rest

resting in the Lord is where i am "camped out" at today. Resting...not in a sense of laying in my hammock, or laying on the couch, or sleeping all day; but being assured, acknowledging, dwelling, finding habitation in His Presence, His character, His ways, His attributes...HIM. He is the I AM...there is nothing else. so i rest.

great verse...

this verse has stayed w/me for a long time now and wanted to share: Exodus 2.23 says the Israelities groaned and cried out to the Lord. I love this....how many times i have done this and cried out to the Lord in my time of need, or just acknowledgement. What's even better about this passage is the Lords response. Verse 24 says "God heard their groaning and he remembered His covenant, so God looked on them and was concerned about them". What a great God I serve. In Psalms it says that he is the maker of the eye, does He not see, He is the maker of the ear, does He not hear?

thank you Lord, that you hear my hearts cry, my groaning, my pain and you hear..remember...look...and are concerned with me.

i woke up...

at 2 am with you on my mind...and just cannot go back to sleep. i miss you and cannot wait to see you soon.

my friday

Now, as we got brooke moved and i've had time to just get back to the daily stuff. while we were there i just went thru the motions... everything is sinking in now and i miss her and long to see her.


she went to the doctor yesterday just for a check up. all is well. she will have other doctor appointments soon to check out everything else. I wanted to be w/her. however, we were well informed on the visit and how she did. thank you katy for all you do! you are amazing.


i'll be going down on Nov. 10-11. We will be doing her IEP (Individual Education Plan). i'm excited to see her on both days. I'll be scouting out a place we can stay for Thanksgiving.


If you know me well enough, you'll know I have a picture-mind. Last night i walked into our garage where we have our 11 golden retriever puppies in a gated fence (to keep them from the cold air). outside the gate on a pillow Trudy, momma dog, was laying next to the fence and all the puppies were asleep next to her; yet the fence was keeping them apart. (this is for nursing purposes). I just stood there dumb founded b/c it reminded me of me and brooke. Not separated by a fence but miles. the puppies knew their momma was there so they got as close as they could to her. precious! If i could, i'd be there too, Brooke. Yet, God has you in a safe place and so i trust that He is leaning against you tonight....for with Him, there is NO separation! I'm leaning hard on Jesus too.


this weekend we will take it easy and rest. the next few weekends are filled up. it'll be nice to just be. I'm praying for you baby!

the web of possiblity

Tuesday morning i got the boys off to school and driving into my driveway i noticed something white-ish dangling from a branch off the tree. interesting. i bundled up (it's cold in the morning), and cautiously walked over to see a spider web. crazy! this guy was amazing. he had so artistically spun from the ground to the tree limb his web, his home....suspending itself in mid-air. i was amazed. (i took pictures, but they did not turn out).

this little guy reminded me of something i need to be constantly reminded of. NOTHING is impossible for my God. personally, i'm in bit of a dilemma in my life right now....but seeing this little guy made me re-consider my situation/circumstance. With God, all things are possible.

Brooke, baby, Jesus has got you! Know that nothing is impossible with Him. I know you are a bit nervous, maybe scared, afraid, lonely, tired, and uncertain about things around you. But if i could whisper in your ear tonight so that you would understand i would tell you that nothing is impossible for God. Somehow though, i think you already are aware of that....and i'm just learning the lesson. i miss you tonight!

wednesday

brooke is still doing well and adjusting fine.

brooke...

castle

i've been out of town (again)...so i haven't gotten to post as i would like...or send pictures as i said i would. they will come. computer is slow at home.

recently i got the chance to stay in a castle on a hill. it was very enchanting. I was reminded of the reason castles were built...the fortress they portrayed and the strongholds they were for so many in danger or just for protection. i was reminded this week that the Lord has put me and Brooke in a very safe place...a place of protection. I was reminded of Psalms 71. 3 "be My habitation...My Rock and my Fortress". The Lord has been my Rock this week. It goes w/o saying that i'm so proud of Brooke's bravery...being placed with complete strangers...her courage speaks volumes to me. The Lord has been her Fortress as well.

the castle...some may call it imaginary...I call it God's Presence.

full update

transitions are hard any way you look at them, are they not? I'm grateful for the transition that has taken place with brooke. it will take her some time to get adjusted to new faces, new names, new places, her new bedroom, her new house, and her new school. her staff has gone over the top meeting her needs as we cannot be with her as we would like. tuesday we took the day off and just rested--knowing brooke needed to get to know her surroundings at the LT. Wednesday we had a meeting that gave us much information for the direction the staff would like to take brooke and what we (as her parents) would like to transpire. I have been very impressed with the LT. Today on our way out, we stopped by to see brooke. The next time we get to see her (as a family) will be for Thanksgiving. I'll be traveling down for a meeting before then. We are hoping to see her as much as we possibly can.
This is a very stressful time for brooke. would you pray, as those that work with her, that she would sense a peacefullness. I'll be sending pictures in my next entry of our time w/her. Thank you for your concern, love, prayers. God has been good...I'm confident in this!

long day

it has been a very long day. the void that is in my heart tonight as i'm about to go to bed is heavy...yet fully aware the Lord has her and is resting with her tonight. i'll share more when we arrive back in town for our service is not well.

transition

brooke's move today was very smooth. she is now adjusting to her new school at the learning tree. we do not have internet access to share pictures or express details. please continue to pray for this transition that is affecting our whole family. i will have more information to share on thursday. thank you for your prayers. (shared by cherie, dani's sister).

door of Hope

my dear friend Robin and i were talking early this week about a passage of scripture that has NOT left me. "I am now going to allure her and lead her into the wilderness to speak tenderly to her" (Hosea 2.14). Michael Card, song-writer and author, says that it is in while we are in the wilderness that is where our worship is. It goes on to say in Hosea i will give her the door of HOPE. Hope just happens to be my favorite word in Bible...this alone "allured" me to this passage years ago.

Brooke and i will both be going into the wilderness this week (not leaving out the rest of our family). In this wilderness I'm asking the Lord to speak tenderly to Brooke. To speak kindly to her. To affirm her. To give her a door of hope. To assure her.

I love you Brooke. Jesus has got you, baby. He has me too. For this...I'm eternally grateful...our doors await us.

yet...

it's been a tough few day for me, to be honest. i'm hurting...and the distance that will be between brooke and our family is difficult. i'm confident the Lord has her...and the entrustment. I'm grateful that I serve a God, Jesus Christ that goes before us...knows our circumstances, and is intimately acquainted with our ways. so with this i say, even though....yet, i will praise....in fact, i have to praise! He is enough...and i'm in that moment with Him. it is the safest place to be as uncomfortable as it may seem.

moving day

monday is moving day.

if interested, their website is www.learning-tree.org

brooke....

it's momma....

i miss you, but will get to see you on Monday. We will drive down to Mobile to your new school. The Lord has His hand on you baby. Your daddy, josiah and ethan, and momma love you so much. I am praying for you. May His shade cover you and protect you as you go throughout your day. Don't be afraid, for He alone is with you.--momma

Joy is given...

read this a couple of days ago and was encouraged with these words by amy carmichael:

Sorrow is one of the things that are lent, not given. A thing that is lent may be taken away; a thing that is given is not taken away. Joy is given; sorrow is lent. we are not our own, we are bought with a price, "and our sorrow is not our our own", is it lent to us for just a little while (sometimes i wonder what "a little while really means) that we may use it for eternal purposes. then it will be taken away and everlasting joy will be our Father's gift to us, and the Lord God will wipe all tears from off all faces. so, let us use this "lent" thing to draw us nearer to the heart of Him Who was once a Man of Sorrow (He is not that now, but He does not forget the feeling of sorrow). Let us use it to make us more tender with others, as He was when on earth and is still, for He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.

i say no more....

(this is a picture of amy)

to learn more about amy carmichael and her ministry go to:

www.amycarmichael.org

being still....

while i wait on the Lord. Comfort brooke Lord during this transition. Comfort us as more and more distance comes between us. Heal us Lord....we need your touch.

what i'm learning....

my intimacy with the Lord is greater than my circumstances, pain, or suffering. i will not give up being bold for Christ...for one person or for my present circumstance.