Every morning lean your arms awhile upon the windowsill of heaven and gaze upon the Lord. Then, with the vision in your heart, turn strong to meet your day.
~author unknown
Okay, so I was sitting here, catching up on everyone's lives and thought (for the fifty millionth time) "I really need to update...but it will take SO long..." and then that song began to be sung in my head.
Drat. No excuse for procrastination anymore, so here goes.
God has been FLOODING us with His goodness, wisdom, and (of course!) instruction. The last few months have been filled with getting settled here in Charlotte, meeting brothers and sisters, getting studies started, teaching classes, learning more about how to be a godly mate, having people over, using the time-bake oven, traveling around the world (it seems like it), experiencing bittersweet heartache, learning MORE about how to be a godly spouse, using the time-bake oven CORRECTLY...
Oh, and we're still alive, by the way.
I have really been struck by how much I DON'T do: the time I waste online (sorry, pleo!), the words I refuse to let past my lips because I'm afraid to open my heart up and let people see Christ- thinking they might turn their backs on Him (and me), how many days I have let go by without writing my husband a more recent love letter, the two laundry baskets and dryer full of clean clothes waiting to be folded and put away, and the friends I haven't called in WEEKS because I know when I do I'll want to talk for three hours to each of them and I have my priorities wrong about time-management.
So, here is me doing what my conscience has been pricking me for. Here is me trying to do a better job of keeping in touch with all of my amazing friends and family in God. Also, here is me not folding the laundry or washing the sink of dirty dishes,:o) because I have been learning to realize that we are not on this earth to make physical aims our goal, but to shine the light of Christ. Sorry, but the carpet doesn't care squat whether it got vacuumed today or not, but my husband sure did need that peanut butter and jelly sandwich and glass of water as a snack and to sit down and spend some time with me.
We're all still learning! Good to hear from you! Tip to multi tasking: get a handsfree headset for your phone and do your laundry/dishes/whatever while yo talk to your friends! Bonnie and I had many long conversations while doing housework. You get caught up on your friends lives, and the household chores get done, and seem less of a chore that way! Taking time to care for your hubby is always the most important thing of the moment, and how blessed you are to have him work at home!
I'm still learning too! There are a lot of things I wish I had learned better before Emma came, because now they are ten times more difficult to accomplish. Perhaps the best lesson she has taught me is that time passes so quickly, so those things I need to do to be a better spouse and mother cannot wait -- but the dishes, laundry, or vacuuming can! I always think of the jar illustration...if you take a jar and place a couple large rocks, then some smaller rocks, then fill it with sand it all fits in the jar. But if you empty the jar and fill it with the sand first, then the small rocks, then the big rocks, they won't fit. We have to do our "big rocks" - our roles as Christians, wives, mothers, daughters, sisters; then our smaller rocks -- those little roles that are still important, but not nearly as important as our walk with God or our relationship with our loved ones. Finally you can take care of the sand -- the mundane, sundry tasks that fill in the gaps. I have seriously thought of keeping a jar on my kitchen window to remind me to keep my priorities straight each and every day.
probably not...I will be flying in that Friday morning, and flying out Monday morning. I am so, SO very happy for you! May God richly bless you and Justin in your time at Charlotte!!
Lindsey!! So good to 'read' you my dear. :) I. am. so. excited. Now I can zip you quick and fun emails...make twirpy comments on your pleo blog...you know...reach out and 'touch' you with the tips of my fingers :) Love you! See you Friday, Lord willing. :) :) (I like smiles)
I'm not at all saying that I personally agree with gay marriage, or homosexuality in general. However, I don't feel that the government has the right to govern individual morality, so I don't think this is an issue we should be voting on. If you wanted to go that direction, we'd have to consider only the candidate that would move to support banning every action that is considered sinful, which is up to interpretation based on specific religions, or even SECTS of specific religion. Therefore, I don't feel that I personally would have the right to vote against other human's individual opinions or rights.
I hope this explains my stance a little bit more.
How are you? I haven't heard from you in so long! You and your husband look SO happy together, and I'm so glad to see that!
Never knowing how fast the christian "joyful news circuit" went, Justin and I haven't been broadcasting this, but I figure it's time to let the cat out of the bag...
And every time I say that it must be followed up with no, we're not pregnant.:o)
Some may already know, but within the last several weeks Justin has had the opportunity to preach at a congregation who was looking for a full time preacher...and got asked to fill that position before we left the last time!
The congregation is in Charlotte, TN (about 40 min. straight west of Nashville). They have several elders and deacons, anywhere from 55-75 members, and a ready spirit to work and live for God! Justin and I are so very happy, excited, nervous, scared spitless, thankful, overwhelmed, and pretty much any other emotion you can think of. We covet your prayers as we start this next phase of our life...who knows what will happen next?!:o)
-Lin
P.S. Oh, I forgot to mention, we are leaving two weeks from tomorrow to move up there. Let the packing and pandemonium ensue!
P.P.S. I just realized how many of you seem to think it unnecessary to change to my REAL name on your friends lists...you know who you are. Goin' on five months here, people!:o)
So glad you guys finally let the beans spill. I wasn't sure who knew and who didn't. Now, I can just smile and be so proud of you both for God directing your steps and you having the courage to follow. Love you both and look forward to seeing you Friday.
WOW!!! you have prayers, and many of them. So I guess that I know where to find you the next time I am down that direction. ;) I know that God will use you both to the best of your ability. Love you!
That sounds like a great opportunity, and I know you and Justin will be wonderful assets to the group there. Praying that everything goes smoothly in transition. :)
hey Lindsey, that's great news! I hope God blesses you both richly in this choice you've made! being in a preacher's family, I know some of the struggles, but I wish you all the very best! =) And good luck on all the packing and moving! Again, I know what a pain it can be. =P
DOV camp was such an exhausting, emotional, encouraging, crazy, learning-filled week!! After "supervising" twenty girls (with a fantastic fellow counselor- thanks, Laura!) in the 12-13 yr. old cabin, "supervising" the afternoon activities with all 60 girls, soaking up SO much during the week, sitting in on whatever bible studies I could, and only receiving a handful of mosquito and chigger bites...
I was so thankful to come home to my husband. Being away from home was a time where God really taught me how to focus on Him; work for HIM, and live each day with the thought of "I only have today to work for the Lord...what can I do with it?", but also to verify in my mind that my REAL work is with my husband. There is no other work I would rather do than what can be done by the side of my head and husband.
With that being said (if you've made it all the way past the sappy stuff:o), here's the ironically funny part: I received only 4-5 chiggers while there, thanks to Lysol spray and clorox wipes. Last year almost EVERYONE was infected and miserable with TONS of chiggers. Well, I was thankful that my suffering was minimal when I came home and showed Justin on Friday night. Saturday he graciously let me take a nap while he went to meet with the men from Elkton to look at a piece of property they may be considering to build a new building on. He gets home, and within a couple of hours his feet are feeling a little funny. By the time we go to bed the tops of his feet had EXPLODED with these lttle red welts that were so numerous that they connected to make his feet a sheet of redness. Sunday morning it is still spreading up his legs, so we talk to a dermatologist that we worship with. "Chiggers" he said, as soon as Justin pulled down his socks to show him. Poor guy!! Here I am, home from a week in the "wild" with hardly any, and he went outside for maybe half an hour and got covered!
I'm sure as soon as he stops looking leprous he'll join me in thinking it's really funny, but until then it is NOT a laughing matter and I dare not say a word about how my 5 bites itch compared to his 3,000...oh dear...
(sigh) Chiggers....gotta love 'em.....ok, maybe not. Soon and very soon you both shall be 'blump' free. Hopefully, prayerfully, I mean.....well...yeah...(snicker) eventually. Love you two! Comfort each other with that which has comforted you, or something like that. Ok, I'll be done :).
Ha ha ha! That cracks me up...makes me think of that story Miss Judy told us when we were out for the wedding. I'm SO glad we don't have chiggers here!
Ohhhh, NO! I got them like that the other year, and it was downright hideous. Poor guy is right! (On the other hand, I AM glad that you only got a couple.)
I'm glad DOV went well, sorry about Justin's chigger bites! Erin will be home from FC camp this afternoon, I'm just ready to hear her bubbling over with all sorts of excitement about it. :)
I walked into a huge cabin bustling with teenage girls unpacking their gear. Curling irons cords were being unfurled, giggling was rampant, and pictures had popped onto the walls out of no where. I stood in the doorway, silently checking them off the list.
"HEY, EVERYBODY!!" I shouted.
No one dared answer with a "Hey, Lindsey!" since my greeting was oozing with venom, and there was not even a hint of a smile on my face.
Within minutes I had them lined up, military style, and sent off by groups to hit the showers. The first group took longer than the allotted five minutes, so I turned the water off on them and sent them out whether they were done or not, so the next group could get in. Everyone was sent to the cafeteria for lunch as soon as showers were done, and it was QUIET. Not a peep. I was sent to scour the grounds to make sure no one had escap...I mean, gotten lost on their way to lunch. I was just about to pounce on two girls (one with red hair named Rebecca) walking to their cabin when all of a sudden......
I woke up. Here's praying that my dream does NOT come true this upcoming week. Wow. Maybe you should pray for the girls in my cabin more than for me, who knows when I'll make them drop and give me fifty.:o)
God is going to use you to encourage, support, edify and love other people's kids this week. You make us so proud Linds. (sigh) Children are a gift from the Lord. Amen!! Drive safe, be safe, see you soon!
Hmmm... Maybe I should arrange a ride for my child with someone else... :) Teasing! How funny! Laura safely flew to Nashville today... She is so excited about camp!
I don't know if you will see this or not ...But Katherine is to have her gallbladder removed at A/L on Tuesday. If you see this please pray. Oh and have fun....and you make a good drill sargent....
