Answered Prayer

Two winters ago, God laid on my heart to start a blanket ministry for the homeless in our community.  I did.  About 300 blankets were collected and given out.  I was shy and pretty quiet that first year with the homeless.  Then the second winter rolled around and my husband came on board.  The collection of blankets doubled.  The homeless seemed to come out of the woodworks.  God seemed to be filling me with a boldness that led me to stop and look each one in the eye, to reach out and touch, to really listen when they spoke, and the boldness to share about God and His love.

Many people when they see a homeless person quickly look away, change directions or avoid all together where they might be.  Oh, how sad for the ones walking away!

I’ve come to discover there are precious souls in these bodies that may not always look beautiful on the outside but I’m realizing beauty is not always immediately visible.  Sometimes we have to slow down and make the effort and look and then the beauty arrives.  And the beauty can be different in each person.

After meeting and talking with many homeless individuals the second winter of the blanket ministry, I realized these precious people needed to be given a voice, their stories, I believed, needed to be told.  Every night I would go to bed and they would be on my mind.  Questions kept running through my mind that I would like to ask them and I just wanted to sit and listen to them talk about their lives, hopes, dreams, whatever they wanted to say about their life.  I wanted to write their stories.  But I did not want to do this for the wrong reason, so I started to pray, asking God if this desire was from Him or just me.  For six months I prayed this prayer, not getting any kind of confirmation, just silence.  At the end of six months, I went to bed this past Friday night and sort of prayed out of frustration, kinda begging God to let me know if this was from Him or not…do I pursue this idea or forget about it. 

The very next evening, my husband was to meet his photography club members downtown on the square to practice shooting the cameras.  My husband Keith, arrived downtown an hour early, so sat down on a bench with his camera and began shooting.  Just a little ways over was another bench with a man sitting there watching Keith.  He called my husband over and said, “I see you’re a photographer, have you ever taken pictures of the homeless.”  Keith laughed and said, “As a matter of fact I have.”  He proceeded to tell this man about our blanket ministry and documenting it with pictures.  Then this man proceeded to tell Keith that there were a lot of homeless in our town, and they all had stories, and someone needed to write their stories.  Again, Keith laughed and replied with, “Well, let me tell you about my wife.”  The man, Greg, said to bring me on down, he would tell me his story, that maybe it could help someone.  So they made a date for us to get together the following Saturday, a week later, at 5:00 pm.

This could only be from God and I now believe I have my answer.  Isn’t it just like God to answer by planting a homeless man on the bench and my husband down on the other bench at the same time, with no one else around; a homeless man who wanted his picture taken and said “someone needs to write our stories down”.  Could an answer be any clearer? 

A quote from Max Lucado, In The Grip Of Grace:

“All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other” John 13:35.  “Could it be that unity is the key to reaching the world for Christ?. . .If unity matters to God, then shouldn’t unity matter to us? . . No where, by the way, are we told to build unity.  We are told simply to keep unity. . .How de we do that?. . .Does that mean we compromise our convictions? No, but it does mean we look long and hard at the attitudes we carry.”

When I first read this, I felt the unity Max was talking about was within the church.  Upon further pondering, I thought how we need unity within our community.  I realize not everyone will befriend and be convicted to work with the homeless, but I hope these coming stories will make us look long and hard at the attitudes we carry regarding certain groups of people and if these attitudes are not Christ-like, we would make the effort to change, so that everyone we come into contact with will know we are His followers by the Christ-like love within us.  And even if we never come into contact with certain people, our hearts will be more at rest and peace with those Christ-like attitudes and to know that we are pleasing to the Father with a heart more in tune with Him.

As you listen to these voices, in God's timing, I pray you will begin to see and feel the beauty in their souls, souls created by God, souls loved by God, souls that God sent His Son to die on the cross and sacrifice for these souls just as He did for you and me.  Some of these souls have made mistakes, just like you and me, may still be making mistakes, just like you and me, but need grace, just like you and me. They need to be shown and given love just like you and me.

I’m so excited to meet Greg next Saturday and listen to his story.  Please pray that God would lead this conversation, that the Lord would lead me to speak when I need to, what to say, what to ask, and when to be still and just listen.  Please pray His blessings on our time and that this could be made into a story and shared however God chooses.  And please say a prayer for Greg. . .he has cancer.

On Top of Ol' Smokie

My mowing days started many, many years ago when I was still in elementary school.  Being in a divorced family, my older sister had a lot of responsibilities, one being to mow the yard.  As I watched her and the cut lines appear, I made the mistake of saying to her it looked like fun.  From that day on mowing was my job.  Being young with not a huge social life, I didn’t mind.  Sometimes the heat got to me, and aside from the time I set the mower on fire, it really was fun.

I grew up and  married.  The first ten years, we did not have a yard to mow.  We had cement parking lots.  Then came the day we had a yard.  It was small but I loved it and could not wait to mow my own grass.  I would have mown with anything.  And I did.

Some of you might remember those old engineless mowers, the ones with blades that rolled when you pushed the wooden handles.  That is what I mowed that little yard with.  I was so proud of my fresh cut lawn every time.  After several years, the blades either became dull or I was becoming lazy.  I don’t remember why, but we ended up with a new mower with engine, gasoline, and spark plugs.  Now I primed, pulled a string, and it roared to life.  I mowed many years with this one.  Then we moved again and I got a much bigger yard.  My husband said I could keep using the same mower.  Have you ever tried mowing an acre with a push mower?  He hadn’t either until I asked him to.  Right after that, he took me on a date to Lowes and I became the proud owner of a Cub Cadet riding mower.  No rolling blades or string here.  Now I just had to sit on the seat, turn a key, and start driving.  This was the life for this yard work lover!

This is when I found myself praising on top of Ol’ Smokie, out in the fresh country air, sun shining down on me.  Why the name Ol’Smokie?  Because she smokes down the yard faster than any other mower I’ve ever had.  When you find yourself sitting on top of a mower, going in big circles, or back in forth in rows, (depending on the mood I’m in) for 1 ½ hours, what do you do?  I learned this was a great time to praise and pray.  Not only do I feel close to my Lord up there on that seat, but it is very therapeutic.  When I am on that mower for so long, I think of how blessed I am and the praising just begins.

Some may think this is a funny place to praise. . .I don’t.  Paul and Silas praised in jail.  Jesus prayed in a garden.  David praised while out on the hill with a bunch of sheep.  We are told to pray in a closet.  I believe the Lord is pleased whenever He hears praise from His children, wherever they are. . .even from on top of a lawn mower.

The bible says we are to sing to the Lord as a response to what He has done in our lives.  He has brought me from cement parking lots to lush, green grass, the engineless push mower to the key and steering wheel.  He performed a miracle with my stringed one in front of my little boy’s eyes that started a chain reaction of miracles that changed my relationship with my dad and stepmom.  (That story coming later).  He brought me from years of a grassless yard to one full of grass surrounded by trees, with deer, rabbits and all kinds of critters flitting around.  He has brought me so many wonderful friends through the years, a wonderful husband and two boys I love with all my heart.  He healed a broken relationship with one family member and is working on another.

Yes, we can praise anywhere.  I feel the need to go hop onto Ol’ Smokie and belt out praise to my Lord and Savior.  Good thing the engine is louder than my non-singing voice for the neighbor’s sake, but I  know my Lord can hear me loud and clear  Roar goes the engine and Hallelujah goes my spirit.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise

(and out on the lawn)

Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

Psalm 100:4

Where do you find yourself praising?  I hope it's not just confined to the walls inside a church. I would love to hear where you find yourself praising a lot of the times.  Maybe while you're with your babies, when you're not with them, out in nature, while cooking, in the bath?  We can praise all day long, anywhere and everywhere. Don't you know that is music to His ears!

Linking with friends over at

Sunrise, Sunset. . .Blessings In Between and After

The heavens declare the Glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Psalm 19:1

As I rise with the dawn, may my heart always pour forth gratitude, praise on my lips to my one and only Savior, Creator of all, the One who resides in my heart, may I live in between the sun going up and coming down in a way that pleases you Heavenly Father and forgive me for when I have not.

Thank you Father for each new day, new starts, new beginnings, new opportunities. . .

 

Thank you Father for giving beauty that takes my breath away

Thank you Father for being with me each day helping me, teaching me, and loving me between the sunrise and sunset

and thank you Father as I lay my head back down on my pillow at the end of the day for watching over me not only between the sunrise and sunset, but after I drift off to sleep, watching not only over me but my loved ones, and loving us beyond the sunsets . . .I count my blessings from You and I thank you with sleepy eyes, I thank You, thank You, thank You, thaaannkk Youuuu. . . . .

From the rising of the sun to its setting

the name of the Lord is to be praised!

The Lord is high above all nations,

and His glory above the heavens!

Blessings #563 ~ 583

breakfast in bed

thick french toast made and served by my husband

open windows and cool breezes after a very hot week

learning new things from old stories

beautician who understands my wild mane

my mother's prayers

watching fireflies with husband

his arms around my waist

musical pea frogs

published stories

good night hugs

good morning kisses

retreats in the shade

ice cold lemonade

homemade cookies brought to us by a neighbor

laughter with my mother

humorous bloggers

deep thinkers

cool crisp sheets

deep sleep

pleasant dreams

(all photos taken by husband, Keith)

*you can check out more of his pictures at*

beyondthecampfirebykeith.blogspot.com

Linking with Ann and friends over at

A Riddle: Who Am I?

---

Adam, God made out of dust,
But thought it best to make me first.
So I was made sometime before man,
To answer God’s most holy plan.

A living being I became,
And Adam gave to me my name.
I, from his presence, then withdrew,
And more of Adam I never knew.

I did my Maker’s Law obey,
Nor never went from it astray.
Thousands of miles I go in fear,
But seldom on earth do I appear.

For purpose wise which God did see,
He put a living soul in me.
The soul in me, God had fed,
Until, finally, the soul had fled.

I am the same
As when first made.
Without hands, feet, or face,
I travel on from place to place.

I labor hard by day and night,
To fallen man I give great light.
Thousands of people, young and old,
Will, by my death, great light behold.

No right or wrong can I conceive,
The Scriptures I cannot believe.
Although my name therein is found,
They are, to me, an empty sound.

No fear of death doth trouble me,
Real happiness I’ll never see.
To heaven I shall never go,
Nor to hell far below.

Now when, these lines, you slowly read,
Go search your Bible with all speed.
For that my name is written there,
I do, honestly, to you, declare…

"The answer is ONE word!"

This riddle was written by a lady in California in response to an offer from a gentleman in Philadelphia, that he would pay anyone $1,000 who could write a puzzle he could not solve. He failed to solve it and paid the money. The answer is one word and appears only four times in the Bible.

My Hero

            My husband Keith is the one standing in line holding the book titled American Heroes.  The book was written by Oliver North and he was in our town doing a book signing.  Keith is waiting to get his book autographed.  As I stood looking at this picture one day taken by one of his friends, I thought, that man, my husband, is my hero.

            Keith was 29 years old when he married me, an extremely shy 19 year old who only had a high school degree and didn’t know what I could offer him. I had always wanted to be a wife and mother.  As far as I knew, that was my only calling.  This man trusted enough to take me as his wife and the future mother of his children.  What faith!  My hero!

            In the 80’s when we married, up until now, 2011, the norm seemed to be two-income households.  This was not for me or him.  Not because I was lazy.  I’m a hard worker. We just did not want  to become dependent on what money I would make and then me be stuck working the rest of my life.  Call us old fashioned, but for our household we wanted the husband to earn the bacon  and the wife to cook it. I am a homemaker through and through.  I love to be home, to decorate, to cook, although as I get older, eating out looks better and better.  And most importantly, we wanted me to be home to take care of those future children of ours.

            For many years we lived paycheck to paycheck.  It was ten years before we bought our first house.  We never went without the basics though.  Keith never pressured me to go to work to make things easier on us and I love him so for that.  I love him for being so diligent and faithful for getting up every day and going to his job to provide for us.  He always had the faith that God would provide. He is my hero for that.

            Like many young couples, we allowed our credit cards to get out of hand.  We said in the beginning we would never allow that to happen, but slowly the debt crept up on us.  When we realized what we had allowed to happen and that only making the minimum payments, which is all we could do, was not going to get them paid off, Keith took us to our back step, sat down, and we repented for not being better stewards, asking the Lord to show us how to get out of debt. We had two little boys at home, and Keith knowing my desires, still never asked me to get a job.  The Lord was faithful once again and provided Keith with a 12 month contract job in Denver, Colorado.  We were living in Oklahoma at this time.  The money was so good from this job, we knew we would be able to tackle the debt.  It took sacrificing on all our parts.  The boys and I had to stay behind because of commitments and Keith had to live alone in Denver for a year.  He came home one week-end a month.  It was wonderful when he came home and so hard when he left.  Our younger son, Christopher, would cry every time, but after a few days we were back into a routine.  Keith was my hero for being willing to take on a new job so far away.  I know it was much harder on him than it was for us.  The boys and I were still together, still in our home, surrounded by our friends.  Keith was in a new town, new job, new people, and living in a tiny, efficiency apartment. He knew he would have to look for another job when he came back home for good. He never complained, always having a good attitude.

            We were diligent and the cards got paid off one by one.  We decided we would never charge again.  We adopted the idea my dad always had which was to pay cash for everything, and if you couldn’t pay cash, you didn’t need it.  Or else, save until you have the cash for whatever it is.  This is such a freeing way to live.  I actually had people tell me that you could not live that way in this day and time.  Well, we’ve proved them wrong. It’s been well over fifteen years and we are doing just fine.  I believe it is all a matter of priorities.  And learning to say no instead of always thinking I want this and I deserve it.  We don’t deserve anything in this world.  God taught us lessons during this time, me the lesson of contentment when it came to things that Denver year.  What ever God allows me to have, I learned to be so thankful, and if I whined internally about wanting something and I didn’t get it, I felt like I was saying that God was not taking care of me, or what he gave me was not enough.  I didn’t want to be that way.  Keith has always let me learn my lessons in my own time, or I should say in God's timing and ways, and has never tried to help God in dealing with me.  Keith just always has loved me and lets God do the work in me. My hero!

              When I became convicted to homeschool our children, Keith backed me up all the way and did so for the next fourteen years.  My hero!  He has always been there for our boys, helping with the diapers and feedings in the baby years.  He played with them and taught them as toddlers.  He provided adventures for them as they grew into bigger boys.  He provided them with a stable, secure, loving home, letting them know they were safe and loved. He was a model for them that I prayed they would emulate one day.  My hero!  He gave them one of the greatest gifts a father can give his children; he loved their mother and the Lord.

            Every time I have needed something done, fixed, worked on, and moved, Keith immediately goes right to work on whatever it is.  Like the time I was cleaning my house, getting ready to have several women in my home for the evening.  I put all my dining room chairs on top of the dining table so I could mop the floor underneath.  I accidentally banged the mop handle against the table, knocking one of the chairs backwards and landed right through the glass door of my grandmother’s hutch, shattering it to pieces.  I was sick!  This hutch had been in the family for years and never had anything happen to it.  I started crying.  My husband, who had been watching a football game at the time came over to me and said, “Don’t worry, I can fix it.”  He immediately left his game, measured the door, left for Lowe’s, had a piece of glass cut, came home, put the new glass in and it looked good as new.  The house got cleaned, and the women and I had a wonderful evening. My hero!                                                                                                        

Keith has never belittled me, talked down to me, or ever made me feel bad on purpose.  He has always been there to comfort me, listen to me, has provided for me, does things for me.  Like the time I was suffering the indignities of a sick body.  I was so sick for hours in the night that I was crying and totally exhausted.  I was on the bedroom floor shaking and feeling really sorry for myself.  I was not a pretty sight, and sure I didn’t smell too pretty, but Keith got on the floor and held me in his lap and rocked me until I could quit shaking .  He then cleaned up the mess never saying a word to make me feel bad.

When our oldest son left, becoming the prodigal, I had many more melt downs, one being severe just as Keith walked in from work one evening.  He immediately came over where I was, got down on the floor in his dress work clothes, scooped me up onto his lap, and rocked me until I could stop crying and settled down. He was hurting too, but stayed strong enough to make it to work everyday and then come home to comfort me. During this time, when I was weak, he was strong.  When he was weak, I was strong.  He let me be there for him during those few weak moments and showed strength by letting me comfort him. My hero!

 The only thing I truly longed for from him was to open up more about spiritual matters. My husband is a quiet man.  The quote, "still waters run deep" describes him well. I would go to my prayer closet many times about this over the years.  I have learned that God will either answer with a yes, no, or wait.  I didn’t know at the time, but this was a “Wait” answer.

                         When our son Tim left at age 18, it felt like my world fell apart.  Keith’s was too, but he was my rock.  He came through in a way that I had prayed for so long.  He became convicted that we as a couple were to hit the floor on our knees, praying to our Savior, our General to fight this war and to help us fight in whatever way He saw fit.  We’ve prayed on our knees side by side for the last three years and will  continue to until death do us part. My dear husband is strong in every way, and loves me, a sinner saved by grace.  He has loved me with an everlasting love all the years we've been together just like my Savior.  Jesus Christ is my Lord, Keith is my husband who loves with a Christ like love.
                       I was truly blessed when God brought Keith into my life.  As of today, June of 2011, we have been married 29 years.  We will celebrate our 30^th in October.  The book Keith is holding is about war heroes.  In my life story, Keith, my husband, is my hero.

I am linking with others to join in the contest

(hit this button on right side bar at top to read others or enter)

Under His Wings

            “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.”  The biblical patriarch, Boaz, referred to Ruth as a woman who had come under the Lord’s wings for refuge. (Ruth 2:12)  Later, her great-grandson, King David asked the Lord in Psalm 17:8, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings.”  In Psalm 57, he cried, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!  For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.”

            There is something so comforting about the picture of being sheltered by God’s wings.

            The footnote to Psalm 17:8 says, “God will protect us.  We must not conclude, however, that we have somehow misled God’s protection if we experience troubles.  God’s protection has far greater purposes than helping us avoid pain, it is to make us better servants for Him.  God also protects us by guiding us through painful circumstances, not only by helping us escape them. ‘The Shadow of Your Wings’ is a figure of speech symbolizing God’s protection.  He guards us just as a mother bird protects her young by covering them with her wings.

As you’ll see in my story some day, I took comfort in the words of the old hymns after prodigalism hit our home.  One I came across and had never heard before was titled “Under His Wings” by William O. Cushing. Here are the words to this hymn written in the 1800’s.

Under His wings I am safely abiding, Tho the night deepens and tempests are wild;  Still I can trust Him I know He will keep me, He has redeemed me and I am His Child.  Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!  How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!  Often when earth has no balm for my healing, there I find comfort and there I am blest.  Under His wings, O what precious enjoyment!  There will I hide ‘til life’s trials are o’er.  Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me, resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore.  Under His wings, under his wings, who from His love can sever?  Under His wings my soul shall abide, Safely abide forever.

I asked my younger son Christopher a couple of years after our older son left us, if he were asked how he got through the tough times, which they were so for him, a young boy just entering his teen years, entering a public school for the very first time, not understanding why his big brother was just gone and watching his parents feeling so sad, and he having to learn how to deal with anger and ugly thoughts, what would he say to those who asked. He simply said “Jesus”.  I believe if his soul could speak audibly, the words to this song is what you would hear.  And as the footnote above said, he became a better servant, gained more compassion, leading a friend to the Savior and showing that same kind of love towards others.

I'm so thankful for those wonderful, miraculous wings from above that shelters, gives the balm of healing, and provides comfort like no other and offers peace and rest that can be found in no other like Him.

May you who need comfort, shelter, to find refuge, find it beneath His wings.

What's All the Crowing About?

image from Google

Ah, the lovely sounds of the country…humming tractors, chickens clucking, peaceful winds blowing through the trees and the crowing of a rooster.  The rooster at the farm next to me started crowing early this one morning.  I smiled, loving the sound.  The second hour of his music, I went outside and sat on my deck to hear it even better.  The third hour of this noise, I laughed, wondering when he was going to stop.  By the fifth hour of this nonstop chatter, I was not laughing or smiling anymore.  I was ready to go clobber me one big bird.  My lovely country music turned into one aggravating, annoying piece of noise! 

Does this sound like anyone you know?  I’m not a big talker but I can chew my husband’s ear off when I have him trapped in the porch swing.  I have found myself (yes, even me) rambling on and on.  My sweet husband may want to smack me on the head, but he just smiles.  I know when he has had enough.  He will stand up and stretch and I know he wants to go in then.

            The Bible has a lot to say on what we crow about.  Ephesians 5:19 says, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.”  By hour 4, I’m thinking I need to go recite Ephesians 5:4 to the neighbor rooster…”There should be no obscenity, foolish talking or coarse joking.”  His singing had turned into foolish talk as far as I was concerned.  I wanted to give him a piece of my mind.  Then I had to recite Ephesians 4:29 to myself…”Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  Later on it says to get rid of brawling and slander.  OK, I wasn’t going to go brawling with a rooster and if I’m slandering him, I apologize. But a good reminder for us all to always check our own crowing and pray it will glorify our Lord.

          Upon further pondering, I decided maybe I have this rooster all wrong.  The Bible also says we are to have praise on our lips.  This day was gorgeous.  Maybe he was just praising.  This isn’t as far fetched as it sounds.  Psalm 145:21 says,  “Let every CREATURE praise His holy name.  Maybe the rooster was. . .  Ok. . .maybe I need to eat crow about now.   I have been known to go all day praising the Father in my home, not just where all the neighbors could hear.  Maybe that’s my lesson for this day.  That my praises should be heard all throughout the day reaching to the Heavens, no matter who else may hear.  Jesus has done SO much for all of us.  Let’s don’t hold back.  Let’s open those windows and shout to the Lord all of our thanks and gratitude and love for Him.  I know it could take me all day and more to cover it all.  How about you?

            I think we have something to crow about!

Multitudes of Blessings

google image

Blessings are everywhere, and I'm having fun finding them.   It's not always a thing, but sometimes an act, a touch, an idea, a new perspective.  God is everywhere and His touch is in every blessing that is all around. .  .I just have to open my eyes and look and feel. . .

you just never know the kinds of things you will find. . .it could be in what appears to just be the ordinary, and then out of the blue, something extraordinary. . . 

google image

my counting continues. . .

#531.  people waving

#532.  meeting people on back roads

#533.  husband holding my hand in a crowd

#534.  sitting on front porch with husband smelling a storm coming in

#535.  not getting blown away

#536.  trees still standing after fierce winds

#537.  son who will pick up all the broken branches after the storms, even the ones the size of trees!

#538.  son who is always willing to dispose of a dead mouse or the undescribable things found in the back yard

(I'll spare you of the pictures here)

#539.  power boxes that recharge a dead battery on lawnmower

#540.  provisions for summer camp

#541.  ice cold water after working in a HOT yard

#542.  a new Bible Study

#543.  being in a room full of women all studying God's word together, sharing and laughing

#544.  talking to a friend on the phone for a long time

#545.  frosted mug for another cold drink on another HOT day

#546.  roses that come back every year and bloom despite the fact I never water or feed them, or speak loving words over them

#547  beauty in a jar

#548.  sitting in same chair with husband reading a book together

#549.  another rising of the sun

photo by husband Keith

photo by husband Keith

#550.  sharing hurts with a woman and rejoicing in the gifts God gave us out of those hurts and praising His name

#551.  goosebumps(or as someone once said Godbumps) I experience everytime I enter His presence in the prayer closet

#552.  His right hand that sustains me, upholds and strengthens me

#553.  my peace Giver

#554.  light ~ for my path

#555.  grace ~ all sufficient for me

#556.  learning contentment ~ in ALL things

#557.  my burden bearer

#558.  rest given ~ in the midst of weariness

#559. a love given to me ~ based on His character and not on my performance

#560.   the Almighty's shadow

#561.  promises ~ that never are broken

#562.  my Savior, my God who is bigger than any storm

#563.  reminders that the calm does not always mean quiet waters but the calm is Him who is in my boat

#564.  citizenship ~ knowing I have that in Heaven waiting for me because the keeper of my real home is in my heart

Linking with Ann and friends over at