An analogy.

Anybody ever had a new puppy...and you let it outside into a fenced yard...it runs wild...from corner to corner, excitedly exploring - stopping to dig a little, then being distracted by something new he sees across the way...then he runs to a new spot, grabs a new toy, shakes it a little, 'delights in the wonder', then moves on to chase a bug...not calming down a minute to take in the vastness...but just excited at every new little bit and piece he sees, then moves on to the next.

AND, you try to get his attention to get him to take a break and get a drink of water...hunker down...pat your knee, and say, "Here, boy!" He runs over, stops for a minute, sloshes his face in the water bowl, spills it everywhere and gets it all over his face! You chuckle as you watch him run off to the next big discovery -

That's me today! Beth Moore opened the door and turned me loose to the open field of Psalm 37. There is so much richness there...I am running from one truth to the next excitedly...and now I am going to slow down and drink from the water bowl, and try not to spill too much.

Anybody else thirsty?

Me with my sister-in-love at the Beth Moore Living Proof Simulcast...we love studying God's Word together...how blessed.

Abiding in Psalms 37:4...and more...chewing on it...

They will know...or will they?

"We are one in the Spirit,
we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit,
we are one in the Lord

And we pray that all unity

may one day be restored

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love."

"We will work with each other,

we will work side by side

We will work with each other,

we will work side by side

And we'll guard each one's dignity

and save each one's pride

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love
By our love, by our love
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love."

"We will walk with each other,

we will walk hand in hand

We will walk with each other,

we will walk hand in hand

And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love
By our love, by our love
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love."

"They will know we are Christians by our love."

"Love is patient, love is kind

Never boasts, not full of pride

Always hopes, always trusts

The evidence of Christ in us
This is my commandment

that you love one another

that your joy may be full."

Although this great hymn by Carolyn Arends is old - actually 30 years or more as I have read - I feel like it is so pertinent today. It has been on my mind alot. I remember singing it as a child...not really sure where. It may have been vacation bible school, sunday school or church. But, the concept always stuck with me. The world would recognize that we are Christians by our ability to love...each other...work with...each other...walk with...each other...be in unity with...each other. Is it happening? Do they know? Do they know we are Christians by our love? Or do we make it to hard for them to see? Are we clouding the view? Are we getting along as believers? Are we loving each other - not just as an act on Sunday, but TRULY loving each other despite our differences - everyone, not just certain ones? Are we working along side each other without backbiting, gossip and slander? Are we supporting one another? Do we walk hand-in-hand or do we secretly hope that only certain ones will hold our hands? Are we healing wounds in the church family so that we can work for the cause of Christ without being a stumbling block?
Will they know we are Chrisitians by our love?
I examine myself tonight. May you as well.

Deep And Wide

I am having trouble sleeping tonight. I have been battling a really bad migraine for two days and it has released enough tonight that I can sit up and function a little, but I am not near back to my old self. I have slept for the better part of yesterday afternoon, last night and today. It sort of feels like I lost my weekend in a way...can tomorrow really be Monday? I didn't get to attend church today with my family, I've slept through my family time...where did it go? Tonight, I have tried to go back to my Bible Study in Ephesians a little, reading and meditating, but it is hard to concentrate with the throbbing pain - it was so interesting that at the Secret Keeper Girl event on Friday, we sang one of my favorite praise songs taken from Ephesians 3...and ever since, I have prayed it back to God in thanks for His love for me. I have found that when my migraines come, it is a great time of worship for me...It is time for me to give in and give up everything I have to Him...His love is so wide...long...high...deep...I can't even begin to fathom it. But, tonight I am trying to rest in it.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ...[emphasis mine]"

Ephesians 3:17b-18

Tonight, I ask, unsashamedly, not only for others, Lord, but for me. I need you.

Secret Keeper Girl Tour

I am so glad that my sister, her daughters, Abby and I were able to attend the Secret Keeper Girl Tour event that came to our local area recently. It was wonderful to be able to sing praises with them, talk about Godly things with them, watch fashion shows with them, laugh and dance and talk about things that really matter in their lives...modesty, peer pressure and internal beauty.
The girls were challenged to look to God's Word for their definitions of beauty - not fashion magazines that lie to you to sell you things.
The moms were challenged to teach the girls to honor God in the ways they dress, speak and live - great challenges for us both!

God was honored, we had a blast just being girls, and it was fun to do it with my precious family. It was fun to see the girls excited about something that was truly good!
God help us as we raise our girls!

Please click on the link and check out the great resources at the Secret Keeper Girl website.

I am especially fond of the "Truth or Bare" Fashion Tests!

Raise and Praise!!!!!

Annual "First Day of School" Picture by the Mailbox

Isaac, 8 years old, 3rd gradeJonah, 7 1/2 years old, 2nd grade

Abigail, pre-preschool, 3 1/2 years old
So excited!

Lord, I love these children so very much. Please help us as we raise them according to your Word. We gave them to you before you ever brought them to us. Now, we evermore entrust them to your care. Protect them as only you and your angels can. Give their teachers words to lead them. Lord, please give them wisdom as they choose their friends. Continue to draw them to yourself...and may they ever be a light for you!

Is there anything better?

Is there anything better than seeing your children come to an easy understanding and belief in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord?

Is there anything better than your children knowing that there are truly black-and-white's when it comes to faith and trust in Jesus? With God, there are no gray areas!
Is there anything better than knowing that your child knows Jesus and will spend eternity with Him in Heaven?

Is there anything better than seeing your entire family come to surround your child on the day of his baptism to emphasize the importace of this day to him?

Is there anything better than going to the baptismal preparation room prior to your son's baptism and seeing him smiling ear-to-ear, jumping up and down - not because he got a new video game or that he was getting to go stay all night with a friend, but that he was being baptized and he was thrilled!

Is there anything better than your son saying in the car on the way home from his baptism, "Mom, this was the best day of my life, wasn't it, mom?"

Is there anything better than watching my husband, who serves as the Children's Pastor, who led his own son to Christ after Vacation Bible School one night, baptize him?

Again, I ask...Is there anything better - this side of heaven?

You would be unable to convince me this date!
Hallelujah to His precious name...two up, one to go!

It's wrong full.

It's official. I'm living a lift that is wrong full...but, I am more than confident that the things that are over-filling and crowding out the things that should be there can't - and won't - continue to stay much longer. I can't go on like this...so, as I continue to re-focus and stand on the promises given to me by the King for a full, abundant and free life, I seek out ways to return to a more simple life.

I am searching for ways to simplify again. It seems like I am forever-more revisiting the concept of down-sizing, simplifying, bringin' it back home...I have to get real about it all.

I am a woman, wife, mother, and full-time 'outside-of-the-home' employee. And, in addition, I work in long-term care in the area of rehabilitation management - a profession I thoroughly enjoy. On top of that, my husband is a teacher, student and we are adjusting as a family to pastoral ministry life - a deeper challenge than I ever imagined, indeed. There are days, self-admittedly, that I juggle all the balls well and other days, that one, two or all of the balls I am juggling fall and hit the floor hard. And, the past two weeks, I feel like the balls have come crashing down...why?

1.) My rehab department is short two full-time staff members - it puts a huge strain on myself and the rest of my staff.

2.) Our patient caseload has increased significantly at a time when our staffing is down - figures, huh?.

3.) I am working late alot. I am tired.

4.) I am so tired when I get home that priorities tend to fall by the wayside...I sleep when I can just to cope and go back and do it again.
5.) My sister says that the only time I call her is when I am going through a drive-thru late at night on my way home from work - and it's true - I am usually ordering when she says, "hello?"

I am not sure of the answer to all of this - yes...I do know the answer, but not quite sure how it will come.

As you read, I admittedly anticipate some responses:
-she's too busy - that's her own fault.

-she should just say no.

-she should reset her priorities.

-she's a complainer.

-she chose these things - why's she griping?

I have prayed sincerely for God to intervene and send me hard-working staff to assist my rehab team in providing great services to our residents. I feel a deep responsibility to this "mission field" of mine. I believe He has heard my prayer.

I am attempting to work on refining my time management skills while I am at work so that I can multi-task and free myself up in more reasonable time frames - even though I feel this is one of my strengths already - surely there is more I can do...

I need support. I need people to come along side me and help me. I do know my priorities. I don't desire to complain. I enjoy the life God has allowed me to live. I am searching for His direction in all of this. And...upon closer examination, He's teaching me through it. I am so glad I am His child. I am so glad that when I have these times of challenge, that He knows my name, sees each tear that falls, and hears me when I call!

The Backpack dilemma solved!

Every school year, we go on a hunt for THE "backpack". You know the one...the coolest, neatest, most colorful backpack to be had. However, our experience has been that these backpacks look alot like everyone else's, get easily mistaken and taken, don't hold up well and more often than not, have to be replaced. So, in our quest for new backpacks, I showed my children these backpacks from L.L.Bean and they got so excited. In the past, they hadn't been interested, but this year, for some reason, they were. They are having their first names monogrammed on them and we hope they arrive on time for the first day of school - I put a rush on them!

This is the one Abby chose - Pink of course! What else for a 3 1/2 year old darlin' to take her favorite toy and snack to Mimi's in?

Jonah chose this bright lime green one...he always loves bright colors, just like his personality. I am so excited to see him move into 2nd grade. He's going to do great.

Isaac, after MUCH deliberation, finally chose the sky blue. He is so excited to be starting 3rd grade. He is so ready and is eager for school to start.

Although it seems that summer has barely started, it is refreshing to think about a fresh school year beginning. The kids start school on Monday, August 10th. I pray for a great year for them and my K-8 music-teaching husband!

I AM A "C..."

Michael was the Vacation Bible School"Boomerang Express" Train Conductor as the Pastor of Children's Ministries at our home church this year. We had an extremely blessed VBS with approximately 150 dedicated adult volunteers who love Jesus and served children with boldness and love. It was a beautiful site.

Every night, the 200+ children were taught the ABCs of the plan of salvation - that they must "Admit they are a sinner, Believe that Jesus died on the cross for them, and Confess that Jesus is Lord of their life." By the end of the week, 260 children had come to hear the story of Jesus and His love for them...they worshipped, learned and celebrated. They were understanding it!

Abby loved the theme song and rode the "Boomerang Express" very excitedly every night!

We had a beautiful time at the Family Night Carnival on Thursday night. The children sang their songs they had learned all week, the plan of salvation was presented again for all the parents to hear, and then we were dismissed to the carnival on the hill. We thoroughly enjoyed celebrating all that the Lord had done together with live music, food, inflatables, games, fellowship, face painting, balloon animals, laughter, fun, and much more.

Isaac smiled so much this week! He had the best time with his church friends in his class. He learned so much about the life of Peter and grew alot in his faith this week.

The final night of Vacation Bible School brought a sense of relief and sadness...relief that things went well, children were safe, and rest was coming; sadness that it was over. Jonah, our middle son, cried on Wednesday night for over 30 minutes - not a small whimper, but a deep, sobbing, blubbery cry. He was so sad that VBS was ending on Thursday. He said, "...but, it will never be the same, mom. They'll take the decorations down, they'll change it next year and it'll never be the Boomerang Express again." And, who was I to argue with that? It was sad. VBS is one of the highlights of our year - we love to see it come and will miss it when it is gone.

We were so pleased that through the ministry of our Vacation Bible School, 23 people accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord.
Guess who one of them was!!!!!!

Jonah sings, "...I am a C...., I am a C-H...,
I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N!"

It is such a tremendous joy to see your own children come to an easy understanding of the gospel message as they are raised to know it from a early, early age. It is the natural response to the call of God on their life as they see it lived out around them. We are blessed that both of our boys - although young - love Jesus and believe that the Bible is true.

We pray the same for our youngest some day...our desire as parents is to see our family complete for the cause of Christ and to see them all in personal ministry...