Lemons into Lemonade

Has anyone seen the new Avatar movie yet??

Let me start by saying this- it's PG-13. So, naturally, I took my 10 year old daughter to see it. I know what your thinking... put this one up for mother-of-the-year, right?? Yeeaaaah.
The truth is, the movie is full of action and nauseatingly fast-paced digital imagery and is very exciting to watch. I especially loved Sigourney Weaver in it. But Spiritually? Yikes!

The Na'Vi in the movie is a culture made from a mish-mash African and Native American religions and beliefs. They have a whole Pocahontas theme going, with a Shaman and a chanting people who worship a Goddess tree, who answers prayers. It is very weird. Very. Weird.

Great, I thought. How am I going to explain this to my daughter? We sit watching the movie while I silently beat myself up for taking my beloved baby, whose walk with Christ is more important to me than the beautiful breaths she takes. How am I going to protect her from all the ugliness, evil, and strange religions this world has to offer? How can I keep her focused on Christ? How can I undo the spiritual damage this movie can do? God, how could I do this to my child???

In my momentous attack of melodrama, God gave me the answers to all of my "How can I's"

I CAN'T. Only HE can.

My babies have to branch out into this vile world. I can't homeschool and protect them forever. I can't place them in a baptist bubble. I can't force their walk with Christ.

As we sat in the car on the drive home, Dara said something amazing. My astute little one saw the Pocahontas influence. Thanks to GOD, and a movie titled" The New World", her greatest excitement came from the fact that even though Pocahontas came from a tribe of unfamiliar savagery, SHE GOT SAVED. And so could the Na'Vi from the movie..." because that's why God sends missionaries.", Dara says with a smile.

What Stress Can Do

So I have been noticing lately that I'm getting a bald spot. No, it's not in the back- it's right in the front for all to admire. I spoke to my friend and hairdresser and instead of saying what I tactfully hoped she would, she said," Yeah, I see that you are going bald". She suggested a new hair-do . It's basically a comb-over. I am grateful.
After working her magic, she asks me a rather odd question- "Are you under a lot of stress?". HUH?

Well, yes. Yes I am. In the past year we have battled MRSA, hospital visits, anxiety disorder, my dad's wife being terminally ill, and more medical bills than we can pay.

But I never really thought of it as stress. I thought of them as trials. Trials given by Our Heavenly Father to grow my family and bring us closer to Him. I see a year of reliance on His Word and Grace.

Matthew 10:28-31 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows"

God knows the diminishing number of hairs on my head! Hallelujah!

And that's what stress does... It makes you thankful for going bald.

Class Clown

So, here goes a blog. I am not tech savvy, or very interesting. I have never dreamed of offering my two cents. Blogs were something I read; not ever did I consider writing one- until now.

See, I've had an epiphany. Maybe it's because I've not been sleeping well, or maybe it's due to the fact that I have Beethoven's 7th reeling through my head-- who knows. I just know that this morning, at 5am, I was hit by reality.

Now, let's get one thing straight... I am a big fan of reality. I happen to think that more people should become acquainted with it. But,on this morning, reality is not my comforting friend. I woke up with one thing on my mind this morning- Traci Stanton Little. Traci is a friend and fellow blogger who writes about Our Lord. Always. I had the priviledge of going for a walk with her this summer, and all she did was talk about God. Her love for Jesus is amazing. It flavored every word that came from her with kindness, gentleness, peace and joy. Of course, I had pretty much nothing to offer. And therein lies the epiphany.

I am the class clown. I love to laugh, and make others laugh. I can't help but see the humor in EVERYTHING. But, is that edifying? Is my wit encouraging others to walk more closely to God? Now I do agree that God loves laughter and humor occasionally, but God wants us to glorify Him always. I woke this morning realizing that I am the biblical interpretation of "class clown"-- FOOL. And not the good kind. Not the fool for Christ we should be, but the ugly, railing, harsh kind.

I realized this morning that even though I couldn't stop smiling and laughing, Traci Little said nothing funny on our midsummer's walk.

I woke this morning praying for God to change my heart.