Two Commitments to God

From small group, two commitments have emerged tonight:

1. I am going to get involved in my church outside of a weekly service and a weekly small group. Granted, I love both, but, I want to do more. I'm feeling the beginnings of being pulled to a new interaction-similar to convictions felt when I joined my small group. Just look at the growth that has come from that! I am comfortable in that role and am ready to be challenged to new growth-and I'm sure God isn't asking me to serve in the nursery once a month. I will begin to pray for him to put the opportunity perfect for me into my path. I know and trust that he will.

2. I will make more of an effort to read my Bible. I will find a way that works for me and I am starting tonight. I will not feel guilty if I miss a night and will not allow that to be the tip of the iceberg which allows me to leave my readings for weeks/months a time. I asked God to chose where I should start, closed my eyes, and opened to Romans.

It's funny how God works-Romans talks about God's plan of salvation-a large part of our discussion tonight at group. No need for details here, just the knowledge that God will reaffirm the direction He wants my life to go over and over until I get it. I'm ready to listen God.....Let's go!

In Valor there is Hope....

Last week we gathered to remember the 126 officers who died in the line of duty or a duty related death. 126 fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, children, neighbors, friends, and on and on. The youngest death was a 21 year old man and multiple departments lost multiple officers at one time. In times like these I remember the sacrifice that those are making on our home front to protect us from the everyday acts, most that we never even hear about. Take time this week to thank an officer.

Saluting the Fallen.

The weather has been so nice! It has provided motivation to get outside with my camera. Of course, my dogs are my favorite subjects :)

While in Sacramento for work, I was fortunate enough to be within walking distance of the California Peace Officer's Memorial.

I also wanted to add a new picture of Raymond and I :)

Be Aware!

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month

Missouri law defines abuse as: any physical injury, sexual abuse or emotional abuse inflicted on a child other than by accidental means by those responsible for the child's care, custody, and control, except that discipline including spanking, administered in a reasonable manner, shall not be construed to be abuse.

Neglect, as failure to provide, by those responsible for the care, custody, and control of the child, the proper or necessary support, education as required by law, nutrition or medical, surgical, or any other care necessary for the child's well being.

Nationally, a call is made to a child abuse and neglect hot line every 10 seconds and almost 5 children die every day as a direct result of child abuse and/or neglect. The majority of these children are under the age of 5.

Locally, in Missouri, an average of 139 calls are made to the hotline each day and involved over 64,000 children. Nearly 8,000 of those children had more than one report.

Of those cases, substantiated: 43% were for neglect, 26% for physical, and 23% for sexual abuse. 30 Missouri children died in 2008 as a result of child abuse.

Fortunately there is help and parents can learn to the skills needed to raise their children! That is what we do at my agency. The findings of the cases reported in 2008 show that 54% of reports involved a lack of supervision and 25% had unsanitary living conditions. 14.6% of perpetrators had unrealistic expectations of their children. Education can help!

The only way to stop child abuse is through you! Learn the signs, report problems to your local hotline, and support agencies like the one I work for: www.childabuseprevention.org. Together we can make a difference in the lives of children!

In Missouri Call: 1-800-392-3738.

I Heart Dessert

It's been awhile, but, I'm getting in on the photo challenge at I Heart Faces this week. Theme: Dessert! YUM!

Everything Serves a Purpose

I've been struggling lately. I've been busy. I've been stressed. Period.

Where is the source of these struggles and stress? Work.

But, I don't want this post to become about me and my complaints. I've struggled with where God wants me and what he wants me to be doing and I don't know why. I usually thrive on being busy-and the last few weeks have been nothing but busy. The difference is that I haven't been able to center myself with my family and personal time. Most people who hear from me often have hardly heard from me at all lately. I miss them.

Fortunately, I've been reading the book "Fearless" by Max Lucado. When things were stressful at work last week, I was able to remember the things Lucado has written about in order to let the worry slip off my hands and into Gods-especially worry about the future. Amazing.

Lucado says, "Some seasons make no sense." He goes on to list tragic events that leave us asking, do these events really have a purpose for the greater good? I often feel this in life. How in the world could this event (whatever it may be at the time) be for my greater good. I know though that  "all things work together for good to those that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" -Romans 8:28

Have you ever thought about your eternal purpose? 

"What makes no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next. I have proof: you in the womb....Every gestation day equipped you for your earthly life. Your bones solidified, your eyes developed, the umbilical cord transported nutrients into your growing frame....for what reason? So you might remain enwombed? Quite the contrary. Womb time equipped you for earth time, suited you up for your postpartum existence. Some prenatal features went unused before birth (your nose, eyes, tounge, etc.) but aren't you glad you have them now?" -Max Lucado

How freeing-to know that events that seem so far from "the greater good" may really be preparing me for an existence completely outside of my current "womb." Whatever God hands me is for preparation of an eternal glory. 

Thank you God.

What's a girl to do?

What are you supposed to do when your undergraduate school is playing your graduate school (ranked #1) in the NCAA tournament? You bite your nails and cheer for your first love!

I never watch basketball, expect for tonight. The Panthers played KU and actually won! It was so exciting and I'm sure there is a huge celebration in Cedar Falls tonight. I did feel torn though-excited for the history that my alma mater made tonight, but bummed that a team with such a great season lost. My thoughts are with KU players tonight. It was a close game and to most people around the country, it was just a game. I'm sure the players feel much different, though, tonight. I do, however, know who I'm cheering for the rest of the tournament-I may even make an effort to watch the games. I guess that shows where my loyalty does lie, I wouldn't have tracked KU until the final game :)

Hail our Panthers, we are ever loyal,
Showing our strength and unity.
As we rise, we firmly stand behind you,
Urge you on to victory.
Rah! Rah! Rah!
As you lead us on to fame and honor,
Fight! Fight! Fight! will be our cry.
So, give us a yell, Ho! the purple and the gold,
Victory for UNI!

Thankful for the Savior

In doing my Bible reading today, I reviewed the story of Jesus' crucifixion in the Book of Mark.While the scripture I read took me through Pilate's interrogation of Jesus, the nailing of Jesus to the cross, and Jesus' last breath, I was most astonished by one small sentence.



Jesus has been brought to "Skull Hill" where he will be nailed to the cross. Scripture tells us that in preparation:
 

"They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it."

-Mark 15: 23

The Message translation tells us that wine mixed with myrrh would have been used as a mild painkiller. This one sentence is amazing to me.

1. It makes me feel that the soldiers knew they were doing something wrong. One thing I have learned in our recent study of parables is that I have a lot to learn about the context which the Bible is written around. I have learned about traditions and norms in Biblical times. Maybe it was normal for criminals to be offered painkillers before being put to death. I don't know. I do know the way Jesus was treated before being put on the cross. I can't fathom why anyone would make an effort to be kind after all that was done up to that point unless they truly knew they were in the wrong. That is my hope anyway.
2. Even more amazing, Jesus did not take it. In fact, The Message says, "He would not take it." Not only did Jesus not accept the pain killer, He absolutely refused to take it.

As we come upon the Easter season it is vital that we take a few minutes as often as possible to remember Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for us. In His darkest, loneliest hour, a time which He was facing for the sins of all of us, He refused to have anything but a clear mind and a clear body. Isn't that amazing?! God loves us so much that He sent his Son to this earth to save us. WOW. I am not worthy.

Most of us find refuge in something when we are distraught. Anything of this world can be a mixture of wine and myrrh for us, a painkiller of some sort. Some of these things may not even be sinful in nature, but, Satan knows how to use them against us. The list is endless and personal to everyone: alcohol, food, gossip, sleep, drugs, money, etc. What is it that you turn to when you feel you have nothing else to give? In the perfect world it is God whom we turn to. It is God whom I strive to have faith in and trust. If Jesus can refuse a painkiller after being brutally beat and on His way to crucifixion, I have hope that I can beat whatever painkiller I use when I am facing turmoil.

Isn't it amazing what God can show in one sentence? I hope that someone was supposed to hear this today.

On a separate but related note I dug into scripture a bit further. I've always been attracted to Jesus' cry out to God but never took time to read much about it. In his last moments on the cross Jesus cried out, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" To truly understand this, I did some research. I always wondered, why in the world did Jesus doubt God? He knew the plan that was made for Him-to be the lamb whose blood was shed for us all. Here is what I found:

When Jesus came to Earth he came as human. He did not exercise omni-presence, He had real, human emotions, and most of all, He lived in completed dependence of the Father just as we are made to do. Fortunately (for us), Jesus endured God's wrath. The Bible tells us how much God hates sin and how holy he is. Jesus took on God's wrath for all of us. "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins" (1st John 2:2) 

Propitation is appeasement-Jesus satisfied God's wrath for our sins. God can not be next to sin because of his holy nature. When Jesus took on our sin, He was experiencing something He had never been through before. He was apart from God, His world was without the light. How forsaken He must of felt, as a human, to live a life free from sin and still be punished by death. Another explanation shared that forsaken relates to be left for a long time. Jesus' Suffering probably lasted longer than even He had imagined.

For a better explanation visit here: http://www.baptiststart.com/print/forsaken_me.html

As depressing as that may seem, the fantastic news is that when Jesus gave his last breath, the veil was torn. The relevance here is the veil in the temple which seperated the Holy from the common. When the veil was torn we now had access to God. 

Thanks be for that.

It's about time I posted again! I've missed writing on the blog but haven't missed the pictures. In fact, I haven't picked up my camera at all in the last week. This is in part, due to the fact that my largest memory card needs to be formatted and my camera won't do it. I don't have a clue what to do, so, if anyone knows, please help me out! It stinks because the pictures I took from New Mexico were on the card and now they aren't. Raymond and I always go to New Mexico for a reason and never make time to just be tourists. On our last full day in town, everyone was back home or not in town, so we had a whole day to ourselves. We went to Old Town Albuquerque-how neat! One of my favorite parts, besides the cool architecture, was a little coffee shop called, "Keep it simple, Stupid!" I thought that was so cute.

Raymond and I are both back in the swing of work, although, my body is ready for another vacation, already! This was a long week. I even had to go in today by 7AM. Needless to say, I'm relaxing tonight. I'm working on a gift for my stepmother's birthday-it's a surprise so I'll post pictures when it is finished!

Between tonight and tomorrow, I hope to get some good reading time in! I'm currently finishing up Wicked-The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. I've been wanting to see the Broadway show for awhile now. The book is not at all what I thought it would be, so, I'm interested to see how the play goes. It almost makes me feel sorry for witch-she even has a name! Elphaba.

Reading makes me think of careless summers. One of my favorite things to do is lay on my back deck and read. Nothing beats shorts, tanktops, sunglasses, a cool drink, and rays of sun beaming on you while you melt your cares away in a book. Today it was near 60* ( I think). Summer will be here before we know it.

Raymond and I hope to get some work done on our yard this year. We always seem to find other projects that come up and take the funds we have planned for plants. For example, we just spent around $900 on car repairs and tires. Unexpected and of course, not covered by the extended warranty we purchased.

Raymond's brother has been working on his house, specifically replacing carpet with different flooring. It got me excited to make changes in our house. We plan to start with the smallest room first-the guest bathroom. We just recently painted in again, but, I would like to tile the floor and put in a vessel sink and new fixtures.

Strap yourself in-this year is going faasssssssssst.

Does everyone realize that tomorrow is March? WOW! Last year we couldn't hit the fast forward button enough on the year-this year it is flying by. I am NOT complaining by any means-March is closer to April which is closer to May. May means Spring. I love Spring!

Another resolution....down the tubes!

Yes siree-I'm leaving my resoultion behind. Between computer issues, memory cad issues, and running out of things in my house to take pictures of, I've decided to forgo a picture a day. I don't want my hobby to become work and that is how it has felt lately. I'm still going to post things on my blog but more than just pictures. Hope you'll continue to follow :)

Charlie and his Daddy!

 

Dawn and Keith

Toto-I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!

Back!

I'm back up and running! I know I am behind a few pictures but here are some from the past week:

 

An old truck in a field outside of BS-

 

 Shoes! :)

 

Glee starts up again soon-only a few more weeks!

Rockband!

For anyone who has noticed, and for those of you who haven't-I am not able to post pictures right now! My laptop is ill and I am working to get my documents back. :( Hope to be back soon.

2 pictures today:

Picture 1-We had out valentine's to each other at work. In effort to work on my sewing ( a newly acquired hobby), I made door hangers for eahc co-worker. Our "tag" is "A home for every heart" and our logo is similar to what the decoration looks like.

The second picture is of my dear Wesson-the side most people don't see when they visit. :)

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Today was Superbowl....we went to a party, but, I don't think I watched any of the game. I enjoyed conversation with friends though! :) I know I'm getting old....we were home shortly after 9 but I'm ready for bed. Raymond is relaxing too...

Catching up!

A few days worth of pictures.....

This is the one of the few things I enjoy about the winter-a warm fire in the fireplace!

I took a few pictures of Raymond...some of them were pretty funny. I decided to post this one because I like his silly smile.

I'm in the process of making valentine's for my coworkers. We deliver them to each other every year. I'll post when I get one finished! (They look nothing like this picture!)

"Uncle Keith" bought these bones when he came to visit at Christmas, in 2008! Can you believe they are still around? They are so thick that the dogs just can't chew them up.

For my Duncle

If there HAPPPENS to be SOMEBODY who lives with my Duncle and reads my blog...could you please show him the picture today? This will explain why he is not getting his birthday card on time-because he doesn't live in Grain Valley, MO. Sorry Dave-your birthday card was in MY mailbox today as a return to sender.

(If the picture looks funny it is because I deleted out the information that would give mine and my family's address away!)

2/1/2010

Everyone has favorite things-mine include walking down the laundry aisle at the grocery store and the smell of fresh, warm, laundry.

Just for Fun....

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

At BSCC we are in the middle of a series entitled, "This Year I Resolve." Part 5 is to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.



Jesus told us that the most important commandment is to “Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.” The second commandment, equally as powerful, is to "Love your neighbor as yourself." For me, the service today was really moving.



In general, I like to think that loving people is a strength of mine. I am a social worker and naturally I am inspired to find the best in people even when they are in their lowest place. In my job this may mean they are partaking in destructive behaviors which have the potential to cause trauma to themselves and/or their children. Some of those people are abusing their children, abusing substances, harming their significant others, and participating in criminal activity. Some of our clients "lowest point" just means they are down and out, can't find steady employment, or have a disability or mental health concerns. Working with clients, I can accept people for who they are and I can dream of a future where they are living up to the potential I know they have. I'll admit that some of those things are harder to look past than others. I also know that the difference between them and me is often a manner of seconds and the decisions that I make during those seconds. Most of those decisions a direct result of an upbringing I was blessed to have been given, an upbringing that many Americans don't ever have.



So why, if I can find the good in the majority of people I serve at work everyday, can't I find love for every person I encounter, for all my neighbors? Service today taught us that everyone is our neighbor-the person who lives next door, our family & friends, our co-workers, the homeless person begging for money, and the inmate on death row. EVERYBODY is our neighbor and all of our neighbors were made in the image of God.

The shocking realization? 1 John 4:20-21; If anyone boasts, "I Love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both." (The Message).



Does this mean I don't really love God? Scary huh? I'm shortchanging Him. I'm picking and choosing who I love and when I love them. If I can find the good in my professional encounters with my neighbors then I should be more than able to find the good in my personal encounters with my neighbors. I have fallen short. The good news is Jesus has saved me and my church has challenged me.


Those who are the hardest to love often reflect a character flaw of yourself or something you are afraid of becoming. It is impossible to love everyone without taking a deep look into your own heart and learning to love yourself. On the obvious, enemies are incredibly difficult to love-we should pray for them feverishly. God loves the good and the bad and is fair to everyone. We need to act like Him and spread genuine forgiveness. For everyone is made in God’s image and everyone is worthy of God’s grace and forgiveness; everyone is worthy of God’s love.

One of the most powerful parts of worship today was singing "Hosanna" by Hillsong United. A few of the powerful lyrics are below, but, you can catch the whole song here: Hosanna-.



Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me


Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity

I want my heart to break at the things that breaks God's heart-even if I am the one with the actions that are heartbreaking. I WANT to know these things so I can heal my heart and become clean.

HOSANNA