It's Sunday...

and here I am!! This week just flew by! I was getting a little down about my birthday. I think it is only a small bit about turning 40 and really more about feeling so isolated from friends and my life in Rochester. These kinds of events just drive home that I am home-sick and friend-sick, if there is such a thing. So, I set my mind to a task. On my stamping blog I held a give away each day this last week. Can I just say I had such a delightful time interacting with these people I have never met! I asked a simple question each day and it opened up such interesting things. I have laughed and been touched by people's situations and hearts. Today's sermon hit on some of this. PB (that would be what we call Pastor Bill) talked about conversations and relationships, ultimately about being fishers of men. We all have been given the task of being fishers of men, everyone of us. How do we do that? Through relationships and conversations with people. I often feel inadequate when it comes to sharing Christ with others. This week on my blog and today in PB's sermon, I am reminded that we can and do have conversations all the time. That it is not as difficult as we make it out to be. All I did was ask a question and I got some incredible responses. Now granted, they are commenting in hopes of winning some goodies, but they still shared some good stuff. God has made us to be relational, with Him and with others. Perhaps the more difficult thing is to be intentional with our conversations, remembering to keep Christ as our motivation. I believe that if we are intentional, we will be fishers of men by what we say as well as by what we don't say. If Christ is our motivation we will treat people differently, kinder with more grace and love. Even if we never mentioned "Christ" we would be fishing. We would invite questions by people just by who we are and how we live/act. It has happened to me many times. I am not writing this to be all preachy, I find myself challenged. If God has indeed called each and every one of us to be fishers of men, how am I doing on that assignment?? Am I even in the boat as PB asked us today?? Am I hoping that fish will just jump into the boat on their own? Better yet, am I hoping someone else is fishing for me?? God would not task us with an impossible task. I am not sure how it will be, but I am looking to have conversations with people this week. Simple ones. Intentional ones. Will you?? I hope you do and then will tell me about it.

In other news...our bathroom is almost complete. I had asked if it might be done by my birthday. No particular reason it had to be, just wondering. Goals are good. Greg has tried, I don't think he'll make it but we are making progress. Mom and Dad bought us a new shower door...a beautiful shower door...and it took almost an entire day to install the thing!! You would think that 2 college graduates with plenty of life experience and more than a sack of rocks for brains could figure out how to install a shower door, lol!! Oh Mylanta!!!!!!!!! (my new favorite saying, btw) We finally completed it at 11:15 last night. My only consolation, it is beautiful. Did I mention how beautiful it is??? BIG thanks, Mom and Dad!!! Dad was also kind enough to leave his air compressor and nail gun here so that should make quicker work of putting the base boards up.

The boys are doing well. Kaleb had ELA exams most of the week and Josh has them coming up this week. They are enjoying their Saturday morning basketball time. Greg is preparing to be away all next weekend. More about that next week. My brother and his family are coming here for the weekend and we are all looking forward to that. Bummer Greg will be away but I am sure we will have plenty of fun anyway. I WILL get pictures of that baby this time.

I would have more pictures for you but alas, I am a knuckle head!! Somehow, don't ask me how, I deleted every last picture on my camera. All my pictures of Christmas, the boys band concerts, the family get together, our last trip to Chris', my pictures of the Cini family visit, gone...poof...no more. Don't even get me started!!!

Have a wonderful week. We send you hugs and love from Ransomville!