VACATION!!!!!!!!

Yeah!!!! CJ and I have made plans for our first real vacation in 10 years! The last one being our honeymoon. It's going to be our 10 year anniversary this June and we really wanted to do something. It's been a really tough year money-wise, Murphy has been our constant companion but we've been able to scrape up enough to make this vacation happen. We're going to Wisconsin Dells for 3 days/2 nights and then to Minneapolis, MN to visit our friends Josh and Ashley Vance for 3 days/3 nights. (Can't wait to meet their new baby boy, Elake)

I found a motel on TripAdvisor.com. It's rated #1 in value and customer satisfaction in the Wisconsin Dells area. We got a whirlpool room, with a private balcony over the pool and a king sized bed for $85 a night! Yeah! They also have rooms with multiple rooms and kitchens for about the same price. They have several really nice, new playgrounds and grills that we can use. Plus a heated outdoor pool, an indoor pool and 2 hot tubs. We've decided if we like this place then we'll bring Dani here for our next vacation.

I read all the reviews for this place! At least back till 2007 or so and I only saw 3 bad reviews. All of them had a reply from the owner (it's family owned, has been since it opened) and he basically told them they should have called to let them know of their problems (they keep records of all calls and complaints, there was none for these people) and he would have either fixed it or given the a FULL REFUND! He even offered to give them a refund now. Seriously? I was shocked. There were probably about 5 reviews that gave descriptions of problems they'd had and they were ALL satisfied with how it was fixed, quickly! One person described how their fridge didn't close properly and the manager was there within 5 minutes and when he couldn't repair it, he had a new one brought to them in 15 minutes. That's awesome. All the rooms have been remodeled over the last 3 years and the beds, I've heard, are to die for. They put some big money into all new Sealy beds. Can't wait to sleep on them!

It's definately a motel, not a huge resort like so many of the hotels there in the Dells, but we don't need that. I think every single review said the place was unbelievably clean even before the rooms were remodeled and everything was old. Plus, the rooms are supposed to be really big, even the suites with multiple rooms. All I need is a quiet spot to relax with my hubby. It's on the edge of town so it's not surrounded by noise and traffic but it's just a couple blocks from the downtown area with all the restaurants and shops. It's sounds perfect!

Anyway, I'm just excited, can you tell? I have no idea what I'm going to do without Dani for 6 days but I know she's in good hands. Grandma Lynn and Mimi (my mom) are going to watch her for us. It'll be really good for CJ and I to have this time together. Plus it'll be great to see Josh and Ashley. We saw them in November but that's too long ago. I'm going through Ashley withdrawal. :)

Happy (almost) 10 years Baby!!!

Angel Food Ministry report

This weekend marked the biggest weekend so far in our Angel Food Ministry. A family that we've been giving to since we started giving away boxes in November, came to our church for a baby shower we threw for them. It was so great. The whole family came, the couple of course, both grandmothers, and a sister in law. (the brother and grandfather were watching the kids)

For the past week, members of our congregation have been bringing gifts for the shower. We didn't make the shower open to all so we wouldn't overwhelm the family. But lots of people brought gifts even though they weren't coming to the shower. I was so excited by how many gifts the family got. They were overwhelmed by it all. They couldn't believe the church would give them so much stuff when they don't even attend. The family seemed so open to us.

One of the verses Angel Food tries to embody is Matthew 25:35 and 40. It says (Matthew 25:35) "For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in." When they challenged Jesus and asked when did they do this for their God, the answer is "To the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me (Matt 25:40)." I believe we are doing this through AF and I love it! I love it because I feel we are doing exactly what God wants us to. It feels good to be right in the center of his will and feel his blessings on what we're doing.

Are leaders baseball umps or football refs?

I've been thinking about this for the past several weeks. How do we show respect to our leaders? Especially those leaders in church. Our national leaders are challenged, criticized, and spoken out about all the time. We can say whatever we want about them without feeling guilty and I believe this is a good thing. However, I think some people take this to the extreme (baby killer anyone?) But I believe this is still a good thing, I wouldn't take this away because a few abuse it.

However, how are we to treat our church leaders? I believe there are many factors that come into this. First and foremost, if we disagree we have to prayerfully consider our reactions because often times if we spend time in prayer, we may come to agree. The reasoning behind this is, leaders' words often are often designed to stretch and challenge us. So we may not automatically agree when we first hear it. And then if we still disagree, these leaders are usually our friends, not some far away leader in DC we never meet. So then do we approach them? Do we questions and/or challenge them?

I've had an analogy that has helped me form this question. Look at the difference between Baseball Umpires and Football Referees. Baseball umps are pretty much untouchable. They don't review their calls. What they say goes and if you get mad, they have the ability to throw you out. Football refs on the other hand, voluntarily review their own plays, and if they don't the coaches have the right to challenge them without penalties.

So are Pastors, Priests, the Pope, SS teachers, Board members, Deacons, (etc, etc) baseball umps or football umps. And do these very leaders agree with your conclusion?

"outside" memories

As the weather gets warmer and warmer, I've been thinking about some of my memories that I have of spending time outside. I consider myself very lucky. I grew up on a farm and had parents that allowed me to explore it by myself. (I'm not sure I could even give that much freedom to Dani) I remember going to the "back 40" of our land and exploring the timber. I would look for animal prints and would use my imagination to pretend I was exploring some other land. I never got bored and considering I explored the same land over and over that's saying something. I think it was because I played by myself so much that I had to develop my imagination. This is something I hope Dani has. I had a lot of fun using my imagination both inside and outside the house. Plus, it gave hours to Mom that she didn't have to entertain me. :)

So as the weather is getting warmer I'm hoping to take Dani outside and just let her walk around. Let her explore outside of our regular yard and hopefully develop a love of exploring like I have. Who knows maybe I'll start again, after all she's still to young to go alone...

Dani

Yesterday Dani had a super cute day so I had to tell you about it. First I have to give you a bit of background. Dani has been potty training for months now. She's pretty sporadic and inconsistent but if we try to push her, it's completely counterproductive. So we've been letting her set her own pace and just be thankful for the diapers we aren't having to change. Unfortunately, not one of those diapers avoided have been poopy diapers. She has absolutely refused to poop on the potty.
Yesterday, I was cleaning the church and CJ calls and tells me Dani has something to tell me. In her cute little voice I hear "I pooped" She had gone into the bathroom by herself and just sat down and went. She came out and told CJ about it. That's so like her. Just doing it on her own, not when someone is pushing her.
Then last night my friend Emily came over and we went to town to get movies and some stuff for dinner. Dani got into the kiddy cart at HyVee. The kind with the car in front. She loves to drive instead of sitting in the regular cart. So anyway, we are in the store for maybe 10 minutes and all of a sudden I hear Dani trying to get my attention. She's holding out a cell phone wanting me to have a turn "talking" on it. I have no idea how she got this phone! It was soooooo funny!

living with questions

I'm learning that I don't know more than I do know. I'm also learning that's ok. However, I'm so used to thinking I have to have the right answers in order to live right and not sin. If I don't know if something is right or wrong how can I know whether or not I can do it and still be ok in God's eyes? This is such a weird way of thinking however, it's the norm in church culture right now. We need pastors and teachers and even each other to tell us the right answers so we know the right way to live. Is smoking and drinking right or wrong? Is going to a bar ok? Is being gay a sin? Is being transgendered a sin? Is voting for a pro-choice candidate ok? Is capitalism good or bad? Is cussing a sin or just bad taste? Is speaking in tongues essential to being filled with the Holy Spirit or just a gift given to a select few? Should we be baptized as infants or after being "saved"? Etc etc etc. I think this is why there is so much division between different denominations. Even why there are different denominations to begin with. We feel we have to have all the answers nailed down and nailed down correctly. Questions aren't welcome. Uncertainty is to be avoided at all cost.

Right now I'm dealing with the questions of homosexuality. Right now I still think it's sin. However, I'm not so certain that I will argue with anyone about it. There is more and more science showing how hormones and genes contribute to many having homosexual tendencies. I also know that external factors play a huge role as well. (Such as having overbearing mothers or absentee fathers) There seems to be even more science pointing towards genetic or hormonal causes in those who would call themselves transgendered. If a "male" embryo receives female hormones invitro that causes them to feel more female than male do we condemn them anyway? Would God? I don't know yet and maybe I never will. Is that bad? I'm learning more and more that the answer is no.

We don't have to have all the answers! God is the only one with knowledge of ALL things. Plus, with learning more and more that it's not all about knowing the right way to live (and therefore avoiding hell) and just living in the love and presence of Jesus right here, right now, I'm learning it's ok to be in process. To always be learning and reevaluating what I've always thought to be set in stone.

I think one of the most dangerous things a church can do is to refuse to question. We have a history of doing that and it isn't pretty. ESPECIALLY when it comes to science. Remember (in history books) when the church refused to believe that the solar system didn't revolve around the earth? This seems silly to us now but back then it was a HUGE deal! It seemed so central to what they believed about how God created us and the worlds around us. For a long time the church refused to reevaluate what they had translated the Bible to say in order to fit it to what science had proven.

Are we doing the same thing today? What about evolution? Most christians will agree that the creation story isn't literal (6 24 hr periods) After all, we all know the verse that says, a day is a thousand years and a thousand years is a day to God. So is it so unbelievable that God might have created that single cell organism on the first "day" and set the system of evolution in place? Would that mean that he didn't actually "create" all that we see? Actually I think it's even more impressive and cool than if it all happened in 6 days! What a creative God we have!

We just need to be careful I think, in the coming days. Questions and uncertainty (and science) are not our enemies. They help us understand and explore our amazing God!

C.A.L.M.

CJ says we should start a new christian group called CALM. It's for Christians Against Legislating Morality. This came in response to a group that is meeting at our church this Friday call LUV. It stands for Let Us Vote. They couldn't have picked a more inappropriate name if they tried! It's a group trying to get a vote to overturn the ruling that made gay marriage legal in Iowa. This is the second type meeting our church has hosted and it makes me sick! Is this the reputation we want those outside our church have of us? This is exactly the kind of thing that make the unchurched turn away. They see this kind of action as bigoted, hate-driven and unloving. What is the church supposed to be known for? LOVE!!!! Everything we are considering doing in the church should first be examined for what it will show to those outside the church. Will this show the love Jesus came to portray or not? If not, we shouldn't do it!

The debate about homosexuality in this country has done more to damage the church's effectiveness than just about anything since segregation. We need to wake up and realize this!!! Our stance doesn't need to change (unlike segregation) but our approach does. We can still believe homosexuality is a sin but not vote against them. We should love them! We should seek to understand them. Where are they coming from, what has happened in their life, who are they as a person, not as a homosexual? We should show them the love that Jesus showed the prostitutes and other "sinners" he hung out with. He was their friend, he loved them and THEN he talked to them about their sin when it was appropriate. Why do we not realize how much more people we could reach for Jesus if we acted as he did not as the religious right tells us we should???? We are doing the exact opposite of what Jesus did right now! And we still have the nerve to call ourselves the "body of Christ"??

If you look at many of the questions Jesus was asked in an effort to "trap" him in the context of his culture, many of them were politically charged! Every single time he refused to answer one way or another, thus not "taking sides" or joining a party in today's language. So if we want to be like Jesus, we should not ask is gay marriage wrong but how can we love those that want gay marriage. We should not ask in what instances, if any, is abortion right but how can we love both the mothers and baby affected by the circumstances that led to her seeking an abortion.

"We are called to be set apart" I hear all the time at church. And it's true. However, the meaning behind that I think is often wrong. We aren't just supposed to have less sin in our lives, we are supposed to have love motivate all we do. (unlike "the world" which doesn't have the love of Jesus) As a result we WILL sin less because sin hurts those we love, but you can see the difference. We can sin less and not love although that attitude often introduces new, more sinister sins (because we tend to ignore or even accept them in the church, which make them more dangerous) like self-righteousness, pride, hatred, intolerance, and rejection of the "sinners" we are called to love.

I hope in the future, we, as a church, will remember our reputation does affect how the unchurched views us. The worse our reputation is, the harder it is to introduce who the person of Jesus really is to those who are seeking him.