Well it’s about time I update the blog about our crazy November!  The month we had been preparing for was finally here and I felt anxious and excited all at the same time.  Daniel and the team had been working really hard for this out-of-country event and it is always exciting to see it come together.  And we had been working really hard to be out of the country and out of town for an entire month…no easy task.

We finished the Master Bedroom and Daniel was able to get the windows out and drywall and paint in the baby’s room the day before we left for Mexico.  I am so proud of all of his hard work, his mad skillz, and for being the best husband I could ask for!  He was in Portland three days before we left so it was a mad dash to get everything done but when you are leaving town for a month, it’s kind of important to tie up all the loose ends.

After landing in Cancun, we spent the afternoon hanging out in Customs because they did not like some of the equipment we had brought with us.  Thankfully, we both took it in stride and tried to enjoy our time in the airport..hmmm…well, not really…but we did not get frustrated, which was good.  After much negotiation, lots of smiling and trying to buddy-buddy with our guy, lots of questions, some official looking paperwork and our unwillingness to hand over several hundred dollars in cash, they still wouldn’t let us take it with us so we had to leave it behind for the next day and try again.

We arrived at the resort, which was fabulous, and I was really proud of Daniel and the team for picking such a great place.  I had visited another resort with him earlier in the year and loved it but thought the Paridisus was much better suited for Entreleadership.  I know everyone back at the office was giving the team a really hard time for getting to work in Mexico but let me tell you, it was non-stop for 10 days straight.  Of course it was in a beautiful location, with awesome people, and great food, but I only set foot in the pool and beach twice the entire time and I was not even on staff!  It was awesome to serve and help out my husband, the team, and the awesome attendees.  We had a chance to sit down and talk with so many great people, hear amazing stories, and encourage many along the way.

And let me just say, I am amazed at what my husband is a part of each and every day.  What Dave Ramsey shares with these awesome business owners is incredible and the fact that my husband gets to know them, their business, and support them in what God has called them to do is amazing.  It really is a great opportunity and I feel so blessed that God has us here.  We love Nashville, we love Lampo, we love Fellowship, we love our friends and feel like the Lord is using us, growing us, changing us, and that we are right where He wants us to be.

It has been interesting over the last several months, as there have been so many global and national issues overshadowing the truth and peace of Christ, to be in the position that we are in particularly when so many that we love are hurting and struggling in these “tough times”.  I struggled for a few weeks with fighting off guilt for what we were a part of and then realized how stupid that was.  It’s hard though when you care so much for people but at the same time, by feeling that way, I was highlighting earthly problems more than the faithfulness of my Savior and His current leading in our lives.  And to hear from the backbone of the American economy, the small business owner, more times than not how great business has been this year and how they are fighting to win the battle against the naysayer and continue to pursue what God has for them and their business, I cannot help but be optimistic and grateful!  And after this last Sunday’s message from Celestin of ALARM Ministries, I am convicted now more than ever to not let even fear around me overshadow my hope and that the best way I can love others who are hurting and fearful is to be hopeful.  So, if you are one of those people, count me as at least one person who has HOPE and you can borrow mine if you need to for awhile. 

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this GRACE in which we stand, and we REJOICE in HOPE of the glory of God.  More than that, we REJOICE in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces HOPE, and HOPE does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Here are a few more pics! And a special thanks to Laura & Heather for letting me borrow some super cute maternity clothes for a trip to the Mexican Riviera!  It’s no easy task to have two weeks worth of resort beach maternity clothing in the middle of November and I’m truly grateful for your great taste and your generosity.  It helped me so much to not have to buy a summer maternity wardrobe.

Where will Entreleadership be next November?!?!  I cannot wait to find out!

WARNING:  This was written pretty passionately, sometimes a little preachy, and if you don’t know my heart or you’re easily offended, you may not want to proceed.

So I am not an extremely political person and I struggle sometimes with almost being apathetic because I absolutely cannot stand the rhetoric.  I may not dislike politics as much as the media’s interpretation of it (which is really the only way I stay abreast to anything going on), but I also remember not really loving PolySci in college that much either.  Maybe it was because Daniel and I took it together the semester that we were engaged and I threatened to not marry him because he overslept and missed a test and almost failed the class.  I was being emotional, he was being irresponsible, and we were both better off after that awkward conversation in front of Holden Hall on the Texas Tech campus.

I guess my basic political view (which admittedly is pretty narrow since I don’t spend much time worrying about it), goes back to the idea of Jesus teaching and training his disciples to be fishers of men.  Although this has nothing to do with politics, it has everything to do with what life is all about which affects my worldview, which affects my view on politics.

Matthew 4:18-20 “While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

Matthew 28:16-20  “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.  And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

So if Jesus taught his disciples to be fishers of men and then commissioned them to go and teach others and share with them the most important news to ever be known on earth, I want to live my life the same way.  I want to be about teaching people the truth, not handing them a free ticket.  I want to be given wisdom by God and then go share it with others, not allow others to just remain in my shadow.  I want to help disciple people into the truth and disciple them in observing the truth, not doing everything for them and wiping away their personal responsibility.  So I want to teach people how to fish, not just give them free fish.  Do you get what I’m saying?  It seems a lot like parenting to me, too, by the way.  We do not do anyone any good by just always meeting their immediate need for them and never helping them learn for themselves.  Or as the Chinese Proverb says: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”  So, it’s probably not hard too figure out where I stand politically although I could care less about “party lines.”  It really boils down to the worldview and then the character and integrity of the person being considered.

So this last week, politics are once again at the forefront of our country’s attention particularly as it relates to the economy.  I rarely keep up with any of this kind of stuff but I get the magnitude of this situation and when you add money to the mix, it makes politics that much more…umm crazy.  Of course I get that politics are important and drastically affect the world in which we live but I just do not understand living in fear.  And it seems even more these days that fear is what drives our politics and the American people’s response to our politics is governed by fear.  That is absolutely sickening to me!  Imagine basing every single one of your decisions based upon fear.  You would have no joy, no life, no friends, no peace, no security, no hope…and the list keeps going.  Yet, when it comes to politics, particularly surrounding the economy, we as a nation base almost every decision out of fear and live in a constant spirit of fear.

From what I understand from scripture, there is only ONE thing to fear and that is NOT fear itself, but the Lord God Almighty.  And this fear is that of awe, reverence, and respect…NOT being afraid.  Scripture has a lot to say about it but my favorite is this:

Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”

Isaiah 41:10 “…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Now I understand that life is uncertain, that money is a big deal in our world, that jobs, business, college tuition, retirement savings, etc. are important to our way of life and providing for our families, and that bad decisions from the past and irresponsibility do catch up with you and make life difficult.  But, I’m begging you!  Please do not give into fear and allow it to rule your life, your worldview, and every decision that you make!  Life is not over, the sky is not falling, and we are not the center of the universe.  Does anyone remember that we are the wealthiest nation in the world and that most people on this planet struggle to find a crumb and some water at least once a day?  That our HUGE problems are going to be a blip on the radar of eternity.  So, please gain some perspective before making very irrational decisions.  I’m not trying to minimize what is going on.  It is a big deal and to be a good steward of all that God has blessed this nation with, something needs to change and rather quickly I might add.  So I’m not ignorant to the pressing struggles and its massive impact on the world.  But I would rather remember that North is still North, and that the Truth is still the Truth before we all lose our heads and become fools by making foolish decisions.  May I remind you…

Matthew 6:25-24 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Ok, I think I can take a deep breath now.  I need to read this, believe this and live this out just as much as anyone else. I just felt like I needed to get that out.    And now for a little more practicality.  Most people either love Dave Ramsey or hate him and although my husband works for him and we have bought into the common sense that he teaches, I have been especially grateful for his voice in our world this week. As a member of the media, he actually says what he thinks and believes is true rather than playing the political chess or seeking out popularity and just guessing at the next move that Washington is going to make.  And his voice of reason, which as been completely against the fear based decision making, is absolutely refreshing and encouraging.  So, if you have found yourself completely confused, overwhelmed, scared to death or worried about all that is happening on Wall Street and Capital Hill, I encourage you to check out what Dave is saying.  Even if you don’t agree with him, it’s kind of nice to hear “It’s ok” every once in awhile, you know?  Here are a few links to check out if you are interested:

Dave’s Thoughts About the Economy

More from Dave about the economy

TV Show & Radio Show

The Book Of Proverbs (something we all could benefit from reading this month)

So if you read this far, let me know what YOU think.  Thanks for reading!

Today is 9/11/08, 7 years later.  I’m not watching the media coverage of today’s events so I’m not as intune with what is going on this year.  Check out my post from this day last year: The 6th Year.

After being sick last weekened and also missing out on Emily M’s planned visit, it ended up being a very low key weekend.  I ended up watching movies and laying on the couch trying to eat rather unsuccessfully but finally felt better on Sunday.  Daniel was in Tampa and got back in time for us to go to Fellowship on Sunday which had an awesome video about www.frontporchministry.org.

I’ve felt really good this week and was able to get a lot accomplished.  I’ve also been walking in the mornings about 2-3 times a week with my friend Missy and that has been a very good thing.  Emily M & I met for lunch in Ardmore, TN (what a name!) at our little mexican food restaurant and enjoyed a good four hours of conversation.  Always a plus and she gave me our first official baby gift!  SO fun.

I listened to the Dave Ramsey Small Business Theme Hour on Wednesday and finally got to here Daniel’s radio ad about Entreleadership!  It’s been running for awhile and he keeps getting calls from friends across the country about it but every time I listen, I never hear it so I was way excited.  We’ll be heading to Cancun in November for a spectacular event.  I actually did some quick maternity sale shopping because I realized I will need off season clothes and a bathing suit and did not want to pay full price at a specialty store that carries those things year round.  Thank you Target.  And I hope they fit.

We’re heading to Atlanta today for Daniel’s business trip and I actually need to go pack.  Since the last 4 weekends he has been out of town or we’ve been busy with the wedding, I’m really looking forward to getting to be together all weekend.  Atlanta is not really one of my favorite places (I think I’ve been there too much) but you can always find something to do and somewhere to eat so it should be good.  I’m also hoping we will have plenty of time to talk and make decisions about baby stuff so we could have the answer to the “finding out question” when we get back.

I’ve been really into keeping up with the hurricane news and am concerned about the Texas coast and what Ike wil decide to do since I have a lot of family in the Houston area. I also hope my brother & sister in law decide to update their blog about it. Hint, hint.

And for the pregnancy update many of you want….I’m 16 weeks as of yesterday and I think I may have felt the baby move this morning.  Not sure, but I think so.  I’ve got the very painful sciatic nerve pain going on too so I had to lay on one side all night long.  That’s hard for me because I tend to change sleeping positions often.  But because of that, I think the baby was hanging out on one side so when I pressed on that side of my belly, I definitely felt a reaction.  So then I did it a lot and then had Daniel try and we both felt something.  I’m not totally convinced and it wasn’t spontaneous movement so I’m still waiting to call it official.

So there’s this week in review.  Happy Weekend.

Dave Ramsey’s November Entreleadership Event is being held in the Mexican Riviera so Daniel and some other team members had some site visits in March. We decided to go a few days early to enjoy a little Mexican vacation and because we knew neither one of us would enjoy it without each other. It was so fun, very relaxing, and an incredible treat!

The Mexican Riviera – March 2008

The flowers in our room when we arrived

Our view from our room

On the beach

Mexican coffee every morning

Staring at the ocean

Aren’t we cool? Hmmm…

Our night at the Brazilian Restaurant

We missed the show but not the pic

The classic beach pic

We missed the most important pictures, though. Daniel in the hammock and Emily in the pool lounge chair. That’s where we were if we weren’t eating or sleeping. It was the slowest paced vacation ever and exactly what we wanted and needed.