Journeys in the snow

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful, Since we've no place to go, Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow,

It doesn't show signs of stopping, And I've brought some corn for poppingThe lights are turned way down low, Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow,

When we finally kiss good night, How I'll hate going out in the storm, But if you really hold me tight, All the way home I'll be warm,

Fire is slowly dying, And, my dear, we're still goodbying, As long as you love me so, Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow,

The snow has been so beautiful this last week but having to travel in it has not been the best with going to work. It took me twice as long and was a bit scary. Through it though I was truely blessed in seeing the best in some people come out in the snow.

We had a wonderful neighbor come and use his tractor to clear the over foot of snow off our driveway the other day. It's great to have neighbors. Sometimes when times are tougher people just pull together to show love for no reason.

I got stuck in the snow two times this last week and both times people with big trucks pulled over and helped me. It amazes me how friendly the people of Washington are sometimes. They aren't just walking by but going out of their way to help each other.

Now that I am on vacation looking at the snow from the inside out. I would love to sing "let it snow" but still there are the Christmas travelers to think of. Once my company arrives "Let it snow... let it snow... let it snow.". :)

I'm thankful tonight for Mary and her obedience and heart as I think about her journey. Her joy must have been overwhelming to see Jesus for the first time.

Fruit: JOY

Song in my head: Let it snow

Verse: Luke 2:16-20 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”-

What is inside You?

Watch this video all the way through....



If you listen to the heartbeat of things you can hear whats truely inside. You can tell someone you love them but what is the song they will hear when they listen to the message your heart sings? Does your heart sing of the love you have for a God inside?

He is always ready waiting to hear your heart sing for Him

Fruit: Joy
Song in my head: Everlasting God - Lincoln Brewster
Verse:2 Corinthians 4:6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Wrapping Presents with a Cat

I read this on my friend Kelly's Blog and thought it was so funny I would post it here... Lighten up a bit for the holiday and wrap with a cat...

Here are step by step instructions to wrapping a present when you own a cat.

Clear large space on table for wrapping present. Go to closet and collect bag in which present is contained, and shut door. Open door and remove cat from closet. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.

Go back and remove cat from cupboard. Go to drawer, and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels, etc.. Lay out presents and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit and collect string. Remove present from bag. Remove cat from bag.

Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size. Try and smooth out paper, realize cat is underneath and remove cat.

Cut the paper to size, keeping the cutting line straight. Throw away first sheet as cat chased the scissors, and tore the paper. Cut second sheet of paper to size - by putting cat in the bag the present came in.

Place present on paper. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present. Wonder why edges don't reach. Realize cat is between present and paper. Remove cat.

Place object on paper, to hold in place while tearing transparent sticky tape. Spend 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors. Seal paper with sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.

Look for roll of ribbon. Chase cat down hall in order to retrieve ribbon. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn. Re-roll ribbon and remove paper, which is now torn due to cat's enthusiastic ribbon chase.

Repeat steps 13-20 until you reach last sheet of paper. Decide to skip steps 13-17 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old cardboard box that is the right size for sheet of paper.

Put present in box, and tie down with string. Remove string, open box and remove cat. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for locked room.

Once inside lockable room, lock door and start to relay out paper and materials. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close and relock. Repeat previous step as often as is necessary (until you can hear cat from outside door)
Lay out last sheet of paper. (This will be difficult in the small area of the toilet, but do your best)

Discover cat has already torn paper. Unlock door go out and hunt through various cupboards, looking for sheet of last year's paper. Remember that you haven't got any left because cat helped with this last year as well.

Return to lockable room, lock door, and sit on toilet and try to make torn sheet of paper look presentable. Seal box, wrap with paper and repair by very carefully sealing with sticky tape. Tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst areas.

Label. Sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulate yourself on completing a difficult job. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat. Spend 15 minutes looking for cat until coming to obvious conclusion. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat. Go to store and buy a gift bag.

Cats can bring a laugh and a mess sometimes but they are a joy when they are sitting in your lap purring. I don't have a cat now and kind of miss the funny antic's they create. Wrapping with a cat can sure seem impossible. Believing for impossible things can sometimes be funny to us but we have to always remember Sarah.

Fruit: JoY :)
Song in my head: Silent night
Verse Genesis 18:10Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?" 13 Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD ? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son." 15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I did not laugh." But he said, "Yes, you did laugh." (be careful what you pray for... you just might get it! :)

Christmas Love

Symbolism of The Twelve Days of Christmas

1 True Love refers to God
2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

Here is to counting down the 12 days before Christmas! I came across this description for the song the 12 days tell Christmas and learned a bit about where the song comes from. God's love is our True first love.

Fruit: Love
Song in my head: Marys Boy Child - Boney M
Verse: Ephesians 1:9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Living Stones Village in China

Chance Encounters with Courageous People

This thanksgiving I decided to take a bit of drive into the city. I had some afternoon Thanksgiving plans but I just needed a bit of a drive. I was thinking about some of my own challenges and wondering what path I would take on them.

That's when I decided to look for a coffee shop that was open. I started driving to one of my favorites and passed by seeing it was dark wondering if I would find an open one. I drove by another and it was closed too. Just as I had rounded the block to head home I saw a sign in a window of a little hole in the wall coffee shop that said "We are open".

I smiled and couldn't believe I found a parking spot just a few doors away. I paid the meter for 15 minutes even though I didn't know if it was charging for holiday's thinking I would be in and out. I walked up to the door with the confidence of a woman on a mission for some hot peppermint tea not thinking anything of my odd Thanksgiving day adventure.

Then I opened the door and saw a beautiful sight. It was a room filled with beautiful people of many life cultures and from all walks of life in a huge circle. There was a man sharing something that seemed serious and I felt instantly like I was an intruder in some family gathering. I thought I had seen that open sign in the window but maybe it was open for this group of people only I wondered.

Somehow I stumbled a bit past the entryway in my insecurity and found my way through this large group of people to the counter in the back of the room. I saw a man sitting on a stool and whispered "are they open?". He shook his head yes and I asked what was going on." He said "narcotics anonymous meeting". I was a bit shocked and feeling very out of place having stumbled into a world I had never encountered before but I was curious.

I wanted to know what made these people so different from me. I wanted to know how they got there and what made them get out of bed and come here on a Thanksgiving morning to give support to each other. So I decided I needed to stay, sit and listen. God was trying to teach me something about hope.

I have someone who I know who is an alcholic that I have been praying for and wondered if they would ever seek help. Seeing these people gave me a hope and a renewed sense of urgency to pray and have trust that God can do it in their life too.

As I heard these peoples stories and sharing I couldn't help but find a sense of how incredibly courageous they were. Because of their trials and the hurts they had gone through in life they had ended up in this place. The thing about it was that became apparent to me was that they were on a journey and had a savior carrying them through on it.

These people had made a choice to stop and change. They were as couragous to me as our men who go to battle on the front lines. Near the end of their meeting I followed their example and said my name and told them I had just happened upon their meeting and thanked them for letting me see some courageous people giving me hope for those I know struggling with the same types of issues and I encouraged them keep going. I believe in never regretting not saying something and I am glad I did even though I was almost shaking for fear of speaking in the meeting. I walked out thanking God for my blessings and chance encounters with couragous people.

Fruit: Love

Song in my head: Give me your Eyes- Brandon Heath

Verse:Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

HOPE for Type 2 II Diabetes

When I started out my journey two years ago I was a broken woman getting divorce weighing 225 pounds over my estimated body weight for a woman my size. I had an A1C at 8.0 with cholesterol of 211. I had high blood pressure and was in a serious danger zone diagnosed with Type II diabetes. My doctor was real with me and said I needed to make some serious life choices if I wanted to continue to live.

The doctors sharing my need for change was a whole new world for me of medication and numbers telling me how I needed to change. It was a world of keeping track of my food, painful checking of my blood sugars, and caring about myself while dealing with emotional trama. There is always a bit of hurt when your making a drastic change in lifestyle. I knew that there was a hope that the doctor hadn’t shared about that day that would get me through.

He prescribed all kinds of medications to heal me enough that I could live but I knew there was something more that was actually going to get me to live and thrive. I knew there was that drive that would take me on this journey to health. I knew that drivers name and that is what got me where I am today.

Truly I had to do my own thing to get better because I can be a headstrong woman who doesn’t like to do things the way people tell her to. I like to do things differently in my own unique way. It can frustrate people in my life that I sometimes look for a different way and try to approach things differently. In this case I had no choice to but to dig deeper and find out why I had gotten to this point so I could move forward and live.

I had to take a honest look at all the things that had brought me to that point so I could find out where I had gone wrong so I could choose to change it and turn it around. I looked at the healing journey I had taken for five years during my marriage of healing from sexual abuse that happened when I was a child. I looked at the marriage journey that had just ended with me feeling like I had failed myself and God. I looked at my struggles with learning disabilities, self esteem and relationships. When I looked at all these trials in my life I found that the way I had gotten through them all was through my addiction to food.

Food was a safe comfort when I was a hurting little girl lost without knowing what to do in the dark with a secret of the abuse. Food kept me chubby providing a layer of protection from men and boys who I thought wouldn’t want me physically if I kept eating. It didn’t always work having that layer of protection but most of the time it did.

It didn’t work when I got married and now divorced. So in the end I had to make a choice to get focused and pursue my health like my life depended upon it because it now did. I needed to shed my layer of protection if I was ever going to be truely free.

There wasn’t any question of how or when or if I started. I just had to start Now and never give up until I had finished this race and won the prize of a life of peace that I desperately wanted. I was not sure how to start so I just started.

I had to start making healthy choice, after healthy choice, after healthy choice. After having not worked for 6 years outside of the home God planted the first blessing in my garden. I got a full time job within 2 weeks of making a final determination that we were getting a divorce in 2006. I knew I didn’t have a college degree or work history and was severely overweight so for me to find a job that fit me so uniquely well was amazing and beyond what I could have asked for. It was a job where I could sit or stand for 10 hour days 4 days a week. It was the most physically I had done for work in many years but it was a start.

The next step I took to be healthy was to start tackling the huge amount of paperwork and financial aspect of divorce proceedings. I got everything done for my divorce and filed in January of 2007 and had it completed by April 2007. During this time I found that I could work off my emotional impact through my new disciplines of working out physically.

It was a healthy way to work out my pain. The emotional impact was there but because I had this inner drive that kept me passionately burning the midnight oil literally and figuratively to become a healthy person that I had actually never been I had some peace in the midst of my storm. I will share what that drive was that kept me going in a bit.

Physically how I did it was through new disciplines that I never had before. For me food had to become something that was for me to be eating to live and not living to eat. I stopped eating because I needed emotional comfort and started depending on the drive I had inside for strength to choose to live. This was not easy and it does not mean I am perfect in this area but that drive that I will share about later is what made me see I didn’t have to be perfect in order to be successful.

Literally I stopped eating what was normal to me. I started eating bars for diabetics that my doctor recommended that gave me all the nutrition I needed for the day. Basically I ate 2 of these bars a day, vitamins, water, 100 calorie snack packets and very little else. I exercised every night for an hour of cardio on a treadmill that I had bought that could handle my weight.

I lived at night working the afternoon to 10 or 11pm shift so that I combated my night cravings and lonelyness. I lost the first 100 pounds in without realizing it was gone which was actually good for me.

Not everything in this journey was roses and most of the time there were so many scars on my fingers from the thorns of this journey I wondered if I was getting well. But finally 9 months after I went to the doctor and they said. "We can lower your dosages your doing better".
I found a glimpse of hope and knew my lifestyle changes were working.

That is when I crashed into the wall. I got really excited and made some choices that were not healthy. I got excited and impatient. I started to want my job that was halfway there done right away. I had caught a glimpse of a free life and wanted it. I started extreme dieting basically not eating and exercising off the charts. I had gotten excited and took it to the extreme. My body started shutting down and I had a major meltdown. I had to quit my job and then lost hope.

In the summer of 2007 I crashed and burned mentally and physically ending up with a mental illness as well as being type 2 diabetic. This is when I had to find the drive again that I had lost somewhere along the way that was truly my source of strength. It was when I had started to depend on myself to do everything and give myself all the credit for what good was going on in my life that I crashed.

I had to go back and look to what had been by my side my whole life through every trial I had faced. It was in those weakest of moments living to eat, lost hurting from sexual abuse, desperate to be loved from a cheating spouse, and crying for God to just take me to heaven that God was with me. He was carrying me through and even though I was not depending upon Him. He still loved me and was always just waiting for me to see His face.

He was looking down on me smiling seeing the beauty of who I was even as a abused scared woman who had so many challenges in life. He saw my value that I could not see within myself and loved me in my place of needing a rescue from a loving Savior who would never leave me. His passion for me and belief in me was my drive that gave me the passion to keep on even in those darkest of moments when I felt like I had failed myself and God.

So I learned to pursue God with the same passion and found that in my relationship with Him was my greatest treasure. It has taken me to the place I am at today and will continue to take me to my goals. I got back on my feet again by the grace of God. I found my peace that I wanted so much before to be a healthy person. I have friends, a great fun job, wonderful church family, ministry in serving, and a relationship with God who will never leave me.

So I made the choice to do it the right way. I choose to have the driver of me be the God who makes all my paths light. Today I just got back from the doctor’s office and found out that I now have a 5.2 A1C, normal blood pressure, 177 cholesterol and lost 167 pounds. God is good and it is only by His grace that I found the strength with God in the driver seat of His spirit to get me here to this point in my journey to health.

I am not a type 2 diabetic anymore and you can be too. This is my story of Hope of how the power of God in my life brought me to this place of a journey to health I am still on today. His power can change your life. Cry out to Him and let Him love you too. Then love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and you can find that peace of health too. God loves you and is patiently waiting to hear from you.

Fruit: JOY
Song in my head: Savior Please – Josh Wilson
Verse: “Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”- 1 Chronicles 16:8

The bank of values

Questions Questions... rolling around in my head today. I was wondering... What is the difference between a mentor and a friend? I was thinking about the cost of discipleship, mentorship and friendship finanically and time wise. I was wondering what does my life show I value in my banks investments?

What you value shines through in the amount of investment your willing to take on in it. What are you willing to give up? What are you willing to give? The time your willing to use and the cost of these things is a part of showing who you are and what you value.

There is no total money makeover for the cost of relationships. The cost of your time and financial just can not be cut to invest in the people in your lives. They are to important. The money and time your willing to spend comes from a bank of what you believe and value.

A good friend sent me an email with 37 odd questions to answer about myself and then forword it on to a few more friends. I really saw it as another one of those many silly emails I recieve forwarded on to people. I took the time though to stop and write in the answers to this fun email and forwarded on to a few others.

I had no idea the response I would get would show me something about people I never knew. It's funny how when you have established trust with someone and ask them what is really going on in their lives how they will tell you.

That's when you have the chance to invest from that bank of what you value and make the effort to be Jesus hands and feet. You get the chance to "live like your the only impression of Jesus they will ever see."

Fruit: Love

Song in my head: Brown eyed girl - Van Morrison

Verse: 1John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.

The treasure I seek

It's incredible how wise you can be when you start to actually follow your own advice. Getting focused creates such a clear vision for the future that sometimes it can become so bright that it's almost blinding to the things you need to accomplish. Taking it one step in front of the other not looking to far ahead seems to work best for that sun in your face.

I decided not to wander off to find a new trail to blaze off the beaten path like I love to do. God knows it's my adventuresome spirit that is always wanting to doddle off on that little unknown path. I am forever wanting to be exploring that little peak of light inbetween two trees where it looks like someone could have hiked and explored before me. Then I would walk it out to see if I could find a treasure at the end.

I love to dig in by nature and find hidden treasures in everything. I love a good mystery that you find out the secret at the end. Although it really can't take too long to find out the secret or I might give up after awhile.

Most of all I love people like that. I love to befriend someone and find their hidden treasure. I am convinced there is something for me to find in every person I meet. Everyone has that gem God gives to them that makes them a treasure.

There is something unique and special that takes them beyond a place of a complacent soul just trudging through life. There is a life inside them with a gift to give in a special place somewhere deep inside. Some people know it and use it and others give it away and others don't believe they have it.

I want to find it in people who don't know they have it and give them a glimpse of the glory of the gem inside. It's not really a secret. Sometimes you have to dig to find it when the package it comes in makes it hard to see. Lord be my vision to see.

Fruit: Patience

Song in my head: You Are My All in All - Point of Grace

Verse: Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out

Lessons from Oprahs shoes and a friends Jacket

Taking a deep breath as I opened my eyes this morning I was feeling all those little disappointments and stuggles I had from the day before. I tell myself that phrase my brother taught me as a girl when getting hurt while wanting to play with the boys "just grin and bear it". Sometimes I just try to stay tough believing I can make it on my own but really I know what I really need.

I thought of a song by Hillsong and took to heart the words "take me as you find me, all my fears and failures, fill my life again, I give my life to follow, everything I believe in, I surrender, I surrender" and another song by Josh Wilson "Savior, Please".

It was a tough day for my confidence yesterday in so many ways. I wasn't looking through Gods eyes and I let self doubt creep into the truth of who I am in Him. I was looking through my own glasses seeing all those imperfections and challenges I faced letting them get me down.

So this morning I decided I needed my savior and a hero. Awhile ago I watched an Oprah Winfrey show that touched me. It had a woman in it who had gone through many struggles and had overcome so many things.

The woman purchased Oprah's shoes from a charity auction for inspiration. She had bought the shoes even though they were 3 sizes to big for her and she really couldn't afford them. Afterwords she would stand in them whenever she was feeling defeated or needing confidence and feel confident again knowing she could accomplish great things like her hero.

This morning this story came to mind as I took out of my closet the jacket of a woman I admire and I put it on along with a spritz of my "China" Safari. The jacket was given to me by a strong unique woman of God who blessed me with it. I had admired it on her when she wore it and told her I liked how unique it was a long time ago. Last week she told me she wanted to give me a jacket of hers and then yesterday I was so excited to find out it was this one same unique jacket.

Some might say it's a bit of a busy jacket with it's intricate carpet bag pattern and bold unique design but I just love it. I got 3 compliments on it today. It shouts to me when I put it on that I'm a beautiful, confident, unique woman with a creative artsy flair.

I looked in the mirror and smiled this morning thinking "it works". Suddenly when wearing the jacket I found a sense of confidence that my friend portrays. I felt like I was in Oprahs shoes.

I admire my friend not only because she is a confident strong woman who loves God but also because of her heart for people too. It is the everday little things in watching her model to me her Godly character that makes her my pastor, mentor and friend.

I caught another glimpse of her heart last night when she bought some shoes for someone who needed them. A simple act of mercy and love that showed me exactly what Jesus would have done. I treasure friends who just shine who Jesus is in who they are.

So I wore her jacket today praying I can be confident and have those eyes to see the needs of others when wearing it. I want to be a gentle voice of hope to those customers who call in on the verge of tears hurting.

I decided to write down the names of the customers stories that touch me and pray specifically for them. I prayed for them to get a touch from that loving Savior behind the jacket.

Fruit: Love

Song in my head: Mighty to save - Hillsong

Verse: 2 Corinthians 3: 2You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life

Are you a good melon?

Fruit is a funny thing. It's odd when you think about it. It's a food that's colorful and shaped in all kinds of odd combinations of colors and tastes. Sometimes it's so sweet and juicy that it's messy. Sometimes it's not quite ripe and its bitter.

Fruit can be messy when you consider it in people's lives too. The fruit of a soul in a person inside is evident in who they are growing and changing to be on the outside when you can see it in their lives. We are all living on a vine of sorts.

How do you tell if you have a good melon or not? I was reading online today and found it interesting how you tell if you have a good melon. The article said "There should be no stem present, because melons drop naturally from the vine when they ripen".

I wondered how ripe our presidental candidates where and considered their fruit as I was praying today for the election. A pastor up in Tacoma Washington said something Saturday night that made me think.

"I don't judge Obama's motives because that is for God to judge. I judge him by the fruit of who he is. I can't judge his motives because Gods word tells me that only God can do that."

It is really true of every situation and makes it more clear in every situation the standard to which you can judge people by. It takes out that grey area that says "what are they really meaning by what they are doing?". You just take that out of the equasion and take into effect the full truth of the fruit that grows from their lives.

I tried a new area of ministry the other day on Halloween at my churches harvest festival. I tried a ministry that is typically is a male dominated one. I was one of three women in a ministry team that had probably 20 men serving that night.

Serving as a woman on the parking ministry wasn't my first choice and I was feeling a bit out in the pasture to not be dealing directly with people which would be my first preference.
I really learned a lesson there in that dark chilly night though. I learned something about how God can use me anywhere people who need Him are.

I was working the Blue lot on the off site parking from our church. It's a block or so from our church and so we had shuttles running every 5 minutes or so to the church from it.
A car drove up to me with my orange vest and glow wand and asked "what's going on here?". They had no idea that it was church sponsored event. I told him it was a free event with a live animal show, candy, games and lots of fun. He said "are you sure it's free?".

I said "yes, it's a gift from Church of Living water". He said "I don't know if a church would let me in". I assured him that we would and he smiled, parked and I showed him where he could take the shuttle in.

I didn't see him return to hear of how his time went but meeting him showed me that God can really use us anywhere. It made me really think about the fruit of my attitude in serving in areas out of my perference. It made me realize I need to keep on my toes.

It challenges me to consider what fruit is growing from my life. It makes me want to be a good melon not clipping off the vine before I am ripe in an area of my life. I want to be a good melon. I like word pictures so I was thinking this is a good one.

A good melon needs lots of Son, water, and nutrients. The soil we grow in is where we get it. The foundation of soil in the word of God has all the nutrients we need and the water is the spirit of God quenching our thirst to grow. The Son is Jesus who shines on us to make us grow in the field.

Standing out in the field in the dark you can get to thinking. Okay I know this is pretty simple and been said before but it encourages me to think about so I hope it encourages you.
Praying today that our President would be a good melon and that our election process is a good one.

Fruit: Love

Song in my head: Give me your eyes - Brandon Heath

Verse: Isaiah 32: 16 Justice will dwell in the desert and righteousness live in the fertile field. 17 These: fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. 18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. 19 Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely, 20 how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.

Cardboard Testimonies

My friend Kelly P. sent me an email today to a link for a awesome thing a church in Indiana did. It was truely beyond words. I know I could have some cardboard signs if our church did it. I love what she said about it.

"What an amazing way to introduce people to Gods character. Promises made and kept in the lives of real people who need him and admit their need. This is such an amazing testimony to the power of God in peoples lives, and what He is capable of."

Check it out.

http://www.yourchurch.com/cardboard-testimonies/

Fruit: Love
Song in my head: I wish - Point of Grace
Verse: Psalm 104: 30 When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works- 32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. 33 I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Blog this and Blog that

I have several blogs I regularly read and two of my favorites had some great things today. One made me laugh and the other ... well touched me. So here is a blog of this and a blog of that.

A smile from her




Beautiful music blogged by him




Fruit: Love
Song in my head: Shine - Salvador
Verse: Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

It's Coffee House Life

It's really amazing who you can meet when you go to a coffee house. There are so many types of coffee houses everywhere. There are so many different types of coffee drinkers. There is the perverbial Starbucks conasour who prefers the stylish savvy cookie cutter logo coffee on the go.

There is that person who is just looking for the free wi-fi sign in the window so they can pop off an email on their way someplace along with an ordinary cup of joe. There is also that coffee snob generation who insists on it being the finest of rare unique roasts in order for it to pass by their lips.

But my favorite are those that choose that hole in the wall funky little place that doesn't quite have the trend down but has that off-beat style of their own. They cater to those who really can't afford the fufu coffee we all pay to much for and most of the time arn't able to stay in business for long.

I miss my favorite place that used to be in downtown Olympia Washington called Artisians. It was a funny little place with exquiste coffee and balcony upstairs and free wi-fi to boot. It lasted for awhile but was never quite as busy as it needed to be. I remember some of the unique happenings I would run into when visiting there.

It had local bands come an play on occasion. On one occasion I remember walking in and finding it packed with deaf people signing. Several times I felt like I could visit there and it was a culture in that room where I was a bit like a foreigner visiting another country. I liked that feeling of being a bit out of my element.

For me it was the perfect fit of a unique coffee shop with free wi-fi and excellent coffee. The only exception for me was that the music they played was so off-beat that sometimes I had to reconcile my own preference to learn a bit about that unique culture.

Today my two favorite places are Batdrof & Bronson along with Cutters Point. They both have free wi-fi and most of the time excellent coffee. It's all good there except they both miss the music and unique flavor of the hole in the wall. Ahh life is such.

Fruit: Patience

Song in my Head: Dancing Queen - Abba

Verses: Pondering ... a few

Praying wishes come true

I am loving this new song by Point of Grace called "I wish". Here are the lyrics I finally found online today.

I wish I didn’t feel so helpless
I wish I didn’t act so selfish

I wish I didn’t wring my hands night and day

My hair was a little bit smoother

My jeans fit a little bit looser

And I always knew the right things to say

And I wish I wouldn’t hide what’s been going on inside

And I wish you wouldn’t get scared and run away

I wish I was doing better

With all the things that matter,

I guess I got some learning to do

I wish everyone had someone

To hold em and to love em

The way I’m always gonna love you

I wish wishes came true
I wish there was a cure for cancer

I wish somebody had an answer

And all God’s children, never got hurt

I wish Eve never bit that apple

You men never went to battle

And I didn’t get so mad at the world

I wish I was more like Jesus

And could pick up all the pieces

And make a better life for my baby girl

I wish I was doing better

With all the things that matter,

I guess I got some learning to do

I wish everyone had someone

To hold em and to love em

The way I’m always gonna love you

I wish wishes came true

For everything I am wishing

I know someone up there is listening

So, I say my prayers when I go to bed

Ahh, ahh, ahh Oh pray my wishes come true Oh

I wish I was doing better

With all the things that matter,

I guess I got some learning to do

I wish everyone had someone

To hold em and to love em

The way I’m always gonna love you

I wish wishes came true
I know wishes come true

I wish, I wish

Fruit: Patience
Song in my head: I wish - Point of Grace
Verses: John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.... 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

5 Incredible blessings

Have you ever just woke up tired? This week having taken it's tole on my body in my fathers passing and traveling to Texas and back, just hit this morning. I woke up and before my feet touched the floor I had prayed "God just help me to get through this day". My muscles ached and my heart was heavy needing release.

I got in the car and the new song by Point of Grace came on. "I wish" made me smile and sing along thinking of what I wished for now.

I decided it was definitely a "NEED a latte" morning so I stopped in @4:07 am @ the only Starbucks open on my way to work. I ordered a Venti Sugar-free cinnamon dulce and looked at the one car in front of me. It was a cute little red sports car.

Just as I was thinking this I got my first blessing of the day. I pulled forward and the Starbucks gal handed me my drink and said "the woman in the car in front of you paid for your drink". I was shocked at first and wondered "how did she know?"

How did she know my father died last week and this was my first day back to work? How did she know how much I hurt for the loss of the time I never had with him? How did she know that I just needed to cry but couldn't really before now. My eyes filled and I was just thankful.

It's something that I have done for people but never had it done for me like this before. It made me realize how important the little things are that we do for people. That stranger paying for my latte in the drive through at Starbucks was just what I needed in that moment of weakness needing a bit of hope, feeling a bit lost in how I would get through the day.

My second blessing came in my review from my supervisor. She looked in my eyes and said I was consistently excellent in all areas of my job and that I had won another award for last month. She encouraged me and told me how well I was doing giving me confidence.

My third blessing came when I decided to go for it and apply to a internal Expedia temporary positon. It would give me a new skill which could be a huge blessing for me and a challenge as well. It became an easy decision for me to apply after and I found the courage to step past my own self doubts to just go for it.

My fourth blessing came in a some emails and a special voice mail left for me from a good friend whose care and love came through in words of hugs for me. It made me feel loved and cared for.

My fifth blessing came in the disappearance of my ache in my body after working out. I was still tired and feeling achy on my way home and I decided to stop on my way home and just go for it at the gym. It is amazing how awesome you can feel when having been under stress to make yourself do a challenging work out. It was all so good and so this evening I am counting my blessings and thanking God for strangers, supervisors and friends.

Fruit: Joy

Song in my head: Point of Grace "I wish"

Verse: Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint

Everythings Bigger in Texas

It’s amazing to me how unique each state’s culture is within the United States. I remember living in Southern California and the style and station of life there with the sun and sun loving people. There was a certain air of confidence and code of speech with quick, witty, savvy LA people.

Visiting here in Texas this week for my fathers funeral it’s been a culture shock of sorts for my brothers and I. The rate of speech is slow and the culture has its southern draw with a charm all it’s own to boot.

The people of Texas seem slower pace than my fast paced brothers are used. With my .com job and their owning their own businesses we are used to go go go and so it’s challenged us to slow down a bit to match and listen closely.

It was a peaceful blessing of a plane ride here. I got my own row on a non-stop Alaska Airlines flight with some great cushy leather seats. For those of you who don’t know I fractured a bone in my ankle the week prior to my father’s passing and so I had a medical boot thing on to help keep my ankle stable while traveling.

Having my own row made it so I could put up my foot the whole way there. The stewardesses on Alaska where so awesome, attentive and friendly. I plan on sending a thank you note to Alaska. They have always been my favorite Airline.

There has been a mountain of things to do since arriving and it’s kept me a bit from taking it in. The reality of how people you love live in another state when you don’t see them can be a shock when it is so different from your lifestyle.

I have never planned a memorial before and we are making it really simple like my father was. I have loved getting to spend time with my brothers and learning more about what’s going on in their lives that I ever would have gotten from just visiting for an occasion. When three kids live in three different states it makes it tough to know each other’s lives well.

I guess you could say we all three have different cultures from each other. Sean has his business www.lagunaprecast.com in California and Mexico importing. Mark has his business of an alarm system company in Nevada and I work as at a .com as a Travel agent of sorts in Washington state. We really all came from though this Texas where Mark and I were born.

I have heard the phrase “everything is bigger in Texas” before and I kind of agree with it from the time I have spent here thus far. The airport at DFW was quite large with several terminals spread out a bit. The mall we stopped at went on for a mile it seemed. The lay of the land seem to be a treeless wonder of flat land that went on forever.

A lot of the houses are on plots of land with spread out communities in place. The sunsets have been beautiful huge displays of colors stretched across the entire horizon. Even the hotel rooms seemed huge here. I have also seen several churches here with huge windows and steeples with lots of land around them.

I heard a joke a while back about God being closer in Texas than any other state. The punch line went something like when making a phone call to God in Texas there wasn’t any long distance charges and so it wouldn’t cost you much because here in Texas it was a local call.

I can see God here in the beauty of it but certainly not in the Mosquitos. They are definetly bigger here in Texas. Those skeeters are quite hungry for my sweet tasty Washington white girl legs.

Well… I am praying a lot here with it being a “local” call and all. I have a silly Texas song in my head to that made me smile a bit today. My brothers can also be goofy at times so it really helps to keep us positive in a tough situation. Wonder if my prayers coming from Texas might just be bigger coming in the mailbox in Heaven. I think God answers my knee-mail either way. :)

Fruit: Peace
Song in my head: All my Ex’s live in Texas
Verse: Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; nor shall the flames scorch you

The Indescribable significance

Still considering my prayer life and it's significance I thought of this weeks prayers. I just wondered if I don't sound like a whiney cranky baby when I am talking to God for myself sometimes.

Where does the prayer list come from? Is there a correct order to their significance? What does He think of my sometimes silly prayers?

I prayed for the Presidental candidates, starving children in foreign countries, my friends, my family, my favorite missionaries, for the new salvations at repossess to grow, for that customer whose child passed away leaving a plane ticket unused. I prayed for so many things that seem like they would matter more to God.

My prayers for me seem so silly and insignificant in comparison to the world and how much more God is needed beyond my desires. I prayed help staying awake on the way to work, for healing of my ankle that I as a clumsy girl twisted in my rushing done in haste. I prayed I would slow down and "Stay Strong" remembering Him in every step I take. I prayed for peace from worry about tomorrow in this economy. I prayed I would find a heart to share my life with. I prayed I wouldn't hit the kitty who ran out in front of me while driving.

What amazes me beyond all things is that God does care about me and all those little things that I pray for myself as much as He cares about everything else. He is so amazing in how He loves us. He values each "silly" prayer we pray. The glory of their significance comes in every step we take drawing closer to Him with every time we cry out to Him.

He sees my tears of feeling all those little disappointments from the week building up and pouring out while in service. Then He provides His awesome word to encourage, build up and restore us so we can walk on with Him. It's my greatest treasure to know and be known by a God like this. He gives us an indescribable significance through His love for us.




Fruit: Peace
Song in my head: Indescribable - Chris Tomlin
Verse: Isaiah 49: 1 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. 3 He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor." ...

Top Ten Prayers God always says yes to

Sometimes I am so hungry for the Bible. I just want it more and more. Yesterday was a significant day from my history and it caused me to really reflect. I found the scripture that goes with my journaling which is how it works. It just grabs me and challenges me to my every part.

I love it when God just uses His word to fill me up. I was feeling empty straving for His word and He just really satisfies. Like a Snickers bar but a whole lot less calories :)

We talked about prayer at our Monday night study this week and I was challenged about my prayer life. I found a headline today with this list of the top ten prayers God says Yes to. I have prayed all these prayers at one time or another.

God, Show Me That You Exist
God, Make Me an Instrument
God, Outdo Me in Generosity

God, Get Me Through This Suffering

God, Forgive Me,

God, Give Me Peace

God, Give Me Courage

God, Give Me Wisdom

God, Bring Good Out of This Bad Sidtuation

God, Lead Me to My Destiny

So does God only say yes for sure to Me prayers? It all seemed like the list said, that me, me, me, give me something Jesus prayers were all the top tens.

Looking for models when I was a new Christian I had a youth pastor of mine challenge me to make my prayers unselfish and I have taken that to heart and always tried to be less of me more of others ever since.

I was challenged at my Monday night Bible study that my desire for my communcation with God to be worship most and prayer for others second with prayers for me coming in the at the very last could not be the right way to pray. I'm not sure I agree but I am pondering. I just don't want my top ten list of prayers to all include the word ME in them. So I am praying on that one..

Fruit: Patience

Song in my head: For I am Convinced

Verses: Hebrews 10: 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful... 32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. 38But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him. 39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

French Encounters

I had a fun French customer today who made me smile. We were having a bit of a language barrier and so I said "Je m'appelle Michele..." to him as he asked my name again saying it in French.

He said "Oh your a Michelle..." and in that same wonderful French accent he hummed/sang a bit of my favorite Beatles song "Michelle, ma belle." The song goes "Sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble, Très bien ensemble" which has always made me smile.

He was difficult to comunicate with but it made it easier to have the French connection when I said a few words here and there in French to him. In the end I booked him a trip to Vegas within his current trip and all was "très magnifique".

As an Expedia agent I get calls from all over the world but I really appreciate those ones that bring a little light and song into my day.

An Expedia agent from the Phillipines called later on in the day and was humming as I was looking up information for him. When I asked Ben what he was humming he said "Paul Simon's Boxer." I didn't know the song so I googled it and it made me want to hear it sometime.

I talked to strangers from all over the planet today. From the USA, Philippines, El Salvador, China, Mexico, Italy, Canada to France and back again. We are worlds apart in space but still have the same people that can laugh at our differences. Strangers can be pretty funny sometimes.

Another French encounter that I had recently shocked me a bit just a couple of Saturday nights ago when greeting at service.

An older gentlemen who I didn't know came to the doors quickly walking towards me. I offered my hand for him to shake but he promptly pushed it away hugging me and kissing me on my cheeks. I was a bit shocked tell I heard his accent in his quick greeting.

My fellow greeter and I just laughed and knew he must be French as we watched him walk inside. We both must have looked a bit shell shocked that a stranger would be so intimate with us but we concluded quickly that it's all about culture sometimes. I just have to keep remembering to see strangers like Jesus would... being His hands and feet.

Fruit: JOY
Song on my lips: Give me your eyes - Brandon Heath
Verses: Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it

Sarah Palin on Toast

I laughed out loud today when I saw this CNN story with a photo of the Ebay auction for a piece of toast that mysteriously had the image of Sarah Palin on it.

Thinking about it after though made me wonder. Sarah Palin on toast kind of mocks the people who see the image of Jesus on the sides of some building in some foreign country senario.

Those people truely believe they are seeing God but they also seem a bit "crazy" or "misguided" to a lot of other people.

It just really makes Christians look crazy and misguided. There are a lot of things in society that try to mock or discount Jesus and things God values.

I saw a part of a report on CNN where they kind of made fun of Sarah Palins church too. They started showing the gift of speaking in tougues in the report and made the church look a bit "crazy".

It's truely a media driven world that looks for something to laugh at that they don't understand. I can't begin to fathom what the media thinks it's doing other than trying to discount Christianity when it does those reports that scare people into thinking Christianity is all about crazy happenings with misguided people.

It's all relative in that world. So today I smiled at the toast but still disheartened to the reality of what it means. It's an example of the reality of living in this world that thinks we are followers of a religion that's just wierd.

"Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, We will wait upon the Lord, We will wait upon the Lord, Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, We will wait upon the Lord, We will wait upon the Lord,"

Praying today for our future President and Vice GAL to be leaders that tomorrow will be proud to have had serve us with integrity.

Fruit: Peace
Song in my Head: Everlasting God - Lincoln Brewster
Verses: Ephesians 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.... 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible.

Sunshine & Watermelon Moons

Driving home last night from my small group study I looked up and saw a watermelon moon as listened to "Lord let me shine, Shine like the moon, A reflection of you, All that I do".

There are rare times when songs on the radio just hit you. That one and Stay Strong by Newsboys were lyrics that got me.

"Stay strong, You are not lost, Come on and fix your eyes ahead, There's a new dawn to light our day, our day, We've gotta stay strong, You and I run, For the prize that lies ahead, We've come too far to lose our way, our way, Get up, there's further to go, Get up, there's more to be done, Get up, this witness is sure, Get up, this race can be won, This race can be won".

I love music and how it motivates and inspires me when I need it. I was starting to feel a little lost until my small group last night. I had a tough week with my Aunt Paula passing away. I traveled to Sutherlin, Oregon on Wedensday and stayed tell Sunday.

They came from all over the USA and even from Canada by plane, train, car and RV. My uncles home had RV campers parked all over his property. It was awesome to see family from everywhere and I know Paula would have loved to be there to see everyone.

It was pretty crazy and exhausting emotionally as well as physically with helping in the kitchen but I loved being there. I love that this side of my family that love Jesus.

My uncle and cousin play guitar and sing at church and have been serving for years. Several other cousins from that side of the family sing aswell. The music in their home was such a blessing to hear again. My uncle brought out the guitar after a few days and I actually saw my uncle smile a bit again.

It was a beautiful funeral where her life was honored and it had a awesome slide show of her life in pictures. There was a time of sharing stories about her too. I heard so many stories about how she was truely a servant proverbs 31 woman of God during my stay. I heard stories of her helping people in the hospital and taking elderly church members far and wide. She was also a grandparent for a child who didnt have family on Grandparents day at school.

She had served in her church and in her womans minstry for many years. It was really the little everyday things she did to make everyone in her life feel special and included that made her special.

She was famous for her cooking and Sunday dinners where she would invite people to come no matter who they were. Her home was always open with so many different flavors of ice cream that everyone had their favorite on hand. She would make three kinds of potato salad just so everyone had their favorite. She loved so many people and blessed so many lives.

Tears flowed many times this week thinking of her. I was so touched when we were going though her photo albums looking for photos for the slide show to find that she kept so many pictures of me growing up. She had some photos of me that I didn't even know about. She never threw away pictures and treasured her memories.

She was truely a beautiful woman who I will miss dearly but know I will see again in heaven one day. At the funeral my cousin Kim sang "I can only Imagine". I didn't really catch the connection tell now but last night at my small group our leader Kelly brought out some different colored glass marbles with words on them and I think it brought a connection for me. She asked us to each pick one that we wanted to pray about for our lives for the upcoming season.

I chose a clear one with "Imagine" on it. For me it was about seeing through this clear marble to see myself with the "imagine" in it. I want to see that hope of what God could have for me, believe in myself and be clear in the direction He would have for me.

I want to be wise in the decisions I make and choices. It reminds me of another song I love. "For who you are" by Hillsong. "Standing here in Your presence, Thinking of the good things You have done, Waiting here patiently, Just to hear your still small voice again".

I just want to see Him everyday and praise Him. I thank God for the watermelon moon last night, awesome prayer with a word to inspire @small group and the beautiful sunshine today.

"Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead." - Louisa May Alcott

Fruit: Patience

Song in my Head: Shine - Salvador

Verse: Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Worldz apart

Coming into work this morning @4:30am as I usually do I found my travel agent alerts going wild and an email from my boss requesting we all do some overtime this week.

Another Earthquake in China 6.1, Hurricane Gustav hitting, soon to be a Hurricane Hanna on its way, Alitalia (my favorite overseas airline) going bankrupt, and Air India (one of my least favorite airlines next to Air France) LAX market cessation causing customers to rebook. It all makes us quite busy. Everyone in the office seemed to have a case of the Monday's this morning @Expedia. It's mornings like this that I start with a little prayer and a lot of CNN and other news orgs for the 411 on the world.

It always makes me feel like my world is so small when I see how big the rest of it is. It's huge when reading about how much is happening all around the world. Everything affects travel.

I got my passport again this weekend. I had lost it while moving about a year or so ago. I decided to get another just in case I have opportunity to travel with work or in missions again. I had wanted a new passport photo anyway :) My last passport photo was from when I was 19 years old and had very long curly hair.

I remember when I was 19 thinking that 30 was sooo old. Funny, Suzelle had me glowing a bit this weekend when she said she had thought I was actually more like 24 years old.

Feeling nostalgic... at my 12th hour at work today (as I did 14 hours) I had the song "reaching" by Carolyn Arrends in my head today. Kieth Green, Carolyn Arrends and Jars of Clay are the CD's I wear out the quickest.


I prayed today for China and the Hurricane victims. I prayed that God would calm the winds of hurricane Gustav. I was so encouraged and blessed to see my prayers answered each time I would refresh the news between work. Down from catagory 3 to catagory 2 and then to catagory 1... Now praying those levees hold.

Maybe it wasn't just my one prayer that calmed those winds but I know it had the power to.


"Just one more touch of the great Devine leaves me hungry every time. One more taste of what remains... until Heaves gates are reached".

Fruit: Patience
Song in my head: Reaching - Carolyn Arrends
Verse: James 5:16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

A time to laugh

God is so good in giving me a time to laugh when I need it. Lately I have been focusing on seeing Joy in my life as a fruit in it. It's been tough during those days when working overtime and feeling tired. I found a website that I have found some seriously goofy "Christian" jokes on. One of my favorites is "leaves of the Book".....

A little boy opened the big Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. "Mama, look what I found!" the boy called out. "What have you got there, dear?" With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear!"

I was reading my friend Kelly's" blog today and thought "I need to always be seeing the season I am in and not just experiencing it". Part of that is making choices to choose to live out the fruit of the spirit in my life and Choose JOY in every season I am in. As a blog reader of many I am influenced by what I read and I was today by two. I read today in another and I thought about my season and decided to choose JOY in spite of whatever mountain I am facing each day and accept that who I am is what God tells me I am first and not what one person may say.

I can't sit around feeling I'm too insignificant and not worthy to confront someone who I feel has unjustly kept ahold of a opinon and judgement of me from my weakest of times. I am a new creation who has grown past and if they choose to still see me as in that place from where I was in the toughest trial I ever faced then they are missing the beauty of who I am today. They are missing the sunrise glimpse of my roses bloom and seeing the sweet dew drops shining in the morning sun. I know all of this yet it still hurts...

There are so many verses in my heart that just fight for me and are always telling me to never give up and believe in the God who loves me and what He says about me. I praise God for His word. My fight verses for when I fall and skin my knee on my hikes up the mountain sides of life are what pick me back up.. back up again.

I just take it one step up the mountain at a time and believe in the God who made me. Because "no weapon formed against me shall prosper" and "I am going to Love the Lord my God with all of my Heart Soul Mind and Strength! and "I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor highth, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus My Lord!!" and most of all "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley, a strong woman among the thorns"... His sweet word on my mind takes action in my feet!

Fruit: JOY

Song in my Head: Turn Turn Turn - Byrds

Verse:Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: .... 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,