How much more

We had weeds. Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad weeds...
(I had to steal the line...I just love it! It is from one of my favorite children's books Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, no good, very bad day...I digress.)
They were more like a new ground covering really. They were all spider webbed together and locked into the ground in multiple places. They were taking over the front lawn and completely hiding all signs of the nice mulch we purchased earlier this season.
So we pulled, we raked, we yanked, we dug and we scooped until they were no more...or at least less then they once were. Andy put down some weed killer and then put new mulch over the top...now our front lawn looks gorgeous, or at least not like a weed patch anymore, which to me is gorgeous.

I hung out with a friend this morning, we chatted, or tried to while we took care of our children. I however, had to leave long before I was done playing so I could get home and clean my house (which I should be doing now....ahem) On the way home the Jeremy Camp song came on the radio...the one I love so much because it is the song of my heart so many days...the one that plays first on this blog. Well one line in the song stood out to me today, the line that states "for the beauty that's in store outweighs the hurt of life's sting." I love that line because within it lies my hope. Life has stung these past few months and the throb of the sting will last forever...that is forever on this earth, but what awaits me is far superior and worth holding out for.

It got me thinking about things we do in this life that hurt because the result will be fabulous and worth the pain.

I thought of a few vain things, like piercing your ears. I remember really wanting to get my ears pierced as a child...my dad made me wait til I was 8. I looked forward to it and feared it just as much. The needle was friends and foe alike...but I knew the beauty of those earrings would far outweigh the pain of getting them in!
I also thought of people who diet...I say that because I have never really dieted in my life..I have cut back, but I have always eaten junk in some form. But there are those who have more will power than myself and can give up the chocolate and the ice cream because they know what awaits them at the end is a slimmer figure.
Then I thought of not so vain things like bringing a child into this world. We as mothers know it will be painful, just carrying them at times hurts like the dickens, but in the end, the wonderful sweetness that is your baby wipes away all the memories of the pain. (or should at least for a few days.)
Raising a child is the same way. Disciplining them is hard work and is ugly at times, but seeing them make good decisions without a word from you is priceless and worth all the "no's".
Our weeding was the same thing...it stinks to weed. It hurts sometimes...more so the next day, but the end result is a beautiful garden, or front lawn in our case.

These thoughts made me think if things, that we do ourselves, for ourselves are nice and we think of the end result as beautiful and worth it, how much more so the ending God has in store for those that are His children. Sure, the sting is more painful than weeding or getting a hole punched in your ear, but if we think a pretty garden or stones that sparkle when we shake our head is worth it....I cannot wait to see what God has for me.

The next line in the song says "So I hold on to this hope, and the promise that He brings, there will be a day with no more suffering. There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, no more fears. There will be a day when the burdens of this place will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face."

And there it is folks. The beauty that awaits us and far outweighs the hurt of this life's sting. Jesus, face to face with our savior. Heaven. No more pain, tears or fears. And for me, seeing my baby girl once more.

If so many little things in this life are worth it...how much more will God give when we walk where He has planned?

Just a thought.