Everyday Glimpses of an Extraordinary God

Friend or Foe?

2012-01-16T14:56:00.005-05:00

One of the hardest things about devoting yourself to loving on and encouraging people is that friends and foes initially look the same and are often hard to distinguish between until you bear their wounds.

Proverbs 4:23

Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions.Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you.Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.

Another Home Quote!

2012-01-06T07:24:00.005-05:00

A friend of mine from out-of-state remembered another home quote by Longfellow I had in my kitchen. It has been my favourite home quote for a while. I told her I would post it, too! :O)

Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest;

Home-keeping hearts are happiest,

For those that wander they know not where

Are full of trouble and full of care;

To stay at home is best.

Great Quote!

2012-01-05T21:28:00.003-05:00

I read this quote and knew I needed to turn it into a picture!!

Or maybe this!

My Corner!

2012-01-05T14:35:00.004-05:00

When we moved the living room around in order to accommodate the Christmas tree, the general family consensus was that the TV needed to stay in its new home once the festivities were over. That was good news for me because it freed up a corner for me to create a space I can call my own.

I sit in the family room with the 6 other people I love who live with me, but the never-ending, ad-nauseum list of sporting events can make my eyes begin to glaze over and roll back in my head. A corner to call my own, though, would mean I could still enjoy being with my family, but be able to do my own thing at the same time.

We went out after Christmas and found this chair and ottoman for a steal ($375 combined) and I found the pillow at a second-hand store. "You are my sunshine" is what I sang (and still do) to my babies and I knew I had to have it as soon as I saw it! I also found an old crib railing painted the same color as my wall and Tim mounted it so I could hang one of my great-grandmother's quilts from it! The side table was my Granny's and so everything has special meaning for me!

I LOVE how it all turned out and am so enjoying my space. The one thing I have started keeping on the side table is ear plugs because, alas, the only downfall to my little corner is that it is adjacent to the TV. Oh well, you can't have everything! ;O)

Clipboards

2012-01-05T14:18:00.006-05:00

I have been wanting a decorated clipboard to put my Menu/Grocery List on each week. I looked at Etsy, but with shipping the cheapest ones I could find were about $12 and they went up from there. I decided to get my own clipboards and try making them because it would be much cheaper. I made them today and I am so pleased with how they turned out!

I am going to go to Joann's and get some more scrapbooking paper and some decals to add. I also ordered a case of 24 low profile clipboards for about $1 each. All together, these cost me about $1.75!! Yeah me!!

Hmmmm...maybe I could have a side business! Maybe...?

Intentional

2011-12-29T17:50:00.007-05:00

While it is hard to wrap my mind around the fact that we are about to say goodbye to another year, I am convinced that time begins to move at warp speed the older we get. I have always found it an interesting phenomenon that days that sometimes seem to take SO long actually move so fast when you string them all together.

Since the end of a year can cause one to do some introspection about the highlights and lowlights of the year, I have found myself pondering all that transpired the last 363 days of my life. This year was amazing, fun, overwhelming, heart-wrenching and worthy of much thanksgiving all at the same time. No wonder I am tired these days! That's a lot of emotion to experience in such a relatively short span of time.

I am a part of an online community and one thing we do every year is prayerfully consider a word that we hope to help define our coming year. I felt very strongly last December that my word was to be INTENTIONAL. Little did I know how necessary that word would prove to be as the days wore on.

If you know me very well or have ever read my blog, you know that after 21 years in full-time sports ministry Tim took a job as lead pastor for a local church with his first official day being January 1, 2011. The date was really my idea since I do the taxes and a clean end-of-the-year transition was sure to make the paperwork less cumbersome, but I digress!

It is a fairly large church and has a lot of amazing people who make it up. One thing that people who know us well have always commented on was the large number of relationships that we have had to maintain. While that is actually a wonderful problem to have, it can be wearying at times. We had a couple stay with us once who said they were exhausted after just a few days seeing how many people we interact with on a daily basis. Well, add to these numerous relationships about 1,100 new church folk and there were days that I didn't even want to get out of bed. My introverted ways were being wrenched slowly away from me and I was finding it necessary to step tentatively and surely outside of my comfort zone.

In order to merely survive, I had to learn to be intentional. I had to be intentional at home with my family and with my home-schooling and home-keeping duties. I had to learn to be intentional in getting to know the people we were now providing leadership for and simply learning their names and their stories. (I was excited one Wednesday night early in the year when I realized I could actually name a whole row of people!) I had to learn to be intentional when I chose what to be involved in at church and in the community and I even had to learn to be intentional with my free time.

As always, Papa was reminding me that His ability to see ahead to the things I could not see was the reason the word I felt impressed to claim as my own seemed to fit so perfectly. There were days when I felt an exhilaration and excitement about our lives that I have never felt before and then, almost simultaneously, there were days that I would cry for no apparent reason other than the fact that I felt grossly overmatched. That was usually when He gently whispered in my ear and reminded me that without intentionality and a purposeful and willful focus on Him and His Word I would surely not survive the journey.

One thing that I think the Lord has instilled in me thru this choice to live intentionally is the fact that without the relationships we have worked to build the words we speak are merely just that...words. The saying that people don't care how much you know til they know how much you care has been lived out in a very obvious way this year before us. We have been reminded that everyone has a story to tell and it is in the sharing of that story and the way it is tenderly handled by the hearer that relationship and trust is built. It is the difference in being an uninvolved story-teller or a come-alongside story-weaver who helps to tie the threads of experience and divine providence together in the lives of those who have been placed within our care.

While the journey is infant in its progression, there is peace in knowing that the intentional way we have tried to approach it has helped to lay a strong foundation on which to build in the years to come. We are not naive enough to think that the road ahead will be free of bumps and bruises. Some of the deepest heartache comes from wounds inflicted by those in whom we have concentrated our most sincere efforts...yet we continue to invest in an intentional way.

So as I look back on 2011 laid bare for me to see from start to finish, it prompts me to look forward to 2012 and the promise it is wrapped in. I am unsure of my word for 2012, but know there will be a purpose to it beyond what my finite mind can comprehend and that the truth of living intentionally will continue to be woven into the fabric of my life in the days to come.

Thank You, Lord, for the intentional way you deal with me every day and for the way you have shown me the need to be intentional in all I do. I thank You for the amazing journey you have us on and the amazing people You have chosen as our traveling companions. May we, when it is all said and done, be been found faithful with all you have entrusted us!

Milestones

2011-12-22T07:04:00.004-05:00

When our children are born it seems that life is one milestone after another! First smile, first tooth, first steps, first words...the list goes on. As they get older there are milestones, but they are spaced further apart.

Today is a milestone day for Benji. He is getting a truck! My baby will have his own vehicle and it is blowing my mind!! Not sure why? He is big as a donkey and old enough to drive, but it just doesn't seem like we should be here already! How did he go from a little boy playing in the yard to a young man with his own truck?

We are buying Tim's dad's truck so it will have sentimental value, too, which is cool. It fits Benji and it fits a fishing pole so that makes him very happy. My redneck boy is making it official...he is going to be sporting a truck!

Thank You, Lord, for providing the way You have for Benji! Thank You for giving him the desire of his heart and for reminding him that he is the apple of Your eye! Our hearts are truly full of gratitude!!

2011-12-17T21:44:00.004-05:00

I stared at you the other night
As so peacefully you slept,
With thoughts of another mommy
And the tears she must have wept.

Her newborn babe she held so close
As she whispered in His ear,
"You are this promised Jesus,"
And she wiped away a tear.

She watched Him grow in wisdom,
Found Him teaching those that taught,
She heard He fed five thousand,
As He healed all those that sought.

And all the while she waited,
For she sensed with a mother's heart
That sooner than she'd ever want
He must fulfill His part.

So it came to pass that final day
That she watched, as pain engulfed her,
For there He hung, her little boy,
Who had now become her Saviour.

Let It Go!

2011-12-12T14:08:00.005-05:00

I have just recently started the Beth Moore Bible study on James. I am excited to be digging into the Word again and know the Lord has some amazing things to show me! One thing that really stood out to me in the first video session was when Beth said she did not want to be identified solely by what she was delivered from, but moreso by what she was delivered to which is a resurrected life in Christ.

^{2 Cor. 5:17}Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.

I have taught a couple of retreats over the last few months and one of the topics we cover is shame. I am always amazed at what a struggle it is for women especially to overcome the shame of their past. Sometimes the shame is a result of things they have willfully done, but many times these women were innocent victims at the hands of skillful predators.

One thing we do in this session is have everyone write down one or two of their most predominant shame lies they have believed about themselves. While I knew some of these women really struggled, I was truly shocked and deeply saddened by the words many chose to use to describe themselves. Ugly, stupid, unloveable, dumb, unforgivable, unworthy...devastating words like that. All of them based on a faulty belief system that they would never be good enough to overcome these labels because they just didn't think Jesus could really do anything with them.

If God can look at us as a new creation, why can't we? If God can forget our past, why can't we?

I used to struggle with that word...forget. Was God really unable to remember what we had done? Was it really possible for Him to get spiritual amnesia? After deeper study, I came to understand that the word actually means to no longer be influenced or affected by our past. It is actually the ability to remember what happened without getting that pit in your stomach or feeling the need to hang your head in shame.

Each of us have this opportunity open to us. If we have surrendered out hearts to Christ then we are made new. Not because of anything we did or did not do, but because of His wildly extravagant grace that He lavishes on us. It is like a spiritual Cinderella...He removes our old, tattered rags and clothes us each as a beautiful princess!!

During this session I teach, after the lies have been exposed we look at the Truth of God's Word and what HE says about us!! We replace our faulty belief system with scripture that speaks to who we now are in Christ. We allow ourselves to be released from the grip of shame and from being identified by what we were saved from and focus on what and Whom we were saved to!!

Lord, please allow us to set our old way of thinking about ourselves and allow us to see ourselves through Your lens. Allow us to own that the old things have passed away and behold we are new creations in Christ...robed in His righteousness as surely as royal heiresses! We have an inheritance, Lord, and it is eternal life with You. Would You help us live up to our potential as Your girls!!

Traditions

2011-12-09T20:40:00.001-05:00

a: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) b: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable
2: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
3: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4: characteristic manner, method, or style

My husband was asked an interesting question one day and it has been on my heart. The question was this..."Does God love tradition?"

Makes you think, doesn't it? No other time of the year is as rich with traditions as this one. Christmas trees, nativities, carolling, hot chocolate, family gatherings, stockings filled with goodies, cookies made from recipes generations old and Charlie Brown with his unimpressive Christmas tree. What's not to love, right?

Okay, I realize we are pondering God's love/hate relationship with tradition, but in coming to any semblance of a conclusion we must consider this...Whatever God thinks about tradition, I am confident of this one thing ~ God loves us and we love tradition!

Now I realize some traditions truly can steal God's glory and His Word says He will share His glory with no one, Santa Claus included! We have to be careful that in celebrating our traditions we are not inhibiting the ability of those around us to embrace what it's really all about! But I don't think traditions are inherently bad.

I hope that traditions will remind my kids when they are older that they came from something special. As they decorate their own Christmas trees with ornaments from long ago, I hope they'll share the stories of their origin with their own little ones. When they bake the pumpkin bread and snowball cookies that we've mixed side-by-side each December, I hope they will be comforted by the familiar smells. As they giggle and laugh their way through Elf and Christmas Vacation, I hope they'll remember all those nights snuggled by the fire with pillows, blankets and Daddy's popcorn. I hope mornings filled with lighted candles and shimmering Christmas trees will remind them how Mama used to get up early so those were what they were greeted with as they awoke.

For you see, traditions are the stuff that we are made of. Those bowed heads around the table speak to that! The reading of the Christmas story and the birthday cake for Jesus...the basket of Christmas books and the home-made snowflakes hanging from the ceiling fan over the kitchen table...Santa Mouse and Angel Trees...shoeboxes sent to those without and plates of goodies shared with neighbor friends. Are they rituals mindlessly performed or the result of hearts filled with giddy expectation?

Don't you see it? Traditions can be the very things that prompt our thoughts to focus heavenward forHe created families and our traditions are the threads that bind us all together! Our familial fingerprints, if you will, that makes us distinguishable from all the others.

Now some may ponder this question and arrive at a very different conclusion, but as for me and my house...we're going to embrace our family traditions!

2011-12-04T07:47:00.002-05:00

Happy Sunday!!!!

Santa in the Manger

2011-12-02T09:44:00.001-05:00

We got a card the other day

A Christmas one, in fact,

But it really was the strangest thing

And showed such little tact.

For laying in the manger

Was Santa, big as life,

Surrounded by some little elves

And Rudolph and his wife.

There was so much excitement

That the shepherd’s saw the glow

Of Rudolph’s bright and shining nose

Reflected on the snow.

So in they rushed to see him

Followed by the wise men three,

Who came not bearing any gifts ~

Just some stockings and a tree.

They gathered round about him

To sing praises to his name;

A song about Saint Nicholas

And how he came to fame.

Then they handed him the lists they’d made

Of, oh, so many toys

That they were sure they would receive

For being such good boys.

And sure enough he chuckled,

While reaching in his bag,

And placed in all their outstretched hands

A gift that bore a tag.

And on that tag was printed

A simple verse that read,

“Even though it’s Jesus’ birthday,

Please take this gift instead.”

Then I realized they really did

Know Who this day was for

Though by every indication

They had just chosen to ignore.

And Jesus looked upon this scene,

His eyes so filled with pain ~

They said this year’d be different

But they’d forgotten Him again.

Prayerfully

2011-11-30T10:31:00.006-05:00

Today I have a very dear friend who is in surgery. It is not what they consider minor surgery, but extensive, intense surgery. I am finding it hard to think about much else besides my friend and her hubby waiting for news on her condition. Waiting is hard...

Be still and know that I am God.

I am, Lord, but it is hard!

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.

Patiently?

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

I'll wait, Lord...trusting your sovereignty and your care of my friend!

Thank You, Lord, that You knit my friend together in your mother's womb! Thank You that You are intimately acquainted with every nerve, vessel and fiber of her being! Thank You for the assurance that You love her more than any of us ever could! Thank You for Your presence there in that operating room and for your watch over the surgeons!

May You be glorified in it all!!!

P.S. Just got word that her surgery is done and it went well! So very thankful!!!

2011-11-19T08:51:00.004-05:00

Coffee on the back porch while sounds of life escape thru cracked doors and windows.

A simple reminder that being still and quiet is an attitude of the heart and not a location easily found!

Psalm 46:10 ~ Be still and know that I am God.

Yes, yes you are...and I am waiting...heart and mind at rest...for what You have to say!

Pain

2011-11-14T07:20:00.004-05:00

We are in the middle of a missions emphasis at church and our friend, JB spoke yesterday. JB has been a friend of ours for almost 16 years and it was amazing to see how he has grown in his ability to communicate in a public forum. Made me get teary-eyed I was just so proud of him.

JB was talking about leading missions trips to Cambodia and Haiti and the extreme poverty of wealth and spirit you can witness there. He also shared about witnessing extreme joy from people who have nothing because they have had a radical encounter with Jesus Who meets all their expectations and needs according to His riches in glory. JB had a lot of great things to share, but one statement he shared really resonated with me. He was talking about the phenomenon of pain and what it drives us to do and he said...

When you hurt, I pray! When I hurt, I doubt!

Wow! What a truthful nugget to chew on!! My first response when I hear of pain and struggle in someone else's life is always to pray. I let them know I am praying, I request others to pray and I talk to the Lord a lot about their pain. When I experience pain, though, I often jump ahead of prayer to questioning why Papa would allow me to hurt so deeply if He loves me as much as He says He does. Why do I assume His grace, mercy and care is sufficient for everyone but me?

It seems as if other's pain allows me to clearly see His care, desire and ability to intervene on their behalf while my own pain causes me to curl up in the fetal position and wonder why He seems so far away! How is that?

Reality is, the same compassion He has for the hurts of my friends and those I hear about is available to me in just as superfluous a capacity as it is for them. I just have to own that Truth. I just have to understand that there is a picture so much bigger than I can adequately comprehend. I must believe deep in my heart that an imperfect world full of imperfect people is going to have imperfect things happen within it that cause me pain, but that is not the end of the story. There is a perfect Saviour Who is more than able to gather me up...hurts and all...and reassemble the pieces of my life the way He sees fit so that my life and my faith end up a work of art created by the One Who can bring beauty from ashes.

^{Isaiah 61:1-3 ~ 1} The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]
^{² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor}

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,
³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair

Thank you, Papa, for loving me enough to allow me to experience pain. Pain, while so difficult at the time, is usually the catalyst that stands to drive me straight into Your arms if I choose not to doubt but to trust Your love and care. May I be willing to extend the same measure of grace to myself as I do to others and may I not allow struggle to turn my eyes away from the You and Your ability to meet me in the midst of my struggle!

She's Back!

2011-11-01T10:01:00.004-04:00

Well, this year has been a year of big changes and lots of unexpected blessings. It has been a year of feeling overwhelmed for me, though, too! So many changes...so many new relationships...so many new responsibilities added to all the old ones...served to make me feel like a deer in headlights. On the outside I looked pretty calm, but on in the inside I was scrambling!

Since my kids need to eat every day and if I don't school them they may have to go live somewhere else...and since my house continues to get dirty, the clothes need washing, the relationships need stroking and the church women need overseeing...the only thing I could think that I could let go of was taking care of myself! Of course, in hindsight, I realize this was a foolish conclusion to reach, but it was where I landed, none-the-less!

Sadly, my multiple workouts a week fell to the wayside, my writing dwindled down because I didn't even take the time to ponder much of anything and any type of strategic eating plan was just one more draining thing to have to maintain. So while I tried to look in the mirror and embrace the almost 48 year old face and body that stared back at me, it was becoming increasingly hard and it was my own fault!

About a month ago I decided it was time to take care of me again. I decided it was time to carve out time to remember what I liked, who I was, what I thought and to exercise just for me! I started walking again, I took more pictures of things that made me happy, I resumed a healthier way of eating, I started taking my vitamins and supplements again and I allowed myself just to sit and think. Today I took the next step which might have been the hardest of all...

I invited Jillian back into my life!!!

Ugh! I had forgotten how mixed my emotions were where she was concerned! On the one hand she works my tail and that is a good thing! On the other hand, she works my tail in such a way that it makes me hate her just a teensy little bit. I guess I consider her a necessary evil when you get right down to it.

At the beginning of the year I was doing P90X or 2 levels of Jillian at a time. Today I managed to struggle thru the first level of Jillian and then get on the elliptical for 20 minutes to finish up. This time around I am bringing a very bum knee to the workouts and so I had to modify slightly, but I did it!

Day 1 is in the books!

It's hard when you have put yourself in the position of starting at square 1 again, but...I started! I took the plunge and I am going to continue because, quite frankly, I am worth taking care of! Hopefully a benefit will be clothes fitting better and a weight deficit slowly recorded, but right now I am just happy to be doing something for myself.

Thank You, Lord, for your gentle reminder that I am important, too. Thank You for helping me realize that in taking care of myself I position myself to be better equipped to take care of others. Thanks for motivating me to let Jillian whoop my tail and cause me to push my body to the extremes again! Thank You, most of all for your sweet murmurings that, in spite of it all, You love me just the way I am!!

2011-10-23T07:36:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday!!!

My Day in Pictures

2011-10-21T17:13:00.014-04:00

If these walls could talk!

Love these birds in the mist!

Plane overhead reflected in the water!

This is one of my favourites I took today!

One of these Canadian Geese is not like the others! Might have been a little hanky-panky that went on with a swan! ;O)

Stopped for coffee in Madison at The Perk and these were my coffee companions. I looked up at one point and giggled and had to snap their picture...discreetly, of course!

Got a giggle at the irony of The Wellness Trail leading to the cemetery!

This is the Nolan Plantation near Bostwick, GA. It was in a few movies, including My Cousin, Vinny!

Loved the fences around the plantation!

All that's left of one of the slave quarters!

Many an exhausted slave has climbed these few steps over the years!

Cotton!

Carts of cotton waiting to be processed at the only working cotton gin for 150 miles...in Bostwick, GA!

Field white with cotton! So pretty!

I took many, many more pictures than these, but these are some of the highlights! All in all, a lovely day!! :O)

Focus!

2011-10-20T07:22:00.007-04:00

We are fast approaching the time of year when women can become so overwhelmed with all that is on their plates that they start to sink faster than the Titanic on that fateful night! I had recently been contemplating Thanksgiving and Christmas and was pleasantly surprised that I did not feel my anxiety levels rise as I observed that my plate was not too loaded down. Yeah me! And then it happened...

We had a women's ministry meeting!

Breathe in! Breathe out! Breathe in! Breathe out!

I had forgotten that this was my first year as a wife at the helm in a church environment where there is no lack of opportunities and needs during the holiday season!! The list was endless and I felt my pulse start to quicken and my eyes glaze over as I processed all that was being shared! The worst part was that it was all good. Not one thing was something I could roll my eyes at and dismiss as unnecessary fluff! What to do? What to do?

First thing to do was to realize that one or two or three people cannot do it all! It takes a whole body of believers working together to make it all happen. Letting the hands be the hands and the feet be the feet and every little part of the body operate in its entirety is essential. We need each other!

A number of years ago I quit sending Christmas cards. It wasn't that I think there is anything wrong with Christmas cards, it was just that particular year I realized I could either send Christmas cards or I could enjoy Christmas...and I chose the latter! Fortunately for me, the advance of technology and the invention of FB has kept me in touch with most of the people who would have gotten my Christmas cards anyway. I still enjoy receiving all the cards each year, but I treasure the feeling of not succumbing to the pressure to meet a deadline in the midst of an already busy time!

Now back to the church....I again had a choice. I could look at all that needed to be done and feel the pressure to cram as much as I could into my days or I could calmly ponder the possibilities and focus in on what I was passionate about! What could I, based on the giftings and passions the Lord has placed within me, contribute to this list? Suddenly I found my eyes begin to refocus and my pulse begin to regain its natural rhythm and it all became very clear to me.

There is a group of widows who live in an apartment complex by the church. Many of them have serious needs, but we don't really even know who they are or how truly extensive their needs might be. How fun would it be to plan a tea and invite them all to come and be spoiled for a morning? Allow them to use fine china and taste sweet desserts fixed lovingly with my own hands. Let them eat off of fancy tablecloths and use cloth napkins to wipe their mouths. I am sure for many, if not all of them, this would be a highly unusual occurrence. How disarming would it be, though, for them to realize someone cared enough to treat them like high society ladies? How credible would it make us to pamper them and then tell them we really do care and want to help? How helpful to build a relationship with them to assess what their true needs are during the holidays and all year long?

How relieved did I feel to see with clarity where my gifts and passions could best be utilized? He has wired me to be hospitable and here was an opportunity for me to exercise my spiritual gift!!

Instead of shutting down, I felt myself coming to life. Before I left the church there were already 5 of us committed to going and loving on these ladies. I found myself mentally planning a menu and decorating the tables as I happily drove out of the parking lot!

Reality is, there are still many areas on the list that was presented that need to be covered and I am asking the Lord to impress upon hearts just where exactly they fit in His plan! If we all begin to step out and operate within our giftedness as He gives us opportunity, we eliminate the need for a few people to bear the burden of carrying out all that needs to be done and becoming overwhelmed.

Are you a hand? A foot? Are you a planner? Hospitable? Do you love all that goes with an administrative position or do you come alive as your creative juices start to flow? You have a role...you were created with a definite purpose! Will you ask the Lord to show you what it is and then jump in knowing that He has prepared you for such a time as this?

Read with me these words from the Casting Crowns song, We Are the Body, and ask yourself just where exactly do you fit! The Body is counting on you!!

It's crowded in worship today

As she slips in

Trying to fade into the faces

The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know

Farther than they know

CHORUS

But if we are the Body

Why aren't His arms reaching

Why aren't His hands healing

Why aren't His words teaching

And if we are the Body

Why aren't His feet going

Why is His love not showing them there is a way

There is a way

A traveler is far away from home

He sheds his coat

And quietly sinks into the back row

The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances

Are better out on the road

CHORUS

But if we are the Body

Why aren't His arms reaching

Why aren't His hands healing

Why aren't His words teaching

And if we are the Body

Why aren't His feet going

Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus paid much too high a price

For us to pick and choose who should come

And we are the Body of Christ

If we are the body

Why aren't His arms reaching

Why aren't His hands healing

Why aren't His words teaching

And if we are the body

Why aren't His feet going

Why is His love not showing them there is a way

2011-10-16T12:04:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday!!!

Desire Granted!

2011-10-11T08:39:00.002-04:00

Psalm 37:4 ~

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

All I ever wanted to do was be a wife and a Mama. December 1, 1990 the first part of that dream was fulfilled when I married Tim. October 11, 1992 the rest of the dream was fulfilled when I gave birth to Rachel!! Oh how full my heart was when I looked at this little one for whom my heart had longed!!

It has been 19 glorious years and we have had 4 more additions that have multiplied my initial joy exponentially! Today we get to celebrate Rachel, though, and the gift that she is to each of us!

Rachel, I have watched you grow and mature and evolve into a very amazing young woman. I have watched you go from being obsessed with horses to being obsessed with sports. I have watched your Plain Jane ways slowly be set aside and a girl of beauty emerge! I have watched you struggle thru some tough things, but you have clung to the fact that Jesus loves you and so do we!!

I am so proud of you, Rach, and am thankful beyond adequate words for the gift that you are in my life!! I pray that this year is a year of continued spiritual growth for you, of peace that can't be explained and of exciting surprises that you can't even comprehend yet!!

I love you, baby girl!!! XOXO

Shadows

2011-09-26T07:11:00.004-04:00

Tim taught on worry yesterday in church and it was so good. He shared that the definition of worry is to divide the mind or to strangle and knot up. None of those seems desirable yet worry is almost akin to a spiritual discipline for some.

One of our favourite books to read to our kids when they are little is Bedtime For Frances. Frances is a badger with a very vivid imagination. Frances is not a fan of bedtime and she finds many excuses to avoid actually laying down and going to sleep. One episode involves her being convinced there is a monster in the corner and she works herself into a tizzy. After being sent back to bed for the umpteenth time, Frances realizes that the monster that seemed so large is just actually her little bathrobe which has cast a shadow. Not much to actually be afraid of!!

One of the most powerful things that Tim shared yesterday (in my humble opinion ;O) ) was when he said that worry gives a small thing a big shadow! I loved that because it is so true. Worry causes us to take something that is often times not even a big issue and allow it to cast a much bigger shadow than it should be capable of casting. Even if it is a big issue in our lives, we can still be tempted to let it take on a life of its own by not reigning our minds in the way we should.

When you look at the true meaning of worry, it really does seem counter-productive. We are causing ourselves to have a divided mind and be strangled and tied up by worry instead of trusting that the Lord is in control and is taking care of us. We have to wrestle thru in our hearts and come to the conclusion that either He is trustworthy or he is not. It doesn't mean we're not ever going to have concerns or worrisome thoughts, but we can choose to not pitch a tent, make a fire and camp out in the midst of that worry.

Luke 12:25

And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span?

Lord, I don't want to be a woman who allows worry and the cares of the world to define me. I don't want to allow a small thing to cast any big shadows in my life. May I choose to take my thoughts captive and filter everything thru the lens of your sovereignty and care. Help me not be found with a divided mind for then I shall be unstable in all my ways and that is truly no way to live. May I choose to live in the shadow of the cross rather than the shadow of my fears!!

2011-09-06T19:53:00.000-04:00

I'm retreat-bound so I'll see you next week!! Thanks for praying for our time away!! XOXO

2011-09-05T09:01:00.001-04:00

Today is my 27th anniversary!! 27 years ago today, Labour Day Monday, I surrendered my life to the Lord!! I am so thankful for all He has done in me and thru me in those 27 years and can't imagine a life lived without Him!! \O/

2011-09-04T06:21:00.001-04:00

Happy Sunday!!

Measured Words

2011-09-01T06:39:00.007-04:00

With Tim being a pastor now, we are heavily involved in the lives of many people on a daily basis. I love it, but it is tiring. I told Tim the other day that one of the hardest parts of this job is the need to measure every word that comes out of my mouth.

Many conversations are centered around very heavy topics and people are coming to us for advice that can have lasting implications. For instance, one girl called me the other day because she has to make some important medical decisions about her mom. While I was so honoured to have gained this woman's trust, I found myself confronted with the fact that the counsel I gave was regarding the very life of another human being. Not exactly light conversation.

And then the need for confidentiality is a very real issue. Unfortunately Christians, who should be the most confidential people around, can actually be some of the biggest gossips you'll ever find. It can be lonely to look around and realize there are VERY FEW people you can really bounce things off of, seek advice from or share your heart with without the risk of it becoming fodder for the grapevine.

There are so many verses that speak to the tongue that it must be an issue near and dear to the Lord's heart...

Proverbs 15:2

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.

Proverbs 15:4

A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 21:23

He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.

James 1:26

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

James 3:5

So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!

These verses are just a sampling of scriptures that address our tongue and the blessing or curse it can be in our lives and in the lives of others!! The reality is that those of us who lead are held to a higher standard, but all these scriptures are written for the common man or woman as well. Joe Blow and Suzy Q are still very accountable for what comes out of their mouths even though they may not be in a position of leading others. How much stronger would the body of Christ be if we would just work a little harder to get one of the smallest parts of our body truly under control?

There is a children's rhyme that is often sung as a defense against the onslaught of hurtful words. I am sure you know it. It goes like this...

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

That may actually be one of the biggest lies we ever grapple with from a very early age. In actuality, bones will heal much faster than the heart wounds that words inflict. We can recite this little ditty in our best sing-songy voice, but never out-run the sword that pierces our heart as the words are flung in our direction. Words have one of the greatest abilities to hurt like nothing else ever will, but they also have the ability to bring healing that echoes into eternity!

Lord, may I never take lightly the issue of controlling my tongue. May I always keep, in the forefront of my mind, the reality that I have the ability to speak words of life or words of death into the lives of others. Lord help me remember that as people are looking to me for wise counsel there is a desperate need to prayerfully consider what comes out of my mouth before I utter the first word. And Lord, when it is all said and done, may You find I have been faithful in this area of being wise and measured with my words!!

Psalm 19:14 ~ Let my words and my thoughts
be pleasing to you, LORD,
because you are my mighty rock and my protector.

Sleep...Oh Elusive Sleep!

2011-08-28T04:36:00.004-04:00

I saw a sign yesterday that was so me...unfortunately!! It was this...

This is my life lately and it is driving me crazy. I am working on 4 totally new messages to share at 2 retreats, one in less than 2 weeks, and if I come to even the least little bit my brain is triggered and it's on. This morning it was 3 am...most days 4-4:30am. Unfortunately, I really do need more than 4-5 hours sleep!!

Well, off to work on my messages and pray that maybe tomorrow will be the day I sleep late...like maybe 6 or 6:30am!! ;O)

Shame

2011-08-24T05:58:00.003-04:00

I am teaching at 2 retreats this fall and one of the sessions is on shame. Thankfully I guess, shame is not an issue I have had to deal with a lot so it is the one I am least familiar with. In preparation for the retreat I have been reading the book, Shame Lifter, by Marilyn Hontz.

Wow!! I just cannot say enough good about this book! My copy is all highlighted and dog-earred and has given me so much food for thought that sleep has been somewhat illusive these days. I am so thankful that I felt impressed to choose this book out of all the ones I looked at on Amazon during my search for resource material!

If this is an area you struggle with, I highly recommend you check it out!!

Omission

2011-08-21T05:41:00.011-04:00

Wow! I decided to Google a verse this morning because I couldn't remember exactly where it was found. I knew it was Titus 2, but I wanted to be sure of the actual verse numbers. As I glanced at one of the sites that came up in my search, I was shocked and thought surely my eyes were just not focusing that well so early in the morning. I clicked the site to read more and was definitely appalled at what I found.

Apparently there are certain verses in the Bible that the Irish Catholic church doesn't like because they feel they subordinate women and they are discussing just taking them out so as not to "give an undesirably negative impression regarding women." Seriously? You know, verses like that one in Titus 2 that encourage us to love and care for our own families and mind our own business so that the Word of God is not dishonoured. Scandalous, wouldn't you say?

Well, while we're eliminating verses we don't like, I am not really big on that verse that says I am to love and bless those who persecute me. I wouldn't mind it just disappearing. And what about pretty much the whole book of James because it would be a whole lot easier to just run my mouth about someone when they get under my skin rather than have to actually control my tongue and be silent on the matter. I'd also probably change up the Beatitudes a little because those seem very counter-intuitive to how things should play out in real life and I might even just put a big ole red mark through "wives submit to your husbands as unto the Lord" because that seems a tad archaic. I mean, if I can't be comfortable reading the Bible and really enjoy what I read then what's the point?

Is anyone else seeing how truly dangerous a mindset like this is? Tim has talked a lot about the danger of "a la carting" scripture, but this is actually just throwing the whole doggone dinner out the window because it might give you a tummy ache. How dare we choose which verses are important and which ones should be eliminated based on how they make us feel.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 in The Message says ~

There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

I guess we'll have to rip that page out, too, in order to feel good about skipping these other ones! Before long there won't be much left other than something akin to a book about a cosmic Santa who just showers us with goodies because, with no standard to live up to, we all look like good little boys and girls!

Lord, May I never get to the point in my life that I would rather eliminate or ignore portions of scripture that make me uncomfortable or take me out of my comfort zone rather than deal with the Truth of what they say. Would I see each scripture as having great value in my own life and the lives of others. As a teacher, would you make me mute if I ever dare try and distort scripture into a feel-good message that doesn't stand the potential of offending anyone. And, Lord, please forgive those who are choosing to cheapen what Your Son did on the cross to make them feel better about themselves!

40 Days Without Food

2011-08-17T15:38:00.006-04:00

I just read a great ebook, called 40 Days Without Food: Divine Goodness For a Starving Soul. It is by a friend of ours and I was so pleasantly surprised by Russ' literary style and the raw way in which he shared. I realize that could sound like I didn't think Russ had what it takes, but that is not it at all. I just have never had the pleasure of reading anything he wrote and wasn't sure what to expect!

One quote that really stood out to me was when he said (in a slightly paraphrased kind of way) that "the fear of mediocrity often drove him while the fear of failure often held him back". This thought has stuck with me as I have pondered how true this has been in my life at times and the lives of some I know.

As someone who writes and speaks, there is always a tension between not wanting to bore people to death while at the same time remembering the truth found in Galatians 1:10 that what we do we do ultimately for an audience of One! We cannot get caught up in doing anything in order to receive worth and affirmation in an attempt to "be somebody". That is a need that only the Lord can fill in our lives and it is always dangerous to try and fill it in other ways.

Interestingly enough, though, the fear of failure can often be a powerful deterrent to stepping out of our comfort zone and obeying that still small Voice. It, again, can be a case of worrying too much about what others might think if we did actually fall flat on our faces. That would be a highly unlikely scenario, but the fear of it can be paralyzing.

My earnest prayer right now and, I pray, for my remaining days on earth is the truth found in Proverbs 16:9 ~

We plan the way we want to live,

but only God makes us able to live it.

Lord, may I never find myself straining ahead of You trying to make a name for myself to avoid just being an average somebody. May I similarly never find myself refusing to step out of my comfort zone and do what I feel You are encouraging me to do because I fear I may be unsuccessful!

Fear of mediocrity and fear of failure are terrible motivators to attempt anything of lasting value!!

2011-08-17T05:47:00.002-04:00

Today is my anniversary...one month since the last time I wrote on my blog. I am not sure why it took so long. At first I was busy with Tim out of town and packing to go on vacation. Then we were out of town, but once we came back it was like I had a mental block. Whenever I log onto the internet it takes me to my blog. Every day, multiple times, there it was...daring me to come up with something to write. I would have lots of thoughts and think I needed to write them down, but then I would get here and it seemed impossible.

Not sure why I chose today to start writing again. I guess anniversaries are good for new beginnings. At any rate, I hope I am back with lots more to say now. If you are someone who checks in a lot, please forgive me for my lack of producing anything to check in for. I think I just might feel the creative juices flowing! ;O)

Happy Wednesday!!!

2011-07-17T06:20:00.002-04:00

Happy Sunday!!!

Approval

2011-07-16T23:02:00.008-04:00

I hate when I sense someone is upset with me. I hate when I sense I hurt someone without ever meaning to do it. I hate when I feel misunderstood. I hate that any of this ever even matters to me!!!

Galations 1:10 ~ For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Guess I need to tape this one to my forehead for the next little while!

2011-07-04T07:38:00.002-04:00

Happy 4th of July!!!

Stewardship

2011-07-02T20:46:00.014-04:00

I am finding that good stewardship takes lots of patience!

My friend, Rebecca, told me about a book tonight that she thought I would like. She knows that we are kindred spirits when it comes to good books and so when she recommends something I know I will not be disappointed.

Unfortunately we have had to endure some costly repairs lately...4 new tires, new faucet to replace the badly leaking one, other various and sundry household repairs...you get the picture. As a result of these expenses coupled with the never-ending list of baseball expenses we have just spent 6 months forking out, I am trying to be very careful with how we spend our money. We rarely eat out and I am pretty set on school stuff, but I am trying to watch all those little things that add up. For me, books is one of those things that can add up quick!

So in an effort to be a good steward, I took Rebecca's suggestion and went to my online library catalog with it. I searched for the name ~ Unbroken, in case anyone was wondering ~ and was excited to see my library had it. I typed in my number, pressed "request item" and waited. Well, it seems I will be waiting for quite a while because I was number 161 on the waiting list. Given that everyone can check books out for 3 weeks, I should be able to read this book by Fall...2020...if I'm lucky!! LOL!! Of course, by then I may need the large print edition so now I am in a quandary as to which version to reserve!!

I decided to look it up on Amazon...just to see, of course...and it is only $13.99. $13.99 here...$13.99 there...nope, I am not going to let myself do it. In looking at this Amazon page I saw another book that intrigued me and decided it may help me get a good start in passing the next 9 years or so while I wait for the one I really want. I clicked back quickly to my online library catalog and, well, you know the drill...I typed in my number, clicked "request item" and waited. Good news!! I am only #99 on this waiting list!!! Only 6 years wait for that one!! *Rollingeyes*

So now I am wondering, in my never-ending quest to be a good steward, if anyone has any suggestions of books they really liked that no one else would probably want to read? Guess that's not quite what I mean, but at this rate I am going to have a lot of time to read some of the books already piled on my nightstand waiting for their turn...thus the need for better stewardship in this area! *Wink!Wink!*

This whole quest tonight has reminded me that being a good steward has it's additional benefits in allowing you to exercise some of those fruits of the Spirit like patience and self-control!! Funny how one spiritual discipline just leads so well into another. Now I guess I better go remove that book from my Amazon shopping cart before I lose what self-control I have managed to hold on to so far!!

Happy page-turning everyone!

P.S. I just finished a great book called Joy For Beginners. It is by the author of The School of Essential Ingredients which I really, really liked, too! I highly recommend them both...Rebecca! ;O)

P.S.S. I do realize with more than one copy of each book I won't have to wait quite as long as I made it out to be! Still not exactly right around the corner, though! ;O)

Savannah Bound!

2011-06-23T21:25:00.002-04:00

Jesse and I are Savannah bound for the weekend. This is the last weekend of baseball for the Cash 2011 baseball season and I am so thankful!! I hope once we are done running hither and yon I will not feel so discombobulated and will be more able to post on here. These days my brain has been fried and unable to tackle one more mental task.

Look out Savannah...here we come!

2011-06-12T07:09:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday!

Our Battle...

2011-06-10T11:54:00.003-04:00

I was reading in Ephesians this morning and came upon this...

Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

While I agree with it in principle, this morning I felt it missed the mark! Some days I do feel my battle is against flesh and blood...my own!!! Some days I have a bad attitude, I know it and I don't really even care. Some days I am my own worst enemy!!

Today was one of the days I just felt blah! I do have something weighing heavy on my heart, but I know from past experiences that I can be weighed down and not have a sour attitude. Bad thing about today was that I wasn't sure I cared enough to pull myself up and out of my pit! Ever felt like that?

But, since I tell my children that they can do what's right even when they don't feel like it, I decided I better get to work!. I read my Bible for a while and then I asked the Lord to help me with my attitude! I asked Him to help me employ Phil. 4:8 & 9...

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. ⁹ The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

After I was done reading and praying I decided the final step to removing myself from the pit was to get in a little garden therapy! I pulled some weeds and asked Papa to pull the weeds He saw in my life...the weed of "control" and how I act when I feel out of control! I watered my plant babies and asked Papa to shower me with His peace and his encouragement! I walked about my garden and observed the beautiful flowers that at one time had been dormant, but were now in full bloom.

I asked Papa to allow the same thing to happen for me!!!

Rain...Finally!

2011-05-27T09:56:00.006-04:00

We have needed rain so badly and we finally got it last night! I could have done without the 4am thunderstorm, but I was thankful none-the-less! I had fun this morning snapping shots of happy blooms!

I found a song that spoke to what I was witnessing and a portion of it goes like this...

T’was just a garden in the rain

Close to a little leafy lane
A touch of color ’neath skies of gray
The raindrops kissed the flowerbeds
The blossoms raised their leafy heads
A perfumed thank you
They seemed to say

(Garden in the Rain by Diana Krall)

The sun will soon be out and the ground will again get parched, but for now I will enjoy the sight of raindrop kissed blossoms!!

Championship Bound!!

2011-05-25T07:40:00.004-04:00

Benji goes to a Christian school in our town and plays on the varsity baseball team. They didn't used to have a team because there were not enough boys to make one up but now, after many years of hard work and perseverance, the Hebron Lions are playing for the Class A championship!

To say these boys are excited is an understatement! To say that it has been thrilling and nerve-wracking as a parent is equally understating it! Adrenaline is running high and we are getting ready to host the game at our field on Saturday!!

Whatever the outcome, I am so proud of Benji Cash I can hardly stand it! He has worked hard, kept a good attitude and been a leader on and off the field. He had the best 2 games of his career in Savannah and played some amazing ball! Baseball is huge in our family and to see him excel in such a way is amazing! Character is even bigger in our family and to hear his coaches speak to the high level of this that he possesses is even more exciting as a parent!

Benji, I am so proud of the young man you have become! I pray you get to experience the sweet thrill of victory this weekend! Whatever happens, though, continue to walk as a passionate follower of Jesus Christ! That road always leads to victory in the end!!

Love you, Mama XOXO

I think he's happy...what do you think?!

Praying after the victory that sends them to the championship game!

The 3 amigos! So thankful Benji has friends like these!!!

Blogged...Er...Bogged Down!

2011-05-19T07:52:00.005-04:00

I seem to be rather bogged down and finding myself without much to say lately in the blog world. Nothing in particular is wrong, but life is full and so is my brain. Usually it helps me to put some of those thoughts down, but they seem to be jammed up in there...unable to spill out as normal.

Our transition to the church has been a good one so far! I am thankful to be able to see my husband loving his new job! After doing something for 21 years, there is a little apprehension and wonder whether this new venture will go as well. 6 months down and he is loving it! Even our one child who resists change has had to admit that Daddy is in his element!!

Baseball is still going strong! Benji is a sophomore playing varsity and they have made it to the Final 4 in the Class A state tournament! He has had such a good year and we are so excited to see the discipline and determination he has shown! We head to Savannah this weekend and play Monday afternoon! How exciting it would be to actually win state! We have 8 players graduating this year and it would be an awesome way to go out!!

We have had an unusually cool spring and I have been loving it!! Today is charted to be the last cool day it seems for a while and I am trying not to panic! Oh how I dread the GA heat of summer! I love living here 9 months out of the year, but June, July and August make me question my sanity when, as a Canadian girl, I said "I do!" to a southern boy! Wouldn't change it for anything, though! I still have trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that Papa loved me so much He allowed me to have such an amazing marriage! So thankful for that redneck man of mine!!

Well, I think we'll seize the day and the low temps and go pick strawberries! They have been exceptionally sweet this year and I have been loving all my jam making and such! Might have to make one more batch of chocolate covered strawberries before the season winds down!

I pray you all finish out May strong! Much love and many blessings!!

Heart Talk

2011-05-12T09:52:00.000-04:00

Someone I know is hurting a lot right now. She is experiencing pain that is in part due to circumstances she created herself. That aside, it is a painful time for her and I am praying for her.

My friend has tended to have a hard heart over the years and now is no exception. In an attempt to protect herself, she is making decisions for someone else that affects a lot of other people. I wrote to my friend today and appealed to her out of love and care for her and her heart.

Please join me in praying that my friend will respond in humility and change her mind. In my flesh I don't think it is likely to happen, but I know the Lord can do exceedingly abundantly more than I could ask or think! Please make that your prayer, too!!

Lord, please allow my friend to have a softened heart and do the right thing!!

ETA: Well, she told me to get a life and stay out of hers! Prayers obviously still needed!! :O(

Ack!!!

2011-05-09T09:30:00.003-04:00

I have jacked up the look of my blog and am having trouble fixing it! Hope I'll look normal soon!!!

P.S. Somehow I got it fixed and am so thankful!! I am so technically challenged!!!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T07:25:00.002-04:00

May our hearts bleed with thankfulness for the gifts we have in our precious children!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Intoxicating!

2011-05-04T06:52:00.004-04:00

This is a repost because I am experiencing the exact same smells and thoughts!!

The view of the jasmine winding up the porch!

It's no secret, if you have read my blog at all, that my back porch is my sanctuary! I have a sign over the bed out here that says, "Come away to a secret place and rest for a while." As I sit out here this morning, the smell of the jasmine winding it's way up the steps is intoxicating! It hits you as soon as you walk out the door or around the corner of the house and it fills me with great joy and leaves me wanting more as I go throughout the day.

2 Corinthians 2:15 says ~ "Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life."

That is the ability we have if we are grafted into His vine...the ability to give off a scent that draws others to Him and leaves them wanting more! Casting Crowns wrote a song and these are some of the words...

Your love is extravagant
Your friendship, it is intimate
I feel I'm moving to the rhythm of Your grace
Your fragrance is intoxicating in the secret place
Cause Your love is extravagant

It is in the secret place with Him that we take on the fragrance of Christ. As I sat here this morning contemplating Him and singing to Him, I become a little more fragrant to those I will come into contact with. Some, who are unfamiliar with the fragrance, will not be able to identify what it is, but they will be forced to acknowledge it none-the-less.

Thank you, Papa, for creating within me a desire and an awareness of the fragrance that comes from spending time with You in the secret place. Would my life always be a fragrant offering that draws others to You...

Can you smell it?

Jam!

2011-04-29T10:52:00.003-04:00

From this...

To this...

Yummmmmmmm!!!!!!

What Makes Me Happy!

2011-04-27T15:11:00.014-04:00

Wish you could smell and taste these strawberries! They are so sweet. I also love my new Pyrex bowl I have them in. I am a sucker for vintage kitchen stuff!!

My "friend" butchered my tree and now I am not sure my shade plants will have enough shade! :O( This flower bed still makes me happy, though!!

Our new front porch. I am hoping to get a pergola built on the top of it and put a canvas sail on it to provide a little shade. I love sitting out there and watching the kids play!

See those lines on the grass? I put them there!!!!

These are some of my peonies that looked too pretty to leave out there with the risk of severe weather looming! Aren't they gorgeous? My pink ones have a bazillion blooms, but none have opened yet. I so hope they fair well tonight!!!

My wisteria looks so pretty! Good thing it does because my friend informed me it smells like cat urine! LOL!! Lovely!! :OP

Rest

2011-04-25T20:40:00.003-04:00

It's funny how different we all are on any given day and in any given way. I was very tired when I got up this morning. I am finding that Easter weekend is not at all a restful time for a pastor nor his family. It was amazing, though, and we LOVED celebrating Jesus' resurrection with our new church family. Back to being tired, though...

My friend and I were talking last night about how we were dreading Monday and all it held. After a weekend like this one, Monday is a harsh dose of reality. I decided since hiding in bed didn't seem like an option, my next best option for escape was cutting the grass. Now I know some of you just raised your eyebrows in amazement that I used "escape" and "cut grass" in the same sentence, but cutting grass is very therapeutic for me. I think it has to do with the fact that I am left with just my thoughts and the dull roar of the lawnmower motor which also, in its own glorious way, drowns out the voices of my children. I mean, I love my children deeply, but they were as tired as I was and it was just not a good combination.

So I donned my grubby clothes, put my hair in a ponytail and and then told my kids where I would be if they should happen to start bleeding profusely and need my assistance. And then my world ground to a halt and tilted slightly to the right of center when...

Jesse told me all our lawnmowers were in the shop!!!

Who sends all their lawnmowers to the shop at the same time? Apparently my husband does and I was none too happy about it. I even found myself starting to panic a little at the thought that I might be forced to abandon my lawn-mowing plan and actually listen to my kids squabble all morning as they struggled to overcome their exhaustion, too. This would require a cool head and some thinking so I took a deep breath and surveyed the driveways of my neighbours. The only one who looked promising was Fred and so I walked over and knocked on his door, hoping he would answer.

Fred did answer and he did have a push mower that I was welcome to use. He actually had 2 push mowers, but I started with the smaller and more basic of the two. I pushed it home, put gas in it and squeezed my eyes shut tight as a I breathed a quick prayer that it would start. After countless tries to no avail, the starter cord broke and I was left to wonder just how much the gas I had poured into the tank of this useless lawnmower had actually cost me!! Ugh!

I then went back over and got the granddaddy of all lawnmowers and pushed it back to my house, all the time praying my grass-cutting hopes were not about to be dashed again. I added the gas (albeit less this time than I did the first) and asked the Lord to look favourably upon me. I took a deep breath, pulled the cord a few times and was greeted by the raucous sound of working mower. What music to me ears!!! While the lawnmower did work, the self-propulsion feature did not and this was a honking huge lawnmower. Desperate times call for desperate measures, though, and I decided blocking out all sounds of life around me was worth the very significant effort it was going to take.

What would normally take me about 40 minutes with no stops took me about an hour with 3. I was hot, sweaty and quickly developing blisters, but I was alone with my thoughts and that was worth any amount of back-breaking effort needed at that point. I didn't get the yard completed, but I did get to look outside a couple of times this afternoon and see those lines I put there. I did gaze gleefully at it as I drove out the street to yet another ballgame this afternoon, too!!

So, while my sanity came at an exhausting price, the Lord allowed me to escape in just the way I needed. He let me sweat in silence, surrounded by my thoughts and the sight of my children's mouths moving while no discernible sounds could be heard.

It's now 9pm and I am in bed...ready to call it a day! I feel like after a day of cutting grass and a night of sound sleep, I'll be able to re-enter and face whatever the rest of the week holds. As I get ready to lay my head on the pillow, though, I find myself thanking Papa that He loves me enough to allow me to do just exactly what helps ME escape.

*Sweet dreams*

2011-04-24T14:10:00.001-04:00

Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here...He is risen!!!

It's Friday...

2011-04-22T08:38:00.000-04:00

Lady Banks!

2011-04-11T10:39:00.005-04:00

My friend, Sheri, gave me this Lady banks Rose about 6 years ago. She is still in the original pot I planted her in and it is obviously not hindering her growth at all! I took these pics from the back porch to show you why I love coffee out there so much! She makes me happy!

Note: All but the last picture are taken through a screen so not as clear as they could be! You get the idea, though! ;O)

To Everything There is a Season!

2011-04-11T09:00:00.008-04:00

Ecclesiastes 3:1 ~ There is a time for everything,

and everything on earth has its special season.

2011-04-10T06:31:00.000-04:00

May you have a blessed Sunday!!

Update!

2011-04-06T09:31:00.002-04:00

I spoke to the Food and Beverage Director for the Hyatt on the phone and he was very friendly. He said in the past when they have attempted to pay for "Mrs. Joan's" food she has felt bad. She worked in the restaurant business herself, which she did share during our conversation, and so she knows how it all works. He felt to try and cover her meal every day might jeopardize her feeling comfortable coming there and it truly is the bright spot in her day!

I am thankful they are aware of her and are watching out for her. I pray that they will remain sensitive to her needs should her situation change in any way.

Praying Mrs. Joan has a very special day and that she remains strong enough to continue her ritual for a long time to come...maybe even until next year when I return to Cincinnati. Sure would love to get to see her again!!

Thanks for praying!! :O)

Cincinnati!

2011-04-05T16:00:00.005-04:00

Thank you to everyone who prayed for my weekend...it was wonderful! My friend, Joanna, traveled with me and we had such a good time. The speaking went very well and, although I was nervous the first time I shared my new session, overall I had a lot of fun encouraging (I hope) everyone there. My sessions seemed well received and I even had a whole front row of teen boys for my teen girl session. So happy they know what to look for in a girl now!! ;O)

One of the highlights of the weekend for me, though, had nothing to do with the convention. Joanna and I stayed at the Grand Hyatt and, after an initial mix-up with the reservation, we were well taken care of the whole time. The Hyatt has a breakfast buffet and it was so yummy!! The coffee, OJ, fruit, bacon and goette (a German dish we came to love) provided us with a delicious start to our day.

The first day we were dining, we noticed an elderly, hunched-over lady making an entrance to the restaurant. She was greeted very warmly by all the wait staff and it was evident that she is a beloved patron. She was cute as she could be and we decided she looked like someone right out of a Jane Austen novel...much more suited for an English cottage than a Cincinnati hotel! We smiled as we watched her get herself settled and start to enjoy her breakfast.

The second day we were having breakfast we, again, watched her make her entrance. She hobbled in leaning heavily on her cane and we realized she was being led to the table right next to us. I was so happy because it meant we were about to have a chance to meet her and hear a little of her story. She slowly unwound her scarf, removed her coat and hood and sat down with a sigh.

Her countenance was radiant and she greeted us so warmly it was like we were long lost friends. She shared that she lived a few blocks down and frequented the Hyatt restaurant daily for her breakfast. It was evident that she felt a little bad about her guilty pleasure because she said, with 20 grandchildren, she really should be better about watching her money and not spending it on her stomach like that every day. She let us know, though, that without this daily excursion to eat, her opportunities for leaving her tiny apartment and interacting with others would be limited. She said she rode the bus there because she was always rather weak and hungry, but once she had a little food in her stomach she felt revived and walked her way back home again.

I was so sad when it was time to leave and I have found my thoughts drifting back to this lovely little soul and her morning ritual. I have been so consumed by her that I decided it was time to take action. So, today I wrote a letter to the manager of the Grand Hyatt and proposed that I think they should provide this lady her breakfast for free every morning. What costs one so much is really a mere pittance to another and what an incredible way to show that the bottom line is often more about serving than pocketing a profit! I pointed out that she would be a wonderful senior ambassador for the Grand Hyatt Cincinnati and that those for whom acts of kindness are vitally important would be sure to spread the word!!!

I immediately heard back from the manager who said he was well aware of this patron and that she was, in fact, a loyal customer. He promised me that he had forwarded my letter to the proper authority and he would get back to me after a decision was reached. I find myself checking my email frequently and the kids and I prayed at lunch that the idea would be received very favourably by those with the ability to make the final decision. Would you join me in praying? Please pray that this sweet one will be greeted with a wonderful surprise soon and see it as a reminder that getting old does not always mean being overlooked...that people care enough to bless her and that she touched the heart of a couple of Georgia girls just passing through!

I'll be sure and let you know when I hear something! Until then I think I may have trouble sleeping!!

Lord, Your word says...

Proverbs 21 ~ ¹ The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.

Would you please allow this sweet little lady to find favour in the eyes of the hotel heads. Would they realize that what is sacrificial for one is a decision whose stakes aren't quite as high for another. Would they find themselves becoming as excited as me (if that is possible) about the opportunity to bless the socks off a very unsuspecting recipient and would they see that, in the end, giving while expecting nothing in return is truly what makes life beautiful!

On the Road Again!

2011-03-30T06:45:00.003-04:00

My friend and I are heading out this morning for Cincinnati so I can speak at the Midwest Homeschool Convention. Prayers for safe travels, minimal rain, strength and a productive time in Cincy would be appreciated!

See you Monday!!

2011-03-27T06:57:00.000-04:00

Happy, happy Sunday!!

Familiarity

2011-03-24T06:00:00.011-04:00

I was recently doing a Beth Moore study and it was time to look up a page full of scriptures that told about the miracles of Jesus. Many of these were very familiar stories and so Beth cautioned us with this simple admonition...

Do not let familiarity cheat you!

For some reason, that quote stood out in emblazened letters to me and the truth of what it was saying began to seep in.

Whether scripturally speaking or in life in general, we all stand to allow familiarity to cheat us from all He has to share with us. Whether it is skimming over a well known passage and missing a nugget He has for us...whether it is in the incessant talking of our children that we find ourselves tuning out on occasion as a means of maintaining sanity...or whether it is the patterns of marriage we find ourselves following blindly along in until we have nearly lost our way.. .we let familiarity cheat us at times!

We think we know what to expect so we push auto pilot and do not fully engage in the life that is going on around us. How many times have I cheated myself or cheated someone I love because I allowed familiarity to blind me? Oh that I would see each day and each moment as a fresh opportunity to engage with my family, engage with my friends and engage with the one Who gives me my next breath.

Familiarity can be a gift. It can be a comfort to really know those we interact with and engage with on a daily basis. It can create a sense of peace to be known and know fully in intimate ways, but it can also create opportunities for the nuances of life to become overlooked.

Father, I thank you for this life You have given me and for the people I get to share it with. I am blessed beyone my wildest dreams. I do desire though, Papa, to stay fully engaged...first and foremost with You so that I would not miss anything You would have to show me! I also don't want to cheat myself and cheat those I love by operating on auto-pilot because the terrain is so familiar that it does not require my full attention. Please keep me from allowing familiarity to cheat me from anything You would have for me!

A New Day

2011-03-23T07:13:00.007-04:00

Yesterday was a pretty busy day. I did some school with the kids, cleaned up, did quite a bit of laundry, cooked a big lunch and just generally attended to Mama stuff. Benji had a game, but it wasn't til 4:45pm so I had time, after all my work was done, to take a shower and freshen up. That may seem like it shouldn't be anything noteworthy, but if you are reading this and are a Mama you understand how exciting it really is!

When I got to the field, I realized just what a glorious day it was for baseball...high 70's, no humidity and a good breeze that kept it from feeling even the least bit hot. This is the reason I think there is no place like Georgia in the springtime!! It had been warm enough when I left home for me to put on shorts and, since I had pulled my chair up to the wall behind home plate, I decided to put my legs up and get a little sun on my haven't-seen-sun-for-months legs.

I raised my legs, stretched them out and gazed down at them in all their whiteness. And then it hit me...

I had only shaved one leg in the shower!

The bad thing is, I know I shaved 2 legs so evidently I shaved the same one twice! Seriously? That is what I have been reduced to? A woman who, when she finally gets freed up enough to take a shower does so, only to realize later that she was so far gone she will now have to wait til tomorrow to shave the other leg. Of course, by then the first leg's hairs will have grown enough that it will have stubble and I will be reduced to shaving that leg for the third time in 2 days!

Somehow, when I held that first little baby in my arms so many years ago, I never thought that motherhood would take such a toll on my mind! I used to be sharp. I used to be able to complete a thought AND a sentence and sometimes do both at the same time. I used to be able to remember names, numbers and other important facts in my head. I used to be able to get out of the shower with both legs shaved at the same time! Sheesh!

Well, the good news is that today is a new day with new opportunities...and a new chance to make sure that both legs get shaved at the same time!! My one consolation is that immediately upon discovering my oversight, I posted about it on FB to try and encourage other moms as they slogged through their day that they were not the only ones for whom the mind was slipping! As sisters in this journey always do, my friends encouraged me that they too have done just this (along with a few other hilarious things) and that I am not alone in my craziness. Laughter truly is good medicine and being able to laugh at one's self is always an admirable quality!

So today, may women all across the nation rise up in their calling...and attempt to find time not only to shower, but to make sure both legs get shaved at the same time!!

2011-03-21T14:06:00.004-04:00

Well, thank you to anyone who prayed for our trip to Greenville! The conference was wonderful and had an amazing turnout for its first time being held there. The people were incredibly friendly (which shouldn't be surprising since it WAS held in the south ;O) ) and there was a vast array of speakers.

The response for our sessions was great and it was such a privilege for both Tim and I to get to share and encourage these precious people who are walking a very similar road as us! Brennan Dean and his team did a great job organizing everything and seeing to the needs of their speakers! I am actually really excited about heading to Cincy next week to speak!

We were very sad when we found out we had missed Benji's first high school homerun, but we did make it back in time to see him play at Coolray Field where the AAA Braves play! What a rush for the boys to see their names on the big screen and pulling out a hard fought win was icing on the cake!

Here is a picture of our handsome first baseman in the dugout!

Come see us at the Midwest Homeschool Convention!!

2011-03-17T08:03:00.005-04:00

Hope you guys have a great weekend! Can't wait to see very special friends in Greenville, SC this weekend at the Southeast Homeschool Convention!! It is going to be a blast and I anticipate making some new friends, too, while I am there!!

See you Monday!!

Through the Fog!

2011-03-16T08:58:00.007-04:00

Some days I feel like I am in a fog...having trouble making sense of things and knowing I do not have a true perspective. Not much of anything has definition. There are things I think I need to know now and I can sometimes make out the outline of answers, but then the mist crawls across in wisps and I am left wondering again.

Corinthians 13:12 ~ We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

This morning I looked outside and what greeted me was such a beautiful portrait of what I am feeling! Wanna see?

That's it! The sun (Son) is spotted through the mist and I start to have some clarity. What was once shrouded starts to make sense!

I just had to leave the computer and run outside with the camera again. As I was typing my thoughts, all of a sudden the room started to glow as the sun made it's full appearance and the mist was overshadowed. The mist was still there, but the sun was the dominant sight! Look at it blazing away!!

Isn't that the way it is in life? Sometimes His presence is a faint glow that I can barely make out and other times He bursts forth on the scene in such a show of radiance that His presence cannot be mistaken!

Ephesians 5:8-10 ~ You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.

Lord, I am tired of groping! I am tired of stumbling around! I desire to live in the bright Light of Christ so that my way is made plain. May I quit focusing on me and my own comforts and desires. Would I desire to be so hidden in You that Your radiance leaks out from me in such a way that everyone will catch a glimpse of You and Your radiance at work in me!!

2011-03-13T06:45:00.001-04:00

Happy Sunday!!

My People

2011-03-10T09:46:00.003-05:00

I am getting ready to speak at 3 homeschool conventions over the next few months...2 of them this month! As it gets closer to time to go I , as always, find myself fighting the urge to panic! Just keeping it real... ;O)

I was emailing back and forth this morning with Amanda Bennett, a rock star amongst homeschoolers, and she was trying to talk me down off the ledge. She feels a sense of duty in talking me down I am sure because she is the reason I am speaking in the first place. She is probably my greatest cheerleader and is always calling me and saying, "I was talking to so-and-so about you today." These conversations generally result in me agreeing to do something and then she later must come along and help keep me from being thrust into full panic mode!

This morning she shared these very wise words with me...

Feel, felt, found...

I know how you feel
I have felt that way myself
I found that if I did this..... that everything worked better....

It is our experiences, our testimony, our discovered coping techniques that they need, and they need to know that they are not the only ones to have these feelings, frustrations, etc.

It was quite funny to me that her wise words and a certain country music chorus that has been resounding in my mind merged quite well together! This is what I keep hearing as I contemplate speaking...

These are my people
This is where I come from
Were givin' this life everything we got and then some
It ain't always pretty
but it's real
It's the way we were made
Wouldn't have it any other way
These Are My People

The people who will be sitting in those chairs are my people! I do know how they feel and I have felt the same way myself...often!! So here I sit, contemplating how the Spirit works and realizing that I am a perfect candidate for Him to work through because my natural abilities are tapped out!

2011-03-06T06:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday!!!

Worth!

2011-03-02T06:38:00.007-05:00

I am in the process of preparing for the homeschool conventions that I am speaking at this spring. I have 2 sessions and one of them is the session I did last year called She Senses the Worth of Her Work. I was worried that I might have trouble doing the same session again and find ways to make it fresh. It is crazy, though, but as I started reading through my notes I found I am as passionate as ever about this topic and am excited to share with another group of women!

I was reading through my notes on Saturday as I sat at the ballpark in Columbus, GA at a double header Benji had that day. Our drive home was almost 3 hours and Benji and I had the best time laughing, talking and just spending time together. I realized that time like that is one of the pay-offs that shows me very clearly the worth in what I do every day.

The relationship that I share with my kids makes everything I do as a stay-at-home mom and homeschooler worth it. I am not saying that women who put their children in school or work can't have the same kind of relationship with their kids, but being a stay-at-home homeschooler is hard and some days it is hard to keep slugging it out. Knowing that it was a tool the Lord used to mesh our hearts together is amazing.

The world loves to distort the lens that women look at themselves through. We never feel smart enough, skinny enough, appreciated enough or loved enough. Riding home with Benji and listening to him share his heart and just cutting up and laughing together was such an encouragement. Having my kids tell me they are so happy God gave them a Mama who is a great cook makes all those days I have to figure out what to cook for dinner worth it! Having a teenage daughter who wants to talk to me about things in her life and a child who calls me "Sugar Lips"...does it get any better than that?

It may seem, on any given day, like our time is filled with mundane tasks and constant irritations and interruptions all strung together, but the intrinsic worth in all we do is so priceless we could never put a monetary value on it!

Thank You, Papa, for letting me see such fruit from years of labour! Thank You for the strong relationships I share with my children and for the amazing young men and women they are becoming. Thank You for blessing me beyond my wildest dreams and for sustaining me when the going gets tiring. Thank You for helping me embrace this life in spite of how many times the world tries to tell me there is more out there that would fulfill me and feed my need for affirmation! Thank You for these 6 people I get to call mine, Lord! They are amazing!!!

In All Things...Choose Joy!

2011-03-01T07:08:00.009-05:00

I am still reading Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, and thoroughly enjoying it. I was excited that last night afforded me the opportunity to lay in bed and read before I went to sleep. The amazing part of that was that I was actually able to stay awake for a while to read! No small feat anymore!

The premise of Ann's book is to choose thanks over criticism and joy over anger. Some days...some moments...I am better at this than others. As I read and reflected on the choices I make to respond, I was left with the distinct feeling that I choose the flesh way too often when I have the opportunity each time to choose thanks and joy. Little did I know while I was reading that I would have an immediate opportunity to practice what I was reading.

Having older kids means we are almost never the last ones in bed. With little ones who get up early and inner clocks that have us waking up most days way before the chickens, we must get in the bed before the big kids even think about turning in for the night. Last night I turned out my light and began to gaze out my open window. I was enjoying the fact that it was finally warm enough to sleep with it open and the sound of the few brave crickets who were already venturing out made me smile.

All of sudden I heard a rustle in the kitchen and the laundry room and suddenly my peaceful reflections were interrupted by the clink, clunk, clank of big girl's jeans and other sundries in the dryer. My last minute girl had waited til, well, the last minute to make sure her clothes were clean and dried for the day to come. Despite my many pleas to take care of business early so I am not kept awake, she was scrambling to get it all done. I was faced with a choice...

I could either stew and ruminate over being kept awake by a teenager who had failed to plan yet again or I could choose to give thanks.

Thanks for a dryer that works to get our clothes dry...

Thanks for a laundry room, albeit a small one, that allows us to do laundry at home...

Thanks for children who do all their own laundry and keep me from being overwhelmed with mounds of unwashed clothes...

Thanks for the opportunity to choose thankfulness and joy instead of ingratitude and frustration...

1 Corinthians 10:13 ~ No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

I passed the test last night. I chose to be thankful. I chose to be think on what was true and lovely and praiseworthy and of good report. I drifted off to sleep with words of thanks on my lips and in my heart instead of a heart full of angst and frustration.

Lord, may I make the same wise, redemptive and life-giving choice today, multiple times throughout the day, when I am at a crossroads and faced with the temptation to exert control and selfishness. May I choose the high road that You have offered and model for my children what choosing to be thankful really looks like! May I lay down tonight, at the end of the day, and know that You are pleased with my choices!

May I choose joy...

2011-02-27T06:16:00.000-05:00

Grace!!!

2011-02-23T17:36:00.005-05:00

My very dear friend is living a nightmare! She has realized her husband of more than a decade is a stranger to her. She has uncovered a secret life full of deceit, sin and lies! Her world has crumbled around her and she is sitting amongst the ruins with her precious children!!

She and I have spent hours combing through phone records and calling numbers that were unfamiliar. We have uncovered quite a bit including a mistress. Yesterday my friend called the mistress and they talked for 30 minutes. My friend, who has been so betrayed but SO loves Jesus, PRAYED with her husband's mistress that she would come to understand her only hope for true love and significance is in Jesus!!!!!

The girl was weeping!!! She told my friend she had never met anyone like her!!! She told her that she would like to meet her and be able to apologize to her face-to-face!! My friend said that she has to find a way to have some redemptive value from all she has gone through and if it means helping the adulteress see she needs Jesus then that is enough!!!

I am so proud of my friend and so thankful for the path she is choosing to follow in all this! She does desire to obey the Lord and see Him glorified even though she realizes there is virtually no hope for her marriage! I want to be like my friend when I grow up!

^{2 Corinthians 1:12}For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.

2011-02-19T20:34:00.003-05:00

^{Lamentations 22}The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

²³They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

²⁴"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I have hope in Him."

I am praying for a morning full of new mercies and glimmers of hope for lots of people tomorrow! So much pain, but so much love from a Father Who, in His lovingkindness, never fails us!!

2011-02-17T07:47:00.003-05:00

^{Psalm 51:16-17} Going through the motions doesn't please you,

a flawless performance is nothing to you.

I learned God-worship

when my pride was shattered.

Heart-shattered lives ready for love

don't for a moment escape God's notice.

Praying this passage for a friend today! Praying for a shattered heart so they can be infused with His love in a new way!!

He Knows Just What We Need!

2011-02-13T21:26:00.006-05:00

Some of you know that recently someone took issue with me for referring to the Lord as "Papa". They felt that it was blasphemous and that hurt my heart so much. My desire in everything I write about Him is to honour Him and remind everyone (myself included) how awesome He is. Blasphemous was such a strong word and so totally opposite of what I had set out to do in that particular post. At any rate, I didn't handle it well and I subsequently apologized and then last night anonymous apologized to me...albeit anonymously again, but that's between them and the Lord.

I share all this to say, I did have some moments of questioning whether I should continue to call Him "Papa" publicly or just quit so as not to offend or incite anyone else. I had pretty much decided what I was going to do and then tonight I got a glorious confirmation.

A friend of mine was sharing her testimony at church and it was a story laced with much pain, but much redemptive joy, too! At the end she addressed me directly and thanked me for an email I had recently sent her. She started crying and said that in my email I called the Lord "Papa" and that it meant so much to her. She said it hit her that He really does love her like a Daddy and He can give her that love she is missing now that her own daddy is gone! (*Tears welling up in eyes as I type*)

I just can't tell you how much that meant to me because it was a very direct confirmation from Him that it was okay for me to call Him Papa and that it did give people a powerful visual of His deep Daddy-love for us!! My friend was sharing how I encouraged her, but she'll never know how much her words encouraged me.

Thank You, Papa, for your deep and abiding love for us and thank You for caring so much about Your girls that You whisper in their ear just what You know they need to hear!

2011-02-12T23:16:00.001-05:00

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Everyday Glimpses of an Extraordinary God

Friend or Foe?

Proverbs 4:23

Another Home Quote!

Great Quote!

My Corner!

Clipboards

Intentional

Milestones

Let It Go!

Traditions

Santa in the Manger

Prayerfully

Pain

She's Back!

My Day in Pictures

Focus!

Desire Granted!

Psalm 37:4 ~

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Shadows

Measured Words

Sleep...Oh Elusive Sleep!

Shame

Omission

40 Days Without Food

Approval

Stewardship

Savannah Bound!

Our Battle...

Rain...Finally!

Championship Bound!!

Blogged...Er...Bogged Down!

Heart Talk

Ack!!!

Happy Mother's Day

Intoxicating!

Jam!

What Makes Me Happy!

Rest

It's Friday...

Lady Banks!

To Everything There is a Season!

Update!

Cincinnati!

Proverbs 21 ~ 1 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.

On the Road Again!

Familiarity

A New Day

Through the Fog!

My People

Worth!

In All Things...Choose Joy!

Grace!!!

2 Corinthians 1:12For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.

He Knows Just What We Need!

Proverbs 21 ~ ¹ The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.

^{2 Corinthians 1:12}For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.