"Evaporation"

“If we have to evaporate, can we go to Grannie’s house?” Thus the words of my 7 year old niece. Today, my sister and her family are nestled in, safe and sound, at my mother’s house anxiously awaiting Hurricane Ike. They live in Galveston. This is the second time they have evacuated. The first was several years ago … a nightmare for my sister who got to drive 14 hours … yes, I said 14 hours (normally a 6 hour trip) … panicked ... with 2 kids, 5 cats and whatever they could pack, to our house, worrying about her husband who was several hours behind them. They got missed, primarily, with that one. We called it the “Hurrication." The nieces had a great time playing together and the damage was minimal. Not sure they will be so lucky this time. Ike is supposed to hit Galveston dead on. There is already massive flooding happening. So, please pray for our families … my sister, Brian’s brother and all the aunt’s, uncles, cousins and two grandmothers in the Houston area as they wade through Ike. I know God is holding them in His hands and there is a purpose in all He allows. I know they are in safe places, so there is no danger of them "evaporating." Reminds me of what is most important in life ... people, not things. May God be praised in this storm!

More gifts ...

101. Container vegetable gardens.

102. Starbucks Venti Green Tea Iced Tea Lemonade Sweetened.
103. Trampolines
104. My children's laughter.
105. My children's imagination.

106. Old movie classics.
107. Souped up quesadilla's.
108. The Cooking Network.
109. Roller blading.
110. The "Mark of the Lion" series by Francine Rivers.
111. "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers.
112. Camping.
113. Running into long lost friends.
114. Matriarchs, who are worthy of being called that.
115. Picking up eggs out of a hen house.
116. Seasons.
117. Black bean salsa.
118. High school football games.
119. Little girls learning to write and doing it phonetically.
120. My Paw-Paw's old (and now that I am older and really understand ... classic) jalopy truck.
121. Outdoor concerts.
122. Paw-Paw's, who are cool and fun and always raring to go!

123. Nice neighbors.
124. "Free" long distance calls.
125. Nice, smiling and helpful service people.
126. Ceiling fans.
127. Being humbled by the Lord.
128. Candidates for Vice President I can actually get excited about.
129. When God grants the request to see some one with new eyes.
130. Health insurance.
131. New blog friends.
132. Discovering me when I quit comparing.
133. Children's bedtime prayers ... well, anytime prayers.
134. Self-control.
135. Like-minded friends.
136. Encouragement.
137. Challenging thoughts or quotes or books.
138. Guacamole.
139. Love notes.
140. "God moments."
141. Prayer groups.
142. Kick ball.

143. Baby ducks.

144. Whip cream fights.

145. Daddy’s girls.

146. Chocolate chip, pecan pie.
147. Mountains.
148. PBJ or PB and banana or PB and honey.
149. Grilling out.
150. Exercise.

A Slice of Inspiration

“In our marriage we tell the next generation

what sex and marriage and fidelity look like to

Christians. We are prophets, for better or for

worse, of the future of Christian marriage.”

-Evelyn and James Whitehead

More Gifts ...

51. My Mom, who taught me and continues to teach me how to be a mom!

52. Ladybugs.
53. Fresh peaches.
54. Old pictures ...

Yes, this is some of my Dad's family. That is him in the middle of my Grandma and Grandpa ... the cute guy.

And, this one is my Grandma Schultz. Guess which of the grandchildren I am?

55. Homemade, decorated birthday cakes.

56. Quiet early morning moments with my husband.

57. Bed and breakfasts.

58. "Little House on the Prairie"

59. Homemade popcorn ... my Daddy said that white hulled popcorn is best and he is right!

60. A cool breeze that reminds me that seasons change, but God does not!

61. Flyswatters.

62. French fries dipped in chocolate milkshake.

63. Rain.

64. Porch swings.

65. Cows grazing.

66. The library.

67. Dew on grass.

68. Piggyback rides.

69. Good fiction.

70. A great first day at school.

71. Prayer.

72. Tender hearts.

73. Groceries.

74. Telephones.

75. Baby kittens.

76. French toast.

77. Yellowstone National Park.

78. Hiking.

79. Moose.

80. My Bible.

81. Love notes.

82. Pony tails.

83. Migraine medications that work.

84. My husbands big, warm hands that can massage my aching head.

85. Sweet daughters who jump in to help when I don't feel good.

86. Diet Coke.

87. Cute new clothes bought off the 75% off rack!

88. Home made tortilla's.

89. Central Market Grocery Store that inspires me to cook.

90. Wedding rings ... a symbol of commitment.

91. Money to pay the bills.

92. God's gifts and callings that are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)

93. The freshness of a rearranged room.

94. Toilet paper.

95. Little girls "blankies."

96. Snuggling with my girls in the early morning hours.

97. Jesus waking me up to sit and have a chat.

98. Laughter at Whataburger with old friends and new friends at 11:30 p.m. after a women's event.

99. Seeing some one with new eyes.

100. The ability to memorize scripture.

A Thousand Gifts ...

“Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,

who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

I am driven to discipline myself to be with Jesus all the time in everything. And, I am driven to teach that to our children not just in words, but in my actions and behavior. What I want is to walk with God, talk with Him, know and feel and sense Him tangibly all the time. To be aware of all that He does for us, all He created for us, all that He wants for us and to walk in it. To breathe Him in deeply and express that to others. I believe that it starts with praise and gratitude for every thing, every gift, every little detail, and all the things I take for granted. So, I am taking the challenge. I am joining the “Gratitude Community” and making my own list of "One Thousand Endless Gifts." I am choosing to “establish gratitude as a personal soul fixture.” Isn’t that cool? The Bible tells us to be “overflowing with thankfulness.” (Col. 2:17) Now that’s a foreign idea in a world that encourages keeping up with the Jones’ and discontentment. Satan clearly comes against thankfulness and contentment in my life. “You’re weird … that’s not possible ... God didn’t do that, so-and-so did … people are going to think you are holier-than-thou.” Well, call me weird. I want a changed and thankful heart. So, I am focusing on gratitude, praise and counting all my gifts and blessings.

Here goes …

1. My Heavenly Father, who loves me!

2. My sweet husband.

3. Two precious, beautiful gifts from the Lord ... our daughters.

4. Our family restored.

5. A "new" marriage.

6. Grace.

7. Strawberry popsicles.

8. The smell of fall that gets under my skin and brings a freshness to my attitude.

9. "I love you, mommy!"

10. Home schooling.

11. Fresh baked bread ... smelling it and eating it just out of the oven and smeared with butter.

12. Quiet time with Jesus.

13. Love songs sung to Him.

14. Friends who still love you in spite of yourself.

15. Wii.

16. Little girls prayers.

17. Memories in photographs.

18. Freshly laundered sheets.

19. The smell of vanilla.

20. God's word.

21. Baby girl falling asleep to the "Kari Jobe" CD praising the Father.

22. Big girl reading books, just because ... sharing her mommy's passion.

23. Hot chocolate chip cookies.

24. Washing the car with Daddy.

25. "Mommy, can you lay down with me?"

26. Sweet faces on sleeping children.

27. Holding hands.

28. A cool breeze.

29. Freshly mown grass.

30. Old people's wisdom and stories.

31. Painted toenails.

32. A van-load of underprivileged kids playing basketball with men from the church.

33. Singing old hymns in church and seeing my Paw-Paw in the back of my mind leading worship at the top of his lungs with joy on His face.

34. Sitting outside under an umbrella with girlfriends watching children swim in the rain.

35. Daughters so tickled with each other that just looking at each other brings more laughter.

36. Pumpkins.

37. Puppies.

38. Swimming pools on hot days.

39. My favorite pen.

40. Being called to love others because I am so deeply loved.

41. Down-right, "call it like it is" truth.
42. Serving lunch at an inner city church as a family.

43. Waking up with praise music playing in my mind.

45. Making my husband coffee and breakfast in the mornings.

46. Journals.

47. Little girls playing baby dolls and house ... amazing imaginations.

48. Cookbooks with pictures.

49. Success with a new recipe.

50. Sabbath.

Last Night ...

“Speak, Lord, and let the romance begin.” Oswald Chambers

And, thus the quote that began the night! I was privileged to sit with a groovy group of women seeking to know God more. Becky Tirabassi spoke at our church and she is dynamic and on fire and contagious and I could have listened to God speak through her all night. God used one of Becky’s books, “The Burning Heart Contract,” to start me on a real, authentic journey with Him in January of 2006. Becky is dead-on serious about calling everyone to a focused, daily relationship with Christ through prayer and digging into His word. She doesn’t mince words and I like that. Tonight, God spoke to me through Becky, again. He used her to remind me that I am precious to Him and that He is jealous of our time together. I have come to a place, thank you Jesus, where I miss Him when I compromise any of the time I commit to Him every day. Becky challenged me to be very specific in my prayers, especially for my children. I confess I have been lax in that. But, not anymore! I plan to be BOLD. The Bible says to ask anything … more than you can imagine … believing. I have experienced that truth and I want more. The Bible also says the more I seek Him; the more I find Him, know His character. The more I sit at His feet, the more peace there is in my life and the more I will, prayerfully, shine His light in my life to others. Thank you Lord for women who encourage me with their words and their lives that there is no other way but YOU!

Freedom

As I was reading this morning in Leviticus … all the rules God laid out for atonement … I realized that someone had done all these things or God wouldn’t have laid out a plan for redeeming His people from them. Ugh! Some of these things they are atoning for are pretty yucky and quite frankly, really, would someone do them? Apparently so or the Lord wouldn’t have addressed them. No wonder the Israelites got discouraged ... and I am confident there had to be a lot of people with photographic memories there or they would’ve surely been doomed. And, if they had photographic memories, how is it they forgot God’s incredible miracles and grace and tenderness and mercy? Clearly, this is another reason why the Lord commanded the people to meditate on His word and His miracles and rehearse it daily, all the time … when we wake up, walk, eat, lay down, everywhere … to remember His love for them. See, those things in the Bible are not there to take away our fun, but to keep us safe, in His favor and free from those things that would bind us. What a mighty God we serve! And, thank you Lord, for sending your Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so we wouldn’t have to worry about remembering all the “rules,” but be able to focus on relationship … “Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and love your neighbor as yourself!” (Luke 10:27) Pretty simple, but it requires God’s grace to do it … submission, obedience, listening, making different choices and resting in Him. Lord, fill me with your Spirit that I might be who You are calling me to be and do what You are calling me to do and be a light to your people, starting with my family first. Amen.