encouraged

The sermon this past week was about being an encourager. Several people come to my mind when I envision what that looks like. There was a mom of five who always looked for ways to encourage me. She would call and see how things were going, and invite me to parties when she knew I couldn't buy, and let me know I was coming to see friends. I know sometimes that she was the cheerleader behind the scenes that allowed someone to know of a need in our house, so that it would get met. She looked for clearance bargains and shared those items with me. Sometimes it would only be a pack of baby onesie t-shirts she found for a dollar. It was the idea that she thought of me often, and then acted. Time and time again I would come to church only to leave with a bag of something from that mom. With all that she had to do for her own family, she always took time for encouraging many other moms. That has inspired me to take a closer look at Proverbs 31.

Joshua and I were new believers and struggling in our marriage. Church was always so comforting. No matter what was happening in our home or in our car on the way to church - when I arrived, it was hope, peace, and love. People at FBCH demonstrated Christ in real ways to our family. I remember when they brought us meals after Jonah was born. There was one mom who came in with meals and then asked if she could pray for me. Nobody had ever stood in front of me and prayed for me just like that. I was awestruck and totally humbled. Her sweet prayer was for God to give me a passion for my kids, and remember what really matters - as well as healing and good health for me and the baby. Time and time again after that incident, I was given the opportunity to pray for someone. It was so awkward for me at first, but eventually it became part of my nature. God surrounded me with Godly women, and I started to see how beautiful it is to pray for someone right when they share their need, instead of just saying "I'll pray for you." When we started coming to TFB, there were women who just met me and yet prayed for me to find a job once I shared that need. They didn't stop there either, they even gave my name to others who called me about jobs, and when I told them of a possible lead, offered to put in a good reference, as they worked with that agency! Church is family, and that has been evident in the two churches we have belonged to. Anyway, I just want to thank all the women who have encouraged me in my walk with Christ. There are too many to list by name, but if you are reading this...you are one of them!

I remember one day after a church activity, Emma's classmate hurt her finger. Emma was just 3 at the time. She reminded me about her friend as we drove away, so I said a prayer out loud. She asked me when I was done, "Well, what did He say? Is He gonna fix it or not?" Oh, I still laugh at that memory. Don't we all want that immediate response from the Lord. When He asks us to wait, it always feels like no. And even His no is not to hurt us, but it's hard to keep that perspective. Lord, may I be an encourager to other women today. Help me to really see those people you put in my path, and remember how much you love them.

cute kids!

Who could resist these three?

wishes do come true

Oh, to be a kid again... Sometimes I wish I had a recorder because I know that by the time I can write down the things the kids say, I won't remember it the same sweet way they said it hours ago. Since Emma was old enough to talk, I would always ask her each night what her favorite part of her day was. The kids are so in habit of this that they do it amongst themselves sometimes without being asked. Tonight, the kids told me what a "super sweet day" it was. They listed all the great highlights:

* mom shared chocolate candy dad bought her for their anniversary
* emma got to go to a birthday party
* emma shared her cookies from her goodie bag
* daddy got to go on the airplane to India to tell people about Jesus
* mrs. angie let us jump on the trampoline
* we ate chinese noodles
* the fireman in the chinese place gave us firehats to keep
* we got to go rent a movie
* we got purple soda, chocolate, and popcorn for the movie time

Jonah says, these were my dearest wishes that really did come true! (What makes this so sweet is the lisp that only a five-year-old has that makes "r" sound like "w") Emma's fortune cookie had told her that her dearest wishes would come true. I had a chance to giggle, and remind them that God blesses us all the time, not fortune cookies!

Thank you Lord, that we cannot see the whole picture sometimes. It would be too much for us to handle. What a loving God we have to only give us today, never more than we can handle, and even not always what we wish for! Today was full of joy, and that comes from a thankful heart. Being thankful is a choice, and today I choose to say thank you! It will be memories from a day like today that will bring me through another day which is not so full of chocolate and giggles. But for now, I'll eat chocolate and know that God is so good, ALL THE TIME!

boys will be boys!

Today, Jonah was playing baseball in the backyard. He accidentally hit his brother in the hand while swinging the wooden bat. Gabe lost his fingernail and probably broke a finger. The doctor said there is nothing they would do. Josh took the dangling nail off (I tried not to throw up while I held him still) and I made him a makeshift splint. He is sedated, watching Cars, and eating a fudgesicle. He was scheduled to get a picture taken an hour later. I laughed earlier this week when a friend bemoaned how few pictures she had of number 3, and number 4 children from babies until about middle school. Today I know how life gets in the way, even when we plan differently. I have lots of action shots, but no professional pictures of Gabe. Oh well, maybe that is foreshadowing years to come!!!! He told me he wants to be "a skateboard guy" the other day. He seems geared for extreme everything. I'll keep praying that it is used to honor God, and remember the safest place all of us can be is in God's will, whatever that plan is for each of our lives!

Our friend, Linda Blankenship, serves in Haiti fulltime in a widow's home. She is a beautiful and very selfless woman and treats the three widow's like queens. We visited her in Haiti this summer, and this week she sent us this story:

Saturday afternoon I went for a walk to Pelecier to visit some friends. Along the way I stopped to talk (that’s what takes me so long to take walks!) and met a little girl who had some type of skin boils all over her body. Her name is ANNA DANA. I asked if she had been to the hospital to see the doctor and I was told by an older girl that they didn’t have money to go to the hospital. I explained she could go anyway, and that I would meet her there on Monday morning. The little girl came (alone!) at 7:00 AM. Short story is we made it through an examination, blood tests, doctor’s consultation, then another test, and another consult and then the 6 different kinds of meds at the pharmacy and she was on her way home yesterday around 5:00 PM, after two long days. BUT, never once did I see the smile go away from this little girl’s face, despite the fact she was afraid of the needles (so was I !!) and the sat long hours on hard benches, just waiting! First of all, God gave me a totally new appreciation for the hospital and the MANY people seen each day, and a doctor who stays to see patients until they are ALL seen, but He also opened my eyes even more to the fact that there are many people around us who just want a kind word or action! How many times did I walk by that girl’s little house listening to my music and not even see her? What a small price to pay to sit for a couple days, share some little Creole books and some food –just to let one little girl know somebody cares. All I can say is: Please, Lord, forgive me for being too “busy” to remember the little ones that you love so much!

Anna returned to visit me yesterday (again, she came alone -apparently her mother left her with an aunt and the mother hasn't returned for 4 days!)-only two days after starting meds etc - and she is a new girl..the skin boils are drying up, her skin is starting to look normal again... she has a smile that can light up your darkest day! In God's eyes and in mine - she is BEAUTIFUL! She is so excited because now she wants to return to school! So yes, we had fun yesterday buying her some school shoes (since the ones she had were falling part) and of course we HAD to get lots of hairbows and barrettes, and paper and pens etc etc...

What a marvelous God we have who loves the needy SO much and sends a small little servant like me to be able to help this one little girl. A special thanks to sweet new friends, Joshua and Natalie, who gave me money a few months ago to use for "something special". You now can know that I did not use that until this week, when Anna became that "something special"! What a difference your generosity made in the life of this one little girl!

Our God is ALWAYS...I repeat ALWAYS...sufficient to meet every need, when we are just willing to open our eyes to where He leads!

This was just another story that makes you go, "awww, I think I might cry!" until it hits home that because a family at our church provided us with funds, we were able to be the messenger that would open the door to change a little girl's life forever. $100.00 here in Missouri provided for us a beautiful day of memories with grandparents at the airshow last weekend; however, that same small amount of money gave another child a future! WOW, it reaffirms what God is leading our family to do. Not everyone is supposed to go far, but all of us are supposed to go. As we are going, we are to share God's message of love and hope. I am prayerful that this story inspires someone to let God lead them today to the person he wants them to minister to. Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord.