Christmas Musings

I brought out the Christmas decorations today. I am amazed how fast the time flies and how it seems as though I just put them away. The girls are a year older, and I have one more year of memories stored under my Santa hat as I decorate. As I listen to Christmas carols and think of what this last year has held, my tears match the stormy winds outside that blast sideways raindrops against the window. I missed so many Christmases and each one now is dear to me in its own way. As my thoughts go so often right now, I think of Grandpa and how this will likely be his last Christmas with us. My own dear grandpa, what will each holiday season bring without his home for all of us to gather in? His home is hardly beautiful by some standards and maybe a little random and eccentric (kind of like me I guess), and yet, it is the only home I’ve ever known my grandparents in and it holds an infinite amount of precious memories for me. Play times and nap times and story times and game times and dish times and picnic times and times of sorrow and times of joy. Grandma passed away within its walls, and likely Grandpa will too. And once that happens, it will forever change, as all things do. No matter how I pray and hold my breath and wish, they change. Someone else will live in that house and all the eclectic pieces of 1960’s décor will be taken down. The numerous wind chimes, pictures, clocks, piggy banks, coin collections and childhood art projects will be taken down and dispersed among our clan, never to be assembled together again. The sum total of physical possessions for two lives will pass to another generation. I am so thankful for treasure stored in heaven because many of their things have been destroyed by moth and rust and decay.

What will this Christmas hold for us? Will it truly be the time of joy and peace that it should be? I am resolved to ask the Lord daily to make it so for my family, and to help us all focus on the intangible things that truly embody Christmas; the ultimate gift that was given to mankind in the form of a tiny, helpless baby. That baby would grow to be fully God and fully man, dying to take away my guilt and shame and pay the price of the sins of the world. What a gift he has given us, and what better reason to celebrate his birth this year.

Go Beavs!

Annie cannot go out of the house without spotting a Beaver logo here and there after she was bitten by the football bug a few weeks ago. Nathalie is quick to point out the Duck fans, always wondering what THEY could be doing in OUR town. Ducks? YUCK! Way to go Grandpa Steve, thoroughly indoctrinated. What can I say? GO BEAVS!

Punkin Patch

The Pumpkin patch, as always, was a lot of fun this year, but my camera pooped out so I had to get a couple pictures on my camera phone. They're not the best, but you can see they're having a blast!

Jayne: (wearing ugly homemade hat) "How's it sit? Pretty cunning, don'tcha think?"

So, my big bro likes this show called Firefly. He commissioned me to knit him the Jayne hat, an infamous piece of attire well known by devoted fans. Doesn't he look smashing in it? (Oh, by the way, he told me not to post this picture so please don't tell him I did, OK?)

"A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he's not afraid of anything."

"I think it's the sweetest hat ever."



So...here's to your cunning little hat Matt, and happy birthday too. I love you!

Out of Sight, Out of my Mind

Since I am, it seems, out of my mind and can't seem to get it all together, many of you who are out of my immediate sight may feel forgotten or neglected. I assure you, that is not the case. I am just HORRIBLE about staying in touch. It seems that every day I think about several of you, lifting you up in prayer, thanking God that you love me even though I am seemingly so inconsistent.

Although I am lacking some important neural function that allows me to communicate with others who are not directly in front of me, I am determined to keep trying, so please, have patience.

I am posting some pics of the little ones as a peace offering. May they smooth any ruffled feathers.

I tinkled on Grandma's leg!

Big sister and her buddy after a slip and slide adventure

"Call Me"

I wanted to get this down before I forgot, one of those funny moments...rarely in the mundane things of life like mowing the lawn, doing the laundry, dishes, cleaning toilets, etc. have I heard voices from beyond. Today, while gathering up the trash bag, I did. I opened the cupboard, reached for the ties to cinch the bag, and then, I heard it. A faint voice calling to me, at first, indistinguishable. I perked up my ears and listened harder. Was it coming from next to me? Above me? Was the Lord speaking to me? Not that he couldn't, but hardly here I realized. What was it saying? "Call me"? OK, now I was at a loss. Not only was I hearing things, but this disembodied voice was asking me out. Proof positive that SOMETHING was not right. I leaned toward the trash bag and the pleading grew louder. "Call me, Call me, Call me".

Alas, it truly was a voice from beyond the grave. Poor Burger King toy Barney was being eighty sixed with today's trash. His last plea before he succumbed to dismal burial in the local landfill... "call me". Bummer he could never come up with a better line. A faint wash of guilt momentarily threatened as I had visions of Toy Story dancing in my head. Then, I threw the bag away. Bye bye Barney. Say hi to Woody in that toy store in the sky.

A Day out with Mommy

Day out with Mommy began with my little 2 year old going pee pee in her potty. She literally jumped off the potty, waiving her hands and bouncing up and down yelling, "Me did it Mommy, me did it!" A mixture of pride and thanksgiving welled up in me; pride in her for being so independent and exuberant, thankful that I didn't have to pull out the carpet cleaner AGAIN because she's soiled the floor. Whew.

We moved on to Walmart searching out school supplies for sister. This little one was an angel, and as a reward, she got to ride on the Bob the Builder motorized digger before we left. She was ecstatic.

Finally, we hit Fred Meyer where she held out her good behavior for a ride on the "neigh". Her word for horse. She can say horse, but it's much more fun to whinny and then raspberry at the end. And a pink horse? Who could ask for more than that.

With big sister gone for the week, it has been such a joy to get to know this little monkey better. She is a ham and a spirit all her own. What a blessing to have two girls with such wonderful personalities. It certainly begs the question, "where did it all come from?"

Next Door on Cherry Tree

And so, yet again, new tenant seeks to make a home in 12345 Cherry Tree Ln. I assume they don't know that the house already has a sordid past in the little more than 2 years it's been resided in. This just happens to be the house next to me. From the peeping that I've done, it appears that it will be occupied by a young couple with no children. Personally, this grieved me for the little house. It has yet to know the joys of the pitter patter of little occupants or be initiated by their various odoriferous excretions. But more than that, no one has decorated its walls with crayola or sang twinkle twinkle at the top of her lungs to its rafters, or danced into the night to "High School Musical". What will be the next phase in this little house's life? Will there be puppies or kittens? Will there be beer and rioting? Will there be sadness and separation? So far, it's seen much of life. Maybe this time will be the time that a newborn baby is brought through its threshold. I'll have to peep and see.

We are Hungry

Family camp and Princess 2 turning 2

Here's the family at South Beach for Family Camp. Our church goes camping once a year and it's so much fun! Baby soap slip-n-slide, water balloon launching, raw chicken volleyball, prayer and worship at the camp site, going to the aquarium, crabbing, sharing Jesus with our camping neighbors. It's a great time. Annie turned two and had her cake and singing around a camp fire with all her church family around. We all got so dirty but at the end of the day, we slept well! I got chicken in my eye, Geoff got a raw egg smashed on his head, Nathalie slid 100 feet on Johnson's baby shampoo and Annie turned 2. Oh, and big old Max had the time of his life being the camp dog. Everyone loves him. Not a bad four days.

Soap Box Jockey

Call me crazy, but I'm going to risk it, I'm going to attempt to beat a dead horse. I think I've mentioned before that I grew up in a false church full of theives and robbers. I've seen and heard of unspeakable injustices done in the name of God. I was taught to believe things that have no biblical basis and have nothing to do with Jesus. I did not know who he was, what he did, or who his is now. People do and say all manner of insane things in the name of religion. Let me be the first to say, if you've had these experiences, if you've seen or heard things that just don't jive with what a Christian should do and say, I'm sorry, and you're not alone.

I'd like to continue by saying, if you continue to harbor bitterness or anger at others or at God for these things, you need to stop. God did not do these things or say these things, in fact, the bible says that many will come in his name, many will claim false things and do all sorts of things in the name of Christ. He warned us through his word to not be surprised that these things happen. Anything of value always has a counterfeit, check out e-bay and any gucci purse. Always a counterfeit. They seek to fool others for their own gain.

Yes, God allows it. He allows all sorts of things in order to allow each of us to make our own decisions. That doesn't mean he isn't just or doesn't care. People will face the consequences for these things. Catholic priests who molest children will face justice. People who start cult churches because they desire power and money will all stand face to face with God and be held accountable.

If you've been burned by people, don't blame God. If anyone has a reason to not trust God, it would be me. I missed out on a childhood, no Christmas, no birthdays, no Friday night football games, etc. I had friends who were beaten by their fathers or step fathers and had the church look the other way. I've seen women portrayed as the villian because they left abusive relationships. I could go on and on but I won't. Some of you will use these things as proof that God doesn't care or isn't real, But I don't.

Despite all these things, I have found that God is true and faithful. He never lies and never fails. He is always good, always loving, always available. He hates anyone who harms a child. He despises people lying or cheating in his name. He will not leave these things unaddressed. He has offered us eternal life and forgiveness of all of our sins. For anyone who just wishes they could start over, be someone new, he offers this. If anyone belongs to Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.

Here's the challenge. Don't use the things I mentioned as an excuse to turn your back on God. If you had a really bad experience with a dental assistant as a child, does that mean that the dentist is evil or does it change your need for a dentist? No, it means that someone who claimed to be representing the dentist was a creep. You still need some fillings, and lets face it, some of us need the full veneer package.

And so, I have, maybe needlessly, beaten the dead horse. Maybe I'm just preaching to the choir. Maybe I've used one too many idoms. I'll leave that to you to decide.

A Harry Potter Disclaimer

Disclaimer: The following post may be a spoiler for anyone who has yet to read the last installment of the Harry Potter series. Please use caution.

Also, my apologies to anyone who may be caught off guard by the fact that I do, indeed, read Harry Potter. I do not let my children read or watch Harry Potter, but as I am an adult, I really enjoy them from a literary perspective. I do not condone or promote witchcraft in any way shape or form and I do not see these books as doing so either any more than the Lord of the Rings or A Wrinkle in Time or anything by Rhoald Dahl does. They are truly fantasy. I'm not debating, this is my opinion and The Lord and I are OK between the two of us.

These things being said, please continue on and read my thoughts on Harry Potter 7 and the application of the Lord's truth to concepts mentioned in it.

The Death of Literature.

I am concerned that we are about to face the immanent death of literature as we know it. The story, novel, epic, whatever the mode of tale we look to, there are common archetypes, common themes. There is a battle between good an evil. This presumes that there is, indeed, a good and evil. There is hubris verses humility, love verses hate, self sacrifice verses self gain. I am afraid, because I know that there are many nowadays cheering for Voldemort insead of Harry. You prefer Darth Vader over Luke, and flagrantly deny that Vader turned back to the force when faced with his demise. There are those who look to whatever their ears want to hear and trade the truth for lies. These people say bad is good, and good is bad. They distort truth and make it relative and in this way nullify any faith at all other than the religion of self. They call those with absolutes intolerant and ignorant, if fact, they'll label anyone intolerant who is not just like them. I am astounded at the irony.

I am amazed when many question why characters like Voldemort have to be destroyed completely. One cannot remain while the other one lives. In the end, something has to give. One has to win out. This is the epic struggle of eternity. We are enthralled by it, transfixed on characters like Harry and Voldemort and yet we miss that we too are in this epic battle.

J.K. Rowling uses two epitaphs in her last Harry Potter book, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:21) and "The Last Enemy that will be destroyed is death." (1 Cor. 15:26)

Christians are told to store up their treasures in heaven because this earth is not our final destination. Like the curtain the Harry's uncle falls through and dies, there is just a thin veil that separates us from eternity, and what we do here has eternal significance. We can live for ourselves and self gain, or we can trust that what we give of ourselves and the lives of integrity that we live are of epic importance. There is any enemy who seeks to kill and destroy all that is good. He thinks only of himself. He seeks his own best interest and yet he can come as an angel of light.

Christ, on the other hand, willingly gave up his life for each of us. He laid his life down, and then, three days later, raised from the dead. Research it yourself if you don't believe me.

Christ will reign until he puts all enemies under his feet, and the last enemy to be destroyed is death. It will be swallowed up forever and he will wipe away every tear. There is an end to this epic battle, and when the King of Kings returns, what side will you be on? Just because you may not choose to believe, doesn't mean you won't be held accountable. Jesus said he would take the penalty for your sin if you choose to follow him. He is the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through him.

We love Harry and Ron and Hermione because they are courageous, they have faith in the midst of persecution and disdain from others like them. They have courage, they believe that there is something bigger going on than what they can see. We wish our lives held that kind of purpose and destiny.

My friends, they do. The number of our days was ordained by God, and for those who have chosen him, he has an eternity we cannot imagine. Will you take the challenge? If the sorting hat were placed on your head, which house would you be in? When Jesus himself separates the sheep from the goats, which side will you be found on?


Do not be deceived. There is a right and wrong. There are standards and there is a holy and righteous God who is faithful. He is faithful to save those who call upon him, he is faithful to punish those who choose to follow the religion of self and love their latte more than their Lord.

The bible says that we fight not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world that we cannot see. We may not have the Sword of Gryffindor but this is what we have been given:

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Eph. 6:13-18)

There is good and evil. There is an epic battle. Count me on the side of Lion of Judah, the King of Kings, the one who was, and is, and is to come. The one who will put even death under his feet.

Back in a Flash...

I should have pictures coming soon of my kiddos, but I have to have them DEVELOPED...Yes, the old fashioned way. My Dad was gracious enough to give me a better camera, our digital point and click is, lets just say, a disappointment at best. The 35mm Canon Rebel, on the other hand, may be "old fashioned" but man, it takes much better pictures. Because I'm working on delayed gratification, I thought this would be a good exercise for me. Maybe for some of you too because you have to WAIT to see my darlings.

I heard rumor that some of you are MOVING to Spokane. You know who you are. I sure hope we'll get to see you once in a while!!

Singing off!

Kacey

A Living Prayer

In this world I walk alone with no place to call my home
But there's One who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands
The way is dark, the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
This Savior lives inside me there

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

In these trials of life I find
Another Voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

In your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee
take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

Nat's first fish for father's day

Caught with your hand in the cookie jar?

Two twin boys lived with their mother and father, and I'm sorry to say it, were both only 10 when they found out they had diabetes. Their poor mother, who loved to give them treats, was beside herself. And yet, because she loved them, she told them that sweet snacks were prohibited unless she gave them out at the proper time. Tommy and Timmy, typical 10 year old boys, were sad and somewhat indignant. They loved their chocolate chip cookies, and one or two wouldn't hurt, right? The boys were old enough to make their own choices and so the mother, wanting them to make good choices even when she wasn't around to make them, set up a bit of a test to see what each would do.

"I"m going shopping sons, please do your homework while I'm gone, and remember, there is celery and peanut butter for snack! See you in an hour." and with that, mother set off in the car.

"Timmy," said Tommy, "you know what this means, right?"

"Cookies!" They both shouted, and ran as fast as they could to the cookie jar in the kitchen.

Now mother could have hid the cookies, could have kept them locked up, but this would only have served to teach them to obey when someone was forcing them.

They stealthily maneuvered cookie after cookie, rearranging the remaining treats in such a way that the jar still looked somewhat full.

While they were still arranging and quite occupied with their activity, father had slipped in the back door, having pulled his car around back. It had been prearranged with mother, and so both twins were thus caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar.

"My sons," said their father, "Do you have so little respect and care for us and for yourselves that you would make such a bad choice?"

The twins stared at their sneakers, not wanting to look their father in the eye.

Timmy's eyes began to well with tears. He may love cookies, but he also loved and respected his parents, and he knew they wanted him to be healthy.

Tommy's eyes also filled with tears, not to be outdone by his brother.

"We're sorry Dad!" They said in unison.

"I can see you both seem to feel badly, time will tell whether your actions will follow your apparent remorse." Father replied.

"Huh?" said the twins.

"Next time you're faced with this choice, what you decide will determine if you've really felt badly enough to change your actions. That choice is in your hands, and it will determine what kind of man your turn out to be."

Not a month later, Timmy and Tommy were at the home of their friend Sam. Sam's mother brought them a plate stacked high with gooey chocolate chip cookies. Tommy looked at the stack with a gleam in his eye. He devoured more than his share, and consequently, left Sam's house early feeling very poorly.

Timmy, on the other hand, recalled what his father had said. He thought about his mother's instruction, and how much she cared for him. He also thought about how bad he felt when he made the wrong choice. Now of course, he thought these things in a very 10 year old way, but the outcome was the same. He chose to ask for a string cheese instead, which Sam's mom was happy to get for him.

Timmy had truly felt sorry, he'd asked for forgiveness, and his repentance was followed by action. He turned and went the opposite direction.

************************************************************************************


Many times we are faced with similar choices. God says, don't lie. Don't steal. Don't commit adultery. Why? Because he's trying to keep us from having a little fun? No way. It's because it will inevitably lead to the pain and suffering of all involved. His boundaries keep us safe from the natural consequences of sin.

The bible says that the wages of sin are death. Every time we choose to follow our own path instead of God's, something dies. In our pain, we may cry out to God in sorrow or indignation. We may truly look sorry as we moan and cry and rant. But if we feel true sorrow, if we see our actions in light of how much God wants for us and how much he loves us, we will choose to follow him the next time we have the choice. True repentance is followed by a changed heart and life.

So the next time you're caught with your hand in the cookie jar, ask yourself, "Do I feel bad because I see my sin in light of a holy and loving God, or am I just sorry I was caught?"

If you are a sinner like me, but have not yet asked Jesus to cover your sin, come into your life, and make you a new creation, read on.


Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent.

Romans 6:23 teaches us about the consequences of sin -

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death!

Romans 5:8 declares, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus' death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus' resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus' death as the payment for our sins.

Romans 10:9, " if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Romans 8:1 teaches us, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Romans 8:38-39, "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."

Soon

God is not Done with Israel...Watch the Headlines

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
"The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins." (Romans 11:25-27)

Fellow sojourners, we are coming upon the 40th anniversary of the Jews re-taking the temple mount in Jerusalem along with many other territories now in dispute. I know that many people who visit this blog don't believe the bible, don't care about prophecy, could let June 7, 2007 pass like any other day. But I wanted to bring it to your attention, and have you think about the significance of a people group displaced from their homeland for hundreds of years, re-taking this land, or any land for that matter. They are a small, virtually insignificant people group, and yet over the centuries we see them face possible extinction over and over again. The Persians, Greeks, Romans, Inquisitors, Russians, Italians, French, Germans, etc have come against the Jews, and yet, here they are. Why? Because of the above passage. God has made a covenant promise to them, that he promised ALL ISRAEL will be saved. We are living during the dispensation of Grace, when the Lord has extended salvation to all mankind, not wanting anyone to perish. But there is a time coming when the fullness of the gentiles (non-Jews) has come into God's family. God WILL do what he says he'll do. There is coming a time when God is going to make himself known VISIBLY again to our world. He will rescue Israel again when all hope seems lost so that no one can question who it was that saved them.

The Bible says that God will bless those who bless Israel, and curse those who curse Israel. When the time comes to see who'll stand for Israel, what side will you be on? What side will our country be on? Until the last couple of years, we have been a nation that has backed Israel since it's inception in 1948, but that tide is turning. Israel will ultimately stand alone.

The age of Grace is about to end. Matthew 24 states that the generation that sees the fig tree blossom again (the fig tree is Israel, specifically Jerusalem throughout the bible) will see the Messiah's 2nd coming. May 14,1948 Israel became a nation. June 7, 1967 Jerusalem, the very temple mount itself, was re-taken by the Jews. This generation will not pass away before the Son of Man comes again. Will you be ready?

What is that Smell?

You remember that part in Grumpy Old Men when John puts the dead fish in the back of Max's car? It starts to decay and Max keeps smelling his pits and rifling through his car to try to find the source of the odor. Such is my life today. Poor Annie. I keep following her around, sure she's the source with some special present in her diaper. I've lit candles, scooped the cat box, turned the fans on, etc, all to no avail. Nathalie was also a potential source, running to the facilities claiming she had "gasarrhea", but no, she made it in time. WHAT IS THAT SMELL??? If I wasn't living a typical suburban life, I'd swear I had landed smack in the middle of a cow pasture. Wait, wait, it's coming to me...that smell...it's coming in from outside...THE NEIGHBORS! They just layered their ENTIRE yard with dark, steaming compost. I'm thinking it should be a law that you have to WARN people before you lambaste them with that kind of stench! Great idea having company over today! "Hi, welcome, sorry about the poop smell, yeah, the neighbors, I know, sorry. Maybe we should do dinner a different night, yeah, when my house doesn't smell like, yeah, you know. Thanks."

The Alliance

Have you ever noticed that on Survivor, some of the people who seemed to be the archest of enemies at the beginning of their ordeal are the very same people who are the FIRST to be in cahoots and forming the secret, now somewhat infamous "alliance"? I've found that my life is no different. It seems that I have not only one, but two Benedict Arnolds in my life. Both have been all nicey nice to me the last couple weeks, seemingly HATING one another, and today, I have been betrayed. Behind my somewhat naive back (the eyes in the back of my head are out of order), these two devious minds have joined evil forces and are now at work against me. Seem a little "paranoid" to you? A little far-fetched? I would have thought so too, but just a couple minutes ago, I walked in on them, together, best of friends, looking at me with those guilty, "the cat's out of the bag" puppy dog eyes. Caught in a compromising position, I found my 70 pound dog spooning with my new cat Charlie. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Traitors! You stick with your little "alliance" and see who's food bowl gets filled first. HA HA HA!

To Mom, on Mother's Day

I am so thankful for the time and the place where the line between mother and daughter becomes a faint, comfortable cushion that we can sit on together and talk.

Where the "because I said so"s that echo from childhood are more appropriately heard as "because I'm wiser and I love you".

Where the economy of childhood (we can't afford that right now) is appreciated as "I'm not working so I can stay home and provide a foundation for you that is worth more than any income."

I'm grateful for the ability to see many of the prayers offered up on my behalf, by my mother, come to fruition in my life.

She is a woman whom I have rarely, if ever,heard speak a bad word about anyone. She thinks the best of people, and though I have criticized her for being naive, it is this quality that has allowed her to remain a faithful and devoted wife and mother and child of the Lord for her whole life. Love always hopes, always perseveres...

She is a woman who rarely asks for anything and is willing to give her last penny to someone in need.

She is a woman who has trudged through life's trials and struggles continually allowing them to shape her and mold her into a more Christ like woman.

She is a woman who is not a radiant pageant queen by earthly standards, but in the courts of the Lord she will radiate a beauty that far outweighs the empty beauty that we see plastered on billboards and television commercials.

She has never once said anything to me that was harsh or critical or self-serving but has always spoken to me as someone she loved and respected. When I was a very young child, not yet in Kindergarten, I remember having people tell me what a large vocabulary I had. Any compliment I have received in my life should be counted as a credit to the time and attention of my mother.

She is someone who takes every situation in life and turns it into a teaching opportunity. No life situation or simple set of events would pass through our days without mom drawing a lesson from it, always pointing to the goodness of God, his faithfulness, his provision, his standards. Not platitudes, but truths spoken at critical times that shaped our character.

Who can understand, as a child, the love of a mother? Where she is overbearing, strict, conservative, nosey, argumentative, persistent or crazy she is what a child can't perceive. She is a shepherd, protecting her little flock from wolves they cannot see. She is a diligent, armed soldier fighting the army that seeks to overtake her children each day that they don't notice. She is a tireless, sacrificial, misunderstood and yet devoted warrior for her child's best interest.

So mom, every time I screamed that you didn't understand, every time I called you names, pouted and slammed doors, thank you for being the one that was sending the arrow over my shoulder, taking down the enemy I didn't know existed.

Mom, You are a gracious, loving, devoted wife and mother and your gentle, encouraging spirit has taught me invaluable lessons about how to walk this earth without being scorched by it. You encourage me in my walk with Jesus, you are a doer and not merely a hearer of the word. You have crowns that you cannot yet see, treasures stored for you that you cannot imagine. I love you, and I'm proud to be your daughter. Without you, I would never have become me.

Things on my mind

Why does my leg still hurt?
I love blue sky.
I wish I were more social so that my girls could be out and about more.
I think the Lord is coming back VERY soon.
I'm afraid for the direction many churches are going.
Why can't most people just say what's on their minds?
Sometimes I wish I were 4 again. Other times that frightens me to death.
Why is love of fashion innate in some?
I can't believe I have such a wonderful husband.
I could work in the yard every day.
Why does most of my family live far away?
What will heaven really be like?
Jesus has white hair.
When we're meeting the Lord in the air, will I still be afraid of heights?
Why is it hard to talk to the people you love most about Christ?
I love my doggy when he's clean.
I played boxing on my Wii and my arms really hurt.
I wish I could snap my fingers like Mary Poppins and tidy up the house.
Why do non- Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
Do other countries celebrate the 4th of July?
I love it when Annie says, "Hi Mama!"

Why haven't I written on my blog for WEEKS?

Easter and my Baby Girl's 4th Birthday

Voice of Truth

A Touch of Summer Days to Come

Israel You Are Not Alone

Word of God Speak

Refelctions on Poo (no, not Pooh, just Poo)

So, I'm so engrossed in cleaning my kitchen (one has to become completely engrossed when one waits a week to do dishes) that I lost track of where both girls are. I glance over my shoulder, and my firstborn is dutifully cleaning the living room windows. Girl number 2 in the dynamic duo is meandering. You know, that "I'm so bored and I'm not old enough to do anything real constructive so I'll just get into trouble" meandering.

She's itching her rear end.

Poor kid. Stinks to have eczema on your biscuits. Then, I squint and look closer. She quickly stuffs her two middle fingers into her mouth. She sucks these regularly and is ambidextrous. Oh no.

I yell out loud to the heavens, "Oh, dear Father, no!!" But it's too late.

She has transferred whatever was looming in her diaper to her mouth. I am nauseated, and yet, I have to act. Lets just say, 30 minutes later both mom and kid are poo free and smelling much better. I silently thanked the Lord that it was me and not her dad; he's a wonderful father but has a significantly weaker stomach. Wow, the days of my life.


While I wait for the King, I become much more humble, much more resilient, much more thankful for the small things.

I truly believe that all you poo cleaning mamas out there deserve a big ol' badge to wear that says something to the effect of, "I cleaned up nasty poo and all I got was this stinking badge."

On second thought, badges? We don't need no stinking badges. Just chalk it up to treasure in heaven. Very few people will ever know the sacrifices made by mothers (that is, unless you become a mother yourself, or you read my blog in which I detail with precision just how much of a giver I am) but thank goodness, really and truly, that the Father knows. He will indeed reward all of us who give up many other things to change diapers...but also... to receive those smiles and giggles and read those books and tell those kiddos just how much they're worth. They're worth everything.

May I never forget what a blessing these precious moments are. I won't be their favorite person for very much longer.(Just ask my firstborn, she'll tell you, and she knows! She is, after all, almost 4.)

Walking the Tight Rope

In light of my last post, I wanted to make sure that I am not mistaken for one that does not understand the Love of God.

I was awake at 1:00 in the morning last night, unable to sleep. A picture flashed through my mind I was not expecting. I was suspended high in the air on a tight rope. As I looked down, I could see clearly that there was no safety net.

On my left hand side I could see the word grace painted in red on the ground; to my right I could see the word truth. As I stared downward, I could feel myself start to lean in one direction until it felt as if I was being pulled down by an unseen force. A hand reached out and steadied me. No sooner had I been steadied than I began to stumble in the other direction. Again, God's right hand, the Lord Jesus steadied me.

That hand then gently lifted my chin so that I could not look at the ground, but only straight ahead. As I gazed ahead, I could see the Lord on the platform in front of me at the end of the tight rope. He was beckoning me forward. A flood of scripture came to my mind.

I was Peter, tossed on stormy seas, able to walk on water if I kept my eyes on Jesus. I was fixing my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, running a race surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.

The walk of faith demands that we understand grace and truth as dual sides of a beautiful reality that culminates in the person of the Lord Jesus. Only when we fix our eyes on him can we steady our walk, can our vision become clear, can we see the world around us through the eyes of faith.

As aliens and strangers here, pilgrims on a journey, living in tabernacles waiting for our glorious redemption, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. It is through the power of his Spirit that we are changed, that we are conformed into his likeness. It is in him we live and move and have our being. It is through his life, death, and resurrection that the whole counsel of scripture, the whole magnitude of God's plan and character is revealed.

How should we tell people about him? How should we live for him? Let us look to who he is for the answers. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. He is the Lord of all, the great I AM, the bright morning star, the Messiah, the Anointed One, our Passover Lamb, the Lamb that was slain, the Lion of Judah, our peace, our sin offering,the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being... the punishment and wrath we deserved was laid upon his shoulders, and by his wounds we are healed.

Faithfulness. A steady walk looking into the eyes of Jesus.

Hem me in, before me and behind me. May I always hear your voice saying, "This is the way, walk in it."

Until I hear the trumpet and the shout of the Archangel summoning me to meet the King of Kings, this is my prayer. May I look into his eyes and hear those blessed words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

"Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered in shame."Psalm 34:4-6

The Fruit of Faithfulness

At the girls group home that I do bible study at, we each have a bracelet with a fruit of the spirit on it. Each week, we trade and focus on a new fruit. Although I know that it is the Spirit who produces the fruit, we have seen the Lord's hand in orchestrating who gets which bracelet. For some of the girls, this has been a more "fruitful" activity than for others. I have already been very blessed by it. I think I drew "patience" EVERY WEEK (seriously, this is no exaggeration) since we started before Christmas until this past week. Does the Lord have a purpose? Definitely. Does he have a sense of humor? Without a doubt. Pretty soon I found out that I had to have patience with my patience bracelet because I was so tired of it rearing it's ugly patient head. Whenever I would feel overwhelmed, the Lord in his faithfulness would bring a scripture to mind about patience, and inevitably it was a verse speaking of HIS patience with me. Because of his great patience, I am not consumed. Glory to His Name!! The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, but he is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to have eternal life. Amazing. Slowly he reminds me and conforms me to the likeness of his Son.

This past Saturday, I graduated to a new bracelet. "Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles!" (I think in real life we really can break into song regularly, I'm having a flashback of our Fiddler on the Roof 8 track) I have moved on to faithfulness. I have to admit, I was at a bit of a loss as to what this means. I can recall many verses about HIS faithfulness, (If we are faithless, He is faithful, etc.) but I couldn't recall any about believers faithfulness.

True to my nature, I looked it up. God bless Internet bible search tools. Because I have been experiencing certain circumstances which require me to stand in the face of persecution for the TRUTH of God's Word, I was not surprised to see what showed itself though my search. Because God is faithful, this is what he told me this week, "It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth."(3 John 1:3).

The faithfulness he is showing me is faithfulness to the truth; commitment to walking in the truth in the face of slander and backstabbing and false gospels.

As the end approaches, we are told to expect a falling away. We are told that many will be deceived and will turn to what their itching ears want to hear. May those who have ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says about these times. Remain faithful to the one gospel taught in the bible.

It is a gospel of truth spoken in love. Not love at the expense of truth. Love that is Godly. The bible says that God disciplines and rebukes those he loves. That if we are not disciplined, we are illegitimate children. People are not truly saved without the conviction of sin and the truth of the depravity of our own humanity. When we properly see ourselves in light of a holy God, the only choice we have is to confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Messiah, and we will be saved. Not by works, not by praying a prayer, but by BELIEVING in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for our SINS.

Sins. The new 4 letter word in Christianity.

"Come on now Kacey," you complain, "You Christians say that you "hate" things. How can you say you "hate" anything if you follow God? Isn't God LOVE?"

How can I say this? Because God does. Because he is love, he hates what is evil. We are to hate what is evil and cling to what is good. Hate sin. Flee immorality. Avoid every hint of it. ANY HINT. Why? Because we are the representation of GOD on this earth. We are his BODY.

So what is love?

The Messiah I know is a savior who ate with sinners. He showered love and respect and attention on the least of society: the tax collector, the adulterous woman, the prostitute. He came to preach good news to the poor, to bind up the broken hearted. To proclaim freedom for the captive. Why did he keep such company? Because the sinners knew how deep their sin lived, they experienced the breadth of their redemption because they realized the depth of their depravity. Jesus told the woman who wept on his feet, washing them with expensive perfume and her hair, that her faith had saved her. She could love much, because she had been forgiven much.

The TRUE GOSPEL is not one without love. It is not the self righteous Pharisaical bull horn turn or burn gospel. It is also not one that says you can live like the world and be saved. It is through a narrow gate and on a narrow path that we are saved. Broad is the way that leads to destruction. Jesus saves. Jesus loves. Jesus came as a lamb lead to the slaughter. Jesus is coming as a lion to judge the nations. This is the truth. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (I like this verse lately.)

And so, may the Lord grow in me the fruit of faithfulness. Faithfulness to his truth, the uncompromising gospel of love that is just and requires that we turn from our sinful nature and become children of the day who walk in the light.

Come quickly Lord.

While Nat Waits for the King, and Bumpers

Random kid observations for the day

Nat: Mom, when Jesus comes back, I'm going to be two things. I'm going to be a princess and a cheerleader. With the pom-poms that uncle Ryan gave me I'm going to hear the trumpet and say,"Yeah Jesus, you came to take us to heaven, yeah!" oh, and I'm going to wear these shoes. (For Nat, it's all about shoes. These particular ones are pink princess sandals with a large flower on the front. I'm sure they'll go well when she's clothed in white.)

Annie: Mama...bumper? bumper?(Peanut butter bumpers are small round peanut butter flavored cereal sweetened with molasses. Healthy and tasty, one of Annie's favs.) Annie walks into the laundry room, faces the dog food bowl and says, bumper? bumper? I realize, they do look remarkably alike. I better keep all the eyes behind my head on that one. She's the stealthy one.


priceless.

Redacted

I recently had a post about bitterness. It was NOT deleted by me or redacted. For reasons unknown to me, it has disappeared. Truly, just gone. For those who read it in time, blessings.:)

speaking of guilt trips

I know that some of my millions of readers are new to the blogging world. I would like to say THANK YOU to Karen who is really the ONLY one who ever comments on my blog. I'm beginning to think that I'm just alone in a small room screaming and no one is noticing. (oh, that's just me trying to get the girls attention, sorry. I'm projecting... and digressing.) Anyway, thanks Karen for commenting on my posts. It really means a lot to me. And those of you who read and never say so, thanks. (Mom, this means you. I know you read it, such a great mom!) I appreciate you caring about what I have to say, as trite and silly as it may be.

I think I'm brilliant, however, and I'm sticking to that.

Feel free to comment though, really. Anonymous is fine. Anything is fine. Really. Hello? Hello? (echo, echo, echo)***sigh***.(sometimes I feel just like Charlie Brown)

I know, I'll post more pictures of my girls, that'll get em! (diabolical laughter)

a little here, a little there...

While I wait for the return of Jesus, I have two things that I think about on a daily basis that keep me grounded. One is living a life above reproach at work so that I have a living testimony to my co-workers and show them the grace and truth of serving Christ. The other is finding things to do with my ACTIVE children who are VERY social.

On the first count, I was able to share my testimony and the gospel message with a coworker today. His wife has been unfaithful and he's kind of at the end of himself. He can't sleep, his health is tanking, he has 3 daughters to take care of and has no foundation or source of hope. I won't mention his name, but please pray for him, that the Lord would show him how faithful he is and how much hope we all have in Jesus, not just to escape Hell, but to have life abundantly here on Earth.

Speaking of life here on Earth, my girls are doing me in lately. If any of my faithful readers would like to subsidize pre-school for my 4 year old next fall, please, let me know. I have confronted my own introversion and I cannot keep up with a radically extroverted daughter. I've come up with what I feel to be a brilliant idea. What do you think of having "play dates" (who came up with that phrase anyway? Can't kids just play anymore? NO, because we are so BUSY and we don't know are neighbors. Oh, and there's crazy people out there so the kids can't just play outside)oh, sorry. Play dates for introverted moms. Bring your kids and a book. BYOB.

You don't have to talk. In fact, talking about meaningless and trivial things is strictly prohibited. No obligatory ramblings about how brilliant your child is, their latest sport or outfit, your new car or new house or new hair color. You MAY show up in your pajama pants and you MAY have no make up and show how many facial blemishes you really have. Slippers are a plus. Your kids should be clean and not snotty but may also be in pajamas. It can be last minute. It does not need to be in my date book for 2 months as long as you don't expect sparkling floors and pristine glass.

Are there any of you out there? Anyone who relates with the fact that I only have 1200 square feet to live in and it JUST GETS MESSY QUICK? Anyone who avoids the park and the library because everyone feels the need to talk about themselves and their children but NEVER introduce themselves? What a bizarre world.

Introverts of the world unite.

I suppose that will never happen unless it's a blogging play date because we're all at home, hunkered down, playing Candyland and reading books and going for walks and praying that our children won't be damaged from our solitude.

There is an endless amount essentially benign and unimportant things to get your nighty in a knot and feel guilty about, huh?

Mom, you were right. When you become a mother you should get a T-Shirt that says "Bring on the Guilt."

Amen. Come quickly Lord.

Need a laugh??

When God Whispered my Name

I've been doing a bible study that talks about believing God. The part that I'm on asks you to go through your past in small increments looking for God's hand and provision throughout. I was struck almost dumb yesterday (by almost I mean, I was still able to call and chat with mom about it) when thinking back on the years 7-12 years old. These were very dark years for me.

My family was part of a cult that taught about God, but didn't know him, and offered no way to really reach him. We moved innumerable times and I went to 4 different schools. I had few friends, and because we kept the Sabbath and didn't celebrate holidays or birthdays, I didn't really get to know anyone and was always very alone. Life was chaotic at best, baby brother was the shining beacon of hope for the family, my older brother the tormented, misunderstood rebellious one that needed LOTS of attention. Somewhere along the way I realized that I was just totally alone. But somewhere, somehow, through the fog of legalism and the darkness of isolation, I heard someone whisper to me.

It was a voice that told me I was special. That my life was created for something. That I had a hope and a future. That there was more to God and faith than I could even imagine. I gripped that message and rode it through my turbulent teens until I reached that pinnacle moment of making the worst mistake of my life. I felt shame, guilt, sadness, isolation and yet I heard, "I've made you different for a reason Kacey. I am carving a need in you so deep you will only be able to reach up for me and find my hand."

Little did I know I would find a nail scarred hand, a crown of thorns, and a savior who said he'd take all my ashes and turn them to beauty. In one afternoon, in one breath, one cry, the Lord Almighty came into my lonely life. I have nothing to say except my life has never been the same. I have NEVER felt alone again. I have been blessed beyond measure. Suddenly, the pain and suffering of childhood faded as I saw the meaning in my trials. Only because of the hole carved deep in me by the masters hand would I truly be able to see the depth of my need and reach out for the hand that had been reaching out to me.

While I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me. This is the hope of salvation. It is the promise of redemption. That he can take an ugly, lonely, confused existence and give it meaning and purpose and beauty. I have been blessed by a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful children, but most of all, I know the one who whispers my name. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. The one who was, and is, and is to come.

If you don't know him, if you are reaching out for meaning and significance and finding only air, cry out to him because he is never far from any one of us. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. A daughter of the King, Princess Kacey. He whispers my name.

LOST in LOST

Attention anyone watching Lost: if, by some small chance, you are looking for anything other than a muddy and slightly violent soap opera, please keep looking. WHAT THE HECK!! Is it just me, or do they keep adding more "mystery" while trying to give answers that makes the whole thing insipidly confusing and obtusely unsatisfying? Is there REALLY any difference between this sad excuse for night time programming and the ongoing plight of the Brady family on "Days of our Lives"? I mean, really. I hadn't watched Days since high school, I caught a bit the other day, and shockingly enough, it's EXACTLY the same, same plot, same people, same mysteriously "evil" antagonists... The allure of LOST is the symbolism, the literary references, the space-time-continuum conundrum. I can't seem to stop watching though. Shame on me. Hey, Jack? Catch you next week. And dude, please, stay away from the Asian tattoo parlors.

Roscoes House

OK, just in case you are afraid I've lost my mind, (shut up, seriously, I can hear you saying, "girl, I know you lost it!") the Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles promotional ad campaign located just to your right of this post comes directly from the mind of a somewhat mentally unstable and shockingly odd 31 year old man we'll call "Neff". Though I have eaten at the aforementioned establishment, and it was, remarkably, tasty, I would never have thought to spend an hour looking for a suitable photo to display, promoting this eatery. "Neff" on the other hand, took it as a personal mission. All this to say, it's stinking cold here and "Neff" is thinking back to days gone by when we could eat outside under the palm tress, wearing shorts, getting tan, and remarking to ourselves, "it's February". So. Cal., wherever you are, we're missing you right now.

(Roscoe ad deleted per blog owner request. Gratuitous promotion of highly caloric and cholesterol inducing edibles now strictly prohibited.)

A Residential Treatment Home

For those of you who don't know, in a bizarre twist of fate/irony or what I know to be the hand of the Lord, I who HATED high school and couldn't wait to be free, now spend much of my free time with teenage girls. Yikes. My friend Patty and I have the opportunity every Saturday night to go, by invitation, to a state funded residential treatment facility for teenage girls…and teach bible study. How amazing is that. These girls are there because they have drug and/or alcohol problems and have failed foster care, or they have committed a crime and are there through the xxx (state deleted) Youth Authority. Despite their backgrounds and experiences, they are amazingly resilient and insatiably curious young girls.

As you may imagine, these girls have been victimized repeatedly by numerous people throughout their lives. They come from drug homes, abusive homes, or transient homes. One girl rejoiced with us that her mother was in prison and could no longer take the drugs that were blowing out her veins. Another came to study one week glowing and joyous because she had finally had the courage to testify at her father's trial about her extensive abuse. Another sweet girl asks us to pray that she'll behave long enough to earn the privilege of shaving her legs.

I could go on and on.

We are studying with them right now the proofs of the bible and of Jesus as Messiah in the student version of "The Case for Christ".

These girls ask some of the hardest questions imaginable. They want to know if Jesus cares that they were abused and abandoned. They want to know if he was there while they were being beaten and neglected. If God could still love people like them. How can they know for sure? How can they trust Him? Why didn't he stop the abuse they went through? Can he help them be free of their addictions? What if they're mad at Him or forget to pray, are they still saved?

When I look at them I can hear Jesus as he said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Slowly and carefully, they are turning to Jesus. One precious girl came to to the facility thinking that god was in the trees and the animals. She asked, is that god? No, he is not the flower, but he made the flower. We should never praise the creation instead of the creator. If you could only see how far she’s come! Her face glows with the grace of God as one who has been washed in the blood of a perfect savior who has made her as white as snow. She can't stop talking about Jesus, she has met the one who makes her face radiant. "Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered in shame."

My purpose in writing this isn't to brag, though I love to talk about how wonderful they are. It isn't to horrify or shock you, though the things they've experienced are horrifying and shocking. My hope is that you will remember us on Saturday nights from 7-8, that you would cover all of us in prayer. For Patty and I, pray that we speak the word of God with boldness and that we shower them with the love of Christ in humility and kindness. For each of the girls, that their time at the facility would prove to be the time when they meet their savior, and their lives are changed for eternity. That they trust and believe that God is who he says he is, that He can do what he says he can do, that they are who He says they are, that they can do all things through Christ and that His word is alive and active in them.

Thank you, Father, for loving each of us so much that you sent your Son, Jesus. Thank you that each of us can become new creatures, free to live an abundant life. Amen.

Treasure Box

I think that every child needs a treasure box. Because I was finally exasperated by finding Baby Girl's "treasures" lying willy-nilly all over the house, today I introduced her to the concept of a treasure box. I just happened to have kept a Tinkerbell tin that had contained pajamas from Costco, so "voila", a treasure box. If all goes well, through her life she'll collect amazingly profound things like unearthed rocks and fallen teeth. Maybe it will even become the box that gets found under a floor board several generations down the line. Today, however, it consists of: chapstick, a card from Grammy, and a pocket calendar. The life of a 3 year old in a box.

A Shot of Whiskey

Life is not dull when one is in possession of a super-charged, doesn't miss a beat 3 year old. Yesterday, I was forced to cover my hind end at church because of a comment made by Baby Girl in Sunday school class a few weeks ago. Now mind you, this is second hand info through my hubby, but needless to say, still alarming. While Baby Girl and friends were wading through a detailed bible lesson about Joseph, Baby Girl decides she will give a lengthy dissertation about "a shot of whiskey" that she'd heard about. My hubby had been telling me about an illness deterrent/remedy that his dad had been given which consisted of a shot of whiskey. That was enough, I guess, for Baby Girl to generate an entire story about how SHE had had a shot of whiskey. Apparently, the teacher said she could have that at home, but they needed to talk about Joseph in class. So, yesterday, I felt it incumbent upon me to explain the incident to the pastor's wife, just in case it got around. We don't have a gossipy church, but I figured, who wouldn't want to share a story like that! And so, I share it with all of my blogging buddies.

Wake up!

The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11)

Warning: this post is not for the faint of heart. Although it may seem a bit harsh, please trust that it comes from a loving heart who's just tired of having people beat around the bush.

I cannot describe to you how many times I've woken up during the night with the words running through my mind, "wake up! Wake up!" Although this may seem a "normal" thing to think upon waking up, my spirit understood what I was hearing. It was a prayer for the church, the very body of Christ living in these end times. The Spirit cries "wake up!!"


While my sisters and brothers are eating, drinking and being merry; while they store up treasures on earth and allow themselves to be tainted by divorce and infidelity, the Lord is drawing many to him, pouring out his Spirit, bringing revival. As American Christians, we are at best luke warm, people are being brutally murdered around the world every day because they simply believe in Christ.

If you grew up in church and now think you are OK and have no room for God, wake up! You will not enter into heaven just because your parents went to church or you were a good person. No one is good enough to stand in front of a holy God. Turn back to him and allow yourself to be humble and give praise where it's due. Your jobs, activities, possessions, etc will not save you, only the gift of grace offered by Jesus can cover our sins.

Find out for yourself where you stand. This is not a time just to look for comfort. A time is rapidly approaching when it will be too late to plead ignorance, and if you've read this message, you are already without excuse. Even as I write this, please know I'm not nuts. I simply love the Lord, and I have researched my faith and discovered that Jesus really is who he claimed to be, and he claimed to be the only way to the Father, the only narrow road to eternal life.

He will not force himself on you. Unlike other rapidly growing faiths, you won't be beheaded if you don't convert. You may feel like you're really just coasting right through life, but ask yourself, is that hope based on anything, or do you feel like you're OK because things are going OK right now?

Lift your eyes to the heavens, because the King is coming soon.

Have I mentionedmy hubby Lately?

I've seen a lot of proud mom blogs. Everyone espousing some pithy anecdote about this child or that, proclaiming their 3 year old's brilliance, or contrarily, their endearing mischief and adventures. As Seinfeld would say, "not that there's anything wrong with that." But something is missing on many a stay-at-home mom's blog and today, I will attempt to address this directly by giving a big old shout out to the dad of the year, my hubby.
Have I mentioned him lately? Probably not as much as I should, or in the light that I should. He is the hardest worker I know and gets little praise or compensation for his diligence. And yet, his comment about that is, "The Lord knows and he'll reward me." The world (and I) would say, "But you deserve so much more, stand up for yourself, demand the reward and attention that you deserve. Don't let other people take credit for your ideas and labor!" We as believers are not called to be doormats, and He certainly isn't that. What he is is an incredibly humble man. His ego does not need the boost of others to affirm that he is worth while or successful.
As long as I've known him, he has defined his success by keeping his family his top priority in time and attention. He loves his girls, gives me nights off regularly, tells me that he loves me. And what do I do? I get on him for not asking for more money. I have already asked for forgiveness for this, but by way of making amends, I offer this: There is no one like my hubby, he is a wonderful husband and father, and I will not wait until someone is writing an obituary for him to shout it from the rooftop of my blog.
There, the truth is spoken.

An Empty Tomb and Sharing My Hope

A week ago, I shared with a friend how negligent I'd been about sharing the hope that I have in Jesus with others. I have all the same excuses as everyone else. I'm short on time. I'm embarrassed. I'm sure they'll consider me a fanatic. There is one thing, however, that I don't think. I don't think Jesus is a liar. He said of himself, "I am the way, the truth and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through me."(John 14:6) Perhaps you've heard the "Lunatic,Liar or Lord" argument that was made famous by C.S. Lewis. If Jesus was just a good moral teacher and he claimed to be God and wasn't, he was lying. Good moral teachers don't lie. Either he was lying and wasn't God or a good moral teacher, or he was crazy to say he was God. None of his actions or statements would fall into ANY category of mental illness or instability. If he is neither crazy, nor a liar, he is then who he said he was. The only way to the Father. Jesus said that he and the Father are one, making himself equal to, and therefore, God. This is why he was accused by the Jewish leaders and consequently crucified. Listen to me carefully. He didn't say he was just a good teacher. He said he was God. So what do YOU do with that? If he is God, he deserves our complete worship and trust.
So, I had confessed my indifference about evangelism to my friend, and she suggested I listen to "The Way of the Master" which teaches believers in Jesus how to share their faith. I made a mental note, but didn't follow up. So last night, as I dozed after American Idol, I flipped to a channel that was showing Kirk Cameron of 80's fame teaching about evangelism. I thought, hey, that's cool. He's got some good stuff there. I watched for a while, then fell asleep. So this morning, I click on a link to someone's blog, and they have a link to a test asking "Are you good enough". I thought this was odd because this was on the TV show last night. I clicked on it, and sure enough, there was Kirk Cameron, teaching evangelism. I looked at the website, it was www.wayofthemaster.com. So, God pointed the way last week. He showed me the way last night, he maneuvered the way online this morning to hear "The Way of the Master". And isn't that just like the way of my master. He will never leave me or forsake me. He does not dwell in coincidence, but delights in showing his glory in our lives.
This "God Stop" in my life served to do two things: To remind me again that God is NEAR and cares intimately about me. And also, he cares about all of us and wants everyone to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:4) I can either let him use me to reach others, or, as the bible says, the very rocks will cry out. So now, I'm convinced, "Ain't no rock gonna take my place."