In The Shadow

Fishing for what?

2011-12-07T20:42:00.001-08:00

Well, I'm back. I have found myself in a strange state of mind this last year. Avoiding writing like the plague! The only thing I seem to enjoy is looking up anything I can find on Facebook & Pinterest... It's as if I am afraid of what is buried deep inside me. You know, the things that creativity could bring to the surface.

There have been times when I fell back into the safety of surface living, but my heart tells me that the Lord isn't pleased with it. Do you ever have those moments when emotions seem too difficult to allow sway? I find myself wondering if God is working deep in me or have I just stepped back from Him. Do we have to be open for Him to work?

Several years ago, I was worshipping God with my church's youth group and it was an amazing time. I wondered why my own worship didn't seem to have the results that this service was bringing. Suddenly, I saw myself so clearly and I saw something that frightened me. It was as if I was standing in a room and God was in the middle. But up to that point, I had been standing with my back to Him. My back to Him, but I still expected an intimate conversation. That intimate moment could not happen until I turned to face Him. When my back is turned to anyone, I cannot have any kind of communication, much less an intimate one!

Is this what I have been doing? Backing off? Distancing myself from anything that would infringe on my 'space'. Oh, I know God can still work in me. He is God, after all. But have I done what the disciples did after Jesus' death? They had lived with, watched, and ministered with the very Son of God. They should have had everything they needed to begin their own ministries. But what did they do? They went to what they knew. Fishing. And not fishing for souls. No fishing for fish, just what they had been doing before Jesus even came into their lives.

Is this what I've been doing? And if it is, then why? Wouldn't His work in me go much easier and faster if I actually took part in it? And am I willing to turn around, put the phone down, log off of the social pages and step forward? What will be the cost? What will be the reward?

2011-04-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

On this day, the world was still dark. On this day, loneliness took on an entirely new meaning. On this day, it appeared that evil had won. On this day, followers were in hiding. On this day, the future was unsecure for believers and unbelievers. On this day, hope was still lost. On this day, the tomb still held the Body of the Beloved. On this day, the stone was still. On this day, guards stood unchallenged. The earth still mourned its Creator. The curtain was still torn.

Do you ever wonder what was going through the minds of Pilot, the religious leaders and Barrabas? We spend so much time remembering the followers of Christ, but where were the minds of those instrumental in His execution? Were they holding their breaths, waiting for the third day? Or were they resting easier as each hour passed? My imagination has Pilate's wife in torment. She knew that her husband had crossed the line. But what about everyone else? I picture the earth as being on 'pause', just waiting for the Creator's reaction.

It's so easy, from 2000 years later to judge them. We know what happens next. We know that the stone is tossed away by the power of the Holy Spirit. The hidden followers become the great leaders of the Church. The curtain was torn and the presence of God was never held from man again. Hope was NOT lost. Evil had been defeated. Dawn was merely hours away.

He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

Promises, promises

2011-03-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

"Nothing compares to the promise I have in You."

Along with the rest of the world, I discovered this song several years ago. It is one that touches my heart, deeply. I find myself closing my eyes and singing with complete abandonment when I do sing it. I'm ashamed to say that after about two years of singing this, I found myself asking, "What is the promise?" Now, I was raised my two Godly parents who had also been raised by Godly parents, so why did I have to ask? I think I wanted to specify so that I could honestly believe that there is nothing on this earth or in the heavens that could begin to compare to His promise. So, what is that promise?

Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with promises from God. Promises for a long life when we obey His commands. Promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). Promises to the enemies of His people. Promises to the mighty men of Adam, Noah and Joseph. The beautiful and wondrous promise of the Messiah. The promise to cleanse our sins and carry our burdens. The promise of a living, breathing relationship with the Holy Spirit. The promise of His return and our eternal home. I mean, take your pick, people! His promises to us are numerous! To my, sometimes, literal mind I wanted something different. I wanted to know which specific promise was incomparable.

So, like Winnie the Pooh, I 'thunk'. I thunk and I thunk and I thunk. Why do we 'thunk' instead of just asking Him? Finally, I felt the gentle reminder of the Holy Spirit. He reminded me that I am never alone. That even to the ends of the earth and the ends of time, He is with me. He will NEVER leave me. He will NEVER forsake me. And that, my friends, is a promise that is beyond compare.

Forgive? Are you kidding?

2011-03-01T19:18:00.001-08:00

Can we truly ever understand forgiveness? Think about it. Have you forgiven the person who cut you off in traffic this morning? If we can't do that, how are we supposed to forgive those who hurt us the most? The friend that turned their back when we needed them most? The hand that reached out in hate, not love? The lie that turned others against us? What about our leaders? The ones who seem to disappoint just when we start to trust?

Scriptures tell us, no command us to forgive. But surely He didn't mean those circumstances I just listed! Doesn't God know what that person did to us? Maybe if I tell Him about it, He will see my point. Maybe if I complain and whine long enough, He will take my side. I would be willing to bet that's what the disciples meant when they asked Jesus how often we should forgive.

He surprised them, of course. He requires us to forgive. And before His crucifixion, the disciples could have said that He couldn't understand. But then there was that execution. Was there ever a more violent, despicable execution? If he, hanging on that cross, could express forgiveness how can we not? He understands your worst. He understands the worst that has been done to you. He chooses to forgive you. And somehow He understands the one who did the worst to you. He is there to forgive them. Like it or not, He is forgiveness at His core. And if we are to be like Him, this is something we must learn. Because I believe that forgiveness is not at our core, He has to teach us. So, let's learn.

2011-01-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

September?!?!? Are you serious?!?!? I haven't posted since September?!?! Well, no, I haven't died, quit writing or decided to close out this blog. I am just a victim of time flying, as well as being lost in my own procrastination. I would like to blame the Christmas drama, but there were many times I sat in front of my computer playing games & reading other blogs, so that won't hold any weight. So, I'm back. I'm tempted to promise to write more frequently. And I probably would... for a little while. Then I would drop off the blog world again. Wish I could tell you differently, but since I'm in my forties, I don't think I'm going to change that much.

I hope you felt the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Cross of Christ this past Holiday season. I hope that the January "blah's" are keeping their distance. I've got several post ideas brewing and I promise to write them down before they go the way of snow in the Deep South! Happy New Year!

Faith of a Child - Part 4

2010-09-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

"She's being a butt-face!" Little Girl

"That's not a nice thing to say.

Maybe you can pray that she will be

nicer tomorrow, " Mommy

"I know what I'll pray!

I'm gonna ask God

to put a sock in her mouth!" Little Girl.

Search the world over, and you will never find anyone more honest that a child, or the childlike. On one of my friend's FaceBook status, he mentioned that his first experience in kids church was a child saying that he needed help 'wiping'. Now if you've worked with children this does not frighten you at all, or even make you pause. To the rookie, a statement like that can blow you away!

Children are not political. They don't know the meaning of the word tact. They don't see multiple sides of each view. They only see their own. They have to be taught the proper times and places for words. But something can be lost. That 'something' is what these last posts have been all about. This one? It's about honesty. Loose that facade. Drop the mask. Show yourself, raw and wounded. Honesty.

I remember growing up in Sunday School when no one wanted to pray out loud. We were old enough to be concerned about what we would say and how it would sound. Not just to God, but to the friends around us who were hearing also. In the decades since then, I have come to an understanding. The only One that is listening and that matters is not going to diagram your sentence. He's not grading your grammar. He doesn't even care if the words make sense. You see, He hears your heart. So no matter how bad or good your prayer sounds, He's not only listening to it. He's hearing what you're thinking. He's hearing the honesty.

So, step back. Use your words. The ones that expose you. Stomp your foot. He's not intimidated. Wait and see, He will be honest with you. Be honest with Him.

Faith of a Child - 3

2010-09-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

Jesus loves the little children,

all the children of the world.

Red and yellow, black and white,

they are precious in His sight.

Jesus loves the little children

of the world.

Prejudice is nothing new. Even Elizabeth Bennett in Jane Austin's novel held her own prejudices. Everyone struggles with prejudice. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or hasn't dug deep enough into themselves. The biggies are race, gender, creed or religion. But the truth is, we are all prejudice or afraid of anything or anyone different. That 'different' could be from ourselves or even what we have become accustomed to.

A perfect representation is what has happened across the Deep South and East Coast over the last few decades. When Central American immigrants began to travel east, we here in the South were faced with a new race in our neighborhoods, grocery stores and schools. Used to only two races in our communities, we have had to adjust. And who among us adjusts to change well? The Australian Aborigines were not a free people until the middle to end of the twentieth century. That is in our lifetime and how can that be possible? The Jews of the 1940's were called 'Christ Killers'. Have we forgotten that it was our sin that held Him on those beams of wood? He hasn't.

Is this the way He wants us to live? Obviously not, as the words of that little chorus tell us. No matter who or what they are, Jesus loves them. No matter who or what you are, He loves you. Scriptures tell us that He does not respect one person above another. King or peasant. Millionaire or beggar. Slave or slaver. Believer or unbeliever. Not one of us can outrun His love for us. Even our own hate is snuffed out by His love. There is not one moment of your life that He has not loved you. Whether you are the victim or abuser. He was grieved by what you did or what you received and He loved you. In that horrible moment, He loved you.

Faith of a Child - Part 2

2010-08-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

I see the moon and the moon sees me.

The moon sees someone I can't see.

God bless the moon and God bless me.

God bless someone I can't see.

A coworker of mine quoted this prayer to me. She learned it when she was a little girl. We agreed that it was a sweet prayer for a child to pray. Then we both thought about it for a few minutes. It is more than a child's prayer. It says much more.We live in a world of goodbyes. We always have. But in this day and age, this world is smaller than ever. Thanks to unlimited texting, free long distance, FaceBook and Skype, 'goodbye' is temporary. It only lasts until the next 'hello'. That leaves only one question, 'Can any of these amazing creations replace the connection of a hug or the touch of a hand?'

They cannot. And there are always going to be moments that we miss. Moments when we can't see the ones we love. Parents who are deployed throughout the world. Broken homes. Job transfers. The fact remains that the same moon we see above us, is the same moon those loved ones see as well. And the same God, sees them just as closely and intimately as He sees us.

So those moments when all you want is a hug from that missing loved one; when you long to hold their hand; when you long to sit next to them in sweet silence, remember that prayer. Remember that the Lord of all the universe holds you both in His Hand.

God bless someone I cannot see.

Faith of a Child - Part 1

2010-08-25T19:03:00.001-07:00

13-16The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.

Mark 10:13-16

The Message

Over the next few posts I will be writing about the beauty that is faith from the perspective of a child. So often, we Christians, over analyze, over complicate life and all it entails. You can't fake it for long with children. They tend to see the bottom line. They don't worry about the manners or embarrassing truths that we avoid mentioning in 'polite' society. There is so much we can learn from them. There is so much we can learn by returning to the simple things. The Bible stories, the prayers, the songs. We may know them all, but how often to we concentrate on the words? On the truths?

I have the next two posts already, but if you have your own ideas, please leave a comment. This group of posts can be as long as we want. So put down your pens and pick up your crayons. Stop walking and skip a few steps. Take your mom's or dad's hand and hold it. Don't worry about your grammar or spelling, just say it. Go to bed early. Watch an old cartoon. Sing at the top of your lungs, whether or not it sounds good. Throw your head back and laugh loud, long and hard. Be 'little' for a while with me. Let's see where it takes us.

Stabilze

2010-07-07T16:26:00.001-07:00

Walk into any emergency room in the US and you will see the same things. People waiting. Loved ones, waiting to hear. Sick and injured waiting to be seen. Worry. Pain. Fatigue. Impatience. But follow the hallway and through the doors you will find a different picture. Oh, you will still see the worry, pain and fatigue. But in the place of all the waiting, you will see motion. Nurses, radiologists, lab techs and doctors. All moving. You see, in this area, these are the most emergent cases. These are the patients who can't wait in that room. Here you will find trauma. Here is all the action. And what's the name of the game? Stability. All the professionals are working toward that goal. Keep those lungs working. Stop the bleeding. Get that heart pumping. These are not the professionals who worry about scars. Life is the goal, not the quality of it.

Do you ever feel that you're in God's ER? Maybe you're waiting... Waiting... Waiting... Maybe you're bleeding out. Maybe you're lung is punctured. Maybe you've experienced a spinal injury and you can't feel anything. Something isn't working and it's a major crisis. You're on the gurney. Worried. Hurting. Tired. You can't feel or see it, but He's working. His goal is to get you stable. And what's next? Maybe getting stable is all the help you need. Sometimes the problem is much deeper. He's working on the symptoms because you aren't in a healthy environment. He's pumping you full of fluids. Watching your blood pressure and heart rhythms. And once you're stable?

Then He moves you. He finds a clean room and bed. He puts the right staff around you to monitor you. He's gotten the bleeding stopped. Now it's time to treat the cause. Now it's time to get you healed. It may required extensive surgery. Or painful therapy. You weren't ready before, but now you're stable. It's a mess. You're a mess. But you're one step closer to healing. Sometimes it's just a paper cut. But many times, it's worse. A lot worse.

It's a long and painful process. Lonely. But this hospital, this place of healing, is full of people. People who are going through this very process. Just at different levels than you. Don't rush it. Take it at His pace. He knows the beginning and the end better than you do. We have all been there and His are the gentlest of Hands.

Judge Not...

2010-06-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

There is a reason that God, in His infinite wisdom, told us not to judge others. He did tell us to watch the actions (fruits) of others. He did tell us to be wise. He also commanded us to love. How can we truly love when we are grilling someone on the witness stand or strapping them into the electric chair?

Judging is some serious business. When we judge, we decide that we are God. We decide that we are better than He. We decide that we know more than He knows. There are some problems with that, besides the fact that we are NOT God. All we can see are the actions, the words and the results of that person. While those can be very damning, there is something missing. And that something is very large. That is the heart of the defendant. We cannot see, no matter how well we know them, what their motivations were. Even if we spent days, weeks or even years trying to learn their heart, we would never understand them as their Maker does.

The basic reason for this can be found in the Book of Genesis. The story of the Tower of Babel. When we all speak the same language, when we all think the same, we can make the decision that there is no need for God. So He introduced languages to the builders. It was quite disastrous at the time, but something beautiful (and frustrating) came out of it. We found that we need a Mediator. And who better than our Lord?

So the next time that car cuts you off on the interstate, pause. They may be rushing to a loved one's side. The next time your office manager speaks sharply, pause. They may have just received bad news. The next time a dear friend doesn't notice your pain, pause. They may be in pain themselves. Ask Him to see through His Eyes. Have you taken the time to hear the heart of the defendant? Have you taken the time to put yourselves in their place? Be quick to listen and very slow to judge.

Fighting the Inevitable

2010-06-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."
19 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."
20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
21 His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

2 Samuel 12:18-23

David knew that this child was going to die. Nathan, the prophet, had told him that because of his repentance, David would live, but his son would die. Even so, when the boy became ill, David fasted and prayed. Why did he fight it? Then, why did he not grieve afterward? So many times, I wish that the writers of the Bible would give me more information. I want to know how David felt in the days, weeks, months after his son died. How did he feel and act on the anniversary of his little boy's birth and death? We won't know this side of Heaven. But I still wonder.

I have fought the inevitable. For a year and a half, I grasped at straws, pretended not to hear my doctor when he used the word hysterectomy. I tried to bargain my way out of infertility. Then I stopped fighting. I gave up what I had always wanted and always believed would be my future. Are there moments when I grieve? Absolutely. Do I believe that this was God's road for me? Absolutely.

So, is there something wrong with fighting the inevitable? I don't think so. Without hope, how can we survive? Didn't Jesus, Himself, ask for some other way moments before He was taken by the Roman soldiers? The God we serve is not threatened by our fears, our anger and our tears. In other words, He is not threatened by our fighting. We cannot see our futures, but He can. We cannot see around the bend of our road. But He can.

There were many people in the Bible whose prayers, fasting and cries moved the heart of God. Moses, Jonah, Hannah. Find their stories. Read them. Learn from them. Fight the inevitable. You never know when it isn't inevitable.

The Cost

2010-06-13T17:17:00.000-07:00

How much does it cost? How much would you be willing to give up to follow Christ? That is a question that is rarely asked. In this 'feel good' society and time that we live in it isn't a very popular thought. Has Jesus' question to the rich young ruler ever plagued you? Is He asking the same of all of us?

C.S. Lewis stated (with my interpretation) that we welcome Him into the tiny house that is our hearts. We open up the rooms that we want Him to see, but lock the one that we don't want Him to see. He is not interested in leaving our hearts the way in which He found them. He begins to open locked doors, knock down walls and begin a complete renovation. The goal is become as Christ-like as possible. He builds a mansion out of our tiny little bungalow. While the end result is stunning beauty and there can be moments of amazing joy and beautiful moments with Him. However, changes like this also cause pain along with facing what we have stored in those locked rooms.

In the Japanese culture, the present generation's job & duty is to keep a shrine. That shrine is to be kept clean & spotless. It is at that shrine that the Japanese pray. They pray to their ancestors. This is how they honor the generations that came before. When a Japanese person becomes a Christian, they stop praying to their ancestors and begin praying to the one and true God. They turn their back on their ancestors. They turn their back on their parents, their family. To become a Christian means that they pay a high price.

So, we are back to the question, how much does becoming Christ-like cost us? And are you willing to pay it? The rich young ruler couldn't turn his back on his riches. What habits, sins and cultures are we going to turn our backs on? And what do we get in return?

A Lord who stays closer than a brother. Freedom that comes from binding ourselves to Him. An entirely new family. I believe that there can only be facades of peace and happiness without Him. As Jesus told the woman at the well, the thirst is only quenched for a short time. She would have to come back again and again to the well. He is the well that never runs dry. And the cost for this well? Nothing we could hold onto is worth losing what He has to offer.

2010-05-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

It has been happening since almost the beginning of time. And no, it's not the procrastination that has kept me from posting, that's just me. No, it's that pesky little thing attached to our hands. You know that finger, the one that's next to the thumb? Adam was the first human to use that finger. And he made sure that it didn't point to himself. Was he right? Was it Eve's fault? Sure. But was he blameless? Absolutely not. Yet that reaction of his seemed to catch on like a virus. And all of humanity is eaten up with it. Blame.

In dealing with children, you have to be careful how you approach them. At the youngest of ages, they will quickly point their fingers to someone (anyone) else. 'Not me!' seems to be their favorite answer. Unless it's, 'They started it!' If you don't think that adults will pull out those excuses, imagine your next staff meeting when your bosses are trying to figure out who is responsible for wrong behaviour. I am no theologian but I would be willing to bet that this habit is wrapped up in that ugly thing called human nature. You could search for a thousand years and never find any part of God in human nature. We are born in sin and live with these habits to our dying days.

So what's with all the bad news? Just because God can't be found in our failings, doesn't mean He can't be found. He makes Himself available. If you don't agree, just cry out right now. Call to Him in your heart. He will answer. In His time and in His way, but be assured He will answer. How do I know? Let me take you back about 25 years. Oh, my heavens, I feel old! My brother, sister & I were in Bible College. Richard was the only one of us with a car. He had bought it just about a year and a half before. It was used, but we loved it. It meant everything a car can when you are college age. Freedom and independence. Even if it belonged to your brother. Then it happened. Lisa wrecked our brother's first car. Now we three siblings had lost our freedom and independence.

Lisa had a hard road to walk. She was at fault not the other driver. She was responsible. She actually felt that forgiveness was not available to her because the wreck was her fault. If you have accepted forgiveness from Jesus Christ, you know the truth. He shared that with Lisa. As she was crying out in her prayers, she felt the Lord telling her that the fact that it was her fault had nothing to do with forgiveness. While the consequences of the wreck did not go away, God is always ready to forgive.

He does not point fingers. He didn't when He was on trial, and He doesn't now. He didn't when He was being executed, and He doesn't now. He didn't when He reunited with those who betrayed Him, and He doesn't now. Your mistake, no matter how small or how horrific, can be forgiven. You may have to walk out the consequences, but you can walk forgiven by the Saviour of your soul. So look to the only One who isn't pointing His finger at you.

Stille Zaterdag

2010-04-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

I follow David Nasser (http://www.davidnasser.com/) on Twitter. I discovered him my his visits on the Rick and Bubba Show(http://www.rickandbubba.com/). His testimony is amazing and he is the author and co-founder of the book Glory Revealed as well as its two CD's. I love it when he's on the show. His words, both written and spoken have ministered to me greatly!

Yesterday, I checked my twitter and shuffled through the things that interest me, both spiritual and non. David had twittered that Dutch Christians still call today Stille Zaterdag "Silent Saturday". WOW!! This day, around 2000 years ago, the earth stood silent. Those who had followed this Jesus of Nazareth were silent. Those who put Him to death were silent. Max Lucado even wrote a book entitled The Angels Were Silent. The Earth was silent. The worst that could ever happen to the heavens, the earth and to all its inhabitants had happened. God had been murdered by those He loved the most. His own creations.

The Christ haters were silent, wondering what would come next. Christ's followers were also wondering how they were to live now and how much longer they would be walking the face of the earth. I have no proof of this, but wonder if the animals were even silent. Worse than hurricanes, earthquakes and any other natural disasters, the One present at the making of all was dead, entombed and locked away behind a massive stone.

Silence, despair and waiting. Silent Saturday. Everything and everyone holding their breath. What was next? Want to know? Read the last few chapters of any of the Gospels; Matthew, Mark, or John. Attend a Sunrise service. Walk into any church that you can find. Then, as Paul Harvey used to say, you will hear "the rest of the story". And believe you, me, its a doozy!

Happy Silent Saturday, dear ones!

Surprise!!!!

2010-03-06T19:10:00.001-08:00

Sometimes God likes to surprise us. I know that may sound sacrilegious, but it isn't. In Max Lucado's book He Still Moves Stones, one chapter references that. It's when Mary Magdalene is on her way to the tomb the day after the Sabbath. He wonders what would have happened if she had given up. What if she had stopped half way there? Think about what she would have missed! She would have missed seeing the resurrected Jesus face to face. What a way to cap the worst days of her life!

Picture your own worst days. Maybe you're living through them right now. Just hold on! As dark as your life can be right now, dawn could just be moments away. Sometimes it's as simple as a turn in the battle toward the positive. Or a kind word in a flood of negativity. A smile when you are surrounded by frowns.

But sometimes it's the answer to a prayer that you've been praying for so long you can't remember when you began. A child has finally returned to the Arms of Christ. The words, "it's in remission" come to your ears. A reunion of with a long lost friend. The next interview tells you that you're just what they're looking for.

So let us hold fast, dear ones. We are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, but the sun will rise and it will be as beautiful and precious as a surprise.

2010-02-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

Am I the only person who falls into a serious stage of ADHD during worship? It's not even that I struggle with Attention Deficit on a regular basis. Just when I'm trying to connect with God! Here's what happens:

I am singing the song, lead by the worship leader, truly feeling the movement of the Holy Spirit.
My arms are lifted high, just me and Him.
I can feel Him working on those dark and sad places.
I begin to cry just a little.
As a tear rolls down my face, I remember how I look when I cry. (And it's not pretty, let me tell you!)
I remember how the Princess in Braveheart looks when she cries.
Then I remember why she was crying.
I picture Mel Gibson's death in the movie.
I wonder what he was recently doing to mess up his life so much.
I mean, he had such annointing to make The Passion of the Christ.
That leads to Jim Caviezel.
Then there's the line of soldiers coming to the Garden.
Jim, as Jesus, crushing the snake under his foot.
The actress that played Lucifer was brilliant!
She looked so weird with out her eyelashes and eyebrows.
Mel Gibson's idea, I think.
Man, he did such a good job with that movie!
The hand holding the nail was actually Mel's.
He did that just because it was our sin that put Jesus on that Cross.
Wait, what was I singing?!?!?

There you have it. A snapshot of the mind of Lara Moore. Not a pretty place, I tell you! Similar to how I look when I cry. Katherine Heigl looks pretty when she cries. I used to like her...

Friendships

2010-01-13T18:57:00.000-08:00

My sister is my best friend. That should really be in all caps! I can't (& don't want to) imagine my life without her. She had a nightmare the other night. It seemed that I was ready to move on. I was moving out and I told her goodbye. I've had nightmares like this myself and they are totally ridiculous and will never happen. Even if one of us does move away from each other some day. We laugh alike, we talk alike and enjoy doing the same things. Except marathons. I am NOT a marathon fan. But I will cheer her on every one she does!

I have been amazingly blessed to have her. But not just that. Many posts ago, I wrote about The Sistas. They are four women who have become sisters to me. Somehow, my brother happened to find my 'non-biological' sister & marry her. In my multiple moves throughout the South, I have made many friends that I can now reconnect with via FaceBook.

But recently I've been wondering. Are all of these relationships life-long? What about when one life is over, and you're left longing for one last heart to heart? What about the hurts and miscommunications that sever a bond that wasn't meant to be broken. What about the times that time and distance weaken the bond. How do we survive such hurts?

Saying goodbye to a friend is a painful process. Watching them die the burying them is a pain that will never recover. Watching them step back from you and become distant actually rips something vital from your heart. Would we change the past if we knew then what we know now? If we could, think of all we would lose! It would make every tear worth crying. Maybe it wouldn't be any easier to live, but it would change the fabric of our lives.

I just heard an old Tricia Yearwood song that says it beautifully. Now the writer may have meant a different kind of relationship, but it so applies!

"I Would've Loved You Anyway

"If I'd've known the way that this would end

If I'd've read the last page first

If I'd've had the strength to walk away

If I'd've known how this would hurt...

[Chorus 1:]I would've loved you anyway

I'd do it all the same

Not a second I would change

Not a touch that I would trade

Had I known my heart would break

I'd've loved you anyway

It's bittersweet to look back now

At mem'ries withered on the vine

But just to hold you close to me

For a moment in time...

[Repeat chorus 1]

[Bridge:]And even if I'd seen it coming

You'd still've seen me running

Straight into your arms

[Chorus 2:]I would've loved you anyway

I'd do it all the same

Not a second I would change

Not a touch that I would trade

Had I known my heart would break

I would've loved you anyway

A Baby Changes Everything...

2009-12-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

In this year's drama, I wrote for one character to say that he didn't believe that this season was about family or even a Baby. Sounds sacrilegious, doesn't it? It did to me as I wrote it then, and it does today. You see, Christmas has always been an amazing and magical time for my family. It means time together, eating and laughing and loving on each other. It is a time of music, lights and great movies.

But take all that away and what do you have? Remove your loved ones from your picture. Take away the lights and music. Take away all the yummy foods and snacks. It's just a day on the calendar. It's a day that a Baby was born. None of those events are very special are they? They happen all the time.

No, it is what that Baby grew to be. It is about who He became. And what He did for all of mankind. Every breath, every step He made was just to bring Him closer to death. It was ALL about that Cross. Just like Ricky Bobby, that Baby is easy for us to celebrate. What's threatening about a Baby? Not much. But make that Baby a Man. Make Him the Son of God. That's very threatening. To do that we have to accept that there is even a God. And that He cares for us. And that He wants to change our lives. And change is VERY threatening! Even good change.

So, if you're happy or sad; surrounded by loved ones or lonely; full or hungry, celebrate. You have a reason to celebrate. And that reason is that God came to earth. He came for you. He came to change your life. He came to live. To die. To rise again. Just for you.

Merry Christmas!

A New Kind of Normal

2009-12-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

As I connect with friends and family, all talk turns to the same subject: Christmas. The lights are up and on. The trees are decorated. Every church has its program scheduled and advertised. Shops are crowded and parking lots are filled. It's the same old same old, isn't it? But what if you're facing a different kind of Christmas this year? What if you're wondering what to do about that empty seat at the dining table? Are you asking who's going to make that special recipe? Is there someone so sick that they can't fill their normal obligations? Because of a medical diagnosis, are you having to completely revise your menu? What if your world was turned upside down this year and you're having to find a 'new kind of normal'? And that includes Christmas?

Don't you wonder how in the world you're supposed to celebrate when you see absolutely no reason to? Growing up I had amazing parents who made Christmas one of the most magical times of the year. Well that changed as I became an adult. Those changes didn't mean anything negative. They were just a new kind of normal. The magic returned when my niece and nephews were born. It may have been different, but it was just as beautiful to be a part of making that magic instead of receiving it.

But I know there are some of you reading this who are wondering. How do I celebrate this year? How can there be any magic when he/she is gone? What's the reason for the decorations if that little one won't be there to enjoy them? Aren't those romantic movies and commercials murder when the romance has disappeared? Who has time for a holiday when life can be counted by the minutes? Do you just pretend? Do we put on that mask and give everyone else the impression that we are alright?

Sometimes what was before will never be that way again. Maybe life is forever changed. We can be living in 'a new kind of normal'. How do we navigate that through a holiday like Christmas? There can be no other answer than carefully. Allow your hand to rest in His. While we try to celebrate His coming in our new way, know that He doesn't expect the old way. He just wants you to acknowledge Him. He just wants your heart this and every other day of the year. Maybe He's carrying you this Christmas, just as Mary carried Him. Let Him. Cry out to Him. And remember that when there are no other answers, when those verses feel empty... There is Jesus. And He's holding you.

Nails

2009-12-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

For several years I worked in Christian retail. I realized it was time to leave when I began to dread Christmas. A couple of years before I found other means, a new product came out. It was the beginning of the Christmas season and a new batch of ornaments had just arrived. This new product was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was an ornament. And it was a nail. A huge nail. It was heavy and truth be told, nothing like the beautiful and quirky ornaments around it. Now, I don't know what kind of nails held our Savior on that Cross, but the point is that this new ornament is a moden representation of those nails. The instructions that with it stated that it is too heavy to hang on the outer branches of the Christmas tree. It isn't meant to be decorative. It is meant to be hung before anything else, even the lights. It is the foundation of the decorating of the tree.

Isn't that true of our walk with Christ? Aren't those nails and Cross the foundation of our lives? They are not meant to decorate our lives or make us look good. They are there to remind us that without those nails, our lives would be usless. Without those nails, there would be no reason to celebrate this month. If not for that Cross, we would live without hope.

I just hung that nail on my Christmas tree. Every year I hang it in the same area. And I stop and think every year. And I remember. I remember that without that Baby. Without the miracle of His birth, I would not know Him. But if He had never shed His blood. If He had decided that the Cross would be too hard to endure. If He had just gone fishing with the disciples instead, then all this would be in vain. But He didn't. He died. He rose back to life. Just for me. Just for you.

Remember that as you decorate your own tree. As you put up the lights. As you listen to the Christmas music radio station. All of these things point to the Cross. And those nails.

Merry Christmas!

When You Are Low on Hope

2009-10-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

This was waiting in my e-mail box last night. As it has been a particularly trying week, I know that the timing is not a coincedence. Now I'm sure that I'm not the only person who's struggling, so I decided to pass these words of wisdom on to you.

When You Are Low on Hope
by Max Lucado

Water. All Noah can see is water. The evening sun sinks into it. The clouds are reflected in it. His boat is surrounded by it. Water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the west. Water.
He sent a raven on a scouting mission; it never returned. He sent a dove. It came back shivering and spent, having found no place to roost. Then, just this morning, he tried again. With a prayer he let it go and watched until the bird was no bigger than a speck on a window.
All day he looked for the dove’s return.
Now the sun is setting, and the sky is darkening, and he has come to look one final time, but all he sees is water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the …
You know the feeling. You have stood where Noah stood. You’ve known your share of floods. Flooded by sorrow at the cemetery, stress at the office, anger at the disability in your body or the inability of your spouse. You’ve seen the floodwater rise, and you’ve likely seen the sun set on your hopes as well. You’ve been on Noah’s boat.
And you’ve needed what Noah needed; you’ve needed some hope. You’re not asking for a helicopter rescue, but the sound of one would be nice. Hope doesn’t promise an instant solution but rather the possibility of an eventual one. Sometimes all we need is a little hope.
That’s all Noah needed. And that’s all Noah received.
Here is how the Bible describes the moment: “When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!” (Gen. 8:11 NIV).
An olive leaf. Noah would have been happy to have the bird but to have the leaf! This leaf was more than foliage; this was promise. The bird brought more than a piece of a tree; it brought hope. For isn’t that what hope is? Hope is an olive leaf—evidence of dry land after a flood. Proof to the dreamer that dreaming is worth the risk.
Don’t we love the olive leaves of life? “It appears the cancer may be in remission.” “I can help you with those finances.” “We’ll get through this together.” What’s more, don’t we love the doves that bring them? Perhaps that’s the reason so many loved Jesus.
To all the Noahs of the world, to all who search the horizon for a fleck of hope, he proclaims, “Yes!” And he comes. He comes as a dove. He comes bearing fruit from a distant land, from our future home. He comes with a leaf of hope.
Have you received yours? Don’t think your ark is too isolated. Don’t think your flood is too wide. Receive his hope, won’t you? Receive it because you need it. Receive it so you can share it.
Love always hopes. “Love … bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:4–7 NKJV, emphasis mine).

From A Love Worth GivingCopyright (Thomas Nelson, 2002) Max Lucado

2009-10-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last night, my sister and I saw a preview for the movie 2012. All I understood was that in December 2012, life as we know it is supposed to be over. New concept, I know. But the special effects of this preview were amazing as the foundation of Los Angeles (and I suppose the rest of the world) begins to buckle. Houses, buildings and bridges were folding over on themselves. Needless to say, it was a very intense preview. And quite fun to watch from the comfort of my recliner in my safe den. Isn't that why we enjoy scary and thrilling entertainment? While we sit comfortable and safe?

But what about when those devastating things happen to us? Much easier when it's fiction isn't it? Jesus' disciples lived through one of those events. Oh, it's easy, when we are sitting in our chairs to criticize them for not waiting three days. For believing that He was actually dead and that all their dreams and hopes were in the tomb with Him. See, we know the rest of the story, but they didn't. It hadn't happened yet and their world had been turned upside down. If you haven't lived through one or more of those moments, you are either very young or you aren't being completely truthful.

I call those moments, Bizarro World moments. When everything you believe and stand upon is suddenly the opposite. When red means go and green means stop. When he walks in and tells you that he doesn't love you. When you are no longer a valued employee and it's time for you to go. When your accountant informs you that you no longer have any money in the bank. When an obedient child has bad news for you. When your pastor decides to begin a new life with the organist. The equator is now the coldest place on earth and gravity no longer applies. And death would seem easier than living in the aftermath.

Did death on a Roman cross change the fact that Jesus was/is the Messiah? No, but it sure seemed that way for His followers. When we stand in the middle of rubble and death, is He still God? Does that verse in Jeremiah still apply? Can this be His plan? Who is He now? He is still God. He still loves us. He still has a plan. I know this because He has stayed by my side through destruction. He has stayed by my side when I have turned away from Him. He has stayed by my side when I shook my fists at Him. Stop looking at the destruction and death. Begin to look for Him. I promise you, He's by your side, too. Just waiting for you to turn to Him. And cry on His shoulder.

The World

2009-09-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

"But to me, Baby, you are the world."

Sixteen years ago, tomorrow was a very special day. I was still in my 20's. I had been back in the US from Japan less than six months. For the first time, I was living in the same town as my brother and his wife. And just a few minutes after 12 noon, I met the most amazing girl. She was only minutes old and she was my brother's daughter. His first born. His princess. And, it turns out, his only daughter. He (along with Janet) have given me two fun, delightful and brilliant nephews since then but this one's about her. The beautiful girl in this picture.

You see, she may just look like any other girl to you, but she is a vibrant part of my world. I was in Japan when Richard and Janet called me from Birmingham and asked how 'Aunt Lara' would be said in Japanese. From that moment, the foundation of my world changed. I watched my brother sing to her before she was born, pressing his chin to Janet's belly. We all fell in love with her before she even breathed her first breath. Then there she was, two weeks later than she was supposed to be here, being carried down that hallway by my brother. She was red and screaming. Dark brown curls all over her head. A few days later, I was holding her and singing to her. I still do that, by the way. And for the first time in my life, I understood unconditional love. I realized that there was nothing this girl could do that would change my love for her. No matter what she became. No matter what choices she made in her life. My love could do nothing but grow for her. I have had those moments with each of her brothers, too.

Now, here we are. Tomorrow she turns 16. She has done nothing but grow more amazing and more beautiful. She has such talent and heart. While she and her brothers do not and can not mean more to me than my Lord, they are a huge part of my world. You might even say vital. You might never have a chance to meet her, so I thought I'd do the honors.

There she is, the most beautiful of nieces! My Carlie! Sweet sixteen. I love you, my dear girl!

Failure

2009-09-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I was in the middle of heavy traffic on one of Alabama's busiest highways, Hwy 280. All I wanted was a pedicure and there I was, stuck in non-moving traffic. Everyone in Birmingham knows about 280, and we all HATE it!!! Sitting there I looked at all the stopped cars and buildings in front of me. There on the right, just after the I459 overpass, it was. A towering symbol of one man's failure. Several years ago, Richard Scrushy came under indicted for money laundering, extortion, obstruction of justice, racketeering and bribery. He pleaded not guilty, but was convicted in 2006. Sometime before all this mess, he received the ok to build this beautiful, yet useless, building. It's purpose was to become the latest in cutting edge of health care. The world's top digital hospital.

Everyone in Birmingham is familiar with this building that towers over 280. This empty building. It has become a constant reminder of all the things that Scrushy did wrong. And that made me wonder. What if our failures were placed in blinding notice of the world on the busiest highway in town? What if they were so tall that they were visible from far away. What if they had outer walls of glass and mirror so that they reflected every time the sun rises and sets? And what if you had to drive past them at least twice a day for you and everyone else on the road to see? Pretty humiliating thought, isn't it? Our failures can feel that big and obvious, but most of the time they are not. Thankfully! While they may feel that way, at least our failures are not broadcast on the national news.

But even if they are that big and that well known, there is one thing that is bigger than that glass and steel building on Hwy 280. Can you guess? It's the Cross of Jesus Christ. There is nothing we can do that His Blood does not cover. There is no failure so large and well known that His Cross cannot shadow. While we are never free from the consequences of our sins and failures, we can ALWAYS be forgiven. Richard Scrushy is in prison right now, that cannot change. The empty, beautiful building still towers uselessly over 280 and that has not changed. A lot of people lost their jobs and savings through his actions. That will not change. But our God, Who is in the business of forgiving, has made Himself available to forgive Richard Scrushy. He has also made Himself available to forgive you. No matter what you've done. No matter how visible your failure is or isn't. Pretty cool, huh?

2009-09-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

Seventy-one years ago, tomorrow, my father was born. In the Mississippi delta, September of 1938, there was no hospital for a delivering mother to find. I don't know what, if any prenatal care my grandmother had. We have no way of knowing my Mamaw's actual due date for Papa. I still wonder just how far along she was in her pregnancy. The only information I have is that, after eight healthy deliveries, my grandmother gave birth to the man you see in this picture. Thankfully a doctor was there to help my Mamaw. When the doctor held my father in his hands, there looked to be no hope for Papa's survival. Papa was tiny. Too small to survive. Too early for his lungs to have developed. Papa's body fit into one of the doctor's hands, while his head fit into the other. Premature births can be a devastating experience and the parents are not promised tomorrow. Papa weighed in at about 2.5 pounds. The doctor believed that this baby was dead. Until... Don't you LOVE that word? Until my father let out a bellow. The doctors response? Nothing wrong with those lungs! Don't you love it?

This wonderful man who raised me truly does have a set of lungs. Ones that should not have been fully formed when he was born. At first he slept in his older sister's baby doll bed. When winter came, he slept in an open dresser drawer. I hope that you someday get an opportunity to hear my father sing. He followed the Lord's call into music ministry. He's seen countless changes in music. He even recorded a record when I was a little girl. No one sings How Great Thou Art like my Papa. Lisa & I believe that they honestly don't make them like our Papa! When he calls my office to talk to me, he announces himself as Papa. So you can call him that too. So, I welcome you to celebrate Papa's (Donald Moore) birthday tomorrow. That's what we will be doing.

2009-08-31T19:01:00.001-07:00

Just a few short years ago, we humans believed that the solar system revolved around our own ‘blue marble’. Imagine our humbling surprise that not only was the earth not the center of the Milky Way, but our planet makes it’s orbit around the sun. Isn’t that just like us? We become so self-absorbed that we erroneously decide that everything revolves around us. But that’s not really the purpose of this post.

Last night my sister, Lisa & I went to a concert/worship event at a church here in Birmingham. If you have never heard of Glory Revealed, you can check it out here http://www.gloryrevealed.com/ Two years ago, David Nasser (evangelist) and Mac Powell (lead singer of Third Day) felt the Lord leading them to write songs that were pure Scripture. David’s vision was that people would learn the Word of God by singing those songs. Fast forward 2+ years and Shades Mtn Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL is hosting the final stop of the Glory Revealed II tour. David Nasser, Mac Powell, Laura Story, Aaron Shust… The list goes on and on. It was AMAZING!!

Just a few songs in and my arms were raised in worship. I felt the Presence of our Almighty God. If you’ve never experienced that, don’t wait! Beg, steal, borrow whatever it takes to find yourself a Bible based, God filled, worshipful church. Give your heart to Christ. Take what He did on the cross just for yourself and make Him Lord of your life. Make Him the center of your own solar system.

Even those of us who’ve followed Him for years find ourselves orbiting things other than the ‘Son’. What do you find yourselves focusing on? Am I the only one who focuses on something so much that I loose my Center? What distracts you? Family issues? Workplace stress? The everyday business of life? Things you ought to do but don’t? Things you shouldn’t be doing? It’s an endless list, isn’t it? But there is nothing as freeing as releasing those ‘orbits’ and getting back on the track that we were made for. A continuous orbit around the Son. The problems and stresses didn’t go anywhere. They aren’t any smaller than they were yesterday. They have just taken their proper place and are so much smaller than the Center of my universe.

Shut Down

2009-08-13T16:55:00.000-07:00

When I get overwhelmed, when I get hurt, when I get stressed, when my heart is broken, the same thing always happens. I take a step back, breathe deep... And shut down. Real mature and healthy, I know. That is the true reason behind the lapses in posting any original pieces. Yep, that's me, mature and healthy! So what changed? Definitely not my circumstances. No, last night I went to the movies. I can hear those of you who know me laughing right now. Where else would Lara go to have a WAKE UP moment than to the movies?

Well, it wasn't just the movie, which I'm sure you are just now figuring out was Julie & Julia. It was the combination of the story with Panera's amazing strawberry/poppy seed salad w/chicken along with Godly fellowship with good & wise friends (who give great counsel, btw!).

So, what has changed? I watched the story of a New York woman who followed a path that shouldn't have worked. And it changed her life. What was it? A blog. Do I think this blog will change my life? I don't know. Do I think it can change your life? Again, I don't know. But I do know this... Shutting down changes nothing and no one. Unless the change we're discussing is rust and decay. So, again, what did I learn from Julie Powell & Julia Child? These two women didn't shut down. They didn't settle for rust or decay. And neither am I.

No, even though I adore cooking, I will not be cooking my way through Julia Child's book for the next 365 days. What I will be doing, however, is staying open. Writing through the stresses of life instead of surfing the web to avoid doing what He has called me to do. Write. I'll be posting soon.

My South

2009-08-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry. I know I haven't been keeping up with posting to this blog. When we have alot on our plates & our hearts are tender, this is when we need to touch those tender places and bring them to light, so that we can heal. Evidently, I haven't been doing this, but a friend e-mailed this to me & I wanted to share that with you.

This was written by Robert St. John, executive chef and owner of the Purple Parrot Cafe, Crescent City Grill and Mahogany Bar of Hattiesburg , MS.

My South
Thirty years ago I visited my first cousin in Virginia. While hanging out with his friend, the discussion turned to popular movies of the day. When I offered my two-cents on the authenticity and social relevance of the movie Billy Jack, one of the boys asked, in all seriousness; “Do you guys have movie theaters down there?” To which I replied, “Yep. We wear shoes too.”

Just three years ago, my wife and I were attending a food and wine seminar in Aspen, Colo. We were seated with two couples from Las Vegas. One of the Glitter Gulch gals was amused and downright rude when I described our restaurant as a fine-dining restaurant... “Mississippi doesn't have fine-dining restaurants!” she insisted and nudged her companion. I fought back the strong desire to mention that she lived in the land that invented the 99-cent breakfast buffet. I wanted badly to defend my state, my region, and my restaurant with a 15-minute soliloquy and public relations rant that would surely change her mind. It was at that precise moment that I was hit with a blinding jolt of enlightenment, and in a moment of complete and absolute clarity it dawned on me -- my South is the best-kept secret in the country. Why would I try to win this woman over? She might move down here.

I am always amused by Hollywood 's interpretation of the South. We are still, on occasion, depicted as a collective group of sweaty, stupid, backwards-minded, racist rednecks. The South of movies and TV, the Hollywood South, is not my South.

This is my South: My South is full of honest, hardworking people.

My South is the birthplace of blues and jazz, and rock n' roll. It has banjo pickers and fiddle players, but it also has BB King, Muddy Waters, the Allman Brothers, Emmylou Harris and Elvis.

My South is hot. My South smells of newly mowed grass. My South was kick the can, creek swimming, cane-pole fishing and bird hunting.

In my South, football is king, and the Southeastern Conference is the kingdom.

My South is home to the most beautiful women on the planet.

In my South, soul food and country cooking are the same thing.

My South is full of fig preserves, cornbread, butter beans, fried chicken, grits and catfish.

In my South, our transistor radios introduced us to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones at the same time they were introduced to the rest of the country.

In my South, grandmothers cook a big lunch every Sunday, so big that we call it dinner (supper comes later).

In my South, family matters, deeply. My South is boiled shrimp, blackberry cobbler, peach ice cream, banana pudding and cream pies.

In my South people put peanuts in bottles of Coca-Cola and hot sauce on almost everything.

In my South the tea is iced and almost as sweet as the women.
My South has air-conditioning.

My South is camellias, azaleas, wisteria and hydrangeas.

In my South, the only person that has to sit on the back of the bus is the last person that got on the bus.

In my South, people still say 'Yes, ma'am,' 'No ma'am,' 'Please' and 'Thank you.'

In my South, we all wear shoes....most of the time..

My South is the best-kept secret in the country. Please continue to keep the secret....it keeps the idiots away.

Not doing a great job at keeping it secret. Oh, well...

The Climb

2009-06-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

There's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle

Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the Climb

Recorded by Miley Cyrus

Written by J. Alexander, J. Mabe

Memorial Day 2009

2009-05-25T17:29:00.001-07:00

I never thought that this is where I'd settle down,

I thought I'd die an old man back in my hometown,

They gave me this plot of land,

me and some other men,for a job well done.

There's a big white house sits on a hill just up the road,

The man inside he cried the day they brought me home,

They folded up a flag, and told my mom and dad,

'We're proud of your son'.

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property,

I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company,

I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done,

I can rest in peace,

I'm one of the chosen ones,

I made it to Arlington.

I remember daddy brought me here when I was eight,

We searched all day to find out where my granddad lay,

And when we finally found that cross,

He said, 'Son this is what it cost, to keep us free'.

Now here I am a thousand stones away from him,

He recognized me on the first day I came in,

And it gave me a chill, when he clicked his heels, and saluted me.

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property,

I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company,

And I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done,

I can rest in peace,

I'm one of the chosen ones,

I made it to Arlington.

And every time I hear, twenty-one guns,

I know they brought another hero home, to us.

We're thankful for those thankful for the things we've done,

We can rest in peace, 'cause we were the chosen ones,

We made it to Arlington, yea, dust to dust

Don't cry for us, we made it to Arlington.

Sung by Trace Adkins

Written by:

Dave Turnbull & Jeremy N. Spillman

2009-05-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, I decided something that I thought was completely original. I decided that our souls need feeding. We feed the physical body (some of us more than others) and we feed the spiritual body (some of us not as much as we should). But what about the soul? How do we feed the soul? My brilliant deduction was through fueling our passions and taking time out for ourselves.

A little while later, my pastor preached a sermon on the different types of gas tanks that we have. Of course, he used my own analogy, but I don't think he plagiarized it from me. No, I think I wasn't the original one. He basically said that we spend so much time filling one or two tanks and ignore the other(s). And that puts us out of balance. While spending all our time with Christian tasks, we may feel fulfilled spiritually but we are missing something. If we (as I tend to do) run to the pantry or refrigerator for every emotion, we loose our physical health. In the past, I thought those were the only things that I had to fill.

I was in the North Carolina mountains with friends when I realized that I was filling up something that was neither of the two tanks. I could almost feel my soul taking deep breaths of the mountain air. I feel it every time I escape from the monotony of life. I feel it now that I am on vacation in Orange Beach, AL with very special friends. It's here that I tend to fill all three tanks. We do eat well, possibly too well. I feel His presence so clearly watching the beauty of His creation. It's easier to speak with Him here. And, like I wrote before, I feel my soul take deep breaths.

Life has not changed. Work is still waiting. Bills are still coming in the mail. But I'm on a retreat and feeling Him close to me. You don't have to drive to a beach or the mountains to feed your soul. Sometimes it's as easy as sitting with a good book. Or walking through a garden. Or a drive down a road you've never been just to see where it goes. Take a moment. Breathe deeply. Close your eyes and think about Him. Think about Him in a place you love. He's there waiting to just be with you. To just help you feed your soul.

With love, from the Gulf Coast.

Once Upon A Time...

2009-05-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

I love stories. It's the primary way in which I communicate. It's how I view the world. I like to use that as an excuse as to why I love movies & TV so much. Lisa & I have books hidden, tucked and on display all through our house. I carry a book with me just about everywhere I go. When there are free moments throughout my day, I reach for it. There's a joke in my family that Lara can never tell a short story. It's true. I just feel that you need to know the back story to understand the 'now' story. Hard to follow isn't it? You should try being the one saying it :D

A young man visited our home group tonight. A few years ago, we supported him as he followed the Call to an especially difficult mission field. I can't tell you his name or where he went, but I can tell you that the Lord sent him there. He and his team witnessed the Hand of the Lord over and over. The coolest way that they shared the Gospel was through story telling. Story telling is a universal language. Most of us respond to it. In various cultures, their heritage is passed down from generation to generation through story telling. In a world that normally takes three + years to see lives changed by the gospel, this team saw eighteen people choose to follow Christ. And all through story telling.

Once these people heard the story of Jesus, they became passionate about it. They did so because the story tellers were (and are) passionate about it. Here, in the States, we have an abundance of stories. And so many of them are captivating. Which ones are you passionate about? The 'boldly go where no one has gone before...'; the 'don't go near the basement...'; the 'boy meets girl'? How many of them captivate you? What about the one where God came to earth just to die for you? Does it captivate you? Are you passionate about it? Why aren't we? Why do those others push it (the most important of all stories) to the back of our minds? When will we realize that the stories written in between those pieces of leather are the only ones that can truly change us? That those are the only eternal stories and all the others will fade?

The 'Perfect' & the 'Dream'

2009-05-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

Don't you HATE work? Or am I the only one? I really believe that I was made to be independently wealthy. There must have been some mistake along the way. Kindergarten teachers & music ministers don't make the kind of money that can make their kids wealthy. But it's a dream of mine, none the less. In earlier posts, I've mentioned that I struggle with finding the 'perfect'. You know, the perfect job. The perfect church. The perfect friends. Why is there a word like perfect when it's unattainable in this life? Oh, yeah. He's perfect. He even walked this same earth that you & I do. Maybe it's because we need Him in our lives so much, that we all search for this 'perfect'.

Today was one of those days. Sure it's Monday, which is bad enough on its own, but it went beyond that. The people I encountered were no more irritating than usual. The phone rang no more often than it does any other Monday. So what was different? Me & my attitude. They, to put it bluntly, sucked. I didn't want to be at work today. My doctor's inability to make a decision has not changed, but today it infuriated me. The talkativeness of co-workers made me want to scream. Patients and pharmaceutical reps asking the same question that I've heard & tried to answer for almost a year now were like fingernails on a chalkboard.

And I wanted my 'dream job'. Want to know what that job is? Well, so do I!!! Down deep, I realize that there is no 'dream job'. Every job has its irritants. Every job has its own politics. I hate politics! Sure I could find another job that might make me happy for a year or two. Ok, maybe not in this economy, but that's not the point. The point is my job made me unhappy today. But it's not my job's responsibility to make me happy in the first place. Lisa offered sound advise tonight. Pray. Not for a new job. But pray and give the day and this job to Him. Think it will work? Me, too.

And if you hear some screams from the North Birmingham area, just ignore them. I'll be ok :D

Encounters with the Lion

2009-04-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

I have made no secret of my love for movies and stories. Nor of some of my favorites, The Chronicles of Narnia. Sunday night, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe was on. I laughed. I cried. I made a spectacle of myself. It was a good thing I was alone. Think the scene in the movie Elf when the announcement is made that Santa is coming. Remember Buddy’s reaction? Well, that’s what I looked & sounded like.

Anyway, the reason for this post is a particular scene. Peter, Susan & Lucy look up and see that their brother Edmund has been rescued from his disastrous collaboration with the White Witch. Edmund is standing on top of a hill having a serious conversation with Aslan (I know Him. I know Him.). As a writer & drama director it is a beautiful and emotional scene. C.S. Lewis never tells us what was said between Edmund & Aslan. Only that the past is in the past. When I watched that scene, one word came to me, “Encounters.” Encounters with the Lion.

No one who had an encounter with the Lion came away unchanged. The mere mention of His name was enough to evoke strong emotions. Coming face to face with Him changed each one who stood next to Him. Lucy found courage in Prince Caspian. DLF found truth. Eustace found character in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Jill found purpose in The Silver Chair. Digory, or the Professor, found healing in The Magician’s Nephew. Shasta found peace as well as his heritage in The Horse and his Boy. Puzzle found truth in The Last Battle. And Edmund? What did he find in his encounter with the Lion? Edmund found forgiveness and restoration. The Lion, Himself, was sacrificed just for Edmund. What greater gift could he have received? After Lucy, Edmund must be my next favorite character. He became a mighty and just King. He understood grace and mercy in a way that one who has not received them cannot understand. Edmund’s story tells us that there is no deception too great, no desertion too immoral that grace and mercy cannot cover.

Am I talking about a children’s storybook? No. Aslan is Narnia’s version of Jesus. Just as Aslan took Edmund’s death upon Himself, so did Jesus take our death upon Himself. There is nothing you have done that His death and resurrection cannot cover! His mercy and grace can cover you if you just allow them. Just as Edmund was changed by that encounter with the Lion, so you can be changed by an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Things you can do while drinking your orange juice...

2009-04-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

In Sunday School this morning, Cindy Harless, brought up a valid question. Can you glorify God while drinking your orange juice? And if you can, how? So when we are running on auto-pilot and just following our routine, can we glorify God? 'Talk amongst yourselves' That only works if you imagine a strong Bronx accent when you read that quote :D In a related story, Lisa & I went to Stadium Fest yesterday & heard Chris Tomlin & Louie Giglio. Louie spoke about the one question we can ask God that He never (& can never) says no to.

In the course of my life, I've asked many things of God. I begged Him to heal me so that I wouldn't have to have a hysterectomy. I've begged Him to restore ones I've loved to health. I've asked Him to move my New York family back down South. His answer to these questions were all the same. No. That doesn't sound like a happy ending does it? And all He asks of me is that I continue to trust Him through His no's. Easier said than done, but where else would I turn? And like me, I'm sure you've tried to find other ways to turn. But a difficult life with Him is far better than an easy life without Him. I say this because I know it to be true. I've lived it.

Back to that question that He can't say no to. That question is this, "Will you be glorified in all that I do?" His answer is an unequivocal and resounding yes! Now how do we make this happen? What can drinking OJ do to glorify God? It may be just a simple as declaring Him Lord of our lives. If we aren't willing to make Him Lord while doing something as simple as drinking a glass of juice, are we really willing to have Him Lord over our relationships? Over our jobs? Over our major decisions? So that's how it happens. Give Him your orange juice, and He'll give you a future.

LOTR

2009-04-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday night & the tv in my den has been on the same channel all day. TNT is running a marathon of The Lord of the Rings. Now, if you don't know, Lisa & I own the extended 2-disc collections. All three of them. So why are we watching the televised, cut up by commercials, and with parts deleted? Got me. Besides it'll be off in a few minutes & the ring is burning as I write! There's Frodo, hanging off the ledge & Sam begging him to take his hand. I LOVE these movies! There, the ring is destroyed and the tower is falling! Mordor falls! Mount Doom is overflowing with lava & Frodo's friends realize that he & Sam are right in the middle of its destruction.

There are so many beautiful lessons in these stories, so much to learn if we will only listen. My brother as preached a sermon on the conversation between the two Hobbits and the slopes of Mount Doom. Mother wants Gandalf's monologue to Pippen about death to be spoken at her funeral. The sacrifices and quests of the characters are so great. The evil so strong. Yet men, elves, dwarfs & Hobbits overcome and save the world that is Middle Earth. If I were a better person, I would prefer the books. I'm not. So, I take the easy way out & enjoy the 6 hours of the edited version as well as the 12 hours of the extended version.

Do I understand between fact & fiction? Maybe, maybe not. But I do know that there are so many ways to understand our Lord by watching these movies. He never promised us that we would have an easy road. He never promised that there would be no resistance or evil against us. He never promised that our 'fellowship' or dearly loved ones would not turn against us. He never said that we would not be tempted, at the end, to drop the quest and cling to the evil that we have fought so hard to overcome. No, He just promised that He would never leave us or forsake us. We don't walk this path or travel this quest alone! He stays closer than a brother to us. Or if you will, closer than Sam. If you don't believe me, watch the movies. Listen for those lines. Hear His promises in them. Or, better yet, read His Book. They are all there.

"I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee,

here at the end of all things."

Frodo Baggins

Easter 2009

2009-04-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

Crucified.

Laid behind a stone.

You lived to die,

rejected and alone.

You took the fall,

and thought of me

above all.

Taste & See...

2009-03-02T18:35:00.000-08:00

Taste and see that the Lord is good. For 21 days in January, my church joined together in a Daniel's Fast. In the bulletin on the second week, they included a print out of Psalm 34. Verse 8 is especially on my heart tonight.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Oh the joys of those who take refuge in Him!

Ps 34:8 NLT

Those of you who know me are aware of the how much I've struggled with weight. I have a great love for food and believe me, it shows! I'm Southern and food is the answer to just about every situation. Births, deaths and sickness cause all your friends to bring hoards of food to your home. With every celebration comes a table full of food. It's a situation ripe for addiction. Smokers who beat their addiction can learn to live without cigarettes and the same goes for alcoholics. People who beat their food addiction still have to eat. It can be a vicious cycle.

What right do I have to worry about the shortcomings of others, when I keep running to the fridge or the pantry? I use whatever I can find to eat to provide comfort, companionship or even a salve to boredom. Is this any better or worse than other broken commandments? No, there is no commandment that states, "Thou shalt not over eat!" There is one, however, that tells me that I should not have any other gods above Him. If I run to the kitchen instead of God, am I not putting my appetites over Him?

I printed out the above Scripture and the first part of verse 8 seems to shout in my mind. How can I 'taste and see' when I'm too busy filling my mouth with chocolate, chips, any form of bread, sweet tea and/or Pibb Extra? That's just the short list. Have you understood the fact that I love food? What am I tasting? He told the woman at the well that He could give her water so that she would never thirst again. Do we think that this could be apply to food? I'm not tasting anything that is eternal. Darn, I'm hungry in just a few short hours, if not sooner. This realization can be pretty demeaning. I haven't had multiple husbands and am not living in sin. I don't recognize myself in that woman. Or, rather, I didn't. She was thirsty, if not dying of thirst. I'm hungry, and could be starving. The only thing is, we are craving the same thing. And, we are filling up with mere substitutions. She ran to men. I run to the kitchen. He encouraged her, and me, to taste. Taste Him. His love. His touch. His acceptance. There is no satisfaction without Him.

Is He about a certain weight? I don't think so. He is all about who or what we put in between Him and ourselves. When you're hurting, lonely, and in need, where do you run? If it's not to Him, maybe it's something you should study. I'm starting to. Will I loose weight? I don't know, I've been trying since puberty! Hopefully, I'll learn where to run. Join me?

I HATE Satan!!!!

2009-02-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

I know that none of us like Satan, but I really HATE him tonight! On my FaceBook last night I wrote, "I HATE Ben Linus!" Sorry, but it takes a Lost fan to understand that declaration. Yep, you guessed it, I am a Lost fan. Just about everything out of the mouth of the character Ben Linus is a lie. We as the audience knows it as do the other characters on Lost. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the ratings), they all seem to forget it even though it is proved over and over. I even told my sister, Lisa, that I bet the serpent in the Garden of Eden looked like Ben Linus! This was funny at the time. It isn't to me now.

How many lies do we listen to and believe even after the liar has been exposed to us over and over? What about when we've been restored and our relationship with our Lord is back on track? Do we recognize the lies then? Sometimes we don't. Sometimes the ones we love don't. Sometimes those precious friends fall right back into the pit that they were raised out of. How can this happen when they are years away from that pit? What deafens our ears to the voice of the Shepherd? What opens them to the voice of the serpent. How can we believe what we know is a lie?

I have a friend that I believe is listening to those lies. I believe that he has friends who are fostering these lies. This frightens me more than I could say. This is not a television show. This friend is not just fighting for his life. He is fighting for eternity and I'm afraid. Afraid he's surrounded himself with people who are listening to lies, too. Afraid that maybe this time, he won't repent. Afraid that he can't be restored a second time. Afraid that the pit is even deeper this time.

I don't have any answers to any of these questions or concerns. I do know the cause of them. The enemy of our souls. Ok, so maybe I do have an answer. Jesus. When the answers aren't enough, there is Jesus. Maybe I have to get my eyes and fears off of the problem. It's still frightening and there's a long road ahead. Man, I HATE Satan!!!

2009-02-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

The doctor's office in which I work is in a medical plaza next door to an out of business hospital. When we first moved to Birmingham, almost 16 years ago, this hospital was one of the top in town. Now Birmingham is not as big as Atlanta, but we do have several hospitals. Carraway Methodist Medical Center had the emergency department that you wanted when trauma was involved. Several years back some brilliant (that's sarcasm in case it doesn't translate) consulting firm informed the powers that be that they were spending too much money on keeping the Trauma Center open. Now I don't know if that was the first step of the folding of CMMC, but it was one of the biggest. Fast forward to October 2008 and a one hundred year old hospital closes its doors. Hundreds of people are unemployed in a falling economy. Many people would look at that and wonder where God is in these crises. What was He doing when these people lost their jobs?

We are so used to making sure that our lives are perfect. Where did we come up with the idea that when life throws us curve balls, that we must not be doing what God wants us to do or living where God wants us to live. I'm not throwing any stones at any of you, my readers. Oh no, on the contrary, I have been guilty of making these same decisions. He's been spending the last four decades trying to get these weird ideas out of my head. Back to the hospital, with its closing, the company that owns our building has beefed up security so that we who are still there can feel safe. The security guards walk us to our cars in the evening. Monday's guard is Brother Bill. He spent years on the police force for Birmingham. Bro Bill is a pastor whose church has had to decrease his full-time paycheck. All of these things can sound like disasters if you listen with your earthly ears. But if you listen with your spiritual ears, you might hear something entirely different.

He told me of the fact that he has met and prayed for and ministered to people who would never walk through the doors of his church. He and I discussed how God can use things that look like disasters and turn them to His good. Some of my co-workers who don't know the Lord have enjoyed getting to know Bro. Bill. Isn't this what Jesus meant when he told us to take the Good News to the four corners of the earth? The Psalmist tells us how the Shepherd searches high and low to find just one lost lamb. Wouldn't He place a retired policeman, who is now a pastor, in a practically empty medical building just to minister to the few people who are there.

I can't answer the question about why all those people are now out of work. I can't answer any questions about the people who now have to travel farther to reach medical aid. I do know that it can seem hopeless. I also know that each of those people are no stranger to our Lord. He knows them more intimately than they know themselves. And I also know that He has a plan for each and every one of them. And while their lives are not where they want them to be (and they may never be) but they are exactly where He wants them to be. Try not to wait for that perfect moment. Try not to despair because your aren't where you think you should be. Try not to worry that you are surrounded by the unsaved. Whether or not you know it, He is using you just where you are. No matter how you got there.

All Tangled Up

2009-02-10T04:16:00.000-08:00

In our basement, Lisa & I have a gift wrapping table. It is so covered up with boxes, bows, bags and ribbons that we can't actually wrap anything on it. Some of the prettiest ribbons are the thin, shinny ones but they are also the biggest handle on the table. There is absolutely no way to keep them organized. The ends unravel and tangle up with each other. In picking up the entire bunch, there are colorful tendrils of ribbon hanging and tangled up everywhere. It's actually a pretty if frustrating sight.

In a seemingly unrelated note, I love being on Facebook. I don't always accept friend requests. I just want to make sure I actually have met and known the friend. Recently I received a friend request from someone I knew over 20 years ago. Once I realized who she was, all of these feelings came up. Disappointments, pain, insecurity and not just a little bitterness. Isn't it amazing how long these things can linger without our being aware? I stewed over them and, of course, remembered every way in which I believed she had wronged me. Suddenly I was 18 again. I tried to rationalize that she was just a kid herself when these things had happened and just as insecure as I had been. Rational doesn't work against old hurts, just in case you wondered. A few hours later (why do we wait so long?) I was laying in bed and remembered to take it all to the Altar of the Lord. I pictured myself pulling out all of those old emotions and laying them on the Altar. In pulling out, I imagined all those ribbons. He wasn't asking me to sort through them, just pull them out. Those tendrils were wrapped up all inside and connected to everything. Finally they were out, and laying on the Altar. Just a tangled heap of emotions and unforgiveness.

Now, when I think of her, I speak forgiveness to her and bless her. Do I feel waves of love and forgiveness toward her? Not yet. But I do feel lighter and less tangled inside. It's amazing to think that He's just been waiting for me to get rid of all that tangled mess for over 20 years. What a gentle and patient Lord we serve! He is ever the Gentleman. And there is no forgiveness without Him.

2009-02-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

I am following another blog these days. The only problem is that I'm running out of time :D. But this one is very special to me. This couple are members of my church and have become dear friends of mine. I have bonded with Tina Marie over writing and she has been my roomie for the last couple of Southern Christian Writers Conferences. A few years ago, she and Guy told me that they had begun the process for adopting from China. There are two Christian adoption agencies that I know of here in Birmingham, and they chose LifeLine Adoption Agency http://www.lifelineadoption.org/. They have struggled with the years of waiting as China has changed its policies for international adoption. They are in China right now with their new little girl, Liana. It is a beautiful story and one they hope to repeat it, if the Lord allows. The Poseys have two grown sons and have decided to start over with young children. Adoption is an amazing picture of what God has done for us. Each one of us are that little lost sheep and He searches far and wide and at great expense to find us and bring us home. This is just what I've seen Guy & Tina Marie do over the last few years, just to find and bring home Liana. You can follow their journey at their blog, http://poseysposies.blogspot.com/ Please join me in praying for them and others who are taking this journey.

2009-01-24T09:17:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Lisa & I watched The Dark Knight for the first time. I know, we aren't usually running this late on movies. Don't know how it happened. It's a brilliant movie & yes, Heath Ledger DOES deserve a posthumous Oscar for his performance. As it's title says, it is a dark movie. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't seen it & want to, you don't want to read any further. But I have something to say about the message of this movie.

In my last post I mentioned that I like happy endings. They are required for any movies and books that I allow myself to enjoy. So those of you who have watched the movie now know that it was a bit of a disappointment to Lisa & me. It leaves the franchise wide open for another sequel as there are quite a bit of questions left. It doesn't take the easy way out, not for Batman at least. But what impacted me the most is the change of the character Harvey Dent. Here's a short bio on his character. At the beginning of the movie Harvey is Gotham City's DA. He's a tower of strength and character. He cannot be purchased by the evil of the city and is determined to make the city a safer and better place. And best of all, he's succeeding. Throughout the movie, Harvey's working in the light and Batman's working in the darkest corners of the city. So how does he become the evil 'Two-Face Dent'? Tommy Lee Jones played the Dent after he became Two Face in Batman Forever. In that movie, you never saw the before of Dent. The Dark Night spotlights the before.

Again, so how did he fall? Let me tell you. It's the same way we do. Through grief, pain and horror. Through lies and disillusionment. Through a devastating outright attack. Dent lived through something a person should NEVER live through. It opened up a dark place inside him that he never knew existed. And what happened then was more than any person should ever have to experience. The source of all the terrible things that had happened came to him. This one had caused the attack not just on Dent but also on Gotham. This liar whispered to Dent. He told the hurting man lying in a hospital bed in a burn ward the worst of lies. He told him all the ones who had really been behind the pain Dent was feeling. Then the worst thing happened. Dent believed the lies and the liar. Instead of recognizing the liar and stopping him, Dent began to believe that others who had trusted the liar were responsible for Dent's current position. Just as those others followed the liar's leading so Dent, unrecognizable his grief, blazed a trail of destruction of pain and suffering lead by the liar.

How often do we, in our grief and suffering, believe the liar? This enemy of our souls who whispers in our ear that the maker of our souls really is the reason we're in pain? This source of destruction and death leads us into a path of more lies and destruction. How many of us have lived through something no person should ever have to live through? It seems, when we are hurting so terribly our ears become open to the lies of a liar. How is that, when we so desperately need to hear the words of the Truth in those moments? There are some lessons to learn from the fictional tale of Harvey 'Two Face' Dent. When the liar comes to him, Dent is all alone. No one is watching over him, sitting with him. We must keep ourselves covered. Stick with the fellowship of believers. Have people praying and fighting the war for you through prayer. In grief, we are wounded. There is no war front for us. We are in the care of the medics. Keep your ears tuned. Ask for His words to drown out those of the liar. Make sure that when the lies are loud, that there are people in your life who can speak truth to you. Keep yourself accountable. Don't disappear as Dent did so that he could wreak destruction. And, lastly, remember that even if we follow Two Face's path, there is no point in your life that forgiveness and redemption are out of reach. Batman took responsibility for Dent's sins so that the good he had brought about would not be in vain. We have a Savior who took responsibility for our sins. Hope I haven't ruined the movie for those of you who haven't seen it, but I did warn you! We'll keep our eyes open for the next Batman movie.

2009-01-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

Several posts back I wrote about diabetes and how it can mimic the Christian walk. The name was ‘Trust the Numbers’. Now, I’m no expert on diabetes or the Christian walk, but I do work for an endocrinologist and have walked the path of the Christian since I was 7. Than sounds like that commercial that states “… but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night!” Anyhoo, I had a conversation with a patient of my doctor’s that follows along that line. She is a therapist who is diabetic and has been seeing my doctor for several years now. This last year has been a difficult one for her. Because of the deaths of family members, sickness and other things, she has not been taking care of herself the way that she should. I also have a friend who has not been following her diabetes the way she should either who has just begun to make the choices she needs to. Add to those two, a dear friend has fallen back into a sinful life that he walked away from years ago. These three stories got me to thinking…

I have always been a fan of happy endings. This is a shock to those of you who know me, I’m aware! I like things that can be fixed and don’t ever have to be dealt with ever again. Hard to believe that someone my age has that kind of mindset, huh? But I’ve always had my head in the clouds and like the ends of books, movies and shows to wrap up and resolve everything. So, here I am in my 40’s thinking that maybe I have it wrong. Just as diabetes is a condition that must be dealt with until the end of one’s life, so is sin. Just because you get your blood sugars under control this moment, doesn’t mean that they will STAY under control. Every hour, minute, and food or drink taken in (or not) effects the blood sugar of a diabetic. Every choice we make effects the moments of our lives. The person struggling with pornography has to guard every moment on the internet. The alcoholic has to guard against every temptation to drink. The compulsive shopper has to guard their money and budget.

When a diabetic begins to experience fluctuating sugars, they have many tools at their disposal. The meter can tell them exactly what their sugar is. There is insulin that can be taken to bring the sugar down. There are things to take orally to raise the sugar. If there are extremes, the patient has the option to contact a doctor or hospital. Each of these steps are the choice of the patient. When a diabetic ignores the signs, when they choose NOT to use any of these tools, there is only one result. Death. If there is not intervention by others, the diabetic dies. If we ignore the Holy Spirit’s voice, His ‘meter’ if you will, sin overtakes us. If we are still struggling after repentance, we have the Godly family to call upon. He even provides Godly therapists and counselors for those of us who need deeper intervention. Each of these steps are the choice of the sinner. They cannot be forced upon us. If we choose to ignore our sin and choose not to use the tools He has given to us, there can only be one result. Spiritual death.

The beautiful thing that can happen to the sinner is this… We have a LOT more time than a diabetic has. While a diabetic may only have hours, we have a longsuffering God. He can give us days, months, years to return to Him. Don’t loose hope if your loved one is in the middle of what would be called a diabetic crisis in medical terminology. They are on God’s timetable. Pray for them. Continue to lift their names up to Him. Do not loose hope. If they have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, they will begin to crave Him again. If they haven’t, they can begin to crave what they have never had.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T15:04:00.000-08:00

May your days be merry and bright.

Happy Christmas to all.

And remember the greatest Gift that was given

that amazing day!

From Lara and my family

to yours.

A Baby Changes Everything

2008-12-23T08:57:00.001-08:00

Several years ago, Johnson & Johnson began airing some powerful commercials. They featured babies or children in special moments with their families. The tag-line was 'A baby changes everything'. Because of my struggle with infertility, I learned to avoid those commercials. They invariably made me sad. You don't have to tell someone who longs for children that a child can change your life. We already know that. So, this fall, when Faith Hill's Christmas CD came out with that title, I groaned. Christmas is so much more magical when children are involved. I assumed that is what the title indicated. Then, a few nights ago, I heard the title song. If you haven't heard it yet, you need to. Just as inviting Jesus into your heart and life changes everything, so did His coming to earth 2000 years ago.

The old hymn informs us that He accepts me 'just as I am'. But He doesn't leave us that way. We are lost, broken, wounded, blind, etc. This God, who loves us enough to become man, finds, heals and carries us. No, He is not a baby in the straw. He just started that way. This Man. This Lord. This risen Saviour. This God who was born in a stable and laid in a feeding trough. He changes everything!

Merry Christmas from me & mine to you & yours.

Lara

2008-12-20T20:18:00.001-08:00

'Into every life, a little rain must fall." Personally, I've always hated this saying. I'm happy ending kind of girl. You know, the ones where the good guys win over the bad guys. The girl or guy gets the person of their dreams and live happily ever after. It has provided some interesting moments in my life. It has only taken a few decades to realize that ideal has no root in reality. Have I ever mentioned that I can be a little slow on the uptake? I've been pasting some quotes recently & hope this habit doesn't annoy you all, but this one from Rick Warren is one that I believe is very appropriate right now.

It's Christmas. One of my favorite times of year. Very BIG in the Moore house. If you've been following my previous posts, you know that I've been dealing with some disappointments. So far, they've been only in one area of my life. But...

"Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for."

Rick Warren

Just when you think it's safe to go back into the water... Rain falls whether you are ready for it or not. It doesn't wait until you have your umbrella, raincoat or rain boots. It usually comes when you left your car windows down. No matter what is happening in your life, the people you love can be standing in the rain, too. I guess it isn't all about me and mine, is it? The beautiful thing about God is that He can work and intervene in all our lives and all at the same time. And that while we all may be hurting, we can still take care of each other.

Are You Looking?

2008-12-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

I'm on a list to receive a weekly devotion from Max Lucado. Here is the latest one. He ALWAYS gets to me! Don't forget to look, listen and pay attention this Christmas season. He has so much to share.

The Arrival

by Max Lucado

God had entered the world as a baby.
Yet, were someone to chance upon the sheep stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem that morning, what a peculiar scene they would behold.
The stable stinks like all stables do. The stench of urine, dung, and sheep reeks pungently in the air. The ground is hard, the hay scarce. Cobwebs cling to the ceiling and a mouse scurries across the dirt floor.
A more lowly place of birth could not exist.
Off to one side sit a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor; perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him—so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.
Near the young mother sits the weary father. If anyone is dozing, he is. He can’t remember the last time he sat down. And now that the excitement has subsided a bit, now that Mary and the baby are comfortable, he leans against the wall of the stable and feels his eyes grow heavy. He still hasn’t figured it all out. The mystery of the event puzzles him. But he hasn’t the energy to wrestle with the questions. What’s important is that the baby is fine and that Mary is safe. As sleep comes he remembers the name the angel told him to use … Jesus. “We will call him Jesus.”
Wide awake is Mary. My, how young she looks! Her head rests on the soft leather of Joseph’s saddle. The pain has been eclipsed by wonder. She looks into the face of the baby. Her son. Her Lord. His Majesty. At this point in history, the human being who best understands who God is and what he is doing is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. She can’t take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she is holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel. “His kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:33)
He looks like anything but a king. His face is prunish and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. And he is absolutely dependent upon Mary for his well-being.
Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter.
She touches the face of the infant-God. How long was your journey!
This baby had overlooked the universe. These rags keeping him warm were the robes of eternity. His golden throne room had been abandoned in favor of a dirty sheep pen. And worshiping angels had been replaced with kind but bewildered shepherds.
Meanwhile, the city hums. The merchants are unaware that God has visited their planet. The innkeeper would never believe that he had just sent God into the cold. And the people would scoff at anyone who told them the Messiah lay in the arms of a teenager on the outskirts of their village. They were all too busy to consider the possibility.
Those who missed His Majesty’s arrival that night missed it not because of evil acts or malice; no, they missed it because they simply weren’t looking.
Little has changed in the last two thousand years, has it?

From God Came Near©

(Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006)

Max Lucado

2008-11-26T16:35:00.000-08:00

Psalm 100

(Amplified Bible)
Psalm 100
A Psalm of thanksgiving and for the thank offering.

1MAKE A joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands!

2Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing!

3Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!

5For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.

Thankful

2008-11-25T16:38:00.000-08:00

In all this talk of valleys I think it's time to reflect. Yes, I know it's not an original thought, but let's do this anyway. Interestingly enough, when I begin to 'count my blessings', the valley doesn't seem so deep, so long, or so hopeless. To be honest, my position has not changed. My situation is still the same. Only my focus has changed. It's amazing how much this can affect your day!

Instead of looking at what circumstances put you in that valley, look at what (or Who) walks through it with you. Just to share my blessings with you, here are a few of them:

Healthy parents who love me and each other.
A sister who is my best friend.
Brother, sister-in-law, niece & nephews who, while not with me, mean the world to me.
A stable, Godly church, pastor and church family.
A job & steady income.
Friends who are less than a phone call away.
A Savior who came to die for me.
A Father who sent Him.
A Comforter who is with me every moment of every day.

These are only a few of the many things I have to be thankful for. What things make your list? Celebrate Thanksgiving in Holland instead of Italy. That's where I will be celebrating.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends!

Welcome to Holland

2008-11-21T14:16:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, I was facing a complete hysterectomy at the young age of thirty-five. Not only that, but I had never married or had children. This was and is one of the most devastating experiences of my life. Throughout this, I worked in an ob-gyn practice (lots of fun, dealing with pregnant ladies, when you are learning to face the fact that the person in the exam room will never be you). Someone, led by the Holy Spirit I know, told me the following story. I wanted to share it with you, my friends:

Welcome to Holland
Parenting a Special Needs Child
By Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this:
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans: the Coliseum, Michelangelo's David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland
and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills – and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy ... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away, because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss.
But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you many never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.

There is so much truth in this that applies to every situation. Even infertility. I looked at my mother this afternoon (we are in this valley together) and we decided that it applied to us right now. We are going to celebrate through these coming days. We are going to find a way to enjoy the coming holidays. Even though it won't be what we had planned. Even though it won't be Italy, we will learn out how to celebrate in Holland.

Wrong Way

2008-11-20T06:31:00.000-08:00

I had a strange dream this morning. REALLY strange. Let me tell you about it. A lady from my home church died and at her funeral, my friends and her brother were discussing an illustration she used to teach how to get to heaven. Now, as far as I know she has never taught this, so the only realistic thing was that her brother , whom I have never met, was there. We then struggled to cross a stream, the first of the steps, and began to try to 'work out our salvation'. For some reason, there was a time limit. Once you began the steps, you had to complete them within a certain amount of time. My sister, Lisa was struggling with one of the steps and we began to panic. I dropped and lost the things I was going to need for future steps. Panic was rearing its ugly head. I began to dig in the mud for what I had lost. Then I heard a Voice speak to my heart.

Why are you looking down?

Why are you digging in the muck and the mire?

In my dream, I recognized the Voice. My heart was lightened and I looked up to the sky. I spoke out, make that shouted out! "Stop! We are doing this all wrong! Each of us knows the path to salvation and this is not it! Our God is not in these works! Our God does not require that we dig through mud in order to be saved! He is with us and He is with us now! Look up! Let's get our eyes off of these tasks and off of all this mud! Look up!

We pulled ourselves out of the pit and the strange dream moved on to stranger and bizarre places. Then I woke up, groggy and still more than half-way in the dream. As I tried to wake myself up in the shower, I felt a drawing sensation to the dream. I didn't want to. I wanted to leave it behind and get started on my day. But I kept going back to the feelings I felt in the mud pit. I kept hearing that Voice. I realized that even in the Valley, He is with me. Stop looking and focusing on that valley. Stop focusing on how to get out of that valley. Stop focusing on the steps and the amount of time. LOOK UP!!! Stop looking the wrong way! He is with me. He is with you. Our way through and out of that valley is dependent upon nothing we do. It is all dependent upon Who we are walking with. The proper steps and clues that we have learned from this world are useless to us. We have nothing that can prepare us for this valley. That moves our dependence off of ourselves and onto our Lord.

Pursue Him. He will bring us through in His time. Breathe deeply of His Holy Spirit. Commune with Him. Let's take our eyes off of the mud, muck and mire. Take His Hand. He is a God of miracles. And even though there seems to be no way out, He will walk through this with us in His own time. He has chosen this path for us. And even though it seems to be a path of dread or pain, He walks it with us. Let us trust Him together.

Love from the Valley,

Lara

The Valley

2008-11-19T08:10:00.001-08:00

I'm in a valley, right now. They can be such painful places, can't they?
This song, by Jars of Clay, has been a companion through some of the deepest, darkest vallies of my life.

Jars Of Clay

The Valley Song (Sing Of Your Mercy)

You have led me to the sadness

I have carried this pain

On a back bruised and nearly broken

I'm crying out to You

Chorus:

I will sing of Your mercy that

Leads me through valleys of sorrow

To rivers of joy

When death like a gypsy

Comes to steal what I love

I will still look to the heavens

I will still seek Your face

But I fear You aren't listening

Because there are no words

Just the stillness and the hunger

For a faith that assures

(chorus x 2)

Alleluia (x4)

While we wait for a rescue

With our eyes tightly shut

Face to the ground using our hands

To cover the fatal cut

And though the pain is an ocean

Tossing us around, around, around

You have calmed greater waters

And higher mountains have come down

(chorus) ...yeah

Alleluia (x4)

(chorus x 4)

Oh oh oh, sing of Your mercyMercy,

Your mercy.

Shattered Dreams

2008-10-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

Last year, I felt the Lord prompting me to begin teaching a junior high Sunday school class. It only took a year to actually begin. Immediate response has never been a strong point of mine. While I have only taught a few lessons, I've enjoyed it so much. This past Sunday, Cindy, the girls' youth leader, was sick. Instead of my junior high girls and boys, I had junior and senior high girls. In getting together the lesson I had worked on through the week, I wondered if it would apply to all the girls. I prayed and asked the Lord to guide us. If He wanted them to hear that lesson, I would teach it. But I chose to be flexible. Not always easy for me!

In catching up with the girls, we talked about school, ACT's, and how both were going. One of the girls was worried. A mistake had been made and she couldn't see how it could be fixed. And the conversation went from there. I tried to explain to her that this mistake just gave her a way to watch how God works. All the Christian 'self-help' slogans preach that mistakes are just opportunities for God. But it's not just a phrase. It's truth. We forget that until the world comes crashing in. When health breaks down into sickness. When the money runs out and a pink slip comes in. When the ones we trust betray us. When all we've ever wanted becomes impossible. When our dreams lay shattered at our feet.

I told my own story. I cried. It's quite humbling when you're supposed to be leading and teaching and you cry. I tried to explain that God always makes a way and that I was learning that through my own experiences. Sometimes His way is a broken path. He doesn't always fix what we want Him to fix. But He walks that broken path with us. While we may feel alone, we never are. And He always replaces what we long for. Do I still miss those dreams? Yes. Especially at night, when the house is quiet and I'm the only one awake. But I'm not alone. And I don't mean my loved ones asleep in their beds. He is with me. And He comforts me. It's much easier to cry when you're alone and writing, by the way.

But I want you to know something. There are things and people in my life because of those broken dreams. I don't know if they would have been there had I not walked this path. I don't know if I would have appreciated them as much as I do now. Be encouraged, friends. He does have a plan through those 'mistakes'. And those plans can only be shown to His greatest glory through fractures.

UnGodly Decisions

2008-10-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

In my years at Liberty Christian College (a LONG time ago), I took some counseling courses. One of the things I learned about was 'unGodly decisions'. These are decisions, or vows, we can make in response to hurt or pain. These pains can be real or imagined. We are faced with these choices in just about every aspect of our lives. One of my decisions from college was when I chose to show someone in leadership over me what my version of a bad attitude was. Sound childish? It is. But you don't have to be a child or immature to make that kind of decision.

I have found myself struggling with that response even in recent years. If I don't like someone else's judgement of me, my knee jerk response is to want to show them what their judgement really looks like. Now, either I'm shallow and immature, or I'm a sinner trying to learn from past mistakes. Wonder if the two really are the same thing? But that's a longer debate and for a future blog. To tell the truth, I thought I'd learned this lesson several years ago, but just when you think it's safe to go back into the water...

So what response does He ask of us? I don't think it's the one the little boy is having in this picture! In praying this through and receiving Godly counsel, I have questions that we should ask ourselves when faced with situations like this:

Is this something that the Lord has been trying to tell you that you haven't been listening or open to? He is so gracious that He will never speak to you without first using His 'gentle' voice. Maybe it's something that needs to be exposed, that we've been trying to hide. If that's the case, take it straight to the Cross. Ask for, then receive forgiveness. Learn from it and try not to repeat history.
Is this out of the blue? Did you have no warning? If this is the case, then examine yourself. Is it true? If it isn't true and you've been following your obligations to the best of your ability, then look outside of yourself.
This may not even be about you! The person and issue that you are struggling with, could actually be their struggle. Sometimes we really are just innocent bystanders. They may be under stress and/or the Lord could be dealing with them in some area. If this is the case, them we have a huge responsibility. We aren't allowed to take offence. What we are allowed to do is to pray for and bless them. All the while continuing to fulfill our obligations.

None of these are easy or fun! I know, because I've done the opposite of all of these. Which also means that I keep running into the same situation. Same song, second verse. We aren't in a classroom. We don't have teachers who write a giant 'F' on our papers when we fail the tests of life. But our Father does 'hold us back'. He will repeat the same test, over and over, until we pass it. Makes you think that maybe a written test would be easier, doesn't it? These tests aren't fun, but He promises that the rewards are worth it!

Romance

2008-09-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

I LOVE romance. Movies, music, and musicals, I love them all! Mother tells the story that when I was less than a year old, The Music Man was shown on TV. This was years before TIVO or even VHS. There was no owning of movies back then. When a movie came on TV that you wanted to see, you made time. You must understand that this movie is my mother's favorite musical. So when she discovered that it was coming on, she sat the three of us down; a five year old, a three year old, and a baby. According to her, we sat silently watching the movie with her. I don't know how we could have been that good or absorbed, but she believes that we timed our short attention spans to coincide with commercials. It's easy to believe it when you count the decades (I refuse to tell you the exact numbers) that have passed, but truth or not, that's my mother's story and she's sticking to it!

When I was in seventh grade, she put Lisa & I to bed early and woke us up at midnight to watch the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. We had heard the plot and the songs for years, but had never been able to see the movie itself. Again, long before DVD's or videos. You could say that my passion for things romantic began at an early age! My mother taught us well. Someday, I might tell the story of how my brother, Richard, proposed to his wife, Janet. Though, in the words of Aslan, it isn't my story to tell, I love telling stories even more than I love romance.

Wednesday night, on the way home from church, Delilah was on the radio. Now, if you want romance, just tune in to her. She happened to play one of the most romantic songs there is... When I Fall In Love from Sleepless in Seattle. I turned it up so that I couldn't hear myself, sang along, and sighed at the end. Then I found another romantic song and sighed as I drove past downtown Birmingham, lights aglow and my romantic heart all aflutter. In looking for another song, I pressed the button for WDJC, the Christian Radio station. I honestly can't remember what song it was, but I was in the mood to sing along. Ok, I'm always in the mood to sing along, but I did. It was rejoicing in His love, His provision, and the fact that He never leaves us. Then it hit me. Which of those three songs was the most romantic? Which one told the whole story? Which love that was mentioned is eternal?

I started to analyze then. As fun as the flutters and sighs of romantic things are, they fade. Reality and real life intrude. His love is ever present through the monotony. Who breaks into song over morning breath and the direction of the toilet paper roll? His presence can be felt even during the frustrations of morning traffic. He is so much more than feelings, songs and night time sky scapes. He is eternal. He has made Himself availabe for those of us who have fallen in love, those of us who haven't and those of us whose hearts have been broken. He's more than any song, movie or feeling. He's better. So, next time we feel alone and loney, let's remember that we have with us the One who is the Author of romance.

In love,

Lara

Worship

2008-08-29T19:26:00.001-07:00

What is worship to you? Is it something you do in church? Is it a noun? A verb? An adverb? Ok, enough with the grammar lesson! But the question remains, what do you do with worship? The Christian radio station in Birmingham, 93.7 WDJC, does an amazing thing every Sunday. They play only praise and worship music. I love waking up with such music every week. I wrote them several years back and let them know how much their station prepares me for the worship service at Liberty. But, again, the question remains, what do you do with worship? It can't just be reserved for Sundays. And just what does worship consist of? Music? Voices? Raised arms? Bent knees?

A couple of weeks ago, Lisa & I spent time with friends in Pensacola, FL. Our friend, Jennifer, and I were discussing our passions. Mine for writing and hers for dance. She was frustrated with the fact that she never seems to have time for dance any more. I was frustrated with myself in that I seem to find time for everything but writing. Why were we struggling to follow through in our passions? She blew me away when she referred to following her passion as worship! What if the cry of our hearts is to worship our Lord through our passion? When we write, dance, study our genealogy or even sew, are we worshipping? How about when some of you are writing computer programs, or teaching people about nutrition? Can these be forms of worship? Maybe we should think outside the box of hymns and Matt Redmon & Chris Tomlin songs.

He has given us these passions and drives. When we use them and work them, we are worshiping Him. The Lord commanded that the worshipers lead the way into battle. The walls of Jericho fell in response to obedience and worship. Working in our passion is a battle. There is nothing the enemy of our souls wants more than to keep us from His full plan for our lives. His plan includes using the talents and passions that He has placed within us. Using them brings glory to our Creator. And to glorify Him is to worship Him. Use your passion! Work at it as you would a muscle that requires strengthening. This can be painful and sweat filled. I don't like them, and you might not either. But to ignore them and avoid them glorifies the enemy. And he doesn't deserve our glory!

Maybe you don't struggle with this. Maybe I was just writing this to wake myself up. If so, then it's worth it. But surely there are more than just Jennifer and I who struggle with this. Take courage in your journey! You are not alone in your fight to enjoy and worship God with your passion! I am there and am working to build up this strength He has given me. Meanwhile, pop in a Tomlin cd and worship!

What's in a Name?

2008-08-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

If I were to say the name Phelps, your mind would immediately swing towards the Olympics, a record breaking number of gold medals, swimming, or maybe even ADHD. Say May & Walsh, the same thing happens, although in a different sport and without the diagnosis of ADHD. Celebrities and politicians as well are now known by one name. Bond no longer has a corner on the market. But what is in a name? Shakespeare wrote that 'a rose by any other name would smell as sweet'. Anne Shirley disagreed with his sentiment. She insisted that her name have an e on the end. Monica refused to change her last name to Bing. In my stories and scripts, I'm stumped until I find the perfect name for my characters. What does it matter?

If you take the time to google 'names of God', you will realize that they come up with 2,620,000 results. I have known and sat under many teachers who have made a study of His names and their meanings. Every language has a name for Him. To Moses, He said to tell Pharaoh 'I Am'. In learning prepositions, teachers and books inform children to picture a tree. Any word that prefaces this tree is usually a preposition. Do that with 'I Am...'

I Am your comfort.
I Am your refuge.
I Am your fulfillment.
I Am all that you need.

Those are just a few things that our Lord is. The list truly is endless. You might even say infinite. He is, you know. These last few weeks, I can't stop singing songs about His name.

"Your Name is a strong and mighty tower.

Your Name is a shelter like no other.

Your Name.

Let the nations sing it louder.

Nothing has the power to save,

but Your Name." Phillips, Craig & Dean

"Call My Name.

Say it now.

I want you to never doubt

The Love I have for you is so alive!

You just say My Name!" Third Day

What other Name brings freedom? What other Name breaks chains of depression and oppression? What other Name calls forth the hosts of heaven? Have there been times when whispering, calling, shouting or screaming His name felt useless? Honestly, yes. I felt no better. I sometimes even felt worse. But something begins to break when His Name is spoken. It may take a while to feel it, but He moves. He comes to His feet when we cry out to Him.

So, while the names of Olympic medalists are in the forefront of our minds now, His Name, His eternal Name outshines the brightest of athletes.

Nostalgia

2008-08-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

A few posts back, I referred to my love of nostalgia. I love old movies, old books, old music and old friends. I enjoy thinking back and remembering past events. This has been on my mind a lot recently. I joined Facebook.com and have been reconnecting with so many of my old friends. Friends from Wilkes County, NC, as well as High Point, NC. So many that my brother, sister and I went to Liberty Bible/Christian College with, as well. Not to mention the various folks I've known through Liberty Church here in Birmingham and the family that I lived with in Japan. Years ago, Tricia Yearwood recorded a song called 'The Song Remembers When'. It's a beautiful song about lost love. It describes how just one song can transport you back to a certain moment. Isn't it amazing how a song, a picture, even a smell can take you back? I love those moments!

But I have a question. How much nostalgia is too much? The Old Testament tells us that the Lord commanded the Israelites to build monuments when He had carried them through something or when He had delivered them. But what about the times when we remember and treasure the wrong things? God didn't have them build a monument to Egypt, but when they were wandering, they kept longing for it. I wrote in my last post asking how slavery can be the 'good old days' and this post seems to carry that question on. What if we build monuments to the wrong things?

Maybe the long lost love who is now married? An abusive friendship? The devil we know as opposed to the one we don't? Do we occasionally crave the life of sin and slavery that we tossed aside to follow Christ? Are we letting His monuments gather dust and cobwebs while we polish the wrong ones? God is omnipresent and omnipotent. Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all the same to Him, He is in all three. We are not. We only have this moment to live in. Even if our good old days really were good, we are called to be His hands and feet now. How can I be His example today if I'm too busy listening to yesterday's music? Yesterday's conversations? Yesterday's relationships? We can't, and I think shouldn't, forget those parts of our past. They are the reasons that we are where and who we are now.

Balance is the key, of course. But how do you find something you're out of? Look to Him, our great Timekeeper. He holds all time in His hands. He's the One who built us through every step of our past. The Israelites looked back to all they previously had. Not to the One who delivered them. Therein lies the key. The monuments pointed heaven-ward. They were not reminders just of what had happened, but of Who had done the work. If we're too busy wondering about that long lost love what is are we missing that He has for us? If I'm too caught up in my old Cd's, what new artist or word am I missing? God is always trying to speak to us in new and exciting ways, but if we're too wrapped up in the old ways, will we hear Him?

Enjoy the monuments. Take a moment to remember what He's brought you through, but don't dally, you might miss something.

Trust the Numbers

2008-07-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

I work in an endocrinologist's office and hear from our diabetic patients over and over how 'bad' they feel when their blood sugars are in normal ranges. You would think that 'normal' would feel good to them. On the contrary, once their body adjusts to extreme highs, normal feels as if they are dropping too low. They struggle with fatigue, dizziness and difficulty concentrating. That sounds like how I feel every morning! Have I mentioned that I'm not a morning person? Anyway, they panic. These bad feelings CAN"T be good?! Surely they were better off when their blood sugar was high?! It takes quite a bit of explaining by our nurses that they weren't better off. Their bodies are, in essence, lying to them. They can't trust these feelings. They need to trust the numbers.

I'm one of those 'feeling' people. In three years of Bible college, I only failed one course, Systematic Theology. Theology, science, math and all of those don't make sense to me. My brain doesn't work that way. As a little girl learning my numbers, the only way I could relate to them was to give the personalities and build stories around them. I'm not a bottom line kind of person. It's all about feelings and comfort for me. I can usually see multiple sides to an issue. While that can be a blessing, it makes some lessons He has for me harder. The Cross of Jesus Christ doesn't have multiple sides. There is only one way to our Heavenly Father. And believe me, these absolutes DON"T feel good! We get used to sin in our lives. It becomes the normal and we numb to it. When the Cross and Jesus' Blood are applied to us, it can hurt! The children of Israel weren't happy in the desert. In spite of the fact that they were slaves, they began to wish for the 'good old days'. How slavery can be referred to as good old days lets us know just how uncomfortable they felt. Again, they were basing everything on their feelings.

Consistently high blood sugars destroy the body's kidneys, eyes and nerves, just to name a few. Sin causes death, physical and spiritual. We can't listen to the feelings of our body when we start to gain control of blood sugar. We have to watch the glucose meter. It tells the truth while the body lies. When the heady excitement of following His new direction fades and the difficulty of it hits home, pull out the 'meter', His Word. Trust the numbers. They're rigid. They don't change. He doesn't change. His best is not reliant on our feelings. Trust the numbers.

Mirror Image

2008-07-23T08:39:00.001-07:00

Have you ever known someone who complains constantly? Maybe someone who is self-absorbed? What about a martyr? Have you ever lived with, worked with or attended church with any or all of these folks? They're everywhere, aren't they? The churches I remember attending number somewhere around fifteen, and that doesn't even count the ones I've visited. The jobs I've held number somewhere around thirty, not counting various volunteer opportunities. In every one, with the exception of the different dog/house sitting jobs, I've worked with what preachers used to call 'holy sandpaper'. You know the ones. They 'rub' those rough edges off of us by getting on our last nerve. They, through their most annoying attributes, push us closer to who God is making us to be. We know they're out there. Every one of us is familiar with them. But what about when we see our own most annoying attributes in them?

A few years ago, I worked with a very nice girl. You wouldn't think she was sandpaper just to look at her and spend a little time with her. She was a hard worker who did her job well. She was funny and, most of the time, fun to be around. She had friends there, as well as those she wasn't fond of. She, in short, was just like the rest of us. But there was one thing she did that drove me crazy. She complained. Her drive into work was worse than everyone else's. Traffic was longer and more horrible on her way than any other. The management put more on her than anyone else. Her husband, her in-laws, her family was worse/better depending on her day. Many days, during my work experiene with her, I rolled my eyes and/or said to God, "Can you believe her? There she goes again!"

Now, I haven't often heard God speak. He usually speaks to me through His Word, the words of other people or through peace. But occasionally I will hear a still, small voice in my heart. The last time I complained about her to Him, was one of those times. He spoke to me and reminded me of how much I complain. He put a mirror in front of my face. I realized that my co-worker was a mirror image of myself. You see, they aren't always sand-paper. Sometimes they are mirrors. Sometimes they show us that what we don't like about them, are things that He wants to work out in ourselves. So next time that annoying person makes you count to ten, see if what they are doing is something that you do. It's not fun, but it does make the image in that mirror look a little more like Christ!

Provision

2008-07-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, I began 'freaking out'. I know, I know, what a shock, huh? But what happened is that I realized that I had no options for the cover of my script book. Buying graphics and the rights to photos that look expensive were and are not anywhere in my budget. And those who could help me required more money that I had. I was sitting staring at my computer when it finally dawned on me to tell God about this. Why do we wait to do that? So, I told Him. Actually, I cried it out to Him in my heart. As if He were just waiting for me, I heard that still, small voice tell me to contact the Princess Sistas. With out waiting, I sent out a bunch of e-mails and they came to the rescue. After discussing it over supper and ice cream, we came up with Tina and Kathi's crosses paired with Marlene's camera and Lisa's ability to arrange things.

We used swatches of burlap that Lisa had used in decorating for different church projects. Lisa and Kathi arranged the crosses against them as well as black material. Marlene took photos of Tina's crosses individually and as a group. I couldn't have done anything without these amazing 'sistas' of mine. I wanted to show you their handiwork. You'll see, as I did, why God led me to recruit them. He truly does know best for us!

Marlene cleaned up the photos, gave them some cool effects, and made them look even better. And these are just two of them! I can't imagine them looking any better than if a professional had done them! Who would have thought? These are just two of the pictures. I couldn't figure out how to change the directions of the ones that weren't landscaped. I'll try to inclued more once I do

Don't forget to ask for His help. He's just waiting to show you His provision!

In the Shadow

2008-07-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I've been out of contact for the last few weeks. They have been crazy ones, starting with the Southern Christian Writers' Conference in Tuscaloosa, AL. I've gone several years now and have been immensely blessed with each attendance. I was up late the night before, getting my script compilation book together. I sold two. Not a big start, but a start none the less. The next day was Liberty's VBS. I'm getting tired just writing about it. God showed up and anointed it, but that didn't stop the enemy from doing his best to wear me down. After VBS, it was house cleaning time, as my brother & family came down from NY. Lisa & I met them in ATL on Monday morning, had breakfast then took his kids with us to the Liberty Pastors' Conference in NC. I happened to sell an exorbitant number of one. Are you tired, yet? Richard & Janet drove my car here to the 'Ham to begin their own vacation. They drove down to the beautiful Gulf Coast of AL yesterday and we will all join them tomorrow for a weekend at the beach. Then Monday starts a new week of work for me. Have you ever needed a vacation from your vacation? Lisa's doing laundry so that we will have something to wear in Gulf Shores. AND, we haven't even packed yet. Have I mentioned that I'm tired?

But there is one cool thing that has happened through all of this. That is my completing 'In the Shadow'. I'm not known for finishing things. I'm sure that it still needs some work, but I have put it up for sale. And, if I do say so myself, it looks pretty good. I'm working on a website, and I'll be sure an place a link on this blog. There are so many people who have sown so much into this book. Liberty Church, Birmingham for giving me the opportunity to work my passion into their services and for the use of their stage. The Princess Sistas who are the reason it looks so good. This book is so much more than just me. I'll add the front and back covers to my next blog so that you all can see it. As I told Pastor Bruce Terry, "It's a God thing!"

Happy Fourth! I'll post again next week.

Lara

Being Kept

2008-06-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

I received an e-mail today. You know, the ones that have the letters "FWD" maybe once, maybe three times at the front of them? The ones that we read while we are working, watching TV, or even just delete before we read. Well, I didn't delete this one and I'm so glad I didn't. I'm just a little afraid of deleting letters from my friends. Have you read a few posts back when I admitted that I'm a pack rat? Well, that applies to e-mail, too. It's when those letters get too long or they threaten me that I toss them. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and neither are the folks in my address book. And if I forward them junk e-mail, it's just going to make them mad, too. So, I don't. But, every once in a while, one of them ministers to me. And I have to share it with my loved ones. I can relate to this one, especially the picture.

Have you been there? Nothing but the wall in front of you, filled with dark shadows? Where is He? Right there with you, His hand on your shoulder. He's keeping you...

I Am a 'Kept' Woman.

You see, there were a few times when I thought I would lose my mind,

But GOD kept me sane. (Isa. 26:3)

There were times when I thought I could go no longer, But the LORD kept me moving.

(Gen 28:15)

At times, I've wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong, But the LORD kept my mouth shut.

(Psa. 13)

Sometimes, I think the money just isn't enough, But GOD has helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc..,

(Matt. 6:25 -34)

When I thought I would fall, HE kept me up. When I thought I was weak, HE kept me strong! (I Pet. 5:7, Matt. 11:28-30)

Enjoy being 'kept' by Him. And don't forget that we are, every minute of every day.

Lara

Remember When?

2008-06-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back from vacation. Aren't those some sad words? I thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and can't wait for the next one. Tina held up well, although the rough waves from a tropical storm put Lisa into bed two evenings. For a little while there, she swore that she would never step foot onto a cruise ship again. (She's a little dramatic, too, but she was pretty sick.) Thankfully, she's reconsidered as our last day on board was close to Heaven. (There's my dramatic side.) And now, we've hit the ground running.

Saturday was spent, making the basement playtime friendly for Mom and my nephews. Vacation Bible School starts on the 22nd, so Lisa's getting frazzled. It happens to be sandwiched, for me, by the Southern Christian Writers' Conference in Tuscaloosa, AL and the Liberty Conference. And somewhere in all of this, I'm finishing the compilation of my script book, 'In The Shadow' so that I can sell it at both conferences. Whew! Can we say that June and July are busy times for me?

On Friday, I took a few moments to be nostalgic. I know, I know, when am I not nostalgic? In craving a really good hamburger, I drove through the suburb of Birmingham where my family and I lived when we came to Birmingham. As I drove Hwy 31 South, I went back to the years when it was my route home. When I passed the turn to our old apartment complex, I realized that two days had passed since my 15 year anniversary of coming to Birmingham.

15 years ago, I was younger, thinner, and still remembered the few words of Japanese I had learned. My parents had moved to AL while I was overseas, so home was no longer the little house on Lexington Street in High Point, NC. My brother and sister in law were expecting their first child. And for the first time in my life, I was living in an apartment. Throughout my life, we have moved to another town, another ministry at least every four years. I have always been ready for 'the next thing'. Yet, we never lived in an apartment. But here, in such a transient form of living, was home for 8 1/2 years. That number alone is fascinating to me, but I have to say that fifteen years in one place (for me) blows my mind. Those of you who have always lived in one or two places are confused by this, I know. But when all you've known is change, fifteen years is a LONG time.

It took a few years, but I love Birmingham. I love my church. I love being near to my dearest friends. I love the fact that I've hung out with them longer than I've lived most places. As I write this, I realize that I've been active at Liberty longer than I've been a member of any other church. Again, there goes the mind! Always figured I'd move around for my entire life. Just when you think your life will always be a certain way, God throws a curve ball. Have to say that I've enjoyed this curve ball!

Happy Summer,

Lara

TPS Annual Trip

2008-05-28T10:02:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year!!!! Summer. Most of you know that I am NOT big on summer heat or humidity. Every summer, I look at my family and ask, "Why do we live in Alabama?" But something special happens in May. The Princess Sistas take their annual beach trip to Orange Beach, FL!!!! The picture you see here, explains what these trips are like. I, who have sun/skin issues take a paperback book, snacks and water bottles and find my refuge under this umbrella. And a very nice young man comes and makes sure that it protects me from the sun through out the day. Some vacation, huh?

This year, we Sistas are doing something different. We are going on a CRUISE!!!! We leave tomorrow, from Mobile, AL for Cozumel. It's a short one and we'll be back on Monday. I'm already regretting the shortness of it, and I'm not even on the ship. Tina and Lisa have issues with motion sickness as well as a fear of water and are being gracious in taking a chance on our behalf. Tina informed us that if we wanted her to go, we'd better choose the shortest cruise. So, we're trying it and I already believe that we ALL are going to love it. Please pray for them, if you think about it, I want us all to enjoy this time away. And I'm hoping to take a longer one next time!

The next big 'summer thing' will be the arrival of my NY family on June 30th. The kids will go up to NC w/Lisa & I for the Liberty Conference and Rich & Jan will come to B'ham then to the beach. After the conference, we'll all join Rich & Jan for a short family time. We'll get to be together for another week, then have the kids for some time after that. I have to say, it's the best time of my summer.

I'll be posting more about all this at the time, just wanted to let everyone know that Summer is officially HERE! And rest, family, movies, and laughter will abound! I hope your summer is as much a blessing to you as mine is working up to be!

Lara

Narnia

2008-05-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

I began reading the Chronicles of Narnia when I was in high school. My first set was loaned by a friend of Lisa's who was a psychology major and had used them as the subject of many papers. She had written in the margins notes on the spiritual significance of the characters and stories. It was a beautiful way to fall in love with Aslan and Narnia. As the baby of the family, I believed that I related to Lucy. I love her heart and spirit as well as her connection with Aslan. Up until a few years ago, I believed that I was like Lucy.

The last time I read the books, and I do read them every few years, I realized that I was much more like Susan. Susan, the skeptic. Susan who doesn't always see or hear Aslan. Susan, the voice of doubt and, in her mind, reason. It was a rude awakening for me, to say the least, and somewhat painful. Isn't it interesting how God must bring us to a painful place to heal us? Or wake us up? Just take Eustace in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. His experience with Aslan's healing proved that he could never dig deep enough to trade his own dragon's scales for healing. It took the pain of Aslan's claws to clean those scales off of him. Okay, if you're thoroughly confused, just read the books. Or you can wait for the movie. But I digress...

If you haven't seen the movie, you might not want to read any further. Spoiler Alert. My favorite part of the movie, isn't actually in the book. It's toward the end. The mighty army is on the run since Aslan awoke the trees and they come to the bridge that they have been building the entire movie. Let us be clear that there are hundreds of soldiers in this army and as they approach the bridge a small girl appears at the opposite end. It's Lucy. The army stops and looks at her. She is smiling. She knows that they have reached the end of their retreat. There is no way they will get past her. The leader of the army is confused, surly she knows that he can overtake her. But that leader doesn't see Who has Lucy's back. She knows Who is behind her. She pulls out a small dagger from her belt and laughs. Then He appears. The Great Lion. Aslan. At His roar, the army falls.

Her complete confidence confused the enemies of Narnia. Her trust was not in herself or even in her brothers and sister. Her trust was in Aslan, the Lord of Narnia. The Lion Who is not tame. There has never been, nor will there ever be, an army that can stand against Him. Sound like Someone else we might know? If you have seen the movie, go again. If you haven't, GO! If you've read the books, read them again. If you haven't, read them. Pray before you do. See if there's something He is trying to tell you through them. I have learned more and more of His deep love for me each time I read them. Aslan calls Lucy 'Dear One'. Know that He calls you 'Dear One', because you are dear to Him.

Be blessed Dear Ones,

Lara

Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall...

2008-05-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

What do you see in your mirror? And is it truth or just perception? I have a nightshirt that is almost twenty years old. Yes, I am a pack rat, why do you ask? I still remember when my friend, Tonya, gave it to me and I began to unfold it. Do you know the first thing I thought of, other than gratitude? I was worried that it wouldn't fit. Even though the tag read 'one size fits all', I believed that I was too fat to fit into it. Now, I won't specify just how much more I weigh now, let's just say that I am quite a bit larger than I was that day. And two or more of me would still fit in this thing.

So, I guess my question is this... Why, when I was in my 20's, did I think that I was so overweight that I would not fit into an over sized shirt? Why was I constantly worried about being fat? At that time I believed I was the size I actually am now. Why couldn't I see that in the mirror? Pictures from then show the truth, but back then I only saw the flaws. Why is it, that my sister sees her own flaws in the mirror, whereas I, looking in that same mirror, see only her and her beauty? Do mirrors lie? Is it the wiring in our brains that deceive us? Or is it the enemy of our souls whispering? Or is it a combination of all three?

Just yesterday, looking a mirror at my office, I saw messy hair, acne healing skin and ill-fitting clothes. Not the way I wanted to look meeting friends at Jason's Deli. But in the Jason's restroom mirror, the skin looked a little better & the hair was okay. Through my drama experience, I know that lighting makes or breaks. But was I insecure before and later feeling more healthy through conversation with Godly peers? This is not one of those posts where I have any answers. I just don't know. Maybe one of us will rise above the power of the mirror and will teach us all how to do that. Until then, I'll try to avoid judging myself by what I see in reflective glass.

Lara

A Day

2008-05-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

Ever had one of those days? Stupid question, I know. We ALL have days like that. And we're never prepared for them! Speaking of... How do we prepare? How do you know when one day's going to be worse than the others? When you reach for the snooze button, coffee or your Bible, why can't we have a neon sign flashing "TROUBLE AHEAD, PREPARE ACCORDINGLY!" Am I the only one who thinks this is a good idea?

Here are some ideas I have for signs:

Your hot water heater will run out of hot water at precisely 5:30am today!
There will be a train stopped across your commute today.
The woman in the car next to you in morning traffic will be putting on her mascara as she drifts into your lane.
Your first call of the morning will be an angry husband who is upset over something you can't control.
Your computer will crash in the middle of important business that is unsaved.
The elastic in your underwear will give out under severe duress as you walk into an important meeting.
All of the above things will happen to you today, be prepared!

It's easier to take when only one of these things happen, but when they all happen before lunch...

Sometimes His gracious Holy Spirit warns me of things to come. Sometimes I'm ready for the dents and dings of life. Sometimes I'm not. Ok, so not all of these things happened to me. Guess I shouldn't complain. Do we really have any ground for complaints when the next person we meet is trying to control the grief that death brings?

I started this post as a funny, 'haven't you been there?' post. But just now, the Holy Spirit asked me if I had prayed for the patient who came in this morning. Her daughter in law lost both of her parents yesterday. Of course, He's God, so He knows the answer to His own questions. And I'm sure that you can guess that my answer is no, I haven't prayed for this lady... That's about to change.

Here's to all of us going through this day. And keep your eyes (and ears) open for those who need us in the midst.

Lara

C. Paul Perry, M.D.

2008-05-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

In 1997, I met a spiritual giant. I was interviewing for a job in his medical office. His name was Dr. Paul Perry, he's big on ignoring the C that stands for Clarence. He was soft spoken and tended to mumble. I wasn't smart enough to be intimidated then. Once I learned more about him, it was too late, he was just Dr. Perry to me. My sister says that he has an understanding about women's pain that men just don't have. He started as an Ob/Gyn then began to have a passion for helping women in chronic pain. He studied, researched and eventually 'wrote the book' (literally) on pelvic pain. He dropped the Ob part of his practice, so that he could become a pain specialist. He built an Ob/Gyn practice staffed by Godly men and women. He is world renowned for his studies in pain management and founded the International Pelvic Pain Society. Women have come from all over the US and Europe just to see Dr. Perry in Birmingham, AL. And this is just the medical part of his life.

He became an advocate for the sanctity of life that begins at conception. He put his medical reputation on the line to be one of the first doctors in Birmingham to take a stand against abortion. When I mention his name in the medical community, people recognize him as a Christian and ask if I'm referencing the doctor with scripture on the wall of his waiting room. He began to study the book of Romans and taught in his home church of Briarwood Presbyterian as well as his own staff. He had multiple four inch binders filled with this study as he led us not just verse by verse but also word by word.

He became a grandfather when I worked for him. He wore a large round pin with Stone's (his first grandchild) picture. When Davis (the second) came, he printed off pictures and taped them to the cabinets in his exam rooms. Surely his patients wanted to see those beautiful patients. They know him as 'Poppy'.

He is a RABID 'Bama fan. His favorite color is crimson and even had his car special ordered to match. He proudly wears his crimson blazer to church every Sunday during college football season. At a Christmas party game, he believed his epitaph would read, "Roll Tide!"

This picture is a great one of him, but doesn't look like him to me. To me, Dr. Perry is wearing green scrubs with a white jacket over it. A gold cross is always around his neck. In a portrait of 'Poppy', by one of his grandchildren, Dr. Perry has red lips and a gold cross around his neck. He tap danced at the one Christmas party I missed. He signed my paychecks for almost six years and still signed my mother's. He fussed when we couldn't read his writing, because he surly couldn't. That's what he paid us for. We teased him mercilessly, and it was rare that we could pull a practical joke on him. He, along with the other doctor's, made me so mad and hurt at times. Then, he would lift me up and encourage me. He cared for me and assisted in two of my surgeries. There is no one else I would want in my O.R. than he and his partners. I always knew that he was praying for me as he cared for me. He has witnessed to everyone he came in contact with, from world renowned physicians to the housekeeping staff.

And I'm going to his memorial service this afternoon. At the beginning of this year, they found metastatic, germ cell lung cancer. This mighty man was immediately ready to go home. Through prayer and fasting, he decided to fight. But after two rounds of treatment the cancer had not diminished, but grown. At that point, he left the hospital to sit on his back porch surrounded by his family. We all wondered why he had believed God's will was to fight, but learned that the day before he left the hospital, he witnessed to one more person. One more soul.

C. Paul Perry went home Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 7:30 am CST. He is rejoicing with the Lord and Savior that he so loved. And we are trying to figure out how to live in a world with out Dr. Perry. I'm not ashamed to say that I don't know how. I can say that Heaven now has one more person that I just can't wait to see. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Perry, you can visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/paulperry .

And just for you, Dr. Perry, this Mississippi State fan will say, "Roll Tide!"

Lara

Color -- Forwarded from Head Coach @ Home

2008-04-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

I just read my brother's blog for today. Those of you who know me know that I am a fanatic about my niece and nephews! I LOVE those kids and mourn every day that I don't get to spend with them. Poughkeepsie, NY is a LONG way from Birmingham, AL. Besides this being a sweet picture of my Derrick, Richard's point just lifted my heart. If you've read my last few posts, you can see how our Lord is reaching out to me over and over lifting my heart. Don't we serve a great God!!!!

When I tell people that my son Derrick's favorite baseball team is the Pittsburgh Pirates, most people ask, "How'd that happen?" Kind of like you would ask a person who comes in a room on crutches. You feel sorry for them, but you want to hear the story of what happened. Well, Derrick's is a good story...
Now, once you look into Pittsburgh baseball, you see the Pirates have alot to offer. Sure, they've been abysmal lately, but they've got a great ballpark and a sparkling history. Still, why does the son of a Braves fan lock into a team that hasn't been competitive for a decade and a half?
For Derrick the answer is simply 'color'. When he was five (he's now 10) I introduced him to baseball card collecting. I bought him some new packs, but also crawled down from the attic with a handful of my old cards from the 70s & 80s to round out his start up collection. A 1980 Willie Stargell card quickly became his favorite ... because he loved the uniform color. The bright yellow trimmed in black. He asked for more of my old Pirates cards and before long he learned about Roberto Clemente, We Are Family, and even the early years of a curiously skinny kid named Barry Bonds. Now he has an autograph from current Bucs short stop Jack Wilson, has seen them play in person, checks the scores every day, and still hopes out loud every spring - 'Maybe the Pirates will make the playoffs this year!'
He still loves the uniform, insisting the team's catcher's gear has the coolest color scheme in the Majors. The color still matters to him. And I think that's a fine reason for a kid to like a team!
This relates to some thoughts about my relationship with the Lord. It might sound silly, but when I think about what draws people toward God, I think about Derrick & the Pirates. For many of us, something catches our eye - so to speak - and becomes a catalyst for some faith searching. Romans 2:4 tells us that the goodness or kindness of the Lord leads us toward repentance. Like a vibrant color on a piece of cardboard, His love captures our attention. Its not normal love, its unique - Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This is the love that draws us in.
I've been listening to a worship song by 'Desperation Band' called 'The Beauty of the Lord'. There's a line in the song that says, "Jesus your love has won me over". That's it - His love catches my eye and wins my heart. Over time I learn the back story, the realities of what it means and the big picture perspectives. But it started with Him simply showing me some of the 'color' of His love.
So, we should occasionally return to that simple truth that 'we love Him because he first loved us' - he caught our attention - he won us over. Take some time to think about the goodness, the kindness, the love of God that first mattered and still matters to you. Because its at the heart of your story.
Richard

Here's another way to search God out, look back. Not on our pasts, but on what captured our attention. On the ways He showed Himself when we were just spiritual kids. Enjoy your baseball card.

Lara

GMA Awards

2008-04-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be honest here and let y'all know that I've been struggling recently. No particular problem that's bigger than the others. Don't really know why, either. But that changed this week. Through the reading of Bobby Lepinay's blog and then one that he frequents, Robert Pooley, I was encouraged. I have signed up to receive a weekly devotional from Max Lucado's web site. I LOVE the way that man writes! And then...

Last night I sat down to watch the GMA Awards, or Dove's as I grew up knowing them. Throughout my youth, I lived for the Dove Awards. Watched to see if my favorite musicians were honored. And I loved to hear them perform live. I was always disappointed when Sandi Patty beat out Amy Grant. To which my father, the musician, would tell me the hard truth about musical talent. He was right, I just didn't want to hear it. Anyway, to hear the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, proclaimed was incredible for me. And then, they would venture into worship. I sat in my recliner and raised my hands and 'had church'! I know, from working in Christian retail, that the music industry is just that... Industry. If it doesn't sell, they won't put it on the shelves whether it's good or not, God or not. But after watching the Dove's I can honestly say that there is some anointed stuff out there. I could feel it, even through my satellite.

The Word of God truly does 'lift us up' out of our day to day messes. Sometimes our scheduled things; church, quiet times, fellowship, don't quite cut it. That's when we need to search Him out. Dig deeper. Find Him. He WILL be found by us! Do something different. Turn on the Gospel Music Channel. Find Him at the botanical gardens. Find Him. He's just waiting for us to pursue Him.

'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart

.Jeremiah 29:13 NAS

Brothers

2008-04-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that one of the blogs I visit is HeadCoach@Home. You may think that's strange, since it's geared toward encouraging husbands & fathers. But it's actually become a cool way for me to check up on my brother. He's a pastor in Poughkeepsie, NY and it's his blog. I love reading about his perspectives on family, sports, and life in general. I'm feeling quite nostalgic today (shocker), so let me tell you about my brother...

Growing up, I thought he was the most incredible boy in the world. I envied his relationship with our sister, Lisa, and longed for that friendship with him. Before he became a 'cool' teenager, we would play backyard football and he always let me win. When he started to have a life and friends of his own, I became quite the nuisance. I've tried to comfort Richard's oldest, Carlie, when she complains about her youngest sibling, Bryce. All Bryce is doing, and all that I did to Richard, is trying to insinuate himself into her life. And if that can only be done through irritants, so be it. When you see your older sibling growing up and, in your perception, out of your life, you do everything you can to hold onto them. Unfortunately, that usually means making their life, and the lives of the rest of the family, pretty miserable. Mother still says that she wondered if we would hate each other for the rest of our lives.

But then, you begin to grow up and those irritating ways fade as you build your own life. I've always adored my big brother, even when I haven't agreed with him. I still adore him. He has given me a sister-in-law who is just as much my sister as Lisa is. He made me an aunt to three of the most incredible kids. I am amazed at how wonderful he is at being a husband and father. Though I shouldn't be, considering the role model he has in our father. He has made me happier than I could imagine. He has hurt me more than I could imagine. Isn't that the way with family? They bring you the best AND the worst. Only the worse is far outweighed by the best! I hope you enjoy getting to know him through his blog. He's one of the most incredible men in the world.

But God

2008-03-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

Right now, Lisa & I are in High Point, NC. To those of you who know us from AL, you are all aware that we spent the first three to five years in B'ham trying to get back to this town. Obviously, God had a different plan in mind. This wonderful place was only home to us for four years, but we lived alot in those short years and made lifelong relationships! Before this trip, we discussed that visiting High Point had been bitter-sweet in the past. As much as God had bonded our hearts and planted us in Birmingham, we mourned the years that we had lost with our friends here. But God...

This trip has been such a healing time for us. Even on the drive here, we wondered what this trip would hold. We have connected so beautifully with Lisa's 'girls', Lindsey and Courtney Newton. We've known them since they were babies and they were our parents 'first' grandchildren. Lindsey is in college and Courtney is a senior in high school, but they are still those delightful personalities that we fell in love with eighteen years ago. I do miss being a daily part of their growing up years but God... who knit our hearts together back then, has made sure that our hearts are still knit together!

The soul tie that I had to break these last few years has been healed, or maybe its been stretched to allow for the miles to Alabama. I don't know, but God... Somehow He can restore those things that seem to be lost when we choose to follow His plath for us.

Tomorrow, we'll be heading up to Lynchburg, VA to see Lisa's best friend, Julie. The years away from her have also been hard, but God...

Sorry to sound so random, just wanted to let you know that no matter the circumstance, but God...

Easter

2008-03-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

I hope your Easter was a beautiful one! What a privilege it is to be able to celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord!!!! There are specific Easters of my past that I remember. As a little girl, I remember getting new clothes, and not just a pretty dress. A new slip, shoes, stockings, and even hair accessories. I seem to remember one year getting a hat and white gloves. I remember the last year that I hunted for Easter eggs. As the youngest, Lisa and Richard had lost interest in hunting them years before. But this particular year, it was raining and Richard hid them throughout the house for me. We always had the same basket, year after year. I can remember, as a child. waking up on Easter morning with that basket full of candy and presents. I remember the summer I came back from Japan, when Lisa opened the freezer and pulled out the Reece's peanut butter eggs that she had saved for me.

What do these memories have to do with the resurrection of the Christ? Honestly, nothing except that they happened on Easter. But I never confused my Lord with the Easter Bunny. Somehow, my parents made us aware of the true meaning of the day in an age-appropriate way.

As an adult, my memories are more of His death and what His defeat of death means. I remember the year that Dr. Paul Perry taught me and his other employees the physician's perspective of the crucifixion. I remember watching the movie The Passion, and how it moved (and still moves) me. I remember the year that Liberty Church, Birmingham showed the Impact Production movie, The Resurrection. And how the Lord rekindled my passion for drama and story-telling.

I don't get an Easter basket anymore, and I try to stay away from all the candy. Although Reece's eggs don't make that easy. Bruce Terry, my pastor, always asks for a dramatic vignette to celebrate and remind the church of that soul saving event. My traditions have changed from my childhood, but the celebration has remained the same for over 2,000 years.

He came.

He died.

He beat death and the grave.

He rose again.

He broke the chains of sin.

He ascended to Heaven.

He is, even now, interceding on my behalf.

All in all, not bad reasons to celebrate!

No Dumping!

2008-03-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

My sister called me on a particular difficult day last week. I know, I know, they all seem difficult, don't they? Any-hoo, the day before had been a tough one for Lisa. She said that she seemed to wake up irritated with the world. Each encounter she had just made it worse. So, when she called me, it was to confess that she had been an awful person. Then she asked me about how I was doing. It was not a good question,or a good time to ask. I dumped. Dumped my concerns, worries and woes on her. She listened patiently and offered her advise. But, to be honest, it didn't help much. Then she called back.

"Boy, you're just a beam of joy today, aren't you?"

Before you take offence, you must know that I died laughing. That one statement lifted me up so that I could look over those cares. You need to know that she called me again yesterday with the same statement. She had read yesterday's blog. Didn't make me laugh, but then it didn't her either. But we did 'hold fast' and made it through the pain or level.

I just wanted to post this today and let you know that the sun did come up this morning. I have been able to see the progress today. That level looks alot smaller today. It didn't go away, but I do feel as if I'm on the other side. Yesterday's blog was from a dark place but then our lives are all a combination of dark and light. Day and night. Through it all, we must remember that no matter how long one seems, it will always precede the other. And no matter how long we've been holding on, He is still coming!

Lara

What do you do?

2008-03-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

What do you do when it keeps on hurting? What do you do when someone you love keeps making the same mistake, over and over? How can you 'forgive and forget' and move on when the offence is still ongoing? Several years ago, Lisa and I had a beautiful prayer time with some old friends. Bobby and Debbie Lepinay, along with Jacob and Jennifer Head. They are from Harvest Outreach in Pensacola, FL. I've mentioned Bobby's blog in the past. The church website is http://www.harvestpensacola.com/ & if you're ever in Pensacola, be sure and visit, it's a great ministry. Anyway, Bobby prayed over Lisa and asked the Holy Spirit to remove the sword of offence. To heal her wound with the salve of His comforting presence. It was an amazing thing to hear prayed! Unfortunately, this is just how I feel today. That sword just keeps swinging back and there's no where to run and hide.

And what about suvivors? Those who live daily with scars, internal and external. I know one who went to her pastor and asked him why she was struggling again, she thought she had overcome the old pain. He explained that she had dealt with it, but that she was working through another level of it. In dispair she asked him just how many levels there were. Wisely, he cried with her that he didn't know.

I don't know either. I honestly don't know the answers to any of these questions I posted. Because I'm there, too. I was walking along, just whining to my co-workers about how much I hate daylight savings time, when BAM!!!! I run into another level. Or I found out something new about an old pain. Or I see the cause of that pain. Or the enemy pushes it back into my face.

What do you do? The ringer on my new phone is the Mercy Me song 'Hold Fast'. Sometimes that's all I can do.

The one thing greater than my strife
is Your grasp.

Hold fast!

Hold fast, dear friends.

Lara

Tap Dancing on the Edge

2008-02-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

Sorry y'all, I've been out of the 'blog-o-sphere' for the last few weeks. I feel as if I've allowed the busy-ness of life to interfere with the necessary things of life. Then, when time has moved on, I find myself reluctant to pick back up on the things that matter. Things that need to be done. Why is that?

Last night, the Truth Project volume was on "Who Is God?" I can't even begin to put into words the ways my heart and spirit were moved upon. Suffice it to say, I was overwhelmed with a glimpse of how much He loves, longs for and pursues me. Another thing He revealed to me was that in my 'busy-ness' is how far I move away from Him. Oh, I'm not back-sliding, or rebelling. I'm just... concerned with other things. And that is how we begin to back-slide or rebel. The title of this blog is "In the Shadow: Thoughts from the shelter of the Cross", but I feel I've been tap dancing on the edge of that shadow.

What a gracious God we serve! He's so faithful to draw us back when we become enchanted or drawn away by things outside of His shadow! What are the things that have drawn MY attention away from Him? The ever ringing telephone at work. Angry salespersons. Shared grief at the loss of Bronner Burgess. The diagnosis of cancer in a brilliant doctor I used to work for. Colds and flu. The car that cut me off in traffic. The comfort of my recliner in front of my TV. What draws your attention?

Welcome back to that beautiful, annointed place. The foot of the Cross.

Lara

William Bronner Burgess

2008-01-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

Several posts ago, I made mention of 'Rick and Bubba'. They are a Birmingham morning radio show who are now syndicated all over the south, east coast, and some of the mid-west. I have been 'in the loop' for several years now. Bubba & his wife 'The Lovely Betty Lou' have had two children during my years of listening. Rick and Sherry have had three. 'Speedy', the program director has married and had two added to his family. When you listen to these folks every morning, they become like family. I have laughed and cried, empathized and argued with them. I have enjoyed the way that these people lift up the name of Jesus in their humor and human-ness. The last child born to this show is the angelic looking child in the picture. Rick and Sherry's youngest, who is anything but angelic! There's too much Rick in he and his brothers to be angel children, but they sure do give us a lot to laugh about each morning.

For the first time, Bronner (or 'Cornbread' as his dad calls him), gave us something to grieve over. Saturday, January 18th, Bronner got away from his mom and brothers and drowned in the family pool. Rick was preaching in Pigeon Forge, TN to thousands of teenagers when he got the call. Amazingly, in such a grievous time, the Burgess family has responded in the best way possible. They praise God for Bronner's life. What the evil one has meant for destruction, our Lord has turned to a great victory. God tends to do that, you know. Since Monday morning, Bubba & Speedy have been spending the 6 - 10 hours lifting up the name of Jesus and encouraging the 'army' to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ! This morning, they played the speach that Rick gave at Bronner's memorial service. How mighty it is to see and hear the Word of the Lord! You might not know this, but these guys are on secular radio stations! Yesterday, Bubba spoke to the hosts of the morning show Fox and Friends on the Fox News Channel. He preached the Gospel to them!

Because of this beautiful child, the Good News is being proclaimed on the radio, the TV, and the internet. Rick mentioned yesterday that Jesus is looking at Bronner right now and telling him, "Well done, Bronner!" How beautiful is that?! Talk about beauty for ashes! Just in the response of the folks on the show alone, God had stolen the victory from the evil one. But now... That victory is one that won't stop! It continues with each telling of Bronner's story. How's that for an eternal reward?!?! If you want to learn more about this, check out the website http://www.rickandbubba.com/ . Join the Rick and Bubba army and pray for the families of Rick, Sherry and all the crew.

Fasting, Prayer & Obedience

2008-01-16T07:20:00.001-08:00

Liberty Birmingham, my home church is in the middle of a Daniel Fast. Lisa & I participated it one almost ninteen years ago in NC. I had forgotten how beautiful this fast can be. While others seem to be struggling with the lack of food, Lisa & I are enjoying this healthy way of eating. Lisa is a type 2 diabetic and, according to my latest blood work, I am skating close to that line. Having done this before, we have some recipes that came back to us and there are some great websites and cookbooks that weren't around in 1989. Even last night, we were able to meet a friend for supper & enjoy restaurant food that met the Fast standards. We really have enjoyed this time & hope to include these ways of cooking and eating into our daily lives! There have been times in the last week and a half, that I've wondered if I were suffering enough. But Lisa spoke God's word into my life when she relayed to me that He told her that 'it's not about suffering, but about obedience'. Unfortunately, I did take a little bit of pride in how well this is going...

On Monday - Friday mornings, the church is open for prayer from 6am to 7 am. As we live on the other end of Birmingham, I can't go to prayer and make it on time to work. So, while Lisa is getting up and gone by 5:30, I'm still in bed. And those of you who know me know that I am definitely not a morning person!!!! On Saturdays I so love curling up in my bed until about 9 or 10am. Lisa asked me a few days ago, if I would get up and pray at 6, so that I would be in unity with the church body. Let me just say that my obedience is not very strong at 6:00 in the morning. Unfortunately, I've only done what He (through Lisa) asked of me a few times. Do me a favor, will you? Don't take pride in something that comes easily... The other part of His request might not be so easy.

Now, if I can get past all the pharmaceutical reps who want to give me chocolate!!!!

There's Only Grace...

2008-01-10T06:24:00.000-08:00

There's only grace.

There's only love.

There's only mercy,

and believe me it's enough!

Have you ever worked at something just to be told that there is no grace? That all the grace was used up on the person who worked this task before you? Maybe you haven't been told it, only made to feel that way?

On the way home yesterday, I heard this song. I don't know who sings it, or even what CD it's on. But I do know this, I can sing every word of the chorus. It resonates with me. I have actually been told by a former employer that no grace was available to me. Do you know that it's impossible to work without grace? Maybe it's just me, but I am incapable a perfect performance! This is not to make you feel sorry for me! Not at all! Just to let you know that there are folks out there who truly expect perfection.

Our Lord and Saviour is NOT one of those folks! Just think, every morning, every dawn, there's a fresh batch of grace and mercy! It's like those biscuits both my grandmothers used to make. You don't have to do anything to deserve them, they are just there for the taking. All I had to do, was walk into the kitchen, pick up the bisuit and eat it. All we have to do is walk up to Him, pick up all that mercy and grace and carry it with us. We can't help Him whip it up and we can't use so much that there's no more. He doesn't get so tired of forgiving me, that He can't forgive you. There are no penalties for using more than you did yesterday.

There is nothing we can do to over use or use up

His grace!!!

Pretty freeing isn't it? I may need to read this in a few days, just to remind myself!

Happy 2008!

Lara

Family at Christmas

2007-12-20T07:50:00.000-08:00

Last night, Lisa & I were able to give something to our Liberty Church Family. Our parents were able to attend the church Christmas meal & the variety show afterwards. Even better, we were able to share some of our own family Christmas traditions with our church family. My father, Papa to those of you who know him, sang O Holy Night. I was bursting with pride and had to wipe more than one tear from my eyes. Then, as a gift to Liberty, my mother took the stage and read the beginning of Luke 2. We arranged a chair for her and had all the children in the audience come and sit around her. I have to say that my mother was made to be surrounded by children! It was truly a beautiful way to prepare for the days before Christmas.

I so enjoy sharing my birth family with my church family. They both are sweet gifts from God into my life! As Paul so eloquently said, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you..." May you have a rich, beautiful and merry Christmas whether you are with the family you were born with, or the family that has been given to you.

Lara

Music

2007-12-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

Of the many beautiful things that my parents have sowed into my life, music is one of the greatest. My father has one of the best tenor voices I've ever heard. And no, I'm not biased, why do you ask? Honestly, though, people are have always loved to hear him sing. Lisa and I both sing. Richard can, and very well, but prefers to preach. Mother has sung in each of my father's choirs, but listens, smiling, from the audience as we sing. Growing up, I believed that music had no color or race. I grew up listening to Christian music from Andre Crouch, Truth & Bill Gaither. My father brought music from all of these artists to Baptist churches in Mississippi and Louisiana where they might not have been heard otherwise.

Shown here is the official Moore Christmas favorite! As children, each school morning in December, our mother woke us up with the first song on this album. As each one of us went to college, she couldn't do so each morning, but on December 1st, the payphone in the hall would ring. Sure enough it was our mom, playing 'Ching-a-Ling'! Now, with part of the family in NY, it's still played over the phone on 12/1. Those of you who know us, know that we are a bit fanatical about Christmas, with each room decorated. Yes, even the bathrooms! This is one of our precious traditions. May you hear our 'Ching-a-Ling' someday! Merry Christmas!

Lara

Where Do We Get Off?

2007-12-11T07:32:00.000-08:00

This is from a young man in Bible college in south FL. His family are members of my church, Liberty. Cam was in our youth group and has participated in just about all of my dramas and drama classes. He's always been a great kid, but this level of maturity is a beautiful thing to see. Especially in someone I've watched grow up!

"Where do we get off?

(American Dream)
11:47pm Monday, Dec 10

So I've been doing a lot of thinking lately.

And one thought keeps coming to mind...

Where do we get off?

Where do we get off complaining about not getting an iPod for Christmas?Where do we get off complaining that we don't have an SLR camera?

Where do we get off complaining that the food in the school cafeteria tastes like filth?

Where do we get off complaining that the coach section of a plane isn't comfortable enough?

Where do we get off complaining?

Period.

How many times have you seen a video of people in Africa jamming to an iPod or taking artsy fartsy pictures with an SLR?

The kids in Sudan.

Uganda.

Darfur.

Mexico.

Bosnia.

On the streets in America.

Wherever.

A lot of them are lucky to get one meal a day.

Lucky to have one shirt.

A pair of shoes.

A mat to sleep on.

Any kind of shelter.

Where do we get off?

This is what I challenge you to do.

Watch Invisible Children.

Think globally.

Think about the homeless.

Think about others.

Your money.

Our money.

It is a blessing from God.

We are blessed.

Why don't we share the wealth?

Why don't we bless others with what we have excess of?

But let's remember what we have.

Let's be thankful.

I go to the best school on the face of this planet.

I get 3 meals a day.

I am going to have an amazing Christmas.

I am 19 years old and have never gone without.

I have a Savior who loves me more than life itself.

Literally.

Let's look at what we have.

Let's thank God for what we have.

Let's be happy.

Let's help others.

Let's be used of God.

Let's reach out.

Let's be a blessing instead of a mass of consumerism and selfishness.

Let's do what we were called to do.

Let's fulfill the Great Comission."Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned"(Mark 16:15-16)

Let's do what we were meant to do.

Let's wake up the church.

Let's wake up America.

An America that cares for its neighbors.

An America that cares for the needy.

An America that cares for the suffering.

Let's start a brand new American Dream."

Cam Harless

I can't think of anything that I can add to this.

Lara

All Things

2007-12-03T07:52:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty wiped out today. We, Lisa & I spent the weekend making the house 'Christmas Ready'. We decorated 2 trees, pulled up boxes out of the basement, unpacked them, then took the empty ones back down. While decorating the living room tree, I thought about all the stories I've heard. You know the ones, where the tree falls, breaking all the most precious ornaments. And guess what? That tree fell this Monday. I kept thinking about our special ornaments. The ones that 'mean' something. Lisa's Waterford ball. The glass ornament from Baggins' (our dog that died a few years ago) first Christmas with us. The blown glass ornament that I always try to hang by a light so it will glisten. Okay, so maybe I'm just a tiny bit materialistic! I just love those ornaments! And the nativity scene underneath the tree. Lisa's pieces that are limited editions, and hard to replace.
To put these material things into perspective, grief is blanketing Blount and North Jefferson counties, here in Alabama. Seven cheerleaders of Hayden High School ran off the road and down a ravine on Thursday night, 11/30/07. Whitney, Sarah and Courtney were killed. What are these ornaments compared to the loss of three girls just at the start of their lives? Which one of their loved ones would break every memento if it meant bringing the girls back?

I am connected to them through co-workers and patients in my doctor's office. And only one question is on every one's mind, "Why?" I can't answer that question. There is no answer. But I can tell you this. At the close of each funeral on Monday, there was an altar call. Bonnie, my co-worker who was at Sarah & Whitney's combined funeral, couldn't count the number of people who went up for salvation. Does the salvation of these people make up for the loss of these girls? Some might not think so. But, because of them many now know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. We will see Whitney, Sarah, and Courtney again. We will be together in eternity with them, as well as those who pledged their lives to Christ at their funerals.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good

to those who love God, to those who are called

according to His purpose.

Rom. 8:28 NAS

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit be felt by those loved ones who are grieving today. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Lara

The Sista's

2007-11-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

In the previous post, I made mention of The Princess Sista's. There may be a few of you who don't know who these incredible ladies are. There are six of us. Among us, we represent two single mothers, a grandmother and a great grandmother. Three have struggled with infertility and had hysterectomies. Three have overcome childhood struggles that are not mine to tell. One is a breast cancer survivor. Three have lost fathers, while one has lost a mother. One of us is a new bride, while the other five remain single. We represent two decades in age. Four of us are extremely close to our families, while all six struggle with the irritants and joys that family brings. We have our differences and our similarities.

Five years ago, we went on our first trip to Orange Beach, AL. While there, our friendship was forged through laughter and Weight Watchers. We decided that, when we were together, nothing we ate contained WW points. Thus, The Pointless Sisters were born. After a year or so of misunderstandings of our name, we became The Princess Sisters. Too many people thought we were saying that we thought our lives were pointless because of our single status. NOT!! Our new title is in reference to the fact that our Father is the King, and we are and will always be His daughters.

We have found ourselves sisters in the truest sense over these past five and a half years. We discovered that a yearly beach trip was not enough time together. We have eaten at just about every restaurant in Birmingham. We have attended high school and college football games. We celebrate birthdays, Christmas, the Iron Bowl, and just about anything else we can think of. When one of us misses church, we all miss her. This summer, we adopted a practice (Kathi's idea) that we meet at least once a week. This does not include Sunday morning's service or our Wednesday night classes. Can you tell that we are all just a little bit obsessive? We are planning a cruise for this summer. We talk, e-mail and pray for each other regularly. Although blood connects only two of us, we are truly 'sisters'. God has forged a connection that none of us can explain. I can't imagine my life without them! I am richer because of these women. May you all have friends like these in your lives! I couldn't love them more if my own mother had given birth to them. To list them:

Marlene Lawley

Kathi Davis

Deb Shaw Stark

Tina Parkhill

Lisa Moore

Lara Moore

Rest

2007-11-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

For the past several years, Lisa (my sister) and I have been planning to spend a week in the mountains this fall. My fortieth and her forty-fifth birthdays fall this year, so we decided it would be a good way to celebrate. Thanks to good friends, we were able to stay at their lake house and enjoy the foothills to the Smoky Mountains. This is the view from the deck and I must say that it's just as beautiful at night when you're wrapped up in a blanket and sitting in a rocking chair. How do I know? We did just that, at least twice. Lisa surprised me on Saturday, by secretly flying in my sis-in-law, Janet, for the weekend. Two of the Princess Sista's, Marlene & Kathi spent time there, also. We talked, napped, ate, and worked a mystery puzzle. Can I just say that I don't like puzzles that don't show you the complete picture on the box?!

There is something to be said for times like this. This place was almost a sanctuary for my friends and me. Janet returned from her rest to a sick husband and a report of head lice in her children's school. I'm so glad that she had a short vacation. As a wife and mother, rest is a hot commodity. Even though I could have stayed days more, I didn't dread coming back. I feel refreshed. That's what I wish for you. A place of sanctuary, where you can be refueled. If you need somewhere to go, I can recommend Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman County, AL. It truly is a beautiful retreat.

A rested Lara

Weakness

2007-10-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

I have a bad ankle. I have lost count of the number of times I have twisted or turned it. I think I've sprained it a grand total of four times. I know, I know. I need to strengthen it. I was told that when I sprained it the second time. You would think I would have learned by now!!! Anyway, last night, after an incredible harvest celebration at my church, I twisted it again. But this time I couldn't shake it off, as I do when it gets turned. It continued to hurt in a way that it never has with the sprains. AND, it still hurt this morning when the sheet touched it.

Worried, yet? Yep, it's broken. I just had it X-rayed & there is a small chip fracture. Okay, am I the only one who thinks that the words small or chip don't match the word 'fracture'? I have an appointment with an ortho this afternoon. But all this got me to thinking. How many twists and turns did it take to force me to find out how to strengthen this weak ankle? How many sprains? And just how much longer would I have ignored them? Can't you tell yet? I'm getting a 'God thing' out of this!

How many times does He gently warn us of trouble or sin in our lives? You know, those weak ankles that keep causing problems? How many of those slightly stern warnings? Did you know that when a sheep continues to wander off and disobey the shepard, that he will break the sheep's legs and carry this sheep in his shoulders while the legs mend? Needless to say, the sheep no longer wanders off once its legs mend. The sheep has become used to the shepard and doesn't want to lose that intimacy. No, God did not break my ankle! My disregard for the signs of weakness did. But what is He trying to warn me about my spiritual walk that I am disregarding? What is He trying to tell you? Let's learn it before He has to break us and remake us.

Lara

Listen

2007-10-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

In trying to control my eating and lose weight, I am trying to hear the voice of God. Before you write me off as a nut, hold on a moment. If His eye is on the sparrow and He has numbered the hairs on my head, surly He is concerned with the things I eat and put in my body. Julie Morris is teaching a class on Wednesday nights on being 'guided by His steps' in our lives. You can check it out on her website guidedbyhim.com. Our substitute teacher, Leona Crabtree shared the other night, that in blessing her food before she eats, she asks the Lord to speak to her and let her know when she has eaten enough. And she acutally listens to Him.

How often to I truly listen? I find it ironic that I'm beginning this with food. I have always lived as if I deserve that cookie or brownie. Going back for seconds won't make that much of a difference. I am, after forty years of eating and living my way, realizing that I'm not supposed to be doing that. Do you ever wonder if God bangs His head against the wall? If He does, He does it over me. So, even though I ate that peanut butter cookie this morning, I'm trying. That still small voice of my Saviour and my Lord can be hard to hear over my own.

What's He trying to say to you? Can we get quiet enough to hear Him? Like I said, I'm trying.

Lara

It's all in your perspective...

2007-10-09T11:55:00.001-07:00

I can lose perspective so easily, can you? A couple of weeks ago, an acquaintance of mine was sharing her heart with me. A heart that had been broken for several months. She told me that she wasn't still in love with the fellow, but that she missed who she thought he was. She thought, after waiting for so long, that she had found her soul-mate. Turns out she had found a "good-un", in the words of Rick and Bubba. As she was crying , my heart was whispering, "He's not worth one of your tears!" A few years ago, I would have wished her the man of her dreams. Today, I wish her good friends, close family, and a strong, Bible-believing church. Would she cry every day for three months, if she had friends like I do? Would she even miss him, if she had a strong church family? I don't know her well enough to answer those questions, but I do know her well enough to pray them for her .

A few years ago, I had this change of heart. I realized that I have friends, family and church. A husband or boyfriend would not make my life complete. My life is already complete. Through the healthy and unhealthy marriages of my friends, I came to an earth shaking realization: THERE ARE WORSE THINGS THAN BEING A BALDWIN SISTER! If it is God's will that I stay single, so be it. If He brings a husband for me, so be it.

For those of you that are too young to know who the Baldwin Sisters are, here's an explanation. These women were in the TV show, The Waltons. They were elderly women who had never married. And I used to fear being like them. Not any more! If you have good friends, a strong church, and close family, who needs more? So, if you want to call me 'Mamie Baldwin', you just go right ahead!

Lara

Fall Fever

2007-10-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the season of Fall! All my life I've heard of people having 'spring fever'. Well, I have to be different and get 'fall fever'. Summer in the Deep South is brutal! So, I am vitalized when the haze of summer breaks. Birmingham had a nasty drought this summer, so those brilliant colors may not show up. I will miss them, but am determined to store every moment of this short season in my heart. I read in a magazine that, if you blink you could miss Fall. Down here, you may not be able to wear a sweatshirt until January or February. Needless to say, my sweatshirt collection lasts years. So, I better catch Fall when I can.

Here's how I recognize it:

Even in the early afternoon, the air has a tint of gold that's only found in sunsets.

I no longer have to turn my car's a/c to it's highest setting and turn all vents toward me.

The sky becomes a color of blue that my mother refers to as 'October Blue', or if you're from NC 'Tarheel Blue'.

Smiles come easier, as weather is harder to complain about.

The air even seems easier to breathe.

I begin to LONG for the mountains, a cabin next to a stream and a crackling fire.

Walking outside is something I want to do.

Burning leaves.

High School and College football games--Go MSU Bulldogs!!!!

Watch for the signs. Take a moment. Try to enjoy. And if all you can do is dread the long winter ahead, read this and look forward to your own 'Spring Fever'.

Lara

Testaments

2007-09-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

The Old Testament recorded that the Israelites built small stacks of stones on the road to the Promised Land. These stacks were a testament of something that God had taught them or a difficulty that He had seen them through. A few years ago, Jim Darnell (one of the greatest preachers I have ever heard) took us through the testaments of his life. His salvation, his encounters with the Holy Spirit, etc. He felt that we are too quick to forget these moments that can change the courses of our lives.

This picture is one of my own testaments. My parents brought me to this church when I was a baby. My father had received a calling to First Baptist Church of Aberdeen, MS. We left when I was five years old, only to return as he began an evangelical ministry. We were there for four & a half years. Needless to say, I knew every corner and alcove of that church. It is the church of my childhood. People are still there who knew me as a baby. For someone who has moved every four years, it is rare for anyone other than family to have known me that long.

It was in those classrooms that I first heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was introduced to mighty men like David, Joseph, Noah and Moses. Ruth and Esther became real women to me. I sometimes forget the legacy that I was given in that blonde brick church.

It isn't perfect, but God is there. I guess you could say the same about myself. I'm not perfect, but God is with me.

Lara

Unexpected Sources

2007-09-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that Balaam was not expecting anything from that donkey! Have you ever had the Lord speak to you in an unexpected way? I remember when He was leading me through a very painful time and I had a question. I wish that I could tell you that I asked this question in a humble and contrite manner. I didn't. I couldn't understand why I was on that path. It was NOT one I had chosen. And I had a legitimate question. It came from the depth of my heart and I cried it out to Him. And I mean that I cried out literally, with anguish and pain. How gracious is the God we serve! He answered my cry. Have you ever read those words in the Old Testament and truly thought them through? HE ANSWERS YOUR CRIES!

He answered mine in an unexpected way. I worked with a woman who took His name in vain just about every day. I wasn't sure she was a Christian. But I loved, and still do, her. She has a beautiful sense of humor. You guessed it... She spoke the word of the Lord to me. She shared out of her heart and relieved my fear and pain. Did she know that she was sharing Him with me? Probably not. Does it even matter? She spoke out of her own experience and through that my question was answered and stilled.

Don't miss those unexpected moments. Don't forget His voice is still and small. He speaks through many vessels. He is unexpected.

Lara

Mary Tyler Moore

2007-09-06T07:10:00.001-07:00

There is a movie that my sister & I love. I know, I know, you're shocked! Anyway, the female lead is very funny and very normal looking. She's not stick thin, not too tall, just normal. The male lead, in a romantic moment, mentions that she reminds him of Mary Tyler Moore. Giggling, she says, "Oh, I am SO not Mary Tyler Moore!" I love that line.

How many of us just long to be Mary, when in actuality we are Rhoda? For those of you who are too young to know who I am writing about & have never watched the reruns on Nic-at-Nite or TVLand, here is a description. Mary is tall and thin. Rhoda struggles with pesky pounds. Men frequently fall in love with Mary while Rhoda continually looks for (& never finds) Mr. Right. Mary catches her cap every time she throws it in the air. Poor Rhoda has to pick hers up off the sidewalk. Getting the picture, yet? Mary had her hard times, but life always seemed to work out right--not so for Rhoda. She was the comic relief.

Sometimes I want to be the lead, not the relief! In a class I began last night, the teacher said this, "God can and does use every pound (& self imagined fault)!" What a relief! He doesn't want a bunch of Mary's! He wants all the Rhoda's, Phyllis', Mr. Grant's & Ted's! (The show had a lot of comic relief!) So, pick your cap up off the sidewalk and have a good day!

Lara

Self Esteem & Chocolate Chess Pies

2007-08-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

I went to a bridal shower on Saturday. The purpose was to stock the bride-to-be's kitchen. We served lunch and enjoyed all sort of yummy 'chick' food. My sister volunteered my Chocolate Chess Pies. While these pies can taste like heaven, they don't always present a pretty picture. The mixture frequently spills onto the crust before baking, and the top almost always cracks. As I was mixing the pie filling, I prayed, "Lord, please let them turn out pretty." Now before you think that I was praying that because I wanted them pretty for the bride or hostess, just stop. My reasoning was not that self-less! My thoughts up to this shower had been on myself. I just knew that everyone there would be thin, beautiful and married. Everything that (I feel) that I'm not. I started two weeks before in planning my outfit. I even had a pedicure so that I could wear open-toed shoes. I was afraid people would look at my not-so-perfect pies and say, "You know, that overweight girl over there, who isn't married? Those sad looking pies are hers." So, with that in mind, I prayed that God would make my pies pretty.

Shallow, huh? Well, that struck me as I prayed, so then I asked if He would help them to be a blessing... But I knew that HE knew that I didn't really mean it... Confused, yet? So, I laughed, asked His forgiveness, and prayed that He would be in charge and help me to overcome my shallowness.

The pies were a success and the shower was full of beautiful women who loved God with all their hearts. Not once did I feel judged or left out. My worries and struggles were for nothing. I felt silly and still do as I write this. But I can't be the only one who acts and feels this way, so here it is. You are not alone, we are silly together.

What silly things are in your thought patterns?

Lara

Mine, Too

2007-08-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Almost 20 years ago, in one of the darkest moments of my life, a great man told my father something beautiful that I still hold to today. My brother had broken the hearts of his family and his wife. His father-in-law, Bob Warner, called us and showed us the very heart of God when he said to my father, "Don, he's our son, too." Through the pain his own daughter was feeling, this man of God recognized our pain. Even now, almost 20 years after God's mighty restoration of my brother's marriage, those words resonate with me. Especially yesterday...

My beautiful sister-in-law, who allowed God to restore her marriage, called yesterday with a frightening diagnosis. Cancer had been found in one of her own family members. Disbelief, fear and nausea were my immediate reactions. There was no, and still is no, reaction of, "Thank God it's not my family member!" Because, you see, this woman is my family member. We have since found out that the cancer is still at Stage 1, which is a great relief. But cancer is still cancer, and I can have a hard time remembering that God is bigger than cancer.

You see, she's 'mine, too' and I'm still a little afraid.

Lara

Pride

2007-08-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

I just read a blog from a college friend of my sister's, Bobby Lepinay. He is pastor of Harvest Outreach in Pensacola, FL. The website is http://harvestpensacola.com. His blog-site is http://bobbylepinay.typepad.com/ Today's post really hit home with me, so I've added it for you all to read. If you get a chance, check Harvest out, it's an incredible ministry.

Spiritual Pride
Many moons ago, when I was in my mid to late 20's, I went through a period of deep disillusionment with "church". I had begun to read alot of 'deeper life' Christian Classics, great in their own right, but for me, they worked discontentment in me concerning what I saw as the shallowness and superficiality of most churches.
This went on for quite some time. Without question, the Lord used the books I was reading to create a deeper thirst in my heart. But likewise, something sinister grew in me as well: Spiritual pride.
I could hardly be in a church service without this horrible attitude of "this is so shallow"......or "this is nothing but a religious pep rally" filling my mind. A critical spirit had filled taken control.
And the fruit of a critical spirit began to invade my life.
Even as I write, I am embarrassed by the fact I ever went here. But the Lord is merciful. Through a period of about 2 years, He delivered me from this 'toxic waste' of the heart, convicting me of allowing spiritual pride into my life.
I humbled myself and rather than criticizing the church, I began to just serve as a simple brother. I determined to be a blessing to my pastor. I determined to be a blessing to my fellow brothers and sisters. I determined to grow in my giving, to, as the Scripture says, "think of others as better than myself".
When that old feeling of criticism began to creep in, I resisted it and renounced it, 'crucifying' this work of the flesh.
That is what it is, folks. Spiritual arrogance and pride is a nasty, gross work of the flesh. It produces bitter water in us. Rather than being a free, joyful, buoyant life-giving personality, we separate ourselves.
We give less. We serve less. We love less.....
......We in effect make ourselves "little judges".
I see this more and more working in many 20 somethings. It is troubling. They have no idea how severely the Lord deals with spiritual pride, the sin of Satan himself. When I see it at work, usually in a younger person, I pray, as the person is so full of themselves and their own ideas they can no longer listen. Honor and respect for their elders has vacated their hearts.
It truly is a most dangerous place to be."

I don't know how many times I've allowed my pride to dictate my impression of people, circumstances & churches. Just wanted to send this your way, in case you recognize yourself, as I have.

Lara

Could you? Would you?

2007-07-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

My home is neat, clean and very quiet. It is a 'sad' thing. The NY crew have headed home, and while they are happy to be back together, we B'ham crew are having our lonely moments.

Now we are trying to get back to our own brand of 'normal'. My pastor & worship leader have asked for a vignette to wrap up the final Sunday of a series on Noah. This part of the process can be easy, but I find myself wondering what his life was like. 'Evan Almighty' has given me plenty of funny and poignant ideas. While Evan's journey only lasted me two hours, Noah's lasted for years. What monotony, what nausea, what smells. In spite of how God brought the animals to him, in spite of how God, Himself closed the door, in spite of the rains, I know myself well enough to realize that those miracles might not have been enough against my doubt. The reality might have overwhelmed me against His plan. I guess that's why He has never asked me to build an enormous boat...

Lara

Time is too short

2007-07-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Isn't it interesting how close Heaven can be when you have those you love around you? My niece and nephews are down here in AL from Poughkeepsie, NY. The house is a WRECK and laughter abounds! Stealing hugs and kisses from a precocious eight year old. Snuggling with a ten year old who has snuggled just that way since he was born. Having 'grown up' conversations with my almost fourteen year old niece. I have heard that in Heaven, we never have to say goodbye to our loved ones, we will have unlimited time together! This month has been a small glimpse of that. There are other people who bring this type of delight into my life. Friends from Liberty Bible College in Pensacola, FL; friends from High Point, NC (after college); friends (and my sista's) from my jobs and my church here in Birmingham, AL. These people are not just friends, they are family. I long to see them on a daily basis, but God calls each one of us to different paths. Some days I can't wait for Heaven. I can't wait for that unlimited time with my friends! Love to all of you!

Lara