My Heart is in Your Hands

Rachel gathered the blooms off our hummingbird vine that had fallen during a previous rain. When i started taking pictures of her bouquet it struck me how much it looked like a heart.

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

O my Lord, you have said, "Ask for whatever you wish and it will be done for you." Why is it that my heart is so little able to accept these words in their divine simplicity? Oh, help me see that what I need is nothing less than this promise to overcome the powers of the world and Satan! Teach me to pray in the faith of this Thy promise.
Andrew Murray

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!

What the Sunrise Taught me

I have a very busy weekend ahead. Rachel's slumber party is tonight, we are going to a picnic tomorrow afternoon, friends are coming by tomorrow evening and family will be visiting on Sunday. Though i am looking forward to the times of fellowship with friends and family i am also intimidated by my "to do" list for the coming days. This morning as i was going over my mental checklist and pouring my heart out to God i noticed an orange glow coming from behind me. I turned to see the sun rising above the hill down the road from the house. Though it only took a couple of minutes to rise above the hill and the trees there was never a moment where it seemed rushed. My eyes were on the sun that whole time but before i knew it it was illuminating the sky. In this moment i was assured that the same caring Creator who orchestrates the sun's ascension in the morning also lovingly directs my steps throughout the days. That knowledge fills me with such peace as i once again review my to do list and anticipate the weekend ahead.

Love Never Fails

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 When i found this flower in my Mother-in-law's yard i couldn't resist its beautiful color and its intersting heart shape. It just fits perfectly with these verses about love from 1 Corintians, don't you think?