Special Things

Birthday's are so very special because its the one's most special to that make you feel so loved.

You know what my friends did, who could ask for dearer friends! But you don't know that my daddy took me out on date last night for ice cream. Forcing him to stay up long into the wee morning hours to study his Sunday school lesson. A certain very special somebody called to wish me happy birthday. My day was fairly brimming over after a delightful meal with my aunts with lovely gifts. One special little journal traveled all the way from Africa! Thinking perhaps my fill of celebration was had I felt very light and happy and chattered blissfully away with my brother. Only to be interrupted with a visit from the family I used to help with another birthday surprise. Perhaps was this how how someone feels when they are pardoned. So very undeserving.

My present chapter in life is not over. Someday I will shall with you thoughts only a precious few have heard. Proclaiming what a glorious thing God had done.

For now I am acutely reminded of God's wondrous grace. Do I dare question God as to why He prompted to all of these very many people to bless in me in such a way? I cannot begin to fathom God's mercies or grace. Only can I seek to tell all will listen who this God is. Sharing of a gift taken already me to give again. Selfish would it be for me to keep it to myself.

Thank you to everyone who gave words, thoughts, gifts, and time.

Thank you to my Lord who saved me with His grace.

Your Grace Still Amazes Me

Tomorrow morning I will be sitting in class trying to keep my eyes open and looking engrossed in people's speeches. It will be a typical Saturday morning for most people. For me it will be the new normal for this spring. Taking a speech from a feminist teacher at the local college isn't my idea fun but it's what I'm doing.

One year ago if you would told me that's where I would be I wouldn't have imagined it. But I'm here, because of God's grace.

What was I doing one year ago from the 28th day of February? I was weeping. Mom was weeping. Something terrible and tragic had not happened. No in its place was a milestone for both mom and me. Eagle Training Center, my parent's school, closed its doors that day simply because it was no longer needed. I the final student ended my studies that day.

The day I had watched and heard of my siblings have was lastly mine. It felt so surreal, like it shouldn't be. Surly I was not on the brink of my 18th birthday about to obtain a diploma. No I was still the little girl that came to school in dress up clothes and fought with my brothers instead of doing school. Yet it was I.

Frustration over algebra that brought ever so many tears now was gone forever. English sentences that never were diagramed right would never haunt me again. Papers that were written long after they should have been were now distance history. The turbulent high school years were over, gone forever.

There had been the rough spots but there had been the joys. Roles in three plays were pure delight to me. Spending time with friends and exploring deeper things of life excited me. On a cold February Sunday I had been baptized. I loved the times our family gathered often I being the assigned cook.

Distant in my memory is the dark moments. Times where both mom and I weren't sure if we would finish the race. Words that ought to have never been uttered came out of my month. Matters that were so little yet seemed so offensive at the time. Now however they were gone.

So why the tears on that day? Because of the grace of our Lord. I know I never would have finished without our great God. Instead I would have washed up mangled on the shoreline of life. Still I was mangled but it was God's grace that was setting me high and saying "look what I have done".

I listened to this song many times on that day, "Your Grace Still Amazes Me". (You will find it towards the end of my playlist) God's grace by no means has ceased and never will cease to amaze me. Humble sinner though I am still He has covered me.

So this is where I am, looking for the next foothold in life. Job, college, missions, who knows? Tomorrow I will live because of God's grace.

Doing the Hard Things

Certain things in life I find quite hard to do. Like walking the 300 feet round trip to the mail box when it's 20 degrees out. I cannot simply stand the idea of going out in the cold just to get a stack of bills and pile of mail that doesn't contain anything for me. So I don't do it and the mail sits waiting for days.
Walking in the cold is just to unpleasant for me. Like teaching a release time Bible class. Teaching 20 3rd graders who don't want to listen and barter away their lunch while your talking is not my idea of fun. Losing my voice because I have to speak quite loud to keep above their decimal level is certainly not a walk in the park.
Tuesday than becomes a day of dread for me, than 40 short minutes its over and I'm free for another week. Suddenly my mind is filled with well meaning thoughts. "Don't have to worry about my Bible lesson for a while". "Won't have to spend another long afternoon in town when I could be home doing nothing". Yes selfish thoughts, thinking only about myself and forgetting about my 20 students. The one's who don't go to church. The one's who come from a broken home. The one's who teach me how to use certain "words" in a whole new way. The little children Jesus died for while He was dying for me.

How can I worship the Lord, thank Him for saving me from my sin and His wonderful grace when I don't even have compassion for His children?

Suddenly I find new strength to do the task given to me. I remember that I am the link to these children for hearing the Gospel. I am the one who knows their names and can pray for them to the One who already knows of the hairs on their heads.

Yes it's hard to do things we don't think are necessary. But God didn't put us here to live life on the beach. God has called us to be laborers in His harvest. Meaning to get out of our comfort zone, like taking a walk in the cold. While duration of the duty may seem unpleasant and the blessing may not be seen right away. Eternal blessings are being reaped.

I will put on my warm coat to shield myself from the cold as I go get the mail. I will pray and prepare for my lesson before I teach. I will praise and thank God for the opportunities He has given me to be His servant.

I teach my Bible class on Tuesday afternoons from 12:15-1:00. Please pray for the children and myself during that time. There also about a 100 other children being taught during the time period of 11:30- 1:00 that is just at one school and one town. Lift up the teachers and children and prayer that the Word of God would shine forth.

My Thoughts, Someone else's Words

I stood unmoving watching the glorious sunset. Many thoughts floated through my mind, I could write them for you here. Instead though I will direct to you another young lady that watched the same sunset. She was in another state hundreds of miles away. She is living a journey far different than mine. However we both are pressing toward the same goal, glorifying our Lord and Savior. Reflect on your own life as you read her reflections.

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow

Today is Thanksgiving, the day to count your blessings. While I see so many blessings often I find it hard to Thank God for everything. I choose today to thank God for all His blessings even the hard one's.

I will see the twenty 3rd grader's that are always talking, who I teach Bible class to as blessing because I'm one the only link they have to the God.

I will see the house that is so clean now but will be dirty so quickly as a blessing because I have family to dirty it.

I will see the pile of dirty dishes as a blessing because they testify that we had food to eat.

I will see the busyness of life that threatens to wear me down as a blessing because it means I have opportunities to minister.

I will see the burned bread as a blessing because we had wheat to make bread.

I will see every hardship as a blessing because it only brings me closer to God.

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!

"Sound of Music", Written by God; Part One

Beautiful, holy, sovereign, was the wedding of my cousin. Just like a fairytale many people would describe my cousins Angela's wedding. However I would describe it as the perfect will of God. Marrying the man of her dreams. Who had been married just one year prior.

My cousin had taken a nanny job, helping a family with 5 children. Tragedy had struck this family as the mother was ill with cancer. Angela helped with home schooling and care of the children among other things. Once while talking about her school and upon graduation students were required to go into missionary service. Angela said how she viewed her job as a mission. Nothing could be more far from the truth. Angela grew closer to the family even vacationing with them in Hawaii. Celebrating their mothers’ recovery from cancer. Shortly after the trip the cancer returned. She died in November.

Angela continued to help the family, the children loved her. Their father did as well.

October of last year found my girl cousins and I having a slumber party. We watched the Sound of Music. A story I never could believe was true and certainly would never be true again. Little did I know the same story would be written for my dear cousin.

Diamond ring found its way on to Angela's finger after a fast paced courtship. A match made in heaven certainly. Who else could love the children and their father?
To be continued...