Joyful Transformation

A few nights ago I stopped at a store to get a snack after playing tennis in Huntsville. I was short on cash so I paid for my purchase with my debit card. When I returned to my car I was sitting there with my windows down reading an e-mail on my Treo. This man approached me after I had sat there for four or five minutes and apologized for asking but said he was $16.00 short of having enough money to get back in his room. (I truly have no clue what he was talking about). He said “I am not a bad person and I don’t usually do this kind of thing, but I don’t know what else to do”. He told me he had gone into the store and asked if there were odd jobs he could do to make the money. I had exactly $6.00 in cash. I wish I had gotten “cash-back” on my debit card purchase where I would have more to give him, but I did give him the $6.00. He was very grateful. But I drove away wondering if I should have offered him a ride or if I should have tried to get him the other $10.00 he needed. I know I have a responsibility to take care of myself and not to put myself in a position that I must call on God to rescue me. But I worry when I don’t go the second mile.

I am not asking for advice or admonishment. It is a lot easier to see danger for others than you do for yourself. But shouldn’t there be a way I could help someone who clearly needs it without putting myself in danger? What would you do?

You know they say that the definition of insanity is doing the same old things the same old ways and expecting different results. I have seen people that make mistakes or just lapses in judgment and then seem totally surprised that they are right back in trouble when they “do it” again.

But to be fair I think God blesses us with the ability to forget. Sometimes we would never try to do good things again if we remembered all of our failures. So while we can be hard on people for repeating mistakes in their lives we should also be thankful that we have the ability to persevere through trials to try new things or old things in new ways.

Last night I fit it into the first category. I developed a bit of a Diet Mt. Dew addiction from my time spent at UAB. As we left the hospital last night I grabbed a nice cold Diet Mt. Dew on the way out. This probably would not have been so bad, I think I can assimilate 20 ounces of caffeine laced drink and still be able to sleep. BUT, when David dropped me at my car I went to Wal-Mart. Not really thinking about it being 9:00 p.m. and that I had already had one tonight, I grabbed a Diet Mt. Dew at the check out counter. As I watched the top of each hour click off I pondered my folly and vowed to not repeat this behavior. But as I lay there I remembered that I had made this mistake before, so I guess that all of you who have declared that “Donna is crazy” were right!

No pain no gain! Take lemons and make lemonade….you know we have a lot of clichés for taking the bad to get the good. I guess that is because even the best days have shadows. I just choose not to dwell in the shadows, but to enjoy the good things that God has blessed me with in my life.

Yesterday I picked Diana up early. I was going to drop her off at the hospital while I was playing tennis in Birmingham and then go back and spend the afternoon with her and the babies. However, we did not plan on the tractor-trailer rig that had caught fire at 3:00 in the morning still having interstate traffic at a crawl. We spent two hours making a trip that usually takes 20 minutes. She ended up dropping me at the tennis courts and having to come back and get me later. That cut into both of our time with the babies, but what we did get to spend was all good.

The weather was perfect for tennis. I even got a little bit sunburned. I hated being rushed when I first got there, but it ended up being a lot of fun. I was not able to claim victory in singles or in doubles, but it was a beautiful day, and I played well, so I don’t mind.

Then getting to see the sweet babies after missing the last two days was great. They are so sweet and such little miracles. I just love to touch them and hold them and take their pictures….

After I took Diana home I stopped by to see Matthew. We played in the sandbox and we played Batman! He is such a bundle of energy right now. I just love spending time with him.

Then it was time to meet with the sisters at church after missing the last several Wednesday nights. It was good to see everyone and spend some time talking about our spiritual walk and praying for each other.

So I think it was a great day! A perfect day? No! But a great day….YES!

Thank you Lord blessing me more than I deserve and more than I can even appreciate. Help me to be a blessing to others in return.

Last night I played tennis for the first time since the babies were born. Frankly I didn’t want to go. But I had a great time. My partner in this league is 29 weeks pregnant. So I feel like I am right at home taking care of her, making sure she don’t get too tired, picking up the balls for her etc. We really have a lot of fun playing together.

Last night just for added pleasure God painted the sky with the most amazing sunset. Swirling variations of red and pink against the backdrop of the mountains was breathtaking. I was glad I was outside to experience it.

Today I am off to play tennis again. This will be my first time to play with the day league this spring…..I have been a little tied up. It is sunny and supposed to be close to seventy today. Perfect tennis weather….but then again it is perfect for most anything (well maybe not snow-skiing).When I finish tennis I am going to see me some babies!!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

I am not a big Jimmy Durante fan, but I remember the song that was done in the Oscar nominated movie-(NOT) “My Stepmother Is an Alien”. The words are:

Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to go,
and still have the feeling that you wanted to stay? ...

For some reason this song popped into my head last night.

Then there was the Clash song “Should I Stay or Should I Go”:

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An’ if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

Transformation often involves coming and going. Many times it involves making decisions that will tear your heart apart. Just when you think you know the answer to a particularly difficult question you are thrown a curve ball that changes your perspective. And yet the one thing that is certain about transformation; you will NOT stay the same.

Perhaps the truth is that transformation is not always “joyful”. Realizing that your thinking has been changed to such an extent that you find it difficult to relate to people who think just like you used to think is tough.

Sometimes when I pray for God to open my eyes I don’t really mean it. I don’t really want to accept the reality of what I am seeing. And I do NOT want to make difficult decisions. It is easier just to drift along and hope that everything works out.

But God did not call us into a life of being passive. He wants us to make a difference in His world. He wants us to touch His people by showing His love to them. I cannot do this while staying in the cocoon. To fly like a butterfly I must be able to break free of the ugliness of the cocoon.

Twenty years ago I started attending East Cullman. I came to church alone with my son who had just turned five and my daughter who was two years old. I came from a small church full of relatives, including my parents. I was used to having lots of help handling these two, but I felt that I needed to make the change to give them more opportunities to make friends. I also had hoped that a wider range of people our age would encourage David to come with us to church. Well, whatever the reasons those first couple of years was sometimes very challenging. My daughter had a wonderful couple who taught her Sunday school class. She never minded staying with them. She loved them because they loved all of the kids in their class. I am not sure how it happened, but looking back I am sure they were watching me, but we ended up sitting close to them during worship services. Diana was a bit of a wiggle worm, but this kind man could calm her just by tickling her arm with a pencil. I truly don’t know how I would have survived those early years without this wonderful couple. I guess this is one reason I am a proponent for children’s Church. It would have been easy for me to quit in those days, but if there had been an alternative for the children it would have been easier on all of us.

Yesterday after church, this same sweet lady made a bee-line for me. She wanted to tell me that she and her husband had decided that they would do something every month for the triplets. I was speechless. To know that they had sat down together and decided to do something special for my child was overwhelming to me. This during a time when they have struggled with their own health issues and knowing that they have a grandchild who has special needs; truly filled my heart with love and appreciation for the wonderful spirit of this couple.

You cannot express love to me in any greater way than by loving my children…..

Don’t you think this is what God was trying to tell us in Matthew 25?

I always need to be reading, but it is hard for me to concentrate for very long right now. Fortunately I received the other two Henri Nouwen books I ordered this week. One of them is daily readings for Lent. I am behind but am picking up the readings and I will read the first weeks when I get a chance.

The other book is called the Inner Voice of Love. It reminds me a little of our daily blogs. He says he took these spiritual imperatives from his journal. Each topic is short but packed full of meaning. It is just what I needed right now.

I wonder if some day I could go back and pick through the things I post on my blog and find lessons that I have learned that would be worth sharing with others.....Food for thought.


Here is the last paragrah (5 of 5) of a chapter called Know Yourself as Truly Loved.

The more you come to know yourself-spirit, mind, and body-as truly loved, the freer you will be to proclaim the good news. That is the freedom of the children of God.

Good stuff! Don't you think?

This morning the sun was shining when I came out of the gym. 6:15 and sunny, not dark! Hoorah! At last! I can even bear the 34° temperature when the sun is shining.

I was a little amazed at what a good mood it put me in. I almost skipped to my car (well, I thought about it). I truly felt that the promise of spring was in the air.

Then I got to the traffic lights that I routinely run in the mornings, in the dark. Somehow it didn’t seem like the right thing to do in the bright sunlight. Was it that I think I can see cars coming in the dark with their lights on? Did I think more people could see me in the light of day? I really don’t know what the difference was, but I do know that behavior that I thought was OK in the darkness did not feel “right” in the light of day. Hmmm, I think I may have read that somewhere before.

Do you read stuff and say to yourself "I am going to remember that!" and then promptly forget it? Well I do. That is one reason I share quotes and things here. It helps me to remember.

Today I was reading Donald Miller's "Searching for God Know's What" during lunch. He said the words spoken by one of his friends made an impact on him, and I think they have made an impact on me as well. So I will share them with you.

His friend said that "Nobody he knows who is successful gambles; rather they work hard, they accept the facts of reality, they enjoy life as it is." He said further that "Reality is like a fine wine, it will not appeal to children".

I think like a fine wine, I need to mull over that one for awhile.

I couldn't comment to anyone with Word-Verification last night.

I can't upload pictures with blogger (I can still post them by using my photo-bucket account)

I don't guess that is so much really, but I hate inconveniences. I do love knowing a way around the problem though!

I got my e-mail to work on my Treo yesterday. That was pretty cool! However, I am trying to switch to Outlook at work after years of using Outlook Express. Change agent that I am, when something is not broke, I hate to start messing with it.....For now I am flipping back and forth, but have to have Outlook on to Sync my device. Don't that sound hi-tech? Too bad I don't really know what I am talking about. It was fun to e-mail pictures of the babies as I took them yesterday.


My quote for today made me think of Terri. (anything to keep the focus off of me...)

How can I tell what I think till I see what I say?

Edward Foster

You will invest your life in something, or you will throw it away on nothing.

Haddon Robinson

Today was my first day back to Spin class in two weeks. I needed it! Hospital food and stress eating have taken their toll on my waistline….not to mention my thighs!

It is so great to walk into a room where you are comfortable and feel accepted even after a long absence. The sense of community and camaraderie bring a smile to my face. Most people there don’t know me well enough to ask about the babies, but several did. That didn’t really matter. I wasn’t there just to socialize. I NEEDED to work out.

I got to thinking about a post I read yesterday where the author was aggravated (he used different terminology) because his church services were not aggravating him. Nobody was pushing him or asking him why he wasn’t giving more or doing more or basically holding him accountable in any way.

In Spin class, it is up to me how hard I work. You can be a slacker and nobody can really tell the difference except you; but, the instructor pushing me, asking me to go harder, stronger, longer….motivates me. An atmosphere of fun and participation makes the effort worth while.

My service to my God is up to me too. However, I don’t think it is too much to ask to have an atmosphere that pushes and encourages me to do my best. Service is much like exercise, to see any real change, any real progress you are going to feel some pain. Nothing worth while is easy.

I think my brain is empty.....

Or maybe just too full to get anything out, you probably have a drawer or a glove compartment like that....so full you can't find what you need.

Thanks for your thoughts yesterday. I feel like I was asking permission or something, but my point was that we have to be careful when we impose our opinions on others. It actually helped me today. I was talking to a girl who is in a situation that I THINK she should get out of, but I remembered to be supportive of whatever decisions she had made. I liked that I thought to do that.

Diana went home yesterday. She is feeling pretty good. We are going to see the babies in about 30 minutes. I am trying to get caught up at work. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will never catch up on blogs. I will just have to pick up anew.

Yesterday I chose to go the race with Terri. As you all know by now we were rained out.

Many people questioned my choice of going to the race on the day Diana was to be released from the hospital. I felt like it was a good day since both Joseph and David were available to help her. I have been there for her on the days that nobody else could be.

It reminds me of many things in life that are neither right or wrong, but just a matter of choice. We can criticize others or we can support them. I can assure you that if most people are like me, they do not respond real well to the criticism. However, if you support me, even if you think I am wrong, I will give some consideration to your opinion.

I think that when we try to force our opinions on others when they are obviously just that,OPINIONS, we build a wall between us and other people. Maybe like me you need to be reminded of this.

Diana is much better. She had a rough morning yesterday but started feeling better around lunch time. Of course she is extremely sore, but she looks and acts like herself now.

The babies are doing great. Both of the girls have mature lungs and are eating good (did you know they used itty-bitty feeding tubes on preemies?....me either). Little Eli is eating twice as much as the girls but his lungs are not quite mature. They say this is common in boys. I told my husband they were expending all their energy trying to develop "other parts". He is doing much better today though. They still have him on some oxygen, but it is just in the isolette and not direct to his nose or mouth.

It is hard to look at those little bitty bundles of joy and know that they were crammed inside of Diana a few days ago, and that we will be taking them home in a few weeks! So much to digest. I think that UAB is a state of the art hospital and I know that they are all getting great care; however, I will be glad to put that daily trip out of my life.

I am so tired. I don't have anything profound or even interesting to say. Give me a break, I suddenly have FOUR grandkids! I have been able to read your comments through my e-mail, and I have been able to check a few blogs from time to time. (the Palm Treo is a tempermental and somewhat slow way to check the internet). Thank you again for all your well wishes. I hope to be back as a regular in blog-land soon.




Diana, Donna and Alissa.

(No favortism here, she was just the one Diana got to hold when Terri was there to make a picture!)

Baby A-Ava

Baby B-Elisha-Eli

Baby C-Alissa-Ali

sorry for delay

The babies are doing great! They have been moved from ICU to CCU which in this case stands for Continued Care not critical care!

Diana had a real tough night. She is allergic to morphine and they didn't seem to know what to give her. It was 9:00 p.m. before she got anything for pain.....surgery at 2:50! Please pray for her she is still in a lot of pain.

If you really want to see them.....(I know you do) click here.


Thank you so much for your prayers and sweet comments. It truly means a lot to me.

Update baby A-girl 2lbs 14oz baby B-boy 3lbs 8oz baby C girl 2lb 12oz

They are here and doing great. Of course they are beautiful details later

Good chance we are having babies today. Prayers please!

33 weeks pregnant with triplets! I need to get a picture of her feet!


Well, the Doctor told her this morning if she has not gone before then we will have babies next Tuesday March 21st.
It is good to have a worse-case scenario to work with.




My quote from yesterday on friendship is from Henri Nouwen in Our Second Birth.


He says;


I have come to discover that friendship is a real discipline. Nothing can be taken for granted; nothing happens automatically, nothing comes without concentrated effort. Friendship requires trust, patience, attentiveness, courage, repentance, forgiveness, celebration and most of all faithfulness.

I think we all knew that…..but it is good to be reminded. If it seems like my life is too busy for friends, it probably is. Having friends requires that you take time to develop and nurture those relationships.

Well, I am off to the hospital. I will keep you all posted.

Have you ever felt like you have lost a week of your life? That is where I am. Everything has stabilized. Diana’s blood pressure has normalized, her protein is barely positive, and her contractions have mostly stopped. I told her she had a lot of people praying those babies stayed in there longer. I think she would like to respectfully request that you pray that they would go ahead and arrive, but healthy of course.





You know last week I was feeling like the one discipline I lacked in my life was a time of solitude and silence. It is amazing how the Lord can humble you. He can MAKE you be still if you refuse to do it on your own. I have even been journaling with PEN AND PAPER!! Can you imagine? Sometimes it seems the thoughts flow freer when I am actually writing; it is just that my hand can’t keep up with my brain. Not that I am that great a typist, but I can type much faster than I write. It seems that I don’t stop and “muse” as much either at a key board. Knowing that you can go back and delete or reword that last sentence makes it easier to type than to put it down in ink!

I have thought a great deal about friendship during my time alone. It seems to be the new reoccurring theme in the books that I am reading. I have a great quote to share with you and some great thoughts, but my book is in the car and I may need something to share later.

However, I am struggling with several things. As part of my “Transformation” I want to be sure that I am not being carried around with every wind of doctrine. I am studying, I am praying and I am asking for wisdom. Yesterday I read this passage, and since then I have read it repeatedly.

James 1: 5- 8 (NLT)
If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.

I need wisdom. I have asked God and I am sure that he will show me an answer. But if you don’t mind, remind me. Sometimes I get caught up in this day-to-day life and forget to diligently seek his will and his answers. I don’t want to be like a wave of the sea!

I had a little time before my tennis match, so I learned to mobile blog! Yep,this came straight from my cell phone! Now I can let you all know.

I am going to hit some tennis balls today. I need to do something physical. Sitting in a hospital room makes me hungry and sleepy. I think they send sublmiminal messages to that area of the hospital Diana is in. She has gained 5 lbs since Monday (that is a good thing). Mom gaining weight....not a good thing.

I have been playing a game with myself while at the hospital. I speak to everyone I get on the elevator with. Not just, "hey, how are you?" but actual conversations. It has been interesting and enlightning. Those conversations may just make an interesting post some day.

Have you noticed "themes" among the blogs that you read? I don't know if it is because we all read a lot of the same people or what, but it seems like everyone I read will get on the same subject at the same time. Sometimes it is spooky that it is something I am dealing with in my life.

A couple of weeks ago (I think, I have no concept of time anymore), everyone was blogging aobut homosexuality. Oddly enough the class I was teaching got off on this subject. It was good that I had been exposed to a lot of different view points when trying to "corral" this group and some of their thoughts.

Lately the talk has been on giving/helping the poor and needy. I think I read three or four post this moring that deal with that subject in one way or the other. Being a good steward is a constant struggle for me. I am convinced that we neglect a great blessing when we routinely write checks and hope that our money is put to good use. I don't have any great insights into this matter, nothing that would change the way you think or act. But I do feel that I have been a part of the great "cop-out" of writing checks. I think giving is a command, but it is much like the sacrifices that God despised in the Old Testament, if we are not giving with our hearts behind it, we are just going through the motions. God LOVES a cheerful giver (that is for you TL). We have said it so many times we don't know what it means. But I think that giving with our hearts involved is THE way to walk as Jesus walked and to feel the spirit in our lives. The main thing to remember here is that Jesus didn't have any MONEY! To give as Jesus gave may not involve money at all. At the same time he does expect us to honor him with all of our gifts and blessings!

Don't just write a check, find something you are passionate about and MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Don't you love the hour-glass? That pretty much sums up how we all feel right now!

God is good. He answers prayers, but sometimes when we get the answer we are not sure it is what we wanted after all.

Diana's blood pressure has normalized and her contractions have basically stopped. She is eating and resting better in the hospital. The babies are doing great. Hopefully they are growing bigger and stronger every day.

**Diana's mood is not so wonderful....she is ready to get this show on the road or go home. If you have spent any time in a hospital you can relate. Hopefully she want have to wait too much longer.

Sorry to be sporadic with the news, but I don't have my computer with me at the hospital. Trust me, when they get here I WILL get the word out!

I did not play tennis when I was young. I picked up a racket a few times and David and I used to get out and hit some. I learned to do a lot of things the wrong way. Now, what I do is still tennis and sometimes I do it wrong well enough to still win. But to grow and develop as a tennis player I have got to “un-learn” a few things. Then I can learn the proper form and technique and be able to take my game to the next level.

The hard thing about this is that they way I do it now “feels” so right. And if I could be content to keep playing the same people in the same way I would not have to change at all. I could keep on swinging away at volleys and hit short balls out. But I know I have got to step out of my comfort zone to grow into a better tennis player.

Why is it sometimes so hard to admit that we just learned something “wrong”? The only thing shameful about this is refusing to be shown that there is another way.

Well, the contractions have slowed and her blood pressure has normalized so currently we are letting the babies "cook" a little longer.

Diana is an emotional roller coaster as you can imagine. She is quite miserable, but feeling better since they have stopped the Magnesium and the Demerol.

After Terri's report yesterday somebody missed an order and they put her back on the Mag for a couple of hours, this slowed the contractions, thus the wait.

This morning she had not dilated anymore but has effaced to the point that they can feel one of the babies heads when they check her....I'm not sure if you will think that is cool or gross...I find it pretty cool.

Trying to get a shower and get back to B'ham before the storm hits. Sorry, I don't have time to catch up with everyone. But I do think about you and find comfort knowing that you are praying for me and mine.

I have gotten in some good reading during my waits. I am sure I will have much to say when half my brain is not an hour away with my little girl.

Love and gratitude,
Donna

Diana is feeling better. They have taken her off the Magnesium and pain relievers and she is getting to eat and move around. She is still having contractions but they have slowed to one every six to ten minutes. We really need those babies to hold off another week, but I know God will provide. Thank you all for your prayers. It is wonderful to see my baby feeling good again.

Joe is staying overnight tonight and I will head back first thing in the morning. I will update when I can.


----

On the renaming the blog, most of you liked "Transforming Joy" and so did I, but I have been thinking about it and it is not really an acurate description of me. My joy (or Joy) is not changing. However, I am changing...evolving, transforming.... So I am proposing the name
"Joyful Transformation". I think it suits a little better. See what you think....I am going to see how it looks.

I don't know how many of you have tried to sleep in a hospital lately, but let me tell you, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE without drugs.

Diana's labor has stopped with the magnesium. It makes her feel awful though. And they are giving her Demerol as well. She threw-up three times last night and this morning. Her contractions completely stopped last night, but when they took her drip away she was back to having contractions two minutes apart. She is miserable. The Magnesium makes her irritable and she takes that out on Mom...but I don't mind.

We are hoping to get another dose of steroids in the babies at 1:30 this afternoon and then they want her to make it another 24 hours. So it is possible that after 1:30 on Wednesday we might have babies...

Thank you so much for your prayers, I ask that you would continue. It is hard to see my baby suffering.

I love you all,
Donna

I had to share with you the "Daily Meditation" portion of the reading I am doing for Lent.

-------

Daily Meditation:
Bring us back to you.

We repeat our desire that God bring us home from our wandering.
We know that in the confusion that surrounds us and can fill us,
we need the gift of Wisdom.

It is fitting that our very first "lesson" in our faith,
is the last judgment scene that Jesus paints for us.
We will be judged on whether we:
fed the hungry
welcomed the stranger
clothed the naked
comforted the sick
visited the imprisoned.

It is powerful to re-learn this wisdom - Jesus identifies with each of these "least" cared for.

Who might we feed, welcome, clothe, comfort or visit this week?
As my heart might "resist" this mission,
I might beg to be brought back, with all my heart.

Daily Reading Matthew 25: 31-46

Last May I pondered the science of naming a blog. You can read my deep thoughts here.

This weekend it was suggested that I consider renaming my blog. Some think that the name "Chit Chat" does not fit. Going back to my original logic, I am not sure that it does not fit me perfectly. However, since you all know that I am always up for change, and can certainly appreciate a good challenge I am considering a change.

My middle initial J- stands for Joy. So in honor of the DCB concert I am thinking
"You are my joy" or something else with joy like...
"Sharing my joy"
"Joy to the World"

or something totally unrelated to joy, like
"What I am thinking"
"A piece of my mind"
"Flirtin with Disaster"
"No Promises"

or I think I like this one...
"Transforming Joy"

How about it? Do you want to chime in? How about some suggestions....

We all have them...you know, mountain top experiences. The two Zoe conferences I have been to qualify as such events. Now this weekend will go right along side those. My spirit is still soaring within me today. (Is it Tennessee?)

After our wonderful afternoon in the park with my new friends Angie, Tommy, Kim, Megan, Greg and my old pal Terri and a great dinner at BB Kings (folks everyone was being nice to me, knowing I would only eat fish on Friday for Lent) we went on to the concert.

Terri and I had great seats (the other group had floor level seats which I am sure were equally as good) and settled in to enjoy..... Neither or us knew much about the David Crowder Band, but we loved his high energy performance. I jumped and jumped. All his quirkly little mannerisms made him quiet endearing. I think my favorite thing (even though I will rarely admit to liking Bluegrass) was when they sang I'lll Fly Away with Third Day. It was amazing.

The Third Day experience took me to a higher plane. I felt their music and the message of their songs in my very soul. I played my CD as loud as I could stand it on the way to church this morning. I was ready to worship.



Here is a shot of the bloggers....Terri and Tommy forgot their lipstick so I opted for B&W!

It is hard to get comfortable on this sidewalk. But comfort seems to be such a small part of his life anymore. At least the sun has been warm today. He is not sure what it is that has awakened him, but he feels compelled to get up.

There is a group of people sitting around that picnic table. There are one, two, three…..one, two, three, four…..that vodka makes it hard to count. Surely, one of them has a cigarette.

“Excuse me,” he says. “Do you have a cigarette?”

“No sir” they say, “we do not smoke”.

“Are you Christians?” he asked. Nobody had called him sir in such a long time. These people must know Jesus.

“Well, yes we are”. They said

“May, I approach?” he asked. He wasn’t sure why he was drawn to this strange mixture of folks, but something told him he needed to be there.

------------------------------

The sun was absolutely beautiful. The group was sitting along a channel on the Mississippi river. Though they had just met a bond was forming, a bond that seemed to defy human logic. After introductions and the sharing of the awesome cookies the group decided to sit around a picnic table. Someone pointed out the homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk, but he was far enough away from them to be bothered by their talk or to bother them with his snoring.

The thoughtful group from Mississippi had brought the necessary elements to share in communion together. This was a sweet and inspiring time of worship. Their hearts and minds were joined together as they thought about the sacrifice that made all of this possible.

Then, in an effort to get to know each other better five questions were presented to each of the seven people present. They didn’t get very far down the list before they were interrupted. The question they were discussing was “What are you currently struggling with?” The group had shared some very emotional and heartfelt issues when the homeless man who wanted a cigarette approached them.

It was clear to the group that God had sent Ramón to them. The struggles they faced paled in comparison with the thoughts of an addiction that robbed you of your dignity. Ramón wore a shirt covered in his own vomit. But he wanted to know if they were Christians, he wanted to know if they would pray for him.

Ramón joined this group around the table, and they prayed for Ramon while joining hands and laying their hands on him. But the beauty of the day was that Ramon returned the favor by praying for all of them.

Many things were said. Much history was shared. Ramon a self proclaimed Cuban redneck, even shared in the total disdain that the Alabama ladies have for Jeff Gordon. In another lifetime he had worked for Rousch Racing. (NASCAR speak)

While this new faith community could not address all of the problems of Ramón, they could leave him the bread and juice they brought for communion. The Mississippi group did leave him a blanket for the evening. But hopefully they all left him with the knowledge that God did love him, and His people cared about him no matter where he was.

.....Because I know the group at the table heard God speak to them through Ramón.

Terri and I are heading to Memphis tomorrow....Third Day Concert with David Crowder tomorrow night!!! Woo Hoo!!







We will also get to meet fellow blogger Tommy and his lovely wife Kim as well as some of their friends.

I am so excited!!!

Saying thank you seems like an inadequate expression of what I feel about the privilege to pray for so many and the honor of having you pray for me, but they are the only words I have, so thank you!

Do you feel welcomed when you come to visit my blog? Do I sometimes make you smile or maybe even give you something to think about? Do you enjoy sharing a part of my family life and even my personal choices (like getting my hair cut)?

Is it possible that this is a form of hospitality?

Father thank you for an absolutely awesome day! The weather where I am is wonderful and I thank you for the blessing of being able to get out and enjoy the warmth of your love poured out in the sunshine.

Father, I have felt a sense of peace knowing that people are praying for me and for my family. I feel blessed to have such wonderful friends. I would like to ask a few more favors Lord.

Please be with Jenni on her birthday. Help her to enjoy this day and feel peace and happiness in her heart.

Thank you for Jetty Betty, thank you for her desire to lead a class and Lord we ask that you will bless her as she is a blessing to others.

Thank you for Kelley. Thank you for her love in compiling many prayer request. Lord be with her husband as he travels and pour out your blessings in all of their lives.

Father, please be with Mark. Grant him your presence in his life. Give him the perseverance to stay on the journey. Fill his life with peace and Lord with happiness. Be with his family and help them to draw closer to you and to each other. Help him find the light that will direct his path, but Lord also help him to be the light that you would have him be.

Father be with my precious friend Susie. Give her happiness and love in her life as she gives it so freely to those she is around. Thank you for her wonderful attitude and her engaging smile. Bless her and her family Lord. Shower them in your love.

Father we continue our prayer to you today. Father we ask that you grant your love, peace and comfort to Gailyn and Becky Van Rheenen in the loss of their son Jonathan. Many of us read about them through Mike Cope today, but did not know that they were friends of our brother Paul. Father, we know that you feel the loss with them and that only you can give them strength to face the days ahead. We ask that you will also be with Jonathan’s wife Nicole and his children Eli and Eva. We ask you to be with his brother and sisters and to comfort all who are devastated by this loss.

Father, I pray that you will be with Lisa. She is traveling this weekend and we pray that you will keep her safe on her journey. Continue to bless her in all that she does and grant her courage to be a light for you wherever she goes.

Dear Lord, our prayer will be without ceasing today. We pray for all who read this and request you to bless their lives in the ways that they need. We praise your name for your goodness and mercy to us. Thank you for giving us this avenue of prayer.

Father, Thank you so much for all the many blessings you pour into our lives. Thank you that we have formed this community of bloggers. Lord, my life has been so richly blessed by meeting my brothers and sisters that are scattered throughout this country and even in other countries. I know that I would have never had the opportunity to meet most of these wonderful people if not for “blogging”. Thank you for the encouragement and the friendships that have formed

While we are united in our love for you and our concern for each other, we are all also under attack and Lord we humbly ask for your blessings on this community. Father, bless us with wisdom and shower us with your love. Give us the courage to stand up and be counted for you and to recognize the arrows of the Enemy. There are many more of our blogging friends that need your special love and attention right now. You know their needs Lord and you know their hearts. I pray that you will bless them as well as those who have indicated special needs.

Thank you for Allen and his passion to have this day to join our voices in prayer to you. Father, equip him with a special measure of wisdom and love. Help him to be the husband and dad that he wants to be. Give him peace about his role in his local church family. Help him to work through any conflicts he may have in this area of his life. Help his work situation to be resolved in a way most beneficial to all and in the way to bring glory to you. Allen wants to be more like Jesus. He has great thoughts about evangelism. Help him in these pursuits. Guard and keep him safe Father, he is my precious brother.

Father I also ask that you will be with his beautiful wife Chris. Thank you for her courage in stepping up to lead in their retreat this weekend. Give her courage and fill her with your spirit that her words may help the hearts of the ladies there to open to you more fully. Help her as she wants to be a better wife, mother and friend. Give her wisdom to see where you want her to be and Lord give her peace to know that you are with her wherever she is. Help her to be thankful and to reach a deeper level of prayer and study. Guard their boys and help she and Allen to honor you with their wealth. Hold Chris in your hands and shower her with your love.

Father we ask your blessings on our sister Jeanna. She has been through so much this year and God I am so grateful that she is more determined than ever to live for you. Keep her heart pure and cleanse her of any stray thoughts that may dwell there. Build a hedge around her and Dwight and bless their marriage as they commit it to you. Help their family to be healthy and happy and to all experience a wonderful year together.

Father, please be with Jeff. Help him to develop habits and discipline to eliminate procrastination from his life. Help him to be aware of his priorities and to follow through on his commitments. Bless him with wisdom in dealing with his wealth, both of money and talent. Fill him with your spirit and guide him as he grows into his role as a peacemaker. Father help him in all areas of his life be the man you would have him to be.

Father be with my friend Terri. Give her an attitude of love and tolerance. Help her heart to grow in love that she may be move giving and loving to those around her. Help her to know her value to those around her. Give her courage and strength to continue to be the beautiful woman of Yours that she is.

Father I pray for my sister Amy. Give her guidance as she makes tough decisions regarding school and work. Continue to keep her and her family safe in your loving arms. Thank you for the encourager that she is.

Dear Lord, please be with our sweet sister Dee. Please heal her foot quickly that she may be up and about serving others as she longs to do. Bless her and Tom as they prepare to sell their house. Help it to sell quickly where they can move closer to their family and to Tom’s work. Bless their search for a new house. Guard their steps and bless their search with just the right location. Father, I pray that you will give Dee and Tom a wonderful year filled with spiritual gifts.

Father, please continue to be with all of the victims of the storms that ravaged our coast last year. Please help them to find the way in returning their lives to normal. Remind us all Lord to remember them and to be open to opportunities to serve. Thank you for so many who have served so tirelessly.

Lord, I pray that you will shower your peace on my sweet friend Jenni. Help her to be less stressed at work, and help her to find ways to make her work schedule less hectic. Give her peace of mind as she strives to serve you. Help her to trust you and to sign on for the journey you have in store for her. Help her to realize her value to you and her influence on those around her.

Father, please be with my friend Paul. Help him to grow into the man you want him to be. Give him the courage to accept your love and healing and to continue to offer it to others as he does so well. Bless him in his relationship with his children and continue your blessings on Elizabeth, Jonathon and Jeremy. Father Paul has such a good heart for missions and we pray with him that you will bless those who work tirelessly in the mission fields. Lord, grant him patience in dealing with the second grade children in his life, help him to be a light for you to them. Friendship and love is important to Paul. I pray that you will richly bless his life with relationships that will encourage and strengthen him. I pray that he will find the person he seeks to share his life with, but Lord I pray that he will seek your will in this as in all things. Father, completely heal his heart and rid him of any anger and bitterness that may remain.

Dear Lord, I ask that you continue to bless Diana and the babies. Please Lord keep them healthy and safe. Help her to carry the babies long enough to develop their lungs as fully as possible. But please Lord, protect her health; she is such a precious light in my life. I know that you love her too and will watch out for her.

Father be with others of our community that are expecting babies. We also pray that you will be with all the moms and dads out there. Give them wisdom to be the parents that you would have them to be.

Hear our prayers oh Lord. Shine your favor upon us. Surround us in your love and mercy. Keep our hearts and our minds focused on you.

In the precious name of Jesus I pray...
Amen!