A Re-Telling of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15)

Once upon a time, there lived a King in a majestic land.  Noble and fine, this king was generous and good to all he knew.  His two daughters - princesses - lived in the court of the King.  One day his youngest princess approached, "Father King, present to me the share of your goods that belong to me."  So, the good and noble King divided everything he had between his two princesses. He gave them his life, his resources and his wealth.  Now, the young princess was very satisfied with what she received - so much so that she gathered all she owned and left the kingdom for a far away land.   

During this time, far away from the comfort and safety of the kingdom, she wasted all her Father King had freely given to her.  She lived in reckless abandon and great excess.  A dreadful famine fell over this distant land and before long, everything she had was gone. Suffering tremendous deprivation, the young princess ached and longed for all the good things she once had...everything she had been graciously given by the King; her Father. 

 

Desperate and broken, her mind was filled with the deepest sense of failure, shame and lack.  The only solution she could see was to hire herself out as a servant to a master of a farm.  This master was no King; this master shooed her away to feed his pigs and neglected to care for her most basic needs.  But the young princess steadfastly gave herself to her work.  Day after day she labored and labored.  The luxuries of the castle were a distant memory; so far removed from her mind that she forgot who she was - a princess.  Perceiving herself as nothing more than a servant girl, she longed to feed herself with the slop of the pigs.  Relief could be found no where; there was no one willing to give her reprieve.   The young princess once so eager to break away from her Father the King had become disillusioned by the world and stripped of all selfish ambition. 
 
One day the fair maiden was awakened - it was as if her mind was opened for the first time to all she had been given and all she had forsaken.  Her thoughts returned to the kingdom, "My Father has many hired servants in his kingdom and they are well taken care of while I am slaving away and starving to death."  The young princess orchestrated her return.  "I will return to the kingdom and tell my Father, the King how wrong I was."   I will plead with him, crying, "Please, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I know that I am not worthy to be your princess any longer - please hire me and I will serve you well."  Determined to earn her way back into the kingdom, the young princess set out for home. 
 
Meanwhile, the King had been struck with grief over the loss of his young princess.  Every afternoon he stood out on the watch-tower canvasing the land hoping with all his heart to see His young princess coming back home.  Most kings would have considered such a wayward child "dead," but not this King.  This King was able to look past the hurt inflicted on his heart.  His love was strong; stronger than any offense and much more powerful than any sense of justice he would gain by turning away from his youngest princess by cutting her off from his kingdom. Her place in his heart was secure.  This was clearly seen by everyone, day after day, as He paced in eager expectation of her return.  
 
Then one day - one fine day - through strained eyes, the King caught a glimpse of what he was certain was the young princess.  Without a moments’ hesitation he girded his regal robes around his waste and ran swiftly and certain toward his princess. No sense of royal duty restrained him; no sense of position or authority held him back.   His love for his princess could not be contained.  Weary and tired, the young princess fell into the strong arms of her Father King.  He grasped her weak body and held her close, weeping for joy over her return. 
 
Shame covered the young princess.  Pulling away from her Father she pleaded, "Oh, King, I have hurt you.  I have sinned against heaven and before you...I am no longer worthy to be your princess...if you only knew where I have been and what I have done..." She could not even bring herself to look the King in the eye.  Gently, the good and noble King cupped the burdened face of His daughter and lifted her head.  He looked into her questioning eyes and instantly, she knew His love.  Her Father's love covered her shame and commanded her guilt to leave.  His love restored the young princess to her rightful position within the kingdom.  She refused to resist his love again.  Seeing her Father for the King He was, the young princess embraced His love.
 
"My daughter, my princess, has come home.  This child of mine was dead and now she is alive; she was lost and now she is found.  Cover her with the royal robes, place a ring on her finger, sandals on her feet and prepare the fattened calf for we are going to celebrate," the King jubilantly proclaimed to his servants.  What followed was a lively celebration complete with music and dancing.
 
On her way back home from the fields, the elder princess heard the festivities.  Perplexed, she summoned one of the servants and inquired, "It sounds like a party, what seems to be going on?"  The ensuing answer incited anger deep from within the princess.  "My lady, your sister has come home. Your Father, the King, has killed the fattened calf because he has her back home, safe and sound."  She could not understand how her Father could be so eager to welcome his wayward and rebellious daughter back home, much less how he could throw her a celebration worthy of the fattened calf.   The princesses lack of knowing her Father's heart prevented her from rejoicing with Him; bitterness refused to allow her to take part. 
 
"Come and join in my joy, my daughter," the King pleaded,  "for your sister has been restored."  Dissuaded, the princess answered her Father, "I have been with you all this time - serving you and obeying you in every way.  Yet, you never once gave me even a young goat that I may celebrate with my friends. But when this daughter of yours who devoured your livelihood in unspeakable ways comes home, you slaughtered the prized calf.  How could you?"
 
"My daughter," her father affectionately replied, "You are always with me and everything I have is yours.  I have never withheld anything from you.  Don't you understand, we had to celebrate - you and I, need to celebrate, for this is your sister.  I thought she was dead but she is alive.  She was lost, but now she is home."

Questions to ponder:  "Are you at home with God's love?  Have you joined in the unwarranted, unmerited celebration of His love for you...or are you still out in the "fields" as the dutiful daughter?"

Books to consider:  Experiencing Father's Embrace by Jack Frost, The Power of the Blood Covenant by Malcolm Smith, Abba's Child by Brennan Manning, The Rest of the Gospel by Dan Stone

El Numero Ocho

I could have typed "Number Eight." Matter of fact, I did. Then I thought to myself, "El Numero Ocho sounds so much better." Ha! Makes me chuckle on the inside.

Last fall, Brad and I were in a small group. The opening session began with an ice-breaker: "What is your greatest fear?" So we start going around the room and hear all the standard answers - some funny, some somber. Then Brad's up...I am bracing myself, memory jolted back to the very first ice-breaker we played as a couple; "3 Truths and a Tall Tale." Each person writes down three things about him/herself that are true and one thing that is false. Then the rest of the group tries to guess what is false. His tall tale was that he had a wooden leg...No one really knew us so you could imagine it was a bit confusing. Surely he wouldn't use something like that as the lie about himself! Even after he shared that he did not have a wooden leg, several people (we found out much later) were convinced he did and would try and catch glimpses of it whenever possible.  Brad is a very whitty man!

So back to the "Greatest Fear..."
Everyone is looking Brad's way expecting another standard answer. Oh no, not Brad, nothing is typical with him! His answer..."Number eight." Genious. But there again, not many people in the group knew us. A little explanation was given...we have seven children...number 8... yada-yada...and the ice was definately broken. I love moments like that...moments that are forever sealed into the ole' memory box.

Well, as you might have already figured out (could it have been the ultrasound pic that gave it away?!?) Brad's greatest fear became a reality this past October when I found out that I didn't ovulate between days 12 and 14 which is standard, but day 17 and voila - preggo. Who'd thunk? Accidental impregnation was my first thought...this really shouldn't have happened! Can anyone say overwhelmed?!?  I now know that is completely possible to be completely terrified and completely excited all at the same time. After the initial emotional reaction, I settled down into the truth: God is the giver of life...this is no accident to Him. He has chosen, once again, to entrust us with His gift of life.

(Can you tell this little one is doing a somersault?)

If we've come to know anything about our Great God it's this: He is sovereign and we can trust Him in everything He does. Really over the years we've come to know much more than that, but over and over again He calls us to trust Him. How can we really know that we trust Him until we've lost all means of providing for ourselves and managing on our own?

I think there comes a time for us all when the Lord brings or allows things into our lives that reveal just how much we rely on self, and just how much we fear displeasing our Father. The path God calls us (all of us) down is so far out of our ability to handle - so far beyond our control. He knows that - He actually set it up that way (Acts 17:24-28)...but for some reason we (all of us, Christians especially) have bought into the lie that we can do it, we're expected to do it (and get it right), and if we fail along the way God is dissappointed. That's a harsh accusation against our loving and holy Father; the One who created us and loved us with such love that He gave the life of His one and only Son to rescue us all from the bonds of sin and fate of hell.

Writing this reminds me of the prodigal's older brother. Read the story in Luke if you have time. Whoa! I have found myself both the prodigal and the disgruntled son. But, praise Jesus! He loves me too much (and you too) to leave us with faulty perceptions of who HE is and what He expects. I've been asking a lot of questions over the past ten years. And...to my delight (and freedom)...He is answering. It's amazing what we gain when we come to Him and His Word not to find the right answer, but to find Him!

So...all that to say...our greatest "fear" has become a great delight! What fear do you have today that God is asking you to entrust to Him so He can turn it into a delight? He'll do it...He longs to do it...go ahead...trust Him and see what happens!

(BTW - the official estimated date of arrival for our son is June 30, 2010)

Blessings and love from the Sims family!

2009 In The Shoe - Pictures and Ponderings

I forgot how stinkin' long it takes for pictures to upload...and it's Html so it will take me some time to remember and tinker with to get the pics and text ordered the way I want them...until then...I guess this will just have to do. More pictures are coming...Yeah...so...2009...where do I begin...January would be a good place! What do I remember about January...desperation...lots of prayer...lots of fasting...lots of beans and rice.

Brad's shoe has been turned in a new direction. God began preparing this pathway many years ago. Several key things happened in 2008 that made him realize - yes - this is what God has for me - it's not just me dreaming this up. So we prayed and watched and waited and prayed and watched and waited...and prayed and watched and waited...and lo and behold...we saw God working in extraordinary ways to bring this dream into the beginning stages of it becoming a reality. Custom Landscaping went belly up, the Woodyard is just now breaking into the black, and the cable work that was to be so promising dried up. Brad was shut down at every attempt to earn an income and provide for his family...he was forced to follow and begin on a new journey. The man of this shoe realized two things as he was seeking out clarity over what was happening and what to do...1) He had not had the faith to follow where God was leading...2) He was trying to provide for himself so that he would be able to obey...WOW!

Brad sees and hears God in such profound ways. When he opens his mouth (and heart) to share spiritual insights with me I am always amazed. My man gets it! Many times I wish I got it like he did. BUT...that's the cool thing about Jesus...we can't all get it the same...because we aren't all the same...and if we were all the same the Body would be non-existent...Jesus gives it to us...to me...to you...personally.

This journey is complicated, and I don't have his permission to share it on this blog. What I can share is that God has clearly convinced us of His faithfulness! Early one morning in late January I heard a voice whispering in my ear...as if kneeling by my bed-side attempting to share a secret with me wanting to wake me, but not startle me..."Watch and wait; the provision has been made." I woke to those words reverberating through my mind; it was surreal.

We went from December 2008 to the end of May 2009 with little to no income, and from June to November 09 with a few jobs here and there (tractor work, rock and pinestraw deliveries), but nothing guaranteed on a regular basis.

Trust...persevere...faith...hope...rest...all words that come to mind as I think about 2009. GOD DID PROVIDE and continues to provide. He has overwhelmed and completely satisfied us. I need my Bible and my journal here in front of me so I can recount to you all the remarkable things we experienced at His Hand.

One that jumps out at me was a time over the summer when Brad had grown particularly weary. I prayed for him outloud (not typical) before we went to bed - it was a Saturday night - "Lord, I ask that you would confirm this call that you have placed on Brad's life...that you would confirm it through Your word and in black and white so that Brad clearly see You and be encouraged and strengthened." Wouldn't you know...next morning in Sunday School Brad's Scripture to read was Galatians 3:6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." You better believe he was poking me in the ribs and I was grinning from ear to ear with a little mist forming over my eyes. And people say there is no God! - Ha! Come hang with us a while and you'll see first-hand if there ain't no God then this Shoe would have dried up, fallen apart, and ceased being a Shoe. God is the sole reason we are still able to draw breath! (No pun intended :) )

Another coming to mind...In May or was it June, our peach tree produced good fruit. It has NEVER - NEVER - NEVER produced anything worth anything. Brad even tried to tend to it a few years ago to see if we could get some peaches...nothing. But this year...completley untended...for some reason...God caused our peach tree to produce so much fruit that several branches broke. Sweet Jesus. He knows just what we need; just when we need it.

Oh...there's plenty more...one day I was sent home from a ladies group with an envelope ...it had a 5k cashier's check in it(that's not all these ladies have blessed us with, but it's been so much I've lost count - I figure God doesn't want us keeping count anyway - trust for today)...Last March after speaking at a MOPS group , I opened the envelope containing my honorarium (really just expecting gas money) to find over $1000. The host church was impressed by the Lord to give me $900 for sharing a testimony on Grace plus gas money. I have NEVER been given that much for speaking...WOW! We've received lots gift cards which have provided food and basic necessities. On several different occasions friends showed up with trunk-loads of groceries. Talk about God providing...I kept thinking about the George Mueller story... Last Christmas and this Christmas were totally provided for! We've received an outpouring of financial provision in so many ways it almost seems unfair to only mention these few, but I don't have space to list them all. God has taken care of every need and even some of our wants. He is good - no matter what it looks like all around - look up and you will see that He is good!
He has a plan - sometimes He lets us in on the details; sometimes He doesn't - but it's always good,because He's always good... and we are the better for simply trusting Him with it all!

The kids have been able to share all this with us. They are learning at a young age just how tenderly God cares for them. We've had our rocky spots; this year has been hard, but we are better for it. It's been through this hard time that we've grown - closer to Jesus and closer to one another. Our eyes have been opened to just how loved we are...to love and be loved is the greatest joy on earth!

Totally shifting gears...On the kid's note...Sydney received Christ as her Savior in March - that was such a personal encouragment to me and Brad! PTL! Bo turned 2, Carrie turned 1, Sara Joy turned 4, Sydney 8, James the big 1-0, Riley 7 and finally to almost close out the year Madelyn celebrated her sweet sixteen! I may have a post just to share about that celebration - another one of God's provisions...

We were able to go to Mexico Beach twice thanks to our friends who have a house there. Mexico Beach is our new favorite place in the whole wide world!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! (as I type it's 20 degreees outside and the fire's out b/c I'm sitting in here on the computer filling you in! See how much you mean to me?!) Think warm thoughts...Mexico Beach ...sun...sand...waves...laughter...sunscreen...okay...who's ready for the beach...let's go!

Fall posed a new question...school? Up til last year the kids all went to Trinity Christian School on partial scholarship...Sydney and James were home with me Fall 09 while Madelyn and Riley were at TCS...After the new year we couldn't afford our part of the tuition so I was going to pull Riley and enroll him at Jeter Elementary. Well...TCS took care of our part...Riley stayed right where he was in Mrs. Ledbetter's class...and again we were humbled and thankful for how our God was taking care of us. So we knew come fall we'd either have them all (Madelyn aside) in public school, homeschool, or Auburn Classical Academy (private school and homeschool - Cottage school). Madelyn was able to stay at TCS since her dad is paying for it and also...this is so hard for me to type...she'll graduate next year. We couldn't see the benefit of her changing schools her Junior year.
Once again we prayed. Homeschool and ACA both required money...no money came in...and we prayed mightily that it would...so we said the Lord is providing an opportunity for James and Sydney and Riley to attend Opelika City Schools. Happy to say...we are all happy 'bout that! I sure do miss having all the kiddos at one school and would prefer them to be at TCS, but we are pleased with where they are.

Last year I was able to share with James' 4th grade class about Jesus. James was enrolled in Morris Avenue in January 2009. Immediately loved Morris Ave!!!!! I read to his class every week and as I was finishing up last year I told them how special they were to God - He created them with purpose and will always love them no matter what. Did it classic VBS style - "Boys and girls, I want you to look at me in the eye - I want to see every eye - You may not remember anything else Miss Jami has shared with you, but I want you to remember this for always...You are special - God made you and loves you - No matter what happens He will always love you and wants you to love Him." There was a connection there - it was great. I love kids! I love telling kids about Jesus!

This year I read to Sydney's 3rd grade class and Riley's 2nd grade class and guess what????!!!! I get to share Jesus with them, too!!!!! And they are so interested and interactive - got to love the kids!!!!!

Bo and Carrie and Sara Joy are the second set of 3 amigos. My, it is so funny to listen to them play. Carrie (2 in March) thinks she's just as big as Bo (3 tomorrow...today Jan 6) and Sara Joy (5 in March). Sara Joy is their "little mama."

There is so much more to share...later posts maybe...let me share the year in pictures with you...here are some of my favorites!










































I didn't think we'd make it through 2009, but look at us...it's already 6 days into 2010 and we are as plump as pillows and gung-ho as ever.

BTW...Brad is going back to finish his Master's in Horticulture...approached in November by one of his professors..."Hey Brad, I've got money in my department for you to come back and finish your masters as a research assistant...tuition is covered and we can give you $1500/mo." GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES!!!!!! This will certainly be another post...so so so much more I want to share.

May your day be filled with peace and hope as you reflect on the love and goodness of our great GOD!!!

Back to the World of Blogging

Well...well...well...can you believe that it's 2010; twenty-ten! How weird! It's been over a year since my last blog and indeed much has occured (both good and bad; happy and sad)during the lapse, and as you may have already guessed...I plan to share as much of it that I can remember with you. Oh! How I have missed blogging. As my fingers type away, my mind enters into the realm of flash-backs. Literally... right now as I am sitting here my thoughts are racing over this past year. A smile spread across my face. Tears form. Then snap...back to reality...the bus just deposited three of my seven children who fill up this shoe onto our driveway. Hold tight...I'll be back with more. Pictures and plenty of news from 2009 will be yours for the taking in the coming days! I LOVE BLOGGING!!!!!!! Glad to be back! Oh...BTW...did you notice my new look? Love the monkies!?! Consider being a 'Shoe Dweller'? If you blog, send me your blog and I'll put you on my blog-roll. :)