Spring, Sprang, Sprung

Ah, Spring has arrived in full force. Finally.

 

 

 

 

This picture was interesting because of the… (POV?) You know, where it’s blurry and not. Anyhoo. Something technical like that. :)

 

That was my favorite one. :) One of God’s tiny masterpieces.

 

Wowsers.

I am officially famous. Oy. 

Of All Things Puppy Dogs

I was outside at my favorite time of day yesterday, Sunset/Dusk. The weather was beautiful, the light was awesome, and my puppies were adorable.

(My puppy, the beautiful Belle)

“One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you’re feeling blue is that he doesn’t try to find out why. ” ~Author Unknown

(My brother’s lovable and extremely loyal puppy Justice)

“A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down. ” ~Robert Benchley

This picture shows each dog’s personality nicely. Justice sitting there calmly, and Belle running madly towards the camera (or me rather.)

“Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.” ~Franklin P. Jones

Very un-typical here. I think she was quite mad at me after a half hour of

“Down! No! Down! No! DOWN!” :)

“From the dog’s point of view, his master is an elongated and abnormally cunning dog.” ~Mabel Louise Robinson

But she still loves to sit on me and lick my face. I think this is the one picture I got with her tongue completely in her mouth.

“There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.” ~Ben Williams

Little snapshots I was able to get while sitting on the ground being mobbed by three

lovable (and H-Y-P-E-R) doggies.

“Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” ~Agnes Sligh Turnbull

And last but not least a fuzzy but completely accurate picture that captures my dog’s personality 100% correctly.  *Oh, a person! Let me lick them!*

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. :)

An Undertaking of Enormous Proportions

Let me just give a disclaimer first. I am not a writer. I do not like writing. I have never had a passion for writing like my dad and brother. I never liked those English classes. I am not a writer.

God has a huge sense of humor.

I am writing a book. Me, myself, and I. Without someone holding a gun to my head.

This is something I’ve felt like I was supposed to do for awhile now. Last night I finally decided to go ahead and do it. After I had outlined it, and read it a trillion billion million times I looked at the paper, took a deep breath and said “I can’t do this yes I can.” Last night the message was about reaching your full potential when you finally realize that you can do nothing, but Christ can do anything through you. Oooh boy. If this book is finished in the next fifty years it will be because of Christ, and Christ alone.

I am not going to announce the title of my book because I know I will take my sweet time on this, and I don’t want to walk into a bookstore someday and see a book with the same title.

Here I go, loaded down with God’s grace. I lay myself on the alter. I am weak, I am nothing. I am not capable. But God is.

“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” ~ Ephesians 3:12-20

Singing With A.O.Y.U.G.*

* As. Of. Yet. Unamed. Group.

Get Ready. Get Set. Don’t Go.

I wrote this last night when I couldn’t sleep. Life is changing so much, changing all around me. My heart is torn in two pieces. I want to be so excited about all the changes, but my heart wants to freeze time. I don’t want anything to change. But I do. Life is charging on ahead whether I like it or not. I’m going to buckle down, charge on ahead, trying not to always look back. This poem/song/whatever describes my heart perfectly right now. It’s about my best friend, who is going through the most amazing experience right now. I want to scream with joy for her. But my heart wants to cry.

 What? You’re getting married soon? That’s Great! (That’s Terrifying)

What happened to the four year olds who hated each other?

They were cute.

What happened to the eight year olds who sewed together?

They were precious.

What happened to the ten year olds who realized they were kindred spirits?

They were meant to be together.

What happened to the twelve year olds who sought Christ together?

They were awesome.

What happened to the thirteen year olds who were Double (&) Trouble?

They were amazing.

What happened to the fifteen year olds whose heart’s beat as one?

They were perfect.

What happened to the eighteen year olds who were going to take on the world together?

They were fearless.

What’s that you say? You’re getting married soon? That’s Great! (That’s Terrifying)

There you are, poised to go. Here I am all alone. Your beloved has come along,
and you pray mine is not far behind.

There you are, poised to go. Here I am all alone.

‘Get ready. Get set. Don’t go. ‘”

-March 24th, 2008

(last line from the song Ready, Set, Don’t Go)

Easter

I wasn’t supposed to work in our Bible club today, but I sure am glad I did. Here’s a few special moments:

(I was trying to keep two little ones occupied while Stephen explained the gospel. Our whispered conversations were quite funny).

Little Girl: What’s 5 + 3?

Me: 8

Little Girl: What’s 6 + 3?

Me: 9….

Little Girl: What’s….? (This went on for quite awhile with me wowing her with my addition skills and her coming up with more and more even numbers like 80 + 80)

Little girl: What’s 200 + 200?

Me: 400

Little Girl: Nuh-uh!!! It’s 300!

Me: Nooo…pretty sure it’s 400.

Little Girl: NO! It’s 300!

Me: What’s 2 + 2 ?(Two can play this game)

Little Girl: 4….

Me: Soooo… 200 + 200 is 400. It’s just 2 + 2 with a lot of zeros.

Little Girl: Oooooh!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two little ones noticed my gash on my leg (which looked quite lovely with my easter outfit I might add )

Them: ooooh….what’s THAT?!

Me: Ok, let’s not touch it please.

Them: *Poking everywhere around it* We’re not!!!!

Little Girl: Why does it make a mark when you push on your skin?

Me: *Searching for the meaning of life basically* Ummm….no idea.

Little Girl: But WHY?!

Me: *Making something up* Umm…because it makes the blood go away from that spot.

Them: Ooooooh!

I’m so smart.  :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But the best moment of the day? This conversation:

Little Girl # 2: Dear God…I know I’m a sinner…please come into my heart and make me clean inside…

 Oh yeah. God is good, all the time!

On this day we celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection a little girl found out what that means for her. On this beautiful Easter morning our first Bible Club kid got saved! I have a new little sister in Christ!

Hallelujah! He Is Risen As He Said!

(This picture was taken during Stephen’s lesson on the resurrection. It’s a phone picture so it’s not too good, but still precious because that’s the little girl who would later receive Christ.)

Because He Lives

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;

He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

And then one day, I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

(Photo Copyright 12:9 Photography)

Didn’t See That One Coming

Spring is here. Yup. One would think I was outside enjoying the beauty, running around in the beautiful breeze. But at this moment I am sitting here drinking as much fluids as possible and trying to survive my third virus in 6 weeks. I pretty much have the sick thing down now, so I’m managing this one pretty well. Wednesday afternoon I managed to cut a 3 inch long gash in my leg. It has a wicked curve and I have hopes it will be a beautiful scar someday.  :)  Enjoy the beautiful Easter weather and remember that He Is Risen just as He said!

Life 101

My life has pretty much returned to normal. Granted, it is definitely prone to crazy moments, but pretty normal. I finally got over my illnesses. Hopefully a month and a half was all there was to it, and I can enjoy the beautiful spring sunshine. (Did I mention how much I L-O-V-E Spring?!) I am praying about so many things right now, but don’t really seem to have the answers hitting me on the head, so I’m learning to rest in this moment. Even though my circumstances aren’t what I would ever have planned God is teaching me that only rain grows the flowers. I am resting in God’s will for my life, and giving Him my hopes and my dreams. I do have two very specific things I would ask everyone to pray for.

1. Continued Health. I have really struggled ever since those back problems, and each day it feels like I’m on the verge of another spasm. That is no way to live (but hey, Amy Carmichael did it for 20 years!) and I would like to be able to get back to more normal. Even simple things like turning over when I’m asleep can’t happen. Pray that God would heal it completely, bring it down to a workable pain, provide provision for doctors etc., or teach this wimpy little girl to hang in there and get over it!
2. I need a job. In the modern world we live in too many things require one thing. $money$. I would be content with a little house, growing my own food, walking to town, but that’s not the way things work in the middle of civilization. I have been praying that God would provide me with a nanny job (I LOVE kids, and always wanted to be Mary Poppins or Maria Von Trapp), or a steady photography job. Both of those things I love, and as I’ve learned from my many years at that horrid Chicken Place you really do need to love your job. Don’t get me wrong, at this point I will take whatever job I can do and honor God with, but it just makes it so much better to love what you do for a living.

Anyway, I would just appreciate your prayers for me on those issues. I am daily reminded of these verses:

” But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” -  Philipians 4:19-20

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” – Psalm 17:15