Stirring in the Heart

Luke 2:19

English Standard Version (ESV)

 ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 

  I just wonder why it is that often times, God  places a stirring in a woman's heart or an idea in her head before her man gets the same vision or desire.

It fascinates me because it is so often the woman that has the stirring FIRST, before her man, and yet it is the man that is the leader.

I know one thing for sure....as women, and I'm the worst one on the list..we don't handle this

 chain of events

 well.   

Women are usually jumping too far ahead and it feels like our leader is dragging his feet....I don't think jumping or dragging are the actions God intends for us to take.

I believe kneeling is the the position, and praying is the action that He intends for us to take.  Giving it to Him, asking Him, talking to Him about ALL that is in our heart and our mind.  

This is the typical chain of events in my life:

I have a stirring in my heart. 

I bring it up to my man.

He listens and goes on about his life exactly the same.

 (from all appearances)

I get frustrated and discouraged.

I give up (with an attitude).

And then I truly give it to God with an open heart to do whatever He intends to do.

Bam!!!!  One day it all changes...my man is ready and we are moving forward like a steam roller.  No fuss no mess no flip flopping...just DONE.  Moving ahead and no looking back. 

 I'm all in a knot wondering what the heck just happened.

I am striving for this chain of events:

(in a perfect world)

God stirs something in me.

I pray about it.  I really pray about it.

I tell my man what is on my heart.

I leave him alone about it.

I pray and I ponder the things in my heart.

Bam!!!  One day in God's perfect timing my man and I are ready to move forward in the direction God is leading us.  No fuss no mess just praise to God for showing us the way.

Disclaimer:

**Our women's Bible study is doing

  "Experiencing God". **

 It is OHHHHH so GOOD.

  We are learning and growing, but there are growing pains for many of us.

  We feel ready to take giant leaps of faith and we are sure our leaders are dragging their feet. 

We know this is not the Truth,

 and this is not how God works, but this is how it can feel at times.

I have heard it enough times I thought I would throw myself under the bus and shed some "light" on the issue and maybe we can all skip some of the

frustration and discouragement

 and just get to the business of doing it God's way, and 

PRAY PRAY PRAY,

 and when God does a work in us and in our men, we can praise Him and thank Him, instead of being in a knot and wondering "what the heck just happened".

Luke 2:20

English Standard Version (ESV)

²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Happy Birthday to Me.

I turned 42 yesterday!

It was a great birthday.  We didn't do much, we went to church and came home.  For me, that is my favorite kind of day.  My girls cooked and cleaned up, and THAT just blesses me to the bones.

I like reflecting when I turn a year older and when the New Year comes in, so I'm glad they both happen in the same month.  It is quite convenient to lump it together, so thanks Mom and Dad for that great planning (lol) on your part...for my reflective convenience.

This year as the New Year came in and as I turned another year older I just feel thankful.  I don't always ACT thankful, but I feel it deeply.

I am thankful for so many things but I got to watch a lot of it play out this weekend.

 God just continually reminds me and shows me how He takes such good care of my kids and He continues to draw them closer to Himself and that is my biggest prayer for them everyday.

The Lord never stops at just that and that would be more than enough.  He is guiding their lives and directing their path, and I can see it.  I don't always know as it is happening, but then He shows me and reminds me that He has good plans for them.

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Saturday, Charlie and I got to take Kole to the Portland airport so he could return to University of Texas.  He is doing so great there.  I know he is right where he is supposed to be.  He is doing great in school (straight A's), he is LOVING his church and getting more and more involved.  He is right where he should be to grow and learn.

Then on Sunday, I got to watch  Charsie and my man stand up and testify to what great things the Lord has done.  We all shared on what our experience was like in Uganda and what the Lord had shown us and allowed us to be a part of.   But nothing blesses me more than to watch my daughter give testimony to the Lord.  And nothing blesses me more that watching my man cry over the things the Lord had shown him.  My man is tough with a very tender heart.

I also got to witness my son-in-law as he welcomed people to church yesterday, and that just does a mother-in-law's heart good to see him be a leader in his family and in his church.  When I get to see things like that, I just thank the Lord.  He is just showing me and reminding me that their little family is precious to HIM, and He is taking good care of them and their path is being directed by HIM.

Proverbs 3:5-6

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ 

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Of course getting to spend my 42nd birthday with my Grand baby is beyond THE BEST.   When I reflect over the year.....she is the biggest highlight for sure.  I couldn't even imagine being a Nay Nay at 41 years old and I'm so glad I don't get to plan my life, that God just keeps throwing blessings right into my lap.....LITERALLY.  :)

Watching Lashae being a mommy just blesses my socks off.  I hope they have a boatload a big boatload of babies because I can tell you, this world will be a better place.

When I "reflect" on the rest of the kids through this last year I am again incredibly THANKFUL.

Mirembe Esther

.  We have had some obstacles to overcome, as with any kid, especially kids that are from hard places.  We have both grown a ton through it all.  I have learned a deeper dependence on God and for that reason alone I'm thankful for the things we have to struggle through. She is growing in every way and I could not be more thankful that the Lord saw fit for me to be her mom.

Luke Franke

Luke is so sweet and mellow.  He is also an "animal" on the football field.  We are so glad that he has a gentle spirit, but I'm telling you there is a little animal inside that comes out during sports.  It kinda makes us crack up.  It's totally out of his nature to be so aggressive, but apparently it is in there and it comes out at the appropriate times.   This kid has stepped up in a big way this year.  He is now the oldest boy in the house and he has taken on this role quite well.

Reece Charles (Roo)

He is a wild man.  He has so much passion it just flies and jumps around him.  He is the funniest kid I know.  I pray for him.......he will turn the world upside down, and we are just praying that it is all for the GLORY of God. 

Guaranteed he is going to make a mark in this world, so my prayer is that all his passion and enthusiasm are used in LOVE for God and LOVE for others.  :)   (for those of you that have the pleasure of knowing Reece....you know what I'm talking about, and I would appreciate if you joined me in this prayer of mine.  :)

Maezie (Auntie Moo)

This kid is still a surprise to me.  She has been the biggest and best surprise of my life.  I am in awe of how good God is to lavish His love on me and bless me with this baby.  She is the best Auntie on the planet and to watch her with her niece is one of my favorite things of the year.  She loves Maubry, she holds her hand as the ride in the back of the car together with their car seats next to one another.  She tries to share her binky any chance she gets.  She is a love!!!

Charlie is the love of my life.  He is a crazy cowboy that just loves like crazy all over the world.  He has spent most of this year working away from home (and civilization) during the week.  He never complains he always makes the best of it.  I know he loves like this because of his deep LOVE for the Lord.  He has grown greatly in the Lord and he is in the Word everyday, and I know that is why he does what he does.

It's been a good year.  NOT an easy year, but a good year for sure!!!!

THANKFUL!!!!

Uganda Video

Charlie, Charsie, and I had fun at our church, Shepherd Valley Cowboy Church, telling about our recent trip to Uganda.  We had technical difficulties....so we didn't get to show the video Charsie put together.  If you haven't seen it yet....ENJOY.

Running the Race

Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, 
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

emphasis added 

I had a dream a few months ago.  I dreamed of being on a run (with a goat...I know, weird).  I looked up at one point and there was a huge dirt devil - my thought was, 

"That is gonna make a mess."

I found shelter under a huge rock that formed a cavern type feel off to the side of the road.  

As I huddled under the ROCK (with a goat and a pig...I know, weird) and I looked up, I saw that the dirt devil had turned into a full blown tornado.

The tornado was big and powerful and it dropped down and picked up a building.  

I watched that building whip around in that tornado, the tornado moved the building a little distance and then set it down. 

 Once it was set down everything was peaceful and calm and the tornado was gone.

I looked at the building that had been "moved" and it was in perfect shape - no damage - and as I looked closer I realized it was a church.  

And then I woke up.

God gave me this dream at a key time in our lives.

  I know He was showing me something that HE was doing.

Recently we have "changed" or "moved" where we attend church. 

 We are LOVING our new church.

  We LOVED our old church.

Now we get to LOVE more, LOVE both!!!

 We attended our old church for 13 years before God picked us up and moved us to exactly where He wanted us to grow and learn and fellowship and run the race that He has set before us.

The Bible tells us that we are all "one church, one body, the body of Christ". 

 We believe both churches are running the same race....the race we have all been called to, but we have a bit of a different "stride" or a different "trail" to accomplish our race. 

Romans 12:4-10

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴ For as in one body we have many members,^[a] and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶ Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;⁷ if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,^[b] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

In order for us to run the race - as our particular part and use our natural stride - the Lord picked us up and "moved" us. 
 He gently and perfectly placed us in a different church fellowship to run the race alongside.

Yes, there was a dirt devil that had potential to make a big mess, because otherwise I really believe we would have remained "comfortable" and not stopped stepping on toes trying to fit into everyone else's stride and fit on everyone else's trail. 

 We also would have missed all that He had waiting for us just a few miles away, a bunch of people with the same stride and trail preferences.

(we like the rugged trail, that is a bit on the edge)

We love the people of our old church family and our new church family. 
 They are all brothers and sisters in Christ.  We will be spending eternity with these people, and we will also live in community on this earth with ALL of them. 

We will continue to run the race - just as the folks from the old and new fellowship are doing - but God has so lovingly placed us in a "pace group" that fits our "stride and trail".

We are in awe of how the Lord has been so good and loving and we are encouraged. 

 We have found a rhythm and we have caught our second wind.  

We love to see our former "pace group"; we wave, and high five, belly bump, fanny slap as we all pass one another on the main road before we head onto different "trails".

We are exactly where we should be.  We have began running the race with a "pace group" that is unbelievably good for us and to us,and we are running alongside each other with a stride that is natural and energizing and fun.

God is GOOD and we are so blessed to be a part of the BODY OF CHRIST and He has a place for all of us that we can grow and learn and be used in all our natural and weird and crazy strides and trails in life.

1 Corinthians 12:12-20

English Standard Version (ESV)

One Body with Many Members

¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves^[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one member but of many.¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts,^[b] yet one body.