Marilyn, my mommie mentor

Today my sweet friend Marilyn is having heart surgery. I will never forget meeting her. I was in a Mom's Group at our church. I was new to the church and the area, did not have any friends yet. In walks this tall older woman who seemed to command the room. Oh and when she prayed! She prayed with such confidence!

One day after having gone to Mom's group for several weeks I notice Marilyn seemed to be following me as I went to pick up the boys from the nursery. I have my hands full and she offers to help. Then we got to talking  and she sweetly smiled at me and said the oddest thing. She said, "I am going to pursue you." I didn't quite know what to say to that so I didn't say anything. When my hubby got home later that evening I said, "Guess what honey? I am being pursued!" He didn't laugh. I thought it was funny. When I told him who it was then he laughed.

Pursue me she did. Not in a weird stalker kind of way, but rather in a loving friend, motherly mentor kind of way. We would meet for lunch, or coffee and just talk. She would give advice about the raising of boys. I would listen. She would pray and I would be in awe. She loved me when I needed to be loved.

She is a strong woman. She lives in Florida now but every time she makes a trip this way we always carve out time for each other. This last time she said, "Denise I am ready to go. If I die during this surgery it will be okay." I did not say a word because I knew if I spoke I'd cry. Yesterday she said to me, "My theme for today is I Surrender All." I quickly said, That is not my theme for today Marilyn, I am not ready to surrender you!

As I write this my sweet mommie mentor is having her surgery on a heart that is full of Jesus. If you are the praying type, I sure would appreciate a prayer being put up for my friend.

Humility

Humble: I tried to find an actual definition of humble/humility but the wording was confusing. So what does it mean to be humble? Humility is the ability to know and understand that you are not God. You don't have all the answers, you don't even have some of the answers, you don't have the master plan, you don't get to be the judge. Humility is being easily bent. As compared to stiff necked "I do it myself" mentality. Humility is the understanding that you don't do anything by yourself.

I love horses. I grew up on a horse farm. When trying to lead a horse if they are stubborn they will plant their feet and raise their head and stiffen their neck. Which makes it impossible to lead them, they don't go anywhere, they just stand there. If they are not stubborn they will relax drop their head and be easily lead. Sometimes the reason a horse will not be easily lead is because they don't trust the leader, or they can be scared of where they leader is taking them.

I want to be easily lead by my Lord. I don't want to be stubborn and stiff necked. I want to trust my leader. I want to be more humble.

The opposite of humility is pride. I'm sad to say that I have more than enough pride. Ugh! It is so ugly! I hate it! When I really sit and evaluate my past and current sins it all boils down to pride. Thinking I know better than the God of Universe, how absolutely preposterous is that???

I'm not the only one who has fallen into that trap. We see it in every character in the Bible (except Jesus who was perfectly humble), Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, James, John, heck the whole nation of Israel! But here is the interesting thing. God blesses the humble.

In 2 Chronicles 12:6&7 "So the leaders of Israel, and the king humbled themselves, and they said, "The Lord is righteous." Now when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah saying, "They have humbled themselves therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on them."

Humility, what does it look like in your life? Are you like me and have a hard time giving up control? Are you like the stiff necked horse who plants their feet and doesn't trust the leader? Or are you easily bent, relaxed and pliable?