Is he moving here?

My Brother’s company is relocating him.  He is in the process of deciding between two cities, one that I happen to live in and another in a state that is not that far away.   In all of our adult lives, we have never lived near one another.  He currently lives about 1700 miles away, so visiting is not that easy either.  He will be in town next week and has asked me if I would go with him to look at some neighborhoods so that he can get a feel for the area.  I am so excited to see him!  I am  also very excited that he and his family may be living so close! 

Why do you look for the living among the dead?

The title to this blog is a verse from scripture.  It is found in Luke 24:5.  The setting is just after sunrise on the first day of the week after Jesus was crucified.  Mary Magdalene and two other women were headed to the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid, to anoint it with spices, as was the custom of the day. 

I find it interesting that Mary Magdalene was one of the first to learn of the resurrection and to see Jesus alive.  I can relate to her.  She was a woman who had blown it.  I?  Am a woman who has blown it.  She was a woman who made the decision to follow Christ.  I am also a woman who has decided to follow Christ, only I made this decision at 7 years old.  So you may ask how can my life be similar to Mary Magdalene’s if I was saved at the age of 7?  Well, did I mention that I have blown it?  I have made some very bad decisions in my 30 years of being a Christian.  I knew better and I still blew it.  Mary was not a follower of Jesus, was demon possessed and a prostitute, then she met Jesus and her life changed.  I was a follower of Jesus, and boy did I grow up to be a Grade A Sinner with the best of them.  I rebelled against all of the things that I had been taught growing up.  I did things that today, make me cringe.  I did things that today, if I allow him to, satan would convict me of, over and over again.  However, as a follower of Jesus, because that tomb was empty, I am free.  Christ died on that horrible cross more than 2000 years ago, so that I could be free, and so can you!

He is risen, He is alive!  He came to save you and me and Mary Magdalene!  Won’t you turn your life over to Him today?

Religion or Relationship

I have been a Christian, or as Rob Kelly says, a follower of Jesus since I was seven years old.  For years I considered myself a religious person.  I attended a conference about 15 years ago and was challenged to STOP being religious?  Huh?  This felt completely wrong.  Was the guy on stage allowed to say that?  Then, he elaborated.  He explained that most people were religious about something, not necessarily about Jesus.  Maybe it is their favorite television show that they watch religiously, or the cup of coffee that they stop for religiously each morning on the way to work, or religiously following their favorite sports team.  Whatever their thing is, they are religious about it.  I have spent a lot of time thinking about this over the years and have been convicted of this repeatedly.  You see, it does not matter that I go to church religiously each week, or pray before each meal religiously, or even go to a weekly Bible study religiously.  What does matter is that I have a relationship with the One who was willing to send His only Son so that I could have a relationship with Him for eternity.

Religion often times gets in the way of the relationship.  You see, God does not want you to be religious, He just wants you.

Remember this?

This brings back memories…Just a Bill

 Thanks Stephanie for showing me how to link!

We have made the decision

Son #2 will go to the neighborhood middle school instead of the charter school next year.  Thanks for all of your comments and prayers!

Middle School

Son #2 will be in 6th grade in the Fall.  In the state I live in, that means the first year of middle school.  Sons #2 and 3 have attended a charter school since kindergarten.  Son #1 has always attended the neighborhood school.  There are pros and cons to both scenarios.  The biggest drawback to the charter school is that it is in the next town, so my kiddos do not have any friends in our neighborhood.  You know, the friends that play outside, ride bikes and skateboards, play football in the street and play hide and go seek.  They do not see their school friends outside of school, unless there is a special occasion like a birthday party.  Son #2 has expressed a desire to go to the same middle school that Son #1 attended.  To that end, we went to orientation tonight.  We heard from several teachers, counselors and the principal about how awesome this particular middle school is.  Son #1 had a great experience at this school and I am sure Son #2 would as well…UGH this decision is killing me!