Life as I Know it is Over...

Life as I know it is over.  As I mourn the loss of normalcy in my house over the next few days, my husband couldn't be happier.  For the first time since last October, he's excited.  That's right ladies and gentlemen, today is Opening Day!

My Tivo is already set to start recording ball games from 2 pm to 10 pm tonight.  My husband will start wearing his Andrus jersey on a daily basis.  He'll start grilling hot dogs and hamburgers twice a week.  His sporadic trips to the batting cages will turn into weekly rituals.  Movie night will turn into excuses to watch Major League, Eight Men Out, and Field of Dreams.  And my baby will know the words to Take Me Out to the Ballgame by his first birthday.

Oh, don't feel sorry for me.  I signed up for this when I married a baseball player.  I knew that baseball fans are hardcore when I got married.  They're worse than football fans, because they don't have one game a week.  Baseball is EVERY night.  The fans are more dedicated than basketball fans, because they actually sit through 100 degree afternoons to watch their games.  And hockey fans?  Well, they're Canadian and that's about all I need to say...

Anyway, the Major League Baseball season starts today.  The Texas Rangers open their season tomorrow at home against the Red Sox at 3:05 pm.  My husband is soooo excited.  He told me that this week is like having Christmas and his birthday in the same week. (Good thing he didn't compare it to our anniversary.)  I guess this is a good thing. He's happy!  I guess it's time to sit back, catch some sun, and watch as the boys play ball!

Sisters are Doin' It

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.  for this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.  They were submissive to their own husbands." I Peter 3:3-5

When I was in nursing school, I loved the Aretha Franklin/Eurythmics song Sisters are Doin' it for Themselves. Talk about perfect motivation for going to class and working hard to find a good job.  Here are some of the lyrics:

 Now there was a time
When they used to say
That behind every great man
There had to be a great woman

Oh in these times of change
You know that it's no longer true
So we're coming out of the kitchen
'Cause there's something
We forgot to say to you

We say, Sisters are doing it for themselves
Standing on their own two feet
And ringing on their own bells
Sisters are doing it for themselves

This is a song to celebrate
The conscious liberation
Of the female state

Mothers, daughters
And their daughters too, yeah
Woman to woman
We're singing with you

The inferior sex
Has got a new exterior, yeah
We got doctors, lawyers
Politicians too, ooh, hoo...

Yes, sisters are doing it for themselves and they're miserable.  I know female lawyers and law students who are lonely and divorced because of their careers. I know a female doctor who lived 3 hours away from her husband because she had to fulfill her career obligations.  I know lots of women who are having trouble conceiving children because they "were doin' it" and have waited too long to be parents.  Aretha Franklin forgot to tell us that sisters who "do it" might become liberated from men, but will also become slaves to misery.

I was raised in a Christian school, a Bible-teaching youth group, and by godly parents.  I've been taught to be a self-thinker, an independent person, and a leader.  But it's taken me a long time to understand what my role is as a woman.  The world doesn't glorify the woman of I Peter.  The church sends confusing messages about her.  And she's hard to find.

The Bible says that the feminist, cultural message is wrong.  A woman is supposed to have a gentle and quiet spirit (I Peter 3:4); she's supposed to fear God (Proverbs 31: 30); and she's supposed to be submissive (Ephesians 5:22).   God's Word doesn't say that a woman can't be a cattle rancher or a school teacher or a chef.  But if she does choose an occupation, she must have the character qualities described above.  She can be well-educated, have a well-developed talent, and enjoy hobbies, but she must still be a godly woman.

I know women like this too--women who are kind and gentle and godly.  I sent one an e-mail this morning thanking her for her example.  If you know a godly woman, thank her.  The world won't, but women who are Christ followers should.  I want to be the beautiful woman described in I Peter.  I want to live the life that God wants for me.  I just won't be doin' it for myself.

Perfect Summer Gear

Doesn't this look like the perfect summer for a little kid?  If only I had a place for all this cute gear!

To see more perfect summer gear for your kiddos, visit http://www.potterybarnkids.com/.

The Poor in a Box

"Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised whose who love him? But you have insulted the poor." James 2:5-6a

I think we try to put the poor in a box sometimes.  The poor people belong in the poor side of town.  The poor should go to the county hospitals.  The poor get their legal services from legal aid.  The poor have their own stores and their own resources. 

I have worked with poor people and it's really aggravating sometimes.  So many poor people don't seem to want out of their box.  They're content to wait for their welfare checks.  They keep having babies even though they don't have the resources to provide for them.  They think that the Christmas provider programs (Angel Tree) is going to be there for them every year.  Or, they completely reject the resources available to them at the expense of their own children.  They just won't help themselves!

We often categorize "the poor" as a political and sociological problem.  We blame welfare programs.  We blame single parents and the demise of culture.  We blame the economy.  But we forget that the poor have always been among us in some form.  Even in Bible times, there were poor people who needed help.

Jesus reached out to the poor.  He commands us to reach out to the poor.  And in James, believers are told that favoritism of the rich is forbidden.  The poor should always be welcome among believers.  We should embrace them and love on them.  We should stop asking "why" they are poor.  We should love them because they are poor.  We shouldn't give up on them because they won't help themselves.  We should help them.

Have you done anything to help the poor lately?  I've been considering my future as an attorney and I keep thinking about "public interest" law--law that helps those who can't pay for legal services.  I don't know why, but that is where I seem to be headed.  My church has been a good example of a body of believers who have a heart for the poor.  They welcome and embrace those who are poor and need help.  On April 9, our church is having a yard sale.  But EVERYTHING is FREE.  We're giving away what God has given us in hopes that we can reach out to others who are poor and in need of a free gift (literally and spiritually).

Let's all stop thinking of the poor as helpless people, panhandlers, homeless, or people who take advantage of the system.  Let's be thankful that God, in His grace, has saved us from these circumstances.  And Let's love all God's children.  Let's stop putting the poor in a box.

What Goes in Influences What Comes Out

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he mediates day and night." Psalm 1:1-2

Did you know that according to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the year 2008, the average American  wasted 3,454 hours on media (TV, books, internet, etc.) and spent $882.02 on media related items?  Can you imagine how all that time invested in media affects us?  Isn't it scary to think that this much media consumption is what is influencing our society?  No wonder our standards have decreased.  Media is brainwashing us into thinking like the world, and as Christians, we're letting it.

Along with my morning study on the book of James, I've started reading Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild, by Mary Kassian.  I originally bought the book, because I heard her on the radio recommending the book as a good gift for high school graduates.  I had no idea that her study of the Proverbs 7 girl gone wild would have such an impact on me.  To get the full benefit of reading the book, I've started following along with her book blog and am doing the study questions that are posted on her website http://www.girlsgonewise.com/.

In chapter 3, she suggests implementing a media reduction plan.  I've always thought that the idea of a media fast was a little too much and impractical--I mean I need my computer for school!  But Mary suggests that you 1) Turn Off, 2) Trim Back, and 3) Tune In.  Customize your own plan that will allow you to spend time delighting in God's Word instead of allowing yourself to be influenced by worldy counsel and TV. 

So for the next 30 days, I'm going to stop watching junky TV shows, like Grey's Anatomy.  I'm going to stop shopping online. I'm going to turn off my car radio and turn on my Christian CD's.  I'm going to stay reading my Bible every day.  I'm going to read the stack of books that I bought from the Christian bookstore last week instead of my magazines.  And I am NOT going to join Facebook--so stop asking!  Not only will this plan make me a better person, but it will benefit my family and my grades.

If the statistics are correct, most of us will have spent half of our lives consuming media in some form.  Let's all make a resolution that by the time we're 70, our own statistics will show that we used half of our time consuming God's Word and godly counsel.  If you're interested in joining the 30 day media challenge, here is a link with more information Media Reduction Plan. I signed up this morning, and Mary has already sent me my first encouraging email!

Are You a Bulldog Fan Yet?

If you haven't been watching college basketball, it's time to start.  And this year you need to be cheering for the little guys.  Butler University from Indianapolis, IN is back in the running to win it all.  If you don't know anything about the school or if you don't know anything about basketball, at least cheer for them because they have the cutest mascot.  Gotta love the bulldog!  Gotta love Hink!

I didn't go to Butler, but as a native Hoosier from Indianapolis, I'm a big fan.  My 2 year old even told me yesterday that he likes Butler.  Let's hope they take it all the way this year.  They've made it to the Final Four by beating some really good schools.  Let's see if they can keep it up...

Religion That We're Called to Practice

So What?

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22

When I first moved to Texas, I was 12.  My family had left a very strong, Bible-teaching church in another state.  You would think that moving to the Bible belt would make church seeking easy.  But my family visited 20 churches before we landed on the place that we would call home for 9 years.  We had this test that we gave each church when we visited.  My dad called it the "so what test."  After we would leave a church service, we would sit down as a family to discuss the "so what" from today's sermon.  Or in another words, "what did we learn that we can apply to our life today?"  It was important to my family to find a church that would teach us how to live as Christ followers.

I'm very thankful for my current pastor who does focus on applying God's Word to our lives.  There's always a "so what" to his messages.  This means that after I hear a sermon and how to apply it to my life, it's my responsibility to take action.  Just going to church on Sundays and filling my head with Scripture isn't enough.  I need to seek how to live the Scripture I'm taught.  I'm so blessed to be surrounded by Christians who want to "do" what Scripture says.

It's not enough to just study the Bible.  It's not enough to hear a good sermon every week.  And it's not enough to just be around other Christians.  Once we have put ourselves in a place where we can listen and hear what Scripture says, we have to take the next step and live it.  We should know the "so what" and we should follow Nike's advise and "just do it."  James says that the man who does what he learns "will be blessed in what he does (vs. 25)."

Beach Girls with Style

My girlfriend referred to my blog as a place to find modest and cute girly things.  So here's a post for her!  I found a collection called "Beachy Chic" from The Children's Place.  This is my favorite place to find little boy clothes, and their girl collections are pretty adorable too!

This is my idea of how a little girl should dress--accessories and all!  Isn't the white ruffle purse in the 2nd outfit so fun?!

Preserving Texas

I may have missed my calling along the way.  Or maybe I've found a new hobby.  But I'm starting to think that researching history might be in the cards for me after law school.

Today I went back to the courthouse in Milan County.  While I was wondering around the district courtroom, I met the nicest bailiff in the world!  He gave me a tour of the courthouse and told me about the renovation of the courthouse that took place about 10 years ago.  Even though some of the features are new, they are exact replicas of the original courtroom.  A lot of time and money has been spent to preserve the original tin ceiling, wooden walls, staircases, door hinges, and floors.  The place is beautiful on the inside.  It would be so cool to go to trial in the courtroom.  Here are pictures of the District Courtroom.  (The previous pictures I posted are of the County Courtroom.)

You can't tell from the pictures, but this courtroom is located on the 2nd floor of the building.  The back walls are solid wood--but they raise up just like a garage door!  That way, when it gets hot they can raise the wall and open all the windows to let in the breeze.  Now that the courthouse has air conditioning it's not really necessary.  But when the building was built, someone did some smart planning.

According to the bailiff, when President Bush was Governor of Texas, there was a campaign to encourage counties to renovate their courthouses.  However, there was a requirement to preserve the historical features of the buildings. You can tell that the people of Milan county were eager to participate in this program, because there are bricks with names of donors on the sidewalks outside.  Those people should be proud of their work.  If I ever write a novel, I want their courthouse and their downtown to be the setting.  There is something special about Cameron, Texas.

If you're ever in Cameron, check out the courthouse.  Then check out the county clerk's office where you will see a huge replica of the town from years ago.  It's so neat!

Since the Daughters of the Republic of Texas won't let me join their club (my relatives were from the East Coast), I'll have to find another historical society to join.  But preserving Texas culture and history seems like a worthy post law school project, right?  Who knew history could be so fun?