If Need Be

I admit.

I was not paying attention.

Do you ever open the bible when the preacher tells you to, and then keep reading the Bible even though he is done reading and has started preaching?

(don't lie..... I know you do that too!)



I kept reading til I got to the verse in 1 Peter 1:6. It says,......

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials.......

huh?

If need be?

IF NEED BE?


(Don't try to figure this out Becky. You've been there already......)

Branson, Jasper and Booger Hollow

Went to Branson for our 30th anniversary.

We went here when we got married back in 1980 and Branson Mo was a mostly wide spot in the road with a

cool place called "Silver Dollar City".

Back then our hotel had a theater across from it called

"The Corn Crib Theater".

It was one of about three places in town to go for a show and

we were almost the only ones in the theater that night.

My my my! how things change.

Branson today seems to me that it would be the

Southern version of the Las Vegas strip.

Gaudy signs.

A million hotels.

6 million souvenir shops.

I never really cared a whole lot about going,..

until we found the cabin you see in the following photos

It's made going so much more relaxing.

It's a one room deal,..with the giant sleep number bed

right out in the middle of the great room.

(in the above pic,..you can barely see it on the right)

The back porch (below) is completely enclosed and faces the woods.

The kitchen makes it comfortable to eat breakfast and

whatever else you want to cook

(which is nothing in my case)
On the way home, we decided to take

the "scenic" route down Hwy 7.

Jasper has this place called the Ozark Cafe (established 1909).

I thought it'd be closed since it was Sunday afternoon in

Jasper Arkansas.

Nope,..there were about 100 or so people in there.

No lie.

Ozark Cafe was in the middle of the tiny town square.

As I snapped a pic of one of the buildings,..

I noticed a For Sale sign!

Exciting!!

It looked like an old movie theater.

Ralph won't let me call,.......sniff

Everyone in Arkansas should say they've been to Booger Hollow




Kinda fuzzy but you can see that we have a double decker outhouse in Booger Hollow.
(Make sure you are always on the top)

Faith, Faithful and Obey

Faith.
Faithful.

These two things are very different aren't they?
I can be faithful at alot of things but that doesn't mean I'm the least bit "full of faith".

There's been times that I've gone to church regularly for weeks, but have been further away from God than an addict on skid-row.
I was a "faithful" attender. But my "faith" was weak.

God expects both from us.

Another thing I'm dealing with is obedience.
Last Sunday morning, I gave a wide-open lesson of about 12 cool stories in the 15th, 16th and 17th chapters of I Samuel. Every one of them is huge and I have no idea why I crammed 'em all into our Bible hour.
The main point of my lesson dealt with David's anointing and how the new King of Israel went straight back to tending sheep. I just took the long road to get there! :)

However,...the next morning at 5:30 am sharp,..I was awakened by the thought (or was it a still small voice?) that to Obey is better than sacrifice.

You see,...in one of the passages I'd read to the teens Sunday morning,...,...there was an admonishment to Saul because he talked liked he did things God's ways,..but he really didn't.

Samuel the prophet scolded him and said "...To Obey is better than sacrifice...."

Saul wasn't "real" sinful,..he just didn't do all the things he was supposed to.

(just teasin,....God rejected Saul completely for his sins of attitude)

But here's the deal,...I didn't spend any time at all on that particular passage because I was zooming to David's anointing.

I wasn't the least bit convicted of that passage on Sunday.

Hebrews 4: 12 talks about "...the Word of God is living and active,.." and I'm telling ya,..I've been reminded!

I think God spoke to me early Monday morning through Samuel the prophet!

(don't be jealous)

He just woke me right up and reminded me that I talk about reading God's word,..but I'm not faithful at all.

Just like Saul.

Somebody Get The Fly Swatter!

If you are afraid of spiders (like ME)

BUT

enjoy tormenting one, (again,..like ME)..here's your chance.

Click the link below and poke away!

http://www.onemotion.com/flash/spider/

My To-Do List

I've got a BIG to-do list:

Finish the book of Acts.
I've been going through it for about a month and a half and Paul is just now reaching Jerusalem! There is a divine reason that I am immersing myself in the book at this very moment in my life.

Ponder the book of The Radical.
Read about it here.
That's why I'm studying Acts I think.
I think it's a God thing.
This book has turned me on my ear.
My friend Kay and all the sales people at Mardels told me it would.

Stay off of Jacksonville-Cutoff Road.
That narrow stretch of road is always insane with freeway traffic, no shoulders, 1800 side roads, 49,016 mailboxes, a dozen joggers and at least one crazy mother pushing a baby stroller.

Officially welcome the newest member of my family.
Lily Savannah made her earthly arrival last Monday.
You can see pictures of her on her mom and dad's facebook. Thank you Amanda and Ryan for being in my family and for making it more beautiful and wonderful than it already was.

Go on a mission trip.
Gotta get my passport first.
I keep saying that I need my Visa but Ralph says that's only if I want to work there (hee hee)
Wonder where I will go?

Get counseling to find out how to parent.
You'd think after 23 years, I'd be up on this topic, but I swear I'm getting dumber.
Not because my girls say so, but because I feel so.

Sell my van.
Anyone out there need a beat up gas guzzler with no air conditioner?
No?
I didn't think so.

Re-do our "playroom"
I guess I need to re-name it too. They don't play much in there anymore,..they mostly sit and watch movies or play Wii.
The current jungle design was created by Jae and Casey. Remember when Zebra, Leopard and bamboo was in style?
Abby has way different taste. I think we have dark gray in the future. Dark,..dark,..dark,...gray. It will be pretty dark


Never forget the level of pain that some people are going through.
I heard this song this afternoon and I was acutely reminded of the
despair I felt after Jae's death.
Michael O'Brien is singing this song,
but I think it actually was written by Matt Hybarger.

There are lots of us out there who are in deep pain and suffering.

Pain Changes Us

I spent some time today speaking today with a friend who has undergone immense trouble recently.
I am not sure what she was like before her pain,..but she is sure an amazing woman now.
Fearless.
Impetuous.
Refreshingly honest.
Tender.
Godly.
Hysterically funny.
Compassionate.
Lit flat up for God.


You know that phrase "what doesn't kill ya will make you stronger"?
Well,..I don't always agree with it.
I can think of some who aren't stronger because of the terrible things they've endured.
No judgement from me in their regards,...but I take issue with the assumption that pain always strengthens.
Does pain change everyone?
Yep.
That I would agree with 100%.

God pretty much guarantees His followers pain.
"Count on it" He says. (too many scriptures to list)
I'm sure His disciples thought to themselves the same thing I have grappled with even today.
What kind of crazy plan is that?
God wants me to be more like Him but part of that process is to....hurt?

I don't know about you,...but I really don't remember that being part of my alter call. Maybe they explained it to me but "Taking up my cross" didn't mean much to me at 15 years old.

I'm going to start actively teaching my daughters and teenagers at church differently.

Hopefully, I will embrace the idea even as I recoil from it.

God-followers are refined in a variety of ways,..but nothing has purified me like the pain.

Garmins, Deadbolts and Drunks

It's midnight.
It's storming in Virginia.
My daughters have so far, driven 18 hours to get to a town in that state.
At the moment they 2 hours from their destination and lost.
And exhausted.
"Maps? Who needs maps?" they said this morning. "We have the Garmin."

Ralph is trying to find a hotel which is close to where they are.
I am trying to remain calm.
Ralph's hairy daughter is even looking a bit stressed.

Still, as they drive through the darkened sleeping town of Charlottesville, my weary girls have suddenly perked up and are noticing stores and buildings to visit "first thing in the morning".

A phone call just informed us that "they are all locked in for the night".
Finally.
I can rest for the first time since 5 a.m.

(I have emailed Casey a map.)

******addendum to the above:******
text messages arrive to my phone about 20 minutes they are in their room:
Abby: I don't like it here.
me: Why?
Abby: (silence)
Me: ?
Abby: There are men outside our room.
Me: What are the men doing?
Me: Are ya'll locked in with the deadbolt in place?
Abby: Yeah....
Abby: I'm scared mommy.
Me: Did they say anything to you?
Abby: (silence)
Me: Call me.
Abby: I can't. Casey's sleeping.
Me: Well wake her up!
Me: (I try to call her)
Abby: Bad service. Can't answer your call.
Abby: I think they're drunk. They just left.
Me: If Casey is sleeping then it must be safe. Deadbolts are safe too.
Never hesitate to call 911 if you need someone to help you.
Me: TV on?
Abby: No.
Me: Good. You are exhausted. but safe with your sister and your dad and my prayers.
Sleep now. OK?

Silence for the rest of the night.
No rest for me after all....