Wonderful Call, Wonderful Friend

I had such a wonderful long and encouraging phone call today from a very special friend who I haven't really had the chance to talk to for some time. It was so great to be able to talk for a few hours and be so encouraged and inspired and talk about God's Word and His love for all of us. I must admit....it was a day when I very much needed this "lift" and Jesus is SO GOOD, SO CARING, SO LOVING that he sent me a phone call from a friend that I truly love and think the world of...and He even took care of my children for me so I could have a wonderful uplifting conversation. GOD IS SO GOOD......... GOD CARES ABOUT EACH OF US..... and GOD REALLY LOVES US WITH A LOVE THAT IS SO BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING. Isn't that the GREATEST!?!?!?! Aren't we so blessed by our awesome Father?.......... (and by some wonderful, loving friends too!)

Sad, Sad Monday

Today I woke up at 1:10 am....I heard down the hall a sound of a "seal". I realized it was my little guy Joshua. He was having trouble breathing and the sound was so horrible. I took him out of his bed and from 1:30 till 5:45 I just held and rocked and comforted him. He finally fell asleep in my arms....and my heart was so sad for the pain he was going through. I fell back to sleep and woke up again at almost 8 am...and again I had this very heavy heart and sad, sad feeling in my spirit. It's now 2:12 in the afternoon and this feeling won't leave me. There is just so much going on....it all has me very sad and the places I am involved in now are just sad places to be and make Jesus seem so far when I so desperately need Him so near. All the the people hurting, all the suffering, all the sadness, the constant feeling of emptiness, loss and so much CONFUSION. IT IS JUST SO SAD! Les and I feel exhausted emotionally and spiritually and although our relationship is great and our family is great....it is the constant drain of sadness for very important "family" ...and just all the secrets and hurt...hurt..hurt....and we both just feel so drained. I know Jesus is near.....I KNOW THAT in my head....but right now my heart and my spirit feel depleted. I feel like all the things I knew and felt certain of have been an ugly mask of confusion. Jesus please be so near to everyone hurting today. Please settle all things that make our hearts ache and Jesus please bring us to a peace that is far beyond our understanding. I love you so much Jesus. I feel so far from you and I am so tired now and so weary.....please Jesus help me have the strenght to get myself back right where YOU ARE...caring about what YOU care about, doing things that YOU want me to do, and seeing truth in all things the way YOU have revealed it to me. I love you Jesus....and today is a sad, sad, monday. I surrender my day to you my Lord.

STOP and smell the daisies

A little inspiration for today...and a fresh new start. ***Enjoy this! It's by Max Lucado ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ www.maxlucado.com UpWords Ministries OF PETALS AND PEOPLE By Max Lucado Suppose you dwell in a high-rise apartment. On the window sill of your room is a solitary daisy. This morning you picked the daisy and pinned it on your lapel. Since you have only one plant, this is a big event and a special daisy. But as soon as you’re out the door, people start picking petals off your daisy. Someone snags your subway seat. Petal picked. You’re blamed for the bad report of a co-worker. Three petals. The promotion is given to someone with less experience but USC water polo looks. More petals. By the end of the day, you’re down to one. Woe be to the soul who dares to draw near it. You’re only one petal-snatching away from a blowup. What if the scenario was altered slightly? Let’s add one character. The kind man in the apartment next door runs a flower ship on the corner. Every night on the way home he stops at your place with a fresh, undeserved, yet irresistible bouquet. These are not leftover flowers. They are top-of-the-line arrangements. You don’t know why he thinks so highly of you, but you aren’t complaining. Because of him, your apartment has a sweet fragrance, and your step has a happy bounce. Let someone mess with your flower, and you’ve got a basket full to replace it! The difference is huge. And the interpretation is obvious. God will load your world with flowers. He hand-delivers a bouquet to your door every day. Open it! Take them! Then, when rejections come, you won’t be left short-petaled.

Words of Strenght

WOW Lord.....Please let me always remember this.............. ~~~~~~ Words of Strength Sunday, April 29, 2007 “When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger.” Ephesians 4:29 Before you speak, ask: Will what I’m about to say help others become stronger? You have the ability, with your words, to make a person stronger. Your words are to their soul what a vitamin is to their body. If you had food and saw someone starving, would you not share it? If you had water and saw someone dying of thirst, would you not give it? Of course you would. Then won’t you do the same for their hearts? Your words are food and water! Do not withhold encouragement from the discouraged. Do not keep affirmation from the beaten down! Speak words that make people stronger. Believe in them as God has believed in you.

accountability

True Body Life Results in Accountability Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21) | Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other (James 5:16) | Do not lie to each other (Colossians 3:9) Accountability is one of those eyebrow raising words. Besides sounding a bit cultish, accountability runs against the grain of our self-sufficient, individualistic society. We like to be our own person, do our own thing, and not have someone else tell us what to do or believe. God, however, says . . . . . . so in Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Rom. 12:5) Our connectedness means we must lay aside the island mentality. We do not stand independent of one another. As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" . . . If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Cor. 12:20-21, 26) Because such an interdependency exists within the Body of Christ, we are responsible to one another to do our part and to help them do theirs. Some people shy away from the concept of accountability because they associate it with confrontation. While rebuking, challenging, warning, and admonishing may be necessary at times, accountability also yields support, counsel, encouragement, and affirmation. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! (Eccl. 4:10) Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Eccl. 4:12) There are benefits beyond the support described in Ecclesiastes 4. The contexts of the verses with which this article began provide us with the results of Body Life in which accountability is exercised. What's in it for me? James 5:16 indicates that healing is in store for the person who puts himself in a place of accountability. What's in it for others? Colossians 3:9-10 states that it is a reflection of the new life we have in Christ which is a wonderful testimony to the world around us. What's in it for God? Ephesians 5:21 lets us know that Christ is honored through it because this kind of accountability is the backbone of unity. God designed the Body of Christ to function best when its members are there for each other in ways that spur them on and hold them responsible to the commitment they have made to follow Christ

Account ABILITY

~~~~Creating accountability and community in your church~~~~~ by Scott Hathaway ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wouldn't it be great to be a part of a church where everyone was involved in each other's lives? Don't you long for your church to be a family where the members care enough to check up on your spiritual health throughout the week? God did just that in our church -- and it can happen in yours! Seeing the need More than a year ago, the pastoral team at our church sat down together, pondering a couple of questions. We asked each other, "How can we build into our people a sense of community where everyone plays a part and where everyone is important?" We also asked, "How can we gain a high level of accountability in our church?" We had no answers, but we were open to trying things that are not typical and we were willing to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit. All the pastors on the team had been a part of many different churches throughout our years in ministry. We had never encountered a church that was successful in developing these two essentials. My family and I had visited a wonderful church close to our house that came close to what we wanted in the area of community. I talked with the pastors of the church to see if they had any insight into what caused their church to bond in this manner. They did not know. After speaking with them, I had no answers. We earnestly were seeking the Lord's guidance on these items. I believed that these characteristics would shape all the other ministries at our church. After much prayer and seeking the Lord, I believed that the Lord had given us the answer. Two virtues: Community and Accountability You may already be wondering, "Why choose community and accountability as the two virtues to implement in your church?" Community gives us a sense of belonging to each other and to the Lord. The world may pretend to be our friend and may tell us that they are tolerant and accept us, but they do not. If we are going to belong anywhere on this earth as Christians, we must belong at our church. I felt the need to incorporate accountability because of the lack of involvement that church members have in each other's lives. If a member missed church, people might call them and tell them we missed them, but no one would venture far enough into their lives to find out why they missed the service. We might know about a sin in a church member's life, but not feel comfortable about confronting the person. I realized that I need accountability to help me live a more godly, consistent life. Many spiritual disciplines are much easier to do if I am being held accountable. I desired to be a part of a church body that understood how we all miss God's mark of perfection, and who could be open and honest with each other about our failures and fears. At weekly Bible studies, which almost all our church members attend, we go around the circle and everyone answers three vital questions: What has been your greatest spiritual victory this week? What has been your greatest spiritual failure this week? What is the Lord trying to teach you this week? The solution We came to realize both of these goals in ways beyond what I ever dreamed was possible. How could we make them happen? I believe the following items were the keys. 1. Leaders must be open about their own struggles and accessible to all the people. 2. Leaders need to involve themselves in the lives of others. 3. Demonstrate fellowship by having members over to the homes of our leaders frequently. 4. Preach and teach on these themes frequently and consistently. The results We had a situation where a couple in our church was having some trouble with their marriage. I went over to counsel with them. The fellow told me that he did not share his family business with outsiders. I explained to him the importance of having accountability and being open to insight and correction from others. I challenged them to open their lives to the power of accountability and see if God would not repair the damage they had caused each other. They stuck with our church and with each other! At our weekly Bible study, we confess to the group if we have been short with our kids. Confession is made if we blew up at our spouse. We tell about our fears and failures. We talk about our joys and victories with Jesus. There is no pretending, no pretentious spirit. We just love each other and try to help each other become more like Jesus. If I tell our group that I am having trouble with my anger, I will get calls throughout the week asking me how I am doing. What a blessing! There have been some side effects from implementing community and accountability that I had not foreseen. I am now familiar with the spiritual state of the people I serve. I can make much more informed decisions about placing people in leadership roles. I can tell when Joe is hurting and can pray for him much more effectively than I ever could before. I know when Betty has a monetary need that either my family or our church needs to meet. I have served at many churches, but never with a people that I loved like this and never with a people who loved me and my family. Whenever I tell people about the care and accountability at our church, they almost always respond in the same manner. They are filled with longing to experience that same thing at their church. I believe, with God's help, they can -- and you can too! -Purpose-Driven®- Scott is pastor of Pure Faith Fellowship.

Guest Blog

I am on the ROCK RUN CHURCH e-mailing list. My children have gone to several of the wonderful VBS' Rock Run has done. The e-mail comes and their Pastor Dennis Papp He is cool. He is very real and just right there for you. I enjoy his blog that he posts for all. Here is one part of his blog...he had a guest "blogger" and I wanted to share. ENJOY! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here's Kelly! New feature...a guest blogger. Kelly is an active lurker, an occasional commenter and keeps our stats climbing with frequent peeks. I'm turning the keyboard over to her for whatever she has to say... Thanks Dennis. You forgot to mention intelligent, sophisticated, & witty, but I digress... So, I was looking at our shower the other day & I noticed it was really dirty along the caulk line. I got out our trusty cleaner, sprayed the shower, left it for 10 minutes, & came back to scrub. Do you know what happened? Nothing. I look closer & I realize that the dirt was behind the caulk. So, I decide to pull the caulk out & what I mistook for "dirt" was actually mold. Yes, MOLD. You guys, this was so gross. I pulled all the caulk out & I started spraying the cleaner in the empty spaces. At the same time, I started singing a song we did once here, "Refiners Fire." The lyrics go: Purify my heart, let me be as gold & precious silver. Purify my heart, let me be as gold, pure gold Lord. Now, this is where a cool thing happened. I started messing with the lyrics (granted, I was a bit high on fumes) and I came up with: Purify my heart, take away the mold & make me holy. Purify my heart, take away the mold, the mold Lord. Do you ever feel God working on you from the inside? That's how I've been feeling lately. From the surface things look fine, maybe a little dirty, but underneath it all, there are some areas that are just, well...moldy. There are things I need to surrender to God. I want Him to purify me, to make me holy. I want Him to delight in me. So, now you all got a little glimpse into my heart. Thanks for the opportunity to share. This was fun!

Expect a move of God.....SUDDENLY!!!

I am so ready for a move of God.....SUDDENLY!!!!! Our entire church family and MOPS group is waiting and in much need of a move of God SUDDENLY!!!!!! Then I read this by Joyce Meyers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ EXPECT A MOVE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE....SUDDENLY!!!!! There is a word that I want to deposit in you through God's Word that you can hang onto for the rest of your life, and I hope you never forget it. It is the word suddenly! Sometimes when you have lived with something in your life a long, long time, you get to the point that you can limp along with it and go on about your business at the same time. But GOD HEARD THOSE PRAYERS THAT YOU PRAYED about the situation, and He remembers them. Then SUDDENLY He can move in your life and deliver you in a way that will just amaze you. I believe we need to EXPECT God to move SUDDENLY! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ God, I am ready and waiting and expecting you to move SUDDENLY!

Just a reason to smile

Jesus Painting

Watch this........

AWESOME!!!!!! We had this gentlemen at our church a few years ago and he did this before our eyes. Beautiful ....and it is about 9 minutes long......please watch.

OH MY~~~~

Oh my goodness...these two little monkeys almost look exactly like two of MY little monkeys right to the right of this picture!!!!! (I didn'r notice that till I just viewed my posted blog) lol lol....OK Lynda ENOUGH!!! No go to BED!!

I've got your back

Ugh....so it is 2:40 am...and I woke up from a sound sleep and then just could not sleep. There wasn't anything on my mind in particular...but alot of various things just running through it. So after many attemps to TRY to go back to sleep....I got up, came downstairs and checked my e-mail. Nothing new was posted so then I checked my pictures and remembered that I saved these cute & funny monkeys which I had found somewhere online earlier this month. I think I found them when my daughter Sarah and I were studying chipanzees. Anyway, the picture looked so cute to me so I saved it.....then I saw it again tonight and thought "I've got your back"...because to me that is what I think the monkey facing forward is saying to monkey facing sideways. Ok, it may not be the best caption BUT, what do you expect at (now) 2:45 am. LOL All that brain work made me tired....I either want a cup of coffee or my pillow and my bed. Coffee LATER, pillow NOW!

ohhh... One more thought! I forget what commerical it was....hummm, It was a while ago....I honestly think it might have been Brown's Fried Chicken commerical, (unfortunately that sounds soooo good at 8:45 this morning. lol!) anyway, I think they had a commerical once.....that jingled... "take it to go, take it to go" and as I was ending my last post... that commerical... just popped into my head with a change "take it to GOD, take it to GOD" Amazing!!!! God is so so so good!!

THANK GOD, It's a Brand New Day!

Thank you God for this brand new day~ Thank you God that I can bring my cares to you at ANY MOMENT and as many moments as I want during this day. Thank you that you never "hang up" on me......or "refuse" my call to you, or give me an attitude or get frustrated with me and change your mind or keep me guessing about your faithfulness, or your love or your forgiveness to me. Thank you Lord that even when people I know since birth, who I keep "stinkin thinkin" that I can count on...and I try and I do count on and they again...at the last minute, change on me...Oh, thank you Lord that you still love me and I can ALWAYS turn to you and see and know and trust in YOUR faithfulness. Thank you Lord that through you I can change and grow and become all things you have planned for me to be. Thank you Lord that people who want to control my life and make me feel like a puppet on a string, no longer have that stronghold on me....and although I still hurt, and may almost backstep, I know I can take that hurt to you and pray for them and be smarter next time and not let them have all that TRUST. Thank you Lord that yesterday is over. Today is a brand new day and because of your love for me.....and because you are AMAZING and because YOU are my eveything and my savior.....I never have to go backwards into hurt (unless I would be foolish and choose to) because I can truly & completely DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTENS ME!!!! ~~~Thank God! It;s a Brand New Day!~~~ I love you Jesus!!!!

God? Do you send e-mail?

Dear Lynda, Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 During World War II an American colonel was piloting a B-29 bomber. During an attack on Tokyo his plane lost two engines to enemy anti-aircraft fire. Home base was over 1000 miles away. The officer said to his crew, “I have never believed in ditching a ship as long as it’s flying. I don’t want to risk becoming prisoners. Let’s try to make it home.” They threw out everything they could do without, including ammunition and armor. With the extra weight out, the colonel landed his plane safely on the sands of Saipan and was decorated for his courage. (Bill Boknight) What extra baggage is pulling you down? Don’t let sins and other earthly attachments cause you to ditch your Christian journey. Your heavenly flight requires that you travel light! Throw out the excess weight and stay focused on the journey home. Point of Connection: Make me what Thou wouldst have me. I bargain for nothing. I make no terms. (John Henry Newman)

New Image??

So first the CLOWN CAR (I say that kidding because he is so tall and it's so funny to see him TRY to get out of his little car...I try and watch him everyday when he pulls up in the driveway after work...FUNNY!) and now the NEW GLASSES.....ok my dear husband Les.....WHAT is this new image thing all about anyway!?!?!?! Love you Honey...just CLOWNIN around with you.....I can see BIG THINGS (glasses) in your future!!! lol

Victory

What our feelings call our low places, the Bible calls our high places, Victory is a result of which we follow. (see Habakkuk 3:19)

MOPS~~ Not just your everyday MOP either

Lately ....especially since it is Easter time we are getting lots of flyers, or e-mails or invitations from other neighboring churches. The item below was from Rock Run Church...which always has a wonderful, Jesus FILLED to the Brim VBS in the summertime. What a blessing to hear little voices sing beautiful Jesus songs on the drive home. I especially love when RockRun's VBS takes a common, everyday, picture or theme song or commerical and switch it to honoring Jesus(so cool)...because then, even after VBS is over....even months later... months later....that child still relates Jesus when these paid advertisers think THEY are filling our childrens hearts and minds. NO WAY!!! Here is an example....a few years back Mc D's had the commerical....."I'm Lovin' it" about the McDonald's Hamburgers..... well Rock Run's VBS did their own little "jingle"......and they tuned it..."I'm Lovin' Him" Well, so, everytime a McDonalds commerical came on and the children heard "I'm Lovin' it" They would correct the commerical and say "I'm Lovin' HIM....JESUS" My heart swelled..... what a great idea for a church body to take secular things and change them to reflect JESUS in common everyday things. Poor Mc D's...they pay advertisers bundles to make our children think of hamburgers.....and one great Pastor and his group turned it all around....It's Lovin' HIM.... you burger!!! lol Anyway... in one of my e-mails there was a link to Dennis Papps blog. He is the lead pastor of Rock Run church and as I read the blog I loved his tone and just the gentleness and Jesus love shine through in everyday things. I was totally (since I am a MOPS steering person) loving his little blog on MOPS and just how in tune he is with the MOPS STEERING and the nice things he says about his MOPS ladies. It was just nice and thoughtful and because I am a "MOP" I wanted to include that here for you to read on my blog. ENJOY....and thanks Pastor Papp. Your blog is great!! ~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@ Flexible Faithful, flexible, focused, fearless and fun...this is our relocation formula. All five are vital if we are to see this thing through. Let me tell you a flexible story. Tonight I met with the MOPS steering committee, the six women that coordinate CORR's MOPS ministry. I wanted to talk to them about next year. It is possible that we will have to spend time in rented facilities prior to landing in the new building. I needed to walk through the implications of that possibility with them before they start taking registrations for next year. The conversation was awesome! They were so wiling to think outside of the box and to flex. This is really a credit to each of these women and ultimately to Kim Fox their leader. Leaders set the pace. If she had been hesitant and hand-wringing the others may have followed her lead. Instead she was positive, optimistic and excited about the possibilities, and so was the team. That's a great leader! She's not protecting turf or pessimistic. She's thinking big picture...what's best for the church, not just her piece of the pie. The whole team was great and she sets the pace. People like Kim and her team make ministering fun. I wouldn't want to do this without them! Who knows that God did not send us Kim & Co. for "just such a time as this!" March 29, 2007 at 10:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not on my dime, or 3.50, 4.50, or 4.75 (I'm going back to dunkin donuts coffee)

We actually PAY to get this message? You have got to be kidding. (if you can't read it enlarge it) Unreal!!!!! If you cannot read it, here is what it reads.... "The Way I see it # 230" Heaven is totally overrated. It seems boring. Clouds, listening to people play the harp. It should be somewhere you can't wait to go, like a luxury hotel. Maybe blue skies and soft music were enough to keep people in line in the 17th century, but Heaven has to step it up a bit. They're basically getting by because they only have to be better than Hell. JOEL STEIN columnist for the LOS ANGELES TIMES To read more or respond, go to: ww.starbucks.com/wayiseeit Sadly I paid for this cup of coffee............The way "I" see it...... Starbucks will be hearing from me.

There she goes...."MISS AMERICA"

Ok...so yesterday my Elizabeth, Sarah and my friends girls (who my daughters have known since Elizabeth was 4 and she is now 11) played dress up with their MY SCENE dolls and I was asked to judge a "Miss America" pagent!!!! God is SO GOOD!!!! I had no idea the plans that were set for my day.....who knew that in the heart of my day...after doing dishes by hand....which is fine but gets me a bit peeved because frankly this diswasher UPGRADE we PAID MORE FOR when we bought our home....STINKS HORRIBLY!!!!!Anyway, who knew that right after doing dishes I would be choosen and asked to judge a Miss America pagent. "I am so honored" were my exact words. So I got my tiara and my sash from last year and sat in the assigned seat. Well, above are the final 4 contestants. I, as the wonderfully informed person I am....made my decision......... I choose the one in the blue jeans HANDS DOWN!!!!!! (It was the white furry go-go boots that got me) Oh well!!!! By the way...I would never pick the one in the red! Raising her hand and calling all that attention to herself....so unfair! There's talk today of a MISS UNIVERSE Pagent! Wow, could this be another lucky day for me????