We'll start with the Bad... its 1 degree outside!!! YUCK!!  SO cold.

Ugly... me teaching Keenan math. oh my word.  I can't get over how frustrated I can get over a few measly math problems, that he's probably figure out in a year on his own anyway with NO teaching!! The kid is so, so bright and I could screw that up that love of learning, and that confidence with crappy attitude while teaching math. sigh.

Good ... it was starting to look light outside this around 8:00!!! - sunrise officially at 8:35am... but for us, at 9:52, it JUST peeked over the mountain, and there is hope for spring yet... (I know, its only mid-February!!) and it doesn't set about 5:30 - wow.

I think the title of this post is kind of funny and ironic, since I have recently entered into some conversations on prayer and the perceived "evils" of contemplation, using our God given imagination (for good, as opposed to the crazy out of control imagining my mind tends towards without Him), listening to hear God speak, praying anything but the model of the Lord's Prayer... :) etc. you get the idea. Fear of anything different, under the guise of being watchful and vigilant for the lion seeking to devour is my take, personally.

Anyway, that isn't what this is about... so I'll stop on that.

The main gist of this weekend was the real power of prayer. how to enter into the work of prayer. how to pray effectively. how to pray and know God's heart. and what to pray when you don't! there was much covered, and much not covered, of course, but one thing the speaker spoke of at the beginning was that the work of prayer flows / or grows out of intimacy with the Father, not the other way around.

click here for the rest over at the "other" place... Prayer

It was a great time at the "Dunamis Retreat - the Power of Prayer"

God worked and moved mightily... and with a few surpirses! Bryan and I come home changed and are excited to see what God will continue to do in us, what He can now do through us with some spiritual strongholds broken, and renewed vision and direction for Souljourn (our church) and our family.

SO much to share, too much that isn't mine to share. I thiank it will take a while to get my head and heart sorted out... I might do that first before vomiting all over the internet! LOL

I'll leave you with just one of the scriptures Bryan and I feel God gave to us this weekend:

Jeremiah 32:38-39

We have been in a quandary at our house church...

We want to be lights to our community, to grow, to deepen, to meet with God alone and together in a powerful and dynamic way... but its not really happeing in the way we think it should be happening. If that is just our perspective and not God's timing... hey that is fine. BUT if something is missing, or we are wrong somehow, we want to know it!!!

Continue here...

What is it that comes between me and my pursuit of God... do I hold everything loosely in my hand, or is it wrapped tight in me heart?

Superbowl was a fabulous time of reflection for me. (not because of the superbowl... but because we went to my in-laws where I had the second living room all to myself with no distractions!)

There are 2 things Father God brought to mind.

First, finances and houses and feel good comforts etc. We have a renter that doesn't pay rent... or her electric and gas bill. We have to kick her out. but she has 2 little kids. We have given her lots of chances, and her jailhouse abusive father of her children who isn't supposed to be living there has tore up the place. yeah. joys of landlording. and I stress. I don't remember being a stresser for financial things, but apparently, that was only God's grace not my great spirituality. (feel free to laugh or puke... )

Second, this pregnancy... I want a full term healthy baby, with no complications in the pregnancy, and I want it guaranteed and when I feel more uterine activity than seems normal to me or should be ok, I freak out, because I want the above with NO bed rest and doing everything your average active mother does while being pregnant. I. dont'. want. to. slow. down.

HOWEVER, though I was assured by God this was a go ahead, and He would bless this. Both Bryan and I prayed and had a real peace about this pregnancy, that doesn't mean I get to call the shots. (ouch, just seeing it in print is rather... ugly) Father God, who created my body, who created baby inside my body, knows how it will go. And if I end up on bedrest, or need to take it easy, or the house goes to pots because I can't keep up on housework, or even if the baby is born early. GOD KNOWS!!! He is sovereign. That is a comfort not an omniscient threat!! SO I rest, and I stop drinking caffeine, and I stop bending over to pick things up and I don't run around to do errands because bending over getting the kids in and out of the car and picking up toys is NOT helping keep the uterus relaxed!!!

Its good. very good. NOW I am ready to move on and pursue God, having got those "little" things out of the way... I am sure I'll need to put them back on the altar a few more times - again pry my fingers off these grand gifts of God. BUT, for now, its good to move on in the Pursuit of God.

My Dad sent me this (thanks Dad!)… and it so blessed me as it goes along great with the conversations of late around the blogosphere regarding our day in day out relationship with Jesus…

Click for link to a different version of Footprints

I can’t get by Days 4-6. Day 7 says “Now the journey can begin…” and my spirit said… no, you didn’t really deal with the letting go of things… so I have been pondering and praying, and will sit here for a while as the Spirit works in my heart.

God’s gift’s now taking the place of God… our roots going down deep into… things, comforts, talents, relationships, ideals, instead of Christ. and Tozer’s wise words: