Happy Birthday P-Bear!

We Love You and we know God has such big plans for your life!!!!!

Please pray with us today for P-Bear's Haiti Mama. She is surely hurting as she remembers her sweet boy and can't be with him.

PMS much??

Okay so I'm not sure what had me so agitated in that last post. I mean, the heart of what I was trying to say was good, but I am cracking up at myself and how it bothered me at the moment. I am seriously PMS-ing and sorry if that is TMI. I should not be allowed to blog at this time of the month.

A Good Read

I just spent a bunch of time looking for a good book to read while at the cabin. I've heard many suggestions. I've read reviews. I just finished up reading two really great and life changing books and I realized that I was looking for that to happen again. But wait a minute. I already own the most life changing book that exists and I haven't even read IT cover to cover yet. I have gotten sucked into the world of Christian non-fiction. Let's face it - EVERYONE has an opinion. You've got the 'everything must change camp', and the 'don't mess with a good thing camp' and everything in between. There are the 'prayer changes things' camps and the 'God's will cannot be changed' camps. There are the, ' let's DO more' camps and the, 'we can do nothing' camps. Quite frankly, it is starting to annoy the crap out of me. I wonder what Jesus thinks about us reading commentary about what He said rather than WHAT HE SAID. Don't get me wrong, I understand that their are men and women with biblically sound things to say. BUT, when I go looking for a book and find SO MANY that claim to explain the TRUE Christianity, or claim to "change your life" or "open your eyes" I get that feeling in my gut. Do you know the one? It is telling me to read the original first. So, for this trip I will take my Bible. Hopefully I will not be too mentally or spiritually lazy to actually get it out and read it! Hopefully God will be gracious to kick me in the butt and make me open it a few times. And THAT will be life changing. Meeting with the eternal God of the universe always is.

You should watch this

http://www.facinglife.tv/episode/season_3/episode_7/episode_307.html

Go here and then click on watch video. And then pass it on to your friends. If you want to know more check out the HIV to Home button or the "Stitch that Makes the Sweater Perfect" blog.

YES, Forever, YES

While we were in France I read Kay Warren's book, Dangerous Surrender. It was really wonderful and a great follow up to my previous read, Irresistible Revolution. I spent alot of time in France evaluating myself, and acknowledging what I was and wasn't ready to surrender. In her book Kay asks the question, "Will you say yes to God before you even know the question?" I decided right then and there to say yes. I would say yes no matter what the request was. But, I'll let you in on a little secret... I thought I knew what the question was. I was pretty sure I had it all figured out. So, even though I meant to say yes to ANYTHING, what I really said yes to was THAT. And wouldn't you know it, I was wrong. Big shocker right? So on Monday I sat crying and wondering what in the world God was doing, and He reminded me that I promised to say yes. Turns out what I said yes to was being broken...again. I said yes to giving away a little bit more of my heart. I said yes to loving, and saying goodbye...again. And now my instinct is to draw back, just like last time. To find a place where I am shielded from this ever happening again. But I know that God is not in that place. So this time I will sit in the valley and let my Comforter come, and I will say yes. In the midst of the pain, this time I will say yes Lord if you so desire to use me again in this way my answer ...will... still ...be... yes.

Insights on the Election

from the perspective of a seven year old.

Me: "So, Gabe, you are getting to witness history. Our nations first black president was just elected. Isn't that cool?"

Gabe: "Was he your first choice?"

Me: "Well, no, but God is in control so clearly God wanted him to be elected. And I'm happy that we have a black president."

Gabe: "I think God picked Obama cause McCain is older and old people sorta forget stuff sometimes."

True enough...