A Smorgasbord of Thoughts

Greetings from South Carolina!
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Smorgasbord of thoughts sounds much better than "A Jumble of Things Rattling Around in My Head", doesn't it?
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Today started early and involved a lot of traveling. Around 10 hours on the road and two or so distributed between meals and pit stops.
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Since I have the apparently rare ability to read in a moving vehicle, I put my travel time to good use. I started and finished the book "To Save A Life", which was adapted from the movie soon to be released on DVD. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It's absolutely excellent and here is a trailer for the movie:

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I also am halfway through The Life You Always Wanted by John Ortberg and I am loving it. If only I had not misread the syllabus and started the incorrect book. Unfortunately, Mr. Ortberg's fine book will be laid aside while I catch up on this week's book, Ordering Your Private Life. Rats. Reading instructions was never my strong suit. Oh well, we still have at least two hours driving time tomorrow.

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Excitement is abounding for this week! I just cannot wait to see what God has in store for our gang! We have an awesome God, so I'm expecting an awesome week!

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Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare to share the Word!

Countdown

This week is going to fly by. I just know it.
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In four days, my girl and I will be leaving for Atlanta, Georgia where we will be serving on a mission trip with our youth group. This week will be full of packing and planning and tying up loose ends.

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Also, in six days I officially begin online classes at Lancaster Bible College! My books are all received, I am ready to go!

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Busy, Busy, Busy!

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Have a blessed day, everyone!

I Fought the Shot and the Shot Won

I've been a bit remiss in posting this week. I was out of commission, taken down by a tetanus shot. Not one of my finer moments. My grandma would have called me a prim rose. Being a prim rose is not a good thing in these parts. My tale of woe started on Monday afternoon while on a visit to my doctor (who is quite possibly the coolest doctor on the planet). Due to my upcoming mission trip (less than a month away), it was necessary for me to get my immunizations updated. That meant a combination tetanus/pertussis vaccine. Didn't hurt much at all - until the next morning that is. Throbbing arm and a low grade fever caused much grumbling and whining at my house. I have it on good authority that I might be a wimp. I'm not proud of it, but those are the facts.

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Fascinating, thus far, isn't it?

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After a day of feeling much better and with a exponentially better attitude, we resumed our evening walks. Tonight we hiked a trail through the woods, sadly littered with broken beer bottles. Suddenly, that tetanus shot didn't seem like such a bad idea. There were several trees down across the path, requiring us to climb over or under nature's obstacle course. As an aside, my husband would have you believe that I intentionally maimed him by pushing a dead tree onto his leg. That was NOT my intention. I did yell move - he just didn't react quickly enough. Poor man sustained three scratches down the back of his calf. I thought we were going to have to amputate. Just kidding, hon. You know I love you!

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The trail opened up at the peak of the town graveyard, so we headed home on the meandering path back down the cemetery hill. As we looked at the old gravestones, the number of young people in the older section was sad. I wondered how many of them died of illnesses completely preventable today. Again, the tetanus shot was looking better and better. How fortunate we are!

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So, I will end with the word that has been on my mind all evening - Thankful.

I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

Psalm 138:2 NIV

Favorite Quotes

Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.
C. S. Lewis

One can give without loving, but cannot love without giving.
Amy Carmichael

When I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.
Fanny Crosby

We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.
D. L. Moody

Score - Life 157 Me 0

So, this week didn't go so well.
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At all, really.
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Felt ill, went to doctor, got some medicine, slept a lot, felt ill, went to emergency room, got lots of tests, got new medicine and now I feel a bit better. It's going to be something I'll be dealing with for awhile and its no fun, so prayers would be much appreciated. Who knew panic attacks have very little to do with actually being nervous about anything? It's like someone flipped the override switch on the adrenaline factory which is scary and exhausting - like a being roller coaster that you can't get off.

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In the middle of all of the drama and pharmaceuticals, I got to go see Chonda Pierce!!!! At long last!!! I've been waiting since February! She is so much fun and very, very real about her struggles with depression and an extremely difficult childhood. As my mom said, "She makes you laugh and cry all at once." We had a group of about 30 women attending the concert, which made it even more fun. It was an excellent girl's night out and much needed.

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Hope everyone had a better weekend than I did! God is bigger than anything any of us are facing and I know He's got this under control!

A Very Disjointed Post

May I introduce you to a new dear friend? I am a big fan of the color lime green (I like green in any shade, but lime is my favorite). I also like painting my nails (too cheap for a full on manicure). Imagine my delight at finding my favorite nail polish available in my favorite color! I don't even care how strange lime green fingernails look, they make me smile. The color is called Grass Slipper and the brand is Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure. I also have a bottle of Fairy Teal, which is, of course, teal. Simple pleasures.

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Also, because I stubbornly persist in the hope that summer is coming, despite weather that causes me to doubt it, I went shoe shopping for some summer sandals. And I dragged my poor husband along. Poor guy. I really could have used a girlfriend for footwear consultation. Men are just not equipped for the vast array of styles and colors in the women's section of a shoe store. Our conversation went something like this:

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Me: Do you think I should get something flat or something with a heel?

Him: Whatever you want. I don't know.

Me: How about these?

Him: They look the same as the other three pairs you tried on.

Me: (exasperated) No. That pair is black. That pair is tan. This pair is brown. They do not in any way, shape or form look alike.

Him: Which pair is the cheapest?

Me: (rolling eyes,then distracted by another pair of shoes)Ooooooh. This pair is lime green!!

Him: (rolling eyes) The brown ones. I like the brown ones. You should definitely buy the brown ones.

Me: Done. I'll get the brown ones.

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Riveting stuff, I know. It has been a crazy five or six weeks. Good, but crazy. Crazy, but good. So many big projects tackled over the past month, I kind of just feel like staring at a wall for awhile, or just laughing with friends.

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Speaking of laughing with friends - guess what this weekend is?

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Chonda Pierce, of course! No snow is going to interfere this time (even though it feels almost that cold!)

Memo to Self

Memo to Self:

RE: Weekend

URGENT!

I am lead to understand that you are going to accompany the youth on an overnight trip to Acquire the Fire. I felt I should remind you of a few things before you leave.

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First of all, you will have a three hour van ride. Please go before you leave if you don't want a repeat of last year's mad dash to a McDonald's rest room. (Also, don't drink a bottle of water on the way there.)

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Second, it will be LOUD. Numb eardrums are just the price you pay for extra enthusiastic worship music. Accept the fact that Sara Groves is probably not going to be on the worship schedule. It's going to be alright.

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Third, a 1:00 a.m. bedtime is going to hurt. Something with caffeine in it is going to be necessary for breakfast. Lots of caffeine.

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Fourth, it is going to be awesome! Enjoy!

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Yours sincerely,

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Me

An Announcement

Remember this post? And this one?
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Earlier this month, I visited Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA. I took some pictures, watched teenagers explore the campus, ate in the dining hall and laughed more than I have in months! I did something else while I was there. I applied.
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This week, I received my acceptance letter. And class schedule. And predicted graduation date.

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I'm a college student, can you believe it? I can't.
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After high school, I completed my Associate Degree, then got married and had kids. I have always wanted to go back and get my Bachelors, but had no idea when I would get another chance.
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I'm enrolled in LBC's Degree Completion Program which will allow me to complete my degree online, and at the end, I will have earned a Bachelor of Science in Bible and Theology.
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I'm excited (and nervous)! My classes will begin in July.

Spring All Over the Place

Remember this post from a few weeks ago? Cheerfulness is a Choice
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It was a glorious spring weekend and I really enjoyed my road trip to Lancaster Bible College. One of the stops on our tour was this mural. The funny thing was, it was so beautiful outside that the campus looked exactly like this painting!

While on the tour, this tree begged to have its picture taken and I obliged. Especially since it got all dressed up for the occasion.

My final confirmation that spring has arrived is this:

Little League has officially begun their season. Check out the handsome lad carrying the flag!

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While I am waxing rhapsodic about the season, I thought I should share this verse:

See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.

The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me."

Song of Solomon 2:11-13

Nicely sums it up, doesn't it?

Outstanding Opportunity

You all know I've been dreaming big lately.
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Looking forward to what God has in store for my life.
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Exploring promises He has for me and all of His children.
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This weekend, an opportunity have appeared on the horizon that I'm really excited about. There is simply nothing as exciting as possibilities. And everything is possible with God!

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A few months ago, while searching for a new ladies' Bible study, I found Proverbs 31 Ministries. As I perused the wonderful resources on their website and subscribed to their daily devotional, I continued to click around on the site and discovered the She Speaks Conference quite by accident. This event is specifically for women in writing, speaking or leadership ministries - and it sounded thrilling. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think anything like this existed. My attending this conference will hinge on my ability to obtain a scholarship, however, as it is a few states away and would strain the family resources. It would be a tremendous opportunity to explore the Lord's plan for me and learn more about women's' writing and speaking ministries. That said, as I wrote earlier this weekend, I am working hard and being content to wait on God. While I certainly hope that I might be able to receive a scholarship, if I don't I will accept that it was simply not a part of the plan.

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All in all, God's waiting room is a pretty awesome place to be, I think!

Dreaming

This morning, I came across this post on Lysa TerKeurst's blog at Proverbs 31 Ministries. It hit home in a big way. This is a subject I've been praying about for awhile now.

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I have big dreams. I have held them close for a long time, only recently beginning to put words to them and dare to hope that my dreams might be more than just flights of fancy.

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Ever since I was in elementary school, I have dreamed about writing a book. As I grew up, that dream changed a bit from wanting to write the great American novel and become famous and fabulously wealthy, to wanting to write to glorify God. Last year, my dream expanded to wanting to speak and encourage women in the church.

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For many months, I've prayed about my dreams, trying to discern whether this desire comes from a selfish ego or a true desire to serve the Lord. I'm still praying and hoping that God will send opportunities so that the way will be clear. Waiting is hard, though. I try hard to remember:

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But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

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For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Awesome promises from an awesome God! I'm going to continue to seek His will for me and my dreams. I pray that you dream big dreams to serve Him, too!

Spring Preview

I feel the need to relate a strange phenomenon happening in this part of the country. On Saturday morning, my family awoke to light streaming in our windows. Curious, we peered outside and to our surprise, the light was emanating from an odd glowing orb in the sky. My husband insisted that this orb did seem somewhat familiar to him, but he just could not place where he had seen it before.

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Yes, I'm exaggerating. But this weekend was lovely, and today was more lovely still. The sunshine and warmth are melting the snow pack we've hosted since before Christmas. The crocuses are making their debut. A photo of the first robins of the year graced the front page of the local newspaper. These are all sure signs that spring is on it's way after all!

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There is not much point to this post, I'm afraid. Just joy. And sunshine.

The Best Laid Plans

Remember that Chonda Pierce concert I was looking forward to?
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The one that was supposed to be last Saturday evening?
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The one that I had 47 women signed up to go to?
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Yeah, that one.
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Turns out a wicked winter storm can thwart the best of plans. On the good side, the concert has been postponed to May. And Chonda is worth waiting for.
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Its funny how plans get changed. Once the show was moved, my focus slid to the Ladies Bible study I was planning for this summer. Just like last year, one study in particular kept coming to my attention - Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. I'll post more about the upcoming Bible study very soon - once I feel a bit more organized.

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Among the plans for this year is a ladies' retreat scheduled for November 12-14, right now the preparation seems immense, but I know who is really in charge and He's big enough to handle it. The theme for the retreat is Leaving the Masquerade: Getting Real and Living an Authentic Life for Christ. There will be more on that to come, too.

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I'm afraid this post has been a bit all over the place. There is a matter that I would like to ask for prayer about. Last February I had an opportunity to speak at a Ladies prayer breakfast. In that moment, I felt certain that speaking is something that God would have me to do. I have been praying since then, and asking for His direction and asking that if this is not His will that the desire to speak leave me. It has not left. I have no idea how to, or whether to, proceed. Your prayer would be very much appreciated.

Cheerfulness is a Choice

The weather here has been dismal.
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Grey has been the prevelent color for weeks. The snow is mottled grey, the trees are dark grey, the mountains are blue-grey, the sky is pale grey and the streets are always grey. Our moods tend to turn a bit grey as well.

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Such drab surroundings make it hard to see the beauty in ordinary things. At this point in winter, people tend to forget that in just a month we will be seeing robins, new green sprigs of grass, crocus and maybe even some blossoms on trees. We will be hearing bird song and that great metallic ping as aspiring little league players dust off their bats and begin to practice. And, oh, that terrific spring smell carried in on a warm breeze. The sun will shine again and coax us out into its warm embrace.

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This time of year the novelty of winter has passed. Most people (myself included) are irritable and unhappy from looking at the same landscape day in and day out. We crave a change. We dream of taking off to warmer climes. We hope for the day when we look out our door and see bright blue skies. We put off our happiness until a day comes that makes us happy.

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Cheerfulness is a choice. Joy is best when it comes from within. Happiness is only temporary if we wait for something to come along and make us happy. We need to claim it for ourselves and hold on to it with both hands - no matter what is going on around us.

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This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

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Rejoice! It can cover up the grey!

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Have a blessed day, everyone!

White Out

In case you haven't heard, Pennsylvania got a wee bit of snow today.
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Just 18 inches, that's all. No big deal.
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I'm so funny, right?
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Fortunately, we went to the grocery store before the weather got too treacherous. It has been a lovely, lazy day, full of favorite DVDs, books, and snacks - oh, and there has been some shoveling going on, too!

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One of our snacks was an old favorite - snow ice cream. It is simple to make and something fun to do with freshly fallen snow. First, get a big mixing bowl of clean snow. In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups of whole milk, 1 cup of sugar and 1 T of vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of snow and stir. Serve immediately.

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I must go now and shovel again. Signing off from the great white Keystone state!

Guilty of Attempted Poetry

I am from misty blue mountains, from Frozen Run Black Bear Birch Beer and bare feet.

I am from the lightning bugs hovering above the cornfield on a purple evening.

I am from the deep green woods, the stoney creek.

I am from bedtime stories and brown eyes, from Hannah and Lois and Blanche.

I am from the laughter and singing loudly.

From "If you've never made a mistake, you haven't done much." and "You're an old soul."

I am from tent meetings, youth group and loud worship music. From puppet ministry, Vacation Bible School and wishing for a mission trip.

I'm from Appalachia and Scots-Irish and German, ham pot-pie and whoopie pies.

From the green, worn path that led at gram' s white farm house everyday, the bobtail cats, and pap's still in his backyard shed.

I am from shoeboxes, picture frames and photo albums. Black and white pictures, sepia pictures, and faded 70's pictures filled with laugh crinkled eyes, crooked grins, ornery faces and grubby paws.

Template borrowed from Chrysallis

On this day many (but not that many) years ago . . .

I was born!
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I share a birthday with:
Robert Burns, Scottish poet
Virginia Woolf, English writer
Alicia Keys, American singer
and many other wonderful people I don't know.
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In honor of my birthday (and just for fun), I thought I share some of my favorites:
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Favorite Color: Lime Green
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Favorite Cuisine: Mexican
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Favorite Clothing: Jeans, T-Shirt and Sneakers
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Favorite Time of Day: Evening
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Favorite Flower: Black eyed Susans
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Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Sticky Toffee Pudding (and I don't think they make it anymore)
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Favorite Book: Too many to count, but probably Bridge to Terebithia or Anne of Green Gables (series)
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(humming, and these are a few of my favorite things)
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Off to have birthday cake now!

2009, I hardly knew ye.

Wow. 2009 is over - already! Where did the time go? I've been blogging for an entire year!

Last year I wrote a contemplative post, listing the highlights from the past year as well as things I wished I had done better. I'm not going to do that this year. 2009, was, in many ways a very difficult year for me. I struggled through some trying times, but if I had to do it over again, I would not have done it differently. I grew a lot this year, I learned a lot this year and God is still working on me!

So, instead of looking back, I want to look forward to 2010. My goal for this year is simple - deepen my relationship with God and get on board with His plans for me. Part of that plan will be, I believe, coordinating women's ministry opportunities at our church. A retreat is in the works for November 2010, and hopefully another women's Bible study. For some time now, I have been feeling a strong desire to speak to women about God's abiding love for us and our need to support and encourage one another within the church (Titus 2). That will continue to be a matter of prayer for me as I seek the Lord's direction.

Welcome to April in January 2010!

The Reality of the Nativity

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the circumstances in which our Lord and Savior came to this earth. Appropriate for the season, sure, but I have to admit that this year it has more to do with being the mother of a 13 year old daughter. As a child, I pictured Mary as a woman grown. As a teenager, she still seemed inexplicably older and wiser than I. This is the first year, I can honestly say that reality hit and hit hard. Mary was very likely the same age, or a bit older than my own daughter. Wow. It is so hard to imagine that one so young carried such a burden, and carried it with such trust in God. She heard the impossible and listened. She was asked the impossible and obeyed. She was given a task unimaginable and she saw it through with grace. She put her very life at stake - adultery was punishable by stoning.
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Every year, around this time, I love to read Two from Galilee. This year, I read A Lineage of Grace as well. Two from Galilee was a favorite of mine from the time I first read it when I was 12 years old. A Lineage of Grace is a compilation of a five series set written by Francine Rivers. The book covers five women in the lineage of Jesus Christ, with Mary, of course being the final story told. Both of these authors do an excellent job of reinforcing the fact that the events that unfolded in that stable were very real. Mary and Joseph were actual people, seeking to obey God, not knowing how their story would end. The journey from Nazareth was long and dusty. The city of Bethlehem was crowded and frenzied. Mary was young, pregnant and in labor. Joseph was in desperate need of shelter for his wife and coming son. The stable was dirty and smelly, far from an ideal place to give birth. I'm sure that their trust in God remained strong - but they were human, too. Do you think they wondered, "Where is God in this?" "This isn't what we thought would happen." If they did, can you imagine the joy they felt when the shepherds came with glorious confirmation that God was, indeed, working wonders and standing firm on His promises.
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Think about it. Won't you?

Snowed In

Last evening, our church hosted a Live Nativity- complete with goats, donkeys and sheep. It was such a wonderful experience. Guests were assisted in parking and were given flashlights and sheet music to carry with them as they made their way around the circuit with the assistance of our narrator. Together, each group listened to the story of Christ's birth, sang Christmas carols and watched portrayals of the crowd in Bethlehem, the innkeeper's house, the stable, angels appearing to the shepherds and finally, the wise men bearing gifts. The entire experience was just outstanding!
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A second showing was scheduled for this evening, but alas, a massive winter storm had other ideas. We awoke this morning to a world blanketed in a thick coating of white, beautiful, but requiring some changes in plan. There were big plans for today - Christmas baking, matinee movie for my husband and I, and the Live Nativity this evening. Well, since we don't make it to the movies very often, we did decide to go ahead and walk to the movie theater - and it looked like a few other people had the same idea. The walk was a bit slippery, but made us very thankful for our small town. Since the grocery store required a drive, and that did not seem to be a good idea, Christmas baking had to be limited to what I had ingredients for on hand (Molasses Crinkles, by the way).
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The snow is still falling and we are up to about 8 -9 inches so far. Hopefully, it lets up so we can go to church tomorrow morning!