+0000c31obeWed, 28 May 2008 07:23:00 +0000 6, 2007
Last year, when my cat was still a curious little kitten, she had a fascination with the bath tub. Every time I would run the water or get in she would be on the edge. She (well at the time we thought “she” was a “he” but that is a whole other story : ) would peer over in to the water, bat it with her paw, and even try to drink it.
One night her curiosity got the best of her. I was sitting on the edge of the tub reading, soaking my feet, which I often do : ). She jumped up on the edge of the tub, looked at me, looked back at the water and then jumped… and I mean she jumped. That was probably the funniest part of it all. She did not slip and fall or ease into the water. She jumped! Of coarse when she hit the water she freaked out! Cats do not mix well with water and she found this out the hard way. After clawing my leg and finding her way back on dry ground, she found herself to be a furry, wet mess!
God teaches me things in funny ways. Later that night I was laughing just thinking about the whole thing and God spoke to me. He said, “You are just like her.” At that point in my life, I had jumped into a ministry and business situation and had gotten in way over my head. When I “hit the water” so to speak, I freaked out too! As it turns out it was not the direction God wanted me to go in. I could not see that when I was splashing to keep my head above “water”.
There is something to be said for resting and waiting. I believe there are times in life when you just have to jump in with both feet and not look back. There are, however, times when God wants to slowly bring us into something with a rested body, whole heart, and fulfilled spirit. Being the worker that I naturally am, I used to think there was something wrong with rest…but there’s not… in fact it is commanded in the Bible.
Right now we are waiting on God’s timing with Savannah. We are resting, waiting and it is good! I would have jumped in and moved down the day we were called if I could have. That would have been very bad. It is just so good to finish what God has called us to do here, prepare for what God has for us do there, and rest up a little bit!
God is good! Trust His timing!
+0000c31obeSun, 25 May 2008 22:55:58 +0000 6, 2007
I have been really tired but now have this sudden burst of energy. It is 11:30 at night and I feel as I could run a marathon right now…well maybe not that but something similar : )
Here are random thoughts I thought I would share:
- I am getting more and more excited about the baby! I cannot wait to see him! I also cannot believe how close we are getting to his due date!
- I really want to make something… definitely feeling the whole nesting thing.
- We have been visiting churches lately. It has been different but nice. We have seen a lot of good stuff and gotten some good ideas! It is good to get a new perspective before planting Canvas!
- I am reading “Walking with God” by John Eldridge. Great book! It is pretty new. I would highly recommend it. He talks practically about what is mean to walk with God and talk with God on a day to day basis.
- I thought at this point I would be a nervous wreck with the house not being sold and so much uncertainty in our lives right now but oddly I am not. I am really enjoying this season. Yes, I want our house to sell. Yes, I want to be in Savannah. But really, I am learning to relax and enjoy this season of rest and preparation!
- I love Dave Ramsey! Yes I said it! Mark and I had a budget meeting yesterday. We had several unexpected medical bills come up and were able to pay them without touching the “Emergency fund”. We have been actively on Dave’s plan since last March and have paid off over 20,000 in debt and will hopefully be debt free when by the end of the summer. Keep reading →
+0000c31obeTue, 20 May 2008 07:08:05 +0000 6, 2007
Almost five years ago, God put in my heart a vision for a dance program at my church. It started with a pathetic excuse for a “dance camp” and ended this year. I loved every second of it! I have a link on my site for Dan Miller, 48 days to the work you love. Well Dan, this was the work I loved! Especially in the beginning, I would work hours on end and enjoy it! I loved my girls, the teachers who taught with me and even all the nitty gritty administrative details that went along with running a dance program.
Keep reading →
+0000c31obeMon, 05 May 2008 15:57:23 +0000 6, 2007
This weekend Mark, me and several other “Canvasians” (as Mikey calls us) headed down to Valdosta. We went to meet with CrossPointe Church. It was a great weekend! This church was amazing. I have never felt more love and encouragement from people I had never met before! I felt like I was going to a family reunion… you know you don’t really know anybody but they love you just because “your family”.
We got to grill out with several of the staff and core members of the church on Saturday. We must look like crazy people because the number one question asked was, “Well when are you moving down to Savannah?”. All of us with the exception of Mikey said, “Whenever we sell out house.” There’s a plan! : ) (Seriously…side note… pray all of us sell our house!!!!! It will take a miracle!)
The church housed us in different homes. We all said we felt like we were at a “Big Kid D-now”. Our host family was amazing and so loving. On a down note… I forgot our precious fan. I can’t sleep with out a fan. Either Mark snores more without a fan or I never realized how much he snored until it is gone …. probably the latter! Needless to say between Mark and Trey (whose new favorite play time is around 3-5 in the morning) I did not sleep!
Sunday was amazing! I thought we would just have a little ten minute recognition during the services to tell about our church. David let the guys talk for at least 20 mins. about the vision and direction of the church and then called the whole church (no really everyone…all 500 and something of them) down front in both services to pray for us! It was so encouraging!
I honestly feel like we have family down in Valdosta! I can not describe the love, acceptance and encouragement these people gave us! They were most definitely the loving arms of God to us this weekend! I hope Canvas can give back and love on others the way we were loved and encouraged this weekend!
Thanks Crosspoint!
+0000c31obeMon, 05 May 2008 12:17:05 +0000 6, 2007
I read this story years ago when Mark and I were dating. I was thinking about it today and thought I would share it.
The Pearl Necklace
A cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. “Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!”
Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face. “A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll
think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday’s only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from grandma.”
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere–Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a
bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, “Do you love me?”
“Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you.”
“Then give me your pearls.” Keep reading →
