The Great I Am

I am battling a huge bout of fatigue. This school year has
totally tapped me out. However, in the midst of a really
bad day this week God gave me a picture of His presence.

I had promised my nephew that during Spring Break he
could come to work with me. He loves to play in the
sensory gym- can't blame him it is pretty cool. Anyway,
I haven't explained to him just yet that I work with Special
needs kids and that there are just kids born that have
different ways of learning and playing. So, I was a little
afraid of how he would react to one of the kids that was
in that day. They both interacted really well with each
other until the little boy with autism got really excited.
When he gets excited he starts to stim. Stimming is a
form of body movement that is in the rocking, hand
flapping or eye gazes that they do when over stimulated.
As the little boy began to stim my nephew got that
nervous fearful look in his eyes. Before I could get to
him my cowork stepped in between them because she
noticed my nephew's reaction. That night I was thinking
about the day and I remembered this taking place.
There are some things in my nephew's world that I would
like to protect him from. All in reality I can do right now
though is pray for God's protection over him. As I was
thinking about what had happened that day between the
two boys God spoke something so beautiful to my heart.
He showed me that He is the One who can step in between
the nervous and fearful things in my nephew's life and in
all our lives. I've always known that He is our protection
but to have such a tender view of it in real life was so
moving and real. When there is something fearful or
anxious going on in our lives and when satan is getting
a little too close our Mighty God steps in to protect us as
His children. Our Father stepping in to protect and shield
us.
It reminded me of a point in our Bible study- "Beloved
Disciple". Beth Moore said, "Suddenly Jesus walked
through their barriers, into their hiding places, and
appeared among them." This was taken from John 20
when the disciples were afraid and locked themselves
in a room and Jesus came through the locked door and
appeared before them. Just think about being so afraid
that you've locked yourself behind closed doors. Be it
literal locked doors or locking ourselves behind mental
doors. God sees us and comes to us through whatever
is before or around us to protect and comfort us.

Wordless Wednesday

In the Garden

I thought you might like to see some of the highlights from the
kido's Easter program. It was powerful and gentle all at once...
Just like our risen Savior...

Narrator: It's Sunday morning in a Jerusalem garden. The
year is 32 A.D. The sun has just risen, and all is quiet. But
if you listen very carefully, you might be able to hear a
conversation between two flowers on the path.
Bud: I don't even feel like blooming.
Bloomer: Why? What's the matter, Bud?
Bud: Everything just seems wrong since Jesus died. I mean, he was there
at the very creation of the world, Bloomer.

As the story goes on the flowers soon learn that Jesus had died and then
rose again. And the little flower at the end says, "But he was stronger than
death. He won! And that's the bloomin' truth!"

(The cute little flower at the end is my nephew)

I also thought I would end with these scriptures that were recorded

that we might believe.

Prophecy:

"Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they

have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones; people stare

and gloat over me. They divided my garments among them and cast

lots for my clothing." Ps. 22:16-18

Gospel account:

"When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him,

along with the criminals- one on his right, the other on his left.

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what

they are doing." And they divided up his clothes and cast

lots." Luke 23:33-34

I pray that you have beautiful Easter celebration filled with love...

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.....