Hummmmm . . . .

How many of us look to our past of where America began and why we have been set apart?http://www.liberty.edu/media/1616/email/Chancellors.html Why do we as a nation look at our pocket book instead? Or to man? What happened? Where are we turning?

Aren't we supposed to look at that which is unseen? Hummmmm . . . .

A Day to remember

Today was such an encouraging day! Being pastor appreciation month has been encouraging through out. I have been amazed at some of the "Golden Apples" The Lord has given us to enjoy this month.

Cards, Encouraging words, meat, meals, hugs, chocolates, GC's, smiles, etc., etc., etc.,. Why does it touch me sooooo much? Because of serving the King of Kings for 20 years this past summer and this month I was able to reflect over all these years and I still have some cards, letters, gifts, pictures (AND SCRAPBOOKS) with many of YOUR heart strings connected to them!

From our first internship and ministry I still have special cards & picture from many of you tucked away and some of them are hidden with in my BIBLE and just this past week I have taken some of those out and reflected upon to warm my heart along with those we received this week. Today we had some great time reflecting with a family, laughing, sharing and being real - THAT is what ministry is all about. One note Kent & I read was very encouraging at a time that was needed the most. Satan is alive and a liar but God is the TRUTH that is AWESOME!
Kent also encouraged me just a couple of days ago with a song/video that he said he knew I would LOVE! He knows how much I have ALWAYS LOVED EYES and how fitting that an artist named Brandon Heath wrote "Give Me Your Eyes". It is so true How I beseech the Lord of Lords the "I AM" to allow me to always look into others eyes and to have HIS EYES for humanity.

I know that Kent and I were called into MINISTRY together and I believe that He called me when I was only a little girl by an "angel in disguise" HEBREWS 13:2 (my paraphrase) to follow him
with all my life. Not only do I give him my Eyes but my HEART that I may have His Heart and His Eyes to fulfill my calling to Him!

I have looked into many of your EYES and I know that GOD will do and is doing great things through you. He is calling YOU . . . Will you answer his call if you haven't already? Look into His eyes it is AMAZING to connect with him - BELIEVE ME!!! It is a road you'll never regret and an adventure you can never imagine that will effect you for all eternity. For today is "A DAY TO REMEMBER!"

Only One way

"He who guards his lips guards his life,but he who speaks rashly comes to ruin." Proverbs 13:3. Don't you wish that our candidates would keep this in mind. WE'RE DOOMED then aren't we!!!

My heart is so frustrated that we are so quick to be concerned with our economy, what we think about our leader and all his "errors" but where is the condition of our heart and soul compared to the "I AM", but what about our relationship with the Lord what is it truly like? I really believe with all my heart that we who claim to have a relationship with the Lord and Savior of the world need to truly be on our knees and beseeching HIM for everything we stand for. Because we will be having to make a stand that matters for all of eternity. I know I choose the road less traveled and I see it more each and every day of my short "misty" life but I will live here on earth as long as the good Lord wills. I will share the good news of Jesus Christ being the ONLY way to Heaven, despite that others think there are many different ways. There truly isn't "MANY WAYS" and if it costs me my very life than God be with me to fight to the end to take as many with me as possible to see the TRUTH sharing the depth of His love for all mankind, if they only by their free will choose to follow him. I heard him say, "Come, follow me!" and I am going to follow only him with every breath!

I know that I am one whom is very convicted to go before the thrown of the TRUE KING of KINGS every election year because I want a person who leans upon wisdom and discernment that truly matters. Absolute TRUTH - the word of GOD which is infallible and unmistakably INERRANT! How about you?

The Shack

Yikes and Hummmmm . . . .

My mind is still trying to comprehend and S - T - R - E -T - C -H with each thought. Very provoking for this little Latina mind :-/ Ha - Ha!!!

I do enjoy this book because I am also reading in Jeremiah currently and Hummmmm. Sometimes I feel like a Shack tucked deep in the Rockies, yet as free as the scene depicted. I can feel the wind, hear the bubbling brook or running river, feel the mist faintly upon my skin, and smell everything - refreshing and well not so comfortable to take.

What is your "Shack" and do you go to your "Papa"?

Fall & Harvest :-)

Have a great Day! Fall is upon us here in the Midwest (I know everywhere really) and the change of colors is just awesome! I miss the Rocky Mountains every year around this time but I will always enjoy where the Lord allows these eyes to see him and his wonders!

Wow it is always amazing to me what God does and how the season is continually changing! The seasons colors, the ages of time in every aspect of Life - His creation. I miss my dear friends who are miles away and I enjoy the ones I am able to be with now. I think of the girls and how they give me pleasure. I enjoy the moments my sweet love and I get to share with each passing moment to etch it upon my heart and my memory. I love the crisp cool air when it is brisk and yet I love it when I lift my chin and feel the faint breeze blow across my face and the other moments it blows my dark auburn hair around my face. Winter used to be my favorite season of all times because of growing up in the Rockies and LOVING SNOW however as time goes by I enjoy them all more each year. Always ready for the newness of each season as I live it and await the excitement of another day to breathe, the Lord willing, before return home to Heaven permanently.

This year 16 years ago I remember awaiting the elections of Nov and a special little girls taking her first steps, wow that was amazing and exciting and now her steps are taking her in many other directions. Where her future will take her, how to prepare and so forth. Who would have ever thought that 21 years ago Kent and I would be embarking on a fall with many new memories that would be so found?

Seasons of Fall; the rich colors of reds, oranges, yellows, golds, browns and faint splashes of green kindle in my heart the warmth of changes through the years and how new life will come. :-) Now because of my friends walk to submit her life last week. two others have decided to follow and be obedient to Christ and yield their lives because her obedience caused them to say - I too want Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior, I no longer want to wait. Three new lives on a day of a fall will turn over a new "leaf" by dying to themselves and become a new creation! I love IT!!!!! All in the middle of "HARVEST" season.

Remember, ". . . the Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. . " (Mt 9:37 & Gospels) This year it has been a FULL harvest and for that I love seeing it in the newness that comes with FALL & HARVEST here in MO Town USA! Bring on the Harvest it warms my soul deeply and kindles the fresh breeze I LOVE!!!! :-)

Awed.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who LOVED me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the GRACE of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Gal 2:20-21

This week I watched a wonderful sister in Christ yield her life to Jesus in full submission to be immersed in Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior and it has made me think deeply that Christ is the KEY for everything especially when people let you down. :-( We can NOT lead others to Jesus when we are FAKE in any sense of the word. People will let us down but JESUS Christ will NEVER ever let us down and for that I am truly grateful. Christ needs to live in me and boy do I have a lot of surrendering to do as well as just serving.

Thank You Lord, Abba Father God because you are my everything, my life! I praise you for LOVING me so deeply and honestly!

Time

Time is so "quick". Last Friday I had a very unique experience and late Thursday evening it was a connection.

I'd been having dizzy spells lately and long story short; after two weeks went into the maternity ward and had some tests run. While there I was taken care of by two nurses; one named Jim and the other Helen. This was amazing because in the coarse of my nurse Jim and I talking about my health, I inquired of his family. Kent just smiled and then later after Kent left, I started putting some connections together, we both had four children he had four boys and We have (currently :-) at the temporary moment) four girls, we both knew Myas' boyfriends family due to Chaz and his youngest son, Jacob graduating together, Then when he asked what Kent does for a living we discovered he knew a very dear family from our church and had the highest respect for them- Arnold and Dorothy Hughes. He mentioned that he was excited that his youngest son Jacob had graduated Last may from High school while I was saying we coming upon that milestone for the first time in about one and a half years. My other connection was inquiring of the other nurse assigned to tag team with him to care for us. Helen - I remembered that name from the end of July 2001 :-( -Yes she was the same one. The nurse who was a pillar during a very dark and hard time for me - Helen cared for me when Jordan went directly went to heaven. Why do I bring up all of this? T - I - M - E. This very kind nurse Jim took very good care of HaSa and me, and since he shared about his love for his four boys and his JACOB who just graduated with Chaz I remember them both. So When Mya came downstairs with the news of one of Chaz's classmates passing and sharing with me a few small details - God brought back nurse Jim and my conversation. Chaz's classmates name was Jacob, but not the one Mya thought but another. However, while she kept saying how we needed to pray for that family I remembered more things Jim had shared and there were too many similarities. My heart dropped because that next morning during our family worship/devotion/prayer time, Mya shared with all of us this young man, then Kent said that at his meeting the night before another individual had asked for prayer for another boy. I asked Kent, "It wouldn't have been Arnold Hughes who asked for that prayer would it?" where Kent's reply was - "yes".

My heart was touched deeply. Because at the very time nurse Jim was taking care of some tests for HaSa and me his son was going through an accident. Time is so short. I remembered how Helen cared for me in 2001. I remembered the call we had March 16th 2006 praying that Mya would live. I remembered how sincere Jim was in saying that my health was excellent and HaSa was doing excellent giving comfort to the unknowns of health a week ago Friday 3 Oct. Time - So now after my daily reading in Thess. - I pray that the gentle nurse Jim and his family know they will see their Jacob again and that many are praying for them. I will always remember my only two encounter nurses from the maternity ward at Heartland in 2001 and now 2008. They were both there for me and now through TIME I pray the Lord's blessing even in the Hard time in a loss of a child. Nurse Jim and his family could use your prayers TODAY and the upcoming days so that through TIME God will comfort them.

T - I - M - E goes by so fast. Pray.

Convicted

Wow isn't it amazing when God brings something he wants done to you how one can avoid it possibly even run away from it? Yikes the last time I had a conviction like this one well . . . I learned a lot about myself!

Could you pray for me please. Thanks a ton!

Ana-Maria

In his hands

I know . . . I know TRUST and OBEY.

John said it best when he said, "He must increase and I must decrease." Also when Paul asked for his thorn to be removed and the Lord let him know that "His (Jesus Christs) grace is sufficient" because when we are weak we lean on him. I like to be fun loving, have a good time and a bit on the dizzy side but not literally ;-/. It is so weird to have a very healthy physical yet be dealing with dizziness. I can still laugh with and at my situation and tell people on the light side that "I always wanted to be blonder (no offense to those of you I LOVE WHO ARE!!) and dizzy." ;-p

But every time I am literally spinning and off a bit . . . I pray - thanking him for a reason to lean more fervently on him! The tests for almost four hours on Friday were a relief that HaSa and I are both healthy and for that I am truly THANKFUL. I can Praise HIM for two lives who lean fully on His promises never to leave or forsake us. I praise him that we have another moment to breathe and testify to His goodness in all circumstances. I cherish the thought that our hearts still beat strong for HIM literally and spiritually~!!!

We are all in HIS hands at ALL TIMES! Have a great moment with Him - for he LOVES you deeply.

For I will praise him with every step that I take and every breath available - for both of us while we rest our heads upon his chest while being held in his arms.

HaSa

Excitement is mounting! Eagerly awaiting a precious FACE!

With each movement and every time I hear the heartbeat I get excited to think of what this precious life will look like, be like, and wonder what God has "called" this child to do because he knows this baby like no other! I can hardly wait!

With every child it has had this profound AWE wonder for me! HaSa . . . I have been praying for you and your future walk with the Lord. That you will be Holy as He is HOLY! I know you will be!

HaSa, I love you deeply and we all are anticipating your arrival. PRAISE THE LORD~!!!!! :-)
Jeremiah 29:11-ff We can hardly wait for your smile~.

Why?

Lately my days are filled with a question that children usually ask, "Why? . . . Yes but - Why?"

Oh my bible reading has really convicted me lately between the what may and can seem like like mundane 'daily' routine. Is it barometric pressure changes in the seasons that effects everyone? Is it the economy? Is it the 'election 2008? Is it . . . (you fill in the blank)?

But as I have been reading I realize it is a condition of the heart trying so hard to be filled with everything but what truly matters. A life of Truth, through the GRACE and MERCY of Jesus Christ the ONLY WAY to truly LIVE! YIKES . . . did I say that? Yep I did.

Oh our home has been on kind of a roller coaster (of majority female emotions at every level -or us anyway) but I realize that it is because all of our walks with the Lord are maturing at different levels which can cause unnecessary impatience with those we love the dearest. (Boy is Satan alive and well, isn't he.) My heart breaks because every morning we sit down and have a family devotion but boy have we been not sincere from the heart. Emily asked my just tonight, "Mommy, what?" to which I asked "What do you mean Emily?" she then was quiet for a moment that seemed like an eternity and replied " - things are just different lately, Mommy. I just don't understand . . . " 'WHAT?' " She made me think. She said that she was sad that our family doesn't seem right. Why we don't act like we really do "Love Jesus this week - we are . . . well not showing LOVE and getting really unkind here at home." Well if that didn't scream OUCH!!! :-( I gave her a huge hug and said, "Emily, I Love You and everyone - Thanks for caring enough to share your concern. :-) Let go to bed - okay?" sending her back to bed a third time with another hug and kiss.

It is true. lately . . . we are being tested. WHY? Yes, but Why?

Because he, the Lord Jesus Christ loves us and is allowing us to each come to him on our own. You know . . . we are responsible to share the gospel in every aspect but after that we each are only responsible for our own walk with the Lord. So I have been realizing even more - I can't make my girls Love Jesus Christ because it is their choice to truly choose him. You know Sunday night a special young man made a statement, "are we really listening? You know what is our communication like with our relationships? Communication is the Key." As I sat and listened to him than after reflecting on listening to the word of God's truth this last week and listening to her simple evaluation this evening - We all make time for What really matters to us and we communicate clearly with those around that matter. Communication!!! Why? Because it is vitally important to us - That's why.

Why don't we give the Lord that importance? Really. I wonder why or why we don't. People can't seem to live with out our cell phones, IMing, or TEXTing CONTINUALLY but will forget to read the bible at huge segments at a time and then we wonder why we are so out of sorts (so to speak). We will never talk to friends or treat them like we would those we live with but is it okay to communicate frustration and not Love? Those who have been "In Love" . . . do you remember all the efforts made to talk to the one that made us "crazy" in every way and it made us make every attempt possible to keep that relationship going? It made our heart and adrenaline pump! Remember? So Why do we not live that way with the Lord, Jesus Christ? WHY?

Lately this relationship that I have been having has been making me change. Is it good? Yes. Is it easy? No. Why? Because next to him - there is great room for evaluation and true improvement - that makes me grumpy because I am seeing how selfish I truly am and through that discovery He shed some light that that has been my idolatry-(selfishness). YIKES.

"Why? Yes but Why?" Thanks again Emily for allowing me to evaluate after a tough two weeks that it is all about the LOVE of Jesus Christ being my focus for improvement. Time is too short not to accept that and to not communicate with him daily how much I really want to Know him because HE is the TRUTH, the WAY and the LIGHT and no one shall come to the Father accept through HIM! Because He LOVES ME and EVERYONE who is willing to FULLY SURRENDER TO HIM and not our self.

Yes - that is the WHY!!!