The Last Time...

The hubs and I rented a couple of films this weekend. One was pretty good about a female pastor who is sent to a small town church in an effort to get rid of her. It's called "Welcome to Paradise". It was pretty good for a low-budget film.

The second film was "Griffin & Phoenix" and we picked it up because I like the actors in it, but it was a bit morbid and depressing. It was about dying. Both the lead characters met, fell in love and both realized they were dying of cancer. Yes...a bit dark for a romantic comedy (which is how it was marketed).

Anyway, the one redeeming quality was a scene where the female lead (Amanda Peet) is in the hospital preparing to die and she starts recanting 'the last time...' As in the last Christmas she would ever have...was last year...the last kiss she would have...even the last time she brushed her teeth at home.

It made me stop and think about each thing I do in a day and how I too often take for granted it won't be my 'last time'. I realized I need to inhale each day fully and really live in that moment and enjoy it as if it were...'the last time.'

Church #4

My Hubby blogged his first Meme...check him out to encourage this relatively new hobby. It's not easy for him because he looks at the written word as absolute...obviously not like me in this way! But give a 'shout out' if you have a free minute!

We visited, what I would consider, a MEGA-Church today. It is a non-denominational church and we already watch the pastor on TV each Sunday typically. We love to hear this pastor speak and teach. He has a natural ability to teach and preach with passion. We've visited here a few times and seen special speakers at this location.

They are doing a special series "He Said/She Said" in which both the pastor and his wife are teaching. Today they covered Gary Smalley's; "The Five Love Languages". I love the book and my husband and I have listened to the CD's in the past so it was a good refresher.

I'm still more of a temperament follower than love languages, but I see the value of both in just learning more about those we love and even those we interact with.

SO...why don't we just choose this church and start 'plugging in'? Mostly because it is SO big...there are 6 weekly services and each one, including the 9:00 a.m. service we attended today, are packed out. I believe they have well over 10,000 members, if you include their off-site locations in OKC, Norman, LasVegas, Texas, and online. That's overwhelming to me and even with small groups I don't know if it would ever feel like a 'home church' to me.

They were actually doing a small group expo today and we picked up some information on small groups available and this is also the church that sponsors the writer's small group I have attended.

I just don't want to be a part of a church that wouldn't know whether I was there or not and it doesn't really matter whether I serve or not. My husband did point out that it might be nice to attend a church with more volunteers.

Each week I long for a home church or a small intimate setting. Cool Mama recommended in one of her comments to me, that we sit down and write out what it is we're looking for in a church home.

I haven't formally done that...but I just may attempt it this week. I think part of it is I'm afraid to be too concrete for fear it really doesn't exist. I think about how I met my husband and how it was SO God...and I want to believe the same will happen with church.

It was a good visit today...but I seriously doubt it's our new church...as the search continues.

We also went to see the movie "The Invisible" today...and it's not even worth a link. It just wasn't a great movie...not even a good movie...thankfully it was an early "cheap" movie.

Church #3

We visited this church this past Sunday. It was not at all what I expected. The worship was really powerful and the mood was set with a candle lit room. There were open invitations for families to come and pray together at prayer tables...or at the alter. It was Mother's Day so of course it was a bit different than usual...the Pastor's Wife spoke...she shared her story as a Mom and wife in ministry.

I thought she had a wonderful ability to connect to the women and men alike. She shared her story openly...even the stuff from the beginning of their ministry where she had to learn some hard lessons about serving and boundaries.

The message was primarily directed to the mothers and at first I thought it would be hard...another mother's day without that experience...but what really got to me...and opened up the faucet of tears was when she started talking about how God works.

She reminded us (me) that God...the God of the Universe, who can speak things into existence; God who created EVERYTHING saw a need for an Abraham Lincoln and he used a poor farmer women to bring this baby into the world. When God needed a Martin Luther King Jr. he chose another woman, not a wealthy woman, but a God-fearing woman to bring this baby into the world. And when God needed a Savior...He used a young girl with a heart for God to bring a Savior into the world. Our creator did the same thing with us.

God needed a Kim to do His work...so He chose a man and a woman to bring this baby into the world for God's purpose. While God may not use me to bring a baby into this world, I will be used to do His will in His time, at His leading. That's a humbling and incredibly love-filled reminder.

We left the service and while I don't know my husband's take on the whole thing, I think I was more 'touched' than he was. We'll probably go back and at least hear the Pastor preach.

After church, we took Mom (and Dad) out to see the movie "Georgia Rule". It was definitely "R" rated. The language was stronger than I thought it needed to be. The story was much more intense than the previews let on. It's really a story about overcoming the bad stuff life brings...with family. It's a love story, but a difficult story to watch, because so much of the lesson is born of pain.

Jane Fonda was incredible in her role (and I'm not a huge Jane Fonda fan...but she really stole the show). Lindsay Lohan was 'okay' and Felicity Huffman definitely held her own. There was some beautiful scenery of Idaho (or what I imagine was really Idaho). And thankfully it ended well...so overall I don't regret seeing it and while I may not recommend it over some other movies...it was okay and Mom really liked it.

Now...it's Monday evening and I'm zonked...I guess this is everything for now.

I hope your mother's day brought joy and an increase in wisdom! Thank God for our Mothers, the women used by God to bring His children to earth.

A Gift For Everyone

The hubs and I see a movie almost every week. We use a portion of our 'blow' money (from Dave Ramsey's FPU plan) and go check out a new release. We've seen some pretty UN-remarkable films of late. But today's ranked up there with "Freedom Writers" and a handful of other really memorable films.

Today we had planned to see "The Astronaut Farmer" and we probably still will at some point, but I looked through what was showing at the theater closest to us and there was one neither of us had heard of; "The Ultimate Gift". I thought it sounded intriguing. It's based on a novel by Jim Stovall. I knew that Fox Faith Films has been producing many more films this year, I just had no idea how impactful they would be. We decided to go see it based on the informational blurb given on Yahoo movies site.

It was an absolute MUST-SEE! Truly, it teaches everyone something. I don't doubt for a second that God ordained our own viewing on this day. You see I was totally prepared to write about how I feel like I'm on "E", in my spiritual tank. What I realize is that I have so much more to give and focusing on what I lack does not change that fact. I have been blessed with much and much is expected of me.

I'm still trying to work through what it all means and how it will play out in my own life, and I know we are on the 'verge' of something...what...I don't know...but something that will take a turn on our spiritual journey.

I have seen all God has brought us through over the past several years and I know we are still safely on His path. It is sometimes bumpy, but always certain!

I pray you find your "Ultimate Gift" and give it freely each day!