well. I want to pass it on.  I want to be that Lady that starts with sharing it with my own children, then starts hiring on others and then starts encouraging those others.  And then my children start doing that when they are on their own.  It's a way of multiplying Kingdom opportunities.  Lord, train me, us up quickly, to do your work and do it exceedingly well.

I further felt convicted (again) that I needed to lead the acceptance of Jaxon better.  We are all different.  If we stop looking at others, especially the difficult ones, as "different" and therefore irritating, we will begin to have more compassion on them.  What if we instead acknowledged we are different.  It's true!  God called us to do something different.  Wove a different pattern in each of us: I am convicted of it for our family and that we are supposed to be much more than we are currently functioning.  What if others are "normal", it is normal and natural to do what you feel, what you think, without consulting God.  Much of what people do that is irritating is because they have no North Point.  They're just functioning- surviving- seeking thrills.  We all slide to that mentality.  But we are called to be different as God's ambassadors: set apart.  And in every temptation there is a way out, and in every trial He will keep a rem anent who will testify He is Lord.  I felt that with Co-Vid: He will keep us going when we choose Him.  

Lord, Help us to keep choosing You and to make our lives, our relationships, our interactions with family about You.  Ugh, reminder Chris and I have family too with whom it is not always easy... who think and act differently because they don't have a True North.   And, Reminder, even we who are Christian brothers and sisters are in different places of conviction and submission.  Lord, for me to remember, I am different, You set me apart, others don't understand, but I can share that where they are, You love them too.