My Thoughts Today

I was just reading an update email on Hannah, 7 yrs old, who recently had a brain tumor removed and it was anaplastic ependymoma, cancer, and is in the intermediate stage. Praise God that the cancer did not spread to her spinal column or elsewhere, but she is fixing to undergo radiation therapy. She is an amazing, intelligent, beautiful little girl, with a smile that lights up the room. If you read this please, please, lift her and her parents up in prayer. God has already worked many miracles in this situation and Tracey(her mother) listed them in the email. Please pray for complete healing!! Since this has happened and with the passing of a 2 1/2 yr old from church last year, I have really begun to look at my babies in a different light. I have seen how precious life is and how in a moments time our lives can be changed forever. I never want to take them for granted or not tell them every day how much I love them. Brandon was telling his buddy about Hannah and he asked Brandon" As a Christian, how do you think you would respond?" Tough question, right. We discussed it and hoped we could handle it the way God intends us to handle a trial. I pray we never have to find out. Easier said when your not living in that type of crisis. We all go through trial and crisis, some more than others, but as I look around at family and friends, everyone has battles they are fighting on a daily basis, and it makes me even more thankful that I decided to stay at home and be with my kids. The Lord has made it clear to me this is my role, even though 7-10 yrs ago I never, ever imagined this as my life. I planned on coaching ball the rest of my life and becoming the next greatest coach in high school and college. I had it all planned out. Yes I could get married and have children, Pat Summitt and others have done it, and been successful at it. So why couldn't I? Do you notice what my sentences start with, I, I, I. See, this was all me, not God's will. After I got married and came back to my walk with the Lord, it all became clear and God laid it out for me. I turned my life back over to Him and followed His plan, not mine. Then Keira came along, and I knew I could not leave her with anyone else to raise. I know some people do not have a choice in this matter, but thankfully I did. After reading JohnMacArthur books, The Fulfilled Family, and What the Bible Says About Parenting, and Scripture made it even clearer and I do not miss teaching or coaching. Ephesians 5 outlines the roles of family members. I have ran into people I went to school with or they have seen my mom, and cannot believe I have children and want to stay at home. This is the happiest I have ever been in a "job" I don't know why I am sitting here writing all this, I guess it is a way to get things off my chest. As Brandon and I have changed some things in our life and are trying to live for Christ and by what the Bbile says, I am finding it more difficult to get others to see why we do or don't do cetain things. For example, Halloween is a huge holiday, but we choose not to celebrate it and our kids will have no part in the celebration. I personally, after studying Scripture and hearing preaching on t his subject, cannot understand how any Christian can take part in this. We will not do a jack-o-lantern, trick or treat, etc. Go ahead, some of you think I am taking it to the extreme, but when you look at how and why this stuff originated, then maybe you get the point. There is other areas family and friends think I am taking it too far with certain things, and I want go there, and I have come to the conclusion that it is okay if people think this or that. Brandon and I know that we are the ones going to stand before God and be judged for our responsibility of raising our kids. People's opinions don't matter anymore in this area, I am living for Jesus and will try my best to do as Scripture says. I want to please God, not man. Teaching my children the gospel is my responsibility and I cannot leave it to someone else to do. We worry about our kids health, what school they will go to, do they have the best toys, name brand clothes, etc. when we need to be concerned about their spiritual health. If I worked we could have a bigger home, Brandon could get a bigger truck, I wouldn't have to buy my clothes on sale, we could travel more, buy nicer electronic things, etc. but none of this stuff mattters when it comes down to it. It is just "stuff" and God don't care how big my house is or if I have the latest Coach purse. The Lord has given me such peace and joy with our lifestyle and I am content with where we are at right now in all areas of our lives. Again I am not sure why I wrote this, I guess because all this has been going on in my head lately and Brandon and I are pondering a major decision in our lives. We haven't reached a decision yet, but it is something we need to pray about and look to God to guide us on. I could go on and on, I have so much going on in my head, I will stop......for now. Maybe I should do a daily or weekly thought. LOL