O YE OF LITTLE FAITH!

 "...in Jesus name we pray, Amen."  I have uttered these words thousands of times in my Christian prayer life, but I wonder sometimes, do I really mean it like I should?  I want to pray BELIEVING that God will answer, but when He does, I act like I am surprised!  It is like I pray just out of habit, but do not really expect anything of the great God that I serve!  Today was a bit like that....
     Months ago, we scheduled to host a Coaching 4 Christ football / soccer training camp here in Carlisle.  The Coaching 4 Christ coaches come from Northern Ireland and have a wonderful ministry traveling to several different countries setting up week-long soccer camps for children.  They train the kids for a couple of hours and then give a short Bible talk at the end of each training session.  Many children have come to know Christ through this ministry and since it is hosted by local churches, it is also helping those churches reach out into the community a bit more and also grow in numbers as souls come to know Christ.  One more fabulous thing about this unique ministry is that it is all done FREE of charge for the children.  The ministry itself is funded through love offerings here and there from individuals and churches alike.  We have a very dear friend of ours, Alan Dundas, who is now one of the full-time coaches working with this ministry.

     Three coaches, including Alan, plus Alan's daughter Carolyn showed up at our home yesterday, Sunday, 28 July.  Our church BBQ was in full swing, but once everyone had left,  Andy took the coaches to show them the Sheepmount Sports Complex where the pitch / field is located that we would be using.  The lady at the Sheepmount warned them that if the rain was bad and the fields were flooded, we would not be able to use the pitches at all!  Of course, rain was forecasted to start and continue all night!  We began to pray  - God knows best.
     The rain did come and it did rain ALL night....and all morning!  The rain was pouring and we began to worry.  Would any kids even show up with the rain?  Would we be able to use the pitch?  Where would we go if not there?  We were already unsure how the children and parents here in Carlisle would respond to this type of ministry and now it could be a complete "wash-out".
 Just as forecasted, the rain did stop at 10am - the training camp was due to start at 11am and run until 1pm.  Praise the Lord!.  Not only did the rain stop, the sun actually came out!  Not only did the rain stop and the sun came out, but children showed up!  We were thrilled to see 19 children along with about 10 of us adults!  To some, this may not seem like much, but we were thrilled.  It is like God showed up and starting showing off!
     The Bible teaching time was on creation and the children listened well - even a couple of the parents came over to join in and have a listen!  The entire couple of hours was planned-out, smooth and well-executed!  Andy and I were so thrilled at the job the coaches did with the children.  It was obvious the children were thrilled as well. They all left with promises to bring friends with them tomorrow!  We are praying for an even better turn-out tomorrow morning!  God is good!
     In all of this, I watched God answer our prayers over and over again.  Sure, they may have seemed like small worries and tiny details but I know that God cares about those "tiny..." and "small..." things in our lives.  I sincerely prayed for God to answer our prayers for a great day, but as He answered our prayers, I almost acted like I was surprised.  I don't know why because I KNOW we serve a mighty God and that He know what we have need of when we need it!
     As the sun shone on us this afternoon, I could feel the Holy Spirit whisper to me once again:

         "...O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"  Matthew 14:11b  

God ALWAYS comes through - maybe not always the way WE wish He would, but He never fails!  I have to remind myself of that EVERY day! Looking forward to what God will do tomorrow!

Still Blessed...

   I awoke this morning with my husband announcing some bad news - you know those mix-up type of things that you have to make a lot of phone calls and cut a lot of red-tape to sort out?  That kind of news:(  (Sigh!)    Not the best way to start off a busy Saturday.  It will get all sorted out one way or another, but until then, I know it may be a stressful thing to my hubby.   We are not sick and no one has died, so it is still not the worst news in the world, but it just one of life's little cares to my husband and I.

     I have prayed most of the day that the Lord will handle things in the way He sees fit.  I TRY to pray this for all things in my life, but I REALLY tried to leave it all in His capable hands today.  You know, it does work:)  I felt better and my spirit was lighter.  My worrier husband even reminded me,

My Oasis...

I LOVE WHEN MY BED IS MADE!!!!

   I know this may seem like the silliest statement to most, but I DO love to have my bed made.  In fact, I make it a point to make my bed first thing each morning.  It is a habit I have gotten into and I believe it is a good one.  I also teach my children to do the same (they may not ALWAYS do it, but.... most days:).
     When my morning is crazy and we are rushing here and there - usually on a Sunday, of course - I know I will have at least one clean spot for a child to sit to put on his or her shoes - MY BED!  This may seem insignificant to some, but to those parents out there who have lost a child's shoe or sock beneath the mass of twisted quilts and pillows - you will understand!!  A tidy surface is needed for such tasks and as we get older, squatting on the floor is just not as easy! ha!

     We also have A LOT of company in and out of our revolving door:)  We LOVE to have folks come visit - whether it is just for the occasional afternoon cuppa, a day of BBQ, or week-long visits, we love to have friends around.  Now, as much fun

Do I Really HAVE to Grow Up???

 
 Sometimes I wish I just did not have to grow up!  I don't know about anyone else, but there are definitely days when I wish I did not have to be the adult and take responsibility for situations around me.  
     As a mother of 6, pastor's wife, homeschool teacher and business owner, I can honestly say there are days I would love to be carefree and irresponsible.  Now, do not mistake my meaning - I LOVE my life and would not trade places with ANYONE for the world!  My children, my hubby, friends and family are all wonderful, but there are times when it would seem easier to just drop everything and go back to bed, play video games, read a book or go to the beach and build sandcastles all day!  However, I also know that once I got back from my trip to "Neverland", all my responsibilities would still be here waiting for me, so.....I press on!
     In today's world, I see more and more how teenagers leave high-school with no real goals, sense of responsibility or even work ethic.  I always think "I want more for my own children!"  Sure, I want my kids to love me.  I want them to look to me as a friend, a buddy.  I want them to WANT to hang out with me!

But most of all, I want them to be all they can be!

 I long to see them be all Christ has planned for them to be.  If by attaining that goal, I am not always their best friend, then so be it!  If I have to

A "Blessing" In Disguise

     July 21, 2000 seems like ages ago now, and although the pain has dulled somewhat, I ALWAYS still find a lump in my throat as I think of or talk about the loss of our unborn child.  Only 8 weeks along in my third pregnancy, God saw fit to take our child to be with Him.  Andy and I were devastated, of course, and I could not help but go over every action of the previous 8 weeks to be sure I had not done anything to cause the miscarriage.  I knew then, as I know now:

THERE IS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE OR NOT DONE TO SAVE OUR BABY.  GOD JUST HAD OTHER PLANS FOR US THAT WE COULD NOT YET SEE.

FALSE ALARM....

Have you ever just had "One of those days?"  You are just going about your usual business and then BAM! you get blindsided by the iron will of your three-year-old?  Well that happened to us today!

Just Can't Wait To Get On The Road Again....NOT!

Well, today, we thought it would be a good idea to take all the kids with us on a 3 hour road trip! 

 Fun family time, right?  

     Well now, looking back, I think know I have to say that there was not an ounce of logic in that "thinking".  

Let me just double check my recipe for a LONG day.....

• 6 Hungry Kids - check
• 90 degree heat - check
• 3 hours to drive (one way) - check
• Traffic accident turning the drive into 4.5 hours - check
• One van with no AC - check
• The two youngest children sitting within arms reach of one another - check
• 2 Parents on a diet suffering from CARB withdraw - check, check

Just stir all of that together with "not enough car chargers for all the electrical entertainment", emergency stops for the toilet, dying battery on the laptop and a Sat Nav that only takes you CLOSE ENOUGH to where you want to go.  Mix all of that up and VOILA!

OH,YES, THIS IS GOING TO BE SUCH FUN!!!!

An Extra Measure of Grace

     I can remember the sinking feeling I had years ago when we learned that there was a chance my children could inherit the same disease my mother-in-law and several of my husband's family members suffer from. I can remember, vividly, the day we found out that my husband had the disease. I can remember the day we went to have all 5 (at the time) of my children genetically tested for the disease causing gene. I can remember, also, the day we learned that 4 of our 6 children also have the FAP gene. These moments will forever be etched in my memory. I will never forget those days. In the same way, I will never forget Monday, 15 July 2013.