A Heart Like His Study Chapter 4:

Why is it that as a whole, I only call out to God in extreme circumstances...in labor "hey God, I could use some super natural strength here"
Have a new baby "this is the best day ever, God I'm so thankful for this"
Go to the grocery store...crickets...no calling out to God (unless of course a little one knocks over a display), no thanksgiving for the money to buy the groceries, the beautiful day, for who He is...hmmm.

I Samuel 4...God does not honor our neglect, the Israelites tried to use the Ark as a "good luck charm" for God, instead of trusting in His power and lost severely.  Te Philistines captured the Ark and God, in a  very funny way, destroyed the statue if their god, while plaguing the people of every town that it went to.

I have to realize that, while God is the loving caring Father that I want to know deeply, He is also the  sovereign and just God of the Israelites who held them accountable for their neglect.

If I am going to love God with all of me, I have to realize that GOD is both of these, loving Father and sovereign Lord

Hannah

Just started reading "A Heart Like His."  Chapter 2 is about Hannah.  Love this quote "I believe that God responded to Hannah's prayer for two reasons.  First, He is gracious.  He longs to pour His love on us.  Second, He knew her heart. "  God knows our hear meaning that he knows our motives good or bad...
Hannah trusted god, and completely gave her son that she longed for back to him, and even in relinquishing that control was able to give praise back to God for who he is!
God, purify my heart so that I can whole heartedly give my children back to you!

White Horse

When I got married nearly 6 years ago, a wise Christian woman, said something profound to me.  She told me not to put my husband up on a pedestal  (in my head I put him on a white horse), b/c he would most definitely fall off.
Interestingly enough, I heard a quote on the radio the other day, that was just as profound.  This woman said that no man can reach the deepest desires of a woman's heart.  I found this statement so counter-culture, I almost found it hard to hear, as did my sweet night in shinning armor. :)  What did she mean, my husband couldn't meet the deepest desire's of my heart?
The more I have thought about this the more I find it to be true.  I shouldn't put that kind of pressure on my husband... Because I expect this of him, in my sinful mind, he falls off his heart all the time.  How selfish of me.
The truth is, if I put my heavenly Father first in my life, then my knight, then my children, then others things would be as they should.  I would be more gracious in accepting their short comings.
My order is all muddled.  Sometimes it is Kevin first, then my children, then Christ, sometimes it is my children, then others, then Kev, then Christ which is embarrassing and disappointing to me.

Father, help me to keep you on throne, so that my husband can't fall off his horse!