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What I Did This Summer

Summer is winding down...
School has started for some and will begin soon for all.

Some folks take long lovely Cruises, go RV-ing for a month across the United States,
visit their "summer home" at the beach or in another country...

Those things are wonderful, and I am sure I will do something like that some day.

However,
this summer,
the summer of 2010
I can say it wasn't as much where I traveled,
it was what I learned along the way that has great value to me.

I am grateful to look back and see that God
provided me with certain character strengths I didn't think I possessed.

I found Strength in deep weakness,
Courage in difficulty,
Love beyond explanation,
and Peace amidst great turmoil and uncertainty.

I've done things this summer I never thought I was strong enough, wise enough, or tough enough to handle.
I've felt God's hand in all things, even the ones that made me sad, or scared, or angry.

If I had to sum it up in one quick sentence I'd say:

I've learned that He will, without fail,
provide me with whatever I need for that moment.

What a blessing.

CHECK BACK MONDAY.
New blog will be launched!

Slow Going . . .

I read this today while out running errands and it spoke deeply to me:

PEACE: It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. (unknown author)



The recovery from back surgery is taking a bit of a toll on our household, particularly the poor guy who actually had the surgery.


It's very. slow. going.


Lots of pain, small snippits of sleep, (nothing over a couple of hours at a time), and did I mention pain?


Bless him.



So, how do you keep calm and steady amidst such different chaos? I mean, there's normal chaos...like children growing, lives being lived, schedules overloaded with activity.



Then, there's the abnormal chaos...a loved one very ill, losing jobs or homes, or in our case, trying to recover from something that the doctors have told you will take a good year to get through. A year...



All day long, I've had a song playing in my head.

Now, I know lots of songs. I can't imagine just how many are rolling around in my little noodle. But this one, it stuck today.




There is a place of quiet rest,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where sin cannot molest,

Near to the heart of God.


Refrain
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

Sent from the heart of God,

Hold us who wait before Thee

Near to the heart of God.


There is a place of comfort sweet,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where we our Savior meet,

Near to the heart of God.


Refrain


There is a place of full release,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where all is joy and peace,

Near to the heart of God.


Refrain



Maybe everything is rolling along smoothly for you today.

Kids are out of school.

Summer is in full swing.

Life is good.



But maybe, just maybe, there will come a moment when you feel empty.

Your insides are exhausted, worried, void of depth or wisdom.

Each day seems a little worse than the previous day.



It's then you can think about the Savior who holds you close...near to the heart of God.



I love the comfort it brings knowing my Savior quietly, gently, safely holds me close.



“He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.”

Isaiah 40:11



Blessings. . .

Still in Process

Still in process . . .

However, during this time of transition a few things have happened.

Husband has had successful back surgery. He's had plates and screws and such put in his back to (hopefully) alleviate the difficulty he's lived with for a year. We have no doubt that God's hand was directly guiding the surgeon. LONG recovery, but at least we're on this end of the journey and not the "waiting for surgery" end. That end was a bit anxious.

Daughter has successfully graduated from ACU and has come home for a bit of time until God directs her path in a clear way. She will be a FANTASTIC teacher. Any young student who has the joy of being in her classroom will be blessed indeed!

Son is working very hard, handling the "man-chores" around the house while his dad is down for the recovery period, successfully finished up another year of his college path (with honors!), and generally, continues to be a joy to us.

There are things in my head...a checklist if you will...that were weighing on me in a most burdensome way. For the most part, those things have come and gone and I'm still standing.

I know, without a doubt, my Father has been holding and sustaining me and my precious family.

SO...soon, friends. Very soon I will be able to show you my new blog digs!

You are loved!

It may take a moment or two, or maybe a day, or a possibly a couple of weeks,
but I WILL return with a happy new site!
(well, some will think "WOW, this is great!" while others will let out a big YAWN!)

However, don't give up.

Check back soon!

Come Awake!

This was the opening of the service yesterday at College . . .beautiful day.
I woke up this morning wanting to view it again.
I hope your Sunday was a blessed day.
Enjoy!

Waiting . . .

I've been waiting
Waiting to have something important to say...
Waiting for some inspiration to knock me down...
Waiting to be able to report some great bit of news...
hmmm...
I'm still waiting.

In that past few weeks I've:
cooked lots of yummy things,
gained a couple more pounds,
sent my girl back to school to finish her Senior year,
ignored the need to exercise,
read a very good book and a few great excerpts from other books,
been very sick with a cold that won't go away,
enjoyed 70-ish degree weather,
worried about the next step for our family,
had coffee with a good friend,
contemplated my value,
seen a couple of good movies,
had an unexpected wonderful lunch with my big brother,
marveled at the beauty around me,
wondered how people make it without God.

There's more, but for now, I believe that's enough.

Blessings, sweet friends!

Ugh!

My bathroom scale quit working properly (that's never a good sign...) a few weeks ago.

I kept thinking we would fix it, assuming it was just a battery issue.

Husband took it apart, called company, followed all manufacture instructions, and still no scale.

It sat on my piano bench for a couple more weeks until,

feeling my jeans getting a tiny bit tight, I declared...

"WE MUST GET ANOTHER SCALE!!"

And so he did.

I got on it.

Off

Back on

Off again

ugh

I'm so depressed.

Those of you living in skinny land,

the land where this isn't an issue,

the land where you can eat what you want and it doesn't add a pound...ever,

the land I have never had the pleasure of even visiting, much less living in,

those of you in this land, I know you don't understand.

But today, ugh.

So, I made some delicious butter lemon shortbread cookies.

Blessings. . .

Ephesians Instruction

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger,
harsh words, and slander,
as well as all types of malicious behavior.

Instead, be kind to each other,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:31,32

We say we believe the Bible to be from God, and we understand that the words were given to us to know Him deeper and be more like Him.

That being understood, these two verses alone would change the world if we truly let them become a road map for our life.

So much to learn. So far to go.
But what a journey!

Blessings

O Lord Our Lord

Renew Conference.
Friday night through Sunday morning.
Register @ www.collegecofc.com
Come.
Join with us as we say together:
"O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth!"

Some of you know, some may not, but this is "conference week" for us.
The College church is hosting a West Coast conference with wonderful speakers.
(Randy Harris & John York, as well as our own Jason Locke)
We also have some fabulous teachers coming to share their hearts and knowledge.

A very exciting and valuable time, we believe,
in the area of encouragement and teaching.
(Come see us! Friday night through Sunday morning...Feb 19-21)

Some of you also know that things like this make me very nervous.
I want it to be...well...perfect.
Not "O.K." Not "good enough". Not "fine...it was fine."
But...perfect. With no flaws. Couldn't have been better!

God is in control. He is in charge. It will be perfect because of Him.

But in the meantime, when my husband and son called to see if they needed to bring me lunch/dinner
(it's 2:45 and I haven't managed to get a meal in yet),
my response was what any other person with food issues and a worried heart would say:

"Please bring me a milk shake. OH, and maybe some fries."
Blessings!

The Heart of the Matter

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply,

they met together to question him again.

One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied,

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.

A second is equally important:

‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

(Matthew 22:34-40)

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world,

but to save the world through him.

(John 3:16-17)

On this day of hearts and flowers and candy and cards,

remember the deepest love one has ever displayed for you...

Happy Valentines Day!

A Heart Full of Hope

Now may the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that you will abound in hope by the

power of the Holy Spirit.

(Romans 15:13)

A Humble Heart

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,

but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

(Philippians 2:3)

Honor one another above yourselves.

(Romans 12:10)

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

(1 Peter 5:5)

A Heart of Courage

Be strong and take heart all you who hope in the Lord.

(Psalm 31:24)

For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.

(Psalm 37:28)

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

(Isaiah 40:29)

A Heart of Forgiveness

He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends.

(Proverbs 17:9)

Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].

(Colossians 3:13)

A Heart of Delight

"Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails."
(Psalm 111:1-3)

A Heart of Worship

"Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord."

(Psalm 89:15)

A Heart of Repentance

Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the Lord.

(Lamentations 3:40)

A Safe Heart

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high.
I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept.
I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.

(Psalm 3:3-5)