On the way home from church on Sunday we drove the "long way home" so that all 4 kids would fall asleep and take a little nap.  When we were almost home, AK(5) woke up.  He doesn't wake up like a "normal" person - stretches and slowly wakes up.  He begins talking right away.  So one second all 4 kids are sleeping and then all of a sudden we hear this voice from the back of the van:

AK:  Mom & Dad, you know what?

Me:  What, AK?

AK:  From now on, I am not going to be naughty or do anything wrong and I'm going to be nice to my sisters and I'm not going to be selfish or complain about anything and I'm going to do my chores right away and I'm going to behave and obey and I'm just going to be good all the time.

Dad:  Wow, AK!  Well, that's pretty hard to do and we will help you as much as we can.

Short Silence

AK:  Mom, what are we having for dinner tonight?

Me:  Chicken

AK:  Awww, maaaannn! I don't like chicken.  Why do we always have to have chicken?  I wanted to have hamburgers tonight.  We never have what I want to have.

Think that will make it into one of BW's sermons one day?  We had a nice laugh about it, but doesn't that just sum up so much of our Christian walk - especially when we try to make resolutions to give up sin on our own strength instead of leaning on God to help us?  "For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want...For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.  Wretched man(or woman) that I am!  Who will set me free from the body of this death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!(Romans 7:19, 22-24 NASB) 

The christian life is a constant war against sin and we cannot put our faith in our own willpower.  One of the things I am learning is that one of the marks of a true christian is someone who struggles with their sin but hates their sin and is working with God to deal with it.  I thank God that the only remedy for sin is Christ and I praise Him that despite my many failures, I AM changing daily and becoming more like Christ(Rom 8:29).  I am so grateful and thankful for how much He has changed me even though so often it seems I have so far to go.  But if I allow myself a second to look back at the person I was I am so encouraged and know that He promises that He who began a good work in me will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.(Phil 1:6).  I am sure it will take at least that long:)  Have a great day!

-J

-J