Merry Christmas

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

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

'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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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...

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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