Every single Sunday, I find myself worrying that people think I'm texting or checking my Facebook during the sermon. Granted, I do reply to a text message here and there. But usually, I am looking up the scripture that Brother Matt is referencing or taking notes on my phone. I started taking notes on Google Docs in January of 2017 and it has been amazing.
Brother Matt is in the middle of a sermon series entitled "Second Chances" right now. He preached his first message on Easter. It was amazing. You can check it out here. Today was week 2. The message was from Acts, Chapter 2. Acts Chapter 2 was after... Palm Sunday, the betrayal in the garden, Christ's crucifixion, His resurrections, and 40 days of traveling and teaching. In Acts 2:38, we read these words that Peter had said when the people asked him what they needed to do to make Jesus Lord. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." I grew up in the Church. I can't even tell you how many times I have read that passage or heard that passage read aloud during a sermon or Bible study. And yet today...I got a fresh perspective on it. Repent means I'm turning AWAY from my sin. Baptism is when I'm turning TO God. When we choose to leave behind those behaviors that are not pleasing to Him, we choose to leave behind those feelings of guilt and remorse. The feelings of not being good enough. The feeling that we are "broken by our own mistakes" (good words, Brother Matt!). We choose to turn towards Jesus and the feeling of hope that He brings. So we stop repeating our bad behaviors, turn towards Jesus, and He sends us the Holy Spirit to help us to keep ourselves out of the situations we have been in for so long. It's like a lightbulb popped on for me. So I took notes and journaled about it this afternoon.
Sometimes, my pages are a lot more detailed. But today, this was fine. Turn away from sin. Turn to God. The stain will be removed and a Helper will be sent to you. True story. If you enjoy art and would like a creative way to connect with God's Word, I would recommend the art of Bible journaling. Happy Sunday from the Farmhouse, friends.
Stay warm. ❤️🏡❤️
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Ah, parenting.
Isn't it grand? You wait nine months for this little bundle of joy to be put into your arms and then you question every single decision you make for the next 18 years. There are so many joy-filled moments that come along with raising kids. And let's be real...some moments that are, eh...not so wonderful. Diaper blowouts. Toddler fit-throwing in public. Eye-rolls from the pre-teen. Sibling arguments one minute and them teaming up against you in the next. And perhaps the most difficult of parenting challenges...struggles with friends. I was a young girl once. I knew that our girls' friendships wouldn't always be beautiful and wonderful and easy. After all, we are all human. However, I have been struggling with something that I believe most parents struggle with... The tendency to make an excuse. A few years ago, one of our daughters was having a hard time with a girl who she considered to be a good friend. This classmate had kind of distanced herself from our daughter and hasn't been the kindest at times. When I mentioned their friendship, I could tell that there was some tension there...a bit of a strained relationship. I heard of things the friend had said, faces she had made, and other behaviors that would be frustrating for a friend. However, when I would ask our daughter about her own contribution to the situation, she admitted that she sometimes snapped back at the friend, avoided her at times, and probably was not acting in the way that I would expect her to act... regardless of how she has been treated. And my tendency, as a human and as a mother, is to make an excuse for her actions. But it's not okay. It's not okay for a child to treat her friend unkindly. It's not okay for a student to talk back to a teacher. It's not okay for a player to roll her eyes at the referee...no matter how ridiculous she thinks the call was. When we, as parents, make excuses for our children's poor behavior, we are reinforcing the choices they are making. We are justifying the disrespect, the lack of kindness, and the inappropriate behaviors. I fear that we are raising a generation of entitled youth who don't even understand the concept of respect. Whether it's respecting their elders, respecting authority, respecting their peers, or respecting property. I'm afraid the concept of respect (even when it's undeserved) has gone out the window some days. And I'm afraid that every time I make an excuse for my child's lack of respect or justify her actions, I'm contributing to the problem. Friends, we have to stop the cycle. I'm not talking about respecting adults who are abusive or pretending like there's no issue with peers who are exhibiting bullying behaviors. But in the majority of our day-to-day interactions with other human beings, we should be showing kindness... showing mercy... showing humility. And we should be teaching our children this attitude, as well. This week, let's really help our kiddos be accountable for their behavior. Let's try to not make an excuse when they don't make the right choice. Let's support that teacher...that coach...that referee. It's up to us. The parents. It's not up to the iPad. Not up to the TV. Not up to their older siblings. Not up to their teachers (although we teachers try to set the same expectations in our classrooms). Let's set an expectation for how they treat people. Let's work hard to raise a generation that we are proud of. It's up to us...and it's a challenging and rewarding responsibility. Happy Tuesday from the Farmhouse, friends. May the force be with you. ❤️🏡❤️ 2017 was a wonderful year in so many ways.
But if I'm being honest, it was also a hard year. In 2017, my mom lost both of her parents. Of course, this would be a difficult situation for anybody...losing both parents in one year. But it was especially difficult for us. A strained family relationship can make loss seem so much greater. Mom wasn't only grieving for the loss of her parents, but for the absence of a normal functioning family. Grieving the loss of the chance at reconciliation and healing. Someday I will tell her story in it's entirety. But not today. Today, I want to recognize some of the difference-makers in her life. Mom can remember going to Vacation Bible School at a very young age with her Aunt Peggy's mother, Mrs. McIntire. Mrs. McIntire always made Mom feel like she was thrilled to have her there. Mom still thinks of her when she smells koolaid...all these years later. Mrs. McIntire was difference-maker. When Mom was about five, she remembers starting to go with her grandma to her adult Sunday school group. They met at each others' houses. Mom has fond memories of spending time with her grandma's friends...serving punch and cake and just visiting with them. These women were difference-makers. Mom went to church every week as a child with her Grandma Hannah (great name, huh?). When she was in second grade, she remembers wanting a Bible with her name on it for Christmas. She got this gift and remembers reading it every night, loving every minute. Grandma Hannah was a difference-maker. When Mom's family moved to Adrian her seventh grade year, the Johnson family took her to church every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night. It was during this time that she went on a "Youth for Christ" hayride and committed her life to Christ. Hal & Fern Johnson were difference-makers. Throughout Mom's middle school and high school years, her friends' mothers became wonderful mentors to her. These women helped her get through school. They taught her about honesty and hard work. They taught her character traits and Christian principles that continue to serve her well, over thirty years later. Fern Johnson, Darlene Greenwell, Lila Gunn, Jeanie Brewster, Thelma Six, and countless others were difference-makers. Mom got married in 1980 to my dear ol' dad. Dad has supported Mom through many insecurities that came from a difficult past. Together, they have raised two amazing children, if I do say so myself...ha...just kidding. Because of the difference-makers in Mom's life, she has an amazing story of grace and generosity and love for others. She and Dad have adopted another daughter and provided for countless other foster children throughout our lives. She has a heart for children who have been mistreated. She has served in the Church for in every way imaginable...for all age groups and many ministries. She sees a need and meets it. My mom is a difference-maker. Despite a painful childhood, filled with neglect and abuse...she is a difference-maker. Despite anxiety and insecurity that comes from her past...she is a difference-maker. Despite the odds being seemingly stacked against her...she is a difference-maker. THAT is the power in kindness and compassion. THAT is the power in really seeing people. THAT is the power in serving others. THAT is the power found in the grace of Jesus Christ. We CAN make a difference, friends. ❤️🏡❤️ Last week, I wrote about my grandmother's time (for the last sixty years) as the organist for Adrian Christian Church.
This got me to reminiscing. I have so many memories in the church and one of my favorites is visiting with "the quilting ladies". For the first 25 years of my life (at least), there was a group of ladies who met every Tuesday to quilt in the basement of our old church that used to sit smack-dab in the middle of town. Before I was in school and in the summertime after I started school, I can remember going to the church with our grandmother and great-grandmother on quilting day. I can still hear the chatter of the quilting ladies and picture them sitting around working diligently on their masterpieces. I can picture so many special women who have gone on to see Jesus before us sitting around those quilts. When I think about these women, I think of patience... I think of attention to detail... I think of friendship. When I think about these women, I can see in my mind some of my most precious spiritual mentors through my young adult life... I can hear their laughter as they shared stories of the good ol' days... I can still smell the food they brought to share a meal together each week. Looking back, I realize how much I learned just watching these ladies work...week-in and week-out. The quilting days of Adrian Christian Church have come to an end. But it just takes a second for me to close my eyes and be transported back to that church basement, back to a simpler time...spending time with some of the most wonderful ladies I was ever privileged to meet. What a sweet, sweet memory. ❤️🏡❤️ |
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