Writer's Block

Interestingly enough, I have read about this phenomenon but have never experienced it...until now. If I evaluate my blogging of late, I would say that writer's block has invaded my being for almost a year now. It's terrible. A friend recently asked if I'd write an article for her magazine and I said yes, not thinking it would be too difficult. I've been sitting at this computer for over an hour, unable to pull my thoughts together or decide what to write on. This is not pleasant because I am not used to having to struggle so in my writing. Thankfully I have a Father above who cares and ultimately, my goal is to glorify Him even in my writing. I may sit here all night but I know He will help me!

The Christmas Story...from the beginning

13 minutes. That is the length of this video. Who or what did you focus on today?


The Story of Christmas - An Animation from Grace in Cranberry on Vimeo.

Dogs and Dreadlocks

This is an actual photograph capturing two firsts for me:
1. Two dogs riding on a motorcycle.
2. Dreadlocks on a dog. Yes, the bleached hair on his chin and the top of his head is his hair.


Oh the things we see in Nashville!
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Worshipping Today

‎"Corporate worship is designed to once again clear up our confusion as to what is truly important in life." Paul Tripp

What's important to you today?

Reaching the Lost

Lost from AsiaLink HistoryMaker on Vimeo.

Addendum

I lied. Not really but it may seem like it. After much protest from several friends and family...and David...I have to keep the Schindel Six alive and blog A Fishbowl Life somewhere else. I'll be working on a design, with my limited ability, but I think it's going to be fun. It may be awhile, I suspect, as life is very busy but I look forward to letting you know where I will be!

New Beginnings

Several weeks ago I composed my last blog post. Or so I thought. I forwarded it to David for his opinion and he sweetly gave it. I did not agree and it has taken some time for me to come to the same conclusion he has. You see, I intended to close down my blog and start afresh. Anonymously. 


It has been a very difficult year for our family. Over this last year I would contemplate and process in my mind various posts that I desired to compose and publish but then nothing. As I verbalized my struggle to David regarding wanting to encourage both those in ministry and others, yet at the same time being very fearful of how it would be interpreted by those who knew me, I had stopped myself from blogging almost altogether. I wanted to be transparent but at the same time I hesitated, knowing that even if I am graciously transparent about struggles and wanting to encourage those around me, there would likely be someone who would read into my writings, assume I was referring to them, or perhaps judge me. 


Several years ago I developed the header, A Fishbowl Life, intending to start an anonymous blog somewhere on our world wide web. I never did. David explained to me that blogging anonymously takes away the personality of one's writings. I thought it provided safety. After much prayer, I realize that my writing does need to continue but will take a different road. I may occasionally post updates regarding the family but the focus will be on life in ministry, the church, struggles and scripture and how you as the reader can be an encouragement to those in your church and in your lives. We all need encouragement. 


I am reminded of the passage where Paul (I Cor 10:13) said that 

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.

What a wonderful reminder to know that in the midst of my struggles, there are others who can encourage me and shoulder my burden with me because what I struggle with is common to those around me! Why do we live in fear of sharing our struggles and asking for prayer? Why are we so good at putting on decorum and behaving as if we have it all together and "life is good"? Why are we so bent on making others believe we have perfectly well-behaved children instead of looking at them from the perspective that they are sinners just like me, with a heart just like mine and need Jesus just like I do? Why do we do this to one another? 


As the wife of a pastor, I live in a fishbowl. My family lives in this fishbowl with me and as much as I sometimes want to hide, it is impossible. My failures and successes, my good and bad attitudes, my tears and smiles...all is seen in a way that is different from the average person. There are many times I have asked the Lord to take me out of the fishbowl. Not just asked but begged. Yet I know this is where He wants us. In a place where my dependance is not on my abilities but His. Where I cannot hide but to be on display 

10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him....

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family  in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I pray that through this little blog I may be a small encouragement to you that He is good and as we live daily and reflect Christ in our lives and in our churches, this is a testimony to both the spiritual beings and those around us. May He be glorified!

Growing up Christian

I was privileged to grown up on the foreign mission field as a teenager and was oblivious to the battles many of my childhood friend's struggled with. I had no youth group per se, no youth pastor, and no teen Sunday School class or Wednesday night group. When I was back in the U.S. for my tenth grade year, I was really taken aback by how important these things were to the average American teen christian and their families. I quickly came to realize that these things were important for the socialization aspect and not for the Gospel's sake. Not that the Gospel meant anything to me at the time (it did not-I did not accept the Gospel for myself personally until 17 yrs old, while in college) but I enjoyed, even relished the socialization.

Being in the ministry for over 18 years now, 8 of those years as the wife of a youth pastor and the last 10 as a pastor's wife,  I look back on those we've had the opportunity to love and be with. How many of those teens, now grown adults have "denied" the faith they grew up in. Why is this? Is it because they were made to go to church and it was just a ritual? Are we raising our youth to stay in church because that is what they've "always done" or because they truly understand and have applied the Gospel to their own hearts, thereby changing them to become like Him? What are we teaching our children? What do we as parents believe about church and the Gospel?

As I raise my four children with one being a junior in high school and one in eighth grade, I think about these things. I want the Gospel to be so embedded in the hearts of my children that it is not about church or a religion, but about Christ and His glory. Take a moment to read this linked article about Why Youth Stay in Church When They Grow Up

Rain, Rescue, and Rabies

It's been raining cats and dogs-we've been told this is one of the hardest hit drought areas but you'd never know it based on this weeks weather. Despite the circumstances, the kids are having a good time and the services have been wonderful. One of our teens approached me this evening, sharing what the Lord was doing in their life this week. What a wonderful thing to hear!

We always anticipate something is going to happen to someone when we go to camp. One never truly looks forward to it being one of their kiddos! Karis was stretching on the top bunk yesterday morning when she slid off the bed and landed face first on the carpet. She's got a carpet burn on her chin, swollen lips, bruised gums, a loose tooth and a sore ankle. *Sigh.

As I was trying to console her at breakfast and finding something soft she could eat, we were approached by office staff. Andrew had been bitten, twice, by a squirrel. Of all things. So here we now sit at the closest medical facility an hour away. I was told by my pediatrician's nurse that Andrew was due for a Tetanus booster last year-I had failed to bring him in for that Oops. He just received his tetanus booster and we are waiting to hear if he'll need the Rabies shots. I think he has learned that squirrels, even baby ones, don't much like to cuddle. He receive a healthy lecture from his nurse, Hilda (real name) and will no longer attempt to catch wild animals.

Did I remember to tell you this is the same child who fell on Monday, chipping his tooth?






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Location:Pike Plains Rd,Dunbar,United States

We're going to camp

Driving from Nashville to Dunbar, WI with a twelve passenger van completely full can have it's challenges when individuals become tired and cramped. As I am writing this, we have just passed the Wisconsin border. The van is quiet (residual sleepiness from a late night) and we made it through the night at our Super 8 Motel purchased on Hotwire. Our friends made it to the hotel at about 2am after a four hour flat tire ordeal. We've shipped a few kids (mine) to their motor home which has freed up 3 seats and the big teen guys breath sighs of relief.

We had a great day driving yesterday and took a detour through downtown Chicago at 11pm, stopping at the beach so the kids could see Lake Michigan. It was fun! Too bad we were not able to arrive in Chicago earlier to do some exploring.

David has done GREAT and has yet to become grumpy! Alea was gracious and dropped off some of her happy juice (nutritional supplement) and I'm telling you, it has worked wonders! David even had a hard time going to sleep which is a first. He and I usually banter about who gets to sleep and who has to drive. :) I've yet to have to drive-Woohoo!

The kids have had sweet attitudes. I'm so impressed with our teen guys. They were really gracious about the seating and with each other yesterday since EVERY seat was taken with no stretching room. No grumpiness or ugliness. I just love them.

Stephen Mee is reading Grudem to David right now. I hear some of the teens behind me having a group devotional. Karis and I are slackers-she's drawing and I'm blogging and emailing. Yes, it's raining too.


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Location:County Road De,Waukesha,United States