Modern Day Moses

When you fully surrender your life to the Lord, things start to move quickly. Really, light-speed, much-too-fast-at-times, quickly.

Every time I drive to Ellensburg (30 minutes east of Cle Elum) to go to Fred Meyer or the doctor, I see Valley Christian School, which has been closed as long as I've lived here. There is a big 'For Sale' sign out front. Cle Elum only has one public school and it's not what we want for our family so when I found out I was pregnant, (which meant I drove by A LOT to go to the doctor) I would fervently pray for God to let someone buy the school, so my babies could attend when they're older.
About a month ago, I heard that pesky little voice say, "You need to do it." Really?! Yikes.
I came home and told Kevin what I thought God was asking of me. He calmly looked at me like I was nuts and said, "Alright." I told him that we will probably go broke. He said, "We already are." He suggested I talk to our Pastor. If any of you know our Pastor, Ron Vanlandingham, you know that he is one of the most genuine, hard-working, supportive people in the world. He stopped by for coffee the next morning (Coincidence? I think not.) and I dropped the bomb.
"I think God is telling me to start a Christian school. Am I crazy?"
He says, "What can I do? You can use the church to get started."

Around the first of the year, I started reading the Bible from the beginning. I have made it through Genesis and Exodus. I never liked the Old Testament before. I guess I thought it was boring, or scary or something. Now it is like a Twilight book that I can't put down.
Yes, I just said that.
It talks about ordinary people who have extraordinary faith in God. He gives them these seemingly impossibly tasks and through their faith in Him, they accomplish incredible things. Another coincidence? I don't think so.
It absolutely amazes me how the Lord is in control of everything. From laying this on my heart to my Pastor stopping by to reading Genesis and Exodus. It was not just luck that I read stories about Noah obeying the Lord and as a result, saving mankind! Or Joseph, who went from being a slave to a king. That was ALL God. He was preparing me. Something that really encouraged me is the story of Moses.

In the book of Exodus, God says, “The Israelites cry for help has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ But Moses asked God, ‘Who am I that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ He answered, ‘I will certainly be with you’ […](Ex. 3:9-12)

After leading the people out of slavery, they became trapped in the wilderness with an army behind them and the ocean in front. They were afraid and cried out but Moses had faith.

“Moses said to the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet” Exodus 14:13-14

He had faith that God would work out the details. Big and small. God parted the Red Sea and the Israelites crossed on dry ground.

Alright, by now I'm starting to realize that I have no excuses. God uses totally ordinary people to bring glory to His kingdom. In fact, doing God's will is the sole purpose for my creation. Wow. It really isn't all about me. Dang.
It was time to start making something happen. If God can part the Red Sea, we can start a little Christian school. 
I started by googling "How to start a Christian School?" Seriously. There are manuals.
After finding one I liked, I started following the steps. I spoke with founders of other schools, started asking around, brainstorming mission statements, scheduling the first public meeting and praying my brains out. I need to figure out what the Lord wants this school to look like. So far, this is what I know:

It needs to teach secular subjects from a Biblical perspective.

These kids need to learn scripture so they are equipped to defend and disciple when they go into the world.
That although you may not like someone, you MUST love them and treat them with kindness. That ‘mean girls’ and bullies are NOT ACCEPTABLE. Love the unlovely.
The teachers, who are basically missionaries, have the important task of training students morally as well as academically. For example: “Lila is struggling with pride at school. She is putting down some other students because she is better at reading. Perhaps you can emphasize humility at home.”
School standards need to be biblical, not worldly. Kids need to know that sex before marriage is not just personal preference. That disrespect towards authority is not just “normal teenager behavior” or that it’s not ok to intentionally leave out someone because they are different. 
These children need their innocence protected as long as possible. Especially these little girls!
We know that it needs to be a warm, cozy place in our community where love flows in and out. A place that reaches out to the people around us. A light in the darkness.

 Most importantly, we’re not trying to create a sterile bubble for Lila. It says in Luke…

Luke 14:12-14)
I feel very strongly that God is telling us to start a discipleship school. This means  it is open to everyone and anyone regardless of their faith. I also believe it needs to be affordable. No one should be turned away based on their financial status. You shouldn't have to pay tons of money to learn about Jesus.

And so this bring us to today. The first public meeting is scheduled for January 26th. I am terrified. But I have no doubt that if God can raise the dead, and change my heart from a wild-child to a Jesus freak, He can make this school happen with His eyes closed and one arm tied behind his back. I have absolute faith that the Lord will send us the right people and provide the means to start a school where kids are told that above all else, God loves them as His own and has a unique plan for their lives.
Now, how can you go wrong with that?

The Orange Dinner

On New Years Day, we decided to throw a little, last minute surprise birthday party for our dear friend, Ally. We invited some friends and family and made dinner. Everything was orange because this is her favorite color. Sweet potato mashers, macaroni and cheese, meatloaf (which stayed brown), and orange cupcakes. Everyone trickles in, one by one, two by two and all slowly realize that, GASP, we have no TV. Well there goes Sunday Night Football.

When we remodeled our house this summer, we wired extra outlets, seven feet up the wall, for a flat screen TV. Obviously, who wouldn't design their living room around the flat screen? That is absolutely normal. Then when we moved in, God told us to get rid of TV all together. It was so sad at first. On the bright side, now I have a handy place to put my Glade plug-in air-fresheners, seven feet off the ground, where Lila can't reach them. That's a custom house.
Well as a result, Kevin and I read. We talk. We pay attention to Lila instead of zoning out. We have dinner at the table. It has given us so much time together that used to go mysteriously missing. We would wonder things like, "why isn't our marriage growing?" or "why am I annoyed when Lila talks to herself on a volume reserved for only for megaphones and pterodactyls?" 
Because I would rather watch TV. I'm "relaxing". I'd rather not think. Or get up. I would rather watch some other life, than submit mine to God.

So as the guests of our orange dinner adjusted to the fact that they are going to have to converse with one another, guess what? They did. We ate dinner, drank wine and played board games, aggressively at times, and laughed and talked. We all smashed in the living room together and told stories. There wasn't the usual 'guys in the living room, watching TV', 'girls in the kitchen because they're talking too loud' divide. It was really fun.

You learn to be creative when you have less options and as a result, enjoy the fruits of your labor more. I have learned that this applies as a parent too. When Lila has a couple toys and a blanket to lay on, and no mama or cat or fancy contraption to entertain her, she has to come up with something else to do. This usually results in learning a new trick which gives her immense pleasure. Thanks to blanket time, Lila started rolling and scooting around. Thanks to the lack of TV, I started painting again. Kevin has been working out and as a result, his back is hurting him less. (I should probably start working out too but I'd rather paint with a sore back.)

God has totally rewarded our so-called 'sacrifice' with daily life that is so much more satisfying. Now reading the bible is relaxing. Praying gives me peace.  Talking with Kevin challenges me. Painting and writing bring me joy. Watching Lila chase the cat in her cruiser is my very own comedy channel. Seriously, kids are so funny. 

"Even more, those who hear the word of God and keep it are blessed!" Luke 11:28.

Logically, we know that God has our best interests in mind all the time. We know that our obedience will result in abundant life.

Funny that we don't listen to Him more, huh?

So now I'm hearing voices...

So you know who I am. Now I want to tell you a little about what’s been happening…
You know that little voice inside your head that prompts you? “Go talk to that awkward girl”, or “Slow down around this corner”, and “You don’t need to spend money on that”, etcetera. Well 60 days ago, while on Facebook for the 17^th time in 3 hours, I was prompted. The voice said, “This is a problem for you”. So I put my iPhone down and went out to watch TV. “This is a problem too”, said the voice. I was not a big fan of the voice at this point. I flipped off the TV and grabbed a book. I started reading a Max Lucado book I’d picked up at a garage sale, months earlier. It was called, God Came Near. And it rocked my world.


I learned about who Jesus was. I learned about God’s glorious amnesia when you ask for forgiveness. I read about heaven. I saw the life I want to offer my daughter, filled with the grace of a loving Savior. I saw an abundant life.


I decided to go on a 60 day Facebook and cable TV sabbatical. I came to the conclusion that if I prayed every time I wanted to check my facebook and read my bible every time I wanted to watch TV…my life would look completely different. I was in need of a serious Jesus-brainwashing. I realized that addictions and stumbling blocks don’t always have to be socially unacceptable. I was stumbling over social media. Let’s be real, I was falling flat on my face.


I would check my Facebook while I nursed my daughter instead of talking to her and praying for her. I would be watching TV when my husband got home from work and wouldn’t even get up to greet him. We would play on our smart phones in bed and then roll over and go to sleep without a word. I was addicted to these things. They had become a dependency. My life seemed dull without them. I still managed to accomplish what needed to be done in my day, but never more. I would take pictures of our baby, post them and check every 5 minutes to see what people said. This is prideful and self-loving. This is wrong. If I spent 1 episode of “What not to Wear” a day, volunteering somewhere, imagine the difference I could make.


The little voice kept saying “garbage in, garbage out”. Criminal Minds has made me genuinely paranoid. The real estate channel made me want a fancier house. BET made me want to be a rapper. I’m kidding. But seriously, do I want Lila watching commercials every 10 minutes about sex, alcohol and being rich? For that matter, do I? This is the social norm in America and there’s nothing wrong with normal, right? But as a Christian, I am not supposed to be normal. I am set aside to be used by God. I am in the world, but not of the world. I was created to do God’s will.


With my mind clear from the distractions of Facebook and TV, I am able to hear the Holy Spirit. The little voice prompts me with purpose and direction. And it happens often. More often than I am comfortable with, even. I am seeing the glory of God in everyday things. I am being used. I am blown away by Him.


There is another little voice that is not so pleasant. It is the voice that tells me “People are going to think you are a hypocrite”, “People aren’t going to want to hang out with you anymore” and “Once a cheater, always a cheater”. I was a party girl. Not the glamorous Ke$ha type…just a sad, lost, pathetic, lonely girl. This nasty voice has been around a lot lately. There was a time in my life when I forgot whose child I was. I dishonored my parents and my Savior. I’ve been on both sides of the fence and let me tell you, the grass is not greener on the other side. It is covered in dog crap and land mines. Fortunately, God led me back. He carried me through the shame. He was faithful, when I was not. And he forgave me and forgot. So mean voice in my head, you’d better eat your Wheaties because it’s on. I am going to tell the world about Jesus. I have an indescribably awesome God to serve.


Well, the 60 days are up and we have made some crazy changes to our everyday lives. We are in the middle of a butt-kicking bible-study, excitedly reading the bible and volunteering in the community. We’ve even stopped listening to secular music around the house, only playing hymns and classical music. “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.


More to come…

A little about myself..

Let me tell you what I am trying to do - I am trying to change things around here. (I use 'here' loosely as it means anywhere from my heart to my home to my community, and beyond.) But before I do that, let me tell you a little about myself:

I am in my mid-twenties, married to my true love and mother to six-month-old Lila Rose. I went to a private, Christian high school and did well but never graduated from college. Instead, I developed a serious love for cooking and baking so I worked in a cafe for many years. Now I am blessed to be able to stay at home with Lila. I live in a little town, roughly three thousand people, in central Washington. There are some limitations - only having the Edge network on my iPhone - for example, is highly irritating, but overall, it is wonderful. I spend my free time gardening, cooking, using any excuse to make cupcakes, painting, chasing my cat around the house (yes, you read right...I am a cat person and I'm not ashamed. My husband is ashamed.), making greeting cards, reading, and other old-personish things. My husband , Kevin, served our country for five years in the U.S.M.C. I am so proud of him and I am so grateful to live in the land of the free. I believe that America was built on biblical principals. I use cloth diapers and make baby food and try to always use 'green' products although honestly, the whole movement sort of bothers me. If the large corporations had any integrity (a concept seemingly lost to America today), there would be no reason to shop organic or green. Don't get me started about that. Moving on. We try our hardest to never use credit, buy our cars in cash and tithe before we pay bills, not after. But as it is for most people, money is never ending battle. My husband idolizes Dave Ramsey which is both awesome and annoying, depending on my mood. I listen to country music, like to have a beer or two on occasion, love playing board games, watching TV, and going car camping in the woods by our house. I drink WAY too much coffee. We have amazing families and they are both here in town! This is SO cool. We attend church on Sundays and go to bible study and pray before dinner. We are in good health, make enough money, own our home, and love each other more than words can describe.  We are obviously blessed.
I couldn't ask for more. However, a couple months ago, I started to feel like perhaps, more could be asked of me. I am a lukewarm Christian. But I am normal!
God deserves more than what is considered normal. And realizing that is how this all began.