The New Addition

For nineteen years, when I said, "We have a new addition to the family", it meant that we had just brought home a new baby. For the last ten years we have had no new additions to the family.
Until today.
We have a new addition to our home as of today.
It is not a newborn baby.
It is my mother-in-love.
My husband's mother arrived today, to make our home, her new home.
You should know that my MIL is vibrant, healthy, and very independent.
She CHOSE to come live in our home.
And we CHOSE to celebrate this decision.
I am very excited, as is the rest of the family about our new addition.
Today, when she first arrived, she made a phone call to let someone know that she had safely arrived.
The words she spoke to that person made my heart sing with joy.
"I have arrived at MY new HOME!"
Sweetest words I heard today.
Welcome to the newest member of our home!

Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson

Grace; Small Thought, Huge Implication

A woman has a daughter who is really walking down a dangerous path. She is using drugs and is living on the street, and pays for her drug habit by prostitution. The mother's heart is broken for her daughter. She is also angry with the choices this child of hers has made.

She cannot let this child into her home because she cannot have this kind of behavior there. It would destroy the rest of the family. What is this mother to do?

The girl cannot get into rehab, she has no money. She cannot get away from her pimp for she has no power over him. She cannot even see that she is destroying her life because her mind and body is set on serving the drugs that have seduced her.

This child will surely die if something does not happen.

As the mother watches her child she knows what she must do.

First: The mother pays the bill for a rehab center in full, for as long as the treatment might take, whether 1mo, 6 mo, 20 years.

Second: The mother purchases a house that she pays in full for this child to live in once she is clean. The provisions  for the rest of her life are set up and all her needs will be met.

Third: The mother has someone who will take this offer to her daughter and walk her to the door of the rehab center and wait while she gets well. This person will then take the child to the home prepared for her and help her as she learns to walk in her new clean life.

My question for you is this;

Is grace found in the treatment and home and the friend provided? Or is grace found in the fact that the mother chose to make this offer?

Jerry Bridges wrote:
It was BECAUSE of His grace that God the Father sent His only Son to die in our place. To say it another way, Christ's death was the RESULT of God's grace; grace IS NOT the result of Christ's death. BECAUSE Christ completely satisfied the justice of God, we can now experience the grace of God.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

The plan to send Jesus is the ultimate act of grace.

May I challenge your heart with this; grace did not happen on the cross of Jesus. The true picture of God's grace was that He chose to reach down to make a way for us to be reconciled with Him, before we even knew we needed Him.

Just like the mother in the story above, God cared too much to allow His child to remain helpless.
However, neither the daughter in the above story, or the daughter writing this blog, or the daughter reading this blog, can experience the benefits of the grace offered without accepting the gift.

That is where we pick up the story of grace next time.

Chasing After Their Hearts,

Glenda Johnson
womanaftergod@gmail.com
http://www.twitter.com/GlendaJohnson63
http://www.facebook.com/BibleBowlGlenda

Having And Being A Mother-In-Law

April 1, 1983. Yes, April Fools Day. I became a wife. It was wonderful!
I also became a Daughter-in-law.  Which means I also acquired a Mother-In-Law.

(No, that IS NOT my mother-in-law!) ;)

And a very interesting journey began.

May 29,2004. My son got married. It was....difficult.
I became a mother-in-law. I acquired a daughter-in-law.
My journey took on a whole new meaning.

(No, this is NOT myself and my daughter-in-law) ;)

 This is an invitation to contribute to a book that I am writing. It is all about..that difficult subject....

MOTHER-IN-LAWS!!!

I have a mother-in-law. I love her dearly.

I am a mother-in-law. I love my daughter-in-law dearly.

I would be a liar if I said that both of the those relationships did not go through some rough spots. There have been easy times, and some times that have been a little more challenging.

I have observed in my walk through this life that this tends to be one of the most difficult relationships for women.

My book is a journey through this process of two women sharing a man and how to hopefully make this a more joyful trip.

" I Just told your Mother I welcomed her advice!"

I find humor and tears as I walk this path. I also find true joy!

So here is what I need from you. Below are a couple of questions. Please answer them. I assure you it can be done totally anonymously. I will not quote any names.  You can respond either by copying and answering the questions in the comment section (not anonymous) or by copying the questions and putting them into an e-mail with the answers. (Totally anonymous, pinky swear!)

Most all ladies that are married have a M-I-L . Some of you are one.  Give me your insight. Share your struggles and share your joys!

Thanks for your help.

Highlight the following and copy it. Paste it into either the comments section or an e-mail with your answers.

1. How long have you been married?
2. Do you have a son or daughter that is married? Which one? How long have they been married?
3. Did you know your M-I-L before you were to be married to your husband? Did you know your future s-i-l/d-i-l before they married your child?
4. Do you currently have a good relationship with your M-I-L? D-I-L? S-I-L?
5. What do you think is the main reason your answer is what it is in #4?
6. Would you be interested in filling out an entire questionnaire on this subject?

Thanks for help.
Let's chase HER heart together!

Chasing Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson
womanaftergod@gmail.com
http://www.twitter.com/GlendaJohnson63
http://www.facebook.com/BibleBowlGlenda