Praying for International Relationships

God, we thank you for this great big world we live in. We thank you that today we can communicate with and know more about people in every corner of this planet. You have made each individual, each community, each culture different and beautiful. You have given us all the tools we need to advance your Kingdom. You have breathed life into every soul on this earth. You offer redemption and eternity to each and every one of us who believes and accepts it.
Help us to love and serve your people better. Help us to know how to equip those in need, to rescue those in persecution and to work with each other for good. Guide the leaders of each country towards righteousness and truth. May we respect each other and love each other with Your love
May Your Kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven!
Amen

Praying for Our Men and Women in Service

God, we thank you for raising up men and women who fight and stand guard for our country. We thank you that they have voluntarily stepped up to serve and we ask you walk with them and cover them with your presence. We thank you for their spouses and their parents who keep things going for them here.
We lift the families of these men and women to You, Father, for protection. God, would you fill the void when their loved ones are away, give them strength to live fully each day. Hold these families in the palm of your Almighty Hand, keep marriages strong and keep fear and loneliness from invading these hearts and homes. Provide each family with community and support, but even more than that we pray they see and know it is You who gives them mercy and grace, strength and courage.
We pray for those in war zones and desolate places that they would see You and Your goodness in those places. May they see Your beauty in the sunrises and may they know your power in healing. We Your guidance, wisdom and protection for each of them as well as their Commander. May they all have the chance to know Your ultimate victory!
In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Praying for Appreciation for Gifts God has Given Us

Heavenly Father, the Great Provider, every good and perfect gift is from You. We thank you for meeting our needs, sometimes even before we realize there's a need. God we praise you for creating us to produce. All the creativity and knowledge that goes into everyday  things we do to make our livings and provide for our families was given to us by you. We know it was not your original intention that we would have to work hard to provide for ourselves and each other but we know that even in the fall of Adam you did not abandon us.
So I pray today for the leaders of this country that they will lead with the strength and creativity only You have given them, and with appreciation for each dollar earned by hard-working families across America.  May we as a nation and especially Your church be so gracious with what you have given to us that there is not a need for government handouts. May we, together with our leaders take care of others  in such a way that we foster more leaders and givers.  May we always remember everything we have is a gift from You, our material possessions and our talents. May we learn to value and appreciate those gifts and be gracious enough to share them with others.
In the name of Jesus, who died that we might receive God's greatest gift for us, Amen.

Praying for State Governors and Legislators Across America

God we thank you for your wisdom and authority.   We know without that we would live in chaos.  We thank you for setting in place and rising up leaders to be in authority and rule our lands.  We know that some leaders seek You and Your direction and some do not, but we know you are in control ultimately.  We thank you that our nation was founded with the intention that no one person would have absolute power over the land and its people.  We thank you for the opportunity we have been given in this country to elect our officials and we ask that You give us wisdom in seeking out leaders who will lead by following You.  We ask that You place a call on the hearts of Godly men and women in this country to lead us as a nation and that they would in turn answer that call in complete dependence on You and Your direction.  We thank you for those who have answered the call and we lift them up to You for strength, for protection, and for courage.
Today we especially pray for the governing leaders of each state in this nation.  We recognize that each state will have varying needs and concerns.  We ask you to guide our state leaders in the direction that is most importantly within Your will and that they would be in tune to the needs of their respective states.  We pray you would give them wisdom in setting in place laws and regulations that are right for the people of their state.  We pray for our leaders, that they would be bold in their convictions.  May they stand for truth more than popularity.  We ask that You place on their hearts and minds ability to think outside of the "norm" to govern their states in ways that You would be honored.  Help us, as Your people, to see through Your eyes and care for Your people.
Holy Spirit would You fill state capitals, illuminate the halls with truth and righteousness.  We choose not to separate church and state because we know, Father, how desperately we need you!  Come Holy Spirit and invade this land!
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.

A Small Break from Posting but Still Praying

     I have not written out my prayers the last two days and posted them. Today our beloved Mammaw walked into the arms of Jesus. She lived a full 98 years on this earth and saw many things in this country over that time. She was the wife of a very brave WWII veteran  we knew as Pappaw.  He went on ahead of her to heaven about 12 years ago.
     Please understand as I take a few days to remember our sweet Mammaw and the legacy she has left here. I will continue to pray for our country and her leaders and I beg you to also.  If youd like to share what you're focusing on the next few days, please feel free to post in the comment section.
Thank you.

Praying for the Way We Process Our News

     Heavenly Father, we praise you for Your faithfulness, for Your promise to never leave us.  We know that not only have You anointed Your people with Your Spirit but that Your Spirit is with us in this land, stirring up hearts that long for more, for better, for hope.  We pray You would use us to be a light to the lost in this world, that others would see that our hope is in the best, Your forever Kingdom!
     Our world is inundated with headlines and editorials.  It is rare to go through our daily routine and not see or hear some bit of news.  We pray for Your wisdom and discernment in sorting through these bits of information.  Satan likes to manifest his lies in the form of headlines and would have us believe that if it were in the news, it must be true.  God, we know that many things that are in the news are not truth and that many times the news is reported skewed in one direction or another.  Help us to wisely seek balance in our knowledge, recognizing there is most likely more to a story than what any particular news outlet would have us believe.
     May we seek more of Your Good News in scripture than we seek on the computer or the tv.  May we remember this world is not our home but that we are to be light and salt in this world.  May we remember Your son, Jesus, died for all of us, not just the ones we like to agree with.  And God, we ask that You please forgive us when we get so caught up in late breaking news, that we lose sight of our eternal perspective.  Remind us when we do get news information that most likely someone behind that headline needs prayers and that we all need a Savior.  May we bring the headlines of hope to this nation, a hope for a better place.  May Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Amen.

Praying God Would Fill Our Schools

God, we Praise You for how intricately complicated you have created us to be. We praise you that within each of us, You have created something unique, like no one else who has lived or will live. You have given us the ability to grow and learn and process life around us. We thank you for giving each of us an ability to learn and how AMAZING it is that we can never learn it all. We will never have your knowledge and wisdom because You are God!
We thank you that we live in a country where there is value placed on learning. We thank you for the many who give their time and resources to teach us on all levels. This world and these people you have created are fascinating!  Regardless of current legislation, we ask that you fill halls and classrooms with Your presence!  May Your truth be highlighted by those who know You. May lessons and questions lead learners to the God of the universe, Almighty Creator. Satan has deceived many in our land with the lie that it is best to remove references to You out of our schools.    God, we know we need you in every area of our lives but especially where are children spend the majority of their day. We pray believers everywhere would call on Your holy name to come in and among our children, teachers and administrators in our schools.
May we truly become "one nation under God"....
Amen

Praying for Our Tax Dollars

God, I confess, I have never thought to pray over my tax dollars before but really feel convicted to do so now.  Your Word tells us if we owe taxes to pay them and that we pay taxes because the authorities are God's servants who give their full time to governing.  And yet, when I see reports of things our tax money has been spent on, my stomach churns.  I can't change what money is being spent right now in our government, but I can pray for the money that hasn't gone out yet.  So, Father, I pray You reign over governmental spending!  Convict, direct, affirm and rebuke those in position to determine the monetary exchanges in this country.
We have many luxuries in this country that we take advantage of thanks to many years of taxes being paid into the system.  Open our eyes to these everyday and fill us with a new appreciation for this country we live in.  I thank you for the way our tax money keeps us safe thanks to our military, local law enforcement, investigative bureaus, and first responders.  I thank you for the conveniences our tax money offers me everyday through our road systems, our air traffic controllers, and countless others.  As I roam about my days in this busy world, help me to recognize these things and appreciate them.
Remind me that ultimately 100 cents of every dollar I earn is Yours.  As I write my check to the IRS or see the total taken out of my paycheck, help me to be thankful that I have it to give.  Paying taxes means I have a job, that I get to work because you have given me the ability to.  I pray that as I am required to give more in taxes, it would not hinder or put a damper on my spirit of giving to others.
I pray that as decisions are made about our country's budget, you would guide the hearts and minds of those leaders to fund areas that contribute to the good of the people and that wasteful, unnecessary spending would become very clear and easy to cut.
Help me to not harbor bitterness and frustration when paying my taxes but help me to see ways we benefit from it.  Help us as a country to run our tax system more efficiently, to use the money in ways that really benefit people, and give our leaders  wisdom and discernment as they decide these things.
Amen.

Praying for Fiscal Responsibility

Father forgive us when we are greedy, when we claim entitlement, and when we fail to be good stewards of what you have given to us. We are all guilty of wanting things we don't really need and allowing those desires to outweigh responsible thinking and management of what we do have. We are a people of impulse buys and we have a hard time resisting a purchase when we don't have the money for it.
This has carried over into our government and gotten incredibly out of control. We have racked up an unfathomable debt in the name of doing good for the country or the world.  I pray that we can unite to find ways to reign in the spending. I pray that are leaders would come together and eliminate the frivolous and the fluff. I pray that this debt would be taken very seriously and that our leaders would stand for fiscal discipline and responsibility.
God we know that all we have is ultimately yours. Help us to give it freely to those in need. Deliver us from the bondage of debt. We thank You for always providing, we thank you for the many extras that we enjoy every day.  God, help us not to lose sight of the many blessings we have been given.
Amen.

Praying for Believers to Rise to the Occasion

God, from the birth of our country leaders have recognized the power in calling upon Your name. They, at times, felt strongly enough about your importance that they've claimed trust in You on our currency, engraved Your words into stone and plaques, recognize You in the writings of patriotic songs, and placed our country under Your authority as recited in The Pledge of Allegiance. I pray our leaders hear Your words throughout the city of Washington. I pray believers in the role of leadership over our land would claim Your truth publicly and stand boldly under Your authority in our capital. You are great and mighty, save us from our timidity, our fear of offending. Help us live our lives in such a way that Your goodness and wisdom spreads contagiously to those around us. Empower those you've placed in authority to act on Your standards and values, to lead this country listening to your voice. May Your words bring encouragement and life and restoration to this country. Be present here, in Washington and throughout this nation.
Amen.

Praying for Those Without Pay Right Now

One of the reasons I felt the urge to begin these 40 days of prayer for our country is because of the "fit" our leaders threw when they chose to no longer work together but to shutdown the government.  I knew we would all be affected eventually, but I could not predict exactly what this would look like.  My heart aches for our country knowing the potential we have to be a light to the rest of the world, but not when our capital is dark.  I had another post ready for today but after reading this letter a friend wrote to his congressman and posted on Facebook, I felt it was more urgent to pray for this family and the many others who are staring at IOU's and trying to figure out this mess that has invaded their homes.  Please know that I do not want to debate the issues here on this page.  I'll talk politics with you any other time, feel free to email me, but here I just want to focus on praying. But I am posting his letter here because I feel it is important for us to know what it looks like for those who didn't get a pay check last week....

SHUTDOWN 
My name is Tyal Rule. I currently work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. My job is crucial due to the fact that we are protecting the public from the convicted felons we have locked behind our fences. We put our lives on the line each day, not knowing whether or not we will be walking out the gate at the end of our shift. We do our jobs with little or no protective equipment, such as pepper spray. Correctional officers work inside housing units by themselves while being outnumbered by well over one hundred inmates. Each prison in the B.O.P. is working at the understaffed level, which is unsafe in itself.
What is upsetting is that you, as long as each and every politician in Washington expect us to continue doing our jobs during this shutdown, without any sort of income, while you all squabble like a bunch of school children trying to reach an agreement. All the while, you are getting paid, as well as welfare being paid for the ones that choose not to work.
What each and every one of you on both sides, as well as in the White House, are doing is showing a total lack of respect for Federal employees. We are sick and tired of being treated like pawns in your political game of chess. We are sick and tired of having our pay frozen and our benefits threatened.
We, like any normal person, have bills to pay. We have mortgage or rent, electricity, phones, car payments, and some have child support. We also have to provide food for our families. Are you planning to pay those things for us? Are you going to put food on our tables? Are you going to insure we never lose our homes or our electricity? I can answer that for you. The answer is NO!!! You people could care less because you have yours.
We also BETTER NOT be held accountable for bad credit ratings on our background investigations because of a mess that YOU, the government, has forced us into. Why do you guys not have to go through background investigations? I know why. It's because not many of you would pass them.
You can save a lot of money by cutting spending where it needs to be cut. Stop borrowing money from China, only to send it to the Muslim Brotherhood. Stop fighting wars in other countries that do not concern the United States. Just a few weeks ago, our great dictator was willing to attack Syria. Where was the money to fund that attack coming from? You mean to tell me that we can afford to attack Syria, but we can't keep our own government open? Our troops are not the world's police.
You could create a system to revamp welfare. We have to submit a urinalysis upon applying for a job. Why can't the same be applied to welfare? One strike and you're done permanently.
I don't agree with the shady circumstances in which Obamacare was passed. I don't think forced medical insurance is the answer to our problems. However, I don't think that this law should be the determining factor over whether the government stays open or not.
The disrespect shown towards the veterans at the World War II Memorial was appalling. These people risked their lives on the battlefield for our country, yet you keep them barricaded outside the memorial. What's even more disrespectful is that you allow the National Mall to open up for a gathering of illegal immigrants that have done nothing but drain our economy. To make matters even worse, Nancy Pelosi was one of the speakers.
You people were elected to serve the people, not for the people to serve you. You have not been doing a very good job as a whole in serving the people. Each and every one of you never had any intensions of serving the people or keeping your promises made during your election campaigns. You run for office for the money and power that it gives you, as well as the taxpayer funded perks you receive, while screwing over the hard working middle class in the process.
If the founding fathers of our country were alive today to see how our current leaders have destroyed America, they would be on their knees begging England to take back the territory.
We are done with your games in Washington and it's time to clean house. What better time to do that than the elections. Of course, you probably have those bought and paid for.
Shape up. Do the right thing. End this shutdown and get America back on track.
Sincerely,
Tyal Rule

And yet, this is the response that we just received:

I appreciate you taking the time to contact me. Unfortunately, due to the government shutdown, there will be a delay in providing you with a response. Please know that I value your opinion. Should you need immediate assistance, please contact my Rogers office at 479-464-0446 or my D.C. office at 202.225.4301.

God I praise you for You alone are the Great Provider!  You meet needs we sometimes don't know we have. Right now in our country there are so many families who suddenly have needs and we plead for You to meet them.  Families who work, many of them working to protect the rest of us, many of them STILL working to protect the rest of us, and today do not have a paycheck to provide for the needs of their family.  I ask that you cover these households with Your presence and provide for them.  I pray that in these provisions You will be glorified.  I pray for believers across this nation that we would be aware of these situations around us, that we would be full of compassion and generosity.  I pray for the single parents who have these jobs that are now without pay.  I pray you would step into their lives in a mighty way and take care of these families.  I continue to pray for our President and our Congress that egos and agendas would be knocked down and they would become very aware of the hardship they have caused so many families.  Give us all wisdom to know how to respond.  Oh God, I thank you that this world is not my home, You have something so much better for me.  I thank you for Jesus whose greatest sacrifice is the hope I cling to.  I thank you that in the midst of this uncertainty You alone are our Rock.  You never change and You will reign through this storm.  May others see this hope we have in You and may You be glorified across this nation.  Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Amen.

Praying for our Congressional Leaders

      Heavenly Father, You are Good, You are Truth, You are Mighty, You are Lord!  I give you praise and thanksgiving for the many who have encouraged me by joining in this time of prayer for our country.  I knew Satan was hard at work when I began having thoughts of doubt that these prayers could really change a corrupt and stubborn atmosphere in Washington.  Oh God, forgive me when I doubt!  I cling in great confidence to the truth that You alone are God, You are on Your throne and You hear our prayers.  I believe You are present in this land!  I believe Your Light can consume Washington and conquer the darkness that looms there.
     I ask today that you spread that Light to each member of the House and the Senate, to their staff, and to their families.  I pray Your Truth be present in committee meetings, in negotiations, in interviews and hearings.  God, we ask that you convict the hearts of your people, that they would seek humility and wisdom.  We know Satan has flooded the chambers over the years with lies.  We pray that Your Holy Spirit reveal truth in every area because we know that you have set up authority for our good and we so desperately want Your goodness for our nation.  We pray for the hearts of each member of congress, that when truth is revealed they be bold in speaking that truth, even at the expense of popularity polls.  God, may Your Truth ring loudly throughout those halls!
     I pray their voices become Your voice, that they would seek You and Your wisdom throughout their days.  I pray that Your Word, Your absolute Truth would become their moral compass for leadership.  We thank you that we live in a country with freedoms, with respect for others, and with a common desire to do good things.  Work through our leaders to protect these things.  Help us to see value in others, even those we don't agree with on policies, help us to see Your image created in them.  Forgive us when we resort to hateful talk and name calling.  Forgive us when we get caught up in who has the bigger scandal or who is more at fault.
     I pray that as each seat in the House and the Senate comes up for re-election, that you would raise up Godly leaders to infiltrate congress and lead our country to be a people that will work together to do good and to be a light.  Protect the families of our congressional leaders and encourage them.  Their lives must at times seem consumed with politics and power struggles.  When they look for ways to get away from it all, we pray that would choose to do so wisely, that they would first seek you and that their family would be a source of encouragement and refreshment.  Help our leaders to lead with servant hearts seeking good, not power.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.

Praying for Our President

The President of the United States of America...the obvious place to start this journey of 40 days of intentional prayer for our country.

I pray today for President Obama and the role of leadership he has in our country.  He is faced with information on a routine basis that I can't even begin to fathom.  I pray that in the midst of it all, it become very evident to him that God is alive and working and reigning over every bit of it.  May there be accounts of situations come through that pipeline of information that can only be explained by the fact that God is working.
God, we want You to be the source of his direction and wisdom.  Would you surround him with people and situations that continue to point to you?  As an outsider looking in, it appears the whole Washington bunch has become so corrupt and hungry for power that not one of them can see past their own flesh.  We ask today that you begin a movement there, that your name be spoken in that city in a way that brings out angel armies and win the hearts of the people there.  Today we pray that armies of angels begin with our President, work their way from the White House out into the city.
I thank you, Father, that President Obama is a family man.  Though I don't know what family time looks like for them these days, it is obvious when he speaks of them that he loves and enjoys them.  Protect them all from harm and danger, from selfish desires and corrupt influences, which often times are more detrimental than a terrorist plot.  I pray you would be revealed to each member of that family in ways that cannot be explained away by anything else.  I pray that Obama would lead his family in love and that they in turn would be a blessing to him to come home to.  I pray you would fill his home with laughter, that it would be a place of refuge in the midst of these storms.  I pray that you would give him rest and solitude and that in those times especially Your words, Your truth would be a very clear presence in his thoughts.
I pray that in the midst of many impossible decisions, he would value and appreciate life and recognize that it is only given by You, our creator.  Give him a supernatural measure of respect and insight into each person he comes in contact with.  We won't always agree with our leaders, but we don't want to see them fail.  Failure in any form would mean watching people we know and love in this country hurt in some way.  So I pray for strong leadership, for clear discernment, and for a gracious respect for others.
We know evil loves to linger where there is power, and in Washington there is much power.  Today I pray for enlightenment!  I pray that You and Your desires for every person in this country be LIT UP in Washington.  I pray that Your goodness be so bright in that place that it gives evil no place to hide.  I pray that Your radiance, Your goodness, Your holiness, Your truth BLIND our leaders and that it starts with the one who holds the office of President of the United States of America.
Amen.

If you have more prayers to offer up for our President, please comment below.  I would love to join you in praying for him throughout the day.

Really Messy Politics

     So over the last six or seven years I have become increasingly more intrigued by our government and the way our country is run.  I have developed an appreciation for knowing more about the state of our nation and what it will mean in days to come for our children.  I was thrilled last year to have won the school "lottery" and get to travel with my then 4th grader to our state capitol in Austin, TX.  In fact, when we got home late that night and her dad asked how her trip was, I couldn't shut up.  I loved it!  I enjoy watching the news and occasionally listening to talk radio, whether I agree with the stance of the organization delivering the news or not.
     Most recently though, my fascination and intrigue has turned into concern and confusion.  I have watched as our government has progressed from pushing their agendas and eventually working through a compromise to a complete two-year-old stomp your feet and throw your head back tantrum leading to shutdown.  We have moved from a country whose people were patriotic and proud because we led in the world with dignity, to a country that I have to imagine has become a joke in the eyes of many who don't live here.
     I had lunch with some friends yesterday and we all shared a mutual concern for the direction of our current government (republicans and democrats alike) and the disfunction we are leaving many generations to deal with.  It was asked, "What can we do?"  And I've been pondering this on a more serious note ever since.  We can vote... well we have and whether our candidates won or not, there is not one in office today who is fixing this mess.  We can write our leaders... and yes we can and should if we feel so called.  There are constituents writing their leaders and I believe there are leaders taking a stance based on the desires of their constituents.  But let's be honest, most of them are either more concerned about how the current situation, whatever that may be, will affect either their next run for election or another agenda they hoped to push in the future.  We could pray...
     I wanted to argue this one in my head yesterday.  I wanted to believe that God would hear my prayer but it wouldn't necessarily change anything.  Then God put this thought in my head, "Have you tried it?  Really tried it?"  And I couldn't answer yes.  I have prayed for our country throughout my life on different occasions, especially after major traumatic events.  I have prayed for our country occasionally when someone else directed me or a group I was in to do so.  I have even prayed for our country occasionally on my own when something heavy was weighing on me.  But I really couldn't say I had ever devoted myself to prayer for our country, intense, unrelenting prayer.
     If ever there was a time, I believe it is now.  I may or may not like the decisions our leaders have made to get us to this point but that's not the issue.  The issue is that at this moment our leadership, our government is NOT functioning and because of that we are ALL affected.  And yes, you and I can continue with our day to day routines for now, but eventually the effects of this will catch up with all of us.  For some incredibly unfortunate families, this disfunction has been what I imagine is the most dishonorable disgrace to those who lost their lives in the last few days fighting for our country, protecting our country, making it possible for you and I to continue with our day to day routines.
     So I'm in, all-in, to pray for my country intentionally for the next 40 days and I would love some company. I do better with some direction, and so each day I will have a different focus for my prayer.  How powerful would it be if many of us joined together during this time to pray intentionally for our country!  I would love for you to join me, hold me accountable, and share this idea with your friends and family and encourage them to join us.  You can follow this blog to see what I'm focusing my prayer on daily and feel free to share this with others to create a community of believers lifting up our governing leaders together.  Please feel free to add the prayers of your heart in the comment section below.
You may know some of my political inclinations toward different policies, but know that it is okay if we don't agree on everything.  (This will not be a time for me to air my personal political grievances.)  I don't expect my thoughts on how to run a country are the very same as your thoughts and it's probably a good thing that neither you nor I are running this country.  But we can be united in this:  The people of our world, our country, our states, cities and neighborhoods are all God's children, created in His image.  God has established authority in this world, and the leaders we live under are "God's servants for our good".  (Romans 13:1-5)  Let us pray for their leadership, for their hearts, their families and the incredibly tough decisions many of them make on a daily basis.  Let us pray for our leadership in our families and our communities, and that we would have hearts and words that encourage, that submit, and that share Truth in the name of Jesus.

Father's Day: A Small Tribute to DAD

It's the day before Father's Day and I have kept my eye on this weekend on the calendar for the last year.  It was the night after Father's Day last year that we got that unexpected phone call that turned my world upside down in an instant, though it took much longer than an instant for the news to sink in.  We are a few days away from the one year mark which ironically is right around Father's Day.  So today I sit for a few minutes to put into words a few of the millions of thoughts that have been swarming in my head the last week.
Let me start with thank you God for Your faithfulness!  You have been with us every step of this journey, You have strengthened our family through this journey and You have been the brightness illuminating the very dark corners of grief.  In the times I've been at my lowest, You have pulled me up and refreshed my soul.  My God has been many things to me this year, most certainly my Father.
Last year on Father's Day we were camping with our home group and soaking up God's beautiful creation.  We had just spent a week with my parents on that beautiful California trip a week before Father's Day and it seemed enough to just send Dad a text while we were camping that day:

These were the last words we exchanged.  God gave me a great man for an earthly father.  I'm still learning from the life he led.  Though I have argued with God that it was not near enough time with Dad, I know God is painting a bigger picture.   And this weekend, I choose to remember the 38 years I spent with him and thank God for each moment.

Thankful for a love that started it all...

Thankful for teachings and comfort, his hugs were the best....

Thankful for guidance and encouragement and the way he lead this family...

And so very thankful for the legacy he left our family, the heritage in Christ, and hope for heaven....

One of Dad's greatest desires was this:

            "If I could tell my children one thing about God and the Christian life, I know what it would be.  The whole of life in Christ must surely be, 'to find mercy on that day'.  Whatever we may have or accomplished in life prior to that moment, when our life will be laid before the eternal righteous judge, finding mercy on that day will be the most important."

Dad wrote this in 1994 in a book titled, "From My Heart to Yours".  I found this several months ago and felt goosebumps as I read it.  What joy it is to know this message has been impressed on the hearts of his children and now his grandchildren!  We all have an eternal perspective that was shaped by our Dad and his love for his children.  

God has blessed me in ways I still don't know, but this year I've been more keenly aware to not miss out on His blessings.  I will keep my eyes open and on the lookout for more of God's goodness around me.  Happy Father's Day to all of you Dad's!  You have been given the opportunity to lead your children to the merciful hand of our Father, seize it!

STARTIN' OFF THE SUMMER!

Summer is here!!!  My big kids finished their school year last Friday and we have officially begun our summer adventures around here.  I created my lists of activities: "Oh the Things We Will Do", "Oh the Things We Will Make", "Oh the Places We Will Go", "Oh the Food We Will Eat", and "Oh the Ways We Will Serve".  We enjoyed our time searching online for activities and places in the Dallas area and together came up with our lists which I printed out for weekly reference.  On Saturday we sat down and each child and I chose something from one of the lists.  Game plan was established and supplies were picked up and yesterday we began...
After completing chores and a VBS meeting in the morning, Andrew and I headed to the public Library to get books and library cards.  (Hannah wouldn't entertain the library because she had too many books on her nightstand to read first)  After a quick trip to the grocery store, Andrew remembered  (on his own) our act of kindness this week (returning shopping carts in the parking lot) and returned one for the lady next to us loading her groceries.  Then we enjoyed a couple of hours of money origami.  Origami is fun!  I love turning a little piece of paper into a really cool 3D object.  But MONEY ORIGAMI is, well, MONEY!  Of course the older kids chose super challenging creations at first and then attacked more reasonable projects.

Caleb came home a little early and he and Andrew enjoyed a bike ride together through McKinney.  We cooked burgers, swam all evening and enjoyed watching The Voice.

 And as I sat outside on that beautiful summer evening admiring the success of the day, I happened upon my calendar app. . . which reminded me of dance recital pictures (individual & GROUP) Eden had at 4:00 that afternoon!  Are you kidding me?  How in the world did I forget that?
Just when you're floating high on the harmonious productivity of the day-- CRASH!  I share this to say I am so very far from Super MOM!  You may see highlights of our summer fun on Facebook or even here on this blog.  And yes, we ARE having summer fun!  But reality is I mess up, I miss appointments, I forget important things, I flat out get it wrong sometimes.  Though those are not the things I want to "highlight" online for the world to see, they are the things that keep me in desperate need of a Savior!
Eden and I had a conversation this morning about humility to which she asks, "What is humility?"  Good question.  I came up with some sort of a 4-yearold friendly version of my definition of humility, all the while thinking, "it's that moment when LIFE IS GOOD, ALL IS WELL, and you think YOU'VE done a great job, then you see your calendar and realize you missed something that had been on there for weeks and no, YOU can't go at this life alone.  YOU don't 'got this'."  That's humility.
I am looking forward to what this summer holds for us.  We have so many fun things planned and so many friends and family to see.  But may I not forget that it is only by the grace of God that today is and that it is only His grace covering me that keeps this family going.  May each of us attack our days ahead with the confidence that God goes before us, He leads us and He covers us.

Hear My Prayer...

"I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer."  Psalm 17:6

I love it when God's messages for me are so very clear that there becomes a stirring in my soul that doesn't rest until I "get it".  It is truly an exciting feeling.  In my head, I know there wouldn't be so much time passed between those messages if I wasn't so easily distracted and self-centered.  But thank you, Father, for being a God so full of grace and an unending pursuit of your children, a Good Shepherd.  This week a series of events, mostly minor, have culminated for me in a beautiful reminder from my Heavenly Father and I had to share.  (mainly so I don't forget in days to come, but also because one of you may benefit as well)

In the last few months I have spent more time on Pinterest than I have before.  I think I've finally been at a place where I could think clearly enough (after our move and processing grief) to actually try a few things I had pinned.  The more I tried, the more I pinned.  I have yet to sit at the desktop computer to look at Pinterest for I KNOW I would not get up for days and this could be dangerous!  I have, however, utilized my iphone app to glance at a few ideas either in the car pool line or while waiting at appointments or while taking a short break.

My family has benefitted from delicious meals, cleaning tips, and a few crafty projects.  A while back I posted this Prayer Board idea

I loved the idea of having a place visible for me to be easily reminded of people and situations I wanted to pray for.  Well, like so many pins, I forgot about this one for a while but occasionally as I would look by through my pins for something else, I would see this and remember that I really wanted to do this.

After the death of my Dad last summer, my Mom has done an exceptional job of taking over his businesses and following through with his projects as well as keep her own magazine business very strong.  In the last few weeks, she published a book through their publishing company, Candlelight Press, that originally Dad began working on with their pastor and author of the book, Phil McClendon.  Mom brought me my copy of Awakening last week and I am really enjoying it.  Though it is fiction and Phil does not claim to know the exact inter-workings of the spiritual realm, it has helped me to be aware of the spiritual battles going on around each of us every day.

Though we don't always see the angels standing guard or the demons prowling like a roaring lion, we know from scripture they are real.  So just as by faith I will tell you God is very real, and alive and working in and around us right now, I will also tell you that so are His armies of angels and unfortunately the enemy predators of Satan.  As I'm reading this book, I'm asking myself how often I call the name of God for the every day happenings in my life.  Do I send my kids out the door with prayers of protection and guidance and against fear and  destruction?  Do I pray with whole-hearted belief that God not only hears my prayer but He gets right on it because it is that important to Him?  Can you picture this image... as thoughts of worry or frustration creep into my morning, hearing in my head doubt, defeat, and even disgust... and then I lift up a prayer... "God I know you are God of the universe and yet you care about me!  You have placed me here at this time, this place for Your Glory, for Your Kingdom.  I give you this moment, these thoughts, these fears.  I TRUST in You and will walk the next step in Your name, wherever it leads."... Angels with words of assurance, confidence, peace, compassion and love rush to my side and immediately the enemy cowers and flees!  I don't know exactly how the spiritual realm plays out, but I do know it is real.  I do know that in the name of Jesus evil spirits flee (Acts 16:18).  This got me thinking more about my prayers; when I pray and how I pray.

This week our quiet cul-de-sac neighborhood was disrupted with a night intruder.  As I continue to thank God over and over that not one person was harmed and things that were taken were fairly minor, I am reminded to keep covering our home, our neighborhood with prayers of protection, of awareness, and
I came across that pin again earlier this week while I was on the treadmill.  I will often try to read my Bible app or look at Pinterest on my phone while I'm on the treadmill.  And this is fine during my warm up or cool down, but really not safe when I pick up my speed.  I'm a multi-tasker!  I enjoy using my time efficiently, doing more than one thing at a time.  So I was moving along on the treadmill, past the point of looking at anything on my phone, AND IT HIT ME!  There is a blank wall in front of me that would be the perfect spot for a Prayer Board!  So I made it my goal to complete it this week and get it hung up.

  I'm in the process of filling it with names, pictures and scriptures that I want to pray.  I love having it right there in front of me.  I love the idea of being able to intentionally multi-task on the treadmill.  Though I pray throughout the day, all day, it is rare that I have an uninterrupted block of time with reminders of all the things I want to pray about in front of me.  So I'm loving this addition to my prayer life!  

SUMMERTIME: Staying Ahead of My Kids

Summer Break is coming!  Looking at my calendar we are 5 weeks away from school being out and the adventures of summer break upon us.  I have never planned out my kids' days for summer break other than an occasional camp, VBS or family vacation.  I typically let the winds of summer blow us from one activity to another.  It seems like at the end of every summer, I look back and realize there were things we wanted to do but never got around to doing.  As my children get older, I am more aware that my time with them here in my home is dwindling and I need to be a bit more intentional about things we choose to do as a family.  So I think this is the summer to make a little bit of a change.

I have seen on Pinterest (yes, if you follow me you know I've seen a lot of Pinterest lately) several different sites with ideas for summer activities to do with your children, many of them are free.  I also have somewhat of a list in my head of things I want to do with my children or teach my children at some point.  AND I have heard "There's nothing to do..." a few times too many lately.  So this summer I am planning ahead and creating lists of activities and schedules to see those activities come to life.  Don't worry, there will be plenty of "free time".  I won't be scheduling every part of their day or even every day.  But I want to have a plan of things to do so we don't get into the routine of laying around watching Netflix or playing iPod games.  My goal is to have a designated morning deadline to have all chores complete (including mine) so that we can play a good part of the day.  Like all kids, each of mine have days they complete chores well with lightening speed and days that they can drag out a couple of chores like a turtle playing chess.  And if I'm honest, I have days like those too.  Hopefully we can stay on top of things so that our chores are never overwhelming and can easily be completed at the beginning of the day and then PLAY, PLAY PLAY!

I am discovering during my last 12 parenting years that I have a hard time letting my kids do activities that cause big messes because I REALLY dislike cleaning.  It's often easier for me (and I'm way more pleasant) if I re-direct to another less-messy activity.  And yet, so much of the fun is making a mess, right?  So I pledge here for the world to see that I will include a few messy activities for all of us!  (But you can bet they will be well thought out and the clean up will be as efficient as I can possibly make it.)
As I begin creating our summer plans, I would love your input on ideas.  What are some things you would love to do with your children or remember doing as a kid that you loved?  What are some things/life skills you want to teach your children?  Here's a list of a few items off the top of my head that will definitely be in our summer plans:

                 1.  Build a tent from sheets and blankets
                 2.  Spend some time at the library (we do this often but have not since we moved to TX)
                 3.  Family bike ride and picnic
                 4.  Bouncing bubbles
                 5.  Paint walking sticks then find somewhere neat to go on a hike around here
                 6.  Write letters
                 7.  Canvas art
                 8.  Make a marble maze
                 9.  Geocashing
                10.  teach Andrew & Hannah to do laundry
                11.  teach Andrew & Hannah to cook some different recipes
                12.  Create a favorite reading spot for the summer
                13.  microwave ivory soap bar
                14.  scavenger hunt
                15.  teach Eden to sweep
                16.  lots of random acts of kindness
             
This will be our first summer with a pool and as excited as the kids are to jump in, I'm guessing by the end of the summer it won't be the thrill it starts out to be.  I anticipate spending many hours outside in the pool with them but I hope to have some fun things spread throughout the summer to keep their minds active and imaginations creating.  I want to have several ideas for crafts for my girls to do and several scientific/engineering activities for Andrew to do.  It is also important to me to work with them to come up with ideas for random acts of kindness around town.  We've done this before and they love it so it will be fun to be a little more creative with that this summer.

I know in reality there will be days we get nothing done, and that's ok.  But I want to take advantage of each day I have with them and be able to look back in August and say "Wow, we did some really neat things this summer!"

If you live in the DFW area and have places you recommend we go this summer, please comment.  If you have favorite activities that you enjoy doing with your kids or you've always wanted to try, please comment.  If you have random acts of kindness you've done, please comment.  The kids and I will be brainstorming over the next few days and creating a master list of things we might like to do and we would love your input!  As our plan evolves, I'll keep you posted here.  I will try to post links to sites with ideas as I gather my information too.  Maybe you'll find some great ideas for your family too!

10,000 Reasons My Soul Has to Sing!

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips will praise You.

So I will bless You as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name."

Psalms 63:3-4 NASB

God has been teaching me so much over the last couple of months!  I feel like I'm still in overload mode and doing my best to process what He has for me in this moment.  I know it is incomprehensible that I could process all He has for me, but to focus on what He has for me in this moment seems a little more attainable.  I've said before, I'm not a writer.  Several in my family are, but I'm not.  But I am learning that when I do take the time to write, it helps me to connect my thoughts, to bring them to reality in my life, and to have a bit clearer sight of God's big picture for my life.  So today I take a few minutes to do just that....

I have been walking in the valley of the shadow of death.  After losing Dad in June (has it really been that long?), I have walked the valley of grief and deep-in-my-gut sadness.  As David says in Psalms 23, "I fear no evil, for You are with me;  Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."  It's true for me, I have not felt fear.  I have felt the hands of my Maker guiding me through each hard place, protecting me, prodding me to keep moving forward, and allowing me time I have needed to take breaks and just find comfort in His arms.  I have not been alone!  Thank you Jesus!

Back in November I was blogging about things I was thankful for.  One of my entries, "Thankful for MUSIC"", told about how the song "10,000 Reasons" was so special, a gift from God to me.  At that time, I had this crazy idea to write down 10,000 reasons my soul had to sing, 10,000 things to be thankful for.  I had a journal I had bought when Dad passed away and thought that might be a good place to keep my list.... I couldn't do it.  I don't know why, I just couldn't commit to doing it.  It seemed quite daunting to be honest and I did not need one more commitment that would just allow me another opportunity to fail.  So I pushed that crazy idea to the back of my head and decided I could do 30 days of Thanksgiving for the month of November.  Thirty seemed way more practical.
Then in December, at a time when one of our children was really hurting, struggling with loss and disappointment, I remembered our family gratitude journal that we kept a few years ago and decided to pull that out.  After all, it is really hard to be sad and thankful at the same time, right?  So we brought the journal back out and keep it around the table.  Truthfully, we don't write in it every night, because often we are rushed around dinner time, but it is fun when we do!  Our kids enjoy coming up with what they will write and it is so good for our souls.
And then there's the book, "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp.  It had been sitting in my Amazon cart for quite a while and a few weeks ago I ordered another book from Amazon and decided to go ahead and ship this book too.  The cover was beautiful and I like gifts and someone somewhere had said this was a good book.  I tried to read it... That first chapter was hard, grief, pain, disappointment, despair.  I was trying to get over all that and really didn't want to dwell on that any more.  But her thoughts were real, I knew because I had some of them too, and there was an entire book left to read after the first chapter, so maybe it would get better.
WOW!  God used her words to speak to me right where I was.  It was so clear, I had to underline them so I could come back and see them again, make sure I really read that.  I want so bad to tell you all I learned, but there was so much there I needed that I can't without writing pretty much the length of the book, in which case you should just go check out a copy and read for yourself.  But here's the gist... It's all about the thanks, the gratitude, the eucharisteo!  God gives us gifts all day long, everyday, and JOY comes when we acknowledge and give thanks for those gifts.  And it's more than a blanket "thank you for the good things you give us", it is specifically naming them.  When we name them, we begin to fully realize them in our busy-ness around us.  Always giving thanks, recognizing all we have to be grateful for.  Getting to a place where we realize each breath we have is a grace gift from God, not just knowing that, but living that!  Giving thanks is not a practice that will come easy for many, especially in this culture of entitlement and expectations, it will have to be learned.  I have to learn this everyday-allday-anytime giving thanks.
I was then reminded of my CRAZY idea of listing 10,000 reasons my soul has to sing.  The author was dared to keep a list of 1,000 things to be thankful for.  Could I really do 10,000?  Could I even count that high?  :)  The more I read that this practice of giving thanks, this eucharisteo would always precede the miracle, the less my list seemed crazy and the more I knew I had to just buckle up and do it, even if it takes a lifetime.  And if I don't complete it in this lifetime, what better way to go out, than to go out in the middle of a "Thank You God" project.  I have no doubt my list will continue with each breath in the midst of the Almighty, the I AM, on streets of glory.
I'm in the early beginnings of my list.  It sits on my kitchen counter, where I spend a good chunk of my day.  I try to write in it as soon as I acknowledge something God has given me, his gifts to me.  I'm learning.  There's a part of me that wants to write down every molecule in front of me because my head knowledge knows EVERYTHING is God's gift to us.  And yet, I want to purposefully account for each gift I notice, to really reflect on giving thanks for it.  And so for now my process is a little slower as I look for God throughout my day, and each day I see something different.
My days have been brighter!  My appreciation for where I am today is greater!  God is alive!!! He is working all around us, He is breathing gifts all over us.  He has me right here, at this moment, in this valley, to come to full acceptance of the gifts He has for me.  My thanks to Him, this is how I bless Him.  When I can't find a reason to give thanks, I cease to bless the Lord.  And so with each item I write on my list, I give thanks.  Thanks to a God who loves me, who continues to reveal more to me in pieces and at times that I can understand.  Thanks to a God who can fill me with pure JOY in the midst of a valley!