It's HOT. But it's summertime, so I actually expect it to be that way. And you will never hear me complain about the heat because 1) I don't have to actually do anything in the heat except float in my pool, and 2) I wait all year for it to get hot because I. despise. winter!
So today, Z & I were running some errands for Cole, who was at work at our very hot, no AC business.
Zailey said, "Daddy is so lucky! He gets to have one of those giant Gatorades every single day!"
I said, "Well yes... but Daddy also has to work all day in the super hot warehouse."
"Yes, mom, I know that. But that's not the story we're telling right now."
Whoa.
At first, I was a little taken back by what I perceived as sass.
But then I thought about how deep her little words really were.
You see, I didn't want her precious, naive, 6-year-old perspective to miss the big picture that her daddy works very hard for her, in summertime HOT and wintertime COLD... I didn't want her to selfishly focus on others' "haves" and her "have-nots."
But as I thought about it I realized that her perspective was actually so much more broad than mine. "That's not the story we're telling right now."
In her own little way she was reminding me that life is what you make it. You see what you choose to focus on.
There are good parts and bad parts of every single day. Now I know that there are actual tragedies and illnesses and terrible circumstances that sometimes (hopefully temporarily) cloud our vision. I'm not talking about those. Those are different. I'm talking about the ins & outs of every day.
The alarm clock goes off - I'm awake and able to get up again today! vs Ugh, I have to get up again.
Time to make dinner - I have food to feed my family! vs Why do these people want to eat all the time?
Cole has Gatorades in the fridge - He gets a Gatorade every day! vs He works in an un-AC shop all day.
You get the idea...
Some would call it "looking at the bright side." Others might call it "seeing God's blessings" in everyday life. Both are good ways to think about it. I'm going to start calling it "the story I'm telling." If you choose to see the negative, you'll tell the negative story. But if you choose to see positive, you'll tell that story instead.
And we're all telling a story... to our spouses & kids, to our co-workers, our neighbors, family & friends, the lady at the bank drive-up or the kid working the drive-thru window. They're all hearing our story.
So, what story are you telling?
7.13.2018
5.31.2018
Building Walls
This past Sunday Cole preached about what it looks like to take the first step toward doing what we're called to do. As a part of his sermon, he challenged us to read through the account of Nehemiah, and his work in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. As I was reading through Nehemiah this morning, the Lord brought a few things to my attention. And I don't want to forget them.
Nehemiah was a cupbearer for the king. He wasn't a foreman or a construction guru...he didn't have years of experience leading large groups of people... he wasn't in a position of prestige and power. He was a cupbearer. He was the first to taste the wine for the king to see if it had been poisoned. Yet He was willing to go to his homeland and rebuild the wall.
When he got to Jerusalem, he began recruiting others to join him in the work. The ones who got to work with him were priests (v3), goldsmiths and perfumemakers (v8). They weren't professionally trained for the work that the Lord called them to do. But they were faithful. They didn't have to know how to build the whole wall. They just worked on their own section. Faithfully.
Scripture also says that many of the families worked on the gates "opposite his house," "in front of their house," and "beside his house." They worked as fathers and sons, families, or "with the help of his daughters." They were in their own neighborhoods, working as families! They didn't travel to the other side of the city to work. They didn't have to find a team of people who knew what they were doing. They worked near their own homes and with their own people.
I think this speaks volumes about the work that God calls us to do in our own lives. The ministry we're called to may or may not have anything to do with what we think we're trained to do. It might just be work that needs to be done. It's also probably closer to home than we think.
There are some people who are called to do great big things, travelling to far away lands telling the masses about the Good News of the gospel. But for most of us, our ministry is at home. In our own cities, in our own neighborhoods, working alongside our own families. Our work is probably not glamorous, and we probably aren't going to get rich & famous for it.
Name a builder of the Wall of Jerusalem. Go ahead... I'll wait.
You can't do it.
They didn't get rich or famous. Except that their names & stories are recorded in scripture, and they're so famous in HIS story.
And that's what it's actually all about. Making His name great and making His work famous.
You know what else I noticed? Their work wasn't easy-peasy. They had opposition and enemies and naysayers. People questioned whether or not they were capable. Or if they were working for their own impure motives. But they knew the truth, that their work was of the Lord. And so they were faithful.
But even in knowing that the Lord was with them and that He would give them success, they still carried weapons while they worked and they appointed some of the workers to take turns being guards. They weren't careless or naive about the dangers that their enemies presented. And we shouldn't be either. Even when we are doing the work that the Lord has called us to do, and we know that full-well, we still should be vigilant and careful to protect that work. Be armed, maybe physically... definitely spiritually. And when danger presents itself, keep working! "Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked." (4:17)
We are not promised easy conditions or wide open doors into the promised land! In fact, I believe that if the work is worth it (and any work of the Lord always is), there will be opposition. There will be those who are threatened by it, and those who say we can't or shouldn't keep going. #balderdash!
"Don't be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." (v14) And so the wall was completed in 52 days.
Great things can be done when 1) we are faithful to do the work that the Lord is calling us to do; 2) we rally together with those around us, our families & our neighbors, and do our part; and 3) we don't worry ourselves with the business of the whole wall, but we faithfully work on our part, doing what we can do.
Lord, help me be faithful to do my part in Moberly, Missouri. Show me how to gather my family, my children, around me to put our hands & feet to work for You. Show us which part of the "wall" is ours to build, and which parts are for others to be concerned with. Most of all, Lord, let us remember You, You who are great and awesome and faithful to do what You say You will do!
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. Zech 4:10
Nehemiah was a cupbearer for the king. He wasn't a foreman or a construction guru...he didn't have years of experience leading large groups of people... he wasn't in a position of prestige and power. He was a cupbearer. He was the first to taste the wine for the king to see if it had been poisoned. Yet He was willing to go to his homeland and rebuild the wall.
When he got to Jerusalem, he began recruiting others to join him in the work. The ones who got to work with him were priests (v3), goldsmiths and perfumemakers (v8). They weren't professionally trained for the work that the Lord called them to do. But they were faithful. They didn't have to know how to build the whole wall. They just worked on their own section. Faithfully.
Scripture also says that many of the families worked on the gates "opposite his house," "in front of their house," and "beside his house." They worked as fathers and sons, families, or "with the help of his daughters." They were in their own neighborhoods, working as families! They didn't travel to the other side of the city to work. They didn't have to find a team of people who knew what they were doing. They worked near their own homes and with their own people.
I think this speaks volumes about the work that God calls us to do in our own lives. The ministry we're called to may or may not have anything to do with what we think we're trained to do. It might just be work that needs to be done. It's also probably closer to home than we think.
There are some people who are called to do great big things, travelling to far away lands telling the masses about the Good News of the gospel. But for most of us, our ministry is at home. In our own cities, in our own neighborhoods, working alongside our own families. Our work is probably not glamorous, and we probably aren't going to get rich & famous for it.
Name a builder of the Wall of Jerusalem. Go ahead... I'll wait.
You can't do it.
They didn't get rich or famous. Except that their names & stories are recorded in scripture, and they're so famous in HIS story.
And that's what it's actually all about. Making His name great and making His work famous.
You know what else I noticed? Their work wasn't easy-peasy. They had opposition and enemies and naysayers. People questioned whether or not they were capable. Or if they were working for their own impure motives. But they knew the truth, that their work was of the Lord. And so they were faithful.
But even in knowing that the Lord was with them and that He would give them success, they still carried weapons while they worked and they appointed some of the workers to take turns being guards. They weren't careless or naive about the dangers that their enemies presented. And we shouldn't be either. Even when we are doing the work that the Lord has called us to do, and we know that full-well, we still should be vigilant and careful to protect that work. Be armed, maybe physically... definitely spiritually. And when danger presents itself, keep working! "Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked." (4:17)
We are not promised easy conditions or wide open doors into the promised land! In fact, I believe that if the work is worth it (and any work of the Lord always is), there will be opposition. There will be those who are threatened by it, and those who say we can't or shouldn't keep going. #balderdash!
"Don't be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." (v14) And so the wall was completed in 52 days.
Great things can be done when 1) we are faithful to do the work that the Lord is calling us to do; 2) we rally together with those around us, our families & our neighbors, and do our part; and 3) we don't worry ourselves with the business of the whole wall, but we faithfully work on our part, doing what we can do.
Lord, help me be faithful to do my part in Moberly, Missouri. Show me how to gather my family, my children, around me to put our hands & feet to work for You. Show us which part of the "wall" is ours to build, and which parts are for others to be concerned with. Most of all, Lord, let us remember You, You who are great and awesome and faithful to do what You say You will do!
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. Zech 4:10
1.02.2018
2017... The Comfort Zone
Apparently this blog has become an annual Year-End-Review. I honestly mean to post more than once a year, it just doesn't happen. Things are busy.
Judgement. Eyes. Off Me.
Two Thousand Seventeen. I'm having a hard time processing all the things that means:
1. Cole & I have been together for TWENTY years. I feel like I'm barely 20 years old...
2. My firstborn baby is a decade old. What?
3. I graduated high school 17 years ago. I seem to recall only being slightly older than that when I graduated, so...
4. My baby child started Kindergarten. Rude.
5. After 3 years, Moberly has become home. We are Spartans... and we love it!
This year finally felt settled. Nothing particularly new or exciting, different or challenging, and you all know how I love that.
Judgement. Eyes. Off Me.
Two Thousand Seventeen. I'm having a hard time processing all the things that means:
1. Cole & I have been together for TWENTY years. I feel like I'm barely 20 years old...
2. My firstborn baby is a decade old. What?
3. I graduated high school 17 years ago. I seem to recall only being slightly older than that when I graduated, so...
4. My baby child started Kindergarten. Rude.
5. After 3 years, Moberly has become home. We are Spartans... and we love it!
This year finally felt settled. Nothing particularly new or exciting, different or challenging, and you all know how I love that.
- I finished my first year teaching at MMS and started my second. I found another workplace that feels like home and have coworkers that feel like family. And I've confirmed that kids are kids, and middle schoolers are crazy, no matter where you live.
- We wrapped up our (almost) third year as small business owners. Cole figured out how to run the shop without me; and he does the business of a small army with just 2 guys. He's amazing like that! And for 5 months he took on the challenge of not only running a business, but also operating a Daddy Daycare... and made it look easy peasy.
- Javik started his last year of school before middle school! He's loving 5th grade. He's a genius of course, doing math at an almost high school level and reading college-level texts. He amazes me with his ability to learn and remember everything... selectively of course. Somehow remembering to put his laundry in the hamper that is 3 feet from his room is still a challenge some days. 😉
- Zailey Belle started Kindergarten! The first half of her year was spent at "Nolan Belle Motors Pre-School" with Cole. She learned so much she probably could have skipped Kindergarten! But alas... she marched right into that school like she knew what she was doing. In her first semester she has gotten all great marks, great behavior reports, and was given the Character Award for kindness by her teacher & principal. #proudmomalert AND, she's a reader! #gamechanger
So basically, just life as usual. Both kids played soccer and I think Javik finally found a sport that he loves! He's become a great Defender and is even thinking of trying to get on the local travelling team. Zailey has great plans for this coming year including gymnastics, softball, soccer, and piano. She clearly doesn't understand how busy works.
Oh! And in September we doubled the size of our household when our great friends moved to Moberly to jump into church planting with us, and they moved in to our house while they're looking for the perfect home in the Magic City! If you've read any of my other posts (I'm looking at you, Mom...) you'll remember that I've been praying for a "tribe". Low and behold, God moved a tribe member right into my house for me. #Heanswersmyprayersveryspecifically
People keep asking me how it's going... I think they assume it must be chaos. I'm sure there are a lot of people that I could NOT live with, and God knows that! Praise Jesus that the Vandalls are not those people! We're all pretty laid back and it just works! In fact, I feel like we got the better deal out of it! It's basically getting to hang out with your good friends 24/7, plus my kids got 2 extra parents & a big brother and sister! We could not be more excited about doing life with them, and while we'll be excited for them when they find a house nearby 😉😉, we'll actually be really sad when they move out.
People keep asking me how it's going... I think they assume it must be chaos. I'm sure there are a lot of people that I could NOT live with, and God knows that! Praise Jesus that the Vandalls are not those people! We're all pretty laid back and it just works! In fact, I feel like we got the better deal out of it! It's basically getting to hang out with your good friends 24/7, plus my kids got 2 extra parents & a big brother and sister! We could not be more excited about doing life with them, and while we'll be excited for them when they find a house nearby 😉😉, we'll actually be really sad when they move out.
So 2018...
The biggest thing on the horizon for us is the launch of Redeemer Church Moberly! We've prayed for a long time about how this new church plant would look. It has been very clear for the past few years that the Lord was telling us to wait. Waiting for what, we weren't sure. But we have known that this church is HIS church, and if any success will be to HIS glory, then the timing would have to be HIS as well.
Cole's heart all along has been to do ministry for free. Having been on staff at a church since he was 17, the last 3 years have shown us the freedom that comes with doing ministry just because you want to serve the Lord, and not because you're dependent on a church's paycheck. So... to do ministry for free means that you have to also work somewhere else. Because life takes money. We certainly cannot be those "off the grid" type people. I don't even like camping.
So clearly Nolan Belle Motors has to keep paying the bills if this is going to work. And as I mentioned earlier, Cole's pretty much maxed out there. So our prayers have been that God would send us people... ministers of the gospel... other Jesus-lovers who would come alongside us and join us in this work. And guess what? He totally did! Without us (or them) even realizing it, He was preparing the hearts of His followers to begin this new thing in Moberly. He has used this Core Team to breathe life into this church and we are so humbled / excited / eager / scared / ready! We are anxious to see this church full of people who love Jesus, and are believing God that He can and will use Redeemer Church to redeem this sweet city.
As for the rest of our time, we're certainly not going to be bored. We'll be working and playing, the kids' teams and clubs, a family vacay to NYC... maybe even a trip to the beach if I can convince the Mister.
This year I want to be a vessel. I want to work on some renovation to my temple, if you know what I mean. I want to devote my heart to His word and be more faithful to spend time in it at the beginning of each day. I want to be present each day with my sweet family. I want to look at my phone less and read more. I want to learn something new and do something I've never done before. I want to make new friends and keep in touch with old ones.
I want a lot of things. I know it's presumptuous that I would get any of them accomplished, but new years always give me a sense of hope! So here's to this new year! I have great expectations for what 2018 will bring!
CH out.
CH out.
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