Bruce and our nephew, Andy, will be leaving tonight for New Orleans. They are bringing a trailer down to load and bring back up for our friend Bill, the CrossroadsMissions director there. This also gives Bruce a little "recon" opportunity.

Please pray that they have a safe trip traveling through the night, that God will watch over them and protect them. They plan on taking turns sleeping and driving. Pray that God will continue to bring some clarity to Bruce regarding the mission in N.O.. Pray that he can begin to find out a few details about living options and costs. Pray that God keeps his heart and  mind open to listening.

Thanks a bunch! This is the first step for us.

More to come....

Deborah

This morning, I am oozing with a tender feeling of being loved and encouraged. I sat quietly on the couch for an hour or so reading all the notes of encouragement that I brought home in my note bag from our weekend retreat.

Reading these notes was like opening a box of chocolates....and binging on the whole darn thing. LOL Except without the getting sick part. =]

As I looked into the bag, I thoughtfully chose which delicious chunk would be the next to bite into. Knowing that they were all heavenly. And thankfully, I knew there would be no orange creme's or rasberry gels.=]  Each card and piece of paper I pulled out  was a precious note of encouragement and blessing from my girlfriends on our retreat. Some wrote two!!

What did I do with that kleenex box anyway??

I was reminded of our topics of sharing, encouragement and freedom. I was reminded of intimate conversations I'd shared with friends of old and new. I was reminded of dancing and laughing and crying and hugging and hiking.....and even that really special moment that I did that cannonball right in the middle of all my girlfriends beginning there morning water aerobics class. What are good friends for anyway????  What fun we had!! What memories we made!! What friendships we forged!

I am absolutely, unquestionably, and unswervingly convinced that all women need a retreat. We need to take a weekend atleast once a year to simply get away....out of the normal surroundings....away from the daily schedule and routine....far away from the pile of laundry and dishes that call to you every time you pass by.  Whether we retreat alone or with girlfriends (and there is a need for both), women need that time to refresh, refuel and recommit their hearts to their calling. Let's be honest. It's good for our families too!

As a matter of fact, I am convinced that women need a retreat atleast once a month....even every day. And I mean guilt-free too.

Monthly, we should find the time to go out with some girlfriends and get charged up again....a reaallll  Girl's Night Out. Healthy facetime with girlfriends can reach down into our soul and pull out second-wind energy that we all know husbands are simply not designed to offer much.  It's not the same. It's not a good or bad thing.....it's just a different way.

Daily, a woman needs to take the time to literally kick her feet up, and be still, purposefully. Read a book. Read a magazine. Read the Bible. Take a power snooze. Pray. Listen to your favorite music. Eat some dark chocolate. Go away from the computer, the phone, and the kids. And take 20 to 30 minutes to simply rest. Guilt-free. Worry-free. Stress-free.

We call that a little mini-retreat. =]

Back to my box of chocolates.....I am so blessed with the sweet girlfriends that I have. My husband would say they've helped to save my sanity! Hey, they're the cheapest therapy you'll ever find. I was challenged this weekend to make new friends, invest more heart and time into my friendships (they're worth it!), and to be an authentic friend.  Friendships won't get very deep if we can't learn to be real in them, you know?

Thank you Lord, for giving us girlfriends the ability to break past the pretentions, and get to the things that really matter. Thank you for designing us to be emotional and giggly and not afraid to tear up sometimes. Thank you for the way you've created us to energize eachother, and then like a sponge, to ring it back out....all over the ones we love. Thank you for our "other halves"....or Honey's back home....who love us enough to let us go.

To any Girlfriends that are reading this.....have a Chocolate-Covered Day!

I've somehow managed to capture a Friday morning to myself. Since we live in "Derby Country", it appears to be sacriligious to send children to school on the day of The Oaks.  And since we have been living by the school calendar for the sake of our Spaniard.......we have a long weekend.

I really don't mind.

I could use it myself.

The kids are still sleeping. Honey went in for a half day of work, surprisingly. And I have a sweet time to myself.

We live in the back corner of a quiet, older, suburbian neighborhood. Beyond our street lies a cornfield. Past the end of our dead-end, begins a long stretch of woods. We often go for a nature walk back through those woods to explore, search for signs of wildlife, collect rocks, and commune with the outdoors.

Behind our home, as I look out my kitchen window, there is a run-off creek. Most of the year it's just a gentle trickle of a stream. But in the spring it becomes it's own ecosystem with the birth of spring frogs, crawdads, and earthworms...a real outdoor school for the kids.  During rainy seasons, it can evolve into a  "raging river", as my children claim. Beyond that there is a "just big enough" patch of woods (one that tempts the explorer into the larger wood) and a small field that the kids love to play in, and where the utility company maintains a small pumping station back in the corner. 

I fondly remember countless days of looking out my kitchen window to see a dozen kids from the neighborhood climbing trees, spending hours building forts, laying in the grass, playing football and kickball and baseball in the field, and patiently crouched down on the bank of the stream, looking for "Big Daddy" frogs to catch.

The windy creekbed enters into the woods here. We have made many memories on long spring afternoons seeing how far we could follow the rockbed before getting tired and heading back. The woods go for a long way. And it's hard to really visualize where we are in the large scheme of things once we're back there. That's all part of the experience.

The funny thing is, there is our neighborhood, and "our woods" (which really isn't "ours" at all...they belong to the farmer) and a couple of small farms around here. But we are all boxed in by two busy streets that run parallel and two other streets that run parallel the other way. All that we love to explore back in those woods really have boundaries all around. But as long as we've stayed to the trail, or the creekbed, the boundaries have been hidden to us.

So that's the "history".

All of this I tell you to give you a mental picture of all that we've enjoyed in the last decade of living in this house and making it our home. Now we come up to about last fall when we found out that the neighborhood council decided to sell the field behind our house to a developer and use it and our small patch a woods to build a half dozen houses that apparently are much needed in our older, quiet neighborhood.

(Honestly, I have a hard time imagining who is going to come looking to buy a new smaller home in the middle of a 40 year old subdivision. But, who am I.)

As you can imagine, it's the kids who have had the hardest time with all of this. Last fall when the surveyors came out to mark off the property. Unbeknownst to us until later, the "gang" decided that they were going to initiate a full-out offense against the "bad men". =] They secretly pulled up the stakes. And one day they decided to dig a gigantic hole about four feet wide and three feet deep in the middle of the trail. They argued that this would keep the enemies from coming across their trail with their bulldozer. LOL

I have to admit that I was kindof proud of all the kids trying to stand up for what they believed in. I truly hoped that their declaration would pull a heart string of someone over there and they would rethink their plan. Unfortunately, spring came and they put up one of those bright red, plastic fences around the perimeter of the site, which by-the-way, encompassed almost all of the kids trail and small patch of woods.

Two weeks ago, on a Monday morning just after school started for us, we heard the sound of big equipment starting up. And we stood on our back porch in silence, as we watched them bulldoze down almost all of the big beautiful trees that we climbed in and played around for years. In the days to come, they quickly and without hesitation, took big machines down into the creekbed and in the exact spot where Clara claimed was the "main frog pool", they jackhammered all the creek rock, hauled it out, laid huge drain pipe down, filled in with gravel and dirt, and rolled out a dirt road so they could take their big machines across and "invade our woods".

I called my husband from the porch and solemnly spoke "There goes the big tree we watched that racoon climb that day.....there goes the hard-pressed trail back into the woods we've ran up and down thousands of time....there goes Ruby our hamster's gravesite....." It was so depressing.

In light of all that's happened and how disappointing it is to all of us, Connor said something the other day that really got me thinking. You know how the Bible says to not complain and to be joyful in all things. Well, he found an upside to all of this. He said, "Look at it this way, now we'll have new families move in and maybe they'll have kids our age!" 

Bless him. In his nine year old way, he saw how to not complain and how to be joyful in all circumstances....and most of all, to trust God even though he didn't understand. A good lesson for me. It's been good for me to watch this process through the eyes of my kids. To see how they've dealt with the loss. And how they've worked through it in their own way and come back to the truth.

Thankfully, we still have the entrance into the woods at the end of our street. So there will still be many adventures ahead for us. And, we've learned that change can be hard, but inevitable. Sometimes we can protest it and try to keep it from happening. But sometimes, we just need to submit, accept and trust that God's plan is perfect, and bigger then anything we can imagine. We can't always understand the "why's". But we can always trust them to be answered in God's perfect timing.

Happy Good Friday to my Christian Sisters and Brothers in Christ!

I pray your Holy Week has been a special one for you and your family. Today is the momentus day we celebrate as "Good" Friday, even though it came with a huge price. Today is the day we observe from history, that Christ was crucified. Yesterday at the table Adri asked, "Well, why was it "good" if it's the day that Jesus died?" A very good question. I was humbled to hear my kids go on to share with her the Good News...."He was crucified and died that day on the cross to pay for all of our sins, but he rose from the dead three days later......death couldn't keep him down.....and that's why we celebrate Easter".   I thank the Lord that the story wasn't over then, and it's not over yet.

Many years ago, my sister-in-law gave us a great book that we return to every Easter season. It's written by Max Lucado, and it's entitled Christ in Easter: A Family Celebration of Holy Week. He writes in the introduction "The Easter announcement is clear. Victory is secure. Wails of Bethlehem will turn into the victories of Calvary. Don't forget that. The next time the soldiers of Satan Steal the joy from your arms. The next time your prayers float into a silent sky. The next time you wonder how God could sit still while the innocent suffer. Remember, the story's not over yet. Remember the Easter Jesus rescued the imprisoned and remember.....He is coming to do it again."   Amen!!

Now is a perfect time to remember, embrace, and praise God for how far He's come to save us from sin. Maybe for you, it's a time to recommit your heart to serving Him, and honoring Him with your life each day. Don't let this opportunity pass without using some hands-on activities to "bring it home" for your kids too.

One book that we have cherished for many years is Benjamin's Box. These days my kids love to read it on their own. The message is timeless. Last Saturday we participated in a Walk Through Jerusalem at our church. Our booth was sampling the Seder Meal. We learned how the elements of the Passover Meal represented the Israelites bondage to the Egyptians and the deliverance that God made possible for them. Today, we can celebrate that Jesus is our Bread of Life and our way to be delivered from the bondage of sin. Tomorrow we will make Resurrection Cookies. How fun!

We pray that this Easter Season finds you blessed with special time with your family, friends, and  church.

God Bless You!

Deborah

This was given to me by my friend....thanks Anna!

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

Resurrection Cookies

I just got home from Girl's Night Out.....my once-a-month date with my girlfriends. Tonight's activity was an intimate gathering of six over at someone's house. We all pitched in a little snack and came prepared with sewing scissors. On the agenda was to go through her two 30 gallon rubbermaid containers full of clothes that her middle school son grew out of through the years.

She told us that when she moved out of her parents house years ago, her grandmother had made a quilt for her using pieces of all her "little girl clothes". And now, she wants to prepare to do the same for her son one day. 

So, each of us took a stack of garments out of the boxes and started to cut them down....mainly cutting around the writing, or logo, or sports team, or favorite number.....we even had some Batman underwear in there! LOL We talked and laughed and told stories and watched American Idol (that was a first for me). It was really fun. When we were all done, she had us each sign our names on a piece of paper so that it could be transferred to the quilt eventually....to include the names of everyone who had a part in making it.

I'm pondering the conversations we had over the last few hours.....all the ground we can cover. That's what we do. You know it's hard to talk everyday when we're each so busy taking care of our families, some homeschooling, and some working full-time jobs. When we make the effort to come together and visit, we don't waste any time at all. We make sure to laugh and joke and get caught up on the regular stuff. But, we also take the time to really listen to eachother when someone really needs to talk about something that's weighing heavy on their heart. It helps so much to have a "sound board". It's a time we can encourage one another....give opinions or advice.....talk about what the Bible has to say about this or that.....really be there to do life together. And it gives us a current way to really pray for eachother. I think without that, it might all be in vain.

Thank you Lord for blessing my life with these dear friends and their beautiful hearts. I pray especially tonight for Cricket. You know her struggles and her needs Lord. I ask that You give her the direction and discernment that she needs right now in her life. Lord, I pray that you will give her the spirit of power, the spirit of love, and the spirit of sound mind, that you've promised her according to your Word. Lord, may you place your desires in her heart, and give her the strength to stand firm and be courageous during this time of trial and temptation.  Amen.

It's that time of year again. And I get to start doing one of my favorite things.... planning our Girlfriends  Retreat. This year we've decided to dream BIG and rent a lodge that will enable us to invite about twice as many gals. This is so exciting! Here it is: Hidden Point Lodge  Be sure to take a peek!! It sleeps 32, has a private pool, jacuzzi and hot tub, a double-appliance kitchen, and much, much more!! All the amenities a girl needs to pamper herself.

Next on the agenda is to pray for a theme. From that, we'll piece together some study and discussion times. Sometimes we use a book. A couple years ago we used "When Women Long for Rest" (a must read). Last year we studied the life of Esther. We've talked about life during the "desert times". Because we have some moms, some singles, some married with no children, we need to try to choose something that would speak to women in general.

Other parts of our time together will include lots of time for fun, relaxation, shopping, and sharing meals together. Someone will coordinate the food and menu. Others will come prepared to share their interest in a craft....stamping, scrapbooking, bracelets. One year a gal came and showed us how to make homemade pie crusts. We try to pack ALOT in.

One of my favorite parts of planning retreats is being able to share it with someone who's never been on a retreat before. Every year, each women goes away taking something very special with her.....a new friendship, a new Word from God, a new look on life, marriage, or motherhood. 

I think what sets it apart is the time we give ourselves to just get away from our daily routines....to just be women....to connect with other women who listen and encourage us....and to challenge eachother to be the women that God wants us to be. It's much more then "a break away". It's a time to get refueled, revived, and recommitted. I don't think there is one aspect of ourlives that it doesn't have the capability of touching or changing for the better.

I encourage every woman to take one weekend a year to retreat somewhere away from the ordinary. Do you have any retreat experiences you can tell about? Have you ever been on a retreat?

I had a dream the other night that has left me a little puzzled. I'm not the type that normally reads alot into my dreams. To be honest, I hardly ever remember them. It seems that when one finally does reach my consciousness, which isn't very often, there is usually something very unique about it.

Someone told me once that every character in our dreams is actually a different side of ourselves.  I don't know if I believe it, but, it's an interesting theory.

Several years back I awoke in the middle of the night practically in tears. Do you ever have a dream that just seems so real that it just scares you to death?? I had dreamed that I was on one side of a huge, deep canyon. I really couldn't see the bottom of the canyon through the burning flames and lava (lovely, huh?). On the other side of the canyon were all of these people, holding out their hands, crying, and begging to come back to this side. I had a terrible feeling that I knew someone there and as I searched the faces, I was horrified to see the face of my youngest son. He wanted to be with us so bad and there was nothing I could do to help him. It was the worst feeling I think I've ever had.  I thought for days on whether there was some deep meaning behind it.  Would someone I love deny God's path? Would I wander away? Maybe it was a warning that a life "on the other side" was full of regrets. I don't know.  

Fast forward to yesterday morning......this one wasn't so scary. =]  I remembered my dream! =D  I recall someone close to me (I'd rather not mention names) being very disappointed with me. They told me that I had been wasting my life. I tried to go down the list of all the things I was doing that made a difference, but they just wouldn't listen. I turned away and went for a walk down a country road. It was a beautiful, fall day. There were colorful meadows of maple trees on both sides of the road and the sun was shining down through the leaves. All of the sudden, I looked up in the distance and saw a car coming towards me. I'd never seen a car like it. It had the style of an old Model T, but it was lower to the ground, and had a long, streamlined nose. It was dark metallic bronze in color with black and chrome trim. It was beautiful.

As it approached, I stood there watching. The car drove right up to me, stopped at my feet, and then went in reverse as it pulled back onto the shoulder at a ninety degree angle. And then I could see the driver. I couldn't believe who it was!

My gramma had her arm hanging out the window  and waved to me. (She looked very cool! LOL)  She just smiled and said, "Oh Debbie Do, isn't it beautiful? And she's a dream to drive!! It's so beautiful here."

And then she smiled and winked at me,  put it in drive, and drove back to where she came from.

LOL I have to admit, it sounds a little corny. BUT, you need to know that my gramma went to be with the Lord almost seventeen years ago. We were very close. She was my mentor, encourager, and I'm sure the warrior who prayed my way into the kingdom. Ironically, I still have a card that she gave me with a poem called "Always have a Dream". 

Gosh, I don't know what to think. At the very least, I see it as an affirmation that heaven is a glorious place and I can be encouraged to keep on the road that I'm on. Perhaps, even though I didn't like hearing it, there are things in my life that I do need to let go of....things that are a waste of time. I'm sure that's true.

Honestly, I loved seeing her face.....even if it was a dream and didn't mean a thing....I loved seeing her enjoying a ride in a sporty car down a country road with her hair blowing in the wind! LOL

I'm just wondering, what do you think about dreams? Any relevance today? I know God presented His will and intentions many times through dreams in the Old Testament.  Any thoughts or stories to share?

Thanks Ahead!

Do you ever get hung up on not knowing what God's will is in your life? Or maybe not being able to fully see the purpose He has in certain events or situations that occur in your life?

Over a year ago, my husband and I did a short term mission trip to Dominican Republic. We spent eight days with a team of twenty, building a house for a single dad in the church there, and seeing individuals who were in need of dental or dermatologist work. It was a life-changing experience for us. We both came back home with an overwelming desire to do more. We just didn't know what, or where. We fell in love with the people in the DR. But our main challenge was the language barrier....we didn't speak hardly any spanish. So we both began to pray earnestly for God's direction and discernment. At the time, we wondered if He would send us back for a longer period.

Since then, I've gone through a few bouts of frustration....mainly with the waiting part. You know, how we have to wait for God to lead, and not try to run ahead with our own plan. That can be kind of hard for someone like me. I'm more of a mover and a shaker. LOL  For months, absolutely NOTHING happened. We both continued to pray and talk about it, and talk to friends (who are also praying for us), and....nothing happened.

And then, in August, something happened.  We answered a local ad on our hs's loop.....Spanish girl needs a host family. We called the number, read her profile, prayed for three days, and knew without a doubt, that we were the ones for the job. LOL It's really crazy.....we've never done anything like it before. And the whole thing happened in three days. Then we left for vacation for 10 days!!! Talk about putting it all in God's hands!! We returned from Florida, and basically had 3 more days to get things ready for a new "family member" to arrive.

We have been so blessed with Adri being a part of our family. She has been here since August 17th, and she'll be leaving on June 10th. Something in the depths of my heart tells me that she's here for a purpose. It's so like God that  we get to share our home and faith with a girl who came the first week and told us, "I don't believe in God."  Ofcourse she wanted to partake in all the experiences we had to offer for the "cultural enrichment". I don't think she realizes yet that God is always planting little seeds.

She goes to church with us every Sunday. She prays with us at the dinner table every night. We ask her how we can pray for her and she writes a list down on paper and gives it to us. She joined a YoungLife group. And her two best buddies at school are both Christians.

Over Christmas break, her mom, dad, sister and grandma came and stayed with us for 5 days. It was amazing!! I don't think they recognized it at all, but I could see the hands of God at work the entire time. We talked about all kinds of things....politics, social issues, education, homeschooling, cooking, traveling, church......LOL We were concerned about not speaking enough spanish!! God was SO GOOD. We had three spanish-english dictionary-translators that we tag-teamed with everywhere we went and Adri and her sister who translated alot, and by-golly, we got along pretty good!!  Hey! My spanish classes are finally paying off, I thought!!

You know, I still don't know what all this has to do with God's purpose for our lives and whether it includes the DR. We know that we feel as passionate today about it as we did a year ago November. Is this all preparation??? As well as giving us the opportunity to plant some seeds that will maybe one day bloom somewhere in Madrid, Spain? I don't know.

I do know that my husband and I AND our kids are learning all about how to REALLY trust in the Lord. We're getting a good lesson in what it means to be still and wait.  I trust that even though we can't see the whole picture, I know that Romans 8:29 says that all things work together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.

Gosh, we love you Lord.....and I know we've been called for Your purpose. And we can be excited and encouraged because The Plan You do have for us, is better then anything we could ever imagine. Thank you for teaching me so much about trusting You more.   Amen!! 

Sometimes faith can be like a seed that is planted in the ground and lays dormant for many years. It is not until God sends someone to fertilize that soil that the seed takes way to reach for a new life.

If it is nurtured well, the roots will grow and reach deep into the earth to provide a good foundation that will support the tree through many hard years of weathering. The tree will become wise and  learn to trust its Creator as it experiences countless seasons of awakening, growth, hardsip and rest.

And then one day, it will begin to produce fruit. The fruit will ripen and be ready to harvest. If it is shared with others, it can bring nourishment, revival, and life. But if it is left on the vine, it will eventually rot and fall to the ground, unused and wasted forever.

Inevitably, the tree's time will pass away and it will die. But not to be dismayed, for its heritage lives on. Many stories are told of its perseverence, courage and strength. The stories become a spark of hope for those who listen. And new seeds are planted to the ends of the earth.

And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another,

just as God also forgave you in Christ.   Ephesians 4:32

Last night my 8yo couldn't wait to read his devotional aloud to me....he's been reading 3 Minute a Day Extreme Devotions for Guys. This one was on "Extreme Kindness". I think he likes it so much because at church they are just finishing up a series called Extreme Sayings of Jesus, and secondly, because each chapter is entitled "Extreme _________". He's been compelled several times to go back and read all the headings to me so I can get the full effect of this book. lol  Anyway, he was right. It is a good chapter and one I thought was a great thought to start the week with. I'd like to share it ~

KINDNESS is a choice. Sometimes, when we feel happy or generous, we find it easy to be kind. Other times, when we are discourged or tired, we can scarcely summon the energy to utter a single kind word. But, God's commandment is clear: He intends that we make the conscious choice to treat others with kindness and respect, no matter our circumstances, no matter our emotions.

    In the busyness and confusion of daily life, it is easy to lose focus, and it is easy to become frustrated. We are imperfect human beings struggling to manage our lives as best we can, but we often fall short. When we are distracted or disappointed, we may neglect to share a kind word or a kind deed. This oversight hurts others, but it hurts us most of all.

   Today, slow yourself down and be alert for people who need your smile, your kind words, or your helping hand. Make kindness a centerpiece of your dealing with others. They will be blessed and you will be, too.

 

"And here's the best part"  ~  Connor, 8yo

Dear Lord,
Help me see the needs of those around me. Today, let me spread kind words of thanksgiving and celebration in honor of Your Son. Let forgiveness rule my heart, and let my love for Christ be reflected through acts of kindness that I extend to those who need the healing touch of the Master's hand.

Amen

....."Do you want me to read it again?" lolol.....he's so sweet!

Have a blessed day!

 Deborah

I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please, not enough to explode  my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of Him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.
Wilbur Rees, "$3 Worth of God", quoted in Joanna Weaver's Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

How much of God do you want? Enough to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside like a crackling fire in the hearth on a cold winter's day? Or enough to make you feel two steps out of your comfort zone when you sit at a stop light and dare to make eye contact with the homeless man holding a sign at the corner (while your kids ask, "What can we do for him?")?

This week in our Bible Study this question was asked. And I think it's a good question...one we should all go out on a limb to ask ourselves. Other questions that have come to my mind since are....how far do I really want to follow Christ? Would I have been the man who carried the cross for Christ on the road through Jerusalem? Christ said to his disciples that they would have to take up their cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23)....how big of a cross would I pick up? One too small that I'd hardly break a sweat? One just big enough, that it teeters on laboring my underused muscles? OR, will I pick up a cross that's so big, and so rough, and so awkward, that the only way I could possibly carry it would be through the power and help of someone whose been through it before....someone who desires to walk that dirty, rocky path with me, encouraging me, loving me, and giving me strength.

These are tough questions for me. For if I'm really honest with myself, I'll admit that I'm scared to death of committing that kind of devotion. I can't help but wonder selfishly, well, just how big are you talking Lord? Can you give me some real dimensions here? What kind of wood is it made out of? Hardwood? Or softwood? Jagged? Or sanded down? Is this like the old Roman cross? Or one of little olive wood types that the kids get from camp in the summer? I can quiver in my shoes to think about the possibilities. Moreso, I don't want to think about them.

It would take the kind of devotion that Christ spoke of in John 12, verses 25-26: "The  man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."

That kind of devotion would take a kind of blind faith. A faith so true, that it remains solid through any crisis or circumstance, no matter how challenging. Sometimes I wonder if God calls those with that kind of faith to carry bigger crosses. Because He knows already that their faith will endure through it. He's given them a cross so huge, that to carry it and remain faithful would inevitably show the glory of God. It would be a regular resurrection of Lazarus. It would act as a life lesson to all the spectators around, and perhaps change hearts and attitudes and lives. It would draw those who are lost closer, because they desire more then anything to have that kind of faith...to have something or Someone to really trust in. They've learned the hard way in life that the world is merciless, vendictive and complacent. And they long to share in that joy and contentment and trust.

We've been praying for a 3yo little girl named Gracie, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. They are dear friends to a friend of mine in our Bible Study. I can't emphasize enough how powerful of a witness this family has been to hundreds, maybe even thousands. To give you a little background information, they are missionaries in Thailand. Many months ago, the dad was diagnosed with MS. So their family had just started to get used to the implications of that. About a month ago, Gracie came down with a very high fever that went on for several days. When mysterious bruising began to appear, they decided to take her to another doctor. After many tests, the results came back with leukemia as the culprit.

I don't have to tell you how big of a cross this family is bearing. But I do want to share how their faith in God's sovereignty over this storm is revealing the glory of God to all they come into contact with. Several times a day they cling to the prayers of the multitudes. They praise God every step of the way, trusting in His mercy and will, even at their darkest hours. Each day of God's provision, shines light on their blind faith. This is a recent update of their prayer requests ~ 

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of being brought from darkness into His wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."  1 Peter 2:9-10

 

Our communion with the Father is paying dividends.  The mercy we have received is growing daily.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  They have been a chorus of praises from being brought out of darkness into His wonderful light.  We must continue to pray fervently.  Praising God for His invitation to fellowship so closely with Him.

 Jamie called this morning with thanks for the prayers.  Gracie has had two good days in a row.  Her temperature has stayed down and she was able to talk with mom (Susan) on the phone.  She received a platelet infusion as well as an intramuscular shot as part of her therapy.  Both of these went well.  

 Jamie asked that we pray for her blood to be cleansed.  She currently has an infection that is affecting her intestines.  Pray for mercy on her body's processing mechanisms.

 Gracie has slept for two nights straight.  Rejoice in the rest He giving to her.  

  

"Teacher do you not care that we are perishing?"

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was great calm.  Mark 5:38-39

 *Rejoice that Gracie is in God's hands.

*Rejoice that 'even the wind and the sea obey Him.'

*Rejoice that doors are being opened at UK Children's Hospital.

*Petition God for continued rest for Gracie.

*Petition God for His wisdom to be known to Jamie, Christina and the Medical Staff.

*Petition God for traveling mercy for Pauline and Hannah as they plan to return around March 12.

Ye of little faith, I say to myself. What magnificent glory to God this family is revealing to the people around them. What faithful followers of Christ they are. What an enormous cross they have accepted to carry in His name. I am one of those who can learn. I am one of those who's desire for that same faith can compell me to step closer to the source of the light they shine so brightly.

So....how much of God do I want? Whatever it takes to make me more like Him.

I pray God stretches me today. I pray He searches my heart, tests me to find any anxious thoughts. Sees if there are any offensive ways within my soul that I need deliverance from (and I know there are). O God, I pray You will lead me in Your way everlasting.

In the Precious Name of Jesus,

 Deborah

PS - Please take a few moments today to lift up little Gracie and her family. God bless you.

Today is Ash Wednesday. This is the first day of Lent. Where does the emphasis on ashes come from? In Bible times, people put ashes on their faces and clothing as a sign of sorrow. Christians today mark themselves with ashes as a sign of sorrow for their sins.

Over the next 40 days of Lent, I will be sharing activities and devotional thoughts. Some we've come up with as a family. Some I've picked up from various mentors and books. You might wonder if I'm Catholic (since I think traditionally Lent has been observed by the Catholic Church). Actually, we attend a "non-denominational Christian church". Some refer to it as a "New Testament Church".  I like to think of it as a church that's committed to growing up devoted followers of Christ and getting outside of our four walls to share the Good News of God's love.

Celebrating Lent is something that I started many years ago when a dear friend of mine asked me if I was going to sacrifice anything for the season. Having grown up in a secular home, I had never even heard of that. So together we teamed with God (for my first time) to sacrifice something as a small reminder of what Christ did for us, and prayed for eachother specifically over several detailed needs that we were eager to see God's Hand at work on.

Year after year, I've contined to carry-on this "sacred time-out", as Kwasi Issa Kena has called it in his book In Plain View of the Cross ~ A Lenten Study. During the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, I pray for God's leading to show me what I need to give up. This year it will be sweets and meats. I've never given up meats before, so I know that I will need more willing prayer partners to give me strength to fight the temptation. Just as important, I've been coming up with a mental list of things that I will commit to God in prayer for over the days before Easter. And, I've been trying to mentally prepare myself for the extra devoted time that I will promise to spend with God IN prayer.

The fact is, sacrifice by itself I've learned, is not nearly enough. If that was what we primarily used this time for, without giving our hearts in addition, we would be like the people Isaiah speaks of in Chapter 58...

"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?"

The kind of fasting that God went on to describe to Isaiah in verses 6-14 wasn't something to be taken lightly. It would require a labor of the heart.....a covet to stand firm.....and an anticipation of God's Hand at work in their lives. We must commit this season as a special time to give God more of us...more of our time, more of our thought life, and more of our prayer power. Today I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about what great wonders will take place in these days leading up to the most celebrated event in our Christian lives....the resurrection of Christ Jesus. As my prayer list has come together (and still was even at 6:30 this morning with a new request my husband gave me!), I scroll down it knowing that God is at work in every situation. He is a Sovereign God. And all things are possible through His Son Christ Jesus. All glory be to Him!

Here's an activity to try with your family today taken from the book, Family Countdown to Easter, written by Debbie Trafton O'Neal.

She writes, "Ash Wednesday is a great time make changes for the better -- in fact, that is part of what the season of Lent is all about. How about having a family ceremony? Everybody can acknowledge things they've done wrong or bad habits they'd like to break; and they can make a resolution -- with prayers -- to change. Let everyone write his or her wrongs or bad habits on slips of paper. (If you wish, these can be shared out loud too in a family confession.)  Place a small votive candle and say a prayer asking for God's help to change the bad things. Then each person can carefully put the slip of paper into the bowl and let it burn to ashes."

As a further reminder, the spiritual leader could use the ashes to "paint" a cross on the forehead of each family member to remind them throughout the day that their sins have indeed been forgiven.

If you have extra time in the next couple days, you might consider making a Lenten Calendar. You could use this to highlight the days activitivities and the prayers that were spoken and answered. It would be a family  "living" journal entry each day that you will cherish and look forward to doing again in the years to come.

May God bless you today! 

And know that if you stopped by Home For Him, you've been prayed for!!

In His Service,

 Deborah

"These aren't our rules. These are God's rules.....right here in the Book of _______, chapter ___, verse ___."

I mean, how can an 11 yo argue with that? How can anyone argue with that?? I believe it takes so much pressure off of us parents when we can show our children that we're not trying to Lord over them. We're just carrying out the job that God has called us to do. And it IS according to His Word. It was a revelation this week to all three of my kids to memorize Deuteronomy 6:5-9....for them to realize that God has called us to train them up in His Ways, but that it all begins with loving Him.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on you hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Isn't it ironic how you you learn something new, and it doesn't seem to take too long before you're tested in that exact area? Last week I spent most of my extra reading time in the same chapter of my Charlotte Mason Companion, the chapter on the training the Will. No sooner did I write Part I of this entry, did the lesson get tested. WE have definitely waged some battles of the Will this week. But I'm also thankful to say that WE (both parties) are winning.

The battle this week has primarily been with my 11yo. I'm afraid we are heading straight in to the eye of the hormonal storm with this one. And believe me, it's hard to always keep your cool when there's so much attitude blowing around. I am determined to take one day at a time and try to consistently tackle the problem with the Word...training that Will of his in the ways of the Lord. My personal goal through all of this (and unfortunately was how I was raised) is to NOT make the mistakes so monumental. I can remember feeling so guilty and defeated when I made mistakes, and feeling like I might as well give up çause there was no way to do it right.

So, this week my hubby and I have been trying to give our son some room to grow. He's made some wrong choices and has some unfortunate consequences he has to face. But the fact is (as we've told him), we all make mistakes and we all have to face the consequences, no matter what age we are. More then anything else, we love him and we only want what's best for him.

We've talked alot about putting on that armor of God and battling the temptations from Satan with the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Each time he is tempted to fall in these areas of weakness for him, we've equipped him with several verses from the Word to fight back with...verses that he chose based on his need. So in essence, we are training him, on how to train himself.

It's hard for me to think about the day that my son will leave home and make some other place his permanent residence...to know that we won't be around all the time to set him back on his feet and point him in the right direction. But, that's why we labor in love so much now...to try to prepare him and equip him with what he needs to fight the good fight on his own one day.

Yesterday was Briar's Spiritual Birthday. Two years ago he gave his heart to Jesus. I was touched that he marked it on his calendar and made sure to tell everyone he new. He's been praying everyday that God will help with to work through his weak areas. I know he's trying real hard.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly  kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.....For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-10

Bless You Lord for being so patient with us. For being the God of second chances. For using our mistakes for a greater purpose. For giving us your Word to always refresh our souls, fall back on, and empower us to press forward.  We love you. Amen

Direct my footsteps according to Your Word. Let no sin rule over me.   Psalm 119:133

Thanks again Amy at DandelionSeeds for charging all of us with the task of writing our New Year's Goals down and sharing them. I've really been giving it alot of thought. And from my draft posted a few days ago, I've narrowed down a few and expounded on others. And I think I'm ready to share...

You'll notice that I've put this blog under my "faith" category....mainly because reaching my goals will require a step up and out in faith this year, amen?

Personal

• Daily QT and Bible Reading, journal daily (whether it's by blog or notebook), attend one conference, become more active in our church and girlfriends prayer group
• Maintain my monthy Girls Night Out (GNO) and Annual Girlfriends Retreat
• Read 10 new books ~ this month is the Charlotte Mason Companion
• Walk 2X weekly (I know this doesn't sound like much, but it's more then what I've been doing. I figure I need to make an attainable goal and then move up to 3, and then 4....), I would also like to start doing sit-ups and push-ups 2-3X per week, find a new family doctor, start to de-caffeinate myself....I'm down to 1/2 caf right now...I'd like to be down to 2 cups a day, and then go no-caf in another month.
• Finish writing the Galatians/Ephesians Inductive Bible Study I've been working p/t on all year. And start writing one of the two children's books I've had on the back burner for 5 years.

Marriage

• A date night with my husband atleast once every other month - I wish we could do more, but we are on a tight budget too.
• Pray for my husband EVERY DAY...especially that we can start to pray and possibly do a daily devotional together. 

Kids

• Pray specifically for my kids EVERY DAY.
• A Daily Q&A sharetime and prayertime with them
• Limit TV/PlayStation to 2.5 hours per day (and I still say we work that down more.)
• Bible Reading most nights before bed.
• Play more games in the evening.

HomeMaking

• Set daily and weekly cleaning schedule that includes the children's participation.
• Set the timer 15 minutes daily for power decluttering and/or cleaning times.
• Use cleaning tasks for "consequence jar".
• Take DandelionSeeds Clean Heart, Clean Home challenge in April.

HomeEducation

• I've recently picked off my shelf a book that was given to me several years ago by a friend. It's called the Charlotte Mason Companion. After reading the first ten chapters, I've realized that I've been using many of her principles for years and didn't even know it!! I have been able to pinpoint the reasons why I've not been completely satisfied with our curriculum and learning environment for a while. They've been acceptable....just not totally satisfying for me or the kids. Now I know why. So, beginning immediately, I plan on implementing even more of  the principles I've found in the Charlotte Mason Companion, and learning more by checking out the The Original Homeschooling Series, by CM. More on this transition later...

Outreach

• Maintain our global prayer board.
• Work into financially supporting an international child.
• Support the missionaries and our church in the DR with prayers, financial, and short-term mission trip (possibly next November again).
• Re-commit our involvement at the nearby nursing home with monthly visits.
• 2-3 conservation projects beginning with a nearby section of road that seems to always be polluted with garbage.
• Homeless Car Package...more on this later.
• Meal for Ronald McDonald House every other month.
• Pray daily for our neighbors specifically and stay mindful of ways to serve them. 

Now, for accountability. You girlfriends who are reading this that know me well.....I NEED for you to hold me accountable here.  Please pray for me, and help me to stay on track! Ask me how I'm coming along with each of the areas. Especially with those personal goals....and the date night. With my track record, those are the ones that fall short the easiest. And most importantly,

Dear Abba Father,

I commit ALL of these goals to You Lord. I thank You for helping me to realize what needs to change. And I pray for Your strength, guidance, and courage to pursue and achieve all that we have set out to do. God, I love you. And I thank you endlessly for Your Son and all the ways He has changed my life.

Amen

As you may have noticed, I had an itch for change last night. I thought it might be fun to switch my template and try something new....I still don''t know if I like it. Feel free to give me your input if you have a moment.

We have friends coming over this morning to visit and play. They used to homeschool, but started at a private school this last September. It'll be good to spend some time together.

Later today I will be putting the final touches on my dually awaited New Year's Goals 2007 (that was announced loudly and with feeling).  Like I said a few days ago, I'm really taking this serious. If there's one thing I don't like, it's wasting time. And one of the things that keeps streaming through my head is having the courage to live the life that God desires for me. I need to be more deliberate and organized in my time and activities each day.

I get so tired of knowing that there's something He wants me to do but because I'm too doubtful, too afraid, or too complacent to do it, time just passes....along with the opportunity. And before I know it, an entire year, or two, or three, have gone by, and I feel like I've just been in this dormant state. Once I heard this compared to a ball game where I'm just the spectator, and never the player. Does that make sense?

I think too many times we expect it to be easy. And if it's not, we throw in the towel because we think that God must not have intended us to do that particular thing....since it was so difficult. I can have a terrible fear of being rejected, or not being approved of, or failing. I have learned over the years that fear can cripple me as much as any physical injury.  Because of fear, I have said "no" to countless opportunities that I'm sure God had every intention for me to be a part of. It almost gives me a sick feeling down deep inside.

Ofcourse, the Good News is that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). God can take all our mistakes, even all our sin, and use it for the good of His purposes. When we fail, we have a High Priest who intercedes on our behalf. We can confess our failures and He promises to get us back on track when we allow Him.

So, regarding these goals....I think it's good to write them down....verbalize them....be specific. And don't be afraid to be flexible. Perhaps we find down the road that our goal isn't realistic given all the other factors. Then we change it, so that it can become more reachable, and less stressful. We want our goals to be exciting and something to look forward to accomplishing. Not a chore or something to make our days simply busier. Amen?

Have a great day in the Lord!
Deborah

Dreams Boundless

My heart overflows with the words You have whispered in my soul.
Boundless are the dreams You've placed in the depths of my heart.

Boundless is Your love unfailing.
Boundless is the promised land You've set before me.
Boundless is the future You have in store for me.

Boundless, and victorious, is the life You desire for me to live.
Boundless I dare to walk on the waters of trials and temptations, keeping my focus steadfast on You.
Boundless I am, without chains, free forever, by Your death and resurrection.
Boundless are the lengths You will go to keep me on Your path.

Boundless are the ambitions You've called and empowered me to attain.
Boundless is the courage You give me when I simply seek You with all of my heart.
Boundless is how far Your arms will stretch around my life to prove the peace You offer me beyond my meager understanding.
Boundless is the forgiveness that covers my shame and inequities.

Boundless.....unbound by the ways of the world.

And bound by.....the ways of God.

Boundless are Your dreams for me.