She's An Adult In Her Eyes....

My kids go to a Christian school - my oldest is in the 8th grade and she is learning about Evolution and Creation.... She is also in a Sunday night study learning apologetics - this is a great tool for kids to understand their faith and to defend their faith. I love seeing my kid on fire - to know God better and to love Him more....

Well - one thing that is hard to explain to a thirteen year old is that many adults will not take her seriously - not because she doesn't know what she is talking about but because she is thirteen.. She's a kid in an adult's eye - and in her own eye she's an adult....

A couple of weeks ago she came home from tennis really frustrated... I could see the tears brimming in her eyes.... You see, her tennis coach is an atheist - he believes in Evolution - not creation.. He overheard her talking about a paper she was writing for her Bible class about Evolution not making sense.... He quickly made a comment, "Why can't you believe in both?" Well my daughter thought what a great question and proceeded to tell him why.... From what the other kids in class told me - she was amazing... she had a great case.... Of course you can see where this is going..... the coach wouldn't entertain her opinion... (this was after class - not during) Not because she did not make sense but because she is young..

I have talked to this coach in the past and he had told me he has never gone to church - he has never read the Bible - he has never participated in any class for or against evolution - it was just what he believed and there you go...... At that time - I did not have the words - so I did not say anything... but I did find a great article that I felt was very convincing and gave it to him... Well, obviously - he either did not read it - or it did not convince him....

I have to say - that I am proud of my girl.... Her passion humbles me.... Her love for Jesus makes me proud... Her wanting to share the good news with her coach gives me hope... Now if I can get her to be nice to her little sister all will be right in my world... at least for today...

The Burning Bush

Last weekend I was at my church's women retreat..... It started off good - well, sort of... not really..... I was sick... boy was I sick.. I tried to talk myself out of being sick but things just kind of got worse.... I ended up going home the last night and missing out on the following morning's activities.. Sunday morning... Sunday afternoon.... and Sunday night - My back was glued to the bed and couch.... I'm still not doing great..... I have a bugger of a cold....

You know when you are not feeling well and you find it difficult to concentrate on things? That is how it was for me most of my weekend.... I enjoyed the women I was with... A great bunch of girls that I am glad to know..... There were a couple of wonderful testimonies..... But the video segments about killed me... or put me to sleep... Until.. I heard the term burning bush... The author of the book Organic God, Margaret Feinburg was talking about when Moses went up the mountain and saw the Burning Bush of God... What would have happened if he just walked by and did not pay attention... If he refused to acknowledge that Burning Bush.... if he refused to acknowledge God...?

Ms. Feinburg took the "Burning Bush" analogy one step further.... How many times in our lives have we had the opportunity to glorify God (burning bush) and not do it? How many times have we spoken with someone who was reaching for help and not acknowledge it? How many times have we been too busy in our own lives to do God's work? How many times have we walked by a burning bush?

I loved that analogy - I found it eye opening..... and very thought provoking.... I know I have been guilty of walking by a few burning bushes because I did not have the time..... What if God did not have the time for me???

We as Christians have to see those burning bushes.... We need to glorify God in any way we can.... We need to make the time...... We need to acknowledge that burning bush....

God's Love Does Not Mean Acceptance

One of the things I hear often is people trying to define God into their terms... Trying to fit God into their understanding so that all is okay... because God is Love... Most of the people that say these things are not into the Word... They may have glossed over the Book... they may have been to a Bible study or two... They may even go to church on a regular basis.... But the fact remains - God is God under His terms....

God does love us - every single one of us... God has compassion for us - every single one of us.... God forgives us - but not every single one of us.. What I mean by that is - you MUST ask God for forgiveness and you MUST accept His Son as your Savior... There is NO other way - this is what I believe.... This is what the Bible teaches....

In the Bible there are Rules - I'm sure you all have read the 10 commandments.. But there are other things that God expects of us... We are to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.

Loving your neighbor as yourself does not mean that you are to accept their sin as your own.. It does not mean that by loving someone that you turn a blind eye to their lives.... It means to love the person... but you can and should Hate the sin....

In California, the Harvey Milk Bill has been signed by our Terminator Governor - Arnold Schwarzenegger. What the bill will do is designate a day in May for the public schools from kindergarten to senior years to learn about Harvey Milk and the gay life style... Click Here to learn about Harvey Milk. I am not against this because the guy was gay.. I am against this because there are so many other good things that can be brought into the schools.. My biggest question is this: Why is it okay to have a Harvey Milk Day - (glorifying the gay life style and giving hope to the gay, lesbian, and transgender. That is the purpose of this day according to the Bill..) and not have a Christian Day?

It's NOT okay to bring Jesus into the schools.. It's NOT okay to bring God into the schools.... It's NOT okay to sit in a circle during lunch break hold hands and pray... It's NOT okay to do a book report on a Christian book without an atheist teacher mocking the student.. It's NOT okay to talk about, read about, and pray about a God that represents love, forgiveness, compassion, understanding, right and wrongs, telling the truth, and all that is good.... Why is that? But it's okay to celebrate a man who had multiple sex partners... It's okay to celebrate a man that tried to legalize marijuana... Come on..... There are so many other previous California residences that qualify far better than Mr. Milk. How about Ronald Reagan?

The Newport Beach/Costa Mesa school district voted unanimously against this bill and I am pretty sure that most school districts will... Why wasn't this Bill brought to the voters? Probably because the government knew it would be voted down in a landslide....

Many of my liberal friends have said that they are happy that the governor has signed this bill.... And my liberal friends respect the fact that I am foaming at the mouth..... and that's okay - in our friendships - we have our differences and each of us brings something new into each others worlds and thinking... but - I do have to say this....

In 1 Corinthians chapter 6 it talks about the sins that identify a person if they continue to do them.... Homosexuality is often singled out to be the "bad" one. And that is wrong - All sin is bad.. All of it - not just some of it... what about the other sins... fornication (pre-martial sex), idolatry, adultery, stealing, coveting, alcoholism, lying, and gossip.... Basically we are ALL guilty of one or more of these... but it's the ones who ask for forgiveness and try to sin no more are the ones who are forgiven....

God's Love does not mean acceptance and no matter how a person or persons want to twist it around... Going against God's rules and letting the sin define you is not going to be accepted by God.. Much of society has accepted it... but they are not God....

Does God Exist?

Saw this today - loved it - wanted to share it...

I Blame Eve

One of my eldest daughter's favorite sayings is "I blame Eve" If she did not bite the apple - all of the pains of being a woman would be non-existent.. The monthly bill (cramps)..... Child birth... But I also believe that God - has given women a much larger role.... because He loves us... Because He knows that only a woman could handle what we do... Not to say that men are not great in their God given roles.... They are.... I know I would not have the life I live today if it were not for the success and diligence of my husband.

I believe that the husband is the head of our home.... I believe that final decisions are made by the husband.. That does not mean - I am a rug and whatever he says goes.. Just as Christ is not inferior to the Father, but is the second person in the trinity, so wives are equal to their own husband. Yet in a marriage relationship, a husband and wife have different roles to the Lord. A wife's voluntary submission arises out of her own submission to Christ.
Ephesians 5:22-24 Wives, submit to your own husband, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body..

I believe that the husband who loves his wife - will treat her with the utmost love and respect... When Paul was talking about the husband's authority - he did not emphasize his authority but he did call the husbands to love self-sacrificially. Husbands are to emulate Christ's love, the kind of love that is willing to lay down one's life for another person and serve hat person even if it means suffering..
Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.

Husband and wives have much different roles - I have "feelings"... He has "logic".... I can talk forever.... He can watch sports forever.. I can do several things at once... He can delegate several things at once.... I nurture... He provides a living..... I over think things and fester.... He says what he thinks.... and it's done...

But in some very odd way - these differences make us go together.. we compliment each other.. God's designs are always perfect....

Oh, Happy Day... Oh, Happy Tears

Picture of My Sister and My Mom

Today something amazing happened... Something I have been praying for... Wishing for... Looking forward too....

Today my mom rededicated her life to Christ... Recently she has found a church where she feels connected... Where she feels welcome. I cannot tell you how excited I am... It's been over thirty-five years since my mom had anything to do with church.. I know that her faith has been on the fence.... I know that she has had a very difficult life in many areas... and today she is giving it to Christ... Oh Happy Day...

My sister, Debbie and my mom have many things in common but the top two are... They both post major life changing news on Face Book... Yep.. and they have "funny looking" dogs.. But you know what - that's okay.... What a great thing to read when I logged onto Face Book today.... Not only is my mom - my mom - She is now my sister in Christ as well... I am currently crying "happy tears" Are there any better kind of tears?

Today at 4:00 PM - I will be at Huntington Beach Pier - prayer walking... Today - with my mom's acceptance/re-dedication to Christ is exactly what I needed to get into the "Spirit"... knowing that prayer.. constant prayer... works... Right now I am ready to be the prayer warrior that God is calling me to be.... knowing in His grace and in His never ending love for us - miracles happen and prayers are answered.

This is for you, Mom.. I love you so much.....

The Meaning Of Words

I recently learned a lesson - I have probably learned this lesson several times in my life - but this time it really made me think.... more.

The meaning behind my words - may not be understood by people who don't really know me... If I write something like "It's All about me" - someone might perceive it to mean - that I am shallow. When in reality - those that know me - would perceive it as my sarcastic nature - and that something might be going on in my life that is very big... something that I am having a hard time handling.....

My sister, Tammy once said to me that she hates discussing important things via email... via letters... When there is something important to be said the best thing is to have a face to face.... Or if you can't do a face to face - then talk on the phone... Talk it out ... yell it out.... discuss it out... There is a lot to be said about the inflictions in the voice.. the huskiness of regret... or the sweetness of a gentle laugh.... Talking face to face or on the phone - can make you more vulnerable than you want to be... But sometimes we have to be vulnerable... sometimes - we have to listen to the wrongs and rights we have committed...

My goal is to be transparent - I want my words and my actions to reflect the woman that God wants me to be.... The woman I want to be.... If my words appear to be selfish - self - centered, obnoxious, hateful, or rude - Please believe that is not my intention... That is not what I want to be.... However..... if you cut me off in traffic - all bets all bets are off.. Just Kidding......

When Your Hut Is On Fire!

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small,
uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him.

Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to
protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One
day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in
flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had
happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief,
grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship
approaching the island! It had come to rescue him!

'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers.

'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story : It's easy to get discouraged when things
are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in
our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that
the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It
just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

The Little Jar On My Desk

On my desk - next to my computer screen is a jar with a red lid... In this jar - is my daily reminder that I want to be pleasing aroma to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The rock like items in this jar came from thousands of miles away. In an area that Jesus came from.... If I open the lid of this jar - a spicy and very distinct scent is released... Can you guess what it is?





They come from the Boswellia tree.... They are tapped from the tree by scraping the bark and allowing the exuded resins to bleed out and harden.. These hardened resins are called tears.

The lost city of Ubar, sometimes identified with Irem in what is now the town of Shisr in Oman, is believed to have been a center for these fine smelling "tears"



Have you figured it out yet? They were used to make Kohl (eyeliner), they are edible and they have been used for medicinal purposes (treating arthritis) burning this resin keeps mosquitoes away, and they are used for perfume and oils...

About 2000 years ago - they were a gift to a baby boy - Matthew 2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh... The Tears my friends is Frankincense...

The Offensive Cross

In 1934, a World War I veteran named Riley Bembry helped to erect a cross in the middle of no where... in the middle of the Mojave Desert... This cross sits on a 4,000 foot plateau -You won't find this cross on any maps... No one really knew about it.... it was erected to honor the war veterans.... It was to honor the war veterans who came to the desert to recover from severe lung diseases caused by mustard gas during the attacks in World War I.

Riley and the other war veterans who erected this cross over 75 years ago did not get permission to put up the cross and for several decades - no one cared it was there... Riley was the caretaker for this memorial until 1984 when he died. Today Henry Sandoz along with his wife Wanda proudly are the caretakers of this memorial...

Today this memorial is hidden between plywood... yep you read it right - it's hidden behind plywood... Why, you may ask.. Because the cross is offensive to some.... a very small minority - I ask why does a small minority have such strong powers.... Why does our government turn their back on the very fabric of it's conception.... Why are they so afraid to represent and show respect to Jesus Christ..?

In 1994, 1.6 million acres of desert - including the land where the cross is became government property after it was turned into a National Park.... A few years later, a resident wanted to put up a Buddhist shrine near the cross... the request was denied.... And because the ACLU - is against anything "Christian" related - they said it wasn't fair -they said if the cross is up then every other religious symbol should be able to be displayed... (it's sounds so childish to me) What angers me is that the cross isn't just about religion it's about honor - the cross is honoring the WW I vets - men and women who fought for our freedom... who fought for our country... and the ACLU is always up to the task of mocking our patriotism.. I find that so very sad..

Peter Eliasber, managing attorney of the ACLU in Southern California is quoted as saying, "It strikes me as sort of odd that it just happens to be in that shape. If what they really wanted to do was have a war memorial, there are hundreds of other shapes that it could be in." Okay this is me saying, "huh?" The cross was erected 75 years ago... A time in our country where God, Church, and Patriotism meant something......

So today the Supreme Court is deciding what to do - some members of Congress agreed to transfer one acre of land around the cross in exchange for five private acres around the preserve. A San Francisco, California appeals court turned down that offer, saying it failed to satisfy Constitutional concerns.... If the government allows this cross to be removed - what are the implications of the other religious imagery in our country - it's on building - other memorials.. On statues.. works of art - is our government going to destroy those too?

Embedded video from CNN Video

Crazy Feet Are Prayer Walking To A Town Near You

Today I was wondering what I was thinking... What was I thinking to say yes to being a part of the women ministry leadership team..... I am more of a back ground kinda gal.. I love to give ideas... but I don't want to be the one putting myself out there and gasp* public speaking..... I could feel my stomach tossing and turning.... before I had to talk... but something happened.... I started talking.... but the words were not just my words... Granted I was nervous still... granted I could hear my voice shake... but the words I wanted to say came out... the words that I did not know how to say came out.. My true depth of feeling came through... my excitement on where God is leading was known... not just to the women I was speaking to but to myself.....

We had the opportunity yesterday as a team to learn how to prayer walk.. How to pray while you walk - so as not to be obvious.... One big thing I learned - do not I repeat do not close your eyes while prayer walking.. especially on sidewalks, streets, and/or stairs... it's amazing how many things there are in our community to pray for.. the people, the schools, the spiritual battles, and so much more.. Yesterday I practiced praying in the church sanctuary... at first I just welcomed God into His home.... as we were going down the pews - I started to picture different families and people groups who sit in the pews I was walking by... Suddenly my prayers started to become more specific... more detailed... more loving... more God in complete control... I was having an out loud conversation with God and it became so personal... so incredibly eye opening... heart attacking... inspiring.. and I am just sitting here writing this and one word comes to mind... awe... I was in awe of Him..

Next Sunday will be our first "Big" prayer walk.. We are going to Huntington Beach pier in Southern California... Did you know that Orange County, California is the 2nd largest human trafficking area in the United States? Huntington Beach pier is a very common place for children, teens, and young adults to be preyed on.... by the predators from the Internet.... from sex and drug dealers... and so many other scary things...

We are going to prayer walk the pier - Main Street. And if someone we pass by on our walk needs a prayer - I look forward to praying for them.. Yes, you heard it right - me - Miss I will never pray in front of people... wants to pray for strangers.... crazy things are happening.... and my crazy feet are taking me on a journey... a prayer journey... with God.... can't ask for better company .. can you?