I grew up with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it… A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away.

I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things.. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy.. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there’d always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer’s night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn’t any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away…never to return.. So… while we have it….. it’s best we love it…. and care for it… and fix it when it’s broken……… and heal it when it’s sick.

This is true. for marriage……. and old cars….. and children with bad report cards….. and dogs with bad hips…. and aging parents….. and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special…….. and so, we keep them close!
I received this from someone who thinks I am a ‘keeper’, so I’ve sent it to the people I think of in the same way… Now it’s your turn to send this to those people that are “keepers” in your life.  Good friends are like stars…. You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.  Keep them close!

TEN THINGS GOD WON’T ASK ON THAT DAY.

1…. God won’t ask what kind of car you drove. He’ll ask how many people you
drove who didn’t have transportation..

2…. God won’t ask the square footage of your house, He’ll ask how many people
you welcomed into your home.

3…. God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4…. God won’t ask what your highest salary was. He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5…. God won’t ask what your job title was. He’ll ask if you performed your
job to the best of your ability.

6…. God won’t ask how many friends you had. He’ll ask how many people to
whom you were a friend.

7…. God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8…. God won’t ask about the color of your skin, He’ll ask about the content
of your character.

9…. God won’t ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He’ll lovingly
take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

10…. God won’t have to ask how many people you forwarded this to, He already knows your decision.

So, obviously, you don’t need to forward this… but it never hurts to think how you’re choosing to live this life. Or maybe it DOES hurt… because it’s time to change how you’re living.

We’re ALL “keepers”… it all depends on if we choose to live like one or not.

Your turn:
What “strange” thing do YOU recycle?

I love you, Brian…
You’re an amazing father, and there’s no one I’d rather raise our boys with than with you.

Thank you for choosing me…
… for choosing us.

Thank you for all our happy days.

I often find myself speechless to where God has placed me.

In my sins…
In my humiliation…
In my pain…
In my regrets…

… God has renewed me. I deserve death, but instead, I’ve received life.

In grace…
In new beginnings…
In forgiveness…
In community…
In restoration…

I am healed.

My past doesn’t define me. How I choose to live and WHO I choose to live FOR does.

———————-

For those of you who feel “stuck” today, know you’re not alone. Satan’s desire is to have you believe you are. But the truth that is Christ Jesus says you’re not.

Come out. Come out into the light.

It’s much safer out here.

This video captured our day PERFECTLY! Thank you, Jay McKenney, for putting it together for us. Your eye and creativity never ceases to amazes me.

Renewal: The new beginning from Jay McKenney on Vimeo.

Thanks for joining us in our journey. We are thankful for you!

Brian and I decided to write our own vows this time. Thought I’d post them here.

Brian’s:

You have been part of my greatest moments of joy and my deepest pain.   I am grateful for the experience of both because of who I have become.  Today I am a stronger, better person because you are part of my life.  I am so thankful that our story has turned out better than so many.  I am so eager to see where our journey will take us over the next 30 years.  My prayer is that God would use our story to help hundreds of other people find their way back to God and restore broken relationships.

I intend to grow old, bald, wrinkly and wobbly with you (Lucky for you, I’ve pretty much already accomplished that).  I will strive to put your needs above my own.  I will cherish the busy, chaotic, stressful and challenging times with you by my side.  I will relish the times of relaxation, solitude, and pleasure with you.  I will always share my deepest fears and grandest dreams with you.  When I feel like shutting you out, I will embrace you and trust you with my heart.

When you are wounded, I will pick you up.  When you are joyful I will celebrate with you.  When you are scared I will embrace you.  When you feel lonely, I will hold you.  When you are threatened I will protect you.

I will do my best to seek God first in my life so I can be the spiritual leader you deserve. I will love you and only you.  I will always choose you!

Mine:

Well… obviously the first time I did this, it didn’t take so well. In fact, I don’t even remember what I said the first time around because I was so nervous and distracted from Renee losing the ring.

However, that was 9 years ago… and I’ve learned a lot since then. I still hate that it took the failure of our original marriage to realize my misguided understanding of what it takes to make our marriage a success… but I’m humbled and grateful for this second chance most couples don’t get to see OR experience.

So… for the next 99 years:
Instead of waiting for you to pick up your socks, I’ll just do it. I’m closer to the ground anyway.
Instead of kicking you when you’re snoring, I’ll just put earplugs in.
Instead of assuming what you didn’t say, I’ll ask you about your thoughts.
Instead of reading INTO what you DID say, I’ll take you for face value.
Instead of looking for what’s wrong, I’ll seek out all that’s right.
Instead of shouting to be heard, I’ll stop and listen.
Instead of waiting to be pursued, I’ll intentionally pursue you
Instead of justifying my wrongs, I’ll humbly say “I’m Sorry!”
Instead of looking to another man to determine my value, I’ll choose to see YOUR value.

Brian, now that I finally know what it means to love, I vow to not only love and respect you with all that God has created me with… but I promise to seek out God’s desires for me… for US, often and consistently. I promise to love our children unconditionally and raise them to love God and love others. I will teach them how to extend grace and compassion by example… by the example God revealed to me through you in my biggest failings.

I vow to see you and only YOU till I can’t see anymore. I promise to listen carefully for God’s promptings till my future hearing aids are merely ear jewelry. I promise to love you till I breathe my last breath. And I vow to never forget the second chance God gave me… gave us… to prove that His REDEMPTION is real in a broken and hurting world. And finally, I promise to remember God’s desire and PURPOSE for us.

He chose us for one word and action: Restoration.

Here are some photos (I’ll post more later) from when this weekend so far by Joshua (well, I took the photo of the boys, one was from Brent and one was from Crystal’s camera).

Diane & David Goodwin, Cathi Stegall, Crystal Renaud, Tammy Hodge, me, Mark Stegall.
Joshua White, Brent Hodge, Brian Clayville

Us and David & Diane Goodwin. David stood as Brian’s Best Man.

Renee Wong, Lynse Stevens, Diane Goodwin, Crystal Renaud, Rose Braun, Angela Lawton, me, Tammy Hodge, Cathi Stegall, Mikey Sison, Allison McKenney & Helen Wong (soon-to-be-Taylor).

This photo holds my heart: Renee Mytar, Jason Mytar, Tyler Braun, Rose Braun, Allison McKenney, Chad Stevens, Crystal Renaud, Lynse Stevens, Gary Jon Walleson, Angela Lawton, me, Brian,          David Goodwin, Diane Goodwin, Helen Wong (soon-to-be-Taylor), Jesse Taylor, Mikey Sison, Tammy Hodge, Brent Hodge, Cathi Stegall & Mark Stegall.

God is good… all the time!

—————

Some of my friends’ write-ups:
David Goodwin
Tammy Hodge
Mark Stegall

It’s always a blast having Mark speak because that means Cathi comes with him. Every time they are with us, hilarity ensues.

This weeks Sunday Setlist was:

1. Beautiful One – Tim Hughes
2. Rain It Down – Carlos Whittaker
3. Blessed Be Your Name – Matt Redman
4. Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) – Chris Tomlin Version
5. Amazing Love – Billy Foote
6. Lead Me To The Cross – Brooke Fraser
7. From The Inside Out – Joel Houston

The set fit extremely well into the service. I LOVE when everything fits and connects to make sense.

This week, Mark hit a home run addressing not the prodigal son, but the OTHER son… the son who stayed. In life, you are either one or the other. We all know I’m a Prodigal. I ran away from my home where I had EVERYTHING with my husband and family, squandered everything that mattered and came back with my tail between my legs hoping for table scraps. However, when I “came home”, not only was I greeted with grace and forgiveness from almost everyone, but my inheritance was restored.

We’ve heard so much about THIS son… but what about the other son? The one who stayed and was faithful the whole time?

Matt was gone this week… but he got to share some of his story via video anyway.

Because of the party that’s thrown, for the returning son, the response and heart of the other son is somewhat stashed to the side. Well… Mark addressed this.

You see, the obedient son is just as lost as his returning brother, but in different ways.  He separated himself from his father’s love by works… but his heart was hardened, judgmental and without grace.  While the rebellious son insults his father by leaving him and throwing his inheritance away, the “good” son insults his father and the guests by refusing to join the festivities in his brothers return. Not only does he insult his father, but he disowns his brother by putting himself on a pedestal above his family (passage here).

Two different sons… but they’re exactly the same beneath the surface.  Both sons don’t have a meaningful relationship with their father. However… only ONE son ever humbles himself enough to come back home.

You see… coming home is more than a physical thing. It’s a heart thing. It doesn’t matter if you’re “home” if your heart is somewhere else, whether that’s in works, staying busy, church volunteering, judging others, worshiping your children through allowing them to run your lives, etc. It doesn’t much matter how “good” you are if you can’t find yourself authentically celebrating WITH your family when a prodigal returns.

While Mark was speaking, I couldn’t help but think of who the “good son” is in my life…

… my mother.

It really sucks for her that she’s missing out on the party, but most of all, she’s missing out on seeing and experiencing another side of God’s grace. This made me sad for her. This made me sad for us. But my hope is that she one day will also choose to be a prodigal.

It’s absolutely possible to be the son that never strayed AND the son that chooses a relationship with the Father AND your brother. But you have to make the choice to do so.

Which son are you?