Seeking Gentleness

You know how sometimes when something happens in a certain way that seems too special to be simple coincidence (not that I actually believe in simple conincidence ;)) you wonder if it’s a “sign” — if it happened for specific reason?

Well, last week I was looking at a blog and viewed a sweet video from Youtube of a child reciting a passage from Scripture. I called my children to come watch because I knew they would enjoy it, especially since they had been working so hard on learning their Bible verses for Sunday school.

From there I clicked to some other “related” videos on Youtube. While checking out the selection, I saw a video about the story behind the song “It is Well with my Soul.” I just love that song. It makes me want to weep with feelings of great joy and sadness combined because not only do the words hold such amazing encouragement and the tune is beautiful, but I have been so touched by the story behind it. When I saw a video available which told the story of the man who wrote the lyrics, I decided to share it with my children, and so gathered around the computer screen together we watched it.

Well, it so happened that Sunday morning we sang “It is Well with my Soul” in church! And after we sang it the pastor mentioned that there was a story behind the song, and he encouraged the congregation to look it up on the Internet this week.

I figure maybe there is some reason why this song is being impressed upon me and my children right now. Maybe there is something He wants us to learn. Maybe He picked this as one way to help show us He is involved in the details of our lives and really cares for us. And maybe I’m supposed to share it with others. I’d like to share it here with you now. May you be blessed!

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Here is the video that we watched on youtube last week:

[update: March 16, 2008 — the video we first watched about this song is no longer available]

Here is one which tells the story:

http://www.youtube.com/v/KYP--c2LTfg

I thought this version of the song sounded amazing:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Vaar6Ij55ig

Today I stood in church after the close of the service hearing the sounds of people milling around and visiting with one another.  My heart started to ache and tears came to my eyes.  I thought to myself about how any of these people could be hurting deeply inside.  

Hurting people are all around us each day.  The mother next to you with the little baby could be struggling with post-partum depression.   That couple over there might be struggling in their marriage.  There might be struggles with porn, or there could be silent enduring of emotional abuse day after day. 

People often put on masks to hide their pain.   They often don’t know what to do, and all too often in Christian circles hurting people figure that as a Christian they shouldn’t feel terribly sad or anxious.  They may feel that their sadness or their struggles are a result of sin in their lives and that it’s all their fault, and they may feel ashamed.  They may feel desperate, trying harder and hard to do what they perceive to be the right thing to do, and things don’t get better.   They may be sinking deeper and deeper down afraid to cry out for help.

It’s overwhelming to think of all the hurting people in the world.  Dear Father, I wish I could help.  I want so badly to help.  I want to be Your hands, dear Jesus, to help others in need.  Please work through me. 

Please know that God loves *you*.  He sent His son to die for you and to pay the penalty for your sins.  You have only to believe in Him — and even this faith is a gift from Him.   He doesn’t want you to fail.  He wants to lift you up in His lap and carry you in His arms and give you rest and peace. 

As His child you are FORGIVEN.  Completely forgiven.  When God your Abba Father, your Daddy, looks at you, He doesn’t see a dirty, icky person.  He sees you through Jesus, and you are His own, holy, justified, forgiven.  You can come boldy to His throne of grace and seek help in time of need.  He is listening, and even now Jesus is praying for you.  So even if you don’t know what words to say to Him, cry out.  God knows your hurts and is counting your tears and collecting them in a bottle.  They are precious to Him, and He cares for you deeply — deeper than anything we could ever imagine.   I pray that you know that God loves you.

Our family lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and each change of season, though the change is not as distinct in some parts of the country, brings a beautiful, tangible sense of newness and fresh expectancy to our lives.

Fall has a delicious crispness to the air.  It makes me start to remember and relish the coziness of this time of year.  As days get shorter, we find ourselves appreciating anew the cheery sunshine that we still have during the day.

The rainy days and nights bring pleasant reminders of the coziness of the season.  I love to sit on the couch under a blanket and read to my children while nursing my little one and hearing the pleasant drum of the rain on the windows.  

And autumn ’tis the season for tea parties!  My children and I love herbal tea, and a cup of tea brings cozy warmth on crisp autumn days.  And it means evenings making yummy cookies together and licking spoons with batter on them. 

Each change of seasons brings an opportunity to celebrate and thank God for the unique blessings of nature He betows throughout the year.   It helps us realize what a beautiful design God made for our world and brings rest as we enjoy the pleasant and comforting rythym of the changing seasons.

Creating family tradtions associated with each season helps us appreciate and enjoy the goodness in nature that God gives each season and helps draw our family members closer together as we anticipate and enjoy our traditions together.

I hope to start a new tradition this coming week.  My children enjoy collecting special leaves and rocks and such when we go on walks together.  We started a nature table last year, and they collected such beautiful things for it, but with our cats and with our clutter problems, at this time in our lives we’ve found that a nature table is not ideal for us.  What we are going to do instead is make a nature collage.

Next week we will go on a special nature walk in the park, each child carrying a basket in which they can put their favorite things that they find on the walk.  When we get home they can glue their treasures on a piece of cardboard.  Then we can hang the beautiful artwork on the wall.  If all goes well, we will plan, Lord-willing, to do it each time the seasons change. 

I’ll let you know how it goes.  I’ll post pictures, too! 

My name is Jeri Carr.  My husband I have been married for 16 years.  We have four children and hope to be blessed with more. We have an 11 year old daughter, an eight year old son, a six year old daughter, and a two (almost three) year old son. 

I am the founder/owner of Gentle Christian Mothers.  I am not very good at blogging because I have a hard time writing sometimes; I feel like I’ve had writer’s block for many years.  When I was a younger parent, I used to write a lot.  I used to sound so confident when I wrote.   In reality, in many cases I feel more confident and relaxed now than I used to when I was younger, yet the older I get, the less I feel like I know — or at least the more I realize I have to learn. This blog will mainly be a place for me to share thoughts about motherhood.   Feel free to comment on anything.  Questions and seeking clarification is always appreciated.