Go. Be. Do.

As soon as I saw this week's theme for the the photo challenge @ Home is Where You Start From  was comfort I knew what my photo choice had to be... Hot chocolate with little marshmallows...you're feeling better already, aren't you?  :)

I would rather just all together fast forward through the end of October.  I dread having to see all the gore displayed everywhere you go.  Just not my cup of tea.  I've been searching for the reason I have such ill feelings toward Halloween...it lies deeper than the standard "philosophy" of Halloween.  If it didn't, then I wouldn't have a struggle  every single year about what to do with it where my boys are concerned. Do we do the activity at church?  Is it really necessary?  Do we carve pumpkins?  Am I being legalistic?  Oh, the questions are endless...and seemingly without answers. Until yesterday. I've been praying really long and hard to find out my biggest beef with Halloween.  And, praise God, I think I've found it!  Along with many prayers, I took some time yesterday afternoon and Googled "should Christians celebrate Halloween".  Note: This is coming off of the night before when I caved in and took my boys to the church for AWANA'

"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel."  Proverbs 27:9 "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10   In April 2008, two friends and I had a wonderful reunion.  It had been many years since we three amigas had been together.  Becoming friends at Bible Memory Camp, we grew to love each other and have an absolute blast when we were together.  People couldn't help but laugh as they saw us together.  Now, whether it was with us, at us, or because of us, I don't know, but laughter was always present. One summer, Christa and I traveled all summer with Bible Memory as camp counselors/staff.  Wow!  Six states were graced with our presence...many states for multiple weeks of camp.  How blessed were they. :)  The memories from

That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.  ~Charles Dickens, Great Expectations God is teaching me to rely solely upon Him.  It's a long, hard lesson.  Probably so because of my stubbornness to die to myself and pick up my cross daily.  Did you ever realize what lies at the heart of obedience?  Look again....obe die nce.  I do not think this is accidental.  I think it's a God thing.  He knew one of His daughters would need a visual help in getting the point of what He means when asking for obedience in all areas of her life. I've been in a Bible study covering the life of David.  I've found that it has focused on two main p

"Fishing gives you a sense of where you fit in the scheme of things - Your place in the universe...I mean, here I am, one small guy with a fishing rod, on this vast sea, and out there in the vast expanse of the ocean are these hundreds of millions of fish...laughing at me."  ~Author Unknown After church and a quick lunch, we headed for the lake.  It was a beautiful day with warm weather, slight breezes, and nothing better to do than spend some time out on a boat.  My expectations for catching fish were low...have fished this lake numerous times with little to tell about.  Today was different.  I was the first to catch a fish and the only one of us who caught more than one...two and a half.  The half was the one that never made it into the boat.  It was a little fella who I think got snagged accidentally by the lure as we trolled by; he jumped into the air and slipped right off the hook as I started reeling him in.  The official catches were a pickerel and a bass.  Alex caugh

When we went to Savannah, GA, it was a bright, summer's day.  This meant it was also very hot!  Touring the city, the boys did great, but were looking for any way possible to get cool.  Alex found relief in the shadow of a little tree by the fountain. Tim played in the water.  Such sweet joy in both boys' choices. You can find the L.E.N.S. photo challenge at "Home is Where You Start From" .

"We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.  For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction."  1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 " 'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' "  Acts 26:16-18 "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strengt

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. "What are you arguing with them about?" he asked. A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childho

Alex is 8 today!  Birthdays are a big thing and need special attention (I think so, anyway).  And, for Alex, this year meant a long weekend of celebrating.    Thursday evening, a visit from Uncle Eric and Aunt Maria and his baby cousin.  Then we had a great weekend with my family down for a visit from Indiana.  Then we went and spent the afternoon at Stone Mountain.  Later today he'll get to go golfing after school with Pawpaw.  He has his golf clothes all picked out and ready to go.  He loves golf! This is us after we hiked to the top of Stone Mountain. Love you, Alex! Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

My thoughts have been back in Alaska rather often this past week.  We had a little staff reunion of sorts last week at our mission conference.  So sweet to fellowship with those who share a love of Alaska with me.  They get it. What do I love about Alaska? ...having great opportunities to share the Gospel with others. ...meeting wonderful people from all over the world. ...seeing the beauty of a land still somewhat "untouched" by man. ...experiencing God moments (You know, those moments you realize that only a great and mighty God could arrange so perfectly). ...being a part of something that is way bigger than myself. My list could go on and on.  God has used my time in Alaska to reveal Himself to me in amazing ways.  I am as David was wondering in awe of all the things God has done for me. Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: 'Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?'  2 Samuel 7:18 I am remi

Adventure is out there...and we found it in Chattanooga at Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Campground over the weekend.  Had so much fun tent camping, cooking over the campfire, exploring a cave, stolling along the Riverwalk in Chatt, and fishing in the river.  Full weekend, but an awesome one! the boys' tent outside Raccoon Caverns the reflection pool inside Raccoon Caverns the beauty of crisp fall mornings my favorite color of mums Riverwalk just below Boathouse Rotisserie and Raw (great food!) fishing the river biggest catch of the day urban waterfall Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

With the days of summer heat behind us, I'm finding myself more and more in the kitchen.  I love the aromas that take me back to Grandma's or Mom's kitchens.  (You can read more about that here .)  It's also fun to see the boys enjoy helping me like I helped when I was younger.  Along with making the goodies, now that they are tall enough to reach over the stove without getting hurt, they get to help cook them, too.  Alex likes to flip things like pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Tim just helped take burgers off the grill last night.  (I'd say they were in training for short order cooking at Waffle House, but their futures jobs  include sweeping the parking lot and driving a forklift for CMS ).  They will make their friends happy by being able to cook, though. Just last week, my friend Jackie, who grew up in the Midwest and in the Mennonite church like I did, and her husband were coming for dinner.  I took this opportunity before me to cook a pretty typical

"The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.  He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught."  Isaiah 50:4 It was said tonight at church, " Having a word to share begins with hearing the Word."  Those words were spoken by a missionary visiting with us for our annual mission conference.  Those words resonate in my head, tying in with so many other thoughts I'm trying to process as God continues to stretch me and get me to think outside of the box. I love the verse at the beginning of this post.  My instruction comes from the Lord.  The instruction includes words of life sustaining properties and proportions.  He is the One who inclines me to hear Him.  Everyday, He speaks.  I am to listen in expectation. I was challenged already on Sunday when one of our missionary ladies was sharing about her trips to a country where it is illegal to have a Bible, share the Gospel, or ev

...and put on a sweatshirt and jeans for the first time this fall. We had a fun Saturday going to a parade in the small town where our business is located, home for lunch, and then off to the fair.  After getting home from the fair, we had a bonfire in the backyard. Tim was so sweet to get four "roasting sticks" and put little marshmallows on them for us all.  He came down to the fire, announcing in a big voice, "Free marshmallows!  Get your marshmallows!"  It was so comical to see little colored marshmallows stuck onto the ends of sticks, but so sweet of him to think of it and make enough for everyone to enjoy.  Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?