Thursday, January 9, 2014

Gone and Done It

Well...we did it. We really as my Southern friends would say "gone and done it." We filled out the Foster Care application and we are starting our six weeks of training on Feb. 24th.
I have several things paralleling when this training should take place, so it is going to be so awesome watching The Lord sustain me and help get me through all of it, because as of now, in my strength, I'm starting to schedule my massages due to the stress! Ha!
Shew what a ride, never in my life did I imagine this is what my life would be like, living on the edge of that cliff constantly being encouraged and asked to take jumps off the high peaks, trusting and knowing that The Lord is there to be my parachute.....over and over...and over...and over He asks me to jump, and yet....I still am terrified of jumping. I wonder if it will get easier at some point?
But for now.....here we goooooooooo!
:)

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Don't forget the "so that"....

As many of you know, those of you who know me in real life that is, know that we are in the middle of a winter...storm? Well its not really a storm its a winter chill, how about that. The temps have been around 3ยบ and below zero with the wind chill. Very cold to say the least.
Well one of my good buddies had the idea to open up our church to the community around our city that currently don't have a home. You see the Salvation Army offers a place to stay, but they were at capacity with 80 beds filled, and the Daily Bread, another shelter here in town, was also to capacity. So he had the idea to open up our church to them so they could have a warm place to stay until the weather warmed back up a little.
What an idea! A simple one, but one that kind of hit me upside the head...well duh...why wouldn't we do that??? Then just like that the people jumped in head first...planning, coordinating, pitching in! Local restaurants have been so willing to help pitch in with food that we had to stop the food from coming because there is so much! WOW! Praise God! It has been beautiful watching this, very tangible way of being Jesus' hands and feet, come alive in people! So many people have come to help and just be with them and welcome them into our "home" the church. It has filled my heart with so much awe and wonder I could float for days.
There was more news of an old folks home water line breaking and there were about 60 elderly folks needing a place to stay as well! So blue ridge did it again and opened up their doors to them as well! So now there are two different groups of guests staying at the church building and from what I heard there were so many people pitching in to help accommodate everyone...even the guests!! Now THAT is cool!! The news has traveled quickly around the city of what has been happening and news stations have come out to interview, people around town are talking about it, and as I hear all the chatter of what is happening...I stop and think.....in the hustle and bustle and the planning and the prepping, I hope we haven't forgotten the "so that" in all of this. So that.....they may know Him....I trust the community of believers that I'm a part of and have no doubt that the "so that" is there and fully being talked about, but it just made me wonder about other situation we/I find myself in at times....do I forget the "so that?" Quite honestly....I think I do at times. I don't want to forget the so that, I want that to be my first, last and middle thought of each situation that I find myself in. I'm so thankful for times like this when I can stop and get a gentle reminders like this one.....Don't forget the "so that."





Nice Quiet Weekend.....

The nice quiet weekend that was planned was quickly altered when I got a call on my Friday off from my friend at 10am. Her father in law was in the hospital and in critical condition. Her husband had decided to drive down and she was going to just stay the weekend at home with her 3 children (14, 3, & 2) instead of lugging them to South Carolina. As any good friend would do, I offered to keep her children so she could go with her husband. Another one of our friends offered too and so they took us up on it & left friday mid-day.
So then started my weekend of being a mom of...many! haha Shew. They were SUCH good kids, don't hear that wrong, but man...how exhausting.....
and I started that blog post two days ago! haha Yep, that pretty much sums it up! ;)

Is this mic on?

 *Tap tap tap* Hello? Hello?? Is this mic on?  Testing, testing...1..2..3 Well hey there...it has been a hot minute since I have visited thi...