This Week

This week has been relatively uneventful. That's not a bad thing. I'm trying to learn to rest in God. I've been extra sleepy this week but I don't think that's the same. Conversations with family and friends remind me that God isn't required to work in all our lives the same. We see that in the Bible. Some many personalities but God didn't work in Moses' life like He did Abraham. You can go through the OT and the New and see definite signs of God's activity but the situations and the circumstances are varied. The constants are that God wants to have a REAL relationship with us & He wants to bring glory and honor to Himself. So, regardless of the situation you find yourself in, look for a way to give God glory and honor in and through it.

I love music. Those who know me know that quite well. I want to introduce to some of you some great modern day hymn writers, Keith & Kristyn Getty. They have written or co-written some amazing songs; the most popular being "In Christ Alone (My Hope Is Found)". You can check them out at www.gettymusic.com. I want to share a lesser known song with you that I love.

Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer
Words by Margaret Becker, Music by Keith Getty
Copyright 2002, Thankyou Music

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labour through the storm
You have called me to this passage
And I'll follow, though I'm worn

May this journey bring a blessing
May I rise on wings of faith
And at the end of my heart's testing
With Your likeness let me wake

Jesus guide me through the tempest
Keep my spirit staid and sure
When the midnight meets the morning
Let me love You even more

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within in me as I go
And at the end of this long passage
Let me leave them at Your throne

Wrap your brain around that for a while. Wow. Leaves me speechless.

Thoughts from the Weekend

We had a great weekend. Friday night, Bonnie and I went out last minute shopping for Jeromy's birthday. We had a great meal at Outback. Fun shopping. And some serious conversation on the way home. Where do we go from here? How do we move our passions, words & convictions into action? After getting Jeromy to bed, I helped get ready for the party on Saturday typing scavenger hunt clues and wrapping presents. In bed by 2 AM.

Saturday we had a great birthday party for Jeromy who turned 8 (yes, 8). It was an all boys party + Dani. The LEGO Scavenger Hunt led us throughout the house, to the church and back home. Jeromy got several LEGO sets. (I hope they don't get mixed up.) A LEGO DVD & a LEGO Indiana Jones Video game. Plus a Gator T-shirt, walkie talkies, handcuffs, books, Pistachio Veggie Tale DVD, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle DVD (the old 80s cartoon version) and other stuff I can't remember. Needless to say, he made out like a bandit.

I am so thankful for my 'Cowboy'. I know that he is one of the reasons we have been able to move forward. He is sooo active and fun. His excitement for birthdays, Christmas & life in general exhausts me sometimes but also keeps me going. I don't know what I'd do without him. Which sounds strange since I never imagined what I'd do without Kayla or Alicia either. I still wonder what we are doing without them.

Sunday was a great day of worship. Sunday evening Bro. Don went off script & we had an impromptu prayer meeting. Several people shared prayer requests which we lifted up to the Father immediately. A couple of times Bro. Don asked for different people to come and surround the people who had requests and pray. It was a great experience. We closed the evening with Bro. Don asking our youth to come to the front of the church and then the rest of the congregation to come and surround them and we pray for them, over them. Our youth are great. Several of them are already feeling God's call to missions. It was a privilege for me to lead out in praying for them. I've recently reconnected with some high school friends for the first time in over 25 years. My high school life, though crazy for me at times, was a walk in the park compared to what our students face today.

God, thank You for all the ordinary events of life that I have so often taken for granted.

Prayer

5 of us met tonight to pray for ourselves, our church, the lost, & the upcoming Crusade coming at the end of April. What a blessing it was to hear broken-hearted people slowly begin to bare (bear) their souls to God. I believe it's hard to pray vulnerably in a group.

'God break my heart'.
'God forgive my sins.'
'God change my life, our lives, the life of our church.'
'Father, may our love for You and our love for each other grow to a point to where we want to gather within these walls to worship You more than any other activity that clutters our lives.'
'Father, work through our Sunday School classes to reach our friends who don't know You.'
'Father, break the hearts of my children so they return to You.'
'Father, give me boldness to step outside my comfort zone to speak to people about You.'

I was humbled and encouraged which sounds really weird. God, You still want to work in and through our lives. May we be vessels fashioned by Your hands, and not our own, to serve You as You will and not serve ourselves. May we be known as men and women after God's own heart.

Here we go...again.

Here is attempt #2 at blogging. The first one lasted a day or so then I forgot I had it or where to even find it. Maybe this will be better. I am seeking, longing, wandering what "life" is supposed to be. I have some unmovable foundations but from there it gets a little rocky. It's been a little over 2 years since we lost the girls. There are days when I think I'm ok and others I just don't know. It should be time to move forward, whatever that means. I truly am chasing God's heart but usually it's a crawl, sometimes a walk, rarely a run or sprint. I feel like I am inching closer but are inches enough?