Holier than thou?

Call me a Christian. Call me a Believer. Or, if you must, you may even call me by my denomination's name, a Bible thumper, holy roller, overly religious, or even a Jesus freak. You get the picture. But please, please, please don't call me 'holier than thou'.

It truly makes me sad when people view Christians that way. I've been told far too often that the reason that someone won't attend church is that they see them as filled with lots of perfect people. People who will judge them and look down at them. It's a shame if they see things that way and even more of a shame if we've caused them to do so. I don't belong on a pedestal. I don't have on a halo. I do stumble, trip, and fall each and every day.

From the outside it's hard to grasp the fact that the reason many of us get on our knees each day and show up on a Sunday is because we are so far from perfect. It's hard to convey the fact that I am way too busy to judge others when I can't bear to look in the mirror myself some days.

When I share my faith with you it's not to point out how 'bad' you are and how 'great' I am. It's simply because I believe in my heart of hearts that you have one simple choice to make- death or life. And that I like you enough to want you there with me at the big party. :-)

I was thinking on some of this when I came across these words today. Carol Wimmer's poem speaks to me so powerfully. It's been a while since I'd seen it, but it blessed me again.

Of course God says all of this way better than I ever could...

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...
Romans 3:22-23NIV

Foto Friday (Tennesse)

As I alluded to the other day we had a wonderful vacation last week. Here are a few more photos.

Bottles and Bibles?!?

What do you think about holding church services in a bar?

http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/oh/story/business/2008/04/14/ddn041408churchbarweb.html

A de-tressing problem

What happens when you mix a long hair, a blow dryer, a round brush, and a bit of carelessness? A mess! Yesterday we got to experience this first hand. One of the girls ended up tangled with said brush from roots to tips! It was quite a large section, right in the front of her hair.

We worked at it for an hour or so to no avail, trying conditioner, water, and (at the suggestion of a hairdresser) mayonnaise. Finally, on the verge of total panic, we piled into the car and headed across town to the salon. Forty minutes later with the help of a pick, long-tailed comb, and a whole lot more patience than this mom had left, the brush finally unwound and was promptly disposed of.

We returned home on a mission to seek and destroy all of its similar shaped relatives, having learned an important lesson: round brushes and young girls with long hair don't mix well.

The smokies

We enjoyed a much needed vacation in the mountains this week. It was refreshing to have a break from the daily grind and we enjoyed catching up with dh's folks. Our girls miss them lots (and we do too). The views were astounding and the weather simply perfect. We miss the mountains of New England which were a daily backdrop of our lives for so long. We swam, climbed, and played at Dollywood. We discovered eldest has a real love of roller-coasters and that her mom and dad are not as fond of them as we used to be! Here's a picture tease- will post the rest sometime soon!

Weekly Blog Challenge

I've enjoyed participating in this weekly challenge with some of my online buddies. This week's question is:
What is one area in your spiritual life that you want to grow in or change?

Wow, there are so many things that I need to address! I do know that I worry WAY too much, particularly about my precious girls. As babies I concerned myself mostly with their health and safety, certainly no small matter. As they've grown the worry has become more about their education, their spiritual health, and the choices they make. The statement little kids- little problems, big kids- big problems seems to feel overwhelmingly true for me some days.

I realize that I need to worry less and pray more, fear less and trust more. I cannot possibly protect my children from every danger they will encounter. How blessed I am to have a relationship with someone who can!

I was really encouraged after doing some reading in, "Quiet Moments for Busy Moms" recently. I'll share just a snippet of it here:

"From the beginning (of motherhood) I've known little control, but I've been far from powerless. I've known the power of being well acquainted with the Ruler of the universe. He commands the angels who guard my children, and he rules over every event in their lives. No, I don't worry- though it could come quite naturally for my mother's heart. Instead I remind myself of the One who is in control, the One who loves my children even more than I do, the One who knows what is best." (Rebecca Mulvaney)

The only thing to do when confronted by matters too great for me is to pray.

"I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore." Psalm131 :1b-3 (NIV)

This verse speaks to my mothers heart and gives me strength to try and worry less.