LPL - San Diego....

This video is posted on the LPL Ministry blog as well as Travis Cottrell's blog. Just look at those women's faces....!

Having Some Picture Editing Fun....

I'm using new picture editing software called Picnik and loving it!! Had to play a bit today with it...

Jemma Leech

Beth Moore at Living Proof Live in San Diego this weekend played this video clip. I was having trouble loading the video so at the ABC home page, type in Jemma Leech in the search - it will bring up the video. Click on it to play. It will change and enlarge your view of God. When I post on Beth Moore's teaching this weekend I will explain how she utilized this clip - at this point. .....just watch it. (Grab the kleenex....)

Gone...for a good reason

I've been gone for a few days....to sunny San Diego with Emma....for this...

Always some waiting time when you are with over 10,000 women...

A quick shot of us gals....soaking up some fun and sun...

Surprised her with a visit here....

And amazed once again by this...

and this...

I'll blog on the Beth Moore event in another post. Words don't quite suffice.....yet.

Fun in the Sun

Our friend Nate Maas, rescued (not that he needed it) my husband on Sunday by scooping up my two boys and whisking them off to adventures unknown...Nate sent along these pictures. Looks like fun to me...

Joey - all smiles...

This picture so describes this young boy of mine....he does things his own way...

Jacob was the brave one who picked up the snake. My first question when told about this was, "Now, you are sure it wasn't a rattlesnake, right?" Oh no, Mom. Mr. Maas checked. I was glad to see the picture and know for sure!! Second question (or command...) Go wash your hands.

Five boys out for some Sunday fun...

Thanks for the pics, Nate. They had a great time!!

Creating

I was given the gift of a weekend to myself this weekend. Not easy to accomplish when you have a husband and 4 children. It is not only a weekend to myself, but a weekend to myself IN MY HOME. There is something very renewing to a woman to have time to herself (whether she be single or married with children). Due to circumstances out of our control my usual two weekends a year of down time has not happened for two years. I was overdue and worn out. The Lord cleared the weekend, strengthened my husband, and met me for a weekend of rest and renewal. Travis Cottrell has a song on his Alive Forever CD which the Lord gave me to contemplate for the weekend. It is entitled Search Me....here are the words:

Search me, know me, try me and see every worthless affection hidden in me.
All I'm asking for is that you would cleanse me Lord.
Create in me a heart that's clean,
conquer the power of secret shame.
Come wash away the guilty stain of all my sin.
Clothe me in robes of righteousness.
Cover my nakedness with praise.
All of my life before you now I humbly bring.

(If you have not heard this song then download it from itunes). I heard an interesting and thought provoking sermon this morning. The teaching was from Colossians 3:12-14 and was entitled "Life Together -- Forgiving One Another". Many good things were shared from this very familiar passage of scripture, but a couple of thoughts were worth more pondering. One is the use of the phrase "put-on". The phrase in the Greek refers to the immediate - not working towards putting it on, but as in it is raining, "put-on" on your raincoat or you will get wet. If you only put your coat on part way you will get wet. Another thought (always good teaching) is to look at what God's agenda is in the scripture. In this case the Lord gives it to us when He says, "put up with one another and forgiving one another..." The pastor used an illustration of sheep to get a very important point across. Sheep will do three things (always)...1. whine 2. wander (isn't there a scripture about one of those wandering sheep and the Lord seeking him...?!) and 3. wound.

Now we are talking about Christians when we reference the sheep - yep, we really do whine, wander and wound. The pastor ended the message with these thoughts: "Forgiveness is anchored in what Christ has done, it is acted out, and it is authentic in spirit." Someone asked me recently what I thought John Piper's response would be to Christians being stumbling blocks to other Christians? I think his answer from the book entitled Future Grace responds to that question. ..." All the wrongs that have been done against us by believers were avenged in the death of Christ." Beth Moore's take on the Godly result of wounding is this..."I know God did not author my abuse as He is light and that which was done to me was in darkness and God does not dwell there. So then the question always is why did God allow it? Maybe it was allowed because we need something from the healing process that would only be attained through His grace within that healing process." By the way...this applies to all wounding. Hers was sexual abuse, but the thought really speaks to every type of wounding.

Lots to think about...

It Moved

Do you ever have the experiences of studying, listening to music, a conversation with a friend, overhear someone, a pastor's message in which seemingly random thoughts by others are used by the Lord to bring a point home? I have had that experience recently and I love it when the Lord does that. It seems that everywhere I turn recently I am reading or hearing about how the Lord encircles, or encamps, or protects us. Two very recent examples are from scripture. Psalm 34:7 says, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and he rescues them." Psalm 139:5 says, "You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid your hand upon me." Psalm 62:8 says, "Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge before us."

I've heard all of those recently. This morning I was reading out of Exodus 14, specifically verse 13 and 14 which talks about not being fearful and knowing the Lord will fight for you. I was reading further, starting in verse 19 and came across something I never knew. This is the part of biblical history when the Israelites were up against the red sea and the Egyptians were hot on their tails. The verse talks about how the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. Is that amazing? The pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. The Lord moved in between the Egyptians and the Israelites. It provided a night of rest for them.

Those who know me know I don't like to be closed in (the Lord has a lot of fun with that!!). I am finding these scriptures very comforting. The thought that the Lord would enclose and surround us is amazing. For me, I need the reminder that He has surrounded me for my good. How about you?

Spring Fever

The kids graciously allowed David and I to attend the John Piper regional conference last night and this morning. They then needed some get out and run time this afternoon...we headed for some local wildflowers.

If they were only this loving all the time!!!

Fields and fields of blues, yellows and oranges...

These little guys were only as big as my thumb nail....acres and acres of them.

What Did You Say...?

Can't quite hear very well this morning. Sat through a Student Spotlight night at the local drum school last night. Why, you ask? Because Joey played in it. He did very well. They all did. It was loud....It is encouraging to attend an event like this particularly when music has been decimated from our schools. What would have been learned in "band" with extra lessons on the side when I was growing up is now completely "on the side". Most, I'll bet none, of these kids play within their local school. It was fun to watch the teachers play as well. Really cool guys who are very hip, but have multiple degrees in music. They teach percussion - not drums and a lot of theory right along with it. Way to go...

Mr. Lewis

Haven't quoted CS Lewis in awhile.....grabbed Through the Shadowlands off the shelf as I was taking the kids to swim today. It is always interesting what I grab for a quick perusal off the shelf. It is somewhat difficult to keep an eye on the pool and one in the book. How does this grab you?

"God has not been trying an experiment on my faith or love, in order to find out their quality. He knew it already. It was I who didn't."

Have you Heard it?

Props to my husband for sending this my way.....wow! does not even begin to describe.

www.youtube.com


(Penny, I know this would have been you, Grace and Katie 20 years ago!!)

A Warm, Lazy, Easter

Hallelujah

What stuck with you on this very special Lord's day? We experienced a magnificent worship service this morning - the praise song Revelation 19 just will not leave my head (actually, I am glad for that). Just had to spend time in Revelation 19 after that.....

"After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God;..." And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever."...."Amen. Hallelujah!"....Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns." Revelation 19

All Time Favorite

My all time favorite song.....Before the Throne of God

(I have Selah's version on my ipod)

Before the throne of God above I have a strong,
a perfect plea A great High Priest whose name is
Love Who ever lives and pleads for me

When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me
of the guilt within Upward I look and see Him there,
Who made an end to all my sin

Because the sinless Savior died my sinful
soul is counted free For God the Just is
satisfied to look on Him and pardon me To look on Him and pardon me

Before the throne of God, I come
Before the throne of God, I come

Behold Him there, the risen Lamb my perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I Am, the King of glory and of grace

My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in Heaven, He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart

One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased with His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
With Christ my Savior and my God

Above All

Click on the following link and watch a great video.....it takes about 9 minutes or so to watch. Really cool. www.godtube.com

Scarves

"Jacob, it is 43 degrees and heavy fog. Please go put on warmer clothes."

His answer....I'll grab a scarf

View Through the Fog

It is a foggy, foggy morning here today. I like the fog. It quiets and soothes the world around me. It sweeps in and envelopes our little town and then quietly pulls back out towards the ocean. As I was thinking about the fog this early morning I was reminded of a story Ruth Bell Graham tells of a friend who was a sheriff officer. He was an excellent marksman and was looking forward to some range testing. Unfortunately, the day prior to his testing he received new trifocal glasses. As he took aim on the target he became very nervous due to using the new glasses. He started to perspire. When he perspired it fogged up his glasses. He then remembered a tip that had been passed onto him in the military. When you can't see your target - remember your position. He took a deep breath, thought about his position in front of the target and hit all five shots dead on. Sometimes when we are in the fog (by our choice or the Lord's) it is impossible to see the target and forget the position we have in Christ.

Sometimes the Lord allows fog in our lives because we took our eyes off the target of Christ and are prone to wander. Are you in the fog this morning? Try during this passion week to remember your position - in Christ. You will hit the target every time.

11 Years AGo Today...

11 years ago today, Emma Cathryn Grant entered our lives...we were blessed at the time and are abundantly blessed today. She is fun, smart, beautiful, caring, feels and sees the hurts in our world like no other. She celebrated with girlfriends last night by doing a neighborhood scavenger hunt. I'm not sure the neighborhood is ever going to be the same (just ask our neighbor's from India who have no idea what the girls were doing and asking for at their home.

A little party prep...

She was blessed with gifts...(over the top generous)

They are young women, but still very 11...

When she was born she was immediately placed on my bare chest. She didn't cry, but lifted her head and looked straight into my eyes. I told my husband that I felt like she looked directly into my soul. A very God moment. My prayer for her is that she will grow deeply in the Lord, that her heart will be forever placed in His hands, and she will live according to His purpose and will. She is well on her way..Happy Birthday, Emma.

Breakfast, Dad, Cookies and Friends

Another free saturday. They are so rarely free....breakfast in Cayucos. Yummmm...

Dad got to join us....seven weeks without him as he was working nights and sleeping days. He only had three days off and we are all a little frayed around the edges.

Craving chocolate cookies.....had to make some.

Always best to enjoy with a friend.

I See Broken Bones in the Future...