The currency of Grace is where my song begins...: April 2007

I have been blogging on xanga for 2 years so these are my entries copied and pasted in to this wonderful world of blogger....enjoy!
photos did not transfer...so sorry.

Monday, April 16, 2007
this is not what i wanted to blog about...
i had great plans of blogging tonight something intriguing and thought provoking (haha) but instead my heart is heavy and my emotions are grey. I can not formulate thoughts, let alone make them flow in any manor that would make one think. Tonight my mom just called and told me that my cousin was in a terrible car accident in Springfield. My cousin, Shelby is in Cox South ER and we will know more in the morning. She is 22 and due to graduate from MSU in May. We do know that she broke her scull and their are neck injuries of some sort. She has testing through the night and possible emergency surgery. Please pray for her and her family. Her family is from North Missouri, so they will have to be in Springfield for quite some time away from their homes.
Thanks for praying. I have the best friends in the world.
Enjoy today and all that it holds.

****update on my cousin**** She is getting a MRI done today that will confirm further injuries. As of now we know she has a severe scull fracture, vertebra 1 and 2 are broken, her ear was cut off and she is in alot of pain. So far, Praise God, she has all movement and feeling in both her arms and legs, so the neck injury, in as far as we know, is not paralyzing the rest of her body. Thanks for the Prayers!

Sunday, April 15, 2007
a proud friend
today i am a proud friend.
Becky Parker is running the BOSTON MARATHON! (for my non-runner friends this is like the superbowl of marathons, you have to qualify by time and age division to even be allowed to run!) She startsMonday at 10:30 am Eastern Time. Check her progress at http://www.bostonmarathon.org/ runner number #14621.
GO BECKY! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU! RUN BECKY RUN!!!
****update***I just checked her status....SHE IS SO AWESOME! at the half marathon mark she was pacing at 8:20!!! projected to finish in 3hr 38 mins....can you handle that! WOAH! GOOOOO BECKY!

Thursday, April 12, 2007
Reflections on Easter

Growing up Methodist, even as a young girl, I always looked forward to Easter week. All the tradition, all the celebration, all the anticipation and all the mystery, captured my heart and mind. In the small rural town I grew up in, Easter was a week of unity, of crossing denominational gaps and worshiping our Risen Savior! Each morning, starting Palm Sunday, at 6:30 am the churches would gather for “SonRise Services.” Every morning of the week was hosted by a different church and each morning, Baptists, Presbyterians, Catholics and folk from Assembly of God would come together with one voice….”Up from the grave He AROSE, with a mighty triumph over His foe” I remember the smell, the sounds and the emotions every year at Easter. As a college student I plunged head long into the Southern Baptist world. I transferred into Southwest Baptist University. Easter’s came and went year after year, each with less anticipation of its own and more reliance on the anticipation of my memories. We moved on to Houston and then to Midland and each year I longed for the traditions, the lilies, the unity, the mystery and the celebration. This year has brought all of these things! First Baptist Church Irving decided this year to put great emphasis on Easter, to bring back some lost traditions, to gather to remember, to mourn, to anticipate and to celebrate. It has been the best two weeks and I am so thankful for our church family. Walking through the Easter week each year has a level of anticipation and excitement of all that Christ has done and is doing, but walking through Easter with an entire church family was wonderful. It made the mourning deeper, the mystery stronger, the traditions richer and the celebration wilder. May the Lord be Praised!
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior;Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!
Death cannot keep its Prey, Jesus my Savior;He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose,With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,He arose a Victor from the dark domain,And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.He arose! He arose!Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Happy Easter From Titus
Happy Easter Everyone. I love Easter. I really do. I will write very soon...but for now...
HAPPY EASTER FROM TITUS
and yes one of his easter baskets was a Starbucks bag...we realized on the way to the easter egg hunt that he didnt have a basket...so we improvised.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007
the move.
yippee. we are moved. amazingly enough the unpacking and setting up is almost complete. When we move the workaholic comes out in me. no rest until everything is in its place. so this will be short and sweet because i we have some pics to hang and bookshelves to fill. Titus has handled the move rather well. I mean an occasional meltdown of sorts but who doesnt have those...its just that when you are two you feel the freedom to let it all come out! Our dear friend Sarah took titus Friday night and Saturday day so that we could turn his room into a two year old boy dream land... (or a homemade knock off potterybarn boys room! you know two sheets sown together to make a duvet and the cubbies from target that look just like the PB ones, ebay PB sheets old used bookshelf and target rug that is def. a PB knock off!) But all the same each toy has a fun home in a basket or cubby and it makes Titus's (who loves to sort) life and mommies life a little more clean and organized!
Of course as soon as we could see the kitchen through the boxes i had to bake something. So we had cookies and homemade brownies. I love the oven here it is going to be so fun to cook in!
So thats our life here on Covert Ave.
While Sarah had Titus this weekend they went to see Thomas the Tank Engine and he insist on telling everyone he talks too!

Monday, March 26, 2007
Titus's first card for Daddy
So I thought for Vernon's birthday, it would be fun to let Titus pick out a real card instead of making a card like we have always done in the past. So last Thursday, Vernon's birthday, I made a big deal about going to Target to get daddy a present and a card. Titus LOVES Target (i have raised him up right i know). Seriously, if i say, "Titus what do you want to do today?" he replies one of three things.... Barnes & Nobles, Starbucks or Target. (occationally he will throw us off by answering REI, but that just makes us proud! hehe) I love my child.
So in the car we have a discussion about what he would like to get Daddy. When i asked Titus what it was that he thought daddy would want he answered, "i think he wants clothes." "oh, really" i replyed to which he said matter-of-factly, "yes, beach clothes." I chuckled to myself and thougth about where he would have gotten this idea and came up with nothing so i said, "you think daddy wants beach clothes?" titus answered, "yeah, Pink Beach Clothes" I thought that was so funny and completely RANDOM! So i told Titus we would look for pink beach clothes when we got to target. Some time pasted as we drove and he changed his mind. He decided daddy wanted Lightening McQueen (from the movie cars) so that daddy could play cars with him. So that is what he got him.
So now back to the card.... I pulled the Target cart, that Titus was in, up to the cards that were in the "happy birthday dad" section. I said pick your favorite one....so he grabbed a couple and handed them to me. The one he liked the most had a funny looking donkey on the front. Its eyes were bugging out of his head and the card was very colorful. I chuckled at the front because of the silly picture but nearly fell over in laughter at what it said..."happy birthday dad....From your Jack A** son!" I thought that would be halarious if that was the first real card Titus ever gave Vernon! Titus soon saw a card with a scunk on the front and decided he wanted it more....so we went with the scunk, although it was all that i had not to buy the donkey one!
Have the best week my dear friends. We move on Friday! ahhh! i cant believe it!

Friday, March 23, 2007
Emoting on the Tredmill?!?
My sweet friend Amanda introduced me to the word Emote. Emote, Emotes, Emoting. She said this is a word her dad uses often being the father of two girls. Emote is to show/express emotion. And this, I did, yet again, today on the treadmill!
I have mentioned before in my blog about the times when I get lost in worship on the treadmill and find myself lifting my hands...i open my eyes to see all the stares and quickly pull them down and continue on like nothing happened. I have also mentioned that I often Laugh OUT LOUD while listening to Mark Driscol or Matt Chandler, only to realize that no one else is hearing what I am hearing so they are startled by my out burst. But something happened two weeks ago that i chose to with hold from you, my dear readers. I thought it would never happen again, but it happened today....i was running on the treadmill in the YMCA and began to CRY! No I was not hurt and to my knowledge I am NOT pregnant....so where did this emoting come from?!?!? The tears came flowing two weeks ago as I watched President Bush deliver an address to the USA. Pleading for the support of the American public towards the war in Iraq. He read many letters of soldiers who are in the midst of the war and letters from wives of those who are serving...it was an incredible address....and I cried. This was just a couple of tears and on with my running but TODAY....that is a story in itself...heregoes...
So I was about 2 miles into my run and blasting out to Matt Redman's Beautiful News CD. As in many Gyms, there are TV's placed at eye level that you can plug your earbuds into and pic which TV you would like. Although I listen to my Ipod i often watch what Rachel Ray is making, catch up on sports and news via closed captioning. Today I was jamming out and glanced up and saw Edwin McCain on so as all girls who went to High School in the 90's would do i waited to see what words would come across the screen..."the strands in your eyes...." so i quickly pulled my earbuds out of my Ipod and placed them into the magic TV box. "I'll be your cryin shoulder, I'll be loves suicide. I'll be better when I'm older, I'll be the biggest fan of your life." (i hope you are singing it!) I quickly realized the story that was unfolding before my eyes. A wife of a soldier wrote into Rachel Ray. Her husband was about to deploy and she wanted to something special for his birthday. Their "song" is this edwin mccane song...Rachel Ray arranged for the wife to present her husband with gifts and a live performance by Edwin! As the music played this family just held eachother and cried....even the soldier. Pictures of him holding his two sons flashed on the screen....and thats when it happened...I began to cry. I apparently get really emotional at the thought of soldiers choosing to give their life for our safety here in America. I and my family are forever in dept to all of them who have served.
Oh how i wish the story ended here....but there is more! In the middle of my 'moment,' running, crying, and thanking God for these brave soldiers....the worst thing happened....someone FARTED...and i mean it was the worst smell i have EVER SMELLED! so here i was teared up and sorta choking back a full on cry and i began to Gag...not just a small gag...a REALLY LOUD GAG that wouldn't stop...i quickly grabbed my towel and put it over my nose so as to look like i was just wiping sweat but really i was trying to catch my breath! so after the horrific smell passed, which seemed like forever, i started giggling like a 6 years old. I could hardly compose myself....but boy that mile and half sure went quickly!

Thursday, March 22, 2007
home to celebrate!
Today is Vernon 27th Birthday. I wrote in his card today that i cannot believe that we knew each other when we were 21! Somedays it seems like yesterday and somedays i cant ever remember not knowing him. The journey the Lord has taken us on has been exciting and full of abundance. Today i am grateful for life, for Vernon's life, for our life together.
Yesterday Titus and I headed back to Fort Worth. Thank you all, for your prayers for my Grandpa and my Family. To update you all, he made it though the first injection of Chemo (he had a one in three chance to make it!) so now we wait to see if he will continue to do well with the rest of this round. He has a type of Lymphoma that will never go away. He will, for the rest of his life, have to have Chemo regularly. Before Titus and I left we had a great time visiting with grandpa. He was feeling well enough to joke and laugh with us. This was hard to believe after seeing him the day before! It was a sweet time for me. Amen. Thank you Lord.
Being in Missouri and hanging out with my family was great. I miss them so much. My sweet Nephews are growing up so fast. My brother and Sister and I have this deep bond. We have gone through a lot in our life, as all siblings i am sure. It was so good to spend quality time with them. Some days I long for Missouri, for my Family and Friends. But I so love where God has us. Fort Worth has been a great home. We greatly enjoy the Metroplex and there are few words to describe how much we adore our Church, First Baptist Church Irving.
Happy Birthday Vernon.
Bye bye Missouri.

Monday, March 19, 2007
the situation at hand
I want to start by saying thank you to all my wonderful friends. Thank you for the emails, the posts, the texts, and the voicemails... you all are so precious to me...thank you.
Titus and I made it safely to St. Joseph MO about 6pm Sunday night, not bad for leaving around 8:45am. Needless to say thanked God multiple times for His providence in Titus not being potty trained! We only stopped 2 times. Once in Edmond OK and once just out side of Kansas City! (well i guess we technically stopped 3 times because about 4 miles out side of Edmond, after we stopped for lunch Titus, lets just say, REALLY needed a new diaper!) Titus was doing so well that I was afraid to stop and let him realize that running around outside is much better! Amen to great travels! As we crossed the River in to Missouri, i texted some MO friends and a few others that i had "entered the home land." And as we drove through KC it ripped my heart out as i thought of all the fun friend I would love to stop and see....so i took 435N to 29 instead of 435S so as not to be temped to make a stop in Raytown or Liberty!
We arrived at the hospital and I was anxious to see my family, to assess the situation for what it was and get my hands around what was really going on. My mom met Titus and I in the Lobby and led us upstairs to my Grandpas floor. We came out of the elavator and i was taken aback by my wonderful family...all of them, i mean ALL of them. I am from a very small rual community. What i love most about my up bringing is that I grew up with all my cousins, most my second cousins and i didnt REALLY know who was my actual aunts and uncles because any relation or close friend to my grandparents we considered an Aunt or Uncle. My Grandpa has had a constant stream of family and friends on his floor, so many that they have called security on us for taking up to much space and/or getting too loud! HAHA! it sounds so redneck! oh well, i love my family.
Titus brought, all the way from Fort Worth, a snowman to give to Grandpa. This is the same snowman he brought into me a couple weeks back when i was sick. He told me it was soft and if I laid with it i would feel better. He then gave it to Vernon the next week when he got sick, so naturally, when we told him Grandpa was sick and that we were going to visit him, the first thing he did was run in his room and get the snowman and tell us he wanted to give it him. So first thing after the greeting of the family, we went in Grandpa's room to deliver the Snowman. Grandpa is hooked up to everything you can imagine so i thought Titus would be scared but he was so brave. We walked up to his bed side, and as it dawned on Grandpa who we were, he mustered up the strength to say, "well, when'd you get here?" so i told him, well YELLED at him (he is extremely hard of hearing) that we just drove in. He was so happy we came so far. Titus gave him the snowman and grandma interpreted in grandpa's ear what Titus was saying. Grandpa seemed really tierd so I said "i love you grandpa, Titus, tell grandpa I love you.." so Titus said, "i love you." and for the first time i have EVER heard these words come out of War Veteran Grandfather's mouth, Grandpa relpied, "I love you too." and closed his eyes.
okay now for the detail, details. He was diagnosed with Lymphoma, the most aggressive form. It is putting him into Kydney failure so he had some dialosis today and more in the morning. Then they will give him his first shot of Chemotherapy. Once the Chemotheorpy is injected, he has a one in three chance of living. So tommarrow at noon, we will know within hours if his body is going to fight, or die. The doctor got right in my grandpa's face, because he cant hear, and said, "Do you realize what this is and the decision you are making...are you ready to fight this?" and Grandpa replied," We are going to fight it head on." So the fight begins tommarrow at noon.
I found out some amazing news today that I have been wanting to know so bad. I had heard that my Grandpa got "re-baptized" a week ago, but i didnt know exactly what that meant...My family is traditionaly Methodist, so I wanted to make sure that this was not mistaken for an act of salvation. So tonight i got an oppurtunity to ask a trusted family memeber who was aware of my grandpa's "re-baptism." She said that He said that He needed to make things right with the Lord and to repent and walk with Him! So inasfar as one can know by way of verbal account AMEN my Grandpa knows the Lord! Also an evanglist friend of the fam came to visit today and reconfirmed this to us.
Sorry this was so long, again i am not sure of when i will be back on here, but i will try to keep you updated!
The song that keeps going through my head is Yes and Amen by Matt Redman.
so. Yes and Amen.

Saturday, March 17, 2007
unexpected roadtrip...
Tomorrow morning, Titus and I set out on an unexpected roadtrip to Northwest Missouri. Yesterday my Grandpa was diagnosed with very aggressive cancer. I went back and forth about if we should try and go or not. I was on the phone with a sweet friend telling her my dilemma and she said, "you will never regret going, but you might regret not." That stuck with me all night as i wrestled with the decision. Then the call came today....my sister said that it is much more serious than they originally thought. It is already affecting his kidneys and moving extremely fast. On Monday they will have all the results and at that point decide if they will go ahead with the most aggressive form of Chemotherapy. If they go ahead with the Chemo they risk him getting an infection in an incisions that was made last week that has not been able to heal due to low white blood cells. They could wait and see if the wound will heal on its own over the course of the week, but that just allows the cancer more time to get to other parts of his body. All that said, i decided no matter what i should go. I want to see him before he goes into Chemo if that is what he chooses. But most of all, my mom told me Grandpa keeps asking to see all the great grandkids, and Titus is the only one that hasnt visited him at the hospital (because they all live very close).
We will leave as early as we can get around in the morning, my goal is no later than eight, but you know how that goes! This is the first time i have traveled more than 5 hours and left the state of TX with Titus by myself. So pray that he will endure 9 solid car hours. Please pray also for the opportunity to present Christ to the family as they watch Grandpa's illness progress. Pray that Christ's peace would abound in me as I interact with the extended family.
Today as the word traveled to my friends, i was overwhelmed yet again at how richly the Lord has blessed me with the best friends in the world. I love you all and thank you for all your support! Have the most wonderful week and enjoy even the little moments with your dear ones.
Approx. 7 pm i will be entering the land of no internet or cell service (yes this does still exist in America believe it or not) so i will get to the city as much as possible to keep you updated.....Love you all!

Thursday, March 15, 2007
its been far too long...
to all of my beloved readers (all 3 of you!) sorry for the 13 day break! As most of you know we are getting close to our move weekend...March 30-April 1. I have been busy about our home packing away, sorting and getting rid of things. I know it seems like I still have time, but Friday, Vernon's sister Phyllis and our two sweet nephews arrived and will be here until this Friday! So the packing has been put on hold. Then next weekend we will be in Stephenville doing a retreat with the Youth there...then the next weekend is the move...so there is my excuse for neglecting this dear blog...
so for now, since both 2 year olds and the 5 month old are sleeping (a miracle!) i have a little time to give you a brief post...here are some highlights of the week..
I got to take some photos of baby Gabe, this is our first time to see him, he is wonderful! I cant keeps my hands of him! He is so sweet and smiley!

Friday, March 02, 2007
Ode to Switchfoot
i cant believe it happened again
no tickets left to be had
seriously it is ridiculous
that this could make me so sad

sure, i am happy for the lucky few
that get to enjoy the show
but could anyone enjoy it more than me
this i will never know

a faithful fan since '98
Legend of Chin the memories you bring
too many songs to list in this ode
songs my soul loves to sing

so sadly i say goodnight
with no tickets for your show
so if anyone is reading this
and has some LET ME KNOW!

Sunday, February 18, 2007
A goal achieved, A move in the making and a Jackson Jones Extravaganza
Another busy week has come and gone and here i am trying to recap it all to you...
A goal achieved.
I am a bit weird when it comes to goal setting. If I am not making goals that can be reached within a month or two then i find myself wishing i had attainable goals and never working towards anything. All that explained, i had a goal to Log 10 miles in a week of running. For those of you non-runners, logging is just counting the number of miles you run in a week. My goal was to log 10 miles and each week following add one mile until i reach 18-20. So this week i met the first part of that goal, i finally did it... i logged 10 miles. Let me remind you that this is purely the grace of GOD because i do not like running (long distance that is, i love sprinting) infact i would rather throw up 10 times than run 10 miles. I am hoping by doing it more i will come to love it as many do. To break of the mileage I jump in the pool and swim a half mile two or three times a week and/or ride the bike. It keeps me sane as I try to learn to love running. I want to love running because it really is the only practical way of exercising that i can take with me ANYWHERE. I can be in any country, any city and place and run. I can do it alone as well as with others...it is so low maintenance. Also i have submitted my self as a Runner for irunfororphans.com ...this is a way people can raise money for the orphanages. Mentally this has really helped my running, because just about the time i hate what i am doing i think of one of the kids, begin to pray and without realizing it 2 or 3 mins have past! yippee!
I have found, for all of you who listen to things while you exercise, that it is NOT smart to listen to Mark Driscol on the MarsHill Podcast while running on the treadmill. This week my funny story is that i was listening to him preach and i would burst out laughing and EVERY head in the place would turn and look at me...I would then get tickled at something else he said and try to hold back the out burst....and it all went down hill from there. After Driscoll, i tried to listen to a lesson from Beth Moore, and i couldn't stay on the treadmill, i kept wanting to get off and grab my journal and write down things...so i resorted back to the usual music. i guess i will stick with that for a while.
A move in the making.
yep you guessed it...we are moving AGAIN. this will be our 5th move in 3 and half years of marriage. We found a house super close to campus that is way cheaper and puts us about 20mins closer to our church. This will save us SO much money between gas to and from school, gas to cruck and rent. AMEN. we are so excited! Please pray with us that the transition is smooth. We are excited about our new neighborhood and the opportunities it will bring. We are excited about being closer to our church and to Vernon's school. (he works at the school as well so it is a big blessing to be close!) This move will redeem about 5-6 hours of Vernons week! This is so fun for our family. The next couple of weeks we will be going through and get rid of things....this is what i love about moving...I LOVE getting rid of things. I love to "Purge" as I call it. We have way to much and so many have way to little for us to have this much. Pray i am not heartless....my rule everytime we move is "if you havent used it in a year its a goner!" Now all of you sentimental's who are reading this, dont worry, each family member gets one rubbermaid tub per 25 years of life...so as to not keep too much. So yeah, we are moving again prob in early April.
A Jackson Jone's Extravaganza.
Our dear friends, the Jone's, had a birthday blow out for their sweet son Jackson. It was SOO fun! It was at the cutest place. It was a little gym full of matts and latters and slides and everything fun! It was such a great idea for a birthday party! Happy Birthday Jackson!
Have a great week!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

I made a little make shift slideshow to let you see some pics of Sudan, although our REAL videos are on their way! The song is one of my favs...i have a vision for this song in way of video making...if only i knew how and had time to learn! hehe! This song is a Life song for me.
The little boy at the end of the slide show is a sweet friend of ours. His name is Issac, he is a burn victim as you will see. We are currently in the process of arranging and raising money for a surgry that will release him to use his arms and fingers for the first time since he was 3! awesome!
Love yall enjoy!

Thursday, February 08, 2007
What a Week!
Wow. What a week I have had! Many of you know I left for Houston last Wednesday (via Midland where i drove Titus so that he could stay with so wonderful friends of ours). I updated after the first day in Houston (see previous post) and haven't had a moment since. Their is so much welled up in my heart and in my head that I want to share, so we will see where this goes!
Houston was wonderful. The Girls Retreat was terrific in every way. The theme was Inside Out. It was all about Identity in Christ. The entire weekend we spoke to the girls about how this is not an issue that will be cured by coming to this retreat. It will be a day in day out battle that we must be prepared to fight. We gave them Truth from the Scriptures about who they are, we gave them practical ways they can fight the schemes of the world and let them practice together. It was an honor for me to be able to lead worship and speak at this retreat. The girls who were my seventh grade small group are now SENIORS! how about that for feeling old! But to stand on stage and look out onto the front row of girls who stuck the course....who love the Lord...who made it through High School alive in Christ....AMAZING!
Although the retreat was for the girls, we as leaders feel it was mostly for us. A reminder that it is worth it to fight the fight. As passionately we are teaching these girls about who they are and who God has made them to be....are we preach the very same to our own souls? It was so good.
After the retreat we went straight to the How Great is our GOD tour. This is a worship session lead by MATT READMAN! Chris Tomlin and Louis Giglio. We took 5 girls from the retreat with us. IT WAS OVER THE TOP! seriously...AMAZING. We went Crazy...Dancing, Flailing, Screaming, Singing...completely undignified. It was honestly like God was saying to us...do you believe I am who I say I am? Do you believe what i have said about how i have made you? You see, behind us sat the pastor of HFBC, all of the worship band/team, lots of well know HFBCers and we had to make a decision if we were going to be undignified infront of them and just let loose...and boy did we! AND SO DID THEY! it was awesome! amen.
The next morning was Church and of course, so as not to miss seeing anyone, I went to the 10:45 service and the night service. In the morning service i was overwhelmed with GODs Faithfulness. The Theme of my week was just that...His Faithfulness. His faithfulness to grow my sweet seventh grade small group to strong Seniors, His faithfulness to bring a Pastor to HFBC after years of being with out, His Faithfulness to bring me back to this place of Remembrance. I was sitting in the HFBC worship center 6 years ago and often had this thought "it can not get any better than this...seriously God there is no way You can get better than THIS" and this week i sat there and thought "You DO get better! You DO taste better! I cant believe i thought that was all....Look at all you have given me, both hardships and blessings...You have been so faithful!" AMEN!
Here are some other highlights....they are so random i have no other method than to list....
-Meeting baby Jayk! Jerrell and Kay Altic's sweet precious baby. He was wonderful. May the Lord grow Him into a passionate man of GOD.
-Meeting Keegan Sanders! Michelle and Jonathan Sanders sweet son! Can i just say he could be one of the CUTEST kids i have ever met! He is at the best age, He is getting his little personality! I cant believe i haven't seen Michelle since she became a mom! woah how time flys
-Doing the Retreat with "the OLDSCHOOL" All the leaders this year were from the old group of workers at HFBC! it was soooo fun! Jennifer Durham, Faylinn Habermehl, Natalie West, Christine Mangrum, Michelle Sanders, Jill Wise, Mama Sproul! wow it was soooooooo fun!
-Going to lunch with both Carrie Cochran AND Becky Ray Parker to "talk about missions"!
-Hanging out with my sweet aussie friend Harlie. What a delight to be around.
-Picking back up the Guitar...man i didn't know how much i missed it.
-And Last but not least.....Spending the entire time with Amy Kuntz. Aims you are such a Joy to be around, Your laughter, your Heart for Truth and your boldness in it. You ROCK...and i miss you alreadY!
So now if you have endured to the end...i love you and goodnight.

Thursday, February 01, 2007
A City of Remembrance
Houston....oh the memories. Yes, everyone I am in Houston. I am hear to lead worship at HFBC's High School Girls Retreat...and i am soooo excited! Monday I drove to Midland so that Titus could spend the week with our wonderful friends, The Barker's. This morning i got on a plane and here i sit in the living room of Amy Kuntz.
This city and the emotions that come with visiting are hard to explain, infact i am not sure if i really even understand them in full. Walking in the Airport this morning i was overcome with joy. A flood of memories began to rush my mind and fill my heart. So much happened in my life while I lived in this great city. Truth was taught to me that has forever effected me at the core of my being. Friendships made here that have such deep roots that neither time or distance will ever pull them apart. Love started here for the man who is now my husband and the most amazing one at that! The list could go on and on. I love coming to places like this. Places of remembrance. Remembrance of the Lord and His Faithfulness and nearness.
Today Amy let me take her car...so first stop....Of Course....Uptown Park Starbucks (leave me a note if you knew that answer! hehe!) This particular Starbucks was not only my place of work while living here but also a place God has revealed so many truths to me in His word and through friends. It is also the first place Vernon and I ever talked about our future, a DTR if you will. hehe!
After a nice hour drive through Houston, passing the fifth ward and the forth ward (or what is left of it) the baseball field and all of downtown, i decided it was time to head back to the one place I have so looked forward too....Houston's First Baptist Chruch. As i walked in i took a deep breath and did a little dance of excitement....even the smell is so familiar. And as i walked...there it was... the sanctuary...so many quiet times in the morning before work in one of the red chairs, so many sermons, so many songs, so many LPM Bible Studies....Remembrance of the nearness of the Lord.
All that said, I have had a great day. Walking the halls of HFBC preparing for the Retreat has refreshed my heart. The Retreat starts Friday if you think of us please Pray. I will be leading worship all the session and speaking at one of them! I am nervous/excited.
Today My prayer for you is that you would take some time to remember the Lord and His Faithfulness to you!

Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Re-entry...From Sudan to Fort Worth
One week and two days ago, my family and I arrived in the US after spending a month in Sudan, Africa. So much is running through my head that I could blog about. Today is one of the first days i can think somewhat clearly. I have a never-ending head cold that has taken up most of my mental abilities for the past week. So here i am attempting to write what has taken place in my heart and mind over the past week. I will not be offended in the least if you dont read this in full and i will apologize upfront for its randomness.
Most of you know that a great friend of my Rachelle Pichardo came with us to Sudan. She was an amazing team member. We were all so blessed to have her their. She recently blogged regarding her own reentry. I am going to copy and paste a segment of that. It sums up most of our convos while we were in Sudan and pretty much exactly what i would have written, only better.
"I think that as Americans, our first thought is to take these children to America for a "better" life...but, I learned, this is not the answer. It really isn't. What is "better" anyway? As Americans we think we have the best answers, but I learned quickly that we don't. I don't at least. These kids don't belong in America. and America is not always the best answer. These kids are so happy where they are- their life is happy; their life is good. What is best for them is for us to go to Sudan, train them to be disciples of Christ and build them to be leaders of their country to make a difference. They are coming out of decades of war...naturally, we just want to take them out of that, but that is not always the best thing. We need to make them into the best leaders possible so they can change their country for the best...these kids are already making a difference where they are and Sudan needs them...it really does. Sudan isn't just poverty, people dying, war, starvation, etc. It isn't just what you see on TV. It's a county where there is hope and a place where I see people coming together and a place I really see Christ evident. ....The experience was amazing, humbling and one that I learned so many life lessons from...one I will always keep with me. The people I met have forever changed me. The children taught me life lessons. The nation taught me more about life than I never would have imagined. I am a better person because of Sudan. "
So with this said, many of you have asked, "How can I help? What can we do? When can we go?" and to these questions I say the possibilities are endless. So many people are stuck with this longing to GO, physically, to Sudan, that quite possibly will never come to fruition. I am not trying to be a downer here, but I am getting at a point. The point is, God has placed you where you are... a mom, a student, a teacher, a business person, and made you with all kinds of abilities...song writers, artist, one who can relate with children, physical fitness, writers and hundreds of other things. So maybe you will GO, but what happens if you dont? We long for people to see that where they are and what they do is just as valuable to the kingdom as going to Sudan and ministering to orphans. In fact these two things do not have to be diametrically opposed. Here are some ways that some of our friends have used who and where they are to minister to the orphans in Sudan. We have friends who have written songs about them. We have used those songs in videos made by other friends who are good at videoagraphy. We have had friends who are writers, write blogs and articles. Rachelle has an agriculturalist friend write articles that will help the farmer that works at the orphanage. We have teachers that do units on Sudan with their class. We have moms who talk to their children about Sudan, have their children pray for them and write them letters. We have friends who work in places where God is blessing them financially and they give and give and give. We have a friend who runs and he started a website called "I run for orphans" irunfororphans.com, where people can run marathons and races to raise money and awareness for Sudan. The list is endless. So today my friends. We love you and hope you will be encouraged where you are! Sudan needs leaders for the next generation. Join us in helping this country come to know Christ!
On a lighter note...do you ever have a couple of songs you just cant stop listening too?
well for the last month mine have been "From the Inside Out", "Came to My Rescue," "None But Jesus," all from United we Stand- Hillsong United "Shine", "Thank You for Healing me" from Matt Redmans new Beautiful News. 'Glory in the Highest", from Tomlin's See the Morning
I am so into these songs, they seem to be exactly what my soul longs to sing to Our Lord. Yesterday I was in the gym running on the treadmill and i listening to these songs. Next thing I knew I opened my eyes to realized everyone was looking at me because I was running with my eyes closed and my hands in the air! I guess my heart couldn't hold back! hehe! then today I was running on the same treadmill and found myself doing sign language to Glory in the Highest so as not to belt it out loud...i am sure it looked more silly than raising my hands! haha!

Thursday, January 18, 2007
His Mercies are new Every Morning
Yesterday God's Mercies came falling, literally, from the sky. You see, yesterday was a Snow day here in Fort Worth. It might not make sense to you why snow in TX is God's mercy towards me, so let me explain. Saturday night we returned to the States from Sudan, Africa. It was an incredible journey. Sunday passed with no real issues, just rest and getting back in the swing of things. Monday morning I got up, got ready and grabbed my TO DO list I made on the last leg of our flight home. Around 11 my plans changed, I suddenly got this terrible fever, aching and soreness in my throat. So we headed home from our errands, eat some lunch, put Titus down and I laid down. At this point I was totally relying on my Iron Clad Immune System i often boast about (pride comes before a fall) but this time...it wasn't so Iron Clad. I usually can sleep off a cold in a short nap, at most a day...but not this. I am not sure what got me, but now it has Titus too. ( We like to refer to this unknown bug as ATF (african tribal funk) a phrase coined in Houston one summer by allison l. richmond. ) We made it through Monday night and with the help of my wonderful husband and roomies, we made it through Tuesday. All night long Tuesday i begged God for strength for Wednesday because everyone would have to start school (vernon and allison had first day of school and sarah would be gone teaching kindergarten) and I, with no energy, would have to care for Titus all day with no help. Titus woke at 5:30am (not unusual) excited about the day and feeling much better, I on the other hand was weak and tired. I got up and brought him in my room, he chatted my ear off for about 25 mins when suddenly Sarah appears in our door way...she says "its SNOWING! Titus come see in my window" so we got up and went and looked. We soon found out that Sarah's school was canceled, Allison's school was canceled and VERNONS SCHOOL was canceled! (well his was actually just closed because his classes don't start until today, but he was going to have to be at the school all day for various things)
So this is the story of how Gods mercies came falling, literally on me yesterday. I got to sleep and rest while the others played and cared for Titus. When you become a mom, being sick is not like it use to be.
Amen. and Amen!

Friday, January 12, 2007
Call it vanity...it wont hurt my feelings!
Hello to all my xanga friends! We are still in Africa but we are no longer in Sudan. We are staying in Kampala Uganda waiting for a ride to Etebee to fly home. I have mixed emotions, I would love to stay...but know its time to go home. After we lefted Sudan and it became a reality that we were on our way home and the next time for me to be in Africa is not in the super near future, I decided to start making a mental list of things i love in America and things i will appreciate all the more upon my return so as to not dwell on the sadness of leaving.
So i thought it would be funny to share the list with you my dear readers....some of them are really random but hopefully you will get a good laugh.
1) an Iced Grande no water Americano with a ounce of cream from our local Benbrook Starbucks ( oh and those who are worried i have an addiction...I had no known caffine headaches! isnt that awesome!)
2) Aussie 3 minute Miracle Conditioner....this 2in1 shampoo with dirty water is killing my hair! hehe!
3) Cooking/ Baking
4) Internet that is even remotely fast
5) Of Course all of our family, specificly my mom, my sister and Phyllis
6)Goble coming over
7) Rod and Jess
8) Sarah and her funny kindergarden stories
9)checking my xanga/ myspace/ facebook....yes i have all three
10) reading jackson jones blog and theologica blog and a host of others that i visit regularly
11) talks with Allison Stewart at home while doing daily things
okay i have so many more but i just looked at the time i have left on this thing and it is under 5 min. so more to come later! Love all of yoU!!!!!!
amber
check our blog if you havent been sudanskids.blogspot.com

Friday, December 22, 2006
we are here!
Hey everyone! we are here in Sudan. We have blogging away on our sudan blog so go check it out! you will not be dissappointed...oh and leave us some comments! hehe! love you all!
www.sudanskids.blogspot.com

Tuesday, December 12, 2006
5 days until our departure!
okay yall, We have a blog about our journey to Sudan. I will prob not be able to let you know when it is being updated while we are there, although i really hope i am able. SOOO please go to it, set it as your favorite and check it all the time! hehe! even if you are not a blog spot person you can still leave comments, just choose annoymous and comment away! Thanks for all the support sweet friends!
http://www.sudanskids.blogspot.com/
oh and part of our team is already in uganda and they will be blogging on there as well! enjoy!

Friday, December 01, 2006
short little update...
well i guess an update is in order. We are nearing our departure for Sudan. Less than 17 days! we are getting so excited. We started a blog that we have been posting the prayer request leading up to the journey and will have video, pics and stories while we are there. Check it out and leave some comments! http://www.sudanskids.blogspot.com/
Tommarrow we pick up Jarrett and Erin! I CANT WAIT! it is going to be such a great time! Tuesday i leave for MO. I will be in KC on Tues the 5th and (hopefully) Sunday the 10th. The rest of the time i will be stuck in King City with no car, no cellphone service, and no internet...yes i live in small town usa. SOOOO if anyone wants to meet in St. Joe or make the journey to good ol king city...just let me know!
I have been listening to the Village Podcast (as usual) and i highly recomend listening to the two sermons on gluttony. Great sermon series. I also have been greatly encouraged by lots of your blogs! I am so sorry that ive been too busy to comment. Thanks for continuing to post and comment me. You guys are so too sweet.
Have the Very Best Week!

Friday, November 24, 2006
a mother moment
This blog goes out to all the moms who read my blog. Many of you are well past the point that I am in motherhood and many of you are not far behind. I got this video via an email from my aunt Martha. I have laughed and laughed at it, mostly because Titus is entering this stage and i have a feeling we will be in it for a good 10 more years. Today i pray for each of the moms reading this, that GOD would give you great patience, abounding love and a good sense of humor!! Enjoy your children today!
Click Here for the video. ( i couldnt get it to read the HTML to put it on my page)

Monday, November 20, 2006
27 days till SUDAN!
well everyone we have 27 days until we head back to Sudan. We are so excited. Titus has been talking about it all the time! it will so fun now that he is able to remember and play and all that fun stuff! in 27 days we have so much to do so it will pass quickly.
Today we leave for midland and will be there until Wednesday
Thursday, Thanksgiving is at our house! (for the first time!)
Saturday Vernon is speaking at our Saturday Night service.
Dec 2-4 Erin & Jarrett will be here! YIPPEE!
Dec 5-11 Titus and I will be in Missouri!
Vernon has finals and then we are off December 17th!
We love each of you and hope your holiday is full of rich blessings from Our God and Savior Jesus Chirst!
If you think of us please pray as we prepare our hearts and bodies for this months stay in Sudan. Pray for Titus to adjust well and for his Traveling. Thanks!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
12:30 PM - 8 eprops - 4 comments - email it
Thursday, November 09, 2006
traditions begin!
Most of you know by now, Vernon Titus and I will be spending Christmas in Sudan. We are so excited and greatly await celebrating such a 'commercialized' holiday in a non-western land. All that said, as Chirstmas quickly approaches, i got to thinking through our tradtions that we have as a family. (see Dec 22, 2005 entry for great detail on these tradtions you will have to scroll to the bottom of the page once you hit the link) And i got so excited that i just couldnt wait another day to bring all the Christmas Cheer to our home! It is an unspoken rule to wait until Thanksgiving evening, i know i know, but we are going to miss out on 8 days in our home before Christmas so i thought i would add them on (and a little extra) to this side of Thanksgiving. I had it in my mind that i would do all of this holiday fun, yesterday so as to beat starbucks to it. (last night was the night they transform the store into a winter wonderland! so now you can enjoy your favorite Starbucks beverage in the wonderful red cup with whip cream and red sprinkles) But i decided to MOW THE YARD instead. This completely ruined the mood of winter cheer. I mean really who has to mow their yard in mid-november? So i slept on it, woke this morning, made breakfast and got vernon off to school, loaded up titus into the car and took him to Starbucks. RED, WHITE, SNOWFLAKES, TREES the land of wintery bliss was before my eyes. This reignited the excitement so we went directly home to decorate.
So although it is 80 degrees outside. our home is a winter wonderland!

Sunday, November 05, 2006
i like to think i am normal....
Hello to all my readers this fine day. My sweet friend Amanda has graciously tagged me with, "9 Weird Things Meme." To accomplish the task of fulfilling this said tag, i inlisted all who live in my house help reveal my oddities. (not that i am not aware of a multitude of them) I thought it would be fun to see what others input would do to my list. Hours of laughter and thought have gone into this silly tag and so, as a good friend would, my response to this tag is as follows....
The Nine Weird Things Meme.
Guidelines: share 9 of my personal quirks and encourage you to do the same.
Definition - meme n. A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another.
1) when i was a child i greatly enjoyed math, so i taught myself to see all numbers in some mathmatical way. So even to this very day when i look at a clock i divide the second two numbers by the first number. Ex. If it was 7:14am and you asked me what time it was, i would have to think hard not to tell you it was 2. Also along this same train of thought i, more times than not, look at the clock when all the numbers are either the same or consecutive. Ex. 4:44 or 12:34
2) I often recieve gift cards for various occations. I really like getting gift cards and quite honestly i often prefer them but there is just one problem. I dont spend them. I go to the store in which i have been given money and fret over what i should choose for the use of this gift card, and in my rediculously thrifty mind, i talk myself out of spending it because what if what i want goes on sale later after i have already used the gift card in full. Or if i do end up spending my gift cards it is always on something way practical or it is used on a gift for someone else. Ex. Last Christmas i got a gift cards for Peir One and Hobby Lobby, i found them in my wallet a couple weeks ago, both having great balances! For my birthday i got two gift cards to Target, one specifically had writen in it, "Do not use on anyone but your self" so that one has money left on it and the other went to grocreies or something of the like.
3) I enjoy baking and cooking alot, but for some reason, i ALWAYS add an ingredient or change of the reciepe. it is as if i have to make it 'mine.' I feel like i am stealing something if i just make it exacly like it says.
4) Not counting athletic shoes i only own 2 pairs of close towed shoes and one pair is from highschool. (i am counting on them coming back in style so i wont have to spend money on new ones! hehe!)
5) Since i became a blogger, i have a constant blog running in my head and often try to figure out a way to afford one of these machines that you can just talk and it types it out to you, or even better, invent something that types your thoughts! It is like my thoughts went from random, to organized well writen papers in my head on various subjects! haha! i am weird!
6) I live in the land of EST. I have 1900 Favorite things and EVERYTHING is the BEST MOST WONDERFUL THING and I have 40ish BEST FIRENDS. The weird thing about this is that I REALY do GREATLY ENJOY all the said favorite things and all the said BEST friends, i honestly dont feel like i am exagerating my feelings when i say these EST words....i dont know how not to live here! if you have help, let me know.
7) Until my move to Houston in 2001 i was completely oblivious to the idea of spending money on something for the name. I remember the culture shock when my friend danielle kindly took me to the Galaria, knowing my ignorance, and took me to shops and said, "this is kate spade" or "this is Louis Vitan" or "this is Armani". My mind was completely blown away, infact i remember the day in high school when i bought (dont laugh) a pair of 'Lucky' brand jeans and got ridiculed for spending so much money on them! oh the worlds of difference between MO and TX!
8) To qualify this odditie i will go ahead and make the WAA WAA sound from debbie downer, but by no means do i want it to be a downer... Odditie number 8 is that i have no known pet peeves. things might bother me for a brief moment but i dissmiss it. After much thought as to why this is, i have concluded this. As a young child i expericenced a lot of death and loss. From this I developed this idea that we have no way of knowing how long we will actually get to live or how long we will actually get to enjoy the people who surround us everyday. Everytime something that someone did bothered me i thought, "it might bother me now but what if i never heard them do it again?" As a teenager i greatly enjoyed Elizabeth Elliott's writtings and i came across something she wrote that put what i was thinking into words. When she was a journalist, women would write her all the time about their husbands, complaining about this or that and asking here advice. So if a woman was writing about her husbands snorring, she would simple repy, "the sweetest sound to a widows ears is the snoring of her beloved husband."
9) When ever there is a song that i really like, i connect with it on a level that is beyond explaining. it is as if i wrote it, i composed it, like it came from somewhere within me. It is really strange and everytime i try to explain it people look at me like a big WEIRDO.
So there you go 9 detailed discriptions of my weirdness....so it's your turn now. I am going to tagg some people but everyone else, please leave me some comments of your Weirdnesses as well!!!!!!
Tagg you're it.... Amanda Goble, Allison Richomond, Sarah Beard , Phyllis Daniels and John Summit

Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Happy Reformation Day
I oh so love this time of year, the fall, children in costumes, chilly breeze, colorful leaves and loads of chocolate. It is a fun and refreshing season, although everything around is dying, the trees, the grass, the potted flowers on the front porch. Death that will soon enough bring Life. Thats how life is, weeping may endure for the night, but Joy comes in the morning. This transision from death to new Life is manifested in creation all around us during the fall, winter and spring. We are reminded without death we have no Life. With out the death of Christ, no true Life exsist on earth. This 'gospel', this 'goodnews' of Life Abundant in Christ by Faith alone we are Forever greatful for.
Today we remember that 489 years ago Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenburg. Tim Challies blogged about Luthers nailing of the 95 Theses, "In so doing he struck a match, beginning a fire that quickly spread throughout Europe and throughout the world. Having become increasingly disillusioned with the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, and in particular the sale of indulgences, Luther wrote his Theses to try to begin the process of reform. While he was unable to bring reform to the church, he did trigger the Protestant Reformation by rediscovering the Gospel - the good news of salvation by grace through faith. The Reformation had profound influence in politics, art, literature and theology - while it was at its heart a Christian movement, it impacted all areas of society. That seemingly insignificant act is, in reality, one of the defining points of history. It is a shame that the day has largely been forgotten in favor of what is now the year's most popular day, Halloween (Halloween is, after all, one of the few holidays that our society can celebrate without shame and without feeling politically incorrect). "
Enjoy this day of Fun, Dress up and Get Lots of Candy....and Praise the Lord for Reformation Day!
amen!

Friday, October 20, 2006
GOOOO CARDS!
GO CARDS!!!!!!!!!

does it get any better than beltran getting struck out!!!!!
what a game!

Saturday, October 14, 2006
does fall exsist in texas?
Does fall exsist in texas?.... I mean it exsist in theory but the more i talk with texans i find that this (what we are experiencing here in fortworth) is what many of them think fall to be. I am having a hard time calling this fall, i mean isnt fall supose to be in the 40's or below and drizzley? as i have mentioned in previous posts, vernon and i recently visited Minnesota. As the plane began its desent we made our way below the clouds and bursting forth from the earth were thousands of shades of yellows, oranges, reds and greens. I got so giddy i could hardly stay in my chair. it was then i realized i had not had a true Fall in four years. Yep four years i have spent in this great state..Texas. and to that i will say i do love it...but in the fall i will admit....it is lacking.
Soooo in my frustration, i took it upon my self yesterday to demand it to be fall. I sat out to bring a little color to our Fort Worth Fall...Even if it was going to be 80 or 90. So i went and bought pumkins....scrumaged through our garage.....did some baking and came up with this..

and you will never guess what happend next.... I went to sleep last night excited about the fall and thankful for having a home to do fall like things in. When i woke up, i got out from under my covers and to my excitement....IT WAS CHILLY! and outside it was even drizzling! YIPPEE!
Thank YOU GOD for SEASONS.

Thursday, October 12, 2006
even if

God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
psalm 46:1-2

Driving home today from getting titus's vaccinations for Sudan, we listened to his Scripture memory CD (the one he walks around holding and saying "these are my Scriptures!" or if they are not on at anytime he says, "I want to hear my Scriptures mommy!" hahaha it is funny) #6 we always turn up loud and sing. The words are the ones i typed above. The first time i heard the CD this one stuck out to me. I have heard this vearse so many times but for some reason when i heard this chior of children sing it, it went deep, penetrating a part of my faith that wanted to sing loudly along with the children...EVEN IF the mountians crumble I will not fear. YOU LORD are with me. So i released my faith to sing. Lord EVEN IF.
These are Words i want Titus to stand on for the rest of his life. I want him to go to the places no one will go inorder that the Gospel be Spread, if that is what it takes. Even if...Tonight that is my prayer for Titus and our entire family. Even If Lord, we will not fear....You are our protection and our Strength.

on a lighter note. thanks to all who prayed for Titus's shots today...they went as well as it can go. He is doing great, no super high fever so far. amen.
if you dont already frequent Justin Taylors blog....check it out...it is great.
and here is a link to a great fresh word from Piper.

and to keep you coming back i ve been pondering a lot of things i ve confronted with lately about postmodern ideas creeping into our teaching of the scriptures. one being "relationships/friendships trump Truth" that is a scary place but it is everywhere.....more to come someday....

Currently ListeningHermie and Friends "Scripture Memory Songs"psalm 46:1-2see related

Monday, October 09, 2006
another goal complete
well friends. i finished. it was so fun and unfortunately i think i might be addicted. we will see.
here are some fun photos from the days events. I finished in 1hr 54 min. my goal was just to finish, i had no time goal, but in my head i had figured i would take about 2hr 35min so i was SOOOOO excited that i finished under 2hrs!
well there you go i guess you could say i am now a TRIATHLETE!
Thanks to everyone who came out and cheered me on! You guys are GREAT!

"....The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with JOY!"

Friday, October 06, 2006
run. bike. swim.
33 1/2 hours until my very first TRIATHOLON!
run bike swim. die.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006
a new nephew
well he has arrived! this is our wonderful new nephew. Gabriel Kyle.
Titus calls him Baby Gabe

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Psalm 127:3-4
amen.

Monday, October 02, 2006
...all other ground is sinking sand
i am filled to over flowing....literally. i have so much to say and completly nothing will come. so i will write merely on what i have been doing, in hopes that Truths will come out....
Vernon and I got the privilige of attending the Desiring God National Conference in Minneapolis MN.

Dr. David Wells, Voddie Baucham, Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, D.A. Carson and John Piper were the speakers. It was addressing the post modern movement and Chirst Supremacy with in it. Each of you if you should download all the messages. It would be very helpful to you as we fight for Truth in our world. Each message will be online for free by mid-week.
Meeting us at the confrence were great friends of ours and this more than doubled our Joy! As we grew in depth of knowlege and understanding of our Savior Jesus Christ, we laughed, talked, walked, ate and enjoyed the sweet community of deep friendship.

Zack, Nate and Danny....i know you dont do xanga...but just in case...Vernon and I are so blessed to have you as our friends. We are excited about all that God is doing in your hearts!
seriously. download the messages. you will be challenged and blessed.

Currently ReadingWhat Jesus Demands from the World: Thoughts on the Infinite Value of Jesus' Absolute AuthorityBy John Piper

Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Fall in St. Louis...
Well friends, if anyone is out there (and judging by the comments....two of you are).... I am writing to day to express my love for Missouri. I know, I know, in some of my other posts i have expressed my love for DFW, Africa, Colorado, ect. and to that i must argue that one can enjoy more than one place. (to all you Texans i know this is a hard thing to grasp) So, my friends, this one goes out to MO.
Titus and I spent the last 4 days in St. Louis soaking up family, nice weather and alot of my faviorite things such as...
60-80 degree weather all September long.
cold raining days
panara's that are still St. Louis Bread Co.
Free Museums that all rank in the nations best!
the Rivers. the arch. the STL skyline.
Cards fans
the STL Zoo.
REI
the Hill
Trader Joe & Whole Foods
Dave & Danielle Kuntz
Brooksy & Harmony
We had the best time, we really did. Vernon's family spoiled us! We went to the Magic House (hands on museum for birth to 10) the Zoo, Red Robin, The Science Center and we played and played! thank you steph, robyne and katie...we had so much fun!

Thursday, September 07, 2006
the lighter side
well appearently not many like to comment when one shares the deep stuff of life, so this will be on the lighter side....
today i accomplished a goal i have had for a long time now. Today i swam one mile! yippee! 32 laps! It might not sound like a very big accomplishment to you but for me it was lots of work and training. I am training for a triatholon that is a little over a month away. I've yet takin' a liking for running, nor does running like me all that well....so i have over trained on swimming and biking to some how prepare myself for the silly run at the end. The Triatholon is in October....so one more month of beating my body to ready my speed....so i wont run like a man running aimlessly ( in addition to the scriptures i think i have heard that before....jonas anyone?).
many of you know my favorite podcast is the Village podcast. today i was scrolling through some of the sermons i missed while we were traveling this summer. I scolled upon one titled Ambassadors for Christ on 7/23/06 it was not Matt Chandler (the pastor of the Village) so for a change up i listened....Thank you Lord for this devine listening session. I am asking you, dear reader, if you have never gone to any link i have ever posted, please let this be your first. it is well worth your time and effort to listen. It is by Afshin Ziafat, whom many of you have heard before. This podcast is well worth anyones time to subscribe and tune in regularly.
well my cousin Rob came out with some new music....you should check it out it is shall i say....amazing. http://www.myspace.com/robertgriffinlowe the two newest are Mr. Delaney and a Currimnavigation....both very enjoyable. check it out.
well thats all my lighter side.
live today. laugh today. love today.

Sunday, August 27, 2006
resolve.
it has been a while since i have posted anything other than silly pics and task oriented surface posts. so i have much stored in my thoughts to share and now that our life is somewhat in order again for the first time in months....maybe i will will have some time here and there to bounce thoughts and ideas off of you, my sweet readers. On my birthday post i mentioned that i love to journey through the year that has past by reading though my journal each birthday. I love doing this...it refreshes my heart and encourages my soul. It reminds me of my utter dependence on the LORD for life, breath and movement. This year a certain word/idea reoccurred ever so often.... RESOLVE. i found that many entries read ".....and so I resolve today to..." or had a direct implication of making a conscience decision to choose to obey...to choose joy, to choose to believe GOD, to choose to trust....so my friends, here are a few examples
2/16/06 (Vernon in Sudan after the breaking of Peace agreement, i hadnt heard from him since he arrived...i was reading ps. 116 that day) ..."today i am challenged and reminded that to You ,Lord, Death is a Joy, 'Precious' you call it when a saint is choosen by you for their life to end. So Lord I resolve, as best as i know how, to say no matter what happens to Vernon ..."Precious is death" and like v.17 offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on you name.
11/05/05 (vernon left for sudan) I realize that today could be the last day Titus and I see Vernon again....but i choose to say May YOUR name go forth no matter your sovereign plan.
7/3/06 (vernon in Sudan, we are in a new town and new house) "Vernon is in Sudan and again Lord I see where my security lies...i see where my trust really is...in the arms of Vernon. so again I say to you, thank you for revealing this idol in my heart and beg forgiveness. You are the only arms worthy of full trust for life, for security and safety....so today i resolve in my heart like the song "whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say...It is well with my Soul"
these are just a few specific times but all though this years entries i found my self battling cultural lies and having to take every thought captive in obedience with Christ. I read entries that were a result of not taking my thoughts captive....anger, fear,bitterness and hurt that all resulted from not making my thoughts obedient to Christ, aligning my thoughts to his command to Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart soul mind and strength and Love your neighbor as yourself. I mean for me, if i test my thoughts and align them with this truth virtually all anger bitterness and hurt is resolved and life is abundant....it is when i let the thoughts go too far that seeds of mistrust and bitterness begin to grow. So I found I must RESOLVE in my heart to Choose JOY to Choose TRUST to Choose to BELIEVE the TRUTH and not the lies.
I have recently been studying Daniel though an awesome Beth Moore Study and one of the Lessons was on this Word RESOLVE! i was laughing at the specific word usage and how GOD had been speaking this to me all year, pointed it out to me in my Journal entries, then this Bible Study. thank you God for continually reminding me to capture my thoughts.
As i was thinking about Resolve i was drawn to the Psalms of David and how often he "preached to his soul." He consciously decided with in his trials to turn his mind towards Truth and Resolve in his heart to believe it.
What about you....do you "preach to your soul" or Resolve in your heart to believe and what does that look like?

Currently ReadingDaniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of ProphecyBy Beth Mooresee related

Friday, August 11, 2006
we are in Midland
hello all and thank you for all your wonderful birthday wishes...you are too sweet. I had soooooooo much fun at my 80's party.....pictures will come. I cant really write alot right now but i just wanted all to know we were in Midland. So all you midlandites...keep your eyes out for the burgers.
we love you all.

Currently ReadingDaniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of ProphecyBy Beth Mooresee related

Friday, August 04, 2006
the eve of my birth...
well tonight is the eve of my birth, yes its true, 26 years ago tommarrow, i was brought into the world weather the world was ready for me or not. all i can say is that i cant imagine a better life. The Lord has saved me out of the Pit, shown me grace and mercy, given me LIFE and called me HIS own. from no credit of my own, He has given me an amazing GOD fearing Husband and a beautiful busy boy. He has given me friends beyond measure and a life time of treasured up memories. Thank you LORD. Every year i love to read through old journals seeing where the LORD has taken me (and now my family). I hope to start that tonight after the little one goes to bed. I have a feeling that this year, as was last years, will be filled with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, hurts and healings. May GOD recieve all the GLORY.
insert funny story:
i have to admit i was having a bit of a problem with turning 26...it is silly i know but its been a tough turn....so i was talking with GOD one morning this week telling Him how silly this is and how i want badly to be thankful for another year of life...i left that conversation excited about being older...vernon titus allison and i went to starbucks, pretty much straight out of bed, allison (who if you dont know is 20 and looks very much like ken to me) just happens to get the same amazing drink as i do, an ice americano with no water (or easier said 3 shots of esspresso on ice) as the lady handed me my drink she smiled had small talk and proceeded to make allisons. as she handed allisons her drink she took a double take and asked if she was my DAUGHTER!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH! so i laughed as i looked to hevean and said yes Lord i will remain thankfull for aging! so the next day allison and I are in Lifeway...dressed just about exaclty the same (not on purpose it just happens) a lady asked us about a biblestudy to do so we quickly took her to the secion of Living Proof/Beth Moore studies. as we chatted awhile we both laughed as we did so the lady asked....are you guys mother daughter? AHHHHHHHHH!!! so amen i say again to aging....i guesss! haha!
Tommarrow Vernon, Sarah, Allison and Justin are putting together a Gamenight/ 80's Party in honor of my birth. so if you are in the DFW area....dont miss it....and this IS your invitation! you are not going to want to miss it!
LIVE. LAUGH. LOVE.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006
three years agotoday is our anniversary and can i just say.....i am the most blessed woman in the world. i have the most amazing husband. Thank you Lord for your goodness to me.

Saturday, July 29, 2006
Still in Denver
well, the project is offically over. We are one day from making the long trip home. I can not express how wonderful it has been to be here, to be apart of all that GOD did and is doing in this city. It has been refreshing and healing to be around and minister with some of our most precious friends and mentors. To be trusted by them to be such a big part in this project has healed a part of our hearts we didnt know needed healed. amen. I love it when God reminds us that He sees our hearts WAY clearer than we can.
We were the lodging site coordinators (which means nothing to those of you who have never been apart of Houston or st.l project) but in short we were the point people for all the students and student pastors who lodged at CBC. We were so excited when we found out that the Caldwell's were going to be staying at our sight! We had so much fun. I love being around that family...and titus had soooooooooo much fun with the kids. here are some pics...

i still cant get over how much they are all grown up but i love who they have become and who they are becoming. We are excited aobut Titus and Noah growing up in the Lord, maybe someday they will be ministering together!
I have so many stories from this trip that i know i will share, i cant quit running them all over and over in my head. But for now, i must go clean up so we can spend the day and night with Stephenie and Jimmy Combs!!!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!
LIVE. LAUGH. LOVE.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006
somewhere in Kansas...
well a little shout out to all of my kansas friends....we are on our way to Denver and stopped in Hays Kansas. aka land of no starbucks. I am so excited about going to Denver. We are being the Site Leaders at one of the Sites at the first ever Denver Project. (for those of you familiar with the Houston Project....pretty much the same only it is only run by Global Encounters and Missouri Baptist Conv.) It will be awesome because we will be working along side some of our dearsest friends and mentors. I can not wait! I hope to keep you all updated along the way.
Well i have noticed the comments slowly dropping off and for the sake of my own self-esteme i think i will choose to assume everyone is just busy and enjoying life....so enjoy on and if you get some time...drop me a comment. hehe!
LIVE. LAUGH. LOVE.

Monday, July 17, 2006
i know i know you are never going to believe this.........but its true.......
VERNON GOT A XANGA! yippee...you should check it out...subscribe...i promise it will be worth it!
vernonburger
peace

Saturday, July 15, 2006
a bit of sudan
vernon is home! yippee and amen. not much time to write is just wanted to let you know he was home and share with you this fun video. many of you often ask what it is like at the orphanage....well here you go....and in the middle is our head farmer who is in charge of seeing that the orphans is well fed year round. the children got some new clothes...thanks to many of you. amen. enjoy.
love yall! hope that made you smile!
this is a video of vernon in sudan and some men from midland. if you know much about what is going on in sudan...this is amazing. if not....just pray with them.
here is a quote from the stonegate blog....
We spent most of the day at a graduation ceremony for military officers from a training school in Yei. The President of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir, was the keynote speake,r so the security was very heavy. It was extremely surreal due to that fact.Today was almost an out of body experience for me. The surroundings were so unfamiliar to my mind at time it seemed like a dream. Everyone in this place except us had been personally touched by decades of civil war. It was a bit haunting at first and then President Kiir began to speak about the peace that had come to Sudan. He was very honest about many problems that still exist, such as oil payments to the South from the Northern government, territorial boundary disputes, corruption in some local southern government offices, and tribal communication barriers that lead to mistrust. Though he spoke of problems you could also sense his optimism that these problems can be solved through peaceful means by engagement of arbitrators and foreign governments to lobby on behalf of fairness and equity. He spoke of the upcoming vote for autonomy for the South.The team began to pray for these people who need God’s direction, leading, and healing for their land and their souls. Lift prayers for Sudan up to God asking Him for His perfect and loving will to be done in this land these people that long for the Lord to sing over them.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006
i can smell Him
I sit here overwhelmed with the GOODNESS of our GOD. wow. tonight i sit in a room with some of my favorite people, (who happen to live with us) listening to songs about our LORD, the one who Saved us. Songs that have led us to read, to laugh, to recall, to reflect, to lift our hands, drink some coffee, play guitar and to write. AMEN. may OUR GOD be praise in our home each day. I love just 'being' with believers. To just 'be' with ones who are lovers of GOD. amen.
since i last wrote, i went to Houston over the fourth. That day sarah, allison and i decided to go, and i will say this: as always, it was water to my thirsty soul. Thank you Lord for great friends, great memories, and great fun. I got to take Titus to some of the sweet places our Lord met sweetly with me and talk to titus about these places. I love going to places where smells and sounds bring you back to significant moments. Like the Sanctuary @ HFBC. like Woodhaven deaf church. and like Uptown Park Starbucks. We got to fellowship into the night with more of my favorite people and new friends that the Spirit so quickly connected us. Amy, Alison, Carrie, Sarah, Harley, Michelle, CM, the Altics, Brandon, Roger and so many more....may the Lord bless you richly. amen.
the night i came home i drove to dallas to see a great friend jon summitt...always a blessing bro. can i just say "you me staring contest NOW!" hehe! then titus and i stayed the night in Dallas with my amazing cousin Caroline. Oh how the Lord has given me such a great family! we stayed up into the night like when we were little, giggles and all. then the next morning we went to pick up my parents from the airport. it was wonderful being with them. again i will say, GOD has blessed me tremendously. We headed to Austin for the weekend because my cousin was getting married. The wedding was fun, lots of old faces and sweet family. I got to meet Micheal Muller who is incredible. (check out is site his photos are amazing) i think titus might have a new best friend! (but no bff so dont worry molli) Sunday I went to "hope in the city" it was a great experince to which i hope to write more later. After church we went to my Dads grave. It was titus's first time. i thought it would be differnt than it was. not much to write about that yet either. So that leads us to today in which i took my family back to airport and now i am back at home, telling you my life, hoping that in some crazy way GOD brought you joy though my rambling.
I realize this is mostly just telling my comings and goings....but soon the thoughts that surround these many journeys will come to your inbox and maybe you will read them and maybe not....but in the mean time....tell me....do you have places that you love to go back to remember GOD's closeness to you? do share.

Friday, July 07, 2006
hello everyone....if you havent been checking out vernons blog....check it out....its great. SUDANO6 i went to houston and now my parents are here in FTW and we are off to Austin for my cuz's wedding! yippee! I will try to write more tonight....if not...check you next week!
peace out.

Monday, July 03, 2006
just thought i would update everyone on vernon in Sudan. i havent heard from him by phone or email, but they did update the blog. You can check it out at SUDAN06 . They are in Sudan and all the travel was great. amen.
As for Titus and I, we are doing well. today has been the best day so far. The first two were rather rough. but titus finally got some good sleep last night, so this morning we went to the YMCA and to Starbucks. When we got home we did some Praise Dancing to DaveCrowderBand then we painted. Now he is in his nap, the first one since vernon left that he did not scream cry. amen and amen.
for Vernon & Adam in Sudan and Titus & I here in TX, please pray Colosians 1:11 . The Lord gave me this verse to pray for the leaders at SGF youth camp and it keeps coming back up. this morning i came across it again and so i am praying it for vernon & adam, for the FBCI campsters and for my household! (and lord i pray this for all who read this as well) "May you be strengthened with power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy..."
amen.

Friday, June 30, 2006
a quiet night...
woah. tonight as i sit in bed, reflecting and typing, i am overwhelmed with thankfulness, joy and exhaustion. oh yes, these feelings can tri-exists....believe me. We have had a full house since the day we got home from St. Louis, and by full i mean, me vern titus justin allison sarah and for five days jessica and rodney. each night friends joined the fun for dinner and fellowship....i love our life.
I dropped Vernon off at the airport today, he is going to be in Sudan until July 15. after i hugged him, we kissed, he told titus good bye and i buckled titus into the car seat. i sat in the drivers seat and as i pulled away i watched my husband enter the airport, knowing it could be forever my last glance. i treasured that moment in my heart and thanked GOD that I have a husband who loves and fears the Lord. then suddenly i was overwhelmed with pure exhaustion. I didnt even know for sure if i could drive....it was hilarious! i then realized that i had been pretty much ignoring my exhastion for some time now. so tonight sarah, titus and i just hung out, i went for a jog and then had a quiet evening of starbucks and pei wei. amen for quiet evenings.
May God be Glorified through our family, while we are separated. May the southern Sudanese be enriched by vernon's fellowship and may our home, even while he is away, be a safe place for people to come lodge, laugh and rest.
amen.

Currently ReadingBecoming Conversant with the Emerging Church : Understanding a Movement and Its ImplicationsBy D. A. Carsonsee related

Saturday, June 24, 2006
oh the places you'll go....
I love my life. Thank you Lord for the Life you have given me.
so we moved to Fort Worth less than two months ago and in that time we have been to Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis MO, Louisville KY, Laguna Beach FL, and back to Midland. We have driven COMPLETELY though Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Oklahoma. And our summer isnt over yet. Vernon leaves for Sudan next Friday, Titus and I are going to Austin and Midland, and when Vernon returns we are going to Denver for a week. All the while, vernon's been working, the Thatchers came to visit, the Barkers took us to the zoo, justin and alli came, our BFF Molli celebrated her last day of class with us, we met up with old friends who live here, Harley our great Aussie friend come up from h-town, our sweet friend from Chicago are here with us right now, my parentals and sister are coming to visit, hopefully a dinner or two with our dear friend John Summit, wonderful Sarah lives with us, Justin might stay here for a while until he finds a house....and oh the great alison stewart shall be joining the fun soon after.
I love this. just rereading this makes my heart so happy. I love people, i love places and i love the connections GOD brings between both people and places. I love that LIFE is not about our privacy or our ablity to predict the next day.
Today is Titus's SECOND birthday...we bought him his first mini board, in hopes that he will one day fullfill my life long dream of being a skater/surfer. hehe! He has already recieved a lot of great gifts, but today he will get his board and helmet and a radio flyer tricycle with a dumpable cart on the back! Life is fun. Being Two is awesome. He is able to connect ideas and thoughts, communicate with both adults and children, climb on anything, get into anything, play in the water, go on hikes and adventures and dance like a mad man! we pray all day as we play, he says, "thank you God for grass, or thank you God for my toys," and we are starting scripture memory....i really cant believe all that a child can comprehend. AMEN. To GOD be the GLORY. or as titus says "praise yord!"
we love you all. enjoy your life, may LIFE be in Abundance to you in Christ.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006
home sweet home.
hello to everyone...man i am tierd....but i will persevere so that all those xanga fans of mine wont be wondering if i fell off the face of the earth. hehe.
we just got back from our trip to st. louis and then on to Louisville. we had a great time celebrating titus's and our nephew ladan's second birthday. we partied like rock stars of course, need you doubt? i admit i was a bit surprised, Louisville is shockingly wonderful and beautiful. it is now in my top fav cities list (if that actually exited it would make it i am sure). No one ever told me the Ohio river was so amazing. I mean i thought a river was a river since where i grew up we had the Mississippi and the Missiouri. not to mention i have seen the Nile and the Yei river....so i am not really sure what struck me about the Ohio, but it was breath taking. amen.
here are two of my fave pics.... both breathtaking to me. i hope they spur you into our Creator....

praise the Lord. amen.

Sunday, June 11, 2006
So i could be a LIFER! I LOVE CAMP!
We just returned from SGF Camp in Laguna Beach FL. It was amazing. The Students were great. I was challenged, stretched, ecouraged and loved. The Lord did alot of healing in my heart...AMEN! oh and the last night we had a service on the beach...amazing. and after the service....PAUL WRIGHT was a suprise concert! ahh! it was wonderful! here are some pictures.....i hope to have some more very soon.
YES TYLER DODDS BAND. Thank you.
Travis Crimm....thank you for listening to the Lord and Preaching the TRUTH!
Okay....imagine....camp Rec. on the BEACH!!!! o my it was sooo fun!
all the other rec was at the pool....
this is a game we played late one night on the beach...each team had a bucket of glow stick and had to retreave all of their color of glow sticks...it was GREAT!
well more very soon....must sleep now.
GO MAVS!

Friday, June 02, 2006
Summer Fun....and more to come!
Ahh, Springfield, i do so love that place. But our fun did not stop there. we traveled up to Kansas City to Brooksy's wedding...it was beautiful. simple. perfect.
ladies and gentlement........Micheal and Harmony Brookshire! yippee!
In 2002 Vernon and I lead up the Missions Intership at HFBC and it was the best summer of our lives. Those interns are forever our closest friends and life long sojorners. We love them soooo much...anyway...we had a reunion, because brooksy's wedding is the last of all of us...(except katy). We had the best time.
We went to the wedding (well mostly all of us were in it in some way or another) then we all went to the plaza (minus brooksy and harmony of course).
we played in the park at the plaza after eating some Uno's pizza... we talked and played in the grass with titus (and the fountain but keep it on the dL!) we are all married! i can not believe it! God has blessed us so much as a group. amen.
Sunday we went to Angela's dad's church in Liberty. it was great. while sitting in the in the pews with all of these precious friends, being the mother hen of the bunch, i couldnt help but cry out of joy and thankfullness to the Lord! after church we had a bbq at angelas parents house.

Well thats about it for now. Tommarrow we head to SGF High School camp, then we are back for 2or3 days and head to STL & Louisville! YIPPEE FOR SUMMER!

oh i forgot...i just got a unrelased song from switchfoot's up coming cd...o yes...i love them.

Thursday, May 25, 2006
The Places God Shows Himself
Well many of you know, Vernon, Titus and I are on our way to Kansas City to our sweet friends wedding. In Route, we decided to spend a couple of days in Springfield, MO. We are having the best time. We are staying with Sarah and Andrew Beard, which in itself is a barrell of fun!
As we drove around Springfield my heart welled with Joy. Vernon and I talked about how important for us it is to tell of the many things GOD has done for us and to take our children to the very places in which GOD did these things. Not because the place is any thing special to many others but it is a place where GOD showed HIMSELF to us. All through the Old testament, the people are building alters to the Lord or monuments so that everytime they past by, they would tell the stories to their children and their children's children.
Although Titus is a little young, this trip showed us how much we want to do this. Yesterday we took Titus to Barnes & Nobles on Battlefield. This place was a spiritual refuge for me and many of my closest friends while in college. It was a sweet time for me to just sit at our table and just remember and tell stories of all I learned from GODS word in this place. We then traveled out to Springhill Baptist Church, the church i attended while at SBU and the place we got married: the drive, the smell, the parking lot- boy the memories that fled in. Then we went to Panera where we met Dave Myers. Dave Myers was my college pastor who saw something in me that I never saw. He believed in me and invested his life into me and so many others. I went to Africa for the first time with him leading it. He taught every week like it was his last, boy i am blessed to know this man. He also performed Vernon and I's wedding. So Panera and Dave together...it was just about more than i could handle!
so many of you might think this is a bit silly, but my challenge this week is to think about times that GOD was so near to you....places He revealed Himself to you and share with others the goodness of GOD! and share with me if you wish! yippee SPRINGFIELD!

Sunday, May 14, 2006
lots of randomness in my brain
good morning, afternoon or night, which ever one suites you well.
Today is mother's day and I infact am a mother on this lovely mother's day. Being a mother is great, nothing as i ever expected. (i always invisioned my children as being teenagers sitting around the table chatting with me, not toddlers with funny sayings and dirty pants) But i love it. Today a man prayed at church, and in his prayer he prayed out of James that God said if we ask for wisdom He will give it....Wow what a blessing for a mother. So often, well EVERYDAY i need wisdom. i NEED wisdom.
For mothers day this year vernon won the husband of the year award that he was ooh so shooting for by buying us Ballroom dancing lessons....Five of the to be excact!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT! I AM SOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!
On a different note, life in Fort Worth is great. We are having so much fun. We go to the park almost everyday, play outside in the water, visit friends and drive around the city finding all sorts of more fun things to do. It is a bit ironic to me that i live here. in Fort worth that is. My life has come full circle, if you will, in twenty years. Twenty years ago this Wednesday, my dad past away, leaving us fatherless, which caused us to move from this great city in which i was born, to Missouri my mothers home land, and somehow in GODs great providince He saw fit to bring me back here, fort worth, married and a mother for such a time as this. and may it be just that....Such

Monday, May 08, 2006
We have Arrived
Well, its official, we live in THE MetroPlex. I have to say it is living up to ALL of my many expectations. A quick run down on our first week here….

Sweet good byes with our COM group at the Barkers…WE MISS YALL SOO MUCH!
A late night road trip with Ashley! (we must do it again soon!)
Eric, Ashley, Sarah, Vernon, Titus and I tripping over boxes while we figure out where they are to be.
Eric and Vernon building bookcases and shelves….What good men!
coldstone 3 times!
Lots of trips to SUPER TARGET! (one of my deep loves, I mean starbucks and target in the same building….seriously)
Unpacking boxes
Unpacking more boxes
Unpacking more boxes….since when is it okay to have so much STUFF! AHHGG!
Sweet visits from friends.
Andrea and Eric….thanks for coming over and putting everything in our drawers...and for loving ice cream with me and sarah!
Amanda and baby Jackson….thanks for your help and for driving all the way to FTW to help us!
Tanuj and Christie…thanks for the chats and laughter.
Titus’s transition to a “big boy bed” (still in progress but doing great)
TWO oh yes count them TWO Yankees vs Rangers games in Arlington!
Frist Baptist Church Irving- the Jones’ and the Durahms AND Danielle G!
Excitement because we found out Krissy (Nix) Bolin lives here!
Joining the YMCA to work off the Coldstone!
Going to the Library to use the internet because our internet is not working yet
Sarah has deemed this metroplex as “the promise land” so stay tuned to her xanga for more details!
I have to go for now but pics will come. I oh so miss this xanga land and as soon as our internet is up and going I will be back. Until then….
Go enjoy some ice cream with your best friends….and tell me all about it.

Friday, April 21, 2006
on the move.
well most of you know, vernon, titus and I are moving to Fort Worth May 1st, so needless to say we have been crazy busy packing, going to breakfast/lunch/dinner with friends, seeing people for the last time for a while, saying goodbye, reflecting on our time in Midland, and all the while, vernon still working, me still taking care of the house, bills and our precious son. So all that said, my xanga entries might be scarce but i do read my subscriptions daily and enjoy each of your entries. They have encourage, enlightend and refreshed my soul in this busy time. thank you.
My wonderful Sister-in-Law now has a xanga... and i highly recomend you frequent her xanga phylldaniels as often as you are able. As for sister-in-law's i think i win the contest of having the best one of all times. Vernon and his sister Phyllis are very close in age and very close in heart. They have an amazing relationship that i am so blessed to have joined. anyway, her latest blog is great...go to it, respond.
She talks about how she watched a movie, one she has seen before only this time it touched her soul in a different way. It challenged her to think through where she is in her life, and i think you would all benifit from reading it.
okay so answer me this....what has made you laugh So hard that you were almost or actually were in tears lately....if you havent lately....Go out, hang with friends and have a great time!

Saturday, April 15, 2006
ummm...you'll have fun if you give it a try!
alright well, i have this friend who did this and it was sooo funny, and then my sweet house mate got impatient filled it out before me so i decieded i ought....so i got to thinking of everyone from Michael W Smith to Snoop and how funny it would be ....but as always i landed on the life long fave. oh yeah since 1997 baby!!
GO CALIFORNIA ROCK MUSIC!
Choose a band/artist and answer only in titles of their songs: Switchfoot it is.
1. Are you male or female: Concrete Girl
2. Describe yourself: Meant to Live
3. How some people feel about you: Golden
4. How you feel about yourself: Learning to Breathe
5. Exboyfriends/girlfriends: Innocence again
6. Current crush: on fire
7. Describe where you want to be: the economy of mercy
8. Describe how you live: Life and Love and Why
9. Describe how you love: something more
10. What would you ask for if you could be granted one wish: You already take me there
11. Words of wisdom:living is simple
12. General Advice: the shadow proves the sunshine
13. Favorite pickup line: (you're) More than fine...
14. If that doesn't work: I got a company Car...
15. Now say goodbye: Dont be there
soooo..... tag youre it!

Monday, April 10, 2006
Have we ever desired anything else?
so my last entry sparked many friends to think of the things our Almighty GOD allows them to enjoy...and i must say...my heart has been so encouraged by each of you. Thank you for sharing. what spurred the previous entry was remembering a quote by cs lewis a friend gave me while in college. soooo here is the quote.
This is from pages 145-147 of the problem of pain, Lewis isspeaking spicifically on Heaven...I think you will enjoy this... "You may think that there is another reason for our silence aboutheaven-namely, that we do not really desire it. But that may be an illusion.What I am now going to say is merely an opinion of my own without theslightest authority, which I submit to the judgment of better Christians andbetter scholars than myself. There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. You may have noticed that thethings you really love are bound together by a secret thread. You know verywell what is the common quality that makes you love them, Though you cannotput it into words: But most of your friends do not see it at all, and oftenwonder why, liking this, you should also like that. Again, you have stoodbefore some landscape, which seems to embody what you bave been looking for all your life; and then turned to the friend at your side who appears to be seeing what you saw-but at the first words a gulf yawns between you, and yourealize that this landscape means something totally different to him, that heis pursuing an alien vision and cares nothing for the ineffable suggestion bywhich you are transported. Even in your hobbies, has there not always beensome secret attraction which the others are curisously ignorant of-something,not to be identified with, but always on the verge of breaking through, thesmell of cut wood in the workshop or the clap-clap of water against theboat's side?" Are not all lifelong friendships born at the moment when atlast you meet another human being who has some inkling (but faint anduncertain even in the best) of that something which you were born desiring,and which, beneathe the flux of other desires and in all the momentarysilences between the louder passions, night and day, year by year, fromchildhood to old age, you are looking for, wathching for, listening for? Youhave never had it. All the things that have ever deeply possessed your soulhave been but hints of it-tantalising glimpses, promises never quitefulfilled, echoes that died away just as they caught your ear. But if itshould really become manifest-if there ever came an echo that did not dieaway but swelled into the sound itself-you would know it. Beyond allpossibility of doubt you would say "Here at last is the thing I was made for."We cannot tell each other about it. It is the secret signature of eachsoul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want, the thing we desired beforewe met our wives or made our friends or chose our work, and which we shallstill desire on our deathbeds, when the mind no longer knows wife or friendor work. While we are, this is. If we lose this, we lose all."
well i hope you enjoyed this quote. love each of you and cherish your friendship.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006
you have stirred my soul
***edit** i forgot to tell yall that chris tomlin covered john abels song on the new passion cd and john abel is in my family! i am sooo happy for him!
it is amazing to me that as Christians God has given us all things... meaning that, in all things we can find God, we can find Christ because by Him and though Him all things were and are made. so i have been thinking alot about this lately and my misconceptions of what is good and note worthy and what is evil and ludicrous.
so the last two weeks i have been pondering something again in my heart that has been there for some time...that is the stirring in my soul that certain sounds, certain songs, certain paintings and even certain people make. i mean maybe you can relate....you hear a song and even if the words say nothing of your heart, still your heart jumps out of your being and bears its all. or you see a painting, hang out with a buddy...etc. i laughed alot about this this week as i thought more of it.... here are some things that made me smile....
the fact that when i hear "behind these hazel Eyes" by kelly clarckson, as much as i want to hate it, something draws me in and i enjoy it immensely. infact if you drove up beside me on the road as i was singing it in my car you would think i was recording the actual music video or something! HAHA! or take howie day collide for instance. again as much as i would love to forget that i know that song...everytime it is on it is like a melody of my heart is being amplified or something. Now obviously, being a musician things like this happen alot...like....i have to admit sometimes i think jon forman reads my journal, because more than once a switchfoot song has come out and i search my journal seeing if they tore out my page of thought (oh dont get me wrong they make my writing look like elementry but you get the point) or when i hear the track i have mentioned on the "currently listening" section and it is as if my heart wrote it....
or when i walk in to a Mark Rothco exhibit and my breath is taken away.
or when i hang with a friend ive not seen in a long time...example...at my friend stephs wedding i saw my sweet friend moe, and it was like Christ himself filling my inner most parts with refreshment.
soooo my friends today....do share with me a time when you enjoyed GOD in everyday random things, where he stirred your soul....where you had to just smile and know HE is GOD.
i cant wait to smile with you.

Monday, April 03, 2006
Beauty
John O'Donohue writes, "The human soul is hungry for beauty; we look for it everywhere - in landscape, music, art, clothes, furniture, and in many other things. No one would desire not to be beautiful. When we experience the beautiful, there is a sense of homecoming. We feel most alive in the presence of the Beautiful for it meets the needs of our soul. Beauty brings a sense of completion and sureness."
a friend of ours and founder/missionary with ServLife Joel Vestal wrote in response to this quote, "Seeing the immense beauty in a culture and people not your own can be challenging, yet possible. Irregardless of the ethnic origin or economic status, Jesus was a man who saw beauty in others when he walked the earth. I have been meditating on the beauty of the gospel story throughout history in recent days as my family and I have returned to a pre-Christian land. As I have come to a deeper consciousness of the beauty of Jesus, new possibilities emerge to offer hope and healing. My desire to embrace the beauty in those around me who are image bearers of the creator increases."

Today may each of you look around and enjoy God in everything beautiful. May you look over annoyances and see beauty in Gods masterpeices- people. May you today grow in appreciation of differnces.
Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God,and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.2 Day to day pours out speech,and night to night reveals knowledge.3 There is no speech, nor are there words,whose voice is not heard.4 Their measuring line goes out through all the earth,and their words to the end of the world.....
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;the testimony of the Lord is sure,making wise the simple;8 the precepts of the Lord are right,rejoicing the heart;the commandment of the Lord is pure,enlightening the eyes;9 the fear of the Lord is clean,enduring forever;the rules of the Lord are true,and righteous altogether.10 More to be desired are they than gold,even much fine gold;sweeter also than honeyand drippings of the honeycomb.May your heart rejoice, and your eyes be enlightened.
amber

Currently ReadingThe Papa Prayer: The Prayer You've Never PrayedBy Lawrence J. Crabbsee related

Friday, March 31, 2006
umm...guess what!!!
well friends i finally did it... i pierced my nose.. so here is a little photo journal of our evening....
here is me in the room before (well we got there right at 9 and that is when they close...so we didnt have any cash, but they stayed open for us because they were finishing someones tattoo... so court went home and got some cash while me and sarah waited in a tattoo shop, that we REALLY fit in, in. I mean a mom and a kindergarten teacher, the mom in her pj's and slippers, we totally looked like we were regulars)

so then they mark it with a sharpie....and i love sharpies i have lots of them in many colors...any way...

so heres what went down, okay so i had courtney go first because i wanted to see what i was getting my self into...so they did hers and it was like 1 min, so smooth so easy and i was like...."that is all...i can so do this, i mean i've had a kid...come on can it really be that bad".....
well that was not exactly the case with me, of course, pride comes before the fall right....so they put the pipe up my nose and the first needle (yes i said first needle) so i thought i was half way over....but what happened was the needle didnt make a big enough hole for the ring, so they had to jimmy the needle back up while they got a second, and a bit larger needle. so they got that going and they had to call in a second person to help (apparently my nose put up a fight!) so after several excruciating minutes of much pushing and prodding they finally got the hole big enough to get the ring through and HERE IT IS!!!
thanks for reading.
love yall
amber

Currently ReadingWhere's My Nose?By Susan Ringsee related

Monday, March 27, 2006
in honor of march madness
In honor of March Madness....vernon bought Titus his own Basketball goal....He loves it.
I thought you would want to see him Dunk it. so here are some pics. He is hallarious. our friend Justin taught him to say, "this is my house" but it really comes out "myhowsssssssss" the first time titus missed a shot/dunk vernon said "almost" so now everytime anyone misses he says "owlmost!" with great excitment.

Hope you have the best day ever and for a good laugh you can visit my friend John Summits xanga and read his latest entry jwsummitt and for the Picture of the day visit my friend rachelle's page at rachellepichardo
love yall!

Friday, March 24, 2006
umm lets give it another try.
well i think it is official, i might have ruined my xanga life forever with my last two enrties so i will try to make it up to you all....with much love....
live laugh love and ........
HOOKEM HORNS!!

Currently ReadingThe Costly Call: Modern-Day Stories Of Muslims Who Found JesusBy Emir Fethi Caner, H. Edward Pruitt

please forgive me
okay so i have talk to some of my dearest friend in reguards to the last entry..or otherwise refered to as my VENTING. and am writing to appologize to all who this sent into a whirlwind of worry as to whether or not i was speaking of you. Rest asured that chances are that if you cared enough to worry about it....it prob. wasnt you. I actually was trying to say that I, amber burger, want to try very hard not to put my sins and assumptions of others sin on the generalized Body of believers as a whole. so i am simply asking you to join me in this effort.
if you have franticly read all your blogs and all of my friends blogs trying to find out who and what i am talking about....i am sorry for your lost time. please forgive me.
you see i have this problem....it happens a lot in my life and i am must work on it....it generally flares up with the female race....my problem is that i am way unassuming...to a fault, you see i would rarely assume any one would mean anything beyond what they actually said and beyond what they actually did....soooo i also figure you all would be the same way as me (first problem) and so i dont think thoroughly through what all that i do or say as to figure out what one might assume.... lame example .... i would never steal an ipod out of someones car, so never think anyone else would think to do it either....so i get my ipod stolen, hope that made since....so sorry again. i do so love my friends

Thursday, March 23, 2006
COME ON.
well xanga friends...
lots has gone on since my last entry, not in our lives exactly but more so in my head. Alot of it to do with your entries. I sat today wanting to comment somewhat negatively on many of your sites, but with much restraint decided to put it out there for all to read and comment upon. So if you are reading this and a sudden wonder came over you as to wether or not i am referring to yours particularly, lets just say that no one's necessarily set me over the edge, just the combination of things here and there that led me to a conclusion or two:
1) here on xanga many o' person seems to know what is wrong with everyone else's mind, heart and emotion and not much about ones selves heart, mind and emotional problems. or to make it worse assume that your problems are also everyother Christ followers problem and so play it off as though it is everyone else's issue that you are speaking of. i mean come on....call sin Sin in your life and move on...or atleast create a dialogue so as to allow others to speak truth.
not to be to pycho babblish...but alot of times (not always by any means) the very thing that drives me the most crazy about others...is the thing that when I lay down my head at night i am very insecure about. or said another way, what you dislike about others is often the very thing you hate in your self and your own tendencies.
2) there IS more to life than critizing and making absolute statements towards...music, art, literature, preformance and the like. so why dont we together take a lesson in appreciating eachother and the world that God created and keep our ABSOLUTE statements like "all Christian bands..." "all people problems..." to a minimum unless of course they are backed with TRUTH from scripture.
i dont know.....but what i do want you to know is that i DO LOVE reading yalls stuff.... truely...so keep it coming...these are just some thoughts....
so on a lighter note....vernon's birthday was yesterday...we had a blast. he turned 26!

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!

Currently ReadingThe Costly Call: Modern-Day Stories Of Muslims Who Found JesusBy Emir Fethi Caner, H. Edward Pruitt

Hookem'
so i guess i better clearify the "boring" comment i made in the previous entry. It is not that i think my life is boring by ANY means....infact i love it. it is so fun and full of Life and excitement. i refered to the actually entry as boring because it was completely factual information, no pics, no opinions, no questions just facts. so in that i chose the word boring...sorry for the miscommunication.
In other news, this is one time of year that our family actually wishes we had a tv. March Madness!!!!!!!!! (there are other times we wish this like MLB finals/worldseries, college football etc) So imagine if you will our family gathered around our little 13" dvd player/tv with bunny ears on top, the ends wrapped with foil and one of the ears touching a metal lamp in order to get a better picture! yess! it is soooo fun! hopefully i will have a picture to come! hahaha! anyway to all of you NCAA fans, have a blast and
HOOKEM HORNS!

Friday, March 17, 2006
well, many of you know that we are moving to Fort Worth some time soon and we are in FtW tring to figure out where we will be living. I am very excited about our move, although midland will always always feel way more like home then anywhere else ive known. I have had many ask why we are leaving so i figure i ought to enlighten the masses. Vernon has been asked to study under a man named Dr. Emir F Caner, you may have read some of his books, he is considered on of the leading Christian appologist to the Muslim faith. He will, during this time, also be completing his degree. We will be working under the canopy of BASIC ministries, working with the US gov, and the gov. of Sudan (and others in the same situations) to work towards religious freedom/liberty. we will be in Sudan some and here some, just like normal, but while in the states we will be developing curiculum for Sudaneese Christians to use to teach on Islam. We will be going back and forth to Washington DC building relationships with muslim ambassodors from many countries letting them know that we christians love them and want freedom of religion in their countries. also we will be doing d-nows, retreats, all the fun stuff so if you need us....just call we would love to see you.
anyway...kinda boring but thought you would want to know...maybe
peace

Monday, March 13, 2006
RELOAD WEEKEND!!!!
well as the pics will show....we had a blast this weekend with 1st Baptist Church Raytown's Youth...they rock! here's to RELOAD weekend...
stink bomb anyone?

HEY....lets go JUNIORS! juniors, juniors lets go juniors.....07 rules.
No longer Quiet. man i have to say i adore these boys. great old friends, good old guys....seriously...it was so good to see you guys. thanks for investing in the students. yall are awesome

Reanne and Kristen...i will so very much miss you.
are we prank crazy or boy crazy? hehe!
yippee for the smart bus!
briz...youre a ROCK STAR!
YES JUNIOR GIRLS RULE!! oh and PROPS to Franz and JFranz!
earl.
yes reanne
me and vern on the plaza!
bye bye

Thursday, March 09, 2006
KC FUN
i love kansas city. mostly for the peeps. i mean what other city in the entire world has produced such fun silly people. danny d, moe didde, rachelle pichardo to name a few, and on top of that what other city in the world is now home to john summitt, brett laxton and the Langfords? seriously.
anyway we are in KC this weekend because Vernon is the retreat speaker for Raytown First Baptist's Youth. I am staying with eleventh grade girls. I am sooo excited!!!!!!!!!!! oh how i love deciple nows!
we came early to kinda get to know some kids and see what the youth are like. but we are staying with Danny and Donald Dyer....oh what wonderful friends. yep me and the fam staying with danny, donald, josh and zack. it has been laugh after laugh.
tonight we took titus to my moms for the remainder of the weekend, then we went to the PLAZA. it was so great, we just walked around, eat chicago style pizza, laughed, got cheese cake at the Cheese cake factory, laughed, talked, laughed, talked to some sweet homeless folks, went to a three strory barnes & noble, drank some joe, read the Word, laugh and went back to Danny's.....wow. so much fun.
well, please pray for our weekend. it will be great. i will update with some pics after the weekend.
live. laugh. love.

Sunday, March 05, 2006
Uniting as ONE or individuals coming together to sing to ONE....
Although we, my family, celebrate Sabbath rest on Friday and/or Saturday, (because my husband is on staff at our church so he works on Sunday) their is something very special about Sunday morning /night gathering of believers. Something so dear to my heart, something i long never to take for granted...i mean people all over the world risk their lives to do this gathering, this corporate worship if you will. yet some how we have gotten so far from the truth behind corporate worship.
I often wonder....at what point in history did corporate worship become so institutionalized. I suppose it dates back to Constantine's intitulization of the church all together, never the less it has happened and it has trickled down into our thought process so deeply that church, or gathering together on Sunday mornings, has become something else to do, to check off our list, and sadly essentially all about us... "I'll be refreshed" "I'll have some time alone with God" "I'll get fed" now don't get me wrong, i fully realize these things art necessarily bad, infact they are Great by-products of gathering the Body of Christ together or rather Parts of the Body of Christ. All through out scripture the peoples gathering together had little to do with individual needs or individual fulfillment, but rather Glorifying GOD, obeying HIM and uniting as one in the Name of The God of Israel. It involved serving OTHERS, not self, It involved mourning and weeping for the sins of the People as a whole, not individual only. It involved Singing as ONE voice, not "get alone, draw a circle around yourself, in the midst of the crowd and sing out to God with all your heart" (something i hear music leaders say all the time) in fact it was the exact opposite, "together we sing" "as one they bowed" they lifted their hands as one to the Lord. And from this they left....REFRESHED...
to we, western, American Christians, something about, caring for others needs, getting to know others enough to weep over their sins, and taking time to know one onthers hearts enough to sing as one.....sounds far from Refreshing....Why? Where did this begin?
So i sit and ponder, where did it turn from Uniting as One to uniting as a bunch of individuals worshiping One?
many of you know i was a Lead Worshiper for many o year, and towards the end of my "career"..J/K no really the last two or three years i stand up and look out a this generation that We have taught "individual Christianity" and i begin to question as written above....
how then shall we live?
amber

Thursday, March 02, 2006
age old question
again recently i have been asked to comment on the age old question:
So what do you think...
do you wait until the Lord says "go"...or walk until he says "no" (within reason).
so its early and so this is not exhastive by any means but i would love to hear from you, here is my two cents this early morn....
umm...it seems to me we have already been told to go...i mean it is a mandate on our lives as christian, right? we have been told to Go...go make diciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them.....sooo seemingly there is no waiting involved on the going part...if your going includes these things ...i mean he already told us to.So i say the waiting comes within the going....we go, we abide, we listen, we wait , all the while going. I am not sure that waiting and walking are two separate things or if they were ever intended to be. Maybe we are to already be "going" and within that going it involves, waiting and walking, listening and obeying.
but if the going doesnt include the above thats where the question gets difficult.
i dont know but these are my early morning thoughts on this age old question.
more to come....
oh and i am not actually listening to Reliant K but i teach guitar lessons to some awesome 8th grade girls and we learned this song yesterday and it is in my head

Sunday, February 26, 2006
vernon is home and doing great. thank you for praying. i have a fun idea for a blog entry so everyone get excited while I make you wait in anticipation....if i figure out how to do it....it will be awesome hopefully inspiring.
Happy Sabbath.
amber

Tuesday, February 21, 2006
to be or not to be.
its 9:30pm and titus is fast a sleep. Sarah is taking a shower and I, well I am suppose to be going out the door to the grocery store so that when my husband gets home late tonight he has clean sheets on the bed, a clean house and lots of food in the fridge. the irony though is that he is coming home from our other home that is dirty floors, sheets washed once a week in the dirty river infested with multiple little bacteria like things, and well the refrigerator has not yet been invented for that would take electricity of some sort first....so no food in the fridge....if any at all. My american western bible belt Christianity tells me to do these things would be the mark of a good wife, but what does the Bible, the Eternal Word of God say makes one a good wife? i know i know the sunday school answer is Proverbs 31, and no doubt that is a great answer.....it is just a wrestling in my heart as i travel between america and Sudan. What are we teaching the women of today about life? are we really teaching them about TRUTH or just cultural norms? i mean lots of Great AMAZING Godly wives exist in Sudan, infact i can name a handful, but boy it looks different then what we women are told to be here in america. so my heart begs for the TRUTH.
i pray today, tonight or this afternoon, which ever one applies to you as you read, that you would fall in love with TRUTH. soak your teeth in to in. Feast your Eyes upon it. Taste and See that HE is good. HIS LOVE endures FOREVER.
....on a side note. many of you know that dr. john piper has undergone surgery for prostate cancer. If you have not visited the desiringgod website. please do so and read the articles entitled..."dont waste your cancer" and others pertaining to the subject....if you click here you can listen to his words after the surgery....to GOD be the GLORY. may you be greatly challenged and greatly encouraged.
well i am off to the store.

Currently ReadingTotal Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity (Study Guide Edition)By Nancy R. Pearcey

Monday, February 20, 2006
Home bound
well.....sorry i havent updated the last couple of days...Sarah, Titus and i went to Ft. Worth and then to Dallas and then to Waco. We had so much fun....but little internent action. sooo here is the update on Vernon, i will write more later about our trip (maybe) when i am not so tierd!
Vernon is safely back in Uganda and spent the last two days spending time with our great friend Victor. He is a Sudanees who is living in Uganda now, he is wonderful. Vernon was hopeing to visit some of the widows we have cultivated a relationship with in Kampala, but i havent heard if he got to.
Sooo this is crazy. I love being from Midland TX now....check this out....to GOD be ALL glory!.......The last two weeks or so President Bush has mentioned our church when asked about what is being done in regards to the LRA and children in Uganda and Sudan.......AMAZING! man i love that man. amen.
So I havent heard from Vernon since for the last couple of days, because i am assuming he left the sat phone with Stan in Sudan. Vernon should be somewhere in route to London right about now. Stan is staying and heading to the North and around the country. He will be meeting with Sudaneese evangelist, pastors and some government officals...so keep praying.
thanks so much to all of you. I love hearing from you......and visiting your sites to see who you are.
Praise GOD from whom all blessings flow.

Friday, February 17, 2006
Orphanage Dedication
Thanks again everyone who is reading and praying. I can never tell you how much it means to us!
Vernon called today to tell me all about the Dedication celebration. He said it was amazing! He said lots of people were their and the orphans were SOOOO full of Joy. Praise be to GOD! so all went well. and many heard and were encouraged.
On a down note...3 of the kids who were accepted to be in the orphanage...mother died today. They have no father and the mom had AIDS so they had been on the streets for quite some time. So today after the celebration, vernon, bishop tiban and annegrace had to tell the kids about their mom. They knew it was coming but still they are devistated. please pray for these sweet children. there names are Emmy, Rebecca and Elizabeth.
Thanks so much.

Thursday, February 16, 2006
Word from Sudan
Hey everyone, I am amazed at how this is traveling around the world!!! i should of thought of posting stuff on xanga a looongg time ago! Amen! may the Lord be glorified!
Well i just spoke with Vernon and they have arrived in Yei Sudan safely. I asked him if he has seen any rebel movement (because we go all the time we are somewhat aware of the signs of it) and he said not really at all. AMEN. He did say though that the towns people have heard roomer of an LRA attack in northern Sudan, which is rather bizarre in my opinion since Northern Uganda and Northern Sudan are seemingly on the same "side." so i guess we just beg God to show the LRA mercy and open their eyes to Truth through visions and dreams and beg Him to spare the innocent lives they are pursing.
Vernon, Stan and Bishop Tiban (our Sudaneese Partner who is AMAZING!) went directly to the orphanage in Morobo to see the children and the workers. Vernon said the children came running and sing as usual! He said they all seemend in good spirits and very excited about the move into the orphanage building tommarrow! it has been long awaited.
One thing Vernon mentioned that we knew nothing of is an out break in our region of something that they thought was Cholera but now have ruled out Cholera and are starting over trying to diagnose. they have estimated over 1000 people are now infected but of the 1000, 27 have already died. PLEASE pray that they can find out what it is and treat it fast. So far none of the 60 orphans or 13 widows on our compound have it and none of our partners in Yei have it either. May God be glorified through this, yet another, trial of our brothers and Sisters in Sudan.
Tomorrow is the Orphanage dedication service. A long awaited day for the children and for Vernon, Titus and I. Also long awaited for our wonderful church who have invested time energy and resources into it, Stonegate Fellowship. oh and i cant forget our partner church, our sweet dear friends EPC in Yei. Thank you to everyone who has helped this day come to Fruition. We are eternally grateful for your faithfulness to the Lord our GOD. Tomorrow around ten they will begin the day long celebration. (about 2-3 in the morning Fri here) Vernon will be speaking to the people out of Mark 13:33. Pray that eyes, ears and hearts would be inclined to the Word and that believers will be encouraged and lost will be saved.
Thank you for your prayers. I have realized that many of our great friends know nothing of what the Lord is doing and has done in Sudan through SGF and us in the past 2-3 years and i apologize greatly. One of these updates i will give a little back ground as to how it all got started and the past 3 years. For now i must go. Thank you for praying.
I love the Lord for He heard my cry, He has heard my cry for mercy . Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore i will call on Him as long as I live.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints...
I offer up a sacrifice of thankfulness...
just some morsels from Psalm 116 i read today. AMEN.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Sudan Bound
Vernon left for Sudan yesterday. I am so excited for him! He is going to be able to be at the dedication of the Orphanage. All of our children will be able to move from the temp homes on our grounds to an actual building with amazing rooms and beds. They are going to be so excited! They love to see vernon they call him papa vernon. (and that makes me mama vernon!!hehe that is what i am called over there! i love it!)
Many of yall know that vernon has been severely sick for about 11 months now and has lost a good deal of weight and energy. We have still no idea what exactly he caught while traveling but we are working with a great foreign disease specialist and we are confidently on the right track....at any rate....please pray for vernons energy levels to be maintained and that he would listen to his body. Please pray for the medication (natural herbs and vitamins) to work as needed to prevent even more sickness.
Also pray for the dedication service in which he will be speaking. (lots of towns people and officials that are not Christians will be in attendence) Pray that God would be made known and Glorified. Vernon emailed me today and said the passage he is speaking out of is Mark 13:33 so you can pray that specifically....it is Friday (so Thursday night when you go to bed ish)
We have heard that yet again the UN has put out the highest alert for the LRA (rebels from Uganda)......soooo pray. The road we live on and the road to Morobo is the only road to and from Uganda in the Southwest sooooo this is the most trafficked area for the LRA. So pray Vernon and Stan actually make it in the country first and foremost, and then pray that the LRA would be far from them, or if they come around that they would hear the Truth and be Set FREE!!!!!!!!!!!! AMEN!
I am so thankful that you have read this far. You are a blessing... thank you for praying...if you have questions...just ask. i will update more as soon as we hear from them. here are some pics of our last visit.
these are some our orphans! they are so cute. in the background are the temp homes.
this is the orphanage. it is not done all the way in this pic, but it is NOW praise the LORD!!!
if you want to go to our ministry blog (just click that link) you can watch video clips they are awesome. i highly recomend you do so. the blog titled "riots" and on down are great videos!
enjoy. Live. laugh. Love.

Currently ReadingTotal Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity (Study Guide Edition)By Nancy R. Pearceysee related

Saturday, February 11, 2006
Myrtle Beach FUN!
Thanks so much for all the feed back on the last entry. (if you are reading this and you didnt respond, i would love to know what you are thinking reguarding these thoughts)
anyway. My husaband and I went Myrtle Beach this week for a Teen Community Bible Study Teaching Directors Conference. We were speaking to the nations Student CBS teaching directors. It was sooo fun. Vernon taught and I lead in music. We had a blast .
We went to the beach...well our hotel was on the beach. IT SNOWED! it was the beach's first snow in 5 years! We got to meet some of our nations coolest Teen leaders! I am telling you....they ROCK! we had soo much fun.
love yall!

Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Battle of Extremes
(head note: if you dont know me and are reading this...please know that this is written strictly for discussion purposes, not stating my set in stone opinion...in fact i love the thoughts of others to broaden my mind in order to formulate better ideas. I also am writing this for the good of the Body of Christ, all in tones of optimism and honest wonder…and may it first be clear that I am addressing this subject based on the knowledge that the Bible is totally Truth.)
So lately lots of thoughts have been floating through my head. So this is my futile attempt to express some thoughts and begin a great discussion. Since my beloved days at SBU, I have pondered on many of theses thoughts and now in my old age (25 that is hehe) I feel released to begin a dialogue. (Although most of you who would actually read this know that this theme runs hard through my life’s song)
So here goes….i have observed for many years now something that has sent my young little mind in circles. That is, the desire of man’s flesh to be pulled from one extreme to another, (specifically set apart, redeemed, Children of God men and women) each generation lending itself to the trend of the day, calling it “True Christianity,” if not by actually words, in thought or action.
And so I begin this, hopefully long, discussion by pointing out that it is seemingly the delight of the enemy to pull God’s people to one extreme or another. Throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament we read accounts of God’s people being torn between extremes, and the end result, as it is still today is always division, a break up of loyalty and unity. So lets evaluate this extremism and discuss with one another how it is effecting Christ's name being made known in our generation.
Extremism alienates one by pride, a pride that says, “I am right and you are clearly wrong.” The tactic of the enemy is to alienate people away from unity of the Body of Christ and come hard at them….and sadly it has worked for generations…and alienations doesn’t have to be only one person, It can very well be a group of people setting them self aside as the right party within the Body of Christ.
Our parents generation and their parents generation’s extreme was (and often still is I understand) to create a Christian sub-culture to where no one who interacts outside of this sub-culture’s ideas could possibly be a Christ follower. While sadly our generation and the generation that follows, instead of learning from the negative affects of sub-culturing, have created our own by pushing all the lines of morality and calling it, “Freedom.” In our extreme efforts to not become the Christians our parents and grandparents were, we have in fact become exactly them, masking our pride in nice Christian terms such as the one listed above, “freedom.” “Don’t judge me,” we say to them as we place judgment on them that they are judging.
So I have some questions in which I hope many reply:
1) if God’s mandate on our lives as Christians, Christ followers, is to show the world Christ by our love for one another, why are we so quick to think our way is the most Godly way? And Why are we so quickly bent towards rebellion when we are offended? Cant one formulate ones own opinions and others appreciate that?
2) What would happen if our generation decided to stop sub-culturing our selves from the sub-culture our parents created and decided to love other believers and those who don’t know Christ?
3) What if, when one was offended by a generational clash, one would not responded in rebellion or pride, but forgiveness and unity, and begin to interlink generations with community.
4) What would our churches look like today if we stopped being so offendable and get over ourselves and get in community?
5) what would happen if our generation stopped making blanket statments like "i hate christian music" or "I hate SBU" or "I'll never be like them" (for this is just what our parents did by say things like "tattoos and dancing are the devils tools") and just stopped and thanked God for His soverign hand in your life to put you in places and around people who shape you into who He has made you and and created you to be?
So in short (or long) here is some of it….please respond. Yall rock!

Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Piper Quote of the Day
"There are no easy rules to tell us whether the call on our lives is the call of the rich young ruler to give away all that we have, or the call of Zacchaeus to give away half of what we have. What is clear from the New Testament is that, while we live on earth, suffering with joy, not gratitude in wealth, is the way the worth of Jesus shines most brightly."(Let the Nations Be Glad!, pg. 104)
if you dont regularly visit desiringod.org you should start.

Currently ReadingDon't Make Me Count to Three: a Mom's Look at Heart-Oriented DisciplineBy Ginger Plowman

Monday, January 23, 2006
Asian night at the Burger's!
We had soooo much fun tonight. We decided to have an asian theme for our dinner meal. I love being able to stay home and serve my family all day...it is an amazing blessing. I hope we can forever have fun! We all dressed up as asian as possible and ate asian food on asian plates on the floor. We prayed for the entire continent of Asia out of the Operation World book. IT WAS SOOOOOOOOO FUN.
we had a blast praying for the people of Asia. We loved talking and learning about the culture. WE HAD SOOO MUCH FUN!

Sunday, January 22, 2006
1. 4 jobs i've had
SBU intermuals! SBU missions office, STARbucks, MCA seveth grade Teacher
2. 4 movies that i would watch over and over again
thanks to sarah...girls just wanna have fun, the snoodles tale - yes i watch veggie tales with titus i dare you to watch that one. you will LOVE IT. sound of music- except vernon wont allow it in our home...hehe. Footloose.
3. 4 places i have lived, not counting currently
Austin, Houston and Arlington TX take your pick, King City MO pop 986, Bolivar, MO- GO BEARCATS!!!!!!
4. 4 tv shows i love to watch
STAY FAR AWAY FROM TELEVISION it is hazardous to your heath. the last time i think i actually loved to watch a tv show was when i was a 1st grader and it was...and i am NOT ashamed....pee wee's playhouse
5. 4 places i have been on vacation
so my family really werent big vacationers, i mean we went to TX all the time and once we went to CO. but after that vacation my parents said NEVER AGAIN. but since then ive been lots of fun places, but none i would consider techincally a vacation except our honey moon to cloudcroft NM.
6. 4 websites i visit daily
hotmail.com; xanga; myspace, disiringgod
7. 4 of my favorite foods
ice cream. ice cream. ice cream and cookies
8. 4 places you want to go right now
austrailia- to see the Hanna family and to see Hilsong Church, austira (the sound of music tour), Bellfast Ireland- lots of cool keltic things and the church that Revival in Bellfast was recorded, EVERY country in Africa.
9. 4 people i am tagging----sorry!
molli land. mimi . sarah belle james. alaska.

Currently ReadingUnderstanding God's Will: How To Hack The Equation Without FormulasBy Kyle Lakesee related

my friend kristin inspired me....WHO KNEW!?!
anyone who ever doubted i could be a dancer if my scociology ever didnt work out ....here's your proof! hehe
what is your perfect major? quizfarm.com
You scored as Sociology.
You should be a Sociology major!
Psychology 100% Sociology 100% Dance 92% Art 92% Anthropology 92% Philosophy 92%Theater 83% Mathematics 83% Engineering 67% Linguistics 67% English 67% Journalism 58%
Biology 25% Chemistry 17%

Friday, January 06, 2006
I got tagged!
well...it was inevitable...i got tagged....funny i wanted so bad to be tagged until i was....must be the rebelious side of me...want what you cant have until you get it s ort of thing.
okay 5 things that are wierd about me...
1) I have a secret... I think I was born to be a rock star... or maybe i am a rock star and that is the secret.
2) I can talk and whistle while breathing in....as a third child i found it very important to learn how to talk, sing or whistle with out ANY pauses, if you paused for a moment you would be RUDELY interupted.
3) I can still proudly recite the entire FFA creed.......I believe in the future of agriculture with a faith born not of words but of deeds, acheivements won by the present and past gernerations of aggricutlurist for the promise of better days through better ways even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years. ----and the next 4 paragraphs if you are ever intersted just ask....GO FFA!
4) I was an all-american cheerleader, won the High School Heisman in Missouri, I learned how to weld, was the reporter of FFA, in future homemakers of america, AND in wood shop....all in one year. Call me jack of all trades...master of NONE! hehe
5) I am the worst speller in the world....it might not be weird...but it does give me a major complex. oh and one more for good measure...my pointer finger IS a microphone...i promise (thanks arich)
SOOO the rules of this tagging business is that i now tag someone......so I am tagging....
Allison L. Richmond. Andrea L. Hatman. Sarah D. Barnes.

Thursday, December 22, 2005
Traditions! Traditions! Traditions!
Christmas is coming! yippee! so tell me....what are your family traditions? i love to hear others traditions.....
here are some of ours...we just started a family so we are getting to start family traditions...it is so fun. I made a bunch of ornamants that are the names of Jesus and each day leading up to Christmas we put a new one on the "Jesus Tree" and talk about where the name is found in Scripture. Also, as we get christmas cards with pictures, we put them on the Jesus Tree and pray for the people in the pictures!! it is so fun. We have 5 candles to be lit leading up to chritmas, the middle one is tall and white and you light it on Christmas day! we are going to also start, next year when titus is bigger, to have "shephards pouches" (i got this from a book by noel piper) and all month long the children, vern and I fill the pouches with money....then on christmas eve night we put our pouches at the nativity scene...and the kids go to bed...then through the night vern and I look through the Sameritans Purse catolog and figure out what we can buy for families oversees with the money our kids gave....So in the morning Under the Jesus Tree are presents for the children in other countries or children they know from school that are in need. (Samaritans Purse has a catolog that you can order a cow or a goat to feed entire families its so cool check it out) so instead of santa that is what we are going to do. i am sooooo excited.
Sooooo tell me....i would love to hear what your families do!
love Life
amber
p.s. oh, the book i am reading....woah.

Currently ReadingSkin Game : A MemoirBy Caroline Kettlewellsee related

Sunday, December 11, 2005
do we love people?
after sharing about a relationship with Christ in her home town in the UK just days after coming home from being a missionary in Congo, Helen Roseveare was quoted,
" It doesnt't matter wheather I travel 6,000 miles or just twnty minutes from home...What maters is whether the people we meet matter to us as much as they matter to God."
I just finished reading Noel Pipers book Faithful Women and their Extrodinary GOD....READ IT ....i dare you.
amber
If I am adding to the noise....turn off this song. -jon forman.

Currently ReadingFaithful Women and Their Extraordinary GodBy Noel Pipersee related

Friday, December 09, 2005
mindless mumbo jumbo
Well I must confess that I have had quiet the mix of responses to my entries so far. Most of which say that my entries are too deep and meaningful for xanga, myspace etc. So for all of you mindless folks who have nothing better to do than to surf the web and complain about others entries(just kidding), I will have you know that yesterday I sat down and wrote a long, meaningless, mindless entry....and as i submitted it, it got lost in cyberspace....there was an error with the server and it was GONE FOREVER. So....this morning i thought i would duplicate the silly ness but decided instead to let you in on some dos and donts of the holidays....keep in mind these are only a few, and are strictly my opinion:
1.) As much as possible stay away from Dairy products that are not Organic...There are so many unnecessary Hormones in them and we ALL know that we women need NO EXTRAS!
2.) Stay as far away as possible from WalMart in Midland.
3.) Never use a credit card.
4.) Always Laugh. People ARE funny. I promise.
5.) Remember that CHRISTmas is not about YOU or him or her or them.
6.) Chill out. Relax. Go see The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe.
7.) Go see Pride and Prejudice.
8.) Take lots of natural vitamins...do you know how many people you will be in contact with that are sick! If you are at a loss....start with Echenatia Golden Seal and Vt. C.
9.) Enjoy Life. (study for your FINALS!) sorry had to add it somewhere.
10.) Love from the center of who you are...dont fake it. Run for dear life from evil. Hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply. Practice playing second fiddle. Dont burn out. Keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Dont quit in hard times. Pray all the harder. Help needy Christians. Be inventive in hospitality. ........dont hit back.....discover the beauty in everybody. romans 12:9-13, 17 Message
Have a great holiday!
amber

Currently ReadingFaithful Women and Their Extraordinary GodBy Noel Piper

Sunday, November 13, 2005
the irony of strength
Life. Strength. Self. Christ. Selfless. Responsiblity. Motherhood. Joy.
Day by day i realize all the more that Christ is the only sustaining thing i have. Food does not sustain me, coffee does not sustain me. Joy, Strength, and hope do not even sustain me. Just Christ, and Him crucsified. For with out this I have no right-standing before the Creator. no joy. no strength. no hope. no LIFE.
Ironicly LIFE is passing, i am seemingly sustained due to a beating heart and responsiblities fulfilled, but...is the doing of life, the acting in our fleshly strength anything but death to our souls? out side of the Sacrifical Blood shed for the remission of the sin in which we are, ture LIFE has no ablity to be sustained. I did say the sin in which we are not the sin we Do but the sin we ARE apart from Christ and Him crusified.
So Sustained we might seem, but it is merely a mirage of LIFE. Sutained we can be and ARE in Chirst and Him Crusified.
Thank you Lord. Amen.

Monday, April 30, 2007

Friday, April 27, 2007

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Monday, April 23, 2007

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