Pride vs...well pride.

We've all busted with it at some point. I think I've busted it onto the blog a few times, especially about my kids and certainly about my husband...

"My son, my son!" My mom use to tease about her beloved son...yeah, I wanted to knock the two of them upside the head...of course that was until I had one myself and now: "My son, my son!" I have no doubt the girls would like to knock me upside the head too!

I recently read a fictional story of Mary and her own "My Son, My Son!" and the conviction on her heart that He was His, not hers...wow.

I think we mommies and wives run a thin line here over pride in our kids:

"Look what a fine job I have done in raising them!"

Or as wives:

"Look at my catch! I have done a fine job in training him!"

Sigh...

When we stand in our own pride over what a fine job we are doing we miss the point entirely. I have taken great "pride" in teaching Jack to read. I worked hard at it. I did good, darn it all, I did very, very, good.

Or perhaps my God gave me the knowledge to do good, to learn how to teach, to use just the right tools to reach a child with profound dyslexia...Maybe IT was all about Him in the first place.
I look at my home, my family, my accounts...they are all His. Any good I do, is based in Him. I am only able because He gives me the ability to do so. Even my faith is gift from Him. I am not the great I AM. I'm nothing.

The fact that he can use this jar of clay, made of filthy dirt, is, in and of itself, a miracle. That He would use the least of these to do anything at all is astounding.

The only righteousness I have is because of Him and even the righteousness isn't mine...it's His.

I had wanted to brag on Liz today and her plans to start college in the Fall of 2011. I had wanted to brag on Jack today and how hard he is working this year in school. I had wanted to brag on beautiful Brennan-Fiona today and her birthday wishes coming true...and on Caity and on Maggie and on John...

Instead, I am going to leave it all alone...leave it at the foot of the cross and brag on my Jesus...that He would even love me is brag enough for a Thursday. He has never needed me to do a thing. The fact that He has asked me to join Him in His work at all is not brag worthy...it is nothing short of humbling. Glory.