The Need for Joy

Aah, I can feel it in the air. It’s that time of year when all good cheer is wafting merrily through the air and I feel the need to celebrate! Mark's earthy response to my need for socialization is that maybe I should be a party planner, but he misses the point entirely. That would be like being a planner and never a bride. I simply love to gather with friends and enjoy festivities. I find that most people I know have their faces so embedded in the day to day nuts and bolts that they rarely kick up their heels. So what if I'm the one who has to put on the red suit and chuckle? Somebodies got to do it! We need a little joy.

Not too long ago the holidays were difficult for me. I lost my brother on Christmas Eve. He was buried four days later on my birthday, so you can see that kind of put a damper on the whole season. But now I get excited like a child when the cool weather starts to blow in and I feel the tickle of Christmas in my stomach. I've heard all the woes about the commercialism etc., but that doesn't dent my enthusiasm. As Christians we should be the jolliest people around. I have personally been rescued from pain, darkness, and despair. I've been given a new life, so why wouldn't I want to celebrate?

Today I had lunch with a friend, one of the many friends I have that shares my name or at least part of it. Kim, in my estimation is a real party girl. I don't mean that in a derogatory way. She just exudes life. I don't know if she even recognizes it, because she's working pretty hard at being good! I hope she never becomes so good that she loses her childlike playfulness, because that's what God loves and I love about her. Don't you get tired of being all stiff and grown up? I believe the Lord gets tired of it too! He's pretty clear on what He thinks about stiff-neck people. So if you don't want to hang with the stiff-necked Pharisee types, kick off your shoes and start dancing! We have a lot to be joyful about!

Amazing Grace

One of the best testimonies that I have ever heard, was of God's redemptive power through the life of John Newton, a ruthless slave trader who came to know the mercy and salvation of the Lord. He went on to author the well known hymn, Amazing Grace. Last night Mark and I watched the movie, Amazing Grace, which told the story of Britain's William Wilberforce's tireless fight to see the abolition of slavery in the 1800s. Although the movie didn't chronicle the early years of Wilberforce's friend John Newton's life, his penned words, "I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see," clearly reveals a man rescued from chains similar to those that imprisoned the slaves he traded.

I was moved by William Wilberforce's struggle in whether or not to live a life of worship to God or work to better the condition of the very people God had created. His passion and burning mission plagued him, driving him on in the fight in which he crusaded.

There was a great moment in the movie when Wilberforce was introduced to a group of clergy with the same mission in mind. Wilberforce was proposed a question that ultimately seemed to silence his conflict and propel him in his fight, "Humbly I ask, can you not do both."

Don't you find as Christians that we often struggle with a mindset that asks, "Is this thing Christian or not?" We forget that God existed before any cultural code of Christianity existed. In our limited understanding we measure the appropriateness of man-created things and entirely overlook God's vantage point as the creator of the universe.

Are we not like Wilberforce in the fact that we too are fighting to free slaves of every kind. While we get caught up worrying about insignificant matter, God is asking us to listen to what burns inside our bones like Jeremiah. There is a fight in each of us that we are meant to fight. There is a solution that we are meant to bring.

My oldest son recently had the opportunity to share Christ with a fellow model. Although some would say Christians shouldn't be models, who then would tell those slaves about Christ. God needs each of us to be who He designed us to be, so we can bring the abolition of slavery everywhere as our lives gratefully declare, "I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see."
Happy Thanksgiving!

Amusing Myself Immensely

Yesterday, Sam and I were waiting patiently by the car for Mark to arrive with the keys. When he got there we waited a little while longer until Mark said, “Kimber, you have the keys!” Then this morning when I wrote a comment on one of our Pastor’s blogs, I saw my comment pop up with the corresponding name, Welcome to my blog! When I clicked on the link to my blog site I realized it stated that not only was my name, Welcome to my blog, but I was an accountant from Afghanistan! I have been laughing ever since. If we all were accountants how drab would the world be? We need the blond brigade to help us loosen up with our uptight selves. We certainly were all made uniquely.

Last night I cut out a clipping from the newspaper for a website that had tons of Christmas cookie recipes. Now mind you the girl that had all of her Christmas shopping done in October, baked bread everyday and appeared to be the perfect little Suzy homemaker has departed. I buried her several years ago after she choked on her perfectly home made Fourth of July cookies, shaped like a slice of watermelon with mini chocolate chip seeds.

Somehow I was never quite the same after I tripped on the boys skateboard in the garage. Maybe it was the loss of blood, or the knock on my head that permanently altered me. The perfect little Betty Crocker I am not and I gave up faking it long ago, although now and then I do enjoy baking. We all have something unique to impart to the world. It is much better when we listen to our own heartbeat than dance to someone else’s step. Life is better when we follow our joy!

Just Do It!

Action is a "do" word. I am all about action. In the last few years "action" has been my motto, so here I am kicking myself in the rear one more time, so I'll just sit down and make myself blog. It isn't that I don't love to write, because I do. My bio even alludes to the fact that I am rarely short on words. In the old days my problem with being an actress was that the scripts were way too confining. Blogging is one way to deal with my loquacious nature. I can't help it, I have a lot to say!

The truth is, I have had many other things crowding in and stealing my blogging time; like redesigning my website, writing the material for it, working on a new book, teaching workshops and that is just in the day when the kids are away! And then there is the majority of life which includes; my wonderful husband, family, Sam's soccer, orthodontist visits, helping Chloe navigate through college applications, helping Gabe navigate through career decisions, helping Josh think bigger about his amazing gifts, friends, sister, parents, grandparents, etc.

Then last night we kicked off our small group. Most of the couples couldn't make it,(don't despise small beginnings) but we really enjoyed getting to know the Prevettes who are a sweet couple with two beautiful kids. Chelsea mentioned her blog and that is the reason I was inspired to get back on track with mine. Thank you Chelsea!

Although we love being home group leaders and have missed not having a group for a while, the one draw back is that now I actually have to clean my house! Mark is certainly stoked and probably never wants to cease having a small group again. Usually our home is very tidy, because I can't stand clutter, but the hard core cleaning I avoid at all cost!

And then there is cooking! I think that my waining desire to cook stems from the years and years of being a dutiful Betty Crocker, baking bread and other delicacies everyday. Who knew there was a prisoner waiting to get free. Sometimes I enjoy cooking when I get inspired with interesting new dishes,(like the cute turkey cookies I made last night for home group) but the inspiration for daily coming up with gold metal winners in the kitchen has vacated. Now it has become just one more of those actions that I do just to see my family smile.