Passion to Create

What a fun and frustrating week this past one was for me. I have been trying to come up with a brilliant ... wow them... project for my Advanced group to do this coming saturday. It all revolves around Paint... and how deeply committed I am to staying one step ahead of them!

Pride.
how funny that painting can simplify my greatest weakness.

I am trying to reduce the amount of things on my plate, and yet I fell into the trap of pridefully pursuing the painting perfection... that will pertain to their preferance for my teaching performance.

what a predicament.

oooh.. randy will love that.

anyway
i am now Painfully aware that i am going to have to present a more realistic and still good teaching, that will also reveal that I have tried all I have seen done with paint, and they can now just try it too. Which is just going to be fine.

I am glad to have the realization that I am not ever going to be a perfect proffessor, and that it is really ok that I am just me.

And the bleach came a tumblin' down!

There is nothing quite like the smell of a clean floor. I agree that is a satisfying fragrance... First off, you have used a cleaner which you not only know will work to remove grime, and dirt, but also have chosen one which you enjoy the smell of. Secondly, there is the satisfaction of knowing that a job which usually gets put off is now complete. Praise the Lord! A job well done.

Now... Doing a job such as this, should come at a time when you are available to do it well. Correct... but i suppose many of you have had similar experiences when you are not mopping a floor, for the sake of mopping, but instead you are dealing with a spill, or a mess of some sort.

Well today was one of those for us. A spill you might say, or more of a KaSploosh! We dropped a full jug of Javex bleach(for unbleachables) which was purchased yesterday, down the stairs... luckily laminate... and only carpeted sides. This was a mess like no other, as we used almost an entire papertowel roll to sop up half of it, and then a rag, and a mop for the rest. Followed by a good mop down with Mr.Clean. Who would have thought that a bleached floor would need a cleaner to cleanse it!

Why am i telling you this story? I don't know exactly... I just thought it was an interesting way to begin the Sunday morning, and because my husband is a pastor, he has plenty to do on a morning such as this. So it put him in quite a rush, and I am sure a touch of anxiety to enter into a worshipful day.

But isn't that just the way. When we are set ... purposefully moving into a time where God is leading us, we find that there seems to be an increase in distractions, stresses, and even disasters that will literally cause us to choose to change our course, or walk it with anxiety, or even to have the added distraction of bringing up the grief for everyone else to sit in with us.

I am greatful for the revelations that the Lord brings us in our daily lives. They don't have to be pillars of smoke, burning bushes, writings on the wall, or even the audible voice.... but when we desire after Him, He will speak, and reveal more than we could ever anticipate.

Today I was encouraged by the cleanness of my stairs, that was brought about by no pleasant circumstances, and by the peace that came over me as I served in this way. I was also encouraged that it is an every day.. no every moment decision that we have to make in order to maintain our focus on what matters, finding joy and delight walking through a trial, because our eyes are FIXED on the Maker, and the distractions are not going to be a distraction.

Shameless

Do I lack the intellegence to see that this is not my finest hour? No. I may be a bit to off to recognize that the world does not need to see this, but I am doing it anyway!

This photo is the essence of the silliness that dwells inside of me.

My friends and I gathered one night to have a girls night in the theme of Napoleon Dynamite. There is nothing short of hilarious bundled up in that idea. Many different ladies attended. and i am proud to say that I am surrounded by participant woman... unaffraid of getting giggled at.

it is a dynamic i am more impressed with than anything. What a fun night we had. pretty much everyone dressed up, and we watched the movie together, and enjoyed tots and talked about dang quesadillas... we even had a blindfolded volunteer spun around and squirt ketchup on a dangling tator tot... while two other volunteers knelt to try to eat it without their hands.

so funny!
and so amazing to have such silliness not just in me, but around me.
i love it!

This picture to me declared a secure side of me that I should be embarrased to show!

hee hee

Nehemiah and the wall...

I just had the most beautiful conversation with my sister Tracy. What I heard her say about her ministry to children really inspired me... it has been on my heart for a long time, but it has all over again, as if never before, inspired me.

She spoke of her childrens' ministry small group leaders being young and how they are carrying the spiritual as well as physical load for their individual ministries.... I believe that this point can be in any form, young or old, alone or in a surrounding of others, we all need this.... The need? Prayer covering.


She was awakend by the Lord just the other night, to pray over these leaders. The passage that the Lord pointed out to her was of the wall rebuilding that Nehemiah lead the people of Isreal to do. It was asked of them to work with all their hearts at rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. While they worked, they were being attacked by enemies who would want not only for them to be destroyed, but that the walls they worked to rebuild, would not be able to be rebuilt.

This project required them to battle with both a sword and a work implement. There is a double requirement upon them. What happened then was that Nehemiah called the families of these workers to support the one working by defending in battle beside the one who worked.

The lesson learned from this story was that we need to battle spiritually to cover the work of those who serve as well as cover the one who works. The burden Tracy felt was to ask the families of her leaders to take time each sunday to pray with their teen who is leading, or spouse who is leading, and cover them, and the ministry they are participating in. They should be covered by those who know them, and who will take this burden on, as a part of their spirtual act of service.


The project or ministry in completion will be so honoring and amazing that we will not be able to believe what God could do with just one persons obedience. He will be glorified in thier lives, many will be impacted by thier ministry outpouring, and those who fought for them in the spirit will be impacted in their faith.

It was also to call families to be purposeful to pray together, and to know the needs and ask the connective questions that will allow them in so they can pray effectively.

Another part of the burden, was for the effectiveness of the minsitry... that these leaders will be empowered and have boldness to share God's truth, and hope with those they are leading. And ask and believe God for the fruit of a harvest of souls to come out of this service to Him.

What a beautiful picture that has caused in my spirit. There are so many of us serving with no one warring for us. It is a shame that needs to be corrected.

Should this affect your perspective on what is happening in your life, I would challenge you to choose someone who is ministering consistantly around you... and become their warrior. There is a heavenly perspective that will come from being faithful to this, that alot of people will lack. I would challenge that apathy, and ask that God would burden us to see the Kingdom purposes that lay within each opportunity to interact with a child, or anyone... He calles us to be Jesus to.

Praise the Lord for this impacting conversation. Be empowered to have an eternal impact!

May the Lord be glorified in our lives.

The Valleys on the Journey...

I have been through a bit of a low spot these past few months. It is not going to last forever, and certianly will not dominate my life. I have been feeling dispair when there has been more to hope in than dispair in, but the reality is what you choose, or allow to have the lead. I chose to dispair for a time... and now i fight to hope.

It is a real part of your journey as well, i am sure, that there are bumps along the way that take us off track. I know who leads my way, and how trustworthy His path is, I am assured of His presence, and feel it with me through all my days... even with that, there is a struggle to hope at times.

I have His Word hidden in my heart.... even now as I type, I easily recall verses that speak to my lonley or saddened heart. It is a gift to interact with the one who can hold my entire world in His hand. It is a treasure to know that He carries my concerns and my burdens with a tenderness I can trust. It is He who catches my tears, and wipes them away.

I am greatful that He also understands low points... that He too has suffered from being emotionally worn, and weak. He lived and experienced all the humanity, and still did it without sinning. I love that He knows me.

I am sure most people have struggled with something low at some point.
My goodness, I would expect we all have...
I am just so greatful that He holds my hand in the valley as well as the hilltop.

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