So if you haven't seen my posts or heard me say it... We, the Sanders Family, are now the proud owners of a minivan!! It's been a long time coming for us, but it finally happened on Thursday!
I almost feel guilty because of how happy I am to be driving around in a new car. I told a couple of friends, "A minivan should not make someone this happy," but I honestly think I'm happy for more than just materialistic reasons on this one. I mean, let's be honest, it's a minivan, not a sports car, but you have to understand... a minivan has been my dream car for a while now!! Putting all my dreams aside though there are so many reasons why this car is making me so happy!!
One of the major reasons being.... AIR CONDITIONING! The AC on our old car has been flaky for more than 3 years now. When I was pregnant with Landon, (July baby) it was like torture. I would get in my car after work and get so hot I would literally take my clothes off and drive home in my underwear and under-tank. Thank goodness I never got pulled over or in a wreck! For the longest time, Matt thought it was just my pregnant hormones. His mind changed when I went into labor and he had to drive from Daytona Beach to Winnie Palmer Hospital in the heat of a hot summer day. He was so hot and sweaty by the time he got there, he took a shower in my hospital room before Landon was born. We've had it serviced, checked for leaks, and replaced the freon like 5 times since then, but by the time summer roles around again, it's back to misery on wheels. Poor Landon has really never known what it's like to have AC in the car and Chandler is an entirely different story. The poor girl has the worst allergies and exzema that I have ever seen. Having the windows down during allergy season has been terrible for her. The girl has had a cough since February and we're hoping to see a difference in her soon. Her exzema has been worse then ever too because within minutes of getting in the car she's a sticky sweaty mess. We've pretty much been confined to the house unless it's before 9am, after 6pm or raining. Day trips that were musts, like doctors visits or grocery shopping was getting rough on the kids and becoming stressful for me. Now, I know that AC is a luxury (shoot, having a car is a luxury), but it is amazing how different all of us are now that we have it. Our moods are better, we're excited to go places again, I don't get stressed out when we're out of milk, and Chandler's skin is clearing up! Landon is still getting used to actually being chilly in the car, and Matt and I both just so relieved for our family! It all sounds crazy, but I'm telling you AC in Florida makes a difference! A HUGE difference.
Another reason we're so excited is space. It's been over a year that we've pretty much been confined to the kids, a driver, and 1 passenger. The back seat with two car seats wouldn't even fit the tiniest of booties (trust me, just ask my brother's fiance, Sheena). On top of that, having a hatchback limits trunk space. With at least 1 double stroller always in the back, fitting groceries, bags, or anything else was almost impossible. The space we have now is amazing. We can fit two strollers if we had to, plenty of groceries, and 7 passengers!!
Reliability and peace of mind is something else we now have thanks to our new minivan! The transmission on the car was slipping on top of the AC being out, and really, I'm sure there were so many other crazy things wrong with that car. Every time we got in it we weren't quite sure if we were going to make it to our destination and I-4 had become a no no! We couldn't go above 55 mph anymore because of the transmission issues and who really wants to drive on the interstate with the windows down... certainly not my 2 year old who would say, "mommy, the wind is going to blow my head off." In addition, to being able to freely come and go we also have a 6 year 125,000 mile warranty which means Landon will be 9 before that bad boy expires!
What a relief for our entire family! God has provided for us in a big way. It's something we've been praying about and saving for, for a LONG time and when we did our taxes this year, we knew we had enough to make a move!! It's only been 5 and 1/2 days and let me tell you, we have been enjoying everything about our new van! We did decide not to get all the luxury upgrades because we couldn't justify paying extra for something we didn't absolutely need. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to go with them, but for our family it just wasn't worth the extra bucks. What's amazing though is my parents just told us that they'd like to put in a DVD player in for the kids since we are taking a big trip next month! Landon is VERY excited about "having a TV in his car." Ha.
All in all this has been such a great thing for our family! We couldn't be happier with our newest addition!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Christians Offend Me
I already know that some of you are reading this just because of the title of this post. Maybe it struck your curiosity because you wouldn't call yourself a Christian or just plain don't believe. Maybe you were wondering why a Pastor's wife would say such a thing, so you clicked on the link to see what I had to say or maybe you actually like reading my blog (I hope the latter). I don't really know why you are reading this, but I just hope it makes you think.
Let's get this straight, I am head over heels in love with my Savior. He died a brutal death for me and the more I learn about Him and His life on this Earth the more blown away with Him I become. He, like any of us, was human, but He was also God at the same time. Confusing, yes, but when you consider His human side and what He faced for anyone who believes in Him I am totally awestruck by His Love and sacrifice. I could go on and on about Him, and just how AMAZING He is, but there is no need for me to do so when you can read all about it in a book which says it all already. Who is this man I am talking about? It's Jesus Christ.
When you hear that name, I'm not sure what exactly comes to your mind. When asked, people around the world say things like, "good man," and/or "humanitarian." Most people don't have too many negative things to say about Jesus (it's the Christians they don't have nice things to say about), but for some reason for the longest time I would cringe when I heard His name, mostly because of the ways I've heard it used... ways that change Him into something He was/is not... ways that use it to advance or elevate someone's status or to make themselves look good... and even in ways that truly make me want to throw up in my mouth! I'm not sitting here saying that I judge anyone who is talking about Jesus, but I am saying that when I hear people talk about Him in such a way that changes who I know He is, I see red.
Too many "Christians" today take His name and/or the religion of Christianity and make it into something it is not and something it was never meant to be. When people make Jesus out to be someone who is judgmental, condemning and legalistic, I feel it is misrepresenting who He was on this Earth, who He is today, and what His message still is and frankly, it's more then just offensive to me. People are dying and going to hell because of it.
If people knew anything about who Jesus really was they would run to Him with open arms and never let go. They would fall down in humility at His feet and do anything they could do to show others who He really is, and I'm pretty sure they would do it in the same LOVING way that He did and does for us. His very own Disciples, some of the people He was closest to during His time on this Earth, were just as faithless and disobedient as those who were not His followers, yet Jesus gave them chance after chance, loved them more than himself and displayed to them time after time how to serve/save this world in LOVE!!! Now, I know that there are some of you who are thinking to yourselves, "hey lady, don't you remember when He called the woman at the well out about having 5 husbands and don't you remember when he called Peter, Satan and told him to get behind him." Well, yes. I do remember that, but I also remember Him doing all of those things in Love. He had no impure motive. He did not think of Himself as higher than anyone He ever called out (even though He CERTAINLY was/is) and He actually cared about the souls that He touched...every single one of them.
I'm not a pastor, so I'm going to stop my ranting, but my husband is and I think he did a pretty amazing job communicating some of this message a couple Sundays ago at our Church. You can check out that message here.
One Passionate Life “A Passionate Presence” from Journey Christian on Vimeo.
All I'm really saying here is that we are not called to be judges on this Earth. We are called to be lovers of the Lord and lovers of our neighbors (every single one of them). When it is all said and done and you have done all you can to try and relay the TRUE message of Jesus to someone who still seems to not care and makes the decision to continue living in sin, then by all means just freaking pray for that person and pray for yourself that you may have a heart that is able to love the sinner and not the sin. After all, it is what Jesus did and does for us and it is what He has called you to do if you have taken His name as your own and call yourself a Christian.
*Disclaimer* I believe God knew what He was doing when He married me to a pastor! It was part of His plan to teach me how to be wise with my words and to keep my mouth shut when it is so VERY hard for me to do so. In times when I so badly want to gossip about another Christian or want to really go off on someone for misrepresenting Christ I am usually reminded first, that I am representing my husband and our church, and then I am usually reminded that I am ultimately representing Jesus (the very One that I want to stand up for in a not so Jesus-like way). He also so quickly reminds me that acting in such a manner is pointless and is no better than acting like those who are misrepresenting Him in the first place. Essentially, if I acted out the way I sometimes want to, I become a misrepresenter too. I wrote this post because I feel like there has been a lot of this going on around me lately and it's been driving me crazy. Have I handled every situation as He may have wanted me to? No, but He is working on me and softening my heart everyday to Him, even when people surrounding me (who claim to be representing Him) push me toward a hard, tainted, heart. I am honored that my King chose my husband and our family to serve in vocational ministry and wouldn't change where He has us today or His plan thus far, but I also pray daily for protection over our hearts in a day in age where so many claim to be His followers yet produce no fruit and show no love. It can be an exhausting, disappointing, frustrating, and angering position if we don't keep Jesus forefront what we do. For too long my heart has been so hard toward Christianity or the church in general and I believe that is exactly what Satan wanted. I no longer cringe when I hear the name Jesus. Instead, I want to praise His name for all eternity. He is the Savior of the world and I will no longer miss out on all He has for me and the plan for my life because of those around me who just plain don't get Him at all.
Let's get this straight, I am head over heels in love with my Savior. He died a brutal death for me and the more I learn about Him and His life on this Earth the more blown away with Him I become. He, like any of us, was human, but He was also God at the same time. Confusing, yes, but when you consider His human side and what He faced for anyone who believes in Him I am totally awestruck by His Love and sacrifice. I could go on and on about Him, and just how AMAZING He is, but there is no need for me to do so when you can read all about it in a book which says it all already. Who is this man I am talking about? It's Jesus Christ.
When you hear that name, I'm not sure what exactly comes to your mind. When asked, people around the world say things like, "good man," and/or "humanitarian." Most people don't have too many negative things to say about Jesus (it's the Christians they don't have nice things to say about), but for some reason for the longest time I would cringe when I heard His name, mostly because of the ways I've heard it used... ways that change Him into something He was/is not... ways that use it to advance or elevate someone's status or to make themselves look good... and even in ways that truly make me want to throw up in my mouth! I'm not sitting here saying that I judge anyone who is talking about Jesus, but I am saying that when I hear people talk about Him in such a way that changes who I know He is, I see red.
Too many "Christians" today take His name and/or the religion of Christianity and make it into something it is not and something it was never meant to be. When people make Jesus out to be someone who is judgmental, condemning and legalistic, I feel it is misrepresenting who He was on this Earth, who He is today, and what His message still is and frankly, it's more then just offensive to me. People are dying and going to hell because of it.
If people knew anything about who Jesus really was they would run to Him with open arms and never let go. They would fall down in humility at His feet and do anything they could do to show others who He really is, and I'm pretty sure they would do it in the same LOVING way that He did and does for us. His very own Disciples, some of the people He was closest to during His time on this Earth, were just as faithless and disobedient as those who were not His followers, yet Jesus gave them chance after chance, loved them more than himself and displayed to them time after time how to serve/save this world in LOVE!!! Now, I know that there are some of you who are thinking to yourselves, "hey lady, don't you remember when He called the woman at the well out about having 5 husbands and don't you remember when he called Peter, Satan and told him to get behind him." Well, yes. I do remember that, but I also remember Him doing all of those things in Love. He had no impure motive. He did not think of Himself as higher than anyone He ever called out (even though He CERTAINLY was/is) and He actually cared about the souls that He touched...every single one of them.
I'm not a pastor, so I'm going to stop my ranting, but my husband is and I think he did a pretty amazing job communicating some of this message a couple Sundays ago at our Church. You can check out that message here.
One Passionate Life “A Passionate Presence” from Journey Christian on Vimeo.
All I'm really saying here is that we are not called to be judges on this Earth. We are called to be lovers of the Lord and lovers of our neighbors (every single one of them). When it is all said and done and you have done all you can to try and relay the TRUE message of Jesus to someone who still seems to not care and makes the decision to continue living in sin, then by all means just freaking pray for that person and pray for yourself that you may have a heart that is able to love the sinner and not the sin. After all, it is what Jesus did and does for us and it is what He has called you to do if you have taken His name as your own and call yourself a Christian.
*Disclaimer* I believe God knew what He was doing when He married me to a pastor! It was part of His plan to teach me how to be wise with my words and to keep my mouth shut when it is so VERY hard for me to do so. In times when I so badly want to gossip about another Christian or want to really go off on someone for misrepresenting Christ I am usually reminded first, that I am representing my husband and our church, and then I am usually reminded that I am ultimately representing Jesus (the very One that I want to stand up for in a not so Jesus-like way). He also so quickly reminds me that acting in such a manner is pointless and is no better than acting like those who are misrepresenting Him in the first place. Essentially, if I acted out the way I sometimes want to, I become a misrepresenter too. I wrote this post because I feel like there has been a lot of this going on around me lately and it's been driving me crazy. Have I handled every situation as He may have wanted me to? No, but He is working on me and softening my heart everyday to Him, even when people surrounding me (who claim to be representing Him) push me toward a hard, tainted, heart. I am honored that my King chose my husband and our family to serve in vocational ministry and wouldn't change where He has us today or His plan thus far, but I also pray daily for protection over our hearts in a day in age where so many claim to be His followers yet produce no fruit and show no love. It can be an exhausting, disappointing, frustrating, and angering position if we don't keep Jesus forefront what we do. For too long my heart has been so hard toward Christianity or the church in general and I believe that is exactly what Satan wanted. I no longer cringe when I hear the name Jesus. Instead, I want to praise His name for all eternity. He is the Savior of the world and I will no longer miss out on all He has for me and the plan for my life because of those around me who just plain don't get Him at all.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Some Silly & Serious Advice for the Mama's who will soon have two!! ~ Part 1
Oh to be a mommy! It's one of the most amazing and life changing roles in life. There is really nothing in the world like it; however, if you have yet to become one it's almost impossible to explain. I can remember all throughout my pregnancy with my firstborn, Landon, people giving me advice and telling me, "your life will never be the same." Some of the advice was sweet, some of it was rather annoying, and some of it was more true then I could have ever imagined!! (Especially the one about life never being the same!)
It's true. Mommyhood changes everything forever! And while so much of it is amazing and for the better, it is a major adjustment for most. If you are reading this and you are a mommy, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Here's what's funny though... having a another baby will rock your world just as much, if not more! :-) You may think you have an idea of what it will be like and you probably think to yourself, "I've got this. I already have one." But let me be the one to tell you... you think you know, but you have no idea. After adjusting to life with one kiddo, throwing another one in the mix is sort of like readjusting all over again!
Almost 3 years into this mommy thing, it's hard to remember what life was before I became one. Sometimes I have small memories when I go into a store alone and think to myself, "wow this is too easy," or when I'm in my car alone singing at the top of my lungs to whatever I want, turned up as loud as I want it with no one telling me, "my music please," or asking for a drink or whatever else! It's amazing what some alone time can do for mommies! (We almost start to feel like a person again and not just a mommy.) We all need that time, I believe it's very important for us, our marriages, and our children, but the hilarious thing is, when we are finally out and we see other moms or families, we suddenly wish we had our children with us or at least a shirt on that said, "I'm a mommy. That's right!! And I have a 1 year old and a 2 year old!!" Maybe you don't, but I do, and while I do love my "me time," I would choose my hubby and my children over "me time" any day! This is only one season in my life and I don't want to look back and wish I had lived it differently. I want to enjoy my days even the long ones, because while the days can be long, the years are soooo short. (Don't get me wrong I pray a lot too for patience and strength to make it through another day!!)
Mine are 20 months apart which means I had baby when my first was still a baby and while everyone's situation is different I think us mommies are a lot more alike then we realize and we've got to stick together!! With all this said, I thought it would be fun to write a little tips and advice blog for all you mommies about to throw another one in the mix. I'll be collaborating with a couple other mommies who will be throwing in some fun, silly, but also some serious stuff too.
Be on the look out for part II. You'll probably get a big laugh, take down some good advice, get really excited about the new bundle soon joining your family and maybe even get a scary glimpse into what your future will soon be!
*This blog post is all in love and for fun, please don't over analyze. I love my children and would not change a thing about our little family of four! God has blessed us richly and I would never take that lightly.
It's true. Mommyhood changes everything forever! And while so much of it is amazing and for the better, it is a major adjustment for most. If you are reading this and you are a mommy, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Here's what's funny though... having a another baby will rock your world just as much, if not more! :-) You may think you have an idea of what it will be like and you probably think to yourself, "I've got this. I already have one." But let me be the one to tell you... you think you know, but you have no idea. After adjusting to life with one kiddo, throwing another one in the mix is sort of like readjusting all over again!
Almost 3 years into this mommy thing, it's hard to remember what life was before I became one. Sometimes I have small memories when I go into a store alone and think to myself, "wow this is too easy," or when I'm in my car alone singing at the top of my lungs to whatever I want, turned up as loud as I want it with no one telling me, "my music please," or asking for a drink or whatever else! It's amazing what some alone time can do for mommies! (We almost start to feel like a person again and not just a mommy.) We all need that time, I believe it's very important for us, our marriages, and our children, but the hilarious thing is, when we are finally out and we see other moms or families, we suddenly wish we had our children with us or at least a shirt on that said, "I'm a mommy. That's right!! And I have a 1 year old and a 2 year old!!" Maybe you don't, but I do, and while I do love my "me time," I would choose my hubby and my children over "me time" any day! This is only one season in my life and I don't want to look back and wish I had lived it differently. I want to enjoy my days even the long ones, because while the days can be long, the years are soooo short. (Don't get me wrong I pray a lot too for patience and strength to make it through another day!!)
Mine are 20 months apart which means I had baby when my first was still a baby and while everyone's situation is different I think us mommies are a lot more alike then we realize and we've got to stick together!! With all this said, I thought it would be fun to write a little tips and advice blog for all you mommies about to throw another one in the mix. I'll be collaborating with a couple other mommies who will be throwing in some fun, silly, but also some serious stuff too.
Be on the look out for part II. You'll probably get a big laugh, take down some good advice, get really excited about the new bundle soon joining your family and maybe even get a scary glimpse into what your future will soon be!
*This blog post is all in love and for fun, please don't over analyze. I love my children and would not change a thing about our little family of four! God has blessed us richly and I would never take that lightly.
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