Y'all!
I'm doing a little blog-struction here!
If you have any feedback or ideas, help a sister out!
Thanks for being patient! :))
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
BIG Beliefs, Little Beliefs.
This is an ongoing list I add to as "needed".
Mostly just for fun are the little beliefs, while some are definitely BIG Beliefs.
I don't take myself too seriously here. I'd love for you to join in!
Mostly just for fun are the little beliefs, while some are definitely BIG Beliefs.
I don't take myself too seriously here. I'd love for you to join in!
I BELIEVE...
The depth of human depravity is frightening.
Dudes need to be reeeeaaal careful with the selfies.
I'm just sayin'. The car selfies with the cleavage? Mmmhmmm.
Grinning.
Grinning.
BA should be an acceptable euphemism.
Because some people just are.
Everybody needs a cheerleader.
Mom Guilt is paralyzing.
And it's of the devil.
Christians argue semantics too much.
The Christmas Card Conundrum is real.
What do you do with all those cutesy photos after Christmas every year?
Having a fire going in the morning makes it hard to hustle.
Flogging is the appropriate punishment for taking someone's favorite pen.
The Chick-Fil-A in the parking lot of my gym is evidence of spiritual warfare.
Every day I go to the gym and skip the CFA is a Victory in Jesus!
I understand it's The Christian Chicken, but it has demonic calories.
First-borns have it rough.
Mine included.
Cell phone addiction will be the new alcoholism or workaholism.
Jeremy Cowart said this. I believe it.
Yoga pants in the winter = Peasant skirts in the summer.
Sadness is not equal to sinning.
Calling "Right or Wrong" is not judging.
Agree? Disagree?
What do you believe?
Thursday, January 2, 2014
When We Quit.
I started writing this up several months ago. I let it sit out of fear, if I'm honest. Today, a friend shared an excellent blog post on this subject. Now, I'm mad I didn't post mine earlier.
Good on both of them for their guts! So, go ahead, let's get the discussion started.
__________________________________________________
Several years ago, our oldest daughter put in that she wanted to participate in Little League Cheer. We had put her off for a while because it is a heavy commitment, but this particular year, we decided to give it a try. I was struggling with the "Cheer Mom" title, but let me tell you: this kid was adorable in her little cheer uniform. I mean it. The stinkin' cutest little curly-Q'd, ribboned pony tail ever!
I anticipated one conflict and talked to every person I could to be sure this wouldn't be an issue. Her coach, a friend and volunteer mom, was a first-time coach and was giving it all she had. I didn't want our issue to be a problem for a volunteer coach, so I was very transparent about it from the beginning and she was gracious. We started the season and a few weeks and several hundred dollars later, it became obvious to us that our issue was going to be one. Still, everyone was gracious as I stood our ground, but they had to do what they had to do and so did we. She cheered two games and we walked away. I wrote a letter to the Board thanking them for their volunteer hours, explaining our position, and apologizing for any extra paperwork they had to do on our account. My 8 year-old wrote a little note, too.
Our issue: Cheer Competitions on Sundays.
To be clear, they weren't every Sunday. Three over the season, if I remember correctly.
As Christians, this was really a no-brainer to us. We value the local church's place in the Body of Christ. We believe we have a place in the Body. We genuinely enjoy church. But, this isn't even the crux of it.
Who and What my girls worship on Sundays is.
We just couldn't do it. We knew we were not going set the precedence for recreation over Sunday worship. This is, as we celebrate, the Sabbath. The one that is to be kept holy. As in the 4th Commandment. Now, Lord knows we have not kept all the commandments all the time, but this. This we could.
<Note: I'm talking Sundays. Sunday morning worship. Wednesday night church is not a commandment. Smiling. Now, if you have Saturday night church or if your church has Sunday evening services, I don't know. Some would argue that Sunday should still be a day of complete rest. I'm not getting into all that, that's between you and Jesus. >
Maybe you've seen it:
Parents who sang "Jesus Loves Me" and read Bible stories to their babies. They taught their toddlers that "God is so great, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do." Loving parents took their little ones to Sunday School and choir and Christmas programs. Parents that could see the benefit of team sports and even used that as a way to build relationships in the community and lead people to Christ. Eventually, the athletic tournaments and competitions have become fun, family events and they are all weekend, every weekend for a season or seven. Fantastic, Jesus-loving parents wake up one day and they can't remember the last time they went to church and worshipped as a family with the Body of Believers in which they claim "membership". Instead, they have worshipped at the altar of a trophy.
Ok. This is a made up scenario, but you get it, right? This is what we wanted to guard against. It's a slippery slope. Yes, I understand we were looking at three Sundays. No, I don't think my salvation or that of my child's would be in jeopardy over three missed Sundays. For us, it came down to teaching her to impact the world as a Christ follower.
Good on both of them for their guts! So, go ahead, let's get the discussion started.
__________________________________________________
Several years ago, our oldest daughter put in that she wanted to participate in Little League Cheer. We had put her off for a while because it is a heavy commitment, but this particular year, we decided to give it a try. I was struggling with the "Cheer Mom" title, but let me tell you: this kid was adorable in her little cheer uniform. I mean it. The stinkin' cutest little curly-Q'd, ribboned pony tail ever!
 |
| Seriously. The cutest. |
I anticipated one conflict and talked to every person I could to be sure this wouldn't be an issue. Her coach, a friend and volunteer mom, was a first-time coach and was giving it all she had. I didn't want our issue to be a problem for a volunteer coach, so I was very transparent about it from the beginning and she was gracious. We started the season and a few weeks and several hundred dollars later, it became obvious to us that our issue was going to be one. Still, everyone was gracious as I stood our ground, but they had to do what they had to do and so did we. She cheered two games and we walked away. I wrote a letter to the Board thanking them for their volunteer hours, explaining our position, and apologizing for any extra paperwork they had to do on our account. My 8 year-old wrote a little note, too.
Our issue: Cheer Competitions on Sundays.
To be clear, they weren't every Sunday. Three over the season, if I remember correctly.
As Christians, this was really a no-brainer to us. We value the local church's place in the Body of Christ. We believe we have a place in the Body. We genuinely enjoy church. But, this isn't even the crux of it.
Who and What my girls worship on Sundays is.
We just couldn't do it. We knew we were not going set the precedence for recreation over Sunday worship. This is, as we celebrate, the Sabbath. The one that is to be kept holy. As in the 4th Commandment. Now, Lord knows we have not kept all the commandments all the time, but this. This we could.
<Note: I'm talking Sundays. Sunday morning worship. Wednesday night church is not a commandment. Smiling. Now, if you have Saturday night church or if your church has Sunday evening services, I don't know. Some would argue that Sunday should still be a day of complete rest. I'm not getting into all that, that's between you and Jesus. >
Maybe you've seen it:
Parents who sang "Jesus Loves Me" and read Bible stories to their babies. They taught their toddlers that "God is so great, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do." Loving parents took their little ones to Sunday School and choir and Christmas programs. Parents that could see the benefit of team sports and even used that as a way to build relationships in the community and lead people to Christ. Eventually, the athletic tournaments and competitions have become fun, family events and they are all weekend, every weekend for a season or seven. Fantastic, Jesus-loving parents wake up one day and they can't remember the last time they went to church and worshipped as a family with the Body of Believers in which they claim "membership". Instead, they have worshipped at the altar of a trophy.
Ok. This is a made up scenario, but you get it, right? This is what we wanted to guard against. It's a slippery slope. Yes, I understand we were looking at three Sundays. No, I don't think my salvation or that of my child's would be in jeopardy over three missed Sundays. For us, it came down to teaching her to impact the world as a Christ follower.
Listen. We are at war. We are battling a culture for the hearts of our children. We've got to take this seriously.
I know you've heard the statistics. Something like upwards of 90% of professed Christians are graduating high school, going away to college and walking away from church, and often, the Lord. They are going to college and living quite hedonistic little lives, leaving their parents devastated and worried. Rightly so.
We aren't hoping for our kids to just "stay in church", I'm raising women who ARE the church. That means equipping them to GO out and be the light. That means they need to know what they believe and act like they believe it.
We aren't hoping for our kids to just "stay in church", I'm raising women who ARE the church. That means equipping them to GO out and be the light. That means they need to know what they believe and act like they believe it.
There is definitely not one answer. But, I do believe this is [one] battle in the Culture War. Keeping the Sabbath holy and making a (loving, favorable) statement to the community may be something you could do to change the culture of sports-worship in your community.
The Most Ridiculous Inspiration Ever.
This is the story of the most ridiculous inspiration ever. Even I, the chronic over-sharer, don't want to share this absurdity. But, I'm trying to pump out 500 words a day.
It's great that things sort of slow down for us a little for the holidays, but then again, it's not. I function more efficiently when I've got things to do, places to go, people to see. It's not that we haven't done anything, it's just that it's been up to me. This is not good. It's been cold. And dreary. And cold.
We started out watching an insane amount of Psych on Netflix. Naturally, my Invisible Guilty Cloak was becoming more visible as a result, coupled with the fact that my Spouse has been on an awesome gym binge lately. The result: the Psych had to be limited.
We switched to The Biggest Loser on Hulu. Surely this would inspire, yes? I also confession-texted a few friends about my intermittent gym attendance. Seriously. This works. I get excited by other people's successes and their energy, don't you?
Last week, I took my sorry carcass to the gym. It was 34° of ridiculous. I killed it. I came home, took a shower and I don't think I left the house the rest of the day. Did it again the next day. And again and again. One day I went in the morning and then went back in the evening with the Spouse. We're getting there, thank you, Bob & Jillian.
So, this is how I'm bustin' through the Winter Blahs:
-Psych.
-Texting my people for inspiration.
-Biggest Loser.
-Following my Spouse as he's leading our family back to "Active" status.
- Also, for my last few days on the elliptical, I've been watching Alias (again) while on the machine because Sydney Bristow makes me feel all BA.
As of this morning, I've knocked out 7 solid workouts in 6 days.
How's that for a five-step plan? Pretty sure that's a thing. I'm as motivational as Matt Foley!
Have y'all gotten inspiration from some odd or socially unacceptable places?
Let's hear them.
So, this is how I'm bustin' through the Winter Blahs:
-Psych.
-Texting my people for inspiration.
-Biggest Loser.
-Following my Spouse as he's leading our family back to "Active" status.
- Also, for my last few days on the elliptical, I've been watching Alias (again) while on the machine because Sydney Bristow makes me feel all BA.
As of this morning, I've knocked out 7 solid workouts in 6 days.
How's that for a five-step plan? Pretty sure that's a thing. I'm as motivational as Matt Foley!
Have y'all gotten inspiration from some odd or socially unacceptable places?
Let's hear them.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
The Year I.
My little friend Debra blogs over at Debra Parker Blog. She wrote an awesome little year-end/year-beginning post and asked for a sentence or two in response. Well, I'm feeling a little ambitious with it being New Year's Day and all.
2013
The year I felt like the perpetual new girl.
The year I went on a shark dive.
The year I got LASIK.
The year I drank a lot of green juice.
The year I got a puppy.
The year I ran four 5K's.
The year I quit on some goals. (With a doctor's note. Smile.)
The year I came face to face with a Mean Girl.
The year I heard the Little Sister say this is home.
The year I got acrylic nails.
The year I slept in a tent on the beach.
The year I bought a camper.
The year I sold a camper. Grinning.
The year I was married for 17 years.
The year I had to buy new jeans.
The year I went horse back riding in Palo Duro Canyon.
The year I lost a little mojo.
The year I walked in faith on a new level.
The year I was diagnosed with "Recurrent Thyroid Cancer".
The year I decided to pray & juice & retest.
The year I heard "No evidence of cancer cells".
2014
The year I punch in the face.