How nice to have such a laid back, relaxing day!! This morning, after being woken up by a squirrel running around on our roof, we took the girls to the opening of The Studio in Fulton, a paint-your-own pottery shop that a friend of ours just bought. The girls had fun painting and T and I got to catch up with this family. The girl who bought the place was a member (as a teenager) of one of T's first missions trips, her father was T's youth pastor and the pastor who officiated our wedding and the rest of their family? We love them all! It was super hanging out with them, catching up and it was right around the corner from our house!
When we came home, T took Kt to an ice-skating birthday party - her first time skating - and Em and I went to the park with our neighbors, along with the rest of the world, and enjoyed our unseasonably warm weather - in the 60's! Then we came home, played a game of Princess Monopoly Jr. and just as we were cleaning up, T's parents arrived with dinner - Chinese food, of course!
Right now the girls are cleaning up, T's out picking up a movie for us (I hope it's good) and then it's bed time! I have to get up EARLY tomorrow because I agreed to help with childcare at the early service. Apparently, the children's department was unprepared for the influx of new children. Since we went from 3 to 2 services at our new building, all the parents of little children have decided to come to the early service. They had ordered 100 new little chairs for the new building and after two weeks had to order 75 more!! That's crazy. Of course, no one wants to work in these rooms with crying toddlers so I'm going to give it a try. Pray for me!
I've been reading up a bit in the past couple of days on the whole homosexuality debate between BMclaren and MDriscoll. Hmmm.... what to think? Many people have chimed in about their feelings on this matter, I've given it much thought and I'm kind of embarrassed to be associated with either of their views, honestly. Again, my husband is most likely shaking in his boots that I'm even bothering to mention all this in my tiny voice! I'm not going to post links to either of these opinions, but I will post to this, which I think is probably more in tune with the way I want believe:
The rest of this interview can be read here.
I think what is going on in the other conversation is very damaging to the church. There is a lot of name-calling, many accusations, "Christian" bashing, and it's, well, just plain embarrassing. I think Christianity is about building relationships, and it's the relationship each of us build with Christ first that will shape us, our beliefs and our attitudes toward each other. When we are secure in that relationship, when we synch up with the heart of God, there is little room left in our hearts for the questions that I'm reading online. God desires to know you, He pursues you NO MATTER the sin in your life. There is not one human being on this earth that He does not desire to know intimately and for anyone who chooses to accept His heart view, there is little question about these "issues."
My questions to myself are this: what will I do to present to pre-believers the true character of Christ? How can I better be used by Him in the world he has placed me? How do I articulate His heart (not mine) to each person He puts in my path? In what ways would He have me improve my relationships with other believers so that His kingdom come, His will be done (not my will)?
These are only a few of the questions raised in my mind while I've been reading through posts, comments and more posts on this subject. I guess my feeling about homosexuality is that I don't know much about it. I'm a woman, a mother, a wife and a teacher. Those are the things I know. I don't know what it's like to be a man, a homeless person, to live in poverty, to have a handicap, to be rich and powerful, to live outside the U.S., and while I could pretend to be any of these things, it would be humorous at best. If I were called on the spot to make a judgment about any such issue that I am personally unfamiliar with, I would have to defer to God's Word.
In the meantime, in the pursuit of a fuller, richer relationship with God, His Son, the Holy Spirit - I pray for the time of completion, when we can come together as one body, working for the good of the kingdom, together, in unity, undivided and worthy to be called His children.
Well, T's back so we are off to watch Born Into Brothels. I hope it's good!
(In my readings/searchings on this subject, I had MANY questions about the "emergent church" and found this post very helpful in understanding the origin, history and present state of this "movement".)
When we came home, T took Kt to an ice-skating birthday party - her first time skating - and Em and I went to the park with our neighbors, along with the rest of the world, and enjoyed our unseasonably warm weather - in the 60's! Then we came home, played a game of Princess Monopoly Jr. and just as we were cleaning up, T's parents arrived with dinner - Chinese food, of course!
Right now the girls are cleaning up, T's out picking up a movie for us (I hope it's good) and then it's bed time! I have to get up EARLY tomorrow because I agreed to help with childcare at the early service. Apparently, the children's department was unprepared for the influx of new children. Since we went from 3 to 2 services at our new building, all the parents of little children have decided to come to the early service. They had ordered 100 new little chairs for the new building and after two weeks had to order 75 more!! That's crazy. Of course, no one wants to work in these rooms with crying toddlers so I'm going to give it a try. Pray for me!
I've been reading up a bit in the past couple of days on the whole homosexuality debate between BMclaren and MDriscoll. Hmmm.... what to think? Many people have chimed in about their feelings on this matter, I've given it much thought and I'm kind of embarrassed to be associated with either of their views, honestly. Again, my husband is most likely shaking in his boots that I'm even bothering to mention all this in my tiny voice! I'm not going to post links to either of these opinions, but I will post to this, which I think is probably more in tune with the way I want believe:
What I'm trying to get across [at Mosaic] is, This is what God is saying about who you are, how God has created the cosmos and how life is to be lived out. It'’s very practical. Ironically, we probably talk more about the character of God than most congregations. We connect everything. Whether it's homosexuality, lying, stealing we connect everything to the character of God in that human beings were created to reflect the character of God. We function in the most healthy, powerful and vibrant way when we reflect the character of God. [Erwin McManus - in an interview for Relevant Magazine.]
The rest of this interview can be read here.
I think what is going on in the other conversation is very damaging to the church. There is a lot of name-calling, many accusations, "Christian" bashing, and it's, well, just plain embarrassing. I think Christianity is about building relationships, and it's the relationship each of us build with Christ first that will shape us, our beliefs and our attitudes toward each other. When we are secure in that relationship, when we synch up with the heart of God, there is little room left in our hearts for the questions that I'm reading online. God desires to know you, He pursues you NO MATTER the sin in your life. There is not one human being on this earth that He does not desire to know intimately and for anyone who chooses to accept His heart view, there is little question about these "issues."
My questions to myself are this: what will I do to present to pre-believers the true character of Christ? How can I better be used by Him in the world he has placed me? How do I articulate His heart (not mine) to each person He puts in my path? In what ways would He have me improve my relationships with other believers so that His kingdom come, His will be done (not my will)?
These are only a few of the questions raised in my mind while I've been reading through posts, comments and more posts on this subject. I guess my feeling about homosexuality is that I don't know much about it. I'm a woman, a mother, a wife and a teacher. Those are the things I know. I don't know what it's like to be a man, a homeless person, to live in poverty, to have a handicap, to be rich and powerful, to live outside the U.S., and while I could pretend to be any of these things, it would be humorous at best. If I were called on the spot to make a judgment about any such issue that I am personally unfamiliar with, I would have to defer to God's Word.
In the meantime, in the pursuit of a fuller, richer relationship with God, His Son, the Holy Spirit - I pray for the time of completion, when we can come together as one body, working for the good of the kingdom, together, in unity, undivided and worthy to be called His children.
Well, T's back so we are off to watch Born Into Brothels. I hope it's good!
(In my readings/searchings on this subject, I had MANY questions about the "emergent church" and found this post very helpful in understanding the origin, history and present state of this "movement".)
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