Life

Each step of life is a journey that you choose to walk.

Each moment of life is another line, sentence, paragraph and chapter of the book called your life.

Enjoy all that life has to offer, good friends, good food, good coffee and as always wisdom and a good laugh.

~Jen





25 March 2013

A picture is...

worth a thousand words, at least that is the saying.



This past Friday the kids and I joined a few other people to participate in a Photo Walk in Downtown Brunswick. Now this has been on my calendar for a month. On Thursday, the day before, there was a fatal shooting in Downtown Brunswick. Of course it made news, even CNN was here. We talked about and decided that we would rework our walk to include a stop at the vigil sight where the 13 month old boy, Antonio Santiago, was shot by two local teenage boys. It was a sobering and surreal moment as we sat for a moment at the vigil sight.


Senseless murder, whether in Connecticut or in Brunswick, Georgia, breaks my heart. It was only four months ago when young children at Sandy Hook lost their lives to a senseless act of murder, but now it has hit home. There is an outcry of anger, rage, and hatred.

I'm at a loss for words. My heart is just breaking. My thoughts also go to the fact that I probably was their substitute teacher, or that I watched them play ball as they were growing up. Where did we go wrong in their lives? How did we let them get so far off track? Is there something that we could have done to alter this life changing decision for these boys?

As I was at Palm Sunday service last night, I had a lady ask me how I handle this kind of news for the radio station, without being so angry. Simply put, I told her, we need to forgive these boys. Not for their sake, but because Jesus Christ has called us to. Jesus has forgiven us of our sins...ALL sins. If we (I) hold on to the hatred and anger then we (I) lose out on what it is that Christ did on the cross. I miss the point of His sacrifice. By all accounts, I am just as guilty as these two young men. I am just as guilty.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5: 17-18,

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

In Romans 3:23-26 we are told,

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Anger is an emotion we all feel, and if we really wanted to, we could justify this feeling, but as a Christian we are told to not sin in our anger, not to hold on to it, but to let it go. 

Ephesians 4:26, “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry"

So today, I ask you to pray. Pray for the  Santiago family, and pray for the families of the two young men who committed this crime, and pray for the two young men (boys really) who committed this crime. Pray for healing, forgiveness, and salvation.

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

05 March 2013

Baptism and Bullets

This week has started off with a "BANG"!

Saturday morning the kids and I walked for our local Care Net Crisis Pregnancy Center to help raise money for this loving caring ministry with the Karate 4 Christ ministry.

We had a great time walking the two miles with smiling faces even though it was windy and freezing out. After we were done we all met up at Grandy's (a local restaurant) for some food and fellowship. We really enjoyed our Saturday, spending time with friends, and spending the rest of the day shopping and hanging out as a family.

Sunday morning started as a normal, exciting day. Lil'Man, my youngest, was baptized! What great and happy occasion it was. We had our family and friends with us to witness his baptism and he was all smiles! After we got home and the kids were outside playing...



my older son came into the house to let us know that "something" hit Dad's car and broke the back window. At first we thought he may have done this on accident, as this has happened before", but the look on his face was different. The tone of his voice was different. We immediately got up to investigate. It was obvious that the "something" was going very fast and was very small because of the way the glass was shattered. I call 9-1-1 and have the police come out to make a report.

I have to tell you that we have the greatest police in our community! After some time talking and getting the report going, we found out that he is an avid listener to 90.7FM WAY Radio, and he said that it was so nice to meet me...even though the circumstances were less than good. Although we can't "determine" for certain that it was a bullet hole, that is what it seems to be. WOW! A stray bullet? In the neighborhood? WOW! Makes me want to just love and hug my kids forever. I am so thankful for God's protection on my children.

So the week most certainly started off with a "BANG", but I resolved not to let this derail me. I am trusting God and what He has called me to do, and what we are doing as a family. Of course I should expect that things are going to happen to either tempt me or test me. I was mad. VERY mad that this could even happen. Scared? You bet! But I am not going to live in fear. I say again...I will live in FAITH!

That's were we are right now. Living in Faith. On Thursday my daughter will celebrate her 14th birthday with friends in Disney, my boys are going to enjoy some "man" time, and on Saturday we are going to enjoy a cookout with our neighbors and celebrate all the good that God has given. I can't wait to share with you what happens when we go to Disney, and to share with you all the GOOD that God is doing in our lives.

Remember that even in the midst of madness there is mercy.
Even in the midst of pain there is peace.
And in the midst of ciaos there is the cross.
Don't look at the negative, wait for the full picture to develop.

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen