Happy Smoldering Tuesday! You might be wondering . . . what is Smoldering Tuesday? The day before Ash Wednesday has become a very significant day for the Burke family.
It started off back in 2012 with God taking over my mouth and asking Kevin if we were really going to do this adoption thing or not. It was real. I don't remember thinking that thought. It just came out of my mouth. God was totally involved in that! You can read more about our Smoldering Tuesday story on a previous post...
http://ajourneybutnotalone.blogspot.com/2013/09/smoldering-tuesday.html
Smoldering Tuesday started a chain of events that have led to the amazingly wonderful "T" and "M^" joining our family. The beginning of our journey to adoption was significant, however Smoldering Tuesday is now about even more than that for us. That day God worked in both Kevin and I to open our hearts to his will for us and our purpose in the world. That particular day we started a journey. Each anniversary of Smoldering Tuesday we are again reminded of God's love for us, his work within us and also through us.
Kevin and I both feel compelled to continually listen to God speaking into our lives and into the lives of our children. When we take the time to listen here are some of the things we hear . . .
1. Be defined only by "whose" you are.
So many times we as human beings try to define ourselves by stuff. Our houses, our cars, the things around us. We define ourselves by what we are . . . a wife, a son, a teacher, a lawyer. We find all sorts of outside influences to help us define who or what we are. None of those can get at the core of our being. At the core . . . we are God's. We are God's chosen beloved children. Nothing can define us more perfectly. Nothing should ever define us above that.
2. Love others.
This is hard. We are called by Jesus to love others, however not just the others that we want to love. We are called to love all others. The ones it is easy to love as well as the ones that we don't want to love. Our friends and our enemies.
3. Love God.
More than anything else we are called to love our creator and sustainer. He loves us perfectly. We are called to love him above anything else. Nothing should come before God.
It sounds so simple. However, that is the mantra that we are reminded of each Smoldering Tuesday (and quite often in between!) Kevin and I are called to love God, love others and live as children of God. As we walk through life we are called to teach our children the same.
What is God calling you to? What is God saying to you in your life? Make time to talk to God. However, more importantly, make time to listen.
Happy Smoldering Tuesday. Amen.
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