Disciples of all ages

I love hearing the wisdom of older sisters who are moms. I had the great privilege over the last couple of years to soak up the benefits of some very wise sisters' experiences. Though, until the Restore Conference last Feb, I looked at it more as information for the future. In a general session on parenting, the speaker, Dr. Liederbach, made an excellent point that has changed the way I reflect on parenting wisdom. Whether married, unmarried, parents or childless, all believers are to be living out Titus 2. We're to be submitting to the council and accountability of other believers while pouring into others as well. I've heard parenting described as the most important discipleship responsibility anyone can undertake. If parenting is discipleship, many of the aspects of discipleship should be applied to parenting. Likewise, aspects of Biblical, God-honoring parenting may also be applied to discipleship. The main point to his advice, therefore, was for those who did not have children not to tune out! The lessons of parenting in that session could be applied to discipleship-something every believer is responsible to do! Since then, I've had a new appreciation for the wisdom of parenting. Of course, I still do also appreciate it as helpful information for the future but with thankfulness that it may also be applied now!



This is an excerpt from a recent girltalk blog post on parenting/preaching the gospel to the littlest of disciples:

Monsters Under the Bed by Janelle Bradshaw

So how do we help our small children deal with middle-of-the night fears?

Dr. Russell Moore—himself a father of small children—recently offered this insightful answer:

“The kids know—they instinctively know—that they're living in a universe in which something's gone awry. It's not our job—as parents, or as Sunday school teachers—to disengage that. It's our job to come in and to provide an answer to that. Yeah, you're living in an enchanted world. Yeah, you're living in a haunted world. You're living in a world haunted by demonic powers. That's exactly right—what you deeply fear is indeed the case... Your worrying about the monster under the bed isn't unreasonable; there's a monster under the fabric of the cosmos. Instead, we give them a story that provides the only comfort that really is lasting comfort; it's a comfort that the enemies have been defeated."

I am going to add a few words to my middle of the night hugs and kisses routine. Yes, Caly-girl, we live in a scary world, but we don’t need to be afraid. The monster has been crushed. And the One who crushed him, He’s right here in this room.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Duttweiler!!

It's wedding season! This past weekend was the 2nd of three consecutive wedding weekends. This ceremony celebrated the union of a very sweet couple: Tom and Esther. We had some mutual friends at Clemson but I really got to know Tom through a small group here. I've had the blessing to spend time with Esther as well. This couple has been such a great encouragement to me of God's all-knowing power and grace. They truly exemplify what it means to whole-heartedly follow the Lord.
Their wedding was a sweet celebration of God ordaining two to become one. The bridal party entered the chapel to a song I'd never heard but very much enjoyed. Heres the lyrics:

Nichole Nordeman \ Every Season

Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration
For freedom that is ours
And I notice You
In children’s games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come
You are autumn

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season’s change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

Of course the event was packed with Tiger touches (and lots of Tiger friends!)
Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Groom's Cake: designed to look like the men's Clemson ring

Toasting glasses etched with Tiger Paws

The beautiful wedding cake!



Group pics with the TigerRag (and of course Cadence Count is a necessity for any Clemson gathering ;) )

My Cousin's Wedding!!!

Before my uncle retired from the military a few years ago, he and his family lived all over the country and the world. Unfortunately, that made family gatherings a bit more difficult. The brothers and grandparents, however, insisted that the cousins (and parents) have as much time together as possible. So, despite, at times, thousands of miles between us, the four cousins have grown up as more siblings. This close-knit family has been a tremendous blessing to my life.
Last weekend, I had the joy and privilege to serve my "big sister" as her Maid of Honor. She married a wonderful man and I'm so happy for them both! The families truly enjoyed meeting one another and the joining of the two families. I'm very much looking forward to what the Lord has planned for this sweet couple!

Here are a few pictures of the wedding festivities

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