I am reading a new book

I have been halfway researching the AIDS epidemic for the past year. It is fascinating how a virus can change entire countries. I try to read books that are aimed at Christian responses to this crisis. The AIDS Crisis What we can do by Deborah Dortzbach & W. Meredith Long is a unique book that lists facts while capturing your heart. They present the prejudices that we have against people with this illness. It is nice to read a book that stretches you, and makes you reexamine the assumptions you live by. I have had the attitude for so many years that they get what they deserve. Is that what I think of all sin? I surely have never wanted what I deserve. I want mercy. I have mercy. And then there is the issue of the innocent--faithful wives and children. What do they deserve?

Now just because you reexamine doesn’t mean you change your beliefs, but it is refreshing to know that you have consciously decided to gauge your life by those principles. Should we as Christians proclaim that sin is sin? Yes. But we should be proclaiming that their is freedom from sin just as loudly. I think we tend to forget that part because we want to feel better than everyone else.

Why should we mess with other people’s sin when we don’t have our own under control? You always gain more love for people the more you learn about them. I think is the main point of God calling on us to “visit the orphan.” How can you physically see their plight without becoming moved and compelled to action. It allows you to change your actions along with your heart. So when I confront my ignorance in any area, I gain perspective. And when I seek out the mind of Christ, I gain His perspective and love. And God’s perspective always involves action.

So that is the main point I am taking away from this book. The Church should be acting, not ignoring problems. How that plays out is different for every ministry. But something should be done to show Christ’s love to these hopeless and shunned people. We need to give them hope. Now your passion may not be AIDS, but what is? What people are you loving and showing hope to? Are you ignoring those around you? Are you too comfortable? I have been for so many years. I thought smiling at people was being kind. Loving people is hard work. And I have to have constant reminders to propel me out of my temporary relapses of selfishness.

So here is my own reminder to myself. Look outside your paradigm for needs. When you find them, don’t just read about it, do something. While you are at it, don’t just do something, love....

because needs are people, and people require love.

We knew it would happen someday--Kimberlyn cut her hair

Honestly it is not that bad. I have a hard time finding the little lock of hair that is now bangs. Kimberlyn was up at the college building with her Daddy. I worked the night before, so I was at home sleeping. Andy was painting the building, one of the million remodeling projects in his career. He took the kids up there with him and let them watch movies. We have had instances with glue...I won’t go into that...but the kids are generally well behaved up at the building. But this time, Kimberlyn decided she needed a haircut. She found some kiddy scissors and took a chunck off the front. Her hair is so curly that it is not obvious. Well at least we have that out of the way. Doesn’t every kid try to cut their own hair at some point?

Jachin's 1st Soccer Game

Jachin had his first soccer game today. He is playing with Upward Soccer through Crosspointe Church. It is so cute to see his coed team of 4 & 5 year old kids running around the field. The field is tiny and they play with 4 players at a time. They make sure and rotate so that everyone gets equal playing time. They are clueless. Half the time they are running the wrong way. They just herd around the ball. Jachin was probably on the ground half the time. He growled at several players because their team name is the Lions. We had to tell him that is not part of the game. They all prayed together before the game and at half time they had a small devotional thought. It was cute to see them all bowing their heads and praying. Norman is such a competitive soccer town, that we thought Upward Soccer might be the route for us. Jachin loves wearing his cleats and shin guards.

Lelli Kelly

Kimberlyn is such a girlie girl! I don’t know where she gets it. I was a tomboy growing up. It was a fight weekly on Sundays to get me to wear those itchy dresses and tights. Kimberlyn wants to be a princess daily. She wants to wear her clicky shoes with everything. She loves wearing her leotard and tights for dance class. She loves anything pink and anything with the word princess is the best. We were at the church block party last night and they had a snow cone stand. She asked for a Strawberry Princess snow cone (they had strawberry), because princess would make it better. Don’t get me wrong, she has her tough moments. I have to tell her to not hit her brother more than the other way around. She wanted to do the zipline at the church because Jachin did it.

So what is this Lelli Kelly thing? When any commercial comes on TV that shows little girls being girly, she is all over that. Lelli Kelly is a british company that makes girls shoes. They are covered with beads and sequins. And now for the kicker----they come with a small purse and nail polish. The commercial is full of girls dressing up and being girly. So Kimberlyn is hooked! She has asked for “Kelly the pretty shoes” for her birthday. I thought it was cute and started searching for these shoes. I was in for a shock. This little girls shoes are $50-75!!!!! I don’t even spend that much on my shoes. Kimberlyn is only 3. That is not ok. So Andy told me to go buy some shoes, glue sequins on them, and buy some nail polish. That wasn’t a bad idea (and I may do that), but I felt like I would be lying to my child, when she opened the box and said “My Kelly the pretty Shoes!” So I started my online search for these ridiculous shoes, hoping to find a deal somewhere. I cannot believe parents actually buy these things for their children. I could find them on sale for 5-10 dollars off, but they were all still over $50. I was getting discouraged, when I hit the jackpot. I found clearance Lelli Kelly shoes on amazon.com. I found a pair of pink high tops with beading for $20 with free shipping! I was so happy. Finally I had the best of both worlds. I could give Kimberlyn the one thing she had asked for her birthday (which is just insane that a 3 year old is asking for shoes, but that is our daughter) and not break the bank. The shoes are not that cute, but they are pink! She is going to love the nail polish. Andy tells me that I am creating a monster. He thinks I am teaching her that she can get whatever she wants. I think I am teaching her if mommy can find it on sale, she can get something she wants on her birthday. The one thing I am not happy about, is that when Kimberlyn wears her fancy shoes out, the other moms will think, How could they spend that much money on a toddler? I know I would think that!

The Best News of Your Life

“Jachin, do you sin? Do you ever do things you aren’t supposed to?”

“Yes” he replied

“The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. Who is Jesus?”

“God’s son”

“Did Jesus ever sin?”

“No” Jachin said emphatically

“Then why did He die on the cross?”

“Well Daddy, He had to die for my sins...”

That is a snippet from the best conversation I have ever had. Jachin has been talking about God, Jesus, and salvation for the last year. I remember his Nana sitting down with him at Ted’s Mexican Restaurant. She was so excited and so wanted him to say the prayer, but Jachin wasn’t ready yet.

A few months ago, Jachin and I had a similar conversation and right before I asked him if he wanted to pray a prayer and ask Jesus into his heart, Jachin looked at me and said, “Am I going to go swimming with Brooks tomorrow?”

Christy was not exempt for this saga, she recently gave me a ‘to do’ list that included:

Custom Water Bottles for College Promotion

Cross for entry of the College Building

Jachin’s baptism

Haiti video

Babysitter list

We were all reacting to Jachin’s openness to talking about God. He is very in tune with spiritual matters and he loves talking about it. We didn’t want to push him, so we tried to be patient and give Jachin the opportunity to work it out with God.

Last night the PM service started with a baptism. Jachin asked me if he could do that. I told him that baptism is a way that we show everybody at the church that we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Jachin said he wanted to do that. So after the music part of the service, and the sermon, Jachin was waiting for the invitation. Because we had the Lord’s Supper, we didn’t have an alter call, we just started the Lord’s Supper.

Jachin asked if he could take the Lord’s Supper and I said no, because it is for those of us that have accepted Jesus and we do it to remember what Jesus did on the cross.

The service ended and then Jachin’s buddy Brooks came up to us and asked us what we were talking about, and I said, “We are talking about being a Christian”

Brooks said, “I am a Christian, I just haven’t been baptized yet.” Jachin then said that he wanted to be a Christian, then he saw another of his friends and ran off to say hi.

Christy asked me after the service if Jachin had become a Christian because she and Susan had heard us talking and Susan was diligently praying for Jachin the whole service.

The aforementioned conversation happened as Jachin went to bed. He prayed and asked Jesus to come into his heart and he thanked God for forgiving his sins.

I was saved when I was five and watching Jachin take this step was so encouraging to me. I don’t remember the details, but I got to be a part of the details of Jachin. He may not remember all the conversations, but he will have this blog to remind him and see how many people were praying for him and waiting for the day that he asked Jesus to save him.

Today was great. Jachin walked into our room singing a song “I am a Christian, I am a Christian”. He made it up himself. When I took him to school, he told me he will always be a Christian because it “doesn’t wash off”.

He talked to his Mimi, Pa, Nana, Papa, Grandmother & Papa Cross, Jeremy, Melissa, Jenny, Jacob and apparently everyone in Mrs. Hughes class!

I’ll end this blog with Jachin’s first sentence to all of them...

‘I have the best news of your life....”

Andy

First Day of School

What a big day! Jachin started Kindergarten today--all day Kindergarten. He is so excited to eat lunch at school. He has been talking all month about how he is a Kindergartner now, so he can do anything. He thinks he is all grown up now. We have to keep reminding him that a Kindergartner is not an adult. That surprised him. He suddenly wants to take showers. He didn’t want Andy to kiss him the other day. He asked what else Kindergartners do, and of course we used that to our advantage. We told him that they take out the trash every Monday (that is our trash pickup day). Three of the kids that were in his Pre-K class last year are in his class this year with Mrs. Hughes. One little girl lives across the street from us. I know Jachin is going to have a blast, but I am a little sad. What am I going to do until 2:45?

Kimberlyn has open house today to meet her teacher and look around the preschool. Her first actual school day is Tues. She is so ready to make friends of her own. She has been making up friends names and stories. We really do know one little girl already. Kimberlyn can’t wait to see her. Last night when Jachin and I were making his lunch for school, Kimberlyn wanted to make her lunch too (she doesn’t eat lunch at school). She wants to be just like her brother. She will only go on Tues. and Thurs. for 2 1/2 hours. I thought Bo would be here by now, so I never prepared myself for two mornings a week by myself. What am I going to do? I am sure I can figure something out! :)

God Rocks

God Rocks is the cutest kids show about the Bible. Usually I think the shows are great for the kids, but are a little annoying. Well, with God Rocks I have learned something. They basically make bible verses into songs (BibleToons) and then do a little show about it. Some of the songs on their CD are done by a guy doing an Elvis impersonation (I could do without those). But for the most part, the songs are catchy and well done. Most of them are rock style, but a few are Elvis, Beetles, MoTown, or Beach Boys. I have learned more bible verses in the past year than probably ever. And it is so nice to hear the kids singing away in the car. They are at the perfect age to memorize and soak up anything they hear. Why not bible verses?! Maybe when they get older they will remember these cheesy songs. And hopefully they will understand what they have been singing about for years.