HELLOOOOOOOOOOO!
I can't tell you guys how much I missed you! It's so nice to be back in to the swing of things! Quick update on the kids - they are doing fantastic! The twins (Anna-Prin and Carter) are in 1st grade at Preston Hollow Elementary - and little George (Georgie) is here at CDP during the day - they love soccer, dance, singing in the choir, playing baseball, football, cuddles, kisses, bedtime stories and to laugh LOUD ! Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and made them feel so loved here at our church. They are such gifts........and I absolutely LOVE being their mommy. : ))
It's really nice to be back. I missed the staff, our ministry - and all of you. I can't wait to see you this week!
These last couple of months I have learned a lot. A lot about myself - and a lot about others. It's funny - young people always think the old people have it all figured out. The truth is, we have worries, fears, insecurities, and failures just like you.
As you can imagine.......my family get a lot of stares and a lot of questions. I can't go anywhere without people standing there - just staring. To save them from themselves - I just want to say, "Yes, they are my kids. Yes, I know they have funky accents, afros and are very black. It doesn't matter. They're mine and I love them as if I carried them in my belly." My kids get it too. Just the other day Anna-Prin said, "Mom, everyone always asks, 'Why are your mom and dad white and you are black?" I asked her what she said back - she said - "I tell them you adopted us - and that's just the way it goes!"
Now - don't get me wrong - I don't think everyone is looking at us in judgment - or criticizing - but it is interesting to be on this side of the stares, questions, comments.
But I loved Anna-Prin's answer. "That's just the way it goes!"
Why can't we all look at life like that?
I know as I look around and judge others - this is rarely my conclusion.......my response. Instead of looking at others and shrugging my shoulders and saying, "That's just they way it goes!" - I stand in judgment. I criticize. I make my own conclusions - about things and people that are none of my business.
Why do I do this? Why do we do this??
We do it about the way people look. About the way they talk. About the sin that plagues their life. About the way they spend their money. What they do with their boyfriend/girlfriend. Decorate their house. What grades they make. How they spend their weekends. Eat. Walk. Breathe. Dress. Dance. Sing.
I mean - the way we judge people sometimes it's a wonder anyone makes it out alive.
It's funny. It's funny because this is the exact opposite way Christ taught us to live. To love.
It's so weird to me how we look upon others with such judgment when we know very little about:
what they are RELLY going through
what their home life is REALLY about
how they REALLY feel
what their background is
or what makes them do what they do
and the truth is........it's none of our business - because for whatever reason, "that's just the way it goes" and Christ has told us again and again to be merciful, just as our Father is merciful.
In Luke 6 He says it perfectly........
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
Don't we all have a plank in our eye? Don't we all have "stuff"? And instead of pointing - shouldn't we just love???
Because you know what my friends.........that's the way it SHOULD go.....
Love. That's it. That's all we need to do.
As Carter would say, "Finish."
I love you. Missed you.
And always will.
T
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