Oh the tears are beginning to flow...

I love when God teaches me things about people and relationships because I'm a relationship crazy person. He's done a lot of it lately. Sometimes there are painful lessons, some maybe I'd rather not have to learn but they're necessary. Sometimes they are encouraging things. I try to learn even from the negative, you know when you know people and you think "Lord help me not to act like that or react like that or respond to others in that way". Or you know people that you definitely don't want your kids to grow up and be like so you use that to aid your parenting style as well as people that you think "wow would love for my kids to turn out like that or I pray I respond as well as so and so did". I've known plenty of adults who whether they can afford things or not buy it because they just have to have it...wants become needs. They have to have bigger and better and newer than everyone else. I guess my kids pay for that in a way because it makes me more intentional in teaching them the difference between wants and needs and giving rather than receiving.
He's taught me some things about a couple of people lately. He's taught me a lot through wedding planning...
I'm so glad that Chrissie is focused on having a wedding that is worshipful and Christ-centered and not all about attention on herself. She's never liked being the center of attention anyway so a large wedding causes her a bit of anxiety. She's much more about the marriage and ministry with Michael than one particular day that revolves around her. She hasn't had one moment of being a bridezilla, which I wouldn't be able to stand, her attitude has been much more "that's fine, whatever". I've seen her stay focused on what's really important even when some hiccups came and she could have said "who's wedding is this anyway".
We've also learned a lot about our soon to be son-in-law. I hope every godly young woman out there will hold out for a man like him. He's wise WELL beyond his years and so focused on Christ it's just hard to throw him, such faith and faithfulness. We spent some time with him this summer in Orlando and took him with us to Disney. Listen, we picked him up early one morning, went to 3 parks that day in blazing heat then some rain which then made it so humid, made him lead the way because he knows those parks like his own hand. We were exhausted. We sat down to eat dinner at 11pm, yes 11:00 at night eating dinner (Michael eats often and his dinner hour I'm sure is not that late)!! Eddie and I talked when we got back to the hotel about the fact that Michael was exactly the same ALL day. Sitting there that night worn out, famished, and drenched from sweat, Michael was just like he was early that morning and all throughout the day...cheerful, talkative, positive. Now you just can't fake that folks. Chrissie said he was like that all last summer working with him. No matter the workload, stress, complaining of others, he was always the same and you can't fake that all summer. Chrissie grinned and said yea it's annoying at times haha. Said it before, he is the real deal.
I'm so excited for them and what I know God is going to do through their ministry together. I'm trying so hard to blog them a wedding post but the tears are flowing so much right now I don't know how I'll do it. I was riding home from the gym today listening to O How He Loves Us and burst into tears. I rode up to where their reception will be and just bawled my eyes out as I thought about the day upon us. Yea I got looks, don't really care. Noone seemed to care enough to ask me if I was ok. so there. Trust me I'm not crying because I'm sad she's getting married, well maybe a little, but more over how faithful God is. He really does love us sooooo. She's dated some godly young men and had godly dating relationships and she so deserves all of this. Michael Hux you are getting one pure bride who has waited all her life for you and we are thrilled that we all serve a God who is so faithful and rewarding. You both deserve one another and that's a compliment.

Monday Morning Perspective

Yesterday we were so blessed that our schedule in Atlanta allowed us to go to church at North Point. For those of you who don't know, that is Andy Stanley's church. They have several campuses and since we were staying in Alpharetta we attended that campus. What an awesome service!! As we usually do when we get to visit a new place we toured ourselves around after the service...very cool facility. They also have a bookstore and the Leopards can never pass that up so we did some shopping as well for some good Christian lit.
Andy Stanley was there but taking time off from preaching. I was a little bummed at first but not for long. Justin brought the Word in a powerful way, very visual which was especially good for me.
They are in a series called More, how practical in our day. He used the story of Jacob and Esau and how Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. I always thought that was just incredibly ridiculous but the way Justin unpacked it, it's easy to see how we do the same thing every day. We trade our tomorrows for today all the time. He talked about our appetites for more stuff, to be affirmed, to be liked. The problem with appetites is they have the power to control us and they can never be satisfied. We want the Best, the Latest, and More of it. Our appetites make us trade the word want for need. Esau allowed a current and temporary appetite to be greater than his future and in that moment everything changed. It would not be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau but it would be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He said we trade big things for small things all the time...
Spending time with family for more time at work.
Good health for junk food.
Financial security for stuff we don't need.
Great marriage for winning an argument.
Great relationships for the need to be right.
A pure and godly marriage one day for sexual immorality now.
And we are great at justifying all for a bowl of stew. We don't have the discipline to say no to the temptations of life now to have a better future.
Without a clear picture of what we want our future to look like we will settle for whatever makes you feel good at the moment.
Couldn't help but think of our younger generation. Oh if they would just think how the people they choose to date and hang with now are affecting their futures. The choices they make when they are young are going to affect their future spouse and children and maybe even cost them relationships to come. It goes back to what Duffy said one year at Student Life, "think backwards...if I do this what could happen". Powerful message and so thankful to have heard it. As David Revelle says a lot, what does all of this (petty little stuff) matter in light of eternity. We are definitely a people with our eyes on the now and so often trading the awesome stuff God has for our future for the crappy little stuff we focus on today. So thankful He is a God of mercy and redemption.

Monday Morning Perspective

How do you comment on a Lord's Supper service...you really don't so I won't. Except to say it was a beautiful service with a passionate, powerful message by our pastor that was truly convicting, which most of you know by now is my favorite kind of message. I will follow this one up later because I was struck by how Eddie began the message with asking, "do you think you are important? Do you think you are a VIP?" I thought that was very interesting in light of some things God has been doing in my life and teaching me and as you also know I try to be honest and open even though it bites me at times. Honest and real is just my way and it probably won't change ;)!! Have a blessed Monday and remember to take full advantage of that access we have straight to the Throne!!