Every Life Counts, Every moment matters

My heart was so heavy yesterday-gets that way at the end of the year. It was Jon's birthday which meant a lot of busyness....after days and days and days of busyness...I was beginning to hit bottom. I needed to stop and pray-God was calling my heart to pray-but although I was praying without ceasing, I didn't heed the call to stop my day and get completely alone with God. I felt that nag all day and the weight increased. By the time Jon got here, 7ish, I was pretty whopped!

But, let me tell you about Jon. Jon has been a member of our church about a year now. He sits right behind us. When I first met him, he held my hand a little longer than I was comfortable with and made eye contact which I am not strong with either. He is very personable, very outspoken, very touchy feely. He definitely challenged my comfort zone. He is a single airmen with no ties to our area, just tried our church and stayed. It is such a rare thing to find a guy his age with his level of faithfulness. He wasn't chasing or scoping out the girl possibilities, really spent his time there with older women. He would sit with our widows-so he got my attention. I started praying for him. When he would miss, I would pray, and then harass him when he got back. This Christmas we invited him over to spend the day with us, and he did. I knew he would fit but wasn't sure if I would find something in him that concerned me, and I didn't. I have been trying to get Kat to talk to him for a year now, but she wouldn't. That day she did.

Katherine has been on this roller coaster for about two years now. She has hungered for a guy that would love her and be faithful to her. It has been an emotional ride for all of us. Joe started this train and the abandonment we felt when he left created this huge void. I kept praying for him, asking God to direct his heart back. He stopped in yesterday and talked to us for awhile. For the very first time in two years, I knew God was working in him, but it was too late for him to come back to us, he wasn't the one for her, and I was thankful she wasn't with him. I stopped by the dorm and prayed for all these guys that have crossed our path, as I do when I am on the base. I spent the time I had with Kat yesterday talking to her about Jon, what she felt, where she was at, and encouraging her to continually seek God in this new relationship.

I never completely comprehend what God is doing or how...I just know He is. I looked back at my journal over the past few years and found a prayer I prayed in Dec. 2006. I asked God for a faithful man for my daughter....a man who would be faithful to God first and then to her. This man, two years later, could be that man. He fits. He is comfortable with us. He is faithful.

So...he needed a potato head. We of course provided him with one. Kat put it together the night before, but he had to add his own touches. He reconfigured his potato and played with it! (Really). Wow, we laughed. His potato has taken its place among our spud family...let me introduce you...

left to right: Katherine (cowgirl hat) , Jon (elephant nose), Shawna (birthday hat), Alex (corn cousin with green ball cap), our resident fireman (came from Shawna), and Steve and I!

As another year closes and I look back over the year, I stand in complete awe of who God is-who He has brought into our lives, relationships He has restored and renewed, and every life that has changed ours and ours theirs. No one that comes through does so without leaving a mark. I pray that the mark we leave will be one of grace, one of love, one that points to Christ. Jon is already changing our lives. We have laughed and laughed with him. Every life counts...every moment matters....not all are forever, some are just for that moment, but I pray Jon is here to stay. I would like to gain a son that has the qualities Jon has.

Spud Buds

Seriously....on the left is Pirate Steve, and I am on the right-in a state of evolution (the missing link!). LOL...wow....and here is how it happened. Mr. Potato Head has certainly made a comeback. I LOVE it! I had already gotten a small set with accessories for Kat and Todd, but wanted a big one for me. We are browsing through Big Lots the week of Christmas, just because I hadn't been in there this season and wanted to look around. I was really done with Christmas, but was on the prowl for Three Kings Gifts...and there it was..Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head complete with three different accessory sets, a pirate, birthday, and scavenger hunt set. I gasped and my mouth dropped open! My dear hubbie bought it for me. After a few more stops, we headed home...he to put together a laptop table (way cool by the way), and me to assemble Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. There ya have it...they have now taken their places side by side on a ledge in my living room.They aren't alone though-beside them is Alex (he is a corn cousin), Kat who is a fashionable carrot, and Shawna-a very classy spud!

Life should be lived and enjoyed! We had so much fun assembling our spuds. My brother did an office spud (for Todd) while I put together the fashion queen, and Alex his spud bud..then we were off to the full size Mr. and Mrs...took on a whole new meaning of "family and friends!"

How Do You Spell AWESOME?

G-O-D!

And HE IS just that-AWESOME! Wed. night I discovered that the other two ladies who go to the jail on Thursdays weren't going to be able to go. The one, our fearless leader, was sick-she was supposed to be going and teaching this week. Hmmm....what to do, what to do, what to do....ran through my head and bounced up in a prayer. I wasn't prepared to teach...actually had a lengthy to do list that morning...and I hadn't gone by myself over there yet. On the way home from services, I weighed my options, pros and cons, debated with myself...a day off would be nice...hadn't planned on teaching and didn't have a lesson...but then...last service before the holiday, the ladies have been so faithful in their Bible studies and if they didn't get them turned in, it would be three weeks before they could get another one...hmmm...back to what to do?????

Went to bed with no idea, got up with a prayer, "Lord, I need a lesson if I am going to go, and I have no idea." I was back to considering Mephibosheth again, but picked up my Experiencing God workbook and started thumbing through it. I landed on the how does God speak section and started looking up the Scriptures and cross referencing. God impressed my heart, and I went with it. It took me a couple of hours to compile it, get it typed and such. Last week I had taught on how our heart determines our attitudes and actions, and that we need to get to the root of our belief system and determine what we believe and why. It was an incredible lesson for ladies who are trapped in this destructive lifestyle. Learing to hear God speak and know that He wasn't going to lead contrary to His Word was a logical step. These ladies have submitted themselves to everything but God-that is how they got to the end of their ropes!

I was still a little apprehensive, but got dressed, went to the church to gather materials, and headed out to the maximum security facility. I got there right on time, went in, visited and started the lesson. There are two pods; we go into each one for an hour. Inside of the pod is a meeting room where we meet. We take in tracts, literature, Bibles, a correspondence Bible course, and teach a lesson. Turns out...I was the only one to show up. The other team that comes in didn't come. The ladies thanked and thanked me for coming. The correspondence course keeps multiplying-many have been faithful for over a month now! God showed up-the ladies joined in the discussion, shared their hearts, interacted and received Spiritual truths! One testified about how she was struggling with homosexuality. She needed confirmation that it wasn't God directing her that way. I got to deal with Jesus being our mediator, tearing down the veil of partition between us and God. I got to share with them how much God loves us and how good His plans are for us-if we would just listen and obey. Wow, wow, wow....there is absolutely NOTHING like ministering where God has planted you!

I finished, said my goodbyes, and got in my jeep. The song on the radio was a 33 Miles song, One Life...you only get one life to find out the one thing you don't want to miss...one life to love...I sang and praised God for this one life to make a difference! Oh yea-forgot the punch line....I have had these young military guys on my heart for some time...all year really...since I met Chris back in January. I pray for them all the time-stop by the dorm and pray over them, asking God to bring them to Him. Many are swept away by this new life, new Independence, money and prestige that attracts girls to them. They get caught up in pornography, alcohol and whatever else....and I know many of them have moms and dads missing them and praying the same things I pray for my kids. Anyway...sometimes I think all is lost, but then God opens a door again. Yesterday, He did just that. Taylor had been popping in a bit, so we still have opportunity with him. Chris showed up yesterday at the house-first time he has been here in 6 months. Yippee....encouraged him to come back to Shady Grove. We are inviting a bunch of them over for Christmas. Don't know who will show and who we will get to minister to, but a door is open, and I know God loves these guys and wants to work in their lives!

And...I am awed...that He chooses to use me at all!

Where the Heart Is

I woke up yesterday trying to figure out how to get done what needed to be done in a day! The Christmas season adds a rush to our already bursting schedule, a good rush, a sweetness, and at times, a calmness. We started our season out (so to speak) with a Casting Crowns Christmas concert. That was lots of fun and powerful.

We hadn't decided if we were doing a tree because the house is still in shambles. I didn't want to add to the chaos. In the end, we did decide in favor of the tree. Last Friday, my chaos meter pegged out, and I had a melt down. Steve and I spent the day cleaning, organizing, sorting in the dining room and living room. Then we put the tree up. Doreen wrapped presents for me...I have been collecting gifts for the family, but hadn't had time to wrap any of them! Alex spent Friday night with us; he helped wrap too! We finished out the night with a movie, The Ultimate Gift.

I am trying to keep focused on the greatest need-not material gifts, but salvation. It had been a few months since I talked to Alex about salvation. He had gotten in trouble Friday afternoon which opened a door for me to talk to him about "what we do." He told me back in August that he thought we got to heaven on works. His "works" had been getting him in trouble lately, so we discussed how to really get to heaven. He has come to a head knowledge of what salvation is and has changed his mind about the works idea! We had an awesome talk, no salvation yet, but doors are being opened.

I had to work Saturday and Alex's dad was coming through. Alex was so excited to see his dad; he was jumping around! :) We had a nice visit with the family-considering we are in a construction zone! (I am so getting over having people here under these conditions!). We were looking forward to seeing Chance. He has grown so much! The time was short, but glad for all of it! After Alex's other side of the family left for Florida, Doreen and I went to the store to get ribbon for the tree. We had so much fun picking that out and then later decorating the tree.

I have been doing a theme tree for a few years now, but this year thought that our families should do a combined tree. Doreen loved it and brought over the ornaments they wanted to put up. My brother, Doreen, Steve, and I all decorated it together. The tree took on an entirely different character and the atmosphere was so much sweeter because of our combined efforts! When we finished, we sat back and took it all in.

Sunday, we spent helping Toni clear stuff out and get ready for the movers on Monday. In between all that we went to church....Sunday night our pastor preached an awesome salvation message. He confirmed everything I had just talked to Alex about. Earlier in the week, my brother and I were talking about our family and their need for salvation. Our pastor hit on all of that too. I had to go pray. As I was kneeling down at the altar, my brother touched my shoulder. I prayed then scooted next to him. We prayed together for the salvation of our family members! I could not begin to express how precious that is to me-to not be the only one in the family praying for the rest of our family! After services, we came back to the house to have sub sandwiches and head to the boardwalk to take pictures. We had a really good time doing that.

On Thursdays, most Thursdays, I go to the prison ministry. This past week was my turn to teach again. I thought I was going to teach one thing, changed my mind, changed my mind again, woke up that day and changed my mind again! REALLY....ended up on what is in our heart determines our attitudes and actions. That really hit home for me, because what we are is inside-the outside is just a manifestation of that. There is something different about believing something to be true and really believing it in our heart-our heart determines our actions. If it gets to our heart-it comes out! Our ladies in the jail ministry got a good dose of what salvation and Christian living really is this past week and....so did I!

Too Busy

I have been too busy to even organize my thoughts! The past few weeks have been flying by-I can hardly believe that Christmas is two weeks away! Am I done getting ready? Of course not! I have been trying to squeeze in holiday shopping in between working on the house, working, juggling ministries, and....it seems like this is the season for surgery! All week, I have gotten up, did some house chores, had coffee, devotions, worked on painting something, ran to work, ran to the hospital! It sure is hard to get anything else done...I snatch read here and there and clean something up on a "pass by." My brother asked me Monday if I had tried the leather cleaner ion the jeep seats. I said "when?" He said on one of my "pass bys!"

Today, I hope to have the desk done in the office so we can put up the computer. (After we kept knicking it, decided it needed to be polyurethaned) We also need to put up the shelving which will solve some of my organizational chaos and let me clean up the living room and den a bit. That is one of my objectives before attempting to put up a Christmas tree.

We had a nice warm day on Monday, so we got out in the shed and searched for winter clothes and office boxes. We then went to the other side of the shed, organized it again, and covered everything with plastic. Not a moment too soon-the storm hit later that day. It has been storming off and on ever since-today they are talking about snow! Wow...snow!

We had an eventful day last week with my jeep. We were driving to base and my indicator light beeped. I looked up to see what the problem was-tire pressure was dropping rapidly. I tried to make it to the base, but it was not possible. My tire had a slice in it and went completely flat. We pulled over (Kat and I). We made a few calls and got out to survey. We haven't had a flat in the jeep before so we had no idea where the jack was. Kat is crawling under the jeep looking for it when it occurs to me to look in the manual. We discover the jack is mounted under the back seat. We read the instructions and try to get it out! (Homeschooler in us!). We can't budge it, so along comes an airmen. He stops, and Kat explains the situation to him. He (of course) gets the jack out. It is a puzzle just getting it out of the jeep, and then it has to be taken out of the frame it is in. He figures that out and jacks up the jeep. Steve and my brother arrive about that time to finish the job. We said goodbye to the airmen, getting his address (so I could invite him to Christmas dinner), and head on our way.

We actually had three people stop in the short time we were there. It encouraged me greatly to know chivalry is not dead!

That stopped my day dead in its tracks...and I had to regroup. While we were waiting, before the jack incident, we decided to pray. God has been teaching me to pray without ceasing. Every moment of the day is an opportunity to pray. I pray while making the beds, doing the laundry, painting the wall. I pray while driving...and although I am not sure just exactly how at the moment, that is the topic of my prison ministry study tomorrow. Prayer is the one thing that I look back on my life and wonder how different everything would be if I had prayed more, worked less.

Too busy? Yes, I am....but it doesn't have to hinder me from prayer!

Oh...and prayer requests...another sister is coming here in January to stay with my brother, which means my sister and Alex have to come here. We still don't have rooms ready. Mine is ready to paint, but won't have floors yet. Kat is living in the office-her room needs to be sanding and finished floating so it can be primered and painted...will be a bit before she has floors too. Chance will be here this weekend (Alex's brother) and there is some things up in the air about that. A temporary teaching job has opened up in January which I am considering. It is 8th grade math for a middle school, just a sub till my friend comes off maternity leave. Hmm....might be a way to pay for my first term of the masters and it doesn't conflict with that, but it makes for very long days for about two months. HAVE NO IDEA! :) Please pray with us!

Phase I: Complete

Well finally...how many months later??? We have a room finished and are moving stuff into it. This is what we call the office. It is an office/guest bedroom. Alex will be sharing the office space once he moves in, but right now Kat is enjoying sleeping in a room with a door!

We really have completed alot more than that, but none of the other rooms are completely done, most are partially done.

The inspector called yesterday unexpectedly and happened to be in our neck of the woods. He met Steve at the house to check out our progress. We have really been stressing over that-not sure what to expect. The mortgage company told us what we needed to do and have ready...that was our guide. The inspector walked around, asked a few questions, took a few pictures, and said we were good. We should have our phase II funds by next week.

Phase II is the expensive one-lots of contract work on this phase which costs a lot more. We still need to find a roofer, someone to install crawl space fans, and get the electrician to do some wiring. The first thing on this phase is to get the rest of the windows installed, and then the bathrooms....think we are going to find that harder than it looks...small space...but lots of expense in there! :)

Having a finished room has sure spurred us along. There were moments of doubt when I wasn't sure there was any light at the end of this really long tunnel. Trim started going up, doors, hardware...all of that...and we were so encouraged! Steve's dad came in on our way to Florida. Steve gave him a tour. Now...you have to understand that his dad is very resourceful and knows how to do lots of stuff. He thought we had lost our minds doing this work ourselves. I reminded him that we are talking about HIS son...what else could he do! Anyway...my father-in-law complimented Steve-told him he was proud of his workmanship! Yipeee...who needs an inspector to give us the thumbs up! Having "dad's" approval, done rooms, and the first inspection done officially brings phase I to a close and motivates us to keep moving, keep working, there really is a dim light way up the road.