You are My Shepherd

To my bestest girlfriends....

lifting you up this morning and praying this is continually the prayer of your heart.

I could not have asked for better friends than those God has planted in my life and in my heart. I Love you girls!

Blessings

I have been listening to this song for weeks now and it just speaks loudly to my spirit. Today I listened to the reason Laura wrote the song and her realness about struggles of this life was inspiring. Sometimes, God does not answer us the way we wish. She has prayed for healing for her husband and God has not answered that prayer. I have prayed for healing from depression and anxiety and God has not completely answered that prayer. Friends have prayed for employment opportunities. Many have something in this life that is a struggle.

However, it's an amazing place to get to when you can say sometimes, not getting the answer we want allows for a greater blessing both for ourselves and others.

Just thought I'd share.....

This is the Stuff.....

I just love the lyrics to this song. As someone who seems to always be frustrated and impatient, I love the ending chorus. It's also a great reminder of how our messes are so little and we are so blessed when we really focus on the big picture.

Semantics?

Lately I seem to be a person who picks apart words. I've always loved words. I love song lyrics. I love poetry. I love a good book. Words have meaning. So what we say and how we say it says a lot and implies a lot.

I had bought some Christian books at Ollie's a few weeks back and I started a mom's devotional book by a familiar author. I struggled with some of what she said but day 6 was the pivotal point. The author said, and I quote, "Jesus partied with sinners." Now, I get what she was trying to say however, Jesus definitely did not party with sinners. He loved them, spent time with them, ministered to them and saved them but partied? The author, who was appealing to the world in her choice of words, implied Jesus joined in with the sinners. Where is the reverence and holiness? Where is the honor? Where is the truth of what scripture says?

Today I heard in reference to Matthew 6 that Jesus was "picking on" the Pharisees. Again, the implication here is outside the nature and character of God. Jesus may have corrected, rebuked, and disciplined, but never did he pick on anyone.

Some say this is splitting hairs. Others say it is just semantics or choices of words. So, do the words we choose matter? Does saying Jesus partied with sinners or picked on Pharisees paint an accurate picture?

It has really been frustrating to me lately to see the irreverent way we as the big "C" church use modern lingo to paint a picture at the risk of being scripturally inaccurate. So, what do you think...hair splitting, semantics, or a scriptural issue to address?

The Council of Superintendents released a statement to teachers yesterday about a new video game being released. Below is the write up on the game from the makers website, Checkerboarded Studios.

SCHOOL SHOOTER: NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2012

In School Shooter: North American Tour 2012, you play as a disgruntled

student fed up with something or other (We're not exactly sure), who after researching

multiple school shooting martyrs, decides to become the best school shooter ever.

You must arm yourself with the same weapons as a previous school shooter,

including Eric Harris' TEC-9, Dylan Klebold's sawn-off shotgun, Seung-Hui Cho's

akimbo pistols, and Nevada-Tan's... Box cutter? The possibilities are endless!

You are free to do whatever you want (So long as it involves shooting people in

a school).

And your telling me video games do not impact our children's behavior?

The fact that the makers of this game use tragic events from real life as the model

is disturbing. Once I have contact information I will include it so that you can send

a letter, email, or make a call and have your opinion heard.

TV Petition

Takes 2 seconds to sign this petition......

ABC network set to attack Christianity with "Good Christian B-tches" show "For Heaven's sake, don't let God get in the way of a good story!" - GCB author Kim Gatlin March 7, 2011 The ABC network is currently working on a pilot for a prime-time program called "Good Christian B-tches." It's a Christian-bashing version of ABC's current "Desperate Housewives." The show centers on a recently divorced mother of two who moves back to the affluent neighborhood where she grew up to find herself in the whirling midst of gossip, Botox and fraud. Disney-owned ABC has no reservations about creating hate speech against Christians, but you can be sure they would never consider a show called "Good Muslim B-tches" or "Good Jewish B-tches." With a title like "Good Christian B-tches," you can imagine what kind of show it will be. Even if they change the title, the content will still mock people of faith. TAKE ACTION Sign a petition to ABC and parent company Disney to drop all plans to air the anti-Christian program "Good Christian B-tches." We'll add your petition to thousands of other voices in also urging advertisers to place it on their "do not advertise" list and consider pulling all ads from the ABC network in protest of this Anti-Christian bigotry. Sincerely, Monica Cole, Director OneMillionMoms.com

Adoption and the Christian Parent

I receive enews from HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) weekly and this week I had to blog this..... I'm pasting the article in but here is the direct link as well High Court Finds Christian Parents Unsuitable. While some will say oh, that is in the UK, read on. If we ratify the UN's CRC I can no longer adopt children who need a loving home as I believe the Bible speaks clearly on homosexuality.

High Court Finds Christian Parents Unsuitable

The United Kingdom’s High Court ruled yesterday that Christians with traditional ethical views of sexuality are not suitable to serve as foster or adoptive parents. The judge held that Christian beliefs regarding homosexuality are harmful to children and violate a child’s international human rights. Are these personal beliefs a good reason to deny children a home with a family who cares for them? And if exercising a protected religious liberty violates international child rights in this instance, who is to say what beliefs will be “unsuitable” next?

Those same rights are outlined in the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and would be binding on the United States should we ratify that treaty.

Fortunately, we expect a resolution opposing ratification of the CRC to be introduced in the U.S. Senate within the next week or so. Senator DeMint’s office is currently gathering original cosponsors on the resolution (which is equivalent to SR 519 from the last Congress). Once it is introduced and given a bill number, we will email you right away and initiate a call blitz to secure the 34 cosponsors needed to prevent with certainty the ratification of that dangerous treaty.

Still, only the Parental Rights Amendment can end the threat of ratification permanently.

To JBCAG...Waiting

Seeing I couldn't send this straight to you JBACG, I'll post it here. Keep worshiping in the waiting. He sees an end to it all...

Connected or Disconnected?

I've realized more and more lately how our society is so connected via cell phones, internet, Facebook, text messaging, ect that we are actually so disconnected. We have lost the personal touch of a phone call to check in, a visit to chat, and dare I say a hand written note of encouragement.

I watch people in public talking while driving, checking out at a store, texting while at a dining table with family. We are always plugged in.

I know I am the odd one out but I do not like Facebook. I think relationships on Facebook have substituted for real life relationships. This may not be true of everyone but I see a lot of that going on. I know 2 other families who like ours have committed to not joining Facebook (for several reasons). One of them called me last month to let me know that we were "officially losers." She read that even the Queen of England was on Facebook!

All this to say, I am making it a personal goal to work on real life in person relationships. There is nothing like weekly long distance phone calls to pray with a friend, having a friend over just sitting on the floor chatting for hours while playing baby, calling a friend to see how they are really doing; did the insomnia go away, how's your marriage, do you need a meal?

I'm not saying I have mastered this. When I look at my list of friends I've lost touch with several. But, I am working on this and making it a personal goal...to care for others in real life. During my struggles I have been loved on in person while being real...I want to return the blessing.

Victories

I had two victories this past week.

The first (though I needed 1/2 an anxiety pill), was to take the girls and the grandmas to Canada for the Bird Kingdom. Now, anyone who knows me knows

1. I deeply dislike customs

2. Not a fan of the Canadian Bridge

3. Don't like driving if I don't know where I am going

4. Don't like driving in snow (and yes we had major snow that day)

And I did it...all. No problems at all. We had a great girls outing.

The second victory was church this Sunday. This was the first Sunday I did not take anxiety meds before going! Not only did I not take it but I went to both services, co-lead a group with Drew, and juggled the baby.

I've been doing well day to day but as soon as stressors come in I crumble. I'm keeping my load light and pressing on. I am having trouble putting weight on still which is causing headaches and fatigue. I have some appointments coming up to figure out what to do.

I am super grateful to the friends who have been by my side the whole time and lifting me up in prayer....you guys rock!