Well, to some people it’s just stuff.  After each move Josh and I lay in bed, feel sorry for ourselves, rub each others hurting, tired feet, and drift off to sleep.  We selfishly pray a prayer asking God to never make us move again!  We have so much stuff.  I had a big successful yard sale in the spring, I gave away countless items, even big items such as two televisions and large chunky furniture, and we still ended up with about two households worth of stuff.  How does this happen, how does a small family of four collect so much stuff???

We made a decision last year to get rid of a lot of stuff.  Actually, quit buying so much stuff is more like it.  We have decided to prioritize our spending and make the Gospel the focus of our checkbook.  As a pastor’s family, we see so many hurting families and people that need blessings given to them in gifts of food, gas, shelter, and the Gospel.  How awesome would it be to have less stuff and be able to provide these blessings for others.  Well, we are not there yet, but we are sure trying to be.

To our children, our stuff is important.  Karis’ room is lavendar and each time we move I make sure we give her a lavendar room so that she can still have a sense of “home” with all her room stuff.  This is her fourth lavendar room!!  It is important to take her same bed, same fish tank, and same toy box with each move.  Our son received his “big boy” room here at the new house, and we can hardly get him to sleep in there.  He loved his room at our last house, it was all he had ever known.  So yes, sometimes our stuff is important, but sometimes it just is not.

I read a Beth Moore book a few years ago titled, Feathers From My Nest. She makes the comment that to her husband, wherever her and the girls were was “home”.  To her, her house was her “home.”  This is so true for our family too.  To my husband and I, as long as our kids are with us and we are together as a family, we are home.  To my children, its wherever their “stuff” is.  We have driven many miles before to get a blankie we have forgotten, after all, its just stuff, right?

Well, through this move I have given up a lot of stuff.  I have never been one to be a packrat, I frequently visit the Goodwill giving donations, but holding on to a lot of stuff was always a problem for me.  I have had to say good-bye to some comforts, some friends, and some extras I enjoyed.  I have thought a lot lately of Paul.  Paul was focused primarily on the Gospel, and he did not have a lot of stuff.  He was content with nothing, and he was content with Christ.  I am so thankful that he did not concern himself with a lot of stuff.  His work played a huge role in the spread of the Gospel we hold dear today!  He had eyes very much like Christ.  Lord, give me those eyes.

Luke 12:33  “”Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.”

Matthew 6:19-20  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

“Lord, please help me to let go of my stuff.  Help me to focus on the Gospel and eternal results.  Help me to get rid of the stuff in my life that is hindering me.  Help me to stop looking at name brands, price tags, next door neighbors stuff, and store ads.  Thank you for all the faithful missionaries that have laid down their comforts and valuables to serve You.  I pray that I can have Your desires, and take away my worldly desires.  Strip me of stuff and fill me with Your righteousness.  Amen.”

We have recently moved to Georgia, which is back “home” for us.  This is the first time our children have lived near their grandparents.  I knew this would be an adjustment, but I must admit it has gone better than I anticipated.  My dad is over almost everyday right now doing repairs and helping get things hung up and put together.  This has been surreal for my little ones, since their Poppy is not usually over on a daily basis.  After Poppy leaves JohnMark always says, “I want Poppy more!”

JohnMark is every bit two years old and every bit boy!  Every night and nap he drifts to sleep with a toy snuggled tightly under his arm.  It is usually a football, tractor, motorcycle, or truck.  He loves seeing them, riding on them, and playing with all of them throughout the day.

My dad has a big, red tractor and it currently does not work.  When we are over at their house, he helps Poppy work on the tractor.  There are tools lying all around the tractor, and JohnMark and Poppy work hard fixing the tractor.  JohnMark came over to Karis’ bicycle with his tools and spent time working on her bicycle.  He was really using that wrench and screwdriver and any on-looker would think that he was really doing some repairs on the wheel.

While Josh was moving out boxes to the garage in preparation for our big move, JohnMark ran over to help his daddy.  He carried a corner of each box and he really thought he was helping out.  These moments are so cute, I remember Karis being barely able to walk, and mocking my cooking skills with her play kitchen and vacuuming with her play vacuum cleaner.   It is really sweet to see these precious children that are so impressionable.  It is adorable to watch them try to be “big” and “grown-up”.

What is so scary, yet so very humbling is that children mock their parents in almost every area.  The bad habits also seem to get mocked.  When I catch my children huffing and puffing and getting frustrated when something doesn’t fit right or go exactly like it should, I feel a little guilt that they learned that from me!  It helps me remember next time to show patience when I get frustrated.  My pastor once said, “Whatever you as parents do in moderation, your children will do in excess.”  This has hit home so many times with my children already.  I know that Josh will probably encourage our son to run, hunt, fish, ride tractors and play sports, since that is what he did as a child and enjoyed.  I will probably encourage my daughters to read, cook, clean, and run, since those are some things I have enjoyed.  Our children will also naturally want to do these things because of seeing and hearing about us doing them.

My prayer is not that they will turn out to like all the things I like and eat all their veggies each day, although that would be nice.  My prayer is that my children will always see attitudes and behaviors in me that exemplify Christ.  My prayer is that they will grow up faithful in their service to the Lord.  I pray they will see me read my Bible and always sharing Christ with those around me.  I pray that God will minimize my weakness and failures, and maximize my strengths and godly attributes. I pray that they will not desire to be the women in the magazines and television shows, but rather women they see everyday at home and church.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7    “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.  And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”  NKJV

“Lord, thank you for the awesome responsibility of raising these precious souls.  I pray they would come to know You at a young age and be spared from the harsh reality of sin in their lives.  Please make me into the mother You would have me to be.  Purge my sinful, wicked ways and allow me to show Christ to my children through the way I treat them and others.  Thank you for their individuality and talents You have created them with.  Amen.”

This past week we went to Disney World Magic Kingdom.  Josh and I both went as young children so this was our first time as a family.  I do not agree with all Disney does and supports, but it certainly was a family atmosphere and we felt completely comfortable with everything we saw there.  This was a part of our daughter’s fifth birthday, and her main birthday gift from us was lunch at The Royal Table in Cinderella’s Castle.  This was the highlight of our Disney trip.  We reserved it six months in advance and it was not cheap.  I was explaining to Karis before we went that most children do not get to eat here and that this was a huge privilege.

As we entered the door of the castle, everything became so real.  It really felt like Karis was a princess, and it really felt like we were eating as royalty.  The staff of the castle were dressed for the part, Karis was in her princess dress, and the castle was as beautiful as a real castle in England.  We did not imagine how much one-on-one time we would get with each princess.  Every princess came to the lunch and came to our table.  It was really surreal for Karis as she really thought all these princesses were the real thing.

Our lunch was fantastic and we were treated just like royalty.  It was an experience I will never forget.  I also felt like a child getting exciting when each princess would come to our table.  When I looked around at all the decor and all the beautiful surroundings, I could not help but to think about the castle I will receive one day.  One day there will be a mansion for me.  I was not raised in royalty, the closest I have ever been was when Josh and I toured a castle in England one time.  It was grand and beautiful, but this simple Georgia girl cannot imagine life outside of 2000 square feet.  One day I will get to eat a large feast and rest in my own castle.  I am, after all, a princess in the eyes of my Savior!

John 14:2-3  “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.”

“Thank you Lord for the wonderful family time we spent in the Disney Castle.  Thank you most of all for the fresh reminder that we have the undeserved privilege of getting to live with You forever.  Thank you for the wonderful place You are preparing even now for us.  I do not know if it will be a castle or a mansion, but I do know it will put to shame the Disney Castle and anything man can construct.  Thank you for placing the blood of Jesus over my sin and making me a child of the King!  I am a true princess. Amen.”

After our daughter was born I decided I really wanted the next one to be a surprise.  When I got pregnant again, I was surprised at how easy it was for me to wait the entire pregnancy.  Waiting was an incredible experience.  I really wanted to do it again this pregnancy but Josh was just as determined to find out the gender early.  Me, being the submissive wife that I am, was really left with no choice.  I did, however, know of a fun way to find out.  I had seen about a year ago on the Duggar’s from 19 Kids and Counting, Josh and Anna had a great idea about finding out the gender.  I decided we would do something fun like that.

A lady from my parents church in Georgia bakes cakes.  We had the nurse write the gender of the baby in a card and put in into a sealed envelope.  I mailed the envelope to the lady that baked a cake.  She was the only one that knew the secret and she baked a pink or blue cake for us.  She decorated the cake with white fondant(icing) and green dots, but the inside would not be revealed until the cake was cut.  Our families met together at Olive Garden and we had dinner together.  After dinner we cut the cake.  To our surprise it was pink inside- revealing it was a girl.

This was a fun time for us and I highly recommend this for couples that still want a surprise, but cannot wait until the birth day.  My ultrasound was changed due to a scare with the pregnancy, so the hardest part was that we had to wait eight days before we went to Georgia.  The week long wait made the anticipation of the cake cutting much more intense.

“Thank you Jesus for the gift of children.  Thank you for the little girl you have placed in our family.  Please allow her to grow into a healthy, beautiful young lady that honors you with her life.  I pray she, along with our other children, will have the blessed privilege of salvation and live their lives changing this world. Amen.”

In England, this man was born a poor boy in the early 16oo’s to poor parents, the son of a tinker.  He married a young lady whom he loved dearly.  They had four children, and one was blind.  He was not an educated man, and relied on donations from the community and church to help provide for his family.  After becoming saved by the Lord Jesus and the weight of his sins lifted from his shoulders, he was zealous to share with others.  As he followed God’s call into the ministry he realized this was going to be a difficult road, since open air preaching was illegal.  He started meetings preaching and soon found himself behind bars.  It was diseased, stinky prison cells and, the worst part, separation from the five people he would have given his life for.

While he was in this prison he received the devastating news that his beloved wife had died.  God brought him a second wife with whom he fell in love.  Dear Elizabeth had now come to take care of his four children, including his blind daughter.  She became pregnant and then through the stress of having a husband in prison and the burden of caring for these children and a special needs child, the baby died.

The Judge had said that at any moment he could walk out the doors a free man, under the condition he stop preaching Jesus.  He knew in his heart that he could not stop preaching about the one who saved him from the heavy burden of the sin he was carrying.  Months turned into a total of twelve years altogether.

This is the story of John Bunyan.  In jail he completed many of his sixty books, including the best known: The Pilgrim’s Progress.   The Pilgrim’s Program is the most sold book second to the Bible in all of history.  Imagine the Harry Potter craze, it held no candle to this book sale.  John Bunyan was greatly used of God and his reaching was very powerful.  He had no education and was used of God to save thousands of souls from hell.  Dr. John Owen was a well-educated theologian.  Bunyan was on intimate terms with Dr. John Owen, who, when Charles II expressed his astonishment that so learned a divine could listen to an illiterate tinker, is recorded to have replied that he would gladly give up all his learning for the tinker’s power of reaching the heart.

I compare the great John Bunyan to that of the apostle Paul.  Paul also did most of his writings in jail.  I personally believe that God used prison for Paul as a means to focus his attention on writing his heart to these churches.  If God had allowed him to be a free man throughout his ministry, we would not have these writing because Paul would have preached these things to them directly.  God also used Bunyan’s prison stay as a means to write his stories.  He claims he started these writings as a way of occupying his time entertaining himself through these immortal characters.  Paul and John were both ordinary men, whom God saved and called, and they performed extraordinary tasks.  God also chose twelve men to be His disciples that were ordinary men.  These men were fishermen and tax collectors.

” Thank you for heroic examples of John Bunyan for being dedicated to You before all else.  Thank you, Jesus, for calling us into the ministry.  I am thankful that though difficult and tiresome, You chose this simple, ordinary couple to do Your work.  Thank you for a husband that preached Your Word faithfully and boldly.  My prayer is that You would turn this very ordinary couple, into something extraordinary for You. Amen.”

1 Cor. 1: 26-27  “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]:  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

One of my favorite memories back from when I was a little girl was riding the church bus. I did not need a ride to church on Sunday morning because I was a very blessed child with devoted christian parents. I rode the bus as my dad’s sidekick. We would pick up adults and children and bring them to church. Mr. Oneal and Mrs. Agnes would also ride along for help and he and my dad would rotate driving. Mrs. Agnes would sit on the first bench and I would sit by her. She would always have little suckers for all the children as they got on the bus as she greeted each passenger with a welcoming smile. Oh, how I loved riding on that bus.

Our church now has the privilege of having a bus ministry. We only bus children on Wednesday nights and we have a special program for them to learn Scripture. It is a wonderful opportunity to minister to these children. We usually bus in anywhere from thirty-five to sixty children. This is enough to keep our children’s ministy staff very busy. A couple of years ago we realized that these children were coming hungry. We put together a meal plan to feed the kids a home cooked dinner as they arrive. The first week of feeding them we had several actually vomiting because they had eaten so much. Now the children always ask if they can take some home for later. The ladies give them all that’s left but they usually clean out the kitchen with their ferocious appetites.

At the birth of our son we had to drive four hours away to have him since we had just moved. Our family was staying in hotel rooms just down the road from the hospital. Karis stayed with my in-laws at the hotel while we were at the hospital. As I was in labor and close to giving birth to our son, Josh’s cell phone rang. It was the in-laws calling to tell us that they had just discovered lice on Karis’ head. I was shocked, since we had never had lice before and I had no idea what to do. Fortunately my in-laws treated her head and I went on to give birth. After we came home from the hospital we treated her room, although we had been gone for many days and we were sure it was safe. Having a new born baby in the house every new mom loves the comfort of her own bed. Late that night I started itching. Josh checked my head and yes, you guessed it, lice! Josh and I immediately treated our heads and started tearing the house apart. We took our mattress, pillows, every linen and article of clothing out to the garage. New house, new baby, and here we are sleeping on an old mattress on the floor. It was not the best situation. I did find out that the Sunday before at church, they had found lice on some of the bus children. Apparently, one of them was in Karis’ class.

We also bus in these children for VBS. The first year we did this our daughter had just turned three. We left for vacation the day after VBS ended. On our way to the beach we stopped at a restaurant. As our daughter dropped something on the floor a very foul word came out of her sweet little mouth. Josh had just stepped away from the table so he did not hear. When he returned he saw my white face as I was in shock. Yes, she had heard it from the bus kids at VBS.

Many years ago a well-known pastor in Chattanooga, Tennessee had a bus ministry. The children would come in on Sunday mornings. They were rambunctious energetic little children. Many of them were poor children and they did not smell very good and were a little dirty. There were some men in the church that were not happy about this. These men were very influencial in the church and in the community because they were wealthy and gave a lot of money to this ministry. They approached the pastor for him to take care of the situation and stop the bus ministry. They claimed the children were ungrateful and were tearing up the church by running wild. They told the pastor that he could take a few weeks to make his decision, but that either the children had to go or the men would go. The pastor looked at all those men and said that he did not need any time. He would take those children over those men and their money any day.

Even though we may get lice or our children may pick up some extra unacceptable vocabulary from them it is all worth it. I love those little faces that get on the bus each week. I love seeing the excitement and anticipation in each of their eyes. They are beautiful children and it is our responsibility to share Christ with them. We can tell them about Jesus and we should, but we also must love on them like Jesus. Blessed are the feet of them that bring the good news of the Gospel. Blessed are the bus drivers, the helpers on the bus, the teachers, the cooks, the director, the people that give to provide gas money for the bus, and all those involved. God Bless the bus ministry and may we see many little souls come to Jesus.

Luke 18:16 ” But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

“Thank you God for all those little children. Thank you for the workers and the church that brings them in. Thank you for our children’s staff that works hard to prepare Scripture to teach these precious children. I pray that throughout their lives they will always remember the verses they memorized and may they turn to You. Amen.”