Another Definition of Wealth

I have at last found something President Obama and I can agree on. We both agree that my family is not wealthy. According to him, "wealthy" is defined by making more than $200,000-250,000 a year. I would beg to differ with his numbers, but either way, we don't fit his definition.

However, I have another definition of wealthy. And according to my definition, I am wealthy beyond measure.

First, I am a daughter of the King of Kings. I am heir to all the riches of heaven.

I have a husband who loves me and treats me like a princess. I am completely spoiled. And I am completely secure in his love for me. I have known many women who can't say the same thing.

I have two beautiful children who love the Lord with all their hearts, who are talented and kind.

Our house is filled with joy and laughter. Sometimes (most of the time) it's a mess. The laundry isn't always done (I don't think all the laundry has been clean at one time since before Kat was born), the dishes aren't always clean, but we are always happy to be together.

I belong to the most incredible church family in the world. I get to take advantage of the greatest worship, teaching and preaching there is. I am surrounded by people who love the Lord, love me, and love my family. I get to serve alongside the most incredible people.

At that church, I get to have the best job in the world. I get to hang with people I love (adults and teenagers), serve them, minister with them, travel with them, have tons of fun with them, and I get paid for it!

I have friends who love me. They know most of my secrets and faults, and they still love me!

I could go on and on. But you get the point. I am a wealthy, wealthy woman. And, Mr. President, you can't tax that!

Observations From a Trip to Target on a Rainy Day

I had to brave the rain today to go to Target. I needed several things...the dog needed food (his bi-weekly 18 pound bag), Kearsdad needed some stuff for Winter Retreat, and I had to do my Valentine's shopping for the girls. All of that could be accomplished in one trip to the Mighty Target. So off we went, umbrella in hand.

I observed a number of things on my outing...

• I am a much more polite parking lot driver than most people. As I made my way through the parking lot, I stopped a number of times to allow people walking from the stores to cross in front of me. After all, who wants to stand in the rain waiting to cross the road? Other people just drove on by, ignoring the people they were splashing as they passed. How rude.
• People have trouble driving in parking lots in the rain. They forget how to pull into or back out of parking spaces, how to drive up and down the rows, how to turn out onto the main drive, etc. Granted, the collective IQ of the drivers in the Target parking lot is infinitely higher than the collective IQ of those in the WalMart parking lot. But still...rain causes that IQ to drop several points.
• Speaking of rain-induced IQ droppage...There was a couple exiting Target as I was driving up. They were pushing a buggy (do you call it a buggy or a cart? I call it a buggy.) with a baby in it. The baby was in an infant/car seat thingy in the front seat part of the buggy. They had completely covered the baby, seat and all, and they were hurrying across the parking lot, worried looks on their faces, trying to shield their purchases and the baby from the rain. WHY, I ask, WHY did one of them not stand inside the store, or even under the awning at the entrance, like my children did, while the other went and got the car and brought it to the door? Wouldn't that have made more sense??
• It is, apparently, too much trouble to move the buggies from outside on the sidewalk to inside the door when it is raining. There were no less than 7 buggies cluttering the entrance/exit area just outside the doors. Between the entrance/exit doors are the little buggy entrance doors where the buggies can be pushed into the store. No one seemed able to do that today. Must be the rain.
• Finally, and this has nothing to do with rain, but it does have to do with the purpose of my trip, Target has a cruddy selection of Valentine cards. I mean really cruddy. And has anyone else ever noticed that if you go try to buy cards at the last minute, all the "To My Husband" cards are gone, but there are still plenty of "To My Wife" cards. Apparently most women do their shopping early. I usually do, but didn't have time this week. In the end, I made a call to Kearsdad, and talked with the girls, and we made a corporate family decision. No cards this year. We went to dinner as a family last night, and had a lovely time. We got "happies" for the girls. Kearsdad and I have been married over 18 years. I don't need a cheesy $5 card to know he loves me. Same goes for the rest of us. I suggested to the girls if they wanted to do something for anyone, they get creative.

Things I Learned Today

I thought I would share some of the things God taught me today. Some of these are things I learned in church today. Some are things He taught me personally. God is so good...always teaching, always patient, always loving.

1. I finally understand the concept of the unpardonable sin. I have always struggled with this concept, trying to figure out just what it meant. I had trouble differentiating between blaspheming Jesus and blaspheming the Holy Spirit. I mean, aren't they one and the same? Well, yes they are...but then they are also different. Dr. Bisagno explained it this way...and I finally got it! See, the Holy Spirit is God's last attempt to draw man to Himself. Man has rejected God's revelation, his prophets, his Word, and even His Son. After Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, God sent the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts of sin and draws people's hearts toward God. As Dr. B said this morning...God isn't sending anyone else. No one else is coming for us. The Holy Spirit is God's last attempt to save us.

2. The Gifts of the Spirit are manifested in our ministry. They enable us to grow more Christlike as we serve and minister like Christ. The Fruit of the Spirit is manifested in our personality, so that we grow more Christlike in who we are and how we act.

3. The things we dwell on determine who we become and how we respond. Dr. B referred to "feeding the Spirit"...dwelling on God's Word and communing with Him in prayer feeds His Spirit in us and consequently is manifested in our actions, reactions and relationships. Max Lucado compares our heart to a greenhouse...

Consider for a moment your thoughts as seed. Some thoughts become flowers. Others become weeds...The proof is everywhere you look. Ever wonder why some people have the Teflon capacity to resist negativism and remain patient, optimistic and forgiving? Could it be that they have diligently sown seeds of goodness and are enjoying the harvest?
Ever wonder why others have such a sour outlook? Such a gloomy attitude? You would, too, if your heart were a greenhouse full of weeds and thorns. (Grace For The Moment by Max Lucado).

This week I resolve to feed the Spirit in me on God's Word, to be consistent in prayer, to cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit in my personality and responses, to exercise the Gifts of the Spirit in my ministry, and to try to demonstrate to others around me God's unfailing, merciful love that is calling them through His Spirit to salvation. What about you?