Sometimes growing hurts. When I was in junior high, I remember my mom would rub my legs because they would ache. She said that they ached because they were growing. When babies teeth come through their gums, they are usually cranky, maybe have a fever, their noses run and they drool. When the teeth pop through, you find the reason for all the crankiness! The little, pearly white teeth are like little buttons on their gums. And soon the babies don't look so much like babies anymore but little toddlers!
Right now, my group of friends is going through some growing pains. It hurts! We are crying, supporting, and questioning why this change has to take place. We are going through some growing pains and its not fun. In fact, it stinks!
God says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11)
We have some friends who are the type of friends that like family. We have invested in their lives and they have invested in ours. We are in each others stories. We laugh and cry together, we share hurts and rejoice together. And they are moving.... They are moving far away, not just across town.
They have heard a call from God to "Go." They have wrestled with the decision. But they are being obedient to their God. We don't want them to go but sometimes our ways are not God's ways. They have a peace about their decision but it's still hard, thus the growing pains. There is a reason for the move that we may never know on this side of heaven, but God knows. And we have to trust Him. We will trust in His promises to get us through the pain, "For I know the plans I have for Brad, Cindy and family," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Maybe God will allow us to see the white pearls someday.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
God Can and Will
Yes, don't fall over, I am making a post. I could make excuses about how busy life is, but everyone has busy lives. I guess I feel that I have to have something worthy to say and the last while I haven't had anything to say.... Until today.
The Parable of the Talents 14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' Matt. 25:14-17
This parable was read to the 8th graders at our school last Wednesday. Each was given $10 at 11:55 am. They were told a donor had given $10 to each of the twenty, eighth graders for Feed My Starving Children and challenged them to grow it. Within a half-hour ideas were flowing to the principal, asking if this was ok and if this was a good idea.
Saturday night, some of girls babysat 24 young children and raised $380. Today, the class pooled their funds and put on a breakfast for anyone to come for a free-will donation. The principal said he hoped for 200 people to come to the breakfast, and if each gave a ten it would grow to $2,000. But our God is bigger! Our God had a different plan. The breakfast that they put on raised over $5,000 for Feed My Starving Children!
When I first heard about the idea, I had no idea how much each person would raise. I thought if they doubled the $10, that would be awesome. But God CAN and God WILL do more than we can ever imagine. God took a little and increased it by twenty-five times!
How does this help at Feed My Starving Children? This week Thurs and Friday, FMSC will be in our community. The community, along with 7 schools in the area, will be packing meals that will be sent overseas to places like Haiti. Each meal costs $.17. Ninety-five percent of all donations go toward the meals. (One person from our town did travel to Haiti and saw some of the actual boxes packed here last year, in one of the warehouses!) If you are in town and want to help, let me know, I will help you get hooked up to the people in charge!
Check out FMSC website: http://www.fmsc.org/
The Parable of the Talents 14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' Matt. 25:14-17
This parable was read to the 8th graders at our school last Wednesday. Each was given $10 at 11:55 am. They were told a donor had given $10 to each of the twenty, eighth graders for Feed My Starving Children and challenged them to grow it. Within a half-hour ideas were flowing to the principal, asking if this was ok and if this was a good idea.
Saturday night, some of girls babysat 24 young children and raised $380. Today, the class pooled their funds and put on a breakfast for anyone to come for a free-will donation. The principal said he hoped for 200 people to come to the breakfast, and if each gave a ten it would grow to $2,000. But our God is bigger! Our God had a different plan. The breakfast that they put on raised over $5,000 for Feed My Starving Children!
When I first heard about the idea, I had no idea how much each person would raise. I thought if they doubled the $10, that would be awesome. But God CAN and God WILL do more than we can ever imagine. God took a little and increased it by twenty-five times!
How does this help at Feed My Starving Children? This week Thurs and Friday, FMSC will be in our community. The community, along with 7 schools in the area, will be packing meals that will be sent overseas to places like Haiti. Each meal costs $.17. Ninety-five percent of all donations go toward the meals. (One person from our town did travel to Haiti and saw some of the actual boxes packed here last year, in one of the warehouses!) If you are in town and want to help, let me know, I will help you get hooked up to the people in charge!
Check out FMSC website: http://www.fmsc.org/
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
School is for the Birds
Yesterday was the kids first day of school. Three weeks ago we purchased their school supplies.Two weeks ago we got new shoes for school, a couple pair of shorts and some shirts. They had open house on Monday night and brought all their supplies to school, saw their room and met their teachers. To say I was anxious for them was an understatement. I was excited with them for this new adventure of 5th and 2nd grades but I was somewhat overwhelmed to begin the 5th grade homework, getting to bed on time, and getting up ready to go, etc.
All parents and students meet in church to begin the year. There is a skit to introduce the theme of the year, devotions and then the roll call begins. Every teacher calls each student by name and then they walk over to the school together, leaving anxious, relieved and worn-out parents in their wake.
I was anxiously awaiting my sons return home on the bus, when I saw them. A mom and nine baby pheasants crossing my cul-de-sac; a teacher and her class of students. And I heard God whisper to me, "It's ok, I have it in my control. If I care about the birds of the field, how much more do I care about you and your sons."
Ok, God, point taken.
Thanks for caring for me.
Kids waiting for the bus this morning.
Baby pheasants crossing the road.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Giving Hope
I came across this video about a football team in Texas. I hope it will be an inspiration to you today!
Monday, August 3, 2009
The Lake
Every year we go to Big McDonald Lake in Minnesota for a week. We just got back on Saturday. We had cool weather. This is the first time that the temperature did not get above 80 the entire time we were there! We had a cool week but did manage to get in the water for fun, too. We did a lot of fishing!
I always try to capture a loon with my camera. This one was right by the boat. They have such a neat song. I love the lake!
This year Grant was allowed to "drive" the boat, with assistance from Dad.
We caught a lot of fish!
Grant is a very good fisherman!
Cole being very cute!
One day the kids made their own T-shirts because it was raining. We always have to have a picture by this tree.
Cole is trying to warm up after tubing with his friends!
Below, Grant is such a fish that even in the cold weather he was in the lake!
I always try to capture a loon with my camera. This one was right by the boat. They have such a neat song. I love the lake!Below is a picture of a two-year old eagle. Their nest is not far from the picnic table. There are two "little" eagles around the lake. They do not have their white feathers yet. I think he was waiting for supper!
This year Grant was allowed to "drive" the boat, with assistance from Dad.
We caught a lot of fish!
Grant is a very good fisherman!
Cole being very cute!
One day the kids made their own T-shirts because it was raining. We always have to have a picture by this tree.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The Twins Game
My garden is better! The weeds are under control. We have been busy. I don't know if you heard about the 16 inning Twins vs. Detroit Tigers Game on July 3? Well, we were at the game! It was a fun game. We stayed for 15 innings and ended up getting to my aunt's house at 12:48am. The Tigers scored as we were walking to our car, so we didn't miss much.
Here are some pictures from the game. We had great seats! It was bat day and the first 5,000 kids received a bat. Then Grant got a ball during batting practice and a pitcher from Detroit signed it. He was so excited. Some college guys were sitting in front of us. The first base coach tossed a ball to them. Glenn said, "Shucks, Cole, we are trying to get a ball for you." Cole said, "I know", he was feeling a bit disappointed. The guy in front of us, turned to Cole and said, "Do you want a ball?" Cole started to shake his head, no, but the prospect of getting a ball was too great - shook his head yes. The guy gave him the ball. Wow, this guy showed more to my kids than I could any day about being unselfish!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
My Garden
I have a garden.
I have a garden not on my property.
I have a garden not on my property, but on a friend's lot next to us.
I have a garden not on my property, on a friend's lot next to us because my husband didn't want to till up his grass.
I have a garden not on my property, on a friend's lot next to us because my husband didn't want to till up his grass until I proved to him that I would weed the garden and take care of it. (I hate when he knows me so well!)
Well, it rained and rained some more and we went camping, and I hadn't looked at my garden for two weeks.... until Monday. Do you know how tall weeds can get in 2 weeks??? I pulled weeds around the plants. Then I took Round-Up
to the weeds in my garden, that's not on my property, but on a friend's lot next to us, until I can prove that I can take care of it! For those of you who don't know what Round Up is it's a high powered weed killer! Whatever it touches will be killed, even the two cucumber plants that I sprayed accidentally because they were covered in weeds!
***
I always wondered about weeds. What the world would look like without weeds, before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Were weeds just a flower, but after the fall of man grew everywhere you didn't want them to grow? Some weeds are pretty. Before the fall, did thistles have prickers? Some weeds are tall, some viney, some are flowery.
***
Our lives are like a garden. We produce a fruit that is pleasing to our God. But if we don't tend the garden of our lives, weeds grow. We need to stay in the Word, Pray often and be on our knees Picking weeds before they get too big and choke out the fruit in our lives. We can use Round-Up, too, as Christian we need the Fellowship of other believers or a Round-Up of Believers! I have not been using my Round-Up, a prayer group that meets on Friday mornings. Because of LIFE I have missed, skipped for several weeks. But weeds in my life and my prayer partner's lives are calling me. I need Round-Up. Do the weeds ever trick you? Maybe you think they are not weeds at all. When a garden is newly planted, it can be hard to determine if it is a weed. You may have to identify it on the package to determine if it's a weed or a seedling. The Bible can help to point out a weed from a seed. Thankfully God did not leave us alone and sent an Instruction Book.
Hebrews 10:25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
I have a garden not on my property.
I have a garden not on my property, but on a friend's lot next to us.
I have a garden not on my property, on a friend's lot next to us because my husband didn't want to till up his grass.
I have a garden not on my property, on a friend's lot next to us because my husband didn't want to till up his grass until I proved to him that I would weed the garden and take care of it. (I hate when he knows me so well!)
Well, it rained and rained some more and we went camping, and I hadn't looked at my garden for two weeks.... until Monday. Do you know how tall weeds can get in 2 weeks??? I pulled weeds around the plants. Then I took Round-Up
to the weeds in my garden, that's not on my property, but on a friend's lot next to us, until I can prove that I can take care of it! For those of you who don't know what Round Up is it's a high powered weed killer! Whatever it touches will be killed, even the two cucumber plants that I sprayed accidentally because they were covered in weeds!***
I always wondered about weeds. What the world would look like without weeds, before Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Were weeds just a flower, but after the fall of man grew everywhere you didn't want them to grow? Some weeds are pretty. Before the fall, did thistles have prickers? Some weeds are tall, some viney, some are flowery.
***
Our lives are like a garden. We produce a fruit that is pleasing to our God. But if we don't tend the garden of our lives, weeds grow. We need to stay in the Word, Pray often and be on our knees Picking weeds before they get too big and choke out the fruit in our lives. We can use Round-Up, too, as Christian we need the Fellowship of other believers or a Round-Up of Believers! I have not been using my Round-Up, a prayer group that meets on Friday mornings. Because of LIFE I have missed, skipped for several weeks. But weeds in my life and my prayer partner's lives are calling me. I need Round-Up. Do the weeds ever trick you? Maybe you think they are not weeds at all. When a garden is newly planted, it can be hard to determine if it is a weed. You may have to identify it on the package to determine if it's a weed or a seedling. The Bible can help to point out a weed from a seed. Thankfully God did not leave us alone and sent an Instruction Book.
Hebrews 10:25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
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