my lucky number is 4

Alternate Title: More Precious Than Gold

Our family has a tradition. It can be humorous if you don't take the tradition seriously, and it is a year's worth of hard work, prayer, failure, tears, more prayer and perhaps much joy if you take the tradition to heart.

We draw character qualities from a deck of 49 cards - each card has a different character quality. Whatever character quality you draw from the deck is supposed to be the one you focus on developing throughout the new year. I figure it's a better resolution than to pledge the traditional "lose 15 lbs." Before I draw my card, I pray the Lord will direct me to the quality I need to focus on for the challenges that lie ahead in the year to come.

Two years ago, I scored big. I got "an easy one," as I called it. I drew Orderliness. Who's going to check up on that one except my husband? Last year we didn't draw a card - not sure why. I think we forgot...not very orderly of me.

This year I drew a doozie. My lucky number is 4, but i may have to change that now. I picked the 4th card in the deck and drew:

Determination (vs. Faintheartedness)

"Purposing to accomplish God's goals in God's time - regardless of the opposition."

Based on 2 Tim 4:7-8

Told you. A doozie. The first thing someone said was, "Oh, now we know who is having another baby this year!" Hilarious.

All kidding aside, I'm excited. 1 Peter 1:6-9 says:

⁶In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,⁹obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

And I know it is all too true that I am more faint of heart in the face of tribulation than the dear lion from the merry old land of Oz. I confess, when troubles come, my first thought is usually, "Why is God punishing me?" It is a foolish thought, shaped by the insecurities of my heavenly Father's love cultivated by my earthly father in the tender years of childhood.

I have great joy in knowing Jesus is good. His love is unchanging and these trials are meant to sanctify, not scold. Perhaps baby number three is the blessing for 2010. Perhaps it is something less enjoyable and more of a trial by fire, but I trust in Jesus and the promises He has made. Thank you Lord Jesus for loving me too much to leave me the way I am.