Family Date Night

I think this says it all....We went to a Padre game and worshiped with MercyMe (Field level for the concert part, thank you very much) and the girls went to dinner and hung out. SWEET!

I find it remarkable that we can sit in a major league baseball park, and sing praises to our God. In so many places, just naming the mighty name of Jesus is cause for great bodily harm, censure, even death. I rejoice that I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. I rejoice that last night I got to meet a new sister in Christ, Marie, and share part of my testimony with her. I got to learn of her, and lift our voices together in worship of our King. Where else can you meet someone new and already consider them part of your family? God is amazing!

It was rightly done, that as we all filed back out of the ball-field, we believers found ourselves singing still, as a worship song played as we exited. For while the band was done performing, we were still worshiping our King.

Thanks for a great night, MercyMe. You set our hearts to worshiping, you set our minds on sweet fellowship, you lifted up the name of Jesus. I look forward to the day when we all get to do it to His face.

Thank you, beloved husband, for sharing the experience and walking this path with me. I am a blessed woman.

The Harvest is Plentiful

Time flies, whether we blink or not. It's been a busy few months - not with major accomplishments or huge dramas, just the day in and day out business of life. My youngest just finished 6th grade, with a great amount of confidence learned and applied, and faith tested and found to hold. She ventured to 6th grade camp - teary eyed and boxes of Kleenex emptied she boarded the bus. Glowing, dirty and calm she returned 5 days later. A lesson on God's faithfulness and love learned in the sweetness of friends and counselors.



We planted seeds this spring. Seeds of fruits, of vegetables, trees blossomed and vines grew. We planted in hope. In expectation. We also planted in certainty that something fruitful, something good would return to us. We watered regularly, we watched out for predators and pests and dealt with them when they inevitably appeared. And now, we are seeing the fruit of our labors. Our trees are growing weighty with fruit. Our tomatoes are reddening on the vines. Our blackberries are ripening by the bunches and boysenberries eaten by the handfuls. I am ready to pick the first crop of nectarines from my tree, as the birds have proven the fruit is ripe.




There has been another type of harvest in my life, one in which I am most blessed and in awe. Seeds had been planted years ago in this precious one. Pests had been picked off this lovely plant with counsel and prayer. Weeds had been tended, sometimes in mumbles and sometimes in raging. Water was poured out over her, time and time again. I must admit that hope had grown dim. Then came that glorious day when the fruit had ripened and was ready to be harvested. She accepted Jesus as her savior on Mother's Day. Oh, how sweet! Hope deferred was hope received. The wonder of God's timing! It was such a great reminder to me to never give up. To persevere in prayer and to continue to water that seed until it grows. God's word never returns void!

What this summer will bring, the Lord knows. We have ideas of activities, thoughts of rest and play. I want to be useful. To redeem the time until the Lord returns, or takes me home. The harvest is plentiful, may I be useful to the Master of the harvest.

Hope

It's John 3:16 day!
"For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever would believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life." AMEN!
3 years ago today I sat with my father-in-law, watching the sun rise after a night of heavy rain, as he went home to be with Jesus. Wow. What a wonderful picture of hope and healing. God does all things well, and that morning was especially beautiful. The cold rain had left tiny icicles on the leaves of trees and blades of grass, on windowsills and posts. These were lit with stunning colors from the incredible sunrise AND rainbow the Lord chose to send to give us peace and, joy. Yes, joy. We knew he was home.

I miss my father-in-law. He was a man of many gifts. He was a man of great intelligence, which belied his level of schooling. He was a man of many jokes, some off-color but always meant with humor, not hate. He was a strong man, full of honor and a sense of courtliness. He treated women with respect. He loved a good debate, which he seldom lost (that he admitted to, anyway :D) He had a strong sense of country and family. He seldom said "I love you" but always showed you in every way that he did, in fact, love you very much.

I am glad to say that this verse was one he believed in very strongly. I know that I will see him one day in glory, because he lived out his belief. He wasn't a typical, outward Christian, but one that lived each day knowing where his future lay. Even through the cancer, the pain, the setbacks, he knew where he was headed.

I hope you have this hope of heaven, and healing. If not, please consider this verse. It was said, for YOU. So you, too, would have joy.

A new year every day

Here we are, awaiting the end of 2010. I find it kind of amusing how much we look forward to a new start in the new year. Why is it that we have to wait for a particular day to start anew? God tells us that His mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:22, 23), so we aren't given the Word as an example. And yet, here we are...so many waiting to celebrate the passing of the old, and welcome the new.
I hesitate to bring this up, but I have been pondering Romans 5:20b lately which says " but where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." This might lead us to think that we should feel free to sin, that God's grace may be even more apparent. I have been practicing this a little the last couple of weeks. I have wholly given myself over to the gluttony of chocolate and sugar. Cookies, candy, M & M's a specialty, all the while thinking that I will become so sick of the taste and effect that giving them up will be so much simpler. Ah, the lies we believe! I find that my tolerance has increased, as well as my craving for such unhealthy fare. Much like tolerance to sin. The more we indulge, the higher our tolerance and insensitivity to the healthy and whole.
Which brings to mind Romans 6:1,2,15 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?"
I don't know about you, but I don't want to wait for a special day to declare myself dead to sin and alive to righteousness! Why wait when I am missing so many blessings from not choosing kingdom living? Chocolate: be gone! You are death to my body, and sin in my mind. I choose a new year, every day!

Adoration

There are many Christmas Carols sung each year. Some playful, some jolly, some telling tales of wishes and hopes, some poignant and sweet. For me, there is a progression:

An acknowledgment that I am not resting in what the Lord has to offer me each season: Peace. Peace with Him, Peace from Him, Peace to pass on to others





This is one, each year, that no matter what my day has held, my time obliterated, my unfeeling heart missed, will stir in me such depth of thankfulness and worship that I can but weep. It sets the stage in my heart for Christmas.




Which leads me to
ADORATION.




Happy Birthday, Jesus! Thank you for leaving heaven, to live here, in order to reconcile me to the Father and lead me home.

Bebo

On a day like this
I want to crawl beneath a rock
A million miles from the world
The commotion that never seems to stop

And on a day like this
I want to run from the routine
Run away from the daily grind
That can suck the life right out of me

I only know of one place I can run to…

CHORUS:
I want to hide in You
The way, the life, the truth
So I can disappear
And love is all there is to see
Coming out of me
And you become clear
As I disappear

I don't want to care about earthly things
Be caught up in all the lies
That trick my eyes
They say it's all about me

I'm so tired of it being about me

I would rather be cast away
Separated from the human race
If I don't bring you glory

Thanks, Bebo, for capturing my heart in words I couldn't express.

Walls

A tiny gray blur jumped out at me this morning as I was reaching for more traveling cups in my garage. I was startled, to say the least! A mouse had climbed out of my stash of hot cocoa mix and ran away, only 6 inches from my bare feet. I shrieked. I believe this was an appropriate response to such an occasion.

It has caused me to ponder, however, my safeguards. You see, there had to have been an entrance for that little rodent, in order for it to have an exit. It must have located a "chink" in the wall. In the ancient world, a city without walls was a city completely open and vulnerable to its enemies. They had no defense, no protection at all. I had felt that my foodstuffs were safe in that pantry, easily accessible and at my fingertips when needed. Now, I feel violated.

I have a wall spiritually, as well. A Rock and a Fortress. His name is Jesus, and I feel completely protected when I am in the shelter of His walls. Psalm 139:4 says He hedges me in behind and before. This is wonderful comfort! And yet...I have my part - my response - as well. Jude 1:21 tells me to keep myself in the love of God. I am to keep falling in love with Him, keep remembering that He alone is my shelter and my protection. And so, I ponder. Have I allowed any "chinks" in my wall of love? Have I allowed anything that is a lie to drown out the truth? Have I allowed a love for anything in this world come up against my love for my Savior? Have I grown listless in checking my defenses? Is my armor (Ephesians 6) on and firmly fastened?

I know that my dear husband will deal with that small intruder. He is wonderful that way. I also know that my God can deal with any small intruder I have allowed to creep in. He is completely wonderful in every way.