"And He said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ... And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? ... O you of little faith! ... For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (from Luke 12:22-32)
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"You just have to love them, that's all you REALLY have to do today." These are immeasurably wise words from a revelation a childhood friend of mine recently had and wrote about (okay, to be honest I used to babysit her and her brother, but she's married now with 3 beautiful girls of her own. ...yeah, like that doesn't date me ;). Anyway, I will never forget that one simple sentence because it did the same thing for me that it did for her: like the answer to a prayer I didn't even know I was praying, it brought me back to reality when reality was oh-so-clouded-over with the unnecessary. Sometimes, when all the small problems of day-to-day life are too much to handle, we need to be reminded that we don't REALLY have to handle them.
When I hear my hometown friend say (about her children): "You just have to love them, that's all you REALLY have to do today," I hear Christ say, "Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will put on" (Luke 12:22). I am eternally grateful to Mrs. Jenny Roth for giving me permission--or rather helping me understand that I have permission--to do nothing more than love my kiddo on those difficult days when my disease rears its ugly head and I can do nothing more than love her. She also helped me to see that not only is that good enough, but it is everything good. I am still Josie's Mom on my bad days when all I do is love her, what's more I am her good Mom, even if that's all I can do.
Please, take a moment and click on the picture below to read Mrs. Jenny Roth's award winning essay:
Please, take a moment and click on the picture below to read Mrs. Jenny Roth's award winning essay:
by Jenny Roth
But now thus says the LORD,
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are Mine.
Because you are precious in My eyes,
and honored, and I love you."
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