I'm just going to separate myself now.

As I've said many times before, and am sure to say many more times in the future....I just love teaching the 4s and 5s class at church.  That age group is just so much fun. 

Today as we gathered around to begin the lesson on the wise men, two boys in particular were being rather rowdy.  After asking them a few times to settle down without success, I used the tried and true "Excuse me boys. Do I need to separate you two so we can have our lesson?"  And right away, the one little boy picked up his chair and said to me "I think I'm just going to go ahead and separate myself now." And took his chair to the end of the row to move away from the temptation of goofing off with his buddy during our lesson time.

So I told him thank you and what a good idea it was to move if he thought he wouldn't be able to pay attention sitting by his friend. We moved on with the lesson and all was well.

But as I was retelling the story at lunch today, it got me thinking.  This little boy knew there was going to continue to be problems if he stayed where he was.  He knew I would have to keep scolding him and that he wouldn't pay attention or learn from today's lesson.  So instead of sitting there waiting for temptation to come again, he removed himself from the scene and went to some place where he knew he would be able to pay attention and not get into trouble.

Do we do that? How often do we know that we are in a place of temptation, in a place where we know we are going to get ourselves into trouble, yet we remain there and basically set ourselves up for defeat? How often do we stay in relationships that are wrong for us, continue with behaviors that aren't good for us, go places where we shouldn't be, knowing the whole time that it's only going to end badly?

As soon as we know there's a problem, we should "just go ahead and separate ourselves now."  I think we can all learn a lesson from this little guy and his smart move. The next time we are in a situation where we know we are going to fall prey to temptation, we need to just go ahead and separate ourselves, move away, and get to a safer place.

Here's to continuing to learn life lessons from random interactions with children.

-AA

What does a Christian Look Like?

I've been pondering this question for the past couple weeks, after reading an article that one of my Facebook friends posted.  The author starts out by giving a few anecdotes from his life about the various convictions different Christians (and I'm talking about born-again evangelicals here) have. Like when he was in Scotland and both the Pastor and his wife drank alcohol.  Did that make them unsaved? Nope. Was it wrong for them to drink? Not if they were truly not acting against conviction of the Holy Spirit. Cultures vary. Convictions vary. The way God is working in our lives varies.

But the part that really got me thinking was when the author made this statement:

"It's even worse when Christians expect instant holiness from recent

converts - holiness, that is, in areas where we think we've nailed it."

Just think about that quote for a minute. We expect holiness in others in areas that we think we're pretty solid on. The author used Shia LeBeouf's recent conversion story as an example. I must be really not up on my pop culture tidbits, because I had no idea that this even transpired until I read the article. However, apparently there was a lot of backlash because he used profanities when talking about his conversion. A lot of judgment that his conversion wasn't the real deal. 

Let it be said that neither the author tried, nor am I trying, to make a point of whether or not Mr. LeBeouf is now a saved individual. I hope it is a legit transformation and that he is now figuring out how to start walking this new path. The author brings out the fact that only God knows the heart. We cannot judge whether someone's conversion is legit or not.

The point the author des make is that apparently a lot of people expected Shia to just instantly stop using profanities. Like making a salvation decision suddenly flipped the potty mouth switch to off. It doesn't work like that. And for any of us who have made salvation decisions it didn't work like that. And you know what? Even those of us who have been saved for decades still struggle with various sins.

This brings me back to expecting people to be holy in the ways that we've got it together. Maybe swearing isn't a temptation for you. That's awesome. But you aren't perfect. You have your pitfall areas just like the rest of us. Maybe it's spending too much money. Maybe it's your temper. Maybe it's being an absent parent. Maybe it's whatever. What exactly your sticking point is doesn't matter. What matters is that we are all striving towards holiness, and we all have areas in our lives that we are more prone to sin; areas that seem to constantly trip us up. None of us will achieve true holiness this side of eternity.

So let's stop pointing the finger and judging everyone around us from a seat of personal pride. Let's stop expecting other people to have nailed the same parts of personal holiness that we've worked out over the years.

I don't see Jesus ever doing that in Scripture. And, truly, He would have had a right to. You know, that 100% God, never sinned thing. Now, that doesn't give us an excuse to sin; an excuse to keep up the status quo and to never strive to be a little more holy today then I was yesterday. Again, that concept is nowhere in Scripture. We are to press toward the mark. That means making progress. That means continuing to grow and change in areas where we are convicted. That means maybe coming alongside a struggling Christian and helping them overcome their struggle, not judging them because of it.
It's like we force fellow believers to wear scarlet letters, all the while ignoring that we have one, too.

While I was thinking about all of this on my way home from work the other day, the song "Jesus, Friend of Sinners" by Casting Crowns came on the radio. Some would call it coincidence. I just call it a God-thing. This song just gets me every time I hear it. Give it a listen. While the purpose of this song is to get us to recognize how we are turning people off to Christ by our judgment, the same concepts hold true to fellow believers.


Think about those lyrics for awhile, and pay attention to yourself this week. How many times are you judging fellow believers instead of loving them as siblings in Christ?


"Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers."


-AA



The Problem is the Perpetrator, not the Victim

I came across an opinion article the other day regarding the way women dress and if that effects the possibility of sexual harassment or violence. You can read that article here.


Now, let me start off by saying, I don't agree with every single nuance of what this author wrote.  I think that there is line of appropriateness, and that a certain amount of modesty is necessary. That is not the topic of discussion here.


Let me also add that I believe the school referenced in the article was justified in their actions, to the extent that a dress code was given prior to the dance that all students were aware of. It was a school function, so it stands to reason that school rules are still applicable.  I remember always having a dress code for school dances. It wasn't as strict as the every day dress code, but it was still there. It's just the way life works when you're in school.  Going to that dance was a privilege, not a right. However, whether this school was right or wrong, and the degree of modesty that teens should adhere to is also not the topic of discussion here.


One final disclaimer of sorts: Please understand that I know that not all victims of rape are female.  I'm not trying to make this a gender biased issue. However, statistically speaking 1 out of 6 women are victims of rape, as opposed to 1 out of 33 men.  So, while it is certainly a heinous act for any person to be raped, the perspective of my opinion is from the majority female point of view. However, all of the same ideas present here apply to male victims as well.


What gets me is the level of responsibility placed on us females to not get raped, instead of putting the responsibility on men to not rape.  Why am I told to not wear certain clothes, or not say certain things, or not act certain ways to keep myself from getting raped, instead of telling men that they are responsible for their own actions, regardless of any variables.


Let's apply the same logic to another situation in order to see how ridiculous this is: Want to not get hit by a dunk driver?  Don't travel anywhere in a vehicle.  Instead of telling people not to drive under the influence, let's tell everyone to avoid being victims by not driving or riding in cars.


Want to keep your house burglar free?  Make it look really trashy and own nothing of value.  Instead of teaching people no to rob, we should all just take responsibility to make our houses trashy and undesirable.


If in those 2 circumstances we place responsibility on the perpetrator and not the victim, why do we do the opposite with rape?


I liked how the author brought up children and elderly victims to refute this "you brought this on yourself" mentality.  You cannot possibly tell me that a child is sexually assaulted because of his or her own actions.  She also brings up the point that victims of sexual violence are of every age, gender, appearance, race, etc.  No victim is responsible for rape because of what he or she does, says, wears, or looks like.


Now, that doesn't mean that girls have a free pass to act stupidly.  Obviously, we need to use our heads.  Common sense needs to be applied to certain situations.  But rape is never the fault of the victim.


You should read the article, as the author brings up some other good points (again, I don't agree with every single thing she says).  But let me quote her in closing: So enough with questions like "Do you think girls dress in a way that invites trouble?" Such questions only give rapists what they're looking for: an excuse for violence.


Let's put blame where blame is do, instead of shaming the victims of sexual violence.  The problem is the perpetrator, not the victim.


-A.A.

For those going back to school.... (and really everyone else as well)

My nieces both started Kindergarten last week. Which is so hard to believe. These past 5 years have flown by! I remember being at the hospital when they were born and now....


At any rate, there are a few life lessons that I've learned over the years that I hope to teach Vi and Emmers as they start the life of school-aged kiddo. So, without any further introduction or rabbit trail into nostalgia-land, here are my little wisdoms, with the help of some of my closest friends (thanks guys!)  for the girls as they start school (and for anyone in school, or, really, for life in general.)


#1. ALWAYS be kind. To EVERYONE.  You are going to meet so many different people. God made each person unique. Some people might seem weird or strange to you. Be kind to them. Be kind to everyone. Some of your schoolmates will make fun of others. Don't. Don't join in. Be a friend to everyone. Be kind to everyone. Accept everyone.


#2. Be strong.  Don't give in to peer pressure. Don't follow the crowd. Just because everyone else is popping their polo collars doesn't mean you have to. Be strong. Be who you are. Don't pretend to be someone else just to fit in. Don't join in with the crowd that's saying mean things about the new girl. Be strong.


#3. Don't worry about being popular. This kind of goes along with #2. I know it's hard to believe, but being popular really doesn't matter. Find a good group of friends. A group of friends who won't identify you by the label on your clothes, or the money in your parent's bank account, or the words you speak. A group of friends who has a blast together, encourages each other, acts like total dorks together. A group of friends that doesn't even know about the house parties, let alone gets invited to them.
#4. Slow down. Don't rush. Enjoy. This one may be hard for those of you in school, especially Jr. High (I SO don't miss those days) to believe, but life goes by quickly. We spend so much of our lives waiting and hoping and rushing to get the next stage that we forget to enjoy the place we are in.  Don't rush. All too soon it will be over and you will be on to your next adventure.  Get involved in clubs. Go to school dances and sporting events.  Enjoy the experience. You'll never get those opportunities again.
#5. Try new things. Don't let fear keep you from great experience. Again, this kind of goes with #4. Trying new things can be scary. Auditioning for that part in the school play is terrifying. Trying out for that sports team is intimidating. Be bold. Try new things. Don't let fear keep you from having some awesome life experiences. You'll never know what you can do if you don't try.
#6. Always remember that you are AMAZING. You are beautiful and wonderful and amazing. Don't let anyone ever make you feel differently. Sometimes people will be mean. Sometimes you'll get picked on, or bullied, or made fun. And that sucks. People can cruel. But always remember this, even if you don't remember anything else, YOU ARE AMAZING BECAUSE YOU ARE YOU. You aren't who those people say you are. You are fearfully and wonderfully made exactly as God wanted you to be. And that makes you a beautiful, wonderful, amazing masterpiece done by the Master Artist.


-Aunt Licia

It's an Epic Story....

Kids. Seriously, I learn so many lessons through my involvement with kids.  Sometimes it's something my nieces or nephews do. Other times, it's the kids in the church. August is one of the months that I teach the 4s and 5s class at church. This is my all time favorite age group to teach. They are just so much fun.

So this morning, after I taught the lesson, I gave a little teaser for next Sunday morning that went a little something like this: 

Next week, we are going to be talking about a man named Joseph. And let me tell you, it is one EPIC story! It starts out with a super awesome piece of clothing....includes some jail time....and....you'll have to come back next week to find out what else happens to this dude named Joseph!

And of course, the kiddos were super excited, and they all exclaimed that they were coming back next week to hear the epic story! 

And first I thought, I'm such a good teacher. Mission accomplished. These kids are excited about the lesson for next week! 

But then, as I thought about it, I started to really think about the excited reactions and exclamations of the kids. "I'm coming back next week! I want to hear this epic story!" 

And then it hit me...when was the last time I got excited about the epic stories in the Bible? It's been a really long time. The epicness of the Bible has become monotonous far too often. And when it's not the familiar Bible stories, it's picking apart the doctrinal issues to the point where the whole point of the doctrine gets lost. When is the last time I got excited about the epicness of the Bible?

And then, as so often happens, when you are already pondering life questions, this came up again a few hours after church, when I came across this quote: 

"Don't get so lost in deciphering that you forget to tremble." [Francis Chan , Erasing Hell pg. 87]

Read that again and think about it. It's hard when you've been in the church your whole life, been a Christian your whole life, to not let Scripture become commonplace. We need to get rekindle the fire, and get excited about the epicness of the Bible. Cause let me tell you, the Bible is the most epic of all epic stories, ever. And it's even better, because unlike other epic tales, its completely true! 

I think it's time for me to start getting excited about the epicness of the Bible, again. It's time to stop deciphering and start trembling. 

Still thankful for lessons learned from children,

AA

Somebody's Eyes are Watching....

If you talk with me for more than five minutes, there are 2 things that you'll very quickly find out:
1) I drink a lot of coffee. (You'll learn this because I probably have a coffee cup in my hand while we talk.)
2) My nieces and nephews, all 6 1/2 (very, very, soon to be 7 when Will decides to grace us with his presence) of them, mean the world to me.


We had a great week last week at the Anderson household;  were able to almost all be together for a few days (which is very difficult when you're talking 9 adults and 6 kids.) It was full of loudness, laughter, and just great family bonding time.


But it was also full of life lessons for me, as is often the case when I'm with the nieces and nephews. It always happens in the most simple things. And this time it came compliments of Emma, or Eminemers, as well call her.


We were all sitting outside, and I had one of my favorite accessories on; a scarf. The kids were playing and carrying on, when suddenly Emma comes over to me, sits down on my lap, takes the scarf off of me, and puts it on herself, yelling "Look, I'm Aunt Licia (Lee-sha)!" (The only people who call me that are family, so don't get any ideas.)


And the lesson didn't even hit me full force at first. I was just thinking, awe. I'm such a cool aunt and these kids think I'm awesome! But then as she went back to the swings with my scarf still on, and proudly exclaiming that she was Aunt Licia, my thoughts took a more serious turn. Do I really want her to be me? Do I want to her to emulate my life when she's 23? Do I want her to grow up and be just like me?


And the resounding answer, of course, was no. There's a lot of crap in my life that I hope my nieces and nephews never have in their lives. There are a lot of moments I wish I could take back in my teen and adult years that I hope my nieces and nephews never choose.


And that, of course, led to the realization that these kids are watching me. They're watching what I'm saying, and where I'm going, and what I'm doing, and how I'm talking. And while they aren't old enough to be on social media, all the teens that I've built relationships with at church are. Which I've kind of already addressed this issue in my social media post.


But the fact is, somebody's eyes are always watching. What are they seeing? Are they seeing me be two-faced? Am I acting one way around certain people and then another around other people? Am I being the kind of person I want my nieces and nephews to strive to be?


Look at your life. Somebody's eyes are watching. What are they seeing?


Striving to be someone worth looking up to,
AA

Things I love...Coffee Edition

This is my work mug! 

I am apparently known as "mug girl" to some of the new families at our church. If you go to my church, then this probably makes total sense to you. But for those of you who don't, the reason for this new moniker is the fact that I am rarely seen in church without a coffee mug. Rarely as in almost never.


Because I just genuinely love coffee. I'm like Lorelei Gilmore when it comes to my enjoyment of coffee.


It all started when I was a freshman in college, and started working at the school coffee shop. We used to have a "Flavor of the Week" every week, and naturally, people would ask the baristas if they enjoyed the flavor or not. And in order to answer that question, you had to drink the coffee. And that is when my love of coffee began.


But you know what I don't like about coffee? That is has the same origins in a lot of cases as chocolate. If you didn't read my post about chocolate, take a minute and do so here. (And expect a Welcome to the Dark Side....of Coffee post to be up at some point this weekend.)


So because of my stance on trying to be as ethical as possible in my spending power, I began the difficult search for fairly traded, or at the very least directly traded coffee. (These terms will make more sense after you read the coffee post, which isn't up yet. I probably should put that one up first. Hmm.)


And this is very difficult because:
I make coffee via French Press. Because it's so much better than coffee brewed through a brewer. So...
I grind my own coffee beans, because you need coarsely ground beans for a French Press. And almost all ground coffee in the stores around here are finely ground to use in traditional coffee pots. So...
I buy whole bean coffee. Which is a lot harder to find in general, let alone in a fair or direct trade variety. And every time I found a whole bean, fair trade variety that I liked, it would vanish from the stores. Ugh.


So I got really super excited when I saw that Toms started their own roasting company. I'm already a huge fan of Toms shoes, and have gotten my entire family into their awesome One for One campaign.


The One for One of Toms Roasting Company which you can check out here, gives a week of clean water for every bag of beans sold. Yay for doing good with my love of coffee! And better yet, they are committed to fair and direct trade methods. Yay for ethical coffee!


Clean water. That's something we take for granted. When's the last time you had to worry about getting diseases from unclean drinking water? When's the last time you had to travel anywhere outside of your house to get clean water?


1/3 of the world's population lacks sufficient access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation.
Every year, 3 million people die prematurely due to water-related illness in developing countries.
Unsafe water is a huge problem. Read more statistics about the epidemic of unclean water here.


It's estimated that close to 1/10th of the global disease burden could be alleviated with cleaner water in poverty-stricken areas. You can read all about the water problem in Haiti here, but this article could be about the water problem in any developing country. Clean water is essential to life. What an awesome thing to be a part of, with a simple, easy change in my daily habits.


So not only is this coffee right up my alley (no pun intended) because of it's ethical, world-changing nature, but it is also really good coffee! I am in the process of trying every single roast that they offer. I'm about half-way through my third bag. So far, the Honduras blend is my favorite, but the Guatemalan and Peruvian blends are also really, really good.


You can order this coffee in either ground or beans, so there's a variety for everyone!


If you are a coffee drinker like me, I encourage you to think about the ethical ramifications of your actions. Toms coffee is very reasonably priced, and is a quality way above what you would find in the average grocery store. (At least in my area.)


Let's get out of our little "Me" bubbles and do some good in the world through our everyday actions! What are you waiting for? Go order a bag of coffee and give a poverty stricken area a week of clean water! Order yours here, and be a part of a world-changing project!


Thankful for world-changing coffee,
-AA