You Might Be A Mom of Boys If....

Being a mother of a household of boys, I had to learn real fast these basic rules. If it is a rarity that it will happen, they will figure out a way. Never be surprised at what a boy can put in his body..and where. Last but definitely not least...learn to laugh it out. So, I put together this blog, to hopefully spread some laughs from my experience as a momma of some ornery boys. Enjoy...

You might be a mom of boys if...
When you hear a cry, you DON'T automatically look to see who hurt them, instead you look at him and say,"What did you do?"

You might be a mom of boys if...
You learn how to do butterfly stitches just to prevent, yet another trip to the hospital. 

You might be a mom of boys if...
You know better than to buy plastic swords, because they can cause "pressure cuts" when whacked against a head. 

You might be a mom of boys if...
When furniture shopping, the sales clerk catches you jumping on the furniture to see how it holds up. 

 You might be a mom of boys if...
You scurry your boys past the bathroom display in the store, because...well, you just KNOW better.

You might be a mom of boys if...
You potty train outside before you do inside.

You might be a mom of boys if...
You walk into your local E.R. and the triage nurse, before registering, calls you by name and says ,"Hey! What do you have for us tonight?"

You might be a mom of boys if...
If you can actually sit on all your shelves hung in your house, and they won't fall. 

You might be a mom of boys if...
If Poison Control is actually programmed in your phone. 

You might be a mom of boys if...
You take EMT classes, and DO NOT work in the medical field. 

You might be a mom of boys if...
Your child has had an x-ray to find the foreign object.

You might be a mom of boys if...
You have ever called Poison Control to see if you have been poisoned, because your son has poured Windex in your tea to "clean" your cup. 

You might be a mom of boys if...
An ER doctor gives you his schedule for the week, and says,"Can you call me after and let me know how it turns out...I'm just fascinated by this!"

 You might be a mom of boys if...
You find foot prints on the wall in your hallway...up by the ceiling. 

You might be a mom of boys if...
You have ever had to explain, why peeing on a tree at the park, IS NOT the same as your yard. 

You might be a mom of boys if...
You win the "Random Purse Award" by finding a stethoscope, light-bulb, and matchbox car in your purse at a training seminar for work.

You might be a mom of boys if...
If you receive a care package from your "phone BFF" at Poison Control, and think, "Awww, I miss her!"

and last but not least...

You might be a mom of boys if...
Your heart absolutely melts when you see a baby boy smile, and catch a glimpse of ornery in those eyes, before he can even walk.  :) 

<3 Cat

Failing Christmas

         The past two years, I have been struggling at Christmas time. Borderline being strangled by the commercialism and the pressure placed on parents to get your kids that "Amazing Gift", well lets be real, those "Amazing Giftssssssss." One is never enough right?  Being a Christian I am well aware of what the real meaning of the season is, and trust me that is what this house celebrates. Our primary focus is celebrating the birth of Jesus, and even with that, the pressure is still there. People take out loans, max out credit cards, go in debt, place bills in great delinquency, just to get the right amount of presents for their loved ones. Some, being pressured to be sure they have enough will scout out those deals all year long. just to not be in massive debt from the season.  Some even so desperate that they will break into someone else's house to steal their gifts. 

         When I see all this, and myself fall victim to it, the pressure starts growing on my chest. Exactly, how many presents are right? What is enough? Is this the right "name brand"? Working with youth in every aspect of my life, I find I cannot compliment a youth on their outfit without getting a full itinerary of what awesome "popular" store name they got it from. When is enough, enough??? Are Charlie Brown and I the only ones who gets overwhelmed by all of this? Showing our love, are we only capable to do that with "x" amount of presents? I know a lot of you are saying, "Of course not, the presents are not what matters, it is the family." But really lets think about this, if you told your child that this year for Christmas, we are bringing the "real reason of the season" back, and you told them that they would only get one present and it may even be homemade, will they be disappointed? Feeding into this demand, has told them, "Yes Jesus is the reason for the season, but you and all your friends will make out awesome at Christmas." Television, friends, and the world telling them that they will get a lot. Raising "material expectations". Even, if they are okay with it, Lets move forward... they go to a group function after Christmas and get asked, "What did you get for Christmas?" Right there, (and yes I even do it) Then they say their present..."Oh, that is great! What else did you get?" Right there the "one gift" is shown that it is not enough. With great intentions, your Christmas values that you try to instill in your kids, has just been belittled. 

        Now don't make me into any kind of scrooge, because this is my favorite time of year. I look forward to this season all year long. I love it! I love celebrating the birth of Christ! As my pastor always says, "Without the cradle, we couldn't have the Cross."  I love the music, the decorations, teaching my children about His birth,  the faces excited waking me up Christmas morning, breakfast and coffee that morning. Which makes my chest even heavier. I don't like having any bad feeling this time of year, this is my FAVORITE time of year! However, the world flashes my "Christmas failure" in my face more and more each year. I just want to scream! This is not what makes this season so special! The urge grows more and more to run away, go to a cabin deep in the woods and bury ourselves into family time, with no outside expectations. Reset Christmas. When is enough, enough? 

      I smile my Christmas smile on the outside, while inside I'm screaming with frustration at the worldly guilt, that I won't give my children a good "enough" Christmas. Constant worry, if I reset Christmas, and correct how much we have fed into this monster, will my children grow resentment toward this? Which would completely shadow even more the REAL meaning of the season. At every corner, we are told or shown that Christmas should be a certain way. Some may think that this bothers me only because we don't have much money. Well, I can assure you that even when we made more money...enough is never enough. 

     Some tell me to sign up for places that get you presents, but we can get some, and I don't want to take that from someone who really needs it, especially when I KNOW that is not the whole reason for the season anyways. The other day, I asked around and on Facebook what the average person spends on Christmas. There were many answers, but most popular was between $200-$300 per child, not counting other family members or Christmas parties. I know I have five children to buy for, and at that price, that would be $1,000!! That's not including school parties with food and gifts, Youth parties, food for other parties, employee party with food and gift. Then there is cards..Oh wait..we have the same bills we have had all year long. Then, I am overwhelmed struggling to get this done, rushing to meet deadlines, and just want to stop and AHHHHHHH!! THIS IS NOT WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT!!!! Like I said, I am not a scrooge. I love this time of year, and I love all the stuff we go to, and want to participate, want to get them things. I love that look when they open stuff they have wanted, but where is the balance? I want to cut things down, and truly enjoy family and people we love, and not be made to feel like I am "Failing Christmas." I want my kids to enjoy and be grateful for whatever they get, which I know they would be. However, I want them to do that without being made to feel later, or others feeling that their Christmas wasn't good enough. I want people to see that true BLESSINGS are not always material objects. Sometimes it is the fellowship that goes on between family and friends, or a hug, or a shoulder to cry on. Picking up the phone, and just maybe telling someone that you care. Showing that love of Christ sometimes in the simplest way. Taking a few blankets that if your like me, you probably have too many of anyways, to someone sleeping outside. 

      So what is the point of this blog? Well, I guess a reminder that we sometimes need to run against the worlds expectations, especially when God places something on your heart. This, God has placed on my heart...RESET Christmas. Make sure your children would be okay with one or forty gifts, and understand the real reason, and the real beauty of family and friends, whether they get something out of it or not. Love others like Christ loved, forgive as He did, and show mercy and compassion to those less fortunate than you.   

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

     “Glory to God in the highest

and on earth peace among those with whom he is                       pleased!” Luke 2:10-14

I Hope you truly have a blessed Christmas!

With love from my Family to Yours, 

<3 Cat

Failing The Need

        Here it is Thanksgiving, the kids are tucked in bed, I pick at my leftovers in my heated house and my husband at work. While most of the city feeds into these corporations schemes to spend more money and walk away from their Families to get the deals...I sit here with a heavy heart. Don't worry, I am not going on a tangent about what I think of Black Friday and the Giant Marionette Handlers others wise known as Corporations that head these so called sales..If you want that, you will have to read my blog  "Thanksgiving Thoughts"    Anyways, now don't get me wrong, I had an amazing Thanksgiving. I was very blessed. I got to sleep in until 8:30 this morning. I hung out in my pajamas drinking coffee while watching the Macy's Day Parade on TV with my family. I had a nice record breaking phone call with my brother. (almost 25 minutes)Then it was off to lunch at my Mom's house with her, my sister and family. Then we loaded up to head to the In-laws for another awesome meal, and great visit with more Family. Then once we got back home, my Husband went to work, and my mom came down to watch a good Family Movie with me and the kiddos. A truly great time. Yet my heart weighs so much it is unbearable.

          It all started when I looked at the morning paper and saw the Non-Profit I work at made the front page. I grab it to read, and the only thing written was about the dinner we had yesterday. Just a small text under the picture explaining the picture, and that was it. That was it! Here it is the Thanksgiving issue of the paper, with all the black Friday adds, the most purchased paper of the year, and the only thing the paper prints is that we had a dinner, who paid for it, and how the restaurant discounted the price. Granted it's all relevant and important information, however this is a non-profit that helps disadvantaged children, which runs on donations and volunteers. Committed people to mentor and be there for these kids, opening opportunities that they may never get elsewhere, and yet us along with our brother non-profits, we starve for people.  Always having to pick from the same circle to commit their time to these kids. Did they mention any of that? No. A time they could have really highlighted us and our programs to help get more people involved and instead, its just the dinner. I think this stuff bothers me because my Father is a journalist and I know what they can do, and this was just a quick photo opp, and that was it. What a better Thanksgiving story, than to highlight an organization that is focused on our future...our children, but none of that was covered. 

           If people could realize how little it takes to affect a child. Most of the time, it is just to be there, not anything special, just to be there. These kids have suffered things that most can't imagine, and usually can only rely on themselves. Donating a present or a meal is great, but what they really want more than the meal, is someone to sit with them to eat it. Someone to tell them that you are proud of them. Someone to show them a different way to act. Someone who will not judge them when by themselves they let their tough shell down and ask for shampoo, or toothpaste over a toy. The holiday "feel good gifts" are great, but what about when there are no holidays, who is there for them then? The news said earlier this month ," It's the time of year to start thinking about helping others", which really upset me, because there is not a certain "time" to start helping others. It should be done, because it needs done. Not because its finally the time of year to finally "think about it". We are called to serve, and you may not think about it until a certain season requires you to, so that you meet the "status quo", but I guarantee you that those kids think about it everyday, whether it's popular or not.

             I see kids taking their bikes or walking in the cold, waiting for the doors to open, in the same clothes. I have saw them cry because they got there after supper, worried about if they were gonna get to eat, because they had no food at home. Here is a shock, it was not a holiday and they were hungry. We give them Coats, hats, gloves, soap, toothpaste, help them with homework, supply material for projects, but just as important we give them a stable face that is there for them.So many of these places need people to get involved. Not just the material objects, but a little of their time. Once a month dedicate a few hours to spend with them. Shoot ball, read them a book, help them with homework. The slightest thing can minister to a child.  You can help them to build morals, build their character and confidence, and give them something they don't have a lot of experience with...hope. A little love and encouragement can go a long way.  So many say they don't have time, well look up how much time the average family spends watching television and see how those hours add up...I was shocked. These kids are our future, and they need us. They need us to guide them and show them the love of God. They need to see that where so many have failed with them, others will pick them up, because we care for them, and their outcome, and even in their own failures, that we are going to root for them and believe in them. They need people that are going to just be there, but this small circle these non-profits fish from are not cutting it. It is time that we as Christians pick it up and do what we are called to do.  Here is a reality check for my local readers...Did you know that in Wood County there is close to 400 homeless children between Kindergarten and senior in high school, and those are only the ones that are actually on record. That is right, it's high time we start looking up from our own circumstances and start making some serious changes. This is our future, and if we drop the ball, they will too. They need us!! 

Cat <3

The Light in Your Darkness

If there has ever been a time that I have ever wondered why people say, "When it rains it pours." Then there is no doubt, that now I know what that means. ha ha..Got the message loud and clear, no need for reteaching. No worries here folks.  I'm not going to delve into all our problems, I will just highlight to give you a vague idea, but more importantly, I know that I am not the only one that has been hit hard this year. I hope to share what has been shared with me that gives me, my calm in the chaos this world throws at me.

       So, how do I start this? I guess, we should hit a little history. Lets start with our family's walk. My husband and I have been married 14 years. Now, am I gonna say that our marriage has been sunshine and rainbows? Hahahahaha...uh...hmmm...that would be a NO. I think anyone with any years under their belts could agree, that is just not the way it works. I mean anyone who has even has a long friendship, will learn quickly that it doesn't just come and stay great, it takes work.
Anyhow...
   
        Through the years God has been in our life, However, we only acknowledged His presence at certain times. You know those "important times" like holidays, funerals, and when we needed something that only a miracle could deliver us from.Oh yeah, also anytime my Grandmother or In-Laws were looking...God was big in our life then, or at least that is what we claimed. Then we had children, so we then had to have more of a front. I mean after all, we knew our children should be in church, it was good for them. So close to every Sunday we took them to church, and taught them to pray before eating. Granted my Bible grew thicker with dust as I left it on the "no'touch special book shelf." But we were "good" parents right??? Not cursing or fighting...not one disagreement in front of the kids, never drinking unless they were in bed, or staying at a friends house. I mean after all...even hungover from a crazy night at the bar, we got up and made sure they got to church. I was the "classroom mother" Snack provider for their sports, At every practice..and Game. Never missed one! My children did their homework as soon as they got home from school, we read bedtime stories. We played together, spent time together, talked...that's it..right? That is what made us great parents? Right??Slowly my children gained politeness, interaction with other children, had a great relationship with us. However our marriage starved. Living a split life, conveying morals to our children that we didn't live ourselves."Do as I say, not as I do" " God is important, because Sunday morning tells us so."
Boy did we have a lot to learn...

       All I can say is thank God for His grace, mercy, and love. So...Long story short...We broke...each of us finding any and every path to run our marriage into the ground. And when I say run it into the ground...I don't mean a simple skip across the ground..I mean a pivot so deep most people are destroyed and scarred for life from it, That's how good we were. Then my husband would get right with God, and it was my turn to take the wheel and drive us back to the pit. This is how it worked until one day, we were so unattached from each other that we sat on our curb in front of our house and started discussing custody arrangements. No emotions, besides splitting up the house on the kids...but towards each other...nothing..calm...an eerie calm..A scary "its final" kind of calm. At this point it is usually done. My family and friends hated my husband because of his wrongs, and his family hating me, and borderline broke due to mine. The aftershock from our sins was one FEMA and the Government would declare a National Disaster.There was no where to go, no other paths, we had done our damage.

But God had others plans...
Thank God He had others plans!!!

        Sitting on that curb, something came over us, and with where we went from there... I have no doubts that it was God that day. My Husband says to me, "What about God?" "What about Church?" "What about us trying one more time, for the kids...but really try God. We have gone and committed to going to church, but what about both of us going in, completely?" "Learning it His way, and then if that doesn't work, then we know without a doubt that we tried EVERYTHING." So, that is what we did. We started Christian counseling and really getting into our Word. God taught us about love and forgiveness and HOW to be married. He taught me who I am, and who He has made me to be. He has taught me that I don't have to live in the shadows and chains of my past sins, and that I WILL keep continuing to screw up...but it's different now. Now when it happens and He points it out to me, it is my true hearts desire to learn and walk away from that sin. Not saying I always do that well, because I don't. But I am trying, because I love God and I want to make Him happy with my choices.
So fast forwarding now... My Husband and I are awesome...and by awesome, does that mean we don't have squabbles?? Yeah right! But its different now. We both love God 100% We love and CHOSE our marriage, even at the rough points, and when we mess up...we truly love each other, we don't want that. All we want is happiness for the other, and intend to work to provide that for the other. I am truly with my best friend, and even on our worst day, facing our biggest mountain, there is no one that I would rather face it with. He is my counterpart, my love..and here is my nerd shout out to the Whovians out there..He is my Companion. ( I know he is seriously rolling his eyes now with that Dr. Who reference hahaha but that makes me smile and hey...if it fits )

         Anyhow back on track ...We are good, God continues to teach us about all aspects of our life. We are in the Word. We, (no longer just Sunday mornings) teach our children the Word, We tithe, help in our church, and surround ourselves with God at any chance we can, trying daily to live and teach our children how to walk with God and have a relationship. Not just with our words, but by them witnessing our own walks, and guiding them along theirs. In studying in Daniel we realized how important setting our standards to line up with God's is. But in the last year, we must be a true threat haha, because every time we turned around there seems to be an attack headed our way. The main theme of this year seems to be financial, feeling alone and doubts of my capabilities as a mother, wife, friend...well, in anything really... In growing in Christ, it does make it nicer when you realize it is an attack, and where it comes from, but it can still be a rough ride. Some days handled better than others. It is not a simple thing, especially when you start hitting some truly serious situations to just say, "Here ya go God...it's all on you..I'm OUT" Yeah it doesn't work quite like that. Instead, it is a constant roller-coaster, with your ups and downs. Some days, being the person that represents peace, reassuring those concerned around you, how God will help us and that we need to just keep walking faithfully. Met by the next day with a psychotic spazzing out melt down, about what if we can't do this, what are WE going to do, how can WE fix this. What if WE are meant to walk through this? Even saying those words, my spirit knows better, but its like I can't stop them. And then...there was the numb days...the days I shut down, walked past the battle without a glance even close to that direction.

And then He spoke, when teaching my son his daily Bible study, God spoke directly to my heart.
John 16:33 
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
You see, we are guaranteed troubles in this world, but we are to be at peace because God has already overcome them all, and through Him, He will make you an overcomer.
Psalm 18:2
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, 
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold..
 He is our Rock...what is that..that is the solid foundation of who we are with Him. He is strong and steady for us, only good foundations are made from it. He is my fortress! A fort, a get away, a place when all is wrong for you to take refuge in. A place of solitude and sanctuary, away from the enemy. He is my Shield...my protector! He is my horn of my salvation, he is the strength in my salvation! We are not meant to be strong, We are not meant to stand alone in our battles. We are to flee to Him, the one we can take refuge in. the one who will be strong for us. Even when we feel alone, or don't understand why this is happening. We don't have to understand why, we just have to run to him. He is our light and shelter in the storm. When someone is chasing a small child, does the child stop to ask why? No, they just run as fast as their feet will take them to their Mother or Father who will shield and protect them. They have full trust, even in the scariest moments, that only there with that protector will they get what they need. So in your battle, you may not understand why this is happening to you, but you don't have to...you just need to know where to run to. And please know, as you can hopefully tell from my testimony at how far gone our marriage was, you can never be to far gone for God. Just run to Him...He is waiting. Even if you have been with God for a while and just hit a bad battle that has recently rocked you..He is waiting
<3 Cat

Them Nasty Curse Words in Church

Today I'm writing about two of the biggest curse words in church right now. These nasty words people try to cover up and push past ignoring. Something that is swept under the rug or shunned by a lot of Christians or likely Christians nowadays. The "S"word and the "A"word...Submission and Accountability...that's right I said it..I said those nasty words that make people run faster than any well conditioned marathon champ. How dare I?? Leaves a nasty taste in your mouth doesn't it? Some will stop reading this the second they read those words, yet they will sit all the way through "The Wolf of Wallstreet" with an astonishing 506 "F-bombs"in it. (So, if this is you...I challenge you, read on, and at the end feel free to comment.)
   ....Lets get back on track...
So according to the "the world" and their standards it's more acceptable to have a movie use that many "f-bombs" in a 3 hour script, but when Candice Cameron (former full house star) writes in her book that her husband leads her household and she submits to him if they disagree on something she is attacked with media frenzy on her barbaric ways. Getting comments telling her to,"wake up it's the 21St century."
   Why is this? Lets look closer. To start lets take baby steps. I won't continually say those 2 nasty Little words .I will just refer to them as "those words" most of the time to try to make a smoother transition for us. You see, the world has trained us that the second we hear "those words" that we should dig our heals in and rebel, because it's not about "me" now, so it must be against freedom, and completely stomps individually. But lets be real..put our emotions aside and look at what the world tries to pass off as individuality..oh wait...there is none. Instead the world tells us what clothes to wear, what is pretty, boys should dress this way, girls do your makeup like this Hollywood star, because she is what we "the world" calls pretty. They tell us what body types are acceptable, all dictated by the upscale "the worthy ones" in society to tell us how to be so called individuals. So is this individuality? No. But this is what the world tells us. So when we, (prepare yourself..I'm gonna say it) submit to the world..this is the individuality they give you. Trying to turn you into a second rate Hollywood clone that is accepted by society. Why second rate, you might ask? Well because anyone trying to be or look like someone else is ALWAYS going to be a second rate to the original, just like anyone trying to copy you would be a second rate you.
   Now we have looked at how the world says that the"S"word" takes their warped version individuality away..so lets look at how God uses true individuality. God will take your differences and guide you to a place he has planned for just you..no one else. You see, we need every different type of person in the kingdom. If a church were filled with only one cloned person, there would be no growth. Each and every one of you offer something unique to bring to the kingdom that only you can bring, and to unify by God and keeping our individually makes all angles covered. It doesn't matter if you come from a broken home, or a house with a white picket fence ,whether you are homeschooled or run the streets and use drugs. If you have experienced homelessness or sexual abuse.No matter your personal story. All of these different stories are what make you able to connect and reach someone that your neighbor can't. Or them to reach someone that you can't. I'll say it another way, submitting to God doesn't hinder you being you..when you add God, He turns tragedy into triumph and takes your personal story alone, no matter the case and makes you a better you and guides you to reach others that someone else can't. There is a path that is yours and yours alone. Take 2 people both wanting to work in the mission field, going to the same school, and the same church. There may be similarities, but God has a plan for each of them that the other can't walk in their stead. It is only for the person God intended it to be for, and we know that plan is good. How do we know that? We line it up with the Word. In Jeremiah 29:11 it says ,
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.
     Now, lets be real for a minute...we are no longer children, as much as we try to act like it in this world with our fits we throw. However, as we grow into adults we start getting more and more "adult roles" For example having more free time without supervision, jobs and dating. So with the start of all of those is suppose to be change and growth. Why is that? (Here comes my nerd quote of the day.) Well it's best said when Uncle Ben in Spiderman said,"With great power comes great responsibly."
     ¿¿What does THAT mean??
That means that as you enter into those "adult roles" you start making decisions and with those decisions made by YOU, you start having to be...wait for it...Accountable for your actions.
   At the library, when you are a child and you rent a book and you lose a book, your parent is responsible for that fee. However once you turn 12, you are then responsible for that book. They feel that 12 is old enough to be responsible for knowing where the book is and returning it.
   Take for example my youngest son that is 7. If he starts to walk into the street, I can grab his arm and pull him to the sidewalk. my 11yr old son, I may not be able to pull him, but I can still give him a nudge redirecting him in the right direction. But as you travel into adulthood..we can't force you to obey, we can direct you..but the choice is yours whether you actually do it or not.
....I know..I know..I threw in another nasty word..."obey"...and there will be some others coming up as well..
Same as when you start to become a Christian adult, you will have choices to make, and self-reflection to do. God gives us free will, and with that free will He will not force us to obey. WE have to make the CHOICE to submit to His authority. Once you make your choice, ( here comes the "C"word) you have to commit to it. Is that easy? No. We live in a world that teaches non-commitment daily. In work if we don't like it..just quit...better yet..lets not just quit, lets be creative and publicly post it on YouTube. In friendships, if someone makes you upset..delete them. In dating..well there is plenty of fish in the sea..just find a new one. In church.. Did the Pastor say one of those curse words?? Or did they ask you to work when you don't want to..just go to the church down the block, they pamper behinds juuust right. In marriage..don't work on it..just get a divorce. Heck now, if it's within a year we can have an annulment and we can pretend it never happened. That is "the worlds" version of commitment. But as a Christian, when we make a choice and say we will do something we need to commit to it. Why? Every choice you make you should line it up with the Word. So lets line this up and see what it says. Matthew 5:37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
     So we need to let our word be true and commit to it. You won't be perfect, we all fall from time to time..and it's ok to fall, as long as we get up and we keep striving for God. When we ask Jesus into our hearts and become a Christian and learn His Word, we need to commit. Not because we FEEL like it, because we won't always feel like it, but we chose it. It's no different than being a mom. Do you think everyday that I feel like doing my mom duties?? Haha, um.. that would be a no. But the fact is, I am a mom, and it's a choice that I made and I commit daily whether I feel like it or not. Your choosing to commit to God and His word is a choice that only you can make because only you will have to answer for it.
Lets line that up..
2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
We are each held accountable for our own actions. No matter the actions of others...just ours.
     Take your parents for example, how does the Word say you are to be with them?
Ephesians 6:1-3 says,
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
Collisions 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
      So, in those passages does it say to honor them only when you are happy with them? No, it says to honor them. What will we be held accountable for? Will we be held accountable for Mom and Dad doing us wrong? No. We will be held accountable for OUR OWN ACTIONS, not theirs. Their actions are between them and God.
    Lets go another route. In Matthew 25:35-40 Jesus talks about feeding the hungry, clothing people, tending to the sick, visiting those in jail and to do that to others is like doing that for Him. In those scriptures does Jesus say to only give if the last person you gave to respected it? No. We honestly don't know if the ones helped in the scripture appreciate or abused it. Why is that?? Because the ones giving were held accountable for their part...Did THEY do what was asked of them.
    So now is the hard part..we need to ask ourselves something..."How are MY actions lining up with the Word?" Only you can ask yourself that, because only you will be accountable for your actions..no one else. What are you doing when no one is looking? Is that lining up with the word? Self reflection and lining that up with the Word of God is so important for growth in Christ, and it is not easy. You may realize that you owe certain people in your life or God an apology. But that is part of Accountability, facing choices you have made...even the tough ones.
   Are we forgiving, loving, giving, tithing the way the Word says we should? Are we sharpening each other in Christ? Are we building each other up, or tearing each other down? Are we uniting in Christ, or dividing into cliques? You can either let these questions beat you up like the enemy wants, or will you do what God desires, to be closer to you and let this change you.
....so what are you gonna do?....

<3 Cat