Merry Christmas to all of you!
John 1:14~ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Pregnancy update
We have made it to 25 weeks and 3 days! Everything is going smoothly so far. One of the "perks" of being born with a cleft palate myself (if there are one!) is that I "get" to have an extra ultrasound done with a specialist to take a look and see if the baby has it as well. It can be genetic sometimes, but it seems that it was just a fluke with me. There isn't anyone else around who had it. We were very excited to see our baby boy again, however this particular specialist didn't have the screen the person lying on the table can see everything she's doing. So Scott got to watch it all, and I just layed there for 30 minutes about to fall asleep just able to stare at the ceiling. Everything checked out fine anyway, and we got some new pictures.
It was so hard for me to find a midwife (as opposed to a typical OB doctor) here in Augusta to switch to upon moving. It turns out, it was so difficult because there is literally only one legal midwife in town. But I found her, I've met her, and I like her! I am excited to have her continue my care from here on out. I have a choice between 2 different hospitals, so Scott and I will tour each of them at the beginning of the new year, and we'll make our choice then.
I have been feeling really well so far.
My only complaint is that I have horrendous hip and tailbone pain with both of my pregnancies. I thought that I was going to escape it this time around because it took longer to start hurting, but no luck on that. It's here. I can't sit or stand for long periods of time, and sleeping isn't all that wonderful when you wake up so often to switch sides because of a hurting hip. However, it's nothing that a change of position and a heating pad won't help. And I know it will go away after he's born, so I'll deal with it if that's all that bothers me.
I'm also on a new mission to revamp my diet. I don't know if it's just the holidays, the hub bub of moving, or trying to figure out planning food while living in another's house, but I have not been eating very balanced lately. I am also planning to start my red raspberry leaf tea again soon. It is supposed to do wonders for the uterus in helping it to return to its normal size after birth and cut down on post-partum bleeding. I have no idea if it worked with Micaiah or not, but since I still have a whole bag of it left to use, I figure it can't hurt. Although it's not entirely tasty, so we'll see how much of it I actually drink!
Enjoy the pictures of little one pound 13 ounce Caeden Elijah!
She took a few 3-D pictures for us as a treat. We could not get him to move his hand away from his mouth. Little stinker!
This one is of his face, facing up. It looks like he is smiling, though I'm not sure he really was!
This is a profile of his head.
It was so hard for me to find a midwife (as opposed to a typical OB doctor) here in Augusta to switch to upon moving. It turns out, it was so difficult because there is literally only one legal midwife in town. But I found her, I've met her, and I like her! I am excited to have her continue my care from here on out. I have a choice between 2 different hospitals, so Scott and I will tour each of them at the beginning of the new year, and we'll make our choice then.
I have been feeling really well so far.
My only complaint is that I have horrendous hip and tailbone pain with both of my pregnancies. I thought that I was going to escape it this time around because it took longer to start hurting, but no luck on that. It's here. I can't sit or stand for long periods of time, and sleeping isn't all that wonderful when you wake up so often to switch sides because of a hurting hip. However, it's nothing that a change of position and a heating pad won't help. And I know it will go away after he's born, so I'll deal with it if that's all that bothers me.
I'm also on a new mission to revamp my diet. I don't know if it's just the holidays, the hub bub of moving, or trying to figure out planning food while living in another's house, but I have not been eating very balanced lately. I am also planning to start my red raspberry leaf tea again soon. It is supposed to do wonders for the uterus in helping it to return to its normal size after birth and cut down on post-partum bleeding. I have no idea if it worked with Micaiah or not, but since I still have a whole bag of it left to use, I figure it can't hurt. Although it's not entirely tasty, so we'll see how much of it I actually drink!
Enjoy the pictures of little one pound 13 ounce Caeden Elijah!
She took a few 3-D pictures for us as a treat. We could not get him to move his hand away from his mouth. Little stinker! 
This one is of his face, facing up. It looks like he is smiling, though I'm not sure he really was!
This is a profile of his head.Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Why I Babywise
I love babywise! Micaiah is a babywise baby. We'll "use" it for Caeden. It works for our family.
I am super aware that babywise is a magnet for debate. If you're here to debate, you need to go elsewhere. Certainly you need to do what works for you and your baby, so if that's not babywise, then by all means do something else!
I am super aware that babywise is a magnet for debate. If you're here to debate, you need to go elsewhere. Certainly you need to do what works for you and your baby, so if that's not babywise, then by all means do something else!
I read Babywise twice while I was pregnant with Micaiah and referenced it almost daily for several weeks after he was born. It's now on my reading list to skim once more before Caeden is born.
Without having read it, I'm not sure I would know how often to feed my baby. I wouldn't have known to how help stabilize my baby's hunger metabolism and sleep cycles. I would have had no clue what babies are capable of eating and sleeping-wise at various points throughout their first months and years. No one really taught me all that.
Sleeping through the night is a nice by product, not the goal, of babywise. The point is so that I, as the parent, can have a framework with which to manage my infant. I am to be flexible and watch my baby and his cues. Sleep is so very important for babies, and I never realized prior to having Micaiah that babies don't just automatically know when they need to sleep. Oh, they get sleepy, and they will crash at some point, but they don't instinctively know their "optimal waketime." They need help learning how to sleep and how to sleep well. I didn't realize how sensitive babies are to overtiredness and how that can affect a baby.
With babywise, I learned all of these things. Micaiah was on a routine of full, complete feedings and naps that brought predictibility to his day....and mine! We both knew what to expect and when. It helped me determine why he might be crying since I knew when he was getting adequate milk and sleep.
And as a super sweet perk, he has indeed been sleeping 12+ hours a night since he was 14 weeks old! I'm just a little bit excited to implement it again with our second baby boy! :)
Monday, December 20, 2010
Am I willing?
So I read something the other day that really struck me. It was about how we need to be willing to place ourselves in a position where, if God does not show up, we will be seen as complete fools. What do you think about that? What does the Bible say about that? What would it look like for your life?
Our whole recent "journey" into church planting began about a year ago. Before Scott ever even left Providence, before church planting was ever even in our conversations, when we were humming along with life, when Micaiah was only a mere 3.5 months old, Buddy preached a sermon at Grace about faith stories. It struck us to our cores. He challenged us to think of what faith stories we have. Do we have any stories that show we've had to trust God for something big? He talked about the importance of sharing these stories with our kids so that they see our faith as they grow.
We drove back to my parent's house to pick up Micaiah racking our brains for faith stories we've heard growing up. There weren't many. There certainly weren't a ton from our own personal lives. I told my small group around that same time about how Scott and I really wanted to trust God for something big. I mean, if He's so powerful, why haven't we been seeing that power? Maybe because we're control freaks and we don't know how to let go.
A few weeks later, he rocked us and began us on a journey we never expected. Enter...what we feel is going to be a serious faith story. Because honestly, if God does not show up here in where we believe he's lead us in Augusta, we'll look like complete and utter fools. As Micaiah grows, will he observe extreme faith in our lives? What we will be able to tell Caeden about how we were expecting God to come through for our family around the time he was born? Will they catch our vision?
Do you have faith stories? Are you willing to put yourself in a position where, if God does not show up, you will look like a complete fool?
If you want something for the background of your Christmas baking and wrapping, listen to this sermon from Buddy!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
What is church? Part 5
Now for the final thoughts in this series...
Like I said before, we're thinking maybe "church" can happen more organically.
Scott asked me recently to think of all the people I knew at our home church in Atlanta. He questioned how those people ended up at that church. As I thought about it, I said that almost all of them had just come from another church. In fact, that's where I met Scott, and both of us had come from other churches. But where are those outside the of "the church"? Don't get me wrong, we need fellowship with believers. And we need to gather together. After all, the church is the body of believers. But are there unbelievers coming into its midst? As God's sent people, are we alerting unbelievers to the fact that God reigns, both with our actions and with our words? In our past church experiences, Scott and I know that even though we've done some good, and even great things, we know we have not been effective in reaching those who are not already in the church.
We want to take church to the people. Meet in homes. Or maybe not even in a home. Just wherever fits. We want to be a gathering of people where there is accountability. Be in each other's lives. Know each other's junk. Serve together. Love people together. As the group grows, some of its disciples can then be sent out to make more disciples in another group. Some call this "house church." Whatever name you give it, this is what we're thinking.
Yes, tithing is still something believers should do. But if a felt lined offering plate isn't passed around....it'll be ok. We can still give to the Lord. Worship is still something believers should do. But if we don't sing 5 songs in a certain order and stand up and sit down at the appropriate moments to do so....it'll be ok. We will sing our hearts out still. Getting in the Word together is still something believers should do. But if we don't all sit in a pew or a nice folding chair in a sanctuary to hear it....it'll be ok. The church building isn't God's house anyway. (I remember learning that it was God's house when I was little, but that's not what the Bible teaches.)
We want to be the church. We want to study together and actively participate instead of sitting by passively. Maybe you're thinking you already do this in a bible study or a small group. I have to say that honestly I'm still holding on strong to my desire to join a women's Bible study or something here in Augusta; those are good and have their place. We just want for all of church to be this way for all persons in the church, not just the ones who choose to go to a Bible study or small group. We want Micaiah and Caeden to grow up with intimate and deep fellowship among other people. We don't want for them to have to go to a Christian college (like both of us did) in order to find that because they (like us) never had it in church growing up and THEN, after 20 years, to finally know what true fellowship is all about. We want to be out in the community and taking Jesus to those who don't know him together. We want for these smaller fellowships to gather all together periodically to really celebrate God and how awesome He is. Because seriously, He's pretty awesome. No stiff service for us, please. If we're all excited about who God is and what he is doing, then we want it to show in our gatherings together!
If God stirs your heart towards this idea, come to Augusta and join us! Or you can search for something like it in your area here. Or you can always start one!
I just want to say again, and beat this into the ground one more time, that I don't share this to say that the traditional way of doing church is wrong, but rather to communicate what I have not been able to really communicate well to this point. It's much easier for me to get my thoughts out in writing at this point in the journey when these thoughts are still so fresh and new in my mind! So this is what we're up to in Augusta. I'm on a seriously steep learning curve. :)
Like I said before, we're thinking maybe "church" can happen more organically.
Scott asked me recently to think of all the people I knew at our home church in Atlanta. He questioned how those people ended up at that church. As I thought about it, I said that almost all of them had just come from another church. In fact, that's where I met Scott, and both of us had come from other churches. But where are those outside the of "the church"? Don't get me wrong, we need fellowship with believers. And we need to gather together. After all, the church is the body of believers. But are there unbelievers coming into its midst? As God's sent people, are we alerting unbelievers to the fact that God reigns, both with our actions and with our words? In our past church experiences, Scott and I know that even though we've done some good, and even great things, we know we have not been effective in reaching those who are not already in the church.
We want to take church to the people. Meet in homes. Or maybe not even in a home. Just wherever fits. We want to be a gathering of people where there is accountability. Be in each other's lives. Know each other's junk. Serve together. Love people together. As the group grows, some of its disciples can then be sent out to make more disciples in another group. Some call this "house church." Whatever name you give it, this is what we're thinking.
Yes, tithing is still something believers should do. But if a felt lined offering plate isn't passed around....it'll be ok. We can still give to the Lord. Worship is still something believers should do. But if we don't sing 5 songs in a certain order and stand up and sit down at the appropriate moments to do so....it'll be ok. We will sing our hearts out still. Getting in the Word together is still something believers should do. But if we don't all sit in a pew or a nice folding chair in a sanctuary to hear it....it'll be ok. The church building isn't God's house anyway. (I remember learning that it was God's house when I was little, but that's not what the Bible teaches.)
We want to be the church. We want to study together and actively participate instead of sitting by passively. Maybe you're thinking you already do this in a bible study or a small group. I have to say that honestly I'm still holding on strong to my desire to join a women's Bible study or something here in Augusta; those are good and have their place. We just want for all of church to be this way for all persons in the church, not just the ones who choose to go to a Bible study or small group. We want Micaiah and Caeden to grow up with intimate and deep fellowship among other people. We don't want for them to have to go to a Christian college (like both of us did) in order to find that because they (like us) never had it in church growing up and THEN, after 20 years, to finally know what true fellowship is all about. We want to be out in the community and taking Jesus to those who don't know him together. We want for these smaller fellowships to gather all together periodically to really celebrate God and how awesome He is. Because seriously, He's pretty awesome. No stiff service for us, please. If we're all excited about who God is and what he is doing, then we want it to show in our gatherings together!
If God stirs your heart towards this idea, come to Augusta and join us! Or you can search for something like it in your area here. Or you can always start one!
I just want to say again, and beat this into the ground one more time, that I don't share this to say that the traditional way of doing church is wrong, but rather to communicate what I have not been able to really communicate well to this point. It's much easier for me to get my thoughts out in writing at this point in the journey when these thoughts are still so fresh and new in my mind! So this is what we're up to in Augusta. I'm on a seriously steep learning curve. :)
Monday, December 13, 2010
Even the Best Laid Plans
I am the queen of plans. I have plans for everything. I have mentioned before that I am a list-maker and a scheduler if there ever was one. Several months ago I had the grand idea to keep a spiral notebook to contain all of my lists and plans rather than having them scattered about. I have already been through two of these notebooks since then!
All too often even my best laid plans go undone. This has been a reoccurring theme in my life that has once again been brought to my attention. Most recently, I was all excited about the advent season and what I could do to direct my heart towards remembering our Lord Jesus being born into this world. I had several ideas, for myself, and some that could even be appropriate for Micaiah. Last night as I was getting ready for bed, I thought how we are already several days into December, halfway to Christmas, well into the advent season, and I hadn’t even put the first thought into anything concerning the coming of our Savior. I have been busy…and distracted.
I am such a Martha. In the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10, Martha was the one who was "distracted with much serving" (v. 40) and "worried and troubled about many things" (v. 42). Jesus came to her house in Bethany and she was busy doing all sorts of tasks in the kitchen. There is much to do, especially when such an important visitor stops by! Oh, how I can identify with her! There’s always much to do. My alarm goes off in the morning to begin my quiet time and oftentimes before even opening my Bible, I might see the cloth inserts that need to be stuffed into Micaiah’s diapers before he wakes up. While getting the diapers ready for the day, I see clothes on the floor and have to pick them up. Which then reminds me that laundry is on my list for the day, so I go ahead and separate the piles. After doing that I turn to see the bathroom mirror and realize I didn’t clean it the day before like I had wanted, so I reason that I will take just 10 seconds and clean it. In no time at all, my quiet time has been cut short. So Martha. Whereas "doing" is certainly not wrong, it is not the most important thing.
Mary, on the other hand, positioned herself at the feet of Jesus. Right smack dab in front of him. The Teacher came by, and she wanted to soak up every morsel of truth that she could. Martha did not approve of Mary’s choice. "And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’" (Luke 10:40) Tattle-tale. (Also so me; I have a tendency towards justice!) Jesus gently and lovingly rebukes her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her" (v. 42).
The word "portion" in the Greek means "meal." The meal that Mary chose to eat is the better meal. A meal that will never be taken from her. Not in all of eternity. You can’t take truth away when it’s already been ingested. Martha’s meal will be eaten in just a few short minutes and digested several hours later, only to need to be followed up with another meal.
Certainly there are preparations that need to be done. Tasks and to-do lists are part and parcel of running a household. People need to eat. Especially when guests come! It’s finding a balance between the Martha and the Mary that proves to be a challenge for me. I know there’s a place for Martha in my life, but the most important thing, the better part, the good meal, is what Mary chose. Sitting at the feet of Elohim, our Creator God. Learning more about Him, His ways, and how I and my family fit into His plans.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul." says Psalm 19:7. I need to lose some of the distractions so that my soul can be revived. Because I certainly need reviving. Mary chose the good portion. She positioned herself at Jesus’ feet on purpose. We should all follow in her footsteps and do the same. I can choose to say no to certain distractions that bide for my attention. I can choose to have a plan for my quiet time so that I will not be tempted to sit aimlessly with my Bible open and be further distracted by other thoughts. I can’t afford to wait for things to settle down before I decide to listen. This is life. I have to choose to listen now, in the midst of it.
So we’re not quite to Christmas yet. How about beginning to prepare my heart for Christmas when we’re already halfway there? Better late than never, right?
All too often even my best laid plans go undone. This has been a reoccurring theme in my life that has once again been brought to my attention. Most recently, I was all excited about the advent season and what I could do to direct my heart towards remembering our Lord Jesus being born into this world. I had several ideas, for myself, and some that could even be appropriate for Micaiah. Last night as I was getting ready for bed, I thought how we are already several days into December, halfway to Christmas, well into the advent season, and I hadn’t even put the first thought into anything concerning the coming of our Savior. I have been busy…and distracted.
I am such a Martha. In the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10, Martha was the one who was "distracted with much serving" (v. 40) and "worried and troubled about many things" (v. 42). Jesus came to her house in Bethany and she was busy doing all sorts of tasks in the kitchen. There is much to do, especially when such an important visitor stops by! Oh, how I can identify with her! There’s always much to do. My alarm goes off in the morning to begin my quiet time and oftentimes before even opening my Bible, I might see the cloth inserts that need to be stuffed into Micaiah’s diapers before he wakes up. While getting the diapers ready for the day, I see clothes on the floor and have to pick them up. Which then reminds me that laundry is on my list for the day, so I go ahead and separate the piles. After doing that I turn to see the bathroom mirror and realize I didn’t clean it the day before like I had wanted, so I reason that I will take just 10 seconds and clean it. In no time at all, my quiet time has been cut short. So Martha. Whereas "doing" is certainly not wrong, it is not the most important thing.
Mary, on the other hand, positioned herself at the feet of Jesus. Right smack dab in front of him. The Teacher came by, and she wanted to soak up every morsel of truth that she could. Martha did not approve of Mary’s choice. "And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’" (Luke 10:40) Tattle-tale. (Also so me; I have a tendency towards justice!) Jesus gently and lovingly rebukes her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her" (v. 42).
The word "portion" in the Greek means "meal." The meal that Mary chose to eat is the better meal. A meal that will never be taken from her. Not in all of eternity. You can’t take truth away when it’s already been ingested. Martha’s meal will be eaten in just a few short minutes and digested several hours later, only to need to be followed up with another meal.
Certainly there are preparations that need to be done. Tasks and to-do lists are part and parcel of running a household. People need to eat. Especially when guests come! It’s finding a balance between the Martha and the Mary that proves to be a challenge for me. I know there’s a place for Martha in my life, but the most important thing, the better part, the good meal, is what Mary chose. Sitting at the feet of Elohim, our Creator God. Learning more about Him, His ways, and how I and my family fit into His plans.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul." says Psalm 19:7. I need to lose some of the distractions so that my soul can be revived. Because I certainly need reviving. Mary chose the good portion. She positioned herself at Jesus’ feet on purpose. We should all follow in her footsteps and do the same. I can choose to say no to certain distractions that bide for my attention. I can choose to have a plan for my quiet time so that I will not be tempted to sit aimlessly with my Bible open and be further distracted by other thoughts. I can’t afford to wait for things to settle down before I decide to listen. This is life. I have to choose to listen now, in the midst of it.
So we’re not quite to Christmas yet. How about beginning to prepare my heart for Christmas when we’re already halfway there? Better late than never, right?
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
What is church? Part 4
I said in part 2 that I stand challenged. I have been challenged to think of church in different terms than the traditional structure of church. I'm not talking about a traditional service versus a contemporary service. But I am talking about the whole structure; the big institution of church as we know it: Go to church on Sunday, sit next to your family and friends, shake hands with the strangers sitting around you, sing a few songs, pass around an offering plate, listen to the Word preached, worship some more, pray somewhere in there, and then connect with people (maybe while drinking coffee or snacking on a fellowship treat) as you leave and walk out to your car.
If, as the body of Christ, with His Spirit, and His gameplan (to make disciples of all nations) this is how we "do church", are we doing that gameplan effectively? What would be the measure of that effectivness? I would say it's the extent to which disciples are being made. With all of the programs and ministries and missions that abound, are we alerting people to the reign of God in Christ so that more people who are not already being discipled are becoming disciples? Certainly that does indeed happen, but I'm thinking more about the overall extent to which that happens. How effectively is it happening? Is how the church has done this for years and years the best way to get the job done?
Scott and I aren't so sure. Like I said in the first post, I'm NOT saying that everyone should quit "going to church" like you've always known it, that churches should shut down and do it this way. This is what God is leading us to begin in this season. I'm just sharing all of this to explain where we're at. And in large part because inquiring minds want to know, 'What exactly are you going to be doing in Augusta?'
Now to get off on a little rabbit trail for a second, this is one of the most important things I could say. Even though this whole series is about us rethinking how we "do" church, what is important is not the model or style of church anyway. Jesus is what is important. Yes, this will look different than what you typically think of when you think of church. But it's not some type of new fad to grow churches and try to recruit more people to our form of religion. We merely want to move back to what the church was originally intended to be as God's sent people. Get off rabbit trail...
We've really been challenged to shift our thinking from seeing church as a "come and see" mentality to more of a "go and be" mentality. We're thinking that maybe church can happen more organically in and amongst people. "Why must people wake up early on Sunday, get dressed up, and drive to a specific location to sit in rows looking all morning at the back of some guy's head while a person they don't know talks to them about the latest prescription of three steps to a better life?" (1) Now maybe if you like the more contemporary style of church you might not even have to dress up. And maybe your pastor is one who preaches expositorially (I think I made that word up, but it means he doesn't preach on a topic, per sae, but rather line by line through Scripture) and really brings the Word week after week. Still, why does church have to be that way? And is that the most effective way to accomplish our gameplan of making disciples?
"We have made church nothing more than a religious show that takes place on Sunday, and after it's done we all go home, until church starts again next week, same time, same place. Is this what the bride of Christ is?" (1) If you're like me, you read that quote and think, 'Whatever, I'm more involved than that. I'm involved in Bible study, I also go on Wednesday nights, I serve in the church nursery, I went on a mission trip one summer, and when I have time, I do Saturday morning outreaches at the homeless shelter.' But for me, even if I answer that way, the question still stands: is the Church effectively accomplishing its mission to make disciples? I used to answer yes. But now I question that.
Check back in a few days for the final post!
1. Organic Church, by Neil Cole.
If, as the body of Christ, with His Spirit, and His gameplan (to make disciples of all nations) this is how we "do church", are we doing that gameplan effectively? What would be the measure of that effectivness? I would say it's the extent to which disciples are being made. With all of the programs and ministries and missions that abound, are we alerting people to the reign of God in Christ so that more people who are not already being discipled are becoming disciples? Certainly that does indeed happen, but I'm thinking more about the overall extent to which that happens. How effectively is it happening? Is how the church has done this for years and years the best way to get the job done?
Scott and I aren't so sure. Like I said in the first post, I'm NOT saying that everyone should quit "going to church" like you've always known it, that churches should shut down and do it this way. This is what God is leading us to begin in this season. I'm just sharing all of this to explain where we're at. And in large part because inquiring minds want to know, 'What exactly are you going to be doing in Augusta?'
Now to get off on a little rabbit trail for a second, this is one of the most important things I could say. Even though this whole series is about us rethinking how we "do" church, what is important is not the model or style of church anyway. Jesus is what is important. Yes, this will look different than what you typically think of when you think of church. But it's not some type of new fad to grow churches and try to recruit more people to our form of religion. We merely want to move back to what the church was originally intended to be as God's sent people. Get off rabbit trail...
We've really been challenged to shift our thinking from seeing church as a "come and see" mentality to more of a "go and be" mentality. We're thinking that maybe church can happen more organically in and amongst people. "Why must people wake up early on Sunday, get dressed up, and drive to a specific location to sit in rows looking all morning at the back of some guy's head while a person they don't know talks to them about the latest prescription of three steps to a better life?" (1) Now maybe if you like the more contemporary style of church you might not even have to dress up. And maybe your pastor is one who preaches expositorially (I think I made that word up, but it means he doesn't preach on a topic, per sae, but rather line by line through Scripture) and really brings the Word week after week. Still, why does church have to be that way? And is that the most effective way to accomplish our gameplan of making disciples?
"We have made church nothing more than a religious show that takes place on Sunday, and after it's done we all go home, until church starts again next week, same time, same place. Is this what the bride of Christ is?" (1) If you're like me, you read that quote and think, 'Whatever, I'm more involved than that. I'm involved in Bible study, I also go on Wednesday nights, I serve in the church nursery, I went on a mission trip one summer, and when I have time, I do Saturday morning outreaches at the homeless shelter.' But for me, even if I answer that way, the question still stands: is the Church effectively accomplishing its mission to make disciples? I used to answer yes. But now I question that.
Check back in a few days for the final post!
1. Organic Church, by Neil Cole.
Just remember...
I guess because we're anticipating another baby in our house this spring, I have been thinking a lot about Micaiah as a newborn. Though the first three months are hard as junk, I love newborns. They are so snuggly. I love how they fold their legs up underneath their torso all compact. I'm well aware that my memories of the first months are a little clouded with Micaiah, and I mostly just remember the positive and fun things. (Well....I do remember a few not so fun things--Micaiah screaming his head off in the swing while Scott and I tried our best to eat dinner. Sleep training-yes, I'm one of those pleople. Nursing troubles. The witching hour when he would just cry and cry and the only thing that would calm him would be Scott walking him in circles around the house.) But even still, I think I'm looking forward to having a newborn around even more than I was with Micaiah. At least in a different way. Just remembering Micaiah at that age...I CAN'T WAIT.
His onsie is undone in an effort to keep him awake long enough to nurse a full feeding. Cold spoons to the feet, wet washcloths, nakedness, whatever it takes.
The boy had (and still has) some chubby cheeks. Wonder where he gets it from? :)
Rough picture. Sweet moment.
What is your favorite thing about newborns? Leave a comment and share! It would be fun to read what we all say!
His onsie is undone in an effort to keep him awake long enough to nurse a full feeding. Cold spoons to the feet, wet washcloths, nakedness, whatever it takes.
The boy had (and still has) some chubby cheeks. Wonder where he gets it from? :)
Rough picture. Sweet moment.
What is your favorite thing about newborns? Leave a comment and share! It would be fun to read what we all say!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Our last hurrah in Chattanooga
The night before we moved, we went with my parents to see the Christmas lights at Rock City. I had heard that it was worth going to, and since Scott and I got in free with our residence passes, and my parents had a BOGO coupon, we agreed that it was definitely worth it. We're pretty sure Micaiah had a good time too. He liked the lights, but he LOVED the moon. Here are some of the few pictures we snapped during the night.
Micaiah with his Papa and "Rocky"
My jacket just barely still zips over Caeden. Hopefully I can get through the winter without having to button my coats!
My favorite two boys
Micaiah with his Papa and "Rocky"
My jacket just barely still zips over Caeden. Hopefully I can get through the winter without having to button my coats!
My favorite two boys
A Day Away
I am so excited for tomorrow! Scott is giving me a full day off. I don't even know all that I'm going to do to fill my day, but I have been looking forward to it and can't wait. I do know that I will be getting a very looooong overdue hair cut. If you know me well, you know that is one of my very favorite things.
I'm going to end the day with one of my planning retreats. I like to do these 2 or 3 times a year to organize the priorities of my life in an effort to live intentionally. I want to be wise in how I use my time. My theme verse for living intentionally is Ephesians 5:15-16. "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
I am a planner to my very core, but I don't like to do just any old plans and to do list. Instead I look at the 5 main priorities in my life that God has given me, and I look at how those priorities have been going for the last several months and how I need to grow. Then I come up with goals and action steps for the growth that needs to happen. It has been a very beneficial practice for me so far. I use these worksheets from the girltalk blog that I love. I adapted them quite a bit to fit me, but I like having somewhere I can write things down and then refer to them later. Doing a planning retreat brings such clarity to my mission. My seasons of life have been changing quite frequently lately, and I decided to use this most recent change to re-evaluate life once again. So excited! And so thankful for my hubby giving me the day off to recharge and refuel!
I was going to post a video of Micaiah playing chase this morning, but it is taking a really long time to download. I'll post some pictures in a separate post instead. :)
I'm going to end the day with one of my planning retreats. I like to do these 2 or 3 times a year to organize the priorities of my life in an effort to live intentionally. I want to be wise in how I use my time. My theme verse for living intentionally is Ephesians 5:15-16. "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
I am a planner to my very core, but I don't like to do just any old plans and to do list. Instead I look at the 5 main priorities in my life that God has given me, and I look at how those priorities have been going for the last several months and how I need to grow. Then I come up with goals and action steps for the growth that needs to happen. It has been a very beneficial practice for me so far. I use these worksheets from the girltalk blog that I love. I adapted them quite a bit to fit me, but I like having somewhere I can write things down and then refer to them later. Doing a planning retreat brings such clarity to my mission. My seasons of life have been changing quite frequently lately, and I decided to use this most recent change to re-evaluate life once again. So excited! And so thankful for my hubby giving me the day off to recharge and refuel!
I was going to post a video of Micaiah playing chase this morning, but it is taking a really long time to download. I'll post some pictures in a separate post instead. :)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thankful
So I'm a little late in getting a Thanksgiving post up, but I did want to say Happy Thanksgiving from the four of us to all of you!!! I have much to be thankful for. A husband who loves the Lord. Family who take us in, let us eat their food (I still wish I had more of that cheesecake, Mama!), sleep in their beds, and use their washing machine to wash poopy diapers. A happy baby boy who is learning so much. I'm thankful for pumpkin spice lattes and peppermint mochas (and especially thankful that they can make it decaf for while I'm pregnant!). I'm thankful for a friend who, though he passed away on Thanksgiving after a viscious fight with cancer, had a life well lived and now he's dwelling with his savior. I'm thankful for new life in Caeden, who we'll get to meet in a few short months! Throw in all of the comforts of suburban America, and I have way too much to list! On top of everything, I'm thankful that God reigns.....whether I acknowledge that fact or not.
Today is actually the first day of advent. I am really excited for Christmas this year. Micaiah was only 3 months old at Christmas last year. This year, at 14 months, he is still super young, but his mind is a sponge. He is soaking up anything and everything he sees and hears. I am excited to be able to show with our actions as a family and with the simple words that he can understand just what Christmas is really all about.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
What is church? Part 3
In this post and in the two which will follow, I have quoted extensively from a book called Organic Church, by Neil Cole. I hate to put so much emphasis on a book, but on the other hand it puts words to what Scott and I are thinking so well. So why reinvent the wheel? We'll just use someone else's words that explains what is in our heads!
As we seek to answer "what is church", I think we need to first ask why we would even bother asking that question.
The church is dying at a faster rate than the population of the world is growing. If transformation of the heart is the product of the gospel, is the church doing its job? "It is not enough to fill our churches; we must transform our world. Society and culture should change if the church has been truly effective. Is the church reaching out and seeing lives changed by the Good News of the Kingdom of God?...The measure of the Church's influence is found in society--on the streets, not in the pews" (Organic Church). Are we seeing that kind of heart transformation in our society today?
Think about non-believers. Maybe that's you. If it's not you right now, it used to be you. Why are so many so often turned off by church? Why is it so undesirable to those outside of its circle? Why are many who get into the circle turned off or leave feeling burned? Perhaps it's because there is something very wrong.
"The Church in the West has sacrificed so much of what she is supposed to be about that her relevance is lost to the lost. Para-church organizations, such as seminaries, mission agencies, Christian counseling agencies, and evangelistic ministries, have risen to accomplish so much of what God intended the Church to do. She [the Church] expects others to do evangelism, leadership development, and social care. We send the people with serious problems to the professional counselors" (Organic Church). Now don't hear that I'm saying we should get rid of all professional counselors and do it all ourselves. But are we off in thinking that we should always leave that stuff to other people? 'I'm just not called to do that,' we say.
Well then, what are we called to do? In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." That was the Great Commission to the then 11 disciples. But did he also mean that for us as well?
Do we think that Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations is for other people, but when he says in Matthew 11:28 that he will give rest to the weary and burdened that that verse is for us? We must be very careful not to assign the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges for us all.
Yes, even though we are all called to make disciples, we do certainly have different gifts. We have different skills and passions. God calls us to different things. For example, I'm a former teacher but a current stay at home mom. Does that mean that because God wanted me to stay at home with my children that ALL teachers should stay at home when they have kids? Of course not. However even with our different gifts and passions, all believers have the same Spirit who gives us the same plan: make disciples of all nations.
Part 4 will be coming soon...
As we seek to answer "what is church", I think we need to first ask why we would even bother asking that question.
The church is dying at a faster rate than the population of the world is growing. If transformation of the heart is the product of the gospel, is the church doing its job? "It is not enough to fill our churches; we must transform our world. Society and culture should change if the church has been truly effective. Is the church reaching out and seeing lives changed by the Good News of the Kingdom of God?...The measure of the Church's influence is found in society--on the streets, not in the pews" (Organic Church). Are we seeing that kind of heart transformation in our society today?
Think about non-believers. Maybe that's you. If it's not you right now, it used to be you. Why are so many so often turned off by church? Why is it so undesirable to those outside of its circle? Why are many who get into the circle turned off or leave feeling burned? Perhaps it's because there is something very wrong.
"The Church in the West has sacrificed so much of what she is supposed to be about that her relevance is lost to the lost. Para-church organizations, such as seminaries, mission agencies, Christian counseling agencies, and evangelistic ministries, have risen to accomplish so much of what God intended the Church to do. She [the Church] expects others to do evangelism, leadership development, and social care. We send the people with serious problems to the professional counselors" (Organic Church). Now don't hear that I'm saying we should get rid of all professional counselors and do it all ourselves. But are we off in thinking that we should always leave that stuff to other people? 'I'm just not called to do that,' we say.
Well then, what are we called to do? In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." That was the Great Commission to the then 11 disciples. But did he also mean that for us as well?
Do we think that Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations is for other people, but when he says in Matthew 11:28 that he will give rest to the weary and burdened that that verse is for us? We must be very careful not to assign the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges for us all.
Yes, even though we are all called to make disciples, we do certainly have different gifts. We have different skills and passions. God calls us to different things. For example, I'm a former teacher but a current stay at home mom. Does that mean that because God wanted me to stay at home with my children that ALL teachers should stay at home when they have kids? Of course not. However even with our different gifts and passions, all believers have the same Spirit who gives us the same plan: make disciples of all nations.
Part 4 will be coming soon...
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
What is church? Part 2
What comes to mind when you think of church? Do you think of the body of Christ? A gathering of believers? People bringing the kingdom to the world? A building you can go to to learn about God? Sunday school? Sunday morning services with worship and preaching? Pot luck suppers in the fellowship hall? Mission outreaches in the community? Organs? Rock bands? A small intimate setting? Overcrowded parking lots? Boring? What comes to your mind?
For me, you would always hear me answer that question by saying that the "capital C" Church is the body of believers...worldwide. All of us put together. We make up the body of Christ, of which he is the head. And I still believe that's biblical.
But what about when you think of the "lowercase c" church. Like in going to church. What do you think of then? I would always answer that question by saying it is a gathering of believers, typically on a Sunday, where they meet to worship the Lord. They develop and experience fellowship together. They listen to the Word and (hopefully) are encouraged and empowered to take the love of Jesus out into the world around them. The church may even have groups and outings to facilitate that.
I stand challenged, and I have been rethinking what is "church." Why don't you think along with me?
For me, you would always hear me answer that question by saying that the "capital C" Church is the body of believers...worldwide. All of us put together. We make up the body of Christ, of which he is the head. And I still believe that's biblical.
But what about when you think of the "lowercase c" church. Like in going to church. What do you think of then? I would always answer that question by saying it is a gathering of believers, typically on a Sunday, where they meet to worship the Lord. They develop and experience fellowship together. They listen to the Word and (hopefully) are encouraged and empowered to take the love of Jesus out into the world around them. The church may even have groups and outings to facilitate that.
I stand challenged, and I have been rethinking what is "church." Why don't you think along with me?
Monday, November 22, 2010
What is church? Part 1
I knew we were going to plant a church. I knew we were going to do it in Augusta. I knew we were looking to move before the end of the year to get started. I knew I would be a church planter's/pastor's wife which would be very different than being a coach's wife. I didn't know it would be different than anything I'd known before.
When Scott first talked to me about our church plant looking different than anything I'm used to, I balked. Actually I didn't just balk, I cried. A lot. Very fearful tears. Talk about resistant and hesistant. That was me. I did NOT want to do something different. I wanted church to be the same as it always has been. I wanted a place where I could go on Sundays just like always to be encouraged in the Word and meet like minded people that I could be friends with. I wanted to head up the women's ministry. Or maybe the nursery. I'm a creature of comfort. The ways things have always been done are good ways because they're tried and true. But are they really?
Scott and I have talked a lot since that first conversation about what this will look like for us to plant a church. He is challenging the heck out of me. I've learned so much. I know God is not a God of comfort zones. (Why must I learn the same lessons, like this one, over and over?) Everything He asks of us isn't necessarily going to line up perfectly with what we are comfortable with. Does that make what He asks of us somehow more holy? No. But is it about me? Am I able to put aside what I want and my comfort?
I want to preface this and the other posts in this little series with mentioning that I am still on a journey. I am still learning, and God is still working on my thought processes. I have in no way arrived. What will this all look like exactly? I wish I knew. Whereas I can't answer that question exactly, the goal of this series is to share a bit of our journey, what we're thinking and how we feel God is leading us in this right now. I don't share this to say that it is the end all be all of how we should "do" church and that we should all abandon the traditional structure and do it Scott and Ashley's way. I share this simply to explain how God is leading us right now and so you can know how to pray for our family as we step into this next season of life.
More thoughts on this tomorrow...
When Scott first talked to me about our church plant looking different than anything I'm used to, I balked. Actually I didn't just balk, I cried. A lot. Very fearful tears. Talk about resistant and hesistant. That was me. I did NOT want to do something different. I wanted church to be the same as it always has been. I wanted a place where I could go on Sundays just like always to be encouraged in the Word and meet like minded people that I could be friends with. I wanted to head up the women's ministry. Or maybe the nursery. I'm a creature of comfort. The ways things have always been done are good ways because they're tried and true. But are they really?
Scott and I have talked a lot since that first conversation about what this will look like for us to plant a church. He is challenging the heck out of me. I've learned so much. I know God is not a God of comfort zones. (Why must I learn the same lessons, like this one, over and over?) Everything He asks of us isn't necessarily going to line up perfectly with what we are comfortable with. Does that make what He asks of us somehow more holy? No. But is it about me? Am I able to put aside what I want and my comfort?
I want to preface this and the other posts in this little series with mentioning that I am still on a journey. I am still learning, and God is still working on my thought processes. I have in no way arrived. What will this all look like exactly? I wish I knew. Whereas I can't answer that question exactly, the goal of this series is to share a bit of our journey, what we're thinking and how we feel God is leading us in this right now. I don't share this to say that it is the end all be all of how we should "do" church and that we should all abandon the traditional structure and do it Scott and Ashley's way. I share this simply to explain how God is leading us right now and so you can know how to pray for our family as we step into this next season of life.
More thoughts on this tomorrow...
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Inspired
If you've never read Kat over at Inspired to Action, you really should check it out. She has a way of writing that just really does inspire me to action!
This is a guest post she wrote at Passionate Homemaking, which is another blog I spend way too much time reading. Loved it.
This is a guest post she wrote at Passionate Homemaking, which is another blog I spend way too much time reading. Loved it.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Little Two
Baby boy #2 finally has a name! He is Caden Elijah. We’re still not 100% sure if we’ll spell it like that or “Caeden.” Since a big part of our name choices is the meaning, we took that into account as well. We take the liberty of blending meanings and putting them together to fit in a way that we like. From the two meanings of Caden and Elijah, we have “The LORD my God fights for me.” It was so hard for us to decide on a name for him; if we ever have a third boy we’ll really be in trouble. We are so excited to meet him! I’m 21 weeks along and feeling great. I truly do love being pregnant.
We're on the move!
As the title suggests, we are moving yet again! As quickly as we breezed into Chattanooga, we are breezing right back out. It’s a long story that I will probably tell more of in the days to come. For now, suffice to say that we are moving to Augusta to start a church. It will probably look different than what most of you think of when you think of church. That’s a whole other post for another day. We are over the moon excited about all that God is doing and what he is going to do in Augusta. It seems ridiculous to most people to quit your job in times like these. Why do that and start something that pays nothing all while you have a family and a house you’re trying to sell? So many people have asked us why we’re doing this. Again, that’s another post. For now I’ll just say that though it seems risky and doesn’t make much sense to many, God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his ways higher than our ways, and his thoughts than our thoughts. We don’t need to attempt to shield ourselves from every conceivable risk in life. Yes, God protects us and covers us, but that doesn’t always mean that where he leads us is safe in the eyes of the world. In the words of C.S. Lewis, “Safe? Whoever said anything about safe? Of course he isn’t safe, but he’s GOOD.” In a season of life full of transition and change with many questions, we know our God and we know He is good. And for that we will follow him where he leads us.
We invite you to follow along this adventure of life with us! My goal is to get into a habit of posting so that we can all keep in touch. But let’s be honest, perhaps you just care about following our blog to see baby pictures. That’s ok too. Those are sure to come.
We invite you to follow along this adventure of life with us! My goal is to get into a habit of posting so that we can all keep in touch. But let’s be honest, perhaps you just care about following our blog to see baby pictures. That’s ok too. Those are sure to come.
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