Singing With the Birds

I really did not want to get up this morning. The room was dark, the skies were gray, the rain was falling and it was quite chilly. My first thought was to pull the covers up and put the pillow over my head. My mind was racing with excuses why it was wrong to be up at such an hour. Everyone else was sleeping so i should be too.
Then that is when i heard it...
Birds singing! It started with one, then others joined in.
It was as if they were singing for God and wanted me to join in too.
The rain would not dampen their spirits and the gray skies would not darken their view. From tree branches and soaring through the air the birds sang with much enthusiasm.
For a moment i sat in silence and just listened. Then i started to sing too.
What the birds reminded me is that each day is a gift from the Father above and every gift He gives is given out of His great love.
So the next time you hear the birds sing, remember what i have just shared with you and sing praises to the God who loves you!

She's Home!

Rachel the weary camper is now back in our midst! Her daddy, brothers and i picked her up at church around a quarter til noon. She came bearing candy and other goodies along with a new Webkin. Also among her goodies was a trophy for "Camper of the Day", which she won on Wednesday.

Rachel's group leader, Mrs. Kelley, told me how Rachel held doors for people, waited on them and never complained. What a joy to know she has such a sweet servant's heart!

I am sure we will be hearing more and more in the days to come and i can't wait to hear it all. For the time being, Rachel is pretty tired (as to be expected) and i sent her to get a shower because she had an orange scalp and faded writing on her face-remenants of "Organized Mass Chaos Day" that took place yesterday. Even though she showered last night the paint and ink lingered.

One exciting piece of news she did share with us on the way back home was that 8 kids gave their hearts to Christ this week! Now that is something to rejoice over.

As Rachel rests and catches up on her sleep she is sure to remember and share her camp experiences with us. We are all eagerly awaiting to hear of her adventures! Until then we are just glad to have her back home. I asked her if she wanted to do it again next year and she did not hesitate to answer, "yes!".

Now Rachel's brothers want to know when they get to go to camp. It will still be a few years before Reece and Sawyer get to go but Brogan will be going next year. He can't wait!

And now i would like to share Rachel's memory verse for the week at camp:

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

John 1:14

Looking up!

I have always compared my mind to a radio stuck between frequencies where the listener is hearing multiple voices, which are all garbled and make no sense. There are lyrics being sung and the tune may sound familiar but too warped to be enjoyable. Then on top of all this there is static...lots of static.The dial is broken and the volume is stuck on maximum. Since all of this is going on inside your head no one else can hear it nor can you really explain it.

My little "radio" has played for so long in this manner that i just figured it would always be that way. It has frustrated many efforts to communicate with others, my ability to think calmly and rationally and it has kept me up many hours while everyone else was sleeping. I am almost suprised when others cannot hear these things going on inside because to me it seems so loud.

When i talked with my doctor a couple of weeks ago i took my husband back with me. After suffering from depression for so long i forget what normal is. Depression has been my normal so much of my life. So i asked Jeremy to come back with me to tell his side of the story. The doctor listened to both of us and then he prescribed Effexor.

We left the office that day and i was afraid to get my hopes up but i tried it anyway. I'm glad i did.

I still have a way to go. My emotions are still evening out. There are still moments of anxiety and moments of numbness. Writing, which has always been so easy for me, continues to be an area of struggle. This is very hard on me.

The good news is my thinking is clearer. You would think that would be conducive to more writing but i just have to believe that will come in time.

Well, i have done what i set out to do-get some thoughts out. And for what it's worth, i am looking up!