• 8 February 2010
The Simple Woman's Daybook #30

For Today, 8 February 2010

Outside my window...snow crunches under our feet, and even more snow will be under our feet in the next couple days!

I am thinking... that some things are easier disciplines than others. Writing is an easier discipline than exercising for me. How about you?

I am thankful for...words of wisdom that come just when you need them.

I am wearing... mismatched clothing. Black sweats with a blue stripe, a rust colored sweatshirt and brightly striped pink, purple and white slipper socks.

I am remembering... that God has a plan even when I don't know what it is.

I am creating...  plans. I wonder if God has created the same plans as me?

I am going...  to stay well and not get the stomach bug which Ava has had and Lukas might have (he has a randomly recurring tummy ache and headache today).

I am reading... poetry to my children. They're loving it!

I am hoping... to trust more.

On my mind... oh, my thoughts run very deep this week friends. Pray for me!

From the learning rooms... Africa, grasslands and poetry!

Noticing that...  my children are so concerned for each other. Lukas was so sweet with Ava last night when she was sick. It makes this mama smile.

From the kitchen... homemade turkey dumpling soup for the sickies around here (and the non-sickies too since I am not a short order cook).

Around the house... extra loads of laundry have been laundered (note: the sickies in the house).

One of my favorite things... celebrating birthdays.

Praying for...direction, clarity and peace for us and for others with whom we have placed our trust.

 A Lyric or two...
Let the church rise from the ashes!
Let the church fall to her knees!
Let us be light in the darkness.
Let the church rise! Let the church rise!

A verse to share..."I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,'declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.'" Jeremiah 29:10-14


A few plans for the rest of the week... taking care of my under the weather children, catching up the laundry and starting a healthy work-out regimen (as soon as this is posted, in fact, I will be revolutionizing the world of dance...hahaha).

For more Simple Woman's Daybook information and to join us, see the blog created by the initiator of this great idea!

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

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• 7 February 2010
Inspiration

Have you ever been inspired by someone you barely knew but you saw them often and thought he or she must be an amazing person? There was a woman in our church like that. She worked in the tech department. I don't know exactly what her job entailed other than that she was always zooming around near the choir and media rooms and in the worship center. She was around when I was helping with the kids' musical as well, and I know she spent some time hashing things out with the director. I know that she was often around when the choir was preparing for an event helping to ensure that each slide was correct. She did her job well, and everyone loved her.

Two weeks ago, I was at Ava's Upward game watching her cheer when I noticed Peg was there too. On the other court, she was coaching one of the K-2 girls' basketball teams from her scooter or pacing the sidelines with oxygen in her backpack. Isn't that inspiring? I was inspired by her, but she never knew it. She obviously had a zest for life and a passion for serving others and the Lord. The ailments which she dealt with daily didn't stop her from doing what she loved and from blessing others in the process. God wired her to serve, and she did so whole-heartedly. She didn't make excuses the way so many people do who face much lesser physical problems. She simply heard the call and did whatever it took to reach others for Jesus. Amazing.

Each week during our worship services, we say what we refer to as our "Impact Declaration." "I am part of a church committed to doing whatever it takes. I will disciple someone and allow someone to disciple me. I am generous and faithful in giving to others. I share Christ through my words and actions. To this end, my mind is set, my heart is humble and my hands are ready for I am part of a church committed to doing whatever it takes." Peg did that. I barely knew her, but I know she did this. We spoke two times that I can remember, but I knew enough from watching Peg to know that she did whatever it took to be Jesus to the world.

I have made excuses for not doing things in my life. Peg didn't make excuses even when so many people would have. I know of others in less challenging health situations who have given up because it was the easy thing to do. God didn't call us to do what was easy. If we only had to do what was easy, then why would we need God at all? I am thankful for the inspiration which Peg brought to my life and to many others in the worship arts and tech ministries at GCCN as well as to people who didn't even know how much she did behind the scenes to make each weekend's services the best they could be.

Peg will be missed at GCCN. She passed away over the weekend. Her loss is being mourned by many even as they know she is walking and breathing easily in heaven with Jesus. Her legacy will live on forever in ways her friends and family may never know. I barely knew Peg. She probably didn't know my name, but I'll never forget her. Her life will always be a source of inspiration to me. If I can be a little bit more like Peg, then I can be a little bit more like Jesus, which is exactly what Peg would have wanted.

Please be praying for the family and friends of Peg Pell as well as the children on the Upward basketball team which she coached as well as the staff of our church who will miss her very, very much.

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• 6 February 2010
12 Random and Unique Questions

1. Do you use the labels various charities send you as “free gifts?” Yep. I actually used them on Christmas cards in December.

2. What is your favorite time of day (or night) for skywatching? A clear, summer night in the country. I love star gazing!

3. What is the most adventurous you've ever been with trying a new food? I ate conch (as in the animal that lives inside those big sea shells) that was so spicy I thought I wouldn't be able to taste anything ever again when I was in Grand Cayman.

4. Have you ever heard a rock sing? Do the rock monsters in The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything count? Is this supposed to say "rock star sing"???? Because I have heard a few of those too.

5. If you could learn a language you don't presently speak, what would it be? Just for fun, I'd love to learn Italian, but Spanish would be ideal in today's America.

6. Al Capone's tombstone read, “My Jesus, Mercy.” If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say? Loving wife, mother and servant of the Most High God.

7. If you were a famous musician who was known by one name, like “Cher,” “Sting,” or “Jewel,” what would it be? It doesn’t have to be your first name, but it can be, if you’d like. My Guitar Hero name is MacMama. That's the best I've got.

8. Have you ever been inordinately “into” a television show? BONES!!!

9. When you sneeze, do you go big, or do you do that weird “heenh!” sound that makes people think you’re going to blow your brains out? Any other variation we should know about? Oh, I go for it and sneeze pretty big most of the time.

10. Do you still read an actual newspaper that you hold in your hands, or do you get your news elsewhere? I clip coupons from the actual newspaper, but any news I read is on-line.

11. Are you a good speller? I used to be. I won a school spelling bee in 4th grade. I'm pretty sure it was all downhill after that.

12. At what time each day do you start thinking about lost lunch? My kids start asking if it's lunch time around 11:30. Even if I wanted to forget, they wouldn't let me. I usually push it off until 12:30 or 1:00.

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• 3 February 2010
Wrestling

I've been wrestling with God today, a little unsure of his plan, a lot tired of waiting to figure it out, and wanting to be nothing short of the center of His will. I've spent a lot of time in prayer today and in recent weeks and months (and even years) trying to discover His plan, trying to accept whatever He has to offer, whatever direction that may lead. I'm willing to go wherever He chooses. I'm willing to not go anywhere. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be in the center of His will. I believe I have shown Him this, but today I found myself wondering if maybe I hadn't offered Him enough. Is there something else He needs from me? Have I held something back?

In the midst of wrestling and praying, I created a new station on my Pandora account and titled it "Easy Inspiration." I added singers like JJ Heller (my newest fave up and coming artist...check her out), Twila Paris, Margaret Becker, Rebecca St. James and Susan Ashton. Pandora added a few others who I've heard and enjoyed as well. Plumb, Watermark, Avalon, Jennifer Knapp and a few others. God has been ministering to me through this new channel all evening. It is exactly what I have needed on this day when I, much like Jacob, have been wrestling with God. I wonder if Jacob felt as terrible as I have today during his wrestling match all those years ago.

I don't know why God gave me this picture of Jacob physically and emotionally wrestling with the most high God. It came to me while I was writing this post. It surprised me. I haven't read about Jacob recently, but I will do so in a few moments. Jacob, the father of Israel couldn't be anything like me, right? He was flawed like me, so I guess we have something in common. Jacob made many mistakes, several of which are recorded in the Bible, but God used Him to father a nation, but not just any nation, God's chosen nation that still exists to this day and will continue until the end of ages.

I am concluding from this several things. First, God is there with us in the struggle just like He was with Jacob. God is also with us at the end of the struggle. Sometimes, God has big plans to use us in spite of our struggling with Him or His plan and in spite of our faults and mistakes. Jacob didn't know what God was planning for him. He didn't know if he would survive his meeting with Esau after all those years apart. He put his trust fully in God, and God used that trust to build an everlasting legacy. You've heard of Israel, right? Israel is the name God chose to give to Jacob after that holy wrestling match.

I don't expect God to use me to build an everlasting legacy anything like Jacob's, but the possibility of God doing even something small with my life that would bring glory to His name brings joy to my heart. I don't understand anything better than I did before I wrestled with God. I don't know what His plan is for my next footstep. I can only do what I know, and that is to trust God to lead me in His timing and in His perfect way. In the meantime, I will continue to read the Word, pray, worship, study, and seek counsel so that I can make right choices, choices that will bring glory to God.

As I was listening to Pandora, a Margaret Becker song began to play. It was one that I hadn't heard before today, and I found it's lyrics to be quite appropriate for my current struggle. I'll leave you with the words of Margaret Becker's "Come Quickly Lord."

I stand before You, awed by Your beauty
Stilled by Your power, moved by Your glory
All I've been chasing disappears

Locked in the moment I can see clearly
Mountains would crumble, darkness would shatter
If only I could be, faithful to You

Come quickly Lord
Reign over me
Judge me with mercy and love
Whatever may come
Don't let me run
Come quickly Lord

I stand convicted my thoughts are not holy
I struggle with evil, I still keep on falling
Yet I want to be all that You are

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• 1 February 2010
The Simple Woman's Daybook #29

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