I feel sad

I was reading through my daily list of blogs, and came across this one. It breaks my heart that people have to deal with situations like this, and are so completely turned off that they just turn the opposite direction.

I have been a Christian my whole life. My dad is a minister, my grandfather was a minister. They both ministered at the same church, at the same time. I've dealt with some of the same garbage that she spoke about on her blog. So what makes one person turn away, while another perseveres? As I ask this question, I'm sitting here without an answer. Is it a personality issue? Is it how they're raised? The family life they've lived?

I've come to a possible conclusion over time as I've watched friends I grew up with fade away from church, and possibly God. I think often times that parents who are all encompassed with church activities allow the church to raise their children. They think their kids are getting everything they need out of Sunday School, and youth group, and Wednesday night programs, and church camp, and so on, and so on, and so on. Nothing is really being taught at home. And so with no true foundation from their parents for their faith, it is easy for these children-turned-adults to walk away. Does this resonate with anyone? Maybe I'm completely off base.

For our family, it was so important to our parents to spend quality time with us. We had a regular family night, and we would do everything from read a book together to going out to a drive-in movie (remember those?). We talked and still do about everything spiritual, and church-related, be it good or bad. I looked to my parents when my world was falling down around me, and they pointed me towards God. Although people will constantly fail you, God won't. That's hard to remember when the people are physically right in front of you, beating you up spiritually and emotionally, and God is invisible and letting you go through it. God is not a God of hate or injustice or anger. But he does let us go through trials. Our part in this covenant we have with him is how do we handle these trials? I'll say on my part, not very well.

When I read the post that woman wrote, my immediate, off-the-cuff, emotional reaction was to tell her that she hadn't been strong enough, and that if she was a true Christian she would understand that God doesn't approve of people like those that hurt her and she should stand above it all and be the Christian that God wants her to be! Of course that is exactly the wrong thing to say. I know that. It would just turn her off more. Instead, I just sat in shock as I read her post and all the comments that ensued, and knew that nothing I could ever say would change her mind. My heart hurts, and I feel like crying. How can you tell someone like this that it doesn't have to be that way?

A Night at the Races

Last night we went to a fundraiser for MARE, and had so much fun! They show pre-recorded horse races on a screen, and you place bets on which horse you want to win. We're broke, so we didn't bet, but my mom did. We all helped choose horses to bet on. And we won 3 out of 6 races. She won $100 to use for bidding in a silent auction. So she bid and won 8 tickets to a LA Dodgers game. We had a wonderful dinner, and good conversation. Plus it was fun to dress up and go out. We don't have many reasons to get dressed up, so we take advantage of it when we can!

Not your typical Mother's Day post

I am easily frustrated by people. I don’t understand why they refuse to commit to things. Specifically to church. I’m not talking about people who are “Chreasters” (you know, Christmas & Easter attendees). I’m talking about people who say they are committed.

We are a part of a small group with 5 couples. It was a good group. But we took a break at Christmas that ended up lasting about 2 months. So finally, I just said we needed to get back into it. Well, one couple backed out because they had just had a baby, and the husband traveled too much for work, so he couldn’t commit to Tuesdays. The second couple has only the wife attending, because her husband is taking night classes. The third couple backed out temporarily because the husband’s job moved him out of town for about 1½ months. So of course, his wife couldn’t make it without him, because she refuses to find a babysitter. And now, they’ve come back two times and she asked when we were taking another break. Are you kidding me?!?!?!?!

Last Tuesday, they didn’t show up because they “forgot”. Yeah, right. This week, they’ve arranged a meeting on Tuesday night, because of course you couldn’t arrange it on any other night of the week that you have nothing else happening. Just tell us that you’re not coming back. So, today she tells me that she didn’t think they could come anymore because they don’t have a babysitter. I just said, in a not-so-nice tone, that maybe we should just cancel since nobody seems to want to come anymore. I mean, why waste each other’s time?

I was raised completely differently. If you commit to something, then you commit. That means that you’re there come hell or high water. Now, there are times that I don’t want to go. Like today, for example. I had a lovely Mother’s Day. I stayed in my jammies until around 2 pm, because I could. And at that point, I felt too lazy to get into the shower and get ready to go to church at 4 pm. But I did, and I’m glad I went. I sang songs with the kids before they had Sunday School and we had a really good time. The sermon was good, and it was good to see everyone. I believe God blesses you when you take the time to worship him.

So anyway, now it’s Monday, and I’m trying to figure out what to say to this couple about their lack of commitment. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything. Maybe someone else should do it. Someone who doesn’t feel so frustrated or emotional about the whole thing. I’m praying about it and asking God to help me calm down and put it all in perspective. We’ll see how that goes…

I can't believe I forgot!

We are going to Hawaii for our 10 year anniversary!!!!! I am so excited that I can hardly stand it! Obviously not excited enough to blog about it until now. I booked it on April 24th. But even so, I think about it all the time. We talked about doing this when we were on our honeymoon - in Hawaii. And for a while there, I wasn't sure we were going to be able to make it happen. But we got a much larger tax refund than we anticipated, which was a nice surprise. So, instead of paying off the credit card, we are going to Hawaii! Hey, at least I didn't add more debt to the credit card, right?



So on June 14, the day before our anniversary, we are heading to the island of Oahu! Hawaii, here we come!!!!!

Living Stones

We've been watching a video series in our Bible study, and it has really hit home with me. I'm still not taking the action I need to, but I'm being convicted. And maybe by writing about it, I'll actually start doing something.

Last night the speaker talked about Living Stones (1 Peter 2:4-10). As Christians, we are all living stones. He spoke about God creating each one of us, as stones. He hones us and shapes us and places us right where he wants us in his temple. He is building us into his temple. All of us together become his temple, although we are each individual stones. We each have a job to do. Some of us may be beautiful, noticeable stones that people are attracted to. Others may be unseen, like a foundation. But their value is just as great. If there is no foundation, the building will crumble.

His question was, are you allowing God to shape, hone, and place you where he needs you? Or are you doing your own thing? He wants all of us to become one. Because if we can do that, then the world will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and that he is God's son (John 17:20-23).

Now I need to starting listening to what God wants me to do. It's time to step out of my comfort zone and become a living stone.

Celebrity Sighting

It wasn't my celebrity sighting, but Brian and Bruce (my BIL) met Jeff Probst, the host on Survivor. They asked him if he would be so kind as to take a picture with them since we (me, Brian, Bruce, and Melissa) have religiously watched Survivor together since Season 3. He kindly obliged them, and the friend he was dining with (who happened to be a show producer) gave them a Survivor hat & t-shirt. Brian said they were very nice guys, and they chatted for about 5-10 minutes.

The exciting part about them meeting was that Jeff Probst recognized Brian & Bruce's company logo on Brian's t-shirt. That's cool, because it means people are seeing their ads in magazines, and it's making an impact! They've been running a new nutritional supplement company since August '05, and things are just now really starting to pick up.


Bruce, Jeff & Brian