Wow, time has really flown by in the last few months. I need a minute to breathe! Aaaaahhhh, and better. Ok so Serenity started first grade this year! And I am pretty sure (now that I think about it) I never posted her pictures from her first day! Oh well, they will go into the scrapbook, if I ever make it that far... She has been doing really well so far this year and she loves working on adding and subtracting with me in the car. I love it!
As for me and where I am at. I have continued to go to CR every week that I can. Reffing high school soccer put a hiccup into that schedule because most Thursdays, I was reffing a game. So I made a change (not easy for a codependent to do, by the way) and started going to CR in Big Lake on Fridays instead. This was actually a nice change because I get to see my sponsor now (she is a leader in Big Lake), the group is smaller, so I feel like I got to know some of the girls a little better, and according to my sponsor, I am the farthest along in my program besides her. I finished my fourth step in July and did my fifth step in August. For those of you who don't know, in the fourth step, you write down your resentments, fears, and sexual misconducts. Easier said than done because you have to dig up all the crap you been hanging on to and let it all out. Then, in your fifth step, you confess to God, yourself, and another human being (sponsor) your fifth step. Yes, I had to tell me sponsor all that stuff that I wrote down in my fourth step. I took 3 weeks to do my sixth step, which is when I asked God to prepare my heart to remove all my character defects. Every week, I felt better and better. And then I did my seventh step and humbly asked God to remove my character defects. Some days, I feel like a new person. Like my soul has finally begun to heal from all the wounds and scars from the past. God really helped me to move on and put that stuff in the past. I am so done looking in the rear view mirror and love living for today. The night I did my fifth step, we also did the beginning of my eight step, which was to make a list of those I had wronged and listed those I was willing to make an amend with and those I needed to pray about. And now, weeks later, I am finally ready to make the rest of my amends. There are a few people that I have to write letters to because I have not talked to them in years and have no way of contacting them anymore. But that is what my sponsor said to do, so I hope to have my ninth step finished by the end of next week. I will also be asking my sponsor in a few weeks if she thinks I am ready to be a sponsor. This program has changed my life in a radical way and I think it would be amazing to watch others lives change, too! Countless lives have been changed by Jesus through the Crossing Church and I am so blessed and honored to be a part of it!
More exciting news! On September 27th, Steve asked me to marry him and I said yes! The first few weeks of planning were difficult and stressful, but now that we have some of the major stuff planned, the rest should go easier. I am so excited to marry Steve and be Amanda Gatchell! Aaahhhh!!!! Serenity is really excited, too! She has been asking me for so long when we are getting married and now she doesn't have to ask anymore. Well, except when she forgets when the wedding is. I started eating better, watching my calories, and working out a few times a week. Bought a dress a few years ago when Steve and I were first engaged and it doesn't fit anymore :( Oh well, this gave me the kick I needed to start working out. So now, I do yoga at home and I love it! And in the last 3 1/2 weeks, I have lost 4 pounds! Yay me! It's a crazy, beautiful life :)
How would you reconcile the thoughts and sentiments in this post with recent online activity including threats, xenophobia, foul language, verbal abuse, and boasting about repeatedly flouting local laws and ordinances? Is this truly a Christian path? Is it an example that you wish to set for your little girl?
ReplyDelete"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them." (Ephesians 5:11)
"So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality," (Acts 10:34)
"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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience." (Romans 13:1-5)