the ceiling fan

A lot of times and pretty much 99% of the time growing up I would sleep with my older sister.  I got scared easy.

One of her favorite things was to have the ceiling fan going in her room whether it was winter or summer.  I asked her one time why she would have it on while it is 30 degrees outside and she told me that it was lulling and comforting to her when she was sleeping at night.  This memory has popped into my head because I'm sitting here in my livingroom with a floor fan going ... and I'm realizing the soothing sounds of the fan. 

It brings back so many memories.. good ones

Do you have a sent, or sound, or texture, that makes you go back in time?

Memory is the way of saying thank for what you have now...

From Winter to Spring

Enjoy this guest blog poem from Joshua Smetzer, a poem that is refreshing for the heart.  And be sure to check out the blog he is a part of at http://www.thescandal.org/

From Winter to Spring

As winter draws to a close,

and spring is on the cusp of full bloom,

so too is my spiritual state.

As the winter freeze begins to thaw,

soften my heart, oh God.

May I resign these dark habits which harden my heart,

and may I soak in the love which You graciously shower on me.

With spring comes life anew,

a transition from the dead and dormant

into a new phase bursting forth with life.

I have fallen idle in Your ways,

hibernating on the faith I had already gathered for myself.

I grew, but only for a season,

and fell prey to thinking I had attained enough to get me by.

And like nature in winter,

I became dormant, waiting for a later season.

Spring is now knocking on the door,

as are you Lord.

Will I answer the call and let you bring me into full bloom,

or will I fail to transition with the seasons and die in my ways.

Take tender care of me oh God,

and nurture me along the way.

This transition is never easy,

but life in the spring of Your love and grace is oh so beautiful.

Trying to copy from the ORIGINAL artist

have you ever see this ad before:

People try to see how well you can draw these images.. closest to the prime example.  Some people get it spot on, while others get an "E" for effort.

Its fascinating how an artist has their "MARK" or their "STYLE" or "SIGNATURE" when you see their work.  I can look at a Van Gough and tell its a Van Gough.  His brush strokes and use of color are unique and with a particular purpose.

our MAKER is the ORIGINAL artist.  Many stories are made up of deities, and many proclaim to be the Messiah, but there is only one and that is Christ Jesus.  Some people might be close in trying to be like HIM , but what they don't realize is that they are WAY off. 

You might be trying to say you are perfect and without flaws...but you are WAY off.  But just like the ORIGINAL ARTIST, we can learn to be like HIM, to design life around us like Him.

Watch out for the wanna-be's and look to the original artist.

Children's Easter...well and Grown ups too :D

To start out this time of Lent and leading up to Christ's Ressurrection, here are some of my personal recommendations for children's and adult easter books to read along with some books that I've heard can be of use.

Kids books/dvds

Books/dvds for Grown ups



40 days

Drawn to the aticipation of Celebrating Christ Jesus' Death and Ressurection, LENT is a time to reflect upon many things and drive one's focus primarily on Jesus the Lord. 

Lent lasts for 40 days- like the symbol of Jesus spending 40 days in the desert, and Israel waiting 40 years in the desert.  We are given the opportunity to turn our daily focus of ME into a daily focus of the RISEN SAVIOUR

Enjoy this music video focusing on the 40 days.

Note:  Lent starts this week if you want to participate.

Journey that Helps you grow

We are all on a journey

a journey that Helps you grow

so you may know

Shalom

But where does it start

in the heart?

yes indeed

please heed

what the Creator

is saying to you.

Follow Him

climb that mountain

and maintain

the stamina

to go on

Keep climbing up

up to the top

and when he says stop

you listen again

crawl through that valley

if He says so

because He goes

too

And in this journey high and low

you know

that Shalom

you seek it

you find it

in the LORD.

So the journey you take

is the peace you make

grow more

as you

journey more

And your ventures through thick and thin

lets you begin

the outward spiraling of PEACE

and you grow

as you KNOW

the LORD more and more each day

A Memory to share

A memory to share... we love sharing about our past, or cool adventures we've been on.  As I sat here thinking of what this BAREFOOT CHILD would share, I thought of nothing... but earlier this evening I was talking with a girl in my church that's about 7 or 8. 

She started telling me cool stories of her times on vacation, and randomly jumped into exciting details about what happened at school last week.  She mentioned something about P.E. and I asked if she would participate in "field days" (where classes are teams and there are fun games all day long during the school day.).  she said yes and with that I told her I used to also.  She got excited and we started sharing the games that we would participate along with other great memories.

We had a great conversation!  And what was fun about it is that we both got to share our memories and got excited talking about it.

Share a MEMORY with someone!  Don't just tell a memory, but share, ask what their similar memory was.

I'm not who I was

This is a great expression of how we feel after saying YES to the LORD and declaring our change.

We are still our same person, but at the same time we have been changed... we have been transformed.

Sometimes others around don't realize that change... maybe you have wronged somebody long ago and now you have changed.  Brandon Heath expresses situations such as these in his song.. saying "I wish you could see me now, you know I'm not who I was"

Enjoy... and comment your thoughts

I'm Not Who I Was by: Brandon Heath

Connect with Creation

There is this app I have on my phone called "Creation Moments". I came across it on the radio on 89.7 Power FM and there is a gentleman, Ein Taylor, who talks about nature, its mulecular structure, space, why girrafes have long necks, the language of bugs, the generousity of God through his designed creation, etc..  Its amazing the many things we don't know.  From the time we walk outside and then get in our cars and drive to work, or shopping.  There are things you see in your own backyard that are happening to glorify God, and functioning to bless you.

I say we start now by "connecting with creation". (and please don't take this out of context)  When you sip on your coffee, go on your porch and watch the sunrise, thank your Creator for His splendor.  When you walk through a park, look at how the trees provide shade for you, fruit for you, and homes for the birds and squirells.  When you take an evening walk or drive, glance at the stars and ponder on the thought that the stars are endless, and God placed them in a certain pattern to direct us with time, harvests, and direction.

I could go on.  Connect with HIS creation and say thank you. Enjoy it!

1,000 piece Puzzles

Growing up, it was me, my sister, and my grandmother at home.  When my grandmother was at work, my sister and I would play "queen and servant" or pass notes from underneath the door to each other like it was a secret or something (don't ask).  But when it was all three of us, we would have time mostly on the weekends if possible and take time to put together a 1,000 piece puzzle, it was more like a billion piece puzzle to me... maybe because I was young.

We would group the colors together, and then we would group the edges together.  My favorite thing abou this time is that we would just sit in quietness working together on a project with the same end set goals.  Another thing I loved was that we could interact with each other and not have to wait until commercials to talk.

Maybe we incorporate something "unplugged" with our families.....

You Make EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL

This video is touching... and TRUE.. the Lord makes everything beautiful in its time... BEAUTY from ASHES.

waking to birds

The other night I fell asleep with my windows open since the weather was so nice.  With this, I woke to the sounds of birds singing and the wooden chimes dancing in the wind...

It was the most pleasant thing I woke up to in a while.  Usually its just my alarm and the cat meowing for breakfast.  This time the outside world woke me, and my alarm was still at rest and the cat was cuddled at my feet.

The rest of the day was wonderful.  Why? because I set my mind on the good things.  The "things" that the Creator made for our pleasure.  Very thoughtful of HIM

So my encouragement to you world is to surround yourself by things that are beautiful and fully of mystery (in a good curious of splendor kind of way).  Do this and your day will start out spectacular!

Think about your five sense... what are good things that relate to your senses?  or things that connect to good memories..
i.e.

1. Sight:  rainclouds with contrast of sunlight coming in
2. Smell:  coffee brewing, rain, fresh baked bread
3. Sound:  birds, leaves rustling in wind, creek trickling with water, a fan
4. Taste:  coffee, bread, ice tea, juicy orange
5: Touch: wind, sunlight, toes in sand

I hope you get to "wake to birds" each day.


strive to.

"Mommy Look!"

"Thomas! Thomas! Tomas the train!!... Mommy Mommy look!"

"Where sugar?.... oh! its right in front of me!"



When My sister and I would go to Wally world, or even just the grocery store, our mission was to make it to the "pink aisle". You know what I'm talking about?  Barbies, baby dolls, etc.  we were on a mission, and we could spot it from a mile away.

Well yesterday at my work, this toddler boy kept spotting Thomas the Train everywhere, and she didn't believe him because she couldn't spot it out.

I thought to myself, maybe its because he is tuned into what he's after so he is aware of anything blue and grey and train shaped.  Apply it however you prefer, but what if we are zoned in our goal of Christ and pleasing Him that opportunities are going to come up all around us, or His blessings are going to be more OBVIOUS, right in front of us like Thomas the Train.