Jonah, Jewels, Patience & Perseverance

I have a few things that I want to cover in this blog and the first one is jewels. I teach Children's Church every other Sunday and I've been working my way through a book that is about the Crown of Righteousness that we get when we get to heaven. There are jewels in that crown that stand for things such as compassion, adoration and so on. When I started doing this series with the children it reminded me of the song "Jewels," by William O. Cushing. My grandmother used to sing it to me when I have little. I called her the other day to tell her about the children and asked her if she remembered the song, she didn't. So I started singing the first stanza and she sang along with me (Probably one of the most beautiful moments I've shared with her and a very long time. I'm thankful for that) Afterwards she started chuckling and said, "yea now I remember, I must have sung it to you kids as part of a bible school project or something." Singing with her made me feel like a kid again. We always kept a hymn book in the car and we would sing hymns to and from church, and then she would always sing "God Loves the Little Children" in German. I'm very thankful "Jewels."
Which leads me to Jonah. I taught Children's Church last Sunday so I missed out on Dr. Weeter's sermon, and apparently it was about Jonah. I found this out later that night when Kyle and I were talking about where we were in life and how frustrating it was to still be here. What he had to say next kinda took me down a notch and made me realize that I'm not doing such a hot job of being a Christian to my husband. He said, "I know being here sucks, but you have really taken a distaste to it, and made sure everyone knows it. It's not that I don't like being here either, because it has been hard, but perhaps we're still here because God is trying to teach you something and you're not willing to see that."
So I decided to read through Jonah and saw alot of him in myself. Jonah 4:9-10, "But god said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?" "I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die." But the Lord said, " You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?' I very much felt a parallel in that God is telling me that I don't don't see His hand here...and that's a problem. If I can't look past my own ignorance to see God's glory, how am I going to see the need in those around me? Or even how God could or would want to use me, or not use me? Zondervan's Bible Commentary kinda pointed this out too. In talking about the storm or "klydon," it says "This was not a purposeless demonstration of the Lord's power over the elements nor even just to smash inflexible Jonah, but to give him a sense of concern for the sailors and thus for the Ninevites."
In a sense I'm ashamed to have been so dense this long, but am astounded at God's hand at work. He knew that I needed something to love before I could love this place, that I needed to get this understanding. In the past few weeks God has put people in my life to care for and grow relationships with so that I may see His glory in this place. Thus enters the "patience and perseverance," it's been a long road and these two things make what God has for us that much better!!
So today I am thankful for Jewels/Grandma, Matthew, a beautiful little boy I get to take care of, Sara & Justin, an awesome couple who I know God has amazing plans for, my church family who has shown me a bigger side of His love than I could have every imagined and today I'm thankful for my husband who isn't afraid to be honest with me, thank you Kyle, I love you.

Dear Lord,
My prayer today is that you would continue to help me see you glory and love, and that you created this place. You knew before we existed that we would be at this place-Lord guide us as this builds our faith. Thankful for all your blessings and omnipresence. Amen

"I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love." -Blessed Assurance