1 step forward - 2 steps back

This title sums up my day.

I started off the week feeling highly organized and like I was making progress - moving forward a step at a time.

But today was a different story - at least 2 steps back.

I don't know why...things I felt were well under way heading toward completion just kind of fizzled out and stopped.  Disappointing.  Ever have a day like that?

Always when things fall apart I examine myself first, always.  Did I do everything I should have?  Am I the cause of the problem?  What can I do if anything to solve it?  Some times it is my fault, some times it isn't, it doesn't make it much easier either way.

And then the evening came.

Line dancing - 1 step forward and 2 steps back.  The description of my day came alive right in front of me.

I met with the team leaving soon for Cambodia to learn line dances so that we can dance with the orphans when we go next month.

How ironic that the movement of my feet preparing to 'go' - made the very pattern that described my day so well.

fallen soldiers = no mothers day

I was saddened tonight when the news gave the details of several funerals for soldiers fallen in war.

The TV pictures of these brave, handsome young men in the prime of their life made it very difficult to believe they were actually gone.  I think in both cases it was a road-side bomb that cut their lives short.

The day these men left for the service was a day that probably brought great worry and constant concern to their mother's lives.  But I would guess you never really believe it can happen to you...the loss of a young son passing before you do.  Horrifying.

No happy Mother's Day this year...or maybe ever again...

As we approach mother's day this week, I couldn't help but pray for the moms of these two men.  How different their weekend will be this year - all because of the evil and hatred that fills this fallen world.

It made me ask myself if I really believe what I say - "that my children belong to the Lord"?  I've heard those words come out of my mouth before.

Do I mean what I say - or are they mine all mine!?

Sunday on Mother's Day, please join me in praying for the Mother's without their fallen children.

my day off

I fell back to sleep today and slept until almost 10:00 a.m.!  Good grief - half the day almost gone!  Oh well it's My Day Off! Woo Hoo!

After all that sleep I swear I hit the ground running full blast - within an hour I had all my winter clothes transferred to an upstairs closet  and another closet organized and laundry in.




Soon after that we were on our way to meet up with family to talk, eat, move in more boxes, watched our son's music video, made my favorite cookies - the Chinese cookies they used to make at Gene's bakery and sat down to watch The Voice.

Looking back I have to ask - was their eternal significance anywhere in my day?

Yes, yes, yes!  More than some of my 'church' workdays!

Rest.
Mark 6:31   And He Said to Them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while."  For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.


God created rest...that seventh day he spoke of it.

Organized closets and my home.
I Corinthians 14:40  But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.


Not trying to take scripture out of context - but the Bible is never random or unorganized - always purposeful and heading somewhere specific...organized.

Spent the day with my hubby and extended family!

Genesis 2:24   Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Psalm 127:3-5   Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

I am truly, truly blessed!  Even the most simple day is His!!

weekend report

It was a fabulous weekend.  Pastor Tim challenged us to love our enemies -  he demonstrated this by taping an interview with the President of the Islamic Society of Mansfield who he has recently formed a friendship with.  It was a lesson our congregation won't soon forget!

Our setlist:

No One Like You - Crowder

Revive Us Again - Big Daddy Weave

The Only One - Passion

All Because of the Cross - Baloche

Yahweh - Passions

Message:  Christianity and Islam - Pt. 4 - Sr. Pastor Tim Armstrong

Exit Song:  Yahweh

To see what other ministries used in their worship service go to www.theworshipcommunity.com

Video Director Garrett peaks around the corner among his multiple video screens with CG operator Sue !

Worship leader Dan with the amazing praise team

Pastor Tim received a gift of Jelly Bellies from Mike our sound assistant

Milo and the boys leading us in worship!

LIttle Annie came with her mommy one of the praise team members!

Dan with his lone jelly bean...

saturday skype blessings

There is no greater blessing then to begin a day seeing and talking to the children in Cambodia that families at Crossroads support.

To watch parents bring their young children to Skype with the orphan they personally support moves me more than I can explain.

The opportunity to teach your children our responsibility to care for others around the world by SEEING and TALKING with them personally is beyond anything I experienced in the church as a child.  The children being raised by families at Crossroads that have 'adopted' a brother or sister from across the world can teach  responsibility in ways that missionaries never had the chance to do in the past.

Angie Mahek, a Praise Team member and our Shelby House Church pastor's wife and hostess , came walking in to the Skype event at Crossroads this morning with her 4 girls in tow.  It was precious to watch!

The girl they support sang the words "Worthy is the Lamb..." to them.  Oh My Goodness - the orphans teach us so much about mercy, and care and about appreciating the gift that Jesus Christ is to each of us!

Here is the song being sung from the lips of an orphan now in the care of Asia's Hope and supported by Angie's family.

And as if that wasn't enough - then to watch a big strong fully grown man - near tears, making 'heart' shapes with his huge hands to the little ones.....I lost it!

That perhaps is the best example I can think of to demonstrate the change that happens to us when we participate in serving others.  Regard for ourselves disappears, we don't care what others may think.  We know with confidence what God has called us to do.  And for our children....it's a life lesson they'll never forget.

I sit and watch

I love to sit and watch many things, clouds, people, storms, but one of my favorites have always been birds!

I used to read every book I could borrow from the library about them, I used to sit in my bedroom on our family's second floor beside my window - eye level to a very tall tree.  There I would sit for hours and sketch the birds.  I don't know what happened to my sketches.

Birds all by themselves would single-handedly convince me there is a Creator.  They are fascinating and self-sufficient and meticulously detailed and they sing to the King daily!

Tonight just before sunset - cardinals ate at our bird feeder.  It's a feeder with a very tiny perch.  I wondered if they could stay on the perch.  They did.  They used their tails to balance their weight - with quick flicks it counter balanced the sway the wind caused.  An amazing design.

Why would the creator of the world care about such detail?  And then why would He allow me to see it ?

My guess is that He loves it when we appreciate His handiwork - when His attention to such detail causes me to Worship Him.

I love Him and I praise Him for all He shows me each day.  His is my Father and the Creator of billions and billions of detail that points me toward Him.

Job 12:7-10 (ESV)

⁷ “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
    the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
⁸ or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;
    and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
⁹ Who among all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?
¹⁰ In his hand is the life of every living thing
    and the breath of all mankind.

test results are back

My EEG came back normal.  

No further testing required, the only remaining evidence of the seizure is - no driving.

I wanted to thank you for all of your faithful prayers.  

I have always heard it said that you don't know how many friends you have until you need something.  And friends appeared out of the woodwork the past few weeks as many called, and wrote and prayed.

It is humbling to feel physically vulnerable - deep down inside we all feel infallible at times that is until  bad health hits - it's quite a reality check.

Hebrews 4:9

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

I now LONG to experience sabbath in Christ.  The true sabbath was not just a rest one day in seven but involved a complete change of life.  In Him we have a Sabbath that never ends.  We are living the sabbath rest, well, at least we are supposed to be.  I am determined with the Lord's help to demonstrate a more balanced life.

I remember hearing leaders I looked up to in the past talk about how they ran too hard until they began to experience weakness of one kind or another that slowed them down.  That moved them to a Godly pace.

There are many ways to be a Godly example - perhaps the most Godly among us simply have a better understanding of what God intended for our bodies and minds to be capable of.  They know how and when to rest.  And their Godliness comes as a reward of slower pace.  

Perhaps when Jesus says, "Follow Me"  He means just that.              Follow....don't pass.