Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentleness be knows to all men.  The Lord is at hand.”

Truer words were never spoken.  “Let your gentleness be known to all men.”  In the face of stress, grief and turmoil, let people see that you are calm and peaceful because the Lord is with you.  That’s what God told me today.

This sweet verse came in a daily devotion.  I struggled yesterday as I had to put my sweet Skittles down.  She had been such a sweet and loving dog.  She played many important roles in my life.  She supported me emotionally as I floundered as a new mom.  She provided me companionship and a feeling fo security when Wes traveled on business.  She was a playmate, a confident, and comic relief.  She greeted me at the door, as if I were royalty…even if all I had done was walk out to get the mail.

I struggled with having to make a choice for her life.  She was in on dog years.  She struggled to walk and was now riddled with pain.  I looked to Wes to make the decision, emphatically stating, “You’ll have to take care of this because I just can’t.”

Days passed and my husband said little other than, “who are you keeping her alive for?”  I avoided the answer.  I took exception to such a question.  I just kept waiting.

Then, one afternoon, God spoke to me.  He said, “Tonya, stop looking to others for the answer and look to Me.”  I felt compelled to pray, but wasn’t sure what to pray for.  So, I told God, “Lord, I’m not sure what to pray for today.  I know that healing is not the right thing.  Lord, I just pray that you will lead me.”

The next day was Sunday.  Bro. Scott Hanberry was preaching.  He spoke words that resonated with with.  “Stop saying God is your co-pilot. Move over and let Him fly!”

By that night, God had shown me that it was time for my sweet girl to leave this earth.  God promises in Philippians 4:7 “and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” He most certainly did!  That’s not to say I wouldn’t feel pain, sorrow and grief.  yet, in the midst of my tears, God provided peace.  He provided me with the calmness or gentleness of spirit He promised and He lifted me up.  Isn’t our God great!

At the end of the day, I attended our Women’s Ministry holiday dinner.  The Lord blessed me further not only through the sweet women who hugged my neck and shared their stories, but through His words.  You see, the theme of this year’s dinner was “Season of Life.”  As Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 was read repeatedly, I smiled and felt peace.  God was reminding me…”There is a time for everything, as season for every activity under heave:  a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

I sure hope all dogs to go heave.  If they do, I know that my sweet Skittles would already have been curled up in the lap of Jesus, and eaten many a slice of heavenly cheese!

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Continue reading Triumph in the face of loss

Our Saturday started our like most of our Saturdays do.  We had some breakfast and then my husband asked “So, what do you want to do today?”  We had decided the night before to head out and purchase a rototiller to allow me to prepare a large garden this year. We often use gardening as a part of our homeschool program.  So many skills are learned and reinforced in gardening.  Reading, research, planning, hard work, diligence, and the list goes on.  We also see such blessings and joy each time that we harvest food from our own garden.  So, on to the rototiller.  Then, we would stop at the Fresh Market and get some wonderful fresh meats to grill and this glorious weekend and fantastic fresh veggies.  I also love to get some of the fresh mozzarella cheese that the market makes. Then home to start tillin’ and grillin’.

Little did we know, that a blessing was soon as fall upon us.  After taking care of his assigned yard work, our son asked if he could go and play with his friends down the street.  We allowed him to do so and went on with our day.  My husband was working to clean the grill and I even had some time to go shopping for some spring clothes and enjoy a little alone time.  All of this basking in the beauty of the warm spring day and time doing what we enjoy ended in the Minor Medical center with our son getting stitches.

So, here is where the blessing occurred.  Our son has an issue with anger.  I’m not sure how an 11 year old can get so angry, but he does.  He has always been a highly sensitive child who takes everything very personally.  He loves with all of his heart, and when his feelings are hurt, his emotions are fierce.  The story goes that he was playing football with his friends when he was tackled and then punched.  Yes punched!  The issue with kids punching him is a story for another day.  After getting up from the ground, our boy was very angry and took a large limb (about 5 inches in diameter) and slammed it on the ground.  A piece of that limb broke off and flew up.  It sliced the top of his ear open and the bleeding began.  So, how can this be a blessing?

Simply look!  Our son was wearing his glasses.  The tree limb bounced off of his glasses before slicing his ear.  God spared our son’s vision.  Then, when my husband reached me to tell me he was heading to Minor Med for stiches, I told him I would meet him there.  As I pulled from a side street to the main road, I turned immediately behind my husband.  God put us together.  When we arrived at the Minor Med, the staff immediately cared for our son.  Our nurse, Ruth, was an amazing woman.  She spoke of how God spared our son’s eyes.  How the outcome could have been so much worse.  Her words calmed all of our hearts and the doctor had the most amazing, calm and gentle spirit as he tended to our child.  Coincidence?  No…blessing directly from God.

Today, during our Bible lesson for the morning, our curriculum took us to Job.  Job 2:1-10 specifically where we see Job being covered in boils by Satan, yet he continues to worship God.  Job knows that God is in control and that through hardship, He will shower us with blessings.  My son said…”Mom, I realize now that God used my accident on Saturday to get my attention.  He said boy you have a problem with anger and you need to look to me.”  My son prayed this morning and rededicated himself to God.  He says that through prayer he knows God will teach him to manage his anger.

So, was this ear accident a blessing?  Absolutely!  Anything that happens that draws us closer to God always is!

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Continue reading Can you spot a blessing?

For some reason, people tend to view homeschool moms as the superwomen who do it all.  Well, let me set the record straight run now. I’m not a superwoman, and I can’t ever seem to find time to do it all.  Today was a day where I had the best laid plans (and we all know what typically happens to those!).  I had put my son’s assignments for the day on the board last night so that he could start right away this morning (his idea, not mine).  Then, I planned to clean the bathrooms, run the vacuum, and toss in a load of laundry before my husband returned from a business trip.  It all sounds harmless enough right?  Wrong!

I awoke to a child who was already up and playing video games.  He had apparently forgotten the request from the previous to give him his assignments so he could finish them as soon as he got up.  Then, he would be all finished when Daddy came home and the playtime would begin.  Yeah Right!  Instead, he was cranky, argumentative, and downright accusatory.  He was assigned the task of writing a short story.  He turned in one (yes I said one) paragraph and considered his work complete.  Well, any of you who know me well know that one paragraph is not going to fly!  Enter the whining, fussing, crying gremlin that frequently appears when my son is told that his work is not acceptable.  Or, heaven forbid, a paper requires more than one draft!

After nearly an hour of explination as to why one paragraph does not a short story make, he agreed to get to work.  Well, as much work as a squirrel in a field of acorns can accomplish.  Suddenly, the focus was gone.  The keyboard was more interesting than this assignment.  Heck, playing with a paperclip was more interesting!  Even sitting and staring out the window trumped our writing assignment.  Then came the much anticipated moment of the morning.  In a whiny and ever faltering voice came, “Mooooooooommmmm, I’m tiiiiiired.  I need a naaaaaaaappp.”  Keep in mind that my son is 11 years old, and that this tone of voice followed by the work avoiding “I need a nap” stikes me like a wasp sting.  Yep, it’s at this point that the snarling, snorting, angry momma voice appears.  This is when I in my own way say “I brought you into this world and I’ll take you out! ”  Of course, I say it in the way that all moms who are at then end of their patience rope do.  You know, it’s with that tone and that expression where the children suddenly realize they have pushed mom entirely too far and they should retreat for their our health and safety!

The paper still has not been finished.  Video games and television will be a thing of the past until it has been complete.  Oh, and yes I am still requiring more than one paragraph!  Some days being a homeschool mom requires so much more than folks would ever imagine.  Would I ever change it?  No…even on the very worst day, I wouldn’t change the opportunity God has given me to teach my child.  Watching him grow, hearing his questions, and receiving his sweet hugs are all the payment I require.  It’s just, on days like this…the hugs, questions, and sweetness are replaced by the snarls and snorts of a pre-teen boy who just likes to, on occasion, push his moms buttons!  This is our homeschool journey!

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Continue reading Some days I just want to run for the building screaming!

Spring Break and being a homeschool family usually does not match in my academic plan.  My point of view in past years has been, “just because public schools are out, doesn’t mean we are.”  To be honest, I approached this spring break with the same plan of attack.  My intention was to continue at a standard operating pace, if not with an increase.  We take time off as we require.  The last couple of weeks had been lighter than usual due to doctors, orthodontist, homeschool convention and a multitude of other issues that continued to pop up.  So, in my mind, spring break was not going to happen.

Enter the sound of screeching brakes!  One of my dearest friends, whose children are public schooled called and said that her son was begging for my son to come play.  Apparently if I did not adhere to the requests of her son, he was going to hunt me down and lasso me with duct tape.  So, I agreed that we would get together.  Her son was thrilled, as was my little monkey.  Thus the date was planned.  But, I was informed, this couldn’t be just a quick little 2 hour get together.  This needed to be the marathon get together.  So, we planned for Wednesday.  Case closed, inked in on the calendar, duct tape torture averted.

Besides, it wouldn’t be a big deal that we missed one day during the week of spring break.  Ummmm, of course, I had forgotten that I promised another dear friend that we would get together during public school spring break to begin to prepare materials for our homeschool co-op informational meeting for next year.  Her son and my son were joined at the hip.  Once again, we were going to skip a day.

I suddenly realized the spring break that wasn’t going to happen….was happening!  Of course, I considered this not a big deal.  We could work on Monday, Thursday and Friday!  That will work.  But wait…that wasn’t going to work.  You see, our Wednesday date turned into major begging, puppy dog eyes and the pleas from two 11 year olds to pleeeeease get to play together on Thursday.  My dear friend and I really wanted some time to visit as well, so “why not?”  And in the blink of an eye and the swish of my pencil, our spring break that wasn’t became the spring break that was.

We have had a wonderful week so far, lots of playing with friends, beautiful weather allowing us to start our plants and begin some gardening, driving through town with the windows down and the sunroof open, and some quality mother/son time.  Oh, and as for not schooling during this week.  I was wrong about that too!  It rained on Monday.  We spent the day watching an electronic field trip about the Bill of Rights, and reviewing the actual bill of rights.  We discussed much about religion and the second coming of Jesus as a result of the recent earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, we learned how to cultivate seeds and plants and to plan a garden, and today my son asked “Mom, is there grass in Antarctica?”  We’ve studied the toad that arrived in our backyard, done the math in determining if a 6lb or 12lb bag of cat food was the better deal, and worked on creating dialogue by doing a voice over skit with our old cat who is apparently plotting to take over the world.

As for the spring break that almost wasn’t, I sure am thankful it was!  Oh, and if you’re wondering…there is grass in Antarctica.  It’s called Antarctic hair grass.  It flowers and can grow in only 1% of the continent due to the coverage of snow and ice.

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Continue reading The Spring Break that almost wasn’t

I am reading Jesus Calling by Sarah Young as my daily devotion.  I find such peace in reading profound words that carve out deep places in my soul.  These words being written as if they are being spoken by God Himself directly to me.  Some days I wonder if the words on these glossy pages change divinely as God sees what reminders of His love and His will for me are needed.

Today, He speaks to me by tell me “TRUST ME by relinquishing control into My hands.  Let go, and recognize that I am God. This is My world:  I made it and I control it.”

How many days do we…do I, try to control all that is going on in life?  How many days do I question what is going on in our world?  The reality of it is simply!  God creating this world, it’s His not mine!  It is His to control, not mine!  It’s so easy to say, “God I’m letting this go, it’s all yours”.  How easy is it to really live that statement?  I know I fail horribly each and every day.  So how do I relinquish control?  Never fear, the very next paragraph tells me.  Pray!

“When you bring Me prayer requests, lay out your concerns before Me.  Speak to Me candidly; pour out your heart.  Then thank Me for the answers that I have set in motion long before you can discern results.”  In other words, I need to pray.  I need to speak to God as if he were my very best friend, because He is!  I think we all find it easy to pray to God for help when we are struggling or hurting.  It’s the very next command that is where I know I often fail.  He says “Thank Me”.  Do you thank God every time He provides for you and answers your prayers?  I try to, but I know that I fail horribly.

This week I have been teaching my son about obedience in his Bible class.  It appears that God has been teaching me the same.  Today, I will focus on Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (NIV)  In other words, I need to be as devoted to prayer as I am to any other task.  In reality, I should be even more so devoted because prayer is my communication with God.  Then, when He speaks to me, I need to be sure to speak to Him in thankfulness.

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Continue reading Trust in God because I’m not in control

I read this inspirational story this morning and knew that I had to share it with you.  What a wonderful reminder for me of God’s tremendous love for us and for all of his creatures.  Remember, God tells us to love one another and to look to him in all things.  This story reminded me of God’s never ending love for us.

I did! I held a hummingbird in my hand, and the tiny creature was alive!

Sadly, though, it was dying; its heartbeat was very slow. I knew, even as I held it in my hand, that the end of its life was very near. It had become trapped in our garage the night before. I had tried to gently nudge it out of the ceiling area with a broom, but it would continually fly up above the garage doors, which I left open overnight in hopes that disoriented bird would find its way to freedom.

It did not escape. It flew into a partially filled storage box, and its wings were heavily covered with cobwebs. Rather than going to church that day, I carried the tiny creature to the back patio where we had a hummingbird feeder. As I held the fragile bird in my hands, I sat down on a bench under the feeder and looked at that grand little bird and thought about how Jesus would carry out His Father’s will and heal people on the Sabbath rather than just spend time in the temple.

Then I recalled that my grandparents had warned so long ago, “Never try to hold a hummingbird in your hand,” they teased. “It is likely to bore a hole right through your hand in order to get away to freedom and the flowers.” I was young enough to believe every word they told me. Now I am a 60-year-old man, and I caressed him ever so gently even though my past experiences, training, and character certainly would not suggest gentleness.

I hold a long list of “ex’s.” I am an ex-street fighter (done for side bets); an ex-football player (defense, of course, all the way to semipro), an ex-enlisted U.S. Marine (sergeant, Korean War), an ex-U.S. Marine Corps officer (captain, Viet Nam War), an ex-coach, an ex-high school teacher of problem students, an ex-street cop, and an ex-teacher of jail inmates (G.E.D. program and disciplinary board member). Currently, I am a deputy constable.

And, there I sat with that little bird that did not bother a soul on this earth and never would.

“Listen, hummingbird,” I said out loud. “Your chances of coming out of this alive or even in operating shape are about as slim as mine were when fighting in two wars. But, you can’t just curl up and die. You’ve got to hang in there. I think I’ve got a way to get your motor running. I think I’ve got a real jump start for you.”

Yes, I was actually talking to that beautiful little bird as I cleaned the cobwebs off his wings and body.

“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do,” I tried to explain as if he could understand. “I’m going to hold you up to that hummingbird feeder and guide your beak into one of the feeding holes. You have to try to make a comeback. You ought to feel right at home taking the liquid hummingbird food since you’ve been mooching off me for the past six months. But, you’ve got to show you want to live, little bird. You’ve got to get some of this stuff into your body. It’s about your only chance, my little friend.”

I held him to the feeder and tilted my hand so his tiny beak fit into one of the openings. No luck. No reaction. His heartbeat was even slower.

“Listen, you have to try. Just get some of that energy into yourself and you might be able to pull if off. You’ve got to try,” I urged him in desperation. I held him up to the feeder and aimed his tiny beak into the opening again. He took a little of the liquid, spewed it on the feeder, and then went limp again.

“You want me to pray for you or something you little quitter?” I asked. “I will, but you have to help out. You’ve got to try. No try, no chance.”

“Our Lord, I am asking You to save this gentle little creature of Yours,” I prayed. “I’m trying to get him jump-started with this liquid nectar stuff, and I want him to make it because he does no harm to anyone on this earth. He even eats mosquitoes. His main job is to go around getting nectar, but in the process You designed him to help pollinate some of Your most beautiful creations-flowers. I would so greatly appreciate it if You would give him some more time on earth. My granddaughters are coming to visit next week, and I would like for them to see this little bird slurping up the liquid food from the feeder. Please help him. Help him like You have helped me all my life. Like when I was in the wars, on the fields, doing the patrols. Please help him, I pray. Amen.”

I knew from Scripture that not one sparrow falls to the ground without God’s notice and tender care (see Matthew 10:29). Somehow I knew He cared and would hear my prayer. This was a big step for me to show compassion and faith according to Christ’s example. Then I tried to force-feed him one more time. This time-the third time-he drank, and he drank each time thereafter when I put him to the feeder.

“You had better get well, little bird,” I coaxed. “These lousy mosquitoes are eating me up out here. You are getting behind on your job. Instead of just goofing off, you better get serious and start flying!”

Then, as if he heard every word, that little hummer tried to fly-just like a tiny helicopter. He whirred straight up into the air about 25 inches and crash-landed on top of my head (and that’s not all he did on my head). So, we started all over again until his nectar-tank was refilled.

Then, without a nod, a blink of a tiny eye, or a fare-thee-well, that tiny little bird shot out of my hand like a round out of a .50 caliber machine gun. He zipped right up into a big tree and sat there until I got smart enough to go inside the house and watch him from the kitchen window. He quickly zoomed down from the limb and topped off his energy tanks at the feeder. Then he flew away. I felt so grateful to have been used by God to save a life; it helped me experience the depth of His love, compassion, and ability to answer prayers.

Five days later my granddaughters arrived on schedule. We all kept a look out, and soon the little bird and his mate showed up for some free hummingbird food. My granddaughters saw them flutter and dart around, and at ages four and six, everything still has a little magic-especially when watching tiny hummingbirds eat.

“O.K., Hillary and Hayley, listen up,” I barked. “Don’t ever mess with a hummingbird. Don’t ever try to hold one in your hand. It just may bore a hole right through your hand to get away to freedom and the flowers.”

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Continue reading I Held a Hummingbird in My Hand – From Creation Illustrated

Christian Women Online – Working At Home: Ditching Distractions by Jill Hart

One of the benefits of working from home is the flexibility to work anytime and anywhere. However, that also means being able to shut out the distractions that surround you at any given time. For me that can mean tuning out the TV, letting the answering machine pick up calls or shutting down my email program – whatever it takes to allow me to focus on the project at hand. Over the years, I’ve found a few things that have helped me accomplish this on a regular basis:

Set Aside Time
Having set working hours or setting aside a certain amount of time each day is extremely important when working from home. The times when I’ve gone through my days hoping that I’ll find the time to get some work done are the times that I’ve struggled the most.

I know of many work-at-home moms that band together and create a co-op where they take turns watching the kids while the other moms in the group work. This way each mom spends a few hours a week away from work while babysitting, but in return is able to focus solely on her business during the times her children are away.

Organize (But Not While You’re Supposed To Be Working)
I’m not an organized person by nature, but when it comes to my business I know that I must be. I’m a list person, so I make a series of lists at the beginning of each week for what needs to be accomplished each day. This helps keep me on track and gives me an idea of how much work time I need to aside each day.

Professional organizer Megan Spears agrees. She states, “The benefits of list making can allow you to relieve your mind of all those things swirling around up inside. Making that list can allow you to empty your mind of information so that you won’t stress about “trying to remember” tasks or activities.”

Turn It Off
A short while ago I took a day and tracked everything that I spent time doing. Hands down, my big time waster was checking my email – especially during time when I was supposed to be doing something else. I’ve learned that when I’m writing or working on a project, the email program must be turned off. This goes for other time wasters such as the television and even the phone. When I’m working, I generally let the answering machine do it’s job. I try to be careful, though, to return calls in a reasonable amount of time.

Know When To Multitask … And When Not To
One of the dilemmas that work-at-home moms face is balance. Because we want to accomplish as much as possible in a given day, we are tempted to do as many things at a time as possible. This can work with menial tasks (think cooking dinner while updating your favorite social networking website), but when you’re handling work for a client or in the midst of a large project it is actually more effective to focus one just that one thing.

Dave Crenshaw, author of The Myth of Multitasking, puts it this way:

“When people attempt to multitask, what they are really doing is switching rapidly back and forth between tasks. This is why I prefer to refer to multitasking as switchtasking . It is these switches that cause people to lose time. In this way, switchtasking causes us to be exponentially less productive.”

We don’t want to lose the freedom that being a work-at-home mom allows, but by re-evaluating how we’re spending our time we can increase our efficiency and eliminate distraction. By making these few simple changes we can not only get more done, but also do a better job of balancing our professional lives and our personal ones.

- Jill Hart

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After a week and a half of getting ready and then helping to execute our Saddle Ridge Ranch Vacation Bible School, Monday brought the day when I was supposed to get back to some sense of order.  I greeted the morning with a sigh and a feeling of trying to remember where I left off.  How many times have we taken time for rest and relaxation only to be stressed out upon our return to daily life?  Well, I was right there!  I prepared and prepared for the past couple of weeks, worked hard to make things happen, rested to recover and then felt totally stressed out and less than enthused at my return to the office and my son’s summer break.

You know what I need?  I need some consistent routine!  The problem is, my routine consists of teaching my son and working.  Well, it’s summer break at the Andrews Homeschool, or so my son has tried to inform me.  So, that routine is down the drain for now.  Work…that’s what I need to do!  So, I sat myself down at the computer and started sorting through emails and getting things done.  Quickly, my feline admin assistant perched herself upon my desk and started to try to sit on my keyboard.  Apparently she needed some consistent petting!  Then, my foot warming dog plopped on my feet.  It’s 100 degrees out today, I certainly don’t need a foot warmer, but she doesn’t know that!  Then, my son started to sing and to hug on his Momma.  Then Dad called for his weekly discussion of his aches and pains and general frustration with his world.  I tackled all that came my way with a grain of salt, all the while multi-taksing and getting my work in the office done with as much precision and accuracy as possible.  As I sat down to write this post I realized something.  There is nothing consistent about my routine other than a guaranteed inconsistency in the routine!  You know what else I realized?  I like it this way.  It’s how I work, I strive on the out of unexpected turns in my day; the cat rubbing on my monitor while trying to get some petting as I am working on business reports, and the dog licking my toes as I wiggle my feet (this helps with accounts processes!).

I also realized that teaching my son was not down the drain.  You see, the joy of homeschooling is that any moment can be an educational opportunity!  Today, we learned about Civil War weapons, the mechanics of 1950’s fuel pumps and counties with names I can’t even begin to pronounce.  We learned that the World Cup occurs only every 4 years, and today I learned that while my life is never consistent, it’s the only sense of order I know.  Boy I’m glad to be back to my usual routine – or not!

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Continue reading Back to some sense of order – or not!

Well gang, I had the very best intentions of blogging about VBS every day.  Obviously I failed miserably!  Let me say that this week has been physically exhausting, but more rewarding that I could have EVER imagined!  I have to say that this week changed my life forever.  I know that sounds pretty cheesy, but as you read on, I think you will see what I mean.

Day 3 was our day to really focus on teaching the A,B,C’s of becoming a Christian.  Do you know them?  A – Admit, that you are a sinner.  B- Believe, that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the price for your sins.  C-Confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior.  I had been teaching the A,B,C’s every day but hoped that today I could really drive it home.  It was a frustrating day as my girls seemed not to be listening.  I continually had to stop speaking and redirect their attention.  I went home sure that nothing I said made a difference.

Day 4 was the day that changed my life forever.  First – it was crazy hair day and YES, I did participate!  As I drove across town to the church with massive amounts of ribbon fastened to my pig tails and my “Pebbles Flintstone” pony atop my head, I never saw such crazy expressions from my fellow drivers!  It was a great hit!  The kids loved my hair and it brought us together even more than I realized a few crazy ribbons and pig tails ever could!  Then, came the moment that I was approached by Wendy our Children’s Ministry Director.  God must have told her I needed this opportunity!  She asked me if I felt comfortable counseling a little girl who wanted to talk about becoming a Christian.  I jumped at that opportunity!!  What an amazing time I had with this little girl!  She told me that she knew the A, B, C’s but she still wasn’t sure how to ask Jesus into her heart.  She told me she was ready and together, we held hands and I prayed with her as she committed her young life to Christ.  It was the most amazing feeling!  I had the opportunity to be with the little girl and help her change her life!  WOW!

But the amazing event of day 4 didn’t stop there!  I passed out cards to my class that they were to fill out.  These cards asked if they were already a Christian, if they had prayed to become a Christian this week, if they had questions, or if they had heard all that had been shared, but weren’t ready to make the decision yet.  2 – YES 2 of my girls had prayed this week to accept Jesus into their lives!  Wow!  I guess God could work through a stuffy, coughing and congested VBS teacher.

Then, came day 5.  Today was the last day of our special week.  We played games, we sang, we danced (well sort of, Southern Baptists don’t really dance LOL!).  The girls were quiet and focused!  They had a great time and it showed!  I received many hugs and one of my girls who was saved this week cried and hugged me tight when it was time to go.  The day focused on how we could be like Jesus.  I have to say…I tried awful hard this week, and while I know that I’m a sinner and could never measure up to my Lord, I hope that he is proud of the work this week.  I did it all for HIS Glory!  He provided em the strength, He provided the words and the messages, and He worked in these girls lives – including this big girl.  God was ever present this week!

If you ever for one moment think God isn’t ever present, take some time to talk to me about this week.  Talk to some children who attended our VBS!  Remember the two most important words you will ever hear JESUS SAVES!

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