The View From My Pew

Over the years I've had the opportunity to view the church, the preacher, and the church members from different view points. Of course before I became a Christian I was merely a spectator. Then, after receiving salvation I was like a sponge, soaking up the word of God and loving every minute of it. I couldn't get enough. The view from my pew was very narrow. Not narrow in the negative since. Narrow in that I was only watching the pastor. I wanted to hear what message the Lord had given him for ME. Sunday to Sunday I knew that God had a word specifically for me. Over time unfortunately my view became wider. It hurts to be honest but I must be~ I became critical of others. The wider the view from my pew, the more critical I became. I've worn pews out and I've had pews that saw very little of me, Oh I was at church, but I was so busy working. Over time the Lord has convicted me and I realize that we all need God's grace and mercy every day. Our churches are made up of many different "pews". The pew of self pity, the pew of criticism, the pew of hurt and pain, and like my first pew the most awesome pew, the pew of a brand new believer~ I'll call it the pew of awe. When you are first saved you just have that sense of "awe" over what the Lord has done. Ten years have gone by since I sat in the pew of "awe". Trials and joys have brought us to where we are now. Serving Christ in a small local church. I LOVE IT. Today, this is the view from my pew. I look up to the pulpit and see the godliest man I know. I look up to the pulpit and hear the Word of God. It brings conviction and encouragement. I look up to the pulpit and I see my husband. I'm aware of the wider view, I'm aware now of the dangers of taking my focus off of where it needs to be. The view from my pew is awesome. I know that the man behind the pulpit lives what he preaches. I know that he has the utmost integrity. I also know the hours and hours he pours into studying and praying in order to bring God's message to God's people. My view is awesome. Of course I have to share my pew; there are two little ones in the pew beside me that I have to keep quiet and orderly.
Oh, I know we live in a fishbowl. Take a seat and watch a while. This is what you'll see. Non perfect people who love a perfect God. Michael and I are not perfect, our children are not perfect. I don't tell them to behave because their daddy is the preacher. I tell them to behave because that should be the expectation of any child. I don't live for Jesus because I know people are watching. I live for Jesus because I love Him.

VISION THERAPY

This is just one of those photos that's worthy of a second posting. I've shared with a few people of our struggles with her academics. While she is an awesome reader, she has always struggled with math. (Reversing whole concepts) Okay it's not just a struggle. Over time it has become a very noticeable problem and a big concern .

So after much prayer and the providence of God

(Lisa Smith)~God continues to use her in my life)

we were led to a vision therapist.

Anna-Marie has a spatial perception problem causing her to see double and also causing her to reverse.

Praise the Lord. We now know exactly what the problem is, and there is help and hope. There is always hope because of Jesus.

And Because of Jesus there is also help.

She will have to have therapy on her eyes for the next eight to twelve months, five days a week. Four with me, one in the office in Atlanta. It's a lot, but I am so thankful and she is too.

I wanted to share this with anyone because sometimes we suffer in silence so unnecessarily. I was so guilty of this. I really want a perfect world. I want Michelle's perfect world. I forget God calls the shots. I'm so glad he does. My prayer is that one day Anna-Marie will look back on this and see the mighty hand of God

I do know this Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We do not see this spatial perception as a "harm" but as part of God's will for our lives, and if we just let him He will work it all out for good, for His glory.

Best Husband EVER

I am married to the BEST HUSBAND EVER

And this is how he won this title:

Thursday I'm emailed by a friend urgently asking me to stop by after school. She owns a message therapy store, but honestly I think nothing of this because I've got the kids with me and I'm running by right after school. I arrive at 4:00 a few minutes later Michael shows up saying she had called him as well and needed both of us. She asks me to come to the back because she needs to show me something she received and couldn't understand it. I walk into the message room and laying on the table are beautiful roses and a sweet card. Michael sweeps the kids away and I get to enjoy an hour message. Yes, He is the best husband EVER!!!!

Catch up

Anna-Marie finally lost her first tooth. She wasn't too thrilled that night. But by the next day she was excited and couldn't wait to tell her friends and teacher.
Anna-Marie LOVES these shoes. She picked them out herself and insisted that I take a picture of her in them. Pretty snazzy huh!

LOVE

1 John 3:16 gives us a clear definition of love and christian maturity~

"We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Today after school Anna-Marie was misbehaving and I told her she would be receiving a spanking. Naturally she began to cry. Nathan came over to me and with the most sincere sweetest spirit asked me to please let him take her punishment. He was so sweet and truly wanted to take that punishment that she deserved and take it away from her and onto himself. I must tell you my heart was so moved and I was so proud of him. He is far from perfect, but He has such a sensitive heart for the Holy Spirit. I told him how much like Jesus that was. He told Michael the other day that God had given him a mission. He was going to go all over the world and tell people to stop doing bad things (he named several "bad" things) but he said I'm going to tell them that the most important thing is that you accept Jesus as your Savior.
~Michael and I will be praying for our little soldier that God will equip him with all he needs to carry out His mission.

as for Anna-Marie punishment was still necessary. She's gotta learn. Nathan informed me tonight that he used to act just like that 'referring to her misbehavior' ; years ago he says, back when he was 6 and 7. But he says "I'm older now and I know better"

Thus the life of any believer ~
we are young, we misbehave, we receive punishment, we learn, we grow Hopefully we grow so much that we take on the attitude of Christ and one that Nathan demonstrated today. Willing to lay down our own lives for our brothers.

TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED

"Too blessed to be stressed" that's what I told Michael this morning when I woke up. Yes, my life has been a tad bit stressful. I've got a room full of sweet little second graders and my life has been non stop hopping since the first day of school.
This morning after my sweet time with the Lord, I was reminded of a bumper sticker I've seen before with this quote. Cute and oh so true! I am oh so blessed. And yes, I had a fantastic day! Tonight as I sat with Anna-Marie spending just a few more minutes with her before she drifted off to sleepy town I listened to her pray. What a sweet privilege for a mama to listen to her sweet baby pray to Jesus. She said,(and I must quote so you get the full affect) "Jesus, thank you that I did good on my paper thingy in school today, you know the half page thingy, Jesus thank you that I got all checkses, thank you Lord Jesus." Her prayer was so innocent and from her heart, the sweetest thing is that Jesus knows exactly what "thingy" she is talking about and He cares and she knows He cares. WOW, who am I to be so blessed. Nathan is also geared up and ready to be studious (OK, sometimes) (OK, only when it comes to tests). He wants to make good grades he just doesn't understand why he has to do all that other work in between. Tonight as we study for his spelling test he has that light bulb moment. You know, when it finally clicks, he's so excited "I get it now" he says. Yes, I say I've only been teaching it to you all week. It's not easy teaching your own child. But, he was proud of himself and I was proud for him. He found me in the laundry room after all should have been in bed, but before I could shoo him away, he asked me to pray with him, (boy does he know how to avoid going to bed). We prayed and Nathan just went right on ahead and thanked Jesus that he was going to make a 100 on his spelling test. While there is power in positive thinking, I'm glad he thanked Jesus, and that he knows Jesus deserves our thanks and praise in all we do. I do love my children. As I continue to think how blessed I am of course my ultimate blessing is my salvation. I'm so thankful Jesus loved me so much that He died in my place and offered me eternal life and I'm so thankful that He didn't stop there, that He gives me the gift of the Holy Spirit to help me and to guide me each and every day. I must say though, as I think about how blessed I am, I can't help but turn my thoughts to my dear sweet husband. I am the most blessed women to have such a godly man. I don't deserve him, but he's mine.
I must end with a quote from one of my favorite authors; Henry Blackaby "Jesus did not say that the world will know Him by our miracles, by our grand testimonies, or by our vast Bible knowledge. The world will know Him by the love that Christians show to one another."

Christians it is time that we let that love shine, let others see it and want it for themselves and let's be ready to tell 'em what it is that makes us love each other so much. JESUS

Jesus has worked miracles in my life and yes, the testimony of how the Lord saved me is amazing. I don't know near as much about the Bible as I wish I did. But I haven't meet too many unsaved individuals that wish to hear about my testimony or care to know how much I think I know about the Bible. When I put out there that I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, they are watching to see what makes that so, and they will know it is so if they see me loving others. Truly, sacrificially loving others. Just like Jesus did.

GOOD IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

On the way to school this week Nathan was thinking about his future and his desire to be in the army. He asked me what I thought his commander would be like. Anna-Marie said "I hope he will be a good person." I said "yes, I hope so to, we will pray that he will be a good person." Nathan says, "NO, Mama you need to pray that he will be a christian. "Wow" I said "buddy, you are exactly right. Anybody can be good, the best is to be a Christian."

Good is not good enough. Anyone can be good. Nathan understands that as Christians we are held to a higher standard of conduct and conviction. Not that we don't fail, because we do. But oh, when I do. Sweet Holy Spirit, bring conviction to my soul. Then Jesus help me to repent and change. Father, thank you for your never ending mercy.

I'm so thankful that my (almost eight year old) understands that good is not good enough. You must be born again.