OctoberBaby, A New Pastor, and Fruitcake & Icecream

What a FABULOUS weekend we had!  Sorry that this recap is a little late.  Love me.  :) 

So, as you may know, my husband started his new job on Thursday.  This means, apparently, that I've lost my afternoon alone time.  Hmm.  I was not really expecting it, but when I got home from work on Thursday and Friday, my husband was already there.  I've said in the past, and some of y'all might remember, that I could be with my husband all the time and never grow tired of him.  He comes home from work and I've had my alone time and I'm ready to be right under him.  I don't let the poor man even have 2 seconds to himself and I couldn't understand why he needed it.  I thought I wanted him to be home when I got home.  Interestingly enough...my alone time has been taken from me, and I missed it after only two days.  I love my husband...I adore him....but come to find out, I do need my alone time  Haha.  It's funny how quickly my mind can change. Anyway, with alllllll of that being said, I got the entire day Saturday to myself.  Mr. Robinson went to Columbia with his dad and I enjoyed a relaxing Saturday spent in the kitchen, enjoying myself and some quiet time.  

Saturday evening, we went and saw October Baby.  

Source: christianfilmdatabase.com via Kristina on Pinterest

There are so many negative reviews out there...it honestly makes me sad.  People are upset because they think it's a pro-life movie, timed perfectly to create a political uproar and...I'm sorry...that is incorrect.  This movie is not so much about abortion... it's about forgiveness.  It's about a daughter forgiving her birth mother for (1) trying to abort her, (2) putting her up for adoption, and (3) pretending like she had no recollection of giving birth to twins (one of whom had lost an arm during the failed abortion and later died).  I don't care if you are pro-life or pro-choice, Christian, atheist, or anything in-between.  Forgiving people is hard.  I struggle with forgiving my husband when he makes me mad by not putting a clean towel out for me or forgetting to replace the trash bag.  Forgiveness is not always easy, simple, or clean cut.  What if it was you?  What is you found out that you had a twin...and your mother tried to abort you both but the abortion failed.  It killed your twin, and later in your life, once you're an adult, you find out about everything.  You go to find your mother, and she pretends like she has no clue what you are talking about.  And you forgive her.  That takes courage and heart...I don't care who you are or who you worship.  This movie isn't about politics or the presidential election.  People who are obsessed with politics will see this as a movie about being pro-life.  They will call this movie "conservative," "right-winged," and whatever.  Christians will see this movie for what is is.  It's a movie about CHOOSING to forgive and it's a movie about the most perfect love that exists.  I encourage all of you to go see it with an open mind and heart.  And take a box of tissues.  

{So, there's my opinion on that.}

Sunday morning, we went to church.  It was a beautiful Sabbath.  We've had an interim pastor for the past few months.  I love them and they've been really good for our church.  Preacher Jim has encouraged growth, witnessing, and reaching out to people.  It's something I've never done before, not on my own at least, and he's encouraged us and urged us to be passionate about our faith!  Don't sit on a pew and thumb your Bibles.  Live it.  And it's changed me.  In March, Preacher Jim planned our Four Super Sundays where we all invite people to Sunday School.  He believes that the soil is prepped in Sunday School so that the seeds can be sewn during the worship service.  He pointed out how important it is to have relationships, to have fellowship, and it starts in Sunday School.  On March 1st, we had 98 people in Sunday School, on average.  Our goal for the end of March was to have 125 people in Sunday School.  The last Sunday of the month, yesterday, was our high attendance Sunday where we would invite a friend and have a lunch at the church after.  The Sunday School class with the biggest jump in numbers would get to go out to dinner, paid for by the church.  The class I am in "won" - in more ways than one.  I could care less about the free food (shocking, I know).  I invited people to Sunday School and they came and they thanked me for inviting them & encouraging them.  I'm building new friendships with people I've known my entire life and never reached out to before.  It's incredible, it's rewarding, and it's a blessing.  Ah-mazing.  

Well, it just so happened that our pastor search committee decided to bring it before the church that we vote to keep our interim pastor full-time.  There were some objections, but that's to be expected.  The vote was scheduled for..."high attendance Sunday."  Awkward, but whatever.  We brought it to a vote and it was 94% to 6%!  We have a new pastor!  =)  I am overjoyed!  They have been so good for our church, and I know that His blessings will continue to rain on us.  =)  The Holy Spirit was in our church yesterday...I had goosebumps all over and...I left saying It was good to be in the house of the Lord.  

Hubby and I had a not-so-relaxing Sunday afternoon.  ;)  Then, we went back to church.  In Discipleship Training, we watched a Louie Giglio video called Fruitcake and Ice Cream.  It was a wonderful story about a girl name Ashley and her roommate, "fruitcake."  I can't find the whole thing anywhere on YouTube, which is shocking, but if you ever get the chance...  I hope you'll check it out.  :)

Oh, & don't forget to check out our new pet, Aladdin! 


Oh, and even MORE important....calling all North & South Carolina Bloggers!  Don't forget to check out the blogger meet-up we've got planned for October.  Click Here!