Master

This week in SHEminstries we have been studying the name Adonai, which means Master. Today in our study Simone was teaching about how slaves were consumed with their masters. They even tried to take on their masters way of thinking, so they could better serve them. There was no room or time for them to even think of their own wants or desires. I started thinking about how self-consumed our society is. Everything we do is for us, for our benefit. We put ourselves above our husbands, children, friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, strangers, everybody. Christ exampled a life of constant self- sacrafice. Could you imagine our world if we all took on selflessness. Think about your day. What did you do today, what did you think about today, who did you serve today? Was it yourself or others? As Chris and I were flying out over Montana, it was such a clear day and you could see the trees changing colors and the snow capped mountains and for miles you could see. I was reminded how BIG God is and how little my view is. God who created the vastness of the heavens and earth, formed me in my mothers womb and knows my name. I need to get off the planet "Tatum" and see the bigger picture. To remember I am not here for me, I am here for Him. To be His hands and His feet to people. To live a selfless life, to be abandoned to my Master, my Jesus. Lord help me...

One of "those" weeks!

Have you ever had one those weeks? One of those weeks when everything seems to go wrong, or in my case everything seems to break??? Well, everything broke this week (I know maybe I am being a little dramatic but that is what we women do, we're a little dramatic every now and then). It all started on Wednesday, Chris came home from work and we headed to Yogurtland (the best ever yogurt spot by the way, if you can find one even remotely near you it is worth the travel). I was sitting there enjoying my plain and blueberry tart, with peanut butter and coffee topped with chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles (yum!), with my hubby and kiddos. When all of sudden out of my pocket slips my brand new iphone right onto the floor. This man picks it up and hands it to me and I just want to cry, my brand new iphone is shattered. I had to be strong and blow it off like no big deal, I mean what are you going to do in front of a bunch of strangers, cry? I was mourning inside though. Then we get home and I make Chris stay up late with me and rearrange the furniture in our bedroom. Of course that is not something he wanted to be doing at 9:30 at night, but when I get something in my mind, I have to do it! So, needless to say their might be some slight tensions in the room when Chris grabs a weight to move it and accidently hits his guitar and puts a scratch in it. We decided it was best to just go to bed and end the day. Well yesterday I wake up to a fresh new day and decide to have my friend Trish come over to help me rearrange the rest of the house. Much to Chris dismay, he doesn't like change, but I thought we needed a little revamp. Well we ended up rearranging the living room and then turning the family room into a dining room and the dining room into a reading room with a cozy chair and table. So, Trish leaves and I am upstairs cleaning and the kiddos are down stairs with a buddy and all of a sudden I hear a crash and go running to find the glass tabletop broken on the floor. I politely tell our neighbor to go home because the kiddos are in BIG trouble. I tell them all to go to their rooms, and then Cade starts crying and I see lots of blood on the couch and and realize her hand is cut. So I shout out for the kiddos to get on their shoes and we're off to the the emergency room. On the way we meet Chris and pull over for him to check out the cut. He is holding Cade who is crying and Ryah is in the back seat crying too. I ask her what is wrong and she says "Nobody needs me!" (this is what Reinhardt calls the middle child syndrome), so we calm everyone down. Chris decides Cade is ok and we should just go home and treat it. Well going home was another story because he still hadn't seent the lovely redecorating. Now was defintaely not the best time to be showing off the new arrangement but what do you do. So we get home and I run inside and act busy in the kitchen like nothing is new and Chris says what is this room, pointing at the room with the cozy chair and table and I tell him it's the reading room. He wasn't so impressed that I turned the dining room into a reading room and the family room into a dining room. Trust me it all looks really good. I told him I was willing to move it all back, i'll keep you posted! End of another day. So today, started off well, then Cade, Ryah and I went to the grocery store. My cart was FULL, and Cade was hanging on the side and I told her to get off because it would tip. She gave me one of her looks like, make me. Well, the very next instance the whole cart falls over on her, she is trapped. Men come running from every corner of the store to lift it off her, she is screaming and everyone is staring. I want to crawl in a hole, is this really happening right now. Her back is cut, her ankles are cut and bruised. I have people offering her water, juice, ice-paks, phone calls (did I really look that stressed), candy, stickers, anything. I wanted to just run out of the store, but the Sanchez's were coming over for dinner and iIneeded to buy food. So I held Cade trying to calm her down and in a way so no one could see her ankles and think I was crazy for continuing to shop and not tend to her wounds. We got our stuff and left, all with her screaming and everyone staring at me. I was trying to act like I was completely fine, when in reality after everything that had happened this week, I was going crazy inside. Then I balance myself out by saying at least were all still alive and mostly well! It could be worse, but I sure hope not!:) But a cute story to end with is Ryah went to girls scouts today and we got into the car and I asked her what she did and she said that they made pumpkins. I asked her what for and she said because her teachers know a lot of papas and grandmas that we don't know and they are going to give them to them. What is actually happening is they are going to give them to a convelescent home. I love kids simplicity, even in all my chaos this week, they just keep smiling and enjoying life (well except for Cade- for obvious reasons)! I'm trying too! :) Pray for us to have a better week!!!

Storms

I've been thinking a lot about the story of Jesus calming the storm at sea lately. We're all the like the disciples in one way or another (or in a lot of ways!). Here they have Jesus in their boat with them and a storms starts brewing and soon the experienced fisherman are overwhelmed because the waves are out of control. This must have been some crazy storm! Fisherman are used to these kinds of things and they are usually tough guys. You know how guys don't even want to ask for directions, nonetheless help with their boat during a storm. How many of them are there, and how many of Jesus are there? Finally, as last resort, after toughing it out for as long as they could, they go to Jesus. Now why didn't they go to Him sooner, why did they wait until their boat was full of water and they were zapped of strength? And what was Jesus doing, oh He's just sleeping. You see He's not worried at all, He's got it all under control, in fact with one word He ends the storm, He calms the sea, and the disciples. This is just like me, I get into a stormy situation and I try to weather it on my own, thinking I am experienced and tough, and if not I've got friends to turn to. Then all of sudden it gets much too big for me to handle and as last resort I'm running to Jesus with a "you've got to do something now!" Why do I forget Jesus is there with me in the circumstance. He was ready to help in the beginning, but He is still ready to help in the end as well. I hope I learn to weather storms with Him and then be able to see how He decides to calm them. Remember God is in the boat with you too and He will calm the storm...

Fresh Life in Montana!

Well Chris and I arrived late on Saturday night in Kalispell Montana. Sunday Chris spoke at our friend Levi Luskos church called Fresh Life. Kalispell is a small resort town and the church meets in an old movie theatre built in the early 1900's in downtown. It's a great building to have a church. The church is exploding, it has grown to about 700 in just 2 years. The staff is amazing and the people are so sweet. The service was great and Chris did an amazing job challenging people in God's Word. After we had lunch with the staff and then spent the evening having fun at the Luskos. Today we headed to Glacier National Park. It was a beautiful day, overcast and cold, but so beautiful. You can't even describe the scenery, it is so picturesque! We went on a 4 mile hike to Avalanche Lake, but we didn't make it all the way. It was raining pretty hard and I have an amazing fear of grizzlies! Pretty much I spent a lot of the time discussing with Chris how I was afraid of bears and that all the brochures talk about how common it is to come across one in Glacier and how there have been people eaten by them and that I didn't want to be one of those people. But, Chris kept pressing us on, so this was my conversation with the Lord, "Lord, you know I don't feel good about this and I don't want to be doing this, I don't want to see a bear, but I am being submissive and going on this hike with him, so please don't let us get eaten by a bear or for that matter even see one, thanks!" God was faithful and we had an amazing bearless hike in an amazingly beautiful place! Tonight we had a Montana date night including a great dinner, a walk through Target and a McDonalds ice cream (when you don't have 3 kids with you anything you do is fun!). We even thought about getting these amazing jammies, I wouldn't mind being caught in these!:) It has been a great trip and I am so thankful for the opportunites God has given us to go and see His amazing creation and to see how He is moving in other churches and communities. Tomorrow we head home to the kiddos and warm weather, California here I come!!!

Seattle!!!

Well Chris and I got a wild hair today and decided to miss our early
flight into Montana and take a 10 hour layover in Seattle! This is a
truly amazing city! The color of the fall trees, the ocean,lakes,the
city and all the cute neighborhoods. Everything you could ask for all
rolled into one cool place, not to mention the beautiful day God gave
us! We went downtown to Pikes Place and saw the original Starbucks,
then we met Bethany and Maritza for lunch at Roxy's Diner in Fremont,
drove around, saw where the girls live and go to school and now Chris
and I are at Petes Coffee in Queen Anns. I went for a walk while he
studied,so beautiful, such a neat town. Tomorrow Chris speaks at
Fresh Life Church in Montana and we're excited to see Jen, Carrie and
the gang, and to see all that God is doing there!

Should This Be Happening In Kindergarten???

Ryah comes home from school today with this story:

Ryah: Mom, I know there is this boy at school that has a crush on me.

Me: How do you know?

Ryah: I was sitting in the dirt at school by myself playing and this boy walks over to me and asks me what I am doing and I tell him I am playing and he says do you know there is one girl in this school that I like and it is you.

Me: You tell him that your daddy owns a really big gun! (just kidding, maybe!):)

Just another Tuesday...

Well Tuesdays are the craziest of all days in my week. It started with running late to get Elias to school, so I slip on my jacket and leave on my pajama shorts and think to myself I am just running out to the car in my driveway no big deal. So out we go and I realize my car is not in my driveway it is in the street. I check to make sure the coast is clear and tell the kids to run, and as I am loading the bunch in the car I realize my neighbor is backing his car up all the way down the street towards me, (mind you I am in my jammies, and all of this seems to be happening in slow motion), I am thinking if I can just get these kids in the car and myself then I am clear, but getting in the car is a very long ordeal with 3 kiddos because we fight about who gets in first and who is going to sit where and all I care about is getting in the car as fast as I can. Well, I don't make it in on time and he stops at my car and there I stand in all my glory in my jammies, and he rolls down the window and offers to give Elias a ride to school. I gladly accept, just wanting them to hurry and drive off, so now I am working to quickly get Elias out of my car and trying to ignore the fact that I am still in my jammies. Elias gets out, I shove him in their car and say a quick thanks and goodbye and as they drive off down the street I am wondering if he noticed, then I realize who am I kidding!

Then I quickly get the girls ready and rush over to Target to get some things (including a lunchable for Ryah because I haven't done any grocery shopping in weeks, what else is new? Side note, Lunchable are disgusting and they are only bought in desperate situations like today), and there I am looking at cotton balls when Cade shouts out, "look mom, that baby is huge!!!" I look over and this poor mom is staring back at us, probably heart broken that her child was referred that way, I try and make it better by saying you were a huge baby too Cade (do I think that was a comfort to her, probably not but it was the first thing that came to mind). After Target we take Ryah to school and then off to the church for a staff meeting. Those are always fun! :) Pick Ryah up from school take her home, change her into her gymnastics leotard and then pick up Elias, go back to the house because we forgot his piano books and then off to gymnastics. Cade informs me in the car out of the blue, that she doesn't like me and then when I tell her I am going to cry, she tells me she loves me (wow!). Ryah does great in gymnastics, and I wish I could jump on the trampoline (they do have a night where adults can come and have open gym time but I don't think I could actually let myself do that, it would be weird. But if I could have the whole gym to myself, I would be all over those trampolines.) Then we head to Elias piano lessons. During which I get to snuggle and play with Steven (a baby they took in from Haiti for the last 3 months), he is adorable. Cade had so much fun with him, every time he drooled, she would wipe his mouth and shout out "he's drowning mom!". After that we went to In-N-Out for the sole purpose of their name (in n out, meaning fast service), but it was more like In- and in a while, you'll be-Out. No problem, rush home, clean up the house real quick, bathe kids, do homework, and then our home fellowship. Let me say, we have an amazing home fellowship group. Great discussion on the gifts of prophecy and tongues. After we all sat around like a bunch of spoiled orange county people and added each other to our Loopt application on our iphones! It's now midnight and I should get to bed. And men wonder what we moms do all day, well there you go...

Pastors Wives Conference

Well another year has passed and the Pastors Wives Conference came and went. I was excited to get away for a couple days with one of our pastors wives, Lela. I was a little more hesitant to leave this time because Chris was a little more shaken about being left behind with the kiddos. He usually does great, but the thought of dressing the girls really stresses him out. We were sitting on the couch the day I was leaving talking about the next couple of days and the kiddos schedules and Ryah says "Mom, when you leave sometimes we get mixed up on what were suppose to do". Perfectly said!!! Chris ended up doing a great job with the kids, even a friend from school told me that he seemed relax and the kids always matched and hair was combed. Did they get a bath, 1. Did they have lunches packed, yes but I found all 3 days still left in their backpacks (I must admit I wouldn't have eaten them either). Did they get to school and activities, yes, maybe a little late. Did they have fun- YES! Good job Babe, you'd make a great Mr. Mom!!! I had a great time at the Conf. There were over 900 pastors wives there, the most they've had so far. I was challenged by one of the speakers who was talking about our influence in our homes, churches and communities. I get so busy with life that I forget about the power of influence. Am I influencing people in a way that draws them closer to Christ and points to Him. Humanity is not getting any better and I have the Love that it needs, the only Love that can transform a life. Am I influencing the world with Love? Am I influencing my husband in a way that points to Christ? Which in turn causes him to be more effective in what God calls him to do. What about my children? Am I influencing them in a way that causes them to be an influence at school, to show love and mercy, and not be influenced by this world. In ministry am I just going through the notion or am I really influencing lives for Christ? What about the world around me, do they see Christ in me or just another busy person too busy for people. I want them to see a person who cares for them, who considers every encounter an opportunity to influence a person to know Christ. May we consider our actions, attitudes and words to see that they correctly represent Christ and His character to all God places in our path...

More conversations...

Driving in the car with Cade and it's silent...

Cade: Mom, Jesus loves me.

Me: Yes He does, does he love me too?

Cade: No. But He will love you someday mom.

Me: Cade, Jesus doesn't love me?

Cade: No mom.

Next morning driving again and it's silent...

Cade: Mom, Jesus loves you now.

(I kept thinking is God trying to speak to me through this kid, am I in sin or something. Either way I guess I'm good now!:)

And of course Ryah is amazing... I pick her up from class today and she says "mom, don't open the front pocket of my back pack I've got a cricket in there." Sure enough we get home and there is a one legged cricket in her backpack! I just hope he lost his leg prior to being kept in solitary confinement by Ryah. She also informed me that she is teaching the other kids on the playground how to catch lizards, and she has been successful so far, I think she should start charging for these things!