Fuzzytop

A Study in Job - Part 3

2011-01-12T11:41:00.003-05:00

Despite the fact that he has lost his children and all his wealth and possessions, Job does not do as Satan expected, he does not curse God. Rather, Job falls to the ground in worship, saying

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

Satan has been proven wrong, yet as we see in Job Chapter 2, the testing is not over.

1 On another day the angels[a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him.
2 And the LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
3 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”
4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
6 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

Satan's attack is relentless: Despite his loss in Round 1, Satan is unwilling to concede defeat. He complains that Job was protected, and while Job maintained his faith and fear of God through the loss of family and possessions, Satan believes he will not do so if he is physically afflicted. When Satan speaks of attacking Job's "flesh and bones", he means to attack Job in his physical body (flesh), but also in his inner man (bones), his thoughts, emotions, and his spirit. And attack, he does. Satan holds nothing back! As he did with Job, he will take every inch of ground he is permitted. This makes me realize that I (we) constantly have God's protection around us, holding Satan at bay.

Rebuke with gentleness: As if his losses and affliction weren't enough, Job also loses the support and comfort of his wife, who is also suffering the loss of her children. She encourages Job to do exactly what Satan wants, but Job rebukes her gently. Job's wife believes, as many of us probably do, that God somehow owes us a wonderful life, filled with blessings, and if it is not, we should turn from God. Job tells her she is speaking foolishly, out of her pain. He reminds her that when hard times come, we must continue to love and trust God. What Satan wants most is for us to turn from God.

9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Just recently, I have felt like I was gently rebuked by God. I had fallen into the trap of thinking that way too much of my security here on earth came from our bank account. Did we have have enough $ to get us through hard times? And then in Nov and Dec of 2010, we got hit with some huge financial bills that wiped out our savings. Ouch! But through this, God reminded me that we are not to store up treasures on earth, but rather, store up treasures in heaven.

Lessons on friendship: The bulk of the Book of Job covers the dialogue between Job and his three friends, Eliphaz, Bilda, and Zophar, or as Stedman describes them, "Eliphaz the Elegant, Bildad the Brutal, and Zophar the Zealous."

11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

Job's friends make mistakes in their response to Job's situation, but they do manage to do two things right:

They showed up! And this wouldn't have been an easy thing to do. First of all, it would have been some time before the news of Job's troubles reached them, and then they still had to make arrangements and travel some distance to see him. I think there would have been a strong temptation for them to say to themselves "...it's too much trouble to go, and by the time we get there, things will be better...." But, they did take the time and make the effort to go to their friend.
They waited for Job to speak: After they arrived, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar sat with Job, waiting silently for 7 days and nights. This is incredible. I don't think I would have been able to remain quiet for 7 minutes. When one of my friends is suffering, the tempation to speak comforting words and offer advice and opinions is overwhelming!

But once Job begins to speak, things with his friends deteoriated. Out of his deep pain, Job laments the day he was born, and wishes he would just die and get it over with. Stedman writes "Few things are harder to bear than meaningless suffering. If we could see some reason for what we go through, we could more easily endure it. But pointless trouble is corrosive to our souls."

Job's three friends have the same basic argument: "This suffering must be your fault Job. There must be something in your life, some sin, for which you are being punished. Admit your sin, and you will be restored." Stedman reasons that the reason they think this way is because if Job's suffering is NOT his fault, the result of his sin, then it could happen to them, and also to us, as well. This is a terrifying thought!

According to Stedman, Job's friends make three major mistakes in how they treat Job and his situation:

They respond to Job's words without understanding his agony: Job makes many rash statements out of his incredible pain and grief. He regrets his birth, wishes to die, and asserts that he wants to give God a piece of his mind. His friends argue with him and attack his logic, where they should be looking past that to understand his torment. Job's words aren't the words of a man who is thinking clearly, and he doesn't need criticism or a theological debate.
They have an incomplete theology: They speak as if they have all the answers. Stedman writes: "They spoke as if their views were the final word on the subject. They seem unaware that there might be dimensions to God and His plans that they couldn't even imagine. According to their limited view of life, suffering is always caused by sin. It's true, of course, that sin does have consequences in our lives, but trials are not always the result of sin. Their theology was narrow and incomplete." When we dish out Christian platitudes to people who are hurting and suffering, we need to be very careful about what we are saying, and mindful of the fact that here on earth, we will never fully grasp the mind or plans of God. Whatever we might think God is, He is so much more.
They never pray! Amazingly, Job's three friends never pray for or with Job, and they never pray for their own understanding of Job's troubles. They act as though they already have all the answers. This was huge to me - the fact that something as simple as prayer was overlooked.

A Study in Job - Part 2

2011-01-10T18:17:00.012-05:00

As a reminder, I want to recap some of the insights I gleaned from studying the book of Job, using Ray Stedman's book 'Let God Be God'.

Being blameless is not the same as being sinless: The book of opens with a description of Job as blameless and upright, fearing God, and shunning evil. Job was not described as sinless, but rather, "blameless". Stedman writes that the Hebrew word used here is "tam", which means complete, lacking nothing. Job was complete because he confessed, repented and turned from his sin; he dealt with his sin as God requires. And when we have truly repented and confessed our sin, God is faithful to remember it no more. As Psalm 103 tells us,

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Job shows us that if we repent and confess, we can be blameless, and freed from our sin.

We need spiritual help when things are going well: Chapter 1 of Job describes how Job's sons would have parties and feasts to celebrate their birthdays and after their partying was done, Job would send for his children and have them purified, and would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them. Job didn't know for certain how, or even if, his children had sinned, so this was somewhat of a precautionary measure. Stedman also noted that Job did not make sin offerings for his children, because a sin offering cannot made be made by someone on another's behalf . Job made burnt offerings, expressing his desire that his children would belong wholly to God. I found it fascinating that Job's fear was that his children had cursed God in their hearts, which is exactly Satan's goal for Job.

Satan roams the earth, he definitely has power, and yet God is in control: The name Satan means "the adversary", and in the Book of Job, while Satan is clearly and adversary of Job and God, he is not consigned to hell as some believe. In fact, he has access to the throne room of God! According to his own words, he roams the earth, presumably looking for someone to devour (1Peter5:8), but Satan is clearly accountable to God, and is explicitly constrained by God in what he may and may not do to harm Job. As Stedman writes:

"Some people seem to think that there are two gods in the universe, a good God and and evil god named Satan, and they struggle against each other on equal terms. The book of Job shows us right from the beginning that God is in control of all things. All the forces of the universe are His to command. All of time and space are under His authority. Nothing ever takes God by surprise. There is nothing beyond the reach of God's will, not even Satan."

Stedman goes on to say that while some people have suggested that the book of Job describes a "war" between God and Satan with Job somehow caught in the middle, this cannot be the case, as in war, one side does not have to get permission from the other side to act. Rather, what's going on here is a test. Satan is testing God and His creation (man) through Job, and God, in His sovereignty, permits this test.

Satan's philosophy revealed: Satan reveals his philosophy in how he interprets Job's behavior and how he expects Job to respond in crushingly difficult circumstances. Stedman reminds us that Isaiah 14 tells us Satan's desire is to raise his throne above God, "...to be like the Most High." Satan believes that all Job really cares about is Job, that he (Job) is his own god. Because things are good for Job, he fears God, but if Job was to be put in painful circumstances, he will choose bitterness and resentment, and his heart will grow cold towards God. Job, Satan believes, is really no different than him. Satan's goal is not to turn Job against man, but to turn Job against God.
Satan does have power: Shortly after the first conversation between God and Satan, all manner of calamity befalls Job. In four catastrophic events, his children and servants are killed, his flocks and herds are destroyed, and he is left with nothing but his wife and his grief. In two of the four events, "natural disasters" strike (fire and wind) whereas in the other two, Satan uses people, the Sabeans and the Chaldeans, to strike Job. The fact that Satan can act using natural forces was not something I had really thought about before. There are many places in scripture where we can see God controlling the natural world, but apparently Satan can do so as well, with God's permission. Stedman made a fascinating observation about the incident described in Chapter 8 of Matthew, where Jesus calms the storm on the sea of Galilee. Stedman writes:

When Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, he rebuked the wind and the waves. This doesn't mean that Jesus spoke to air and water. Rather, he spoke to the forces behind the wind and waves, the satanic power that stirred up the storm.

Stedman goes on to say that "Disastrous forces such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and droughts are often called 'acts of God.' Yet we need to realize that Satan, the god of this world, is at times given permission to bring these terrible events about."

God does not need a defense: It's troubling to think that God allows suffering, especially suffering as brutal as that experienced by Job. We know God is just and loving, and yet God does allow bad things to happen to people, so we often come up with superficial answers to the difficult questions about suffering, to try and reconcile our anguish about why such things happen. As a Christian, sometimes I feel compelled to give a defense for God in times of tragedy. But Stedman reminded me that God does not need anyone to defend His actions; He is not subject to some higher moral authority. He IS the highest moral athority! Stedman believes that this is one reason the Book of Job was written - to show us God's deeper reasons for permitting tragedy and suffering. The Book of Job will reveal to us that God is not cold and indifferent towards us, and he does not inflict us with pain for his own pleasure, but rather, He is merciful and compassionate.

Much more to come...

Let God Be God - Study in Job - Part 1

2011-01-05T22:40:00.002-05:00

Sometime around Thanksgiving, I found a book at a local book store titled ‘Let God Be God’, by Ray Stedman, with the subtitle, ‘Life-changing truths from the book of Job’. Since then, I have read through the entire book of Job, using Stedman’s book as a commentary/study guide. It has been such a revealing experience, and I have learned there is a lot going on in the book of Job, beyond the tale we have all heard of Job’s suffering.

Ray Stedman (see www.raystedman.org) pastured Peninsula Bible Church in California for 40 years, 1950 to1990. His book, ‘Let God be God’, is derived from his sermon series on the book of Job. The book reads very much like sermon transcripts, with introductory and illustrative examples, passages of scriptures, explanations of the scriptures, and applications to the reader’s life. I found it very easy to read and follow, and as an aside, I think I would have loved to hear Ray Stedman preach!

I plan to do a series of posts, aligned to the chapters in Stedman’s book, with key points and learnings from each section in the book of Job. I hope anyone who wishes to study the book of Job will get a copy of Stedman’s book; I think you will be glad you did.

Stedman – Chapter 1: An Overview of Job

We don’t have to search far to find examples of people who suffer or have suffered terrible tragedies. Lives are cut short by terrible illness, people experience horrific loss, and we wonder and search after answers. As Stedman writes:

We know that God is loving and all-powerful. We know He has the power to heal us and take away our suffering, and we know He loves us. Still, we suffer, and we wonder why God doesn’t take us out of our suffering. We wonder why he leaves us in our pain. Doesn’t He care? Has He forgotten us? Has He turned His back on us? There are the questions that throb at the heart of the book of Job.

The book of Job is probably the oldest book in the Bible. Its author is unknown. Some scholars believe it may have been presented as a stage play, but the book is not just imagery; Job is a record of historical events, and Job was a man who actually lived. Job is also mentioned in Ezekiel 14, and in James 5, and is believed to have lived around 2000 B.C, in the same approximate time as Abraham.

Most people have some familiarity with the story of Job, a man who was described as righteous, buy yet suffered a string of calamities that left him without his children, his wealth and possessions, and ultimately, without his health. Job wrestles out his questions with God, and in the end, is blessed with a double portion of all he had before. But there is so much more to see in this amazing book. I hope you will stay tuned....

Pondering Treasure

2011-01-01T11:57:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

I love things new - new chances, new opportunities, a chance for a fresh start, moving on from past mistakes, hopefully with lessons learned. *grin* So I am looking forward to 2011.

For the past several months, starting around October of 2010, every where I went I heard people speaking about "treasure" - the things we are and are not to treasure. Our pastor preached a sermon where he covered Matthew 6:19-21, Beth Moore mentioned this in her teaching at Deeper Still in Birmingham. I heard it on the radio, songs brought it to mind, and then in late November and December, we got hit with some huge financial bills, which essentially decimated our savings. I'm certain God is gently teaching me to reconsider what I treasure, and what I trust, to snuff out any place where I place worldly things above heavenly things, and to remind me that my security is in Him alone.

So, my first scripture memory verse for 2011 is, fittingly, Matthew 6:19-21 NASB

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I've been mulling this over for a few weeks now, thinking about what are my treasures here on earth and in heaven. And as far as I can tell, the only "treasures in heaven" that we can "store up here on earth" are relationships, people.

I've been praying, Lord - show me what's got to go, and what's got to grow! What are my treasures?

My relationship with God - I want to know Him more, so dig deeper into His Word, and to yield my life and my heart to His molding. Lord, I want to love YOU above everything else! Light a fire in my heart to know You, to seek You, and to trust You.

My family - I'm embarassed to admit that I have slipped into a pattern of taking them for granted too often, at times putting my own wants and desires above serving them. Lord, I thank you for my precious family. They are the people on this earth that I enjoy the most. Lord, help me to be a godly wife and mom, to keep you at the center of our home.

Lost family members - what could be more of a "treasure in heaven" than seeing someone you love come to know Christ? I wish I could remember where I heard the quote that says "1 person in a 100 will read their Bible. The remaining 99 will read the 1." Enough said. Lord, I pray my life will reflect You and reveal Christ to my lost family.

My health - This year I will turn 50. I cannot believe it myself, and yet it is true. And I'm feeling my age. Lord, help me take care of this earthly temple, to be strong and healthy for the things I am called to do.

Friends - I need people who will hold me accountable in these things! I am blessed to have a few close friends that I think I can share my heart with, but there are things I hold back, out of fear, pain, and embarassment. Lord - give me a discerning heart in my friendships. Give me friends that will help me grow, as they support me and as I support them.

When coffee becomes art....

2010-10-06T15:23:00.004-04:00

My friend Judy and I had lunch together today, and we ordered vanilla lattes. The barista made beautiful swirly feathery designs in the foam, and they were so gorgeous that we decided they should be photographed! Check these out... Aren't they gorgeous???

And they were delicious too!

Happiness Roadblocks

2010-09-28T09:35:00.003-04:00

I read an article yesterday on AOL titled “Happiness Roadblocks” (You can read the article here), which stated that happiness is largely up to us. The article claims that “…50% of our happiness is cultivated in ourselves, and 50% is innate,” and that we can learn ways to be happier.

Learn to be happier? I’m all for this! Tell me more!

The article went on to describe “common roadblocks to happiness and a guide for getting around them.” What resonated with me when I read these was the fact that I have heard all of these guidelines before. In scripture. It reminded me that the Bible truly does tell us how to live.

Here’s the recap, of the happiness roadblocks as listed in this article, to which I’ve added corresponding scripture references.

1) Expecting the worst: According to this article, pessimism and expecting the worst elicits a stress response, that wears us down, prevents us from enjoying the moment, and robs us of our happiness. Perhaps this is why In Matthew 6:25-27, Jesus teaches us not to worry, saying “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” and in Matthew 6:34, he says again, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

2) Passing the buck: I struggled to understand this one the first time I read it in the article, but what it boils down to is this: we cannot expect someone or something to be responsible for making us happy. And if someone or something does make us happy, it simply won’t last. Lasting happiness does not come from our circumstances. It simply cannot. The writer of Ecclesiastes knew this all too well. In Ecclesiastes Chapter 2, he declares pleasure, wisdom, folly, and toil meaningless. Happiness, he said, comes from God. Ecc 2:24-26 says “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness.”

3) Thinking life should be perfect – and yours is not. Oh boy. This is a huge stumbling block for me. I would so love for my life to be perfect, and believe me, it is a long way from perfect. But rather than focusing on what’s wrong or missing from our lives, the article suggests that we focus deliberately on what is good and right in our lives. Gratitude, the article goes on to say, has been found to decrease depression. Scripture tells us this in so many places. Ephesians 5:20 tells us we should be “…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And scripture reminds us of the many things we have to be thankful for! First and foremost, for the indescribable gift of Christ (2 Corinthians 9:15), and Psalm 106:1 tells us to simply be thankful for God, that He is good and His love endures forever. Scripture also tells us to be thankful for the material things we do have. In John 6:11, Jesus gave us the example when he took the loaves, and gave thanks. I’m trying to be more deliberate in remembering and counting my blessings, and encouraging my children to do the same, as I know we have so much to be thankful for.

4) Not thinking of others. Ever. Acts of kindness, both big and small, make us happier. The article claims that “…in doing these things, we activate the part of our brains that give us a little endorphin boost so we feel better.” Jesus told us that next to loving God, the greatest commandment we are to follow is to “love our neighbor as ourselves”, which encompasses loving, caring, giving, and doing for others. Can we be truly happy, completely isolated from ever doing anything for anyone? I don’t think so….

5) Expecting life to be fair. News flash for anyone out there that is still expecting fairness out of life: LIFE IS NOT FAIR. It’s just not. Good people suffer. Good people hurt. But even thought we know better, don’t we still expect fairness? In many ways, I know I still do. Years ago I read somewhere that over 90% of fights between siblings could be boiled down to two things: a perceived unfairness, or a need to prove oneself to be right. I see this all the time in our two children. When they were younger, it was over little things, like, who got the bigger cookie, or whose turn it was to pick a TV program. But now, as they have grown older, they are still arguing over what they perceive to be unfair. In the book of Job, we see a dramatic illustration of how horribly “unfair” life can be. Despite the fact that Job was an upright and blameless man, terrible things happened to him. In Job’s case, the unfair calamities that beset him were orchestrated by Satan, but Job didn’t know that. From Job’s persepctive, I think it must have seemed that life was just one horrendous unfairness after another. Yet despite the unfairness he experienced and his subsequent temptation to blame and curse God, Job remained faithful. Aren’t we to do the same? To not look at the unfairness of life, but instead, to look at the goodness of our God? And along the way, to alleviate some of the unfairness and suffering of others that we see? And if life was fair, we would bear the burden of our sins and Jesus the sinless savior would never have died for us. So along with being grateful even though our life is not perfect, we need to bow in humility and not demand or expect that life treat us fairly.

Are you looking to bump up your happiness level? (Boy does that sound like an informercial!!!) Well, I think we would all like to be happier. And we can start with being positive, recognizing that people or things cannot be responsible for making us happy, getting rid of our expectation that life should be perfect or fair, and taking our focus off ourselves and instead, focusing on doing for others. I’m happier already.

Have a wonderful day...

Treasure in Heaven

2010-09-27T12:30:00.004-04:00

It’s been ages since I posted anything here. If you missed me at all, well, I’m sorry. It’s not that I’ve had nothing to write about; instead, I’ve just found it painful and difficult to write about the things that have been on my mind and heart.

Earlier this year, right before Mother’s Day, my brother-in-law died very suddenly. He and my sister had driven to upstate New York to pick up their daughter from college, and were driving back to their home outside Washington D.C., when he became very ill. As my sister described it later, he was fine in the morning when they set off for home, but within a few hours he felt terrible. So terrible, in fact, that she pulled off the road and called 911 for an ambulance. He was taken to a nearby hospital and died shortly after, of what the attending physician described as “heart trouble”. He was only in his mid-50’s, and without any apparent health issues. He wasn’t overweight, and didn’t suffer with high blood pressure, diabetes, etc, and he was not a smoker or heavy drinker. The loss was understandably devastating to my sister and niece, and shocking to our family as well as his friends and co-workers. It would be many weeks before my sister learned that the definitive cause of his early and sudden death was mitral valve prolapse, a genetic condition of which he was unaware.

I wish I could say with certainty that he is now with Jesus in heaven, but I just don’t know. When I traveled back to DC for the memorial service (aside – the service was held in a Unitarian church, which is worthy of another entire post), I learned that as a child, he had been raised in the Catholic church, but clearly, he was not a practicing Catholic. And from the choices he and my sister made forbidding the exposure of my niece to anything Christian, I had concluded he and my sister are nonbelievers. This has been heavy on my heart all summer. I am heartbroken for him, and I feel guilty for doing nothing to reach him. My siblings and I are not close, and we hardly ever see each other, perhaps only at weddings, the occasional family reunion, or as in this case, a memorial service. Sigh. So even though I think the last time I saw him was 8 or 9 years ago, I still feel guilty that in the times I did see him, I made no attempt to speak to him, or to any of my siblings for that matter, about the gospel. Although I have prayed for their salvation for years, the extent of my attempt to “reach” out to any of them with the good news has been my deliberate selection of Christmas cards, carefully chosen to emphasize what I believe - that Christmas is about the birth of Christ, not snowmen, stockings, Christmas trees, or ‘Happy Holidays’. But now that he is gone, I feel such guilt and shame for not doing more. Pathetic. Ouch.

Fast forward….

A few weeks ago, hubby and I were watching David Jeremiah’s show, ‘Turning Point Ministries’ on TV, where he was talking about his new book "The Coming Economic Armageddon". He quoted the passage in Matthew 6:19-21

19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This has been stuck in my head ever since..... So what exactly are treasures in heaven that we can (and should) be storing up here on earth? The only thing I know of that fits that description is relationships. My relationship with Jesus, and my relationships with people. To me this means reaching people for Jesus, building relationships with people here on earth that will continue and will be treasured in heaven.

Sigh….

I feel like I blew it with my brother-in-law, and am continuing to blow it with the rest of the lost in my family. All these months later, I still have NO IDEA what to say to my sister. Yet these things, these relationships with my relatives, reaching the lost, these are the treasures Jesus tells me to store up. But yet, in the case of my sister, my niece, my other siblings, I simply don’t know what to do or say. So, for now, I keep in touch, I tell her I love her, I ask her how she is doing, and I pray pray pray.

Grace and Mercy, Mercy and Grace...

2010-07-30T07:07:00.002-04:00

I sat down for 15 minutes yesterday to watch TV, something I don't normally do. And since no-one else was there, I had the blessing of being in charge of the remote, so I could watch whatever I wanted to... So I watched "Turning Point" with David Jeremiah. I've read some of his writings, but had never seen him before. He was talking about the hymn 'Amazing Grace', and he ended the message with this comparison of mercy and grace. You may have seen this before, but I never had, and it is the best explanation of the difference between the two I have ever seen.

Mercy is God witholding the punishment we rightfully deserve.

Grace is God not only withholding that punishment but offering the most precious gifts instead.

Mercy witholds the knife from the heart of Isaac.
Grace provides a ram in the thicket.

Mercy runs to forgive the Prodigal Son.
Grace throws a party with every extravagance.

Mercy bandages the wounds of the man beaten by the robbers.
Grace covers the cost of his full recovery.

Mercy hears the cry of the thief on the cross.
Grace promises paradise that very day.

Mercy pays the penalty for our sin at the cross.
Grace substitutes the righteousness of Christ for our wickedness.

Mercy converts Paul on the road to Damascus.
Grace calls him to be an apostle.

Mercy saves John Newton from a life of rebellion and sin.
Grace makes him a pastor and author of the timeless hymn, "Amazing Grace".

Mercy closes the door to hell.
Grace opens the door to heaven.

Mercy withholds what we have earned.
Grace provides blessings we have not earned.

-David Jeremiah
"Captured by Grace"

Learning to Trust

2010-07-23T12:53:00.005-04:00

Learning to Trust

I’m finding it hard,
Struggling each day,
I’m down on my knees,
With nothing to say.

I feel so alone,
Facing difficult times,
I can’t find the reason,
Purpose or rhyme.

These struggles I face,
Are they lessons for me?
To increase my faith?
I search, but don’t see.

Or am I just dashed,
Like waves on the shore?
Am I collateral damage,
In someone else’s war?

I’m worried and scared,
Each day it repeats.
This burden is heavy,
The ends never meet.

And yet some things I still know,
Truths, buried down deep.
My God is for me!
His promises, He'll keep.

He has no dark side,
I’ve heard Beth tell.
He can’t get messed up,
He sees where I dwell.

I am His child,
My name's engraved in His hand.
My God is faithful!
His Words? They still stand!

I know that He knows,
He sees all my pain.
That gives me my comfort,
He lifts my head…again.

I learn quickly in my head,
Less so, in my heart.
My doubts and fears,
They're slow to depart.

So I’m learning to trust,
This IS in His hands.
I’m building my house,
On rock, not on sand.

I’m tired, so tired
The road’s still uphill,
It’s time for some rest,
Time to be still,

And know He is God.

2010 Memory Verse #12

2010-06-15T09:47:00.003-04:00

Please read this...

2010-06-14T10:43:00.002-04:00

This post by Ann Voskamp is just beautiful. Please just read it and be blessed.

Graduation!

2010-06-03T15:23:00.006-04:00

James graduated from 5th grade last week!

Here he is with his teacher. She was absolutely the best teacher he could have had for his last year in elementary school.

The speaker at the graduation, a father of one of the 5th grade graduates, who is also a teacher in the high school, spoke on Ecclesiastes 12:1.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come...

It was a great message to the kids, about not waiting until they are grown up to seek the Lord, but to seek him now, to build that relationship with Christ in their youth, learning to lean on him today.

My prayer for James has always been that he would seek the Lord and follow Him with all his heart. I'm so proud of my boy!

This is what happens when boys pack....

2010-05-20T16:14:00.010-04:00

James is on a school field trip to Atlanta this week. Two nights, three days, with outings to the Atlanta Zoo, Coca-Cola, CNN, and Stone Mountain. He's been thinking about this trip for months, and last week, he told me he would take care of packing for the trip.

The night before he was scheduled to leave, I told James I wanted to double-check the suitcase he had packed for the trip to Atlanta. Being a good mom (*grin*), I wanted to make sure he had packed enough clothes, the right kinds of clothes, as well as things like, …say, …a toothbrush. So a few minutes later he wheeled his HUGE suitcase into the living room, and opened it for me.

Aside - I was totally surprised by the fact that he had chosen a pretty big wheeled suitcase for this trip, as this is the same kid who has gone off to Granny's house for the weekend with nothing but a football. This should have been my first clue that something weird was going on....

But back to the story!

This is what he had packed for Atlanta:

· A blanket (actually it was a twin-sized comforter) and a small pillow. Apparently they must be staying at the only hotel in Atlanta that is bereft of bedding...

· Two pairs of shorts

· Two t-shirts

· 4 pairs of underwear

· A single pair of socks, and they were orange, Halloween-themed knee socks, with spiders, and multicolored toes! Is he really going to wear those?!!

· Two pairs of pajama pants (but no pajama shirts)

· His basketball backboard/hoop (this is the one that hangs on the door of his room) and Nerf basketball.

· His finger flick football game

· Various and sundry toys/games for the bus ride

· The $ I gave him for spending money.

Sadly, missing from his suitcase were:

· Any toiletries, whatsoever – no toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, etc

· A spare pair of shoes

· Socks - well, normal socks, that is...

· A jacket

· A book to read

His actual clothes could probably have fit in a gallon size Ziploc bag, with a quart to spare, and the remaining space in his suitcase was all the extra, non-essential “stuff”. I think this is the difference between boys and girls….

Happy (Saint) Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T08:37:00.006-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Yesterday James gave me this homemade Mother's Day card:

I hugged him and told him I loved him, and then we laughed, and I asked him, "Why did you call it Saint Mother's Day?" and he told me "...because moms are saints!" So sweet!

And I loved how he used a different color ink to highlight "App St.", (Appalachian State University) which just happens to be one of his favorite football teams. That boy is a mess, but I love him so.

Happy (Saint) Mother's Day y'all!

Memory Verse - May 1st

2010-05-01T07:57:00.015-04:00

I loved memorizing scripture as part of the LPM blog scripture memory challenge last year, and I've continued with memorizing verses this year. But this will be the first time I have posted one here on my blog.

These were the key verses from the message at church last week, and they really resonated with me.

First, verse 3 tells me I have everything I need for life and godliness. This means no excuses for being ungodly! I am equipped to be godly.

Second - I get this "everything I need" through God's divine power; in bringing me to the knowledge of himself, through Christ, He supplies everything I need.

Third - Through his glory and goodness, he gives me his very great and precious promises. My Zondervan NT Commentary (see reference below) states that these "promises" are referring to salvation, as mediated through Christ.

Fourth - So that I may participate in the divine nature! How do I do this? My commentary stated it like this: "This happens in at least two ways: 1) the promises themselves have a purifying effect on the believer's life and 2) conversion entails a break with the corruption caused by evil desires." So that in coming to know God through Christ, believers (that's me) escape the corruption of sin and Christ renews and restores the image of God in them. Hallelujah!

I also liked the version of these verses from the Message:

"Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. "

Participation in the life of God.... what an amazing invitation.

Reference: Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, Vol 2: New Testament 1994

So Long Insecurity

2010-04-26T21:26:00.007-04:00

I am so grateful I attended the SLI simulcast at FBC Woodstock last weekend. Darlene and I planned to leave at 6am to drive down to Woodstock, where we would meet up with Kristin (Kiki) for the event.

The enemy was messing with us from the get go! Darlene said she had all sorts of minor issues popping up the week before, and she wondered if she would even be able to go. And the enemy seriously tried to derail me early Saturday morning by messing with my coffee. I had set the pot up the night before to make a full pot of coffee, knowing I would want some first thing Saturday morning, plus I wanted to take a thermos for the drive. Well, when I dragged my bleary-eyed self into the kitchen at 4:30am, I was assaulted by the smell of burnt coffee. Somehow the pot was not all the way in the machine, so the latch to allow the coffee to drip from the filter basket into the pot had not engaged, and my full pot of coffee had spilled over the filter basket, onto the sides of the pot and the heater plate, and all over my kitchen counter. This has N-E-V-E-R happened before with this coffee pot. Spiritual warfare, I'm telling you!!!

After the coffee mess was cleaned up, a new pot made, I showered and dressed, and was on the road in time to meet Darlene. The drive down was uneventful, and we arrived there at FBC Woodstock in plenty of time. Kiki had arrived early enough to line up and get us great seats right in the middle of the sanctuary. We had our Bibles, our books, and Miesta Moose; we were ready!
I was blessed to share this event with Darlene and Kristin. They are both so sweet and so much fun.

Beth brought a great lesson, painting a scriptural picture of what a secure woman looks like. She is:
• Saved from herself
• Entitled to the truth
• Clothed with Intention
• Upended by grace
• Rebounded by love
• Exceptional in life

Rather than dive into all the details, I want to just capture a few of the things that struck a deep cord with me:

• I am SUPPOSED to be a poster child for the before and after – this is part of my calling. The change and transformation in me and my life should be visible.

• Grace was never meant to be an excuse to continue living in our bondage… Interestingly enough, I heard this again in the sermon at church on Sunday. Pastor Craig was preaching from 2 Peter 1:3-12 on the assurance of salvation, and one of the things he said was “…Grace was never intended to be an excuse for us to continue in our sin.”

• When Beth talked about how a secure woman is “Saved from herself”, it hit me that I have been so self-absorbed in the past in my relationship with my hubby and our kids. That was hard to see in myself. I see daily that I have been lifted out of the pit of sin and destruction that I felt destined to wallow in, but I had not seen so clearly my self-absorption in my relationship with hubs and our kids. I felt so tender towards the three of them, I literally wanted to run out of the sanctuary and hug them. Lord, save me from my self-absorption!

• Being clothed with intention, the point that “we will NEVER be secure by accident” was a huge AHA moment for me, and the wording about putting off the old and putting on the new just stressed how much this is a deliberate act of will. Walking in it before we feel it…. I had been waiting and wanting to feel better first, and while I had glimpses of that, I found myself saying “Lord, I don’t FEEL changed yet! What is wrong with me???”

• Her point that when we are insecure, everything comes to us as an offense, just about slayed me. Case in point - My dear husband has a very bad habit of just leaving his empty soda cans and wrappers on the counter. Not surprisingly, this just ticks me off. I take it personally, thinking to myself "...he KNOWS this drives me crazy, and he still does it, so he must be doing it just to get to me." Add to this random comments I hear, and the voices in my head that repeat things from my past, all of these things have been HUGE offenses to me. On Saturday I realized that none of that has any real power to offend me, and in most cases, there was never an offense intended. Hubs doesn’t leave his garbage laying around because he is deliberately trying to tick me off – he does it because he is simply too lazy or forgetful to throw it away. Nothing more than that. I realized that people can make mistakes because thet are sinful, flawed human beings, not because they are directing offense at me. This change in my perspective was huge to me.

• Grace, grace, nothing but grace. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound... I loved Beth’s point that I can give grace away and also keep it. Amen! And the picture she painted of the blood dripping off the crown of thorns, sprinkling the ground at the foot of the cross…. Why had I never seen that picture before? Sin (thorns), covered with the cleansing blood of Jesus, at the foot of the ultimate mercy seat, the cross of Christ? What an amazing picture!!!

• I laughed when Beth reminded us that John is only one who describes himself as the disciple Jesus loved. I’d heard that before, and I used to think that made John seem a little presumptuous, but I realized that he (John) was totally right. He was dearly loved by Jesus, as am I! And you! It doesn’t make me presumptuous to claim that; it makes me a believer in the promises of God. Totally changed my view. I think for the first time ever I have truly truly truly engrained in my heart that He DOES love me.

• Finally, the point about being the exception, the standout, not for bold accomplishments and deeds, but just because our hearts and minds are different. Our security is not derived from the world or anyone in it, and is not altered by the world or anyone in it, but is based on nothing but the fact that I am a dearly beloved child of God, chosen by Him, redeemed, guarded, carried, and protected by Him, His most valuable treasure. What a security I have!!!

And lastly, I want to add two things Travis said…

• We are not a blurry sea of 300,000 indistinct faces, but God sees everyone of us, we are 300,000 “ones” – unique, recognized, valued and treasured on our own. I've struggled with this in the past; the feeling of being insignificant, lost and forgotten in the crowd. I relish being a "one".

• I loved Travis’s comment about “no-one can sing praises for you…” God wants your praise and my praise, your worship and my worship, and he wants it directly from our mouths. Every song I have sung since then has been more heartfelt….

The whole event was huge to me. It felt like I had all the pieces to a puzzle before me, but I could never see how to make them fit. Beth's message and Travis's words just rotated the pieces so I saw things in a new way, and suddenly, it all clicked into place.

So Long Insecurity! You have been a bad friend, indeed.

An amazing story...

2010-04-23T08:37:00.002-04:00

Please read this post by Jenni! What an amazing story!

Easter Sister (Siesta) Exchange

2010-03-10T08:54:00.003-05:00

Deborah, also known as "Twinkle" is hosting a siesta Easter exchange! Doesn't that sound like such a fun way to bless someone at Easter? You can read about it and sign up here if you want to participate. Deadline to sign up is March 17th!

Portrait Update

2010-03-01T10:13:00.006-05:00

I wrote here about James's portrait, which I have been working on F-O-R-E-V-E-R! Well since then, I have done some more work on it, mainly working on the shirt, but I don't have any updated photos to post yet... I'll add some soon! Note to self - plaid fabric is very difficult to handle! In the meantime, this is the portrait I did of Rachel several years ago, just to prove to myself that yes, I CAN actually finish these portraits.

Top Ten Tuesday

2010-02-16T11:34:00.007-05:00

I'm playing along with Jenni .... Her Top Ten Tuesday for this week is " Top Ten Things That Don’t Make Sense to Me".... Sounds like fun, so here's my list:

10. Taxes

9. How our dog, Sally, still has any fur left, given the vast amounts she sheds on the couches, floors, her dog bed.... By now, she should be utterly and completely hairless.

8. The appeal of shows like Oprah, Jerry Springer, The Bachelor, etc

7. Oreos - the cookie part by itself is too bitter, and the filling by itself tastes too much like shortening, but put them together, and they turn into something yummy.

6. Why do men seem to lose their rear ends as they age? I swear my hubby used to have one, but now - just flatness!

5. Why are french fries infinitely more delicious when they are pilfered from someone else's order? (Sorry sweetie!)

4. Why do teenagers text each other when they are in the same room?

3. Deliberate mispellings in the name of marketing... Krispy Kreme comes to mind...

2. The appeal of NASCAR

1. How anyone can look at God's creation and NOT believe...

Winter Rain

2010-02-05T09:16:00.002-05:00

The sky overhead,

looms grey and dark.

Again.

Clouds blanket the land,

like a soggy fleece,

wrung out by God’s hand.

Rain.

The wet, boggy ground,

squelches beneath my feet,

sodden and damp.

Mud.

And then through the clouds,
A ray breaks through,
A shaft of light,
And a spotlight too.
Sun!

God is good...even when it rains.

Calling all statistics geeks and Jesus freaks!

2010-02-03T06:13:00.006-05:00

There's an old joke amongst statisticians, a play on the famous "Love means never having to say you're sorry..." line from 'Love Story'. The joke is: "Being a statistician means never having to say you're 100% certain..." Cracks me up. Statistics humor - what an oxymoron!

But I fell in love with this t-shirt the minute I saw it. Because despite the geeky statistics joke, it speaks the truth - we will all die, and we certainly don't wan't to go without Jesus. Amen.

James's portrait

2010-01-31T20:52:00.004-05:00

I've been working on this color pencil portrait of James forever, and not making much progress. So, I thought I'd post it here, and challenge myself to work on it every week until I get it done.... I love drawing these portraits, and it's very relaxing to sit and work on one while I listen to my iPod, but I don't like getting started unless I have an hour or more to work on it, and realistically, I haven't carved out a free hour to work on this in weeks. Sigh.

It takes many many hours to finish one of these, as the colored pencil is applied in many layers, and it is fairly slow, meticulous work. I think I've put about 20 to 25 hours in it so far, and I'm less than half way done. Anyway, I'm going to give this a go and try and get it done - soon. Like before he graduates from High School...

And here's the reference photo I'm using to create this portrait. I love this photo of James, taken when he was about 4 years old.

Tennessee Snowman!

2010-01-31T09:39:00.003-05:00

Rachel's Tennessee snowman...

and the view from our front porch.

Top Ten (or more) Memories from SSMTC

2010-01-28T03:07:00.019-05:00

Oh, where to start….???

Here’s my Top Twelve List of the “Most Memorable Things from the Siesta Celebration”:

12) Dial “R-U-HAIRY?” Yes, we REALLY saw this (several times) on billboards in Houston. Melana and I laughed every time we saw it…
11) Starbucks coffee with peppermint syrup - Thanks Tiffany for introducing this to me!
10) Pappasito’s – The BEST Mexican food I have had since moving to Tennessee…
9) Beth re-enacting her Chris Tomlin/air guitar episode for the siestas…
8) Tiffany’s deranged GPS….
7) Pink feathers everywhere!
6) Great worship with Travis, Kim, Lisa, Siestas, and the iPod Band
5) Meeting and getting photos with Amanda and Beth…
4) Siestas! Seeing old friends and meeting new…
3) Hearing a WORD! Through Beth’s teaching and Pastor Greg’s sermon on Sunday.
2) Saying those 24 verses!
1) Feeling God’s presence in a huge way…

So here are the details:

Melana, Miesta Moose, and I set off from my house early Friday morning, with our pink feather boas, for the drive to Nashville airport. I was so ready for this event, looking forward to meeting up with siesta friends and longing to hear God speak His Word to me.

Melana and I met our first new siesta friend at the Starbucks in the Nashville airport, BeckyB, and I knew right then that this was going to be such a fun weekend. Tiffany (ForHisGlory) was there at Hobby airport to pick us up, and off we headed to the Omni Hotel. I was so happy to be with Melana and Tiffany, but we were all sad that Lavonda wasn’t able to join us for the weekend (sniff). Our group simply felt incomplete. Melana had made a stand-in for Lavonda, which we affectionately named “Stick-Vonda”.

Me and Melana with "Stick-Vonda"!

On our way to the hotel, Tiffany suggested we meet up with Karen and Daimy for lunch at Pappasito’s. I’m telling you, we had been in Houston for all of 30 minutes, and simply could not wait any longer for Mexican food. (Aside – there is NO good Mexican food to be found where I live in TN. We have a small Mexican restaurant here named “El Metate” and the local gals call it “Elmer Tate’s”. That should tell you how dire the Mexican food situation is here in small town TN….) But I digress. Tiffany’s deranged GPS (more on this later) finally gets us to Pappasito’s where we join Karen and Daimy. I had met Karen at the Memphis LPL, and she is such a delight. I love how her eyes sparkle and she gives you a little wink every now and then – so endearing. And Daimy is just gorgeous and precious and it was so nice to meet her. Pappasito’s was yummy yummy yummy – the guacamole (they make it right at your table!) was to die for, and my fish taco was just perfect. Miesta Moose enjoyed it too…

Tiffany, Melana with Miesta Moose, Me, Karen, and Daimy

Moose supervising the guacamole prep...

OK, we FINALLY get going to the Omni hotel, making a slight detour into Rices’ Epicurean Market to buy tons of See’s chocolate, and as we traipse into the lobby of the Omni, dragging all our bags, there is Amanda! It was so nice to finally get to meet her and give her a hug. She is such a kind and gracious person, and so sweet. Our room at the Omni was wonderful, and soon it was time to leave for the event.

Now, it’s a good thing we left early, because Tiffany’s GPS managed to turn what should have been, oh, say a 10-minute drive from the hotel to the church, into an hour-long (not kidding) misadventure in Houston. We did several loops on Katy Freeway, we passed BACK by our hotel not once, but twice, and we passed by the church once but couldn’t get to it because we weren’t on the frontage road. It was maddening! The crazy GPS even told us at one point to “Turn right at Buckingham Lane”. Please behold this photo of where we were directed to turn!

Buckingham Lane.... Not really a good place to turn, despite what the GPS says.

We finally made it to HFBC, and everywhere I looked, I saw pink feather boas. It was so good to see old friends from the Siesta Fiesta – Lichelle and Evie, Patty, Lora, and to meet siestas that I feel I know but have never actually met – Georgia, Deborah/Twinkle, Emmy, Georgia Jan, Yolanda, and Miranda. Cameras were constantly flashing as 500+ siestas ran around hugging necks, taking photos, and just loving on each other. Siestaville is just filled with sweet women.

Me with Lora (By The Lamp Light)

Patty, Melana (Moose Mama) and Georgia

Evie and Lichelle

Tiffany, Melana and Miesta Moose, Me (with horrible hair!)

Beth, Amanda, and Melissa came to the stage and welcomed us all, and Travis and the Amazing iPod Band led us in worship, and then Beth taught the first half of her lesson on Psalm 119. I didn’t know that:

Psalm 119 has 176 verses, divided into 22 groups of 8 verses each. Each of the 22 groups corresponds to a Hebrew letter, and every line in a section starts with the Hebrew letter for that section, making it an intricate, elaborate Hebrew acrostic.
Psalm 119 has been described by some as dull, repetitious, but Beth said it covers “… an amazing gamut of emotions..." and reflects "...a life lived out with God, from A to Z.” I thought that was very fitting for this weekend, as she had directed us at the start of the memorization challenge to pick verses to memorize that we NEED, that speak to us in our lives.
Psalm 119 uses 8 different words for God’s revelation to us, and 173 of the 176 verses include one or more of these 8 words. The eight words are testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, Word, words/promises/sayings, and Torah/law. The psalmist (who is unknown) decribes a love for these revelations of God.
The sentiment “I love your law” is repeated over and over in the Psalm, and Beth taught that we should think of this as “I love your teachings”. That made a lot of sense to me.
The psalm includes 70 different prayer requests, many of which are essentially the psalmist praying scripture and promises found in scripture back to God. It is so important for us to know the Word of God; how can we pray it if we don't know it?

On Friday, Beth stated developing a run on sentence, illustrating each section using verses from Psalm 119 as well as other scriptures. One of the key points she made was from verse 105 which says “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” The psalmist believed that God is capable of leading us, and that when the time is right, He will reveal to us our next step. Beth talked about how so many of us want God to shine a spotlight out into our future, to show us the end result, so we can know where we are going and see where we are headed, but God doesn’t promise us that. He promises a lamp, which will illuminate our path just enough for us to see the next step He is calling us to take. That was huge for me. I am one who likes to see the map, to know the route I’m taking before I set out on the journey, and it’s often so hard for me to move forward when the end result is unknown.

After the Friday night session, we went to the church lobby for a meet and greet, with coffee and some of Beth’s delicious Texas Sheet cake. We waited in the long line hoping to get a photo with Beth, but she had to leave long before she had a chance to meet everyone in the line. We headed back to the hotel and went up to the hospitality suite and visited with the siestas there for a while, and then went to our room to crash.

Melana and Travis

On Saturday morning we headed over to the church early. After the worship, Beth finished up her lesson on Psalm 119. The full run-on sentence, which she developed over Friday and Saturday is:

I am a resident alien, looking for direction, in deep want of wonder, in peril and need, deeply troubled by humanity – especially my own, recognizing that to follow is the only free road, for a straying sheep longing to be found.

Some other points she made included:

Blamelessness is not the same as perfection, but rather it means to be free of willful sin.
In this day of internet and social networking, it is so easy for us to hear a message and think "Oh this is good, I need to pass this on to my friends!" and we pass stuff on before we have taken the time to absorb it ourselves. Beth encouraged us to NOT pass things on that have not been planted in our hearts.
Prayer is our means of unburdening our hearts before God. Nothing we do or say can ever be done behind His back, because God never turns His back on us.

After Beth was finished teaching, we paired up to say our scriptures to each other. It was almost surreal, to sit in the courtyard area and hear the buzz of words as groups of siestas shared their verses with each other, and then to see the high fives and hugs. I loved it. We finished up with a beautiful commissioning, which I got to share with Melana, whom I love dearly. She is such a good friend to me.

Melissa and Beth - Beth said Melissa told her this outfit made her (Beth) look like a chicken nugget, but we all thought she looked adorable :o)

Too soon, the event was over. Beth, Amanda, and Melissa slipped out the door during the final worship session, but they came back to the foyer and stayed until everyone who was there managed to get a photo taken with Beth. These ladies are the real deal - so kind and willing to serve.

Me with Siesta Mama Beth!

Tiffany, Karen, Beth, Lindsee, and Daimy

For lunch we went back to Pappasito’s! After all, what could be better than having great Mexican food for lunch two days in a row? After lunch we went to the Galleria, where we ran into several siestas, including Carolyn/Warm in Alaska and Kiki, who are just delightful. We walked the entire mall until our feet ached, and had a great time shopping in Charming Charlie’s. I bought James a “Don’t Mess with Texas” t-shirt, since I had bought Rachel a pound of her favorite See’s chocolates. (See’s candy is another thing that, sadly, isn’t available in small-town TN…)

Leaving the mall, we headed over to The Chocolate Bar, but we arrived there about 45 minutes before any of the siestas planned to be there. Since we so tired, we decided that if no-one else showed up by 7, we were out of there! Happily, lots of siestas showed up and we had such fun visiting and talking before finally dragging ourselves back to the hotel.

Sunday morning we planned to meet some siestas at the Express Café for breakfast, but when we arrived there the place was completely empty. We headed across the parking lot to La Madeline café, where we had a lovely breakfast before heading over to HFBC for the 9:30 service.

Arriving at church, we met Amanda in the lobby and she told us that the service in the huge sanctuary would have the choir and orchestra, but in the chapel, the music would be contemporary. Pastor Greg preaches in the sanctuary, and this is displayed on a screen in the chapel. We decided to head into the chapel for the contemporary-music-version of the service. Pastor Greg taught on “Family Squabbles”, using the story from Genesis 13 of Abram and Lot parting ways. At one point, talking about husbands and wives, he said “…we sometimes forget we are on the same team.” That was a word I needed to hear, to be reminded of the fact that hubby and I ARE on the same team.

All too soon we were back on the freeway heading to the airport. Sigh… But while I was waiting at the gate in the airport, I heard someone behind me talking on their phone, and she was obviously talking about the weekend events. Well of course it was a Siesta – Betty from Oklahoma! She and I visited for a while until she had to catch her flight.

My flight and drive home were uneventful, and it was so good to be home and see my family.

I won’t forget this weekend. Of all the LPL events I’ve been too, this one was special. I truly felt God’s presence all weekend – in the worship, the teaching, the sermon, the sharing of verses, and the friendships.

The Hand ! *WARNING! This is gross and tacky!

2009-10-29T17:05:00.003-04:00

Hubby went grocery shopping last night (he is much better at it than I am), so when he brought all the bags home, I started unpacking them on the kitchen counter.

And then I pulled THIS out of the bag!

INSERT LOUD AND HYSTERICAL SHRIEKS HERE....

STILL SHRIEKING!

Actually, it's a gummy candy hand!

After I calmed down, I laughed my head off!

And I hope you didn't miss the note on the package about "...with crunchy candy bones inside"! I mean, what's a gummy hand without the bones? Seriously?

Hubby thought this was cool and bought it for James -I think it's a guy-thing. I think it is just gross and tacky...????

So, what is your gross and tacky gag purchase story? (Keep 'em clean, ok?!)

Fall Colors at Cloudland Canyon

2009-10-28T16:19:00.008-04:00

Last weekend Rachel and I went on a hike with some friends to Cloudland Canyon, which is located on top of Lookout Mtn, south of Chattanooga. Although it was cold and windy, there wasn't any rain, so it was a lovely day for a hike amongst the beautiful canyon and gorgeous fall colors. Here are the girls at the start of our hike!

Here's the view from the top of the trail...

And looking across the canyon at all the fall colors...

zooming in for a closer look!

The maples are a really vibrant red color this year. Absolutely gorgeous!

We hiked about 0.8 miles down to the bottom of the canyon...

One of the trees in the bottom of the canyon had some weird scale-like growth on the trunk. When I took a closer look, I saw they were actually mushrooms growing on the trunk of the tree!

After our easy hike down, we were rewarded with this lovely waterfall and pool in the bottom of the canyon...

The water from the pool flows out down a sweet little stream...

Here are the happy hikers after the hike!

All in all, it was a lovely place to see Fall in all its splendor!

Memphis LPL - Part II

2009-10-21T12:15:00.003-04:00

Recap - The Key Scripture was Exodus 34:6-7, which is God’s disclosure to us, His description of what He is like.

God tells us 7 things about Himself that we will like and one that we won’t:

Seven Things We Will Like

· Compassionate
· Gracious
· Slow to anger
· Abounding in love
· Abounding in faithfulness
· Maintaining love
· Forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin

One Thing We Won’t Like
· Does not leave the guilty unpunished, punishing the children and their children to the third and fourth generation

I covered the point about not leaving the guilty unpunished here.

Now, let's move on to the things we will like!

1. God abounds in love

God’s Word tells us over and over again that He loves us, far beyond what we can imagine or understand. John 3:16 is the classic verse. And in Ephesians 2:4-5 we read that “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” And in 1 John 3:1 we see ”How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”

The Hebrew word used in Exodus (for abounding?) is ‘Hesed’ (I think I probably spelled this wrong) which means “steadfast, loyal” love. God is fiercely loyal. Beth reminded us that one of the very first things most of us learned in Sunday School as a young child was “Jesus loves me, this I know”. And when we struggle and suffer, when times are difficult, we so often lose sight of this simple truth.

2. God maintains His love

The word ‘maintains’ means to guard, protect, keep watch. It is the same word that is used in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Beth talked about we are so careful to guard our hearts against things – heartbreak, loss, rejection, etc. But God guards his heart for something, not against something. God maintains His love means that He does not let His love for us diminish, change, or fade; He maintains His zeal and passion for us. Romans 8:38-39 tells us “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Beth asked “Do we guard our love in the same way?” Sadly, no. I am guilty of this – of letting my love lose strength and passion, not maintaining my love. Love is a choice, a willing to do good, as well as the emotional feelings. Beth challenged us to open ourselves up to loving with that zeal and passion again, both the emotion and the active choices we make.

Beth gave an outstanding example of how we mess this up. She talked about parenting teenagers, especially those who may become rebellious or sullen, and how we can easily become a victim to our kids. God guards His love for us (He always loves us passionately) but He gives or withdraws blessings, based on our obedience to Him. As parents, we often keep blessing our sullen, disobedient kids, by lavishing them with cars, clothes, food, money, stuff, but we withdraw our love, the passion and emotional part. Beth said we are essentially “…funding our kids’ rebellion!” We think that blessings = love; this is backwards from God! He always loves, but withdraws the blessing; we always bless, but withdraw our love. When our kids are being rebellious we need to stop blessing them but keep loving them. This point was huge to me, as Rachel and then James will be hitting those teen years very soon. I know it is my personality type to fall into this trap of blessing them but not loving them.

Beth closed on Friday by reminding us that Moses asked and pleaded with God for His Presence to go with them. God was present with Adam in the Garden of Eden, but somewhere along the way, the presence of God became something that would “…flat out kill us!” But people were still desperate to experience it, to see the presence of God. The revelation of God became something worth risking everything for. And we should seek it for ourselves with that longing.

Memphis LPL Notes - Part I

2009-10-20T13:27:00.004-04:00

LET’S GO ON A WILD GOD CHASE!
Living Proof Live – Memphis, TN Oct 9th-10th, 2009

Friday Night Session:

Luke 8:22-25 tells the story of Jesus and his disciples on a boat. Jesus fell asleep and the disciples were afraid during a storm that threatened to overcome the boat. They woke Jesus up and he rebuked the storm, to which they said “Who is this?” Despite the time they had spent with him, all they had seen him do and heard him say, they did not really know him at all… In Matthew 13, Jesus told his disciples that the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven was given to them, but yet they really didn’t know him.

The theme for this LPL event: Let’s go on wild God chase, a journey where God will reveal Himself to us, to me. In John 14:15-21 Jesus promises that he will send his Spirit, and that “…you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” The word translated “show” here means “to reveal, disclose, exhibit, manifest”. So it is the promise of Jesus that he will show himself, reveal himself, and exhibit himself to those of us who love him and obey him. See also Jeremiah 29:13 that tells us “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Beth asked the question, “Why was John chosen to receive the Revelation?” She believes that it was because of all Christ’s disciples, John was the one who was altered, fundamentally changed, by every fresh disclosure of Jesus. John was present with Jesus at his transfiguration, with him at the Garden of Gethsemane. Beth challenged us to ask ourselves, “…when was the last time you were altered and changed when Jesus showed you something new about himself?”

Key scripture passage for this weekend was Exodus 34:1-7 First, some context: In Exodus 31-33, Moses is on Mt. Sinai, and God gives him the two stone tablets, inscribed by the finger of God with God’s commandments. Meanwhile, the Israelites are growing impatient waiting for Moses to come down the mountain, so they tell Aaron “come, let us make gods who will go before us”, and they form the golden calf. Moses descends from the mountain, and in his anger (that is putting it mildly), he breaks the stone tablets, grinds the golden calf up into powder and makes them drink it. This is followed by a purging where 3000 of them are killed. God then tells Moses to get them together and leave the land, and Moses pleads for God’s Presence to go with them.

There is a great passage here in Exodus 33:14-17 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Aside - Moses must not have been listening because he goes on to say, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (NOTE – this is the thing that distinguishes us today from all the other people on the earth – the Presence of the Living God in us!) God (instead of telling Moses, weren’t you listening???) says “I will do the very thing you have asked because I am pleased with you and know you by name.” Then Moses (in a display of amazing boldness) tells God “Now show me your glory.”

God tells Moses that he, Moses, cannot see God’s face, so God will hide him in the cleft of the rock and Moses can see his back. Now we go on to Exodus 34.

1 The LORD said to Moses, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.
2 Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain.
3 No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain."
4 So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.
5 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD.
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

This passage, Exodus 34:6-7 is God’s disclosure to us, His description of what He is like. God wouldn't (couldn't) showMoses His glory, so instead, He tells Moses what He is like, revealing himself through HIs words. In God's words we find 7 things here we will like, and one that we won’t like:

Seven Things We Will Like:

· Compassionate
· Gracious
· Slow to anger
· Abounding in love
· Abounding in faithfulness
· Maintaining love
· Forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin

One Thing We Won’t Like
· Does not leave the guilty unpunished, punishing the children and their children to the third and fourth generation

We will cover each of these, starting with the last:

“Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

The Hebrew word used here for “punishes” in the phrase “…punishes the children and their children…” is used 119 times in the OT to mean “visits”, and 31 times for “punish”. Beth pointed us to Ezekiel 18, which describes a righteous man (A) who has a wicked son (B), who in turn has a son (C) who sees the evil his father has done and does NOT commit these sins. This chapter tells us very clearly that the wicked man (B) will “surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head”, but the wicked man’s son (C) “will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live.” Ezekiel 18:20 says “The souls who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him and the wickedness of the wicked man will be charged to him.”

So God doesn’t literally mean that children and grandchildren are punished for the sins of the fathers. Beth explained that what this passage in Exodus 34 is really saying is that the effects, meaning impacts, and consequences, results of sin are visited on the following generations. Also, 3-4 generations are the most that could possibly live together, and probably did live together as extended families at that time. So the impacts of sin would be felt and shared by the whole family, which would span 3-4 generations and include children and grandchildren.

See also Exodus 20:4-6, where God punishes sin to the third and fourth generation, but shows love to 1000 generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

...to be continued...

Stinky life in cubicle-land....

2009-09-30T11:38:00.007-04:00

Life in cubicle-land (aka, the workplace) can be downright annoying, or in this case, stinky.

The guy in the cubicle next to me has taken to eating these for lunch....

...in his office.....

Which means my nose is not happy....

...because the smell reminds me of this:

Hope you are all having a blessed and non-smelly day!

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 2009!

2009-09-22T15:16:00.006-04:00

When I was a kid in the 70’s, my best friend and I would watch ‘Science Fiction Theater’ or 'Action Theater' on Saturday mornings. We would huddle on the living room floor with pillows and blankets, and scare ourselves silly watching old monster, alien, and space travel movies, hiding under the blankets if things got especially scary. We had such great fun. One old movie, in particular, stuck in my memory - 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. It was very creepy, and for weeks afterwards, whenever someone behaved even the least bit strangely, I was absolutely convinced they had been snatched by aliens, like the victims in the film. The movie was about a doctor from a small town in California, who starts hearing from many of his patients that their family or friends are acting strange. While they still look the same, their behavior has changed, and they are cold, distant, and just “not themselves”. The doctor eventually discovers that aliens are taking over the town, using huge seed pods, which they have sent to earth. The pods had been stashed in the basements, attics, or garages of people’s houses, and at night when the innocent townspeople go to sleep, aliens emerge from the pods, and assume the exact physical appearance of a targeted human being, who is then destroyed. Talk about scaring the daylights out of two girls! I don’t remember the ending, except that all ends well, but I remember vividly the creepiness of this movie, and the saying it seems to have spawned in popular culture; i.e. when someone acts strangely, I’ve often heard people say “OK, where’s the pod???”, implying that their behavior is so strange that they must actually be an alien.

So fast forward to 2009. My house. In small town Tennessee. And my son, James, is clearly NOT acting like himself. This is a stereotypical 10-year old boy, who normally leaves a trail of clutter, shoes, and laundry behind him. I dread entering his room because I know it's usually a disaster zone, with books, footballs, and toys tossed on the floor, dirty socks and underwear (eeewwwww) kicked under the bed, and things generally just left wherever they were used last. As hubby often says, James lives how bears would live IF they had furniture. But last weekend I spent a whole day cleaning the house, and it was exhausting work – countless trips up and down the stairs, and hours of sweeping, wiping, dusting, and putting things away, and by the end of the day, I was wiped out. So I wasn’t surprised when later I overheard my hubby telling the kids that “…. We need to help Mom out, because we’re relying on her too much to keep this place clean…” Mental high fives! Yes! Thank you Lord! Now if only they would just take those words to heart....

And then last night, I was stunned when James came bopping down the stairs carrying a laundry basket with the sheets from his bed, passed by where I was sitting in the living room, and headed into the laundry room where he proceeded to load the sheets into the washer and start the wash cycle. And then load them into the dryer when they were done. And that’s not all... He took the sheets out and MADE HIS BED when the sheets were clean and dried. I am not kidding. And there's more! He even gathered laundry from our room and his sister’s room, and washed, dried, and folded three more loads, insisting all the time that he could do it all by himself saying“… I can do this. You need to take a break, Mom!”. Totally blew me away; I’m about to faint just thinking about it! And when I wake up, I’m gonna go and find the pod. It has to be hiding somewhere…..

Update 9/24/09: James did ANOTHER load of laundry last night. I'm still looking for the pod...

Labor Day, in our Small Town

2009-09-08T12:43:00.009-04:00

Yesterday we attended the local Labor Day parade, and I was struck at just how "typical" our parade is for small town America. People lined the streets, some with flags, and children clutched their plastic bags, eagerly awaiting the candy thrown by the people on the floats. We dropped James and Rachel off at 7:30 to complete preparations and get on their floats (for the Pee Wee Football team and Cheerleaders) and promptly at 9am, the parade began!

First up after the Parade Marshall and the Shriners in their crazy mini-cars were the classic cars, including this BelAir. My dream car is a red and white '57 BelAir...

Immediately following the classic cars were the convertibles with all the "Parade Royalty" - Labor Day princes and princesses, including these ladies in a very regal carriage.

There were local politicians and local businesses...

And a float weighing in on the health care debate...

Followed by floats from a few of the many churches in our community...

The local high school football team and cheerleaders, very proud of their 3-0 season thus far...

Then the Pee Wee Football float!

And the Pee Wee Cheerleaders...

After the floats, I think every remaining school-aged child in the county was in the parade on an ATV...

... or a horse!

This photo is Tom's grandfathers old old old Ford truck, which has been completely (and beautifully) restored by his Uncle Dennis. He didn't enter it in the parade, but parked it by the road and lots of people came by to take a look.

After the parade we went to my in-law's for a cookout. Here's Rachel:

And James...

And just for grins, here's a photo of James holding a 7.5 lb sweet pototo, which my father-in-law grew in his garden. We asked him if he was going to enter it in the upcoming County Fair, to which he replied "Naaaah - Everyone would say 'Who is that dumb guy who didn't know when to harvest his sweet potatoes?' !!!"

...she would do Boomama proud...!

2009-08-11T14:32:00.003-04:00

I love Boomama! Her blog posts are hilarious, her stories are just full of southern wonderfulness, (which I can appreciate as a transplant to the South), and the lady loves cheese. And I happen to think cheese is a love language, of sorts. So last week, when Rachel and I were out for some school shopping, we stopped in at Steak-n-Shake for a quick lunch, and here's what she ordered:

Y'all - that's a grilled cheese sandwich, a side of cheese fries, and a side of cheese to dip the sandwich in, just in case it wasn't cheesy enough! The girl loves her cheese! I think Boomama would approve..... And no, that isn't a big black bug on the plate - it's the logo.

Rolling on the River

2009-07-29T09:58:00.003-04:00

Our property is bordered on one side by a river. We often go and sit on the bank and watch it flow, look for fish, and last Fall, we saw beavers swimming in the river. But generally, we don't go IN the river.... But last week, when it was quite warm, the kids begged and begged to be allowed to swim in the river. Honestly, I was a little horrified. I mean, who knows what is in that water? But hubs reminded me that people have been swimming in rivers for years, and calmed my fears by pointing out that the river is down really low right now so it is very shallow. After eliciting promises from R&J to NOT SWALLOW THE WATER!, and to shower thoroughly after swimming, I relented. So we all headed down to the river...

I got a little bit distracted by the gorgeous leaves and flowers on this vine, which grows everywhere on anything that is standing still....

Here's the river...

Dogs like to swim too...

I think the dog is telling her "Come on in, the water's fine!"

In my prowling around my the bank, I found these! Wild blackberries! They are small, but the ripe ones are delicious!

More pretty flowers (weeds)...

The kids had a blast, and it was fun and relaxing to sit and watch the river flow.

Memory Verse - July 15th

2009-07-15T16:01:00.003-04:00

Lately I have been praying up a storm with intercessory requests, and as far as I can tell, I don't see them being answered. I saw a cute little placard in a store recently that said "God has three answers to prayer: "Yes", "Not now", and "I have something better in mind". So I'm reminding myself to TRUST HIM, and that even when I don't see things happen, He is at work. So the verse I chose to memorize is:

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." Ecclesiastes 11:5, NIV

Top Ten Tuesday - the Bucket List

2009-07-14T12:05:00.010-04:00

Jenni is hosting “Tuesday Top Ten” lists, and today’s top ten list is our “Bucket List”, things we’d like to accomplish before we depart this earth. Not something I think about often as I tend to focus too much on what I need to do this week, today, IN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES (shriek)!!!

But anyway, here’s my “Bucket List”, and you can check out Jenni’s here.

1. See my kids grow up

Yes, it’s painful at times, but after so many years of struggling with infertility, I have been richly blessed to be “Mom” to these two…. They are well on their way, and I want to see their journey unfold.

2. Fulfill my purpose

As corny as it may sound to some, I believe with all my heart that God DOES have a specific plan and purpose for my life, and I don’t want to leave this earth having missed it. I don’t think it is necessarily just one thing, or some grandiose task that He has planned for me, but perhaps, my purpose is fulfilled in millions of everyday moments. Whatever it is, I want to fulfill it.

3. See the Northern Lights

I’ve always been fascinated by the whole idea of the Aurora Borealis, and I even love how the name just rolls off the tongue. To me, it is God’s show of dancing, shimmering light, his version of a laser light show without the obnoxiously loud rock music and raucous fans…..

4. Make something beautiful (or many things beautiful!) in stained glass

Sunshine streaming through stained glass invokes such vivid colors, unlike anything that can be achieved on paper or canvas. And yet working in stained glass requires precision, math, and technical skill, which all appeals to the left-brain part of me. Artistry by engineering, if you will!

5. Learn to play the piano

I’m not interested in learning to play classical pieces for a recital, but would be thrilled to be able to bang out some chords and a recognizable melody. I can picture us now, all gathered around the piano like the Waltons, while mom (me) plays a hymn. Oh, I'm kidding... That is NOT my family at all...!

6. Plan and plant a gorgeous garden

I’d love to have massive beds with gorgeous shrubs, flowers and such and garden benches and a gazebo to make the garden an inviting place to just…be. And yes, I’d also like to have a great kitchen garden too, with fruits, veggies, and herbs. I enjoy all aspects of gardening EXCEPT the heavy digging needed to prepare the beds and soil, which is probably why this is nowhere close to a reality…

7. Leisurely travel

I’m not interested in the “see 7 cities in 7 days!” types of travel. Hubby and I like to be able to take our time and noodle through a place, with no agenda or time constraints. Some of the places I’d like to linger are Venice, Ireland, Australia, Scotland (my heritage), and Austria.

8. Take a balloon ride

Only because I am really afraid of heights, and I want to show myself that I can…..

9. Make amends and restore relationships

Honestly, I don’t want to be on my deathbed realizing I am leaving behind broken relationships. I’d love to leave with peace of mind and no regrets about the people I love.

OK, there you have it! Leave me a comment if you post your own list, as I’d love to hear yours.

Fireflies...

2009-07-06T12:03:00.005-04:00

Stars on Earth

As daylight dims,
And darkness grows,
They rise on a whim,
Fireflies, aglow.

What great delight!
I watch them dance,
Sweet, sparkling lights,
I’m entranced!

Mimicking stars,
Cast in milky night skies,
The heavens on earth,
Twinkling fireflies.

2009-07-04T09:33:00.002-04:00

In a time when it seems our country is becoming so politically divided over issues and actions, my prayer is that we, as a nation, will cry out to God, and that He will heal and restore us.

I became a US citizen in 1990, and I am so proud to call myself an American!

Carly

2009-06-23T12:55:00.003-04:00

I am so thankful that James, at age ten, is not yet at the stage where he is interested in girls. Hopefully we have a few more years until he is awash with teenage boy hormones, but in the meantime, he has taken a fancy to a girl he met while staying up at his Granny and Papa’s house a few weeks ago. Carly is the granddaughter of my in-law’s neighbor, and she is often at her grandmother’s house during the summer days. She’s a year or so younger than James, and very much a tomboy. “I really like Carly”, James told me after they met. “She likes to play football, and basketball, and she doesn’t want to play with sissy girl stuff.” Hmm, I thought to myself.

Since then, James has been to Granny’s house several times. “Do you think Carly will be able to play?” he asks shyly, as we drive. “I hope so,” I tell him. I am surprised with how tenderly he talks about Carly, and how much he looks forward to spending time with her. And I am a little nervous too; I am definitely not ready for school age crushes and broken hearts, and I pray that this friendship will not cause James embarrassment, hurt or pain.

So about ten days ago, Tom and I took Rachel and James on a family drive, noodling our way through NE Alabama and back into Chattanooga. We had a great time just driving on the back roads and stopping wherever we saw something that interested us. Towards the end of the day, we stopped at a truck stop on the interstate to fill up with gas and get drinks, and as I was making my way to the drink fountain, I saw James browsing through the typical tourist trinkets that abound in truck stop stores – keychains, refrigerator magnets, shot glasses, knick-knacks, and such. As I was filling up my drink cup, James came up to me and tugged gently on my arm. “Can I get this?” he asks. "I want to give it to Carly," and he opens his hand to show me a keychain, with the name ‘Carly’. I am honestly stunned! He has never bought anything for a girl before, other than his sister, and of course that doesn’t count…. I find myself in a bit of a quandary because I am always telling Rachel and James not to waste money on stuff like this keychain, but I think it is a good thing that he wants to get her a present. I find myself rattled and confused because I am not sure how to handle this. I’m sure he asked me knowing that Tom would probably tease him if he found out James wanted to buy a present for a girl. So I stick with my rules, but feel instant regret as I tell him “No, you may not get that!”, but right them , Tom comes up, and sees what James is asking for, and he also tells James “NO!” and sends him out to the car.

I finish getting my drink, and the whole time, I am feeling so bad for James. I like that he thinks about people and wants to do nice things for them, and I want to encourage him to have a tender heart and want to do things for his friends. But admittedly, this whole boy-girl friendship thing is just throwing me for bit of a loop; James would never think about buying a keychain for his other friends, who all happen to be boys. What does this mean??? Aaaarrrgggghhh! So I head over to the keychain rack, I find the ‘Carly’ keychain, I pay for it along with my drink, and I slide the keychain in my jeans pocket. I’ll give it to James later and he can give it to Carly.

The drive home is uneventful, and when we get home, James heads straight up to his room. After a few minutes I go up the stairs, planning to talk to him and give him the keychain. As I am walking down the hall, I see Tom in the room with James, and Tom is fishing a keychain out of his pocket too. He bought the same keychain! So I give James the keychain I bought, and now James has two of them to give to Carly. We laugh and shake our heads. But I feel restored somehow, and I am squirmy with happiness inside that Tom bought one too, as it revealed a sentimental side of him that is hidden too often. As corny as it sounds, it feels good. Even if it is just a silly keychain.

Because humor is a GOOD thing!

2009-06-02T18:54:00.022-04:00

Jenni over at One Thing, who I happen to think is one of the best writers out here in blogland, decided to have a little poll on humor, so of course, I am compelled to participate. Here are my responses below. You can post your own on your own blog, and if you do, would you let me and Jenni know?

Here’s the poll:

1. Who can make you laugh the hardest (someone you personally know)? Absolutely, positively, my hubby. His stories make me laugh so hard that I make those awful snorty noises, and when he tells his story of Albo and the stuttering cop, or the cheese crackers I almost...... well........ I think you can guess what I almost do.

2. Who has the most contagious laugh (of those you know personally)? My mom, because when she laughs, it is a hugely physical thing. Her arms wave in the air, she doubles over, and then sits up for a deep breath, and then more peals of laughter. I like to make her laugh, just so I can watch her laugh, which then makes me laugh! Were you able to follow that?

3. What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen? I'm going to cheat here.... I think the funniest movie scene is the very first scene of 'Lone Star State of Mind'. Not many folks have seen this movie, and the whole thing is pretty funny, albeit a bit questionable, but that first scene is a comedic killer.... "Panty hose Junior, not panty liners!!!!" Just go see it. But the funniest movie, beginning to end, is Young Frankenstein which just has too many funny scenes to mention one.

4. Who is your favorite comedian? Without a doubt, Carol Burnett! I loved watching the Carol Burnett show when I was growing up, although looking back, a lot of the humor went way over my head! There are so many funny Carol Burnett skits to choose from - Mr Tudball and Mrs. Wiggins, Eunice and Mama, and the classic spoof of "Gone with the Wind", but this one is priceless....

5. What’s the funniest cartoon you’ve ever seen? I loved Jenni's choice of 'Bully for Bugs', but my favorite is 'Baton Bunny', where Bugs Bunny conducts the symphony orchestra. So so so funny! In fact I think Bugs Bunny is probably the ultimate comic genius/comedian, ever.... And Bugs Bunny cartoons are always perfectly orchestrated to the music. In fact my husband doesn't think of classical music as "Classical music"; he thinks of it as "cartoon soundtracks". You can watch 'Baton Bunny' here.

6. What’s your favorite comic strip? Dilbert - because I work with people who are just. like. that.

7. What’s your favorite joke? For the life of me I cannot think of one right now.

8. Here’s a link to something that will make you laugh: This is a classic, which I first saw in 1979, and I have remembered it all these years.... The Monty Python Fish Slapping Dance!

9. What was the last thing you laughed at so hard you cried? Kitty says wake up! My cats do the same thing...well except the last part....!

10. Got a funny photo? Show me! This is part of a series of photos of R&J playing on the hammock last summer. First photo, everyone is having a great time, smiles all around, and the last photo, Bottoms up! Hammocks can have a mind of their own you know...!

The Name Game

2009-05-27T22:05:00.003-04:00

Jenni had this posted on her website; she says it has been around for a while, but I've never seen it.... Feel free to post your own edition, and let me know if you do.

Rock Star Name: (1st Pet’s name & current car) ~ Aslan Avalon
Fly Guy/Girl Name: (1st initial + first 3 letters of your last name) ~ A-Hud
Detective Name: (Fave color & fave animal) ~ Yellow Rabbit
Soap Opera Name: (Middle name & city/town born in) ~ Lindsay Noumea
Star Wars Name: (First 3 letters of last name + first 2 of first name) ~ Hudad
Superhero: (”The” & second fave color & fave drink) ~ The Blue Gimlet
Nascar Name: (1st names of grandfathers’) ~ Ivor Harold (ugh!)
Stripper Name: (Fave scent/perfume/cologne & fave candy) ~ Obsession Kisses
Witness Protection Name: (Mom & Dad’s middle name) ~ May Donald
Weather Anchor Name: (5th grade teacher’s last name & a city which starts with the same letter) ~ Johnson Jasper
Spy/Bond Name: (fave season/holiday & fave flower) ~ Spring Lavender
Cartoon Name: (fave fruit & article of present clothing + “ie” or “y”) ~ Raspberry Jeanie
Hippy Name: (What you ate for breakfast & fave tree) ~ Granola Maple

I love my rock star name.... who would have guessed???!!! Although the superhero name is oh so cool too.

Summer is here!

2009-05-27T15:50:00.005-04:00

My kids have been counting the days and hours for school to finish, and they are THRILLED that summer vacation is finally here! Here's one of my favorite poems about summer, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Hope you like it!

I'm Mama Bear!

2009-05-13T12:21:00.002-04:00

So the other day at work I went into the lunch/break room to make myself an afternoon cup of tea, and there in the sink, was MY coffee cup, the one that went missing off my desk about 2 weeks ago. I know it’s mine; no-one else here in the office has a mug celebrating 115 years of Whitwell First Baptist Church. And someone had obviously been using it because it was dirty and coffee-stained. Eeeeewwww!

So I washed my mug (several times), rinsed it out with bleach water, and took it back to my office where I will look for a safe hiding place for it…. I’m feeling a wee bit like one of the three bears… sniff…. Mama Bear, perhaps!

Psalm 36:5-7a The Message

2009-05-12T11:52:00.007-04:00

I'm loving this verse today...

Do you think they would notice the butterflies???

2009-05-05T12:51:00.004-04:00

Mornings in our house need to run like clockwork. That’s just the way it has to be. So we have honed things to a precise routine that involves having breakfast, packing lunches, and heading out the door. Things that break the routine are, well, horrible….

So this morning James comes bopping down the stairs, holding just the pant legs from a grey pair of cargo pants/shorts. These are the type of pants where the legs can unzip to make shorts… And he asks me "...are these pants khaki?" Sensing impending doom, I say "No. Why are you asking?" What I really want to say, but don’t, is “…Um, hello! They’re NOT EVEN PANTS! They’re just the legs!!!!” But I know what he is about to say and I can feel my stress level rising.... This is not going to be good. "Well,” he continues, “Today is choir sharing and I need to wear khaki pants to school". The monkey wrench has been thrown into my morning routine. I know for a fact James doesn’t own a single pair of khaki pants, and I’m mentally churning through Rachel’s wardrobe, desperately hoping she might have a pair he can wear.

Now it would have been nice if James would have mentioned this requirement for khaki pants earlier, say, like this weekend, or even yesterday when we were buying him sneakers and socks, but he waited until this morning – ten minutes before we need to leave the house to announce this need. AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!

So up we traipse to Rachel’s closet (yes, I’m that desperate) but the only pair of khaki pants she has is 1) too big for him and 2) decorated with embroidered flowers and butterflies…. I hold them up, thinking, maybe.... perhaps.... would his shirt cover the butterflies... But even I know that is not going to work. Rats.

Sigh… So, we drive to school, drop Rachel off, James and I drive back to Wally World, and buy him a pair of khaki pants and a white polo shirt, and I drive him back to school. Late, but in khakis, sans butterflies. He has no idea how lucky he was that Wal-Mart had ONE pair of khaki pants in his size.

Is it just my kid, or is this a common thing with boys?

A walk in the fields...

2009-05-01T08:48:00.005-04:00

James and I took a walk in the fields the other day.

The sky was blue, the grass in the fields was ruffling in the breeze, and the trees are lush with new leaves.

I actually think that is poison ivy... but it looks pretty on the tree!

these flowers are so graceful...

the field in front of our house...

wild daisies!

James running ahead on the path...

A girl's gotta have one!

2009-04-28T11:35:00.008-04:00

Some time ago I wrote this post, and I lamented that I never had a pink gun...

Well imagine my surprise when I arrived home the other day only to see this on the table!

I had no idea such things existed. Girls, here you are - the perfect spring accessory! A Davey Crickett rifle, in bright, blessed, beautiful, pink.

Sadly, it turns out, this was not for me. Nope. This is for Rachel. Because every girl should own a pink rifle for target shooting with Daddy.

...and a side of humiliation please!

2009-04-17T12:24:00.007-04:00

I don't have many pet peeves, but one of them is ordering at drive through restaurant windows. They just reduce me to a dithering idiot, as no matter how clearly, slowly, distinctly, and LOUDLY I speak, it seems the poor soul on the other end never understands what I am saying. Every. Single. Time.

So today, I took Rachel and James for their dentist appointments, just cleaning and a check-up. Aside - no cavities (yeah!) but James needs some baby teeth extracted (yuck!) to make room for those huge adult-sized choppers that are coming in... Seriously, he looks like he is getting ready to channel Simon, Alvin, or Theodore….

I've digressed.

So after their appointment, we decided to make a quick stop at the Popeye's right by their school so Rachel could have a piece of Mardi Gras cheesecake, so named because of the layer of colored sprinkles that festoon the top of the cheesecake. Yes, I believe in rewarding my kids for "no-cavities-dentist-visits" by plying them with sugar-laden treats; that's just the kind of mom I am, thankyouverymuch.

So, we pulled up to the squawking menu box in the drive-thru lane at Popeye's. And wait. And wait. Finally the speaker crackles, and it's time to place my order. A raspy voice comes out of the speaker, "Welcome to Popeye's, can I take your order?" Now I'm just assuming that's what she said, because what I really heard was more like "waruummoppp do popeyes… bamm ur tark wor morter?"

So, I said in my most clear and chirpy voice:

"Hi! I'd like one slice of Mardi Gras cheesecake please!"

Silence. Then static. Then the raspy voice: "Fries???"

Rachel starts to snicker. James points at me and laughs. They have witnessed this before. I try again:

"No, that was one slice of cheesecake, please."

More silence. More static, then the voice, "Did you say diet Slice ma'am?"

Rachel and James are laughing and snorting now. So I give them an evil glare, then turn and screech at the speaker:

"I SAID CHEESECAKE!! MARDI GRAS CHEESECAKE!!!!"

“Please pull around to the window!” I think the voice says. And so we do. The girl who takes my money calls her co-workers over to get a glimpse of the idiot who can’t order cheesecake. I try to avoid eye contact as she hands me Rachel’s cheesecake, and then off we go.

But this silly story doesn’t end there. Unfortunately not. After dropping my still-giggling kids off at school, I start heading back to work, and as I’m driving by the Popeye’s, I am hit with this huge craving for a piece of fried chicken, which is strange because I haven’t wanted fried chicken in ages. Perhaps it is a subliminal thing from my previous perilous trip through the Popeye’s drive-thru; the smell of fried chicken must have triggered this when it wafted into the car. Whatever... it’s killing me. So I give in, swing into the parking lot, and find myself back in the same drive-thru lane. I pull back up to the menu. And wait. And again, the static, and the same raspy voice:

"waruummoppp do popeyes… bamm ur tark wor morter?"

This time I decide to skip the nice polite order and just bark out my order at the top of my lungs in slow, well-ennunciated syllables, complete with frantic hand gestures, just in case Ms. Popeye is watching.

“ONE BISCUIT AND ONE PIECE OF WHITE MEAT CHICKEN PLEASE!” I even point to the items on the menu, like that is going to help.

Silence. Then static.

“dooooo ur wurnt hmmm umna LEG er WING um amba THIGH ummmm BREAST?”

The four chicken parts were the only words I could recognize…

“BREAST PLEASE!!!” By now I am hanging out the car window trying to get closer to the microphone.

Silence. Then static.

“Leg?” the voice says.

“BREAST! BREAST PLEASE!” I shout. I am waving my hands around, feeling ridiculous.

“Thigh?” the voice rasps.

Sigh. “FINE!!!” I say, realizing that further attempts are futile.

So I pull up to the window, the drive-thru-window-person stares at me in recognition, then tries not to laugh as I meekly take my box of chicken (and yes, it was a thigh) and biscuit, and head out on my way.

Y’all, next time I’m parking and sending the kids in. I’m going to wear my sunglasses and scrunch down in the car in the parking lot. Either that or we’ll stop at the grocery store. They sell cheesecake there too, you know. And sprinkles...

Blessings,
Adrienne

Tea Party

2009-04-16T11:47:00.005-04:00

Sadly we were not able to attend the Tax Day Tea Party held in Chattanooga yesterday, but we watched the Tea Parties around the country on Fox News, and for the first time in many months we felt optimistic, hopeful for the future of this country. To see throngs of people, people like us, who share our views and are willing to stand up and speak out is so reassuring.

We saw parents and grandparents who are concerned, as we are, for their children and their grandchildren’s future. We saw people who just want government to be less oppressive, less greedy, and to turn away from ever-increasing government taxation and intrusion in our lives. We saw people who want their government to act with integrity and follow the same rules that apply to us. We saw people who are sick of a government that seems to serve its own appetite for power and control instead of serving the people. We saw strong opinions and strong messages directed at our government, which seems to have stopped listening to the people. We saw people who don’t want the a government nanny state to take care of them, but instead, want the government to give them liberty and breathing room to take care of themselves.

And the posters on display! We saw hand-written signs and posters with topics ranging from taxes, bailouts, stimulus spending, the debt being imposed on us all by this tidal wave of spending, to gun control and individual liberty. We saw signs demanding government responsibility – “NEXT TIME, READ THE BILL!”, and “WE PAY OUR TAXES, WHY DON’T YOU?” and “STOP SPENDING MY CHILDREN’S FUTURE!”

And in my house, we cheered, and high-fived! Yes! Yes, there is hope!

I pray this message is being heard by those who need to hear. There is a growing swell of people in this country who are sick of a government that does not appear to listen to WE THE PEOPLE!

Oh that we would continue to join together, STAND UP, AND MAKE OUR VOICE HEARD!

“The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants, and it provides the further advantage of giving the servants of tyranny a good conscience” – Albert Camus

Good Friday

2009-04-10T13:59:00.003-04:00

This morning I read Isaiah 53. It's become a personal tradition for me to read this on Good Friday, and every time, I am overcome....with sorrow, and with gratitude. The punishment that brought my peace was placed on him. Whoa! This sacrifice for me, and for you, is completely beyond my understanding. These words, written ~700 years BEFORE the birth of Christ, are so powerful.

Isaiah 53

2. He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
5. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
8. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10. Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
11. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
12. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

...and the dog wins!

2009-04-06T14:40:00.004-04:00

Well, I have officially given up, thrown in the towel, and conceded defeat in my battle to train our dog Sally not to sleep on the couch.... It's hopeless y'all!

She and I have been battling over this for a year now, ever since I bought this antique camelback sofa at an Estate Sale in Chattanooga. It's white, which should have caused me to stop and think about DOG HAIR and CAT HAIR before I bought it, but as we say, that is water under the bridge.

Anyhow....

The first day we brought this sofa home and installed it in our sitting room, Sally jumped on the sofa and proceeded to take the first of many naps. I have hauled her off that thing more times than I care to count, I've squirted her with a water bottle, I've bribed her with wonderful doggy beds, and still, she insists on sleeping there. And she knows it is wrong, because whenever I catch her on the sofa, she slinks off.

Well, this weekend I just gave up. Sally has won this battle of wills, and so from now on, my sofa will have a permanent comforter or blanket cover. I am so peeved.....

Blessings,
Adrienne

Puppy photos.... finally!

2009-03-31T11:25:00.003-04:00

Well y'all, I broke down and bought a new camera cord to replace the missing one. I have to say I am really irritated by the whole thing... I took the original cord out of the camera case when Tom and kids took it to the beach over spring break, thinking "If I leave this in the case they will lose it," and of course, I can't remember where I put the silly thing. Grrrrrr!

Anyway, we have 7 puppies - brown, black, golden (like mama), and white. They are now 3.5 weeks old, but most of these photos were taken 1-2 weeks ago.

Enjoy!

This photo was taken right after the puppies were born. What a proud mama!

This was taken last week... I think Goldie doesn't look quite so happy as she did in the previous photo. I think it is having seven puppies crawling over you day and night; it would do me in! *grin*

Blessings,

Adrienne

Scenes from the farm...

2009-03-30T13:26:00.005-04:00

Here are a few photos taken at our farm in the last 2 weeks....

Spring is here!

I don't know the name of these white flowers, or if indeed they are even flowers at all. I think they may be leftover from blossoms or seed pods last year. I just thought they were so pretty.

Peach trees in bloom!

And the honeybees are out working the peach blossoms....

James with his best friend, our border collie, Missy!

James on the tractor. Can you tell he wants to drive it???

Blessings!

Adrienne

Winding down...

2009-03-29T23:24:00.003-04:00

It's been a BUSY weekend, even though by all rights, since our Girl Scout camping trip was canceled, I should have had nothing to do since I had planned on being gone all weekend....

Yesterday was a strange day - wet and soggy, but in the afternoon we had blue skies and a gentle breeze, and I began to feel foolish, second-guessing our decision on Thursday to cancel the camping trip due to predictions of bad weather. But around 9pm we had severe storm warnings, tornado warnings, and I thought how hideous it would have been to be up there with the girls on the mountain at camp in platform tents, with no real shelter. Ugh... So yes, we made the right decision. We popped a big bowl of popcorn and played cards, listening to the wind howl outside.
Thankfully we didn't get any really nasty winds or weather at our house.

Church today was wonderful. Rachel and I went early to work in the church library. We spent an hour pulling all the children's books off the shelves and resorting them. Truth be told I did most of the sorting because Rachel kept opening books and reading them..... The shelves looked lovely when we were finished, and just in time too, because after Sunday School several kids came in to check out books. It was great to actually see what we have, and what we don't, so I am much better prepared when I visit second-hand book sales. Our church libary has a pretty good selection of children's books. Sadly we have no Winnie the Pooh books (yes, I was shocked!) so I will be looking for some of those, but I want to get the original ones, with the illustrations by E.H. Shepherd, not the newer "cartoon" books. We also have no Frances books - do you remember the Frances the Badger books? And we have no Max and Ruby or Curious George books! These are all books I loved reading to Rachel and James when they were young. Next week I'll be tackling the youth book section...

The sermon today was wonderful, and we had the Lord's Supper, and then we sang "I'm so glad, I'm a part, of the Family of God..." for closing. Just perfect.

After church Rachel and I and Jane (Granny) drove in to Chattanooga to get Rachel some new jeans and shirts; she has outgrown everything we bought at the beginning of the school year. And although I generally detest shopping for clothes, it was a successful trip! Yeah!

Blessings,
Adrienne

Camping Update.... and Something Extra

2009-03-27T14:24:00.007-04:00

Well, here is the latest "Weather Alert" for us this weekend:

... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE SATURDAY WITH POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING TEMPERATURES SUNDAY NIGHT... A VERY POTENT FRONTAL SYSTEM OVER THE MIDWEST STATES WILL APPROACH THE AREA SATURDAY. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE REGION... AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INTO LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS... VERY LARGE HAIL... AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

So needless to say, we have canceled our plans for taking our troop to Girl Scout Camp this weekend. I will be hunkered down at home with my family!

Hey, friends, my friend, and seamstress-extraordinaire, Judy Iserman, is leaving this weekend to go to Nairobi for a short-term missions trip. She will be there for three weeks, working with ladies at the Amani Ya Juu project and providing them instruction and sewing workshops. You can read about her trip here. I know she would appreciate your prayers for her trip and for this project..... Thanks!

Blessings,
Adrienne

Soggy s'mores anyone??

2009-03-25T13:15:00.010-04:00

Well, we are supposed to be heading to Girl Scout Camp this weekend, but the weather forecast is calling for a 70% chance of severe thunderstorms. Folks, this is bad!

Our troop went to camp last Spring, and it rained and drizzled for two solid days. Sadly, I found out I am too much a creature of comforts to enjoy camping in the rain. Last year the rain resulted in cancellation of most of the planned activities: ziplining, canoeing, archery and horseback riding, leaving the girls with nothing to do but activities like “poking your eye with a stick”, “futility in firebuilding”, “the wet sock toss”, “finding 100 ways to annoy your troop leader” and my all time favorite, “the bad weather whining contest”….. When I went up to the camp lodge to see if there might be some board games, cards, ANYTHING TO KEEP THE GIRLS OCCUPIED IN THEIR TENTS, (duct tape perhaps?) I was told that "... perhaps you can take them for a nature hike?" I am NOT kidding! Now who would suggest taking a group of 9 to 11 year-old city kids for a hike in the rain? Seriously. Those people scare me....

Plus, adding insult to injury, it's really hard to enjoy a fire and make s'mores in a downpour... and what is Girl Scout camp without s'mores? I need prayers y'all!

Blessings,
Adrienne

Puppy photos are coming...!

2009-03-25T13:14:00.002-04:00

...as soon as I can find the cord for my camera... Sorry Melana!

I'm a grandma...!!!!

2009-03-09T06:38:00.003-04:00

Well, kind of..... Our hound dog Goldie had 11 puppies on Friday night. Sadly, four of them did not survive, so we have seven. Four boys, three girls, and a mixture of colors - black, brown, golden (like momma) and one white puppy. I'll post photos later.

Blessings,
Adrienne

Favorite Books and Authors

2009-03-03T12:22:00.004-05:00

Siesta Mama Beth had a great post on the LPM blog yesterday, asking the siestas to post the title and author of a book they love, along with a brief description and reason for the selection. What a fabulous topic!

I love to read, and even in those periods when I have no free time for any of my other hobbies, I still manage to read. There are some days where I just keep going, slogging through the day so I can get to the time at night when I can curl up in my favorite chair and read. I tend to read lots of fiction, and I like historical fiction, epic sagas spanning multiple generations. I don’t generally like romance novels, science fiction, or fantasy, although I absolutely love books that explore time travel. I don’t know why that is; perhaps I have some deep subconscious longing to go back in time and change my past, I really don’t know. *Grin*

So, I have lots of favorite books and authors, and I thought I would summarize a few here.

A few of my Favorite Authors (in no particular order):

Mark Helprin – His writing is just lyrical; he tells a story lush with details, rich in thoughts and emotions of the characters, and the imagery and the story just sucks you in. My favorite of his books is “A Soldier of the Great War”. I took this on a plane trip years ago when I was flying overseas, and I think I read for 12 hours straight. Just couldn’t stop…. I’ve also read “Winter’s Tale”, which has some of the most lyrical and magical descriptions and images, but the actual story was quite strange.

Ivan Doig – He wrote a fabulous trilogy set in the mountains of Montana. The books are “Dancing at the Rascal Fair”, “English Creek” and “Ride with Me, Mariah Montana”. Dancing at the Rascal Fair, which tells the story of early Scottish immigrants, is (IMHO) the best of the three. The story in itself is wonderful, but I especially loved how the interplay of the characters changes over time – friends become enemies, people reconcile, people change and grow apart; these characters with all their quirks and difficulties felt so real to me.

Jodi Picoult – I don’t agree with the worldview she portrays in her books, and I think some of her plots are simply too far-fetched, but she is such a talented writer, and when she writes in first person, you really get to understand the character’s thoughts. She seems to have great insight into what teenagers are thinking, feeling, and actually doing. My favorite of her books is “My Sister’s Keeper”, but I would also recommend “Mercy” and “The Pact”. I just finished reading her new book, “Handle with Care”, and it is excellent too.

John Steinbeck - Another fabulous story teller, who doesn’t rush to tell the story but just lets it unfold and makes you feel you are really there, in that time period, seeing the story happen. “East of Eden” is my favorite, but I also loved “Cannery Row” and “Pastures of Heaven”. “Grapes of Wrath” is one of those books that everyone should read….

Jan Karon - Doesn't everyone want to live in Mitford? The entire Mitford series is magical. It's like a comfortable, soft fleecy blanket that you want to curl up with on the couch. Cozy, happy, and reminds you that life and people are good.

James Herriot - I almost wanted to become a vet after reading his memoirs of his years as a rural vet in England. Hysterically funny moments!

Top Ten Favorite Novels (again, in no particular order):

* A Soldier of the Great War – Mark Helprin (see above)
* Dancing at the Rascal Fair – Ivan Doig (see above)
* East of Eden – John Steinbeck (see above)
* Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café – Fannie Flagg. I have read this many times, and I still laugh out loud at Towanda and the car crash incident in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot, and I still cry when Ruth dies. I simply like the characters in this book.
* A Marriage Made at Woodstock – Cathie Pelletier. I have never laughed so much when reading a book! This is the story of Frederick and Chandra Stone, who fell in love at Woodstock. Years later, Frederick has become a stuffy accountant, and Chandra is still a hippie-type animal activist. The book, told from Frederick’s point of view, details their break-up and his attempts to win Chandra back. It is just hilarious! I think it is out of print and hard to find, but so worth it…
* Time and Again – Jack Finney. A tale of time travel, so of course, I love this! This tells the story of Simon Morley, who is chosen to participate in an experiment to go back in time to 1890’s New York. The premise of the experiment is that if a person immerses themselves in the details and objects of a particular time period, they can return to that time. This is such a fun story and mystery, and I love the rich descriptions of New York in the 1890’s… Jack Finney also wrote a similar book, “From Time to Time” and a book of short stories, “About Time” that also deal with time travel, and they’re great reads too.
* The Time Traveler’s Wife – by Audrey Niffenegger. Yes, another time travel book, but from a totally different point of view. This is such a clever and intricate weaving of the past and present times of the two main characters, Henry and Claire. Brilliant storytelling.
* Trilogy by Ole Rolvaag – “Giants in the Earth”, “Peder Victorious” and “Their Father’s God”. This is the best series of books I have ever read on the American immigrant experience. It details the story of Norwegian immigrants to the Dakota plains in the late 1890’s, and it gave me an appreciation for the work, sacrifice, and cost required to establish this country.
* Far Pavilions – M.M. Kaye – A saga set in India during time when British influence there was beginning to crumble. I read it years ago and the suttee scene still haunts me.
* Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell. Just classic.

I think I could easily list another 20 books, but I’ll stop here!
How about you? What are your favorites?

Blessings,
Adrienne

Fish Food

2009-02-23T09:38:00.005-05:00

I taught Children’s Church yesterday. I generally don’t like the stress and worry of preparing a lesson, an activity and a snack, but once I am there with the kids, I realize what a sweet blessing it is to share with them. They bless me in a huge way.

So yesterday, we learned about Jonah. I read them the story, and then I asked them what they thought it would be like to be inside the belly of a big fish for THREE WHOLE DAYS and THREE WHOLE NIGHTS!!! As you can imagine, they thought it would be dark and scary, lonely, slimy, stinky, and slobbery, and then they started thinking about things like …what did Jonah eat while he was in there? and …where did he go to the bathroom (eeeewwwww)? and …did he have a blanket and pillow to sleep on? And …did he get seasick? and (my favorite) ….what did he do for fun “because he didn’t have a Wii game in there…!”

So we talked about the fact that while he was in the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed! And he didn’t just pray the obvious, that he would be delivered from his very real predicament as fish food. Instead, Jonah praised God and offered up a song of thanksgiving:

“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.” Jonah 2:7-9a

And then as the story continues, after Jonah is “vomited” onto the shore, he decides that well, he will just obey God after all and make that trip to Nineveh, as God had told him to do, and he will preach to the sinful Ninevites. The kids loved the story, and I think they got the message – it’s best to obey God from the get go, rather than to run away from God’s voice.

And while I’ve never taken a trip in the belly of a fish, I too have learned this particular lesson the hard way. I’ve had seasons of running from God, and I learned the same thing that I think Jonah learned:

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Psalm 139:7-8

So when we were wrapping up the lesson, and I asked the kids what they learned, one of the boys said “You gotta obey God, or you’re going to be in stinky, slimy, scary place.” Amen buddy, Amen!

Blessings,

Adrienne

... well this was strange

2009-02-22T08:48:00.004-05:00

Jenni pointed us to a site where you can create a superhero version of yourself.

Well, what do you think???

This is me, as a superhero! Pretty cool, huh? I just love the PINK gun!!!!

You can make your own here.

Trivia fact - I used to compete in Cowboy Action Shooting, which involves shooting metal targets with single action revolvers, a shotgun, and a lever action rifle. That's where I got my nickname "Fuzzytop" as you had to have an alias name to compete. It was tons of fun, and I even won on occasion. I never had a pink gun though.....

Metaphor Monday

2009-02-16T16:03:00.006-05:00

The River

My son, James, is on the cusp of big changes. He turned 10 last October, and since then has grown 4 or 5 inches taller and 10 pounds heavier; he’s at that gangly, thin stage – all arms and legs, with disproportionately large knees and elbows. I’m quickly losing my little boy, and it saddens me somewhat. He is increasingly fond of his independence, and where he used to sit with me for hugs and cuddles, nowadays he flits into my presence, gives me a brief hug, and then fueled with boundless energy, he dashes off again. I reach for him to hug him back, but he’s already gone, tossing his football in the air. I’m finding that it’s hard to get him to slow down, to shift his thoughts away from the spur of the moment, and to really get him to reveal his heart. To an outside observer his interests may seem shallow, as all he talks about is football, dogs, basketball, and his school buddies.

Recently James and I walked to the river that runs on the back edge of our property. Just a few weeks ago the river was up near the top of its banks, flowing very swiftly, swollen by days of heavy rain and runoff, but now, the river level is very low, and it flows languidly along its course. As we stood there looking at the river, James said to me “Isn’t it funny how the river changes, and yet it’s still the same river, going to the same place?”

This weekend I was cleaning up around the house and I found all his candy and valentines from his school party dumped out on the table. As I picked it up and put it all back in the paper bag, I noticed a small red bag, obviously handmade, with the words “from James” on the side. I was curious! Here was a valentine he had made for someone but had obviously not given it to them, so I peeked inside. There was a small piece of paper, and written on it was “Happy Valintines (yes - that’s how he spelled it) Day Mom! I love you, James”.

Lately I’ve found myself struggling to relate to James; his interests are so focused on things I don’t understand, and his pace is so frantic that he seems like the white water river flowing over the rapids, picking up speed and boiling over the rocks, whereas I’d like him to slow down and be a more gently flowing stream. But the simple valentine he made for me reminds me that like the river, he is not just the rapids, but he does still have periods of depth and gentleness. As he told me, it’s the same river, heading to the same place. And for now, I’m happy and blessed to watch it flow.

Blessings,

Adrienne

Metaphor Monday, except it's Tuesday!

2009-02-10T10:33:00.002-05:00

Note – I SOOOOOO wanted to find the photo described in this story for this post, but couldn’t. If and when I find it, I’ll scan it in and add it to this post.

I was looking at some old family photos last weekend – photos from when I was a little girl. I was looking for, but sadly couldn’t find, one photo in particular; it is legendary in my family…. It was taken by my father in the late 1960’s, when I was about five years old, and I can still remember the occasion so clearly. At that time we lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and my father had decided to assemble his brood together for a family portrait, perhaps to try out a new camera, or possibly in anticipation of having a photo to send to our relatives back in England and Scotland. Whatever his reasons, I remember that preparing for this photo was a big deal for Dad, which is a bit unusual as he was not the sentimental “family man” type.

There are five children in my family; I have two older sisters, a brother, then myself, followed by my younger sister. At the time, Lesley must have been about nine years old, Angela about eight, Ivan about seven, I was about five, and Ingrid would have been about two years old. Mom had made sure we were all bathed and dressed up in our best clothes, with our hair neatly brushed for this photo. Dad carried some chairs out onto the patio, his chosen location for this photo. The background was to be a rock garden next to the patio, which provided lots of lush and interesting plants, being that this was the tropical climate of Malaysia. He arranged and rearranged the chairs just so, and got us all, Mom and five kids, into position. He dialed and fiddled with the buttons on the camera and made his preparations to dash for his place in the photo once the timer button was pressed. For the life of me I can’t remember how we were arranged for this photo, but I do remember the posing and preparations seemed to go on forever. “Move a little to the left!” “Put your hands down!” “Squeeze closer together!” …and on and on. And it was hot, humid, we were uncomfortable, and we kids wanted desperately for this to be over….

There was only one photo taken that day, and it shows six of us (Mom, Dad and four of five kids) frozen in place, smiling, looking at the camera…. Perfect! The fifth child, my younger sister Ingrid, is a vertical blur. After all the set up, at the very instant the shutter clicked, she jumped up out of her chair, creating a blur in the photo, except for her feet, which remained on the ground and thus are perfectly in focus. Legend has it that Dad was so disgusted by her jumping up and ruining his picture that he just quit, and put the camera away without taking another shot. The thing that makes me laugh is that if he had bothered to take another shot, the ruined, blurry photo would have been forgotten, but since it was the only one, it is what we remember.

So, where is the metaphor in all this, you ask….! It occurred to me that my life may appear like that blurry image of my little sister. And despite the swirl and busy-ness of everyday events and changing conditions, and as I jump in reaction to the minor crises of daily life, seeing the days rush by in a blur, I want my spiritual feet to be in focus, firm on the ground and anchored on the rock that is Jesus. And that is how I want people to see me when they look at the portrait of my life.

Blessings,
Adrienne

Metaphor Monday

2009-02-02T13:17:00.004-05:00

Jenni at One Thing is starting a “Metaphor Monday” series, to capture the metaphors we see around us, in the everyday things. I think this is seriously cool…. So here’s my attempt to participate:

It’s raining here today, which makes it a necessity to use an umbrella for the half mile walk from my parking spot to the office, unless I want to arrive at the office looking like a drowned rat. But, I have mixed feelings about carrying an umbrella. I dislike the awkward maneuvering required under the trees and on the crowded sidewalks, and holding an umbrella means I can’t have my hands free as I walk. But I do enjoy seeing the splashes of color from umbrellas against the grey, dreary weather.

So this morning, I grumbled to myself as I pulled out my yellow and red umbrella from the trunk of the car and set off towards the office, my trip made even more difficult because in addition to my purse and work bag, today I was carrying a box of cupcakes into the office. But I digress… Umbrellas a metaphor...!

As I walked and watched the drops falling off my umbrella, it occurred to me that my relationship with God is like an umbrella. How you ask? Well, I’m glad you asked!

First, the obvious. Just as an umbrella protects me from the rain, as a Christian, I know that because of Christ, I am protected from the consequences of my sin. Instead of receiving the eternal death I deserve, I’ve been given eternal life. Additionally God's Word tells me I am protected from evil - “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thes 3:3

Secondly (and this one is a bit painful), in the same way we tend to forget about umbrellas until the rain arrives, I have been guilty in the past of putting my relationship with God aside, forgetting about it and calling on it only during “rainy” times of my life, and then expecting complete protection, a sheltering from all effects of the rain.

The last thing I noticed was that even though I saw people in groups trying to share an umbrella, in general, that doesn’t work well and everyone ends up wet. While it may work for a group of people huddled together, standing still, it’s very difficult to walk together, sharing an umbrella. To really stay dry, each individual needs their own umbrella. And in the same way, no-one else can take shelter in my relationship with God; it’s a personal relationship, and each person must develop this relationship for themselves.

And there you have it…
Blessings,
Adrienne

"The Secret"

2009-02-01T09:21:00.008-05:00

I heard this poem yesterday. The man giving the half-time devotion and Rachel and James's Upward basketball games recited it (from memory), and I just loved it. It reminds me of the importance of beginning each day with God. This is something that has finally become a habit for me, after many years of sporadic attempts to have a daily quiet time, and it has been such a good thing for me. I hope this poem blesses you as it did me....

The Secret
Poem by Ralph S.Cushman

I met God in the morning
When my day was at its best,
And his presence came like sunrise
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long he stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O’er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them
Brought to us a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With the Presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek him in the morning
If you want him through the day!

My stumbling block

2009-01-27T11:46:00.005-05:00

I read something really profound in a novel last week, and it’s been churning in the back of my mind ever since. The book is “The Seat Beside Me” by Nancy Moser, which tells the story of the survivors of a plane crash, and the impact the crash has on their lives and the lives of those around them. Incidentally, I enjoyed the book and give it a “thumbs up” recommendation, but that’s not why I am writing this.

There is a scene in the book where one of the crash survivors, Tina, is talking to Mr. Carpelli, the grandfather of Mallory, the girl who was sitting next to Tina when the plane crashed. Unlike Tina, Mallory did not survive the crash (sorry for that spoiler moment), and Tina and Mr. Carpelli are lamenting the opportunities they missed to share Jesus with Mallory while she was alive. In their conversation, Tina and Mr. Carpelli talk about why so often people chicken out when they have the chance to share Jesus with others. I read this scene in the book several times, and I thought about my struggles with sharing Jesus. Now, I do know people who seem to find it very easy to talk about Jesus with people they know or meet, but it has never been an easy thing for me; it's something I constantly struggle with. I want to share Jesus, and I believe with all my heart it is something I should do, but I feel I am just terrible at this, and too often, I let the chance to share just pass me by, and then I berate myself for another missed chance. I’m willing to bet others struggle with it too. I think Ms. Moser really understands how difficult this is, and she captured this struggle so well in this book; through her characters, I recognized myself in this scene from the novel in several ways:

First, I’m afraid of being thought of, or labeled as, a fanatic, a Jesus-freak. And this is especially true when it comes to talking about Jesus with people who knew me before I became a Christian. In my mind, it’s like throwing down a gauntlet. I can be having a pleasant conversation with someone, but when the conversation turns to Jesus, it’s like drawing a line in the sand; if the other person shares that they are a believer too, then it becomes a unifying thing, there’s an instant bond there. But if the person I’m talking with is not a believer, then instantly there is a perceived division, walls go up, and we are on opposite sides of the most important question we face. It seems to me that just the mention of Jesus compels one to take a stance; I’ve never met anyone who is truly indifferent or neutral about Jesus, although I suppose they may exist. I've only encountered believers and non-believers. And honestly, I've never had someone say "...Oh yes, I want to hear about Jesus! Please tell me more!" Nope. What I typically see is a look of dread as they start looking around for a way to get out of the conversation.

Second, I am afraid of rejection – rejection of me, but even worse, rejection of Christ. Moser’s character cited a very interesting statistic in the book, namely that over 96% of the world believes in God, so there is little risk of rejection simply from mentioning God in a conversation. How often do we talk with someone about God in vague generic terms, without pressing to see if the person we are talking to is really on the same page? We tell people “God bless you” when they sneeze, we may even tell them things like “God loves you” or “God can work things out”, or many other such platitudes; I know I am guilty of this! But I know I must not stop there, content to talk with people about God without talking about Jesus. I need to get past my fears to tell people that Jesus is God’s Son, that He was born with the specific purpose of dying for our sins to restore us to a relationship with God, and that Jesus is not one of many ways to heaven; He is the only way! The book made a great analogy to a stand-up comedian. Would a stand-up comic not give the punch line to a joke because he is afraid the audience won’t laugh? Of course not! He gives the punch line and if they don’t laugh, at least he made the effort. Just because people may not (most often will not) respond the way I want them to doesn’t let me forego making the effort to talk to them about Christ. There was a great quote made by one of the characters in the scene: “…even if our hands tremble and our voice wavers while we stumble over the words, or even if our timing isn’t perfect, God can use our efforts. But He cannot use our silence.” To me, that is such a good thing to remember.

Lastly, I must not forget that that convicting people in their hearts of their need for a Savior is something only God can do, and that God may just want me to plant a seed, or to encourage a seed someone else has planted. It may be up to others to water, fertilize, or harvest these seeds later.

So while evangelism is not one of my gifts, it's not something I want to ignore and just leave up to everyone else. I heard a pastor once say "...shepherds don't make sheep, sheep make sheep", meaning that the church congregation cannot rely on the pastor to do all the evangelism and outreach. And yet, I feel like such a failure. It's really weighing on my heart lately as I have many lost family members, and I find it excruciatingly difficult to talk to any of them.

So, how about you? Is it easy for you to talk about Jesus? Can you share any secrets or suggestions?

Blessings,

Adrienne

In my dreams...

2009-01-26T06:09:00.002-05:00

I was really bummed yesterday.... I had sooooooo wanted to make it to Travis Cottrell's CD taping in Woodstock, GA yesterday, but in the end, I just couldn't go. So I had a small pity party, knowing I was missing out on getting to see the siestas, join in on a great worship session, and see Travis and Siesta Mama Beth. Gloom. Disappointment. Sadness. Stifled sobs. Waaaaaaaaahhh. But by bedtime, I was over it, no problem, or so I thought.

Y'all, I had the strangest, most vivid dream last night. Now you have to know that I am not one of those people who has exciting dreams, rivaling the plot line of a bestselling thriller novel. My hubby does, but not me. He dreams about spy chases in Madrid and epic struggles with monsters from other worlds; I dream about mundane things like laundry, and cooking, and cats. And then I usually struggle to remember what I have been dreaming about after I wake up, which is probably not surprising given the snoringly boring subject matter of most of my dreams. So, all this to say that my dream last night surprised me. It was strange, I woke up in the middle, laughed at myself, went back to sleep, and dreamt some more of the same stuff, and I remembered it all when I woke up this morning. So here goes...

I dreamed that I spent a day with Beth Moore. Now, if I was going to plan a day to spend with Beth, I think I would pick some fun and exciting things to do, invite my best siesta friends, add in some good Mexican food, throw in a trip or two to a Starbucks for some coffee and ample girlfriend-talking time, and voila! ...a wonderful day. Doesn't it sound fabulous??? But in my dream there we were, Beth and I, along with some of my friends from high school. (FYI -I graduated from high school 25+ years ago and I haven't seen these people since). And we seemed to be spending the entire day in a large park, climbing up on play structures, trying to get a cell phone signal on some kind of weird cell phone. Although at one point in my dream we were out on a lake in a small row boat, and Beth and I were throwing donuts at the ducks while the others laughed. And then right before I woke up, we were all in a marching band for some kind of parade in the park, and I remember thinking "...Oh Beth is NOT going to like this because the band uniform hat will give her the worst case of helmet head and her hair will be ruined" and I felt terrible... And I clearly remember at one point in my dream, someone saying to me "Oh I am so looking forward to this day with Beth" and I replied "It's here!! We are doing the thing!", and Beth cracked up laughing because that is something she says. And to tell you the truth, I don't know if the whole cell phone-thing worked out or not...

Y'all, it was the strangest dream, and in my opinion, the stupidest way to spend a day. Sigh...

OK - gotta go and get my day started.

Blessings,
Adrienne

Off to a bad start...

2009-01-14T10:56:00.002-05:00

Well this morning did not start out very well…. I was having my morning quiet time, and I had a small space heater on the floor of the room near my table. Chuckles, our beagle/basset hound mix, came into the room, and proceeded to hike his leg and PEE ON MY SPACE HEATER! The stench was unbelievable! And by the time I got him outside, the heater removed (I think it is forever ruined), and the mess on the floor cleaned up, my concentration was shot and it was time to wake the kids up. Grrrrrrrrrr!

This was not an auspicious start to my morning…. How about you?

Adrienne

A "Must Read"!

2009-01-13T12:49:00.001-05:00

Do yourself a favor and read this piece on the concept of sustainability from Selwyn Duke's website. I think it truly hits the nail on the head regarding our current economic woes...

Like a paper airplane....

2009-01-11T08:43:00.007-05:00

I love reading Max Lucado books; I enjoy the way he uses metaphors and parallels to make biblical concepts relevant, interesting, and applicable. The book I was reading this morning is his book "It's Not About Me", and I found myself in Chapter 4, which talks about how God is "Holy Different" from us.

Here's what Mr. Lucado had to say:

On the one occasion seraphim appear in Scripture (Isaiah 6:2-5), they endlessly trilogize the same word. "Holy holy holy is the LORD Almighty" (NIV). Repetition, in Hebrew, performs the work of our highlighter. A tool of emphasis. God, proclaims the six-winged angels, is not holy. He is not holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy..... God's holiness commands headline attention.

He then goes on to say:

The Hebrew word for holy is 'qadosh', which means cut off, or separate. Holiness, then, speaks of the "otherness" of God. His total uniqueness. Everything about God is different from the world he has made.

What you are to a paper airplane, God is to you. Take a sheet of paper and make one. Contrast yourself with your creation. Challenge it to a spelling contest. Who will win? Dare it to a race around the block. Who is faster? Invite the airplane to a game of one-on-one basketball. Will you not dominate the court? And well you should. The thing has no brainwaves, no pulse, it exists only because you formed it and flies only when someone throws it. Multiply the contrasts between you and the airplane by infinity. and you will begin to catch a glimpse of the disparity between God and us.

Heady stuff here....

I've thought about and struggled with this before, trying to reconcile two disparate concepts. That while we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), we are so clearly NOT the equal of God (Isaiah 40:25). And I've never seen an analogy like the paper airplane used before. I am not a shrunk-down, reduced version of God, a Mini-Me of God, if you will. Everything about God is different from me, not just magnifed from me. I am the paper airplane, formed by His power and will, lifeless and powerless on my own, and God is, well He is God. The chasm between what I am and what God is, is infinite. But does this mean that God is unknowable??? The Bible says otherwise. Jesus himself said to his disciples "If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know him and have seen him", John 14:7. And Romans 1:20 tells us that since the creation of the world God's eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made. I'm still processing these thoughts...

Blessings,

Adrienne

I'm a daffodil!

2009-01-11T08:25:00.004-05:00

I am a
Daffodil

What Flower
Are You?

Linda at "Thy Grace is Sufficient" had this quiz on her blog today, and since a few spring flowers would be nice about now, I gave it a try.

Description: "You have a sunny disposition and are normally one of the first to show up for the party. You don't need too much attention from the host once you get there as you are more than capable of making yourself seen and heard."

I don't know if this description is very accurate.... I generally have a sunny disposition, true, but I'm shyer than this suggests, and I'm not the one to be in the spotlight in a group of people. But I do like yellow, and love daffodils!

A fun meme!

2009-01-07T13:26:00.002-05:00

Jenni at One Thing had this meme posted today, and it is fun! But I did tweak it a little…. If you like it, please feel free to copy it at your own place and leave a comment!

Just boldface the items that you HAVE done, and leave the rest normal….

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Lived in another country
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Walked on a glacier
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41 Sung karaoke (...and it was a TERRIBLE rendition of "Delta Dawn"... I'm still embarrassed)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (…and the 2009 GS Cookie sales start next week!)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (sadly, yes)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (close, but I’m not there yet)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (well I helped…)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (No, but my friend Anne saved mine when I was choking on a meatball!)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (I was in the studio audience when Bill Clinton was on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson – does that count???)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

and a few of my own additions....
100. Ridden an elephant
101. Hiked over the Continental Divide
102. Toured an underground copper mine

I'll be back!!!!

2009-01-04T23:22:00.002-05:00

I've been feeling a little puny lately - fighting off a cold with Nyquil and lots of naps... I'll be back to post something in a day or so.

My baby....

2008-12-30T10:05:00.003-05:00

My baby is about to turn 12...! She has been a treasure and a blessing from God since the day she arrived. I love you sweetheart, more than you can know.

Memory Monday

2008-12-29T21:02:00.006-05:00

OK, I'm taking the plunge here with this Memory Monday thing.... I'm not good at memorizing verses, but I help my kids with theirs every week, and with Joanne's great example, I'm feeling challenged!

I picked one of my favorite verses, which God has used to really speak to my heart this year. I needed to start with something easy for me to remember. So here's my verse from memory (in black), with corrections (in red):

But Zion said "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion for on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Isaiah 49:14-16 NIV

I don't know how to strikeout the "for", which is what I typed from memory.... If you know a tip for formatting font to include strikout, please let me know!

A photo on my desk

2008-12-28T20:59:00.000-05:00

I have a table set aside where I have my morning quiet time and do my Bible study. It's my one of my favorite places, and I have everything arranged just so - I'm a little particular that way.... On my table I have a small photo of my dad and my stepmom. It was taken about 12 years ago; they're sitting on a fence with the ocean in the background, wearing their sunglasses, and smiling at the camera. A pretty typical tourist photo, nothing special.

But there's a reason I keep it right there on my desk, where I see it every time I open up my Bible and journal in the morning. I don't keep it there because we are wonderfully close; sadly, my dad and I have never had a close relationship. No, the reason the photo is on my desk is something entirely different. You see, although my dad is a very intelligent and educated man, he is as lost as lost can be, and for many years, I never understood why. A couple of years ago I got up the nerve to ask my mom about it and what she told me just chilled my heart. According to her, shortly after they were married they decided, as many newlywed couples do, that they needed to find a church. So they started visiting churches and eventually began attending a class for potential members, and that's where the wheels fell off for my dad. See, he asked a fairly simple question, "Why did Jesus have to die? Why couldn't God, who can do anything, come up with an alternative solution?" Apparently my dad's question wasn't answered to his satisfaction, and with that, he gave up on the whole "religion thing", and 50+ years later, he has never reconsidered. Foolish, but that's what happened.

I've always enjoyed Bible studies, but since my mom told me this story, it has become a burning passion for me. I long to know Him, and everytime something new is revealed to me in God's Word, I just want to know more. I believe that deep in my heart I'm trying to compensate for the events that happened so many years ago with my dad. I don't want to be a stumbling block for him, if he should ever be willing to talk about Jesus, and I don't want to be the reason anyone else seeking the truth would turn away. So I pray for my dad, and I keep seeking Him.

Christmas is not in the trappings....

2008-12-19T13:01:00.004-05:00

I have a friend who loves all things traditional, especially the traditional aspects of Christmas. Each year she has a beautifully decorated tree, replete with bells, angels, stars, and numerous nativity-themed ornaments. She has an ornate nativity set on display, Christmas carols play on the stereo, and she bakes up a storm. What’s missing??? She has no belief in Jesus Christ, and no relationship with him as her Savior. She partakes passionately in the holiday celebrations, without ever acknowledging what Christmas is all about. This just baffles me. I can’t imagine myself celebrating Vesak, celebrated by Buddhists as the birthday of Buddha, in the same way that she celebrates Christmas. I'm not Buddhist, so Vesak holds no meaning for me. And what gets me is that I know many people celebrate a Christ-less Christmas, focusing on snowmen, stockings, gifts, and Santa, "Happy Holidays everyone!", but it is just beyond my comprehension how someone can display all the trappings of a Christ-centered Christmas, and yet be without Christ. It saddens me to see Christmas reduced to just another set of pretty baubles and decorations, and it breaks my heart to see her missing the best Christmas gift the world has ever known. Your thoughts???

Oh to be a mountain!

2008-12-17T11:56:00.005-05:00

Psalm 125 - The Message - A Pilgrim Song

1-5 Those who trust in God are like Zion Mountain:
Nothing can move it, a rock-solid mountain you can always depend on. Mountains encircle Jerusalem, and God encircles his people— always has and always will. The fist of the wicked will never violate what is due the righteous, provoking wrongful violence. Be good to your good people, God, to those whose hearts are right! God will round up the backsliders, corral them with the incorrigibles. Peace over Israel!

This was my reading this morning, and it moved me so. I read this psalm in several different transalations, but this version from The Message is my favorite.

How I want to be a mountain! To trust in God, to be totally confident and secure in Him, to be unshakable and immovable in my faith. I'm not there yet, but I'm praying and trusting Him. I love the image of God encircling me, like a ring of impenetrable mountains, always there; nothing can get to me except what He lets in.

Have a blessed, mountainous day!
Adrienne

Siesta Ornament Exchange!

2008-12-11T09:04:00.003-05:00

I received this ornament from Sara in MN. It's a very sweet heart shaped ornament, hand-painted with a snow scene. She told me in her note that she picked it out at a Christmas crafts fair. It looks lovely on the tree, and I really like that it is such a nice bright blue.... Really brightens up the tree.

Thanks Sara!

Christmas Meme

2008-12-10T08:33:00.005-05:00

Joanne had this fun meme posted today... So here goes:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, with a swirl of whipped cream on top!

2.Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? One present for each kid from Santa, wrapped and under the tree.
3. Colored lights on house/tree or white? White

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I would if I had any

5.When do you put your decorations up? Day after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Ambrosia

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? The Christmas I got my favorite teddy bear, Charlie! I think I was 7 or 8... He's the only toy/stuffed animal I have left from my childhood and he sits in our bedroom.

8.When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? No clue - and there was no traumatic revelation....

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We let the kids open one present each; the rest have to wait until Christmas morning when Granny and Poppa arrive.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I have a large collection of ornaments from over the years, but my favorites are the ones the kids have made.

11. Snow. Love it or dread it? Love it, especially since here it is not deep enough to be a problem.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes I can!!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Charlie bear, a Mickey Mouse watch, and my mom's string of pearls. It was a gift to her from the school where she taught for years, and she gave it to me one Christmas because I was always begging her to let me wear it. Years later she went to buy a similar necklace for my sister, and she found out it was worth a lot more than she had imagined. She shook her head and said "I can't believe I let you wear it to school all those years!!!"

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you? Jesus Jesus Jesus!
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Fudge

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Just being together with my family
17. What tops your Christmas tree?An angel, which was a gift from Mom. For some reason one of her eyes (angel's, not mom's) is half-closed, which gives her this puzzled expression....

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Love to figure out surprising and well-suited gifts for people, and then watch them open them.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? O Come O Come Emmanuel....

20. Candy Canes. Yum or Yuck? There are so many things better than candy canes.... chocolate for instance

21. What do you want for Christmas? Time to rest and relax

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party? We usually go to 1 or 2 parties, but not the same one with same people every year.

23. Do you dress up for Christmas Eve or wear PJ's? Dress up for church

24. Do you own a Santa hat? several....

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with? family

Well it's half right, volume II

2008-12-08T20:37:00.009-05:00

I receently wrote this post about this bumper sticker, and Cindy at "Life is Good" asked me to share some more of my thoughts...

My first thought when I saw this bumper sticker was "...how ridiculous!" I initially chalked it up as a politically correct sticker, in a misguided attempt to promote acceptance of all religions, increase tolerance, and such. And then I got offended, and frankly, quite riled up. I believe that the message we are supposed to get from this is that all religions are ok since ultimately they are all worshipping the same god, and thus all are valid. And some such nonsense...

But after mulling it over, I think it is more insidious than that. If we push the stated premise just a little further, it falls apart pretty quickly. So, for the sake of argument, let's assume it is true any single religion is too small for God to "fit", and God spans more than one religion, and as implied here, He spans many or all of them. I simply can't reconcile that with the fact that the simplest survey of the major religions uncovers disagreements and conflicts on fundamental premises such as the divinity of Christ, the Trinity, one God vs. multiple gods, the afterlife, the presence or absence of heaven and hell, reincarnation, etc. You can find some info here. Contrary to what this bumper sticker is saying, all religions cannot be right; there are core beliefs about God where there is no common ground.

Secondly, I dislike using the "religion" to describe Christianity. Religion has been defined as man's attempts to reach God, to connect to the divine, whereas Christianity is about God's plan to reach and restore mankind. As many before me have said, Christianity is not a religion, but rather a relationship.

I think what it boils down to is that this bumper sticker is feeding us a lie from Satan, mainly that we can define God to be whatever we want, and make a religion that goes along with those beliefs, and we end up worshipping the God of our imagination. Truly a lie from the pits of hell...

Have a blessed day!
Adrienne

Oh such sadness....

2008-12-08T09:48:00.003-05:00

There was much sadness and gnashing of teeth at our house this weekend, as our Arizona State Sun Devils lost a humiliating defeat at the hands (paws) of the University of Arizona Wildcats...
But we'll get 'em next year! Go Devils!

When Thou Dost Talketh Too Much...

2008-12-03T14:09:00.000-05:00

We were shopping in Target and found this t-shirt on the clearance rack.... Just perfect for the Principessa - it's pink, sparkly, and oh so true!

Have a blessed day!

Adrienne

Advent Bags!

2008-12-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

We made these Advent bags at Girl Scouts yesterday, and they turned out great!

Here are the instructions:

You will need a paper lunch bag, a printed copy of the poem below, 25 pieces of hard candy, decorations such as ribbon, curling ribbon, Christmas stickers, etc. For supplies, you will need scissors, and glue gun or glue stick.
Glue the poem on the front of the bag.

Cut a flap or "door" in the side of the bag, just big enough for you to reach in with your fingers and get a piece of candy.
Fill the bag with one piece of candy for each day between today and Christmas.
Fold the top off the bag over and glue it shut.

Decorate with curling ribbon, bows, stickers, whatever you like!

Here's the poem:

From December first 'til Christmas

Is the longest time of year,

It seems as though Christmas,

Never will get here.

How many days 'til Christmas?

It's mighty hard to count,

So this bag of candy

Has just the right amount.

So grab a piece each day,

Just one, and only one,

And when your bag is empty,

Celebrate the birth of His Son!

Enjoy!

Have a blessed day!

Adrienne

Well, it's half right....

2008-12-01T08:28:00.000-05:00

I saw this bumper sticker on a car this weekend... All I could say is "well, it's half right!!"

I'm sure this was intended to promote tolerance, understanding, unity, blah blah blah, but really, looking past that, the whole premise stated here is just absurd. Does this mean that to truly worship God in his entirety, I would need to follow all religions? And how does that make sense when there are fundamental disagreements, beliefs, and premises amongst religions???

What do you think???

Have a blessed day!
Adrienne

How far we have drifted....

2008-11-28T08:47:00.000-05:00

Each Thanksgiving Day for the past 3-4 years, I have re-read the Thanksgiving Proclamation, issued by George Washington, and each time I am just dumbfounded when I see how far we have strayed from the beliefs presented in this proclamation. I believe if President Bush was to issue such a proclamation today, he would be lambasted and lampooned as a religious nutcase by today's media. Read the proclamation below and see what you think:

Thanksgiving Proclamation
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY of PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal savors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington

Have a blessed day!

Adrienne

Pass this on!

2008-11-25T18:46:00.001-05:00

This is beautiful stuff, and while I don't know Jeanne Winters, I'm wishing her huge success with this line. Cheeck it out here! You'll be glad you did!

Joy...!!!

2008-11-25T06:24:00.000-05:00

I was listening to the Intro session to Living Beyond Yourself (Beth Moore Bible Study) and at the end, she read a quote from George Bernard Shaw, and said it was found in
Rick Warren's book, 'Purpose Driven Life. ' I wanted to find the quote, so I did some searching, and found the full quote:

This is the true joy in life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devotes itself to making you happy - George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950).

I liked the quote, and although it gave me a noble definition of where we should find joy, I was looking for more.... an answer to the lingering questions in my mind. And then I found this quote:

Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls - Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

And for me, this closed the loop. Our joy draws others to us, to find the source of our joy. And that source needs to be in Him, in loving Christ, laying down our lives in service to him, focusing not on our grievances and happiness, but on Him, and His larger purpose.

Have a blessed, and joyful, day!

Adrienne

What type of Thanksgiving Food am I???

2008-11-21T18:50:00.000-05:00

I got this fun link from Sara, my Siesta Fiesta Ornament Exchange partner:

You Are Mashed Potatoes

Ordinary, comforting, and more than a little predictable

You're the glue that holds everyone together.

So...give it a try!

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

Have a blessed day!

Fuzzytop

Hallelujah for A New Hallelujah!

2008-11-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

My two favorite praise and worship CD's of all time are Michael W. Smith's 'Worship' and 'Worship Again' CD's. I've listened to each of them literally thousands of times, I know every note and every word, and those are the two CD's I would want with me if I was ever to be stranded on the proverbial desert island. In fact I wore out my first copy of the Worship CD and had to purchase a replacement copy.

So I was thrilled and amazed to see a new praise and worship CD from MWS, titled 'A New Hallelujah', and I've been playing it in my car during the morning and afternoon commutes for the past few days now. What musical awesomeness (is that a word???)!!!! It is simply fabulous. If it wasn't so cold in the morning, I would open the sun roof and wave a hand in the air, praising my Lord as I drive the interstate to work.... This morning, I just sat in the car after I parked and just listened to the end of the CD. What a great way to start the day. So run, do not walk, and grab yourself a copy!

Prayer Request

2008-11-19T06:04:00.000-05:00

Please join me in praying today for my dear friend Melana and her husband Tim, and their daughter Emily, who is having surgery today to remove a "funny" mole.... Lord, please guide and give wisdom to the doctor and all the team involved, give Melana and Tim your peace and comfort, be there to comfort Emily and quiet her fears, and give us a diagnosis that this mole is nothing serious. Above all, may you be glorified Lord, and let your peace, love, mercy and grace be seen by all involved in this situation. In Jesus's most precious and holy name, I pray. Amen

Of plans gone awry....

2008-11-18T17:43:00.001-05:00

It's been a strange day.... I didn't sleep well so I woke up tired, but after I had my french vanilla coffee and my quiet time I felt ok, so I got the kids up and going, then off we went to work and school. Just like any other day. The fun began about two hours later when I got a call from the school nurse saying James was in her office complaining he was sick, stomach cramps, etc... So I stuffed some work in my bag and headed off to pick him up and bring him home. When I arrived at the school, James was squirming and doing some very strange gyrations on the bed in the nurse's office - apparently he had the worst case of stomach cramps EVER, he was bent over double, but he wasn't vomiting and had no fever. This should have been a clue that set off flashing lights in my sleep-deprived, befuddled brain.

So we drove home, I put James to bed, and of course by then he is feeling oh so perky and fabulous; it was probably the power nap he took on the 30 min drive home. Grrrrrrrrrr!

So Tom (I love my man!) offered to pick up Rachel, so that I could stay home with 'The Sick One' and get my work done. Sounds wonderful, right??? Except I had completely forgotten I was supposed to meet Judy, Girl Scout Troop Leader Extraordinaire, right after school to get our troop checkbook and then I had plans to head over and meet someone from our Girl Scout council at a nearby church at 6pm to drop off our payment for Fall Product sales. Well, I laid down to take a short nap, fell asleep for 3 hours, and woke up to hear the phone ringing. Of course it was Judy, wondering why on earth I was at home when I was supposed to be meeting her in the school parking lot 30 miles away. So, I bundled up el-sicko, bribed him with the promise of an ice-cream at Mr. T's (I know, it's pathetic) and we hopped (ok I hopped, James was all wrapped up in a blanket so he sort of slithered) into the car, and off we went.

Met Judy, got the checkbook, and now it's 4:30 pm and Judy and I are trying desperately to find a way to meet this woman before 6pm and drop off the payment so I don't have to sit in the church parking lot for 90 minutes, but she can't meet me earlier.... Luckily, Judy found someone at the Girl Scout council office who was willing to let me bring the payment there.

Thankfully, we are home. And despite it being a crazy day, there were things I am thankful for... First, James is not seriously ill - my diagnosis is gas pains. Second, I got a wonderful unexpected treat of a NAP! IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY!!!! and I got to see Judy, who is one of the kindest people I know. All is well that ends well, and that my friends is Shakespeare!

I'm feeling overwhelmed....

2008-11-17T06:33:00.000-05:00

I'm feeling overwhelmed this morning.... I have a "To Do List" that simply leaves me wanting to crawl back into bed, pull the covers over my head, and escape. I didn't get as much stuff done this weekend as I had hoped, and now I'm staring down a busy week at work with all these other tasks piled on top of it. Yikes!

And next weekend will be taken up with an all day horseback riding trip for the Girl Scouts on Saturday, and then church on Sunday, so I'm going to have to get these things done during the week.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:29-30

I need to remember to rest in him today.

Have a blessed day!
Adrienne

Fireproof...

2008-11-16T08:43:00.000-05:00

Tom and I went to see Fireproof last night with our pastor and his wife. We had planned to meet at a Thai restaurant downtown for dinner first, and since they live north of us in the valley, they took a different route into town, and got there just fine. We drove in on the interstate, and ran into a horrific back-up of 12+ miles, crawling along at 2-3 mph. For the longest time we were next to a semi-truck which had a handwritten sign in the driver's window stating "Display Hooters Proudly". Truly truly sad what people think.... But Tom knew some alternate routes, and once we FINALLY made it to an exit, we were able to get off the interstate and detour into Chattanooga. At one point in the drive, we found ourselves driving behind (these are Tom's words, not mine) "...what must be the only remaining functioning Plymouth Volare in North America, not counting Mexico..." The Volare sputtered and lurched along, and when we finally passed it, we saw the driver was wearing ear muffs. Hmmm, can anyone say "broken car heater!" Needless to say, Tom and I missed the getting to the restaurant in time for dinner, which according to pastor and wife was DELICIOUS, but hey, we made up for it by gnoshing our way through a mega tub-o-popcorn!

Sadly, we could have avoided the whole traffic jam... About one mile into our interstate drive we saw a sign that said "traffic work ahead, expect delays".

Tom: "Should we get off here (Exit 161) and take Hwy 41?"
Me (blithely): "Naahhh... It's Saturday night! Who does road construction on Saturday night?"
Tom (as we whizzed by our last sane exit): "OK..."

And then one mile later, traffic came to a screeching halt. I don't think Tom will ask my vaunted opinion next time. *grin*

But back to the movie....

Fireproof was wonderful - the dialogue, especially between father and son, seemed a little bit unrealistic at times, but the message of the movie, that marriage requires selfless love which only comes from God, is something we all need to hear. I was convicted of my selfishness and I want to do better.

And now, I'm out of time....

Have a blessed day!
Adrienne

Fall colors

2008-11-15T07:37:00.000-05:00

Since moving to TN three years ago, after living for so many years in Phoenix, AZ, one of my biggest joys has been being continually surrounded by trees, hills, pastures, and farms. We live in the Sequatchie Valley, which stretches for miles from SW to NE across eastern Tennessee. It's simply beautiful here!

The fall foliage is just glorious! I think it's God's version of a laser light show, or perhaps his way of doing neon lights. Every color and shade of yellow, orange, red and brown is present, and the colors start first at the top of the hills, and then sweeps down as the weeks progress. It's like watching God sweep his mighty hand down the side of the hill. Some of the trees seem to glow, and against the dark tree trunks and branches, the contrast in colors is staggering.

I missed this for so many years...

First Post

2008-11-14T11:50:00.000-05:00

Well, I always like to set goals, so here are my goals for this blog:

Give God the glory and share Jesus. He is LIFE to me
Provide a journal of events, happening, and thoughts
Communicate...

I think that's enough for now!

Adrienne