LIFE GROUP

This our second year to lead a LIFE GROUP. It's often the highlight of our week. I actually enjoy cleaning the house and often cooking for the group! Funny thing about our marriage groups...they keep having babies! Jessica is due this week and Krysta is due in 2 weeks. Kristi and Emily had babies last semester! Between the group pictured we have 13 kids...and with the other 4 ladies (not pictured we have 28 kids! So, seriously, we have a lot in common! I'm so thankful we can laugh about all the things moms and dads go through on a daily basis and can encourage each other through the different seasons of our lives. I love my friends...and getting a "baby fix" holding their babies...and doing LIFE together.

Wild Week

Whoa. I'm sitting in a room filled with my family watching a crazy movie but I have so much in my head I need to record it. It's been a WILD WEEK. There are times when so many things come up that it's hard to balance emotionally, physically and mentally while still talking nicely to Richard and my kids! Of course, if I was healthier I could probably do the days better...and if I kept up with all my meds and kept us all on task, I would probably do better too. But this week I crashed because I'm not healthy and had so much to do and keep up with, I did not do well. I feel better right now than I have all week, so I can record how God sustained me even when I do not have strength.

There is NOTHING like a bad day, bad week or a bad situation to show me how He has the whole world and even me in His hand.

Last Sunday I got to sing in our praise team. I got to lead two songs because someone on the team was sick. I was swept up into the Holy Spirit's anointing during the singing and even though I know He always wants me there when I'm leading, he also was preparing me for the week ahead.

Christ Is Enough:

Christ is my reward and all of my devotion

Now there's nothing in this world that could ever satisfy

Through every trial my soul will sing

 No turning back, I've been set free

Christ is enough for me, Christ is enough for me

Everything I need is in You, everything I need

Christ my all in all, the joy of my salvation

And this hope will never fail heaven is our home

Through every storm my soul will sing

Jesus is here to God be the glory

I have decided to follow Jesus

No turning back, no turning back

The cross before me, the world behind me

No turning back, no turning back

Monday: Sheridan had volleyball every day this week. Richard was home and we took everyone to the movies (we don't ever do that) to celebrate the last week of summer.

Tuesday: Volleyball, trips up the house to order blinds, Richard out of town. Sheridan's Open House at the Junior High at 6pm. (#1)

Wednesday: Cameron's teacher is listed at noon and Jordan and Cameron's friends come over to play all afternoon. Meanwhile, I have details about my upcoming event that are completely out of my hands.  Not only do I need to be chasing down things, but I'm distracted by packing and keeping kids sane on this last week at home. I make a decision to postpone our BIG marketing day until details are worked out, and need to send mass emails and social media posts to let people know.

Thursday: Richard is home and tying up all loose ends on our house so we can move in. We decide to move in next weekend, but move non-essentials this weekend. Lauren comes over to help and helps me get things orderly so I can feel OK about how we're going to do this. Cameron has open house at his elementary school. (#2) The driveways are laid at our house although we didn't think that would happen. However, we can't drive on it until Monday.

Friday: Erin, Richard, the girls and I start moving as much as we can in two SUVs and a trailer. We'll park as close as we can to the doors and walk it in! I'm not used to the humidity, the heavy lifting or this stress and I'm not handling it very well. I snap at the girls and then ask their forgiveness. (Through every storm my soul will sing, Jesus is here, to God be the glory) Jordan has open house at the middle school! (#3)

Saturday: Erin and a friend are here, Jordan is getting new braids, Richard and I pack cars and take more to the house. I've worn out my muscles in the last two days, so I unpack boxes and do what I can to direct traffic and wipe down floors after dirt comes in. (The house we're moving in to is the most beautiful place I've ever seen! Richard has built us a wonderful place to call home) The details of our move & my event are weighing on me and Richard and the kids continue to love me more than I deserve and gives me time to take a much needed nap so I can recoup. Momming is hard, but not harder than He can handle.

So now the movie is over, and the Olympics are still on and I'll try to decide how much I can watch tonight before I need to turn in. I can't wait to worship tomorrow at church. I need the TRUTH, the FELLOWSHIP, and the FOCUS on all that is really important in life.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

LOST CHILDREN

This morning we had our annual BIG SCREEN week at church. Our pastors use a modern day story (movie)  to bring Biblical truths to our lives. They use Jesus teaching in parables as an example of this kind of story telling/teaching. BIG SCREEN is only during July each year and we're encouraged to invite people who normally wouldn't go to church (but would not have a problem with going to a movie) to attend with us.

This morning the movie we watched part of was CREED. It's a boxing movie, and although my family watched it last night (in preparation) I wasn't interested. This morning I was so moved by the first scene they chose to share, that I had tears running down my face the entire time.

**I'm not writing his very smoothly, but I know I have something to say so bear with me if you've found yourself on this blog for some reason.

The first scene we saw today was a lady coming to get a boy from LOCK UP after fighting. He was fighting "again." When she went into the cell to talk to him, I knew nothing about the storyline, I knew nothing about her, or what was going to happen, but when I saw that boy, maybe 10 years old, standing there in that prison cell, I just lost it. He did not have a dad. This lady was the wife of his dad, and this boy was born of infidelity with another woman.

She was coming to get him...to take him to her home. The dad was no longer living.

This boy had been fighting for a long time already, his hands were in fists as he talked to her, he had a bruise on his cheekbone and he looked mad. ...

All I could think of was all the real boys who are in this same exact BUT REAL place of hopelessness, anger and complete loneliness. They've been abandoned and do NOT know what to do but fight. Whether it be fighting with their hands, their words or their tears, they can only fight, because that's what we  humans do to survive.

These kids need people to love them. They need people to speak TRUTH AND LOVE into their lives. They need people to teach them other things to do but fight...and I speak from experience, it takes a lot of work to un-teach them this reaction.

It's hard work. It's uncomfortable. In some cases, it will be dangerous, but not all cases. BUT, we have an epidemic of children who are LOST...lost from family, lost from love, lost from security and they need to see families who eat together, work together, play together and respect each other. If we do not get to these children we will have an epidemic of crowded jails full of angry adults who have taken guns into businesses, schools and churches...oh wait, we already do.

Consider this, there's a chance your first experience will not be good. I can GUARANTEE your work with the DHS will not be smooth. It's a system made to protect children but it is not without it's basic flaws because we shouldn't HAVE to have a system to protect children!

It will be hard, but it could also be the most rewarding thing you have ever done. And WHY should any child be standing in a prison lock up?

What a Weekend!

It's been a crazy weekend for our family. Richard left on Friday, Gramps came in and kept kids so Lauren and I could go to NLC Woman conference in LR. Richard came back Friday night and took the kids to Cabot ALL DAY Saturday for a volleyball tournament with Sheridan. Sheridan's team went undefeated and won the championship. How many times can I say how thankful I am for the friends she has surrounded herself with? NOT ENOUGH. Richard, Jordan and Cameron spent the WHOLE DAY in a gym in Cabot cheering on all the Russellville teams. I'm so thankful for our family, as Erin and Lauren and I were being FILLED at the conference in LR. Ryan and Katelyn were on a charter bus most of the weekend going back and forth to Knoxville for the HOGS game. Well, miracles happen as the HOGS brought home an SEC win! 

This morning I got to be on the worship team for the first time at NLC. It's been awhile but every weekend I experience the excellence of our worship time I am engaged by the Holy Spirit for the teaching time and I have wanted to be a part of that. So thankful for the opportunity, even though we reported in at 6am...and didn't leave the church until 12:45. God bless the pastor who teaches 3 times! 

Looking forward to Monday morning so we can get back in the routine and not be headed out of town somewhere. Well, not until Monday afternoon! 

End Times

It is an uneasy time in America and the world. I'm fairly sheltered and even content to live in my house, on my street, with my family and not be interested in what is going on "out there." But even here I see the news, I see the shootings, racial tensions erupting, and politics redefining what we know to be truth.

This weekend our pastor spoke to these things. Of course, being the rule follower and list maker I am, was thrilled he was going to give our church's stance on these topics, but he did not do that. In fact, he addressed them all together in the BIG PICTURE. I was pretty let down at first, wondering why he didn't take a stand, and then I realized, he did.

What I learned:
1. We don't fear God. We neither have reverence or delight in Him in the everyday actions of our lives. Therefore, it's easy for us to get caught up in every uproar society puts out.

2. The Big Picture is that Jesus died for it all. God wins. He has a plan. It has not changed, and He is not surprised by what is going on in the world. In light of this, the issues do not matter as much as the outcome.

3. My mind should be constantly focused on THE HOPE for our future. I should be teaching my children there is but ONE WAY to peace and truth. Therefore, protecting them from emotional waves that come from the horrible things going on in our world. They are there, but we have HOPE.

Our pastor says there has never been a better time to be plugged into the church. Of course, that sounds like something a pastor would say, but he didn't mean just our church. He means THE CHURCH. "Things are not going to get better. The church is the source of Hope." And JESUS is that hope.

My take away, to ask myself, "Lord, is there anything in me that is not like you?"

Well, of course there is! I'm full of self-centeredness, laziness, fear, bad thoughts, pride, and more...
I should be working to get rid of these things and seek Him more.

From Hebrews 10: 26-31
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgement and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.  Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people."  It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

They call me MOM

I put together this little graphic because I've just started taking pics with my kids this year and I had at least one of everyone. Sometimes I can't believe 6 kids call me Mom...and sometimes their friends too. It's humbling to think about, so I'm thankful God gives me lots of grace, wisdom in those moments, and strength.  I'm a mess every minute I try to do it without Him.

Some highlights from the day: A present from art class from Ceven (aka Kevin, as in Durant). The pinch pot was painted AND wrapped in a customized super hero bag. I thought this would be the best moment of the day...

...UNTIL he came out of Kid Life with this on. In a very crowded hallway and foyer. I mean, why take it off? 

Women...

A more interesting weekend I've never had. I've been to MANY women's retreats/conferences, but never as the newbie: I decided to go to our (new) church's women conference in Little Rock 2 weeks ago. I paid my late registration fee, and told one of my new church friends that I was going. She was the sweetest friend and said, "Of course, you're coming, and coming with me! You can stay with me and we'll have so much fun!"

I drove myself to LR, I met my friend in the middle of a PACKED room with 2200 other women. I didn't know another person in the row around me, and so it was hard to know who was with our church and who was from another church. No worries, I just started talking to folks, and everything was new but not too awkward. The worship time absolutely blew me away, I was literally teary joining with so many singing to the Lord and preparing for a weekend to focus on Him. It was awesome.

And then the first speaker came up. Honestly...it's hard for me to trust a size 2 woman, who has to be 50 years old and looked 21 tops. But when she started bringing it, I couldn't write fast enough. I completely forgot that I didn't know but about 4 people in the room, and that I wasn't sure where I would spend the night.

The night ended at a table at PF Changs, laughing hard with 3 women I hadn't met before and my friend. OK, so somewhere after the first few minutes I realize I may be older than these ladies...I'm guessing 15 years older. It's OK, I can get along with anyone.. When my precious friend mentioned getting a roll away for their room, I could tell by their faces, she hadn't told them I was staying with them. One of my worst fears is imposing on people...so I immediately make excuses and plans to drive to Conway to stay at Rhea Lana's. (I had already OKd a bed there in case this very thing happened) My friend felt a little bad, but I assured her I would be perfectly fine, and I was.

This is why the weekend was so strange:
I'm 100% sure I've never been to a church event where I felt as insignificant or unknown as this. I have been the person who greets people at the door, invites people to sit by me, and asks everyone their names and makes the room reservations for anyone who needs one.

It was OK to not be known, and it was OK to not be a leader, but it was so incredibly humbling and perhaps freeing for a few moments. However, God did not wire me to sit quietly. The next morning my friend didn't answer her phone, I couldn't find her in the room, I saw another few folks from our church, but they didn't motion me over (I'm such a wimp...but didn't want to ask to sit with them if there wasn't a seat available....) anyway, I helped myself to a seat in the middle of a row of ladies from other places, and just made some new friends.

After the first session, and a break out session, another lady from my new life group texted me and asked me to sit with her later. During lunch, a new friend from the first night asked me to eat lunch with her.
God was providing and I was accepting.
God was speaking, and I was listening.
God was there, and I did everything I could to not let my feeling of inadequacy, un-comfortableness, and doubt distract me from His message to me.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this except for the record of a time of unknown in my life that I've never had, and for the reminder to love others, reach out to others, listen to others, and make others feel loved in similar situations.

For all I know, the ladies thought I was a snob for not talking to them, (that would break my heart if that were true) but I was trying to not infringe on their experience by being an unwanted tag a long.

I pray God will give us a specific place to serve and grow quickly in our new church home.