Dallas's Baptism

For those who haven't been following me, Dallas is a 19 year old I met when he was 18 and homeless for awhile.  My first story of him is here. 

He was saved on Valentine's Day.  A couple of weeks ago he walked the isle of my church asking for baptism.  This past Sunday he entered the baptismal waters with me by his side and my husband snapping pictures.  I was on the verge of tears, so proud of him as if he were my own son.

For those of you following, I knew you would like to see these pictures and for those of you who are new here, I think it is still a treat to see one enter the waters of baptism, burying the old life and raising into the new.

Dallas is a sweet kid and it's been such a pleasure to get to know him.  There are programs here in our community that have helped him get into his own place.  He will be graduating high school next month and would like to go to Western Kentucky University to become a nurse.

Please pray with me for him that he will continue to grow in his walk with the Lord and that all his dreams will come true, or more importantly, that he will follow the path God has for him.
Thank you!

Praise the Lord for new life!

On Holy Ground

This blog of mine started because of my time out at the pond that you see above.  You can read about it some in the introduction at the top of my blog. Six years ago, I fell into a pretty bad depression because of having a prodigal son.  God began to heal this broken heart in many ways, one was His presence at the pond.  He met me there everytime where I cried, I read His Word, I talked with Him, I pondered.  The pond and it's surroundings became a holy ground for me.  God is always with me, wherever I am I can call out to Him.  But the pond during that time was like a special place for me to go to meet Him for communion,  for those healing moments that I was needing.  He was so faithful to meet me everytime!

The land the pond is on has been sold to someone who is going to change it up some, bring cattle in at some point.  The pond and the surroundings have already changed some.  After healing took place, I didn't go out there as I became busy getting out into the world wanting to share His love with others. When I became weary after time spent with the homeless, I needed refreshment.  And God brought that refreshement to me in many ways.  But I needed to go stand on that familiar piece of holy ground.  And God is still there.  He met me.  I breathed in deeply that good ol' country air, I breathed in deeply the presence of my Savior, I breathed in renewed life that only He can give. 

Tears ran down my face.  This time they were good tears, tears of gratefulness, tears of renewal, tears of love for my Lord and His faithfulness to me, His grace, His forgiveness, His everything!

I know that He is always with us, He never leaves or forsakes us.  But there is just something special about having that little piece of holy ground shared between you and Him.  Do you have a piece of ground like that?  It doesn't have to be actual "ground".  It can be a certain chair in your home, or a place in your back yard, on the deck or patio, or in a closet.  I have one of those too.


 I just got back from an overnight secret renezvous my husband swept me away on.  I found myself  standing on another piece of ground looking out over water.  It was so peaceful.  There is just something about looking out at the water to bring my thoughts to the Living Water.  And that is always a refreshing moment, a moment, that last little bit I was needing and through my sweet husband and my sweet Lord, I received it. I'm ready to get back to writing my book.

I'd like to share a song with you.  It is sung by Sarah, a young lady I met in the blogging world.  She suffered with a dibilitating disease for a long time, suffering with pain on a daily basis, she was homebound, but her motto was "choose joy".  She exuberated joy because she was constantly on her holy ground with her Lord who she loved with all her heart.  She went to be with Him last fall.  Talk about standing on Holy Ground!

Please close your eyes and enjoy listening to Sarah sing On Holy Ground. . . I'll be picturing my pond:)  What do you picture?

Click here 3 Holy Ground

Fine Tuning

(My husband and I have been feeling tired and weary lately.  Don't know if it's physical, mental, or emotional.  I think it's a little of all. Work for him, continuing to write the stories of the homeless for me,  just might have something to do with it. Both are blessings, but both can also make one weary.  My sweetie surprised me with an e-mail that said "Pack a bag, you're being taken away on a secret rendezvous."  Ooh-la-la! He doesn't have to tell me twice. . .

I won't be here to post a new one on Monday, so reposting my very first post.  I think it's fitting again as I am off to be fine tuned again:)

FINE TUNING

By the time I decided I wanted to learn how to play, the violin up in the attic was old and worn. The shiny finish on top was gone, a slight crack had developed in its left side and the hair on the bow was off. My aunt, who was a gifted musician, was excited that I wanted to learn to play, so she took the violin to a shop to be fixed. It was repaired, but in my hands did not make beautiful music because I did not know how to tune and play it yet. I joined the orchestra at my school and began learning for the next four years.

When the violin and bow was repaired, I learned how to tune it, finger placement and how to glide the bow over the strings, music began to appear.

Pondering. . . I believe we can become like the old violin in the attic, worn down, shine gone, no zing left in our spirit. But God is a fine tuner, who can come in and begin to do a work in us. We may feel tension just as the violin strings have to be pulled to be put in tune. The tightening and stretching we feel in our lives may not be pleasant, but necessary for the music to come back again. We may want to resist the fine tuning, but we musn’t if we want to shine once more. It is for our benefit and for others if we so choose to share. The music built into us is our testimony. Testimonies and music are meant to be shared.

Don’t you know when we give our testimony and give God the glory, it’s like a beautiful symphony to His ears? So let the fine tuning begin and let the music soar!

Team Games and Coaches

(google image)

This is what happens when I sit on my front porch, rockin' or swingin'.  My mind starts to ponder.  This day I was looking at the basketball goal and there I went. . .a ponderin' . . . 

*************************************

I have to admit, I'm not a sports enthusiast.  But of all the sports, I would rather watch basketball than any other game.  I just know the the object of the game is between two teams, dribbling the ball until it can be shot at a net, hopefully going in and scoring a point or two or three.   At the end of the game, whoever has the most points win.  How's that from a non-sports gal?

It does make me ponder though about life.   You could say we are in a game here called "Life" and we will call Team #1 The Demons and Team #2 The Angels.  I bet you can guess who the coach is for each team.

One coach is a smooth talker.  Sometimes he builds one player up telling them how good they are and they don't need anyone.  They are the best and this coach puffs them up with pride and arrogance.  Other players, he makes them think they are nothing without something to make them feel good, to perform better. He makes those things look enticing but can actually hurt you and drag you down.  Every time you take that shot of drug, swallow that pill you don't need, lie, cheat, or steal, he's thinking, "That's one point for me."   He is not thinking of you and your best interest.  He is thinking of himself and how many points can be racked up for him.

Then there is the other coach.  All he thnks and cares about are the players.  he doesn't care about points.  He cares about hearts.  He would rather their self-esteem be in tact; that they are loved and love others with the unconditional love he teaches and models.  Yes, there are rules for this coach, but he wants us to abide by them because we want to, not because we've been coached to.

Coach #1 would love to see you fall and die for his cause.  Coach #2 wants you to have an abundant life.  He allowed his loved one to lay down his life so his players could live.

Coach#1 would have you jumping through hoops all your life, never being satisfied.  Coach #2 teaches that we can be satisfied and content in all circumstances; that we shouldn't focus on the hoops, just on him.

What coach #2 knows is that the game has already been won.  It just needs to play out.  Coach #1 also knows how this game ends.  So he is not coaching to win, but to bring defeat to as many players as he can along with himself.

For coach #1, at the end of the game, there will be no victory party for his players.  For coach#2, his players will be at a victory celebration like they have never seen before.

I'm on team #2, how about you?  If you are on team #1 right now, but would like to be on team #2, this is a game where you can switch over at any time you choose.

I hope to see you at the victory party!

"With God, we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.  (Opponents)

Psalm 60:12

PS~Dallas picked the right team.  Come watch him take that step of obedience at Living Hope this Sunday at 11:00 and rejoice with him :)

Where I Am From

There is a writing exercise going around that came from the reading of a poem called, Where I'm From.  It's about digging into your roots, from where you came from, using all your senses to bring up memories of what made you who you are today.  I wanted to give it a try and now I share it with you all.  Maybe you would like to give it a try yourself. . .

Where I Am From

I am from tornado alleys and where the wind blows red dirt.

I am from a place full of cowboys

and fields full of cows

and wildflowers and blackberry bushes.

I am from where the buffalo roam

I am from terrain where you'll find treasures of arrowheads.

I am from a land full of mosquitoes and scorpions and junebugs and lightning bugs.


I am from the bible belt, churches, old hymns, organs, and little dresses with bows on the back.

I am from sunday school classes, childrens programs, and youth groups.

I am from old pews and new pews, old ministers and new ones.

I am from pigtails, yarn ribbons in hair, and barretts.  I am from saddle oxfords .

I am from shyness, sitting in back rows, blending into crowds, hiding behind skirts.

I am from hopscotch, red light green light, and tag.

I am from mud pies and clover made necklaces, swings and slides.

I am city

and farm.

I am from tall sky scrapers and acres with ponds. I am from smog and cement pavements and also from clean country air and dirt roads.

I am from purple iris's and orange day lilies, swings, hammocks, and metal bouncy chairs, ponds, and cousins, woods and tree houses.

I am from gardens and music and guns and bow and arrows.

I am from piano lessons, recorder and violin playing, recitals and throwing up afterwards.

I am from playgrounds of warm musty attics filled with treasures and breezy barns filled with stacked hay bales to climb on and corn cobs to throw at siblings and cousins.

I am from lakes, ponds, moss covered rocks and poison ivy.

I am from pink calamine lotion and red mercurochrome.

I am from sweet tea, beans and cornbread, yucky lima beans, fried chicken, homemade bisquits and gravy, mashed potatoes, roast beef and roasted potatoes, potatoe cakes,and even frog legs jumping in the black, cast iron skillet.

I am from libraries, Nancy Drew books, writitng tablets and purple banana seat bicycles.

I am from grandpa who was sheriff and farmer.

 I come from grandma who was excellent cook, baker, homemaker, gardner and protector of grandchildren to the point of chopping snakes in two who slithered too close to her babes.  I come from bravery.

I am from grandfather who only had a 6th grade education and yet self taught himself to the point of taking excellent care of his family.  He roasted and sold peanuts, became a barber and invented a machine that supposedly grew hair that brought men from miles around. I come from hard workers.

I am from a grandmother who was another excellent, devoted housewife, cook, sewed, crocheted,loved to work in the yard.  I am from kindness and love. I am from devoted women.

I am from quiet people filled with kindness and compassion.

I am from a distant father

and an ill mother.

I am from depression, broken relationships and distance.  I am from tears of many kinds.  I am from healings, restorations and forgiveness.

I am from stories and love, healings and miracles.

I am from Pat and Jack.  I am from grace and mercy.  I am from God.

Where are you from?


linking with

 

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

A repost because. . .

I looked out my window today and there were the sparrows again

and

these three precious ladies are still battling and living for the Lord

and

I want to ask you all again to pray for them. Cancer is hard!

But they fight like a girl (that's strong fightin' guys!) and they trust in their Lord, our God!

And they have smiles SO big!

Let's lift them up together, OK?

 

****************************************************************************



It's funny what God will use to bring about a blog post.  When I'm typing on my lap top, I can see out the window into my big back yard.  There were about 30 sparrows on the ground and at all the bird feeders and I found myself humming, His eye is on the Sparrow.  And then I began to think of a young lady who sings this song beautifully.  And then I began to think of three ladies that I am praying for who are battling cancer right now. 

And then I began thinking of others who fought the battle and some have won and some won in a different kind of way.  Both are out of pain now.  How about the ones of us still here but do not have cancer.  We fight a battle of some sorts every day.  My old pastor used to say, "If you're not going through a battle now, you've just come through one or you're about to go through one."  Jesus never promised us a life withouth troubles.  In fact, He said "You will have troubles."  But He doesn't leave us alone to flounder in the storms all by ourselves.  He promised to be with us every step of the way. 

What are you battling?  Have you already fought one?  Do you need to gear up for one coming?  Battles come in so many costumes; discouragement, loneliness, sickness, broken relationships, frustrations, etc.  I've been there myself.  It's easy to curl up in hopelessness during really hard, heartbreaking times, but it is NOT hopeless.  Jesus is in the circumstance even if we cannot see Him in the moment.  He IS there and watching and shepherding, loving and guiding and we just have to trust and not get lost in the feelings.  "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9. "Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 2:7.

Sarah, a young girl that I met in the blogging world, battled a 14 year disease that left her homebound all those years, in daily pain.  She said her pain on a good day would be moderately high.  She could not run free anymore, had to have daily help.  But her attitude was soaring off the charts.  Her motto was 'choose joy'.  When she was asked what her definition of joy was this was her answer. . .notice she is not saying what things brings her joy but what IS joy. . .

"The unwavering trust that God knows what He's doing and has blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of it. . .not despite what's happening in my life but because of it.  When everything feels heavy, He gives me an internal lightness that can't be touched."


She would tell you to "Choose Joy" in spite of the circumstances.

I dedicate this blog post to Sarah and to these three beautiful, wonderful, strong, amazing women that I and many others are faithfully praying for who are battling cancer right now. I would say they all exhibit Sarah's motto.  They stand on the promises of God, honor Him with their lives, joyful despite their circumstances.  I wanna be just like them!   Would you please say a prayer for these three too?

Liz "I walk by faith and not by sight"

Joanna and her verse. . ."I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death."  Phillipians 1:20

Vicky. . ."Live your moments."

*Please visit Vicky at her place where she shares her experience. . .http://thewestraworld.blogspot.com

Liz, Joanna and Vicky, you are in our prayers. You are under the shadow of His wings. He is watching over you. 

Close your eyes and listen to Sarah sing like a bird. . .His Eye Is On The Sparrow  From the date on this song, it looked like Sarah recorded it about a year before soaring off to the meet her Lord face to face last Fall. 

Click here and be blessed. . .02 His Eye Is On The Sparrow

On Top of the Hill

This baby boomer has reached the top of the hill.  And I have never been more out of breath!

I am not overweight, but I am out of shape.

I stayed in such good physical condition most of the way up the hill until the last couple of years when I gave up my gym membership.  You may ask why did I do that?  Because I had a little bird flying off to the big school up another hill and that school wanted a big bill paid.  So I gave up things to pay. 

What did I gain, besides my little bird getting bigger brains? Do I have any extra?

Extra flab, more out of breaths, and extra lethargy.

This is another category for my one word for the year that I am focusing on, discipline.

I will be very disciplined at exercise once I get my feet disciplined to hop up on the treadmill of mine and to get my hands disciplined to wrap around the free weights I also have.

People are asking me now how it feels now that I'm on top of that hill.  It's like they're waiting for a depressing answer.  Maybe because it's that time of empty nests along with hot flashes.  But my nest is not completely empty and the hot winds haven't blown yet.  I do have to buy moisturizer by the crate now instead of by the jar, but that's not so bad.

Actually, from up here on top of the hill, the view is not too bad.  Maybe because my eyes are more focused, or maybe it's my heart that is.  I've had time to build a lasting relationship with the One who has allowed me to be here on this hill.

The One is my Heavenly Father, my Savior, my Lord.

He has given great words that I can really relish now, like. . .

"Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly. . .

Leviticu 19:32

and ones I readily smile as I say to my boys . . .

"...do not despise your mother when she is old."

Proverbs 23:22

and

"But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for memebers of his household; he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

I Timothy 5:8

OK, maybe I shouldn't smile as I recite that one to them, but it just kinda creeps up.

George Burns is known for saying about age. . ."It's better than the alternative."  I ponder on that one.  For the believer the alternative refers to where we go after we leave this life.  When I leave this earth, I'll be going to my Heavenly Father, Savior, and Lord. I'm already living with him, I've already begun my eternal life, but it will be in a place where there are no more aches and pains, no more wars, no tears, no sorrows, and I'm pretty sure no treadmills.  I'm thinking the alternative doesn't sound so bad.  I would like to scale back down the other side of this hill slowly, but I'm ready to go when called.  I'll not have to pack my crates full of moisturizers and not worry about the grey hairs, although He tells me that is a crown of glory. 

So, from up here on top of the hill. . .it's not bad. I think I'll sit down for awhile and enjoy the view. 

It's strange though, I think I smell smoke. . .lots of smoke.  And maybe just a hint of. . .cake?



linking with

 

Insurance or Assurance

(reposting. . .because there are always storms of one kind or another at one time or another. . . )

The winds were fierce for awhile here at my Kentucky home this morning.I love rain storms, hearing the great sounds of thunder and watching the lightning streak across the sky.The smell of rain is one of my favorites.Keith and I sit out on the front porch like two old geezers watching with glee as if we had never seen rain before.

But the fierce winds are another story.This Oklahoma gal who once lived in “tornado alley” has seen the devastating destruction of tornadic winds.They can pop up so quickly and take unexpected turns.John 3:8…”The wind blows wherever it pleases.You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.” Kinda like life.We can think we know what direction we’re going and which way our loved ones are going, but the winds can kick up so unexpectedly and change course so quickly, it knocks you right off your feet.

If a tree caves in on my roof, I have insurance.But what about the winds of life?There is something better than insurance and that is assurance…assurance that God is there to either calm the storm… “He got up, rebuked the wind and said…Quiet!Be still!Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark 4:39.OR, He will walk with you through the storm…Isaiah 43:2… “ When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you…”

We believers are not promised a life without storms.They will come in one form or another.But rest assured, we are not alone. We need not fear or be alarmed.When the howling, blowing winds come across your path, stand strong, do not fear, for He is near.

When this last life storm hit me, I began to sink, just like Peter on the water when he took his eyes off Jesus and became afraid of the wind.I became afraid of my storm.My focus went completely on it.I began to sink as well as two others in my household.But when the three of focused back on our Savior, we were able to fight.His presence and His Word healed us.My favorite verse during this time that I clung to was Isaiah 41:10… “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”I clung to that hand!What assurance He gives us to get through the storms of life.

If a tree falls through my roof, I’ll call the insurance man.But for anything else, I will call on the One who gives me complete assurance.And with this, there are no premiums to pay!

Humming. . .Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine. . . . .

Scars

I met a boy, rather a young man. . .he had just turned 19, several weeks ago.  He had been temporarily homeless and I met him through his case worker.  My family took him out to celebrate his birthday.  A precious lady, a stranger, gave him a bible with his name engraved on the front.  He smiled big when he saw his name, rubbing his hand over it taking it all in.   The next week, he allowed me to interview him for the book I'm working on.  But I didn't just want a story, I wanted to be his friend.  He has had a hard life, full of pain in one way and another and another.  He has scars. . .physical and emotional.  He knew God but did not know the Son. I had the priveledge of introducing him to another who bears scars, one I know understands this young man.  . . Jesus Christ, our great and awesome Savior and Healer.  By the end of our visit, this young man wanted Jesus in his broken, scarred heart. 

A heart that was full of the pain of memories that bring tears to the eyes, makes one hang their head in sorrow,  made me feel like I was going to hyperventilate just hearing the stories.  The feelings of anger and sorrow to the point of bringing sharpness to the skin, ripping it until the red runs down the body onto the floor was almost more than  I could take. 

But I prayed silently as I listened, for I wanted him to see I cared, cared enough to listen and take it all in for him.  So much had been taken from him, I wanted to give to him what so many need today. . .a listening ear, a listening spirit that will sit through the stories and pain so they can let it out.  It's so much better to let it out this way than to take the sharpness of one that rips the skin.

He has healed from the broken skin and blood and the desire to tear, but scars are there.  Our pastor said from the pulpit that scars are blessings when we give them to God.  Not curses but blessings. They can be reminders of God's mercifulness and faithfulness to bring one through a trying time. Oh, how hard this must be for the one who carries so many.  I pray now that this young man has the Healer in his heart, he will learn to see the scars as blessings and use them for God's purpose.  God did not bring about these scars but He can use them for good, for His glory. 

I asked him, who told me things he said he had not told anyone else, why me?  He said when he looked at me the first time, he saw genuiness, that I was real.  Oh, how I pray that I don't let him down.  For those who don't know him, don't understand him.  Sometimes it becomes necessary to tell, for healing, for understanding, for love to come where it needs to be.  This is why I write the stories of precious people that others do not understand.  I want there to be love where love is not felt. 

This young mans scars are now pink and healed over.  May his heart become healed now that the Savior is residing in this precious ones heart.  And may this young one begin to know that unconditional love that Jesus gave to us all. 

If you see the scars on one, do not pity.  Be encouraged, see the strength it took for one to come out on the other side of healed skin, and let this strength be what you fall on to bring you through whatever may be hurting you. 

Do you know this love? If not, receive from the One who bore scars for you out of love.  Do you know someone who needs it?  Go. . . give. . .love with the love of Jesus.  That kind of love can heal the most deepest of scars.  Does your skin bear the image of scars?  Wear them as a badge of courage.  It says you survived. It says you are strong. As a scar wearer, you are in the best of company.

Dear Readers,

I would like you to join me now in prayer for this young man. . .

Dear Heavenly Father,

We pray blessings to rain down on this young man and his future. First of all, we thank you for his new salvation.  Thank you for what you did for him and all of us on the cross and thank you for the open heart he had on this last Valentines Day and the privilege of being able to bring him to you.  We pray that he would grow in strength in every area of his life.  We pray that he would be healed of any emotional wounds that are still there and that he would learn to thank you for the scars and to use them to share a testimony that is his only and to give glory and honor to you Father for all of it.  May his future be strong and bright and we pray that he would always remember to look to you for that strength and guidance and for answers that he seeks. We pray that you would continue to bring strong Christian people into his life to befriend him and help to grow in his walk with you.  Thank you for being with him and bringing him this far.  We thank you for what you are going to do in this young man’s life and now give you all the glory and honor for all that you have done and will do in this precious young man.

We pray this in the name of Jesus,

Amen

linking with