We are so Blessed!

The Lord blessed our socks off today! Oh my goodness! Okay. last night I felt like going to spend some money so about 8:30 we all loaded in the car and went to Target. We let the kids shop around for a long time before Randy and I decided that we wanted to go look at the garden section. Randy walked into a canopy, sat on the furniture and he said that "his heart lept". He fell in love with the gazebo. When he was getting out of it (because the store was closing) he noticed that it was on clearance. He ended up talking to a worker in that section, and the worker offered him an even better deal that was on the clearance sticker. That was nice. Well, we had to leave because it was closing, but he just couldn't get over the fact that he really wanted that gazebo. We pulled over on an aisle and prayed to see if we should get it or not. When I prayed I heard, "It's just money." We decided to get it. Well, last night we were only able to put our name on it. The maintenance guy was supposed to call us today, but he never did.
Well, Shirley called me yesterday and asked if she could keep my kids for a little while this afternoon. Of course she didn't have to persuade me too much! :) She came over while Randy was still home for a late lunch. When I left he called me and asked if I wanted to go to Target with him to see what was up with the canopy since they had not called us yet. I said yes so we met over there.
The canopy was still there, but no one was available to tear it down for us. They only had the floor model left, that's why we got the discounted price last night. Well, Randy told the lady manager that was helping us that he could tear it down himself. She agreed that he could do that then she got a helper and some tools for him. Then she said that she would give us a discount off the clearance price since he was taking it down himself. So, it started out at $500, but it was clearanced at $349, but since Randy took it down himself we got it for $174. That is a steal! It's the prettiest one I've ever seen. It's very fancy! It's a 10x11 Gazebo. WOW!
Okay, last night we went to Wal-Mart after Target to see what they had as far as outdoor furniture goes. When we got there the outdoor garden center was closed for the night. I didn't know this, but they close the outside part at 9:00 at night! So, we were disappointed last night, but we weren't today! As I was looking at the furniture at Target while Randy was taking down the gazebo I found an amazing deal! Everything was pricing out at about $400-$500. That was way too much, and that was their clearance price! I looked online last night at several stores to get an idea on what furniture cost, and it's so pricey! Well, I found a wicker love seat and two chairs on sale for only $147. It was so cheap because it was supposed to come with a table but for some reason the table was missing. It was regularly $279. WOW!
Okay, and while we were there Randy saw an amazing outdoor fireplace table. It's incredible. I wasn't even going to look at the price because it looked too fancy. Well, there was a clearance sticker laying on it so I checked it out. It said that it was on clearance for $174. Randy loved it and since we had already saved so much he decided that we would get it. We were so pumped! We had already been there for 2 hours!
The manager lady that was so helpful to us suggested that we apply for a Target Visa so we could get an additional 10% off. We didn't want to charge it, but she told us that we could just turn around and pay it off at the service counter after we paid for it. So, we did that and we got another 10% off our entire purchase! WOW!
Oh my goodness...I'm so pumped! Randy is on his way home right now. Even though it's raining he told me that he wants to put it all together. That's exciting! I will take some good pictures of it when we get it all done! I'm so thrilled at the blessing that we received today!
AND...while we were outside loading everything out (I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you this part!) the lady manager came back out to give us an instruction book and then she told us that they made a mistake...the clearance sticker on the fireplace that we bought was for another item. We should have been charged $399 because it was not on sale! WOW!!!!!!! She just smiled and said that we got a good deal.
Okay:
Gazebo was originally $499, Clearanced for $349 and we paid $174 (and some sweat).
Furniture $279 but we paid $147.
Fireplace that should have been $399 but we got it for $174.
Then we got 10% off which was a total of $49.
So, for everything we paid $484. That's cheaper than the original price of the Gazebo!
WOW!
I feel so incredibly favored!
Hopefully more pictures will come soon of me sipping some carbonated or fermented drink in my new Gazebo.

Sharon

Randy sister Sharon is in desperate need of being healed by Jesus Christ! She has cervical cancer. The medical community has told her that she is rapidly dying. They do not believe she will make it past the summer. She’s in her early 40’s. Our family has been praying and believing for her healing since the beginning of the year. It’s been sad, but then again not really. Randy and I just could not go to that place where we let thoughts come in of her dying. We just have kept on praying and speaking health and healing over her. One of Randy’s brothers called him on Monday night. He lives in Colorado. He wanted to know why he had not been called and told how bad off Sharon was. Honestly, we haven’t believed that she was dying so why would we call. I do know that her cousin came to see her “one last time”, but I don’t think about that at all! I’ve just been waiting for the Lord to show off.
Hospice is involved. They’ve been coming to her house for almost 2 months now. They are the ones that regulate her medications. They gave her “one last wish” and she wanted to go to a Walk to Emmaus. She has continued to believe in her own healing so she was laughing when she was telling me about the one last wish thing. She just thought it would be a perk of having to go through this. Well, the next available time was in September, and the people were so sorry because “she was going to make it.” AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Who wants to hear that? They left her on the list for just in case.
Anyway, she has struggled with believing, but for the most part she is waiting on her miracle. I’m very proud of her attitude. Well, like I said I haven’t even entertained thoughts of her dying. That was until yesterday. Evidentially this past weekend was really painful for her. Hospice suggested last week that Sharon start taking morphine to control her pain. Sharon really wanted to avoid doing that because she hates medication for one, but obviously the other reason was that she didn’t want to be out of it all the time. After the very painful weekend she agreed to start taking the morphine on Monday.
Yesterday she called me and said that she wanted to talk to me while she was coherent. Honestly, she sounded like death. It was heart breaking. My thoughts were racing. I’ve never heard her this bad off. I thought that if she tried to tell me her goodbyes that I would just hang up the phone so she couldn’t give up. I don’t think I really would have hung up, but she wasn’t say those things anyway. She was so sad and she asked me, “Brandi, I really thought God was going to save me. Is it too late? Do you think he’s still going to do it?” I said, “Sharon, you’re still alive aren’t you?” As simple of a statement that is it seemed to bring her hope.
We talked for awhile but after we got off the phone I felt like throwing up and crying. It was the first time that I actually heard the desperation in her voice. I called Francesca and talked to her for awhile about Sharon. I felt better after I got off the phone. I just decided in my heart that I was going to continue to pray for Sharon’s healing. As desperate as the situation is our God knows the details of Sharon’s life, and I’m praying that the details involve an amazing miracle of healing in them! I was so glad that I had decided my stance on Sharon’s healing before Randy came home yesterday because she had stopped by her house before he came home from work. He spent a couple of hours over there talking and doing some stuff for her. He came home and said, “I don’t want my sister to die!” Instead of me being a wreck and saying me too I just boldly told him where I stood with her healing, and that I was going to stay there. It seemed to comfort him.

Here’s where it gets good! This morning Randy called me after I woke up. He told me about something exciting that happened. In the mornings (way before I think anyone should be awake) he spends time with the Lord. That’s when he prays, reads the Bible or listens to sermons on iTunes. Today he was listening to the latest podcast from Bethel. Bill Johnson started it off with a bang! Before he began preaching he gave a testimony. There was a guy in the audience from New Zealand. Just 10 days ago he boarded a plane in a wheelchair. He was dying with cancer. He was on morphine on the plane! His family gathered at the airport and told him farewell. They did not want him to go. They believed he would return to them in a box. During the conference they had there Jesus radically transformed his body! Bill Johnson said that the man is in a great process of healing and deliverance! He said that he saw the man before the conference, and the transformation during the days was incredible!
Praise the Lord!!!
That testimony made Randy and I so happy today! I actually just talked to Randy’s mom on the phone and told her the testimony. She was excited to hear it as well. As we’ve been learning testimony means “to do it again”. That’s what I’m asking for it to do today! Agree with me that the Lord is going to completely heal Sharon’s body!

Sad Day!

In Heaven By Brandi, Joey and Spencer

In heaven there is no laundry to do.
No one pees in their pants in heaven.
There are no stretch marks in heaven.
No one throws up in the middle of the night in heaven.
There are no pets to feed in heaven.
There are no appointments to be late for in heaven.
Tax day means nothing in heaven.
If there is ice cream in heaven it doesn’t have any fat or calories.
There are no alarm clocks in heaven.
You don’t have to suck in your stomach in heaven.
If there are cars in heaven they always start in the morning.
Hair roots never have to be colored in heaven.
If there are debit cards in heaven they always work on the first swipe.
There are no birthdays to forget in heaven.
Telemarketers do not exist in heaven.
No one gets picked last in heaven.
No one gets tooted on in heaven.
There are no roommates in heaven.
There are no such things as shocking hazards in heaven.
High school does not exist in heaven.
In heaven there are no jacking up printers.
Calendars have no relevance in heaven.
Heaven is without heartburn.
In heaven there are no cavities.
There are no chores in heaven.
Zits have no home in heaven.
Diet Coke takes like real Coke in heaven.
In heaven shoes are never missing.
There are no surprise guests in heaven.
Misquotes are not a part of heaven.
There are no red lights or stop signs in heaven.
In heaven kids don’t argue.
Eyes are never closed in photos while in heaven.
There are no student loans in heaven.
In heaven cold sores are abolished.
Cell phone minutes never run out in heaven.
There is no underestimating God in heaven.


Let your Kingdom come. Let your Will be done.
On Earth as it is in Heaven!

Big Day For Me.

I did it. Today I mailed off my story to Julia Loren. I went ahead and entered the writing contest that she has going on. She said that I didn't have to send the $10 entry fee because she aleady knew that she wanted my story, but that I could enter the contest if I wanted to. I decided to go ahead and send in the entry fee just in case. Plus, it would look great on my resume to say that I've won a writing contest. I love winning stuff! So, August 15th the winners of the contest will be announced on her website. I'm pumped about that. Even more than that I'm pumped about getting my first work published!
Take a minute to pray for me. Ask the Lord to show me favor and to let me win the contest! Also, ask him for this to be only the first of many many publications for me!
I'M SO EXCITED!!!!

He's too funny!

Pam's cemetary post reminded me of something my boys were talking about just a couple of hours ago.
On the way to Randy's sister house we passed a funeral home.
Behind me Spencer said, "Hey there's the dead man place."
Joey in his correctness said, "It's called a funeral home."
Spencer said, "Oh you mean the zombie zone?"

Jesus in California

Don’t get me wrong the conference in California was wonderful. It was full of practical advice that I’ve already been able to apply since I’ve been home. I received valuable information, but that wasn’t the best thing that I took away from my trip. The Lord himself did personal things in me that mean so much more.
After the first meeting where several leaders were introduced to us there was a woman named Teresa that prayed for us before we were dismissed into the conference. Teresa is one of the cutest women I’ve ever seen. She’s on staff at Bethel. She’s in charge of the art department there. While Teresa prayed for us she sat on the stage while a young man played the keyboard behind her.
She told us that while she was praying for us earlier that morning that she saw a picture of a Christmas tree with all kinds of presents under the tree. She said that Jesus had a present for us. While she was praying she told us to go to the place where it was only us and Jesus alone. Immediately I was taken to that place. I don’t really want to call it a picture or even a vision. I’ve never experienced before the place I went to. It felt so real. It was like a white endless room where Jesus and I were together. I could see him plainly and he could see me. It all seemed very real.
I could hear Teresa talking, but she was not in the same room that I was in. I heard her say, “Ask Jesus for the present that he has for you. I asked Jesus for the present and he gave me a beautifully wrapped box. It was actually wrapped kind of fun. Anyway, I opened the box and inside was a heart. It wasn’t a pretty cut out heart. It was a real heart. I was looking in the box when I heard Teresa say, “Ask Jesus to tell you what the present means.”
That made perfect sense to do so I asked Jesus what the present meant. Then he spoke to me and said, “I’m giving you healed hearts. When people read your work, or hear you speak, or when you’re just around them and being yourself then their hearts will be healed. That’s what I’m giving you.”
When I heard those words tears began to stream down my face. I wasn’t weeping. It was a natural cry with the sweetest of tears. I couldn’t imagine having a more wonderful present. I’ve received a healed heart myself so I know the good of the present.
As I was with Jesus and so in awe of him I heard Teresa again. She told us to look behind us and see what was behind us. When I turned around (in the place with Jesus) I was amazed at what I saw next. There was a vast amount of people behind me. There were so many of them that I couldn’t even see all their faces. I knew that all those people had read my writing or heard me speak sometime. There were so many people behind me that only a few faces stuck out at me. The only face I recognized was Pam’s face. Then a wonderful thing happened! There was a woman in the crowd and she was holding up her child high in the air for me to see him. Immediately I knew why she was holding him high for me to see. I knew that when she had read my book she had a child that was handicap and that she was hopeless. As she read my book she allowed hope to awaken in her again and Jesus Christ healed her child as well.
The picture of that woman is so vivid in my memory. It has been spurring me on to go through the pain that is involved writing a book about Miles. I know through it that lives will be changed, and that hearts will be healed.
Another thing that Teresa said was, “You have not come this far to fall short.” When she said that fear was broken off of me. I was afraid of falling short. I will not. Jesus has made me to heal the broken hearted. He has placed books in me and he’s drawing them out. I’m very pleased to do this with him. It’s my honor and my joy.

What's that smell?

I was driving out to Clyde yesterday and I was a little bit early. I decided that we would stop at the new car wash and clean out my car before I went over to the church. I told the kids we were going over to the car wash that we went to before when we got that good smelling cherry spray. Jocie was excited and said, "This time can we get the Enchilada Spray?"

I think she meant the Pina Colada Spray.

We all laughed so hard. My stomach hurts even thinking about getting my car all sprayed up with the scent on Enchilada!

Sky Angel Update

9:00 P.M. Tuesday night, Prime time on Sky Angel. This is what is available to watch:

• Movie called Out of time. It’s about a man with untreatable cancer who drinks from a magic spring, sleeps for 20 years and wakes in 2000 when his wife is remarried and he may be cured.

• Movie called Falling in love with the girl next door. It has Patty Duke, Shelley Long and Patrick Dempsy in it. It’s on the Hallmark channel.

• House Hunters on HGTV

• Fox News they are talking about a pregnant woman’s 2 year old son that was found alone at home.

• Music Video of Audio Adrenaline “Ocean’s Floor”.

• Pulpit Classics It’s a crazy retro preacher with bright golden choir robes in the background. The sign language lady had a big afro and a turquoise velvet curtain behind her.

• For Better, For Worse, For Keeps. A pastor is talking about marriage. If you have something to ask them their hotline number is 888-691-1075

• In the Crosshairs with Bill Wilson (no relation) It’s talking about the world’s largest Sunday School and how it reaches the inner-city families in New York. If you need prayer you can call 1-800-565-4483

• Treasures of the World. It’s talking about Education in some foreign country.

• 3ABN Today. Joey titled this “Lame Show”. It just looks like a really boring interview with two people that have bad hair.

• Praise the Lord on TBN. Pastor Steve Munsey is talking about a book called Repositioning Yourself.

• Word Pictures, It’s about how God converts the human soul. How does God convert the human soul? This question and others are answered.

• Taylor’s Attic. Birds in the Attic. A pair of blackbirds organize an attic band. (I have no idea!) Oh, okay, it’s a kid show.

• Alternative Music Video If you need to call their Helpline the number is 877-949-HELP You might call and tell them you need help understanding what in the world these guys are singing. It’s really heavy music. Joey said it was really freaky.

• ROC Rock café. It marries messages about Christ with cool music in a funky café setting.

• The 700 Club. It’s a magazine program that includes a commentary entertainment, live appearances, and interviews with celebrity guests.

• Love a Child. Bobby and Sherry Burnette take us along a mission campaign to Hatti. This is actually pretty cool. It’s a crusade in Hatti that is being translated and you can see the people accepting Jesus as their savior.

• Then there’s 16 channels of different Christian Music Channels.
That’s it.

The Painting

Tell me if this jacks you up!

Two weeks ago I got an idea for a painting that I wanted Gail V. to do for me. It will be a painting of Miles at the age he is now with his big fluffy blonde curls. He will be happy and running while he’s behind his empty wheelchair pushing it like it’s a toy!
Every time I think of the painting I get really excited!

Well, on Tuesday night when I was in California I was just about to fall asleep and I saw a picture of my book on the shelf, and the cover of the book WAS THE PAINTING!

I talked to Gail about it yesterday and she was so pumped about the idea! She told me to get some pictures together and she would make a few sketches for me because she wants the painting to look like the one in my head! I don’t think anyone could do the painting besides Gail! I told her that I would be willing to buy her supplies or pay her, but she would have to tell me what was appropriate because I didn’t want to insult her with a price because I have no idea what things like that cost. Gail told me that I could pay her when her painting was on the cover of my book!

What I’m going to do is give her a good picture of Miles’ face, the wheelchair, and then some pictures of Austin pushing the empty wheelchair. Austin is the same age as Miles so that will give Gail something to go off of. I talked to Ginny yesterday about letting me get some pictures of Austin to use for Miles body. You know Ginny loved the whole idea! She was very excited. She always says that Miles and Austin are going to be best friends.

I told Randy about my idea last night. It totally made him speechless. He thinks it’s the perfect cover for the book. What do you think?

EXCITING!!!

California June 12, 2007
My review went well. Julia said that I was a very good writer. Julia said that she only told one other person that…guess who that was…our girl Francesca! How incredible is that? It was so awesome because she just acted like I was already an established writer. She loved several of my stories. One of her favorites was titled STINKY. It was about Miles when he was in the cast and we had to spray him down with feminine hygiene spray. She had a great idea of how I could take the devotions I’ve already written, add some more and make a book about the lessons I’ve learned about God from my children. That sounded exciting. I’ll be thinking and praying about that.

Okay, here goes the way exciting news! Julia is currently writing another book, and she wants one of my stories in there. She wants to publish my story about Spencer and the tree! GO AHEAD…SCREAM AND SHOUT!!! I’ll wait.
She wants to publish something I’ve written. I’ve got to make a decision by the end of the month if I will let her use my stuff, but she told me that she’s sure she wants it. AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

During this conference Francesca and I have really stood apart from the crowd. In an hour were about to have the impartation from ol’ Kris V. Very exciting! I really have high expectations of this time. I want to get blasted. I mean blasted. I mean so blasted that I remember it forever.

I just had to give the quick update.

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH it's so good!

California is so good I don't have time to write about it! WOW!
I'm about to hop in my wonderful hotel shower and then in one hour I will be seeing Bill Johnson! He's doing the welcome talk this morning. I'm so excited!
Also, my critique is today with Julia. I sent her my stuff and she's going to have a private time with me today to tell me what she thinks of my writing. It will be 1:30 your time so if you read this before then please pray for me!

BOYS!

Joey had a scab on his ankle. I guess his new play house needed to be christened because he picked his scab, and drew a smiley face on the play house with his own blood. He came in and told me what he did and I said, “Wow. That’s a very boy thing for you to do!”

Before California Report

Okay, I had to post that I was so refreshed yesterday! I had a wonderful time with friends at the State Park. I have a vicious sunburn to prove it. Thank you to those that prayed for me. I really was refreshed yesterday. Also, I went shopping and got a couple of cute outfits for my California trip. This time tomorrow I will be on a plane with my girl Francesca!!!
I went grocery shopping last night so my family has food to eat while I'm gone.

Hey, Randy bought me a Bible that I've been wanting. It's the Hyper color Hot Pink, The Message Bible Remix. It's so awesome. Randy said that he wanted to find a verse about writing in it and highlight it for me but he didn't get the chance to do it. Well, last night he gave it to me for my trip and I just flipped it open and I went to John 21:24 and it says, "This is the same disciple who was eyewitness to all these things and wrote them down. And we all know that his eyewitness account is reliable and accurate. There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can't imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books."
How awesome is that? I am a disciple who is an eyewitness to amazing things that Jesus has done and will do. I will give a reliable and accurate account of them. There are so many things that Jesus has done and I will write books to add to the marvelous library of books already written about him.
How incredible and confirming is that verse from the Lord right before I leave for a writing conference? The word of God is living and breathing. I want to read it more often!
Well, hopefully our hotel will have internet service so I can keep you updated on our shenanigans in California! Are shenanigans a bad thing? Well, if it is then we won’t have any shenanigans to report, but I will have some exciting things to report I’m sure.
I’M SO EXCITED!!!!!!

My Day

Miles has an appointment in Ft. Worth today. His neurologist decided that he wanted to get an MRI done of Miles’ neck and spine. Dr. Marks wants to see if Miles has any obstruction in his neck that can be the cause of his reflux. Since he was already going to be under anesthesia for the MRI Dr. Marks decided to go ahead and do the next round of Botox on him while he was already asleep.
So, today Miles got Botox! Yay! I’m so happy about that! It helps to loosen up his tight muscles. It was getting where it was hard to dress him because his arms were hard to move, his shoulders were up to his ears all day every day. By Sunday he should be feeling great and moving freely in his upper body. Botox for Miles is like the oil can to the Tin Man. I’m very thankful for it.
These trips wear me out. My nerves get a little shot, my heart gets a little heavy, my body gets sore from being tense, and everything at home seems out of whack. I’m looking forward to this chapter ending in our lives. All day I kept comforting myself with the knowledge that all this is temporary. I’m looking forward to non-medical days.
Hey, say a prayer for me that I will be refreshed. People in my home are asking me for things that I don’t feel like I have to energy to fulfill.

Learning About Prayer

Today at Intercessory Prayer, which Joey called “Whatey What What” I learned a lesson.
We were fighting against sickness. We were working hard to make things happen in the super natural. It felt like tough ground to break.
Then one of the women said that she thought we were praying from the wrong stance. She was saying that we should be praying from a victorious stance instead of trying to make something happen. After she said this and I took in a deep breath I felt something lift off. I had a picture (I probably should have shared it, but it was my first time to go so I didn’t feel very comfortable.) Anyway, I saw a picture of me as a Mom in my own home. I saw my kids coming into the kitchen “warring” for something to eat. They were hungry and they wanted their bellies to be full so they came into my kitchen loudly, and yelling, and trying to convince me to feed them. They said things like, “We will be fed.” And “We want all hunger to go away right now.”
I was standing there in my kitchen thinking, “Why in the world are they coming to me like that? I’ve already been grocery shopping. There’s plenty to eat. I love my kids and their acting like I’m not going to feed them. Why don’t they just come to me, tell me that they’re hungry and then I will feed them?”

Whoa!

This picture will change the way I pray. My Father in heaven loves me. I don’t have to convince him to do anything. I can go to his throne room like my kids can come to our kitchen. God already has everything I need. All I need to do is go to him, tell him what I need and he will feed me.
It really is all about relationship.
Awhile back Randy and I were having trouble selling his houses. It was a long winter for us. We hadn’t been without a surplus in our bank account in a long time so it took us off guard. We weren’t sure how to process the fact that we were running out of money in the business when we are faithful in our tithes and offerings. When I prayed about our money situation I should have been wearing a gray business suit with my hair in a tight bun because I was presenting my case like a lawyer. I showed God the scripture in Malachi where it says, “ 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
I told God that he was basically robbing us because we always brought our tithes and offerings to the storehouse and other places. I told him that it was his part of the bargain to throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that I would not be able to contain it. Also, he was supposed to be preventing pests from devouring our crops and he was not doing that either. Devouring pests in our case was increasing debt, and that was wracking up not so nicely. Anyway, I was being a pest in the way I was talking to the Lord. I was so matter of fact with him. I was pleading my case as if I was a lawyer.
Then I heard a teaching from Bill Johnson where he was talking about not being offended at God. He talked about how we can’t approach God about situations like we’re in a contract with God. The Old Testament was a contract relationship and no one could measure up. Man, when I heard that my heart felt so convicted and sad about how I was treating God. I immediately asked for forgiveness for being such a brat! That’s the way I felt.
Anyway, I’m learning about prayer. It’s a hard thing to balance going boldly before the throne of God, being a woman of war, being respectful, asking for things in prayer without acting like I’m lowly or that I’m deserving. It all comes down to relationship! When I just love the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind and love my neighbor as myself then I know my requests will be taken to the Lord in a way that is pleasing to God and it will be effective.

Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

A thankful heart is a happy heart. ~Madam Blueberry

This is for us!

Room to Dance
Written by: Pam Spinosi
I once saved a page from Look Magazine on which a photographer had arranged pictures taken over an 18- or 20-year period. When his friend’s son was a baby, the photographer dressed him in an adult man’s clothes. Each year at the same time, he would photograph the child wearing the clothes, which gradually became less ridiculously too big until, in the last image, they fit the tall young man in the photo. That piece seemed a metaphor for how our Father gives visions to us way before we are “large” enough to inhabit them. Knowing who He has made us to be and where we are going in Him, He may give a suit-sized call to our toddler-sized spirit, and we may wonder how we will ever fill it. Like the photographer, He knows we will one day—and He is patient for that day.

God sees ahead and declares things that "be not as though they were." Jesus called Peter, "Rock," before Peter’s wishy-washy denial of Him, but Peter later grew into the name Jesus had pronounced upon him. Maybe that word resonated in Peter’s spirit until he could see himself that way, too.

Because I have had to move so many times, God speaks to me through my housing situation. When I first moved from the Paris area to the provincial French town two and a half hours away that would be my home for four years, I had very little time to find a place to live. Having accidentally visited the town on a Catholic holiday, I was only able to view one apartment that was advertised privately; all the rental agencies were closed. The owner happily showed the over-sized and slightly expensive apartment to me, and wishing to have an English-speaking foreigner in his daughters’ lives, offered to hold it for me for a month until I could move in! His offer was generous—and it eased the difficulty of moving to a new place where I knew no one. I accepted.

Only entering my second year in France, I was unaware that I would not be able to buy on credit at the furniture store until I had been in that town for a year—and I still did not have a French credit card. I only had enough money to purchase a few necessary items: a washing machine, a refrigerator, a kitchen table and chairs, a toaster oven and a mattress. Things like couches, chairs and anything reasonably comfortable would have to wait. I had a spacious—but completely empty living room and an empty guest bedroom. A great place for me to dance, not yet the place to receive guests that I wanted it to be. When summer rolled around, I decided to move and hoped I could find something smaller and less expensive, something I could decorate and fill up.

After making that decision, I had one little dinner party to entertain my French friends, their daughter and their son who had just returned from three years in America. I put my little table in the living room, and made my best dinner. The mother of this family said she had not been able to sleep the night before and was receiving from the Lord that my apartment was like an "upper room". We all sensed after prayer that I should keep the apartment; God had purposes for it.

But it was too late. Someone had already signed a contract to move in at the end of the month. Being who He is, God did later give me a great place to live, but at that moment when I realized I had let go of something He had given me, I smarted for a while from regret, and I saw a lesson in my current experience.

What I had been given was bigger than I could fill. Eventually, I would have been able to fill that apartment, but not yet. Discouraged and tired of looking at an empty room, I had chosen to abandon that place to have something tiny that I could fill. I even had looked at a very inexpensive and minute studio that could never have housed a guest. That little place would have suffocated not only me but also God’s purpose for me to open my home to meetings and hospitality.

At times, abandoning a vision seems easier than waiting for it. Peter said, "I’m going fishing!" He had given up. His dreams had died when he discovered his own inadequacy to fulfill his great calling; he was returning to something he knew and thought he could handle by himself. Sometimes we give up too soon and just take the small thing that we know we can do, the tiny place we can easily fill now. Psalm 105:19 says of Joseph, "Until his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him." Waiting for God’s timing or pursuing or believing for what He has called us to can feel painful at times; we are "tried" like Joseph was as he awaited the promises, which proved bigger than even his dreams had suggested.

God is saying, "No! Do the big thing that you can only do through Me!" If the vision is from God, it will always be bigger than we can do ourselves, but we will be able to do it or fill it in Him if we refuse to give up and settle for the little thing we think we can handle.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it shall speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Habakkuk 2:3

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord…

Jeremiah 29:11

Mmmm...Coffee and Friends!

4 women 3 hours 11 kids coffee & donuts on a wednesday morning
What did they talk about?


o Sarah was found faithful by God even though she laughed at the promise that she was going to give birth to a son in her old age.
o Monday’s BFW meeting.
o Yay donuts.
o When is mutual friend going to have her baby?
o How we liked or didn’t like having visitors at the hospital when we had babies.
o Medication intolerance.
o Miles supply blessing.
o How much money is being saved monthly from the supplies.
o Tired during pregnancy.
o 1 son’s great giving spirit.
o Upcoming election
o 1 son’s rash
o Ob appointment
o Clyde cheerleading
o News story about silly lawsuit.
o Mutual friend on radio show this morning.
o Post garage sale update
o Poverty mentality
o Life group topic
o Cards
o New worship schedule
o Mouth injury
o Kid movie
o After coffee plans
o House down the street
o Allergies
o Upcoming Kindergarten graduation
o Kids funny accents
o 1 child’s ability to make money
o New clothes/old clothes
o Girl hair
o Mom’s eat free at Mr. Gatti’s on Thursdays
o How the pregnant one was feeling

Happy Birthday Jennifer!!!

It's my girl Jennifer's Birthday!

What can I say?

If I knew some of the hip language that she does I would insert it here.

She is a joy to me. When I'm with her I laugh more, I'm shocked by her thoughts, I'm more in awe of Jesus for all he has done, I'm refreshed, I feel younger, I'm happy.

I hope you have a fantastic party!!!!!

Sorry Jennifer...I didn't have a picture of you with your eyes open...you still look cute!