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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Candy is Dandy


In reading Connie's post to our Traveling Scarf blog, I started to think about candy names.

In doing so, I found this quiz.
How many can you name? No cheating!

Answers are in the comments section:

Not laughing out loud -

Home of the movie stars -

A famous swashbuckling trio -

Red Planet -

Galaxy -

Can’t hold on to anything -

Favorite day for working people -

Pleasingly plump -

A sweet sign of affection -

Superman’s other identify -

A feline -

Single women look for him -

Round flotation devices -

Sun explosion -

Dry cow -

Famous New York street -

Children of the cane -

Indian burial grounds -

Rich person -

Nut happiness -

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Random Photo #4

To continue with the "random" rut that I'm in....I opened the front door and snapped this random photo just a moment ago. Ten or twelve inches of new snow today on top of what we had. I lost count.



That's my van - literally two feet from the front door - had it been in the garage.... Ha. I told Brillo Man that had he not filled the garage with stuff....he says that had I SOLD the stuff that's in there... We have a three bay garage. One bay was converted to my studio. That leaves two bays. Do we park in there? Nope. Something is definitely wrong with this picture.

The guy on our tractor is our neighbor, Butch. He came to borrow the tractor because his truck is stuck in the snow. He offered to plow our driveway out when he returns. Yahoo! Brillo Man won't have to do it - which is good because it's very painful for him with his hip that needs replaced to get up and down on his beloved John Deere.

Some Amish neighbors wanted to go ice fishing on our pond today---not going to happen as the pond is fed by several underground springs which means even as cold as it has been for months, there are places that haven't frozen over.



Our neighbors usually head for warmer parts...Arizona, I believe. I caught a glimpse of Sue yesterday in StuffMart but she dashed by before I could say hello. So that means they're still here in the great white north. I'm thinking of asking them if I can stowaway in their luggage...

I am SO ready for Spring!!!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Random Photo #3

(click to enlarge)


This is a small section of our very cluttered refrigerator! The little girl in the pink top is unknown to us....a photo we found in the closet of our very first apartment when we got married. I pray for her every day.

The other little girl is one of three children we sponsor. Redeat lives in Ethiopia. I pray for her daily too --when I see their photos, it's a reminder to bring them to the Throneroom!

The third photo is that of Olivia from Vacation Bible School this past summer. She was in the "Monkey" group --appropriate for her, since one of her nicknames is Monkey!

There's a little stuffed armadillo...because there are armadillos almost everywhere you look in our house! All the other stuff is just that....stuff!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

25 Random Things About Me

1. My favorite color of m&m candy is green.

2. My best friend and I once threw wheat paste all over the walls and lockers in junior high school, denied it when confronted and then I apologized to the teacher the next day because I felt so badly that I had lied.

3. I need a new watchband.

4. My fingernails are too long --they get in the way when I'm trying to type this blog.

5. I spent four to five hours sorting through four or five square feet of space filled with boxes, papers, art stuff and junk ...and I STILL don't have it cleaned!

6. While standing at the stove earlier tonight with a runny nose,
I sang "Granny's in the cellar, Lordy can't ya smell her makin' biscuits on that darned old dirty stove? In her eye there is some matter that keeps drippin' in the batter and she whistles while the (sniff) runs down her nose!"

7. I would rather be in Florida right now.

8. I have a secret zit-picking fascination (which is now no longer a secret.)

9. I'm thinking of having my teeth bleached but have heard that it's painful and am hesitating.

10. I just bought two new bathing suits because the one I had been wearing was more than ten years old. (One of them is pictured at right.)

11. I do not drink coffee.

12. I would love to sleep in tomorrow, but can't as I have to get Olivia ready for school and on the bus.

13. Dawna gave me the coolest beret hat today which I am wearing as I type this.

14. I just squished a bug.

15. I just opened a Christmas card which had been buried on my desk since mid-December.

16. I am WAY behind on my etsy orders. I have about ten pendants to make and ship out and I have no desire to get them done because my studio is no longer heated with the pellet stove since we sold it and put in THE (wood) STOVE downstairs.

17. Popcorn is calling my name. Can you hear it?

18. I don't have a favorite color.

19. I haven't balanced my checkbook in over five years since I follow every transaction online.

20. Someday, I would love to take a hot air balloon ride.

21. The night before my Clinical Microbiology final in college, I found a copy of the final which the professor had left in the laboratory. I took it with me, assuming it was an old final. I spent several hours memorizing every question and then during the test, when I saw that it was actually my final exam, I never confessed. I got an 'A' on the final --and it was because I had cheated. (Char, do you remember that?)

22. I have a hard time throwing anything away because I might need it someday. In fact, I think I have boxes in my garage which I've never unpacked since college. That is just wrong!

23. I always wear socks to bed - even in the heat of the summer.

24. I love to dip pizzelle cookies in applesauce.

25. Yesterday, I bought a new crockpot because mine died.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

I'm Reading....



I'll let you know what I think when I'm through.

What are you reading?

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Today We Meet Him....


....who is "him"?, you ask.

...a PUPPY who may be joining our family soon!

Not sure....still have to meet the puppy and his breeder...but I have to tell you that I've fallen in love with his picture already! I won't post his photo here as I haven't asked the breeder's permission, although I'm sure she wouldn't mind.

I'll save his picture for the day (if and when) everyone decides that we may adopt him and bring him home. We need to be approved by the breeder because any respectable breeder isn't just going to hand over their beloved puppy to anyone who comes along.

I've spent HOURS searching the internet, talking to friends and coworkers, scouring the pet classifieds and doing tons of research on breeds. We have narrowed our search to several breeds which we believe would be a good fit for our family: Miniature Schnauzer, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih-Tzu, Bischon Frise, Toy Poodle and Cairn Terrier. All of them are known to be hypoallergenic, although I don't imagine that there is such a thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog. Some breeds shed less than others. Our beloved Chauncy was a shedder! Hair everywhere! All the time! And me...I did a lot of sneezing and wheezing!

The little guy we're going to meet this afternoon promises to be a breed which doesn't shed as much--and is good with children --a HUGE consideration where Olivia is concerned!

Olivia is already thinking of names!

I'll keep you posted!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Snow...

It's a balmy, tropical 27 degrees this morning in Greenville, PA. 47 degrees warmer than yesterday at this time. And we received an additional 7" of snow last night. Yeah! ugh.
(...I can hear Dad...."Summer's comin' Deb!)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Food From Heaven


....which is, after all, from whence all of our food ultimately comes.

Today, groceries came to us via Angels. The angels of the Angel Food Ministries. This ministry began fifteen years ago on a back porch in Georgia, with enough food to feed 34 families in need. Today, Angel Food ministries feef over half a million families per month in 35 states and they just keep growing! For those of you who may not be familiar with this nationwide ministry, take a moment to check out their website by clicking the link. This ministry is for EVERYONE - not just those in need. All of us do need to eat though! (Some less than others! ahem.)

I came home from work this morning and went to bed, leaving Brillo Man and Olivia the task of driving over to our church to pick up our Angel Food for this month. It's been several months since we had purchased Angel Food and every month that I do buy it, I remark that we need to start buying MORE often! This month's box included the following: (All for the price of just $30.00)

1.5 lb. Ribeye Steak (4 x 6 oz.)

4 lb. Chicken Leg Quarters

1.5 lb. Beef Patties (4 x 6 oz.)

18 oz. Cheese Filled Manicotti

2 lb. Pork Rib Strips

1 lb. Chicken Breast Fajita Strips

1 lb. Ground Turkey

1 lb. Broccoli

1 lb. Peas

6 ct. Oatmeal Variety Box

(2 each-Regular,
Maple Brown Sugar
and Apple Cinnamon)

32 oz. 2% Shelf Stable Milk

8 oz. Blueberry Muffin Mix

12 ct. White Corn Tortillas

1 lb. Pinto Beans

7 oz. Chicken Flavored Rice & Vermicelli

One Dozen Eggs

Dessert Item (we got cookies this time!)

And for an additional $22.00, we purchased one of several available "specials". This month I chose the 6lb assorted meat combo:

1.5 lb. Bone-In New York Strips (2 x 12 oz.)

1 lb. Sirloin Strips (2 x 8 oz.)

1.5 lb. Boneless Pork Chops -Thick Cut (4 x 6 oz.)

2 lb. Hamburger Steak (4 x 8 oz.)

That equals approximately $3.67 per pound for the meat. I don't know how much you've been paying attention to food prices lately, but my local grocery store had a SPECIAL this week $6.99/lb for New York Strip Steaks. I'm thinking we got a great deal!

And an even better deal....I awoke to the wonderful smell of Brillo Man cooking the beef patties for lunch...1.5 lb. each...needless to say, I ate half and will take the other half to eat later at work. Delicious!


Men ate angels’ food;
He sent them food to the full.
-Psalm 78:25

Friday, January 16, 2009

Random Photos #2



Olivia ...when she woke up yesterday morning. MAJOR Bedhead!! And she's such a ham - she'll pose for the camera anytime!




...and a bowl of Brillo Man's homemade soup for lunch - served up in my new ten cent soup mug from The Good Shepherd Mission.

It just doesn't get any better than this! Delicious, hot, soup (made with love!) by my King of Soup...on a cold, cold day! Warmed me to the core - in more ways than one!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Alas the Glass!

Perhaps you may remember reading of my obsession with glassware. Well, it's struck again. "Struck" as in "Broke"!!!

This week, Brillo Man and I have succeeded in breaking two of my treasured Milano, Anchor-Hocking Forest Green glasses. One I managed to knock off the corner of my desk and the other fell victim to a dish-washing accident. I have always used my antiques and collectibles --thinking what good is it to have them stuffed on a shelf somewhere to collect dust? You use them - you risk the chance of breakage.

I have a special fondness for this pattern because while growing up, we used the Amber glasses in our kitchen. Mom still has a set of glasses and the pitcher in her china cabinet. (I think.) I have memories of Dad and his unending glass of iced tea - stirring in the sugar - the ice cubes making a huge clanking and clinking sound due to the unevenness of the glass' interior. Literally, you had to stop talking and wait until he was done stirring or no one would hear you speak! Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration....

Anyway...I am on a quest for more Amber or Forest Green or ANY color of those glasses. In any size. Tumblers, Juice Glasses, Short, squatty glasses...what are those called? They were always used for serving drinks 'on the rocks'. Not that I ever have a drink on the rocks...but anyway...you know the size.

I have found them on Ebay --but refuse to pay up to $4.00 per glass! When did these become so popular?!? I guess I will scour the yard sales in the Spring....I look every time I go to our Good Shepherd Mission --there's never been any. Who has them collecting dust in their kitchens? I'll gladly take them off your hands! But I'm not paying $4.00 a piece! sheesh!


So he arose and went to Zarephath.
And when he came to the gate of the city,
indeed a widow was there gathering sticks.
And he called to her and said,
“Please bring me a little water in a cup,
that I may drink.”
I Kings 17:10

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Random Photo #1



Today's random photo is of a tiny armadillo sculpture which resides in a shadow box in our home. The sculpture is very near and dear to my heart because it depicts the actual event of the time Brillo Man captured and subdued the beast. Although in the movie version, you can see that he has much more hair. (Brillo Man, not the armadillo.)

The tacky, green, plastic, four-leaf clover coin behind the beast is something that Olivia picked out of a cache. It's approximate size is that of a 50 cent piece. It's there strictly for scale. (i.e. that's about the actual size of the beast that charged Brillo Man on that fateful night in the swamps of Florida.)

I will be sharing more random photos in the days to come. Stay tuned.


For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose against me.
II Samuel 22:40

Monday, January 12, 2009

My Snow Haiku

I've been inspired by Donna to write more poetry. Yesterday, while enjoying the view from my living room and watching the giant snowflakes gently falling...in slow motion...with nary a breeze to hinder their gentle journey toward the earth....I wrote this Haiku.



Gently falling snow
Slowly falling fluffy flakes
Carpeting the earth



For He says to the snow,
‘Fall on the earth’.
-Job 37:6a

Sunday, January 11, 2009



The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.
-Psalm 28:7

Saturday, January 10, 2009

And the Winner is....

There was a contest.

Fifteen people commented.

Fifteen people were entered to win.

I assigned each of you a number from 1 to 15.

I went to a random number generator online since Olivia was already in bed and wasn't available to draw a name out of a hat...

And the random number generator chose...

...drum roll please...







MARGIE!!!!

Margie, my dear, I will be sending you something from my etsy shop! I hope you enjoy it! And no...it won't be a pony!

Friday, January 09, 2009

An Invitation...Es Muy Bien....

Ten years ago, I had the awesome priviledge of going to The Dominican Republic on a missions trip.

A hurricane had recently devastated the island and a crew of about 50 from the church I attended were going to help rebuild several Assembly of God churches. In the weeks prior to our trip, I spent a lot of time praying and reading. We had several reading assignments, one of which was the book of Acts from God's Word and the second a book by Elisabeth Elliot entitled, Through Gates of Splendor, the true account of her husband's death at the hands of the Waorani tribe in Equador. If you have not had the opportunity to read this book, may I highly recommend it. It's a tale of a missionary who befriended and then was martyred by a people who previously were known for attacking all strangers. All for the sake of spreading the Gospel. Reading this book will change your life. It did mine.

Although we were not going to be venturing into a land of hostile natives, we were about to be transported to a place way out of our comfort zone. Nothing could have prepared me for what we encountered in The Dominican Republic. These people lived in homes we would not find worthy in which to house our lawn mowers. Sometimes ten or twelve people from an extended family living under one corragated metal roof. Some were fortunate enough to have cinderblock walls, but most were fabricated from flimsy materials, warped plywood or metal sheeting. The floors were dirt. Despite the obvious lack of material possessions, I have not ever met a people who were more gracious and generous and eager to share their hearts and what little they did have with us.

Over the two weeks that we were there, I was on the "painting team." It was my job to paint metal roof trusses with weatherproof paint. I also painted interior walls of the small Christian school that was near one church. And I painted "Abuelas" (Girls) and "Caballeros" (Boys) on the outhouse doors. I was given one paintbrush with bristles all askew which was much too big to paint the letters. The teachers marvelled at how neatly and staight I was able to paint them and I smiled as I recounted to them that the Lord had given me an artistic talent which I had given back to the Lord to be used by Him and it was an honor to be painting those letters on the doors of those outhouses...and I was going to do my best to see that they had the neatest words on their doors.

One day, while taking a break from painting some of us were at our hotel which was near the beach. I walked down to the water and sat on a fallen log where I had fun watching all these little fiddler crabs being washed up on the beach. They would scurry as fast as they could to bury themselves in the sand thereby avoiding the scorching heat of the sun. (The temperature never fell below 110 degrees fahrenheit during the daylight hours while we were there.) Soon along came this little boy who was about eight years old. He was so intent on catching one of these little crabs and tried several times without success before he finally was able to scoop one up in his hands. He brought it over to show me and we started a conversation - he, who spoke no English and me, who spoke very little Spanish. I asked him his name. "Manuel," he replied. He asked why I was there and I attempted to tell him that I was there to help build churches. I asked him if He was a Christian. He kind of hung his head and replied, "No, pero mis amigos son los Cristianos." (No, but my friends are Christians." He asked if I was a Christian. "Jesús está en mi corazón y es mismo, muy bien." (Jesus is in my heart and it's very, very good.)

Soon it was time to return to the hotel to meet the rest of my team for dinner. Manuel wasn't permitted to be on the property of the hotel due to hotel regulations, but he followed me all the way up the beach, across the road and up to the gates. As quickly as I could, I went through the courtyard and up to my room where I knew I had Christian Gospel tracts for kids - printed in Spanish. I was hurrying because I knew that the hotel staff would shoo him away if they saw him by the gates. When I returned, he was there. I gave him the tract and asked him to read it. He promised that he would. He tried to give me the little crab he was carrying and made a flying motion indicating that he wanted me to take it home on the plane. I laughed and said that I couldn't take the crab, but said that it was so wonderful to share some time with him and that I would remember him always.

To this day...every time I see a little crab with it's little eyes protruding from its body, I think of Manuel and pray that the Lord will protect him, keep him healthy and draw him close to His side. I believe that one day, I will meet him again in heaven.

It's really neat how the Lord works. Just yesterday at work, I noticed a jellyfish printed on the fabric of a coworker's scrub shirt. I asked her what was on her shirt and she opened her lab coat to reveal a scrub top printed with many colorful sea creatures, one of which was a little crab with googly eyes protruding from a shell. I laughed and said, "There's my crab."...as I prayed for Manuel. A young man, who is now at least 18 years old, somewhere in The Dominican Republic...whom I believe is serving Jesus all from a chance encounter on a beach with a lady and a crab.

So, I ask you, dear reader, do you know this Jesus? Jesus is in my heart and it's very, very good. There will never be a more important decision for you to make in this lifetime. Mind you, choosing Christ doesn't guarantee you a life filled with sunshine and roses. But what it does guarantee is that you will never walk through anything in this life alone. He will be with you and never leave you. He will become your closest Friend, your Confidant, your Father, your Brother, your Husband. When you choose to make Him Lord of your life, He will reward you with eternal life with Him. A life in heaven in a home that He's preparing for you even now. You can't go wrong. It's a simple thing to do. A free gift that He offers. All you have to do is admit that you're a sinner and ask Him to forgive you and come into your heart. That's it. A done deal. After that, He will do the rest. You just bring yourself, and a willing heart. Then you too will know that when Jesus is in your heart it's very, very good.


And whatever things you ask in prayer,
believing, you will receive.
-Matthew 21:22

Thursday, January 08, 2009

What I Believe

I could list a whole bunch of doctrinal stuff here....I believe there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit...

I believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His substitutionary and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the Father, and His imminent personal future return to this earth in power and glory to rule over the nations... etc... etc... etc...

BUT...more importantly than all the fundamental Christian truths is this:

I believe that it is my responsibility to do my very best to project the Lord and His love in my every thought, word and deed. The Lord says if He be lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him. Bottom line - I need to lift Him up. If I'm going to wear the badge of 'Christian' and those who know me know that I'm wearing that badge, then I better be doing all that I can do to minimize me and maximize Him. Someone recently paid me the highest compliment ever - she said, "I see Jesus in you." That's my heart's desire...that people look at me and see Him.

I wish I could say that it's an easy task. It's not. There are days - especially in dealing with those closest to me, i.e Brillo Man and Olivia, when my behavior is anything but Christlike. I get moody and irritable. I snip and snap and growl and yell. It's not pretty. My friend says to me, "it's okay, you're human." True. I am human. But I'm a human saved by grace and according to what His Word tells me, I am a new creature - old things are passed away and all things have become new. I need to work on portraying the newness more.

So...what do I believe? I believe that God's grace is infinite...that His mercies are new every morning. Today, I'll do my best to live for Him and when I mess up, I know He forgives me and I start all over again...doing my best. When my best isn't good enough I know that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

Today, I will lift Him up in the hopes that someone is drawn closer to Him. I will allow more of Him to shine though less of me. I will praise Him for His mercy and grace...and wear the badge of 'Christian' proudly on my sleeve.

That's what I believe.


He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
-Psalm 37:6

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

When It's Been Hard to....what?

Hard to be a Christian?
Hard to witness?
Hard to have faith?
Hard to endure?

....I was thinking about what Sara meant when she asked us to write a post about "when it's been hard"....

I have decided that I will write about when it's hard for me to be patient and completely trust that God knows what He is doing.

There are many times when I approach Him with my long list of ideas and suggestions regarding solutions to particular problems in my life. I think I know the best way to change things, the best way to make things right. Wrong. I don't know. Far from it. God knows so much more (duh) about what is best for me. He is, after all, omniscient. The all-knowing God. He knew me before the world was formed. He has numbered my days in a book. He knows my thoughts before I form them and my words before they leave my lips. Don't I think that He would know the answers to my life's biggest questions? But still, I try to be in control.

I try to control my husband, my daughter, my friends. I give all the best advice and get upset when someone doesn't heed what I say. I am right. Wrong.

The best thing for me to do, over and over and over again, is to LET GO and LET GOD.


Therefore know this day,
and consider it in your heart,
that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above
and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
-Deuteronomy 4:39

Monday, January 05, 2009

Witnessing

My style of witnessing today is much different than it once was. Today, sharing the love of Jesus is simply sharing my life. Telling them about the wonderful things that God has done. All the little blessings....i.e....standing in the ticket line at Splash Lagoon and having someone offer us free tickets thereby saving us $140. When someone heard the story and said, "Wow, you're lucky!", my response was, "nope, luck had nothing to do with it --it was divine intervention." God's favor. There are many small miracles throughout my day that I look at as His favor and am quick to point that out whenever I'm conversing with anyone about God's love.


Years ago, I would be quick to point out to someone that they're going to hell to suffer fire and brimstone if they didn't get saved. I often went into a big dissertation about how we are living in the last days and we needed to get saved before we miss the rapture. And how if one wasn't saved and one did miss the rapture that you could have another chance but things on this earth were going to be really, really bad and if you were smart, you would get saved so you would avoid all of that. I'm sure all of that came from my Pentecostal upbringing. We were big on scare tactics.

At this point in my life, I much prefer love tactics. Someone once said that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Sharing the love of God in practical ways. Loving people into the Kingdom. That's the secret to evangelism. Preaching hellfire and brimstone may work for some, but I think for most it just turns them away from God rather than pointing them to the Savior.

Love. Just reach out and love. Be an example. I often share the love of God and sometimes I do it with words....


For our gospel did not come to you in word only,
but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit
and in much assurance,
as you know what kind of men we were
among you for your sake.
1 Thessalonians 1:5

Changed....in a moment

Sara has encouraged us to follow a theme this week: Salvation.

There are times when I think that perhaps the people who have heard my testimony will tire of it. Then I think again and realize that each time I share what God has done in my life, God gets the glory and enemy gets his head stomped on.

So...let the stomping begin...

My moment of salvation --changed forever -- in a moment. (Twice!)

I say twice because I am not one to believe or follow after the "once saved, always saved" theology. I know that there are many very good arguments for that theology and many very convincing debators who would disagree. And who knows, they may be right. However, in my heart of hearts, I know that whenever I walked away from the Lord that I had completely turned my back on Him. At one point, even speaking outloud that if living the life I was living meant spending an eternity away from God then so be it. That's how deep I was in sin. The sensual allure and stronghold that the sin and the enemy had on my heart was far more enticing than anything that God had to offer. What a liar Satan is. I remember the day I spoke the words..."if staying with her will mean that I go to hell...then I guess I'm going to hell...because I'm never leaving her." And I remember hearing the enemy say, "now I've got you."

Looking back, wondering HOW in the world I could have ever thought that. How I could have exchanged God's truth for a lie? How I could have just tossed away all that I knew about His goodness and His faithfulness? That whole thought process boggles my mind. For now, I can't imagine living my life for even one second without the Lord. He is my everything. His grace is amazing. His love is infinite and incomparable! He is an amazing God. And what's even more amazing is that He LOVES ME. Me. Who am I? No one worthy of such love, that's for sure. But love me He does and I am so grateful.

So, I had two moments of salvation. The first was at the age of nine. I was in Sunday School - in the pre-prayer / worship part of Sunday School when all of the classes sat together up in third floor annex of our church -the place we all refered to as "Peanut Heaven." I'll never forget the day. George, a.k.a. Brother Freed was leading us in prayer before we were to be dismissed to our classes and he asked if anyone wanted to accept Jesus as their Savior. My heart started beating faster and I got this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach and when he said, "if you do, then please step out of your seat and join me in the front and I'll pray for you," the Lord said, "go." And I went.

There were several other children who made a commitment to the Lord that day, but I have no idea who they were. At that moment, it was just me and Jesus. I remember it as if it were yesterday. I also remember that afterwards some of the kids said, "Debbie, we thought you were already saved...." And immediately there was a feeling of embarrassment as the enemy tried to make me feel ashamed of what I had done or hadn't done up until that point. And over the years he has used that statement to make me feel as if the girls who made those comments somehow thought that they were better than I. I'm going to say it again - the enemy is such a liar.

Over the next decade, I loved the Lord. I was in church every time the doors were open. My life revolved largely around my church youth group and I was there for each activity and each church service. Often, I could be found at the altar on Sunday evenings - on my knees, crying out to the Lord. He and I worked out a lot of stuff together and I was drawn ever closer to Him as He, in turn drew close to me. In my Christian life, all was sunshine and roses. I was secure in my faith. I knew where I was spending eternity and I spent a lot of effort telling my friends and teachers about His love. I was passionate about sharing my faith. After all, everyone deserves to know about His amazing love for us.

On a Sunday evening during my senior year of high school as I listened to others tesify about how the Lord had brought them out of a life filled with drugs or sex or every kind of sin you can imagine, I stood and testified how grateful I was that God had kept from all of that. I had stayed strong - and I knew it was only by His strength that I did.

Beware if you think you stand, lest ye fall. I'm not going to take the time to type out all the details of the twists and turns my life and heart took whenever I went away to college. Most of you who read my blog have heard the story more than once. If you're really interested, you may read the account which appears in four parts here, here, here, and here.

My second moment of salvation came whenever I was emotionally moved by the death of a pastor whom I hardly knew. Pastor Hatchner was a great man of God who touched many lives. As I cried over his death, I called out to God and asked Him why was I so broken up by the death of this this man who I hardly knew. The Lord showed me that it wasn't about Pastor Hatchner at all...but about what was missing in my life...His presence. I had completely shut the Lord out. I picked up my Bible, dusted it off, opened it at random, looked down and read in Jeremiah 31:3: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."

Even now as I type those words, I can feel His presence. His love for me is amazing. He cared enough to pursue me - to never give up on me, even when I had discarded Him like an old rag. I dropped to my knees at that moment and surrendered my life - a second time.

There is no turning away from Him now. From that moment on, I was determined to press toward that prize. And that's exactly what it was and still is. Pressing. It was not an easy surrender. It was a surrender that took years to come to completion. Years before I was totally committed to leaving the lifestyle I lived. There were a lot of struggles, a lot of tears, a lot of heartache....the consequences of my sin.

Some days there are great obstacles to cross and oppositions to fight. The enemy is always on a mission doing whatever he can do to persuade me to give up on God. The road isn't always easy. But it's a road that I never have to travel alone. For the Lord has promised to never leave me or forsake me. His love for me is everlasting and I'm never letting go of that promise!


He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly,
To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
-Micah 6:8

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Summer's Comin'!

I was thinking as I drove home in the frigid cold temperatures this morning about my Dad.

Frequently, whenever we were anywhere where we were cold and shivering, he could be heard saying, "Don't worry Deb, Summer's comin'!" "yye...eea...aaahh...rrr...rr...ight...tttt!", would be my reply through chattering teeth.

There was a lot of wisdom in his statement however. No matter how chilling the wind, how deep the snow, how bleak the winter....there is always hope that summer is on its way. Not too many months from now we'll be splashing in the pool and complaining about the heat. As long as this earth exists, there will be seasons. And each season brings with it a purpose.



As the earth rests in preparation for Spring and the new burst of life that will spring forth from the ground, I am reminded of the preparations that go on in my heart; the work that the Lord does internally whenever he is preparing me for some new work which may help to usher in new life to His Kingdom. I pray that I will be ready for the change in season...that I will allow Him to do the work that needs done in me, so that I may be a better witness for Him. Very often I catch myself not being a very willing participant in this time of preparation. I want to jump right through to the warm breezes and sunny days...to the place of comfort. I don't want to endure the frozen ground and the chilling winds and the bundles of coats and hats and gloves...I want to press on to the sunshine and watermelon and meadows full of wildflowers and butterflies....



But, the Lord calls me to be patient. To remind me that there is a time and a season for everything. So I sit back and wait...for "summer's comin'" sooner than I think!


I wait for the LORD,
my soul waits,
And in His word I do hope.
-Psalm 130:5

Friday, January 02, 2009

Big Prize

Okay...
Just Because.....leave a comment after this post and you will be entered into a drawing to receive a prize. It will be something I've created. Similar to something that appears on my art website. I don't know what exactly...but it will be something unique.

Just my way of saying Happy New Year!

Drawing to be held on January 6th.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Resolutions


It has always been my resolution to never make resolutions.
I think that I probably would never follow through with anything that I resolved, so why bother? However, this year, I'm making a resolution - and I'm going to do my very best to stick with it.

My resolution - to be in God's Word EVERY SINGLE day. I heard the collective gasp. There are some of you who I know are so faithful to read God's Word every day. And then there are others who, like me, miss a day or two or ten. This year. I'm not missing.

I found one of those "read-the-Bible-through-in-a-year" things on Biblegateway. I'm going to attempt it, although my resolution isn't to necessarily read the entire Bible through in a year....my resolution is to just be in His Word every day. Wherever He takes me...that's where I'm going to read.

Anybody else up for the challenge? I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He will bless my reading and "show me great and mighty things which I know not!" (That's in there somewhere...)

Or perhaps you have made another resolution.... please feel free to share!


Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom,
that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book,
from the one before the priests, the Levites.
And it shall be with him,
and he shall read it all the days of his life,
that he may learn to fear the LORD his God
and be careful to observe all the words of this law
and these statutes,
that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren,
that he may not turn aside from the commandment
to the right hand or to the left,
and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom,
he and his children in the midst of Israel.
-Deuteronomy 17:18-20