Another awesome Sunday at Millbrook.
Starting with sunday school...fabulous. We started our lessons with the seniors combined for transitioning to college. I have heard from my girls what an awesome job the Opreas do with these lessons but got to witness it myself. If you have a senior, GET THEM TO SUNDAY SCHOOL for these lessons. We had a full room but always love having more!!
On to worship...better every week if that's possible. Have to say that as long as I've been listening to my man preach, I have NEVER known him to go into the pulpit unprepared. He brings it week after week after week and this Sunday was no exception!!
We looked at the three crosses. The Cross of Rebellion, the Cross of Repentance, and the Cross of Redemption. We saw that the cross of rebellion represents those who refuse the gospel. The cross of repentance represents those who choose to believe in Christ and trust Him as Savior and Lord. It was pointed out that we all fall onto one of those two crosses and were challenged with the question, "which cross are you on?" The cross of redemption is for Christ alone. He is the only one who can offer redemption and the only one who died for our sins. This tells us that salvation is by Jesus alone and we have nothing to offer for our salvation...a free gift if we will only receive it.
A shout out to our music ministry as well. The great job you all do sets the tone and allows us to worship and prepare our hearts for the message we will hear. Thank you for your commitment.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Ugly Side of Baseball
Baseball is definitely my favorite sport. I love football and I like basketball a lot, especially if my kids are playing. My Dad coached basketball and I played and all my kids have played. However, I LOVE baseball. I keep a scorebook for each of my boys mainly because it keeps me calm and focused. I tend to be highly emotional at games and that helps me keep my head which is the problem with basketball, it is so fast paced that my emotions at times run ahead of my brain and that's never a good thing. The last thing I want to do is lose my witness at a sporting event.
I've always thought of baseball as a classy sport. I like the short hair (so obviously Manny Ramirez isn't my fave player but for reasons other than his hair). I like the discipline it takes to play. I like the focus it requires. I like that it's a team sport and teaches that you have to work together to accomplish your goal and trust your teammates (although I do know that some have the attitude that it's all about them...the diva mentality). I appreciate walking with confidence but there is such a thing as confident humility and we don't allow strutting around our house.
We have been blessed that our boys have had great coaches who at least seem to care about life issues and them being good people as well as being great ballplayers. They have been coached well in every area of the game: fundamentals, how to carry yourself on and off the field, the itty bitty details of their position to make them better. I like that they are not allowed to give less than their best or make excuses or blame others. I like that the bar is set high!! My boys are as competitive as they come. It's in their blood, we love to win and hate to lose, so we battle with perspective at times and reminding ourselves that it is a game, a great game, but a game.
So what's the ugly? The ugly usually comes in the form of the way others behave. It seems like this year I've noticed it a lot more than years past, who knows why. We have played some teams that have made me EXTREMELY grateful that my boys play for who they play for. There's so many teams with such a lack of discipline and respect for the sport or themselves. They show up their teammates. The language is horrible on the field from players and coaches. Things start going bad and it's written all over them. And the parents??? Parents call out kids other than their own. They yell horrible things at kids on other teams. They cuss and rant and rave like we're in the World Series and their life rests on that game. THEN, unbelievable, they go home and get on line and start writing back and forth calling out kids, hello KIDS, about their errors and who's better than whom. Yeah everybody thinks their kid is the superstar. THESE ARE ADULTS, at least in numerical terms. I sit there and think this must be all they are living for. No, our team parents, players, and coaches aren't perfect. We yell at times and we all HATE to lose. We have the talent this year to be state champs and noone wants that more than the Leopard household BUT if we don't accomplish that, life will go on.
I have learned that we can learn just as much from ugly stuff as good stuff and we've learned a lot watching and reading some others this year. I've learned I don't want to act like a raging lunatic no matter what happens and I know my family will escort me out if I do. I've learned that I'm glad my boys are my boys and not some other boys. I'm glad we have the coaches that we have who have not only knowledge but class. And I'm glad that even though my husband may throw his hat, I don't have to worry about what comes out of his mouth. I also know and my boys know that if they act like some, they will be taken out of the game for good and I won't be waiting for the coach to do that.
Baseball, gotta love it at least most of it and I DO!!
I've always thought of baseball as a classy sport. I like the short hair (so obviously Manny Ramirez isn't my fave player but for reasons other than his hair). I like the discipline it takes to play. I like the focus it requires. I like that it's a team sport and teaches that you have to work together to accomplish your goal and trust your teammates (although I do know that some have the attitude that it's all about them...the diva mentality). I appreciate walking with confidence but there is such a thing as confident humility and we don't allow strutting around our house.
We have been blessed that our boys have had great coaches who at least seem to care about life issues and them being good people as well as being great ballplayers. They have been coached well in every area of the game: fundamentals, how to carry yourself on and off the field, the itty bitty details of their position to make them better. I like that they are not allowed to give less than their best or make excuses or blame others. I like that the bar is set high!! My boys are as competitive as they come. It's in their blood, we love to win and hate to lose, so we battle with perspective at times and reminding ourselves that it is a game, a great game, but a game.
So what's the ugly? The ugly usually comes in the form of the way others behave. It seems like this year I've noticed it a lot more than years past, who knows why. We have played some teams that have made me EXTREMELY grateful that my boys play for who they play for. There's so many teams with such a lack of discipline and respect for the sport or themselves. They show up their teammates. The language is horrible on the field from players and coaches. Things start going bad and it's written all over them. And the parents??? Parents call out kids other than their own. They yell horrible things at kids on other teams. They cuss and rant and rave like we're in the World Series and their life rests on that game. THEN, unbelievable, they go home and get on line and start writing back and forth calling out kids, hello KIDS, about their errors and who's better than whom. Yeah everybody thinks their kid is the superstar. THESE ARE ADULTS, at least in numerical terms. I sit there and think this must be all they are living for. No, our team parents, players, and coaches aren't perfect. We yell at times and we all HATE to lose. We have the talent this year to be state champs and noone wants that more than the Leopard household BUT if we don't accomplish that, life will go on.
I have learned that we can learn just as much from ugly stuff as good stuff and we've learned a lot watching and reading some others this year. I've learned I don't want to act like a raging lunatic no matter what happens and I know my family will escort me out if I do. I've learned that I'm glad my boys are my boys and not some other boys. I'm glad we have the coaches that we have who have not only knowledge but class. And I'm glad that even though my husband may throw his hat, I don't have to worry about what comes out of his mouth. I also know and my boys know that if they act like some, they will be taken out of the game for good and I won't be waiting for the coach to do that.
Baseball, gotta love it at least most of it and I DO!!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monday Morning Perspective
Was yesterday awesome or what!!!?? I feel very inadequate even trying to blog about it because if you were there you know it just speaks for itself.
We began our series on The Road to the Resurrection. First up, What Happened in the Garden.
Points I took away:
-Adam assserted his selfish will and it led to the fall. Jesus deserted His will and it led to redemption.
-Circumstances sometimes dictate our posture in prayer.
-Prayer CAN change things but our circumstances don't ALWAYS change.
-Prayer is about grabbing hold of God and allowing Him to grab hold of us.
-My favorite: Our battles are won during our prayer time, there God gives us what we need. Jesus won the battle in the Garden as He prayed.
-He was in total control of His circumstances on the cross.
-It's ok to tell God what we want, our dreams and desires but we must be willing to relinquish our will to His will for us.
-The victory is ours when we relinquish our will and submit to Him.
-He provides all we need to live a victorious life.
Easter is my favorite time and I love how we are building up to that time. Outstanding start Pastor!!
We began our series on The Road to the Resurrection. First up, What Happened in the Garden.
Points I took away:
-Adam assserted his selfish will and it led to the fall. Jesus deserted His will and it led to redemption.
-Circumstances sometimes dictate our posture in prayer.
-Prayer CAN change things but our circumstances don't ALWAYS change.
-Prayer is about grabbing hold of God and allowing Him to grab hold of us.
-My favorite: Our battles are won during our prayer time, there God gives us what we need. Jesus won the battle in the Garden as He prayed.
-He was in total control of His circumstances on the cross.
-It's ok to tell God what we want, our dreams and desires but we must be willing to relinquish our will to His will for us.
-The victory is ours when we relinquish our will and submit to Him.
-He provides all we need to live a victorious life.
Easter is my favorite time and I love how we are building up to that time. Outstanding start Pastor!!
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