The Son Comes Shining Through

It's SO amazing to be part of a body of Christ who love each other, love the Lord and act as Jesus' hands and feet in the time of need of another. It's wonderful to see God move in the hearts of people, to compel then to open their hearts and move them in the direction of the Son. Every person rose to the occasion and saw a need and met that need. Realizing the need that a person has for a place to live and food to eat, the basic needs of life. I am glad to report that as of yesterday they were able to move in and have electricity and she even came to church last night, with a thankful heart. Such a lovely person. I pray that she and her family see and feel the love of Jesus in our church.

As I am thinking of them, I am thinking about me, about you, about my parents, about my family..... we are only a paycheck away from suffering from the same circumstances as they were. Being in a 1 income family, it's especially tough. If that 1 income is gone, due to job loss, laid off, cut-backs, etc.... then what do you do.....if you can't find anything else? I have learned that trusting in the Lord to provide is more important for the well-being of the body, mind and spirit. It's so comforting to the soul to trust in the Lord and know that He will provide for your "needs". In this case.... He provided bigtime - the son came shining through! I am so so very thankful to Jehovah Jireh for his provisions for this family and for mine.

I am in such a praiseful and worshipful mood - I just can't seem to thank Him enough. I never want to grow passionless in Christ. Praise Him for all he has done and is going to do!

Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! - 1 Chronicles 16:8

Oh! How I Love My Ian

There's just something about your eyes
The way they sparkle
The way they shine
The way they intently observe whats going on
All wide-eyed and attentive
The way they squint up when you laugh
How I love those eyes!






And OH the laugh!
that infectious laugh
the laugh that tickles my heart
a laugh that makes me laugh too
laughter that resounds joy
How I love that laugh!

You love life so much
You find everything fascinating
You enjoy everything
All things are new to you
All the time
How I love that you love life!

Superman is an obsession for you
You cut out supermans
every chance you get
You're so creative, all the time
I love the way your mind thinks
How I love that artistic genius in you!

You have your own language
Your own way to talk
A language that I can understand
That sometimes, other can't
A secret speech that we can share
How I love that talk!

Your smooth little tummy
perfect for raspberries
great for a belly rub
and little kisses
How I love to rub that tummy!

To love white donuts this much
has to be a crime
every morning you search
with that gleam in your eye
til you find the prize you seek
donuts in the cabinet, oh joy, what glee
How I love how you love donuts!

Your cute little toes
And your tiny feet too
ticklish to the slightest touch
just a touch curls up into a ball
just to get away from my hands
How I love those little tootsies!

Precious pouty little lips
lips that pucker-up for a kiss
lips that curl up when you get mad
a mouth that turns downward when you are sad
cute little lips that steal kisses
How I love those lips!

I'll love you forever
I love you for always
Forever my baby you'll be

love, Mommy

Are you keeping a box?

It's amazing to me. We spend our whole collecting "stuff", stuff that we need, stuff we think we need, stuff we can't seem to live without, but mostly - it's just stuff, stuff that we can't take with us when we go.

what happens to the stuff? it gets given away. it gets put out by the trash. it goes into a garage sale and those memories - sold for a dollar, never to be seen again.

Our life ends up being left behind - in a box. Photos of us throughout our life from birth to old age, birth certificates, death records, letters home to mom and dad, letters from sisters & brothers in the military or college, the feet print of a brand new baby and the handprints of a child in elementary school, a grandmothers bible filled with well worn pages, a grandfathers old used pocketknife.

The most wonderful thing to me is the fact that my family keeps "a box" - that is the best passed down treasure I could ever receive. I am a little emotional as I write this, this morning because I know that someday in the future, I will receive some of the "what's in the box" that my mother has been collecting for years. It's a wonderful beat up brown box full of history, my greatgrandparents, my parents, my brother and sister, nieces and nephews, my children, and of course me.

As we grow older and begin to grow our own families, we start our own box too. In that box we place treasures from our past and collect new ones from our future to one day pass on to our children so they too - can begin "a box". It's amazing to me, how our life ends up - in a wonderful, beat up, treasure-filled, brown box.

Are you keeping a box?

Dedicated to my mother, Lea - for keeping all of these treasures so we can keep our boxes going :) I love you, mom.