A Different Type of Thanksgiving

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

As I was driving to work today, I heard a new song - The Thanksgiving Song. It's definitely worth a listen if you have not heard it. I was already thinking about the fact that this year looks completely different than last year - or any other year. We all have a laundry list of things we've lost this year. Jobs, opportunities, friendships, marriages, etc. Many of us have lost family members - to cancer, Alzheimer's, COVID, or any other cause of death. To say 2020 has been difficult would be the understatement of the century to most Americans. However, God's word does not tell me to "rejoice" when things are going my way or to "rejoice" when there is no pandemic or when my candidate wins the election. God's word tells me to rejoice always or in all things. 

As I listened to the song, I cried. My extended family just cancelled our Thanksgiving plans. Your family may be doing something different as well. For the first time in my life, I will not spend Thanksgiving with my family. In honesty, I did not feel like being thankful. However, I started praying. And immediately, God reminded me of all the things I can be honestly thankful for in 2020. Many of them come out of loss, but they are blessings all the same. Loss gives us a different type of thanksgiving, but I am thankful nonetheless. 

I am thankful I had my mother in Florence, AL the last 21 months of her life. I am thankful my dad was frugal all their lives and my parents had the money to pay for my mother's care. I am thankful for my Aunt Vallie, Aunt Beverly, Uncle Gaylon and Aunt Carol who were by my side when their sister/my mother went to her heavenly home. I am thankful for the worship service we had in that room. My Aunt Vallie spoke a word of praise like none other I've ever experienced. 

I am thankful I am a high-school teacher and a nurse. I am thankful God impressed upon me in August of 2019 to return to the hospital as an "as needed" employee. He knew what was coming. He knew I would need to work during this pandemic. I am thankful I have been able to continue to teach during this time and thankful for the students who truly WANT to learn. They are a constant encouragement to me. 

I am thankful for my church and church leaders who did close our doors for a time, but continued to find ways to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the first worship service we had as a congregation. It was small, but the Holy Spirit was truly palpable in the room. I am thankful my children never stopped serving during this period. When others who were more at risk stepped down, the boys filled those roles in the choir, praise team, youth worship band, and media. David, who is 11, runs media for rehearsals and even services! 

I am thankful for the friendships that have continued to flourish during this time. Yes, like you, I've lost some. And it hurts. People have disappointed me. However, the friendships remaining have truly been tested by fire - at they have been refined. 

I am thankful my dad's biopsy came back benign. I am thankful we have had access to healthcare for his diabetic foot ulcer that seems to be finally on the mend. I am thankful my brother helps take him to his doctor appointments. He and I don't agree about anything except that we both love our parents. At the moment, that common ground has allowed some peace - another thing to be thankful for. 

I am thankful for my in-laws who are really not in-laws anymore. After 20 years, they are complete family. My mother-in-law calls me her "daughter-in-love" and she is my "mother-in-love" as well. Our relationship has been far from perfect, but praise God we did not give up! We would have truly missed a blessing. I am thankful for the beautiful quilts she made out of my mother's clothes. They are truly a beauty to behold and will be treasured. I am thankful we have a few new members of our family on both sides and one precious little boy who is on the way. 

I am thankful my children were able to do the things they love even though life was interrupted and things weren't as we had hoped. Hopefully, we will appreciate our opportunities even more! I am really thankful I haven't had to MAKE the boys get up for school one day! They jump out of bed ready to go! Joel went to band practice with joy. Watching Caleb run with all his might brings tears to my eyes now. Even when he couldn't run at state because of an "exposure" and I totally lost my brain over it - Caleb found the blessing. Since he had to drop out, a senior took his place. The senior set a personal record in the race! Caleb has more years while this young man did not.  

This morning God reminded me of His faithfulness and gratitude overwhelmed me. He has never left me. God has taught me things in the darkest places of the soul I could not have learned in the light. I am forever thankful. He gave His son for me. He called me to Himself. He makes Himself knowable to me. I have all I could ever need because I have Him. The peacefulness this brings my soul is not only refreshing, but so needed.  

I could go on, but if you've read this far, I hope you will ask God to give you a different type of Thanksgiving this year. Ask Him to show you what He has blessed you with in 2020 you would have missed if it had been like every other year. "I will say it again: Rejoice!" 

Thankfulness in the midst of Alzheimer’s

 My mom struggled with health issues for over 14 years. My family's journey began when I was pregnant with my second son, Caleb. Just a routine doctor visit led to a very rare diagnosis which led to a very stressful surgery. Before Caleb was 2, mom would have had 3 surgeries. I say all this because although none of these things caused my mother’s illness of Alzheimer's, they did expedite it. So, this has been a long road. Over the years, we, including my mom, experienced all the emotions that come along with grief - Denial, anger, withdrawal, bargaining, acceptance, and many, many others. And these emotions did not come in one stage and then move to the next. Sometimes, we would experience all of these emotions in one day! Or even in one hour!

I have thought about what I would say on this day for many years. Originally it was because Sandra was my mom and the best mom anyone on planet earth could ask for! Then it included my dad and the picture of their unconditional love that they so vividly showed us. However, in the end, it is about my God and His complete faithfulness through every step of the way. It is ultimately His faithfulness that has led me to find thru thankfulness thru Alzheimer’s.

First and foremost, although my mother “struggled” with this disease for several years, she did not necessarily suffer in the way that many people do. When I would be very depressed, angry, or questioning God about my mom’s condition - every time someone would come in contact with us and say “I would give anything for my mom or dad to have been like this instead of x, y, z…” Even as recently as the last few days when mom had lost the ability to swallow, one of her caregivers said, “I promise you, it could be worse. I watched my mother suffer in pain until her last breath”. One day I was very emotional about the fact that my mother could not read. This woman, who taught over 1000 children - including me, my brother, and our children how to read - on many days could no longer read. This was very painful for me. I was talking to my dad about it and he said, “Elaine, we don’t need to spend a lot of time being upset over all the things that she cannot do or who she isn’t anymore. We need to be thankful she is not in pain and appreciate who she is.” Wow. Such wisdom. I am thankful she did not suffer in pain.

Secondly, I am thankful for the picture of unconditional love I saw in my parents the last several years. I always knew my parents loved each other. You don’t stay married for 49 years if you don’t love someone. And mom and dad are both very independent. Honestly, neither of them do anything they don’t want to do! (If anyone was curious as to where I got that trait). They were also very affectionate with each other. I saw my parents hug, kiss, and say I love you every single day of my childhood. Even when they argued, they worked it out - and as far as I know - didn’t go to bed angry much. This has brought a great deal of stability to my life and has given me an example to follow in my own marriage. As I watched many of my friends' parents get divorced - even after we were adults - I saw my parents continue to love each other.

For those of you who are very familiar with my mom and dad, you know that my mom never met a stranger whereas my dad is much quieter. Before this illness took my mother’s ability to speak, she could “talk the horns off a billy goat”. My favorite picture of her is the one of her smiling on the phone! That is my mother! We even have quotes from my mom talking on the phone - “Hi whatcha doin?” and “Well, talk to you later, bye” click”. My mother loved the phone! Before the days of cordless phones, my dad installed a phone cord that was either 50-100 ft long so my mother could go all over the front part of the house with that phone! She could cook supper, do laundry, and even clean half the house on that phone - and she did! We all stepped over the cord! My mom was never happier than when she was talking to her mother, her sisters, and then later when I grew up - to me on that phone! He did get her cordless phone later, by the way, but my dad always made sure my mother had the things she needed.

My mom was not one to want jewelry or expensive things like that, but she did like to have nice things in her home. Over the years, I saw my dad always purchase my mother new appliances. Now that might not make you or I happy - but it made my mother VERY happy. My mom was a true homemaker. She loved to keep her house clean and up to date. New appliances, new carpet, a nice deck, etc really made her happy. Before the days of the 5 love languages and How to love your spouse, etc - I saw what love was by how my parents loved and took care of each other. Just a few years before he could no longer take care of her at home, he had bought her a new dishwasher. It was the nicest one in the store with all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, the disease had caused my mom to not be able to figure out the electronics of it. Now mom and dad argued about that dishwasher. This was the point where my mom was significantly confused and would get frustrated very easily. If you’ve ever dealt with this, you know when your loved one is in this stage its easy to get frustrated with them as well. None of us are perfect! So they were arguing about this dishwasher and I was talking to both of them - trying to tell mom it was ok and that dad wasn’t going to get rid of the dishwasher, trying to tell my dad she really couldn’t work it. He was frustrated and ready to throw the new dishwasher in the yard! But, before we got off the phone he said, “but I want to get her something that she can use and will make her happy!” So, he did. He went and purchased a new dishwasher. It wasn’t state of the art and it was loud, but my mother could work it until he could no longer take care of her at home. Needless to say, that other dishwasher found a new home at my house!

I am thankful for the unconditional love my parents showed me even in my mother’s last days. When dealing with Alzheimer’s there are many things most people outside the immediate family do not know about. There were many things I didn’t know my dad was dealing with until years later. My dad became her caregiver for YEARS before most people even knew anything was wrong. He prepared her medication, took her to doctor visits, made sure she had her purse, money, phone and other essentials when she was going out with her sisters or me and talked to her for hours on end during the night to tell her she was not crazy and that it was ok, she was just confused and he was there with her. One of the best times I saw the unconditional love my dad had for my mom was when she really did not know who he was. My dad told me this story only a year or so ago, but it happened long before that. It had been an entire afternoon and early evening of her not recognizing him. I cannot imagine how frightening that must have been for her and for him. My dad continued to tell her he was Don and tell her stories about their life, her life, etc. Finally, he went and got his yearbook from Wellborn and pointed out his old friends she had met - he walked her through each person and she recognized them. Then he pointed to himself and she said “yes, that’s Don”. Yes, that’s right, that is me. She looked at him and said, but you’re so old! He just laughed and said yes, honey we’ve gotten old. For whatever reason, that was enough for her. He hugged her and they went to bed.

My dad also made sure my mother had the best care. At first, thru caregivers in the home and taking her to be part of a Alzheimer’s study at UAB. But then thru allowing her to come to Florence where I live to a unique Assisted Living that is different from anything else in the state. Its a private facility that is really like living in the country. There were only 12 residents in her house. Because of the atmosphere and the care, my mother didn’t have to go in a nursing home. She was able to live there the last 21 months of her life. When we moved her, she had to be admitted to the hospital for about 11 days to get her medications regulated. This was her first admission to the hospital with this disease. The nurse said, let me just take a minute to commend your family. Most people at this stage of the disease - would have been admitted many times because their family just wouldn’t have been able to handle them. All that time, her main caregiver was my dad.

The last 21 months, my dad and I have been a pretty awesome team. I handled the medical portion and he handled the financial. He never questioned what I spent on mom and even when I tried to explain expenses he would say “whatever you need”. He even told me recently that he wanted me to know that he knew whatever medical decisions I made for her were the right ones and that I had his trust and support. If you haven’t dealt with this, you cannot understand what a comfort that is. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 5:8 “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever”. You took care of her Dad - you did good.

My mother also loved my dad til her last breath. My mom would never hold the hand or even sit with another man when she was at Green Oaks. But, when my dad came, her face would light up, she would sit close to him, hold his hand, and lean in to him. Now, I do not mean that disrespectful to the people who have this disease and do forget their spouse - that is not their fault. I just want to say I am thankful for my parents faithfulness in sickness and in health and til death do us part. Even yesterday while picking out flowers, my dad made sure the man put “Mrs. Sandra Reaves” on her ticket saying “she’s my wife”. We noticed, the boys noticed. My mom and dad left a legacy for us and we are thankful.

I am also thankful for Alzheimer’s because of the best of humanity we came in contact with over the last several years. This journey took us to many doctors because honestly, this wasn’t going to happen to my mother! She was going to be cured. We went from traditional medicine in Anniston, to alternative medicine in Birmingham and Atlanta, and finally wound up at UAB memory center. One of the nurses there, Denise Ledlow, became a trusted caregiver and counselor to our family for the 2 years my mother was under her care. She spent countless hours on the phone with me helping me understand care and the disease, but she also helped me work through the emotions and everything else that goes along with this disease. Denise encouraged my dad and her kindness has truly left me changed forever as a nurse and as a human being. Rachel Dulaney and her sister Geraldine became fast friends with my mother and took care of her like their own family. I think that was how God showed me His glory the most these last few years - these women were literally the hands and feet of Jesus. It is hard to care for your loved one alone. Even as a nurse, I found it very difficult because this was my mother. The caregivers God sent to care for my mother were very diverse - every race, ethnicity, background, and educational level. They had one thing in common - love for others. Even my mother’s sweet roommate, Shelba, also a retired teacher and struggling with dementia fell in love and helped care for my mother. I am thankful that my mother kept her sweet demeanor, smile, and laugh. All of these people epitomized Galatians 6:10 “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith”. They inspire me to live out this scripture.

I am also thankful for the lessons of God’s goodness and grace my children were able to see throughout this process.Please don’t get me wrong! We didn’t start with thankfulness! This has been very difficult to understand God’s goodness amidst such pain for our entire family. But instead of questioning God’s character, we did question why this was happening. God in His goodness and mercy drove us to scripture over and over again. Many years ago, we were leaving my parents house. I can remember exactly where we were. Caleb was just a little guy and he asked, “mom, what if mimi forgets Jesus?” I told him I didn’t think she would but God’s word tells us in Isaiah 49:15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” So, regardless of this disease and what it took from her, it never had and never will have the ability to take her out of God’s hand. The words of Jesus tell us in John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand”.

BJ and I have learned anew and my children have learned to turn to God’s word for peace. Every time we were struggling the verses we would cling to were Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”. Psalm 145:18 “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on Him in Truth.” And the verse that continues to guide my life, Psalm 119:160 “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”

And, when I was too angry to turn to scripture - because there were times I was. God reached down and found me wherever I was. Once I had been struggling for a couple of weeks trying to see His purpose and I was praying and praying that I needed Him to show me His purpose in this! I had even told my best friend, Kari, I really needed to hear from Him!! Either that afternoon or a few days later, I got in my car to leave work and heard the song by Danny Gokey “Maybe you just haven’t seen it yet” Some of the lyrics are:

Have you been praying and you still have no answers?
Have you been pouring out your heart for so many years?
Have you been hoping that things would have changed by now?
Have you cried all the faith you have through so many tears?
Don't forget the things that He has done before
And remember He can do it all once more.
Maybe you just haven’t seen it yet.

I realized when I heard it, that song had been on every single time I had gotten in the car the last few days - in the morning, at lunch, and when I went home in the afternoon. The God of the Universe, reached down to me and found me where I was. Even in her dying moments, the nursing assistant was telling me, “yesterday your mom was praying, take me Jesus”. She no sooner had those words out of her mouth than my mom breathed out on this Earth and took her first breath in the arms of her Savior.

I woke up with the song Near the Cross on my heart just a few minutes before she left us so I just started singing. I knew she was meeting her family and friends by the river. And it just happened to be two of her fellow sisters in Christ’s birthday’s - Mrs. Ella Mae Browning (who she sat with at church) and her sweet neighbor Jenny Cosper.

Therefore, “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope, without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” Hebrews 10:28. I know that “The God of grace who called {my mom} to his eternal glory in Christ, suffered a little while. But he Himself has restored her and made her strong, firm and steadfast. He who promised is faithful. So at the end of this journey, I can with confidence say with the Psalmist “As for me; I will always have hope:And I will praise you more and more.”

One More Year...

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’8“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” Luke 13:6-9

The parable Jesus told has always been that reminds me of what Jesus does for me every single day. The first time I understood this parable was when I was in college and my pastor preached on this passage. 

The story takes place in a vineyard. The Owner of the vineyard came to check one of his fig trees to see if it had any fruit. He had been checking it for fruit for three years and it didn't have any. He tells the caretaker to cut it down; its taking up room and not producing. But the caretaker of the vineyard pleads with the Owner to give him one more year to fertilize it, dig around it, and do everything he knows to do to help the tree produce fruit. And then, if it doesn't produce fruit, the Owner may cut it down. 

The Owner is God and since He is in His vineyard, the trees are Christians. One "tree" was not producing fruit so it was to be cut down. However, the Caretaker - Jesus- makes intercession and asks the Father to give Him "one more year" to do everything He can to make it produce fruit. But, then if the "tree" doesn't produce fruit, God can cut it down. 

I don't believe the time limits are exact (three years of no fruit, one year of fertilizing), but I do know based on His Word He has called me to produce fruit and if I am not doing so, I am taking up "soil". What does it mean to be "cut down"? That is a scary question. One interpretation I found was to lose our lives.("There is a sin that leads to death".1 John 5:16) I have known of people who went down a path of sin and other could see evidence of  God doing everything to bring them back and then suddenly they lost their life. I don't want to use that as a scare tactic or anything - however, it is one interpretation. Another is that a Christian who is not producing fruit is rendered ineffective. This might be an even worse fate - to live the rest of your life completely ineffective as a Christian. A meaningless life. 

When I look into the face of my Savior, knowing that He "lives to intercede" for me (Hebrews 7:25), I do not want Him to say "I did everything for you. Why didn't you live for me? Produce fruit? Fruit that would last?" 

He lives to intercede for us, to give us abundant life, to allow us to produce fruit - Let's not waste it. 

Being and Staying Ready

"He said to the crowd: 'When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?" Luke 12:54-56

There are people who really like to study "end times" and there are also people who seem to think is doesn't matter if we understand them or not. However, in this passage, it appears Jesus finds it very important for us to know what TIME it is. We keep up with the weather, the news, politics, conspiracy theories, and what's new on Netflix, yet some Christians have no clue what TIME it is on the actual cosmic calendar. 

This morning, I found those verses quite convicting in light of the verses right before it: 

 35“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:35-48

When Jesus returns, what will He find me doing? Will I be ready? Will I have invested the time to read, study, and interpret the scriptures to know what TIME it is? To realize He is close? Or will He find me sitting on my couch looking for something else to watch on Netflix because I didn't realize He was close? 

As the Church, especially in America, we are the servants who have been given much. We have the entire Canon of scripture in any and every translation we could desire - you can even find them at thrift stores for 50 cents. Therefore, much will be demanded and much, much more will be asked. 

God has given us everything we need to be who He has called us to be. However, we do have to make the decision to invest in our relationship with Him. 

I know its been a long time since I have written anything on my blog, however, I was so convicted of this today, I felt He may be speaking to others in the same way. As the conspiracy theories swarm around us, let us be people of His Word and not be taken off guard. 

Your Grace is Enough

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I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

There was pain and suffering all around me. The woman at the end of the pew brushed away a tear. She grieved a lost relationship. In front of me a mother had lost the ability to speak. Now she signed every word. To the far end of the worship center, a couple held a severely handicapped child; her medical bills alone stressful, not to mention the day-to-day care.

The congregation sang an awesome song called “Your Grace is Enough.” The song proclaims God is bigger than my circumstances and His grace is enough to see me though them. As we sang, my heart was heavy for the people around me. “Your grace is enough,” we proclaimed as we sang. It was an amazing moment in worship when broken hearts cried out to God that their present suffering could not even compare with the greatness of Him or the grace He bestows upon us.

Everyone experiences struggles and suffering. This is as much a part of life as the sun rising each morning. It is in our trials we grow and here we learn to understand that His grace is sufficient. However, this life is but a vapor and eternity is unfathomable. When we reach eternity with Christ, there will not be one moment of suffering ever again. In light of this fact, “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Therefore, I want to suffer with faithfulness. Whatever I am going through, I want to be faithful to God — even when I don’t feel like it. Join me as I express those feelings to God today. He is big enough to handle them. And His grace is enough… for me and for you.

God Uses Cracked Pots

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“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7

CRASH! My favorite piece of pottery had just hit the floor by way of my rambunctious 2 year old. It was cracked in several places. The cracks were obvious no matter what direction I turned it. Would it ever be of any use again?

I love all the scripture passages referring to God as the “Potter” and humanity as the “clay”. I find such comfort in seeing myself in His Sovereign hands, knowing nothing comes into my life that hasn’t first passed through His mercy.

In this passage, Paul calls Christians “jars of clay” and says we are filled with treasure. But, how are others to see this treasure if it is in an opaque jar of clay? Clay pots are not transparent like glass. How is the world to see the Treasure of Christ inside? The only way the world can see the treasure of Christ is when we are cracked or even broken in places and we allow the glory of Christ to shine out. God uses suffering in our lives to bring glory to Himself and to encourage others. Suffering is never without purpose.

When we are suffering, God doesn’t call us to be a martyr or to be stoic. He calls us to show others our “cracks”. We honor Christ through our suffering when we invite others in to share in our struggles so they will also share in His glory.

God still uses “cracked pots”! Will you use your suffering for His glory? Or will you turn your pot around, hoping no one will see the cracks? When we hide our cracks, we hide His glory. Let Christ’s glory shine through you today.

Prosperity is Fleeting

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You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 NIV

I have heard it said history tends to repeat itself. Amazingly, our nation and our lives are very similar to the people Isaiah wrote these words to. They are written to the house of Judah in a time when the nation was very wealthy and had a form of godliness, but lacked a true relationship with the Lord. In short, they were self-reliant.

Even in the midst of a recession, our nation is prosperous. But, what does prosperity lead to? Does it lead to thankfulness toward God and sacrificial giving to others? Sometimes it does, but many times it leads to self-reliance and an abandonment of faith in God. The cycle can look like this: Prosperity – self-reliance – moral decay – judgment.

If I have learned anything during this time of economic downfall, it is that prosperity is fleeting, but God is eternal. When I put my trust in anything other than the Lord my God, it will fail. When I trust in my wallet, the 401K, or even the value of my home, it can and many times will fail. But God will never fail.

The person who has a steadfast mind is one that has a single focus on God Himself. Their focus is moved from themselves to God alone. Only then will they be able to focus on what is truly important in this life because they understand it has been taken care of.

Let us have “perfect peace” in the area of finance and every other area of our lives by fixing our minds on God. When we ask God to make His Word true for us, He always says yes. Ask Him to keep your mind fixed on Him today as you trust in Him completely.

2011 Year in Review

As 2011 comes to a close, B.J. and I started to review our year after dinner tonight. We discussed our year for awhile and then decided we should write it down to help us remember our successes, failures, the overwhelming joy and sadness, and most importantly what the Lord has been so gracious to teach us this year through His Word and the experiences He used in our lives to bring us closer to Him. So, this may take some perseverance on the part of the reader (and the writer), but here goes…

January brought snow and ice! After several days of sledding, snowboarding, hot chocolate, and all the cookies we should have ever eaten in our entire lives, I was over it. My lack of patience “urged” B.J. to clear the driveway. Unfortunately, he slipped on the ice and broke his ankle. Clayton Speed and Bobby Erwin had to carry us (literally) to an Urgent Care where B.J. was fitted for the boot he would wear the next six weeks. “No weight bearing” for six weeks will teach one a great deal about patience! I knew I had a wonderful husband who helped with everything, but when I had to do everything alone and help B.J. – whew, now that was a test! Lance Pate came and cleared our driveway later that week which was very much appreciated because I had to go to work on Friday. Not just because I was supposed to, but because I had to get out of the house for goodness sakes! The accident did open the door for B.J. to enjoy our garden tub and take more baths than he says he ever wanted to! But, the time in the bath gave him the opportunity to memorize most of the Book of Phillipians.

February 5^th was Joel’s 7^th physical birthday and the 20^th was his first spiritual birthday!! He made his decision public in the Venue at FBC Trussville on February 27^th. We are so thankful God has called Joel to Himself and saw much spiritual growth in Joel throughout the year. Joel also raised over $500 for the Margaret Elementary Fun Run, running an amazing 37 laps!

In March, we celebrated our first Spring Break “Stay-cation”. We went bowling, to the park, and to the carnival. We finished off the week with what should have been our best camping trip ever, but on the last night I got the stomach virus. I had to abandon the boys on the camp site and drive to the Jameson Inn in Alex City! It was a nightmare, but turned out to be a very funny story to my wonderful girl-friends! This was David’s first camping trip and he had a wonderful time. Maybe we will get take him again and stay the whole time!

On April 17^th, B.J. had the honor of baptizing our oldest son Joel. It was a wonderful day filled with the joy of the Lord. Joel requested that we have our entire family come to our house and eat lunch after the service. This was such a compliment to me and I hope that he will always feel like our home is a wonderful place to be. I will always enjoy and count it a privilege to open any home the Lord gives us to family and friends. The same evening, Caleb and Joel performed in the Children’s musical CAMP ABC at FBC Trussville. 10 days later on April 27^th, our state experienced one of the saddest days that I can remember. Tornadoes wreaked havoc on much of our state, but it was as if they totally missed our lives. We had no damage to our home or our church, but the pain and suffering was all around us. These storms changed us forever. We had the opportunity to give in real, tangible ways to our own community and B.J. had the opportunity to help with the clean-up efforts. The boys and I had the opportunity to pray for our neighbors like we never have before. Caleb prayed for the people hurt in the tornadoes for months and even now, he often remembers them and asks God to help them and keep them safe.

May was filled with excitement! Caleb graduated from 4K, and Joel finished 1^st grade. I finished my 30 week study on the Book of Isaiah through BSF. I could never articulate in words all that the Lord taught me through this study. His Word is true and it is the only source of truth. Everything we think, feel, and experience must be compared to His Word. One of the things He taught us was on discipline – how He disciplines and how we were disciplining. He is the perfect parent and His motives are never prideful or selfish, yet many of ours were. We read a great book called 1-2-3 Magic for Christian Parents at the suggestion of Terry Mashburn. It was a wonderful book and God used it to bring full-circle what He was teaching us about parenting and discipline through Isaiah. We finished off May with our family vacation to the beach. While we had a fabulous time, we learned that we are too big of a family to stay in a 1 bedroom condo for a week! However, we probably had the best time ever on the beach because we carried a large canopy, zero-gravity chairs, and tons of beach toys. Even though B.J. did not want to cart all that stuff 100s of miles, we were able to spend hours on the beach and truly enjoy God creation and each other. So he had to admit that I was right… again! J

June was filled with VBS, Fine Arts Camp, “Click, Clack, Moo” ACTA Drama Camp, and lots of fun on our new water slide! Cars 2 was also a hit with the James’ Family who are our favorite friends to go to the movies with! David moved into a “big-boy bed” because he decided it was time to climb out of his crib and onto his changing table during nap time. Half of the year is over and amazingly, I am caught up with my photobooking!! Who-hoo!

July brought home my brother and his new wife Cara. They were married in Africa and we had a family reception for them on July 4^th at my Aunt Vallie’s house. God changed my life that day in a way that I certainly was not expecting. My Daddy gave me a book that day. Although it was probably not expensive and I think he found it at a used book store, it is priceless to me. It is priceless because by giving it to me I know that he “hears” me. He knows what I believe in and the causes that I am passionate about. I will never spend another second wanting him to be someone he is not, but will spend every possible moment enjoying him for who he is.

Caleb turned 5 on July 10^th and David turned 2 on July 30^th. They had a double party at Trussville Play Place on the 20^th and our sweet David had to wear a little boot similar to the one B.J. wore when he broke his ankle. He had a soft-tissue injury and had to wear it for 2 weeks. He was so cute in it! Unfortunately, he hurt it the day I was scheduled to have my painful varicose veins fixed. I went ahead with the procedure, so B.J. had 2 crippled people to wait on for several days!

August ushered in the beginning of many, many changes in our lives. We had prayed that God would provide a buyer for our home in Margaret and provide a home for us in Trussville so we could be closer to our church and so Joel could attend Paine Primary with his friends from church. On August 15^th when Joel started school at Margaret, it appeared that Jehovah-Jirah (God Our Provider) had said “NO” to this prayer – and He is big enough to do that! We recommitted ourselves to ministering to the school, teachers, and neighbors God had given us in Margaret. At peace with God’s decision, we moved on. Our entire family started Bible Study Fellowship and we were able to study God’s Word together during our Family Worship Time each day. This has been a tremendous blessing to our family as God’s Word will never return void and the Book of Acts has been right on time.

The Contemporary Service moved into the Sanctuary at FBC Trussville in August. This was a huge milestone, an exciting transition, and an amazing opportunity. We will never cease to be humbled and amazed by the fact that the Living God who created the universe has chosen to use us for His purposes.

August 29^th, God brought a buyer for our home. And, not just a buyer – He answered our specific prayer for our home to be a blessing to the next people who would live there. We prayed He would bring someone who would love and enjoy it as much as we had. The sweet couple who bought our home in Margaret told us it was “absolutely perfect” – everything they wanted and in the exact place they wanted to live. God is SO ABLE!

September was a whirlwind of trying to find a house in Trussville and make it to Disney World by the 17^th. After looking at almost every house in Trussville and driving our agent Shay Shellnutt crazy, we put an offer on our new house in Sherman Oaks on September 11^th. It was accepted and we planned to close on September 28^th. We went to Disney as planned and had an amazing time! So magical for the boys and such a wonderful memory as a family. My amazing mother-in-law packed up most of our house while we were gone. My mom came over and helped us pack up the rest when we returned home. But, then we hit a road-block. Our closing had been delayed. First a couple of days and then almost a week. I definitely identified with the Israelites living in tents for 40 years! We didn’t know whether we should unpack or not and we really didn’t know if possibly the whole thing might fall through! It was a very stressful time and I was seriously almost to go through the roof. I was praying, I was trusting, but my anxiety level was really high! My BSF group leader, Deanna, made the comment that I was really demonstrating the “peace of God”. I said, “Thanks Deanna, but I did take a Xanax!” God really does use medicine sometimes!!

We closed on our new home and Joel started Paine Primary School on October 5^th. God used His Word in an amazing way that day. We had been studying about Stephen and how God comforted him as he was being stoned. Joel’s first day of school at Paine Primary, he was nervous. But, at 7 he trusted in Christ enough to know that if God was strong enough to comfort Stephen, He was big enough to comfort him if he was afraid at his new school. When I picked Joel up from school he said it was the “best day ever!” Glory to God!

After weeks of praying, we finally knew Joel’s teacher’s name – Sabrina Johnson. He did not know anyone in his class, but made fast friends. We believed that God was Sovereign over Joel’s new class, but throughout the rest of the year, He has made that even clearer. Joel’s speech continues to be an issue and we had fought for him to have speech services at the previous schools he attended. He was denied 3 times and we continued to do private therapy at intervals. We trust that we will continue to see God’s Hand at work in this area over the next few months. For now, we know that Joel is exactly where he is supposed to be and we are thankful.

Our life took on many new changes as we moved into Trussville. We cut our gas in half, had a laundry room, a fenced in back yard, threw away tons of “stuff” when we moved, made over $1000 at Kids Market/Craigslist , got a new playground from our awesome neighbors – The Stovall’s, and last but not least – we finally get to recycle!! We made some wonderful new friends – Brian and Laura Stanley who live next door and Tyler and Jennifer Eiland (missionaries living in the mission house). So thankful that God continues to bring new friends into our lives!

In November, we hosted Thanksgiving for our families and dedicated our new home to the Lord. This was my first opportunity to fix the “big food”. Thank goodness for Honey Baked Ham!! Our families had a wonderful time and we were thankful to be able to open our home to give thanks to God for all His blessings and this great nation. Since my family is used to celebrating in the wide open space of North Alabama, I obligated B.J. to take everyone on a hike to the Mighty Cahaba River. I think they should have carried some bottled water! Last but not least, B.J. and I endured the crowds at Wal-mart on Thanksgiving Night and got a new Television. So now my Daddy can stop making fun of my “fat –T.V”!

December is always extremely busy, but it is also the season of Advent. A little book called Looking Forward to the Nativity is what God used to spark our passion for family worship several years ago. We went through this devotional again this year and saw our children learn more about Christ’s incarnation. Joel read the devotion several days, Caleb memorized almost the entire second chapter of Luke, and David learned Isaiah 9:6 and all the Christmas songs. B.J had the privilege of leading one of the most worshipful services we have ever been a part of on December 18^th. Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God is an amazing contemporary Christmas musical the Contemporary Worship Team led at FBC Trussville. I also had the opportunity to write and arrange the narration. This year I have been published in The Alabama Baptist, Christian Devotions.us, and The Christian Literary Journal, but when B.J. asked me to write narration for this anointed music – it was an honor beyond words.

Christmas was wonderful! The boys wanted to give Jesus a lamb because as Caleb said “Jesus is the Lamb of God”. We were so thankful to be able to give gifts to Christ on His birthday.

It is difficult to wrap this year up. God has taught us so much. We have learned what it means to be opposed and rejected for the Gospel of Christ and even though it brought us sorrow, we rejoice in joining with Christ in His sufferings. We have learned the importance on encouraging one another in the faith. We have had the privilege of growing new and old friendships. God has allowed us to encourage and counsel other believers with His Word which is the highest honor we could ever attain. His Word is our life and our hope. As we close 2011, we hope that in 2012 we will speak more of His Words than of our own. It is a privilege to be His child and His servant. Two verses surround this year that I want to close with:

“Here I am, send me!” Isaiah 6:8

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed , but of those who believe and are saved.” Hebrews 10:39

No Money for Milk

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…a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (ESV)

I knew I’d failed. I had failed my husband, my children, and my God. It was one day till pay day. My two young boys had no milk to drink and the van was on empty. Unless I used a credit card, we’d have to wait and I wasn’t even sure if I could make it home. Conviction started to flood my soul over what I’d spent money on for the past two weeks. I hadn’t meant to waste it, but God reminded me of things I’d bought that I certainly didn’t need.

I stopped right there and prayed. God, I am so sorry I have not been a good steward of what You have provided. If you will help us, we will change. I realized in that moment, just like every other area of our lives, finances were too big for us to handle alone. They were also too big for us to handle as a couple. We must have a “threefold cord.”

When we look to God for help in this area of our lives, He doesn’t turn His head away. He swoops in and starts to change this area, beginning with our hearts. I went home that night and told my husband what happened. We began right then making changes by using some Christian budgeting tools. As we sought God’s help and turned this area over to Him, things started to change.

Over the next 18 months we paid off over $26,000 in debt and built our savings. He truly worked miracles in this area when we submitted to Him and sought His wisdom.

In this tough economy, money is on everyone’s mind. Join me in allowing God to guide in this area so the world can see how followers of Christ deal with money. Will you submit your finances to Him? Regardless of whether you make $20,000 a year or $200,000 a year, He stands ready to help. Include Him in your financial planning team today.