Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Dear Camille,

  "Do you want to build a snowman?"  As of this moment, you can sing that entire song because we have watched "Frozen" ten thousand times at least!  But today, we are talking about more than an animated movie (although it happens to be one of our favorites!).  Today we are talking about snow!
 
  "Snow" at this point, hearing that word can make some Arkansans want to scream.  By the same token, it can make others jump for joy!  As of today, the local kids have missed five days of school and I know that there will be lots of longing for the end of the year in June!  As a former teacher, I had a love-hate relationship with snow.  I loved missing the days, but hated making them up!  But beyond how the snow has affected our lives, I want to emphasize its beauty.

  Snow is a substance that is made from water that freezes into ice crystals and falls in white flakes.  It seems like such a simple thing, but it can be so beautiful as it covers the ground.  It is amazing to watch it fall! 

  This afternoon, following some snow fun, I stared out the window at Nana's house and watched big snowflakes lightly float to the ground.  It was beautiful and the picturesque version of snow that is often displayed in romantic movies.  It was the kind of snow that I picture in my mind's eye.  As I gazed out that window I watched my romantic snow change to smaller flakes that floated, then fell more briskly to the ground.  The snow went full circle ending back at the large floating flakes that I enjoyed. Gazing at the snow made me consider how creative our God is.

  Our God was creative enough to design all those different types of snow that I saw!  This concept truly blows my mind!   My God took the time to design such beauty in such a simple thing as frozen water.  Not only has He put beauty in snow, but He has put beauty across the earth.  My girl, I have found that many people consider God boring or dull, but He is anything but!  He is the God that is the original artist, placing His creativity and beauty across the earth.

  My Love, as you consider what an awesome God he is, remember to reflect on the beauty that he placed across the earth for you to enjoy!  The most beautiful places on earth were not crafted by the hand of man, but rather the words of God!

I love you big,
Mommy

P.S. Look through these pictures that I have taken so that you can reflect on God's creativity!

God Does Not Exist

Dear Camille,

   My darling, I have some bad news, God does not exist. I know this may be of a shock to you, because you have grown up in a home that does all of the "Christian" things.  We are a family that prays, reads Bible stories, and goes to church.  We do all of the cliché things that a "Christian" family should do.  We look the part.  But sadly, although we do all of these things, God does not exist.

   God does not exist, when you are to be too busy to make a difference.  God does not exist, when you just aren't  kind to that person that drives you nuts. God does not exist, when you look down upon those that beg on the street corners.  God does not exist, when you refuse to forgive someone that really hurt you.  God does not exist, when you go off on the customer service rep that really is no help.  God does not exist, when you only care about yourself.

  By now, you may be catching the satire in my writing, but there is some truth to the phrase "God does not exist."  My Love, if you choose to see those actions through the lens of someone who does not understand a relationship with Christ, then you will see the truth to the phrase.  A person that does not understand the love of Christ looks to us to prove to them that there is a God.  They are not looking for the typical "Christian" actions such as church-going, praying, and Bible reading, but, rather, authenticity and action.  What are you doing to show others that you have a relationship with Christ?  Do you love more?  Are you kinder than most?  Do you keep your cool in moments of chaos?  Do you make time to help others?

  As I share with you how important your actions are for sharing the love of Christ, I am reminded of two things. First, a time when I asked for an extra dose of Christ's love, and second, some verses in Corinthians that describe the Biblical love and how are lives should be.

  Several months ago, I learned how to share the love of Christ when I received a bill in the mail.  Normal? Yes, but this was a bill that my insurance should have covered (My daughter, you will learn later what a hassle this can be!).  I immediately called the biller and got the details of why it was not covered.  I then called my insurance and worked out the details with them.  It went on for FOUR months back and forth, insurance says they need more time, biller needs their payment.  Then, it happened, I got a notice that this would go to collections!  Now, Camille, your daddy and I have worked very hard to keep our credit clean and this was not going to happen!  I called the insurance once again and received the "We need more time" excuse.  Finally, I went up there!  On my way, I was mad!  I was ticked!  I was ready to let the company have it!  What company lets their employees get four months behind on their work!  But, in the middle of this chaos, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to pray.  I knew if I lost it with the employees then I would have also lost my Christ-like behavior.  When I accepted Christ's love, I also accepted HIS cross!  Remember the earlier post?  So I followed the prompting of the Spirit and prayed for favor with man and that I would be calm and loving towards the employees.  Guess what? God answered this prayer!  I was kind and loving.  In addition,  the insurance company called the billing company and admitted their fault, got me out of collections, and completely fixed the problem.  I left that appointment amazed at what God had done!  I had tried for four months to do what HE did in an hour.

  Sharing the love of Christ is something that we should do daily through our actions.  Like in the above story, it is not us, but Christ who works within us that brings the love anyways. I want you to join me in looking at a few verses in Corinthians that explain God's expectation of us.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."

   My love these verses are not only encouraging us to share Christ through our actions, but to share Christ through our actions in love!  You can do something that is "right", but if you choose to do it without love, then God still does not exist!

  My prayer is that you catch these words and understand that you are a living and breathing advertisement for God.  When others look at you, they should not see you, but God.  They should see a real person with a real relationship.  So to you my beautiful daughter, I leave this final thought and challenge.  "Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God."

I love you from the top of your head to the soles of your feet,
Mommy

Christians are Satan's Biggest Asset

Dear Camille,
   With the world pulling us in multiple directions and presenting a sliced up version of Christianity, I wanted to take the time to make sure that you had a clear picture of what it really means to be a Christian.  A Christian by simple definition is just a follower of Jesus Christ.  If that is the case, then I propose that a Christian should choose to follow Christ's example while he was here on earth.
  So what was Christ's example while He was here on earth? He shared the upmost compassion with all those that needed it and loved others with every ounce of his being.  There are many, many stories that I could go through to prove this but I will point out a few that you may find of some interest.

1. Jesus was a friend to lawbreakers.
During the days when Jesus lived, the job of a tax collector was the job of a crook.  These men often overcharged the people and pocketed the rest of the money for themselves.  These men were often hated and no one would have had the audacity to ever dine with one.  In the story of Zaccheus, Jesus pursues a man that is hated by society to genuinely love and build a relationship with him.  Luke 19:1-10

2. Jesus broke racial, social, and gender boundaries.
Jesus was born a Jew which meant that He was not supposed to associate in any way with Samaritans.  Because He was about restoring hope, He chose to walk through Samaria (A town that Jews traveled miles out of their way to avoid!) to meet with a woman.  This woman had been married five times and was living with a man that was not her current husband. She was full of shame and visited the well in the middle of the day to avoid contact with any citizen of her town.  Jesus, a Jew, chose to visit her town and was at the well waiting for her.  Although, she thought she had snuck over alone.  He completely breaks the racial boundary by visiting her in this country and, as a man, speaks to this guilt ridden woman.  He choses to talk not only to someone of a different gender and a different race, but to a person that is a social outcast.  If this woman lived in modern times she might have been called derogatory names such as slut or whore. Jesus did not judge her for her current condition but restored her hope that she could receive a love that would never end.  John 4:1-42

3. Jesus had compassion on outcasts to society
During Christ's time on earth there was a disease known as leprosy.  (This disease is still present on earth today.) This disease affected the nerves and could lead to deformities, crippling, and blindness. Leprosy is contagious through coughing, so people with leprosy were often sent into isolation outside the city.  Those infected were forced to live in a life without human contact, begging for food to be thrown to them.  This type of life was miserable and hopeless.  In the story, the man approaches Jesus, begging to be healed.  I can only imagine that he had to be miserable and hopeless and approached Jesus with everything that he had, because that was his only hope for a new life.  The Bible tells us that Jesus was “moved with compassion” for the man.  This truly shows the heart of Jesus.  He went after the outcast, without hesitation, even if it could cost him his reputation or his health!(More is known about the disease today, but back then, it was thought to be incurable. Although, it seems that the disease is not as intense as once thought, the story of Jesus love through healing remains the same.) Mark 1:40-45

4. Jesus forgave when He had the RIGHT to retaliate.
Our Dear Savior CHOSE to exercise his right to silence when he was at trial for crimes that he did not commit.  Our Savior CHOSE to not fight back when he was being beaten for no reason. Our Savior CHOSE to die on the cross to take our PLACE!  During the time that Jesus was being abused for no reason at all, He was asking God to FORGIVE those that beat him!  On earth, this may be looked at as being pushed around or being walked over, but Jesus knew that this was the way that he would stand out to the world.  It is NOT normal human behavior to ask for others to be spared when they are inflicting harm on us which proves that this is a different way, Jesus’s way!  Luke 23:1-34, Matthew 27:1-31, Mark 15:1-24 

    So, my dear daughter, here are several examples that don't begin to explain the depth that Christ went to reach people, but nevertheless, each proved how he valued humans!  Each is a picture of LOVE and HOPE!  He chose to love each person where they were, sin and all!  He chose to love them enough to not leave them there, but rather to restore them! So if this is the picture of Jesus, why then would I say that his followers are Satan's biggest asset? 
   I would say that, my love, because many times the above examples are not true of our American Christian lives.  I admit that I have been guilty of not acting the way that my Beloved Savior acted.  There are times that I have felt entitled to retaliate and did so.  There are times when I have been guilty of overlooking society's outcasts because I was "too busy".  There are times when I  judged those who break the law, rather than praying over their situation.  There are also times when I looked down on others that were different than me. Am I proud of these?  Absolutely not!
  One thing that I have learned about the Father of Lies is that he is a clever little snake!  He knew that he could not entice me to do some huge, monstrous sin right away, so he chipped at me a little at a time.  He encouraged me to be a little too busy, a little too cranky, a little less Christ-like.  After a while, I looked around and I drifted and looked more like Satan than Christ.  To prevent ourselves from being his asset, we MUST stay grounded in Christ!
  This world is desperately searching for the truth!  Is there really someone out there that represents love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control?  When we claim to be Christians, but do not represent the fruit that is supposed to be in our lives, then we deter others from the help that is in the cross.  We become "Team Satan" when are willing offering a detour by claiming Christ with our mouths but denying him with our lives!
  My dear, it is time for us to get BOLD with the testimony that is our lives!  It is not our job to be the Holy Spirit but to love others!  Let's take the world by storm and make sure that each day we are bringing more love to others than they have ever known!

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:35

All my love,
Mommy

A Mother's Song

Dear Camille,

Until the day that you are grown and become a mother of your own,  you will not understand the amount of love that I have for you.  Daily I look at you and my heart smiles and I cannot imagine life before you.  You are my light, my sunshine, and my world.  I consider my job as your mother the most honorable job that I could have and I thank God that He has chosen to give this privilege to me.  In this post I am linking a song by my friend, Cara, called "A Mother's Song".  My Sweet Baby Girl, this song perfectly communicates how much I enjoy my job as mommy.

I love you to the moon and back,
Mommy

A Mother's Song by Cara Chapman

Cross Carrying and In Denial

Dear Camille,

I want to have a heart to heart with you about Christianity 101.  I have learned, my girl, that most people only get it half right, which makes for a half-hearted Christian life.  When on the day that you decide that you cannot do life alone and pray to accept Christ as your Lord, you at that point will have met the denial requirement.  (By the way, I pray daily for you to come to the saving knowledge of Christ.  Darling, there is no other way.)  Many Christians understand that they are supposed deny themselves and make Jesus Lord of their life.  They get it right because they know that they no longer rule their own life, where they miss it is bringing the cross to the world.  Bringing the cross to the world?  Yes, that is exactly what I said!  Many people often misunderstand what this means as well.  Bringing the cross, for many people, represents salvation.  While, God has commanded us to go into the world and share the good news, that is not the point that I am making here.  Bringing the cross to the world means more than just salvation.  Bringing the cross means that you bring to the world everything that the cross represents. So what exactly does the cross represent: love, freedom, forgiveness, victory, sacrifice, kindness, goodness, mercy, and grace.  The list could really go on and on about all of the qualities that the cross showed, but this list will suffice for our discussion.  When you walk into the world daily, you should be bringing the love, the mercy, the kindness, and the grace to others.  Even if others are undeserving,  you should be bringing them these qualities through your speech and your actions so that they can do nothing but see Christ through you.  This is the second half of what a Christian must do.  Yes, to do these things, you must first deny yourself, or it cannot be done.  But, once you have chosen to take on the character of Christ you must bring the cross to the world. Sweet girl, I know that you will be a shining example of Christ and will bring his love to the world.  I already see you display so many precious qualities and I know you will continue to grow in Christ's love.
I love you always,
Mommy


Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  Matthew 16:24

What's in a Name

Dear Camille,

   In January 2012, your father and I were thrilled to find that God had blessed us with the child that we had prayed for. Later in April we were equally thrilled to learn that you were a precious girl.  Upon discovering that you were a girl, your father and I began the daunting task of choosing your name. The name, in our minds, had to be perfect.   After all, you were a long-awaited gift.  We knew that we wanted the name to have Biblical meaning as well as a tie to French origins, to represent your father's Cajun heritage.  Narrowing the name down by the two criteria, Biblical meaning and French origins, seems like it would help, and it did give us a good start, but we still knew that we needed a few more specifics to choose the perfect name for you.  For the other specifics, I really wanted to make sure that you had a timeless name that would not fade with the days' trends and only represent one generation. Now here we were, we had decided: French origin, Biblical meaning, and timeless sound.  The last thing that we decided that was essential for choosing the perfect name for you was that your nickname could be nothing less than adorable.  And, of course, your name had to flow.  With all that said, your chosen name is Camille Isabella, which, to us, represents the Cajun heritage, Biblical standards, timeless sound, and Camilly, Camille Bella, and Bella are the cutest nicknames around!
  I firmly believe that what you are called represents a part of who you will become.  There are several times in the Bible where the Lord changed a persons name to represent a positive change in their life.  So your names represent the characteristics that I pray that you will live out.  Camille means "unblemished character" and I pray that all the days of your life that you strive for excellence but stay humble enough to realize that you need God each and every day.  The name Isabella means "devoted to God" which matches my desire for you to realize that you need God each and every day.  I believe with all my heart that God has an amazing plan for your life and will use you in mighty ways as long as you stick with him. 

Love,
Mommy

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