THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS....

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens....these are a few of my favorite things:

• Watching...er, playing with Maddy & Ty Thursday while their parents were at a hockey game.
• Bible study Friday with my closest friends...everyone together for the first time in a very, very long time (except for Sandy) just celebrating Jesus.
• Hearing Noah's little voice praying while the adults were praying.
• Playing with Noah and smothering him with hugs and kisses...which he rarely lets me do now that he is such a grown up boy getting ready for kindergarten.
• Having lunch with Kelly and loving on her new little son, Sean, who is our much awaited miracle, and talking about her other miracle on the way.
• Asking my daughter who her role models are and hearing her say..."You are, mom!" PRICELESS!!!!

For these and the so much more that You wrap my life and my heart in...I am ever grateful. Amen.

Image taken from here.

complete lyrics in case you wanted them:

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things



Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels

Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles

Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings

These are a few of my favorite things



Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes

Silver white winters that melt into springs

These are a few of my favorite things



When the dog bites

When the bee stings

When I'm feeling sad

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad

REFUGE

Where do you go when you need to feel safe?

Sometimes for me it has been a place. Most people don't know this, but when I was very young, I was incredibly shy. So shy that when we were expecting visitors, I would watch for them at the living room window-hardly containing my excitement. When they arrived, I would go hide in my bedroom closet or under the bed-no one could coax me out. My grandparent's house was another of my safe places-It always gave me a sense of peace, a sense of comfort. Church has often been safe place for me. Slipping into my seat, listening, or singing, or just being quiet. When I was going through my divorce, I used to curl up in bed, pulling the covers tight, hiding from life.

Sometimes for me it has been people. My brother, Mike, is one of them. When I have a problem or am upset-I call him, or we get together, or he shows up to offer help. When my husband came to tell me that I would be served with divorce papers the following day, I left my house...afraid to have my daughter see the breakdown I knew was coming. I ran to my friends-and was in as vulnerable and broken a state, physically and spiritually, as I have ever allowed another human to see me in....before or since.

A bed, a closet, a pew, a people. Last night, I couldn't wait to get home to the safest place of all for me. I needed to be alone with God. I poured out my heart to Him. I wept. I asked Him so many questions. I laid my broken heart before Him and pointed..."Look, these are my wounds. These are my hurts. This is my devestation. " Deep. I brought Him into the deepest parts of my grief.

And now I wait for His answers to my questions. I wait, perhaps for His correction. I wait for His healing. I wait for His insight. But I am calm now as I wait...because I know I wait in the safety of Him.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation,my fortress;

I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my salvation and my glory;

my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

Psalm 62:5-8

Image taken from here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY A DAY EARLY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARA!

IMAGE TAKEN FROM HERE.

HUNGRY

I am hungry.

Not for food. Nor for fellowship. But for more of Jesus.

I am hungry to see lives changed and transformed.
To see hearts broken with repentance and then broken with the realization that they have been rescued and redeemed.
To look into eyes that have been dead and to see the spark of the Holy God awakening them.
To rejoice, and dance, and sing, and clap, and cry, and dance, and sing some more with those in their first moments of realization that they once were dead but now are alive!
To bend my knee alongside a soul that is aware of the presence of a Creator, so mighty, so holy, so loving...that it takes one's breath away.

I am hungry to be out of my pew.
To hold a hand that is gnarled and bruised with the hardships of life.
To kiss away tears of devastation.
To walk side by side the lame and forgotten.
To be silly with children when adults are too busy for play.
To wash feet laden with miles, and dirt, and pain.
To soothe those in need of soothing.

I am hungry.
And I am afraid.
Not because of what it will cost me because I know the cost will be great.
You modeled that already.
I am afraid that You will present me with the opportunities and I will be too busy, too self-absorbed, too comfortable, too unloving, too uncaring, and most of all...too apathetic.
I am afraid that I may say no to You.

I am hungry.
And I am afraid.
I am afraid that a day will come when I will no longer feel this hunger.

I am hungry.
Jesus, keep me hungry.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Unforgiveness is the poison we drink, hoping others will die."

Found in a post on The Gaslight Gospel blog.

Image taken from here.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

God only has one sake!

FAITH

Like alot of us experience from time to time, I have just come through a couple stressful weeks. Not all the stress was bad, there were some wonderful times throughout, but I have been running from one thing to the next. It started with my mom having a week long stay in the hospital after re-injuring her back. She is now in a nursing home, hopefully for rehab-only time will tell if she is able to regain the skills she needs to come home. Despite how difficult it has been to care for her at home, I am really struggling with seeing her become so feeble, physically and mentally.

On to the good stuff:

Besides getting my mom settled and trying to visit as often as we can, we have had the joy of our friends' first baby. We were able to spend some time with them at the hospital in the beginning hours of their labor, and I attempted to run up to the hospital to see the baby at least once before they came home, but never made it. I have seen pictures though, and he is beautiful!

This past week we celebrated Tyler's second "Gotcha Day" anniversary-his parents carried him out of an orphanage in Russia and into the hearts of a huge family who has been loving him ever since.

Along with some other family members, I helped throw a 50th birthday party for one of my sisters-in-law. Mary is always doing things for others, helping others, she is so generous...I hope this helped her see how much she is loved.

Yesterday, several families went to hear our friend preach for the first time at his new church. He and his family have been in Illinois for the past couple of years. They will now be about 2 hours away and we will be able to see them as 0ften as we want. The people at their new church seem so warm and welcoming. They just had such a joy about them. Not only will my friends be closer, but it is awesome to know they will be at a place where they are genuinely loved. We were also celebrating his son's 13th birthday. (At 13, each child in our group of friends receives a special gift-a watch or jewelry-this has become a sort of rite of passage to the kids.)

When we pulled into the drive last night after our long day, my daughter spotted a young morning dove on the porch railing. We weren't sure if it was hurt, but we decided to leave it overnight. With all the emotions and the hectic pace we have maintained over the past couple weeks, we are a bit tender right now. The last thing I wanted was to have to deal with finding this poor creature dead in the morning. So I prayed one of those prayers...."Lord, You said that You know every sparrow that falls. Please take care of this little bird...because I need it. I need to know that You are aware that I am overwhelmed and tired and weary and dry. You taking care of this baby bird will help my faith...even though I have no right to ask, seeing all the things You have done for me...rescuing me and providing for me, ...even though You are sovereign and in Your perfect and just holiness have the right to determine the life of this baby bird and mine, outside of my whims and wishes and weakness....if You could...."

I checked on the bird in the dark hours of the early morning. I didn't know what condition it was in, but it was still sitting on the railing where we left it last night. I went about getting ready for the day. It was an hour later when I heard the distinct call of the parents. It was firm and loud and steady. And I heard God's voice calling to me. It was firm and loud and steady..."I am here. I have heard you. Do not fear."

As I left for work, the parents were next to the baby, caring for it. My daughter called me later to update me. The baby was now in the landscape rocks. She thought we should name it. Without hesitation I said, "Faith, we should name it Faith!"

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. Matthew 10:29

Rachel took these pics of Faith.

A LITTLE BLESSING

Yesterday the CD player in my car went haywire. My daughter had put in one of her CD's and when she tried to remove it...the player read"CD ERROR & switched over to the radio. We tried other CD slots & the same thing happened. Over and over. No success. No matter what we tried.

I was not happy. First of all, it looked like several of my favorite CD's were now trapped. Secondly, I often listen to a CD in the car as a time of worship and praise to my Lord. Thirdly, I didn't have any extra cash, so....getting the CD player working would be considered a luxury and not a need, therefore...off my list of things to spend money on. I decided I would just have to get over it.

This morning during my prayer time, my focus was on some others...one friend was in labor, another friend was on an important trip, still another who is going through a difficult time. Almost as an afterthought I mentioned the CD player to God. I spent as much time as a blink of the eye on that.

When I got into the car to go to work, I thought "Well, I will give it another try and see what happens." As soon as I hit the CD button, out popped my daughter's CD. I tried the other CD slots and all my CD's and play functions were normal!!!

With all the wonderful blessings that God has provided today...the really important things:

-My friends have a beautiful son,

-My other friend's important trip is going very well,

-My still another friend is finding comfort,

-My daughter who is always a blessing, even when she thinks I am mad at her,

-And a thousand other things and people that fill my life...

God reached down and added just a tiny, but much appreciated addition to my blessing box.

Image taken from here.

I'M DONE

Mine were done last month. Before Christmas, I discovered that my mom's 2004 return hadn't been filed by her tax guy.....so, we got her all caught up this weekend. Hooray!

SOME AMAZING PICS

Check out the pics for the 4/7 post...Patience is a virtue.

http://takinganewroad.blogspot.com/

HE'S ALIVE!

Image originally lifted from Richard's blog last fall.

THE CENTURION by Dan McNamara

I know men. As a young man, I entered the ranks of the Roman Imperial Army. Rome had expanded itself from a fishing village on the tidewater to the greatest empire the world had ever known. To the farthest corners of the earth was brought a civilization of marble temples, coliseums, roads, bridges, and aqueducts. With it came philosophy, education, Roman gods, Roman law....Roman justice. Rome became the world and the world became Rome. I've known men, petty and small, struggling for her power as Rome sank in despotism.
In cruelty and arrogance, the Roman Legions blundered into Palestine and laid the dust of battle in a sea of blood. She had tried to subdue a people with a history and civilization more ancient than her own. In Rome's lust for power it had grabbed a thorn. We were the strange invaders in a strange land, far away from home. We were hated more than ever when we marched into Jerusalem, bringing the new procurator, Pontius Pilate. We were in constant peril from zealot cowards who would strike and run. It fell upon us to stop these rebellions at all costs. So, we turned the hills of Judea into a forest of crosses and dying men.
All that I ever knew and believed in was shattered one dark day as I arrived at the Great Judgment Hall of Pilate and saw a man being scourged. They said his name was Jesus. I remembered listening in disbelief to all the miracle stories of him that were told up and down the countryside. The "Son of God" they called him, a "man of mercy". And now this man was being unjustly accused by the temple priests of a meaningless charge. Some of my men saw it as a chance to strike back at these Jews. They lashed him with a fierceness and fury I'd seldom seen before. They seemed frenzied as they beat him with their hands and spat on him, calling him "King of the Jews". Emerging from this blind rage was a marred shadow of a man. And yet, he was strangely silent, as though some purpose was set before him. And silent still, as we led him away to be crucified. A strange throng had gathered as he was nailed to the wood, some hating and some mourning. I began to see that this man, Jesus, was very different.
I've know men in the carnage of battle. I've seen them fallen, dying in bitterness of soul, cursing their enemies in the name of their gods. But this man...this Jesus...was no common man. I watched him there, his naked body, tortured and bleeding, his mouth cracked and dried for thirst. He cried for mercy for these enemies and said, "Father forgive them. They do not know what they do." I, who had glorified justice and scorned mercy, now saw the strength of this man, forsaken by God and by man, who asked nothing for himself. I was astonished.! But that strange crowd of mockers and haters seemed not to notice this one, so noble, so righteous.
Most bewildering of all was when, for the last time, he lifted himself on the wood and cried, "It is finished...Father, into your hands I commend my spirit!" He bowed his head and then gave up his spirit. I tell you I know men. Of all the men that have ever died, when could it be said that a man had power over his own death? That a man could simply die at will? I've watched many hang on this Roman instrument of torment. For days they would plead for the mercy of death. Only this man had power to lay it down of himself!
In deepest sorrow of heart, I knew I had consented silently to death of innocence. Suddenly, as darkness filled the skies and the earth began to tremble, I was compelled. His power and virtue were far beyond the weakness of men. I said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Matthew 27:54

Image taken from here.

IN CASE YA DIDN'T KNOW IT.....

I LOVE MY KID!

HOLDING GRUDGES

I had lunch today with an old friend. We have only seen each other occassionally over the past several years and in settings that didn't really allow us to "catch up". We talked about life and as we were getting ready to get in our cars she said something to the affect of "I have wondered if we were Ok?" You see, each of us was on a different side of a line that had been drawn in the sand. And in all these years, when we saw each other--we hugged, talked the usual small talk, but never talked about "it"..."the incident"...."the thing" that had caused us to choose a side.

Her question and the following conversation that ensued surprised me. I guess I had never wondered or imagined that she had given this very much thought over the years. And it surprised me even more to hear the feelings she shared, some of the same feelings and thoughts that my side of the camp had voiced. It seemed as if both camps had moved on and at the points where there has been an intersection, things have appeared to me to be cautious perhaps, but fine overall.

And now I am sitting here thinking...I don't be a grudge holder-I have to admit that I can be really, really good at it...a professional actually. But, anymore, I don't want someone to have to ask me, "Are we Ok?" I think I am going to start searching out those stone walls I have built between myself and another, and start smashing them down.

Maybe, we can take those grudge bricks and together, build them into something beautiful for our King

Image taken from here.

I SUCK

i have been a Christ follower for a long, long, long time....& i still screw up. aaarrrgggghhhh! :-O

i sure am happy that i have forgiveness & compassion from my Jesus. :-)

i sure do feel sad for those who are affected by my screw-ups. :-(

Image taken from here.