Ideas please...

V Day is coming up soon...any sweet, preferably a bit unique, ideas I can use?..for my hubby that is...:)

I don't do valentines for the kids...:) they have to get their own...:)

Amazin' ain't it?

I've been in a few church meetings lately and I'm struck by and even amused by what passes for "prophecy" these days...then again it makes me kinda sad that God's people need SO much encouragement to believe Him for even the simplest things. With that thought...here are some really good prophecies for 2008 sent to me via email.

THE TOP TEN PREDICTIONS FOR 2008
1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost.


and the email I received with these predictions included this pearl of wisdom...perhaps the deepest thing said...
"God whispers in your soul and speaks to your mind. Sometimes when you don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at you. It's your choice: Listen to the whisper, or wait for the brick
I hate that brick!!!!" LOL Gotta agree wholeheartedly with that one! :)

PS I realize this post sounds cynical...its not really...

Judges of all things...

I flipped my bible open to Judges this morning...can you believe that? Judges, of all places! Guess that's what you get when you "flip" open scripture...:)

You know what? I read stuff I don't ever remember reading or hearing before...it was all about the time in the early days of the Israelites settling in the promised land....they sort of wondered around and did as they pleased...and some of it was terrible..they made war and killed unsuspecting villiagers and kidnapped women and consulted priests on the mind of the Lord...one guy actually hired a priest, made an ephod and a teraphim and then made a couple of graven images too, just to cover all his bases, then some members of another tribe came along and stole them...all of them including the priest...?? What was up with that? and somehow God still actually directed them and blessed them...even in their misguidedness...because they were the children of Israel....yet repeatedly its says two things in the passages of scripture that I was reading..it says..."In those days there was no king in Israel"...and it also says "every man did that which was right in his own eyes". Of course I've heard numerous sermons on this subject however this time I was very struck by those two things.

To me it is obvious that the one is very dependent on the other...it seems to me that because there was no king in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own eyes....they tried pretty hard actually to do whatever it was they thought they were supposed to do...and God actually blessed them and their efforts...but it was a very sad effort indeed...almost humorous if you could overlook the death and destruction that followed everywhere. It was strongly implied that things would be different with a king in charge.

The arrival of The King certainly changes everything... even though we may dwell in the place He has led us and are trying really hard, crying out to Him for help and advice...(He may even have bailed us out a few times...He is very merciful that way, you know...)

Still, having The King reigning supreme is the thing that is truly necessary. Having Him in charge relieves us of the necessity of doing what is right in our own eyes.....His eyes replace ours...it frees us to simply live under His banner. How incredible is that!?!

I'm so thankful I don't have to figure it all out myself...that is His job!

Boy did I get an eyefull flipping open to Judges like that!

Regrets

I'm having a few regrets here...ever have any of those?
My Princess is making some things very clear to me...I see it now...The way I spent more time ordering her mommy around than playing Barbies with her...the way I loved to read..to myself that is...but treated reading to her like a chore...and hence she regarded reading as a chore...still does...the way I shushed and shooed her and her siblings away and rarely ever had time for romps in the yard or fort building under the dining room table...but always had time for correcting and chastising and making sure the teeth were brushed and the toys put away...growing up with me as a mom certainly had its drawbacks...and I see them all now so clearly...routine and order and staying within the lines...God help me...I see it all ...a harsh and rigid picture.
If we only knew then what we know now..right?
I know, I know, I shouldn't be so hard on myself...I had 3 kids, I had to keep house and make dinners and lunches and do laundry, monitor homework and drive to baseball and ballet....it all seems like a dream now...was I really just getting by to get by...marking time til "one day" ? Keeping order for God knows what? It surely looks that way...
I am impressed with how sad that really is...how wasted so much of it is and how you never really "get" things til its too late...(why is that?)
I think it has something to do with original sin. Not that I wasn't a believer...I was...and trying so very hard...but this is a perfect illustration of how Adam's screw up has affected me..he screwed up..and infected his kids..then they screwed up and infected theirs and so on all the way to me...so I followed suite and screwed up my kids..no matter how hard I tried I had no chance of doing it right...
But thank the Lord, that's not me now...not that I'm completely liberated from the effects of sin...not quite yet...:) but I have come to understand that today is all we really have...everything changes and life slips away very quickly...as King Solomon said life truly is "just a vapor" and one day "poof" its gone. Thank God mine isn't gone just yet...I still can redeem the time...My Princess is teaching me some valuable lessons and maybe things will be different this time...for her and her cousins to come, at least as far as I'm concerned...that really is why they call it grand, you know...its like a second chance... a chance to right some of the wrongs you were too young and stupid to know were wrongs the first time around...a chance to move a little more slowly and savor the moments that life is made up of....maybe I still have time...time to smell a few flowers, read a few books...build a few forts...

The Princess....

The Princess...

Happy Freedom

Paper and bows have flown to the four winds...dinner has been devoured and dishes are in the wash...Its been a fabulous Christmas season and promises more to come...my son just arrived with his girl and a long New Years weekend lies ahead. We are richly blessed!
This year, for some reason, words from several of the traditional Christmas hymns have hit me squarely between the eyes....as if I had never heard them before, particularly Oh Holy Night.
Now I don't think that Christmas is really any special day as far as God is concerned, actually Jesus was most likely born in the spring...and I imagine Father God is much more impressed with the days His Son died and rose again to live forever. I really don't believe there is magic in this particular day, every day is a day the Lord has made...however the Christmas season does give us opportunity to remember and reflect if we can stop a minute to listen...to really hear the message all around us.
The lines from O Holy Night are part of that message that spoke especially loudly to me this year and very powerful if you really hear them.

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine, the night when Christ was born; O night, O Holy Night , O night divine! O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother. And in his name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, With all our hearts we praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we, His power and glory ever more proclaim! His power and glory ever more proclaim!

what truth! The world did lay helpless in sin and devastation til He appeared and changed everything. When Jesus came the soul of man could find hope for the very first time....truly it was a new and glorious day.... Everything began to change with the birth of that baby... a day of hope for freedom was born for all mankind....a hope that had only been whispered in the generations before, now began to beat louder and louder in the hearts of those with ears to hear and eyes to see.

His death ansd resurrection fulfilled that great Hope that His birth had allowed...chains were broken...forever...and every slave...which would be you and me...was set free...if only we can see and embrace that reality of realities...

we are free!

He has ended our oppression once and for all!!

With all our hearts we praise His holy name and proclaim His power and glory forever!

I hope you found time to listen this season...

Merry Christmas! and Happy Freedom Day!

Thanksgiving shots

Put em to work, I say! that's sweet potato casserole in the making

Awwww

I know, she looks ragged..but...tree's up.... its magic time :)

Well..now its up...thank goodness for a little help!

Now its headlong into the madness that is Christmas!! yay!

In the Moment

I live in suburban Atlanta....its very typical of suburban southern cities actually....lots of little houses built in the 50s & 60s...some bigger brick ranch houses interspersed...and then some newer subdivisions sprinkled in...with even newer condos and townhouses, and what we fondly call McMansions in the mix...here in GA they are often sitting empty due to the mortgage crisis. There are lots of trees and big yards along side the Walmarts, Walgreens and grocery stores...plenty of churches and yard sales galore on a Saturday. I take a fairly scenic route in to work and for a few miles drive through just such neighborhoods before entering busier more commercial areas. Right now the trees are vibrant with autumn color and the sky is blue..(in case you haven't heard, it has stopped raining in northern Georgia)..the air is brisk and the smell of fall leaves is in the air. One house I pass...a brick ranch with a big yard, has chickens...and occasionally I see one or two out front....they make me smile. I often drive to work through this stretch with my sunroof open even if its chilly....a perfect time and place to spend a few moments with the Lord. I find myself thanking Him for all the good things in life..and right now they are most prominent in my mind...things are good..for me and my hubby, for my children...all the people I love are in pretty good places right now....but I have lived long enough to know that nothing lasts forever and it may not be long until I am spending that drive crying out to Him for mercy and help. Don't get me wrong..I'm not being negative or pessimistic...just realizing fully how wonderful life is at this point in time, yet knowing that trials will certainly come again...
til then, I believe I'll just enjoy living in the moment....
I am consciously taking time to be grateful.....today all is well...

I passed that brick house today with the chickens....today they were ALL out front.....it was quite the contrast to the McMansion just across the street....they made me smile...for now...all is right with the world. Thank you Lord for this moment in time!

New paths

Its been a very busy season in my life lately...I'll share more later about what I've been up to...besides the usual of broken appliances, car repairs, house maintenance, visitors and the like...:) not to mention autumn adventures like the fair... the Apple Festival and the Pumpkin Patch..:)
Trying to keep up any kind of house, spiritual or physical has been challenging to say the least...and unfortunately my blogging has suffered as well.
Did I mention I went to the Opera a couple weeks ago? No, I don't believe I did..:) It was fun and I got to dress up..and I mean really dress up! Not my usual cup o tea but certainly an interesting experience.
Did I tell you my nephew whom we haven't seen much in 20 years came to visit and then my son and his girl? No? well they did...
and the dryer burned out and the chimney got cleaned so we can have a fire as soon as it get cooler...we're almost there... and we had a bonfire and made smores...:) New fun for Jada...:)...my mom too..she had her very first smore...can you believe that??
I'm on a fun kick...well sort of...more like an "experience" kick. See most of my adult life Ive spent exploring and encouraging experiences...new ones and old ones passed on to the next generation...like smores..:)
We didn't do much growing up...as children, our experience was very limited...and when I married my man...which BTW was 31 yrs ago last Friday...he wanted to explore life to the fullest...sounded good to me...so off we went..trying new things, going to new places, meeting new people. its been great..and different..and sometimes weird...but certainly educational...and it has given me a great appreciation for peoples and places everywhere and an ability to enjoy the beauty in the world around me...even if it is outside my own comfort zone...for this I am eternally grateful. Anyway... we have tried to pass this love of adventure and appreciation of things different on to our kids and to a great extent I believe we have been successful. We have also tried and try to expose our kids and now Jada to all the fun things in life we can, and to share those experiences together.
Hence the Pumpkin patch and the Apple Festival...you should have heard my son and daughter reminiscing about when they were kids at their favorite orchard in PA. Nothing like it..:)
This exposure to new experiences has made for lots of memories, great family bonding and opportunities galore for lessons in life, love and Jesus. There is a great amazement in me for the many paths my Lord has allowed me to explore... and I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow from those paths.
Very soon, Nov 1st actually, I'll be embarking on yet another new adventure full of firsts and new experiences...and like anything new, I'm very excited, a little bit nervous and kinda scared......and as with any new thing, I'm sure I will make lots of memories, do some great bonding and learn lessons galore.
I would very much appreciate your prayers as I head off down this new path that He has placed in front of me. Nov 1st I launch my new business
Carte Blanche Assistance.
Take a look and let me know what you think.

GA State Fair

We paid a visit to the North Georgia State Fair
last week with you know who....fun, fun, fun!

We're tired now!

I'm a Pioneer

Labor Day weekend was spent in San Antonio...we got to see lots of interesting things and visited the historic Alamo.

Of course most everyone knows the story of the battle for Texas independence that took place there and the sacrifice made by almost 200 men for the cause of liberty. The total annihilation of those brave men spurred the rest of Texas on to eventually win their independence from Mexico and to go on to become a state in our great nation. Their brave actions have never been forgotten nor should they be for Texas as a state and we as a nation stand on the shoulders of these and a host of other amazing men and women across our country. Our nation's pioneers, men, women and children all, struggled to explore, claim and conquer this great land of ours. They risked much and the cost was often everything but they willing paid the price so that others could go farther than they....so that their children and grandchildren could experience a better life, a life of freedom.

Yes, the frontier was an exotic and intoxicating place. It was wide open where men could roam wild and free...it was lush and beautiful...the land of milk and honey where all your dreams could come true... So incredible and wonderful that it was well worth the risks involved...or so it seemed until they were upon you, I'm sure. Then it became very clear...the frontier could be a dangerous and terrifying place as well. I often wonder if those pioneers second guessed themselves as the rain refused to fall on crops or Indians raided their farms, as sickness or loneliness overwhelmed or as Santa Anna descended upon the Alamo...would they have given anything to be back in the arms of civilization? I'm sure they were just as human as the rest of us and most certainly would have wished it so....but given the option...many, many of them, and not only those at the Alamo but on every American frontier, chose...yes chose, certain death rather than surrender. Their freedom, their right to pursue freedom and the future freedoms of their children depended on gaining and holding new ground. Because of these brave, possibly naive, undoubtedly idealistic pioneers...our nation stands today.

Two sentences jumped out at me when we were touring the Alamo. Sentences that resonated somewhere deep inside of me and I knew in an instant that this was the voice of the Holy Spirit reminding me of who I am and what my calling is about. Reminding me of the place in Christ's body He has called me to.

The first was this:

"Life on the Frontier"
A frontier is both a line between cultures and a place where cultures overlap.

If you read my "Traditional" post you must realize that I am a part of a small segment of Christian society...a tiny portion who cannot subject themselves to the traditions of men when it comes to life in Christ's body, who finds themselves distracted, frustrated, and unfulfilled in a traditional environment. Perhaps I'm a bit of a rebel, perhaps civilization makes me uncomfortable and leaves me feeling confined. All I know is that my spirit longs for the lush and wild freedom of open spaces... so every time I visit civilization(translates traditional church) I find I can only handle it for so long til once again I'm heading out to the frontier....some place where I am free to roam and explore and conquer new land in Him....this is my natural habitat...my calling...it is who He has made me to be since before time... and though I may be idealistic and naive...I believe this land still exists and can be mine for the taking.......I'm most at home living on that frontier line.

Oh I've lived long enough now to know that this freedom doesn't come without a cost and though the land is free, the freedom isn't. Still somehow He gives the grace to keep on keeping on.

Life on the frontier has been costly for me so far and often I have longed for the comparable safety of civilization...but given the option, just as so many of those pioneers before me...I can't seem to go back...I can't chose that safety in exchange for the rewards of frontier life even with the isolation and danger I realize exists and almost certainly await me.


The freedom of the Christian world and of my children's children depends on someone...me if necessary, giving all to gain Christ....and though this may sound arrogant to some, to me it is reasonable and a matter of responsibility.... given that option, and I have been...I chose freedom, abundance, depth of spirit and an enduring connection to others of like passion alongside certain difficulty and sacrifice, ...perhaps even death in the wilderness... if it means a greater future of liberty for the body of Christ. It is my gift to Christ for His Bride, the least I can do.



So this is where I willingly live...on the frontier...that line between cultures..and where cultures overlap...between the traditional church and the non traditional...between religion and freedom..between God's last move and His next one...a no man's land if you will. It is a frightening and dangerous place to be yet awesomely beautiful and Christ filled. I am reminded that no land is gained unless someone goes out there past the current line of civilization to take a stand.


and the second sentence was this, in speaking of the defenders of the Alamo specifically:

All behaved with the bravery peculiar to free men and with a decision becoming of the sacred cause of liberty.

What more needs be said....Lord!...that I may behave with that same bravery...that kind peculiar to free men and women...who willingly give all that others may experience that liberty.

I am them...they are me...or at least very like me as I am inside.....the me He has called me to be....I am a pioneer living on the frontier of Christianity....naive, perhaps...idealistic, most likely....but free, free to roam His realm, free to know Christ in the power of His resurrection...and just possibly participating in pushing the frontier out a little bit farther to a greater freedom for all.

LIF

Lyrics I'm feelin today...
I think you can go here to hear them on YouTube but I can't add the clip to my post..:(

Awesome new song from David Crowder Band!


Everything Glorious!!

The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than it's hue
Would lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe

(chorus)
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
What does that make me?

My eyes are small but they have seen
the beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believe
there's light enough to see that

(chorus)
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours

From glory to glory
You are glorious
You are glorious
From glory to glory
You are glorious.
You are glorious
Which leads me to believe
why I can believe that

You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours


So much to be said for these lyrics...
We all know the day is glorious and a reflection of Who He is but as said here...even the night is not as dark as would be implied because of Who He is...He also created the night and even the darkest of nights are made glorious because of Him...He is light even there...ever tried squeezing your eyes shut tight in a dark room...when you open them again...wal laa... you can see...maybe only the dark outlines of shapes.. but there is a certain amount of illumination. I am reminded that even darkness is glorious in Him...it has His light and His purposes...

I love the line that says
"My eyes are small but they have seen the beauty of enormous things"

I have seen Him and some measure of His glory...which leads me to believe that God is greater...greater than I could ever think or imagine...my small glimpse has changed my life.

Squeeze your eyes shut real tight...then open them up and see Him...He is Glorious! He has made YOU glorious.... He makes all things Glorious!

Have a Glorious weekend!

Sights From Texas

The gorgeous Riverwalk in San AntonioVisit to Threadgill's (birthplace of Austin's music scene) . Nobody told us, we found this place on a fluke. It has an amazing history and was really fun to see.
daughter and hubby, the greatest attraction in Tx as far as we're concerned..:)
Cabela's...we've gotten the catalogues forever but this store takes the cake...it covers acres, really!

Me and hubby practicing our aims.... he outscored us all..."good eye honey!"
A trip out to the western town of Banderas..can you see the cowboys riding off into the sunset in the distance...this town was the real mccoy!

Yummy orchards...pickled okra, apple butter...ummm!

The Alamo

I was here last weekend...


I walked down this hallway ...and was reminded of some things that have been embedded in my spirit for as long as I can remember...maybe I'll share a bit when I get the chance...
Hope your holiday weekend was good.

What "Traditional" means to me

becky's comment on my last post caused me to think about describing my idea of the "traditional" church...you know its really hard to get on the same page with people and all of us are coming from our own matrix, the view we have as determined from our upbringing, secular forces, current times and lingo....
to many people the word traditional in the context of church, brings to mind something high and orthodox...Catholic, Episcopal, or Anglican, something with robes and ceremony...to others it means the church of their fathers...which could be Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, with hearty preaching and singing... and more programs than you can shake a stick at.
The newer more casual churches...the mega churches, seeker churches, contemporary churches, and the like, even most house churches..these are what most consider to be outside of tradition...to be cutting edge...God's new move...and well they may be...He is never still, constantly moving though sometimes it appears it is two steps forward and three steps back...however none of these really fit into my mentality of being truly outside of tradition..though in some aspect they may be, still each of them fits into the basic mold of "how to have church" mostly made up by man.

This factor in its self is what makes them all traditional to me.

No matter how you dress them up each of them still has the basic "one person leading everyone else sitting in front of them listening" the "clergy/laity" mentality...the "greater/lesser" mentality... this works just fine for a while, after all, the disciples sat at Jesus' feet and listened....they followed Him around and watched too...and for a while they did a few little chores for Him and with Him...but one day all that came to an end...He physically left them...then the Church was born and She was glorious! and He was alive in Her, living on the earth again!
...too big, too wild and too wonderful to fit into the traditions of men....She met everywhere She could, every time She could, in every scenario imaginable...with or without someone to stand in front of Her and explain how it was done...She was in close communion with Her Lord and She figured it out as She went along, He stood in front of Her and explained how it should be done....she exploded the bonds of tradition and touched Him in ways never before seen or imagined. It took several hundred years before man could get the harness back on her... but of course over time she calmed down like a good girl and man could once again get in front of Her... in the traditional way....which is where the church stands today in most places you look.....containable and managable...dare I say broken...or at least bridled.

....but let me tell you this...shhh let me whisper it lest "they" hear...and you know who "they" are.... :)

Around the world there are exceptions to this standard...there are small pockets of resistance....saints who meet together in ways other than the "traditional"....ways that might seem strange to other believers...but brothers and sisters are there...seeking Him out...living gloriously as the Church, often by trial and error, but as much as possible, considering our modern matrix, following Him outside of tradition... Let me tell you, She still exists with the same wild and uncontainable exuberance of Acts...She still lives in freedom...and, I hate to break it to you...its almost always outside of tradition....
Needless to say, that is where I want to be...Free to love Him, to follow Him, to explore His realm....I truly hope this is the kind of Christian experience you are living in...the kind with Him in front!

Can you tell that when it comes to church, I'm not into tradition?

Jesus Freak

I found this to be very interesting....I learned a few things about my own history...and if we care to look, about the history of the church in this country.

Growing up in the late 70's I have nothing but incredible memories of the Jesus Movement. The Deep South was at least 5, maybe 10 years behind the west coast as far as this movement was concerned so as far as Alabama went I grew up smack dab in the middle of it....and let me tell you...it left an indelible mark. What a time it was...the Jesus Movement swept across my community like a tidal wave...washing everything in its path with freedom, joy, excitement... and trouble....like all new movements with the imprint of Christ, it was fought against tooth and nail by the religious traditional Christians of the day...don't think it doesn't happen even still..it is simply the way of mankind to resist change and anything we do not understand.
How could long haired, unkempt, psalm singing, blue jean wearing, miracle believing, street evangelizing kids possibly be touched by God, saved by God, cleansed by God or accepted by God?!? How could these ragged, heathen looking, often heathen acting, young people possibly know anything of God or His ways or lead anyone else to Him?? It was beyond the imagination or scope of many...especially those heretofore regarded as pillars in the church.
But see Him, know Him and love Him we did....
well, not me exactly at first....I was knee deep in the traditional world...but I couldn't help but be drawn to this exuberant fresh display of the body of Christ, this living witness of the Holy Spirit, by the reality of what I saw happening,,..not only in the very churches who were fighting this so strongly but i the entire community. Fortunately, a tiny church pastored by my 2nd cousin (once removed for all you Southerns) opened their doors to these masses of young people in our area who were seeking they knew not what...and they found it there in that full gospel, spirit filled little church. Before long the congregation of about 50 was completely over run...the "movement" led by the Holy Spirit Himself took charge and we were caught up in the wave. Famous speakers came to our small town...to "speak", "lead revivals", and generally see what was going on...stirred by these men of God, traditional youth groups ventured out enmasse to find out what was happening locally and at my cousin's tiny church, which seemed to be one of the few places in the immediate area allowing the kinds of things written of in scripture and who was embracing the Jesus people...these youth groups..enmass, got saved upon being in one or two meetings and never went back to their traditional churches...much to their parents dismay and their churches relief....one night an entire football team got saved in a random prayer meeting we held weekly...they never went back to their traditional church either....this phenomena was spreading all across town...deacons were furious....Sunday School teachers were frantically teaching the Four Spiritual Laws...teen agers were asked to sit down and shut up or leave...so leave they did..and soon after their parents followed...supposedly to keep an eye on the kids....our little church in particular, now counting in the hundreds...and others in the area were filling up...with crazy on fire for God fanatical Jesus Freaks! It was wild...fantastic....unbelievable...incredible...it was happening spontaneously all over north Alabama and I was a part of it...gloriously blessed to see hundreds of people both young and not so young come to Christ...almost like magic...all that was needed was to breathe His name and they fell on their faces crying out for Salvation...one local high school (public, mind you, lest you think it was a Christian school) shut down for several days to allow the students time with God after classes had to be stopped for lack of attendance with kids crying and praying in the halls...I know what you're thinking...no, I'm not exaggerating...at all...gangs of youth went out weekly to witness to the homeless, the drug addicts and just kids hanging at the local hangouts...more got saved, addicts were delivered, sick were healed young and old alike...miracles happened daily...it was almost more than an average person could absorb...we were caught up in some supernatural tsunami with no explanation and no end in sight.
By now I had completely abandoned my traditional upbringing for the much more exciting and frankly the more realistic of the two worlds...I was living right in the middle of the book of Acts...and needless to say...like the disciples of old, I was, have been and forever more am changed....many were....of course some were along for the the ride..thats how it always is...but many many were marked forever with His mark and still today, 30 years later, follow Him. ..of coursel all good things must come to an end..and the furor of the Jesus Movement eventually died down..though as the linked article mentions..modern mega church may never know how much they owe to those glorious days....that tiny little church of 50 now boasts regular attendance of 4000+ and counting....

As for me, I will never again settle for what was before...I will always know...no matter what the Christian churches of today look like...that there is more...there is something deep and spiritual, real and non surface ...and completely un-containable...There is Christ! ...who if He so choses can sweep in like a flood and overwhelm any society on earth.

Personally I believe that many Christians who lived through that era are the very ones drifting, unsettled and unhappy with church and their spiritual walk as it is today. Yes, there was sin mixed in with the glory...yes there was a lot of misunderstanding...yes the Jesus Freaks took things perhaps too far or interpreted things in a weird new way....and though there was much to be found fault with.... the free love, the God accepts everyone as they are, never judge anyone mentality of the day...Oh wait...maybe that was the part we should be holding onto....
all I know is that I, as well as the Church at large, was forever marked...and some of us are never going back...never forgetting what He did...what He has done...what He is capable of...even in our limited understanding... cause you know...the spirit of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy...what He has done..He will do...
He is the same yesterday,today and forever

She's Baaack!

Isn't this a fantastic idea for a meme...not that i have time to do it..but I'd love reading yours...like this one over at Gina's

Big Daddy Weave - Every Time I Breathe (Video) - LIF

I've been singing this song for days....especially the chorus....

Every Time I Breathe
LyricsBig Daddy Weave -

I am sure all of heaven's heard me cry
As I tell You all the reasons why
This life is just too hard

But day by day
Without fail
I'm finding everything I need
And everything that You are
To me

Chorus:
Every time I breathe You seem a little bit closer
I never want to leave
I want to stay in Your warm embrace
Oh basking in the glory shining from Your face
And every time I get another glimpse of Your heart
I realize it's true
That You are so marvelous God
And I am so in love with You

Now how could I after knowing One so great
Respond to You in any way
That's less than all I have to give
But by Your grace I want to love You not with what
I say
But everyday
In a way that my life is lived

Chorus:
Every time I breathe You seem a little bit closer
I never want to leave
I want to stay in Your warm embrace
Oh basking in the glory shining from Your face
And every time I get another glimpse of Your heart
I realize it's true
That You are so marvelous God
And I am so in love with You

Wrapped in Your mercy I want to live and never leave
I am held by how humble
Yet overwhelmed by Your majesty
Captured by grace and now I'm finding
I am free
You are marvelous God
And knowing You is everything

KItty, kitty

You may have heard the report on Fox News and other places about this cat in the nursing facility who foretells the death of patients there....not a naturally friendly kitty, he curls up next to the patient and within about 4 hours that person dies. He is so accurate in his predictions that the nurses start calling the family when he makes a decision. Amazing isn't it?... and somehow touching....you may have seen the news report but here is the poignantly written original essay by a doctor from this nursing facility. Makes you wonder what else animals may see or know that we are too busy and have too ill defined senses to pick up on. It makes me want to pay a little more attention to that sense inside of me that whispers secrets...secrets that my spirit hears but my conscious mind just doesn't have time for...

Tammy Faye

For those of us who grew up in Christianity with Jim Baker and his wife Tammy Faye, shining lights on the television screen...it has been a roller coaster of a ride...a life long love/hate relationship with them and all they stood for. The beauty of the gospel being spread to the ends of the earth by means of television, the heights that Christians could attain in the eyes of the world and of Christendom...to the sickening gaudiness, even depravity, of what PTL and Heritage USA became and the heartbreaking loss of innocence for many Christians who put their faith in humanity. Truly no one has embodied the highs and lows of the American Christian world like the Bakers, carrying many a believer along with them to the heights and dragging many more to the depths when they fell. Through it all, I don't think anyone with any discernment would ever doubt Jim or Tammy Faye's love and devotion to Christ nor their desire to bring others to Him. This intense desire and calling was their driving force....belonging to Him is the solid gold thread that runs throughout the story of their lives. This past week Tammy Faye (Baker as I will always think of her) went to be with Jesus....I have no doubt that she is there with Him, possibly looking on the rest of us left behind and pointing out to Him that though we too have fallen yet again, or gotten into some mess, we still have that solid gold thread...we still belong to Him...and as she liked to say...."we are all made out of the same dirt....and God didn't make any junk!"
Oh yeah,.... and I'm absolutely positive that she is singing her heart out to her Lord... just like old times.
Tammy Faye...

Live outloud...

...but whatever happens, make sure that your everyday life is worthy of the gospel of Christ. So that whether I do come and see you, or merely hear about you from a distance, I may know that you are standing fast... ....Phil 1:27 J B Phillips

From crazy to quiet

So we've had a fun week with my son and his girlfriend visiting from FL. Lots of home cooking and relaxing was just what the doctor ordered for them. We also got a day in the mountains which turned out to be very nice. Last nite the band arrived from all over to converge at my door for grilled pork chops and loading the gaziillion T-shirts that also arrived yesterday, onto the humongo luxury tour bus booked for the band to travel on the Warped Tour this summer for several weeks. They took off about midnight, play ATL today and on to FL tomorrow. Check out who's on the front page of the Life Style section of the AJC today...:)

Here's a pic of son and girlfriend in a more relaxed mode up in the GA mountains over the weekend.

Today my daughter and my mom depart for Jax for a few days so it'll be VERY quiet in my house tonight...hey...could be just what the doctor ordered....:)

6 Intellectual Factors

Ta Dah!! Here they are, according to the investment class I'm taking....

Reason
Memory
Imagination
Perception
Will
Intuition

....along with two quotes from my workbook that I really like....

This one is too funny and too true!

"Two percent of the population think; three percent of the population think they think and ninety-five percent of the population would rather die than think."
Dr Kenneth McFarland
LOL

This one is the best that I've heard in a long time...

"What lies before you and what lies behind you are tiny matters compared to what lies within you."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Never more true than when He lives within...

Can I get an "AMEN"??

Who me?!?

Yippee!! Can you believe I've been awarded the honor of





Danielle, over at The BiPolar Diaries thinks I rock! She is such a doll and one of my dearest blogging girlfriends. Thanks Danielle! Now I have the privilege of paying this blessing forward to 5 of the Rockin' est bloggers I know...of course ALL of my blog friends ROCK but seems the rules say I have to narrow it down to just 5....hmmmmm

I'll try.... but its SO hard to choose!...:)...here goes...

Gina over at Spicy, Savvy & Sane
was one of my very first blog friends, and she definitely rocks! She is a stay at home mommy to two little ones, one of whom is a special needs child. Her determination to raise her children up in the Lord and provide the best possible environment and future for both of them inspires me. She is also very talented in art and photography and manages to find the most interesting websites to share. I would definitely want to look her up should I ever make it out to California one day. She is truly a blessing to me.... G- I love ya, girl!


My girl, zalaine at Everyday Random
awesomely ROCKs! She is a deep thinker and i absolutely love her perception on things. She is a Christ follower and we understand and relate to each other so very well on so many levels. She also is a fantastic photographer and scrapbooker, neither of which I'm any good at but those talents draw me and I can appreciate hers. She loves her family and is a woman seeking to live in the moment and enjoy her life to the fullest...I'm learning so much from her. She is a bit on the introverted side so she's probably not gonna appreciate me for awarding her...but..Girl, you know I had to..I love ya!


Isn't My Darling Warhorse just the coolest blog name ever?? Bek is also one of my earliest blog girlfriends and though she's lots younger than me...still we hit it off. :) Her love for the Lord and His House is outstanding and our spirits just connect somewhere out there in Christ. I'm convinced that she is a portion of Christ that was joined to mine back in eternity before time began. She may not even find out about this award since she's taking a bit of a blogging break..(she has two little boys..and surprise! a baby on the way! ) Congrats Bek, you really do rock!


Pat over at Living on Grace is a super rockin' girl! She always inspires me and encourages me to laughter. Her humor is so cool and her love of Jesus outstanding! I still have her listed on my blogroll as birmingham girl but no matter her title, she's an awesome blog friend and loyal commenter even when I'm taking a break or just don't show up for a while...:) Hang in there Pat...retirement is just around the corner!


Interestingly enough, Pat's daughter, Sara, at To Everything is another one of my rockin blog girlfriends. She's full of humor, (gets that from her momma obviously:)) rules waiting to be broken, and lots of wisdom..about life, love and the Lord. Her writing talent is outstanding and her wisecracks are top of the line...I should know, coming from a long line of smart-alecks myself...:). I never stop by there without being either inspired or tickled.


So there you have it!!
5 of my Rockin Blogger girlfriends....
Love you all and one of these days, I promise we'll all have a huge blogfest ...we can do it my mansion in the corner of glory....K?
Your turn now...pay if forward to 5 of your Rockin' Girls

Intellectual Factors

All of us know and can recite the 5 senses, right?
See,
Hear,
Touch,
Taste,
Smell.

Can any one name even one of the six intellectual factors??
I know I couldn't.

Go ahead...give it a try....
Ok, I'll give you a head start..

Reason is the first one.

I'll get back to you...:)

We Love you, Jesus!

Shane and Shane...
Awesome new song, I just heard it this morning! Check it out!
I DO love Him SO much for Sooo many reasons...
"death and life and freedom"
thank you, Lord!

We Love You Jesus - Shane & Shane

VERSE 1: Opening the door to dine with Him Traveling to earth to let us in Laying down His glory crown of old Setting up the wedding feast foretold PRE-CHORUS: Oh, we can't contain our love, we turn it up loud CHORUS: We love You, Jesus, for so many reasons For death and life and freedom, even now we love You VERSE 2: What manner of love is this that You would say Your sin is mine, I"ll take it to the grave (Then rising) Death, oh death, where is your sting today? Death is swallowed up in victory CHORUS: We love You, Jesus, for so many reasons For death and life and freedom, even now we love You We love You, Jesus, in and out of seasons In valleys and on top of mountains, even now can we sing We love You, Jesus

Hairdos and toenails...

Here we are....admiring ourselves






























and getting beautified....:)

I can...

My friend Deb sent me a link to this website today. This poem struck me....

I especially like the lines..."I do, because I can"

It is resonating with me this morning that the things He has asked of us are doable...even easy...we do because ...we can...He has made the way...He IS the Way.....
...I follow...I walk in His love...I rest in Him....because I can...Thanks, Lord

My God And I
My God and I go walking
We walk here hand in hand
He walks with me, I follow
I do, because I can

For Jesus opened up the way
His blood was shed for me
So God can look upon my heart
And only Jesus see

Now I can go into my Father
And He can be with me
For Jesus took away my sin
And nailed it to the tree

Now I am of heaven
God sees my heart as pure
With Jesus as my cover
My salvation is secure

And that is why I'm confident
God said if we believe
Then we have passed from death to life
And live eternally

So, my God and I are one
We walk here hand in hand
Each day I'm walking in His love
I do, because I can
Soft whispers from
Derry's Heart Poems © 2007
heartwhispers@iinet.net.au

Update:
Just in case anyone was wondering....I want to add that "I can" has NOTHING to do with me....to my thinking it refers only to enablement, to being allowed, to HIS empowerment....without HIM I can do NOTHING... I am the least and the weakest and the poorest Christ follower on the planet.

The Inspiration

So...I had a birthday this weekend...:)

Can't say just how many...:)

My hubby surprised me with tickets to hear Chicago and America (two of the greatest bands of the 70's 80's and beyond...:)
We heard them live in Atlanta's famous Chastain Park.
and this was pretty much our view...we had rockin seats about 20 yards from the stage! (I stole these pics off the website...they will not allow photography inside the amphitheater...)






This place is a trip!...People actually take coolers and picnic baskets and wine glasses and table cloths and tv trays and candles and flowers for the table...really they do...it looks like this... or you can reserve corporate tables and invite a group of friends...yeah, really...

Believe me..it is a total experience. We actually went to dinner beforehand but next time we'll know just what to do...:)

love this Chicago song...it suits me and my hubby as well as me and my Lord.

You're The Inspiration

(P. Cetera/D. Foster)
You know our love was meant to be
The kind of love that lasts forever
And I need you here with me
From tonight until the end of time
You should know, everywhere I go
You're always on my mind, in my heart
In my soul
CHORUS:
You're the meaning in my life
You're the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life
You're the inspiration
Wanna have you near me
I wanna have you hear me sayin'
No one needs you more that I need you
And i know, yes I know that it's plain to see
We're so in love when we're together
And i know that I need you here with me
From tonight until the end of time
You should know, everywhere I go
Always on my mind, in my heart in my soul
CHORUS

Checking In

Hi all
Just a hello since Pat misses me so much...:) Life is still busy and complicated. I am trying to treat my life as a business and get organized...more organized than I have been in years....believe it or not, I used to be fairly anal...but by the grace of God and the hard knocks of life I have learned to loosen up...maybe too much..:) where I once cleaned the bathrooms almost daily now they are lucky to be throughly cleaned once a month....(what are those clorox tablets for anyway??), and where the carpets once got vacuumed every week they now get "picked up" when there is obvious lint in view (why do you think I got that multi-colored berber??) ...hey, I'm all about efficiency and streamlining...and I discovered that if I vacume...or clean the toilet or dust or whatever...it will just have to be done again... SOON...so why bother....,very often anyway...LOL...
...Sigh..I've come to the conclusion that some order must be restored...not necessarily in how often i clean (I've moved on to bigger issues)...but in how I manage my time...and paperwork....and money....so be warned...changes are happening! But boy, this re-arranging of one's life sure is time consuming! And on the side I'm still the wife, mom, housekeeper, bill payer, grocery shopper and errand runner....:) not to worry...I've learned to delegate (partly contributory to my slack attitude of the past I'm sure :-)) but then again very healthy for my renewed business like persona, which is how I manage to pack SO much into my days. :)

anyhooo...just stopping in to say I'm still alive...God is still hanging on to me...some days by a thread I think, but He's got good thread apparently....I still talk to Him, still need Him, still want Him and it seems to be mutual....thank God...(and I mean that quite literally) one of these days I'm gonna write a book about Him hanging on to us....
I miss you all but I do get by to say hi, don't I? :) I don't want to lose you as friends...and one of these days you will be able to see the fruit of all my labor....I promise!

Isn't this pic of two of my girls adorable!

I needed to be reminded today....

One of my good blog friends over at Ordinary Christian wrote these words today....

"When God chooses you and brings you to a new point, when He has chosen to define you in such a way that is pleasing to Him, don’t turn back and look at yourself in any other way again.

You are His workmanship. He sees us as we really are, pure and blameless in the Beloved."

So touched by this today....read the entire post here.....

The weekend

We've got lots of miscellaneous plans for the weekend....I hope to do some flower planting and re planting...since it rained a downpour last nite that should help....I have homework from my class...the usual laundry and grocery shopping, you know how it goes...Its lovely in Georgia this morning...
Hope your weekend goes great and your kiddos treat you good tomorrow....Here's a look at Ms Jadabear relaxing hope you get to do the same....:) Enjoy

The Secret

Now I believe in the power of the tongue ...but this is hilarious! :)

Walking by faith

I had a revelation last night while brushing my teeth...:)
I heard the Lord clearly say "this walk is by faith and not by sight" and I said "yeah, yeah, I know that".... and He said

"its not sight of the future or your circumstances that I am talking about...
its the sight of ME....
without sight of Me...that is what walking by faith really is all about."

I don't think I like walking by faith very much.....you know???
Its a scary place to be in when you don't see the Lord very much in
anything.....no sight, no feeling, no nothing...not negative emotions, not doubt...just nothing....its a very scary place ... its not the mountain, its not the valley, its not even darkness which can be so palpable at times...its simply nothing....did I say that enough??
but somehow my spirit knows He is there...I think its called blind faith....
faith tells my spirit so..faith says that He is because He said He would never
leave...He said He was with us and in us... faith has a history that testifies to His steadfastness and reinforces it in my spirit... even in a vacuum such as this my spirit knows who has given it life.....even so...now I understand where the Psalmist was coming from when
he said..."though I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead)...You are
there" Even when I feel dead and nothing seems to make an impression....He is there....faith says it is so....
a good friend of mine reminded me that there is no expectation of aloneness in Him, yet in the world you were always alone...it was normal...therefore walking with Him can be most unexpected and unexpectedly difficult....
loving Him, believing Him...even in seasons of nothingness....that is faith.
Wow, faith is much harder than I thought...thank goodness I live by His faith and not by my own!