The Plan I Have For You

I had an opportunity one day this week to be up early and take a road trip.  Road trips were a part of my life for five years.  The one part of travel I enjoyed was the quiet time.  It's been much harder to accomplish that being at home, and I really appreciated the opportunity to have that time this week. This was a special road trip, a four hour, round trip journey to take the entrance test for graduate school.  Its a dream I have been talking about for almost 10 years, or more. I topped a hill, catching a glimpse of the sun beginning to rise.  Literally the clouds were painted a beautiful pink before my eyes.  God's awesome, beautiful artistry in the making.  He painted the clouds and simultaneously spoke to my heart. God has opened many doors in my life.  In that moment, I understood the power of the doors he has closed.  If it had not been for a series of closed doors...and one through which he had to push ...

Last night, I was sitting in the kitchen, five feet from the item I needed.  I was giving my son directions on where to retrieve an item and instructions to bring it to me.  After the third try...he finally got it.  The past week has been full of those moments, a hard lesson for the type A who would rather just do it herself and be done with it.  My family has been incredible taking care of me while I TRY to keep my foot non weight bearing to heal.  Its the hardest thing to sit back and let someone else do.  Its really, really hard for me.  I've not been the best patient.    This morning I was thinking back to those frequent episodes during the week at the take a deep breath and sigh moments when you tell someone something, and it takes three more sets of instructions to get the job done.   A lump appeared in my throat...God must do this with me every day. Can you imagine the patience it must take to...

Esther 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.   And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? On my porch, nestled in my geranium, a mother bird is raising her babies.   It’s been exciting to watch her feed and care for them.   She brings them food, and she is quick to guard them against anything she feels is a threat, including my curious kitty.   That mother bird will soon teach her little ones to fly and prepare them to go off into the great big world.   I’ve seen mama birds do this before;   she pushes the little ones out of the nest to get them started.   Each time I wonder how she can do that and not worry about her little one getting hurt? I feel a bit like that mother bird lately.   My oldest child starts high school this year.   While I am so proud of the indepe...

Exodus 4:2-5 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.   The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.     “This,” said the Lord , “is so that they may believe that the Lord , the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.” This has been Vacation Bible School week at our church, and I've been teaching the 3-5 year old class.  If you haven't had that pleasure, lessons are fast paced, because if you get them to sit still longer than a couple of minutes you are doing great. Its also amazing to see how much they do absorb in such a short time, and how much they can remember later. Our lessons have focused on Moses.  We talke...

I'm celebrating my 40th birthday in just a few days. I thought by age 40, I would have my life figured out and expected to be settled into the plan God had prepared for my life.  That streamline path I expected has been more like a wandering experience, not knowing what would come next. Each time I seem to get "comfortable" in the role God has planned for my life, he seems to open another door into another area of the "wilderness." I know, you have been there too. I've been thinking about the Israelites 40 year journey out bondage into a land of freedom.  A straight route from point A to B would have been less than 250 miles, or about 2 weeks on foot.  So why did they spend 40 years in the desert?  Deuteronomy 8:2  says "And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no...

Happy Anniversary, Troy!  May 25, 1996, we stood in front of our family and friends and made a commitment to a lifetime together.  Love, 17 years ago, meant you treated me like a lady. Love, 17 years ago, meant you listened to what I had to say. Love, 17 years ago, meant you held my hand, and took me to dinner. Love, 17 years ago, meant the excitement of buying a house together. Love grows, and love changes.  As we grow together love deepens and takes on a whole new meaning. Love, today, means the fulfillment of the vows we made that day...for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. Love means making the tough decisions together with prayerful consideration. Love means often giving up our time to pour into preparing two children for a great big world. Love means saying I'm sorry, a lot. Love means needing to say I'm sorry more than what we do. Love means compromise. Love is the admiration of watching you grow in your Christ-lead role of father and...

Proverbs 31: 10-30  The Wife of Noble Character A wife of noble character who can find?  She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night;  she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it;  out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously;  her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for...