Family

My big sister came to visit yesterday. She is nine years older than me and was very much like an Aunt to me in my early years. I remember her teaching me how to tie my shoes, fixing me my first bologna and cheese sandwich and digging the pebbles out of my forehead when I fell off the monkey bars and hit the playground asphalt face first! She was my babysitter, advisor and safety net until she celebrated her 18th birthday by moving away from home. She became a nurse, mother of four and grandmother of two spunky little boys (so far). And she's still my sister.

Until about 8 hours ago, I was convinced that she and I are very different from each other. Truthfully, our lives have turned out differently. She has a much better connection with our extended family than I do, she is way more confident when making decisions than I am, our kids interact with us very differently...I could go on and on. Since she left this morning, however, I am more surprised by our similarities. We are both passionate about what God tells us in His word, deeply committed to our families, love to talk, love movies that make us cry...I could go on and on. What I realized is that if I want to place distance between my sister and I because we are so different from each other, I could definitely do that. If I want to stay close to her, however, by focusing instead on those things that make us similar, I could make a case for that as well.

The same could be said for any member of our adopted family in Christ. We can choose to focus on those aspects that make us different or those that make us similar. The latter will unite us, the former will divide us. The choice is ours.

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. Ephesians 4:3, nlt

Get a Phone Call From Jesus...??

link: Talk to Jesus



I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but right now I am thoroughly creeped out.

Beautiful Blessing Bonanza

Dang. I was trying to be a blessing, but was blessed instead. I have a friend who is facing a tough week. We prayed (and cried a bit) together last night and she was on my mind this morning on the way to work. I picked up my phone and dialed her up, expecting to hear the voice of a woman under stress. I prepared my best, most compassionate, "minister to my hurting sister" voice, prayed for her and steeled myself for any sadness I might hear from the other end of the phone. Instead, I heard giggling that erupted into laughter when she heard my voice.

When she could finally catch her breath she told me her husband had given everyone who's numbers were programmed into her cell phone their own ring tone. I hadn't called her since he did this, so she was surprised to hear a funky little ditty emanating from her phone. The song made her laugh, but knowing her husband connected that song with me made her guffaw. The song? Greased Lightning!! Yeah, that about sums it up. I am a wild thing sometimes. Plus, it makes even more sense when you consider what some people think about my personality type!

It is so great to have friends who not only know me well enough to connect me with such a wacky song, but love me because of it! I am so glad my phone call made her laugh today. It made me laugh, too! What an abundance of blessing!

Without Expectation

Disappointment is the direct result of reality not meeting our expectation. For example, when we expect the dishes to be done when we get home, but we get home and they aren't, that's disappointment. The greater the difference between our expectations and reality, the greater our disappointment. That's how we roll as human beings. We hope for the best, but often end up with something that is not quite what we were hoping for.

Sometimes disappointment can be a good thing because it motivates us to try harder next time. When we plan to exercise five days in a week, but only manage to complete the task three days, it can motivate us to try harder the next week. More often, though, disappointment leaves us discouraged, especially when we pin our hopes on other people who are just as fallible as we are. When others fail to meet our expectations, we can be quite critical. At least, I know I can be. When that disappointment hits, it negatively affects the relationships I treasure.

This week, I have been reminded that the only one who will never disappoint me is God. He is the only one on whom I should pin my hopes and expectations. Isaiah 49:23 says, "those who hope in me will not be disappointed." How cool is that?

So, I resolve to set my hopes on the Lord alone. I will continue to love others, just as he calls us to do; but I will do it without expectation.

As I was writing this, a song came on the radio that drove this point home to me. God's timing is impeccable! May it bless you as it has blessed me!

Stepping In It

I learned about inertia at the County Fair. I had been taught the concept in school, but its applicability to my life wasn't clear until a group of performers/teachers found a fun way to dramatize the concept. Since then, I often think of them when I feel stuck. Such was the case yesterday, when I veered sharply away from my desired path. Thankfully, the Lord hit the brakes for me before I did something stupid, but then there I was. Stuck yet again.

"Objects at rest tend to stay at rest, objects in motion tend to stay in motion." Yada, yada, yada. I was definitely "at rest" when I came home after my river adventure. I literally fell into bed and stayed there until morning. When I opened my eyes, those performers entered my thoughts. I remembered them teaching the audience how, in order to get an object at rest into motion, it had to be acted on by an outside force. It won't just do it on its own. For example, a ball sitting on the floor will not bounce simply because we want it to; we have to either pick it up and bounce it ourselves or get some willing kid to do it for us. People are the same way. When we have been still for awhile, getting moving again takes effort. We have to make the decision to get moving, then, usually with a grunt or a moan, get moving! That first step out of bed or off the couch is usually the toughest because it takes the most effort. Once we get going, we are more likely to be able to keep it up.

This idea applies to our spiritual lives as well. When we find ourselves at a spiritual stand-still, we have two options. We can stay there, or we can make the decision to move. All we have to do is ask, be willing, and pay attention. He'll provide the force to move us from the place where we are stuck:

Acts 1:8 tells us we "will recieve power when the Holy Spirit has come upon [us]..." There's the force we really need!

So, that's what I did. I took care of the physical getting out of bed and moving forward and asked the Holy Spirit to take care of the rest. By the end of the day I felt much better about things. He's showing me where to focus my attention. I just need to continue stepping along path He has prepared for me. He's taking care of the rest.

A Liver and Onions Day

Yesterday I ran away from home.

Work life is becoming very stressful, relationships that were once important to me are either strained or gone and my extraordinary teenagers behaved very ordinarily - and that was the straw that broke this camel's back. I picked up my keys, walked out the front door and drove away. One thing I am sure of is how blessed my life is. Really! But, yesterday everything went completely gray for a time and my coping skills flew out the window. Psalm 34:8 tells us to "Taste and see that the Lord is good," but at that moment, it sure looked like he served me up a plate of liver and onions with a side of brussel sprouts. I wanted to find a place where I could be as alone as I felt.


After an hour of driving, I ended up at the Kern River. As I exited my car and approached the banks of the river, the sound of water rushing downstream became an immediate balm to the frayed end of my rope. I witnessed a beautiful white bird dancing overhead. I looked into the river and saw colorful, rounded stones. Collecting a few, I watched them move around each other in the palm of my hand. After awhile those stones started to dry; their colors faded, they lost their shine and most of them started to look the same. At that moment, they were the picture of how I felt. I was a big, dry, unimportant nothing. Just then, God spoke to my heart. I dipped my hand back in the river and their luster and beauty returned. That was the picture of what God wanted me to do next.


The properties of those stones have not changed since they were first formed. What did change was where they were placed and what they were placed in. I, too, am exactly who I am wherever I am. God placed me in a river, of sorts, when He placed me in the life He chose for me. Unlike those stones, I can walk away from my river any time. When I do, however, I lose my luster, my ability to shine. I will function at my best, most God-glorifying level, when I stay in the midst of His plans for me. He will sustain me there with His living water and bring others alongside me to keep me company. Some days I will be still and cool, but other days I will tumble and crash against others journeying with me. I will lose companions along the way, but I will gain new ones, too. He told me to trust Him and keep my eyes open for the next turn. He has a plan.


After a few hours of self-pity, followed by a time of confession and forgiveness, I returned to my river of home, work, friends and family. For now, that handful of stones is staying with me as a reminder. I'm still feeling a bit dry, but I trust He has a plan.

Manly-Men Movies

I'm getting some really good feedback regarding movies depicting strong women. There is definitely a distinction between movies that portray women as capable, independent beings and films where men are shown as inept boobs. So, I would like to know what movies you enjoy that portray men in their best light. I love movies where the men are strong, courageous, protective and respect women. The problem is, I can't seem to think of very many of these films right now. Can you help me out?

Some of my favorites:

Pride and Prejudice

The Pursuit of Happyness (One of the few where the woman is the dawg)

Finding Neverland

Flyboys (A totally underrated film, in my opinion!)

Facing the Giants

Sweet Home Alabama (It is why I have a crush on Josh Lucas!)

Glory Road (It is why I LOVE Josh Lucas!)

....now I'm all swoony. Good men are so wonderful!

Cell Phone Tower Disguised as a Cross?

link to article

"PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP, N.J. A local church along with the help of Verizon Wireless may take cell phone tower development to a new and technologically divine level...
...At Bible Christian Fellowship Church, there is a proposal to develop a 100-foot cell phone tower that would be disguised as a cross and provided by Verizon."

So, what do you think?

Man-Hater Movies

That's what friends call a certain genre of movies I like. Can you believe that?? I like movies that portray women as capable, intelligent and strong. That is a whole different animal than a movie that portrays men in a negative light, don't you think?

Some of my favorites:

Fried Green Tomatoes (Tawanda!...OK, this might be an MHV)

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Charms for the Easy Life (I want to be just like Miss Charlie Kate when I grow up!)

Little Women

Miss Potter (Just watched this last night for the first time. LOVED it!)

Anne of Green Gables

Hope Floats

Pride and Prejudice (Who could hate men after watching this one?)

Dante's Peak

Miss Congeniality

Twister (LOVE the cow!)

Sense and Sensibility

Under the Tuscan Sun (A couple of inappropriate scenes, though)

The Secret Garden...not sure this fits the genre, but I really like it.

So, are these man-hater movies or strong women movies? Can't they be the latter without being the former? Most of these movies are pretty darned romantic, if you ask me. Do you have any similar movies you could add to my list? I'm looking for a few more!

Untitled, Part 2

I can't believe I haven't revisited this story since October! Sorry, Bob. You've nagged me plenty of times and I let you down. Well, I finally wrote part 2 of the story and even named a character after you! If you missed part 1 or, quite likely, have forgotten it by now, here's a link:

Untitled, Part 1

And, now, for Untitled, Part 2.....

She ignored the butterflies dancing in her stomach as he entered the lobby. Had it only been two years since this had been a big part of her life? It certainly felt like decades had passed since she last crossed the threshold of a newspaper office. She gave the handle of her portfolio a squeeze, took a deep breath and approached the reception desk.

"Good morning. My name is Erin Jensen. I have an appointment with Mr. Wade."

Five minutes later, she was ushered into the office of the editor of the Oakhurst Gazette. Mr. Charles Wade, although the term "Mr." didn't quite seem to fit this particular gentleman. Raised in the small communities surrounding Yosemite, he had no interest in such formality and made it clear as soon as Erin shook his hand that she should call him Charles. The name suited him; relaxed, but formal enough to indicate authority. No, Mr. Wade would not do. Chuck would also be an unfitting tile. Charles was just right.

"So, you're interested in doing a bit of freelance work for us, Mrs. Jensen?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Charles will do fine."

"All right then, Charles."

"Let's take a look at that portfolio."

Thirty minutes later, Erin walked out of the newspaper office with her first assignment. Working for a small town paper doesn't offer a great deal of money, but a small income, along with the insurance money, ought to keep her and Sarah fed and housed. Besides, keeping busy kept her thoughts focused on moving forward, not looking back. Covering the mayor's retirement sounded like a promising beginning to the restart of her writing career. If, that is, she could come up with a unique angle. The trick would be to write the piece as assigned, but with something unexpected revealed in the story. That would be quite a challenge since Bob Cross had been mayor here for the past 15 years and a prominent lawyer for the twenty years before that. His name has been mentioned for one reason or another in nearly every edition of the Oakhurst Gazette for the past three decades.

That's when inspiration hit. She would review some of his past cases and contact a handful of previous clients. They would provide interesting quotes and maybe some long forgotten stories about the mayor to include in the article. She had a place to begin!

Resisting the urge to make a u-turn and start researching the Gazette archives immediately, she dictated some ideas into her voice recorder and headed home to share her good news with Esther and Sarah. Besides, she was ready to get out of this stuffy suit and pull her hair back into a ponytail.

She rounded the next-to-last curve on her drive home. Doing her best not to look, the memory of that night drew her eyes to the spot where a part of her died forever. Her heart ached, like it did every time she drove by this spot. She wiped the tear from her eye and turned her thoughts toward home. Sarah was waiting. That had to be enough for now.

Loving Jesus through My Blahs

I've been up on the mountan top

Full of awe and celebration.

I've also dwelled inside the pit

Begging God for inspiration.

Experiences like that have taught,

Extremes don't last for long.

Instead what I encounter most

Is the average dance and song.

No shocking highs, No desperate lows

Just day-to-day frustrations

And that is where what matters most

Is great communication.

Not with my spouse, my kids or boss,

Though that's important, too.

A consistent walk with my best friend

Is what brings me safely through.

The blah-ish times is where I find

My weaknesses to be

At greatest risk, the most exposed,

For my guard is down, you see.

So when you enter average days

Resist the urge to coast

Stay close beside our Savior, 'cuz

That's when you need Him the most!

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. - Joshua 1:8

Why I Would Never Want to be President

"Bush to have colonoscopy Saturday

By James Gerstenzang, Times Staff Writer11:07 AM PDT, July 20, 2007

WASHINGTON -- President Bush will undergo a colonoscopy Saturday, and Vice President Dick Cheney will be acting president during the roughly 2 ½ hours Bush is under the effects of anesthesia, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said today.It will be the second time Bush has undergone the procedure as president, and the second time he has signed over to Cheney, under the 25th Amendment, the responsibilities of acting president." link to complete article

Have mercy. Is the President of the United States allowed any privacy? Couldn't they just tell everyone he's going to have a normal medical evaluation, Chaney will be in charge for awhile, and leave it at that? What's next? Will they issue a press release every time he goes to the potty? Really. TMI, in my opinion.

Washington D.C. Commissioning

My Dear Sister,

The God of GloryHas called you.

You have a ministry.

In Christ, you are enough for that ministry.

Never forget that showing God off is your ministry.

No matter what,

Keep your heart in your ministry.

Unveil your face

And serve others with authenticity.

Always remember

That the power is in God's Presence.

Let nothing Come between you

And intimacy with God.

Keep moving forward

From glory to glory.

Let God thin that veil.

Remember, ministry is not about position.

It's about people.

Let name after name

Be written on your heart.

Do not seek great things for yourself,

Seek a great God.

As you leave this place,

Go in a fresh anointing.

He who turns water into wine

Turns wimps into warriors.

You have a ministry.

Go fulfill it.

-Beth Moore

Thanks, Mrs. Moore. I needed to hear that.

Twins

These two funny people are Nicky and Pedro. They were the teacher/assistant for the third grade Vacation Bible School class this year. It is tradition at our church to have each day designated for something special. This picture was taken on Twin Day. That's Pedro's real hair! The two of them were the talk of VBS for the rest of the week after this stunt. The matching Muppets t-shirts were a perfect touch! After I laughed my head off, I thought about how this is a perfect object lesson for us.

Nicky made every effort in her power to look like Pedro. It is obvious there were some things about herself she could not change, but she was willing to do her best with what she had. She knew she'd never pass for Pedro, but it didn't stop her from trying. You can tell by just looking at her that she not only resembles Pedro, she enjoyed the process of getting that way!

We are called to do the same thing...well, sort of.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1-2, NLT

Even with our best efforts, we will never look exactly like God. No one will ever mistake us for the real thing, but that shouldn't stop us from trying. Wouldn't it be cool to know that when people look at us, they recognize our resemblance to Him? Even better, when they see us, wouldn't it be great if they saw someone who enjoyed the process of getting that way?

60 Books Project

University of Wisconsin News - “[T]he Bone Folders’ Guild, a Madison-based book arts group, created 60 blank journals and distributed them to each of the 60 libraries in Wisconsin’s South Central Library System. The project drew a wide range of participants-from farmers and bankers to children and the elderly-who contributed their own unique flavor to the journals."

The journals are now complete, have been digitally scanned and are available to review on the internet here. What creativity! I have only looked at a few of the books, and only a few pages in those books, but they are interesting and sometimes very impressive. The picture here is a page from the Lakeview book.

This is the first verse of a poem written by Cari M., age 10, entitled I am:

I am creative and caring.

I wonder when the war will be over.

I hear big booms of thunder.

I see flashes of lightning in the night sky.

I want peace on earth.

I am creative and caring.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

My ABC Adventure

This is meant for kids, but sometimes we just need to be silly. It is a movie all about me! Enjoy!


If the movie won't play, follow this link. It is acting a bit fickle on my end.

Fellowship Found in Bunco Insanity!

Tonight two home groups from our church came together to have some fun. We played Bunco! If you've never heard of the game, don't feel bad. I had never heard of it before I moved to Bakersfield. But it is an obsession with some people here! I can't begin to explain how to play in a short blog entry, so you can find that information here if you are interested.

Anyway, there were about 30 people between the ages of 8 and 80 attending, 95% of whom had never played bunco before. 60% of whom could not hear well. 20% of whom were not yet teenagers and had a problem focusing on their task in the midst of the chaos that ensued. Hearing problems meant most had not heard the instructions of how to play properly. Youthful exuberance meant listening and keeping score were almost impossible without some supervision. I cannot fully describe the frantic screaming that went on whenever someone yelled "bunco!" or, heaven help us, "travelers!" At some point keeping score lost all meaning and it became our goal to just end up with the traveler’s prize at the end of the night. Chaos. Wonderful chaos.

In the midst of it all, I laughed more than I have laughed in weeks! We have some pretty wonderful seniors in our church that I was blessed to get to know a little better tonight. There are some people actively involved in some pretty top-notch parenting as well. And I really would like to see Jerry and Joe sing "I Feel Like a Woman" at the next talent night!

I share all of this silliness only to say, make the effort to get to know your church family. It will never happen if all you do is go to Sunday School and morning Worship. Step away from your busy weekdays to touch base with these people you have chosen to stand alongside as you glorify God. I am amazed at just how fun getting to know my church family can be!

Education at the Used Book Store

In an effort to deepen my understanding of literary culture, and because I'd just like to say I've done it, I am making an effort to read some classic works of fiction. My first mission: Locate a copy of The Great Gatsby. To that end I took a side trip this afternoon to our local used book store. You might be surprised at what you can discover about yourself and about popular culture by making a visit to a seller of our discards. Here is but a small slice of what I discovered today:

1. Book Reviewers use the word incandescent way too liberally.

2. Ten years later, Vinegar Hill is still a lousy book. I don't care what Oprah says.

3. We pay a high price for hype. Books you paid full price for a year ago can now be purchased for pennies on the dollar.

4. There are entirely too many editions of "Chicken Soup for the Soul."

5. Jan Karon's books are timeless.

6. People waste way too much money on kissing books (known as romance novels to the rest of the world). If we put as much time into our marriages as some people put into reading that trash...well, you get the idea.

7. If you pay full price for a Disney children's book, you are out of your mind. I found TONS of those for about 80 cents apiece.

8. We don't read nearly enough classic fiction. I could not find even one copy of The Great Gatsby.

9. Tom Clancy books are really, really big!

10. The world does not know the difference between religion and Christianity.

We live in a culture of feel-good, throw away the old, buy only the newest stuff, and brand names matter. In general, our population runs about as spiritually deep as the newest top ten self-improvement book. I want to look different than that. I pray when someone notices where my focus is, they see someone who places very little value on things and, instead, values relationships; with God, with my family, and with my neighbors. If they can't learn the difference between Christianity and religion in a book store, I hope they can learn it through me.

Volunteer Appreciation!!!!!

A friend shared this with me. It ROCKS!! It was the perfect pick-me-up after Vacation Bible School. If you serve in your church, God bless. If not, you don't know what you're missing.

Dog-ed Devotion

My cutie-pie Terrier mix does the same thing every morning. He waits by my bed until I get up, follows me to the kitchen while I get a drink of water, waits outside the door of the bathroom while I take a shower, then keeps me company while I dry my hair and do all the other mysterious girly stuff all we ladies do. Toward the end of my prep, he always - always - nudges the blinds on the door that opens to the back patio off my bathroom. I open the door and he trots outside, does his business, then comes back to the patio and sits. He looks out over the yard, sniffs the air and takes it all in. He doesn't bark, he doesn't socialize with the other dog or the cat. He just sits. After a few minutes he gets up, gives himself a shake and comes back inside, ready to return to my side.

This morning as I watched him on the patio I realized how rarely I do exactly what he does every day. When was the last time I stepped away from my busyness and took the time to appreciate the good things God has poured into my life? Even more to the point, when was the last time I took the time to just be still? My goal is to read my Bible every day, but I rarely stop my plans to get it done. If it is done at all, it usually doesn't happen until bedtime. Why can't I take ten minutes to listen to the words of my Savior and gaze on His majestic creation at a time during the day when I am not completely exhausted? Ten minutes! I can certainly carve ten minutes out of my morning for the Lord.

How embarrassing that it took a dog to remind me to be still...

Purity Ring not Allowed

"A teenager whose teachers had stopped her wearing a "purity ring" at school to symbolise her commitment to virginity lost a High Court fight against the ban on Monday.
Lydia Playfoot, 16, says her silver ring is an expression of her faith and had argued in court that it should be exempt from school regulations banning the wearing of jewellery."

Entire article here.

Want to be proud of someone? Read Miss Playfoot's statement she released after the ruling. Here's an excerpt:

"I, along with 11 other Christian girls at Millais School decided before God that we would make a commitment not to have sex before marriage, and as a sign of that commitment, to wear a simple silver ring from the ‘Silver Ring Thing’ movement.

The wearing of the ring was to me, a demonstration of my Christian faith and values, which are based on the Bible – which clearly teaches that sex outside of marriage is wrong and therefore not God's best for us.

Despite the fact that Muslims girls at our school wear headscarves, and Sikhs wear Kara bangles, the school refused to allow me to manifest my belief through the wearing of a ring."

Brave girl. This happened to her in England. Is it only a matter of time before it happens here?

Here's info about the Silver Ring Thing movement she mentioned in her statement.

Response from the NFL

A few months back, I read an article regarding the NFL intervening in a church's effort to have a superb**l party on their property. There argument was that a projection TV they planned to use would violate copyright laws, which apparently apply to churches but not to bars. The whole thing just ticked me off and I sent them a letter about it; something I am always threatening to do but rarely actually follow through with. You can read my initial blog about the issue and the letter I wrote by following this link. Sorry, but the original article is no longer available through the link I provided on my blog back in February.

To me, the whole thing is an issue of discrimination against churches. Churches are non-profit and are seeking family-friendly ways to gather. I was disappointed in the NFL when I read the initial article, but their flippant response to me annoys me further. I recieved this in the mail yesterday:

"The National Football League has absolutely no objection to churches and others hosting Super Bowl viewing parties as long as they do not charge admission and that the game is shown on a television of the type commonly used at home.

We are simply following copyright law and have done so consistently with regard to hotels, theatres, museums, schools, arenas and other such venues. [may I note no mention of bars here]

This is nothing new. It is a matter of longstanding policy and the law.

We have no rules that relate to viewing at home on any type of television.

Sincerely,

NFL Public Relations"

To me it is just another reason to loathe football. The church could only show the Super Bowl on smaller-screens. I can't remember the dimensions, but the size would have made viewing the game in a large group very difficult. Oh, and they were asking everyone to contribute $5 for snacks. In the NFL's eyes, that constituted charging admission. Do they restrict bars to certain sized TVs? Do they tell them they can't charge a two drink minimum during special events? NoOOooo. The whole thing just fries my cookies. Why can bars, who make a big profit on booze during the event, show the big game on a big screen, but a church, which only seeks to profit souls for the Kingdom, can't? Grrr. If you read my original letter you'll see they never even tried to answer that question. Public relations my foot.

Now I'm off to find my happiness again.

Rejuvenating Effects

Do you ever wish you had a magic wand and could make everyone around you freeze in one position for just a little while? We love them, but to have one hour where no one asked us for anything would be a dream come true some days. Anyone else? Even as I type this, I have been interrupted to help clean out some stuff from the garage, plan something for lunch, and move a mattress. All this on the day right after a grueling week of ministry at Vacation Bible School! My DH would love it if I would listen to his ramblings...er...thoughts this morning, especially since I have been unavailable to do that every evening this week. Inside I am screaming "STOP!!! LEAVE ME ALONE FOR A LITTLE WHILE!!!"

On the outside, however, I am being helpful when asked, forcing myself to make eye contact and doing my best to come up with appropriate responses to any questions. As much as I want to hide, my role in life is not to be a hermit. I am a very necessary cog in a complicated machine consisting of all sorts of obligations to God, family, friends, church and work. So, how do we stay sane during these very demanding seasons of our lives? By relying on the restorative powers of our Savior.

Psalm 51:12 says:

Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

That is a prayer perfect for this season in my life. I especially love the latter part of this verse, Grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. On days like today, my spirit is not willing to do much of anything. But, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God can grant that willing spirit to me. Bless His name that He can!

And the willing spirit He grants will sustain me. That word means: To lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon. To sustain, refresh, ....revive . On my own, I won't get through this day, but I am trusting God to sustain me, to revive me, through the rejuvenating effects of the Holy Spirit in me. Taste and see that the Lord is good!

VBS 2007 Grand Finale!

Just a couple of pictures I have to share:

Isn't this a great set for VBS: Game Day Central this year?

And the kids aren't bad, either!

How many pastors and their wives would be willing to do this??

You GO, Andy and Kristine!

Here are a couple of shots of the Carnival, our VBS 2007 final Hurrah!

VBS is a lot of work, but what great memories we made. Better still, 16 children proclaimed their faith in Jesus Christ this week! Pray for these children and their families. Pray this intense time of ministry results in many families coming together to know Jesus personally. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Redneck Christmas in July

Get now while the gittin is good! This just makes me want to sing Christmas carols....




First let me say, Dale Earnhardt is a highly respected legendary figure here in Bakersfield. But, seriously, an Earnhardt/NASCAR Christmas Village??? Talk about taking the attention off Jesus! Who's birthday are we celebrating at that time of year exactly??


Too funny!

Disappointing Gifts

Today was the 35th birthday of one of my Sister-friends. Her husband had to go out of town and we are all about elbow deep in Vacation Bible School. Still, I wanted to do something to remind her that she is special and to show her I am glad God made her.

I sent her some funny email cards and brought a big batch of birthday cupcakes to share in her honor at VBS. My plan was to bring her a large glass of her favorite Starbucks beverage, light a candle on a cupcake and sing "Happy Birthday" to her during the dinner hour before VBS begins. Everything went exactly as planned until I ran to Starbucks to get her treat. In my most worldly, savvy, I-do-this-all-the-time voice, I ordered her Passion Iced Tea, size large. I waited patiently for the sweet teenager behind the counter to complete my order. When she called my name, I danced proudly up to the counter and reached out to eagerly receive my order. Did you know "Grande" isn't a large at that store? It is a medium. I was bummed. My lavish gift idea was now only medium-sized. Flustered, I just took my order and went to my car.

On the way back to the church I considered not even giving this drink to her. I was embarrassed. What if she interpreted it to mean I only thought of her as a medium-sized friend, or only medium-sized worthy?? She didn't even know I ordered this. I could just give her the cupcake and she'd never know the difference. But I wanted to give her this treat. Meager as it was, it was still her favorite beverage. I decided to buck up and offer her my gift with all the love and effort I could muster. Guess what? She appreciated it and I even think I blessed her. As inadequate I thought my gift was, it still had the power to make a difference in her day.

Later I started thinking about other types of gifts; the gifts our heavenly father asks us to use to bless his children in our church and community. How often do we look at our spiritual gifts or abilities and think they just aren't good enough to give? We assess our gifts and abilities and determine them to be, in our estimation, medium-sized gifts; inadequate to bless in large-sized situations. But, just like that small drink became a big blessing to my friend, ways we serve God that may seem minuscule to us are a big blessing to others. All He asks of us is to give Him our best. He has a purpose for each one of us, but we have to be willing to get out there and do the thing He called us to do. Be brave! Share your medium-sized gifts with all your heart and see what big things God can do with them!

While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.” - Luke 21:1-4

One More Time: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICKY! I REALLY AM GLAD GOD MADE YOU!!

A Lemonade Miracle!

Last night I took it upon myself to begin to prepare the break room for the Vacation Bible School teachers. I grabbed a couple of pitchers and looked for some yummy lemonade with which to bless our parched workers. But, alas, all of the lemonade powder had been used to make drinks for the dinner. One of the ladies in the kitchen checked out the cooler thingy (you know, those orange things with the button-spigot on the bottom) and told me there was maybe enough to fill one pitcher. Bummer.

I went out to the cooler thingy, put my hand on top of it and said, "Loaves and Fishes, Lord!" I really did. I have witnesses! Are you ready? Not 1, not 2, not 3...not even 4. We were able to get 5 pitchers of yummy lemonade out of what appeared would only fill 1!

Every last drop of that lemonade was consumed by the end of the evening. God gave us exactly what we needed: no more, no less!

If you tell me God doesn't care about the small stuff, I will never believe you. Never!

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. - Philippians 4:6, nlt

Justice in the Burbs

How can we be the hands and feet of Jesus right where we live? Will and Lisa Samson have written a book addressing that question. Here's an interview with the authors about their new book, Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Wherever You Live.



I have read many of Lisa Samson's books and am looking forward to reading this one. It appears to speak directly to an issue I have been struggling with; how do we minister right where we are? If you are asking the same question, this book might be a great resource for you, too!

VBS Survival Kit

Our annual Vacation Bible School began last night with a bang. We had sloppy Joes(one of my favorite comfort foods) for dinner, registered a bunch of new kids and met some very nice families. My job this VBS is information and leader encouragement. That means I compose a daily newsletter and a small gift to give all of the VBS workers each night. Last night I handed out a VBS Survival Kit. It contained matches, seeds, bath salts, water, etc. with each item given a corresponding encouraging message and scripture. Oh, and chocolate, of course! The gifts were warmly received and appreciated. On the way home last night, after a day in the trenches, it occurred to me there might have been a more useful survival kit I could have compiled. Here is a list for my new, improved, version of the

Vacation Bible School Survival Kit

Pony Holder - you'll need it when the sweat starts rolling.

Closed-toe shoes - unless you like the feeling of little sneakers crunching your baby toe.

Knee Pads - Those kids love it when you talk to them at their eye level...and there are a BUNCH of little ones to talk to at VBS!

Your own personal stash of Tape, Stapler, Scissors, and a Sharpie. During VBS, these items are precious commodities.

Sugar or Caffeine. You're choice. You'll need it.

Make up remover wipes. Better yet, just wash all makeup off before you get there.

Tissues - for wiping noses and drying sweat....and for dabbing the tears that well up when you become overwhelmed by the love poured out all over you when you spend time with these precious little people!

If you have never helped in a VBS event, I recommend it highly. It is a great way to serve as missionaries in your own hometown!

Easy way to Support Missions

Every internet search you conduct with www.goodsearch.com/ will earn money for the charity of your choice. I picked the North American Mission Board. They give one penny per search to the charity you choose. That doesn't sound like much, but considering there were 5.6 BILLION internet searches conducted in July of 2006 -that is ONE MONTH of an entire year -it can really add up. You pick your charity when you get to their search engine.

Heat Retreat

The opportunity to escape our 100+° heat presented itself today. For a very annoying reason, I was able to go to the coast. The details regarding why will remain private out of respect for my elders. I'll say no more about that. I had to wear a long sleeved shirt! I know there are many spiritual ramifications of my respite and I'll be sure to cover many of them soon. But, first, I wanted you to meet this guy:

He was just one of many cool experiences I had today. And I do mean cooooool. Thank you Lord, for the heat retreat!

Mercy, Compassion and Fellowship

Loving others unconditionally is the goal of every Christian who lives what they believe. Jesus, our supreme example, taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves. He ate with tax collectors, spoke with Samaritan women of ill repute, and touched those who others had deemed unclean. He reached out and saved me when I was completely unworthy. His compassion for the lost and mercy shown to those who repent is enough to send me to my knees in praise whenever I think about it. As His redeemed, we are called to show that same compassion and mercy to others.

Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' - Matthew 25:37-40

I have encountered many well-meaning brothers and sisters in Christ recently who are striving to do just that: to show love to those the world sees as unlovable, to reach out to those in need. I deeply respect their efforts and am convicted to reach out more personally. However, many of these blessed people are falling into a common trap: fellowshipping with unbelievers. They reach out, meet basic needs and, hopefully, have the opportunity - in word or deed- to share the love of Christ with those who are lost without Him. Then they take it a step further. They spend more and more time with people who are rejecting Christ, but still wanting the help that is offered. Pretty soon, they are emotionally entangled in problems that won't be solved by meeting physical needs, or those physical needs continue to pile up so high that no one could meet all of them. Having such involved relationships with people who are interested in material help but not spiritual healing takes its toll. Some Christians will reach a point that they think ministry is fruitless, others can become jaded and suspicious of all people in need, and some may even feel like they are failing God.

I am absolutely not an expert in this matter, but there is a passage in scripture that seems to apply in this circumstance:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? - 2 Corinthians 6:14

The key here is fellowship. I did a bit of research using a lexicon and Bible dictionary. I can certainly give all the references here, but it would make this blog entry obnoxiously long. You can look it up for yourself at crosswalk.com, using KJV with Strong's as your reference point.In short, to fellowship with someone is to partake with someone. It comes from a root word that means "to have (hold) in the hand, in the sense of wearing, to have (hold) possession of the mind (refers to alarm, agitating emotions, etc.)." It means allowing their problems to have a priority spot in your mind.

Yes, we need to hear their needs, meet them when we can and pray about them when we can't. We need to show mercy and compassion towards those in need. As the song says, we need to be Jesus to the world. We are not to get entrenched in their junk, though. Much of what ails them will only be healed when they turn their lives over to God. Until they do that, we can only do so much. Bearing one another's burdens is reserved for burdens of fellow believers.

"Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ." - Gal. 6:1-2.

We need to set loving boundaries when we are reaching out to others. It is difficult to figure out when compassion and mercy crosses the line into fellowship, though. If your study of the Bible could shed some light on this issue, I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Rising Mercury

It is not yet 10:00am and it is already 90°. The online forecast says we'll have a high of 104°, but the weather lady this morning warned of temps peaking at 109°. Either way, that is just plain hot. This is the time of year that tests our mettle here in lovely Bakersfield, Ca. This is what separates the men from the boys. It weeds out the riff-raff. It is what shows the rest of the world that we are strong. Stand tough, Bakersfield! We can get through this!!

...oh, boy, it's hot.....

What I Love About America

Peanut Butter

The Grand Canyon

Freeways

Diet Coke with Lime

The freedom to worship however we choose

Disneyland

Hot Dogs (Don't tell me, I don't wanna know!)

Baseball...when they play nice

Broadway Shows (Wicked is the GREATEST!)

Late Night Talk Radio (Conspiracies, Aliens, and End of the World scenarios: What could be better?)

The freedom to say no

Our frontier heritage

San Francisco

Candied Apples

Thanksgiving

Volunteerism

Surfing

...and...

I can write about whatever I want

How about you? What do you love about America?

Charitable Thought

I stood in the checkout line behind a lovely woman and her two adorable kids last night. Her preschooler son was wearing a black cowboy hat and reminded me of my own boy when he was that age. Her baby was smiling and cooing in the infant seat placed in the cart. Momma was cooing back at her baby and heaping blessings on her boy for being such a good helper while he put groceries on the conveyor belt, readying them for checkout. As he completed his job, she began hers. She placed her W.I.C. coupons next to the appropriate items, focusing on her task and her kids, expertly avoiding eye contact with anyone else.

I am grateful we live in a country that reaches out to those in need, flawed as the process may be. I wish there was a way to help "the least of these" and preserve their dignity at the same time.

Jonah: Lessons Learned

The story of Jonah is an event in the Bible that has become so commonplace to me that I am guilty of treating it like a fairy tale - a bedtime story. For the longest time, I thought of pinnocchio when I heard Jonah's story. That is embarrassing for me to admit because I know the Bible is not a fairy tale. It is the true, inerrant word of God! Yet, I am guilty of taking the stories that are told and retold for granted, treating them more like cautionary tales than actual teaching from God. Then on Sunday, my pastor was able to do the inconceivable: he took these passages and breathed new life into them for me!

If you don't know the story of Jonah, there is a small book devoted to it in the Old Testament. You can find it here, or look in the table of contents in the front of your Bible to look it up for yourself. That's what I had to do Sunday morning. It's a very tiny book and hard to find if you don't visit it regularly.

Abridged version: God tells Jonah to tell the people of Nineveh that they are completely messing up and He wants them to straighten up and fly right. Jonah says, in his most whiny voice, "I don't wunnah!" And runs away from home. The boat he runs away on gets caught in a storm. Jonah knows the storm is God's way of shaking him up, but even then he won't talk to God. He ends up getting thrown overboard and spending some time in the belly of a large fish until He finally cries 'Uncle' and repents. The fish pukes him up, he goes to Nineveh, they repent, Jonah pouts because he thinks God should have zapped them anyway. God tells him he's not the boss, God is, and to deal with it. God also tells Jonah to exercise a bit more compassion. The End.

It's a pretty good story, but it's much more than that. Here's the cool part:

There is definitely a little bit of Jonah in all of us!

Jonah is told to do something very simple. I'm sure he knew it was the right thing to do, but he doesn't want to get confrontational with anyone, let alone a whole community. So he decides to hide from God. How often have I been guilty of the exact same thing? I end up in a conversation with a Christian sibling and they share something that is definitely outside of God's plan for us as His children. I know I should say something, but I don't wunnah. It is much easier to ignore the issue, to sidestep the whole matter, to run away. Then, when God starts convicting me, I hide my head under the pillow and pretend I can't hear him. Sharing God's truth in love can be difficult, but it is one of our primary obligations to each other as Christians.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20 (emphasis mine)

Here's what I thought about after church: How prone we are to become jealous when God blesses a brother or sister who repents. Somehow, we want them to be sorry and straighten up. But we don't think they should have the right to be as close to or blessed by our Heavenly Father as we are. After all, we were the ones who were obedient first! We shouldn't have to sit back and watch the more rebellious, but also repentant, ones flourish when we don't feel like we're being blessed appropriately for our efforts. Jealousy.

I was reminded, once again, of the passage God laid on my heart recently. I know it is a word for me for very personal reasons, but all of us as Christians can take comfort in the truth of this passage:

This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open: “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close." -Revelation 3:7-8

The door he has opened for you is not the same door he opens for someone else. And no one but God Himself can close any door that He has opened for you. There is never a need for jealousy. Just like Jonah we can get caught up in "it's not fair" syndrome, but there is never a need for such behavior. He opens doors for each one of us that have absolutely nothing to do with the doors he opens for someone else.

If you see God blessing someone who has repented, rejoice in that. It means you serve the One True Living God with the power to open doors for all of His children at precisely the right time and in precisely the right way. What a mighty God we serve!