From Strength To Strength

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UveOPq_iao

God reminded me yesterday that we can go from strength to strength even when we feel weak, tired, overwhelmed, or distressed because our strength cannot be found in ourselves.  If we have made Christ the Lord of our heart and we turn to Him when we feel weak, 

His strength is made perfect in us.  

There is nothing stronger than that.

You Are Here

Getting home always feels so wonderful!

I am thankful, however, that God is with us at every random detour, through all our construction zones (it's hard to believe, but those are more frequent than the barrel zones through the state of Ohio), and, even when we do get lost, He navigates an alternate route to get us back on track toward home.

(I Wanna Hold You)

Brad and I decided to go to a movie tonight.  We were looking online for a theater near our hotel, but all we found online was one that was about 20 miles away.....so, Brad called the front desk to see if there was a theater closer.  Someone answered and told him "Please hold, Ms. Foster" (since the room is in my name)....he was laughing that they called him Ms. Foster.....so, I asked him if they were telling him he should hold me....what a difference a comma makes, right?  Please hold, Ms. Foster.....or Please, hold Ms. Foster :P  Punctuation and grammar are just that important!

:)

In The Whole Scheme Of Things....

Though they feel incredibly heavy, our troubles really are as small and light as these butterflies in the scope of eternity.  Remember, the burdens we carry right now are accomplishing for us a glory in Christ that will be everlasting.

That does not mean the burden is insignificant, NO WAY.  It is always good to see our troubles through the "BIG PICTURE" lens, but also to understand that no matter what it is, GOD wants to strengthen us, encourage us, and hold us through it all.  NEVER keep it to yourself...share it with HIM, so that He can take your burden on Himself and replace it with peace for you.

Day Two

...because I have a lot more learning to do.  Here goes nothing!...wait, what is that supposed to mean anyway?

Consider How The Wild Flowers Grow

Sometimes we just need to walk through a field of wild flowers so that we can

Everyday hands us surprises.  Some are very delightful and others leave us feeling like we have been punched in the gut.  I have been writing some blogs about gardens, but today I thought....you know what?  Sometimes we just need to walk through a field where nothing has been humanly planned and see what GOD has placed there so that we remember that HE is in complete control....everything happens for a reason. 

Mind = Blown

I completed my first day of training for Designated School Officials and my brain is sooooo fried.  There are so many rules and regulations to know for how to handle different case scenarios for these students.  I am glad our presenter does not just lecture, though....I would not be able to handle it all in lecture form.  Thankfully, he gives us cases that we have to research with a buddy and present what we think the appropriate action or decision should be based on the regulations  :)  I am actually not bad at interpreting the jargon in the rules.  The presenter created different cases that are dropped into funny situations with cartoon or sci-fi characters.  That part is fun....so I'm thankful for that :)

I have one very funny, embarrassing story from today.  So, I was chatting with a lady from a different college during a break and we walked toward the bathrooms on the level of our conference room.  There was a line, so we decided to take the stairs down a level to use the facilities.  We were talking about our minds being blown as we walked into the restroom.  Then, we just stood there....stunned... until the horror hit us that we had walked into the men's restroom.....completely....door had shut and everything.....THANK THE LORD, there was no one in there.  We didn't even know each other before that conversation/incident....yet we panicked together like BFFs...."GET OUT... GET OUT!....laughing and pushing each other"  I walked back into the session after she did and she was in the middle of a group of people....all the sudden the group turned to look at me in slow motion and everyone was laughing.  She's like, "I just told them our story!"  I acted embarrassed, but I KNEW we all needed some comic relief.....this stuff is grueling....yep, that's my story!  I was hesitant to tell Brad when I got back to the room for the day because he already feels like he can't take me anywhere :)  Even though he didn't find the story as hilarious as I do....he was amused.

I like the hotel where we are staying, but the pillow is a bit uncomfortable.

Kidding!  BUT, I WISH I COULD GET THIS INFO INTO MY BRAIN BY OSMOSIS...SERIOUSLY!

"One Man's Junk"

Yesterday, we were leaving the Parma church on the way to the Jackson church and I saw these little pieces of paper on a table on the way out, so I grabbed them thinking they were just junk and I was getting ready to throw them away to tidy up.  All of the sudden, Danielle yelled..."NO, don't throw that away...it's my swan!"  I looked at this little scrap of paper in my hand and saw that it had, in fact, been folded into a tiny origami swan.  It made me feel like Horton in Horton Hears a Who :)

One man's junk is another man's origami swan, evidently :)  That was so random and funny to me today, but as I have been thinking about it ...it's pretty deep.  It is wonderful to be treasured...to know that someone takes a close look at us and realizes we are something valuable.

This view is from the front door of the Jackson church and is of the vehicles belonging to Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon.  Apparently, some angry, "bailing ninjas" skipped out on worship time to T.P. our cars while we helped lead worship...can you believe that?!  I questioned why there was such a security breach and found out our security guard was the one who purchased the toilet paper for them.  When I caught word this had happened before the message, I was SOOOOO hoping the topic for the sermon would be on....Revenge is mine, saith the Lord.  BUT,in a weird way....this says I am treasured by my friends and I love it!

Doesn't this say it too?!  This is the sunset I saw on my way to Cinci for my conference on recruiting international students. I am often grateful for the way God loves me....I see it in so many things....but, I know I still miss so many opportunities to know Him and His love for me.  Last night I was thinking that it is hard to see small things like that little swan....but, it is also sometimes hard to see really large things....like the treasure of God's love for me.  I heard a new song that expresses this so well....I mean SO WELL....that I was like "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?....that was just what I was thinking about today!"  GOD SAYS "I AM".....More Than You Think I Am.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su5DG8pQMB8

A Marriage Moment

So, last night while my whole family, my parents, and Brad's parents were at the Free Shrugs show, I saw an ex-boyfriend out of the corner of my eye.  At first, I was like NO WAY....that can't be him....but, it was.  The last time I saw him was probably in 1998...he wasn't just a couple dates kind of boyfriend....he was a serious boyfriend in college who I actually discussed a future with....but, I guess I freaked out because it was too soon and blah...blah....  So, I had this dilemma at the show....like, should I say "HI" to him or would that be too awkward....or would acting like I never saw him be too awkward?...ha!...just more evidence that I over-think everything :)

We live in Brad's old stomping grounds, so we occasionally run into ladies who he used to date in high school that are still in the area, so I told him about the current situation I found myself in and asked him if he thought I should take it upon myself to go say "HI".  I thought he was starting to give me some great advice because he started his response to me by nicely saying, "Why don't we just both go over there together...(then he said) and I'll ask if he wants to trade!"   HAHA!  Husbands!  What are we supposed to do with them? :P  That was a question I was thinking of asking the three-headed experts....hmmmmmm.....?

....and, still with the hmmmmm........that's a great question...even the three-headed expert may need to do some added research before attempting an answer for that one!  

Let The Worshippers Arise

Lord, "let your kingdom come....let it live in me!"  AMEN.

I Mustache You A Question

but, I think I'll shave it for later....

Da....da, da, daaaaah...that goes with a theme!  My parents came to visit us today and brought me a bunch of cutouts for Hopetown.....this is the village I am going to work on decorating for the kid's wing at church.  My dad is pretty accomplished as a carpenter and he, with my mom's creative abilities as a guide, went to work making me a bunch of AWESOME cutouts for the village that we can paint and mount to add more interest and dimension to the rooms....yahoo!  I get excited about this stuff.  So, here are a couple pics of the girls modelling a few cutouts.

He made them for a Barber Shop, a Fire Station, an Ice Cream Parlor, an Aquarium, and a Grocery Store....my kitchen is pretty much filled with cutouts :)  Here's an irony....,my dad made me all these mustache cutouts....but, then....after years of having a mustache, he shaved his off.  He was wondering if anyone would notice when they came for this visit.  Sadly, he did have to bring out the ole, "notice anything different about me?"  for us to have the AH-HA moment.  I lost some "good daughter" points on  that one.  Since they were visiting and will be watching the girls for a couple days....we took the opportunity to start celebrating Kenna's birthday a little early.  We all went up to Lansing tonight, along with G-ma and G-pa Billington and G-ma and G-pa Foster, to see the Free Shrugs Improv group.  The show was a lot of fun and Vannah actually got the chance to create sound effects for our friend, Brian Dumont (who is one of the players), as an audience participant for one of the games.  I think in that one the actors were finding the Goonies treasure in the Seahawk Stadium...fun times!  To steal a word from Tim, one of the other audience participants....the improv players were very "competent" :P  That was one of my favorite games....and the cell phone texts game....I actually gasped a little when they said what they were going to do with that game....OMgoodness....too much fun...anyway, I would recommend the show!

Quite right...I did that!  

Boy, that was a hard picture to find....I was trying to come up with something with a mustache, citing laughter, complete with text abbreviations, and carrying yesterday into today for a nice segue..."ignoramus" works for me :)  

There is harmony in the universe, folks....I have found it in the perfect picture to accomplish all my hopes and dreams for ending this blog :)

And....I wish you QUITE the good night!

That's my Q4ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

The Keys Are Never Really Lost :)

We spend so much time looking for them, right? 

 Ironically,

And... God certainly lights up the pathway through it.
What incredibly meaningful ways He has of that!
Yes, silly, the punctuation is correct....the sentence starts with "what", but it is clearly a statement...
not a question....thank you very much!

Barrels Of Fun

:P  I'm such an ignoramus....er, that's an eg-no-ra-moose if you leave four or more, right?

Had fun hanging out with two other friends over dinner at Cracker Barrel :)

Speaking of leaving four or more, I want to tell you a story about three ninja friends....let's just call them Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Stolen Thunder.  This is an account of what might have happened when other ninja friends bailed on them one night.  They may have devised a plan to buy some T.P. and bless some friends with a threat "TO-GO (with us next time)"..."you PARTY POOPER".  Stolen Thunder did not want Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon to actually throw the toilet paper, so they just made something like Party Pooper trophies for the bailing ninjas.

I have some favorite parts of this story....like when Crouching Tiger was driving and couldn't figure out how to turn off her car lights and Hidden Dragon's heart was racing because she was about ready to jump out of the car to run to the door, but Crouching Tiger passed the house as she was trying to fiddle with her lights.....Like when it was Crouching Tiger's turn to make a run and she forgot to close the car door so she left Hidden Dragon and Stolen Thunder NOT SO HIDDEN in a totally illuminated vehicle, laughing hysterically...and whisper yelling...."CLOSE THE DOOR!".  Like when it was Stolen Thunder's turn to go and she hesitated for a millisecond to which Crouching Tiger stole her opportunity.....thus giving her the nickname Stolen Thunder.  I liked Crouching Tigers running crouch up the DARK SIDE of the driveway.  I liked the text they may have received from their first "gifting" ....and hope that bailing ninja will not hold it against them for long :).....and that the last bailing ninja actually came to the window.....ha!  

You wonder how I can write this story with such detail ?  It's just a "hidden" talent, I guess!

...or a GIFT....not unlike the friendship of (in no particular order)
Hidden Dragon, Stolen Thunder, and Crouching Tiger :)
WOW,....the LIKEness is uncanny!

It Never Quite Makes Sense, So....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtlDVleJBtA

This is a good message for me this week....just trust and see what each new day will bring...I think pride tries to trick us into feeling like we should have or we deserve some kind of control over this walk.  The only thing we can control is the tune we are humming....it's our atti-tune :)

Shhhhhh.....Three Words For You

1.Still. 2.Small. 3.Voice.

Divine Silence does not mean Divine Inactivity even though we are accustomed to hype that is 

larger than life.

Our God is a (fill your name in the blank...I'll go ahead this time)
      Heather Brianna Foster     whisperer. :)

Knock, Knock....Who's There?....Interrupting

I had a rough 24 hours due to job responsibilities and changes.  I had a meeting yesterday which resulted in a decision I had to make last night.  My new option was not that appealing and the people in the meeting had asked for my honest opinion on the spot.... I actually surprised myself and was very blunt in my response to them....usually, I use much more of a filtered and gracious response.  My boss (who happens to be an Asian man) said, "thank you for your candor.".. :) That really made me smile even though I was frustrated and made me wonder if the whole situation was just a Divergent Simulation Test.  I realized on the way home that even though I felt some gratification from my burst of bluntness, there were probably a lot more variables in the decision for the people that had to make the call, so I prayed about my attitude last night and for the appropriate decision and today I approached my final discussion with them with much more tact.  I still am not THRILLED with what the outcome seems to look like for me, but everything comes in seasons and instead of asking God why I am in a particular season...I should trust that He is leading me forward....how many lessons does it take to get there?

Then, today was the first time I had to log into the Homeland Security website for students and give clearance for an international student to enter the country.  I had some anxiety over that because there are all these passwords...time limits,  I have to sign my name a bunch of places...and I hear it will self destruct :)

 Hey, in a way, it does make me feel like I am a spy...love that!

When I completed it, I felt so accomplished and I walked out to tell a friend I finished my first one and someone had brought in Hinkley's Doughnuts....I KNEW GOD WAS REWARDING ME...(most of them were the chocolate crescent kind)!

Then, out of nowhere, some girlfriends emailed to see if I want to join them for a girl's night out tomorrow night....they didn't even know about the last 24 hours of my life.  A movie quote (from a person who does not know he is quoting a line from a movie), doughnuts, and friendships?....I really tried to be mad about my circumstance, but I kept getting interrupted by AWESOME!

Is Spring Coming?

So far I've studied Eden, Gethsemane, and the garden near Golgotha...this next one may seem strange to add in, but we skip this book of the Bible a lot because the imagery makes us blush and giggle....but I think it should make the list as one of the most important gardens in the Bible.  The sweetness of this garden is described throughout the whole book in Songs Of Solomon.....it's really like a poetic play...where two people, who are very much in love, try to describe their love for one another.  Don't worry, I am not going anywhere inappropriate with this...I just want to say that what it describes is a garden of complete reception and acceptance.  It describes the relationship of Christ and His Bride in the most intimate way that Solomon knew how to describe it.....remember he speaks with a level of wisdom that God granted him which surpasses that of other men.  Our Christian faith is a relationship.

I chose the quote from the Secret Garden.....partially because I AM wondering if Spring is coming...HA!  NO...really because when we find Christ, we truly find this paradise.  It is a secret between us and, in it, we understand a pure desire for holiness...a pure intimacy, we deeply experience our unworthiness... yet, at the same time, an exhilarating joy of being His chosen one....and we experience complete freedom with Him.  In that relationship with Him, we are completely understood and accepted/loved unconditionally....in fact, we are seen as radiant through His eyes. 

This is what He sees when He looks at us! WOW!

He wants us to remain in this close relationship with Him, and if we are also pursuing Him, we should not want anything to harm this intimacy.  For this reason, we do need to guard our hearts and minds and make sure that we have a singular focus on Him and are not led into the seeking of idols...in other words ,we should not run after anything that would take us away from Him.  In Songs of Solomon 4:12, the lover praises his beloved for being faithful to him by saying,

You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride;

you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.

...And then he compares her love to all the most beautiful things he can think of....he is saying she is his alone and for that he rejoices!

If God has blessed us with marriage, we should also do our best to reflect this kind of intimacy with our spouse....our marriages can and should be a picture of the love Christ has for His Bride.

Nope, There's No Mistake

One time, Grandma Billington got Karly this cute little puppy dog purse with flowers on it.  We were all out one day and Karly had her purse with her.  She was sitting by me so I was looking at her purse more than I had before and I noticed that by one flower was a skull...that kind-of freaked me out because upon first glance at the little purse it just looked like happy little puppies and zany flowers, so I thought it was a mistake, but upon further study, whoever designed the fabric also designed a darker side to it as there were little skulls by each flower.

Golgotha, "the place of the skull" where Jesus was crucified, was right next to the garden where Jesus was buried.  There is not too much mentioned in scripture about this garden except that it was very near the place where Jesus was crucified and the garden tomb had never been used for anyone.  In those days, tombs were usually used for multiple bodies of members of the same family line.

It also seemed a big mistake for our Savior to promise eternal life and then go and die...right?! But,  I think what Jesus accomplished in this garden is kind-of illustrated in the life of every seed....how it has to die in the ground before it can take on the new form of a healthy and vibrant plant.  He even spoke about this concept in John 12:23-24:

Jesus' death was the seed of redemption for all mankind and it broke through three days later as a full-fledged, life-bearing, resurrection :)....to show us that sin and death do not have the final word.  That is why Jesus is referred to as the first fruit in 1 Corinthians 15:20...He was the first to rise out of death.  And, it is NO MISTAKE that by this same power, we will also rise. When sin dies in us, we also become equipped with the ability to exponentially increase our faith and be used by the Holy Spirit to spread our faith to others....like bulbs in the ground that keep producing more bulbs and popping up all over the place.  Isn't it interesting that God can use our sinful pasts through our stories of redemption to open the doors for others to believe!!!  He no longer sees them as sins, but as life-giving plants.  It's weird because the seeds are still present in us that have to die, but now their purpose is realized in our creator....they still have to die for life to continue, but he becomes like our gardener...pruning us, planting us, uprooting us and moving us...helping us bear much fruit.

Speaking of mistakes....I've always thought it was funny that when Mary saw Jesus in this garden she mistook him for the gardener....irony, right?   I wonder if since He forgot His grave clothes in the grave He had to borrow some...kidding!  But, I still love that He went for a bit without telling her who He really was....I think I would have really liked His human personality...is that weird to say?  Of course I would have liked him, right?!  I'll stop talking now  :P

(oh, but one more thing)...
 Happy Earth Day.....plants and animals are evidence of our creator in so many ways and God has given us the responsibility to manage this wonderful world He has given us.

You Know What's Disturbing?

(He's so dramatic.)

Yes...this is not the weather I was looking for when I put my winter clothes into storage.

:)

It's A Gymnastics Thing

I was invited to attend a gymnastics meeting for parents of students who the coach sees potential in to (possibly) invite to join the competitive team.  Karly may receive the official ask soon to join Sparks. The meeting was tough, though.  The coach really wanted to make sure we parents were aware of the financial responsibilities (which are substantial) but also, MOSTLY the amount of work, physical conditioning and emotional stability/determination it will take for our kids to be competitive athletes in this sport.  She said, "I know some of you have large families and this is a lot to ask of you for a commitment when you also have other children to consider"....and she looked in my general direction :)

I like the way she separates the parents from the kids when she is discussing these matters.  She really wants the parents to be totally informed on everything first, but, then she wants the girls to know that they are the ones making the decision to be committed as well, so she approaches them separately to invite them to the team and talks with them about her expectations for them.

She told us some tough stories of how hard some of the girls had worked and that they had not received a medal in competitions.  The coach actually got choked up as she was telling us about how proud she is of her students and that it is just so hard to see them work as hard as they do and sometimes not see results from their hard work. 

We are at that point of decision where it's like "Okay, Karly, you like to do this....it's fun and you have talent, but do you LOVE this so much that you are willing put tons of effort into being the best you can be in this sport and stretching yourself...(tough question for a 7 year-old)....but, Karly is all "gung ho" about it.  She started gymnastics at 4 years-old and is still loving it.  She got to participate in an eight-week trial earlier this year to see if she could handle the conditioning and loved  that as well.

That is so true!  There are so many interesting adventures to take while raising kids, right?!  I am sure Brad would agree that we can always use prayer that we are making the best decisions for and with all our kids and keeping Christ in the center of our family life.  Whenever there is an opportunity like this, it allows us to assess our priorities and remind ourselves and the girls of the most important things.  We had a family meeting tonight and it was like that analogy where you dump all the rocks out and you put the big ones back in first....priorities.....it was a good meeting.  And, we all agreed that if Karly gets asked to join the team, she should go for it! 

I am proud of Karly's accomplishments so far and excited for her potential...but, I am more pleased that I have this family....with a group of sisters who love and support one another....I know I should never take that for granted.  

Confession Is Good For The Soul

I did this yesterday...

I actually leapt the corner, so as not to add more wear to the dirt path that was being worn by others, so I think the leap probably saved me more time and deems me environmentally friendly...

(or just the "mental" part of that title :P)  as if this is what drove me over the edge...ha!

Okay, my soul's much better now :)

So, What's The Catch?

You've heard of a "Catch 22", right?... when something seems impossible because it's like a vicious cycle or it contradicts itself.  It kind-of means there is A and there is B... and B needs A before it can be fulfilled....unfortunately, A also needs B before it can be fulfilled...and there's the catch.  I decided to give you 22 examples of "Catch 22's" or paradoxes in the Bible.  Only you and "C" will know for sure if these are a "catch" for you.

1.  I must die to live (in Him).
2.  When I am weak, (His strength is made perfect in me...so) then I am strong.
3.  When I surrender my will, (to Him) I truly win.
4.  (He) will turn my mourning into dancing.
5.  (He teaches me that) I must remove a plank from my eye before I remove a splinter from another.
6.  Becoming a slave (to Him) is true freedom.
7.  (He shows me that) my righteousness is like filthy rags.
8.  Being covered in (His) blood cleanses me so that I am white as snow.
9.  When I think I am wise, I am foolish.
10. If I will humble myself, (He will exalt me) I will be exalted.
11.  I will always receive so much more through giving.
12.  It is possible to gain the whole world yet lose my soul.
13.  The first will be last.
14.  If I am willing to give up everything I have, (for Him) I will find everything my soul desires.
15.  I can be born even though I am already living.
16.  To be wise, I must become a fool.
17.  I can believe, with certainty, things I cannot test to be true.
18.  If I seek to save my own life, I will lose it.
19.  Somehow, even when I am totally stressed I can find rest (in Him).
20.  The good news is a stumbling block for those who do not believe.
21.  Difficulties and suffering are reason for joy (because of Him).
22.  I am in this world, but I am not of it (because I am His child).

I am sure there are many more of these, but I thought 22 would be quite catchy :P  AND....I want to introduce you to "C"....who makes EVERYTHING POSSIBLE for A and B.  Do you know who C is?...(I left hints for you)

It's just a totally different perspective, isn't it?

Rainy Days and Mondays...aren't so bad!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZH13wFGffg

Eventually, all those raindrops end up in an ocean...right? :)

At The End Of The Day

I had the privilege to sing with the Village Hope Church choir tonight under the direction of my husband :)  We have been working toward presenting The Story and were able to perform it tonight at our Jackson location.  It is such an amazing collection of songs as it takes the audience on a journey from creation to the coming of Christ through songs, video and narration.  I can't even say which of the songs is my favorite because they are all so powerful and dynamic....I think one thing I love so much is the variety and that they pull out the testimonies of so many individuals.  I was also extremely happy that this time Savannah and McKenna decided to sing with us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aWEhNqnjuY

It's true, I can't really pick a favorite song, but tonight David's song really touched me.  I think this could be a goodnight song for me every night...well, I say that, but then I would probably need some variety....BUT, the heart cry in this song is so deep!  I do want this...nothing else matters in life, but a heart that is in full pursuit of Him!  "At the end of the day I want to hear people say my heart looks like your heart".

My Anchor

I've heard the oceans roar in jealousy

When we splash and play

Green, like sea foam envy

Watching every move we make

And knowing from the surface our hope goes so deep

Where sea meets sky, the winds try to force us to let go

Blowing us far...but, so far

such distance hasn't weakened it

and we embrace, like the tide that kisses the shore before it retreats.

You always bring me hope like fresh breezes of warm, salty air

and I cannot help but breathe in deep 

you clear my head....you steady me

I laugh when I think of the silly winds and how they try to force me to fail

Like it's some game...How can we get her to lose this hope?  That is ludicrous!

Besides, who needs to find one drop in an ocean this wide?

I used to fear I would sink

The ocean's roar and the gusting winds really got to me.

But, I'm learning there's really no rush and to let go of my anxiety

Regardless of what I perceive, You will always be enough.

To calm, to still, to anchor, to lovingly hush me

I know if the ocean would but ask, You could completely fill it with hope

and there is no reason for the winds to try to push me away

because everywhere is right where you are....with me.

Your love is my stay.

The Oil Press

A second garden mentioned in the Bible is Gethsemane.  I already talked about it previously, so I wasn't sure if I would go back to it, but I found something so interesting and inspiring when I was reading about these gardens that I had to share it.  I feel like I do this so much, but it cannot be ignored that names are important....the name Gethsemane literally means Oil Press.  It was a place where olives were taken, ground and crushed for oil.  That oil was (and still is) used for anointing, cleansing, preserving, and healing.  That was the place of the most intense PRESSURE for our Messiah where He experienced loneliness, abandonment, the anxiety of the cruel and cursed death He was about to face,betrayal and ultimately, the rejection He would suffer from His Father on our behalf.

He came to His own, and His own received him not. ~John 1:11

But, He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. ~Isaiah 53:3

We all face great pressures in our lives.  Even the word depression has PRESS in it and really is like a dent in our soul from having allowed our pressures to make a deep impact on us to the point where we start to believe the impact has ruined us.  But the Bible says:

We are hard pressed on every side, BUT NOT CRUSHED; perplexed, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR, persecuted, BUT NOT ABANDONED; struck down, BUT NOT DESTROYED. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may also be revealed in our mortal body.  So then, death IS at work in us, BUT LIFE IS AT WORK IN YOU.  ~2 Corinthians 4:8-12 (AMAZING!)

Messiah literally means "Smeared One" in Hebrew and that title really had no sense of power or authority to the Greeks or Romans.  Jesus is our "Smeared One" to cover us for cleansing, healing, anointing and salvation...but there may have been another reason why God led Jesus to an Olive Press on that day.  Olive Oil was also used to anoint the next King.  It was ceremonially smeared on their heads and was a symbol of their God-given authority and power....and suddenly, "Smeared One" takes on a whole new meaning, right?!  LOVE THAT!

Anyway, be encouraged.  No matter what you face, you will never be crushed, in despair, abandoned, or destroyed.  Will you smell the stench of death?  Yes....it will always be near as long as we are breathing, but LIFE IS AT WORK IN YOU if you have decided to carry Christ with you.  Much like a garden, we will always see life and death all around us, but life is always stronger than death because of His great love for us.

Partying With Dr. Howe

Remember Dr. Howe in the world are we going to pay for our kid's Orthodontic needs...err...Dr. Howe?  Well, he invited all his patients to an ice skating party in Chelsea tonight, so we decided to go and PAR-TAY!  Here are some pictures of our evening:

Loading some plates of fruit, pretzels and other treats....

....for the CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN...the best way to celebrate teeth!

We all pretty much looked like this after diving into that fountain, but Karly was probably the cutest with a chocolate goatee....it matched her brown eyes.

What Kassi will look like with braces :)

And....there was face painting...Kenna always wants a dolphin, but the cool thing about this one was that she could wiggle her eyebrow and make his tail move!

Danielle wanted an Alicorn...that is a winged unicorn....you learn something new everyday, right?!

Karly opted for a butterfly

Kassi always goes for something with rainbows

And, Savannah asked for a flute with music notes.  I was trying to figure out if the notes and rhythm could actually be a familiar song....but, I'm not so sure.

I did it too....couldn't resist.  I said, "maybe some kind of exotic flower....oh, just surprise me."  Karly says I have clementines on my face and Savannah says it looks like I have peaches on my face :)  PEACHY!

Today Is Definitely The Bee's Knees!

It's Friday, so we can use the word in the definition, right?  Why bee's knees and not eel's ankle or snake's hip?....actually both of those were also complimentary phrases back in the day...referring to the "coolest" of all cool things, but they didn't last like bee's knees.

So, what's so special about bee's knees? 

It's where all the goodness is stored. 

Enjoy the SWEETNESS! I am!

Here's a compliment for you so you can stay "cool" too!

This is from Daily Odd Compliments...

Right Here

I Am Not Alone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2oel0_Xa54

There Was Eve And There Was Mourning

My mom gave me a book called, Eve's Song last time she visited us.  It is an allegory about Eve's life and her relationship with God, Adam, and her sons as seen through several of Eve's memories.  So far, it has been very moving....I had to put it down to let some of it sink in yesterday when Adam and Cain lost their crops to drought and wild birds....it's all starting to show how the curse of sin became a reality to them.  A reality that we live in everyday, but they were just beginning to experience and the contrast between the two different ways of life for them.  And there is a part where Cain and Abel make offerings to GOD that was so moving to me. I wondered how interesting the book would be because I feel like I have heard the story of Adam and Eve, or told the story so many times to kids that I doubted the author could bring anything new out it....but she definitely is.  She also has flooded the book with scripture and poetry (which I love), but she works it into her pages naturally as so many of Eve's memories include spiritual songs....psalms.  At the end of each page, she has so many references of where Eve's ideas came from for that page....who she understands God to be....how she got to where she is....how He is redeeming her and calling her back to a relationship with Him....and the joy she finds through it all.

I always like names and meanings and have been fascinated with God's use of them throughout scripture.  Like Adam means "man", but also "earthen" and "made"...and Eve means "life", "breathe" and "life bearer". Eden means "place of pleasure" or "delight".

 
Ironically, the "life" in the garden was the first to introduce death to all men through sin.  Haven't we all, at one time or another, been TOTALLY TICKED at Eve?!  But, then we ladies usually feel the need to defend her by accusing Adam (and all males, naturally) and the battle of blame begins just like it did in the first garden.  So, how would we fare if we were the first?  Would I want to be in Eve's shoes?  (Even though she probably didn't wear any shoes :)  No, thanks!

The gardens in the Bible are such interesting places.  The scenes that unfold in them are paramount to our spiritual lives.  My whole "wedding garden" thought from walking around my yard the other night, coupled with the book I am reading right now has started me into a study of the gardens in the Bible.  Gardens pose as places of serenity, but the gardens in the Bible seem to be places of ultimate showdowns of good verses evil...in a garden there is always evidence of life and death.  I feel a theme coming on :P  I know that makes you happy too. So, yes....there was EVE and there was mourning.

But, my mind goes back to Audrey Hepburn's quote...."To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow" What does that mean for us if GOD planted DELIGHT for us to live in....I'd say He has some plans.