Growing in the Shade...Bending in the Light...

Now, my Grandaddy Joy had a "green thumb", he could walk
by a bush- brake off a limb- stick it in a jar and it would grow
roots. He taught me some about growing and tending to
these precious living things. When he passed away that's
exactly what he was doing- tending to his garden. I wish he
were here now so I could tell him about something I
discovered this week. So I'll share it with you....
Do you know why a plant when placed in the sun grows
toward the light? Well, I thought I did but....I didn't.
Plants contain a harmone called Auxin that causes growth
in length. Auxin is what makes a plant grow towards light.
When light hits the side of a stem the auxin moves away
from the light and accumulates on the shade side of the
stem.
When I first thought about a plant sitting in the light, I
automatically thought about God being our Source of
Light. How when the Master sits us in the window seal
we are drawn toward Him. Then I read on further about
this chemical called auxin.
The shift in the amount of auxin in the shaded side causes
greater growth to that side of the stem. Hmmmm so how
does that relate to the thought of this in Spiritual terms?
Then God began to reveal to me this....
There are season's in our Spiritual walk that we find our-
selves placed in the Window seal bathing in His Word and
in His presence. In all the while we face times of shaded,
shadowy and even dark places. Just as the auxin causes
growth in the stem of a plant to grow, He causes our faith
to grow in the shaded areas of our life. So as the growth
on the shaded side of a plant stem causes the stem to grow
longer than the side of the stem facing the light, the stem
gradually bends toward the light. Just as He uses the
dark and shady times to stretch, grow and test our faith.
As we've walked through those dark areas and times, we
find ourselves bending toward the Light. We've grow
during the shaded side and it has caused the bending of
our hearts, minds and knees toward the Light of our Father.
I'll end with a passage from "Streams in the Desert"
"What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight;
what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the
roofs." Matthew 10:27
"Our Lord is constantly taking us into the dark in order
to tell us something. It may be the darkness of a home
where bereavement has drawn the blinds; the darkness
of a lonely and desolate life, in which some illness has
cut us off from the light and the activity of life; or the
darkness of some crushing sorrow and disappointment."

"Do we know of another who shines brighter than the
most radiant sunlight, who meets us in our room with
the first waking light, who has an infinitely tender and
compassionate watchfulness over us throughout our
day...".

In times when it may seem like we are a seed buried under
the dark cold earth....may we be quick to remember....that's
when we are growing in our faith and drawing nearest to
Him.
I pray that as you awake in the morning that you feel His
presence over you throughout your day.....

Pure love...

Faith came back to school this week. We found out more of
the story being lived out behind closed doors. I really slipped
on this one and it's called me out on how often I'm over looking
others. One thing I've learned and have always tried to
remember when working with kids is- a change in behavior
(for the worst) means something is going on in their
environment.
I've been questioning myself why- why have I lost sight of
being the encourager I use to be. Disappointment- in not
receiving a word of encouragement myself, Consumed by
the world (worries), Fatigue, things that have altered my
attitudes to a negative perspective. This is too important
to keep missing. I've got to get the "main thing" back in
focus. There are people overwhelmed and hurting. They
need--we need a genuine love- a pure love. To be filled
up with His love to the overflow so I can love others in
His love.
All day I use every creative way I can think of to motivate
kids to excell by using positive reinforcement. So what's
my motivation to change my present behaviors/attitudes?
To know that I've taken the time to notice others. To feel
I've loved on others in His love. To desire to be like Him.
God please not only give me a heart of compassion but
also the passion to love them with You.

Party on....

As some of you know I'm in the middle of doing Mrs. Moore's
Bible study "Beloved Disciple". During week four she talked
about the Greek word "Rhema". So that night after Bible study
in my prayers I asked God if He would send me a rhema word.
The next couple days I kept my eyes and ears set to hear it. It
was the next week during study that I got it. I always try and
tape Mrs. Moore on Wednesday and last week I didn't get to
sit down and watch it until Friday night. She was talking about
how we need to get our party back. We let satan still our
Joy and then we are a bunch of Christians walking around like
sad sacks. Then as God have it be I did my homework on
Saturday and low and behold it's the same thing she spoke on
the Wednesday taping. Then I heard a song on the radio that fit
the rhema to a T. I began to think how true it is that we walk
around at times like our God can't handle what we are going
through. Things came up this week- like the little girl from
school, my Grandmother getting sick and some other family "junk"
creeping up it's head. I thought how can I feel like I need to get
back my "party" when all these things are going on!
Then I read this...."Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts
be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27.
I lay all these things that happened this week at the foot of the
cross- knowing He has them in His hands now....and then I
can "party" knowing He has things under control.
In Bible study we talked about it is estimated there are
100 billion stars in our galaxy. He decided how many to
hang and gave them each a name. Our preacher's wife said
that their three year old son looked up in the night sky-
pointed at the stars and said, "that sure is a lot of names.".
I want to personalize what David said in the book of Psalm...
When I think of how vast your Creation is...why would I be the
thing You love. Of all the things He created- all the amazing
wonderful things- Girls He loves us!!

Hold Her Jesus....

I have just walked around today with a numb- dumb founding
feeling. My heart is aching and my mind is reeling. The little
Faith from work.....she broke her mother's faith.....
Her mom is in the hospital she had a nervous breakdown and
was talking of suicide. Guys, other than the Grace of God I
don't know what they are going to do. I honestly don't know
what their options are. I don't know how to reach this child
and it feels very defeating....helpless. They can't afford the
tuition anymore and they are pulling her from the school.
Please help me pray for this poor mom. There are alot of other
things that fall into the story that just add up the total.
All weekend it seemed to be one thing after the other. My
Grandmother woke us up at 4:30 Sat. morning and we ended
up taking her to the hospital. She has acute bronchitis. Thankfully
she is feeling much better.
When it rains it poors....
But isn't it great that we have a Great Big God to scoop us up
and hold us tight?! May He hold you tight in His Love.....

Prayer request

I have a prayer request I'd like to put before you.
My brother-in-law hurt his back while working
a few months ago. He works for the railroad so
they are going to see a doctor a couple states
away. We have heard great things about this
doctor. They are leaving out in the morning
(Wed.) so they have a long drive ahead of them.
My sister will be doing some of the driving and
let's just say we don't get the wintery stuff down
here and she's nervous about the drive. She is
also not looking forward to leaving her little man
(my nephew) at home.
Also my other brother-in-law has an uncle that's
had a heart attack today. He is in ICU and they
have already shocked his heart 3 times. Josh,
my brother-in-law, just lost his dad a year ago.
Josh is only 25.
Thanks guys...I know you are faithful in your
prayers and our God is faithful to hear and
answer.

Reserved for Special Needs

I know it's been awhile since my last post. Honestly by the

time I get home my brain is fried and my body is numb.

I'll explain more in my post of what wears me out so.

When I get in front of the computer I veggie out- it is

totally my winding down time. You ladies lift me up

because I come by and visit and you remind me of

how much God loves us and that He is trustworthy in

our lives. Thank you....

I've always been told that Autism in girls is way worse.

The only experience I'd had with a girl was a 21month

old. Last summer we had a girl come into our program.

Her name is Faith and she is now 5. Let me tell the

pro's didn't lie. She throws tantrums like I've never

seen. Flops to the floor, screams, spits. I had a lady

from across the office poke her head in the otherday

because she thought surely I must have been killing

the child. She is wearing me out.

Oneday coming home from work I made that state-

ment- that she was wearing me out- in my thoughts.

As soon as I did this thought replied...

Faith vs. faith. This meant a couple of things to me:

(1) I need to rely on my faith to help Faith. So I've

started praying for her and her parents. I did

this once during the summer with another boy.

(2) I wrestle with Faith just like I do my faith. God

asks me to do or say something and I fall to the

floor kicking and screaming. (hopefully not that

dramatic)

Back in Sept. or Oct. when ever football season started

we took my nephew to his schools first football game.

He was loving it up until halftime. At halftime the little

guys came out in thier football uniforms and played a

halfpint version of the game. He looked at his mom and

said he wanted to play. With all his mom's attempts

to get him to understand (which of course he never did)

that he couldn't he turned and looked at me with the big

puppy dog eyes and said, "Aunt Melanie I can do it...".

So I bent down and asked him- how do you know that you

can do it? Here's his reply, "The heart says I can do it".

Eyes proudly welling up with tears- I stand up look at his

mom and say- put that boy over the fence! I will never

forget those words- THE Heart says I can do it!

The heart...God speaks to the heart of His people...and

by golly we can do ALL things through Him.

I say all this because I want to be SuperWomen and

twirl around and help save the world. I have been so

burdened the last several months for Special Needs.

I was able to go last March to see Beth Moore and it

was amazing. So many women- so much Jesus all

around. The first night we sat in the "nose-bleed"

seats and I noticed a sign near by that read "Reserved

for Special Needs". It was in an area that wheelchairs

could use. The next morning we arose much earlier

and got much better seats. I called my mom during the

break and I told her we were so close I could tell what

color the clip was in her hair! Anyway when the

conference was over I told my sister we have to walk

up to where we sat that night. Yes I snatched the paper

sign. It's hanging on my wall to remind me...pray for

them. Also to pray that ones like me will find the sheer

energy to do more. I don't want to limit to ones with

neurological needs but physical disabilities, mental

disabilities and Spiritual disabilities/needs.

The Cage Match

Hey, I'm back. I just spent an amazing week with the Lord.

He has shown me many things...many of them- things that

I need to work on in areas across my life.

First thing We did was search the Word for scripture to go

with the Maya quote that I have found. Which these help

in the days of the Single. He pointed out in the scripture

that I ended my last post on in Col. 3:1-4 that I'm too absorbed

in the things going on around me (work mainly). There were

other things but there is one that I would like to share.

I'm not going to give many details about the situation-

however, the few details I give will give you an idea.

The main reason for my fast was to pray for someone in our

family. I pray for the wife and child everyday...some days

every moment of the day. But this time the focus was on the

husband. I've been afraid to pray boldly about this because

I know sometimes something "bad" has to happen to open

ones eyes. I have a friend here at home that knows about

this and I told her oneday that I didn't know how to pray

about it...she told me to pray for his salvation.

So I began over the weekend and started praying about the

situation. My prayers were not feeling very strong. On

Tuesday night however.... I remembered something I read

that Denise had wrote right before I started my fast. She had

posted about fasting too but she reminded me of the verse

that talks about- the disciples trying to cast out a demon and

they couldn't. Jesus told them the only way to cast out that

type was by prayer and fasting. Then I remember something

I heard Beth Moore say about praying the scriptures was like

putting together two sticks of dynamite. One stick being the

Word and the other stick our prayers. When you put the two

together it can do more damage. Both of these thoughts took

me straight back to Youth Camp in the summer of 2002.

I witnessed Spiritual warfare like I've never heard of. I dreaded

night time falling that week. It was so strong that even in the

presence of the Holy One the sense of the demonic were all

around us. It was a heavy airless feeling- it was like standing

in a lightning storm. There was a huge (wish I knew how high

it was) cross out by the lake and the last night of service was

held out there by it. Let me tell you satan was after those kids.

I heard a sound from behind me and the only thing behind me

was the lake. It sounded like a huge splash in the water. My

first thought was one of the kids fell in the lake...checked things

out had no idea what it was. I said nothing to anyone about

hearing it. A year later a group of teens from another church

came to visit our group and they were talking about this year

at camp. One of the girls had her camera that night and took

a picture of the cross in the night time scenery. The picture of

course blurred from the lack of light....however the exposure

when printed would make your hair stand on end. You could

see the fight that was being fought right before your eyes. It

was told that one of the young girls when they saw the photo

blurted out that's him....that's the one that Jesus put into the cage

and threw into the lake!! Girls, as soon as I thought about this I

got out of my bed and hit the floor. I realize now that this is the

type of warfare I've been praying against. I have never prayed on

my face this way before and it was bold too. A couple hours after

I finished praying our phone rang. It was the wife of this husband

asking a random question about something they were looking for.

It was almost midnight when the call was made....which made me

began to worry but after the pray I had peace about it. The next day

I asked the wife if everything was okay. She said yes and that

normally that kind of thing that had happened that night would have

set him off.....hmmmmm....but it didn't. May I dare say an answer to

prayer...look out satan I'm not giving up and you are not taking away

that which I love.

I will never pray the same after this week....

I really thought God was asking me to be quiet so He could speak to

me. Now I think He was waiting on me to speak to Him. In prayer

and supplication....so then He could speak.