Refreshed (BSLC)

Some people just have a way of making you feel rejuvenated, energized, motivated, and plain old good.

My dear friend Tiffany is like that.  What a blessing she has been in my life the last 15+ years let alone just the last few!

Family Music Time had parent play date night last night and we (after being torn as to what to do and wanting to be in two places at one time) bypassed our monthly Young Adults Beef O'Brady's bible study (how cool is that!? You should come some time!) and went to the parent play date.  It was so informative and will help us make the most of our time as members of the Family Music Time community.  Keegan has just grown leaps and bounds in so many facets due to this music class - and it's only our second semester!

But alas, Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church was not far from our minds!  After the music class we went to dinner and talked all things BSLC.  We are so excited about some new areas for growth and ministry in our small little church that is also growing leaps and bounds. 

It was an interesting discussion and realization that WE will be the potential future leadership of the church.  Some day WE will take over the reigns and so it is important to get involved now and keep our children and families and friends all growing together in a positive way.  Also by WE I don't just mean Tiffany and I, but Tiffany and I know we are a part of the WE.

We both really believe that God put is in this church for a reason, whether it just be for our benefit or to serve as well. Okay, God, we hear you loud and clear! 

Our discussion of course came to vocation.  We have our standard vocations and things we each feel compelled to be a part of.  Our vocations in life cross many paths with each other and we can build off of each other's strengths and support each other's weaknesses. We also talked about how vocations don't necessarily mean always enjoying what you do or the easy way etc.  Sometimes our purpose, our vocations, can be the hard thing to do and include sacrifice. It's also so easy to question when I feel like my own life is a mess and broken. Man am I broken.  Simul justus et peccator. But I digress....

I still don't completely know what I am to do in life.  I truly, truly feel that God's path for me is to be a mom.  I feel I am meant to have more kids and to be hands on in raising them.  What more noble cause is there?! I also truly, truly feel God wants me to be at BSLC and to serve him there.  Of course going to worship each week is something He wants.  But that's not really serving Him.  That's reinforcement of his grace and a recharge for the week. He wants me to Serve.  I think this next year is going to start bringing some of this to the forefront.  For now, I am ready!  I have my co-conspirator Tiffany by my side which just makes me more energized. I may struggle along the way but I know His Will will be done.

Church Commitments

It's weird, but I really feel like there is a specific purpose or role for me that God has set out above and beyond my primary roles of wife and mother (and employer but I really wouldn't say that my "work" role is a calling but more of a means to an end).  Of course, I do not know what this role is. 

I feel a connection with my church home.  Not just a "I love the people and it makes me feel good" sort of connection but more of a "a-ha, I hear you God, this is where I am supposed to be whether I want to fight it or not."  (And I do love the people!)

Sure it would be easier to sleep in on Sundays, skip bible study, and keep my comfortable relationship with the Lord that requires minimal commitment.  Sometimes I crave that. Then I think how ridiculous that is. Jesus said pick up your cross and follow me REGARDLESS of what you may lose.  And how blessed to be in position to not lose much (other than that sleep on a Sunday morning - although Keegan kind of puts a stop to that anyways).  I do know I should not let my responsibilities as wife and mother suffer for my involvement in church activities but really they don't.  If anything, they are enriched by it.

I had a series of events, both good and bad, that have solidified my spot in my church family.  God directing me every step of the way through blessings and sorrows.

Why am I writing about this?  What am I rambling on about?  Well I feel like I am at a crossroads. 

Commitments.  A crossroads as to what to commit to and what those commitments entail.  They can all kind of go hand in hand.  It will be interesting to see what these next few months bring.

Sometimes I want to step back and not step up. Why?  I don't know.  To not be commited.  To not have the accountability that comes along with commitment.

Then I think, "I would rather have my hands full, than my hands empty." What a blessing it is to have a house to clean, a child to raise, activities to do, things to learn, people to help. Sometimes it is all about how you think of it.

To be continued.....

Ladies Guild

Tis the season for Ladies Guild to start back up again at church.   We take a couple of months off during the summer.  I decided to join Ladies Guild last year and am joined by a bunch of wonderful ladies and also two very special friends:

1) Megan (the pastor's wife) is in between Kara and I in age and has two little girls around Keegan's age and one little boy on the way :-)  She's such a sweetheart and a lot of fun to be around.  I am so blessed we've become friends over the last year and a half (wow time flies!).

2) And then there is Tiffany.  No words to describe Tiffany justly other than my partner in crime in this crazy adult/motherhood world we live in.  I heart her!   Her daughter Avery is 15 days older than Keegan.  We've been friends since high school and we were in Key Club together and played soccer together.  We've become super close these last few years though.  I feel like she is my mommyhood soulmate!  Our friendship is just effortless and I feel like we really get each other. Unfortunately our husbands both have odd work schedules but fortunately that means the two of us and the kiddos get to do a lot of fun things together!  Keegan loves his Avery too! (and they were baptised together! and if you ask us they are betrothed lol) We are so similar in many ways but also different in some ways so it just works. We've been on many adventures together and are also quite content to just sit at Starbucks and talk for hours.  She also introduced us to the Family Music Time music class - which starts back up on Saturday (super excited!).  You are sure to hear a lot more of Tiffany and Avery as I blog more and more.  I love this wacky roller coaster of life with Tiffany and her family right alongside us!

Disclaimer:  Megan is super AWESOME too and means so much and so do my many other super close friends - I can't think of anyone else who is as blessed as me in the friend department.  I work with one of my best friends (we call each other our other better halves!) and another best friend is Keegan's Godmother, I want to move near my best friend forever and ever in high school (friends since 1st grade) Alyssa in Orlando, I have my best friend practically sister Alissa nearby.... and on and on and on... AND my sister Kara is truly a best friend.  Whew.... see what I mean - blessed!

But I digress... back to Ladies Guild...

Our first meeting was tonight.  I truly do enjoy it.  Megan, Tiffany (I hope - she had to miss tonight), Peggy (my other other half's awesome mom!), and I will spearhead the church Christmas party again this year.  Megan and I will also be "hosting" next month which means providing food and beverage for the Ladies Guild and Men's Club members.  I plan to make beer bread, spinach herb dip, and Nana's Apple Cake (all Tastefully Simple).

We'll make cakes for the spaghetti dinner the Men's Club will have in October.  There will also be Trunk or Treat on Halloween (with a cupcake walk - another excuse for baking).  It's amazing how busy we keep.  I enjoy most if not all of it though.  I am not complaining that I will miss the yard sale though since that's the day of Keegan's birthday party.  I will donate stuff and make baked goods for the bake sale.

The tough part is whether I want to become an officer or not.  I think our current board is amazing and would prefer if they all stayed in office (Especially the president - she's triple amazing!).  But, alas, the vice president is moving soon.  So there's a vacancy no matter what.  The president said she thought it would be great if one of the younger ladies ran for office (for any position but I want the remaining 3 to stay!).  Well, there are only three of us younger ladies that are in the Ladies Guild.  I am not sure if Megan or Tiffany want to hold an office.  They'd be great.  If not, I am going to pray real hard if I want another commitment.  I feel like it is a possibility but I need to think about it.  I also need to look in to and think about being more active on our church's behalf in the Lutheran Women's Missionary League.  I feel like I need at least one of my fellow partners in crime to be active with me for that though.

So these are decisions I have to pray about.  God is good and he does good things in and through our church.  I just wish I knew exactly the best vocation for myself in it all.

PS - I always do the sign of the cross after praying and often times at the start too.  Not many of my fellow churchmates do.  Must totally be something left over from my days as a young Catholic.  It's a habit I don't see ending anytime soon though (And what a powerful statement when praying to oneself out in public!). Just an observation....

PPS - My original paragraph about Tiffany feels like it was much longer but when I posted the blog the symbol I had for "heart" had the whole paragraph screwed up.... sigh.....