a chuckle

from who we are going to visit in Morocco. She and her son were on a bus going home and it passed their stop. It was dark by now and although it did stop not too far away, she was very uncomfortable. This is how neat our Father is. When she got off, a lady did also and started to question her about where she was walking, etc. And this is what our Father did for her and her son.

"On a lighter note - a language blunder - and this one in English! When the "police woman" escorted us home she quickly told me she was a "police woman" in English, but with her accent, I thought she was saying she was a POLISH woman. So, we talked back and forth in Arabic and some English. She knew a bit of English, but not a lot. She must have told me two or three times that she was a "police woman" and I was thinking "well, I'm really glad that you're proud of your heritage". Eventually I asked her if it was dangerous for her to walk from our house to hers by herself, and again she responded, "no, because I'm a "police woman" - me thinking "POLISH". And, again, I thought "what difference does it make if you are Polish or British or Australian, you're still walking alone", but I didn't say anything. Then she pulled out her ID card and it said in plain English "police" and had a picture of her in uniform. Then I was really smiling inside that the Lord had provided such timely intervention and an opportunity to laugh!

We're so very thankful for the Lord's promise to never leave us or forsake us…thankful for His guidance and encouragement…thankful for His grace and mercy. Please pray that we would be bright lights in this dark place.

today my adam is

23. It is actually hard to believe. I mean, he looks 23, acts 23, sounds 23. But, when I think that it has been 23 years since the first time I met him, now that is hard to believe. It is also very bittersweet. I so enjoy having our sons as our friends. I love hearing their views, taking their advice, watching them as adults……and at the same time…….my heart swells up and I have to close my eyes to keep the tears in. Particularly when I allow regret to come in. That I did not live each and every day to the fullest. That I allowed many precious minutes to fly by. When I would love to go back to day one and “do over”. Not to really change a lot. Just to enjoy the do over. And then my Father brings me comfort in memories. Many, many memories. Many filled with laughter, with smiles, with just being goofy. How full my treasure chest truly is.

He will leave in just six months. He will leave with his brother. They will have their own “home”. A place where they will create family memories without mom and dad. And that is okay. That is a part of life that I have prayed for them to have. Knowing that one day Curt and I will be gone, I want them to have their own memories to keep them even closer. To help blend their future families. For our future grandchildren to grow up more as siblings than cousins.

Happy Birthday to my special prince. That is what you are. For you so love and serve the King of Kings. I shall always look at your face and see the many images of years past. That first sighting in the delivery room, that blond curly hair above those eyes so blue they looked black. Forever will I hold that precious face as you looked up at me and smiled, in the middle of the night, as you were nursing. The sound of feet running to the door, the look of excitement and joy - because you heard your daddy’s key in the door. The times you taught, shared, loved, teased your brother - and still do. I love your sense of humor. I love the choices you have made. The friends you fill your life with. I am so very proud of “whose” you are. I am excited to see where He is leading you. And there will continue to be times when I have to close my eyes. You know, to keep the tears in.

Christopher Adam - Happy Birthday my precious son. Philippians 1:3,4

supper last night

was delicious. Roasted chicken with artichokes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, seasoned pepper and balsamic vinegar.

While preparing it………

Nichalas: “Why are artichokes so sweet?”
Matt: “I don’t know.”
Nichalas: “Because they’re all heart.”
Matt: “Ha-Ha”



Deby: “Oh Nichalas stop, you’ve got me all choked up.”

"Grace is not a blue-eyed blond."

Define grace in your own words.

The kiss Christ allowed Judas to give Him in the garden. And then He called him friend. When I am as Judas, He still calls me friend. The tears He wept while kneeling in the garden - the tears He wept for me. Releasing His soul to darkness-for me. Raising from death to live. He didn't "go on" and forget me. He came back for me and then "went on". He keeps me.

to come so far...

and then regress back in just a moment. I love our God. I really, really do. I wouldn't know or want to know what a life without Him would be like. I know that I am His child. I know that He loves me so much He gave me Jesus. I know and believe all of this. And then with just a few words....I fall back to who I was when I was growing up. The feelings that come make me want to vomit. It makes me doubt everything about me. Words have so much power. But, only if I allow them.

Thankfully, my regression only lasts for a very short time. How I pray that that time will one day be none at all. Until then, He surrounds me in His gentle love. How thankful I am for that.

I am facilitating an awesome study, "Conversation Peace" -Mary A Kassian. Wow. There are not a lot of questions, so I underline high points to discuss. More and more I find myself underlining whole sections.

I love how she said this, "When King David was focused on what he should have been receiving from the people who bothered him - respect and kindness, for example-he had nothing good to say. Yet when he becomes focused on his relationship to God and kept his focus there, he found himself filled with "a new song" and began to say good things to his adversaries.

A focus on scarcity results in stinginess while a focus on abundance results in generosity. If we focus on the resources of God, we realize we have an abundance to give. On the other hand, if we focus on what we should be getting from others, we become "stingy" and reluctant to give.

Now that is where true power of words lie. His Words. Each and every one of them.

Things are......

getting checked off my list. So far, I have gotten our home completely organized and cleaned - except the kitchen cupboards and now am ready to paint. That is a problem....what colors do I choose? I am blessed with a husband who is happy with anything I pick, it's just I don't know. We have one job of brush removal to do for a client and are waiting on the weather to change. Right now it is snowing and everything is covered nicely with white icing. It is so beautiful out here today. I love our Father's paintbrush.

There is a sense of urgency in getting my "to do" list completed soon, very soon. We are taking a trip across the ocean to visit our friends the McMichaels in Morocco for ten days. I am already anticipating nonstop mowing when we get back - which is why I want to get everything done before. This could be our last family vacation. The guys are moving to Chicago this fall to begin the next stage of life. It is exciting - bittersweet. Adam is applying to Columbia and Nichalas has been accepted at the School of Hospitality and Cooking. I love that God has blessed them with such a close relationship and that they will be roommates. What neat memories they will be making.

We are also in prayer about something major. Something wonderful if it pans out. If not, we wait on God's time. No-I am not trying to get pregnant! or adopt.

We are also going through the process of digging for gold - scholarship, grants, etc. gold. That is such a fun thing to do - but worthwhile.

I have kept up with my blogger friends and have received such blessings in reading them, corresponding with them. I also fight envy in how artistic some of them are. One day I will take the time to learn how to do the same with mine.

My goals for 2008 - so far on track.

Continue in His word every day. Listen to Him and write what He says down.

Laugh more. Spend as much time as possible with my family and friends.

Have company more.

Cut back on my gardens. I burnt myself out with all the planting last few years.

Get Neko trained, Pet Safe fence installed and get him off that chain.

I would really like to ride in a hot air balloon. So would my dad. That would be a big step in my overcoming the fear of heights!

Send notes of encouragement, love, to someone once a week.

Forgive and move on in regard to relationships that I am not Christlike in.  To choose to allow Him to transform my heart.

Lose 10 pounds a month for the next six months. Slim Fast seems to be working. They have a menu plan filled, and I mean filled, with vegs. So, we are eating healthier and most of the recipes have been quite good. Returned back to Aldi's as their vegs, milk, etc. are so much cheaper. Their milk/eggs over a dollar!

Get the house completely cleaned, organized, and painted before we leave.

Taxes - to the accountant. Put on her desk the second week of January!

Bookwork/records/receipts - all files have been purged, updated and receipts are recorded except yesterdays groceries.

Continue to stay on the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Budget - all I can say ----it works!

It will be interesting to see what the end of 2008 will bring in regard to this list. I do know that as I age, the list keep changing and it really isn't a complete tragedy if things aren't crossed off.

Okay - honestly - the 10 pounds a month would be a tragedy if they are still following me around come 2009.

What about the groom's cake.....

http://food.aol.com/play-with-your-food/news-photos

Wind

"Who makes lightnings for the rain; Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries."
Psalm 135:7

I love the wind - I love storms - When I was young, I would sneak out and watch from our porch the magic in the sky. It reminds me of when I am walking to self and not Him - when I am all wind and no blow. That only when He is my God - is there any real power.

To put it mildly - today is a windy day. The plants are all bowing low to the ground, the kind of day it doesn't pay to do your hair. Once when Adam and Nichalas were younger, we took an old water ski, added some old mower wheels, a pole with a sheet on it and went wind sailing on the road in front of our house. I am sure the neighbors were wondering - but we had a blast. All be it our design had some major faults, it was a day we put into our "treasure chest" - our hearts.

On days when I am very hot and sweaty, and I feel the wind caressingly touch my face - I drink it in as a kiss from my Daddy. That He is there with me in my work, watching over me, leading me, keeping me - It seems as though we haven't had too many days this year without the wind. It has hindered my spraying, causing some drift damage, or not being able to spray at all. And yet, because of Him, I am okay with that. He has helped me remove "my" schedule and accept His. That instead of looking at it as a day of getting behind, it is a day to see His power and glory. So often, He has helped me with the wind. Many days we do not have to blow the clippings from the walks - He does. Yesterday, while trimming trees - He removed the leaves we would normally have had to rake up. Or this spring when the grass was so tall, His mighty wind blew it so far out from our mowers that there wasn't much laying on the lawns.

I think about this verse often when I am out working - He brings forth the wind from His treasuries.

His treasuries.

That He considers the wind a treasure. I am amazed at all that He finds a treasure. Particularly when I think about me. That He holds me as one of His most prized treasures.

That He holds me.

In His "Treasure Chest"

His heart.

What an awesome Daddy I have.

After three years

of having problems, of being nagged at, of being reminded that his father died in his 60's from colon cancer - Curt finally had a colonoscopy done. They ended up removing three polyps, doing a biopsy on some tissue and has internal hemorrhoids. (I found out everyone has these - some persons just swell up.)

He told me that he did not experience any pain. After being wheeled back, rolling over, lifting up so they could put something under him, the last thing he said he remembered was the doctor's hand on his butt.


I asked him if he fell asleep with a smile.

"It was a very different funeral

and very nice". My mom was telling me about her day yesterday. They did not have a service at the church or funeral home. There was a large tent set up at the cemetery. Inside they had a small table with photos, etc. and rows of chairs. The minister gave a very nice sermon and then............................................

"they buried the URINE in the grave".



I'm wondering what they did with the urn.

Pennies from Heaven

This past Monday it hit me again. Those feelings deep within - a little bit of fear, anxiety, a lot of loneliness wrapped up into a touch of sadness. A repeat of how I feel whenever Curt has left on his work schedule. I don't know if these feelings are more pronounced since I am working alone most of the time or what.

As I am driving or mowing, I find comfort listening and talking with my Father. He reminds me with Scripture that He is here.

And then He gave me His special touch.

For some reason I have always associated pennies with blessings. In the world of money they have lost their value and are often overlooked, cast aside, kept away in a jar, somewhere that shows they haven't a great importance. As I sometimes find myself doing with blessings, unless they are quite big.

It is quite often as I am weed eating I find a penny laying there on the ground and I am reminded of His many blessing. This particular day, each sight I went to - I found a penny laying on the ground.

On Tuesday I was about my day, thinking about how I had felt the day before and how He had lifted me up. Thanking Him for this, I laughingly asked Him if I'd be getting anymore pennies.

Job done, putting up the weed eater in the spot it had came from on my truck, I happened to look down..............

there on the ground by my foot lay a bright, new, shinny penny (the only one I found that day).

I could not stop smiling - in my heart or on my face the rest of the day ---------- and even now.

Val reminded me......

(You have to check out her canoe story-click Valerie on my links).

Curt and I had met my family to go canoeing on the Current River in 1985. I was reflecting upon the day as we rowed the last leg of the journey. How he had not once - but twice - literally saved myself and my dad in two major wipe outs. That he didn't even hesitate the second time, when he could have just left me there so he could really enjoy the rest of the day - we were only an hour into traveling by then. That he never yelled at me the many times I "navigated" us onto a sand bank, only grunted when pushing us off the 100th one, only ducked silently whenever I took a "shortcut" through downed trees rather than around them. Calmly rescued our things before floating away after I had "almost missed" a couple of underwater stumps - or those that were "barely able to see until you're on top of them".

So here we were, our first time alone together since having Adam two months prior. The scenery was beautiful, the last of the rowing was on completely calm water. The sunset was producing the most awesome reds, oranges, purples and pinks. I was sitting there in front of him thinking how romantic it was, how much I loved him, how happy I was.

When I asked what he was thinking about, he replied, "You know, you really shouldn't be wearing that bikini top until you've lost your baby fat. I'm counting three rolls back here."

I married such a romantic! and the way he has with words.

"Praying the Scripture"

This comes from the book I read and reread throughout the year, "100 Days in the Secret Place" complied by Gene Edwards. What I am copying comes from Jeanne Guyon who was born in 1648.

"Praying the Scripture" is a unique way of dealing with the Scripture; it involves both reading and prayer.

Here is how you should begin.

Turn to the Scripture; choose some passage that is simple and fairly practical. Next, come to the Lord. Come quietly and humbly. There, before Him, read a small portion of the passage of Scripture you have opened to.

Be careful as you read. Take in fully, gently and carefully what you are reading. Taste it and digest it as you read.

In coming to the Lord by means of "praying the Scripture," you do not read quickly; you read very slowly. You do not move from one passage to another, not until you have sensed the very heart of what you have read.

You may then want to take that portion of Scripture that has touched you and turn it into prayer.

After you have sensed something of the passage and after you know that the essence of that portion has been extracted and all the deeper sense of it is gone, then, very slowly, gently, and in a calm manner begin to read the next portion of the passage. You will be surprised to find that when your time with the Lord has ended, you will have read very little, probably no more than half a page.

To receive a deep, inward profit from the Scripture, you must read as I have described. Plunge into the very depths of the words you read until revelation, like a sweet aroma, breaks out upon you.
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After spending my devotional time doing this, I came away from a totally mountain top experience with our Father. While mowing today, I was praying and reflecting on this time with Him and realized how very tempting it would be to become a monk. Never having that communication with Him interrupted by other voices.

And then I realized that isn't how God meant for us to be. We are to be in constant communication with Him, and share Him with the world. If not for the voice of the Christians, the unsaved would remain unhearing of His great news. It also lead me to think about the voices I hear in my life. Words can not convey what a blessing it is to hear my husband say he loves me, to have heard my children call me "mommy" and now even as "mom". To hear family and friends express their love for me. To hear them share their hearts.

The Scripture is so alive with His words. My life is so alive with them and the words of those in my life.

How thankful I am that He is so big and so wonderful that His voice may always be heard even while I am hearing others.

Already

In the past few weeks while mowing, I noticed the corn was beginning to turn. During that time there are fields that are completely turned and looking ready for harvest. I have found over the years that I catch myself watching the bottom of the stalks, waiting for the beginning of the end to signal. The end of summer. And I have to catch myself from falling into a sadness upon seeing the brown inch its way up the green stalk. It isn't that I mind fall or winter and I do delight in spring. It's just that I LOVE summer. The terrible heat, humidity, relentless sunshine, big white clouds, thunderstorms, cool breezes that brush your skin like a kiss from God, warm rain falling upon you, green, green grass of home, trees waving in the wind or standing still providing shade and coolness.

It just doesn't seem possible that summer 2006 is near completion. I accidentally typed 2016 the other day and realized God-willing, I will see that summer too. Back in the 70's that sounded so far away and now the 70's seem so far away. I guess why I really find myself in sudden sadness is all goes too fast too soon. Am I squeezing all I can out of life? Am I enjoying His many blessings? Do I live for the moment? Are you?

As I mow, I often think of the persons in my life. I smile when I think with the touch of a keyboard so many came into it through blogsville. Praying for some I have never met, may never meet, and those I do know. Reading of their lives and thankful for the bright spots. Funny how God intertwines us. How He takes this great big world and makes it small.

I am glad He is in control.

Beef, Pork, Lamb & Turkey

Testicles - that is. Tried them all and as most childhood memories go - they weren't as good relived as I remembered. Not bad, just not good. And since I didn't condition myself prior to the event by eating fried foods, only one plate for me. Curt had two and we took a "sampler" home for those who dared. Adam refused to dare-something about them being nasty. I can not believe what a "city boy" I have at times! We gave the last of them to my dad for Father's Day and he was quite pleased.

Curt and I decided that we won't be going back in the future years. Nice to say we've been there, done that, but once is enough. Nichalas and Lucas accompanied us only to be refused at the gate. They created the rule this year that anyone under 21 was not allowed in, even with parents. What was rather ironic is that they walked down the block and ate in the tavern - by themselves.

And on another note - man is it hot out today. 97 when I last looked. The heat got to me and I am now in the AC cooling off before heading back out. I have four commercial props to spray and want to get those done. If the weather holds out, I have more spraying to do at ADM tomorrow. Next week I am to spray Huber's and hopefully, that will be it for awhile. The nice thing about it - I am taking off the rest of my weight rather quickly. Since I haven't updated WWLPP for some time........

I am now 40 pounds lighter than when I started.

Why is it that I feel so much better being at this weight now, when in the past having gained to this same weight I felt horrible? Amazing how easy it is to trick the ole mind.

Sharing my devotion from this morn.

DIVINE LOVE

There is a fire of Divine love.

It is this love which burns the believer and can even cause the believer to suffer. How? Sometimes the absence of the Beloved greatly affects the believer.

Sometimes the believer hears the inward voice of the Beloved calling. It is as a gentle whisper and proceeds from out of the believer's in most depths...where the Lord, the Lover, abides. It is this whisper which possesses the believer almost to the point of undoing. The believer realizes how near is his Lord and yet he also realizes how much of the soul has not yet been possessed by Him.

This intoxicates the believer and puts an insatiable longing within him to be changed into the likeness of his Lord. Therefore, it can be said of love: Divine love is as strong as death, for it kills just as surely as death kills.

-MOLINOS

May you have a blessed day.