I went through a stage in life lately where I just wanted to resign.  I got tired.  I wanted to grab my husband and run away to a deserted tropical island and just stay there.  I'm pretty sure that it had something to do with working full time for the first time in 27 years, my husbands first surgery since we've been married, my son getting 1st, 2nd & 3rd degree burns on his neck and chest from a bottle rocket that went down his shirt, and two personal crises that really knocked me on my tukus, catching me totally off guard and presenting me with a hard fought spiritual battle-all within a period of 6 weeks.   I know most of my friends think that I am invincible.  Probably any one or two of those things at the same time would have been no problem for me.  But it just seemed like a pile-on from hell and I felt myself starting to retreat from life.  My devotional life was reduced to mostly tear stained Bible pages, lots of crying out for mercy, help, strength, faith, and just plain lots of crying.  

Most people look at our lives and ministry and agree that we have not had it easy.  But honestly, how many people truly look at their lives and say "oh, life has been so easy for me?"   I don't think many because we have all encountered things that hit us hard, knocked us down and made us want to quit.  Those life lessons are where our wisdom comes from.  If we never had any adversity, we would never be stretched or grow.  So I was thinking about all these things in life that have been so hard-infertility; fearfulness; a devastating car accident; brain injured children; church staff who we found as nothings as far as ministry was concerned who we mentored, poured finances into and gave a chance to spread their wings who then turned around and betrayed us at the highest level, slandered us in the community, and showed not one ounce of gratitude for all we did for them; friends who we raised our children with and friends that we took into our home when they were in difficult times who believed the slander and turned on us too; a church split that left us with a trail of broken, bleeding bodies to heal and restore; spiritual abuse from former staff members directed specifically at me; cancer; a tremendous attack on my marriage; disrespect from other clergy because of their own insecurities and choosing to believe what they heard from our betrayers; false accusations; constant resistance; plus the everyday things that all humans, with or without children, go through.  

James writes  "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."   So true!  But today I was thinking of what the fruit of that endurance has been.  Endurance is tangible I guess in terms of time and fortitude but I was thinking more about the tangible things that endurance produced in my life.  I am speaking of true friends.  As I call them "True Blue I Know You Friends."  I'm thinking of those I call the "church people."   Adversity is a purifying fire especially when it comes to relationships.  Through all the adversity, these true, blue, I know you friends have emerged.  I didn't really think about how special it really is until two weeks ago when my son was burned.  It happened 6 days before he was scheduled to leave on a youth trip.  The doctor didn't want him to go unless there was a nurse going along or someone that "you would trust to take as good of care of your son as you would."  So I thought about it and said..."wait a minute!  I would trust all of those going to take as good of care of my son as I would!"  What a blessing to have so many people in your life that you can truly trust!  Then, when the kids were loading into the van  to begin their journey I noticed that all the Moms were hugging and kissing all the kids, not just their own and I realized...this is what these 20 years of tremendously hard adversity has produced.  As I look around at the people who surround me I would not go back and change anything.  I wouldn't try to make it easier because the fires of adversity have produced  my church family...and they truly are family.  They are the most loyal, compassionate, generous, selfless, honest people I have ever met.  They are a treasure to me and a incredible blessing!  Are they perfect?  NOPE!  And they know I'm not either and they love me in spite of myself because the Spirit of God in each of us truly makes us one.  Our church may not be all that in that we have rockin' worship, gimmicky preaching, and trendy programs.  We don't.  But what we do have is true, Biblical love of the brethren and spiritual fellowship.  There's just nothing in the world that can top it. 


So to all my church folks I say, 
 Thessalonians 2:19-20  19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

I just never cease to be amazed at the absence of logic in the way a lot of people think.  Take this post from Pinterest.  (I love Pinterest.  It is my one luxury in life.  Of course I have discovered that if you have the money to do Pinterest projects, you don't have time.  If you have time, and your hubby is not making 6 figures, you don't have the money.)

Okay, back to this post.  As a Christian woman, I believe that women claiming Christ should dress modestly.  The older I get, the more material that seems to include, but that's for another day to discuss.  However, this seemed so stupid to me that I just have to mention it.  It was a pin showing you how you can turn an old bra into a bathing suit top.  So I'm studying this trying to figure out at what point this garment becomes modest enough to wear in public.  I don't know of any woman that would take a white or nude or even black bra from their drawer and feel comfortable wearing it out in public.  Granted, it is now okay to let your bra straps stick our from under your shirt, according to culture, but certainly not okay to wear your bra in public.  After all, most places have laws about wearing your underwear in public.  

If wearing your underwear in public is immodest enough to get you arrested, then how can a bra covered with pretty fabric be modest?  What makes a bra modest in public?  Is it the color?  The amount of lace?  The absence of lace?  The size of the cup?   And what makes a sports bra modest but a padded bra immodest?   Do you see how stupid this type of thinking is?  Just because it'a labeled a bathing suit top, to the world, it's modest, but if it's labeled a bra, it's immodest.  And lets be honest.  Most bras cover more than any 2 piece bathing suit top, so why are they considered modest but underwear considered indecent?  Is what it's labeled determine it's acceptability?  Of course, I realize the Madonna never knew the difference, but she's a special case.   

Here's another one for you.  Christians fight Hooters when it wants to build a restaurant in their town because they want to guard the men from lusting and sinning but they drive their little boys and teen boys to the pool everyday in the summer to hang out around girls and women with way less on than what they wear at Hooters.  Is this hypocritical or am I missing something?  I mean, let's be honest.  At hooters they wear tank tops and shorts.  The pool?  Not as much!  So why is it okay for your men to be at the pool but not at Hooters?  At least at Hooters they are distracted by sports on t.v. and food.  

Let's hit a little closer to home.  All Christians agree that gossip is a sin.  But what if it's cloaked in a prayer request?  Does that make it alright?  It sounds so spiritual to say "please pray for Sister So-and-So.  I heard that she such and such.  Let's pray."

So in conclusion ladies, keep the boobs, backs, bellies and butts covered and your tongue bridled.   Don't let the world define your morality.  And for heaven's sake, use some logic when thinking about right and wrong.