Looking back

Are these funny pictures or what? It's from our second Sunday home from China. Shad is wearing his Chinese outfit and he ate so much that he just fell out in the highchair at Golden Corral. That boy could eat when we first got him home. He'd eat like a grown man! Notice in the fourth picture, Shad still has his fork in his hand. He was sound asleep but he wan't letting go of that fork!!! These pictures were taken over three years ago. Where does the time go? Shad looked like a baby then now he's a tall 5 year old looking forward to kindergarten!

Sometimes we as parents don't always see the changes our children make until we look back at old pictures and videos and then it shocks us at how far they've come! We don't notice the change because they are with us every day and we don't see them "grow".

Sometimes spiritually we need to look back and see how far we've come from where we were!

I know I can remember several different people over the years that God was really using in a mighty way and I'd compare my self to them. Not in a jealous way but I saw where they were and wanted to be there also. Then I saw those folks burn out, turn their backs on God and walk away and was shocked! It's like the parable Jesus told about the sower. Some seeds fell on stony ground and began to grow but when hardship came, they withered because they had no real roots. The race is not to the swiftest but to the one who makes it to the end...

This is what Jon preached about this morning and it's so true. We must endure until the end. Don't be a quick flame that burns bright for God but is then burnt out. But stand firm and walk with God every day and soon you can look back on where you were and see how far God has taken you!!