Family

This has been one of the first weekends in a very long time that I have felt like I really was able to enjoy my family. My husband wasn't working, my kids were home for the most part, and we had things to do that kept us around the house and when we weren't at home we were together... for the most part! I know I keep saying "for the most part." You have to understand I have teenagers. I can't force them to spend an entire weekend with the "parents" because they think that might make their skin fall off. Clayton's girlfriend lives in a town about 45 minutes away. She spent a good portion of the day with us on Saturday. Dylan spent a good part of the day at the house but spent the night with a friend. Sunday we all went to church and then Dylan spent the afternoon with a friend and Bobby and I picked up Clayton's girlfriend and headed up to the mountains. I call that a family weekend success!

Doesn't it seem like these types of weekends are getting to be more of the unique occasions? What is it that is preventing this? What is it that keeps intruding in our lives so that family time is a rare occasion?

Is it something intruding or is it our priorities are out of whack? I know what my problem is... Priorities... What about you?

Committments and Good Intentions

Pastor Steve just preached a sermon on Gideon's 300. Hoping to give our congregation an uplifting message that we each can rise to be a "mighty warrior" just as Gideon did. It was a wonderful message and even though I was running switcher for that weekend, I found myself saying, "yes," "amen," "uh-huh" in the headset throughout the message. (Sorry about that camera crew!)

It is easy to sit and listen and feel like Pastor Steve is talking about me... like he somehow just wrote the sermon for me. I know many folks who have told me the same thing. However, I do believe that Pastor Steve is a gifted speaker and is very in tuned to God and delivers the exact message God would have for each of us to hear. So here is my question... why why why is it that we can hear it and know it is for us and still ignore it?

My thought on the question... We are lazy. We are full of good intentions and no follow through. We sit... hear... and choose to ignore. I don't want to be that way... do you?

What are you going to do about it? My plan... start with the basics. Take the highlights of the sermon and start with the basics in my life. If you start making small changes first... the fall out from that change will make the next one even easier. Don't believe me? I dare you to try it!

Rabbits and Cockroaches

Does anyone else feel like life is moving a mach speed? It is nearly the middle of May already and I feel like I haven't even got a grip on what my goals are for this year. There are always so many plans and things that I want to accomplish and for some reason it always feels like life just keeps getting in the way. Something to distract me... to move my attention to something that seems more important at that particular time.

I wonder sometimes if it is Satan leading me on a rabbit chase to distract me from God's work. I recently read a book called "Killing Cockroaches" by Tony Morgan. I found my story so many times as I read through it. So... now that I know I have a problem with staying focused on the important items... What is it I need to improve in myself that will help me with my cockroach killing tendencies?

My first step... More time in God's Word. I think that is the best place I can start... What about you? Are you a cockroach killer? (read Tony's book to learn more about it). If you feel like you are always chasing rabbits... What are you going to do to maintain your focus on what is important?

Life

This past week has been a difficult one for me and for my family. My father passed away on April 25. At the time of his passing, my mother was in a rehabilitation hospital mending after knee replacement surgery. She was on the phone with my dad while my father waited for the ambulance to arrive. They were able to tell each other how much they loved each other.

I know we have all been told to make sure you don't go to bed mad... kiss a loved one good-bye every time you leave each other, etc. I just don't think that is something that is truly practiced. I know I have been lax in following those oh so important "life instructions" and I plan to make a point of fixing that in my life and would encourage you to do the same.

I'm not the kind of person that is overly sappy, or really very sentimental, but I cannot imagine loosing a loved one only to realize the last time I saw them, I didn't make them believe they were important to me.

So...

Kiss them good-bye
Tell them you love them
Hold them tightly
Do your best to not go to bed mad... even if you can't resolve the problem. Tell them you love them and you will work out the issue the next day.

There... I gave you my sappy speech... thanks for listening!