Planting Seeds

I have an opportunity daily to show the light and love of Christ to my girls.  I sometimes think "I could be doing so much more for God if I just moved to Africa!"  but then I remind myself that a soul is a soul, whether it's in Africa or here in Chicago.  God is jealous for each of us, He wants every single one of His children to turn to Him and accept His Son as their Lord and Savior.  As much as I think I'd like to move to Uganda, I know God has me here, right here, for a reason...3 reasons actually.

The girls weren't really sure what a Bible was when I started working for them.  When I pulled out my Bible to work on the Job study I was going through at the time, the girls stopped playing Barbies and asked what I was doing.  Since then, it's become a familiar sight--the girls playing or doing homework, and me reading my Bible or working on a Bible Study.  Phoebe even checks in a few times a week to see if I'm keeping up with my daily reading (I'm doing a Bible in a year plan) and if I've done my pages of reading/workbook for small group.

We listen to KLOVE in the car (because I don't wanna have to explain what DJ's are talking about or what Ke$ha's lyrics mean...) and God often provides openings for me to talk about what I'm reading or answer a question with a Biblical perspective.

My prayer each day as I drive to work (it's a short prayer because work is only 1.2miles away) is that this family would see that I'm different than everyone else they encounter in their daily lives, but that it wouldn't be me that they see, but that it would be Jesus.  That His light would shine through me and into the darkness.  That I would serve them as Jesus would and that I would serve them as if I were serving Him.

I understand that I may never know what comes of the seeds that are planted in the time I have with the girls.  That I have to give to God.  Trust that He will soften hearts and open eyes to His truths.

I do know however, that my girls get it.  They get that I'm different than other people they encounter.  Little comments like, "Linsey would NEVER do that!" or the way they now look for homeless people to give their snacks to instead of getting upset when I give their snacks away while at red lights.  

And this...this past weekend the whole family went to St. Louis to explore the City Museum and take in the Arch.  On Tuesday (I had Monday off) the girls handed me a little brown bag and said they'd gotten/made me a gift.  In the bag was this:

A bracelet (made from a shoelace from the Shoelace Factory) with cross beads on either side of my initials.  I love that when they think of me, they think of the Cross...or maybe it's that when they see a cross they think of me.  Either way, I know those are seeds that will one day sprout.  And that is just enough for me!