martha

Honor

Today @lifepoint365 we started a series called 'Forgotten Virtues'.  Today's virtue, was Honor.  It was really great and was fitting that we talk about putting 'high esteem' and 'value' on people, because our volunteers were amazing!  Our church went to two services today at the movie theater and it takes alot of work to get that going and to be ready on time. It was a great service of worship, speaking, and ran smoothly!   I am stealing this from Bob, since he 'honored' people today, I would like to do the same!

Of course, I would like to return the love and Honor my amazing husband!  He truly is my best friend, a wonderful father, and a remarkable leader and speaker.  I would like to also Honor my great kids, DJ, and Emmy.  They bring great joy and happiness to our lives, but they are truly minister kids!  They have been at every service since birth, and as soon as they were old enough, they have been serving.  Whether it has been playing drums, carrying in whatever, tearing down whatever, cleaning this or that, and playing with kids...they have done it...and rarely complained.  It is their life and it has blessed us seeing them grow up and serve.

I would like to Honor my LifeKidz and Sign-In teams (along with all the other many teams @lifepoint365).  You guys are amazing and I could not do what I do without you and you are an incredible part of what God is doing every week in our church and community.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I Honor LifePoint Church.  It is my Honor to serve as your Pastor's wife.  I have always wanted to be a pastor's wife, I didn't always know which pastor I would marry, or which church I would be at...but I absolutely love my role!  I take it very seriously and I hold our church with value, respect, and it most definitely lifts me up.  Thank you.

I Honor You, Jesus, for allowing me to live this life and to have so many blessings.  Let me always Honor You and Your ways in my life.  I pray this in a virtue I never forget!

Wisconsin 're-connect'

So, the freakiest thing happened to DJ (our sixteen year old son), this week.  He randomly got on this website that is basically a chat room with thousands.  You just get hooked up to some random 'stranger' to chat with.  Without telling you the entire play by play conversation, he talked a few minutes and figured out he was talking to a girl in Madison, Wisconsin that he went to Kindergarten and First grade with!  Since then, they are facebook friends and I have found her mom on facebook as well.

When we moved to Madison from Texas to start a church, we knew one couple.  DJ was starting school and my way to meet people was through his school.  I started up a little play group with moms from his class that had younger children.  One of the moms that came was the one I just re-connected with.  Her son, Jesse, was the same age as Emmy. We went to the zoo and played at the indoor Rainbow Recreation Showroom.  I remember when Jesse was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and his mom was learning everything she could about it.  In our re-connecting this week, we have learned that Jesse lost his fight with diabetes this February at the age of 13.  His mom has been a major advocate for finding a cure and is a huge part of foundations and events.  It is unbelievable what this woman has accomplished in Jesse's name and for people with diabetes.

My heart is so incredibly heavy today for this family.  I am speechless.  I can not  comprehend, imagine, or even begin to know what they have gone,  and are going through.  Please join me in prayer for this family.  I don't know why bad things happen to good people, I don't have answers, all I know is that I believe I can trust God no matter what.  God, give us the peace that passes all our understanding.

google 'Jesse Alswager' to read his story

"Good"/Bigstuf Camp 2010

So, alot of you know that our kids are in Florida at Bigstuf Camp this week.  Well, one day this week, Bob and I listened live to one of the sessions the kids were having.  The speaker is Louie Giglio, who is an amazing communicator to teens and college age kids.  I heard about 5 miniutes of his talk and am still in awe of what I heard!  He started out saying that most parents want their kids to be good.  The majority of parents want "good kids".  Good-meaning:  if you don't go to jail, if you haven't gotten intoxicated, if you don't get pregnant...you are "good kids".  Is there more?!  Is that what I want for my kids?  It has hit me like a ton of bricks!  I want so much more than 'good kids'.  I have been more concerned with what I DON'T want them to do rather than what I DO want them to do.

The more I think about it, the more I realized what I DO want for them.  I want them to be Godly men and women.  I want them to be radically sold out to the gospel of Christ!  I want them to be madly in love with Jesus!  I want them to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth.  I want them to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, and strength.  I want them to lead people to Christ, to love God and to love people, to change the world!  I want them to seek God always and love His word.  I want them to be so much more than good!  My prayer has changed, not just for them, but for me as well.  The world has enough good people...I pray I am more!  What a challenge for out teens and wouldn't you know, it challenges me as well!

North Carolina, Texas, Weddings, Baseball!

So, our summer is off and going fast!  Our entire family (including the dog), drove...yes, 13 hours...to Durham, North Carolina a couple of weeks ago.  Our great friend, Dougie, got married!  The wedding was great!  It was outside at a cool, North Carolina farm, with a bridge and pond.  Dougie (diva princess!) was driven up in a sweet convertible Mustang and then her Dad took her from there to her new hubby, KG!  It was so pretty and great food at the reception, of course, NC bar b que! Yum!  We got to see tons of great North Carolina friends and got to catch two great services at Hope Creek and New Horizon. 

After doing laundry like mad and catching up at work for two days...then, Emmy and I flew off to Texas for my nephew's wedding.  He is my oldest nephew, Kris Bridwell.  I finally got to meet the love of his life, Lacey!  She is adorable!  I had a blast hanging out with my sisters, Becky and Kelli.  We stayed up late, talking, crying, laughing.  Emmy got to be a part of the "girl talk" and it was so special!  I got to spend time with all my amazing nephews:  Kris, Hunter, Parker, and Levi!  I got to see my brother for the first time in several years.  We got to eat breakfast together and I got to meet Tracey, his girlfriend. Kris and Lacey's rehearsal, wedding, and reception was amazing!  Beautiful to see them so in love, gorgeous couple, creative chocolate chip cookies and milk fountain for the groom's table and blow pops everywhere (ask me!).  Fajitas for the meal...that is good ole' Texas!  Yum!  My parents drove Emmy and I home and stayed a few days.  It was an incredible time with family and friends.

My nephew, Parker, just graduated from Hereford High School and got drafted in the 9th round, #268, by the Baltimore Orioles!  Congrats Parker!  We are so proud of you!

Bob is doing a wedding this weekend and in July.  We are headed to NC for another wedding in August.  Awh, the days of summer!   Too fun!

How many years?

wow!  today Bob and I have been married for ???  21 years!!!  Yes, 21 years ago today, I married the first and only love of my life!  He is my best friend in the whole world!  I met him when he was in the 2nd grade and we lived across the street from one another in Hereford, Texas!  We started dating in June, 1987!  Lots of cities and states, lots of churches, and two kids later...hear we are! I can't imagine doing anything else, with anyone else!  He's still got it, and I still want it!

i love you, bob!

martha

Sweet Sixteen!

Today is my son, DJ's birthday!  He is 16!  I am so excited for him, but kinda sad.  I have had flashbacks all week of all these cute little memories of him at different stages.  He is such a great kid and we are so proud of him.

The first, and most memorable was how big he was at birth.  He weighed 11 pounds and was 23 inches long!  It was quite a recovery, but he is worth it.  He started hitting and pots and pans when he was about 18 months old...and now is a great drummer for our LifePoint youth band and Edwardsville High School.  He used to sing commercials all the time about the age of 3-4.  His favorites were Skittles, "taste the rainbow".  He would run like crazy around the living room singing, "are you ready for some football...Monday night party"!  If we didn't catch him doing something wrong, he would come and tell Bob and I, "I've done wrong".  Bob would ask him what he thought we should do, and he would pick a punishment.

One of my favorites was once when we were visiting my parents.  We were all hanging out, watching tv, and he said, "Mom, you're my best friend".  He was probably 5 years old.  He may not say that ever again, but once is all I needed.  Happy Birthday, Duncan Jace...You will always be my 'best boy'!

Wow!

This week, even in the craziness of company,  Christmas,shopping, returns...I have been totally moved and challenged by worship! Brandon, one of our worship dudes, has put together an amazing set.  As I have prepared to sing tomorrow at LifePoint, I am humbled and stretched at the challenges and encouragement from these songs. 

I am not big on the 'new year's resolution' thing.  I do however pray with all my heart that I can pursue God with more, fall in love with Jesus more, and partner with Him more to change our world!  I have to share bits of these songs with you and hope you get the "Wow" that I got!

SMS (Shine)-David Crowder Band:  "Shine your light so I can see you, Hold me up, I need to be near you; Hold me, I need to feel loved; Can you overcome this heart that's overcome".

Take What's Left Of Me-The Glorious Unseen:  "Will you be my eyes when I cannot see; will you be my voice when I cannot speak; will you be my hands when I cannot reach; Father, take what's left of me."

Reign In Us-Ben Glover, Jon Neufeld, and Tim Neufeld:  "Oh great and might one, with one desire we come; that you would reign, that you would reign in us; We're offering up our lives; a living sacrifice; that you would reign, that you would reign in us...We need your perfect love, we need your discipline; we're lost unless you guide us with your light...we cry out for your life to revive us, cry out; cry out for your love to define us, cry out, for your mercy to keep us blamesless until you return...".

I can only pray that I can have such desire and discipline to allow God to reign in me and purify me, and be more like Him in 2010 than I have ever been.  Wow!

"I'll Pray For You"...really? seriously? have you?

Just a thought.  We hear so many prayer requests.  People who need prayer for their marriages, for their children, for their sister, for missionaries, for healing...etc.  We share openly and usually hear and/or say those words, "I'll pray for you".  I am sure we always mean well, and we honestly want to.  But do we?  In the busyness of our own stuff, do we forget?  What if people asked us, "have you prayed yet"? 

I am really trying to be intentional to keep my word and really pray when I say I will.  Maybe we would stop and think before we commit if we aren't going to take the time or remember.  Even if we have to jot it down to remind us.  I need to get back to prayer journaling.  I used to do this a lot.  It is cool to look back and see things that I prayed for years ago.  It is a good tool to make each day for something/someone.  Monday-pray for my family, Tuesday- pray for my church, Wednesday-pray for requests...and so on.

Pray continually!  I can pray for families as I cook dinner (well, that wouldn't be very often!).  Pray for my kids when I do laundry (that would be alot!).  You get it!  I'm just saying!

good stuff!

I am re-reading a book I have had for quite awhile.  "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World", Janna Weaver.  My mom got it for me years ago, because I tend to be a 'Martha'!  Do you remember the verses in Luke?  "Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."  Luke 10: 41-42.  See, Jesus and the disciples came to their house, and Martha is going crazy getting stuff done, running around, freaking out...and Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens...is still. 

Some great quotes from the book: "How incredible to be so in tune with God that not one action is wasted, not one word falls to the ground!" 

"That is the intimacy that Jesus invites us to share.  He invites us to know him, to see him so clearly that when we look upon him, we see the face of God as well."

"In obedience to his invitation...we begin to be changed.  This Savior who accepts us just the way we are-Mary or Martha or a combination of both-but loves us too much to leave us that way."

good stuff!

Egypt

Wow!  Bob goes to Egypt tomorrow!  I am so excited for him.  This is the first time he has been out of the country.  Unless, of course, you count walking from Texas into Mexico! I wouldn't count that!  Anyway, he will be traveling with a group of about 10 from Mountain Lake, a church in the Atlanta area.  He has done pastor conferences there and has met some great pastors and friends.  I think they kind of like him!  They invited him to go along!  He will be going to Atlanta, meet up with them, fly first to Germany, then on to Cairo, Egypt.  He hasn't even left yet and I already miss him!  Bob will be speaking to Christian pastors there that are starting churches.  He will obviously be speaking through a translator, which makes him a little nervous.  Please pray along with me for Bob and the entire team.  I pray God keeps them safe, God stands in their body, thinks in their minds, and speaks through their voice.  I pray they would have fun, make good friends, and make memories.  I pray they will be encouraged, motivated, renewed, energized, and come home with even more of a passion and vision to change the world.  Have a blast babe!  I love you!