Mountain Escape
3 hours ago
Monday, December 21, 2009
Our Precious Mama Siesta!
Please read this post from Beth Moore's blog and be inspired. Remember to please keep praying for our wonderful Bible teacher and her family.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thanks Again Crosswalk
This is yet another great Christmas poem from one of my Crosswalk newsletters. It is excellent especially for all those "Santa wannabes" out there!
The REAL Night Before Christmas
(By Parents)
'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
I searched for the tools to hand to my spouse
Instructions were studied and we were inspired,
in hopes we could manage "Some Assembly Required."
The children were quiet (not asleep) in their beds,
while Dad and I faced the evening with dread:
a kitchen, two bikes, Barbie's townhouse to boot!
And now, thanks to Grandpa, a train with a toot!
We opened the boxes, my heart skipped a beat -
let no parts be missing or parts incomplete!
Too late for last-minute returns or replacement;
if we can't get it right, it goes straight to the basement!
When what to my worrying eyes should appear
but 50 sheets of directions, concise, but not clear,
With each part numbered and every slot named,
so if we failed, only we could be blamed.
More rapid than eagles the parts then fell out,
all over the carpet they were scattered about.
"Now bolt it! Now twist it! Attach it right there!
Slide on the seats, and staple the stair!
Hammer the shelves, and nail to the stand."
"Honey," said hubby, "you just glued my hand."
And then in a twinkling, I knew for a fact
that all the toy dealers had indeed made a pact
to keep parents busy all Christmas Eve night
with "assembly required" till morning's first light.
We spoke not a word, but kept bent at our work,
till our eyes, they went blurry; our fingers all hurt.
The coffee went cold and the night, it wore thin
before we attached the last rod and last pin.
Then laying the tools away in the chest,
we fell into bed for a well-deserved rest.
But I said to my husband just before I passed out,
"This will be the best Christmas, without any doubt.
Tomorrow we'll cheer, let the holiday ring,
and not run to the store for one single thing!
We did it! We did it! The toys are all set
for the perfect, most magical, Christmas, I bet!"
Then off to dreamland and sweet repose
I gratefully went, though I suppose
there's something to say for those self-deluded-
I'd forgotten that BATTERIES are never included!
The REAL Night Before Christmas
(By Parents)
'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
I searched for the tools to hand to my spouse
Instructions were studied and we were inspired,
in hopes we could manage "Some Assembly Required."
The children were quiet (not asleep) in their beds,
while Dad and I faced the evening with dread:
a kitchen, two bikes, Barbie's townhouse to boot!
And now, thanks to Grandpa, a train with a toot!
We opened the boxes, my heart skipped a beat -
let no parts be missing or parts incomplete!
Too late for last-minute returns or replacement;
if we can't get it right, it goes straight to the basement!
When what to my worrying eyes should appear
but 50 sheets of directions, concise, but not clear,
With each part numbered and every slot named,
so if we failed, only we could be blamed.
More rapid than eagles the parts then fell out,
all over the carpet they were scattered about.
"Now bolt it! Now twist it! Attach it right there!
Slide on the seats, and staple the stair!
Hammer the shelves, and nail to the stand."
"Honey," said hubby, "you just glued my hand."
And then in a twinkling, I knew for a fact
that all the toy dealers had indeed made a pact
to keep parents busy all Christmas Eve night
with "assembly required" till morning's first light.
We spoke not a word, but kept bent at our work,
till our eyes, they went blurry; our fingers all hurt.
The coffee went cold and the night, it wore thin
before we attached the last rod and last pin.
Then laying the tools away in the chest,
we fell into bed for a well-deserved rest.
But I said to my husband just before I passed out,
"This will be the best Christmas, without any doubt.
Tomorrow we'll cheer, let the holiday ring,
and not run to the store for one single thing!
We did it! We did it! The toys are all set
for the perfect, most magical, Christmas, I bet!"
Then off to dreamland and sweet repose
I gratefully went, though I suppose
there's something to say for those self-deluded-
I'd forgotten that BATTERIES are never included!
Friday, November 6, 2009
World Missions
I was doing some research for Ronnie for a sermon on evangelism in the world and I came across this video. We need to get to work!!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Life Changes
It has been quite a while since I have written (for ALL the many readers I have!). Just to catch any of you up who were worried:
*I have been going back through Believing God again this time with the ladies of my church. We meet Sunday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 and have had an awesome time with this one! I had forgotten how hard this was and how much "remembering" I had to do the first time through. Originally when I went through this Mary Gwen was getting ready to have her brain surgery and I am so thankful that God knew that I needed that study right then. So far, we are over half-way through and are getting to the point of journaling our past experiences with the God that we have come to believe. I am holding on with the chart of my life...what an awesome gift to have for my children!
*I have finished reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I could not put it down and read it in less than a week! I can't wait to discuss this with our Spirit Seekers book club. Awesome read! I have been wanting to read this book for some time and thought it was just too long for right now (Ha! Ha!) Such a REAL story!
*Ronnie gave us all a scare this past week. He finally goes to the doctor after he admitted he had been feeling bad for quite some time. He has found out that he is diabetic along with some other less complicated issues that were probably brought on by the diabetes. More tests left and more decisions to make soon. And I think that within just the last week, we have gotten enough facts, and suggestions to write a complete guide to diabetes! Our friends and church family are so wonderful...you know someone loves you when you have something like this and they want to share everything they know about it!
But seriously, Ronnie and I both believe that this was God's way of getting his attention and our attention as a family to get us to begin a more healthy lifestyle. I think if we continue to keep going like we are when we know in our hearts that we need to make a change, our loving Father will get our attention to "wake us up" and finally do what He wants us to do. Thank you Lord for the wake up call and the forgiveness that follows it!!
*Big changes for my oldest daughter...SAT's, college applications, pageant, and many other very difficult life changes for her. I remember how hard it was to see what was waiting for me in adulthood..life is hard! I see so much strength in her..much more than I ever had and I am so proud that she knows the One that she needs to seek her refuge in.
*Many changes going on in our women's ministry at church...more to come on that later and hopefully in our women's ministry blog. God is so good and He will receive all the glory!
*And finally continuing to pray for my brother-in-law and his wife who are trying to patiently wait for the Lord's timing in going to get their little baby girl Sierra from Rwanda. It weighs heavy on my heart. Praying that God would allow them to hear news soon so that they can go and get her and bring her home.
Okay so busy times are a constant in this family! I want to get back to the blog soon..I miss writing and am praying for God's direction in that area.
*I have been going back through Believing God again this time with the ladies of my church. We meet Sunday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 and have had an awesome time with this one! I had forgotten how hard this was and how much "remembering" I had to do the first time through. Originally when I went through this Mary Gwen was getting ready to have her brain surgery and I am so thankful that God knew that I needed that study right then. So far, we are over half-way through and are getting to the point of journaling our past experiences with the God that we have come to believe. I am holding on with the chart of my life...what an awesome gift to have for my children!
*I have finished reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I could not put it down and read it in less than a week! I can't wait to discuss this with our Spirit Seekers book club. Awesome read! I have been wanting to read this book for some time and thought it was just too long for right now (Ha! Ha!) Such a REAL story!
*Ronnie gave us all a scare this past week. He finally goes to the doctor after he admitted he had been feeling bad for quite some time. He has found out that he is diabetic along with some other less complicated issues that were probably brought on by the diabetes. More tests left and more decisions to make soon. And I think that within just the last week, we have gotten enough facts, and suggestions to write a complete guide to diabetes! Our friends and church family are so wonderful...you know someone loves you when you have something like this and they want to share everything they know about it!
But seriously, Ronnie and I both believe that this was God's way of getting his attention and our attention as a family to get us to begin a more healthy lifestyle. I think if we continue to keep going like we are when we know in our hearts that we need to make a change, our loving Father will get our attention to "wake us up" and finally do what He wants us to do. Thank you Lord for the wake up call and the forgiveness that follows it!!
*Big changes for my oldest daughter...SAT's, college applications, pageant, and many other very difficult life changes for her. I remember how hard it was to see what was waiting for me in adulthood..life is hard! I see so much strength in her..much more than I ever had and I am so proud that she knows the One that she needs to seek her refuge in.
*Many changes going on in our women's ministry at church...more to come on that later and hopefully in our women's ministry blog. God is so good and He will receive all the glory!
*And finally continuing to pray for my brother-in-law and his wife who are trying to patiently wait for the Lord's timing in going to get their little baby girl Sierra from Rwanda. It weighs heavy on my heart. Praying that God would allow them to hear news soon so that they can go and get her and bring her home.
Okay so busy times are a constant in this family! I want to get back to the blog soon..I miss writing and am praying for God's direction in that area.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Long Time Coming
Well, I have been thinking about this post to my blog for over a week now. I hope to goodness the Lord considers that meditating on His word because that is exactly what I have been doing.
Every time we go on vacation and have new friends with us on Fripp Island, we get a big kick out of the way our friends take to the deer that are all over the island. They are literally everywhere.
Many of them come running when you stop your golf cart because there have been so many perpetrators feeding the deer when there are signs posted everywhere that say not to do it! We would never be included in that group! Even though sometimes, after dark, a golf cart can be seen leaving our rental with leftover bread, muffins, waffles, etc. from the week in ziploc bags to dispose of them in a totally proper way! Like I said, we don't break the law...at least not so that we can get caught!
Enough of that, though...so after our week of vacation, we return home and have until Wednesday to return to any kind of service at our church. Now it is going on over a week since I have spent time together with other worshippers as we worship the Lord, it has been over a week since I have had opportunity to spend time alone with the Lord (so awful since the beach is one of my favorite places to spend time with Him and think on His beautfiul creation).
So needless to say, I came home dry as dust! I sat the Wednesday night at church for our service and just sat amazed at how the Lord was using His word to speak to me..to fill me up...to pour the water of His word over my dry, parched heart.
My hubby has been preaching through John and of all things, his teaching time was on the woman at the well...the Samaritan woman at the well. My absolute favorite scripture story...so much like me. Even before the preaching, I knew something was up because one of our songs was "As the deer" based on the scripture Psalm 42:1 ~ "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God."
A string of thoughts, the deer on the island, the week without spending time with the Lord, the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, and the song...the Lord was speaking to my soul, ministering to my poor little heart that had been so long without Him...He had not forgotten me..just like the woman at the well, He had seen everything I had done and He knew about my life. He knew that I had not spent time with Him, knew how "thirsty" I would be and used my vacation, my hubby, and our worship pastor to minister to my soul.
My heavenly Father, poured His life-giving water over my dry, thirsty soul and helped me to realize why I NEED to spend time with Him. I NEED HIM! Without Him, I forget why I am here, I take my eyes off the prize, I become someone that I don't want to be! He loved me enough to remind me gently, that He misses time with me too..that He cares enough about me to fill me when He knows I need to hear from Him.
Precious Lord, thank you for preparing a time just for me! Thank you Lord that You were thinking of me, when I was neglecting You. Thank you for being patient and waiting for me to "get it!" And Lord thank you for filling me up with the water of life and giving my heart and my soul a long drink from the well of your word. I praise You for loving me that much. Oh how I need You Lord...thank you for being there when I come back to You. Amen!
Every time we go on vacation and have new friends with us on Fripp Island, we get a big kick out of the way our friends take to the deer that are all over the island. They are literally everywhere.
Many of them come running when you stop your golf cart because there have been so many perpetrators feeding the deer when there are signs posted everywhere that say not to do it! We would never be included in that group! Even though sometimes, after dark, a golf cart can be seen leaving our rental with leftover bread, muffins, waffles, etc. from the week in ziploc bags to dispose of them in a totally proper way! Like I said, we don't break the law...at least not so that we can get caught!
Enough of that, though...so after our week of vacation, we return home and have until Wednesday to return to any kind of service at our church. Now it is going on over a week since I have spent time together with other worshippers as we worship the Lord, it has been over a week since I have had opportunity to spend time alone with the Lord (so awful since the beach is one of my favorite places to spend time with Him and think on His beautfiul creation).
So needless to say, I came home dry as dust! I sat the Wednesday night at church for our service and just sat amazed at how the Lord was using His word to speak to me..to fill me up...to pour the water of His word over my dry, parched heart.
My hubby has been preaching through John and of all things, his teaching time was on the woman at the well...the Samaritan woman at the well. My absolute favorite scripture story...so much like me. Even before the preaching, I knew something was up because one of our songs was "As the deer" based on the scripture Psalm 42:1 ~ "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God."
A string of thoughts, the deer on the island, the week without spending time with the Lord, the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, and the song...the Lord was speaking to my soul, ministering to my poor little heart that had been so long without Him...He had not forgotten me..just like the woman at the well, He had seen everything I had done and He knew about my life. He knew that I had not spent time with Him, knew how "thirsty" I would be and used my vacation, my hubby, and our worship pastor to minister to my soul.
My heavenly Father, poured His life-giving water over my dry, thirsty soul and helped me to realize why I NEED to spend time with Him. I NEED HIM! Without Him, I forget why I am here, I take my eyes off the prize, I become someone that I don't want to be! He loved me enough to remind me gently, that He misses time with me too..that He cares enough about me to fill me when He knows I need to hear from Him.
Precious Lord, thank you for preparing a time just for me! Thank you Lord that You were thinking of me, when I was neglecting You. Thank you for being patient and waiting for me to "get it!" And Lord thank you for filling me up with the water of life and giving my heart and my soul a long drink from the well of your word. I praise You for loving me that much. Oh how I need You Lord...thank you for being there when I come back to You. Amen!
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