Another Sunday Morning.... Sunday, May 24, 2009

Good morning!

Okay well, good sleepy morning that is. After a long 4 hour dance recital on Thursday, we had our first dance show last night. Today we are off to an afternoon of the running the same show for the second recital. I must say the girls were awesome and did a great job.

I spent the night running my butt off to be quite frank. I had 3 girls dancing. All of whom needed help with outfits, hairdo and outfit changes -- five costumes, five different hairdo's. Which would not have been too bad if we are all in the same area. But at last minute they decided to move the 4 through 8th graders into the gym locker rooms. Which left 2 of my kids in the cafeteria, one across the way in the gym and me running back and forth between changes and hairdos.

I'm going to have to figure something out for this afternoon. I think Katie felt a little discombobulated cause I wasn't close enough. Which is normal I think for a 10 year old. She even tried to come find me and someone told her to go back to the gym. She was nervous. And she's a kid that listens really well -- so she went back and just waited for me. I tried to tell her to stick up for herself, use polite words and say, "I need my mom and I'll be right back." Or "please get my mom for me I'll wait right here." I understand that they didn't want the audience seeing costumes, however, if my kid wants me, someone had better let her, or come get me ASAP.

And of course there were a couple of issues with the girls in the locker room not being supervised and etc. Which left Katie feeling like the odd man out because she was just sitting there alone while the others ran around. I know she's 10, but I think her emotions are more like 13. So I'm going to have to keep a close eye on her today.

I start school this week. "Characteristics and Remedial Strategies for the Impaired Learner." I'm really looking forward to it. I think it'll be very interesting. My advisor is the teacher and I like her very much so I hoping to get a lot out of the class. I'm also looking for airconditioning LOLLLLLL! Back when I as an undergrad some of the buildings were not air conditioned -- that was in the olden days of course.

This week I had a couple of bumps in the road at work and in some spiritual things that I'm trying to pray through. They are not recessarily bad things -- just a few disconcerting issues that I have to make a matter of prayer. God is good and faithful.

I read a terrific quote from Kenneth Copeland and I'm going to share it. It's below. Remember the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Neh 8:10). Which is a totally awesome scripture to have in front of me today, because in the book of Nehemiah that scripture revolves around the feast of Shavuot -- and wouldn't you know it this week begins the Jewish feast of Shavuot. God is good. He's unchangeable. He's right on time with what we need, when we need it. God is telling me in all the hassles, junk and issues I'm forging through -- remember the joy! Remember to be joyful! Remember its my strength!

Hugggz,

Kristy~!

Joy gives you a kind of staying power that will make you a winner again and again.

So make a commitment to God that you're going to walk,

not only in faith and in love but in joy as well.

Waffles, Schedules and Freedom in the Lord Sunday, May 17, 2009

Good morning everyone!

It's been almost a month since I've posted and given you all an update. This is the best I could do, my goal of a weekly update has gone away with the breeze because there is just too much to do in the month of May.

This morning I decided to get up and make the kids waffles. Of course, Karrie wanted a bagel instead -- shocking -- but Katie, Kelsey and I had homemade waffles with bananas and strawberries. YUMMY! They needed a treat. It's been so crazy around here and I'm tired of feeding them on the run. Sometimes you just have to hold up your family "stop sign" and go, nope can't do that -- we need to gather up here and refocus.

The month of May has been difficult here. Not only do we have dance classes, we have baseball now and piano. If only dance had been over at the end of April, all would be well. But in the last 2 weeks I think there were 2 nights we were able to do nothing. Some days we go right from school, to dance then 1 or 2 baseball games. My kids were getting exhausted. Who decided to have baseball games for 6 year olds at 7:30 p.m.? Don't they know little kids need rest? Last week I held up my "stop sign" and said -- okay, here's the schedule for the week, let's see what works for "us", not what works for everyone else. I was able to rearrange a few things, skip and game here and there and arrange for some carpooling with dance, so that was a welcome blessing. This coming week will be the last for dance. Thanks be to God!

Who loves dance more than I? Okay, maybe Karrie does. But 3 years in a row now the recitals are on Memorial Day weekend. Ugh. It's so late in the season, conflicts with the local softball schedule -- I mean what would be the harm in being done at the end of April? Other than them collecting another month's worth of tuition.

And then in the last day or two the schedule was getting crazy and I once again had to hold up my "stop sign" and go nope -- we can get to what we can get to, we simply cannot do everything. Now mind you this is all happening with my kids in school and I am working full time. Three baseball games, 2 at the same time Monday, one in my hometown one about 30 minutes away. Dance classes and piano. Then my kids have to be at full hair and make up dance rehearsal on Thursday from 5-8 at least, then Friday another game, Saturday recital 1, Sunday recital 2. Monday -- Memorial Day -- jump up and down because dance is finally over.

So I took my "stop sign" and choose to miss a game today, because it conflicts with a First Holy Communion Party we need to attend. Wednesday -- they called for another dance class for the 5 year olds, and I was like okay, they have to be there Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday? Uhhh nope. Now I am sure all of you out there know exactly what I mean. Where in all of that above do I feed my kids? Let my dogs out? When do they rest? When do I rest? When does the laundry get done? "Stop sign"! It has to stop, it simply must. I think God has been telling me to really focus on my family and not of the guilty of not being able to make every single event.

A friend of mine said, do you realize how much you are forgetting? That is so unlike you. I said, honestly, I think it's a blessing from the Lord, then I don't have to feel so guilty about not being superwoman and accomplishing all of these tasks. Proverbs 31 women do NOT feel bound to conform to this world. Proverbs 31 women feel joyful about enjoying every moment with their family and making preparations for them, not in despair because there are not enough hours in the day. A Proverbs 31 women manages her family with joy and happiness of heart. I need to remember that and stay in that place.

On a more personal front, I begin grad school in 2 weeks. I'm getting my master's and teaching certificate in special education. I'm happy about it. Nervous a little, but overall happy. I'll be even happier when I can get a full scholarship HAHA! I'm really blessed too to be able to get in a couple classes over the summer. It's an accelerated format and lenghtened class time, but within a month I can get a whole class over with. Yippee! I'm doing that in June and July. Don't even ask about a vacation LOL!

So yesterday and today, I've been thinking about being free in Christ. That Newsboy's song "I am free", keeps running through my mind. I AM free. I AMMMMMMM free. I'm free in God and not in bondage to schedules and the designs of this world. I am free to worship Him. Free to be who God made me. Free to worship Him whenever and however. I'm not going to feel restraints any longer. No longer going to conform. I'm simply going to worship the Lord the way HE wants to be worshipped. If I want to dance -- I'll dance. If I want to raise a banner -- I'll wave it. If I want to lay quietly on the floor -- I'll rest. I'll worship Him anyway He speaks to my heart.

God wants us to run after HIM -- not be worried we are stepping on someone's toes or not asking 10 people permission to do something so it doesn't offend someone. Am I a radical for thinking this? Am I nutz? Am I stretching the boundaries of religion? Technically, no -- because I don't believe in religion -- I don't believe we should be bound to formats and programs. I believe in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Almighty. He's the one that sets the game plan! He's the one we follow. He knew what was going to happen before the formation of this world.

Does the Holy Spirit minister to us? A resounding yes. Does the anointing of God break the enemies yoke? A resounding yes. Does God still perform miracles? A resounding yes. Then why hinder Him and stop what His plan is to replace it with ours? If we put ourselves, our ideas, our programs in front of him. It's sin. Plain and simple. It's disobedience and it grieves the Heart of the Father. Hasn't He done enough for you? Hasn't He died for you? Hasn't he suffered agony that you might live forever? Then why -- WHY -- do we push Him aside to take the offering? If the Holy Spirit it moving and you interrupt that -- you are grieving the Holy Spirit.

What would happen if we let go? What would happen if we just came to church ready and set to go? What would happen if we all came to church with an expectation of deliverance? What would happen if you just simply prepared YOURSELF without the trappings of a "service" and just let God be God?" Would you have lost control? Why do you need control? If you've chosen to submit to the will of the Lord for your life -- you've already lost control.

Oh no it's not a matter of submission to authority. When we, the human race, put our ideas on God, put our ideas on people, wrap people up in bondage, it's sin. For years I've heard of the "order of the Lord". For years we've spoken of "the appropriate way to do things." For years we've spoken about "asking 10 different people for permission to do xyz". Bondage. Guilt. Condemnation. Is that what the Lord wants for us?

Is there anything wrong with submission? Nope. It's biblical. Is there anything wrong with having orderly worship? Nope. It's biblical and correct. But when our ideas outweigh the moving the Holy Spirit it's sin. If we've so bound up the people of God with our trappings of what "should" be, we forget what "could be" if we just skip it and let go and let God.

God has made me FREE! FREE! FREE INDEED! And I am going to walk in that freedom. He died for me that I might live and be FREE. Being fully free in Christ is my desire. It's my passion. And I will listen and obey His direction.

Hugggz, Kristy~!

John8:36-38 (MSG) Jesus said, "I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can't come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.