Hello girls!
I hope you are enjoying your spring weather! I just wanted to let you know how mine started out-not what I expected. With spring comes warmer weather, beautiful flowers blooming, riding bikes outside with the kids, Easter, new life and I love it, but have yet to experience it. Last week my grandpa passed away and we went up to the Oklahoma Pahandle for the funeral. The funeral was supposed to be on Friday afternoon, but winter reared its ugly head again with a vengence or somebody really ticked off the groundhog. We were in an all out blizzard Friday and Saturday, unable to leave the house because all the roads were closed, and did I mention with 7 kids ages 8 and under. AHHHHHH!!!! Needless to say- it was crazy!!!
Even though I literrally experienced a blizzard in the spring, I really experience blizzards in the spring a lot. Things will be looking great in family, job, children, marriage or all of the above and (as Emeril would say) Bam-a blizzard hits. It could be an unexpected death in the family, an unexpected move or job loss, a child making bad choices etc. Whatever your blizzard is-it doesn't mean there will be no spring. God's delays are not his denials! Spring ALWAYS comes-just maybe not when or how you expected. Know that God is never late and will bring you Spring once again. In Romans 8 it says, God works all things to the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose." -Even blizzards in the spring!
P.S.-BABY UPDATE
We are now about 7 weeks out! Woo hoo!!! This baby is kicking my tail! Literally, he kicks so hard:) We will have a talk about that when we meet face to face! I love Him so much already! I am not sure I have told you all the name, but it is Case Graham Roberts! Thank you so much for your encouragement and prayers for this amazing blessing. I can't wait to introduce him to you all.
Love ya!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Being Real
Hello Friends!
I had the opportunity to speak at a women's conference this past weekend. It was a great time and fellowship with these ladies. I spoke on women of the bible, specifically those who had personal encounters with Jesus and how he changed their lives and how that relates to ours. One thing I have learned about working in women's ministry and, of course, being a woman myself we aren't always real.
It's like a lady who was asked to bake something for her church's bake sale, but she forgot. That morning she was fumbling around trying to bake something real fast and ending up making a chocolate cake, but when she pulled it out of the oven the middle had bottomed out. She was in a panic and an idea came to her head. She found a role of toilet paper put it in the middle of the cake and frosted the whole thing. She gave her husband strict instructions: "when I take this to the bake sale, you be the first one in line and you have to buy this cake." Her husband came home, but with no cake. He said it had already been bought. She was mortified at the thought of who bought the cake. The next day she went to a party at a friends house. When she walked in, she noticed the cake was on the table to be served for dessert. She was making her way to the hostess to tell her not to serve that cake when she overheard another lady complimenting the hostess on how beautiful the cake looked. She then heard the hostess say, "Thanks, I made it myself."
We laugh and joke, but we have all been there when it comes to saving face in front of other women, friends, family, enemies, fans etc. for the sake of looking like we have it all together. Being real is not reality for women these days. There is a sense of perfection that we feel we have to portray to the world. You know we all have those women in our lives who look as though they have it all together: marriage is perfect, children are perfect, house is perfect. I get winded even saying those things. We need to take the masks off and share with one another our imperfections so that God can use those imperfections to fulfill the purpose he has for you and me. When Jesus called His disciples he called the "unschooled and ordinary" not the blemish-free and perfect ones. Yes, I love my husband, but it is hard work sometimes. Yes, I love my children, but it is hard work sometimes. Yes, my house looks like a tornado hit it-most of the time:) We are all a work in progress and to appear to those around you that you have it all together means you are missing out on what God wants to do in you and through you. After all, why mess with perfection?
I had the opportunity to speak at a women's conference this past weekend. It was a great time and fellowship with these ladies. I spoke on women of the bible, specifically those who had personal encounters with Jesus and how he changed their lives and how that relates to ours. One thing I have learned about working in women's ministry and, of course, being a woman myself we aren't always real.
It's like a lady who was asked to bake something for her church's bake sale, but she forgot. That morning she was fumbling around trying to bake something real fast and ending up making a chocolate cake, but when she pulled it out of the oven the middle had bottomed out. She was in a panic and an idea came to her head. She found a role of toilet paper put it in the middle of the cake and frosted the whole thing. She gave her husband strict instructions: "when I take this to the bake sale, you be the first one in line and you have to buy this cake." Her husband came home, but with no cake. He said it had already been bought. She was mortified at the thought of who bought the cake. The next day she went to a party at a friends house. When she walked in, she noticed the cake was on the table to be served for dessert. She was making her way to the hostess to tell her not to serve that cake when she overheard another lady complimenting the hostess on how beautiful the cake looked. She then heard the hostess say, "Thanks, I made it myself."
We laugh and joke, but we have all been there when it comes to saving face in front of other women, friends, family, enemies, fans etc. for the sake of looking like we have it all together. Being real is not reality for women these days. There is a sense of perfection that we feel we have to portray to the world. You know we all have those women in our lives who look as though they have it all together: marriage is perfect, children are perfect, house is perfect. I get winded even saying those things. We need to take the masks off and share with one another our imperfections so that God can use those imperfections to fulfill the purpose he has for you and me. When Jesus called His disciples he called the "unschooled and ordinary" not the blemish-free and perfect ones. Yes, I love my husband, but it is hard work sometimes. Yes, I love my children, but it is hard work sometimes. Yes, my house looks like a tornado hit it-most of the time:) We are all a work in progress and to appear to those around you that you have it all together means you are missing out on what God wants to do in you and through you. After all, why mess with perfection?
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Chapel
Hello friends,
Wow! I can't believe it is March already! And with that comes OU softball chapels for me. I serve as the chaplain for the University of Oklahoma softball team. This is my 4 year and let me tell you- this one part of the ministry is more challenging than the other parts combined. We have a chapel on Sundays of home games and do a bible study every other week. We had our first chapel this past weekend and had 12 out of 16 players attended-our best attedance. Woo Hoo!
You all remember this time in our life when we were free to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, and with whom ever we wanted. You are trying to find out what you believe and if its the same as your parents, grandparents, or none of the above. Its a time for fun and to find out who you are as a person. I once heard that college was "Satan's playground." How scary is that to think about and I think about it often as I deal with these amazing young ladies. All I know is that these girls are away from home, parents, family, friends, and I hope that I can be an outlet to them and give them advice based on the Word and not the World. If you have a child in college-pray for them! If you have a child in high school-pray for them. If you have a child in diapers-pray for them.
One of the prayers that I pray for my children everyday is that God would always put people in their life (friends, mentors, coaches, positive role models) that reflect that of Christ. So even though I may not always be there I can rest assured God is-even if they do go to Satan's playground.
Have a super week!
Sarah
Wow! I can't believe it is March already! And with that comes OU softball chapels for me. I serve as the chaplain for the University of Oklahoma softball team. This is my 4 year and let me tell you- this one part of the ministry is more challenging than the other parts combined. We have a chapel on Sundays of home games and do a bible study every other week. We had our first chapel this past weekend and had 12 out of 16 players attended-our best attedance. Woo Hoo!
You all remember this time in our life when we were free to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, and with whom ever we wanted. You are trying to find out what you believe and if its the same as your parents, grandparents, or none of the above. Its a time for fun and to find out who you are as a person. I once heard that college was "Satan's playground." How scary is that to think about and I think about it often as I deal with these amazing young ladies. All I know is that these girls are away from home, parents, family, friends, and I hope that I can be an outlet to them and give them advice based on the Word and not the World. If you have a child in college-pray for them! If you have a child in high school-pray for them. If you have a child in diapers-pray for them.
One of the prayers that I pray for my children everyday is that God would always put people in their life (friends, mentors, coaches, positive role models) that reflect that of Christ. So even though I may not always be there I can rest assured God is-even if they do go to Satan's playground.
Have a super week!
Sarah
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