Dirty Laundry

Though we may not admit it in detail, we all have or have had dirty laundry that we would rather not be aired (especially by someone else).  If you can imagine your past as dirty laundry; stained, wrinkled, smelly, and torn.  But at some point (hopefully) Christ stepped in and cleansed us from our unrighteousness (if you haven't had that happen, contact me I'd love to introduce you to my saviour).  

Unfortunately, when our laundry has been cleaned we fold it and put it away and for most of us that's exactly what we do with our pasts.  We minimize our sin and store it away in fear of man.  Because our culture is so advanced our clothes are dried in a dryer in 60 minutes or less.  However, with our spiritual lives we should let our once dirty laundry, air dry.  Why?  Because if we never testify of what God has done in our lives and show where he has brought us from we rob him of his glory.  

Did you know that salvation is only one step of a Christian life?  We often forget the second part and thats the word of our testimony.  We overcome staining our clean garments again, by His blood and our testimony.   So I encourage you, let your dirty laundry out of the drawer.  Testify of God's glorious works.  Show just how amazing his blood is.  I think you may be amazed to find yourself wondering why you no longer struggle with the strongholds that still so easily beset you.  

Allow me to encourage those who have received salvation.  Stay out of other people's drawers.  It is not your duty to air someone else's dirty laundry.  It is our responsibility to lead other's to the same cleansing flow, we once found.  By airing someone else's gruesome and sometimes traumatic past you are only adding more stains.  

His cleansing flow still cleanses.

I Love Rev Run

"The people who do things that count, usually don't stop to count them."

-Rev Runs (words of wisdom)

Not exactly the landing we hoped for...

Today has been a pretty peaceful day. Dalen came to work with me and after a while of being pretty wild he was placed in his playpin to play with his toys. There was just something interested in the atmosphere...or I guess my "mother's intuition" was in overdrive.

You know that feeling that your little one is up to something? You have no concrete evidence but you just know. I felt like I had eyes in the other room. Dalen was quiet for sometime. I peeked in to check on him and he was looking up. His eyebrows were scrunched together as if he were deep in thought. Hmmm, he was doing nothing wrong. I just couldn't shake the feeling though.

After about 30 minutes of silence I began to hear clanging. It sounded like someone was eating. I began to picture the room he was in. There was china on the table not too far from his play pin, but far enough away that it was beyond his reach. I tiptoe to the room only to find Dalen munching on an imaginary cuisine and occaisonly sipping from a glass coffee mug. He finally saw me standing there in shock. Grinning from ear to ear he continued devouring his "meal".

How in the world did he get out of that playpin!!!??? There was only one way to find out. I put him back in the playpin and watched for a while. He then climbed up on his tonka truck, threw his left leg over the side of the playpin and lunged up, out and DOOOOWWWWNNN!!!

Yea not exactly the landing we hoped for but I now know he is capable of getting out and how. Oh gosh, lets hope he doesn't try this in his crib one night when we are asleep. Our poor house would be demolished, trashed, in flames...it wouldn't survive! I have his crash landing on video for Mario but I felt it would be not very nice to put it on here. Minutes later Dalen was still eating his meal. Needless to say it was plate lickin good.

PS- Anyone know of any playpins sold with lids?? ha, ha I am kidding

Preacher's wife

This is a rather honest post. I am usually more private about my personal feelings but I felt I could share a little from the heart.

I guess it hit me while driving the other day I am officially a "preacher's wife". A little overwhelming because I personally I don't feel that I fit the traditional mold for that. Maybe thats a good thing?

When we interviewed for the position Mario has at Grace Community, I made one vow to the council: that we would be teachable. We are young and inexperienced, yet called for God's work. My prayer is always, "God teach us something today." Here is what I have learned so far as a preacher's wife.

1. The more you learn, the more you realize how much you DON'T know.
I think this is the 1st step towards humility. Pride is learning and thinking you know more instead of realizing there is still more to learn and more you don't know. Pride is definitely man's denial that he needs to learn more.

2. Ministry is NOT for the lazy.
With the societal issues we are facing, ministers and their wives must constantly be in prayer, led by the spirit and decrease their self in every move they make. The issues and questions that ministers are experiencing today are so unreal I don't think we could even begin to have answers for them. Direction in these areas must come from God.

When God has truly called you to do something, you will see to it that it is done (with or without the help of others). This means more labor, extra work hours and hard sacrifices.

3. Rewards aren't always instantaneous or visible.

If you think of jobs where a lot of labor and hands on are required, it always takes time to see results. For example, a gardener can spend months waiting on results from crops he planted...and sometimes he may never see results. The most important part of growing crops is tilling the ground and planting the seed.

Sometimes our job isn't to witness the outcome, our responsibility is prepare someone or something for the harvest. Preparation is the most grueling of that process.

4. You must be cautious of biased prayers.
God's word is clear that he will do exceedingly above what we could ask or think. So why do we limit what he does or how he does them? When God calls us we must be very cautious to be open to his will and pray for his will. Our selfish desires begin to pray for things we want or things we see, when really God intended things to be radically different.

He's got the whole world...

upside down. So, I am not really sure if Dalen has picked up yoga or if he just likes looking at things upside down. Lately he does this until his face is blood red. I guess there is no harm in this?

upside down

America's funniest videos

Sunday night America's Funniest Home Videos came on. I am not sure if Dalen heard the audience laughing and he was copying or if he really thought the videos were funny. A segment came on of just animals. Anything with feathers or fur is a "bow wow" to Dalen and he barks immediately. This is Dalen watching a funny dog clip.

Best Friends

Ok here goes a cheesy, sentimenal post only a mom can write. Even though Dalen is only 1 1/2 we already pray for his future, daily. One thing I pray everday is that God will send him righteous friends from good homes. We missed Parent's Day Out last week because of the "flood"and Dalen was more than excited to be back today.

When getting out of the car, we see John (Dalen's cousin and best friend) through the window. Dalen immediately runs to the window to see him closer and takes off to the door. When Dalen arrives at his class John runs to him and embraces him! So adorable!

I got in the car to drive to work and just thanked God for such a sweet friend. John is always so nice to Dalen, even when Dalen isn't so nice back. He comes from a great home with awesome parents who welcome Dalen over a lot.

God is already answering my prayers.

John hugged Dalen forever!

Dalen looking at John through the window!

Welcome To Society:my eye-opening weekend

Friday night was date for Mario and I (thanks for the 1st Baptist crew that put on Parent's Night Out). We really hadn't planned anything in advance like we normally do, so we decided to catch a movie kind of last minute.

I think for the 1st time in my life I experienced culture shock. Although I haven't traveled too much I think culture shock must be what I was feeling. We normally catch matinees (b-c its cheaper and you have a better chance of having a theater to yourself, which is our favorite thing) but Friday, Premiere was swarming with preteen hormones, drama and clueless parents.

The 14 year old couple in front of us in the ticket line, were pairing up with their single parents who were also on a date. Literally Mario had to tell me to shut up I was gasping at their behavior so loudly. I just wanted to scream get your hormonal hands off of her! You are disgusting!

He would kiss her neck, she would giggle, then push him away and then he would smack her butt, IN FRONT OF HER MOM, who thought this behavior was humorous!!! Normally, I walk away from situations like that asking what is wrong with these kids but that night I walked away asking what is wrong with parents. On top of literally smelling an overflow of hormones in the air, I saw three girls get into a verbal altercation over an offensive text. Lets just say I hear a lot of 4 letter words.

And may I ask, what the deal is with 12 year old boys wearing skinny jeans for girls? I am sorry but the day I have and daughter who wants to date a boy who wears jeans more fitted than mine the answer is NO. I am all about fashion but guys, you can be fashionable without looking like us women. I must be old school but I personally think 12 is WAAAAY too young to be on an unsupervised date and to have a cell phone of your own! And for you moms that pull the "oh, my kids have a cell phone of their own in case something happens to them..." well, I think if you weren't constantly letting them run around the city with the freedom of an 18 year old you wouldn't worry about it so much b-c they would be with YOU!!!!

Sunday was the bridal show....very exciting. The most brides this show has ever had attended. THe booths were amazing and we made a lot of contacts including one I am still a little haunted by. I was approached by a young girl (prob. 20) who was covered in mood rings, snake rings, black hair and black eye liner an inch thick. She said her date was Halloween, her colors were "black, black, and more black", and she was having problems finding a wedding site because all of the places wouldn't approve her to have a ceremony in darkness. My, my, my the society we live in. What an eye opening weekend.

FULL SIZE!!!

Mario and I have almost been married 3 years!!! So hard to believe! Well for 3 years, we have endured only having 2 love seats. We have never had a full size couch. I know it sounds silly to even think about, but if you were to try only having a couch that fits 2 and you will quickly see how annoying it can get.

Anytime we want to sprawl out and watch a movie its nearly impossible and adding Dalen to the mix...was just getting a little too close for comfort. So our good friend T moved this weekend and already had 2 full size couches and both can't fit into the new house he is moving to....SO LADIES AND GENTS......we have a full size couch!!!!

It's pretty amazing that even Dalen realizes it. He climbs up there and runs from one end to the other (accident waiting to happen I know, but after the window breaking incident I have losened up just a little. I think I am convinced he is made of rubber.). Right after it was dropped off Dalen stood in amazement and climbed up in my lap and fell right to sleep! I think I am LOVING this couch just for that.

Mr. Rogers

Two days ago while shopping at Target, I found the 75% off rack.  Dalen is in desperate need of some new clothes...gosh, he grows fast!  Anyways I put this outfit together and it cost me under $15.  Who said you had to spend a million $ to look like a million bucks??  I think Dalen looked so super cute in this outfit.

The sweater cardigans are so in for guys who dress retro but on Dalen, I saw a little Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.

if, because or in spite of

A loooong time ago I traveled to Florida with my parents.  My dad spoke for a marriage night at my uncle's church and he said something I've held onto every since.  He advised the couples not to love on terms of "if" or "because" but "in spite of".  Best advice ever!

I can say I love Mario because he works hard or I will love Mario if he stays faithful to me but really if we evaluate Christ's love, which is based on grace, we find he loves us in spite of.  God knows we at some point or another will fail on terms of "if" and "because" so he loves us in spite of our imperfections, sin, rebellion, hypocrisy and broken promises.

Tonight I felt that kind of love.  One of my friends had a baby not too long ago.  She has a precious son and I visited tonight to help out with laundry, dishes and to just give her time to breath (and shower, haha).  She text me earlier and said does it ever get easier?  Ha, ha I thought.  I had literally been asking myself the same question today.

While helping out I realized wow, I wish I could love more like her.  Although I helped out around her house and she expressed much appreciation she displayed in spite of love.  She thanked me just for being there. It's been a long time since I have felt appreciated just for being Megan,  loved just for being  present, noticed for just listening and thanked for absolutely nothing (I really didn't do much but listen and be there).  Tonight I am thankful for feeling appreciated for being me and being reminded of "in spite of" love. 

This Is My Life

The hardest thing about posting this story was finding a title. I debated for a really long time. My choices were: Grandparents Are Unbelievable, My Son Must Have Been A Climbing Ape In His Former Life, My Baby Made Of Rubber, or This Is My Life. I came to the conclusion after reverting back to grade school remembering you pick the title most relateable to the story. This Is My Life would definitely be it.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. Parent's Day Out was cancelled due to the treacherous and dangerous weather conditions (haha), work was steady but good and Dalen was in a fine mood. Dalen's latest trick is running behind the TV to unhook our TV antenna and Dvd player. The funny thing is I don't even know how to do this.

I guess my pride got in the way and while on the phone with my sister, Mel, I decided I would "try" to put the antenna back up to the TV b-c how dare a 1 year old know how to do something I don't. I rarely EVER have a fun one on one conversation with anyone because when Dalen is left to "play" unfortunate circumstances find themselves in the baby book and on my blog.

Distracted, I look up. I hear grunting and growling. Dalen is SWINGING from our curtain rod. No, I am not making this up. He is using his feet on our wall to gain leverage to climb higher. He got a rocking chair for Christmas that he is constantly standing in to see outside. First he would stand in the seat, then on the arm and then on the back of the chair. My only guess is he stood on the back of the chair and climbed onto our window ledge and climbed on the curtains from there.

Hesitant to say anything at all I make my way over to Dalen to get him down. A few steps before I do the curtain rod gives way. You know those scenes in movies where everything sounds like its drowning in the toilet and the producers play it in slow motion? Yea, that really happens folks. I always thought that was original but no. That was probably some mom's idea after a traumatic happening with their terrible toddler.

So I am watching as my curtains are falling and Dalen is slowly soaring south, head down. Unfortunately, his head met our window. Thankfully, he wasn't cut or decapitated but our poor window is ruined. Somehow in the midst of this Dalen landed on his butt.

He is then laying under the curtains. There is no movement, no sounds. Literally, I did not know what I was going to find under the curtains. I thought for sure he was knocked out, bleeding, in need of stitches. But no, not Dalen. I pull the curtains up to find him smiling with fishy faces.

If I have ever had a meltdown it was at that very moment. So Dalen went to his crib for a while, while I tried to salvage the curtain rod and window. I guess it needed a man's touch. It's now securely back on the wall (thanks to Mario) but our window will have to be replaced.

It took me a full day to muster up enough guts to tell my dad (we rent from him). If one of us girls would have damaged something from home out of pure rebellion...we would have been punished, yelled at, spanked and possibly grounded. But oh no according to my dad, "boys are supposed to climb." A new window should be underway by the end of this week. Wow, I wish I would have had that kind of grace growing up. Yep, grandparents are unbelievable.

Our busted window
A mom full of grace.

So maybe everyday isn't this crazy but just about. Last night dozing off to sleep I kept thinking of the events of the day and I came to the conclusion...this is my life. And I'm starting to kinda like it. Though crazy, I think I'm content...broken window and all.