So....

I have had the most amazing weekend so far. I attended the Extraordinary Women's Conference at The BancorpSouth Arena, last night and today. I must admit, I have only been to one shindig similar to this one to see Beth Moore and that was incredible!

The "bad" things about these events is you are separated from your family, and that is not always easy. But I am thankful I was given the opportunity. There was a "Satan Interuptus" moment that almost kept me from going...thank God for my friend Amber. She softly encouraged me and I went.

See, that is the problem I have many times. I believe what Satan tells me. He is CONSTANTLY whispering in my ear! It's like, no matter what is happening, I believe the lie that I am not good enough, or pretty enough, or smart enough. When the Truth is, even if I am not good or pretty or smart...God doesn't care! He loves me just the way I am.

Now, we all know we can't stay where we are! We must continue to change and to grow. I am living proof that something can be made out of very little. I was not a privileged girl. We were not wealthy, which is a difficult dilemma for a girl who wanted to fit in. I had the illusion, that if we just lived on "the other side" of town, I would have it made. Truth turned out, some of those girls, didn't have it made.

While I was sitting in my, "wrong side of the tracks" home, these girls were struggling with loveless homes, absent parents and the pressure to keep up. While I was being loved and nurtured by my mother. Mind you, it was very difficult for her to raise this strong-willed child on her own. We both messed up in the relationship department a time or two. But, NEVER, EVER did I feel not loved...NEVER!!!

I took care of that on my own...choosing boys I thought were the greatest thing since peanut butter...only to realize, they were not! What was I thinking? Well, I can tell you I wasn't thinking. I lost my father at the tender age of 12...the time when little girls REALLY need a loving earthly father to intervene and show them how to be loved. I missed out on that. And you could tell by some of my choices.

Don't get me wrong, there were some really great guys out there, who took a "shining" to me...but why would I want a really great guy, when I could be treated like a dirt pile? I mean really? So, I perpetuated the lie until one day in some of my loneliest of days, God sent my sweet husband, who was battle scarred from his hurtful childhood. We have made a pretty good team...there are many time-outs, many flags thrown, some personal fouls, but it is still pretty good and I can't imagine being with anyone else!

It wasn't until Anna Lauren was about 2 or 3, that the truth I needed to hear was revealed to me. In a Wednesday night Bible study, I was told for the first time in my life, that God wanted to be my Daddy...seriously? He is the Sovereign King of the Universe...The Creator...The Alpha and the Omega! Why in the world would he want to be my surrogate Father? Didn't He have more pressing things to do?

Turns out, the answer was..."No, Monica, you are important to me, you are a precious child...you are not Fatherless!" Don't get me wrong, I have a fabulous mother, and there is a VERY SPECIAL place in Heaven for my mother..A VERY SPECIAL PLACE!!! Thank you, Momma! But, a girl needs her father!

We have an awesome responsibility to our children. Once we get over the mushy, gushy feelings a baby gives us...we must realize we are raising future adults. If we don't get it partly right, we could make some terrible mistakes. I am responsible for Cole's self esteem...Brent is responsible for Anna Laurens' self esteem.

I have to show Cole how he should be treated by women...Brent must show Anna Lauren how she must be treated by men. Those are our roles...Brent must also show Cole how to treat women and I must show Anna Lauren how to treat men. The family dynamic turns on these principles. And it is evident these principles are not part of many family dynamics.

I encourage anyone reading this to just make the simple step of confessing we aren't super parents and we need some help from above. God will lead us to the answers we need, the bookstore, the website, the devotional...He WILL do it... YOU must first listen..

Here is a song that has blessed me this weekend...I love my girl and I don't want her to feel like her mommy did...It is Mercy Me with Beautiful


Beautiful

I must now go be with my beautiful family on Saturday night...the Gang's all here and life is really, really good right now!

Love to you all!

Monica