Prayer Door

Recently, there were so many prayer needs within my circle of friends that I was having a terrible time trying to remember them all. Yes, I could certainly make a list on a piece of paper or in my journal, but I wouldn't always see it.

Then I remembered that I had these white board stick-on pages I'd picked up last year. They're about 11x17, so that would accommodate the people I wanted to remember to pray for. I stuck one up on the door to my studio since I'm in and out of there throughout the day. Naturally, I started out with a tidy list with plenty of white space for writing the answers to those prayers. It didn't take long to discover that I was going to run out of space rather quickly. I guess I could stick another one of those sheets on the door. Although these sheets don't always stay up so well (notice the top left corner starting to peel back). And being of the dry erase variety meant that people could inadvertently erase portions. Hmmmm....



Too bad I couldn't turn my entire door into a big dry erase board. But I'd still have the problem of inadvertent erasure.

Paint it with chalkboard paint? Same issue.

So why not write on the door? With Sharpies (or the Bic version)? It's my door, right? I can always paint over it when it's all full. I don't have to worry about accidental erasure. I have WAY more colors of Sharpies/Bics than dry erase markers. It's also big enough to include scripture at the top. A long scripture, even.





Using the magic of Photoshop brushes, I blurred out information that I didn't think needed to be public. You know, names are blurred to protect the innocent, or something like that. Hopefully what's left is generic enough. If you know it's about you, know that you're being prayed for.

So what creative ways, or not so creative ways, have you found to help you remember those for whom you want to pray?

He Knows

It's one of those days. One son alternates between obnoxious provocation and angry tantrums. Somewhere in the midst is the place of cooperation and motivation, though he's seen it only once today. At least to the best of my recollection.

I read a new cookbook while eating lunch. The boys are rude, dishonoring, and inappropriate. It's enough. I grab my meal and my drink and retreat to the studio. I will not spend my lunch with these unruly juveniles. They know clearly why I've left. I told them. Apologies are offered, yet it continues once I'm gone.

Lord, will these boys ever mature? Ever be friends? Ever make the right choices? Myopic vision keeps me in the here and now, unable to see a day when they'll grow beyond this childish nonsense.

Holy Experience has arrived in my inbox. I read the title of Ann's current post - When Life Heats Up and know that God sent this. He knew I would need this. Right now.

He always knows, doesn't He? He's omniscient, after all. He's GOD. There's nothing He doesn't know.

But I forget. I need reminders. I'm ever grateful that God is such a faithful reminder - through His word, His Spirit, His people, the internet, and so much more. He uses any and everything He chooses.

Thank You, Lord, for Your perfect timing as You brought me to my desk and to this post. I am, yet again, humbled and reminded that I need to let the pressure do its work. Give me the patience, the mental time-out, and the grace to stay the course.

Prayers for Hulcy Family

Many of you know of Jessica Hulcy (founder of KONOS homeschool curriculum). She was in an accident yesterday and I'm helping get the word out so people will pray for her. Her husband is Wade and they have four sons that have all been homeschooled. She is a sweet and encouraging lady who's brought so much to the homeschool community.

From one of her sons last night:

Jessica's Ford Explorer was broadsided in Melissa, TX about 11:30 on Monday morning. We think she was hit by a volunteer fire truck responding to an accident. After a 25 minute extrication process she was Life Flighted as a level 1 (the most severe) trauma case to Parkland Hospital in Dallas.

She is still in critical condition. Here is what we know so far:

1. She is still unconscious but is moving all four limbs and attempting to pull the tubes out of her throat which is encouraging to the doctors.

2. Major Lung trauma, punctures to both lungs. Both were collapsed. One is now working well and they are still draining the other. Doctors are checking for possible damage to wind pipe and trachea.

3. Head trauma. Medium amounts of blood on the brain. Closely monitoring this to see if it improves. Surgery not necessary now, but possible to come.

4. As of now multiple broken ribs on both sides, broken left wrist, broken left arm in 2 places. Will require surgery. Possible broken left leg and right wrist. She has undergone 4 hrs of X-rays, over 1000 X-rays taken so far. They are working the broken bones in the order of most life threatening so there is a possibility of more discovery of broken bones.

Most recent update this morning:

I spoke with Wade a few minutes ago. There is no change in Jessica's status since the report last night. The doctors are waiting for her to wake up. Wade asks that we pray for her mental/brain status.

Thank you for your prayers.

Behind Schedule

I began to grade papers and fill in today's assignments last night, but was stopped for an online meeting with my friends over at the Homeschool Blog Awards. Right at the beginning, we found out that another friend's 3 year old son was missing. He had been missing for three hours by this time. Needless to say, our meeting took a different turn, as each woman stopped to pray. While I wish there'd been a different outcome, Marsha's son was pulled from the pond (very large pond) later last night. Marsha is a team member at Heart of the Matter and there's a tribute to Christian (her son) posted there today. Please drop by and please pray for this family - David, Marsha, and Christian's two older brothers (ages 9 and 7).

Somehow I could never get back to grading and assigning last night. Some things just don't seem so important in light of such tragedy. So we'll be a little behind schedule this morning. It's hard to wrap my brain around all this. Sweet little Christian is safe and happy in the arms of Jesus. His family knows this. They know they'll see him again. Yet I can't fathom how incredibly devastating to have this loss in their lives. My heart just breaks for them. Praying for peace, for comfort, for everything they need right now.

Heather has a very lovely post here and she will be updating with all tribute links, as well as donation information. Be sure to stop by.

“And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 1 Corinthians 12:26

Blindsided

You'd think I'd be more aware by now. You'd think I'd learn to be on the look out. But since it happens in a realm I don't see, I still wander off into complacency and forget that there is a very real battle with a very real enemy, who really doesn't want me to live a godly life. But here it is - spiritual warfare - right smack in my face.

The signs were there, too. We just wrapped up Ephesians chapter 6 and the armor of God this past weekend at church. Our little group just started the Daniel Bible study last Friday. I'm diligently trying to keep homeschool on track. The ladies' retreat is coming up. But did I recognize all the signs? Oh no. I just went skipping on down the trail, oblivious as could be, right into the big, dark forest.

Until last night.

I was getting very edgy and irritable. Generally annoyed with everything and nothing. Clutter in the house was screaming at me. My brain was flying around like a tilt-a-whirl, each seat filled with images of what I ought to be doing.

I finally had to escape to the bedroom, sit on the floor, and cry out to God. He quietly reminded me that the attack level had become elevated over the past couple of days. The enemy knows full well how and where to get me derailed. When things seem to spin wildly out of control and threaten to overwhelm me, I have a couple of "instinctive" coping mechanisms. Neither one works, by the way.

First, I just want to take a break for the next week. Nobody talk to me, no one get in my way, no homeschool, just leave me alone so that I am free to regain alleged control of my life. You can already see why this one doesn't pan out. I never did have any control anyway - that's God's thing, not mine. Mine is to take my burdens to Him, trust Him, and rest in Him. His is to control this life He's given me.

Second, I want to run away from it all. Yeah, escapism at its finest. The problem there is that it will all be there when I return. Only messier. That plan is equally unsuccessful.

For whatever reason, I seem to feel the need to run things through those first two silly and useless filters. Then I get to the place I should've come to. Or the person, I should say.

GOD

He is the only one who can lead me successfully through the minefield of distractions and irritations. He is the only one big and powerful enough to alleviate my anxieties. He is the only one who is completely capable of handling everything that comes my way. Not only that, He knew it was coming. WAY before I saw it.

So. Time to lay each burden, frustration, concern, and problem down. Time to let Him take over. The only job He gives me in return?


Seek Him

Listen to Him

Trust Him


His burden truly is light. I just have to make the choice to lay mine down in order to take on His.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

Doesn't "rest for your souls" sound absolutely wonderful?

Thursday Thoughts

Wow! A few days went zinging by somehow. I didn't post for Tales From the Scales on Tuesday because I need new scales. Replacing the batteries didn't resolve the problem. Phooey!

Thought I'd get something up for Wordless Wednesday, but obviously that didn't happen either. You can go check out some other WW pix though.

There's some big news over at Sprittibee if you'd like to find out the lastest in their life adventures.

A dear 27-year old single mom is in tremendous need of prayer and encouragement. I found out about her via Especially Heather (who also needs continued prayer and encouragement). Please add Nicole and her son to your prayers.

I've just been in and out (mostly out) a LOT this week, it seems. As much as I try to get things done around the house, I'm not accomplishing much. More of a one step forward, two steps back kind of deal. Sigh.

Tonight I'm off to a rubber stamp club gathering. Should be fun and then we (Mom, my friend, and me) get to head over to Starbucks. Yum! My sister's working tonight, so we'll pop in and say "hi" to her.

Oh, I know I've mentioned sleep issues in the past and my mom recently told me about a wonderfully awesome thing to help. You just rub a couple of drops of lavender oil on the bottom of your feet before going to sleep (be sure to wash your hands afterwards). It really works! Really well! Hubby & I have both been sleeping SO well. It doesn't make you all groggy and goofy in the morning like the PM pain revlievers can. Even my mom, who has had some bigger sleep issues than me for quite awhile, has been sleeping marvelously for around 3 weeks now. Plus it smells good!

And no, there's no correlation between the Starbucks visit at night and sleeplessness! LOL! On those nights of insomnia, I hadn't had any caffeine since around lunch time.

That's about it, I guess. Oh, I need to get cracking on school plans for this year, as we need to start within the next month.

It's always something, but that's okay. Life may seem a little chaotic at times (from my perspective), but honestly, my life is pretty good really. Things could be so much more difficult. But whether it's easy or hard, chaotic or smooth, God is always there. He's always available, He's always faithful, and He'll never leave nor forsake me (or you!).

Blessings to you!

Soda Free Week

For all you who've been encouraging me to back off the Dr. Pepper, you'll be very pleased to hear that I am fasting from ANY and ALL soda this week. Saturday night at church, our pastor encouraged the congregation to pray about fasting this week. He said whether it was a specific meal or a specific item, he felt led to mention this. It didn't take very long at all for me to sense that God wanted me to STEP AWAY FROM THE DR. PEPPER. While I do have a pretty major DP addiction, it goes beyond that to soda in general. If I cannot have DP, I'll search out some secondary substitute.

So today when I WASN'T having Dr. Pepper, I was praying. Whenever I THINK about Dr. Pepper I stop and pray. Then I drink something else - water, lemonade, milk, iced tea, etc.

I know that I fall short in praying continually, yet I know that is what God calls me to do. I suspect this may be a good start, though. I think quite a bit about Dr. Pepper, so if I turn to God in those moments, my prayer life will definitely increase.

Rejoice always;
Pray without ceasing;
Give thanks in all things; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

2 Thess 5:16-18

Update on Heather

I think Heather's response from Saturday says it all, "I am still standing." What a remarkable statement to make - only two days after having a good-sized tumor removed from one's brain! Praise God that she has use of her arms and legs, is getting around, and able to communicate. I'm not sure about speech, but obviously she can type. She also posted yesterday about the type of tumor.

Please continue to pray for Heather, Mark, their kids, their parents, and the medical staff. God is good and He is faithful and I pray that He would be glorified through this.

Heather's Surgery & Prayer

Heather's surgery is scheduled for today at the Mayo Clinic. For the complete story, click here. The last I checked, over $18,000 had been raised to help her and her family with expenses. That is just mind-blowing. While the internet has served many purposes, how awesome is it that the blogosphere could be used for such a blessing?

Please pray for Heather, Mark, the kids, their families, the staff at Mayo, and anyone else who may enter into this picture.

I find it interesting that her surgery is also the National Day of Prayer. Hopefully many of us will spend some extra time in prayer today. The needs are many. Of course, we ought to be on our knees as diligently year round, but maybe a day like today will help get us on track.

Many blessings to you!

Helping Heather

Today's the day that BooMama is providing the opportunity for us to bless Heather and her family. If you'd like to find out more about Heather's story, click the link in my sidebar. If you'd like to help out, click here. Please be sure to pray for Heather, Mark, and the kids. On Friday, she has an appointment in Orlando (opinion #2) and next Thursday, they fly to the Mayo Clinic (opinion #3). We just have to remember that God's opinion is bigger than all of them. He's in control and He loves her as much as ever.

For Heather

The new link on my sidebar is for a sweet sister in Christ, Heather, who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. She's a wife, mom of three, homeschooler, and she's already been through quite a lot with her youngest daughter. Now she's facing an even bigger trial. If you're interested in reading Heather's story, you can go here. You can also read about her daughter, Emma Grace, on the left sidebar below Heather's picture. While there may not be a lot of people who read my blog, I still wanted to add this link and do my part to get the word out. If God leads you to help - prayer, encouragement, giving - then the information is available. For me, it's one small thing I can do to reach out to a sister in the Body of Christ.

In the meantime, I pray that you would enjoy this day that the Lord has given you, that you would take a few moments and thank Him for the blessings in your life, that you would spend just a little time taking in what seems to be ordinary, and realizing what a gift our lives truly are.