Looking to Him

"Father God, give me a heart that looks to You for what I need today, whether it is wisdom, comfort, joy, or perseverance...I seek You and ask that I would glorify you today!"
It was a tough morning.  My little daughter that "falls apart" did and I needed to hold her and try to calm down the out of control emotions within her for over an hour.  It makes me hurt for her...for the needs that where unmet those 1st months of her life, the cries that where not answered, the desires that all babies have to be held, loved, cuddled, nurtured were left unmet...
I pray and ask the LORD what to do to help her...what I hear is what He has done for me...draw her near and be her peace till she can receive it. (Eph. 2:13-17).  So, our little world stops for a time; no school, no laundry, I just sit holding her rigged body and pray for healing and help.  After it is over, she if fine and helpful and happy again.  But those moments when things become to much for her remind me of the times when things are to much for me and I want to remember to look up and know HE is holding me, and I am not alone.
On a happy...I got both Alia and Joeliana's hair done the last two days.  Yea, that always makes me feel good.  I did something fun with Alia's that I will show you later.  Till then, LOOK UP...Our Heavenly Father is much closer that we think!

I Should Be....

...cleaning the kitchen....

...but, then the snow called to me and said "Come and bring your camera."

So I went outside and noticed this precious little boy in the window, and I had to capture his cuteness. 









 






Then I saw our cute birdhouse, sitting in the beautiful snow, thinking of the days in spring when the birds will once again sit on it's little porch and sing pretty bird songs.
Well, I did finally, have to go inside and clean the kitchen...but I felt refreshed from my little moment outside. Do you every do this?

From Kalyn-A New Adventure

Whew....this is the longest I have written without pictures. Sorry there are no pictures for this post but I still hope you will enjoy it.


Believe me when I say I did not intend for this to happen. But God does not go by what I think or by what I feel. So this morning I was being a good little girl and doing school like I should be. I picked up this book that Mamma bought me for school and it looked rather boring and not really very interesting so I was not excited to start reading it. Reluctantly I picked it up and started to read the preface and boy did I get a surprise! The book that so surprised me is The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey. It goes through Philip Yancey's journey of discovering the Old Testament and how it is a big part of the Bible. Unfortunately, as Christians we tend to lean more to the New Testament and pretty much ignore the Old.

"The knowledge of the Old Testament is fading fast among Christians and has virtually vanished in popular culture. In a comedy routine Jay Leno tested his audience's knowledge of the Bible by asking them to name one of the Ten Commandments. A hand shot up; "God helps those who help themselves?" Everybody laughed, but no one else could do better. Polls show that eighty percent of Americans claim to believe in the Ten Commandments, but very few can name many as four of them. Half of all adult Americans cannot identify the Bible's first book as Genesis. And fourteen percent identify Joan of Arc as Noah's wife.
More surprisingly, a Wheaten Collage professor named Gary Burge has found that ignorance of the Old Testament extends to the church as well. For several years Burge has been testing incoming freshmen at his school, a premier evangelical institution. His surveys show that students who have attended Sunday School all their lives, have watched innumerable episodes of Veggie Tales, and have listened to countless sermons, cannot identify basic facts about the Old Testament."
-Philip Yancey


Now this I must admit is not much of a shock, sadly. It makes me very sad to think that we are missing out on some of the most amazing and thoughtfully deep parts of the Bible because they make us uncomfortable or we just don't understand them. Now there are those few stories that we take from it like the story of Moses or Jonah and David or the Psalms and the Proverbs. But let's just be honest, we have not learned how to love or to search through it for the truths of Gods love toward a very stiff necked people. But are not we all stiff necked? Maybe we don't pass over most of the Old Testament intentionally, but we do it. And we are missing out on part of the story.

So what am I going to do about it? Well I have opened up my Bible to Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 and I am going to start reading it all the way through Malachi.

Thomas Merton said,

"There is, in a word nothing comfortable about the Bible-until we manage to get so used to it that we make it comfortable for ourselves…Have we ceased to question the book and be questioned by it? Have we ceased to fight it? Then perhaps our reading is no longer serious.

For most people, the understanding of the Bible is, and should be, a struggle: not merely to find meanings that can be looked up in books of reference, but to come to terms personally with the stark scandal and contradiction in the Bible itself….

Let us not be too sure we know the Bible just because we have learned not to be astonished at it, just because we have learned not to have problems with it."

And so that is why I am not just reading through it; I am going to in my notebook start a new area call My Study of the Old Testament. I am going to start writing my own side notes and writing down my own discoveries from the Old Testament. I have to admit I am not really looking forward to the first seven books of the Bible but I am going to do this and maybe I will find something in there for me.

I will be posting about my journey through the Old Testament and I hope that I can give others the motivation to also dig in and start exploring the Old Testament on their own.

Eyes To See

From a little book called What Jesus Means to Me, by H. W. Gockel, "He (Christ) is the power of heaven. Once a man has found his salvation in the blood of Jesus Christ, he will find the power of Christ expelling the evil from his heart and impelling him to deeds of Christian love and virtue. The power to fight sin and the power to do right are gifts which Christ bestows on all believers."
As Jesus said in John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
My little book goes on to say, "Only he who clings to Christ by a living faith will have the power to resist sin, to overcome temptation, and the lead a life of Christian goodness."


"Father God, please forgive me for thinking that I can LIVE in any way on my own power. I have no ability or power away from You and I am thankful for that because this weakness reminds me time and time again, that when I fail, don't feel sorry for myself, but repent, and realize that I was not abiding in YOU. I want to abide in you, and it is my very weakness that I can joyfully embrace as it leads me to You and You alone for all I need. By the way LORD, I pray for patience and kindness today as we can beans, clean house and get our family ready for Sunday. I Pray for Eyes to See Your Power, Your Love, and Your Kindness. In Jesus Name, Amen"
Thank you for letting me share my heart and my prayer with you this morning. Have a great weekend!

From Kalyn-A Little Boy in a Purple shirt

Africa was amazing! It took a while to get there but it was worth it. We made some amazing friends and saw some joyful and some sad sights. One event that happened to me though really sticks in my mind.
On Tuesday I got sick and was throwing up all night (not fun). The next morning I was still weak and not feeling quit well but I decided I was well enough to go and watch our team play football (soccer) with some street kids. Some of us would also be face painting so I would help with that. Well I helped with the face paint for a while but we only had three brushes so I switched out with someone else and gave them a turn. It happened to be really, really hot that day and every one was drinking lots of water. Well this little boy was going around and collecting all the empty plastic water bottles and putting them in a plastic sack to take back and put drugs in and sniff. Well, I happened to be sitting up on this hill side that looked over the soccer field watching them play. This little boy, only eight or nine, comes up to me with his bag full of bottles and asks me if I am okay. I said I was fine and just watching the game. What he did next was so sweet and it kinda shocked me at first. He stands up and says "I make you umbrella," and he holds his little plastic bag full of bottles over my head to keep the sun off. It was just so touching, this little boy who would go back to the slums and sniff glue and stuff out of these plastic bottles; giving me shade with those same bottles. I told him that I was really alright and that he could sit down. He sat down beside me and we watched the game together. We didn't even say anything but just sat side by side on this hill. I could tell that in those few moments when we were sitting side by side we connected. We didn't say anything or do anything we just sat; two people from two different worlds.
I was sorry when we left, out of all the people there this little kid with his bag full of bottles took notice of me and was willing to stand in the hot sun to give me shade.
Kindness like that is rare and it is a reminder to me that no matter who they are or what their back ground is they are still precious. This little boy is precious to me now and every night I pray for him. This is a reminder to me also at what a little random act of kindness can do. I know that he has been an inspiration to me and that because of him I will look more closely to see those that need a little kindness in there lives.

(My little boy in the Purple shirt)

Eyes To See - Through Fear

One day I think I'm doin' O.K. and then it creeps up on me..that old enemy, fear. I spent yesterday talking with my husband about some things that have me wrapped up in fear right now. I remembered something I had read in Fields of the Fatherless, by C. Thomas Davis..."Personal weakness provides a great opportunity for God's strength to come through! ... We need to change our minds about how we approach the things we fear...We can step out, believing in God's strength to help us, instead of letting our limitations defeat us."

A really thought provoking question that C. Thomas Davis challenges us with in this book is "Am I fulfilling the life I know I am called to live? Am I living my destiny?"

Some fears that weigh me down right now..."can I parent these children the way they deserve...can I absorb their pain and anger enough to help them deal with the emotions, what about this mission trip, money, homeschooling", and then when the ball really gets rolling the little fears come along to nibble at my legs.

I know that at these times I need to look the fears in the face and ask for eyes to see what I'm really afraid of? It generally comes down to being afraid to trust...trust God, trust me, trust that all things work together...I'm also afraid to fail or make a wrong decision...afraid of what I might not be able to control. As I do this, it becomes very easy to see the sin behind the fear and repent.

So my challange to myself and you (if you would like) is to ask for eyes to see through the fear and walk in our weaknesses with all faith in the strenth of THE ONE who is Able.

One last thought from Fields of the Fatherless is "...overcome fear by making others' pain a priority in our lives."

Please feel free to share anything on your heart about how you approach fear. I would love to hear.

Eyes To See - Giving Thanks

Do you see the drop of water? As usually, having fun with God's beautiful creation!!

The last few weeks have been kinda difficult with some of my little ones...pretty normal stuff for a 3-4 year old only all that normal stuff is TIMES four. When you throw in "life" and home schooling and laundry, and other children and well, life (you get the picture, huh?)...I guess I just let it get to me to much, and really, on certain days the NOISE just begins to wear on me. Last Thursday I was reading Linn's Thankful Thursday post and decided that I was going to begin this also. That night I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep (which happens more times than I like), and I began to think about "the babies" and just stuff. And then, there it was, a prayer..."God give me eyes to see THEM and not the problems...to use each interruption or difficulty as an opportunity to give thanks."

I was thinking of what I call our "Thank Offering" verses. I use these verses to teach the children how to pray prayers of thankfulness. These are the verses...Psalm 50:5,14,23 "Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice! Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vow to the Most High. The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies (honors) me."

So, my challenge (and yours if you want) is to use those things that irritate or frustrate me and first to respond out loud or in my heart with a Thank Offering. So an example from today...one of the little darlin's was yelling his head off about something (nothing really) and I felt "that feeling", then I purposefully thought "Thank you God that he is healthy enough to yell and thank you for the opportunity to teach him to right way to act."

I wont lie to you, it's not easy, but I want to use those things to "train" myself to respond in a more controlled and thankful way. And, the good news, if I do this right, I will being glorifying God (Ps. 50:23) several times in a 30 minute period - ha-ha.

As always, I love to hear from you...thank you for taking the time to visit!

Eyes To See - Prayer

Several months back, Nancy Campbell wrote an article on praying for our children. I wanted to share my notes from that article. In my prayers I will often ask for His Eyes to see how I need to pray for a situation or a person. Praying for my children should be easy, yet I find it difficult as I am not always sure of the heart issues...you know, the "what do I pray for" feeling I have sometimes.
so here are the notes ...

Following Jesus' prayers for His disciples from John 17...
1. That they will know God...know the only, true God, and Jesus Christ whom He sent. (vs. 3)...to know Him personally and experience His power and presence in their lives.
2)That they will have joy..."That they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves." (vs 13) (and teach my children that joy is not dependant on circumstances but allowing Christ to live His life of joy through us. (IThess 1:6).
3. That they will be kept from evil. (vs 15-16; also Ex 33:14-15, 2 Cor. 6:17-18).
4. That they will be sanctified by the truth (vs 17, 19) - set apart and made holy by the power of the truth, the Word of God. Pray that they will have a love and passion of the Word of God and that it will lead them to holiness.
5. That they will be one. (vs. 11, 21-23)
6. That they will behold the glory of the Lord. (vs. 24)..to see Christ for who He really is, rather than their own interpretation...that they will have a "revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of their understanding being enlightened...(Eph. 1:17-18).
7. That they will experience God's love. (vs. 26)...that my children will keep themselves in the blessings of His love and not be lured away to sin where they come out from the protection of His love.
8. That they will be prepared and ready to face the battles of life and declare God's glory to the world. (vs. 18)
Some other prayers that Nancy mentioned were...
-that God will give our children soft hearts to hear His voice and to be pliable in His hands.
-to hate evil and love righteousness.
-that they will seek after God with all their hearts.
-that God will give them godly husbands and wives who will be true and faithful to them all their lives, who will love and embrace children and who will also establish godly homes and families.
-that God will pour out His Holy Spirit upon them as He promises in Isaiah 44:34.
-that their whole spirit, soul, and body will be kept pure and blameless for the Lord, and that they will be kept from accident, harm and danger.

One of my greatest desires for my children is to raise them and get them ready for God's purposes for them in this life. I want them to have a passion and a courage to walk the adventure that God has planned for them.
Challange to you and me..."God, gives us eyes to see how to pray for those you bring to us...may we be faithful and bold and trust that You will give us the words to say as we offer up our hearts in prayer.
If you want to share, I would love to hear from you on prayers....

Eyes To See - the Adventure

One of our favorite songs is "Give Me Your Eyes" by Brandon Heath. The chorus says:

"Give me your eyes for just one second

give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

Ones that are far beyond my reach.

give me your heart for the ones forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see."

In my first post for Eyes To See I wanted to begin to challenge myself daily with little prayers for eyes to see (thank you Beth and Adeye for your wonderful comments); to ask "what adventure LORD, do you have for me today"..."What beauty, wonders, or glories do you have for me to see." There is actually a part of Isaiah that vividly describes Judah's spiritual decline and the consequences. (Ch. 1-5 is where I am at right now). Besides the obvious sins in these chapters, the LORD said something that caught my attention; "but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands. Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge..." (Isaiah 5:12-13). Regard. See. Exile. Do I defy or disregard God's presence in the midst of my day, though His nearness is the hope that I ought to cherish and seek?

I do not do this as often as I wish, however, a few months back my mother was having a very difficult surgery to repair her leg (which it didn't do). I remember asking God that morning to show me anyone that day that I may need to be aware of, a need that I might could minister His love to. As we waited those long hours to hear from the doctor, I became aware of an older man to the side, several chairs over, who was watching us as we (my dad and several other family members) laughed and talked. I finally said a little something to the man and he immediately began to tell me how his wife was in a room with their grandson, who had hung himself and would not last much longer. They couldn't get a hold of his mother in Europe somewhere, and they had so many pressing decisions to make. WOW...my heart begin to break and my dad noticed and leaned over and begin to listen to the pain in this granddad's story. After a while we received news that mom was in recovery and we could go over there. I saw that the wife was now sitting with the elderly man, and went over to pray with them before we left (it IS NOT normal for me to do this...though may be it should be). My dad, and aunt and uncle came over and we all prayed with them. We saw them several times over the next few days and were able to listen, comfort and pray.

Long story (sorry), but I learned that there is a great adventure that God has for me each day if I will ask, look, see, and do what He shows me.

Challenge - ask for eyes to see the ones around me that I can minister to in some way, and trust Him to show me how.

Please share with me how you are praying for Eyes To See and the adventure that God is taking you on....

Eyes To See

This has been on my mind for some time...a prayer really...a thought that is still a seed; growing and becoming.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned from my personal walk of faith with God, through good times and also through very difficult times, could best be put into six little words that make up daily the cry of my heart.
"Give me Your Eyes to see..."
I think that there is a secret here; a mindset that can reveal unseen beauties to delight my spirit as I daily, purposefully LOOK for the beauty and delightfulness of being in the presence of my LORD.
Romans 1:20 says "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made."
I want to challenge myself, and you if you would like, to ask the LORD to give us eyes to see Him each day. I will be journaling these thoughts more over the next few months, but for now...start looking...
Today I saw His love for us when complete strangers offered to share their birthday cake with our family at the bowling alley. When she asked how many pieces of cake I needed, I hesitantly said "is 8 O.K.?"; which she laughingly said "Oh, you can have much more than that." The kindness of a stranger...and a message from God..."You can have much more...".
Please share with me what you "see"...."Taste and see that the LORD is good". (It's in the Bible somewhere - haha...I'll look it up if you want.) No matter what we may be facing today, if we pray..."LORD, give me eyes to see YOU", we will find a secret strength and an everlasting LOVE.
What will you see today?