Monica Sibbing Shared for this month's blog....
In September Pastor Doug Marks of Northwest Hills Christian Church started a year-long sermon series called "Transformation", and during recent weeks he's taught us about 'bling' and 'chic'. While the entire series is making an impact on my life in all areas, these two really struck home with me in regards to my role as a home school mother. Here's just a little of what I'm learning about having "bling" and being "chic".
"Bling" has moved from being a term referring to jewelry and outside appearance to being a philosophy of lifestyle. Our culture says we're here for the "bling".
"Chic" means conforming to the current fashion. It has taken over culture/society much like "bling" has.
So I asked myself what was becoming my "bling and chic" and discovered it is in part wanting the perfect curriculum, the awesome academic performance, an organized school room, a 1950's-style clean house with dinner on the table, and our children's outstanding self-control (even when their mother is in danger of losing all of hers most days trying to do too much), to name just a few. Add to that the desire to have quality face-time with my husband and a quiet conversation or two with him (I won't even go into the "bling and chic" in that department!) and it's the makings of a very worn out woman.
The illegitimate expectations I have created for myself could fill a book and they aren't things I'm proud of. In the course of submitting to the world's "bling and chic" I have denied God's plan for my life, turned my back on my family heritage, and let the attitudes and habits turn me from the true desires of my heart. God has called me and has put into my very own hands everything I need to live an abundant life and to insure that my husband and children also have that blessing.
One of the purposes our family has for homeschooling is to control worldly influence on our children. I often tell my husband that the great state of Texas has made it possible for me to answer to no one but God and my children when it comes to their education. In the interest of raising fully functioning adults its important that all aspects of their childhood reflect all of our family's values, and not just academic excellence. There's no better way I can do this than to turn away from the "bling and chic" myself.
-Monica
http://nwhcc.webs.com/
God not only wants to save us, He wants to transform us into a new personthat is most like the image of His Son. Transformation is initiated bysalvation, sustained by God’s grace, and gathers momentum as our willis brought into ever-increasing alignment with God’s will. Paulwrote, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let Godtransform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then youwill learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing andperfect.” (Romans 12:2; NLT)
Mankind in the natural world is just the wrong nature to enjoy the life God has planned for us. Soin order to bring us to His life, God causes us to be born againthrough His finished work in Jesus and then transforms us into theperson who is able to live this new and amazing life in Him. Our lives are changed forever.
The results are that...
We enjoy this life with God.
We are able to pour ourselves into others, enabling them to find this same life.
We are able to come together as the Community of God and encourage one another in this abundant journey.
We are able to engage this culture with changes that enrich its life. CDs with sermon notes are available each week or you can go on line and listen and view sermon notes at sermon.net/nwhcc
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