Prayer Update

Just a quick note to try and update you. My husband was discharged yesterday at 5PM and we drove four hours to immediately go to a hospital near us, where he still is in the process of being admitted. He will need to have surgery for a plate and screws to stabilize the pelvis. This will be at least a 12 week recovery with no weight bearing during that time. We have a long road ahead of us. We haven't heard definite when the surgery will be, we are hoping tomorrow. We covet your prayers. I will try and keep you further updated. I will soon be leaving for and will likely be gone a couple days.

Urgent Prayer Request

How ironic that I just wrote today about when I am weak. This weekend my husband and our boys were on a ski trip to WV with Boy Scouts. I had a phone call from my husband around 9:30PM this evening. He fell on the slopes and fractured his pelvis. The break extends into the left hip. Right now he is in a hospital in MD overnight for observation. It isn't definite yet whether or not he will need surgery to put a pin in or not. I am home alone and have been sick for several days.

Tomorrow we'll learn more about how/when he'll be able to travel home - about a three hour drive. At this point I don't know if I'll drive down and get him or what. Also please pray for our sons. Our oldest son was able to see him at the hospital, but the youngest was not. My husband was concerned for our youngest son because he was going to join my husband on the slope, but then chose not to. Please pray that God comforts him.

Thank you for covering us in prayers.

When I Am Weak

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I can't help but be reminded of this verse lately. It seems that whenever I have a unit study column due for Home School Enrichment magazine, I end up being sick. I don't know if the Lord is trying to teach me something, or if it just happens to be a coincidence. Now I don't typically believe in coincidences, so I guess the Lord is trying to remind me of the importance of relying upon Him for my daily strength. I certainly was weak today when I sat down to work on my article that needs submitted by April 1st. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to write, but asked the Lord to speak through me, despite my inadequacies. I pray that He does.

So my heart prayer today is "for when I am weak, then I am strong," but only because of the faithful God I serve. He is my all and all!

The God Who Sees Me

I just finished reading a fictionalized version of the Samaritan woman entitled Journey to the Well by Diana Wallis Taylor. It is a good read if you get the opportunity to pick one up. One of the phrases she used in the story was "the God who sees me". What a comfort that God sees the struggles that we face - poor health, tight finances, loss of job, stress in the workplace, etc. He sees the things that are going on in our lives and doesn't just sit back and watch. He is walking the path beside you, just waiting for you to seek His help and comfort in each situation that you face.

Not only is he the God who sees you, but He also is the God who loves you and wants communion with you. Won't you reach out to Him today for your daily strength and portion?

Bluebird Sighting

I have often seen photos of bluebirds but have never actually seen one until yesterday. We were driving to meet a friend that had some model railroad equipment that she was going to give to my guys. I happened to be driving our van since I had just picked my husband up from work. As I was driving I saw a bird fly in front of the van and land on a post on the side of the road. It drew my attention because it had blue coloring. As it landed I saw it's bright blue wings and red/orange chest. I was so excited to finally see a bluebird.

Our your eyes open to the new things that God wants to show you today? Perhaps its in the beauty of a new bird that you have never seen before, or perhaps it is pointing out where you have a bad attitude and need to change. Maybe you said some unkind words and need to make restitution. What is it that God has for you today?

Perchance To Dream

To go or not to go: that is the question:
However with tight finances there seems to be no hope.
She Speaks 2009 is a dream of mine
But with a mission trip to China
For my husband and youngest son
And my oldest son starting college this fall
No extra money there is to be found.
I also hate to be away when my family is home
But recently I learned that they all will be gone.
So I began again to think and to ponder
If God was somehow calling me to She Speaks.
When Lysa announced the opportunity to win
I began to hope, and perchance to dream.
To write is what I have always desired.
I have tried to touch hearts through writing a blog
But so little I know about this domain.
I would love to learn how to improve it.
And see what others can teach me about this device
So that perhaps I can win some for Christ.
To write novels I hope someday to aspire
Ones that encourage women in their faith
And help them to dig deeper in God's Word.
At times I get discouraged and begin to wonder
If I will ever succeed when it comes to this area.
Almost forty-four year I have lived on this earth
I often have struggled with my own self-worth.
I pray that somehow God can use me despite all my faults
To lead others to Him through things that I write.
She Speaks means laughter and making new friends
Encouragement and learning and feeling God's presence
Finding a calling...
And perhaps finding my vision again.


Proverbs 31 Ministry will be having their annual conference on July 31- August 2nd in Concord, North Carolina to encourage speakers, writers, women's ministry leaders and bloggers. Lysa TerKeurst is again offering a contest with the winner receiving a free scholarship to this conference. Check out these links:
http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/2009/03/she-speaks-scholarship-contest-for.html
http://www.shespeaksconference.com/

I would love the opportunity to go this year. I hope you enjoyed my parody of the soliloquy from Shakespeare's Hamlet, "To Be or Not to Be."

Sweep Out the Hidden Places

This morning a new mattress and box spring were delivered for my oldest son. I had the delivery men place them in our entrance hall so I would be able to get things cleaned up back in his bedroom. I noticed earlier that all kinds of papers, toys, pencils, pens, shoes, candy wrappers, envelopes, and dirt had accumulated over the years. It had been a while since that area of his room had seen the light of day.

As I sorted through the obvious garbage, shoes, toys, and papers that he needs to go through, I finally was at the point of being able to vacuum. It was transformed from a cluttered, dirty floor to a spotless blue carpet. It was a sight to behold.

Now things are clean and ready for the new mattress and box spring to be place on his bed frame. I won't attempt that myself since I have been dealing with back strain, but instead will wait for my strong husband to assist me.

I couldn't help but think about the transformation that I saw in my son's room as I dealt with the debris under his bed. It made me think of the various sins that could be clogging up our hearts. All that is needed is to confess them to God and to ask Him to 'vacuum' us clean. He can take our filthy hearts and make them new again. I'm so glad that God is in the 'cleaning business.'

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Well here it is St. Patrick's Day already, which means that we have just finished celebrating my oldest son's birthday (Friday) and my husband's birthday (yesterday). In a month we'll also be celebrating my other son's birthday. Spring will be here starting on Friday, but today we celebrate St. Patrick and his vision to evangelize the citizens of the country that stole him away from his homeland.

I can't help but reflect some in regard to his servant heart. He escaped Ireland but felt God's tug on his heart to return there to tell the people about Him. It makes me wonder what I would have done in that circumstance. Would I have said "Good riddance." and gotten on with my life or would I have followed that call that God was placing in my life.

Even now, God has placed a call on each of our lives. Are we going to hear that still, small voice that is calling us? Are we going to be obedient to it? What are you going to do with what God has given you? What is He asking you to do? Will you decide today to start answering that call and actually do something with it?

The Journey Begins

Today is the first day in the journey of my son becoming a man. He turns 18 today. It seems hard to believe that the time has passed so quickly.

It just seems like yesterday that you were born. I remember the joy that we felt. I remember the first time you sat by yourself, your first words, the first time you took a step.

I laughed as I looked through some of your baby pictures today and saw ones of you lying on the floor looking at your picture books. You loved to look at them over and over again. Now you amaze me with how quickly you can read through a book.

Your future looks bright as you look toward soon graduating from homeschool and working at camp this summer as a senior staff counselor. Before long you will be off to college in Florida and following your pursuit to become a youth pastor.

On this day, I want to tell you Happy Birthday Joshua! We are so proud of the man of God that you are becoming. We are amazed to see how much you have grown and matured this year. We are proud to call you our son!

Love,
Your Parents

Return of the Robins

Here in PA one of the sure signs that Spring is on the way is when the robins return. Today was my first day to see these fine feathered birds. My husband and I watched as four were fighting/discussing? in our apple tree.

I also noticed that the buds on the trees are getting more prominent and my daffodils have shot up from the ground at least two inches high. It won't be long until it is consistently warm here.

So what signs of Spring do you see in your area of the country? I guess I need to give up my desire for one big snowstorm. It looks like it won't happen in the next couple weeks.

Hope you are enjoying the beauty of God's creation.

Christlike

I just finished reading Eric & Leslie Ludy's book entitled When God Writes Your Love Story. A quote that sticks out for me was, "You are only as Christlike as you are Christlike around your family. If you start there, where it is most difficult to love, then it will be easy to display Christ everywhere else!" This is a simple, but yet profound statement.

We often are nicest to those that we aren't consistently around. It is much harder to be 'nice' around those that we are in daily contact with. Often siblings and spouses receive the brunt of our emotions, whether good or bad. We tend to let it all hang out with those we love, because they have to love us, even when we are ugly. But yet, wouldn't it be better it we chose to go out of our way to love and be considerate with those that we live. If we practice being a servant with them, it will just come naturally when we are out in the world with others. Perhaps this is what is meant in Ephesians 5:1-2, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

How are you doing with being Christlike in your home today?

Fresh Wind

The temperatures have been rather warm here in Pennsylvania the past few days. Today in no exception. The wind is blowing, but the temperatures are warm. I stepped outside for a minute to put some letters in the mailbox when I noticed the beauty of the day. The wind reminded me of a book that I read many years ago entitled Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala.

My thoughts moved on to the words of Jesus when he said to Nicodemus, "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:8) I also thought of how the wind can be strong enough to blow away the dirt and debris and make an area clean.

For today, my prayer is the following:

"Lord, let your Holy Spirit blow in my heart and my life. Clean out the areas in my heart that go against You and Your word. Clear out the areas of dust, dirt and sin in my life. Mold me, make me, and shape me into Your image I pray. Amen."

Sweet Aroma

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?" 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

Yesterday evening was another of the "lasts" in my son's senior year of high school. We attended the high school swim banquet. It was a fun time of seeing a slide show of photos from throughout the season, as well as a time for each swimmer to be awarded and recognized. It is hard to believe how quickly the four years of high school have flown by and that we will soon be at the end of our homeschooling journey with him.

At the conclusion of the program we had several parents come up to tell us about how impressed they were with our almost eighteen year old son. It was a proud moment for us, but also bittersweet as well as we look forward to the fall and his leaving for college to attend Pensacola Christian College in Florida - a long distance from Pennsylvania.

When we arrived back home, my husband and I commented about three different women that we noticed at the swim banquet. They each had the 'aroma of Christ' and 'fragrance of life.' It was very evident that they had a personal relationship with the Lord. They weren't showy or flashy, but with their sweet spirit, it was easy to observe Jesus in their face.

This made me think about how I look when others see me. Do they too notice the 'aroma of Christ' and the 'fragrance of life'? I pray that my life and demeanor are very obvious of who I belong to - Jesus Christ.

Another Opportunity.....

A little less than a year ago, I surveyed as many as possible, in regard to what their top ten struggles were that they faced as a woman. I still am compiling the results from that survey. If you have not had the opportunity to submit your 'Top 10' please take this opportunity to do so. You can either record it here as a comment or feel free to email me as well.

Here is what I listed on March 29th of last year:

1. Insecurity/confidence
2. Balance
3. Finances
4. Keeping up with the home.
5. Healthy Eating
6. Exercise
7. Raising godly children.
8. Consistency in marriage relationship.
9. Managing my time wisely.
10. Developing/maintaining women friendships.

I would love your input!

A Love Story Handwritten By God

Don’t you just enjoy a good love story? Whether you hear a friend’s adventure, watch a movie or read a book, as a woman it is easy to get wrapped up in the romance. Recently my friend shared that for Valentine’s Day her husband had written her a love letter. Later in the day when he took her out to eat at a pizza place he shared a special song with her as well. Perhaps when you hear something like that you sigh and think, “Wouldn’t that be nice….”

Recently I have been reading a variety of books entitled When Dreams Come True and When God Writes Your Love Story both written by Eric & Leslie Ludy, as well as Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris. My husband and I never had a ‘dating’ relationship. When I was in high school I made a commitment to the Lord to focus on serving Him until He showed me who He wanted me to marry. I met my husband while we were both attending college. We were in a Christian organization together on campus and that is how we got to know each other.

We became good friends and enjoyed talking and being together, but neither of us thought anything about it. We hung out with a bunch of other Christian friends and just had fun. Before too long people started commenting to each of us separately about our ‘relationship’. Both of us had no idea what they were talking about. God had completely blinded us until He showed us that He had hand-picked us for each other.

So why have I been reading these books? Well, now I have two sons that are in their teenage years and my husband and I are encouraging them to not ‘date’ but to allow God to point them in the direction that He wants for their lives. These books have similar themes to that, so I have been reading them to get some ideas as well. In their own way they talk about the love story that God has written just for you.

I know their intentions are in regards to male/female relationships. But I think as Christians it goes beyond that. God has a handwritten story for your life, which is just for you. It is different from any other person on this earth. He desires to know you in an intimate way and to have you follow Him. He knows everything about you and desires to be in communion with you each day.
Even though I love a good romantic story, I am thrilled to know that God has a personal story that He wants to write in my life. I know that I can trust Him and that He has desires for my good.

How about you? Are you ready to hand God the pen and allow Him to write that personal story or letter for you?