Choosing Good Friends

This morning I received a devotion from Daily in the Word about the wisdom of choosing the right kind of friends. It challenged me and I thought that reading this portion of it would challenge you too.

Friends play vital roles in our lives. Have you ever had a friend who knew just what to say in tough times, or perhaps they were a kind listener on whom you could always count? Never take for granted the influence of a friend.

Just as a friend can be a great influence for good, so a friend can influence for bad. Notice Paul's question to the Galatians, "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" The Galatians had begun listening to false prophets and soon they were being affected by their doctrine. As Paul went on to say, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."

Your friends affect you either positively or negatively. In your Christian battle, your friends are either strengthening you to fight the devil or they are weakening your defense. Which one are your friends? Don't allow wayward friends to pull you down. God desires you to be friendly and kind to everyone, yet only allow godly Christians focused on doing right to be your close friends.

Do you have godly influences as friends? Re-evaluate whom you allow to be your close friends. If someone is not spiritually helping you, you need to break that friendship with him. Giving up that friendship may be painful, but allowing them to adversely influence you will lead to greater consequences.

If you have a godly friend who encourages you to do right, thank them! Let them know of your gratitude for how they help you, and determine to be a godly encourager to them as well. Make sure your friends are headed in the same spiritual direction as you.

Keep the Light Bulb Clean

Yesterday morning my husband preached a sermon reminding us all that it is not our job to keep our lights for Christ shining, it is just our job to keep our light bulbs clean.

He then went on to remind us that it is God that provides the power for our lights to shine, and that as soon as we got saved, we were automatically plugged into that power. As born again Christians, our light will always be shining.

But just because it is shining, doesn't necessarily mean that our light can be seen. And why can't it always been seen? Because sometimes it is hid.

Luke 1:33 reminds us how ridiculous that it would be to do this, "No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light."

And yet, no matter how ridiculous it is, there are still many of us that do. And how do we do this? By allowing our light bulbs to become dirty or dim.

What kinds of things cause the light bulbs of our life to become dirty? Sinful things. Sinful things always create a layer of dirt that keeps our light from shining the light of Christ into the lives of others.

Do you know what kinds of things cause it to become dim? Sad things. Stressful things. And selfish things.

"It's not our job to keep the light shining." What a freeing thought this was for me to hear. As a wife, mother, Sunday School teacher and Ladies Ministry Leader, I often feel the burden to "keep the light shining" in those that struggle around me. How wonderful it was to realize that it is not in my power to do so.

"But it is your job to keep your light bulb clean." What a convicting realization this was. No more blaming others for why my light bulb isn't shining like it should. It's my responsibility to keep it bright and shining and clean.

And how am I supposed to do this? Through Bible reading, confession and prayer. The Bible shows me the dirt and the dim, confession wipes off the smudges, and prayer keeps me from wanting to run and put it in a secret place or hide it under a bushel.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

This little light of mine . . . it's God that makes it shine . . . I'm only responsible to keep the light bulb clean.

Her Sweet Heart

It was about this time, about seven years ago, that my daughter Sabrina did something so sweet that she warmed the heart of everyone at Hyles Anderson College.

Here is how the story goes . . .

In early February of 2003, the staff at Hyles Anderson College thought that they would have a little fun with the young people during the chapel hour. They asked a series of young men to come up to the platform and "publicly" ask someone for a date to the upcoming Valentine Banquet.

A series of well known young people got up and did their best to entertain their fellow students with their dating requests, and then a young blind man that was severely handicapped stepped up to platform to ask a certain someone if she would go with him.

A hush fell upon the whole auditorium as the crowd anxiously awaited her answer.

"No," she said.

Even though I'm sure she didn't intend to be mean or hurt this young man's feelings, she made it clear that she didn't want to go with HIM to the banquet. He went on to ask two more girls, but they both stood up in front of everybody and said no as well.

I can only imagine how this poor young man felt being publicly rejected three times in a row. I'm sure the girls weren't trying to be intentionally mean . . . it's just . . . well, they each had their reputations to consider, and they were really hoping and expecting to go to the Valentine Banquet with someone better than him.

A few minutes later the staff asked if there were any ladies in the audience that would like to come up to the platform and ask a young man out for a date.

My daughter Sabrina immediately raised her hand.

"What are you doing?" her friends said to her, "Are you crazy? Your Dad will kill you if he finds out that you volunteered to ask some guy out on a date!"

"Don't worry, I know exactly what I am doing," she said as she got up out of her seat and made her way up to the stage.

When her time came along, she walked up to the mic and said, "I would like to ask HIM to go to the Valentine Banquet with me."

The him she pointed to was the blind, handicapped young man that had just left the stage.

A hush fell across the room as one of the fellows that sat near him told him what she had asked.
When he realized what she had done, a great big smile came over his face as he stood up and gladly accepted.

Sabrina went on to attend the college Valentine Banquet with him, she even bought him a boutonniere and everything.

"What Sabrina did on that day was the sweetest thing that I ever saw happen in chapel in my thirty-five years of being at Hyles Anderson College," Dr. Cowling said to us when he visited at our church a few months after this, "She's quite a girl."

I remember being so proud of Sabrina at that time. What a wonderful Christian she had grown up to become.

When our girls were little I used to pray that God would give them two things: a heart for Him and a heart for others. More than anything, I wanted my daughters to grow up with genuine love for Him and a genuine concern for others.

Every year around this time . . . I am reminded that He did.

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:12-13

Delicious!

This past week I have created the most delicious meals!

On Sunday morning I created the yummiest breakfast casserole. On Monday evening I made the freshest tasting pasta salad. And last night I whipped up the most delicious pot of chili I have ever tasted.

And I did it all without a recipe. Amazing, huh?

I love to cook and I love to create, and I guess after you have been cooking a creating meals for about thirty years, you become rather good at it.

Here are some "loosely defined" recipes for the delicious things that I have created this week . . .

Mrs. Fink's Breakfast Casserole
bag of frozen hash rounds
1 lb. Bob Evans breakfast sausage (cooked and crumbled)
8 oz. bag of shredded colby jack cheese
dozen eggs
3/4 cup milk
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Light grease a 9x13 pan. Layer the bottom of the pan with enough hash rounds to cover the whole thing. Layer the cooked, crumbled sausage over it. Sprinkle a layer of cheese over the sausage. Beat the eggs, milk and salt & pepper together. Pour over the layered mixture. Sprinkle a layer of cheese over the top. Bake for 50 minutes. I served mine with warm biscuits and a fresh fruit salad. Enjoy!

*by the way, I cooked this before I left for church on Sunday morning, then covered it with foil and put it back into the oven on 170 degrees to keep it warm and it was "perfectly ready" for us to eat when we walked in the door at 12:30 p.m. :)

Easy Delicious Pasta Salad
1 bag frozen broccoli (steamed and drained)
3 tomatoes cut up in small pieces
3 cups of cooked pasta shells
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of mayonnaise (I used the kind made with olive oil)

Mix everything together in a serving bowl and enjoy!

Best Ever Tasting Chili
1 lb. ground beef (cooked and drained)
2 cans of Rotel tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of beef broth
1 large can of black beans
1 small can of green chilis
4 T. dried onion
4 T. chili powder
2 T. steak rub
1 T. sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Mix it all together in a large cooking pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for one hour. This stuff was amazing! I sprinkle shredded colby jack cheese on mine after it is all done and serve it with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Cooking is fun and sharing recipes is fun too. If you have made anything yummy this week, I would love for you to share the recipe with me too :).

Opportunity

For just about fifty years, I have had the opportunity to travel all over the world and do a wide variety of exciting things.

I was born at West Point, started elementary school in Hawaii, and spent two of my high school years in the Philippines. I graduated at the top of my class and was even chosen as a homecoming princess!

As an adult, I have traveled all over the United States, attended conferences in fascinating places like Casablanca, Cairo, Manila, and Washington DC. I have lived in third world countries like Yemen, and first class places like Australia.

I have dined with Ambassadors, held dinner parties for dignitaries, been invited to speak at conferences for women, taught classes for the State Department, and had my picture taken with a Vice President.

I have camped on the Red Sea, taken a boat ride down the Nile and cruised Alaska and the Caribbean.

I am one of those people that has been extremely blessed by the special opportunities that she has been given in life.

But you know what? As I prepare to turn fifty years old this year, I have been thinking about the greatest opportunity that I have been given, and that is the opportunity to glorify God in the every day moments of my personal life.

This morning as I made my husband his coffee and packed his little bag of healthy treats, I thought about what a privilege it is to serve God by being a help meet to this good man. I'm so glad that God gave me the opportunity to be a wife, it has been such a personal growing experience for me.

Last night my husband and I were sitting around reminiscing about when our girls were little. They were such sweet little girls ~ always a blessing to be around. "Remember when they were little and we used to . . . go swimming together, take walks around the block, watch the little shows that they would put on, enjoy their school programs and activities, read books together, serve in church together, and take long trips in the car?" We both agreed that there was never a time that we didn't enjoy being with the girls.

Being a parent is a wonderful opportunity, and I'm so glad that God chose to bless my life with two very special daughters.

As I stripped my sheets and tidied up my kitchen this morning, I reflected on how much I have enjoyed the opportunity of being a keeper at home. I love home making! I love the opportunity to provide my family with clean clothes, yummy meals, beautiful surroundings and cleanliness. I love the opportunity to bring peace and comfort into the lives of my family members.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to do so many seemingly simple things today ~ plan a Valentine Party for our home school children at church, write a Sunday School lesson that I hope will encourage the women in my class, vote in a local election, write some encouraging letters and make phone calls to a whole list of people. I have already talked to my daughter Sabrina on the phone, answered a bunch of e-mails and I look forward to spending time in Bible reading and prayer while I eat my breakfast.

Life is filled with so many opportunities. Some seem like they are big and exciting and adventurous, and some seem like they are small and simple and necessary . . . but in the eyes of God, they are all the same ~ very important.

Psalm 118:24 tells us, "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." This verse reminds us that God has ordained every opportunity to be a special way to honor Him each day. In the economy of God, the value of our opportunity is not determined by the notoriety or excitement that it brings . . . but by the chance it affords for us to rejoice and be glad . . . which always brings glory to His Name.

Decisions

This morning I met my friend Cheryl and her two daughters at the local fitness center in our town. She is a home school mom and just about every morning she brings her girls to the fitness center so that they can get a little exercise before they start their school day.

Every time I see them walk in the door I get a smile on my face. The girls are usually dressed in a skirt or culottes and the first thing Cheryl does when she steps on the treadmill is turns the TV off. Cheryl and her girls are people that have made decisions to be a light for Christ. They are not ashamed to be known as a "peculiar people created unto good works." They are not afraid to live their obedient Christian life in a bold way.

The good decisions that I have witnessed Cheryl and her girls make encourage me.

There is a young lady in our church named Kim that is also known for the good decisions that she has made to be a shining light for God. As a public school senior, she has made the decision to wear skirts and dresses to school each day, to refuse to participate in any activity that would cause her to have to have bodily contact with the opposite sex. She has committed herself to stand for purity and femininity and no amount of pressure from others has been able to move her.

The good decisions that Kim has made to glorify God with her life encourage me.

Last year a friend of ours made the decision to leave her husband for another man. They had been having a lot of trouble getting along, and she decided that it was more important for her to find happiness with someone else than to be honest and keep the covenant that she had stood before God and her friends and made.

Her decision to do this greatly discouraged me.

Not too long ago a friend of mine made the decision to get some plastic surgery to change her looks and body shape. Even though she knows that the Bible teaches us that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made", she decided that she would rather look different than be content with what she had been originally given.

Her decision to do this made me feel very sad.

Decisions. God has given each one of us the right of choice. Each one of us has the freedom to choose to do what is right or wrong by the standards of God. And when we decide to choose what is right, we bring great encouragement to the world around us. People are strengthened in their personal devotion to God and the lines between good and evil are easier for us to understand.

And when we decide to choose that which isn't right by the standards of God . . . well, we bring stress and confusion. We cause people to question the righteousness of God and to doubt the good way that He has called them to walk therein.

I was twenty-seven years old when I decided that I wanted to follow Jesus. Although I was saved four years prior to this, I knew there had to come a time when I had to decide to make Him the Lord and Leader of my path, not just the Savior of my life.

After I made this decision, things in my lifestyle began to change and other people began to notice. I started to dress different, I was more careful about what I watched and listened to and where I would take my children. I allowed God to lead my emotions and set the standard for my relationships. And although making these kinds of decisions didn't come easy (at first), the response that I received from many people that I admired was encouraging. My decisions to do right seemed to strengthen their faith and help their resolve to stand out for God. And that made me happy.

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12

Although my life is not perfect, because of the decision that I made to follow Jesus many years ago, God has allowed my life to be a light and an encouragement to others. And this makes me happy.

Choosing to live in obedience to God and for the good of others is really the best decision that anybody makes.

Cataracts

Yesterday I went to the ophthalmologist for my bi-yearly eye exam. I am one of those people that has been wearing glasses ever since they were little, and I look forward to these visits.

While I was sitting in the chair waiting for the doctor to come in, I took the time to read the information about cataracts that was written on a beautiful looking poster that was hanging on the wall.

I have to be honest with you, although I have heard people talk about cataracts and cataract surgery before, I didn't really know what they were all about.

I found the poster very informative, and rather convicting to me as a Christian as well.

A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retine at the back of the eye. The lens also adjusts the eye's focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away.

The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it.

But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. This is a cataract, and over time, it may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see.

The poster showed how the doctor must take a "probe" into the eye to break apart the cataract, then it is used to vacuum up the pieces so that the area is clean enough to put a new lens in. Once the new lens is in, the eye is able to absorb the right amount of light and therefore see clearly again.

As I read through this poster, I couldn't help but think my life is a lot like this eye. It works fine as long as the "Light" is able to penetrate deep within, but when I allow the "cataracts of life" to cloud my lens, I am not able to "see" as clearly as I should about many matters.

What are some of the "cataracts of life" that sometimes cloud my vision? Anger. Bitterness. Disappointment. Frustration. Unfulfilled Expectation. Offense. There are so many things that happen to me and around me on a daily basis that threaten to keep my spiritual vision cloudy and my heart dark and heavy.

The other day I was struggling with feelings of discouragement because of the behavior of some people that had done some things that were offensive to me. Oh, these folks didn't mean to hurt me on purpose ~ they were just being themselves . . . and how they were being was offensive to me.

As I sat in that examining room, waiting for the doctor to come in, I felt like the Lord was using that time to probe me with some of the truths in His Word so that the cataracts that I had allowed to cover my heart would break apart. He wanted His Light to shine in and comfort and encourage me, but He knew it couldn't until those things were removed.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4:31-32:

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."


The probing tool that God used to break apart the cataract that was forming on my heart was His Word, and especially the parts of His Word that talk about forgiveness. He made it clear to me that day that I needed to forgive the folks that had offended me, just like He was willing to forgive me when I did things to offend Him.

How did I do it? I sat down and listed everything that I was angry about and feeling bitter over and I asked God to help me forgive the people that had caused each one. At the end of it, I felt like I had new eyes and a fresh heart.

I know that many people are afraid to forgive those that offend them, so they hold on to the offenses that they receive as if they are precious treasures. But Hebrews 12:14-15 reminds us that when we do this we are troubling ourselves and will be used (by the evil one) to defile many.

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."

This year I will celebrate 26 years of being saved. I'm considered a Christian adult by many. I have walked with God long enough to tell others about Him and to know what He has to say about most things.

And just as my eye will have a tendency to allow things to clump together and cloud things over, because it is old and doesn't take care of itself as carefully as it used to, my heart (that has been doing this Christian thing for many, many years) can be tempted to allow things to clump together and cloud things over as well.

I think this is why God created His Word to be "quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. " Hebrews 4:12

Yesterday I went to the ophthalmologist with the purpose of getting my eyes examined, but while I was there God used an informational poster on cataracts to remind me that my heart needed to be examined as well.

"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart." Psalm 26:2

Traveling with Daphne from Haiti

Whenever I travel by airplane, I always make it a point to make conversation with the person sitting next to me. I love to meet new people, and I'm always looking for an opportunity to talk to someone about our wonderful Lord.

On our trip down to Fort Lauderdale, I was privileged to sit next to a sweet young lady named Daphne. As the plane was preparing to take off, I learned that she had left the island of Haiti to come visit the states just one week before the big earthquake hit.

"I am worried about my mother who is still there," she told me as we talked together on that day, "I am here visiting my Aunt and Cousins as I prepare for college soon."

She talked and talked and I just sat there an listened. When she finished talking, I asked her if she wanted some of my Chinese Cracker Snack. She said she did. I poured her a great big handful and then turned around and talked a little bit with my husband (who was also sitting next to me, I was stuck in the middle :)!).

As soon as my my conversation with my husband, Daphne said to me, "I sure hope I can find a good man like yours."

"Well, if you hang around a good church you will!" I told her, and then I asked her, "Daphne, do you go to church? My husband is a Pastor and we have the most wonderful young men that attend our church."

"No, not right now. But my father is a minister in Miami." And then she said this, "I always heard that church boys are the worst boys!" She grinned when she said this.

"Not at our church, they aren't. The young men at our church are born again Christians living their lives to please the Lord. Daphne, have you ever been saved?"

"Yes ma'am," she told me, "I was saved in my Dad's church and I have been to church with my Aunt before. But I have never been baptized. That is a big decision. It is an outward sign and I want to make sure I am ready for that."

"Daphne, the Bible teaches us that you are ready to be baptized immediately after you get saved. It's the trusting in Jesus as your Saviour that makes you ready for it."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Then I will get back into church and do that."

"When you do, your life will be blessed."

As the plane landed she told me how hungry she was and how much she was looking forward to eating at McDonald's. I opened up my wallet and gave her $7.00 in cash.

"Here, buy yourself some lunch on me."

She smiled and said thanks.

As I walked off the plane I thanked God for giving me the opportunity talk to a young lady named Daphne from Haiti. It is my continued prayer that God would use our conversation to encourage her to get into a good Bible believing church so that she can get baptized, hear the Word preached, and someday meet that good man of her dreams ♥.

The Early Bird Gets the Whirlpool

While we were on vacation, I desperately wanted to sit in one of the ships whirlpools that jutted out the side of the 11th story of the ship. The view from this whirlpool was incredible, and being one of those women that loves to sit in hot water, the thought of sitting in this whirlpool was so inviting.

There was only one problem . . . every time I passed by it there were about a zillion people sitting in it. And sitting in a whirlpool with any person other than my husband is not my idea of relaxing or fun :).

On about our second night of the cruise, I thought to myself, I'm going to get up real early and see if I can sit in that whirlpool all by myself, while the rest of the ship is sleeping, I will be sitting in that warm water, basking in that warm sunshine, and thoroughly enjoying myself.

So the next morning I woke up about six o'clock in the morning, put on my swim dress and cover up, and headed up to the whirlpool and found that I had the whole deck to myself.

"Thank you Lord!" I shouted as I stepped in a felt the warm water, "Thank you for giving me this whirlpool all to myself."

"Your welcome," I could almost hear Him respond through the sunshine that reflected upon the beautiful Caribbean Sea beneath me, "It's your reward for making the effort to get up early so that you could appropriately enjoy this experience."

There are so many wonderful things in this life to enjoy . . . and I'm so thankful that God always seems to provide a way to enjoy them in an appropriate way.

Communication

My one year old grandson Hayden is the best communicator.

When he wants something to eat, he walks over to the pantry, looks at me he points to the door and says, "A ju ju."

When he wants me to play in the room with him, he grabs a hold of my hand and pulls me down the hallway with him. When we arrive at the room he smiles real big and claps his hands.

When he wants to find his Papa, he taps me on the leg three times, points in a direction out of the room and says, "A ga ga."

"You want to go find Papa?" I say, to which he replies by nodding his head happily up and down.

When he wants a hug he walks right up and gives you a hug.

When he doesn't want to eat, he purses his lips shut and shakes his head.

When you talk to him on the phone, he eagerly responds and then gives you the opportunity to speak back.

When his feelings are hurt he cries, and when he wants his brother to leave his toys alone, he grabs a hold of him and shakes him.

Even though Hayden hasn't started talking formally per se, Hayden has no problem communicating. When he communicates with you, you understand exactly what he means.

I wish communicating with others was that easy. I know folks with high school diplomas, bachelor, master and even doctorate degrees that aren't able to communicate with others as efficiently as Hayden does.

The day will come, sooner than later, when Hayden starts saying more than just "Da Da, Ma Ma, Tank You, This, and Disney." The day will come when he will say all kinds of amazing things just like his brother does.

But when that day comes, I pray that he doesn't get all caught up in the momentum of using big words and lose the gift of good communication that he has now. You never leave the presence of Hayden misunderstanding him or wondering what he was really trying to say.

Hayden is a blessing to me and a comfort to many. His good communication skills make him easy to be around. It's my hope that the gift good communication he has been given will rub off on the whole world around him.

And let it begin here with me.

Cruising the Caribbean

Greetings dear friends! I hope this post finds you doing well and enjoying life as this new year unfolds.

On Saturday, January 16th, my husband and I flew down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to enjoy a week long cruise in the Caribbean. This cruise was given to us as a gift from our church family, and we appreciate their generosity towards us so very much.

The Caribbean is gorgeous! The weather is so beautiful and the water is incredible.

We cruised on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas, which is the second largest ship they have.
While on the cruise, we enjoyed eating :), laying around in the sun, and reading, reading, reading. I am currently reading Daniel Defoe's book, "Robinson Crusoe" and while I was on the ship, I borrowed and read a book entitled, "My Father, My President" by Doro Bush Koch. This was an excellent read and I look forward to purchasing a copy for my own library at home. Our family had the wonderful opportunity of spending time with President & Mrs. Bush Sr. when we lived in Yemen, and can personally testify that they are two of the most comfortable people to be around. Reading the book was like taking a casual walk through recent political history with friends, and I enjoyed that very much.

We also took the time to investigate Belize, Costa Maya and Cozumel while we were out to sea. We found Belize and Costa Maya very primitive places and Cozumel, being an island, was absolutely gorgeous around the whole coast. We rented a scooter in Cozumel and spent the afternoon visiting beaches that were rarely inhabited.

Although cruising the Caribbean was a wonderful experience, I looked forward to getting home. I missed my family and church friends and I'm glad to be back into the swing of "home life" again.

I have mountains of laundry to do (which I love) and groceries to buy (which I don't love) and a ladies conference to finish planning as well as a million other things. Although going on vacation is nice, I am one of those women that enjoys the regular routine of life best ♥.

Hope you enjoy a great day today. May God bless and encourage you as you do!

Just When I Needed Them

Yesterday my husband and I went shopping for some last minute vacation things. I needed some toiletry items and a few t-shirts to match some skirts and he wanted to get some work out clothes.

As I sat down to make my list, I thought to myself, I'll never find cute t-shirts at this time of the year. And even if I do, they won't fit right, I always have such a hard time finding t-shirts that fit right.

Ever felt like that?

We pulled up to Kohl's and I jumped out of the car first to get a head start in my search. I was ready to look high and low and come up empty . . . but to my great surprise, within ten minutes of stepping into the store I stumbled upon a whole rack of modest looking t-shirts in just the right colors! I'm sure that God orchestrated the whole thing. How else would they have been there just when I needed them?

I remember the same thing happening a few years ago when we prepared to go to Alaska. It was in the middle of summer and we headed out one day to buy some warm things for us to wear. We made a trip to our local Eddie Bauer outlet store and found a whole pile of things that we could use. Just when we needed these things, God made sure that they were there.

God loves His people. He loves us when we are good. He loves us when we are bad. He loves us when we are happy. And He loves us when we are sad. And because He loves us so much, He is always willing to do the littlest things to encourage us.

Have you ever noticed the things that God makes sure of when you really need them? That special parking place, the money you find in a pocket, an encouraging call, the goody that a neighbor brings, or the help from a friend? If you really stop to think about it, God seems to be always sending His children special blessings just when they need them.

Yesterday I needed some t-shirts to wear with some cute summer skirts for my winter vacation. And there they were, sitting right there in the store waiting for me. Just when I needed them, God made sure that they were there.

Do I believe that God orchestrated those t-shirts to be in the store just for me? Of course not. I'm not the only one He loves, and I'm not the only one He is looking out for.

But you know what? I am one of them. And because I am one of them, He takes the time to send special blessings my way . . . just when I need them ♥.

I Like the Mice, He Likes the Cat

Yesterday I spent some time over at Sabrina's babysitting the boys. While Hayden was sleeping, Conner and I snuggled together in the glider chair and watched a film together. It was his nap time, and I thought it might be a good thing to help him wind down a bit.

I asked him which film he wanted to watch and he picked Walt Disney's Cinderella.

Cinderella? Yes, Cinderella.

It has probably been twenty years since I watched Cinderella, and to be honest with you, I'm not sure I have ever sat through and watched the whole thing.

But yesterday I did. I sat in the glider chair with my little three year old grandson on my lap and we watched the whole thing together.

My favorite part is when those little mice scurry around to help "Cinderellee" so that she can make it to the ball.

"Conner, don't you think those mice are so cute?" I said to him as he sat so still on my lap.

"I like the cat! I like that mean ole' cat! I want to fight him. Gramma, I need to go put on my boots so that I can fight him!"

I like the mice, and he likes the cat. Isn't that funny? Oh, the difference between a Gramma and her grandson! Poor Walt Disney, neither one of us said anything about Cinderella, the Prince, the palace or the fairy godmother! His magnificent story wasted on such a simple minded audience.

To tell you the truth, I'm not really much into watching movies or any kind of television. I was just willing to watch Cinderella because it gave me a chance to sit still and snuggle with my very busy three year old grandson.

And what made him so willing to sit through it? The cat! As soon as that mean ole' cat came on, he said to me, "Gramma, I need to get my boots on so that I can fight that cat!"

The other day Sabrina asked him if he liked the story of Cinderella and he told her, "Not really." She laughed when he said this, because he seems to like to watch it so much. I told her that he probably would like it more if it had more cat scenes!

I like the mice, and he likes the cat. I think the mice are cute and he wants to fight the cat . . . and we both enjoyed our time together as I snuggled with him and he avoided his afternoon nap :).

Rubbery Chicken and Soggy Macaroni & Cheese

Yesterday I served the most horrible Sunday meal ~ rubbery chicken and soggy macaroni & cheese.

Oh, this wasn't my intention, as a matter of fact, as I prepared the chicken and the mac & cheese the night before, it wasn't even my anticipation . . . it all looked so good the night before.

But after a night of being wrapped tight in aluminum foil and warmed in the oven on low all morning while we were at church . . . well, it all turned out to be pretty gross . . . if I say so myself.

"Honey, can you come cut these chickens in half like the restaurant does?" I asked my husband. He had done it once before on roasted chickens that we had bought from the grocery store and we thought it was so neat when he did.

"Sure," he said as he made it to the kitchen and grabbed the great big meal cleaver.

As I pealed the layers off of the chickens and laid them before him to cut, we both developed looks of concern.

"Are these done?" my husband asked.

"I cooked them last night. You know, you saw them. They were beautiful and they smelled divine."

"Oh," was his response, as he restrained himself from announcing that they no longer looked beautiful or smelled divine.

He cut those chickens in half and the whole picture went from bad to worse. Now they not only looked ugly, but rubbery as well. And there was this light pink stuff oozing from them. The whole thing was really gross.

"Is this all we are having?" he asked me.

"No, we are having the macaroni & cheese that I made last night too. It's heating up in the microwave."

When I took it out, it didn't look that pretty anymore either. And when I dished it out, it came out kind of soggy.

But the table was set and Kina and Jonathan were waiting to be fed, so we put the rubbery chicken and soggy macaroni & cheese on the table (along with some freshly sliced tomatoes), said our prayers and began to eat.

Kina took one look at her plate and announced, "This looks like a meal from Medieval Times."

This was my cue to start making apologies and excuses.

"This chicken is really pretty gross," I announced, "I'm so sorry about this. It looked and smelled so good last night. I'm not sure what happened."

"It tastes fine, " my son-in-law-to-be assured me, "This tastes just fine."

Jonathan really is a nice young man, Kina is very fortunate to be the one who gets to marry him.

My husband looked up at me from his plate with a look that said, 'Don't believe him' and I just kept apologizing as I kept eating.

Maybe dessert would be better, I was making peach crisp.

After dinner, I dished the leftover rubbery chicken grossness into the garbage and set out to put together the peach crisp. When it came out of the oven, it smelled good, but as I began to dish it out, it all seemed pretty gritty to men.

Yesterday definitely wasn't my day to shine as a cook.

Last night as my husband and I were sitting together after he came home from counseling after church, he brought up the whole rubbery chicken thing again and we began to laugh and laugh and laugh. I taught a lesson in Sunday School that morning about Autographing Your Work with Excellence . . . and well . . . uh, I sure did miss the mark on this one :).

Sunday's dinner was gross, and aside from getting the creeps and my husband getting a few imaginary stomach cramps, we all survived. And you know what I'm going to do with the whole experience? I'm going to laugh about it and then lay it aside and move on. Just because I made one bad meal doesn't mean that I am a bad cook. And even if I was a bad cook, I'm not going to lay around and stay that way. I'm going to pull out some of my cooking magazines and find me something that looks good and try again. And if that doesn't work, I'll try again. And again and again until I get it right.

Why? Because working with excellence is not about doing everything perfect ~ it's not about being a failure or a success. It's about actually getting the job done. And job only gets done if someone does it.

So, what am I going to make the next time our family gets together for a Sunday meal? Something safe and easy, like spaghetti with Prego sauce and meatballs :).

Only One Said Thanks

Tomorrow I will begin to teach my Ladies Sunday School class a new series entitled, "Autographed with Excellence." Our church's theme for this year is "Magnifying Jesus" and I thought that this little series on work would be a good place to start as I seek to encourage myself and the other ladies to become the kind of Christian women that bring honor and glory to Christ's Name.

As I have been laying out the notes for the eight studies that I have planned, I have been reminded that the number one reason that many women get discouraged in their work is because of the lack of thanks that they receive as they do it.

"I'm tired of serving ungrateful people," one housewife said to me recently, "I'm going to go out and get myself a real job where people will appreciate what I am doing."

When she said this, this thought came to me, Is everybody who works a "real job" outside of the home always appreciated for the work they do?

You already know the answer . . . No they aren't. For the most part, ungrateful people are found to be in every work environment: home, job and even at the church.

And you know what? The Bible reminds us in the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers that it has mostly always been this way.

"And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." Luke 17:12-19

Ten lepers had been healed by Jesus, and yet only one returned to give thanks. Why only one? Why not them all? Because the majority of people keep their focus on getting help, not on the one who has labored so diligently to bring them the help.

After a few years of serving people like this, you would think that Jesus would ask His Father for a different job to do, a different place to serve, or at least a more grateful people to help. But in John 17:4 we find Him making this statement to the One who He was working for, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."

I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which THOU gavest me to do. Even though His work was taken for granted by so many, His goal was to glorify God and finish the work that God had given Him to do.

And such needs to be the case for all of us. God has given each one of us a work to do in a manner that brings glory and honor and praise to His Name. For me, it is taking care of my husband, my home and serving in my local church. For you, it may be taking care of young children, keeping up an apartment, working as a nurse, as a secretary, or home schooling grade schoolers or junior highers.

Whatever it is, the Bible encourages us in Colossians 3:23 to keep our focus on working for God, and not for man, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ."

Why would the Lord want to encourage us to work for rewards from Him, and not for the thanks of man? Because He remembers . . . from healing those ten lepers . . . just how discouraging working hard for ungrateful people can be :).

Conversations Between a Sick Man & His Wife

"I feel horrible."

"I'm sorry, what is it that is bothering you?"

"My whole body aches."

"Would you like some Tylenol?"

"No."

"Oh, well, is there anything that I can get for you?"

"No. I think I have cancer."

"Would you like me to make you an appointment with the doctor?"

"No."

"Oh, well it's good to see that you aren't concerned."

"Woman, don't you have any mercy?"

"I do . . . for people that are sick and troubled by it."

"Make me an appointment."

"When would you like to go?"

"I don't know, you figure it out."

"Okay. Is there anything that I can do for you now?"

"Just give me some Tylenol. I'm aching all over. I don't know why you haven't offered it to me before!"

He grins and then she grins and together they laugh and make the best of the time that he is feeling sick :).

Such a Sweet Young Lady

When our oldest daughter was about seventeen years old, she had to some minor surgery done to have a large birthmark removed. We were living in Indiana at the time, and the surgery was done by a dermatologist as an outpatient procedure. The doctor was a very nice Greek or Middle Eastern man, and since my heritage is Lebanese, we often talked about food interests that we had in common. Every time Kina would visit this doctor, he would always remark on how sweet of a young lady she was.

This was something that I had become accustomed to hearing over the years, it seemed like everywhere we went, Kina's sweetness was noticed by others.

After the minor surgery that she had to have on this day, the doctor walked out and told me that all went well and then he said this to me, "You really do have the sweetest young lady for a daughter. She spoke to me about the love of God the whole time I was removing her birthmark. She invited me to church, told me how God sent Jesus to die for my sins, and about how I could have a home in Heaven when I die. She really is the sweetest young lady I have ever met."

As he walked away from his presence on that day, I beamed with motherly pride. More than anything, I had hoped and prayed and done my best to raise and train my daughter to be a blessing to others and a good witness for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

On that day she was, and my heart was encouraged.

As I sit down to write this, it has been ten years since that day. So much has changed in my daughter's life in these past ten years ~ she has graduated from high school, college, worked for the Lord, worked in the world, got her own place, traveled on her own and is now engaged to be married on April 17, 2010. And even though Kina has grown up to become quite an accomplished and successful young lady, she has still managed to keep that special sweetness about her.

This world needs all kinds of folks to make it go round and round. It needs those of us that are task oriented to get the job done, those of you that are 'happy go lucky' to keep the pace lighthearted and fun. It needs the serious to sober us up, and it needs the frivolous to loosen us done.

And then it needs those that are sweet . . . sweet enough to love unconditionally, witness for Christ joyfully, and accept peacefully whatever must come our way.

I thank the Lord for blessing us with our sweet daughter Kina, what joy and pleasure she has brought to our family life.

She Was So Glad

It was the winter of Sabrina's senior year when we took her with us up to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My husband was preaching for our friend Dr. Noonan, and after the special event, we all climbed into his Suburban and enjoyed a leisure drive around the city.

Cities are such beautiful places at night, especially in December around the holidays.

I was sitting in the back seat with Sabrina, and as we passed by the secular college campus that sits smack in the middle of the city, Sabrina stared out the window with curiosity. I'm not sure she had ever really seen what goes on around secular college campuses ~ this was a new sight for her to absorb and consider.

After a few minutes of looking at the young people doing their thing up and down the streets of that campus, she laid her head on my lap and said, "I'm so glad that you and Dad sent me to a Christian College. I'm so thankful that you didn't send me to some place like this."

Sabrina really is such a grateful and tenderhearted girl, and when she said this, I just smiled at her and hugged her real tight. She and her sister are very precious to us, from the time they were very young girls, we had made the decision to do the best we could to provide what was right for them. And sending them to Christian College is something that we definitely knew was right for them.

The Bible reminds us of this in Psalm 1:1-2, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

The college years are filled with getting counsel, and standing and sitting with others. And if we expect our young people to be influenced in the right manner, it is important that we make sure that they are given the right kind of teaching and leading during this time.

Oh, I know what some of you are thinking. You know so and so and their faith made it fine in secular college. And I'm glad they did, but according to the Bible ~ they are the exception to the rule. And it has never been my desire to raise my children to live as an exception to God's rule.

God's Word makes it very clear that we are affected by the evil associations that we have, and I'm not going to encourage my children to believe that they are better than the teachings of God's Word. "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." I Corinthians 15:33

We live in a day and age where many Christian folks believe that they are above obeying God's Word. They seem to make it their goal to live in a way that challenges the truth of it, rather than live in a way that supports it.

I'm not going to live that way. And I'm not going to encourage anybody else to do it either.

A good Christian College is the place for a young person to go after high school. Not because it's a perfect place, because it's not. There are sinful people in every sector of society ~ even in the church. But just like the church, a good Christian College has been established for the purpose of strengthening the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the young person that is preparing to serve God for the rest of his or her life ~ whether that be in full-time Christian service like my daughter Sabrina and her husband Jeremy are in, or full-time as lay people working in the world like me and her Dad did for so many of her growing up years.

We can never be prepared enough to fight our enemy the devil. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5:8

Sabrina was so glad . . . on that cold winter night as we drove through Milwaukee and she had the opportunity to witness a little bit of the secular college life . . . that her parents were nice enough to send her to a Bible believing Christian College for her to get her post high school education.

And you know what? Her parents are so glad that she was mature enough to appreciate it.

Amazing People Inspire Me

I have just finished reading a book entitled, "The Adventure of Missionary Heroism" by John C. Lambert and all I can say is that amazing people inspire me!

This book is filled with stories of little known missionaries that traveled to all ends of the earth to reach the most unusual people. I have to be honest with you, I had no idea of all the countries that have been home to such barbaric people ~ and by barbaric, I mean cannibals!

Can you imagine having a burden for people that wanted to eat you? That is something amazing to me. And yet, the missionaries that I read about in this book were not only willing to have a burden to reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ, but willing to endure severe physical hardships to do so.

And I'm sitting around planning my escape out of Illinois so that I can be more comfortable with the weather. What a sad case I am.

I am one of those people that loves to be inspired by others. I love hearing about the great things that people do, the amazing feats that they are willing to overcome, and the strong burdens that they carry to bring the goodness of God into some very bad lives of others.

There have been some great folks that have gone on before us. If you are interested in being inspired to serve the Lord more faithfully and sacrificially this year, I encourage you to get a copy of "The Adventure of Missionary Heroism" or any other missionary biography for that matter. They are all good.

Good for encouraging us to be reminded to live for a cause far greater than us . . . the cause of reaching a lost world with the amazing news of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Loving the Whirlwind

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity around here and I have been loving every minute of it! It feels so good to feel strong enough to be busy again! We are back to hosting parties, babysitting grandkids (we even kept Hayden overnight on New Year's Eve) and I am enjoying getting totally involved with all my ministry opportunities again.
This Friday I am teaching a Moms Bible Study in the morning and hosting a Good Housekeeping Workshop in the evening. I looking forward to both of these events. At Bible Study we will be talking about demonstrating love for our children through meal times, bed times and holiday times. At the Good Housekeeping Workshop we are talking about how to effectively organize paper clutter. I have called it, "I Want that Mountain!" and I'm really looking forward to sharing all the information that I have gathered through the tool of practical demonstration.


This past Sunday we enjoyed our annual "Round Up Sunday" and Church Chili Cook Off (which my daughter Sabrina won!). It was an absolutely amazing day! As I watched the people keep coming in and filling up the seats and then the whole overflow room, my heart was overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord for the great work He has done around here.

Evangelist Bruce Frye was with us this year and we enjoy this dear Man of God so much. We had him over for dinner on Saturday night, and after we finished eating, he played some music for us and our other dinner guests.

Next week we have our Parents Home School meeting and field trip to the Planetarium. Then later in the month we will be heading to Mexico on a Caribbean cruise.

God has blessed us with a wonderful and busy life, and I'm loving the whirlwind going on all around me! It feels so good to be a part of it all again!

Happy New Year!

Greetings dear friends! Happy New Year to You!

It is my prayer that God blesses you in a very special way this year, and that this year is your best year yet!

Although I never make resolutions for the new year, I do always make some special decisions each year.

This year I have decided to take more time to listen to the things that are most important.

I will be taking more time to listen to what God has to say to me.

I will be taking more time to listen to the cares and concerns of those I love.

I will be taking more time to listen to the limits of this 'just about 50 year old body'.

I will be taking more time to listen to the sweet things my grandsons have to say.

I will be taking more time to listen to the many things that everybody in my world has to say.

For me, this will be the year that I decide to slow down my hurried self thinking and strive to become a better listener.

How about you? Have you chosen any special things that you are striving to do? I would love to take the time and listen to them :).

Sledding with Papa

This past Sunday, my husband took Conner out sledding for the first time. They were both so excited!

The snow here in the Midwest has been so beautiful the past few weeks, and we are blessed to have a few little "golf course hills" right across from our town home that are perfect for sledding with a little three year old boy.

My husband said that Conner was a little overwhelmed by the deepness of the snow at first, but once he told him to "just walk in my path," everything was okay :). Little boys need big steps to follow, and I praise God that Conner has so many good ones that are willing to lead his way.

Once they started sledding they had fun and Conner was able to wear Papa's glasses to keep the snow from blowing into his eyes on his ride down.

After my husband came home I learned that he allowed Conner to sled down the hill all by himself.

"You did what?" I asked him like any good conscientious Gramma would, "I thought you were going to go down with him?"

"I was," my husband replied, "But he didn't want me to, and anyway, Jeremy was there to catching him before he slid into the street."

Slid into the street? I'm not even going to address that :).

All in all it was a good experience. I noticed that Conner's Mom left his snow clothes here so I am hoping that there are many more days where he and Papa can go sledding together . . . and if we can get another snow jacket and gloves, maybe Hayden can go too.

We Love You Already

When my husband was called to pastor the Grace Baptist Church eight years ago, we decided that we wanted these two things to become the "hallmarks" of our ministry here:

1. We wanted our church to be a place where the good Christian felt comfortable living wholeheartedly for God. We didn't want it to be a place where the backslider ruled and the godly person felt ashamed to be good. Now, don't get me wrong, the backslider is as welcome as any other person, but we were bound and determined not to let the lukewarm or carnal Christian be the one that set the standard for the church.

2. We wanted everyone that walked through our doors to feel immediately loved and accepted. As people that had spent many, many years traveling from place to place, we knew what it was like to try and measure up and fit in with church folks that had already had their own friends and people that they associated with. We didn't want anybody in our church to ever have to go through that. So, as a church, we have an unwritten rule that says: If you are here, you are ours, and if you are ours, we love you already.

This past November, when Dr. Young and his wife Debi were visiting in our home after the morning service, she commented on the sweet and friendly spirit of our church and I shared with her our decision to love people right away, just because they are ours ~ I told her, "If they are here, they are ours. And if they are ours, we love them already."

I told her that this had always been our motto about our neighbors, as we moved from place to place, and we had just decided to adopt it as our church philosophy as well.

"Let's face it," I said, "When you move around every other year or so, you don't have a lot of time to get to know people. So we just decided a long time ago that people weren't going to be on trial with us ~ if they were our neighbor, we just decided that we loved them already."

"I really like that," she said to me that day, "You love them just because they are there. I like that. I'm going to remember that."

Debi Young is one of those very nice ladies that looks for the good in any conversation. If I had my druthers, I would like to live right next door to her :).

I was once again reminded of the importance our little philosophy from a conversation that I had with one of the women in our church not too long ago. This particular woman has struggled greatly in life and has rarely felt that she fit in anywhere, much less with church going folks.

"Miss Julie," she said to me, "I have to tell you something. I have never felt more loved than I do at the Grace Baptist Church. I am accepted here for just who I am, everyone is so nice to me. And can I tell you, that makes me feel so secure."

I smiled when she said this. This is the way that we always wanted it. This is the way that we believe God would want it.

The Bible teaches us in I John 4:11-12, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us."

Church is the one place that everyone should feel loved and totally accepted ~ it should be a place free of criticism and cliques. Our whole church family has made it a priority to love and accept each other, and after eight years of ministering together, I can honestly say that our church motto could be . . . "If you are here, you are ours, and if you are ours, we love you already."

This Little Light of Hers

Last night two of our teenagers gave their testimonies in our evening service. Both of the testimonies were very sweet and special . . . but the one that the young lady gave touched my heart in a very special way.

"I made the decision to wear only skirts and dresses a while ago and even though my cousins don't understand why I do it, I know why I do it and they know that there is something that is different about me," she shared with us last night.

This is a girl that comes from a family that has just been saved a few years ago. They haven't made her think like this ~ this is a decision that she made on her own.

Why would she make a decision like this? Because she wants to be a light for Christ in the dark world that she knows is around her. It is her way of witnessing for Him. And in this day and age of raunchy immorality (even among many Christian folks), what a very beautiful witness it is.

I'm not sure there is anything quite as inspiring as people who make decisions to obey God and be a light for Him in the world around them.

In the short time that this young lady has been at our church, she has learned that God has called us to be a peculiar people set apart for Him. She has not been taught to be weird, although weird is certainly peculiar. She has been taught to live a life that reflects the heart of God . . . and being bold about the acceptance of her femininity is something that is very near and dear to the heart of God.

You see, what most of the world doesn't understand is that God created them "male and female" from the beginning . . . that He is very concerned about all this gender blurring and immorality that is displayed by inappropriate and immodest dress.

But you know what? This young lady understands. She understands completely that her life should express the heart of God in this matter.

Praise the Lord for a generation that love the Lord enough to want to shine for Him. How thankful I am for the testimony of this young lady, who has made a decision to say with her appearance, "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine!"

Christmas Eve Flexibility

Our family has always done their celebrating for Christmas on Christmas Eve.

Every year, ever since the children were very little, we have eaten pot roast, double stuffed potatoes, dinner rolls and then read Ideals Christmas Story book and then opened presents ~ first dividing them up among us, and then taking the time to open them one by one. After we open presents, I dish out slices of the Swiss Cherry Torte that I make, and then Daddy and the kids watch "It's A Wonderful Life" while I spend time putting things away and cleaning up the dining room and kitchen. And then on Christmas we have always woke up to warm cinnamon rolls and spent the rest of the day relaxing and putting away the decorations and stuff.

I am a firm believer that order is a wonderful thing. It brings peace. It provides security. It helps us all to know what to do and what to expect.

But this year God reminded me that flexibility is a wonderful thing too . . . because this year has been different.

This year I decided to cook something different for dinner. I decided to buy a Rib Roast and cook Prime Rib. This year my dinner wasn't ready by dinner time.

This year we opened presents before we had dinner.

This year Sabrina and her family spent the night with us on the night before Christmas Eve, and had to go home after we opened up presents.

This year we didn't have a dvd copy of "It's a Wonderful Life" to watch, so my husband, Jonathan & Kina watched "Amazing Grace" instead.

This year I had a little one year old helper in the kitchen helping me make my double stuffed potatoes.

This year we took two little boys food shopping at Sam's Club shopping on Christmas Eve.

This year we had two little adorable squirmy boys that didn't understand about "taking turns" to open presents and "why we must sit totally still" while Papa is reading the Christmas story.

This year we have had to make adjustments, and you know what I have found? That there is peace and security in being flexible about what you do and expect too.

There is peace in knowing, that just because things don't happen in what has always seemed like the right order, that when you are with people that you love, however they happen is exactly what you would have ordered.

And there is security in knowing that the memories that you make aren't rooted and established so much in the way the book is read or exactly what or when you eat . . . but in the special "whos" you are reading and eating with.

Being flexible with our holiday festivities this year helped me to remember the real reason that we even get together for Christmas ~ it's for the strengthening of our love ~ not about exactly what we have for dinner, how we do our reading or even exactly how we open presents.

It's about making the people you love really feel loved. And this year on Christmas Eve, I was reminded that being flexible with each other is sometimes the very best way to show it.

Merry Christmas to You!

From our home to yours ~ Merry Christmas to You!

My Husband's Favorite Christmas Memory

This past Sunday during the morning service, my husband shared his favorite Christmas memory with our church family. Every time he shares it, I am surprised by how touched he was by what occurred that year ~ because to me, it was just one of those times I was just trying to make the best of everything . . . just like my Mom had always taught me to do.

The story went like this . . .

It was December of 1982 and we had just moved from South Carolina to California only two short months before. My husband was a Marine at the time and this was our first duty station move as a couple. As the daughter of a career Air Force man, moving around a lot and the stresses that are generally caused by it was something that was very familiar to me. When I was growing up, my family moved every two or three years and many times we would move somewhere only to have my Dad sent away somewhere else. My mother taught us to expect this as a way of life and I learned from her very early on how to just make the best of whatever came my way.

So, in the middle of December when my husband announced to me that he still hadn't received a paycheck and that he didn't have any idea what we were going to do for Christmas, I just did all I knew how to do . . . and that was to make do and make a Christmas celebration with what we already had.

I immediately went to work covering wire hangers with foil wrap and assembling them in the shape of a tree. Once it was finished I hung it centered on our living room wall. I pushed his green footlocker (which was one of our only pieces of furniture at the time) under it as a base, covered it with a white sheet and began making popcorn balls and other homemade things to decorate the tree.

When I was all finished, I stood back and admired my work. Yes, I remembered thinking, this is good. All it needs is some presents ~ so I wrapped up some of Kina's toys (who wasn't even one year old at that time) and put them under my homemade tree.

Perfect. Just perfect. Now we have a Christmas tree and my husband doesn't have to worry. Everything is going to be all right.

When my husband came home that night, I expected him to be glad he didn't have to worry, but I never expected him to be so grateful for the sight he saw.

"Oh my! Look at this! You made us a Christmas tree! It's the most beautiful Christmas tree I have ever seen," he said to me back then with misty eyes and arms that hugged me tight with thanks.

"I'm glad you like it, see ~ you don't need to worry. Everything is going to be all right."

And you know what? Everything was all right. As a matter of fact, it was better than all right ~ as far as my husband was concerned it was the best Christmas ever.

Why? Because he received the gift of security in knowing that everything could be all right even when it seems like it shouldn't be all right.

As this Christmas season has come, maybe some of you are struggling financially and you are worried because you can't buy everything that you would like to for everyone you want to. Maybe you can't even afford any presents or even a Christmas tree.

May I encourage you? Do what you can. Use what you have. Take what is around and enjoy the opportunity to be creative, to dig deep, be resourceful, and make the best of the situation at hand.

This is what my Mom taught me to do . . . and according to the memory of my husband . . . it was enough to create his favorite Christmas memory ever ♥.

A Good Word Brings Cheer

Many years ago our family attended a funeral in Ohio. It was a very special funeral and a very stressful funeral. It was one of those times when our family needed to be strong together, to stick together, to suffer as one and stand as one. The girls were both in college at the time and we were in the baby stages of growing our ministry here in Lockport.

On the way home, my daughter Kina mentioned that her heart felt sad and that she felt rather discouraged. Knowing that my husband's heart was already overflowing with sadness and discouragement, and that he didn't need anybody else to be struggling at that present moment, I decided to encourage us all to do something silly.

"Let's all take turns telling Kina something special about herself."

"Awww Mom," she said, acting like she would be embarrassed if we did this for her.

"I'll go first. Kina is beautiful," I said, and I could tell by her smile that she liked what I said.

"I'll go next," my husband interjected, "Kina is smart and a hard worker."

Again, another big smile out of Kina.

"I think Kina is a good friend and always nice to everyone," Sabrina piped in, and for the next five or ten minutes we all took turns showering Kina with the gift of good words.

"Hey!" Sabrina then said, "Let's say good things about ME too!"

We all laughed when she said this, and then we began to take turns saying good things about her.

"Sabrina is happy spirited. Sabrina is a hard worker. Sabrina is nice to people that need a friend. Sabrina is neat and organized," were just some of the things that we came up with to say to her during her round of good word blessings.

"Let's say nice things about Dad!" I said, and so we did the same thing for Dad, and then we ended up doing the same thing for me too.

We probably spent the better part of an hour showering each other with the gift of good words, and you know what we learned from this experience? A good word brings cheer. It's amazing how happy the spirit in our car became, even though none of the heavy things that were weighing us down had really changed.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 12:25, "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad."

My husband's heart was heavy on that day, but the good words that he heard us share about each other made him glad.

My daughter's heart was discouraged on that day, but the good words that we spoke to her made her feel glad.

As I have been preparing to celebrate the spirit of Christmas with my family and others this week, I have once again been reminded of the heaviness of the hearts of some that are around me. Some are weighed down with work pressures. Some are struggling with health issues. Some have financial problems. And some are broken hearted because of wayward family members.

Because of this, I am asking God to bless me in a special way with an abundance of good words to spread as a measure of good cheer.

There really are so many good things that we can say to others, aren't there?

"Good job, you are a blessing."

"You are a such a diligent worker."

"You are always so nice to people."

"You are so thoughtful."

"These are the yummiest cookies."

"I admire your faith and courage."

"You always decorate so beautifully."

These are just a few of the phrases that are so easily said if we will set our mind to it.

"Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad," the Bible reminds us in Proverbs 12:25. It doesn't necessary make it better, or stronger, and more stable. But it does make it glad.

And who knows? Maybe when the heart feels glad, it will have the desire to make its own self better or stronger or even a bit more stable.

Wondering what kind of a special gift you could give to your loved ones and friends this season? How about giving them the gift of a good word. According to the Bible and the testimony of my family ~ it seems to be the gift that brings the most cheer.

The Chocolate Santa

"Here," my friend Jayne said to me as she handed me a gift bag before Sunday School started yesterday morning, "Mrs. Lybarger asked me to give this to you."

As soon as I looked in the bag I started to laugh.

"See this," I said to Jayne and Debbie as they were now standing talking together, "Every year I buy Mrs. Lybarger a chocolate bunny at Easter and this year she bought me a chocolate Santa! Isn't that hilarious?"

"I know," Jayne said, "She told me the story when she gave me the bag.

We all got a good laugh out of Mrs. Lybarger's funny gift sense of humor yesterday morning.

I think my favorite part of belonging to a local church, other than listening to the preaching of God's Word, is making friends with God's people. Our church is like a great big gathering of good friends each week, and I have enjoyed so much getting to know and growing to love the people that God has brought our way over the past eight years.

Mrs. Lybarger is one of those people. She and her husband are dear elderly saints, and for years I sat in the pew in front of them. We had so many good conversations during those years, and one of the funniest ones had to do with getting chocolates at Easter.

"So Mrs. Lybarger," I said to her one Easter morning, "Did you get any chocolates this Easter?"

"She doesn't need chocolate," her husband teased, "She's too old for chocolate!"

Mr. Lybarger is a delightful Christian man. Such a good and faithful husband. His care for Mrs. Lybarger while she battled with breast cancer was such a great encouragement to all of us.

"What!?" I said teasingly in return, "EVERY woman needs chocolate at Easter."

And that afternoon I went out and bought her a chocolate bunny and brought it all wrapped up to her that night.

When she opened it, she laughed, he laughed and I laughed ~ and it has been something special I have done for her every Easter since.

Now, to set the record straight . . . neither one of us has one ounce of belief in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus . . . but we both have a great deal of belief in reaching out in love and friendship . . . and for us, trading these silly chocolate things around the holidays has kept us close even though our ages and now even our pew distance is somewhat far apart.

The Bible tells us that in order to have friends, one must show himself friendly. The best friends that I have (other than my own family) are the women of my church ~ and it is towards them that I work my hardest at being the most friendly ♥.

Arm Pickles, the Christmas Story & a Million times a Million

On Wednesday I stopped over to Sabrina's to spend some time with her and the boys between doctor appointments and as soon as I saw Conner he jumped up and down and said to me . . .

"Gramma, I have arm pickles! I have arm pickles!"

"Arm pickles? What are arm pickles?"

"They are these," he said as he lifted up one arm, put the opposite hand in his arm pit and began to flap his elbow all about. "This is my arm pickle!"

He really is the cutest little boy, and he sure does always come up with the funniest things to say.

Later on, while we were playing trains in his room, I asked him what he had been learning in Sunday School lately.

"I've been learning the Christmas Story."

"What have you been learning about the Christmas Story?" I asked him.

"I've been learning that Jesus was born as a baby. He was just a little guy."

"Do you remember where he was born at?"

"Ummm," he said as he thought about it for a moment, "No, I don't."

"Oh, well, do you remember who his parents were?"

"His parents were God."

Good answer. There are many adult folks that couldn't even tell you that answer.

"So, what else have you been up to lately?" I asked him.

"Well, last night I slept in my Mommy's bed."

"Now, why would she let you do a thing like that?" I said to tease with him a little.

"Because she loves me," he said, "She says a miwion."

"A miwion? What is a miwion?"

"She says she loves me a miwion times a miwion."

"Oh," I said, finally getting it, "She tells you she loves you a million times a million?"

"Yes, that's what she says."

This little boy has everything that any three year old little boy could ask for ~ Arm pickles. The right facts about the Christmas Story. And a Mommy that loves him a million times a million :).

A Special Gift

The other night my husband and I went to the Family Christian Store so that I could buy some Christmas things for my grandsons. While we were there my husband picked up a few films for us to watch. One of them was entitled, "The Ultimate Gift".

This past Saturday night we decided to watch that film together. It's not something that we usually do on a Saturday night. As a matter of fact, it's not something that we ever do on a Saturday night. Saturday night is a work night for this Pastor, and it is a time when I usually devote myself to preparing our dinner meal for Sunday and packing up my church bag so I am prepared to teach and fully enjoy the Word of God being preached to us on that day.

But this past Saturday night, we decided to do something different. We decided to watch this little film together, and what a wonderful film it was! The story is about a spoiled young man and how he comes to the point of earning an inheritance. The film was sold at the special price counter at the Christian book store ~ $5.00 was all my husband paid for it.

My husband and I both enjoy films that cause us to think about life, the choices that we make, and our Lord who wants us to live sober minded and be careful about the choices that we make. We had such a nice time together. Such a very nice time together.

As the film was ending and the credits were being given, I couldn't help but think about a gift that was sitting under the Christmas tree upstairs. It was a gift that I wrapped all pretty earlier in the day for my husband. I even put a beautiful gold bow on top. Wrapped up in the box was a special little gift that I had ordered for my husband many months ago.

It was a special gift. A very special gift. A gift that I knew my husband would love to have, and one that cost me a great amount to buy.

"You know one wish that I have?" I said to my husband, mimicking what the people in the film had just said a few minutes before. "My wish is for you to open up a special gift that I have for you upstairs."

"It is," he said to me, not at all surprised that I would say something to him like this. After all, he has lived with me for the past 28 years . . . he knows how excited I get about this whole season of getting and giving people special Christmas gifts.

"I do. It's a special gift. A very special gift. And I want you to open it when we are alone and no one else is around."

"Okay," he said, surprising me because of the fuss he didn't give, "I'll do it. Let's go upstairs and I'll open it."

So we went up the stairs and I handed him a small box with a gold bow on it. He held it in his hands and he looked at me in a special way.

"Open the box. This is something that I have wanted to give you for a very long time."

He opened the box and inside he found a beautiful Marine Corps Commemorative Ring.

For a minute or two, we just sat there in silence as he held the ring box and meditated on the specialness of this unexpected gift.

"It fits me perfectly," he finally said, "And it's nice. It's so nice. It's such a nice looking ring. It even has the DI emblem on it."

"I know. I had them put that on there because that's what you were doing when I married you. Look, it even has your initials and your dates of service etched in the inside of it."

"Wow, this is really nice. This is really, really nice," he said as he reached over and gave me a big hug and a passionate kiss.

"This is my small way of thanking you for everything you have ever done for me," I said with tears swelling up in my own eyes, "You have been so very good to me. Thank you so much for all you have given to me and been to me."

We just stood there and embraced. Sometimes silence is the very best way to speak.

My husband is a great man. He has done so much and been through so much. And yet, he keeps on keeping on. He is one of those winners in life. He is victorious because he refuses to quit. I wish I could give him the sun, moon and every one of the stars that hang in the sky. But those aren't mine to give. Only God is able to give those gifts.

So, for now, I've just settled for giving him something simple . . . and pretty special . . . something I knew would be used to remind him of something very precious to him . . . a Marine Corps Commemorative Ring.

Merry Christmas to my faithful Pastor husband, who for twenty-one years served his life as a United States Marine. From your loving wife . . . who wants you to know that she appreciates you very, very much ♥.

Hayden & the Christmas Decorations

Hayden discovered the Christmas tree this past Sunday. Even though it has been up for a few weeks, Sunday was the first time he paid any attention to it.

I had to laugh as I watched him from the corner of my eye grab a glass Christmas ornament off of the tree, pull it apart, and then attempt to chew on the metal clip and throw the ball part across the room like a grenade.

Hayden is all boy. There is nothing even remotely girlie about this little boy :).

Even though we rescued him from choking and causing a glass catastrophe in the living room, I couldn't help but want to leave him alone again and again and watch him with the tree. It was so much fun just watching him interact with all the different ornaments on the tree.

Later on that day I pulled down this beautiful musical nativity snow globe (that a friend had given me a few years ago) so that I could shake it up and show the boys how neat it was. Conner thought it was neat, but Hayden thought it was something extra special. When I held it in front of him so that he could see it real close, he leaned over and kissed the globe, then he touched the angel on top and kissed that too. It's almost as if he knew how special the angel and the nativity was. Maybe in his little heart, he already does know.

We love you Hayden. God has made you our own little Christmas angel this year ♥.

Her First Church Home

Just about every Sunday night at our church Pastor Dave has someone share the testimony of how they got saved. Last night we heard from our dear friend Karen Smith, and it was a very, very moving testimony indeed. I'm so thankful that Pastor Dave came up with the idea to do this. It has provided all of us with such a special opportunity to be able to understand and get to know each other in such an "up close and personal" way.

After Karen finished sharing her testimony with us, I leaned over to my friend Lisa that was sitting to the left of me and asked her how many years she has been coming to our church.

"It's been six years," she said.

"Wow," I responded, "It's already been six years. I still remember the first time you came. You sat right back there." I told her as I pointed towards the middle section of our church.

"You know, this is my first church home. This is the only church I have ever attended. I'm pretty lucky, aren't I," she said.

And when she said that, tears immediately filled my eyes as the weight of responsibility began to quickly fill my heart.

Her first church home and the only church she has ever attended. My husband has been the only Pastor she has ever had, and I am the only Pastor's wife she has ever known. For me, this was a very overwhelming thought. Even though I was raised a Catholic and had attended church all throughout my growing up years, I still remember the little Baptist Church where I was saved at the age of twenty-three years old.

Antioch Baptist Church was its name. It was a small church of about forty people pastored by a man named Roger Hoosier. He was such a nice and patient man. He was the one who gave our family our first Bible. I remember his wife being a kind and gentle woman, quietly supporting him by taking good care of his home and children as he did God's work.

That first Bible believing Christian church was so important to us. We saw it as a piece of Heaven on this earth. We felt so important as we became involved with it. We did whatever we saw that needed to be done. God used that first church to plant a seed of service in us that would continue to grow into a strong tree that is now being used in our church to grow others under. For me, this was a very overwhelming thought.

My husband is her first Pastor. I am her first Pastor's Wife. It has been under our ministry that the seed has been planted in this dear woman's life.

As I was sharing this with my husband this morning, he reminded me that there are so many people in our church just like Lisa. This is their first church home and the first church that they have ever attended. Once again tears began to fill my eyes as the weight of responsibility once again began to fill my heart.

Being the wife of a Pastor of a Bible believing Church is such a great privilege and opportunity. It is a privilege to be the one who encourages the Man of God as he brings the Message of God to the hearts of so many people who desperately need to hear the Word of God . . . some like Lisa who walked into our church and heard it for the first time . . . and some who have come like Karen who had heard it so many times.

And it is a great opportunity for Me too . . . to be used as a tool to love people unconditionally, encourage them joyfully, and to help them grow biblically.

God used that little conversation last night to sober me up and mature me. I have always been sure that God called my husband to do a great work here, but as I talked with Lisa and listened to the testimony of Karen last night . . . He reminded me of the special work that He has given me to do here as well.