FAITH, FAMILY, FOOTBALL

          

          This evening the church I attend is hosting a huge women’s event called, “Faith, Family and Football.” If you know me, you know these are my three favorite things and in that exact order. So, of course, I am going. To make it even better there is a catered meal being served by our men. Husbands, boyfriends, sons, brothers, etc. will be serving us (for once) a yummy dinner. Then to top it all off I’m sharing this evening with a number of my good friends.  I’m not being sarcastic at all when I say, “Faith, Family, Football, Food and Friends,” are my five favorite things. Truly you couldn’t pick a more perfect evening for me (with the exception of the entire Denver Broncos team sitting at my table).

The importance of this event is to KICKOFF the fall women’s ministry--do you like that kickoff football reference there? That just made me very proud of myself. Okay moving on. There will be a guest speaker, worshipping and a number of other wonderful things to enjoy. I don’t know a great deal about our guest speaker, Jan Thomas, but I am very excited to listen to her journey after tragically losing her football coach husband. This, I believe, will be a wonderful event to get women involved in ministry. This fall there will be a number of Bible studies offered, MOPS and MOMSNEXT. I can’t wait to be a part of them.

So here we go! As women we get so busy with our lives that we tend to put our Bible studies on the back burner. I used to have numerous nights where I would see my Bible on my nightstand but I was too exhausted to pick it up and read. Being in a Bible study is even more of a commitment. With careers, kids, a home to take care of, activities, sports, etc. there just seems to be hardly any time for that kind of stuff. How wrong we all are, there is absolutely no reason for not spending time with The Word. For a long time I thought reading the Bible and going to church was enough for me to get a good understanding of my faith and what Christ expected of me. It just isn’t even close to enough. Women (and men alike) absolutely need to be part of Bible studies. There is truly no excuse in the world that you can give for not being a part of something that affects your future--your eternal future for that matter. There is not one person at any point of life that can say, “I’m good.” No matter what you’ve read, donated, volunteered for and so on there just isn’t a stopping point. We constantly need God and we continually need to be in a relationship with Christ. I understand that people have young children at home (as do I) or some of us have demanding careers but it is imperative that you find some time for yourself to study the Bible. Bible studies have completely changed my thinking and knowledge of the Bible and what is expected of me. I am not intimidated to read my Bible anymore; I’m thirsting for more. Bible studies have not only made me accountable but have made me a better Christian all around. I’ve become a better wife, mother, friend, daughter, sister, etc.

My hope for everyone is that you will read your Bible daily. My desire for everyone is to join a Bible study. It is crucial to surround yourself with others in faith. You can always learn from others but you can also teach someone something that could impact them greatly.

 

Remember two things for me this week:

*We will forever be students of Christ.

*No one is too good or too busy to take time for Christ.  

Unexpected Gifts

This morning I woke up to my 9 year old, Isabella, taking the dog out.  I heard her sneak quietly down the stairs, whispering to Cotton to keep quiet.  I lay in bed, thanking God for this moment, thanking Him for my warm bed, and for the beautiful day He had in store for me.

She came into my room, whispered "good morning" to me.  I asked her if she could go make her bed, and she whispered that she already had.  To my surprise, not only had she done that...she'd brushed her teeth, done her hair, and was changed and ready for school.

What an Unexpected Gift.  If you have elementary age children, you can sympathize with me right now.  Last year, it was a never ending battle to get her to do the simple things...use personal hygiene, pick up her room, clean up after herself when she's in the kitchen.  I was so thankful this morning for the little she did for me...getting herself ready and taking care of Cotton, allowing me a few extra precious minutes to count my blessings.

Last weekend, a friend of mine showed up to our Friday night golf triple date with a wrapped present for me and another friend.  It even had a little bow on it.  I literally jumped and squealed with glee as I opened my little present.  My hands were even shaking a little.  It was the smallest thing, but so meaningful to me because it meant that she had been thinking of me when she went out that day to run her errands.  What an Unexpected Gift.

This morning, I helped at church for a ladies event we have coming up on Thursday.  I was greeted by a friend of mine with the sweetest smile, and the sweetest, most encouraging words about our blog.  My friend is also a writer, and she's quite gifted, so her words meant a lot to me.  Another Unexpected Gift.

Each lady gave me an Unexpected Gift.  One gift was wrapped in servitude, one gift wrapped in paper, and one gift wrapped in words.  These gifts, freely given, from friends, loved ones; people giving, without expecting anything back in return.

Sunday, November 23, 2003.  I received an Unexpected Gift that day.  The Gift that would change my life, and set me on the journey to the person I am today, and the person I'm becoming...

"God saved you by his grace when you believed.  And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)

God's gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ was freely given, with no strings attached.  For a person like myself who'd grown up trying to be "perfect", never content with where she was, always striving and reaching for that next goal without enjoying the journey, this concept was so foreign...

I remember hearing the message that morning with questions swirling around in my mind: What do you mean, I could be so close to God without working, doing, achieving?  What do you mean, I didn't have to "do" more good things to reach this all perfect, all awesome God?  What about all my past mistakes, my junk?  

And all of a sudden, I just got it.  I understood what God was telling me.  He was telling me that I was His child, He was my Father.  And He loved me and accepted me just as I was, because, well, He made me!  He was telling me that Jesus had paid for all my sins, he was the perfect sacrifice for all humanity's sins, and that all I had to do was believe.  I heard the faith message:

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." Romans 10:8-19 (NIV)

And just like that, just like the unexpected gifts my daughter and friends gave me last weekend, there was God, inviting and drawing me in, giving me the most Unexpected Gift, the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  No more striving for perfection to reach God...

And now, the striving has changed.  I still strive, I still challenge myself, I still won't allow myself to just settle for mediocre.  But the difference is that I no longer strive to reach God...I strive because I am so thankful for this gift of salvation that God gave me.  I know now that I was placed here on this earth, in this place, at this time, for a purpose...His purpose.  I was created to do good works which He prepared in advance for me to do.  Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

I pray that you discover your "good work" that God intended for you to do.  He has a plan and a purpose for you!  And discovering this purpose will give you the energy to move, even when you're tired; to smile, even when things get tough; and to find joy, true joy, in all circumstances.

Love, C.

See what I mean, we have the greatest friends.

My husband was informed on Friday that he had to leave for Germany for work Saturday morning. It was an unexpected trip but critical for him to go. With four kids I’m use to chaos so this was just going to be another typical week in the Knudson house. The only unfortunate part was that his best friend from Chicago and his family were planning on spending the weekend with us. Thankfully his friend was understanding and flexible. On Friday we decided to go golfing with two other couples. Very spur of the moment but I thought it would be perfect to spend some time doing something we love before he left for a week to Germany. After golf we spent the rest of the evening watching a movie with the kids and making popcorn, ice cream and cookies. It was a perfect way to spend the evening before he left, with friends and then family.

                Saturday and Sunday I was on my own and it was filled with a birthday party, house warming party, a scheduled family photo session and other craziness. Some people would choose to just skip them all but not me, of course. Each one of these events was an invite from a friend that has meant something dear to me. Plus I enjoy staying busy to keep my mind off of missing my husband. I did have to decline a grill out we were invited to on Sunday evening because it interfered with our family photo session. By the way, the family photo session turned out to be the kids with the dogs. Things went fairly smoothly until I realized I drained my battery in the minivan because I left the lights, radio, etc. on during the photo session. Thankfully my dear friend’s husband came to the rescue. We arrived home safely and I made a huge Sunday dinner for the kids and I. The dinner included sweet corn that some wonderful friends brought over to us. See what I mean, we have the greatest friends.

                Today all went pretty well. I rode to the gym with one of my friends and we chatted away. While working out we talked with some other girlfriends about go golfing on Tuesday. As long as I can figure out the sitter situation I will most likely join them. I had planned on lunch with another friend but school was released early so I knew it would be impossible to make it. She understands and we will definitely try for next week. My evening consisted of carpools, soccer and a meeting at the elementary school. I knew it was going to be crazy but I had forgot that my minivan only seats eight and I had to take seven kids to soccer. So what to do with my two youngest other than call a friend. Once again one of my dear friends came to the rescue. Not only did she watch the two young ones she took them to the pool. Seriously, who does that? Who takes a bunch of kids to the pool? I’m the only crazy one that runs around with four kids. She saved me a great deal of hassle and my kids had a blast. See what I mean, we have the greatest friends.  

                My husband doesn’t get home until Thursday evening but I’m half way there. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are booked, booked, booked. My life is always busy between four kids, two dogs and a husband who travels. I tend to overschedule myself and volunteer for way too much so when my husband has to leave I find myself in a bind. However, I feel very blessed to know I’ve built quite the support team here. Different friends fit into my life in different ways and each and every one of them is equally important to me. I know I have wonderful friends and if I need anything I can call on them. So now you see what I mean, we have the greatest friends. 

I challenge everyone this week to do one nice thing for a friend. Make it random and do it for someone that would least expect it.

Some ideas:

-babysit so they can go on a date

-make a card

-give a small gift

-treat to lunch

-clean their house

-buy them flowers

-mow their yard

 

Have fun and look up JOHN 15:13

 

Unmet Expectations of Others

Expectations of people. Everyone has them.

When I was younger, I always had certain expectations of people... I would place these expectations on my friends, boyfriends, co-workers, and bosses. Looking back, sometimes these were placed on them unfairly, as I wasn't very good at communicating with those around me. And sadly, no matter what, no one ever met my expectations and I would end up angry and upset.  

I've always had a pretty tough, confident exterior. As a child I excelled easily at things I put my mind to, and my parents always encouraged and uplifted me, making me feel pretty self-reliant.  I never wanted to "impose" on anyone or ask for help as I felt this would make me vulnerable and I would then "owe" them for any kindness or help shown to me.  

As I excelled at tasks (mostly on my own), especially at work, it was hard for me to understand why people weren't as driven as me... Actually it was really hard for me to understand people that weren't like me: task-oriented, rather than relationship oriented. And this put a lot of stress on my relationships because I was so hard on myself, and on others. In my mind, as incorrect thinking as it was, I just wanted to help people "be better", thinking my way was always better for them. My expectations for others were so high.  You can just imagine how far that got me!

It was in my early 30's that I realized that I didn't have any deep, lasting relationships with anyone other than my family.  If you can relate at all, there is hope! I'm 36 today, and can tell you that I've never felt more fulfilled in my relationships as I do today. It took a lot of prayer, and God had to do a lot of work inside of me. 

With the help of the Holy Spirit, God changed me from the inside out.  I read somewhere that no amount of self-help books, podcasts, or seminars can create true, lasting change, but only the inner working of the Holy Spirit in you.  I realized that I needed to release my expectations of others, love my friends unconditionally, and allow them to give me whatever friendship they wanted to give me, no strings attached.  

Through bible study and prayer, I realized what a prone to offense, judgemental, critical, egotistical, and selfish person I could be.  I was the kind of person that always wanted to have the last word in, always wanted to be the one people were listening to, always wanted to be the important one. What a sad way to live. No wonder it was hard for me to have lastig relationships! 

A couple of things that helped me become a better friend:

1.  Listen more, speak less.

2.  Show your friends appreciation! 

3.  Figure out their love language.  Mine is Acts of Service. The other 4 are: Words of affirmation, Gifts, Physical Touch, and Quality Time.  So although I may show my friends love and appreciation by doing something for them, if their love language is Gifts, they may feel most special if I bring them a box of cookies, or a cute bracelet I see that reminds me of them. 

4.  Share meals together!

5.  Don't be jealous of their other relationships... Encourage them!

6.  Expect from them, only what they are willing to give.

I've shifted my expectations of others onto God. When someone lets me down (which they always will... people are human and I know I let people down all the time), I remind myself that there was only one perfect person... Jesus.  I remind myself that if whatever offense won't matter in 5 years, then I just need to let it go. And I remind myself that my hope and trust is perfect in God, not in men. 

I also remind myself daily that, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on me, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18).  Reminding myself of this helps me ward off jealousy, arguments, strife, and offense.  It helps me see things from others' perspective.  It reminds me that I can choose my actions, to live peacefully with others.  I still mess up, but discovering this truth has helped me make friends, and most importantly, keep friends.   

Love, C. 

My confession: I'm Fulfilled, yet Exhausted.

I lay in bed Wednesday night with Cooper. To tell you the truth, I had a frustrating evening with him. We were at church for our Wednesday evening kid's ministry kickoff, and let's just say, he didn't do the most stellar job in the listening and obeying department. Long gone are the days where I get embarrassed about his behavior... I look around and typically realize I'm not the only mom dealing with a rambunctious kid.  But I do admit feeling worn out after a long day of parenting.  And as I write, I realize how tired I've been over the last week or so, and recognize my need for rest.

Wednesday night was also the end of summer for both my kids. Isabella started school last week, but Cooper started his first day of preschool today.  I'm looking back on this last summer wondering how I would honestly answer the question "How was your summer?"  And if I were to be honest, I would say Fulfilling, yet Exhausting.

Fulfilling, yet Exhausting.  Cooper is 4. Isabella is 9. Cooper is old enough to have some freedom, but not as much freedom as his older sister.  Needless to say, this caused a lot of trying days in our household this summer. I lost it more times than I care to admit, and had to apologize to both kids more times than I should have had to.  There was a lot we could do this summer that we couldn't do last summer because Cooper's older, yet there was a lot he couldn't do either, which made life difficult at times.  

Fulfilling, yet Exhausting.  I'm blessed and so thankful to be able to stay home with my children every day.  I do not take it for granted for a single second.  Especially in the summer, when all I want to do with them is create memories.  I want them to grow up, get married, have kids of their own, and have such fun memories and stories to tell their kids as they lay in bed at night, just like I do with them now.  And yes, I believe our goal for this summer was achieved, what we set out to do was accomplished.

So I'm Fulfilled, yet Exhausted.

I realize now that I'm thankful for all we did this summer, all the relationships we built, and all the fun we had.  Wouldn't change it.  I wanted to be a "Yes" Mom this summer.  The kind of mom that said "yes" to everything as long as it wasn't hurting anyone...

You want to build a fort with blankets for the tenth time this week and not clean it up... Go right ahead!  You want to go swimming (even though I haven't done laundry for two weeks)?  Sure!  You want ice cream for dinner?  Let's do it!  Yup, I was that mom this summer.

And next summer, I will choose to be a "Yes" Mom again.  As I did this summer, I'll let myself off the hook when it comes to household chores and errands, and choose to do whatever the kids want to do.  

But a new season has begun...with school and fall activities starting to fill our calendar again, I need to prioritize, and make sure I'm not saying "yes" to all the great opportunities that come along.  Because the best I may be able to do for my kids this fall is to say "no" to some really good things in order to create some space in our active life to pray, think, and rest.

Just like Jesus did.  Again and again, he surrounded himself with people, but he also recognized his need to be still, to spend time with his heavenly Father.  On several occasions, he'd steal off on his own to pray and meditate.  To fill his tank up.

And as active as we are, we also need to fill up.  Just like my car needs gasoline to run, my spirit must be filled in order to go out again tomorrow and be the person I need to be for my husband, my kids, my friends, my neighbors...anyone I'm in contact with.

My way to fill up may be different than yours.  The important thing is to find your way...whether it be the habit of taking a walk by yourself surrounded by only nature, or sitting still with a cup of coffee in the early morning just being thankful for whatever it is you have, or doing a bible study for the first time, or maybe even just opening your bible and journaling... whatever it is, we need to be as intentional about it as we are in taking each breath we take every single day.

So my prayer for this fall will be: Lord, help me be still, and know that you are God.  Help me recognize when I need to slow down, and when I need to slow things down for my kids.  Help me know what is most important to you, and choose YOU instead of all the other options presented to me.

Love, C.

The Challenge

Proverbs 22:6

 

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

This fall my church has decided to do a Bible study called, “The Challenge.” It is a study of the New Testament and includes the Books of the Bible New Testament and a Challenge journal. The plan is to finish by Thanksgiving. The Books of the Bible New Testament is broken down in a way to keep readers on schedule but also to coincide with the Challenge journal. The journal includes reflections of each reading, weekly questions and some other valuable thinking challenges. When my pastor mentioned this new Bible Study during a sermon a few weeks back my first reaction was, “Oh how awesome, who can I get to join in the Bible Study with me?” My mind totally wandered thinking of people I work-out with, neighbors, my husband’s coworkers, etc. Fun thoughts of gathering at someone’s home or hosting, meals or snacks being prepared, kids getting to play at someone’s house while we share babysitters crossed thorough my mind like a slot machine that just hit it big.

It wasn’t until ten minutes later when I glanced over at my son eagerly listening to our pastor that I thought to myself, “What about my son?” He is fifteen years old and should be involved in this too. He takes such an interest every week when our pastor is giving a lesson. Sometimes he takes notes and other times he is just soaking it in. Every time we are asked to turn somewhere in our Bible my son either uses his You Version application on his phone or opens one of the available Bibles by our seats. He is always thoroughly engaged and stays focused on the topic. Although, I did catch him dosing off one time this summer after a late night/early morning sleepover with some buddies. But only that one time and we have all done that at least once in our life. Why was I all of a sudden stressing about this. What was the big contemplation? Do I need to involve him in this new study? How do I go about including him but also involving numerous other friends of ours? Would it be personal for my son? Will he feel intimidated being around all of our adult friends?

After praying about it for nearly ten seconds, I received an answer from God before I could even say Amen. He was loud and clear in church to me that day. He reminded me of all the Bible studies I have been involved in, the ones I’m currently doing and the ones I will be signing up for. I will be doing one Tuesday mornings, Monday evenings and MOPS on Thursday mornings. My husband is doing one on Thursday evenings and as a couple we have one we are currently doing on certain Sunday evenings. Goodness are we capable of doing another Bible study? Sure we are capable of it, but this time as a family because they need us too. I don’t want to rely on Sunday school, Awana, and small daily prayers or chats we have with our children about Christ. I want to actually sit down and go through this journey together. How amazing for us as a family to say we read and discussed the entire New Testament together. My oldest will definitely learn a great deal from it. He is only under our roof for three more years. We really need to make sure we spend quality time with him that involves our Lord. Our nine year old will also partake; she is at a critical age where she really needs to KNOW the Bible and not just memorize a weekly verse. Then there is our six year old who probably knows more about the Bible than I do. She was born to be a pastor’s wife. She will be sure to make all of our family accountable for this upcoming Bible Study. The three year old will probably pay attention for about three minutes but if we can make it fun and include him in conversation then that’s all I can ask for.   

My husband and I are involved in wonderful Bible studies that have taught us more than we could ever pray for. We love our groups and enjoy sharing with others. This time, however, we have been called to do a Bible study as a family. What better way to influence our children than through the two most important people on this Earth, their parents. Leading our children to Christ through our encouragement is crucial to me. My husband and I both grew up going to church but we did not find Christ until we were in our mid-20’s and unfortunately our parents weren’t the ones that led us on that path. We absolutely want to make an impact on our children before we send them off into this crazy world. As much as I want to include others in this new Bible study I know that God is telling me to do this one as a family. In the meantime I’m going to make sure and mention it to others because I think everyone should do it. That is one reason for writing about it today. Once we finish I can’t wait to share with others what we did. Even more exciting will be watching my kids share with their friends how they read the entire New Testament with their parents and maybe challenge their friends to do the same.

Here is a link to the Bible study my family will be starting this fall: 

http://www.prairielakeschurch.org/services/the-challenge.aspx 

  

You're not alone.

The other day I had a conversation with a friend that reminded me of something that Isabella went through when she was younger.  She'll be 10 in September, and I still can't believe how fast time has gone by.  I still remember her as the quiet and shy little 2 year old.  Smart as a whip, but super observant, and not always willing to join in on other's fun.  She's not shy and timid at all anymore, but I remember the day we were at the library, and a bigger girl hit her because the girl wanted at toy Isabella had.  I remember her tears, and feeling her hurt.  I remember holding her and wanting to make it all better for her.

And it was then that I realized that I can't always make it better for my kids.  I can't make other kids behave, I can't make other people be nice, or be fair, and I can't make other people want to play with her.  I can't always make people see her point of view.  Realizing that I couldn't always protect her, and knowing there was a specific way I wanted to raise her (even though I didn't really know what that "way" was), I dove into books on topics like parenting, relationships, and people skills.  I realized that since I couldn't change what others did around my children, I could equip my kids with skills to help them handle themselves when we weren't around to protect them.

I started reading, really reading to improve about 10 years ago. It was around the time Isabella was born.  September of 2003.  A couple of things happened that year that helped me realize that I didn't "have it" all figured out (even though at 26, I really thought there wasn't much more for me to learn).  By reading, I started realizing how much I didn't know.  It totally humbled me.  And it gave me the hunger to read more, apply more, learn more.

By reading, I learned that I wasn't alone.  That I could get help from these books at any time.  I took the grocery cart mentality with everything I read...At the grocery store, you don't put everything in your cart.  Same with reading.  I may not agree with everything I read, or understand everything I read, but at least I always knew I could go back to that shelf and place that idea in my grocery cart if I needed it in the future.

I know that reading can be kind of hard.  It's so much easier to turn the television on at the end of a long day.  And I'm not opposed to television at all.  If you know me well, you'll know that one of my vices would be Netflix... I love shows like White Collar, 24, and Heartland.  I also love watching shows like Revenge, and Scandal (yes.  I am fully aware that these are probably not the best shows to watch, but I admit that they are entertaining to me).  I just realized that while television is entertaining, it does nothing for my spirit, my mind, my family, my friendships, or our finances (yes, reading does help in getting that promotion at your job, or helping your business prosper).

If I've peaked your interest, start by reading 15 minutes a night.  Pick a topic that interests you.  Try to apply what you learn, and see the results.  Be aware of the results.  I promise you, seeing results will get you excited to read more!

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from the books above:

• Captivating (by Stasi Eldredge):  "A woman of true beauty offers others the grace to be, and the room to become."

• The Five Love Languages (by Gary Chapman):  "People speak different love languages.  Being sincere is not enough.  We must be willing to learn other's love languages if we are to be effective communicators of love."

• The Friendship Factor (by Alan Loy Mcginnis):  "If we are open about our humble origins, as well as our great moments, if we build more windows, and fewer walls, we will have more friends."

• Wired that Way (by Florence Littauer):  "People with Choleric personalities are naturally goal oriented and live to achieve those goals.  They are highly task-oriented and well-organized, but they are also outgoing, just like Popular Sanguines.  However, in addition to having these positive traits, Cholerics also tend to have a short fuse and to be bossy."  On a side note, learning that I was bossy was something that made me want to change pretty fast!

So what did I do about the little girl that hit Isabella when she was 2?  Yes, I talked to the mother, and the child apologized.  We had a chance to practice the phrase "I forgive you".  We then went home and told daddy, and daddy taught her how to tell someone "Please do not hit me".  Then he taught her that if someone bullied her again, she could stand up for herself.  He proceeded to teach her how to throw a jab, cross, and that if she had to defend herself, or defend someone being bullied, we'd totally back her up...after she tried the more peaceful course of course!

But what do we teach our kids when their feelings get hurt on the playground and friends don't want to play with them?

What do we teach our kids when they don't score very well at their gymnastics meet?

What do we teach our kids when two of their best friends aren't getting alone, and they're caught in the middle?

I'm so glad that we started reading years ago.  Your mind is like a computer...whether you remember things or not, whatever you put in it is stored.  The last 10 years of reading are stored in my head somewhere.  And I pray for the Holy Spirit to help me access this wisdom all the time.    

"Do NOT conform to the pattern of this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will." Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Love, C.

The School Year is Here

          Today I had my first conference of the year with each of my daughter's teachers. All went well and it was very informal. More of a getting to know you type conference. It took me less than thirty minutes to attend both scheduled conferences. I'm a fan of it and glad I was able to discuss goals for each of my girls with their teachers. I am, however, not a big fan of the schedule the first two weeks of school. The girls started last Wednesday and went half a day all last week and the same continues for this week Monday through Wednesday. My confusion is why not start school Monday of this week and just go full days instead of starting in the middle of last week? Six half days of school in a row is just silliness to me. It just seems like wasted time and days. I love the schools and school district but I just feel time would be better utilized with students partaking in a full day of class. This is particularly hard for families with two working parents. Finding a half day sitter can't be the easiest thing. If a conference is needed why not have it the Thursday and Friday before the first week of school? That way teachers have two entire days to focus on conferences and still do some tweaking in the classroom before the students start. Teachers will also have a good understanding of each student before they even enter the classroom.
          My other confusion is what happened to my family's summer? My kids seem to be starting school earlier and earlier every year. I understand that the students need to be in school for around 180 days but is there a way to stretch out their summer? Growing up we would start the school year after Labor Day and end school the Thursday before Memorial Day. Maybe I'm just a selfish mom that enjoys spending summer vacation with my kids. But there needs to be a more efficient way of getting the allotted days in without taking away the best parts of August. And please don't touch Spring Break or Christmas Break either. We must have those to keep our kids somewhat sane. Two weeks for Christmas Break should just be standard. I feel guilty for enjoying these warm summer days at the pool while my kids are stuck in school. Maybe I miss them a little too. This is all just an opinion and I'm sure there is good reason for the school year being set up a certain way. No matter what happens to the school schedule in the future just remember how important it is to cherish the time spent with your kids. Enjoy watching them play with friends, take them on vacations, visit family, etc.     

Being Intentional in the things that Matter to us Most

I wrote last week about being intentional with our kids when it comes to helping them know who God is, and how much He loves them. I want them to know Him so deeply and personally so that one day, if they find themselves feeling alone, they know that God will never leave them, nor forsake them (Deut. 31:8).  One way for them to experience God is through us, their parents. For us to model our lives after Christ, and to have those spiritual conversations with them.  To teach them about this awesome God of the universe that made them and loves them so much.

Saturday night, Kara and I played golf in a fundraiser with our husbands (on a side note, we won second place...yay us!).  During dinner, the conversation turned to football. Kara is a diehard Broncos fan and Kameron (her husband) is a diehard Dolphins fan. Ty, my husband, is a Vikings fan, but I decided long ago that the Vikings weren't for me (sorry honey!). 

Kara and Kam both gave me their arguments as to why I should be a Broncos or a Dolphins fan. I won't go into who had the more compelling argument... That's for another time. 

But what interests me about the conversation is how little I know about football. I realized at that moment that I didn't know a lot about football because my parents weren't really into sports, so football was never a topic of discussion at our dinner table.  People talk about things they are interested in all the time. They talk about what they fill their minds with most.  They talk about what they are knowledgeable about because it's comfortable to them.  Whether it's the latest movie or show they watched, a book they're reading, working out, nutrition, sports, politics, the latest fashion trends, the best sales going on in town, home remodels... You name it.    

But as a society, rarely do we bring God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit into our conversations. Sure, we call on Him in times of need, but, I'm guilty of it too... we don't always bring Him with us to the dinner table.  And I just saw a statistic in a recent Barna study that Waterloo/Cedar Rapids was ranked 88 out of 96 of America's least Bible-minded cities (I read this on the first page of The Challenge workbook my church is doing together for the next 10 weeks.)

On another side note, if interested in digging deeper, check out the following link and let me know if you'd be interested.  A group of us are doing this together and it should be pretty fun!

The Challenge...Go Deep. Read Big.

Anyway, back to what we were talking about... One of the most precious things to me is hearing my kids throw around words like heaven, baptism, grace, Michael (the angel), Lucifer, sneaky snake, Adam and Eve, etc.  Some of the conversations you'd hear out of my 4 year old's mouth are hilarious!  Just the other day we were driving to church and Ty and I were talking about the baptisms we were about to witness, and Cooper  pipes in: "Dad, remember when I was in heaven, and you, and sissy, and mommy all got baptismed?  I was in heaven and didn't want to get baptismed because there were sharks in the water".  No, baptismed isn't a typo...that's just what he called it.  What a fun conversation we had about baptisms, and since his curiosity was peaked, we let him watch the baptisms at church that morning.  He was seriously in awe.  What an awesome experience for Ty and me as parents!

You know I love analogies.  If you love golf, and you decide you want to become a golf family, your kids will suddenly start learning words like: irons, woods, driver, back 9, front 9, chip, slice... You get my drift.  You start practicing golf, and you start speaking golf.  You go to the driving range.  You play 9 holes.  You start hanging out at your local golf store.  You start watching you tube videos on golf, or you watch "Golfing for Dummies" (I'm not kidding.  My friend Shannon and I are totally going to watch this with a group of our girlfriends pretty soon).  You re-prioritize your time to make room in your life for golf and you form new habits to get better at the game of golf.  

If you are a new Christ follower, or maybe you're a parent new at this, and are wondering how to incorporate talking about Jesus with your children, bringing these life giving words into your daily speech, it's pretty simple.  You have to do the same thing as you would learning to play golf.  You'll add  new habits to your day; at first unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

1.  Grab a children's bible.  Read from it to your kids every night, from beginning to end.  Then start over and go through it again.  I promise you'll learn something, and you'll start bringing these stories into your daily life. 

  2.  Find a bible teaching church with a great children's ministry.  Go every week.  Make it a priority for a year.  I guarantee it'll change you.  By making it a priority, you are showing your children that God is a priority.  You're also exposing them to biblical teaching catered to their ages.  You can take that bible teaching and use it during the week to help you with starting the habit of talking about God during the week, not just on Sundays.  

3.  If you have someone close to you that is a Christ follower, ask them if you could jump into a bible study with them.  If they aren't currently doing one, maybe they'd start one with you, or maybe they'd be able to give you suggestions to help you.  As believers, we were never meant to walk alone.  When Jesus sent his disciples out to teach, he sent them out two by two (Mark 6:7).

4.  Listen to a Christian radio station.  There are some really amazing songs out right now by Christian artists that are so uplifting and beautiful.  As I started to grow, I started realizing that a lot of Christian lyrics were written from verses straight out of the Bible.  What an awesome way to learn!  And it's something you can do so easily while getting ready in the morning with your kids, while driving them to school, or in your car on your way to work.  How sweet a sound when your kids start singing along with you!  

5.  Just do it.  Take what you are learning and start practicing talking with your children.  At first, it'll be really awkward, especially if your child is older.  But the more intentional you make it, the more you practice, the more natural it becomes. I promise!

Start in the morning when you wake up by thanking God for 10 things.  I thank God for my warm, comfortable bed and warm showers every morning.  Being thankful for the simple things helps me start my day with the right frame of mind for my family.

With your kids, you can simply say: "Wow, God made a beautiful sunset tonight!"  Or when your 4 year old says: "I was fast running today, mom", your response could be: "You know why you're fast?  Because God made you fast!".

You can make a habit of praying with them in the morning...simple things like: "God, be with Isabella today in everything she does, and help her be a blessing to others".

You can simply be intentional about thanking God for every meal you eat.

At bedtime, you can ask your kids what beautiful things God brought into their day.  What are they thankful for?  One of Cooper's tonight was: "I'm thankful for my play date with Thomas and Kellen".  So simple and sweet!!!

When it comes to obedience, if your child is making bad choices, you can say something like:  "Do you think God would be happy with that choice, or sad with that choice?"

There is so much I could share, but these are just a couple of suggestions.  Don't try to do it all at once.  Maybe incorporate one at a time, and add on when you feel you can handle it.  Just be intentional, and don't quit!!!

Incorporating God into the fabric of our lives has been challenging, fun, and rewarding.  I pray that these tips will help you and your family as they've helped us.  And remember, these aren't things I came up with on my own.  I learned them from more mature Christ followers when I was just starting my walk.  I practice all of the above now, and these simple things help me learn new things every day!

Love, C.

Unmet Expectations of Others

Expectations of people. Everyone has them.

When I was younger, I always had certain expectations of people... I would place these expectations on my friends, boyfriends, co-workers, and bosses. Looking back, sometimes these were placed on them unfairly, as I wasn't very good at communicating with those around me. And sadly, no matter what, no one ever met my expectations and I would end up angry and upset.  

I've always had a pretty tough, confident exterior. As a child I excelled easily at things I put my mind to, and my parents always encouraged and uplifted me, making me feel pretty self-reliant.  I never wanted to "impose" on anyone or ask for help as I felt this would make me vulnerable and I would then "owe" them for any kindness or help shown to me.  

As I excelled at tasks (mostly on my own), especially at work, it was hard for me to understand why people weren't as driven as me... Actually it was really hard for me to understand people that weren't like me: task-oriented, rather than relationship oriented. And this put a lot of stress on my relationships because I was so hard on myself, and on others. In my mind, as incorrect thinking as it was, I just wanted to help people "be better", thinking my way was always better for them. My expectations for others were so high.  You can just imagine how far that got me!

It was in my early 30's that I realized that I didn't have any deep, lasting relationships with anyone other than my family.  If you can relate at all, there is hope! I'm 36 today, and can tell you that I've never felt more fulfilled in my relationships as I do today. It took a lot of prayer, and God had to do a lot of work inside of me. 

With the help of the Holy Spirit, God changed me from the inside out.  I read somewhere that no amount of self-help books, podcasts, or seminars can create true, lasting change, but only the inner working of the Holy Spirit in you.  I realized that I needed to release my expectations of others, love my friends unconditionally, and allow them to give me whatever friendship they wanted to give me, no strings attached.  

Through bible study and prayer, I realized what a prone to offense, judgemental, critical, egotistical, and selfish person I could be.  I was the kind of person that always wanted to have the last word in, always wanted to be the one people were listening to, always wanted to be the important one. What a sad way to live. No wonder it was hard for me to have lastig relationships! 

A couple of things that helped me become a better friend:

1.  Listen more, speak less.

2.  Show your friends appreciation! 

3.  Figure out their love language.  Mine is Acts of Service. The other 4 are: Words of affirmation, Gifts, Physical Touch, and Quality Time.  So although I may show my friends love and appreciation by doing something for them, if their love language is Gifts, they may feel most special if I bring them a box of cookies, or a cute bracelet I see that reminds me of them. 

4.  Share meals together!

5.  Don't be jealous of their other relationships... Encourage them!

6.  Expect from them, only what they are willing to give.

I've shifted my expectations of others onto God. When someone lets me down (which they always will... people are human and I know I let people down all the time), I remind myself that there was only one perfect person... Jesus.  I remind myself that if whatever offense won't matter in 5 years, then I just need to let it go. And I remind myself that my hope and trust is perfect in God, not in men. 

I also remind myself daily that, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on me, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18).  Reminding myself of this helps me ward off jealousy, arguments, strife, and offense.  It helps me see things from others' perspective.  It reminds me that I can choose my actions, to live peacefully with others.  I still mess up, but discovering this truth has helped me make friends, and most importantly, keep friends.   

Love, C. 

Tim Tebow's Witty Words

      

          The other day I mentioned the new master plan of tackling my tongue and taming it. So far, so good. I’m trying to be more accountable for every word I speak. After I say something I take a moment to review in my head how it sounded to others. If I feel it passed the test then I move on. However, if I feel it could have used some taming I ask God for guidance during my next encounter. It just so happens that now I’m trying to listen (with Christian ears) to what words others are speaking. Not to judge but to learn, grow or be inspired. One of my favorite former Denver Broncos inspired me to approach situations in a faithful, yet witty way. Just to clarify I’m a huge NFL fan, I enjoy fantasy football and I love my Denver Broncos.  

          Former Bronco Tim Tebow inspires me in a number of ways and I’m sure I‘ll write about him numerous times. After meeting his mom, Pam Tebow, I’m a lifelong fan of him and his entire family. They are an amazing inspiration. He currently plays for the New England Patriots as their third string quarterback. The other day, after having played a mediocre preseason game, he was faced with a situation in the locker room that he handled with grace and wit. Trying to fight for a spot on the roster Tim Tebow needs to play better than mediocre to make the team. So you would think after the game he would enter the locker room upset or disappointed, possibly grouchy, tight-lipped or even pouty. Maybe he was but he sure didn’t show it like the majority of us would. Well a cameraman had a mishap and yelled the words, “Jesus Christ.” Being close enough for Tim Tebow to hear Tim responded to the cameraman with, “He loves you.” To me Tebow was not only calculated but clever. Anytime we see an opportune moment to not only defend our Savior but to let others know He loves them we need to cease it.

          This was a perfect story for me to see on the sports section of the Internet. Some may criticize it has nothing to do with sports, but I concur because God is a part of everything and every story. I love how Tebow handled the situation. With my new revelation of taming my tongue this was a great eye-opener for me. Not only am I going to continue working on my words, I’m totally going to steal his line.

 

Ephesians 4:29--Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.     

Addicted to Golf

Over the 4th of July weekend, our friends invited Ty and me to play a round of golf.  Needless to say, I'd never been interested in the game of golf because I had always found better things to do with my time and never really thought there was a purpose behind the game.  And my personality type does not lend itself to doing something just for fun (although I've learned lately that it's okay to have fun).  I've always had to have a definite purpose behind everything I do.  That's just how I'm wired.  

So why did we say yes?  My purpose that evening was to spend time with the couples who had invited us, doing something they enjoyed.  My purpose was to go on a date with my husband doing something he enjoyed.  I was just along for the ride.       

So what happened that weekend? Ty and I played with 3 other couples, had an amazing time, enjoyed nature, and enjoyed time with each other.  I was slightly hooked.  That was Friday night.  

Sunday morning, Ty and I listened to one of our pastors talk about marbles.  I'll go into that story some other time because it's actually a really great analogy to our children's lives.  What stuck in my mind about that sermon was something Ty and I had actually talked about the week before.  In my life, there are no coincidences, just moments weaved together by God to lead us down a certain path.  So when Ty and I talk about something, and what we talk about comes up over and over again, either by other people, or by circumstances, we tend to listen a little more closely, and tend to act quickly when we are in agreement, and after prayer.  

In his sermon, Pastor Gabe talked about spending intentional time with our children.  He talked about many other things, but that's what Ty and I had been talking about.  We had talked about how we wanted to spend our precious time with our kids, what kind of activities we wanted to do to create memories for them, and how we could maximize opportunities for our kids to have spiritual conversations with us.  And we wanted to make these spiritual conversations natural, not forced. 

(If you want to hear Pastor Gabe's message, click on the link below!)

http://prairielakeschurch.org/media-center/message-series/i-want-iowa-to-know/over-time.aspx    

Sunday afternoon, Ty and I took Isabella and Cooper out to the golf course.  We rode around on the golf cart, let the kids take turns driving the cart, and let the kids swing their clubs.  They loved it so much, and instantly, I had visions of quality family time on the golf course for years to come.  Everyone was relaxed and having a great time together.  The Green's on the green...ha! 

The next day, we all went out again, and this time, Cooper only lasted 2 holes.  I took him to the pool, and Ty and Isabella finished up the last 7 holes together.  Nothing magical happened that night...no big spiritual conversations or God moments, but the important thing for us was realizing that we were spending time with our kids doing something together where these moments could happen.  

If you know me well, you know that I tend to bring God into pretty much everything.  And we are being as intentional as we can be with our kids when it comes to this God thing as well.  

We thank Jesus for every meal, we pray before bedtime, we go to church every week so our kids can be around a godly environment, and we do a daily devotional with Isabella.  As I write this, I'm being convicted that we also need to show our kids how to tithe (we tithe but don't really talk about it with them), and how to serve (we serve, but I feel we can do better at this as well).  We also pray over our kids every morning before they leave our home.  Isabella won't step away from us without being prayed over.  And I love it.  I love knowing that I've been intentional with my kids when it comes to asking God for their protection...I do my part (I believe my prayers release power), and He does His.  And that's the best I can ask for. 

Oh my goodness.... as I read back over the last paragraph, I feel like you may be reading it thinking....wow, that's a big list of "to do's".  Please don't see it that way.  These things have formed together for us over time and have become "habits" for us that help us be in relationship with God.  They were never intended to be "checked off" a list that makes us feel either "good enough" or not "good enough" for God that day.  They are things that have become natural rhythms for us that help us keep our friendship with God intact.    

So back to golfing and creating those God moments.  And not to say that you can't have those moments with your kids during a simple hike at the nearest nature reserve, a bike ride with a family picnic as your destination, going on those long drives to whatever destination that soccer, baseball, or volleyball game may be, or simply laying in bed with them at the end of the day.  There are so many ways we can incorporate spiritual conversations in with our kids.  For Ty and I, the key has been to be intentional about doing it, and the best way for our family is for us to be immersed in the Word so it becomes a natural way of living.  And to find activities we enjoy as a family because we love being active.    

Over the last month, I can safely say I'm becoming addicted to golf.  What started out as just a family activity has become so much more.  I haven't had as much time as I want to devote to my game, but hey, it's a lifelong process...kinda like with this God thing I'm addicted to as well.  So I'm going to give myself some grace and enjoy the ride, and enjoy the God moments that come along the way.  Last month alone, we golfed with a couple we had never spent much time with, had dinner afterward, and had the best conversation about God ever!  Totally unexpected and unplanned.  And today, I went golfing with some of my favorite girls, and they inspired this post.  I totally thought I was going to write about them and something I learned from all of them today, but God had other plans for my words....  Love it when that happens!

So here's to us creating those spiritual conversations with our children, bringing God into all aspects of our lives.  And also to more golf stories to come... I have yet to understand what a "handicap" is!

"And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.  Repeat them again and again to your children.  Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up"  Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (NLT).

Love, C.

Taming Your Tongue

          It has been a year since meeting Tara Thomas. She is one of my best friends for many reasons. One thing that I admire about Tara are her morals. The most astounding thing about her is that she has yet to use a bad word in front of me. From dead car batteries, wrecking a new vehicle or criticism of her hairstyle on the news she will not stoop to using a bad word. How can a busy career woman, mother and wife not get flustered and use a bad word once in awhile? If you know Tara you know she loves to talk, yet all that talking and no cursing ever. This is something that I have found so rewarding in my life.

 

          Growing up in a neighborhood of all boys I developed a little bit of a potty mouth. Unfortunately, it hasn't been completely potty trained. Although I have become much better at choosing my words and searching a word bank in my head before I speak, sometimes things still slip out. I truly hate to admit this but football season doesn't help the matter. I have tried to make New Year's resolutions about cursing but they haven't worked. However, I believe being around someone like Tara is rewarding in the fact that I treasure her vocabulary. It excites me to challenge myself when I really want something. So I have made it a priority to work on my words.

 

          Over the summer I did a Bible study called, "Conversation Peace--The Power of Transformed Speech." This is definitely a study I need to not only revisit but make a focus in my life. It touches on a number of situations in which we converse such as gossiping, connecting with others, sticking your foot in your mouth, etc. To help me in the process of perfecting my words I have decided to keep this book on my nightstand every night until my goal is accomplished. Even though I'll continue to be sarcastic, witty and funny my choice words are going to come from a more proper and classy dictionary. Before I was a Christian I didn't hold myself to any standards when I spoke nor did I feel accountable to anybody. Now I am constantly wanting to be a better person and perfect myself the way God wants me to be. This is what I love about being a Christian because I now know I truly do have someone to answer to and I want to make Him proud. It won't be perfect and I know I will stumble but trying is at least a beginning.

 

           On the back of my book there is a bulleted area and one of the bullets states: Strengthen Your Vocabulary with Words from the Word. Seriously, how awesome is that? It couldn't have been said any better. Why? Because John 1:1--In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. God speaks truth and truth is fact and reality, so I'm serious when I say it couldn't have been said any better.

Remind yourself this: Matthew 12:36-37

 

Pray for this: Psalms 141:3

 

 

 

 

  

HE moved into the Neighborhood...

"The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word.  The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one....

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood."

John 1 (The Message)

Stop for a minute, and think about that.  

JESUS moved into the neighborhood.

As Kara mentioned in her previous blog post, Tara and I threw our annual neighborhood party last weekend.  The tradition started last year when we noticed how many new people had moved into our neighborhood.  We wanted to give our new neighbors one more opportunity, among many, to connect with others that were more established.  And who doesn't love a party, right? 

But with new relationships, new neighbors; even old friendships in a community, there will be tension.

In my perfect little bubble of a world, everyone would get along with others, everyone would be friendly all the time to each other, there'd be no strife, and everyone would forgive. There'd be no reason to gossip, there'd be no arguments, there'd be no jealousy, and our kids would play together nicely ALL the time.  Everyone would wave and smile at me when they drove by.  And last but not least...my neighbors would bake and bring me apple pies or chocolate chip cookies every week...ha!

No, I'm not that naive.

The reality is, just like others, I feel jealousy at times, I get my feelings hurt, I sometimes feel left out, I get upset at others, and I forget to forgive.  I can be prideful and egotistical too.  And sometimes, I don't feel like smiling and waving at others as I drive by either!  And although this is our human nature, I know better!  I can make different choices!

Did I mention tension?  Yes, there will be tension when living in community with others.

"Community cannot be created in isolation, nor does it happen without action.  It requires people to navigate the tensions of interpersonal relations.  Creating community doesn't come easily, but when it happens, the rewards are worth the effort" - The Tangible Kingdom Primer.  

Interaction can be downright awkward and uncomfortable.  If you know me, you may not know that I once wasn't the outgoing, "confident in relationships" type of person I am today.  And to tell you the truth, I still get nervous around people at times, and I still feel uncomfortable in new situations.  I've just learned some truths that help me reach out to others.

But how much better would I be if I intentionally subscribed to the idea that Jesus moved into the neighborhood?  Like, maybe as close, as next door?  Or what about just down the street?

Would I act differently?  Would I watch my words more carefully and choose to find something uplifting to say in negative situations?  Would I stand up for the truth instead of act complacent in order to not "rock the boat"?  Would I be more conscientious of my actions, and how they're perceived by and how they affect others?  Would I conduct myself while doing business differently?  Would I forgive more, tolerate more, and be more peaceful towards others?  Would I choose to not argue with others about petty things?  Would I choose to allow other's their own opinions on what to believe and how to live, while staying true to what I believe?

Would I be more joyful, gracious, and merciful?  Would I volunteer more, would I tithe more?  Would I be more inclusive and invitational?  Would I be more like John the Baptist making a way for Jesus to be known, but instead of through words (John 1 MSG), by first allowing people to feel the good news of Christ, before it was ever explained to them?

I believe "We're Christ's representatives.  God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them." 2 Corinthians 5 (MSG).  But that's easier said than done.  And I'll be transparent with you today... I'm needing your prayers please!  Prayers to continue remembering who I am, whose I am, and to never be complacent in order to just please others.

I work out at a gym where we work out 5 days a week, 10 weeks at a time, with a 3 week break in between each of those 10 weeks.  For 10 weeks, I give it my best... My diet's pretty good, I work out 5-6 days a week, I feel fit.  I'm accountable to my friends to show up at class, and I'm much more accountable to proper diet (as I write, my dinner was the banana split sundae Ty just brought me...Ha!).  I absolutely love and look forward to the accountability the program provides.  During the 3 week break, my accountability may, or may not be as stellar.

Recently, the coaches running the program began to offer an "accountability coach" to anyone in the program.  The accountability coach is exactly that...someone who keeps you accountable to your goals by monitoring your behavior (attending class, etc.) and reviewing your daily food intake.  I can imagine that those using the accountability coach (a "free gift" to anyone doing the session choosing to receive it) will have rock star results.

It's like Jesus moving into the 'hood.

He's my accountability coach.  He moved into the neighborhood, and I need to hang out with him, get to know him, ask him questions about himself, and share my life with him...just like I did when my new neighbors, Chad and Jamie moved in this summer.  I also need to allow him to guide me.  I need to ask his advice, and most importantly, I need to follow it.  "Merely hearing God's law is a waste of your time if you don't do what he commands.  Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God" Romans 2 (MSG).  And if you're not a believer in Christ, if He's not your accountability coach, realize that you are accountable to something, or someone.  Maybe you're accountable to only yourself (as I was).  And that, my friend, was a tiring way to live for me.  Way too much pressure!

In closing, here's to my awesome husband, who encouraged me to write this, even though I thought it would bore you to write about the neighborhood party since Kara just wrote about it.  He told me to listen to what God wanted me to say, and just write away.  Turns out, this piece wasn't even really about the neighborhood party.  Crazy how God works sometimes.  Turn my thoughts, into your thoughts Lord....

Love, C.

Love Thy Neighbor

Jesus tells us that out of all the commandments there are two that are the most important. Do you know what they are? Are they equally important? Here’s a clue to one of them, read the following verses:

Matthew 22:39
Mark 12:31

          Love your neighbor as yourself. Do you love your neighbor as yourself? Do you talk to your neighbors…all of them? Do you only socialize with certain neighbors? Are you willing to meet new neighbors and include them in your circle? Are there certain neighbors who annoy you? It’s okay to be annoyed by certain people, we’re not perfect but are we handling it appropriately? There are many questions we need to be asking ourselves when it comes to how we treat our neighbors. I’m not just talking about our neighbors on our street, but I think it’s a great place to start. I believe Jesus is talking about all people we meet and may have relationships with. So begin with your neighborhood and ask yourself these questions. We may not think it’s the most important thing but it’s of the utmost importance in God’s eyes.

          After having a wonderful neighborhood get together this week that CC and Tara put together I found myself pondering these very questions. I knew the majority of the people there but I saw new faces that I was thrilled to see. My intention was to try and meet everyone there. My hope was to find out who was brand new to the neighborhood and grill them with questions…kidding. But I was definitely eager to meet new people while still trying to cater to my friends and neighbors that I already knew. Plus, I had to focus on my four kids and make sure my husband was entertained. Thank goodness for bouncy houses, squirt guns and ladder golf to entertain them. I feel like I made the rounds and talked to as many people as I could. The get together, I believe, was a huge success. Now, however, I need to make sure I keep up with these new relationships I’ve made. It shouldn’t take an annual BBQ to visit with someone that lives four houses up the street. It’s important to continually build new relationships and maintain current friendships. Although, I know I missed certain people my goal will be to eventually know every person in my neighborhood.

          Now the tough question, will I love my neighbor as myself? What does that mean? Not only do I challenge myself but I challenge you to truly love your neighbor as yourself. I think I know what God wants from it but now I have to do it. I’ll be praying about it and hopefully you do too. I expect this to be a growing process but I’m very excited for it. How can I not be excited, this is one of the most important commandments? So let’s go on this journey together. Hopefully I hear back from some of you about a new neighbor you’ve met, how relationships are growing or if you know what it truly means to love your neighbor as yourself.

Uh Oh, I must go because I just burned the cookies I made for my new neighbors. Pray they don’t have taste buds.

Love,

Your neighbor in Christ--Kara

Summer Feet

During the winter, I don't think much about my feet.  But summer comes along, and there they are, on display in all their glory.  Mine are always painted, and depending on my mood, may have some fun design on them.  Lately, I've been into the neon colors, and looking down at their bright colors automatically puts me in a good mood.  Makes them pop.  Makes them noticeable.

Our summers are spent barefoot, in flip flops, or in slides.  And the good comes along with the bad. 

The Bad: nasty, dirty, calloused, and sweaty feet.
The Good: pedicures with my daughter, and with my girlfriends. 

A couple of weeks ago, a girlfriend of mine invited a couple of us and our little girls over.  She thought it would be fun to do our girls' nails for the upcoming 4th of July neighborhood parade.  The evening we spent at her home was one full of laughter, and a light, healthy dinner prepared by her for us. I appreciate nights like this so much; nights where we can gather, enjoy one another, and create a fun environment for our girls.  And not for one minute did I take her hospitality for granted.  Nights like these are ones where God shows up for me unexpectedly, painting a picture of how Jesus's life may have been, and how we can live that life right now, in these very moments.  

So the time came for us to get the girls' toenails done. I imagined we were just painting them.

I was wrong. 

My friend pulled out a foot spa.  She proceeded to sit each girl down (they ranged in age from 6 years old to 12).  What started out as five girls increased to at least 8.  She soaked their feet, scrubbed them, massaged them a little, and gently dried them.  I watched on in amazement. Here was this beautiful woman, opening up her home, and caring so much for us and our girls, patiently, and joyfully.  A couple of the other moms helped with painting nails, but the image of my friend on her knees, serving these little girls is still very vivid in my mind. 

Seeing this reminded me of Jesus washing his disciples feet.  Serving them.  Spending time with them.  Teaching by example.  Loving on them.  

Simple things we can easily do on a daily basis with others. 

During Jesus' time, upon arrival at someone's home, because they walked long distances on dusty roads to get to their destination, their host would have his servant take off their sandals, and wash their feet. The servant did that. 

Jesus' disciples totally got this.  That's why it was so hard for them to accept Jesus' actions.  He was doing for them what a servant would do for them, and they regarded Jesus more highly than they regarded themselves.  And Jesus' words to them were:  "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's  feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." John 13:14-15.

And just like summer feet, all of a sudden in full display, that night at my friend's house put some of Jesus' teachings on full display for me, made his teaching pop, made his words more noticeable....

• The humility it takes to make yourself lower than another to serve them wholeheartedly, putting them above yourself, and the heart change required to do this.  
• The importance of taking time to intentionally spend time together doing something beautiful for one another. 
• The fact that God shows up more and more when I intentionally live life in relationship with others.
• The fact that even though I try to, I don't always show appreciation to those that serve me.  The fact that I don't serve others as much as I could.  The fact that this is something I need to work on.    

Servitude can be shown in so many ways.

It comes in the form of someone  encouraging me, showing appreciation towards me, thanking me, or writing me a note.  Servitude is someone offering to take my kids for the day, or offering to give my kids rides from one place to another.  Servitude is someone surprising me with flowers.  Servitude is someone offering to drive when we have to go long distances to our daughters' events.  Servitude is a friend dropping off a little night light she thought my son would like, and not telling me she did it (I saw her pulling away from my mailbox).  Servitude is a friend taking the time to care and ask me how I'm doing, and actually listen.

Servitude is someone taking time out of their life to do something for me, to make my life better.

I think of Jesus spending time with his disciples, sharing his life with them.  And what a picture I had of his life that evening.  We gathered together, lived life together, shared a meal, joy, and laughter together.  And pedicures can do that too.  Such a simple event opened my eyes to so many little things that Jesus wanted me to see.  And here's hoping that tomorrow I can keep my eyes, ears, and heart open to more of what He wants me to see.

Love, C.     

BEATS the heck out of me!

Luke 12:48--a great verse to check out after reading this.
     
                My 15 year-old son blows my mind. Last summer my husband left a little over two months before the rest of our family did to start his new job. My son helped me out during that time with babysitting his three younger siblings, mowing the lawn, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, laundry, dishes, etc. You name it he helped me. It was critical to get his help since we had our house on the market. He went above and beyond; he did things most men will never do. Once we moved we decided to reward him with a new set of golf clubs, bag, driver, the whole works. He should have been hanging out with friends and enjoying his summer since we were moving away. Amazingly enough though he felt responsible to help his mother and be the man of the house. Never did he complain or argue he just helped. He never expected anything nor asked. To this day I don’t get how or why God blessed me with someone like him.

                Once again this summer has been non-stop craziness for our family of six. The kids are active in sports, camps, theater and so on. My son again has stepped up to the plate to offer help. While his dad is busy working all day my son has taken over numerous responsibilities. He helps out babysitting so I can run errands, mows the yard, changes diapers, cleans up dog poop, etc. all without being told. Thankfully this year he has enjoyed his summer more and spent time golfing with buddies or hanging out at their houses. However, I can’t help but think back to what I was doing at his age and just want to drop to my knees and tell God I don’t deserve this kid.

Well this morning we decided to go fishing for a few hours. Once we came back home he acknowledged that fun time was over and he had work to do. Without me even asking he started the mower and was off. It just amazed me how eager he was to get the lawn done before his dad got home. He wanted it to look nice so his dad could pull up and feel a sense of relief that his son was taking care of things at home.

                A few minutes after he went outside, he came back in just devastated because his headphones broke. My son is not by any means a spoiled child but he had pretty decent headphones that were around $80. All summer long he has been trying to earn and save his money. He trains a little boy in the neighborhood with soccer, has watered another neighbor's flowers, and has babysat for a few of our friends. So today when this happened he said, “I really wanted to save my money but my headphones just broke and now I’m going to have to buy new ones with my money.” I could tell how upset he was so I told him to borrow mine while he mowed. I said I would call Best Buy to see if there was a warranty on them. Well, I called my husband instead. I told him to swing by Best Buy and get our son the best headphones out there…Beats. We agreed that our son deserved them and has helped us out immensely this summer.

                My husband came home and surprised my son by putting the new headphones on the dinner table. When our son came up for dinner he saw them and nearly cried. With tears in his eyes he said, “Are you serious, are these for me?” He continued on by saying how expensive they were and he didn’t deserve such a nice gift. He was so appreciative and couldn’t quit thanking us. He hugged my husband in the most genuine way. Then he gave me the sweetest kiss on the cheek and hugged me. 

As important as it is to not spoil our kids, it’s also equally as important to reward them. It truly “beats” the heck out of me why God gave me such an unselfish, loving and appreciative son. I am so blessed and thankful.