On Saturday night, we left at 6pm tO head down to Alabama to pick up JC's brother, Rick. I think my husband explained how we were all feeling as we left, on his Facebook status asking for prayers - this is his post:
My FB family & friends please pray for me bcuz I'm on my way 2 Alabama 2 save my brother from the belly of the Devil. I'm bringing Jesus w/ me so how can I lose in defeating him. #RejoiceInChrist!!!!!
Little did we know before we would make it down there, he would be shot by his father-in-law. The drive was long and I was worried about JC. I thought for sure he was going to have a heart attack when the call came. It was like the life was sucked out of him as he sat there. His breathing became harsh, at times he was sweating, and he was becoming more and more nauseous with each mile I drove. He was sick when he had to call his father to tell him, worrying about his father's failing heart, but knowing he needed to let his family know.
Information is sketchy, alot happened that day that we may never fully know, but we stand firm in believing that Rick needs to just get away from the entire situation.
When we got to the hospital, we waited about an hour and the surgeon came to tell us he had made it through a pretty major surgery. He had to have a piece of his bowel removed and then they stiched the two pieces back together. He was in terrible pain, but he was coherent. He knew who he was and what had happened. His throat was hurting a lot because of being incubated and also because he had a tube up his nose all the way down into his stomach. It was not a sight he wished for his daughters to see, especially after they witnessed him being shot. Angela didn't feel the same way and was very angry with me and JC because we wouldn't give her his room number. All we did was follow his request through and JC did what ever he could to keep them away from him because of their hatred towards him and because Rick was not physically able or willing to see them. We asked her to understand that he needed time to heal and that he would call....she yelled and screamed, told her daughter that he hated her and that is why he wouldn't call. She sent me text after text after text telling me I was wrong and I should just let her kids talk to their dad. Never mind the fact, that the oldest one had sent me a text just 2 short hours before he was shot, saying she hoped he died. She turns it around to say that she is only a child...but let me tell you, that little girl has a mouth on her that you wouldn't believe. I am appalled by the language she uses, I am appalled by her attitude, and I am appalled that her mother allows the behavior to continue. There is a Facebook message that she wrote saying she was going to walk to Birmingham, presumably to pay me "a little visit"....that made me laugh, since I wasn't even in the state of Alabama at that point. We tried everything we could to be civil, and yet tonight when Rick was ready to call and talk to them, she decides it is too late and told me she has a protective order against him and he couldn't call, text, or talk to his children. Yet, just this afternoon, she was demanding that he be allowed to talk to them. This woman and her entire family, need some serious mental help. I want to be angry, but I am more confused and saddened by this.
I will say up front, as a child of divorce, I will NEVER advocate divorce unless of course there is a history of abuse or adultery. I have begged Angela to make him leave for 5+ years. She has talked about his verbal and emotional abuse for much longer than that. I believed everything she said about him....I wanted her to stand up for herself, be a strong woman and defend herself and her kids...but she always said she couldn't do that to the girls and she couldn't take care of them because she can't or didn't want to work because she didn't want her parents to raise them the way they raised her son. It wasn't until he lost his job in the past month, that things began to get worse. She says it has nothing to do with his job, so I guess it is just coincidental timing. Both of these girls have issues that would take a lifetime of therapy to correct. They have anger, hatred, and bitterness. I am NOT saying they didn't get any of that from their father....I know he has not been a stand up guy in their lives, but Angela constantly pulls them into the middle of the arguments and has made them grow up way to early. She has allowed her daughter to move in a 17-year old "friend" who supposedly was her girlfriend...but even though she allowed them to sleep in the same bed in a room with the door shut, nothing happened. The child is 12 years old. She is too young and she is making decisions about that not only affect her life here on earth but her eternity as well.
My mind is a mess right now, my thoughts are jumbled, and I don't feel like I am capable of holding down the fort while JC is gone. He is my rock. I have put him in the capable hands of God and I am praying he makes it home with his brother and no more incidences. I want to be there, I want him to be here. I want this all to be a bad dream. I want to believe God had a plan for all of this. I want to believe that God is going to bring good from this entire situation. I do believe this in my heart....now if only my brain would catch up....I wouldn't be sitting here at 11pm trying to make sense of it all. JC and Rick are still very much in the belly of the Devil...and I am praying that the Lord will pick them up and keep them out of harms way until JC can make it home where he belongs.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
It is Well With My Soul
So this past week to week in a half have been fast and slow, fun and sad, easy and hard. Some tears were shed, laughs were heard, memories were made, and several hours were wasted. Life is moving full speed ahead, no matter how we try to drag our heels in the sand and come to a stop, the world is moving faster each day it seems. I mean here we are mid-May all ready, how is that possible?
Jeremy turned 9 this past Sunday. My baby is no longer a baby...he is smart, loving, caring, tall, and handsome. His baby face is leaving, being replaced with a big boy face. He is finishing up 3rd grade and just finished taking EOGs for the first time this year. His smile lights up a room, you can't help but smile when you see this kid. He is amazing. Just like his brothers. God sure has blessed me with 3 pretty awesome kids. I don't say it enough to any of them. I love them so much, but it seems life is moving by so fast and pretty soon they will be out on their own. We had a birthday party for him at Nascar Speed Park on Saturday, which was really nice, but also very overwhelming. Luckily all of the kids were picked up by their parents with nobody getting lost! The mama in me was pretty nervous.
I started waking up at 4:30 last week to go walking with Gail. The first morning we only did 4 laps, by yesterday, we have all ready moved up to 7 laps. It is a struggle to get up each morning but having somebody to do it with helps so very much. This morning I didn't get up, but I had a horrible night sleep. I normally sleep through everything, but the storm we had woke me up around 230 and I really didn't sleep well after that. I hate that I chickened out, but I really wasn't certain that the storms were completely gone and honestly, I think I was just too exhausted - physically and mentally. We won't walk tomorrow morning either because she has a prayer meeting, but we will get back to it on Friday.
I have gotten into "conversations" with several people over the marriage amendment since the 8th. I try not to talk politics or get into confrontations, because it upsets me and I don't normally react in the best way. THis week it came up several times on Facebook...most I didn't comment to, but one from my 2nd cousin, i did. Her post basically said anybody who voted for the marriage amendment were judging....I finally snapped and replied....I don't call them bigots or judgmental because they are judging me and my vote....I was very nice - told her I respected her view and preceded to tell her why I voted the way I did. I also had a talk with my sisters...and was very shocked to hear how they both felt.
I was also confronted by my 12 year old niece, who believes she likes girls. I believe she is too young to be dating let alone to be making decisions that affect not only the rest of her life, but also her eternity. I replied several times but she always had smart replies or more questions. She is very set against Jesus because she can't see Him. I told her at one point that she can't see air but she relies on it to breathe. I also found the following statement when I googled "Is God real" - "Considering you won't accept any evidence in anyway shape or form anyway, I wil just quote the late Pastor Irwin Lutzer, who said before he Died. "The Blood of Christ is enough! I have no other argument I have no other plea, It is enough that He died and that He died for me!" - To that she replied that Christians were the most judgmental people she had ever met.
She talked about religion. My response to her was this:
Jeremy turned 9 this past Sunday. My baby is no longer a baby...he is smart, loving, caring, tall, and handsome. His baby face is leaving, being replaced with a big boy face. He is finishing up 3rd grade and just finished taking EOGs for the first time this year. His smile lights up a room, you can't help but smile when you see this kid. He is amazing. Just like his brothers. God sure has blessed me with 3 pretty awesome kids. I don't say it enough to any of them. I love them so much, but it seems life is moving by so fast and pretty soon they will be out on their own. We had a birthday party for him at Nascar Speed Park on Saturday, which was really nice, but also very overwhelming. Luckily all of the kids were picked up by their parents with nobody getting lost! The mama in me was pretty nervous.
I started waking up at 4:30 last week to go walking with Gail. The first morning we only did 4 laps, by yesterday, we have all ready moved up to 7 laps. It is a struggle to get up each morning but having somebody to do it with helps so very much. This morning I didn't get up, but I had a horrible night sleep. I normally sleep through everything, but the storm we had woke me up around 230 and I really didn't sleep well after that. I hate that I chickened out, but I really wasn't certain that the storms were completely gone and honestly, I think I was just too exhausted - physically and mentally. We won't walk tomorrow morning either because she has a prayer meeting, but we will get back to it on Friday.
I have gotten into "conversations" with several people over the marriage amendment since the 8th. I try not to talk politics or get into confrontations, because it upsets me and I don't normally react in the best way. THis week it came up several times on Facebook...most I didn't comment to, but one from my 2nd cousin, i did. Her post basically said anybody who voted for the marriage amendment were judging....I finally snapped and replied....I don't call them bigots or judgmental because they are judging me and my vote....I was very nice - told her I respected her view and preceded to tell her why I voted the way I did. I also had a talk with my sisters...and was very shocked to hear how they both felt.
I was also confronted by my 12 year old niece, who believes she likes girls. I believe she is too young to be dating let alone to be making decisions that affect not only the rest of her life, but also her eternity. I replied several times but she always had smart replies or more questions. She is very set against Jesus because she can't see Him. I told her at one point that she can't see air but she relies on it to breathe. I also found the following statement when I googled "Is God real" - "Considering you won't accept any evidence in anyway shape or form anyway, I wil just quote the late Pastor Irwin Lutzer, who said before he Died. "The Blood of Christ is enough! I have no other argument I have no other plea, It is enough that He died and that He died for me!" - To that she replied that Christians were the most judgmental people she had ever met.
She talked about religion. My response to her was this:
"I don't care about religion, religion is not what I believe in, I believe in a relationship. God is my Heavenly Father and through the blood of Jesus, I am able to have a relationship with God. He is my protector, He is my friend, He is there when I need Him and even there when I pushed Him away. He is a constant in my life. I am sorry you feel that way about Christians, I would agree that many people who claim to be Christians don't act right, but putting us all in that category isn't true.
As far as believing in something that you say has no pictures or physical evidence, all I can tell you is that Hebrews 11:1 says "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I believe in Him not because I have seen Him personally, but because of how He has changed my life. Let me ask you this - Have you ever seen air? Probably not. Do you believe it exists? Most likely - yes, since you have to be able to breathe to live. You believe in air because of what it does for you and yet there are no pictures of air.
I am not judging you or any other person for wanting to participate in same-sex relationships. You and each person who does this will one day have to stand before God at the Judgement throne and there you will be judged. I do not judge because I don't want to be judged for doing the judging! However, I will not change my views because the world tells me to, if you think I am being judgmental because of that, then that is something you have to deal with, and I am sorry you feel that way. I am living for eternity not for today. We are called to love our neighbors, which doesn't just mean our next door neighbor, it means to love everybody as if it were Jesus himself standing there. I am a sinner...I love sinners, but I don't love their sins!"
As far as believing in something that you say has no pictures or physical evidence, all I can tell you is that Hebrews 11:1 says "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I believe in Him not because I have seen Him personally, but because of how He has changed my life. Let me ask you this - Have you ever seen air? Probably not. Do you believe it exists? Most likely - yes, since you have to be able to breathe to live. You believe in air because of what it does for you and yet there are no pictures of air.
I am not judging you or any other person for wanting to participate in same-sex relationships. You and each person who does this will one day have to stand before God at the Judgement throne and there you will be judged. I do not judge because I don't want to be judged for doing the judging! However, I will not change my views because the world tells me to, if you think I am being judgmental because of that, then that is something you have to deal with, and I am sorry you feel that way. I am living for eternity not for today. We are called to love our neighbors, which doesn't just mean our next door neighbor, it means to love everybody as if it were Jesus himself standing there. I am a sinner...I love sinners, but I don't love their sins!"
I don't know if my responses to any of these people this past week are right or wrong, I can only do what is in my heart. Jesus died on the cross for me and all of my sins, the least I can do is stand up for the Word of God. God loved me enough to send His Son to walk this earth. His Son loved Him enough to live a perfect life and take all sin on his shoulders on that cross. Not his will but God's will be done. I am not perfect. I am lacking in areas in my walk with Christ, but I am trying to love like Christ. That is all I can do. The Bible says to love God and to love our neighbors. I don't hate anybody, but I do love them enough to tell them what the Bible says. The Bible says a marriage is between one man and one woman. The Bible says not to be conformed to the world. How do I know the Bible is true?? The Bible is the only book that has been in existence for over 2000 years, it has been found to be historically accurate, hundreds of prophesies from the Old Testament have come true in the New Testament, but most importantly because I have asked Jesus to come into my life and I can see the difference in me. And in the end, it is all well with my soul.
It Is Well With My Soul - Horatio G. Spafford, 1873
- When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
- Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
- Refrain:
- Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul. - My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! - For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. - But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! - And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Monday, May 07, 2012
Just Checking In
Well, it has been more than a week, but I feel like I am on the go so much. I am looking forward to the next few weeks, we have nothing to do on Sundays anymore, nothing else on Mondays or Tuesday, after 2 more Wednesdays we will have about 4 weeks without anything on Wednesdays, after the 19th, we won't have practices on Thursdays or games on Wednesdays. As much as I love to go and do...I am looking forward to having some alone time with the family...time to reflect, time to just breathe, time to start thinking about me!
Tomorrow morning, I am meeting a new friend at the school to walk at 5am...I have no idea how I am going to get up that early, but I am going to do it...I need to do this. I have been feeling miserable, and I am hoping this is the first step in the right direction. There is so many things I want to do; making cards, working on scrapbooks, I hope I can get some more energy so I am able to do what I love to do. I am just going to take it one day at a time.
Lets see, what else...I voted last week in early voting so I don't have to go stand in lines tomorrow. It is a big vote that is a true biblical issue. Pastor Terry Seamon broke it down for us very well on Sunday...he said we need to understand the times and know what we should do. The way we do this is by following the 3 compass points:
(1) Base your beliefs on the Word of God
(2) Balance truth with mercy, and
(3) Look for ways to speak the truth IN LOVE
I think his last point is very important and is one that many people in the Church fail to remember. (I don't mean our church, I mean THE Church...or Church (with a capital C). Jesus walked this earth as a man and he loved people, even when they didn't love him. I know that God is a Holy and Righteous God, I know that He is just, but I also know that He loves us and the condemnation being passed by other believers, is not what He would have done. He told the prostitue to "go and sin no more", he didn't tell her she wasn't saved because she loved sex more than God. I don't believe that once you are saved and have the Holy Spirit inside, that you will no longer sin....I don't believe it happens immediately, and I don't believe that you won't ever do that sin again. I believe we are imperfect people who have a Perfect God that is love and just and that we have to work hard to be more like Christ every day in this day and age. I also believe that I will have to answer for everything I said or didn't say, did or didn't do, loved or didn't loved....I think you get my point. I believe that every person will not only answer for the people they helped bring to Jesus, but they will also answer for the people who they pushed away....thinking about that, I don't think anybody in the body of Christ has a right to condemn or judge others.
OK,now that I got way off track, to finish what Pastor Terry Seamon said, there are many Bible verses that specifically speak about marriage: Genesis 2:21-24 says one man and one woman. Leviticus 18:22 says homosexuality is an abomination. Romans 1:26-27 says homesexuality is shameful. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says fornication and homosexuality are wrong and if you continue to live in this sin you will no receive the Kingdom of God.
I am not a vocal person, I choose to sit back and listen and not put my opinion out there because I don't like confrontation, but in this instance, I am definitely choosing to vote FOR this amendment. The Bible has been the center of this country for longer than these people have been alive, the Bible tells us it is wrong. I don't care what others in this world are trying to tell people, I care about my eternity and having to answer to God for everything I said or didn't say!
Jeremy is turning 9 next Sunday. It is hard to believe our little man is getting so big. Kim and Sandi are coming in and we are taking Jeremy to the Nascar Speedpark. I guess I am going to sign off and head to bed.
In Christ,
Bobbie
Tomorrow morning, I am meeting a new friend at the school to walk at 5am...I have no idea how I am going to get up that early, but I am going to do it...I need to do this. I have been feeling miserable, and I am hoping this is the first step in the right direction. There is so many things I want to do; making cards, working on scrapbooks, I hope I can get some more energy so I am able to do what I love to do. I am just going to take it one day at a time.
Lets see, what else...I voted last week in early voting so I don't have to go stand in lines tomorrow. It is a big vote that is a true biblical issue. Pastor Terry Seamon broke it down for us very well on Sunday...he said we need to understand the times and know what we should do. The way we do this is by following the 3 compass points:
(1) Base your beliefs on the Word of God
(2) Balance truth with mercy, and
(3) Look for ways to speak the truth IN LOVE
I think his last point is very important and is one that many people in the Church fail to remember. (I don't mean our church, I mean THE Church...or Church (with a capital C). Jesus walked this earth as a man and he loved people, even when they didn't love him. I know that God is a Holy and Righteous God, I know that He is just, but I also know that He loves us and the condemnation being passed by other believers, is not what He would have done. He told the prostitue to "go and sin no more", he didn't tell her she wasn't saved because she loved sex more than God. I don't believe that once you are saved and have the Holy Spirit inside, that you will no longer sin....I don't believe it happens immediately, and I don't believe that you won't ever do that sin again. I believe we are imperfect people who have a Perfect God that is love and just and that we have to work hard to be more like Christ every day in this day and age. I also believe that I will have to answer for everything I said or didn't say, did or didn't do, loved or didn't loved....I think you get my point. I believe that every person will not only answer for the people they helped bring to Jesus, but they will also answer for the people who they pushed away....thinking about that, I don't think anybody in the body of Christ has a right to condemn or judge others.
OK,now that I got way off track, to finish what Pastor Terry Seamon said, there are many Bible verses that specifically speak about marriage: Genesis 2:21-24 says one man and one woman. Leviticus 18:22 says homosexuality is an abomination. Romans 1:26-27 says homesexuality is shameful. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says fornication and homosexuality are wrong and if you continue to live in this sin you will no receive the Kingdom of God.
I am not a vocal person, I choose to sit back and listen and not put my opinion out there because I don't like confrontation, but in this instance, I am definitely choosing to vote FOR this amendment. The Bible has been the center of this country for longer than these people have been alive, the Bible tells us it is wrong. I don't care what others in this world are trying to tell people, I care about my eternity and having to answer to God for everything I said or didn't say!
Jeremy is turning 9 next Sunday. It is hard to believe our little man is getting so big. Kim and Sandi are coming in and we are taking Jeremy to the Nascar Speedpark. I guess I am going to sign off and head to bed.
In Christ,
Bobbie
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