I had a touch of the stomach flew Satuarday night, so I missed church, but I had Terry (hubby) bring me the program and had him tell me about the service. Here was the video they showed!



AWESOME!

Now I will go to thebrookchurch.com and listen to todays sermon! Technology can really be awesome!

I'll be there.....

"I'll Be There"

You and I must make a pact
We must bring salvation back
Where there is love
I'll be there
I'll reach out my hand to you
I'll have faith in all you do
Just call my name
And I'll be there
Chorus:
I'll be there to comfort you
Build my world of dreams around you
I'm so glad that I found you
I'll be there with a love that's strong
I'll be your strength
I'll keep holding on
Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter
Togetherness is all I'm after
Whenever you need me
I'll be there
I'll be there to protect you
With an unselfish love
I'll respect you
Just call my name
And I'll be there
Chorus
If you should ever find someone new
I know she'd better be good to you
'Cos if she doesn't
I'll be there
I'll be there
I'll be there
Just call my name
I'll be there
I'll be there
I'll be there
Whenever you need me
I'll be there


You know, with a little tweeking, this could be a great Christian song, from our great and loving God, to us! He is always there, it just takes calling His name! What a great comfort! I have it.....and I want you all to have it....what if every thief in the the world suddenly believed this, filled with the Holy Spirit! WOW! Whenever they need Him, He'll be there!

Where have I been...............

Boy, just when you think your the best thing since sliced bread...........I'm humbled!

We, and another wonderful lady bought a box of food from Angel Food, to help a family that we know are in great need, at this season in their life. Just last week my dear hubby sent down some extra toilet paper, ketcup and mustard. They had just ran out of tp and the last of the mustard had been used making sandwiches that morning. Knowing God, it didn't surprise me, but just put me in that 'ahhhh' moment of how AWESOME he is! If we had sent it early, no big deal, and God never shows up late, just at the time you need him! I waved off their thanking us over and over and said we were just being obediant.

Fast-forward 24 hours and I receive a phone call from someone in our neighborhood (whom I don't know) who likes doing yardwork and wants to teach her young children the theory of serving others. My hubby has a heart condition, and I have many chronic health problems also, and to be very honest, yard-work and gardening has never been a joy to us....just a chore--that we always put off way too long. I'm humbled! HUMBLED. Five families showed up and I don't recognize my yard!

God of this City - Chris Tomlin




I went from the pedlestal of the giver to my knees as the humbled receiver in just hours! God amazingly and oh so gently taught me to accept the thanks of others in the future.

My God is so amazing!

If you would like to know him, open a Bible and this Sunday....find a good Bible-based church and praise him--he'll like that!

It's only Friday.......

Suday is coming!



To get the rest of the story, go to church this Sunday!

This is going to be hard, but my faith is with God!

Terry & I helped raise my sister, Fran's oldest daughter.? Bless her heart, she's never had it easy? She was born 1 year and 2 days after our 1st anniversary...she could have been ours!!? Her dad was killed in the air force in Germany when she was 18 months old.? She & her mom lived with us and then got an apartment close by and then a house even closer.? Fran went back to college to get her PhD.? We usually kept Steph at least 4 days a week, and it was such a joy!

She married young (a guy in the Navy) and has spent the last 7 years trying to get a divorce (he moved in with a barmaid and had a child--now 8 years old!)? Steph has 14 yr old twins.

She did get her divorce about 6 weeks ago and plans to move back to St Louis (is in Norfolk, VA).

She was wrestling with her daughter and got kicked in the eye.? It looked pretty bad (she works in a Dr's office) and decided to have it xrayed.? It's not broken, but they found a large mass in her brain.?

She has been in a wonderful large Baptist church there for years and both her children have been baptist and are very involve in activities a worship.

She get more results back on Monday.

She is very shaken, but believes God has a plan.? She is worried about her children and doesn't want her X to know about this yet--and I agree--he would definitely take advantage, just to get out of child support!

Please lift her up and ask for amazing peace and healing.?

Ask that I know how to talk and guide her.? I am barely getting this written, my hands are shaking, and those that know me, know it's not hard for me to cry.












I cry out God, PLEASE, don't make her walk this walk, but if she must, thank you for not making her go through this without you!







Footprints

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.

This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.

The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

The last two days I have listened to Christian music and searched my Bible for comfort.......and as always......it was there!




I have questioned whether I could be an Abraham and raise a knife to my daughter. I wondered if I would continue to build a boat, as Noah did, with others laughing. I've wondered if I would recognize Jesus, if I lived during His time.

I can't do anything about those, but I can listen and continue to talk to God. It's been funny at times as I described her, and her many struggles in her short life--and then realizing, He's been there the whole time! But He has passionately let me poor out my argument of why this shouldn't be happening to her!




And this was my post today:

Oh my church family,

My heart is so full. Even since my email on our dear Stephanie, I have gotten phone calls and emails that have strengthened me!

Over and over in my head and heart, I hear my Father reassuring me, "I am larger than this!"

Any of you that know me know that Psalm 23 was the only verse I knew until late into my life, but at one of the darkest moments of my life, it was the only verse I needed. I even like it in the NLT version:

Psalm 23 (New Living Translation)

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I20will live in the house of the Lord
forever.

Footnotes:

Psalm 23:4 Or the dark valley of death.

As I had a quite time last week, I ran across some verses in Lamentations that shouted out to me--highlight me--your going to need this!

Lamentations 3:22-27 (New Living Translation)

22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends![a]
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”

25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
26 So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.
27 And it is good for people to submit at an early age
to the yoke of his discipline:

I so like the part that says his mercies begin afresh each morning!

Thank you all that have prayed, emailed and called--it's working--Steph is stronger and so are her Godparents who love her so dearly!

Please keep praying for Stephanie, she is being so brave and has a great church family that is supporting her during these unsure times!

Why are there dry spells..............

I remember before I went to the doctor and found out I was Type 2 diabetic....I couldn't get enough to drink!!! My body craved WATER!! I had never been a very big water drinker.....so I should have known immediately that something was wrong...but not my thick skull!!!

So why am I so spiritually thirsty right now? Why am I craving His water! What is He making me search for?

I don't really know what right now...but I will be faithful, get deep into the Word and wait......

I know the sun will rise.......



I know that God's love will win and the land of milk and honey will flow.....


The lion will lie down with the lamb......


So I wait, knowing I have the promise of Heaven.....

And now for the boring stuff that I'm not sure anybody else reads, but I organizes my thoughts and helps me to seach myself!


Oh, you that know me, just know I had to have some music!






Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”


I know the Lord is there! I don't doubt it for a minute! If I am not close to God, it's not becaused He moved away!

The turmoil I am feeling is either because of something I have said or done, or He wants me to grow again! Must I go around the mountain again?

We are in search of a new pastor at our church. The pastor that planted our church chose to leave a year ago last July. We had already been dealing with the loss of his wife, and our dear friend....then that!

I thought the Lord had brought a wonderful man and his family to fill the spot, but it was not to be permanant. He did a wonderful job of helping us heal, but now we are close to the completion of the process of a new pastor. I pray so for the people on the team.....and am so thankful I wasn't one of them!

I don't know if this is where my thirst is, but I know the living water is there and I will be shown the light in His time............so I wait....


Who could say it better than Chris Tomlin in this song?

So I remember, He is ENOUGH!!!!
HE LOVES ME!!!!

HIS GRACE IS ENOUGH!!!!!



PRAISE GOD and THANK YOU JESUS! YOU PAID THE DEBT THAT WASN'T YOURS AND I COULDN'T PAY!!!!

What does the word "Christmas" stir in you?

I think a lot of people--and being a women--this is what it use to mean to me--HELP!

It was a time of finding the perfect gift for the person! Getting the house ready and planning a meal (we had the biggest house, so Christmas was celebrated at our home!)



Does any of this have anything to do with Christmas? Sadly, it has become the normal and a quick visit to a church on Christmas Eve to satisfy the guilt of what we celebrate most at Christmas!

But about 20 years ago, it got easier. I worked with a lady that had all presents bought and wrapped by Thanksgiving, then she could enjoy the holidays.

What does enjoying the holidays mean to you? Celebrating the birth of my Savior, that is what it means to me.....and the following image had a great part of putting Jesus back at the center of my Christmas!



I'm lucky, I had loving Christian parents and even though there weren't a lot of presents, Christmas was great! Hear below are two of my many favorite Christmas memories of Christmas pasts!



My mom and dad were wonderful Christian parents. Mom was the stay-at-home mother, and dad was the sole financial supporter. Dad finished concrete for a living. Living in St. Louis, that meant that he was lucky if he got 10 months of work in for the 12 month year. Luckily, his profession had a strong union and he got ‘vacation stamps’ for every hour her worked and unemployment in the winter, when there was no work. Mom was in charge of paying the bills and stretching 9 or 10 months worth of pay over 12 months. There were three of us girls, and dad wanted all his girls to go to college. In the months of plenty (lots of summertime overtime) we lived modestly, so there would be money in times of little. (Both coming from farm families, this must have been born in!)

We got a few little presents, usually clothes for Barbie and tights (like pantyhose, but thicker and in colors and kept our legs warm) and then one nice new toy. Be the middle daughter, I always got hand-me-downs—clothes, toys and bikes. One year I wanted a new (not just new to me—but new) bike. They had just come out with skinny wheels and sleek bikes, and I wanted one.

Mom and dad had a way of making Christmas exciting, but that Christmas morning, when I went down the hall and saw there was no bike in front of the tree, I was very disappointed, but faked it as well as I could. We all took turns opening one present at a time, and thanking each other for the gift. I remember that after all the presents seemed to have been opened, daddy reached underneath the tree skirt and there was a small flat box with my name on it. I open it, and there was a note, telling me to go to the bathtub. Our shower curtain was never closed, but this morning it was! I threw back the curtain, expecting to see my new bike, and there was an envelope, with a note in it, telling me to go to the back porch, so I tore down the hall, through the dining room, through the kitchen and throwing open the back door, and there on the table, another box! I opened it and surprise, another note, telling me to proceed to the basement and to look behind the furnace! As my mother told me to be careful going down the steps, I flew down the step and went behind the furnace, and low and behold, another note! It said to go to the bathroom—what—been there! So, a little slower, I went back upstairs, through the kitchen, through the dining room, down the hall, into the bath room, and to my surprise, the shower curtain was closed again. I pull the curtain back, and there with a big bow (made out of tissue paper) was a bright shiny black, skinny tired new bike!

The bike has probably rusted away many years ago, but the fun my parents put into Christmas lives on forever!


Same great parents and another Christmas. My parents only left us once a year—the bowling banquet. Our church had a bowling league and it was a very small bowling alley with only 12 lanes, and our church took it over every Tuesday night. We normally had to take our homework down to the alley and do our homework there. Mom and dad rented the shoes and borrowed the alleys bowling balls. Most couples had their own, but not my folks.
Dad wrapped moms’ present early that year. A completely square small box about 4x4x4 and very heavy. None of us girls knew what it was! It was the game for the next 6 weeks—guessing what was in the box and what would daddy have gotten mother for Christmas.

So Christmas morning comes and daddy makes a quick trip downstairs and sneaks back upstairs, just as mom is opening her present. She tears the paper off and it’s a box of shotgun shell! What’s this we asked and dad, standing behind mom lays a brand new bowling bag, with an undrilled bowling ball in it and a gift certificate for bowling shoes! Mom cried and dad smiled from ear to ear! It was a great Christmas, and again, the present is long gone (mom’s going to be 88 in January) but the fond memory of the way the gift was given lives on in my mind forever!



This is what I want to leave my daughter! When the presents are long gone, I want the memories to bring a smile and maybe a little tear of joy, for what a great feeling it puts in her heart!