So it's Valentine's day.........

So it's Valentine's Day.....

Today it means something different than it has any other time. It's different because first of all its on a weekday, which means by the time Eric and I are together it's 8p. and I am exhausted from being 9 months pregnant and really just wanna sit on the couch eat my cereal and zone out to whatever may be on. 

The weekend we can plan for a date night, but then I think do we really want to spend money? But then I think this is a great excuse for a date night and could very well be the last one for awhile with a baby on the way.   

But then it's also not just another day. It's a day there are a bouquet of flowers on the table, and presents left this morning for Riley and I. A day where I get to be sappy and write my heart out to my husband. 

So yes, Valentines day has changed and continues to change every year but the one thing it always does is remind me to make it a priority to love. And especially love my husband, who gets put on the back burner do to the demands of a job, toddler, and pregnancy among many other things. 

Valentine's day started for me back in elementary school spending days thinking about which valentine card I would give to my crushes....  I had to sign my name different, pick a card that said more then a basic Happy Valentines day, and make sure I didn't give a boy a valentine card that made him think I may "like" him.

Then receiving the Valentines cards took up even more days of analyzing. Did he really mean "Valentine you are so sweet!" or "Be mine?"

Desperate at such a young age for love? When you know today those boys most likely didn't think twice about grabbing out a card and signing their name, because their mom or dad told them it had to get done.... Thank goodness little girls don't realize that.... right?

My dad became my excitement on Valentine's day. He would always get me and my mom something special. When I started school he would always have something special sent to 

me at school. I loved it. The fact that I would get flowers or candy left on my desk while no one else did had me glowing. 

I'm really excited that Eric has started this with Riley and I know our girls will look forward to it just as much as I did. 

Eric and I are celebrating our 9th Valentine's together... Well I wouldn't go as far as saying celebrating I guess. But loving one another will work!!! :)

I remember our second Valentines together.... He did my room all up with red and white streamers and balloons and got me a Teddy bear ( That riley now loves of course!) And an awesome ring that had both of our birth stones in... Super sweet and amazing..... Super horrible that I lost that ring 3 years ago ( this is why I do not own expensive jewlery!!)

Valentine's was so exciting because it always seemed like the time you could really let someone know how crazy you are about them without any risk in a way. Marriage before kids had its challenges but marriage with kids brings so many challenges in so many different ways, the only way to get through it is by love. 

Sometimes I look back at those beginning Valentine's Days and wonder is it about love or lust? Our world gets that confused so much.  Love is utterly unselfish.  This kind of love is unnatural for us. It is impossible to have this love unless God helps us 

 aside our own natural desires so that we can love and not expect anything in return. The more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others.

I remember my dad saying when we first got married drawing a little diagram of eric and I at the bottom and two lines going up to God. Describing that we have to grow closer to God in order to grow closer to each other. It was such a awesome feeling when Eric reminded me of that a year or so ago. 

Since having Riley we have both grown closer to God and learn every day about what it meas to love. 

Marriage shows us our need to grow and deal with our own issues and self- centerdness through the help of a lifelong partner

If we are teachable we will learn to do the one thing most important in life- to love.

I will end with a great devotional from the Love Dare. 

No matter who you are or what you do,it comes down to whether you'll live a life of love or not. And there is a vast difference between the two. One is priceless and one meaningless. 

Love is the most important ingredient to any meaningful relationship. Your quality of life is directly tied to the amount of love flowing in you and through you to otehers. Though its often overlooked, love is infinitely more valuable than riches, fame, or honor. They will pass away, but love remains. You can be fulfilled without these, but not without love. 

The absence of love leaves a devastating void. When it is not present, your spirituality becomes superficial, your benevolent deeds self-centered, and your sacrifices insincere. In any relationship where love is not your motivation, you can expect it to feel bland and unfulfilling- if not meaningless. When asked to to define life's greatest command, Jesus summed it up this way: to love God with all you are and to love your neighbor as yourself. Will you embrace a life of love? 

13 Items for under $10 bucks at Tops!!

I haven't done a post like this for awhile, but this week there are really good deals at Tops and because each time I go into the grocery store I keep feeling amazed at how people spend money on food.

I have terrible cart judgement.
I'm in line thinking oh dear when I see people buying a cart full of items and spending $100 or more... No coupons it makes me want to go through my coupon book and see if I have any they can use.... but usually Riley is way to distracting but maybe I should make that a section in my book, extras.. hmm

So this week I'll share... Another thing I am going to do thanks to the blog www.wnydealsandtodos.com is keep a track of my savings and expenses at Tops so you can see that it really is worth it. It's worth it if you have to buy a computer, or buy ink, or get a newspaper, and if you spend an hour a week clipping and organizing its TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

I hear so many people coming up with excuses as to why they can't but when you have so many blogs out there today doing the work for you, printing and cutting and organizing the coupons is nothing compared to those who are doing all the coupon match ups for us.

Ok so this picture I have  13 items for $9.52 And got $.10 off a gallon just from this transaction.

Here's the breakdown:
2- Egglands Best Eggs= $5.38 used $.55/2 Final price- $4.28 for 24 eggs!!
2- Beechnut stage Fruities= $2.00 used 2 $1/1 Final Price- FREE !
3- Yoplait Simplait = $1.50 used 3 $.30/1 Final Price- FREE!!!
1 -Hershey's simple pleasure chocolate= $2.99 used $1.75/1 (from coupons.com member program) Final price- $1.24 ( and this is really a treat, my excuse is pregnancy ;)
1- Good n natural granola bar= $1.00 used the free coupon from newspaper 1/6. Final price- FREE
3- Boxes of Honey nut cheerios and 1 box of Lucky Charms= $6 use.d $.50/1( was internet one not available anymore)  for cheerios and a $1.00/3 from newspaper 1/6- Final Price- $4.00 or a $1.00 a box!

The price for all this without coupons would have been = $18.87 and that's with everything on sale. Can you imagine the price buying this when it is NOT on Sale???

Gotta love coupons!!

Hey People, I'm growing a baby here!!!!

Exhaustion does that word even do your second, third, fourth, fifth and so on pregnancy justice?

 Yeah I don’t think so either.

I remember my first pregnancy seemed as though everything was happening right along with my, “ What to expect when you are expecting” book. It was my mission to lie on the couch and read my updates for the week, and confirm that everything is going as it should.

My second trimester hit and just like the book said I felt ALIVE!  It said you could also be feeling frisky. It was great I was rejuvenated and wanting my husband so much that I would wake up at 4a just before he got up for work, for sex. 

Yes Sex!

Well what happens with your second?

I’m still waiting for that second trimester like with my first. Some days I lie in bed thinking I’m only 27 and I'm too tired for sex. Then my mind wonders thinking but you are in your second trimester….

I’m tired all the time. 

 It must be the fact of taking care of another child, your husband, and you and that growing baby. I also top it off with building a house on Wed. and Sat. and you got me begging for sleep by Saturday evening.

And the messes, the demands, the food, it doesn’t compare to when it was just two adults.  My advice when you are pregnant for the second time is, to know your cues.  It is very easy for me to not eat as much as I should because I'm busy being a mom.  But when I wait too long to eat, things can get ugly very quickly.  And I know as soon as I start to snap at Riley, that I need to take care of myself first thing in that moment. Now I can tell Riley, that mommy has to eat, and explain to her the baby and she backs right off. I try to remember that messes are not important. The piles of dog hair in the corner can wait, the toys the stuffed animals all across the floors, can wait.  Because you know what they say, keeping a clean house with a toddler is like shoveling while it’s still snowing.

My second piece of advice is, when you are tired, sleep.  Find a way for your child to occupy themselves even a 15 min. nap really helps. When I need just a quick boost I take Riley up to her room, we shut her door and I tell her that mommy needs a rest. She usually then plays with her Teddy's and gets them dressed over and over. And the nap is usually 15-20 mins until she has to go potty! And I feel much better. ( notice the word usually, it doesn’t happen every time I want!)

My third piece of advice, for when you are so tired, and it’s not possible to nap, and your child is driving you to wits end, take some quiet time with God. They don’t have to be “quiet.” If you wait for moments in order to pray and be refreshed by scripture they may never come. Your children need from you the love, strength, and wisdom only God can supply. Keep your bible open. Pray quick, specific “arrow prayers” throughout the day. This will be a great model for your children, and someday your quiet times with God will be quiet again.

Quick thing with modeling behavior,  I was singing a song from church the other day, and it had Jesus in it. Riley started singing with me and then when I stopped she started putting her hands together and rocking back and forth singing,  yes Jesus loves me, Yes Jesus loves me….” It was so precious. I had never even thought to sing this song to her. I have never heard her sing it before. I am assuming she learned it at church, but I think it was my singing of Jesus that brought it on for her to sing it for me!

Today I learned this.  Riley usually naps around 11a or noon. Well it was 11:30 we had already been outside out an about and I was hoping she would go down soon. She still seemed too awake. I was feeling tired. So I tried eating, helped but not enough. I couldn’t shake the feeling of I'm about to pass out.  

So it’s 11:30. I told Riley that I had to take a nap and it was just about nap time for her too. I told her that momma was gonna go lay down in her bed and she could take her teddy and piggy in her bed with her along with her milk and she could take a rest. She was excited to play in her bed with them.  I laid down got to listen to her sweetly play with her stuffed animals for about 20 mins. Then she started with her mommy Mommy.  I told her I was sleeping in my bed and she should sleep too.  She played a few more minutes. Then I heard nothing. We both feel asleep for two hours! It was great and stress free.

So sometimes, not all the time, explaining things to a 21 month old can help.

When I was visiting my family, they wanted me to stay up with them so bad.  I couldn’t.  Everything was so exhausting.  I could barely make it up til ten and let alone not take a nap.  When my dad started to whine about me staying awake and join the party, I said, “   PEOPLE, I’m growing a baby here.” They laughed, I laughed and then I passed out J

 I think it’s important when we can’t get those moments to take a nap, find rest, to seek God’s wisdom.  Everything can just over take us, and when your tired it’s easy to put off checking with God about all the decisions we make.

“If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask  of the giving God who give to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly without reproaching or faultfinding and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

If things seem so complicated that your no longer able to enjoy the life as God intended, it’s time to see God’s wisdom. In all things, God wants you to acknowledge and seek Him, use wisdom, and make the best decisions you know how to make.

Through a simple prayer from wherever you are, you can ask God for wisdom about any situation you face. Before you commit to something, or buy something, check with God.  If you have peace about it proceed, but if you don’t feel right about it, then wait.

Seek Gods wisdom and make decisions based on what you sense in your spirit. This I find is so important with pregnancy too. Then move forward believing that God will bless you because you acknowledge Him in your decisions. 

How can I put down my overloaded bags of worry?

It's amazing how when you become a mother you just have a way to fix almost anything. It doesn't matter if inside our heads we are freaking out wondering how will we fix this, because what we show is we get the job  done. Mothers take care of things. Wouldn't you agree?

I guess once you have a baby you learn quickly how to be prepared. It seems that may be one less worry when you are carrying your second, third or  forth child. It may seem that because we have done it all before we are more prepared for the next.

But with all new unpredictable things in life worry is hanging on the backside for dear life.


Dang right?

It seems that once worry grabs on tightly enough we carry a heavy load around.

And you can only carry a heavy load for so long before it gets harder and harder to take steps towards anything.

Take for example the diaper bag. First time moms probably pack it with EVERYTHING you can think of for any situation and then still stress thinking they might have forgotten something.

But haven't you been known to pack unnecessary things in that bag?

The chances are you did this today. Not with material things of course, but with burdens from the day before, the day ahead and the hours upon you.

Us moms we carry the suitcase of GUILT!

Here's what Max Lucado says about our suitcase of guilt.

The sack of discontent. You drape a duffel bag of weariness on one shoulder and a hanging bag of worry on the other. No wonder you're so tired at the end of the day. Toting those kinds of bags is exhausting.
What you were saying to me, God is saying to you, " Set that stuff down! You're carrying burdens you don't need to bear."

"Come to me," he invites, " all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28
If we let him God will lighten our loads.
But how do we let him?

May I invite an old friend to show us? The first few verses of 23rd Psalms.
The Lord is my Shepard;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
e leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

Have you been packing your purse with some burdens of your own? Do you think God might use Davids psalm to lighten your load? Traveling light means trusting God with the burdens you were never intended to bear.

Why don't you try traveling light? Try it for the sake of those you love. Have you ever considered the impact that excess baggage has on relationships?

We've made this point at our church by virtue of a drama. A wedding is reenacted in which we hear the thoughts of the bride and groom. The groom enters, laden with luggage. A bag dangles from every appendage. And each bag is labeled: guilt, anger, arrogance, insecurities. This fellow is loaded. As he stands on the altar the audience hears him thinking, Finally a woman who will help me carry all my burdens. Shes so strong, so stable, so.......

As his thoughts continue, hers begin. She enters, wearing a wedding gown but, like her fiance, covered with luggage. Pulling a hanging bag, shouldering a carry on, hauling a makeup kit, a paper sack-everything you could imagine and everything labeled. She has her own bags: prejudice, loneliness, disappointments. And her expectations? Listen to what she is thinking: Just a few more minutes and Ive got me a man. No more counselors. No more group sessions. So long, discouragement and worry. I wont be seeing you anymore. He's going to fix me. 

Finally, they stand at the alter, lost in a mountain of luggage. They smile their way through the ceremony, but when given the invitation to kiss each other, they can't. How do you embrace someone if your arms are full of bags?
For the sake of those you love, learn to set them down.
And for the sake of the God you serve, do the same.
He wants to use you, you know.
But how can he if you are exhausted?


God has a great race for you to run. Under his care you will go where you've never been and serve in ways you've never dreamed. But you have to drop some stuff. How can you share grace if you are full of guilt? How can you offer comfort if you are disheartened? how can you lift someone else's load if your arms are full with your own?

For the sake of those you love, travel light.
For the sake of the God you serve, travel light.
For the sake of your own joy, travel light.

There are certain weights in life you simply cannot carry. Your Lord is asking you to set them down and trust him. He is the father at the baggage claim. When a dad sees his 5year old son trying to drag the family trunk off the carousel, what does he say? The father will say to his son what God is saying to you.

"Set it down child. I'll carry that one."

"Unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you." 1 Peter 5:7

2nd pregnancy= Oh yeah I'm pregnant

So let me tell ya, it was like it was just moments ago, that my feet still feel relaxed,
 that I took in deep breathes of pure relaxation from my almost daily foot massages from my husband.
 Being pregnant for the first time was a whirlwind alright, but boy oh boy was the treatment spectacular.

Funny how the second time around I have to dangle my feet practically in his face. I get a rub with my socks on and its oh 45 seconds.

I push for the " You know its really alot better with socks off and lotion." He agrees with me. Oh thank God I think, I can still get some special treatment here for helping a life DEVELOP inside me..

The socks stay on the rubbing decreases and boom a whole minute later its over.

I'm 20 weeks pregnant. Thats the only foot massage I've gotten.

With Riley I got texts all the time asking how I was feeling.

Oh let me think, one two, three, fou...not three thats how many I've gotten now. And those were in the first two weeks and when shock was still taking over.

It sure is different with the second isn't?

We took a pregnancy test around the same time I did with Riley. It was exciting and shocking of course like it always is for some reason.

When will we learn that unprotected sex pretty much means = BABY! :)

We didn't tell anyone for awhile.
And it was nice.
I liked having our own little secret and I liked not having people ask me all the time how I was.

I think when you are pregnant with the first and people are always telling you advice and asking you how you are, it really keeps you focused on the pregnancy and all the worries.

And although I miss the special treatment from my husband he is also tied up with our daughter. And in all honesty I am feeling just fine! ( But who doesn't love attention from their husbands, when we are constantly reminding them I carried this baby for 9 months and breastfeed it for 15 :)

Second time around, the constant reading of books and searching online are gone!

And that just may be because you have a toddler running around pulling at you every second, or the exhaustion from the baby, work, and toddler, and your husband.

The first time I was pregnant I'll be honest, I gave in to those cravings and hunger pains like I was feeding myself and an 8 pound baby. Heck yeah I was eating for two. ( This was in the first trimester before I found out I had gestational diabetes)

And heck yeah my husband ordered me pizza at 10 p.m. on a work night.

This time I haven't had so called cravings like that. Thank goodness, because I doubt he would do that again...

Or just maybe he would!

Of course being pregnant is exhausting. So I am feeling exhausted. But besides 15 min cat naps you know what the other thing I do that really energizes me?

Riley and I dance.

We start out in the living room and make our way through the whole house.

But its not to any music, its to usually Jars of Clay, but any type of worship music.

Hearing her say to me " Mommy dance" and seeing her crazy awesome funny dance moves and dancing myself knowing we have the next little person coming into our family just warms my heart.

And it has to be worship music because through the dancing we are singing and praising God, and feeling his spirit lift me up is just the best. 

Im reminded of how much he loves us. How precious this time is with our kids as they are young, as we are pregnant, as our marriages shift a bit. 

I am reminded that I have a family. 

So blessed. 

So grateful.

So excited.

So this time being pregnant is pretty sweet!

Our  favorites is Faith like a child. By Jars of Clay.

Here are the lyrics just in case your interested!

Dear God, surround me as I speak,
the bridges that I walk across are weak
Frustrations fill the void that I can't solely bear
Dear God, don't let me fall apart,
you've held me close to you
I have turned away and searched for answers I can't understand

[Chorus:]

They say that I can move the mountains
And send them crashing into the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with faith like a child

Sometimes, when I feel miles away
and my eyes can't see your face
I wonder if I've grown to lose the recklessness
I walked in light of you

[Chorus]

[Little girl:]
"I've got joy like a fountain!"
"Be kind one to others"
"In Jesus Christ Your son"

They say that love can heal the broken
They say that hope can make you see
They say that faith can find a Savior
If you would follow and believe
with faith like a child

THE PORTER POTTY & Pregnant... NO GOOD

So as you know I have started working for Habitat for Humanity. It's awesome. I still feel like its not really work. I actually really enjoy it. When I first started I knew working on the job site was going to bring the biggest challenges, like how it took me over an hour to pull out nails from 3 2X4 and I got a few good blisters from it.

Or how I worked with a volunteer  to nail a board up to a wall and he decided to "help" me by holding the board for me. Well his hand was right under the nail I needes to pound in, I told him you sure you want to leave your hand there?  He insisted, I warned him. I missed the nail, thank GOD I did not hit his hand, but sure enough he didn't keep his hand there anymore.

Not many women on the job site. Especially pregnant women on the job site. I pick up coffee and donuts every Wed morning from Tim Hortons, every Sat. morning from Dunkin, the battle within myself of eating or not eating a donut goes on until its time for lunch. I hear myself saying your pregnant who cares, then I hear myself saying 2 donuts a week is not gonna look pretty on my ass after this baby is born.

I must have a cup of coffee. Experimented with this and the migraines come instantly when I do not . With Riley I had no coffee.... Funny how the second baby you are instantly way more laid back.

Well with the coffee comes my wonderful meetings with the job site bathroom. The John, whatever you wanna call it. The first few Saturdays I was working my butt off that I didn't have to use it much. But now oh man oh man... Why is it that every time you walk into one you have to look down in there?

Maybe its just me, but I know that thing hasn't been dumped or anything so I looked once and that's all I should have done. But nope I still look and I still almost throw up and the thought of throwing up in there just makes me wanna passs out... outside of the thing that is. I mean the smell of rotten well you know it doens't mix so well with the bright sunshine on it and me, the pregnant woman on the job site!
 So I rush to pee and use the sanitizer and get outta there and go walk to the back and pray I can hold it together.

Today I got to use one of those pneumatic nailers .. I used this thing in one of my theatre classes and I screamed so loud in front of the whole class when I pulled the trigger and the nail went way down on the wrong end of the board. I vowed to never use one of those again..
So because there was only 2 other volunteers I was in a tight spot. I had to do this job. I couldn't hand it off on someone else. I was starting to panic. Hmmm do I use the I dont feel comfortable while Im pregnant card? What other excuse could I come up with? Oh I have to be at the office right now there's a crisis? My mind was racing and before you know it the gun was in my hand. Sparks when a nail goes in.. so intimidating.  No excuses came gun in hand I had no choice.
And everything went really well. I took some practice shots and then ended up using it on my own the rest of the morning.


So all this is that I am learning so much, so many things I would have never thought someone would be paying me to do. And every day I grin more and more on the inside taking all this in, so I can really show my husband I know exactly what hes talking about, if not a bit more. Sure he works in HVAC, but commercial businesses and houses? Come on... Im seeing it all done. Not just one aspect! :)  I love that I get to learn new things every day and help such an amazing organization!

Oh man, here comes a Lukewarm Christian again.

Are you a lukewarm Christian? It breaks my heart to admit that there are many times I have to say yes I was or am. It seems as my brother’s progress is at more of a stand still my fire for God is diminishing. Of course Im reminded to praise him for all the good things I have and that is easy to do every day. But when my brothers health just kept plummeting and we didn’t know what was happening I leaned so hard on God and dug so deep into his word that I felt his presence in me all the time.

Now I  hate that I have become busy.  I wrestled with God about staying home, but boy oh boy did it bring me such a sense of simple and thankfulness. Again so close to him.  Now that I am working our schedule has become a bit more hectic, but in all honesty not much. I only work 16 hours a week, but it’s the stress of Childcare and having new responsibilities at work that keep it seeming busy.

I remember my first week starting at Habitat I did not feel nervous. I did not have expectations going into the job and since having a baby my priorities were completely different. First I knew that God had complete control and to trust him and that no matter what if things were not working out for Riley then this was just a job, but yet God has reminded me that this is more than just a job. I mean what Habitat for Humanity started out as and what it stands for alone is all about God. I have a job where I get to lead us in prayer.  A job where so far almost all of the volunteers are connected to local churches. So far I’ve got to hear personal testimonies of those who have come to know Jesus. I get to see so many people give their time to work hard on a house for someone they do not know. It’s very inspiring.  My job is a constant reminder of how much God loves us, and yet I can feel that I’m still not making him my top priority. How can that be?

I guess because sometimes just talking about God isn’t enough. It’s going to that place where you can feel his spirit move through you. Have you found that place yet? My husband and I always seem to make major life decisions in front of water. Its where we always just reflect and come to peace. I know he feels God through nature more, and I do too.  I also feel God a lot through music, which is why I love worship so much. But we are all different and everyone can feel the holy spirit move through them in different situations. It’s just important that once we find those spots to go there, with intentions of being with God.

So here are some reminders that we may be a lukewarm Christian and we need to make God our number one priority over everything else. And why shouldn’t he be? Look at how much he provides for u and how much he loves us? If you are questioning those two things then it may be time for you to surrender and trust in him.

Heres a quote from David Goetz, “ Too much of the good life ends up being toxic, deforming us spiritually.” A lot of things are good by themselves, but all of it together keeps us from living healthy, fruitful lives for God.

Here are a couple statements to see if you are “lukewarm”  Take a deep breath, truth can sting a bit.

Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe” good Christians do, so they go.

“The Lord says :These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men” Isa. 29:13

Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church… as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living. If they have little extra and it is easy and safe to give, they do so. After all, God loves a cheerfulgiver, right?

“King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” (  1 Chron. 21:24)

Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict.. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions ( like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.

“ I know your deeds, you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” ( Rev. 3:1)

Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sit and aren’t truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don’t really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one.

“ I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can w e live in it any longer?” ( Romans 6:1-2)

Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for "extreme" Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call "radical" what Jesus expected of all His Followers. 

" Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." (James 1:22)

Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighb ors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heave. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." 

I'll post the rest from Francis Chan on Lukewarm Christians next!!