What a day…what a week!  Well, I’m “hitting the ground running”, as they say!  Today I vacuumed, did laundry, got 3 days worth of clothes ready to wear for me and my DH, prepared food for our weekend, all because, we’re off to a show tomorrow for 3 days selling “de’ bubbles”, and “de’ coins”, and I’m working at getting everything organized and out the door, packed, and stacked in the van!  Hey, does anyone really know how heavy soap can be?!!  I consider it my weight training program!!  We are getting “a little help from my friends”!  Well, my dear, sweet sister and her DH are coming over in the morning to help get it all packed!  We lost our main helper to the California sun, and we really appreciate their help….I love you Sis!!  Anyway, I’m going to be pretty busy for the next 3 days, and I wanted to let everyone know from the bottom of my heart, that I’ve so appreciated all of your caring and sweet comments!  I know I haven’t been as faithful as I ought, and I’ve wanted so much to get around to all of you this past week, but alas, life does throw us curves every now and then…but, I’m hoping to start checking in with you all between now and Monday, providing I’m not too extremely tired!  Once I get back Monday, I’m going to start my “rounds” to see how you’re all doing!  So in the words of a dear Xangan friend, ”please, don’t give up on me!” 

Ian and Tim are working long and hard out in California.  I know they are taping and then editing church member’s and leader’s testimonies for a film about the church.  They seem to be having a good time … I got a call from Ian asking me how I made my spaghetti sauce, so I think I need to get a little book of his favorite recipes together and send them out there to them!  They said they had a little recreation night and went with the youth group to play Putt-Putt … actually, Black Light Putt-Putt!  I’ve never heard of such a thing!  Now, I’m all too familiar with black lights from my teenage years, but not at a Putt-Putt golf course!  That’s one of my favorite things to do, and I’m glad he found a place there where they could play … he’s pretty good at it too!  He said the weather has been wonderful the whole time they’ve been there!  I’m also, still waiting on that DVD of pictures from their trip, that my son was supposed to have sent already, {Yo, Ian! That’s a hint, Sweetie! } … but they’re not here yet!  I’m anxious to see them, and fill you all in on their journey from Indiana to California!  So, again, a lesson in patience!  But you’ll be the first to know once I get them!  In the meantime, I’m going to tell you all now to have a wonderful weekend, be ever so blessed, and walk in the joy of the LORD, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!

Love & Hugs,
Deborah  <><


 

 I’m going to leave you with a short devotional that spoke to my heart about the things I ask God for in my life … we ask for things that bring richness to the flesh, but how often do we ask for things that bring richness to the soul?  Read on and let me know what your thoughts are on this! 


 Chocolate, Ice Cream, and Lean Souls ~
Ever wonder what life would be like without dark chocolate? Okay, so maybe you don’t even like dark chocolate. How about ice cream? What would life be like without Dairy Queen? Life would be one, big meaningless journey to find some culinary delight that could in some way parallel a Blizzard. You see ice cream adds richness to life. Okay, so maybe you don’t like ice cream. What adds richness to your life? How about walks in the park, picturesque sunsets, a great book, three-day weekends, or a long talk with a friend? Whatever it is, imagine life without those things. Of course, you would conclude that life is kind of dull.

Well, lately I’ve been pondering a deeper thought than ice cream … I know what brings richness to my flesh, but what is it that brings richness to my soul?  And, what defines “richness” in spirit versus “leanness” of spirit?

I first began thinking about this recently when I came across a scripture that refers to the children of Israel. The good ‘ol Children of Israel are a steady reminder of the perils of human nature. They were constantly fighting just to stay focused on that Promised Land. It seems they had short-term memory problems, too, as one day they could trot across the dried-up Red Sea, then turn around the next day and question God’s very existence!  Seems like the scriptures have a pattern of stating “they remembered not…”.  Psalms 106:12 states, “Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.”  Then the next verse reads…”They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel.”  How soon they seemed to forget God and make their own plan for their lives. (Sounds like human nature to me.)  The passage goes on, “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Psalms 106:15).  This is the verse that sticks out in my brain, because it can be viewed in a couple of different ways.

One way to look at it may be that God gave them something they were asking for; perhaps they wanted to enjoy some of the pleasures of Egypt.  In other words, they wanted something that maybe wasn’t best for them, but God gave it to them anyway. Or, perhaps their request was for deliverance or something.  They were notorious for calling on God, seeking Him in times of distress, then quickly forgetting Him when things looked brighter.  So, perhaps this “request” was one of those times of distress when they were desperate for help and called on God to come through.  So, God gave them their request because He was seeing their true heart at that particular time.

Whatever the case, the outcome was still the same … they were granted their request, but in exchange they had “leanness” in their soul.  In other words, God is not a pushover Father; He may give in to a request, but He has enough wisdom to understand that we need something far greater than whatever it is we may be pleading with Him about at that moment.

What we need is a “richness”, or “fatness” in our soul.  I’ve discovered richness at times when I opened the Word of God and a scripture was exactly what I needed for my situation, or I felt that surge of peace when my world seemed to be collapsing all around me, or I shared my faith with someone who was hungry to hear about God.  Something in the deepest part of me cries out for these flavorful moments in my spiritual walk.  This kind of fulfillment is something I only find in God’s presence.

This is precisely what the woman at the well needed.  She went to the well that day desiring water, but needing living water. Jesus told her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14, NKJV).  She jumped on that, and immediately asked Jesus to give her this water so she would not have to keep coming to the well again and again.  But by the time she finished talking with Jesus that day, she left her waterpot behind and went and told everyone that Jesus had read her mail.  She had a true encounter with the Lord, and He knew exactly how to touch her lean spirit with the richness of His love.

So, imagine for a moment what life would be like without the “ice cream of the spirit”. 

This richness comes not in simple church attendance, but those special moments alone with God, peace that passes understanding and faith that moves mountains. Without these, instead of living water, I would have just plain well water that leaves me thirsty again and again.

So, if I’m asking God for something, He may grant my plea, but I’d rather Him say no, if it means I’ll have no richness in my spirit.  Simply stated, I don’t want to be a lean Christian.  I mean, I can live without ice cream in my flesh, but in my spiritual walk, I just have to have it!   

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful blessed weekend!  My husband got home from the show today, and didn’t do as well as he had hoped, but that’s okay, we both have a show coming up this weekend and it should be a more profitable one!  Ian and Tim are both hard at work, but they did have a wonderful Memorial Day there at the “ranch”!  I should be getting all those pictures sometime this week, providing they remember to mail them, so I’ll be posting those soon!  You all have a great day, and be ever so blessed!  I’ll leave you with a little something to ponder …

Can you truly thank God for the storms that you’ve walked through in your life?   

Hugs,
Deborah <><  


 RESTING ~

When the circumstances of my life are the way I like them, I can easily rest in God.  But that kind of resting is really resting in circumstances, not resting in God.  The hard thing is to rest when the circumstances are anything but the way I’d like them to be.  It’s like trying to sleep in the middle of a hurricane.  Not that I’ve ever done that before, but that’s what it’s like! 

Come to think about it … Jesus slept in a boat in the middle of a storm.  It was on the Sea of Galilee.  Matthew says that Jesus “got into the boat and his disciples followed him.  Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping”  {Matthew 8:23-24}.  I’ve often wondered, “How could He?”  Yes, I know He was exhausted from speaking to the huge crowds and attending to their needs.  But sleep in a storm?! 

I think the only reason Jesus could sleep was that He knew without a doubt that they were not going to sink.  The disciples who were with Him were afraid because they didn’t yet understand that the God who created the very water their boat sailed in was in the boat with them.  They were just beginning to understand His full power.

Peter was one of the disciples in the boat that day.  I think he learned a lesson, for years later, when Peter was arrested by Kin Herod and put in prison, the night before his trial, Peter slept.  No doubt Herod intended to put him to death the next day, because the Bible tells us that he had just had James, the brother of John, killed with a sword, and when he saw that this pleased the people, he arrested Peter.  Here is Peter in a prison cell the night before his trial.  He’s betwen two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance … and Peter was sleeping!  {Acts 12:1-6}

The only way you can sleep in a storm is by realizing that God is “in the midst” of the storm with you! 

 Isaiah said:

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in You.”  {Isaiah 26:3}

 The psalmist wrote:

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone,
O LORD, make me dwell in safety.  {Psalm 4:8}

 Where can we find rest when we don’t like what we see?

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from Him.”  {Psalm 62:5}

 We can be confident, and find rest in this very thing … 
That He who sees the end from the beginning knows just exactly what He is doing.

Dear LORD,
Can I truly say “thank you” for every storm that I have walked through? … As I look back through the pages of my life, and every storm that blew in, I find that within each one You were always right there with me, “in the midst”, and at total rest … and there in Your rest, I found my peace and strength.  No, I was never promised a life of smooth sailing … no one is, but You did promise me your Presence, and in the midst of your Presence, strength, peace, hope, love, and Your comfort through every trial in my life, as I trust and rest in You … So, can I truly say thank you for every storm that I have walked through in my life?  … I have to say yes!  For every storm I have walked through, I have walked through with You!  Thank you, LORD, for stretching me and growing me up in grace!   In Jesus Name ~ Amen

When God is in the Boat
Based on the New Testament passage in
Mark 4: 35 – 41

Upon a sea called Galilee, a boat was found one night,
Filled with the twelve disciples and their Savior Jesus Christ.

This boat had sailed into a storm and waves began to roll,
Fear struck the men hand-picked by God and terror filled their souls.

And as the rain and wind grew strong, the Lord was fast asleep,
For He was in control of what seemed like a mighty need.

For His disciples only saw the crashing of the waves,
They only felt the stormy blast, but not one drop of faith.

Then as the storm sent violent winds, they went to find the Lord,
For when the storm is at its worst, you need to trust Him more.

They woke the Lord and then He found disciples gripped in fear,
Why must they worry, storms don’t last when Jesus Christ is near.

For near He was, they soon would know that faith in God is real,
The waves may toss and winds may blow till Christ says “Peace, be still”.

And “Peace, be still” is all it takes to calm the storms of life,
To move a cloud that hides the sun and change to day from night.

The Lord desires to calm your storm when you are at the end,
Of what seems like a dead-end road; He’ll clear the skies again.

So when your boat is tossed by waves and rain begins to fall,
You will not drown if you will pray; the Lord will hear your call.

For it is in the hard times when we learn to trust in God,
And understand Psalm 23, that He’s our Staff and Rod.

And it is in the midst of storms, we see what God can do,
Our flesh may see a sky of grey, but faith sees skies of blue.

My friend, it’s on a battered ship when waves are growing rough,
That we can feel a perfect peace and presence of His love.

But faith must be our guest on board when all else seems to fail,
For God won’t navigate off course this ship of life I sail.

So never let what you may see determine where you’ll go,
You know your ship will never sink when God is in the boat.

Poem by:
Norma W. Beaird

 


 









O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer,
who shields my head in the day of battle…
Psalm 140:7

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, we think of how they have followed in the footsteps of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Please hold our service men and women in your strong arms.  Cover them with your sheltering grace and presence as they stand in the gap for our protection.

We also remember the families of our troops, they, too are enduring a great sacrifice, and we ask for your abundant blessings and love to fill their homes, and for your peace, provision and strength to fill their lives.

May the members of our armed forces be filled with courage to face each day and may they trust in the Lord’s mighty power to accomplish each task.  Let our military brothers and sisters feel our love and support.

In the mighty name of Jesus we pray.
Amen.

Post your prayers for our troops HERE.

~ A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY ~

 
Baptized in Babylon
An American soldier’s spiritual journey in Iraq.
By Charles Seelaus

My name is Specialist Charles Seelaus, and my Army Reserve unit, the 2/228th Aviation Regiment, is currently stationed in Iraq.

I got here last June.  This long journey has felt surreal, because the men and women in my unit, like a lot of the military personnel over here, used to think of themselves as just weekend warriors.  We were citizen/soldiers, who would drill one weekend a month.  We have a completely different life apart from the Army.  Just a few weeks before leaving for Iraq, I was in my classroom, teaching second-graders at Gideon Elementary School in Philadelphia.  My days were spent grading homework, having tea with my beautiful wife Michelle, and tucking our four children into their beds for a bedtime story and prayers.

Then, in March 2003, the war began.

The night I arrived in Iraq, I was greeted by a brilliant sunset.  The dark sky danced with the most beautiful array of stars I have ever seen.

That same night, our camp was attacked by mortar fire, and a few of my comrades were injured.

It would be the first of many mortar attacks to follow.  Suddenly, I realized the war wasn’t over.  We were going to have much work ahead of us.

While we built up fortifications around our camp, one of the very first jobs our chaplain, Major John Hunter, did was to establish a chapel tent where we could gather for Bible studies and worship services.

The Bibles studies are full of lively discussions, and I marvel that we are actually in the lands spoken of in the Bible.  I never dreamed I would someday walk in Iraq, the region some scholars believe was the location of the biblical Garden of Eden, the ancient city of Ur (homeland of Abraham), and the Babylonian Empire, which represented the world’s first superpower.  The Old Testament was everywhere I turned.  It is one thing to read about it, but quite another to see, feel, and touch history.

Prayer takes on a whole new meaning when you’re in a war.  My commander told me that no one prays more than a soldier targeted for death.  And he’s right.  We say a lot of prayers over here.  Something happens inside a soldier when he sees his comrades being sent home in body bags.  You realize just how fragile and precious life is.

But I also realized that there was more to prayer than just me praying.  I know without a doubt that, sometimes when my mind races with anxiety, it’s the prayers of loved ones and my brothers and sisters at my church back home that bring me strength.

On August 23, 2003, thanks mostly to the kindness of Chaplain (Captain) Robert Miller, I was given the opportunity to be baptized in the waters of the Euphrates River.  It was one of the most moving experiences of my life, a chance to reaffirm my faith in Jesus Christ while living in this holy land where prophets and kings once walked.  War is hell, but God blesses us with peace in the midst of it.  Whether at home or thousands of miles away, whether in peace or in war, our Lord is sovereign and He is with us.  I turn to Him, my Redeemer.

Editor’s Note:  Charles Seelaus’s reserve unit is scheduled to return home in April or May.

We will not forget!

 

Read more stories of faith,
and God’s protection HERE.

 See a video tribute to our fallen heroes.
Farewell


   

   
Wow, it’s been a week since my guys “headed west”!!  So much to tell!  First, I want to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for their safe journey!  God blessed their trip far beyond what I could ever ask or think!  Our God is truly an Awesome God!  My husband made it home safe and sound Tuesday afternoon, and it was so good to see him!  Ian said he had 3 DVD’s with pictures but, something must have happened in the process of downloading them onto the disks, and they were blank … a bit disappointing, since I have a lot of friends and family that are very anxious to see them, including Lewis and myself!  But, bless their hearts, they are working hard at getting them ready to mail back to us, and as soon a I get them, I’ll share them with you, along with the highlights of their trip, which Lewis has been busy journaling!  So stay tuned!  In the meantime … the pictures below are ones they took along the way which he had uploaded to his Xanga, and I can’t seem to get them larger so you can see them better…I’ll work on that!! I believe it’s because I copied them from his site that they came through this size.  My son has them on his photoblog and they are much larger, and you can see more detail. He also has some video of some of the projects they are working on while there.

    



   



    

I must say, from a mom’s heart, that this separation from my son has not been an easy one,
but God has given me abundant grace, and great peace through it all!  

I wanted to share a devotion that I read today 
which really spoke to my heart regarding my son. 
I wanted to share it in hopes that it might bring those of you, 
who may be struggling with this very same thing,
His great peace as it has done for me! 

First, how would you answer this question …
Can you trust God enough with your Isaac,
whomever or, whatever that might be?

~ Hugs, 
Deborah <>< 


 

Trust Me with Your Isaac

Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1-19

Today’s Treasure: “Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about’” (Gen. 22:2).

Isn’t today’s Scripture disturbing? We know that “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48), but we’ll gladly step aside and allow another to be called faithful if this is the kind of sacrifice it takes. However, we can’t step aside as far as we’d like. We have more in common with Abram, “the father of a multitude of nations” (Gen. 17:5, NASB), than we might think. Consider a few comparisons.

First of all, our most profound tests involve those dearest to us. You know it’s true; you’ve been there. Each of us can vividly remember a time when God called upon us to surrender our hold and our ownership over someone we love—perhaps even someone we nearly worship.

Second, we also experience times when we believe we’ve received two seemingly diametrically opposite messages from God. Abram understood God to say he would have more offspring than the number of stars in the sky. Then he received the command to sacrifice his only legitimate heir on the altar. As we continually trust the One who called us, we will eventually recognize that God truly is Reconciler of the utterly irreconcilable.

You see, God didn’t mislead Abram. He told him to sacrifice his son on the altar and, most assuredly, Abram did. He did not slay his son. Instead, he was able to offer God a living sacrifice. Mind you, living sacrifices are not always easy to offer either. Sometimes releasing our grip on the person who remains with us can be a more painful test than releasing our grip on the person taken from our reach. We’re presented with an ongoing test during which we must continually offer our precious ones to the One who loves them most.

I see a final comparison. God used Abraham and Isaac to teach others about Himself. The substitutionary offering of the ram caught by its horns in the thicket became one of the Bible’s key images to convey the gospel message. The shadow of the cross fell on Mount Moriah that day. We all have been tied to the altar of death and then presented a chance to be loosed for eternal life by the perfect Lamb, One whose head was torn by thorns and was willing to take our place.

Our present challenges may not be as dramatic as Abram’s, but we, too, can allow our lives to become visual aids through which God teaches others about Himself—and His faithful ways. I ask you now to read the words God gave me during a time when He led me to my own Mount Moriah. Only you know how this message applies to you. Please allow God to speak to your heart …..

For every Abraham who dares
to kiss a foreign field
where glory for a moment grasped
Is for a lifetime tilled…

The voice of God
speaks not but once
but ‘til traveler hears
“Abraham! Abraham! Bring your Isaac here!”

“Bring not the blemished sacrifice.
What lovest thou the most?
Look not into the distance,
you’ll find your Isaac close.”

“I hear the tearing of your heart
torn between two loves,
the one your vision can behold
the Other hid above.”

“Do you trust me, Abraham
with your gravest fear?
Will you pry your fingers loose
and bring your Isaac here?”

“Have I not made you promises?
Hold them tight instead!
I am the Lover of your soul—
the Lifter of your head.”

“Believe me, O my Abraham
when blinded by the cost.
Arrange the wooded altar
and count your gains but loss.”

“Let tears wash clean your blinded eyes until unveiled you see—
the ram caught in the thicket there
to set your Isaac free.”

“Perhaps I’ll send him down the mount
to walk right by your side.
No longer in your iron grasp
but safer still in mine.”

“Or I may wrap him in the wind
and sweep him from your sight
to better things beyond your reach—
believe with all your might!”

“Look up, beloved Abraham.
Can you count the stars?
Multitudes will stand to reap
from one dear friend of God.”

“Pass the test, my faithful one;
bow to me as Lord.
Trust me with your Isaac—
see,
I am your great Reward.”

My great and awesome God,
I want more than anything to hold onto You tightly and to hold onto everything else loosely.
I want to be willing to lay down my most treasured relationships and possessions at Your request.
Give me a willing heart to offer those unblemished sacrifices to You.
Help me to trust You fully when I seem to be getting two opposite messages from You.
Thank You for providing Jesus, the spotless Lamb, to take my place on the altar.
I offer myself to You today as a living sacrifice.
It’s in the name of Jesus that I pray,
Amen.

Hope you’re all doing well … abiding, and staying “pliable”!  Here’s my recap of last week, which runs into this one, as well … yes, I realize that the end of this week is upon us, but, these are some of the reasons I’ve been unable to get on as much … this has all been part of the “process” I’ve been “growing” through this week! 

My guys were sick for a couple of days last week, with some sort of stomach bug, and I’m thankful that I didn’t get it, and was able to care for them. 

Our bathroom plumbing was giving us some major problems and that was right about the time the guys were sick.   The plumber fixed it within an hour!

My son’s been encouraging us to break down and get a new computer … so, we went shopping and found a really good deal … finally, I’m in high speed!  Vroom, vroom!!   I am so blessed, except that it’s taking a lot of time to transfer all the files from the old hard drive, to the new one, and installing new programs, then there’s learning all those new programs … I’ll catch on … eventually!!

While Ian was hooking up the computer, and all those little extra plug-ins that go with it, we discovered that we were having some electrical difficulties … hot outlets!!!!    Now that was a scary thing … so then we called an electrician to come out to replace quite a few outlets, etc., well, now I’m able to run my air conditioner, and computer at the same time, with no hot outlets!  He also told us the wiring wasn’t up to code throughout the rest of the house!  Yes, it’s an old house, (built the same time I was), and does have quite a few problems, (like I do), including the gutters that need to be replaced … but we do rent, and it is a nice house other than those problems, but we have outgrown this house, and now we are looking for a new place to lay our heads!!  Say a prayer that God will lead us to it!! 

Oh, all the while the electrician was here working, I had to prepare food for a welcome home party for a friend of Ian’s (my son) … It was hard making corn pudding when he had to keep turning off the electricity to work!  It turned out good though, and everyone loved it!  And the welcome home party was a lot of fun for us all!  

Then, this past Saturday, Ian went to a football game/surprise birthday party, and later in the evening, they had a going away pizza party for both Ian and Tim, with just their friends. Lewis went to his prison ministry, and said that it was the best meeting ever … he was supposed to speak but God raised up one of the inmates, and Lewis said it was better than any teaching he had ever heard on televison, or radio … the man had no notes, and spoke from his heart for 45 minutes to an hour … every one was in awe, and blessed!  Lewis wished he could have taped it!  I did laundry and packed some more!

On Mother’s Day, I awoke to a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my husband, and 2 beautiful cards from both of my guys!  We went to dinner at Olive Garden’s with Lew’s parents … they let Mom out of the nursing home for a few hours which we were thankful for … have you ever had food in a nursing home??  (She’s been there to have physical therapy.) We enjoyed each other and had a wonderful dinner.  She is doing better and should be home with Dad sometime soon … he is so lonely … he told me … I wanted to cry!  I’ll post some pictures once I get them developed! 

Now for this week … we also went hunting for a camera!  I found a very nice Digital Canon, and Ian told me that I am to learn how to use it, then when they get home in the fall, I’ll be helping them when they do their filming projects!  It’s as difficult as the computer to learn, but  I am determined!  I’m looking forward to working with them!! 

{{*A quick recap for those who may not have been reading….and for those who have … well, the adventure continues for Ian and Tim!  They are driving back to California this time … and my husband is helping with that!  He’ll fly home once he gets them there, and settled.  I might have considered going, but there just wasn’t any room!  Most know that I’m a bit nervous about that long drive … I was hoping they’d fly again, (can’t believe I said that!) but they will be out there for about 3, to possibly 6 months this time, so they wanted to have a car, as well as some extra equipment while there.  They would so appreciate all of your prayers!   I’m really going to miss Ian!  That’s such a long time!  But we do have our computers, and the webcam, and that will be a comfort, for me, while he’s there!  We may even drive out with Tim’s parents and visit. 

They both will be doing an internship through the church, where they just were for those 2 weeks, working on live editing, videography, filmography, and photography.  The church is paying for everything, including an apartment for the duration … God has opened doors for them, and when they come back home they will be starting up their own business, and also offering internship courses here.  So much to digest right now, and I know this is a lot for y’all to read here! }}

To continue with the week … We spent a lot of the time together, enjoying each other, organizing and packing … getting things ready for them to leave … Tim was supposed to drive up to pack the Cherokee Jeep Wednesday night.  Things didn’t happen that way, so we planned to meet for breakfast, which we did yesterday morning.  We went to Bob Evans, and Tim’s whole family came, even Grandma and Grandpa!  Breakfast took longer than planned, but hey, no one was really in a hurry to see them drive away! 

Then we came back to our house, they packed the jeep, we took pictures, hugged, cried, took more pictures, hugged, cried, looked at the maps … prayed!!!  By the time they left it was 11:00AM!!  I’ve spoken to them, and the trip is going well.  They are now in Kansas … (and by the time you read this … Denver) … they are driving straight through to my BIL’s house, in Salt Lake City, and should arrive this afternoon, that is, after their scenic off-the-beaten-path site-seeing excursion!  They will spend the night there, eat a great meal, freshen up, and be on their way to the end of their journey in California!  

 I must admit, I had some very weak moments yesterday, and the day before!  I had to ask for repentance for my lack of faith!  But like I said, God is growing and stretching me into that deeper walk of faith in Him!  So, right now, I’m not sleeping alot because I’ve been praying for Lewis, Ian & Tim, and a safe trip!  I would so appreciate your prayers for them, as well!  I’ll keep you posted as to their progress, and the fun things they see, or do … and as soon as I get my pictures up, I’ll post them!  Now that things are calming down a bit, I’ll be around to see how you’re all doing, and catch up at your sites!  Your prayers and friendship are a comfort to me!  You all have a beautiful Friday, and be abundantly blessed in Him! 

Hugs,
~ Deborah

Okay …. see up there …. Count Your Blessings!  God is good…and even though things don’t always go as we planned, and we fall short in so many ways …. He is ever faithful to His own!  I have been falling very short this past week, and living a little bit stressed, with all that’s going on here at home, along with the fact that my DH and son are leaving for CA this Thursday …. but through it all, He has shown me His faithfulness!  I know I haven’t been on here much lately, but I’ve had a week+ that has stetched me into a deeper walk of faith in God … and by no means is it easy … maybe that’s because I’m not willingly offering myself up to Him for that change … I sometimes struggle against it … but, I need to learn to be pliable in God’s hands … just as clay is in the potter’s hands! 

What Shall The Clay Say?

Have you ever had the opportunity to watch someone take a lump of clay and fashion it with their hands and make something beautiful?  It truly is an amazing thing.  I took classes in school, and loved working with clay, I could form and shape it into anything that I needed it for.  I have watched the clay on the potter’s wheel a few times and never once did I hear the clay give instructions to the potter or advise what it wanted to be!

As Isaiah wrote,

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!
Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth.
Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it,
What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?”
(Isaiah 45:9).

We are all like that clay when it comes to being molded into what the Lord wants us to be.  I wonder how many times we have been rebellious and complained to the Lord regarding the method that He was using in the shaping process?  You know… “Lord, why am I going through this trial?  I have been faithful, I have been obedient, this is just not fair.”  Often, we pray for the Lord to use us, we pray that we want our relatives and loved ones saved, and we pray that we can be more like Jesus.  When the Lord answers our prayers and begins to shape us into a tool that can be used to reach the world, we are quick to yell, “Hands off! That hurts!”

When a potter begins to make an object, he wraps his hands around the clay as it spins, and then squeezes the clay so it will begin to take shape.  The same holds true for each born-again believer.  The Lord has taken us out of the pit, or the sinful life, then began the creation process.

As the psalmist wrote,

“He brought me up also out of an horrible pit,
out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock,
and established my goings”.
(Psalms 40:2). 

I have seen the hand of the Lord squeeze people and make their life a beautiful work of praise and glory.  They have endured the process and now shine ever so brightly for their Savior.  No, the squeezing process was not easy to endure, but they trusted the potter and allowed Him to shape their faith, their walk, and their heart.  I want to shine like that!  I have also seen people remove the potter’s hand from their life and end up as a useless lump of clay that had no impact on their world.  I don’t want to grieve my Saviour like that! 

It makes me wonder:

  Do I trust the Potter with my life?
  Do I trust Him when my world seems to be falling down around me?
  Do I believe He has a special purpose for my life and He is trying to mold me into something beautiful?

Then Isaiah reminds me,

“But now, O LORD, thou art our father;
we are the clay, and thou our potter;
and we all are the work of thy hand”
(Isaiah 64:8).

Oh how I love this verse!  My Father is in charge and I am not.  The clay has no right to complain about being turned from a pile of mud into a beautiful, priceless work of art.  Yes, there are times that being squeezed is uncomfortable; it is part of the process.  Yes, there are times when the kiln is so hot that I don’t think I can make it through.  This is where I am being tried by fire; the clay has been glazed and will come out shining.  The anointing on my life should cause me to glow and grow for Jesus.

Peter said,

“That the trial of your faith,
being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”
(1 Peter 1:7).

Let’s pray that we bring Him glory by praise, instead of shame by complaining about the process we may be going through in our lives right now!  He is faithful and will complete the work He started if we would only allow Him to.
What shall the clay say to that?

Your hands are upon me Lord,
As you mold me into what you desire me to be.
You have taken me from a lump of clay,
And formed me into something of beauty.

Through the work of your hands, Lord,
I am being fashioned into something that pleases your eye
And I know in order for my clay to be soft,
The works of the flesh must continue to die.

Through the trials of fire I am perfected,
And by the washing of the Word the clay is made clean.
I want to be able to shine for your Glory,
That through my life your cross will be seen.

May this vessel of clay glorify you,
Throughout each and every day.
For just as the scriptures have said in your Word
You are the Potter and I am the clay.

What an honor to be part of your collection,
Of all the vessels you have on your shelf.
You have taken something that was worthless,
And made me into something of great beauty and wealth.

For each and every one of your vessels
Was molded carefully by your hand.
And each vessel has a special purpose,
It is all part of your perfect plan.

~ Author Unknown ~

I know I haven’t been around much this week…and, I’m so blessed that the previous post spoke to so many!  God knows just what will speak to a person’s heart!   I’ve missed visiting you all, and I want to thank you so much for your precious comments, and messages, and those that recently subscribed!  Your friendship is a treasure to me!  I’ve really missed being here and getting around to you all, but soon, I’ll be able to be here more often, catching up, and filling you all in on what’s been happening!   

One main reason for my not being on, is that we finally got a new computer, and there are so many things to learn, and then we’re transferring all those files, etc., which takes such a long time, but I’m getting there.  Also, for those of you who read here, my son Ian, along with his friend, Tim, and my DH, Lewis, are getting ready to drive to California this next week, and I’d so appreciate your prayers that we can get everything together in time, and they have a safe trip out, and that Lewis gets his flight home safely, and that I have peace through it all!  Whew!!  I know God is faithful…and He will watch over them there, and back!

Well, that’s only a portion of what’s been happening here this week, and what a week it has been for us! 

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair.” 
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us
an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. 
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 
{2 Corinthians 4:8}  {2 Corinthians 4:17-18}

Once this weekend is over I’ll share with you some things the LORD has been teaching me through all of it!  Remember how some classes in school were a bit more challenging than others?  And, we all go through those challenges in our lives, from time to time, when God is growing and stretching us, don’t we?….Well, this is one of those times for me!  I’m finding out the more that I am are stretched, the deeper my walk of faith in God grows! 

I also wanted to share a very special picture of my son in 1986…this is the little guy that gave me that special job of being a “MOM”…and a blessed one at that!!  I pray that you all will have a most beautiful and blessed Happy Mother’s Day! 

Hugs,
~ Deborah <>< 

Ian in 1986
I’m so blessed that God chose me to be his Mom!

 
No Worries

“Be careful for nothing;
(be not anxious)
but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God……….”
Philippians 4:6 {KJV}

It’s the middle of the night.  
Darkness blankets the room. 
You should be sleeping, but you’re wide awake. 
Your mind races, your heart pounds 
with concerns about what could happen.  
You’re living in a land of “what ifs”.

Sound familiar?  Unfortunately, many of us, myself included, regularly visit “What If Land”. 
But it isn’t necessary.  Much of what we worry about is out of our hands. 
They are situations we cannot change – but God can!
He invites us to bring our requests to Him and leave them there.
We can know that He will take care of all things, because He tells us not to worry.
So, let’s not waste our energy on worrying; let’s use it to praise God,
then give those worries and anxieties to Him and then thank Him for His care.



 Praise turns defeat into victory!
 Praise turns trials into triumphs!
 Praise defies defeat,
it lifts our eyes from the battle to the Victor…and the victory!
 Praise is God’s antidote for worry and discouragement!
 Praise is the language of faith!
 Praise glorifies God!

LORD, I give all of my anxiety and fear to You.  
I surrender my hold on them and release them into Your hands. 
I lift my eyes to You, for You are my help in time of trouble.
I will praise You in the midst of all that happens in my life. 
I know that in Your presence I don’t need to be anxious or afraid of anything.
I refuse to entertain discouragement and instead choose this day to find my encouragement in You.
Your love comforts me and takes away all my fear. 
Your power in my life gives me strength and makes me secure. 
Thank You, LORD, that when fear or anxiety rise up,
and I call upon You….You will hear and deliver me!

……….”And the peace of God,
which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7 {KJV}





Prayer Request:  My mother-in-law, Betty, is in a nursing home for physical therapy on her hip.  She has a sciatic nerve problem, and is experiencing quite a bit of pain … they were going to perform surgery, but instead, they gave her 3 cortisone shots … helped for a little while, but the pain has returned.  They are at a loss as to what to do!  My father-in-law, O.P., also, seems like he is loosing physical strength lately, and slowing down.  They are in their 80′s, and have had full lives, raising a beautiful family of 6, loving each other, both their grandchildren and great grandchildren, and serving the LORD with gladness for many years!  We love them dearly, and are very concerned for them both.  I ask for your ever-so-faithful prayers for wisdom that the doctor’s will know what to do for Mom, and that God will strengthen Dad very soon!  My sweet hubby is also got a stomach bug, and also needs your prayers.  I will be around to visit, and comment very soon.  Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, and I pray that you have a beautiful blessed weekend, enjoying each one of your family members!  How special they are to us … every one!!

 Love & Hugs,
~ Deborah <><