The Field and The Pole

Today is the annual event called "See You at the Pole." I can remember when it started while Johnny and I were first in student ministry forever ago. It's the day where students from all over the country gather at the flag pole at their school campus to pray for their school and their friends. My older son left early today to pick up a friend before he and his sister went to the flag pole at their high school to pray. (It started at 6:30, for goodness sakes!) My younger son asked his football coach yesterday if he could get out of before-school practice a little early so he could pray at his middle school. Tonight is "Saw You at the Pole" at "The Field." Students from different schools from all over our area will gather to listen to some music, eat some food, and talk about what happened at the pole today. The Field happens to be the name of our student ministry, or as our student pastor says, our student mission. I help out in the kitchen serving food to hungry teenagers on Wed. night. I love their enthusiasm. I love how they are so excited to see each other. I love to look out of the big serving window in the kitchen and to watch them talking and laughing and playing basketball and volleyball and throwing the football around. I love the sound of their voices singing praises to God. I love how they want to invite their friends to The Field. I love it that my kids always want to go to The Field -- I would venture to say it's one of their favorite places to be.

The pole is a place -- everyday it's there, in front of the building, holding up the symbol of our nation's freedom. Today, it was the symbol of something far greater. Just like The Field -- it's about a way of life -- living out your purpose every single day. It so reminds me of those living on the mission field. Talk about living out every single day with purpose. Sometimes they leave their families, their homes, their worldly possessions and go to far off places to make the name of Jesus famous. That's what The Pole is for and that's what The Field is for. It just so happens that our mission field is here, at home. And the fields are white unto harvest...

That I might live with purpose every single day...

Jeanette

Where, oh where?

Did I ever think planning for my firstborn to go to college would be such a big thing? I guess because I always knew where I would go to college that I cannot remember it being such a big process. When I was young I used to say my blood was green and gold, not red. (Sic'em Bears!) First of all, there's got to be a "short list." Whew, I think we finally have a short list. Johnny and I had for our first choice DBU but, alas, that's not the senior's first choice. We even went to Patriot Day, the campus visit, and filled out the application. I was not even above paying our college interns (DBU students) to try to influence Josh to want to go to DBU. (LOL) I'm over it, though. Ok, so we've got the short list. He's got to take the tests. Yeah, some students took it last year during junior year, but that would require listening to announcements and taking the initiative to find out the info. for the test. He's scheduled to take the SAT the 1st weekend in October. check! He's applied to one other college and, apparently, there's one application he can fill out online once that can go to all Texas state/public universities. There's a couple of those on the list. Then, the biggie - how to pay for it. I spent an hour and a half on the internet last Friday looking for scholarship money. There's lots of 'em. Several will require that the student write an essay or fill out some kind of entry form. I can fill out entry forms but I am NOT writing the essay! Then, will come the wait. Will he be accepted? Will he make the right decision on where to go? Will he get scholarship money? Will I be able to keep up with all of this, keep the house and kids running and on schedule, keep up with my obligations/areas of service at my church, keep up with my school work...make an A on my mid-term on Tuesday??

Too many questions, not near enough answers... oh well, I am gonna be an expert at this whole college thing before the year is over...the next 2 will be a breeze! Maybe I'll write a book...a book what a great idea...I'll just do that in my spare time...

Serving the King,

Jeanette

Team Captain

Last Friday night was a really proud moment for Johnny and me... Josh was one of the team captains for the night. He walked out onto the field with the other three captains for the "mock coin toss." I never really paid attention before but, apparently, the coaches really have the coin toss earlier so they can set the game plan and the players just go out there for show -- oh yeah, and listen to the ref and shake hands with the captains from the other team. Our team is 3-0 and we have a bye this weekend.

Go Tigers!

Jeanette

If Mothers Ruled the World

I just caught the morning news and saw the report on the big Emmy show last night. Thankfully, I missed the show last night!! The only interest I really have in the show is to see what the actresses were wearing! The morning news showed the actress Sally Field giving a portion of her winning speech in which she was bleeped for the use of foul language but, in essence, what she said was if mothers ruled the world there wouldn't be any wars. Though I know she was making a political statement and this is not what she meant, I, on one hand, agree with her. If mothers ruled the world, perhaps there wouldn't be any terrorists and there wouldn't be a need for wars. Perhaps if mothers ruled the world there wouldn't be any genocide and there wouldn't be a need for wars. Perhaps if mothers ruled the world there wouldn't be nuclear and biological weapons, drug and human trafficking, and the rape and torture and starvation of people all over the world and there wouldn't be a need for war.

On the other hand, remember a few years ago the case of the cheerleader mom? She thought that murdering the mom of another cheerleader would help her daughter make cheerleader. Cheerleading...nothing like world peace. What about the minister's wife who killed her husband and served just a few months in jail? How will that affect those three little girls who lost their daddy? Or, the mom who allegedly set her 3 children on fire this weekend in North Texas? How about a mom like Brittney Spears? Yeah, I want her ruling the world.

All I can think, really, is what a ridiculous thing to say. If mothers ruled the world there would still be different ideologies and cultures and beliefs. There would still be a quest for power and the corruption that goes along with it. There would still be evil and selfishness and injustice -- even if mothers ruled the world.

Love being a mom -- just not out to rule the world,

Jeanette

Drowning

I am overwhelmed -- already behind in my school work. I don't even know why I am typing this blog because I certainly don't have time. It seems there are so many thoughts swirling in my head that I cannot even turn my brain off for half a second. One of my professor's walked into class yesterday and asked how everyone was doing. We had a paper due that day, BTW, as well as another research project due tomorrow for the same class. How are we doing?? Someone said she was making it, to which most of us nodded in agreement. The professor commented that she didn't think that's what Jesus had in mind when we said that He came that we may have an abundant life. (check out John 10:10) She's right, I don't think that's what he had in mind either. THEN, my friend, Michelle (who is teaching our weekday women's Bible study) read Ephesians 5:15-16 in study this morning. verse 16: "making the most of your time, because the days are evil." I don't feel like I am making the most of my time. Like Michelle said this morning, sometimes I get to the end of the day and I think, "What was the point of today? What did I really accomplish for the Kingdom of God today?" Michelle encouraged us to be careful how we walk, to walk with a purpose. Certainly this all has a purpose because I really don't see it right now... It seems a little hard to walk with a purpose when I feel like I'm drowning...

Hanging in,

Jeanette

Week Two

We had a week of school then a 3-day weekend and now we're on the 2nd week of school. One of my professors came into class today and asked if everyone had a great weekend and then added that it might have been nice to have that weekend a little further into the semester instead of so close to the beginning. I couldn't agree more...we didn't even have time to gain some momentum before the brakes were slammed on! We will have plenty of time now...we don't have another day off until sometime in October when we will have another Monday off.

All the kids are out of the house by 7:00 am these days. Jacob is playing football and practice STARTS at 7 am and high school starts at 7:15. Jacob's 1st game is still a couple of weeks away but Josh's team won their 1st game, 34-6. It was so exciting!! I missed Jessica's first games last week but can't wait to see her in action this week. Our friends at church said she is the best trainer out there!

It's a time for new beginnings at our church as well. We started a new curriculum for Sunday morning Bible study that begins at, well, the beginning. We are starting where it all started for humanity...God spoke and it was. Not a big bang or a chance occurrence, but the God of the universe, in His divine and perfect plan, took the formless and void darkness and said, "Let there be..." and there was. That's it, He spoke and it happened. The God who took nothing and made everything is the Sovereign God of the here and now. The rain that is drizzling down right now was His plan and His action caused it. I have to admit that I have a little apprehension right now in life. I don't know where Josh will be next year. I really don't know what I will be doing this time next year -- I will be a graduate with a master's degree but still don't know what I want to do when I grow up... I've got to stay focused on the present and the One who controls tomorrow...For goodness sakes, the here and now is way busy and full enough without anticipating next year... for real!

Staying focused -- with eyes fixed on Jesus,

Jeanette