ask me about 'M'.....

read this on a friends blog.....

The 'Following Jesus' Manifesto

January 7, 2007
[rhymes with kerouac]

1. Stop talking about Jesus. Just stop. If we loved the people around us half as much as we say we love Jesus the rest of this manifesto would be entirely redundant.
   
2. Live a secret life. Invest the time, effort and vulnerability necessary to delve deeply into the scripture and prayer. Spend long periods of time in stillness. There is no shortcut to this, there is no other way. Without a deep and secret life we soon find ourselves talking about Jesus instead of being like Jesus.
   
3. Stop pretending. I'm a Christian, and I suck. So do you. Let's get that out of the way, shall we?
   
4. Give more than you get. There will always be more than enough.
   
5. Be present for those around you. Following Jesus has nothing to do with your work, your resume or your income. In fact, nothing that matters does.
6. Treasure broken-ness. Our broken places are sacred spaces in our heart. Honour them. Value them. In doing so you love the unlovely, publicly declaring the beauty of God's image in everyone. Greet the broken with comfort and cool water.
7. Throw a party.
   
8. Know Jesus well enough to recognize him on the street. This is rather important, because he can always be found on the street - and he usually looks more like a pan-handler than a preacher.
9. Accept ingratitude and abuse as a fixed cost. Embrace them, and then go the extra mile.
10. If you follow Jesus, you will anger religious people. This is how you will know.
    

Article originally appeared on Daily Life in a Homeless Shelter (http://mission.squarespace.com/).

...there's a new class of people in this world....it's probably been around for a long time, but it has become more obvious to me because i'm part of it now....they are the broken, jaded, cynical, hurting 'former church goers'.....but, they are still followers of christ......the problem with this group is that they don't know where they belong......they feel either abandoned by their churches, or betrayed by their churches, or just disgusted by their churches.....um, former churches......over the past year or so, i've meet probably close to one hundred of these people...many who come to us with questions.....all still wanting to let their lights shine for christ......what is going on?.....with churches i mean?.....how in the world are we supposed to draw those who don't know christ toward HIM, when we are so concerned with church politics, or pleasing the big givers, or even not facing embarrassing sin issues......the problems that plague the church, aren't in the 'world', they are in the church....god help us

i’ve been frustrated lately….frustrated that i don’t have goals….that i’m not focused……that i’m apathetic…..sometimes it’s tough to read these posts, here and at various other blogs……so many people have such exciting full lives…….my day so far has consisted of……my daily fight with my 6 year old, audrey, over skorts vs skirts……she wants to wear a skirt everyday but i won’t let her because she doesn’t know how to sit properly……….then, i entered my kitchen and there were ants EVERYWHERE……..in the midst of killing the ants with mop-n-glo because i couldn’t find anything else, audrey was freaking out because i wouldn’t let her have the snack she wanted……..then i couldn’t find my car keys so i had to call a neighbor to bring the girls to school…….they left, but not before audrey came up to me, squeezed me tight and said i’m sorry mom……..i hugged her back, and said good-bye…….it’s not easy, but for now, i’ll embrace it with everything i have because, this is what i do…….

:)

.....17 and a half years in the making......
.........our son, dale, is graduating in 12 days......after 8 years of homeschooling, 3 and a half years of public school in rhode island, moving in the middle of 11th grade to a new school in maryland, moving the summer before his senior year to a new school in baltimore......i think he actually did it......might i add he did manage to squeeze in a couple of appearances on the honor roll as well.......it's so true that they grow up in a flash..........now if i can just keep my sanity for the next 11 years as i watch our 3 daughters attempt the same.............................................

......the counselor at the elementary school audrey and gwen go to called me today.....the 4th, maybe 5th time since friday, when gwen poured her heart out to her about what has happened in our lives this past year, told her everything......this counselor has relentlessly pursued us since, wanting to help us make a better life for ourselves.........amazing.......

...."i'm really glad i know you."

my grandma said that to me today......

i'm blessed with an awesome husband and children..........i can't believe it sometimes

.....my son makes me laugh so hard sometimes, it annoys emily.....in a good way

dale is awesome......he is easily the most faithful, consistent, dedicated, committed, and so much more........person, husband, father, christian, employee and so much more.......

emily and i laughed so hard we cried last night.....over a bowl of pretzels.....
pretzels are magical for us.......lol

people are funny........not in a 'ha ha' way......in that other way......