Struggling!!!!

I'm sure I am going to offend many with this post.  My hopes is that maybe as parents and even as students we can "be the change". 

Last night was my daughter Raegan's Junior Prom.  She had a great time at the actual dance but it left me sitting here wondering at what or who's expense???  I looked up at what the average student in Illinois spend on prom and found anywhere from $600 to $1000.  I thought we actually were pretty thrifty with Raegan's.  Thanks to God for in only a way He can....Raegan's original dress that was $150 didn't show up....so on the day of the prom we found one for $43!  Thank you Jesus!!!  She spent the same on her shoes but then you start adding up tanning sessions, nails, hair do's and you can see that it could get very high.  Most dresses we looked at were about $300 - $500.  Raegan chose to do her own hair, make up and nails.  She couldn't have been more beautiful!

Then as I worked at the After Prom and witnessed students saying they were bored.....and even Raegan chose not to because her friends didn't want to go....I sat there and thought about all the man hours that went into planning the event and how much money was spent on prizes that some (not all) kids were grumbling about and several that left because they didn't think there prizes that added up to over $30 was worth hanging around to the end for.  Where is the gratitude???

This just left me thinking so hard.  I have asked Jesus so many times to break my heart for what breaks His!  This is were I am struggling!  How can I... as a mother... find a place in my heart to let my kids enjoy these events AND live in this world and in the same world where there is so much need and desperation just to survive???   I want to teach my children to put other peoples needs first and then I feel guilty when I deprive them????  REALLY????  What kind of person am I?  Someone really needs to help me with this.  I know we can rationalize that we deserve to have and do nice things....but I am so over that for me....but what about for my kids. 

What if God has chosen for me and my family to be born into a life of poverty and starvation?  What do you think this child's parent would say about our proms?  Here is what the Bible says about it.   

1 John 3:17

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

 

How do we keep doing this????  Please help me here.....again....I'm struggling.

"Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now." ~Saint Teresa of Avila

An evening with Francis that left me wanting more of Jesus!

My husband has fulfilled many dreams of mine....(besides marrying me and my 3 baby girls)...one of the first ones I remember is taking me to see Michael Jordan and the Bull's....haha!  Last night he even topped that for me.  He took me to see Francis Chan.

Francis is an author and pastor and has inspired me GREATLY with his books and videos.  Please if you haven't read "Crazy Love" or watched his youtube video's called Balance Beam or Rope Illustration...take the time to check them out....you won't be sorry! 

Several things jumped out at me listening to Francis last night.  The biggest one was...you know how you feel when you just know God just made something really AMAZING happen?????  Well...usually that doesn't happen while you are sitting in church with people who "get it".  It usually happens when you are trying to help those who are lost!   Hmmmmm......guess where we should be hanging out more?  Not saying that you shouldn't go to church....but if you have been in church more than a few years and even more so after 20 - 30 years....You should not be sitting there waiting to be "fed"...you should be out being a disciple! 

Matthew 28:19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

I wish I had a video of last nights message....but I love love love this one!  CAUTION 4 minutes in will hit you hard!

So what do you want more....personal belongings here on Earth or experiences with God that will leave you wanting to do more and pave your way to a life of ETERNAL happiness???????

Truth Is????

There is a fun little game that the kids play on facebook right now.  It's called, "Truth is?"  When they write it on their status and somebody clicks "like" then they will leave a little sentence about what they think of them.  Most are nice little things about that they are cute or good at sports or they really like their "style".

Let me just give you guys a little advice from someone older and a little wiser.  The only truth that your classmates will truly remember about you someday is either the really good stuff or the really bad stuff.  So which do you want to be remembered for?

Have you stood up for someone?

Did you stop a rumor?

Did you stop a bully?

Have you told a friend about Jesus?

Could you include someone who is sad and lonely in your group?

Do you walk in others shoes when they are being hateful?

Did you start a fundraiser for a good cause?

Do you show EVERYONE respect?

What are you cheering for????

I love this story Tom Shadyac......  a successful Hollywood director of movies like Bruce Almighty, Ace Ventura, Nutty Professor and Liar Liar......goes From Mansion to Mobile Home. 

 

 

He realized money and status wasn't buying happiness.  We've all heard this a million times BUT how many of you truly believe it?  I don't think we do....we talk about what we would do if we won the lottery....if I only had all my bills paid off....I need a bigger house to hold all my stuff.  We can't figure out why we are stressed, depressed, angry, confused....unhappy!  

It took me many years to slow down and ask myself...what's my passion?  What fulfills me?  What TRULY makes me happy?  And now I have the answer....serve others, help others, be there for others, invest in others.  God has shown me that I am NEVER fulfilled when I make it all about me.  I am ALWAYS happy when I make it about others. 

So when we all stop falling for the advertisements, the Hollywood endings, giving awards for actors, athletes and musicians instead of for teachers, missionaries and fireman?

What prompted me to blog this was that Brian and I were watching Ellen when she had Tom Shadyac on it speaking about his new documentary.  Ellen asked how people like us (who haven't given away everything) could be happy too?  He suggested by dancing....which the audience just did....and the crowd erupted in cheering!  Then he suggested serving.... nothing....dead silence.   Brian and I both noticed the difference.  Why the silence....hmmmm...I got my theory.  Hard to cheer for something you don't partake in.  

So I want to encourage you.  If you are struggling and just don't feel happy.  Find what you passion is for others.  Where could you serve?  How can you help? 

Luke 9:23

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

When God said this He wasn't just speaking to His disciples....He was speaking to us all.  So are you willing to deny yourself and take up what is weighing you down and follow Him?

My hero....Wesley!

There are some people that God places in your life and just by getting to know them...you are forever changed.  One of those special families for me was my sweet friend Amanda Goss and her son Wesley.  I met Wesley and Amanda a few years ago shortly after Wesley had been diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Wesley was a kindergartner at my school where I work as the nurse. 

Amanda is one of those people you meet and you feel like you have known her for your whole life.  She is sweet and soft spoken.... has a gigantic heart and would do anything for you.  She was the one person I trusted to babysit my foster son while he was living with us.  We have shared laughter and tears and have become what I know will be a lifelong friendship.

Recently they found out that their family would be relocating to Colorado for her husband Ryan's new job.  I am thrilled for them and instead of being sad that hey will be far away I am thankful for the time we have had together and look forward to seeing what AMAZING plans God has in store for them in this new adventure.

I ran across this letter I had written when Wesley was the poster child in our area for the Arthritis Foundation.  It reminded me of how Wesley has taught me so much about strength and perseverance.  This amazing guy is truly a super hero.  He reminds me of how to walk in someone else's shoes and feel their pain to better understand how I can help in any way possible.

When Wesley’s teacher Mrs. Fox came to me and told me that Wesley was dropping out of school because of missing so many days due to being sick from pneumonia and his chemo meds,  we knew we had to do something more.  We joined the Arthritis Foundation’s “Walk for Wesley” team.  I put an email out to our faculty.  Right away our librarian Mrs. Swigart emailed me back and said…”I ordered a book.”  From there I went to each and every classroom to begin educating our students on arthritis.  As a nurse I feel the BEST kind of nurse is one that shows compassion.  I teach this to my children at home and my children at LeRoy School District.  We can treat people’s sicknesses and injuries but if we don’t show compassion and empathy it’s just not as effective.  My classroom visits were filled with conversations on what it is to think about others trials they may be going through.  Our conversation was about how it’s more important to think about others.   While we worry about who is going to play with us on recess….Wesley is worried about if he runs too much on recess he will “pay later” with painful joints.  When we worry about what outfit we are going to wear that day Wesley worries about feeling alone and that nobody understands what he’s going through.   When we worry about how many people like us…Wesley and his family are worrying about how sick he will feel from his medication.  We learned to focus on IMPORTANT things like helping friends.  After our conversation our students were determined that Wesley was NOT going to feel alone.  They showed their support by bring in a dollar and writing their names on a mobile to hang on a “Wall for Wesley”.  I couldn’t wait for Wes to come in and see how many kids “had his back”.  It wasn’t about the money we collected it was that they were there for him!  Wesley and I walked down the halls of the school and the students would come to the doorways and stare and wave and say “Hi Wes…we’re here for ya!”  You would’ve thought he was Justin Bieber!!!!  Wesley and I would keep walking down the halls to the next rooms with the same responses and  we’d giggle!  He was loving it!  Everyone looked at him like a ROCK STAR!  And isn’t that the way it should be?  We need to show our children who the real heroes are…..at LeRoy School District…ours is WESLEY!

I love you Amanda and Wessie Noodles!  Also love you Kaleb, Leigha and of course Ryan! 

Life Lessons Through School Lunches???? I think yes!!!!

I'm seriously going through so many emotions right now in my head...I just had to blog about it....I hope this makes sense when I'm all said and done...haha! 

One of my most challenging parts of my job as a school nurse has been changing our Wellness Program to be up to date with today's standards for nutrition, exercise and educating in these areas.  I have worked for 3 years on trying to make a range of 3 year old to 60 something year old happy and healthy.  I learned QUICKLY that those 2 words do not work together for the majority of the people when it comes to food. 

You see we are so blessed to live in this country of plenty that we are over indulging in empty calories just because it's advertised beautifully and enticing us through commercials and social situations.  We reward ourselves and our children with food.

To break this cycle of carb filled excessive portions for us is going to be a continuous battle until the end of time....BUT for others school lunches look like this....

This vegetable soup and piece of bread for some is the only meal that day.

I wonder what they would think about our "pig out" parties???

My emotions are running so high when I hear people complain about school lunches because they aren't cooked right, too cold, too soggy, not enough, too healthy...ugh!  

I would first like to see them try to cook for 300 and make every item, crisp, hot and juicy and made to perfection!   

I want to say.... here....walk 2 miles a day with soleless shoes on to eat this!  

 And for most they are more grateful then we will ever be about ANYTHING!

These 5 beautiful children were found eating dirt to survive in Guatemala.  I bet they wouldn't have turned away a Sweet Potato.

Parents please open your children's eyes to the needs of others before themselves so they can be learn help others.  There lies TRUE happiness.

I ALWAYS...in any situation have to find the good that comes out of it....What I found with this is that I'm so thankful I have raised my children to stand up for what is right when they hear people CONSTANTLY complaining instead of being THANKFUL for what they have and for not going to bed hungry or sick from malnutrition.

Time for me to get off my soapbox?   I think not.... :))).

Some families are lucky enough to get 5 tortillas each for a meal.....they are cheap and filling.  How do you think your spouse or children would react tonight if you tell them that's all they are getting for supper???

So the moral of this story is just BE GRATEFUL that you were blessed enough to be born into this country where we have more than enough.

My 5 Babies

Blessed is the one word that truly captures how I feel about my children.  I don't know too many moms that do not feel the same. 

My biggest prayer is that I can prove to each one of them how much they are loved.  What you may not know if 4 of out 5 of my children have been adopted in some way.  Brian and I adopted Mario four years ago when he was just 9 years old.  Mario came from an disrupted adoption.  That means that we are the 2nd family to adopt him.  I'm not sure what the true circumstances were on his first adoption....what we do know if he was adopted by blood relatives into the U.S. from Mexico.  They only raised him for 6 months before deciding to give him up.  Whether it was because they weren't ready to be an adopted family or if it was to get him into the U.S. for a better life we may never know for sure.  What I DO know for sure is that Mario was meant to be EXACTLY where he is.

God had it planned the whole time for him to end up in our family.  What I am trying to understand and what I am trying to help Mario understand is that through all the pain and anguish of leaving what he thought was his forever family TWICE was to make him become the person that God intended him to be....fearless of change, strength in knowing his family wanted what was best for him, unconditional love with his NOW forever family, trust in God's endless protection.  I could go on and on.

My oldest daughters are from my first marriage so Brian adopted them after raising them as his own for many years.  They have to be 3 of the most beautiful girls in the world both inside and out.  They all 3 have HUGE hearts for children and each other along with their little siblings.  I know that when the thought of their birth father comes to mind that it is hard to understand at times.   What we try to help them understand is that he decided to let Brian and I raise them without his interference so they could go on without a once a year visit and confusion.  Again....it's hard for me to wrap my head around it to but I KNOW that God had this in his plan for their lives so to embrace the gifts (an amazing loving family with a great role model for a father) that came from it....not live with resentment and hatred. 

So as I fail as a parent... as we all do....my constant prayer is that each of my 5 babies know the LOVE that their HEAVENLY FATHER has for them is PERFECT and EVERLASTING and will NOT FALTER.

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Never Doubt How Much You Are Loved

We all have heard the remarkable story a million times...God sent His son to die on the cross for us...to free us from our sins.  He did it to show us that He knew what it was like to be one of us....selfish, weak, sinful....human.   We know that because of this act we are free from our sins just by asking for forgiveness and truly seekinig a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father.   

He loves us that much....but have you really stopped to think about what that was like for Him.  To let His son....a part of Him..... DIE and suffer for us????  Could you do that??? 

Could you sacrifice a piece of yourself...YOUR CHILD.... to save a bunch of sinners???

After watching this you will never doubt again how much God loves you!!!!  The proof is in the sacrific.

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