Grateful #4

Today I am thankful for...

1. Pop Ice. You know, those popsicles in the plastic wrap. Yep, those. I think I've gone through about 6 in the last hour. Go ahead, have one. Add a little flavor to your evening.

2. Motivation. Today Mom came over and told Eli he could go to her house after he finished school. And BOOM! Just like that, he was done with school in less than 3 hours. We'll see how Monday goes...

Grateful #3

1.  Oh Happy Day

Doesn't her face just say it all?

Today at church we had an AWESOME baptism service.  Originally, there were between 7-10 people who were planning to be baptised.  By the time it was said and done, there were 20.  I was especially moved by the young boy who told us "my parents are getting divorced and I need God to get me through this." 

2.  Sunday Afternoon Naps
My husband let me have a 2+ hour nap today.  It was much needed.  What more is there to say?  Thanks, Babe!

poop

This week has been a poopy one. Literally. My 3 year-old has suddenly decided that he no longer wants to use to potty, that pooping/peeing in his pants is just fine, thank you very much. His mother, on the other hand, is not fine with this development, thank you very much. I'm really having a hard time with this.

Grateful #2

I'm going to try for posting a list of at least 5 things I'm grateful for once a week. We'll see how that goes. Once a month may be pushing it sometimes, but hey, we've got to have goals, right?

1. The Little Things My Kids Aren't Old Enough to Know Are Funny

Like tonight for example, when Abby was practicing the books of the Bible and listed them as "...Isaiah, Jeremiah, Limitations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Jewel..."

Grateful

Things I Am Grateful For Real Zest: "My gratitude journey started with the realization that my emotions and my depression were my CHOICE. I was choosing to wallow in the mud instead of dancing in the rain…yes, it sounds cliche’, but it’s so true. Once you really start being grateful for every little thing, your life will change and I guarantee you will be able to choose joy when you “should” be choosing despair."

This is from my friend Sarah Colligan's blog. For over a year now she's been sharing "Gratitudes" with the world via facebook and was recently asked to share at Real Zest.

Tonight's Prayers

Tonight my 3 year-old thanked God for everything:
"Thank you, God, for my mommy & daddy.
Thank you, God, for my sister.
Thank you, God, for my baby brother.
Thank you, God, for my big brother wearing underwear."

The Gym

A couple of months ago, in a conversation about church leadership, my pastor made an analogy liking being a part of the church to being a part of a gym. It was a good analogy, but it didn't really sink in until I went to my first Zumba class in over a year.

It's been 5 months since baby number 4 was born and my poor body has been abused and neglected. So, I signed up for Tuesday night Zumba class at the gym. An hour a week is better than nothing at all, right?

The first night of class, the instructor, who wears bedazzled "Zumba" shirts in a size extra small, explained the "easy" steps in one of the songs to the class.

Christmastime

It's Christmas: a time when even the godless celebrate the birth of Jesus the Messiah. As I listened to Amy Grant sing "Grown Up Christmas List" and thought of what would be on my list, several things came to mind. I'd ask for clean water for every person in the world, an end to the ignorance and fear that cause people to do horrible things to children, and hope for those who have none. But when I really thought about what I would want...that one thing that I most desire in the entire world...my answer was much closer to home. If given the greatest desire of my heart, I would choose that my children all know and love Jesus. That they live lives that demonstrate not just a knowledge of, but intimate relationships with the Creator of the world. This is the deepest longing of my soul.

If I could have my way, everyone my children come into contact with would have such a relationship. What an amazing world we would live in if we could all just love as Christ loves.

Trying my best not to sound like a televangelist here, but if you don't have that relationship, but want one, Christmas is a great time to turn the Savior. You don't have to say all the right words or do all the right things. You simply need to confess that you have sinned, acknowledge that Jesus is the ONLY one that can make the payment for those sins, ask Him to forgive you. Then you tell Him that you want Him to be Lord in your life. You need to tell someone about your decision to live a new life. After that, you listen to the Holy Spirit as He directs you. A Bible would be helpful in providing guidance. A Christian friend can also help lead you along the path. If you need one of those, I am available!

Merry Christmas. May the joy, love and peace of the Messiah fill your hearts and homes.

18 months old

Vance says I should call our youngest son by his given name, but Destructo just seems to be so much more appropriate these days! At 18 months, his favorite activities seem to be all kinds of things that take a lot of cleaning up after. Things like dumping a full bowl of lasagna on the carpet, taking every Kleenex out of every box and arranging them throughout the house, "sharing" his food with the dog, and of course, writing on things with Sharpies.

This week he's discovered the power of the step stool. He's found out that he can carry that little pink mermaid step around with him and suddenly he's grown 12 inches! That extra foot allows him not only to reach things on the counter, but also to climb up onto it. Thus, all kinds of things are that were previously out of reach are now in the path of the hurricane! When I got out of the shower the other day, he was at the kitchen sink going through the dirty dishes.

This month he's also learned the healing power of a kiss. He'll often reach up to lay a smooch on me when I've got a boo-boo. As I write this, the little guy is pushing a stroller through the living room, laughing whenever we make eye contact. He may have an uncanny ability for making messes just now, but that smile, that laugh, his kisses; those are things that build up, not tear down.

I guess Vance is right, I'll have to rethink my little guy's nickname. Maybe Destructo could morph into something less....destructive. :)

From a used-to-be-AG perspective

Growing up in a little Assemblies of God church I learned a lot about being a Christian and a lot about being Pentecostal. Somehow, though, those lines started to blend together to where it was almost impossible to be one (Saved) without being the other (a speaking-in-tongues, filled with the Holy Ghost and Fire saint). There came a point when I just didn't buy into that anymore. Anybody with a psych class under his belt could tell you it had something (okay, a really big something) to do with the fact that my home church went through a big, ugly split about the same time I quit drinking the Kool-Aid.

But even without the split, I was beginning to have my doubts. First there was the whole "Thursday-Night-is-Get-the-Holy-Spirit-Night-or-You're-Not-Really-a-Good-Enough-Christian" thing. Every summer I went to camp and was challenged to live a better life; to be closer to God than ever before. Then on Thursday, the last night, there was always this special emphasis on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This meant that you speak in tongues or you don't have it. I saw kids so hungry for God that they faked whatever they thought they needed to do just to feel accepted. I was always the last to leave the tabernacle; I didn't want to miss a single blessing.

After a few years of this, I realized that the gift of tongues wasn't what it was all about. Falling over; being "slain in the Spirit" wasn't it either. Really being filled with the Holy Ghost is about having him in your everyday life, your every thought, your very being. Tongues has nothing to do with this.

I now attend a Wesleyan Church. Although most people wouldn't be totally shocked if someone spoke in tongues during a service, I believe it would probably be out of order to use that gift there. We sing about five songs to open the service. They're somewhat contemporary and we even have drums, guitar, bass and keyboards at most services. The pastor often thanks us "for that good singing" before he begins the message.

The core people at my church truly love God. They love sinners as well as saints, too. In the seven or so years that I've attended, I've learned more about how to show God's love to others in practical ways than I did in my entire first 25 years of church. These people are so real and so forgiving and so caring and so welcoming that I sometimes even see that as a hindrance to things getting done the way I think they should. Through that, God is teaching me patience, humility and that my way isn't always His plan. I love my church.

Alas, there are things about the AG that I miss. Things I miss a lot. As an emotional being, I miss the adrenaline surge that I feel in a dynamic worship service. Growing up, we'd sing for hours; many of them spent dancing, kneeling, bowing before the Throne of God, weeping, or even laughing. Worship was something I did with my entire being. My voice was raised in prayer and song, my hands were lifted in praise, my entire body knelt before the Presence of the Lord. Although I'm not much of a dancer, there were times when I felt like I just needed to move my feet; my body just needed to be in motion because I couldn't contain the enthusiasm I had for my Savior.

Times of prayer were communal. There was never a time when we just listened to the pastor pray. We all were joined in prayer. We all prayed together, often aloud. Many times we would come together around a friend in need and lay hands on each other. The prayers weren't always answered in ways we asked, but we always knew that we weren't alone and that we had each other's backs.

There are many things I appreciate about being in a non-Pentecostal place. Knowing that I don't have to worry about Sister Smith breaking out into tongues or prophecy when I bring a first time guest is nice. Not having to climb over people "slain in the Spirit" and laying all over the front of the church, that's nice, too. The "weird" stuff is not what I miss.

But I miss being challenged. I miss the emotional aspect of worship. I miss the ability to worship with my entire being, not just my voice. I miss the sound of dozens of voices raised together in prayer.

Somewhere there has to be a balance. I don't know how to achieve it yet. Someday I will.