My favorite.....

My family has a warped sense of humor. Whenever we would do something for one child and another would whine "Why does SHE get that?!", my husband would just dryly say "Because she's our favorite". Then the other kids would sorta laugh and say "See, I always knew it!" I've been accused by each child that another one was my favorite...and they were right.

Each HAS been my favorite at different times for different reasons. Each child's personality or strength or even weakness has at one time or another drawn me closer to them. Sometimes, I sense that a child just NEEDS me more at that particular time. Sometimes, I NEED that particular child's humor or kindness or strength of character. Sometimes, one child's goals, hobbies, interests, or just life in general matches up to mine in that moment of time and it just naturally pulls us together. But it is not a matter of loving one child more than another. They are all so different! How did four such unique individuals come out of me?

My only son, Clay, has interests in politics, philosophy, and theology which match my own. We can sit at the dinner table and talk of such things logically and heated and enjoy it. That can be very exciting for me since my husband cares very little for such things! He is very intelligent and makes a great debate partner! He is extremely goal-oriented; he can set a goal and follow it through to the end...no matter what! I find myself defending and making excuses for my son since he has that rebel spirit in him that has led him, in the past, to make choices we don't always consider wise. But I know where the rebel spirit comes from....it is genetic and it is NOT from his daddy! But I also understand that this same type of spirit, properly channeled, can also help you stand up in the face of injustice with boldness. It gives you a needed righteous indignation to slay the dragon. It allows you to "go against the flow" when you need to. I see this in my son and know that, if channeled through God's will, he will surpass us all in what he can accomplish! God can use a very intelligent, goal-oriented, rebel-rouser to do great things...big bold things.

My second child, Vickie, is the purest of heart. She has always sought God in a way that none of us have. She is willing to do anything for God; I believe she has the spirit of the first century martyrs. She grieves over sin yet loves the sinners. Her righteous indignation is reserved for Christians "who should know better". She seems to be able to always "keep the main thing the main thing". She has often corrected me by saying "What does that matter Mom, when they don't even know God!" She does all this with a meek spirit. I complain about her shyness and sometime social awkwardness yet she cringes at my boldness while she quietly, without the fanfare I demand, serves her God. No telling where she will end up...but it will be where God tells her to go.

My third child, Michelle, has the quickest wit and is the most fun to just "hang out" with. From a tiny child she has had a well-developed sense of justice and truth. It is all black and white for Michelle. She doesn't usually struggle with nuances of the law. The Bible either says this and means it or it doesn't! If you try to muddy the waters for her by saying "But some people believe...." she will cut you off and say "Well, they are wrong...there it is in black and white!" She keeps me straight. She also shares my love of acting and singing...and she is very talented! She always sticks up for the underdog and goes out of her way to include everyone around her...especially those she feels are left out. Although she will frequently do anything to get out of academics, give her physical work to do and she will probably "outwork" most guys around her! But her biggest gift, I believe, is her love of life! She is where the party is! If you want to just have a great time laughing and loving life...Michelle's your pick.

My fourth child, Rebecca, has the sweetest and gentlest spirit of all the children. She is smart, extremely precocious, and socially saavy. Make no mistake...in a social situation...she knows what she is doing. She can sense all situations going on around her and determine what should be said or not said. She loves everyone and everyone loves her! She can walk into room full of strangers and before she leaves...they are strangers no more...and she has them eating out of her hands! She has a maternal instinct like no other. Some of the first words out of her toddler mouth were "I want to be a mommy...when can I be mommy?" She "mothers" babies, little ones, and even animals. The church nursery workers, against all rules, sneak her in to help them, knowing that she is better than having another adult! She serves the elderly and sick with such tenderness and kindness. She is considering being a massage therapist because she could make people feel better (including her arthritic mom!). She is MUCH more mature than her stature or years!

Now...can you see why they are ALL my favorites? How DID they all come from Rodney and me?! And...how fun that God would inject such different personalities into one family...just for the diversity! I have been blessed to be their "Momma" for all these years. So when we say "She's our favorite" we are telling the truth...she is...for that moment! Don't worry...you're next.

Transition Team.....(part 2)

(continued from yesterday)

When the associate pastor read his and the senior pastor’s resignation letters, I sat on the back pew weeping harder and longer than most long-time First Baptist members. But, then again, I knew all about church splits. The little Baptist church I grew up in seemed to have a split every few years just for the heck of it. I had seen hatred in the eyes of my fellow church members toward pastors and other brothers and sisters in Christ. And I had just left another church I saw headed that direction quickly. I had watched as parents refused to let little children play with their best friends anymore because they were “one of them”. My heart was totally broken; I knew what this meant.

But I was also uniquely qualified to help mend my new church. I could look at both sides in love and say “You are both acting stupid.” (in love of course!). I could help foster an attitude of softness and of longing to bring back those who had left with the senior pastor. I would even speak of the former pastors positively, reminding those “on the other side” of the wonderful things that they HAD done there. Sure there had been too much pride and impatience on their part but just look at the new warmth, Spirit-led services, growth of new members…a good deal of the reason why they were no longer cold and sorta “uppity” was because they were no longer in the rut. They had been shaken out of complacency. I begged people considering leaving because of the split to reconsider. God had NOT walked out of this church when the pastor did; He was still here working among His people. I was also uniquely qualified to try to help my new church through the “worship music wars”. I LOVE hymns; I sing them to myself and my children all day long…literally. I HATED praise songs when my music director from Macedonia introduced them (Sorry Eddy!). I called them “chanting”. I was very resistant…shamefully so. But I slowly acclimated. Now I love a combination of the old and new. So I understood both sides and tried to get both sides to understand and respect each other. I threw myself into helping this church heal and trying to help it grow again. And I grew to love those people like no other.

God brought us to First Baptist less than a year before the split. Then God took us away from First Baptist right as the last staff position was filled. Rodney was sent to Cincinnati a few days after our new worship pastor started. We followed a month behind him. We were the transition team! God knew what was going to happen at First Baptist and sent us and several other families there specifically to help it during those trying times! Amazingly we, and several other families that came in right before and after us, left for different reasons right as the new staff took over. We were ALL part of the transition team….God was taking care of His people at First Baptist way in advance. All of it was SO hard…and I guess…so necessary. God works in mysterious ways. Now I don’t know why this Georgia girl is here in this tiny town of Walton, KY….outside of Cincinnati…in the cold slush (*sigh*) but I’m sure God has a reason. I’ll be happy when I can see it, though! I know I am impatient and, like Israel, sometimes forget His provisions of the past. But hind sight is 20/20….sometimes….when God allows.

Transition Team.....

Sometimes you can look back and say “Ohhhhhhh….THAT is why this happened!” Sometimes you never know why. But I DO have some insight into our church woes from the past. I wondered, “God, why would send me away from a church I love, only to send me TO a church about to go through a split, then when I really love THOSE people….send me away to another state!” But sometimes God does allow you to get a glimpse of the big picture and how you fit in…that is a special privilege when it does happen.

I love Macedonia Baptist Church. And when doctrinal differences arose, I had a feeling God didn’t want me there anymore, but I fought it. Family advised, “Just go!” But I held on and cried till finally we felt we had no choice. Then the church search began. Don’t get me wrong - I love visiting churches. It is so much fun to see the different ways people worship…to get ideas about different ways to handle programs and services…to meet new people. But I hate church searches. I always feel I am turning up my nose at people when I visit and then DON’T choose their church. Seems sorta like saying “You are not good enough for me!” I know that is NOT what I’m saying, but I’m afraid THEY think I am. As a matter of fact, the next church we chose after Macedonia was NOT the church I wanted…..it was the church where God wanted us!

I already had a church in mind when we started our search….I wanted to go to Rock Springs Congregational Methodist. I loved Brother Benny and already considered him my pastor. I loved the music, the people and already had friends there. But, just to be fair, I would visit other churches with my family. My husband did point out that my policy was to always try to find a church in the immediate community that we were living in so we would be serving in our own community. Ok, ok…we’ll keep looking…but not too hard.

We had visited First Baptist Church of Jackson 8 years or 9 years previously but had felt it very cold and sorta “uppity” and did not want to visit it at all. So we visited several other churches…nope…they weren’t right for us…ha! One church – no young people at all. Another church – dead. My friend, Bambi, begged us to give First Baptist another try; she swore it had changed BIG time in those 8 or 9 years. Reluctantly we went – uh, oh…she was right…they HAD changed. This was not the cold, uppity church anymore. The Spirit was here. But, the Sunday School was going through Rick Warren’s 40 Days stuff….I was no fan of that program, having already gone through it once and found people fawned over his programs WAY too much. But I did let Rebecca go to Awana’s that Wednesday. Uh, oh….Becca fell in love with the program and people there and they fell in love with her. No, no, no….I want to go to Rock Springs!

We visited another church, then revisited Rock Springs. None of us could get a peace about joining Rock Springs. When we revisited First Baptist, we began to see that our talents – Rodney’s Videography, my drama ministry background, my library ministry background, Vickie’s bass playing, all our drama skills for the “Walk through Bethlehem” production, etc – fit perfectly into what First Baptist needed. I also began to see that what my teen girls needed was not a perfect youth group but a youth director and youth group that would love them. They had been badly hurt by the last youth group and this was more important than a “deeper” program for them at this time in their life. The youth director’s, Scottie’s, strongest point was loving his youth. God started making it clear to Rodney and I that First Baptist was where He wanted us. I started relenting, “Ok, Lord, wherever you want us.”

So we joined First Baptist knowing it was where God planned for us to be. We jumped in with both feet and immediately became, not just part of the church family, but almost like part of the staff! Rodney started a Videography ministry. I took over the drama ministry. I lobbied to keep the library from being dismantled and started revitalizing it. I became the assistant Sunday School teacher for my class. Vickie immediately joined the youth band then got to go on a trip of a lifetime – Zambi, Africa – which changed her life! Michelle loved the youth and started integrating into every program. And Rebecca…well, let’s just say I was known as “Rebecca’s Mom” to most there. The “Walk Through Bethlehem” production was just up our alley….drama…that’s what we do! And then…..the church split. WHAT! We just got away from all that…no way! What are you DOING, God?!

(continued in part 2 tomorrow)

Below: My daughter, Vickie, and a group from First Baptist of Jackson in Zambia, Africa

Snow and Ice!

As most of you probably heard on the news, Kentucky was deluged with snow and ice this past week. The little town of Walton, where we now reside, in just two days received 10 inches of snow and 1 ½ inches of ice! Driving conditions were treacherous even for the locals! We have discovered that this area has a 3 level snow emergency alert. Level 1: Drive with caution, Level 2: Don’t go out unless necessary, Level 3: If you DO drive, you might get ticketed! Tuesday was a Level 2 but Wednesday went to a Level 3 in many areas.

Rodney did drive to work everyday but they let them go home very early on Wednesday because of the Level 3 alert. He came home just in time to help us chip the ice away from the drive. Tuesday, for two grueling hours, we shoveled 6 inches of snow off the driveway. But then Tuesday night, the mixed snow/rain/sleet deposited a thick crust of ice on the drive and on all the snow on the ground. A very fast-moving but heavy snow flurry hit on Wednesday morning and added another 4 inches of snow on top of that ice. Talk about slick conditions! I still have to be VERY careful just walking on my sidewalk out to my car…I skate half the way!

It is amazing how diligent the road crews are trying to keep the roads passable though. Snow plows are everywhere and salt is constantly being replenished on the roads. But with ice this thick and persistent even the snow plows were having trouble. I saw on the news that in the city of Cincinnati, road crews were pulling out the “strong stuff” – beet juice! They were laying down streams of beet juice on the Cincy streets. They swore by it; said it should do the trick!

Some other “lessons” this warm-weather, Georgia girl learned this week:

• Shoveling snow (and especially ice!) off a driveway is great aerobic exercise.
• And it is necessary, otherwise your drive turns into a skating rink that your car cannot get up.
• I now understand why and appreciate why driveways are so short here
• The trash crew does not come on a Level 2 or 3 snow day
• The trash crew cannot SEE your trash under the snow when they DO come if you put it out too early *sigh*
• The mail lady also does not come on Level 2 or 3 snow day
• She will also not deliver your mail until you shovel her a path to your mailbox
• Evidently it is a requirement to purchase a four-wheeler to play with and get around for snow days
• The police don’t mind if you ride these out on the road; the police are out there with their kids pulling their sleds
• There is a southern windshield wiper fluid and a northern version (northern version goes down to -25 degrees not just 20 degrees)
• Problems will arise if you DON’T use the northern version
• You NEED that windshield wiper fluid after a snow (salt from the road makes your windshield opaque quickly!)
• It takes 2 people with 2 wooden blocks over 30 minutes to chip an ice-encrusted van out enough to drive it
• Snow and ice doesn’t melt if the temperature never goes above freezing (“what the heck….the snow was always gone a day or two later in GA!”

Ah well, who knows what other lessons are waiting for us here! I just pray our electricity doesn’t go out until we have a chance to get a woodstove. Otherwise we are going to reinstitute the “family bed” to keep warm!