Pray It Anyway

I ,may have mentioned it in the past but Steve and I subscribe to a magazine entitled "Pray". Over the years it has had many articles that have enhanced my prayer life. The March/April issue is entitled "Cries from the Wilderness: Praying When Life Hurts". There were so many good articles. I just thought I would give you some of the quotes that caught my attention.

"I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me. I will call on him as long as I live." Psalm 116:1-2

"I went through times when it was difficult to pray because I didn't dare to be honest with God. I was hurt, angry scared, and confused. Anything I might have said to him wouldn't have sounded at all like the pretty and polite prayers I was used to hearing in church. It was then that another friend pointed me to the psalms. She observed that the psalmists were gut-honest about how they felt and that God seemed capable of handling their negative feelings. So in that season, I learned to lament." --Cynthia Bezek

"Suffering either makes you better or it makes you bitter."
"Anyone who is called to intercession is called to participate in both the joy and the pain of God."
"The fact that we are struggling is actually the mark of a vibrant faith, not unbelief."
"When we suffer the enemy tempts us to embrace isolation--to draw up the drawbridge. But these are the very times when we need people more than ever."
"We need to be careful not to confuse the silence of God with the absence of God."--Peter Greig

"Those who wrote many of the psalms didn't pray in a protected environment. In fact, their circumstances were often much more exhausting than mine. But somehow they managed to turn their eyes from the visible situation to the invisible God."
"Praise is a determined resolution."
"Prayer honors God most when it's worshipful in the absence of visible reasons to worship. That type of prayer declares who He is when the declartion isn't self evident. It's a defiant statement that no matter how much the world, the flesh, or the devil obscure His goodness, He's still good."
--Chris Tiegreen

"Because hurting people need the freedom and courage to be honest in expressing their difficulties, we, too, need to be authentic with every word we offer in prayer. For me this often begins by admitting my own inadequacy. For example, I may pray, "Lord, I don't have a clue how to begin..." or, "Father, You're the only one who knows what the real need is here..." or, "Jesus, to be perfectly honest, this whole thing stinks..."
"When we prya real prayers from our heart those who suffer breathe a sigh of relief, thankful that they don't have to hide their hurt from us or God."--Tricia McCary Rhodes

Only In America

Today I was shopping at Albertson's when some girls asked if I wanted to buy some girl scout cookies. I quickly told them I had already bought some from the girls at my church. Then I was ashamed that I felt so uncomfortable with these girls and their moms. You see they were dressed in black and wearing hijabs.

I am not sure why it made me feel uncomfortable it just did. It just seemed strange to me that they were girl scouts. I felt guilty so I pulled my car up and asked them if they were participating in the send cookies to soldiers program. They said "no" but they were giving boxes to a nursing home, so I gave them some money and drove away. Then I thought "oh my goodness, was it the wrong thing to ask them if they were sending cookies to soldiers?" Oh well, hopefully God will honor my attempt to look past my uncomfortableness and try to do something positive.

On another note. If you haven't already seen this video on Youtube, you have to check it out. 5 girls from the ages of 8-13 from Lubbock singing the National Anthem. They are amazing! I have taught 3rd to 6th grade chorus for about 15 years and have never heard kids that age be able to harmonize so well! Cactus Cuties indeed!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKCVS57j284

It's Official

Today Steve and I signed the paperwork for him to retire! What a big step! I am so proud of my husband and the hard worker that he is. He has given 25 years of his life to the City of Dallas. He has provided for us well. He hasn't always had the easiest of time, but He faithfully fulfilled whatever duties were given to him. During the time we have been married he was happiest with his job when he was working within the fire department. He just liked being in the know of what was going on and especially the special camaraderie between all those people. The thing I am most proud of him for is the wonderful reputation he has with all his co-workers of being a Christian man of integrity. He is one of two people left who was part of the installation of the accounting system that the City uses. I know that he will be missed as a resource person.

Just to be clear, we are both way to young to join the ranks of retired people :) But just really blessed to be able to do so. We are really looking forward to seeing what God is going to call us to next and are looking forward to being able to do it together!

So please indulge me as I thank my hubby for a job well done! I love you Steve and am so very thankful for the way you live life with excellence. The City of Dallas knows you as an excellent worker, I know you as the most excellent husband and am forever grateful that you are mine!
I am looking forward to April 23rd (your actual retirement date) and watching to see what God is going to do next!

When Is Easter???

Maybe you are smarter than me (actually you probably are) and already know why the dates of Easter vary from year to year and why it actually seems really early this year. But today I read about this link on Ryan Inlow's blog and went out and discovered the answer's to my why's.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/earlyeaster.asp

As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Found out a couple of things you might be interested in! Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare.

Here 's the interesting info. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here's the facts:

1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Psalm 103

Today in Ladies Bible class one of the ladies referred to Psalms 103:6. When I looked it up I read the entire chapter and was reminded once again what a loving and compassionate God we have. I thought I would post the chapter here in case you had not read it lately either and you can also give thanks that God is in your corner! (I chose the Message version)

O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God, don't forget a single blessing!

He forgives your sins—every one.
He heals your diseases—every one.
He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
He renews your youth—you're always young in his presence.

God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he's rich in love.
He doesn't endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
keeps in mind that we're made of mud.
Men and women don't live very long;
like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
leaving nothing to show they were here.
God's love, though, is ever and always,
eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
as they follow his Covenant ways
and remember to do whatever he said.

Yahweh Yireh

This week in my Praying The Names of God the focus is on Yahweh Yireh or Jehovah Jirah, the God who provides. The author Ann Spangler definitely provided me with my "ah ha" for today.

"A real man, a real boy, walked up the mountain together--the young man bent under the wood for the burnt offering, the father striding behind, carrying the fire and the knife. 'But where is the lamb for the sacrifice?' Issac asked. 'God himself will provide the lamb for the offering, my son' Abraham replied.

We have heard the story before. We know how it ends. But what if we didn't? What if Isaac had been our son, the fulfillment of a promise God had made to us? Could we have traveled for three days to Mount Moriah, the place of the sacrifice, dreading the moment yet walking steadily toward it? Could we have taken the knife in our own hand, willing ourselves to obey the command we did not understand and wished we had not heard?

It is hard to read the story without imagining how Abraham must have felt. Was his hand shaking as he held the knife? Was his mind reeling under the burden of the terrible command he was about to obey? It is not hard to imagine his agony.

But have you ever considered it from God's point of view? Watching the man and his son, did God feel something tearing at his heart, knowing that what he asked but did not require of Abraham--the sacrifice of his only son--he would one day require of himself?"

Wow! I sure had never thought of that! I am so thankful that the lover of my soul was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to provide his son as the ransom for my soul. Thank you Yahweh Yireh.

Academy Awards

Did anyone else watch the Academy Awards last night? I thought they were rather boring this year. I had not seen any of the nominated movies or any of the performances of the nominated actors, actresses, supporting actors, supporting actresses. That is pretty unusual for me. I had never even heard of the movie that won "No Country for Old Men"? I think the only two I had heard of were Juno and Michael Clayton. And what in the world is "La Vie en Rose."??

When they showed the 79 movie winners of year's past I counted and I had seen 33 of them. I have always enjoyed movies. I just wish that there were more good ones. Where I used to see at least one a month. Now I see 2 or 3 a year! Of course that doesn't include cable where I usually watch one or two a weekend.

Anyway....don't have much more to say about that. I did appreciate that most of the women actually had more modest dresses this year. Oh! and was it just me or did Mylie Cyrus (Hannah Montana), as cute as she is, just seem out of place?

Our Testimony

I know I have posted alot on testimonies this week. God must be trying to tell me something. But today in my Encouragement For Today on www.crosswalk.com there is a devotional thought about our testimony that touched me so am hoping it will touch you as well.

Inspired Messages

Lysa TerKeurst

"I am the way and the truth and the life..."John 14:6 (NIV)

Devotion:
There once was a little girl...
with a battered heart.

She was told by the first love of her life...
that she was unwanted.

Her Daddy's silence made her cry. His words made her broken.

Then one day she was given an old typewriter...
and when she placed her fingers on the dusty keys, her heart settled.

Words came from her fingertips that her lips couldn't produce.

Her poems cryptically told of hidden abuse.
Tears often smeared her little girl masterpieces.

Years passed... her fingers stilled, her heart grew cold, her lips cursed God.

But there were other people busy at their keyboards... pouring out inspired messages.
Messages that would one day reach her - in deep places - places long ago hidden away. Messages that told her she didn't have to be a child of a broken parent. She could be a child of God. She was wanted.

She is me.

Jesus used their key strokes to produce words, messages, books, and Bible studies -- their words unlocked me, released me, held me, exposed me, and helped put me together again.

And then my fingers found their way back... and dared to strike a key or two or ten thousand. Letters became words. Words became chapters. Chapters became books. And somehow others were unlocked, held, exposed and helped.

Every one of us has words inside that were never meant to just rumble about, hidden away. They are meant to be shared. Given. Released. Spoken. Written.

But somehow, Satan has deceived us by making us think we are not good enough, smart enough, educated enough, or eloquent enough to be able to share the reality of what Jesus has done in our lives. In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He goes on to instruct us to let our light shine.

But we don't have to do it in our strength. For right at the point we dare to say, "There's no way," Jesus steps in and calls Himself--- "The Way."

And your story is the best thing you have to share "the Way" with the world.

Dear Lord, thank you for weaving a story of redemption throughout my life. Give me the honesty to live it in such a way that honors you and the courage to share it in such a way that blesses others. Today, as you scan the earth looking to strengthen hearts fully committed to you, I raise my hand high and say, "choose me, I am willing." In Jesus' Name, Amen.

How Things Have Changed?

"June 30, 1922. Washington policeman Bill Norton measuring the distance
between knee and suit at the Tidal Basin bathing beach after Col. Sherrell,
Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds, issued an order that suits
not be over six inches above the knee."

This site has some other interesting pictures from days gone by.
http://www.shorpy.com/node

Another Testimony

For those of you who are not able to attend Ladies Bible Class, you missed a blessing yesterday.
We are currently studying the book of Nehemiah where the theme is restoration. Restoration of the walls and restoration of the people. Lori Rickman gave us the story of her life and the amazing that restoration that God has done in her life. Not just physically but also spiritually.
The blessing for me was hearing Lori testify to the power of Christian community. She was not involved in a church nor had accepted Jesus as her savior when she ran into Hal Pruessner at Albertsons seven years ago. Hal reached out to Lori through a chance encounter at Albertsons. She remembers coming to RE the first Sunday with him expecting people not to accept her with her many piercings and combat boots. She was surprised to find that there was no judgment at RE but just acceptance.
She went on to talk about how God stopped her in her tracks physically and how so many different people at RE ministered to her, befriended her, helped her find a place to live, etc. There was so much more to her testimony than I am reporting here. While it is great to know that right now Lori is doing so much better physically; in fact she is trying to find a way to move out of the nursing home. But the biggest blessing was to just glorify God for what He has done in her life spiritually. She is His daughter, she has been redeemed and her life has been restored. She is now a walking testimony of what God can do in a life that is surrendered to Him.
Her talk was a reminder that God is ready to use any of us if we will just let Him. Praise God that Hal heard His prompting to speak to a stranger and invite her into community. Praise God that RE is a community that extends love and grace to anyone who comes. Praise God for all those that did not give up on Lori but discipled her and held her accountable. Praise God for Lori who responded to His love and mercy and has allowed God to glorify Himself through her and the transformation He has done in her life. All of us that were in class yesterday thank Lori for allowing us to listen and rejoice in a God who is ready to restore us all.

Encouragement for Today

I have a couple of daily devotionals that I subscribe to and one is Encouragement for Today on crosswalk.com. Today in Ladies Bible Class our lesson was on Nehemiah and the speaker highlighted several times how God uses the possible to do the impossible, or the ordinary to do the extroadinary. Then after class I am reading these thoughts and they reinforced what God had already said to me today, so I thought I would share them with all of you.

One Day Completely With God
Lysa TerKeurst

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
Psalm 84:10a (NIV)

Devotion:
Why do I often want to settle for less than what God has for me? What if I truly lived today completely obedient to God's word and in tune with His voice? What if before every choice I make today, I held up my options to the Lord and chose obedience over convenience and righteousness over my rights. God has never asked me to do great things for him. All He has ever required of me is to allow His greatness to enter me, change things around in me, and be revealed through me. Not to do for Him, but rather to simply be with Him. So, just for today I will live this way. Just for today, I am making the choice to not settle. Just for today, I will not let the subtle influences of pride, what is best for me, what is easiest for me, and what I want overshadow my desire for more of God in my life. Today, I will believe with absolute certainty. Today, I will obey with complete surrender. Today, I will seek with complete abandon. For today, I want God to find in me a haven in which to rest. Isaiah 66: 1-2 (NASB) says, "Thus says the LORD, 'Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,' declares the LORD. 'But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.'" My soul jumps at God's question, "Where is the house you could build for me -- where is a place that I may rest?" He is the God of the Universe - so big and so mighty and so capable. Yet, asking almost a vulnerable question to a completely unworthy human - "Can I abide with you today?"


If the president of the United States called me today to inquire, "Can I come and stay for a while? I'd like to sit and find rest with your family today," I would be left utterly speechless. How much more so that the God of the Universe actually desires that with each of us today.Unimaginable. Uncontainable. Unfathomable. Yet completely true. There are no great people in the kingdom of God. Just simple people. But every now and then a simple person makes a great choice. Oh God, let me make that choice today. Even if it is just for a day - how I long for it to be more - but even if it is just for today, may it be completely so. For one day completely with You, is better than a thousand elsewhere.

Lent

Steve gave me a book entitled "Small Surrenders: A Lenten Journey" by Emilie Griffin. It has a meditation for each day of the 40 days of Lent. I had always thought that Lent was just a time where the individual chose to give up something. This book has helped me see that is is actually a season of surrender and not just one thing, but surrendering your heart to be examined by God. A time of repentance. Today's reading especially spoke to me and I thought I would share portions of it with you.

"God wants our honest thoughts and feelings, as any lover does--not what we're supposed to say or feel" Murray Bodo

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, an authority on death and dying, assures us that we can put our toughest questions to God. We can be angry with God. We can complain. The truth is, God can take it.
Even more important, God is seeking a genuine relationship. God wants more than a polite, diplomatic sort of conversation in which the cards are held close to the vest. He is looking for a frank and open dialogue. If we don't put our honest thoughts and feelings before God, we will never have a chance at a real exchange. In the spiritual life, such honesty is fundamental, necessary surrender. God says "I don't want your sacrifices, your burnt offerings. What I want is you." Only our frankness will make such intimacy possible.

Sometimes I think I am too outspoken with God. But this author has helped me to see that my conversations are actually a positive thing. Who do I think I am kidding anyway? God can read my mind and nothing is hidden from Him, so when I put it out on the table I am inviting Him to talk with me. The question is do I really want to hear what He has to say?

Testimonies

I am not sure why we don't share testimonies more often? Everyone has a God story to share. Testimonies help to authenticate faith. Testimonies are not meant to glorify the testifier but God. I am thankful that the Aikman's were able to give us their testimony last night. They showed us all what surrender looks like in the flesh. I hope that we can all learn to share with one another about the ways that God works in our lives. May we learn to pass the stories down from generation to generation. We all need to know that God is still active in the lives of His people.

Psalms 145
I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. ^[b]

They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.

All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.

They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,

so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.

The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.

The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

Motherhood

Today I went to Suzanne Boyd's baby shower. I think besides Suzanne there were four more pregnant women there. Do you know what pregnant mom's talk about? Their pregnancies. Then there were several other young mom's there who could join in the conversation because it had not been too long since they experienced it. Then the rest of the room was full of mom's who though their experiences were further removed could still participate in the conversation. Nothing wrong with this picture...it is exactly how it should be.

Tonight at our Life Group, Randi Kerby had invited Paul and Angie Akeman to speak. If you don't know the Akeman's they have an almost 3 year old child named Avery who has had many health challenges since the day she was born. You can read more about them at http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/inputSiteName.do?method=search&siteName=averygraceakeman
Paul and Angie gave their testimony of faith. Angie read an entry from her journal where she was struggling after 5 years of infertility. She wondered if she would ever get to experience motherhood, to fit in with other women, to not always be on the outside looking in. Her words really hit a cord with me.

She couldn't have known that I had been to a baby shower today and had come home depressed as I do from most baby showers which for me are a continual reminder that I will never be a mom myself. Most of the time I don't give this much thought anymore, but baby showers tend to bring it up. I am not sure why it was not God's plan for me to have a baby. A lot of people over the years have tried to offer words of encouragement like "God gave you lot's of children, or He knew you wouldn't have time to minister to other children". Noble efforts, but they do not help. I know that Steve and I could have adopted but we never thought that was a viable choice for us.

Yet as difficult of a reality this is for me, it does not compare to what it must be like to have your dreams of a child not be crushed because you are childless but because you have to watch your child suffer every day of their life. It was not the way you dreamed it would be. Yet in the midst of this suffering, most of these parents would take life the way it is over not having a child at all. They just find joy in parenting no matter what the challenges.

I am not sure what the point of this post is. Perhaps to those of you that are blessed with healthy children, I pray that you give thanks for that blessing every day and never take it for granted. To those who have children with "special needs" may the Lord continue to bless you with His strength everyday as you surrender the control of your child to Him. (Angie Akeman's words, not mine) And to others like me who are childless may we continue to believe that our loving and sovereign God sees the emptiness in our hearts and longs to fill them with His amazing love.

Wow! It's Friday!

How can it already be Friday?? This week has really flown by. Hope you all had a great day with your Valentine's. Steve and I got to spend the afternoon together and then we went to a wedding last night. Tanya Jones got married to John Lloyd. Wouldn't you know I forgot my camera! Because they got married at LDF Silks in the Art District of downtown. She works there and it was so cool because she did not have to worry about her flowers as there were all these exotic displays everywhere!! It was so pretty! The only negative is the floors were all concrete and we stood a long time which was not very comfortable for me.

Today I took my mom and dad out for a belated Valentine's lunch. We went to P.F. Changs. I had never been there. We all really enjoyed it! I will definitely go back in the future.

Hope everyone can bundle up and stay warm this weekend! I think I will start another jigsaw puzzle :)

Valentines or Thanksgiving?

I saw this article and could not help do I not take for granted so often the freedom's that we have by being blessed to live in the United States of America?? Yes indeed.

(CNN) -- Saudi Arabia has asked florists and gift shops to remove all red items until after Valentine's Day, calling the celebration of such a holiday a sin, local media reported Monday.

With a ban on red gift items over Valentine's Day in Saudi Arabia, a black market in red roses has flowered.

"As Muslims we shouldn't celebrate a non-Muslim celebration, especially this one that encourages immoral relations between unmarried men and women, " Sheikh Khaled Al-Dossari, a scholar in Islamic studies, told the Saudi Gazette, an English-language newspaper.

Every year, officials with the conservative Muslim kingdom's Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice clamp down on shops a few days before February 14, instructing them to remove red roses, red wrapping paper, gift boxes and teddy bears. On the eve of the holiday, they raid stores and seize symbols of love.

The virtue and vice squad is a police force of several thousand charged with, among other things, enforcing dress codes and segregating the sexes. Saudi Arabia, which follows a strict interpretation of Islam called Wahhabism, punishes unrelated women and men who mingle in public.

Ahmed Al-Omran, a university student in Riyadh, told CNN that the government decision will give the international media another reason to make fun of the Saudis "but I think that we got used to that by now."

"I think what they are doing is ridiculous," said Al-Omran, who maintains the blog 'Saudi Jeans.' "What the conservatives in this country need to learn is something called 'tolerance.' If they don't see the permissibility of celebrating such an occasion, then fine -- they should not celebrate it. But they have to know they have no right to impose their point of view on others."

Because of the ban on red roses, a black market has flowered ahead of Valentine's Day. Roses that normally go for five Saudi riyal ($1.30) fetch up to 30 riyal ($8) on February 14, the Saudi Gazette said.

"Sometimes we deliver the bouquets in the middle of the night or early morning, to avoid suspicion," one florist told the paper

CAREcorp

Today was my third time to work CAREcorp. For those of you who read my blog that do not attend Richardson East, CAREcorp is our program for helping those who need money to pay rent or utilities and for distributing food. Even though I have only actually interviewed people these three times, I have seen people come and go for the past nine years. I have to really ask God to help me with a judgmental heart as some of the people just do not appear to be authentic and seem to be just working the program. Only one was like that today, but it is always one too many in my opinion. She came in for food only. She listed her income as $1200 a month. Said she only needed food for one and then when she was allowed to take the bread items on her own (we sack the canned goods) she took 2 cakes, 2 containers of 12 cupcakes, 4 containers of rolls and bread. Maybe I am wrong but that seemed like a lot for a single person. But it was just her attitude as well, not as humble, not as grateful as some others. I realize I need to be so very careful for the Lord tells me He will judge me with the same measure I judge others and I definitely need all the grace and mercy I can get. At the same time there was the sweetest grandmother raising her seven year old grandson that was my blessing to meet today. You could tell she did not want to be asking for help and was so very grateful for everything we were able to do for her. I am sure there are definite correlations to my own relationship with God. Some days I just take advantage and am not very grateful and other days I am overwhelmed by His goodness and oh so thankful for every good gift.

God Continues To Speak

Last night after my post on God speaking to me about our faith glorifying Him I was on the Richardson East website and noticed that our young couples class is posting commentary about the Romans study happening on Sunday mornings. In Kellie Litton's commentary she mentioned a couple Conor and Boothe Farley who had lost their newborn baby to an uncommon chromosomal abnormality, Trisomy-18 (or Edward's syndrome). I went out and spent an hour getting to know them through their blog. Oh my goodness!!! Their faith is absolutely amazing! You can get to know them at http://conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com

This is just part of one of Boothe's post after her daughter lost her eight day fight for life "I don't mean to sound morbid or even to depress anyone, although I know I'll find it hard at times to smile or to simply 'go on' as normal, despite the absolute necessity of that at some point. I remember thinking last night that I can't believe I actually fall into the category of people who have endured one of the hardest things life can hand someone. It doesn't seem real. And yet that word - endure - stands out and reminds me that somehow, as I sit in the darkness of my bedroom and hope I have the strength to face Copeland's bassinet in the kitchen, I realize that God is giving me what I can't give myself, what even no amount of Bible verses fail to give were it not first for His Spirit imparting to me an understanding and a thirst for Him. I confess I long to understand - to believe - in what I can't right now. I long to believe heaven is real, that my girl is being rocked by caring, loving arms, that she is absolutely healed from the effects of her cruel disease and that never again will she be hungry or frustrated at her inability to breathe. That she will look on the gates occasionally, waiting for her mommy and daddy to appear. My conversations with God right now are more like those you have with a junior high boyfriend as you pass them in the hall at school: necessary in order to remain in a relationship, but short, probably somewhat insignificant to any on-lookers. "Hey." That's about all I can muster at this point. What do you say to the God of the universe who chose not to heal or save your baby? Who, though they are giving you strength to endure, moment by moment, actually allowed the situation that require endurance in the first place? I call on you to pray for me. I will not turn my back on Him. But words fail me."

I could so relate to Boothe's feelings and yet have no idea what she is feeling, but I was so thankful that for some reason God led me there to show me that faith can indeed glorify Him.
Then this morning during my Bible reading I had the stereo on and this song came on.
All Is Well by Kathy Troccoli

Lord, I need you, help me see you
Through the darkness, covering my heart.
I've been fighting, but I am so tired
It feels like my whole world is torn apart.
When I am weak, In my faith, by your grace, I can say

All is well, All is well
You are Lord and all is well
You're the hope for my heart, and a peace beyond myself
You are Lord and all is well.

Thank you Jesus, for your presence
Even when it feels like you're not there,
You remind me that you love me
You have felt the pain behind my prayers.
Though the storm rages on, I am safe in your arms.
When every thing's out of control
Your love will not let me go.

All is well, All is well
You are Lord and all is well
You're the hope for my heart, and a peace beyond myself
You are Lord and all is well.

You have to understand that I had a CD player with 50 Cd's in it. I have the setting on shuttle so that it just picks songs at random. So for this song to come on this morning AND the fact that I do not honestly remember ever hearing it before??? I am confident that it was not a coincidence but God wanting to get my attention and confirm what He has been putting on my heart....He is there even when I cannot see Him.

God Speaks

Along with my daily Bible reading I have been spending time in a book entitled Praying The Names of God. Today's reading was on El Shadday (God Almighty). It is what God called Himself when He appeared to Abraham and made him the promise that he would become the Father of many nations. At the end of the reading there was the question "How have you experienced God's almighty power working on your behalf?"

This is what I wrote" An almighty God for whom nothing is impossible is the God that I believe in but not the God I have seen for awhile. Or is it the God for whom nothing is impossible is not doing the possible for reasons I do not understand? He is doing what is best but my humaness cannot understand how not healing a 2 year old so she can eat is best, or not stopping the constant seizures of another precious girl is best. How not keeping an infection from taking part of my leg was best? The parents of these children have such amazing faith and we marvel at them and their faith. Didn't you say you allow such things in order that you might be glorified? Well, we marvel at their faith not your almighty hand. However, I will continue to trust in you the Lord Almighty for whom nothing is impossible"

I tell you that because the next thing I did was pick up my Journey which is a daily devotional magazine I also read. Today's reading was on Jesus being the Vine and the fruit we will bear when we cling. The very last sentence was quoting I John 15: 1,5,8 "by this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples".

I started crying because I immediately knew God had corrected me in His usual gentle way. Kim and Steven, Angie and Paul, God may not be healing your children in a way that we can see but He is being glorified through you and the way you are clinging to the Vine. Your faith is the fruit and it testifies to all of us that you are His disciples. Thank you for showing me what faith in the flesh looks like. Thank you God for letting me know that you are indeed being glorified in the lives of these sweet families and you will forever be El Shadday, God Almighty.

My Sunday Doings

This morning started with me watching Charles Stanley's In Touch program as I do every Sunday as I am dressing for worship. It started with a group that sounded like they were right out of the Appalachian mountains singing "Farther Along". They were so "hick" sounding. Charles' spoke on "When God Is Silent" and just had some really practical thoughts to share.

Steve had sinus problems and did not go to worship with me. I don't know if I will ever get used to sitting by myself but it makes me more conscious about the women who come weekly without their spouses.

If you are reading this and know Mona Otenti please send a special prayer up for her and her family. She was able to come to Life Group tonight and just share with us the daily challenges they are having in caring for her mom who has dementia. I admire them so much because it would be so easy to put her in a home and let someone else care for her, but Mona and Bob are doing the self sacrificial thing and just giving her mom the best therapy/medicine possible-unconditional love.

When I came home tonight I was watching the end of Extreme Home Makever. Oh my...a real tear jerker. A Marine veteran who lost a leg in Iraq whose wife deserted him and four children.
There was a scene where he was visiting other disabled veterans and he said he thanks God for allowing him the opportunity to use his lack of a leg to bless others as he is a walking example of how God can use your brokenness to heal others.

I then ended the evening watching the final part of the Grammy's. This is the one show that just makes me face the realization of how much I have aged. I don't recognize 90 per cent of the musicians and can't understand 90 percent of the lyrics. And by the way can anyone please help Kanya West with his self esteem? I think he needs to think more about himself. NOT!!!!!!!!!

Day of Organization

So what does it say about your pantry if it takes 3 hours of your day to reorganize it?? That is what I did today. It had become such a mess and we kept buying things we already had because we didn't know we had them. So now everything is together and I even labeled the shelves to that when other's help me shelve groceries things will get put where they go and hopefully we won't get back into this dilemma again in the future. So I felt good about that accomplishment until I realized I have three more cabinets and two closets that need it just as bad and a refrigerator that needs cleaning. Oh well...one day at a time.

Hope you all had a great Saturday and will have a good night's rest.

Cloud Has Lifted

Thanking God that the cloud has lifted and things are better. There are just times when I get that 1, 2 punch and just have to fight for Satan not to give me the TKO. It is a fight to look at the positive and not the negative. Sometimes I am just not as good at it as other times. But I keep returning to what I know instead of what I feel and eventually I always come around. I think this time an added factor is for 2 weeks I threw caution to the window and began ingesting more carbohydrates than I had in a couple of months and I think they made me more lethargic. I returned to my healthier eating and at my weigh in today I had lost 12 lbs! Really crazy I know. But I was thankful. I just want to keep moving toward my goal and not discouraged when there is a set back and I am thankful that God rewarded me for those good choices this week.

Steve told me an interesting quote by someone he heard on the radio named Ron Mehl. Why was Jesus born in a manger??

Because where else would a lamb be born?

Don't you jut love moments like that when you just say "Aha". I had never thought of Jesus being the lamb born in that manger. I am just so sorry that He had to be the lamb that was slain for me. Yet rejoice that I can walk in the confidence that His blood offers me continual cleansing for my sins.

In my bible reading today several times God is consumed with anger because the Israelites are complaining and not trusting Him to provide. I don't know why He looks on us with so much more grace today than He did on them? But I pray that I never take that for granted!!

Would You Ever?

Would you ever be so desperate to be at the beach that you would endure this?
http://www.rense.com/general80/dayi.htm

I tried posting the pictures but Blogger did not want to cooperate, so hopefully you could see the pics by the link?

I guess if it was all that you had you would settle? Just makes me thankful that I can find beaches here in the states where no one else is even 100 ft away. Especially since going to the beach is one of my favorite things to do.

Several Gripes

So I have a couple of gripes today. First of all I hate large SUV's. I hate when I am trying to turn and they totally block your view, but even more I hate that they don't fit in regular parking places and when they park next to my car I cannot get in it. Today at Cafe Max I deliberately scooted over in my slot to leave room on the drivers side. When I came out a Ford Expedition was next to me. And parked crooked in the spot to boot!! Fortunately they had running boards or I would have probably had to put a dent in their car to get in mine.

Secondly, when you bring children to the Social Security Administration where there is a two hour wait, why wouldn't you bring something to entertain them with?? I understand that you might need to bring them with you as you cannot find childcare, but to bring them with nothing to do just sets them up to be fussy. Then when you walk in and get your number and it is 303 and when you sit down and hear them call 247 you know you are going to have a long wait ahead!! I asked the guy that waited on me if there was a better time a day to come then the afternoon and he said not really, that it is particularly bad right now because of tax season.

A good thing was Ladies Bible class was really good on the book of Ezra. I don't know that I knew that much about him before today. Just contemplating God's mercy and grace in letting the Israelites return from captivity to rebuild the temple was good for me. Listen to this prayer that Ezra prays in Ezra 9:
"My dear God, I'm so totally ashamed, I can't bear to face you. O my God—our iniquities are piled up so high that we can't see out; our guilt touches the skies. We've been stuck in a muck of guilt since the time of our ancestors until right now; we and our kings and priests, because of our sins, have been turned over to foreign kings, to killing, to captivity, to looting, and to public shame—just as you see us now. Now for a brief time God, our God, has allowed us, this battered band, to get a firm foothold in his holy place so that our God may brighten our eyes and lighten our burdens as we serve out this hard sentence. We were slaves; yet even as slaves, our God didn't abandon us. He has put us in the good graces of the kings of Persia and given us the heart to build The Temple of our God, restore its ruins, and construct a defensive wall in Judah and Jerusalem. And now, our God, after all this what can we say for ourselves? For we have thrown your commands to the wind, the commands you gave us through your servants the prophets. They told us, 'The land you're taking over is a polluted land, polluted with the obscene vulgarities of the people who live there; they've filled it with their moral rot from one end to the other. Whatever you do, don't give your daughters in marriage to their sons nor marry your sons to their daughters. Don't cultivate their good opinion; don't make over them and get them to like you so you can make a lot of money and build up a tidy estate to hand down to your children. And now this, on top of all we've already suffered because of our evil ways and accumulated guilt, even though you, dear God, punished us far less than we deserved and even went ahead and gave us this present escape. Yet here we are, at it again, breaking your commandments by intermarrying with the people who practice all these obscenities! Are you angry to the point of wiping us out completely, without even a few stragglers, with no way out at all? You are the righteous God of Israel. We are, right now, a small band of escapees. Look at us, openly standing here, guilty before you. No one can last long like this."


What if I could be that confessional and repentant with my own sins? I remember a few years ago there was such a blitz about the prayer of Jabez. Perhaps it is time to promote the prayer of Ezra?

God Speaking

I am trying to be more intentional about my daily Bible reading. Steve bought me the Narrated Bible in Chronological Order for Christmas this year and he and I are reading it through together and discussing it at dinner. The last couple of days the reading has been rather redundant as it has been the exact specifications for the building of the temple. Today I really needed a voice of encouragement from the Word and today it was the numbering of the Israelites, where they were to pitch camp and what they were to take care of. It was not really speaking to my heart.
Then I picked up a 40 day devotional book I began reading yesterday from Max Lucado's new book 3:16. Here is what I read "God is whispering to you. Those are his arms you feel. Trust him. That is his voice you hear. Believe him. Allow the only decision maker in the universe to comfort you. Life at times appears to fall to pieces, seems irreparable. But it's going to be okay. How can you know? Because God so loved the world and
Since he has no needs, you cannot tire him
Since he is without age, you cannot lose him.
Since he has no sin, you cannot corrupt him.
If God can make a billion galaxies, can't he make good out of our bad and sense out of our faltering lives? Of course He can. He is God."

I was glad that God did speak to me today after all. I needed to hear these words. It is so easy to lose His voice when other voices are speaking in your ear. I am still not sure where the darkness that has engulfed me the last several days has come from, but I am thankful that God gives me the hope that the light will once again shine and He will show me the way out of the tunnel. I am indeed very thankful that HE IS GOD.

Superbowl Commercials

So I was surprised that none of my 25 or so blog friends posted anything about the Superbowl commercials today. I was interested in hearing what everyone's favorites were. So just in case anyone is interested, I thought I would post my top three.
1. Budweiser's commercial with the Dalmatian training the Clydesdale to be picked for next year's team.
2. Fed Ex commercial with the pigeons wrecking havoc on the city.
3. Career Builder commercial about following your heart.

Just to let you know Steve's favorite was the Bud light where the guy fly's and gets sucked into the plane.

Now did I think any of the commercials were worth 3 million dollars?? Or did any of them cause me to consider trying their product? Nope.

So, what was your favorite? Inquiring minds want to know.

Blog Readers

Thanks to the post I got from Alaska and the encouraging words. I am always amazed at who is reading my blog that I don't even know (I mean personally know). I am not sure that I read blogs of people I don't know and if I do on occasion I would not post a reply. I'm not sure why because i enjoy reading posts on my own blog. However, I wouldn't if they were crazy like our friend Kristi seems to get? It is rather sad that some individuals get their kicks from just posting comments that are meant to agitate the reader. So far I have been blessed that when I do get a comment it is usually someone being kind. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it continues to be the way it is.

We had a nice Super Bowl get together at the Autery's. I played two new games Buzzword and Apples to Apples. Both of them provided us with lots of laughs. It is true what they say "laughter is good for the soul".

In A Funk

Don't know what is wrong, just know that I have been in a dark fog for two days now. I don't have a clue why and I have tried to talk myself, pray myself, read myself out of it. The only thing I haven't done that I usually do is eat myself out of it. Perhaps that is the reason for the funk in the first place, when I weighed in yesterday after missing the last two meetings because of Nashville and Ladies Retreat I had a significant weight gain. So with that comes a lot of negative messages. I really do not want to be on a diet. I honestly want to be making positive lifestyle changes. I knew I had not made the best choices in Nashville and on the Ladies Retreat, but also knew I didn't make the worst choices. So in two weeks time I gained what had taken 2 months to lose. How does that happen? Anyway...don't know why I am posting about it, guess I was hoping if I saw it in writing I would understand it better. Thanks for listening (or reading in this case).

Praising God

Praising God today for letting Steve and I have a good time with my mom and dad. We all went out to eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then we went to Bass Pro Shop in Rowlett so that my dad could look at all the displays. This was significant because it was his first outing (other than going to the VA) in a year. I was thankful that he seemed to handle it all well and did not get too tired out. I eyed the bows and arrows because since shooting at the ladies retreat I kind of have a hankering to set up a target in the backyard. It was really fun! I was a lot better at archery than I was at shooting b-b guns. Today at Bass Pro they had a shooting gallery and Steve was amazing. He really does like to target shoot, I am not sure why he doesn't do it more often. Perhaps it is something we need to look into doing together? Of course the last time we did it all my shots went into the dirt!

Kids Say The Darndest Things

This is a conversation with my friend Patty's 4 year old granddaughter and her dad. He posted it on his blog and it was the best laugh I have had this week, so thought I would share.

At the entrance to the children's section of Barnes and Nobles...

Me: You go and find a book for yourself. I'll just wait right here for you.

Maisy: You can come with me. You can hold my hand.

Me: You don't want to look by yourself?

Maisy: No. You come with me and hold my hand while I look. The last thing we need is a lost child on our hands.

Retreat Recap

65 ladies joined us for our Open Windows/Encountering God retreat. It was good to get to know some new faces, although I missed a lot of the old faces. It was a blessing to work on the Ladies Retreat Committee this year and see how God works to bring a vision to fruition. This retreat had a lot more details than past retreats and we had no idea how it was all going to come together, but surrendered it to God and He definitely rewarded us. Besides having 3 speakers, women were able to visit five of nine centers that had been prepared for them to have an encounter with God. They were the Kitchen Window where they encountered God through serving, the Bathroom Window where they encountered the forgiving God through images of cleansing, the Bedroom Window where they encountered the God of rest, the Game Room window where they encountered the God who speaks in venues of videos, games, songs, etc., the Nursery where we encounter God in child likeness, the Patio Window where we encounter God in nature, the Parlor Window where we encounter God in the different gifts and abilities He has blessed us with, the Office Window where we were challenged to look at our schedules and see where we could free up time to allow God to encounter us, the Dining Room window where we encountered God through feasting and communion and the Living Room Window where we encountered God through relationships. Each one of the centers was decorated to actually look like that room and had hands on experiences via sight, sound, taste and touch to help each woman have an encounter of her own. I personally was most blessed by the small group time and hearing Erin Snyder speak. How I wished I had known the Lord the way she does at the age of 24. I can only imagine what her relationship with him will be like when she is my age. For me my renewal was to come home and practice being still a lot more often. I tend to always have noise in the background. Today I began by reading my Bible for two hours in total silence. That was BIG for me. I pray more and more I can create a better space for me to encounter God.

I Survived!!

So did you read the title and start singing Gloria Gaynor?? What a week I have had. We got home from Nashville Wednesday night at 6:30 and I headed to the church building for the last ladies retreat committee meeting at 7:00. Got home and went to bed knowing I would have a full day on Thursday. Woke up and worked on my talk and finished it up at 2:00 p.m., went shopping, I wanted pj's as I only wear gowns and knew it would be a cold weekend. Also bought a few odds and ends for the trip. Came home and tried to do some more technical things for the retreat (recording Cd's for some of the centers) packed all the things I needed to take and got to bed about 4 a.m.
Met at Kelley's at 9:30 arrived to the retreat center and decorated madly until 7:00 when everyone started arriving. I have so much to tell you about the retreat that I will save that till tomorrow. But let me just say we were so thankful that God answered all of our prayers and all of our centers came together and flowed really well. We just praised Him for covering all the details, but were more thankful that 65 ladies got to share the weekend with us. If you were not one of them not only did we miss you, but you missed an amazing encounter with God.
I am so very thankful though that I was able to survive and God blessed me with the stamina to do all that I needed to do with the help of my sweet friend Rhonda who went early to help me decorate my center and then drove me all over from location to location. I know a year ago I would not have even been able to dream of doing what I did, so I was very thankful to God for the healing He continues to do in my body. Tune in tomorrow for the rest of the story.
I just spent two hours reading and catching up on everyone's blogs. I praise the Lord that it looks like all my blog buddies have had a good week. Kids seem healthy and pregnancies are continuing to go well and even was able to add two more blog friends to my list Abbe Womble and Kellie Litton. Our community keeps growing.

Nashville News

It continues to be very cold here in Nashville, especially when you are going to have to walk outside to one of the lunch venues, so Steve and I just paid the extra high prices and stayed and ate in the motel. Why is it the more expensive the motel the less amenities you get and the higher the food is?? I just don't quite understand it? I guess I am just not classy enough because I am just as comfortable at a Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn or Holiday Inn. The 6th motel used to be okay when I was single, but since all they have is a double bed that is usually against the wall on one side I don't really like staying there.

We have been blessed to hear some really good speakers. The two that stand out are Tim Woodruff that spoke on what are lives would look like if we truly believed that we had the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us and Rick Rusaw that showed us what a church looks like who is externally focused. Both have caused me to be thinking in new and exciting ways and I only hope that my life will bear the fruit of those lessons.

I ask you to be praying for me in the next couple of days as we head into the Ladies Retreat weekend. Specifically I would ask that you pray for protection for me from Satan's attacks as He has already been doing some things technology wise that have frustrated me and kept me from working on my presentation. (like the "g" key just this minute popped off my computer!!!!)
Anyway, please pray for the other speakers as well and just that the ladies will all have a fresh encounter with God this weekend. We have 68 signed up to go!! And we are just so excited. So I really do covet your prayers. AND thank you for them ahead of time!

I probably will not be blogging again until Monday, but then hope to get back into the swing of it again, because I miss dialoging with all of you and more than that just hearing about what is going on in your world's.

Yea! President Bush

So here you have it! Straight from Google.

National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2007
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

White House News

America was founded on the principle that we are all endowed by our Creator with the right to life and that every individual has dignity and worth. National Sanctity of Human Life Day helps foster a culture of life and reinforces our commitment to building a compassionate society that respects the value of every human being.

Among the most basic duties of Government is to defend the unalienable right to life, and my Administration is committed to protecting our society's most vulnerable members. We are vigorously promoting parental notification laws, adoption, abstinence education, crisis pregnancy programs, and the vital work of faith-based groups. Through the "Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002," the "Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003," and the "Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004," we are helping to make our country a more hopeful place.

One of our society's challenges today is to harness the power of science to ease human suffering without sanctioning practices that violate the dignity of human life. With the right policies, we can continue to achieve scientific progress while living up to our ethical and moral responsibilities.

National Sanctity of Human Life Day serves as a reminder that we must value human life in all forms, not just those considered healthy, wanted, or convenient. Together, we can work toward a day when the dignity and humanity of every person is respected.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 21, 2007, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies and to underscore our commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Nashville News

Steve and I arrived yesterday about noon in Nashville for the Christian Education Conference. This is a small church of Christ conference for Education Ministers. We have been coming for about 10 years now and have made friendships from all across the country that we enjoy renewing each year. We are staying at the Sheraton in Downtown Nashville and have a really nice view of downtown from our window. The Country Music Hall of Fame is only a couple of blocks away, so maybe I will venture over to it before I leave.

When we arrived yesterday it took us about 30 minutes to get an elevator as there was some kind of convention here in town and 1,600 people were staying at this motel! They must have all just let out of a session and all were going to their rooms, because it was just crazy. This morning they were all coming down the elevators with their luggage so it was even more challenging trying to find room in an elevator. The good news is they are now gone!! The lady at the front desk told us it was some kind of multi-layer marketing group and we saw the name this morning and I tried Google to tell you something about them, but didn't see anything.

Last night I wanted to blog and now I don't even remember what I was going to say but there was no way I could get on the internet last night. Everytime I tried I got the Renaissance Hotel across the way about 2 blocks. The Sheraton gave us a technical support number and they got us on for about 2 minutes and then when Steve called back they put him on hold and were telling him all these numbers he could call for phone sex so he hung up. Just amazing!!! You would think a motel you are paying over $100.00 a night for would have better service than that! Anyway...I have no idea whose service I have hacked into right now, but just wanted to post while we were here.

This morning we got up and went out to breakfast at Shoney's. Now in year's past they have had a wonderful breakfast buffet. Well guess what?? Not any more!!! We should have got up and left this place and what made it worse if you didn't get the buffet you had two choices on the menu, pancakes, or bacon and eggs. Then why we are eating we hear this ruckas and these two women begin arguing and one gets very loud and VERY foul mouthed. I could not believe that the management did not come and put an end to it. Their husbands put an end to it and I watched one woman walk back to her table where her two twins (about 7) were sitting with these horrified looks on their face. What were these two women thinking??

Steve and I had already decided that we would go to the church where Michael Card goes in Franklin Tennessee while we were here. So we headed for Christ Community Church. They are in the middle of a sermon series on Revelations. When is the last time you heard a sermon from the book of Revelation? Much less an entire series. It was a really good sermon too. I thought they had an interesting approach; their founding minister preached a segment then they had the offering and some singing, then their senior minister preached a segment and they had a praise singing time and then the first guy preached a 3rd segment and they had a singing response time. It was interesting to hear more than one guy delivering the message and then I thought it helped with my attention span to have the breaks of worship in between.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention it is cold here!! Only 14 when we left this morning and 25 when we came out at noon. There is a frozen fountain in the plaza below that looks really cool and I wished I had brought my camera. Anyway, I was really glad I brought some gloves because I have not been able to get warm.

Now the Lobby is full of "Right to Life" people. Did you know that today is Right To Life day? It is a day proclaimed by President Bush to be for the protection of unborn children. I had no idea such a day existed?? Is this the first year for it?? They announced it at the church we were at this morning and then when we returned to the motel there were all sorts of people here for it.

All In Your Perspective

I sure have missed just life being way to busy to even think about blogging. I did try to catch up on reading some blogs last night. Don't have alot to say but still wanted to post something. In preparing for my talk at the Ladies Retreat I found this story in a book called "The Upside of Down" by Joseph M. Stowell and thought I would share it with you all.

"A little boy would look across the sprawling meadows outside his house every morning and see in the distance a house with golden windows. He would stare and revel in the radiant beams streaming his way from far away. He asked his father one day if they could visit the house with the golden windows. The father obliged and they started to walk. They walked and walked until they approached the house. The young lad stood perplexed. He saw no windows of gold. But a little girl inside saw them staring at her home and came out to ask if they were looking for something. “yes” replied the boy “I wanted to see the house with the golden windows that I see every morning.”

“Oh, you’ve come to the wrong place,” she quickly said. “if you wait here a little while until sunset, I will show you the house with the golden windows that I see every evening.” She then pointed to the house in the distance—the home of the little boy."

How about you? Are you looking for something in the distance when you have the blessings right where you are? Unfortunately, I am guilty as charged.

Quick HaHa

Steve's mother gets us a subscription to Reader's Digest every year. It has some good stories, but sometimes there is just a good laugh. Tonight I read this one and thought I would share it. Maybe someone else will find it funny too.

Jeff's blind date with Suzanne was bad from the start, in fact they loathed each other. Fortunately, Jeff had asked a friend to call him so he would have an excuse to leave if the date wasn't going well.
When his friend called, Jeff pretended to be in shock "I have to leave" Jeff said to Suzanne, "My aunt just died." "Thank God" Suzanne replied. "If yours hadn't mine would've had to."

Amazing Race

Anyone else Amazing Race Fans? I am just elated that Nate and Jennifer got eliminated tonight. Jennifer couldn't be kind even on her own birthday. Her whining absolutely drove me nuts! I think Nate was far more gracious to her than I would have been. She just showed him no respect.

It is one of the few seasons I ever remember where the "nice" people actually have made it to the end. I am routing for Donald and Christina. I think Donald has come a long way and the last two episodes has been so much more positive. However if Rachel and TK win I am glad that they are one couple who actually treats each other with respect. I haven't seen where this race is going to end up, but will be looking forward to the final three duking it out next week.

Movie Watching

Wow! Where did this week go? It has been a long time since I have been too busy to blog. Hope I didn't lose too many of you checking in? The countdown is on for the ladies retreat and the preparations are really eating up a lot of my time. I am responsible for the content of 2 of our 9 windows as well as one of the talks. My windows are the Bathroom and Entertainment room. For the entertainment room I needed some movie clips so I have been watching several movies. I joined Blockbuster online for a month because it was only $9.95, but will cancel it once the month is over because it seems silly to pay a cable bill and then pay $17.99 on top of that just to have more movies. Anyway, this week I have watched: The Illusionist, We Are Marshall, The Ultimate Gift, Cats and Les Miserables. Plus I found a new site Wingclips.com where you can watch movie clips. It has some really good ones from movies I had never heard of before. So last night about 1:00 a.m. I finally finalized what clips I would be using. Now, you will have to come to the ladies retreat to find out or if you're a man and are interested you can email me and I will tell you :)

I thought the Ultimate Gift had some good thoughts in it. So if you were having to compile a list of what you thought was important for someone to learn what would you include? The twelve gifts in the movie were:
The gift of friendship
The gift of family
The gift of money
The gift of dreams
The gift of laughter
The gift of learning
The gift of problems
The gift of giving
The gift of gratitude
The gift of a day
The gift of love
The gift of work

I think I would add the gift of forgiveness, the gift of grace and the gift of unconditional love. How about you what would you add?

Praying For Our Leaders

In light of this being an election year I found this following guide to be helpful to me. Just wanted to share it.

(Courtesy Summit County National Day of Prayer)
LET US PRAY THAT LEADERS

... will honor God, be granted salvation and will see His unfailing love; 1 Sam. 2:30b;
Psa. 85:7 ; Pro. 3:6
... will fear the LORD and attend to Him in truth - 1 Sam. 12:24
... will learn righteousness - Isa. 26:9b
... will trust in the LORD with all of their heart and lean not upon their own understanding - Pro. 3:5
... will follow the LORD with all of their heart - 1 Sam. 12:20b
... will worship God gratefully, acceptably, with reverence and awe Heb. 12:28
... will have grace and peace from God - Phi. 1:2
... will serve the right master - Luke 16;13; Rom. 13:1,6,7
... will be public servants of prayer - Luke 22:46
... will have teachable spirits - Psa. 2:10,11
... will have the Word of Christ dwelling richly within - Col. 3:16
... will be taught the way that is good and right - 1 Sam. 12:23; 2Sam. 23:3
... will approve the things which are excellent - Phi. 1:10
... will be full of the Spirit and wisdom - Acts 6:3
... will proclaim God's words - Jer. 23:22
... will be revived that we may rejoice in them - Psa. 85:6
... will have compassionate hearts for the poor; be charitable; just and right -
Pro. 29:14; Eze. 18:5-9
... will forgive the sins of others - John 20:23
... will love their neighbors as themselves - Rom 13:9
... will walk in God's house with a blameless heart - Psa. 101:2
... will be instructed and taught in the way they should go and be faithful - Psa. 32:8; 101:6
... will be obedient to God's Commandments and be kept from evil - John 17:15;
Mat. 28:20; Exo. 20:1-17
... will hold fast the Word of life - Phi. 2:16
... will listen to what the LORD God has to say that we may have peace - Psa. 85:8
... will endeavor to restore families - Psa. 127; Eph. 5:22-23
... will be courageous - Isa. 35:4
... will be responsible to confront threats to the moral fabric of our nation - Rom. 13:11-14
... will be committed to the LORD - 1 Sam. 7:3b

Search Me O' God

I don't know how many of you in an R.E. Life Group are studying Sacred Rhythms, but our life group is. Ruth Haley Barton writes so many things that have challenged me. This week the chapter was self examination. She quotes Psalms 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." We talked whether it was easy or hard to pray this prayer. We agreed it was hard, and admitted that none of us has ever prayed this prayer personally. I thought Mrs. Barton did a wonderful job of reminding us that this prayer is not really about us asking God to search us because after all He already knows all about us. Earlier in Psalms 139:1-4 David said " O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD." So the point is God already knows and what this prayer is really about is for us to come to know ourselves the way that God knows us. What I loved about her discussion is she reminds us that we are secure in God's love and no matter what we have done He still loves us, so this kind of self examination is not meant to be self condemning. It is a celebration of loving God so much that the more we recognize our own shortcomings He will transform us more and more into His image. God has this amazing life of overflowing love, mercy, and grace just waiting for me to embrace. How much longer am I going to let Satan the accuser blind me from the truth of God's love?

After Christmas Perspective

Steve sent me this post today from the Ravi Zaccharias Ministry. You can subscribe to the posts at slice-html-subscribe@lists.rzim.org. I thought it was some great commentary on my after Christmas blues and thought I would share them with all of you.

Life After Christmas
by Jill Carattini

"In the days following of Christmas it is almost natural to find our mood something like that of the brilliant lights we have just unplugged. Guests go home. Decorations come down. Celebrations cease. And life resumes with a little less fanfare. But I’ve always felt poet W.H. Auden describes the letdown of Christmas almost too well--reminding me even of things I hadn’t considered:

Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree,
Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes...
There are enough left-overs to do, warmed-up, for the rest of the week--
Not that we have much appetite, having drunk such a lot,
Stayed up so late, attempted--quite unsuccessfully--
To love all of our relatives, and in general
Grossly overestimated our powers. Once again
As in previous years we have seen the actual Vision and failed
To do more than entertain it as an agreeable
Possibility, once again we have sent Him away...
The Christmas Feast is already a fading memory,
And already the mind begins to be vaguely aware
Of an unpleasant whiff of apprehension...(1)

For Auden, in the days after Christmas, we step down from the heights of the holiday and along with our colored lights return to dimmer realities--daily life and its monotony, despairing headlines, another year of wearisome failures, blind spots, and missteps. Writing in 1942, Auden’s sense of the dismal reality of life after Christmas was likely heightened by the uncertainties of war and the certainty of violence. For many, Christmas indeed serves as a moment of respite in the midst of harsher realities that promise to recommence. For others, the season itself is disheartening and the aftermath is more of the same. Regardless, the picture W.H. Auden paints is one in which most can enter.

Yet Auden’s attempt to describe life after Christmas is far more than an offer of depressing poetry. Auden reminds us that we must come down from the heights of Christmas in order to embrace again the world in all of its brokenness and finitude, in order to truly receive the Child whose arrival was not marked by lights and decoration but a few witnesses in an unknown stable. Auden reminds us that the time after Christmas is the time when Christ can step into the thick of our lives as he intended. Writes Auden:

To those who have seen
The Child, however dimly, however incredulously,
The Time Being is, in a sense, the most trying time of all.

The Christmas story that sits at the heart of all our holiday efforts begs us to see it as far more than a peak event in December. Christmas is an annual reminder that God is on the move and was on the move long before we knew it. In fact, it was precisely into our dismal, empty, post-festive reality that the Child came near in the first place.

In the bleak moments of late winter, Christmas is not anti-climactic; it confronts us all the more. It is our startling reminder that God has not forgotten, though in the thick of our empty routines, despairing headlines, and blinding self-interest we have forgotten the Child. Yet here, in the quiet and empty days after celebrations have ceased, the sights and sounds of the Child among us can better be noticed and more authentically received. If Advent brings our attention to the sounds of one who stands at the door and knocks, and Christmas marks the culmination of that knocking in the cry of a newborn king, the days thereafter usher us further into the presence of a God who not only knocks and draws near, but has opened wide the doors of heaven."

Where Have I Been??????

I just finished watching "Facing The Giants". How in the world did I miss seeing this movie in the theater??? I remember some talk, but I had no idea what I was getting into when I started watching it! Someone recommended it as a movie for my center at the Ladies Retreat. Now I sit here with streams of tears running down my face and asking myself do I truly believe that "nothing is impossible with God"? Then to watch the special features and discover this was just a church's dream of a way to reach out to the world, so they made a movie?? I am sure most of you have seen the movie and if some of you are like me and somehow missed it be sure and go rent it right away. I already bought my copy of the movie and the soundtrack on Amazon.com. Most of all for a long time my scripture verse on my blog has been Ephesians 3:20 and God spoke that verse again to me in this movie. "To Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or think". Why do I cling to this verse? Because I want it so bad to be true! My head says it is because God says it, I want my heart to embrace it and rejoice in it and yearn to be surrounded by crowds of other believers who believe it also. Here is the song that touched my heart the most tonight (although so many of them were great)

Title: Completely (Ana Laura)

The secret of life is letting go
the secret of love is letting it show
in all that I do
in all that I say
right here in this moment

the power of prayer is in a humble cry
the power of change is in giving my life
and laying it down
down at your feet
right here in this moment

chorus:
take my heart
take my soul
I surrender everything to your control
and let all that is with in me lift up to you and say
I am yours and yours alone
completely

This journey of life is a search for truth
this journey of faith is following you
every step of the way
through the joy and the pain right here in this moment

Right here, right now, and for the rest of my life
Hear me say

take my heart
take my soul
I surrender everything to your control
and let all that is with in me lift up to you and say
I am yours and yours alone
completely

I am yours and yours alone
Completely

More Random Thoughts

First of all thanks to those that were brave enough to post to my comments yesterday. Roger I appreciate the explanations. I guess because I have been blogging a year now and have not got any spam on my blog, I did not know you could do that the same as email. And I appreciate the political explanations, obviously I did not retain what I learned in government class ions ago. I did know the purpose of primaries, just didn't understand the caucus procedure. Becky I appreciate your comments, you have given me something to think about, but still don't know that my conscience will allow me to vote for someone who is going to promote funding for stem cell research through abortions. Oh my Kristi, either you are kidding or you must really explain to us the relation to Mike Huckabee.

Kristi had a great post the other day about the reasons she blogs and I thought I would add that because of blogging my parents now have a new car. If you read Tim Perkins blog (with all the cool airplane pictures) you know that he recently had to make the hard decision to take the keys away from his 86 year old mother. He mentioned that he was going to try and sell the car. My parents have been driving a 1995 Buick that has 134,000 miles on it and Steve and I have been concerned about that for awhile, fearing they would get stranded on one of their many trips to the VA. So I contacted Tim and found out his mother's 1997 Oldsmobile only had 27,000 miles on it and today we were able to help my parents get the car (thanks to a generous Christmas gift from my brother Brad as well). We will all rest much easier. So if I didn't read blogs and Tim didn't post blogs we would not have found such a great car at a very reasonable price!!

I haven't told anyone this but in November I started trying to focus on losing weight. After my lengthy hospital stay and rehab I stepped on the scale and was surprised that I had lost 100 lbs. Unfortunately as I got better I went back to my old eating habits and gained 40 of that back, so I decided if I didn't make some permanent changes in my life I would get right back up there. Well today I felt sooooo good because my weigh in showed I lost 6 pounds over the holidays!!! I was going to be content if I just maintained but was thankful for the loss. And the best part about it was I did not go without anything I wanted over the holidays, I just chose to eat much smaller portions. I am asking that God really help me to revamp my thinking and this not be a diet but my new way to live. I have about 150 pounds to lose, so it is a long road ahead but I will travel it one day at a time and trust that God will reward my efforts.

Everyone have a GREAT weekend!

Blog Topic Overload

I have so many different things running around in my mind today to blog about but so as not to overwhelm you with so much I will save some for another day.

First of all, I have been curious for awhile now and perhaps some of you will answer this question for me. For those of you that have blogs that require people to type in "character verifications", can you explain to me why? I am not sure what their purpose is and inevitably every night miss type the letters on some one's site. So if someone would explain, I would feel more enlightened.

Second, can someone explain to me what gives Iowa so much power that all the attention of the country has been on them today? I don't really understand the caucus purpose and how only some states even have them and who chose the east half of the country to represent all of America? Again, I am showing my ignorance. Now, I will publicly say I am usually Republican, but so far I am very undecided. Is it just me, or does anyone else think Mike Huckabee resembles Gomer Pyle? (sorry Kristi hopefully no relation?) I know I probably should have kept that to myself. I wish I could get Barack Obama to change his positions on abortion, I hate that he voted "no" in 2006 to notifying parents of minors who get out of state abortions. I actually like him and feel he does exhibit some integrity. I am very thankful that Hilary did not fare well and hope that continues. Does anyone have a better understanding than me of Romans 13:1? "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." So if Hilary does win, does that mean it was God's will? And if so will it be to punish us or bless us? Okay, there you have my political statement for tonight.

Today I watched the Robert DeNiro Movie "The Mission". I had never seen it. I am doing a room at the Ladies Retreat on God Encounters in Entertainment, so I have been researching ideas for that room and got a book called "Reel Spirituality". When I read the chapter on "The Mission" I wanted to see it. I have no idea how I missed this movie when it was released in 1986. This movie touched my heart in so many ways. Watching Robert DeNiro weep when he realizes he is a forgiven man. Listening to Jeremy Irons talk about love and how it has to be the way we relate to one another. Watching the bravery of the Indian people. But then to know this was a true story just angered me against the Catholic church and how they could justify the slaughter of such innocent people. The music and cinematography were just amazing. If you haven't seen this movie, it is definitely worth the rent. It will cause you to look at your own convictions and spirituality. Just a warning, you will need a Kleenex.

Another Song

Tonight Angela Tooley shared a song with me that I had never heard before. It is "Living Prayer" by Alison Krauss. I am ashamed to admit that I don't even know who this singer is. I went out to her website and found out she had won 20+ Grammy awards. There was no mention on her site about her religious convictions. Nevertheless, the words to this song really touched my heart.

In this world I walk alone
With no place to call my home
But there's one who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands
The way is dark, the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
The Savior lives inside me there

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee

In these trials of life I find
Another voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee

Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee

Resolutions

I know a lot of people make New Year's Resolutions, but I am not one of them. I like to do reflections and determine how I could do better and then commit to pray about them. Maybe it's the same thing, but seems to me that most resolutions are meant to be accomplished in our own power. In fact we say "I will......." And it seems to be that 99% of all resolutions I hear about have something to do with weight. So in light of that fact here again is a little humor.

Will's therapist told him that the way to achieve true inner peace was to remember to always finish what he started. So today, Will has finished 2 bags of potato crisps, a gallon of ice-cream, two buckets of chicken, and a chocolate cake. He feels much better already.

• Do you call a person who has abandoned their diet a desserter?
• It's not the minutes spent at the table that put on weight, it's the seconds.
• The toughest part of a diet isn't watching what you eat. It's watching what other people eat

Anyway, I would be interested in hearing about your resolutions, if you want to share them.