Yesterday after church, Curtis, Jackson and I had a yummy lunch at Luby’s Cafeteria with all the other church-going folks on this side of town. As we were leaving, Jackson was given a big red balloon on a string. It was his joy and his delight. Let me just say that his joy and delight are fragile things. Having seen this particular joy swept away in the wind too many times before, I tied the balloon onto his clothes to keep him from losing it. Of course he had a fit about that. My banoon, Mommy! My banoon! He wanted all the control in his sweaty little hand! To my very great surprise, the balloon actually survived the trip home. It was still intact this morning and he enjoyed several more hours with it. He loved it so much. I cringed though, seeing my son get all of this happiness from something so fragile and temporary. It would only be a matter of time before it popped or sprung a leak out of nowhere. Then I’d have a sad, sad boy on my hands.
I think God must look at me in the same way when I’m trying to get my joy and happiness out of earthly things. I wonder if He thinks, Oh, baby girl, that is so temporary. It’s already got a leak in it – you just can’t see it yet. Find your joy in me! I’m everlasting! My unfailing love it what your heart truly seeks.
So today I’ll remember that my beautiful white house, compliments I may get because of this or that, my cute new maternity clothes, the holiday atmosphere that will soon surround us – all of these things I like and love so much – are about as safe for my heart to depend on as a simple latex balloon. These things add color and festivity to my life, but they are not sturdy enough to support my soul. There’s only One who is, and He’s more than willing to do it for me! He wants to! Thank You, Lord!
What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. (Proverbs 19:22)
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption. (Psalm 130:5-7)
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. (Psalm 33:18)
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:21-22)
Tags: Jackson
Amanda:
I so needed this post this morning. I have been dealing with a huge betrayal of a friend.. and I so was just saying to my sister this morning…This is why we put all of our faith in our Father, because Just like that red bannon… sometimes it will get a hole in it or a leak or for that matter even burst.
Thank you for sharing His words with me…It does bring this broken heart some tender and much needed hugs.
Blessings on your day today!
Lichelle
I can’t believe how ON TARGET you are today.
I’ll just put my sewing machine away for a bit.
Really. No more quilting today 🙂
Jan
Beautifully said. Simply beautiful.
Thank you! This is so true and something I needed to hear this morning! Have a wonderful day!
Thanks for such insight. What a blessing it is for me today.
Praise the Lord for His unfailing love. Thank you. Deidra
thanks amanda. i needed to read this today. i have been putting my hope in an inappropriate relationship that i keep running back to. i need to trust the Lord to be my joy and contentment. thanks for the encouragement.
I missed my quite time this morning…my doing, I could have made time for it and just didn’t…but even when I fail me God is faithful…Thank You!
Oh just noticed this was posted yesterday I was sick all day yesterday and so missed it then too…God is so awesome!
Good word, Amanda! And very appropriate for this time of year when we tend to get wrapped up in the festivities of the season. And Aunty M has great taste in boots!
I read this post last night but it was sort of late so I decided I would wait until this morning to comment. It was beautiful and something I will ponder in my heart for some time. God is so awesome in His revelations isn’t He?
Adorable boots by the way!
God Bless!
Charlotte – in Georgia
Dear precious lambs,
It is not enough to just let go of temporal things, but to be DEAD to them. We are called to be crucified to this world and its SYSTEMS.
I have been a ‘christian’ for over 20 years but it has only been the last 7 that I have come to fellowship in HIS SUFFERINGS. I have sung songs about the ‘cross’ but have never EXPERIENCED it. At first I didn’t want any part of it…(especially coming from a charismatic background)…for I would be quick to quote “I am the head, not the tail, above only not beneath, all my storehouses are blessed’…but the CROSS brought great perplextiy as one by one all those temporal things was dealt with…till I finally came to a place that it was no longer I but CHRIST.
I want to encourage all of you that are going through the REFINING FIRES (job loss, foreclosure, sickness, death, ect.) to embrace the CROSS and cry out “CONSUME ME, ever consuming FIRE of God”.
It is good to be dead…for this world and all its ‘stuff’ is PEA GRAVEL compared to the riches of CHRIST in you the hope of GLORY.
Shalom,
Eliyah
Amanda,
Amen! Thank you for posting this!
Blessings to you!
How sweet about Jackson an his banoon!!
Thank you for sharing that word with us. I so needed that this morning!! 🙂
Its been so long since I have been here to the blog. I miss catching up on ya’ll, and I really loved this post!. Thank you so much, it is just what I needed to hear today!
Thank you.
Needed this reminder.
So frustated lately.
Guess I’m too focused on my red ballon.
God Bless you.
Rebekah.
Jacksonville, Fl
This is one of my favorite LPM Blog posts. (A close second would be the NYC posts… And I also loved Melissa’s top 10…and Melissa’s hat tip to the blog Good Things Catered, way back when…) With genuine thankfulness for Beth, Amanda, and Melissa this Thanksgiving season!
Elizabeth
Thank you for that timely word!!
Each of you minister in your own unique way, and I am so grateful for your ministry. Please know you are prayed for and loved.
Susan
What a WORD this morning Amanda! and so timely. Thanks so much for sharing your heart and your life on a daily basis with those of us who sometimes just lurk and listen.
I pray God’s richest blessings on the Jones, Moore, and Fitzpatrick families. May you blessed as you have blessed us.
Amen Siesta!
I needed this encouragement today, Amanda. I have been struggling to give Jesus my disappointment over some furniture that turned out badly! FURNITURE for heaven’s sake.
I don’t get to spend much money on my home, so when I do, it’s a real treat for me and I get a lot of joy from the process. I’m remodeling my girls’ new room and got 2 antique twin maple beds. I asked the restorer I hired to make them as dark as possible, almost black. He said he could get them dark, but not black. Fine with me. I thought I was clear in my desired outcome. Instead (and $160 later), they are as honey brown as you can get. Just like what I brought to him only with a nice, new finish. He said that’s as dark as he could get them.
I have cried at the way they turned out; cried at my emotional reaction; cried at my people-pleasing response to him of “It’s not what I wanted, but, oh, that’s OK” when it’s really not; cried at the deeper disappointment in my life’s circumstances that this reveals. Then Satan moves in for some extra condemnation (How dare you cry over furniture when some people don’t even have homes, much less furniture!) What a mess I am. But a mess in progress, praise His name!
So even this morning as I have been relinquishing this to Him, your words encourage me in the right direction. If anything is going to burn up in the end, it’s furniture! Still, He is challenging me to learn how to lovingly handle confrontation. And to find my joy in Him, not in my grown-up balloons. =)
Thank you Amanda for showing me a truth that I know, but fail to claim regularly. Especially when putting that joy and happiness in people. I was hurt last night by something a friend said to me, and was still teary-eyed about it this morning. But to see this post this morning, I’m reminded that ALL my joy comes from the LORD, and not people……. He will never leave me, nor forsake me. Jesus Christ is the One I need to depend on.
Thank you Amanda for speaking your heart…
Amen, Sister!!!
I loved this post, too! Thank you for the reminder that this life it temporary. It was needed today. Take care.
I just let go of my Red Banoon. Thank you, Amanda (and Jackson) for this reminder that the only thing worth hanging on to – yes, even tying onto myself – is the unfailing love of God…
What a beautiful analogy and how true. It sure gives me something to chew on and ponder as I go through my day.
love you all……Cindy
Fabulous!
What a great reminder; especially as we enter the hustle and materialism of the Christmas Season. How I pray that my family will focus on the eternal and the lasting gift of Jesus this year! May it be so.
I just posted on my blog today about praising God while we wait for Him. Your scripture went right along with that!! So cool how God works.
Awesome! So true! Amen! : )
Thanks. I needed that today.
My dear husband of 42 years died in a bike accident in July and life as I knew it changed in an instant! God has been faithful, but there are still many moments of sorrow & sadness in my heart that has a big hole still in it. Your words today blessed me so — and confirmed what I'm learning day-by-day without my beloved partner — God is our focus — not this life, material things or even the people He puts in our lives. He is the only One who is, was and will be! And He loves us so!!!!
I cannot tell you how much i needed to read this today.
So very true! Thank you God for that lesson from our Siesta`s sweet little man.
Okay, so usually I’m a lurker but I just have to let you know God spoke through you directly to me, siesta! Thanks so much for sharing.
That’s a great word picture.
Thanks for sharing, Amanda!
That was beautiful Amanda.
Thank you so much for the illustration.
Oh how I needed this right now. Our house was broken into this morning and I am so sad. Thank you LORD that my joy is in you alone. And thank you LORD that my family is safe…and our precious boxer bulldog.
Love to all,
Tisha
I just love a GREAT parallel between us and children. It illustrates God's greatness, love, and understanding of us so well.
We have so many balloons in our own lives. Praise God that He is the air that fills our balloon.
Prayers & Blessings,
Darinda
Yes, good Word!
Amanda, this really touched my heart today.
God bless!
So true!!!! Thank you for sharing and reminding us of that… I have a toddler who too loves “baoouuns” ha ha what a great analogy!
Amanda, you are truly being used by the Lord today!!! Thanks for those words and I’m just gonna have to link my blog over to you today, girl! I could not write better words to illustrate that precious message!
Thank you for the reminder, Amanda! It is indeed easy to get caught up in the temporary and forget to focus on the eternal.
So well written, Amanda. Thanks for the gentle but firm reminder!
Love you so much!
Kristen
This is absolutely true. Thanks for sharing!
I just finished the Psalms of Ascent study yesterday. I hold Psalm 130 dear. As a part-time worship leader at my church, I took a few weeks off and just did the study on my own. It was a stream of water to my weary soul! Thank you, Beth!
Thanks, Amanda, for your words today. Every thing that we have here on earth is passing. Oh that we would live like we know that!
Thanks for your encouragement, ladies! God bless you!
Thank you for that timely message! Help us to always keep our eyes on You Lord!
(Aunt Melissa did a good job shopping for baby girl boots. So cute!)
Much love!
Kristi B.
To Judy,
My first husband was killed instantly in a motorcycle accident in April 2003. Nobody’s experiences are the same, but I know at least some of what you are going through. The pain and loss never completely goes away, but God continues to be faithful and to bring comfort as only He can. Please know that I am praying for you tonight, and will pray for you as He brings you to mind, especially during this approaching holiday season.
Amanda, thank you so much for sharing this illustration. I so appreciate the visual reminder to not hang on so tightly to things that are temporary. It is far too easy to waste time and energy on things that hardly matter today, and definitely don’t matter in light of eternity.
O amanda! I so needed that today! WOW!!
Amanda, you are so richly and abundantly blessed with wisdom…and a remarkable, wonderful ability to share it! Thank you so much.
Way too often, I find myself crying over the banoons I don’t have (extended family, financial security, a backyard, a real Christmas tree) and ignoring the ones He has so graciously given me (my kids, my church family, a sunny wonderful large apartment, my cats, my books…and the ability to read this blog!)
What a timely reminder that all of these are banoons — my joy is in His salvation, and His joy is my strength. Kinda yanks my priorities back into place!
Thank you so much for sharing this. And thanks, too, for sharing your mom with so many people.
Love,
Alyson