Hippie No More

Delton got his hair cut on Saturday. I cut it, a triumph for me, since I have two brothers who would never let me touch their hair (but allowed my older and younger sisters to cut it. Go figure!). It was scary at times, as he definately had a horrid mullet at one point, but we persevered and are very happy with the final result. We figured it was time to cut it when one of Delton's coworkers told him that if he cut his hair "he would be doing himself a favor!" I am still getting used to my new husband!

Daddy Thoughts

By Delton:

Man, being a dad is a growing experience! I have always looked forward to being a dad, and I am enjoying it immensely! But I am certainly on a learning curve, as I'm sure we all are as parents.

One thing I'm coming to understand:

I have found as a father there are values and virtues I want to pass on to Ezra. At this point it is things like: He is not going to always get what he wants, and he needs to be OK with that; he can entertain himself and be content without mommy and daddy. Ezra is a great kid, don't get me wrong. I am simply aware that he has the same propensity as any child to become a brat, and I accept the responsibility as his father to make sure that does not happen.

So, when I am on daddy duty with Ezra in the evenings, I look for opportunities to impart these principles to my 7 month old son. The other evening I was making such efforts, and till the end of the evening I was not feeling top notch. He was fussy, I was depressed, and his mother had to intervene. Later, as Charity debriefed me, some dynamics came to light.

Essentially, in the three or so hours I have with my son each day I must be careful to not miss the heart of my child by dwelling on the principles I want to instill in him. I need to be connecting with his heart, learning to understand him and his needs. Out of that understanding I can effectively and wisely discipline and train him.

Maybe this is one source of resentment between fathers and children. We have a pure desire to see our children grow into mature, responsible adults. So, we come home in the evening, see our children display an undesirable behavior, and make and effort to curb such behavior. But, if we are not careful, we miss the heart of our child, and end up crushing him and generating resentment.

Just some thoughts from a daddy in training.

Running and Mommy Mistakes!

Running: I started training for the Waynesboro 5K Run on July 4th. My goal is to finish -preferably in under 35 minutes! I am thankful for the motivation to get out there an exercise. If anyone else is interested in training, I have a "Couch to 5K" schedule that I am following. There are about 13 weeks left until the race. I'll keep you posted on my progress! (Delton took this picture of me running. :)

Mommy Mistake: Ezra has a deep, hacking cough. I haven't wanted to take him outside, but I had to go to the bank today. I bundled him up in a snow suit, and ran through the drive through of the local bank. When I returned home, I realized that I had accidentally lowered the back seat window halfway when I was fumbling to get my window down at the bank (and talking on the phone to Delton at the same time). My poor, sick baby drove the whole way home (1 mile) with the wind blowing in on him. I could have cried!! Any other mom's want to 'fess us to mistakes they've made to make me feel better?

Our Weekend

Our internet was down Monday-Wednesday a.m. I must have spent close to an hour on the phone with Comcast, trying to figure out the problem. It started when someone in the area cut a cable cord, so everyone in this area was out. Then, even after power was restored to everyone else, I still had no internet access. The tec on the phone had me in areas of my computer I didn't even know existed- "pinging" this and that, typing in all sorts of numbers...Turns out the problem was highly technical and I figured out myself...the modem was turned off. I must have turned it off when the internet connection was down, and didn't realize it. It was my fault, but I wish the Comcast tec would have asked me that simple question first!

This weekend was soooo busy for us. I had a women's meeting at Rhoda's house on Saturday morning. Very nice time. Delton went over to Scott and Shannon's when I got home to get some work done on his truck and wrap some of their windows. I went over for part of the evening. Delton got back around 10 p.m. Sunday was church, then Delton had practice for an Easter play until 5. Needless to say, my tank was pretty empty until Sunday evening. Delton gave me a pedicure (he's amazing!) and sat and talked with me. I felt rejuvenated- it was good for my soul!

I have been enjoying "Revive Our Hearts" a program that WCRH has on every morning. Their last newsletter had a list of 50 ways we know we need revival. It was something that made me think, and made me realize that I needed God more! What comes to your mind when you read this?

Fifty Evidences of the Need for a Fresh Visitation of the Spirit in Revival

We Need Revival . . .
. . . when we do not love Him as we once did.
. . . when earthly interests and occupations are more important to us than eternal ones.
. . . when we would rather watch TV and read secular books and magazines
than read the Bible and pray.
. . . when church dinners are better attended than prayer meetings.
. . . when concerts draw bigger crowds than prayer meetings.
. . . when we have little or no desire for prayer.
. . . when we would rather make money than give money.
. . . when we put people into leadership positions in our churches
who do not meet scriptural qualifications.
. . . when our Christianity is joyless and passionless.
. . . when we know truth in our heads that we are not practicing in our lives.
. . . when we make little effort to witness to the lost.
. . . when we have time for sports, recreation, and entertainment,
but not for Bible study and prayer.
. . . when we do not tremble at the Word of God.
. . . when preaching lacks conviction, confrontation, and divine fire and anointing.
. . . when we seldom think thoughts of eternity.
. . . when God's people are more concerned about their jobs and their careers
than about the Kingdom of Christ and the salvation of the lost.
. . . when God's people get together with other believers and the conversation is
primarily
about the news, weather, and sports, rather than the Lord.
. . . when church services are predictable and "business as usual."
. . . when believers can be at odds with each other and not feel compelled
to pursue reconciliation.
. . . when Christian husbands and wives are not praying together.
. . . when our marriages are co-existing rather than full of the love of Christ.
. . . when our children are growing up to adopt worldly values, secular philosophies,
and ungodly lifestyles.
. . . when we are more concerned about our children's education and their athletic
activities than about the condition of their souls.
. . . when sin in the church is pushed under the carpet.
. . . when known sin is not dealt with through the biblical process
of discipline and restoration.
. . . when we tolerate "little" sins of gossip, a critical spirit, and lack of love.
. . . when we will watch things on television and movies that are not holy.
. . . when our singing is half-hearted and our worship lifeless.
. . . when our prayers are empty words designed to impress others.
. . . when our prayers lack fervency.
. . . when our hearts are cold and our eyes are dry.
. . . when we aren't seeing regular evidence of the supernatural power of God.
. . . when we have ceased to weep and mourn and grieve over our own sin
and the sin of others.
. . . when we are content to live with explainable, ordinary Christianity
and church services.
. . . when we are bored with worship.
. . . when people have to be entertained to be drawn to church.
. . . when our music and dress become patterned after the world.
. . . when we start fitting into and adapting to the world, rather than calling the world
to adapt to God's standards of holiness.
. . . when we don’t long for the company and fellowship of God's people.
. . . when people have to be begged to give and to serve in the church.
. . . when our giving is measured and calculated, rather than extravagant and sacrificial.
. . . when we aren't seeing lost people drawn to Jesus on a regular basis.
. . . when we aren't exercising faith and believing God for the impossible.
. . . when we are more concerned about what others think about us
than what God thinks about us.
. . . when we are unmoved by the fact that 2.5 billion people in this world
have never heard the name of Jesus.
. . . when we are unmoved by the thought of neighbors, business associates, and
acquaintances who are lost and without Christ.
. . . when the lost world around us doesn't know or care that we exist.
. . . when we are making little or no difference in the secular world around us.
. . . when the fire has gone out in our hearts, our marriages, and the church.
. . . when we are blind to the extent of our need and don't think we need revival.
Written by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Copyright © 1998 by Life Action Ministries. LifeAction.org.

A Prayer for Revival

“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.Stir up Thy strength, and come and save us.Return, we beseech Thee, O God of hosts:Look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine.Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts,Cause They face to shine; and we shall be saved.”From Psalm 80