Family

Family can be your greatest source of joy and your greatest source of sorrow. I don't think there is anyone that does not experience that in their family system. Hopefully you are blessed to be in a family who share a common faith in God, but even then there can be disappointments. Without sharing any details that would embarrass my sister I just ask all my readers to be in prayer for her and her husband Mel as they take time to care for their 10 year old grandson who has been neglected by his mother and his father. They came down from Denver to pick him up here in the Dallas area and spent the weekend with us. We had a great visit, we laughed, we cried, we swam, played games, prayed together, worshipped together, shopped at Sam Moon and did lots of eating! They left this morning headed back to Denver. Cameron will be with them at least a month and perhaps longer.

I think I have mentioned on this blog before that I was a social worker for about 12 years before Steve and I married. I worked at residential treatment centers where children were removed from their parents by CPS for neglect or abuse. I could tell you stories that would curl your toes. It is defintely where you see evil personified. But the hardest part of the experiences I had with these children was knowing that it would be a small percentage of them that would be able to overcome the major obstacles that had been put in their path so that they would be overcomers and not victims. I cannot count how many times I gave my "Final Chapter" speech, telling each child that was on my caseload that the final chapter in their book had not been written and it was up to them to write it. No one could change the horrible circumstances that had happened to them and they could end their story saying "because this, this, and this happened to me that is why I am this way today" OR "this, this, and this happened to me, but in spite of that look at what I am today". One is the statement of someone that stays in the victim mode, the other is the statement of an overcomer. The hard part???? How do you help a 10 year old know they want to be an overcomer?? All they want is to be loved by the mom and dad that God gave them. How do you help them know that there is a God who loves them deeply when He has not protected them from the horrific things that have happened to them? Hopefully, through the love of other people like sweet, Godly grandparents.

So please lift Cameron, Caren and Mel up in your prayers and ask for God to take the seeds that Caren and Mel will be planting and let them take deep, deep root in Cameron's heart. Here is a picture of him with my dad so you can put a face to who I am asking you to pray for.

Sunday Snippets

The weekend has been busy because we got notice on Thursday that my sister Caren and her husband were making a quick trip from Denver to pick up their grandson (from Forth Worth) to take him to spend some time with them this summer. They arrived about 4:00 on Friday and will leave in the morning. We have had an interesting time entertaining a 10 year old boy all weekend.

This morning we went back to Highland Oaks because I knew my sister would love the worship. We were not disappointed. My favorite song we sang today was "God Will Make A Way". I needed that reminder again this morning. (turn off my playlist before listening)


Their missionary from Brazil,Rod Nealeigh, spoke this morning on the call of Abraham from Genesis 12 and how Abraham was able to heed God's call to move because he had faith and trust in God and God had a better place in store for him. He asked us to consider how much do we consider this world our home? Are we comfortable here or do we realize that we are the foreigners and that our home is not here but in heaven?

Hebrews 11:13-16
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Where are my eyes focused? Rod said "we think when God says move we have to have it all figured out before we move" Where is the faith in that?

I Peter 2:9-12
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

So I have to ask myself this Sunday, what do I look like to the world. Do they recognize me as one of them or do I stand out as a stranger? Am I keeping my focus continually on the fact "this world is not my home, I'm just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue"?

May we all have the faith of Abraham to have the faith to walk toward the better promise and the better world and not get too comfortable here.

So what did God speak to your heart today?

My John McCain Discovery

I am not much for talking about politics. I just find the whole system pretty frustrating. The other day I was reading Tim Perkin's blog and he had some pretty strong opinions about Obama one of which is he is not pro-life. I thought I would go out and see what John McCain's position was because I really had not taken the time to see where he stands on much of anything. Well, I wanted to post what I found out, because it was the first piece of information that I have read about him that actually impressed me.

"On “Meet the Press,” McCain said he had “come to the conclusion that the exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother are legitimate exceptions” to an outright ban on abortions. “I don’t claim to be a theologian, but I have my moral beliefs.” If Roe v. Wade is overturned and abortion outlawed, McCain said he believes doctors who performed abortions would be prosecuted. “But I would not prosecute a woman” who obtained an abortion."

"Of the remaining pro-life Republicans, none can match McCain’s record of opposing abortion. He has served in Congress for 24 years, and cast a lot of votes on abortion legislation during that time. His record is not merely exemplary — it is perfect. McCain’s votes on abortion really could not be better. A campaign advertisement in South Carolina says of John McCain: “Pro-life. Not just recently. Always. Never wavering.” The ad is true.
...
Twenty-four years of service at the national level — almost all of them in the Senate — make a big difference when we are talking about the next President, compared to candidates who have been small-state governors. There is no need to speculate or to rely upon promises or take matters on faith when it comes to McCain and abortion. He has demonstrated himself to be the best pro-life choice.

I mentioned a recent South Carolina advertisement about McCain’s pro-life voting record. As good as that record is, the ad contained still more powerful evidence of his pro-life convictions. This part of the ad shows Cindy McCain walking beside a diminutive Catholic nun. Mrs. McCain is holding an infant in her arms. It is (the ad text says) “little Bridget, a baby she and John adopted in 1993 from Mother Teresa’s orphanage in Bangladesh. Bridget has been a great blessing to the McCain family.”

Indeed she has. But there is a little more to the story than is there told. For one thing, there were two babies. Mrs. McCain brought home a second infant from the same orphanage. That baby became the adopted child of the McCain’s best friends. Second, Mrs. McCain did not go to the orphanage in order to adopt. While she was touring the facility, Mother Teresa unexpectedly said to her (in so many words): “If you do not take those two babies with you, now, they could die right here. But you can save them.” Cindy McCain did.

I believe that there is a profound lesson here about what it means to be pro-life, a lesson which goes beyond the important (but obvious) fact that the McCains live by the same principles which lie behind John’s voting record. “Little Bridget” was not sought out by the McCains. She was not expected or planned for. She was an unanticipated gift whom the McCains welcomed, not because she was antecedently “wanted” by them, but because she was a baby, a unique and unrepeatable human being with a right to life because she is a human being and not because some other people’s plans include her — or don’t."

Just thought I would share some quotes from Googling. Perhaps there are others that didn't know this about John McCain either.

10,000th Blog Reader

The winner of the gift card for being my 10,000 reader is Tim Perkins. Thanks to everyone who checked in today. Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

Blog Reader 10,000

If you are blog reader number 10,000 let me know who you are as I have a special $10.00 gift card to Barnes and Noble for you.

It is hard to imagine that their have been 10,000 readers to my blog in 18 months. I find it very humbling that anyone reads it at all. But I did not even have a counter at the beginning so I don't know how many it has actually been. But if I just take the 18 months, it means 555 people have read it every month or 18 people a day. I know who some of you are by your comments, but am always pleasantly surprised to find someone has been reading that I did not know about.

Anyway...to those of you who faithfully check in, I thank you. I pray that I will continue to post things that are worthy of your time.

I could use a little extra prayer coverage today for my sister Caren. Please pray for her and her husband to have safe travel as they come down from Denver to get their grandson who will be spending the summer with them. They are having to make a fairly quick trip and it is a long drive. Thanks for the prayers!

Cross Jewelry

I recently read this devotional thought by James McDonald entitled The Cross of Christ. First I will give you the article, then my thoughts:

The cross of Jesus Christ is the signature symbol of the central event in the history of civilization. Yet, today we depict the cross as common, jewelers pound it into all sorts of finery so we can staple crosses to our ears and wear them around our necks. Merchandisers manufacture this symbol of unlimited atonement into fuzzy things for our rearview mirrors or decorations for our gardens. From teacups to t-shirts, people have used the cross to corner the market on crassness. Department stores hawk chocolate-covered crosses for Holy Week, Baseball players and businessmen cross themselves before a big moment. The cross itself has become big business,but it was never intended to be some lucky trinket. This is profanity in the truest sense. Is it any surprise we have lost the wonder of what happened on Calvary?

The resurrection of Christ was the event that accomplished salvation and verified Christ's victory over death, but it was the cross of Jesus Christ that showed us the grace of God. Everything that God wants us to know about Himself comes together in those crossbeams.

Our entire purpose in life is to elevate the cross. Think on Jesus there, in your mind's eye, picture Him stretched out against the sky. What's He doing up there? Answer: He's subbing for you and me. He's taking God's wrath for your sin. He's satisfying the just demands of a holy God. He's paying the price that God's holiness requires so that you and I can be forgiven. In the place where our blood should have stained the ground, Jesus hung as our substitute.

While I understand this author's point of view, I don't agree with it. Maybe I am rationalizing my cross necklace, earrings, watch etc. Perhaps I shouldn't have a cross wall at my house with 20+ crosses hanging on it? But for me each cross is a reminder of exactly what the author described here. I am in constant remembrance of the sacrifice Christ made for me. To me it is kind of like having a MezuZah like the Jews had to remind them of the Deuteronomy 6 passage to "Love God with all your heart..."

I have worn the same cross necklace around my neck for about 15 years now. I never take it off (unless it is for surgery or for x-rays because they make me). I don't feel complete without it as it is my constant reminder that Jesus is with me. Maybe I should not need a tangible reminder of that fact. I also think it is a testimony to other people that I am a Christian. I know the way I live my life needs to be my testimony, but I cannot tell you how many times the clerk at a store who does not know me says something about my cross and it is an opening to give a testimony of God's love. Anyway... I think this is one of those areas that Romans 14:5 is referring to when it says if you consider one day more more sacred but someone else thinks they are all alike, that both of you should be convinced in your own mind and do whatever to the Lord.

So if you have a different opinion than me about wearing a cross or displaying one in your home. That is okay. But I would be interested in hearing your opinion.

Fun Music

Today Steve and I went to see Get Smart today and it begins with the Abba Song "Take A Chance On Me". I love Abba!!! Their songs always made me just want to get up and dance. Saw the Broadway production of Mama Mia at the Dallas Summer Musicals several years ago and it was just so much fun!! I am anticipating going to see it on the movie screen in July. I wonder if the audience will all stand up and dance to Dancing Queen the way we did at the musical?

Anyway...thinking of Abba brought back memories of the summer of 1975 when I was on a mission trip in Germany. Our first week we stayed in a youth hostile and every morning we were awakened with this song playing on loud speakers. Most found it irritating. I actually enjoyed it! It is called La Paloma Blanca (A White Dove). You will need to scroll to the bottom of my blog and turn off the playlist before starting the You Tube, or you'll hear both songs playing at once and think you are schizophrenic.

Faith In Action

Today I was reading our June issue of Outreach Magazine and there was a feature on an organization called Faith In Action. http://www.putyourfaithinaction.org

There were several stories about churches who decided that being the church was more important than going to church. On Sunday different churches chose to go out into the community and do service together as church instead of their traditional church. There was an example of a church who sent members to local gas stations and paid $1.00 per gallon on peoples fill ups. They said they did it for 2 hours and the lines were a mile long with people waiting and when they were asked why, they just said it was there way of showing they cared because they knew everyone was hurting in their pocketbook. Another church had no warning and the preacher dismissed them and told them to go to the store and buy food for a local food bank after first giving them information about what the needs were. They found that people were more generous than when they had done a bring a bag of groceries because they had actually seen the need, and the spontaneity caused them to be more free with their money. But the example I liked best was the church that did not know that three people had been planted near their building for them to see on their way to worship. One was a man holding a sign that said "Lost home, lost job, need money".
Another was a woman and her three kids with a broken down car, and the last was a woman on the inside of the building at their cafe sitting at a table crying. Unbeknown to the members they were being filmed and then the minister showed clips and asked the congregation "Did you just drive or walk by them. Was going to church more important to you than being the church?"As the congregation began to make the connection, the three people walked down the center aisle to the front. Each recounted their experience and how they felt as cars and people passed them by without even a glance in their direction. "There was an audible gasp when they walked in," the preacher said, adding that the testimonies packed the real punch to the illustration "The three people were visibly hurt that hardly anyone stopped to help."

I read this and knew that I would be one of the ones feeling guilty because being "at church" would have been more important to me than seeing my opportunity to be the church. God is showing me more and more how my heart and priorities need to change and hopefully I am listening and learning. I pray that He will show Steve and I how to be a part of a community of faith that values being the church more than being at church and will embrace our Lord's command to "Go and make disciples". While a lot of churches are embracing the "missional talk" very few are actually living it out. Perhaps it is because they are filled with people like me who keep reading about it but still aren't stepping out in faith to actually do it.

Sunday Snippets

Actually I will begin my Sunday Snippets by talking about a wedding Steve and I went to last night. Ashley Moore was one of the children in the 3rd-6th grade group that I used to do things with in Mesquite (before coming to R.E.)She just graduated from ACU and was getting married. It was such a fun wedding! The music was non traditional, she and the flower girl were barefooted, the bridesmaids and groomsmen did a twirl when the girls came down the aisle. The reception was cake and coke floats! The best part for me was seeing about 8 of the kids who were in that group. 4 of them were in the wedding party. To see that they had maintained those friendships all these years was just so sweet.

Then tonight we had a great time at Life Group. It was a game night and we played a game called Encore where you have to sing songs with a certain word in the title. The women won (we won our game night last month too!) Then we played the musical version of Scene It. It was a fun evening.

This morning started off with me listening to Ed Young Jr. on T.V. as I got ready for worship. He had a great lesson about the "Pits of Life" using the life of Joseph to teach the lesson. He talked about how all of our pits have a purpose. He suggested if we find ourselves in five pits or more, we might question what God is trying to teach us that we are not learning. I started thinking and I could only come up with 4 pits in my life, so hopefully I have learned the lessons? He reminded us that the race we are on is not a sprint it is a marathon. And that God uses the pits in our lives to transform our character. Therefore the race will be unique for each one of us. He said when we are in the pit we can either get chummy with the adders, who will cause us to look like them and act like them or we can keep our eyes on the ladders who will be those who try to help and support us and help us to get out of the pit. He said we need to use the breakdown to breakthrough in order to breakout. I cannot really do his sermon justice, but it was timely for me and encouraged me to keep running the race and trusting God to see me through.

Steve did not sleep well AGAIN last night because of his pinched nerve, so he did not feel like going to worship this morning. My mom and I went to Greenville Oaks.
We sang one of my favorite songs "Ancient Words". I love this song that reflects on God's Word and the timelessness of the truths. "Ancient words, ever true, touching me and touching you, we have come with open hearts, oh let the ancient words impart".
I think we should sing this song before every sermon to prepare our hearts to receive the Word. The preacher's text was on Ephesians 4. He stressed how God loves it when spiritual babies are born, but he does not want us to stay that way. He talked about the body and our different spiritual gifts. It was a familiar text but the one thing he did say that I had not thought of is that even though we may not have a gift we still have a responsibility. We may not be gifted to teach but all of us still should have the desire to teach others about Jesus, we may not be gifted in singing but we all have the responsibility to praise God in song, we may not have the gift of mercy but we are all to be merciful, we may not have the natural gift of evangelism but we still need to be evangelistic. But there are areas that each one of us are gifted at and while we each may have a different gift they are all powered by the same spirit. He gave the analogy of what if you were given a very special gift that someone took great care to get for you and you took it from them and just put it on the shelf without opening it, how would it make someone feel? It is how God feels when we don't use the gifts He has given us.

Hope wherever you were today the Lord was able to speak to your heart through His ancient Words. Have a great week!

Contemporary Christian Music

I remember well, it was 1981 and I was driving in my car by myself somewhere on the roads of California and I was singing at the top of my lungs with the Pointer Sisters and their hit "I want a man with a slow hand, I want a lover with an easy touch..." It was at that moment I said to myself "Oh my goodness, what are you singing?" It dawned on me that there were several songs with less than desirable lyrics that I was singing along with because I liked the beat of the music.

It was at that very moment that I made the decision to only listen to Contemporary Christian Music. If I was going to sing, at least I could sing things that praised God. I remember my first real exposure was Keith Green. My first concert was Carmen. I now own over 100 Contemporary Christian CD's. I love my Sony CD player that allows me to put 50 of them in at a time and just set it on shuffle. Whenever I am in a depressed mood, all I have to do is play my music and it lifts me up. Since my accident I have not listened to my music as much. I am watching way more television which is not good. So the past couple of weeks I have made a concerted effort to turn off the T.V. and play music more. I had forgotten how much it helped my spirit.

This is all to say that I don't know how I have missed Bebo Norman. I thought I was buying a new album because of his song "I Will Lift My Eyes" that I like so well. It was copyrighted in 1996! and his first album was in 1999. I was so surprised. Well I now love his album "Between the Dreaming and the Coming True".

My new favorite song is "I Know Now". Couldn't find a download for you to listen to, but here are the lyrics.

I took a walk down to the river
A broken heart in my hands
Before the Taker and the Giver
To make my final stand

I waded out into the water
And I sank just like a stone
But I was lifted by the Angel
To never be alone

And I never knew
I could lay my burdens down
And I never knew
Redemption could be found
But I know now

I saw Your mercy in the morning
In the color of the sky
I let the Spirit wash me over
And the sun began to rise

I took a walk down to the river
And I laid my burdens down
Before the Taker and the Giver
And I am finally found

So how about you? What is your favorite Contemporary Christian Song past or present?

Few Friday Thoughts

Steve and I's daily Bible reading had us reading in the book of Hosea the past few days. Wow! I can't believe that the Israelites were not scared of God's anger as Hosea related to them things like this:

"Now they sin more and more;they make idols for themselves from their silver,
cleverly fashioned images,all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these
people,"They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calf-idols. Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears,like chaff swirling from a threshing floor, like smoke escaping through a window. But I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of [b] Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no except me. I cared for you in the desert,in the land of burning heat. When I fed them, they were satisfied;when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. So I will come upon them like a lion,like a leopard I will lurk by the path. Like a bear robbed of her cubs,I will attack them and rip them open. Like a lion I will devour them;a wild animal will tear them apart. "You are destroyed, O Israel,because you are against me, against your helper I will have no compassion,even though he thrives among his brothers. An east wind from the LORD will come,blowing in from the desert;his spring will fail and his well dry up. His storehouse will be plundered of all its treasures. The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground,their pregnant women ripped open."

Not our picture of the God of grace and love. I could not help but wonder if God sent a prophet to us today what would He say?? When you read that the lines are city blocks long in California of homosexuals lined up to get married, I just can't help but think we better prepare ourselves when God removes the blessings we have so richly had in this country. Little by little we are becoming a nation that can no longer say "one nation under God".

Okay...I know that sounds so pessimistic so just let me say tonight I saw a bright light, saying perhaps there is hope. It isn't going to come from people of my generation, but the current generation of teens. They are so much more world conscious and willing to take a stand and "do something". Tonight Steve and I were blessed to go to a fundraiser at Richardson East that a few of our teens organized for an agency called The Dispatch Foundation. You can find more information about them at http://www.dispatchfoundation.org or watch the video on my sidebar.
Heather, Anna, Becca and Tyler had some of us sit at tables with food and other's sit on the floor with no food. They would then ask our permission to give our left overs to those on the floor so they could eat. They wanted to simulate what it would be like if resources were shared. There would be no poverty, no hunger. These kids know they cannot do a lot for a country like Zimbabwe so far away, but they know they can do something. I was touched by their hearts and their efforts. I only wish more RE people would have supported their efforts. Only about a dozen adults showed up. However, if you are reading this blog and could not attend I bet they would still welcome your donation. If you want to read a blog of a teenager who is trying to make a difference check out http://beeveestudios.wordpress.com.

Yes, let's pray that these kids are showing hope for the future and our nation will turn around before it is too late.

Who Is The Best Husband?

First of all let me give a quick update on Saturn Road's VBS Elijah:Man On Fire.They did a good job and had about 900+kids in attendance (I don't think I told you that Richland Hills had 3100 pre-registered!). Anyway...I knew Elijah would be going up in a chariot and sure enough he rose in the chariot about 10 feet in the air. (I think it was a forklift)The kids went wild. Of course they had to end the evening singing "These Are The Days Of Elijah".

So on to today's post.

Take a look at the pictures below and vote for who you think is the best husband.


GREECE?


SERBIA?


IRELAND?


ENGLAND?


UNITED STATES?

While I was out in the pool yesterday morning I was listening to my CD's on the pool speakers when this song by Randy Travis called "When Mama Prayed" came on. I know I have heard it before but the lyrics hit me a little bit different on this day.

I am so thankful that I have a mother who prays and who has been faithful to pray. I can't honestly say that I remember seeing her pray as a child. We prayed at meals, but did not really pray as a family in front of each other. But now we pray together a lot. I love listening to my mother pray. She loves God and she enjoys talking to Him. My other siblings call her often and ask her to pray for different things. We all know that she will be faithful to do that for us.

So here are some blog questions about this song.

The lyrics say:
Daddy never went to church on Sunday,He said that's one thing I'll never do.
But mama never gave up she said one day,He'll be sitting here beside of me and you.
I can still hear mama softly talking,With her tears falling on her folded hands
So that Easter Sunday Daddy walked in, That's when I began to understand
When mama prayed, good things happen
When mama prayed, lives were changed
Not much more than five foot tall
But mountains big and small crumbled all away
When mama prayed

Do I keep on praying even when it seems the answer might never come? I have several members of my family that are not in relationship with God. Have I given up praying for them? I remember hearing a story not too long ago about a man who had prayed for 60 years that his friend would become a Christian. And a week after he died his friend answered God's call.

Seventeen and wild I hit the bottle,Doing anything I dang well please
Burning down life's highway at full throttle.While mama burned a candle on her knees
Then one night I came home half sober,I saw mama kneeling in the den
As I listened she and Jesus talked it over,And I knew my restless days were 'bout to end

What do your children know about you by the way you pray? What do my friends and family know about me? Do we really believe our prayers can make a difference in the life of someone else?

It isn't like every one of them got answered,But the times they weren't it seems to me were rare
You almost felt sorry for the devil,'Cause heaven knows he didn't have a prayer
When mama prayed

I think this is actually the lyrics that hit me the most yesterday. Does Satan say "Oh no, look out, there that Lynn is praying again"? Does He see me as a lost cause because he knows the strength of my prayers. Or is their a chink in my armor making me vulnerable to his attacks?

I have a lot of room to grow still in my prayer life, but hopefully day by day I realize more and more the importance of intercessory prayer and will keep praying for those that don't know the Lord to come to know Him and have the blessed life that I am priviledged to have.




Randy Travis Lyrics
When Mama Prayed Lyrics

This and That On Tuesday

It is nice that my husband reads my blog. He keeps me in check. None of you commented that Jefferson Airplane did not make "Come On And Take A Free Ride" popular. It was the Edgar Winter Group. Now when I searched Google I saw that name but thought "who in the world are they?" and since I was familiar with Jefferson Airplane assumed it was them. So there you go...and Steve says the Edgar Winter Group are Texans. Who knew? Also I didn't post another song that was in the Jonah musical last night because I could not find it. But my musical trivia husband knew that it was Del Shannon's "Runaway". Jonah sang different words to that song when he was talking about Running Away from Ninevah. It was a really cute rendition.

Wow! Did the wind blow today or what? Steve stood at the window in the sunroom and as he was there a huge limb on our neighbor's tree just crashed through their fence.
Then the blessing and cursing of having a pool. I had just got out after doing water aerobics and was barely dry when the storm hit. Then tonight had to spend about 90 minutes cleaning up all the leaves on the deck! I was so hot but couldn't jump in the pool because of the debris the skimmer is still picking up and the extra chlorine I had to put in it. Just had to settle for a cold shower.

Steve and I had the blessing of taking dinner to Jeff Curtis tonight. He had told us a couple of weeks ago that he loved the fajitas at Cantina Laredo. It was a big sacrifice for us to go pick him up dinner from there because we had to eat there too :) I had their Mexico City Chile Relleno and it was delicious!! When we left Jeff's room there was a little lady trying to push her wheel chair and she asked us if there was a place where she could go because she was so tired. Steve tried to direct her to the dining room but she said she needed to lay down. We asked her if she knew her room number and she said "I used to". We looked on her chair and it said room 212, so we asked her if we could push her to her room which was still 20 rooms from where we were. I felt so sorry for her. How does she usually get around?? Anyway...we pushed her to her room and helped her get in bed. Probably not the smartest thing to do but definitely the right thing to do. Then as we were leaving another little lady asked us a question that I could not understand and was not coherent, but we just smiled and said "I think so". Just made me so sad that these sweet people have to be in such a place. I know not all families can take care of their aging parents, but there has to be a better way?? I really like the new foster home settings. I think they are a much better alternative.

On the way home we stopped at Garden Ridge to return a pool umbrella for the 2nd time. Both of the others broke. One after one day, this one after a couple of weeks. I have to give Garden Ridge credit at least they let me return them totally hassle free, but I would much rather buy a quality product that could at least last through the summer. Thus the reason the umbrellas are only $29.99.

Summer Fun

This will be my second summer out of Children's Ministry and I have to admit, I am still really missing the hustle and bustle of summer activities. I always loved the summer and all the fun things we got to do. Tonight I drove over to North Richland Hills to watch the first night of my sweet friend Patty's VBS. For years Patty has run a program (first at Altamesa and now at Richland Hills)she calls Summer Spectacular and puts on a 3 night musical surrounding a character in the Bible. Tonight was Jonah: A Whale of a Tale. It was so much fun. Can you believe she had 3,100 people pre-registered?? It was a packed house.

Whenever she does these musicals she takes popular songs crossing all genres to appeal to all ages and rewrites the words to tell the Bible story. Some of the songs tonight were Thriller where the cast is all dressed in black and the lyrics were talking about how evil the city was. They broke out into that old song We Don't Need No Education....it brought down the house. Another song was Jefferson Airplanes Come On and Take A Free Ride which they changed to the captain singing to Jonah Come On and Take a Sea Ride. Then when the storm hit and they needed to throw
Jonah overboard they sang Knock On Wood, remember Thunder, Lightening I've got to knock, knock, knock on wood was changed to "we need to throw you off this boat".
Then the finale was the Big Fish coming down from the balcony down across the stage, swallowing Jonah and then going off stage and up the aisle. The kids were all going crazy (except a few small ones that were so afraid they were crying).

This post does it very little justice. It was so fun. But the biggest blessing for me was seeing Patty's daughter, son in law, and two girls who grew up in her ministry at Alta Mesa and they are still working with her. She said this is the 17th year that Lindsey has helped her choreograph the production. How rewarding to have kids that you help raise stand beside you in ministry. One of her boys that grew up under her is now one of the Children's Ministers at Saturn Road and they are also doing a musical VBS this week on the life of Elijah. I hope to go over and see their production on Wednesday night. Wish it could be tomorrow night as I bet that is when Elijah calls down the fire on Baal. Hey, but maybe Wednesday I will get to see Elijah taken up in a chariot of fire??

Yep....summer is fun in the life of children's ministry.

Sunday Snippets

Most Sunday morning as I am putting on my makeup and getting ready I listen to Charles Stanley on the television. I really enjoy his teachings and find them to be very practical for my daily life. This morning he was talking from Psalms 81:10"Open wide your mouth and I will fill it". He talked about trusting God to provide all our needs. He then went on to say if my cup is not full it could be because there is something in the way impeding God from filling it. He suggested that we ask God what is hindering his filling. He said if there was disobedience or idolatry in our lives that God would not fill our mouths. I am hoping that in the next few days I can be brave enough to ask God this question and see what He is going to reveal to me. I think I am often afraid of what He will say, so I don't ask Him for clarification. But since I don't feel like His blessings are flowing on me at this time, I will be asking the question.

We returned to Highland Oaks this morning for worship. My dad was able to go with us and made it through the entire service and lunch afterwards. This was his first time to be to worship service in 18 months,so that was a big deal. He loves catfish, so we took him to a catfish buffet (Ole Whisker's) afterwards.



Lynn Anderson was the guest speaker at Highland Oaks today. Don't know how many times we have heard him speak over the years? Many. He is a gifted speaker. Today he had a sermon for father's based on David's life. So here are some snippets from the sermon.

He began by quoting a scripture in Hosea 8:7 "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind" (but he actually said Joel and I did not discover the error until looking it up for the blog). He then talked about David's life and even though he committed the sin with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered that he repented of that sin and God forgave him. However, just because we are forgiven doesn't mean that we don't have to reap the consequences.

Lynn went on to make these points about David. As a father he was:
1. Out of sight: He had so many wives and so many children, he could not give
them all personal attention. He commanded armies. So he was not real
available.
2. Out of touch: He did not know his boys. He did not see in Amnon his lust
and greed. He did not recognize that his son was following in his
footsteps of rape, and murder.
3. Out of line: His own behavior had been out of line and he did not hold his
boys accountable because of his own guilt.
4. Out of control: How do you address in your children what is a reflection of
your own sin?
5. But he was not out of time: look at his relationship with Solomon. They
planned temples of worship together and wrote songs together. How would of
David's other sons have been different if they had seen and/or heard David
pray?

Lynn quoted a U.S. News and World Report article about a survey done with 1000 teenagers. 25% said they did not discuss their daily lives with their parents. 42% had not recieved any words of praise in the past 24 hours, 50% had not recieved a hug or a kiss and 54% had not heard the words "I love you". I tried to find these statistics and discovered they are from 1985. I wonder if they would still be true today??

Lynn ended the sermon with reminding Father's that it is not too late their story has not been finished yet.

We sang one of my favorite songs "When The Night Is Falling" by Dennis Jernigan. I love the idea of God singing over me.

Tonight at Life Group we continued listening to each other's faith stories and heard an incredible testimony of a sister who has faced a horrible trajedy in her family. It just reminded me again of how important testimonies are and that each of us share the wonderful deeds of our father.

Would love to hear some of your snippets from Sunday.

My Dad

After 400+ posts you tend to forget what you have already said. I had to look back to see if I had posted about my dad before and I don't think I have. For Father's Day we took my dad to the Chinese Acrobats at the Eismann this afternoon. We all really enjoyed the show and found their dexterity to be amazing. We especially enjoyed the fellow who stacked six chairs on top of a small platform and then did handstands on the top. Who thinks of such things? Where do you go eat after Chinese Acrobats? The Great China Wall Buffet of course. We had a good time. We were just so thankful that my father was up to going out and did so well! Hopefully we will be able to continue our Father's Day celebration tomorrow and go to worship together. He loves catfish, so we are going to Old Whiskers for lunch.

I am just so very thankful that God is allowing us to have more time with my father. He is anxious to go home and be with God, but we selfishly want him to stay with us a while longer. He feels like he does not have a lot to contribute right now since his health does not allow him to do the things he would like to do. But we are just so blessed to be in his presence. He is auch a gentle giant. So humble. He loves God with all of His heart.

The reason I love my dad so much is because His love for God overflows on me. He and my mother married when I was 15. He had three children, she had three children,5of us were teenagers when they married. I only lived with him my sophmore, junior, and senior year but from the get go he loved me just like I was his own blood. He never used the stepdaughter terminology and I never called him my step father. The more he loved me the more I was able to understand God's love and the way that He has adopted us and made us his children. I know so many other blended families who did not have this uncondtional love for one another. How very thankful I am that God blessed me with a Father that knows how to love like He does.

How thankful I am that He and I share faith in our God and have the assurance that we will one day spend eternity in heaven together. I don't have that same assurance with my birth father. We do not share faith. But God has done a major healing in our relationship where at least we do communicate (for 15 years we did not).

So I hope you all have a wonderful time with your father tomorrow. Happy Father's Day to one and all!

First Light Final Post

I have enjoyed going deeper and thinking about the questions posted at the end of First Light. Makes me kind of wish there was a book club where we were reading these seven books and discussing them. Here are the last questions.

One day you will see Him face to face. Believe it, Peniel. That is what faith is. Gershon, Peniel's brother (pg. 179)

When you think of home, what places and images come to mind?

I wish I could say that I automatically think of heaven as home. If I
had not seen the quote above this question, I would have probably thought in earthly terms. My home is where I am blessed to live with Steve. I have to admit that the house we live in now probably isn't what I would think of. Our home was in Mesquite. We got to pick out the brick, the tile, the wall paper, etc. It had our touch and was our first to pick out together. Our current house was a compromise. I liked it for the pool, but Steve preferred it over another house I liked. But home??? Is it a structure or a state of mind??

I do know that heaven is really my home and when I think of heaven, I see all the images I have read about: pearly gates, streets of gold, no tears, angels, worship, etc. God,Jesus, Moses, Elijah and all the saints who have gone before us.

Your life is a testimony to the truth of what you believe. If someone looked at your lifestyle and what it says about your priorities, where would they guess your true home is?

Wow! What a thought provoking question. I know what I wish I could answer. I wish I could say everyone knows that heaven is my priority by my lifestyle. That I am about my Father's business. But I am afraid right now those that are closest to me would say the television is my priority. I have it on way too much for mindless hours of nothing. This week I have made a concerted effort to keep it off in the afternoon. I am trying to read more. But in order for my lifestyle to look like heaven is my priority I need to be about what James 1:27 tells me to be about: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

To obey the voice of the sent one! No matter how foolish the command might seem! To believe the Word and act on it. Obedience was an act of faith. (page 370)

What is God asking you to do?

First Light, Part Three

Here are some more questions you are asked to ponder after reading First Light. Since there haven't been any comments, I am assuming these questions aren't causing anyone else to ponder, but that is okay. Maybe you have to read the book to relate?

If you dream big what do you wish could happen in your life? What currently seems out of reach?
There is a character in the book that longs to be healed from his infirmity. For me my biggest dream right now is to lose weight and be healthier. For most of my adult life this goal has seemed out of reach. Last Friday I weighed in 40 pounds less. I am not dieting. I am making healthier choices in my eating and I am exercising a little more. When I first started I could only ride the stationary bike for 2 minutes. Now I am up to 30 minutes and 6 miles. It hasn't been a fast lose, but I think in the long run it will be a lasting lose (instead of how I usually go off a diet and gain weight back)

What do you think God's purpose for your life is? How do you live into that purpose.
From the age of 16 I knew that God's purpose was for me to work with children. I helped teach them as a teen and in college. I volunteered with troubled teens before I became a social worker. Then eventually God led me into Children's Ministry. Right now? I'm not sure what my purpose is. I am patiently waiting for Him to reveal it to me. And when He does I will live into that purpose by obeying and doing it wholeheartedly.

What's your life goal? Your ultimate ambition?

To spend eternity with my God and hear Him say to me "Well done good and faithful servant".

"Yahweh knows your name. Yahweh hears your cry. Yahweh loves you. Yahweh has come down to rescue you. Yahweh is your light. Yahweh is your hope." Mosheh (p. 277) What in your life would change if you took this promise to heart?

I wouldn't fret or worry, I would just bask in Romans 8:28 that "ALL things work together for good to those who love the Lord."

First Light Part Two

The Book Of Beginnings says that God, the Creator, took great care to "separate the light from the darkness" (Genesis 1:4,18) He made a clear distinction between things of light and the things of the darkness. How can you tell the difference between things of light and things of the darkness? What criteria do you use as your measuring stick?

For me things of the darkness feel like darkness. They are usually filled with guilt not peace, depression not thankfulness, envy not rejoicing, bitterness not forgiveness. Things of the light have a lighter feel to them and only bring feelings of joy. When I am in the light I don't need to justify my decisions. My measuring stick has to be "be holy as I am holy" I Peter 1:16. If I am constantly aiming to be as holy as God...it informs every decision I make.

Peniel, whose name means "face of God" makes this statement "I have learned that those that make religion their God will not have God for their religion". Do you agree or disagree? Why?

I agree. Seems like there are a lot of people that "talk the talk" and don't "walk the walk". I know that I am guilty of that myself. Whenever we get caught up just doing the right things (i.e. go to worship but just go through the motions, pray, read the Bible etc.), but we do so without relationship with the Lord without letting Him grow us deeper, without being transformed more and more into His image, then we are just worshipping religion and not God Himself.

Darkness is always all around us. If you expect it, rather than being surprised by it, how will your response change the next time evil is done to you?

In John 16:33 Jesus tells us that we will have trouble. So if we live life expecting that then we can be more thankful and rejoice more everyday that we don't have trouble. Jesus also told us when we are weak He is our strength. Don't know about you but that brings me great comfort and makes it easier to know that nothing will happen that I can not handle with His help.

First Light

Saturday morning I finished a book called First Light by Bodie and Brock Thoene it is the first in the A.D. Chronicles seven book series. If the following six are anything like the first it is going to be a great summer read! These books are Historical fiction and this one had characters who were living in the beginning of Jesus' ministry. The lead character was Peniel who was actually the blind man that the Pharisees asked "who sinned him or his parents". I don't want to give too much of the plot away for those of you who might want to read the book. But what I do want to do for the next few posts is post some questions where were given at the end of the book to lead you into deeper Bible study. I found some of them very thought provoking. I will put their question in bold italics and then my answer. I am hoping some of you will be able to share some of your thoughts as well.

If someone you really trusted asked you privately what your biggest life question is, what would you say? What situation past or present makes this question particularly important to you?

I think right now my question would be why God allows children to suffer. I understand suffering being part of a fallen world, I just don't understand when it is children who have not had an opportunity to have what I would call a normal life. And even more so children who parents with amazing faith who believe that God can heal their child and keep trusting in Him and praying for Him to do so.

Jeremiah 6:16 " "Stand at the crossroads and look;ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,and you will find rest for your souls."


If you had exactly one hour to talk to Jesus face-to-face what questions would you ask Him? What comments would you make? What emotions would you share?

I don't think I would take time to ask Him questions. I think I have more questions for God than Jesus. I think I would just be spending my time thanking Him for His sacrifice and my salvation. I think I would be more interested in listening to Him and what He would want to say to me than taking up the time with me doing the talking. I am anxious for that day when I won't just get an hour with Him but eternity. As the song says "I can only imagine".

As an addendum to this post I will admit that I used to say that I would have two questions for God one day "why did He put salt in the ocean", swimming in the ocean would be so much more fun without the salt. Can't say it is for the fish because they were created after the water. Then my other question is "where does snot come from?" You blow and blow and it just comes back. I know....your opinion of me just dropped ten notches. The great thing about my God????? Is there is not any question too serious or too silly for Him and how I long for the day that we will know as we have been known (I Corinthians 13:12)

Sunday Snippets

Different blogs I read have taken a day and have days where they post the same kind of information each week (i.e. Music Monday, Thankful Tuesdays, etc.) I have decided since Steve and I will be visiting other churches this summer that I would post some observations from whereever we attend worship and call the post Sunday Snippets.

This morning we went to Highland Oaks, we had heard that this was going to be Tim Spivey's last sermon after being their minister for 5 years. Both Steve and I were very impressed at the way Tim chose to say goodbye to that church. He used the opportunity to cast a vision for their future. What I thought was interesting is that he used the same sermon text that he used in his first sermon in October 2002.
His sermon that day was about his vision of ministry with that church. And today it was his vision of how they would continue on in being the church that God has called them to be.

Highland Oaks worship minister is Chad Higgins and he does a great job of helping to bring you into God's presence. The opening Bible reading was from Psalms 29.
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his [a] holiness.

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion [b] like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks [c]
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sits [d] enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

11 The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace

These verses really set the stage this morning for my heart to engage God in worship.

During communion we sang all to Jesus I surrender, but instead of singing the chorus we started singing "Lord Take Control". It was a great blend of two songs.

A couple of points in the sermon that caused me to really think were:


For God's Sake Be Excellent: Tim said that we are conditioned to do our best at sports, in school, so why would we not give God our best? Why would we not make sure our ministries are the very best they can be? Our lives the very best they can be. Made me think isn't that what it means to love God with ALL of our heart? I have to confess that many times in my life it is what I think is good enough that I give to God, not what I know that is best.

So if you were to take a guess at what is the most repeated command in the Bible, what would it be? I am not sure what I thought it was, but I would not have guessed "do not be afraid". I came home and did some research and found that it is repeated over 100 times. So does worry have a place in my life? If I worry am I not trusting? Not quite the context Tim was using the reference in, but it did get me thinking down a different track. He did say "if you want to grow a church point it to it's greatest fear". I wonder how leadership determines that?

We had heard that even though Tim had resigned from this position it was not what he really wanted to do. We don't know any details and we don't have to know, but we were impressed that Tim's humility in preaching a sermon that honored the elders and complimented them for their faith and shepherding hearts. He prayed that when they look back on his time with them that they would all be able to see that it was just the starting place for the mighty work God was going to do.

So on this Sunday Snippet day it would be great of some of you would also share a snippet or two from your time with God today.

Today's Random Thoughts

I was going to post about a book I finished reading this morning, but some other things happened today I would like to talk about first. The book will wait till tomorrow and probably take a few days because of some profound questions in the book.

Anyway, for today. I am not a Hillary Clinton fan, but I thought she was admirable with the way she did her concession speech today. I don't think I could have had that kind of composure after losing such an empassioned race.

Steve and I were honored to be invited to the wedding reception of Deb Aldrich and Ken Williams. For those that don't know, Deb and her husband Doug were in a tragic accident in December of 2004. It has been such a blessing for me to watch the healing that God has done in Deb's life. It hit me this morning that her relationship and marriage to Ken is a living example of Isaiah 61:3 where the Lord has brought beauty from ashes and joy from mourning. They had a private family ceremony and then a reception at Cantina Laredo. Steve and I had never eaten at this restuarant, but will definitely be going back. It was delicious.

We then stopped by the Plano Life Center to visit Jeff Curtis. He has MS and had a pulmonary embolism. He will have to be in the rehab center for a few weeks while his body adjusts to being on comudin. Please add Jeff to your prayer list. Specifically that the Lord remove all the blod clots and that Jeff will have the strength to be patient. It cannot be easy being in a facility for rehab that is 80% elderly people who actually live there all the time. As we were leaving this little lady was pushing herself in a wheelchair and just moaning and crying. I felt so helpless and didn't know what to do. Unfortunately, I have to confess I didn't do anything. Jeff mentioned that he just has not seen many visitors come to visit the residents there another visitor who was there in the room said "you can understand why. Who want's to visit a nursing home?". Just thought it was a sad comment. Who likes to visit a hospital? The point being is it isn't suppose to be about you, it is about the person who needs the visit. So if you have time in the next two weeks, go by and visit Jeff. It will be you that is blessed by his sweet spirit.

Finally, who else was routing for Big Brown to win the Kentucky Derby?? Who would have ever guessed he would come in last?? Bet the people who took the risk and bet on Da'Tara are happy campers at 38 to 1? Gives new meaning to "the first will be last and the last will be first".

Stinkin' Thinkin'

Seems like I sure do a lot of blog confessions. Here is my latest. I struggle with stinkin' thinkin'. My flesh tendency is bent toward being more negative than positive. So anytime I can find something that helps me think more positive I tend to gravitate towards it. That was the way it was with this article by Ed Young Jr. from Fellowship Church.com in Grapevine. So when Satan tries to rob me of my true identity I can counter with these truths.

On Location - Sam I Am (Scar Tissue)
by Ed Young
Who we are today is a direct result of our past. We all have scars and wounds from the words and actions of others and from our own failures and mistakes. But for the Christ-follower this is not the end of the story.
As the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to remake us into new creations, these scars from the past become stepping stones to spiritual maturity. Embrace these top ten principles from God's word and allow Him to rebuild your battered self-esteem:

10 I am created
For we are God's workmanship. Ephesians 2:10

9 I am chosen
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you...1 Timothy 1:4

8 I am protected
Protect me as you would the pupil of your eye. Psalm 17:8 (NLT)

7 I am complete
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

6 I am victorious
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

5 I am called
[God] has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace...2 Timothy 1:9

4 I am forgiven
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

3 I am free
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

2 I am loved
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

1 I am accepted!

Here's hoping these truths will bless you as well. Have a great weekend!

How Many Men Does It Take?

Today I had to drive to Mesquite and chose to go down Jupiter to 635. Traffic was being diverted to one lane and when I finally got to the intersection I saw it was for some new striping of the street. One man was walking with the striping machine and 3 men were standing and watching. What purpose were they serving? I am not sure.

But I did get to listen to a great song during the wait.

Bebo Norman Lyrics
I WILL LIFT MY EYES Lyrics

Worship Posture

So today I just want to admit to a pet peeve of mine. There is a song we sing in worship entitled "I Stand In Awe of You". The lyrics are:

You are beautiful beyond description
Too marvelous for words
Too wonderful of comprehension
Like nothing ever seen or heard
Who can grasp you infinite wisdom
Who can fathom the depth of your love
You are beautiful beyond description
Majesty enthroned above


And I stand, I stand in awe of you
I stand, I stand in awe of you
Holy God to whom all praise is due
I stand in awe of you.

Every time we sing this song in our worship our worship leader motions for everyone to stand and everyone does...except me that is. You see, I don't understand why saying "I stand in awe of you" warrants a physical posture? There are many different definitions of stand and stand in awe is considered to be "To be in a specified state or condition" not "To rise to an upright position on the feet". (check dictionary.com)

But for the sake of argument let's just say I am wrong and the lyrics actually do mean to rise to your feet and we are faithful to do it everytime we sing it. Then why is it when we sing "I lift my hands", a few lift hands, but when we sing we bow down or I bow down I never see one person bow??? I do try to bow my head as I physically cannot get down and back up, and perhaps I am being judgemental and other people are actually bowing their heads as well. But...my pet peeve is that it is never as many people bowing or lifting hands as "standing in awe", when it doesn't even mean to physically rise. Just makes no sense to me.

Final God On Mute Post

Well, I finally finished God On Mute. If you are struggling at all with unanswered prayer in your life this is definitely the book to read. There is just so many deep thoughts in this book. I will finish up my posts on this book by what captured my attention today.

Peter Greig tells us about a man named Antoni Gaudi who began building a basilica in Barcelona, Spain called La Templa Sagrada Familia in 1880 and worked on it until his untimely death in 1926 when he was run over by a tram. He was buried in the midst of his unfinished masterpiece.


You can find out a lot more about this amazing structure athttp://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/spain/barcelona/sagrada/sagrada.html

Peter Greig goes on to say they are still building the basilica to Gaudi's plans and it will not be finished until 2026. He states "Gaudi's vast project reminds me that we are all called to pour our lives into something bigger than ourselves. Life is not a short story. I am not the star. And so, like Guadi giving his life to the construction of an edifice that outshone and outlasted him, we too contribute what we can to the epic story of God, a tale with many characters, vast battle scenes, a million interweaving subplots and many perplexing twists and turns."

He goes on to talk about Revelation 5:8 "The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which was the prayers of the saints." Peter Greig thinks that this is referring to our unanswered prayers and the part they will ultimately play in the fullfillment of God's epic. He states that our unanswered prayers may be the real ministry of our lives. He then quotes Tim Chester from The Message Of Prayer.

"Prayers we think of as directed to the present are in fact being stored up to be answered on the final day. When we pray for those suffering ill health we are expressing our longing for the day when there will be no more sickness(Rev. 21:4) When we pray for God to end wars and opression we are expressing our longing for the day when the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ (Rev. 11;15) When we pray for mercy on those suffering natural disaasters we are expressing our longing for the day when creation itself will be remade (Rev. 21:1)...The prayers we think have gone unanswered may in fact be stored up in the bowls of incense held by the twenty-four elders,waiting for a greater fulfullment than we ever anticipated...Many of your prayers are lodged there and one day they will determine the ultimate course of history."

Peter Greig sums up his book in these words "I don't always understand God's ways in my life, but I am absolutely certain that He can be trusted".

For me this teaching was something that I have never heard anywhere before. I knew my unanswered prayers would be answered in heaven but had never contemplated they may have an eternal purpose. So the next time I have an unanswered prayer, I hope I can remember all the lessons I have learned from this book and praise God that one day the eternal purpose will be revealed. I close this book by echoing "I don't always understand God's ways in my life, but I am absolutely certain that He can be trusted".

Sunflowers

Today I picked up a gift from my Secret Sister. It is always a fun surprise. Today she gave me a Sunflower jig-saw puzzle. I enjoy working jigsaw puzzles and this will be a fun summer puzzle. But what was special is she also gave me this "real-life parable" by Evelyn Bence.

"For my birthday I received a framed photo snapped at the edge of a field of blooming sunflowers. They all seem to be smiling at the camera, which focuses on one bright blossom, a soloist set apart from the backup choir.

I remember the first time I saw a sunflower farm. With my parents I was driving north along one of New York's scenic Finger Lakes. Grape country. On the other side of the next knoll, I expected to see another sloping vineyard. Wasn't I surprised—wowed by a radiant expanse of big flowers, thousands of little suns shining on me and my journey.

Later in the day I drove back by the field—in the opposite direction. From the north the view was less spectacular. My father quickly provided an explanation: "The blossoms always face the sun." Morning to night they shift their gaze from east to west, always fixed on the direct source of light.

Sunflowers. Surely there's double meaning in their name. The huge flower-faces that so evidently tilt toward the heavenly light also look like the sun, reflecting its golden glory.

That's also true of us if we heed the suggestion in Hebrews 12:2: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus." As we look at him, we begin to look like him.

This morning I hung my new sunflower photo right at the top of the stairs. I want those bright blossoms to shine on me.

Lord, as I fix my eyes on you, allow me to see how I'm reflecting your glory."

So I will have an extra special joy in putting this puzzle together as I will think of this parable as I put together the pieces and be reminded that God is also restoring me one piece at a time and I will continue to keep my eyes fixed on Him in hopes of relecting His glory.