Safety in the Light

How many times do you get up during the middle of the night and stumble getting to the bathroom? This is a regular occurrence at my house. I stumble to the bathroom nearly every night...through the maze of dirty laundry piled on the floor, stray shoes and misplaced toys. It's probably one of the most dangerous feats of my daily life (ok...besides tasting Bruce's tuna chili or BBQ wienies.)

Wednesday (after I lost my Internet connection- which I just got back tonight- in case you've wondered where I have been) Tucker and I were playing a dangerous game of Nerf football in the house. It was terribly overcast outside, maybe even raining, and the living room was darker than usually for 5pm in the afternoon. I over-threw the ball and it bounced down the very short hallway we have. Due to the overcast skies and the solar screens on the widows, the hallway seemed way too dark to Tucker. He looked at me and with a timid look said, "You get the ball?" I said "You can turn on the light". He looked at me as if I had just given him such tremendous truth- a light bulb moment for sure! -and ran to the light switch and tip-toed to turn it on. Then he triumphantly returned the Nerf ball with an excited winner's smile.

He felt safe in the light...the same way I feel scared for my safety as I wander through my house after "lights out"- he felt scared of the darkness looming in the 6 feet of hallway space in my house. But as soon as the light was turned on....BINGO! Everything was A-OK.

I've thought about that a lot since Wednesday. The spiritual corelations are just too obvious. Isn't it true that when we are stumbling around in this world of darkness that it can be very scary. We don't want to walk around without a light, we don't know what might be looming, ready to trip us up, hurt us or cause us to stumble. Yet, as soon as we turn on the light, things appear brighter, better and more clear. The things that lay in our way are still there but we can walk around them avoid them and even clean them up when they are exposed by the light.

I'm so thankful that I have a relationship with the Light of the World- that His Word is a light to my path- He is the bright and morning star....leading the way, shining the light and exposing the darkness. With him, we are safe.

Catching the Vision

This picture came in my email box this morning. This is my husband's EKG class at church (would be mine but I teach 4-5 year olds). This adult class (along with other adults, kids and youth in our church) Have embraced the vision of the community garden that the Mission is planting this spring.

TJ, one of the class leaders, did the graphics. He is an awesome graphic designer and we are blessed to enjoy his talents almost weekly at our church.

Ill-Equipped

To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. - Oswald Chambers

This quote sums up the feelings I have been struggling, striving and wrestling with lately. Today it was used in Bruce's sermon and I felt like a chord struck my spirit. Finally! Someone put into words how I have been feeling recently. I'm struggling with this calling God has on my life during this season. I feel unworthy, uneducated, ill-equipped and scared. Yet...I am trying not to respond to things through these enemy-induced feelings. I'm learning to claim His worth, His wisdom, His provision. I am learning that my midnight talks, meditations and early wake-up calls from Him are divine appointments.

For a while I feared the things God was calling me to tackle. I feared because I felt like there was no way I could do it. And I was right. There is no way I can do this thing He wants me to. It's too big, too hard, too overwhelming. There's no way I can do it. I don't want to. I want to see it accomplished but I am sure that my fingerprints won't be on it. Yet over the last few months I've changed...I'm willing now. I'm willing to do my part, to lead, to work, to pray, to sweat, to dig, to plant, to water, to harvest...but along the way...I want people to see something - someone bigger. The ONE who can make a real difference...eternal in lives.

I wait with breathless expectation to see what God will accomplish. Wait with me.

Couponing

I've been thinking about couponing for quite a while. I remember when I was growing up, my mom would spread out the coupons on the kitchen table and make her menu's for the week based on what was on sale. She was an expert! For some reason I have never thought the trouble was worth it...but recently I have been intrigued to see all the people who are couponing it in this tight economy. So, I am going to try my hand at it. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

I found a great site with all kinds of tips on money saving/frugal living. Check it out here: The Creative Homemaker

Tribute to a Father

Today is the anniversary of my dad's death. It's been 18 years. I've now been without him as many years as I had him. Seems strange since those memories are so close to my heart. I've done a little reflecting over the last few years, about what I really miss the most by not having him here on earth. Here's a list:

1. I miss that he will never meet Bruce (my husband)
2. I miss that my kids will never know what an awesome man he was
3. I miss that my mom will not grow old with the man she gave her heart to in 1968
4. I miss that he will never be here to give me advice on how to raise Tucker...since he obviously knew something about raising a strong willed boy!--if you know my brother, you don't have to ask how!
5. I miss the thoughtful things he did, like bringing home a blockbuster movie and candy bars for family movie night.
6. I miss how devoted he was. I think he video taped every basketball game my brother, sister and I ever played...and we all played about 5 years....3 different teams.
7. I miss how he protected me from people and places that might bring me harm.
8. I miss how he kissed my mom at the front door everyday before he left for work.
9. I miss his hilarious sense of fashion...he was color blind!
10. I miss his dedication to things eternal...people, the church, the Word of God.

He was an amazing man. His son is the greatest example of who he was. My brother walks, talks and acts like him. Sometimes it almost feels like he's around when I am around him. What a feeling that is!

He's missed. Those who knew him- loved him, those who loved him...were blessed.

Edits and the Editor

Before I start this post, you should know something. I absolutely love my job and my boss is terrific. I am blessed to have the opportunity to work at home, make good money and have flexibility to take care of my family, do ministry and still have a life!

For those who don't know, I am a Publicist Assistant. Here's a brief synopsis of what I get to do:

1. Write press releases for some of the greatest authors in Christian non-fiction...and soon...fiction.

2. Coordinate blog tours to get these books great exposure.

3. Maintain media lists and activity reports on clients.

4. Write interview questions that radio and tv hosts use when they are on the air.

5. Create mailing list for reviewers

6. Create eblasts to get the word out about the books

7. Use online document sharing sites to upload our authors media kits

...and more! It's like a dream come true!

BUT.....one thing I don't like so much is proofing and editing. In fact, I stink at it! You would think with all the online tools there are that I wouldn't have to do so much of it...but really in the writing industry, the best tools are your own eyes. Still, I lack the skills needed to do this part of my job justice. Fortunately for me though, I will be attending a conference in March that has a class on editing and guess what???? I'll be there - front and center!

You know, editing is really very similar to the way God works in our lives as Christians. I was thinking recently as my boss and I were sending emails of a document back and forth...editing it, that each time we passed it back to the other, it was a little bit better because something had been added or taken away. Isn't that just like the Lord - The Master Editor. When I read His Word He is making my life better by the things that are added and taken away. The refining process that takes place is beautiful. His Holy Spirit gently convicts of the things that need to be removed and sweetly encourages us to develop the things that are lovely and pure. He's editing us constantly. In fact, we need it to become more mature Christians. There's something in the writing industry called "writing tight". It means to say what you want effectively, using the fewest and best words. That brings to mind the song "Let My Words Be Few" from a Philip's Craig and Dean song a few years ago. I want the editing going on in my life to be so that with the fewest words spoken people will know about my love for God, His love for them and His desire for a relationship with them. As the Holy Spirit makes edits to my life, I pray that it will be more and more clear what He is trying to accomplish.

So...I am in the process of learning to be a more careful editor...all the while being edited by the greatest communicator of all time.

Gardening...Almost time!!!!

The Dallas Planting Manual has becoming a gardening Bible for me during these winter months. On New Years Day I made my annual trip to the bookstore and bought this wonderful book. In my mind I thought it would be handy to have for my own personal garden this summer. Little did I know God had such awesome wonderful plans ahead. The Mission was given almost an acre of land to garden on shortly after the New Year. So these past few weeks have been spent getting the soil ready, the rock out and this week, new dirt brought in. And this manual...has become very important in helping me make some big decisions.

I love the book because it breaks down what you need to do each month...including winter months. So instead of waiting until March or April and being stressed about what needs to be done, you can be planning and readying yourself, your plans and your soil. I'm a little behind, but thankfully I have lots of volunteers to help me!

It's going to be a great garden. The amount of people who will be helped by this food will be tremendous, but more than that the relationships that will be developed will last beyond gardening season. Christians will come together and share time with non-Christians, the worker will help the invalid, home bound widow, the young will help the old, the old will teach the young, and on and on.

If you're reading this and have faith in the God who is bigger than anything we can imagine, please pray. Pray that God does something more than we could ever imagine with this property. To Him be all the glory.