Trust in the Lord....

My son left yesterday for Iraq. I was ready this time to say goodbye. I didn't fall down and blubber like a crazy person. I hugged him, prayed over him and then hugged him again...and again and stole a kiss ;)

Then he boarded the plane. I only had tears in my eyes, until we got into the car and got out of OKC. Then I cried.

It's a hard thing sending your son off, knowing that might be the last time you'll ever see him, knowing he's going into harm's way, knowing that despite how light you have made of it, he still might not come back home.

But I know who I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day...

What more can be said?

A Busy Week

This has been a week of busy-ness. My daughter and her husband will be home tomorrow, but we have to go to OKC to get them. And that'll finish out our week.

We started two new classes Wed. night at church, one went okay another not so good. We have a meeting with all of the teachers tonight to discuss it.

And I lost my story I had outlined and am procrastinating on rewriting it.

Keep me in prayer dear ones.

Change

Change can be good. Change can be bad. One thing is guaranteed in life, however. That is that things will change. My son will be back for four days before he goes to Iraq for the year. My daughter's husband will be out of the military and they are coming home for a short time before moving on to a new place. My husband is back in school getting his masters. And the story I was plotting got eaten by my computer when I had to reformat my hard drive.

Any one of those things could be stressful or even devastating to someone. But something I have learned and tried to instill in my children is that life is a cycle. What you go through now will eventually pass and things will get better--only to have things go bad again and then eventually get better again. The psalmast put it great when he said, Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning, it's darkest just before the light...(my paraphrase).

We get so tangled up in the world sometimes with problems, kids problems, relationship problems, bill problems, (the three biggies they say affect every married couple), peer pressure, parental problems, (For you younger guys), that we forget that these trials will help us by refining us into what God wants us to be.

As gold or silver is melted, the gunk comes to the top to make the metal more pure--we're like that...these trials is the gunk in us. God uses many ways to refine us--but we need to learn from the trial or we will just have the same trial again. That doesn't mean if you learn from one trial, you wont' have others. As soon as God refines you in one area and you think, thank you Jesus, I am done with that, things have gotten better...God opens up another area in your life to reveal where you need fixing. OR, guess what guys, sometime we go through those trial so OTHER people can see and be fixed.

So, hold on my child, darkness is just for the night and it's always darkest before the dawn, but joy will come in the morning.

It's been a week since I posted.

Since then, my son has crushed his hand (no broken bones, praise God), and my daughter is one week closer to coming home. I have mixed feelings. I am not the best housekeeper in the world and so I worry that she and her husband will be unhappy with dog hair on the floor. I have three dogs, two of which shed--and I sweep, but if you have a shedding dog, you know it's impossible to get all the dog hair up!

I've run out of my medication that 'wakes me up' that I jokingly call my uppers. It helps me through the day because of the MS. So, this entire week I've been taking afternoon naps:/ However, good news? I am waking up earlier in the morning so I think the meds were making my sleep a bit uncomfortable at night.

I want to write! I've had no time. What do you do when that happens? Grrrr.... but today I have a meeting with my leaders at church, and I need to get all of that ready. Sigh. Life is so busy. I'm going to ask them if they want to continue monthly meetings or if they'll read the notes I hand out. (I know they won't! LOL).

God is good. I am still struggling on the forgiveness part of some people at church. It's hard to let go of the pain and anger, you know? But it's coming. My son has already forgiven them. The resilency of the one who was hurt versus the protectiveness of a mama!

Keeping Your Priorities Straight.

I have been working on two webpages for people, my son is on his way to Iraq and I just found out my daughter will be home in two weeks.

I told my pastor Wed. night i was taking the month off to fast and pray and he immediately said in the ministry you can't take time off. I was so stunned I didn't know how to reply. When I told my husband later, he gently reminded me that our pastor takes two or three weeks off at a time to go to Branson, spends spring break out at the lake in his trailer, all summer out there too.

It was so frustrating. So I decided to put it to a vote before the men and women that help me run Wed. night and see what they say. After all, this is God's ministry. And my priorities always need to be God first, family second, ministry third, then everything else.

I'm still on the 91st Psalm...I'm reading a commentary on it. If you don't have a Bible on your computer, go visit E-Sword at e-sword.net . It is a wonderful program.

If you prefer listening, try the audio bible at biblegateway.com

Well, that's it for today. May God bless you.

What do you do when...

What do you do when you are bitterly disappointed in friends at your church?

Hide? Scream? Rant?

For me I tend to hide, rant, and then pray through.

Last night was such a night. I get so tired of gossip--and especially if it includes my family. My son in particular who is going to Iraq in less than a week (or leaving to start the journey--those who are in the Army will understand that to leave for your unit does not mean you are in Iraq in the next day or two--there is a process).

I was so angry at some of the people at the church who were spreading false rumors that I yelled at my husband. He wasn't guilty except of being there. So I blamed him for something that wasn't his fault. Of course, my agape loving husband said I'll do what you need me to do...grrrr....and....then kisses me goodbye this morning on his way to work.

Where would I be if I did not have someone in my life to remind me of Christ's love? My husband is such a wonderful example. Oh there are things that drive me crazy--his phlegmatic attitude--but he loves me always, no matter what and always lifts me up.

YOu know, I only remember one time he ever said something negative to me in an argument. He does not attack personally.

So here I am, wanting to hide and not go to church tonight--but then I'll have 88 kids there who go, "Where is Ms. Cheryl?" and what can my husband say except, she's mad and acting childish?!

Oh well, the child part they understand, the childish part they might not.

So, I have to swallow--several times--forcing the anger down, go to prayer and then I'll be ready to face and forgive those rumors.

I want to go on a fast. I'm hoping to find a place I can go for three days or so and fast and pray. I think that would help so much with the attitudes....alas, where can you go? To stay home means to fail and eat....out of boredom..to play on the computer instead of read my Bible, to watch tv instead of listen for God's voice...

But the bottom line is...what do you do when....you pray.....prayer is the solver of all problems.

Tuesday Surprise

We (my husband and I) went to our meeting last night and I was suprised to find our prayer team has doubled. What great news. Isn't it always wonderful to see an increase.

I just added David Wilkerson to my blogspot reading. I had no idea he had a blogspot. I always go to his site to listen to messages. In today's world when you are looking for preachers who preach truth that isn't messed up with the name it / claim it mumbo jumbo that it seems all the preachers are preaching, it's hard to find good pastors.

David Wilkerson is one that is consistent in his message of God's Love and God's Faithfulness. He isn't messed up with these heretical beliefs that the faith movement has in their doctrines--how refreshing!

And as a modern day prophet of God, the man has timely words for God. It would behoove you to check him out, guys.

And the kids who read my blogspot--it would help you in your walk! After all, I'm a Christian Author, but I am also a Kid's Pastor...

Ask me how those two go together and I'll shrug. I can tell you that writing books and all that goes with it taught me how to stand before people--something I could not do before that, so maybe that's why God allowed me in that field of work!

May God bless you.