Memorial Day

Today is the day we remember our fallen heroes of war. Those men and women who left their families, took orders and took a stand so I could have freedom. Freedom to work where I want, freedom to go to the mall, freedom to get a latte when I want to, and freedom to worship my God and Savior!

Thank you to each and every person who gave their life, or a part of their days on earth, for me!

I was thinking that there is a cool section of the Bible that is somewhat similar to our Memorial Day. Hebrews 11 has been called the Hall of Faith. It is a reminder of those who came before us in utmost faith....Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joseph, Enoch, Jacob, Isaac and others. These men sacrificed for the call of God. They stepped out in obedience. They weren't perfect. They didn't always have 100% trust, but they obeyed. They took the order and moved forward (or stood still) for God.

And, although they didn't know it at the time, they were stepping forward in their faith for freedom! Freedom through Christ Jesus. Freedom for us!

 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life!"

John 5:24

Dear Lord, Thank you for all those who came before me and obeyed so that I might have freedom in this country.
Dear Lord, thank you for all those who shared Your Word with me so that I might have eternal freedom!

The Poorest Place on Earth

At the risk of becoming the woman who won't stop talking about Africa...

You have to read Heather's blog...http://blurbsandoutbursts.blogspot.com/2010/05/poorest-place-in-world.html

Heather's husband, Andrew, was on the trip to Africa with me. We visited Kroo Bay as well and somewhere deep in the crevice of my brain I had stored those memories, those smells, those horrific sites. And, along the way, I have not had a need to return to that place. I didn't want to remember that for some women, every day they must fill their jug with water full of deadly parasites. Every day they must pray that God might fill the mouth of their babe. Every day they must watch their child play in pig feces. You see, this is not a place you want to remember. Not a place you want to think about daily. And I haven't had too...until tonight, reading Heather's blog. 


All of the memories returned and the tears will not stop flowing now. I am saddened by the poverty. I am more saddened at my complacency. I am angry that I have let myself push that out of my brain. 


Dear Lord, forgive me! Today, Lord, forgive me of my complacency. Forgive me of my sin of knowing what ought to be done, and not caring enough to give up my morning latte to help! 

Think I am being hard on myself....read this verse...

James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

I know the good I could do by just giving a little more each month. I have seen the money I give in action...Lucy being fed! Kids getting medical care. I have no excuse! Dear Lord, forgive me!

Good Morning Lord!

          I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.

Psalm 3:5

This verse just says it all....our every breath comes from the Lord. I woke up today. You woke up today. Mr. Jones down the street woke up today. But only because of the Lord!  He sustains us. He decided how many days on this earth we would get. He gives us breath and life! Enough said!

Oh Lord, let me not take a single day for granted! Let me lavish in each day you give me. Let me sleep well so you might prepare my soul for the work you have entrusted to me!  Thank you Lord for another day!!!

Standing in God's Way

Genesis 18 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It is just chock full of humor and life stories. My kind of application chapter!

So in verses 20-21 God decides He is going to take the issues of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah's sin into consideration. He says to Abraham:

God continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."

Genesis 18:20-21

Now, here is where it gets good...and if you have a sense of humor with the Bible like I do, it also gets a bit humorous. You see God is going to put Sodom and Gomorrah in check. It is like a mother who can hear her sons outside arguing. She is trying to make supper, yet from the yard, through the kitchen window, she can hear angry confrontations, whining shouts, and just down-right ugliness coming out of the mouths of her children. She wipes her hands on her apron, drops the potatoes she was peeling, and heads for the door: ready to do nothing less than address this sin.

But you see, here stands little sis. She has her hands on her hips, her head cocked to the side, and her mouth ready to plead with her angry mother. She knows her brothers are in for it. She blocks the doorway. She stands in the way.

The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God's path, blocking his way.

Genesis 18:22

Abraham tried to pull the same stunt with God. He stood in God's path. He was going to come to the defense of Sodom and Gomorrah. And although I may be reading into it a bit, Abraham was going to test God a bit. He wanted to see what the answer would be. Abraham was wondering, "Hmmm...what are God's boundaries? What will push His buttons? What are his motives for this discipline?"

Abraham confronted him, "Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn't you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can't believe you'd do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn't the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?"

Genesis 18:23-25

I love how The Message version says it, "Are you serious?"   Abraham was wondering what in the world was God was thinking.  He was thinking, "Really, is he really going to kill them all? Is he really going to follow through?"

I think he also must have been crying out on behalf of the people in the cities. He knew what they were about to get: the wrath of God. He knew this wasn't going to be a good outcome for them. He knew they needed someone to plead on their behalf. And the cool part is that he wasn't afraid to approach God.

It is the same as the little sis standing in the doorway. She knows that her brothers have no earthly idea what is about to come through that door.  She knows as she hears the arguing, the fighting outside, that her brothers are completely unaware that their mother is about to come out and unleash on them! And, you know, this little girl is also testing her mother's limits. Finding out what the boundaries are....

"But Mom, what if it isn't their fault? You know, that neighbor boy is hard to play with. And, hey, what if only one of them is in the wrong? Then what? Will you take away the Wii anyway, even if only one is wrong? Huh-Mom? Huh?"

I am wondering when the last time was that I really went to bat for someone else in front of God. When is the last time I stood at the door, arms crossed, not afraid to put myself between them and God. I am not talking about just saying a little 10 second prayer, "Dear Lord, please bless Lucy."; "Dear God, please heal Dad."; "Dear Lord, please help Tina." No, I mean really STOOD IN GOD'S WAY on their behalf! Got on my knees, cried out to God, questioned His motives, questioned His plan, and PLEADED on the behalf of someone else? 

This is what Abraham is doing. Can't you just see him pleading and begging to God? Questioning God's motives. Questioning God's plan for the people in the cities! Whining and even maybe shedding tears on their behalf. He is like the kid hanging onto their mother's shin, as she is about to walk out the door and unleash WWIII on her brothers, "Mom, Pleeeeeeaaaassseee...don't go out there and spank them!" 

I can't think of a time that I really, truly have done that...hmmm...maybe tonight will be the first....

...on my knees in Pella....

how about you????

The Remedy

The house was an older home. From the outside it didn't have what those on HGTV would call "curb appeal". It had two outside entrance doors and an enclosed porch. The landscaping was minimal and the grass, while freshly mowed, didn't exactly represent a green blanket of goodness.

As we walked inside, my impressions continued to decline. The kitchen was tiny, without a dishwaher or garbage disposal and there was carpet covering not only the kitchen floor but also the dining room floor. I guess that is if you wanted to call it carpet. It definitely wasn't the plush carpet that you see in new homes. It actually might have been taken out of a 1970's office building and relaid in this home!

But, over time, I began to become ok with this old house we were renting. I made a few adjustments and touched up where I could. The kids loved the staircase and the huge yard. Doug had a separate room for an office which he also loved. And, there were old floor grates that supplied the comfort of heat during the cold winter months, reminding me of my own days as a child growing up in an old home.

And, it was on one of those grates that I sat, legs crossed, hunched over in immense pain. The jolting pains to my back and abdomen had started the evening before. A hot bath, a walk around the block, and what seemed like half a bottle of tylenol had not even touched the hugeness of this pain. Tears stained my cheeks and dropped onto the blanket wrapped around my body, as I shiver with coldness.

Doug did not know what to do. He had already taken me to the E.R....no answers and no relief from the pain medication they prescribed. He had asked if I wanted my back rubbed. He had fed the kids supper and put them to bed. There was nothing he could do to ease my pain!  It is in these moments as a spouse that you feel utterly helpless.

In some ways, I was feeling the same pains of helplessness. Nothing was taking the pain away. I didn't have any answers as to why I was experiencing it. I had no one else to turn to...the clinics were closed, the E.R. had not helped, the pharmacy was closed.

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

It was only God who could provide strength of my heart! Only He could become my portion! 

Turns out, after days of pain, and what seemed like endless tests, I was diagnosed with mono!  Mono...as a 36 year old! All that for mono!  However, that wasn't the only diagnosis that occurred that week. I also was diagnosed with a lack of faith. I had put my trust in everything else prior to putting my faith in God.

Go for a walk.
Eat something healthy.
Drink more water.
Pop another tylenol.
Go to the E.R.

You see, it is not that these remedies are bad. Each one has it's place. It is just that during that week, I was reminded that God is my portion! He is the one who provides for me! He is the giver of strength! He is the remedy! And I guess there are days that I still need that reminder! Thank God for the gentle nudging of His word!

Dear Lord...today...might you help me remember that when all else might be failing...when my heart, my health, my courage, my circumstances, my hope are failing...Lord, help me remember that you are my provider! You are my portion Lord! You are the giver of all things! You will provide!!!  Amen!

Kyle Korver, NBA player, STEPS UP!

So...Kyle Korver, who plays in the NBA, has stepped up and is teaming with my Kobe to promote TRS!!!  YAHOOOOOO!!!!

Check out his brother's blog here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/seer-clothing-kyle-korver-foundation/back-in-pella-to-support-an-amazing-young-man/129034703777788

Update on Lucy

Check out our little Lucy...God is sustaining her...we just need to have the faith to step out and save her!!!

Also go to
http://savetheorphan.blogspot.com/
and watch the video of the kids at The Covering singing one of my favorite songs!

Africa

Check out the blog from the team in Africa today...be prepared...there are no words...
http://savetheorphan.blogspot.com/

Photo Contest!

I am going to enter the "Picture This: We Can End Poverty" photo contest(http://picturethis.undp.org/about/more). I can only submit ONE photo...help me decide...post a comment letting me know which is your favorite...hopefully the project will help eradicate some of the effects of poverty...or at least our complacency towards it!

#1 A Day's Work

#2 The Face of AIDS

#3 Home...

#4 Walking to School

#5 Lack of Medical Care

SERIOUSLY!

"Seriously?"  

I wonder how many times I have uttered that word? 

My sister calls me with unexpected news..."Seriously?"

My husband tells me a funny story about the kids..."Seriously?"

A friend shares her story of her crazy day..."Seriously!"

The prophet Jeremiah used this term when talking to God's people about their exile from Jerusalem.

"This is God's word on the subject: As soon as Bablylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I will show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. 

When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed!"

Jeremiah 29:10-14

So to summarize what God is saying to us, 

"I AM STILL HERE! I HAVE PLANS FOR YOU! 

AND.....WHEN YOU GET SERIOUS ABOUT ME....

I WILL BE THERE!"

This is so convicting today as I wrap up the final days of our spring semester. I am busy going here and there, meeting with this person and that person, grading this paper and that paper...busy with everything but God! 

I have some concerns on my shoulders lately...my dad's health, my aunt's health, my grandmother's health....Lucy in Sierra Leone, the possibility of an upcoming trip to Africa.......and, as I mentioned, end of semester. I have kept my morning devotional time, but I have not put in near the time with God that I should be. I have not taken him seriously in all this!

And God is saying, "SERIOUSLY?!?!  I AM STILL HERE! I HAVE PLANS FOR YOU! AND.....WHEN YOU GET SERIOUS ABOUT ME....I WILL BE THERE!"

Dear Lord, Help me to GET SERIOUS about you! Help me to re-prioritize once again. Forgive me for not being serious about you lately. Forgive me for not seeing that it is YOUR PLAN that matters most! Thank you for promising us in these verses that you will be there, that you will listen...if we will only get serious about you!