These dogs are driving me nuts! I love them dearly, but they are like kids and I have already 'been there done that'. It's Saturday morning and the puppy might as well be a 2 year old who wants to get up and watch cartoons! I keep thinking of ways that I could do him like I did my kids...Turn on Barney or Sesame Street, give him a bowl of Cherrios and go back to bed. For some reason, Purina One and The Animal Planet Channel don't seem to work! The two of them alone are so loving and kind and passive. But put them together and they are at each others throats--literally! Just like my kids were--always trying to things to aggrevate the other. Well, finally, the puppy has found a resting place...nevermind that it is the bed of the older dog! I guess this the moral of this story is..
JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE ALMOST AT THE EMPTY NEST STAGE OF LIFE...GET A PUPPY!

GREENVILLE!!

Democrats
Tom Brokow
Al Sharpton
Gay Rights
Same Sex Marriages
Healthcare issues
NAACP
War
CONFUSION!

I sat here tonite watching all of this--and actually only 10 minutes from it all! I realize that I should know more about what is going on in the political world, but unfortunately, I don't! All of it seems overwhelming to me and I still find myself in a quandry as to where this all fits in scripturally.

I wonder if you could substitute 'George W.' in place of Daniel in this verse??

Daniel 6:4
At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.

I'm sitting at home tonite with once again a case of the BLOG BLAHS. I should've been more consistent to blog over the last few days. Now, of course, I can't for the life of me remember what I've done. We' ve had a day of 'wintry weather' today. It was about 7am when we left out for church this morning. We raced around gathering all we thought we would need to remain at church til after 9PM tonite. We were supposed to begin the Dave Ramsey "Financial Peace University". However, what had been rain when we left quickly began to turn into sleet/freezing rain and even a bit of snow. By the time we finished lunch, there was so much on the roads that 'THE POWERS THAT BE' decided to cancel everything for this afternoon and tonite. Sooooooo here I am, with somewhat of an excitement as a child because I know that I will be unable to get to work tomorrow unless my husband takes me. He has let it be known that he is not in any hurry to get me there. So, I suppose I will literally be at the mercy of the driver. Wow, its days like tomorrow that I miss being on a salary. The getting paid by the hour sucks when you can't be there to clock in! Oh well!

Update on our dog! He is doing great! I am so amazed that he is already learning to go outside to 'do his business' and can also 'sit' upon request - especially when she knows a treat is at hand. So far so good.

This came in the mail to me today. I found out that my dear friends Jim and Louanne Tippens who are the creators of ON THE EDGE PRODUCTIONS have included me in their writers section. Check out their webpage at www.ontheedgeproductions.org and my part at http://ontheedgeproductions.org/writers.htm.

Its been a busy crazy day but had a wonderful evening at church: Children's choir, Handbells, and Worship Choir. What a joy...Will all of you who read this continue to pray for our opportunity to stay at this church?

Because I answered YES!...
I have a terrible headache
I only ate chicken broth yesterday
I only drank Apple Juice, Ginger Ale and Gatorade
Because I answered YES!...
I am so thirsty now
I can not have anything to drink or eat
I constantly keep brushing my teeth just so I can feel water in my mouth
Because I answered YES!...
My second home has become the Porcelain Throne
I will be placed in a state of semi-consiousness about 10:30 today
I will remain groggy (and most likely STILL hungry) for several hours today
Because I answered YES...the Question??
"Has anyone in your immediate family had cancer?"
For the First time, I answered "YES!"
and for the First time I will respond with "Colonoscopy"

He cried all nite.
We hardly slept.
There are toys all over.
It was ME who took him out.
BUT....
The new puppy is precious!

It reminds me of how patient God must be with us. He probably wants to take a newspaper at times and roll it up and 'boink' me on the head and say 'HELLO...I didn't put you here to act like this.' He probably wants to stick my nose in my sin and rub it in and say "Do you SEE what you've done?" But fortunately, he is more tolerant and patient and he simply looks at me and says "It's OK, you're doing good. Keep trying. You'll get there." And to top it off, he always gives me a treat...His unconditional love!

BIG MIRACLE in a TINY BLACK PACKAGE!!

This evening has turned into a very different and unexpected series of events. I'll back up to say that what happened was actually everything we'd planned to happen, but the way it has come about was nothing like we'd anticipated. The event was a new addition to our family...a beautiful black lab puppy. Rachel, our 17 year old was determined that if we would agree to letting her get a puppy that she would take FULL responsibility... (I wonder if any of you have ever heard this???!!) Anyway, at a weak moment, her father agreed to it! So, tonite was supposed to be the big night. She spent all morning buying dog paraphanalia! It was like a 'Puppy Shower' By the time she arrived at work at 3PM, she was so 'Dog Hyped' that she could hardly work... THEN BOOM, about 4:30 the Bomb dropped. She received a phone call from the middle man family that was helping her to adopt the puppy. The current family who could no longer keep her---OR SO WE THOUGHT...Hence, the bomb! The family had changed their minds and decided that they would keep the dog. I looked across the room and saw her big brown eyes begin to well up with HUGE ELEPHANT tears!! It was as if my own heart was being ripped out. This was my baby and she had so much excitement and it was as if her heart was crying out, "But he was supposed to be MY dog." My mind immediately saw her pain and related it to her boyfriends family. After having waited for over 6 years to adopt a little girl the baby was seen by the birth mother, who in turn, changed her mind. I knew that I had no choice but to call the human society and start our own adoption process. As soon as we finished work, we were on a dog trail! Much to our surprise, they had a puppy EXACTLY like the one she was supposed to have gotten! What a GOD-SEND! I was so thankful that all I could say was Praise God for using a little puppy to bring such a BIG smile!

How do we view the outside world? Are they welcomed to enter in comfortably into what we so often call 'God's House'?
Jesus loves the little children
Red
Yellow
Black
White
Japanese
Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic
(we have LOTS of them around)
Drug Dealer
Drug User
Antagonist
Pacifist
Divorced
Long haired
Dirty
Slow
Wheelchairs
No tie
No Suit
Sandals or maybe barefoot
Do we really mean it when we say on a sign out front 'ALL ARE WELCOME'?
I wonder if Jesus showed up would we recognize him.

Today's Encouragment

I John 3:19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence

When my heart is sad and heavy
Let me learn to turn to you
Let me know the truth that comes from you
The peace that sets our hearts at rest
Relying in your perfect plan
that You alone desire my best
Keep me faithful to your heart
To know with You I'm set apart

Notes from Arch Hart on BURN OUT 1/10/04

Whom am I becoming before God?? God has not called us to be successful but Faithful! Success is the Bonus for being faithful. In ministry. we are the servant. We have made the mistake of defining the church as a Business.
Burnout and Stress are different. BURNOUT is emotional exhaustion. We give all and never see results...a Demoralization.
STRESS is primarily physical exhaustion. Overuse of your adreneline. The body being pushed to the edge which leads to anxiety and depression.

II. Cor 4 says to 'NOT LOSE HEART'... Is interpreted as Burnout...because we are neglecting our person.
We are vulnerable vessels - Clay pots that are fragile
Idealists are the ones who burnout. No matter how much they try, there seems to be no respons of success. Pushed to the edge - can give no more.
**Sometimes burnout is God's plan! The only way He can get our attention** WHEW!! this hits home!
Burnout - 1) Acute - sudden in onset . Things suddenly change and you are becoming demoralized. They don't lose faith in God, but they come to believe that God doesn't care any more. Depression sets in. Important resources are gone - feeling of abandonment.
2) Chronic - Slow - enough to be aggrevating. Series of accumulation of lots of little things. Ministry is a vocation of loss. Lack of affirmation. Sometimes stress comes on so slow that you just don't recognize it. Depression sets in and it is difficult to recoup.

Steps to Prevent Burnout or Recover
1) You cannot do it alone. "Bear One anothers Burdens" Reach out to someone else
2) Takes time to regain confidence in God and restore trust in yourself.

**God works in failure! In final analysis, there is no such thing as failure, just FORCED GROWTH!!** Another WHEW!

Notes from Robertson McQuilkin Sermon 1/9/04

6 Things about Love

1)Needs to be expressed frequently, passionately
2)Love is a verb so it should be demonstrated. Love to the point of laying down life in the best interest of the one you love. Love is proved by the sacrifice it makes. Happy homes are those where each live for the welfare of the other.
THE GREATEST GIFT A PARENT CAN GIVE TO A CHILD IS TO LOVE EACH OTHER!
3)Needs to be partners.
4) Love should be companionship. Passionate desire to be with ones lovers. Discontent when away.
5)Love is enduring. Keeps promises even when it hurts.

It's Sunday Night and we just returned from an Incredible Weekend! This weekend was the Shepherding the Staff retreat sponsored by the SC Baptist Convention for Church staff (NOT Senior Pastor's). This was our 2nd year to attend and it was just as phenomenal as last year. I have so much that I can't wait to BLOG about - We had some amazing speakers, again about whom I intend to BLOG... The speakers were Kenneth Haugk (Antagonists in the Church), Dr. Archibald Hart (on Burnout and Stress), Dr. Robertson McQuilkin (Former President of Columbia Bible Institute who resigned to care for his wife who was diagnosed w/ Alzheimers), and then we had an AWESOME Praise and Worship Band - THE DB NETWORK BAND (Dave Bullock and crew). Sooooo all in all, we had an amazing weekend and as soon as I get the opportunity to gather my notes together, I'll probably just write all I have in my notes. I'll write more later.

GODS ALARM CLOCK

This morning I nearly panicked when I rolled over to check the time, realizing I had for some strange reason failed to set the alarm. Normally, my clock, which is set a half an hour fast, goes off thirty minutes prior to my 'get out now its your last chance' time. So, my heart raced when I saw that I was pretty much at the LAST CHANCE moment and the snooze option, had it even been one, had nodded its way out! I lay there pondering my Feet and Floor meeting, trying to convince God that I might as well sleep a little longer, since at this point it was too late to get up and have my quiet time. It was at that point that I felt I heard God speak. It was as if his Heavenly BUZZER woke me up to reality as I heard these words. "He watching over Israel Slumbers not nor sleeps". I knew then that God had been the one to awaken me and the least I could do would be to go spend a little time with him.

I got my coffee and headed to the room where I meet God each morning and it was as if he had been waiting for me already. He knew that my time was short yet He managed to bless me in ways beyond my understanding. I reached for my JOURNEY devotional guide. I knew that would be 'to the point'. I trusted that God would bless me in some way through that. BLESS ME!, He did! He allowed the scripture to be my absolute most favorite section, certainly in Psalms, and probably of the entire scripture. The scripture was from Psalm 37


God knew in advance that I would need to be reminded that I should
Trust in Him and do good and he would provide safety.
Delight myself in him and he would give me the desire of my heart.
Commit myself to him and he would make our righteousness shine like the sun.
and MOST OF ALL
don't worry and
REMEMBER
that I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed beg for bread.

So, I knew that I could get up from my devotions encouraged and completely assured that GOD HIMSELF awakened me and promised to reveal himself to me through the day.

After I returned home from working all day, I had a note from someone at church (which is the place we are seeking to be a Delight to the Lord so the he will give us the desire of our heart to stay there and serve!). This lady is on staff at the church and her note was just one big note of ultimate, extreme ENCOURAGEMENT! What a blessing!! God truly used her! Then I opened another piece of mail and there was a check! TOTALLY unexpected! A check that came from a source that has often heard God's voice to respond to our need. And how like God, to provide us above and beyond what we'd taken out of our savings just this morning in order to help with some unexpected Car Expenses.

Alarms...I normally detest them, but I will listen for a GOD ALARM anytime!

So many things planned to do today.
Hardly anything planned was done today.
I wonder if tomorrow will be any better.

Phones
Computers
People
Questions
Faxes
New Equipment
Gadgets
Smiles
Under the breath frustrations

Now I'm tired and frustrated that I will take a nap, thoughtlessly call sleep by some. Dreaming and tossing
I sleep and dream and wake up thinking that it is time to get up. I scramble to see the clock, squinting and and rubbing my eyes, only to find out that I've only been asleep for an hour or so. I close my eyes and begin to try to return to sleep and easily do. This time, however, I am awakend by the music on the clock only to realize that it really is time to start moving. I listen for the coffee grinder. I wait for the smell of the coffee, and begin to pray and ask God to please forgive me for the desire to sleep a little longer rather than get up for quiet time. Every nine minutes is intervaled with dreams of sleep without disturbance. Somehow, I don't see that possibiility.

I had already closed up my computer and yet felt compelled to open it up again and Blog a little. I felt as though it was important to maintain one of my resolutions to write on a daily basis (generally by way of Blog). I also was extremely impressed to share a quote I read tonite with those who may happen to browse their way to my page. This quote came from a book that my son gave me for Christmas. (yes, my son whose Spritual wisdom longs to see his screwed up parents stay on track!-BLESS HIM, FATHER!) The book is entitled 'EVERY WOMAN'S BATTLE' by Shannon Ethridge. How encouraging to realize that every woman DOES in fact have a battle. How encouraging to know that I'm not the only screwed up Christiam woman, contrary to what the EVIL ONE would choose me to believe---hello, My name IS NOT EVE thank you and I DON'T fall for serpents or Fruit Trees! Anyhow, here's the quote that stood out to me...especially since I had just asked myself last night about habits.

Sow a thought, reap an action
Sow an action, reap a habit
Sow a habit, reap a character
Sow a character, reap a destiny
--Samuel Smiles

Father, help me to sow thoughts that will ultimately lead me to be a woman of character as described in Proverbs 31.

Now, I'm closing up, turning out the lights and starting over--AGAIN!

ANOTHER NEW YEAR

I realize that it has been since LAST YEAR that I wrote. That seems so long ago, but in reality, only a few days. I can not believe that it is already 2004. All day long and really since the beginning of the year, I have struggled with writing '04'. But then, let's face it, everyone has that problem every year for at least the first few weeks..sometimes months. I know that all the dated materials from my work will be all screwed up because I continuously wrote 1/4/04 for 3 days just trying to remember '4, FOUR, FOW-WAH!' It has gradually become easier to think ahead as to what year it is, however, I can not overcome how hard it is to accept the numbers - 2, 0, 0, 4. Didn't we just have Y2K?? I think that we've experienced more cause for concern over the last few years than we ever imagined in our anticipation of the coming of the Year 2000. But here we are, four years later. Older, yet I'm not so sure wiser, a little slimmer and a lot poorer. I hope more than anything, that I have become a woman whose heart has been drawn closer the Heart of God.