Yet Another Day to Be Thankful

I woke this morning praying.

I was pouring out the concerns of my heart

even as I slept or at least 

as the consciousness began 

to come.

Not a bad way to begin Thanksgiving 2013.

I'm so thankful for all the Lord has done

in our family this year.

Of course there are concerns.

I've been sharing them freely.

But, a life without concerns would leave us 

terribly unaware of all that is good and wonderful 

in our lives. 

We would not realize the difference.

There are days when I'm playing the piano 

for worship and I slip and hit a wrong key...

ok so maybe it happens every time I play. 

Ha.

But, in those moments I think defensively, 

Just think of all of the right keys I do play.

Why does that one have to stand out so harshly.

Ahhh....

and it is just like life.

There we are cruising along with all going as we think it should

when all of a sudden in front of us is a discordant event.

Oops!

It is harsh.

It gets our attention.

We even fuss.

But, it the grand scope of life it is just a note

misplayed.....according to us.

God never misplays notes.

His ways are simply not our ways.

He allows these things for our good and His glory.

(Did you just roll your eyes?)

Well, He does.

And every day with Him is glorious.

Not one day out of the year.

Not when things are going all peachy keen.

Every day!

I say these things even as my heart breaks for a 

blog friend who lost her husband suddenly this year.

Even as I am aware of families who aren't holding

babies close...and yet dearly want to.

I have observed the left out and the lonely.

Our family unit has shrunk.

We miss those who are gone... so much.
I so do not intend to minimize the impact and pain
involved in these life events.
Not for a minute!

But in all of that.....

He is Good.

He is holding these people up and so close.

May the discordant sounds in our lives be turned 

back to beautiful strains

which bring both joy and giddiness at how very much 

"goes right".

And how much He loves and cares for us

in every moment of our lives.  

Those we see as good...and especially in those we 

perceive as bad.

And special thanks to our Heavenly Father for sparing 

the life of our friend Clarence this week.

You can read about his near miss 

at Blue Barn Bulletin.

A Sick One in Thailand

If you would please pray for Chelsea I would really appreciate it.

She caught a stomach bug that others on the team have had.

It seems to have kept her down longer than we would have 

expected.  Thankfully today she is beginning to feel some better, 

but she has a very long trip coming up this weekend.  

They drive, by bus, approximately fourteen hours from Chiang Mai

to Bangkok.  Please pray with us that she will be fully recovered

and that other team members aren't sick for this journey. 

I can imagine little worse than having a stomach illness while

traveling by bus.  

And while I'm asking for prayer....

Jonathan will get an injection in his spine today

to see if they can get him relief for a herniated disc.

He lives with such severe pain at all times and if 

this helps it would be such a blessing.

It would mean so much to him to have normal 

movement and pain relief.

Tomorrow is the day set aside for thankfulness.

We will rejoice in the goodness of our Lord and 

all He has done.  He provides everything we need.

There is no question on this.

Sometimes His ways are not our own.

Such as Michael's broken collar bone.

But I can tell you that good things, 

very good things, have come as a result of 

this trial in his life.  Maybe one day I'll be able 

to share more.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that 

I'll be sharing more with you in the near future.

Have a wonderful day.

Happy Thanksgiving....

in case I don't post tomorrow.

But I just might.

Good Morning

Hello there, 

Anyone who still might pop by here,

On this poor neglected blog.

Gone, for now, are the days when I wake up

formulating a post in my mind

and then come and tap away.

Also, gone are the days when I can take the time to 

pop in on everyone each day and see what you 

have to share.

Naturally, I miss it.

I miss you.

But for now this is how it must be.

Warren has finally agreed that the candle business

is something.

Something of value.

But the what next is what we are trying to figure out.

It eats more and more of my time

and makes our house

all the more messy as it 

  grows. 

I do not say this in complaint.

Just as a matter of fact.

Something needs to give.

It needs to move from the upper level

to the lower level of the house....

at least.

It had been at least two weeks since I had heard

directly from Chelsea.

I had been in contact with one of her friends who 

kept me somewhat up to date with things in Chiang Mai.

But on Sunday morning...at Midnight....

Warren's cell phone buzzed.

It was on silent.

Thankfully he heard it buzzing and woke up.

We had a nice nearly hour long chat with our girl.

Please pray for them.

Chiang Mai is proving to be very spiritually dark

and they are definitely sensing the spiritual warfare

in the city.

As part of the ministry they are definitely on the front lines.

I am so impressed by YWAM's way of working.

While some are out witnessing

others are praying in an intercessory fashion.

Praying without ceasing....

Calling for strength and light to pierce the darkness.

Still, it is hard!

One of the interesting things they were able to do 

was to help set up a Franklin Graham Crusade.

That must have been something.

It was held in a large stadium and Chelsea's team helped

prepare tickets and other organizational things.

So cool!

Jonathan will have an injection in his back on Wednesday.

We are praying that this will bring him some relief for his 

herniated disc.

The MRI images are rough.

If this doesn't work then surgery will be in his future.

I'm not holding my breath because there is a very strong

family history of this.

Same spot.

Same issue.

In those cases the surgery helped

regain a pain free life.

So, we shall see.

It is still our last resort...

as it should be.

For my own sake I would like to 

document here that I've lost 20 pounds.

Yay!

It has not been hard.

I've simply changed my choices.

I'm not legalistic about it.

I eat many more fruit and more veggies.

Original, I know. 

Ha.

But, the main thing I've been doing is striving 

to cut out processed foods and eat closer to the source.

I've increased my consumption of good oils

and am very careful to avoid corn, canola and soy oils.

I say NO to any item that has been genetically modified.

No GMO's.

All of these wreck our systems.

I've been taking a class that has taught me so much.

I'll take it again when it is offered in the Spring 

because it is so much information to intake and implement.

Here's to the next 20 pounds on their way out!

Many more to go.

But I feel better...so much better.

There are still issues, of course.

I've spent years eating badly and causing myself issues

but I'm so thankful to have seemingly found the root 

cause of my daily headaches.

No more white bread for this chick.

Over the past three months I've found that I only 

get the headaches when I eat the white bread.

Yippee skippee.

I can avoid that!

It is worth it.

It maddens me to no end to find out 

what is on our grocery shelves.

Poisons!

Items that are causing Autism, birth defects and cancers.

And we think that they are safe because they are available.

Nope!

Definitely not.

Anyway, 

I'll stop now.

I just hope and pray that before long 

more and more people wake up to the 

damage that is caused by the "foods" we are eating

and the chemicals we use in our homes.

I know I've read about it for years but it wasn't until 

I was faced with excruciating pain did I begin the process of learning.

Wow.

Now I am thankful for the pain.

It has changed my life.

If you would like to join some of us on the journey
to health
you are welcome to join our Facebook group
which we have lovingly dubbed
Chubby Chicks Changin' Choices.
My friend, Diane had the idea and we've been
having fun together sharing information and inspiration.
You don't have to be chubby to join.
We just got a kick out of the whole
CH-connection.

Well, the dogs are begging to go out

so I'll be off.

Blessings on your day.

Thanks for the Prayers

The good news is that they didn't find cancer.

The not so good news is that they found plenty of other

not so delightful findings.

It is looking like I'll need another surgery.

If you are counting, that makes two in the waiting now.

Before that decision is final, though, I'll have more testing.

The working theory is that a bile duct is blocked and causing the 

severe pain in my upper right side.  This is the second doctor 

to believe that this is the likely problem.

As unsettling as that was, even more so was the discovery 

that I may have Crohn's Disease.  If so, it is caught early

but it is something that we'll be doing more research about.

And in the category of weird....the opening from my stomach 

to the intestines is extremely small.  The doctor used a balloon to 

open it wider.  I'm such a mess.

He, (the doctor), 

was enjoying my case very much.

Apparently he normally just gets to 

see routine patients.

I should have sent word ahead 

that he was going to have an 

extra special day.

He was nearly giddy

when sharing my results and pictures 

wtih us.

LOL

But............ I'm here.  And I'm able to work, pray, play and live.

After watching this morning's news and the people in the 

Philippines I know that I have nothing to complain about.

I have a home...food....water.

I have the people that love me and whom I love 

within reach by phone, internet or in proximity.

It is so sad to know the extent of tragedy so many have

been immersed in by no fault of their own.

It just is what it is.

Nature is powerful.

BUT....

Our God is greater and I trust Him to bring good 

from this mess. 

Praying for all of the Christian rescue organizations 

who are bringing aid.  May they bring the best aid of 

all to these precious people.  The wonderful story of 

Jesus love and the gift of eternal life.

And with that...

I must return to the candle kitchen.

Blessings on your day!

If You Don't Mind...

I would take some prayers today.

In the midst of this, one of my busiest weeks of the season,

I'll be prepping for an upper and lower GI today.

Not for the fun of it.

Praying that I'll be able to find out what has been causing 

severe pain in my upper right abdomen for months now.

Normally this time of the year whatever needs to be done

gets put on the back burner.....

But this one has my attention.

Thanks for your prayers.

I really appreciate it.

We Are All Called

Before finding out we were expecting with Michael

I had an appointment set up to investigate becoming 

foster parents.

I don't think it was something that Warren was ever really 

on board with and it was something that I feared.

I feared the letting go.....

the possibility of watching children be ordered

back to bad situations.

I feared a broken heart.

But, I was very interested in helping children 

in crisis.

We never went to that appointment.

It seemed when I found out about our pregnancy that 

God closed that door.

Over the next 2 decades we have come to know 

families that are either entirely or partially made up 

of members who came through the foster system 

or adoption.

These families have a special place in my heart.

What a blessing to see God make a family that way.

I have moments of longing...still.

In more recent years we have gotten very close 

to some families who were in the process of 

adoption and have seen their journey up close and 

in a very personal way.

It is hard.

It is real.

It is beautiful.

I've felt conflicted as verses are quoted about 

all of us Christians caring for the widows and the orphans.

I mean, am I that selfish that I won't get over my fear of 

flying and go to some other country and rescue as many 

children as I can from their crib?

Or shouldn't I get in line to bring home a child in need

from any other source?

Well, 

maybe I am.

It is possible that there is a part of me that

says we are about through with the hands on parenting

and would I really want to start over.

If I'm being honest this has passed through my brain.

But there is also another part that would jump to 

go and bring a child home.

However, 

I'm not the only part of the equation.

I'm not the only one who 

would be impacted by such a 

decision.

Chelsea blessed my heart this week when 

she talked in a very matter of fact way 

about the child she will adopt one day.

How sweet it would be if God did 

call her to that in His timing.

However, 

I feel very strongly that just as some are called

to teach and preach, 

some are called to serve in the background.

Some of us are called to prayer for the families that God has called

to adoption.

Some of us are to give....of our financial resources.

Some of us are to give of our time in making meals

or doing other household chores to free up the 

adoptive family to focus on special needs.

For now I have found my calling as it relates to the precious 

ones who are finding the homes God has prepared for them.

I am at peace.

I have less guilt....can't say none.

There will always be a part of me that wants 

to go.

But there is something that every one of us can do.

I wonder what he has for you?

It is a very huge blessing to become a part of the world

of adoption.

In one way....or another.

Families I am currently working with are:

The Mussers

and

The Haines

Also adopting in our home town:

The Herrs

At the very least

 I hope you will add these families to 

your prayer list.

I Can See The Sky

I know that Fall has come....and nearly gone

when I can see the sky from our back yard.

The leaves on our many trees

block the view all summer long.

Last evening I went out with the dogs

and shimmering light caught my eye from above.

I turned and looked.

It was beautiful.

Through the nearly bare branches sparkled diamonds

in the sky.

These cool dry nights feature displays of 

such beauty.

Warren got our leaf decimation system up and running

and has used it once so far. 

It will need to go again but for now I once again 

have some crunchy leaves out there to enjoy.

The challenge is getting the dogs to not leave their 

big chew bones in those leaves

only to become dangerous projectiles

when hit by the mower.

For some reason this has huge appeal for our pooches.

*****

I've heard from Chelsea 

and she is well.

A bit more than a little tired of rice

but enjoying her mission.

She is teaching English to children in Thailand.

Fun times!

We are just a bit more than a month out

from getting her back in our arms.

NONE of us can wait.

Even her brothers plan to squeeze her hard

when she gets off that plane.

I'm already "feeling her pain" after 

a 20 hour straight trip home.

But, 

I think she will be almost as happy to see

all of us.

******

I know I say it every time but I am really blessed

with candle orders.

What a little business God has given me here.

It has been fun to help raise money for our friends

who will be bringing Wyatt home from China before

the end of the year, Lord willing.

We'll be attending a walk and silent auction

which is also a fundraiser for him 

on Saturday evening.

So exciting!!

*****

It is changeover time at the theater.

Noah is gone....

and the Miracle of Christmas begins rehearsals 

next week. 

What that means for us is that Warren is busier

than usual this week as they hurry to do 

projects that can't be done during show runs.

However, it is nothing like the days when he was hands on

with changing out the shows

or like he will be when Moses is about to begin.

That will be a whole different level of intensity.

One that we enjoy in a weird sort of way.

Michael is healing nicely and will rejoin his

work family in time for the rehearsals. 

He is soooo ready!!

*****

I was blessed to spend quality time with some friends this week.

And I do mean it when I say blessed.

As a type A personality I tend to go head first into my work 

and not take the time to enjoy friendships.

But, I know that it is healthy and good for me to 

stop sometimes.

There is no doubt that when I do 

there is much joy and benefit ....

even if I look like I'm about to

 fall asleep while chatting, 

right Jen?

lol

I promise you weren't boring me.

I just never sit still that long and I totally relaxed.

I also had lunch and made a trip to an Amish farm 

with my friend, Jan.

We are considering making a switch to raw milk

and I want to visit a few farms to help me make 

a decision. 

This was the first of three or four on my list.

Yesterday found Bonnie and I chatting until the 

tea house we were in wanted to close.

Hmmm....seems to be a theme.

Warren and I did that with the Rabes once.

And I can think of a few other times, as well.

Yep, I might just have an issue with talking long.

lol

But it was sweet fellowship.

Well, 

I guess I'll get this day started 

but just wanted to pop in here quickly.

Blessings on your day!