Calling Her Blessed

This is for my Mommy - one of the most beautiful, giving women I know. I am so thankful for my wonderful mother! Why am I thankful for her? Well, let me put it this way...

When God gives good gifts some come in great numbers and some are so precious there is only ONE. So far, God has given me approximately 9 ,125 sunrises and more exciting , magical moments than I can possibly remember. But I have only ONE mother. Put in poetic words...

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
~George Cooper

I love my one and only mother. Quite a lot!

I love that she let us have chickens, ducks and bunnies when we were kids.

I love how she would lay her cool hand on my forehead when I was feeling sick.

I love how she read me stories of missionaries and took me to South America to experience service.

I love that she can fix toilets, wire plug-ins, hang sheet-rock and anything you could possibly think of! (Her best kept secret...She is Superwoman!)

I love how her "Mom-hugs" comfort me when I'm coming unglued and how her shoulder is always there to lean on.

I love that she reminds me to pray when I lose my keys or am struggling to make a big life decision.

I love how she sings "The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength" to herself when she's having a hard day.

I love that she thinks I'm funny and laughs at the silly details of life.

I love that her favorite place to be is the woods with binoculars around her neck and a bird book within reach.

I love that she is the best road-trip buddy I've ever found - always up for the "road-less-traveled" kind of adventure.

...I love so many things about her!

Here is the best part! Her love is unconditional! She dealt with my annoying childish habits, nursed me through several bouts of stomach flu and has seen me make a fool of myself on more than one occasion. Still, she loves me. There is no question. I'm the blessed one. Proverbs 31:28

Song of Praise

To Live : In Praise

You know those days when everything goes wrong? One of those days came my way recently. I had just left the doctors office after being told I need to keep off my foot for several weeks. While trying to find my way through Jacksonville's confusing interstate system I was pulled over. As soon as the officer let me go I sought refuge in the nearest parking lot. Checking my email, I found 6 more job application rejections. It was too much. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. "What is going on God?! What am I supposed to do?"

Over the course of the last week God has answered that prayer, but I was not expecting the answer He gave. "Praise. Praise Me". He wasn't asking me to try harder or scheme longer. In the midst of all the confusion and uncertainty God wanted me to sit back in awe of Him and give thanks.

One morning He took me to Psalm 67 and the quote "The Privilege of Praise" in Patriarchs & Prophets page 289. Yet another morning He led me to Mary's praise session in Luke 1 : 45-55.

"My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior...For He who is mighty has done great things for me."

I realized Mary probably still had questions and fears, but she praised God in faith of what He had promised. Powerful.

What would it be like to serve as a continual fountain of adoration and praise?...praise that is neither dependent on situations or circumstance? When I think of living in praise I think of a shelter. I think of it as a place of joy that "no power of hell nor scheme of man" can disturb. I think of a flower with its face turned to the sun. I think of a mind kept in perfect peace as the thoughts are centered on Him who is worthy of all praise and worship.

Beautiful concept isn't it? But concepts stay concepts unless there are practical ways to bring them to life. Here are a few ideas on how to live in praise...

- Count blessings instead of sheep when you fall asleep

- Look through a photo album or journal and remember. He has been faithful!

- Sing a song of praise in the car

- Notice the small, everyday miracles (i.e. I'm breathing!)

- Post up a quote or Bible verse that inspires you to give thanks

Ultimately...
-Behold God. His tender heart. His creativity. His mercy. The natural reaction will be a life of praise.

E is for ...

E M I L Y !

I happen to be housemates with a real "keeper" kind of friend!

Eating Breakfast

Grocery shopping at Publix

Riding in the car

Leading Juniors SS Songservice

...it's all more fun when she's around!

Whether we're chatting about our day or each curled up in our own corner of the living-room listening to an AudioVerse sermon, she's pretty nice to be with.

When I count my blessings instead of sheep tonight, she'll be one of them.

The Best Is Yet To Come

Imagine you're sitting around a table loaded with good food. After prayer the salad is passed around, fresh and colorful. Looking around the table you see all the good and wholesome things coming your way. Everything seems more delicious than the last, but just when you think it couldn't get any better someone says "Save some room because the best is yet to come!"

The week has been long and hectic. Projects took longer than you thought, you're behind on your schedule and unexpected events turned everything on its ear. Then you glance at your phone...4:32 pm, Friday. You smile. Just a few more hours before the "day of rest and gladness" arrives. There is no question in your mind... the best is yet to come!

An elderly couple approach newlyweds who still cant say the word "marriage" without smiling. They congratulate them and share a few funny stories of their first years as a couple. As they walk off hand in hand the old man calls over his shoulder "If you kids think you're in love now, just you wait! The best is yet to come!"

I could go on and on. There are countless examples of the better things to come. But
sometimes I wonder, "Can it really be true?". In the moment, the future can look foggy and unfamiliar. All I have is the happy memories of the past. But, here is the beauty! It IS true! Even though I cannot see the future I can roll out of bed with a smile knowing the best is yet to come!

It's such a great feeling! Ultimately, life on this earth is not where it all ends. In a huge, gigantic way, Heaven is the ultimate "best" to look forward to. Even in the earth made new I expect we will be saying "the best is yet to come". Every day spent in God's presence will be sweeter, our knowledge of his love deeper, our appreciation of beauty fuller. No matter what joy or sorrow comes our way in this life, we have a beautiful, brighter day to look forward to!

Now I can live so much more joyfully in the present! It's great to live in anticipation of good things!

Gift of Pain

Pain. It is like a dark and lonely room full of shadows. Sometimes we stay awhile. Sometime we only pass through. We may experience it together or be utterly and completely alone. It comes in as many shades and forms as there are people on the planet. Every person has , is or will travel through their own "shadowlands" - One of the few guarantees in this unpredictable world.

Pain. It wracks bodies , breaks hearts , and defies expression , often running so deep we are left wordless. It stuns. It overwhelms. It inspires fear , guilt , or just pure anguish. This is pain.

Pain has been on my mind. It's been on my mind because I don't understand why...why all this pain? This weekend I sat with my arm around the shoulders of a dear friend , able to protect her slightly from the cold , but unable to shield her from the disease ravaging her body. Days ago my vivacious 2nd cousin, Randa, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm, leaving a heart-broken fiance. Yesterday I received an email from a missionary in Tchad I've never met , who is reaching out for comfort as we both grieve the death of a mutual friend.

Pain is real. It stares you in the face and cannot be ignored. Have you ever wished you could fix it? The current pain in my foot is fixable. I've made an appointment at the Doctor's office and have full expectation he will make my foot better. Using this logic wouldn't it make sense for God to take our pain away? He has the power. He loves us. Isn't he the great Physician? Isn't pain the enemy?

This is where God has been teaching me new things. Could pain possibly be a gift? My first thought is "How revolting! There is no way this awful pain could be a good gift!" But it has started to dawn on me, slowly... Pain takes away my self-sufficiency. Pain pulls me to my knees. Pain presses me deeper into God's heart as I cry "WHY?!". Pain leads me to greater surrender. Pain requires greater trust. Pain gives me compassion for those hurting. Pain is a purifying fire... Pain is a gift. Anything that draws me closer to the Lover of my soul is a gift, no matter how painful. As a favorite hymn says "Nearer my God to Thee, nearer to Thee, Even though it be a cross that raiseth me."

While pain is a gift, it is only a gift for a time and season. There will come a day when it will have used up its usefulness. In that beautiful day, we will set aside the gift of these broken and wounded hearts. In the words of a song...
* "We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales"

I will never fully understand the "why" behind pain and loss and brokenness. But one thing I know. We can take either joy or pain as from a Father's hand. It's a gift and God only gives good ones.
(James 1: 17, Matthew 7: 11)

Songs
* After The Last Tear Falls - Andrew Peterson
You Are Good (last verse) - Nicole Nordeman
It Is Well (instrumental) - Josh Wilson
Before The Morning (acoustic)- Josh Wilson
Blessings - Laura Story
Day by Day - Hymn 532
Nearer My God To Thee - Hymn 473

Family and Fall

Clarisa and her boyfriend Alex enjoying our hike.

The trees are gloriously beautiful!

Two of my "most favorite" people in the entire world! They're pretty special.

We went camping near Lake Ocoee. The sky was clear and full of stars, but later on dumped torrential rains on us. Still had a fantastic time!