Happy Thanksgiving Week!

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness, come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise, give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Psalm 100

God is so good to us! Through this whole journey of life, He travels with us always, holding us up when we're feeling down, rejoicing over us when we're full of joy & gratefulness to Him. Spend some time just praising Him this week, thanking Him for who He is to your family, and for the incredible things He's done in you - for you. HE ALONE IS WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE!

May your Thanksgiving be filled with the reminders of how very much God loves you & cares for you.

Like many of you, I'm thankful most this year for our family -our 3 little pumpkins & my 1 big pumpkin too. (: They are each a priceless gift in my life, true treasures!

Have a wonderful week of gratefulness & Thanksgiving!

P.S. Most of our pictures turned out like the ones below. Can you relate? It always takes a lot of shots to get just 1 possibly fair & decent photo! So hard to get everyone smiling & happy, cooperative, looking in one direction, with eyes open - all at one time! Kind of like "real life" I guess...I never delete these, because I always want to remember what life is really like. (:

It's more like these, than the "posed" pics. And I love every crazy moment of it!

"Silence is Golden," And Other Crazy Things I've Heard This Week...

Interesting statements I've heard the past few weeks:

1. Silence is golden.

Silence, golden? WHAT?! I'm fairly sure that whoever thought up this "great" saying was NOT a mom, and most definitely was NOT a mom of young children at home. I'm almost SURE the author that coined this phrase was a man, or possibly a mom who's children had grown up & moved on, or maybe even a mom who was awake at 3 am very grateful that all others in the house were finally asleep.

It's a tricky kind of thing, silence. I mean, you can just be going about your business, feeling like you're just getting alot down that day, almost feeling "happy" to know that your dear sweet children have finally learned how to play nicely together, "isn't that great," you say to yourself, "they're just so 'quiet,' wait a minute," then it strikes you, "they're TOO quiet!"

Silence, that deafening sound that can strike fear even in the hearts of the strongest of moms out there...it overtakes you in an instant, it sets you off, running, fast, too fast, you trip & fall over the trucks, you step on a lego, ouch...you realize you may have just lost control in those brief moments, you realize there may be some amazing MESS lurking somewhere in the house waiting for you to come search it out, you realize your child's adorable locks of curls may now be on the bathroom floor, you realize there may be water somewhere it's not supposed to be, you're afraid to see what your children "look like" after this momentary silence in the home, you're even more afraid to see if the diaper is off & they've left a surprise on the carpet...

Here's a few things that happened these past few weeks in our "silent moments" and a few things I've come to realize, once again:

- There is a reason that the Lego box says, "only intended for ages 6 & up," THIS is the reason.

- Any girl knows that hair is just "meant" to be cut. She did it again, cut the bangs, cute, huh? Believe me, we DO keep all scissors put away, the ones that helped with this haircut were my little manicure scissors she found in my purse. I found them hanging there in her hair, stuck. We're quite thankful that Gracie has not yet gone after her brothers' hair with the scissors.
I'm sure it's just a matter of time...

- "Mom, is it O.K. if I download & buy some "more" games on your cell phone?" WHAT? What games have you already downloaded & bought?!

Yes, parents beware, your 7 yr. old can "buy" games at the click of a button on the cell phone and if I knew how to even get to the games, I'm sure I could figure it out somehow! I have to admit, Dawson seems to be more "techno" minded than me, I still have to ask him how to turn on the IPOD. Sad, huh? And, what mom out there plays games on her cell phone anyway? Sure, maybe there's some dads that do, maybe they have some more "spare" moments in their day than we do. I know absolutely zero moms that spend time playing games on the cell phone. That feature is solely for keeping young children occupied while you are doing something really "important." (:

Yes, give me NOISE anyday over silence. If my kids are in the house or outside somewhere, I want to HEAR them! I LIKE LOUD!

2. Another crazy thing I've heard this week is this, "The scarecrow did it."

In another "silent" moment at home, we found Gracie in the midst of a colorful design of paint on the tile floor in the entry way. Troy said to her, "Gracie, who did this?" She, being the fast on her feet thinker that she is, quickly responded, "Noah did it." Troy said, "Did Noah do this or did Gracie do it?" She quickly scanned the room & set her eyes on the scarecrow I had just brought in from the yard. "Um, no, 'scarecwo' did it." (:

Ah yes, it's always nice to have someone else around to blame huh? The old Adam & Eve nature lives on in all of us, even in our 2 yr. olds!

p.s. Washable paint does not come out of grout on the tile. Unless, someone has some advice for me!

3. And lastly, I've just recently heard, "Your cell phone water indicator sticker is red."

WHAT???? All's I knew is that it had stopped working, blank screen, noone home, out, done, broken. I didn't even know that cell phones had water indicator stickers! Can't someone invent a water proof cell phone? Come on, it's the year 2008! I wanted to tell the guy at T-mobile, "well, OF COURSE the water indicator sticker is red, I have 3 young children at home & they can't seem to keep their hands off my cell phone!" Really, what's one toliet drop? A little water spill & it's done? My cell phone needs a wet suit or some kind of protective device, don't they make those?

Anyway, Troy got me a new one, it's green, it's cute. Thank you honey. I gave the kids my old one, of course they don't want that one anymore, they want to play with the NEW one. I said, "No way, I'm keeping this one safe, we can't afford to keep buying cell phones, or games either, for that matter!"

The next day, I accidentally dropped my cell phone in my iced tea. Plop! Oops.

Please don't tell Troy. (:

Tales From The "Sick House," Things I'm Learning Along The Way...

Whew! What a November this has been! What day is it anyway? I'm lost in time, I just know things started getting crazy around the first of the month & it hasn't slowed up yet!
As many of you with young kiddos at home can relate to, one little virus in one child, usually leads to a little virus in another, such a bummer & I'll spare you the ugly details, let's just say I've seen more than my share of "various bodily fluids" in the past few weeks, some on my carpet, some "projected upon me," & way too much on the mass of laundry I'm continuing to work through today!
It all started about 2 weeks ago, we had that ole detestable stomach bug visit our home, I know it's visited many of yours too. It went from one of us to the other, even Troy & I were "hit" with it, whew! What a blow when mom & dad get sick, kind of slows things down a bit, thankfully, we have never been sick at the SAME time, God is good to keep one of us strong at least! Unfortunately, this was the kind of bug that seemed to linger on way too long, it took a good week & a half for us all to be back to "normal" again! Only Dawson was spared - for the time being....
The beginning of the next week brought some new events, Noah was awake for several nights in a row with a fever & a terrible ear infection, no fun. The day after we were recovering from that, I noticed a strange rash on Gracie. That "strange rash" turned into a high fever & a "strange, INFECTED rash," and after a visit to the pediatrician & one culture later, we found out that she had a staph infection of all things, ugh! She was just on the road to recovery yesterday, feeling much better, when I received a call from the school nurse, "Hi, Mrs. McDaniel? Dawson just got sick in his class, can you come pick him up?" I wanted to scream in the phone, "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!," but was able to restrain myself, at least for the time being. Poor guy, he's still spending long extended "sessions" in the bathroom today.

But in the midst of all of that, I've learned, or maybe "re-learned" some things along the way these past few weeks...thought I'd pass them on to you, it's O.K. to read it, I promise, viruses cannot be spread from blog content. (:

1. Girlfriends are just WONDERFUL! You know, women are such great people, I can't get over it, it just never ceases to amaze me how God uses us to bless one another!
Dawson, our amazing friend maker, once said to me, "Mom, you can never have too many friends," spoken like a much older, wiser soul than his 7 yrs. of age say that he is, but yet, so true.
Neighbors are wonderful, family is incredible, true friends are gifts. Those relationships are to be prized above all else! I seem to be most grateful for those treasured gifts of friendships & family, when I just plain "need help," and even in the many times I tend not to ask for help, there's someone willing to lend a hand, or give, or call, or pray, etc...
For example, one of our dear neighbors brought over a 6 pack of Sprites last night, she knew Dawson was sick, and that was JUST the thing I was wishing I had picked up at the store that day! Thank you God for giving to us, even the smallest but most important things, through our friends!
Another sweet friend & neighbor saw me last week in a distressed, "weak" moment. We had just returned home from Noah's visit to the doctor, my almost 40 lb., 3 year old was clinging to me in need of comfort, hot with fever, ear throbbing from an infection. As we got out of the car, Gracie took off across 2 yards, ready to romp & play. I struggled to chase her down, running & holding my Noah, he, almost in tears from pain, me, almost in tears from sheer exhaustion. My friend who saw the "drama" unfold, quickly offered to take Gracie for some play time at her house. And, then, she even offered to let Dawson come play after school! O.K., maybe it doesn't take much to please me, but I could not have been more grateful than if I'd just received a free trip to Hawaii or somewhere! Thank you God that you know our "limitations" & are there to send in the relief help! I came inside, got Noah "situated" & then, just cried. More out of gratefulness for a sweet friend, than from my "poor me" feelings that sought to steal my joy that day.
Then there's just those wonderful calls or emails out of the blue, "I just wanted to check on you," "heard the kids were sick, is there any way I can help?" - oh Lord, you are amazing the way you work through friends. There's just a boost in your day, in your spirit, when you know someone cares, is thinking of you, or praying for your little one who's sick. I'm so thankful for each friendship God has so Sovereignly placed in my life & I hope to be the amazing kind of friend that so many of them are to me!

2. God longs to speak to our hearts when we get quiet, get still, when we're on our "sick bed," when we're up to all hours of the night, when we're spending way too much time in the bathroom, etc... Maybe God wants to make the most of our "still" times before Him, maybe many of us, myself included, are just often not "still" enough to just "listen."
I was already feeling like I was clocking a lot of hours in the bathroom with starting the potty training thing with Noah & Gracie at the beginning of the month, and, being the multi-tasker that I am, I had even thought about moving my computer in there these past few weeks! I know you think I'm joking! (: I decided against it though, books are much better, and just being there, just spending those extra moments away from life "out there." I'm learning to appreciate those "quiet" moments with God, alone, or with my kids, more. I'm learning to stop talking sometimes, and listen more. I'm learning to keep rolling my "to do" list over to the next day's schedule without feeling too much guilt or thoughts that the world is going to collapse if I don't get everything done I think I need "to do." Life seems to go on just fine, amazing, isn't it?

3. Schedules, appointments, & events are occasionally meant to be changed or even missed. Various childhood illnesses & viruses do NOT ask you what your schedule looks like for the week, they never seem to say," would this be a good time for us to visit?" IT NEVER IS OF COURSE!
When you have 3 kids at home, (and some of you have more, whew!), there's just no way around it...you can't do everything you want to do, you can't make every meeting, every playdate, every dinner date, no matter how much you plan & schedule, sometimes it just doesn't work out like "we" want it too. There's been a few things these past weeks that I REALLY wanted to do. But, you know what? I'm learning to look more at what I GET to do, home with our kids, even when they're sick, than what I DIDN'T GET to do out there. I'm soaking in the moments of rocking my toddlers, especially when they don't feel good. I'm cherishing the moments of reading them books, of holding those little hands, I mean, wow, when was the last time you held a little one's hand & really "took in" that moment, that feeling? PRECIOUS! And, last night I sat with Dawson on the couch & read Star Wars books & watched the ENTIRE Incredibles movie with him. I have to admit, I'm the worst when it comes to doing other things when a family movie is on, I'll try to clean the kitchen, fold laundry, etc.., my "Martha" mentality makes it difficult for me to just "sit" & watch a movie with my little ones. But I loved it & I loved that alone time with him, while Troy had Noah & Gracie out for a fun night at Uncle Clay's. Those "little" moments are what I'm learning to cherish & remember & value most in our days. Thank you to my many "wise" friends who have shared with us the reminder to SOAK in those moments that are all too quickly gone. We're doing it! And, I know we won't regret it.
Some of us may be thinking, "yea, but what about your "me" time?" I've wondered about that myself, & I do believe it's good to "get away" sometimes, be alone, regroup, renew, be refreshed. But sometimes it doesn't come in the way we think it should or expect it to, God is so good to give those moments here & there, and, sometimes at certain stages of life, it's probably not as much as we may think we're "entitled" to, whatever that means. I think I'll have more "me" time than I may even want in the years ahead as our kiddos grow up. For right now, I'll learn to cherish my very early morning "quiet" moments. I LOVE waking up early, I know, that's just plain weird, but it's WONDERFUL!

4. Sometimes, & often when we least expect it, our kids "catch it." Not the virus, they catch the TRUTH, what we've been modeling, or teaching, maybe without even really thinking about it. Today as I was taking Noah & Gracie to their MDO class, we could all hear the occasional moans coming from Dawson in the back seat. I was secretly & selfishly praying, "God, help him not to throw up in the van!" But Noah said, "hey, we need to pray for Dawsie, he's sick. God, please help Dawson feel better, AMEN!" Oh my, why don't you go & melt my heart completely - he caught that, our 3 year old "got it"! He sees the importance of praying for those who are sick, who are hurting! Thank you God, help ME to "get it" too, help me to remember those important truths You're wanting to remind us of!

5. I've learned to enjoy "being at home." HOME. I mean, isn't that just a great word? I love home, I love being here, don't get me wrong, I LOVE & miss my "people connection" when I'm not able to get out, but I've learned to savor the moments when I know I'm "homebound" with a sick child for a few days. And, that is a miracle in itself, I mean, those words are spoken from a woman who has always loved to be OUT & ABOUT for years! I think I've realized in a fresh way, how much of an amazing role we play as moms, as wives, in our homes, we do indeed "set the tone" for life at home, we have the incredible ability, that I believe God gifts us in, to hold all the pieces together, to keep things running smoothly even in the midst of seeming chaos around us. What an awesome responsibility! I've learned not to stretch the "busy" factor too much, I've learned to say "no" when I know something, no matter how great it sounds, would put too much of a strain on family life, whew, life is already busy & stretched, there's not much more we can do, but learn to ONLY do the things that God is leading, and to kindly say "no" to the rest. Our kids will be "fine" without one more great activity, actually they'll probably be better than fine & happier to have some "down" time instead of a constant scheduled event.
Of course, what seems to work for us, may not work for someone else, we all need to know our limitations & "stress factor levels" for the protection of our own families. Each stage seems to be so different & unique, where Troy & I were once in the "gone all the time" stage, we're now in the "need to be home more" stage, that will change again I'm sure as time goes on...
Some of my favorite sounds at home are just listening to our children playing outside with neighbor friends, yelling, laughing, just playing, I know that wouldn't be possible with a constant "scheduled life," coming & going here & there. I'm far from perfect in that role, but I hope I'm getting better. I pray that our home will always be a treasured place in the hearts of our children as they grow up, & move away, a place they will WANT to come back to (to visit, not to live, ha!), a place they will want to bring others back to.

6. And finally, viruses & illnesses can sure increase the "flexibility factor" in us, and others too! When Dawson came home from school sick yesterday, we quickly had to re-arrange our dinner plans & party for Mimi we were planning to host that evening! Our sister in law was flexible & gracious enough to take on all 16 dinner guests herself, with minimal notice! I wondered if I would have been that "gracious" & giving, thank you Kathy for your kind & godly example!

Well, better go for now, I've got a house to clean & some loads of laundry with my name on it! I pray that your HOME is BLESSED today, no matter how crazy or lively it is, may it be full of JOY & LAUGHTER & GOODNESS FROM GOD!

How's Your Love Life???

This is a devo thought written for our women's retreat this past weekend. Thought I would post it here too, since so many of us women find ourselves in the constant battle of life. Be encouraged & know that Christ can set us free from anything that holds us down!

So, how's your love life?
I know, I know - big question to get your attention so early this morning! I mean, come on, this is supposed to be a "retreat," a time to get away, relax, not dive into more personal matters which are none of anyone's business anyway, right?

But, let me ask you that question a little differently, how is the One & Only True Love of your life loving you and caring for you today? Who is Jesus to you today? Is He some far away, distant God in the sky who you're almost sure has no time or concern for what matters most to you right now? Or is He REAL to you today? Is He truly the LOVE of your life?

Take a moment to look up, look around you, look at the beauty of His creation, breathe in the fresh early morning air...really, go ahead, I'll wait, just take a moment and breathe...1, 2, 3... sit quietly in His presence. Reflect back on last night, think about the words that Marian shared from her heart that connected straight to your spirit, do you think that was an accident? Pure coincidence? Think about the Words from the Bible that God revealed to you in a fresh way last night. Do you think He might have been trying to speak to you? Trying to get your attention? Think about a new friend you've met here, a closer bond you feel with those you've talked with, shared with. Do you feel His encouragement through the warmth & laughter of other women? Think about all of these reminders to you, just in the few hours you've been here, of how very much He LOVES you, adores you, even chases after you because He desires for you to know how much He really does care.

So often at times in my life when I have felt the most "unlovable," because I have just really blown it, yet again, the times in life that seemed the darkest, the times that I've felt the most hopeless, the most desperate, the most brokenhearted, etc.., etc... were the very times that I somehow felt the most LOVED, the most CHERISHED, the most SHELTERED by our Amazing God.
Now, often it didn't feel like that right away, sometimes I wondered just where He was in the midst of my "drama," what in the world He was doing, why He was allowing such pain to be inflicted in my "poor little life," you know the feeling, the "poor me, woe is me" syndrome. But He never failed to keep pursuing, revealing His goodness to me in every situation, even if I didn't at first quite understand it from my minimal "human" perspective.

Think of a mother's heart. Wow! We can RUN so quickly, lightening speed, to the aid of our children when they're hurting (no matter HOW old they are, or HOW old we are!). We can be there in a flash, nothing can stand in our way, we could get over every obstacle, climb every mountain just to get to them, scooping them up and holding them close to our hearts to ease their pain and wipe away their tears. Incredible.
Just think on that a moment. THAT is who Jesus is to us. He runs to us when we hurt, He is there with us, He scoops us up, holds us close to His heart, wipes away our tears, He will stop at nothing to get to us!

I love these verses from Isaiah, who prophesied about the life of Jesus Christ years before He ever walked the earth. Remember, this was written to the Israelites, who definitely had their share of the "wilderness experience!" They endured years of tough times, I mean, talk about trials, whew! These words are written as the Words of Jesus, and are just "some" of the amazing things He wants to accomplish in & through our lives! Why? Because He LOVES us, He CARES for us, He has come to set us FREE!

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance, and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs."
Isaiah 61:1-3, 7

Wow! So who exactly is He talking to here? You might be asking, "is He talking to me?!" Let's just put some present-day reality into this as we look at it more closely. We can see at least seven types of people listed here that Christ has come to bring freedom to, that He comes to pour JOY into! Now, let me tell you straight up, I can relate to this, I've been in every category here at one point or another in life, maybe you can identify too (you may want to go back through & circle these different people groups in your Bible):

1. The poor - are you feeling weak, lonely, beaten down, discouraged? Financially zapped? Are you physically weak, ill, in need of healing & strength?
2. The brokenhearted - has there been a life event or person whom you've loved that has just totally broken your heart? Maybe it happened 10 hours ago, maybe it happened 10 years ago, but you just can't seem to move past it?
3. The captives - are you being held captive to sin, to an addiction, to an unhealthy relationship, you just can't break the cycle, can't get free? Maybe you're captive to worry, anxiety, fear, anger, frustration, jealousy, selfishness, unforgiveness, bitterness, pride, etc..., fill in the blank...,there's too many to list...
4. The prisoners - not many of you have probably been imprisoned in the literal sense, but how many of us are still "prisoners" in other areas in life? Are you a prisoner to debt or to the love of money? Are you imprisoned in your mind to depression or despair or negative thoughts? Are you still walking in spiritual darkness? Are you bound by sin? Maybe you haven't yet found true freedom in Jesus Christ & have never given your life to Him?
5. Those who mourn - are you mourning? Is your heart in desperate sadness? Are you in need of comfort, of peace?
6. Those who grieve - are you grieving a loss? Loss of a relationship, loss of a dream, loss of a job, loss of someone you love?
7. Those who are feel shame - do you still suffer with feelings of shame? Maybe from a memory of the past, maybe from something you currently battle?

Well, great news, here is the HOPE! This is what Jesus longs to do for us, (you may want to underline these gifts in your Bible):
1. He gives us GOOD NEWS, Himself, Jesus Christ!
2. He binds up (wraps, bandages) our wounds from a broken heart & spirit, He heals us!
3. He frees us from the captivity of addiction & sin!
4. He releases us from darkness, from the "prison cell" and brings us into His wonderful LIGHT! He proclaims FAVOR over us!
5. He comforts us when we mourn.
6. He provides for us when we grieve and just look at what He desires to give us:
He gives us a crown of beauty - instead of ashes.
He gives us the oil of gladness - instead of mourning.
He gives us a garment of praise - instead of a spirit of despair.
He makes us strong & mighty like the oak trees. Oak trees are strong enough to endure the storms, their roots go down deep, just how our God strengthens us in the trials. He calls us "oaks of righteousness" and displays our lives (what He has done in us) before others to bring glory to Himself!
7. He gives us a "double portion" as our inheritance - He LOVES to give to us! He gives generously, lavishly, richly, more than we can even imagine!
And, in addition to ALL of that, He gives us His everlasting JOY! He gives that inner security & peace in the midst of the most difficult of times, I'm not talking about some "Pollyanna type of happiness or fakey, flakey gush," I'm talking about deep and amazing joy, that no matter what happens in life, we know WHO is holding us, we know the God we serve and can fully trust His plans for us.

He desires the very BEST for our lives, even in the wilderness days, even through the difficult times, even in our "captivity." He says He will bring us through the pain and bumps of life's journey in JOY! Whatever your "need" is today, He's ready to meet it, we can trust Him in that. If you remember nothing else today, remember this -
HE IS THERE FOR YOU, HE LOVES YOU - ALWAYS.

Reflect:
1. What "need" do you identify with today? Are you brokenhearted? Grieving a loss? Living with shame from the past? Are you being held "captive" to a sin you just can't seem to beat?
We women can be expert "hiders" of what's really going on inside. You might even be thinking "what would people think if they knew?" Trust me, we all have our "issues" to bring before our King, you're not alone. This is just between you & God...you can be REAL with Him. Write it out, give it to Him, ask Him for release & freedom from whatever is holding you down today.


2. Write down a promise that He is giving you today! Is it His comfort? His healing? His freedom? His joy?


3. Are you waiting on Him for a "double portion," for blessing in an area of life you've been longing to see Him fulfill? God wants to give you MORE than we can even imagine! The answer WILL come in His timing, in His way, not always in the way or timing we expected. Can you release your own expectations to Him & trust Him fully to work in your life? Go ahead, tell Him about it, be honest. Tell Him what your "expectations" are and ask Him for help in releasing those back to Him. Ask Him for help in giving Him complete freedom to work in the way He chooses is best.


4. So, I ask again, how is your love life today?
Close this time by writing out a prayer of thankfulness to God for His AMAZING LOVE over you.




He is singing over you today! Do you feel it? Do you hear Him? Rest in Him.
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Happy Birthday Noah! 3 Years Old Today! "I'm fweeee!"

Noah Quincy, we are celebrating YOU today!!! 3 wonderful years ago, you came into our world & doubled our "adventure" factor in the family! You have kept us running, on our toes & in pretty good shape since those days you started walking.

We love you more than you could ever know, you fill our hearts with so much laughter & constant JOY. You're a great big brother to Gracie and a fun little brother to Daws, we can't imagine LIFE without you, because you bring "life" to us!

You will be a mighty WARRIOR for our God in your years ahead! You are strong & determined, our hard little "worker" (even though you insist that you did NOT build the ark), and can hit a baseball farther than any 3 year old we've ever seen!

You are our sweet "Noe," Little Sport, Little Slugger, Sweetie Pie, high-flying, Superhero loving, fast climbing, big jumping, Indiana Jones wanne be, adventure seeking, NOAH - and WE LOVE YOU INCREDIBLY!

O.K., So Where Do We Go From Here? We Keep Going...

Whew! Deep Breath...1...2...3...My heart is somewhat "heavy" as I write this, I'm sure many of you feel the same way...

What a journey these past months have been, so many have diligently prayed, have become actively involved in this election process, and have pleaded with God on behalf of our country. Please be encouraged, your work is not in vain! I believe we HAVE made a difference. I believe we HAVE had a voice. Maybe we didn't get all of the "results" we wanted (maybe some of you did), but we were willing to stand & fight for what we believe in. THAT in itself is victory & we can REST in that & leave the outcome up to God.

I am glad for President-elect Obama for what this victory means to him & his family personally, and definitely for what it means for many of our dear African-American friends. What a historical marker this is in our country, what a milestone. We've come a long ways, with our racial differences & boundaries, we've needed to, for that, I am grateful!
Where we still have miles to go is our differences in moral issues, social issues, economic issues - will we ever get there? Probably not.
So what does that mean for us now? Where do we go from here?

WE KEEP GOING!
WE KEEP PRAYING!
WE KEEP STANDING STRONG!
WE KEEP BELIEVING THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD & WE KEEP TEACHING OUR CHILDREN THAT VERY THING!
WE KEEP BELIEVING IN THE ONLY ONE WHO REMAINS CONSTANT IN THIS LIFE, OUR LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!

He is the ONLY One who is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. That & that alone, is our REAL HOPE! He's still the same, no matter who is president, no matter what battles we face in this life, no matter what Wall Street is up or down to today, etc.. He is still God, He is still on the throne, He is still Sovereign, nothing takes Him by surprise, He is not up there wringing His mighty hands over what to do with this Obama Presidency, we can REST in the fact that He is ultimately in control and will work His good in EVERY situation.

My dear friend Pam Schulz who started the website http://www.pray-the-vote.org/ wrote some encouraging words this morning in an email, these are some things that we CAN be grateful for from this election process:

"While the election did not go as most of us hoped and prayed, there are some bright spots. It looks as though all of the marriage amendments - including the one in California! - will pass. Even the amendment in Florida where the bar was set very high (60% needed to pass) will indeed pass. The gains in the House were not as large as most predicted and it does not appear that the Senate will get a 60 vote filibuster-proof majority.
Praise God that we are citizens of America by birth or by choice, but we are citizens of heaven because of God's great love for each of us. As a citizen of heaven, we have the promise that "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." I am fully confident that every prayer we've prayed for righteousness will be answered. There will be a day when the nations are judged. On that day the "our righteousness will be like the dawn and the justice of our cause like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:6)"

Yesterday, Nov. 4th, I got up in the morning, got my Bible out to read, had coffee with my husband, hugged my kids as they woke up one by one for the day, etc..., etc...
And you know what? Today, Nov. 5th, I did the exact same thing.
And hopefully, for the next 4 years, I'll keep doing that same thing.
Even in the midst of this huge historical event, my life remained pretty much the same...that kind of gives me a little reality check. No matter WHO'S President, life goes on, the journey goes on...we keep loving our families, we keep loving our God, we keep doing what He's called us to do. And maybe it's for this reason alone, God didn't intend for the "government" to stand the test of time, He never says that the "government" will stand forever or that our government is eternal.
God says that He is forever and the church, His people, are forever - that is what is eternal, ever-lasting, that is what matters most!

Here's our responsibility now - pray for President-elect Obama, his family, and for those who will be in positions of authority in our country. He needs our support, he needs our prayers, He needs God to be his counsel, and our nation needs unity.
If you're struggling in knowing where to start, here's a few thoughts:
1. Pray that President-elect Obama would govern our nation in the fear of the Lord, that he would have an amazing awareness that he is accountable to God for every decision made and every action taken.
2. Pray that God would give him wisdom & guidance as he sets up his team of advisers & counsel for the years ahead. Pray that God would intervene in positioning godly leaders & counsel to surround our new president.
3. Pray that Pres.-elect Obama would humbly recognize his complete dependence and need for God to lead him in this most important place of authority.
4. Pray that God will protect him & his family from evil and evil influence and that God will guard his way.
5. Pray that he will become known as a leader of integrity, honesty, a man who seeks after God's heart. (God can do anything! Our responsibility is just to pray!)

I'll close with this great verse from 1 Timothy 2:1-2 :
"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

Yep - there it is fine print - PRAY - not only when we "agree" with those in authority, not only because we "like" those in authority, not only when those in authority are who "we" want there - God's heart is just that we, His people, will PRAY.

Love you friends, thinking of you today, continuing to pray for our nation. God bless America!

Very Encouraged and Still Very Burdened

I keep waking up at night...3:30 AM seems to be the normal call to prayer these days. Sometimes I pray till I fall back asleep, sometimes I just go ahead & get up for the day, and sometimes, I have to confess, I just kind of moan something like "Lord help us" & turn over & fall back to sleep.
I know so many others who have similar stories of just feeling very burdened & led to pray, to motivate others and to make others aware of what we stand to lose in this country, as Christians, as American citizens, if certain candidates are elected tomorrow.
It's always my heart to "not offend" anyone, so if you can tell where this note is going, and think you may feel offended, please stop reading it now. I do love you & know we all have a right to our own decisions & choices, so I respect yours.
But today, it's more in my heart to honestly share what I've been wrestling with, so here goes...
Like many of you who have fervently prayed for this election tomorrow, I am incredibly burdened today, still. I do feel encouraged, I do have a strong faith that God can do ANYTHING! But I keep thinking of all the potential implications that this election can & will have in our country for the years ahead, depending on who's elected. Like many of you, I've read countless emails and articles and have watched numerous segments both online & on TV about the candidates, about where they stand on the big issues of our day, and where they stand on the big issues in God's heart. I'm weary of the polls, of the ups & downs, of everyone saying how this may be virtually impossible for McCain to pull off, of hearing how many possible Obama supporters have already voted, etc.., etc... O.K., enough already, whew! I know you don't need yet another person like me to tell you where the candidates stand on every issue, if you don't know that yet, please call me!

But here's what I love about God's goodness...
I've been reminded of the countless incredible stories all through the Bible of how God is for the "underdog" - how God LOVES to take the "impossible" situations & do a complete miracle. Something that can only be explained by the word - GOD. That's what I just love about God, He's so amazing in that way!
Stories like David & Goliath (Dawson & Noah's personal favorite). Who would have ever dreamed that a mere young boy could have defeated the GIANT with a slingshot of all things! GOD WAS WITH HIM!
What about the Israelites as they fled from the Egyptians? A vast army of strength chasing this mass of people, many women & children, but God intervened! He parted the seas & allowed His people to pass through on dry ground, yet destroyed the enemy after them. GOD WAS WITH THEM!
And then there's Paul & Silas, who had been thrown in prison, you might as well as thrown away the key. But who needs a key when you have God??? There they were praying & singing that night in jail, & God sends an earthquake to set them free! GOD WAS WITH THEM!
So many other countless stories, Joshua, Caleb, Gideon, Rahab, Abigail, Peter, Abraham, Sarah, Elijah, Daniel, etc.., etc... People of faith who were willing to keep their eyes on their BIG GOD, rather than on the big giant in front of them, whatever that big giant was. And God is always faithful to intervene in amazing ways when His people call out to Him & depend on Him!!!
And I believe HE CAN DO THAT FOR US, TOMORROW! HE IS WITH US!

But here's the other thing that keeps gnawing at me these few weeks, and in the midst of all my hope for God to work on our behalf, it keeps me rather "somber" about this election.
It's the story from 1 Sam. 8, when the people gathered together & came to Samuel & basically said, "you're old, we don't like your sons, we want a king like the other nations have." So, translated into the year 2008, maybe it would sound something like this, "we don't like these same old ideas anymore, we don't like this party, we want something new, something young, we want universal health care like all the other nations have, we want change, etc...etc..." Now, not that any of those desires in themselves are that terrible (except maybe the health care one), but I'm seeing that our nation is not THAT unlike the previous generations before us, not that unlike the Israelites. Hmmm, scary thought. It leaves me wondering if ALL of the Israelites felt that way? Or if there were some that remained silent? Or, just went along with the crowd? Or, didn't want to ruffle any feathers? Where were those that disagreed? That still wanted God's authority to rule in the land? Hmmmm, another sombering thought. I have to believe that there were some, and maybe they did try to speak up, maybe they were outnumbered?
So God even told Samuel to go & WARN the people, He said to tell them just how bad this might be for them! It might "look good," it might "look like other nations they were wanting to be like," but He even went so far as to say, "when that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day." 1 Sam. 8:18
The story goes on to say that the people refused to listen...and God gave them that king they so desired. His name was Saul and what a journey they had from that day on.
Now in God, there's always HOPE, no matter what we face, so just a few chapters over from that one, we see His amazing mercy already in play, Samuel tells the people, "Do not be afraid...for the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own....be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart, consider what great things he has done for you..." 1 Sam. 12: 20, 22, 24 But along with that hope, there was a strong word of warning again, read it in verse 25.

So, I guess through all of these pieces & thoughts today...here's the nuggets...

1. DON'T GIVE UP BECAUSE OF THE GIANT WE FACE
2. KEEP PRAYING, KEEP SPEAKING UP, KEEP MOTIVATING OTHERS
3. KEEP BELIEVING
4. VOTE - IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU IT DOESN'T
5. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, GOD SAYS "DON'T BE AFRAID!" FOR THE SAKE OF HIS OWN NAME, HE WILL BE WITH US!

I'm with you friends!
May God bless our nation with godly leaders and men & women of integrity!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Bless you today as you pray, as you go to vote tomorrow, and as you pray for the millions of others who will vote also.