Angel ?!?

After today, I have no doubt there are angels among us! Let me back up and share that our oldest daughter, Chelsea is 15 yrs old and in 10th grade. Not only is she in 10th grade but she attends an Early College which allows her to take high school and college classes. When she graduates from high school, she will actually be a 3rd year transfer student to any state supported school.

I share that because as many of you can imagine she is having to juggle the typical drama and highs and lows of being 15 and in high school. However, she is also having to demonstrate a certain maturity level as she participates in college as well. Being a teenager is difficult enough without having to live in 2 worlds at once... the youth and adult world.

One minute they want to be 10 again, sitting in their mama's lap and the next minute they're asking for the keys to the car to get in practice behind the wheel or asking if they can go to a Spring Formal with a young man who already has his driver's license! While it's confusing for them, I feel a little schizo myself, parenting my first teenage daughter!

In addition to dealing with living in these 2 worlds, Chelsea has struggled with her "sphere of influence"... her peers. Up until high school, she hasn't had or desired much of a "social life". She's fairly introverted and has always enjoyed "her time" and quite honestly we have all enjoyed just "hangin" as a family.

Chelsea's been fairly "sheltered" and her eyes have certainly been opened to the reality of what kids her age are "up to" these days. Needless to say, most of it goes completely against what she knows and feels to be moral and of value and is also contrary to God's word. While she feels this way, she has also longed to be accepted and "in" with the crowd, as most desire (adults included). The struggle of juggling this has been even greater than attempting to live in the "two worlds" as explained above.

OK...now to the events of today...

Our family went to church this morning. We attend early worship and then scatter to our respective Bible Fellowship groups. Following Bible Fellowship this morning, I retrieved Hope and Chuck retrieved Chloe. After picking Hope up I met Chelsea in front of the sanctuary and we headed out the front doors. After the 3 of us were about 20-30 feet out the door a man called from behind me. I had never seen this man before. He was probably in his later 40's early 50's. He approached me asking if Chelsea was my daughter. Following my response, he said, "If you don't mind I need to share something with her." I consented. This man proceeded to say that he couldn't help to notice her standing against the wall in the lobby of the church while she watched a small group of her peers huddled up chatting. He said he couldn't help but think Chelsea wanted to be a part of that group.

This man then continued to say he had a "word" he needed to pass along to Chelsea. He said, "God has tremendous plans for you. He wants to use you to influence many for Him. Unfortunately, many times, in order to have an influence, you can't be a part of a group. Just like we are reminded in the word, God wants you to know,

"You are who I say, who I say, that you are." "

The man concluded with reminding Chelsea of God's love for her and encouraging her to stand firm against a lot of what her peers tend to busy themselves with, ie...gossiping, lying, secrets and "drama", and how God had something much differently planned for her.

As the man finished talking to Chelsea, we (Chelsea and I) were both in tears. I thanked him for his words and asked for his name. He responded, "Mark". I introduced myself as "Sarah". He quickly asked Chelsea what her name was. We then turned and parted ways.

Chelsea and I walked down the sidewalk holding hands and crying. In that brief moment and through those short but powerful words from a total stranger, God moved in a mighty way. The magnitude of what just transpired began to hit Chelsea more deeply. As she began to cry harder, we stopped walking and embraced each other. I glanced back to see the man, but he was gone. He left as quickly as he came.

I must say, it has taken a 4 mile run and the rest of the day for me to begin processing what took place on that sidewalk today. How could that man have possibly known what Chelsea has been struggling with? How could he have known those to be the exact words she needed to hear? It was as if my daughter exchanged words with Jesus in the flesh!

"For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;" Luke 4:10


Was that a man?? I'm more inclined to believe it was not...


"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2

How open are you to entertaining "strangers"?

Blessings!

Sonlight

You know... it's funny the way God shows Himself sometimes. Yesterday, I was driving to pick up Hope from the local elementary school. Chloe and I were listening to a children's CD when she decided she wanted to hear a specific tune on the CD.

That may seem like an easy request, however, the light on my clock / radio / CD player in my vehicle has a mind of it's own. More times than not, the light isn't illuminating the faceplate which is suppose to show the time on the clock, the radio station's number and the song number on the CD.

When I arrived at the elementary school to line up in the car-rider line, I noticed the sun shining directly on the faceplate of the radio / CD player. I could actually see the song number of the CD that was playing! GREAT!

I took that opportunity to preset my favorite radio stations and then found the song on the CD Chloe had requested earlier. My ability to read the faceplate of the radio was short-lived as the car-rider line began moving and the sun was no longer shining directly on the faceplate.

It was at that moment I felt God prick my heart revealing the life of many people. Many walk around in life, aimlessly wondering with no clear direction, plans, or goals... basically in the dark. It is only when the Son shines through us that we illuminate and are able to "walk with clarity of purpose".

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Are you standing in the Sonlight? Is it illuminating your "faceplate"? Do you know what your radio frequency is? If not, step out of the darkness and experience the Son.

"For God so loved the world (YOU) that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Blessings!

Freeze!

Did I say things at the Ledford house are busy??!!??? Chuck asked me this morning if I slept well last night. I laughed and my response went something like, "Slept well?... Who knows...lately I just fall into bed and am grateful for a few hours to just be still!".

Last month the Fair was "in town" and like every year, we spent a few hours walking around through a "sea of humanity" trying to make our way from one little kiddie ride to another. When we first arrived at the fair we needed to stand in line to purchase the ride tickets. The crowd was growing in size at the ticket booth so Chuck took the girls and stood a few feet away from me while I stood in line.

After glancing over to make sure the girls remained with Chuck, I began to feel inundated with people beckoning for my attention. There was an increasing volume of excited voices all around. It was as if for a brief moment I was in a fog and everything around me was happening in slow motion.

I looked to my right; there was a middle-aged guy with a head mic set requesting an opportunity to guess birth dates, ages or weight.

To my left, there stood a weathered faced woman who's appearance spoke of her struggles of life. She was calling for passers-by to come purchase fair memorabilia.

Behind me was a Merry-Go-Round with it's loud tunes playing and the ride attendant calling for tickets from it's riders.

My eyes continued to circle around from the man with the microphone, to the weathered looking woman, to the Merry-Go-Round attendant... on and on my head swam to the rhythm of all the busyness that surrounded me. When all of a sudden I heard this small voice standing at my pants leg calling "mommy...mommy". I looked down to see my 3 year old (Chloe) with a big grin plastered across her face.

This experience has run through my mind several times since that afternoon at the fair. God knows the "love language" of all His children and He speaks in that unique way to each of us.

God very clearly, yet quietly reminded me that in the busyness of all that goes on in my life on a day to day basis, if I don't learn to "tune out" the "unimportant noise" of life, I will miss the most important voice of all...HIS! I was also reminded of the importance of spending time with Him. For if we, His children, don't make it a priority to know Him, how will we recognize His voice?

Had I not known Chloe, I wouldn't have recognized her voice as she called out to me that day at the fair while I stood in a crowd of hundreds. Her voice would have simply blended in with the hum of hundreds of other voices in the crowd.

In the busy rhythm of your days can you distinguish His voice? Are you "tuned in" OR will His voice just get lost in the crowd?

"Be still and know that I am God;"
Psalms 46:10

Blessings!