Three Tweets Thursdays III

Hi everyone! I must confess that I have not looked at my blog in a week. I missed last week's tweets because of the July fourth holiday.

I had the privilege of going to Orlando this past weekend to watch my stepson, Hunter, play baseball in an allstars baseball tournament. 

They won third  place in their division, which is amazing, since they were competing against twenty teams from places as far away as the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

This is the girls and I in front of the entrance to the complex, ESPN Wide World of Sports. It was a beautiful complex and the stadiums were similar to the AAA baseball teams' fields. In fact, we saw the Braves AAA team playing on one of the fields while we were there.

We are very proud of Hunter. He's a wonderful baseball player, with a good head on his shoulders.

Both girls get very excited when they know we are going to see him, even though they are a little shy at first. Jenna really admires him and once she warms up, she is all over him. In this picture, Jenna (on the left), and another little sister, are watching Hunter warm up for his turn at bat.

Jenna is at the age where she is truthful and opinionated, but can't decipher what may or may not hurt someone's feelings.

1. One afternoon, we were resting and watching TV in the Orlando hotel, getting ready for a long day at the ballpark. A young, blonde girl came on the screen in the movie we were watching. Jenna said, "She's pretty isn't she mommy?" I agreed, then she said, "She's prettier than you. Except when you wear lipstick. Then you are prettier." "Oh, really. Hmmm," I responded. I noticed that the girl had on a soft, pink lip gloss that really added color to her complexion. As insecure as it seems, I secretly have been trying to wear a little more lip color since then. If all it takes is lipstick to look a tad cuter, well then, bring on the lip color!

2. Not long after the lipstick comment, she told me that she thought Daddy was older than Mommy. My husband is ten years older than me, but people tell him all the time that they are surprised at his age and they think he's a lot younger. My husband loves to brag to me about this, and I usually say something like, "It's not your looks they're referring to, it's your immaturity." 

Rarely, am I ever told that I look younger, so I thought Jenna's comment was kind of funny. I questioned, "Why do you think I am younger?" "Because Daddy has lines on his face," she said. 

3. My husband, Jason, is a manly man. He's handsome, but he's not into hair and facial products or manicures and he washes his face with bar soap (which is not helping with the "lines"). He will let his eyebrows grow so much before getting them trimmed, they look like they're waving at people. Jason will wear whatever he can reach first in the closet and even though I will buy him new socks and underwear, he will still wear the ones with holes in them. I have to sneak to throw his underwear away because he's a borderline hoarder and claims his Sunday undies, "the holy ones", are comfortable and his favorites.

He'll come home from work and put on the same comfy basketball shorts and t-shirt almost daily. Jenna has observed this routine and she has pointed out, in pictures of him five years ago, that he is wearing the same outfit. 

One day she said, "Daddy's had those clothes a long time. He needs new pajamas, right?" "Do you think we should get him some?," I asked. "Yes," she said. "Me and Carissa get new ones and so, Daddy should too."

These pictures are only three of the many shots I have of him in his favorite shirt and basketball shorts.
Love you, babe;) 

   

Claiming Victory Over Horribleness

I was on Facebook this past week, and this is what came across my newsfeed:

One of my friends apparently "liked" this photo posted by "Being Liberal", which looks like a blog devoted to mudslinging against right-wing Republicans. 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary says liberal can mean broad-minded. I assume this writer wasn't feeling all warm and fuzzy and like being liberal that day about religious people.    

To be honest, I'm not a fan of talking about politics. I am not on team red or team blue. In my opinion, our nation's politics have become too much about hating another party, rather than finding the best solutions for the American people. And, mudslinging against another political party is always ridiculous and sophomoric at best. How can we be the United States of America, without unity?   

I don't usually like to get involved in foolish and idle talk about divisive issues, like politics. But, I will be bold for Jesus. 

I scrolled down at the comments on this post, and people were calling Christians corrupt and saying that religion makes you horrible. It's easy for me  to forget how persecuted we are, until I look outside my Christian social circles.

I liked what one guy said:

 If religion is the only thing keeping someone from being horrible, then thank God for 

religion!

Looking at all the comments, I started thinking about the Christians and non-Christians I know. Some Christians, myself included, have done some pretty horrible things. In fact, I know some wonderful non-Christians that seem more loving, kind, generous, and helpful than some Christians I know.

As we celebrate the Fourth of July and our nation's freedom this week, it always makes me think of the freedom we are given when we have a relationship with Christ. 

You see, the difference between Christians and non-Christians is really not who is more horrible, but instead, who has freedom from that horribleness. So, this is what I commented on the post that day:

The truth is we are ALL horrible people apart from God's grace. Thankfully, Jesus nails our horribleness to the cross when we place our trust in Him.

Then, we no longer have to be slaves to our sin. We don't have to carry around the weight of our bad choices, past or present. We don't have to be a prisoner to emotions like fear, guilt, shame, anger, and unworthiness. Jesus paid our ransom when he died on a cross and declared, "It is finished" (John 19:30). 

Isn't that a wonderful gift? A free gift of freedom for everyone, that doesn't have to be fought for or earned. "For God so loved you, that he gave his one and only son, that if you believe in him, you shall have eternal life" (John 3:16).

For those of us who do believe, let's claim our victory. We have the same power living in us that rose Christ from the grave. Isn't that amazing? With the Holy Spirit we will never be alone and we will never be defeated.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am grateful for living in the United States of America, the land of the free and the home of the brave and for your sons and daughters that fought for that freedom. Though my earthly freedom may be threatened at times, I am grateful for the secure gift you gave me of freedom in Christ, when you sent Jesus to die on a cross to pay the ultimate price for my sins. In the strong name of Jesus. Amen.