These are a few of my favorite things...

Ok, this is my personal idea of heaven: (besides all my favorite people being in the room with me!) A really good book, my cat--who I have an unhealthy dependency on--and a nice glass of wine! Here's to a good weekend!!

Warm your heart with these little pip-squeeks!

Don't you want to shrink down these three little chunks of sweetness and put them in your pocket or on your key ring!? I have less then a month before I see their faces and hug them till they pop! The little one, Luke is actually going to be in Charlotte and drive with me to PA for a road trip. A 5 year old and a cat on a 10 hour drive, should be interesting and fun...maybe a good blog entry on the way!

Last time I was home I asked Luke to tell me his name, "Luke Timothy" he said. When I asked Him, "Do you like your name?" He responded by saying, "Yes, because it matches Tim" (my little brother who he was named after) I went on to tell him that one of Jesus' best friends was named Luke and that he was a doctor and wrote some of the Bible. He sat there dumbfounded and said after a pause, "You have got to be kiddin' me." Now that is cute. That is why I look forward to my road trip with little Luke.

No God? Are you serious?

This little guy is so cute, it actually hurts! Can a turtle really be that small?! When I see pictures like this, or hear stories like the one about the beagle that just rescued someone by calling 9-1-1 (http://www.cnn.com/--look at videos), I cannot understand how people think there is no God, or an uninvolved God, or a powerless God. Granted, there are many times I have thought He appeared uninvolved and even careless. As a counselor, on more than one occasion, I have said out loud, "We are down here cleaning up your mess!" But then I stop and consider His character, even when I don't understand...and I look at a picture like this and I have to say, "Ok He's smart, creative, and He likes cute little things like I do; He causes the sun to rise and fall, He knows all things and He knows far better than me." So here's the challenge, go out into His creation alone and sit still, and be quiet for more than a few moments. Let His creation speak of who He is. Allow the beauty of this world to remind you that life is more than deadlines and paychecks, that there is a big world and yet...He still knows your deepest needs, the number of hairs on your head, and what makes you laugh. Oh, and not only does He know, He cares about it all! Look at this picture...and remember He holds you in the palm of His hand!

Growing young

"Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." —preface to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrob

This will be a good day for all of us....we toil over intellectual discussions and compete to discover the next deep thought. We want to be like God. I guess nothing has changed. It was that way in Eden. But the better goal is to be like children....sounds backwards, I guess it is.


(This is dedicated to my sweet friend Lis who lives this out...she is who I want to be like when I grow truly young...)

The only constant in life is CHANGE!

I hate change. I know it is good for all of us so that we don't make life about the wrong things. But man, it's hard. My roommates and I...for 9 years....are all going separate ways and it's happening all at once. One left to travel the world on missions from Peru to Africa...one is moving to FL, and getting married. Me, I am building a house and starting a new job. This feels like death and life in the same moment. But I need this to keep me on my knees and to keep me from being, what Brennan Manning calls, "security obsessed." I guess I can say with my hands covering my face, and my head to the ground..."Bring it on."

Be like little children...

I got this email from a friend this afternoon...He is going into full-time, full-support ministry. And this is how God affirms his decision and how He reminds him that HE is in control!! Read this on behalf of your own faith:

Dawn
I just had a 13 year old girl walk into my room and hand me a check for
$1000. She told me that for her birthday party she decided to not ask
for gifts, but instead, she had everyone bring a donation for my
ministry. I am in tears as I am sending this email. Just when we feel
dry and distant from God, He brings a young child to show us His love.
Amazed and humbled by his grace,
DJ

Lovin' Community!

I saw a man who is homeless this morning. He always sits outside the strip where the coffee shop is. So I see him a lot and wonder how it is that someone gets to that point. There is a story behind every face we pass and I want to hear his. But as I drove by this morning and saw him, I said to my roommate, "It is sad to be that alone. If you or I were ever in dire financial ruin, we have so many people who would never allow us to live on the streets." And it's true. I do not have to fear that, and last night proved it again. I was on my way to meet with people from church who hang out on Wednesday nights and my clutch snapped in the middle of a busy road, in the middle of a shift change!! I was so confused to say the least. In a panic, I hit my hazard lights and coasted into Chili's wondering what in the world would I do...My AAA has just expired and my car just got paid off! I knew it was soon! I said it to so many people. Anyway...in comes my community. A group of girls (one with AAA!) and an elderly gentleman...to the rescue! They drove up and as I turned around they bought me dinner, a diet coke and proceeded to make me laugh. I was humbled and amazed once again by the love of people in my circle. It was not a second thought, but it saved me from frustration and despair. My church thrives on community and values it in a way I never knew existed. It is just God really...He just uses all of us to get His work done and to take care of His peeps!