I Must Testify

Psalm 50:7-15 (New Living Translation)
7 “O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! 8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. 9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. 10 For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. 13 Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? 14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. 15 Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”

This is a post to testify of just how the Lord takes such good care of us:

So Charlie got a call on Sunday evening from a man that was interested in our cattle, he wants them all, except for the bull. Charlie and him agreed on a price, and Charlie got off the phone and we were so thankful. It was just good timing. So then this morning Charlie is listening to the messages on his phone and he just starts chuckling...it was the cattle buyer and he says, "Hey, I've been talking to some guys and I will be able to get more for those cattle when I sell the calves so I will pay $50.00 more a head." Ok....I just have to say THAT is the Lord...who does that??? Once a price is agreed upon, who calls back and says they want to pay more? Well, I think this must be a pretty outstanding guy, but mostly I am thankful to our Lord who just does stuff like that just because He is good and he owns all the cattle on a thousand hills. We are truly thankful and amazed!

Oh, and the verse that Charlie sent this morning before he listened to any of his messages was this:

Ephesians 3:20-21 (New Living Translation)
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

How appropriate for today!!!

Still on the Rainbow Kick

I posted about the very pretty rainbow, and I definitely loved it, but it just seemed sweet and a "nice rainbow", but for some reason, I just kept thinking about it and asking the Lord what He was saying to us. I have seen many rainbows, and never thought too much about it, so was I just putting way too much thought into this one particular rainbow, was I trying to get more out of it than was there....well, this morning I was reading in Genesis, ( again no coincidence...just God using HIS living Word to SPEAK TO ME). So I was reading the story of Noah and guess what...the whole rainbow thing, and I've read it before, but I was just reading along and it's like the words just jumped off the page...God was speaking directly to me.

Genesis 8:1 (New International Version)
Genesis 8
1 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.


The word REMEMBERED just jumped out at me. I know God has never for one day forgotten me, but sometimes it feels like it; and He sent a rainbow to my bedroom window and then 3 days later confirmed it in His Word that He REMEMBERED me!!

Genesis 9:16 (New Living Translation)
16 When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.”

I have a new breath of fresh air today. God took His time and His Word to show me physically and then confirm in His Word that He REMEMBERS me. I know that things are not great in some areas of our lives right now, but He is taking the time to speak to me and tell me that He has not forgotten ME and now I KNOW, because He reminded me, that it is all in His hands and He is so faithful, and I will just rest and wait for Him to show up and send a wind and recede the waters on our behalf.

WHOO HOO!!!! I'm so GLAD!!!! He does this for all of us, but some of us...that would be me...need a little extra coddling because I am so weak and slow, and forgetful myself. I'm so glad my God does NOT forget!!!

He Loves Us!!!

This is what I looked out my window and saw very early on Friday morning. I had skipped out on a run and was sitting in bed drinking coffee with Charlie and looking out our bedroom window we saw the most beautiful rainbow. I ran to get my camera, and realized it was a full rainbow. So the pictures do not do it justice, but it was so vivid and full, and a double on one end. Anyway, I just feel like the Lord was reminding us that He loves us and He placed a rainbow right outside our window to show us.

Running With Endurance

Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Translation)
Hebrews 12
God’s Discipline Proves His Love 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

I like running...I like running with a goal...if I don't have a race I'm working towards I get lazy. I may not be very fast but I do have endurance and I do enjoy all that comes with running.

So........here's the deal, life right now just feels like a race and really it's been a race all along. I just feel like I'm on a VERY UPHILL COURSE, and I've been running this particular part a long time. Things are very tough in a lot of areas for me and for others running this race called life. We have been to the medical tent lately with some severe injuries, we are seeing people around us hit the wall and bonk big time, we are weak, we are delirious, but we are still in the race, and actually loving it. We are sooo thankful to be in the race, and we are on the last stretch in some respects....although we have many races coming up, and we will continue to endure and train and run. And the races ahead I'm sure are harder even yet.

Here's the thing I think.....I only feel like I've ran my best when I'm done with a race and I have no gas left in my tank. Even if I'm slow and I may be dead last, but if I put in my all and did my very best, then I'm happy with my race.

So in this time in my life, I'm going to put it all out there, I'm digging in deep. I'm getting excited because the course is going to change soon, not easier per say, just change and I'm ready for some new scenery a new hill to climb. I love running this race this race called life, I love that every hard part makes us stronger and closer to our MAKER. I know that he is giving me the very breath and energy I need for this race and any upcoming races. I sometimes just want to quit this race...but then I take a drink of water, take another shotblock, and feel energized to continue.

We've been hit pretty hard the last 9 months with a lot of trouble and hard times. But, the ironic thing is...and it's no irony to God.....it's also been the best 9 months ever. I've cried harder and shed more tears....tears of sorrow and tears of JOY in the last 9 months than I have in my whole life. We have had some beatings and far more BLESSINGS than I can even count.

At the prayer meeting last night Charlie thanked God for these hard times that have drawn us closer to Him, and asked that when things get better that we never change back, that we stay as close to God as we are right now and keep drawing nearer even when the "race" gets easier. I never thought I would hear that come out of his mouth, and I never thought I would agree to such a statement. But with ALL sincerity I said, "yes Lord".

This prayer was said after a pretty bad blow yesterday....it's been no secret that we are in over our heads financially, and in the last 6 weeks it seems it just won't let up....But here's the good news we are still on our feet we are still running and we are seriously blessed beyond our wildest imaginations. In these hardest of times we have lived life fuller and funner and deeper than we ever have.

John 16:33 (New International Version)
33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Gods Heart: Adoption

Take the time to watch this video!! It makes you really stop and think. I watched it a couple of weeks ago, and just couldn't get it off my mind. It spoke to me in so many ways, so I finally figured out how to post it on my blog!! Hey, I'm beginning to figure this blogging thing out! Enjoy!

Super Studly Survivor

Super Studly Survivor....was the name of the surprise 16th birthday party we had for Kole. As you can see below, we had quite the RACE OFFICIAL...He kept things in good order, anytime things would get out of hand he would blow that whistle and get the kids attention, and then they would take one look at him, and knew HE MEANT BUSINESS...and things would turn to instant worse chaos.









We had a killer obstacle coarse that took the kids ...........


......through the pond........


.......roping a dummy........

.........scootering.........

..........shooting a free throw......

.........slip and slide...........

........throwing a football..........

...........shooting a paintball gun........

.........running through the arena...........

...........EATING A SARDINE...............

and we had 20 kids compete and then we had the final round...which was the winner of the other heats.....and guess who won...........none other that Super Stud.......Charsie Brewer.

That kid was a elbowing right with the big football players and she out pushed, out slid, out swam, and definitely could out do ANY guy in the sardine part. She could just throw her head back and swallow them disgusting things WHOLE.

We had a great time!!!! Fun kids!!!!! I could hang out with this bunch of kids everyday. They are fun, kind, and energetic. We are soooo thankful that our kids have such great friends. It is truly a blessing from above!

Happy 16th Kole!

Happy Birthday Kole!!! Today Kole David Brewer is 16 years old!!! Kole does not read my blog, so I can tell you what I REALLY think of this kid.

This guy is one of my favorite people in the entire world. He is amazing.

Every year with Kole gets to be more fun. I'm not kidding either...I truly enjoy him more and more the older he gets and the more independent and the more of his own person he becomes. The better I get to know who he is, the more proud I am of him.

Kole is sooooooo many things....he is BIG!!! He has a size 13 shoe. That is Crazy...my little baby has a size 13 shoe.

Kole is funny, he gets funnier and funnier the older he gets. He loves humor. Kole is SMART!!! This kid is scary smart in my book. He can read things and retain it like nobodies business. Kole is a very hard worker. He may not be the fastest worker, but that is because it is PERFECT when it is done. Whatever the job is....it is done PERFECT. Kole is loyal, Kole is moral, he is thoughtful, he is sensitive, and he is handsome.

Kole loves the Lord, he is very serious about God's Word. He is a student and wants to know learn as much as he can about it, and in it. He reads it with intensity, like he does everything. He asks for Bible studies with Mike McLane to be discipled by him.

He is a 3 sport athlete in school, and he can do about anything he tries. He will work at it until he gets it right. From the time he was very little he could show up at a baseball field coming straight from a rodeo with spurs on, head into the bathroom, and come out of the bathroom and be a baseball player. Cracks us up...it is still happening...the other day, he had football practice, a basketball game and a baseball banquet all in the same evening. Kole is fun and energetic and thoughtful....he is a friend, he is a boyfriend, he is a son, a grandson, a brother, a cousin.

He is so many wonderful things! I thank God for him he is such a blessing to me and our family and many others!!!

I'm so blessed that I get to be called his mom!