Faith vs. Values

So the whole journey of my learning from God on this subject began when I started teaching a May Madness small group at church called Heritage Building. When I signed up, I thought that I had discovered this nice and concise little small group study that was already prepared for me to teach. Yet, to my later discovery, the study was not all it was cracked up to be and just weeks before the class began I found myself writing my own curriculum. It has been quite a fun and unexpected journey.

Here are some of the things that God has been teaching me and our group as we have journeyed through this topic. . .

1. There is a huge difference between passing on faith and passing on values to our kids. Values can be passed on by anyone of any faith or religion. Basically all moral values match up across the board, whether you are Christian, Catholic, Buddhist or Atheist. Values can stand alone without faith. But faith can never stand alone without values. Out of faith springs values.

2. Faith stories are the basis for all Christian value teaching. If a parent does not know and understand the stories of the faith they cannot fully pass on the values of the faith. If a child does not know the stories of the faith then they cannot fully comprehend the values of the faith. The faith stories stand to teach God and values. Out of every faith story comes many value lessons.

3. We must fill our hearts and minds with the stories of our faith so that we can have them readily available to teach them to our children.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (New International Version)14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

4. If our children grow up and leave our home only knowing the basic stories of Jesus' life, death and resurrection (the stories that all Christians can tell because they are the ones that link up with salvation) then we have given our kids a great disservice. If this becomes the end of the faith story that we have passed on to our kids then they have no rock on which to stand in the real world. They have been given a "because mom and dad said so" kind of value system that becomes very shaky when they meet the world face to face. Mom and Dad said be kind. Mom and Dad said serve others. Mom and Dad said tell others about God. Mom and Dad said care for the sick. Mom and Dad said be honest. Mom and Dad said have integrity.

5. When a child can link up a Bible story to the value that is being passed down to them then the story is complete. Without a faith story to match the value it is like Goldilocks without the three bears or Star Wars without Darth Vader. The story is no good and worth forgetting. But when a child understands that it is important to serve and care for others just like the Good Samaritan cared for the man on the side of the road or that we can not be prejudice just as God was not prejudice of, but accepting, to the Samaritan woman at the well, then the value stands much stronger.

6. As a church we must be more intentional about helping our families learn and love the basic stories of our faith. We must not overlook the history of God moving in the lives of his people. We must not fool ourselves into thinking that these stories are irrelevant to our society today. We must stop trying to entertain our kids with good things but feed them what is best and help them to find the excitement in that. It's not always about the glitz and glamour(though good in and of itself) of what our world tells us is eye-catching and important. It is about eternity for our kids. It is up to us and we will be held accountable for our actions. For generations Christians passed on the stories faithfully and well. We are living in a generation now where most Christians don't even know who Joseph and David were.

Welcome to my new soapbox.

Apolo and Julianne Won!!!

Watch them Dance

Colon Family Pick Got Voted Off

Ian and Cheryl had to go home last night from Dancing With the Stars, but not before a perfect 30 out of 30 performance.

Now we are all torn as to who we want to win. Emma and I are voting for Apolo and Julianne. The other girls like Joey and Kim/another/another.

Estes Park Getaway - Entry #4

After leaving the lodge I headed to the Stanley Hotel to read for a while. One my way I encountered quite a few elk.
Two herds - and they were no more than three feet away from my car. One was in someone's front yard. The other was in the parking lot of the rec center in downtown Estes. They are literally everywhere. And people just disregard them as if it is normal to have such a huge beast laying on your front door step.

I went to the Stanley Hotel and read in front of the fireplace for a while.
I took a nap in the Safeway parking lot and went to the candy store to buy a surprise for the girls. Now I am once again drinking coffee. This time I ordered decaf. I'm drinking coffee and thinking about all that God has poured into me during these last two days.

Kingdom In. . .Kingdom Out
There is this church in Indonesia that I have heard of who calls this life of transformation "Up, In, Out" Either way you look at it, it's transformation.
trans·form (tr ns-fôrm )
1. To change markedly the appearance or form of. 2. To change the nature, function, or condition of; convert. 3. To undergo a transformation.

This book that I have been reading while on my getaway has taken my thought process on all of this to a different level. It has made me uncomfortable. It has challenged me in a new way. And though I'm not sure that I completely agree with James Macdonald on all of his philosophies, reading this book, Downpour, has brought new light to my way of thinking about Transformation.

Bob Roberts began preaching about transformation when Kevin and I were still in Texas. It seems strange, but the whole concept of true life change had never really gripped me until about 7 years ago. And today I still grapple with it.

Kingdom In (God's pouring in to my life through getting to know him at a deeper level) must happen before we can ever accomplish Kingdom Out (the outpouring into the world of what God has poured in) All along I have understood the concept, but what I have discovered over the last few days is that I have unconsciously expected the Kingdom Out to happen apart from the Kingdom In.

I daily try to give without being given to in a tangible and intimate way by God first (ie. quiet time or whatever you want to call it). I daily try to share God's story with my kid's without experiencing his story in my life first. I fail miserably and I think it is my fault. It is - but not in the way I feel the guilt. I seem to think that I am just not capable of doing all that God has placed before me. And I'm not. But with the Holy Spirit I am completely capable. Yet, I always seem to forget to ask for his assistance. I find myself feeling defeated, and I am. On my own I completely am. But not if I am filled with the Holy Spirit. Then I am victorious. How in the world could I have forgotten? At what point did I begin to disregard this major piece of the puzzle?

Life spins and my head spins and I forget. I start thinking that it is I who is weak, yet I have the greatest power source at my fingertips and for some unexplainable reason I don't grab on - day after day after day. Daily I pray for the concerns of life. Daily I sing worship songs. Daily I read the Bible or at least a Bible story to my kids. All of those things are good in and of themselves. But if there is no more I have missed out on so much.

I don't want to miss out any longer.

God has placed so many dreams and desires in my heart. I get so frustrated sometimes because it seems as if they are never going to come about. I don't want it to be my fault that God is not moving in huge ways. I don't want to be the process slower downer. The blessing of life and family is such a short stint for all of us. It makes me mad to realize that I could very well be slowing down the process of all that God has in store for my life and for may family's life because of my own personal lack of diving into a deeper relationship with Him. I want to experience enough Kingdom flowing into me that it overflows out everywhere I go.

So what does this really mean? I think for me it means slowing down. It means breathing in deeply my time with God. It means remembering priorities and getting rid of the clutter. It means learning and reading and listening and thinking more deeply. It means saying "no" to things that sound good for what is best. It means scheduling more time away to reflect and re-juice myself. It means looking at the bigger picture of life when I make decisions. It means discipline. It means stopping the worrying. It means controlling my temper with my kids. It means enjoying my husband more. It means taking long walks even when the house is a wreck and being okay with that. It means relaxing about $ stuff. It means obeying God when he tells me to do something. It means staying connected and waiting expectantly for God to move me. It means desiring more from life. Right now life is so good - but it means trading it all in for what is best.

Bottom line - Transformation is a lot of hard work and it is ongoing. . .but I have to believe that it is so worth it.

I'm not sure where all of this is about to lead me. But I think I'm ready for the ride.

Estes Park Getaway - Entry #3

It's day two. This morning I woke up about 6:45am to a beautiful, cool and foggy day. I should have taken my pictures of the lodge and views yesterday. But the peace of the morning was so spectacular. I opened my windows and read my Bible for a while. Then I went on to exercise. They have a small exercise room here. I ran 3 miles on the treadmill and then wanted to kick myself for forgetting to bring my bathingsuit. The hot tub looked so inviting.

Next it was time for a shower and breakfast - granola, cranberry juice, coffee, fruit, sweet potato pancakes with pear and strawberry coffee glaze. For this breakfast lover it was heaven. I talked to a man and his wife that are from Florida. He is a fashion photographer and just completed a shoot for Calvin Klien Golf. I gave them some tips on Colorado sites to see and now I am trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my day. Unfortunately I have to check out of the Taharra (where I'm staying) at 11:00. I could stay here for a very long time. There is such calmness and peace here. Thanks, God. I needed this. Thanks, Kevin, for taking care of me.

Estes Park Getaway - Entry #2

Every time I get alone with God my mind and heart are drawn once again to the same things - transformation, adventure, risk, family, Vietnam, $, significance, discipline. It's almost as if there is this ball that is continually rolling around in my heart and mind with each of these words written on it. And my mind journey's from one to the other, just wandering and dreaming and wishing and praying.

Today I am aware of it spinning.

I get still. The world goes away for a while. No one and nothing is pulling my strings. And when I really take time to listen to my heart - it's almost scary, yet exciting and breathtaking, what I hear. My heart beats fast (maybe from all of the coffee I have had today) and my desires grow strong. It's all about the adventure. It's about the desire to jump out in faith towards something worthy.

I feel so conflicted sometimes - stuck in the middle of being faithful and joyful towards the life that God has blessed me with today and dreaming of all that I hope and want to be a part of in the future. I often don't do a great job with contentment - yet I am content - it's more like I am expectant. Yes, expectant is a good word. I am expectant of God to take the desires that he has placed in my heart and do something with them.

I have always heard a friend say, "find yourself in your twenties, grow yourself in your thirties, change the world in your forties. After that leverage everything you've got for ultimate meaning and radical transformation."

So I'm in my thirties. I need to focus on growing myself. And yet I feel like a child who is counting the days until they turn 5 3/4. Who ever heard of being in your thirties and wishing you were older? That's ridiculous. And yet, my heart longs for so much more on days like today when I am quiet and alone.

The life I have today is more than I could have ever wished for. This is not an issue of being unhappy. I am blessed and thrilled to have the husband and children and day to day life that I do. If it were to all end today, it would have been a storybook life. Yet, that guy, the Holy Spirit, keeps on nudging me. He keeps telling me to pay attention to all that is inside my heart. There is so much more to this life. Dream and focus and soak it all in.

So today I am dreaming and trying to figure it all out. I'm reading and listening to people who I respect. I am singing at the top of my lungs as I drive down the road and I am resting.

I am such a planner. I like to know what is next. I love the security of marking things off my to-do list and moving on. I like the big picture so I can figure out how to get there - wherever "there" is. But right now I only have glimpses of "there." So I have to be okay with "here." God, help me to overflow with enjoyment for "here" and wait patiently and expectantly for "there."

Estes Park Getaway - Entry #1

Happy Mother’s Day to me! This morning I’m sitting at Starbucks in Estes Park. I’m all alone. And yes, this is my own personal definition of a happy day. Deep down I am a loner. I get my juice from being all by myself. And my family knows it. Thus, my Mother’s Day surprise was a 2 day getaway – no kids, no house to clean, no work, no homeschool, only me. Part of me is thinking that I should feel guilty about this. . .but I refuse to let myself. This is time that I need. I’m learning it more and more. My family must be learning it, too. They sent me away. :-)

God has called me to a life of people. These people need me and count of me and require so much of me. I am truly blessed and I love the life that I have. But it is quite humorous that God chose a person like me to fulfill all of the many roles that I perform on a daily basis. It’s about discipline and determination and will and God’s help, because the life I live does not come naturally to me. Yet, it is super fulfilling because I can see it in perspective. I just have to be more intentional than others to carve out my time to refuel for the journey.

And that is what I am doing today and tomorrow. I’m stopping for coffee when I feel like it. I’m eating at any restaurant that I choose. I’m reading a good book beside the mountain creek that flows behind Starbucks. I’m taking a walk beside the lake. I’m listening to some great sermons on my ipod. I’m blogging. I’m journaling. I’m exercising. I’m hiking and praying not to see a mountain lion. I’m sleeping late in a cushy room and waking up to a huge gourmet breakfast. And I’m searching. I am expecting God to show up in a really big way. All of the noise will be silenced for the next few days. Please, God, let me experience you. Fill me up for the next leg of the race.

Conversation with Claire

“Yesterday at church everyone laughed at me.”

“Why, honey?”

“Because I said I like lots of food.”

“What do you mean?”

“We had to write down on that paper why we thanked God.”

“O, and you said were thankful for all that the food that you had.”

“Uh huh.”

“Claire, that is a great answer.”

“But they laughed at me.”

“Honey, they probably just didn’t understand what you meant. Don’t worry. I’m proud of you for your answer. God has given us lots of food.”

(A big smile came over her face)

. . . .

“Mommy, why don’t some people have enough food to eat?”

“That’s a great question Claire.” “We’re really lucky, aren’t we? We have more than enough food every day, don’t we?”

“Yeah, yummy food. But kids in Vietnam don’t. Why don’t we take them some food when we go?”

“That’s a great idea, Claire, but it would be really hard for us to take all the food that they need with us on the airplane.”

“We could just take a little. Don’t they need food?”

“Yes, some of them do. But when we go to Vietnam we try to do things to help them in other ways. Someday we might be able to help them with food, too, but for now we are trying to help them by giving them things like clothes and clean water. We also want to help them to get a good education so that they can make money for themselves to buy food.”

(She kinda understood)

“Claire, we love the people in Vietnam and we want to help them because we love God and God loves them so much.”

“But why do we have so much food and they don’t?”

“I wish I could answer that, sweetie. I guess that God just decided to give some people the $ for food to see what they will do with it. He must have trusted us a lot to do what is right. He must have trusted us to help others.”

“But, Mommy, then why can’t we take those kids some food?”

“O, Claire, I love your heart. Let’s think and try to figure out what we can do to help them. Would you like that?”

“Yes. Can I go with you to Vietnam sometime?”

“Of course.”

Link to Church Executive Magazine

Our friend, Bob Roberts, got a cover story in Church Executive Magazine. Click on "Bob Roberts Jr. . ." to read.
Click Here to Read

Go Toppers!!!

Click Here for Big Red's Boogie

Watch all 4 minutes!!!

Dancing with the Stars Colon Family Pick

Cheryl and Ian

Venture Vietnam

Kevin and the team left early this morning. They will be gone from April 9 -18. Below are a few videos to give you a little taste of where they will be. Please keep them in your prayers. It's going to be a really fun trip. I'll be going back this summer.

Motorbike Traffic in Vietnam

Bac Ha Sunday Market

Bringing Tears to my Eyes

It all starts with a lump in your throat. You feel it coming. Your heart beats faster. You look around to see if anyone notices the awkwardness that is beginning to come over your face as your eyes begin to water. It's not a sad feeling. It's one of those feelings that comes out of nowhere. It's a mix of warm fuzzies, uncontrollable tears and peace. Have you ever felt that way?

The last few days have brought quite a few of those moments. And I am blessed because of them.

Kevin went camping last weekend at the Great Sand Dunes (near Westcliffe). Just the mention of where he was going brought back so many memories of my summer in Westcliffe, CO, as a junior in college. I remember requesting Colorado as the state where I might be a summer missionary just because it sounded like a fun place to go. My summer was miserable. Yet 6 years later, that negative feeling about my summer had somehow changed in my heart to an unexplainable fondness for the state of Colorado. And in searching for a place to plant Cool River, God led me to convince Kevin to come and check it out. Today, as I think back with tears in my eyes, we have now been here for almost 5 years and there is absolutely no better fit for Kevin and I than this place. . .all those years ago. . .only God knew. . .

Easter at Cool River. . . Ben and Ashley, Chuck and Grace, all of those that God has brought our way in the journey.

Almost ten years ago Ashley was a sophomore in high school. I was a newlywed. She helped me to lead a middle school girls small group in Texas where she was in the youth group and Kevin was the youth pastor. Ben was a senior. All I knew about him was that he was a unique guy - different from so many. And he was a gymnast. That's all. . . Sunday Ben and Ashley stood on stage at Cool River as he sang on the worship team and Ashley led Cool River in worship like our church has never experienced before. Now Ben is the youth pastor. . . all those years ago. . .only God knew. . .

Next to Ben and Ashley were Grace and Chuck. Grace sang and Chuck played drums. About seven years ago Kevin and I sat in the same church in Texas and led a small group for young married couples. Grace and Chuck were one of our first couples. When we decided to move to Colorado we asked them to come with us. They said "no. . . " They have been with us at Cool River now for about 3 years. They have played a key role in making Cool River what it is today. . . all those years ago. . .only God knew. . .

Kevin walked out the door this morning at 4am. He is on his way to Vietnam once again. Nine years ago, as newlyweds, Kevin and I took about 40 kids to youth camp. The very next day we boarded an airplane with Northwood's first ever trip to Vietnam. We were only there for 3 days. Then we went on to Malaysia. Kevin and I were exhausted. We didn't even want to go. It was his job to be there. . .today we love Vietnam as if it were our second home. We have friends there. We visit every year. Cool River is now serving there alongside Northwood. In the future it only looks as if we will be there more and more. . .all those years ago. . .only God knew. . .

Tonight I sat in our basement watching Charlotte's Web with the girls. When Charlotte died, Claire wept. She uncontrollably wept. She felt the pain. She understood what was happening. I see in her a very special spirit that cares deeply and understands emotion beyond her five years. And her tears made mine flow as well. Tonight I wonder, what will I be writing some day about Claire? What is it that only God knows about her life? Will she be a great humanitarian? Will she care for those who are hurting? Will she stand up for the unjust? What path is God going to lead her down? And will I do the right things as a parent to teach her well about life and integrity and caring for each other?

Day after day after day often seems so monotonous. We get up and do life over and over again with often little thought as to how God is using our days to weave together a beautiful story. Has my life just happened by chance? No way. It has happened and is continuing to happen by design. . .the design of the greatest story creator of all time. And there are so many more pages to unfold and tears to shed. . .

Happy Easter from the Colon Girls

A Day in the Yard

Planting Grass Seed








Just Going in Circles

Emma won 1st Place in the Science Fair!!!!

Sunshine Again!!!

I was talking to my friend Wendy at church on Sunday about how refreshing this time of year seems to be. After a Colorado winter like the one we have just had, it seems as if everyone is more ready than ever before to experience the bright vitamin D rays of the sun. 60+ inches of snow, though beautiful and even fun, brought with it so much dirt and yuck and trash and mud. Both my garage and my house are in dire need of Spring cleaning. But today I don't feel much like cleaning. It is 71 degrees outside. The sun is shining bright and I even noticed some new green shoots of tulips and daffodils coming out of the ground. Today, all I want to do is enjoy. . .

And enjoy I have done. . .
I love it that Superior has become home to our family. This summer it will be five years since we moved here. A lot has happened in five years. Claire was only 6 months old when we moved into the Horizons apartment complex - the place where everyone in Superior starts out. Those days were lonely days. But today - today I went to Safeway and the lady who checked me out knew my name. She even pronounces it correctly now before she ever takes a look at my credit card. And the barrista at Starbucks, Melissa, has become my buddy who knows my order almost by heart (okay, I'm not sure that is something to be proud of - yet it is quite "homey.")

I walked to the park with the girls. The sun was shining and we were in flip flops and t-shirts. Along the way we passed multiple ladies from Cool River with their kids, other ladies from the community that I have gotten to know, even dogs whose names I remember from previous meetings. Emma, Claire and Olivia have friends - Regan, Riley, Kate, Matthew, Joshua. . . all who just happened to be out on the sunny morning. It all makes me so thankful. Five years ago we had no idea that God was going to bless our family in such a huge way. Every inch of this place is home. Every person that we pass at Target or Super Joe's or Cool River seems like family.

And this time of year it seems like the grayness has lifted from people's faces and it's as if there is new hope and fresh beginnings in store. How appropriate that Easter is just around the corner. The hope of new life and new beginnings that comes through the story of Jesus' resurrection is the perfect picture of how this time of year makes me feel. Thanks, Holy Spirit, for reminding me today.

ER

So. . . it has been quite some time since I last wrote. To say that many things have been happening would be an understatement. But life is good. Everything is good. . .

Have you ever been to the emergency room? Well, here's the best advice for your next visit - and with any luck you will never find yourself in the situation to ever us it. . .whether you think you have a broken leg or even pneumonia, just make sure you mention your heart. When they hear the word heart you automatically become a VIP like never before. It's like a great ego boost. Fifteen people can be lined up before you, waiting for hours, but if you say "heart" to the lady on the other side of the desk, you are automatically the queen (or king) of line cutting. It's like that rush of adrenaline that you used to feel as a kindergartener when your teacher chose you to be the first one out the door for recess. I know this feeling all too well. You see, last week I was the one standing at the emergency room registration desk relaying the news that my heart was beating rapidly and I could not get it to slow down. I quickly became VIP for the day at Avista emergency room in Louisville, Colorado.

It was a little scary. I won't lie. I'm a coffee drinker. I have a little bit of knowledge as to what 5 cups of coffee can do to a person. I can imagine the jittery feeling of loads of caffeine that has been poured into my body. But on that particular morning, all I had was orange juice. It was definitely not the Starbucks effect. Come to find out (so they say), it was the thyroid medicine effect. Thanks a lot Mr. generic drug manufacturer.

So I have a great story. It was an experience. And today I am living like my grandparents on blood pressure medicine. I'm telling ya, you hit 30 and life is all down hill!haha Next week I get more tests. And eventually this experience will be over. Life will move on. Another experience will take its place.

But until then, I am sitting here tonight asking God, "why?" Why this? What is the purpose? What am I supposed to learn? What part of my character are you wanting to chisel on? Why, God, are you allowing me to face the uncertainty and the anxiety of not knowing completely what is happening in this body of mine? I do want to discover anything you've got to teach. I get excited about opportunities to grow and come out a better person. But the anxiety part of the experience I could do without. Just carry me through it like you always do, okay? I have no fear. I'm listening.

Chaos

Chaos makes me so mad! It sucks the life right out of me some days. I am the introvert. I get drained very quickly when too many people are surrounding me. I thrive when I am alone. Yet, I love people. I love relationships and the challenges that come with them. That's how I grow the most - dealing with and doing life with people. But when it all turns into chaos I don't find it quite so enjoyable.

This is an interesting season in my life. I am quickly becoming a master multi-tasker. There is something about that that fuels me - the thrill of accomplishment at the end of the week. On Sunday afternoon when I get home from church and curl up in my bed I have no guilt. I know that the nap that is about to follow is much deserved. I know that the relaxation is much needed. And it is good rest.

The rest of the evening on Sunday's I am basically useless. Then comes the light of a new day. And as I wake up on Monday the chaos begins once again. Everyone wants breakfast. Olivia needs her morning fix of gum. Dishes are dirty from the day before. Loads and loads of laundry hide my bedroom floor. It's time for gymnastics. We need to eat lunch. Emma needs to practice piano and complete another day of school. Don't forget to help her memorize her multiplication tables! Kevin comes home. We all need dinner. Is it that time already? I still have emails to respond to from church and copies to make for next Sunday. The dog is sick. The humidifier in the hallway is growing some sort of nastiness that needs to be cleaned. The phone rings. All I want is 45 minutes to exercise and 20 minutes to read my Bible or a good book. Chaos!

So these days I'm learning to manage the chaos. I'm learning to say "no" more and I'm learning to pray more. And when I get a chance, I'm learning to escape. Maybe I need to write like today. Maybe I need a cup of Starbucks sugar-free vanilla, extra hot, no foam, 2% latte and a quiet drive in the car. Maybe I need Kevin's laptop and Grey's Anatomy on abc.go.com. Maybe I need to read a book or just quietly sit and listen to what God might have to say. Whatever it might be, I need to continue to learn to manage myself in such a way that life can't win at sucking out all of my juice. Because, you see, I have a family that needs me. They need me to be fresh for them. Kevin needs me to be sweet to him instead of a bear. I need to remember to laugh with them and enjoy them instead of just manage them. What a hard line it is to walk some days.

But I'm learning.

Chaos will probably forever make me crazy. I will probably always be working to tame that part of life. But today I am good. I'm just taking it slow and steady. But I'm sure that many unexpected are just around the corner.

Even Bigger than "Biggie" Sized

Tonight I feel like writing, although I must admit that as I type I really have no clear direction of where I am headed with this. Life is moving along. There is the basic chaos that everyone lives in. I would never consider myself living a life that is more crazy from the next person. We all live crazy, unpredictable lives, don't we? But we manage. Some days we manage well. Others we fall apart. If we are lucky, the well managed days outweigh the fall apart days. We have carried on with what we see as important and worth while. And we breathe. . . and hopefully we laugh and love. And with any luck we look back in the quiet of an evening just like this one and feel as if we have accomplished something good.

"With any luck". . .that phrase I just wrote bothers me all of a sudden. It's not luck. There is no such thing. It's about grace. It's the grace that only can come from a Heavenly Father who is much more powerfully in control than I, who dictates our days. It is his Holy Spirit that guides and prompts and pulls at our heart strings until we finally get up off our backsides and choose to take the right steps. . .choose to live a life purposefully worth while. If at any time luck comes in, it is in being "lucky" enough to be able to turn off the world around us long enough to experience the guidance that is so freely offered every second of every day. Maybe some day I will master that one.

I have a feeling that this year is going to be another one of those pivotal points in my life. And this is why. . .it's because God has me asking this question over and over again, "What does it mean to dream big with God?" What does it mean to dream Ephesians 3:20? "God wants to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine." I am the queen of limitations. I look at the checkbook or the bank account and freak out because I can't see with my own eyes or understand with my own brain how bills will possibly get paid. I think about going oversees again this summer and I laugh to myself as I can't imagine how I could ever be able to afford it. I think about speaking in front of a group and get filled with butterflies as I tell myself my gift is not teaching so I can't do it well. I limit myself and I limit God all of the time. And I settle for well managed days instead of vibrant ones.

Dream big. If we were all to truly dream as big as God might want us to dream and fully trust that God is big enough to fulfill those dreams, what might happen? There would be stories upon stories of God's provision. There would be life upon life changed. There would be an overflow of life transformation happening around us all of the time because so many unexplainable things would be happening every day. God would be the only answer to why. He would get all the credit because there is no way things so grand could happen without the hand of the Divine. Wouldn't that be cool?

And life would not be the ball of chaos that we see it as today. Life would be a life of purpose and vision. We would not be limited because we would be so connected to the Divine that the overflow of a transformed heart would ooze out on to everyone we met. Life would not be easy or painless. But life would be freeing instead of confining - purposeful instead of packed full. Maybe we would never feel stuck again. Maybe we would truly live a full and abundant life.

You see, I am becoming more and more convinced that we live mediocre lives because we believe that we serve a mediocre God. I fail on a daily basis to remember the power of the Almighty. I fail to remember that he wants to trickle that power down on me. I fail to remember that he is the King and that makes me a princess. I'm great at putting God in his nice little God box. I only expect him to show up in crisis and on special occasions.

Now don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that I want to pray that Prayer of Jabez and wait for my life and land to be increased. No, I fully expect God's big dream for Amy to bring me to my knees instead of raise me on the clouds. But I'd much rather be on my knees resting in the fullness of what God wants for me than to be crawling on my own going nowhere.

In 2007 and every year to come I just don't want to settle for simply being happy that the well managed and peaceful days outweigh the fall apart ones. I want to set my sights on God-sized dreams. Like at Wendy's, I really want to dream even bigger than "Biggie size" dreams for this year and see what God might do. I can't wait to write and tell you all of the ridiculous things that God does. I wait expectantly. I wonder what specifically I should dream? Please, God, let me know.

_____________________________________
"What was once known as a 'biggie' drink at Wendy's is now just a 'medium.' Soft drinks now come in small, medium and large sizes only. The 42-ounce large is equal to three-and-a-half cans of soda." Now that's what I call "exceedingly and abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine!!"hahaha

Kicking My Butt

Yep, God seems to be doing that quite often these days. And you know, it's all my fault. :-) You see, about 4 months ago Kevin and I were sharing in a small group about the times that God has forced us to take huge leaps of faith in our lives and in our marriage. It was fun to share and even fun to think back on - remembering the hard times and being on the other side, seeing how God provided. That night on the way home I made the ridiculous mistake of saying to Kevin that I kinda wish one of those faith step moments would happen again. Lesson #1 - Don't ever say that!!!!! It's like asking for patience. Everyone says don't do it or you will have to go through a tough time of God giving something horrible to you to be patient about. Well, don't ever say you want to work on your character some more by being faced with a faith step either.

My character is exhausted!! For the last 3 months God has allowed stress after stress to pile up on me on the money end of life like he has not done in a very long time. That is not what I meant when I asked for faith steps to be presented. In my mind I think I was dreaming of something fun and crazy that he might ask us to do, and my character growth would be in the faithful following of that. But no - instead God decides once again to hit me with the issue of money. "When will I be enough, Amy?" "When will you truly trust me to provide?" "How are you going to handle this hit and this little twist of the knife?" "How is your integrity?" "How emotionally tied to this money stuff are you?" "Do you remember that I own it all?" "Do you remember that I can give and take away at a moment's notice?"

So last Sunday I was sitting in church with all of my girls worshipping to a song that is really dear to my heart. "Blessed Be the Name" was the first song that we ever sang at Cool River. Josh was playing and we were meeting at the AMC. Every single time I hear that song I have such fond memories. And as I was singing and thinking about that again, God opened my ears to the words in a different way. . .

Blessed be the Name in the Land that is Plentiful
Where the Streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name
Blessed be you name
One the road marked with suffering
When there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name
Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be the name. . . . .
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be your name. . . .

And it struck me - it's about saying "blessed be your name" to God, no matter what. That was the lesson he wanted me to get!

Blessed be his name no matter what. Blessed be his name when the credits and debits don't match up. Blessed be his name when there is money in the saving account and when there is not. Blessed be his name when the dog gets sick, when the taxes are great, when the hospital bills come, when someone else unknowlingly makes a mistake that causes me grief or when a car accident happens that causes unexpected repairs. Blessed by his name when my children laugh as they are burying themselves in the snow. Blessed be his name when Kevin and I have a great date night. Blessed be his name when I sit in the mountains of Vietnam. Blessed be his name when the sun comes up another day. Blessed be his name when we get 45 inches of snow and I am stuck in the house for days. Blessed be his name!

That's it.

I get it.

Lord, blessed be your name.

Claire Flies Into the New Year

New Beginnings

Happy 2007! With only a few hours to go, I suppose it would be appropriate to spend a little bit of time reflecting on 2006 and dreaming about what 2007 might be. I just love new beginnings. Kevin has always said to me that I am a great starter. So this time of year really excites me. A fresh new calendar, a clean slate. . .that feeling like you had back in school when you opened up a brand new, fresh, clean notebook for the very first time. . .so many possibilities.

2006 has been a great year for the Colon family. I can't say that there has been any tremendously huge drama. We have ridden the ride of Cool River for another year. God has blessed and grown that entire community. We have made some new friends and grown closer to many old ones.

As a family we have traveled a lot. Kevin went to Vietnam twice and I finally got to return again after 7 years of longing to be back there. We spent a week in Glorietta, New Mexico, and made it back home to Kentucky 2 times.

Emma turned 7 and we have successfully made it through the first semester of second grade homeschooling. She made the decision to follow Jesus this fall and become a Christian. That was this years biggest blessing for our family. Claire turned 5 and has made really big steps toward overcoming her shyness. I see her coming into her own unique personality as 2007 begins. Olivia is simply a pleasant, adorable 3 year old with a mind of her own.

I can't say that I have and regrets as 2006 ends. Are there many things to improve in 2007? Absolutely! For one, I want Kevin to be able to say that not only am I a good starter but a good finisher. There is going to be a great opportunity to be just that as I will be serving as the interim children's pastor at church this year. 2007 is going to be a great juggling act. Between homeschool, raising a family, church, this new job, going back to Vietnam, family time and "me" time, it is going to be a year spent like never before. It almost feels as if we are stepping back in time to those seminary days in Ft. Worth when so much was happening as Kevin and I were trying to do church and family and finish our degrees. But what an incredible time that was! Hard - but so worth the work. These are my expectations for the new year as well. Hopefully I am even better prepared today for the challenge.

So what is the mark of a successful year? - to look back and see that I have grown. . . to see that I am not where I was this time last year. . .to see that I have not taken steps backward but made strides forward. Have I stumbled along the way? More than I would like to admit. But in the end, I am pleased and I am ready for yet another new start. I can't wait to write again next year at this same time. I'm sure I could not even begin to imagine what lies ahead.

New Year's Resolution? I don't even bother making those because I always break them at about week 2. But new year's goals and dreams. . .here's a few.

To dream bigger.

To trust God more and spend even more time studying.

To worry less.

To win the reading war with Kevin - we are planning to see who can read the most books this year. Last year I read over 25 so my goal is at least 30.

To return to Vietnam - the dream would be to go as a family, but that would be a big God thing if it became possible.

To mentor and build more meaningful friendships.

To serve and finish well with Cool River Kids.

Go on a mini "Amy" vacation

To be more purposeful in spending quality fun time with my girls.

To continue date night with Kevin and plan a mini vacation just for the two of us.

I'm sure there are many other things to dream of and hope for. I can't even imagine them all because I have no idea what the future holds. As I write throughout the next year, I'm sure there will be many goals accomplished and many surprises realized. Here we go. . . .

The Journey Continues

To read about my new adventure, click here. . .

Money

There is no other thing that I have more of a love/hate relationship with in this life than money. Have you ever felt that way? Money seems to come around just long enough for you to take a deep breath and then whoosh, it's gone again. There is nothing else that has the power to change my mood than this horrible thing that even the Bible calls the "root of all evil." Money has the power to change me from a peaceful person to an angry, anxious and scared person in only a matter of moments. Credits, yea! Debits, o no!!! And when the debits outweigh the credits, everyone had better watch out! Amy's level of anxiety has been raised to a 10 and the fallout of my mood is going to affect everyone in arms reach.

Now that's a sad confession.

Do I want to be this way? Of course not. My mind knows all the right answers when it comes to tight situations. God is the great provider. God has never, ever let us fall. God has blessed our family "exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine (Eph, 3:20)." Is he going to stop today? Is he going to stop next week or next year? No. God did not sign on to be with us and provide for us for only 18 or 21 or 45 years. He signed on for life - and for life eternal.

So why do I get so crazy when bills add up and there seems to be no hope of staying afloat? If I say I know God and trust God, why do I doubt him when things seem out of my control? That is the exact moment that he promises to step in, isn't it? That's why he brings us to those places, isn't it? That's how he makes us dependent on him, right? But, o, how I can't stand it! How I hate to be pushed to the edge. How I hate to be dependent on anyone - even God. That must be pride, huh?

So what can I do when life is life and throws it's rotten eggs? Breathe. . .Take a deep breath, pray for my own sanity, pray for God's hand of protection and provision once again, truly give the matter to him (which is SUPER hard) and wait. I can not figure out the debits of life on my own. I have no power to fix anything. All I can do is live each day, take what comes and trust God to handle the rest.

God, please help me to roll peacefully with the punches, cease knocking those around me out along the way, breathe easily and trust you more.

Christmas Morning

More memories. . .

Christmas morning in my house growing up was always very peaceful. Christmas music would be playing when I awoke and Mom would always try to give me hot chocolate that I was much too excited to ever drink. It was never any huge production. I really like that. Because I grew up and only child, everything was always very calm and orderly - very unlike Christmas mornings at my house today. You know, I never understood until I became a parent the whole deal about why my mom and dad waited so long to open their own gifts on Christmas morning. I was always more than ready to tear into mine. I would open everything and have it all arranged just perfectly so that I could then sit back and observe all that I had received and my parents would still have a pile of gifts wrapped neatly at their feet. But I get it now. I'm just like them now. The gifts for me mean very little in comparison to the opportunity to watch the expressions on my girls' faces as they open their own.

Next, it was time to get dressed and go to Katie and Pappy's house. You know, I was a little girl when Pappy was with us for Christmas. I don't remember a lot. But in my mind I can still see him at the head of the table for Christmas morning breakfast. It was always a breakfast with all the trimmings - especially country ham. But the gifts had to come first. I remember Nancy still dressed in some long, cozy extra warm gown and robe (she was always so cold!) sitting in the middle of the floor with me as we passed out presents together. Just like Mom and Dad, Katie and Mamaw would watch and watch as everyone else opened their gifts. Then we would have to wait another fifteen minutes for them to finally open theirs. Santa visited so many houses when I was a kid. I wonder how he ever knew that I was going to be coming to them all? Every place I went I had a gift that said "from Santa" on the tag. I eventually figured it out that that usually meant "from Katie" instead. Surely the real Santa would not give Dad and Wayne underwear and socks.

The day ended with a meal once again (we ate a lot) at Grandma and Papaw's house. And that was Christmas. It was a wonderful time. Christmas as a kid will always be some of my very best memories. So to Mom and Dad, Katie and Pappy, Nancy and Wayne, Mamaw and Aaron, Willa, Jack and Rose, Grandma and Papaw, Ma, Kay, Gay, Jeff and all the family - thank you from the bottom of my heart for the memories. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for providing me a great foundation - a wonderful and healthy start. Thank you for the security of home and happiness. Thank you for investing in me and loving me. I miss you!

And when Emma, Claire and Olivia grow up I hope that they will also be able to look back and remember all the little things and all the love that they found in their holiday traditions, too. It's not easy to be so far away from "home" this time of year. But I am blessed and thankful for all the new memories I get to make.

I'll Be Home for Christmas. . .

if only in my dreams. . . . .

Well, it's Christmas Eve. . .and I am home. No, not "home." "Home" is many, many miles away. At "home" right now it's late afternoon. Grandma and Papaw are already watching and waiting for the first sign of family to drive up. Their video camera is charged and ready to go. Either coconut or jam cake is on the kitchen counter ready to be enjoyed by all. All of the kids have grown up now. It's not the same as it used to be. But it is tradition all the same.

I remember as a kid being so excited to finally get to Grandma and Papaw's house because it was there that we would sit and watch for Santa's sleigh on the evening news. Then Dad would tell me that we had better hurry home before Santa got to our house. So after bagging up all of the mounds of wrapping paper and loading the trunk of the car with all of our goodies, we would say "goodbye" and Christmas Eve would officially come to an end. I will forever cherish the memories of that crowded little living room full of family and love.

. . . . . .

Christmas Eve growing up was quite the event. I'm not sure what time the festivities started, but I am quite sure that I have no idea how we fit everything in. The best I can remember, we started our night at Willa and Jack's house. As a little girl I was always so happy to be there. They always had a UK game on the tv and Christmas music in the background. The tree was huge and the presents were so many that they filled the entire room. This was a time to be with family that I did not see very often except for the holidays. Rose and Willa always prepared the yummiest food and as a little girl I remember always hearing Janet Webb's voice in the background. We always put our coats in Jack and Willa's bedroom and as the night went on I remember wanting to escape back into that room and look around. I'm not sure why. I think I was always fascinated because Jack and Willa slept on two twin beds. Isn't it funny the things that our minds store away as lasting memories?

After Willa and Jack's it was on to church for the Christmas Eve service and then to Mamaw and Aaron's house. And what do I remember about that?. . . Ina's cream candy packaged in mason jars and curly ribbon, a stocking filled with half dollars and yummy fruit, a tiny little tree that sat on a small table and all around it was surrounded with First Bank and Trust envelopes for the whole family. I remember Aaron sitting in his gold colored chair and Mamaw in her thin striped green dress with a little zipper on the front and a Christmas pin. And I remember her laughing so hard that she could hardly catch her breath as she told her stories.

I wonder. . .what kind of memories will my girls have of the holidays? It's not the same today as it was back then. Our town was small. My family surrounded me. I can't recall that I ever received a UPS box filled with gifts or a Christmas card that said "Merry Christmas from across the miles." But. . .tonight we are HOME. The snow is falling again tonight. We are having a very white Christmas (of 30+ inches of snow). We are together. Our house is warm and filled with love. It's good. So, Merry Christmas across the miles to all of my family!

Merry Christmas!!!

Today's "Olivia-isms"

"Claire hurt my feelings and I need to go to the doctor!"

With hands on her hips and lip out. . ."I don't want God to keep me safe tonight. And I can have good dreams all my myself!"

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

We have been listening to Christmas music a lot in our house lately. It's hard to believe that it is already that time of year again. But today I can say that officially "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." As I sit here at the computer I am looking out of my window to about 4 leftover inches of snow from earlier in the week as even more is right now falling from the sky. That's Colorado for ya. We had a 70 degree Thanksgiving. Now the snow is here. And on Christmas day it will once again probably be a balmy and sunny day. O, but we love the snow. We will take it when we can get it.

As a family we have always made it a point to wait until after Claire's birthday on the 5th to put up our tree in an attempt to separate the two holidays. This year we are going home to Kentucky before Christmas so I had to break my rule and put up the tree already. It's a kid tree with penguins and Barbie and Strawberry Shortcake, Dora and princesses. And already it has been such a joy to watch the girls excitement over it. With only the lights on the tree they were already "practicing for Christmas." They turned all of the lights in the entire house off except for the tree and then went around gathering up anything they could find to pose as presents - dirty clothes, shoes, old toys - whatever was on the floor. They placed the "presents" under the tree, ran upstairs to pretend they were sleeping, ran down the steps when it was time to wake up, asked if they could see their gifts and very excitedly opened each one. This provided an entire evening of entertainment.

Now the ornaments are on and all is complete. The snow is falling. The house is clean. And what do I intend to do today? Absolutely NOTHING! We have a gingerbread house to decorate, a UK basketball game to watch and a party to go to tonight. It's Saturday and I 'm thrilled to be able to relax. We leave for Kentucky on Monday. Can't wait!

Happy Holidays to all!

Happy Turkey Day!

Today was the first ever Thanksgiving that we have spent alone as a family. It really was a lot of fun. We started out the day with a 9:45am movie - Santa Clause 3. Then it was off to Flagstaff mountain in Boulder. We hiked up for about 40 minutes. I was amazed at how well the girls did. They climbed and slipped and fell and got back up again so many times, but no one fussed to go back down. In the end it was Maverick who could not go any farther and we had to turn around to go home. After naps and a little caffeine, it was time to cook. Thank you Honey Baked Ham Co. for the yummy turkey, dressing and gravy! After adding a few sides and a chocolate cake, we had a really good Thanksgiving feast, if I do say so myself. Now it is time to say goodnight. The vacation is over and tomorrow is another day. . .

Dancing with the Stars

No one sitting at home on Wednesday night could have possibly cheered more than the Colon girls when Emmitt and Cheryl won. As a family we have followed this show since the start. It has by far been the best family show ever! From Olivia who is 3 years old all the way to Kevin and I and even Gran and Pop in Kentucky, we have all spent the last 10 weeks on the edge of our seats cheering on our favorites. Emmitt was my pick from the start. Olivia and Claire, on the other hand, were Mario and Karina fans. But in the end, we all danced around as Emmitt held the trophy high in the air.

What craziness it is to get so excited. But what incredible memories we have made with our girls through it all. I'm so sad it's over.

Click Here to Watch Emmitt and Cheryl Dance

My Favorite Clip Here

Operation Christmas Child

Today Emma, Claire and I delivered the Operation Christmas Child boxes that we collected at Cool River. The total was 41 - not bad for a church of 120. It was a lot of fun to watch Emma and Claire unload the van and carry the boxes in one by one. Lord, I really do pray that as we continue to teach them and stress the importance of giving to others that they will get it. I have 3 little girls that are extremely blessed. They have family that loves them and would do anything to take care of them. They have toys and computers and books and friends. They have more than enough clothes to wear and shoes to keep their feet warm even in the coldest of winter. They are happy children.

Sometimes I just really don't get why God allows some people to have so much and some to have so little - especially children. It makes me think back to the children I have met in Vietnam. They are some of the happiest kids I have ever seen - and their happiness is different from Emma, Claire and Olivia's. Their happiness is dependent upon nothing else than the love and care of their family. They don't have toys and Gameboys and battery operated Barbie Hummers. They have each other. They find value in helping the family. They experience nature and God's surroundings daily. Sure, they have it tough - in our eyes. But they don't even know it. Their own life is all they know and they are content. It's all about perspective.

Lord, help Kevin and I during this holiday season to teach our kids more and more about caring for others and being happy just because they belong to a family and they belong to you. It is such a huge uphill battle - this holiday season that we have commercialized so much. I really want our girls to see the "true meaning" of the holidays. Make me wise in how to assist in bringing that about for them.

Merry Christmas to the kids who receive our three little shoe boxes! It's not much, but they are filled with love.

Emma's Special Day

For about the last year Kevin and I have been having spiritual conversations with Emma. It all started when she began seeing her friends get baptized. She all of a sudden wanted to do it, too. But I think it was all about the novelty of getting to hop into a hot tub at church. Still, this led us on a journey of teaching and talking with her more and more about sin, Heaven, Hell, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Every day we have been doing our Bible lessons in school. Emma has become quite the whiz at looking up scripture. And lately I had started noticing a spark in her eyes and a lift in her voice, as if when she read her Bible out loud it really meant something to her. It was like she was truly trying to understand what it was saying and not just get her school work done.

Just last Sunday a man spoke to the children at church. He was an illusionist and ventriliquist. And in the middle of his performance I heard that he shared the Gospel a number of times. And that, I believe, was the event that brought about a moment of understanding for Emma. The pieces started to connect. Somehow this week all of her head knowledge about Jesus dying on the cross to save her from her sins and make it possible for her to have eternal life in Heaven made its way down into her heart.

As one event led to another, today Kevin told Emma that soon we would be having another baptism at Cool River. They talked and once again she told him that she wanted to be baptized. Then tonight as I was reading to her before bedtime (an absolutely incredible book called "Leading Little Ones to God" that we have been reading for about a month now) I asked her if she had ever prayed the prayer to ask Jesus into her heart. She said "yes." - though she couldn't give me any details as to what she said.

Up until today I have been very skeptical that she truly understood the whole salvation and baptism thing. But today, I know. My own spirit is confident that as much as her little mind can comprehend right now, she gets it. She loves God and Jesus and wants to be with God in Heaven forever. She knows that her sin separated her from God. And tonight, as I sat on her bed and helped her to pray once again, she asked Jesus into her heart. Granted, I did not hear her words. She did not want to say them out loud. But I "heard" them. They were real. And her face lit up afterwards, knowing that something very special and important had just occured.

And as she ran downstairs to tell her Daddy that she had just prayed "the Jesus prayer" I knew once again that God had been faithful. For it is by nothing that I did that drew Emma's heart to God. Kevin and I gave her lots of head knowledge, but it was the Holy Spirit who drew her little 7 year old heart to his today.

So Emma's journey has just begun. . .

Significance

The last few days have been a whirlwind. We have had friends visiting from Texas and a weekend away in the Springs. Then on top of it all (and the best part), it was church as usual today. Lord, thank you for the stamina to lead the life that you have placed before me.

So often it seeems as if we as Americans almost thrive on the stress and busyness of our lives. It's like we almost feel less significant in some way if we don't have a million things on our "to do list" to juggle and talk about. We complain about busyness, and yet we live for it.

I fall into this catagory way too often. I say that I wish life would slow down. I am mindful of days when life was more simplistic. But when it comes down to it, is it slowing down that I really want? No. I tend to think that it is significance - the knowing that all of the wheel spinning has been worthwhile. The pace of life has become the norm. But at the end of the day, have I truly done something of significance? Some days, yes. Many - no. . .

Luckily, this weekend I was reminded once again of the significance of starting Cool River. As I sat in a room filled with many other couples from Colorado who are doing the life of church planting just as Kevin and I are, I was reminded of God's purpose and call and vision. I was reminded of the significance of the daily hustle and bustle of developing a community of faith in Superior. I was reminded of the eternal lives at stake. I gained perspective once again.

We stayed at a castle when we were with all of these other church planters. It was a beautiful place nestled in the mountains. And we were surrounded for 2 days by people who were much like Kevin and myself and at the same time, as different as night and day from us. It was very interesting. We all had the same "call" from the Lord - to help to bring others into the Kingdom, to make disciples and bring a community of faith to the location that God had called us. But much of the commonality stopped there.

These days there are so many different genres of "church" happening that the average person's head might be sent swimming into confusion. I say that because I am average and I have a headache. There is the ever traditional church (that one is now being called "legacy" style church, by the way). There is contemporary church and seeker sensitive church and cell church and house church. There is good old Southern Baptist hymn singing church all the way to church that is so much on the edge of style that I don't even know what they call it. Churches meet in schools and buildings and crystal cathedrals and homes. Then to top it all off, you take all of those different types of communities of Christian faith and pair them up with the people that God created so uniquely different to lead them. . .and you really do have huge ball of confusion. And yet, it can be a beautiful confusion if we are careful not to think too highly of ourselves and our own preferences and realize that God's church is just as unique as God's creation.

And the really cool part of it all is that there is significance to be found in them all. I get so tired of one practitioner trying to convince me that his style is truly the most holy and biblical of them all. I get so tired of the complaining that comes from the person set so much in their own ways that they can't imagine God ever moving anywhere outside of where their brains might be able to comprehend. The way I see it is if at the end of the day the presence of the Holy Spirit was known and people are coming to know the Lord in a truely relational way that brings about life transformation, then it can't matter how or when or where "church" was done. The significance is found in the fruit of the labor. If God can bless and use a man like Billy Graham as well as a rock star like Bono and a 25 year old little Vietnamese guy in the Northern mountains Vietnam - all who are radically different - to spread the truth of the saving grace of God, then I should assume that he can use any style of church to do the same.

Now I am no scholar on this matter - thank God. I'm sure that some would try their best to shoot holes in all of my thoughts. But aren't you glad that God chooses to give significance and honor to all of those who are striving with the purest heart possible to serve him, even though they might be different from us?

You know, I got frustrated a lot this weekend as pastors with good hearts took perch upon their soapboxes to rally the troops over to their side of the fence. Many (not all) house church people think that they have recovered an approach that will truly bring us back to the roots of the first century church in it's purest form and everyone else is chugging down the wrong path to true disciple making. Organized church people can't fathom letting go of their systems that they have known for so many years. All are doing phenominal things for the Kingdom. All are flawed. All stand testimony to the diversity of God the Father. There is significance in them all. If done by the leading of the Holy Spirit, all play their part in God's divine plan to draw his creation to himself.

So, is all this daily wheel spinning significant? Absolutely. Do we ever get off track? Absolutely. Is there room for complaining about our fellow worker in Christ and lobbying for people called of God to start a church to jump on board with the latest new trend? No way! Eternity is at stake. God's creation is diverse. God's call is unique to each individual. The world is full of many different people. Thank goodness that significance is not granted by sinful people like me. The blessing is given at the end of the day when our heads hit the pillow and we hear the Holy Spirit quietly whisper "well done."

WOW!

So I left Kevin home alone with the girls for about 30 minutes on Friday. . .
Yep, that's blue fingernail polish. . .AGAIN! (This time I learned my lesson and threw it away.)

Saturday

Pumpkins from Katie and
Minnie at the mall. . .

Where do you "find" God?

What kind of question is that? Where do you find God? God is with us everywhere we go, right? That is the good Sunday school answer. But often it is as if he is just along for the ride and I seem to forget more times than I should that he is there. Can you relate? If so, maybe you can also relate to that feeling that can come to the pit of your stomach when you just know that it is time to slow down, catch your breath, relax and just be with the Lord. So where do you go? Where do you find God?

I know that some people find him in the early morning when the world seems to still be asleep. Some find him in the mountains while taking a hike or on the lake while fishing. Other people just like to take a ride with him in the car while going basically nowhere. That used to be one of my favorites until gas prices became so ridiculous. Starbucks with a journal, Bible and good book is also on the top of my list. But if you want to know my favorite place to sit quietly with God, it would be. . .get this. . . the Omni Hotel. Yep, that's right. Now don't steal my spot! I don't want to see you the next time I go loitering there on a late night. But that's where I go. That is where I find Him.

Big comfy couches, a fireplace, pretty music playing in the background (and a Starbucks that I pick up on the way) . . . this is my idea of relaxation. This is my idea of sitting with God. This is the environment where I hear God and learn from God the best. I'm such a yuppie, aren't I!? Yup!

Why do I feel compelled to write about this? I have absolutely no idea. Maybe you need to find your place to hang out with God, too.

Today

I woke up this morning at 6:00am. That has not been the norm as of late. But today I was given a boost of energy that took me out of my bed and into the basement for an early morning workout. If I could get into the habit again, this is what I would like every morning to look like. By 7:30 I was exercised, showered and I had already had my quiet time with the Lord. My day had already started and the house was still quiet. aahhh, yes! Snuggled up to read a book until the madness began, the phone rang.

You know that feeling? It was way too early for anyone to call unless there was an emergency. My heart stopped beating for a second as I said "hello?" And who was it? My friend, Nikki, from Texas. "Amy, what time is it there - 7:30 or 9:30?" "7:30." "O Amy, I'm so sorry!! Let me call you back later. . ." Later, are you kidding? Later there would be kids running through the house and laundry to wash. Oddly enough, she had perfect timing.

And an hour later as we said goodbye, do you know what? The house was STILL quiet. What a fantastic gift God gave me this morning to start off my week! And do you want to know what one of the big things that we talked about was? The Amazing Race. Did you see it last night on tv? (picture above) They were in Hanoi! No, better than that, they were at the Melia Hotel where we stay in Hanoi. And better than that - Nikki and Bob were there when they were filming it this summer. It was so much fun to watch that show last night with my girls. The streets and the people and the choas of Vietnam. . . I asked Emma, "Would you like to go there with me some day?" She said, "I haven't decided just yet." Claire, on the other hand, chimed in quickly saying, "Mommy, I want to go! Can I go???" "Absolutely." What a fun experience it will be to one day share that place with them and introduce them to our friends.

I'm just so blessed. Thanks, God, for reminding me of that just exactly when I need it. Thanks for unexpected phone calls and children to share dreams and life with. Thanks for opportunities. Thanks for the support that you send my way, whether it is through a daily time with you or from a caring friend who might be states away. Thanks for energizing me when I need it desperately. Thanks for today.