Archives for November 2012

• Jesse Tree requires only a little bit of your time.
• Jesse Tree provides you with simple and meaningful devotions for Christmas.
• Jesse Tree illuminates the truth of the Christmas story.
• Jesse Tree involves your children.
• Jesse Tree grows with your family.  

We just use a little fake tree.  But you could stick a tree branch in a paint can filled with rocks.  You could use green paper and cut out a Christmas tree shape and put it on the side of your fridge.  You could even use your Christmas tree.

That’s what I have below – Jesse Tree Family Devotional Guide.   Just copy and paste it into your word processing program.  Then print it out.  In Pages, it’s exactly four pages long.

The last sentence for each daily reading tells you the ornament to use.  You could make these any way that you like. But I do have a template of really simple blackline drawings.  I can’t post it here, but if you email me at cynthiafin@gmail.com, I’ll send it out to you as a Word doc.  

Sunday, December 2:  Root of Jesse.  Isaiah 11:1-2.  What do these verses say about the shoot that would come up from the root of Jesse?  Who is this shoot from the stump of Jesse?  The people of God waited for the birth of Jesus for thousands of years.  This is a long time to wait!  They were eager for His coming.  In what ways are you eager to celebrate the birth of Jesus?  Place the “Tree Stump with Branch” ornament on your tree.   

Monday, December 3:  Creation.  Genesis 1:26-31; 2:15-17.  What do these verses say tell you about God’s creation?  What did God tell the people to do as He blessed them?  What do you think it means to “rule over” the fish, birds, and living creatures?  What did God give to the people to eat?  What did God think about His creation?  What was the one tree God told man not to eat from?  What do you learn about God from these verses?  Place the “Earth” ornament on your tree.    

Tuesday, December 4: Sin Enters the World.  Genesis 3:1-24.  What happens in these verses?  How did sin enter the world?  What do you learn about God in these verses?  Who is the serpent?  What does God promise in Genesis 3:15?  In the middle of this hard Bible story, how does this promise give hope?  Place the “Serpent and Apple” on your tree.  

Wednesday, December 5:  The Flood.  Genesis 6:11-14; 7:17-8:3; 9:8-13.  What was the world like during the time of Noah?  So what did God tell Noah He was going to do?  What did He tell Noah to do?  How did God keep Noah and his family safe?  Can you think about the ways that the coming Savior could be like the ark?  What happened when God “remembered” Noah?  What promise did God make?  Has God kept His promise?  What do these verses tell you about God?  Place the “Ark and Rainbow” on your tree.  

Thursday, December 4:  The Promise.  Genesis 12:1-4; Genesis 15:1-6; Genesis 18:1-14.  What happens in these verses?  What promise does God make to Abram?  How did Abram respond to God’s promise?  How did Sarah respond to God’s promise?  What do you learn about God and His promises in these verses?   Place the “Tent and Camel” on your tree.

Friday, December 7:  The Beginning of the Fulfillment.  Genesis 21:1-7.  What happens in these verses?  What do you learn about God in these verses?  What do you find interesting in verse 6?  (Think about our reading from yesterday.)  What promise does God keep in these verses?  Place the “Cradle” on your tree.

Saturday, December 8:  Offering of Isaac.  Genesis 22:1-14.  What happens in these verses?  Why do you think that Abraham could trust that God would not let Isaac die?  (Think about the promise that God had made to Abraham.)  What in the story tells you that Abraham trusted God?  Can you think of ways that this story gives a picture of how God would save His people? What did Abraham name that place?  Why did Abraham give it this name?  How does today’s story give you hope that God will keep His promises even when it doesn’t look like He is keeping them?  Place the “Ram” on your tree.

Sunday, December 9:  Assurance of the Promise.  Genesis 28:10-22.  What did Jacob see in his dream?  How could the coming Savior be like that ladder?  Who does God tell Jacob that He is?  What promises does God make to Jacob?  (All of the promises are important, but be sure that your kids get God’s promise about Jacob’s descendants.)  How do you know that Jacob believed God?  (You may choose to read Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1- 28:10 or a “Children’s Bible” of the story of Jacob to get the context for these verses.)  What do you learn about God in this story?  Place the “Ladder” ornament on your tree.   

Monday, December 10:  God’s Providence.  Genesis 37:1-36; 39:1-2, 20; 41:14-16, 46-54; 42:1-5; 45:1-7.  There is no way to get the whole story of Joseph into a few verses, but this is an attempt.  Feel free to use a Children’s Bible to give more of a “story.”  What you want to get at with these verses is God’s protection of Jacob’s descendants.  Be sure that your kids understand that Israel was the name that God gave to Jacob.  As you read each section of verses, ask, “What is happening in the verses?” and  “How do you see that God is keeping His promises?” As you close this story read Genesis 50:20.  Are there any ways that you can see that Joseph gave a picture of what the coming Savior would be like?  Place “Joseph’s Coat” on your tree. 

Tuesday, December 11:  God Gives the Law.  Exodus 19:1-6a; 20:1-17.  What happens in these verses?  Read 19:5-6a again.  What is God’s hope for His people?  What do the “Ten Commandments” tell you about God?  Who is the only person who could perfectly obey all the commandments.  Place the “Ten Commandments” on your tree.

Wednesday, December 12:  God Chooses Rahab.  Joshua 2:1-21; Joshua 6:3-5, 20-25.  What happens in this story?  Is Rahab they type of woman you would have chosen to save Joshua and Caleb?  How does God use Rahab to keep His promises?  (See Matthew 1:5)  How does this story give you hope?  What does this story show you about God?  Place the “Rope” on your tree.   

Thursday, December 13:  The Line of David Begins.  Ruth 1:1-5; 15-2:12; 4:13-17.  What happens in this story?  How does God provide for Naomi and Ruth?  How does God use these women to fulfill His promises?  (See Matthew 1:5)  What does this story show you about God?  Place the “Sheaves of Wheat” on your tree.  

Friday, December 14:  God Calls Samuel.  1 Samuel 1:8-28; 3:1-11, 15-18.  What happens in this story?  How would you describe Hannah?  What do you learn from Samuel?  Can you think of ways that Samuel gave a picture of what the Messiah would be like?  What do you learn about God in these verses?  Place the “Temple” on your tree.   

Saturday, December 15:  Samuel Anoints David. 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Matthew 1:6.  What happens in this story?  What did Samuel see in Eliab and his brothers?  What did Samuel see in David?  How do you know that God saw more than a handsome young boy when He looked at David?  What came mightily upon David from that day onward?  How does David show us a little of what the Savior would be like?  What do you learn about God in these verses?  How does this encourage you?  Place the “Horn of Oil” on your tree.   

Sunday, December 16:  David Becomes King.  2 Samuel 5:1-5; 7:8-13.  What happens in these verses?  What does God say to David?  What does God promise about one of David’s offspring or descendants or children? (See Matthew 1:6.)  What are you learning about God?  What do you see in these verses that point to the coming King? How is this understanding touching your heart?  Place the “Crown” on your tree.

Monday, December 17:  God Speaks through the Prophets.  Isaiah 9:2-7.  What is a prophet?  Prophets brought God’s message to the people of Israel and reminded them of what God wanted them to do.  The prophets also reminded people that God had promised a Savior.  What do these verses tell you about the coming Savior?  What is particularly interesting to you in these verses?  What do you learn about God from these verses?  In Isaiah 35, God speaks of the future of Israel as a blooming rose in the desert that will be inaugurated with the coming of the Messiah.  Place the “rose” on the tree.  

Tuesday, December 18:  God Shows His Power through the Prophet Elijah.  1 Kings 18:17-39.  What happens in this story?  What did Elijah pray?  How does God show His power?  How did God answer Elijah’s prayer?  Many years have now gone by since God first promised a Savior.  God powerfully showed the people that He is Lord.  How would this show of power give the people hope?  Can you think of ways that God showing His power in this story is similar to the way the Messiah would show His power?  Place the “Stones and Fire” on your tree.   

Wednesday, December 19:  God Reveals His Ultimate Plan.  Isaiah 11:6-10.  What are some of the pairs of animals that will live in peace with each other one day?  This is “reversing the curse” of Genesis 3.  Reread Isaiah 11:9.  How will this be possible?  Even before the Messiah had been born, this promise was made.  How does this encourage you?  What do these verses tell you about God?  Put the “Fox and Lamb” on your tree.  

Thursday, December 20: God Appoints Bethlehem.  Micah 5:2-5a.  What do these verses tell you about Bethlehem?  What do these verses tell you about the Savior?  What is surprising to you about God’s choice of Bethlehem for the birthplace of His Son?  What do you learn about God in these verses?  Place the “Bethlehem Building” on your tree. 

Friday, December 21:  Keeping Watch.  Habakkuk 2:1-4.  What does this prophet say he will do?  When will the vision or revelation come?  People had been waiting a long time for the Savior to arrive and most people had given up.  But what do these verses encourage the people to do?  How will the righteous live?  What does it mean to live by faith?  Why would it take faith to wait for the Savior to come?  What do you learn about God in these verses?  Put the “Watchtower” on your tree.

Saturday, December 22:  God Gives Good News to Zechariah.  Luke 1:5-25.  Describe Zechariah and Elizabeth.  What happened when Zechariah was serving in the temple?  What promise did Gabriel give to Zechariah?  What would John do?  What question did Zechariah ask that showed that he doubted the angel?  What happened to Zechariah because of his doubt?  Did his doubt keep God from His plan?  What does this story tell you about the coming Messiah? We have been waiting for three weeks for the birth of the Savior and now we are so close!  Are you excited?  Put “Elizabeth and Zechariah” on your tree.   

Sunday, December 23:  Jesus Birth is Promised.  Luke 1:26-38.  How does Gabriel greet Mary?  What does Gabriel tell her about the Messiah?  How will this baby come to be in Mary’s womb?  What is the special news the angel gives Mary about her cousin Elizabeth?  How does Mary respond to this news?  God’s promise is about to be fulfilled!  What are you learning about God?  What work is God doing in your heart?  Put the “Angel” on the tree.  

Monday, December 24:  God Gives Joseph His Plan. Matthew 1:18-24.  What happens in these verses?  How does God show His care for Joseph?  How did Joseph respond to the message from the angel?  What do you learn about the coming Messiah in these verses?  Put the “Carpenter Tools” on your tree because Joseph was a carpenter.   (Please continue with the next passage.) 

God Blesses Mary and Elizabeth.  Luke 1:39-48, 56.  What happens in these verses?  What does Elizabeth know about Mary?  How does Mary respond?  What do these verses tell you about the coming Messiah?  Elizabeth and Mary responded with joy and praise.  What do these verses stir in your heart when you think about the work that God has done in bringing our Savior into the world?  Place the “Heart” on your tree because Mary and Elizabeth’s hearts were turned to God.  

Tuesday, December 25:  God Prepares the Way for Jesus’ Birth. Luke 2:1-5.  What happens in these verses?  Why did they have to go to Bethlehem?  What promises of God are being fulfilled in these verses?  The waiting is almost over!  The birth of Jesus is almost here!  Praise God for all the work He has done in preparing the way for Jesus’ birth!  Put the “Traveling Sandals” on your tree.  (Please continue with the next passage.)

Jesus is born!!!!  Luke 2:6-21.  Where was Jesus born?  What glorious announcement did the angel of the Lord bring to shepherds?  How did the host of angels praise God?  What did the shepherds do right away?  How did Mary respond to the birth of Jesus?  What happened eight days after Jesus was born?  What have you learned about God?  What have you learned about God’s promised Messiah?  How has God touched your heart during this Advent season?  Place the “Star” at the top of your tree.    

I’m not crafty.  And I struggle with follow-through.  Sometimes my vision is bigger than my commitment to making it happen.  I am not an “Over Achieving Elf on the Shelf Mom.”  I’m not going to barricade my children into their rooms with paper mache or tear up my child’s homework.  I’m just not that fun.  We don’t have an Elf on the Shelf, and we never will.

So, I’m going to go out on a limb.  I’m going to suggest that you shelve the Elf and do a Jesse Tree instead.

If you don’t know what a Jesse Tree is, that’s perfectly fine.  In a nutshell, it’s sort of like an Advent calendar, but better.  This is one of the best write-ups I’ve seen to explain it.

So, here are five reasons to shelve the elf and do a Jesse Tree instead.   

1.  Jesse Tree requires only a little bit of your time. 

Your Jesse Tree could be super-involved and really intensive.  You could carve your ornaments out of wood, or cross-stitch them.  You could hike around in the woods and find a perfect branch for your Jesse Tree, paint it white, and sink it in a decoupage paint can filled with river stones.   

Or, you could do what we have done.  Print out the template that I’ll provide .  Cut out the super simple symbols and divide them between your children.  Have the kids color them.  And then day-by-day hang them on a little fake tree.  Just a little bit of time.

2.  Jesse Tree provides you with simple and meaningful devotions for Advent.

If your family struggles to do devotions on a regular basis, Advent provides the perfect opportunity to develop this habit.  I’m going to provide you with verses to read and discussion questions for your family.   

If your “littles” can’t sit through the whole scripture reading, just tell the story of the passage or read it out of a children’s Bible.  For children’s Bibles, we like Egermeier’s Bible Story Book and the Golden Children’s Bible.   

But, here’s what I really love.  The verses can be for your quiet time too.  Read these verses in the morning for your personal Bible reading.  When you do your Jesse Tree with your family, family devotions will flow from what God has already been revealing to you. 

Simple and meaningful … for all of you.   

3.  Jesse Tree illuminates the truth of the Christmas story.

Now, I’m not going to hammer Elf on the Shelf, but the whole idea is based on a lie.  And it’s got this weird adoption thing thrown in.  I don’t like that.  Jesse Tree illuminates truth.   When you do a Jesse Tree, you see God’s promises and the fulfillment of these promises in the birth of Jesus.  Beautiful, simple truth.   

4.  Jesse Tree involves your children. 

You print out the symbols, which I’ll provide. They color them.  We have had a few years we’ve gone a little bit further than this.  And this is what I mean by a little bit further.  We’ve mounted them on cardstock and laminated them.  But then there was the year I went all-out and bought Sculpey clay and they shaped the ornaments.   

The key here is that they are doing the real work.  You’re not.  You could save them to use year-to-year, but I like doing them each year.  It’s more meaningful and less perfectionistic because you’re not worried about them having to be, well, perfect.  Your children get involved.  

5.  Jesse Tree grows with your family.

If you do this every year, your kids will have solid truth associated with celebrating Christmas.  And the promises and their fulfillment in Jesus are SO deep and SO rich that the depth of your family discussions will increase as your kids get older.  

Are you interested in shelving the elf and doing a Jesse Tree?  What’s not to love about something so simple and so meaningful.

So, here’s what I will do for you.  Tomorrow I’ll post a Jesse Tree Family Devotional Guide that gives you scripture and discussion questions.  It will start this Sunday, December 2nd, and finish on Tuesday, December 25th.

I have the symbols that go along with the readings, but I can’t post them online.  So, you can email me at cynthiafin@gmail.com and I’ll send them to you as a Word doc.  Don’t worry.  I’m not going to add your name to a list.  I’m just not.

So what do you think?  Do you have big Elf on the Shelf plans?  Do you love Elf on the Shelf and can’t believe I’m not a fan?  If so, tell me why.  And, if you’re thinking of shelving the elf and doing a Jesse Tree instead, I’d love to hear!    

Through the years our family has loved these books by Arnold Ytreeide.

As much as she inspires me, Ann Voskamp makes me feel inadequate.  Actually, she doesn’t make me feel anything.  It’s not her fault. It’s mine.

I look at the beauty of her life and feel that I am somehow less because I don’t have a Thanks Giving Tree in my house.

This also happens to me when I look at Sara’s printables.  I see her prayers for her children, and somehow mine seem powerless, lame.

I know Sara.  I know her in a by the well doing our laundry together kind of way, but when I see her prayers for her children, and read the beauty of how she processes adoption, and how she adores Jesus, I feel … less.  But it’s not her fault.  It’s mine.

And while I know this feeling, this one of inadequacy, is a lie, still … I feel it.  I’m wondering if you do too.

Am I enough?

Comparison is the root, don’t you think?

We’ve heard the whole thing about beauty so many times, that I think this one is sinking in.  We know that beauty is much deeper than skin or the size of our jeans.  We still notice, but I think we’re getting more and more okay with deep beauty, real beauty found in tear-streaked cheeks, and laugh lines, and stretch marks.

What I’m not sure about is whether we’re getting okay with who we are as mothers.

The question haunts us.  Am I enough?

And in this world where we get glimpses into the lives of women through what they choose to post, we doubt.  We really doubt.

Or, maybe it’s just me…

Am I enough?

I battle this doubt, this nagging question, this fear with truth.

• I read that I am God’s child, royalty, chosen, light. 
• I read that I am created with purpose, for glory, for beauty. 
• I read that I have a hope and a future.

And all this is good and true and lifts my heart.

But there is one verse that answers my doubt and speaks to my fear again, and again, and again.

He tends his flock like a shepherd;   

He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; 

He gently leads those that have young.

Isaiah 40:11

The shepherd leads me.  He gathers the lambs and carries them close to his heart and he leads me.  He leads us.

While I can be inspired by Ann,
adore, and pray, and see compassion with Sara,
choose to simplify with Jen,
and watch the beauty of legacy with Carolyn …

I have to become the mom God made me to be by following Jesus.  

He gently leads those that have young.

Am I enough?

• As I follow Jesus, I am.  
• As I send my roots down deep by streams of living water, I am.  
• As I strive deeply and fiercely to abide, and dwell, and fix my eyes on Jesus, I am.  

`

I am enough.

God brought children to me, by birth and through adoption.
He knows who I am, and he still brought children to me.
He knows who my husband is, and who we are together, and he still brought children to us.

And, he’s happy about it.
He’s not scared I’m going to mess them up.
He’s not coming up with a back-up plan for when I mess up.

I’m confident that as I follow him, I will become the mom he made me to be.

Now, I’m not saying to stop reading blogs, or downloading printables, or buying books.  But what I am saying is stop comparing yourself to these amazing women.  

You are amazing.  And you’re enough.

God made you to be the mother for your children.  You, in all the glorious mess that you are, are enough.  You, in Christ, are enough. 

Am I alone in this one, or do you struggle with comparison?  Are you okay with who you are as a mom, or do you deep-down wonder if God made a mistake in giving you children?  Do you secretly wonder if you’re going to mess them up?  Leave me a comment, connect with me on Facebook, or email me at cynthiafin@gmail.com if I can come alongside you in your journey to believe that in Christ, you are enough.

If you’d like to dig deeper into who God says that you are:  John 1:12; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Timothy 2:11-12; Ephesians 1:3-8; Matthew 5:14; Jeremiah 29:11; John 15:1-11; `Isaiah 43:7; Genesis 1:31

On this day after the election, whether “your man” won or lost, it might be time to pass a little bean dip.  

But, if you’re going to protect your boundaries by offering bean dip, you should have some bean dip, right?  So, here’s our favorite, super-easy bean dip recipe.  We alternate this with Perfect Hummus and pack it in lunch boxes as well as pass it around to protect boundaries.  

Black Bean Dip

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 teaspoons tomato paste
3 Tablespoons water
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 lime1/2 teaspoon ground cumin~ 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste~ 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste

So, I zest the lime and squeeze about 2 teaspoons into my blender.  Then I toss all the other ingredients in and give it a whirl.  That’s it.  Super-easy.  

So, how are you handling post-election discussion?  Other ideas for establishing boundaries and keeping snarkiness at bay?

I have, and it’s not a pretty sight.  

Tickling, tackling, and body diving off of the couch just about did me in yesterday.  Finally, I lost it.  The Mommy Monster emerged.  

“Everybody to your rooms!  NOW!”

While power-parenting might have produced fear and trembling in toddlers, for one of my teenage sons, it stirred up indignation.  He stood toe-to-toe with me with cold eyes.

“NOW!!!  Did you HEAR me?  NOW!!!!!!!!!“

Okay, so by this point, I can tell my eyes are about to roll around in my head.  I know I can’t make him go to his room.  But I really, really need for him to go to his room.  

I gained a little composure, took a deep breath, got closer, and whispered, “Go to your room right now, for your sake and mine.”  

For whatever reason, this clicked with my offended teenage son and he turned around and went to his room.

One of my very perceptive daughters who was not involved in the gymnastics came into the kitchen and asked me a simple question.  “When’s dinner?”  

As you can imagine, this question didn”t go over very well with me, and the Mommy Monster attacked her as well.    

“Mom, I’m not going to talk to you right now. You’re taking out your frustration with them on me.” She turned around and walked away.  Ouch!

The kids stayed in their rooms until dinner.  Good for them.  Good for me.  When I called the troops, they came to the table, quiet, a bit wary.  Before we even prayed, I confessed.

“I forgive you, Mom, but I understand why you acted that way.”

“Yeah, I shouldn’t have tackled my brother.” 

“And I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” 

“Will you forgive me?”  

I need a time-out.  I know that power-parenting doesn’t work, but without space I’m going to keep going down that road. Yesterday I got space by sending the kids to their rooms.  Sometimes, I need to go to my room, go for a walk, or lock myself in the bathroom. Get space.

I’m not talking pretty prayers here.  I’m talking gut-level honest prayers.  For me, it sounds something like this.  

“God, I am so frustrated right now.  The kids are driving me crazy.  They need to get outside, but they don’t want to go outside.  And God, while we’re at it, I’m still a little bit irritated that you sent that crazy storm this summer that slammed our trampoline into a tree. If they could just jump on the trampoline, they wouldn’t be jumping off the couch.  And, there’s more.  I’m feeling pressure.  Not just from the kids, but from life.“

And then I get quiet.  And I hear God speak to me.  Not out loud, but to my heart.

“Cindy, be still and know that I’m God.  Rest in me.  Trust me.  Give grace to the kids and to yourself.  My burden is light.  Let me carry the pressure you’re feeling.  Be a mom, and let the other stuff go for now. ” 

Without making excuses, confess.  Sure the kids should have listened to me the first time I told them to stop acting tickling, tackling, and body diving off the couch.  Sure they should have gone outside and found trees to climb.   

But, when I say all of that, I’m blaming them for my Mommy Meltdown rather than owning my stuff.  

When I confess what I did and don’t make excuses, I open the way for them to own their behavior and confess too.  I open the way for grace.  

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”  2 Corinthians 3:17

So happy for FREEDOM!  This was my thought as I read the comments on my post, “Why I am the Halloween Grinch.”

So, here’s what we did last night.  As I was driving to pick the boys up after their practice for “Taming of the Shrew,” Adelyn called to let me know Chipotle was offering $2 boo-ritos for anyone who showed up in costume.  What a deal, right?

So, when I got home with the boys, we pulled out the dress-ups.I was a little challenged in the dress-up department, so I grabbed an old shirt of Bill’s, a broken picture frame, a paint brush, and a bottle of green paint.  I painted a sign that said ART, pinned it to my shirt, and smeared some green paint on my face.  I carried the frame with me and at opportune moments put it in front of various members of the family saying, “Look! it’s a work of ART.” 🙂

I loved hearing your plans and your wrestlings.  I love that some do the whole Halloween thing with costumes, and candy, and trick-or-treating.  I love that some don’t participate in Halloween at all.  I love that some come up with alternatives.

Mostly I love that we have freedom to love God wholeheartedly and do what’s best for our families.  Or to quote Augustine …

I love this quote because I really believe it.  I’m convinced that if I wholeheartedly love God, then my desires will match up with God’s will.  I will be able to love God and do whatever I please.  That, my friends, is freedom.

Key, of course, is having my soul trained in love to God.

And this is what  life is all about … training our souls to love God and then living out that love.

• Such a life is overflowing, welling up, fullness of life.  
• Such a love is spilling over with joy and confidence and peace in the midst of shadow and pain.  
• Such a life is messy and challenging and difficult as we learn to love and live at the hand of our Father who brings hardship as sweet, sweet discipling in our lives.
• Such a life is painful as we learn to trust God, even when the narrow lens of the “now” hurts so deeply and the hope of future grace, and even vengeance seems so far away.    

Training a soul to love God is not mystery.  Many people write about spiritual disciplines.  Different traditions approach training the soul in different ways.  Personally for me, here’s how it happens…

• Prayer
• Bible reading
• Journaling
• Worship
• Obedience

When I’m actively training my soul to love God, I am so much happier.  My husband has confidence in me.  My children are at rest around me.  I know the training won’t be complete until the “not yet” when  I see Jesus face to face.   But, I want as much of this soul-trained love, this freedom in the “now” of this life.

What do you think?  How do actively train your soul to love God?  Is “loving God and doing as you please” appealing to you, or scary?  How has your church experience impacted your view of freedom in Christ? Other thoughts, comments or questions?  I’d love to hear from you!  Feel free to comment here, email me at cynthiafin@gmail.com, or connect with me on Facebook.