please give

It's all I can think about. I'm on the edge of my seat for every update.

Some Compassion staff from the Dominican Republic went in on foot to assess the situation. It is worse than we are seeing in the news. I cannot imagine.

So many need help. Please give to the Compassion Haiti Relief Fund.

They are going to need so much and every single cent will count. I promise.

It is difficult to track the children with all the chaos.

All I know for sure is that every situation there is in desperate need of God.

Keep praying.

juxtaposition

sitting in the doctor's office

in the care of wonderful people

thinking about the Haiti earthquake

and all the devastation

I realized how lucky I am

that no matter what is wrong

I have someone who can help me

ever since my involvement with Compassion

I've been a lot more aware

of the world around us

just how much poverty and need is out there

my heart breaks a little easier

my prayers become a little more urgent

and my priorities are different

materialistically

I view things a lot differently

and it's difficult for me to reconcile

some of our country's reckless spending

no, I'm not immune to wanting

and no, I haven't abandoned my love of gadgets

but sometimes I sincerely struggle

with the luxury of having so much

and so it was this morning

at the doctor's office

where i said a prayer of thanks

but also a prayer of need

a need for humbleness

to not take so many things for granted

to be aware of all my blessings

for discipline to be a good steward

but most of all

my prayer was for Haiti

please give to the Compassion Haiti Earthquake Response Fund

Compassion is uniquely embedded in the lives of those in Haiti

over 65,000 children are served by Compassion through the local churches

they anticipate many deaths and thousands of children who will have lost everything

Their ministry is full of integrity and your money will really go to those in need

please continue to pray

thanks

29 years...wow

29 years ago

this fall

seems like

such a long time ago

but one look

at my friend

and i am transported

back there again

memory is a funny thing

and while specific memories

elude me

she is my childhood to me

there are few memories

prior to the time

when her family

came to mean so much

hours upon hours

were spent together

an annie record

cabbage patch dolls

and even her brother's he-man set

time had taken us

down different paths

and then one spectacular day

we came across each other again

that was a few years ago

and i am still so thrilled

that we are

back in each other's lives

life is busy

and sometimes it goes awhile

before we catch up again

but we always do

and i'm five years old again

happy birthday, friend. :)

there are no coincidences...

many miles away from here

lives a little boy

who is very much

a part of my heart

when prayers are said

for my own children

he stands among them

and receives the same

in a world

where money is

the insatiable hunger

his letters are my gold

my soul's alarm

resounds within me

and i know

a letter will await me

it's happened four times now

and each time

i am no less amazed

than the last

yesterday was such a day

the alarm inside

the familiar envelope

news from a distant land

his mother's familiar handwriting

ran across the page

so glad to see it was hers

after two letters of someone else's

our family rejoiced

that their family was well

a few of us prayed

right then and there

later that night

news of an earthquake

in a neighboring country

felt far and wide

warnings of a possible tsunami

quickened my heart

trying to recall

just how far inland he lived

with God

i feel there are no coincidences

he has his hand

in everything

my golden letter

written in october

my soul's alarm

telling me to pray

just in time for an earthquake

and questions of safety

there are no coincidences...

please join me in prayer

heavenly father

we ask that you place your hand of peace

on the people who need you

especially the people involved in the earthquake

please be with the ones

whose questions won't be immediately answered

be with the ones who need your grace

please father protect them

in jesus' holy name

amen.

remember me?

Well, hello there! Long time, no posting. You know me. The writing vibe - it comes and it goes....

So, a little catch up...

Merry Christmas!

Decorating the tree. Notice the super cool fort in the background. :)

Happy New Year!

Our family tradition is to go to a movie on New Year's Eve.

Ryan lost his tooth. And another one since then.

Great pic, I know. This was my third try!

We've spent the first half of January trying to get back into the swing of things. It's been a little rough. But finally, if you don't count that I forgot to give Little Man breakfast this morning, everything is back on track. Ready or not!

Hopefully I'll be around more often...the key word being hopefully. I pray all is well with you and your family. Take care!

By the way, Happy Birthday to my godmother...she's been gone almost 18 years but she'll never be forgotten...

first loose tooth

Compassion Bloggers Trip Widget (Facebook, Myspace, Blogs)

ten seconds from tears

Watching the rain come down this morning, I'm reminded of something I heard this past weekend. I had the privilege of hearing Wess Stafford speak. He's the President and CEO of Compassion International. He's also the author of Too Small to Ignore. He was talking about why he has such a big heart for the children of Compassion. His story is outlined in his book and it's amazing. A true testament of the power of God's saving grace. And as he was speaking, he got choked up. He said he is never more than ten seconds from tears. With his tender heart, the water line stays right at nose level. I was so delighted to be in the presence of someone else who has the same reaction to the children of Compassion. I get choked up or teary-eyed when I hear about these children or see pictures of them. They are intricately connected to my heart. I am usually never more than ten seconds from tears, especially when we are talking about these precious children.

And you know what? I'm okay with that.

a piece of cake

There was so much information given, I don't remember who said the following quote - but I loved it.

"When our love isn’t strong enough, Christ’s love takes over and loves for us. When we aren’t strong enough, Christ is the only strength we need."

I have a really bad habit of not getting involved in something because I don't feel like I can take the task to completion. Or the situation may get "messier" than I would like. This statement reassured me. If God is calling me to something, He isn't going to leave me hanging out there all alone. When my skill-set is maxed, God steps in and through the power of Jesus Christ, He takes over. How freeing! And really, it's all about God in the first place. I am just the vehicle He is choosing to use for a particular task. I think once that truth is planted firmly inside, the rest is just a piece of cake.

Show up. If you feel the nudge, DO IT. God will be there.

I always liked cake. :)

this is the air I breathe

Being at this altitude, I wondered if I would struggle to breathe. I have asthma and while it doesn't flare up much in my hometown, I thought it was a good possibility here in Colorado.

My fears weren't completely unfounded. I'm not short of breath but I feel the heaviness of breathing in my chest. The smallest exertion - like carrying my suitcase - makes me pretty winded. So while it isn't a struggle, I definitely notice the effort my body is putting forth to fill my lungs.

Last night, at the opening session, we heard Wess Stafford speak. Very moving. He put forth a personal challenge of forgiveness. Which struck me because this is something God had already been working in my life.

Then we sang a song - " This is the air I breathe". There is a line in it about being desperate for God. With being so aware about the air I am breathing and the effort it is taking, I fully understood the desperation of needing God as I need to breathe. He is the very air I breathe. He is what is inside of me, making me alive. Just as I need my body to push air into my lungs, I need my sweet Lord.

It was such a vivid picture for me. I'm so thankful that He took my struggle, my fear and turned it into a wonderful lesson on the critical need for total dependence on Him.

In addition, and not just a little off track, I was led to pray for my family last night. To declare in the name of Jesus Christ that Satan has no place among them, among us. That we will be a God seeking family. That I will be the love of Christ to them. That I will honor their God given gifts and not impose my human judgements upon them. That I will be encouraging and uplifting. That God will make me the mean mom when necessary but that only kindness will remain.

It was an emotional night. A big night spiritually. One that I felt was a culmination of many small steps and nudges over a very long period of time.

A collision of mercy, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. Amen.