They can't cancel church!

Ice. Not the kind you put in your sweet tea to make it perfect, not the kind you pack a cooler for the game with, no, we're talking the kind that blankets your car, the roads, the street signs, EVERYTHING. We are accustomed to ice in my neck of the woods. We usually have a day or even two of it during our winters...but not the kind we've had this week. It has been a paralyzing ice/cold/snow mix that has left most businesses shut down and me and B. trapped inside. She hasn't minded that school has been cancelled or that she can't play with friends. She's enjoyed our Little House on the Prairie marathons, playing restaraunt, and reading all kinds of books. Each day we have gotten a call telling us school has cancelled, again. On Wednesday the phone rang and I answered assuming it would be another such call. But it wasn't. It was our church's call tree telling us church had been cancelled due to the inclement weather. I was honestly relieved. I wasn't sure if I wanted to take B. out in the bitter cold. And, I was all warm and toasty myself. I knew not very many people would get out and what was the point really?

"Did they cancel school again, mommy"? B. asked while playing with her doll house.
"Not yet. That was a call to say they've cancelled church tonite"
B., jumping to her feet and instantly getting teary, "WHAT? THEY DID WHAT?"
"Cancelled Bible class for tonite".
"They can't cancel church!!!! How could they do that? WHY would they do that? WHAT is wrong with them"?
"It's not safe for everyone to get there honey".
"But, I...love...hearing about God...and...seeing...everyone...and spending time...with...other christians. I want to go to church...I need to go to church."

I sat holding my crying daughter and thinking, shame on me. I was looking for an excuse to get out of going. I was dreading being uncomfortable long enough to get there and I was too selfish to care who else would be there. It's amazing to me how much we adults learn from kids. How wonderful it is to see "church" through my daughter's eyes. Granted, she's 8. It's mostly social and a chance to play with her friends right now, but that is part of it. God gave us such a wonderful gift in the church. In all the hustle and bustle of daily life, church budgets, curriculum, youth activities, teaching your little to listen and learn, care groups, fellowship dinners, missions, follow up's, prayer meetings and on and on, we often loose that childhood love of going to church. Somewhere along the way it becomes a chore. We get lost in the grind and forget about the simple pleasure of "hearing about God and spending time with other christians". How wonderful every congregation, big or small, young or old, traditional or contemporary, would be if each of us felt that way. The wonderful things that could be accomplished for Christ if we all WANTED to go. If we NEEDED to go. I've got a brand new new year's resolution! It's never too late for an attitude adjustment, is it? What about you? Would you cry if they cancelled your "church" for a night?

Long Time No Post

I know, I know! I disappeared. While things have been hectic, trying, and difficult sometimes, they have also been educational, character building, and occasionaly fun. Maybe someday I'll get into all that, but for now...I'm back. I've got lots of great things planned! So, if I haven't lost you already, hang in there, we're gonna have some fun!!

Father's Day

My Dad. There are many wonderful things about my dad. He is generous, dedicated to his work, has a sharp wit, loves my mom, loves spending time with his grandchildren, and above all loves God. It's that love that changed my father's legacy. See, my dad wasn't raised in a christian home. He didn't have examples of Godly fathers or husbands. Oh, there were good men~but not ones that took him to Sunday school or read him the Bible~or were living pictures of God. When he and my mom were newlyweds living in Turkey, a sweet man taught my dad the Gospel. He could see the power in the truth and couldn't get enough of Gods Word and teaching. He went to school and became a preacher. That forever changed the path my dad has traveled down. My sister and I reaped the benefits of that daily. We played Bible quiz on long car rides, had family devos, went to church camp, and had limited access to tv and radio {I didn't even know Billie Jean was a song on the Thriller album until I was in college}. We witnessed the love he had for my mom everyday, saw what God wants husbands to be. He was a dedicated father. Doing his best to be at each activity, coach my softball team, listen to my unending singing, and build quilt forts over the ping pong table. He disciplined us when needed and delighted in seeing our faces when we got the special gift our little girl hearts were longing for. All of those little moments taught us about God. About how God, our Father, loves us and cares for us. About how He disciplines us, and delights in our joy when we get our hearts desire. On Father's Day, 23 years ago, my dad baptized me. I was living out the legacy. Years later, I married a Godly man. So too, my sister. Again, living out the legacy. We both now have children and are doing our best to raise them as God wants us too. I have no way of knowing how life would have turned out had my dad never obeyed the Gospel, but I do know the legacy he has created by doing so. We know the promise of heaven, the hope of things to come, the peace of a loving Father. Every Father's Day I think of my dad and how the legacy he has created is touching generations to come. He is my earthly example of my heavenly Father. He is my dad. And I am blessed beyond words to have him.

The simple truth

One of my favorite things is reading and talking about relationships. Single relationships, marriage relationships, parent-child relationships, friendships, just about anything you can add ship to. I chose a degree and career that played into that. I hit these isles at the christian bookstore as often as I can. It's a huge part of my life. HUGE. Lately, I've noticed a lot of books about being overwhelmed. An overwhelmed parent, an overwhelmed child, an overwhelmed christian. As I sat talking with a friend one day, she complained about her kids being overwhelmed with homework, her husband being overwhelmed with his work schedule, and her being overwhelmed with trying to keep up with everything else. Her desperation was evident. Her exhaustion, her list of "to-do's", her piles and piles of laundry are ever mounting and she is sinking further and further into a never-ending ocean of stress. Listening to her was, well, overwhelming . I found myself suggesting several books and a great website. I left thinking how much I wished there was an all encompassing resource. How there was one book, if read and put into daily practice, would be a blueprint for keeping it all together. Then, like writing on the wall, I passed a church marquise that read "A Bible falling apart belongs to a person who isn't". There it was. In huge letters, high about the street. The simple truth I needed to remember. God gave us the ultimate "self-help" guide. He provided that blueprint. We may read every book ever written about our "issues", but they will never give the peace that comes from being in God's Word. My love of all things relational has provided me some really great tips, suggestions, options, even spreadsheets. They are great tools. But, if I want to "keep it all together" I have to wear out my Bible.

"The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple". Psalm 119:130.

Hhhhmmmm.....

Is it bad that I watched The Biggest Loser while chowing down on cookies?

Tis the Season

I read a fantastic idea on another blog that The White House will be stealing for this new year. We are going to take all the holiday cards we receive this season, draw one each week (or month depending on how many we get), and spend that week or month in prayer for that family. So, if we are on your christmas card list~know that The White House will be covering you in prayer in the new year.

Education money can't buy

I survived my first week of being a lunchroom monitor at B.'s school. Here are the things I learned this week...

1. School cafeterias love fried anything. And sticking lettuce on the tray counts as a well balanced meal.

2. Kids get as excited for the weekend as we adults do.

3. Kindergarten through 3rd grade loves everything you do, what you wear, and thinks you are ever so pretty.

4. They also think you are older than dirt, are mean if you won't let them eat only their ice cream and point out every flaw you have every single day.

5. Fourth graders think they are too cool for everything. And love to make fun of each other mercilessly.

6. Fifth grade boys have discovered Axe bodyspray, but not the shower. They also believe they are Rico Suavee.

7. Kids LOOOOVVVEEE it when their parents come to have lunch with them. That 20-30 minutes changes their whole day.

8. Very few children have parents who pack them a good lunch or write them a sweet note or stick in a favorite treat once in a while.

9. Southern women really do call EVERYONE baby.

10. That when told they can dress up like what they want to be when they grow up, most chose a rapper or popstar. {SCARY}