"True confession . . ."

"True confession is good for the soul." I can still hear my 8th grade math teacher saying that, as he asked who had done their homework. Today, I need to share this confession from my heart. Maybe it will help one of you too.

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Well, I did it again . . . opened my mouth and inserted my foot. As a kid, this was the transgression that brought the most disaproval . . . and punishment. You would think old folks would get the picture, but . . . here I am . . . still. As a parent . . . well it is inexcusable, but happens more than I would like it to.

Do you ever feel like you are a total flop as a parent? I DO!
Do you ever wish you could go back and erase the day. . . starting from the top? I DO!
Do you ever wonder how you could make things better, and different? I DO!

Well, today was one of those days, and God blessed me with the answer. It is so amazing how very relevant & present His Word is. . . and He proved it once again . . . just now . . . today.

I was working on children's ministry materials (go figure). Coincidence? I don't think so. There it was, hitting me between the eyes, "The Fruit of the Spirit." I know what that is, and have seen it growing in my life, but God, help me see it growing more. I need MORE fruit!

You know,
Love, that stuff that IS God. . .
Joy, that you have deep in your heart, no matter how sad you are. . .
Peace, the thing that lets you sleep at night, when there is chaos all around. . .
Longsuffering, the thing you get from tribulation . . . if you allow the Holy Ghost to work. . .
Gentleness, the way you should treat everybody, no matter how they treat you first. . .
Goodness, the nice things you do just because God said so. . .
Kindness, the thing that makes you help the needy just because they need you to. . .
Temperance, that moderation thing . . . everything in balance. . .
Faith, the determination to follow in God's footsteps, always pressing on, even when you can't see why or where or when . . .

And just when my prayer meeting ended for more of that precious spiritual fruit, I began looking for the verse where Paul reminds the Corinthians to: "Follow me . . . because I am following Christ" (1Corinthians 11:1). Well, that was it . . . time for me to stop, "We need another talk, Lord."

I am supposed to be the example here, but am I? Not always, so . . . help me God.
I am supposed to be following Christ with every decision and action, but am I? Not always, so . . . help me God.

Then, my hubby (who knows me better than anyone remaining on this earth) sent me a message. He found it online (somebody named Fleta Robinson in His Way News), and it was perfect, using 1 Corinthians 11:1, thatI had been working with. It talked about God's grace, in a version I did not recognize, but that spoke straight to my heart:

"I am always thankful to God for . . . the gift of His grace . . . He has enriched your whole lives, from the words of your lips to the understanding in your hearts . . . He will keep you steadfast in the faith to the end . . . God is utterly dependable, and it is He who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord."

Can I get an "AMEN" from parents everywhere . . . and maybe from their kids too? God's GRACE keeps us going . . . loving . . . living in harmony . . . helping each other . . . no matter what.

Now I have confessed to Him (and you too) I know I will remember this longer. . . and lean on it heavier . . . for HIS GRACE, HIS FRUIT, and HIS WORD are my greatest blessings ALWAYS. . . and that's the truest confession I have ever made!