Being my first blog post, I thought I'd start by telling a little about myself. I am 26 and married to a wonderful man who (somehow) puts up with me. My hubby, our dog (Auriel), our cat (Buddy) and I live in Kirksville, MO. If you don't know where that is, it's okay. Many people don't--even Missouri residents. I run on caffeine. I work with children and am currently writing a novel. This fall, I'll (hopefully) start my Master's degree in counseling.
Questions? Comments? You'll just have to read my blogs to find out more.
Because I'm busy and a bit lazy, I refuse to give the pretense that I plan to write in this blog daily. Besides, I doubt many of you have time to read this on a daily basis. Instead, I will write weekly. This WILL NOT be a weekly dairy entry, so don't worry. With the Lord's help, I'll make this blog worth your attention.
Enough dawdling! Here's my first entry...
As I mentioned, I work with children. Children make excellent object lessons. They teach us about faith and unconditional love. They also teach us about raw human nature. Recently, I noticed some of this nature.
#1
During recess, two 5-year-old girls sat next to a tube slide. One turned around and sat with her back to the slide. Slowly, while scanning the playground for alert eyes, she scooted backward, preparing to go down the wrong way (which is against the rules).
As I observed, I silently coached her to make a wise decision. She didn't.

#2
At the snack table, as the children crunched away at their Gold Fish, one child started teasing another. I stood behind the badgering child, and just as the other child opened her mouth to retaliate, she noticed me. Her lips snapped shut so fast I wondered if they had really opened.

Too often, our self control takes a nap when we are alone, and our sinful nature throws a party when we're with strangers or friends who share in the misconduct. The mentality is much like the Las Vegas saying, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." If no one knows, anything goes. WRONG!!
God is omniscient and omnipresent. Psalms 139 sharply illustrates that we cannot hide from our Lord. He is always with us. Not even the darkness can hide us. God's attention isn't distractable like a teacher's, and He doesn't blink.
Likewise, we forget (or ignore) the fact EVERYONE is watching. As Christians, the world is constantly scutinizing our deeds. Jesus calls us to be salt and light for the world. We are to go above and beyond--not just love those who love us but also those who hate us. Not just hear the Word but also do what it says.
When we act as if God isn't around, we ruin our witness. Our lives don't reveal we are different--changed by grace. The pressure is overwhelming. People everywhere are waiting for us to trip, so they can point and say, "See, you're just like me." Our character must be consistent whevever we are.

Listen to this song by Francesca Battistelli. The music speaks this message better than typed words can.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAd5c3Dc29A