Promiseland...

Saturday, we entered 'Promiseland'...

AFTER all of the complaining!

Alllll morning I heard,

"When are we going to be there?

When we will leave?

Why is it taking so long?

How much longer?

I don't want to wait anymore!

What will we do when we get there?

I want to go NOW!"

I got a teesy weensy taste of what God went through hearing the Israelites complain all of those 40 years!

I went through it for about 3 hours and about lost my mind!

Our Promiseland was a bit different I am sure but we did have fun!

Our weekend consisted of lots of music, people sharing the true Word of God, and LOTS of fun!

We first started with a picnic...

Then we all grabbed a chair...

And watched the 3rd strongest man in the world,

AKA~ Big Bubba,

 blow up a hot water bottle with his OWN lungs

 and give an AMAZING testimony of what God has done in his life!

The kids LOVED riding this...

and climbing this!

We watched 'Big Bubba' play tug of war against 6 other guys

Firehouse Children's Ministry was there to share the love of Christ with the smallest of the crowd

And to cool off, there was a HUGE water slide

(I did take part but REFUSE to show pictures!)

I prefer that you all return to this blog!

There was more of this...

and this...

Then some singing and praising

 And more cooling off

(The dark clouds in the background, stayed there all day but never came towards us!)

There was also some of this by the little one

 After praising there was praying! 

I love seeing those little heads bowed talking to our Savior!

I enjoyed the scenery!

Those are lily pads in a pond all in bloom!

There was frisbee

and I'm not sure what they are looking at...

And LOTS of friends, fellowship and love!

The Promiseland Fest was an amazing time of seeing God's love pouring out and overflowing!

Many lives were touched and changed by the moving of the Holy Spirit!

Can't wait to do it again next year!

Be still

Love others who hurt you
Bring truth to those who are untrue
Show the love you have for God and bring it to others
There is so much darkness around
Don't become dim
Look to truth and know that God's heart is light
Other's NEED to know how to recieve that light!
Do not lean on your OWN understanding
Follow God's way not your feelings
Your feelings can decieve you

Walk by faith and NOT by sight

When everything is caving in around you,
Remember...

Be still and know that HE is GOD!

Do you?

The past few weeks have been quite a journey for me!  It has been painful, intense, agonizing and amazing!  God has shown me nooks and crannies in my heart that needed to be exposed and refined. 

I always thought I had a heart for the lost!  I decided that was really not the case!  I have been in a position of ministering to so many who are crying out for something to hang on to!  It is heart wrenching!  Everywhere I turn, people are losing thier eternal souls!  God has shown me how He sees others...not in humaness with certain brands of shoes and outward apprearances as I do!  He looks through His eyes, a soul that He wants to spend eternity with!  The people in your neighborhood, the ones walking in and out of Wal-mart, your children and family!  Jesus is in love with all of them!  Just as He is you!  I have had days lately of agonizing over the lost.  It is a very hard place to be but I truly believe that it is the only way we can discover how God's heart works!

 Agnozize...suffer or cause somebody pain: to suffer, or cause somebody to suffer, extreme pain or mental anguish

My agony has not been physical but spiritual!  I have come to the realization that it is far worse to be in spiritual agony of physical agony!  Someday, our bodies will be gone, but our souls are eternal! No comparison!  I live in my comfortable home, food to eat, cars to drive and so much more!  Yet I complain!  I am not saying that I should not appreciate those things!  I am just realizing that priorities are SO much different in God's eyes than my eyes!  I want to be in a place where I would give up all that I know as familiar for the kingdom of God!  Am I willing to let all of it go just to see that other's know Him?  What limits have I made on how much God can do in and through me?  Is it enough?  Is there more?  Can I lay it all down to suffer for the lost?

Am I willing to lay it all down?  How far am I willing to go?  Do I cry out for the lost as God does?  I need His heart to be my heart!

Do you?

I have been nominated for this:



Will you please 'click' on it and vote for me!  You can vote each day Through August 1st!

Thank you!

update during the "Dog days of summer"

No, I have not melted away but it's hot here!  WAY to hot for WAY to long!  I HATE summer for those of you who don't already know that!  For those of you who do, I STILL hate it!  I have not changed my mind!  HOWEVER, I am thankful for central air and at least it's a dry heat!  Ha! 

I have not blogged much!  Other things are begging for my attention!  Like:

• The book I am FINALLY writting!
• my 15 month old cutting her molars
• still schooling during the summer
• trying to adjust to some more detailed in-home structure
• preparing and having yard sale...yes in this heat! (When you need money, it makes no difference how hot it is even for me!) 
• free bowling at the local bowling alley!  (Some good laugh, stress relief has come from those weekly ventures!) 
• swimming and picnics
• visit's to and from grandparents
• realizing that my due date would have been this week...that is still hard to muddle through!
• keeping in touch with my oldest who has flown the nest for the summer
• preparations for my oldest daughter going to Guatamala for mission work
• really, the flat out truth is, I have 12 kids and it is summer, need I say more?!

It is busy but as long as I can stay cool inside or by the water, I'm good!  However, I really do look forward to fall! 

I am going to be starting a new blog once my book is finished but for now, please continue to check in.  I will be here less frequently but I will continue to leave my hand-print every now and then!  I hope you are staying cool and enjoying your summer!

Happy Birthday America!

It's all good

I cannot believe all that God has done this week!
 (I am really in awe of that every week!)
He showed up at our annual church campmeeting
He has given our family a direction for Him
Lives were forever touched and changed for eternity
I miss going this week
The new bedtime was 3 hours later than normal ALL last week
The new waking time was about 2 hours later than normal
It was nice but ready to get back on schedule

I had 2 kids away at grandma and grandpa's all week
One got TERRIBLY homesick
It was hard on me
He survived
So did I :)

It has been so grossingly (new word)  HOT
If you know much about me, I DO NOT like summer
I think it's going to be a long one!
I am thankful for my home with central air
Actually my kids are thankful because...
I am a GRUMP when I can't cool off FAST

I have a slower week planned
Music lessons and fun activites
I will NOT be taking part in the fireworks
Why?  It will be 98 degrees that day
My kids would like to ENJOY them
Not possible with a grumpy mom

I have let go of my oldest son since he has left
Maybe a little too much I am finding out
Nothing better than learning you are missed by your child
It gives me warm fuzzies
I realize that all the work of raising a child pays off
I get to realize that 11 more times :)

Getting ready for a garage sale
It is SO time consuming
Hoping it is worth it!
I can't believe how much 'stuff' accumulates
Getting rid of most everything
We don't want to pay for our storage unit any longer
Last week, my hubby and I went through EVERYTHING one by one
It was actually fun being together and going over memories
Wondering why I saved some things

Nothing monumental in our lives have changed
We are more content and at peace than we have ever been!
It's been quite a journey
I would not trade it for ANYTHING!
It's ALL good!