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If you get on facebook, twitter, or read any news, chances are high that you’ll come across that Chick-Fil-A is under fire for being anti-gay. Depending on which article you read, from which side you read it, you can get two very different stories. Chick-Fil-A is anti-gay or Chick-Fil-A is pro-marriage {which I believe is not an either/or}. Regardless of how you personally take it, I am struck with one thought :: Can you be anti-gay and Christian?
I’m going to stand up and say :: NO. No, you cannot be anti-gay and Christian.
In Mark 12:31, after telling the people that the greatest law is to love God with every ounce of their being, Jesus states : “The second Law is this ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No Law is greater than these.”
According to the dictionary, anti means “against; opposed to”. Now, to be anti-gay, means that you are opposed to a people group. A People.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
How can anti-people equal loving your neighbor?
If we are called, by our Savior, to love our neighbors {and to clarify, neighbor does not mean just our next door neighbor, but our fellow man}, how can we draw such a definitive line in the sand? How can we say, I follow after the teachings of Christ, BUT I am anti-people.
In my opinion, to be anti-gay is to close off your life, your heart and the opportunity to love a people group through the Gospel. You are choosing to see yourself as better than, more worthy than, more important than someone else. Be cautious. Because not one of us, no not one, is so right with God that we are better off than another person {Romans 3}.
To be so opposed to a people {not the practices of a people, but the people themselves} that we use the term anti, is to say that they are undeserving of Christ’s love, grace, mercy and sacrifice. Frankly, that is a position that I refuse to take against anyone. Ever. Because, no matter how depraved you think a person is, I can full out guarantee you, I am worse. I deserve nothing more than the full wrath of God, and I am in constant need of Christ’s redemption. Therefore, I cannot be against anyone, because I know that I am no better.
I am going to ask my fellow Christians – Where is your heart in this matter? Forget Chick-Fil-A, forget the heated news stories and latest debate {after all, it’s an election year, what else did we expect?}. Where does your heart stand on the matter of being anti-gay, anti-people? Are you willing to love your neighbor as yourself?
*UPDATED*
Based on some feed back from a few people, I feel I need to further express myself. My entire intent and meaning behind this post is to ask ourselves how we are treating other people. Especially people who’s beliefs and lives do not align with our own. We are all sinners in need of the redemption of Christ. If you desire to ask me more pointed questions, please feel free to contact me sarah dot windham at gmail dot com.
*FACEBOOK UPDATE*
I got news from my cousin that there is a discussion going on on her facebook timeline from where she shared this post. Due to the security of her friends, I will not be linking the discussion, but have chosen two to share that I feel are more adequately say what I am wanting to say. ::
“A friend of mine can’t participate fully in this discussion but these are his thoughts:
Being anti-gay does not mean you are anti-people. You can love the person as Christ instructed, and yet hate the sinful lifestyle that they lead. Just because Christ loved and spent time with the prostitutes and the down and out, does not mean he approved of or condoned their sinful lifestyles. Rather, he tried to bring them out of their sin by showing them a better way to live their lives, and the truth of God’s love to follow.”
“I love all your opinions and thank you so much for sharing. My personal view is this: Being tempted is not a sin. Acting upon that temptation is. I have several friends that are gay and I do not condone their behavior but I do love them where they are and accept them regardless. Our God did not reject someone for their sin but he didn’t just sit idly by and twiddle his thumbs either. And we all have to understand that all of this is done in LOVE. Without love, the Bible says, we are a clanging gong or cymbal. No one will listen to you if you are judgmental and condemning. We cannot judge others by the standards of our faith if they don’t believe in them. They need to know the Lord first, and then we can look at them through the lens of scripture.”
Best Foods to Eat for Runners
Posted on: July 17, 2012
- In: Life
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During the summer in Texas, my race training is tapered since there aren’t as many races. While I’m still running consistently, I won’t hit training mode until next month to gear up for the fall and spring.
What I eat during training is pretty important. Your body needs fuel and what type of fuel you give it determines how well you perform. This is the case for all of life – the better you treat your body, the better it will perform for you. {I should say – just because I advocate for healthy eating, does not mean I always eat healthy foods. I do have a weakness for sweets. And I might have had two helpings of cobbler with ice cream on Saturday night. Maybe.}
Best Foods to Eat for Runners
1. Bananas – Bananas are great sources of potassum, which helps fight against muscle soreness.
2. Sweet Potatoes – I LOVE sweet potatoes. Not those weird one covered in marshmallows at Thanksgiving. Give them to me baked or mashed, with or without seasoning. They are just so yum. And super good for you.
3. Berries – The great thing about berries is that the fill you up without filling you out. Plus they are loaded with nutrients {and good carbohydrates that your body needs for energy}.
4. Yogurt – Yogurt is a great source of protein, which you body needs in order to replenish and keep your muscles strong. Plus, you can use it as a base for a delicious banana and berry smoothie.
5. Lean meats – As I mentioned, protein is a much needed nutrient for your body. Protein keeps your body from breaking down its own tissues and muscles. However, you want to be mindful of what types of protein you consume – staying clear of super fatty ones {think giant marbled steaks} that could be harmful to your health with long term consumption.
6. Vegetables – Like berries, vegetables fill you up without filling you out. And they back a mean punch in the nutrients department, supplying your body with a wide range of benefits from vitamin B to iron.
7. Whole Grains – Whole grains are another reliable source of protein and good carbohydrates, but the key is WHOLE grain. You want to be on the look out for grains like quinioa and barley – grains that haven’t been broken down and processed.
8. Beans – Beans, beans good for you heart, the more you eat them the more you…. Beans are a stable in my diet. You can’t beat a food that is full of protein and fiber, while low in fat. Put a big helping of beans on a salad and you have the perfect lunch.
9. Salad – Speaking of salads, they make great fillers. Eating spaghetti for dinner? But it in a bowl with salad. You’ll find yourself feeling fuller longer.
10. Eggs – Hard boiled eggs make a great go-to snack. You can boil up a half dozen or so to store in your fridge for the week to grab whenever you need. Add them to some water-based {low sodium} tuna and talk about yumminess {straight from the can even!}.
I love food and I love to eat. I would love to hear about your healthy snacks.
Visit Angie at Many Little Blessings for more Top Ten Tuesday.
*Disclaimer: All tactics/tips are my own personal opinions and not medically backed. Please seek medical advice before starting any running program.
{from top left}
1. Eureka!
2. I believe I just poo’d myself.
3. FEED ME WOMAN!!!
4. Hello, ladies.
My brother, John Clark, sent this collage via text this morning. It had me rolling. I just had to share for your enjoyment.
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Did you hear that? It’s crickets chirping. Please excuse the lack of posts lately. In all the craziness of life, our internet went out for nearly a week.
As I had promised, there is a lot of updating to share. First with why I was playing single mom for two+ weeks. Jonathan was accepted into the Cornell University Executive MBA program. It is a sixteen months program, that kick starts with a two week stay in New York. Once classes start {next week}, Jonathan will be doing the program via classroom satellite. He will go again to New York at the start of the next session, and one final trip at the end {next fall}. It’s an awesome opportunity for Jonathan, for his career, and for our family’s future. I am so proud of him and his ambition to continually push himself further and his desire to make the best decisions for our family.
The kids and I missed Jonathan something fierce while he was gone. The first few days were not too bad, but after the first week, everyone was ready for him to come home. Half way through the second week, the kids and I packed up and went to Houston for four days. My dear sweet college friend, Rabeea, got married. She is Pakistani, so we had the opportunity to dive into a new culture while we were there.
Traditionally, Pakistani weddings {and most southeast Asian weddings} last for several days. The first night was the maayun. This night is women only, and consists of dancing, eating and applying henna {which typically is done during the Mehndi, but was changed to this night}. Everyone wears traditional Pakistani clothing. Rabeea and her sisters let me borrow their older outfits. Rabeea’s sister, Aisha, actually gave me the one I’m wearing in this picture to keep for future events.
{Shambhavi – another college friend, Marium – Rabeea’s cousin from the UK}
The next night was the Mehndi. This is the party night. Both the bride and groom’s families attend as a introduction, or bringing together, of the families. Mehndis don’t typically start until late at night and go until the early morning. There is lots of dancing performed for the bride and groom, as well as a blessing given to them by all in attendance.
{Rabeea, Me, Shambhavi}
The following night {Saturday} was a “free night” and when we hosted a bridal shower for Rabeea. This was a nice low key event and a nice reprieve from the hectic schedule. Because my kids had stayed up so late the night before {until well after midnight!} they were all exhausted and fell asleep around 6:30.
Sunday was the actual ceremony, or the Shaadi. For the shaadi, all the bridesmaids wore saris that were made for us individually in Pakistan.
{Dimple, Shambhavi and me}
Shortly after the reception, I loaded the kids in the van and drove back to Austin. We arrived just before my brother and his family, who came to town for a few days. Having the cousins here was a nice distraction for the girls, as they were asking for Jonathan none stop by that point.
Jonathan got home super late Monday night. Our family left Wednesday mid-morning, and I am nursing myself back to health after catching a cold on Sunday.
The last few weeks have been quite the adventure, but I am thoroughly looking forward to some much needed down time.
What have you all been up to lately? I’ve missed you all!
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
Snapshots From a Family Vacation
Posted on: June 28, 2012
- In: Life
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We spent last week in Colorado. Our sweet friend, Amanda, got married to a really great guy, Matt.
{Amanda had tulips at her wedding in memory of our dear friend Brittney}
This was the first time either Jonathan, John Clark or I had ever been to Colorado. We had the chance to stay in Loveland with our friends Jason and Leah, and their three kids.
Our first stop in Colorado was just outside of Colorado Springs, at the Garden of the Gods.
Garden of the Gods is this beautiful, unique area that has large boulders scattered throughout. All a bit random, I couldn’t help but wonder what the Native Americans and subsequent settlers thought about the area. I got a very Stonehenge feel of the place.
After we visited the Garden, we drove further west toward Pike’s Peak. Pike’s Peak is one of the most accessible mountains in the country. Easy to drive up {unless your fear of heights kicks in}, you are able to scale the 14,115 foot mountain in about 45 minutes.
The area leading up to Pike’s is breath taking.
It’s certainly a view I wouldn’t mind seeing daily.
The peak itself? Well, that’s a whole other story.
Once we reached the top, Jonathan began having symptoms of altitude sickness. Lighted headed. Nausea. Shortness of breath. We stayed at the top long enough to take the girls to the bathroom, me to snap one photo and him to vomit. Awesome.
{Frankly, I was a little scared of being so high up – especially with the girls – that this was as close to the edge as I got}
We came back down the mountain, but sadly, Jonathan’s altitude sickness did not fully subside. He spent the next two days in misery {headaches, breathing issues, etc} while John Clark, the kids and I continued to traipse about the foothills.
John Clark, the kids and I, spent a day in Estes Park visiting Rocky Mountain National Park.
The drive up there alone, is worth the experience. It’s everything I imagined a mountain side journey to be.
This was by far one of my favorite places. I’ve wanted to go to RMNP since I was a little girl. Seeing pictures in history books, hearing stories from other travelers, I just knew I was going to love it. In fact, once we saw the entrance sign, I may or may not have started giggling like a little school girl. {Note my ridiculously smiley face}
The Rockies did not disappoint.
{This is a photo I imagine being played in a slide projector when the kids are adults and we talk about family vacations}
Sadly, the entire time we were at RMNP, Jonathan was back at Estes Park fighting off his altitude sickness. By this point, it came in slow waves, but was still pretty unbearable.
The next day, we decided that Jonathan should go to the ER. He went on his own, while I hung out with our friends at the house. Despite not being able to go back into the mountains, the kids had a blast playing, while Leah and I spent time chatting away like old times. It ended up being a much needed rest time for us all.
Jonathan came back from the hospital feel much better. They had given him an IV to help rehydrate {one of the most helpful cures for altitude sickness is water/hydration}, along with some pain medication for a severely sore throat. Once he was home, we hit the road to tour Boulder.
Boulder was hands down my favorite town. In fact, I facebooked this ::
Boulder was everything I love about Austin {a big city feel, but still compact} but with mountains. I mean, really, who doesn’t what an mountain view? The scenery was beautiful. The people were friendly. The food was amazing. Everything about it I just loved. Sadly, we didn’t spend nearly the amount of time there I would have liked.
We did find a really great park, where Julia and I explored while Hannah, Jonathan and John Clark played soccer.
This is one of my favorite photos from the entire trip. I went to snap Julia’s picture, right as she pointed to some prairie dogs. The photo came out perfectly. It was such a wonderful time, walking the path of the foothills with my {all too big} baby girl, spotting prairie dogs {a first for us both}, watching parasailers, and talking about how great God is to make such a beautiful place.
The next two days, I spent in the Denver area either preparing for Amanda’s wedding, or being at the church for the wedding.
It was such a blessing to share that moment with Matt and Amanda, and to be there as a support for Amanda. And as an added perk, I got to spend time with old friends who I hadn’t seen many years.
We left for home right after the wedding celebration. Jonathan actually caught a plane to New York {I’ll tell you more tomorrow}, while John Clark and I piled the kids in the car and set off for Austin. It was a long drive home, but we made it back safely.
While there were hiccups along the way, and we didn’t perhaps do as much as we had planned during our stay, I loved Colorado. Loved the scenery, loved being with old friends, and loved sharing this new experience with my sweet kids, husband and brother. It was most definitely a vacation that produced lasting memories.
What is your most memorable vacation?
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
- In: Life
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Jonathan is out of town for the next two weeks {I’ll explain more later this week}. And frankly, when my husband is gone long periods of time I get a little whiny. I don’t know about other wives/moms, but life doesn’t function quite the same for me without Jonathan around.
Despite Jonathan being gone, I resolved to make these two weeks as joyful as ever. Will we miss Jonathan? Yes. Will there be hard times? I have three small kids, does that need an answer?. But can we still be grateful? Of course!
Here are ten wonderful things I am grateful for ::
1. Our family vacation to Colorado {more on this later this week} ::
2. Having my brother along for the 16 hour road trip home. I think if he hadn’t been with me, we would have had our own version of Oregon Trail, where we all got dysentery and died.
3. Having all three kids sleep until 8 am our first morning home. Thank you Jesus!
4. Our gym membership. The place I am now frequent on a daily basis because I can get 2 hours of kid free time. Best summer investment ever.
5. Friends who text you as soon as they know you’re home, ask how to help, invite you over for swimming, home cooked meal and adult conversation.
6. Taking up the whole bed at night. Let’s face it, having a big bed all to yourself is kind of a luxury as a mom. Or at least having it to yourself until all the kids piling in around 3 am.
7. We get to see Jesse, Shelly and my nieces this weekend. The girls and I couldn’t be more thrilled.
8. Not only was I in a wedding this past weekend, I’m going to be in a wedding next week. Celebrating marriage with friends brings me such joy. It’s going to be super fun. I get to wear a sari and dance at a Mehndi {though this last part has me freaking out a bit}.
9. I’m letting go of a lot of household responsibilities these next two weeks and just focusing on having fun with the kids {and conserving my energy to last me the whole time}. Frankly, being a mom is pretty sweet and fun.
10. Skype, G-chat, text messages and any other form of communication is my BFF right now. Whatever I can do to talk to Jonathan, even for a minute or two, is something I am super grateful for.
What are you grateful for {big or small}?
Visit Angie at Many Little Blessings for more Top Ten Tuesday.
Happy Birthday, Hannah Michelle!
Posted on: June 15, 2012
Today Hannah turns three.
Three.
Wowza.
Three, in my mind, is a really big age. There is an independence that comes with three. But, truth be known, Hannah’s been pushing for independence since birth, so you know, maybe three is just a continuation for her. Three is also a fun age. Gloriously innocent, with a touch of mischievous.
Hannah Michelle,
My sweet, sweet girl. You bring a light into our house that no one else can match. Your laughter, your sense of humor, your wit. You are truly delightful. I love that you are sweet with just the right amount of spicy to keep us all guessing. In the last year, you’ve become a big sister, started school, had your tonsils removed {something I doubt you will ever forget} and become even more fearless {something I doubted could ever happen, but it has}. You are my little mama, quick to help clean up, attend your brother or act all mama-like when things get rowdy. I love that despite your petite size, you command a room {and everyone in it} and truly think that you are three going on twenty three. You are always saying something that cracks us all up. Some of my favorite sayings you have are
“Hey guys, listen up!”
“Yummy in my tummy” or the even more hilarious “Yummy in my bottom”
“Juuweea!” {Julia}
“I want you to love on/hold me”
“I want someten to eat” {I want something to eat} This I think you say round the clock
My prayer for you is that you continue having a desire to learn more about the Lord, that you keep your spirit of curiosity about the Bible and that one day you yourself have a deep and personal relationship with Christ. Today is a bittersweet time for your mama. I am thrilled for what your life holds, but sad that this time is going so much faster than I ever dreamed it would.
I love you baby girl.
Your Mama
Life has been going faster and faster these days. I feel pretty accomplished if the load of laundry I did on Thursday gets put away by Wednesday. Our days are spent reading {I’m working on teaching Julia to read this summer}, spending lots of time outdoors playing, traveling and celebrating all the little {yet big} things in life.
Celebrating a day at the park with three cutie while Daddy and Uncle John play soccer.
Celebrating a birthday party for Hannah, who turns three this Friday. Three. I’m silently weeping as I type. T-h-r-e-e.
Celebrating hot afternoons at the pool.
And my personal favorite… Celebrating an increase in date nights since we have a live in babysitter!
{the best pizza shop in town}
What are you celebrating these days?
Two Weeks Till Colorado
Posted on: June 5, 2012
- In: Life
- 3 Comments
The Fab Five is heading to Colorado in two weeks!
To say that we are all excited is quite the understatement. Our trip is just about all we talk about these days. Julia keeps asking “Are we going to Colorado the next day?”, while Hannah is telling everyone “I’m turning three and going on a plane to Colorado.”
Jonathan and I have never been to Colorado, so we are thrilled to finally be visiting. And it doesn’t hurt that our friends post pictures like this ::
{picture courtesy of L. Rohlf}
Yeah, folks, those are mountains. That you can see from a house. Like, really, how sweet is that?!
We are spending the week visiting one of our favorite families, the Rohlfs, and watching one of our sweetest friends, Amanda, get married ::
{Me and Amanda, NYE 2010. So much awesome, so few words to explain it}
We don’t have major plans on our agenda {you know, other than being in a wedding}, but will most definitely be seeing some sweet sites and spending lots of time with sweet friends.
- In: Life
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We went to Amarillo last Thursday to visit my Uncle. Would you be amazed if I told you, you can drive for 9 whole hours without ever leaving Texas? Well, you can. And we did.
We visited Cadillac Ranch, which is a few minutes outside of town. There are 10 Cadillacs buried in the sand. People can come out and spray paint them. Don’t knock it, it’s art. Or at least that’s what the multi-millonaire who owns them says.
I remember visiting Cadillac Ranch when I was the girls’ ages. It’s one of those memories that are blurry around the edges, but never quite goes away. I loved taking Julia there and talking her through what she thought of the place. It was a really fun mom moment for me.
We drove 30 minutes outside of town to visit Palo Duro, the second largest canyon in America. It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon, so have no comparison, but Palo Duro is West Texas at it’s finest.
I haven’t been to West Texas in over a decade. Yet, I was surprised at how being there felt so right. I woke up Friday morning, stepped outside to the wind blowing and a farm smell hanging in the air and I felt peace. It was a strange feeling, one I haven’t felt about anywhere other than Austin.
My cousin later said that it was because West Texas runs deep in my blood. We have a heritage here, that for good or bad, we can never escape. It’s true. I spent a lot of childhood summers playing in corn fields, hiding from the Texas sun and hearing stories of life on the plains when my ancestors where children. That’s something that becomes part of your DNA.
My extended family isn’t very close knit. I haven’t seen most of my cousins in ten years and see my grandparents only annually at best. My immediate extended family isn’t much better. It’s sad how easy it is to lose connections like that. To let family slip through your fingers.
My “baby” brother is spending the summer with us. {I say baby only in the fact that he is the youngest, but clearly, not the baby.} It’s been wonderful having John around. Lots of laughter and jokes. The girls are crazy for him, and who can deny the benefit of extra hands to help around the house.
It’s one step toward family reconnection.
We ended our trip with sips of strong coffee and laughing about our pasts. Apparently, our family has always been a rowdy bunch.
We drove through Lubbock to see some cousins. It gave the girls a chance to run off any remaining energy, and gave the adults a chance to build some reconnection.
Reconnection. That’s what our weekend was. And I’m hoping that this is our family’s first of many West Texas summers.
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
A Wife Loved Like The Church 
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