I'll do it anyway...

Within hours of posting my Monday Memory Verse I found out that my sister is having some health issues. Coincidence- I think not! God is teaching me to not just learn a verse but to know it and apply it. I have been thinking so much in the last few months about Praising Him
at all times. Especially in the dark- unknown times.
These last couple of days with my sister have totally drained me... as a friend of mine said today "I got nothin". I was sitting on the floor with the kids at work today thinking- I've got to find a fill me up, Lord verse to go with my memory verse. Then it hit me (a duh moment) my memory verse..."I will sing...". Praise! Praising Him fills you back up!
Finally got off work and put in my Newsong cd turned up the volume to "More to See". Here's
a few lines of it:
Your Mercies are new every morning-
Your Mercies are new everday-
Beautifully new everday-
Lord, please fill me up because I got nothin! I praise you Lord! I trust you! I may not feel like it but I'll do it anyway!

Prayer Praise....my job looks secure until the end of the school year in May!
Prayer Request....my sister (she's 33) found out her "stopped up" ear is actually
permanent hearing loss. There is only a 30% chance of it coming back. Dr. gave
her medicine and said if not better by next Monday then will do a MRI.
The don't know what is causing the loss of hearing. Thanks for your prayers in
advance. You are wonderful in the Sisterhood!

Memory Verse Monday

Karen over at Karen's Ramblings has started a Memory Verse Monday!

This is something that's been on my heart so I've decided to join in.

The aim of "Memory Verse Monday" is to:

1. Memorise a passage (or passages) of scripture.

2. Share why you have chosen the verse or verses that you have.

3. Encourage one another with what God has been saying to you through this verse.

4. Share the ways in which you find remembering verses works for you.

Here's my scripture:

Psalm 13

Ps 13:1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
Ps 13:2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Ps 13:3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
Ps 13:4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
Ps 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
Ps 13:6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.

I am going to memorize the last two verses of this chapter. There are a couple of areas in my life that God has been asking me to trust Him in. I feel like I am constantly asking the same question as David "How long, O LORD".....how long, Lord do I have to wait ? Weither it be a life of singleness, uncertian career path or a ministry on hold....even in the darkness I will choose to praise you! "I will trust in your unfailing love.....I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me".

Fall Family Fun!!

Cool this looks like fun...

Emmy says- "no thanks
that's groooossss"

But she thought a spoon

would be safe...

The finished product!

(as you can see by the

kids clothes- it's still

warm around here)

Our First Annual

Hot Dog Roast...





(my brother-in-law,

the kidos, my Dad,

one of my sisters &

my Mom)

Prayer Request

Hey Ladies...this is going to be a quick post for tonight....it's late.
I have a huge burden on my heart that I'd like to share. Those of
you who have read some of my posts know that I LOVE my job!
Well, I found out today that our little school may be closing soon.
I don't know if it will be by the end of the year 2007 or the end of
our school year in May. I'm not asking you to pray for me (but I
would be grateful for them) but for the kids... The school I work at
is the only kind in our state and it offers The best programs available
to these kids.
Father, thank you for who you are and for creating each of us with a
special gift. May we always use what you have given us to bring you
and you alone glory. God you have given me such a burning passion
for these kids. Please continue to use me in this field! I lift up the families
of those with special needs....they are so tired physically, mentally,
emotionally and financially. Please continue to be their strength and
hope. I thank you and praise you for all you've done and all that you
are going to do.....

Staying focused

When I stop and look at how far God and I have come in the last five years it just blows me away. There was a time of reparenting but the toughest part was erasing the thirty years of negativity that I had lived in. It will always be a stuggle but I know it will always keep me focused on and in His Word. I have these statements typed and hanging on my wall and thought I would pass them along....

~ Don't lose confidence in God's goodness
~ Be strong
~ Do not lose hope
~ Let God be your Shield and help
~ Be patient
~ Continue to cry out to God
~ Cling to His Word
~ Watch for His answers
~ Trust in His unfailing Love

~ Lord, I praise you for...
~ Help me to do your will by...
~ Lord, I need...
~ Please forgive me for...
~ Help me to forgive...
~ I am struggling with...
~ Please help me stand firm.
For you alone are Lord and I give you
all the glory. Amen.

Wrestling with God

We finished up the "Patriarchs" tonight....wow! The last 10 weeks flew by but I've grown so much. Normally I'm so tired physically and mentally on Tuesday nights that I couldn't think of posting but
tonight I'm still reeling. There are so many amazing things that I learned that I'd be here all night talking
and remebering. The ladies in our group are meeting next week to have a simple fellowship (they are Baptist so yes there will be food involved :) and we were given one last assignment and that was to be ready to tell which "moment" stands out or touched us the most. Without hesitation mine came to mind.
It was when Jacob wrestled with God. There have been a few times in my life... 3 to be exact... that I have wrestled with God. May it be in a decision, an act of obedience or a life changing moment those where times that I feel I wrestled with Him.
The first time was when I gave my life to Him. Even though I was born and raised in church I didn't give my heart to Him until I was 18. However it was when He asked my to give Him my life that I found myself wrestling. I was in an accident when I was 21 and it almost took my life and I knew it because I told Him if He would let me live I'd do anything He asked of me. January 10, 1991 some time around 6:30 p.m. I gave Him my life and in return He gave me another... He told me in that moment that I had a purpose.
The next time I wrestled with Him was at the begining of 2000. That was when I decided to give in and go back to school. He provided for me in so many ways- financially and physically. Times I would leave church and money had been stuck in my Bible cover to (one of my favorites and this one still makes me cry) my Dad saying (at age 30) for the first time in my life that he was proud of me. My Dad is a very quiet cut and dry fellow so to look up in the stadium seats and see him waving his arms in a crazy celebration were priceless! The most satisfying one of all God showed me a career path that I'd fall passionate about. Our Pastor prayed with me at an alter when I was still looking for a job after graduation-
and I'll never forget it. He prayed that God would give me a job beyond my wildest dreams- something that I could never dream up of on my own. Oh and did He ever fulfill that prayer!
The other thing that I wrestled with Him over was letting go of something that hindered me and had all my life. Depression. It of course wasn't something that I desired to hang on to but I didn't know how to let go. I had layed that thing down in prayer so many times and still walked away with it- wearing it like an old garment that was so comfortable you couldn't dare part with it. I was so tired and worn down that one way or the other I knew I couldn't handle it anymore. It was at a youth camp that I was praying on my face... and God whispered in my ear so plain...Ok, if you have finally had enough- give it to me this time and you'll never have to lay it down again because I'll heal you. It took Him and me 5 years (and still working on some areas) to reprogram all the lies and beliefs that I had in my head. There was also I time in the end I had to reparent myself and that was the most healing part of all. I never thought 6 or 7 years ago that I would ever feel alive but Praise Jesus name a miracle occurred.
Jacob wouldn't let go until he received a blessing....let's not give up or let go without the blessing that God so much desires to give us.

To Blog or not to Blog

Well, Ladies I've thought long and hard about... to blog or not to blog. =)
My thoughts are what would I have to offer. I'm not a writer, a singer or
even a SAHM (whom I admire tremendously) those things were not my gifts.
My gift I believe is an encourager so that's what I've decided to use my blog
time for.

This is an article I read this week in my Christian Singles devotion:

As Christians, we talk about the "body of Christ." And we know what it means. The body is people who lead others to the Lord. It is a casserole delivered to a grieving family. It's the fervent prayers of an elder when we are sick. The body is also a grandmother's hands opening the Bible for young ones.For the most part, it's a wonderful body, and we needn't ask for anything different. Yet, as the world changes, so does the body's manifestation. Take now, for instance. In the technology realm, a new kind of body is on the move. It does many of the same things as the body we're used to, yet we find it with a click and a keystroke.This new body, part of a major revolution, is the body blogged.Blogging is a phenomenon that's gaining steam at an amazing rate. According to Technorati, an Internet blog tracker, 120,000 new blogs are created every day. And according to some sources, as many as 70 million blogs exist at this moment.A variant of the word weblog, a blog (as defined by Dictionary.com) is "an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page." Formerly considered the exclusive haunt of hotheaded ideologues, gabby teens, and video game fanatics, blogging now includes all kinds and ages. Everyone from amateur birdwatchers to professional journalists maintain blogs. The medium is especially attractive to communities of people who share a passion for a particular subject (e.g., politics or sci-fi movies) or avocation (e.g., doll collecting or motorcycle riding). Hence, the blogosphere's role as a community magnet for followers of Christ.

I mainly set up my blog account so I could comment on the LPM blog. A friend at work really "insisted" I get on Myspace to just meet others. I'm not into all that so agreed I'd set up my blog. I never dreamed what I would find in this "community". Yes, most of the time I'm a lurker that drops a comment here and there. However, I have been so blessed by the people, stories and personal devotions about life. I have found a wonderful source of accountability, encouragement and much to my surprise....friendship. Blogging most of all is a place of common ground and that is our love for our Christ and our passionate desire to seek Him more. You ladies that stop by and that I come across....you have touched me deeply.