Starbuck's Anyone?

Moving! New season. Whoop! Unpacking. Organizing. Rejoicing! Phew! If anyone should feel so inclined to hit up the Starbuck's, I'd love a "Venti Iced Tea Lemonade with Green Tea, Sweetened." :) Oh, and since it is Fall, a pumpkin scone would greatly be appreciated!

Whoop!

I've been waiting for the perfect day to post these cutie guys and today is the today. We're moving! Tonight we'll sleep in real beds. Tonight our food will be at a constant temperature in the refrigerator that is not changed by the humidity outside. Tonight we are anticipating the miraculous and watching it come to pass. Tonight we will be surrounded by boxes, some packed and some unpacked. And, tonight we'll sleep well after spending today celebrating the beginning of our new season. Have I mentioned I am SO EXCITED!! Watching God unfold His plans is nothing short of awe-inspiring. :) It's Friday people, and we are celebrating!

Smiling Sheep

Yep! That's us. Today's the day we become home owners again. Today's the day our new season begins. We are no longer RV residents. We now live in more than 400 square feet and, essentially, one room. :) Praise the Lord! And, praising Him, too, for all the ways He has planned to love on others through us in this house, in this season. We are giddy with anticipation!

 

Things we'll miss about RV life: Extreme togetherness! Space is great, however, I have loved the being together part of this life, too. We all agree. Crazy, huh? Makes me smile a lot. :) And, constant access to the swimming pool.

 

Things we're looking forward to: A dishwasher. A refrigerator that will hold more than two or three days of food and will keep ice cream frozen solid. A larger pantry, which will allow for more cooking, less trips to the grocery store and improved food budget management. Space to create and spread out and do homeschool. Re-discovering what is in all those boxes we packed three years ago. No more Laundromat. Praise Jesus! And, a bathtub (something we didn't have), located in more than one very, very small bathroom. :)

 

It's been an amazingly blessed three years. Looking forward to all God has planned in this now time! And as Shannon at FPFG recently said, "Pray .... because it feels really important and we don't ever want our inherent brattiness to get in the way of obedience. This opportunity is a gift."

 

The Only Source

 

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 (NIV)

Sunday, the teaching focused on the One True Source of Life. About how Adam and Eve disconnected from it in the garden. And, people have been searching, disconnecting or flat out giving up since then. God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us a choice. No robots here. And, sadly, we keep making the selfish, death choice. And, oh the carnage. Church is not the source of life. Activities. Behavior. "Good, right living." Performance. None of these are the source of life and they aren't going to get us anywhere. Jesus is the source. The only source. Period. He is the source of life, there is no other. The end.

I loved this picture. Jesus IS the Tree of Life, not the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. You know, that's that tree where people jump from branch to branch thinking things will change. Looking for life that isn't there. Making their own rules. Seeking their own solution. It's fiction. Just a counterfeit. The next best thing. What the world sees as the answer. Might be fun for a while, but it doesn't last long.

Truth is, it's time to make the big leap to the other tree!! The Tree of Life. Surrender. Let Him love you. Love Him back. Follow His ways. Listen to Him speak and direct. He's not about "rules," He's about life. That was His plan all along. Inhale His breath. This is where real life is. Fun. All out craziness. Joy. Peace. Life to the FULL. Trust Him. It's the right choice. It's the best choice and it's totally contrary to the world. Yep, breath. Love that!

Jesus came to give us life, abundance and more than we could ask or imagine. I'm not talking prosperity theology here, I'm talking LIFE. Why wouldn't you give it all up to Him?

*Want some truth and resources on The Source, check out Alan Smith or Bob Hamp. Good solid teaching.

Church

"This is the church. This is the steeple. Open it wide and there's all the people."

 

Just a little ditty we said in VBS while we did the hand motions. We felt really clever how it ended with all your fingers wiggling. I have to say that my whole picture of Jesus and the church has changed dramatically. Keeps changing dramatically as I grow up. It's a big mix of things I've unlearned that weren't correct, things I'm still learning and things I love that are eternally true.

 

We went to church Sunday morning in a bar. This particular church met there for 4 years. They celebrated their 10th anniversary by going back to where they started. Did I mention it was a bar? I'll admit, it still smelled a bit like smoke from the night before. We sat on barstools. The praise and worship band were where a country and western band would've been. And what's more, Mark Chestnut was going to follow-up church with a concert, sponsored by the church, where all proceeds were going to stop human trafficking. It was probably one of the most Holy Spirit led services I have been a part of in a good long time. I wept like a baby. Tears I couldn't contain, though I tried.

 

It occurred to me, again, sitting in the bar, that the church is not the building. Just like the church is not the source. Jesus is the source of life. And, people, it is life to the FULL! Don't get me wrong, the church IS the Bride of Christ. We are the Bride of Christ. We are called to be a part of the body. To work together as a body. All different parts. All one purpose. As my Paw-Paw used to say, "Can't get to Heaven unless you take someone with you."

I'm continuing to think differently about church. Thank God!

Crazy, Peace

Peace and crazy. Two words you wouldn't necessarily put together in one sentence. Unless, that is, you are following God's directive and then it does. We were presented with a B.I.G. decision last Friday. The solution would've solved a large problem and would have created others, although shorter term, still problems. We put it on paper. It was a painful choice, but sometimes choices God has us make are painful. And, we must trust Him to fill in the blanks. On the other hand, it was potentially a decision that was out there to really test our faith in the wait.

 

Would we step forward or trust and wait? Would we act out of flesh because we're really ready for a solution to this issue or would we wait on Him. We've stepped out in flesh before. We didn't want to do that again. So, we prayed and went to bed. Woke up with good questions we hadn't considered the night before. Went back to the put the new information on paper and discovered a few errors we'd made the day before. So, we asked God if He would answer by Monday, at the latest, and placed it in His hands again.

 

There are times when I want God to do something and it would be so incredibly awesome if He'd do it now and my way. Then an opportunity presents itself. Said opportunity "looks" like it could be an answer, although aspects of it don't feel so good. Lacking in complete peace. But ... so, rather than be impulsive, as one has been before, you've learned to sleep on it and pray about it.

And God ... He is faithful. He answered us by closing the door we almost impulsively walked through and He even did it before Monday. Thankful!

My Sister

This is my baby sister. My only sister. She, as you can see from the photo, does NOT like her picture taken. She doesn't like me to post about her or her kiddo's on FB or the blog or anywhere else for that matter, but ... you know when something's gotta be said, it's gotta be said! :) Sorry T.

 

I have friends with sisters and they don't like them very much. I have friends with sisters and they LOVE their sisters. I have friends who wish they had sisters. I have friends I feel like are my sisters and they are absolute gifts from above. My Mom always referred to them as my "people." That, in fact, is one of the last things she said to me, "But Debra, you have people." And, praise the Lord, that is true. But, I only have one sister I was born to be attached to forever and I, my friends, am rich because of it.

 

She is smart (super-smart), funny, way ridiculous fun to be with, never a wall-flower, witty, clever and, in most ways, we are opposite, but in the ways that matter, we are the same. We've had a few large bumps in our road and we make different choices in many life situations. But, I love her fiercely and she loves me back. And, I wouldn't trade her and my love for her for anything. Nope, nothing. Hear that little sister?! :)

 

I am beyond thankful that God gave me a sister. I just thought it should be said. :)