A Thank you for Mother's Day

I just have to brag on and thank Jeremy, Rachel, Brogan, Reece and Sawyer for making my Mother's Day extra special. They spoiled me real good by giving me the new Francine Rivers book, "Her Mother's Hope", taking me out to eat and cleaning the van out.


I appreciate all they did for me and all they do for me day to day.


God has truly blessed me with a loving husband and children.


I love you all so much!

A Gift for Rachel

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

A picture may be worth a thousand words but still leave a person speechless and that is how i am feeling as i look at this picture.Some will look at this picture and see a pretty little girl with a doll but i see the goodness of God expressed through an unexpected gift from an anonymous friend.
The package arrived in the mail yesterday, much to everyone's surprise, and it was addressed to Rachel. The family gathered around as Rachel eagerly opened the box to reveal the contents inside. What she uncovered is the doll you see proudly displayed in the picture above. Her name is Felicity and she is an American Girl. Rachel is a big fan of the American Girl series, so to say she was excited would be putting it very mildly. Felicity came with a horse and several beautiful dresses. Also enclosed in the package was a letter that read:

Hello, my name is Felicity.
Sometimes blessings come in different ways. It doesn't really matter from where or how---you're just supposed to say thank you to the giver of all good things, the Lord.
Please love me and take good care of me.
I want to be your very best friend!
Love, Felicity

It is the message of this letter that comes to mind as i see Rachel in this picture and watch her play with Felicity. Felicity is Rachel's gift but she has been a blessing to Jeremy and me as well. To think someone would go to such lengths to make our little girl's eyes light up because they knew it would mean so much to her brought tears to our own eyes.
Thank You, Father for the gift You have given Rachel in the form of a doll named Felicity and thank You for the gift of friendship. I pray that this sweet soul will be blessed as You have blessed us through them.

Praise the God of Opportunity

Tonight i had the honor of meeting two brave ladies who will be doing the step study with me starting next week. I would have missed this wonderful opportunity had i let the enemy convince me that it was not worth the trouble to get out in the rain and cold with four children to go into town for a couple of hours. Oh, he tried every trick in the book-i have come to expect this of him. He reminded me my failures today and told me how unworthy i was to be around people who desire change and did not need me to waste their time. After listening to the accusations and lies(why do i listen?) it finally ocurred to me that he was trying awful hard to prevent me from going so it must be very important that i do go. It was with prayer and supplication that i headed out the door and it is with thanksgiving and praise that i share this experience now.
What a shame it would have been to have missed out. What a blessing to have gone and met these wonderful women! Now i have two more names to mention in my prayers tonight and faces to match. Thank You, Father, for every time i have needed encouragement and affirmation You have provided.
Yes Lord, You ARE in control!

Let's Talk

When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. Deuteronomy 17:18-20 Dr. Ray Pritchard cited this passage from Deuteronomy in a recent blog post titled, "Writing the Bible can be Good for Your Soul". The whole article is interesting and thought provoking but don't take my word for it read it for yourself at:http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/pritchard/11581909/. After reading this article i felt convicted to take up the practice of writing through the Bible myself. Unsure of where to start, i started at the beginning...the book of Genesis. However, after three days of writing and still not getting past chapter 1 i began to wonder if i had made the right choice. Then i started a new Bible study and right off the bat we are talking about how we use our tongues. Talk about conviction! Immediately we are taken to James 3:8-10: "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not be so." Then the sermon on Sunday night was on the ninth Commandment: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." The third chapter of James was once again referenced at this time. With all this talk about talk i am thinking God is really wanting me to think long and hard about the way i talk. And it is with this in mind that i am starting over tomorrow in my Bible writing. And where will i begin this time? Why, James 3, of course. And from there, wherever He leads me. You see, in my perfectionist thinking i believed i had to write it all in perfect order but my perfect Father seems to have another plan. This should be interesting. I will keep you all posted but before i go i feel led to end with this: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34 Good night all!

Nine Years ago Today

Seems like just yesterday, But it is actually nine years today, God blessed me in such a sweet way. This little girl with big brown eyes and a headful of curls came into the world with a whimper and a cry and an outstretched hand. Immediately she took hold of her Daddy's heart and mine too. Now the curls are gone but the big brown eyes are the same and so is the hold on all our hearts. And though she is another year older she will always be my little girl. But first she is God's and that is good to know because though i love her so i can never love her like He. And on this "special" day i say another prayer of thanks for such a special girl. Happy Birthday Rachel. You are so loved.