Acquire the Fire, Eugene OR (Brey's interview)

loving the least...

"For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not let me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothies or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'" (Matthew 25:42-45)

I live in a small town right on the ocean. There is one main highway that runs north and south along the ocean. Our town has about 2000 people, and the towns that scatter the wilderness along this highway are not much larger. Dots on a map, seperated by trees, rocks and mountains. The scenery is beautiful. The economy here is driven mostly by tourism, logging and fishing. Unlike larger cities, visions of poverty and need are not easily apparent. But like every city and town, poverty and need certainly exist. You just have to look...

About 10 days ago, I was leaving work late at night. It was 11:30 to be exact, and I was headed home on a long stretch of that north, south highway along the ocean. It was exceptionally dark and of course, as it does most nights here, it was raining. As I turned to get on the highway, I had to swerve in order to avoid hitting a person pushing a shopping cart chuck full of stuff along the highway. In the hurriedness of avoiding a crash, I was immediately frustrated. I thought to myself, "what kind of person, walks right alongside a major highway in the black of night, in the rain!! pushing a shopping cart!!!??? For goodness sake!!!" After a few deep breaths and a few decent songs on the radio, the experience was easily removed from my mind as I contemplated the more important things in my life, like "what am I going to eat when I get home?" and "man, I hope I don't have to get up with the boys in the morning...I need to sleep!" Eventually, I made it home, ate and got tucked into my warm bed while the rain and wind beat against my house. I drifted off to sleep next to the man I love and just outside my door, several miles down the highway, someone was pushing everything they owned in a shopping cart in the pouring rain.

Two days later, I was off to one of my dance classes. Just north of town about 14 miles to the local dance studio. I sweated, laughed, danced and visited with some of the other ladies at the class, then an hour later, I headed home on the highway. It was dark and raining. About half way to my home, I saw the same shopping cart being pushed by the same person on the same side of the highway. This time, I tried to get a better look at the person through the darkness. He was wearing a hugh tarp and the shopping cart was also covered with a tarp, and both were whipping and blowing in the strong wind. I kept driving past thinking, "wow, he made it about 40 miles in 2 days...that's impressive." As I made my way home, I had trouble getting the picture out of my mind. It was starting to bother me. But I am a busy lady, and very quickly, I moved on to something else.

A day later, I saw him again. He was pushing the shopping cart up a huge hill on the same highway. I started to become concerned for him, I slowed down as I drove by, I even said a prayer that the Lord would keep him safe. When I got home, I told my husband about him. "he's almost to Newport, I said. you wouldn't believe all the stuff he's pushing in that cart!" I started to feel like his recurrent presence in my life was not coincidental, I started wondering if the Lord wanted me to do something for him. I wondered, for a little while, but soon I got busy with self indulgent things like wondering what I should wear to church the next day...yea, important stuff...

Several days passed and soon I was out on the highway again. Driving home from somewhere, I began wondering what had happened to the shopping cart pusher. I hadn't seen him several days. "Maybe the police picked him up", I thought. "It certainly can't be legal to take a shopping cart, fill it up with stuff and push it up the highway...endangering drivers trying to navigate darkness and bad weather, right?" (eye roll, here) And then I saw it...on the side of the road, pieces of a smashed, plastic grocery cart strewn all over the grass. I gasped! I wanted to pull over but I was driving too fast. I turned the car around and drove by again...sure enough, there was the pieces of the cart, some of them had fallen over the steep cliff down to the ocean. I didn't get out of the car. I was so afraid he had fallen over the embankment and was lying there dead. I started to cry, and as I drove home a feeling of tremendous grief came over me. Would anyone even miss him? Did anyone even know he was walking along that highway? Did anyone care?

When I got home, I told my husband about it. He tried to comfort me by telling me it probably wasn't his cart, after all it was on the opposite side of the road! I tried to sleep that night but could not shake the feeling that the I was supposed to do something for that man and I had desperately failed him. The guilt I felt was overwhelming. I was angry with the Lord, "what did you want me to do for him?" I cried. "you know, he wouldn't have left that shopping cart, Lord!"
Sleep eluded me for several nights following. I was so disappointed in myself, I had been so self absorbed and so sinful, that pushed aside the challenge the Lord has given me before...again! A day or so later in church, I wept during worship, asking the Lord to forgive me and use me, even in my imperfection. I came home from church and went to bed. Too full of self pity to even have fellowship with my family.

A few hours went by, and I got up, came out to the kitchen and announced to the boys that we were going out for awhile. Busyness always distracts from too much conviction (wink, wink) So, we headed out to the car and drove north on the highway for about an hour to Lincoln City to do some shopping. We shopped for a little bit and then headed home, it was getting dark and it was, of course, raining. As we drove, we came around a curve and there on the side of the highway was the tarp covered man pushing his tarp covered shopping cart! "There he is!" I yelled. My husband and sons looked. "That's him! That's him! He's not dead!!" The boys of course were looking at me like I was crazy, but my husband smiled. "See", he said, "I told you he was fine." I breathed a deep sigh of relief and we chatted back and forth happily. I slept well that night and woke around 6 am with a word...yup, a word. I know, I hate when that happens too...but it was definitely a word and it was definitely from the Lord. I rolled over and tapped my husband on the shoulder and woke him. "uh, honey, you know that guy with the shopping cart? yea, well, uh...the Lord wants me to find him today and give him some good shoes. they can't be used shoes, hon, he's doing a lot of walking, he doesn't need someone's old worn out shoes...he needs new shoes." (smiling here) He says, "oookkayy, honey!" (bless his heart...)

So, I got dressed and headed out, bought the shoes (what size? I don't know, so a bought a couple different sizes) "how am I going to find him?" I wondered...and then the Lord quickly reminded me, "do you really think I'm sending you to do this and you're not going to be able to find him? oh, child..." So I headed up the highway with the shoes in the car and drove about 50 miles when I saw the shopping cart on the side of the road. I got so excited! and then terrified...I pulled over and got out of the car. The "man" was actually a woman, Willamina, and she was sitting on the grass...barefoot! yes, people...i said, barefoot! I walked over and visited with her. She asked me where I was headed and I told her I was headed to her...

She got the shoes, dear sisters and brothers, and she so loved them. Then we loaded up her shopping cart in the back of my car (i know, right???) and I gave her a ride to the next city. She shared with me her travel plans and told me about the car that almost killed her in Newport and smashed her old shopping cart, but that she was thankful because now she has a new one. (wow...) When I asked her if she had a family somewhere, she said, "none of that matters. it doesn't matter how old we are, what color we are, what sex we are, it only matters what we do in this life for Jesus Christ"...shut the front door...do you have as many goosebumps as me right now?

After leaving Willamina at the laundromat so she could wash some of her wet things, she hugged me and I got to pray over her. The blessing I received from the whole encounter, can never be summed up in this blog entry. The lesson for me is huge. Why did Jesus spend so much time telling us to serve the least? Why is it so important to him? Why does He care so much about orphans, the poor, the sick and the hungry? Because He died for them! He died for all of us, even the ones who hate him. He loved the least so much He gave His LIFE for them...if we claim to love Him, shouldn't we at least be able to give a pair of shoes?

being real...

sometimes i wonder what the world would like if it were real. what would it look like in your home, your workplace, your television and your church, if people were real? i know it sounds like a strange concept and really it is...but since i have been struggling with it recently, and actually always, i am wondering if i'm alone?

i read a book recently that had a profound impact on me. the book is called "7". in general, the theme of the book challenges the cultural condition of our country. it's a book about shedding the "excess" we all strive to accumulate in an effort to fully understand the extent to which the "church" resembles the "world". it was quite convicting for me, but lately i've been struggling not as much with stuff, but more with appearances. following the same line of thinking, it seems most of the efforts of people in our culture are directed toward appearing like everything is perfect, all the time. when we are met with people who don't strive to appear perfect, we are uncomfortable. we label them as vulnerable, steer clear of them, and/or be sure to express contempt for their pathetic, assuredly self inflicted mess of a life. does that sting anyone besides me?

i have to tell you, keeping up appearances is absolutely killing me. it is truly exhausting! it seems to take every ounce of energy i have just to muster up the fake smile that goes with it. sometimes, i have this urge to scream "guess what? i don't have it all together!" i think the only reason i don't yell it out is because i am so afraid of the reaction. to be honest, i haven't written anything lately because i can't. i think about writing and i quickly remind myself, that i'm a mess and nobody wants to know that. and even more importantly...i don't want anyone to know that!! but then i realized that makes me just like everyone else...completely afraid to be real.

when i have truly reached the end of myself, i end up in the Psalms. i find David's writings to be so revealing. sometimes, i read them and the words literally bring me to tears. Psalm 6:6 says "i am worn out from groaning, all night long i flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. my eyes grow weak with sorrow, they fail because of all my foes." whoa...talk about being real! can you imagine if David did what i do? what many of us do? and failed to write those words? what if he worried that everyone would think he was weak if he "blogged" about his struggles? what if he only admitted his shortcomings to the Lord and failed to do what the Lord spoke to him by writing the Psalms? please don't get me wrong, i certainly am not claiming to be David, but i am claiming to know these truths. the Lord meets us wherever we are and is able to use us to accomplish great things. but what if we have to "be real" in order for those things to be accomplished? are we still willing? what if we have to be vulnerable? are we still willing? what if we have to risk the image we are trying so desperately to keep up? are we still willing?

i have to tell you, friends...i am too exhausted with my image. i am in need of some "real" time with the Lord. it's definitely scary. the thought of being vulnerable is uncomfortable to say the least. but what if someone else can be influenced or even rescued as a result? what if i spend my life looking "perfect" to the world and completely missing the potential the Lord created me for? that thought is even scarier...

Psalm 18:30 - "as for God, his way is perfect..."

His perfection is all this girl has, and i do know that it is plenty...

A Champion...

This story is not about my kid. It's about someone else's kid. Someone else's kid that I don't even know, but his impact on me has been huge, and that's putting it mildly.

My kid is the one in green, he finished fourth at the state tournament. He wrestled hard and left everything he had on the mat. I am so proud of him. The kid the story is about, is the one in red. He finished second. A great wrestler, a strong competitor, an athletic force to be reckoned with...but the impact he made on the mat had nothing to do with his athletic abilities, and everything to do with his heart.

His name is Cody, and I know nothing about him except what I have seen, and what I have seen is stunning. For me, the story begins a few weeks ago. My oldest son, Brey, wrestled at Jefferson High School. I worked that evening and when he returned home, I asked him how his match had gone. "I got pinned", he said. "Bummer", I responded, "how did that happen?" He responded, "he's last year state champ, he's undefeated, a great wrestler, his name is Cody Manzi."

Cody didn't cross my mind again until the district wrestling tournament 2 weeks later. Our family traveled over to Harrisburg, OR, to watch Brey compete for a chance to go to State. Brey wrestled hard and made it to the championship match. His opponent for first place in the 3A district championship was Cody Manzi. Just like most wrestling moms, I anxiously waited in the stands and sized up the competition. I watched Cody as he prepared to wrestle Brey. The competetive spirit in me hoped that Brey would beat him. He didn't. Cody pinned Brey, again, and both of them advanced to the State Tournament. On the long drive home, we discussed strategies for beating Cody. We discussed his strengths and talked about how he probably hadn't faced a challenging opponent in some time. We hoped he would at the State Tournament...

He did.

It wasn't my kid. It was someone else's who faced Cody, but I couldn't wait to see it. Brey finished fourth, so he was done wrestling for the season. We climbed into our seats and waited for the championship rounds to begin. I didn't care about anyone else's match, I was waiting for Cody's. I wanted to see him wrestle a really tough match, and that's exactly what I got.

The boy who wrestled Cody for the District 3A State Championship Title brought everything he had. He wrestled his heart out. He gave everything he had. He fought hard when most would have given up. He is worthy of much praise and congratulations. But my story is not about him...it's about the boy who lost. It's about Cody...

As I watched and cheered for the underdog, Cody fought for his title. He wrestled hard, struggled to strategize and tried to control a determined opponent. But like all of us, Cody is human. He met a better wrestler that day and ultimately lost his title. It should have been a tragedy for Cody Manzi...but it wasn't. As the stunned crowd looked on, Cody Manzi did something absolutely amazing. He loved...

When Cody realized his defeat was certain, he began clapping his hands. In the center of a packed arena, with all eyes on his match, he began clapping his hands in celebration of his opponent's success. When he finished clapping he grabbed his opponent's hand and he raised it to the ceiling proclaiming his stunning victory! The joy on his face was so pure it was contagious. I couldn't take my eyes off of him as he congratulated the winner, hugged the officials and both coaches and ran off the mat, leaving the new state champion to enjoy his fame.

Humbled, is the only word that can describe my heart at that moment. A seventeen year old boy had taught this old girl a lesson in the love of Christ. I love the Lord with all that I am, but I know myself well enough to know that I would not have had the strength that that boy had in that moment. That only comes from heaven...

When met with the challenge, Cody Manzi "loved thy neighbor as thyself". And the result was sobering to a self centered generation focused on winning. The event in that stadium was far greater than physical strength and accomplishment. It was a spiritual challenge given to Cody, that he met with more fortitude than any match he ever wrestled. The impact goes beyond anything he will ever understand, but his willingness to be used by God definitely qualifies him as a champion.

Congratulations Cody, I'm so proud you!

Going to State!!!

Warning! I have become one of those annoying "bragging" parents...I know, I'm surprised myself, but it just snuck up on me out of nowhere! All the sudden I remind myself of those mom's on that reality TV show about pageants. I haven't gotten Brey a spray tan and teeth whitening yet, but I also haven't ruled it out...just sayin...

So, our oldest son Brey (see above photo) came in 2nd last weekend at the 3A district finals and gets to compete in the Oregon 3A state wrestling finals this weekend. We are all so excited. Me, especially, since I get to figure out what to wear...(told ya! scary...) We are heading to Portland on Friday and T's parents are meeting us, we're taking all the boys with us and we probably will look like some "dugger family" fiasco, but, oh well! We wouldn't have it any other way. We are all so proud of him and just wishing him great success.

In preperation for this big weekend of competition, Thane and I have been assisting Brey with wrestling support. For instance, yesterday, Thane rolled out the wrestling mats in the garage (yes, people, we have actual high school wrestling mats in our garage...don't hate) anyways, Thane and Brey spent the afternoon watching the video tapes from last weekend and analyzing strategies and moves. The culmination of this ended up with Thane actually wrestling Brey on the mats. This is actually quite amusing to watch...Thane begins by assuming the wrestling stance and smacking Brey on the side of the head. Brey says "yo! why are you hitting me?" Thane: "does it make you mad?" (Thane smacks the side of his head again...) Brey: "hey! you can't hit me!" Thane: "Really? I think I just did." Brey: (adolescent eye rolling) Thane: "if your opponent smacks you on the side of the head at the tournament, are you gonna look at the ref and tell him 'he's not allowed to hit me!' " About that time, Brey decided to take Thane down and did so quite solidly. What followed was an all out, no holds barred WWF style match. They grunted and moaned, laughed and sweated together, and as of this morning, Thane still can't move his right shoulder (don't tell Brey though).

As for me, I play a much more strategic role in offering my plan of attack for Brey's upcoming competition. It goes something like this...Me: "Brey, I have some advice for you for this weekend..." Brey (trying to act interested) "yea?" Me:"I don't think you should get underneath that guy, he looks really strong, I would try not to get underneath him." Brey: "oookay, mom...thanks" Me: "oh, one more thing...I would just take it one match at a time, you can't win the last one until you win the first one..." Brey:"Right..." (I know, this is good stuff right? I should totally write a book on wrestling strategies)

So, we've been busy checking the brackets, the state rankings and watching all 6 "Rocky" movies this week. I'm so pumped up, I've been running around in trash bags, eating grapefruit and spitting. I'm afraid if I run into the competition in the halls of the Colisseum I might just take him down myself! But I'll probably just exchange hard looks with the other mom's though...I always win at that!

Gotta go...need to get his spray tan scheduled!

District 3A Semi-Finals, 195 lbs.

District 3A Wrestling Championship, 195 lb.

For the Cheaters, Shirkers, and Cherry-Pickers

Seven practical ways to make a difference ....pick one and try it! You will truly be blessed!
For the Cheaters, Shirkers, and Cherry-Pickers

Smiles, Tears and Obedience...

Goosebumps...that's the only word I can think of to describe what happened in our lives today. It seems like a lame word to describe what actually took place, but somehow it is the only description that comes to mind tonight. This post has been running through my head all day and my only fear in sharing it, is that I won't do it justice. But I'm in a season of great change and the Lord has pressed on my heart the importance of sharing it...so, here goes!

Still deep in the throws of the wrench the Lord threw in my life recently, called "7", (see previous post) I have been unable to enjoy my usual comforts while completely ignoring the less fortunate(thanks Jen Hatmaker). This usually is not a problem for me. My past behaviors will show that I am a Christian woman who rarely thinks much about the homeless, the hungry, the sick and the poor. I mean after all, I have to pick out something fashionable to wear to work, eat my breakfast, start one of my two cars and get to town early enough to stop and get my latte. Not to mention, save enough time to complain about it and force the barista to remake it when it isn't hot enough! (eye roll here) Sure, I love Jesus. I am a regular attender at my church, serve on the worship team, throw my allocated percentage in the offering plate and when a fellow church member is sick or has a baby, I make a meal. So, I am obediently following the standards of the modern American church, checking the box, blessing the blessed, serving the saved and all the while wondering..."is this it?" Well, this week that question has been answered with "actually, Rebekah...no".

The Lord is moving me. He is changing my heart. He is taking off the blinders I wear to protect me from seeing things that might make me uncomfortable. The man begging for money outside of Fred Meyer. The alcoholic who hears voices so he quiets them with drunkenness. The elderly woman who waits alone to die, rather than call an ambulance because she doesn't want to live anymore. The young boy at the wrestling tournament who drove himself there, no parent to cheer him on, no coach to teach him, no one to rely on but himself. All of the sudden, the disfortunate are all I can see. The Lord points them out to me everywhere, and His Holy Spirit pursues me to do something about it until I can no longer run from it. And I am so thankful to Him for the awakening.

That's the background, today's story goes like this...Last night, Thane and I went out to dinner with our friends. We almost didn't make it. There were plenty of obstacles that tried to prevent it. But we managed to get out to a lovely restaurant on the bay with our two closest friends who also love Jesus. We started talking about "7". They started asking me about it actually, and I am so overflowing right now that it's my very favorite thing to talk about! We talked about the modern church and its resemblance to, or lack there of, the bride of Christ. We all attend the same church, so I asked the question "if Jesus came to our church on Sunday, would He be pleased or would He look around and say 'Really?'" It's a challenging question, one I am wrestling with daily right now.

Thane has been listening to me every night, so none of this was new to him. He has patiently lent an ear to my mandatory readings from "7" and has nodded his head, tilted his head to the side and raised his eyebrows, and once he even asked, "are you going to start giving away all my stuff?" He is such a remarkable man. He takes in so much, but reveals very little. He is not full of words, he is a man known by his actions. So, I have definitely felt his support in this season of change, but not necessarily a desire to participate. But I am the only one accountable for me, so I trust the Lord to work on everyone else.

This morning as I hurried myself to church ahead of my family. (worship team practice) I was late as usual, worried about my voice (ahem, image!) and focused on trying to remember when to come in on all the different songs. I saw Thane and our boys come in to church, and as worship began, I smiled at him from the stage and his eyes greeted mine with the same twinkle he has always had when he looks at me. Then something scary happened...as I was singing, I heard someone say "ask them if they're ready to have their hearts broken". What?!!! "who said that?", I thought as I continued singing. "ask them if they're ready to have their hearts broken for what breaks mine." What the?....Lord? is that you? "No", I quickly dismissed it, "that is NOT the Lord, that is just you trying to make things about you and what you're experiencing...that is NOT from the Lord!...now, just keep singing!" The next song started, and we got to the line that says, "break our hearts, to see the need in this world...King of hope, your kingdom come"...I heard Him again, "i want you to ask them". When the song closed, the worship leader started talking about the needs that exist all around us that we don't even see, when he finished speaking I put my mouth up to the microphone and obeyed the Lord. "He wants me to ask you if you're willing to have your heart broken...He wants to show you what breaks His heart so you can show His love." We sang the song again and I fell to my knees, I could not sing, I layed on the floor and cried, I literally poured out myself at the feet of Jesus, many from the congregation and the worship team joined me. We sang, we cried, we asked the Lord to open our eyes and fill us with compassion for what we see. As worship finished, I came to my feet and noticed Thane rising up from the floor also. It overwhelmed me to see him there, to see he answered with action. I could not stop smiling.

When church finished today, we made our way to the door visiting and chatting with our brothers and sisters in Christ. When I was ready to go, I started to look for Thane. I didn't see him in the sanctuary so I headed outside and spotted him visiting under a tree with a rather unkept man. The man was carrying all of his belongings in a very tethered backpack. His shoes were worn, his clothes were dirty, his hair was greasy and everything he owned was in this backpack. I watched as Thane visited with him, listening and sharing like he had nothing else to do today. They talked for some time and I waited, watching from a distance. They shook hands and parted ways. I went and got muffins on the way home as a treat for the boys, and when I got home Thane wasn't there. "Where's your dad?" I asked the boys. "oh, he went in the garage and got his military backpack, you know the one with the frame, that he got in the army...the one that he loves!" my second son said..."he's givin it to that homeless guy that he was talking to outside the church."

When he got home a few minutes later, I greeted him with a huge hug and a smile. "wow!" I said, "you are amazing! I am so proud of you!" As he shared the story with me in our kitchen, I could not stop grinning, and crying...The joy of the Lord is uncontainable, His love has no boundaries, He challenges us with opportunities to love every day. When we give ourselves over to Him, He is able to do great things...

An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

So, I have been absolutely dying to share this with you. The Lord has been stirring up something very profound in my heart, or I should say He is completely turning my world upside down! I have become obsessed with a new book He lead me to by Jen Hatmaker. I started it a few days ago, and have not been able to put it down. I mean, if it wasn't for that pesky thing I have to do called work, I'd be done it already!

I'm sharing it here with you because the Lord is readying me for a revolution of sorts. I'm wondering how many of you will join me...it starts with being fed up with having so much (we really do, ya know) and doing so little with it. It has to do with giving up the very things that are ordinary "essentials" to us, in a country where "more is better", in an exchange for "more" of Jesus. Have you ever stopped to think that while you're tossing away food that no one in your house felt like eating, thousands in the world are dying from hunger? And it's more than just making you feel guilty for having food, clothes, computers, cell phones, cable or a kindle. It's about sacrificing or "fasting" from comfortable things in exchange for making room for a Saviour who wants to speak to you.

I have a feeling this is the beginning of a journey that will change my life...I hope you'll join me, either by "joining me" or praying me through it...even better, praying for those who don't have enough to eat tonight.

Click on the link below to read Jen's introduction to the book, she explains it much better than I do. Looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us!
An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

Aubrey 1/31/12 Newport, Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Gabriel...1/28/2012 Lebanon, OR

Brey's Championship Match...1/14/2012 Siuslaw

Brey's Championship Match Round 2

Brey's Championship Match Round 3

Storms...

So, as I sit here tonight on the Oregon Coast, everyone is gearing up for a big storm. School has already been cancelled for tomorrow, and everyone who can stay home is staying home. The forecast calls for over 100 mph winds here tomorrow and ocean swells to 35 feet. I don't think I have ever been through a storm like this, so it should be very exciting!

When I got home from work today, Thane and the boys were busy unloading wood into the house, organizing candles, hunting for lanterns and bringing in everything that isn't tied down from outside. As they hurriedly prepared, I found myself worrying...what if we don't have power? what if I can't get to work? what if we run out of wood? what if our roof blows off or our house floods? No one else in my house seemed worried though, all busy preparing...making sure every possible complication had a solution. As I watched them, I started to draw an obvious parallel, it goes something like this...

The National Weather Service issues a warning, right? "Hey! There's a big storm coming!!! Its going to be bad!!!" We respond, if we're listening, by preparing for the worst...figuring out how we will "weather" the storm. In our own lives the Lord tells us, through His Word, that we will have to "weather" storms. What they look like, how difficult they are and how they will affect us will be different for everyone. But what is the same is that we all will have them. So, how should we respond to the warning? Should we panic? Should we ignore it? Should we put it aside and deal with it later? The Lord tells us we should prepare...

Hauling wood, gathering candles, and filling lanterns can prepare us for weathering an Oregon
Coast winter storm. But the storms of life require similar preparations. Studying the Word, will give us wisdom and discernment. Prayer and seeking Him will give us guidance and comfort. Worshipping our Saviour at all times gives us the comfort and knowledge that His sovereignty is certain. We may not know when the storm is coming or even what the storm is, but if we're prepared we can handle anything in the name of Jesus. Draw close to Him before, after and in the midst of your storms...there is no better place.

Happy Birthday T!

Isn't he the cutest ever??? I mean really, I don't know anyone who ages better than my hubby. Last week we got to celebrate another birthday with him. His favorite time of year, the 6 weeks he's younger than me, had finally ended...whew! Anyway, he and I spent the day off from work together, went to his favorite restaurant for breakfast and then had our friends over for some cake and presents. It was a really nice day.

I continue to be amazed that the Lord has blessed me so much that I would be able to share his life and raise our children together. I know that the Lord has challenged us to raise quality men who are comitted to their Savior, their families and their communities. It's no small task in a country where men are considered stupid, sloppy and a downright inconvenience. The world tells us that women can do everything...better. The message has been around for so long that many of us have become numb to it. We don't even notice it most of the time. In fact, we often find ourselves even participating in it. How many times have we settled around the television to be entertained by "Raymond Barone" or "Two and a half Men". "Ward Cleaver" is long gone as are so many of the other decent characters that have come out of Hollywood. It is so invasive in our culture that we actually have to fight against the mainstream.

I am so grateful that the Lord has given my boys a role model worth emulating. A man who lives life with passion, loves the land and all the outdoors has to offer. A man who hunts, fishes and pumps iron, but reads to his boys before bed. A man who rides dirtbikes, repels from bridges, loves, and jumps out of planes yet loves his wife, protects her, defends her, supports her, makes her coffee, watches sappy movies with her and wipes her tears... A man who never ceases seeking what the Lord desires for him, who fails, hits his knees, wipes them off and gets back up again. A man with more courage, determination and love than any other. I am so thankful that he is my man...

Christmas Fun!!

I love these pictures...The one on the left proves that every Christmas I get shorter ;) The one on the left just cracks me up! I'm not sure why, but the older I get the more I enjoy being "silly". These are our best friends, John and Lucy. They are one of the best things that ever happened to us and being reunited with them this year has been one of the biggest blessings of 2011. One of the great things about our relationship is that we are easily able to bring out the "silliness" in one another. We spend a lot of time laughing, teasing each other and enjoying being able to laugh at ourselves. So much of our adulthood is spent bogged down in stress and seriousness. It is nice to enjoy the fellowship that the Lord gave us and not take ourselves too seriously.

Our Christmas was so joyful this year. With our recent move and job transitions, we were not able to provide as many gifts for our kids this year. Initially, I was so disappointed about it. I spent some time worrying and entertaining my good friend, self pity, and then I got a grip and decided to be thankful for the important things this Christmas. My family is all together, in our home, and we all continue to enjoy good health and a wonderful church family. Our boys are growing fast and soon our nest will start emptying, which I just cannot believe.

So this year we went shopping and were able to get each of the boys one very special gift that they really wanted. Watching them open their gifts on Christmas Eve actually brought tears to my eyes. They were so thankful! Sometimes you wonder if you've taught your kids how to be thankful. In a day where kids are overindulged and fairly self-centered it's hard to know if you've taught this important lesson. Or more importantly, if the lesson has been received and applied. It was the coolest thing to watch them be so excited and share in each others excitement as they opened their gifts. Watching them was definitely my favorite gift.

My other favorite gift, was getting to sing with my husband at the Christmas Eve service at our church, maybe I'll post the video of it (if I can figure out how) a little later.

I hope your "gifts" were as sweet as mine...Merry Christmas!