What do you want?

Well, hello! Thanks for checking out my blog. It's been a few weeks but I've found a little time to "post"...

I gotta tell ya...I had the GREATEST time this morning with my nephew, Carter. He's just the sweetest 2 year old. He has the most contagious laugh, brightest smile, that accompanies the absolute, most tender heart. His heart is so big, I can't figure out how it fits into his little body! :-) LOVE HIM!!!

It's rainy today and I had promised my 3 year old, Chloe, we'd walk the aisles of Toys R Us. Carter was spending some time with us this morning and he was ALL about joining us on our "adventure" to the toy store. What kid wouldn't be, right!?!!

We arrived to the entrance of the toy store with MUCH anticipation of finding a Motorcycle for Carter to just "sit on". He couldn't wait to bust through the doors!

We roamed the isles taking turns, checking out items that peaked Carter's interests as well as the interests of Chloe. They both did so good taking turns and waiting on each other. And then....there it was...THE isle!
The isle with the MOTORCYCLE!! Can I tell you the look on Carter's face was sheer elation! He squealed with glee and took off running for the "cycle" as fast as his two year old legs could take him. The look of satisfaction on that kids face once he hoisted himself upon that "cycle" was completely gratifing. He enjoyed every moment of sitting on it, getting himself off and putting himself back on. It was GREAT!

After a few minutes, it was time to move on. Chloe had "bigger" things to check out...like a pony..."My Pony".

While we were leaving the store and I was getting the kids safely buckled into their respective car seats, Carter looked up at me with a swelling smile. He said, "Aunt Sarah, I had so much fun sitting on that motorcycle!".

Carter...the motorcycle...it got me thinking...How satisfied are are we? Is it enough to "see it"; to "sit on it"? OR are we always in a perpetual state of "wanting"...

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Philippians 4:12

Thanks Carter! Thanks for reminding me that often, it's just as much fun to "sit"!

Blessings!

Fireproof

In the words of my 3 year old... "Oh My Word!" I was fortunate enough to win tickets off our local Christian Radio Station (WBFJ 89.3) to attend the preview of the movie Fireproof. It is an amazing movie that will be released to theaters September 26. Every married couple, engaged couple or anyone who ever desires to get married in the future, needs to see this movie. To be honest, I'm not a huge moviegoer. I guess my attention span is short or something but I've never been one to see a lot of movies. HOWEVER, this movie is a "must see". This movie is a reminder of the lengths Christ goes to share a relationship with us... to love us.

The movie reminds us that we can't give what we don't have... if we don't have a true understanding of Love, we are unable to love wholly and completely. God so lovingly and patiently pursues us despite the rejections and disrespect we dole out. I'm so thankful for His pursuance of me and for His persistent love.

I won't spoil the movie for you...just go see it! :-)

Blessings!

"Grounded Bird?"

I finished reading the most "interesting" book...a book that has left me pondering a lot. Perhaps you've heard of it..."The Shack", by William P. Young. (You can visit http://www.theshackbook.com/ for more details.) The thing I "took" from reading this book was a greater understanding of the relationship Christ desires to share with us. This relationship is to be the essence of intimacy. I often felt misunderstood in relation to "others" and my relationship with Christ. I'm comforted to know that I've been right on target! Not that I get it right all the time... because I don't! I fail miserably. However, my understanding of the relationship has been on target.

I have a friend who is going through some REALLY difficult days. As she has shared her struggles with me, I've been reminded in reading The Shack, of God's love for us. Did you know we were created to be loved!

William P. Young used an analogy in his book about a bird. He says that it is the nature of a bird to fly. If a bird was to choose not to fly and be grounded... it's still a bird! By the bird grounding itself, refusing to fly, it significantly alters it's life experiences.

Young continues to explain that for us to live as though we are unloved, much like the bird, we're imposing limitations. He says doing so would be similar to "clipping the wings of a bird and removing its ability to fly".

That got me thinking about the fact that we were created to be loved. It also stirred me to thinking about all the things that happen in life that we view as "bad" things that happen to us / or someone we know. If we truly understand the essence of God's love for us, we can then understand that as a child of His, there is never ANYTHING "bad" that ever touches our life. If He REALLY has our best interest at heart (which I believe He does) we're covered! He's got our back! It's ALL good!

God doesn't leave one thing unused in our life. He uses it all! So no matter what we encounter on this "journey", God is right there. He may be walking beside us or at times, carrying us... but He's there.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28

So, be of good cheer my friend. There may be something "uncomfortable" but there's never a "bad" thing that comes your way!

Do you know who you are... and WHO'S you are? Do you know you REALLY were created to be loved? Do you accept that love? Let's choose to fly and not ground ourselves. We don't really want to alter the experience God desires for us in this life. We're going to live it, so let's live it through Him!

Blessings as you "fly"!

Knock, knock...

The coolest thing happened the other night. Our family was slowing down at the end of a day. Evening had set in; our younger 2 daughters were bathed, sitting comfy in our laps as we had finished reading a story from the Bible. We were going around, each sharing about the events of our day, things we needed prayer about, and others in our community who we knew needed to be lifted to the Father.

Just as we were wrapping up our time of sharing and end with a time of prayer, someone lightly knocked on our front door. Our oldest, Chelsea, greated the individual at the door, quietly exchanging a few words. Chelsea returned from the door informing us that the person at the door was a little girl who lives down the street. This little girl shared with Chelsea that her younger brother had just fallen out of a treehouse. The little girl asked Chelsea if our family would pray for her brother, as he and the mother were on their way to the emergency room.

We all got up, dashing to the door calling the little girl by name as she was making her way down our driveway. We motioned for her to come back. She turned her bike around and approached our porch. The poor soul...her lip was quivering and she looked as through the tears in her eyes were about to breakforth at any moment.

I put my arms around her and gave her a big hug. We then explained we were just getting ready to have prayer time, and that we would love to pray with her right then, for her brother and her family. At that moment, all six of us joined hands bathing that family in prayer.

As I later reflected on that sweet time of prayer. What a priviledge it was to be able to do that...to have the freedom to pray openly on the frontporch of our home in a suburban neighborhood in America. Another thing that struck me was, we really don't know this little girl or her family very well.

We never know who is watching us...and what an amazingly strong thing for a little girl to do for her brother...to seek out people she barely knows to plead for her brother.

Wow far would you go for your "brother"? What would you do for your "brother"?

"Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray."
Psalms 5:2

Blessings!

Please unwrap the gift...

I woke up this morning having no idea the sheer joy I would experience. I received a telephone call this morning and was reminded of God's faithfulness and became very aware of a grander plan God is working on.

I shared earlier in my blog that my twin brother and his wife (Beth and Terry) are in the adoption process from China. They've been waiting for their "referral" which in the world of international adoption, is the paperwork from the country you're adopting from, specifying that you've been given permission to adopt a specific child.

Well, that day finally arrived. They got "the call"...they have been cleared to adopt "Melyn"! As I spent time with Beth this morning, looking at the pictures of "Melyn" they received, I felt her growing closer and closer to me. I was so in awe at the hand of God and the way He has worked to get her adopted...and into my family!


There was one particular picture that just grabbed at my heart. "Melyn" had to receive heart surgery last year. One of the pictures of her bore that scar from the surgery. For reasons I will not got into at this time, I, too, bear that same scar. The look on "Melyn's" face in this particular picture was a sense of displeasure that anyone would be taking a picture of her and her scar. Odd as it may sound, I understood that look...the scar sympbolizes a painful time in her young life... a time when there was way too much going on for her little mind to understand. I thought of just how vulnerable this little one has been until now.

However, that scar represents life! For without that scar... there would be no life. This led my thoughts to the scars of Christ... for without His scars there would be no "life"... only mere existance. We've all been given the gift of life, just like "Melyn" has in a "physical sense". We have a responsibility to unwrap that gift... to put that "gift to use".

Have you unwrapped that "gift"... what will you do with your gift?

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

" For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
John 3:16-18

"Melyn" became "vulnerable" to unwrap her gift of life... Will you submit to this vulnerability and unwrap your "gift of life"?

Blessings!