Ladies... writing a good story.

My High School ladies are some pretty amazing chicks. They would laugh at my terminology but that's okay.  This is my blog:)
We meet together once a week and I see them on Sunday nights at our High School worship service. 
These girls are my "other daughters".  They reach a pretty high standard for me to say that because my daughter is pretty amazing. 
Some of them are seniors now and I have been with them since they were freshman. I am so proud of them and they occupy a special place in my heart.
Others have only been with me a short time but I love them the same. They are lovely and bless me when I am with them. They have made me a better person.


We share life together each week,  encouraging one another in our faith. They have faiths that run deep and when I look back at myself at their ages... well, they just amaze me. I couldn't hold a candle to them.


They are real. We share real stuff, no fluff here. I hate fluff. We try and dig deep. They know they can trust me. I will never share their words or thoughts and they know I will not judge them..... trust me, I would be the last one to do that! Been judged at their age and it hurts and you don't forget it. You forgive but somethings you should not forget ... so they are not repeated. 


If I have made them sound like perfect little Christian girls then please forgive me. I don't want any of them. If they are perfect... don't come to my house. You will go home flawed and dirty.  These ladies deal with all the same stuff other teens do. The difference with them is their willingness to be molded, into something beautiful by God and for his glory.


Last week i started reading them Donald Millers Book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.  My husband and I really liked it and it made us want to write a better story. Thats what its about... Your Story. It seemed like a great opportunity to share with people who haven't lived half their life and feel like they need a "Do Over".
So, these ladies loved it and that made me happy. I love when people "get it" or maybe I mean"get me". We seemed to like his style and humor and also the beauty and depth of his words. 
When I read this book I recognize what truly good writing is. This guy is a genius. 
He is also quirky and I love quirky. 
If you don't love quirky, just wait a few years. Some things we appreciate as we mature and quirky is up high on my list. 
We are surrounded by serious, black and white people in life and when you meet someone living in color.. wow, it knocks my socks off!


When i finished reading, my most awesome girls said to me, " You have a great voice for reading to us" and " you should write a book like this".  Okay, so here are these amazing ladies saying this to me.  I look at them and the potential in the room is scary. The brains, beauty, love for Christ, generosity and joy....... and they paid me such a lovely compliment!


I can't wait to see what God does with their lives. My prayer is that each one will seek God in ALL things through their lifetimes. That they will glorify Him in their day to day lives. That their lights will not go out and that they will use each obstacle as an opportunity to be obedient. The blessings they will receive will be without measure. I can promise them this!


We are going to continue reading Don's book and they will see how they can live a better life right now! No waiting, no "Do Overs". They can get it right the first time. They are up for the challenge and then I am going to keep challenging them because they are world changers! 


"A good movie has memorable scenes and so does a good life. "Donald Miller-  A million miles in a thousand years.

Casting Crowns - Does Anybody Hear Her

Lets remember who we are called to be as Christians.... love God , Love People. Its that simple. Lets not judge....let's love.

Every Opportunity Has an Expiration date

 Every day is a new opportunity but did you know that every opportunity has an expiration date? Its true and if we don't seize the opportunities God puts in front of us he will use someone else to do his work.. and we will miss the blessing.

Did you wake up today saying, "God, why me? Why do I have to go to school, work.... " ya know, whatever it is that brings you down.
Or did you wake and say "Thank you God for this new day, full of opportunity and blessing. "

Did you know that our attitudes grieve the Holy spirit who lives in us. When we grieve him, he is no longer active in us. He doesn't leave us but becomes silent. 

HE wants to fill us daily but we must seek that filling. 

Why don't we turn it around and stop grieving our God? You know, the One who created you and gave you so many gifts that you haven't recognized all of them yet.. the gifts of the spirit and also the gifts in your life.. the people, the home you live in, the parents who try their best. Really, they do try you know.  

This Christian life is a marathon not a sprint and we need to train for it daily... prayer is where we start. It's not that difficult really, its simply talking to God. But here is the truth... Satan DOES NOT want you to talk to God.... ever. Especially the daily part. He knows thats when you grow and make a difference. 

So, who do you want to please, satan or God? You will serve one or the other..... How about we pick the One who adores us, the one who loves us, knows every hair on our head, every thought that takes hold of us, every fear, every joy and lets nothing slip by him.

When we follow God we get to serve with him and enjoy this journey together. That's what he wants ... you and me partnering with him. He will show you where to serve, who to help, who to share your faith with, who to encourage, who to bless. 

In Joshua 3:5 it says,

 “Make yourself Holy, because tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” 


Go prepare yourself and lets cross the Jordan together.

Crossing the Jordan is entering the promised Land..... that is where we want to live. Lets remember to cross the Jordan with Christ every morning.

But remember the opportunities before you today expire when you close your eyes tonight.


A devotion I wrote for H.S. small group ladies last night.

Its a wonderful life

We have just finished two glorious weeks together as a family. Truly it is A wonderful Life as George Bailey believed.  My own George Bailey certainly does and for that I am grateful.

George... aka the hubby, celebrated his birthday on Christmas day so it is always a double celebration in our house. 
Can you really beat celebrating your birthday on the same day we celebrate the baby Jesus who gave his life for us?


With the New Year steaming full speed ahead I look too what is before me.
I will admit there were some tears and raw emotions for me this weekend.
An ending and a beginning.  Being the visual person I am it should be no surprise that the new year brought these feelings to the surface.


This is the other side of the mountain, the turning point, the tipping point... what ever you want to call it. From here on it is preparing for the next step for our family. 
We  prepare for Dan's final semester of High school,  plans for college,  Ali's last year as an R.A., which begins the search for a house to fit all the sweet friends she wants to live with next year.  A search for a home for hubby and I in a new state.  A decision as to how long we keep our darling cottage here.  Decisions, decisions... just the little details of life that can stop us in our tracks if we let them.
And then of course all the relationships here ... precious people who have blessed me beyond measure and become woven into my life like the fabric of a cozy blanket that warms me. Yes, that is my visual of home here.


In my moment of falling apart this weekend my husband said to me, " The major upheavals in your life have been brought on by the men in your life." I thought about that for a moment, knowing what he was referring too and I was struck by two thoughts.  First was, you silly man, you would look at it from a mans point of view...ha, ha.  But I knew he also saw the bigger picture.  He is always looking for the eternal perspective. 


My second thought was that he was correct, but he may not know how profound his statement was....


One of my earliest memories as a child was the loss of my darling 4 yr old brother.  This no doubt had a deep effect on me as I watched the adults in my life handle this tragedy.  My faith solidified through this by watching my parents.  They clung to their faith through their agony.  I learned quickly who you could always count on ... and it wasn't man. 
 I also experienced a piercing pain that dulls with time but is never really gone.  I was 6 yrs. old. 


Fast forward.  I am 28, pregnant with my first child, my high school sweetheart who is now my husband is diagnosed with terminal cancer.  I lose him when our baby daughter is 3 months old.
During those 10 months I am screaming out to God that I did not sign up for this and he has to fix this NOW, or I will die.  I become a new mom, clinging to my faith in a God I know I can trust with every fiber of my life.  I think back to losing my brother and that same faith carries me through this time. 
 The faith of a child, believing that this God I was learning about as a 6 yr old loves me so much that he gave His son to die, just for me.
On the day" blue eyes" joined the angels in heaven I could say, " Not my will, but thy will."  
This is not because I am strong.  No, I am weak.  It is simply a picture of the the peace that passes all understanding.  The God who created the heaven and the earth also cares about every fiber of my life and weeps with me and he carries me in his arms when I cannot walk.


God in all his love and mercy brought a wonderful man into my life two years later.  A man full of integrity, generosity and love.  We share a love for new experiences and recognize that this life is a journey and not a destination.  We trust in a God that we believe has a plan for us and goes before us. We trusted him with that as we left the east coast with our two little ones to make a home in the land of corn.  Oh, what blessings he has brought us here!
We continue though, knowing that it is not up to us to decide when we are satisfied and content.  God directs us no matter the time of life.  Do we continue to trust and follow him?


My husband was correct, it has been the men in my life that have caused the most commotion, upheaval, change, uncomfortableness, stretching.  They have also brought so much joy and passion to my life. 
The obvious thing is who the Man is in my life that has allowed this and blessed me with this life. 
The One who came in the form of a man and yet is God. 
That was my thought when my husband spoke those words to me.  
Yes, it is God who is my great protector, the lover of my soul, my healer, my comforter,  my rock and my redeemer. 
He is my joy, my peace, my contentment. He knows everything about me and loves me anyway. 
Yes, it is A Wonderful Life.

Two Wolves

 A favorite poem of mine given to me by my mother.  I pray I feed the right wolf everyday because the other one is strong, hungry and determined to be fed daily.


                                                               Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all."


"One is evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow,regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."

" The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'


The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:  "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."