Friendly Correspondence

I read ... a lot! I have enjoyed several books that are really a bunch of correspondences between friends that come together to tell the complete story with the facets being from different perspectives. I wanted to keep some of my friends' words because it seems like the story is more complete with them all together. So... this is more for me, so I can remember the story and what great friends God has gifted to me.

Good morning ladies,
All day yesterday, and now today, my mind is jumping to reflect, to stay in yesterday's moment of The Lord working with us, but also to revel in how He has worked for months to this sweet moment. In the crazies of yesterday afternoon I just had to pull aside my husband and say "listen to this, let me share and spill, let me show you what our Father has done" because it was just bubbling in me.

From Sarah reading Seven to sharing it with us and waiting patiently to discuss it, to the conviction we all felt when reading Seven that something was about to happen, a simple change to our days or more to see God more than ourselves. On to January for discipline, February for clothes, -- oh, what to do with the excess? Hmmm... a garage sale in March -- that would work with possessions. Along side is Sarah, hearing a call from God to step out and be uncomfortable and after months of nothing the mission trips are presented, each with grace attached -- but, wait! we had already said PCM would be a great focus for the sale proceeds as we love them so, so very much. Sarah made her prayerful decision, Uganda it is, and we can finish her last piece of paying for that. Wow! Wow! This doesn't include the prayer that calmed the overwhelming feel of too much stuff on Friday or the rain that only came as we decided to consolidate. I know there's more that I skipped, maybe there was more for you individually, either way I am feeling scrutiny, like a favourite child as Sarah put it last week in prayer.

I am so very thankful that I shared this tiny adventure with you and that we bonded more in friendship but most important of all as sisters in Christ.
Ema

Ema beat me to the words :) I have been reflecting in amazement ALL weekend. It started raining on me on the way home from Jennifer's house yesterday, and I was a bit frustrated that Allen didn't have working wipers, but all I could do was CRY that God was so faithful to wait till we were done to let it rain. I keep trying to put everything in words, but all I do is cry at the beauty of all He has done for us and through us and I can't find the words. I can't find the words to tell Him or you how thankful I am for each of you and your support and encouragement -- as you all read 7... as we all decided to experiment with it... as we all have made more room in our hearts for God to work. I wish I could thank you enough, but, since I can't, I'm praying that God pours his blessings on you and your families for your faithfulness and kindness. I am thankful for your husbands' and kids' patience as they stood in the background supporting you all for the sale (and also me, though they may not have realized it.)

I was sharing praises in Sunday school today of God's provisions -- for providing me three awesomely supportive friends who encourage me and each other.... who dare me to be a better Christian, wife, and mom... who pray for me... who do crazy experiments with me.... who love me ... who give up sleep and warmth to face bitter wind before the sun rises to help me; for providing lots of buyers yesterday... and those few visitors sprinkled in the crowd who brought words of encouragement.... for helping us find new homes for all those blessings we once thought we needed... for blessing us with more than enough to pay for the trip; for everything!

I really am frustrated that I can't find the right words... but, still, my tears of joy are flowing. Like, Ema, I am so thankful we are doing this all together. What excites me even more is that we are only just beginning! Even if this "journey" is only defined as our 7 projects, we aren't even to the half-way point, and look at all God is doing!! It is so exciting to me, I can barely contain my joy (or rather, I cannot contain it -- it keeps dripping from my eyes) but I don't know how to share it without feeling like I'm going to overwhelm the listener. Thank you all for experiencing it with me so that I have at least 3 people I can call and just jump up and down with giddiness without having to explain much. THANK YOU!!! for everything!

Sarah
 

Me again.

Earlier I wanted to send this quote because I too was tears. "The tears streamed down, and I let them flow freely as they would, making of them a pillow for my heart. On them it rested." Saint Augustine (in Amazing Collection)

 

I read this that we can rest in tears of joy and what a beautiful rest that would be but worried that the quote may be too sad I thought I would share it this time saying, "The tears streamed down, and I let them flow freely as they would, making of them a puddle for my feet. On them I would jump and splash and praise and sit.. joyful and wet!"

Basically tears are good especially when they are because we are so full of His love.
Ema

 

I am playing with my spreadsheet of donations and payments for the trip and just now realizing my calculations were off by a little bit (in a good way! I only lacked $800 for the travel expenses). I wanted to share that all the feet in this photo (by Beth Reed) can have new socks and shoes that fit because of the money from yesterday. Praise the Lord!! (and here come the tears ... again.)

Sarah

 

Sarah, don't worry about finding the right words, that picture is worth a thousand words and adds so much perspective.  I am very thankful to have had the honor of participating in such a clearly laid out God orchestrated event as took place on Saturday right down to holding off the rain until the last minute, exactly as Ema has already so beautifully described!

~Simone

 

It was an amazing experience and I am so glad to have shared it with you.

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10).

 

What an awesome thought that is to me, that God has work for us to do. That he uses us to be His hands and feet here on earth. I am excited to see what else He has for us to do. On a funnier note, the rain He so graciously held back until we were done was enough to wash Sarah's tent clean of all the birdie business that had dirtied it. I was happy not to have to spray it off with a water hose.

Looking forward to our next adventure!!

Jennifer

Sale Day

Friday night, Allen and the kids headed to his parents' for the weekend. Jennifer's family went to her in-laws' place. I picked up salads from Jason's Deli and she and I ate before we headed to the mess in her garage. All week, Ema, Simone, Cay (a lady in our Bible study group) and I have taken turns dropping off our carloads of boxed "excess"-- all the things we have been purging as we've been working through our separate 7-projects.

We decided to wait until Friday night to start sorting through things, to price everything, and to set it all out neatly. With 12 hours to go till we opened the door, Ema, Simone, Jennifer and I stood in the overflowing garage... staring at the piles... shivering as the cold front approached... almost in tears of defeat, but struggling to keep it together. All four of us were trying to follow someone's directions because we couldn't think on our own -- we were all THAT overwhelmed and didn't know what to do, but we acted like everything was fine. One of us finally admitted what she was feeling and we all grouped together in agreement that "THIS was just too much!" Together, we prayed that God would give us peace and direction, that everything would come together smoothly, that the weather would work in our favor, that He would bless our crazy project that seemed to come together with His prompting. After our Amens, we all went to different corners of the garage, we all worked smoothly and cheerfully, and everything DID come together miraculously.

Saturday morning threatened rain, so in the dark hours of the morning, we fought to assemble the canopy that would keep our outside tables dry. The day went well, though we were cold a lot of the time. Even as early (and dark) as 7:00AM when we opened the door, we had a constant flow of shoppers -- not just looking, but actually buying all the stuff that we, at one point, couldn't live without. Just after noon, we realized we didn't have much left, so we started consolidating -- emptying tables and boxes as room was made in other places in the garage. As we started moving it all inside the garage, we also started sorting things into boxes for Salvation Army to pick up, for Ema and I to take to St. Paul, for the library, and for other new homes for our extras. While we were sorting, a lady told us her church was doing a garage sale to support a mission trip for teens, and we sent a lot of the stuff with her. The rest fit in Ema's, Simone's, and my cars for us to deliver to other charities. After we loaded the cars and had the rest cleaned up, we headed inside the house to count the money and the sky opened up and poured. It really worked out perfectly, but it is the whole story all together that is really quite awesome...

Last fall, I was reading 7 because a friend recommended it. Before I finished it, I bought three more copies and gave them to Ema, Simone, and Jennifer to read. This was one of the few times everyone read it immediately (we often pass around books, but rarely read them so quickly.) By November, we all decided to do the 7 projects when the new year started, but we also decided to do a trial of the "reduce stress" experiment for December. In January, all of us did different versions of food fasts, but we started talking about how we would handle clothes in February. In February, the three of them purged their closets (mine was already recently reduced.) As they gathered excess clothing, they decided to start doing more of their homes and just have a garage sale and give all the proceeds to a charity. I figured that since I was giving stuff away in March, I wouldn't have anything left to sell, but I planned to help them with the three-family garage sale, especially since it would be for a good cause. All of us have been, in some way, donating to PCM, so that was already one of the charities we talked about donating part of the money. Meanwhile, God put the mission trip on my heart and I chose to go on the one with PCM. My awesome friends decided all the proceeds would go toward my trip, which would cost around $3200. In the end, I actually had PLENTY to add to the sale (or maybe I just found more that we could live without...) and all of us had more than we realized. Friday night, the gals were talking about how close to $3000 we thought we could get -- knowing that was a crazy amount. They didn't realize that I had already paid for half the trip, and when I told them so, they relaxed a little bit. As I was falling asleep Friday night, I realized that I had several donations come in earlier in the week that were for my travel expenses. In the morning, I told them that I really only needed about $1000 more, and they were excited because that seemed possible. When we got together and counted out the proceeds, we had more than $1100!! God provided everything we needeed -- from the peace on Friday night, to finding new homes for all our junk excess stuff, to the funds to finish out my trip expenses, to holding the rain back until we were finished with the sale.

When I got home, I entered the donations into my spreadsheet. I was a bit surprised at my miscalculations. It turned out I only needed $800, so we had more than $300 left that would all go to purchase shoes for the children I'll be visiting -- I couldn't WAIT to tell my sweet friends that happy news!

Following

I have struggled with parts (or all) of this post for a while. So much is going on in my life and heart right now that I'm ready to burst, but everytime I start writing, it doesn't come out like I mean for it to. I want to share what God is doing and how I am trying to walk faithfully with Him. I don't want to journal some of the big things later and have my kids, family, and friends wonder where something so odd came from, so I figure I should just start sharing and hope that I can write what is going on in a way to show what God is doing IN me and through me.

I announced my upcoming plans to my Bible study group yesterday, and one of the young ladies who has been on many overseas mission trips suggested I read a book called Kisses From Katie (Katie Davis). I started reading the introduction on the "Look Inside" section on Amazon, and was instantly sucked into her story. The first parts put into words what is going on with me right now. Katie Davis explained that when she did more than read about or talk about Jesus and actually started following Him, He wrecked her life. Though that sounds quite dramatic and those aren't quite the words I'd use, there are definitely times I feel a bit the same. Somehow my life a couple months ago is not the same one I'm living now.

The last two months, my commitment to the Lord has changed. Dramatically, from my perspective. December 31st had me preparing my meals to eat just seven foods. January 1st had me craving everything except those seven foods. By the end of the first week, I had a completely different appreciation for what it meant to seek the Fruits of the Spirit, my prayer life was different than before, and I was trying to find a way to serve others. By the end of the second week, I had devoured the book A Hunger For God: Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer (John Piper), and started seeing my "fast" differently. I clung to a scripture that, a month ago, I likely would have skimmed as I rushed through the pages of my Bible. In fact, as I've been rereading 7 (Hatmaker), I discovered that this same scripture was actually in that book, too -- but, I didn't "notice" it the first time through, the way I would now. God was explaining, through Isaiah, what he expected from a fast.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."

                                                        ~ Isaiah 58:6-9

I read those words over and over and over, day after day after day. They spoke to me and clearly told me I needed to act. I needed to quit "considering it," and "just do it." Reading it again, as I'm writing this, I realize how MUCH is expected. It is nearly overwhelming to realize how challenging it would be to even know where to start; but, like Peter taking the first step out of the boat, all I can really do is take the first step, then another, and another, and keep on keeping on.

I am trying to move forward in several areas: I am filling bookcases in a doctor's office to help the Literacy Council because I believe literacy can break some chains; I am working in a food pantry weekly, filling boxes and handing them to the hungry; I am trying to gather clothes from our home to share with those who need them. It is the last part of verse 7, I am embarrassed to admit, that has challenged me the most. There have been times I've seen people -- flesh and blood people -- who have disgusted me. Maybe it isn't so much that the person disgusted me, but maybe it was their smell, or their crusty clothes, or the misspelled sign asking for money at the city intersection, or the cigarette hanging out of their mouth about to drop cinders on the baby sucking cola from a bottle. I have been disgusted by people. I have turned away from people made of flesh and blood... people made in God's image... people God loves like He loves me....

Being around some of these people lately has opened my eyes, and I believe God is using this Seven Project to open my heart and mind to seeing others as He sees them. There are few things as humbling as a man who has needed a shower for awhile looking into my eyes, telling me my smile made his day, then returning my smile with a bright mostly-toothless grin that lets me know how much he appreciated my kindness. I wanted to enjoy volunteering in the food pantry, but I didn't realize just how instantly I would find joy in the tasks. Gathering the groceries is about as exciting as it is when I get my own at the store, but the little bits of conversation I have with those who are needing help has really been a blessing to me.

By the third week of January, I put into words that I felt God was prompting me to go on a mission trip. I have had little seeds of wanting to do some sort of mission trip for the last couple years, but they have always been more like whims I might act on when my kids were older. I couldn't imagine going anywhere without Allen, and since he hasn't really been interested in going on a mission trip, I just pushed it to the back of my mind. Then I felt the God-nudges as He reminded me that I told Him I would let Him push me to being uncomfortable this year. I am so thankful to Allen and my friends for encouraging me and praying for me as I started the next roller coaster hill. By the end of January, I had enquired about two different trips -- one with a group from my church going to Muldova in December, and one with Parental Care Ministries (the ministry that supports the school Ssalli is in) to Uganda. Then I started reading Not A Fan (Kyle Idleman), and I knew I needed (not just wanted) to go on a trip.

There was a lot in Idleman's book I was not excited about reading, but the truth was there and I couldn't pretend it away. If I am going to actually follow Jesus, and not just talk about it, I have to be uncomfortable; taking up a cross to follow Him hurts. If I am following Jesus, I will make decisions and do things that my family may not understand or agree with. If I am following Jesus, I need to love as He loves. If I am following Jesus, I can't wait for my family and friends to go to the other side of the world with me if He is calling me now. That's the hard part... But He is calling me to be uncomfortable. To be working with hungry people on Fridays. To share with others what is going on with His people. To share what He is doing with me. To travel without my husband to the other side of the world. To ask for money when it would be easier to just write the check myself.

In the last week, I have decided to go to Uganda with a team who will be putting shoes on each of the more than 1500 children in the PCM schools (and, YES! that does include Ssalli). I will be out of my comfort-zone going without Allen -- to a beautiful foreign country, away from him for a seemingly long time. I will be out of my parents' comfort zone travelling to a country that is mostly surrounded by hostile countries. I will be out of my children's comfort zones being away for twelve days, but not taking them. I will be out of my comfort zone asking others to help sponsor the trip and shoes.

But... here I go.
One step at a time.
Following where He leads me.
Trusting Him to take care of everything.

It is interesting that living with just seven items of clothing has been fairly easy for me, and I have a feeling I will need to pack lightly for my June trip to Uganda. Right now, I am excited about the trip and everything is happening so quickly, yet also so slowly at the same time. (I'll post more soon!)

One Thousand Gifts

When I was visiting Kansas, my friend Cheryl highly recommended One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I found the book on sale at the Christian bookstore, purchased it, and devoured it. There were a few parts I did not like... at all... but overall, I thought it was a great book because it made me see my life through different lenses than what I've been seeing it through. It is a book about being thankful for all of God's gifts and being appreciative for the life I have. It challenged me to begin my list of 1000 things for which I am thankful. If I choose to be thankful, and let that be the mood of the moment, then there isn't room in that moment for anger and frustration. The point is to be thankful always. I thought I'd dive right in and begin, listing many, but not all, right here where I can read them on those days that I need to be reminded how much I am loved by Him. Starting just where I am, in no particular order...

I am thankful for:

#1 - Sialia letting me check on her.

#2 - The extra kisses Jon gave me at bedtime.

#3 - Ben's tight bear hugs.
#4 - Maddie enjoys me combing her hair
#5 - Will's sense of humor
#6 - The few moments of quiet while Allen gets the kids ready for bed.
#7 - A friendly titmouse chirping at me while I fill the birdbath.
#8 - A bluebird nest full of four more eggs, four potential baby birds
#9 - Allen is home
#10 - Family games, together, having fun

#11 - Great books

#12 - Free choice

#13 - Freedom to go to church... where ever we want to go
#14 - Sun beams coming through the curtains
#15 - Sleeping in
#16 - Snuggling with Pickles while I work on my study
#17 - Access via technology
#18 - Nose kisses from Shadow
#19 - Ben choosing to play his game, next to me
#20 - A washer and dryer that work... constantly

#21 - A home filled with cheerful noise and giggles

#22 - Friends I can call in an emergency

#23 - Sweet scented green grass

#24 - Playing with sidewalk chalk

#25 - An evening breeze as I sit outside

#26 - Sharing conversation with neighbors

#27 - Watching children play

#28 - Having the means to pay all the bills

#29 - Children loving to learn 

#30 - Choices on where to send kids to school

to be continued... 

Birds and Blooms

I love the garden in late spring. God surprises me daily with beautiful blooms, dainty butterflies, buzzing bees, and little sprouts. Just in case I forget what an artist He is...

  

Easter Treasures

It was Nana’s idea to do the Easter treasure hunt. I ran with the idea and worked with Allen to come up with some landmarks for the treasure map. Then I tried writing clues, but got frustrated. Then I got really frustrated that we were working so hard on a pirate-style treasure map instead of celebrating the real reason for Easter. Then Allen came to the rescue and wrote all the clues while I took a nap. He did all the clues on his own, and I was as amazed as the kids were when we started working through the hints. The first egg hunt (earlier in the day) had a few treasure map pieces that all the kids had to work together to assemble. I enjoyed watching them all work together to read the hints, diciper the clues, then scurry to the next spot.

The map led them to a nest of four plastic eggs with one clue for each of the kids:

Jesus was innocent as a lamb. He never did anything wrong. He died for the things that we do wrong. Find the lamb on the porch.


Jesus was nailed to a cross made of wood. He could not get down, and He died. Find the tree in the garden near the birdbath on the south side of the house.

Jesus wore a crown of thorns on the cross. The sadness and hurt we feel every day He felt wearing that crown. Find the thorns on the west side of the house in the forest.

Jesus was buried in a tomb of rocks. After three days He came back to life. Find the tomb of rocks in the garden on the south side of the house.

A map puzzle piece at each of those stops sent the kids to the seventh tree.

The rock seventy paces – no more, no less – is your next step.

 

Jesus is the rock of our lives – and he brings new life. Find the three trees starting new life (leaves) and the rock they are near.

There is a bell that rings when people come to this house to let us know company is here and to invite them in. When Jesus comes to our hearts, we should invite Him in. Find the beam that rings the bell in the house.

Go eighty paces down the drive toward your final clue. Stop between Hill and City, and your treasure is in a tree closer to You.

Jesus is Alive! He came back to life so that everyone can live forever in God. He is the real treasure we have all year long.

A Calming Obsession

I just thought that my obsession with gazing at the birds would end when the cold weather began and the nesters were not nesting. I was wrong. My winter bird-obsession began when Allen helped me hang the bird feeder that Jon gave me for Christmas. It was a bit boring at first, but I still got excited to see a chickadee or house finch feeding. A few days later, word had gotten around the avian circles that free food was available in our garden, and we had quite a busy dive outside our kitchen window. The next time Allen went to Lowe's I asked if he would mind seeing what kind of other bird feeders were available. He came home with a suet block and holder, and another feeder for small seeds and suet or nuts. He also brought home another hook so we could hang the feeders outside the kitchen windows. Just a few days later, we had birds everywhere! I would sit by the window with a good book -- the plan was to enjoy the warm sunshine while I read, but I ended up watching and photographing the birds instead. We have had to refill the feeders each weekend, but it is a small price to pay for the kids, Allen, and I to get to watch these winter beauties.

Part of me doesn't really understand why I am so fascinated by these birds that I have only recently noticed. The other part of me clings to the calm they provide me. The bright yellows, reds, blues, and grays; the stark contrasts on the woodpeckers, chickadees, and nuthatches; the neutral colors on the sparrows and female finches -- the Lord has done a fabulous job dressing them! I watch them and think of Jesus telling his disciples not to worry. Somehow, the birds remind me that Jesus says the same words to me:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:25-34 NIV)

Watching out my window, lost in my thoughts, I almost hear Jesus whispering to me, "Don't stress over vacuuming, dinner, or laundry -- they are not the important things." I like that the kids enjoy climbing into my lap or snuggling into my hugs to watch with me, knowing they must be still and quiet so they don't frighten the birds. I am glad they seem to be catching some of the calm, too.

This week, we identified two new species we had not seen here before: the yellow-bellied sapsucker and a pine warbler (which is a beautiful bright yellow bird.)

Though the bluebirds do not eat the seeds we leave out, they are regular visitors to the birdhouse and baths we have in the garden. Our everyday visitors include the squirrels, pine warblers (two, so far), downy woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice, house finches, goldfinches, juncos, chickadees, cardinals, wrens, and sparrows. Here is a list of species we have seen in the garden in the last week: American Goldfinch, American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Dark-eyed Junco, Eastern Bluebird, House Finch, House Sparrow (and maybe a couple other sparrow species, but I haven't learned the different markings yet), Mockingbird, Pine Warbler, Purple Finch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Yes... I AM hooked... again.