my day off

Today was a BLAST!  I got a totally unexpected phone call from a friend asking me to go Thrifting with her - I said yes!  I hurried to sweep and leave the house completely cleaned so I could return to a relaxing, clean, organized home and then away we went!

Because I am still not permitted to drive until October, I haven't shopped very much at all.  Today I made up for it.

I LOVE thrifting - it's like going on a treasure hunt and I found some treasures!  I also LOVE being with my amazing friends!!

Some of the things I found were...


Royal Dalton expresso cups and saucers for $1.99 a set.
Huge boxes of tea light candles for communion at Crossroads for $3 - $4.  (Nearly all communion supplies have been purchased at thrift stores except for the bread trays).
And finally - jeans that fit like I like them to!  I think I bought 5 pairs between $3.00 - $6.99, great deals.

All in all I probably spent what 2 pairs of regular not-on-sale jeans cost in the department store for everything I bought today!  Very worth while!

All this to say, I love days when I am caught up at home and don't have to feel guilty about being gone!

Tomorrow - I purge my closet of things I haven't worn this year, or things that no longer fit.  Then, I'll fill up our local thrift store!

weekend report

What a blessing this weekend has been!  Dan lead us beautifully with strings and the worship was sweet indeed!  And the message was so full of God breathed teaching about how we can know with certainty that God's Word is just that words from the mouth of God himself!

Our setlist:
Our Great God - Ortega (beautiful version)
More Than Amazing - Brewster
How Great Is Our God/How Great Thou Art - Tomlin
Our God - Tomlin
Interview with Aaron Nicolas - our new Coffee House Manager
Message:  Systematic Theology Pt. 2 - Pastor Tim Armstrong
Special:  Word of God Speak

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

To watch our services or download go to www.crossroadswired.com

discouragement

Man, the enemy knows exactly how to stop me dead in my tracks.

Discouragement.

I allow it to rob me...

of all creativity

all motivation

all confidence

all happiness

My determination is replaced by "it's never enough" and thoughts of incompetence.

My head totally knows it's a choice to allow it to affect me versus just learning from it.

But my heart won't let go.

It can be the most simple thing - a misunderstanding with a friend, something I considered creative that is rejected or made fun of or just a job that I don't do in an excellent way.

The enemy grabs it and dangles it in front of my eyes and I can see nothing else.

Discouraged is a lonely place to be.

But, the defense I have is an eternal perspective.

I force myself to snatch it from the hands of discouragement and throw it into the arms of the only One in whom I rest.

Never failing

Never critical

Never unforgiving

Never grudge-holding

Always encouraging

And with the choice made to look at how insignificant these discouraging things have been -

I realize they have no lasting significance.

It's already forgotten in Him.

I force myself back into the "try" of significant accomplishment refusing to remain in trivial.  

I continue to be available to His calling whatever that is ....forever.

a thank you list

As you know - my favorite spot is my deck.

It is magnificently peaceful and an extremely comfortable evening.

The last time I sat on my deck may have been back in June, I cannot remember.

I have allowed my summer to get away somehow, and yet I don't regret how I have spent any of my time.  I would describe this summer as very productive.

I can't seem to be productive and rest both.  So I am tired, but very, very thankful.

Tonight my thank you list is:

An authentic very personal faith
A faithful Godly husband
Godly children and children-in-law
Godly parents that I adore
A Mother-In-Law that I love (not many women can say that one!)
A job that has great purpose
Friends that would drop everything to help in any way I needed help
My needs are completely met
I am satisfied

What is it that you are thankful for?  Will you share it with us?

Have a beautiful night!

what I learned today

Today I was home for a few hours.

Looking over my house it appeared to be completely undisturbed and organized because we have not been home except to sleep lately.

But, I decided since I had the time, to go ahead and run the vacuum and dust.

What looked clean on the outside was not clean at all!

The variety of spiders in tiny webs tucked neatly under windowsills or in corners behind furniture was quite surprising!  Near my fireplace there was dust and a few dead bugs and I soon became very aware that this casual sweeping and dusting was very needed and in fact past-due!

As I eliminated the dirt and dust I thought about how I have to continuously work to take the next step in spiritual maturity, to walk closely to the Lord to not only appear to be a believer (to look clean) but, to be all I need to be deep down where no one sees, no one that is but Him.

Later today as I was studying the life of Mary Magdeline.  I was reminded that she was a woman who was one of the most radically rescued of any woman in the Bible.  The Savior had delivered her from 7 demons.  Can you imagine?

She was the one following the resurrection of her Lord who was completely devastated and was sure someone had moved him from the grave and taken his body away.  She was nearly inconsolable - and then she heard it.  A voice that she recognized.  And in that instant she knew He had risen and she had not lost her precious Savior!

In John 10:3-4 it says "He calls his own sheep by name... and they know His voice!"

She knew His voice.  I want to know His voice, in my regular day - dusting and cleaning and whatever my regular looks like.

a two-fold picnic

The volunteer picnic this past weekend served a two-fold purpose.

The obvious purpose is to say loud and clear to the volunteers that serve so faithfully at Crossroads - WE COULD NOT DO MINISTRY WITHOUT YOU - THANK YOU!!

The other benefit is that the staff works ALL together to accomplish the thank-you!

We spend our work days all working in different areas of the ministry rarely getting to work together - so these special events bring us together !  So with a 50's theme we celebrated one another!!

The Crossroads Staff - a well oiled machine!

The staff serves our amazing volunteers!

Milo and Steve dishing it out!

Jamie awarding a lollipop award!

The hill that many tried to conquer!

Grace's award winning bubble at our 50's picnic!

Lots of lollipops to the winners!

Another lollipop award from Leah!

Again I say, Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers!!

I have nothing to say

Hard to believe I know that I would have nothing to say.

Seriously, I had SO much work to do following my return from Cambodia, I barely could keep up with my laundry let alone writing or creating anything - even with just me and my hubby in the house !

It wasn't just work at Crossroads it was helping family members move and get settled and so on...

But - now I am ready to settle back in.  I miss my routine.  I miss writing and art and reading.  I am looking forward to the next few weeks, I realize something unexpected will probably come up it always does.  But the big things are done for a little while so I get to work within a regular schedule...ish

Today I have this to say...

As I catch glimpses of the olympics I think about the lives that have been spent preparing for these 2 weeks.  I listen to parents' stories about how their children's whole lives have been spent at practices and trainings and time away from them.  I just heard a Chinese diver's story of not allowed to see her parents for long periods of time.  Is it worth it?

Probably not in the scope of eternity.

But, this kind of single-mindedness is exactly what we as believers should have in order to live with focus.  How I long for this kind of a dedicated life pointing toward the things of eternity instead of passing things.