Ark Encounter

G and I took a little detour on our way to West Virginia. We went to Kentucky to see the life sized Noah’s Ark. So much to see inside. Very cool!

Gone Too Soon

We all gathered today to say goodbye to Amy. Still very hard to believe she is gone. Words from one of our friends, Rebecca today:

We’ll say goodbye to our outrageously loving friend, Amy Pentz Christopher, this week. But I’m not ready.

She out-served, out-championed, out-checked in, out-gave, and out-encouraged us.  We tried to love her well in return, but she was simply better at it. I always assumed I’d have time to return the gift of her extravagant care.

Just as her Christmas cards were the first to arrive each year, Amy always loved first. Her love for Jesus compelled her to respond quickly, and without hesitation, to those in need around her. 

She was often the first to send a meal, a text, a social media request for prayer, or “coffee money” through Venmo anytime our family faced a challenge. She was our tireless caretaker. 

When I shared my writing, she was the first to comment, share it on social media, and to text, “Turn your post into a book, please.” She was my cheerleader.

When our daughter with medical needs was in the hospital at Scottish Rite, her care would go before us by ensuring we had the best nurses and our favorite rooms on 4South. She often made social media calls for prayer and often sat at the foot of Evelyn’s bed, answering questions, calming nerves, bringing Squishmallows, and making space for our tears. Through some of the hardest nights of our lives, she was our hospital angel in her charge nurse uniform.

When we launched Georgia Kids Belong, a nonprofit serving kids and families in foster care, she made herself its first and biggest champion. She donated to every fundraiser and was always among the first to buy toys off Amazon wish lists. She shared almost every I Belong Project child advocacy video and prayed over the kids by name. She was our advocate. 

After I heard the news of her passing, I found three posts about GA Kids Belong on her FB page during the last two weeks of her life. She served so well that I couldn’t keep up with her. 

My dear Amy was simultaneously fiercely open and honest, and also a master at deflecting conversation off of herself. She was smart and funny, vulnerable and selfless. Her care for others knew no bounds. 

Looking back, I see how truly lopsided her care was. Even when she went through the loss of her beloved Michael and bore the weight of her sweet Lynn Marie’s grief, on and on she served. 

Despite walking together through Bible studies, adoptions, parenting, and North Metro Church life, I fear that we barely scratched the surface with our dear friend, Amy. She was simply others focused. 

I hope she knew how much we loved her. Not just because she loved us so well, but because she was silly, thoughtful, and open, and her faith was an inspiration. 

So, to our dear Amy, thank you. You got to the other side first, friend. 

And though we’ll miss you, you served well and earned your rest in the presence of our Heavenly Father, who you love so fiercely. 

5 Unpopular Opinions That Will Simplify Your Life

5 Unpopular Opinions That Will Simplify Your Life

Author Courtney Carver

We are so quick to dismiss unpopular opinions but what if we gave them a chance? What if we thought about them differently, refusing to believe everything we think or everything we think we are supposed to think? My simplicity journey has challenged everything I think and because of that I’ve been able to change my life in many different ways.

Embracing all of these unpopular opinions simplified my life and changed it in a positive way, not all at once or overnight but slowly, gently and when I was ready. Now they are such a regular part of my life, I can’t imagine doing it any other way. Once you’ve given these ideas a look, consider other ideas you’ve shut down for fear of what others might think or because they sound weird or unconventional.

1. You can wash all your clothes together.

Laundry is just one of those things that is not going to get extra time and energy from me. With the exception of a very rare case of a brand new pink or red shirt, you can wash all of your clothes together without taking time to separate whites and darks, towels and shirts, etc. See how bright my whites are even though I wash everything together? Because my wardrobe is small, I can’t wait around for an adequate amount of whites or darks. I wash everything together in cold water and line dry items so they don’t get worn out in the dryer. I go into more detail on this podcast episode. Laundry is often an example of where we make our lives harder and more stressful when we don’t need to. P.S. Don’t ask me about the last time I picked up an iron.

2. You don’t have to have a drinking problem to quit drinking alcohol.

The popular opinion is “everything in moderation” but I think we can all agree that not everything is easily moderated. Even the “I just enjoy a glass of wine at dinner” drinkers I know have crossed the moderation line and experienced fallout from time to time. The World Health Organization, says there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption that does not affect our health.

 

To defend my own drinking (to myself), I’d cite all the the research about red wine being good for your heart.  This article (NYT Gift Link) unpacks the confusing research about drinking. Mariann Piano, a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University says, “There’s been a lot of recent evidence that has really challenged the notion of any kind of what we call a cardio-protective or healthy effect of alcohol. The idea that a low dose of alcohol was heart healthy likely arose from the fact that people who drink small amounts tend to have other healthy habits, such as exercising, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and not smoking. In observational studies, the heart benefits of those behaviors might have been erroneously attributed to alcohol.” Dr. Piano said.

 

The unpopular opinion is that you don’t have to think you have a problem with alcohol to stop drinking. You don’t have to be labeled as an alcoholic or “hit rock bottom”. You can always decide that your life is better without alcohol and stop. I quit drinking in the beginning of 2019 and my life is better without it.

 

3. A sleep divorce can be good for your health and your relationship.

 

My husband and I have been sleeping in separate bedrooms for years. It’s one of the reasons we both sleep (on average), 7-8 hours a night. When I recently saw that Mia Mancuso, registered nurse and creator of The Sober Glow was digging into this topic, I wanted to share my experience. Reading her newsletter was a great reminder that the things we don’t talk about are often the unpopular opinions that could be really helpful for someone else.

 

Sleep Divorce may or may not be best for your relationship but don’t let shame or concern about what other people will think, or assumptions about intimacy stop you from being curious if you think you aren’t getting a great night of sleep. Instead, check out some of the resources that Mia shares in this article, I love you but I don’t want to sleep with you.

 

In addition to all of the healthy benefits that come with good sleep, consistent sleep gives me more space to be patient and understanding in my relationship.

4. Variety is not the spice of life.

Maybe variety isn’t the spice of life. If you want to experience decision fatigue, head into the grocery store without a list and shop for the week. Walk down the cereal aisle. There are more than 20 different kinds of Cheerios and who knows about how many other cereal choices live in that aisle (and that’s only one small section of endless options). That’s exhausting.  

 

The paradox of choice

We are fortunate to have the freedom to choose, but according to Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, we aren’t happier because of it. Schwartz says, “When people have no choice, life is almost unbearable. As the number of available choices increases, as it has in our consumer culture, the autonomy, control, and liberation this variety brings are powerful and positive. But as the number of choices keeps growing, negative aspects of having a multitude of options begin to appear. As the number of choices grows further, the negatives escalate until we become overloaded. At this point, choice no longer liberates, but debilitates.”

I have the same few meals over and over again, I wear the same 33 items for at least 3 months and I enjoy routine. I don’t need something new to enjoy my life or to rescue me from boredom, frustration or from feeling other feelings anymore. Choosing from fewer options (in general) means no decision fatigue, more clarity and for me, much more creativity too. When we create boundaries around things that are distracting us from what really matters, our level of engagement in the things we actually care about becomes boundless.

5. You don’t have to work so hard to have a good life.

I worked really hard to have a good life, so hard that I wore myself out over and over again. Finally in 2006, after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, I decided that the old way of pushing through, nose to the grindstone, earning rest and going big or going home wasn’t working. We didn’t become happier, more fulfilled and connected by working hard, playing hard, going above and beyond and pushing through. Instead we ended up depleted, uninspired, sick, tired, and overwhelmed.

 

 

It’s time for a new path forward. We don’t have to effort through everything. We can ease through and rest through. We might not get through faster but we will get through healthier and happier. We are hard enough on ourselves and somehow become even tougher when going through something challenging like a job change, grief, a breakup or breakdown or not feeling well. Somewhere we started believing that pushing through was our only choice. It’s not.

 

I used to think that I was strong for pushing through. I thought I was good at it and that by doing it over and over again, I was getting stronger. Actually, the opposite was happening. I was wearing myself down, exhausting my body and my mind. Finally, I couldn’t push through anymore. When I started resting through instead, I realized I had it all wrong. I didn’t have to rush my healing, hide my pain or find an immediate solution. Next time (or right now), be gentle instead. Trade pushing, forcing and pretending for resting, relaxing and resetting. 

 

 

 

Do what is best for you.

These unpopular opinions are working well in my life. They are opinions of course, so they might not work well for you, or maybe the timing is bad. That said, if you noticed a strong, “No! Never!” reaction, check in. Usually when I have strong resistance to something, I know it’s often worth exploring. After all, I don’t know what I don’t know. My life is better because I revisited these unpopular opinions that I used to have a strong negative reaction to. We are allowed to change our minds and take care of ourselves in different ways. It’s how we learn, grow and find our true self.

Weekend Recap

Pam and I ventured out to First Friday concert in Canton to see Elton John, well sorta lol.  Oh and then I stopped by a bit to see T at his favorite drinking hole… oh I mean Mexican restaurant. Pretty bad when everybody knows his name there haha. G helped his friend out installing this huge piece of machinery at the hospital. So I guess we both had an eventful weekend with our friends!

Birthday Girl

E is 14 today!! Crazy right?! We are so proud of “the baby”.  Happy happy birthday Bug:)

You Can Love Others Because God Loves You

 

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid . . . this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

1 John 4:18 (NLT)

Insecurity ruins relationships. But when you open your life to others, even though they could potentially hurt you, you’ll come alive in ways you’ve never experienced before.  

Why does insecurity ruin relationships? Because it prevents intimacy. You long to be close, but you also fear being close. You long to have intimacy with others, but it also scares you to death.  

You can’t get close to someone if there’s fear in the relationship. This is why living with your boyfriend or girlfriend doesn’t work in the long run. There’s no lifetime commitment. You never know when somebody is going to walk out. 

But fear vanishes and intimacy—real intimacy—rises when two people say, “We’re committed to each other, no matter what. We’re going to make this thing work.”

What do you fear in your relationships? Maybe you don’t want people to find out what you’re really like, so you hide yourself. This is the oldest fear, going all the way back to Adam, the first man. He said, “I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid” (Genesis 3:10 NIV). 

When you’re afraid, you get insecure and hide who you are. You cover up, not just physically but also emotionally. You build walls around yourself and pretend to be someone you’re not.  

But while insecurity ruins relationships, love builds them up. Love takes the focus off you and puts the focus on the other person. The Bible says in 1 John 4:18, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid . . . this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love” (NLT). 

The only way to love others is to realize that God loves you more than you can ever imagine. Suddenly, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone anymore. You don’t have to be concerned about what others think because you’re in a relationship with Jesus, secure in the Grace of God.

You may have had some relational disasters in your life. In order to open up to others and fight insecurity, God wants you to first open up to Jesus. Let him fill you with his love so you can share it with others. 

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

• How have you seen insecurity harm a relationship?
• Are you satisfied only in what God thinks of you and not what others think? Why or why not?
• What does it look like practically to open yourself up to God’s love? 

The first step in opening yourself to God’s love is to accept his salvation. No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you’ve got a place in God’s forever family ready and waiting for you. The invitation is wide open. Just believe and receive.

Are you ready? Here’s a prayer you can start with: “Dear God, I know when I die, I’m going to give an account of my life to you. I know I have sinned against you, and I have lived by my plan, not yours. I want that to change, starting right now. I want to turn away from my sins and toward you.

“Thank you for sending Jesus to die for all that I’ve done wrong so that I don’t have to pay the penalty. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know only your grace can save me, Lord. I could never be good enough to get into a perfect place.

“Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you took all my guilt on yourself. You made me acceptable for heaven, and I ask you to forgive me and make me into someone who loves you and other people without fear. Thank you that you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

If you prayed the prayer above, please write and tell me at Rick@PastorRick.com. I’d like to send you some materials as you begin your journey with Jesus.

The post You Can Love Others Because God Loves You appeared first on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope.

First Day of School

And they’re off!  It’s S last first day of school… sniff sniff . Senior, sophomore, and 8th grader ready for their big day:)

PS: Look how little they were just 6 years ago! That was when G and I started dating too… so cute!!