Back In Town

Ellie took this picture with her ipod.

Her ipod.

I remember when I got my first camera, at the ripe old age of 13.

It didn't take pictures this clear.

Or this:

She took this over the summer in Colorado.

My daughter amazes me.

We have been constantly ministering, being gone on the road, in a different town every day, sleeping in a different bed every night.

She never complains.

I guess it's an adventure for both Ellie and Drummer Boy.

They get to meet new people, and see God transform lives, while experiencing all sorts of new sights, sounds, smells and cultures.

And that's just going to other States in the U.S.A.

Wait until they get out of the country.

It's going to be awesome.

We are carriers of God's glory, to cover the earth with His presence.

Keep us in your prayers. We have a fundraiser this Saturday to raise money for No Compromise International, our new God-planned ministry. Vance will be going to Kenya in January, Mexico and Guatemala in March, and all four of us will be going to Papua New Guinea and Australia in April.

I can't wait to see what pictures Ellie decides to take then.

It's so exciting!

A favorite new poem I had never seen before.

This is my new favorite poem.

I read it to Ellie last night as we were side by side, laying on the couch.

When I first saw it, my breath actually caught in my throat.

In case you can't read the above, here it is in easier to read format:

You are the trip I did not take;

You are the pearls I could not buy;

You are my blue Italian lake;

You are my piece of foreign sky.

You are my Honolulu moon;

You are the book I did not write;

You are my heart's unuttered tune;

You are a candle in my night.

You are the flower beneath the snow;

In my dark sky a bit of blue,

Answering Disappointment's blow

With "I am happy! I have you!"

The author? Anne Campbell.

I love it.

It reminds me of my children each time I read it.

And how I should treasure them as "the book I did not write".

God is the Author of their story, I am merely a steward entrusted with their care.

And a look in their eyes, faces smiling, full of trust and unwavering love, makes me certain of my calling as a Mom.

God has anointed me for this before any song grew in my thoughts, or fell from my lips.

Fall Is Here

I can tell Fall has arrived.

I have that expectant and nostalgic feeling.

I wish we had snow in South Louisiana.

Alas, there is none to be had this time of year.

However, compensations for this greatly abound.

For example, we still have dragonflies for a couple more weeks.

Here's the latest specimen:

Like it? We found it in the driveway yesterday.

I want to shadowbox it.

Another upside to the not-quite-cold-enough-to-wear-a-jacket-yet weather those in colder climates aren't experiencing is, well, not having to wear a jacket yet. Although it's appropriate to celebrate this fact when sitting in the bleachers watching a football game, I must say, I can't wait to put on a cardigan. I love cardigans. Really. Okay, I've already worn one a few times.

And hats. Especially these.

But, it's just not cold enough yet. Except for the middle one, which could be worn any time at all. In any situation.

According to Drummer Boy's calculations, the time for dressing for Fall is now.

He came into the living room this morning still in his nightclothes, but ready to embrace a blustery day.

How great is this?

I get to look at this beautiful, wondering, curious, amazing little boy every single day.

I am so blessed.

Some Fun Stuff

I wanted to give you something funny.

Most of these came from twentytwowords.com. I don't endorse everything on their site, but these were pretty good.

Darth Vader camping

A life lesson

Mitch Hedberg wisdom

Finally, a candidate to believe in

A pun you can wear

Explaining politics

Getting Ahead

This morning, I was giving Drummer Boy his spelling test.

He had just finished telling me all the words on the list.

"See, Mom?" he said proudly. "I know them already. I'm not going to forget. They're up there in my noggin."

I gathered the study materials and began to read out the words to him.

"No, Mom, I wrote those already," he pronounced, firing off at light speed the words he had written down in the 25 seconds it had taken me to start the test.

As you can see, all the words were correct. But the format lacked any form at all.

I made him do it over, and this time, numbered and dated with his name.

(And he had to wait for me to give him the words.)

You know where this is going, right?

If I had just let him do it the way he wanted, it wouldn't have been acceptable as evidence of our homeschool method of testing--to any official from the Department of Education. It was just a bunch of words jumbled together.

God reminded me this morning that when I get ahead of Him, even if I know the plan, the words to say, the song to sing, the person needing help, if it's not according to His pattern, His format, it's not done right.

No one else will be able to look at what I'm doing and "get" what it's about. All the right words and actions will be there, but if it's not done in an orderly fashion, waiting on God for the next step, it will not last beyond me. It will die with me, because I'm the only one who understands it.

Then the LORD answered me and said:
“ Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry."

(Habakkuk 2:2-3)

This Made Me Stop And Think.

Yesterday, we were visiting a church in Shreveport, New Creation Family Church. The pastors are dear friends, Bishop Shaun and Teresa Cooper.

It was good to reconnect, and share what God has been doing in us, and through us.

I sang during the morning service, a song God gave me for their church.

Then Pastor Shaun spoke. Wow.

Biker Man and I kept looking at each other in amazement and conviction.

The one point I will share here was from Revelation 3:20.

"Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."

I've heard this scripture since I was a little girl. I could quote it to you, and tell you it's about Jesus wanting to come into the sinner's heart and forgive sins, and be Lord of your life.

But the Bishop gave a different spin on it.

This verse is right after the warning to the church of Laodecia. The lukewarm church. Jesus doesn't know where they are. He can't locate them, they aren't hot for Him, or cold. They make Him sick, completely taken over by the apostacy and apathy of this age.

But Jesus stands at the door and knocks.

Bishop Cooper said, "Your prayer life isn't out of a desire for Him anymore. It's become one of duty. So you give Him time in your car, or when you get to church. It's not the passion it once was. See, Jesus went to the store to get more bread. When He got back, He was locked out. Locked out of His own home. And you have all your friends there, sitting at the table, throwing a party. Yelling at the kids. In the back yard bar-b-que-ing. Running the vacuum to clean before you let Him back in. But He's God. He already knows the house is dirty. Remember when you couldn't wait to get home and spend time alone in worship with Him? When you couldn't wait to get up and get lost in prayer with Him?"

This quote blew me away.

Poor prayer life = Poor perspective.

My prayer life determines how I view everything else. How I handle my day. The love I give, whether it's tempered by cynicism or sincerity. And I won't even know if I'm listening to the voice of God if I'm not hearing His voice in the Secret Place.

Guy On A Buffalo

Biker Man showed this to me.

It's my new favorite video.

Don't ever mess with a guy on a buffalo.

Just saying.

Quotes On Worship

"The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service."

~ Billy Graham

"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped."
~ Jack Hayford

"It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men."

~ C.S. Lewis

“I wish to get back to worship again. Then, when people come into the church they will instantly sense that they have come among holy people, God’s people. They can testify, ‘Of a truth God is in this place.’"

~ A. W. Tozer

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell."

~ C.S. Lewis

"When I'm praying the most eloquently, I am getting the least accomplished in my prayer life. But when I stop getting eloquent and give God less theology and shut up and just gaze upward and wait for God to speak to my heart, He speaks with such power that I have to grab a pencil and a notebook and take notes on what God is saying to my heart."

~ A.W. Tozer

"A glimpse of God will save you. To gaze at Him will sanctify you."
~ Manley Beasley

"A true love of God must begin with a delight in his holiness."

~ Jonathan Edwards

"Whenever the method of worship becomes more important than the Person of worship, we have already prostituted our worship. There are entire congregations who worship praise and praise worship but who have not yet learned to praise and worship God in Jesus Christ."

~ Judson Cornwall

"Worship is giving God the best that He has given you.

Be careful what you do with the best you have."

~ Oswald Chambers

Two And A Half Weeks Later

I know, I know.

I have been gone from the blog world for over two weeks.

Again, living life with no time to blog about it.

That's a good thing. For me, anyway.

We have commenced school, Master's Commission (XMC),

and getting back into the flow at Crossroads.

So much has been happening, but the BIG news on the home front is:

We are launching a full-time ministry!

I will devote an entire post to this later on.

Most recently, Drummer Boy lost another tooth.

Here is the video I did of this monumental occasion.

(Disclaimer: Drummer Boy's method for tooth-pulling was not my first choice. It was something he had heard about and wanted to try. Could not talk him out of it.)

Fruit Born In Season

I did this one afternoon last week for the daughter of a friend.

Originally, it was just going to be a decorative piece of art for her new condo.

I was thinking, something like a fleur-de lis.

But as I began to work on it, God changed the outcome.

She is a tree.

"A tree?"

Yes.

"Okay," I answered as I started the trunk and worked my way up.

Spend more time on the roots.

"The roots? Isn't that kind of, well, gothic-y?"

The roots are the foundation for the growth of a tree. Her foundation goes deep.

I began painting the root system.

Some of the roots need to fade away. Her past has been redeemed, and those roots no longer tie her to future growth.

"Wow, Lord, You're being really specific. What about the leaves?"

I plucked her from the desert with My own hand. Her leaves will not wither because I have planted her by Living Water. Paint one solitary fruit. She is only now beginning to see what I have in store for her. Her fruit will be born in season, sweetened by the tears she has sown, seasoned by her commitment to be found faithful.

When we gave it to the young lady for her housewarming, I explained what God had shown me as I painted and prayed.

She thanked me and cried.

We both knew it had to be the Lord, because I've met her maybe twice, in passing.

Jesus will go to any length to prove His love for us.

"(She) shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever (she) does shall prosper." Psalm 1:3

Beautiful Feet

A couple nights ago, I noticed Drummer Boy had something on the soles of his feet.

Somethings.

Actually, it looked like a bunch of freckles.

"What are these?" I asked him.

"Oh, probably some prickles I walked in from the yard."

(I love his use of probably. More often than not, he uses this word when he knows exactly why.)

"You stepped in prickles today?" I continued.

"No, the other day I think," he answered nonchalantly.

I felt like the world's worst mom for:

a) only noticing days later my son had prickles imbedded so far into his foot that the skin was actually smooth to the touch,

b) what now needed to take place as a result of the aformentioned maternal negligence.

The following pictures show Biker Man's surgical prowess.

I cringe even now looking at them.

But it got me to thinking.

Sometimes in my walk with God, I walk where I shouldn't, following my own wisdom, and not the Holy Spirit's leading.

In the process, I get sidetracked, Walking where I shouldn't.

Junk gets stuck in my feet, and remains there until I stop and tell God about it and ask Him to remove it.

Only He can.

Then I can walk unhindered and in obedience to bring His Good News to those He sends me to.

Then I'll have beautiful feet.

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

Isaiah 52:7

Holy In His Sight

Sing little girl!

Your Daddy is a builder of a city yet unseen

Architect and Founder of the reality of dreams

Dreams and visions of a time to come

When the King will reign

Fulfilling Revelation.

Barren womb long past menopause

Conceiving Isaac, laughter

Gold refined from dross.

He looks beyond road construction

to journey's end not asking perfection

Which no man can attain

But holiness

which before His blood

was only His to claim.

But He loved with a love

beyond comprehension

Unfathomable, crazy even

defying all convention

Recklessly abandoning the Throne of glory

In wonder angels watched

as He unfolded the story.

The lover He created

to one day be His Bride

His affection rejected

Purity cast aside

But true love could not be denied

Her ransom too high

Enslaved by her own choosing

He kicked in the door

to the traffic house

as the enemy stood accusing

the woman huddled in a corner

believing lies about her soul

Until Mercy called her name

and Freedom paid the toll

Taking the rags

she clung to as right

As the ring kissed her finger

He called her

holy in His sight.

Two Weeks Ago

So, from my last blog, you know we were in Tulsa after leaving Colorado.

On the way, we stopped in Hays, Kansas.

We took the kids to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.

It was very educational.

Especially since secular Science doesn't believe The Great Flood happened. (read all about it in Genesis 6.)

All of these fish bones were found in the middle of Kansas!

Crazy, right?

I won't give a geology lesson, I promise.

But Ellie and Drummer Boy sure got one!

After the field trip stop, it was on to Tulsa, Oklahoma for a night of worship, and weekend services with some wonderful people.

Because I am the main photographer, and I was onstage the entire time, there are no pictures with Pastor Bill Story or Pastor Paul Aelmore from Bethel Worship Center.

It was truly a memorable time in God's presence. We just have to work on photographic evidence.

We stopped in on Pastor Danny and Sarah Borrell at Faith Center in Tulsa.

I really really love them.

Now we are back home.

I tried to blog about this a few days ago, and then a couple days ago again, but couldn't attach any pictures.

From now on, I guess I'll have to blog without photos to stay current.

It's just not as fun.

Wednesday, I have an interview with a local radio station, KAJN (102.9 fm).

They have been playing "Stars" from Declaration.

I hope I don't ramble.

Why are you laughing?

I can do that, right?

Since We've Been Gone...

A LOT has happened.

I mean, a lot.

When last I wrote, we were preparing for a weekend worship seminar with our friends

Worship pastors Marty and Amy Gonzales:

It went awesome.

The entire weekend was amazing.

I taught two workshops the Saturday morning, one of which was a songwriting session. They wrote a song, "Heaven Is Falling." I loooved being part of the process as God poured through their worship team. We introduced the song during the Saturday night worship service, and then again to their church body on Sunday morning. The entire church really embraced the song.

God spoke the entire weekend. Not just during the services, which were refreshing and real. We were ready to hear what the Holy Spirit wanted to say. And He spoke.

We can't wait to go back.

Before leaving for Tulsa we took a couple days to see the Colorado Rocky Mountains...

Can I just say...WOW.

Ellie enjoying the view.

A lake. A beautiful, pristine, clear, probably freezing, lake.

Again. WOW.

Biker Man and Drummer Boy.

Ellie made a snowball. A snowball. In July.

Ellie also took this well composed photograph of Biker Man and myself.

We saw elk.

Up close.

Of course, Biker Man bemoaned the fact that we had obviously arranged a Colorado trip at the wrong time of year. He loves to hunt, and was understandably bitter the remainder of the afternoon.

Our smiles prove we had no idea that in two days we would be in 106 degree heat.

Which is another blog.