Thoughts from my quiet time this morning. I was thinking about the woman caught in adultery who was brought before Jesus in John 8 in my quiet time reading today - only got through the first 11 verses of the chapter. I had the following thoughts, which I don't think we can really answer....
Is there definite proof of who this woman is? What was she like? How did she respond? What was her attitude while she was being judged? Was she defiant? Was she humble and meek? Was she willingly taking the punishment she surely knew she deserved? Did she know how much forgiveness she had just received and how did she respond to it?
What is my attitude when I'm caught in sin? What would it be if I were brought before Jesus himself, like she was? I'm humbled and shamed at just the thought of it. Lord, please forgive me like you forgave her.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Ministries and Time
We are venturing forth on a new ministry. A few months ago, we were approached and asked if we would be willing to start a ministry to those going through divorce. We discussed it with a couple of people, but due to time constraints, it kind of fell by the wayside. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and a phone call from a staff member at church. We are being asked about it again, only this time the ball is rolling to get it going. So, starting on October 27, we will be facilitating Divorce Care once again, along with a team of 4 others - one couple and two single ladies. I don't know how many people we will have this first session, the Lord will bring them. Also, there is a very strong possibility that we will be starting Divorce Care for Kids - but that needs a very highly qualified, gifted teacher, and that person hasn't been revealed as of yet.
Also, another major change is happening in our family. Tom was sent an email from Chick-fil-A asking him to finish his application. They are actively recruiting for two new Tucson stores, and they knew he was interested. So, he's been filling out the rather lengthy application. He also spent an hour on the phone with our friend who is currently a CFA operator, just picking his brain and asking a lot of questions. I asked him how it went, and he said he came away excited, yet intimidated at the same time. Now, if he can only get the time to finish the application. Between work, issues with his son, and a camping trip this weekend, time is precious.
Yes, time is very precious. Lord, teach me to use my minutes wisely! The next 8 week session at school is going to be a major challenge - two classes instead of one, both with lots and lots of work, holidays, church obligations - major challenge indeed. I am going to step down for now from Friendship - just going if everything for the week is caught up, and for the Thanksgiving dinner. If nothing else happens, I will learn to manage my time wisely during this period!
Also, another major change is happening in our family. Tom was sent an email from Chick-fil-A asking him to finish his application. They are actively recruiting for two new Tucson stores, and they knew he was interested. So, he's been filling out the rather lengthy application. He also spent an hour on the phone with our friend who is currently a CFA operator, just picking his brain and asking a lot of questions. I asked him how it went, and he said he came away excited, yet intimidated at the same time. Now, if he can only get the time to finish the application. Between work, issues with his son, and a camping trip this weekend, time is precious.
Yes, time is very precious. Lord, teach me to use my minutes wisely! The next 8 week session at school is going to be a major challenge - two classes instead of one, both with lots and lots of work, holidays, church obligations - major challenge indeed. I am going to step down for now from Friendship - just going if everything for the week is caught up, and for the Thanksgiving dinner. If nothing else happens, I will learn to manage my time wisely during this period!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Biblical Worldview
I'm going to post my first paper as my blog entry today. Since it appears I'm not getting much traffic on this blog, it's probably more for my own benefit than anyone elses'. But, if anyone happens to stumble on this and reads it, any constructive comments are appreciated!
BIBLICAL WORLDVIEWS
PART
I
What is a
worldview? A worldview is the philosophical
filter through which people understand and react to everything in life. It is what guides a person in virtually
everything they do. It is how they view
everything, and governs how they respond to things. For a Christian, that filter is the Bible (Gutierrez, Ben and Weider, Lew 2011).
PART
II
How did life
begin? How did mankind come into
existence? A Biblical worldview begins with the presupposition that God exists
and that he created man, the earth, the universe and everything in them. Christians view Him as deeply involved in
each and every aspect of creation, speaking it into being, forming man out of
the ground and breathing life into him. (Colossians
1:17; Genesis 2:7) (Gutierrez, Ben and Weider, Lew 2011)
What does it mean to be
a human? Are humans more important than
animals? Mankind derives his identity
from God, his Creator. He was created
differently from the animals, with a soul and the ability to think and reason
things through. Mankind was created
above and in a position over the animals, yet below the angels. He is the one
thing that God pronounced as “very good” when He completed creation. It is mankind’s responsibility to be
caretakers of His creation, using them as stewards entrusted with a precious
resource. (Genesis 1:26-31; Hebrews 2:7) (Gutierrez,
Ben and Weider, Lew 2011)
Why does mankind exist?
What is his purpose? Why do I exist?
Man’s purpose is to know God in the way He desires to be known, through
a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ.
Man was put on this earth to walk in humble fellowship with God, and glorify
him by treating others with mercy and justice. (Micah 6:8; John 17:3) (Gutierrez,
Ben and Weider, Lew 2011)
What is meant by right
and wrong? How should I live? For a
person who ascribes to a Biblical worldview, the Bible is their ultimate
authority for the question of right versus wrong. There are very clear principles that are
outlined in the Scriptures, starting with the Ten Commandments, which can be derived
through study using scripture to interpret scripture. An understanding of cultural context is
necessary, particularly in application.
Mankind is recognized as fallen, incapable of doing anything under his
own power to redeem himself and restore the relationship with God. However, there is a means of redemption that
is freely offered to all men. That means of redemption is the death of Jesus
Christ on the cross. (2 Timothy 3:16; Ephesians
2:8-9) (Gutierrez, Ben and Weider, Lew 2011)
Is there life after
death? What will happen to me when I
die? Will I have to answer for the
choices I made and how I lived my life?
At death, a Christian believes that man will exist in one of two very
real, literal places – Heaven or Hell. When
one accepts for himself the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross, they
may enter Heaven, where eternity is spent in fellowship with
God. If one dies without accepting
Christ they will be judged by their works, then enter an eternity of torment in
Hell. (Revelation 20:11-12; John 14:1-6) (Gutierrez, Ben and Weider, Lew
2011)
PART
III
As one who holds a
Christian or Biblical worldview, I believe that I have a responsibility to vote
based on those views. I examine the
candidates’ views first on social issues and second on economic and foreign
policy issues, in light of what I believe Scripture teaches. I believe I need to take both into
consideration and choose that person that best reflects that worldview,
acknowledging that ultimately God is the one who appoints rulers (Romans
13:1). I feel that as stewards of this
earth I have a responsibility to care for it, and our family does everything we
can to do so, from recycling as much as possible, cutting down on waste and
consolidating trips or riding a bicycle to work or on errands. Not only is it
good for the environment, but those practices also help us be better stewards
of our own bodies as well.
BIBLOGRAPHY
Gutierrez, Ben and Weider, Lew. "What is a
Worldview?" in Consider. Virginia Beach, Virginia: Academx
Publishing Services, 2011.
Monday, August 27, 2012
School - and Joy
Well, my first week of school is under my belt. I studied hard, read and reread the material, took notes, transcribed the notes onto OneNote, and read and reread again. I had nightmares over the first quiz. It's been so long since I've done any school work that I was having anxiety attacks.
I logged onto the computer, and the first thing I did was my Bible reading. I have been neglecting doing that for so long, I know that was a big part of my problem. I can't expect God to speak to me if I'm not LISTENING to Him! I know I need to be in the Word DAILY, but it's so easy to let other things push it out of the way. Well, today I determined to do it first. My reading today was Psalms 30-33. Timely chapters! So many verses jump out at me in those particular Psalms, but I focused on Psalm 30:4-5
I logged onto the computer, and the first thing I did was my Bible reading. I have been neglecting doing that for so long, I know that was a big part of my problem. I can't expect God to speak to me if I'm not LISTENING to Him! I know I need to be in the Word DAILY, but it's so easy to let other things push it out of the way. Well, today I determined to do it first. My reading today was Psalms 30-33. Timely chapters! So many verses jump out at me in those particular Psalms, but I focused on Psalm 30:4-5
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
And give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
And his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
But joy comes in the morning.
I then went to CHF (http://www.chfweb.com/) and to the Living Life to the Glory of God forum, where I go every day for encouragement and accountability. Terri Groh posts the devotional every morning, and today's was on JOY! I just love her devotionals and her blog! She has things going on in her life that would totally discourage most people, yet she remains incredibly faithful and joyful.
We leave for vacation in a week, and I have a lot to accomplish in the meantime. I really need to get this quilt done, I have reading and studying to do, and all the other details that have to be attended to when leaving for a two week vacation.
Oh, and the quiz I was so stressed about? 60/60 :D Not bad, huh?
Here's the link to Terri's blog - Hearts in Service http://heartsinservice.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Random thoughts today
Classes began on Monday. I had already started reading, so I'm a little ahead of the game, but still....having to study - really study - again is daunting!
The first class I'm taking is Apologetics 104 - Christian Worldview. I'm already really interested in it, and discovered that I know a lot of the material; I just didn't know the words behind the definitions! That does make it a little easier. One of the texts is The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. It presents, in reference form, a multitude of belief systems. I've already read several of the entries and learned quite a bit.
I was engaged in a conversation with someone about this particular class. She made the comment that I was learning it in a Christian school, from a Christian professor, with the implication that I already know what the class teaches and that I needed to learn about other world views from other sources. When I was talking about this with Matt, he pointed out that no matter what the source is, I am still filtering everything I read and hear through the worldview that I hold - a Biblical one. He's right. We don't live in a bubble. We all are influenced and shaped by a worldview, Biblical or otherwise. Our son and daughter in law just recently had their first child. She has said that they are going to raise him to be a free thinker, and let him choose when he gets older what faith, if any, to follow. Problem is right there they are raising him with a specific worldview. He will be influenced by many worldviews. Interestingly, I read about this very thing in the fourth chapter of my textbook, Consider, while reading ahead.
This post is a little more disjointed than the others. I'm still not 100% sure where I'm going with this blog, and I suspect, since I have very few followers, it doesn't really matter anyhow!
I've been reading Psalms lately. But I am reading it differently. I started at the back and am reading it in reverse order, five Psalms at a time. It's a fresh way of looking at them and I've really enjoyed it. I take time to write out verses that are meaningful to me, and if one of them reminds me of a hymn or other song, I'll usually pull it up and listen to it. There are so many Psalms that have inspired songs. Today's reading was Psalm 40-44. I particularly like Psalm 40. I remember when I was going through my divorce, how that particular Psalm spoke to me and comforted me. The Lord was truly good to me during that time.
Psalm 40: 1 (ESV) (from http://www.biblegateway.com/ )
The first class I'm taking is Apologetics 104 - Christian Worldview. I'm already really interested in it, and discovered that I know a lot of the material; I just didn't know the words behind the definitions! That does make it a little easier. One of the texts is The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. It presents, in reference form, a multitude of belief systems. I've already read several of the entries and learned quite a bit.
I was engaged in a conversation with someone about this particular class. She made the comment that I was learning it in a Christian school, from a Christian professor, with the implication that I already know what the class teaches and that I needed to learn about other world views from other sources. When I was talking about this with Matt, he pointed out that no matter what the source is, I am still filtering everything I read and hear through the worldview that I hold - a Biblical one. He's right. We don't live in a bubble. We all are influenced and shaped by a worldview, Biblical or otherwise. Our son and daughter in law just recently had their first child. She has said that they are going to raise him to be a free thinker, and let him choose when he gets older what faith, if any, to follow. Problem is right there they are raising him with a specific worldview. He will be influenced by many worldviews. Interestingly, I read about this very thing in the fourth chapter of my textbook, Consider, while reading ahead.
This post is a little more disjointed than the others. I'm still not 100% sure where I'm going with this blog, and I suspect, since I have very few followers, it doesn't really matter anyhow!
I've been reading Psalms lately. But I am reading it differently. I started at the back and am reading it in reverse order, five Psalms at a time. It's a fresh way of looking at them and I've really enjoyed it. I take time to write out verses that are meaningful to me, and if one of them reminds me of a hymn or other song, I'll usually pull it up and listen to it. There are so many Psalms that have inspired songs. Today's reading was Psalm 40-44. I particularly like Psalm 40. I remember when I was going through my divorce, how that particular Psalm spoke to me and comforted me. The Lord was truly good to me during that time.
Psalm 40: 1 (ESV) (from http://www.biblegateway.com/ )
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.[a]
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
but you have given me an open ear.[a]
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9 I have told the glad news of deliverance[b]
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
From Ohio to Virginia to Tucson
I am slowly getting back to normal, but I've discovered if I do too much, I'm totally zapped the next day. Yesterday was a pretty "normal" day for me, but evidently it was too much, because I'm totally wiped today.
I was thinking about what my next blog post would be about, and what kept coming back was how I ended up in Tucson, Arizona. The story is an amazing account of God clearly moving in my life. We were living in Fairborn, Ohio, where we had been since Dianna, my oldest daughter who is now 30, was 4 and Chuck, my oldest son, was 7. We had moved back there from a year in Oxnard, California when their father was hired by the federal government and went to work at Wright-Patterson AFB. We settled back in our old church, Grand Avenue Baptist (now Grand Heights), and things were moving along. Two more children came - Matt in 1989 and Amanda in 1992. I continued in the Reserves and just being a mom. We were very involved in church and just living life.
A rather traumatic event occurred when Chuck was in 9th grade. I won't go into details about it, but it was life-changing in many ways. I remember just prior to the event, I doing a Bible study called "Becoming a Woman of Prayer" by Cynthia Heald. Nancy Booher, who is my closest friend, was leading the study. She challenged us at the beginning to write down one thing we hoped to gain from the study. I wrote in my journal that I wanted to see clear, unmistakable answers to prayer. Little did I know how God would do just that. Over the next several years, I saw and experienced God working in ways I could never have imagined.
My former husband was offered a position at the Pentagon, so we found ourselves moving to Dale City, Virginia. I loved it. I loved the DC area - so much to see and do, and most of it free. I could spend days just wandering around the National Mall area, exploring all the museums and monuments. I continued to do reserve duty, in an area where I had so many choices of assignments. It was good.
Life was not without it's problems, however. It was during the second year we were there that my former husband decided he no longer wanted to be married. We had had our share of problems, but I thought that we were working through them. I won't go into the issues we had, suffice it to say that neither of us are totally innocent. It did, however take my totally by surprise. However, again God proved to be more than faithful. He, in his foreknowledge, knew that this day was coming. He moved us to a place where not only would I have sufficient work, but I had a great support system. For starters, Nancy had moved to Maryland a few years before, so she was only about 50 miles from me. Also, we had joined a church, Mt. Ararat Baptist, in Stafford when we moved to the area. Two families that we had been friends with in Ohio both had moved to the same area - Tammy and Dwyer Dennis and Brent and Gwen Curtis. Dwyer and Brent were both military and stationed in the area. When my former husband left, they rallied around me and were a great help in getting through.
I said that God provided - not only emotionally with the support system, but financially as well. The DC are is arguably one of the most expensive areas in the country, and I was scared I couldn't survive. However, my reserve time really proved to be valuable. I remember walking into my Chief's office and telling him what had happened. I had known him for years - we had been stationed together at Wright-Patt when I was active duty, so he knew me well. He immediately put the wheels in motion to put me to work for as long as he could. It turned out that he had me working for the next four months with out any breaks. In fact, just when things looked like they were not going to work out any longer, I was offered a position with the Veteran's Administration.. God's perfect timing was at work.
God provided in so many other ways. I remember that Christmas, the kids and I were really wondering what the holiday was going to look like. I knew I couldn't stay there, but I didn't see a way at the time of taking a trip to my parents' house in Florida. We were doing a musical at church, and at a dress rehearsal. I had left my purse down in the seats, and when I came down to collect my things when rehearsal was over, I found an envelope with my name on it sticking out of the top of my purse. I opened it up, and inside was $700! While my small group of friends knew about the financial situation we were in, I really hadn't told others about it. But God knew, he knew that the kids couldn't stay in VA for Christmas that year, and he made it possible for us to leave.
The next year found me selling the house in Dale City and moving into my own townhouse in Stafford. Yes, it was a further commute, but it was closer to church and friends. Again, God provided. The townhouse was perfect and just the right price for us. By this time, my former husband had been gone for almost a year. VA law required a year separation before a divorce would be granted, and it was almost up. I had made arrangements for someone to accompany me to court, but circumstances prevented it from happening. My former husband was, needless to say, furious, because by this time he had moved to New Mexico and his now-wife had moved in with him. I had accepted the circumstance as from God. If he (ex) wanted the divorce, he would have to follow through. I was content where I was. I was being financially provided for, legally and with my own job, I had a support system around me, and I was ok. It was about another month before the hearing was held and the paperwork put in place to dissolve our marriage.
It was during this time that I was exploring chat rooms. I had wondered what the draw was in talking to total strangers, since that was how my ex had met the women who convinced him to leave. I went into a chat room for Christians going through divorce. A certain man saw my profile verse (Jeremiah 29:11) and asked me about it. We started talking, and found out that his father lived in Rockville, MD. Over the course of the next several months, we would chat on line, and eventually on the phone. He was going through much the same thing I was. So many people think that that's not a good thing, however, we saw God moving in it as well. It came to Thanksgiving, and his ex wife was going to have his boys for the holiday, and he couldn't bear the thought of staying town alone, so he was going to come to the DC area to visit his father. That weekend, Tom and I met in person.
I saw evidence that he was "ok" when we went to church that Sunday. I was singing in the choir, and he walked in. I looked out, and there he was - hugging someone! After church, I asked him about it. It was old friends from Tucson who were members of my church! Dianna was friends with their son. Talk about providence. Later, on a trip back to Ohio, while staying with my dear friends Bob and Cindy Sudduth, I was telling Cindy about Tom and his church. During the course of our conversation, Cindy asked if Tom went to El Camino. It turned out that is the same church that Bob's parents, who lived in Tucson, went! Ok. Too many people who knew this guy.
That Christmas, I took my first trip to Tucson. The kids were with their dad, and I was alone. Tom had come to DC for a week, and had a free ticket, so I came back with him. What did I have to lose? It would be an adventure. We would continue to talk and our relationship continued to develop, so we were in deep prayer that if this wasn't God's will, He would make it perfectly clear. I thought that time had come when Tom's ex called him, tentatively seeking reconciliation. I told him, needless to say, that I wasn't about to stand in the way of reconciliation. Well, Tom's ex told him that she just wanted to brush everything under the rug and pretend it didn't happen. She wasn't willing to go to counseling, wasn't willing to be completely accountable to him or anybody, wasn't really willing to work on resolving the issues - just wanted to pretend the previous 3 years hadn't happened. No, that wasn't going to work. She finally said that also. So when he called me several weeks later, we knew that all hope of reconciliation was gone for them. It was already gone for me, my ex had remarried two days after our divorce was final.
I came out here again early that summer. We had prayed about it, and decided if certain things lined up, I would give up my job in DC and move. Well, the day I interviewed for a job, I was offered one. And, shortly after I came out, I had two people call me and ask about my townhouse - was it available for rent? I hadn't even really let anyone know that I was considering moving! It turned out that there was a building moratorium in our town, and existing real estate was in high demand! I had no problem renting out my unit at all. In fact, I sold it the next year for about $10K more than I paid for it - another amazing answer to prayer.
Tom and I got married on May 22, 2001. It's been an interesting ride, but God is gracious. He's provided us with some amazing friends and amazing opportunities. Now that we are heading into retirement years, I'm excited to see what He has next in store.
I was thinking about what my next blog post would be about, and what kept coming back was how I ended up in Tucson, Arizona. The story is an amazing account of God clearly moving in my life. We were living in Fairborn, Ohio, where we had been since Dianna, my oldest daughter who is now 30, was 4 and Chuck, my oldest son, was 7. We had moved back there from a year in Oxnard, California when their father was hired by the federal government and went to work at Wright-Patterson AFB. We settled back in our old church, Grand Avenue Baptist (now Grand Heights), and things were moving along. Two more children came - Matt in 1989 and Amanda in 1992. I continued in the Reserves and just being a mom. We were very involved in church and just living life.
A rather traumatic event occurred when Chuck was in 9th grade. I won't go into details about it, but it was life-changing in many ways. I remember just prior to the event, I doing a Bible study called "Becoming a Woman of Prayer" by Cynthia Heald. Nancy Booher, who is my closest friend, was leading the study. She challenged us at the beginning to write down one thing we hoped to gain from the study. I wrote in my journal that I wanted to see clear, unmistakable answers to prayer. Little did I know how God would do just that. Over the next several years, I saw and experienced God working in ways I could never have imagined.
My former husband was offered a position at the Pentagon, so we found ourselves moving to Dale City, Virginia. I loved it. I loved the DC area - so much to see and do, and most of it free. I could spend days just wandering around the National Mall area, exploring all the museums and monuments. I continued to do reserve duty, in an area where I had so many choices of assignments. It was good.
Life was not without it's problems, however. It was during the second year we were there that my former husband decided he no longer wanted to be married. We had had our share of problems, but I thought that we were working through them. I won't go into the issues we had, suffice it to say that neither of us are totally innocent. It did, however take my totally by surprise. However, again God proved to be more than faithful. He, in his foreknowledge, knew that this day was coming. He moved us to a place where not only would I have sufficient work, but I had a great support system. For starters, Nancy had moved to Maryland a few years before, so she was only about 50 miles from me. Also, we had joined a church, Mt. Ararat Baptist, in Stafford when we moved to the area. Two families that we had been friends with in Ohio both had moved to the same area - Tammy and Dwyer Dennis and Brent and Gwen Curtis. Dwyer and Brent were both military and stationed in the area. When my former husband left, they rallied around me and were a great help in getting through.
I said that God provided - not only emotionally with the support system, but financially as well. The DC are is arguably one of the most expensive areas in the country, and I was scared I couldn't survive. However, my reserve time really proved to be valuable. I remember walking into my Chief's office and telling him what had happened. I had known him for years - we had been stationed together at Wright-Patt when I was active duty, so he knew me well. He immediately put the wheels in motion to put me to work for as long as he could. It turned out that he had me working for the next four months with out any breaks. In fact, just when things looked like they were not going to work out any longer, I was offered a position with the Veteran's Administration.. God's perfect timing was at work.
God provided in so many other ways. I remember that Christmas, the kids and I were really wondering what the holiday was going to look like. I knew I couldn't stay there, but I didn't see a way at the time of taking a trip to my parents' house in Florida. We were doing a musical at church, and at a dress rehearsal. I had left my purse down in the seats, and when I came down to collect my things when rehearsal was over, I found an envelope with my name on it sticking out of the top of my purse. I opened it up, and inside was $700! While my small group of friends knew about the financial situation we were in, I really hadn't told others about it. But God knew, he knew that the kids couldn't stay in VA for Christmas that year, and he made it possible for us to leave.
The next year found me selling the house in Dale City and moving into my own townhouse in Stafford. Yes, it was a further commute, but it was closer to church and friends. Again, God provided. The townhouse was perfect and just the right price for us. By this time, my former husband had been gone for almost a year. VA law required a year separation before a divorce would be granted, and it was almost up. I had made arrangements for someone to accompany me to court, but circumstances prevented it from happening. My former husband was, needless to say, furious, because by this time he had moved to New Mexico and his now-wife had moved in with him. I had accepted the circumstance as from God. If he (ex) wanted the divorce, he would have to follow through. I was content where I was. I was being financially provided for, legally and with my own job, I had a support system around me, and I was ok. It was about another month before the hearing was held and the paperwork put in place to dissolve our marriage.
It was during this time that I was exploring chat rooms. I had wondered what the draw was in talking to total strangers, since that was how my ex had met the women who convinced him to leave. I went into a chat room for Christians going through divorce. A certain man saw my profile verse (Jeremiah 29:11) and asked me about it. We started talking, and found out that his father lived in Rockville, MD. Over the course of the next several months, we would chat on line, and eventually on the phone. He was going through much the same thing I was. So many people think that that's not a good thing, however, we saw God moving in it as well. It came to Thanksgiving, and his ex wife was going to have his boys for the holiday, and he couldn't bear the thought of staying town alone, so he was going to come to the DC area to visit his father. That weekend, Tom and I met in person.
I saw evidence that he was "ok" when we went to church that Sunday. I was singing in the choir, and he walked in. I looked out, and there he was - hugging someone! After church, I asked him about it. It was old friends from Tucson who were members of my church! Dianna was friends with their son. Talk about providence. Later, on a trip back to Ohio, while staying with my dear friends Bob and Cindy Sudduth, I was telling Cindy about Tom and his church. During the course of our conversation, Cindy asked if Tom went to El Camino. It turned out that is the same church that Bob's parents, who lived in Tucson, went! Ok. Too many people who knew this guy.
That Christmas, I took my first trip to Tucson. The kids were with their dad, and I was alone. Tom had come to DC for a week, and had a free ticket, so I came back with him. What did I have to lose? It would be an adventure. We would continue to talk and our relationship continued to develop, so we were in deep prayer that if this wasn't God's will, He would make it perfectly clear. I thought that time had come when Tom's ex called him, tentatively seeking reconciliation. I told him, needless to say, that I wasn't about to stand in the way of reconciliation. Well, Tom's ex told him that she just wanted to brush everything under the rug and pretend it didn't happen. She wasn't willing to go to counseling, wasn't willing to be completely accountable to him or anybody, wasn't really willing to work on resolving the issues - just wanted to pretend the previous 3 years hadn't happened. No, that wasn't going to work. She finally said that also. So when he called me several weeks later, we knew that all hope of reconciliation was gone for them. It was already gone for me, my ex had remarried two days after our divorce was final.
I came out here again early that summer. We had prayed about it, and decided if certain things lined up, I would give up my job in DC and move. Well, the day I interviewed for a job, I was offered one. And, shortly after I came out, I had two people call me and ask about my townhouse - was it available for rent? I hadn't even really let anyone know that I was considering moving! It turned out that there was a building moratorium in our town, and existing real estate was in high demand! I had no problem renting out my unit at all. In fact, I sold it the next year for about $10K more than I paid for it - another amazing answer to prayer.
Tom and I got married on May 22, 2001. It's been an interesting ride, but God is gracious. He's provided us with some amazing friends and amazing opportunities. Now that we are heading into retirement years, I'm excited to see what He has next in store.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Friendship International
I told Matt that I wouldn't be one of those who starts to blog, writes one, then promptly forgets about it. However, for the past 10 days or so, I've been sick! I've not given much more than a passing thought to blogging, I was more concerned with just getting better. Finally, today, I feel more like myself.
Friendship International is a big part of my life right now, and the major reason I'm going back to school. It is the English as a Second Language ministry of our church. I've been involved in it for 3 years now and love it. We have approximately 20-25 students, primarily from China, but a number from Bhutan, and individuals from Mexico, Romania, an African country and Korea. Some of the Chinese have actually been attending for 20+ years, when the ministry was first started. There has been spiritual fruit, but we are always trust the Lord for more.
How did I get involved with teaching English? I'm not much of a teacher, and I know it all too well, but this just seems to FIT. I think it goes back to when I was in high school and we had neighbors move in who were Japanese. Dr. Nakamoto was studying at Case Western for two years and they came knowing very little to no English. Reiko (his wife) was a very willing student, and my mom was a very willing teacher. We taught them English and American culture, they in turn taught us a few words in Japanese and their culture. Eventually, Mom would go on to hosting up to 10 Japanese women in our home as well as theirs, teaching them English using the Bible and other books and newspapers. I never realized until Mom passed away in 2010 and I was talking to her pastor about her funeral, just how much that had an impact on me. I had already been working with a group of Burundi refugees for two years, and didn't realize until that point that I was following in Mom's footsteps.
Going back to school and getting my Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary studies will allow me to take the classes necessary to be certified in ESL at Pima. This will not only enrich my ministry at El Camino, but it will also position me for a ministry position overseas, if that's what God leads Tom to do once he retires from IBM within the next 2-4 years. Will I be teaching or be in more of an administrative position? I really don't know, I'm just taking it one step at a time.
Friendship International is a big part of my life right now, and the major reason I'm going back to school. It is the English as a Second Language ministry of our church. I've been involved in it for 3 years now and love it. We have approximately 20-25 students, primarily from China, but a number from Bhutan, and individuals from Mexico, Romania, an African country and Korea. Some of the Chinese have actually been attending for 20+ years, when the ministry was first started. There has been spiritual fruit, but we are always trust the Lord for more.
How did I get involved with teaching English? I'm not much of a teacher, and I know it all too well, but this just seems to FIT. I think it goes back to when I was in high school and we had neighbors move in who were Japanese. Dr. Nakamoto was studying at Case Western for two years and they came knowing very little to no English. Reiko (his wife) was a very willing student, and my mom was a very willing teacher. We taught them English and American culture, they in turn taught us a few words in Japanese and their culture. Eventually, Mom would go on to hosting up to 10 Japanese women in our home as well as theirs, teaching them English using the Bible and other books and newspapers. I never realized until Mom passed away in 2010 and I was talking to her pastor about her funeral, just how much that had an impact on me. I had already been working with a group of Burundi refugees for two years, and didn't realize until that point that I was following in Mom's footsteps.
Going back to school and getting my Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary studies will allow me to take the classes necessary to be certified in ESL at Pima. This will not only enrich my ministry at El Camino, but it will also position me for a ministry position overseas, if that's what God leads Tom to do once he retires from IBM within the next 2-4 years. Will I be teaching or be in more of an administrative position? I really don't know, I'm just taking it one step at a time.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Odd name for a blog, but it actually does fit. Random. That word seems to fit. One of the dictionary.com's definition is odd and unpredictable in an amusing way. Well, I'm not sure how amusing it will be, but odd and unpredictable? Yep, it will likely be that.
Middler. I am, and always have been a middler. I was born the middle child in a family with seven siblings. I pondered on that for a while and decided to re-read the chapter entitled Middle Child:Born Too Late...and Too Soon in Kevin Leman's book The Birth Order Book. He says that middle children can be hard to peg, and that our personality cannot easily be predicted. He has a chart that shows typical behaviors, and I have to agree with him. It seems I've picked some from column A and some from column B!
loner, quiet, shy sociable, friendly, outgoing
impatient, easily frustrated takes life in stride, laid back
very competitive easygoing--not competitive
rebel, family goat peacemaker, mediator
aggressive, a scrapper avoids conflict
If you know me, I'm a mix of loner, shy, yet sociable and friendly. I can be both impatient and easily frustrated, yet usually takes things in stride. I'm not competitive at all, not much of a rebel, but have often been put into the peacemaker and mediator roles. I'm certainly not very aggressive, and yes, I avoid conflict pretty much as often as I can! Yep, I'm confused and confusing and I suspect my husband would second that!
Mom. I have four children, two step-sons, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, a step-daughter-in-law, a grandson and granddaughter. Within the next few weeks, we will be adding another grandson - the first child of my husband's youngest son. I'm not going to say what kind of mom I've been, maybe later I'll ask one of the kids to give their perspective on that one. All I will do is quote Mark 14:8 - "She has done what she could." I hope my children see that. I made a lot of mistakes, and will make a lot more, but I did what I could. They know that my priorities have always been: God first, husband second, kids, myself. Sometimes I got (and still get) those priorities out of order, but that's the goal at least. They know that they are very important in my life.
I am also a Christian. I didn't include that in the title, but it does define me, more than any of the other descriptions do. I consider myself to be much more than a cultural Christian. I suppose you would call me a Bible-thumping, fundy Baptist. And in some ways, I am. That's my culture growing up. My husband, who was not raised in a Christian home, says that I was raised in a Baptist convent, as contrasted with his Woodstock upbringing! I am constantly growing and maturing in Christ, I know I'm a work in progress. Some of my viewpoints have changed over the years, but the foundation that was laid when I was growing up is still there. The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. It is to be taken as a whole, not bits and pieces meant to justify my position. I believe in salvation by faith, but that salvation is expressed through my works. I know there are gray areas in Scripture, and it's in those gray areas that I've changed the most, and in which I'm sure I'll change even more. I'm willing to be taught, but I'm not willing to budge on certain items. Challenge me, yes, and I will do my best to defend my position. But please, don't resort to character assassination, and I'll try my best not to either! There is so much more to be said on that topic, and I'm sure that it will come out in the weeks and months ahead.
I have done a lot of things in the years I've been on this earth. Graduated high school in 1974, went into the Air Force in 1975, lived in the Azores, Portugal for a year, had 2 children, went to Cedarville University (when it was a college) for two years, moved to California, moved back to Ohio, worked and had two more children. I've alternately been a stay at home mom, working mom, part time working mom - I was in the Air Force and Air Force reserves for 23 years, retiring in 2000 - and homeschool mom. I've always volunteered at church, sung in the choir (support only - I'm a great support person!), been on various committees, and served wherever needed. You know those spiritual gift inventories that we seem to have to take from time to time? Mine almost always comes out with "gifts of service" as the highest, and (no surprise to my kids) "grace" as the lowest. Give me a background job that needs to be done, and I'll do it, and make things much easier for those in the spotlight to do their job. Not that I don't want recognition for my job, but I don't need to be in the spotlight. Hey, I was an admin tech/paralegal tech in the Air Force - we do the work, the lawyers get the credit, and that's ok with me because when things went wrong, they also got the blame!
I've always thought I wasn't very artistic, but have come to realize that creativity has expressed itself in other ways. I've enjoyed crafts, primarily cross stitch in the past, more recently scrapbooking and quilting. I used to sew all the girls clothes when they were younger, as well as a lot of mine. I love to cook (and eat!) and worked for a time in one of our old church's kitchen ministry. There I learned how to create meals for large groups and hold professional English quality High Teas. I still love to hold teas, but haven't done one for some time. Maybe this Christmas......
I'm about to start a new venture, which is part of the reason for this blog. I'm going back to school. After Dianna, my oldest daughter, was born, I went to college for two years. We moved to California after my now ex-husband got a job in Oxnard, and I went back to work. Even though I tried and had the opportunity to, I never felt the draw to go back to school. Instead, I stayed home with the kids. Now that the kids are all adults, I feel God is telling me that it's time to finish. I applied to and was accepted at Liberty University. I wasn't too surprised to find out that between Cedarville, the University of Maryland, and my Air Force training, I actually have 117 credits! That means I really am exactly one stupid math class away from a degree! But, alas, Liberty does have a requirement that I have to take 30 credits to get an interdisciplinary studies degree from them, so it will take me about 3, maybe 4 semesters to finally finish. I'm looking forward to it though. The cognate that I'll be focusing on the most is Religion, and I'll be choosing classes with a missions/intercultural emphasis. I already have my business cognate.
Part of the reason I want to finish and feel that it's time is because I really want to get my ESL certificate. I'm not going to go into the background of that right now, that can be another blog. Suffice it to say, it's what the Lord is very clearly telling me to pursue right now.
I could write on and on, but I think I'll stop for now. If anybody out there has read this, thanks! Otherwise, cyberspace - enjoy!
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