Wisdom from a bear.

"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you." "If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever." --Winnie the Pooh I believe that I would do anything to protect my children. I believe that my hidden ninja skills would pop out, if someone ever tried to harm them. I have been in a situation before where one of my children were put in harm's way, and I turned into this other person. One, that I didn't recognize, even a little scarey. My adrenaline was pumping and I had anger boiling inside of me. (Not the best place to be as a christian) But, someone had messed with my baby. I was angry. I felt helpless that I could not protect her. I hated the fact that I was physically separated from her at the time, and could not protect her. I was defenseless against her predator. My youngest child is only seven. He tells me, "Mommy, your my best friend. I will never leave you. I'm going to live with you forever." Sweet, but I know better. I remember my two daughters saying that at one time. My husband works days and nights, rotating one week to the next. I do not like the night shift. I do not like the separation. My youngest daughter is going to summer camp in a few weeks. She has gone before, but not for this long. I want her to go to experience it, but I don't want to be separated from her for that long. I have many siblings. We are all spread out and scattered. The worst thing I find, about growing up, being an adult, and starting your own life, is the fact that it means being separated from your original families. Separation. Not an easy thing. I do not like it. Separate-to divide or keep apart by placing a barrier between, to go in different directions; to set apart from others. Single, individual. None of us want to be separated from the ones we love. It is heartwrenching at times. It creates a longing, that we can not fill with the empty space of loneliness. It takes a toll on relationships. Some of us go to great lengths not to be separated from the people we love. We move to the same town they live. We build houses next to one another. We may even take a new job to be closer. We do whatever it takes, not to be separated. We have a will and determination to be in that person's life, on a daily basis, without any separation. There are times, that I think of not having my children or my husband, and it is almost too much for me to bare. I shove it way to the back of my mind. I do not like the thought of being separated from the ones that I love the most. In this world, or out of it. I wonder...why, if we would go to great lengths to keep our family in our lives, without allowing any form of separation between us, why is it that we allow separation in our life with Jesus? Is He not family? Is He not willing to go to great measures to protect us? He allowed himself to leave His father's side in heaven, to come down and pay the ultimate price. He did that so we would not be separated from our Father in heaven. He died so that we would not have to live without God's love and mercy. Why do we go in the other direction from Him? We run away from Him, as if we never knew Him at all. We create barriers that keep us from even seeing Him. Then we wonder why we can't hear His voice. We think that we can somehow stand alone, single, individual...without Him. Without His love. Without His grace and mercy. Without His strength and peace. The fact is, we can't. Separation from Christ, is far worst than any other. It is even worst then being separated from our children or our spouses. I have been guilty of this on more than one occassion. I separate myself from God, and I wonder why I feel alone, and in a desolate place. We are quick, to talk to anyone and everyone, about our kids, bragging of all their accomplishments. But, we separate our love for Christ, and his accomplishments, out of our conversation, so not to offend anyone. We ask God to give us chances to witness, then when we get it, we don't clasp the opportunity. We wonder why we don't "feel" God around us, yet we don't walk into His presence to feel Him. We separate our everyday tasks into a different group than our worship. When we should incorporate our worship into our every task. We are sure not to offend anyone when we speak of our faith, but we are not faithful enough, not to offend God when we speak. We can talk to our best friends about anything in the world, including our secrets, our fears, our weaknesses, our wants and our celebrations. Yet, we can't talk to them about our relationship with Jesus. We keep Him separate. We write our latest status on facebook, explaining the goofy things our kids do or what we are cooking for supper. But, we don't share what Jesus did for us that day, in fear of being "hidden" from someone's page. All the while, hiding behind the barrier we have created against Jesus. He is in the midst of all we do. He is in the midst of how we live. He is in the midst of what we say. He is in the midst of how we worship. He is in the midst of every minute, of every hour, of every day. He is in the midst. Don't keep Him separate. Knock down those barriers between you and Him. Do not let anything stand in the way of you and Him. Don't stand alone. Go to Him. Embrace Him. Get in His presence, and stay there. Celebrate who He is in your life, and the lives of your family. In the words of a wise, honey lovin' bear, "You can't always sit in your corner of the forest and wait for people to come to you...you have to go to them sometimes." Lord God, remind us each day, that in all we do...to keep You in the midst of it, without any separation. Romans 8:39, "..neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.