Half Way AND THEN SOME

When Mark and I started this blog, we never intended it to be more than an accountability piece for our commitment to service. However, it has become more than that. It is a way for us to share our thoughts about the Lord and our humbling experience with getting up everyday intending to serve someone else. Some days are easier than others, as it appears more and more certain in my mind that God places people in our path to see how we will react, to see if we are going to do what we say we are going to do, and to develop relationships such as the one he wishes for us to have with him. Recently, I have been reflecting on what has happened to us in the last six months.

(1) Mark and I have become closer. We rely on each other. We support each others needs. We truly love each other. Sometimes we get caught up in the busy world we live in and don't acknowledge this, but we know that God had a plan when he put the two of us together.

(2) John, our 13 year old son, who is sometimes the most trying of the bunch, has become involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the 7th and 8th Grade Center. Those of you, who know John, would never believe that he would slow down enough to prepare a lesson for the meetings or to be the one to offer up a pray at the end before the school day starts.

(3) Reconnecting with old acquaintances has hit us like a "blast from the past" on a weekly basis. People that we used to know have just called us out of the blue to let us know that they miss us and still care about what's going on in our lives. Last night, a true friend from when I was 15 yrs old and traveling around Western Tennessee, Southeast Missouri, and Northeast Arkansas with a group ministering in song called to tell me how much he loved me and prayed God's blessing on us. He is currently pastoring a church in Blytheville and about to record a CD. This man of God had such an influence on my life a young teenager.

(4) Moving - You just don't know how hard it's going to be until you actually pack up your bags and say goodbye to the people you have come to know and love. We lived in the Kansas City area for 4 years. That's two years longer than anywhere else we have lived since we got married. The people who influenced us the most were at our church - Evangel Temple. Ryan and Kristina - truly gifted worship leaders. Pastor Jason and Jill - such a heart for God and his people. Ryan and Pam - our friends and we miss them so much everyday. Randy and Ramona - who were always willing to serve and taught us how easy it is. Pastor Lisa - whose Sunday Morning ABF kept us grounded in the Word of the Lord. There were so many others that I can't begin to mention them all. What a wonderful place and it is so go to see the Lord continuing to bless the people and his church in Kansas City.

(5) Keeping our word - When we started this project, we didn't know that it would be so hard to write a blog in addition to our daily routines. It started out easy because Mark had the Summer off and could write something everyday about what we were doing to serve; however, when he went back to work and had football and I was working, it became hard to put our thoughts down everyday. We have been trying to continue to at least on a weekly basis share our journey because that's what our commitment demands.

(6) AND THEN SOME. We are attending a Church in Sikeston called Cape First of Sikeston. Sunday's message was so powerful. I often wonder when we get down and are feeling blue, if God doesn't put a message like this right in front of us to get us moving again. AND THEN SOME. The story of the good samaritan has been told many times; however, when you consider what the good samaritan did for the man lying on the road, you have to know that it went above and beyond what anyone would expect. The samaritan cleaned his wounds. That would have been enough help - don't you think? He took him to a place where he could get more help. That would have been enough too - don't you think? He paid for him to stay at the inn. That would have been more than enough - don't you think? But he also said if the innkeeper had to spend any more money on him while he was away that when he came back he would take care of it. Okay - that's the AND THEN SOME.

What makes us go the extra mile? It's a choice on our part to set aside our selfishness and do just what God would want us to do. He would want us to spend our day influencing to the point of AND THEN SOME. When God puts person in your path put the AND THEN SOME factor into play. What can you do AND THEN SOME. It will change your life.

Mark and I are half way into our commitment to write this Blog. We started July 1, 2008 and we intend to continue to love God, love others and serve the world AND THEN SOME!

Happy New Year - Here comes 2009! What does the Lord have in store for you?