The "What If" game

I don't know about you, but bedtime is one of my favorite times of the day. Well Uriah's bedtime that is. :) You may be thinking "what a terrible mom!" or you may be thinking "I know the feeling!" But before you start your judgment, let me tell you why.

I love Uriah's bedtime for many reasons.

1. There's something about routine that just soothes my soul. I love knowing exactly what to expect, and I think babies do too. He knows EXACTLY whats coming when the bathwater starts running. He knows there will be a bath, then lotion as we sing "where is the horse", then pjs and a GOOD diaper, (haha not the cheapos we use during the day!) then a bottle. By the time I have sat down with a bottle his mouth is gaping open and leaning towards it. He knows whats going on.

2. I can FINALLY get everything done that I need to. Dishes, bottles for the next day, and clothes for that boy laid out if tomorrow is a busy day, small group lessons planned, and PINTEREST.

3. The biggest reason I love bedtime is its bible story time (most nights. I'm not perfect guys!) I love the idea of teaching Uriah about my Jesus, and what the bible says. There will come a time when Uriah must choose his own way, but I feel like it is my responsibility as well as Tobi's to teach him the ways of the Lord. We read a bible story from the bible I received when I was five years old (hows that for sentimental?) and then we say a prayer. It is usually thanking God for our bible story of the evening, and what it taught us, praying for our health, to get Tobi home safely, and anything else that's going on. That leads me to where this blog idea originated.

Today, I received some news that is seriously weighing on my heart. Like can't get it out of my mind. I feel so broken for the family that it affected, and I can't help but wonder how they're taking it. If it were me, I know there would be a lot of "God, what are you doing?!" and a WHOLE lot of the "what if" game going on. And if you have a beating heart, flesh covering your bones, and breath in your lungs I have a feeling you'd be doing the same. Atleast to some extent.

The What If game gets us nowhere. Sometimes terrible things happen to good people. God is still in control, he still loves his people, and he still uses things that we see as "terrible" "messy" and "heartbreaking" and turns it into something that glorifies him.

Still, we play the game.

Tonights bible story was about the Wise Men who came to see Jesus. King Herod tried to trick them, and said he wanted to know where Jesus was so that he could go worship him. He was a liar. He was scared for his throne, and wanted to kill Jesus. WHAT IF the wise men weren't so wise? WHAT IF they'd bought Herod's story and went and revealed Christ's exact location?

We would be living in a very different world.

Would we still have such compassion for eachother's joys and eachothers hurts? Would I have sat and cried with my baby tonight as I prayed for our friends during our bedtime prayers? Would God have created a new way for Christ to save us? Would angels have come and fought off Herod's men to save the infant Christ? There are so many different things that could have happened.WHAT IF?

You never know how your little decisions will affect the world. Things may seem small. Maybe the wise men really realized how BIG their decision to go home a different way was. Maybe they didn't.

What decisions are you making that may affect your family, your friends, your church, your community, your world? Big or Small?

Are you seeking God's counsel?

Are you trusting Him with the small things as well as the big?

I challenge you, invite the Lord into your decision making.

And while you're spending some time with him, pray for my friends. May the Lord begin healing and comfort, where man's words fall short.