He is Greater.....John 3:30 says He must become greater, I must become less"

Today our sermon in church was from 2 Kings 4 about the widow and the jars of oil.  This is one of my all time favorite stories in the bible.  6 years ago, we were preparing to go to India for the first time, it may have even been about this time of April in fact.  I was worried about how to pay for such an extravagant trip on a tight budget.  Roger may or may not have also brought up that point once the decision was made to travel to southern India to see the children of Sarah's Covenant Homes for the first time.  As I was praying about this, talking with the Father, he hinted at this particular passage....so I got out my bible and read through it. My desire had been to just buy the tickets on a credit card and be done with it......I hate asking people for help, especially for money.  When I went through the story, I felt like God was saying....go to YOUR neighbors and ask them for THEIR empty jars.......not just pay for it yourself and move on. ...

Today was one of those days.....just hard.  Nothing went  horribly wrong, there was no tragic event.....it was just a long, hard day.  I had  a lot of things to deal with, decisions to make, adjustments and the need for some resilience.  I came home....exhausted.  Emotionally and physically and mentally..... I actually ended my work day a few hours early because my self care barometer was sending its warning signal.  I came home and chopped some veggies, poured a glass of good red wine and played some music and made a nice dinner for my family. Hard stuff doesn't stop when I get home.  Hard and stressful and challenging things come in the door too.  I tried hard not to be yucky at home.....and then the conversations started...about mom's birthday.  Just 2 days away.  What do you want for your birthday, mom?  Well....little person or two or three.....what I really want is not something we can afford.  I want the carp...

Sunday morning, in worship, the Lord moved me to intercessory tears.  If you go to my church, on any given Sunday, you may see me crying as we sing.  Do not presume to know why I am crying.  Sometimes I cry tears of wonder and awe that a God so big could love me so much.  Sometimes I cry because I am humbled by my weakness, my failures, my exhaustion just doing my days......sometimes I cry tears of repentance. This week, as we sang, I cried tears of intercession.  God brought to my mind the pain and sorrow and need of 3 people I care about.  He gave me a glimpse of their situation and the Lord and I together cared for them in unison, in prayer. The first wave of tears was for my sweet Grace as she worked through the funeral and good-byes for her father.  I cried because she was a daddy's girl and they were very close.  I cried because of her loss.....and I asked God to hold her heart and heal her pain.  I believe as we looked at Grace's ...

Today I listened to the sound of my own shoes click-clacking down the hall.  My feet hurt from walking all over campus but I could not complain because I had chosen those shoes today intentionally.  I wanted to look nice.  None of the other moms were making noise with their shoes.......we were on a college visit with Claire. We spent the day touring the campus, listening to a panel of students and faculties, eating in the cafeteria and talking to representatives of the majors and activites Claire was interested in,  Social Work.  Study abroad.  Religion.  Dance team. Claire is very busy and very independent and responsible.  We don't see her for more than a few minutes a day most days....but today we got to spend the whole day with her.  We asked questions and listened to why this college would be a great choice for our daughter....and we did not find fault in it.  It was such a fun day!  the worst part was my aching feet. ...

Sometimes I share a parenting strategy one on one and then decide I should blog it for....well....the greater good.  That's all of you out there who are still following and reading after all this time.  Thanks for that by the way.  It's more fun to write when I know folks will read.  If there were only a way to get paid for this!   Today, I received a call from a friend.  I watch her child sometimes.  I love this child and the child loves me.  Today, this little one was having a hard day and the reason is a mystery.  Not hungry, not tired, not sick.....,..just inconsolable and out of sorts.  The child wanted to talk to me.  I said hello and told her that I knew she was sad......and then she wanted her mama to talk instead.  Mama and I talked a bit and I gave her some atypical and personal advice.  I told her to ask her kiddo if she wanted fruit snacks or french fries......and then, if she wanted to play barbies or som...

this song captured my soul today.....I have heard it before but today I heard it with Isaiah 43 ears.  This morning, I sat with Isaiah 43 for awhile as I sipped my coffee and asked God.......in that silent way we sometimes do.  Well, God?  What's up today?  What's the plan?   The first passage I want to write about from Isaiah 43 isn't at the beginning of the chapter.....cuz, well, that would be far too orderly for my style.  It is Isaiah 43:10-12.  Here is what it says: "you are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.  Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.  I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.  I have revealed and saved and proclaimed-I, and not some foreign god among you.  You are my witnesses,"  declares the Lord, "that I am God....... I thought about Claire and Kylee and the tr...

Tomorrow we have the fund-raising dinner for Claire's next trip to Haiti.  Together with another teen from our church, we are preparing a meal for our regular church night group as well as anyone who wants to come and eat and support these girls.  These things require a lot of planning, organizing and commitment.  It is not easy. This is Claire and Witney, the boy we sponsor at One Vision, Haiti.  The reward comes in the blessings of God's people.....when He is for it, He blesses it through others.  Claire and Kylee are experiencing this blessing.  A friend donated the meat and is preparing it.  Another church friend donated the buns because they believe this is what we do as Christians, and especially to bless the youth of our church......people have donated cookies and bars.......and another friend has invested her time, and prayer and leadership skills to pull this thing off because Kylee's mom and me....well......we are super busy.  This...

It is late on Sunday evening and I am staring at a huge hike up a mountain this week.  (if only)   We have known this week was coming for awhile now.....and when I go to sleep tonight, I will wake up and know that it is here.  Today we did a mad dash trip to Sioux City to buy shorts and socks and underwear and umbrellas....because spring is here and our growing family needed .....stuff.  It was not restful. Soccer, track and golf have started for Isaac and Jeremiah.  This week is full of games and practices.  Josiah has some limited daycare and because I am mom I need to adjust my work schedule to manage that.   Wednesday is the fund-raiser dinner for Claire and another teen who is going on a mission trip this summer.  I am so, so bad at planning things like this.  It is a weakness, a flaw.  The details, the delegating, the assigning responsibility.....at one of our planning meetings, I took 2 jobs.  2.  One I got done and t...