Another Year

Yesterday was my birthday, but unfortunately I completely forgot to take any pictures commemorating the occasion. Ooops. To my defense, I've got a crazy sinus thing going on and spent most of the day not being able to breathe out of my nose.

My husband let me sleep in a little bit and we all just had cereal for breakfast. We usually have a big Sunday morning breakfast, but I didn't feel like getting up. lol We got ready for church and headed out, Auds and I went to the nursery, Honey went to adult Sunday school. I refereed three very rambunctious boys while he got to worship. But it worked itself out because I got to sit in service while he hung out with Auds in the foyer.

We had a big named visiting preacher who comes very frequently. He's a great guy, but - and this is totally negative on me - I always just threw him in with the stereotype of old fashioned big named preachers. That they were old fashioned, my way or the highway, if you falter just leave kind of people. He proved me wrong, and it was a huge piece of humble pie that I needed. His message talked about acknowledging your faults, mistakes and shortcomings, but also acknowledging that God is above it all and even if you fall, He hasn't and He can rectify any situation and use anyone for His Will. Look at David and Simon Peter, they both did some pretty screwed up things, but look how God used them.

Then he told a story about his personal life. Eight years ago, right after his daughter turned 18, she found out she was pregnant and ran away. It took him over a month to find her but when he did, he only asked her why she left. She responded that she had done wrong and brought shame to him (he was the pastor at a big church at the time) and didn't want him to have to deal with that or the disappointment she would bring him. He just embraced her with love and brought her home. Neighboring churches and even his own congregants spoke horrible things against her, and against him for not being able to control her. Instead of speaking badly about them back or sending his daughter away or public rebuking her, he gave up his pastorship to focus on his family.

He wasn't condoning what she did, but he loved her nonetheless. Now his grandson has a wonderful relationship with God and frequently travels around the country with him when he evangelizes. If he hadn't sacrificed as he did, his daughter and that little boy would likely have completely walked away from God and never would have known Him. But because he loved them, they are both now walking with God and being used of Him.

Not saying I advocate teenage pregnancy, but I have seen so many "conservative Christians" condemn others for their mistakes - without removing their own planks. To hear how he loved really made me have a new found respect for him not only as a a preacher, but as a man. I've always been a huge proponent of God's grace and trying not to judge people for "mistakes" and I had been judging people who were "in church." So, it was a message that I definitely needed. Pot, kettle.

Anyway, after that my husband took me out to eat at a fancy restaurant where we ate food that was entirely too rich. That rarely ever happens, so I sure enjoyed it. I had crab-stuffed eggplant, and it was so good. Then we went home and had a quiet rest of the day just hanging out. My husband bought me cupcake mix from Sprinkles - the first cupcake shop ever. They don't ship their cupcakes outside of the Hollywood Hills, but they will ship their mix, so he had some sent in for us to make together. But we (okay, he has) have King Cake and shower cake to eat, so I figured I'd wait until I had the counter space to make some cupcakes. When I make the cupcakes, I want it to be a family affair, and I will take pictures of that.

I ordered myself two new head coverings from Garlands of Grace and can't wait for them to come in. That's about it, nothing overly exciting. Birthdays aren't a big thing for me, especially when I think about how young I really am. Because of stuff I've been through, I've always felt much older than what I really am. People are typically surprised when they hear it too. While my peers are out drinking and partying on Saturday and being hungover on Sunday, I'm sitting at a table with my husband and daughter sharing some fresh fruit grown by local farmers and preparing Sunday school lessons. A little bit of a disparity there, but to each his own. Our simple life works for our family, and I'm just thankful that I've had another year to enjoy it.