Our son was at work, Ashley gets out of school at 5:00, and had a ton of homework to do. Lex and I were scheduled to go to some friends house and see/pray over their new baby. So, we picked up Ash from school and headed to McDonald's for a quick dinner.

For all you nutritionists out there, don't bother writing or calling to tell me I failed in the 'health' portion of taking care of my family last night...I'm aware McDonald's doesn't rank up there with the most wholesome and nutritious place we could have gone!

Anyway, we also needed to make a quick stop at Target for some necessary items before taking Ashley home and heading to our friends house. In other words, we were on kind of a tight schedule...

We finished our happy meals and started out the door when my husband handed me the keys and said, "you and Ash head over to Target, I'll be there in a few minutes."

It is just across the parking lot, and he could easily walk to us, but why?

"What are you doing?" I asked

"nothing...just go, I'll be there in a minute."

If any of you know me, you know there is no way in the world I'm going to "just go" without an adequate explanation.

"Why, Lex? Are you o.k.? What are you doing?"

He finally answered me in a slightly disgusted tone..."I have to buy some dinner."

I was totally confused...he had just eaten, it was hours before our son would be home so it wasn't for him. He finally tilted his head over to the corner of the McDonalds and there was a guy going through the discards and garbage that others had left behind, hoping to find a bite to eat.

I had seen this guy hunched down against the wall sleeping when we had first walked in.

"Oh...o.k." his dense wife finally got it.

Ashley and I walked out to the car and she asked, "What's Daddy doing?"

What a pleasure it is to let your children see the true heart of their Dad. What an honor it is to be with a man who not only wanted to buy the guy some dinner, but really didn't want me to even know what he was doing.

We pulled around to the front of the McDonald's and waited for Lex.

He came out and said that the guy had a hard time accepting the meal, but finally took it and as Lex walked away, said, "Hey, man, thanks" and shook Lex's hand.

The guy looked over to a lady who was watching the whole thing and said,
"See, there is a God!"

I'm so grateful Lex didn't stick to the schedule.

I got nothin'.

Been trying to get to the blog, but too many other things taking a front seat to blogging.

Didn't want you to think I'd fallen off the ride. I'm still here. Just overwhelmed with all that needs to be done, as I know all of you are also.

Hope things are going well for all of you...please continue to keep our Elders in your prayers.
(Gene, Lee, Steve F., Steve P., Arthur, Hutch, Aaron)
Be back soon...

O.K. Yesterday I said that nobody can really make me do anything, right? In light of that fact, read on...

"A woman who tossed her three young children off a pier into San Francisco Bay near Fishermen's Wharf has been arrested, authorities said Thursday, and the Coast Guard searched for the bodies of two of the children.
The body of a third child was recovered Wednesday.
The children, Trayshaun, 6, Greely, 2, and Joshua, 1, were stripped of their clothing and thrown into the Bay because the mother said voices had told her to throw her children into the water." AP News

I'm at a loss. What in the world would make someone, one by one, throw their babies to their death? The article went on to say that she had taken medication for mental illness. I understand that mental illness is confusing and very real.

I know those children are safe in the arms of Jesus. I know that whatever fear and confusion they suffered was minimal compared to the riches they are feeling in the presence of God. I also know this woman, this mother, is a child of God. I'm not sure how to get beyond my disgust and anger to feel pity or compassion for her. But, I have to. She is a child of God. How can God be seen in this horrific story? Somehow, it's up to us to find Him in there...

Maybe tomorrow I will be able to pray for her. I'm sure you've all seen this story already, but in just in case this is news to you, her name is Lashaun Harris. She's 23, has been booked on three counts of murder, is mentally ill, and has lost everything.

I hope in the process, she finds a Savior.

Are any of you old enough to remember the old Flip Wilson routine where he says "The Devil made me do it!" I think (because I really was very young at the time), it was the character he played named Geraldine who used to say that.

I remember thinking he was very funny, but didn't always get to watch it. I'm not sure if it didn't pass my Mom's radar sensor for us kids or if it was on too late, but I do remember my Dad getting a chuckle out of that show.

This may be way off for most of you, but I've floated through life sometimes thinking that many of my sinful ways are because of the devil. Because of evil. Because something bad out there is gunning for me.

What that does is it allows me to accept the wrong without accepting responsibility for the sinful nature. "The Devil made me do it!"

I'm wrong. (boy, that doesn't happen often, does it?)

I was reading/studying on Monday and this verse, which I've heard before, jumped out at me in a new way.

II Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(NIV)
~or~
We destroy people's arguments and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.
(New Century Version)

I love the picture of my being able to "capture every thought" and "make it give up" and obey Christ. That puts the power, (and responsibility) back into my hands.

Nobody makes me do anything. Right? God gave us that wonderful gift of choice. He doesn't make us do what we should do. He gives us the tools, the directives, and then hopes we will love Him enough to follow. It's up to us.

I do believe Satan tries to trip us. Of course. I know the devil loves to see us fail. It gives him power. But he can't make me.

For some of the more scholarly minds out there you're probably thinking, "Duh, girl. I figured this out in Jr High." O.k. Maybe it's very elementary and not the deepest thing I've ever written or thought. But what a powerful realization.

Just wanted to share...

I suspect I won't be the only one who journals this, but let me tell you what happened yesterday...

As most of you know, our Elders surround the church every Sunday and just stand waiting to receive people for prayer during our invitation time. It's one of the sweetest parts of our service every week. People who visit often comment on what a loving and sensitive group of leaders/Shepherds we have.

Yesterday, we decided to turn the tables on them. We had the Elders and wives surround the church as usual, but then we asked the church to go to them and pray for them. Kind of a reverse invitation, if you will. We put in 5 songs thinking it would be too many so we had an option to skip the 4th if we saw no action being taken by that time.

What happened was amazing. Really, there are no words to describe it but I'll try.

People clustered around without hesitation praying for their leaders...Their Shepherds. Then they would move to another Elder, then another. The church moved in a beautiful motion for not only 5 songs, but a repeat of three of them, and still, they weren't really finished. There were groups, couples, individuals all going to their Elders and praying for them. The Elders were overwhelmed, emotional, grateful, humbled.

One of my favorite scenes, (at least the one I could make out through my blubbering tears), was Wes Schmidt in his scooter, holding out his hand for an Elder to stay there next to him so he could pray for him. I looked back over and a crowd had gathered around that scooter, kneeling, hands on each other listening to one of our precious patriarchs pray for Aaron and Joyce Watson.

I honestly think there wasn't a dry eye in the place. It was one of the most overwhelming things I've witnessed in a long time. This went on and on...There was scene after scene of precious moments, Godly moments.

God was all over...In every corner, every pew, every heart. It was amazing.

Please pray for us. Our Elders began a 40 day prayer vigil yesterday that will conclude the day after Thanksgiving. They are taking turns at the building if the church wants to come pray with them. They are asking God to show them what the direction of College should be.

Quite scary...Very exciting.

Let me tell you, now that some of the "fog" has cleared, some of my favorite moments last week.

1. Corporate worship with my daughter at my side. (Lex was running sound and Avery was up in the "booth" with Ted - the amazing visual guy.)

2. Watching Ashley (when she didn't know I was watching) run the ZOE Store with a glowing smile nobody could resist.

3. Seeing their faces when they were asked "sweet or unsweet" regarding their tea at CrackerBarrel. (with the Nashville accent, of course) We don't have "sweet tea" in California. We do, however, have Non-Fat DeCaf Soy Latte's. ICK!

4. A powerful drama time with a very talented Donna Hester of ACU as she delivered an engaging presentation of some women from the Bible.

5. Watching my son take very seriously his role as tech set-up helper. And, seeing him answer questions in tech language with a sweet spirit and confident heart. (how did he get so smart?)

6. Watching a group of 7-10 deaf people have their own kind of praise and worship. It was amazing...brought tears to my eyes.

7. While singing the Magnificat, (four parts, each added one at a time) one deaf interpreter signed the first group, another joined for the second, another for the third, and finally a fourth person came out to represent the final part. If you have heard that song, you know how amazing it is when all four parts finally come together...couple that with passionate interpreters layering on their offering and it is hard not to choke up.

8. Watching my daughter's face as the sweet professor from Lipscomb University told her it is better for her to minor in Bible instead of major, because it is hard for women to get jobs in ministry. (you really should have seen her...it was priceless.)

9. Laughing, crying, praying, singing, talking with friends.

10. Watching Randy Wray squeeze in the back of our rental car in between my two petite children...Randy insisted it was cozy, nice, but ultimately admitted that when we opened the door, it was like opening one of those cans of biscuits! POP! They all came tumbling out...

11. Having lunch on Sunday with Randy Wray and Don & Cheryl Foster at the Grand Ole Opry Hotel. Their brunch is amazing and somehow, we always get this private room that makes us feel like royalty!

12. Watching God work through people. Not just speakers/teachers/singers/presenters, but everybody. Seeing the little circles of friends, some old, some brand new just met, talking and laughing and praying together.

There are probably 50 moments I could list specifically, but for now, I'll stop.

It's all good. It's all God.

There's no place like home!

Nashville was wonderful. The conference was amazing and I'm excited to know it will be here in just a few short months. Yikes!

There were different formats, offerings, opinions this year. It wasn't exactly like I had remembered in the past, which always makes you sit up and listen a little closer. It was a wonderful experience to have my kids with me. They make me proud. Ashley worked the "ZOE Store" for Eric most of the weekend, and Avery worked tech set up and help. Lex did a wonderful job of mixing and delivering wonderful sound for the main auditorium sessions, and I, well, what exactly did I do?

I've decided that home is wherever people are that you love. Really. I'm not big on the idea of moving, but if I ever had to, it would have to be to a place where I already have people that I love present.

It is good to be back in my office. Familiar surroundings, familiar smiles. There is so much to say, I don't know where to start. So, for now, I'll just say, I feel like one of the most blessed women in the world. My circle of family and friends is endless and priceless. To know people from all over the country love Lex and I and our children is something to be very grateful for.

Recently, I was trying to express to my kids how very blessed they are to have so many contacts/friends in the Lord. That there are so many people who love them and care about their physical health and spiritual journey. I finally just said, "you know, there are people that go their entire life just hoping somebody, anybody, will notice them for just a moment. And yet, you are loved in enormous amounts constantly."

What a blessing!

More later when the fog clears!