Dear grace-girl,
This is the first installment in our
Parenting in Grace series! I asked you on Instagram
(you're following me on Insta, right?!?!) what you wanted to dive into, and the winner was “Creating Family Culture, " so away we go!
When we think about creating culture for our family, we often think about what we lack, like maybe we should
- have a mission statement or values, which is something we haven't articulated yet,
- or maybe we should focus on creating a loving and gracious home, because we feel like we lack intentionality around living out those ideals,
- or maybe we think about what kind of pace we want to sustain, because we believe ours lacks a sustainable rhythm.
Friends, before we dive into the practicals – y'all know by now that practicals are my love language – let's remember the Source who can fill our lack: Jesus.
I adore the story of Jesus's first miracle when He turns water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-12). After three days of partying, Mary, Jesus's mother points out that the hosts have no more wine. Mary, probably more than anyone else at the wedding, knew the acute sting of public embarrassment, AND she knew her son could fix it.
Just like I might tell Ryan, “Hey, the front porch light is out," knowing that by my mentioning it, he'll replace the bulb, Mary points out to Jesus, “They have no more wine” (John 1:2), and then tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 1:5).
Jesus makes wine out of water, which most feel like the most normal thing in the world, because doesn't the Lord take rain and create grapes?* I wonder if this was so much fun for Jesus to do on earth as a human and not just in the heavenlies!
And of course, the wine is ah-mazing. The master of the banquet thought it was the choice wine and not the cheaper version.
Y'all, wine isn't the only thing to run out.
You run out too; you run out of energy, time, bandwidth, joy, and hope.
Jesus filled empty ceremonial washing water jars, AND He fills you up,
His treasure in jars of clay.
Jesus created the choice wine for the wedding, AND He offers you good gifts, starting with Himself as living water.
Friend, what have you run out of? Patience? Laughter? Time? Where would you like Jesus to fill you up today? What good gift can you ask the Lord for right now?
This Mother's Day weekend, if you find yourself listing all you lack or all the ways you need to improve, remember the Source that fills emptiness is Jesus. It is His grace-gift to meet you in your need and fill where you lack.
This Mother's Day, may we remember
what a Good Father we have.
Go in grace + peace + do good things,
jill
*This is not an idea original to me. I read it a book I read years ago whose title and author have escaped me!
