PUMPKIN PATCH

Coleman and I went to the Pumpkin Patch today with the other kids in his baby school.
He even got his own little pumpkin.

Thoughts on Confession & Repentance

I have the great privilige of talking with Women (usually ages 18-35) about the joys of the Gospel and the pains of sin.
Lately I have been thinking about Confession & Repentance with regard to some of these conversations.

Here are some thouhts...
Psalm 32:3 "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long." I am convinced that one of the greatest gifts God gives to His children is the ability to CONFESS our sins to one another. The act of confession seems to be a "lost art" among many Christian communities. I am not sure if we are hesitant because we have not found trustworthy ears, or if we don't know how to confess, we haven't seen or tasted the benefits of confession or maybe we just don't want to confess. Maybe the "darling sin" that we so greatly want to protect is more imoportant than exposing light onto its devastating effects. When sin is hidden, it is deadly. Our bones waste away, as David points out in Psalm 32. We "stay in the sin" and harbor it and often there is no REPENTANCE. Confession does not equal repentance. However, there is something very powerful and beautiful about exposing, with great honesty and vulnerability the sin that so violently entagles are souls. Scary? Yes. Freeing? Absolutely. Exposing our sin to someone we trust is amazing. I cannot tell you how many times I have confessed to a friend and seen repentance almost immediately. It was as if the words needed to come out of my mouth so that I could actually feel the FREEDOM and FORGIVENESS that is offered in Christ and therefore have the ability to turn from the sin. Confession can bring about great relief.

Often the flip side to a lack of confession is Confession ONLY.
There is a sense in which we confess our sin(s) and feel free, but there is no repentance. That is not a good place to be. It is not enough to confess only. We are called to repentance (turning away from the sin).
We want so badly to let people know that we don't have it all together, so we tell them our junk and think that is enough. It is not. We cannot confess and then just wait for God to take away the struggle. We must confess and then turn (we do the turning) from the sin (relationship, private acts, idolatry, gossip etc).

CONFESSION is beautiful and freeing. CONFESSION alone is just that...alone.
Our boldness in repentance must be as bold as the words we confess to one another.

CONFESSION is to one another (and to the Lord). REPENTANCE is to the Lord.

Friday Lunch Dates, Eating Good Food and Strolling in Beautiful Weather...

Colton, Coleman and I usually have lunch at Central BBQ on Friday's.
I am home with Coleman all day on Friday's and when the weather is fairly cold,
we (I guess he does not care, but I sure do) like to get out of the house.
We like the break and especially lunch time with Daddy.

Feeling Fat & Happy after some good ole Sweet Potatoes

Coleman and I enjoyed some BEAUTIFUL weather outside last week

Guinness: 2/16/99 - 10/7/2009

Colton and I had to put our wonderful dog, Guinness, to sleep last night.
He was dying from Congestive Heart Failure, and we did not want him to suffer.
It is sad. He was a great dog. He tolerated a lot of changes over (almost) 11 years:
different roommates, a move, a new man of the house, a hormonal/irritated mama and a new little man of the house. He graciously tolerated having his ears pulled, tail squeezed and bottom pinched by Coleman.
We miss him terribly...

(We put Guinness on Coleman's walker, and it kind of shocked Coleman) :)