A John 10:10 Life

The New Living Translation of John 10:10 states "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." Last Sunday, April 20, we had the experience of that kinds of life.

After attending worship we came home and got ourselves ready for the Mighty Kite Flight 2008. We piled in the Surburban and drove to Flat Rock, NC for this free kite flying event. Jesse has just recently become obsessed with kites. He has a thing for items that go up (umbrellas, balloons, kites). It is quite cute. He used his own birthday money to buy a Buzz Lightyear kite from Target especially for this event. We took our other kites that MeMaw purchased for us and were looking forward to the day. God blessed us with clear, beautiful, blue skies and plenty of WIND!!!

ALL of us had a blast. The kids had their pics taken by two different photographers (which was a blessing since our camera battery died at the event). Jesse has "kite face" from looking up into the sky for 3 hours. He doesn't even mind the sunburn. Joseph tried flying a kite and Jesse and JoyAnn worked very well as a team. Nathan thouroughly enjoyed himself also flying both his bi-plane kite and Jesse's Buzz kite. We met a delightful famly from Table Rock, SC and exchanged information. They had three gorgeous girls very close in age to our own kiddos.

What I am getting at is, God desires for us to enjoy Him. That is what we did that day. We didn't care how much gas cost. We didn't care if the kids made a mess, had an accident or got sick. I wasn't afraid of the crowds. We completely and passionaltely enjoyed ourselves, our family and the creation that OUR God had made. It was "life to the fullest". I treasure the memory and pray for many more days like this!

This song is a beautiful reminder that life is more then just what happens in our own little corner. I have never had the opportunity to go overseas on a mission trip and have NEVER been to a third world country. Yet, watching this video made me realize that I have so many fears. I have so many selfish, irrational thoughts. I feel entitled sometimes to a life of ease and privilege because of who I am and where I live. How utterly disgusting is that? How unlike Christ is that attitude? God forgive me for thinking that I somehow have achieved something, earned something, deserve something.



My heart is pricked by this video. My mind challenged. My faith tested. I hope you enjoy the video. Sara Groves is one of my FAVORITE artists. Have a good day.



Here are the lyrics to I Saw what I Saw:



I saw what I saw and I can’t forget it
I heard what I heard and I can’t go back
I know what I know and I can’t deny it

Something on the road, cut me to the soul

Your pain has changed me
your dream inspires
your face a memory
your hope a fire
your courage asks me what I’m afraid of
(what I am made of)
and what I know of love

we’ve done what we’ve done and we can’t erase it
we are what we are and it’s more than enough
we have what we have but it’s no substitution

Something on the road, touched my very soul

I say what I say with no hesitation
I have what I have and I’m giving it up
I do what I do with deep conviction

Something on the road, changed my world....

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God's watch is NOT broken!!!

For those of you who read my blog on a regular basis you know that I love the song God Speaking by Mandisa. It acutally made it to a blog post back in December. I had another "God Speaking" moment though recently and it's too good NOT to share. This time praise Him I heard him speaking and I answered appropriately. This doesn't always happen, but that's another blog...hahahaha!

A dear friend of mine came over last Sunday night after a wedding reception she had attended. She mentioned something that was on her heart. She wanted to get her son a pocket watch with a train on it. Her son had just made this request known. She wasn't quite sure how this gift was going to come to pass due to the time constraints and other issues. I just listened but was prompted by the Spirit to check on something after she left.

When she left I went and begin to dig through the desk drawers in our computer desk. I found a pocket watch WITH A TRAIN ON IT that Nathan had owned for who knows how many years. I asked him if I could give it to these friends of ours. Nathan agreed willingly. So I gave her the watch the next day. I had not found the chain, but told her I would continue to look. She had the watch cleaned and put in a new battery. When she brought the watch back to my house to keep it in safe hiding I was able to give her the CHAIN. The Lord had directed me to the chain. It was in a different place than the watch had been. Cool, huh? So she had the chain cleaned and returned it to me the next day.

Her son had been praying for a pocket watch with a train all week long and on Thursday he was able to open up the chain. His mother has been praying for a renewed faith and for God to continue to show Himself true to her and her family. Guess what, BOTH prayers were answered. God is faithful.

I guess for once being a pack rat paid off! Thank you Lord for speaking to my friend, prompting her to share a need. Thank you for speaking to me that I could be a blessing. Thank you for showing yourself faithful to a young man. Thank you for blessing EVERYONE at the party last Thursady night who knew the story of the "watch". Thank you for blessing and encouraging those reading this blog. "He'll do and he'll use whatever He wants to. To tell us I love you. God is speaking, I LOVE YOU!". Be blessed....

Gratefully His,

Janelle

Pics of the Birthday Party

Here are pics from last night's event. It was a HUGE success! Big thanks going out to my Mom, Dad and brother Tyler for helping to decorate. Big thans also to "uncle Ben" for his contributions to the goody bags. Thanks for checking out the pics..

Celebrate Good Times Come On!

Ok,so it’s not that kind of party, and my nightflife consists of washing dishes, doing laundry and playing online family fued. Pretty sad, I know!!

But....tonight is the LONG awaited birthday party for Jesse, JoyAnn and mommy. We even invited a friend of ours Carey to join in the party. In all there will be twenty people gathering together tonight at the food court in the Asheville Mall. We will eat our respective meals and then enjoy fellowship over cake and ice cream. Afterwards the kids will play themselves silly on the playground and then we will trudge up the mall to the trampolines. They will bounce themselves silly and hopefully avoid vomitting!!!

The food court is the PERFECT option for a party. We tried it last year and will do it as many years as we can. You don’t have to pay to rent the place. You don’t have to worry about mopping/sweeeping etc. Everyone buys their own meals. You only have to provide cake/treats. The playground is FREE! Bouncing is optional. It’s just an easy, cost effective option for our family. Plus it’s roomy enough, easy to find and there’s so much noise that my CRAZY family just blends into the chaos!!!

I do have quite a few last minute details to take care of today, so think of/pray for me. Thanks...I hope to capture this madness on film and post pics tomorrow.

God bless,

Janelle

True Freedom

This past Tuesday night I was able to finally share my "testimony" with my Celebrate Recovery group. Dictionary.com defines [test.ti.mo.ny] as-open declaration or profession, as of faith. Usually testimonies. the precepts of God.

I have been extremely nervous thinking that I didn’t really have anything to say. I am not going to get into all the details here, but I will say that my Celebrate Recovery group is the ONLY place where I have felt safe enough to REALLY be myself. I feel so completely liberated after sharing. I feel free. I feel loved. In fact, I feel MORE loved after sharing the skeletons in the closet of my life then I did before. Isn’t that an odd thing to say? I don’t understand God’s grace but I praise Him for it! Lamentations 3:22-23 (AMP) says "It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness."

So, now I really feel free to dance, free to run, free to play!!! It is my prayer that all whom I love can and will experience this freedom someday!!

Even God Likes Little Debbie

So today I was blessed AGAIN by my children. I was blessed by God’s provision and by God’s ability to bless those he treasures with good things.

After Bible study I took the children and a friend of mine to Subway in Swannanoa for lunch. As we were standing in line I was a little distracted by all of the noise from the children, people in the gas station, etc. Joseph says to me "It’s I Can Only Imagine". I said "what?". He says it again..."I Can Only Imagine". My friend Angie confirms that is what is on the radio. Then my sweet little boy begins to BELT out this song in the middle of Subway in perfect pitch. For those of you who have had the joy of worshipping with Joseph (that’s really what is was), you know he holds NOTHING back. I also thought it quite amusing that his baby sister sat on the packs of canned drinks and drummed in perfect rhythm for him to sing.

He sings the remainder of the song as I place orders. I don’t even worry about what people are thinking. I don’t try to "shush" him or make him stop. In fact I encourage him that his singing is beautiful. For those of you who know ME you know that is a miracle. I’m ALWAYS worried about what people think, especially about Joseph.

Well we are enjoying our meal at Subway (by the way the pizzas are very good, the children enjoyed them). I had noticed earlier that the Little Debbie vendor was there restocking shelves, but didn’t think anything of it. Then he comes over to the table with a HUGE box of Oatmeal Creme Pies and another of Nutty Bars. He places them on the table with a HUGE smile on his face and says...."maam I wanted to give these to your children because I so enjoyed your son’s singing". You should have seen Joseph’s face. Creme pies are his favorite. We were all so excited, so blessed and I was pleasantly reminded that my child IS special. Special in a BLESSED way.

Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (NIV)

Now I am certainly not implying that I am blameless or that my walk as a mother is perfect. I am also not saying Joseph is a perfect kid (or the other two for that matter). However, I believe that God loves to bless His children and I can tell you that I am seeking His face and trying diligently to show His love to my children. I praise God for his favor. I praise God for his loving kindess that would bless some kids in Swannanoa, NC with junk food just because they worshipped Him with a pure heart.