Stares and Smells

A few weeks ago I asked Matthew if he was ready to go to school, his reply, "Yes! And I look awesome." So of course when he came home, I asked him if everyone thought he looked awesome and he said, "Yes, they were staring at me all day."

That boy is not lacking in confidence! He then goes on to tell me that there are two other girls in his class that like him. Just so you know, one already wrote him a note and asked when he was going to kiss her. (They are in 4th grade!!!!!! I wanted to call up that little girl and her mother and tell her that Matthew isn't allowed to kiss until he's at least 21, so why was she asking?) Matthew goes on to tell us that every time he looks at these girls in class, they are looking at him and they just smile. It kind of makes me laugh and then makes me nauseous all at the same time.

This conversation then transitions to Stephen telling me that when he wears deodorant (glad he at least occasionally wears it), that a certain girl leans over in class and smells him and tells him he smells good. Matthew then informs me that there are 9 girls that like Stephen.

Lovely....just lovely...where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday girls were gross and disgusting. Now girls are staring at and smelling my boys.

Help!! The preschool years don't seem like they were that difficult after all.

Elizabeth's Second Best Day

Derek took Elizabeth to a father daughter dance at our church on Friday night. Elizabeth was a little nervous (the unknown always worries her a bit). But she came home beaming from ear to ear. She told us that it was her second best day ever. Her first is a day that her and Derek went bike riding without me or the boys. I am happy that this little girl loves her daddy so much!

A Valentine Worth Remembering

Summer 1990...I had just returned from being an exchange student in Germany for a year. My parents had changed churches while I was gone and this was the first Sunday I had been to the new church. I met Derek that Sunday...I don't remember how, but we met. (Just a side note, my dad and Derek had been church ushers together, but Dad never mentioned to Derek that he had a daughter.)

For me, it was instant attraction, but he was established in his career and I was leaving for college in the fall (we are 6 years apart in age). And so, we became friends and hung out some together along with the other singles at our church.

I left for college and ended up getting engaged to a great guy. Problem was....we fought like cats and dogs. He really was a good Christian guy, but the two of us together were not a good mix. We called off the wedding just 6 days before we were to get married. I think God rescued us from each other. He is now happily married and I am so thankful that God intervened and led us to different spouses.

I was supposed to marry the other guy in May 1993. We called it off, he moved to Michigan and we tried to work things out. In September of 93 we just realized that it wasn't going to work. Our personalities were not good for each other. There were lots of hard feelings and drama and all that you might expect, but God taught me so much through all of this.

Derek and I had our first date in October of 1993. (My dad had mentioned several times that I needed to date someone like Derek, but girls just can't call and ask for a date). We went to dinner and a movie (Rudy...remember that one?). Anyway, poor Derek is all I have to say. I had about 25 questions and he probably thought I was a crazy woman. Honestly though, I was thinking, if this isn't going to work, then let's just figure that out early on and move on. But it did work and Derek can make me laugh like no one else. He is funny and silly and sarcastic and we just clicked.

February 1994...I think we were celebrating Valentine's Day at a restaurant....you think I would remember these things, but I think all my brain cells and memories vanished when we decided to have 3 kids under 3 years old. Anyway, I had an opportunity to move to Germany in the summer. We just started talking about our future together, etc. and next thing I knew, we were getting married. I don't think either one of us planned that conversation that night, it just happened. You get two practical people together and I guess they just put a plan together and decide to get married. We told my parents the next day and I think it's probably one of the only times that I've ever seen my dad speechless (in a good way, I think). We planned to get married in September 1994, but we decided to have a simple wedding and get married in April 1994.

And so in less than a year's time, I was engaged, called off a wedding and then married someone else. And let me just say, I got the better end of this deal. Derek is calm and patient...I am not. Derek rarely says a bad thing about anyone...let me just say, I wish I had that quality. Derek thinks things through...I just jump in and do damage control afterwards. Derek likes things neat and tidy...I am messy and cluttered. Derek loves unconditionally even when I am stubborn.

I think our story is just a reminder that God has plans and they are so much better than our plans. He works in mysterious ways, but He is trustworthy. And this February, 18 years later from that first Valentine, I am so glad that I met a church usher the summer of 1990. Who knew all that God had in store? I am so thankful that God writes the storyline of my life and not me!

Watermark

Main Entry: wa·ter·mark
Pronunciation: wt-r-märk, wät-
Function: noun
1 : a mark that shows the height to which water has risen
2 : a mark (as the maker's name or trademark) made in paper during manufacture and visible when the paper is held up to the light

A watermark is a symbol of authenticity. It sets it apart from the counterfeit (think of a watermark on money).

A watermark is also a mark showing the height to which water has risen in a flood or during high/low tide. The continual presence of water at a certain level leaves a mark long after it is gone.

Watermark is a community of believers at TSC that want to live lives of authenticity. We want to be known for our transparency, integrity and honesty of heart. We want to grow together into the image of Christ, but we want to allow others to be who they are and not ever pressure someone into being a counterfeit.

It is also our passion that long after we are gone, there will be evidence that will remain. There will be a watermark left by the people of Watermark and others will know that it's only because of God and His goodness that this evidence exists.

If you don't have any problems, Watermark is not for you. If you just want to pretend that everything is okay, Watermark is not for you. If you have a perfect family and adore your spouse all the time and never get frustrated with your kids, then Watermark is not for you. If you're content with where you are in your faith, then Watermark is not for you.

If however, you want to be with an authentic community of believers who talk about real problems and how God's Word brings solutions to those problems, then Watermark is for you. If you're not connected in a small group, then Watermark may be for you. The leadership of Watermark are real people with real problems who desire to be authentic and truly want to leave a mark on the next generation for the glory of God. Come check us out!

Watermark is a new class beginning on Sunday, February 12th at 11 am. We will meet in E217 which is upstairs in the Equipping Center of TSC. Teachers will be Derek and Jack C.

Hope 1:17

Isaiah 1:17 says "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."

There's a whole lot in that verse, but Hope 1:17 is choosing to focus on defending the cause of the fatherless. Hope 1:17 is a new ministry of our church that is going to focus on orphan care and adoption.

There are somewhere between 140-163 million orphans in the world. Statistics vary widely, but each of those numbers represent a child. A child who has already endured too much hardship here on this earth. A child who has experienced great loss and will carry that loss with them through life. A child that deserves hope. A child who needs someone to believe in them.

Some would say that the numbers are too staggering and we can't help them all. I suppose we cannot, but I believe God calls us to action. He calls us to make a difference even if it's only for one. There are so many ways to help...you can pray, you can give, you can go and visit orphans, you can adopt, you can foster, you can sponsor a child or children.

There are so many potential outpourings from this ministry: pre-adoption support, post adoption support, adoption education, adoption Bible study, orphan mission trips, orphan sponsorships, orphan advocacy opportunities, foster care opportunities. The list goes on and on. But we cannot do it all right from the beginning, so the ministry will start small and then build as we gain momentum and more leadership.

We'd love for you to join us if you have a passion for orphan care or adoption. As we work to defend the cause of the fatherless, we are praying that God would raise up an army of people who have this same passion and are willing to put their faith into action and do something....for at least one!

Time Out for Moms

Last night our church did a "time out for moms". It was a great evening of fun and laughter. Several moms talked on several topics including once a month cooking (as in getting it all done and freezing it for the month, not just cooking once a month), decorating your house with things you already have, daily Bible study method, blogs and pinterest.

I also did a short book review on two of my favorite reads within the last year or so. I love to read and somehow I always find the time to read. Last night I realized that I have time to read because I make the time and I don't do other things. For example, I really don't like to cook. Since "authentic" is my word this year, I want you to know that last night my family had pizza, the night before was leftover spaghetti, the day before that was Mexican (at a restaurant), the day before that was breakfast (at a restaurant) and I can't even remember if I cooked the night before that....I'm guessing probably not. I was a little convicted last night about not cooking much for two reasons....eating out is probably not that healthy for my family and also I know that we spend a lot more money when we eat out so often. And so, one of my February New Year's resolutions (it's February 1st after all) is to cook a whole lot more this month instead of cooking just once this month.

As Jennifer talked about blogs and pinterest, I really thought...oh goodness, where is the time? I don't have time to read all these blogs or to pin things to an online pinboard. And I know that people thought the same thing about reading books....where is the time? Ultimately, it's all about choices. I choose not to watch a lot of TV, because I would rather read books. I choose not to live in a spotless or completely uncluttered house because I would rather read books. I choose to only read a few blogs a day and spend minimal time on facebook, because there are other things I'd rather do. I like my kids clothes ironed and some of you would say that's a waste of time, but it's important to me. Stacks of papers on the kitchen counter don't bother me a whole lot, but I don't like dirty dishes in the sink. And so, I choose to wash the dishes in the morning and leave the papers on the counter. I guess we all just have 24 hours in our day and only we can decide how we use it.

Here's the deal with the whole Time Out for Moms...sometimes we walk away and feel bad about our choices because we spend the evening comparing ourselves to others. I'm impressed with Kim and Tonya's once a month cooking. Ashley has quite a gift for decorating and I absolutely do not have the eye for that. Jennifer obviously needs less sleep than me because she spends hours at night reading blogs and pinning things to pinterest. But at the end of the day, it's okay. They are not my competition. They are my friends. Thanks for the challenge last night to do just a little something better or a little something more.

So, what's for dinner? Since I'm working today and I have no plan for dinner (shocker!) and no time to go to the grocery before dinner, we are having pancakes for dinner. And then tonight I'm going to the grocery!

Tuesday's Takeaway -- Weird

I love reading. I'm actually doing a "book review" at a women's event at our church tonight. Asking me to talk about one book that's impacted me in the last year is like taking me to Sweet Cece's and telling me that I can pick one topping for my ice cream or taking me to a Mexican restaurant and telling me that I can eat just one chip. Difficult to say the least.

And so I'm talking about two books, but this isn't one of them although I love this book.

It's called Weird. Subtitle, "because normal isn't working". Sometimes I just click with an author. I enjoy how they write and it impacts my heart. Craig Groeschel is one of those authors. I've read two of his books and thoroughly enjoyed both of them.



Basically the book talks about time, money, relationships, sex and values and how if you try to view any of these with the lens of "normal", you'll fall short of God's standard.

Here are a few quotes from the book:
"The majority of people claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. And all this is normal. But normal isn't working."
"You have enough time to do everything God wants you to do."
"Normal people allow good things to become the enemy of the best things."
"We pray that our children will grow to not need us but instead need and intimately know God, then on their own --- in his grace and truth---have the strength to say no to dangerous influences and temptation and live with the grace to love those who don't live the truth they embrace."
"If you listen, God will show you something that makes your heart ache on behalf of his. He will bless you with a burden."
"If we want to be better than normal, we must move from good intentions to what I call God intentions."

And so, if "normal" isn't working for you, I'd encourage you to read Weird. It was definitely worth the read for me.