Show me Your glory.

“But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Being the ‘word’ girl that I am, I am constantly looking up definitions to words. The time I spend in dictionaries is not exclusive to words that I have never heard before. For the most part, I search the meanings to words that I believe I know already. Oh, what surprises I have found when looking up words that I thought I already knew. Recently the word that I looked up was, ‘demonstrates’. The Noah Webster 1828 dictionary defines demonstrates this way: To show or prove to be certain; to prove beyond the possibility of doubt or to be rendered certain to the mind.

Recently while in a Bible study I was reminded of the above scripture in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The teacher went on to share that God does not desire to be hidden. If we would only seek Him, He wants to show us in so many ways how much He loves us. I needed to be reminded that God does not get some cosmic pleasure in playing hide n’ go seek with His children. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And you will seek Me and find [Me], when you search for Me with all your heart.” It does not say that when you search for me I will find a better hiding place. God desires to be seen and desires for us to see Him in our lives. Our part is seeking Him in prayer and in His word and not being afraid to ask Him just as Moses did in Exodus 33:18 “I pray you show me Your glory.”nasb

So often people will ask Christians how they believe in an invisible God. My response to that is, “You believe in the invisible laws of gravity, in protons and electrons, black holes and the unseen laws of physics. Just as gravity has proven itself to be a real thing so too has my Lord and savior proven Himself real and true in my life.”

The picture above is one of my favorites of my children. What an example to me of His glory in my life. In this image, not only do I see His glory in the crashing of the ocean waves, but I also see four of His most precious gifts to their father and I. Another example of how He has demonstrated His love for me. Remember friends, demonstrates means to prove to be certain. If we would only ask Him for Spiritual eyes to see His glory, He will show Himself in our lives. He is faithful to do just that.

Are you up for a challenge?

While perusing the blogosphere I came across this wonderful Fall book challenge. Being the readaholic that I am, I couldn't resist. I will be including more information in the next few days. As I search for books that I would like to read this fall, I will post my own list.

Copy and paste the site below to your address line to read the rules.

http://callapidderdays.blogspot.com/2006/09/fall-into-reading-challenge-join-me.html

If you are like me and have many books that you have always wanted to read or some that are on your bookshelf just waiting for you to pick them up and finish, then climb on board!

TGIF Everyobody!

I am so happy it is Friday. This week was exceptionally busy for our family. I worked my second week of job training, including one evening until 3am...yikes that was hard. Much harder then it used to be. We had a football game last night and today was 'Grandparent's Day' at my son David's school. Yesterday morning I drove three hours (one-way) to be at Bev's funeral. That was emotionally tiring, so very sad. I helped this morning in Grace and Samuel's class and then did some grocery shopping. This afternoon they are both having friends over for some playtime. I am off now to clean my very MESSY house before everyone gets out of school.

For all of you moms' out there who understand what BUSY is all about, I have included a video below of Anita Renfroe sharing the words a mother uses in a 24hr period....put your feet up friends, the weekend is just about here.

The Word of God...

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" Hebrews 4:12

All play and some work...

Today I am at work with my husband Paul. I got all the housework done yesterday in three hours flat just so I could have some time to myself today. While getting the kids off to school I asked my husband what his plans were for the day. He told me, "Just going in to the office." I asked, "How would you like some company?" Paul is always leary about the company he gets from me at work. I am truly of no use to him at all. I am embarassed to admit that it usually takes me two tries to make a copy..."does the paper go face down or face up?!?" I yell to him each and every time. This morning started off with a trip to Starbucks. I was good and got a whole wheat imitation bacon (don't tell me what is in that stuff) and fake cheese sandwich with a non fat vanilla steamer. I wanted six of the pumpkin cream cheese muffins... Anyway, here I sit at his laptop while he is down at the law library. He said he would be about twenty minutes so I have only seconds left. He will come back and I will give him about ten minutes of uninterupted time before I almost burst with the question that has been burning inside of me since our trip to Starbuks..."Where are you taking me for lunch?"

I guess I shouldn't be surprised when he is hesitant to take me along to work with him, huh?

My favorite fall destination!

Today we took the kids on our 'September Family Day' to Apple Hill. This is my absolute favorite fall destination. It isn't offically autumn until we have piled into the car and taken the route on this hill from farm to farm eating yummy treats. Since we have lived up here now seven years, all of us have our favorite places to go and our special fall delicacies of choice. Here is the list of what we ate today....and yes, I do feel a little sick to my stomach.

1. Pluebell's Orchard - We stopped at the bake shop and I had my favorite Sour Cream Blackberry Pie slice. The kids shared a few homemade chocolate chip cookies and we walked around the farm area looking at the animals. They had some young piglets that stole the show.

2. Kid's Inc. - Paul is responsible for this stop. He gets their 'Walking Pie' which is a small version of an apple pie. The family that runs this farm originally had five young children growing up there. When the kids were small they complained that they couldn't eat a piece of pie and play outside by their creek. Their mom fixed that problem and created a walking pie that has crust all the way around, like a big baseball but filled with delicious apple filling. They serve it with a hot cinnamon caramel sauce on top...mmmm mmmm! Gracie had a caramel apple there with a candy worm and sprinkles. Samuel got a walking pie too, but shared his with his big sister Meghan and big brother David. I also got a half of a bushel, that is 22 pounds of apples to make some treats at home. The kids are begging me to make some apple crisp.

3. High Hill Ranch - We went there for the 'Fudge Shop' that our son David requested. He had an awesome chocolate covered peanut butter and graham cracker sandwich. I got Paul some milk chocolate honeycomb and Samuel had a rock candy sucker, Meg had dark chocolate pieces and I got a chocolate covered pretzel.

It was a great family day. It drizzled on us a bit but we were prepared and brought umbrellas. I consider us TRUE Apple Hill fans. Neither rain, sleet nor snow will keep us from our favorite fall family field trip!

My heavy heart...

My heart is so heavy tonight. One of my mom’s dearest friends passed away this afternoon. Through my growing up years mom talked to ‘Bev’ on a daily basis. They had known each other as teenagers, lost touch and reconnected while watching their daughters play bobby sox at the community park across the street from our house. Bev got mom a part time job working together at Bev’s husband’s meat company. Years later they both went on to work together as pharmacy clerks at the local drugstore. “Bev always makes me laugh.” My mom would tell us. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer Bev was one of my mom’s gang of girlfriends that rallied around her. For two years they were by her side encouraging her, bringing her to doctors appointments, dropping off gifts and treats to brighten her spirits. Bev's love in action, showed me what being a friend is all about.

The Bible tells us that life is like a vapor, a mist, a shadow. Our life is fleeting. Time flies by. Just ask anyone over the age of 40 and they will confirm to you the same. I often place my hands on top of my children’s heads and jokingly tell them, “Stop growing!” I know these days are temporary yet my time still gets entangled in the unimportant. Tonight while I was lost in my own sadness I realized my youngest two children were watching TV…precious 'time' was slipping by. I went in and turned off their show and decided to pull them into my lap and read them a book. I will be giving ‘time’ a knock down drag out fight and I don't plan to lose.

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14 niv

Is my conduct worthy?

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” Philippians 1:27 nkjv

This week was a bit of a milestone week for me. After seven years of being an exclusive stay at home mommy I went back to work. Our youngest is in school for a full day now which gives me some time to have a part time job. (Plus I knew that if I was home my husband would expect our shower to be clean!) Actually it is an on call position which is even less demanding than a part time job. I am a police dispatcher. It is a job that I held for quite a few years while my older two children were babies and starting school. It is what I love to do.

This Monday began my training. For the past seven years I have been in a ‘Christian cocoon’. There has rarely been a Bible study or time our church doors were open that I wasn’t in attendance. Now I am back in the world. What an odd feeling it was to begin work with people who never speak His name or ever share with each other the joy they have in Jesus. The morning before I started work I committed my job to Him. When I had my time in the word, God was faithful to give me the above scripture. I have to ask myself every morning before I head out the door…is my conduct worthy, am I being a good example? Just yesterday I met another dispatcher for the first time. She had a cross on her necklace. My heart fluttered, I thought to myself, “Another Christian?” Then she proceeded to tell a story about someone and use a foul word. I was grieved. I wondered to myself about how many times God may have smiled upon something I was doing or saying and then just as fast I destroyed my own testimony by my actions or words.

Being a Christian at this new police department is much different for me. I was not a Christian when I worked as a dispatcher years before. I know God has placed me there for a purpose. His fingerprints have been all over my hiring process. I just don’t know what that ‘purpose’ is. So for now I will just be obedient, have faith and keep walking forward with Jesus right by my side.

I am off now to finish getting ready…my strength is in Him ,my mind is stayed on His word, and my silent prayer is "Lord, let my conduct be worthy, help me be a good example."

Tea for three...

It is a tie score in our home. We have been blessed with four children, two girls and two boys. With children in and out and all about, it is difficult to get time alone with them individually. We really try to spend most of our time together as a family. With our oldest only home for two more years before college, it is time that we truly guard and try to keep to enjoy together. We know this time is precious. This weekend was a rare occasion for all of us. My husband took the boys on a father/son camping trip with our church while all of us girls got to have a couple days to ourselves. It was so much fun. We enjoyed so many girl-things. This of course included watching chick flicks. My teenage daughter and I watched, ‘Win a date with Tad Hamilton’ today, while my 8yr old and I watched ‘Finding Nemo’ for our special time together on Friday night. We even decided to have ice cream for dinner on Friday. And of course there was LOTS of chocolate. Today all three of us got dressed up and went out to tea. Grace even brought her favorite doll along…‘Shauna’. (She is the one sitting by the teapot in the picture.) This doll is special to me too, as it was the doll that my mother gave Gracie on her 1st birthday. I couldn’t help but feel almost overwhelmed with gratitude and joy sitting at a table with my two beautiful daughters this afternoon. “Thank you God.” has been my continual prayer these days. I have so much to be thankful for. I have said before that I take my job seriously as a mom and I really do. I have the attention span of a gnat and can be distracted so easily. So this post will be a short one…I am off to curl up next to my daughter who has fallen asleep in my bed. Her baby doll Shauna is on her chest. These moments fly by and I don’t want to miss a one of them.

I can't wait a moment longer.

Call me impatient, I cannot wait another moment…I LOVE FALL! I know it is not officially here yet but I feel the gentle stirrings of the cool weather in the air…and I just can’t stand the suspense any longer. I witnessed a few small leaves falling from a tree while driving in the car with my husband yesterday. I even got to wear jeans and a sweatshirt today…my favorite attire! These are just a few signs that tell me my favorite time of year is right around the corner.
Saying goodbye to summer is something I feel very little remorse over. Maybe it is because I am fair skinned and have never tanned above an off white color, maybe it is because I hate to sweat, or maybe it is because I will never have one of those bikini clad bodies, I just don't enjoy the summer. Now I must admit I do enjoy the sun staying out later in the evenings and I do enjoy picnics and barbecues but my heart belongs to the Fall season. Autumn is my one true love.

Today I made pumpkin bread while our youngest children played and finished homework. The smell of warm cinnamon and nutmeg permeated our home. When I picked up my teenage son from school and told him that I had made pumpkin bread he said, “I love coming home and smelling the house when you bake that bread mom.” It touched my heart because I guess I don’t always realize that while I am happily enjoying something that seems as trivial as baking pumpkin bread, they glean from my joy as well. They are affected not only by my good mood, but by the smells that will forever be etched in their memories and on their hearts. My mother went home to be with the Lord seven years ago and these very same memories are even more important to me now. I loved coming home and smelling our house when my mom made sugar cookies, or coffee cake and especially her delicious oatmeal raisin cookies.

I guess you could say that this Fall I am baking with purpose. Making sweet memories (pardon the pun) is just another reason that this season gets top billing in my book.

How about you? Our recent poll showed that ALL of you gals voted Fall as your favorite season too. Please share, what do you love most about this time of year?

Where were you September 11, 2001?

Only minutes before, my husband had left for his men’s bible study at the local coffee shop. I had just gotten out of the shower and could hear the phone ringing as I wrapped the towel around my head. “Who could be calling me this early?” I thought to myself. My heart began to beat a little bit faster as I ran to get it before it woke up the baby. Early phone calls like this unnerved me. It was my sister Jennifer. She sounded anxious, “Joanne, turn on your television.” “You know I can’t.” I said walking back into my bedroom. The only station we could get was a fuzzy Spanish station. A few months back, my husband had been preparing to take the Bar exam and after my begging him to help me move around furniture, I had agreed to be fine without a television. “A plane has just hit one of the twin towers in New York.” “They are saying that the plane may have been hijacked from Boston.” I found myself sitting now on the edge of our bed. “Are you sure they said Boston, Jennifer?” I calmly asked, my voice never betraying my thoughts. “Do you know what flight Carrie was taking home this morning from Boston?” I asked.

__________________________________________________________________

Where were you on September 11, 2001? This is the question our generation will forever have an answer for. I have not been as affected by the anniversary of this sad event like I am today. Maybe because it is a Tuesday like the same day it originally occurred. Maybe because I now know much more of the heartache from watching stories of survivors and the family members of the deceased tell their tales. On that fateful day, our friends who had planned to leave Boston early in the morning had a last minute change of plans. A ticket agent had suggested they leave from Providence, Rhode Island instead. Saying we were relieved is an understatement.

The events of 9/11 are hard for us to understand. We just can’t see the good that comes from it. Take a moment today to hug your kids, cuddle with your spouse, call your parents just to tell them you love them. Thank God for your life and for the time he has given you. It is a gift. There is some good that can come out of this.

I want a standing ovation.

Our youngest son Samuel has a few life passions of his own. One of those passions is ‘Star Wars’. It is very common to find Samuel pretending to be Luke Skywalker with his sister and friends in tow. Samuel and his friends love to have their light sabers attached to their belt loops as they run all around the yard. Thanks to my six year old son, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader have never been in such daunting situations.

Yesterday while the children were playing in our bonus room Samuel decided to try to copy a move he once saw Luke do, a forward flip in the air with light saber in hand. What he ended up doing was a forward flop in the air, landing on his light saber with his head. He performed this stunt in front of his audience of six year olds and eight year olds. He bled quite a bit but thankfully he did not need stitches. He did learn a valuable lesson…he is no Luke Skywalker.

It reminded me of a Bible study I did with my teenage daughter Meghan and her girlfriend this summer. If you were living your life on a stage, who would be in your audience? I can tell you who is often in my audience...from time to time it is my husband Paul who is in my audience. Often times it is friends, family, neighbors, and people at church I am playing for. If we are Christians we should only be concerned with playing in front of an audience of one. Jesus is sitting in the front row waiting to give each one of us a standing ovation. He is front and center waiting to cheer us on. He loves us so. As adults we can fall into the same traps that our children fall into…trying to impress people. It took a light saber and my adorable son to remind me that there are no repeat performances in my life…I am going to make sure today that I am living my life for an audience of one. I want that standing ovation.

More good news...

This week has been extraordinary. If I thought Tuesday was joyful, well I am re-joy-cing today! For those of you who don’t know me, I have recently felt a gentle nudging from the Lord to write. It is my dream to write a book someday. I have no education past a semester of junior college and so from the outside, it looks to be quite the impossibility. But the God I serve is the God of impossibilities. I don’t know how or when in my lifetime this book is going to be written but God does. It is a desire that I feel has been put in my heart by the very One who fashioned my heart.

About six months ago, on a whim, I was perusing the ‘Today’s Christian Woman’ site and saw that they were asking women to send in their ideas on how they have simplified their lives. I had recently written an article for the women’s newsletter at our church. I cut and pasted the article and shipped it off to the editors of the magazine. Meanwhile, I forgot all about it.

Tuesday I received an email from the ‘Today’s Christian Woman’ coordinating editor requesting my home address so they could send me some free copies of the magazine with my piece included. Their package arrived today and I was so thrilled to see on page 38 my very own little paragraph. They spelled my name right and everything!!!

On an even sweeter note…when my family heard the news about my being published in a Christian Woman’s magazine they were even more excited than I was. My sister Jennifer was driving around like a mad woman from store to store trying to find the Sept./Oct. edition of the magazine. When my dad and step-mom heard the good news I felt like I was in kindergarten again bringing home one of those stick figure pictures. You know the kind of picture I am talking about, where the arms protrude out of the sides of a grotesquely abnormal sized head. My dad said, “My daughter the author! I am so proud of you Joey. We are going to take you out to lunch to celebrate” I said, “Dad, please, I am not an author and you really don’t have to take me out to lunch to celebrate a paragraph.”

As I type this I have a burrito the size of a Honda Civic weighing in my tummy. I am glad that I didn’t cancel our lunch date...and even though it is only a paragraph, it’s a start.


Shout joyfully all the earth and break forth In song, rejoice and sing praises. Psalm 98:4

Thankful Thursday

Ok, I only have a little time today. On my first 'Thankful Thursday' I am thankful that my children help one another.

We teach our kids that not only has God given them to their father and I as a gift, He has also given them each other as a gift. When they get older and need something or someone, it will be each other that they should be able to lean on. Recently our teenage son David was given some sentences to write. Actually, he was given alot of sentences to write as a form of discipline. After a little while I realized that the house had become very quiet. I found my youngest two children in David's room. Each child was in a special place on a bed or at a desk writing their little hearts out. They were giving their big brother a hand with his punishment. The sweetest part for me was when my six year old son Samuel proudly boasted. "Mom, I have finished five whole sentences already!" I am so thankful for them.

15 years, 24 days, 18 hours & 41 minutes…but who’s counting?!?

Yesterday my joy was Indescribable. Being the word nut that I am I had to look up the definition for ‘indescribable’- defying expression or description; "indescribable beauty"; "ineffable ecstasy"; "unspeakable happiness"; “a thing of untellable splendor. Yup, that pretty much sums it up! Why this indescribable joy you ask? All four of my children are now in school. It is the first time in almost sixteen years that I will have five hours a day to myself. Now please don’t get me wrong. I LOVE MY CHILDREN AND I LOVE BEING A MOM. But the thought of having some time alone during my day makes me almost giddy with joy. I celebrated this momentous occasion by going out to breakfast with my sister Jennifer and one of my girlfriends who also has four children. I shared with them that when you are looking through the world with your joy glasses on everything is beautiful. The sky was more blue, the air more fresh and crisp, the French toast I had for breakfast was even sweeter! My sister was following right behind me in her own car as we drove to breakfast. She called me on my cell phone, I asked her, “Can you see it Jennifer?” She said, “See what?!?” I said, “Look at my Suburban… even my car is skipping today!”



**In honor of my very special day I have included a candid shot for my ‘Wordless Wednesday’ that my sister took yesterday of me. I have also included a video of Chris Tomlin’s song, “indescribable”. Scroll down and hit play…then feel my joy!!!!

Could you wait a minute, or two...or forty?!?

We live in a society where waiting should really be second nature to us. We experience some form of waiting every single day. Shouldn’t we be great at it by now? Waiting in bumper to bumper traffic is the ticket to a one way ride to hell for my husband. Waiting on people who are late can personally get me hot under the collar. Or how about calling a business and being put on perpetual hold? From the moment I wake up in the morning until the moment I lay my head on my pillow at night I wait alot! It starts with taking my children to school. I wait for certain parents to move their cars along so I can take my turn dropping my child off at the front of the school. I wait my turn in the grocery check out line. I wait in any doctors’ office or dentist’s office I visit. Sometimes I wait on my mailman, or on a return phone call. Daily I wait for my children to walk home from school. I should have my master’s degree in waiting by now!

I personally believe that God uses these ‘waiting’ times in my life to produce the fruit of patience in me. I freely admit that my fruit tree called ‘patience’ has not harvested a bumper crop in quite awhile. This has to be the reason that I have been blessed with so many ‘waiting’ opportunities. The dictionary defines ‘wait’ as ‘patient expectation’. I really loved that. There should be the fruit of patience along with the expectation of something to come. If we are waiting on the Lord for an answer to prayer, this should be the only way we should wait…with patient expectation.

So today if I get stuck in traffic or if after waiting thirty minutes in the grocery line the clerk decides to change her register tape, I will remember to wait with ‘patient expectation’. Get ready for harvest time my friends, with God’s help I am 'patiently expecting' a bountiful season!

“My soul, Wait silently for the Lord, For my expectation is from Him.”
Psalm 62:5 nkjv

Sunday Breakfast Recipe

A few Sundays ago, my mother and father in-law came by for breakfast before heading off to church with us. I LOVE to make recipes from the www.bbonline.com site. The recipe below was from this site. I made these waffles and they were a hit! Friends, this one is a keeper. I have changed the name from it's original 'Town Creek Pecan Waffles' to 'Joanne's Famous Pecan Waffles' in my personal recipe book. It is a shameful lesson I learned from my own mother...remind me to tell you sometime about her delicious 'Mary Lou's Delight' dessert! Happy Weekend!

Joanne's Famous Pecan Waffles

Ingredients
2 extra large eggs1 3/4 cups buttermilk1/2 cup butter2 teaspoons vanilla extract1 3/4 cups all purpose flour2 tablespoons brown sugar2 teaspoons baking powder1 tablespoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt1/2 cup chopped pecans1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Steps
1. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla.2. In a separate bowl combine the remaining ingredients.3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.4. Prepare waffle iron by spraying with vegetable oil. Preheat the iron. Pour 1/2 cup of batter onto waffle iron. Cook according to your waffle iron instructions.