Dreaming

On December 21, Pastor Scott, of my home church, Crossroads Community Church, did a great message on Dreaming. It was part of a message series entitled.. 'Tis the Season. This message... 'Tis the Season for Dreaming.

I have to say, it was one of the best messages I've had the privilege to hear him give over the past 5 years of attending Crossroads.

I pulled out the message CD the other day and got to listening to it again. Here's some of my favorite key points from that powerful message:

"I believe God is sick and tired of Christians asking God to give us breadcrumbs, when He's capable of giving us a feast!"

"God doesn't need our recommendations... He wants our recognition."

"God didn't die on a cross so we can survive, He died on a cross so we could thrive!"

"God is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask for or imagine."

"We're certainly not a perfect church because we've got people in it!"

"Can you imagine a church that is more concerned about people than it is about the color of the carpet? That's it's more concerned that when people walk in that we want people to come as they are... that we don't care what color you are, what economic level you come from, what side of the tracks you come from... that we're more concerned that we love you, that we appreciate you, that you're welcome because God is passionate about people!"

"Can you imagine a church that reaches out into the community and stops playing political games and doing protests and doing boycotts that Jesus couldn't give a rip about? I can!"

"I've got news for you and I've got news for the critics and skeptics and naysayers about Crossroads or about any other church that goes through growth... We're not gonna back up, we're not gonna let up, we're not gonna shut up until we are called up. We're not gonna give up because we serve a God who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask for or imagine and I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get on with it!"

"What would you be willing to do for God and His Kingdom if you knew you couldn't fail?"

"God wants you to get over your but."

"If we're going to reach people that no one else is reaching, I believe we've got to be willing to do things that no one else is doing."

I'm proud to belong to a church that dreams like this.

Are you dreaming like this?

More on Lasting Impressions

I mentioned in my last post that I'm reading a terrific book entitled, Lasting Impressions by Mark Waltz. Here's some more highlights... some things I'm chewing on...

Mark teaches the difference between feeling responsible FOR people he leads verses being responsible TO the people he leads.

"THE FREEDOM OF RESPONSIBILITY TO:

When I'm responsible to people, I understand they have choices.
When I'm responsible for people, I think I should decide for them.
When I'm responsible to people, I know they must figure out their next steps.
When I'm responsible for people, I try to tell them what their next steps are.
When I'm responsible to people, I know they must bear the consequences of their own chosen actions.
When I'm responsible for people, I assume the guilt - or worse, the shame - for them.
When I'm responsible to people, I share their journeys, offering encouragement and teaching.
When I'm responsible for people, I try to direct their journeys, never allowing them to wrestle, mess up, or make a wrong turn.
When I'm responsible to people, I talk to God a lot on their behalf.
When I'm responsible for people, I talk to people a lot on God's behalf."

New Book!

I love a new book! This one I actually pre-ordered about 2 months ago and I just got it a couple weeks ago. I was so excited. This is book #2 by Mark Waltz, Connections Pastor for Granger Community Church in Indiana. This one is a must read first... but I'm discovering a new love for this new one. Here's something I've been pondering...

"People want to belong to something bigger than they are, something exciting, adventurous, something excellent and significant. But if we aren't clear about calling people to be disciples, sold-out followers of Jesus Christ, they will continue to show up, cheer and maybe even tell their friends, but their lives may not reflect a personal, missional buy-in to the agenda of the kingdom of God and the grace of Jesus Christ. People matter too much to miss this critical distinction. God's agenda matters too much to allow this confusion."

Prayer Needed

I ran across this link through a blog I follow a couple days ago and I have felt burdened to pray for this family.





Mark Lamberth was in a dirt bike accident on Saturday afternoon, December 13. It appears that the damage to Mark’s brain is severe and irreversible, but his family and friends are praying for a miracle.

You can read more about his condition through the blog that was created for him here.

Will you join me in prayer for this family? I don't know them, but God certainly does and they need as many prayers as we're willing to give.

Christmas Traditions

I LOVE Christmas! And with that - I LOVE Christmas traditions! I love the oldies that we've been doing year after year and I love the new ones we make with our family each year.

Here are some of our family's Christmas traditions...

1.) Family Christmas Cookie Day. When I was a kid my grandma, my aunt, my cousins, my mom and myself used to get together for a cookie bake off always the week before Christmas! It was a BLAST! I just remember my grandma's tiny kitchen being jam-packed with flour, eggs, baking soda, peanut butter, chocolate chips and sugar covered over everything that would stand still! It was such a great time and some of my sweetest memories are of us in that kitchen!

2.) Birthday Cake for Jesus. This is something that Chloe has really enjoyed the last couple years. She especially enjoys the decorative touches!

3.) Christmas Prayer Links. This is something we started a couple years ago. We take green and red construction paper and make a prayer link (you know the links you used to make as a kid?). We put the name of someone we want to pray for on each link and then take the days leading up to Christmas to pray for each and every individual name on the links. It's a neat way to keep the focus away from ourselves and on other people we love and care about.

4.) Snowflakes. We make home-made snowflakes and hang them up from our kitchen ceiling. Chloe's gotten into the habit of then naming all of her snowflakes. :)

5.) Christmas picture. We've done this every year since Chloe's been born. We take her picture (or of all three of us if it works out) next to our decorated Christmas tree to send in our Christmas cards to our friends and family. Then we frame the picture and put them out on display during the Christmas holiday.

6.) Christmas Tree decorating night. Every year our Christmas tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving. No exceptions. As we decorate the tree, we ALWAYS watch Christmas Vacation. It's just what we watch! ALWAYS!

7.) Mama's House Sleepover. For years we used to stay the night at my mother-in-law's the night before Christmas Eve. We did this from the time Chloe was born (the year my father-in-law passed away) until about 2 years ago. Hey mom - we need to continue that tradition... we're coming over this year! :)

8.) Sleigh Ride. Every Christmas Eve since I was a KID, we've gone out to look at Christmas lights around town. In recent years, we've added a twist to this old time favorite... we bundle up in coats, hats, scarfs and gloves, pack a thermos of hot cocoa, get in the car and drive around looking at lights WITH THE WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN! This is particularly fun when it's snowing... kind of feels like you're strolling in a carriage ride through the snow!

9.) Thank You Letters. Every year I sit down days before Christmas and write individual letters to my family members. My daughter, my husband and my parents. I thank them for being in my life and tell them what they mean to me. I highlight memories I have with them over that year and just simply take the time to tell them how much I love them. Then I hide them in the tree for them to find on Christmas morning.

Those are some of our family's Christmas traditions... what are some of yours???

Proud Mommy Moment # 1,009 :)

So... my daughter decided today that she'd like to go see Santa at the Adrian Mall. This is a far cry from last year when she would barely walk past the man without "feeling embarrassed."

She marched right up to Santa's station and before I knew it, she was on his knee. Have I ever mentioned how cute she is?

He started out with the same question he asks all the kids... "Have you been naughty or nice?"

Then he asked what she wanted this year for Christmas.

I think some of her answers surprised him.

First she started out with all the normal things she's been asking for for some time now... a guitar, pix-o's, HSM3 stuff etc, etc.

But these last 2 requests made Santa a bit speechless.

"I'd like a hardcover Bible." (He mentioned that for him, this was a first.)
"I'd like some soup for the poor people."

I love how compassionate Chloe is.
I love her heart and how she's always thinking of other people's needs before her own.
I believe that's how Christ intends for us to live.

I'm such a proud mommy.
I have the best little girl in the world!

I love you Chloe!

New Recipe

I realized that I hadn't posted a recipe in quite a long time. I found this one in a magazine a couple months back and I made them this past Thanksgiving. They were a big hit so I thought I'd share it here with all of you.

Candy Bar Cookies

Prep time: 35 minutes Bake time: 10 minutes Cool: 2 hours

1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
1/4 cup dark or light-color corn syrup (I used light b/c that's what I had)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 cup butterscotch chips
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For oat layer, in medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar, butter and corn syrup over medium-low heat until combined. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.

Place the rolled oats in a very large bowl. Pour brown sugar mixture over oats, stirring gently until combined. Press oat mixture evenly onto bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let oat layer cool slightly in pan on wire rack.

In the same saucepan, stir together chocolate chips and butterscotch chips over low heat until melted. Stir in the 2/3 cups peanut butter until mixture is smooth.

Sprinkle half of the peanuts over oat layer in pan. Slowly pour chocolate mixture over the peanut-topped oat layer, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top of chocolate.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for several hours or until chocolate layer is firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Makes about 115 pieces.

To store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

YUM-O!

Charlene

I met Charlene Larson back in October of 2001 when she started Small Wonders Preschool and Daycare. I will never forget the first time I met her! That smile, that laughter... it was contagious! I knew I had found the right person to take care of my only child, Chloe.

I cannot begin to put into words the kind of person Charlene was and what she meant to our family. Words that come to mind that describe my friend include... joyful, caring, loving, trustworthy, funny, outrageous, courageous, thankful, gentle, spontaneous, wonderful, crazy... the list could go on and on. I loved so many things about Charlene. She changed my world. She made me want to be a better person. I feel privileged and honored to have been able to have her as part of my life for 7 years!

So - here's to you, my friend...

Thank you for living an authentic, transparent life.
Thank you for loving my child like she was one of your own.
Thank you for your hugs.
Thank you for the Small Wonders back rubs.
Thank you for living selflessly.
Thank you for teaching us about forgiveness.
Thank you for teaching us about finding the good in everything and everyone.
Thank you for your courage.
Thank you for your laughter.

Thank you... for you. I love you my dear friend and I will miss you every day this side of heaven. But I rest in the knowledge that we will be together again one day in paradise. Today... the angels have one more reason to celebrate and I can just hear the words of our Savior saying... "WELL DONE, my good and faithful servant."

You will live in our hearts forever!

Dance on, Charlene! Dance on!

I know it's gonna be worth it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQVmR0jV52A

Feeling Thankful...

This year I thought I'd jot a few of my thankful thoughts down as this Thanksgiving day quickly approaches.

I'm THANKful for...

My wonderful husband who makes my life complete!
My beautiful daughter for giving me a reason to want to be a better person!
My mom and dad who gave me life and who stand beside me no matter what!
The awesome work I get to do every day of my life!
My friends who know me well and STILL love me!
My dog who teaches me every day about loyalty!
The volunteers I have the privledge of serving alongside of each week who teach me what it means to truly give your life away!
CHOCOLATE! This one goes without saying, right?
My mother-in-law for living such a selfless life!
My great nieces and nephews and all the smooches I get from them!
SNOW! I LOVE SNOW!
Coca-Cola - the drink that's gotten me through many a mornings!
My health.
My trusty Trail Blazer. It's not the greatest, but it's reliable and always gets me where I'm going.
My small group. They pretty much ROCK!
Email! What would we do without email?!
God! For sending His son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross for ME! For His grace, mercy and love!

What are YOU thankful for this year?

Happy Thanksgiving!!

She's 8...

Had an interesting conversation with Chloe tonight while cutting her nails...

Chloe: Don't cut that one too short, that's my special nail.

Me: Why, is that the one you use to pick your nose?

Chloe: NO! I use my middle one for that.

Ha! That kid cracks me up!