Easter Joy and Sappiness

Yes, the title did say sappiness, as in, an overwhelming feeling of being sappy. I'm not sure it is even a real word, but it suits me quite well. For some reason, ever since I was pregnant with my daughter over 3 years ago, my sensitivity meter has gone WAY up. It's not that I was never sensitive-I used to cry at really powerful moments in really dramatic movies, for instance. But now, it doesn't even take a really dramatic movie. It takes nothing much at all to cause me to suddenly choke up, eyes pooling with tears, moved by a sweet or endearing moment. It sometimes only takes a commercial, or a song, or a story I hear, or a Veggie Tales video.....

Okay, let me explain. Those Veggies know how to get a good message across! Most of the time they are silly and witty, causing laugh-out-loud moments probably more often for adults than kids. But they also have their sweet, heart-rending moments as well. Even though my 3 year old isn't always interested in watching Veggie Tales, you will still find me finishing a video we started and sometimes crying by the end of it. When these moments happen, there is no hiding it! When I can't hold back the sniffles or the sobs, then I throw a pillow over my face while my husband smiles (trying not to laugh I suppose) and pats my shoulder in a joking consolation saying, "Awwww, there, there."

Anyway, since Easter is this Sunday, I thought it would a good time to share with you all one of my favorite sappy Veggie moments (and messages!) from the Veggie Tale dvd An Easter Carol. I've watched this clip so many times, and also listened to the song on a Veggie Tales audio cd we have, and I have yet to make it through dry-eyed. But truly, it is a message so awesome and powerful that I can't help but feel overwhelmed each time I listen to it. It is the gospel-the good news of Jesus Christ-summed up, and it brings back to me the joy of my salvation! So instead of writing a post on the true meaning of Easter for us all to meditate on, I will just share with you the following song lyrics, and the video clip, because it already sums up in a beautiful, powerful way, just what Easter is all about anyway. I hope you will be encouraged (and maybe even get a little sappy too!).

Veggie Tales
Hope's Song lyrics from An Easter Carol

There's a story that started on Christmas
When a baby was born in the night
And those who came far who followed the star
Were seeing a heavenly sight
A heavenly sight

Well, the years hurried by and the boy, now a man
Could make the blind see with a touch of His hand
He was born to be King, He was Rabbi and Priest
But the best that He had, He gave to the least
He gave to the least

He was born and He died, almost 2,000 years ago
He laughed and He cried, He felt all the fears we know
But what does it matter? A story so strange
Even if it is true, what does it change?
What does it change?

Though He spoke like a prophet, like no one they'd heard
This simple young carpenter, crowds hung on every word
He hated injustice, He taught what is right
He said, I'm the way and the truth and the light
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/v/veggie_tales/hopes_song.html ]
His friends soon believed that truly He was the one
The Savior, Messiah, God's one and only Son
But others they doubted, they did not agree
So they took Him, they tried Him
He died on a tree, He died on a tree

God has made a way
For all who mourn and grieve
Death will never be the end
If you just believe

God has made a way
For all who mourn and grieve
Death will never be the end
If you just believe

There is nothing left to fear
Nothing Heaven knows
For He died for us to give us life
And to give us hope He rose

Beautiful Bittersweetness

I had a sweet moment with my baby girl tonight.

Okay, well those of you who know us know she isn't really a baby anymore, but of course she will always be my baby girl. She's 3. She's brilliant and beautiful and so funny and full of life. When did that happen? I love this little person she is becoming, but I feel like I can't hang on to the time, no matter how hard I try. I often feel at the end of the day that I missed out on something, on enjoying her as much as I should have, or on just taking the time to look at her, to notice the beauty and joy in that little face that isn't going to be "babyish" for much longer. I asked my mom once, "Is this what you always feel as a parent, constant bittersweetness?" You know, you are always looking forward to good things and milestones ahead, but then you are always sort of mourning the time that has passed too-that these little people are gone and have turned into brilliant, beautiful, funny kids, teens, young adults, and adults... "Yep," my mom replied, "that sounds about right."

This bittersweetness of parenthood. It's a wonderful, beautiful sort of aching in my heart that doesn't seem to go away. It's the sort of aching and longing that can only be answered in eternity, when we leave this temporary place and go to be with the Lord in our true home, because there we will finally and fully see all things clearly....

But anyhow, back to my little Shaelyn. I was driving her and I back from a great night with friends (Go Giants!) and she had fallen asleep in her carseat before we made it home. The excitement of the night must have caught up to her! She doesn't fall asleep in the car much anymore, and I just love to see her sleeping, looking so sweet and peaceful. It also just so happened that I was listening to one of my favorite Plumb albums called Blink, a lullaby album from a few years back. I used to sing these songs to Shaelyn when she was a baby, and I'd choke up and cry from the overwhelming emotion and joy of being a new mom. So here it was again-a beautiful, sweet song playing while I pulled into our driveway and watched my beautiful, sweet girl sleep. Then I started the song over and sung it to her, while she continued to sleep.... Me, I wouldn't trade your love for all the candy, in this great big world. And me, I feel so crazy blessed and oh, so lucky, to be the place you go, when you need to feel safe, when you need a kiss, it's me. I wash your face to make room for, all the kisses, of tomorrow. And everyday that I get to, be here with you, is sweet. And me....

I don't know how to hold on to the time. It will keep moving, keep passing, sometimes slower than I want, but most of the time too fast. I don't know how to hold on to it; I only know how to be with her. How to take time for these moments where I can truly look at her and see her and enjoy her. Life will always hold distractions, things both good and bad that will compete for our time and attention and threaten to take us away from all that is truly important. I know life experiences and priorities are different for everyone, and they change with the passage of time. I'm thankful that the Lord has allowed me to stay at home with my little girl, to be with her as she grows while we teach and guide and direct her. I know this isn't everyone's experience or that everyone has the same opportunity for that. But even as a stay-at-home mom, I struggle with remembering that my family is my number one ministry and mission. I forget how fast time is passing, and that I should be investing more into my daughter than in other projects or goals that are not a priority or that I need to wait on. I know I can't give every single moment of my attention to my daughter-that would be impossible, and after all, cleaning and grocery shopping and cooking and time with friends and church involvement, among other things, are all a healthy and necessary part of family life. But at the end of the day, I want to know that I served my family well by serving them first. I want to know that I took the time to be with my little girl, to actually look at her when talking to her and to listen; to observe her and enjoy all that she is becoming; and to teach her about the amazing God who loves her and has a great plan for her life.

Sometimes to do all this means carving out a specific time each day for "Mommy and Shaelyn time." Other times it means not being on my computer until it is nap time, or not answering my phone all day (which is why when you call me you will most likely have to leave a message!). For me, it has often meant saying "no" to certain projects or things I want to pursue beyond a hobby, like my love of fitness and nutrition; or opportunities I've had to work part-time even though I don't really need to. Although these may be good things and worthwhile goals, I believe there will be a time for them in the future, but I know that for me that time isn't now. I know that right now I don't want to take away from my first and most important ministry, my family.

So for now I will wait. I will wait on all those things competing for my attention and my time. I will pray and ask God for wisdom in all things, that I would know the difference between my own plans and His. I will ask for accountability in keeping my priorities straight. And I will wait on my little girl as she grows, giving her my time and attention and care. And I will hold her and cuddle her and sing her more lullabys, because if I'm honest with myself, I may not be able to do that for much longer!

Guidelines on Tipping

The waiter at the popular burger restaurant looked overwhelmed and slightly irritated as he bustled about, back and forth by the table he was serving, occasionally stopping to check on the two girls or refill their drinks. Even though it was only lunch time, the restaurant was filling quickly and he had a full section of tables to serve. He was friendly and skilled at his job. You could tell he did a great job, and the girls wondered at his seeming frustration. Did he have customers that were angry with him for some reason, even though he seemed like he was on top of everything? The girls tried their best to be friendly, hoping to steal a moment to inquire of him. Maybe he just needed to let something off his chest. Maybe he just didn't do well when the restaurant filled up. Why was it so full? the girls wondered. And then they remembered; it was Sunday, after all.

The waiter came over to ask again how the girls were doing, and they smiled and encouraged him the best they could. "Everything is great! You are doing an awesome job, thanks!"

"Thanks girls, at least you two are happy," he replied.

"What? Isn't anyone else?"

"It's a tough crowd, but I'm used to it. I usually work Sunday at this time, and this is pretty normal-the church crowd."

Ouch. Does something seem wrong with that picture?

My sister relayed that story to me one day, about how she had lunch with a friend after church and were filled with compassion for this waiter, who proceeded to explain how Sunday church crowds often mean rude people and small tips. It saddened and frustrated my sister and her friend, as it does me when I hear similar stories. And unfortunately I've heard many. It's upsetting because, as Christians ourselves, we desire to represent Christ in our lifestyles by love and generosity and kindness, and when people are turned off of Christianity because of Christians, something is seriously wrong. I also can't help but feel that my own witness has been ruined by bad examples from other people.


Now, I decided early on that I didn't want my blog to be a place where I complained, or talked about pet peeves or things that frustrated me, whether in or out of the church. It's too easy to do that. Rather, I want to uplift, inspire, and encourage others by sharing stories from my own life, or things that the Lord is teaching me in my own walk of faith. So it is with caution that I proceed, feeling that I should share this disturbing truth going on in churches today, and with many people who profess to be Christians. It's what many people outside of the church already see and know, and it's what keeps many of them from even wanting to know about God. It is this: hypocrisy-people professing to know Christ, but then denying Him with their lifestyles. It's people in the church who are acting no different, if not worse, than the world through their actions, speech, or lifestyles. It's the judgemental, non-loving hearts and attitudes from people who are supposed to be saved and changed by God's own love and grace. How can we embrace God's grace for ourselves but then fail to give it out to others?

Now, there are many forms of being hypocritical, and I could go on forever with examples and ideas, but I don't need to. My heart just breaks for the friends and family I know who are so turned off of God and the Church (which is God's body of believers) because of their bad experiences with supposed "Christians" that they don't want anything to do with God. So my purpose for writing this post is actually two-fold- I want to apologize, personally, for the bad, hypocritical behavior of any person or church who has not represented Christ in the right way. I'm truly sorry, because Christ called his church to love himself and then love others above all else. We should be so filled with love and gratitude from what Jesus did-dying on the cross to take the punishment for our own wrongdoing, our sin, so that we can be saved from a life and eternity without God-that we can't help but share that love with others. When a person accepts Christ's forgiveness into his life and begins to walk with him (being saved) then Christ's spirit comes into that person to change them and guide them. And if we aren't being changed and transformed by God's spirit, then it may be that his Spirit isn't there, and there has not been true repentence or surrender in the life of that person claiming to be a Christian. Now, I'm not saying that a genuine believer will never sin and will be perfect, but there is a change that comes from understanding and accepting God's grace and forgiveness. We still sin (being human) but there is now awareness and conviction for that sin, and a desire to seek and serve God, to become more like Him, not for our glory but so that other's may witness our changed lives and be drawn to Him as well. After all, He is the answer to our lost world, the reason and purpose we are all here! So we want to share that life-changing news with others, rather than turn them off by living and acting in a way contrary to what Jesus calls us to. The point is, our lives should shine! Christians' words and actions and demeanor should be proof of Christ living in them.

In addition to my apology, I also want to say this to anyone who has been hurt or turned off by the church or a hypocritical "Christian." Please don't judge God by a fallible human's bad representation of Him. People are people, and we mess up. We're imperfect, and unfortunately we often misrepresent our loving, gracious God. But's it's not hard to find out who He is and what He is really like. That is the main message I want to get across. I hope this can be a wake-up call to Believers to evaluate our hearts and actions, but mostly I want others out there to know who God really is. Don't give up on Him or on seeking to find out who He is and what He is really like yourselves. I'm sorry for any bad experience you've had, but on the other hand, it would be a tragedy to blame God for someone else's bad behavior, and then give up on seeking him altogether because of that.

God is not a mystery, and if you want to know what He is really like, all you need to do is open His word, the Bible. God wants to reveal Himself to you. He is a good, gracious, SAVING God. He is a kind, loving, FATHER God. He is an awesome, Holy, creative CREATOR God. He made you and created you for a purpose. (Jeremiah 29:11-13) He says that all those who seek him will find him. He doesn't force himself in anyone's life. He doesn't force us to love and serve him, because that would not be real love at all. But he patiently stands at the door (that's your heart) and knocks. (Revelation 3:20) He is the gentle whisper that comes in the calm after the storm. (1 Kings 19:11-13) He is the loving, adoring father who runs to his child who has been lost and wayward, and celebrates his return by throwing him the grandest feast. (Luke 15:11-24) He is the shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to come looking for his 1 lost sheep because every single one of them (YOU) is important, and he celebrates when each one who is lost is found! (Luke 15:1-7) He is the only thing that can and will fill the longing of every human's heart. And because I know this truth personally, and because I know he loves me so much, I just can't help but love him back, and I can't help but tell you all as well.

I like to remind people that when Jesus was here living among us and doing his ministry, he actually spoke against the religious people of his day. And who did he hang out with? It was the tax collectors, the fishermen, the lowly, the "down and out" and despised people. He showed that God shows no favoritism, and that he came for everyone. So Christians needs to remember that we aren't "above" anyone else. We were given a free gift, and we're saved because of what HE did, not because of us. If, on the other hand, you are new to reading the Bible, and you just want to know who this Jesus guy is and what he is all about, then start by opening to the New Testament and read the first four books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are bascially the biographies of who Jesus is and what He did. Start there, and then pray that God would reveal himself to you.

Back to the scenario at the beginning: as dis-heartening as it is to know there are bad representations of Christ out there, I do know that there are even more real, passionate, loving churches and Christians out there as well. I'm married to one (tee hee!), I am surrounded by others that are friends and family, and I belong to an amazing, genuine church filled with people who truly love the Lord and love people, not just with words but with actions. That day at the restaurant, my sister proceeded to tell the waiter that they were also part of the "church crowd," but not that church crowd that he described. She apologized, and told him that it shouldn't be that way, and they hoped they could redeem, in even a small way, the name of Christ and what it means to be a Christian. And then they left him a big tip, because, for one, that's what Jesus would have done. And honestly people, that is truly one of the easiest ways to bless someone.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13

"Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." -Matthew 5:15-16