Archive for the 'women' CategoryPage 3 of 8

Where your heart is…

It’s Monday…

I often find it hard to get outside my own head on Monday…so, I’m going to be intentional today.

There are more important things to think about besides myself.

Byron preached about this yesterday @ C3...about denying yourself, taking up your cross and following.

With this in mind, I’m thinking that the best way for me to get my eyes off of myself is to focus on others.  And there are so many others to focus on…

There is a young lady in our church that has moved to The States from Cuba.  I found out yesterday that the rest of her family will join her soon.  Especially in light of the hurricanes, but also because of where they are coming from, they will arrive with very little…if anything…in their possession.  There are two boys coming - one 14 and one 5 who will be in desperate need of all the things boys need…from clothes to basic supplies.  Also, the home in which they will be living will be full - 10 people in 1 house! - so there is a great need for basic supplies to make a busy household run….

So, I’m focused…on this immediate need - on what I can do to help….

…and I’m asking you to consider joining me.

I’m going to also be posting more details of my plan to help this family on “The Women of C3″ blog site.  We have taken the summer off, but are now ready to swing back into action.  Please check out the site and leave your email - details are on site - for further updates.

The most graceful barbarians know...LOVE WINS!

The most graceful barbarians know...LOVE WINS!

I know we can make a difference in this family’s  life…

…their need can make our own troubles pale by comparison.  I need that today…a focus on others rather than myself.

I’m remembering today that “where my treasure is…my heart will be also”.

After all, it’s all about love…

…and LOVE WINS…every time.

Peace.

You mean everyone was NAKED!!?

…this question is just another reason why I love my “girls”….the staff wives at C3 Church.

Travis, our Student Pastor (and frequent “other-hat-wearer”) wrote this post about a conversation that his bride, Sandi, had recently:

So Sandi was talking to her mom last night and the topic of church came up. What I found so interesting is that Sandi’s mom lives and always has lived is a small northern town that is steeped in tradition and the Greek Orthodox Church. So, pretty much all the churches including the protestant ones are very old, stuffy and dying.

Last night though, Sandi’s mom had mentioned that she went to a church that was actually growing and in her words; “busting at the seems.” What was so interesting is that this church is the same style and flow of C3. Now remember Sandi’s mom has always lived in little traditional towns and has grown up in churches that do church for church people. So, when she hit this new fangled church thing she about freaked out. The first thing out of her mouth was “no one came dressed for church.” To which Sandi commented back; “you mean everyone was naked?” Of course that’s not what her mom meant, but it was fun to poke at her a little. Sandi’s mom just couldn’t believe that people would actually come to church in shorts and Ts. Oh the horror! J

Anyway to make a long story short, after getting over the “naked” thing, Sandi was really able to explain in detail why that church in PA and C3 do what we do. Now Sandi’s mom is not about to head out and join a contemporary, progressive church. But, what was so cool is that by the end of their conversation Sandi’s mom “got it” and understood the importance of our style of church. Even though it’s not her style she loved the idea of churches that actually go after those, who are disenfranchised with church and God. I thought that was really cool. I also just kept thinking; if a sixty something year old, who has been indoctrinated with tradition ever since she was a girl, can “get it” then why can’t certain others (God tells us that we’re to love those far from Him) get it? I mean really, how hard is it to understand that we’re all different and not every church is for everyone. So instead of being scared of and slamming churches like C3 and the one in PA, why not just understand that we’re reaching our culture and that’s a good thing. Just interesting.

…and so goes my continuing love, respect and utter enjoyment toward the awesome women that God allows me to serve with.

The Real Staff Wives of Orange County

The Real Staff Wives of Orange County

Peace.

Knowing Him Best…

So, last week this was on mind mind.  Today I’ve been thinking about another important (as I see it) part of marriage…

As a mother, I pride myself in knowing my children.  I feel like I know them better than anyone else…maybe even better than they know themselves - especially when they’re young.  But, as they grow, I realize the day will come when there will be another who will know them like no one else:  the one they will share their life with…their soul mate.

Now, as a wife, I take the same pride in knowing my husband better than anyone else does.  It should be one of my top priorities.

There should be no one - no woman at work, friend from childhood, or even family member -  that knows him, really knows him…down deep, the way that I know him.

I need to know him - inside and out - what really makes him tick…his dreams, his fears, his strongest strengths and weakest weaknesses….

…there should be no one else who can be to him what I can be - because I know him like no one else on earth.

But, this process takes time.  It also takes a whole lot of effort and trust.  He must feel safe that he can be real with me - with no harsh criticism or fear of my using his transparency against him.  It’s hard to “know him” if I don’t put him first.

So, try something a little different tonight - we, as women, have a whole lot of words…way more than men have - let’s try to use those words to:  ask questions, listen to his answers, speak encouragingly, praise…praise…praise, and make him know that he can do and be anything he puts his mind to.

Women love to change men - we’re wired to want to do this.  But, most men don’t want to be changed - they just want to be the best they can be - and love, encouragement, and support are how they get there.

We have so much power, as women…so much influence - God has gifted us with this.  We just need to know how to use it to empower the men in our lives.

After all, if I don’t know my soul mate….who will?

Peace.

Small Packages…

…so today is Sandi’s birthday!!!!! :-) dsc_6313.jpg

Sandi is one of the pastor’s wives of C3 (Travis - Student Pastor, etc., etc.,…) - and Sandi is on the very short list of my confidants and friends. If you don’t know her well, you might mistake her quietness for passivity…you might think she’d be easy to manipulate…

…think again! My friend Sandi is tough and strong - she’s a great encouragement to me with her quiet resolve. She isn’t the one to do all the talking (she leaves that to me), but she listens…and she supports…and she stands!

God has blessed me with a few “aloe friends”, and I’m so glad He included Sandi among them.

Love you, girl! I’m so glad you were born!

Peace.