~mountain-top baby rockin' tea party~

It's Sunday night and life has been a whirlwind since returning from West Virginia.  We arrived in town at 8:30 Friday night after traveling all day.  Saturday was filled with activities.  Both kids were competing in the music festival an hour from our town and Riley played in the basketball championship.  Today was filled with church and dress rehearsal for the community play they're performing in.  I only just sat down a few hours ago...:)

Grayson and I left with a team last Saturday morning at 6 am headed to the mountains of West Virginia for a mission trip to a birthing center for female prisoners, where women convicted of a federal crime can spend up to 18 months with their child if they're pregnant while incarcerated.  Last year was our first year, but most of the girls were new, the facility had a new director and our mission team had changed a bit, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  I knew, however that God would use us and we would be blessed in return. 

Before leaving, I planned for a craft we would do with the women.  By far, the best craft I found was this magnetic board from Madigan Made.  I was looking for something unique, but also fun and useful - and not too expensive.  It was obvious that God was in it from the beginning.  I found burner covers for 11 cents a piece on clearance at a dollar store!  11 cents!  We decided to give them the option to add Scripture to theirs if they chose.  I'm happy to say they did.  Some even added pictures of their babies - they're all so creative!  Here is a picture of the finished product...

 

Did I mention that I've never gotten carsick until I was on this trip last year?  Take a look at this picture and you may get an idea of why I got sick.  This is on the road between the church we stayed at and the birthing center. 

This trip is different than any other mission trip I've been on.  It's more relaxed and relational.  We cook for them and eat with them everyday, then do crafts and sometimes play games.  This year, a few new mission team members brought supplies for manicures, pedicures and facials.  What an awesome way to bond with one another!   Most mission trips, you're busy trying to get the Gospel out, either by VBS or revival or something similar, and a few relationships are built as a result.  If you're ministering in a place where they may never hear God's Word, this is crucial, but there is a local pastor who brings a sermon to these women every Sunday, then ministers to them during the week.  They're hearing, they just need to witness it being lived out in more people, and they need to experience the love of Christ from believers.  This trip is designed to be about the relationship itself, and as a result of building that relationship, we can talk about Jesus more easily.  Let's face it, people aren't knocking down prison doors with the intention of getting to know the inmates.  John, who heads up the trip is in contact with the center all year and tries to find churches for them in their hometowns after they leave.  We try to stay in touch with them, even befriending them on Facebook in many cases.  One of the women told me some mission teams never sit to chat or bring a meal when they come, they only preach a revival, then leave.  No contact or conversation, just preaching.  Jesus didn't do it that way.  He ate with people and got to know them by asking them questions and they followed Him and watched how He lived. 

One of the best parts of the trip is rocking babies.  Grayson has become quite the little helper (along with the other young girls that went).  I got a picture of her with a different baby every half hour!  I love that she and I can minister together on this trip.  When we first arrived at the birthing center, a mom who was there last year gave me a hug and immediately asked me where my daughter was. I instantly knew she was making an impact on these women and I was glad she got to be a part of it. 


                                  



While making friends and holding babies is always fun, my anxieties came from what we were to do the last day.  The last few years, a lady from Arkansas has joined us on the trip and she has given a tea party for the inmates.  She does a fabulous job and it has become one of their favorites.  She wasn't able to join us this year because she was in Chile on a mission trip, so I filled in.  The lady that gave it, Mrs. Kay, is full of grace and charm and .....well, frankly I'm not:)  Many prayers were said regarding this tea party.  While it seems silly to stress, we give it on the last day, so relationships are established and we have a "captive audience" (as was said this week!) to give a devotion to during the tea party.  The girls were very respectful and listened intently.  I couldn't have asked for anything more.  As you can see, we brought crazy hats for them to keep as a reminder. We also bought tea cups at a thrift store to serve the tea in and left those with them too.

I know Mrs. Kay would have done a much better job, but all in all, I think it went well.  Hopefully she blessed the ladies in Chile with a tea party:) 
 

Once again I was amazed at how "normal" the women are.  They're great moms and this is a wonderful opportunity to bond with their babies.  All of them would probably be working moms and wouldn't have the opportunity otherwise to spend the first year with their baby.  A lot of these women have made one or two bad decisions to get them there, but haven't we all?  While most of my mistakes haven't been illegal, they have been stupid!  I could relate with most of these girls.  While a few were guilty of white collar crimes and came from wonderful families, some were guilty of theft or drugs (but all non-violent crimes), it's unbelievable how prison brings them together.  Friendships are formed between women that would never cross paths outside of these walls.  God works in amazing ways!  They are there, sometimes with no visits from family, yet when I try to give them encouragement, it's me that goes away encouraged.  I was reminded of times I've started down a wrong path always to have God put a road block in my way so I would turn to Him.  Hopefully this birthing center or their time in prison has been a road block that will cause these women to turn to Him and trust Him fully.  I can't wait to see how God works in the lives of these women and babies!

Blessings,

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36

~prayers for west virginia....and china~

It's been so long since I've posted, I almost feel bad posting now!  Grayson and I are leaving in just a few short hours for another mission trip to W. Virginia to minister to female prison inmates who are staying at a birthing center to be with their babies.  It's a privelege only a few prisoners get - and they don't get to be with all of their children, only the babies - for bonding purposes.  

This past week we've been busy with lists of what to buy, what to pack, what crafts to do....what to buy.  We took this trip last year and I blogged about our experience.  I plan to do the same when we get back and things settle down.  I can't post pics of the prisoners, but I hope to get plenty of good pics of Grayson and the mission team:)  Please pray for our trip...for safe travel and that the ladies would respond to us.  I'm specifically praying that God will break down walls and melt hard hearts.  We made many new friends last year and we're planning to do the same again this year! 

Also, our friends, the Lancaster's are heading to China bright and early in the morning to pick up their newest addition - Lori Faith.  You might remember a blogpost about a fundraiser to help bring her home.  That seems so long ago, but like yesterday at the same time!  They're taking their oldest two girls and leaving the 3 youngest kids with family.  Pray for safety and for all aspects to go well.  All glory to God!

Blessings,

~be careful what you ask for....(passing on a post)~

I'm shamelessly passing on another post from my husband.  This one is convicting - he preached on this a few weeks ago and I had to come home and soak my toes:)  Enjoy!

Blessings,

~one, t-who, three~

My purpose for posting today is three-fold.  First, I'd like to pass along another blogpost from my husband.  This makes two in one week!  I'm blown away that he found the time!  This one's a little convicting, but you're sure to be blessed.

Secondly, and definitely on a more serious note, if you know of anyone affected by cancer, you'll want to read this blog.  Julie Heppe is a local woman who has been battling breast cancer for 18 years and now the FDA is wanting to remove the drug that's been sustaining her life.  Please check it out, then contact your representatives.

Lastly, I have been tinkering with my blog design and would LOVE some feedback!  Who knew when I began blogging that the funnest part would be learning all the ins and outs of designing it?  I am so far from knowing all about it, but have come a long way.  I told Glen I thought I could honestly teach a class on this stuff.  There's so much to learn!  It's amazing that I haven't blown up my Google toolbar!  I'm still needing help changing fonts in the text body and would like to make custom tabs that match my header, but baby steps!  If you can give me some pointers or point me to some good websites that have helped you out, I would be so grateful!

Blessings,

~the great christian cover-up~

It's been awhile since I've blogged, but this week I've had something on my mind.  What is our main job as Christians?  To make disciples?  How are we to do this if we're not real about our own struggles?  Also, how can we be held accountable if we keep our struggles a secret?

If you've read many of my blogposts, you know I didn't grow up in church.  Far from it, in fact.  I was born out of wedlock to a teenage mom and my mom became a Christian the same year I did.  I was twenty one - she was 39.  When my mom found out she was pregnant at age 17, she also found out that my dad had gotten another girl pregnant.  He married the other girl.  I have a half-sister who's 15 days older than me.  I say this to say that, while human nature takes over and we all have tendencies to hide our mistakes and put our best face forward, I have never had a desire to pretend things are perfect.  For the most part, what you see is what you get.  I have some struggles that I deal with that I share openly, and I have more private struggles that only a close few know about.  I try to share everything with Glen in an attempt to be held accountable, but I don't think that's the norm for most Christians.  The longer I'm a Christian, the more "plastic" people I meet.  You know, the kind that seem like they have it all together and always have!  (I should also say that I have met many wonderful, authentic Christians who have opened up and let me in their world).  I don't say this to judge, it's definitely only because of the path God set me on that I tend to be more transparent by nature (sometimes to a fault!).  I spent my entire childhood embarassed that my parents weren't married, but when your last name isn't the same as your dad's and your sister is your same age, you have to be upfront with people.  I'm sure I tried to cover it up from time to time (and I definitely didn't approach the subject first), but there came a time when I realized it wasn't my mistake and I shouldn't be embarassed by it.  (This excludes having to tell my kids when they were old enough to understand.  I definitely wanted to pretend everything was perfect for them). 

Over time, however, I came to another realization - we all make mistakes, and not only should I not be embarassed by them, I should glory in the fact that God rescued me from that and I should be upfront with everyone.  I should not only share about my past, but about my current struggles as well.  People need to see that other Christians are real people.  While it's not always appropriate to share every struggle while you're in the midst of it, it is appropriate to share that God is dealing with you in a certain area - and it's always appropriate to share after God has brought you out of it!  I'm still treading lightly on this path where my kids are concerned.  I definitely want to be real with them, but I don't want to over-share regarding my past.  So far, God has given me words to speak to them.  I can only trust that He'll continue to do so.

Recently I learned of a boy from my childhood who is involved in a very sinful lifestyle.  This is someone that was raised in a Christian home.  I was saddened when I read his blogpost that said the first time he went to a gay bar alone, he ran into a pastor from church camp.  This seemed somehow to put the stamp of approval on it - almost normalizing it.  I've never walked in his shoes and I don't presume to know all of the ends and outs of homosexuality.  I only know what I learned from the gay men my mom worked with as a hairdresser, and that the Bible says any kind of sex outside of marriage is wrong. 

Yesterday I read that the Executive Director of the Missouri Baptist Convention gave his resignation for "immoral acts with a woman".  While I'm not surprised (not because I know this to be in his character, but because he's a human being),  it seems like one more scar on the church.  One more excuse people will give for "the church" letting them down. 

None of us are perfect, but do we convey that enough to other believers, and unbelievers for that matter?  How do we get rid of the myth that Christians are perfect?  How, in trying to live a life, holy and pleasing to God, do we really get across the fact that we are only holy because of the blood shed on our behalf?   It's probably evident, but let me say out loud that I seriously screw up on a daily basis.   If you're lifting me up as someone to be like, you need to raise your bar - I'm way off the mark!

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:8-9

While praying about both of these situations, God began to lay on my heart that this is the very reason we are to be transparent.  If I am not willing to share my story of how God has gotten me through the trials in my life and in the process, help out a fellow believer, what exactly is the purpose in Him getting me through them?  These are also reasons to have an  accountability partner.  Satan does his best work where there are secrets.  In both of the cases above, men in the ministry not only sinned, but led someone else into deeper sin.  Recognizing our weaknesses and having someone to hold us accountable are key.

So while I don't usually put on a fake face and pretend things are perfect, after thinking about the previous situations, I'm feeling convicted for covering up for other people.  A very close member of my family is participating in a lifestyle I don't want my kids around.  The issue is not whether I'll let her see my kids.  I will, I just don't want her lifestyle flaunted in front of them.  I have let her see the kids at our house or in public, as long as there's no mention of what she's doing.   As I'm thinking about transparency and "being real", I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing.  I can only pray that I am.  Do I let them know what she's doing and that I don't agree with it, thus using her as an example or do I pretend everything's fine for now in order to protect her reputation?   I don't want to make her look bad, but my fear is that my kids will find out anyway and not know that I stood against what she was doing.  Oh Lord, let my motives be pure and pleasing to You!
 Blessings,

~it's not about guilt, it's about mercy (passing on a post)~

Occasionally (but not often), my husband takes time to blog about something on his heart.   Today, he blogged about a local man who's sentenced to die by lethal injection next week for the murder of a local businessman.  My husband was the news director at a local radio station and broke the story when he was arrested.  Facebook statuses have been flying around lately about this man's innocence, but should the decision hinge on that?  Check out Glen's blogpost - "It's not about guilt, it's about mercy", for his take on things - and while you're at it, become a follower of his blog!

Blessings,

Merry Christmas!

Christmas blessings from the Cantrell Clan!