Believing the Wrong Promise

I confess. I've done it. More than once I've done it. I believed. I believed with all of my heart. I was sure things would be as I envisioned, as I believed. The problem is, I was believing the wrong promise.

Why is it that we seem to think tough things shouldn't come our way? Why do we think we should be protected, shielded, untouched? Where did this belief come from? How is it that we latch on to this as the promise to cling to?

There are many verses that lead us to see otherwise. "In this world you will have troubles". (Jn. 16:33 ) "When you pass through the waters... When you pass through the rivers... When you walk through the fire... " ( Is. 43:2) "We are hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down." (II Cor. 4: 8-9)

I don't notice a maybe, perhaps, if, possibly.... no... instead I see words like will, are and when. I've had it wrong so many times. I've wanted the promise to be that it would not, could not, happen. I was believing the wrong promise.

II Cor. 4:17 "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

In his book "It's Not About Me", Max Lucado says the following: "The words 'weight of glory' conjure up images of the ancient pan scale. Remember, two pans, one on either side of the needle. The weight of a purchase would be determined by placing weights on one side and the purchase on the other.

God does the same with your struggles. On one side he stacks all your burdens. Stack them up, and watch one side of the pan scale plummet.

Now witness God's response. Does he remove them? Eliminate the burdens? No, rather than take them, he offsets them. He places an eternal weight of glory on the other side. Endless joy. Measureless peace. An eternity of him. Watch what happens as he sets eternity on your scale.

Everything changes! The burdens lift. The heavy becomes light when weighed against eternity."

If you look back at each of those verses, he offsets each of those situations with Himself. "You will have peace. Take heart! I have overcome the world."(Jn 16:33) "I will be with you. The rivers will not sweep over you. You will not be burned." (Is. 43:2) "We are not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned, not destroyed." (II Cor. 4: 8-9) These are just a sampling of the promises found throughout Scripture.

We are not promised a life of ease and comfort. We are not promised escape, rescue, tearless, pain-free living. We are guaranteed quite the opposite. BUT, we are promised, beyond the shadow of a doubt, God's presence, peace, joy... His very self through it all. We are promised the heavy will become light when weighed against eternity.

So often I find myself believing the wrong promise. As Natalie Grant has so well stated, "The promise was... when everything fell...we'd be held".

That is the promise. It is one worth clinging to. That is the promise to clasp for dear life. The promise that when everything feels as if it is crashing around you, that you will not survive, that it so very dark and more than you can take... you will be held. Held in the very palm of the Heavenly Father's hand. Now that is a promise worth believing!

Friend, what promise are you believing today? Are you believing the wrong promise? Or are you believing, in the midst of it all, that you are being Held? Are you believing that regardless of what is yet to come, you will be Held...

Held
By Natalie Grant
CodesAndLyrics.com

Two months is too little.
They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling.

Who told us we’d be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We’re asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It’s unfair.

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we’d be held.

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred numb our sorrow.
The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

(Chorus)

Bridge:
If hope is born of suffering.
If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
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Originally published January 25, 2007

The Challenge of Modeling

I am a model. Are you surprised? I have been at it for quite some time. I often forget that I am a model. It has become a natural part of my day. I don't work at it as much as I should. I need to remember this fact more often. I'm sure I would be much more effective if I would.

There is a great challenge that comes with modeling. The responsibility that accompanies modeling can be almost daunting and intimidating if I think about it too much. It can lend itself to wanting to give up for fear I will be a complete failure.

I'm convinced you are also a model. Are you even more surprised? We are all models whether we want to be or not. We are all models regardless of whether we think we are qualified or not. We are models whether we signed up for the job or not.

I was reminded of this fact not so long ago. My MIL was sick. My daughter decided on her own that she would make her a card. I later saw her with a Bible in her lap copying words from it. This is not uncommon as she enjoys sitting and copying books word for word to another paper.

However, I soon learned she was copying from the Bible into the card for my MIL. Here is what she copied:

Acts 10:5-7
"Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea." When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.

Do you find yourself chuckling? We did! It has nothing to do with the illness of my MIL and the get well wishes contained in the card. But you see, she was only modeling what she has seen.

I often include a Scripture in the cards I send. I love God's Word and want to share it with others. Obviously, she has not yet connected the fact that I try to send a Scripture that also pertains to the card I am sending.

What she sees is a Bible open on my lap as I copy from it into the card. The content of the verse related to the card has not yet connected for her. But how sweet of her to want to give a piece of God's Word in her get well card! How thoughtful of her to want to share words even greater than she herself can generate (or any of us can ever generate).

You see, she was modeling what she had seen me do so many times. She reminded me, I am a model. The question is... What am I modeling?

That one question leaves me with a challenge to fill my day and many days to come. My hope is that the things I model are things worth repeating.

There has been a great task placed before me. I'm guessing you also face the same task. It is the challenge of modeling.

Precious Promise 18

Psalm 22:4-5

(NIV)
"In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed."

(Amplified)
"Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted (leaned on, relied on You, and were confident) and You delivered them. They cried to You and were delivered; they trusted in, leaned on, and confidently relied on You, and were not ashamed or confounded or disappointed."

Be encouraged! As we trust in God, He is not a God that disappoints.

Say it! Pray it! Believe it!

To read more about "Precious Promises" go HERE.

This Does Not Compute

Son Stats:

Height: 5 feet 6 inches tall. (I'm 5 feet 2 inches tall. Yes, taller than me!)

Jean/Pant size: Growing out of size 18 and now entering men's sizes.

Shoe size: 9.5-10 - Mens.

Voice: Changing! My mother recently thought he was my husband over the phone.

Age: 12 years old today.

Somehow these numbers do not seem to compute. How can men sizes and age 12 be in the same post let alone the same sentence?? How can he be growing so fast??

Then again, he was my 9 pound newborn. He started ahead of the game.

However, this still does not seem to compute.

Happy Birthday Dear Boy!! Happy Birthday Young Man!

A Journey, A Bleeding Heart, A Present God

Once there was a little girl that was 7 years old. This little girl was blessed to be born in a home that loved God and chose to serve, honor and obey Him.

It was Christmas time. As she was watching special programming on television, she realized she had a sin nature and wanted to be forgiven from those sins. She asked Jesus to forgive her and to come and live inside of her. She would never forget that day or that moment that God answered the simple, yet very sincere, request of her heart.

As this little girl grew, she began to near the age of being a teenager. Her protected and cocooned world began to become an entirely different world. Her feelings of security and safety were shattered. Her perceptions of peace and harmony fled. Things about her life changed and she was greatly affected.

She couldn't understand the changes. She was grieved, saddened and perplexed at what was taking place. She became angry at God. She had given her heart to Him. How could He now take it and be so careless with it? Why was He letting these things happen to her? Wasn't she supposed to be His child? Why was He allowing her to be so hurt?

Time had passed. She was older now. The confusion and chaos of her soul only deepened. She felt she had lost all control and now needed to regain it in order to have her soul survive. Her anger at God grew. If God was allowing her to be hurt, she would show Him just how it felt!

She set out to hurt God, not realizing in the process she was only hurting herself even more. In her anger and attempts to regain control, she was only spiraling more out of control. The chaos increased and the pain deepened. Not because of what was now happening in her world... but because of choices she was making herself.... all in an effort to be in control.

By the time she was ready to leave for college she was destroyed in her soul and spirit. She was not who she used to be or who she even wanted to be. She was done...

She desperately wanted to seek the only one she knew could bring her from this deep pit she found herself in. She knew she was wrong and had wronged the one who loved her most. She wanted to restore that relationship. Fear caused her to hesitate.

Her own hurt had left such a deep wound in her heart. Would God, the one she had purposely set out to hurt, forgive her? Would He still love her? How could He??? She had been angry at her very creator and had deliberately made choices to cause pain. Why would He choose to restore a relationship? She certainly didn't deserve it!

She knew many others had made poor choices against God out of the not knowing. She had intentionally made each and every one of her choices. Didn't that make it different? Didn't that make it more severe? Didn't that make it unforgivable??? There was only one way to find out. She approached His throne and asked.

He met her in the very darkest places of her heart. She invited Him into the ugliest of uglies in her spirit. He accepted each invitation to enter. He never refused the offer. He touched each wound and the healing started.

Through the counsel and wisdom of many others, and in her own diligent seeking, she once again found a loving Heavenly Father that loved her unconditionally. She found forgiveness. She found mercy and grace. She found healing. She found a relationship restored.

A relationship that is perhaps more honest than it might have been had her world not turned upside down. A relationship more real and open than a protected childhood might have provided. A relationship that those years of heartache have now instilled in this girl that she is not in control, nor should she be.

Her own choices are far from good. She needs her God. She needs His love and affirmation. She needs the personal relationship that cuts to the very inner parts of her being, that holds her accountable, that loves her despite her own self.

This young girl has now grown into a woman. She has since encountered many more rocky roads and valleys on her journey. There have been situations where the deepest parts of her begged for control for fear of a bleeding heart once again.

However, the lessons learned in the years past have taught her that the very best place to leave her heart is in her Father's hands. He must retain control for her ultimate soul survival.

And so, in the middle of some of her darkest moments... her heart has remained. In the remaining... more of God's plans, sovereignty, character and heart have been revealed.

This little girl, now woman, has learned to be grateful for those experiences she encountered as a child and along the way. For it is each of those moments that have defined, strengthened and made this girl who she is today. There are blessings and gifts to be found in the middle of those dark, dreary roads of time past.

She is walking a journey. Not always an easy one. Not always one that makes sense. Not always one that is the most desirable. Her heart still sometimes bleeds. Scars are present to show where previous bleeding has occurred.

And yet, she would be the first one to tell you that on her journey... she has NEVER been left to walk it alone! She can point to specific situations and moments where God was revealing His presence, even in those moments she was most angry at Him.

She wouldn't trade her experiences for anything. For it is in those experiences that she has met God. It is in those moments that she has come to know Him and His character.

Like that young girl, do you find yourself at the end? Do you long for truth, forgiveness and acceptance? Do you fear it won't be granted? Do you think it can't be?

Don't believe it! Search for it! Go to Him! He is there waiting. He will forgive. He is longing to hold you in His loving embrace! There is hope for a future... with Him! Nothing is too big or too shocking for my God!

How do I know?.... I am that girl.

(If you would like to share or talk more privately, my e-mail link can be found to the right in my sidebar.)

Tom Sawyer Let Me Down

Do you remember the ol' Tom Sawyer story and how he got his friends to whitewash the fence for him? He made them believe it was a fun privilege. I decided to give it a try. A recent conversation with my son went like this...

Son: "Are you over there sorting laundry?"

Me: "Yep. Do you want to help me? It's fun!!"

Son: "That might be. But I don't want to have fun."

Tom Sawyer... your method let me down!

Jump and Participate

I was supposed to leave. I had received my cue. I had reached my goal. It was time to move on. But I just couldn't...

There were people everywhere. People continued running from all directions. The crowds were pressing in. The voices were growing louder.

They had seized him and were trying to kill him. They were beating him. It was so out of control soldiers were called in. The entire city was in an uproar.

When the soldiers arrived the crowd stopped beating him. Still he was arrested and bound with chains. The shouting from the crowd continued so much that truth could not be sorted out. It was ordered that my friend be taken to away to jail.

While being led away the violence of the mob was so great the soldiers had to carry him. The crowd continued their shouting. When they reached the steps of the building, my friend then asked permission to speak. He was granted permission.

In that moment, I noticed the time had come for me to leave. But how could I?

As bodies crushed together in anger and hungry for blood and violence, how could I leave my friend? As shouting and accusations flew, how could I turn and walk away? In the middle of all of this, he had requested to speak. He had received permission. He had silenced the crowd.

My heart was beating quickly. My curiosity intensified. I wanted to hear what he had to say as much as anyone in that crowd. In the moment of that permission granted, how could I now leave only to come back later??

I couldn't! I stayed. I drank in every word he spoke. What would one say to a crowd that was eager for his very life to be ended? What words would be shared with those only moments earlier who had been beating him?

Was that blood on their clothes from the beating? Was that blood still dripping from him due to the beating? As he stood in chains what would be his message?

I continued on. I listened. I heard. I became part of the very crowd that day. I felt the bodies pressing in around me. I heard the shouting ringing in my ears. I saw the bloody, bruised and beaten man standing on the steps sharing his message. I participated.

When was the last time you participated? When was the last time you jumped right into the pages and took part? When were you last part of the crowd? When did you last allow yourself the ability to take on the sights, smells, sounds and surroundings of that moment?

The story recounted above was part of my Bible reading in Acts. The plan for the day was to stop at chapter 22, but when I arrived, I just couldn't.

Paul was about to speak just moments after being beaten by a crowd with a goal of ending his very life. It was so bad the soldiers and commander himself arrived on the scene.

I found myself in the middle of the events that day. I heard the crowd. I felt their bodies in violent anger pressing around me. My heart was beating a bit faster. I was on the edge of my seat.

I made myself forget the end of the story and became part of that very moment. Jerusalem became real. The people became real. The shouting and rioting became real. The beating became real. The soldiers became real. Paul became real. God became real.

If it has been awhile since you have remembered yourself that the accounts in the Bible are just as real as the accounts of today, let yourself be reminded. They are not just stories in a book. They are not fairy tales or make believe.

They happened in the same span of seconds, minutes, hours, days and years that we now experience. We have the outcomes. They didn't in those moments just as we don't in ours.

I'm sure some of their moments seemed to last forever. I'm sure some of their days seemed they would never end. I believe that some of their moments flew by while other's required much waiting, perseverance and determination.

Do you want a bit of excitement for today? Do you want a bit of a challenge to your own heart? Do you want to meet a new friend or two? Do you want the pages to come alive? Do you want God's Word to be real?

Head to the Bible and jump in. Become part of that moment. You won't be sorry. It may just be one of the greatest adventures you ever have!

Are you the least bit curious as to what Paul's words were that day? Do you wonder what he said as he stood before a violent, restless, shouting mob of people wanting to end his life with their bare hands? Are you interested to know what a bleeding, beaten man would want to share with a group eager for his death?

Open a Bible to Acts chapter 22 and find out. But first... don't forget to jump in and be part of the crowd! Participate!!

Precious Promise 17

James 1:5-6a

(NLT)
"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone"

(Message)
"If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought."

Be encouraged! Is there a situation that you are facing with uncertainty? Do you know something needs to happen, but you aren't sure what, or how, or when, or where...? Ask God for His wisdom! His very word promises that He will give it. He does not look down on you or resent you for asking for wisdom. Ask boldly... keeping your faith in God alone! He loves to help!

Say it! Pray it! Believe it!

To read more about "Precious Promises" go HERE.

Lockdown: Drill and Real

A few weeks ago my children came home from school with a note. The school had conducted a level 2 lock down drill that day. Just as they would a fire drill... or any other drill. The entire elementary school had participated. It became the family topic of discussion.

For my daughter, who sometimes has trouble processing reality from imagination, parts of that drill were very real to her. She truly believed someone was in their building.

She heard the door handle to her classroom being turned. My son reported that they were checking to make sure all of the doors were locked as they should be. She reported that someone tried to come in her classroom.

It was quite a day for us as a family to process through the details of what happened in the classroom and the building that day. I told my husband that just years ago parents may have been angered at this type of a drill. They may have been very upset that their children were subjected to this experience. Maybe some would be even today.

However, even though parts of that day seemed very real for our daughter, I was grateful the drill had happened. I was saddened to realize that this is the world my children live in. I was glad to know the school was being proactive. We are not invincible.

Two days after the drill, our small private school went into a real level 1 lock down. The children were not aware at the time, but the building was locked, there was no recess outside, visitors were identified before entering...

A neighboring school had received threats from a former student. He was on his way with guns. Police surrounded that school. Other schools took precautions... ours being one of them. Sadly, he later took his own life.

This all came to mind again in light of the school shooting that took place yesterday. I still am in complete shock and disbelief every time one of these occur. I hope I always am! For to not be would signify acceptance of it's happening as normal.

Lockdowns... it saddens me that this word is becoming part of life. God help us...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just curious:
Does your school conduct lockdown drills? What level of students are they? How do you feel (or would you feel) about lockdown drills? Has your school ever had to do a real lockdown?

A Special Valentine

I'm not sure what is wrong with me today?! I seem to be an emotional mess. I was teary when my husband left for work. I was teary dropping my children off at school. As I read various Valentine's Day posts I am teary and actually shedding a tear or two.

I am not teary because of sadness, or loneliness, or frustration or any other negative emotion. I am teary because I realize how fortunate I am. I love my family and friends more than seems even possible to contain in my being. I guess I am feeling it so much that it is running over and spilling... right out of my tear ducts. I am blessed to overflowing. My gratitude to God is apparently not easily contained today.

In light of this, I am not going to attempt to share all the mushy words of how much I love my children, my husband or the other's in my life that bless me so much (including you). Instead, I wish you a very simple Valentine's Day.

I feel like God has bestowed a special Valentine to me today... perspective and reminders that I am blessed so much more than I ever deserved!! May you also experience a very special Valentine from Him today!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Calling All Chicken Farmers

For those of you that have chickens, are considering possibly getting chickens, just plain curious as to what I am learning about chickens, or think that we are crazy for having chickens... feel free to proceed.

In attempting to solve one problem, we solved two. Winter was quickly approaching our area. The girls egg laying had drastically decreased. We were not surprised. We knew this would come with the darker days. I had read they need many hours of daylight to encourage laying. The winter daylight hours (or lack of them) were not going to provide that.

We knew that we needed to find a way to keep our chickens warm. We didn't want to lose them and not have our laying again in the Spring. We bought a warmer light and suspended it from the ceiling. It hovers over the area they like to perch on to sleep at night. As long as they huddle there they will stay warm. It appears to be working marvelously.

We found it also solved our lack of light with no egg laying problems. Our chickens are now laying again, and very faithfully I might add. It may be pushing single digits outside in temperature. There may only be a short span of daylight hours. However, we are getting 4-5 eggs a day. (We have 5 hens.)

That is basically a dozen eggs every 3 days. Two dozen eggs a week. We are eating a lot of eggs at our house.

I have learned that if you buy a heating lamp, it will not only keep your chickens warm, it may also convince them the sun is shining bright and it is time to start laying.

I am pleased to be able to share this chicken farmer tip with all of you. It has definately worked for me!

While Shannon is in Africa blogging for Compassion International, Melanie is hosting Wednesday's works for me. Be sure to head to there for other tips and ideas.

Game On

There is a bit of a competition happening in our house right now. It started yesterday. I instigated it. It means more work for me. It is worth it!

My son was struggling with motivation. I decided to jump in and turn it into a competition. First one to accomplish the task wins.

Immediately, his focus and motivation changed. He is determined to not let me win. He even asked his dad if he was going to participate in our little competetion.

He wants to be declared the winner... over both of us. I don't think so! I started this competition and I am now determined, regardless of the extra time it has added to my day! :-)

It is time for the annual speech meet at school. You can read about one of my daughter's experiences here. My son's experience from last year is here.

The children get to choose their selections... a fable, a poem, a verse. My son always goes for a verse. There is a list considered appropriate for each age group.

This year he chose Proverbs 4: 13-27. The local meet is next week. He was having trouble getting started on it. I challenged him that I thought I could learn it before he could. I asked if he wanted to make it a competition and see who could learn it first. "Sure" was his reply.

Alrighty then. Although it makes more work for me, it is work with eternal value... for both of us!! It is well worth it, not only for the speech meet but for so much more!!

Game on buddy boy!

And now if you'll excuse me, I've got a bit of memorizing to do....
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Proverbs 4:13-27 (New International Version)

13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.

14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.

16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.

17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.

20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.

21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;

22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.

23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.

27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Precious Promise 16

II Corinthians 12:9

(NLT)
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

(Message)
"My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness." Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.

Be encouraged! Do you feel helpless? Do you feel powerless? Do you feel weak? That's exactly where you need to be!! It is in our weakness that God's power works best. His grace is enough. It's all you need!!

Do not seek more control, more power, more of what you can do. Seek Him alone and watch what He will do!

Say it! Pray it! Believe it!

To read more about "Precious Promises" go HERE.

New Encouragement

Over the past couple of weeks I have received an extra amount of encouragement.

I was given this by both Lyric and Mrs. Pear.










Linda spread the love with this:










And from Susanne... this:










Thanks ladies!! These blessed me more than you know!

A Most Excellent Adventure

It has been awhile since I had an adventure like the one I embarked on last weekend. I guess it was time for an adrenaline check. It has been verified. The ability for my adrenaline to flow is well intact and fully functioning.

If you recall, we had major snow storms. The governor had declared us in a "state of emergency". School had been canceled all week. We had our church district wide youth ski retreat planned.

Thursday afternoon we lost power to all of our major appliances and to half of the entire house. Long story short, it turned out it was due to the weather. This left me packing and getting ready with no washer or dryer, no dishwasher, no oven/stove. I had no lights in my kitchen, main bathroom, children's bedrooms, laundry room or dining room.

Of course I had a load buried in water in the washer when the power went out. I had a load of wet jeans in the dryer that we needed for our trip. My dining room quickly became a clothes line of hanging wet jeans... by candlelight of course.

Friday morning as we were loading the car and preparing to leave, the cat got sick. The garage door wouldn't open due to the power outage. (It still hadn't been fixed). This left my son and I heaving an old metal garage door on an old 50's farm house. Can anyone say heavy?? I was sore for the next couple of days. Can anyone say wimp?? Unbelievable.

Our group met at the church to leave. We had two highways as options to take to get where we were going for the youth ski retreat. They were both closed due to weather. The adults gathered together and made a decision.

We grouped the teens and told them of the situation. As of that moment, we would not make it through and be able to go. However, the road closure's were two hours away. We agreed we would all travel the two hours and see what the status was when we got there. We prepared the teens for turning around at that point and coming back home if neither highway had opened.

We loaded the three vans of our eighteen people and off we went. We drove the two hours to our road closures. We headed towards the unknown wondering if we would be turning around and driving those two hours back.

When we arrived, they had just opened one of the highways. We decided to creep through... and creep we did. Our typical four hour trip turned into seven. It was a long drive! It was a snowy drive! It was a safe drive!

It was a fabulous weekend. Our destination had even more snow than we did. That was hard to believe!! Before last weekend I had never stood and walked through snow up to my thighs. Now I have. What an experience! (An exhausting one I might add.)

The snow was deep:

The view was beautiful: (click on a picture to enlarge it.)

The icicles were as big as baseball bats. This is my 5'5" son holding one that had fallen. We were careful to not walk directly under them for fear of our lives.

About one hundred people that had registered for the retreat cancelled due to weather. We forged ahead.


We had an adventure!

A most excellent one at that!!

A bit of cuteness

Remember this post when our chickens arrived? I then shared about how our 5 chickens turned into 9. Just days after that post we were down to 8. Then the boys had to go getting us back to our original number of 5.

The young girls are now laying. Look how small their eggs are compared to the older hens (the 2 eggs on the right). The small ones just roll in the egg carton.
Aren't they cute? And tasty I might add! We are averaging 5 a day now. That is almost a dozen every two days.

Anyone want to stop by for some farm fresh eggs? Or perhaps share a recipe that uses eggs... and a lot of them? They are quickly becoming a staple at our house!

If you are wondering about the eggs that appear to be of a greenish color... they are. You can go here to read about them.

Politics, A Boy, and Prayer

Politics. A topic most choose not to discuss at length on their blogs. I have been no different. However, it is a topic we discuss from within the walls of our own home.

I have been amazed at how interested my son has become in the caucuses that are taking place. He is keeping up on both the Democratic and Republican sides. He knows the names of the candidates, which ones are winning each caucus, and what states they are taking.

When it is a caucus day, he falls asleep listening to his radio to catch the news of who has taken that state. Living in the Pacific Time Zone often allows us those results without it being too terribly late.

We have family devotions and prayer almost every night. Since his recent interest in politics, voting and the upcoming presidential race... we have noticed his prayers are changing.

He has started praying for our nation's current leaders. He is praying for the upcoming elections. He is widening his perspective.

I am so proud of my son. His interest in the political process has started on it's own. Taking initiative in praying for our leaders entered his mind and left his lips without our prodding.

My son is growing up. He is following politics. He is praying for the leaders. I do believe I like the way this is shaping up.

Precious Promise 15

Isaiah 43: 16, 18-19

(NIV)
This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

(Message)
This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves. "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands. "

Be encouraged! God will make a way when it seems there is no way. Are you watching for how He is going to choose to move? Don't spend your time looking back. You'll miss it! Be alert and present in the now! He's about to do something new!!

Say it! Pray it! Believe it!

To read more about "Precious Promises" go HERE.

For the Love of Teenagers

Traveling in a van filled with excited teenagers (Jr. High) for 4 hours: energy filled

Sleeping on the floor of a gym with only a gym mat beneath you: bearable

Waking at 4:30 AM (after getting to sleep at 1 AM) in an attempt to beat the girls to the shower in hopes of some hot water: crazy

Slipping on ice on the steps of the bus at the ski hill. Falling down the steps and hitting the entire underside of your left arm and elbow on each step down: excruciating

Helping teenagers don ski's, snowboards, and learn the "bunny hill rope tow", repeating the process for an entire day: unplanned exercise

Spending an entire day on a ski hill taking pictures and helping others: cold and soaking wet

Surviving an entire weekend on only 8 hours of sleep: exhausting

Coming alongside and praying with teenagers as they pray the prayer of salvation at the evening rally: unexplainable and priceless

Long and loud drives, sleeping on a hard mat on a hard floor, early mornings, cold showers, falling on the ice, being cold and wet, no sleep and additional activity leading to exhaustion....

Eternal decisions make it all worth it. Will I do it again? You Bet! Am I planning on going again next year? Absolutely.

Skiing is used as the avenue to get them away to be immersed in truth... and lives are changed. I wouldn't miss it!!

--Originally published Feb. 7, 2007
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Yes, I am doing it again. It is our church's district youth ski retreat weekend. At last count there were 300 youth and adults registered to attend. I will not ski. You can read why here. I will gladly be available near the lodge.

We are loading 5 adults and 13 teens into 3 vans and heading out. Although most of the events listed above are due to be repeats there are a few changes I am expecting...

Our usual 4 hour drive will probably be much longer due to the snow that has fallen. We have studded tires, chains, sleeping bags, extra clothing and food. We are supposed to have a small window of reprieve with the weather. We are off. Prayers for safety would be appreciated!!

I am hoping for a bit more than 8 hours of sleep by the time I arrive home on Sunday. I will try my hardest to not slip on ice when descending the steps of the bus at the ski hill.

Everything else??.... yep, pretty much expecting it. Probably even more!

Once I return home, give my hubby and daughter hugs from having not seen them all weekend, and catch up on sleep that I'm sure I will desperately need... I'll post stories and maybe even a few pics of our weekend adventure! This is my son's first year going as one of the youth!!

Sometimes I'm surprised at the things my schedule encounters...for the love of teenagers. However, when eternal value is involved... it is completely and totally worth it!