Hearts in Service Blog

My baby is 9 years old today. ACK!!!! I can't believe how she's grown. She is becoming so grown-up and is quite the young lady. She is so extremely joyful and fun to be around. Life and energy just ooze from every pore. Grandma sent her a dress for her birthday. Here she is modeling. We are off to spend the day at the zoo per her request. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

After spending the entire afternoon and evening with our church planting director, Dan & I need to cling to God's promises today. I do not like change. I do not always handle it well. As of the beginning of July, our church will be meeting in the local Veteran's Hall. It's not the ideal situation but the only one that is available to us at the moment and the only one that our church plant can afford. There is more visibility but it will require us setting up and tearing down each Sunday. Something we have not had to do for the past 2 years. It will also mean the end of some of our programs, like 3D Girls. The church is not a building, it's a body. But you know what? A building sure helps at times! However, I know that the Lord is preparing us for something.

We had a very nice Memorial Day weekend and started and ended the weekend with a barbecue. On Friday night, we had our small group over for a time of food and fellowship. There ended up being 16 of us, including the children. The littlest member. There was lots of talking and laughing. Even wild flowers can make a pretty centerpiece. We ended up moving it indoors because it got cold! Then yesterday we had a family from church over. Waiting for the guests. The weather cooperated and it was close to 80 degrees though very windy. This luna moth was not invited! Overall, it was a very relaxing weekend.

Okay, are you ready for a celebration? As of today at 9:56 a.m we are officially........................DEBT FREE!!!!!! Whoo Hoo!!!!!!! After 6 years of living on one income in one of the most expensive areas of the country, and being about $26,000 in debt, we have done it. I paid the last outstanding balance today. I feel FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Care to celebrate with me?!

"One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts." Psalm 145:4 What an awesome time of worship in church yesterday. It is a blessed thing to look out at the congregation praising God and seeing both old and young lifting up praises to our Lord. We had a large crowd yesterday, from a newborn all the way up to an eighty year old man. Generations of people, all praising and worshiping. God was surely blessed by the praises of His people!

31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!" 32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! 33 Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. 34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Have a blessed Mother's Day! I hope all you ladies out there have a wonderful day and enjoy yourselves. :-)

Last night was our final night of 3D Girls until the fall. This has been the first weekly program that our church plant has ever run and it was a smashing success. We had 12-15 girls come every week, most of them who don't go to church. They have really grown and learned some new things this year. I had the girls share things they have learned this last year and here are some of their replies. "We learned to not be selfish." "That we only need to believe in Jesus to go to heaven." "To include others." "We learned how to pray." "To welcome people to our church." Some of them started the year very shy and were able to step out of their comfort zone and perform in front of people. Some came in wanting to just hang with their friends and they learned to include other girls who were of all ages. Some became much more self-confident. One of the neatest experiences that Jenna (my co-leader) and I had was to see a tangible expression of t...

Hark, I hear a robin calling! List, the wind is from the south! And the orchard-bloom is falling Sweet as kisses on the mouth. In the dreamy vale of beeches Fair and faint is woven mist, And the river's orient reaches Are the palest amethyst. Every limpid brook is singing Of the lure of April days; Every piney glen is ringing With the maddest roundelays. Come and let us seek together Springtime lore of daffodils, Giving to the golden weather Greeting on the sun-warm hills. Ours shall be the moonrise stealing Through the birches ivory-white; Ours shall be the mystic healing Of the velvet-footed night. Ours shall be the gypsy winding Of the path with violets blue, Ours at last the wizard finding Of the land where dreams come true.

Well, I'm pretty sure that the danger of frost is over so it's time to think of gardening. I'm going to wait and put in the vegetables until next week but I did get flowers & herbs planted today. Aren't they pretty? Emily has been begging to help me plant so she was in heaven today. Putting flowers in the planters. Nathan and Stephen dug up the garden. Emily had to get in on the action. Taking a water break. I planted basil and cilantro seeds in the planters. Directly into the garden went English Thyme. Oregano Rosemary Overall, it was a productive day and we got a lot done. I'm keeping it simple this year and will just plant cucumbers, squash, green beans, peppers, and tomatoes.

Debbie honored me with an award which blesses my socks off because I honestly don't think this blog is anything special. Usually I feel like I'm struggling to come up with something to say or I'm just babbling on and on. Thank you Debbie for your thoughtfulness!

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. I Thessalonians 4:13-14 Dan & I went to a funeral today of a dear lady who passed away this week from cancer. Dan did not do the funeral so he was able to just sit and observe. Normally, he does many funerals for people who do not have a church. The majority of these funerals have been for people who do not know the Lord as their personal Savior. What a difference today was! This woman loved the Lord with her whole heart. She knew where she was going and was looking forward to it. Even up to the end when she was in utter pain, she showed such faith and strength. She will be missed and her family and friends are sad but today's funeral was more of a worship service than anything else. Those who know Jesus can have assura...

Okay, I've had an insane few days. I was laughing when I couldn't figure out why I felt stressed until I look at my list for the past few days and this weekend. Here is what I've done since Wednesday: * Typed up script for our 3D Girl's club, adding narrative for a play they are doing on Sunday (they already had the script and have been practicing; I just fiddled with the narration). * Watched a couple from church's five year old and had him overnight while she is in the hospital having a baby. * Started looking for music for next week's worship. Until our worship leader, who just had the baby yesterday comes back to lead, I'm in charge of this. * Made a ton of phone calls about a funeral reception that will be held at our church on Saturday. * Took a turkey out to thaw. I got roped into making a turkey for Saturday's reception. * Helped set up tables for Saturday. * Entered in some information for a powerpoint presentation on Sunday. * Ran 3D Girls f...

Nathan is 17 years old today. Wow! It's hard to believe that this child who used to cling to me and was afraid to go out of our sight is almost a man. His voice is starting to change and often I'll think someone else is in the house and will find out it's just Nathan. I can see God's hand upon him all through his young life. He struggles with so many things yet does so with such good humor that he is an example to us all. Some words to describe Nathan are: merciful, kind, joyful, optimistic, cheerful, determined, hard working, attentive, conscientious, cautious, and sensitive. It's hard to describe the love that washed over me when I first saw his little face. I would never have believed that you could love a person that much. We've had our challenges with his special needs but they have shaped him into the mature young man that he is today. Happy Birthday, dear boy. You are so special to Dad and me. We love you and know that God has a wonderful plan fo...