Steee-rugglin

yep. my blog is steee-rugglin' theses days and i would like to take a moment to excuse myself in hopes that finally writing something will spark ideas for future blog posts.

excuse #1 summer travel.

since mid may we have been home less that 30 days. vernon has been home even less than that. we love the summer travel season that working/running a non-profit brings but its not exactly blog-keep-up friendly.

excuse #2 summer travel.

ha. i know it was number one but i feel it deserves another paragraph. we have driven over 4000 miles this summer, 8 major cities, 6 states and still have one road trip to accomplish next week.

excuse #3 Instagram

i mean really, i love it. i really enjoy having twitter but Instagram just makes social media a little more appealing to me. This is one of my summer excuses because I have been able to post photos along the way of our travels from the convenience of my phone and feel as though i am contributing to the curiosity of those who would be satisfying said curiosity via this lovely blog. Also, I seem to get more comments from my social media friends than i do from this sweet blog so it spurs me on just a wee bit more to be consistent. :: not a shameless plug for more commenting...just fact.

excuse #4 brain fog

i remember very vividly the feeling of "baby brain" and it made me CRAZY. I hate not being able to keep my self and family organized and not being able to put my thoughts in an sort of sequential order. This is how I've felt since mid May. Coming off a big move back to Texas, getting the house unpacked and settled, establishing a routine just in time to hit the road for the summer has sent my head for a spin. I assure you it is NOT baby brain, although a few times this summer i have wondered solely based on my inability to have clear cognitive thought. since i have nothing to call this aformentioned "brain fog," then I will call it just that and hopefully the "fog" will lift soon. :)

so excuse me if you will, i do plan to be back in action soon.

thanks for sticking around all summer. hope yours has been great! ours has been fantastic!

Unity Among Educational Camps

I have started and erased this blog so many times because of its subject. I cant seem to get a grip of exactly what I want to say. I have sent this video clip out to so many friends who were struggling with schooling decisions and just realized the other day I had never posted it on any social media. It speaks to the heart of what I would like to write.

We all make educational decisions for our sweet children. We love our kids. Education is important to us and we have personal, real reasons why we choose the education routes we choose. None, not even the one we choose, is perfect and right. Let us not defend them as if they are. Let us love one another with brotherly love and seek to show hospitality to all as we serve our families. Let us not put others on pedestals because they have chosen a specific route that the Lord has not set for your family to take. Let us be confident that, in Christ, the Lord has given you and your children all that they need for Life and Godliness, not placing our hope in any schooling system but in Christ alone. Let us strive to edify one another and be unified in our vision to love the Lord our God, love and serve our family and proclaim His goodness to the world.

Please watch this little clip and be encouraged::

The Aftermath

You may know that Hillsong United just released a new album entitled "Aftermath." This album has been more than fitting for us as we adjust to life back in Texas. We have the title song "Aftermath" on repeat in our house and our cars. "Lifted out of the wreckage I find hope in the aftermath" is the line my heart sings.

Our life in Missouri was great. The dearest of family and friends were just miles from our reach. We made amazing new friends that somehow now feel as close as family. The Lord gave us all we needed and more as we followed Him to Missouri. I look back at the last year and a half and the words that come to mind are:: refine, realign, refocus, brokeness, humility, redefine, rebuild. After the events of our move back to Texas, aftermath is a great word picture for us. Not that our life was destroyed in anyway physically but spiritually and emotionally our hearts were wrecked and redifined in a beautiful way over the last year.

I know the writers of the song Aftermath had the intentions of illustrating our lives apart from Christ and the wreck we make of ourselves as we seek our own life apart from He who gives life. They wanted, I am sure, to illustrate the hope of being pulled out, set apart for the cause of Christ and I would contend they did an amazing job of that both musically and lyrically.

After a long period of brokeness, humility, hardship, suffering or refining, do you ever feel like you are being pulled from the wreckage? The aftermath of what you just walked through is all around you, the sting of the wound, the stench of that which was peeled away? But in that aftermath, there is some how hope. Hope that you made it through alive and that it was worth it for some reason. Christ pulls you up, dusts you off and cleans your wounds so they can heal.

We are so elated to be back in Texas, a place we never thought we would live again. Its funny how the Lord excites your heart for things you never thought you would be excited about! We love it here more than EVER. We are adjusting to life in Fort Worth, our new Church and loving being close to our sweet friends.

I am a part of a women's Bible Study on Tuesday nights and I mentioned that I was thinking of not blogging anymore because I was pretty sure if I had readers they were not readers anymore because of my lack of posting. It came out that some of those ladies (whom I did not know until last month) actually read my blog! So they encouraged me not to stop. So here I am. In the aftermath. Stop by, I guess, and read as we wade through the beautiful wreckage.

with hope::

Amber

A Timely Word:: The Myth of Being The Perfect Parent

This morning was rough. Let me preface with one thing:: V has been gone all week.

Titus woke as usual just after Justus around 6:30. We hung out, got dressed for school and I noticed Titus was acting out a bit here and there, but that's not all that abnormal in the rush of getting off to school. His acting out sorta turned to, what seemed to be a sadness. So as I helped him put his tennis shoes on I asked him if he was okay. He started to cry and say he missed V and so we got his shoes on and called Dad. He got to leave a voicemail and that helped. I asked him what else he thought would make this morning get better, and being a product of his mother's weakness, he replied, "Starbucks for breakfast!" So I agreed, telling him that was a great idea and we got in the car and left. All was well.

We pulled in the drive thru and I confirmed with Titus what he wanted. He said he didnt want chocolate milk today he wanted hot chocolate so I proceeded in line and ordered. When we received our ordered I handed it back to Titus and at that moment he realized he didnt want hot chocolate he wanted chocolate milk. Cue MELT DOWN. As he melted down I told him I would keep the Hot Chocolate until he could receive it gratefully. Cue BIGGER MELT DOWN, I am talking flailing and all. Then something different happened. Usually the meltdown will come, we talk a bit about self-control and grateful hearts and all is well in the world of Titus. But not the today. Today, the more I talked the more he got upset until finally he yelled at me. And I am talking YELLED. He told me I was so mean. (as I held a HIS starbucks drink in my hand mind you!) So taken aback, I started crying. Girls, I am not talking just a little tear, I am talking full on ugly, cant control yourself cry. I had a whilwind of emotions:: hurt, guilt from all the transition we have put him through, guilt from not knowing how to handle the situation, guilt from taking him to starbucks to make his morning better instead of pointing him to Christ who is the only one who can truly help, fear for his life, his salvation, fear of his depravity and back to hurt.

Y'all, I know that seems a little dramatic of a response to a 5 year old's yell, but it was so real to me. I went from being hurt that he would ever say I was purposely being mean to him to agonizing over the state of his soul. I generally can handle situations like this but not today folks, not today. My emotions won. The depth of responsibilty to present the Gospel to our children, the Good News of God's saving power out of sin and death and the idea that I HAVE NO CONTROL over God's leading and prodding and presuing my very son overwelmed me. As he yelled in the depths of his selfishness, I was hurt, but more importantly, I was reminded that he is depraved, as we all are apart from Christ. And began to beg God to forgive me for thinking I could be "a certain kind of mom" or do certain things that would win his little heart to Christ. I began to beg God to set Titus and Justus apart for HIS glory.

As we drove, we both stopped crying and forgave each other. After we prayed, I dropped him off at school a happy little man. While sitting in the car outside his school I checked twitter on my iPhone. On it there was a link to a friend of mine's blog entitled:: THE MYTH OF BEING THE PERFECT PARENT. I went straight for it and recieved such encouragement from it. She said, "The goal is not to be a perfect parent. The goal is to be a faithful parent. And as long as my focus is on my own success or failure, rather than faithfulness to and love for the kingdom of God, I have failed." And although my friend is in a different stage of parenting than I am, it was a timely word for me and I told you this entire story hoping that same blog would be a timely word for you.

PLEASE CLICK TROUGH and read it is so good. Thanks Kim!

A Few Of My Favorite Things

This is non-exhaustive and in no particular order list of things that the Lord has allowed me to enjoy today, this very random day:

• Seasons: Thank you Missouri for coming through on this. Winter is a beautiful thing.

• Venti Ice Water from Starbucks: its triple filtered goodness.

• Kind Cranberry Almond Bars

• Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Carmel Squares

• This Book: It has been such a good way to start the year.

• For The Love of God Blog: this goes along with the Bible reading plan I am doing.

• Audio ESV Study Bible Online: I LOVE listening to the text as I read it.

• @allisonrichmond's tweets

• Texting my NEPHEWS: what in the world. i am old. (well technically this was the other day but everytime I go to my texts and see their names I think it is funny that they are old enough to text me!)

• Working for His Voice For Sudan and getting to stay home with my boys. (hard to balance but SO worth it!)

• New friends coming over for lunch playdates!

• Honey Dijon Kettle Chips
• Sarah Beard's Blogging on Marriage

• And last but not least....Good Music: I will spare you the links and let you have a couple guesses. :)
  

What's On The Menu Monday

Well, apparently, each Monday I need to clarify what exactly WOTMM is so that no one accidentally thinks all of the listed food items are being prepared only on Monday. Rather, WOTMM is a list of meals I plan to make through out the week. I don't like to set the days for them because then I feel confined (i know, weird right? but this right-brained girl is proud to even have a list okay.) The list helps me stay within our grocery budget while providing healthy, well rounded meals for the week making us less apt to eating out or making unnecessary trips to the store.

That said, here is this weeks: (we have been invited to various homes for meal lately so some of these meals were from last weeks list)

Its going to get cold this week so I have two soups on the menu

Baked Potato Soup

Split Pea Soup

Salmon Pasta Alfredo- brown rice pasta with homemade Alfredo sauce with baked Salmon on top or mixed in

Baked Mahi Mahi with rice and black beans: I just take frozen Mahi Mahi from Trader Joe and thaw it. Place it in a baking dish, sprinkle lemon juice, garlic salt and some McCormick's Montreal HAMBURGER seasoning on it. Bake it for 20 and dinner is served :)

Ahi Tuna Steaks with Broccoli: these are pre-seasoned and frozen by Trader Joe's. EASIEST MEAL. Thaw them in the fridge, then just throw them in the oven for 20 mins and have a spectacular steak! Then I just steam some broccoli to have with it.

Nacho Bowls: this is kinda like build your own burrito only with chips instead of tortillas. Meat, (we will use mahi or talapia) beans and the fixins on a bowl full of chips.

Happy cooking...what are y'all eating?

37 Years of Injustice

Most of you, I am sure, are aware that today, January 22, 2009, marks the 37th anniversary of the passing of Roe v Wade. In this, the US Sepreme Court held that a woman may abort her pregnancy for any reason, up until the "point at which the fetus becomes 'viable.'" As today has gone by, I have seen many pictures flash onto my computer screen from various blogs and news pages. Groups of people who feel strongly for or against Roe vs. Wade showed up today at many captital buildings and planned parenthood clinics all over the US.

What some are celebrating, others are begging to change.

I am among those who are begging for change.

I did not, however, get the chance to go to our capital building today or stop by the planned parenthood clinic and I am sure many of you reading this did not as well. So I decided to write a little blog about it, maybe to reach a small few and to honor the sanctity of Life.
Last year on Sanctity of Life Sunday, Pastor John Piper spoke these words:



"Mr. President, some of us WEPT for JOY at your inauguration and we pledged that we would pray for you. We have hope in our sovereign God."

And that we do.
Pray for our leaders.
Hope in our God.

For Lack of Better Words

If you have known me long, or maybe just stop by to read the blog now and again, you probably know that I am a music lover. Music of just about any type. (yes even country has its place in my heart...although WAY back in the back:) I feel deeply about music and how it moves people and reaches places that words alone can never reach. Journey back through history, studing cultures and there is hardly a culture, if any, that didn't have "their" music. I have often pondered how God created man with a song in their heart. Individual man yes but also man in the communal sense. It's as if music has this ability to bring cultures together. Older with younger, Asian with African, European with South American. There seems to be few boundaries that music cannot break.

That being said: I have an issue.

Lack of Superlatives, or rather, OVER USE of superlatives.

I was warned of this quite often by my dear friend Danny during college. About once a week, along with correcting my grammar, he would challenge me on a use of a superlative like: "how was the DNow?" "It was THE BEST ONE I have EVER played for" or "how's the new album?" "IT IS AMAZING, BEST album by FAR!" I think you get the picture. Each time I would over use the EST's and the AWESOME/AMAZING/BEST EVER statements, he would smirk and say, in his ever so kind way, "oh really." He continually challenged me on this. He said, "One of these days something is going to truly be THE BEST or AMAZING. How will anyone know if they can believe you or not?"

Well, just last week Danny and I were chatting on the phone, just getting caught up on life. And I said to Danny, "You know, all those times you warned me about over using my superlatives? Well, I have almost posted a blog about how truly AMAZING the Switchfoot concert in Dallas was and how FANTASTIC the new album is, but I can't bring my self to write it...because this time,well...it really is THE BEST/AMAZING. I feel like if I tell them this, they will just write me off as a dorky old fan and not give it any thought." He laughed and in the nicest way possible basically said, "I told you this day would come."

So folks, here I am, finally blogging, months later, about how AMAZING the new Switchfoot, Hello Hurricane Album is. If you are a long time fan or you are a Switchfoot newbie, your heart will be ministered too, your soul will be challenged and mind will be stronger. Lyrically and musically this album is mature and rich with real life, real feelings and real theology.

So please, read past the superlatives and go get the album....or better yet, grab tickets to this tour....worth every penny.

What's On The Menu Monday

Y'all, apparently I only blog on Monday's about food...lame.

I actually have had very limited time on the computer this month. Most all the time I have had online has consisted of work for His Voice for Sudan. I love my job. I am trying to get a good routine established here in our new city as the "newness" wears off and reality that we are here for good sinks in. In this said routine, blogging time has gotten squeezed but I hope, as soon as some of my work deadlines come to a close, I will pick up and have a less lame blog...hehe...in the mean time, here is WOTMM:


Taco Soup: one can kidney beans, on can corn, 1 can rotel, 1lb of browned turkey burger seasoned:: served with shredded cheese and tortilla chips. (don't drain any of the cans, just dump it all in)

Salmon Pasta Alfredo- brown rice pasta with homemade Alfredo sauce with baked Salmon on top or mixed in

Trader Joe's Cheese and Bean Enchiladas - this is a frozen meal that is organic, gluten free and vegetarian! AND SOO YUMMY! good to keep on hand to throw in on those days that cooking seems daunting!

Spinach Lasagna Bake: This is gluten free (brown rice) noodles, spinach, ricotta/cottage cheese, mozzarella all layered and baked.

Baked Mahi Mahi with rice and black beans: I just take frozen Mahi Mahi from Trader Joe and thaw it. Place it in a baking dish, sprinkle lemon juice, garlic salt and some McCormick's Montreal HAMBURGER seasoning on it. Bake it for 20 and dinner is served :)

Breakfast Skillet: Potatoes, garlic, eggs, turkey bacon and cheese all mixed up in a skillet. If I am not up for it, this night might turn into egg sandwiches or omelets.


Okay, that's what we will be eating....what about you?

A Letter on Contentment

Recently I got an email from a friend who was struggling through wishing she and her family were in a different place in life. She was vulnerable and reaching out for encouragement. As I wrote her I couldn't help but think that this was for more than just her. I have walked this road and walk it everyday really. These are just a few things I sent her to chew on, things I (attempt to) fight the battles with everyday. Thanks to all the ladies along the way that have poured this Truth into my life. Thank your Lord for your Word. Amen.

Here is the letter (I took out somethings in order to keep her anonymous)

--------
As a wife and mom who has moved 6 times in 7 years, lived in three different cities, worked from home while my husband finished school and dealt with the trials and emotions that come along with all of the aforementioned, I would say I can relate with how you are feeling. I have been where you are and have learned so much along the way. I am honored to share with you what the Lord taught me during my days of wishing for root planting. (and wall painting ha!). I have to hold to the below thoughts each day to not fall prey to the Joy quenching snare of the enemy.

There is no particular order to what I am going to share; all have had tremendous affects on my heart.

1) “Wherever you are BE ALL THERE” This is a quote from one of Vernon and my heroes of the Faith, Jim Elliot. I have held this motto since I first read it in college. It has helped me in times that seem “transitional” especially. It is easy to get caught up in what is going to be and TOTALLY miss out on what is happening that very day. It is easy to hope in tomorrow or hope in the next “season” and where it will take you and completely miss what is right there. People do this all the time, especially women, i.e. when you are single you want to be married, when you are married you want to finish a degree and have kids, when you have a degree and have kids you want more kids or your own home, when you get both of those you want more time to yourself and with your husband. On and on the cycle goes, satisfaction placed in your own desires and not in what God has provided for you THAT day. Which leads me to my next though:

2) Covetousness. Yes Covetousness. I use to think this meant wanting what someone else had, and it does. But ultimately it means “wanting/longing for something God has not provided for you in that moment in time.” Covetousness when played out in this scenario might lead you to not be thankful for what He HAS provide for you. A sweet Girl, (who will grow up so fast!) a husband who let you pursue your dreams over his, a home that is affordable, although with white walls, it is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, food for the three of you and great relationship with those around you. Thankfulness generally squeezes out the sin of Covetousness that we all struggle with. Give Thanks to the Lord for HE is GOOD and His love endures forever! He has not forsaken you and will not put you to shame.

3) Unrealistic Expectations. It is easy for us to think when we are in one place in life; the next place will be better. But when it comes to moving back to your home state, reality is, it will be NOTHING like it was the last time you lived there. You are different and so are all the people you know and love there. It will be just as transitional to move back to an old homeland than it was to move away. Be careful not to fool yourself that somehow God will provide more Joy for your in your next season (or wherever is next for you) than He has offered you today.

Knowing you, I am sure you know and have counseled people in this:: THE #1 REASON, IF NOT THE ONLY REASON for frustration or disappointment is UNMET EXPECTATIONS. If you have high and lofty ideals of what life will be like “someday” you will often find yourself frustrated and disappointed with life NOW. Also, when the transition does happen and you find out you are moving or what ever it is you were longing for, you are likely to be disappointed with the end result, and thus the cycle continues.

I know you are a women who fears the Lord and wants to follow Him. My advice to you in this season is to make SURE SURE SURE that your husband knows you are up for anything he feels led too. Your husband MUST, and I MEAN MUST, know that you will be joyful and loving no matter if he finishes school and moves y'all to Delaware?!?! He needs to know that you trust him and his relationship with the Lord and his ability to hear from the Lord. Your husband does not need a lot of your input on this. He will lead your family and he will follow what God has told him for y'all. You, my friend, get to sit back and enjoy it and bring your husband Joy!!!

Okay that was way long but I hope you are encouraged today friend!

His Voice For Sudan NEW BLOG!

We just went live with our new His Voice for Sudan blog! Come and join us. Vernon, Justin, Heath and I will be writing entries of all kinds. I think you will really enjoy it.

CLICK HERE to visit us!

A Story Worth Reading

Read THIS moving story of a family who adopted a son that they knew would not live to be a year old. At the end of the story they share a very challenging blog post that this couple posted when their new son was about three months...here is a section of it:

Matt doesn't respond positively to all the love and care we shower on him, and despite the fact that I knew in my head he wouldn't, I still want him to smile back at me. Instead of smiling, he either stares at me blankly or screams in response to my best efforts to communicate with him. The discouragment I feel at his failure to thrive only evidences the selfishness of my endeavors. Before Matt, I was tempted to believe I loved my children with at least an inkling of selflessness. I now know that I expect at least some return for my investment. At the very least, I would like a two-month smile and a 3-month squeal of delight in response for the long nights and endless feedings. I am humbled further to think of the earthly reward I am tempted to expect from my older children. Each day with Matt, it looks more and more like all of our reward is being deposited in heaven (or not, because God loves a cheerful giver, and sometimes, I am just not). Frankly, I am not all that happy about the choice of accounts. While I may have previously thought I wanted to deposit all of my treasure in heaven, I now know I am more or a 50/50 or even 75/25 kind of girl; I would like some treasure in heaven and most of it here.

Dont miss this story it is worth the read.

Amazing Testimony.

Next Up: Proof Texting

Last week while shopping at Target, Titus just about wore me out begging for this Transformer's blanket he saw. It started with some sweet asking that led to some ideas about how I could buy it and he would do lots of chores to pay me back and that quickly spiraled to whining and complaining about not getting it and how it would "take FOREVER to make that much money." I asked him if he was "whining and complaining," and reminded him of the convos we have been having about the pride in his heart coming out as greed and greed was coming out in his whining and complaining. Well, needless to say, this time "the talk" didn't do much. He literally bugged me about that blanket until I finally told him he lost the privilege to talk. (this is the worst of the worst punishments to Titus)

After we checked out at Target and were out the door I told him he was allowed to speak if he wished. He didn't really say much. I put our things in the trunk and buckled the boys in. As I got in the front and started the car, Titus said, " Mom, you have disobeyed God." To which I replied with a sunken heart, "Oh no, I have? Please tell me what I've done." Titus said, "You have said harmful things." I began to feel awful because I had gotten so flustered in Target I was thinking he had picked up on my annoyed tones. Titus continued, "The scriptures say,'Do not say harmful things but say what people need,' and you said I could not have that transformer blanket." I quickly replied, holding back my laughter, "Well son, sometimes the thing we need most is to be told NO."

That kid! Who knew at age four we would need to have a lesson on proof texting! ha ha!
---

I have probably already raved to you about the scripture memory CD's we use with the boys but just in case we haven't they are the Max Lucado "Hermie and Friends" cd's. Each CD is topical. We started with the Obedience one then the Fear one now we are on the one about being kind.

"Do not say harmful things but say what people need- words that will help others become stronger. That what you say will help those who listen to you." Eph. 4:29 NCV

A Different Camp of Sorts

Our family spent the last 4 days attending our church's youth camp. Vernon was the camp speaker. When he was asked to speak I got SOO excited because, as most of you know, I would live at camp if I could....I LOVE camp. Where most people get tired as camp goes on, it just fuels my excitement and by the last day I am bummed about going home. I love it. As soon as Vernon accepted the offer to speak, I began dreaming of camp...the competitions, the team colors, the girls in my cabin and the Lord moving among us. I knew exactly who I would ask to watch the boys so I could be a counselor and invest in some sweet HS girls. When I was dreaming out loud about camp, Vernon goes, "Amber, we are are bringing the boys. I am away from them when I am in Sudan, I really would like for them to come with us. Peter already got us a room that fits us all." Sadly, my dreams were crushed in an instant. I knew at that point what my days at camp would consist of: changing diapers, running around outside, naps during the camp rec time, and NO listening to Vernon's preaching.
After some thinking I decided it was going to be so fun having the boys there....and it was! Camp this year was WAY different than any other camp I have gone to because I had 4 solid days, outside our normal home life to invest in our two boys....who will, sooner than I can imagine, be attending HS camp. When my perspective changed, my attitude followed and the Lord blessed us with amazing conversations and LOTS of fun with other kids and moms that were there!
The second to last evening, Titus, Justus and I were playing in a room with Krystal and Jenny and their little ones. Titus had been playing with his friend Ben's car a lot that evening and this evolved into him WANTING Ben's car. We have talked to Titus alot about the Pride in his heart called Greed. He knows that greed can lead to anger and rudeness towards whoever is standing in the way of him getting what he wants. Sooo...that evening when he was begging me for Ben's toy, I said, "Titus, I think I am hearing the greed in your heart." and he got angry and started to hit me...but stopped himself before he did full force. (he doesn't usually hit much so this was eye opening for him) I could tell he was blinded by the greed and had realized that it had progressed to anger....so I grab Justus and Titus and we went to our room for him to receive discipline.
In the room, I got Justus occupied and started talking to Titus about the pride of greed and how anger towards someone he loves is what came of it. This time he seemed to be following me. He got his discipline and I asked him if he was ready to go back and play. He said, "Not really. Mom, Why do I have greed in my heart?" So I told him that we are all born into sin and sin is what separates us from God. He said, "yeah, when you have sin in your heart it is like THIS between you and God" as he held up his hands forming a barrier between me and him. I told him he was right and told him again about the saving power of Jesus and how He came to rescue us from that sin and restore us to relationship with God. Titus then is his own 4 year old words summarized the gospel to me. He is getting it! God is moving in him and I am so excited to witness it! Please continue to pray with us for the Lord to call both our boys to Himself. What a Joy to be a mom.
I am so glad I went to camp and I am soo glad I took the boys!

Saint Patrick's Day

I find it interesting how holidays evolve sometimes so far from what they originally were celebrated for that the original meaning is scarcely known. Like Valentine's, Saint Patrick's Day is a holiday that, if you asked the general American public, few would have the correct answer.
So here I am again writing about a holiday, but instead of boring you with all the factual background, dorky stuff that I love, I thought you would enjoy this....its the best summation of St. Patrick's Day I have found.



oh, and American's, do the Irish a favor and when you shorten Patrick don't use Patty...that's a women's name....very offensive to them. Its Paddy. St. Paddy's day if you will. Thanks! Have a great day...and wear a little green!

Ask and You Shall Receive

After a long awaited request...Danny Dyer now has a blog....don't miss it!

Making All Things New

Sharing the Love

This post is dedicated to linking you to some things I have wanted to for a while. Each of them, at one point, were going to be separate post that never came to fruition. This is not exhaustive but a good start.

Jelly Telly

If you are a mom of a pre-schooler or young elementary student you NEED to know about this website. It was started by Phil Visher the original founder of Veggie Tales. It is a web-based media site that plays all kinds of commercial free shows. All are full of good theology and fun bible memory for the kids...and its hysterical. Its fun to watch with Titus. He LOVES it.
In order for them to not go in debt it does cost but its only $3 a month. They have a free trial month....give it a try! CLICK HERE

GIRL TALK

I am not obsessed I promise, although I know I quote them all the time, but next up is The GIRL TALK BLOG. It is full of encouragement and challenges. For the last two or three years it has been a constant source of help for me as I stay home with my boys.
I am linking this particular series for all my Single Readers. This has been an awesome series dedicated to single women. PLEASE don't miss this. It is soooo good and don't think just because you are not single you wont benefit. Its soo good. Here are the links to each individual post:

Pursue Undivided Devotion
Become a Theologian
Help the Men
Choose Friends Carefully
Nurture Children

Prepare For An Important Career

Study To Show Yourself a SAHM

Devoted to Good Works

Josh Harris

I know many of you ride this name off because of "I Kissed Dating Goodbye," but I must say if that is the case, please reconsider. If you are having trouble reconsidering please READ THIS. I have really enjoyed his blogs and sermons. They are insightful and full of Truth. He has a humble pastor's heart and it is so refreshing. Last year I listened to him speak on homeschooling , public or private schooling and how it was dividing the church because people were so opinionated about their decision being the "right one." I thought it was a great picture of the pastor he has become. Watch it HERE.

SUDAN

So much is going on in Sudan right now and many of you have expressed some worry and wonder about the orphans and the orphanage. I am going to save this for a separate post but wanted to let you know we are thankful for all of you who are praying. So far things are not directly effecting EPC and the orphanages. Please continue to pray...I will have Vernon write an update and I will post it. Thanks!

Entering Lent

Millions of people around the world spanning a multitude of cultures will tomorrow take the symbol of the ash and begin what is known to the English speaking world as The Season of Lent.
The English translation of the word actually derives from an Old English word meaning Spring yet in almost all other languages around the globe, the season is referred to by a derivative of the Latin term Quadragesima, or "the forty days." (reference)

Although many of the denominations and cultures who will be celebrating this Lenten Season do not agree on how Lent should be observed, most all agree on the heart of the season. Lent is a time to open your eyes to sin, repent and abstain. It is a time to reflect on the state of our heart and ask God to be our sole satisfaction. It is a time to commemorate our Savior's discipline and devotion to The Father. It is to be forty days of discipline and devotion.

I read a couple articles that stated that forty days historically was representative of preparation. I love this thought. Preparation for the moment in time that changed everything. Christ Death, Burial and Resurrection. Sin being Conquered. Death loosing its sting. Victory. Rescue. Relief.

I must say that I don't yearly fast from anything in particular unless I feel so led by the Spirit. But I do use this time of Lent to refocus my heart. To ask the Lord to open my eyes to sin, to show me where my heart has given over its affections to another and if this results in a fasting of sorts, amen and if not, amen.

I pray your Lenten Season is so sweet as your affections are turned back to Christ. I pray you taste and see that the Lord is good and find that He alone satisfies.

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause

yes and amen

A Want To Want God

I read this poem from A.W. Tozer's The Pursuit of God today on Justin Tailor's Blog and thought you would be well served to read it as well. Love you All!

O God, I have tasted Your goodness,
and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more.
I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace.
I am ashamed of my lack of desire.
O God, the Triune God,
I want to want You;
I long to be filled with longing;
I thirst to be made more thirsty still.
Show me Your glory, I pray,
so I may know You indeed.
Begin in mercy a new work of love within me…
Give me grace to rise and follow You up from this misty lowland
where I have wandered so long.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.