One thing you cannot avoid while packing and sorting, is coming across old scrapbooks, photo albums, notebooks and journals. I have been pretty good about not stopping to peruse each one as I've been packing, but I found one that I couldn't resist glancing through. It was a small notebook, so I knew it wouldn't take long to read through it.
I wanted to share a journal entry that I found in that notebook dated April 4, 2003. It was good that I read it, as it brought back memories of past blessings that God had graciously bestowed upon me. The Bible says in Romans 5:3-4 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: Recalling the trials and subsequent blessings from the past gives me hope. (I didn't know it would mean I'd literally be going to Hope! ;] )
Here's the entry:
Fri. April 4, 2003
I haven't written in a while because I've been getting to bed so late. But I wanted to record some blessings God has given us during this time of testing*.
1. Terry had a suit and sport coat cleaned at Comet Cleaners and we only had to pay $.85! The total was $10.85, but we had a $10.00 credit!
2. Kathy Basham found 3 packages of diapers for Mitchell left at the college property.
3. Terry got paid $70.00 from BHBC (Blessed Hope Baptist College in Benton, AR) for teaching Kevin's Old Testament Survey class for two weeks while Kevin was away.
4. Terry repaired a guy's brakes for $50.00 today!
5. Mitch has an ear infection, but we got him to the doctor and on antibiotics. He will be much better by the time we leave for Texas*!
I was up late with him last night, (almost all night) so I am turning in.
Thank you, Lord, for all of these blessings!
* This time of testing was when we were facing many battles at the church where we were youth pastor/associate pastor at the time.
* This reference to Texas was when were preparing to go to Alice, Texas to preach in view of a call. They called us 100%, but we did not have peace about it, so we did not take it.
I was encouraged by reading about some of the large, and even the small blessings that God gave me during a time of trial. It indeed gives me hope, just as the Bible says it will! It also convicts me about writing down all of the blessings He gives me. I'm too good at forgetting what He does to not take time to record it on paper, or on screen! ;]
I've read the saying "God is good all the time" and that's true. More specifically, He's good when everything else is bad. Even during times of trial, His presence surrounds and refreshes me like a cool breeze on hot day. Yes, He is good. So very good to me.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
What Really Matters
While working on my weekly Bible Study lesson from the book Be Patient - I'm Not Perfect Yet by Juanita Purcell, I read the following poem. It sums up how brief life is, and what really matters.Through this toilsome world, alas!
Once and only once I pass;
If a kindness I may show,
If a good deed I may do
To a suffering fellow man,
Let me do it while I can.
No delay, for it is plain
I shall not pass this way again. - By Gail Harvey
Monday, May 5, 2008
Oh yeah, and One More Thing...
I just wanted to tell you about Terry's new blog. I have link to him in the sidebar. It's hilarious. If you need a good laugh, then go on over and check it out. Oh, and one more thing, could you leave him a comment? I know he'd love it!
Have a great day, everybody! :]
Have a great day, everybody! :]
It's Not Really Over
As I go through my Bible each year, or as I teach through it in Super Church, I grieve when we "bury" a Bible character. I recently saw Samuel go to Heaven, and today, I opened up and started reading about the last words of David.
II Sam. 23:1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
When I read that these were the last words of David, it made me sad. "You mean I've already finished his life? We just started!" I thought to myself. I remember being sad when I finished teaching about Moses in Super church. We'd had about 7 weeks of lessons about him. I hated to see him go. Fortunately, I can resurrect both David and Moses by simply flipping back a few pages. That's the beauty of any book, but especially the Bible. You can enjoy it over and over. With the Bible, you can get something brand new even though you've read it ten times! It's a living book.
I'm so thankful that I can enjoy the lives of great Bible characters over and over on Earth, and meet them face to face someday in Heaven!
II Sam. 23:1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
When I read that these were the last words of David, it made me sad. "You mean I've already finished his life? We just started!" I thought to myself. I remember being sad when I finished teaching about Moses in Super church. We'd had about 7 weeks of lessons about him. I hated to see him go. Fortunately, I can resurrect both David and Moses by simply flipping back a few pages. That's the beauty of any book, but especially the Bible. You can enjoy it over and over. With the Bible, you can get something brand new even though you've read it ten times! It's a living book.
I'm so thankful that I can enjoy the lives of great Bible characters over and over on Earth, and meet them face to face someday in Heaven!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Saturday Snap Shots
Hello, everybody! This week I wanted to share a few photos of our trip to Arkansas.
A view from the Mountain Tower in Hot Springs. I had never been there before!! The view was cloudy, and there were puffs of pollen constantly floating up from the pine trees. My sinuses thanked me for staying inside the enclosure!! :)
This is where Terry and I lived in Hot Springs...307 Richard Street. The house used to be a medium blue color, and the yard wasn't so full of plant life. I think it's too crowded looking, but maybe that's just me.
Here's Nana and the grandkids!! Oh yeah, and me too!
Lauren and Mitchell at the Mid-America Science Museum. The machine in the background was on display here when I was a youngster. It brought back memories.
This is a 500 lb. Quartz!
It was mined in Jessieville, Arkansas. This is the small town where my Mom used to be the Elementary Special Ed. teacher, and later the Elementary Principal. How neat!
This is little waterfall at the science museum. Arkansas does have lots of natural beauty.
The Sunday after we returned home, the church surprised Terry with this cake and a love offering for his 30th birthday! It was so thoughtful of them!
A view from the Mountain Tower in Hot Springs. I had never been there before!! The view was cloudy, and there were puffs of pollen constantly floating up from the pine trees. My sinuses thanked me for staying inside the enclosure!! :)
This is where Terry and I lived in Hot Springs...307 Richard Street. The house used to be a medium blue color, and the yard wasn't so full of plant life. I think it's too crowded looking, but maybe that's just me.
Here's Nana and the grandkids!! Oh yeah, and me too!
Lauren and Mitchell at the Mid-America Science Museum. The machine in the background was on display here when I was a youngster. It brought back memories.
This is a 500 lb. Quartz!
It was mined in Jessieville, Arkansas. This is the small town where my Mom used to be the Elementary Special Ed. teacher, and later the Elementary Principal. How neat!
This is little waterfall at the science museum. Arkansas does have lots of natural beauty. The Sunday after we returned home, the church surprised Terry with this cake and a love offering for his 30th birthday! It was so thoughtful of them!Here's Terry cutting his cake. (I'm talking in the background...as usual!! :] )
Laci was trying to write like Daddy and Leslie. I thought it was sweet.
Here it really does look like she's writing, but the pen isn't out so she can't really make marks. Didn't seem to bother her though! *sigh* Children are such a joy!
I best get back to packing. See you Monday, everyone!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Fitness Fridays: Moving is a Workout!
I have begun the packing process. I have started going through things for a yard sale, and I have packed up the school room. (Okay, not everything in the school room. My computer is in here!) The first thing I packed yesterday was my stability ball. The kids love rolling around on it, and I just knew it was gonna pop. So, I deflated it and packed it. I also conveniently packed my other weights and exercise videos. Hmmm, wonder why I packed those first? I know! Now I can say "I haven't been able to work out because I'm packing up!"
Nah, really. I am here to testify that packing up your entire house is a workout in and of itself. Not to mention the loss of appetite that accompanies having to say goodbye to friends that you have worked with, cried with, prayed with, etc. for over two years. And the loss of appetite that accompanies the nerves of starting over again in a new place. Thoughts like "What if they don't like me? What if I blow it somehow?" have a way of making you, well, not very hungry. So all of this contributes to weight loss!
Nah, really. I am here to testify that packing up your entire house is a workout in and of itself. Not to mention the loss of appetite that accompanies having to say goodbye to friends that you have worked with, cried with, prayed with, etc. for over two years. And the loss of appetite that accompanies the nerves of starting over again in a new place. Thoughts like "What if they don't like me? What if I blow it somehow?" have a way of making you, well, not very hungry. So all of this contributes to weight loss!
But, after 5 hours of nothing put sorting and packing, the stomach has a way of letting you know that it's time to eat!!! My little chicklets have a way letting me know that, too!
Even if I weren't getting any physical exercise, the comic strip below brought me comfort that even working at a computer leads to some weight loss.
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Lauren's Prayers Are Answered!
I've been eagerly awaiting the day when I could make this important announcement. Terry has resigned as Pastor here at Northside Baptist Church and has accepted the pastorate of Grace Baptist Church in Hope, Arkansas. We are taking a church that not only has children, but teenagers as well! Lauren's prayers have been answered! That's right, God heard, and indeed answered, an eight year old girl's prayers! What a mighty God we serve, and how wonderful He is to us!
We usually take our annual trip to Arkansas around the first part of May, but when Terry was asked to preach in view of a call in Hope on April 20th, we moved our vacation up a wee bit.We were not looking for a place to go. In fact, the Lord has really been blessing our work here - oh, not by giving us huge numbers or large offerings, but in baby steps. Here a little, there a little. We have been anticipating great things in 2008 - and trust me, a move was not one of them. Here are a few interesting things about all of this that really meant nothing until we received the call to Grace Baptist Church:
1. As stated before, we were not looking to leave. This was all done in God's timing. An evangelist friend felt he should put our name in at this church, and it was of the Lord. They phoned Terry on April 2nd, and he drove to Hope to meet them on April 4th. They asked him to preach on April 20th. He preached there and we were called, unanimously, on April 27, 2008. That can only be the Lord!
2. We have had a real peace that God would bless our efforts to serve Him here, even when the battles were great. I've been using Hebrews 11:6 as my strength. It says: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Again, I was expecting the rewards to be given here in Burnet, but God had other plans.
3. We did not notice until after we were asked to go in view of a call that the stationary Terry had printed (at a costly amount) back in February did not have his name as Pastor on it! He did not do this intentionally, but I do not believe it was a coincidence. The church can continue to use this stationary after we are gone.
4. We are almost through with school for the year. This is a blessing! The children will not be uprooted from a school and friends because we home school...another benefit.
5. Terry had just discontinued our website (biblewaytexas.com) in mid March! (Although, as of now, it may still be going.) He simply felt he should end it. Again, it was of the Lord.
6. I have been unable to decide what theme to go with for a Mother/Daughter banquet. The Lord seemed silent on this subject, so I had decided to not have one this year.
7. I had just discontinued my monthly ladies newsletter due to financial and time constraints.
None of the above seemed very extraordinary at the time, but now, it seems clear it was God guiding us all along the way.
We make our move on May 15th! Grace Baptist Church is full of loving people. We had a feeling of being at home from the moment we walked through the door. The thought of packing and moving doesn't exactly thrill me, but at least I've got experience. :o) This will be my 8th move in 10 years of marriage. Yes, please pray for me.The church has a parsonage. I am unsure of the address as of this time, but I'll be posting my new information soon.
I praise the Lord for the success He's granted us here at Northside. We have not accrued any debt in the church's name. We have not seen the church split over something minute. We have seen souls saved on soul winning, and one saved in church. We have conducted a successful VBS (with only a few workers) and saw 7 girls saved. We've held Bible Institute classes, and a Ladies Bible Study. We have started Super Church. We have taken on five new missionaries for a total of 14. We have done a lot of work on the church building and parsonage. We are thankful to be able to say that we are leaving it better than we found it.
It will not be easy to say goodbye. We are dreading it. Please pray for us, the people here, and for the church to find a pastor quickly.I suppose my "Life in the Hill Country" is about to come to a close. I'm thankful that my life hasn't yet! :o) I am not sure if we will have Internet access in Hope. If so, I'll be starting a new blog. If not, well, I guess this will be it for a while.
Thanks for staying with me, guys. I hope we can keep in touch. Until then, I'll be keeping you posted on the joys of packing, moving and starting over...again!
We usually take our annual trip to Arkansas around the first part of May, but when Terry was asked to preach in view of a call in Hope on April 20th, we moved our vacation up a wee bit.We were not looking for a place to go. In fact, the Lord has really been blessing our work here - oh, not by giving us huge numbers or large offerings, but in baby steps. Here a little, there a little. We have been anticipating great things in 2008 - and trust me, a move was not one of them. Here are a few interesting things about all of this that really meant nothing until we received the call to Grace Baptist Church:
1. As stated before, we were not looking to leave. This was all done in God's timing. An evangelist friend felt he should put our name in at this church, and it was of the Lord. They phoned Terry on April 2nd, and he drove to Hope to meet them on April 4th. They asked him to preach on April 20th. He preached there and we were called, unanimously, on April 27, 2008. That can only be the Lord!
2. We have had a real peace that God would bless our efforts to serve Him here, even when the battles were great. I've been using Hebrews 11:6 as my strength. It says: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Again, I was expecting the rewards to be given here in Burnet, but God had other plans.
3. We did not notice until after we were asked to go in view of a call that the stationary Terry had printed (at a costly amount) back in February did not have his name as Pastor on it! He did not do this intentionally, but I do not believe it was a coincidence. The church can continue to use this stationary after we are gone.
4. We are almost through with school for the year. This is a blessing! The children will not be uprooted from a school and friends because we home school...another benefit.
5. Terry had just discontinued our website (biblewaytexas.com) in mid March! (Although, as of now, it may still be going.) He simply felt he should end it. Again, it was of the Lord.
6. I have been unable to decide what theme to go with for a Mother/Daughter banquet. The Lord seemed silent on this subject, so I had decided to not have one this year.
7. I had just discontinued my monthly ladies newsletter due to financial and time constraints.
None of the above seemed very extraordinary at the time, but now, it seems clear it was God guiding us all along the way.
We make our move on May 15th! Grace Baptist Church is full of loving people. We had a feeling of being at home from the moment we walked through the door. The thought of packing and moving doesn't exactly thrill me, but at least I've got experience. :o) This will be my 8th move in 10 years of marriage. Yes, please pray for me.The church has a parsonage. I am unsure of the address as of this time, but I'll be posting my new information soon.
I praise the Lord for the success He's granted us here at Northside. We have not accrued any debt in the church's name. We have not seen the church split over something minute. We have seen souls saved on soul winning, and one saved in church. We have conducted a successful VBS (with only a few workers) and saw 7 girls saved. We've held Bible Institute classes, and a Ladies Bible Study. We have started Super Church. We have taken on five new missionaries for a total of 14. We have done a lot of work on the church building and parsonage. We are thankful to be able to say that we are leaving it better than we found it.
It will not be easy to say goodbye. We are dreading it. Please pray for us, the people here, and for the church to find a pastor quickly.I suppose my "Life in the Hill Country" is about to come to a close. I'm thankful that my life hasn't yet! :o) I am not sure if we will have Internet access in Hope. If so, I'll be starting a new blog. If not, well, I guess this will be it for a while.
Thanks for staying with me, guys. I hope we can keep in touch. Until then, I'll be keeping you posted on the joys of packing, moving and starting over...again!