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

What do you do?

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

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

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

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!!!!