Who Do You Want to Be Like?

Last night, we had our first Combustion service with the students, and, well...it totally ROCKED!! I can't wait until the next one! We had about 55 students, which is a high number for us, and, more importantly, we had 5 students make decisions for the Lord!!! Praise His Name!

Jesse asked the questions, "Who do you want to be like?" He even played this old "I Want to Be Like Mike" Gatorade commercial from back in the day. But the point is, who do we want to imitate? In Ephesians 5:1-2, it says:
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved you and gave himself up for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

To recap his sermon, the world has enough Christians. People who claim the title but look exactly like the world. The world needs to see people living a life of love, just like Jesus. They need to see us letting Jesus be our Savior AND our Lord. Our boss.

As I was listening to Jesse preach, I kept thinking of a person in my life who is truly a picture of this. I want to be like my daddy. Because, my daddy is like his Daddy. My dad loves the Lord, and he is who is all the time. With all people. In every circumstance. He's not ashamed to live out loud for Jesus. He's the one you hear hollerin' from the rafters when someone accepts Jesus or follows in baptism. He's the one making the floor shake because he's jumping up and down as he worships. He's the one we (jokingly) avoid asking to pray for the meal, because its going to go on and on. My dad is a picture of Eph. 5:1-2. I'm so thankful for the example he has provided for me, and the one that he now provides to my boys. I'm thankful that he lives a life of love. And I want to be just like that when I grow up. :)

So, who do you want to be like?

First Day of VPK

Well, he's there.
Ayden is at school. His very first day of preschool. And his momma is a mess!! Before anyone else was awake this morning, I checked my facebook and saw that some of my sweet friends had sent us well wishes for the day and let us know they were praying. Needless to say, I broke down right there at the computer. Then, the text messages started rolling in and the tears sprang to my eyes once again. But, there was lots to be done and not enough time for crying. Ayden helped me scramble his eggs for breakfast, which he enjoyed along with a toaster strudel. As he was sitting on the counter stirring eggs, he said, "I fink I was wrong." I asked what he was wrong about. "Well," he said, "I fink I really will like school. I fink it will be lots of fun."
**Choking back sobs.**
That's great for my little man. I want him to have lots of fun and to like school. But it sure was hard to drop him off. As we waited our turn in the line to enter the classroom, his little hand squeezed mine and he asked, "Are you and my daddy going to stay wif me?" "No, buddy," I told him, "Daddy and I have to leave you here, but I'll come back in just a little bit to pick you up. Its going to be so much fun!" Then I kissed his cheek, that, while still sweet, is most definitely not the same little baby cheek I'm sure I was kissing just yesterday.
In a flash, it was Ayden's turn. He'd been such a good boy all morning and let me take pictures of him, but when it came time to take a picture with his teacher, Mrs. Speed, he covered his face. I guess we'll try it again another day.
After we dropped Ayden off, we went to another room for a little breakfast they had set up for parents. I was trying not to break out into the ugly cry, since it seemed I was the only parent even wiping away any tears. Jesse kept telling me that it was okay. "You wouldn't have wanted to leave him crying. He was sad, but he walked into the room like a big boy." True. But, my heart still hearts. And as soon as I made it to the car, I had a good, long cry, all the way home (which, to my credit is only about 5 minutes).
Now, I'm counting down the minutes until noon...