God cares about your dreams...

Just over 3 years ago now I first started blogging.  I thought it would be a therapeutic way to get some thoughts and feelings out.  Maybe about motherhood, maybe about marriage, or maybe just about something that God lays on my heart.  I didn't know when I started that the past 2 years of our life would be so crazy and that the Lord would be laying so much to learn on our family's heart.  Whenever I have written, I have never known what the outcome would be.  Whether people would even read it or that I would have people reaching out to me and opening their hearts letting me know how Jesus chose to use my words to speak to them.  Each time I hit post, I say a short simple sweet prayer: "Jesus use this to your glory.  Let it speak to who you meant it for".  

I also did not expect for it to stir up a love for writing deep in my soul.  I didn't expect to have nights where I'm laying in bed writing a blog in my head.  I didn't expect to have moments in my day where I'm stopped dead in my tracks and have to sit down and write before the thoughts escape my mind.  I didn't expect to write things that I myself need to read again and again to remind myself of some of the lessons God has laid on my heart.  God has used blogging to work on my heart and change me in ways I never thought possible.

Over the past several months, I have been thinking dreaming about where this hobby would lead. Travis and I have had many talks about things I want to do in order to become a better writer.  We have been talking about big dreams I never expected to dream about doing.  While some of those dreams may never happen, it is so much fun to sit with your family and talk about all the ways you want to do your part to help change the world.  While currently my biggest dream is to actually attend a She Speaks Conference *and this is one that Travis and I have promised will happen some day*, I recently did something that I have never done before.  Something that a few years ago I would never even think of doing.  I applied to be part of a book launch for an author.  Just before my Facebook vacay started I saw on my newsfeed a post from We are THAT Family saying she was looking for people to help launch her new book: Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World.  So I hopped on the site and looked into how a person got on the book launch team.  Because let's be honest, that topic of the book? HELLO so much NEEDED in today's world.  After looking into it , I was thinking I was clearly late to the party and wouldn't probably never get chosen, I'm not one to 'win' anything so why would that change now? ;) But deep down in my heart I still wanted to try so hey why not? It certainly couldn't hurt anything.

Can I just say as someone who didn't dream all her life of becoming a writer how scary terrifying it is to put your blog on an application.  Like this application is going to a publishing company so there is a chance they are actually looking into who the heck you are.  But I was courageous and filled out all the info on the app, which included any social media accounts I also had.  Once I hit send there was no going back and frankly after I applied I didn't really think of it again.  Because I honestly thought I would never be chosen.  Seriously there had to be hundreds of people applying, why would they chose me?

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon.  I pulled up my email and looked at a company that emailed me that I honestly almost deleted but instead opened.  It was the publishing company in charge of Kristen Welch's new book congratulating me, yes ME for being chosen as part of the book launch team!!! Frankly even after telling my mom and my husband I still didn't believe it.  Why would I be chosen out of hundreds of applicants?

Even though I am on a Facebook hiatus, I did have to log on and request to become part of the launch team's closed group.  Which I did Saturday night and then didn't think about it again until last night.  I once again logged on quick to make sure I was 'accepted' by the admin and then once I was, I began to look through all the intros people had written.  Friends, this made me that much more nervous.  No joke.  This group of women they put together have AMAZING stories.  From all walks of life and lots of veteran bloggers.  Women that are missionaries across the world.  Foster moms.  Women that have some incredible companies and organizations that are furthering the kingdom of Christ.  Seriously so many amazing stories.  But there were snippets all over that these women, while we are all so different, are just like me.  We all have the same goals and dreams for the world and our family.  And then I just got overwhelmed by feeling so incredibly blessed.

Maybe I won't ever become an author of a book...maybe I won't ever have thousands of followers on my blog...but friends....God made sure I knew this past week that He sees me.  He sees my hopes and dreams.  He knows the deepest desires of my heart and He cares about them all.  Even if they seem too big for me.  Even if they seem silly to me.  Even if I think they are so far out there and crazy.  He wants all our dreams to come true.  He wants us to feel significant in this world even if it's for a small purpose because the reality is, in His world, even the small purposes are big.

Maybe these publishers randomly picked people.  Maybe there wasn't anything special that stood out to them about me.  But ya know what? Call me crazy but this wasn't a chance thing in my mind I was chosen.  This was a GOD thing.  God wants us to know that He always cares for us.  He always wants to help make our dreams a reality.  He wants us to feel quipped to help change this hurting world, no matter how small or insignificant we may feel.

So that dream you have been thinking is beyond you....that you think is too big for you...too far out of your comfort zone....something that you think will never be apart of your world.....Friend, it's not too crazy.  Maybe you won't go where you think you will go, maybe you won't become 'successful' with it as the world sees it, but God will use that dream of yours.  He can make it happen.  He doesn't want you to see yourself as unworthy of it.  Keep dreaming about it.  Keep striving to become better at it.  Keep putting yourself out there.  Keep leaving your comfort zone because I promise you...I promise God is going to keep giving you blessings to encourage you to use it for His glory...

I don't know if this launch team will lead to anything other than getting to know some amazing women across the world and to let you all know about an amazing book that is coming out, but what I do know is I am so beyond grateful that God gave me the opportunity to be apart of it.  And I'm so thankful He constantly reminds me that my hopes and dreams matter to Him.  No matter how silly they may seem.  Be encouraged sweet friend.....and always remember how deeply you are loved....

**While I am still technically on a Facebook hiatus, I am getting on once a day to stay in touch with this sweet launch team and continue to get to know them.  And my hiatus may come to an end sooner than I originally planned so I can be back on when it officially kicks off and I can start letting you all know the sweet goodness of this book.  So seriously stay tuned because I have a feeling this book is gonna be incredible for all you parents out there.  Happy Thanksgiving all!! May you be blessed as this holiday week kicks off!

Has it really come to this??

I think it goes without saying what a broken world we live in.  Lately it seems with each passing day, the world itself gets darker and darker.  It seems harder and harder to find the light.  Harder to continue to spread hope and love wherever we go.  It becomes harder and harder to explain to others where God is and what His plan is in all this.  It becomes harder and harder to let others know, God is still with us.  He still loves us.  Our own faith is getting harder and harder to sustain as the world pulls us in a million different directions.  Relationships are getting tested more and more as the world tries to put wedges in between us. Oh how my heart aches and tears fill my eyes as I think about all this.  I look at our two beautiful babies and think "God, how can we continue like this.  What will these two beautiful souls see in their lifetime." Because the truth is this:  The world is going to continue in the direction it is headed no matter how much we fight it because the bottom line is: This is not our home. We don't belong here.  Nothing we can say or do is going to change the entire world's course.  The course it is on is headed for destruction no matter how we fight it.  The only piece of hope in that is that we all know how it ends.  God wins.

That doesn't, however, mean that we don't continue to fight for souls that we can touch.  That doesn't mean we stop showing the light whenever and wherever we can.  That is our ultimate purpose isn't it? To win souls and hearts for Jesus?  If that is the truth can I ask a very real, honest, gut-wrenching question? One that terrifies me at the core because I know I have been so guilty of it just as much as everyone else...

If we as Christians all have the same purpose here on earth; that is to win hearts and souls for Christ....why, oh why are we as Christians constantly trying to puff out our chests and try to prove how much more Christian we are than the next?  The past few months have been awful when it comes to this.  I can't even begin to tell you how much of it I have seen on Facebook.  I know I am not excluded from this list because I have done it and had thoughts of it invade my mind just as much as anyone else.  And yesterday afternoon, my heart broke with that reality....

Take just a month or so ago as a first example.  Starbucks unveiled their new holiday season cup.  And at first there were a few in the country that saw it as a war on Christmas.  A guy even made a YouTube video of it stating his opinion.  And it was just that an opinion.  Whether you agreed or not, he never stated that if you didn't see it you weren't Christian enough.   And yet what did thousands of non-Christians do as well as thousands of Christians? Mocked him and everyone else who has this opinion.  The awful things that were said because of this small minority opinion where horrid.  And then I also saw image after image being shared of images 'proving' that if you shared this belief you weren't as Christian as those who thought it was in fact a war on Christmas.  For example, one said this: If coffee cups define your Christmas, honey its YOU who need Jesus.  Why? Why do we need to be at war with other Christians? *For the record, I didn't really care about the cup.  We don't support Starbucks for various reasons.  But hey if you still go to Starbucks? That's fine.  Whether you do or you don't isn't what makes you Christians.  It's who's in your heart. Jesus.

And then the next example is something that has happened in the past week.  Something that is awful to even be talking about.  Something that shows even more what a hurt, broken and evil world we live in, simply because the fact that it is happening.  Unless you've been living under a rock, you know all about what happened in Paris.  You know that Syrian refugees are supposed to be coming to America.  You know that there are those who are welcoming them with open arms, and you know there are those who are saying that we need to stop for a second and make sure we are properly 'vetting' them in order to keep our country safe.  I know countless Christians on both sides of the argument.  And in ways, I can see where BOTH sides are coming from.  As a mother and a human being, my heart breaks for those who have to even have this be an option for their family.  If I could and had the means to I would want to help them in any way possible.  And yet, I do think we need to take a beat and go over all procedures again to make sure we aren't bringing what they are fleeing from here.  If we do bring it here, we aren't saving them from anything.  And I have friends and family here I love and want to keep safe.  What I do not think is that one who believes one way over the other is any more of  Christian than the next.  We are called to love our neighbors, we are called to help the poor and needy but I don't think that just because a group of people want to ensure their safety first means they aren't Christian enough for Christ.  I don't think we as Christians should be condemning people on either side.  And what am I seeing on social media? Brother against brother, sister against sister, friends against friends.  We knew the non-Christian world would be using any tactic necessarily to call Christians out.  To make them look like hypocrites and to make them try to prove just how Christian they say they are.  But I didn't expect to see so many Christians condemning other Christians for their beliefs.  Once again we are trying to out do each other and puff out our chests.  I've seen it on both sides of the argument.  And it makes my heart break.

I'll be honest again by saying that I am just as much guilty as anyone else of these things.  Of having those thoughts in my head as I read something.  Thinking "Really you stand for that huh?  I'm more Christian than that."  It's an awful thing to admit about yourself.  Trust me, I've been dealing with it myself.  Sitting before God asking Him to cleanse my heart of such thoughts.  I believe we are called to keep other Christians accountable. That is biblical.  (Galatians 6:1-2) But I don't think when God said this He was referring to calling people out on social media.  And keeping Christians accountable I do not think includes the examples above.   Keeping one another accountable is doing it in a loving, respectful way.  In a safe place where the person loves you and knows they can trust you.  Trying to prove how much more Christian we are for having differing political beliefs is not the same thing.  It is something the devil is gleaming about.  He is loving what a divided Church we are becoming.   The secular world is gloating and laughing about how divided we have become.  How easy it is for us to turn on one another.

We all have the same purpose on this earth. To win hearts and souls for Christ.  It gets harder and harder to do that in today's world.  Especially when we are all turning against one another so easily.  When we are constantly trying to prove that we are more Christian than another.  There is no point to proving that to the world.  The only opinion who matters is Jesus.  And if you have Jesus in your heart and you love Him, that's all that matters.  You are on the same playing field as us all.  Let's keep each other accountable but not like this.  Not at the expense of becoming a more divided church than we already are.  This world needs us now more than ever.  We need to RISE up and fight for Christ more than ever before.  And in order to do that to the greatest glory that Christ deserves...we need to keep building each other up.  We need to rise together...united...as one body...

**You will find this blog on Facebook, however, I have been called away from it for awhile again.  My heart and soul need a cleanse of it.  It's so easy to get caught up in all the negative and worldliness of what it is sometimes....therefore Travis and I decided to take a step back.  Doesn't mean we are any better than those who are still on it ;) It just means God has called us to give it up for a time and therefore we want to be obedient to Him... We love you all more than you know and I will miss dearly seeing all that is going on with you guys and seeing your beautiful families....so please don't take offense if you don't get a notification saying that I 'liked' a photo.  I will be back at some point...hopefully with a better heart and soul for Christ.

Own it momma.....

I woke up this morning annoyed.  This whole time change has racked havoc on our girls' schedules.  We have been getting up far to early and it feels like it will never go back to normal.  After making sure Travis was putting on the coffee and I brought sweet Lyla down from her room, I started scrolling through Facebook on my phone as I impatiently waited for the coffee to finish.  After only a few short seconds I came across something that took my breath away.  Something that stopped me dead in my tracks and tears to form in my eyes.  A sweet angelic looking little 3 year old niece of a Facebook friend had passed in her sleep last night. Suddenly my annoyance seemed to not mean a single thing.  My babies where playing in front of me happily and....breathing...full of life.  I was happy and blessed to have them alive.  My small annoyance was nothing compared to the pain that young momma must be feeling....

All morning it was all I could pray about...think about.  Made me have more patience with the girls...more compassion...more grace.... And it got me thinking about how whenever something tragic seems to happen to a young child we always say the phrases "Hug your kids tonight..." or "Hold onto them a little longer today".  And then before we know it life moves on and exhaustion creeps in.  Our tempers get short again....the rush of life hurries us out the door.  But you know what? These precious children God entrusts us with...these fragile souls we get blessed with....are only ours for such a short time.  We can never 100% know when they will be taken from this earth.  Every single soul on this earth will be taken from it at some point.  We don't know the years, months, weeks, days or hours we have.  So besides the same old saying of cherishing every moment we have with them... I started thinking about something else we need to keep in mind as we journey together on this road of motherhood.....

Each of our journeys as mothers are different.  We all have our own way of doing things....we all have our own ways to be the best parents we can be to our kids.  And since time is fleeting before our very eyes I feel we as mothers need to start owning it.   We need to start owning the decisions we make as mothers for the benefit of our kids.  As mothers I know we all have those voices in our heads.  Those voices of doubt and fear over how other mothers or society is choosing to judge each and every decision we make for our kids.  But you see, TIME is FLEETING. Even if our kids never leave this earthly home before us, we still only get a few super short years to help shape their tiny souls.

So this is a call out to every single mommy out there.  New and experienced...young and old..... You, yes YOU were entrusted by God for that tiny little sweet amazing child's life.  Whatever decision you choose for the betterment of your kid, own it.  Hold your head proud and drown out every single doubt you have.  Hold your head proud and pray for God to help quiet all of society's judgments.  Stay at home mamas, we chose this life after much prayer and going over the numbers.  We chose this because it was the best decision for our family.  There will always be those people out there wondering what we did all day or thinking that if you are struggling financially maybe we should 'get up off our butts' and go to work.  Ignore them.  Own it momma.  Working mommas out there, good for you girl.  I know that decision wasn't easy.  I know when you come home to find out that sweet baby did something new without you being there is hard.  I know it's not easy but you decided that because it was best for your family.  Own it momma.  To the mom who prayed and cried and researched and prayed some more and then finally decided to homeschool.  I see you, I can only imagine that some days you wonder if you did the right thing.  I imagine it can get long and hard and stressful.  I imagine you can sense when it comes up in conversation and people say "Ohhhh you homeschool"...that you can tell in their voices that they don't approve.  Guess what? You don't need the world's approval.  You, only you know what's best for your family.  To the mommas who put their kids on that public school bus every morning and pray that they are kept safe.  I see you, I know how you must worry about all that is being taught at school.  How you must pray and worry so much for what they might be tempted with or how safe they are.  Girl, you made that decision because it's best for your family.  Or maybe you are the mom who spent money on a higher education, a degree in something your heart and soul was in.....But then that sweet angelic face popped into your life and your world turned upside down.  Therefore you aren't working in the field your degree is in...instead you are working a job that maybe wasn't your life passion but you get more time with that precious soul.  Don't be ashamed....don't be afraid to shout it out why you did it.  That little life is worth it. Own it mommma....OWN IT MOMMAS.

The list could go on and on....because you see we are all different.  No 2 moms are the same.  No 2 kids are the same.  God made each of us unique and with that each of our parenting techniques will be unique.  And that is a beautiful thing.  I don't ever want to be ashamed of how we chose to raise our 2 beautiful girls.  Because if there ever should come a time where our time together is cut short.....I don't want to have any regrets.  I don't want to ever regret not giving hugs, kisses and I loves yous....I don't ever want to regret how I raised them.  I want to own it.  I want to feel 100% confident that I did the best I could....the way Christ was leading me to parent.....

So sweet momma.....those doubts about how you are raising those precious little souls.....pray that God silences them.  As long as you are letting God speak into your heart about the way you should go...that's all that matters.  You know what your family needs more than anyone else.  Those little hearts look to you for guidance and you are doing the absolute best you can.  It might not look like how I do things or the mom down the street....but girl....you are rocking it.  Own it momma....own it....

Motherhood:The best teacher of all...

Chances are, if you live in South Dakota or Minnesota, you looked out your window at some point today and noticed something fall from the sky.  There's also a good chance that it wasn't rain nor a meteor.  It was probably white and it was probably something that made you wrinkle up your nose.  That's right, it snowed for the first time this season.  And if your facebook is anything like mine, you were updated by many family and friends that it was in fact snow.  You were also probably reminded that, for most of us anyway, we don't particularly like the first snow.  Now most of us I would say LOVE the snow at Christmastime.  However this first snowfall usually catches us off guard (even though it IS almost November let me remind you).  It reminds us that the warm sunny weather will become a thing of the past for the next several long months.  And honestly makes us feel a little grumpy.  Unless of course you are one of those weird people that LOVE the cold weather....which is a pretty alien species if I do say so myself... ;)

However I would also bet that if you are like me and have a little one at home.....at the same time as you were slowing dying inside, they were beaming with joy and excitement as those tiny flakes of evilness fell.  You mentioned to them that it was in fact snowing outside (maybe even with a little bit of detest in your voice) and they ran as fast as they could to the window.  They wanted to watch this exciting turn of events.  They might have even squealed with delight.  And for a few minutes you watched in complete amazement that, while you were completely hating the fact, they were basking in it.  They had a completely different perspective of the situation than you did.

(Our sweet Maci looking at TONS of snow her first winter.)

As I watched this scene unfold in my own house, it got me thinking how it could easily be applied to any situation.  We can so easily be disgusted, angry, upset at ANY circumstance that may face us.  It is so easy to just look at the bad that seems to be screaming out from what unfolds before us.  What would happen though if we changed our perspective a little and looked at it from a different angle? It doesn't mean that we can't still feel upset or disgruntled ever, but if we change how we choose to see things it just might change how we see everything.  It may just in fact shift our focus to something that is more important.  It may just in fact have the power to impact how someone else sees something they themselves are facing.  Perspective changes EVERYTHING.  

While I don't think I will ever fully enjoy the first snowfall, I do know that I adore watching my girls get excited over it.  Their faces make it worth it.  And I am so unbelievably thankful for the new perspectives they give me on life.  And how much they help teach me.  Keep it up girls....cause Mommy still has so much yet to learn.....
 

New Beginning

I can still remember how my heart felt that day.  I was so excited to finally get to be an 'adult'.  Living in my own apartment, having no one to answer to as to when I would be coming home that night.  And yet my heart pounded so hard at times that I thought it might leap from my chest.  I would be 2 1/2 hours from everything I've ever known.  All those that I love would not be within minutes anymore.  I knew no one in town.  Not one single person.  Would I make friends? Would I be able to find my own rhythm in such an uncharted territory?  I think my first night alone in that small apartment my heart felt every single emotion possible.  Excitement...fear...optimism....worry.  No one knew who I was.  They knew nothing about my past nor who I was back in Sioux Falls...essentially I could be anyone I wanted to be...

Any young person who leaves their hometown and goes off to college will tell you it was life changing.  Sounds like a cliche but when you move away to a new place it is bound to change in one way or another.  You are given a clean slate. A blank page.  A fresh start....a new beginning.

Fast forward almost 8 years and I have been through a few new beginnings.  When I moved to MN after we got married, when we moved to Canby, and now Canton.  As I was walking last week I took a look around at the life that was going on around me and it hit me again.  No one knows us here.  They don't know anything about our pasts, nothing about our character or have any preconceived notions that they've heard from others.  We have been given another clean slate...a new beginning.

This is a huge gift.  Fresh starts are precious, beautifully rare gems.  A gem that we need to be intentional with how we choose to use.  And that got me thinking about how Christ offers everyone this beautifully rare gem.  He died on the cross to forgive us.  To give us a new life...a clean slate...a new beginning. 

"For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism.  And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live NEW lives."

Romans 6:4

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a NEW person.  The old life is gone; a NEW life has begun!"

2 Corinthians 5:17

How amazing is that? How many people do we have in our lives that could use and love this precious gift? Are we doing everything in our power to let them know about Christ? With such a hurting world today, it is crying out for fresh starts and new beginnings.  We need to do everything in our strength to get the word out.  Live our lives for Christ in a more meaningful way than ever before.  Be missionaries in our own communities to spread the word that in Christ we have new life.

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean.  Your filth will be washed away and you will no longer worship idols.  And I will give you a NEW heart and I will put a NEW spirit in you.  I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations."

Ezekiel 36:25-27

New beginnings are precious.  A rare gift not everyone gets.  But in Christ, we all have the opportunity to have one!

And as for my current new beginning? I want to be intentional about smiling at everyone I come in contact with.  Saying "hi" to everyone I can.  If I become known as the 'crazy, happy, never stops smiling' lady in Canton....I'm ok with that.  Because maybe....just maybe...it will lead to a deeper conversation later on about where my light comes from.  Which of course is simple:

CHRIST.  

"Since you have heard about Christ and you have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.  Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  Put on your NEW nature, created to be God-like - truly righteous and holy"

Ephesians 4:21-24

I dare you....double dare you...

I want you to indulge me for a moment.  Close your eyes and dream.  Dream of a world where everyone lives in harmony.  What does that world look like to you? I imagine it is a beautiful place where everyone gets along.  There is no arguing, no harsh words being said, no insults being flung around.  Everyone is full of love and compassion towards one another.

Now let me ask you this: In this world of complete harmony, does everyone agree? Does everyone share the same opinions? Or is it a place where everyone has their own opinions and ideas but no one shares them out loud? Is it possible to live in a world of harmony but yet disagree with some of life's issues? That my friends is a HUGE question....

In today's world there are so many places people share their opinions and beliefs.  Social media....blogs... face to face conversations....texts...newspapers...news media..the list could go on and on.  Opinions, thoughts, feelings are everywhere we look.  Not everyone shares our same opinions and in America, usually....supposedly, this idea that we are all different is something we are called to celebrate.  But lately it seems that it's only cause to celebrate if the person shares our same opinion...

Go on Facebook at any given time and you can find a hot topic post.  Once you do this go ahead and click on the comments section.  When I do this I'm usually left heart broken.  Not only do I see non-Christians attacking Christians....I also see CHRISTIANS going after non-Christians...and even worse yet....Christians attacking CHRISTIANS.  Everyone frantically trying to get their own opinions out....wanting their voice to be heard.  And in the process of doing what is their right to do...they are taking casualties.  Insults are being flung around like they are no big deal.  Like there aren't real people on the other side of the screen with real heart felt feelings.  Name-calling...cursing one another out...belittling...it's all there and it seems we as a human race have started to see it as our God given right to treat one another this way.  Because, you see, we are being taught that when someone doesn't agree with us that we need to fight to the death to protect our opinions.  Like if we for some reason don't keep fighting for it, our ideas and opinions will be taken away from us.  We are being taught our opinions are right and everyone else is always wrong.  We are being taught that we are entitled to do as we please when we please.  We are taught that having a difference of opinion somehow gives us the right to rip to shreds everyone who differs from us.

As a Christian, I am embarrassed and heartbroken when I find conversations where such things are happening.  Especially when I see members of the body of Christ are partaking in such acts.  What does the bible ask of us?

"So then let us aim for harmony in the church & try to build each other up..."

Romans 14:19

"May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you to live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus." 

Romans 15:5

"Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful.  Grow in maturity.  ENCOURAGE each other.  Live in harmony and peace.  Then the God of love and peace will be with you."

2 Corinthians 13:11

When I read these verses, I don't dream of world where everyone is the same and has the same opinions.  After all God created each of us as unique.  What I do dream of is a place where people aren't afraid to share their own in fear that they will be viciously attacked.  I do not think the bible calls us to never disagree with anyone.  After all we all called to proclaim who He is and preach the gospel.  The whole world will NEVER whole heartedly agree to that.  But I do think it calls us to share our opinions and beliefs in love.  As followers of Christ we should be leading the pact with this.  But sadly, I fear, we are miserably failing at it.

"A gentle answer deflects anger,

but harsh words make tempers flair.

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,

but the mouth of the fool belches out foolishness."

Proverbs 15:1-2

When being pulled down into such evil, remember this verse.  The harsh words never win, love & gentleness do.  Let God's teaching, wisdom, and knowledge fill your soul when sharing your opinions.  Let them be dripping with love and gentleness.  Speak and share when He says share and when He says quiet....stay quiet.  

Let us show this tired, sad, longing for a savior world who Christ really is....

Can people live in harmony while still sharing their differing opinions? I say the answer is YES!

Friends let's show them by being the example of this.  We can and should stand up for Christ.  But above all...let's do it in LOVE.....

"Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.  And always be thankful.

 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.  Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom it gives.

 Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.  And whatever you do or say.....DO IT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD JESUS. Giving thanks through Him to God the father.."

Colossians 3:14-17 

 

An old fashioned kind of love...

It's the 1940s, a boy sees a girl from across the street.  Her smile is contagious....her laughter magnetic.  In an instant he knows she's the one for him.  Of course when he asks her out she tries multiple times to refuse.  The boy, in the same token, refuses to give up.  He sees her get on a ferris wheel with another guy and runs and leaps onto their seat.  When she refuses him yet again, he proceeds to dangle high above the ground in order to force her to say yes.  And from there, they proceed to fall madly in love.....a true passionate old fashioned kind of love.  Fast forward years later and we find this girl, now woman, has Alzheimers.  She has seemed to forgotten the love of her life and yet he continues to refuse to accept that and makes her fall for him over and over and over again. Until one day they lie down and drift off into heaven together....

We all know this story.  It's Nicholas Sparks book titled, "The Notebook".  Women, and let's be honest some men, fell head over heels in love with this story.  We fell deeply into each character.  We felt what they felt.  We cried when they cried and we laughed when they laughed.  Some may say we loved it so much because it was a beautifully written story.  And while I agree I also feel like we let it seep so deep into our souls because we all crave that earth shaking, knees quaking, no one else matters around you kind of love.  And not only that passionate, but a love that is so powerful it lasts until your final breath.  And not only until your final breath but also through all sorts of turmoil, heartache, and pain.  A love that is still felt even when one of your memory's slips away.  A real, honest, pure, simple, passionate, old fashioned kind of love.  In today's society.....in generations since that time, it just doesn't seem to happen when you look at the staggering statics of marriages.  Life it seems has gotten more complicated for families.  Both the husband and wife can easily both have booming careers outside the home.  Kids activities seem to clutter and fill up the schedule.  There's errands to run, chores to be done, functions to attend, meetings to go to....and it seems that the thing that takes the biggest hit is our relationships with our spouse.  We seem to take that relationship, that bond, that love for granted.  It's so easy to assume the will always be there for us.  They are married to us after all so they will have to wait.  Other things, other people, other stuff needs our attention more at whatever season we are at in our lives....

Recently, just a few weeks ago actually, Travis' beloved Papa passed away.  He lived to be the wonderfully old age of 92.  And by his side for almost 68 of those amazing years was his wife Lilian.  Can you even fathom that? When he was just 24 and she was just 18 they fell madly in love with each other.  And they never stopped.  They had their share of good times and bad.  They had 2 sons together and lived out their lives on the farm.  Ever since I started dating Trav I honestly don't think I ever saw one without the other.  With each glance they gave one another I saw the purest form of love I have ever seen.  The way he looked at her, his eyes danced.  I can just picture it in my mind as I close my eyes now.  When Travis would tell stories about the 2 of them he would say so many times how much they loved each other.  For the last several years we had said we didn't know how one would get along without the other.  They had that "Notebook" kind of love.  That love that society seems to view as a 'fairytale' these days.  We haven't been back to the farm since Papa's passing but I know how incredibly hard that day is going to be.  When we think of Papa and Grandma, we think of them as one unit.  They aren't 2 separate people in our minds.  They are 2 souls forever intertwined....

When I think of them, it makes my soul yearn....It makes my soul yearn and aspire to make sure that Travis and I have that old fashioned kind of love.  That love that people don't see much of these days it seems.  That love that intertwines us for eternity.  That love that makes people see us as one unit.  That love where if either one of us were to lose the other we wouldn't know how to go on nor would we want to live in that world.  A piece of us would forever be missing. 

In today's society we are told that we shouldn't depend on anyone like that.  Especially women are taught that.  That we need to be our own person and we need to take care of ourselves.  That we need to prove to society that we don't need a man in our lives to take care of us.  And men are taught that they need to prove that they don't need any women in their lives telling them what to do.  That marriage is a ball and chain relationship...

I tell you what ladies and gentlemen listen up.... I want that kind of love.  Society is lying to you once again.  That old fashioned kind of love is good for the soul.  That old fashioned kind of love works.  That old fashioned kind of love is the kind where the divorce rate isn't 1 out of every 2 marriages.  That old fashioned kind of love is the kind of love that God created for us all.  He wants us to feel that kind of love.  Our souls yearn for it.  It's why we love stories like the Notebook.  But they don't have to be just stories.  Love like that really exists out there.  Papa Donovan and Grandma Lillian are living proof of that.  I pray that Travis and I live to see 68 beautiful years together.  It's not going to be easy....but by God it's going to be WORTH it.  Find an inspirational couple in your own life and let them inspire you to do everything in your power to make sure you are fighting for them daily.  That that relationship is your top priority after Jesus.  Kids are amazing but they thrive when mommy and daddy are head over heels in love.  The busyness doesn't have to be so busy.  Carve out time for them.  Do unexpected things for them.  Pray for them.  And when life tries to bash the love out, dig in your heels and fight for them....

I want an old fashioned kind of love......the earth shaking, knees quaking, no one else matters around you kind of love......