Valentine's Dinner

Well, many of you who read my blog were there, but a few of you couldn't make it or aren't in this group. Our Thrive Marriage Ministry at Compass Bible Church threw a fun Valentine's celebration. These past few days, I'd been baking 12 heart shaped cakes to be the centerpieces of our round tables. Poor Carter watched me bake chocolate cakes every day. I explained to him we were baking them for church. He kept saying, "Chocolate cake. Bring to church." He is so patient with all that comes with Ryan and I co-leading Thrive!

Carter and I got to church at 3:30 and decorated a bare, white room into a twinkle light, candle-lit dinner room-with roses, Frank Sinatra playing, and yummy food catered for the 75 or so guests. We had tons of help frosting cakes, hanging balloons and streamers, rolling scroll papers and tying them with ribbon, putting up twinkle lights and arranging hearts and tulle. It was beautiful!

When people arrived, Ryan and some others were dressed-up "ushers", handing roses to the ladies and seating couples at tables. We played three fun games after dinner, but my favorite was a "name that tune" game with cheesy/classic love songs. We also had a newlywed table game and a "name that Bible/TV couple game." (It was great to see that the group knew more about the Bible couples than the TV show couples.) It was so fun!

When Ryan and I got home, we both were excited that the night was a success for everyone. We wanted people to be glad they attended the night and to make it extra special. Though it required tons of willing hands to prepare, it didn't seem like work because we had such a fun time. It was a great example of how Valentine's Day, for Christians, isn't just about loving our spouse or kids. It is about pouring sacrifical love to everyone--friends, family, people at work, neighbors and even strangers. If you came, I hope you had a great time; and if you weren't there, I pray that you were able to demonstrate Christ's love to others on your special Valentine's day.

Valentine

I am going to steal an idea from my friend, Jessica, and list some of my favorite things in honor of Valentine's Day! I pray everyone is able to have a special day, no matter whether it involves flowers, cards, candy or a nice dinner. Being a believer, we have the most wonderful Valentine of all--God's love given in the gift of Christ! Happy Valentine's Day!

Some things I love and for which I am so thankful:

--Carter laughing a deep chuckle

--snuggling with my husband and watching television

--A hot cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate

--a hot bowl of steaming soup

--The sound of the breeze rustling leaves on a lazy, summer afternoon

--Friday nights

--twinkle lights (white Christmas type lights)

--Going to church

--rainy days/nights when you can curl up by a fire and read a book

--Blankets

--Walks with my husband and Carter, just chatting about life

--When Carter says, "Hold you" and snuggles his head in the nook of my shoulder

--ice cream

--Playing cards with Ryan on vacation

--putting on fancy dresses

--Costa Rica

--The smell of shampoo in Carter's clean hair

--Candles at a restaurant

--Ryan all dressed up in work clothes

--Reading the paper at Starbucks

--The excitement and planning of an upcoming vacation

--backscratches

--Doing creative projects--blogging, sewing, drawing, writing, cooking, knitting, etc.

--Looking at photo albums

--Singing worship songs

--Going to nice dinners in a fancy dress

--Chick Fillet shakes (oreo)

--The Filet Mignon with blue cheese at Outback

--A summer BBQ

--Relaxing with family

--Planning parties

--Church or building bells chiming

--e-mail

--The ocean just before a storm

--loud thunder

--the sounds of a nighttime football game

--dancing

--hiking with Ryan

--Hearing our pastor give Bible sermons--always something to learn!

--The smell of sunscreen

--Christmas parties

--Fireworks

--sushi with wasabi

--Chinese food with chopsticks and cups of hot tea

--Watching Carter dance

--Teaching children

--Walks behind the Montage right around sunset

--The special herb butter at Ti Amos

--Going to Disneyland ( I love the gardens and paths that all wind around the castle, but I love this little, quiet, secret tunnel by the Mexican food restaurant and the shooting range at night--it has colored bubble lights and is a nice, romantic place to enjoy the twilight.

--Chatting with friends at parks, Bible study, and nights out

--Friends who are truthful, loving sisters in Christ--spurring me on in growth with God

--When Carter would kick my tummy when I was pregnant, and I would poke his little foot, hand or bottom--whatever was sticking out-- to make him wiggle.

--Knowing something you just saw or experienced was clearly God intervened

--Reading the Bible when I am stressed or worried

--My supportive and loving parents

--My sweet and wonderful in-laws

--Our Thrive group on Thursdays

--Sleeping in the car

--Hearing the garage open when Ryan gets home.

This is the Day That the Lord Has Made

"This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be
glad in it."

If you count layover time, Ryan and I arrived in the Bahamas after 7 hours of traveling on a red eye flight. We left LAX on a midnight flight, stayed two hours in Atlanta and arrived the next morning in Nassau. Needless to say, I was groggy, disoriented and excited for our vacation all at once. As we were going through Bahamian customs, the female officer checking our passports started singing "This is the Day that the Lord has Made" from beginning to end. She had a clear, beautiful voice, and she smiled the whole time she sang. Immediately, my sluggish walk and red eyes were renewed with the reminder that God made this day and everything we encounter in it.

I hadn't heard that sweet melody in quite awhile, but I am so thankful God had me hear it again. It has resonated in my mind for over a week, reminding me of God's sovereignty as I struggle through a cough, fever and cold this week; highlighting God's blessings as I play with my nearly two year old son; and giving me extra patience in a battle against life's daily inconveniences and mishaps.

Each day is a wonderful gift from our loving Creator. Whether it is a day in the darkest valley or one of those days you feel like you could burst with joy, it is the day God made specifically for you. He wants us to rejoice in it, for He has allowed it for our good. The trials will mold us more closely into His perfect, holy image; and the blessings are reminders of His amazing love.

Whatever type of day you are facing, rejoice in it and be glad. God made this day for you!

The Miss America Syndrome: Finding Contentment

Philippians 4:12, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Our pastor recently gave our congregation an amazing sermon on contentment in a materialistic society. He used the passage of Ecclesiastes 5:10-20. You are able to hear and see the sermon if you click here.
The last point of his sermon--aim for contentment--struck me. It certainly is hard to not covet and want more "stuff" in South Orange County, but I would have to say I, personally, have more sinful areas to which this point applies.
Ladies, you may find me being brutally honest (and it might hit home for you too), but I realized that my lack of contentment is in the area of beauty and body image. At whatever weight I am at, I find myself unhappy. I watch my diet, work out often and still have a nice ten pounds to lose. When I see my peers eating whatever they choose and dropping their baby weight quickly to get back to their skinny pre-pregnancy bodies, I want to scream! This is jealousy and covetousness. Just recently, I've started looking at my face in the mirror to see some droops and wrinkles that weren't there before. I pull back my skin a bit and see the glowing 20-something year old I knew several years back. This is just plain pride and vanity. When I read magazines, I see the trendy clothes and beautiful dresses on the pages and wish I could buy those items AND look like the 15 year old model wearing them. My thoughts can become, "If only I were taller, skinnier, prettier, etc."

Pastor Mike told us that "coveting is a rebellion against the sovereignty of God." Indeed, God gives us each what we need in life, and He desires us to have a holy and content joy in what He has given us. We are to be thankful for everything! I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." As an illustration to this point, Pastor Mike went on to explain that sometimes he craves a buttery, sizzling Ruth's Chris steak. However, on his thirty minute lunch break, he zips down to Taco Bell and gets a bean burrito. He has the choice to choke on every bite and bitterly wish he had the steak, or he can be grateful for the cheesy, beany, warm burrito in his hands. Though it isn't that steak, it is delicious and it feeds him. He can choose contentment.

That choice and fight resonates with me. I have found I have to actively fight my covetousness and choose contentment. I had to stop subscribing to my In Style magazine because I found myself dissatisfied with my wardrobe and self-image after reading it. When I find myself coveting another person's appearance, I have to count my blessings and remember that I have MANY things for which to be thankful--a thanks list is a great daily exercise. For example, I have my health, I certainly don't have a severe weight problem, and I have a husband who thinks I'm pretty. I have to stop wincing when I see old pictures of my face and body, when I wore a size 2 and the word "wrinkle" wasn't even in my vocabulary. Though I want to be clear that this is NOT an excuse to gain 20 pounds and quit taking care of myself. This also does not necessarily mean dieting, working out or trying to put myself together is wrong. It all comes back to my motives and my contentment. I want to be beautiful for my husband, and he tells me all the time that I am. Unfortunately, I tune out his affirmation and dismiss his compliments. When I care more about my own desires than the content attitude of my husband, I know I am in the realm of sin.

Pastor Mike ended his sermon with the point that we can aim for contentment by staying God-centered. When I focus on the beauty of a gentle spirit and an obedient heart, I won't worry about the decaying shell of flesh that holds me. When I am properly focused on Christ and His sacrifice that saved me from Hell, I won't ponder foolish desires found in the latest fashion magazine or the latest ideal weight that society dangles in front of me. I am being inwardly renewed each step of my Christian journey, and outwardly, though my flesh fights and hates it, I am wasting away. To read some excellent posts concerning beauty and body image, click here.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." II Corinthians 4: 16-18

The Bahamas

Our trip to the Bahamas was wonderful. From the moment we stepped off the plane to smell the sweet, sticky air of the tropics, we felt relaxed. In retrospect, the weather was not spectacular. It poured one of our days there, it was clear and perfect one of our days there, and it was cloudy and muggy on two of our days there. However, we were not there to have perfect tans. Our objective to spend time together and take a break from our busy schedules was achieved. To see how God was able to use our trip, read my post below.

We spent many hours reading by the pool, playing tennis in the morning, playing pool in the billiards room after dinner, playing cards in the late afternoon, and eating meal after meal of delicious food. We tried to burn some of the calories with two morning gym workouts and three games of competitive tennis, but I still found I ate more than I burned off in exercise. Ah, but that is one of the delights of vacation! We also went on a snorkeling expedition one morning and took one afternoon bus trip into Nassau. Overall, it was a special trip, and I will have fond memories of our Bahamian retreat--standing still for five days, just to laugh with and remember the blessing of my husband.