michellesingleton.com // Confessions of the Preacher’s Wife

One of the worse feelings as a mom and a doctor is to take an x-ray of your son’s wrist and see a fracture.  That happened to me yesterday.  I picked Nathan up from school and that is when he told me about a fall he had on the playground.  I took him right over to my office, took the x-ray and there it was… a salter-harris fracture of his left wrist.  The orthopedic doctor across the street confirmed Nathan’s injury and immobilized his wrist.  The good news is that it is a simple fracture and should heal just fine.

I just bet that God gets that same sick feeling I did when He sees one of His children with a broken heart or for that matter, hurting in any way.  Throughout both the Old and new Testaments, the Bible tells us that God is full of compassion.  And compassion comes from intense love.

Psalm 86:15 (NLT)
But you, O Lord,are a God of compassion and mercy,slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Today, I will dwell on the wonderful love and compassion that God has for me.

I never played soccer.  But I have learned a few tricks of the sport from watching Nathan.  I love to watch him practice foot drills.  When I call it fancy footwork … Nathan just shrugs, shakes his head and throws me a grin.  I’m sure he’s got a different term for his drills.

Nathan explained that by using his “fancy footwork” skills, he is able to strip the ball away from his opponent, take control of the ball and lead his team to victory!

It made me think, what fancy footwork do Christians need?  What do we need to take our opponent’s attacks on our lives, get control back in God’s hands, and live a victorious Christian life?

Three things immediately come to mind:

1. Read God’s Word.  It is alive and helpful for every attack we face.
2. Pray.  Spend time talking to God and listening to His response.
3. Worship and fellowship with other Christ Followers.  In other words, don’t just go to church and fill a seat, get involved by serving and sharing your own life with others.

With these 3 foot drills, you will not only score many goals for Jesus, but you will also live a victorious Christian life!

Have you practiced fancy footwork today?

Juliana scored more platinum medals and trophies dancing the week-end away in Greenville, South Carolina at Furman University.  Dance competitions are full of excitement, high energy… and make-up!  I love it!  All girl stuff!

Another thing I love about these week-ends away is the one-on-one “Girl Time” I get with Juliana.  We talk about everything…  

This past week-end we had another dancer with us — a friend of Juliana’s whose mother could not travel.  We drove back early Sunday morning so we could get back in time for church.  After plenty of Jonas Brothers and more “Girl Talk,” I noticed the back seat conversation took a turn.

Juliana and her friend talked about their favorite things.  I was pleased to hear Juliana’s “favorites” involve her family:

• I love training our family dogs with my daddy.
• I love walks with my mom.
• My favorite night is family game night ~our family plays Rock Band.
• My brother is really cool ~ sometimes.  We hide-out in our tree house.
• I love hiking in our woods with my mom, my dad, my brother and our four dogs.

There was nothing on Juliana’s list that was out of the ordinary… no shopping sprees, Disney vacations or other fancy stuff.  Just good ‘ol family fun!

This was a terrific reminder for me to make time for “simple” things in our very complicated and hectic daily routine.  These are the “favorite” memories our children will take with them forever.

Except for a few minor adjustments like painting a little trim, our Tree House has officially been given a Certificate of Occupancy.  In fact, Rob, Nathan and a bunch of 12 year old boys have already camped out in the little hide-away.

Our tree house has been a labor of love by my parents, Rob, Nathan and Juliana.  I was assigned K.P. duty ~ somebody’s gotta feed the workers.  For 3 weeks my parents were in town, I don’t think we stayed up past 10:30pm.  Too tired.  And how we slept!  One of my favorite additions is the split door.  Check this out:

Here is a view from the back:

Ahhhh! Life is good!

I know I have to give my dad a break, but my next request will be for a zipline — one sturdy enough for adults…like me!

Come on over and climb our tree… the view is pretty nice up here!

This past week we celebrated Nathan’s birthweek!  I love having a 12 year old boy in the house.  Here are some of my favorite things about 12 year old boys:

• Air Soft Gun Battles
• Soccer Games
• Loves watching Movies with his Family
• Has a blast playing Rock Band on the Wii
• Straight ‘A’ Student
• Friends are even Crazier and Sillier than he is
• Still enjoys good Bathroom Humor
• Heart for Jesus
• Teases his Little Sister
• Loves to hear Juliana Scream
• Tennis Matches
• Target Practice
• Prays his Friends will know Jesus
• Raids the Pantry (or should I say Empties the Pantry and the Refrigerator) when no one is looking
• Loves to get Dirty in the Woods
• Never gets Cold or notices when it is Pouring Rain
• Never Washes hands before Dinner
• Camp-outs in the Tree House
• Definitely a Man’s Man
• Starting to notice Girls
• Blushes when I mention a certain Girl’s Name
• Prays for the Christians in China
• Jokes are sometimes Awkward but he gets a Kick out of telling them
• Yells out “Luv Ya, Mom” when I drop him off at school
• Climbs anything of dangerous heights like trees, poles, buildings — the greater the height and danger the better
• Terrific Laugh
• Awesome Smile…

A 12 Year Old son — What a blessing!  More proof that God has shown favor on me.

This has not been our typical Spring Break.  We never left home.  In fact, the past 2 weeks have been dedicated to getting the frame, walls and now roof constructed for the Tree House.  My dad, Rob, Nathan, even us girls have had our share of responsibilities.  And what a major undertaking! 

Now we are starting to see the fruit of our labor. 

Just yesterday, with the help of a few friends and a well devised pulley system, the Tree House walls were raised!  Take a look:

Look who is King of the Mountain (or the ladder)!

Raising the walls!

It has been quite an experience!  More pictures when we get the roof on!

Spoiled rotten.  That’s what one of my girlfriends says about me everytime my parents come to visit.  I think she might be right. 

While I am at work, my mother does my laundry.  When I come home from work, the table is set and dinner is served.  My dad brings his tools and tends to our “To Do” list.  It’s like a vacation for me and my family.  And we never have to leave home.

I overheard my mother and my aunt talking.  My aunt asked, “Why do you do all that for Michelle?”

My mother replied,  “I do it for all of us.  When these things are done, I have more time to spend with my daughter.”

That touched my heart.  Mothers have a way of doing that to their daughters.  I just hope I remember what a gift my mother’s acts of service have been to me when Nathan and Juliana are grown.  I won’t do it now, but there will come a time when I will visit them and their families and I will spoil them rotten!

When my mom’s in town, Juliana and I love to join her for some Girl Time Kitchen Fun. 

We cook and bake our favorite recipes, create new ones, and most recently develop new kitchen techniques.  Take a look at this:

Ever cried while chopping an onion?  Juliana’s got your answer.  Grab your brother’s scuba mask and chop away….. No tears.  Instant relief!

That’s my innovative girl! 

We have a saying around our house: 

Instead of complaining, be part of the solution!

Juliana’s got the right idea. 

Easter weekend always buzzes with activity — preparation for Resurrection Sunday.  Filling plastic eggs with goodies, dying eggs, setting a celebration table for the big after church dinner, hiding and hunting eggs, baking a strawberry-lemon cake ~ Juliana’s specialty, watching The Passion of the Christ, one more trip to the grocery store … you know, the usual any time family and friends gather for a holiday celebration. 

The kids understand why Rob is not around.  They know the tremendous pressure Rob feels to communicate the promise of the empty tomb in a relevant way so that many will make a decision for Christ.  We spend a good deal of time in prayer for Rob.

The busyness of church and “preparation” can be distracting, so we have to work on keeping our focus on Jesus and the empty tomb.  Afterall, Easter is the reason we are in ministry, the reason our eternity is secure, the reason for our hope.

I came across a paper that Nathan wrote.  I don’t know when he wrote it — it wasn’t dated:

What Easter Means to Me

Easter is a time of the year when I pray for my dad and praise Jesus’ Resurrection.  My dad has to write his second biggest sermon of the year.  My family has an egg hunt.  Easter is an awesome time because at our church, hundreds of people come to Jesus.  We celebrate Jesus coming back to life.  Easter is a fun time!

Easter blessings to you and your family as we celebrate our Risen Savior and Lord!

Michelle

I don’t know who got the word out.  I purposely tried to keep it a secret.  But somebody spread the news that my family was celebrating my birthweek.  And what a fabulous birthweek!  I was showered with dozens of cards, gifts and birthday wishes unlike ever before.  I even received several anonymous gifts.  Seriously.  I have never received so many birthday greetings.  When no one was home, I double checked my birth certificate to make sure this was not one of the BIG ONES!  It wasn’t… whew!!!

I now believe in the Birthday Bandit…. and I’ve been hit!  This has been a most puzzling and wonderful birthday.  Thank you!  Thank you for making my birthweek extra-special.  I love you, Southbrook.  You are absolutely the best.  And if anyone has a clue who leaked the news, please let me know.  I’d like to get them back.

Love and Hugs,

Michelle