LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Just a quick hello. I don't have any testimonies for you yet, but I am working on a couple. This is the last weekend before school starts and both of the kids are looking forward to getting back to their regular routines. It will simplify my life a bit, too, as I have been dragging one or the other of them to work with me for the last week. I had Rose in here a lot too, during her last month at home. At times, I'm sure my boss was wondering if I'd lost my mind. But, hey, we all know the answer to that one....

The kids have a Church Conference all weekend, and probably won't be around a lot. That's probably for the best, as our house is a certifiable wreck. Four adults moved out, but for the most part, they didn't take as much as they could have, so their rooms look like complete chaos. It's just not the look I'm going for right now.

Last weekend I kept my mind off stuff by cleaning the fridge, small freezer and large freezer. I had reorganized the pantry a bit earlier in the week. So now I know what we need at the store at least. If I keep after the kitchen we may start being able to eat at the table again. It's been a long while.

I have been able to word back from AL that the Piggy's and Sweets are safe and reasonably sound. Josh lost some of his roof, but everyone's ok. Dave (Uncle Piggy) has been playing the same fun game we all are right now, it's called "let's see if I can save a few cents per gallon further down the road...". I don't think he has won the game yet, but my money's on him anyway. Time to hit the road.

Know you are loved,

MOM

Nothing Without You

Bebo Norman

Take these hands and lift them up
For I have not the strength to praise You near enough
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

Take my voice and pour it out
Let it sing the songs of mercy I have found
For I have nothing, I have nothing without you

Chorus:
All my soul needs Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see That I have nothing without You

Take my body and build it up
May it be broken as an offering of love
For I have nothing,I have nothing without You

All my soul needs Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see That I have nothing
But I love You...With all my heart, With all my soul,
With all my might, With all the strength that I can find

Take my time here on this earth
And let it glorify all that You are worth
For I am nothing,I am nothing without You

Sometimes We Just Need A Place to Hide


Wow, what a rough week (and it's not even over...), eh boys and girls? We know God calls us to Himself in times of trouble and turmoil. "Those who go to God Most High for safety will be protected..." PS 91:1 NCV. Seems like we have a Shelter open; I wonder if we're taking advantage of it?

I'm challenged today however to look beyond just hiding from our troubles. His message isn't simply that we should run and hide and He'll make all the bad men go away. I don't believe He's saying that His Hiding Place is one where He transport us away to something like a Spiritual Calgon Bubble Bath experience. His Word (COL 1:27) says that there's a Mystery we need to be aware of - and that is we have Christ within us. He is our place of refuge in the midst of trouble. It's not where we are and/or what we're going through - it's taking advantage of the fact that He is there with us - within us.

PS 91:1 does say we "go" to Him, and He will cover us and protect us, but in the following verses 5-7 we are obviously not removed from situations. So "going to Him" is obviously more of a discipline; mentally and spiritually we need to run to Him. Arrows (or bullets or hurricanes) are still flying by - that's what it says. Yet, somehow we are safe - that's His promise! People (thousands and thousands of real people - it doesn't just mention deserving-enemies, spammers or people who cut us off in traffic here) are still dropping to our left and right - and we're not back in God's Green room eating donuts safely out of the line of fire. It sounds to me like we're right in the midst of it - we're just using our Mystery Secret Weapon.

Are you in His Hiding Place? Because you need to be. And not for our own sakes - please! If you're reading this, chances are good you've already surrendered your life and will to God. If not do it now. But, most of you - if not all - already have the tools you need. So the answer is, you need to be in His Hiding Place - and showing outward evidence of it - not for your sake, but for the sake of those who still have yet to learn of Him and find out that there is a place of Refuge.

I watched on the news last night as folks just kept talking about how much help they needed down in New Orleans. One guy kept saying. "We're standing out here on the highway because we don't know where to go for help. Please somebody, just tell us where to go, and we'll do it." The world (including your little world today) is crying out for help - for direction - for refuge. So if you're in turmoil today, go find your Hiding Place and get your Mystery back up to speed. Then go help someone else get there.

I want testimonies, Saints. I'll share mine with you, too. Kisses...

Know you are loved,

Mom


DISAPPEAR
Bebo Norman

On a day like this I want to crawl beneath a rock
A million miles from the world, the noise, the commotion
That never seems to stop

And on a day like this I want to run away from the routine
Run away from the daily grind
that can suck the life right out of me
I know of only one place I can run to

Chorus:
I want to hide in You
The Way, the Life, the Truth
So I can disappear
And Love is all there is to see
Coming out of me
And You become clear
As I disappear

I don't want to care about earthly things
Be caught up in all the lies that trick my eyes
They say it's all about me
I'm so tired of it being about me...

I would rather be cast away
Separated from the human race
If I don't bring You glory
If I don't bring You glory
If I don't bring You glory

Chhaa chaa chha changes...

Things are a little different around here. I used to think quiet time was an unattainable goal in our house, but after seeing four off to college in the last two weeks, quiet ain't quite what it was always cracked up to be. We are now a 2.5 child family (I'm generously allotting a quarter point for both Libby and Smudge). Dinner has leftovers. What is that about?

Last night, Sarah and John and I went to play tennis at JCC, but there wasn't a fourth available, so it was kind of difficult. John played pretty well for a first timer. With a little more practice, he'll make a great foe. Sarah already beats me half the time- we ended at 3 games each at sundown. She just has to work on her serve. But not too much, too soon though, or I'll be left to chase their balls because I couldn't keep up with either one of them.

Also yesterday, the price of gas jumped up 50 cents a gallon, so it looks like we'll be doing a lot less driving around for spontaneous tennis matches or milk runs. Don't even get me started about price gouging. Nothing in this world can convince me that this price spike is needed or justified.

Thought for the day: The SpongeBob Square Pants cartoon makes me feel uncomfortable...who's with me?

Mom

This is my first post. Actually if you stopped by last night, you saw Sarah's set-up post. But hopefully I can handle it from here. If not, God has blessed me with quite a few handy helpers, some of which even share some of my dna.

I'm not sure any of you need one more thing to read on a daily or even semi-weekly basis for that matter, but here we are anyway.