my experience at a home OU game

Thanks to a friend from church, Chris and I were able to attend a home OU game; the Missouri game, to be exact.  Now, as a non-oklahoman, I was excited for a few reasons.  One, I knew I would be one of the few Mizzou fans there.  Secondly, to see what all the hype was for Oklahoma.  I have never really understood OU fans, except that it has always seemed creepy to me that they almost worship the team.
My experience began the moment we entered Norman. We lived in Norman for about 7 months, so I have already had my taste of the town and was not impressed. Anyways, as we walked the 3 miles from parking to the stadium, I was overwhelmed with the amount of people getting smashed out of their minds and calling it "tailgating".  The amount of beer, alcohol and crimson I saw was seriously overwhelming.  Add to this the girls, dawning their OU gear, with their skirts short enough to see their OU panties, and their cowboy boots next to the steriod infused men that groped them as they all drank was truly nauseating.  As we got closer to the stadium, the crowd mixed from these types to the "older folk".  The distinguished alumni and the rich folk who cheer for the crimson and cream, with their judgemental glances and their noses in the air.
We got to our seats and were surrounded by 90,000+ people.  As the clock entered the less than 20 minutes till game time, a roar went up from the crowd as pre-game festivities began.  The band took the field, the Oklahoma flag was unfurled, and the state song was played.  These things I enjoyed, as they paid tribute to the military with the playing of "Grand Ole Flag" and other national ceremonies.  Then began the customs and traditions of OU, that really got me to thinking.(More on that in a minute)
A video on the huge screen, about the size of my home, began to play some spout about how the loyalty to the crimson and cream demanded pain and blood and sacrifice from the players.  They ended the video with a phrase that rattled me to my core; "There is only one Oklahoma" and they held up their #1 finger raised to the sky.  At this, the crowd erupted and then the school song came on singing about how wonderful their campus was and how awesome the school was and "Long live University".  It was followed with the national anthem that the crowd sang, which would have been fine except they substituted words that referenced a unified nation with the word "sooner".  This also bothered me, as the song was written to remind us as countrymen of what our nation stands for.
As the game proceeded, the #1 finger was raised at every possible moment.  Fans were unifed in one voice, hands raised to the sky, lifting up in shouts of adoration, pointing their one finger, to.... OU????  Wait a minute!  I thought to myself, "this is worship".  Everything the Bible speaks of how we are to honor, pay reverence and treat God was happening in this stadium, but not to the God of all creation, but to a team of young men.  A team of young men who catch a ball and slap each other on the buttocks... and we call it "being an OU fan".  No way!
I was overwhelmed with a new sense of sadness and awe.  I stood among a large group of people who had traded the God of creation and had substituted him with a game, a team, a school.  Now, many would say, "No, we don't do that.  It's just tradition."  Really?  Then when was the last time you raised your hands in the air for the sake of Christ?  When was the last time you raised your hands in worship to your Creator God?  Oh, never?  Because someone might look at you funny in church and think you  are a.....fanatic??  Isn't that what we are supposed to be? A fanatic of God?
I saw more worship in that OU stadium than I have seen in a year at my church.  The feel at the game was that of worship, but in church, it is of comatose and boredom.  My husband got a picture of me near the end of the game and laughed about how it was a picture of a Mizzou fan after a loss, but what was in my mind at the time had passed from the score and was on the state of the people in this world that surround me. It was that of a Christian, realizing how desensitized we are to the dying of souls around us.  How many people who will be perishing in the pits of hell because they decided that God was too "old fashioned" and " old school". And the saddest part to realize was that I recognized the sin in it all and had no feeling anymore about it all.
As a Christian, the phrase "There is only one Oklahoma" bothered me because that phrase is biblical, except it is the first commandment of God and it says "There is only one God".  Some would say its just a coincidence and that sentence could have come from anywhere. Really?
We live in a world that is run by the enemy who will do anything and everything to steal our souls from our first love, which is Christ, our savior.  He is our groom and we are his bride.  Our relationship with him is similar to a friend of mine. She is awaiting her wedding anxiously as her groom is away in the military.  She longs for the day when he will return to her, marry her and carry her away from her current home and make a home together with her and "live happiliy ever after".  Isn't that the promise of Christ's return?  He fought the criminal who was going to take us away from him forever and died to pay the ransom for us.  Because of this, he had to go away for a time, but he will return with the full glory like that of a magnificent wedding and marry us, carry us away to his palace and we WILL live forever, happily ever after. The evil one has done such a wonderful job of wooing us away, however.  We, like the nation of Israel, have become prostitutes in this generation, giving our hearts and souls to another while our faithful love waits for us.
My prayer after this is that God will bring warmth back to my heart as I search for forgiveness from my first love and ask that He give me strength to wait faithfully for Him.  That while I do so, I will show His love to others and lift Him up as He deserves.  That I will not be afraid to be a fanatic of my loving God, who so willingly sacrifices so that I may have.
I want to live an OU fan life, but for God instead. Instead of lifting hands up in adoration of a team, I want to lift my life up to a God who gave His blood, and sacrifice for me.  That I will raise my voice in adoration to a God who created everything to point me to Himself, so that someday I may rest my head in his heart and have Him draw me close.  Rather than chant "Boomer Sooner", I want to be heard shouting "Jehovah Jirah", "Magnificant Redeemer", and "Lord God Almighty".

long awaited pictures of our summer so far

Kids and Great-grandma at Price Chopper posing next to the coke flag. The trip to town was a fun one, filled with laughter and Brach candy.

Can you tell he is excited to be done with 4th grade for the time being??:)

The kids goofing off on their first official day of summer break.

Playing chinese checkers with Great grandma

Spending time with a new baby cousin

Nathaniel looking cool in Eskridge, Kansas.

kids are ready to learn how to make great-grandma's famous apple jelly. Nathaniel's got the jars ready and Hannah has the sugar:)

Here are the pictures I promised along with some from our marriage retreat. It was an amazing time. The information was eye opening. What a get-away!! Only thing is making it happen in our home. Wow, so much more difficult to live a married life the way God asks. Old habits die hard!

The kids had a great time with Noel and Lorna. They spent one day mostly playing Mario party. It was great for Lorna to just be a kid. They went to the Shreveport boardwalk and got to ride the trolley too. Lots of memories made there while Chris and I tried to remember why we got married to each other:)

We came back and jumped right back into life, as vacation bible school was the very next day. It went smooth and I enjoyed so much working with the friends of mine from church in the preschool and kindergarten area. We made bracelets, picture frames, treasure maps, apple magnets, bookmarks, statue of liberty dress outfits. It was a fun time!

This week we are trying to get caught up at home. Laundry, dishes, and all that fun stuff has been put off the last 3 weeks, so we have plenty to do. Also this week, Chris has an appointment with the intestinal doctor, who will tell us what he thinks of chris' hernia and whether or not a surgery is impending this summer. I hope not, but we will see. I have a feeling they will want to repair it as it has been the cause of some intestinal issues for C.

We have a few weeks until church camp at Dry Gulch, which is located near Tulsa. I am looking forward to the experience the kids will have with church camp as well as the experience it will be for me as a mom.

Thats about it. Its been a busy summer, and we are glad the busiest part of it is over. Just want to enjoy my time off and hang with my kiddos.

Summer begins

Well, as I sit here unable to sleep, I am amazed that summer is already here. We spent the last week in Kansas with my grandma. What an amazing time! I cherish her company so much and just hearing her talk and laughing with her and gleaning from her wisdom, I wish she lived closer. It was so nice to get away from here and just rest in her hospitality and comfort. I must say coming home was hard.
When I got here, the reality of all the things I have to do was overwhelming. We head to Houston this coming weekend to go to the Weekend to Remember marriage retreat. I am looking forward to that as I hope to learn more of how I can make our marriage better. The kids will be staying with Noel and Lorna. We will come back and jump right into vbs. I am the preschool craft director, so that will be fun. I don't feel as prepared, but thanks to another lady in church, the crafts are set up, i will just need to get them implimented. That is what I will do the next 3 days, as well as figure out what we are going to decorate with.
Since last post, Hannah turned 9 as well as was baptized. She is growing up right before our eyes! Nathaniel too. I am not sure I am ready for them to be all grown up. They will be going to church camp for the first time this summer as well. I am going as a sponsor. The camp is up near Tulsa, so that will be nice. Right before we leave for camp, we will travel back to Kansas to see my brother, his wife and my niece before they fly to china for 2 years. We are hoping to get all 4 of us and our spouses there that weekend. If we can do that, it will be the first time us siblings and our spouses have been together ever. That is pretty sad to say, but we are hoping to make it work. Someone has always been "Missing in action" when we have had get-togethers. Mostly Chris has been the missing one. If we can coordinate it right and get everyoone there, it would make a really neat family picture!
We still have lab puppies. They are over 10 weeks old. We really need to find them homes, so if anyone needs a sweet puppy, please let us know.
That about sums up the last few months. I was super busy finishing online school, graduating, finishing up preschool, prepping and holding their graduation, and awards assemblies. All that plus Hannah's birthday was in one week, almost. It was crazy. Anyways, when I get a chance, i will update some photos. I have many to share.

Wow, how out of date this is!!

It is March of 2011, almosAS April. I have been the K-4 teacher since the beginning of the year. I traded another teacher as she needed to step out of that room. It has been such a challenge, however, making my online schooling very life applicable. Speaking of, I will submit my LAST paper Monday and graduate the 30th of April from Ashford University with a Bachelor's in Early childhood education. I have been going to school online since I was working at Mazzios. When I reminded Nathaniel of that, he was surprized. Ever since then, he has been telling me how proud he is that I am his mom! I think the reality of it hasn't really sunk in for me yet. It will when I dont' have online homework to do in the evenings!
As for Chris, wow, blog is out of date on that too! He took over being the assistant manager at Lifeway the 1st of March. He went back to Lifeway as they missed his previous experience. I forsee it won't be long and they will find a way to make him store manager! He is so good at his job and knows so much, he needs to run the store. He likes the salary, so he is fretting about his pay check! We actually used some of the up in our budget and part of our tax return to replace the truck today. We bought a used red Pontiac Sunfire. He says it is part of his midlife crisis as it looks like a little red sports car. Whatever! The gas money we will save in him driving to the northside in it will be a blessing!!
The kids are doing well. Both of them played basketball this winter and LOVED it. Hannah really did, so that will be nice to look forward to. Nathaniel got a little frustrated with her, but with his previous basketball experience, I think that had something to do with it.
Lets see, what else. We have two dogs; Ben,our golden lab and Belle, our chocolate lab. They had puppies last Sunday. 9 of them, so if anyone needs lab puppies, we will be sharing the end of May! Also, Melody, our younger cat that we got last March, had A kitten around valentine's day this year and he is so precious!! We named him Rascal, and boy does that fit! I will be posting pictures soon!
We went to Mary's for the first weekend of Spring Break. It was so nice to spend time with her and Jon. Karen and Joe got to visit us almost every day too! So much fun to just hang with the sisters! I am so proud of Mary and her ability at her hospital! She even took care of me when I wasn't feeling well while we were there. We went cosmic bowling and baked HUGE cinnamon rolls while we were there. Sure wish we lived closer to one another! Just love them so much!
Think that is about it. Just wanted to update and want to do it more often! Till next time, Happy spring!

Its been way too long!

Wow, how did I let so much time get away from me? I like this so much better than facebook, and yet never seem to have time to just write my thoughts and update about our lives!:)
Things have been pretty wild around here. Chris is doing well. We are getting ready to kick off a permanent change in eating for everyone. I have told myself we would, but he really needs our support, so we are all going to switch to a diverticulitis diet and help him heal from the inside out. He tried it for a week once and really did feel better. It is a discipline thing for all of us, as regular food seems so good sometimes:)
Lets see, what else has happened since the last post. My sister has met a guy and they are planning on being married in about 5 weeks! My brother and his wife will be home for the week, so that will be nice! I am still working at Antioch Christian Preschool, however I am with the 4 year olds helping the underdeveloped kids be ready for kindergarten. My co-teacher and I are making some changes and hoping for a great year. I am teaching kindergarten sunday school at church and that has helped develop a really great friendship with a lady that has become very dear to my heart~!
Chris is kind of unemployed at the moment. He is on the rolls at Lifeway, but he took a job with Office Max, hoping that it would work out as it was a pay increase and offered good health benefits. They told him he wouldn't make the cut and to have a back-up plan, so he is working whatever shifts he can cover. This week he is only working 8-1 on Thursday. He got an email from a company called Crossmark, which are vendors for large box retailers. He is hoping that is a lead. We are holding on to the fact that God is faithful and He has good in store for us if we wait on Him.
Kids are well. Both the kids are planning on playing basketball this winter, so that should be fun! Nathaniel picked up two more subjects now that he is in 4th grade and it is hard. Teaching him how to study has been a challenge. He is really enjoying his science classes and Oklahoma history as well as US geography. I am so proud of how he is really trying to give God 100% at school. As he says, "Be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus...2 Thessalonians...you know Mom". I am so thankful for our involvement at church and the show God Rocks for the Word to be so ingrained in their hearts.
Hannah is doing well too. She began the year a little bummed as her previous classmates and friends weren't in her current class, but that has long passed as she and her new friend, Alex, have hit it off. She is broadening her friendships and ability to socialize and it is wonderful to watch her bloom and fly. So hard to believe we struggled so much when she was a preschooler at getting her to get out and try to make friends. She still loves horses and is hoping that by trying basketball, that maybe this summer she can have horse riding lessons. She is the queen of sweet notes and I love that she is just so thoughtful!
Other than that, we are here, survivng in the shelter of our God. We hope and pray that He is guiding our family and friend's paths as we look for his guidance in our own.
Until next time, we send our love!

Wow!!!

Ok, so I am not really doing well with updating this, but since I was on working on some of my online homework (Finals week, actually), I thought I would do some much needed computer updating. That's code for checking my email and family's blogs and stuff.
Since I last wrote, not much has changed. Kids are still enjoying school! We are so blessed to have them where they are. To have them in a public school where they can minister God's love to others and yet be under the care of so many dedicated Christian teachers and staff is Amazing!!! Nathaniel's teacher is actually showing on Fridays a Billy Graham movie!!! Whats even better is that the principal and superintendent totally don't mind!
I did think of one thing that has been new in our lives recently. Actually 2 and they are both pets. We got Percy a friend the 5th of March. She is a long haired calico kitty that Hannah named Melody. She is precious and we have come to love her a lot. Percy has decided she isn't that bad and might just enjoy having someone else around during the daytime while we are all gone.
Our other pet is an acquired winning at our church's annual easter picnic. We won a duckling. Now I never knew that a duck was more like a puppy. They are super social and imprint on people instantly. So "Peep" has decided that her parents are Hannah and Chris. She doesn't mind Nathaniel and I, but she LOVES them! She is now in her teenage duck years, or so I would say. She no longers follows you wherever you lead. Instead her half quack-half peep is given right before she tries to chew off your shoe, toenail, finger or other item nearby. We are lucky in that she did well in the kids bathtub until this past weekend when we moved her into the dog crate. She will now be enjoying her days on the porch in the sunlight until Hannah's teacher (who politely agreed to take her to their pond) is ready for her. It has been quite the learning experience. However, I will be ready for a clean, duck-free home. If we had the place for her outside, like if we had enough land to put a pond in or something like that, I think I would keep her as she wouldn't be such a punk!
I am still at the preschool and interview for a new teaching position in a week. Since I have been taking online classes and am so close to being done, they asked me to apply for a certified position. I won't be certified until I finish my BA, but I am the only teacher at the preschool who is close enough to counting. It would mean a class to myself and probably more $. I am praying about it as it would also be more of a commitment that might take me away more from the activities of the kids that I love so much to be a part of. Whatever happens, I will rejoice in that God is caring for us.
We got our garden in, or at least what we are going to attempt this year. We did a raised one as the clay here is impossible to grow anything in, except stickers. We planted potatoes, carrots, snap peas and strawberries. We have plans to re-organize this place and have a huge garage sale this summer in order to simplify and make some $ to pay off medical bills.
Chris is doing well at his job. He has a new manager over him who is looking to at least get him some health insurance. He is needing badly to go in for a check up but since funds are so tight and everyone wants $ upfront, we have just been praying that he can wait. When he gets approved for full-time status (since he has been listed as temporary this entire time), then all the benefits will follow! I might even get insurance. That would be awesome!!
We are enjoying our lives together and doing our best to acknowledge that God has given us all we have! We owe Him our every happiness!! Till next time, look to Him for all things and give HIm praise!!

Life's been busy!

Wow, I can't believe its been since August that I have written on here. Things got really crazy here. I got hired on at Antioch Preschool, the kids started school and Chris went back to work full-time at Lifeway. That pretty much sums up what has been going on. Right now we are in the middle of a winter storm where we have been snowed/iced in since Thursday. It has been nice to just rest and be at home. Lots of time to think. Everyone has had their round to be sick. First Nathaniel with a migraine Wednesday night into Thursday. Hannah had headache and throwing up Friday, me on Saturday and part of Sunday and now Chris is in bed today. Luckily Lifeway closed up shop due to horrible road conditions.
Kids went up the hill to play with the neighbor kids. That has given me the chance to finish up sicky laundry, and straighten up the house from our vegging, movie watching, sicky fest.
Nathaniel has been playing Upwards basketball again this year and is getting really good! I think we have a basketball star in the making!! Hannah has been really interested in keeping up with her novel reading and is really hoping to take a mission trip to Montana this fall as well as go to church camp this summer.
I am hoping to start watching kids this summer to make up for the lost income due to the preschool being off for the summer. We are ok. Barely scraping by some months due to the medical bills and stuff. Our benefit account from the summer just ran out, so we are having to add all the medical stuff to our regular budget. That is why I am looking at things I can do with my own kiddos.
Chris is enjoying his job at Lifeway. He is ok. He still has his good and bad days, depending on how self disciplined he is. I have really been trying to get us all in better shape, but to change a family's habits is hard. The kids are willing to make the shift with me. Changing another adult is another story. :-)
Anyways, just wanted to make a current post and check in with everyone else. Facebook has almost replaced this, but on the other hand, getting to journal is better than the short updates you can put on there. I am going to try to be better at this, just for my own sake. Need a place to vent. :-)
Till next time, love to you all!