Who knows what day this is????

Ok, honestly, I haven't really been doing as well as I should.  But I have been a little busy.  On the 11th, I went with Brandon to Montgomery for the Future Problem Solvers State Competition.  My plan was to get him from dinner and swimming, drop him off in the assigned room so that he could work on his skit and then retreat to my hotel room for some good "God time."  But as we got the kids dropped off, I decided to spend some time with the other moms on the trip.  For those of you who aren't aware, we live an extra-crazy life.  We live in Leeds, attend school in Clay, and attend church on 280, so we have lots of friends in lots of different places.  It takes effort for me to get to know the parents of the students in my kid's classes.  I did a much better job getting to know Blake's friends' parents.  And, strangely enough, many of Blake's friends have little sisters Julia's age, so I know them also.  I have never made much of an effort to get to know the parents of Brandon's friends, so I chose to take the opportunity while I had it to get to know the ladies on the trip with me.  I'm very glad I did.  It is so encouraging in this crazy world we live in to know that my children are surrounded by Christian families.  So, while our kids were making up their awesome skit, I got to know two very special ladies.  There went that time.  But since my son did his own thing on the car ride up and back, I did get in a lot of meditation and quiet time.  One thing I realized on my way to the campground is that I really have NO control over what happens to my kids as they grow up.  Yes, I can do my best to make sure they follow my rules and become good, moral people, but I cannot shoulder that responsibility alone.  I can do everything right for the 18 years they are under my roof and they can still choose to go a different way.  Or, I can do nothing right, and my kids can become missionaries and prophets if God so chooses.  So basically I realized that while I am responsible for teaching them that God loves them and has an amazing plan for their lives and all the other stuff, only God can take that knowledge and bring it to fruition.  So one thing I did learn is that as long as I am doing everything I can do, I am ok...only God can do the rest.  That also reminds me of something I learned a long time ago while attending AA meetings with my father - the serenity prayer.  How many times had I prayed it before it REALLY sank in.  The ONLY person on this entire earth I have power over to change is ME!  Not my husband, my children, my students, my co-workers, no one. As much as I would LOVE to change some people, I can't.  I can only change my reaction to them or the time I spend with them.  This applies to my children as well.  I can only teach them the information they need to know and show them how things should be, but it's completely up to them to make the changes in their lives.  While it doesn't entirely take off the pressure, it is good to know that the sole responsibility for my children does not lie with me.  Thank goodness, because I don't entirely have my stuff together.  God can take the worst of the worst and turn him into a preacher or a prophet.  All I can do is pray and love.  And I can do those pretty easily.

Spring Break was A-Mazing!!!!  It was fun to sit around the camp fire and talk.  It's so special to look at the faces around the fire and marvel at what God has done in my life, who He has brought into it, and where He has led us.  It is also cool that all of us are so like-minded where our kids are concerned.  We all believe that it truly takes a village to raise a child (and trust me, we look like a village when we camp) so we all look out for each other's children.  We also all have the same goals for our kids.  We have similar morals and values. Our camping theme is "Making memories."  We want our kids to be kids as long as they can...and they were kids last week.  I still smile when I think of the hikes and stories we heard of their activities.  I also smile when I remember the beauty of God's creation that we camped in.  I still wonder how someone can see an intricate flower blossom or a water fall and NOT know in their heart that it didn't just "happen."

Platt came into my life.  And while I hear it often, I don't know if I have truly grasped this concept.  Yes, I understand that God is holy and perfect.  But I truly believe our culture today has dulled us to the way God sees our sins.  And I have fallen victim to that mentality.  Because honestly, I don't think I'm a bad person, not compared to Sally, who cheats on her husband, or John, who abuses his wife, or Frank, who molested his child...those are BAD people and I've done nothing like that.  While I know, and often remind others, that God sees ALL sins as bad, I still justify that my little white lie to the neighbor so I won't have to watch her kids isn't nearly as bad as the gay neighbor down the street. Surely, I am not the only person in the world who does this?
Let me give you some of Piper's best quotes before I go on...

I f God were not just, there would be no demand for his Son to 

suffer and die. And if God were not loving, there would be no will- 

ingness for his Son to suffer and die. But God is both just and loving. 

Therefore his love is willing to meet the demands of his justice. 

But we have all loved other things more. This 

is what sin is—dishonoring God by preferring other things over 

him, and acting on those preferences

Ok, I could just copy the whole chapter, but instead I'm going to put the link so you can read it yourself...

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/online-books/fifty-reasons-why-jesus-came-to-die

Piper goes on to say that our sin is not small because our God is not small, and failure to love him is treason.  He also says that God cannot ignore our sins because of his justness.  But, my favorite line is "God is not content to show wrath, no matter how holy it is.  Therefore God sends his own Son to absorb his wrath and bear the curse for all who trust him." This is an amazing thought! But don't miss the next one...

"We will never stand in awe of being loved by God until we reckon with the seriousness of our sin and the justice of his wrath against us."  He nailed it for me.  I so want to be in awe of God and his love for me, but I haven't reckoned myself with the seriousness of my sinful nature.  And this statement is my goal.  So as I close out my random blog for the day, I ask that you pray for me in my quest for understanding the seriousness of my sin so that I can stand in awe of God and His love for me.

Maybe now I can move on to reason 2.....Until next time.....