An Open Letter to a Driver

Dear Guy in the green Ford Escort Wagon:

First, I will say thank you for your apology out the windshield when I arrived at the red light approximately 5 seconds after you. Of course, you were in the left turn lane and I was turning right so I was able to make a right turn on red while you had to sit there waiting for its cycle. That shouldn't strike me as some sort of sweet justice but somehow it always does. I am a work in progress - I'm hopeful God keeps forgiving me for my thoughts and feelings until I get it right.

Anyhow...this is more to let you know that if I hadn't seen you coming up on the circle in time to slow down as much as I did to let your little bullet-speed self whip in front of me, you would have t-boned my van on the passenger side. Often my van carries me and only me. Not that time, though. You would have plowed into both my husband and my 9 year old son. 9, sir. The boy is 9. Yes - I have side-impact airbags and they MIGHT have saved their lives but as fast as you were going? I doubt it. Metal traveling at highway speed impacting with medal rarely has positive results. How could you have possibly lived with yourself if you had, at the least, hurt my husband and son and at the most killed them?

Truly - I understand the need to rush to that red light. Red is such a pretty color and to bask in its glow for even a few seconds always puts a smile on my face, too. Perhaps it was a sincere desire to issue me a hands in the air apology. I don't know what it was but... honestly? I don't care. When I saw you coming, all I could really see (since you were traveling so fast you were nothing much more than a green blur) was my husband and son - bloody and mangled because you ignored your yield sign and gunned it into that circle. And the only thing that saved them, really, was God because while my brakes slowed us down, it was only because God turned my head in your direction as I was driving that I even saw you coming.

I'm tired of driving. I used to have this sincere love of cars. I have had my share of driving fast and doing some stupid things but I can honestly say that went above and beyond in the stupid department. We so desperately need - every single one of us needs - to remember that while our cars are definitely built safer, they're not indestructable. While we think we are good drivers - we are still imperfect humans, putting our trust in fallible machines. There are rules for driving and perhaps it would behoove us greatly if we'd refresh ourselves on just what those rules are. Oh...and for folks who don't know (and at the moment, I'm specifically thinking of you, sir - the guy in the green Ford Escort who jumped into the circle on Ash Way yesterday at about 9PM)? Yield means:

–verb (used with object)
1.to give forth or produce by a natural process or in return for cultivation: This farm yields enough fruit to meet all our needs.
2.to produce or furnish (payment, profit, or interest): a trust fund that yields ten percent interest annually; That investment will yield a handsome return.
3.to give up, as to superior power or authority: They yielded the fort to the enemy.
4.to give up or surrender (oneself): He yielded himself to temptation.
5.to give up or over; relinquish or resign: to yield the floor to the senator from Ohio.
6.to give as due or required: to yield obedience.
7.to cause; give rise to: The play yielded only one good laugh.

–verb (used without object)
8.to give a return, as for labor expended; produce; bear.
9.to surrender or submit, as to superior power: The rebels yielded after a week.
10.to give way to influence, entreaty, argument, or the like: Don't yield to their outrageous demands.
11.to give place or precedence (usually fol. by to): to yield to another; Will the senator from New York yield?
12.to give way to force, pressure, etc., so as to move, bend, collapse, or the like.

–noun
13.the act of yielding or producing.
14.something yielded.
15.the quantity or amount yielded.
16.Chemistry. the quantity of product formed by the interaction of two or more substances, generally expressed as a percentage of the quantity obtained to that theoretically obtainable.
17.the income produced by a financial investment, usually shown as a percentage of cost.
18.a measure of the destructive energy of a nuclear explosion, expressed in kilotons of the amount of TNT that would produce the same destruction.

Origin: bef. 900; (v.) ME y(i)elden, OE g(i)eldan to pay; c. G gelten to be worth, apply to; (n.) late ME, deriv. of the v.

I love my husband and I love my son. I would oh so prefer to keep them in my life, in one piece. Since I was in the circle, since you technically didn't really have enough time to enter it safely in front of me and there was that big "Yield" sign - you should have waited. You shouldn't have scared us half to death by stepping down on the gas and turning into that circle going so fast that your whole car shifted to the left and for a second looked like it was going to roll over. You should have slowed down and waited. Ended up behind me. For those few seconds until you arrived at that red light, it wouldn't have been so bad. I have pretty stickers on the back of my van - the view would have been quite lovely.

Instead, you have created a situation in which I thought things I most definitely should not think and used some words (in my head) I most definitely should not use. I do have to impart a bit of thanks, though. It helps me to see God IS doing a good work in me. The words stayed in my head - I didn't say them out loud, I arrived at laughter much faster over this than normal and when you flashed me your "apology," I accepted it - almost graciously. These are huge strides for a Jersey-born and raised girl who has spent most of her life with the motto "insult with words first, ask questions later." The road is almost the last frontier for me in getting that motto out of my system.

Of course...if I were to ever see you again (and I got a GOOD look at you at that red light), I may not be able to resist the urge to read you this letter in person. Then I might have to hold back a Gibbs-slap because, honey? No matter how you cut it, or how long it takes me to forgive you - your car is a lethal weapon on wheels and you need to respect that. We ALL need to respect that.

May you all have a blessed green Ford Escort-less day!

Lewa's Designs

Kimba at A Soft Place To Land is hosting a giveaway featuring Lewa's Designs. Lewa's Designs is owned and operated by Brittany Huges, am elementary school teacher who is currently staying at home with her little one.

I absolutely adore vinyl. It's incredibly easy to apply, it's not permanent and the designs are simply too cute. You can put it anywhere and you can move it around.

Lewa's Designs is hosting and "everybody wins" contest. If you blog about their vinyl, link back to her website or her etsy shop, you win your choice of the 3 vinyl's pictured.

This picture might be hard to see (sorry about that!) but if you blog about this giveaway, you win your choice of either the Medium Caterpillar Wall Decal, the Baby Swirly Bird Decal or the Baseball Wall Decal.

How awesome is that?

Also - if you head over to the Lewa's Design blog and put her button on your sidebar, you get your choice of TWO of the above items. I'm thinking AWESOME GIFTS!! I already know my two choices and who I'm giving them to. WAHOOOO!!! How I love vinyl and I look forward to getting to know Lewa's Designs...I'll be headed to her site anytime I am looking for new vinyl!

So...whatcha doin' reading my post? Get busy and get entered! Have a great weekend!

Honduras and Thankful Thursdays

I am going to combine my Thankful Thursday post with a request today. I am asking anyone who stops by my blog to please pray for the people of Belize and Honduras. A 7.1 earthquake, eminating from only 6 miles below the surface, struck along the coast at 2:24 AM this morning. So far it's been reported that two dozen homes collapsed, killing two children and injuring 40 more.

A friend's parents are missionaries at Hospital Loma de Luz, located on the Caribbean coast of Honduras. The earthquake was centered on the Caribbean side of the country. At this point, we have no news from them directly and assume it could take some time to hear from them. Power is spotty at best there, anyhow.

For more information on the Hopital Loma de Luz, check out the Cornerstone Foundation website. For more information on the earthquake, read here.

Please pray for safety and comfort for both the Honduran people and the people of Belize. They are poor countries and the average person doesn't have a lot of resources. As I mentioned before, their power is spotty at best and that's just one example of what they are lacking. Medical care is scarce and difficult to get to, services are few and far between.

With that said, I'll keep my Thankful Thursday part of this post short. Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage is hosting again this week and for the topic this week she talks about hearing - and obeying - the voice of God. My struggle is always in the obeying. I often hear God and then...the arguments settle in. "Really? You want me to do...? Really? Do I have to?" On and on my whining goes until I either obey or the opportunity passes and I have chosen to ignore God. Usually in fear - the fear of being rejected, embarrassed or hurt and then I beat myself up. It is an almost never ending cycle. When I choose to obey, though, the reaction is exactly the opposite. There is peace, there is joy and there is the knowing God has nodded His head and said "Well done, good and faithful servant."

As I write that - why am I thankful? Because even when I fail to obey, God loves me. Because even when I miss His voice, He doesn't consider me useless. I get another chance. And another. He pushes me - sometimes harder than I might like but He doesn't stop. God has never given up on me. In my "rebellion years" (from 16 to 35 I totally rejected God), He was there for me. I can see it now and I have fallen on my knees a few times, as memories hit, to thank Him for His grace and mercy. The tears that have flowed over realizations I've had at just how much I must have hurt Him... Yet Christ covers me and I am forgiven.

Today, as I think of all of those times I have heard the voice of God and chosen not to obey, I request His forgiveness and am overwhelmed that it is granted.

Oh Lord, my prayer today, is that as I hear your voice, that I will obey. I will not turn from you in fear - your Word promises me a spirit of power, not of timidity. May that spirit overwhelm me - no matter what you ask of me. May today be the day I set aside anything that is keeping me from You, from hearing You, from seeing You. May today be the day that I walk anew, scales fallen from my eyes, plugs removed from my ears and may I always be known to You as Your good and faithful servant. In the powerful name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I ask these things. Amen.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

~Psalm 29:3-5

Blessings.

There Are Always Headlines...

which we can't seem to avoid, no matter how "family friendly" a line the stores offer. They're everywhere and it seems to be human nature to take absolute joy in watching someone who was successful fail. Most of us seem to want to have what we consider "success" but boy oh boy do we turn green at those who get it.

I can't begin to imagine the pressures of living my life in a fish bowl. I know I wouldn't want it and for those who do, their reasoning belongs to them. For some it just happens to them and figuring out how to manage it can be another success - or abject failure.

I'm referring to worldly success here. God defines success differently than we do and people a lot smarter than I am in the Biblical department have covered that. For some of us God's idea of success for us looks a lot like wordly success and for them... well... to whom much is given, much is expected (Luke 12:48 - I've paraphrased it a bit).

Recently the headlines we see involve a couple who are Christian and who have become quite successful as far as the world is concerned. Plenty of people are willing to toss around criticisms, harsh words and even some "come-uppance" talk about this couple. Before I go any further - I'll be bluntly honest here. When I watched part of an interview recently (after the mess hit the fan), my first thought was "Wow - she does not understand submission and he has NO idea how to be the spiritual head - or any kind of head - of his household." Within seconds of having that thought (and voicing it to my husband), the Holy Spirit started convicting me. There I sat - my husband and I are in a good place in our marriage, our life is going along pretty well - what do I know about what is going on with the two of them? Until a few weeks ago, I didn't even know they existed and now I'm passing judgement on their marriage... Who, exactly, do I think I am?

Fact is...we're all sinners. Our sin may look different from one another's as far as the details are concerned but we're all sinners. We can trace our sin back to one of two basic sins, too - unbelief or idolatry. Whatever it is - we're all guilty of them at one time or another. When we sin it's either because we don't believe and trust God is who He says He is or because we have placed something before Him as being more important to us (even if that something is ourself - after all, most of us want to BE God at one time or another, don't we?).

To vilify this couple because their sin is now public is cruel and wrong. To say that they deserve this heartache because they talked as if they were above this type of problem is ludicrous. Do we really want to stray into the sanctimonious "I would never..." conversation because it's very dangerous ground. We do not know what tomorrow will bring to us.

This couple has to take a long, hard and serious look at themselves as individuals and as a couple AND they have to figure out how to put themselves back together without hurting their children too much. And they get to do it while America watches. Are those shoes you'd want to wear? I wouldn't. Even with God's help every step of the way it is going to be intensely painful and if either of them gives up and doesn't do whatever God wants them to do as an individual, they will have an even more difficult time staying together as a couple. Therein lies a whole new heartache.

I refuse to hang on every word of this story but its been difficult to avoid it. From what I have heard, though, I know this couple needs our prayers - not judgment. They need to know their brothers and sisters in Christ are standing behind them, next to them and in front of them as they go through this trial - whatever kind of "discipline" it may be. They need to be reminded over and over and over again that God loves them - deeply, overwhelmingly and desires nothing less for them than His perfection. Sanctification and however He brings that to them, that is God's picture. Not ours. We have no right to create it for them, to impose our beliefs of what it should look like upon them. They have to stand before God and answer for their words, their actions - we have our own answers to give.

A teacher of mine once said that Christians are the only group of people on this planet who shoot their own wounded. I'm not sure we're the only group but one thing is for sure - we're definitely one group who shouldn't be shooting anybody. We are to speak to our brothers and sisters about the sin in their life but that is the sin we KNOW about - not what is reported to us, assumed or inferred. What we KNOW. Firsthand. To scream "sinner" without knowing the truth puts us pretty even with the Pharisees were who threw the adulteress in front of Christ. And who threw the first stone there?

My first, gut reaction was a wake-up call for me. I have my own work to do and my sanctification continues. I had to repent of those thoughts and throw myself on God's mercy. I also have to take a good, long, hard look at why my mind went there first. Where is my relationship with Christ right now if I don't react Christ-like? How am I doing as a wife? Where is my relationship with my husband - really? What do I need to do to make it better and what do I need to do to draw closer to God? How do I pray for those around me? Why do I care more for myself than others? How am I serving God and how do I truly feel about those people around me - people He loves just as deeply as He loves me?

That's what I need to be paying attention to - not the headlines in the grocery store.

Memorial Day

In memory of every man and woman who gave their life in service to their country in one of America's Armed Forces.

On this day - this one day every year when we pause and give thanks to Almighty God for your willingness to serve, your honor and your valor, I add my voice.

Thank you from the depths of my being. It is because of your bravery, your honor, your courage and your strength that I sit here today and for that you have my eternal gratitude.

May the God of all peace and comfort be apparent to your families through each day as they continue on without you and for those who have gone on so long ago, may we never forget you - may there always be someone to remind us who you were.

Have a blessed Memorial Day.

Memorial Day History

Thinking...

I've been thinking a lot recently about how purposeful my life has not been. It's been relatively aimless through the years. Except for raising my son as a single mom, I didn't really give too much thought to what I was doing with my life.

The last few years have brought new opportunity, new direction in combatting human trafficking and working with the homeless but I still have this sense of drifting - not really certain of what I'm doing or what I want to do.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I started taking a class through our church. It's called Changing Hearts, Changing Lives and its focus is Biblical counseling. I have often thought I'd make a fairly decent counselor - as long as I remembered to listen more than I talk. That can be difficult for me sometimes but it's getting easier as I get older.

I am trying to live my life more deliberately. I'm trying to live it based upon my faith and I still struggle with that - oh so desperately do I struggle. I'm trying to wake up each morning, asking God to show me what to do with my day and then putting one foot in front of the other doing it. My quiet time has been more listening than talking, more reading than requesting.


This blog is meant as an online journal to record all of that. Just - a place for me to write my thoughts and feelings. My logic may end up skewed for a bit (it does often - God usually brings me around, though) so if you read something here and it makes no sense or seems horribly wrong don't worry. Wait a week or two. I'll probably clarify it somehow.

Tonight I read a post about churches who charge for Vacation Bible School. I don't know if our church is charging this year or not. I don't believe it is. We did last year but I think there was something that happened - a problem with the curriculum somehow - and the church felt trapped. We didn't force anyone to pay and there were a lot of scholarships available (I paid for my own son and a scholarship). That was why, though, we wrote our own curriculum for this year - so we wouldn't be caught with unexpected copyright fees. Was our church right to charge? I don't know. I know it didn't phase me but I didn't really stop to think about it, either. The post I read presents some incredible arguments against charging. Another incident of my not really knowing where I stand on something, not quite sure what to think. I'm still sorting through all of it and I guess I'll just have to wait until it's settled in my mind.

What I'm getting at - as I ramble through this post - is I hope to figure out a way to write on this blog that actually dives a bit into who I am. I don't really like to do that all that much. If something seems to be getting too close, digging in too deep or requiring me to feel more than just a few seconds of discomfort, I move on, I avoid it, I end the process as quickly as possible. I'm hoping that stop doing that. I want to figure out what it is that I really, truly believe. What are my principles and why? Maybe more the why than the what.

Ultimately - I want to start asking - what does the Bible say about that? Then I want to document it and I'll probably use this as one way of doing that. I'm going to go back to keeping a written journal, too because as wonderful (and fast!) as it is to type out what I'm thinking, writing it with my own hand seems to cement it in my head, makes it easier to recall.

Here's hoping I don't make too big of a fool of myself...

Thankful Thursdays - Nature

This week, Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage is hosting Thankful Thursday again. I admit - I haven't participated the last couple of Thursdays because, to be honest, I've been so incredibly busy that by the time I realize it's Thursday and I haven't posted my Thankful Thursday post, I'm getting ready for bed and facing Friday...

When it hit me this last weekend that I have basically "checked out" on doing the things I love to do because I've been so overwhelmed with other things, I decided I needed to slow myself down, enjoy my life again - not just rush from one thing to the next.

Enjoying God's creation, being reminded of His imagination, His beauty is just the perfect way to do that. Right now my lilacs and Azaleas are blooming, my roses are budding and all sorts of bushes and plants I haven't learned the names of yet are adorning themselves with beautiful flowers so quickly I'm sure a dozen more popped open as I wrote this sentence. I look out my office window at pink... pink... white.... My pictures today are from last year because I haven't pulled out my camera yet this year but the view hasn't changed much (except the iris' aren't blooming quite yet.).

Of course, with my love of the ocean, I head there whenever life gets really overwhelming. The ocean reminds me of God in so many ways - it's vastness, it's power, it's gentleness (think of the sand dollars it washes up on the shore and doesn't smash to smithereens...). I find a spot on the beach, I cozy up on a piece of driftwood with my Bible and allow God's Word to wash over me. I can sit out there for hours sometimes just listening and letting my thoughts swirl until they settle in my mind and God can put them where He wants them.

Men were put in charge of God's creation, it is ours to take care of and use (as stewards...). We also look at nature to see God. He is glorified through the beauty and power of His creation and ultimately, that is where my thanksfulness lies. I give thanks to our Glorious Creator for His imagination, for His power, for His love in creating something so magnificient and glorious. To Him all praise and glory should be given and if you don't believe me...head to the ocean...

Before that happens, though, head over to visit with Lynn and read some of the other Thankful Thursday posts.

Great Quote

I was watching Extreme Home Makeover on Sunday and the family they picked for this last week was incredible. The families are always pulling at my heart strings, most of the shows make me cry (I had to stop watching the full show - my head always hurt on Monday) but this last Sunday, well...the father and his sons seemed somehow "more" deserving than most.

Anyhow... this post is more about a quote I heard him state at the end of the show. He opened his home as a type of community center for the kids in his neighborhood and the quote is apparently very familiar to them. He said:

"What do I always tell you, kids? Dream big. Dream huge. Reach for the moon and if you miss the moon, grab a star instead."

...if you miss the moon grab a star instead...

Even if you fail, even if your dream doesn't come true - remain flexible - it might need some modifications but there is no reason why you can't achieve what you set out to achieve.

I fully believe we can't achieve more than God's purpose for our lives but I also know that God puts "big" in our hearts - whatever that looks like for each one of us.

So... reach for the moon and if you miss the moon, grab a star instead.... and then take a moment to thank God that He gave you hands.

Spa Night

Tomorrow approximately 50 women are going to be heading out into the various shelters in Snohomish and King County, Washington State. We're going to do manicures, pedicures, cut hair, give massages and facials to the women who call the shelter their home.

This will be my third Spa Night. I absolutely know God is going to bowl me over yet again with something. I have no idea what He has in store for me but I know it's going to be jaw-droppingly amazing.

I'll post details as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you read this, could you please be praying for us? As blessed an evening as this always is, there is never a shortage of attacks and problems... your prayers would be humbly appreciated.

Blessings!

Public Speaking

On Monday evening I was humbled and honored to be able to speak at Frontline for Justice's monthly meeting. It's an incredibly humbling experience for me to stand up in front of a group of people and speak. As nervous as I get, I do enjoy doing it and not for the reasons you might think. I'm actually a "stay out of the limelight" kind of person - I don't like being showered with attention. It's why I never pursued a career in acting (although I supposedly had some ability in that department - my pediatrician used to call me Sarah Bernhardt after the silent film actress... I never quite understood that, though. I was never known for my silence.).

What I think I like about speaking is that it opens doors to talk with people I might not otherwise get to talk to about things that may have never come up in conversation. I'm not very brave (believe it or not) and approaching someone new to talk to has never been something I'm good at. However, there are people who will walk up to someone after they have spoken to ask questions, say "good job" or to critique what was said. I'm good with all of it if it means I get to talk to someone I don't already know. I met a couple of incredibly interesting and beautiful people Monday night. I added people and (even a formerly unknown to me organization) to my prayer list and I hope to get to see them again.

While I will never think I'm any good at public speaking, I hope God continues to ask me to do it. Oh...and if it turns out I am blessed enough to somday be speaking and you hear me, please come up to me and say hello afterwards. I would truly love to meet you. It would be the best part of my day.

It's So Pretty!

I've found another giveaway. This one is absolutely precious, too. Elizabeth at Pigtails and Snails is giving away the most adorable quilt, her most recent work. You have to head over and check it out. Know anyone who is having a baby girl soon? Perfect gift.



Let me know if you win! I'll be rejoicing right along with you!



Blessings.

The Day After Mother's Day

Well...it's over. THE day every year when children all over this country hand their mothers lovingly made, crayon colored cards and chorus "Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you!" Where were you yesterday?

I was at home for breakfast. Lovingly cooked by my husband and younger son, presented beautifully and well worth the wait. My Mom came over, too. In between "courses" (yes - breakfast was in courses. Course #1 consisted of cinnamon bites and course #2 was blueberry scones... ahhhhhhh... carb heaven!), Mom and I opened gifts. Mom seemed to really like her gifts and I absolutely love that my Mom buys me a Mother's Day gift. It just cracks me up. That and she has great taste so I'm always tickled by whatever I'm pulling out of my bag.

After breakfast, Mom and I hopped in the car and headed up to La Conner. La Conner is one of those beautiful little towns that has turned itself into a shopping mecca. Little antique stores, art galleries and "trinket" stores fill the old houses and warehouses up there. We spent as much time driving to and from La Conner as we spent walking around in it but it was a beautiful afternoon and we saw (and yes - even bought) a few cute things. On our way back home we stopped at a very popular produce stand and bought some of the biggest ice cream cones you can get.

Why am I forgetting my camera these days???? I'm so sorry! My camera sat in my purse all day and I'm willing to bet I probably could have taken some gorgeous shots of boats on the water....

Ah, well. Next time.

We meandered toward home, making a few more stops and then just relaxed at our house for a little bit before heading over to Chris' for dinner. Yes - you read that right. Chris cooked us dinner last night. It wasn't hot dogs or hamburgers on the grill, either. It wasn't grilled cheese or spaghetti.

Nope. He did chicken stir fry. He put together an amazing salad and he offered us garlic bread. The smell alone about drove me up the wall when I walked in the door. It was absolutely heavenly and while I was hungry when I got there, I was starving after my first inhale. My stomach actually growled when the smell of dinner hit my brain.


Dinner was so incredibly yummy. My son can cook!!!!

Then, he gave his grandmother & I both cards and flowers. I asked him before opening it - is it funny or mushy? He told me it was both. He lied. I almost started crying as I read the card. It was just so....amazing. When we got home and settled, I asked Aaron if he wanted to read it. He said sure - since he had forgotten to get me one... I told him - this year? Probably a good thing he did forget because no card out there could top the one Chris gave me. Aaron read it and completely agreed.

My son. I have no idea why God chose to bless me with that man but He did. He's not my boy anymore. He's definitely grown up and while he's still 23 in a lot of ways, he's incredibly mature in ways I would have never expected. I am so proud to be his mother (and that feels like an understatement). You know the verse in Romans where it talks about the Holy Spirit groans to God in prayer when you don't have words? Well...that's where I am in describing Chris. I don't have the words to tell you how much I love him. How proud of him I am. How blessed I am to be his mom. How I wouldn't trade everything we've gone through for anything or anyone.

Of course I wish it didn't have to have been as hard as it was but actually? I can see why now. Neither one of us is anything less than completely hard-headed. We had to do it all the hard way. It brought us to a place where we can appreciate each other in ways I don't think we could have if life hadn't been so tough for us for so long.

He is an amazing young man. I know - I've said that. I need original material... Actually? I'm hoping God brings an amazing young woman into his life soon. He seems to have settled into life enough to be ready for that. Now if only God would agree....

Hope you all had as perfect a Mother's Day as I did!

National Day of Prayer

Every time I do something I say I'm going to be a bit more organized next time. I'm 42 now. Seriously - shouldn't I have learned this lesson by now?

Aaron and I opened our home Thursday evening and we were here. With our Lifegroup. With our yard signs that said "National Day of Prayer - Open for Prayer." We had a few cars slow down but...no one parked and came in to pray with us. BIG sigh...

However. Like doing anything else for the first time, I learned a few things so come 2010, for the National Day of Prayer I will:

1. Pray for God's guidance regarding the National Day of Prayer long before it's rolling around!

2. Take the whole day off. Cleaning your house in preparation for total strangers to enter it is daunting and exhausting task. By the time 6PM arrived Thursday night, the three of us were too tired to do much more than vaguely participate.

3. Address personal invitations to my neighbors and hand them out at least one week before.

4. Send an email to everyone I know at least one week and then again no less than 3 days before.

5. Spend quality time on the National Day of Prayer website and have things more firmly planted in my mind.

6. Type out the Scripture sheets at least a week in advance! Doing them in less than an hour plus printing them off is WAY too much pressure.

All of that would have left the actual time of prayer as time of prayer, not my normal "Did I remember it all?" stress thinking time!

We had a lovely evening, don't misunderstand. Somehow, some day, some way though, I am going to learn to be more organized...

Grosgrain: Art Nest Pincushion Ring GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: Art Nest Pincushion Ring GIVEAWAY!!!!

Incredibly fun but only open for another couple of days!

Click over - Quick!!

Dayspring again

This time, I really, really have to fight the green-eyed monster. I just found out that Kimba over at A Soft Place to Land received the Dayspring Life to the Full collection, too. Ohhhh bigggggg sigh..... To have a readership and be considered by Dayspring as a good place to get the word out... I have to say, I don't usually go so nuts over dishes. I mean - they're dishes. Right? What's the big deal. I wish I could say that on this set but I absolutely love it.

Kimba is giving away a $50 gift certificate, though, for Dayspring and I'm oh so hoping I win this one. Posting about it on my blog earns me another entry and since I don't Twitter, I'm stuck at two. Please...go enter... oh... wait... well... ok. Go enter but if you win, can I have half???

Enter quick. The giveaway is only open until May 12th!

Oh... and if you don't enter, would you mind sending up a little prayer for me? I am realllllly hearting those 8" dessert plates. I need (oops - let's say want...) 16 of them...

Do I make a difference? CAN I make a difference?

Those questions pop into our mind on occasion. Truly - the answer is yes. There are many ways, none of them "easy" but one that does seem to be easier than others is through sponsoring a child.

Have you read any of this yet? Don't back away from it. Don't close the window because the stories are too hard to read. Just grab two boxes of tissues and read, read, read... What an amazing journey this has been to follow.

It has made me want to sponsor another child. I'm not sure anymore that two is enough. I have so much and it takes so little. For some, I know, $32 a month sounds like a small fortune. It was when I had so much less. Compassion International is amazing, though, in all it does around the world with such a small amount.

Take a moment or two or three... read some of the posts, check out the children still in need of a sponsor and become a part of their story. You become intimately weaved into their lives. They love you, they pray for you. You matter to them in ways you can never imagine.

And they matter to you. More than you could believe possible. You will discover depths of feeling you never realized you possessed.

For $32 a month you provide not only food and medical care but hope. Hope. You give them a chance to dream. You offer security. You can make a difference.

A New Giveaway!

A few months back, I received an email from Dayspring telling me about their new line of dishes. Well, I spent some time drooling over them and then went back to work. Unfortunately, money spent on such things was not in the forecast at the time.

Well... found out today I might - just maybe - be able to add one of their pieces to my collection of dishes. The Nester is giving away three of the Dayspring platters and I'm keeping my prayers shooting up to heaven on this one. I would LOVE to hang that platter in my dining room. What a beautiful decoration to add to the house!

However... if I don't win, it would only be easy to take if someone I do know & love wins instead so... head on over to the Nesting Place and enter!

Get busy...