where does the time go?

It's been over a week since I've posted on this blog...how did that happen?

I guess I haven't had anything profound to say ---not that anything I've said in the past has been profound.

I did do something this past weekend which was life-changing for me. A church in a nearby town was hosting a prayer and worship weekend. It was called "Ascribing Unto God". I felt the Lord's presence the moment I stepped into the room. There in the midst of beautiful praise and worship music - worshippers took turns going to different worship stations that were set up throughout the room. Every hour the shofar was blown, calling us to prayer and worship. We were encouraged to move around as we felt led... walk around as we prayed... wave flags... bow... kneel... lay prostrate... dance unto the Lord. We could visit each worship station and stay as long as we wished or go back as many times as we liked.

The whole experience was a journey through life with Jesus and was so awesome. Every time we, as Christians, make a concentrated effort to spend time with the Lord - to sit as His feet - to worship Him without distraction --it's life-changing. He meets us there in that place. He speaks to us, directs us, reminds us of how much He loves us.

I wish I could bring this worship experience to everyone who reads this blog entry. May I just encourage you today to make an extra effort to spend time with your Savior. He longs for your company --and you will come away feeling renewed and refreshed.

Home Sweet Home

Ten years ago today, my Dad went home to be with Jesus.

As I try to think back on all the events and happenings in my life that he has missed, I'm overwhelmed. I remind myself of the Scripture that says "...we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses..." and I like to think that Dad sees glimpses of things that go on in our lives.

The most important events being my marriage and birth of our daughter, Olivia. Grandpa Bob would be so very proud of Olivia. She is most definitely the biggest blessing that the Lord could have ever given me. She is bright and articulate and she succeeds in making me laugh often. Just the other day, she did something particulary goofy, and I caught myself shaking my head and saying, "Olivia, you are beyond hope"!
I stopped when I realized that I said the very thing that Dad used to say to me so often. And then I smiled when I realized that he was up in heaven, looking down and shaking his head in agreement...

I love you -- and I miss you, Dad.

The Bug Invasion

Yesterday was Randy's birthday --so Olivia and I celebrated by going caching. Randy doesn't know this --but as soon as he reads this post, I'll be busted!

At one point, I found myself in the middle of an old cemetary --not an unusual place to find a cache, but this day was unusual in that I was surrounded by hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of ladybugs! And every one of them was yellow! Hundreds and hundreds of yellow ladybugs --pelting me from every direction! I've never seen so many bugs before in one place! One had no spots. I've never seen a 'spotless' ladybug either.

Anyway, after finding the cache, signing the logbook and returning to the van --I had to scrape these bugs off of me so I could get back in the van without filling the inside with flying insects. I went to flick one off my sleeve and noticed that it was RED. Only one red bug amongst all those yellow ones. Odd. I picked it up ---it crawled on my finger and just as I went to flick it out the window - it relieved itself on my finger! LadyBug Pee --on me! ...and it was YELLOW. ...so they WERE all yellow after all!

Case closed.

Olivia Sings

Sunday night in church we had a sectional Singspiration. What happens is every month where there is a fifth Sunday ---the evening service is all music. Several churches in the section get together and anyone who wishes may sing, play an instrument, recite poetry etc. It's always a great night of fun and fellowship. And then, of course, afterwards we all go eat together in the annex.

As I was practicing my song for the service, Olivia said that she wanted to practice a song too. I asked her if she would like to sing in church and she got all excited! "Can I stand on the stage and can I have my very own microphone?!" "Yes, you can stand on the stage and have your very own microphone." She practiced singing her favorite song a few times: Days of Elijah

When it came time for her to sing, she marched right up on the stage, grabbed the microphone from Jim (our worship leader) and looked at it - then looked at me (in the front row) and then looked at the congregation and said, "This is a really big microphone!" Everyone laughed, of course. I asked her if she wanted to sing....she said, "YES!" ...and then proceeded to belt out the tune - several times!
"Behold He comes
riding on the clouds
shining like the sun
at the trumpet call
so lift your voice
it's the year of Jubilee
out of Zion's hill salvation comes"

Except she sings, ...out of Zion's hill salbation comes,

Of course, she received an enormous ovation ---and is ready to sing again real soon. I was SO proud of her! She did an awesome job! We're already practicing our next number for the next Singspiration.