I don't know what got me thinking about high school last night.
I was so disjointed from my family most of my life. Not really their fault. Not really mine. Even if there was bad stuff going on, it has been past the time to go back and dwell there. My parents and I are in a good place.
Anyway, because I felt so uncomfortable at home, I joined every sport and club in school. I left early in the morning to go to the library to read before school started. Oh how I love the library. I stayed after school for meetings and sports.
And boy do I love sports.
It got me thinking how sports are not just about challenging yourself, but about bringing people together.
Even if you are not the one playing, just watching.
There seems to be a big we-have-so-much-in-common, even when all you have in common is you like the same football/baseball/hockey/basketball/whatever team.
I remember one day, as a lowly freshman who just wanted to melt into the background and survive, I wore my much-begged-for-for-Christmas Steelers t-shirt. Didn't think much about it. But it produced a great friendship that would have never have happened unless I was wearing that shirt. Anthony looked at me as though I just appeared out of no where and said,"You like the Steelers??!!?"
Being from Jersey, it was either the Jets or Giants.
But of course I did!! We got to talking and the next thing we knew, though there was truly nothing we had in common except the Steelers, we developed a 4 year friendship that took us through school work, encouraging each other through our own sport struggles and victories, dealing with relationships ( no we never dated, we had something better than that) , me being a punk and liking 'weird' music he would constantly laugh about, and him being a jock, and so typical, is was just a life waiting to be mocked. By me. lol.
We certainly had a friendship that confused the daylights out of everybody in school.
I wonder where Anthony is today.
No matter where he is, I can tell you this...I know he is still a Steelers fan. And should I see him one day, I bet the first thing we talk about are the Steelers. Then we will get into family and life.
It seems as though faith is suppose to bring people together like that. And it does for the most part. Except we get so off kilter about our faith, in a way that doesn't exist in sports. Probably because we think we have to be right, as opposed to holy. That doesn't happen in sports.
Those of you who live in HIM, don't let sports be better at life than your faith. Remember these are brothers and sisters in HIS Grace, just like you. Can you call someone out on their sin? Sure. What kind of jerks would we be if we didn't. But when you start on arguing about your personal excuses, well, you already lost the argument. If its not all about Jesus, it is not worth dishonoring HIM by dragging HIM into our excuses.
That being said.
Go Steelers!!!
And seek HIM. Deeply.
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Friday, February 26, 2016
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Open My Eyes Everyday, My King
Open my eyes everyday, my King.
That's my motto. That's my prayer.
It sounds like a wholesome and GODly thing to say, but if you really think about it, it is slightly ( incredibly) terrifying. Because HE does. Maybe I don't notice it everyday, though it may still happen; but on the days I do notice it, boy is it hard.
I love football. I do. I have for a very long, long time.
I am about to confess another sin of mine. lol. Back when I was a kid, I got grounded. A lot. I mean, I couldn't watch tv for most of my life, which is why I became an avid reader. I suppose it was suppose to be a curse, but really a blessing in disguise.
Yet, that self same reason is why I became a football fan.
How do these 2 things line up, you ask?
Well, let me tell you!
Sundays were weird at my house. We hardly ever, mostly never, went to church. My older sister loved to nap. My parents were in their own world, and doing their own thing on Sundays. Which meant, well, I disobeyed and snuck down to watch tv on the Sundays that we were home. To my disappointment and dismay, about the only thing on tv in the 70s on Sundays was, well, football.
Holy Pete, was it boring. But in my sneaky mind, I didn't care. I was watching tv and that's all that mattered. I watched it even though I didn't have a clue what was going on.
But the tide changed, slowly but surely, and I started to understand what was going on. I had a friend in school whose dad loved football and we got to talking. And he got to explaining his favorite thing. And before I knew it, I picked out my favorite team to watch and cheer to win. Who remembers the 70s? Who remembers the Steel Curtain? Enough said.
There in lies my love of reading and football. Its all about getting grounded. I recently told me mom if she really wanted to ground me she should have taken all my books away. Talk about horrifying!! What would I do?!?! I'd probably become a master at hiding them to read in some sneaky way. But let's move on.
( To clarify, I am not sneaky anymore. :P)
I mean seriously, what does getting grounded, football, being a sneaky kid and praying for my eyes to open have to do with each other?
Well, the Super Bowl was this past Sunday.
And though I watch for the game and not really for the commercials and definitely not for the half time show, still a commercial or 2 made their way into my line of vision and one stuck with me. I had no idea who those people were, but it was sweet and it was cute. I moved on because there was football to watch and grandsons to kiss in between plays.
Still. The commercial and concept never left me.
This morning, I grabbed my nook to read my Bible. But there was this Facebook message before I could open my nook telling me that my friend posted something. I usually ignore them and swish them away. But this morning. It was the only message. Which is weird.
So I clicked on it and opened my eyes.
It was the Joey + Rory thing that was in the commercial.
And she is dying.
Like right now dying.
And they are at peace in HIS will. They have clung the Cross and not let go. I texted my friend and asked her about it.
WHOA.
After morning chores and kick starting the day, I sat for a minute or 2 to go back and see with my own 4 eyes. And what I found rocked my world. The hope. The humility. The joy. The heartache. The loveliness of simplicity. The faith. The turmoil. And The love.
Where have these people been before this? I love country music. I am loving simplicity. I love GOD. These guys are right up my alley.
In all of this, and it is a lot, more than I have time for this morning, but something I will continue to pursue, this video popped up, and it was amazing. Because not only have I been thinking and praying about this for a couple of months, but we were just talking about it during teatime at our homeschool co op this Monday.
Here is the issue.
Where are we in bringing up Titus 2 woman and men? Why are we so focused on succeeding in the world, but not seeking HIS face in our hearts? Why do we push our girls into careers, politics, etc...and not towards the hope of the future generations? When was the last time you have hear a young man ask a girl what her future plans are, and hearing " a wife and a mom" and thats exactly what he is hoping to hear. Someone who will surrender her life for the instruction of the Lord to be taught to their children? If we actually suggested this to our sons, they would laugh at us or maybe at the very least know it is so not acceptable in our society, that he wouldn't or couldn't have to courage to do it.
Mind you. This is not a world issue. No. This is also a church issue. This is also a homeschool issue.
Because as you may have noticed, most of our homeschool daughters have incredible careers, and let us pat ourselves in the back for educating our daughters to success.
***sigh***
Not saying we don't educate our daughters. Not even a little bit. I believe in education. Oh, do I believe in it. I am still in the business of learning to this day. Never stop learning.
BUT.
Education is not my GOD. I believe girls can become great things. And I don't believe careers are taboo/evil for them. But as I look around me, marriage, children, homes and family are at the altar of careers. Being sacrificed for fulfillment. Bragging rights. Or at the very least escape.
And seriously not saying that women shouldn't work. Sometimes it is a necessity and how many things wouldn't get done without them.
But let's not push them at all cost.
When my daughter was in high school, she didn't want to go to college. I made her get her associates. What if she didn't get married. She have a plan B. But her plan B was a simple plan. One she could provide for herself with, but can also walk away from when and if the time came.
She did get married. And worked in a law firm until the moment she had her first child.
She is now a mommy to 3 boys and yes, she does work from home, in a very important job to her, but knows when to scale back. Because her boys are the future of the Faith.
I look at my littles. Oh how they love GOD in their child like faith. May I nurture that and not the world.
Anyway. Here is a video. I imagine it is not popular, for the message flies in the face of 2016. But I pray it stays in my heart and becomes a reality to many.
As she lays dying, I doubt she has many regrets if this was her heart beat.
That's my motto. That's my prayer.
It sounds like a wholesome and GODly thing to say, but if you really think about it, it is slightly ( incredibly) terrifying. Because HE does. Maybe I don't notice it everyday, though it may still happen; but on the days I do notice it, boy is it hard.
I love football. I do. I have for a very long, long time.
I am about to confess another sin of mine. lol. Back when I was a kid, I got grounded. A lot. I mean, I couldn't watch tv for most of my life, which is why I became an avid reader. I suppose it was suppose to be a curse, but really a blessing in disguise.
Yet, that self same reason is why I became a football fan.
How do these 2 things line up, you ask?
Well, let me tell you!
Sundays were weird at my house. We hardly ever, mostly never, went to church. My older sister loved to nap. My parents were in their own world, and doing their own thing on Sundays. Which meant, well, I disobeyed and snuck down to watch tv on the Sundays that we were home. To my disappointment and dismay, about the only thing on tv in the 70s on Sundays was, well, football.
Holy Pete, was it boring. But in my sneaky mind, I didn't care. I was watching tv and that's all that mattered. I watched it even though I didn't have a clue what was going on.
But the tide changed, slowly but surely, and I started to understand what was going on. I had a friend in school whose dad loved football and we got to talking. And he got to explaining his favorite thing. And before I knew it, I picked out my favorite team to watch and cheer to win. Who remembers the 70s? Who remembers the Steel Curtain? Enough said.
There in lies my love of reading and football. Its all about getting grounded. I recently told me mom if she really wanted to ground me she should have taken all my books away. Talk about horrifying!! What would I do?!?! I'd probably become a master at hiding them to read in some sneaky way. But let's move on.
( To clarify, I am not sneaky anymore. :P)
I mean seriously, what does getting grounded, football, being a sneaky kid and praying for my eyes to open have to do with each other?
Well, the Super Bowl was this past Sunday.
And though I watch for the game and not really for the commercials and definitely not for the half time show, still a commercial or 2 made their way into my line of vision and one stuck with me. I had no idea who those people were, but it was sweet and it was cute. I moved on because there was football to watch and grandsons to kiss in between plays.
Still. The commercial and concept never left me.
This morning, I grabbed my nook to read my Bible. But there was this Facebook message before I could open my nook telling me that my friend posted something. I usually ignore them and swish them away. But this morning. It was the only message. Which is weird.
So I clicked on it and opened my eyes.
It was the Joey + Rory thing that was in the commercial.
And she is dying.
Like right now dying.
And they are at peace in HIS will. They have clung the Cross and not let go. I texted my friend and asked her about it.
WHOA.
After morning chores and kick starting the day, I sat for a minute or 2 to go back and see with my own 4 eyes. And what I found rocked my world. The hope. The humility. The joy. The heartache. The loveliness of simplicity. The faith. The turmoil. And The love.
Where have these people been before this? I love country music. I am loving simplicity. I love GOD. These guys are right up my alley.
In all of this, and it is a lot, more than I have time for this morning, but something I will continue to pursue, this video popped up, and it was amazing. Because not only have I been thinking and praying about this for a couple of months, but we were just talking about it during teatime at our homeschool co op this Monday.
Here is the issue.
Where are we in bringing up Titus 2 woman and men? Why are we so focused on succeeding in the world, but not seeking HIS face in our hearts? Why do we push our girls into careers, politics, etc...and not towards the hope of the future generations? When was the last time you have hear a young man ask a girl what her future plans are, and hearing " a wife and a mom" and thats exactly what he is hoping to hear. Someone who will surrender her life for the instruction of the Lord to be taught to their children? If we actually suggested this to our sons, they would laugh at us or maybe at the very least know it is so not acceptable in our society, that he wouldn't or couldn't have to courage to do it.
Mind you. This is not a world issue. No. This is also a church issue. This is also a homeschool issue.
Because as you may have noticed, most of our homeschool daughters have incredible careers, and let us pat ourselves in the back for educating our daughters to success.
***sigh***
Not saying we don't educate our daughters. Not even a little bit. I believe in education. Oh, do I believe in it. I am still in the business of learning to this day. Never stop learning.
BUT.
Education is not my GOD. I believe girls can become great things. And I don't believe careers are taboo/evil for them. But as I look around me, marriage, children, homes and family are at the altar of careers. Being sacrificed for fulfillment. Bragging rights. Or at the very least escape.
And seriously not saying that women shouldn't work. Sometimes it is a necessity and how many things wouldn't get done without them.
But let's not push them at all cost.
When my daughter was in high school, she didn't want to go to college. I made her get her associates. What if she didn't get married. She have a plan B. But her plan B was a simple plan. One she could provide for herself with, but can also walk away from when and if the time came.
She did get married. And worked in a law firm until the moment she had her first child.
She is now a mommy to 3 boys and yes, she does work from home, in a very important job to her, but knows when to scale back. Because her boys are the future of the Faith.
I look at my littles. Oh how they love GOD in their child like faith. May I nurture that and not the world.
Anyway. Here is a video. I imagine it is not popular, for the message flies in the face of 2016. But I pray it stays in my heart and becomes a reality to many.
As she lays dying, I doubt she has many regrets if this was her heart beat.
To GOD be the glory great things HE has done.
Seek HIM. Deeply.
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