Wait, Watch, See 2017

Open my eyes, that I may see  glimpses of truth thou hast for me;  place in my hands the wonderful key  that shall unclasp and set me free.  Silently now I wait for thee,  ready, my God, thy will to see.  Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!  2017 - Watch and see what the Lord will do! Everywhere I turn, God seems to be repeating to "Watch" and "See" what He will do!  I see these words with my spirit and am ignited inside, like the warm hearts of those who walked with Jesus on the Emmaus road.  I'm waiting.  Watching with anticipation and an ever-growing faith in a faithful, loving God, I wait.  He shows me daily another part of His character.  A new piece of Himself is written on my heart and I'm thankful.  I'm honored to be chosen for this walk with Him.  I'm blessed that He even thinks of me, let alone speaks to me. Let me be clear and real.  Adoption is hard.  It's process daily sets you next to a standard that cannot be matched, yet somehow through His divine grace and goodness, He keeps moving us forward in it.  The world's reasons we shouldn't adopt outweigh the Spirit's reasons we should.  There isn't time to blog the daily miracles I've been privileged to see.  (There's that word again.) I'm currently feeling Moses' excitement after he prayed, "Show me Your glory!"  I'm waiting daily for answers to prayers that only He can see in process.  I'm getting to know El Roi, the God who sees, very well as I pray for my daughter across the world.  I know why God says that He "will make all [His] GOODNESS pass before" me in Exodus 33:18; because He is good.  That's WHO (not what) He is and I'm finding that out with each day that I wait on Him, hidden behind the Rock...that shadows a dry, thirsty land... Today, I'm blessed to sit here...in the depths of His love...covered with His hand. Exodus 33:18 Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" 19 And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion."  He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, That shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand, And covers me there with His hand. Currently waiting for (for what seems like a loooong time): A little care package to arrive. Our Dossier to be sent to China. Grant organizations to provide funds for next steps. The Cowboys to win against the Packers - just checking to see if you're still with me. ;) Praying, waiting, watching...

Thankful Project

in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB)

Thankful we are home.

Very thankful.

Day 40 CMC

Based on my extended research on the subject I can confirm that it is a proven fact that the best stress reliever ever is coloring.

Thankful Project Day 12

I am thankful...
Moriah spent all day with us. She even took a nap.
My friend Rita could come and visit.
Our BHS friend got to go home today. His mom brought me a gift basket that blessed me to tears.
For the sisterhood of moms and the bond and hope we have in Jesus.
For the playroom on D8
For our church family and all of their prayers and provision for our needs.
For donations being sent to find a cure
For military men and women fighting for our freedom
For the rain that's like background music to my thoughts
For the rhythm of life and how perfectly orchestrated each unique part can be, while always clinging to the hope of the end, the cadence that resolves it all
For my husband's kisses
For health and healing God promises in His Word

Thankful Project

CMC Day 12

Thankful for eternity and the ability because of the Holy Spirit in me to keep that as my perspective.
Thankful for my friend Molly.
Thankful for leftovers and sweet tea.
Thankful Moriah is coming tomorrow to spend the day.
Thankful for labs that test for amazing things in 2013
Thankful for the years of study and knowledge and time these doctors put in to care for my girl.
Thankful for all that are praying and trusting my doctors.
Thankful for CCFA
Thankful for Luke and his creativity
Thankful again for Child Life.
Thankful Pastor Sam stopped in to pray.
Always thankful for my husband's love
Thankful for God's promises and the ability because of the Holy Spirit in me to keep that as my foundation.

Thankful Project Day 8

D8 Children's MC Dallas Day 9 of Round 4 or Day 30 of 2013

Thankful for this day that tells me even in the darkest times of life, the light is coming....just hang on!
Thankful for my sweet friend Vickie.
Thankful for Grace's smiles.
Thankful for a beautiful prayer during a visit from Grace's 5th grade teacher & her daughter who has had Crohns since 7th grade. She's now a jr in college and still dealing with it but a precious heart for our Lord and such an encourager to Gracie.
Thankful for hope.
Thankful for more movies to choose from and crafts to do!
Thankful for our nurse, Callie.
Thankful that she got Grace an egg crate cushion for her bed since she has been waking up with a backache.
Thankful for our new friend, who is a sophomore at Luke's school and kicker on the Varsity football team. He came to cheer up Grace today and bring her balloons. What a great guy!
Thankful for lean cuisines and Oreos!
Thankful for walks with Moriah.
Thankful Grace gained weight today!
Thankful that for maybe the first holiday ever in 15yrs my husband bought all of our kid's Easter gifts! Way to go honey!
Thankful that a few weeks ago on a whim I decided to go ahead and buy Moriah's Easter outfit. #Godknew
Thankful that today was a better day!
Thankful for tomorrow's hallelujah!
And Moriah would tell you she's thankful for the new big girl Bible Daddy bought her today!

Good Friday

For the JOY set before Him, He endured the cross. Heb12:2

Thankful He endured the cross....for me.
Thankful for the joy set before us.
Thankful for hope and healing.
Thankful for these Gethsemane moments.
Thankful for brokenness & forgiveness.
Thankful my heart is in His hands.

Love so amazing so divine
Demands my soul my life my all

Thankful Day 7

Thankful that in the span of eternity 2 weeks is a very short time and our God Most High is not limited or effected by time.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Peter 3:8 NIV)

Thankful Project Day 4

D8 Children's Hospital 3/25/13 (yesterday)
Today is harder to think of things but I'm determined. So this might be a random list....
1. Thankful for sushi. I only need food to sustain me for the moment. At this point eating is not social or out of boredom or tradition, it's purely survival. Sushi is all I need. Carbs in rice, a few veggies: avocado and cucumber, protein in the crab and probably some vitamins in the seaweed. 3 will get me by to the next time I can sneak to the kitchen or to the appropriately named, "nourishment room". Amazing how different life is when your child cannot eat.
2. The cleaning ladies. They come every day and mop our room and clean it. I tell them I appreciate them every day. Everyone needs to be appreciated.
3. This verse spoke to me today: I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16 NIV)
He is with us, making the rough places smooth.
4. Daily steps that bring us closer to God. If He poured all His wisdom out to us in one infusion, life would not be nearly as exciting and purposeful. He knows how much we can take each day and I'm grateful for that.
5. Thankful for sweet Moriah who loves to draw pictures and give them as gifts. Generous AND cute!
6. Thankful that although people change, God never does and is never surprised.
7. Thankful today my bible study was about prayer and how the Holy Spirit guides us to draw near to God.
8. Thankful for my loving mother inlaw who will do our laundry, clean, and play with Moriah while I'm gone.
9. Thankful for a husband that loves his kids with all his heart and he has a really big heart.
10. Thankful for a loving sister inlaw that gives generously and loves her family and little brother and would be here in a second if we called.
11. Thankful for doctors who have a good plan for Grace to have another colonoscopy Wednesday and get her on the road to remission.
12. Thankful our nurses Jessica & Sally are so caring and came back a 2nd day!
13. Thankful to meet another mom of our neighbor who goes to our former church in Plano. Pray for her daughter Morgan.
14. Thankful to meet a dad wearing a Hawks shirt who has a son here that's a sophomore kicker on the football team. A possible connection for Luke!
15. Thankful for Tylenol, heat packs and long hot baths.
16. Thankful for a new med we are starting today and the pills are small enough she can take them.
17. Blessed and grateful to have health insurance. So. Blessed.
18. Thankful God works on behalf of His children, providing what we need when we need it.
19. Woke up to a note from a new friend, Luke's school friend's mom, who works here as a night flight nurse and came by to say hi but we were asleep. So sweet.
20. Thankful for Child Life and their role in this hospital. They provide fun and crafts to keep kids' minds busy. Grace may want to do this when she grows up, she says.
21. Thankful for the sleep last night since I fell asleep on this number last night and just realized I never finished this. :)
22. Thankful Grace is strong and brave and prepared for today as we PREP for the colonoscopy tomorrow.
23. Praising Him for His sovereignty and the peace He gives me daily that God is in control and I don't have to be.
24. Praising Him for little distractions like TV, iPads and magazines that keep her mind occupied.
25. This is the day The Lord has made. We will rejoice and be thankful in it.
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1Thess5:16-18

Wednesday - 1 Week

At 11pm Grace awoke with a fever. At 1am she had blood drawn - NOT FUN. They will get results back in 12-48 hrs. (How's that for an estimate?) We pray it was only due to her Crohns inflammation and NOT an infection through her Picc line.

She cried anticipating the "stick" and asked the dreaded question no parent wants to hear..."Why does this have to happen to me?"

Praying today that Jesus will speak the words for me since I'm out of them and too tired to think. Romans 8:26 "...The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

One week in a hospital room is too long.

Day 6

It doesn't look like we are going home today like we had hoped but I'm still remembering that a friend and her son was in for 2 weeks when he first was diagnosed with Crohns. Wednesday would be one week. Thankful that our doctor had an opening for the colonoscopy last Wednesday. Her original appointment was scheduled for today. Can't. Imagine.

The clear liquids went down well and we had a full day of scrapbooking, watching movies and friends visiting. We went to bed last night at 8:30 or 9. All of this visiting is exhausting. Sometimes Grace feels like visiting and sometimes she doesn't. We love all of you but are hoping to get the word out that we need to get well before we have more visitors. The hospital is on code yellow with all of the sicknesses out right now. The medicine Grace is on lowers her immune system anyway, so we need to protect her. Thanks for understanding.

She's also gained 2lb, we learned yesterday. Praise God!

The next food step is what they call "formula" like Boost or Ensure, which we're also told doesn't taste that great. We are going to take this as the step that gets us closer to the reward.

Hebrews 11 talks about the great men of faith in the Bible that "walked with God". Today I noticed the places where it says they were looking ahead or looking forward to their reward. Sometimes to get through the difficult steps, we have to (hold our noses) and just get through this step in order to move forward to the next one. Just like Jesus did. (Hebrews 12:2)

So for the Olive Garden set before her, Grace is going to endure the Ensure.
Amen.

I Want Food!

This is Grace's favorite phrase.

We got the news yesterday that she could have GUM! Woohoo! She chose juicy fruit which our comedian/doctor-on-call noted only has to be chewed for a short time before its neither juicy nor fruity. True words but still great news to a girl who's only had ice chips in her mouth for 4 days straight.

Today!! She got even better news: clear liquids. She's having a little chicken broth and 7up now and will enjoy a clear, sugarless Popsicle later! Such joy! Our verse for the day is already so perfect: He will turn our desert (where there's no food) into dessert (actually it says "Eden"--think Willy Wonka's Dessert Garden -the older 80s version not the Johnny Depp version)

So now we wait and see how this affects her insides and pray for continued progress towards her ultimate goal: Freddy's frozen custard, complete with a hot dog and cheese fries. (That's my girl.)

A Day to Remember

On the 15th anniversary of becoming a mommy I collided with the biggest challenge of my mommyhood. Grace's tests showed Crohns and she was admitted to the hospital. I think it felt like an earthquake happened in our little consultation room when the doctor told us that. I had my bible opened to Isaiah 43 and it was as if those pages were all I had to see and touch to be still and safe in the midst of that earthquake.

January is ordinarily such a calm month. Calendaring, making soup, planning Luke's birthday and trying to stay warm are usually all of the main events.

Prayer warriors are lifting me up or I'd be a basket case right now. (what does that term even mean?) It's dark in this room and my baby is sleeping but I can't. This must be one of those times when it's good to have some of God's Words stored away in my heart, even if they aren't exact like "The Lord will go before me. Do not be afraid. The Lord himself will fight for you." He will fight for us. We don't have to. Praising Him for a diagnosis I can grab onto and move forward with. The unknown had me all baskety-casey. (See that doesn't work.) And Grace seems to be taking things in bits at a time, as she should. Her big tears came while calling her brother to tell him happy birthday. She misses him! Her little sister cannot come see her because she's too young and there's a strict rule because of flu season, so she is bummed about that but I'm sure Moriah will make lots of pictures to decorate her room!
She knows her tummy is going to heal but she is not happy about NOT eating or drinking for a while. She knows she could be here a week or so but the iv in her hand is what bugs her the most. This is a teaching hospital so my normally easygoing girl had seen one too many doctors when she decided she was ready to punch one in the face! She may be in for a wild ride on this collision course but I'm right here with her and our God promises to never let go...through the calm and through the storm, in every high and every low.

Isaiah 43 (SAL version) when you pass through this time in Grace's life, I will be with you.

What Pleases the Lord, con'td

This post, though written long ago, is still on my mind....among a few other things.  :)  Remember that straight-to-the-point verse that jumped out and slapped me a while back?

"and find out what pleases the Lord." Ephesians 5:10

Here is another poignant verse that tells specifically what CANNOT please God:

...and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  Romans 8:8 (ouch.)

If your mind is not SET on the Spirit, by default your mind will be SET on the flesh.  I don't know about you but it seems to take no time at all for my mind to reset back to the flesh if I'm not feeding my Spirit with His Word, the bread of life. 

Paul in Romans 1 talks about how many of us KNOW God, but because we fill our idle minds with worldly things instead of continually giving glory and thanks to God, our thinking becomes "futile" and though we think we're wise, we become fools...

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. Romans 1:21-22

Definition of futile:  unlikely to produce a useful or desired result--useless or ineffective, lacking substance or value.

Ick.  I can relate.  It feels awful to be futile.  Sitting still produces nothing.  I don't want to be useless, ineffective, lack substance or value.  I want to fill my mind with the things of God and be useful in His kingdom. Most of all I want to please God.  

For more in depth study of the flesh and spirit, Read Romans 8 and make a list of what we have in Christ when we are setting our minds on the Spirit and another list of what the mind set on the flesh is like.  Then read the book of 1 John to cross reference with the picture of walking in the light or the darkness.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

The "don't know" times are God's instrument to drive you deeper into Him, to surrender all self-reliance for a desperate dependency on Him. You may not know which way to go, but you don't have to stand there fearful, paralyzed or marching in circles. Your Lord, your Shepherd is placing His arm inside yours to lead you where you could never go without Him. (from gospel.com)

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil.4:6-7

Psalm 16:8

I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

What Pleases the Lord

A few months ago, I'm reading along in Ephesians 5, while writing a bible study for my kids, and a very inconspicuous, wee little verse jumps off the page at me and smacks me, in a gentle but very firm way, over the head!  I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.  This is why I love God's Word.


For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 


....kinda like that.  Ephesians 5:10.  Wow!  7 words.  


So since these words played like Annie songs over and over in my head....(Add as many over and overs as you like to enhance the reality.  Just don't come to my house without expecting at least one performance of a song from the Annie score sung in it's entirety with a dance and the command to "CLAP!" after it.  It's a daily experience.  Over and over.)....it was time to dig in and see what God wanted to teach me, tell me, show me and challenge me to live by.


I started in the Proverbs: 15:8 Prayer pleases Him, 15:26 Pure thoughts & gracious words please Him, 22:18 Keeping wise words in your heart pleases Him.


I Samuel 15:22 (New International Reader's Version) asks a question and give us the answer:
"What pleases the Lord more? Burnt sacrifices or obeying Him?  It is better to obey Him than to offer a sacrifice..."  So I go on to find out more about what this means and guess what I learn....


Did you know that God enjoys when we speak LOVE LANGUAGES  to Him?  I knew that my husband did.  I know that my kids have a specific love language.  Brad's is Acts of Service, Luke's is Quality Time, Grace's is Physical Affection and Moriah's (so far) has to be Words of Affirmation. ("CLAP!")  :)  We love to speak and be spoken to in love languages at our house, but God.....God is pleased when we speak these to Him as well.


God's Love Languages
QUALITY TIME- Romans 12:1 "Offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God."  When we off ourselves to Him in full, we can't help but obey Him, which is again, pleasing to God.
ACTS OF SERVICE- Romans 14:18 says that serving Christ with righteousness, peace and joy is pleasing to God.
GIFTS- Philippians 4:18 says that when you give gifts that supply the needs of a brother, you are a fragrant offering that is pleasing to God.
WORDS OF AFFIRMATION- Hebrews 13:15 God is pleased with continually offering a sacrifice of praise with lips that confess His name.


And since we know that Jesus was the exact representation of God (Hebrews 1:3)....we can take his example of how God would give and receive the Love Language of...


PHYSICAL AFFECTION- 
"At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them." Luke 4:40 [His touch heals.]
"People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them." Luke 18:15 [His touch is gentle.]
"Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly." Mark 8:25 [His touch changes how we see things.]


How do I know these things were pleasing to God?


John 5:30 Jesus said "...for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me."
John 8:29 Jesus said "I always do the things that are pleasing to God."


So we make it our goal to please him (NIV)....our ambition to be pleasing to Him. (NASB) 
2 Corinthians 5:9


Prayer from Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace...equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

These verses give the best word picture of Who has gotten me through the most, and gives me hope that I will get through anything, even death.
Hebrews 1:3  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  
Philippians 2:5-11

Christ Jesus....Who, being in very nature God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Majesty

Today is full of the royal wedding.  As majestic as it looks, I can't help but think of how much that groom must be missing his mom today.  Underneath the pomp and circumstance, there is sadness.  Behind the crowd of waving people, there is an emptiness.  I pray that couple has found or finds fulfillment and everlasting hope in the One, True God and truly lives happily ever after....

I will exalt YOU, my God the King;

I will praise YOUR name forever and ever.

Every day I will praise YOU and extol YOUR name forever and ever.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness NO ONE can fathom.  

One generation will commend YOUR works to another; they will tell of YOUR mighty acts.  

They will speak of the glorious splendor of YOUR majesty, and I will meditate on YOUR wonderful works.  They will tell of the power of YOUR awesome works, and I will proclaim YOUR great deeds.  

They will celebrate YOUR abundant goodness and joyfully sing of YOUR righteousness.  

Psalm 145:1-7

You're Invited

“This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24 MSG

EASTER SUNDAY ~ RIVERPOINT CHURCH

9am & 10:45am

It's time to "let God set things right" and let His wounds become your healing.