What's in your head?

I want to know. What is your favorite song right now? Why? Does it give you goosebumps? Make you cry? Make you dance?

Here's mine.

For What It's Worth (Album) - Sidewalk Prophets

Actually it's the whole album, but if I am picking one, then it's this one. Any song that quotes Isaiah 40:31 is a winner in my book. If I could recommend you walking into Lifeway and buying one CD, I would tell you this one. I love every song on it. And that's pretty rare.

Have a great Wednesday....

Words to live by....

I am a procrastinator. And I learned from my mom. Now, you might think that this is all bad, but I assure you, there are some positives. My mom sewed for people just like I do, so I learned all about how to make to-do lists from her. You just "do the next thing." Elizabeth Elliot gives this advice in her book Keep a Quiet Heart, and all of the women thought that it was great advice and it has been quoted regularly. I didn't quite understand why it was so helpful to them until I realized, "That is how I have lived my entire life." I don't plan ahead. I don't get my cleaning done until it is absolutely necessary. I don't plan a week's meals and pull them out on the right day at 5:00. I am highly inefficient. But the one thing I can do is KNOW my deadline and work up to it. If company is coming at 6:00, I am mopping the floor at 5:30. If people need a dress by Saturday morning, I can assure you I will work until midnight ( or later ) the night before. Now, sometimes this poses a problem when an unexpected crisis arises, but then I just revert back to Elizabeth's "do the next thing" philosophy. As a whole, this works. Sometimes, when I am with someone who's house is perfectly clean with laundry folded and they are working on a costume that doesn't need completed for three days, just a random example :), I am slightly intimidated. But then I move on. And do the next thing.

Every Christmas, when we arrive at Ohio, Mom meets us at the door, usually a little wild eyed because it is midnight and she is making creme brulee. And she says, "Weeeeell, I'm not done." And then she says, without fail, "I know, I haven't finished my Christmas decorating either. I am just letting the Lord decorate for me this year. Hopefully it snows." And I laugh and give her a big hug because I wouldn't want it any other way. And then we all do the next thing together.

So, for Halloween, I quote my mom.
"I am just letting the Lord decorate for me."

Psalm 38:7

There are basically three types of people that go to hear Tim Hawkins.

1st Type: You maaaybe have heard of him and you have seen one or two of his Youtube's on Facebook.

2nd Type: You have watched his DVD's at a bible study, can sing his most popular songs, and you sign up to go with about 60 other people from your Sunday School class and Youth Group.

3rd Type: You are a mega-fan and have the cross stitched pillow to prove it.

We fall somewhere in between 2 and 3.

Traditions...

There are all types of pumpkin decorators.

Ones who paint.

Ones who glitter.

Ones who find unique pumpkins and pile them on their porch, uncarved.

Ones who bake them and serve soup out of them.

Ones who buy the fakes and get them out every year.

Ones who get sucked in on a hayride by buying the heaviest pumpkin for thirty nine cents a pound. 25 pounds = $9.75. Not that I would know.

Ones who refuse to let their own children carve the design because there is a contest at AWANA.

Ones who aren't artistic and google "Christian Pumpkin Carving Templates."

Underachievers who let their template tracing holes show.

And overachievers who irritate the rest of us.

New greeting cards....

Contact Denise at jehdkh99@juno.com if interested in beginning your Christmas shopping a little early. I plan on buying another batch so that I won't have to shop at Hallmark ever again. Even if you don't buy any, drop her a little note. Have a great Thursday ya'll!

On the sixth day, Eve is reminded of her nakedness

Step One: Meet Eve

Step Two: Sit back and read, I only have one picture today....

I have been busy and uninspired for clothing for Eve this week. I threw my hands up and decided to stop worrying about it. Our homework for Keep a Quiet Heart was to find scripture on prayer and any write down any thoughts or stories we had. I started going through all of my old Beth Moore workbooks and putting a little star beside every time I had written down a prayer that had been answered. It was overwhelmingly humbling. There were more prayers answered than not. Little prayers to urgent pleas. What bothered me the most is that I haven't acknowledged the answered prayers in my most recent prayers. I just keep asking for more. I stopped writing stars because I felt that they all had been answered in some way... even if the answer was no.

And now, here is my picture for the day. Another reason that I haven't dressed Eve because I have been surrounded by sequins and chiffon from altering two homecoming dresses. So here is Macy. I can't claim her as my daughter, although I would with no questions asked. All I can claim is the altering I did on her dress, taking it in and hemming and taking it in some more. Macy is the one with the style, Regina and Kevin passed on their good looks, and Goodwill is her store of choice....

2 Timothy 2:15

One of my favorite things to do every week is help out with AWANA. I help the Sparks Green Team kindergartners. Sunday night was Extreme Affliction Night, hence the bandages. In counsel time, the leader taught them about the Great Physician and they discussed some of the people that Jesus healed. She asked if anyone knew of any afflictions besides the ones that people were wearing. They all shouted out answers.....

Blind!
Lame!
Really sick!
Earache!
Broken leg!

And then one of the six year olds raised his hand really high, and when she called on him he said...

H1N1!

And I rolled. I love this age group. They are some smart cookies.

*sigh*

There are some days here that will take your breath away...

Don't get me wrong, I love Ohio with all its flatness and straight roads and fields.

But Virginia sure knows how to do Autumn.

I love living here.

Although I am still feeling my way on learning to be a redneck.

Visuals

What can I say? I am a girl that loves 'em. I guess that's why I love pictures on my memory board. And lavender ribbon from floral arrangements. And feathers from hikes. And scribbled notes from sermons. And notes from friends. And scrap fabric. And old Christmas cards.

I like to be able to see something that might seem insignificant to others, but reminds me of why I kept it.

My chalkboard is to reflect....

Why did I write that verse? How did I feel when I wrote it? Who said it? What does it mean to me? Will my boys laugh when I tell them "Quit the superfluity of naughtiness!"?

The necklace found in the bottom of Drew's bookbag is to remember....

I have 9 more years until he is 18..... I am the most important girl in his life right now, although it's fleeting..... Pray for his future wife..... Teach him about purity and respect..... Hug him a little tighter while he still will let me.

And my three strand cord is to remind....

I trust that the Lord hears my prayers..... I promise to pray for our upcoming revival, Pastor Terry, and Harold Vaughan..... I am thankful for Twin Oaks..... Through my prayers, I am taking part of something big that only God can do.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.... James 5:16

Drew's last game....

Tomorrow is the last day of the regular football season. These pictures are from Sandlot Night at the Franklin County High School football game. We have had a great season, a lot of hours and commitment and fun. But it has been humbling. We have not won one single game. 0-9. The amazing thing is that I have been more disappointed than Drew. I have driven home from several games feeling completely defeated and wondering why we devote nine hours a week to football and see no results. And then I look at the team and I remember what it is all about.

They have grown to be friends and uplifters to each other....

They smile and cheer for each other...

They drop to their knees when someone is hurt...

They don't give up chasing their adversaries although it seems futile...

They celebrate with one touchdown even if the other team has five...

They come home battered and bruised, but ready for another game...

And I have learned a lot from them. I desire to have the same kind of fight in me when dealing with Satan.

Let's uplift our brothers and sisters in Christ, even when Satan seems to be winning.

Let's pass out smiles and high fives when you see small victories.

Let's not forget to drop to our knees when you see someone hurting.

Let's not give up chasing down sin in our life, even if Satan is almost to the end zone. Track him down and tackle him.

Let's celebrate when another soul is won to Christ. Even when we are surrounded by more people who deny Him.

Let's get up every morning with our armor in place, ready for warfare. Even if we are hurt from past mistakes and our hearts are bruised, we have all we need to win.

And when we look back, and see that our record is 0 for 9, just remember that record is erased when you have Jesus Christ.

If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.

Psalm 130:3-5 NIV

On the fifth day..... Eve wants to play dress-up...

Drop by and meet Eve first if you don't know her....

Eve is on a quest for a dress. A dress for special occasions.

She's been to all of her favorite stores and checked online. And she has yet to find one that clicks. Don't get me wrong, she loves all of these dresses....

But, sadly, they are just not "the one." They are definitely stuff she would love to wear, but still on the casual side. Eve doesn't understand why formal = immodest. It irritates Eve.

Eve went to JoAnn's and got a few patterns....

But now she has fun patterns but no perfect fabric.

So now what?

She keeps going to Goodwill and coming home with stuff from there, but nope. She's still not feelin' it.

So, ladies. Any suggestions, or pictures, or links, for the perfect dressy dress in Eve's size mumble-mumble?

The only promising thing she has so far is this pattern.....

But Eve needs some thin black suiting, maybe a wool crepe? And I don't have it. So, Eve just hopes that Adam does not invite her to an occasion that calls for dressing up.

I don't even know her name.....

Yet I love her. Sandwiched in between John 3 and John 5, her story doesn't even take a whole chapter. I have heard her story at least five times in the past two weeks and I am not sure what it is that God is showing me..... but I know it's time for me to take notice.

There are a few things that stand out to me about the woman at the well. I wonder what it was about her that pricked Jesus's heart. Was it her disappointment that showed in her slumping shoulders when she saw that she wasn't able to fill her water jug alone? Was it the fear in her eyes as he approached her afraid that he was going to spit on her? Was her dress dirty from sin? I don't know what it was, but He knew she needed a long drink from the Well of Living Water. I love Jesus all the more when I think how he talked to her.

1. He approached her alone.... not caring about old feuds or her past.

2. He told her about himself before he lovingly made her aware of her sins.

3. He gently reminds her of her five husbands and boyfriend even though she skirts the issue.

4. He waits until SHE mentions the Messiah.....

5. Then introduces himself.

That is just like what Jesus does with us. He knocks and knocks, convicts us of our sins, waits on us to call Him by name, and sends us back into town so we can tell our story of our encounter with Christ.

The best part of the story, for me, is that there is no miracle in this passage. No dead come to life, no water into wine, no bread and fish, it's just Jesus and the woman. All she does is leave and tell people that she has seen the Messiah, and He knows everything about her.

She isn't the one to lead people to Christ, all she does is confirm what He has done for her through her witness.

Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world..

Sometimes, all Jesus asks of us is to drop what we are doing and tell our story. Don't be afraid to leave your water jar at the well and tell someone what Jesus has done for you. That might be all they need to confirm that He is their Saviour also.