GROWTH

Remember this picture I posted last May?

Look at what all those tiny plants my sweet, amazing husband planted grew into:
(Aren't they beautiful?)

God does an even more amazing thing with people:

I love that God gives us visible ways to see growth, to see how He is working. I often wonder if I am growing and changing in a way that pleases God.

I recently received a phone call from a very dear friend. He used to be the pastor of our church. I have been struggling through some things and had written he and his wife some emails to ask for prayer. I shared with them some ugly things that God had shown me and how I have been trying to work through them. And the victory I have had. So he called me to tell me he was proud of me and that he sees real growth. That just made me cry with gratefulness to God's graciousness in my life. It meant so much to have my friend tell me those things.

I have heard a song on the radio a lot lately called Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly). It's by Sanctus Real. These words express what I have been feeling. (They are just some of the words.)

Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see

Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something heavenly

Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This something bigger than me
Larger than life something heavenly
Something heavenly
but I'm giving in to something heavenly

I do feel peace despite the craziness around me. I am all for God doing something heavenly in me. I remind myself that some of the struggles I go through are not necessarily about me -- but may be for the growth of those who are in my life.

But sometimes they are just to get the uglies out of me.

Praise God for His goodness and Praise God for growth!!

(Now I'm off to see if I can find that Sanctous Real CD...) :)

Siblings

My two kids are now at the same Institute of Higher Learning.

Translation: Empty Nest Full of Fantastic Memories

They are good friends, so I am thrilled for them to have this time together.

See how they enjoy each other?

But they do have their moments:

I guess they are smiling:

Most of the time:

I wonder how many more of these types of pictures we'll see.

Should prove to be an interesting year!

What I Learned In Kansas:

When you get in an elevator on the first floor, push the button for the first floor, and then the door close button, the elevator doesn't go any where.

Not even when you try the same thing later in the day.

Oh yes I did.

It will not get you to the third floor where you really want to go.

Oh my. The stress is getting to me, I'm thinking.

Psalm 92:12-15

The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the LORD;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
to declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

How?
(click on that word)



How?
(click on that word)

We cannot, Lord, Thy purpose see,
But all is well that’s done by Thee.

My Middle-Of-The-Night Prayer

Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
Scrub away my guilt,
soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I've been;
my sins are staring me down.
You're the One I've violated, and you've seen
it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
You have all the facts before you;
whatever you decide about me is fair.
I've been out of step with you for a long time,
in the wrong since before I was born.
What you're after is truth from the inside out.
Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.
Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean,
scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life.
Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.
Don't look too close for blemishes,
give me a clean bill of health.
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don't throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!
Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
so the lost can find their way home.
Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I'll let loose with your praise.
Going through the motions doesn't please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don't for a moment escape God's notice.
Make Zion the place you delight in,
repair Jerusalem's broken-down walls.
Then you'll get real worship from us,
acts of worship small and large,
Including all the bulls
they can heave onto your altar!