Growth

Today is a day of growth and reflection. I have an entire blog post dedicated to the fact that I don't use my words. I bottle up feelings and opinions, instead of talking things through with people, simply because it's easier than facing an uncomfortable situation.

Today, I took a step towards fixing this. It doesn't really matter who I talked to or what it was about, honestly. It was about me, realizing things needed to be said, an instead of pushing them down and ignoring them, I responded. I talked. I listened. And things are better now.

It seems like something very stupid to blog about, but this is important in my life, even if its small.

Today was an interesting day.

Marriage Equality

So today, while scrolling through my Facebook and Instagram newsfeeds, I was faced with a very prominent picture. Today has prompted a very big discussion about the allowance of two people of the same gender being able to marry. This is a hot topic anyway, but today, there is a picture of a yellow "equal" sign all over social media sites.

Let's talk about this.

I was a little bit apprehensive to post about this particular topic, because my views are often considered... intolerant. I am not one to judge anyone. I have more than my fair share of mistakes, and I would never infringe on someone else's choices. This being said, I think same-sex marriage should not be legalized. I believe wholeheartedly that God commanded us to love Him and love others, but I also believe He created man to love woman and visa versa. I have quite a few people in my life who have "come out of the closet" as it were, and I love them just as much as anyone else in my life.

But that's my stance.

I believe marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman.

I was taught that homosexuality is a sin.

I also know that I sin in my own ways.

And I was also taught to love the sinner, hate the sin.

That's what I think.

Have a good day.

Preschool

Someone the other day called what I do for a living as "glorified babysitting".

Okay.

During an average work week for a preschool teacher, we encounter more than you'll ever believe. I've been thrown up on, bitten, licked and punched. I've wiped noses, changed diapers and performed countless moments of first aid. I GET to think up on-the-spot craft ideas and games. I GET to push kids on the swings, play basketball an play hangman for what feels like hours. I GET to recognize that every single moment is the classroom is teachable. And I GET to remember that to some of the kids in these classrooms, I am the only one planting seeds of faith, because their parents may not be.

So the next time, dear reader, you think of a preschool teacher, think about this...

That kid may be a lawyer.
That kid may be an artist.
That girl may be a mommy.
That boy may be a daddy.
That kid may be President.
That kid may be a preacher.

What we do matters. What we do is an investment. What we do is Christ-driven. And what we do will impact this country 20 years from now.

"Glorified babysitting".

Ha.

I can only imagine.

Last night was phenomenal.

We had our usual Tuesday night service for the college group at my church, and it was beyond amazing. We started a new sermon-series called "F.I.S.H.", where we will learn more about the importance, and more how-to's on evangelizing to our non-believing friends and family. At the end of the sermon, taught by Tony Angelo, we were challenged to write down names.

With a little white piece of paper and a pen, we were going to make a promise and a pledge to start praying for God to move in the lives of our loved ones who haven't accepted Jesus in their lives. By writing these names, we made a commitment, and it was to be taken seriously.

I am glad to say that over the course of last evening, 378 names were written down.

Process that.

378 people are being prayed for every single day. Their salvation. Their lives. Their well-being is being prayed for. It gets better... There is going to be a master list made of ALL 378 first names, and everyone in the college group will recieve a copy of the list.

Process that!

There are a couple hundred people in our college group. Those couple hundred people will DAILY be praying for those 378 people.The lives and salvations of those people are going to change.

This is a movement.

This is going to transform some lives.

The Holy Spirit power is stirring things up, and it's gonna get fun!

I don't like that

At the preschool I work at, we teach the kids to "use their words". We teach them that if someone is bothering you in a way that you don't like, that its okay to say "I don't like that".

This cracks me up, and makes me proud at the same time. Sometimes I'll overhear one of the kids using our little catch phrase, and it always makes me smile. On the one hand, sometimes they'll say "I don't like that" if someone disagrees on a rule for a game or doesn't want to be sidekick-Robin to their Batman. Then there are the proud moments, when someone is truly bothering them, that they say those words loud and proud.

Why do I enjoy these moments? Well, I'll tell you. When I was a kid, I was taught some pretty dang lousy communication skills. I, even now, hate to talk things out. I hate talking about feelings. I hate sorting through overly serious subjects, and I take any kind of criticism to heart more than the average person, I feel like.

All of this being said, I am proud of the kids at my work when they use their "good words", because I feel like I'm passing on a good skill to future generations, even if it's not one I possess most of the time myself.