Monday, July 5, 2010

Buckle up!

It's been almost a year since my last post and much has happened in that time, obviously...that's a lot of weeks!

I won't bore you with the gritty details, but suffice it to say, change has been the theme of our lives this past year. Proof of that is the fact that my small, close-knit family is now dispersed across the eastern seaboard, including my oldest son who is currently at Parris Island. As I type these words I am writing from a new desk, in a new house, in a new neighborhood in our new home town which happens to be in a totally different state than Florida.

As if those changes weren't enough for a person, my father had open-heart surgery, my grandmother passed into eternity and my husband took a position at a new church as an executive pastor! Whew, that's a lot to process!

When I think of change I'm reminded of rollercoasters. I recently took a trip on one called the Intimidator & yes, it was intimidating! I actually feared for my life! Why is that, though? I was safely secured in the seat, locked in tight. I even asked the attendant if they'd ever lost anyone and of course, they hadn't. Common sense told me I would survive and according to the faces of most of those who'd ridden before me, I could even enjoy the ride.

Just when I started feeling better about things, my seat, which happened to be in the first car, started moving up a steep incline that seemed to me higher than the Empire state building! The closer we got to the top, the more my stomach churned. Time dragged and anxiety increased until finally I found myself being fiercely pulled straight down an almost endless slope. For over two miles I was at the mercy of this metal rocket! Each twist& turn sent me to near tears and audible prayers to Jesus continually flowed from my mouth. By the end of the ride, I was completely spent, jittering with relief that it was over! To my honest surprise, I was safe, unharmed, and able to laugh about my adventure.

That's how life feels to me sometimes. A series of twists and turns which I have no control over. I often get myself so worked up over the many changes coming at me that I become irrational, behaving in a sense like I did on that crazy roller coaster! But that's okay with God. As long as I stay strapped & buckled in to His protection, I'll come out the other side and maybe even smiling.

In Psalm 55 David is dealing with some fears of his own..."my heart is severely pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me..." I'd say he was a bit overwhelmed & irrational in his thinking, wouldn't you? But he doesn't allow himself to stay there. He talks it out with the Lord and eventually comes to his senses by standing on the truth ..."cast your burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."

God doesn't rebuke David for his honesty. He gently reminds him of the truth. In a sense God says, "tell me all about it, you'll feel a lot better in the end and, by the way, you're under my protection, so don't worry."

That truth has given me courage over the years to face the many changes that are standard in life. Knowing I'm tightly secured in the safety belt of His protection & care, I take a deep breath, close my eyes, say a prayer and wait for the outcome. In the end I always survive, and most times I even end up enjoying parts of it!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Family Vacation

Here are a few pictures of our week long family vacation to Ocklawaha. Try pronouncing that one and then give yourself a little Florida geography lesson! We've been going to this part of the state off and on for many years and love it! It certainly doesn't feel like Florida with it's rolling hills and massive oak hammocks covering the the country roads. There are hundreds of spring-fed lakes and rivers that surround this area and people flock to the various parks to cool down in the summer heat. If you've never been to this area, it's worth it to check it out!







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Sunday, August 9, 2009

Loggerhead Triathlon

Yesterday my husband competed in his first ever Triathlon. He's been training consistently since March for the Loggerhead Triathlon in Jupiter, Florida which is held annually and very heavily attended with around 600 competitors. The event consisted of a 3/8 mile ocean swim, a 13 mile bike ride and a 5K run, in that order. I was so proud of him when he crossed the finish line! His time fell right in the window he set his goal for - 1:28! Here are a few photos of his experience...




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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

SNAP!

Check out Snap! for my latest images! Here's a teaser for you which includes my son & his adorable girlfriend...


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Friday, July 31, 2009

Belle Glade Mission Trip 09

Thought I'd share a few pictures of what our two oldest children were up to this past week...

Mollie & Andrew each paid $200, along with 300 other students from our church, to spend a week serving a poverty-stricken community just 35 minutes west of our home.

Belle Glade is a small town nestled between Florida's sugar cane fields and the infamous Lake Okeechobee. It has the 10th highest percentage of Haitian residents in the United States and over 30% of the population lives below the poverty line with a median household income of under $27,000. Belle Glades violent crime rate is nearly five times the national average and its unemployment rate is a whopping 9.7%.. With these statistics in mind, our church decided to partner with its local residents & churches to share the love and message of Jesus Christ by reaching out in practical ways to their community .

First Baptist Church of Belle Glade was our host. This is where the entire team lodged for the week. The students were split into two groups with the middle school students leading a Mega Sports Camp at the church and the high school students heading off-site and leading various projects throughout the community.

Below are a few pictures of our students in action. You can also click here to see a clip from our local news station's "Making a Difference" segment.










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Monday, July 6, 2009


Another recommended read..."Bones of Contention: A Creationist Assessment of Human Fossils" by Marvin L. Lubenow, is currently on my nightstand and has been for some time. It's heady so I can't speed read this one. It is worth the time, though, if you're at all curious about the "science" & philosophy lurking in the world of evolutionism. Be sure you pick up the revised edition.

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Thursday, July 2, 2009

Free Audio Book Download!

Click here for a free download of Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love.

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