Be the right disciple.

These folks have the right idea.

 ( http://mysanctuarychurch.com/)

Who made the rules that some sins are better than others? These rule makers should've been more clear because some of their disciples are CONFUSED. I feel like all of the rule followers are missing the point of being Christ followers. Like, to me, its pretty obvious that if you tell someone they are going to hell, you aren't going to lead them to Heaven. They are going to avoid you. Forever. Bad approach. You are kicked off of the witnessing team until further notice. Please go home. How are we sharing the love of Christ by refusing to associate with gays or drinkers or people whose clothes don't match or democrats? I love the gays and the non-matchers. And I don't want to be President of the United States, so I'm just gonna let him do his job and you should, too. Good grief. I'm just paraphrasing here (Jesus forgive me), but I think His whole point was:

"Hey, y'all. Heaven is cool. Bring some people with you. 

P.S. They won't come if you are mean. So be sweet."

Let's get our priorities straight. Don't be a disciple of the rule-makers.

Be a disciple of Christ (=love.)

Be a disciple of love. 

I don't know when these things became ok, but they weigh heavily. So, for the rule followers who don't think they are rule followers...

Teaching your kids it is ok to disrespect our president and doing it yourself is a sin. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1

Treating people poorly because of what you think they have or don't have is a sin. The rich and the poor have a common bond, The Lord is the maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2

Hating gay people is a sin. Hating people that are a different color than you is a sin. Hating people that worship differently than you is a sin. Hating anyone is a sin. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 1 John 2:9

So, BOO on your sin judging. Quit it. And I love you. It's ok. Just get it together. And I will too.

Your book

When things happen, like a freakish torpedo roll of paper towels accidentally hitting the ceiling fan and smacking Katelyn in the face at (what seemed to be) 1000 mph, I miss our momma. I miss her the most when weird things happen. Whenever anything happened to me, whatever it happened to be, I  could. not. wait. to tell her and hear her laugh. HARD. And she would always say, "That should go in your book." This book is the book about your life.... obvie. Because people like us should have books written about our lives. Because a lot of weird things happen to us. Funny, scary, strange things. Maybe it's not just us, and maybe they aren't really that funny. I don't know, but we get our fair share. This book would probably sell 12 copies.  And we would buy all 12. Because we think we are hilarious. And we love to relive the freakish injuries of each other. But, whatever man... I don't even care.

Kelli has so many good stories about her and Momma. A favorite is about a time they stopped to snoop around an old house. Already nervous, they hear a noise and Kelli has to chase the car down the road because Momma is GONE. And the one about one of their walks at the lake. Again, Momma and Kelli hear a noise, look at each other and TAKE OFF. In Kelli's words, "once again, she left me behind..." Every man for himself, 'round here! After Katelyn and I told Kelli about how tickled we got at each other after we started CrossFit, she said that she and Momma just about had to quit going to aerobics. Their laughing at each other was hindering their workout. 

Some stories that would get prime real estate in my book are about the times that Momma, Daddy and Kelli would scare the crap out of is. One time, Momma and Kelli pretended that something was abducting them from outside the camper door in the middle of the night, effectively scarring me and Katelyn for life. I think I was maybe 5. MAYBE. And then, there are all of the weird things that happened when eight of us rode to NYC in one car. One of the weirdest things to ever happened to me and Katelyn is when the crazy naked man came into the campground women's showers. Naked. Completely. He asked if we would mind if he used the women's because the men's wasn't working. He was NAKED, by the way. And he was lying. And he was naked. 

I laugh EVERY TIME I think about Katelyn secretly wearing fake glasses in her school picture or about Jaidyn destroying a bajillion piece jigsaw puzzle that Daddy had worked on for a week and them putting that sucker back together in record time, or Katelyn and I putting all of the kids in "time out" in the WalMart customer service area. (They were asking for it. Don't even.) And I smile every time I think about playing any game we ever played or about Grace getting to help with the sea lion demonstration in Gulf Shores AND getting a kiss from the sea lion! Fun times. 

There are still so many stories we can't wait to tell her one day soon. Like, Katelyn driving to Chimp Haven in Keithville for an interview, taking a wrong turn and ending up locked within an abandoned prison's gates by driving around the building and exactly missing whoever was there locking the gate. Then, having to call her potential future employer and asking them if they can come get her. No words for this. None. God bless her. And I know she would crack up when Katelyn told her about looking over to see Millie with a mouthful of cat food. 

I would like to put my book in "Inspirational Comedy" section. (It's my book and I can make up literary categories as I so choose, ok?!? Geez.) It's hard to be sad with so many funny memories. Go places and be weird with your people. Or stay home and be weird with your people. Whatever, who am I to judge? Let your experiences teach you to be more grateful, understanding and compassionate. Let your love cup runneth over and out of your mouth with obnoxious laughter. Remember that God is LOVE AND LOVE ONLY. There is fun to be had and no time to waste on hate. And this is just the pre-party. We have been given more than we deserve and I am so thankful. There's the hallelujah. 

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.

Then it was said among the nations,  "The Lord has done great things for them." 

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

{Psalm 126:1-2}