I want to SMELL LIKE SHEEP.

My rambling thoughts of being a Shepherdess for my Jesus

by Angel Thompson on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:34am ·

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In the past 4 years I have had the most humbling ministry. I get to shepherd our kids from Kindergarten – 4th grade in our KIDS Church. I have watched them grow, struggle and ask amazing questions about God, Jesus, life, family stuff and spiritual warfare that they have faced in their young lives. I have been a witness as God has grabbed their hearts and have heard them confess HIS NAME and tell everyone that they are making HIM the leader of their lives and from that moment forward that their hearts are HIS.

When I reflect back on the last 4 years I can only think of one ACTION word regarding shepherding kids…INVEST.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary States:

In`vest´

v. t.

1.

[imp. & p. p. Invested; p. pr. & vb. n. Investing.]

3.

To clothe, as with office or authority; to place in possession of rank, dignity, or estate; to endow; to adorn; to grace; tobedeck; as, to invest with honor or glory; to invest with an estate.

4.

To surround, accompany, or attend.

5.

To confer; to give.

6.

(Mil.) To inclose; to surround or hem in with troops, so as to intercept reinforcements of men and provisions and preventescape; to lay siege to; as, to invest a town.

I LOVE THIS PART OF THE DEFINITION AS WE AS SHEPHERDS DO THIS TO BRING SAFETY AGAINST THOSE THINGS THAT ARE RAGING ALL AROUND….WE INVEST IN THEM, SURROUND THEM……AS TEACHERS WE ARE LIKE A TROOP HEMING OURSELVES AROUND THEM TO KEEP THE ENEMY OUT AS THEY GAIN STRENGTH AND LAY HOLD OF GOD’S POWER IN THEIR LIVES.

8.

To expend (time, money, or other resources) with a view to obtaining some benefit of value in excess of that expended,or to achieve a useful pupose; as, to invest a lot of time in teaching one's children.

WordNet Dictionary

Verb

1.

invest - make an investment;

Synonyms: commit, put, place

2.

invest - give qualities or abilities to

Synonyms: endow, endue, gift, indue, empower

What happens however if the shepherd does not INVEST but has become….complacent?

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Com`pla´cent

a.

1.

Self-satisfied.

What view and action will you take today in the areas God has placed you?

We are called to invest.

Matthew 28:18-20

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Father, may all of our kids at YTWO feel your warmth today and may those who come in contact with one of your warriors experience something different and want to know more about you. Help all of the kids to BE THE ONE for you today. Protect them in the name of Jesus and grant them UNITY. In the name of Jesus ~ Amen

www.gccytwo.blogspot.com

www.churchofsecondchances.com

I had the honor...

I had the honor of sitting with an amazing mother today.
She is the mother of 3 beautiful boys. The middle child has Autism.
She is a survivor of ovarian cancer, breast cancer and she is now in the last stages of bone cancer.
I sat with her for an hour as she talked of her children and how she fought and advocated for them throughout her time with them. WE talked about her continued fight for her middle son and her passion for him to know he is loved and that he matters.
She talked of the difficulty of knowing how to help him through the grief, to understand that “mommy is dying”, and will soon not be here. I watched this mother talk proudly of her sons as she battles daily to maintain life.

I listened as she spoke of her ex-husband who left because he just couldn’t take anymore and her light appeared to dim for a while, yet she knew she could not stop for the sake of her children. After all, they were entrusted to her.

I stood with her sister who admires her and has joined her in taking up the fight for her middle son when she leaves this world.

I am honored that God gave me an hour to sit with a remarkable lady. We embraced as I left, one mother to another, raising children on the spectrum. I let her know, even though she is going home, her son has an Autism Family that will look out for him and be support for her sister.

As I walked to my van I sat and thought….how much we take for granted. The air we breathe. The warmth we feel. The food we have. Through aches and pains, yet the health we have been blessed with. Our CHILDREN and their voices, dreams, hugs and kisses. We fight over petty things that have no eternal value and take for granted the fight we should have for our children. A fight to show them that not only do we love them, Christ loves them. Not only do they matter, they matter to HIM. That they don’t have to wait to make an impact or have a purpose, they impact our lives daily and we NEED TO EMBRACE those moments.

As you breathe today
As you feel sun or rain
As you drive
As you shake a hand of a friend, hug a spouse
Hearing your child singing or even arguing……

TAKE NO MOMENT FOR GRANTED.

Embrace it.

Use it to SHOW HIS LOVE. Use it to TEACH THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW BEHIND YOU.
Until your last breath …DO IT.

"My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving."
Colossians 2:6,7

Angel's Soap Box regarding......

Thoughts regarding the “looking into” a merger.

I have had this incredible opportunity to be part of an incredible organization and team at ACCSB. In the past CSB agencies as a whole have had a negative view, however over the years the ACCSB has become a driving force of bringing positive, family centered services to our families. It is true that our goal is to keep children safe, yet we offer so much more through incredible services for those in kinship, summer foods, helping pay utilities, finding housing, helping with deposits for rent, ESSA that help with materials needed to aid to maintain family units and so much more. Please take time to check out the ACCSB FaceBook page. Some have read in the newspaper that the county commissioners are "researching" about merging ODJFS and CSB, however we at ACCSB believe this would jeopardize the standing and support we have in our community and how we serve the children and families. As an autonomous agency we have a strong standing, a strong board and strong teams. So, we are sharing our voices to support and continue our strong standing, our strong board and our strong teams who view our families as important and worth fighting for to continue what we are doing, at the quality we are providing. Please help us get the word out to our county commissioners that ACCSB needs to remain as they are. I have been so impressed by how this agency works inside and out, and how they view our families that we come in contact daily.

Click STAR BEACON to read the article.

My VERY rambly thoughts.

Sitting here being reminded of how the smallest things that seem not to matter or are seen as intolerable are truly works of art by God's hand.

He did not create the dandelion to be this awful weed that "destroys" your lawn or causes so much "stress" if you have one.

I love dandelions. It shows that you have a healthy yard and that wherever you see them it is a path well traveled.

Uhm...interesting. Do we sit and try to figure out how to rid our lives of all that we see as "bothersome"? To where there is no evidence that we have traveled the path to others, to embrace them...to show them Christ's love. Oh, I pray my footsteps leave a HUGE path of "dandelions".

My children pick dandelions for me every summer and it reminds me, as they hand me a bundle, of all the lives that Christ may bring to my door...or me to theirs. May that path then lead them to HIM.

Pigeon holed...the forgotten....GO!

The pigeon holed, the forgotten, we are blinded by what we see. Not by shear sight, but by choice and they are dying right before you…and me.

I cannot sleep. I don’t know if it is the physical pain I am in or the pain that is seeping from the very recesses of my soul and heart.

I know that people “use” the system. I know that people buy what they want and beg for what they need. I know people “use others” to gain and remain in their own pit…and yet there is this one phrase within a commission given to all of us who say we are followers of Christ. Not even a phrase but a word…GO! Go therefore into all the world…..

Don’t you find it interesting that He did not say, BRING THEM TO THE CHURCH. WAIT FOR THEM TO COME. HAVE A GREAT PROGRAM AND THEY WILL…..

Today my job sent me on an interesting journey…one where I found myself along with a colleague driving through a park…not filled with swings and sand boxes. It was filled with trailers that did not even resemble anything livable. Many did not have sides, the insulation was exposed. When glanced you could see a family inside. Another did not have windows and inside were lights and pictures…another family trying to survive. “Home” after “home” we drove by in search of a family we had a call on. We both have

seen worse, but today hit me hard as it did her.

A “park” filled with the forgotten, those we have pigeon holed as “users” of the system where we say if they want they need to come to us and then, maybe we will help.

What if it were me?

I called Matt and asked if we could do a mobile soup kitchen. We currently have this ministry that meets at the church, yet as I looked at these “homes” knowing that there are more than 47 kids who live there….many without transportation my heart heard the word GO! It wasn’t WAIT FOR THEM TO COME BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE FACILITY.

How can we show people the Christ, the Savior, the Lord, the GOD of second chances if we continue to pigeon hole them, close our eyes to them and wait for them to come?!

If my memory serves me…CHRIST WENT TO THEM…He walked right up to the woman at the well. He walked up to the adulterous woman. He walked up to the tax collector. He walked up to the hungry, bleeding, poor, sick, desperate, suicidal, homicidal, lost, in search of meaning, drug addict, alcoholic, user… He walked up to….me and He walked up to you.

We are called to be His Ambassadors of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)

The pigeon holed, the forgotten, we are blinded by what we see. Not by shear sight, but by choice and they are dying right before you…and me.

What one man values is not always valued by another

To have extra cash we will have a yard sale where we sell off things that are “cluttering” the garage, attic or basement. In hard times we will have another yard sale and sell more precious things that, in the future, we maybe able to replace. Ever been there?

How many of you have heard of “Cash4Gold.”

It is a true place that will take your precious jewelry (gold, silver, platinum), melt it down and give you cash for it. Those pieces that you paid either double or triple digits for. Maybe an heirloom given to you…a wedding band, class ring from generations, anything broken and not used.

Matt and I have had garage sales for extra cash, we have had garage sales in hard times and yes, we have…just recently sent in some old jewelry (gold) to help during uncertain times. As I packed the insured bag that came with the kit I reminisced over how much I paid for the chain that now lay with in the contents of cuff links, and gold earrings. I remember the cost of the earrings when my grandmother bought them.

With that knowledge of “paid price”, we were anticipating what would come back in the mail. I remember when the check arrived and opening the edges to find the official check amount accompanied by a letter that stated what was “deemed” as precious and what was not. What was seen as not precious did not arrive back to our house and more than likely has been tossed aside. The check read, “$3.13"

Matt and I have decided not to cash it because it speaks a parallel truth to our society and how we measure what is or is not of value.

To me, the items I mailed in that tiny insured envelope were precious and had heavy value. Just as my precious metal items were tossed away, we as a people so quickly toss things aside in our world as having no value. An unborn child, the child or adult with a disability. The homeless person on the corner. The drug addict who has come in for treatment for the 8th time. The alcoholic who has lost everything and is grasping on each minute for hope and freedom. To the divorced parent who is struggling to find either forgiveness or to forgive. The teenager seeking purpose and has been rebelling. The pregnant daughter who is unwed. A follower of Christ who is struggling with depression. The person who isn’t a follower of Christ and we have “no time” to truly sit and chat with them, befriend them…we just want to tell them what we think they are "doing wrong" as we glare and huff with self righteousness….anything that does not fit “my box”. These people and more are what are placed daily into the “cash4gold” baggy and labeled, “not precious”.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice. 'For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:11-13

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17

"...He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior..." Titus 3:15, 16

My Question: What do you hold, view, label as precious?

The Challenge: Now, step back and ask yourself, “What does God hold, view, as precious….and may we begin to do likewise.

Disclosure: As a small child I was treated and viewed as not precious and that I had no value. In my Junior year of college my counselor gave me this verse and I carry it in my heart daily...the words of Christ to me...I give them now to you:

“You are all beautiful to me, I see no flaw in you.” Song of Songs 4:7

Much love,

Angel

Uncut Thoughts

The above clip spoke to my heart for I have been there....have you? We all have.
So, I wanted to share this clip with you.
Below are just uncut thoughts.
Much love,
Angel


I recently went to my, myspace site after my brother shard that someone had hacked into it and was sending some "off color" pics. Before cancelling that account I went into my posts that I had placed...some of my "uncut thoughts" and found this one.

It's true, today is a quick "On the Soap Box uncut thoughts" moment with Angel. Here is what I wrote several months ago:

Why do we feel we have to be in constant competition with each other? Why is it so hard to live united? Simple answer...the enemy would rather us be at each other. Therefore the great commission that Christ called us to stands at a stale mate...not moving, not unified...stagnant. No rejoicing in heaven over "who wins the competition", only tears as a generation of souls walks around our "competitiveness" in darkness. Honestly, will we ever grow out of being competitive and trying to see who can be the best? Interesting, I believe there were some disciples who struggled with the same thing....

Luke 9:46-48
"An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest."

Just some simple "uncut thoughts".

My challenge to myself and to you is this: that we may look beyond ourselves and see this world through the eyes of Christ. There are so many who are hurting, lost, seeking, angry, scared, alone, those who want to end it all. Can we step out and welcome them....can we put away the "inner competition" for placement and truly grab on to the "competition" for those who are racing in the wrong direction...seeking the map to Christ. To hope, to a future, to....LIFE.

(Psst...in case you did not know: There is an enemy that is at competition for their souls and for yours. 1 Peter 5:8)

Maybe...My Soap Box

I need to preface my "soap boxing" today. Maybe it is because my birth mother is a witch, her "religion" that she follows is Wicca. Her favorite holiday is Samhain (Halloween). She is active in her "rituals". She says she is a "good witch"....like Glenda from Wizard of OZ. (Does anyone else have a problem with that?)
Maybe my soap boxing today is because of my childhood experiences and deep memories. Maybe it is because there is something more hidden in some forms of entertainment. Maybe it is because I am a mother who desperately wants my children to know the ONE TRUE GOD...and to know the truth about His saving grace and the battle we are in and how it can be disguised in many forms. Maybe.....

I remember when the first Harry Potter book came out. It seemed so innocent. It is a book series loved by many and I am sure I will receive many emails about what I am going to share and yet…I am about standing on my own soap box at times…
Harry Potter is about witchcraft. Oh sure, it tries to play off as “good against evil”, but it is about witchcraft. Written very well, exciting…cannot put it down material.

Many say, “it’s just a book”. “It’s just literature.”

There was a man I dated before Matt. He shared with me that he only watched movies for the producers and directors, that the “sex” in them did not phase him, he was only watching because of the “creativity”. Yeah….he struggles with pornography today. "But Angel, it’s only a movie….it’s only a book…."

Okay, what am I driving at? There is a new movie coming out this Christmas. I had received some information on it a few months ago and a dear friend sent me an email today about the same movie. It’s called THE GOLDEN COMPASS.

Just the name sounds awesome, doesn’t it. The music score is impressive. (I am a lover of music, orchestra music….anything musical that I can sit and hear each part playing. I simply lose myself in the movement of notes) The art work…even the website is very alluring and impressive….captivating.

Did you know this movie is anit-God? It is the first of a trilogy of literature. Which means if they make one movie from this book trilogy, they will make 2 more.

Here are words from a review of an unknown source as well as some descriptive words from the GOLDEN COMPASS website:

Here's a description of some of the movie characters copied directly from the movie site - http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/ -

Daemon (pronounced DEE-mon)
The soul of each individual human being embodied in an animal familiar. In childhood, a daemon alters its form to reflect the ever-changing nature of children. In adulthood, it assumes a permanent form that best reflects the inner nature of its human.

The Magisterium (supposedly representing the church)
The councils that form the heart of government in Lyra's world. Now tightening its control over the populace, the Magisterium seeks to eliminate free will and calls Lord Asriel's research into Dust heresy.
==================

One commentary from an unknown source:

Our daughter received this book from her grandmother, who had read about it in the New York Times, where it got rave reviews. I read this book, the first in a trilogy...it hooks you right from the start and pulls you into a fast paced, fascinating story where it is hard to know who are the good guys and who are the bad guys and if it is proor against Christianity. It is not until the final book of the series where it is abundantly and sickeningly clear how evil and destructive the entire series is. I can tell you that this book is mesmerizing and will pull in many, many children, and families will have no idea what their kids are reading. In the end, there is an apocalyptic battle,against God...and God's forces...God is some weak sleeping non-entity and the church and all connected to it are sinister. I forbid my child to read any more. She didn't understand why and felt she could separate out her beliefs from the book. I told her no. It's just evil and I don't want you reading it. A good read...can be a very bad thing. I can't imagine the damage this evil story will be doing as a movie.
=================
Okay, before you say…Angel, it’s just a movie…read these words:

Proverbs 4:23
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Philippians 4:7
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Timothy 6:20
“…guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge…”

Proverbs 22:5
“In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.”

The enemy…Satan is very surreptitious…very sneaky and clever, seeking to "snatch".

1 Peter 5:8 "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

It’s more than a movie. The enemy will stop at nothing to pull you away…it may even come in the form of entertainment.

Okay, I am now off my soap box for today. Just some thoughts before the Christmas holiday arrives….wow, the holiday, the time of year we celebrate Christ’s coming. The same time this movie will be released. Interesting timing, don’t you think.

May we stand firm as we follow Christ.

I do know this...

It is okay to reflect on the "maybes" of life.

Maybe I will find I'm not alone on my box after all.

Can I weep now...and will never hold my peace.

Hey all. Okay, it is time for me to stand on the “soap box” and shout from the depths of my lungs how saddened I am with how “adultery” and “pornography” have grown to be accepted as a part of “normal” life. Okay, yes, I do realize this is nothing new. Sodomy, pedophilia and incest were common back in the Old Testament days up to today. Two cities and all surrounding were destroyed to ashes because of their immoral acts. (Genesis 19) Sometimes I think we lesson the damage by saying, “It’s no different, it has always been around.” As if I am getting up in the morning and pouring myself a glass of lemonade to quench my thirst. The problem is….the thirst is never quenched when we drink of immorality.

I heard an advertisement today that one of the morning shows would be having an author on who wrote a book, stating “Cheating was good for a marriage.” I totally stood there with my mouth open. The day before I sat at my computer and goggled a Texas Map to locate a county. A family in the Burleson area had just found out their son was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and they were at a loss as to what and where to go for help. As I clicked on the “Texas map” site a page full of pornographic photos of girls appeared. When I closed the window another one appeared. Four pages later…..

I voiced my sorrow and deep concern with Matt, sharing my thoughts that no wonder men, and even women find themselves in the throws of pornography and infidelity. Our age of technology allows people to post a link that has “hidden” links to vulgar sites that you are unaware of until it appears on your screen. How easy to be shocked and then even tempted to continue looking. Then the mind wanders believing they can enhance their relationship by looking at these photos to the point of destroying relationships…families….even their very life.

It is true, pornography and sexual immorality have been around for AGES. It has just been made more assessable and easier to sink into that lifestyle…in the confines of your home, hotel room, dorm room….

Then to have someone write that it is GOOD for a marriage? I honestly thought I was going to hurl, to use a term from the eighties.

I have a young son and daughter. My prayer and desire is that Joshua would grow to adore the young lady he will marry. To not see her as an object that is used for mere pleasure and satisfying the “animal”, but that he would love her as Christ does. That he would love her with deep passion and compassion. That he would “sacrifice” for her…that she would be his queen. I pray that Faith would see herself as the daughter and princess that God created her to be, that her counterpart (as we pray for him) will see her beauty and view her as precious, not something to be conquered, but someone to be embraced and from that embrace pours out intense love and respect for him. That both my children would have that Christ love that is “selfless”. (Ephesians 5)

Something I would challenge you with is that you begin today to pray for your children’s counterparts. No matter if your children are just toddlers, begin now. Pray for their protection. Ask God to guide their footsteps that they would come to know Him and grow in HIM with integrity, discernment and Godly character. That He would give them the strength to withstand the intense peer pressures and pressures of the world. Pray this also for your children. It is NEVER too late to lay our kids at the throne of Grace.

For those who may be trapped in the pit of pornography...there is hope, He can pull you out. If you find yourself in that pit please know that we are not here to judge you. You can contact our counseling center at New Hope Community Church at 330.601.0419 or 419.994.1112 Everything is confidential.

Psalm 69:1,2,15-16
God, God, save me! I'm in over my head, Quicksand under me, swamp water over me; I'm going down for the third time. Rescue me from the swamp, Don't let me go under for good, Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy; This whirlpool is sucking me down. Don't let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me. 16 Now answer me, God, because you love me; Let me see your great mercy full-face.

Ephesians 5:1,2,16
Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light!So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!

Humor for the wife of a "wooer"

I am sitting here…pondering. It is true, this can be a dangerous thing. Some of you may not know this about me but I am an introvert. I honestly have to “push the button” to be extroverted. My beloved husband is on the opposite side of that spectrum where he is a strong extrovert. When we took our personality tests for the church planters assessment he came out as a WOO. This means "the center of it all". He knows what is going on at all times and in all corners of the room. Just have a meal with him at a restaurant and watch his eyes move all over the room.

I remember during our first year of marriage...okay, and the following year he had a hard time with the fact that I am not a “wooer”. For awhile he thought that we were on different pages in regards to the ministry. He is a people person and His goal was and is to be in the thick of a group. I always look for the one or two people to sit and chat with. Finding out their stories and building relationships one on one.

Over time he has come to realize that we are on the same page, we just tackle ministry and life from different angles achieving the same thing. He has come to appreciate and treasure the introvert in me. We truly do make up for our differences and they compliment. With that said I am sure you are wondering why I am so pensive? Okay, maybe you aren’t, however I am going to tell you anyway.

The weekend of Saturday the 19th OASIS has a speaker flying in. Not to bad, right? After I set the date in motion Matt looked at me and said, “How would you like to speak with me at New Hope on the 19th? We are team teaching….4 services….
Okay, I am not a procrastinator. In College and grad school I always had my papers done two weeks after they were assigned. I have the itinerary for OASIS planned a year ahead…I plan my spontaneity. You can see where this is going can’t you? If not, let me provide a road map.
Matt will be gone a few days and arrive back May 18th. (that’s the evening before we speak for those of you who do not have an “inner calendar”. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.) We discussed the topic two months ago and I felt lead to teach on Esther. Yet now he is not sure if that is the right woman. It’s two weeks before I “push the button” into “wooship” and…..

Well, there is one consolation, if we do not talk about Esther I will have a blog entry and if we do…I will have a very interesting blog entry.

Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”



Is it wrong to pray that His purpose would be Esther? (smile)