Mommy's just like Jesus

She adjusted her skirt, wiped a sweaty palm and opened her mouth. “Hi kids my name is Kayla Bugans. You can call me Miss Kay, or…” she gave a crooked smile, “Miss Bug.” That gave the kindergarten class at Above and Beyond Christian Center a giggle and it caught their attention, which was what Kayla wanted most. She grabbed a quick breath and explained that she’d be the new Sunday school teacher, “since Ms Kris…” Kayla closed her eyes and shook her head twice, “um…from now on I’ll be your Sunday school teacher.” Oh, boy…that was stupid—Jesus help. Lori’s sitting right there, looking at me with those big brown eyes. Her cheeks have jelly stains and her pony tail’s crooked—but other than that she looks clean… and sad. Mike’s having a hard time I’m sure, but at least he’s here, he got the kids to church.


Kayla’s sister, Kris, had died three weeks ago while giving birth to her fourth child; a girl—Lisa. Kris’s husband, Mike, was surviving—barely. Kayla was grieving, of course, but even before that, she’d been feeling down—like her role in life didn’t matter. “I don’t do anything. I’m just a stay-at-home mom, with three girls—and now they’re at school all day and then sports and friends and homework and…I just don’t feel like I make a difference.” She had shared her feelings with her pastor and he recommended she start helping at church—filling in when there was an opening. Well, there was an opening now. A big fat opening—in her heart, and in the class her sister, Kris taught before...

So, here she stood, trying to fill the void—both of them.

Kayla felt a familiar burn and blinked away a tear.

“Aunty Bug.” Lori waved a little hand.

Kayla tilted her head and smiled a sad smile as she nodded at Lori.

“Your eyes are shiny—are you sad?” The other kids just stared with their mouths hanging open.

Kayla rubbed her palms across her eyes and lifted the corners of her mouth. “Let’s pray.” All the kids folded their hands and bowed their heads—Kris had taught them well.

Kayla prayed and launched into the lesson before her mind could wander. “Today our lesson’s about the role of Jesus in our lives.” She explained that Jesus loved them before they were born and how He cared for them when they were sick and carried them when they were weak. She told how He gave all He had; How He was wounded and got big stripes on His back, but never complained—not once. He endured the hurt of it all because he knew in the end—it would bring us life. And then, He went to heaven and someday we’ll meet Him there.

Kayla finally took a breath and realized she’d been talking a mile a minute. Oh Lord, maybe I’m not the right person for this job, please help them understand...help me. Kayla cleared her throat and said: “And that’s the role of Jesus… Did it make sense?”

Lori waved both hands, “I know I know...”

“Yes, Lori girl.” Kayla lifted her eyebrows.

“Mommy’s roll is just like Jesus! She loved us before we were born. She let me feel baby Lisa kick her tummy and said; ‘I love you baby Lisa.’ And when I was sick Mommy rubbed my throat with smelly stuff, and gave me soup to make me all better—she cared for me when I was sick, just like you said about Jesus. Right?And when we went to the fair and my feets got tired Mommy carried me, just like you said about Jesus. And when I dropped my cotton candy in the yucky dirt Mommy gave me all she had—just like you said Jesus gave all He had. And Mommy showed me stretch stripes on her belly. She said they were love stripes—just like them stripes you said Jesus got too, huh? And when Mommy’s back and feet hurt cause baby Lisa made her so fat, she never got grumpy—not one itty-bitty time; just like Jesus never did neither, right? And when she was getting bad hurt and had tears, she said them was happy tears ‘cuz a new little life named Lisa was ready to come out and play.”

Lori stopped and stared for a minute letting her heart catch up with her mouth and when it did her bottom lip started to shake. “Just like Jesus..." She took a quick breath and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Mommy went to heaven—and someday I’ll meet her there, too...just like Jesus.

Her quivering lips formed into a smile. "Yep, Mommy’s role is just like Jesus.”

Kayla couldn’t see for the tears—except one thing was perfectly clear. Her role as a stay at home mom was the greatest role she could ever ask for—being just like Jesus.

Happy Mothers Day Moms!
~

Morning Waltz

This morning I sat and sipped coffee in the dark. The sun hadn’t yet peaked over the trees on the far side of the lake, but was turning up the dimmer switch and slowly lighting the night sky.

 
What caught my eye was the way the trees swayed a lazy waltz to the tune of the morning breeze. The limbs waved in the sign of a V. Budding leaves danced, eager to meet the day. I stared at the slow dancing limbs and thought, V is for victory. The trees cry out, “Victory in Jesus. He crossed the finish line by hanging on one of our ancestors—a tree. And so we forever wave the sign of victory.”



And then I saw something else. Below each branch shaped in a V was another limb attached to the V and together they formed a Y. The Y supports the V. Then, I thought; Y is for Yahweh. Without Y there would be no V. Without God there would be no victory. Victory falls flat if not supported by Yahweh.

After the sun had risen, another cup of coffee and a bagel, I opened my Bible and with no forethought or planning on my part—as if God Himself had planted the thoughts in my head because He already knew what I was about to read. I found myself amazed at the scripture written in red, that just happened to be in my reading for today:

John 15 :5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

Personally I think God still speaks. Yesterday I had read about a time when Jesus had prayed and a voice from heaven spoke to Jesus (John 12:28-30) and when the crowd heard The Voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him. God spoke—folks didn’t hear. I think maybe their hearts stopped up their ears. God would never speak—especially to me—it had to be thunder, they thought.

Friend, today I challenge you to listen. It might not be thunder.God still speaks. He cares about you and has something to say. One word from Yahweh can have you waltzing victory with the trees each morning, too.

There’s more… to see more better awesome God incidences go here>>>

~

Skin

Dear Reader, this is a poem dedicated to my daughter. I wrote it after hearing about a hard trip she made to the store—a common ordeal for a single mom.



Dearest K. Bug, and anyone single and seeking a mate: Seek Jesus. He’ll come to you, but you just might find He’s hiding in someone else’s skin. So—if you’re looking—you’ll know it’s Him.

~
It should have been simple,

Of course, that’s never how it goes

But the shoes were on sale,

And not worn out at the toes


Just a few minutes is all it would take

If the kids were good, and the car didn’t break


With hope in her heart that she wouldn’t fall apart she whispered

“God I’ve heard you’re with me but right now I could use some skin

Someone to help with the children, open the stroller and be a friend”


She wondered about the man she loved and if he’d ever be true


She parked near the store

A baby bottle rolled out the door

As she changed the diaper on Tommy

And said “Please be good for mommy”



She ran inside

And grabbed her size

Just the ones she wanted


But they weren't on sale

And her face turned pale

“I’m sorry, I don’t have the money”

The people laughed, but it wasn’t funny


Johnny wanted to play

When he pulled the display

The shoes fell to the floor

As they ran out the door


With a pounding head and face turned red she cried

“God I’ve heard you’re with me but right now I could use some skin

Times like these I wonder if I should take him back again”



“He said he wanted You

Please show me if it's true"



Babies and bottles and bags and stroller

Buckled and filled and loaded

She took a breath and lifted her head, and saw him standing there

Hand in hand with some new lady, he strutted with pride and flare


“God I’ve heard you’re with me but right now I could use some skin

Someone just to hold me and help me live again

God I’ve heard you’re with me, but right now I could use some skin

God I’ve heard you are with me, but right now I really could use some skin”


As tears fell from the skies

And even more from her eyes

She looked at her babies in the rear-view mirror

And then cried so only God can hear her


“God I'll trust You—even through this pain

You walked in my shoes, so I could live again

I know you’re with me, and that You put on skin

You became a baby so You could live within"



It had been awhile

But she found her smile

And at least she knew

She'd make it through



"God I know you’re with me, thanks for putting on skin

God I know you’re with me, I can feel you within"



A knock on the window caused her to brace

There stood a handsome man with a familiar face

She’d seen him in her church before—over a few pews

And now he stood in the rain...holding a box of shoes


It started to pour

She pointed to the door

And as he slipped in

Her thought made her grin…

My—he has beautiful skin.

~

The end.
~