Peace that passes Morphine and Delotted

Friday, a week ago, we met with a group from church, had a barbecue, and casually talked about the second part of "hearing the voice of God" as the kids swam in the pool. The evening was warm, not too hot, and comfortable. The conversation was scattered at first and constantly interrupted by the ever present needs of the kids. That's how we like it.

My stomach hurt. Ouch. "I think I ate too much" I told everyone. The pain, coming in waves, continued intensifying. I called Dr. sister to ask about possible relief for the pain. Nada. Go to the Hospital - she said. Finally, I gave in, we packed up the kiddos and drove home. The next day, I had my gall bladder removed while trying to pawn my kids off an a number of different people...since my dad was also in the ER that night having a heart attack. My family was somewhat unavailable for child care.

Through all of this, I had peace. So much peace that even passed the Morphine and Delotted. I had been praying for my dad for a while and had peace about his condition with a word from the Lord: I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 I shared that with my mom, and told her to pass it on...I think she was skeptical, but I wasn't.

I refuse to be frustrated by illness. I try to see it as a special time that God has allowed for me to be fully focused on HIM. Without the daily distractions and busy-ness getting in the way. Although my surgery was terribly painful and frustrating. I found so many wonderful ways to just be with God. I felt so blessed that he chose me to spend some special time with him. I prayed for my dad, for my roommate, Linda. I prayed and prayed...then slept because of the pain meds.

Through this trial, I was blessed with a new energy for God's people. I saw that I didn't like suffering. No one does and there is really no excuse for it. I saw the urgency needed to find a way to help those suffering. I am eagerly seeking God's will for my involvement in His plan for this. I also saw how many people were truly there for our family. People we can call upon in a time of need who step up as our extended family when our family couldn't be there with us.

God also gave me a sweet little blessing while I was in the hospital. It is the little things like this that remind me that God is control of all the details. HE will take care of everything. I just need to be careful to watch and wait for HIM! A nurse came into our room and I mistook her for a very dear person I used to work with. I haven't seen this person in about 10-14 years...so it had been a while, but she was such a wonderful friend to me when I worked there. I knew she had become a nurse, so it wasn't a surprise to see her on the floor. This friend, Nimfa, had a unique way of speaking due to a residual effect of Bell's Palsy. When the nurse came in with the same speech pattern and strong resemblance, I instantly felt safe and happy. I said, "Nimfa?" because I didn't expect that she would recognize me. But the nurse looked over at me and said, "No, my name is Linny!" That made me giggle. Because Linny is the name of the person who blogs regularly and I read regularly. She has been a huge inspiration for so much of this energetic pursuit of the Lord...AND!!! She has been having medical troubles of her own. I just sent her an email (feeling very silly about it since we have never met and I don't normally do stuff like that) telling her about how I use illness as a personal "retreat" time with God. I felt God's prompting to write the email despite how I felt - so I did it. The long way to the point of all of this, was that when I found out the nurse whose familiar looks gave me comfort had the same and unusual name as the bloggy friend who I just wrote the email about illness equaling time with God, I felt God speak to me reassuring me that it was indeed time with HIM that he was gifting me with and that He was in fact, right there. He quietly reminded me of the words I had just typed to Linny...the bolggy one...and also gave me comfort with the familiar face. At home he has given me these precious words from Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever. The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. (THE LORD HAS SPOKEN! And continues to speak if we listen.)

Thank you Lord for each and every hint of who You are. For every uncovered little nuance of You. Thank you for giving me peace through the pain. Thank You for choosing to spend some extra time with me. I pray that I used the time to glorify You and work in the spiritual places for Your kingdom's purpose. Please let me not get derailed with frustrations and setbacks, but keep seeking You out, finding You and worshiping You through this process. Thank YOU!!! I am so blessed. Amen

Angry

Jimmy Dean died. "I guess he shouldn't have eaten all of those sausages." Was the mean-spirited remark a friend made after hearing the news. That is what I thought until I heard: Jimmy Dean will be buried in a piano shaped Mausoleum over looking something I can't remember at a cost of $350,000! Now, I think, "...hope he enjoyed those sausages."

What cruel world takes the remains of a life on earth - nothing but flesh returning to the dust from which it came - and puts it in a $350,000 block of cement??? Am I the only one who is crazy frustrated with this? What if we took that same amount and used it to feed people who were hungry? 1,2,3...look, no one died of hunger because of that! 1,2,3...look, one more just died. Why? Because Jimmy Dean or his family, or whoever, needed to build something that has absolutely no use what-so-ever into the ground. Jimmy is still dead. There is no amount of money that will change God's plan of life on this earth. Don't bother trying.

I am frustrated with the amount of money spent to glorify our earthly life. Why do we need to have great smelling candles in our house when we can just cook up a yummy meal and enjoy the aroma that comes from that? Or maybe open our windows? I almost picked up a wonderful candle today at Target and thankfully came to my senses and put if back before I blew the $8 unnecessarily. (I am not picking on candles, I just happen to have had this happen today. There are plenty of other frivolous expenses that we don't even notice in our wealthy American life.) If only Jimmy would have had the chance to see.

Because: Now that I have see, I am responsible. It is my responsibility to love my neighbor as myself and I know that I don't want to...1,2,3...die of hunger.

His passion is so alive in my spirit right now and my worst fear is that I will loose it. I ask God daily, hourly, even more, to renew in me HIS passion. Revive my spirit. Create a clean heart! I pray that I can be part of serving him, in his time. Caring for those who need care. What a privilege it will be when He allows it to happen!

On a lighter note: God gave me another blessing today!!! I emailed a wonderful friend to ask about the cost of her addition. The cost was almost 1/2 of what I thought. The new numbers - including the adoption - are adding up to: You guessed it! $65,000! How great is our GOD! How funny is that? It even looks like it could be less!!!! (Possibly.) I just love how God works. He gives little encouragements along the way to remind us that He is always there. He will provide. I have no doubt.

God, you are an awesome God. You reign over Heaven and earth. With wisdom, power, and love. God You're an awesome God! Thank you so much for your bits of encouragement. Thank you for not turning away from me when I allow myself to be tripped while running this race. Thank you that it is Your hand that I reach for and rely on to help me get back on my feet. Thank you for keeping in front of me so that I have something to focus on, for staying beside me so that I have someone to lean on, and for following behind me, so that I won't be afraid. You are my rock and my strength. My hope lies only in You. Thank you LORD God! In Jesus' name for ever and ever. Amen

Just the Beginning

It is only the beginning and already I am starting to falter. How weak is my faith? How little do I trust the One who gives me the work? Why is it that only one day later, after God revealed in such a fun way the provisions He is capable of, that I become disheartened?

I started to count the cost. I am getting excited, thinking about time lines, wondering what is next. Perhaps I should be resting in Him, waiting on Him, relying on Him. I got out my paper and pencil and drew up the "plans" for the addition. I scoured the Internet in search of programs that would take us to Uganda. I talked with my over-worked, over-tired husband, who had to work until midnight tonight just so he could take part of tomorrow off and he was less supportive. He worried about the money. He worried about the long hours he keeps just to make ends meet. He didn't have the energy for this burden tonight and he didn't need to have it, except that I was busy making plans.

Oh, to let the Lord make the plans. He keeps our paths straight. He gives and takes away. Why do I always need to interfere. I get excited. I pray God sees my heart and my passion so that He can overlook my interference. I let myself get discouraged. I let my heart become full of doubt. I searched the Bible for the reference to 2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." It reminds me that this is a long process, like a marathon. I have to fight the good fight, keep the faith, in order to win. BUT! In looking for that scripture, God brought another to me that I think was even more helpful: Galatians 5:7 "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?"

Wow. Praise God for that verse! Who indeed is trying to cut in on us and keep us from obeying the truth? I will not allow that. I will obey, and I will trust because I know that through this, I am only becoming stronger through God. I am only able to do even more than I ever imagined through HIM! The encouraging verse for today? Romans 5:3-5 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

Hope

147 million orphans seems like an awfully large number. Who can do anything for this many children? We have been discussing, debating, and praying about our involvement in eliminating that number. Oh! what a wonderful world this would be.

Our house has 1200 square feet, and 3 bedrooms. Because we have a family of 6, we are legally at our maximum capacity to adopt further. My oldest son, David, heard me lamenting over this while in the car. His opinion was that our family was fine as it is. I asked him to imagine: 12 years old, without a mom or dad to take care of you. Without enough food to eat regularly, no school because it was too expensive, very few clothes and possessions, work all day. Now, imagine that there is a mom and dad, brothers and sisters who want you to be part of their family, but the "rules" say that you can't be because their house is too small. Never mind that is is 4 times bigger than any house you have ever been in, never mind that they have a bed for you. I asked him if he would be offer to sleep anywhere, if only to have a family. He said yes.

I think we can legally have more children per room if we adopt internationally and that is the first part of my prayer. The second part is that our house would be more comfortable, yet not roomy, with one more bedroom and bath. If we added a master bedroom out the back of our house, we would have enough room for 2 more!!!

There is a modern day hero at AMAZIMA Ministries. Her name is Katie which just tickles me since that is also my oldest daughter's name. I feel like through her I have been renewed in my passion to seek the Lord with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength. I am after His good. I am after HIS heart. I want to capture it.

And you know what? I added up the costs to add on and adopt 2 more and it is going to come to around $70 thousand! I have saved $20 so far. So, that is a big difference. Here is the miracle. Kevin said tonight, "After this happens, and that happens, we could be left with about $65 thousand!!!" IS GOD SO GOOD OR WHAT? Now, I am not saying God is promising me that money and I am being vague on purpose, but even if I never see the money from this particular source, isn't it great of God to show me that HE can provide it just like that if that is what it takes to do His work??? What an amazing, awe-inspiring God we serve!!!

My prayer tonight: God, thank You for Your specific blessings in my life. For showing and leading me in Your will. God, You are faithful. You are the One through whom all things happen. Please let me look to You for guidance. Please let me search Your heart for mine. If it is Your will that we have 2 more kids become part of our family, please make it know without a doubt. Thank You for showing me the way. I am coming to You because on my own, there would be no point. On my own, I would fail. Only through You can I be anything. Thank you for sharing with me. Only through Jesus can I even ask this of you. Amen.

Do You Speak the Language?

I was recently reading a book called "The Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. The book had some really interesting points and I think the message I gleaned the most from the book, the author probably never intended. The book was about the people in our society who fall outside the norm - far outside - the Outliers. It mostly focused on successful people, but it included failures as well. The common theme was that people didn't succeed or fail on their own; that there were no "self-made" people in the world. The author points out the many things that have to be in place in order to have a great success or a great failure. One of the failures that the book addressed was the Korean Airline's crash record. It was terrible. They are now safe! It was fixed through giving the employee's of the airline a new language to speak. In the native culture, it was rude to speak in an assertive way and, as a result, there was a communication break-down. By giving the airline employees a new language to speak, they were able to keep their culture in tact, and yet communicate effectively. The communication necessary to be safe did not fit the cultural paradigm. Why am I going on about this random part of a random book??? Well, it is because I have been thinking a lot about the problems facing our world, our culture, and developing countries. It is true that many of the problems stem from war and often war is a result of deeply ingrained ideas - even prejudices. Specifically, I am thinking of countries that have people groups that are shunned by the general population or that are constantly war with each other. A news paper article was recently brought to my attention. (New York Times December 2008) It was written by an atheist. This atheist was a proponent for spreading Christianity to developing countries. He was an African by birth and revisited the continent as an adult journalist. His comments can be summarized with the statement that Christianity gives people a new language. It allows their paradigm to shift from old, negative, behaviors, to new, constructive behaviors. Although, I wouldn't normally give weight to the words of someone who has publicly denounced our Lord, I give his words extra credit because of his personal belief being completely overridden by fact. I am thankful that he spoke the truth! (Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess...) I give him credit because, although he holds to his beliefs system, he was willing to tell his audience the life-giving, transforming truth of GOD'S word!

I tie these two stories together by the realization that we need to completely change the way people see each other if we ever want to make a dent in this problem. If we ever want to find a solution to the orphan crisis, we need to make the world a place where parents can raise their children. Until then, we need to continue to fight for the language of the LORD to be spread throughout the nations to give people a new voice of love for each other.

All of these revelations came to me as I was praying about the orphan crisis. Living in America, it is difficult for me to consider bringing an orphan home from another country. It breaks my heart to think that that poor child has to leave the land God originally blessed him or her with to come to this land (which I happen to think is great, but not necessarily the best place for everyone.) In a perfect world, the orphans could be cared for in the land of their birth and thrive to make it even better. This is a fallen world, though, we are called to care for the orphans and the widows. I realized that creating a world where orphans can be cared for in their own community is still a long way away.

So, I am going to love the child God places in my care and I am going to love the country where he or she or they are from so that I can give the love back to them when they are old enough to understand it. I will pray that they never lose a love for their birth country, but that they also thrive in the country that they will call home. I pray that we can quicken the day that all people will learn this new language of love for each other. God said these were the greatest commandments: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Mark: 30 - 31

Who's in Control Here Anyway?

Emilio just turned 5! We took him to the ocean for a wonderful day on the beach. God has created just the right playgrounds for us! The weather was perfect, cool but not cold, warm enough to want to get wet. We all had a great day.

On the way there, though...Emilio kept saying all the things that he "wanted to do". For example, he asked if we were going to the beach at the lake near our house, if we were bringing "daddy's boat," if we could just go to the McDonald's play area. It reminded us of when he first came to our house. He would ask to go many places every day. At first, I wondered if his foster parents had been the type to be on the go constantly, then my insecurities kicked in and I wondered if he was just very unhappy at our house. It took me a long while to realize, that was just his little guy attempt at controlling some aspect of a life that had been completely and totally out of his control. He had been moved often and didn't have a permanent family (us) until he was almost 4. It is really sad to think about how that would feel. A few days later, we were on our way to my mom's house to have the "family" party and again, his stress was heightened. He asked if he was going to get presents there. When I answered, "Yes" he became very agitated and started guessing at what was in the presents he would receive. My parents bought him the camera he had been wanting and my sister's family got him 2 games - both Buzz Lightyear - his favorite! He guessed a few things, finally wondering if it were a toy tractor. I asked him to say, "I don't know what is in my presents." And, reluctantly, he agreed. It felt like a victory when he relaxed and stopped guessing, knowing that whatever he got would be good...great even!

Struggling to understand Emilio has been tough, until I reflect on my own behavior, fears, and control issues! Oh how I am so much like my son! I spend so much time looking for the speck in his eye, that I am missing the giant plank in my own. I was praying about this and what a parallel! Starting with the way I go about handling they unknown. When we were on our way to the beach, Emilio was negotiating with us to go to places he knows and is comfortable. They were generally places that he had a nice time, but how much better was the beach! The sand, waves, sea shells, picnic lunch, etc...In my own life journey, I negotiate also, with GOD! I think, pray, ask, "God, I just ask for this, it is a good thing. Or can I please have that other great thing..." I ask for what I know, for what is comfortable, for what is safe to me. But God has something greater! He knows the ultimate destination. What He has planned is far better than anything I can ask for! When I feel like I have a need or want a blessing, I ask for that thing and when God says, "No." I am disappointed. I, like Emilio, beg to know what gift God has for me. Not wanting to wait to see the surprise. Missing the blessing of just resting in the knowledge that it won't be "good" it will be amazing! It will be just what I wanted, needed, hadn't even thought to ask for! That is our amazing God! I want to learn with my son to just say, "I don't know" and be able have excitement in knowing that the One who DOES know has my best interests at heart and is planning a surprise that is greater than I could ever imagine.

Putting all of this into practice is easier said than done. I relate so much to my little guy. We are legally maxed out in our home. Our rooms are filled so we have to move before we can bring home any more children. I am so eager to fill our house with kids who need a mom and dad. We can do that. The problem is that most homes, even ones that are 3000 square feet are not designed to have a large family. (OH YEAH, they are also super expensive.) We are trying to think outside the box a little and get creative with finding space. I am so eager to get started, but somehow our efforts have been thwarted. In all of this, I realize that I haven't been seeking God's will again. Just my own. I am just like Emilio asking to go here and there, I am searching and searching the things I know, not waiting on the Lord to reveal to me HIS ideas of how this could happen.

My prayer for today is: "Please God help me to stop telling You where I should go and what I should do. Please help me be ready to listen when You reveal Your plans for me and our family. Lord, please help me respond to You by being available to your people as it says in Proverbs 24:11-12 (The Message) Rescue the perishing; don't hesitate to step in and help. If you say, "hey, that's none of my business," will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know - Someone not impressed with weak excuses. Amen

Chasing Perfection

Recently, a common theme in my life is perfection (or the pursuit of perfection.) Even "trying to be a better person" has seemed to cause a stumbling block for a friend lately.

Of course I won't go into the details, just know that a particular friend is dealing with forgiveness of herself. I may not have the exact same issues, but I realize that I also have trouble forgiving myself (and sometimes others) when I make a mistake. I really beat myself up if I lose self-control or get angry - realizing I could have set a more godly example or been more loving. I feel like I am ignoring the prompting of the Holy Spirit and it makes me feel unworthy.

But wait! I AM UNWORTHY! That's right! I sin regularly. I just forget about the "little things" I focus so much on the "major things" because it is socially acceptable to sin in some ways. But God did not call us to be perfect. Even if we strive as hard as we can, we won't achieve it. I feel like I am like my dog...can't be perfect, my master knows it, but my dog trys so hard to please me (and I try to please HIM!) I just want to make God happy with me. I want to be obedient and then when I get in my own way, I feel deflated, no good, not worthy. I talked with my friend and she felt the same way. In fact, it is a common condition that we have and I think it is a sneaky way for the enemy of our souls to get in and convince us of our failures to take away our focus on God's victory.

So...I started thinking and reading through scripture...What does GOD want?

> If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about - but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Romans 4:2-3

> But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

So, I see that I am not justified by what I do and I know there is a ton more scripture to back that up, but then I was thinking about the passage (also in Romans) that says that we should "go and sin no more..." So I continued reading and found this: "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace!!!!" Romans 6:14 Woo hoo! So sin will not master me! Even if I make a mistake, it will not rule me and God is not counting it against me.

Then, I thought back to the people listed in the "Hall of Faith in Hebrews." I was thinking through the stories of so many of them. They loved God with all of their heart, but they sinned regularly. The didn't "mean to" but just like us, they did. They weren't listed in Hebrews 11 because of the great works they had done. (Moses was a murderer - I haven't done that one!) They were listed there because "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for." Hebrews 11:1-2 and "...instead they were looking for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:16

I just thank God that I can be used where I am. I am going to continue to try to please Him. But at the same time, I will be willing to use my own weakness to let others know they are not alone. It is only through our commitment to Him that we earn His pleasure. Let me please keep my eyes on the Lord, the Maker of heaven and Earth! Amen.

Who Is To Blame When Things Go Wrong...

Whose Fault Is It?

One of the many jobs I do in a day is referee. My kids are always willing to take responsibility for the good stuff. "Look Mommy." But, the bad stuff, is easy put off on someone else. Recently, my youngest has started lying, very sad.

I am recognizing a parallel with my condition, though. I am eager to get excited when I "work" for the Lord. I think: I am hosting a small group, teaching Sunday School, or Preparing for a Yard Sale. I know I get an eternal blessing for choosing Him now and working toward spreading His message, but the reality is, I get a blessing now too. I love hosting a small group, because the people who come are my friends. I love teaching Sunday School because I believe God has given me a gift for that and when I don't do it, I feel very restless. I am blessed each Sunday that I teach. I also get a blessing from helping with the Yard Sale because I love the people that I am working with and I am excited to see the children who are getting a forever family because of it. These rewards I get now. I am thankful.

However. What about the bad stuff? What about when I hear someone died of malnutrition? What about when I hear that someone went to bed hungry? What about when I hear about the kids who are raised without a mom and a dad? I am not so eager to claim the responsibility for that. I globalize it. I am quick to blame the person directly involved in that situation. I don't want to recognize my fault in it. I am well fed. I threw away about a pound of ground turkey today because we didn't eat it. I also threw away 2 baskets of strawberries that had gone bad. If I have enough to throw in the trash, how is it that I am not responsible for feeding someone who is hungry? Jesus said, whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me. If I believe that, then I have let Jesus go to bed hungry, alone, sick, cold. I have let Him die of hunger or malnutrition. How can I claim to follow Him if I sit in my cozy home with so much food that I am throwing it away?

I am a little bummed tonight. Hubby has been working extra hard on lots of transactions and I was looking forward to a huge reward (pay) for him. I knew it would energize him. He has a tough job sometimes. Deals are falling apart and things aren't working like we thought they would. I was envisioning the wonderful things that money could do...room for many more kids??? Although, I know - He has proved it time and time again - that God will provide for all of our needs and then some, I was eager. I think that might be the problem. It isn't time. I prayed for a larger house and God said, "When you need a bigger house, I will give you one." I believe Him completely. I am probably getting ahead of myself (actually God) again. I am just so eager to bring in the children He has for our family so that they can have a mom and dad. I realize it isn't time. I haven't even been praying about it. My heart, though has been broken for the orphans and NOW THAT I HAVE SEEN, I AM RESPONSIBLE. FAITH WITHOUT DEEDS IS DEAD.

My prayer now is that God will continue this work in me and not let me stray to the right or to the left. Not let me return to who I was, but to continue to passionately pursue HIM! Please, Lord. Keep my eyes focused on you. Let me turn away from the things of this world so that your light is all I see. Let me take responsibility and work towards caring for You through Your people. In Jesus' NAME!

OH! Special little note: This morning, I woke with a toothache. OUCH! It was throbbing like crazy, keeping me awake. I have had a hard time with dental visits. The first time I had a deep filling, I had to be on Vicodin. I might need to get a root canal. Except: Thursday is Emilio's birthday, tomorrow I have 4 birthdays and a Graduation, Friday is a get-together for Emilio's birthday, Saturday is the Yard Sale for the adoption ministry, and next week, I teach VBS. I can't have a root canal right now. I prayed. "God, Please take the pain away." No sooner had I prayed those words, laying all I have before the Lord, that my pain was gone. My tooth is still bugging me a little bit now, but not nearly like it was this morning. I am going to keep asking the Lord to keep the pain away until I can get to the dentist to get it fixed. God is so good!!! How awesome is HE? I have had the experience of Him healing me beyond medical understanding in the past (also doing that for David) but those stories are for another time. This time, I am thankful for my tooth. PRAISE GOD!!!

He said to me today, "I was thinking. What if you told me, that you needed to go to Afr*ca and open an orphanage? What would I do. I know what I would do. I would get busy selling everything we own so we could go."

That was amazing. Although, I am pretty sure I am not called to open an orphanage, I know I am called to make a difference. How I am supposed to do that right now, I am not sure. I know that God called His disciples first to the hurting, outcast, poor, etc. I know that I am supposed to be where people need people the most. I pray that God makes our path very clear. For now, I am focused on the things He has given me to do here. Maybe if I am faithful with those things, I will be blessed with another assignment! Oh PLEASE!!!

I want to share a "God moment" in my life from a few years ago...

We were on our way to Sacramento. I don't remember why now, but I know we were an hour late. I hate being late, so I was focused on getting there. BUT! Up in the sky, I saw "Something shiny" it looked a lot like Mylar balloons, but there were tons of them moving in and out in a bird-like pattern. (It could have been birds?) The spectacle was so unusual, that even though I was an hour late, I pulled off the freeway so that I could get a better look. By the time I got off the freeway and looked up again, they were gone. I kept looking for a minute, wondering if they were behind a cloud or something, but I never found them again. As I gave up looking, I noticed that the freeway had come to a complete stop. No one was moving. I turned on the radio to see if I could get an idea of why...maybe the consistent road construction. NOPE!!! There was a huge pile-up with big-rigs involved. We would have been RIGHT in the middle of it. And I mean RIGHT THERE. There would have been no way of avoiding getting hit in that accident. The only reason we weren't there was because I stopped to look at something shiny.

People tease me to this day because I get easily distracted. I notice the "shiny" things in life and I like it that way. Sometimes, I would feel bad about myself because of this. Now, I realize that God made me this way. He uses it for HIS glory and he used it to save my (and my kids) life. What an awesome God we serve! I also used to joke about needing God to "write it in the sky" if he wants my attention. I guess He was happy to oblige. Now when someone teases me and says, "Look, something shiny!" I think, "Yep. That might just be God sayin' hi."

After that miracle, I got on my cell phone right away. First, to find an alternate route. (I was still an hour late...) Then, to tell everyone I knew about this fantastic miracle. I could hear the doubt in their voices, but how can you deny this? It was too big. Too awe inspiring. How eager is our God to meet us just where we need him. How obvious is it that I am more important than the birds of the air or the flowers or the trees!!! I have a God who has great plans for me and is moving the sky to get me there!!