Fireproof

This past weekend, my in-laws took John and me to see the new movie, Fireproof. Honestly, John and I did not have any expectations walking into the theater. We were just happy to be spending some time together with his parents and happy to be getting out and doing something. Having seen Facing the Giants, we both knew that the acting would be like watching a high school play, Kirk Cameron would be the only actor that we recognized, and all of the Christians in the movie would be over the age of 65 - but still, we grabbed movie snacks, got all comfy cozy in our seats, and prepared to mock the movie.

Well, there were a few moments that John and I made comments under our breath and made up our own script, but I have to admit that about halfway through, I was really into the movie. Yes, the acting was a little bit cheesy and no, we didn't know any of the actors, and yes, most of the Christians in the movie were knocking on Heaven's door, BUT...the story and message of the movie completely made up for all of that.

I'm not going to go into the storyline, but I walked out of the theater with a very thankful heart for the husband that God has blessed me with and a huge burden for those whose marriages are struggling. After the movie, John and I went to Ikea and then out to dinner and during dinner, we started talking about the movie and our marriage and what goals and dreams we have. One of my goals is to set aside one night a week to watch or listen to a teaching and then talk about it. I also want to continue to read as many books as I can on strengthening our marriage. In the movie, the main character is given a book to go through for 40 days. While walking through Barnes and Noble today, I saw that same book on the shelf and thought about buying it. As I looked at it, there was a part of me that said, "Things aren't bad - you don't need this book." But the longer I stood there, another part of me reminded me that marriages are fragile and we should be doing all that we can to improve them so that they can reach their full potential and not just get by.

So yes, I bought the book (The Love Dare) and am really looking forward to being challenged by it. If you haven't seen the movie, go see it and know that while it won't be winning any Oscars this year, it will be worth your time and money.

Hippie Chicks

As promised, here are some pictures of "the girls."




Georgia, Sheryl, and Prissy

Tornado

Ever since we have moved back to Florida, I have found that I am dealing with many of the same emotions I was experiencing right before we left. There was a lot of hurt that took place here and now that we are back, so is the hurt. It seems to be lurking in the most unusual places! I have talked to trusted friends for godly counsel, prayed just about every minute, and tried everything I know to keep forgiving and not let my heart become hard and bitter. It is not easy, but day by day it seems to be getting better. Yes, being 800 miles away from the places and people made it a lot easier to let go of that pain and move on with life, but now that we are back, I find that I am being sucked back into the past and it is a place that I definitely do NOT want to return!! I feel like I have moved on, but it seems like there is a force that is trying to bring me back down and I am determined to fight it!!

I know that I have written about this before, but I think that it is a lesson that you have to keep learning as you go through life. It is never easy to forgive, and there are a lot of misconceptions about what it means. For a while, I thought that I needed to mend all of my broken relationships and forget every hurt and offense, but I quickly realized that sometimes pain can be a warning - once you have been burned by a hot iron, you learn to be extra careful and do everything you can to keep from touching it again - and in the same way, when you have been hurt over and over and over again by the same people, I think it is wise to guard your heart and move on - remember the good times and continue to pray for them, but then move on! Most of all, I try to remember how much God has forgiven (and continues to forgive) me and I ask Him to use all of this pain and hurt to teach me how to live my life for Him and for Him to use it to change me and to make me into the person He has created me to be. Part of my journey of forgiveness is forgetting the lies and holding on to His truth - and the pain is not nearly as strong as His love and truth!!

When we moved to Georgia, I would play this song over and over again to remind myself of how destructive it is to hold on to offenses and to allow bitterness to rule in your life. I find myself playing it a lot more these days...I hope it encourages you to fight against the destruction that unforgiveness can unleash in your life.

Tornado by Sara Groves

You live your life like a tornado
Destruction follows everywhere you go
And you have no plans to stop or slow

I will not let this bitter root grow in me
I will not let you leave that legacy
But it gets so hard when pain is all I see

And every time I find healing, you're making a new mess
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness...

And I tried to remove myself from your path
But I keep waking up in the aftermath
So I pick up again and say I won't look back

I will not let that bitter root grow in me
And I will not let you leave that legacy
But this constant fight is breaking me

And every time I find healing, you're making a new mess
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness...

And it hurts when you hit at the hearts of the ones I love
When everything you touch is rubble and dust
And it gets so hard to know how to trust...

But I will not let that bitter root grow
I will not let it, no no
But it gets so hard oh...

And every time I find healing, you're making a new mess
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness
And I could move and never send you a forwarding address
Or I could learn the real meaning of forgiveness...

Chicks, Man

John and I are going to be moving into a house in Cooper City at the end of the month - yes, we are totally excited! When we first went to look at the house, the lady who lives there told us that she had pet chickens. Yes, chickens - as in Kentucky Fried, Cluckin', Rotisserie, etc. She took us out to her ENORMOUS backyard and in one corner of the yard was a little henhouse and when she called, 2 chickens came running towards her. It was unbelievable! She said that she had a friend who had them and raised them for their eggs (2 a day!). They required so little care and were so inexpensive that she decided to get a couple of her own. They stay outside, are not nearly as dirty as you would expect, and are extremely quiet. She treats them like pets and they provide her with fresh eggs - I'd like to see a cat try that one!!

So of course, John (being the redneck that he is) decided right then and there that since the yard was already set up for chickens that we should have them, too! The thought of having farm fresh eggs totally appealed to me and with the understanding that he would do all of the dirty work, I joyfully agreed to the idea.

Unfortunately, John was born without an ounce of patience so while I was in Tampa this weekend, he went out and bought 2 chicks. When I came home, he took me to pick one out for myself and now we are the proud owners of 3 chicks - Prissy, Sheryl, and Georgia - and John and I are obsessed!! John built a tiny mansion for them yesterday out on my sister's back patio and we are constantly checking on "the girls." Everyone we have told has looked at us like we are insane, but we think it is great! I would have loved to have waited until we were in our house, but I'm not complaining.

Pictures of the girls are coming soon...

My Husband, the Romantic

This was a real conversation that John and I had in the car yesterday driving from a friend's wedding to the reception...

Me: "That was a gorgeous wedding! I just love weddings!"

John: "Yeah, me, too. It's like a free expensive date."

Only in Georgia...

We passed this SUV on our drive down from Georgia to Florida...I miss living in Georgia!

Back In Florida

I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Pembroke Pines drinking my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of 2008 while I wait to have lunch with a friend. I needed to get some stuff done (paying bills, catching up on email, working on our budget, and updating my resume) and I figured this was as good a place as any. There is a cowboy-looking guy in the corner on his laptop, 2 suits in another corner who look like they are playing Battleship with their dual tiny laptops, a guy and a girl discussing religion (very interesting!) and an annoying beeping sound that no one behind the counter seems to be hearing. Yes, I think I could do this everyday if I could only find someone to pay me to do it!

It has been a very strange week. We had some family from GA come down to FL with us and they left this morning. We've been going out to eat and going to get facials and pedicures and spending lots of time visiting with family, so it has really felt like we have been here for a visit and will be heading back to Peachtree City any moment...but we're not. We've looked at a few houses and will continue our search this weekend, which is extremely ironic since this was the weekend that we had planned on moving into our new house in GA. I've had one interview that didn't go the way I had hoped it would, but it encouraged me just the same. Yes, it has been a strange week and the Pumpkin Spice Latte magic doesn't seem to be doing anything to improve things besides increasing my craving for another one...

Thankfully, things are not as "gloom and doom" as they have been over the past 2 weeks. John has a job - a very good job - at a time when there are over 10,000 pilots in America looking for flying jobs. Yes, we are blessed. We are living with my sister and her husband and our niece who all seem to be as happy to have us living there as we are thankful to be living there. We have family here that loves us and spoils us more than anyone ever has - we are blessed. We have a handful of friends who have kept in touch with us despite weirdness and distance who are now within driving distance and anxious to see us again. We have the hope that in 2 years, we will be back in GA with lots of wisdom and maturity.

Things could be a lot worse - God has been showing me that in so many ways over the past week. Despite the rotten history and memories that seem to be hidden in certain spots all around Fort Lauderdale, it is nice to be in the place that I called home for 99% of my life. So many things have changed - including me - and I hope that I don't miss out on the changes that still need to be made in me. I'm excited to see where God is going to lead us and what He has in store for us here!