A Random Line of Thinking

I was in Subway this week and heard a random country song. I recognized it from the scandal it caused after the attcks of September 11th. It was about how bad it was to pick on America and how we were going to make them regret it.
It really got me to thinking. I know that everyone can probably go back to some national event that had a drastic impact on them. One in which you remember where you were, what you were doing, and how you responded. Well, September 11th was that event for me.
What can I say. I was politically sheltered. I was very young during the Gulf War, so I only knew of attacks and wars from history lessons. That day changed my perception of America. I went from feeling like I lived in the strongest, most powerful nation in the world to feeling very vulnerable.
Anyway, I said all of that to make this point. I was really hoping that President Obama was going to earn back some respect for our country internationally. (Sorry to all my extremely right-wing friends!) At first it appeared we were gaining ground in that area. And I am so disappointed now. I feel like we are once again being laughed at. That's what I get for putting my hope in a man. Even in a small way it will lead to disappointment.
I want to live in a country that honors God and has His blessing. It will take all of us working hard and stepping out of our comfort zones. Maybe even going crazy and beginning to be active and intentional politically.
All that from a song.....

Ministry to a world-weary heart

It is so easy for the world to slowly chip away at me. Usually with little things like being tired, feeling overwhelmed by housework and homework and all the other busy work of daily life. It wears away the calmness and tenderness by hurtful words, and debates about whose right and whose wrong. All little things, so that I don't realize what has been being stolen away.
God has promised me a calm spirit, an asurance in His strength, and comfort in his faithfulness. It is amazing how far away from that safety one can get before you even know it because things were worn down so slowly.
Oh but there is a great cure!!!! God sends us our girlfriends! Just a few hours with my girls can erase a week of struggle. They don't make my problems go away - they just gracefully share the load. We don't have to get together and cry about our worries (though sometimes we do!). Mostly we can laugh them away for a while. And it is good medicine!!!
The Lord is so faithful to me that He has given me the priveledge of friends who lift me up, who love me in spite of myself, and who are a willing to eat off my plate and share a napkin.
I love the women involved in Sinclairs Women's Ministry. They are wonderful women of God whom I adore. Tonight at our Ladies Night Out, as I looked around, I was able to see so much beauty there. Glowing from within. What a priveledge to be counted among them.
I know it has been a struggle a SBC lately. Many have left ( and I pray will come home) but I want to shout from the rooftops that God is doing a great thing and what a priveldge and joy it will be to see the glimpses of Glory He is pouring out! I don't want to be a problem maker. I want to go where God is and stand in awe of Him.
I'm afraid I chased rabbits - But my heart is so full these days.... Halleluia

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

We successfully attended the girl's first baseball game last night. It is safe to say that they were all less than enthused about the whole thing.

Because Jason only has us girls, there are times when he insists on something we deem "boyish". And because we love him - we try our bests to go along and be excited. Well, actually I try to be excited. The girls get drug kicking and screaming with me giving them the "this is important, straighten up or die" look.

This was one of those times! They complained all day yesterday about how stupid baseball was. They slept the entire way to Atlanta. And they walked all the way from the parking lot to the front gate with their arms crossed. My cousin Dylan wanted to know if the Atlanta Bears were even a popular team. Oh the excitement!!!

But, once again, Jason was right! A couple of corn dogs and some cotton candy later, even little girls love a good all-American baseball game with their daddy.

By the end of the night they wanted to know when we could come again. The Braves won 11 -0 and they had a great fireworks show after the game. We drove home with sweet happy girls holding their new mini-Braves-bats with smiles on their faces. They still slept the whole way....

Things I Hate

Can I just say......
I hate to see my friends hurt. It is almost as bad as watching my girls hurt. It makes me feel helpless and sad and have an overwhelming desire to want to fix it.

I hate science class. Too much I don't understand or believe. Too much information. Too much homework!

I hate dieting. It makes me hungrier. And just when I start thinking I'm doing okay, I have a day like today. I am craving something that I can't pinpoint - so I'll just keep eating until I figure it out!

Oh, and I hate ants. One bit my finger tonight while I was watching a crazy game of tomato dodgeball. Now it itches.

So to wrap it up, I hate feeling sad and helpless and overwhelmed and hungry and having an itchy finger....
Just in case you were wondering.

Learning about Light

As I am shamelessly avoiding the many hours of science homework I have ahead of me tonight, I wanted to share an amazing thing that I just learned...
God has used countless mighty men and women of His word to teach me so much about who He is, but yesterday He used a secular teacher to show me something awesome. We were learning about the big bang (which I still don't believe). During a presentation about what scientist believed happened something struck me. They said there was this singularity (don't ask!) and then suddenly it exploded and there was light everywhere! Now I am a veteran sunday school attender so I thought I had a pretty solid understanding of "Let there be light" and there was. But in my mind it was - daylight. But the Bible doesn't say that. It said God commanded light! And that was it - Light - Everywhere - Only. Immeasurable energy, immeasurable gravity, immeasurable intensity - all in the form of light!
Scientist have recently found radiation waves that they believe are remaining from that initial burst of light. No matter what they take them for - I say that when my God speaks the action is eternal. I have been seeing proof of the Light he can speak for a long time. I'm glad they have finally caught on.

When God Says Wait

Sometimes God says yes. Other times God says no. But then there are those times when He tells us to simply wait. Those are the worst! But if they must come then they should have a time limit. Wait for a few days, wait for a week, maybe even a month. But years.... there is something wildly painful about the thought.
Today my Uncle Dwight got married to the most fantastic woman. She is sweet and sensitive and she loves him from the top of her head to the tip of toes. They are both so blessed to have each other. They are both a little older and have been single a very long time. God had said wait... And my uncle did for years. I am amazed at his faithfulness. But I am in awe of God's Faithfulness to answer and never forget my uncle in the meantime.
When I spoke with Dwight last night he said he felt this was his latter rain. I pray so! What an example for my impatient self. God has always been working it out for the good of those who love him. I will be able to look to their happiness next God asks me to wait and know that my God is always worth the wait!
Congratulations Dwight and Karen! I pray blessings over your marriage and over each of your lives....

Bring on the Trashbags

Today I am wondering why messy rooms in movies seem so cool and in my house they are overwhelming???? Clutter in my house clutters my mind. Our is it just a reflection of a cluttered mind? Hmmmm. Either way - this is the Summer of decluttering and throwing away in the Luttrull household. If there is nothing to scatter everywhere then maybe we will find a way to keep things starightened up.
I am also decluttering my life to leave room for the important things that I tell myself I have no time for. (Daily Bible study, playing with the kids, cooking healthy meals, ect) It is so much easier for me to get up and read my Bible and spend time in prayer in a clean room. I have always known this. I guess I have finally gotten desperate enough to actually stop being so lazy. I want God to do a new work in my heart and life and I know that will mean change. So let the changes begin with getting the junk out of my house and out of my mind!!!

What am I doing???

Okay! I am not a blogger. For some reason I can't seem to resist the urge to have my own blog....

I'm not sure what I will talk about but I will give it a try...