What Would You Do If You Couldn't Talk to God Anymore?

A couple of weeks ago at church, our pastor was teaching us that when we pray, we should pray to the Father through Jesus, the Son. I had been in the habit of praying to both Jesus and Abba Father and thought a lot about this.

When the part of the service came where we go to God in prayer, I thought about praying directly to Father God, and something kind of scary happened. I suddenly thought, "What if I were unable to talk to Jesus, my friend, AT ALL?"

Tears began streaming down my face as I realized that this is what it would be like to die without accepting Jesus as my Savior - in other words, to go to Hell. This is what it would be like to be forever separated from my precious bridegroom, Jesus, and Father God; to be unable to communicate with them EVER again.

If you are reading this and you are unsaved, please take heart and take heed on the eve of this day we celebrate the birth of our precious Jesus. The King of Kings who stepped out of Heaven into the earthly world as a tiny baby - who grew as we grew and felt how we felt; who grieved as we grieve and loved as we love. The Alpha and Omega who did all of this for each one of us, so he could intercede for us when we pray, telling our Abba Father exactly the way we are feeling when we ask for something in prayer. Then as a precious, perfect Lamb, was sacraficed on the cross for our sins, when it should be each of us in His place. He did all of this just so we could bridge into Heaven - all because of Him, because of Jesus' love for us. Take a moment to pray and ask for forgiveness, and ask for Jesus to lead your life.

It's not about works, it's about Jesus.
It's not about trying to be perfect, it's about Jesus.
It's not about religion, it's about Jesus.

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What is Christmas All About? God and Family!

Merry Christmas to all of you, our family and friends, during this wondrous time of year. We pray that you are happy and healthy and that you are taking some time to enjoy the beautifully decorated homes and the Jack Frost twinkling on the lawns and rooftops.

The highlight of our year was attending Heather’s wedding. She looked radiant as she walked down the aisle to marry Darrell on November 18. They both looked so happy and the wedding was wonderful.

This year marked Pete’s 30th year with the Police Department and his responsibilities switched from overseeing Patrol to overseeing the Services Division, which includes managing the Dispatchers and Records Personnel. He also continues to enjoy his woodworking hobby. Pete is still a member of the Exchange Club and continues to put most of his efforts into the annual Crab Feed.

Early this summer, Pete went in for knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. We were a little concerned – not because there were any problems with the surgery, but because Pete wouldn’t rest long enough to let his knee heal. He’s just too tough!

Nemo, 16, and Cooper, 13, are still in Scouts and are busy with school and playing video games. Cooper played on the Junior High’s Flag Football team and really enjoyed it. Nemo started working on his Eagle Project. He has also begun the search to figure out which college he wants to go to. His interests lie in Biomedical Engineering; Cooper wants to be a Veterinarian because he just loves animals.

Sherry continues to tap dance and performed in the dance recital, which was so much fun! Then this fall, she joined the competitive team. Sherry created a scrapbook for the kids’ Boy Scout Troop, which was entered into a competition for its sponsoring agency, the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars. She was surprised and thrilled when she was honored with winning awards for both the state and national competitions.

If any of you watch the show Top Chef (season 2) on Bravo, you’ll catch Sherry’s sister, Betty Fraser. Every Wednesday night, we’re biting our nails and holding our breath to see what’s going to happen. She’s won several competitions, including the TGI Friday’s episode. The prize for that competition was getting her recipe on the TGI Friday’s menu. Check out the Tuscan Portobello Melt with Roasted Red Pepper Soup – her grown-up version of Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.

We spent this year’s vacation in beautiful Texas Hill Country. Sherry’s mom joined us as we visited Austin, San Antonio, and zigzagged our way through quaint towns like Fredericksburg, Wimberley, and Dripping Springs. We ate authentic Tex-Mex in San Antonio, and Texas Bar-B-Q at the Salt Lick in Driftwood. We saw the bats of the Congress Avenue Bridge and visited “SoCo” (South Congress) in Austin, trekked up Enchanted Rock and experienced Hill Country living in Fredericksburg, and toured the Alamo and drifted down the Riverwalk in San Antonio. It was so wonderful there; we can’t wait to go back (well, Sherry can’t wait!).

Our hope for you is that you will have a wonderful and joyful Christmas and that 2007 will be a great year for you! We also pray that you will have time, this Christmas, to reflect on the precious Gift sent from above.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us – John 1:14a

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right be become children of God – John 1:12

The Stars at Night are Big and Bright...

Howdy y'all! I am so excited. We just returned from our trip to Texas and I had such a great time! I cannot wait to go back. Every time I go, I like it better and better. We visited Hill Country and it was even better than I remembered it from my visit about 10 years ago.

We flew into Austin and rented a car, which gave us the chance to do a lot of exploring. We spent two days in Austin, two days in Fredericksburg and two days in San Antonio. What really stood out was how clean the cities were and how well taken care of the roads were!

In Austin, we toured the State Capitol, spent time in the Texas History Museum, and watched the Bats come out from the Congress Avenue Bridge. We walked in SoCo on First Thursday and explored the second hand stores and listened to the numerous bands playing along the sidewalks. We zig-zagged through Hill Country from San Marcos to Dripping Springs to Fredericksburg, then from Kerrville to Bourne to San Antonio.

Fredericksburg was much busier than it was 10 years ago, when I was last there, but the adorable Country Cottage we stayed in was enchanting. The Perdenales River was a short hike away and it was great to be able to walk down to the river. There was a severe thunderstorm barrelling through San Antonio when we were in Fredericksburg, so while we avoided any rain or lightning, we felt the effects of the strong winds blowing. It was surreal but not at all scary.

The glass-blowing show at the Wimberley Glass Works was amazing! The glass artists spent an hour making a beautiful swing vase. It was very dramatic because one of the apprentices wanted to give the vase an extra layer of glass, which makes the vase twice as heavy. He spent what seemed like minutes trying to balance the vase on the base attached to the rod until it got cool enough to stay firmly attached to the base. There were a couple of times when we thought he was going to lose the vase, for sure. He got a well-deserved round of applause when the balancing act was finished. I bought a beautiful blue and green bowl from the gift shop, then it was on to Driftwood, where we enjoyed delicious, authentic Texas Bar-B-Q at the Salt Lick.

Our ride to San Antonio was relaxing and there was some culture shock coming from the little cottage in Fredericksburg to the 7th largest city in the United States, San Antonio, but the Riverwalk was just beautiful and very calming. We took the boat tour and learned a lot about the area and the Riverwalk. We were also fortunate to visit the Alamo. It was a sombering experience to listen to the difficult one-sided battle the men faced. From this, the battle cry "Remember the Alamo!" was born.

We also had the opportunity to visit New Braunfels and Gruene, two wonderful areas northeast of San Antonio. The caverns in New Braunfels were beautiful and Gruene was a quaint little area of New Braunfels with antique shops, boutique stores, and Greune Hall, the oldest, continuously running dance hall in Texas. We stayed to watch Two Tons of Steel on Two Ton Tuesday - a fun "countrybilly" dance band at Gruene Hall.

Our trip ended far too soon and I cannot wait to go back. Texas Hill Country is truly God's Country.

Do you ever just feel sad?

With two family members having outpatient surgery in two weeks, it's been nice to be able to help them, as they helped me last year. Since they are men, as you can probably surmise, they didn't want much help and one tried to do too much, but I tried. Even so, I feel sad that he wouldn't let me take care of him.

Being part of a blended family can be trying, especially when the family members don't get along. It makes me so sad when hateful words are exchanged and I feel so alone.

My friend is moving far, far away. Many years ago, I had several friends I had met through a study group at church. One by one, they moved away. It made mad sad. Now, I have a great group of friends, but over the last few months, things have changed. One of my friends will be moving soon, and I will miss her. As I told her at church last week, I have come to terms with hear upcoming move. But didn't tell her that it makes me sad.

It has been a long time since I have just been sad. Only God knows what the future holds and I just need to lean on Him and trust Him.

Words of Wisdom

"I think if we were given the Scriptures, it was not so that we could prove that we were right about everything. If we were given the Scriptures, it was to humble us into realizing that God is right, and the rest of us are just guessing."
- Rich Mullins

Thank You, God, for Sunday

Today I was able to help out with the toddlers in the nursery. They are so sweet and they always make me think of my children when they were young. I'm so glad I can spend the time with them, and that their parents can have a safe place for them to play while they worship.

When I was on my way home, a song came on the radio that reminded me to keep things in perspective. With work being so busy, sometimes it's hard to just let go so I can relax in my Savior's arms. The song is by Nichole Nordeman and is called Brave. The chorus goes:

"So long status quo, I think I just let go, You make me want to be brave
The way it always was, Is no longer good enough, You make me want to be brave"

When I searched the web to find the words, I came across another song by Nichole Nordeman that really brings the truth to the forefront. I hope those of you that read this think about these words, and if you have not yet let go and let Jesus lead your life, that you will.

What If
For a friend who thinks this Jesus stuff is nuts

What if you're right?
And he was just another nice guy
What if you're right?
What if it's true?
They say the cross will only make a fool of you
And what if it's true?

What if he takes his place in history
With all the prophets and the kings
Who taught us love and came in peace
But then the story ends
What then?

But what if you're wrong?
What if there's more?
What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?

What if you dig
Way down deeper than your simple-minded friends
What if you dig?
What if you find
A thousand more unanswered questions down inside
That's all you find?

What if you pick apart the logic
And begin to poke the holes
What if the crown of thorns is no more
Than folklore that must be told and retold?

You've been running as fast as you can
You've been looking for a place you can land for so long
But what if you're wrong?

Nichole Nordeman

Organize - Simplify Redux

Well, all good intentions don't always pan out! My plan for this year was to organize my life and surroundings, and to scale back and simplify. However, it seems that in the last few months, things have gotten much busier - both at home and at work! So - so far, that hasn't worked out!

I had a huge project at work preparing a new building for occupancy and getting all of the equipment and software needed for the employees to use, which is still going on. That, coupled with smaller projects and routine day-to-day stuff, has given me LESS time to relax.

Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes. I guess God has a lesson for me in here somewhere! But I am still trying to de-clutter and slow down. Maybe after April when the dance show I am in has finished.

Speaking of the dance show, it has been so much fun getting back into my tap dancing! We have a GREAT dance to the song "Save my Soul" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, a neo-swing band. Funny, my husband and I saw them up in Reno (what a fun show that was!). The choreography is awesome - really fun to do!

I've also just completed a special scrapbook/photography project for a wonderful woman at work who has retired, and have been working on the Boy Scout Troop's scrapbook. Can't wait to finish so I can work on our family albums! I especially want to get to the Disneyland Trip for the 50th Anniversary. That one will be really FUN to do!

God has been so good to me and has blessed me with the time and ability to do all of these fun things, but most of all has blessed me with a wonderful family and friends to share this all with. I thank him for Every New Day He gives me. He is truly an awesome God.

Back from a Great Weekend

Last weekend my friends and I went on our annual Scrapbook Retreat to Bodega Bay. Wow, you just can't beat taking a weekend to devote to your favorite hobby, especially after the busy December we had. I hadn't done any serious scrapbooking since August and this really got me excited about getting back to "work".

This year I stayed up very late two nights, I was on a roll and didn't want to stop! And I made a big dent in the project I was working on. I got some help from Becky Higgins Sketches 2 book. I love the way that book is set up. It is so easy to find a layout that will work. I even got to use a lot of my "paper stash", which I am trying to do so I can buy some new paper. I want to use my old stuff first.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful family that will let me get away with my friends for four days, and I am so thankful that my wonderful husband doesn't mind - or at least doesn't let on that he does!

Organize ~ Simplify

I have adopted two keywords for this year - Organize and Simplify. If there are two things I need to work on, it is getting organized and simplifying my life. There is so much clutter in my world and I sometimes feel overwhelmed, and that I am doing too much. I find myself hanging onto too much STUFF! It's almost as if the Paper Monster exploded in my house! Junk mail, old lists, and all those magazines - I mean, really, how long do I need to save back issues of these magazines. I was able to simplify and organize my family room after Christmas - I even dusted the knick-knacks (trust me - that was an accomplishment). And it made me feel like there was a little part of my house I could retreat to that didn't have me overwhelmed! As I pray for God's guidance in my life, I hope to simplify my life to give His plan more presence in my life.

Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas. My mom came down with her dog, Fancy, and spent Christmas with us. Gabbie and Zoe, our Ragdoll kitties, did pretty good. Gabbie held her ground (as expected) and Zoe hid.

Our church had a combined service this morning, so it was pretty crowded, and it was a blessing to gather together with other Christians to thank God for sending his Son. God has blessed us throughout the year and has brought us to this Christmas with a great appreciation for His love.

Today is a glorious day when we can worship and praise the Lord, our God, on this day we celebrate His birth. Jesus came to earth for each and every one of us, and I pray that you will open your hearts, to accept the gift of eternal life He has handed to each of us. All you have to do is take that gift.

What a Blast!

Yesterday, my friends and I had our annual Christmas get-together and we had a BLAST! After lunch, we went outside to do a "photo shoot". We are creating a Circle Journal and need pictures to put on the pages. My friend, Amy, showed me how to loosen up during my picture-taking and we got lots of really nice pictures.

When I was lonesome and prayed for some friends, God brought these wonderful women into my life. It is truly a blessing to know each and every one of them.

I'm Thankful For...

My wonderful husband and precious children
Every New Day God gives me
Sunflowers and kittens
Saving Grace
Bright stars in a clear, dark night sky

God's True Love for Us

Last Sunday, we sang a song that had been going through my mind for the past week. The song talks about letting the Power of the Cross work in your life and not forgetting about keeping Jesus first in your life - in ALL you do.

"Believe"
I say on Sunday how much I want revival, then on Monday, I can’t even find my Bible.
Where’s the power - The power of the cross in my life?

I’m sick of playing the game of religion. I’m tired of losing my reason for living.
Where’s the power - The power of the cross in my life?

I’m not content just to walk through my life, giving into the lies, walking in compromises - now we cry out as a generation that was lost, but now is found in the power of the cross

Chorus
We believe in You. We believe in the power of Your word and its truth.
We believe in You, so we lay down our cause that our cross may be found in You.

I’m not satisfied doing it my own way. I’m not satisfied to do church and walk away.
I’m not satisfied, there’s no love in my life but You.

I’m not satisfied living in yesterday’s hour. I’m not satisfied to have the form, but not the power.
I’m not satisfied, oh Lord, I am crucified in You.

So we lay down our cause - that our cross may be found in You.

Hillsong Music Australia

God's Amazing Creatures

Have you ever sat back and thought about how much fun God must have had creating all the animals He put on this Earth? Think about a spider. Maybe he said, "Hmmm, I wonder what it would be like if I created one of these that lived in the ocean. I can put a hard shell ectoskeleton on it and give it bumps to live on the rocky bottoms of the sea." We might call it a crab.

Things I'd Like to Do or See... Someday

Watch the Aurora Borealis shining overhead
See the twinkling lights of fireflies on a warm summer night
And finding other bioluminescent creatures God put on Earth to inspire us
Travel the states during a leisurely Road Trip
Have friends over for "Sunday Dinner"
Live in Texas Hill Country
Decorate my house, so it has more character

"Lunner" with Friends

Today I went to our church's Women's Business and Crafts Fair and, according to God's timing, ran into my scrapbook friends who I hadn't seen in months. After chatting away, we all admitted we hadn't started working on our Circle Journal pages! We went to the different booths - Stampin' Up, Creative Memories, PartyLite, were among the different booths. We met a very nice young woman who had an Interior Design business and very reasonable rates who I'd like to call for help on giving our house some character. When I tried to explain what I had in mind for our Living and Dining Room - based on Adventureland in Disneyland - I'm not sure if she understood quite what I had in mind, but will be sure to show her photos!

After visiting the tables, my friends invited me to have lunch with them, although it was more like dinner, since in was 3pm! We tried to go to a Thai place that was supposed to be really good, but it was closed. Then we tried to go to another Thai place, but it was closed too. After lots of discussion and some voting, we ended up at Panda Express, which was very good. We had a great time catching up and just hanging out together.

When I was very lonely and didn't know any Christian friends, I prayed for God to bring some friends into my life. God blessed me with these wonderful friends to care about and who care about me. It is always so awe-some watching God do his wonderful work in my life and in the lives of my friends and family. He truly is an Awesome God!

A Time For Healing

The devastation of Hurricane Katrina has touched my heart so deeply. At times like these, my prayers go out to all of the victims and I pray for guidance on where and how I can help. My church has looked into organizations to join with and will be “putting out the Bible” next Sunday and forwarding those funds to Samaritan’s Purse to help out the people affected by Katrina. They will also be using the donations to help out the family of our church members. My prayer is that this will give people the hope that comes from knowing that God’s love for them is never-ending.

I was able to find friends who lived in New Orleans about a week after the disaster. They are fine, but had to evacuate from their home, along with their dogs. I tried to look at the Google Map of the Katrina devastation to see if their house was ok, but there was a cloud over their house at the moment the posted picture was taken, so it was hard to tell.

I also went on the Creating Keepsakes Message Board and changed the view from Scrapbooking Only (which is my usual view) to View All Messages so I could find out how our Scrapbooking Sisters in Louisiana and Mississippi were holding up. One of the posts touched my heart – a post from "southern mom". She had just completed 8 albums of her family photos and those albums along with all of her scrapbook supplies were washed away along with the back of her house. I am blessed with so much and wanted to share my supplies with her to help get her started again.

I feel so helpless knowing there were many others who probably couldn’t even get to a computer to let us know how they were doing, and even more families who have no home to return to.

I remember a story I once heard that helped me remember that even though you want to help everyone, there is only so much you can do, so you help who you can. And so, I will.

The Starfish

There was a young man walking down a deserted beach just before dawn. In the distance he saw an old man. As he approached the old man, he saw him picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea.

The young man gazed in wonder as the old man again and again threw the small starfish from the sand into the water. He asked, "Old man, why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a waste of time?"

The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun.

"But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish!" exclaimed the young man. "How can you make any difference?"

The old man looked down at the small starfish in his hand and as he threw it to the safety of the sea, he said, "I make a difference to this one."

-Author Unknown

Back to Work

Well, I returned to work last Monday from a 6-week medical leave of absence, and as expected, there is a lot of catching up to do, so I am chipping away at the pending work orders, organizational and budgetary items, and all the other aspects of my job as the Information Systems Administrator of a small city.

I need to remember to rely on the Lord and to keep things in perspective. I woke up an hour and a half ago, and haven't been able to get back to sleep, so I decided to come down and read the Bible and pray. The Lord led me to this verse:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

I remember the sermon our pastor preached on this verse, and there is an emphasis on ALL THINGS. So, as a child of God, I lean on the fact that He has a plan and purpose for the events that have been set in motion. I pray that God will give me the peace I need to conduct myself with dignity as I move forward with His plan. I am grateful to Him for the job I have and enjoy.

Summertime

Being home with my two sons reminds me that this is a time for boys to be boys. For them to enjoy the respite before school begins again. Having a soon to be 7th and 10th grader only makes me remember that they will soon be men, and for now, they should be boys. God has blessed me with this time to spend with them and see them at this turning point in their lives.

God is Good

Last May, I went to visit my doctor because I felt a lump in my breast that I wanted to get checked out. That was the beginning of one of those trials God uses to shape your character, one that requires you to lay your fears at His feet and rely on Him for strength. Waiting for the results of a biopsy is difficult, but relying on God for strength is the way I pushed forward.

You see, while I was getting checked in, the nurse asked me if I would like to have a pelvic exam. I’ve never been one to say “No” to having things checked out, so I said, “Sure.” This fateful moment is one that I thank God for because during the exam, the doctor found a large “mass” on my ovary.

The doctor set me up for further testing – a mammogram and an ultrasound. The ultrasound came first. The technician found a large mass on my ovary, about 4½” x 2” with smooth edges, but being fed by a blood supply. This mass had evidently been there quite a while and it was then that I made a connection between the “symptoms” I had been having and the mass. I didn’t realize those symptoms were serious enough to get checked out. (Please do not make this mistake too.) My doctor immediately ordered complete blood tests to get more information because the mass had a blood supply, and he said there was a 50/50 chance that the mass could be cancerous.

When I got home, I wanted to do some research on the internet to see what this was all about. Here I went to the doctor for a concern about one thing and found out there was something much more serious going on.

The information my research uncovered put me in a deep depression. Ovarian cancer has a very low chance of survival because the cancer is usually found late. The symptoms are usually overlooked. Every negative scenario went through my mind, and I couldn’t stop thinking about my children, and how much I wanted to see them grow up; to teach them about Jesus and to help keep them on the right path. I constantly fought back the tears. Seeing this, my wonderful husband whisked me and my family up to my Mom's house for the weekend, which was exactly what I needed. I couldn’t relax, but just being with my Mom helped tremendously. Even so, that weekend was traumatic.

While I was there, each moment I imagined there were terrible consequences going on in my body. Mind you, I try to stay healthy - had just joined a gym and was feeling GREAT about working out. And the only difference from one day to the next was the pending diagnosis. I kept telling myself this to keep me from losing it. I felt like my world was crumbling from under my feet, and I spent the weekend praying fervently.

I usually pray, but my prayers became more frequent. I told everyone I knew, so they would know what was going on, and so I could ask them to pray for me. I truly believe that God listens to and answers prayer for those who love Him.

I was reading my Bible and went to the Psalms for comfort. And I did take comfort in every word. Friends prayed that I would have a Peace that only Jesus could supply, and that prayer has been answered a hundredfold. Every day, I feel that Peace.

The mammogram results were read by a specialist at the Women’s Breast Clinic. When visiting that doctor, he said the mammogram looked pretty good, and gave me the option of having a fine needle biopsy, which was about 90% accurate or having a more complete biopsy, which would be 100% accurate. Since I had been knocked off balance by the news of the ovarian mass, I wanted to be 100% sure of the biopsy results, so I went for the second option.

I got a call from the Women’s Breast Clinic and they set up an appointment for me to have minor surgery to remove the breast lump a couple of weeks later. The doctor said the mammogram looked good and he was not very concerned that what he would find would be cancer, so this put my mind at ease. I also got a call from my gynecologist and he let me know the blood test results, which were also sent to a gynecological oncologist, came back showing a very low risk that the mass was cancerous. This took a HUGE weight off of my shoulders. But the mass would still have to be removed surgically.

When I went in for the breast biopsy, they used a local anesthesia. When the doctor gave me the injection, he said, "This is the worst part of the whole procedure." The shot was not bad at all, so I thought, "Oh, this won't be so bad." Unfortunately, I was still sensitive to the laser(?) they were using and they had to keep giving me more anesthesia. In the end, the doctor removed a golf ball-sized cyst, and I was really glad that I was going to be under general anesthesia for the major surgery, even though I was apprehensive about it.

The day came for me to have the ovarian mass removed and I continued to have a Peace about me. The surgery went without a hitch and my supportive family was there all the way. The results for both biopsies came back negative – thank God! I will always treasure the prayers and love from my family and friends during this trial.

So now comes the time for the slow recovery, to take time to “Lie down in green pastures,” and learn what God has in store for me next and how He wants me to serve him.