I like to blather.... (imported from Myspace)

Blather - : to talk foolishly at length.
Blogging is fun. I forget that when I don't do it for a while. Maybe it is fun because I am such a wordy (oops! almost put worldly! :) hee hee).....WORDY person. I like words and I like written communication. Of course, not exclusively, but I do feel more comfortable expressing my thoughts and opinions on paper than verbally many times. Possibly for two reasons: 1) Nobody can interrupt me and I get terribly off track when I am interrupted; and 2) I am a chicken. I have a hard time telling people exactly what I think about many things. Either I don't want to hurt their feelings or I don't want to cry. I cry when I get mad, sad or frustrated. Negative emotions trigger tears for me and I HATE that. Especially if I am mad.
Okay, well, I had a point, but evidently my point was that I like to blog......check mark beside same - we have established that.
ANYWAYS - (as all the teenagers say - can't convince them that it doesn't have an "s" on the end)...
Had a fantastic girls bible study meeting last night. Which was totally a God-thing because I was not up for it frankly. I was tired, still minimally sick and very discouraged. But I even told God that I wasn't up for it and that He would have to show up if it were to be anything beyond blah. He did. We had a great discussion about passion in our walk with God and maybe the teacher needed to hear it as much as the students. We talked at length about "Brother Bill" (Andy's youth pastor from Lake Asbury - same guy that married us). Bill met us at youth camp this year and was our guest speaker. The kids fell in love with him, which we knew would happen - happened to us long ago when we were youth! The thing with Bill, which is so rare among Christians, is that he is truly "salty." He makes you thirsty for whatever it is that he has. Anytime you are with him, even briefly, you know you have been in the presence of a man of God. Not meaning to imply that he is stuffy - he is the opposite. But using him as a very obvious illustration of the passion that is so missing from most Christian folks. Bill served as a great real-life example of what is missing in the people around us (and within ourselves many times). No wonder folks aren't interested in Jesus. Look at the way we act! But we analyzed what makes Bill different from the "regular guy." Narrowed it to three main things: 1) Love: He loves people - good people, bad people, lost people - it doesn't matter. He makes everyone who comes in contact with him feel special and valued - NOT judged. He manages to show complete acceptance of the individual without ever accepting the bad things they might have do or have done; 2) Sincerity: He is "real". Completely sold-out and sincere. What you see is what you get. Always. Same passionate Bill at church that we see at the grocery store or at the move theater; and 3) Sold out: He is sold out in his relationship with Jesus. No shame there. He is abiding in the vine and it shows. Since we only have power from above - he is faithful in his study of the Word and in prayer. How many times have I failed in that area. How can I expect to overcome the obstacles in my life if I never ask for wisdom from above? Why do I wonder why I lack joy if I do not saturate myself in God and find my true joy and completeness in Him? I can look good on the outside, but that will not attract people to Jesus - somehow we can see through that, can't we? (just rhetorical - the answer is a resounding YES!)
So, the lesson was for me as much for them. I need to strive to be more than I am. And you know, I really do want to be "real." I want people to want whatever it is that I have. But the stressed out, frustrated, strung-out Rhonda does little but repel anyone. Need to do better in this area.
On another note: MUST CLEAN HOUSE. The cleanest woman alive (namely Andy's grandmother, Betty) is coming to visit this weekend. AAAAHH!! My house is terrible! I was sick - then he was sick - then we had girls over. It is bad and I am not kidding. If I wasn't broke I would hire a maid! :)
Really excited about Wednesday night - Hannah is teaching youth. Very proud for her. I hope she won't be too nervous.
Myspace is so much fun sometimes - I got an email from an old friend from Florida - probably one of the best friends I had in junior high. She moved to TX right before I met Andy and we lost contact as people do, but I just had such good times with her. Now if I could only find one more person that is still missing.....and if LEAH would hurry up and get a myspace. Memo to self: - must email her re: that....

Back to work... (imported from Myspace)

It's Monday and I am back to work. I haven't blogged in a long time. Sometimes I think I have to have something profound to say to make taking the time to write worthwhile. Then I remember how much I enjoy reading my friends' blogs - even when it is just an "update" on the normalcy of their existence! (I guess it makes me feel better that other people have similiarly uneventful lives!)
Anyway - on to the update. Mom came to visit me this weekend, which was nice. I am always glad to get to see her. We didn't do much, just went shopping. Andy says I get spoiled when she comes - he is probably right. BUT - he gets spoiled too! She bought me a pair of crocs - Mary Jane style. I was glad. They are ugly, no doubt, but SO comfortable! These are at least a little cuter!
Had church all day yesterday, which always makes me exhausted and look forward to a time in my life when I might not work full-time anymore. We had good services though. I did get chewed on by a church member, albeit a well-meaning one, so that severely dampened my spirits. Andy is so much better with conflict than I am. I didn't like the impression that this had on some of our youth - a couple of them are still young yet and haven't had time to recognize that we follow Christ - not church members. What I mean, is that they let how other people act determine how they feel about church. Which is a common problem among adults also, but I want them to understand that just because people are Christians, does not mean that they are automatically perfect. We all mess up, and we can't let how others act affect our attitude towards the body of Christ as a whole. That's what I need to explain more fully to one of my sweet youth girls. She says, "But Ms. Rhonda - don't you see - this is why I didn't want to come to church - they judge us." I responded, but not the way I would have had I more time to contemplate my answer. I intend to discuss this issue with her more deeply later - I need to remind her that we are not responsible for how others act - only how we respond. Jesus doesn't condone every action that a person takes just because they are Christians. And this sweet lady has been more than helpful towards the youth on MULTIPLE occasions. She would not hurt any of them (or me and Andy) purposefully. She is stressed in her own areas of ministry and just needed to blow off steam. I do have to help my "kids" understand this though. I remember vividly the "black and white" attitudes about morality and behavior from teenagehood. So many young people (or maybe it is more prevalent among girls-I don't know) have such a tendency towards legalism and rules at that age. I remember thinking that way. As we age it seems like we are able to comprehend more the flawed nature of people - even Christians and give a little leeway (sp?). I know that I need leeway from time to time. Not that I am condoning bad behavior, but I do believe we should love people even when they mess up and not over-dramatize everything. If we did that as a ministry family we would stay mad or hurt all the time! Anyway. Very long diatribe about something that I still haven't fully thought through.
I need something interesting to read. Somebody needs to suggest something to me.
Andy's grandparents are coming this weekend. Yeah! However, that does mean that I have a LOT of cleaning to do between now and then!
Better get back to work. I have some stuff to do. Be praying with me about my job situation. I am having a hard time. Love the boss, but really need a change in situation as far as getting things ACCOMPLISHED! And if we aren't going to finish things, then I at least want to move to the four day work-week thing. I don't want to be here all day if I can't get anything done. I need to know how to communicate this to him so that he will understand!

Happy Birthday to You, You Live in a Zoo.... (imported from Myspace)

I have a peaceful life. Me, Andy and two dogs. Great dogs. Potty-trained, likeable, don't-bark-in-the-middle-of-the-night dogs. But when you combine my two very pleasant pups with two more very pleasant pups life gets very interesting. Suddenly instead of two dogs following you around, there are four. Andy and I are dogsitting for a friend who has gone out of town. She has two chihuahas. I have really enjoyed watching them all encounter each other. Each of us has one dog who is laid back and cool and one dog that is a little.....well......different. (I think that maybe Joey isn't quite as different as Katie though---she is VERY different.) Anyway, Joey and Katie follow each other around everywhere. Joey is almost scared of her, like she isn't a dog or something since she is so small. He is SO curious about her. Walker does not seem to be impressed. Anyway, it is very different with four dogs than two.
Andy is starting back to school. I am excited for him. Wish I was too, but all in good time.
Read a great book last week. Blue like Jazz by Donald Miller. It was recommended to me from a myspace friend. I enjoyed it immensely. Presents faith and grace in such easily understood terms. Used some great analogies that made you really think about the Christian life. He even had the audacity to criticize the institutional church for some of its pitfalls - i.e, kicking the wounded, conditional love, biased approach towards sin - treating some sins as more "sinful" than others, etc. All of which I consider to be valid problems with the church as a whole. Don't get me wrong, I suppport the church as the body of Christ unequivically, however, we must look at church through an objective lens and continue striving to be what we are intended to be. Anyway, read Blue Like Jazz. You may think it will be heresy at first - but I promise it isn't.