He IS coming....

The other night, our sleepy little hamlet received about eight inches of snow. We woke up to a beautiful, wintry wonderland. Blue took Meadow and Forest to town, so me and my big O (that is our nickname for Ocean), went for a walk. I was walking down a gravel road, and was a little, shall we say 'spaced out'. I had a lot on my mind. Ok, anyway, I glanced up and see a large, yellow, front-loader headed straight towards us. I immediately grew animated, because Ocean loves big machinery. I was excitedly talking and pointing when I see the drivers eyes grow wide and the back-end of the overwhelmingly large machine start to slide. It was then that I noticed a car had come up behind me and the danger became apparent. I jumped backwards into the ditch, pulling the Chariot with Ocean in it. Of course, the whole incident only lasted a couple of seconds, but my heart was beating fast as I watched the loader come to a stop where we had been standing and the little car, apparently none the worse, whip around and off down the road.
As we began our walk back home, my thoughts wandered to the coming Christmas season and the celebration of Christ's birth. Over two thousand years ago, God came to earth as a humble servant to save man from his sin. I thought of that loader sliding toward us, and realized that Christ's return to earth is just as imminent. This time He will not be coming as a humble servant, but as a conquering King. Anyone who has not accepted and believed on Him as Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will pay a very high price when He returns.
I was caught off guard and was not completely prepared for that front-loader but I am ready for Christ's second return, and I want to tell as many people as I can of the imminent return of my Lord.

just praising the Lord

About two months ago, a good friend of mine invited me to an IHOP convention. Now, I know you are thinking what I was thinking, and that is, "about time we had a convention to celebrate pancakes!" Well, the convention was this past weekend, and when she called to remind me, she informed me that the acronym was actually "International House of Prayer" not "International House of Pancakes". Ok, I agreed to go.
I arrived a few minutes late, and the evening had already started, so my friend and I slipped into the back row. I looked around, and was immediately uncomfortable. There was a band up front, leading the crowd in some praise songs. I didn't recognize any of them, and the music was fairly loud and a little...shall we say crazy, for my tastes. Many people were swaying, arms raised, or even jumping up and down. I was about ready to lean over and whisper to my friend that I wasn't really comfortable, when I felt God's spirit telling me to close my eyes. Ok.
His next words to me were, "Worship Me." Ok.
He reminded me of what I had read that morning in Psalms 56:12,13 "I will render thank offerings to Thee. For Thou has delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living."
He reminded me of what I had read in Isaiah 12:1
"I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, For although Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away..."
and verse 4 and 5,
"...Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted. Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth."
I raised my arms to the One who is so worthy of my praise. I gave Him clap offerings. For over 2 hours, I praised God. I thanked Him for "delivering my soul from death", for turning His anger away, and for His excellent deeds. Let me tell you, two hours wasn't enough.
When we finally sat down, a speaker from IHOP told us about a small church in Kansas City. This church felt convicted nine years ago to spend more time in personal communion with God. So, for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the last nine years, this church has had a room that is committed to praise and prayer. WOW! Of course, they work in shifts, but one shift a week would be life-altering, and for NINE YEARS!!
I think back on how fast that two hours went. I was created to worship. He desires my worship. He is so worthy of my worship. This week, I am going to try to just keep praising my Lord.

On a more serious note...

Ok, I thought I would put up a few pictures of our fam in recent times. Meadow was a princess for Halloween, and she decided that she should be a princess year round. Her friend, Molly, was a princess as well. Ocean was Elmo. He was not excited at all until he figured out that if he just held out his bag and smiled, and he would receive some candy. After that, he wouldn't take off the costume. Blue, well, he was just Blue, hee hee! And, Forest was only interested in the chocolate.
Let's see, the other pictures are from Ocean's bowling birthday party, which was a total riot. I think the adults had as much fun as the kids, which is saying alot for a birthday party, if I can be honest.
Anyway, God is so good, and we are so thankful for all of His blessings.

The tongue...

Two days ago, I met with a couple of women here on my street. We usually meet once a week for a Bible study. Well, we had concluded the study last week, and were just meeting for accountability on finishing that last week of homework. That, and I believe it is a highlight for all of us to get together, chat, drink coffee, and the best part...Dave, the husband of one of the women, had offered to watch the kids so that we could devote our attention to the study. He is truly a servant.
So, we got a little sidetracked and started discussing a present social issue. I admit that I had not researched the subject, nor did I really have an opinion. But, I do so enjoy a good debate every once in awhile, and it wasn't long before the topic became quite spirited.
About the time I was really starting to feel the heat in the room, one of the women burst into tears. I immediately froze, my arm in the air, the spark still in my eye, and my lips forming the words for my next point. I knew things were getting a little heated, but I had no idea that the topic was personal.
God then gently whispered James 3:2 in my ear, "For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body." I had, unconsciously, offended my dear friend. The other two women immediately jumped up, apologizing, hugging, and making a definite attempt to make things right. I just sat there.
I spent the entire afternoon with this nagging feeling in my gut that I should not have left things the way they were. Even though I did not feel as if I had said anything that was wrong, there was still that little voice. To be honest, I still felt that I was right. (Don't I always?) This time He whispered James 3:5 "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth." I finished verse 6 for Him, "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell."
It truly does not matter if I was right. God doesn't even care if she was right and I was wrong. Our tongue, my tongue, can destroy the whole body of Christ.
I walked over to the phone, picked it up, dialed her number, and told her that I was sorry if my words had hurt her in any way. She responded in grace and we reconciled.
God is so good. His wisdom is "pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, FULL of mercey and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

Don't forget to be grateful

"When gratitude has died on the altar of a man's heart, that man is nigh near hopeless." Dr. Bob Jones Sr.
This last week, my husband had Wednesday off from his job. He had worked really late the night before, so I was prepared for him to sleep in. When he sat straight up in bed and announced that he was going to install the kitchen floor, I leaned over and pinched my other arm. Yes, I was awake, and yes, it was still dark outside. I was speechless. As he jumped out of bed (literally), I found myself fumbling for a sweater and mumbling something about how we should wait. Was I crazy?! Wait for what?! The flooring had been stacked in our basement for at least two years, what did we need to wait for? He couldn't be serious. Once he drank that first cup of coffee, he would realize that his hypermotivation was just a carry-over from whatever dream he had been having.
But, wait... what was this?....no coffee?! He was straight out the door to the garage and I heard his air compressor and table saw roar to life. I was still sitting on the edge of the bed trying to figure out what was going on. I did know one thing, I was not skipping the coffee, no way, no how.
When he burst back through the door, the first piece of flooring in hand, I finally came to the realization that he was very serious.
My baby is amazing. He did it. By the end of the second day, I had a brand-new, beautiful cork kitchen floor.
Something he said at the end of the project caught my attention. I was praising him, going on and on about what a wonderful man he is, etc. etc., and he looked at me and said, "I should be in your good book for at least a year." My initial response was to "kind of" snort and mumble under my breath, but then I stopped to think.
My husband is good and he does good things for me because he loves me. My heavenly Father loves me so much the more and He does good things. How easily I forget!!
It has only been a week, and when I feel my old self rising up inside to say something that is unkind or usually a bit sarcastic, I remind myself that he has another 51 weeks in the "good book". No, seriously, I remind myself of what Christ did for me, He died on the cross so that I could have eternity with Him. Everyday, He fills my life with good things, and I don't ever want to forget to be grateful.

Run Aground

I read an amazing story today. Every story in God's Word is amazing, but I am always blown away by how God brings the right story at the right time.
I believe I have mentioned the little situation that my husband and I got ourselves into this past year. We purchased a condo with plans to do an extensive reno, then put it back on the market for a significant profit. It seemed like a good idea at the time, although we did receive cousel from several people that maybe we should wait.
Well, there were the usual setbacks, it cost more and took longer than usual, but the biggest setback came in the early summer. We had had the unit on the market for 3 months, and an indeterminable fire destroyed the entire top floor of our building, our entire unit. Insurance will cover the cost of rebuilding, but we must cover the mortgage and condo fees until the unit sells. We were unprepared to do that, and the extra burden on our finances has at times been excruciating. We have been humbled by the grace and kindness of good friends and neighbors, and the lessons that God has patiently taught me have been worth more than a thousand condos. But, I have also been battling a heavy cloak of shame that we got ourselves into this situation in the first place and that I am so tired, I don't know if I can make it to the end of this.
Then, I read this story. It is from Acts 27. Paul is about to embark on a ship. He perceives that there will be great tragedy and tries to warn the captain. The captain ignores his advice and proceeds with his plans. This was all suddenly sounding very familiar to me. Paul was partially correct when they did sail into a huge storm. Yes, we are right in the middle of it. My breath was taken away when I read verse 26. God promised to deliver them, but first they "must run aground". Difficulty does not always mean disaster. Sometimes, delivery may be painful. Heavy winds and raging seas don't always mean you're on the wrong course. And, do you know what else is amazing? God always has a destination in mind when He delivers. The ship ran aground on the island of Malta, a place of kindness, warmth and welcome. The storm may be raging, and we may even have to toss a few things overboard to keep from sinking, but, if we believe, God provides deliverance even in the midst of "Plan B".
I was and am overwhelmed with gratitude that during the times when we may have overlooked sound advice and headed straight into a storm, it is still possible to run aground into God's will if we listen and believe.
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Preparing for the future

I took time to read this summer. A person can make time for anything that they truly want to do. I wanted to read. Now, this time to read may not have come in the form of relaxing on the sofa, with a hot latte at my side, my feet propped up, soft music in the background, and an otherwise silent background. (sounds nice,eh?) But, like I said, you can make time if you really want it. So, as I was preparing dinner, or watching the kids take a bath, I even tried reading while I was mowing the lawn. (Didn't work so well) But, usually, my reading took place late at night, or early in the morning. What did I read? I read the entire "Left Behind" series.
I realize that I am about 8 years late on my enthusiasm. When the series first came out, I was not patient enough to wait for the next book to come, and they were so popular that they were nearly impossible to find at the library. But, enough of my excuses on why I had not read them yet.
They were a simple read, thus the reason I was able to read so fast. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. And, I enjoyed the build-up to the final "Glorious Appearing". But, more than that, I was absolutely fascinated with the events that are going to take place. It read like a fiction story, and many of the judgments that God has planned are so mind-blowing that the human mind has a hard time comprehending them. But, they are truth! I was challenged about my relaxed attitude towards witnessing. If I really believe that Christ is coming any second for His own, wouldn't I be doing everything I could to persuade as many as my family members, neighbors and friends that HE IS COMING!!!!?????
I was also sobered by the fact that even after so many of these devastating judgments, people are still going to deny God. That God, in all of His overwhelming love and grace, is just and righteous, and He will win. That culminating battle of the ages will be fought, and will be won by the one who is TRUE and RIGHTEOUS. I had goosebumps.
And, it seems to me, that here on earth right now, we are comfortable. We are blinded. We spend more time planning our weekend, or our next vacation, or our next house, or our next car, or our retirement, than we spend planning the imminent return of our Saviour. I am guilty!
"...For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

a good CAUSE...

So, I wrote about my humbling hike up Cascade Mt. A week after that wonderful hike, I was registered to run in a race. When I signed up for the race, I thought it was a great idea. Three days before the race, when I could still barely walk as a result of the hike, no longer a great idea. Nevertheless, I was committed.
Twenty-five years ago, a couple in our church saw the need for Christians to be participating in meeting the needs of poor people world-wide. They founded an organization called CAUSE, Christian Assistance for Underdeveloped Socities Everywhere. CAUSE is located in Canmore. Their biggest fundraiser every year is to organize a race. Every penny raised in this race is matched three to one by the government and is used directly for the overseas projects. This year, their focus has been Sierre Leonne. When I went online to register for the race, I was given the option to replace my race fee with a year-long commitment to sponsor a little child to go to school. I didn't have to pray long to realize that this is what God wanted me to do.
I received the information on our little girl the day before the race. Her name is Bensa. She will be able to go to first grade this year. She is beautiful. As I ran my race, I kept picturing her dark eyes and her big grin. Every step I ran, even though a little painful, I ran for her.
We are not a wealthy family, by any means, but we have a house, and clothes, and food. My children have health care and can go to school. We are so wealthy. It was necessary for me to look outside of my little bubble and see the bigger picture, and I am so glad that I did.
"...he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he."

Thou wilt deal bountifully with me...

I am frustrated today. I am frustrated with the world's scale and how I measure up on it. Today, I measure very low. I desperately needed someone to speak truth to me today, that on God's scale, I always measure 100%, because of what His Son has done for me. I went to the direct source of truth, God's Word, and this is what I read:
I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord; I make supplication with my voice to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Thou didst know my path. In the way where I walk They have hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see; For there is no one who regards me; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul.
I cried out to Thee, O Lord; I said, "Thou are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. Give heed to my cry, For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring my soul out of prison, SO that I may give thanks to Thy name; The righteous will surround me, For Thou will deal bountifully with me."

Humility is a beautiful thing

Well, this last weekend, I had the bright idea to get together with some ladies in our church and do a hike. There is a particular mountain that I have wanted to hike for awhile. Cascade. It is a beautiful summit, 2998 meters, towering above the town of Banff. It was a worthy goal, and I was so excited.
Being as my husband and I are in the throes of toddler-hood, we have been unable to hike together for quite some time. He gallantly offered to spend the day with our three children, and all that was left was for me to find a partner. I was happy to find not one, but two women in our church who were also interested in climbing Cascade. We set the date and time.
The night before, I began to get a little nervous. I considered myself to be in reasonably good shape, but it had been a busy summer, and I had not been out as often as I would have liked. I then considered my partners. Caroline is a single, energetic woman. She works outside all day doing landscaping, and at night, for exercise, she rides her bike for 40 km. She hikes nearly every weekend. Sure, we seem to be on the same level. (yeah, right) Esther, a mother of six, the youngest is twelve, is a bit of a health nut. She is in shape and loves to hike. Ok, no problem.
I desperately wanted to back out.
However, I had youth on my side, right?
Well, about an hour into this hike, I realized I was in trouble. Their pace was akin to my light jog. I could keep this pace up for, oh, maybe 5 more minutes. However, two hours later, the smile wiped off my face, I realized it was going to take every ounce of strength within me to get to the top of this mountain. These girls were what I would call, "hard-core", no stopping for water, food, they didn't even have to go pee! Yes, they would stop and wait for me, and by the time I caught up, they would start again. I started singing praise songs, praying, making up to-do lists, anything that would take my mind off what I was doing to my body.
We reaching the top in about four hours, and as I crested the final ridge, the view took my breath away (what was left of it). I personally knew the God who had created all of this. I wanted to fall down on my knees and worship Him, and not just because I had made it to the top, but because He loves me.
"Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to do day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?"
He has counted the hairs on my head, He keeps my tears in a bottle, and He knows my needs even before I do.
I sat on the top of Cascade and thanked Him. I thanked Him for my salvation, my health, my family, and my church. I thanked Him for His amazing creation, that cries out in worship to Him. And....I prayed for the strength to get back down.
It was a struggle to keep up with Caroline and Esther on the descent. They were kind and patient, and I just couldn't help thinking that humility is a beautiful thing.

Be ready...

My husband and I own an ice cream business. This may sound silly, but we have a old school bus, and we sell ice cream out of it. We park it on an empty lot in Canmore, and spend a few months of every year wearing flip-flops, selling ice cream, and talking to a lot of people.
Also on our lot is the business of a dear friend of ours, Tony. He lives in Indonesia for the better part of every year, and comes to Canmore in the summer to sell clothing, jewelry and art. We enjoy seeing him every summer.
He has a son, Dante. He is eight years old. This summer, Dante was able to participate in a Christian soccer camp, and a vacation Bible school, both run by our pastor here in Exshaw. A few weeks ago, Tony, Dante and I were sitting on a picnic table on our lot. Tony was attempting to tell me about an article he read about the origin of man. I was distracted, watching the bus, but nodding my head every once in awhile. Suddenly, I realized that Dante was looking right at me. I turned and looked at him. "That's not true, is it Deb?" I stared at him for a moment, before I realized that he was talking about the article that his dad was summarizing for me.
"No, Dante, it is not", I said.
"We know where man came from, don't we, Deb?"
"Yes, Dante, we do."
"We know that God created man, and that because we are sinners, He had to send His son to die for us, and all we have to do is believe and we can live with Him forever. Right, Deb?"
He bounced his ball a couple of times and then got up and walked away.
I sat in stunned silence for a few moments, then looked at Tony and said, "Yes, that is truth."
I wonder how many opportunities to share the most incredible news of God's love pass me by because I am distracted by the temporary things of this life?
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be READY ALWAYS to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:"

The little things...

The other day, I asked my daughter what she was thankful for. She said, "The little things, mom." I smiled to myself and realized that as much as I would like to take the credit for teaching her that, I really believe that it was her brother, Ocean.
We have had a crazy summer, as I am sure everyone has. I have to keep looking at the calendar to remind myself that it is almost the end of August.
We have been blessed to have visits from lots of family this summer. Our two nieces from Saskatoon were here for the month of July, and our nephew from Idaho was here with my parents at the end of July. My kids were so excited to see their cousins.
One thing that becomes obvious in the midst of lots of people is that my son, Ocean, has a tendancy to wander off on his own. Often I would hear a slightly panicked voice, "where's Ocean?" Sometimes, it was my own voice. There comes that moment when you casually glance around and realize that you have no idea where your child is. Thankfully, someone always found him. He would be on the edge of the woods, watching an ant crawl up a tree trunk, or observing the trickle of water down some rocks, or even laying on his back in the grass, listening to the wind in the leaves.
This last spring, we had Ocean tested for autism. We didn't really believe that he had it, but the series of tests, and the advice from his school persuaded us to at least try. He had a lengthy interview with a developmental psychiatrist, I filled out pages and pages of questions, and after several phone calls, we had an appointment with a developmental pediatrician. The doctor was very kind and patient. He actually reminded me of my dad, so maybe he seemed familiar to Ocean too, because he warmed right up to the doctor. After two hours of testing, he looked me in the eyes and said, "Your son does not have autism." I was silent as all of the old, familiar feelings washed over me. I have lost track of the doctors who have avoided our eyes and said, "wow, this is very interesting...nothing I have seen before... somewhat of a mystery...we'll keep in touch...".
This doctor proceeded to tell me that the term "global delay" that had been given to Ocean was very misleading. He said that term gives the impression that Ocean will eventually catch up, and he believes that Ocean will not. He has a 50 percent delay that will most likely always be there. It will be more obvious at different stages of Ocean's life. When he was 2, acting like a 1 year old, it wasn't as obvious. Now, being 5, with the developmental age of a 2 and 1/2 year old, it is more noticable. I found myself saying, "Why?" out loud. He looked me in the eyes again, and said, "Mrs. Falconer, your son has a degree of mental retardation." No one really uses those words anymore, but I appreciated his honesty so much that all I could do was smile. He proceeded to tell me that to teach Ocean would take a lot of time and effort on our part and that he needed as much support at school and at home as possible.
The little things... Ocean using the potty or saying a new word. We are so thankful for every moment we have with that little boy. Life is full of challenges. But, my God has promised that He will not give me more than I can handle, and He will always give me the grace to glorify Him.

God's Mighty Hand...

Life is busy. It is amazing how quickly and how easy it is to get self-absorbed in my own life. I received a call from a friend yesterday. I hadn't talked to her in about three months. I was so glad to hear from her and immediately started telling her all about my crazy life. Finally, there was a bit of a lull in the conversation, and I hear her say, "Did you hear our news?" "No," I said, "I knew that you bought a new house...."
"Gabriella has cancer," she whispered. I thought my heart stopped. Gabriella is their 8 month old little girl, the youngest of three girls. She is beautiful, and vibrant. She had cancer in her eye. Her eye was removed, and a large tumor behind her eye was removed as well. She is doing well now, but the last three months for my sweet friend had been overwhelming, scary and life-altering. God's mighty hand works in the lives of the unbelieving, as well as the believing.
I was disgusted with myself. There are people out there that are hurting, and I have the best news of all. I can tell them about a peace that passeth all understanding. I can tell them about a love that will survive any trial. And, I am sitting here, becoming anxious over a perishable (obviously) thing, our condo.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

My God is a God of miracles....

I serve an amazing God. I serve the one, the only true God. My God spoke and the earth was created out of nothing. I serve a God who parted a sea for His people to cross on dry land. I believe in a God who incinerated a sacrifice with fire from heaven. My God healed the lame, made the blind to see, and caused the dead to rise again. My God is a God of miracles.
My God is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
For anyone who says that God does not perform miracles of that kind today, that is a bunch of hogwash, as my mom used to say. You see, I am asking God for a miracle, because our condo that we just spent a year renovating, has burned to the ground.

Dreams really do come true...

We are in debt. Yes, terrible, gut wrenching, stay up at night worrying, kind of debt. Of course, it is of our own doing, as many of the stresses of this life are. So, even when I am not thinking about it, I am thinking about it. Does that make sense?
The other night, I fell into a fitful sleep, and had a wonderful dream. I dreamed that someone, completely anonymous, paid off our entire debt. There was only left a sealed envelope. When I opened the envelope, I found a small card, and inside it were these words, "you owed a debt you could not pay, you desperately needed someone to kindly say, 'your debt is paid, I paid it all, now in Me you can stand tall.' Now, it is true, be filled with joy completely through. Find in Me your all in all."
I awoke with a start, and, to be honest was a little disappointed that it had all been just a dream. Then, I heard my Savior's sweet voice reminding me, 'Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now, I see.'
Rejoice, my debt has been paid, Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow!!

Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for. This weekend, my husband and I celebrated our ten year anniversary. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful man for a husband.
We also celebrated Father's Day. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful dad.
The sun peeped out for the first time in a week, and I am so thankful to be able to go outside without having to make a dash for a building or a vehicle.
But, I am most thankful for the abundant, forgiving love of God.
I had to attend a food-safety course this last week. I brought a girl with me who has worked at our bus since the first summer. She is young, 19 years old, comes from a broken home, and we have somewhat felt responsible for her. I found out a few weeks ago that she was pregnant. So, as we drove to Banff for this course, I waited for her to spill the news. She never did. After the course, as we drove back, I could wait no longer. "So...do you have some news to share with me?" She burst into tears. I looked at her for a few seconds, and the terrible realization dawned on me..."Yes, Deb, I am too young to have a baby." I felt as if the van was closing in on me, and I couldn't breathe. I felt ill, and I couldn't open my mouth to say anything. We were both crying, and I looked at her, and said,"God loves you, He loves you so much. No matter what you have done, or will do, God loves you."
I realized that although her baby is gone, it is not too late for her. We talked for awhile, and then gradually changed the subject. But, I will not let this go. I believe that God is going to save her. He wants nothing more than to shower her with His unconditional love, and for that I am so grateful.
"Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth, for consider what great things He has done for you."

Mountain biking mama!

A couple other families, and us, have started a babysitting co-op here in Exshaw. I can't really speak for anyone else, but I am having a great time. Twice a month, if all goes as planned, my husband and I get to spend some time together. The first couple of dates were almost a little awkward. We had to get used to not having constant little interruptions, and I had to pretend that I had talked to another adult at some point in the last twenty-four hours. But, we adjusted quickly, and now make every attempt to utilize that precious time wisely.
Well, this last weekend, I thought that I would suggest an activity that would really make my husband happy. Isn't that thoughtful of me? So, the activity that he enjoys the most lately is mountain biking. ok, no problem, I haven't been in a few years, but it will all come back to me, right?
I told him that he could pick the trail and that we would have a great time. I found out later that he asked his friend where he would take his wife if she hadn't been for awhile, and he said, "the road". That sound nice.
I became a little nervous when he showed up with a friend's bike that I could borrow. A beefy, burly, heavy-duty, downhill bike was put in the back of the truck next to Blue's and we were off. What kind of trail must this be to require a bike like that?
Everything was going really well, until we started going uphill, about 2 minutes into the ride. If I had a nickel for how many times I heard Blue say, "This hill is a bit of a grunt, but I think this is the last one," I would be a very wealthy woman. But, once we started going down, I would have given anything to be going up again. I would glance ahead to see Blue, in a blur, cruising around corners, over rocks and roots, launching off of jumps, and all I could think was, "ok, that doesn't look that difficult." hee hee!
Coming around one particular corner, I had to maneuver the bike in between two trees. "Keep your eyes on the trail, not the trees," I told myself. The next thing I remember was laying on my back, stareing up at the sky. That didn't hurt too bad, now, if I could just get up......
I did survive the ride, and managed to have a wonderful time. As I lay in bed that night, groaning every time I moved, I thought about my walk with the Lord. I had realized that if I wanted to classify myself as a "mountain biker", I had to go more often than once every two years. If I went biking more often, it would not have been so difficult.
If I want to classify myself as a Christian, I must abide in the vine, Jesus Christ. If I want to bear fruit, (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance) as a Christian, I must abide in the vine,Jesus Christ. If I don't abide in the vine, I WILL fulfill the lusts of the flesh, there is no doubt about it. I abide in the vine by abiding in His Word.
Abiding, just like biking, takes practice. Abiding, just like biking, takes discipline. Abiding, just like biking, takes deliberate effort. Abiding, just like biking, will not happen by accident.
Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I in you."

Gift

You are the sunshine after the rain
The cozy light at the end of a long day.
You can always bring a smile to my face,
Your infectious grin makes me slow from my fast pace.

You represent so much of what is good in this life,
A gift from above sent to soothe pain and strife.
I did not think my heart could stretch any more,
Yet, you have caused abundant love from my heart to pour.

Unknowingly, our family was incomplete before you came,
And, now you are here, we will never be the same.
Thank you, Father, for with unending grace we have been treated.
You gave us the missing piece that we needed.

Here I am to worship....

Thank you, Heavenly Father.
Yesterday, a neighbor dropped off a little bottle with some aspirin for our dog. My little boy's bus was pulling up about the same time. I set the bottle in our entryway, and walked out to the street to meet my son.
I forgot all about that little bottle of aspirin,.....until 11:00 p.m. as I was folding one of my daughters little blankets, that bottle fell out onto the ground.
I can't describe the feeling, the world screeching to a halt, the pounding in my head. I never have aspirin in the house, I rarely give my children medicine of any kind, and now this?
I am a terrible mother, no other mother would ever have forgotten a bottle of pills that was within the reach of her child. I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to my little girl. God is bigger than those thoughts...
I awoke her from her sleep, and took her into the ER. It is about a fifteen minute drive. The entire drive, I spoke truth aloud to myself. God is here. God loves you. God loves Meadow. God knows the plan that He has for you, good and not evil. God will give grace in any situation. God is grace. God is love. I trust you, God, I trust you. My near hysteria was calmed by the voice who calmed the stormy seas. God carried my daughter and I into the emergency room. God held my hand while the lab technician drew blood. And, God rejoiced with me when the doctor told us that she was ok, and could go home.
"Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that You're my God.
You are altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me."

Suffer the little children to come to me.....

We just recently had a dear one make a comment concerning the behavior of kids in church. Now, I realize that this may be a biblical doctrine in many fellowships, so I do not wish to offend. I also agree that kids should be taught discipline and self-control. When one sees a family with children, especially small children, sitting quietly, hands folded, through an entire service, it is truly an impressive sight.
However, all opinions aside, let us see what Jesus says,
"Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But, Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Gooey

I must write about Gooey. He is a precious little eight month old boy. He has the most beautiful smile. He is sweet and good-natured. Even though we have only known him for a short time, God knew him before he was even thought of. God loved him before he was even conceived. God knew, before the foundations of the world, that "Gooey" Gus David Genn would be born with a heart defect. God planned, before any of us held Gooey in our arms, that he would have open heart surgery today. Surgery on a heart the size of a golf ball? Amazing, who can imagine. God can. Who can guide the hands of those highly trained surgeons? God can. Who can give peace and rest to anxious parents and loved ones? Only God can. Who can heal this beautiful little boy and cause him to grow into a man who loves and serves the Lord. God can and He will.

He is the Lord...

Well, that whopper of a day, and that whopper of a week is turning into a whopper of a month!
We have had 7 full days of rain. I was starting to think that I knew exactly what Noah felt like. The relentless pattering on our roof finally caused a leak to spring, in the middle of the night, directly over our wonderful lab's bed. And I thought she kept waking me up because she had to go to the bathroom.
Before the seven days of rain, we made a trip seven hours east to Saskatoon, where Blue's parents live. We had not driven Blue's big diesel truck for awhile, due to insane diesel prices, so we were unknowing to a serious problem lurking beneath the hood. To make a very long and gory "car trouble" story short, we stayed a few days longer that planned in an attempt to temporary fix the problem so that we could return home. We almost made it. About thirty minutes from our house, the good attempt failed. We sat on the side of the road, and the inside of our cab was completely silent. By the way, that was amazing. The silence, I mean. We were discouraged, beat down, wondering what in the whole, wide world God was trying to teach us, and there was nothing to say.
As Blue walked across the street to phone a tow truck, I looked at his slumped shoulders, and wondered how much more that wonderful man could take. I remembered Samuel telling Eli that his two sons were going to die because of their disobedience, and Eli said, "It is the Lord, let Him do what seems good to Him."
Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!! Bring it on!!! No matter what happens, IT IS THE LORD, and He is good, and I WILL praise HIM!!!

yet I will rejoice...

I had a whopper of a day, actually a whopper of a week. It is so difficult to compare our lives to the trials of others. Being the self-absorbed human that I am, it is not possible that anyone's life could be as tough as mine. I am listening to someone tell me of their awful experiences, and I feel that familiar thought creeping in, "you have no idea..."
I am presently doing a Bible study on the fruits of the Spirit. Of course, God brings all things into our lives for a purpose, but is it truely necessary to be tested in every area in the course of one day?
I once heard the metaphor that we are like tea bags and when placed in hot water, what is truely in our hearts will come out. There is so much truth to that statement. I am often chagrined to see that it is not the big things that make me stumble, but often a little incident will cause me to stumble and disappoint my Lord.
Well, the hot water was boiling this week. I was proud to see that I was leisurely doing the back stroke smoothly through, and then a little drop lands on my cheek and I lost all self-control. As the shame and guilt settled in, I lost even more, if that was possible. My husband knelt by the boiling water and held out his hand in grace. I was undeserved, which is what made it grace, and in humility I accepted his hand and allowed him to pull me out. I saw Jesus in him. When you see Jesus in another person, it is truly a beautiful thing.
The following day, I looked back on the situation to try to see where I went wrong. I went over the period of events that caused me to "lose it", and even though I felt that I was justified, I realized I took a wrong turn when I believed that I desperately needed someone to talk to and tell them my sad story. I ignored my Lord when He said "Cast your cares upon me." I opened His Word, His love letter to me, and I found a familiar verse that He has so often spoken to me in the last few months

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."

When casting my cares upon Him, the One who can truly say, "you have no idea.." never says that. Instead He lovingly says "I will work all things together for good, and nothing will separate you from My love."

I WILL REJOICE!!!

our little sunshine

You love shoes, dresses and the color, pink,
You must have been adopted, I often think.
You can be sunshine or rain in the course of a minute
Upon hearing a familiar song, you will yell, "mommy, sing it!"

You love to color, paint, and create,
Passionate, determined and helpful are your traits,
I love your laugh, the way you sing, and slip your hand in mine.
I love the way you make your mommy walk the line.

When you pray to Jesus, my heart leaps,
Close to Him, I hope you'll always keep,
For just like the song you sing at night,
Jesus loves you, and will never let you out of His sight.

Our litte boy

Balls and ballons, planes and trains,
these are a few of his favorite things,
To be in the water, or to be outdoors,
These are the things that make his heart soar.

That all humans are born as sinners
I know to be true
But, if there were a contest for earthly angels,
He would surely be among the winners.
For his curly blond hair and his eyes so blue,
Must surely be heaven-sent, my heart tells.

His spirit is gentle and kind at best
His smile could melt the hardest heart.
Yet, life so far, for him has been a test,
By worldly measures, he is not smart.

But, we do not weigh him on an earthly scale,
Our prayer is for him to know Jesus,
and His great love
And when our little boy stands in that light from above,
All earthly measures will pale.

Thank you, Father, for entrusting us with this great gift.
For you know, he will soon be six.

You have not, because you ask not...

My brother recently asked for prayer stories to be sent via email so that he could post them on his church blog. I have to be completely honest, my immediate thought was, "God hasn't answered any prayers for me lately." Whoa!
I will have you know, God's Spirit within me instantly gave a rebuke. For the next unmeasurable amount of time, His Spirit reminded me of all the times God has answered my prayers, and all of the times He has answered prayers that I haven't even spoken.
Do I get up every morning, and pray that my husband will make it safely to work. I regretfully say 'no', yet by His grace, he does. Do I drive my son to school everyday, knowing the vehicle carries my three most precious possessions, and beg God to get us to the school in one piece. I wish I did, but He does. Do I sit with my morning coffee, and ponder that today might be the day that I am diagnosed with a terminal illness. Do I beg God for His grace and strength to make it through such a difficult time? Sadly,I don't, but I know He would.
I have a two-year old daughter who talks a lot. At any moment during the day, I know her basic needs, because she tells me. Sometimes she asks quite politely, and other times she is very adamant that what she needs, she needs right away. My son is very quiet and asks for very little. Because I have known him very well now for five years, I often know his needs before he even asks. Both of them are my children, I love them both the same, and I love them very much.
My Father loves me very much. Sometimes I come to Him in desperation, adamantly begging Him for His help. Other times, He knows my needs before I even ask Him, and He answers those too.
I want to praise Him "for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Worthy of my praise

How many moms can say that they see one of these on their daily commute to school?
Or gaze at scenery like this while they run with 630 other women?
God is so worthy of my praise?
By the way, that is Meadow down in the bottom corner, getting ready to cheer her mom off the starting line.

I am going to wear you out, Lord....

Well, I gave a testimony in church this morning. It was my first time in over a year.
I was reading the other day about Christ's entrance into Jerusalem. The multitude of disciples were spreading their garments on the road, waving palm branches, and shouting "Blessed is the King who comes in the Name of the Lord, Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" When the Pharisees asked Jesus to rebuke His disciples, He answered "I tell you, if these becomes silent, the stones will cry out!"
I thought to myself, "I don't want the stones to have to praise the Lord for me because I am being silent."
So, I was about 20 seconds into it before I lost my composure. But, when God wants you to stand up and say something, nothing can hold you back. So, I shared what God had most recently taught me. I shared how the addition of our third child, not that he isn't a total angel, had overwhelmed me as a mother. I am a fairly independent person, and three kids under the age of four really sent my world into a tailspin. Everyday activities like getting groceries, going to the doctor, running into the bank or any other errand suddenly became a tactical nightmare. And, to add more pressure to our little family, we decided to buy a condo. The condo was meant to be a "quick flip" but instead has spiralled our finances into a downward flush. This decision, because it was made by us, has brought a big swipe to my pride. I like people to see me as a person in control, and it was humbling to admit that we were not. It was humbling to accept gifts from other brothers and sisters in Christ, most of them giving sacrificially, not from excess. I felt that we did not deserve such kindness and grace.
What is amazing, and what I must praise God for, is His goodness. This last year has been extremely difficult, not just because of our circumstances, but because God wanted my attention, and got it. When God wants your attention, watch out!! The adjectives, desperate and hopeless, come to mind when I think about those days.
What has changed? I still have 3 kids, praise God, and we still own a condo that is sucking us dry, but my heart has changed. I have learned that my God is personal, He is trustworthy, He is loving, He is gracious, He is forgiving, He is more than enough, He is my all in all, He is my first thought in the morning, my last last thought at night, He is beautiful, He is my strength, He is my joy, He is my peace in the middle of the storm, and His Word is eternal.
I can honestly say for the first time that although the last year has been difficult, I would go through it all again just to have learned what I have and to be as close to my Lord as I am.
Now, as for the sale of our condo, and the growth of our beautiful son, Ocean, I am going to cry to Him day and night until I wear Him out.
"Now He Jesus, was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, 'There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God, and did not respect man. And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'
And for a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet beause this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, lest by continually coming she wear me out.'
And the Lord said, 'Hear what the unrighteous judge said, now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

Amazing Grace

Why is it that I so easily expect grace from others, but it is so hard to give it myself?
I had an encounter this last week with a very good friend. Actually, my husband had the encounter, and I made a feeble attempt to avoid the situation. In attempting to avoid the situation, I only managed to hurt my friend. I find that when a situation is not righted immediately, it only will become worse. I sit in my little corner and come up with every manner of excuse, defending my actions (or in this case, my husbands) and truthfully, hoping the situation will resolve itself and I won't have to humble myself in any way. I tried to explain my reactions as that of a mother bear protecting her family. But, the truth is, I am a very selfish person.
Now, I have realized this selfish state for quite some time, and have made every effort to remedy the situation, but the fact of the entire matter is this: I have received amazing, tremendous grace from the Great Judge, who sits on the only throne, and in turn, I must bestow that very grace on anyone that I come in contact with. What does that grace look like in my terms?
Apologize - without expecting an apology in return
Love - without expecting any love in return
Serve - without expecting any service in return
Forgive - without expecting any forgiveness in return
Give - without expecting anything in return

I read a Proverb this morning - "Through presumption comes nothing but strife...."
I am hurt too easily, and make assumptions too easily, these are symptoms of selfishness. To become less self-centered, I must become more God-centered.
Jesus, be my center....

Prayer changes people....

About six months ago, or so, my mom started attending a prayer meeting. Actually, she was attending about three meetings a week. We continued our phone conversations, about once a week, and each time I talked to her, I could tell she was, well, different. She was softer, and full of a joy and peace that can only come from one Person.
A few weeks ago, I returned from a visit down to Idaho, and had such a wonderful time, especially with my mom. I was able to attend these prayer meetings with my mom. I have to be honest, she had told me that the average running time for one of these meetings was 2-3 hours. Whoa, ok now, I have been a Christian since I was 12 years old, I have heard a lot of sermons on the importance of prayer, and I have seen prayers answered, but two hours? I knew it meant a lot to my mom, and I have been going through a difficult time, so I went...
There were three other people there, besides my mom and I, Walter, Marilyn and my brother, Pastor Todd. Over the next few weeks I was impacted like I have never been in my life.
Often, I believe I enter a difficult time, beg God for help, then become angry when He doesn't answer the way I thought He should. Who am I, the pot, demanding answers from the Potter? I learned that God cares much more for my character than He does my happiness, which is often what I am most concerned with.
God opened my heart and allowed me to know Him, which should be my purpose for going to Him in the first place.
I also learned that there are so many needs and people who are hurting. Whether it is finanaces, family, or health...we all desperately need a work of God in our lives. It is powerful to come before an Almighty God with a burden on my heart, and have Him gently lead me to intercede for another person.
I have been telling others of my mom's prayer meetings, and they ask if I can see a difference in the church down there. I may not see an outward change in the church, but I see the change in her, and that is the most important thing I learned, prayer will change me.
As a Christian in this awesome age of grace, we have what the saints in Hebrews 11 hoped for, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, God's Son. This relationship cannot ride on the spiritual walk of others. I have Christ living within me, and I must die daily to self and talk to Him as much and as often as I can.
I have been reading Marilyn Peter's book, 'The Paw Prints of the Tiger', and have found myself longing for that same intimacy with the Lord. I can hear her dear friend, Walter, telling me to get up and have it. The intimate relationship with my Lord is there for the asking, I only need to pray....AWESOME!!!!

"Thank you for my mommy..."

My daughter said her first prayer yesterday. When I said it was time to give thanks, she immediately said, "I do it". Normally, this sentence from my two-year old rankles me, but this time I smiled.
"Dear Jesus, thank you for my mommy, and thank you for my dinner. Amen"
Now, I think those are two wonderful things to be thankful for.

Praise You in this storm

This song fits what my heart is saying today...

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
and takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Luckiest girl in the world, eh?

To have and to hold....

Well, Blue and I are approaching our ten year anniversary in June, absolutely unbelieveable. I look back on the last ten years, and I see a lot of happiness, a lot of tears, wonderful memories, sleepless nights ( we have 3 kids under the age of 5), many adventures, but never, may I repeat, never have I been bored.
We are both in our thirties now, and we have, you know, the usual, a house, a car, even a dog. Actually, the dog came first. Life was simple back then.
I guess you could call us average. What I think makes us different is that most people at our age are settling in, content to do what they are doing for the next 30 years, maybe planning a trip, possibly buying some new furniture. We, the Falconers, are not doing any of that.
If I have discovered anything in the last ten years, I have learned to expect the unexpected and to embrace each new adventure with an open mind. I have learned what a wonderfully complex man I am married to. I have learned that to love someone enough to die for them is attainable for many people, but to love enough to sacrificially "die" for them on a daily basis is truly a miracle.
Most importantly, I have learned that my Saviour has given me all that I need, Himself. To demand that my husband meet all of my needs will only lead to frustration and loneliness. To perform acts of duty for my family out of neediness, in hopes of something in return, will only bring bitterness.
When I am walking in His Spirit, which is not worrying about how I feel, or how I look, or how can I control, I see myself as God sees me.
1) a child of God Rom 8:16
2) a new creature II Cor 5:17
3) friend of God John 15:14
How can I help but see my wonderful husband in that same light?
I suppose the long and short of it is that when I allow God's love to saturate my life, all that I am, how can I help but to rejoice when that love comes flowing out of me into the loves of others, especially the one I have vowed to have and to hold until death do us part.

The secret things....

The other day a familiar scene unfolded at the grocery store. I was in the check out line. I had my son, Forest, strapped into the front of the cart, and my oldest son, Ocean, was standing in the back of the cart, handing the grocier the items.
The nice lady began having a conversation with Ocean, er, I should say a one-sided conversation. She was asking him his name, and his age, and a few other, general, friendly questions. It is always the age question that strikes me, though. I am not sure when I stopped explaining to others that my beautiful son has "failed to thrive" or "global delay" or whatever terms the doctors can give us for their effort to explain why our son is not growing or developing on an average level. But, now I just politely answer the questions for him and smile at the asker's quizzical expression. However, whenever I say "five", for that is how old he is now, I have to stop myself from grimacing. I am not grimacing at the nice lady, or at my wonderful son, but often at the thought that it was never supposed to go this far. By this age, the doctors were supposed to have figured out what was wrong with Ocean, and more importantly, my God could and would heal him.
Through the last five years, God has taught me that He is in control, that His ways are not our ways, and that He entrusted us with one of His most special children, Ocean. In doing that, He has given us the grace and strength to do what He has asked us to do, trust Him.
My placenta stopped producing amniotic fluid sometime in the last three weeks of my pregnancy. I was induced on my due date and twelve hours later, Ocean was born into the room full of specialists with worried looks on their faces. I found out later, that they didn't expect him to make it.
God gave us a special little boy. He started physical therapy at the age of two weeks. He couldn't straighten his arms or legs, and had a strong case of torticollis in his neck, causing his head to lean to one side. He was diagnosed with reflux at six weeks, he wouldn't keep any food down, and about the same time, we realized he wasn't gaining weight the way he should. The next few years were intense, to say the least. We visited every doctor, specialist, we or his pediatrician could think of. He had 3 different stays at the Children's Hospital, all to try to determine why he wasn't growing.
Emotionally, well, have you ever been on the wildest roller coaster known to man? That would describe our feelings as we plummeted down the rails of trying to find out what was wrong with our son.
At times, we desperately searched for an answer, we would ride high on the euphoria if we thought we had found it, we would wait in anticipation as we climbed, waiting to see if this was the answer and he would start to grow.
And, you know that sickening feeling when the car comes to a complete stop at the end of the ride? I feel as if we slammed into wall after wall of disappointment. Is there anyone to blame? No, no, no. I had to say that several times, because if I blamed anyone, it was myself. Somewhere I must have done something wrong.
God is so faithful. One afternoon, as I lay upon my bed praying to God. He spoke to me through Ecc 7:13 "Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?" God made my little boy just the way he is. wow
Now, back to the grocery store. Yes, it still hurts that Ocean is five, he isn't talking smoothly, although he does have some words. He is about the size of a 2 year old, and has the developmental level of a 2 year old, as well. Has God given us an answer yet? No, "the secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."
By His grace, I can smile at the nice lady, and say "he is five, and doesn't talk alot, YET. But, God is good, isn't He?"

This is the day that my Lord hath made...

Wow, three posts in one week, that is amazing. God is good. I have a kind and generous husband. I have 3 beautiful children. We are all healthy, for the moment. And, the two eldest kids are out with dad, giving me a moment to catch my breath.

It is absolutely beautiful outside, giving me a bit of spring fever. I spent an hour working on the yard yesterday, and it felt fantastic. Uh-oh, Forest just found me, hiding in the office.

Anyway, I spent some time with my Lord this morning, thanking Him for being who He is. We are in desperate need for Him to show His mercy by selling our condo for us. To make a long story short, a year ago, we decided to try our hand at "a flip". We got a little over our heads by purchasing and renovating this condo in B.C. Now, we are in some pretty serious financial woes, waiting on God. Sometimes, I find that I go to the Lord out of my own desperation, and once I am there, He lays the needs of so many others on my heart. Awesome!

I can't believe that I am actually saying this, but I am actually thankful for the situation that we are in. Humility is the point when you realize that you can do NOTHING without God. And, it might sound crazy, but it is a fantastic place to be. God has never left me, and never will, but to acknowledge and embrace that presence on a daily basis actually brings joy despite any difficult circumstances.

To get up in the morning and say, "this is the day that the Lord hath made" brings unexplainable contentment. This is your day, Lord, the good and the bad, it is yours. Help me to "count it all JOY". Thank you, Lord.

Lessons Learned?

hmmm..I am not so sure about this blog thing. It seems to me that I barely have time to think, let alone write what I think, or worry about other people reading about what I think. But, my youngest son, Forest, just turned one four days ago. Absolutely amazing! not that he turned one, but that I have survived the last year.
I am a very proud person, and this last year, God has humbled me in ways that I never thought were possible. I believe that I could sit here and type for hours of all that God has taught me. But, I will try to keep this short.
First of all, God is God. He is my all in all, He is all I need. "My God shall supply all your NEED" I might have said that a year ago, but I don't think that I truly believed it. I sometimes think that God brings circumstances into our lives to grow us. I don't know if I grew, but I do know that I am more solid in my faith than I have ever been in my life. Do I still fail? yes, and will most likely continue to do so, but it is how long do I stay down that is the question.
Second of all, God is gracious and merciful. I am so thankful for that. God made me and loves me. "not because of who I am, but because of what You've done, not because of what I've done, but because of who You are." When I truly accept that, the joy that flows out of me is not me, but Him, wow.
Third of all, PRAYER WORKS PEOPLE!!!! We don't pray because we do not believe! "we have not because we ask not"
Well, one of my babes is calling.....