Mighty Waters

Good morning! How are you today? Are you doing well? :)

As most of you precious friends know, Kenn and I were planning on spending about five months in Oregon; God's been working in Kenn's heart, however, and he is SUPER homesick. I'm home for a couple of weeks because of needing insulin.

God was speaking to me the day I took this photo, but I didn't clearly hear what He was saying until I was at church Sunday, and Pastor Barbie was speaking about dehydration. (If you want to hear the teaching, please click here!) It was a wonderful teaching - and while she was explaining the way God teaches us about spiritual things is through His creation many times, things CLICKED in my brain. :D

So. His Word is water - water for our souls, for our cleansing, to drench our thirst. We know it, but is it still just in our brains, or has it made its way to our HEART knowledge, too? I'm afraid it hasn't for many of us - or it keeps going back and forth. :)

That's the way I am. I thirst for His Word, then life happens - and I allow it to distract me. And then it takes a LOT of discipline to get back to where I'm thirsty again. And I really hate that cycle.

Now, on to what God showed me! :) If you can stand to watch this wiggly home video (I think the first couple of seconds are the worst!) I shot on the beach, it shows pretty well what I'm trying to explain:

Ocean erosion

See, I'm the rock. I'm very set in my ways, not going anywhere, resisting everything - even if I don't realize it. My heart is seemingly made of stone.

What can change me? The water.

As you can see, the waves are never-ending. They continually beat on the shore - and if that's rock, that's fine. They crash in places, sending up great BOOMS as the water disperses into the air. And it doesn't look like anything happens to the rock.

But it does! And although I may not be able to see the change taking place in a day, or even a week, I can tell you from my many times visiting this place (This is our favorite place we've ever found together, Yachats, OR.) that the breaking up of the rocks, the changing of the landscape, is really happening quickly. It's surprised me how quickly, actually; the volcanic rock looks and feels SO solid, but in only 15 years, I've seen HUGE rocks reduced to small chunks by the ocean.

The water is relentless. It is steady. And it is altering everything in its path in one way or another.

This new cave formation simply fascinated me. SO much energy is being created in its formation.

I have more to share. But I think this is enough to chew on for a bit. :)

Please let me know if you have comments, questions, or prayer requests!! I miss you guys! :) BE BLESSED, dear ones!!!!

Permissible? Yes. But is it BENEFICIAL?

Hello, dear friends! How is your new year going? Can you believe this is the last full week of January?

There's something weighing heavily on my heart that I need to share. I'm going to share briefly how I feel about a specific subject, then give you two things I really hope you'll read.

There's yet another subject that has caused people to have knee-jerk reactions in our country: gun control. Now, I'm not taking sides. I'm sharing what I feel, in my heart. But I want to share something that I recently experienced....

Some of you know that Kenn and I did a show a couple of weeks ago; it was written by a friend, Frank Fox, as a follow-up to another show he'd written. The first show was call PHISH CAMP, and the second GIL'S GIFT. Fun, lighthearted stuff. But I wasn't associated with the first play.

GIL'S GIFT had two different characters who had to use firearms. And because we couldn't find realistic-looking props in such a short amount of time, the director got the two grown men real firearms to use.

As stage manager, it was my job to make sure all the props got to where they needed to be. This SHOULD have included these firearms. But when I tried the first time we had them, I couldn't carry one of them twenty yards. When I picked it up, not only could I feel the physical weight of it, but also the responsibility weight associated with it. I mean, think about it: for what end purpose would you use a gun? You might go to the range to practice, but practice to do what? Use that deadly force against someone. Even though I had no intention of doing anything but carrying that firearm, in its holster, to another place to be given to someone else, I couldn't do it. I had to allow the firearms guy to be in charge of them completely - and he was fine with that. It's the first time I've not been able to do a part of my job. But it wasn't that I wouldn't. It was, indeed, that I could not.

My dad had a rifle in the house while I was growing up. He might still have it upstairs in his closet; I really don't know. Nor do I want to. If he feels he wants it, just in case, it's his RIGHT.

Yes. It is a RIGHT. But I'll stick with this Scripture:
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
~I Corinthians 10:23-24

The Message puts it this way:
Looking at it one way, you could say, “Anything goes. Because of God’s immense generosity and grace, we don’t have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.” But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.

Please truly think about and pray about your stance. Don't just say what I've heard too many say - "It's my right, and no one's gonna stop me." We're supposed to do EVERYTHING for God's glory, dear friend. EVERYTHING. Please don't make an exception here. And if you feel led differently than I, then you follow what the Holy Spirit is telling YOU!

OK. I got that off my chest. :)

Now, then. To the two resources I'd LOVE you to check out:
My friend, Keith Giles.
 I think you'll love what he has to say. It will at LEAST make you think.
Prodigal Magazine
I absolutely LOVE this article. And it's what made me post this blog post; too many times, I throw up my hands because I don't believe people listen when it's a huge issue. But I have to still TRY. :)

OK, my friend. I hope you can hear my heart in this post. Even if you disagree with my position, the thing that I believe in more than anything in this post is that there's NO reason we can't agree to disagree, that unity in His Bride is more important than we realize and that we need to be able to love each other through anything! And if you want to dialogue, I'm here. And I love you. :)

Brokenness and Imperfections

Happy New Year, dear friend! How are you? How's your 2013 so far? I don't know why, but this week has DRAGGED. It's not like I'm not doing stuff, but oh, well. :D

If you're my friend on Facebook, you probably know all about what I've been up to. (If you're not, and you'd like to be, send me a request! LORI STILGER. :) ) But let me share a bit, anyway. I mean, that's why I started this blog, right? :D

I spent two weeks in College Station, Texas, taking care of my then-three-month-old niece. This is my baby sister's baby. You know there are VERY few people in the entire world I'd take two weeks out of my December to do something like that for. :D But it was an honor. And hard work! LOL! Fortunately, the baby is SO easy to care for, not fussy at all, and such a beautiful baby. Here, I'll put a picture of us from that visit here!Isn't she beautiful?

ANYWAY. :D

While I was there, Baby and I made some presents for the rest of the family; they were salt dough ornaments, and we used ONE hand and ONE foot to mark the dough, then let them dry.

Well, as you can see from my photo at the top of this post, mine is the imperfect one. When we first made this one, I thought, "Oh, no! It's ruined! Man, if only I'd gotten her hand straighter before we put pressure on the dough!"

But you know what? The more I watched it dry, the more I started to cherish this plaque in particular. the rest might have been more "perfect", but THIS one, I understood. THIS one, her delight in the texture and feel of the dough are made evident in the way she wanted to FEEL it - first with her hand, then with her big toe!

And it tied itself right into a lesson God's been developing in my heart over the last few months.

See, many times we come to a place in our lives where we have to fight despising the brokenness and imperfections in our past (or current) lives. The cracks and chips that happen when we choose to go our own ways, to live how WE think we want to. When we allow God to put us back together, those aren't glossed over. They're still there; we may be held together by His grace, but we can still see every crack, still feel where the chips are glued back together.

Dear friend, what He's been teaching me is that our brokenness and imperfections are SO useable by Him! Think about a candle holder (there's a really special one that I cannot find the info on, so I'll have to explain!!!) that's been cracked and broken. The owner puts it back together, and puts a candle into it. The light of the candle shines through the cracks, shedding light and warmth through where it couldn't shine through before.

God's the One Who puts us back together again. The candle is the Holy Spirit, shining the light of Jesus through us to the world. What a MIRACLE that is. So, I try not to despise those things in my life anymore, but turn them over to the Father, so He can use them to shed His light into others' lives. And to not give Satan something to hold over me. If it's out in the open, he can't torment me with feelings of guilt and condemnation!

I've been learning a lot. It takes a while to solidify into words, but I hope these words help you in some way. :) Be BLESSED, dear one. Know you are loved with an everlasting love, and that God does ALL things well! That includes creating YOU.

Life and Death

 There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
    a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
  a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
    a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
    a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
    a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Hello, dear friends. My heart is full of "stuff" to share with you. Some of you know what my week has been like, and some of you will have no clue at all.

First, I have to tell you - and proclaim it from the rooftops! - GOD IS GOOD. He has plans for all of us. And He works ALL things for His glory, for the good of those who love Him and are called, according to His purposes.

A week ago today, my youngest nephew, Elijah David (right), died. It was a stunning blow for our family; his family had been here a week before! It was my time to meet him. So it was incredibly difficult to think he was gone

But God had gone before us, and given us that time with him. We have wonderful, precious memories of him. And every one of us in my family has thanked God for the time we had with Elijah. No one has asked, "WHY?" I am so blessed to be a part of this family, who all have faith in the One Who holds it *all* in His hands.

Let me tell you about God's timing. On Tuesday, the day that Elijah's temporary, earthly vessel was put into the ground, my other sister had her first baby, Naomi Faith (left, obviously!). My middle sister was so excited for our baby sister; she said she'd be able to remember the 22nd as a day of joy.

It's been a difficult week, full of emotion - but also full of healing, of faith, of blessing, and of love.

And I'm sharing this with you for several reasons. First, because I must. My heart is still hurting, and it helps to talk about it. :) Second, because I know some of you have experienced a loss of some kind, also. And I want you to know that God knows your hurt. He sees the pain you still feel. And He loves you. He wants to help you grieve. Not "get over it", but turn it over to Him and let the grief be what He wants it to be, not become bitterness in your heart.

And third, because pain and loss are part of walking on this Earth. If you've not experienced a close loss yet, you will. And I want to encourage you: love Him now. Let Him grow you now. Experience how BIG God is now - and when something happens, you'll be able to trust His goodness, mercy, grace, and love without trying. You'll know He has plans for you, and that He will work it ALL for good.

Thank you for reading this. :) Thank you for your love, and for your encouragement and support. I am SO blessed to have each one of you in my life. Please continue to pray for our family, as we continue to walk through this loss together. And REJOICE with us, in the birth of Naomi!!!!

And if you need prayer, or to talk, or *anything*, please let me know! Be BLESSED, dear one. You are SO loved by the Father!!!

Sometimes in our lives....

Hello, dear ones! I know I'm very sporadic over here; I'm sorry, but I'm glad you love me enough to come check once in a while. :)

Tonight, I read Beth Moore's blog, and had to come talk to you. :) Actually, to ask you a couple of questions.

If you're over 39, do you have someone younger than you that you kind of mentor, or encourage, or love on? Do you feel like that's an important thing for you?

If you're under 39, do you have someone in your life who does any of the above for you? Do you wish you had someone to do so, if you don't presently? How do you feel about approaching someone if you'd like that kind of relationship?

The older I get, the more I know how important this kind of relationship is - one that allows us to see someone older's walk, to share ours with them. to gain insight into their understanding of God that can only come with walking with Him.

I'm really blessed; I can look back on my life and see that I've almost always had that kind of person. Sometimes, they didn't have much choice - I was best friends with their son or daughter, I was appointed to them at church, I decided I liked them and they needed me to be around. :D

I'd love to hear what you're doing, what you think, how you FEEL. I'd also love to know where God's got you right now. Are you in a place where you really wish you could just let it all out to someone? Or are you in a place where you want to be His arms for someone, to help a younger person get through some of the - well, I'm going to call them "focus" issues. :D It's all where we place our focus, isn't it?

TALK TO ME. :D I love you! I really, really think this is an important issue, just as Beth does. I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Layers of my Heart

Hello, sweet friends! I hope you're still out there. :) If you keep up with me on Facebook, you know that life continues to be interesting. First, we're planning on living in Oregon six months of the year next year; a lot has to do with our health. God continues to open doors, so we'll see what happens! :) Second, I really feel led to go into counseling - and God's been really, really specific about it. GRIEF counseling. I'm excited, because I want Him to use me in His Body, but at the same time, there's a lot of different options to consider, and it's a bit scary. However, I KNOW if He brings me to it, He'll bring me through it! :D

I just felt led today to say that there are layers of me that no one but God knows. There are things I simply cannot share with another human being; not because I've done horrendous things to someone, but because the sharing of those things would be a breach of trust with someone else. And I will never do that. Still, those hidden layers get heavy sometimes.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am that HE hears me. That HE hears my heart cry out when it feels too heavy. When what I'm going through would be so much easier if I could just TELL someone, I CAN. And then, He whispers, blows through with His Holy Spirit, and dusts me off and puts me back on the path in His ability. Not mine; I know better. And when those times are blowing away, I can't help but tell Him, again and again, how grateful I am that He is capable of more than I'll ever need.

If you're there, I encourage you: tell Him. He is steady. he is capable. Everything else is shifting sand. Especially what you can do in your own ability, my friend. Give it to Him.

I love you! You are SO special. Be BLESSED today, dear one! Know He is holding you in His gentle arms!

Happy New Year!

Hello, dear friends. I hope 2012 finds you trusting even more in His goodness and grace!

I know that many of us are going through trials - whether it be our own or a loved one's health, financial problems, or a prodigal's being away from you and the Lord. But that doesn't give us an excuse to not have a grateful heart!

Here's how I Thessalonians 5:16-18 puts it:

Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always);

Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly];

Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].

This, then, is my challenge for the new year: no matter what happens, no matter what trials may come my way, I will continue to have a heart of gratitude, knowing that I'm His and that He has nothing but good planned for me.

Will you join me in this challenge? :) I'd love to hear from you! I am hoping to do a better job of writing this year; I want to continue to share what God's challenging me with, teaching me, and how He's continue to revealing Himself to me.

Let me know how to pray for you! Kenn and I are leaving on the 21st for five weeks in Oregon; I'm planning on writing some while I'm there!

Be blessed, dear one. Know He loves you more than you could ever imagine. Rest in that!

Bound to come some troubles!

(Don't forget: you can see the picture at its original size if you click on it. :) )

I know it's been a long time since I really said much about anything. Honestly? I know that there are several of you who don't agree with me about some things, and I don't want to become a stumbling block to you. The truth is, the Holy Spirit has us all at different places in our lives, learning different things - and sometimes, taking a belief out of "storage" and really examining it to see WHY we believe it is painful. But that same Spirit that's in me is in you; there's a love that cannot break. So, when I need to post something, I will. :)

Many of you are my friends on Facebook; at this moment, there's a huge outcry over the Casey Anthony verdict. Now, I didn't follow the trial; no matter the outcome of the trials, those sorts make my heart sad, and it is hard to remember Where my JOY comes from and reclaim it. But I understand that everyone watching the trial seems to not doubt her guilt.

There are so many different reasons why the outcome was what it was. The truth is, it's all in God's hands now. Don't expect the justice system to get any better; as our pastor says, it's a system OF THIS WORLD. And as such, it cannot help but be flawed. It's run by humans for humans and about humans. As we all know, being human is pretty much the example of "flawed"!

I don't know how many of you know of Rich Mullins, of his life and his music. I had a personal connection with Rich, and Kenn started his Christian life listening - devouring, almost! - all of Rich's music. If you will listen to this song, and watch the slide show, I hope and pray the peace of the One Whose love you can always, always trust in will comfort your heart and surround you.

I love you. I will always love you. Turn your eyes to Him, dear one, no matter what your situation or circumstance - He loves you more than anyone can fathom. BE BLESSED.

If this doesn't touch you...!

Hello, dear friends! I know I haven't posted much recently, but I'm HOPING to change that. We're down to only two cameras, so I don't have one readily available - and I only like to use MY photos. :D

Anyway. Today it's not about MY photos, but about a new BBC documentary that's in process. And although it's not Christian-based, I can't help but be touched and moved to tears by the absolute beauty in these images. Not only at the stunning scenery, but by the beauty of the people. God is an AMAZING Creator; I pray that you'll see the TRUE beauty in the slideshow. Enjoy!

Please go read this!

You really need to read this post on my friend Keith's blog. Perspective is everything!

Romans 1:12

Good morning, dear one. I'm so glad you came by to see if I'd posted today!

I know I've shared my struggle about what I want this blog to be. Today, God gave me another clue that I'd like to follow with you. :) Romans 1:12 says, "That is, that we may be mutually strengthened and encouraged and comforted by each other's faith, both yours and mine." (Amplified)

THAT is what I want! I'm not strong on my own. I need to be encouraged, too - that's why I treasure your comments. :) And when we pray for each other, we're not only strengthening each other, but comforting one another, too. And when I get encouragement from a sermon or lesson or book, and share with you - THAT is ALL what I see this blog for.

Now, I know that we're a small group. But I believe that God has helped us find each other for this reason!!! PLEASE, continue to put your prayer requests in - you can either email them to me, or leave them in the comments area. And be sure to read and pray for each other when you get a chance. If there's something REALLY important, I'll post it in the blog. Update us when you get an answer, so we can ALL be encouraged and comforted. You don't have to give lots of details, if you don't want. Let us know praise reports! Blessings shared are AWESOME things - they encourage us to remember that God is working on our behalf, even if we can't SEE it!

I saw a church sign a few days ago that REALLY impacted me: "God adds and multiplies. Satan subtracts and divides." Let's share how God is adding and multiplying in our lives, dear friend!

I cannot WAIT to pray for you - and I know there are others that feel the same. I cannot WAIT to hear how God is blessing you! And I can't WAIT to continue to share what God is doing in my own heart and life. :)

Toward that purpose, I have put the video below. You don't have to use MY verse to meditate on when you watch this approximately two-and-one-half-minutes of the ocean, but fix your mind on whatever verse is yours for the day, and just bathe in God's creation. This is the Gulf Coast at Fort Walton Beach, where we were two weeks ago. Expect a little from Oregon, too. :D

Be BLESSED, dear one. God has a plan for you, a purpose for your life. Expect to see Him move today. Keep your eyes open for all the little blessings He's sending you; they're gifts, letting you know how much you're loved, and how much He delights in YOU.

Psalm 148:7-8:
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,

Hello from SOGGY Nashville!

I imagine most of you know by now how devastated our part of the state is. I'm BLESSED beyond measure to be safe and dry, and to have my family so, as well. But I need to tell you: it's going to take a VERY long time for Nashville to recover, especially economically. This is the largest non-hurricane-related disaster in American history, and it will be the costliest.

So. Where you see a chance to help, help - and it doesn't even have to be HERE. There are people EVERYWHERE who have been devastated by something. :) We are CALLED to help others - it's part of who we are in Christ. And you can PRAY. Intervene for those who can't or don't know how to pray for themselves.

Two pictures to show you. The first one is one that was taken Friday, 24 hours before the deluge began. It's closer to the lake by maybe 10 feet than the sign in the second picture - which Kenn took TUESDAY morning. This is Old Hickory Lake, in case anyone's wondering!











I'm so grateful for those of you who have checked on us. :) I'm SO grateful for God's caring love - and the miracle that He protected SO many, when the death toll could have been incredible. (The speed with which the water rose on Sunday was more than most of us could comprehend!)

Thank you, dear ones. Be watchful, be servants, be ALL that you can be IN CHRIST! YOU ARE LOVED!

Have you found YOUR tomato?

Please note: This is written by Kenn and I - he's the one talking throughout. :D I'm really excited to see where this leads - I feel God annointing it! So. Have you?

Not long ago, I posted a story on Facebook about how God provided a small but tasty miracle for me in the Kroger parking lot. We received many great comments about the story, and Lori and I believe that many of you have similar stories to tell. (For your reference, if you have not heard the story, it has been posted at the end of this message.)

I feel that I need to "invest" this story of God's providence, and the dividend I am looking for is the testimony of His provision and blessing in your lives. I know that God has touched all of you at one time or another, and we want to hear about it!

Lori and I would like you, our friends, to send us your stories. We have opened up a separate email account for this purose; it's myfoundtomato@aol.com Please email your stories to us there. If you send your story, you are agreeing to allow us to use it for a book! We're going to see if we can find a publisher for this project.

I attend a men's group from our church that meets early Tuesday morning. We spend an hour together; we worship, praise God, and then listen to a testimony from one of the men who attends. This week it was our worship pastor, Pastor Wayne, who had just returned from Africa.

This year, Pastor Wayne has been encouraging us as a congregation to be "sensitive" to the daily miracles that God provides for us. To emphasize this, he told a remarkable story of such a miracle that happened on this trip to Africa . Then our missions pastor, Bruce, told us of a small "miracle" that he had witnessed this week as well. Both of these events could be classified as divine appointments.

I do believe that God is at work in our lives constantly and continually. In the rush and hurry of our lives, we often overlook these workings, or sometimes even put them in the "luck" column; when something "bad" happens to us we either blame our bad luck or blame Satan. We rarely see how God is using even our misfortunes for our good.

The photo above is from the Nashville Farmers Market. I think tomatoes are one of God's miracles! Imagine: a seed placed in the ground has all the instructions in it to produce these lovely fruits. The seed lies next to its neighbor, is nourished by the same earth, watered by the same rain or irrigation, and basks in the same sun as its neighbor - but soon it's a tomato, not a cucumber.

Anyway . Tuesday afternoon, after The Gate, Lori and I meet for a rare movie event (rare because movies cost money and we have very little!). After the movie, we decided to save money on the day by eating at home instead of eating out, as was our custom before poverty. I would grill hamburgers, and we had some precut French fries in the freezer. I asked Lori if we had a tomato, but she said no; tomatoes were hard to come by - and, if you came by them, they have been really expensive.

Lori and I went our separate ways, and I decided to run over to Krogers to see what a couple of dollars could buy in produce. I was thinking maybe a grilled zucchini, or something similar.... I parked the car in the Kroger lot and was calling Lori to let her know where I stopped, when I looked down.

There, right in front of me in the Kroger parking lot, was a tomato. A beautiful, ripe, pristine tomato, no dents, no bruises; so perfect I could use it in a photo shoot, and it was right there in front of me.

I picked up the tomato and looked around to see if I could find who may have dropped it. With no one even close, I returned it to the car and thanked God for this little but greatly-appreciated miracle.

Culled from the flock

Hello, dear ones. How are you doing?? Are you having a good fall? Are you making your list of things you're grateful for?

That's one of the things we do at Thanksgiving - but that's a totally different post. I really don't want to write this post, but it's time. :)

Maybe you've already discerned from the title what I feel God's leading me to write about today - and maybe you're one of the people who will get upset with what I have to say. But I pray you'll listen, and at least listen to what God is telling YOU, individually, before you dismiss it.

Today, I need to talk to you about being part of the body of Christ. The church.

I have SO MANY friends who have told me, "The church is full of hypocrites." "I don't need that; I can worship God just as well on my own." "I don't need to go to church. God understands."

Dear one, I need to deliver this message: much of what God wants to teach you needs to be taught in meeting with believers.

You'll notice I did NOT say "in a church"; I believe that a BUILDING cannot BE the church. WE are the church, the believers who make up any group that meets in ANY building. But I DO feel that God is telling His body to become more unified.

There are many reasons that people I know have left the church; can't find one they like, have been too hurt by others, don't have time, don't like what goes on in church, etc., etc. But, dear one, that doesn't give you a reason to not be with believers in a service ever again.

I know that you've been hurt, deeply, by people who are supposed to bear Christ's name. And I'm not saying that it will never happen again. But you know what? NO ONE is perfect. There are so many MORE reasons for meeting together than NOT that you need to find a place to be. A place to be safe, to be loved, to be encouraged, and to be held accountable.

Yes, I said accountable! :) We seem to have given up on trying to be holy anymore - not holier-than-thou, but holy. God said, "BE HOLY, as I am holy." (My emphasis there. :D) We all know we're not perfect, nor are we holy - but we seem to have stopped trying. It's true in many aspects of our lives - we can't do something completely, so we don't even attempt it. Oh, dear one, that's SO not the way God wants us to live!

We are to rejoice together - the shepherd who found his lost sheep, and the widow who found her lost coin BOTH called people together and said, "REJOICE WITH ME!" It's with the words of our testimony that we share our story of God's grace in our lives. We benefit in both the hearing AND the telling of it; if you're not meeting with anyone to rejoice with them, you're losing out on many blessings!

We are to encourage one another - being KIND and COMPASSIONATE with one another. FORGIVING one another. Oh, dear friend, I know this is hard to do when you've been hurt! I know how difficult it is to let anyone in again, when your heart has been broken, your spirit crushed, by those who were supposed to have been friends, who were trusted to be truthful and loving.

And we're to exhort each other. What does that mean? Here's the definition from dictionary.com:

to urge, advise, or caution urgently; to admonish urgently; to give urgent advice, recommendations, or warnings.

Yes, we're to help one another, IN LOVE, to show each other where a problem might be - again, IN LOVE. Our pastor said in a sermon from Ephesians that we are not going in love to someone unless our heart is breaking for them. Oh, sweet reader, I KNOW this is where some of the pain comes in. Someone may have said something like this to you:

"I'm only saying this because I love you, but...." And then proceeded to cut your heart out.

YES, we need to be advised. And sometimes advice hurts - sometimes warnings hurt. Our flesh rebels against restrictions, and it's easier to justify those desires than it is to die to them. But it's also easier to put them on the altar when you have someone to walk with you, to help you, to encourage you to LEAVE them on the altar. When we walk with each other, we can help each other. But when you walk alone, look out!

The enemy is real, dear one. He "roams", seeking "whom he may devour." THANK GOD our God is so much bigger than the enemy! But, dear one, if the enemy can cull you from the flock, can separate you from the body, he can get at you so much easier.

If you've ever watched any of the animal shows, you know what I'm talking about: lions, for instance, don't attack a whole herd of antelope. They separate one from the rest of the herd. Then, it's easy for them to take down ONE.

But I'm sure you saw this video that was going around the Web, the one with the herd of water buffalo who won back against the lions AND the crocodile. WARNING: The video is VERY difficult to watch!!! Dear ones, we're NOT powerless - and we're a much more incredible force TOGETHER. We're in a battle, and one soldier doesn't stand much of a chance.

I'm hoping to have one of my friends who is a pastor of a home group do a guest spot here, and talk a little about home groups. I am here to say: don't give up on each other. It's too important, from too many Scriptures. We grow and learn with each other.

Alone, we usually don't even try. If you're honest with yourself, you'll admit it. You might for a little while, but after a time, every day is the same - except it's a weekend, so you can sleep in and do those chores that haven't been done.

Don't give up. Don't be separated from the flock. Want Scriptures? I had a hard time narrowing down what I wanted to use, because there are so many of them. Start with the middle of Ephesians. Still want more? Email me. I can't tell you how heavily this has been weighing on me for a LONG time! God is calling us together again, dear one, as His body. He's calling us to learn to live in UNITY. To strengthen and uplift one another. To put on our armor, and STAND together.

I love you! I pray for you! I want you to know that GOD loves you, and wants you to love HIM. Read His Word. TRUST His Word. BELIEVE it - it will change your life.

Email me with any questions, or concerns, or complaints, or prayer requests. :) I'll listen!!!!!

Hospitality

It was a bad reason to have to go home to Indiana/Ohio: one of my best friends lost her husband quite suddenly, and I went to be with her on the day of the funeral. But it was a good visit.

I stayed in Indiana at our friends' farm. They are WONDERFUL people; originally my sister's friends (her high school best friend's parents!), they've been SO much fun to get to know, and to spend time with. There were days when we could have gone to do something, but stayed on the farm! It's been fun seeing Kenn (AKA "City Boy") learn about farm life. :)

What I want to tell you about, however, is leaving the farm this last time. I was by myself; Kenn didn't get to go with me. But I know what we do before we leave, each time, so I planned the leaving part accordingly. :D They're building a new house from SCRATCH next to the rickety farmhouse; they've been working on it for years, and they're "close" to getting it ready to move into. Before we leave, we go see the progress on the house, and take a quick tour of SOME of the farm. (Mind you, this is a working farm, so to tour the whole thing would take a VERY long time!!! :) )

The garden on the farm has been producing like crazy, so our friends were SO pleased to be able to send "some" produce home with me. The photo above shows what I brought home. :D Even the pumpkin! He became a turkey, but that's another post. LOL!

We were out in the garden for 45 minutes, cleaning off the vegetables and loading them into the car. Then, it was time for goodbye hugs and waves while I pulled onto the country road, waving and smiling.

I was still smiling five minutes later. Can you IMAGINE?? I'd been there about 38 hours, but I was SOOOOOOOOO blessed by them. I was GONE much of that time, but we still had a couple of meals together, and laughed and sympathized with each other. There wasn't any "You're a guest, so act like one." I'm one of the family! I know where the towels are, I know where to put the bedding when I leave. And I get so blessed, every time I go to visit them. Not only did they bless ME, but I had the joy of seeing Kenn act like it was Christmas when he was carrying it all into the house; Mom couldn't get over how GENEROUS they'd been to us. And NOTHING tastes better than a sweet cherry tomato that someone you cherish has grown and blessed you with! :)

It's not the things they give me - or that I give them, because who goes somewhere like that without a present? :D It's the way I FEEL when I'm around them. I'm NEVER, EVER glad to be leaving them, but I always leave feeling loved and welcome to come back.

Do you *hear* what I'm trying to say? There's no doubt in my mind that I have a place there. I am always welcome. I will always be loved by them. I don't have to wonder if they're just nice to my face. I'm part of the family while I'm there.

Dear one, not only are we to feel that way in the Body of Christ, but we're to OFFER that to anyone who comes to our homes. I just can't imagine anything better than to have someone say to me, "I was still smiling five minutes after I left your house the other day!"

It's a little out of context, but not too much - Jesus said, "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." (Luke 16:9, NIV) We have started to become sooooooooo concerned with OURSELVES; we don't just "hang out" with each other, encouraging one another and sharing with each other! We HOARD what we have, as if it's going to be a security.

It's NOT. And that's not why God blesses us with worldy wealth, either - no matter how much or how little you have. It's to bless OTHERS.

Dear one, please pray for ME in this area. I want to be obedient in being a blessing, too! I want people to know I'm different, that they're LOVED, and WELCOME, and part of the family!!!! How about you?

Is this what God's saying to you?

Good morning, dear friend! How are you today?

I'm dragging my feet. Why? Because I DO NOT want to write this post! It's not a warm fuzzy today, but I think it's part of why you haven't heard much from me lately. I have a word for some of you, and it's a call to action. Kind of. :)

I've kept in touch with many of you personally, and know some of the struggles you've been going through. I know a lot of you are looking for direction from God: What should I be doing? Am I walking in His will? What should I be doing to help my family?

Dear ones, I also know that some of you are like the leaves, being tossed by every change of direction in the wind. As soon as a door opens, you think it MUST be God, and try to run through it - and then another door opens, and IT must be God.

HE WANTS YOU TO STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be STILL, and know that He is God. What does that MEAN????

"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:4-5.

We NEED to know His voice. We need to know the difference between God's voice and a stranger's. And that means being STILL. It means being WITH Him. It means reading His Word, so you know what He SOUNDS like, what the truth of His Word says to your spirit - and how that "feels".

Dear one, how can you know His voice to follow HIM if you're not intimately involved with Him?

I want you to know that I struggle with this, too - and I don't spend nearly as much time with Him as I should. But I'm READING. I'm PRAYING. I'm trying to be STILL as much as possible, to LISTEN.

It's easy to think that every opportunity that comes your way is from God. But it's not TRUE. Everything may look PERFECT, but if you're listening, there MIGHT be a check that says WAIT.

Please, dear friend, HEAR ME. I'm not directing this at any one person. We ALL struggle - and if you're into your Bible every day, YEAH!

Still, I will say: LISTEN. Be STILL, and KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. Then, you'll be able to MOVE, and know you're following the Master's voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He says:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."

I love you! I am praying for you! And if you want to share with me, PLEASE do so - you can leave a comment if you'd like others to pray or celebrate with you, too, or you can email me at pooh0612@aol.com.

BE BLESSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The MOST excellent way!

Hi, sweet reader! Thank you for coming to visit today; whether it was by your design, or by "chance", I'm glad you're here. I want you to take a walk with me, down a Roman road.

We're just going to stroll down this road together; there are some "sights" I want to point out to you. Don't stop reading! Just get to the end of the path with me. :)

It's a beautiful spring day! Can you hear the birds, and feel the breeze - and see the buds on the trees? Look at that beautiful fruit tree that's full of blossoms ahead!

Here's the first thing I want to show you! It's Romans 3:23: "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." That's ALL, my friend. NO ONE can save themselves. We were born into sin.

But that's not the end of the road!

This stop is a two-part stop! Look on this side:

Romans 6:23a "The wages of sin is death..." We all will die a physical death. But we don't have to die in our sin - that is not only a physical ending, but a spiritual ending you need to understand we all DESERVE. There is nothing we can do ourselves that can make us righteous.

But look at THIS side of the stop!

Romans 6:23b "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." It's a GIFT!! It's free!! God offers it to you and me, to save us from that sin and from the spiritual death that goes with it. But you do need to receive it.

Let me tell you a story that will illustrate this really well. I used to be the only non-family member of a company. One of the three families involved was REALLY, REALLY disfunctional. I mean, WOW!! So the dad is NOT a nice person at all, but his sons tried SO HARD to get his approval. One year they were feuding badly, but the younger son still wanted to please his dad; he gave him Christmas gifts, came and put them on the dad's desk. THEY SAT IN A CORNER, UNOPENED, all year. The son gave the gifts, but they weren't RECEIVED - the dad ignored them, left them unopened, unused, and neglected.

Let's keep walking! This is a beautiful road!!

Here we are!

Romans 5:8: "God demonstrates His love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!"

Oh, dear one, do you HEAR that??? God is outside of time; He sees all time at a glance. And while He was looking at our sin - YOUR sin, MY sin - He knew He wanted to give us that precious Gift. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our gift! He died for us, so we could be saved! Eternal life in God's presence. His presence is so sweet here on Earth - I can't WAIT to be able to see Him face-to-face!!!!!! And it's available to YOU - all you have to do is ASK!

Oh, look! It's Romans 10:13!

"Whoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Anyone can receive this gift! There's no "I'm not good enough" or "I need to straighten up my act first". God will meet you WHERE YOU ARE!!!! Just ask Him!

Oh, here's the last stop on this road. Isn't it beautiful?

Romans 10:9-10: "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Oh, how LOVELY this stop is. Do you see how EASY it is? God hasn't made a lot of hoops to jump through. There's not a physical torture test, or a decathalon to compete in for this prize.

If you've been down this road before, isn't it a sweet place to visit? To be able to thank God for His incredible, awesome GIFT? I hope our walk today reminded you to praise Him for it!!!

If you've never been down this road, and you've heard Him offering you His precious gift today, you might be wondering what the next step is.

Just talk to Him! We call it "praying", but it's really just having a communication session with The Most High. :) He wants us to talk to Him!!! You can simply tell Him something along this line:

Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I know that has kept me separated from You. I ask You to forgive me of my sins; I want to repent (that just means "to turn 180 degrees" from the way you were going), and ask You to help me walk the way You want me to. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, and that He rose from the dead and is alive today. I ask that You become my Savior, and Lord of my life. Thank You! Amen.

Did you know that when you said that prayer, Heaven threw a party for you?!?!??!?! The angels REJOICE over EACH soul that receives the Gift!!!!

I'd like to rejoice with you, too! Please email me, or leave me a comment, and let me know so I can - and so I can pray for you, too! The next step is to find a good church where you can learn more about the decision you made, and start to grow and learn about this new life!

Praise God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Dear one, He rejoices over YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas, Christmastime is HERE!

Hello, dear friends! How are you this beautiful day? It's SUNNY here - I know Kenn will be THRILLED about that. he's been bemoaning the fact he hasn't seen the sun in days. It makes him even crankier. LOL!

It's the 19th of December. Only a few more days until we celebrate the birthday of our King! Our church held its birthday celebration on Wednesday - it was a HUGE party. :) There was dancing everywhere, and so many carols - so much jubilation! Many, many different ways of giving thanks for the amazing grace that came from Heaven were shown Wednesday night. It was amazing.

Have you been too caught up in the hustle and bustle of this season? Have you been able to just SIT, and dwell on His amazing love for you? Or to celebrate the gratitude in your heart towards Him? I would encourage you to do so! :D

The picture above is one of our newest acquisitions for our decorating in the kitchen (I'll try to get a few pictures from the open house up soon....). He was originally made to be a paper towel holder, but I LOVE this little snowman's attitude: HUG ME! BE HAPPY!!!!!! :D

I encourage you, dear friend, to bring someone to your house this season. A close friend you want to enjoy, a friend who's having a difficult time this year due to stress or loss, someone you want to get to know better. Welcome them. Treat them to an hour of your time. Share a season of peace and hope with them. Bless them - and you will be absolutely AMAZED at how blessed you are in return.

YOU ARE LOVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peace on earth, good will toward men....

Happy December, my friends! Thank you for those of you who have checked in; things have been rough for me the last few weeks - but I KNOW my God is in control, so I continue to struggle back to rest in Him. :) I KNOW you know how it goes. What's that saying? :Life is what happens to you while you're making plans"? :D

ANYWAY. This picture is my little tree in the stamping area. I love this tree; it's silver, but it's a 4-footer. Maybe that makes it easier to love? :D The stamping area is done in blue, white, and sliver; it's VERY peaceful. I can sit in here and work just by Christmas lights. RUDOLPH is on the TV behind me, Kenn's upstairs working, and I am sitting here counting my blessings again. I'm HOME. I have some of my loved ones here with me during this special time of the year. God send His only Son to live a humble life - to live and be tempted by things we're all tempted by, to know pain and joy. I am so blessed. I live in a beautiful home. I am loved.

So are you. :) I hope you find a quiet moment to sit and count your blessings this week, too. It helps keeping Christ the middle of your season! :)

TOMORROW WILL BE A BLOG CANDY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you're interested in reading our Christmas newsletter this year, you can find it HERE.

Be blessed, my dear friend!

Good Wednesday Afternoon!

PHEW. I think I usually block November out of my mind. :D I'm SO busy, I can't even think!!!!! Those of you who follow my stamping blog know I've been out of town on business, teaching two to three classes a week, and trying to keep all the OTHER balls up in the air - I've got a craft fair this weekend, and prayers for God's prosperity, whether that be meeting people, networking, or sales, would be greatly appreciated!

Isn't this hawk awesome?? I admire these birds - they are SO majestic! - but I have a tendency to forget that their prey is other animals and birds I love. He comes around our back yard every now and then, but this is the first time I've been able to get a picture of him; he's very wary of movement!

I chose this verse to go with this picture today because of something that is deeply troubling me - and it has to do with the church we used to attend. If you still attend that church, please know that I'm not trying to be ugly or gossip; I hope you know me better than that. But there is something I need to talk about: God's insistence that we LOVE one another, not only in a certain church body, but AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.

As Christians, we are supposed to be known by our LOVE - for one another, for Christ, and for the world. Unfortunately, what I've seen happening the past 20 years or so is a building of walls in MANY of our church bodies; have you ever been in a sermon and heard something like, "Thank God we don't do what that church down the road does!"? Or, "Unlike so-and-so, we truly believe in the (fill in the blank)!"? Doctrine and theological differences are NOT reasons to build walls, my sisters.

Those walls are WRONG. We are to show LOVE to each other, not disdain. Now, we don't have to LIKE each other, at least from what I can read. :D But we DO have to show love. How?? Guess what! There's a whole chapter in I Corinthians that DEFINES love and how to show it!

It's NOT easy to love people who are different, or who we PERCEIVE as being different or having done something wrong to us. But that same chapter says we're to keep NO RECORD OF WRONGS. As a matter of fact, God tells us that if we don't forgive, we won't be forgiven (Matt. 6:14, Luke 6:37). Harsh, right? Nope. Take a look at the parable Jesus told us in Matthew 18:23-35!

That church has had a revolving door since we began attending ten years ago. People just leave. Regardless of the reasons involved, there should be nothing but love expressed toward each other, on both sides. Or, as Paul said in the Galations passage, we'll be destroyed by each other. Do you know how many people don't go to church anymore because of the hypocrisy they've seen? It's so very, very sad. The very place we should be able to go and be OURSELVES, and accepted for who we are, is the place that's become a place to put on a false front and pretend that everything's OK - because we might really get hurt if anyone knew who we really are.

It goes back to that poem I posted last month. We all NEED to be able to be honest about who we are. There is NOT ONE righteous among us, but in Him, we are ALL given HIS righteousness. Who are we to judge each other????

Sisters, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR LOVE IS FROM GOD. If I have wronged you, please tell me so I can ask forgiveness and get us right with each other and with Him!!!!

We are LOVED by God; isn't it time we let the WORLD know we're His, by showing His love for each OTHER????? His GRACE is abundant enough for ALL!