OH...hahaha...

One of the images I used in my post came from this very APPROPRIATE article:

How to get the most out of a sermon...

Bored in church...

My physical body is sooo tired from today I almost feel as though I'm sleeping while awake? LOL...so excuse me if this post is a bit...uhh...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....what? Oh...uh...what was I saying? :)

I had a wonderful day today although it started out a little rough. Have you ever had one of those days when you go to church and you can't sit still and you feel like you would rather be anywhere else than listening to the message you are sitting in? (oh come on...you know you have!!!!!! at least once? Ok...so your a saint...)

Well, while I don't think I can say I would rather have been anywhere but there...I really was totally frustrated with the message. It was about the Minorah and its symbolism and representation of the body of Christ and...ect...ect...and yes my attitude was horrible. And I apologize to those of you who love all that stuff but usually...while I know there is a lot to be learned from it...I have never been into all the different feasts...and all that stuff...or church history. I wish I was...but it is so hard for me to focus in on and really give it my all. I know it probably shouldn't...now start talking to me about revival and missions and church planting and Paul's life...ect...and I'm all EARS!

Even when Beth Moore dishes it up...I usually find myself tuning out. We missed worship because we were so slow moving this morning but I was so ready for church...so ready...and then as we walked in and I started listening I just got so antsy...

I read the bulletin like 5 times...played with my shoe...sat on the floor - yes I actually sat on the floor...we were in the back so I could...tugged on John's foot a few times...all the while listening...and being frustrated....ready to go. (acting like a child in truth) I just kept looking up at John and was thinking...honestly...I wonder what he's thinking if I'm feeling like this...

So when it was all said and done with I was like "Man! That was hard to sit through..." and I expected him to share about how he felt the same way and then go on to discuss what it was exactly that made me feel that way...but...(record scratch)...He enjoyed it! It was a very good solid teaching he said...I said "What?!?"

I thought back on what he had shared...and I was like...what's the deal. I was bored to tears...I was longing for something to stir my spirit...call me to battle...rattle my cage...

I had an epiphany while sitting there after his message was over...I was worshipping and opened my eyes to see many people still sitting down...they had made their chairs their alters and some were hugging each other...some where crying and some were standing with their hands outstretched worshipping God as though no one else was in the room...what did I miss?

I kept thinking...that wasn't a moving message. Or was it? After I walked away from service I felt like I had been cheated...my heart was not in the right place and because I prejudged the message because it was about a Jewish symbol and figured I knew where it was going...I missed a blessing. I went so hungry too...or was I? I felt like I was expectant and so ready to hear from God since I hadn't had my time with him in like 2 days...and then there I was...still hungry for the word of God.

So afterward we had a birthday party to go to and it was so much fun. Some dear friends of mine's little daughter was turning 3...we went and had a great time. We didn't get home until late and so after making dinner...cleaning and putting the boys to bed I sat down...still hungry...although my tummy was full...

I received a message from a dear friend who shared a scripture that God had pointed her to and spoke into her life through and so I went and read that chapter and man...the word of God is like living waters...just as the Bible says. Our God is so incredible and so wonderful...and His Word is so alive and real. I want to leave you with that chapter...be blessed and seek God with all that you are!

Galatians 5
Freedom in Christ
1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." 10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 11Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature[a]; rather, serve one another in love. 14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."[b] 15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Life by the Spirit
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

hello...

The reason I haven't been blogging is really kind of fuzzy to me. I've been trying to figure out what has been keeping me from it and it really comes down to a few things. Lack of time is one...but not the biggest factor. I suppose I really do feel like I don't have that much to write that anyone would be interested in. Once I realized that I was quite frustrated with myself because...well...

Blogging for me has never really been about pleasing everyone else...it was about sharing and having a place to share my heart and what God is doing in and through our lives...regardless of if there are many readers or 1 (me). So while I feel insecure that I won't have as great of posts as when we were in Thailand and I feel like, at times, that we don't have as much value (totally a lie from the enemy) I will keep writing just for the pure joy and fun of it.

Life is anything but boring since returning from Thailand...it's fast...it's beautiful...and it's hard at times. There are days were I really do long for Thailand and a missionary's life...no central heat/air and all! And then there are days when I thank God...literally...that I can run down the street to Wal-Mart and witness to someone in ENGLISH! ;)

But I think the biggest thing that God has been really teaching me over the past few months is just to trust in Him. It seems like that is a continual lesson in my life...I just keep getting to deeper levels of trust each time. This time it's trusting Him even now...even now when my friends are a drive away...when there's a church on every corner...when my days are so much easier in some ways...

Even now...I just read a book called Even Now...and while I didn't mean to bring that into what I was saying...there it is. Even Now is a book by Karen Kingsbury and it was an incredible read...so much so that I finished it in 3 days...and kept my house clean, kids homeschooled and didn't lose it! hehehee...good book...

The kids are doing wonderful...Josiah is like a bright shining light...sometimes the light is blinding because he's going a million miles an hour and sometimes he is a steady glow that is absolutly mesmorizing...Jude is such a unique individual...and so sweet. He's so unique infact that I know of about 10 people that mimick his phrases in their everday life...NORMALLY!

And Jossalyn...oh the beauty that is Jossalyn. She's just stunning to me...and so full of joy - but her red headedness is really starting to shine through. Just yesterday I heard her screaming from her brothers room and then she would stop and then start screaming again. I thought her brothers were giving her a hard time and I went in to see what they were doing and I found Jossalyn sitting against the wall with a MagnaDoodle.

You know the little board things with the magnetic pen? Well, she's sitting there drawing on it and then she goes to part of the board where the string that is attached to the pen won't let her reach and she starts screaming and turning red while staring at the string and yanking at it!!!! I couldn't believe it...I watched her for a minute just to see if that was really what was happening and sure enough...she was mad and frustrated with the string!!!

John has been home since the Indonesia/Malaysia trip working very hard everyday at the JGLM headquarters. He will be heading off to Colorado next...I think. I've been thinking a lot about missionaries and praying for the ones I know and my heart is really moved for them. I wish I was wonderful at making videos so I could paint a picture for you to understand missionary life. But the truth is...you may be able to get a little bit of the picture but until you've walked it out then there is no knowing it...

And when you have that understanding it brings about a patriotic feeling. I know that word is used for your country...but it really describes the feelings I feel when I think about the missionaries serving and giving their lives to live their lives before men and be soldiers for the Lord on foreign soil. I want so badly to prepare love boxes to send them...and shower them with the love that they deserve in all aspects...gifts...money...prayer...being there...

I am praying that God allows me to find a way while we are here to bless them greatly. If you know of missionaries that your church supports or that you really appreciate...send them a letter...or an email and tell them. Put together a care package...even if it's small and show them you love them by sending it to them...and best of all...pray for them!!!!

Our God is so great and so wonderful...it is an honor to serve Him...in America or on foreign soil...so until next time...night night...

A real post is coming soon...

Late Sleeper's Anonymous

Hello. My name is Stephanie and I am a closet late sleeper and I'm coming out!!!


You know that feeling when it feels like the most comfortable thing in the entire world is your bed???? Well, it felt that way as I rolled out of bed this morning at 7:30 in the morning...as I walked away it felt like the bed was literally drawing me back to it...but little Joss's smiles and laughter won.

Eventhough I was up at 7:30 this morning we did not go to church. Once it was time for her to start getting tired...at around 9:30...I laid down with her and well, the rest was history. I woke up and John had let me sleep and I slept till 1! Wow! I think it's been years since I slept till one.

I have to be honest...I'm one of THOSE people. Most of my life has been a fight to get as much sleep as I can. My body wouldn't wake up by itself unless I aquired 11+ hours a night. I'm not kidding...for me it was normal to sleep until 1 or 2pm...And when it was woken up by some other intruder...an alarm clock...ect...I felt like I was in a commatose state that was only remedied by getting back in bed.


It seriously made me late for many a church service. At one point...no joke...my phone number was posted by the phone at the church so that if someone didn't see me there they could pick up the phone and let it ring to wake me up! Pittiful huh? I am happy to say that those days are now over.

I think it's the miracle of having 3 kids that cured me...or maybe it's the change in my lifestyle habits...eitherway I'm so thankful to no longer be a slave to sleep and my bed. I do have to admit...it felt soooo good to sleep in today.

I really missed out having missed church though...I felt so discouraged yesterday evening. I mean, really discouraged. I just couldn't stop thinking about everything negative and focusing in on things I can't change or help...John just looked at me and was like...what is wrong with you as I wore my puppy dog face.

So this morning...errr...AFTERNOON! hahahaha! After I take my kids to the park to run off some of this pent up steam....I'm going to dive into his word and let my children take a nap and seek God...I desire more of him and I will not let hopelessness or the feeling I felt last night oppress me anymore.

Be blessed!!!!

PS - Anyone else out there a closet late sleeper?

Wow.