Holy Ground-ing

Have you ever felt like you were or have actually been on holy ground or in a sacred place?  I know from growing up in church that I was told a million times, "This is God's house." But I mean really understood what that meant, like Moses' experience in Exodus 3:5, “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” I think I finally got a glimpse.

On October 8th, we finally were able to have our homestudy done.  Life leading up to it and since has been the most chaotic I've ever seen it.  However, for 5 and half short hours, there was peace.  This is nothing short of miraculous especially if you've been around my husband's cell phone on a Monday morning, no less.    We were asked every-single-question-you-can-imagine.  No, really.  Let's pause here for a minute.  Think of a question(no, question is too icky or intimate, I'll wait while you think of something) Yep, we were asked that too.  Then, we took a tour of the house, every nook and cranny, even the closets(including the teenager's, gas masks and all).  For 5 and half hours, we worked so great as a family unit.  During the joint portion of the homestudy with Harley and I, we finished each others sentences, laughed, and remained quite while the other voiced their ideas.  Complete and utter harmony and respect.  It was family utopia, here, People!  Our children where somewhat left to their own watching as we completed this section.  They played, laughed, and pretty well contained themselves for a couple of hours.  We broke for lunch and everyone agreed on sandwiches and chips for a quick bite. No one complained that they wanted that piece of bread or that last juice box.  And when it was over, we started with the questions again.

And then, it was over.  In the weeks that have followed this glorious event of family harmony it feels like the wheels have come off the tracks.  I have found myself on more than one occasion humming Ozzy's Crazy Train.  Here's a glimpse at a certain situation:  We had a family meltdown so severe last Sunday we could not even make it to church to serve our teenage small groups.  It was the perfect storm, really.  My phone was broken and couldn't dial out or text.  Harley and I weren't seeing eye-to-eye(to put it lightly) on a situation, a certain child-that-shall-remain-nameless had tested beyond what is sensical and on top of all of that my sister's dog was lost!   That's right, we couldn't even muster up the fake smiles, we all need to get through church some Sundays--I know y'all have done this too, we're going for total transparency, here) so we just didn't show up.   NOT COOL!   Whoa! We are all in need of a time out!  My otherwise, calm, harmonious family is stressed to the max!  Consequently, in my journey to put down the perfection scepter(forgive me, its Avenger central around here), I start to panic wondering if my answers were lies or if we weren't really ourselves and then the Holy Spirit prompts me with God's Word like Genesis 28:15, " I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”  This reminds me that he sees our hearts and our affliction and pain for the fatherless.  It also reminds me that this is his work for his glory and his work is holy.  So, those 5 hours weren't fake or false.  They were a gift of God's peace and they were his holy work, set apart for his will to be accomplished in us.

Finally, we appreciate every prayer offered up for us during this wait.  It is obvious our family needs protection, because every single thing that could be attacked to stop us, has been attacked.  Everything from health(remember my pneumonia right before our required respite and one our boys needing a daily medication), financial scares and battles, family disharmony, to behavior problems and childhood troubles.  All of this to get through the homestudy and wait some more.  We will let you know when we get through to the next phase.   

Proud to Be...

Folks, it is no secret if you follow me much on Twitter or see me on Facebook much, that my political views are conservative.  I was called a nerd by my darling husband during the Republican National Convention! Well, I was giving air punches out during Senator Marco Rubio's speech. 1-2-PUNCH!  For real!  This week its the democrats turn to air punch have a chai latte and blog on their Mac from the campus coffeehouse.  And as I try to listen and keep an open-mind, my mind is just flooded with scripture.  I have a twisted and complex mind!   My brain pendulum swings from chasing after my earthly freedom to reliquishing it all for an eternal one. 

I sit and listen to the news media, staunch Dems, and celebs refer to President Obama as a Savior or even more sacreligious, a "Black Jesus." (Thank you, Spike Lee for clearing up any lingering doubt on your theology.)  Part of me realizes four years isn't enough time to undue the damage of the last 40 years or more, but I have faith enough to know the Barack Obama couldn't do in a lifetime what Jesus was able to do in 3 days! 

I sit and listen to conservative news outlets Fox News, hard-core conservatives and Republicans, and Clint Eastwood and worry we are headed for doom.  That the America my children become adults will not be the "land of the free," but the land of what-can-I-get-for-free? It is in this sphere where Obama is referred to as The Antichrist and a Muslim extremist, etc.  All of these messages bring on fear.  Some of them have valid points, while others are completely obsurd.  I was really unnerved about the state of country and where we are headed to next and that is when Romans 13:1 popped into my head: (AMP) "Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment."  Umm, did y'all get that?  Friends, we are supposed to follow the law.  But check out that second half: there is no authority except from God, with his approval stamp and seal and His Divine Appointment!   And when fear rises or proganda floods my email inbox I realize my security is not of this world, in my shelter or my bank account.  I claim promises found in Isaiah 54:17 But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord. 

Moreover, what I realize from the times we live and the smallness the world has become is that we cannot simple have agree-to-disagree conversations anymore.  Everyone's thumb is on The Button, ready to blow up anything in their path of disagreement.  My nature, too, is to fight.  I was taught in a sermon this weekend while visiting my hometown that when Pilate questioned Jesus about being a king the way Jesus answered him.  In John 18:36, this is what Jesus said, "My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king."  Whoa! Good readers, our fate as believers in a victorious God is not in the hands of whomever is president of the United States of America.  I know, it is easy to get caught up in all of it.  Things are changing, some for the better, others not, but we are shown in God's word it cannot last.  IT WILL pass away.  The only thing that stands forever is God's Word. Reference Isaiah 40:8.  We are Americans, it is our right to vote, so do it, but do it with civility, and please, if you call yourself a Christ follower with compassion for others' opinions. (Yes, I am talking to myself)   Most of all, join with me in prayer over our great nation, for whomever is in office and join me in being a voice for the underserved and unloved everywhere.