If I could Cha-a-a-nge The World (think...Eric Clapton)

So, my post has nothing to do with Eric Clapton, but when I began to write, his song is what popped into my head!

Last August, I was blessed to attend the MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers) National Convention in Orlando. I went to a class called, "Serving the World with A Toddler on Your Hip," by Hayley DiMarco. I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I figured it had something to do with service. I long to serve. It is a passion of mine, but has fallen to the wayside since we moved to Florida. I have looked into a few things, but nothing seems to work out....or what I should say is, I haven't worked hard enough to get them worked out.

Haley told us about her story. She was a writer and her husband was a successful business man. They had a heart for service, but like many parents, felt as though they could only do so much with the toddler to tow. However, they challenged themselves, moved out of their big Nashville home, bought an RV, and lived on the road. Their mission: visit homeless shelters all over the country, recording men reading the Bible. They, then, took these readings and composed an audio Bible, which they later used in future missions, including Hungry Planet.

She had several major points which stood out to me. I had forgotten about this class, until today. I started thinking about where we will be next year. Will we make lots of money? Very little money? Have a nice house? Live in an apartment? There are so many uncertainties about our future, but today, I was imagining that we made lots of money, and how, when we do, I will hire a personal masseuse to come to my home once a week. Then, I stopped in my tracks, and was reminded of this class I had attended.

So often we focus so much of our energy on money and what we will do with it, if/when we have any. One of the major things that I took from this class was about this very thing. She asked us the question (worded from memory, so it's not exactly the same), "How many of your luxuries are indirectly causing someone else to miss out on their needs." BAM! Slap in the face. Now, clearly, you purchasing a new Porsche does not mean someone's food is being taken away from them. Or does it? We could go crazy with this, but let's look at a few examples....and I will use myself, because I do not want make you think I've got it all together. One of my "luxuries" is that I can go to Chick Fil A pretty much whenever I want. What if I took all the money I spend at Chick Fil A and, instead, saved it up and sent it to Africa. They could probably feed 10 starving children for what my one meal cost. Another example: What if I traded my Odyssey in for a car, that would be safe, but was not as new or as nice....then I could use that extra money on a child's education expenses in Russia, or even in here, in our own back yards!

There are so many ways that we could live without our luxuries so that we may give more to the less fortunate. Matthew 25:40 even says, "The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of min, you did for me. "

I am going to challenge myself and YOU to find at least one luxury you could do without, and find a place to give. Bear in mind, that a great luxury you "own" is the ability to do with you time what you choose. What if you took some time out of your day to help someone in need, serve at a local mission, etc. That is also a great luxury to give up!

This brings me to my next point....or, I suppose, Hayley's next point. Because we were discussing how to serve the world with a toddler on our hips, she challenged us to think about this: Are you children your idols?

Wait, what??

She actually made a very valid point. God said to put no gods (idols) before Him. Do we use our children as a crutch? Do we idolize our children more than God? Her point was, God should be number one...not the normal things us moms think about--not our children's safety, not their health, not their naps, playgroups, sports, etc. No....GOD! I know for sure that I use my children as a crutch. "Well, Parker and Savannah are too young to be exposed to that." Or, "If we take them on a mission trip, they may get sick or hurt." HOWEVER, we must remember God comes first. Yes, lets be reasonable, but lets not idolize these children. We should never make their needs greater than God's need for us to show His love.

She gave an example of a family of five who moved to Africa to support a mission there. Their families gave them a very hard time because it wasn't safe or sanitary. Yet, they went. While there, their little tot got very sick and died due to the lack of medical care. However, instead of dwelling on the "what if's" or the "how could you have done this to him's", they moved on because they knew God had called them to do this....and God is supreme...even over our children.

Yes, I know....this is a VERY hard concept to grasp. We, especially as mother, are to take care of these children, not putting them in harm's way, etc. So, to be able to accept that their needs and desires, etc. should not be our greatest concern, is no easy task!! It is definitely something I am still trying to wrap my head around.

I truly want to serve as a family. This may not mean going to Africa, but I would love to find a place for us to serve as a family and stop letting the "luxuries" of my life control it.

I ask that you pray for me, because even though I love to serve, I often have a hard time giving up my luxuries and handing over my fears to the Lord.

Take small steps....ease into it...

This is my challenge to myself and to you....

Are you up for it? Are you ready to get off that comfy sofa or soft bed, and go be the light that God calls us to be??