HEART'S CRY

I'm home from a week at a Directors training with Royal Family Kids which is a camp for abused and neglected children!  They experience and see a real family in action and have the opportunity to feel God's love!  My training began Saturday night with an intensive curriculum based on the most recent brain research and evidence based practice.  Sunday afternoon we were taught by a social worker who had her Doctorate and is a professor at college with a heart from God for children and who co directed the camp we were at.    We trained intensively but what we experienced was truly from God.  The camp is set up from beginning to end with such intentionality and love.  I want to share my own experience today and then tomorrow will share what I saw. I had the honor of meeting and spending countless hours with Wayne and Diane Tesch who are the founders of Royal Family as well as four of their amazing people and 16 director trainees from Colorado, Ohio, Br...

  Where am I?  Am I lost?  Or have I just lost it! Andy Stanley reminds us in his book, The Principle of the Path, that we have to know where we are.  What path we are on.  To strip away all of the self-deception and lies and mask and self-perceptions and self-righteousness. (My paraphrase!)       We cannot get on a new path if we will not leave the one we are on!!!     This is true in so many area of my life.  I walk along knowing that the path I'm on is not the one I'm supposed to take but having a sense of settling and apathy.     Like Eyore walking down a path.  I can hear him now.  "Oh well.  Guess I'm on the wrong path.  Oh well.  Guess I'll just have to keep walking.  Nobody cares." Sometimes we've gone so far down the path that we are on that we know that we can't just back up!  That part of our life is gone so we think we have to keep going on the same road...

http://thisheavenlylife.blogspot.com/2011/07/simple-summer-schemes-scavenging.html Check out this awesome Mom and summer activity with kids!!!!!!  It is awesome!

Five Minute Friday: Begin. Toes.   Amazing things We take for granted sometimes Toes are those five little nubs connected to your feet We wash them and lotion them (hopefully) We tickle them and rub them We sink them into the sand or the mud We feel the grass, the carpet and the rocks We feel cold floors and hot cement with them After walking with my husband last night I didn't feel them I remembered they were still there when they began to hurt Seeing them through kids' eyes  As if seeing them first the first time Can you believe these wiggly things are connected to me? How many can you see? Take off the socks and count them Sing songs about them all the way home Watch them wiggle Put them together with brother and friend Toes Amazing things We take for granted sometimes Stop: Take a picture of my toes! My toes.  His toes.  Your toes.

I had plans for supper.  Meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  When I pulled the meatloaf out of the oven when everyone finally got home...it wasn't done.   So...dessert sounded good.  I had a wonderful and unplanned time with my hubby and youngest son laughing and talking at a local fast food place.   Watching dynamics behind the counter gave us lots to talk about.   Life, character and goal setting were topics as well as some others that only two men can find humorous so I won't share here...   Sidenote:I'm amazed at my husband who can go from a philosophical and insightful conversation to one... not so insightful! Coming home we saw a homeless man walking up to a store which led to another discussion about our choices when we see someone in need.   Do we care?  Do we have compassion or suddenly become distracted by something the other direction?  How must that feel to them-to walk through life having others lo...

The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley is profound.  Simple.  True.   I wanted to share this book with you now instead of when I'm done so 1.) you can get it now and 2.) you'll know where my comments are coming from for the next few weeks.   Today I'll share a few quotes: "When someone is where he doesn't want to be, he already knows the solution; what he needs is direction.  There is no fix for being lost.  To get from where we don't want to be to where we do want to be requires two things:  time and change of direction.  There isn't a quick fix." Stanley, Andy 11 Principle of the Path "Direction-not intention-determines our destination." Please jump on board with me as we work to change the path we are on and the directions we are going.  

My dog Oreo ran to the back door to look out at the boys grilling.  I opened the door and he was so excited that he just ran around the inside of the house.  I had to shut the door and then open it again so he would go out.   I said, "Oreoooo-if you want out......you have to walk through the door."   Stopped me in tracks and I sucked in a breath. I know God was saying the same thing to me!

Desire:  A longing.  A yearning.  Thirsty in the Greek is to desire eagerly. A desire in itself is not a bad thing.  In fact I believe we were all born with strong desires.  A desire within us for eternity.  A God shaped hole in our soul that can only be filled-truly filled by Jesus.  I desire...long for and am compelled to pray for my children, their hearts and minds, their future spouses and calling and their children.  I desire and long and yearn to see people find hope and healing.  I desire to do what I'm supposed to be doing.   Desires are different then goals and expectations and much different if they are based on something other then "what I want." I believe desire fuels our passion and passion fuels our calling.  A passion to love our husbands and our children.  A deep desire to love God.  A passion to make a difference.  To live in a passionless life is captivity.  Within helplessness and wi...

My young man spent the evening with his Dad and Mom at the Relay for Life in the park following us "cheerfully" around and taking pictures and videos when I asked.  During a break we walked together around the park looking at the names on the Luminaries remembering those loved ones lost and the loved ones fighting on.   He was so kind.  His spirit is a luminary.  He doesn't like to stand out or be up front.  Talking with others isn't comfortable to him so he likes to stay around the edges of things.   He watches people and sees things in them that no one else can.  Not very people fathom the depth of my sweet youngest but we do.  He is a luminary.  Underestimating him is something that God never does.  With any of us! So tonight I pray that God will place the light of His love and His Spirit within him.  That God will wash the windows of his mind and heart so that everyone can know him the way that I do.  That he ...

  Decisions on what to do with our old shed?  Tear it down?  Fix it up?  Paint it or side it?  Is it just a building?  Four walls and an old door. We moved into this house 13 years ago with three little boys.  This old shed began an amazing journey with us. It had a crab apple tree in front of it.  The boys pulled a pallet up into the tree and nailed ladders and wood to the tree until it died. It became the play house.Trucks, animals and toys continuously fell out of it.  I see this shed and I see these little boys playing under a tree. Then it was a fort.  Tanks, guns, airplanes, horses and trucks filled the shed from the little attic to the bottom.  In fact the wall was pushed out of the back so that it was a perfect hiding place to capture a brother running around it.  One day I looked out and a plank was going from the roof to the garage roof and the fort expanded to the lookout tower on the garage. Then it became a s...

Tonight is our local Relay for Life and my husband and I are part of the ceremonies this year.  I have to admit that it is our first year of being involved and not something that I've known much about.  Very humbling to part of something that celebrates such courageous people. Start: Cancer The word brings the feeling of fear The disease The heartache The fear The struggle  The hope Cancer The disease takes it's toll as our bodies turn against us It fights us and tries to shake itself of life It pits parts of us against the other It tries to steal and destroy from those who have it We seek a cure The cure A cure But there is another cancer This cancer attacks us all Sin The word brings fear It attacks our minds and our hearts. Destroying lives and minds. Stealing, killing and destroying.   Not your sin or my sin Sin The all encompassing seed that everyone of us carries within One that can be nurtured and grown Or one that can be destroyed Only one cure Jesus ...

The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright is intensely thought provoking for such a simple and easy read.  It is a book about life, love and redemption.   Redemption and forgiveness which leads to restoration.  Jack and Laurel began their life together with the promise of a letter and ended it in the same way .   Please take the time to read this amazing story!

  Live intentionally! Every Thursday, we come together to share the harvest of intentional living by capturing a glimpse of the bigger picture through a small moment! I Lost It For A Minute! In a moment of fear and anxiety last night...I lost it.   Lost perspective.  Lost the Big Picture.  Lost peace and patience.  I almost lost the beauty because of it.  I almost lost the time to look at the big picture.  A peaceful lake.  Beautiful sunset.  Adventurous youth.  Laughter. Climbing the tree! Jumping in to life! Their boldness scares me because I've lost mine.  Their spontaneity I admire.   Their risk taking and their envelope pushing and high energy are all things I want back in my life.   The Big Picture Through a Small Moment was when I looked back and saw my youth all together talking and laughing around the fire.   No T.V.  No music.  No phones...

Honesty is in short supply in our world.  When we accept lies-we reject the truth.  When we shove the truth under the table then the lies are all that remain on it.  Then we pass them around the table and walk away with them in our hands and the truth hanging around our ankles. Tables are great places for problems to be addressed, vision to be shared, and new ideas nurtured.  The table is the place to put the questions, opinions, values and hearts upon and gives everyone the turn to share theirs.  How can problems be addressed if we are not honest with ourselves and each other?  In our families, friends, churches and as professionals.  If we just work on the lies then that is what gets circulated and built upon. The truth Truly does set us free!!!!

http://footstepgardener.blogspot.com/2011/07/beautiful-prairie.html

I'm letting go... I'm SO letting go Today Is my day My day to let go Today I'm letting go of the predictable  The easy The normal The what is  Today I'm letting go of my fears My should of and my could of My maybe My somedays Today I've decided to let go Throwing caution to the wind Giving expectations the boot Living a life of release Today Is my day My day to let go Today I'm letting go Prying my fingers off safety Loving the butterflies in my tummy As over the edge I go Today Is my day My day to let go Today I'm throwing up my arms Getting a running start Making the jump Throwing myself into His arms Today  Is my day My day to let go

Life is always an adventure when one travels across Nebraska and South Dakota!  Topography changes depend on the hill one is going over.  From hills rolling into each other to sharp breaks and sand dunes.  Sage, yucca, short grass and hip high grass waving in the constant wind. I went up through Hyannis, Whitman, Gordon, Rushville, Hay Springs, Chadron to Sturgis and back down another way. My SD Sky!! Caleb loves history so we enjoyed our drive.  I've always wanted to see what Buffalo Gap was and the very large stone house has intrigued me for years so we turned off and found ourselves in an adorable little community...but no buffalo.  We laughed and giggled so much when he said to me, "Mom were you really expecting to find a buffalo in a gap?"  He was terrified that I was going up to the door of the beautiful house to ask where the buffalo was... The two lane road between Rapid City, SD and Chadron, NE is really taking shape.  I exclaimed...

Start: Hope Belief Faith Vision Hope within my heart and my mind Built upon my faith and the truth Moves my hands and my feet Propels my love Holds my hand Shines the light Holds me close Hope builds Hope marches on Hope sits and cries Hope gets up and shakes off the dust Hope holds my chin up Hope ties me with others Hope is the beautiful flower The seeds that are flung wide Hope lies green under the grass  Hope is the trunk of the tree Hope is spring of the river Hope is map that guides me Hope heals. Stop.

I've been reflecting the past few days on the church body and our responsibilities and relation to it.  We are not to "go" to church.  We are to "be" the church.  What is our role?  Can we say as Paul did to the Romans that he "thanks my God because of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world."   Is our faith a hot fire in our very being or some kind of imitation flame we put up on the mantel for decoration? When I was a girl my favorite job was to take out the trash because we lived in the country and I would get to start the fire.  Growing up the way we did taught us also to respect that flame and the consequences of it.   I have to admit I loved playing in the fire barrel.  To light a twisted piece of paper and then touch it to others and then watch them all come together into a giant flame that radiated heat. We have the responsibility as believers if that is who we say we are to keep the fire of our faith a...

Live intentionally! Every Thursday, we come together to share the harvest of intentional living by capturing a glimpse of the bigger picture through a small moment! Today I'm thinking about COUSINS. Mine.  My boys'.   I have seven sisters and umpteen nieces and nephews which gives my boys an amazing group of cousins.   Although my boys are quite a bit older then most...they love and cherish every cousin.   My youngest has been in South Dakota for quite some time and wasn't quite ready to come home because he had not been able to see all the Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. What a blessing that is.   To know that this giant family tree that will grow and spread will forever be bound by the same trunk with roots deep into history, tradition, love and responsibility to each other and with each other.  Family trees are not about a name on a graph or a picture on the tree but it is about BEING family.   Invested.  Inte...

  Breathlessly finished and very begrudgingly dropped it off at the library!  The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin was a journey.  A long and grueling and beautiful trip.   I loved every minute of it.  Hope you take the time to read it!  You won't regret it! http://charlesmartinbooks.com/books/the_mountain_between_us/

Last night we had supper with friends in their new home which is beautiful!  An amazing couple and little boy and a very peaceful and comfortable place to be!  I checked out the backyard while they were grilling and fell in love!   Dill, strawberries, rhubarb, grape vines and flowers were stubbornly holding on and flourishing in the jungle of weeds the previous owners had left.  The yard has been taken over and the bushes and trees were pretty wild! But through all of that one could see the care, passion and love that someone had put into this yard.  The strawberries had a broken screen to protect them from the birds.  The grapes their own place.  The daisies all tucked in together in the back.  Someone had put stepping stones down to make a path around the side of the house. Two lessons I took to heart: 1.  We can't just look at things-people, environments, places, or our own hearts...we have to SEE!  See what is beyond the j...