Here! Here!

I know I said this was not going to become a poltical blog .... and it is not, but I read something while visting Baby Bangs that I felt like was worth passing on about Christians approach to voting.

This has been a LONG ugly political season and guess what? If you wanna run for President in 2012, I heard your fundraising should start mid summer 2009! What? YIKES!

Anyway, when you have a moment read this from John Piper. It helped to keep me on the straight and narrow.

and again .. this will be my last post about voting for a while. Carry on!

VOTE

Early voting is underway in a lot of states and all I have to say is VOTE. I am not going to preach about how important this election is for our country and I am NOT going to tell you who to vote for, but I will say PRAY before you do and then PRAY again afterwards. If you haven't voted yet, FORGET THE POLLS, PUNDITS, and PEOPLE ... PRAY and VOTE.

One thing I do, but not as much as I should is PRAY for our leaders. From the President to Congress to my State, county AND city officials. Not just on election day, National Prayer Day or when there is a tragedy facing our country. I need to make it a priority because there are some "special" people making decisions for me and for my family. (I don't mean that in a good way)

There are some issues that are very personal to me (babies, marriages, finances, oversight, my children's futures, peace, war), issues I committed to prayer before I cast my ballot. I had to make sure I had peace regarding MY decisions, not just because friends and family expected me to vote a certain way.

No matter who wins next week, he WILL need prayer throughout his term. I see that as my responsibility as a child of the most high God. Even if the man I voted for doesn't win, I still MUST pray. That is the VERY least I can do. Just because the election will be over, doesn't mean the issues all get solved overnight. (nor will they in 4 years, but we HAVE to start somewhere)

and yes .. I voted Sunday ... after church, after time w/ God, after I carefully considered the candidates on my ballot (all levels and a proposition) ...

In the end I am NOT worried, but wanted to be a responsible adult. I fully and completely TRUST GOD! He has never left me nor forsaken me and even after November 4th, I know He NEVER will.

My list has grown and I see no end in sight ....

.... with the things in my life ... school meetings, PTA (how did I become the treasurer?), homework, ministry meetings, grocery shopping, bible study, meals for families from church, work from home, family, church, homecomings, homegoings, and on and on. These ARE things that are important and must be tended to ... but I need to learn to balance and I need to learn to say "no". That is a hard word for me sometimes ....

First and foremost no matter how long the list, I need to get up each morning and thank God and ask Him how can I be used by Him for each day He gives me.

oh .. and in my buZIness, God gave me some time by myself this evening and I was able to spend some time with 4 lovely ladies ... THANK YOU Lord for this blessing!

MANDISA! SHELIA WALSH! LISA WHELCHEL! MARILYN MEBERG!

Ok, so there were 199 other people at the gathering, but it was a closeknit group and God continued the thread He started with me this weekend.

Let GO and let God and let Him do what He does best ... take care of things!

God does not want us to just get through the things in our lives, but He wants us go through our lives with Him on the inside of us.

The Hebrews boys were NOT delivered from the fire, but IN the fire with God right there!

One Day to Give

Kristen over at We are THAT family had a great idea! Share yourself and/or resources with someone without expecting anything in return.

At first I thought ... what can I do? I began thinking and thinking and looking for something to do, something that would bless someone's socks off. Then that's when it hit me.... I realized God has allowed many opportunities to be presented to me without me having to "search" for them. All I need to do is let the Lord use me.

Please bear with me .. this story is long ...

Last year when my oldest son was in the hospital after his brain tumor surgery we spent 2 days in the ICU. While we were there, a young lady (14) and her sister (8 or 9) tried to cross a very busy intersection in another part of town and were struck by a car. The younger sister came out with only scrapes and bruises, but the older sister was brought to the hospital where we were.
From what I understand, they did surgery, but the outcome did NOT look good for her. She had at least 20 to 30 family members in the waiting room wanting to hear good news.

When your child is in ICU, you can stay in the room, but you cannot eat in the room, you have to go to the family waiting room. They have vending machines (with very expensive treats) or you can go to the hospital cafeteria and pay 7.00 for a hamburger and fries. I noticed how there were a few families in the waiting room who wanted something to eat, but scoffed at the price tag of the 25 cent M&Ms, which were in the machine for 1.00 or how they didn't expect to be at the hospital for so long and didn't have any money.

Our church and family members knew we were at the hospital and would be for at least a week, so they showered us each day with snacks, food, money, prayers, cards, and gift cards. Every time someone would come to see us, the concierge would call us to come to the Family Waiting room to pick up the gift baskets that had been left for us. One day, we were called to the room 3 times in a row. People knew we needed something. We were VERY grateful for the love being show towards us, but at one point I felt .. not embarrassed, but guilty I guess because time after time after time, our names were being called to receive these gifts and everyone in the waiting room would look up at see what we had gotten. You could see the children who were there for the young lady who was hit by the car staring at the "goodies" or overhear the moms say .." we will get something later " , "I don't have any money right now. "

Then it hit me ... don't feel guilty .. SHARE, SHARE your blessings and we did just that. We shared the goodies with the children and the family in the waiting room. I got one of the bags we had been given and loaded it up with snacks for the family. I also took some money to the mom of the young lady and prayed for her.

I am being totally honest when I say, I could have easily stayed in my son's room and kept our blessings to myself. I could have easily stayed in his room away from all the people and noise that were getting on my nerves. I could have easily with my judgemental self kept staring at the grown ups who were cursing every other word when they spoke to the doctors and nurses. But God kept tugging at my heart saying SHUT UP, be a light and GIVE, GIVE. (Maybe not those words, but definitely .. GIVE!) I must say when I got myself out of the way ... God did great things that week.

It didn't seem like enough, so my husband and I talked and decided to work with the hospital to sponsor a FREE snack corner or gift bag that each family could receive upon entering the ICU floor that would have snacks and/or a cafeteria gift card for the family to have without any cost to them. That way, you don't have to worry (at least for a few hours) about what to eat or leaving the hospital to get something for the kiddos.

All the kinks have not been worked out yet, but this is how we want to say thank you and to bless family after family when they are at such an unknown time in their lives with their children.

Lastly, my husband is a giver, especially when it comes to things of God. His concern was for the young lady's father. He sought out the dad to pray for him and to let him know that if he needed to talk and pray, that my husband would be there for him and gave him his cell phone number. He also wanted to make sure this young lady's dad knew Jesus Christ, personally. They did get to pray, but did not get to talk about his relationship with Christ, because as they finished praying the doctor's called the dad and the mom in to let them know that the young lady passed away.

We never saw them again after that day, but prayed for them and prayed that somehow someway, they could feel the arms of God wrapped around them during this time.

God totally blessed us with the healing of our son and his rapid recovery, how could we turn around and NOT give to someone else?

When all was said and done, there were no fireworks or choirs singing Hallelujah .. this was nothing big monetarily, but we gave out of what we had at that time and I know that my God was pleased.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Colossians 3:23. KJV

Special children in a special place ....

Angie says it better than I EVER could ... today IS an important day to many women around the country.

Please join us .... I am praying for you too!


THANK YOU!

They ARE listening ...

We allowed our children to have their own little family sleepover this weekend (just our boys), because they have been doing such a great job being our kids :)

We let them eat junk food (with some goodness hidden inside), stay up later than normal, and watch movies.

As they tucked themselves in tonite (in the den), I was in the office and overheard the 3 year old tell the 11 year old .. "hey we need to pray BEFORE we go to sleep."

I couldn't resist, so I tiptoed closer to the den where I could hear them start their prayers without any prompting from me (they couldn't see me) and they prayed one by one. (21 months old included)

This wonderful moment, just warmed my heart and lets me know that after all these years of nighttime prayers and letting the boys there is NOTHING we can do without God and we must talk to him everyday .. they get it .. they see the importance of praising and praying to our great God!

Thank you Lord for this gift tonite. Thank you.

It's only morning ....

and I have 30 things to do today ... aren't there only 24 hours in my day? 5 of them I should be sleeping, 2 in church this evening, so that leaves 17 hours to get these tasks completed and whatever else may be added later ... :(

Lord give me strength and please help me make the most of the hours you have given me today!