Memory. What would we do without it?

I have been thinking lately about the great attribute that the Lord has given us of 'memory.' Our memories are what connects us to just about everything that we do. Whether it be going to work or simply putting on our shoes, our memories are what allows us to bring to mind how to do the things that we do on a day to day basis. Some people lose their memories and cannot do the things that we take for granted (two examples remain as I previously mentioned). Memory is a great grace from God, and we should give Him credit for that.

We also must be aware of the things that are in our memories that need to be moderated by discipline. Think about forgiveness. Dictionary.com claims that the meaning of forgiveness is 'to give up all claim on account of.' So the act of forgiveness is keeping one's memory in control by not allowing the old memories to be valid anymore. One must create new memories on a blank slate.

Any other thoughts on 'memory'?

Harry Potter. Yes. I started reading the series this past week and now must finish the series because it is so stinkin' interesting.

Yes. I have gotten a lot of 'counsel' in deciding whether or not I should read them. From my pastor's mother (70+) to the oldest boy that I nanny (9 yrs. old), I have not heard a single person who has read the series tell me that I shouldn't read it.

Today, as I sat reflecting on the characters, I truly thought that I had seen the first movie (but had to remind myself that I had not). J.K. Rowling does a wonderful job depicting the story. The reader is truly able to visualize the story as if he or she is there.

So would I tell someone else to read it? Yes. if he or she likes to read a good STORY. And that is what one must remember--that it is a story (not only with these books but with any book that is fiction). And even non-fiction books, one must read with discenment. The only book to find true non-fiction is in the Word of God!

As I left 'work' today, all I could think on was how great the need is for spanking children. "Timeout" leaves a child wallowing in their sin, thinking how mad they are at their parents, and searching for an alternative route to get what they want. The problem is not attended to. The parent is not dealing with the problem.

Spanking (when done biblically and wisely) allows the child to have no question in their mind that their behavior was wrong.

There are definitely other factors that need to be accounted for on this subject. The context of the spanking is crucial as well: Should it be done in love? Should it be done with self-control? Does an unbeliever possess love and self-control?

These are all things that have begun to roll around in my mind, and witnessing a household that is run without the use of spanking confirms the verse, 'Spare the rod; spoil the child.' On the flip side, living in a household that uses spanking biblically (Gerlt family) confirms (in my mind and to the lady at Rosa's) that children who know their authority will be well behaved and will trust the authority that the Lord has placed over them.

Thoughts for the week:
* I have grown to cherish Wednesday night church: smaller crowd, quickly-in-depth conversations with people whom I might not get to talk to on Sunday mornings, middle-of-the-week refreshment and food for thought, quiet-meditating-dark ride in the car on the way home, and many more other small things.
* Family-life is hard. Once the kids come there is no "breaks" for the next eighteen + years. That is a lot to think on...
*A quiet life is ok...actually it is something christians should strive for as I Thessalonians 4 says. Wow! I don't need to live an extraordinary life? I don't need to reach for all "my potential"? (what do those things mean anyway?)
*Don't speak more than needed. It only causes problems (maybe not right away but somewhere down the road).

I have had another subtle transition in my life...a new job with a new family. It is very interesting the grace that the Lord has placed upon me and my view of my new position. I say "interesting" because I have not had time to think about all the touched areas, and I know it will blow me away the more that I think about it. For instance...the situation that I am in would probably repel anyone from here to Mars, but for some reason, I am truly enjoying it. I pray that the Lord continues to grant me grace to persevere even when I may not like the job as much as I do now. We are all people and will never have a consistent attitude about anything so may the Lord push me through those trying times.

...

here i am thinking on life...i have been thinking on this subject, i must say, for twenty two years, and whether it has been conscious or subconscious, i have not kept record...
....
what direction are the events in my life leading me?...
why am i here? (not in the physical sense, but in the mental sense of questioning).

it seems to be that these thought have been ingrained in each of us, whether we actually process the thoughts or not or whether they manifest the same is to be determined, BUT there is ony one answer, i believe...... we are here for the glory of God and our life routes will give God glory ultimately.

This has been the hardest week of the summer. From day camp, we have had to send two campers home. Both because they were too violent and uncontrolled. One of my counselors that has been the counselor over both of these kids has witnessed both of the situations up close and personally. She has broken down multiple times because her loving heart is hurting for these kids and their families. I am learning better and better how to objectively be discerning and how to be the mediator to parents for my counselors because the counselors are too emotional. So, it has been a very trying week, but God is faithful in all that He does to sanctify His children even when they seem like they are in the pit of dispair.

Thanks for all of the prayers...

This week I have made a mental list of some of the things that have happened to me. They are as follows:
1. while swimming with the four and five year olds (the hilltoppers), they were told to go get their towels, and one girl went and took of her swimming suit instead of getting her towel. luckily, none of the other campers saw anything out of the ordinary.
2. i got the opportunity of talking with a mother who said that her seven year old son was bored at camp, and the next morning she signed her kids up for another week of camp.
3. i was told a joke by an eight year old that goes: "Have you seen the movie constipated?" ..... Answer- "Because it hasn't come out yet." (Hysterical laughter following)
4. as i walked a four year old down to horses, i suddenly realized that he was no longer beside me so i looked back to see what he was doing just as he had stopped to do a somersault.
5. i received a drawing from Max. Thanks so much for your prayers, Gerlt family!

Dead tired.."already?" you ask on the first day of camp. "Why yes!" I reply, "do you not realize how long I have been here already?" I feel as if I have already had a month of camp under my belt, and today (the first day of camp) doubled the energy drain percentage because it put kids into the mix. So, yes, it was a little rough today, but it went well for a first day. I was not as prepared as I thought I was. Never overestimate the preparedness for any situation. The situation itself cannot be fully experienced until it is experienced. Maybe this is why God chooses to put some people through hard experiences...

Camp Buckner address:

3835 FM Rd 2342
Burnet, TX 78611

Here at camp...things are great. Here at camp...there is not much I hate. Here at camp... things are sweet. Lots and lots and lots of food to eat (that has been a little upsetting to my tummy).

I already feel as if I have been here at Camp Buckner for a month, and it has only been one week today. The DOG staff (leadership) is well unified and are serious about the Word of God. I am thrilled to be serving along side of them for this summer.
The past three days I have actually done a lot of babysitting, but it has been very enjoyable and a great learning experience. I am still pursuing learning more about the family (which I have already had the privilege of with the Gerlt family).

More to come on my thoughts from camp...

I will soon (in two days) be leaving to spend the summer with these and a few other very special girls. I will probably have an even longer break between posts but hopefully will resume in the fall.

I have just recently collected a list of some of my favorite situations, and the list is as follows (BUT please take a moment to truly create in your mind the situation and give the Lord Almighty the glory for providing such wonderment in this world):

1. numerous people in unison silence (the saying goes.."as silent as if you could hear a pin drop")
2. being at the bottom of a hill looking up, not knowing what is on the other side, moving very quickly via car, airplane, or mule and suddenly viewing a vast open valley
3. cheesecake and strong coffee
4. sunshine with a quickly approaching severe thunderstorm (oh...how wonderfully silloutted the trees are against the dark, sunshiny sky)

any more that I need to add?...

While driving nonchalantly through Dallas this past Sunday, my eyes interacted in a well-liked pastime of reading church zingers that are posted in the letter board signs in front of the church, but to my eyes amazement, I encountered one of the most heretical statements in my twenty -two years of existence.
The sign read verbatim: "God does not forgive. God does not condemn."
I can possibly understand the second statement from the verse in John that states that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world. But where in Christianity does this church get the first statement? (By the way, the church was a Christian church. I do not remember the name, but it was something like Unity Christian Church or something else with the words 'unity' and 'christian' in it.)

My niece and nephew loved being in front of the camera when I went to see them on Wednesday even though my nephew Matthew repetitively asked why I kept taking pictures. I told him that I had to keep taking pictures so that I could get some good ones... Isn't this the way people often live their lives? Keep trying things out to get something that they perceive as good.

thank you for all of the support and encouragement in starting a blog.