The Church That Turns Visitors Away

A friend of mine brought up a very thought-provoking observation (thank you Mr. Schultz!):

Ask most people how they measure the success of their church and “growth” is almost always the first answer.  We generally acknowledge that a church “bursting at the seams” is doing well, while a church whose members are dwindling is looked upon as a sad, unfortunate plight.

And while there is a whole different discussion about the inaccuracy of our measurement of Kingdom growth (Jesus’ entire earthly ministry solicited less than 100 followers) as it relates to numbers, I find it entirely ironic and downright ignorant on our part that church growth is celebrated while family growth (where Christians should assume that added members will be discipled and brought up in the faith) is frowned upon and even discouraged.

Do we not ever think about our logic? Why can’t we at least be consistent?

What would you say (would you be bold enough to say anything) if when you arrived at church Sunday with a visitor, standing at the door is your pastor.

“I’m so sorry, she can’t come in.”

“Excuse me?” You ask. 

“We have too many members and quite frankly our budget won’t allow for another one.  Not only that but we’re just too busy to tell another person about the gospel.  What with all the new buildings and activities–we can barely keep up with the ones we have…are you crazy?  Do you honestly think adding another member is a wise decision?”

Go ye therefore, and ponder.

Breast Cancer Awareness: More Helpful Than Bra Color

To raise breast-cancer awareness and encourage women to get early mammograms, yesterday Facebook users posted a number of “cutesie” reminders, including the color of their bra.

So I scratch my head and wonder, again, why we don’t propagate something a little more useful and, um, sensible, something that may actually have a real effect on lessening cases of breast cancer.

And I know I have a blaring flaw when it comes to “lightening up”, but I see everything in connectedness; five seconds after hearing about the “bra-color craze” I had  traced back to the woes of how the Industrial Revolution is tied to the increase of breast cancer…I can’t help it.

But seriously, one of the main preventions of breast cancer is having babies, menstruating less (i.e. pregnant more) and breast feeding.  It’s not rocket science why we’ve seen a dramatic increase in breast cancer over the last 60 or so years.  But nobody’s saying, “if you want to reduce your risk of breast cancer, have more babies, and stay home so you can breast feed them”. (Because let’s face it, that opens the discussion to a whole lot of cause and effect that we don’t want to talk about.)  Well, I just said it.

And I know women who have had several babies, breast fed them all and sadly, still got breast cancer;  I’m not discrediting early detection.  Notice I said it would “reduce” the rate, and I believe scientific evidence proves that.  So, how cool would it be if we started some Facebook group craze about these facts?  Any ideas?  I’m game!

And for many more fabulous benefits of breast feeding, follow the link below:

“We know that breastfeeding drastically reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. For this reason alone, it is worth committing to breastfeed.” Nature’s Brilliant Plan:  Fact About Breastfeeding

Update:  You can now join “Breast Cancer:  Awareness That Makes A Difference”

Keeping the Home Fires Burning: Mere Survival Was Good For Society

So we got a wood-burning stove.  Our power bill has always been through the roof so a while back I suggested we get a stove, though my first suggestion had more to do with the economy collapsing and leaving us with no power…but mostly I’m optimistic.

I’ve had an epiphany through our short life with our wood heater:  the world is crazier now because everyone was too busy keeping the fire going to get into trouble before.  (That and milking the cow–a project I’m so grateful my daughter happens to love as I am not even tempted–though I love the milk–to head out in the cold at dusk to milk–“my sympathies, dear Buttercup“.)

And while my epiphany is a little in jest, mostly it’s not.  Before technology made our lives so much easier, think of all that merely surviving entailed…

This one little fire has taken center stage in our home and all the children feel equally responsible for keeping it hot enough to heat the house.  It’s a full-time job!  And boy does it eat wood!  (Of course we’re experiencing our lowest temps of the year.)  My husband is going to have to come up with some extra time in his day to cut it.  (Or I suppose he could calculate the money we should save on the electric bill and subtract that many hours from his work week )

So I cooked a pot of soup on it last night. (The kids got excited when I told them they’d have to get the fire hotter to cook the pasta.) I’m very excited about this because now I can save more money not using the stove to cook beans for hours.  My neighbor brilliantly suggested that we cook beans and rice on it frequently, saving them in the freezer just to utilize the heat.  Good thinking, Jane!

But I do seriously ponder the irony of our “improved” lives due to technology. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology.  I love hot showers when I want them, indoor toilets and all the ease of a dishwasher.  But I wonder if, on a large scale, the comforts outweigh all the repercussions of a life with so much more time on its hands; that time snowballing into a monstrous lot of negative consequences.

If we were busier–as a society–just trying to survive, I just think it would be better.  We have it all backwards so often.   *Shrug*

Food for thought.

A Wanted Child

“You were such a wanted child.”

Gathered around by a few, soft lights with some of our closest friends, we wished little Cooper a happy 8th birthday by speaking a short blessing over his upcoming year. It was a sweet time, and I left with his mother’s words echoing in my heart….

“You were such a wanted child.”

Cooper is the third born, and the first child Robin and Scott had after their vasectomy reversal.

A wanted child.

The words keep ringing. Have I spoken this to all my children? Do they know they are wanted? Do I live with them like they are wanted? Do those who spend any time with our family see that my children are wanted?

In an age where birth control makes it so simple, no, mandatory that we “control” the children born to us, is it any wonder why it’s so easy to arrive unwanted? In a controlled environment, any variable that changes unexpectedly is deemed “unwanted”. It’s a mistake, a plan gone awry.

We don’t even know we do this to our own children. How many times I’ve heard a child described as “an accident”. An immortal soul–a living miracle of God–an accident?

We should shudder at our evolved thinking toward life. We should read the Bible again as little children…

“It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.” Psalm 100:3

And now, I look at my children…“you are such wanted children”. Let me say it with my life.

A few snuggles before we go….

One Crazy Lady With Her Large Family

They say that I am crazy for letting you be born,
But one look at your angel face makes crazy all the scorn.

They say we can’t afford you–that you’ll need a lot of stuff,
But your pudgy cheeks remind us that our God is big enough.

They say it’s strange–eight kids so far–and ask what’s wrong with us,
How could we know that proof of married love would cause this fuss?

God’s Word tells me He made us, so when they look at you,
I’ll tell them not to ask me why, because He made you too!

Kelly Crawford

Rich Americans Say the Dumbest Things

Lately I’ve been catching myself listening to conversations–many of my own–with different ears, and I am aghast at what I hear.  We are supposed to be in an “economic recession”, and I understand for many the very real difficulties that brings, and yet I keep comparing our lives to those in other countries where owning a computer would seem like winning the lottery to us.

I mean, isn’t it all about perspective?  My dad was recounting a missionary’s biography and the description of a typical family in the area where he lived.  He said,

“To get a picture of how they live, imagine getting rid of every item in your house–everything–even the food out of the pantry.  Then turn off the power and water.  Then move out into the shed in your back yard.  Then get rid of your shoes–none except the head of the house could afford to wear shoes–now you’re close.  There may some left over potatoes starting to ruin for dinner.”

Now even though that is extreme, it is real.  And there is everything in between, with Americans being pretty much on the top of the social scale–the richest in the world, no matter what your current situation.

And I complain daily about something as trivial as the switch on my hair dryer being broken, or my computer being too slow, or my hair being too–whatever my hair is

It’s shameful.  And then I hear someone say “we can’t afford more children”, and it breaks my heart.  It sounds noble to say it, but taking a different look, doesn’t it just reveal the depth of our selfishness?  And my selfishness, when I say “we can’t afford to give”, whatever the need is?

Americans–the richest people in the world.  Could our prosperity possibly have made us the most complaining, the least hardy, and the greediest people in the world?

And to wrap the whole thing up in tragic irony is the idea that somehow our children will be better if we give them more things, more opportunities, more fill in the blank.  We all know deep down that often it is the very thing that makes them worse!  The only thing that makes them “better”–and we’ve seen it proven!–is more of our time, more of Jesus, and more of simple living.

Thinking about taking a mission trip during Christmas…