What I Meant to Say Was......

Being on vacation is great, until you get home and get back to the routine of day to day life.  The contrast of days spent at the beach, doing as you please being immediately followed by days of laundry(the same clothes you washed last week), house cleaning(the same dishes you washed last week), and yard work(the same grass you cut last week) is never so apparent as those first days back.

Just as I was whining the most, and sharing my whining with the Twitter world, I saw this picture. (It was posted on Twitter by CharityWater.org ; you should check them out)

So, what I meant to say was;

Thank you, God, that I have laundry to do.  That means I have clothes to wear.  And that I do that laundry in an air-conditioned house, with clean water, in washer and dryer.

Thank you, God, that I have dishes to wash.  That means we have food to eat.  And that that food is prepared in ovens that heat at a touch of a button, the food is purchased at the local grocery store, and there is enough of it that I haven't lost any weight for lack of food.  

Thank you, God, that I have grass (and an abundance of weeds) that need to be cut.  That means we still own our home, in a time when many are in forclosures and are losing theirs.  

And thank you, God, mostly for Your inconceivable patience and mercy to this often ungrateful child, who gets so lost in Your goodness that she doesn't remember to say thank you.

Top Ten Proofs You Had a Great Vacation

Ok, here are my top 10 ways of know that I did indeed have a great vacation:

10.  Mounds of laundry:  despite the fact that there was a washer & dryer available, I still came home with mountains of laundry to do.  Wishing that verse about speaking to the mountain and it being cast in the sea would apply here.....

9.  Nail polish is still smooth:  only on vacation can you apply nail polish on Monday and by Saturday still be able to display your hands publicly without embarrassment.  

8.  A new fitness goal:  you have read enough women's magazines that you are convinced that you can indeed attain the fitness goals that you set 8 years ago and also believe that you will stick with it this time.....

7.  You have tan lines:  a great vacation provides perfect weather, enough that you can easily see your tan lines.  Of course, the older I am, the wider the lines.  :)    Also, contributes to the acquiring of #8....

6.  Sand is everywhere:  When returning from a great vacation, you will continue to find sand in every crevice and cranny of your belongs, including your toothpaste tube, even though it never went to the beach.....

5.  You now need "W" shoes:  it's been so long since your feet were in closed toe shoes that the bone structure in your toes has shifted and it is impossible to pry your feet back into the shoes you wore to work before vacation.  

4.  You cannot remember the day of the week:  waking each morning brings with it the challenge of determining what day of the week it really is.   At least 20-30 minutes can be devoted to trying to recall exactly how long you have been on vacation & how much time remains.

3.  Ice cream is considered an entree:  on the best vacations, ice cream is easily converted to an entree slot on the menu rather than dessert.  If you are really in extreme vacation mode, you proudly twitpic the meal for everyone to see.  

2.  Weight gain:  a truly great vacation results in noticeable weight gain by the return trip home.  Now this gain can not be technically verified, that would require the use of a scale, which, is not allowed on any vacation, much less a great one.  However, this gain is noted in the fit of the clothes, which seem to be a bit snug towards the end of the week.  Please note:  this could be caused by the extreme heat of the dryer in#10, but more likely by the presence of #3, and either way, again contributes to the decision of #8.

1.  And, the very best proof that you had a great vacation is that you finally drag yourself home, too late to get groceries or cook dinner, so you have to order pizza for the last meal of the vacation travel day on your arrival.  

I have had a great vacation and would love to share more, but I have to go eat my pizza...... 

Rest-Less to Rest to Restless

I have had the most amazing week.

I can't tell you the last time I had 7 consecutive days of rest; pre-children at least!  My favorite form of rest is reading and my favorite place to read is the beach, so this has been a dream come true.   I think I was giddy until Wednesday, at least!

But, honestly, I am starting to feel restless.  Something is missing.  The weather and the beach are perfect.  The company is perfect. (There are only a few people you can live with for a week and not get tired of them.  I talked about that here.)  We have said, "This is Heaven!" and "I could do this forever", but, in reality, I don't think I could.  

I wasn't created to rest.  I wasn't created only to read great books, enjoy God's beautiful creation, and share meaningful conversations with a friend who, over the years, has become my sister.   Oh, these are great experiences, great temporary escapes from the day to day routines of life.  And I have had a blast doing them this week.  But it's not why I was created.  It's not my purpose.                            

   I believe my purpose is to show Jesus to the world.  And, specifically, for this time in my life, to the kids at Momentum Church.  It's what I like to do most.  It's what I think I really could do forever, and not be tired of it.  I think this is why I was created.  I posted this picture of breakfast on Facebook and said people should envy me.  It's true.  This was a great breakfast.  But if you could know the joy I get from being with the kids each Sunday and seeing God revealing Himself to them; then you would have the real reason to envy me.  

I'm getting restless.  I'm ready to get back to my life.  Not to say I don't look forward to the next time the beach calls.  In time, there will be a need for more rest.  And reading.  And eating peanut M&Ms and french toast.  But until then, bring on the kids and let's get on with our journey. 

The Chalk Says it All

Ok, this excites me.  Like, really excites me.  I can look at this drawing and get chills.  It's that cool.  

So, what is it?  It's a drawing of our new building and the Momentum Kid's spaces.

Done in sidewalk chalk on Pastor Jared's driveway.

I can't wait.  It is going to rock.

I Like Rocks

     I've decided I like rocks  I spent a couple of days in North Carolina with my husband, Chris, just having some time to ourselves.  We enjoyed the mountains, a little hiking, and taking some pictures of the streams around where we were staying.  That's when I decided I like rocks.

Rocks give the stream character.  

      I took pictures of the stream and noticed that the only parts I photographed were where there were rocks, either under water or above the surface.  Without the rocks, the water is boring. 

Rocks make for great rapids.

     I love whitewater rafting.  But I don't like the class 2 or 3 rapids.  Give me the 4s and 5s.  And before I'm out of here, I'd like to hit a good 6.  But you don't get rapids without rocks.

 You can float down a lazy, slow moving river if you like that, but count me out.  I like it moving.

Rocks keep you out of the picture.

     I took a picture of the stream off the bridge in both directions.  The pretty rock side and the slow, still side.  In the picture of the still water, you can see our shadow.  There is too much going on in the water to see myself on the other side.

     I think I see a pattern.  I can have a calm, easy, boring ride as long as there are no rocks in my path.  But if I want to see exciting times, kick in a boulder or two.  I can have a calm, easy, boring life as long as there are no obstacles in my way.  Or I can see God's hand move, as I get around the boulders that may end up in my path.  And when life is bouncing between boulders, God's provision is showcased.  There's no place for me to be seen!

Bring on the rocks, and give God a chance to show what He can do!

My Observations While Being Observed: Part 3

I had a "team" of doctors, but each one was focused on their own area.

Each doctor was aware that other doctors were treating me at the same time.  But they really were not very concerned with exactly what the other one was doing.  The cardiologist that I saw was intent on finding any irregularities in my heart that could be causing a problem.  He knew about each test, in relation to my heart, what it showed and what it didn't.  He provided every tool available to him at that hospital to be certain that my heart was healthy before he signed off on my chart.  When he had his conversation with me, he discussed just my heart and how it related to my symptoms.  

Each doctor, nurse, and technician afforded me their best care and attention.  Each one carefully explained what each test had revealed and how that pertained to symptoms.  Each one was totally consumed with how their particular area of medicine affected my illness and recovery. 

Many churches have a lead "team" but each person is focused intently on his own area.

As leaders, it's sometimes easy to become obsessed with our area of expertise, our area of ministry, and become consumed with only what we do that affects those that we serve in our congregation.  We need to remember that while we may deal with  a particular area, but we are all serving the same "whole body".  We are a team, and we hope for and encourage each other as we labor together to serve our congregation, not become obsessed with only those areas where  we are "specialists". 

 I am so thankful to be part of the ministry "team" of Momentum Church.  It is a group that truly is a team that purposes to reach others and grow together as fully devoted followers of Christ!

  

My Observations While Being Observed: Part 2

I was going to get better because someone else gave their blood.

It was a creepy thought at first. But as I lay there, it occurred to me that the blood that was going through my body had been in someone else's body before me.  I lay in the hospital bed, not sleeping, of course, thanks to the carefully scheduled visits to my room every 20 minutes by the nursing staff to check my vital signs, change my IV, or take more blood.  I thought about the person who had donated the blood that was dripping ever so slowly into my body.   And if they hadn't given it, I wouldn't be getting better.  I wondered who they were, where they lived, what their life was like.  And I was grateful for them. 

 And my spirit whispered:

I am going to live forever with Jesus because He gave His blood.

It was a very vivid and very personal reminder that true life is in The Blood.  His blood applied to my life, provides the covering and forgiveness that leads to an abundant life now and an eternity with Jesus.  I have known, believed, and rejoiced in this fact for a long time.  But I felt the reality of this "fact" come to life as I lay in that hospital bed. 

 I felt like the kids that I so love to teach when they understand for the first time a truth from the Bible.  You can watch their eyes light up, and see that look that says, "I see! Oh!  So that's how it is!"  The greatest joy I ever experience is when I see that look in a kid's eye.  I smile and think, "They got it".  

I wondered as I lay in Room 218, if Jesus looked at me with the same smile and said, 

"She got it."