Plans

When you join a new community, the first year or so is spent discovering the traditions and activities that are specific to that area. This encompasses a wide variety of events, and it takes time to figure out which things are important (or interesting) enough to attend and which things are not. It's usually most apparent around major holidays when you begin to wonder, "Is there a fall festival/Easter egg hunt/Christmas tree lighting ceremony/(fill in the blank) around here?"

There have been several events that I have heard about just a little too late, but was assured that I would have an opportunity to attend next year. It's all a part of the learning curve in a new town, and by this time next year we will be part of all the festivities.

Our new church has so many opportunities for fellowship and outreach, and I've been blessed to be included in some of them. I've met some of the most amazing men and women who have hearts for Christ and who genuinely lead lives that strive to be pleasing to Him. It's a great encouragement to me as a wife, mother and as someone who is only saved by the grace of God. I am building relationships with like-minded Christians, but at the same time am encouraged to take that energy and love out into our community and share the gospel. It's a good balance of being accountable and relational with other believers without living in a bubble in our church.

Our church purpose statement is to "Follow Christ, Love God, Love Others and Serve the World" and we don't take that lightly. We get out nourishment from frequent contact with fellow believers, and solid Biblical teaching from the pulpit, but we understand that being a Christ-follower is more that just sitting in church on Sunday and Wednesday. It's a life filled with service to others, especially those who have not come to know Christ in a personal way. It's a life marked by making ourselves small so that God's glory can be seen more clearly. It's a life made of daily sacrifices so that we might bring glory and honor to Him. It's a life that truly believes that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

I want to live that life more fully, and I can't think of a better place to grow and be fed than at Bethel Baptist Church. I thank God daily that He led Trevor and me to this place of worship before we even moved to the area, because He already knew the plans He had for us. Plans to prosper us and not harm us. Plans to give us a hope and a future. Plans that are revealed daily to cause us to praise Him for His providence and grace towards us.

In spite of our inner turmoil about jobs, money and selling our house He is always steadfast and true. He is the rock that we cling to when the world seems to be spinning out of control.

He is always faithful.

It's Almost Here...

This has been such a crazy, upside down week! I've spent so much time at work and at church that I feel like I've been out of town. Home seems a little foreign to me and I'm all out of sync with the rhythm of my family...my life. I have been rushing since last Tuesday when we left for our trip and so I'm seriously looking forward to this weekend.


There are so many things that we could do. We've thrown around getting together an impromptu game night with our friends, there is a crop (scrapbooking get-together for all of you non-scrappers out there) at church this Saturday night and there is always the possibility of inviting family over for dinner or whatever. But the closer the weekend gets, the less I want to do anything other than lay around the house in my oldest, rattiest clothes and do absolutely nothing.


Of course, "nothing" when you have kids turns out to be a whole lot of something, but at least there will be no outside interference. Nowhere to be, no reason to get dressed, no worries. The most taxing thing that I want to do this weekend is maybe see a movie. The new Harry Potter movie came out Wednesday and I can't wait to see it. Nathan is excited about it too, so maybe we'll do a matinee Saturday. For those of you who have strong feelings about Harry Potter and Christianity, I would refer you to the book "What's a Christian to do with Harry Potter?"


So, one more day of work to get through and then the weekend is mine. Maybe I'll do some light shopping tomorrow since I get off at noon on Fridays. It will be nice to just browse without the kids pulling me in 20 directions at once or worrying if Trevor has had enough. I'm a firm believer in "me" time, and I think that taking some time to be alone and to rejuvenate in whatever capacity makes you happy, makes you a better wife and mother. You can't care for others if you can't care for yourself every once in a while.

But the Greatest of These is Love

I have mentioned before that we are studying Ephesians in Sunday School, and I was convicted today as I prepared for the lesson this week. The text is Ephesians 4:1-17, and within these verses is contained one of the greatest things we can do to fulfill our calling as Christians. What is this thing, you ask? Paul instructs us in verses 1-3 to "walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Sounds simple, doesn't it?

That's what I thought until I started digging deeper in my commentary and study guide. We are not just to tolerate one another until we can get out of Sunday morning worship. We are not supposed to simply roll our eyes and ignore that person (you know exactly who I'm talking about here) who tells the same lame joke over and over and thinks it's hilarious every, single time. This doesn't mean that we can smile to the faces of those who annoy us and then talk about them over lunch after church.

What this passage talks about is a real affection for brothers and sisters in Christ, and that being enabled by the Holy Spirit we embrace and love each other in the spirit of unity and peace. We put aside our selfish pride and we rebuke (and apologize, as the case may be) with an attitude of love and patience. I love that scripture in Proverbs! "Wounds from a friend are trustworthy"...wow! We should love and trust each other enough as children of the living God to be honest with each other. A loving rebuke from a friend can be trusted...I would much rather be lovingly critiqued by my friend than to be talked about by my enemies and never change the problem. It might hurt a little to hear it, but the joy of growing in Christ and strengthening those bonds with a fellow Christian are incomparable.

What this means is that we filter all those idiosyncrasies and annoying habits through the mind of Christ. Do your children's annoying habits make you love them less? What about your spouse? Parents? Of course not. We love them in spite of their faults and sometimes we love them more because of them.

If we are to be a spiritually mature church and unified in Christ, then we need to start seeing our fellow siblings in Christ in a much different light. I love this quote from Dr. D.G. Barnhouse: "Love is the key. Joy is love singing. Peace is love resting. Long-suffering is love enduring. Kindness is love's touch. Goodness is love's character. Faithfulness is love's habit. Gentleness is love's self-forgetfulness. Self-control is love holding the reins."

Lord, help me!!!!

Anyone who knows me is aware of my tendency to me judgemental and impatient in nature. I don't like frivolous people who tell stupid, predictable jokes. I don't like people who are superficial and those who have an insatiable need for attention and approval. I know how I like my people, and if you don't fit my bill I will more often than not just write you off as not worth my time or energy. But all the while I am silently pleading to not be judged myself. Please don't judge me by my weight or by my clothing. Please don't judge me because of my sometimes tactless mouth and watchful eyes.

Lord, help me.

This is one of many areas in my life that need an Extreme Makeover. I know what I need to do, but my heart is rebellious and I slip right back into those old, comfortable habits. I need to pray for a broken and repentant heart about this behavior. The only way that I am going to overcome this sin is through the working of the Holy Spirit, and I make a vow today: I will overcome. I will open myself fully to the Spirit and strive for spiritual maturity and unity within my own church. Lord, help me.

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Tammie Fay at His Word is Life to Me to tell 5 things I "dig" about Jesus.....now I really feel special! Actually, I had to Google the word meme after I read it a dozen times with all of the blog reading that I do! But now I'm in the know, and this is my first time to participate in blogland. Thanks Tammie Fay!!!

Here are the rules:

1. those tagged will share 5 things they dig about Jesus…
2. those tagged will tag 5 other bloggers…
3. those tagged will post a comment here with their name and a link to their “dig” Jesus list…

Here's my list:

1. He is sovereign. Period. (Isaiah 45)
2. He created me to be happy in Him. (Psalm 73:25-28)
3. When I am at my most unlovable, He loves me anyway. (Romans 8:38-39)
4. He chose me. (Romans 8:29-30)
5. I get to spend all of eternity praising Him because of His work on the cross. (John 14:1-3)

Now it's your turn girls!

1. Kellye My View With Mustard No Mayo
2. Christine Fruit in Season
3. Karen Over the Backyard Fence
4. Faraja The Girl With a 'Fro
5. OK...how sad is this. I only know one person personally who blogs, and the rest of the people I might tag are known only to me because I visit their websites. I don't want anyone to think I'm a cyber-stalker or anything! I guess I'll just leave this at 4 people and hope that none of them think I'm crazy!

As an aside, I was browsing through the websites on the Christian Women Online ring and came across this one. This is a must read. Seriously. You will nod your head in agreement. You will laugh so hard that you might need a Depend undergarment. Seriously.

Politics and Religion

The 2008 Presidential election will be here before we know it. We are already seeing the proverbial hats in the ring and all of the political rhetoric. I watched Larry King Live (which I never do) because Dr. Albert Mohler was one of the guest speakers on the topic of whether or not religion matters in an election. Should a person's religious affiliation matter to voters on election day?

Well, the answer is yes and no. Religion matters because it gives us a guidepost as to the moral and ethical values of a candidate. It matters because it allows us to quickly evaluate if the candidate shares common ground with our beliefs and convictions. Having said that, I think that the more important issue is whether or not the candidate is a Christian, since being a member of a particular denomination (even one that is traditionally evangelical) does not insure that the person is a born again believer. That is the true litmus test for my vote, and unfortunately it is something that many people in the political arena are hesitant to reveal for fear of alienating some part of the constituency.

As an Evangelical Christian, I have yet to see a clear cut choice for 2008. I have always maintained that I although I have voted primarily Republican in recent years, voting for a Democratic candidate is within the realm of possibility as long as I agree with their policies and moral values. Beyond the label of GOP or Democratic party, I would rather vote for a non-Christian with a good moral compass and a record for pro-life, pro-family and a plan to deal with poverty than a self professing Christian who talks the talk but does not walk the walk. I think too many candidates use God as an amulet...they pull it out when faced with conservative Christians but hide it in their pocket when questioned by the liberal left.

That is not how true Christianity works. The misconception today is that if you attend church regularly and live a "good" life that you are a Christian. This could not be farther from the truth, and is in fact a dangerous trend. 80% of Americans consider themselves "religious" or "Christian", but I have to believe that number is based on a misguided idea of what Christianity really is. Going to church and being "good" is not Christianity. You must accept the gift of grace from God in the form of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This in turn means being regenerated and living all areas of your life for the glory of God. This change goes hand in hand with becoming a Christian. If you believe (and I think many candidates do) that you can separate your biblical convictions as a Christian from how you cast a vote in office, then you might need to re-evaluate your relationship with God.

This is such a touchy subject because America is a country of religious freedom, and not all faiths have the same beliefs as Christianity. I agree with Dr. Mohler that the candidates should be straightforward regarding faith and convictions. I want to know about the convictions of the person I am putting into office. I want to be able to compare in a useful way the pros and cons of each candidate. Without all of the information, I cannot make a truly informed decision. The left would scream that religion should play no part in our decision to elect the President, but they use religion just as much as the conservative right does. For them it is the thing that makes them not vote for a candidate, so how is it any different?

For better or worse, this issue affects how we vote and all I can do right now is pray that God will work in the lives of the people with a desire to be President. I pray that they will be bold in their faith and stand by their convictions in spite of pressure and persecution.

Love and Sacrifice

How can I take one day and attempt to show my mom how much I love her? I can't. It's like Valentines Day...if you have to have a special day to remind you to appreciate your lover, then you don't really appreciate your lover.

I'm one of the lucky ones...I truly love and cherish my mom. She's the first person I want to call when I have good (or bad) news. I trust her judgement and value her opinion. If you had asked me 20 years ago if I would ever feel that way, I would have answered with a resounding "no!" We had a tumultuous relationship when I was a child and adolescent and I hope that when my daughter starts to behave the way I did, that I will respond with half the restraint that Mama did!

I have so many memories of Mama that it's hard to decide which ones to include here. There are so many that are an integral part of who I am that it's almost impossible to explain them. They are like pieces of flesh and blood that have knitted together through the years to form the incredibly visceral feeling that I have when I think of my mom. The feel of her cool hand on my forehead when I was sick, the smell of her skin, the distinctive technique of her fingers on the piano, the comforting sound of her voice murmuring in the living room as I drifted off to sleep in my bedroom. Those things don't sound like very important memories in the grand scheme of things, but they are the ones that make my mom, well, mine.

Throughout my life she has always been there even when I pushed her away in adolescent ignorance. She always forgave me when I overstepped my bounds and said hurtful, mean things to her out of spite and frustration. I didn't realize it at the time, but she was a rich source of wisdom and knowledge. One of my real regrets as an adult is that I didn't listen to my mom more. I could have saved myself so much pain and grief if I had simply relied on her experience, but I suppose that is a regret that most people have.

I credit my mom's perseverance as the primary reason that I have a relationship with the Lord. She made sure that I was dressed and ready to go to church every week. She answered my questions about faith and God. She was an unwavering example of what a Christian should be in all areas of life. God uses many means to draw His elect to Himself, and in my case it was the love and joy that I saw in my own mother's witness.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I spent two weeks in the hospital recovering from surgery. Mama refused to leave my side until Aunt Gail (the next best thing to Mama!) came to pry her away from me and give her some much needed rest and relaxation. At the time, I didn't really think about what a sacrifice it was for Mama to stay with me like that. Now that I am grown-up with a life and family of my own, I see what a gift that was to put her life on hold to focus on my well-being and health. If there is anyone that you want near you when you have just had surgery, it is my mom. She has this uncanny knack for knowing what you want before you ask for it.

When I found out I was pregnant with Nathan, I had no idea how much his birth would change my relationship with her. I remember laying there in the hospital holding him one night after everyone had gone home and thinking that I had never loved someone this deeply. That's when it occurred to me that Mama felt that way about me. She loved me so deeply that she would sacrifice her very life for me. This intimate knowledge about the nature of motherhood made me love her even more than I thought possible.

So, even though I can't be with my mom today my love still stretches across the miles to her and I know that she is thinking of me too. Thank you for giving me life and for shaping me into the person I am today. I love you, Mama.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
“ Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:26-31