My new BFF

Meet Frank. Frank is a Holter 24 hour heart monitor. Frank and I do everything together. Or at least we will for the next 24 hours! (I named him Frank prior to meeting him. Now I'm glad I did. After all, Frank and I are fairly intimately acquainted, what with parts of him taped to my chest and all.)

This is Frank and me driving home. It was a fairly uneventful trip. Frank is a pretty good passenger. He didn't try to change the radio station once.

Frank and I decided to rest quietly and read a book after we got to the house. We are finishing up Ferenc Mate's A Vineyard in Tuscany. (which is an outstanding book. I love Mate's sense of humor and his talent for bringing the pages to life. Frank seemed to be pretty impressed too.)

I decided that Frank looked a little dull so I snazzed him up a bit. I'm not sure how he feels about flowers though.

Frank and I decided to go out and cut some rosebuds after dinner. We are having a horrible time with Japanese beetles right now and the only way to save the blooms is to cut them before the beetles start munching on them. Frank suggested we try another beetle trap. I don't know. Sometimes beetle traps just attract more beetles.

The birds were hungry so Frank and I decided that it was time to feed them. Frank agrees with me that bird pellets (made with soy) don't smell so good after they've been dunked in water during warm weather. Although we both agree that we're glad that the birds practice good hygiene by washing their food.

Frank and I are trying to get all the laundry done before Saturday. I am working the Beth Moore event on Saturday and won't have time to wash and iron. Or I will be too tired. And Frank will be gone by then so he won't be able to help. (We aren't mentioning the fact that I won't be able to attend the Friday session because of Frank. I don't want to make him feel bad.)

Our last real chore of the night. Frank and I loaded the dishwasher and turned it on. Now Frank and I are headed upstairs to read our Bible and watch a movie with Josh. I'm hoping Frank and I will be able to share more adventures with you tomorrow.

Good night for now!

Is there anything more difficult than facing a parent's mortality?

My father called this evening to let me know that the doctor has found a mass on his thyroid and after various tests, they will be doing a biopsy on Wednesday. Or whenever the sixth is.

How can this be?

Regardless of the outcome of the test, my father is getting older. Things that used to be second nature for him, now take much longer or are not done at all.

He no longer rides his bike ten miles a day. (neither does his daughter but I'm pretty sure she never did.)

He and my mother no longer put in a large garden.

They no longer travel, other than to the various funerals and hospitals to visit their friends.

Even this daughter's eyes (who has viewed him through rose colored glasses for so many years) can finally see that he is growing older.

How can this be?

The strong vital man of my childhood is now several inches shorter than I am. His voice, which always echoed his personality, does not resonate through a room any more. It sometimes seems that he is becoming less and less.

And now this.

Of course, he told me that he's having trouble with gallstones too. The doctor told him that if his thyroid isn't cancerous then they will take out his gallbladder. As a punishment of sorts. Or so he says. And he'll try to talk her into taking both at the same time to save money. And while he's there, he'll meet a new friend or two. He'll talk about church and Jesus and leave them with a smile. Because that's the way he is.

And I can't imagine life without him.

Before...

And After....

I thought about doing before and after shots of my laundry but "before" is kind of yucky and um...there is no "after"...yet. But I'm working on it. :)

It's Friday!

In case you hadn't noticed.

I'm singing the "It's Friday" song in my head. (No, I am not singing out loud. Because I don't. Remember, I'm the girl who's two year old grasped her face and said, "don't sing, mommy. don't sing.)

Because I'm really glad that it's the end of the week.

Not because work has been hard. (even though the days have been long. But the nights have been short. What's that about?)

But I am ready for some "house" time and "me" time and "family" time.

So, it's Friday! Woo Hoo!

How can I keep from singing...?

Some days are a little more difficult than others. Some weeks are too. (Of course, it might help if I would get some sleep!) But....

"I am loved by the King, and it makes me want to sing..."





There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring

And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives

And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne

So, we'll sing...

Boom!

Just in case you were wondering what we do for fun in Louisville when it's not derby time....

Cover to Cover: Handel

Okay, before we start this week, did anyone else hear Handel's Messiah playing in their heads as we read through Isaiah 40? Years ago, I went and saw Handel's Young Messiah performed and this song (along with others) stuck in my head. So, as I read this week, I kept thinking, "I know this." Cool stuff.

Most of you know that I am doing the Kelly Minter No other gods study with a huge group of people. One of the things that we learned early on in the study was that while satan may tell us things that are "true" they are not the "truth". An example would be something like, "Josh fussed at me because I forgot to shuck the corn." While this is true, satan tries to convince me that I am a horrible wife because I don't take care of my family by shucking corn. This is not Truth. Anyway, I continue to look for examples of this to keep me on my toes and wise to the lies of satan. Isaiah 36:14 says, "Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you." While this is true, it is not truth. Hezekiah cannot save his people, however, he knows the One who can. He cries out to God and God hears and delivers.

Did you notice 2 Kings description of Hezekiah? Chapter 18, verse 6 says, " He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow Him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses." What a wonderful tribute and one that I certainly would like to apply to my life. Do I hold fast? In good times as well as bad? (Isn't it so much easier to cling like a child when the times are bad?)

I guess at this time in my life, I am fascinated with scripture that talks about clinging to God, trusting in Him, yearning for Him and so on. Isaiah 25:8-9 says, "The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. In that day they will say, Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him and He saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation." Isaiah 26:9 goes on to say, "My soul yearns for You in the night, in the morning my spirit longs for You." Again, something that I would like to apply to my life. I love God, but do I yearn for Him, long for Him above all other things?

I also love the comfort that God offers in these passages. In Isaiah 41:9-11, He says, "I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are My servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Or in Isaiah 43:1b-2. "I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. (Doesn't that just give you chills? He summoned me and I am His!) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." How about this one? "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." (Isaiah 46:4) Since I am feeling my age more and more lately, I really liked the comfort of this verse!

We also covered several verses referring to the coming Messiah. The one that I struggle with time and again is Isaiah 53:2, "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him." While I understand the point that Isaiah is making (It wasn't charisma or good looks that drew people to Jesus, it was God), I still think my Jesus would be beautiful to me! :) One thing that I saw this time that I had not seen before (or at least didn't pay any attention to) was in Isaiah 53:5b, "the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him." I guess I hadn't thought of His crucifixion as bringing us peace before. That kind of stops me in my tracks. What a heavy price to pay for my peace. Isaiah also refers to the LORD "making His life a guilt offering" (53:10). So that I might have peace. That's something that I am going to be thanking my Savior for over and over this coming week.

To be perfectly honest, there are so many other things that I could list here. Isaiah is so much richer than I would have ever believed. (Yay for chronological reading!) There are several more passages that spoke to me this week but I don't want to make this so long that no one will finish it. So I will end with these two scriptures.

“Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life." Isaiah 55:3a

"It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it." Isaiah 55:11

May you hear His Word, seek Him and find life this week and may you always be aware that His Word accomplishes what He desires. Blessings to you!

Have you not heard?

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand or marked off the heavens with the span [of his hand]? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure or weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in scales?

***

God is enthroned above the circle of the earth; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

***

Look up and see: who created these? He brings out the starry host by number; He calls all of them by name. Because of His great power and strength, not one of them is missing.

***

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding.

Isaiah 40:12, 22,26,28

Ketchup...

Okay, my day didn't go quite as planned but that's what ice cream is for. (And if you understand that remark, then you deserve some ice cream as well.)



Jonathan finally woke up and told me about Video Games Live. He seemed to really enjoy the whole thing. They apparently had a Guitar Hero contest before the concert and the winner got to perform with the orchestra. Guitar Hero is one of the video games that Jonathan did not own but oddly enough, his father found one at a yard sale today for 15.00. So I'm guessing he is preparing for next year! (and after watching this clip, I might be "game" for going too!)



Now, about six weeks ago (I'm blushing!), Lori tagged me for a meme. Since she's gone to visit her inlaws in Jordan for the next month, this probably isn't a very timely time to be doing this. Because she won't know that I finally followed up with her tag. Sorry, Lori! Anyway, you all know the rules. And I won't be tagging anyone afterwards because I think everybody in the free world has already done this one except me. (If you haven't, feel free to jump right in!) But, here goes:



What I was doing 10 years ago: Probably pretty much what I am doing now. Laundry, ironing, raising babies, working, trying to be a better wife and mother...still living in the same house, working in the same job.



Five Snacks I Enjoy: Just five? Okay, Outback Cheese Fries. (You knew that would be one, didn't you?), Carmel Praline ice cream, tortilla chips with a hint of lime, grapes, and homemade butterscotch pudding. Because I believe in getting all the calories one can in my snack.



Things I would do if I were a billionaire: I always thought if I had more money than sense, I would buy these abandoned stores and turn them back into parks and forests. Because I like green. I would probably also buy a villa in Tuscany, take lots of trips and dream of world peace.



Five jobs that I have had: I put decals on t-shirts, sold cheese, worked as a book-keeper at a car dealership, worked as a secretary for a lawyer and a sheet metal company, and work currently at LifeWay.



Three of my habits: I read. Everywhere. All the time. I always have to lay down on my right side first when I go to bed. Always. Did I mention that I read? Ummm...I come home for lunch everyday.



Five place I have lived: I'm not sure I've lived in five cities. Let's see. Cincinnati, Louisville, Bowling Green, the San Joaquin Valley in California, and Louisville.



Five People I Want to Get to Know Better: This is where I am supposed to Tag people. I'd rather not. I want to get to know all of you better. So, if you want to play, please do so.



This has got to be the longest post on the face of the earth. But, I'm not done yet!



Over the past couple of weeks, I have received three internet awards. (and I'm blushing again. This is one of those times that I wish I could see me the way you apparently do.)




I received two Arte Y Pico awards, one from Annette and one from Amy.




I also received a brilliante weblog award from the roost. So, here's the deal. I am supposed to choose blogs that deserve to be recognized. The thing is, there are about 40 blogs on my feed that I read regularly. There are also another ten or so that I try to keep up with weekly. And yes, I spend a lot of time reading blogs. (However, if you read my meme, you'd see that one of my habits is that I read all the time.) So, I am going to share my choices with you. Each of these girls deserve to be recognized for their writing. They all touch my heart in so many ways. They are the sisters that I've always longed for and my mother never gave me!

Without further ado....

Annette, Annette, Amy, Ang, Angie, Brenda, Bev, Anna, Cheryl,
Tammy, Jessi, Jessica, Beth, Mary Jane, Connie, Heather, Michelle, Mindy, Katie, Julie, Beth, Lori, Amanda, Sumi, Helen and 'Nise. Each one of these blogs is award worthy in it's own right. You will be blessed by each one! (and if you visit all of them, you will learn something else about me. I have very eclectic reading tastes.)

Now I'm off to the hot tub. This blogging stuff is hard work! Ya'll have a blessed evening and an even better Sabbath! You mean so much to me!

Yesterday I had to go see the keeper of the medieval torture device (better known as the doctor and his evil henchman, The Scale). This time, however, I emerged victorious. I lost four pounds. When the doctor and I were talking later, he asked if I had been trying to lose weight. I looked at him and said, "aren't women always trying to lose weight?" Because truthfully, even when we aren't actively trying, aren't we at least thinking about it? Anyway, I suppose my victory was short-lived, because he has decided that I need further tests done on my heart (for crying out loud, I am 43 years old. Too young for this nonsense.) And to show the depth of my character, rather than worry about my health or heart or any such thing, all I could hear was the cacophony of cash register sounds indicating the cost of such testing. Sigh.

Jonathan survived and enjoyed his trip into culture last night. (I prefer to think of him as going to the symphony rather than a musical extravaganza of video game music. It sounds so much more distinguished.) He hasn't told me too much about it yet because I was sleeping when he got home and he is sleeping now. But as soon as I hear the exciting details, I will pass them along. I am sure you are hanging on the edge of your seat!

I also plan, if time permits, to catch up on some things on here today. I have a couple of awards to pass along and a meme that is long overdue. (Sorry, Lori.) So, if I am a good girl and get my things done (grocery, laundry, ironing, watering, pet care, and so forth) then I will be back on here, rambling on about other things.

Enjoy the day!

Class?

Several weeks ago my son asked if he could go hear the Louisville Orchestra play on July 18th. You can imagine my shock and surprise. My first thought was that perhaps a little culture might be seeping into his brain as he meanders through the summer. My second thought was that perhaps a girl might be involved. I was wrong on both counts. This is what caught his attention.

.


The description says : Video Games Live is an immersive concert event featuring music from the biggest video games of all-time. The Louisville Orchestra performs along with exclusive video footage and music arrangements, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussion, live action and unique interactive segments to create an explosive one-of-a-kind entertainment experience. Come hear the music from - Metal Gear Solid, God of War, Kingdom Hearts, Castlevania, Medal of Honor, Sonic, Tron, Tomb Raider, Advent Rising, Headhunter, Beyond Good & Evil, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, EverQuest II and a special retro Classic Arcade Medley featuring over 20+ games from Pong to Donkey
Kong including such classics as Dragon's Lair, Tetris, Frogger, Gauntlet, Space Invaders & Outrun!

I'm thinking it's still an Orchestra event with real instruments and perhaps he'll be inspired to be a concert pianist someday. (If he starts learning to play now, he should be at concert level in ten or twenty years...)

And, in case you are like me, here's a little video clip of what apparently goes on at VGL. (And I haven't even mentioned the costumes and other stuff. Sounds kind of like a star trek convention to me.)



I'm sure it's culture somewhere.

Oh, the irony...

I have a small "chronic" illness. It won't kill me, but it does make me miserable sometimes and can affect my life. It is something that I pray about...daily. At this point in my life, God has not chosen to heal me. And I am okay with that. Mostly. Sometimes.

Yesterday, in our chronological reading, I came across a verse that really spoke to me. We were reading about Hezekiah and his illness and how the LORD told Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that he was going to die. (I thought it was rather kind of God to tell him to put his house in order. That's more warning than most people get.) Anyhow, Hezekiah prays and God changes His mind and gives him another fifteen years. (Again, what a gracious God. Now Hezekiah knows that he has another fifteen years to put his house in order.)

I decided that I would post this verse and blog about it a little bit but I was too busy this morning to take care of it before I went to work.

And as I was heading out the door, I was thinking that it had been a while since my chronic thing had flared up and how relieved I was. (Can you hear the "jaws" music in the background? Do you see doom headed my way?)

Well, to make a rather long and icky story short, I ended up back at the house around lunchtime, having a "moment". Which I suppose makes the verse even more meaningful this day than yesterday.

"You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. Isaiah 38:16-17"

My health may not be restored the way I want it to be. But I do believe that God uses all things to His good and glory. (Romans 8:28). And someday, I'll find out how He used something like this. In the meantime, I'll probably keep praying for strength and good health. (After all, it doesn't hurt to ask...)

a good reminder for us all...

Amanda has a great post here. I will ask that you join with me today in lifting up her missionary team as they struggle against the lies of Satan.

time to pay the piper

The downside to being lazy is that you end up getting behind on all the little things that make a house run smoothly. (In which case we must always be running behind because "running smoothly" is not a word that I would associate with my house. Actually, that's probably not quite accurate. What passes for "running smoothly" at one house might be considered utter chaos at another. But we're not into the comparison thing. Probably because we're afraid that we won't measure up. Which is a topic for another day. And I am so far off point now that I don't remember what I started to say. Sigh.)

I think my whole point was that I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and mildly frustrated this morning. And rather than unleash my mild frustration on my poor unsuspecting family, I decided to express my "overwhelmedness" here. Aren't you the lucky one?

So, I am dashing around, paying bills, trying to catch up on the dishes and laundry, get ready for my bible study class and plan to work late tonight. (No, really I am sitting here blogging about all the things I need to be doing. But really, I am going to be doing those things any minute. Really.)

Was my lazy day worth it? You bet. Would I do it again? Yep. Am I going to have a headache by the time this day is over? Not planning on it. Am I content in my circumstances? I surely am. It's a beautiful day out there and the laundry and dishes will still be here tonight when I get home. (Or maybe someone else will take care of them while I am gone!)

I wish you joy this day. Thanks for listening!

Cover to Cover:a great big shout out...

First of all, I have to give a giant "thank you" to whoever thought up the idea of the Bible in chronological form. I have struggled for years with various formats to read the Bible through. I usually do well until I get to Isaiah. All the doom and gloom stuff makes it difficult for me to get through. (remember, I am the girl who only watches a movie if it has a guaranteed happy ending.) I just didn't get it. Until now. Reading through chronologically makes everything fall into place. I finally understand why Isaiah says and feels the things that he does. And although I love reading the Psalms, I often felt like I was be-bopping back and forth between praise and thankfulness and woe and fear and anger as I read them. However, now that we are reading them in the order that they were written, the continuity is beautiful. (It's like a story. Imagine that!)

Anyhow, here are the things that spoke to me this week.

I loved God's response to the king of Assyria. Sennacherib was strutting around, all puffed up about the mighty things he had done. And God says, "Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass." (2 Kings 19:25) In other words, "you would be doing none of those things if I had not allowed it. " How many times to I strut around, proudly congratulating myself about things that I really had no part in, other than being in the path that God chose to take? Do I give glory where glory is deserved?

Following along those lines, Psalm 75:2-3 says, "You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm." All things happen in God's timing, not mine. And when things don't turn out quite the way I expect, God is there, holding me firmly.

We had a truly worshipful church experience today which made these words all the more hard hitting this evening: The LORD says, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." (Isaiah 29:13) How many times to I go to church and sit in the service and think about a world of other things while mouthing the words to praise songs? How many times do I enter the sanctuary with a prayerful and repentant heart, ready to praise Him and hear the words that He has for me? (and why do I feel like I have to go to an "event" just to get a word?)

Where is the god who can compare with you— wiping the slate clean of guilt,Turning a blind eye, a deaf ear, to the past sins of your purged and precious people?You don't nurse your anger and don't stay angry long, for mercy is your specialty. That's what you love most. And compassion is on its way to us. You'll stamp out our wrongdoing. Micah 7:18-19 The Message

See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; He has given me victory.” Isaiah 12:2

And finally,

As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. Micah 7:7

Blessings to you this week. For more insights on the Word this week, check out Bev's blog and the wisdom you'll find there.

The Lord looks down from heaven and sees every person. From his throne he watches all who live on earth. But the Lord looks after those who fear him, those who put their hope in his love. He saves them from death and spares their lives in times of hunger. So our hope is in the Lord. He is our help, our shield to protect us. We rejoice in him, because we trust his holy name. Lord, show your love to us as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33: 13,14.18-22

Our LORD, we belong to you.
We tell you what worries us,
and you won't let us fall.
Psalm 55:22

Lazy Days of Summer

I must confess that I have been lazy today.

Under motivated.

Exhausted.

Or something.

I did have a lovely time at the grocery and the farmers market this morning with Josh. And I did do two or three loads of laundry.

But somewhere along the way, I sputtered to a stop.

I've read.

I've taken a nap (or two. But who's counting?)

I've eaten (to keep my energy level up in case I decide to do something.)

But basically, I've been unproductive.

And now, at 7:54 in the evening, I'm feeling guilty.

And I'm remembering all the things that were on my list of things to do today.(Still are for that matter.) Since tomorrow is Sunday, I don't really want to put all this stuff off until then. Because Sunday's are for worship and for rest. (Um...isn't that what we did today?) So perhaps I'd better get off of here and get started on whittling down my list just a wee bit.

After all, bedtime is right around the corner!

What did you do today? (and if you conquered new worlds, invented a cure for the common cold or eradicated world hunger, do you think you might have time to stop by my house and do some ironing?)

Do you have a clue what I'm talking about?

I don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but I think a lot. (I also talk a lot but we are not talking about talking today, we are talking about thinking.) There is always something rolling around in my head. (I often refer to it as a carnival in my head...sometimes you win the giant stuffed animal and sometimes you're stuck with the ten cent goldfish.) Often, my thoughts are about two steps ahead of my mouth. (Those of you who know me are nodding your head in agreement. This explains why my conversational paths often appear unrelated when, in truth, if you lived inside my head, you would clearly see how I got from point a to point b. You would also likely be slightly disturbed and uncomfortable because inside my head is a strange little place.)

Anyhow, before I digress any further, I thought I might pull some of my thoughts out and let them see the light of day.

Yesterday God and I had a conversation about Him. (We had one today too but that's not the conversation we are discussing at this moment.) Two very small, mostly insignificant prayer requests were sent up yesterday and they were both answered almost immediately. They really didn't mean much to anyone other than the two people who requested them.

They weren't for world peace or health cures or even for lost souls.

Just two little bitty requests that were only important to the two who asked.

As I was driving home later that day, I thanked my Father for loving us so much that He answered even these teeny tiny requests. And I got the feeling that He wondered why I was surprised. After all, does He not know the number of hairs on my head? Of course He does. All of this then led to a discussion about "reserve bids" and prayer expectations.

Why is it that we feel that an event or request in our lives must meet a certain standard before we bring it to the Father? That it must be a certain size or a certain level of importance to be worthy of discussing with Him? Kind of like the "reserve bids" that ebay sellers sometimes put on items. Once the thing hits a certain price (or level of pain or discomfort or cluelessness or confusion) then it must be important enough to bother God about.

Which leads me to wonder how many hours (or days, months, years) of heartache and confusion I might avoid if I would just bring everything to Him. As I said here, I am a life in progress, covered by grace. And while I'll always be a life in progress here on this earth, I'm hoping this is one thing I can conquer for good.

In the meantime, I'll be dancing over the little things as well as the big.

And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Luke 12:7

Some pictures, a request, and a Word

We now bring you another exciting vacation moment, courtesy of the Heigh-Ho house. This is the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. It is the tallest lighthouse in Florida (even though the St. Augustine Lighthouse has ten more steps. I'm not complaining, though. I don't think I could have climbed ten more steps.) One of the cool things about this lighthouse is that it is smack dippity-doo-dab in the middle of a neighborhood. Which means that I could buy a house next door to it and fulfill my dream of living in a lighthouse (sort of) and not be responsible for climbing all 203 steps every day. (Although I suppose I would have killer calf muscles if I did climb it everyday. Assuming I lived through the multiple heart attacks that would be certain to follow my climbing everyday.)

What I learned on my summer vacation: Don't climb a lighthouse wearing a skirt.

A Prayer Request:

Please pray for Amanda's sister, Joanna today if you have a moment or two. She and a group of youth from our church are returning from their mission trip to Kenya. You can read a little about what they've been up to here.

And a Word:

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

Blessings!

photobucket and I are not friends...

Or an alternate title could be...I am ill equipped to deal with modern technology.

I have been frustrated with my efforts to provide you with a slide show of our vacation. So I am going to do things the old fashioned way. Bore you with the random picture inserted here and there. (as though blogging is old fashioned technology. Tell that to my grandmother.)

Here is Jonathan enjoying his time at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. I think he was slightly disappointed that there were no video games or computers here. They did have Doritos though.

Here is Jessi ignoring the fact that I have pushed a camera in her face and am intent on taking a picture. Maybe she's learning to pretend that if she doesn't see it, it will go away. (Just like her mom.)

I'm sure I will thrill and excite you over the upcoming months as I spread out my 380ish pictures one post at a time. (If that doesn't give you goosebumps, I don't know what will!)

Happy day!

Tag...you're it!

Or maybe I'm it. Then you're it. Anyhow, I've been tagged by the roost to sum up my life in six words. (which makes me mildly concerned that perhaps my life is over and nobody told me. Sigh.)

The concept for this little game comes from the book Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. Since I qualify as obscure, I suppose I can play. Apparently the compilation revolves around a bet that Hemmingway made that he could sum up his life in six words. His were, "For Sale, baby shoes, never worn." (Which I just totally don't get. Did he like walk barefoot all the time when he was a toddler? I admit that I am not a huge Hemmingway fan...sorry Ernest...but is this a bit of obscure trivia that only Ernestites would know? or did he just decide to put together any six words and claim his prize? Could he have said "blue monkeys make me really sick" and collected his ten dollars? Am I over analyzing this?)

Anyhow, after all that, here are my six words:

Life in Progress, covered by Grace


I'd love it if you'd like to play along. (Also, if you can explain the whole baby shoes thing, I'd be eternally grateful. It might save me a sleepless night.) Here's the deal:

1. Write your own six word memoir.
2. Post it to your blog including a visual illustration if you would like.
3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post and to this original so they can track it across the blogosphere.
4. Tag 5 more blogs with links (or issue an open invitation!).
5. Don't forget to leave a comment in the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.
Enjoy!

Cover to Cover:Got Truth?

I don't believe in coincidences. I also believe that God speaks to His children. In unique ways. So, when something runs by me time and time again, both in the Word and through my church and in other areas as well, I try to pay attention.

A couple of weekends ago, we had the privilege of hearing Kay Arthur speak about a very difficult truth. Using Ezekiel 14 as one of her texts, she asked the question, "what happens if a country sins against God?" (I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 14:8) She went on to express her passionate concern that America no longer knows Truth. We have been (sometimes willingly) deceived. (So we have driven away justice, and we have kept away from what is right. Truth is not spoken in the streets; what is honest is not allowed to enter the city. Isaiah 59:14) She talked about how many churches would rather offer platitudes and positive messages rather than Truth so that people might not be frightened or offended. (To whom can I speak? Whom can I warn? Who will listen to me? The people of Israel have closed ears, so they cannot hear my warnings. They don't like the word of the Lord; they don't want to listen to it! Jeremiah 6:10)

As we travelled from the conference to our condo in Florida, I read these words from last weeks chronological reading:

The LORD says: I will not relent from punishing Judah for three crimes, even four, because they have rejected the law of the LORD and have not kept His statutes. The lies that their ancestors followed have led them astray. Amos 2:4

Five times in Amos chapter 4 He says, "yet you did not return to Me" after He describes the punishments He inflicted upon the Israelites.

The answer, it seems, is fairly simple. "For the LORD says to the house of Israel:
Seek Me and live!" Amos 5:4

Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the LORD, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed. Amos 5:14

The Lord God says: "The days are coming when I will cause a time of hunger in the land. The people will not be hungry for bread or thirsty for water, but they will be hungry for words from the Lord. Amos 8:11
What hurts our Father more? When a nation is deprived of His Word or when they willing choose to ignore it or put other things in it's place?

Our sermon today talked about the importance of knowing the Truth and doing what is right in the eyes of God no matter what society would have us choose. (Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak lies against me. Hosea 7:13)


I have to believe that God is trying to get my attention. And He has. We need to know God's Word. We need to know who and what we are fighting against. We need to understand the cost for disobedience or ignorance. And we need to know that He promises, "For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.” 2 Chronicles 30:9.

So press on, dear ones. May His word burn in your heart like a fire (Jeremiah 20:9). Join Bev and the girls this week for a recap of their cover to cover. And check this out for a more coherent explanation of Deeper Still.


Come, let us return to the LORD.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.
Hosea 6:1

In case you were interested....

Here's a sampling of the 380 pictures I took while we were gone.

every day is filled with hope....

Oh but, You're the one who looks at me
And sees what I was meant to be
More than just a beautiful mess

blessings...

This past week has been filled with unique blessings and in spite of some of the "uniqueness", I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I wouldn't have missed being one of 19,000 voices worshipping our Father. Or hearing the Word brought by Priscilla and Miss Kay. Or being gently cared for by my daughter when I had what now appears to be a hypoglycemic episode during Beth's word (although I could probably do without the trip to the doctor that I will be taking...).

I wouldn't have missed discussing scripture and what God is doing in our lives with my sister-in-law. Or hearing my sweet niece tell me how much she misses me while we are washing our hands in the bathroom of Aunt Catfish's restaurant. (We see each other about once a year due to some awkward family issues with my brother.)

I wouldn't have missed the multitude of examples of God's handiwork that He displayed this week, from the gorgeous flowers to the stunning sunrises and sunsets. Or seeing my daughter catch a starfish from the surf and feeling it's "ooky" little feet. Or watching dolphins frolic in the surf along the coastal road.

I wouldn't have missed watching my husband walk on the beach under the mark of the cross.



I wouldn't have missed spending what may be our last family vacation together before my daughter gets married.

I am blessed.

They do this every year before the start of Thunder over Louisville. I love the reminder of it. Happy Day of Freedom!

There's no place like home....

We are finally home. I suspect I will have more to say once I figure out which suitcase I packed my brain in. As for now, it's good to be home. So I'll say goodnight, sweet dreams and I'll catch up with you soon. Blessings!

Question of the day #3

So, what do you think a basset who's mommy and daddy have been gone out of town might do to the house in their absence? Um...when we find out, I'll let you know. (and he really hasn't been alone. Uncle Brian and Pappaw have been taking care of our little herd. In case you were wondering. But it's not the same as mommy and daddy.)