even in weird and wonky weeks there is much to be thankful for

• having a book in my bag (lesson learned from my mama)
• kind nurses at the ER (both nights)
• sonic cheeseburger, fries and cherry coke (and my handsome delivery man)
• "bless your little cotton socks" - new to us Kid President video
• a CVS that's open all night
• ridiculous/hilarious things at CVS (and maaaybe it's a tad funnier when it's the wee hours of the morning)

• talking about birthday captains and such 
• suzie's excellent leadership of kingdom kids at CCC
• "we take our lead from Christ who is the source of everything we do.  He keeps us in step with each other.  His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in Love."  ephesians 4:16
• a big ol' capp blast from yaya (as well as a bag of other useful things from home)
• caroline and nick - my midnight welcome home committee
• sugar cookie making that ends up as as science solar system lesson (most beautiful solar system cookies ever)

• those who are so ready to help in any and all possible ways
• all the cards from LJ's classmates
• 100% chance of peace (with a smattering of chaos to reminder me of the peace)
• the best chicken and cheese quesadilla thing i've ever had...and a bench with ambiance to sit with a friend to eat it
• excellent puns and cheesy jokes
• seeing the ever talented amanda newman's artwork on the walls at the doctor's office
  

5 minutes on the word of the week: Cherish

Cherish

Two things come to mind when I hear the word "cherish":  1)wedding vows and 2) the song from some decade in the past that says "Cherish is a word I use to describe...bom bom bom..." (the bom bom's are the bell/chimes in the song)(I wish I was tech savvy enough to record a sound byte - bite?- to put here...undoubtably it would be quite amusing)(if you happen to see me, feel free to ask me to sing it...I also bob my head while I'm singing this particular song....)(and I'm wondering if I'm combining 2 songs and the "bom bom's" aren't even a part of this song?!).  Funny thing is that I have no idea what the word cherish is describing in the song.  

"To have and to hold", somehow that sounds like cherish to me.  To have something and to hold it close...to treasure it/him/her. To see the value and treat accordingly.  To cherish.  People. Moments. Memories. Concepts. Possessions. 

A little listical of things I cherish (in no particular order):

• date night and the guy that shares them with me
• cash kids (i like 'em!)
• sleep
• authenticity
• faithful friends and family
• freedom

Questions for pondering:

• I wonder if I ever cherish things that maybe I should not? 
• Is there anything I am not cherishing that I should be?  
• How do I convey that I cherish something/someone?
• Do I truly know how very much I am cherished by the Perfect Cherisher? (and by the husband He has given me)

"Cherish"...it's a good word to ponder. 

And for your listening pleasure, here's a link to the song (and the lyrics are posted, too). 

oh the things to be thankful for this week

• tulltimate (ultimate frisbee in honor of matt tull's birthday)
• sophia's willingness to hold/feed/watch zoe so i could play ultimate
• "He has embraced us" - Ephesians 2:4
• getting to meet and have a decent conversation with someone new at ccc
• coffee + doughnuts (how many times will this pair make my thankful list?!?!)
• laughter & loudness with the walls (though the cashes can't quite compete with the walls' loudness) :)
• emma's fun with the bubble wrap

• face timing with melinda (even though we couldn't capture a good screen shot with zoe!)
• nap on yaya's couch
• "i have a question for you" 
• recognizing a name on a quote card because of a book emma read for school (edith nesbit)
• treadstone family membership.  worth it. 
• "you know i do" in the kip voice
• caroline's strength and determination

• eli's drawing (not a particular drawing...more the time and energy he puts into drawing)
• plenty to talk about during date night
• adding a new family to community group
• when i push the button on the washing machine and it starts (i don't want to take that for granted!)
• the time/energy/initiative to write just a little more
• refreshing friends
• quote reminders/challenges

foster care/adoption - a little devotion(al)

This is something I wrote for a devotion book that Christ Community Church put together highlighting the various missionaries and ministries that are connected to CCC...just felt like I am supposed to share it here, not even sure why (or why now) - but I'll trust God and obey...that's the goal. 

Accepted. Loved. Wanted. Safe. What feelings do these words stir up in your heart and mind? 

To some degree or another, each of us longs to belong. We long to know that we are accepted, loved, wanted and safe. 

The fact is that we ARE accepted and loved by Father God. We DO belong in Him.  We ARE safe in Him.  

For just a few examples of these Truths, spend some time reading and thinking about Isaiah 43:1-4, Zephaniah 3:17 and Psalm 139.

Unfortunately there are many, many people in our world who don’t know what it feels like to feel accepted, loved, wanted and safe. 

One of the people groups on this planet that may struggle with this most is children who have been brought into families through foster care and adoption - and, maybe even more so, children who are being juggled through the foster care system or who are waiting to be adopted. 

(but wait, you may be saying, children who are adopted are super wanted, aren't they?  families who foster WANT the child in their family, right?  sometimes.  sometimes not.  and even if they are the most wanted, accepted, loved, safe child in the world, the child may not FEEL those things...they may feel rejected, abandoned, alone, scared - and probably plenty of other things as well).

There is no doubt that the Bible speaks clearly of God’s love for children and, not only that, there are multiple promises that He will put the lonely into families and care for the orphans.  

Take some time to listen to God's word in Psalm 68:6, John 14:18 and James 1:27.

Because adoption and foster care are near to the heart of God, it is important that we take time to ask God to speak clearly to us about our specific and unique call to adoption and foster care. This does not mean that each of us is supposed to go apply with an adoption agency or start taking classes to become a foster parent (but don't dismiss those as possibilities!) …but this could mean that God is calling us to pray for foster kids or DFCS workers or to pray for children who are longing for a family through adoption or parents who are longing for a child to adopt. It could be that God wants us to give generously - and maybe even sacrificially - to support a family who is adopting or a ministry that is working directly with foster kids and foster families. 

There are plenty of people in, or closely connected to, CCC who are directly involved in foster care and adoption ministries  - here is some contact information in case God is leading you join with them in any way: 

• CCC's "Empowered To Foster Team" - Patrick & Misty Faircloth pmfair@yahoo.com
• Jeeah’s Hope - Skip and Ashley Perkins ashperkins7@gmail.com
• Clement Arts 
• Lifeline

And if you're not in Columbus, I'm sure you don't have to look far to find people and organizations eager for you to join them in their care of children.

General Prayer points:

• for more foster families
• for adoptions to go smoothly and peacefully and all financial needs to be met
• for foster care placements to be successful
• for the case workers and others who are working long hours and giving their lives for the safety and well being of children
• for children (and all of us!) to know the love, acceptance, delight and favor of our God

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On a personal note (this wasn't part of the original devotional - but it's a "you read all the way through so now you get bonus information" prize), we would love to invite you to pray for the boy that we have been fostering for the past 8 months (to keep with the laws of Georgia, we've referred to him as LJ on social media and haven't been able to post pictures showing his face)(though we did post some group pictures with him...we figured there were lots of people in the picture and it wasn't obvious which one was LJ...). 

We have known for a while that LJ would not be a permanent part of our family (that was an interesting truth to sort through with the Lord) - we have also known that God was asking us to love him, care for him and provide a home for him for this season.  

I love how God works...it's a long story - maybe I'll be able to share it someday...but I'm not sure since it may be more of LJ's story to share than mine...but the bottom line is that God has a plan that is coming together for this precious boy that He loves so much.  Please join us in praying for...

• a smooth transition (possibly happening in March) 
• LJ as he continues to sort through feelings and emotions related to all that he has gone through in his life. 
• peace for LJ, for his dad, for his family
• wisdom for those making decisions 

Surely there will be more to come.  

5 minutes on the word of the week: resist

Resist

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Resist the devil - don't give in to his wily schemes and half truths and twisted lies and ridiculousness that is oh so wicked and cunning.  Resist him and he will flee - he will leave.  He will go back to hell where he belongs.  Resist him.  Call him out on his loser-status and remember your own victory-status.  Resist him - fight back...resist the fear he wants you to be paralyzed by.  Resist the chains he's trying to bind you up with.  Kick, scream, flail, make a big deal....I don't think it's a passive resisting that's going to do the trick.

Submit yourself to God...that's what comes immediately before the resisting part.  Submit yourself to God - put yourself completely and 1000% under God's Authority.  It's under His authority (not our own) that we can resist the devil...and the devil will flee.  It's not a magic trick.  It's a promise.

This feels like a silly story to share - but if I ever find myself feeling a bit frightened (the last time it happened I was walking on our dark driveway), I just act like I'm not frightened.  I start smiling and humming a song...I'm not for a second going to let the enemy of my soul know that I'm feeling a bit fearful.  He can't read my mind...so he and his horrible demons don't know that I"m feeling scared unless I act scared.  If I act brave, he thinks I am brave...and the amazing thing is that I end up feeling brave.  I'm not really saying "fake it 'til you make it"....but kind of...in this case, it's my method of resisting.   (and I doubt the enemy reads my blog...but if he does, now he knows my trick.  I may have to come up with other methods of not feeling afraid of the dark - a flashlight sounds like a good idea.)

Other things I want to resist:

• comparisons
• thinking about what others think
• drinking too many cokes
• eating too many sweets
• getting frustrated
• losing my patience
• complacency/laziness
• feeling sorry for myself
• complaining
• selfishness

counting 'dem blessings.

• note from emily - and God's attention to details (just when i was wondering how to get her address it shows up in my mailbox)
• God is with us.  before the struggle. in the struggle. after the struggle. 
• hearing about God's faithfulness - stories of how He's coming through (especially for friends who have been in a desert place)
• the possibility of a typewriter...(just got to figure out how to get it here)
• time with christal gavin
• zoe's willingness to sleep at all the right times on wednesday
  
  
• how close orchard view is
• "splurging" at the dollar store :)
• ephesians
• when things are super simple (when they go as they should...)
• "recovery nap"
• family membership at treadstone

• "i feel victory!" - LJ at treadstone
• afternoon with the camps
• that one face caroline makes and the way she whips her head around.  makes me laugh EVERY.TIME.
• how quickly/easily LJ falls asleep (or how excellently he fakes it if he's not asleep)
• easy tuesday morning
• "endless energy, boundless strength" - ephesians 1:19

• aaron & hannah mae + orange cinnamon rolls
• so many familiar faces in the foster care meeting
• extra herbs at carrabas. 
• sharing frosted coffee with a like-minded/hearted friend
• dfcs workers.  goodness they have tough jobs.
• beautifully challenging quotes
  
  
  
  

5 minutes on the word of the week - Expectation

Expectation

I do believe I had an expectation that I would do "word of the week" for more than one week....but last week was a tough week and on Friday I forgot.  BUT it's of absolutely no consequence if I write for 5 minutes on Friday or on Monday (or any other day).  Thus, I'll keep on trying...onward and upward with the word "expectation."

This song lyric comes to mind:  "We bring our expectations.  Our hope is anchored in your name - the name of Jesus."   (I really like that song lyric)

He is the one to whom I bring my expectations...any where else I bring my expectations is likely to let me down...to no fault of the person I may be thinking of bringing my expectations to - they are, after all, quite human, just like me.  He - my God, my Savior, my Firm Foundation - He can handle my expectations...He can meet them, exceed them, redirect them, correct them, inspire them, calm them.  

What about unmet expectations?  He can handle those, too.  Trust in Him at all times...pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge - in the met expectations and unmet expectations alike, He is my hiding place.  He is a safe place for ALL my expectations, my hopes, my dreams...my whining, my pathetic mumblings, my complaints - somehow He is glad to receive those, too.

Any expectation I have connected to any hope I have must be connected to Him - anchored in Him and by Him. Rooted and established in Him and in His love...I bring Him my expectations.  And, as I do, I reaffirm that He is God and I am not.  I reaffirm that I trust Him.  He is the great Expectation Handler.  I am grateful.

affirming that He is God.

• Raise A Hallelujah
• cards from empowered to foster
• how easy it is to use facebook marketplace to get rid of unneeded things
• 2 red, 2 green, 2 yellow skittles combo.  so good.
• plantain on my counter (and the hope of tuesday-nights-on-the-ship-plaintains)

•  yummy delicious strawberry cupcakes - and the chance to celebrate yaya! 
• prayer week at ccc (this needs its own post)
• beautiful weather/time at the (a) park
• "when you thank Me for the many pleasures I provide, you affirm that I am God."  - Jesus Calling
• eli and his lego building

• hearing derrick's vision/direction for 2019
• the text from nick so very full of Truth and encouragement
• so much - and so many forms of - refreshment on travelers way 
• safe space for me and for others
• strong reminders in Romans 9 

• fun and refreshing (and no injuries) outing to the skate park
• easy peasy monday morning meeting for LJ 
• solid time with solid friends
• johnson is on american soil with his wife! 
• dr. awesome and no follow up dentist appointments needed for anyone 

5 minutes on the word of the week: content

I was thinking about "Five Minute Fridays" (aka "Word of the Week") and decided that I'd do another round of it.  Basic gist:  I get a word from a friend, I write for 5 minutes, I edit/format for a couple of minutes, I post it (without thinking about it too much before or after).  Without further adieu, this week's word...

Content

How did you read it?  Content (as in "what something is made up of") or content (as in "satisfied")(and maybe that's not even the best word for content but it's what came out and I've only got 5 minutes!)?  Maybe one's content is directly correlated to one's being content.  

What's in me?  comparisons...selfishness...greed...jealousy....lust....

Or what's in me? gratefulness...satisfaction...willingness to see the enough rather than the lack.  

I certainly think that the second list is what leads to being content and the first list is some of the enemy's tactics for keeping us from the gift of being content that God is holding out to each of us.    

There's the verse in Philippians 4 that says "I've learned the secret to being content in all circumstances."  What's the secret, Paul??  I'm not entirely certain...but I'm pretty positive it has something to do with rejoicing (4:4) and thankfulness (4:6) and fixing our minds on the things listed in verse 8.  

Grateful for what we have.  Satisfied. Not always wanting more more more. An acknowledgement that God is with us and He is enough...and I am enough in Him.  I could write for hours on that one.  Maybe there should be a 5 hour Friday someday. 

And one last thought as the timer runs out, being content is a choice.  This world isn't handing out contentment...I want to be one that chooses to be content in all circumstances.  I maybe definitely certainly have a long way to go.  

oh so thankful

• putting away Christmas decorations (and the space that is created)(re-created?)
• Bryan and Katie Torwalt's "Be With Me" 
• watching middle school boys be faithful friends
• the freedom to not be on facebook
• reminders of God's kindness in the form of Christmas tree key chains

• reading through Caroline's journal (the one I've kept for her since we knew about her existence...not her personal journal :)) and laughing with her (mainly about things she said around the age of 3)
• time with the taylors...especially when all the hidden tricks come out
• the unity concert.  the tears. the laughter.  watching it with my best friend.
• Caroline's desire (and the opportunities) to hang around older, wiser, Jesus-Loving ladies
• beautiful words...prayer for my year (and the use of the word "wee" in the post) (and finding the song)

•  kingdom kid volunteers
• "I'm leaving you well and whole...I'm giving you peace." John 14:27
• the edfeldts' faithfulness, dedication and determination to love well
• day trip to warrenton
• when at the cabin...

• when real conversations happen in the fishbowl (can I still call it the fish bowl??)
• kids getting much needed sleep
• Emma realizing that she is feeling overwhelmed (I'm not thankful that she feels overwhelmed...but I'm really really thankful that she's learning to put words to her feelings and can recognize what she's feeling and we can learn strategies for dealing with things)
• hearing LJ giggle as he reads tin tin
• cowboy cookies and the hands that prepared them