A Restaurant Meme

Lisa from Blakey Blog tagged me for a fun food meme, here are the rules:

1. Link to name of person that tagged you.
2. Include state and country you live in.
3. List top 5 favorite local restaurants.
4. Tag 5 other people and let them know they’ve been tagged.

I live in South Carolina.

My favorite restaurants are:

1. Fatz Cafe - this is our favorite place to eat. Their prices are reasonable, the service is good, and it has a nice family atmosphere.

2. Longhorn Steakhouse - we've only been there one time, but they had the best steaks. Someone had given us a gift certificate from there, and it was out of our price range, so we haven't been back there since. They had good service too.

3. Ruby Tuesday's - They are reasonably priced, and have good food.

4. Ryan's Steakhouse - Our favorite thing about Ryan's is their yeast rolls.

5. Bojangles - This is a fast food restaurant whose speciality is chicken. Out of all the restaurants in our city, they have the best iced tea.

As far as who to tag, I'm not sure yet. I don't know anyone from my area who has a blog.

Hilarious Joke

I'm not one to pass on jokes, much less post them on my blog. But this one is the exception. A good friend of mine online sent it to me, and last night I couldn't go to sleep for a long time because I was laughing so hard remembering it. I was laughing so hard, and so long that my oldest daughter yelled out to me to shhhhhh. I hope it makes you laugh too. I do hope nobody will be offended. I don't advocate drinking, I just thought this was too funny not to pass on.

A man and his wife were awakened at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.

"Not a chance," says the husband, "it is 3:00 in the morning!" He slams the door and returns to bed.
"Who was that?" asked his wife. "Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers. "Did you help him?" she asks. "No, I did not, it is 3:00 in the morning and it is pouring rain out there!"

"Well, you have a short memory," says his wife. "Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped us? I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!"

The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain. He calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still there?" "Yes," comes back the answer. "Do you still need a push?" calls out the husband. "Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark. "Where are you?" asks the husband.

"Over here on the swing," replied the drunk.

Wives and Submission

I mentioned in May that I was putting my study of Pink's The Attributes of God on hold for the time being while I study biblical womanhood, and the roles between husbands and wives. The timing of the study has worked out well because Christa threw out a challenge to us here not to waste our summer. I committed myself here to becoming more faithful in my calling as a wife and mother.

This morning I was studying several passage but this one stood out to me:

Ephesians 5:21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

Ephesians 5:24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 5:26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

Ephesians 5:27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

Ephesians 5:30 because we are members of his body.

Ephesians 5:31 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

Ephesians 5:32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. (NASB - the above verses were quoted from the ESV).

Out of this passage, there were three verses that popped out at me. The first one was this verse:

Ephesians 5:21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

This is a verse I hear quoted most often when discussing the issue of submission. Many fail to read further on where it explicity states wives are to submit to their own husbands as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

It goes on to state the reason why:

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

The verses following verse 21 show us what each person's role is within the family. Just as in the workplace there cannot be two heads, there cannot be two heads in a household either. There must be a leader. And God has placed our husbands in that leadership position, while we as wives are to follow in submission. This is not always an easy thing to do, and I have certainly not gotten this down pat, but it is the BIBLICAL way. I find that when I trust the Lord, and rest in my husband's decisions, or when he tells me not to worry about something, I have so much more peace. I tend to worry about silly little things like if we are going to make it somewhere on time, or if we have enough time to do this or that. When I submit to his advice, there is such peace inside, and I can relax.

Another comment brought up is the issue of physical abuse. If there is PHYSICAL abuse occurring, GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, AND FIND A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.

These roles have their root in creation: 1 Corinthians 11:3-16, Ephesians 5:21-33, and 1st Timothy 2:11-14.

The other statement that is always made is "I'll submit to him when he starts loving me as Christ loved the Church." Well, that isn't what this verse says, nor will you find that anywhere else in Scripture.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

We are to respect our husbands, and submit to them whether they are fulfilling their role or not. We are to individually fulfill our calling, our role as stated above, there are no loopholes, nor outs. Each one of us is to fulfill our roles regardless of what the other person does or does not do.

Lisa recommended a book to me called Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and I second that recommendation. It can be read free online here.

Our calling is not an easy one, but I think it is an easier one than the role God gave our husbands. For those of us in a two parent household, we don't have the burden of having to lead our families, or of having to provide for them.

I pray that we will embrace this high calling as wives, and mothers.

God's Providence

Last night was the first performance for the cast of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and they did a great job. Even better than the performance was something that happened afterwards when we were out in the lobby that reinforced to me that God orchestrates everything in our lives.

This story begins nine years ago. I posted on my younger daughter's birthday about her premature birth here. That day my husband met a man in the NICU who had twin boys on May 19th, which is my birthday. One baby weighed one pound, the other a pound and a half. The baby who weighed one pound went home to be with the Lord on the day that Brooke was born. My husband spent alot of time talking with the father because they were always there in the hospital together. We haven't seen them in nine years, and every year on our birthdays, and really more often than that, we have thought about the baby and wondered how he and his family were doing.

After the performance last night we were walking down the aisle towards the lobby when an older man stopped us and told Brooke that she did a great job. As we were having refreshments, I noticed the same man standing nearby so I started talking to him. He told me his grandson was in the play and was playing the part of Augustus Gloop. He pointed to someone and said that he was the father. The father came over and as we were talking I thought his voice sounded familiar, and that he kind of looked like the father of the twins from nine years ago. Since I'm not shy about asking questions at times, I asked him if he had a nephew who was premature. He said no but his son was, and pointed to Augustus' brother. I said "aha! we know you!" It turns out that this was the baby born two days before Brooke, and the very little boy my husband and I were talking about the other night!!

I don't believe in odds, or chances, nor even coincidences, but what are the odds of that happening? When things like this happen, and it has happened to me twice before this, it so clearly shows me that GOD ALONE orchestrates EVERY single detail in our lives, right down to something like that.......having each person there in the right spot. It never ceases to amaze me when I see God's hand so clearly working in my life like that.

It reinforces to me that NOTHING happens by chance, or coincidence. God IS ruling this world and IS working ALL things out after the counsel of HIS will.

Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

Isaiah 46:9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,

Isaiah 46:10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'

Isaiah 46:11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.

Performance tonight of Willy Wonka

Tonight will be the cast's first night with an audience for the play, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This evening they are performing for a childrens' home so it is a benefit, and most of the proceeds will go towards the childrens' home. My husband and I will be helping downstairs with keeping the Oompa Loompa's quiet, and getting them on stage at the right time.

This is such a fun play, and all the cast members do a great job. They have the parents and the grandparents being played by ages ranging from 11 1/2 to around 17 or 18 years old. My favorite seen involves the parents and grandparents of Charlie. The grandparents are in bed asleep and snoring, and Charlie's father wakes them up by talking, and they all jump.

The play runs this weekend, June 15th - June 17th, and again next weekend, June 22nd - June 24th.

I'm hoping to take a picture of Brooke in her Oompa Loompa costume, but I'm not sure it will work. I have to use my cell phone to do it, and I'm not sure yet how to email the picture to myself.

If you would keep us in your prayers, I would appreciate it. Pray that Brooke won't get any headaches during this time especially.

One thing that I thought was cute was when Brooke, and another little girl asked where they needed to stand if anyone wanted their autographs.

Seize the Summer

Christa has a great post on not wasting our summer. Because I can waste so much of my time on insignificant things, I've committed myself to being, or becoming, more faithful in my calling as a wife and mother. I came across this verse this morning, and it convicted me to do better in this area:

1 Timothy 3:11 "Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things."

Christa has also been doing reviews on Martha Peace's The Excellent Wife book every Wednesday. I encourage you to check it out. I had considered reading it again because it was so good, and I will sometime in the future, but I just ordered Helper by Design, by Elyse Fitzpatrick, so I plan on doing that study instead.

I've just finished my coffee, and now it's time to get back to work, and to the commitment I have made.

Elinor Dashwood

Take the Quiz here!

I found this quiz over at Jen's blog, and admittedly, it's quite accurate.

Baptism story continued

Yesterday I gave a little background as to why my husband and I were both baptised again. Today I'm going to share what it meant to me.

This baptism issue has been on my mind alot lately because it's been a topic of discussion for months now on a voice chat program that I go on. I am a credo baptist, which means I believe in believer's baptism only. It's not something that I would ever divide over, in fact, our pastor and his wife have a son who is a Presbyterian pastor. And their son preaches at our conferences. Being baptised on Sunday only added to my conviction that the Bible teaches believers baptism only. Before we were baptised, my pastor read several Scriptures.

As I stood there waiting for the others to get their robes on, I was filled with joy. I was filled with joy because I was following the Lord in obedience, making a public confession, and being raised up to new life. It was such a special time for me even though I probably embarrassed myself because, being the first one baptised, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. So, to keep myself from going under I held my nose from the beginning, lol. My embarrassement didn't lessen the joy I felt.

Baptised! A little background first

Yesterday was a special day for our family because my husband and I were both baptised! We had both been baptised before but both as unbelievers. My husband was raised Roman Catholic, and was baptised as a child without faith, therefore his baptism was invalid and he wanted to be baptised again, but this time as a believer. I was not raised in a Christian home, though my dad was raised Methodist, and my mom was raised Roman Catholic.

To give you a little background as to why I wanted to be rebaptised, I was baptised for all of the wrong reasons, with the main one being that I was an unbeliever.

In 1984 I had "prayed the sinner's prayer" with a lady I worked with at the time whose husband was a pastor, and was born again, or so I thought. The truth is I made a false profession back then. There was little evidence of my being a believer. I lacked the new nature, I had no love for the Lord, nor a love for His Word. I did the same things as a professing believer that I did as a non believer.

In 1985, my first husband and I seperated, and divorced the next year. I was working for attorneys at the time, and one of them recommended a Baptist church to me. I was baptised there in 1986. The only reason I was baptised then was to join the church. I could not become a member unless I was baptised. I didn't even go to church for the right reasons. I went so I could be in the singles group, and have fun. I did have a lot of fun, but as a lost sinner, dead in my trespasses and sins.

I remarried in October of 1989, and we started going to a Methodist church, joined there, and remained there for about two years. During that time I was working for a bank, and a coworker of mine was going to an Assemblies of God. It seemed real lively to me when we visited, and she talked to me about all those dead churches out there that had no life. At that time, neither my husband nor I cared much about doctrine, and we still didn't know we were lost. We were there for ten years, and it was while at that church I started watching TBN, and between TBN and the Assemblies of God, I became charismatic in my theology, though I was still lost. I had a god of my own making, a god who was there to serve me, rather than I being on this earth to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him forever. During our time at the Assemblies of God, the church changed pastors, and it went from bad to worse. We left there and began going to a Calvary Chapel. We were there for five years, and circumstances led me to leave there a year before my husband did.

Three years ago, the Lord began working in my heart through my younger daughter's illness, and it wasn't long afterwards that I could do nothing else but surrender my life to the Lord. He showed me there was nothing good in me, and that I needed a Savior. Not only did I become born again while I was still at Calvary Chapel, but I came to the realization, through the study of Scripture, that I was a Calvinist. I no longer had a god of my own making, I was finally serving the true and Living God.

Looking back, it amazes me to see God's hand my life throughout the years, even those years when I didn't know Him. I could write page after page of how He has orchestrated things in my life and led me to Him. Instead of writing page after page about it, let me share this one thing.

I've posted before about the health scare we had with our youngest daughter here, and at the time both of our daughters were playing softball. One of the coaches asked if he could add her name to the prayer list at his church, we told him yes and she was added. Fast forward from March, 2003 to March 2005. I left the church we had been going to before my husband did. I visited a Reformed Baptist church in March, 2005 that an online friend had found for me. I began attending there, and the pastor traveled, and when he did, he had another pastor come to our church to preach. As soon as I saw this other pastor I knew immediately I had seen him somewhere but couldn't remember where. For about 8 months I wondered where I knew him from. When my husband began attending, and this pastor was there, my husband also recognized him. In fact, when this pastor saw my husband, his eyes lit up like he recognized him too. After a little while, as we began talking about it, it dawned on us that we knew him from softball.

In August, 2006 my husband and I joined the Reformed Baptist church we were attending, and because we didn't have a valid baptism, we chose to be baptised again. Because our church does not have a baptismal pool, we use the church of the pastor who preaches when our pastor is out of town. After we were baptised, and the service was over, we saw the guy from March, 2003 who had asked us if his church could pray for our daughter! So this church had been praying for our daughter for four years, and here He brought us to this church to be baptised in. I stand in awe at how the Lord orchestrates our lives, and how He has planned every little detail, and each and every thing in our lives. That is such a comforting thought!

This is such a long post, I will either post later this afternoon about the baptism itself, or will wait until tomorrow since this was longer than I intended it to be.