It Definitely Takes A Village!

Have you ever stood during a baptism…you know, when the Pastor asks us if we are willing to assist in the bringing up of this child? I have….countless times…and I never thought that much about it, truthfully! Sometimes I remember being a bit squeamish and thinking…"Do I really mean this?" I don't even know you for crying out loud! But as a church, as a body of believers we make that commitment to help and assist the parents in the raising of that precious babe in a gown of white…sometimes smocked sometimes not…either way, we commit to help those parents….

But did we ever stop and picture that beautiful baby all grown…or worse, almost grown? Let's say…about age 16, 17, 18 maybe 19 or 20?

Recently our lives have been inundated with families going through real struggles, (some of them are our very close friends)…I'm talking life altering struggles that to them seem like will be for a lifetime but in reality are only for the moment. I know that quite well…because I was one of those children that had to endure being punished for underage drinking….I remember all too well those feelings of abandonment, embarrassment, loneliness, anger, helplessness, you name it! It was all there! I was one of the first and I'm not proud of it, trust me! But if it will help just one person, one child, one parent, anyone…I'm not afraid to admit it! And because of Miller's sweet friend going through this I was FORCED to admit this to Miller for the first time just last night…and it was hard, I'm not ashamed to tell you. I didn't want to tell him that and I especially didn't want Sarah to hear it but I knew it was time! I probably should've told him 3 or 4 years ago. I didn't…but what I learned from all of this is what ultimately brought me to a saving relationship with Christ way back when…that's why I knew it was important to tell him now and I also knew it was ok…he's a "big boy"! He can handle it! And Christ handled it along time ago when He ultimately paid the price for my sins on the cross…

But, today….TODAY…I also witnessed a miracle of love… a love for others no matter their sins, no matter their age, no matter the consequences…I witnessed first and foremost my child's heart melting to reach out to someone else. It's funny to me how guys can act so tough and act like nothing is really a big deal when in reality it's a HUGE deal! 

To think that I almost told my child, "Don't worry about coming to church since you have to be somewhere at noon. We actually gave him that "out" and yet he still wanted to come to church.

Now, I know why!  GOD wanted him there! As we peered into the balcony, there stood his precious friend from high school….someone that he truly loves and thinks the world of and yet, since Miller has gone to Auburn I doubt they've had much contact. Knowing that his friend has recently been expelled, Miller nudged me and made sure that I saw his sweet friend standing alone in the balcony…and the next thing we saw truly took my breath away…

The door to the right opened and out came Coach Bobby Kerley…I think Miller and I stood there with our mouths wide open…we saw the two people that Miller loves dearly shake hands… and then end up in such a big hug that I watched as Miller shook it off…tried not to cry…he couldn't look at me because huge, crocodile sized tears were streaming down my face…it was the sweetest sight I've ever seen. It was a teacher, their basketball Coach that they both respect immensely, coming to a student that he's known for most of this student's life and embracing him and telling him how much he loved him…all from a hand shake and huge hug! 

Next thing I know, another student comes to that same pew and shakes the hand of the student that had been expelled…and another…it kept happening…it was glorious! It was love in action! I looked at Miller and said, " Do you want to go up there?" Miller was gone…next thing I saw was this dear student literally leaping up to run out in the hall to hug Miller and talk to him. I haven't gotten to hear all of the details of their conversation….but I can tell you this, I haven't ever been as glad as I was today that we went to church and that my Miller sat right there beside me and together we got to see Christ's love in action…from a Coach, from some friends, and ultimately from Christ Himself!

Let's all commit to serving Him first and helping each other raise these precious children that God entrusted to us!

God is good!

All the time!

There Is Something About Your First House...

 There just is!
 It still makes my heart glad and my mind starts racing with ideas when I think back on all that we did with our first house and the determination I felt to make it our home…

Thursday, we set out for our trip to New Orleans this time to not only celebrate our 29th Anniversary but also to help Holly and Brad find their new home now that he has his own Chick Fil A store.

Truth be known….I was glad I still had it in me! I used to live for this sort of thing!  I always loved the challenge of a new home…a fixer upper…a cottage that needed life breathed into it!  Lately I've been so tired from everyday life I was surprised to find myself excited about anything! Let alone feel the need to breathe life into something!

That is, until I spotted this "Sunny, yellow kitchen"! 

As Jim and I spied into the window with Holly ( me griping about how my hair was frizzing!)  we tried in vain to find an unlocked door of the house they were dying to get in to see. I tried to go back to our car to get out of the rain and then I heard Holly ask for me to at least come peak through the window…"Just come see, mom!" I heard her say! That's when I saw it… the beautiful, 

Yellow Kitchen!

 It was the one thing holding them back though…."The kitchen needs a lot of work"…."the kitchen is YELLOW!" I heard them say.  I really did get it…but my mind was racing with the possibilities and yet also trying to let them make this very important decision as a couple…

I needed to take a step back…and I did!

They weren't crazy about these floors...

I didn't verbalize out loud that we also had these parquet floors in our first home! ( until later!)

Or, that I sure do have a lot of twig style furniture that will really work in this sunroom! ( until later!)

I just kept hearing those words in a mama's heart…"They should take it! They better get it! Don't let this one go! Fall in love with yellow kitchens, and shiny parquet floors! Small closets and small bathrooms….that's what makes us who we are"!

For crying out loud….the couple that owns this house lives next door and from all appearances are wonderful and cute and fun!!!

 RUN FOR IT!!! 

 Look at the safe street! We've searched high and low and not much is safe ANYWHERE near New Orleans…Seiously!! It's just NOT!!! It's fun…it's great food…but it's NOT SAFE!!!

And so they did…they decided to take it…with certain pre-requisites that the owner met gladly! And Brad had some valid reservations and told them to the owners…the owners couldn't have been nicer about meeting his expectations and I'm so glad and very grateful to them!

I have a feeling God has great plans for Holly and Brad in this house! I'm so excited about this couple that literally just bought this house next door to their own home just three weeks ago and has been renovating it ever since….I would bet that they have NO idea that they are a part of such a wonderful plan! I mean….Brad got his first store just 3 weeks ago…this couple just bought this house 3 weeks ago…Holly and Brad were chosen to live here over several other applicants…They are actually able to be apart of the refinishing process even as renters! 

God is good!!! All the time!!

All that's left to do now is trust….and by that I mean that I need to trust that where God has Holly and Brad at this very minute is His best plan for their lives! It just wears me out to worry and so I've decided that I'm too tired to worry much any more! That may sound crazy to a lot of you…to me it sounds glorious! I want to enjoy!!!

And I want to rest….and enjoy the fact that they chose a house with such wonderful bathrooms and beautiful tile!

 

 Don't get me wrong…their other choice of a house was great and

extremely charming!

However…one bathroom meant the Ritz for me...

 And yet there would be no way that I could give up staying with Holly and Brad…it's just too much fun and too enjoyable!

Thankfully, they have a beautiful pale blue tile in both bathrooms that works wonderfully with all of their bedding, curtains, etc…. that we had made for their first apartment…and I for one am excited about that! It was all too pretty to stay in storage for these past two years!! It's time to bring it all back out!

But, I cannot tell a lie….

I'm very glad they have great closet space, great tile and two bathrooms…. and for crying out loud….they even have a sunroom and great neighbors to boot!

 But the main thing I'm excited about…the one that I need to yell from the rooftops….

Is they finally have a home!!! One that we can be excited about…one that we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God provided!

And, 

They have a yellow kitchen!!! 

I'm so excited for my Holly and Brad! I have a lot to be thankful for and I'm very grateful….trust me! I know it could change in the blink of an eye! As with all of our children, we need to be so trusting that we know God has their very best interest at heart and that our joy does not depend on them…as a mom, this is probably the hardest battle I face! 

For now, God has blessed me with this family! 

I am forever grateful!