April 2011

Grandscape (noun):

the broadest view of life - those things seen and unseen; the past, present, and future; both cosmic and earthly, mortal and immortal, infinite and enduring for all time.

So far in our journey through the Grandscape (last part in our Momology book for MOPS) we've discovered our purpose; to love and bring glory to God, as well as love others. Would you consider this to be a difficult task to accomplish? Why? Could it be that your mindsent is, "I'm just one person." or "I'm just a mom."? Consider these words from Edward Everette Hale, "I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do." Or maybe you'll find inspiration from the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve...You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." The things you do to glorify God, or to show love to others does not have to be grand. To me, any action that is done with a pure heart and for the benefit of others gives glory to God.

The next stop in the Grandscape will help us to find God and to build a relationship with Him. How do you build a relationship with the intangible? This question is one that constantly inhabits my consiousness. By reading Momology: A mom's guide to shaping great kids and REAL mom...REAL Jesus I've come to realize the answer is simple, through tangible practices. Prayer, Bible study and the Sabbath , which I think all fall under the heading of worship, are all tangible practices that help us build a relationship with God. But what does worship really mean? According to Google, worship means to idolize; love unquestionably and uncritically or to excess, show devotion to, attend religious services, and a feeling of profound love and admiration. I'd like to add another definition, one that I've gained since attending New Song; Worship means to give of yourself (time, money, talents, etc) to something. During our season of motherhood it can be difficult to find time to connect with God, or so we thought. This will require you to change your mindset; if you're willing, it will work. Ephesians 6:7 from The Message reads: "And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you are really serving God."

Finally, the Grandscape will encourage us to share God with others. This can be a difficult task; since, religion, as well as politics, is one of the most ingrained beliefts a person holds. There are many times when one wrong word will turn a simple conversation into an [assumed] personal attack. That is not my intention so I will simply say this, share God with others in whatever way you feel comfortable. For me, sharing God's love can be summed up in a one sentence quote, "Live in such a way that those who know you but don't know God will come to know God because they know you." I've always considered myself to be a good person who made choices based on how it would effect all parties involved. But I am also human, and there have been many times where my me-perspective (thank you, Jill Savage) has brought about a bad decisions and caused much pain. But as I strive to put God first in my life and live with a God-perspective (thank you again, Jill Savage) I've noticed that I've become less reactive; words that I would have used to inflict pain on those who caused me pain don't get the chance to escape my mouth. I strive to think about how my words or actions will effect others and do what is best. This is not always the case, and for that I apologize.

As my journey through the Grandscape and another MOPS year comes to a close, time for reflection has commenced. I see how much I have grown spiritually, and through that growth I have also grown in all aspects of my person. I hope that whatever journey you may be on has brought you closer to God and closer to the person you want to be.