Not a baby anymore!

Tomorrow, June 27th, is my baby's birthday! Well - her fifth birthday - so I guess that really doesn't make her my baby any more, does it? I told her the other day that she would always be my baby.

I have been crying for 2 weeks straight at the thought of her getting to be a big girl. She will go to Kindergarten in the fall and I am so sad. I am not sure why - I should be happy... but after all - it does mean that she will never again be little. She knows I have been sad for the past couple weeks and the other day she said to me.. "You're really going to be sad when I turn 17 mom!" I am not sure where she came up with THAT particular age - but I know she's right - I will be sad at 17, too, I'm sure of it!

Time goes WAY too fast... we need to remember that and remember to make every precious moment with our children count. For one day we will look back on all of this stuff now and say, "When did this happen!?!?"

"Let them be little, 'cause their only that way for a while... Let 'em cry, let 'em giggle, let 'em sleep in the middle... Let them be little!" -Lonestar

Racing through life?

I found this quote today and it really made me think...

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
- Mario Andretti

Doesn't that seem like so many of us? I can tell you, it sounds like mine.....

My days are filled to the capacity. Really they are! From morning 'till dark I find that our family is running at WARP speed. I actually feel like Mario Andretti MOST of the time! I go and I go and I go and finally at the end of the day I am exhausted. I run out of gas and with a long, heavy sigh I retire to bed. But do you ever feel like I feel? Like you run all day and when you finally have time to sit and think and relax - you feel like you should be doing something? It's a sickness, I'm sure of it - but that is what happens to me... My husband, bless his heart, thinks I am crazy. I am constantly going... but that is my nature. I am a do-er.

I plan on taking some vacation days coming up very soon and I got to thinking about all I want to do - well, more than that, what all I want to get accomplished. That's a shame isn't it? Take a vacation to see what all I can get done!

I heard it plain as day this morning as I was driving to work.. "Take time to relax!" What? What do you mean God? Take time to relax? I couldn't do that! There's so much I need to get done - so much that I need to be doing! Then I heard it again... "Take time to RELAX." I had to know that this was God - the voice was very clear and persistent. This was not a suggestion, I told myself... This was a direct order from God.

I am going to heed the call from Him and relax this summer. My daughter is turning five on Monday and I know that the next time I turn around she will be turning 10 and then 15 and then 18 and I will have wished I would have taken more time to relax.

Psalm 46:10 NIV: "Be still and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:10 MSG: "Step out of the traffic!" (that one is my favorite!)

Discerning God's Call

Discernment is described in the dictionary as: "The act or process of exhibiting keen insight and good judgment." I am currently in the middle of a great book called 'The Best Question Ever' written by Andy Stanley. It's entire premise surrounds this word - Discernment. Without going too much in detail about the book and THE BEST question ever (which, by the way is a great book that you should read) Andy Stanley gives several illustrations about discernment and how it is essential when trying to decide what is best for us and what God wants for our lives.

Sometimes we try to rationalize with ourselves when we try making decisions that do not line up with the word of God. It is when we fail to truly listen to what God is trying to say to us that we end up regretting poor decisions. It's like I try telling my 4-year old all the time - "Listen to me - I know what is best for you." or "I am telling you no for your own good." Sometimes Chloe knows what is best for her and she makes the wrong decision anyway and it winds up hurting her. Even at 4-years-old she knows what is good and what is right and tries pushing the limits anyway. Don't we do this with God? We KNOW what is right for us and sometimes we think we can make decisions on our own that will be okay for us. But that is just plain foolish. In my bible study this morning I ran across a segment that talked about discernment. The first line reads..."Discerning God's calling usually involves many attempts and failures." Boy isn't this one true!? It follows up in the first paragraph with a phrase I love - - "You're not in charge of water walking, Jesus is!" Sometimes we forget that HE is the one in charge and sometimes we attempt to make decisions for ourselves that we feel are best... but HE is the Father and only HE knows what is best for us. Are we going to always like what He has to say to us... no. Will what He wants for us be the easy path...Probably not, but we have to trust that He is in control and that He wants only what is best for us and if that means sacrifice and and a bit of difficulty in rearranging our mind-set, then so be it!

I have had some hard decisions to make - and some of them have been lately. I have finally come to terms with the fact that even though I am a type-A person I have to let it go. It is only when I can completely surrender to God and listen to His calling for my life that I know I can make the right decisions. I have learned that sometimes this involves taking a risk but it ALWAYS involves letting God work within me to give me the strength I need.

Matthew 14:28 says.."Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."

'Knowing when to get out of the boat and step out onto the water doesn't call for courage, it calls for wisdom to ask the right questions, discernment to recognize the Master's voice and patience to wait 'till He says "Come!"'

segments taken from 'Your Word for you Today'

Church Bulletin Bloopers

I found these and wanted to share them... Some of them brought me to tears I was laughing so hard! Hope you find humor in them.. :)

Actually taken from church bulletins:

• For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• This afternoon there will be a meeting in the South and North ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends." WHAT?
• Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to the church secretary." I think I like this one! :)
• Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands!
• The sermon this morning, "Jesus Walks on Water". The service this evening: "Searching for Jesus."
• Low self-esteem support group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30 pm. Please use the back door.
• Don't let worry kill you - let the church help.
• Tonight's sermon: "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
• Next Sunday is the family hayride and bonfire at the Fowlers. Bring your own hot dogs and guns. Friends are welcome! Everyone come for a fun time!
• Missionary from Africa speaking at Calvary Memorial Church in Racine. Name: Bertha Belch. Annoucement: Come tonight and hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa!

and this one is my all-time favorite that I have heard a lot before:

• Weight Watchers will meet at 7pm at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double doors at the side entrance.

Hope you enjoyed!! :)

Have a great week!

Why do we worry?

Have you ever wondered about this - why do we worry? Did you know that God commands us in the Bible to not worry or be anxious for anything? He COMMANDS us to NOT worry... does that mean that by worrying, we are sinning? I guess so!

I am a worry-wart. Anyone who knows me - knows this about me. I worry about the weather, I worry about my daughter, I worry about my husband and his long travels to and from work and my friends and extended family. I worry about a lot of things. But lately, I have been reflecting upon this and trying to figure out why I worry so much.

The Bible tell us in Phil. 4:6 "Don't worry about anything.. instead, pray about everything, Tell God what you need, and thank Him for what He has done." Then in Matt. 6:34 Jesus tells us, "Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring it's own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." Boy - how true is that statement!

We have enough things to worry about in the NOW... why do we worry about the things for tomorrow... ?? Isn't that such a useless waste of energy. Instead, we need to learn to focus that energy on God. Instead of worrying about the things that we cannot change - we need to begin to focus on the things that God is doing for us right now and rejoice and be thankful for the blessings in our lives. Sometimes, our lives are so laced with worry - we forget about focusing on what really matters.

I read an article today in a publication called.. "The word for you today". It is a daily journal I receive in the mail at work. I tell ya - the signs that God gives to us are SO CLEAR when our minds are open and when we have our thoughts on Him only... Just as I was thinking about these things over the past week, the FIRST daily journal I read in my new summer publication was entitled "Understanding Worry." It was a God thing, I'm telling ya... Here is a segmant from my reading:

-----What's making you worry? Take a closer look and you'll probably find yourself doing the folllowing things:

1.) Adding unneccessary pressures.
2.) Leaving God out of the equation.
3.) Dividing life into the secular and the scared.

When I read this, I discovered that to worry IS to sin. If God commands us NOT to worry and we continue to worry - than we continue to sin. By worrying only means that we must not be truly following Christ. Friendship with God is built by sharing ALL of life experiences with Him and trusting in His will for your life. We need to be able to give up the worry and to be able to surrender our entire existance to Him.

"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart (not just the part of you that doesn't worry) and lean not on your own understanding (it's not what I want, it's Gods will) in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Pr. 3:5-6.

When we surrender everything to Him and let HIM have HIS way in our life - we can finally understand what it's like to lead a worry-free life!

I'm on board - are YOU?

Kid Crossing Hits Main Stage at Crossroads!

Crossroads Community Church Festival of Families

This past weekend at my church, Crossroads Community Church, our Children Grades K-5th took over the main stage and auditorium and all I can say is WOW! What an awesome experience it was to see those kids performing live with such passion and enthusiasm! I cannot tell you how exciting it was!

Being at this church, I am constantly reminded of Gods amazing love and grace. I feel so blessed and so honored to be a part of the wonderful things God is doing here at Crossroads!

For those of you who do not attend Crossroads, you can see a small glimpse of what it looked like on Sunday morning, June 5th, by visiting our website at: www.ilovemychurch.org. Click on Resources and then on Gallery and you will be able to see just a small dose of how much FUN we had! We even had popcorn popping during our worship experience - - ??? How cool is that! We worshiped Kid Crossing Style and learned Kid Crossing style and it is my prayer that we will all take away from that experience the true lesson of families! Way to go Kid Crossing leaders, Shari Glass and Amanda Iott for pulling this all together! You guys are awesome and I am truly BLESSED to be serving Christ along side of both of you!

At the end of the day - there were 7 recorded commitments to Christ - - after all, THAT is what it's all about and WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO!

Keep rocking on, ladies! :)