Do you ever...

Do you ever have those times where you feel like "things" or rather life is at a turning point?
I know this sounds weird, but that is certainly how I am feeling lately. Not so much what I would describe as a "spirit of fear", but rather a "spirit of change". In my opinion, not necessarily a change for the good or right.

I know this sounds strange, but I feel like I am a spectator watching many, what I might term, major social and cultural changes happening to my country and around the world. So what are these "so-called" changes... well, to be honest, they are hard for me to describe, but I will do my best.

While my thoughts are tempered by the fact that the Bible states there is nothing new under the sun, I feel this overwhelming tide of acceptance in anything and everything except "Christianity". I feel like there is an assault on marriage and that our country, in general, is reaping what is sowing. Seeds of "change" are being sowed and our country is changing.

Unfortunately, my time has been cut short. I will have to continue these thoughts in another post.

40 Days of Prayer....

Do you ever feel like there is a time and a place in your life that you feel so bogged down that you don't know where to turn? Well, I am certainly feeling that way right now!

I have felt convicted that my prayer life has been more than lacking. Isn't ironic that as a Christian, I espouse belief in the Creator of the Universe, God Omniscent, My Redeemer, My Comforter... yet.... I don't tap into that limitless resource through prayer.

A God, unlike any other god that people may hold dear, that desires a personal relationship with me and has made a way for me to ... through Jesus Christ...

Well, I have decided to make a commitment... a 40 day commitment.... A forty day process of change and transformation... a renewing of my mind, purpose and focus.

40 days in the Bible include:

NOAH - Gen 7:12 KJV) And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

MOSES - Exo 24:18 KJV) And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

ELIJAH - 1 Ki 19:8 KJV) And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

JESUS - Mat 4:1-2 KJV) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. {2} And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

These were times of major times of change.... and being nourished by almighty God.

I pray that my 40 days will give me the piece I so desperately seek about certain situations going on in my life right now. God knows what they are ... and if you read this, I pray that you would lift me and my family up during this time of commitment.... and that God's purpose will be clear because I so earnestly seek to know!

My Ebenezer Stone

As a Christian we all have times that God has refined us and made us different people. Here's one of my times, I hope it is a blessing to you.

I Samuel 7:12
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."



Today is a special day for me, it is my son, Will's birthday. While nobody truly understands the complexity of what makes up a person, I must say that this is a day of remembrance for me because today, "Thus far has the Lord helped ME..."

You know, sometimes it's difficult to go back to those times where as Christians we have been "refined" by the fire. Ten years ago was such a time for me. I experienced the most wonderful days of marrying my beloved husband and finding out later that year that I was soon to have a little one.

So many exciting events were taking place, then suddenly one day changes everything and you feel like the whole world is closing in on you. No one is there for you. That day happenend when I went for my first ultrasound and technician found an abnormality. The longest day of my life... spread into several days even weeks of diagnosing what the problem was with our yet to be child. We spent Thanksgiving 2009 waiting on the results of an amnioscentisis.

Waiting... Waiting... Waiting... My life had turned to a time of waiting. Psalm's 27:14 says...

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Do you know how difficult this is to "Wait for the Lord"? No matter if you are a patient person or an impatient person to "Wait for the Lord" is a very difficult proposition for anyone, especially ME!

We received the amnio results after Thanksgiving and found out that Will had a birth defect only. The birth defect was a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. While there were some surgeries that were being done in utero the doctor's assured us that this repair could be made after he was born.

WOW for two people who had not even been married a year yet. We found that our yet to be born child went from very high statistics of not surviving to a somewhat lower statistic of not surviving. How comforting? Not really. We found out that when one birth defect is encountered in utero it usually means there were others. In our case, there was mainly the Diaphragmatic Hernia and also a possible VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect) in the heart.

Now we were back to waiting. I can't tell you I didn't cry, because I cried alot. My husband, Eric, while not knowing how to comfort me was there... always there for me. He didn't always have the words or the emotions I had, but there was always a comfort in his presence.

While waiting on the Lord, I also poured through scriptures in the Bible. Believe me, I had alot of time on my hands. Much of my pregnancy was spent on bedrest and there is only so much TV a person can watch.

I reflected on what the Bible says in Psalms 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I thought to myself, God has to have a purpose in this and believe me he did. He changed me. I prayed that my son would be completely healed of this problem. I read alot about the providence of God and the story of Joseph. Joseph's brothers meant for him to be killed, but Joseph lived and saved his entire family.

I learned during this time no matter what happenend to Will, God was still in control. It was so difficult to wait on God through this process. So many times, I felt like my friends had deserted me and it was just me and God. I felt like Elijah sitting under the broom tree. He had just been used of God in a mighty way and then he was at a low spot in his life. How LOW can you go, well believe me, pretty low emotionally.

Then 9 years ago today, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Did God completely heal him from his birth defect. I can honestly say, "NO". But let me tell you what God did do, in every circumstance concerning Will's defect, I was prepared. I knew the challenges that I had as a Mommy and let me tell you, honestly, he flew through those hurdles. Everything you could want to happen in a speedy recovery DID happen. He's amazed his doctor's with how well he has recovered from everything he had going on. He ended up not having a heart defect after all and while their were a few hiccups with his diaphragm repair, it all worked out well in the end.

The years since those times have whirled by. My baby is now 9 years old and "Thus far the Lord has helped ME". I don't know what the future lies for me and my family, but I know WHO does hold the future and I am confident in those promises!

Why read Rex?

I am sure many people might question their need to read a book about a blind, autistic child who is musically talented. After all there are many people out there who do not have children or if they do have children they are not autistic or blind. So -why YOU pick up the book Rex and read it? The main reason is that this is an inspirational and encouraging story. We have all experience broken dreams and picking up the pieces. It is the story of Rex, of course, but it also is the story of Rex's mother, Cathleen Lewis.

Cathleen begins the story of Rex with a pivotal interview that took place with Leslie Stahl on 60 minutes. Then Cathleen takes the reader back to the beginning of this amazing journey. What's amazing is this story begins as so many of our own lives, boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl get married, boy and girl have a family. But what happens when that newborn is born and their are problems. That's the case in the story of Rex. Rex was born with a problem. He was born blind. Our dreams of the perfect family are broken. What do we do next?

Cathleen was haunted by the look of Rex's eyes. This book tells you about her journey and her son’s. It is a refreshing, easy read for anyone that is sure to inspire and encourage you in your everyday life.

You are Always Faithful God...

You are always Faithful God...
when I am sad and alone.
You are always Faithful God...
when I feel like giving up.
You are always Faithful God...
when my expectations and reality do not meet.
You are always Faithful God...
when I do not know where to turn.
You are always Faithful God...
when I fail miserably.

I needed to remember today... You are always Faithful God...

A Tale of Desperaux

I can't help but write a small post regarding the book, A Tale of Desperaux. I can not express enough how this little children's book weaves a tale of hope, light, darkness and reconciliation. There of course is no comparison to the current movie adaptation. Why can't the movies ever get it right?

While reading the book you are introduced to the Narrator, who guides you through the tale of a small mouse named Desperaux. The narrator sets the pace of the book and it is a very easy book to read whether you are an adult or not. The main characters of the book are the narrator, Desperaux, Roscuro, Miggery Sow and the Princess Pea.

I certainly do not want to give away the plot of the book, but the narrator makes a particular point at the beginning of this tale that I think is important... "an interesting fate awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform" . This is indeed a sweet, little book about being who you are and all that means. Its about hope, disappointment and reconcilliation all wrapped up in the "tale" of a mouse name Desperaux.

I hope, if you too have read this little tale, or are inspired to read this little tale that you enjoy this book as much as I did.

Book Reviews

I was so motivated by another blogger's exploits in becoming an online book reviewer that I thought I would try it. After all I love to read, but rarely find the time to do it. I feel like this gives me a "job". My first book is called REX. (thanks, Dean!) It's a really neat program. You fill out a form stating the types of books that you like to read and agree to put it on your blog and also a mainstream book review area like Amazon and you are good to go. I think that is a pretty neat program with free books to boot. The link to Rex is as follows: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=1595551506 . I have almost completed this book, so a review is soon to be on it's way.

Now, I am off to finish The Tale of Desperaux with Will. What a great book. I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed this little tale... yes, even as an "adult" I enjoyed it.