Setting an Example for the Young

There is nothing like the proud feeling you get as a parent when you see your children serving the Lord and his people. It is also oh so humbling. At church yesterday, as I was trying to hurry my kids out of church to go get breakfast, my son runs a way as he tells me to wait. "What are you doing?" I yell after him impatiently. I take a few steps toward the sanctuary doors to see him grabbing a couple bibles to hand out. You see, we were in between services and people were starting to make their way in. He wanted to serve and I could wait. After being taken back by this, my child, my dad whispers in my ear, "He is learning from example." My dad's example as a matter of fact. He hands them out when it is needed and my boy was watching. I hurried to get out my camera to take in this beautiful moment. The pictures may not look like much but there is no art more beautiful than love in action. I captured it and while doing so, baby girl learned from big brothers example, grabbed the two little bibles on the bottom shelf and went out on her own mission. 

 Titus 2:6-8 ~ ...encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned....
 











1 Timothy 4:11-12 ~ Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

I wonder..... was God smiling as big as me that morning at such a beautiful sight? 

Welcoming Autumn

The countryside surrounding Vezelay, France in October.

Autumn is here, my favorite time of year. 

The leaves change colors and fall. 

The days grow shorter as the night comes quicker. 

Crisp air brings about cozy blankets and sweaters. 

On the breeze there is a scent of smoke from fires warming cuddling people. 

Fog greets us in the morning with a silent hug. 

The pumpkins and corn grow big and tall, getting ready for the harvest.

Fall surrounds me and brings with it a smile and a wonderful peace to my heart.  

Remembering

My mom came in my room and woke me up. I knew by the way she was acting something was wrong. We watched it together in her room as all the horror unfolded live on the t.v. I was in a blood shot-puffy eyes-horrified daze all day as I worked as a teller at 1st Independent Bank. I was a very quiet day there and, when we did get customers, there wasn't a whole lot of chitchat. I am not sure if any of the lives lost that day is some one I know but that doesn't matter. For those lost and for those who lost, I cry for them all, every year.  And I try to take time to remember what that flag stands for. FREEDOM 

Leaving a Legacy of Unusual

Unusual:  noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced; being out of the ordinary

        Synonyms: curious, extraordinary, funny, odd, peculiar, rare, singular, uncommon, unique, exceptional, irregular, notable, noticeable, particular, remarkable

        Antonyms: common, ordinary, plain, usual, expected, predictable, normal, regular, typical, familiar, ordinary, everyday

For some reason unknown to me, the comment my 8th grade U.S. History teacher wrote in my year book came to mind this morning. Here is the comment he wrote to me, 

"You have a great character (a little unusual) and you will go far in life." 

For a long time, the part of the comment in parentheses had somewhat irritated me. And it hurt a little bit. Ya know. I mean 'unusual'. Being 'unusual' never seemed like a good thing. At least, not to a kid that was going into high school after that summer ended. That place of the popular kids and everyone else. To me, it read that I was the ugly duckling or the black sheep or something close to those characters. So, irritated and hurt and offended, I put it out of my mind.

Then this morning, I thought about that comment and went looking for it. I read it again. 

"You have a great character (a little unusual) and you will go far in life." 

Now, as a parent with a kid off on his first full day of kindergarten, I am pondering this comment. I think about all of it now, not just the part in the parentheses. And as I think about all of it, including that part, it makes me smile. I appreciate it now. It is something that I realize now is a good thing and something that I have continued to be. I see it in me now as a strength and I want to embrace it; to continue to mold that part of my character into something good, something to leave to my kids as a legacy. 

What would a legacy of unusual look like? Well, just look at those synonyms. Funny. Curious. Remarkable. Rare. Exceptional. Notable. Those are terms I can get behind and encourage my kids to strive for in their lives. Is being like all those that are 'popular', all those in the media, like all those images that are pushed on us by marketers and big corporations, all the influences of our modern culture and society; is being like all that unusual? I say, no. I want for myself and for my kids a great character of the unusual sort. Not of the common or expected or familiar.

So just imagine what leaving a legacy of unusual could do...