Blinking Lights

So...today I got a ticket. Traffic violation. One I had no idea existed. So, you're driving down Evergreen Parkway, near Cornell Road and you see a pedestrian trying to cross the street...no crosswalk, just crossing. You think, "Wow, that woman's going to get a ticket. You're not supposed to do that. You're supposed to go to the crosswalk that's a few blocks up the road." Well, guess what? She has the right of way. I got a ticket for failing to yield to a pedestrian. So, I guess that no matter how much traffic there is, you're just supposed to stop. The Hillsboro Police had a sting going, so lots of people were being pulled over. And the cost of the ticket? $242!!! Yep, for failing to yield right of way to the pedestrian trying to cross in the middle of a busy, four-lane, road when a crosswalk was just up the street. I had no idea that this was a law, but I thought everyone else would like to know so you won't get a ticket too.

Look Out!

So I just got back from an arts conference last week that was held at Willow Creek in Barrington, IL. What an amazing place!! It was huge, larger than any church I've ever been to. It was awesome...I've been to Christian arts conferences before and many people I talked with didn't feel that excellence should be a priority...just present what you've got and as long as you're trying to glorify God, it's okay. While glorifying God is the only reason why we do what we do, I believe that giving Him anything less than our best is insulting and lazy. That's what I loved about the Willow conference. Nearly everyone I met settled for nothing less than excellence at their own churches. I am so excited to begin implementing all of the things I learned while I was away. First up, starting a Visual Arts Ministry at Village. I've got the tools and ideas, now all I need are the artists. I know you're out there...I will find you!!

We are so fortunate that we belong to a church that values the arts and artists. I love my job!!!!

Overwhelmed

Last weekend at my church was one of the most emotionally draining and humbling weekends I've ever had. About 15 years ago, my husband and I took a course of action that I will regret for the rest of my life. It's something that has been a source of shame in our lives...shame that we felt we deserved and thought would always have a hold of our hearts. We recently took a step to deal with it, and were amazed by the healing we both experienced at the hands of Christ. He doesn't want us to live in shame, we exile ourselves there because we think we're not good enough and allow our secrets to rule our minds, confident in the fact that those we love would turn away if they knew who we really were. We all have something that causes us to think this way. The sin my husband and I committed is one of those that is on the unwritten list of unforgiveable sins within the church. I'm on staff at the church we attend and we firmly believed that only those people that we held close to our hearts and who knew who we really were (and loved us anyway) could be trusted with our secret. It was a short list. All of that changed last weekend. We shared our dirty little secret with our entire church. And you know what? They still love us...every single one. I know it seems unbelievable, but it's completely true. People of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities embraced us. We were (and still are) so overwhelmed, so humbled, so astounded at the grace that was lavished upon us. Yep, I said lavished!

And the best part is that because people saw what God did for us (we could have NEVER experienced the release from our shame without His grace, strength and love), many people are beginning to believe that they don't deserve to carry their own personal shame around with them either. God doesn't want us to live that way. He loves us too much. Does He want us to face the consequences of our actions? Absolutely! Does He want us to repent and try to change so we can be more like Him? You betcha! But He does NOT want us to allow shame to take a suffocating hold on our hearts. I let it do that to me for 15 years. Please don't let it do the same to you.

Here I am!

Okay...it's my first post. A few people have told me I should do it, so I'm diving into the blogging world. Come back soon...I promise to have something at least mildy profound available within the next few days.