It has been almost a week since I blogged. Amost a week since I even sat down at the computer! I have been busy getting caught up from being in Atlanta! We had an awesome time at Catalyst but it was good to get home to my kids. I missed them. We are schooling this morning and it has really been good. No tears or craziness -yet. I am in organiztion mode. Mike has put together a couple of the room divider book cases that we got at IKEA and I am trying to think about getting organized. Deep down I am organized and chaos drives me crazy but with the addition of kids I have let go of some of that and just live in our house. That’s a good thing but it would be nice to get a little more order around here. If you have any organization ideas or websites I can visit to help let me know. Meanwhile I will be drowning in books, papers and toys!

Wow – what a day! I am still trying to process it all. Mike described it like trying to get a drink of water out of a fire hydrant. Here are a few random thoughts – I am too tired to get into anything deep.

• If Steve Fee ever quits singing he should be a preacher – he did an awesome job leading worship – not just with his incredible music but with his words and his heart
• I like hanging out with my husband -he’s the coolest preacher I know!
• This is the first time I have ever heard Francis Chan speak – God really used Him to talk to my heart – more about that later
• The people that sat behind me drove me nuts with their running commentary – I am getting a new seat tomorrow
• Rick Warren – what wisdom
• The hallway at our hotel smells like stale cigarette smoke
• I love the free coffee from The land of a thousand hills - and the work they are doing in Rwanda – coffee with a message – what could be better
• I love Atlanta
• I miss my kids
• The bed at the Comfort Suites is about 1000000000000000 times more comfortable than the one at the Sleep Inn on Tues night but I still miss my bed
• Can’t wait to get back to Catalyst tomorrow
• Going to bed early sounds good

Here is something I read a few minutes ago in my Catalyst book from Mark Batterson

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Persue God -ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Stop pointing out problems and be part of the solution. Stop criticizing and start creating. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizions. Accumulate experience. Consider the lilacs. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Don’t let what’s wrong with you stop you from worshipping what’s right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Laugh at yourself. Keep making mistakes. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don’t try to be who you are not. Quit holding back. Quit running away. And remember if God is for us, who can be against us.

We are in Atlanta in for Catalyst – which starts tomorrow. Here are a few thoughts about our day

* First stop IKEA - we spent way to much time in here but it was awesome! I think Dave Ramsey is going to kick my butt tomorrow! We actually went into the store with money we have set aside for getting an office set up a little better for Mike to work from. It was truly an experience the show room was HUGE and then there was the whole downstairs with kitchen stuff, linens, dishes, lighting. Mike and I love to take places like IKEA and see what we can learn about church from them – I’ll blog about that later
* More shopping at Lenox Square Mall – we really didn’t buy much there just looking around
* My hair is straight – I did buy a Coriloiss Hair Straightner from a Kiosk in the mall – I had been looking for one and the lady gave me a pretty good deal. She was looking for people with curly hair to attack and I was a sucker. I tried it and it works great.
* A vegan nightmare – we ate dinner at Fogo De Chao. They keep bringing you all the meat you want. 15 different kinds of fire roasted meat – I really liked the variety of trying different meats and the salad bar and key lime pie were great. I am not a big meat eater so I got full pretty fast but not too full for key lime pie.
* I am drinking a diet Snapple Lime Green Tea and it is really good.
* I told Mike tonight that I don’t just really love him – I like him. We have had a blast today – he is just fun to be with.
* I miss my kids
* Thanks Nini and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa for taking care of our babies while we are gone.
* I am tired of hearing about Brittany Spears and her kids
* We are getting up early to head to the arena in the morning and I am tired and I wish I had my bed. I have the most comfortable bed in the world. I miss my bed
* I really like Atlanta – nice people, fun place
* I am going to stop blogging and go to bed

This is a really funny video about the birth of a West Virginia couples 9th baby. Thanks Travis for finding this – it was a good laugh. Listen for the new baby girls name.

One of the blogs that I regularly read is Perry Noble from Newspring Church in Anderson, SC. One because it has some great information about how they do things in a church that is reaching thousands for Jesus and second because he is just plain funny. Last week he posted that he was going to have his wife, Lucretia, answer some questions and do a guest post on his blog. Here are a couple that she answered that had to do with being a pastor’s wife. Some good insight. I especially like the one about the expectations on a pastor’s wife. I think for me some of those are self inflicted expectations and some are from others but either way it is always refreshing to here that my number one ministry is to my husband and our children. As pastor’s wives we have a unique responsibility to our families – lets be faithful to them and to God.

How do you balance your role as Perry’s wife with the expectations the church has of you as a pastor’s wife? Just as Perry doesn’t fit the mold for the typical preacher, the same seems to be true of you and your involvement in NewSpring and it’s ministries?

Before we began dating I dealt with the fact that I didn’t fit the role of the typical pastors wife that I had always known; however, in seeking Jesus He clearly showed me that my call was not to fit a particular mold…but to just be me and Perry’s wife.

When it comes down to it…I am the ONLY person who can support Perry in the way that I do…and he has made it very clear to the church from the beginning that I am his wife–not the churches wife, and he has always refused to allow unrealistic expectations to be placed upon me by those who could never understand what it is like to be in my shoes.

Bottom line–Perry IS my ministry…and as his wife I am called to encourage and support him first…NOT be involved in tons of activities to merely keep church people happy.

I fear that too many pastors wives focus on the churches calling on their lives rather than what God has called them to do. I know that He has called me to be unique…and while I won’t be singing or playing piano any time soon because those are not my talents and abilities…I will be faithful to Him and His calling and giftedness on my life.

How do you deal with the criticism that comes Perry’s way?

My initial reaction is to debate “them” and logically explain to them why they are wrong; however, I know that will not work–it is equal to casting pearls before the pigs. It does hurt me when this happens, but ultimately I leave it in God’s hands because I know that the critics do not know Perry, nor do they understand what is going on at NewSpring. AND I try to see it in a positive light because usually the time of most criticism is usually preceding something incredible.

Today I did what everybody in Galax does at least twice a week. I went to Walmart! Emma and Luke had swim practice so Mike took them to the rec center (by the way – a shout out to Mike – he has been going and working out while they swim) . So I took advantage of having only one child to drag through the grocery store and did some shopping. For some reason, I have no idea why, Drew decided that it was his birthday tomorrow. His birthday is in APRIL!! Here is how my shopping trip went

Drew : Mommy, me need to get tuff for mine party
Me: What party?
Drew: Mine birthday party in the morning
Me: Drew, it’s not your birthday tomorrow
Drew: Yes it is
Me: Your birthday is in April
Drew: In da morning is April

I decide to ignore him now because you really can’t reason with a 3 year old who has decided that tomorrow is his birthday. Surprisingly, we didn’t have any breakdowns or tantrums when we didn’t buy cupcakes or Pirates of the Caribbean plates and napkins. I did buy a box of Pirates of the Caribbean gummy snacks and he said “dat be great for mine party” I just laughed and kept pushing my buggy through Walmart.
I began thinking about how outrageous it was for him to suddenly jump forward 6 months on the calendar and plan a birthday party that wasn’t going to happen. If I would have gotten a pack of birthday plates and napkins and a dozen cupcakes and we would have had a “party” for him instead of waiting until April for his real 4 year old party that would have been stupid. Letting a 3 year old set the date and plans would be a disaster. Isn’t that so much like us as Christ followers. We get our feeble plans ready and tell God what we are going to do. Like Drew we throw a few things together and call it a party because we want it now and we want it our way. I love throwing bday parties for my kids and I know that Drew’s party in April will be a lot better than a pack of birthday plates and generic cup cakes from Walmart. I can also guarantee that what God has planned for us is way better than anything we can come up with. I am going to stop settling for the Walmart cupcakes and get ready for the big party. That’s a lot harder said than done for a control freak like me. I am a slow learner but God is teaching me that I have to expect big things from Him and trust Him to follow through and not take things into my own hands because I don’t think He is doing it fast enough or in the right way. Doing it my way shows how incapable I am but when God does something only He can do -it brings all the glory to Him – so I’ll take His way. God is who He says He is – God can do what He says He can do – I’m believing God!

Things I am excited about . . . .
Fall – you may think what? I thought you loved summer but I do like the cool air and beauty of the leaves this time of year and we are going on a few field trips taking the kids to Maybry Mill for Fall Days on Friday and to the Orchard and Pumpkin Patch in a couple of weeks

School – I love new books and getting organized and hopefully this will be a good full week of school since we have settled down from vacation

Teenagers – I can see that God is getting ready to do some awesome things at Cornerstone and I am thankful to be a part of it. We are talking about what to do as we run out of space here at our house – we want to think ahead and not limit what God is doing because we don’t have a place to meet

A Baby Shower – We are having a baby shower for Boni and Baby John on Saturday! I love babies – he is soooooo sweet!

Catalyst – Mike and I are heading to Atlanta Oct 3-5. I am looking forward to hearing some great speakers but really looking forward to the awesome worship time. I am also planning on practicing my spiritual gift of shopping at Lenox Square – they have a Crate and Barrell and even Mike will be happy there because there is an Apple store. Seriously – I am excited most of all for the chance to hear from God and seek His direction.

24- Hi I’m Jennifer and I am a 24 addict. Mike and I are watching the first season on DVD and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Our new Cornerstone Kids – we have some really cool stuff coming for Cornerstone kids – starting October 14th

Things I am not excited about . . .
Football – Mike is watching football and I just don’t get it

Winter – it’s cold and I just don’t get that either. Cornerstone Youth ya’ll are going to have do some serious sweet talking to get me to plan a ski trip – I think hell will be a lot like skiing – except it’ll be hot – that makes no sense but I hate being cold!

School – This was in my excited about list too – but if you know me or if you homeschool you will know how school can be hard to get done each day – especially around Christmas time.

Organizing my mess – I thought all summer that I was going to get organized and it is fall and I am STILL NOT getting it together. I guess when you have 3 little ones you never get it together.

Getting back to the real world – It is time for me to leave the make believe land of blogging and go put up laundry – I am really not very excited about laundry!!!

Today has been a great day. The kids played soccer this morning and it has been beautiful today. I should be putting away laundry but Mike and I have started watching the first season of 24. He got me the DVDs for my birthday (in May) and we are just know getting around to taking the cellophane off them. We were hooked last season and wanted to go back and watch the others. Gotta go find out what happens between 1am and 2am (imagine Keiffer saying that).

Mike sent me a link to this blog post. I think I am going to write 20 come back lines to these pick ups. They are pretty funny. I told Mike that it’s a good thing that we got together before he became a pastor!

When I posted on Potty Training yesterday I forgot to mention something that really does work. I waited until training my 3rd child to try this and wished I had known about earlier. I bought and read the book Toilet training in less than a day and gave it a try and it worked! Drew had just turned 3 and I really wanted to get him pottying by the summer so on Memorial Day when Mike was off from work he took Emma and Luke for the morning and Drew and I practiced pottying. You really just have to read through the book to get the whole idea- it’s not long and easy reading. Skip over, or read and get a chuckle from, the illustrations used in the book. They are really dated and funny. Just thought it was worth sharing something that works. It takes 3 or 4 hours of your undivided attention but it’s better than weeks of frustration.