Monday, August 6, 2012

Just a little update on us, plus a few words to hopefully help you grow.

I know it's been nearly 2 months since my last post, and I apologize. We are now officially back in TEXAS!!! Woohoo! It feels great, plus the kids are very, very happy. You know, all three kiddos are Texans by birth, as is The Hubs.
It is so nice to be able to go over and visit family, or (and this is so absolutely wonderific- is so too a word) to hear the phone ringing, pick it up and be all "Oh, hey,....mmmhmmm, yea, you want us to come over for pizza for supper? We'll be right over!" The kids love that their grandparents are right here in town (or at least one set of them).
It was truly a whirlwind move. We were hoping (and planning) to stay there in Mississippi and have The Hubs work right there on Camp Shelby. But after a 4th of July visit to Texas everything changed.
Instead of having transportation move us (like we have always done), we did a DiTY move. It was challenging, it was hard, it sucked at times. But we did it with lots of help!!!
We have tried a couple of churches here in town. Both were really great and it will be hard to decide which one is best for us. One is small(er) and everyone knows everyone. The other is huge, but they have a great children's program, with lots of activities. Plus (and this is big), I was moved to tears at the big church, the sermon was heartfelt and emotional and it was a good bible-preaching sermon. Now will it always be like that? I don't know. We will see.
I know that it will be hard to find a church like Central Baptist, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Pastor Miller is truly a God-called preacher. Every single sermon struck a chord in my heart, I never left one of his sermons without thinking "Does he have a camera in my house? Does he know what is going on inside my heart?" Yes, it was really like that.
Anyhow, what I am trying to say is find a bible verse and try to live it.
Mine is Matthew 6:33
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
It's okay, you can have that as your life verse as well if that one speaks to you.
As christians we should be fruitful. I know it's hard, especially in todays day and age. People don't want to hear about God (isn't that sad?), they are too busy with their lives to stop and just be thankful. Just stop and look around and be thankful for what they have. Instead (and we all do it, I know I'm guilty) we dwell on what is wrong in our lives, we grumble, we complain. Isn't it funny how we almost compete with who is the most miserable?  Someone will say "Whew, that was a rough night last night. I didn't get much sleep at all." And the response will be "I know what you mean, I haven't slept in days!" How sad. Quit competing in misery.
In life we will have out mountain peaks (our highs) and our valleys (our lows). But we need to understand that it is during our lows that God is preparing us, this is our time of learning, of growth, of fruitfulness. It is during these lows that God can really use us.
You will never see an orchard at a snow-topped mountain peak. It is in the valley that an orchard is fruitful.