I Know Who Goes Before Me

1:45pm and I'm still in my jammies. It's one of those days.

Truth be told, I rarely need an excuse to stay in my pj's, but today I received news that left me stunned and teary. Change is a comin' and I'm trying to adjust to the thought.

No sicknesses, no babies-on-the-way, just change. It could be good for I see the good that might result, but I feel safe where I am and really don't want to face the possibilities.

The Lord has prepped me. I look back over the past couple of months and see the whispers He's left in my ear.

Two weeks ago a friend faced similar changes.  I sympathized and then said I'd pray, never imagining that I would be in the same place two weeks later.

I know the Lord has a plan; I trust Him. The path has gotten a little foggy today and I don't see the next step very clearly, but I know who is still in the lead.

On the new Chris Tomlin CD, Burning Lights, there is a song entitled Whom Shall I Fear. The chorus says,

"I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind.
The God of angel armies is always by my side."

With gusto I've sang that song driving the freeways with my girls in tow. I've sang it confidently. Today I sing it 'cause I need it.  Just a little afraid. Could be good. Could be bad. Could be a mixture, but it doesn't matter, does it? If we remember who goes before us, we should not be afraid.

So I did the best thing I could think of doing...I crawled back under the covers and read a mystery novel.

Let someone else have the drama for a few hours.  Prayer would be good too. ;)

If you would pray for me, I would appreciate it. I will fill you in on the details over the next few months, but I just can't share today.

Thanks so much!

P365 - Week 7

I've enjoyed getting to see the fun things that Amy posts every week on the P365 link at her blog: The Frans Clan. Blog linkies are always a fun way to make new friends (and to keep the old. ) Check out what everyone is doing this week here.

Sunday, Feb 10 -

I got fooling around with my plastic lunch ware and Rhett took it one step further - a spoon pirate!

Monday, Feb 11 -

Meet Bella, our new horse. She is sweet, gentle, social and has won our hearts!

Tuesday, Feb 12 - 

Hey! I'm Bella, the new (and only) blond at the Martens' house. 

Today I had a photo shoot with mom in my new digs.

Mom kept trying to get me to pose, but I just wanted to follow her around for the treats she was hiding in her pocket. Smart thinkin!

I finally got tired of the horse play and let mom catch me in the sun. She wanted to show off my whiskery chin, I think.  We'll see you around!

Wednesday, Feb 13 - 

Organizing prop closets at church

Thursday, Feb 14 - 

My goobs dressing up for Valentine's Day at CoOp.

Friday, Feb 15 - 

Katie's first cupcakes made all by herself!

Saturday, Feb 16 -

My nephew from Florida had a flat cardboard cut-out of himself sent to us and we had to take him on a tour of Washington DC. This is my favorite shot at the "top" of the Washington Monument. I'll try to give you the grand tour later this week.

P365 - Week 5 & 6

During week 5 of P365 (a picture a day) I got discouraged because I had missed two days. Funny thing is I thought about taking pictures on those days, but they were so boring I couldn't think of anything worth sharing.

Missing those two days got me down. I had the internal whining of "I can't believe I've already missed two days in the first month.  Why keep going?" Wah, wah, wah!  I did keep going, but failed to get the pictures on the computer and posted. I kept telling myself to "just keep going" (Can you hear my Dorie voice? "just keep swimming, just keep swimming!") and not to care about falling behind.

I've gotten so discouraged with falling behind the past two years that I've given up, but this year I set a goal to finish strong...so I'm plugging away. For me it doesn't matter if it's late, as long as it gets done.

With that, enjoy weeks 5 & 6...

Sunday, Jan 27 -

On Sunday nights we attend Awana (a Bible memorization club).

Monday, Jan 28 - 

We went shopping on a drizzly afternoon and all I came home with was an empty Jelly Belly wrapper. Imagine that!

Tuesday, Jan 29 - No picture

Wednesday, Jan 30 - No picture

Thursday, Jan 31 - 

The girls spent the afternoon at the local skating rink.

Friday, Feb 1 - 

I needed to make some progress on desk organization. It wasn't really working for me so I cleared everything off and started over. (all except the lamp, water bottle and the friendship bracelet my 9-year-old was teaching me to make.)

Saturday, Feb 2 - 

We checked out a local homeschool Science fair

and...

We cried when Mike and Ruby went home to their owner. 

Then we took ourselves out to dinner.

Sunday, Feb 3 - 

A co-worker brought in a quilt that her grandmother had made since she knew I was into quilting. 

What a masterpiece! It had so many fun details and I enjoyed looking at it for quite awhile.

Monday, Feb 4 - 

Exactly where she's not supposed to be. Sigh.

Tuesday, Feb 5 - 

Enjoying Rhett play on the keyboard.

Wednesday, Feb 6 - 

We live on a one lane dirt road so when they trim the trees around the power lines you get to wait.

We were trying to get to a homeschool open gym class (our first time) and were told they would finish in 10 minutes. 45 minutes later we were on our way.

We finally made it to the gym. Downstairs had a rope climbing wall, a rock climbing wall, inflatables, soccer and basketball. Upstairs had a room full of plugged-in exercise. The girls tried it all.

Thursday, Feb 6 - no picture

Friday, Feb 7 - 

Stinkers.

Saturday, Feb 8 - 

Mark and I took the girls to Benihana's for dinner; their first time!

You can catch up with the others over at Amy's blog.

One for Two!

About a year ago I read my first Jennifer Chiaverini novel, The Quilter's Homecoming.  This book is actually the 10th in a series and because I enjoyed it so much I went back and started reading from the beginning. I blame Mrs. Chiaverini for a narrow scope of reading last year instead of my usual variety, but it was a wonderful year spent with new quilting friends. In fact, I would say that because I read this series I went out into my new town and found a quilt guild, in hopes of, in some small way, sharing in the camaraderie that I found within these novels. (Now I feel better for reading one series in one year.)

I just finished book 19 (out of 20) and found it to be one of the most interesting reads. It was a good story, one that I would recommend, but she used a writing technique that I found captivating.  The Quilter's Homecoming was published in 2007 and Sonoma Rose in 2012, however, both share the same story line from two different characters' points-of-view.

The Quilter's Homecoming follows Elizabeth, cousin to the matriarch of the series, as she embarks on life in California with her new husband. It was a fantastic book and I enjoyed it immensely.  Elizabeth befriends a Spanish woman named Rosa who is being abused by her husband. He runs the local post office out of their home so there are several interactions between Elizabeth and Rosa. In the end Elizabeth is instrumental in helping Rosa change her circumstances.

Five years later...we embark on the same story inside the post office via Sonoma Rose. Elizabeth is coming to visit Rosa, our main character. It was a little strange at first and I wondered where the author was going to take the story. Mrs. Chiaverini flawlessly filled in the back story and we then followed Rosa into her new life, full of suspense and surprises.

I shared this story writing technique with my son who hopes to be a writer someday and he was fascinated that she pulled it off so convincingly. After thinking about the difficulty of writing a "fresh" story from two perspectives I was thoroughly impressed. Mrs. Chiaverini pulled it off and I enjoyed the second even more than the first, probably because I knew what was going on just down the road, so to speak.

Mrs. Chiaverini is a wonderful writer, but when she pulls in historical elements, whether it be the Civil War or the Roaring 20's, she is a masterful story-teller.  I have one more book to read, The Giving Quilt and I'm a little sad that I will not have a Chaiverini novel waiting for me on the shelves when I'm done with it.  I do have a variety of books that I'd like to get back to, but I will miss my quilting friends and their ongoing story.

If you are looking for light reading, whether you are into quilting or not, I highly recommend The Elm Creek Quilters series. I think you'll make some new friends along the way, as well.

My favorites: The Runaway Quilt, The Quilter's Holiday, The Aloha Quilt, The Union Quilters and Sonoma Rose.

My least favorites: Circle of Quilters, The New Year's Quilt, The Quilter's Kitchen.

You can find all you want to know about Elm Creek here.

BTW, Jennifer Chiaverini has written a new book outside of the series, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.
Looks interesting!

Singular Focus

I often have BIG plans that I want to do for the Lord. My interests are varied and I often think, "if only the Lord would give me clarity then I would know where to focus my passion."  Even before getting to pray about this (for the umteenth time) the Lord reminded me of His answer - to make Christ alone my focus. I should make Him the only vision on which I've set my eyes.  Contemplating that thought, I realized that Christ could do so much more (all those areas of interest, plus!) if I focused solely on Him.

I want to do something "big" for God; He wants me to allow Him to have control in the "small" things: my attitudes, reactions, body, relationships, etc. He wants me (not such a small thing.) Along the road of transformation He will use me to impact others, but He needs a surrendered, focus-on-Him partner for the work to be great!

On the day I was thinking about this I went to the wrong chapter of Acts to continue my reading. I love when the Holy Spirit gives us a detour.  I read Acts 16 which tells about Timothy joining Paul & Silas on their travels. In Philippi they meet Lydia. They are in town to encourage the believers, but this possessed girl keeps annoying Paul...for days. Finally, he turns and excises the demon, but this doesn't make the town happy. Instead they see red and a mob drags them into the market to beat them and throw them into jail. (Although it isn't written, do you realize that Timothy, as a teenager, could have been beaten and jailed along with them. Maybe he escaped the mob and was safely tucked away at Lydia's, either way, he was a witness to what happened.)

At midnight "they" (more that Paul & Silas) are awake, probably because of the pain from their beating and "they" are listening to Paul and Silas pray & sing.  Was this a leader's response to encourage the team or did they just need to hold on to God for themselves? No matter the motivation, they were doing the right thing - focusing on Him!

They encounter a miracle earthquake. Do we pray and expect them? Actually, they encounter two miracles: the earthquake and a whole family coming to know God. At that moment don't you think it was probably worth everything they went through to see the work of the Lord in the salvation and baptism of this family?! If you don't think a resounding, "Yes!" then I hope you'll ask the Lord to restore the joy of your salvation.

Paul, Silas and "they" hang around; they don't run off in the night. The magistrates want to send them away quietly, but Paul confidently, actually defiantly, sends a message back that they made a big mistake by beating and imprisoning Roman citizens.  They are asked to leave town, begged it says, but first Paul and Silas go to Lydia's to encourage the believers. Then they are on their way.

Why was this chapter so compelling this week? We've all heard the story so many times! I was blown away by how Paul and Silas focused on God despite their circumstances. This is the way to live IN the world, but not OF it! 

Just remember, make Christ your sole focus and He will make something out of you.

God's Heart for You

For God so loVed the world,

     That he gAve

          His onLy

         begottEn

              SoN

                     That whosoever

    believeth In Him

       should Not perish,

    but have Everlasting life.

- John 3:16

Purchase in card form here.

P365 - Week 4

Joining Amy for P365 this week. 

Sunday, Jan 20 - 

 Katie and I had a relaxing lunch together.

Monday, Jan 21 - 

Our neighbor took out a whole corner of pine trees and now we can see another house. Sigh. We joke that we need more space. It was fun watching the machines take out full grown trees to plant up the street (from one neighbor's to anothers.) If they come back, I'll try to capture the process.

Tuesday, Jan 22 - 

Cold! Brrr...time to blanket Ruby.

Mike is a heat-making machine - no blanket for him.

Wednesday, Jan 23 -

Baked 90 rolls to share at our Homeschool Support Group meeting.

Thursday, Jan 24 -

Spent the afternoon at the grandparents' house

playing games &  eating dinner.

 Friday, Jan 25 -

Finished a quilt for a friend's new baby. (My 3rd completed quilt!)

The back is soft flannel. 

Saturday, Jan 26 - 

The girls had a tea party for their stuffed animals and dressed up. Had to capture this; I doubt it will last much longer. So sweet. Tara's in a red formal that I wore in college. She asked me, "If you could fit in this dress (thanks, Tara), would you wear it again, Mom?" Yeah, NO! 

Hope your week was filled with wonderful memories~

Service vs. Devotion

The Jan 18th entry in My Utmost for His Highest says, "The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him.  It is easier to serve than to pour out our lives completely for Him. The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him. We are not sent to do battle for God, but to be used by God in His battles. Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself?"

I alluded to this thought last week and it's still with me. Who am I serving? My pride - "Look at what I'm doing for the Lord," or serving the Lord, even in the unappreciated places? Even when I feel discouraged and disheartened? I remind myself that feelings are not truth and that in God's presence I lack nothing.

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;


We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 100:1-3

One way I remember to serve the Lord selflessly is to picture that He is there with me (He is!) It's so much easier thinking about serving Him if I can visualize that I am in His presence.

Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.

It would be so much easier to sing if I would see Him instead of my circumstances, right?! Right!

Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.

Remember you are not your own.

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

He cares for us and will guide us; He is the Shepherd!

P365 - Week 3

P365 is hosted by Amy at The Frans Clan.  

Stop by and check out everyone's week.

Sunday, Jan 13 - 

My leather bag gave out at the end of the day.

I will have to get it repaired!

Monday, Jan 14 - 

One of our newest chickens is laying. 

Here's a "test run." :)

Tuesday, Jan 15 - 

This is a game at our house. 

If you hold up your finger to Biscuit she shows you her teeth.

Smile purty!

Wednesday, Jan 16 -  

The girls and I had craft time at the neighbor's. 

We learned to make felt flowers.

Thursday, Jan 17 - 

Back to our Homeschool CoOp.

My handbells class is playing Apples to Apples

 in our post-Christmas party. 

(We were working too hard before Christmas to party then!)

Friday, Jan 18 - 

Crafty neighbor makes me a headband with three clips

 to give to a new mom/baby.  Check out her Etsy shop! 

Everything is so cute and reasonably priced!

Saturday, Jan 19 -

Normally chickens on my front porch would make me crazy, 

but since we lost 7 this week to a predator I just want her to be safe. 

Instead of shooing her away, I took her picture!

Prayer in the New Year

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.  We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

How much joy do you get out of praying for others? I enjoy reading Paul's writings because you can sense his joy in praying for fellow believers. He yearns for them to grow in Christ and to walk faithfully.

Prayer takes a lot of time, doesn't it?  Often in the morning we have just a few minutes to read through a devotional or small segment of Scripture, but we don't have time to pray for everything we'd like.  We do a "fly-by" prayer of those things that are immediately on our hearts/minds.

I have kept a prayer notebook for several years now and each January I pull out the previous year's prayers/answers and reorganize the notebook for the coming year. I keep all the answered prayer requests in a section in the back of the notebook. Like the Israelites who picked up stones along the way to remember what God had done for them, I, too, can remember how the Lord has included me in His work.

"...included me in His work" is exactly what prayer is. Through prayer the Lord allows us to see where/how He is working. It's exciting to be a part of the process!  The more answers I receive, the more faith I have in God's control and care. I can see that He cares about the BIG things and the small things. I can see He guides and directs, often setting in place the answer before it's even been requested.

I want to challenge you in 2013 to make prayer a greater priority. If you have regular prayer time, find ways to increase it. Or find ways to encourage others to pray. Better yet, include other family members in praying with you. If prayer time is a challenge, then spend 5 purposeful minutes a day and ask the Lord to give you the desire to have regular prayer time. Ask Him to show you where He is working and how you can partner with Him through prayer. I promise that the return on this investment will always be great!