Can You Trust Him?

This was from my Jesus Calling devotional book the other day. Just too good - it has to be for more people than just me!


"When many things seem to be going wrong, trust Me. When your life feels increasingly out of control, thank Me. These are supernatural responses and they can lift you above your circumstances. If you do what comes naturally in the face of difficulties, you may fall prey to negativism. Even a few complaints can set you on a path that is a downward spiral, by darkening your perspective and mind-set. With this attitude controlling, you, complaints flow more and more readily from your mouth. Each one moves you steadily down the slippery spiral. The lower you go, the faster you slide; but it is still possible to apply brakes. Cry out to Me in My Name! Affirm your trust in Me, regardless of how you feel. Thank Me for everything, though this seems unnatural - even irrational. Gradually you will begin to ascend, recovering your lost ground.

When you are back on ground level, you can face your circumstances from a humble perspective. If you choose supernatural responses this time - trusting and thanking Me - you will experience My unfathomable Peace."

But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. Psalm 13:5

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

Are You Addicted to Speed?

Have you noticed how persistent God can be? If He doesn't get through with one avenue, He will try another. I have been hit over the head with a spiritual 2 x 4 before and I really feel that it's happening again. But not just to me. It think it's a world-wide ordeal.

I believe God is trying to get our attention and what He has to say is not new or earth shattering but necessary to hear. I will sum it up in one word.

REST.

It is talked about everywhere. Especially the last two weeks. In Sunday School, we've been talking about honoring the Sabbath and finding time to rest and enjoy your family. Then I see it on a few Facebook statuses - people that aren't in my SS class. Joyce Meyer begins tweeting about resting. Richard Exley emails me a daily devotion and every day for a week, it's been about keeping the Sabbath holy and relaxing. Ann Voskamp has blogged about it three days this week. I'm listening to Cast of Characters audio CD's by Max Lucado and right there in Chapter 2, he slips in how our body needs rest and how crucial family time is.

I don't think we're referring to just some quite time or going to bed early one day a week. I think it's more than that.

I believe we need a life-style change . . . a make-over within our own home.

We finally got the message in our household. I knew I bit off more than I could chew this school year, but didn't' really know how to back out of anything. We only allow our kids to play one sport, but Adam's team called for two practices a week - during the time that I was supposed to be with Victoria at her cheer practice. Then I enrolled in two different co-ops. I know....crazy. But they are both SO beneficial for my kids that I couldn't bear pulling them from either one. And I volunteered to be the treasurer for the Edmond Home School support group. Let's not forget about church three times a week...and, and, the list goes on....

We do rest on Sundays. I do have my morning devotions with the Lord. I strive to take a 20 minute nap almost every weekday and I am in bed before 10:30 pm. But I was still leg-high with barely anytime for recovery or evening family time.

Then my kids had implant surgery and my life completely changed. Adam can't play soccer now - no contact sports. All field trips - cancelled. No school for 4 days while they recuperated. Not exactly how I would suggest you free up some time in your life, but it happens to be our family story. And for that, I am very thankful. It was just enough so that we can now breathe. And God knew that. Our evenings are relaxed now. The board games have come back out and we only leave two nights a week - church and cheer. Whew!

An epidemic. That's what I think is happening. We live in a fast-paced technology-driven, wait-for-no-one society. And it's killing us. We desperately need to catch God's vision for resting - giving our body the break it needs. If we do not take breaks, we will break.

Ann Voskamp is so eloquent with her words. Here is an excerpt from her blog from a few days ago:

"Is there such a thing as a sustainable economy of the soul in this industrial world addicted to speed?...If we refuse Sabbaths of idleness, we construct our own idols. If we refuse rest and think of our work more important to Him than our rest in Him, we make our calling into the golden calf. In the digital era we have lost all sense of seasons. All sense of day and night and on and off and fertility and furlough and idol and God. We wind the world, our bodies, tight and let go and expect to be in motion forever, spun, us watchmakers of our own."

We have to believe that sleep is a daily reminder from God that we are NOT God. In His wisdom, He has ordained these seasons of rest for us to remember who we are . . . the dependent ones.

Another blog stated: "Funny how resting is a discipline for most people, when it should be a welcome relief! If we do not rest, we make ourselves cheap martyrs, victimized by no one but ourselves to our busyness and whirlwind lives."

Resting to you can mean just a break during the day to reflect on anything or nothing. But we also need an entire day set aside to let our bodies rejuvenate.

I was going over all this with my kids last night and looking up scripture verses. Psalms 127:2 says, "...He blessed His beloved with sleep." Did you ever stop to think about God resting on the 7th day? Why did He rest? I mean, seriously, it wasn't because He was tired! It was because He was satisfied. "He saw that it was good and He rested." He did so as an example to us - to show us how life needs to be handled. We are humans, not robots.

A friend once said that she finds herself praying to God more and more to please, give her rest. But I wonder if it's really up to us. Honestly, He gives us ample opportunity for rest, but it's up to us to recognize it and use it wisely.

Ironically, my devotional book "Jesus Calling" posted this scripture verse for the month of October: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Richard Exley's daily devotion yesterday said, "Without the Sabbath, without rest and renewal, we would never have the inner resources to embrace a hurting world. In our weariness we would be tempted to resent the needy with their ever-present claims on us, but renewed by a Sabbath of rest we can embrace them with the love of Christ. Rather than isolating us, the Sabbath restores our spiritual and emotional vitality so we can return to our mission with renewed vision.

Oh, Lord Jesus, restore our souls so we can minister to others. Instead of feeling guilt during the refreshing season, help us learn to embrace the refreshing, resting times.

I honesty just don't see how all these people can be wrong - all at the same time. I think we need to stand alert and pay attention!

So, what will it take for you? Are you ready for some balance in your life? Are you willing to stop the Merry-Go-Round and do what God commands us? If you continue living like this, will you have any regrets two or three years down the road? Are you often sick because your body isn't getting the rest it needs? Will your kids remember that you were always "busy" and never had time to share a movie or play a game with them?

I leave you with these thought-provoking questions. Ultimately, the choice is yours.

Time to end this lengthy blog...after all, my Sunday afternoon nap awaits me :)

Under the Knife

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I'm not particularly found of hospitals. I'm thankful for them but really have no desire to utilize their services! I also think it is the general consensus that any type of surgery is scary - the unknown, the risks. But when it is your KIDS going under the knife, then the emotions rise to a new level.

Was I emotionally ready for such a day? Did I really understand the complexity of this surgery and the recovery process...times two?

Did I have my spiritual armor on and was I in submission to the Lord's will as He hovered over my children when I was forbidden to enter?

I really thought I would completely fall apart last Tuesday when both my kids were scheduled for cochlear implant surgery. I was anxiously dreading the moment they unlocked the bed and pushed my child into an area that was restricted to my presence. And then something pleasantly welcoming happened. Without shedding a tear, my husband and I embraced and turned away to divert our attention to the next child getting prepped for an IV. It was actually rather strange. No concern. No worry. Not even a second look. It was as if we left them in perfectly capable hands. And we did. Successful doctors and their Heavenly Father. At one point when I crashed on the couch while one was in surgery and the other was in recovery, I had a dream that Jesus was standing over my kids - just smiling at them.

The surgery? 100% successful with zero complications. The doctor said it couldn't have went better or smoother. Statements you always want to hear concerning any procedure involving a knife and anesthesia! The kids had a few rough days that followed, but I think the recovery process went very well with great progress each day.

We thank you for your devoted prayers - we felt them. They are real. The peace we experienced was amazing and I know it was only because of the prayer warriors going to battle for us. Here are some pictures to bring some reality to the process and your prayers! (I left the "detailed" pictures out!)

They wanted to be very clear which ear was being implanted!Both kids did great with their first IV!So thankful for Pastor Bob and our awesome friends who joined us in prayer!One last kiss from daddy....You can see the implant and the curly wire that wraps into the cochleaLooking and feeling great! This is the next day (can you believe it?)They are moments away from getting the head bandages cut off.

Two more weeks until activation. We are blessed and extremely exciting!!

Thank you Jesus!!

I Hate The Day Before

I never really thought this day would embark on my household.

We were totally against this happening 13 years ago but always said that when the time came and the children could make the decision on their own, then we would re-evaluate.

All too soon, the time came. The re-evaluation happened. The children are older, so the research began all over again. A million questions with hopes of having a million answers. Someone put us at ease...please.

We wrestled. We questioned God. We fought the tears. We prayed for healing. Then we let the flood gates open. They don't stop for days. Is this the right choice? Their healing never came.

Their healing never came.

We just wanted our kids to hear - to know what an "f, s or z" sounds like. To hear the birds awaken them with their incredible songs. To hear a dangerous car coming when they are on their bike. To hold a normal conversation with a friend.

If you remember from some of my previous posts, my son, Adam, has a digresive hearing loss. This past March, it plummeted again to the point that he was receiving very little, if any, benefit from his hearing aids. Standing at the fork in the road, we asked Adam what he wanted to do. If he still wanted to hear, then the only viable option was a Cochlear Implant.

State-of-the-art equipment which would give my kids back 80% of their hearing. Maybe this was the way the "healing" was going to come. After all, His ways are not our ways and I have to trust Him completely without ever looking back.

I only need a mustard seed....

I had to take three naps today. Woke up in a grumpy mood with my gut and head hurting. I'm sure most of it was emotionally driven. Not surprisingly, I had to apologize to the kids for my attitude. I just don't want tomorrow to come. I do but I don't. I would rather a Touch from the Masters Hand.

It wasn't until 4:00 pm that I was able to function without pain and a smile on my face. Forgive me, Lord, I know I need to trust You more. Please understand that I'll need an extra dose of that Grace You hand out when they wheel my child away from me tomorrow. The waiting room is such a hard place to be - physically and spiritually.

For now, I rest in His Sovereignty that He is in control and Lord of our lives. I anxiously await the activation session in three weeks to "see" what my kids will hear.As you know, ice cream always makes everything better, so we met Kyle at Braums tonight with our conversation wheel to share some laughter - and a few tears. Since they can't have anything to eat past midnight tonight we wanted the last thing in their mouths to be sweet - just like the mercy and grace of our Lord.

Thank you all for holding our children up in prayer all these years. I covet your prayers tomorrow at 7:30 am as we turn our babies over to a very capable doctor and the Master Healer.

Making Every Day Count

I know what we should be doing and I know how to do it. Finding the energy and time is another story...

Family Time

I can say that I think this task was much easier to accomplish when the kids were younger. We colored together, made crafts, played hide-n-seek, enjoyed board games, went on bike rides, ate together, etc. Now that they are older, I am shocked as to how difficult this feat is.

My 18 year old who is in college full time with a part time job is only home two nights a week for dinner . My daughter now has a part time job and cheer practice once a week. My youngest has soccer twice a week and of course, church two nights a week. Because of their age differences, our board games are limited as well as our movies. Adam's leg muscle issues makes the family bike riding extremely difficult. And of course, they have out grown coloring together and making crafts!

We have been forced to be very creative with our family time and activities. Since the quality time together seems to be scarce, we have to really make each day count ... to seize the moment!

That's when the wheel made it into our lives.Just a simple, little cardboard wheel created by Focus on the Family to aid families with conversation starters. We absolutely love it! We set aside at least one day a week to have a real, sit-down, family meal and then the wheel makes its appearance. It really blessed my heart when my 18 year old said that Tuesday was his favorite day - he looked forward to the home cooked meal and the intriguing conversations that would follow.

Here are a few of the questions or starters that we have enjoyed so far:

What is your favorite thing about being a child/parent/husband/wife?

If you could ask God one question, what would it be?

What three words describe your day today?

If you had one super power, what would it be?

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?

What are your favorite qualities about your mom, dad, sister or brother?

When do you feel brave?

What is the nicest thing anyone has ever done to you?

Tell about a time when you were scared and what did you do?

Some of these questions were answered within 10-15 minutes. I can remember one night when we realized it was almost 8 pm - we had donned the family table for two hours!!

Family time around the dinner table is certainly not over rated. If you have children, it just must be a priority. The old adage is so true - it's the quality not quantity of time that matters. I can honestly say that I have gotten to know my children better after listening to their answers - sometimes through tears and sometimes through laughter.

The older they get, the shorter the time with them seems to be. I just can't let it slip through my fingers...there's still so much more to teach them but even more importantly than that - there's still so much more listening for us parents to do. Kids really do have some good insight ... if we will just listen.

Camp Cavett...Where the Fun Begins!

I am shocked that it has been TWO months since my last blog and oh, how I have missed writing! I can't even begin to explain what my life has been like since June, so I won't even try! Instead, I'm going to try and get back on track and start with some long overdue pictures from Victoria's first camp and her Friends Crowning ceremony. She had an incredible time at camp with no issues and wasn't even ready to come home after 5 days! She made several new friends and grew up about 2 years in just the short 5 days!Climbing the inflatable "mountain" in the middle of the lake!

Relaxing at beautiful Lake Texoma!

You had to dress up as a fruit or vegetable for one of the nights - Victoria and her friend Anna are two peas in a pod!

This is right before the ceremony - since there wasn't a purple dress to be found in ANY store, we found this beautiful, light lavender formal at a consignment sale for ONE DOLLAR!!

And here is our little princess - an Honor Friends. We are so very proud of her!

Thanks for letting me share and boast! Time for my workout now and I promise to be back before December :)

She's Not So Little Anymore

She still sits on my lap...every morning she crawls out of bed

She still wants me to put her to bed and have Chocolate Cake time (one-on-one with mommy only!)

She still asks me to sit and color with her

We make crafts together and she loves for me to read to her

I am actually quite surprised by the list I just typed! You would think that I was talking about my 7 or 8 year old daughter. But alas, my "little" girl is only a few months shy of tuning 15!So what monumental event took place today that finally gave me the need and time to sit and blog about it?

I knew you would ask!

At 7:30 this morning, I dropped my precious daughter off to her first camp - ever! And yes...I teared up :(

I am excited for her as I know this will be an incredible opportunity. She is going with her best friend, who is also profoundly deaf, to Camp Cavett. Their motto is "The illness or disability does not define the child." This camp is completely sponsored by the OU Medical Center at no charge to the campers and is only for those children who have an illness or disability. Here is their website if you would like to learn more:

http://www.cavettkidsfoundation.org/node/11

Five days...three hours away....no one to share my clothes with...I'll probably be okay till around Friday morning and then I'm pretty sure I'll have a small mental breakdown!

She's in the Lord's hands and although I trust Him explicitly with her life, I still would like to know how in the world she managed to get to 14 years old so quickly :)