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There are so many blog posts rolling around in my mind, that I thought I'd just combine them all into one big one. Hope you don't mind, it's going to be a long ride!
New Creation
Those of you who visit regularly know that we have been very busy with Sufficient Grace Fundraising events and other ministry-related happenings. Tim and I also had the privilege of participating with a local VBS outreach in which our church brings VBS to the children and families of a local community that does not currently have a church. It is such a blessing to be part of that, and I'm so grateful we were able to join alongside our church family this year, once more. We are looking forward to VBS at our own church soon, as well.
Speaking of our church family...one of my favorite events occured this past Sunday. I love a good baptism...there is nothing like it, really. A changed life in Jesus...the symbolism of reckoning the old man dead and emerging as a new creation, the washing away of sins, the bold statement that this person belongs to Jesus. This person lives for Him. I love to listen to the simple, tearful testimonies of those who have recently given their lives to Jesus...telling of His life-changing glory. The beauty of redemption never fails to move me to tears as well.
What made this particular baptism even more precious was that our sweet James had chosen to be among those getting baptized yesterday morning. As Tim and I prepared the music, I reflected on the words..."feels like I'm born again, feels like I'm living...for the very first time, for the very first time...in my life".
It never gets old. Watching the Holy Spirit work in someone's life, watching Him speak directly to a seeking heart, wooing with the Father's love. Seeing a heart transformed by Jesus...a life redeemed, bathed in beautiful, saving grace. But, when that heart belongs to one that I love...it fills my own heart to the point of bursting. My cup runneth over...and, once more, I am on my knees in awe of the grace of my God...and the relentless love with which He pursues and pours out onto His people. Oh...how I love a good baptism.
I'm so thankful for the answered prayers. God has written a story for our family that is beyond anything I could have imagined. There were years of drought and wandering in the wilderness, but lately, I have been dancing in the rain as He brings more of our family into His family.
(Special thanks to Rachel's Cakes for making James' lovely cake. You rock, Rachel!)
Sweet James, we pray God's continued blessings for you as you walk with Jesus. We are so blessed that you chose to be baptized and so grateful for your soft, tender heart. We love you!
Green Kitchen
I've been thinking about painting my kitchen green for about four or five years now. Each year, I purchased a little something to go with my imaginary green kitchen, in hopes that I would one day just do it. The pre-working-full-time-and-leading-a-ministry me would have had the whole house painted in a week. But, the me I am of late struggles to get to the "making my home a haven" part of my resposibilities. It just seems to have slipped on the priority list, under a heap of other demands for my time. But, God has been convicting my heart lately on that subject. Serving my family by making our home a beautiful and orderly haven needs to have it's rightful place high on my to-do list. So, in an effort to make that right...and in the willy-nilly spirit of summer, I give you my green kitchen!
(Please don't look too closely...I am not really a gifted painter, decorator, or housekeeper...but I still like my little green kitchen, flaws and all!)
Wondering what it looked like before? Here are a couple pics from my kitchen before the grand green painting project 2010...
(Christmas pics were the only ones I could find on my new computer!)
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Walking With You Idea
We've been taking a little break from Walking With You. A few more people are catching up with the recent Threads of Hope bible study that we finished in May. Because I know that many people are busy, I've been thinking about how to proceed, and I have a couple ideas. Prior to the Threads of Hope study, we shared our stories piece by piece, reading one another's journeys and encouraging each other along the way.
The purpose of this group is that grieving hearts would know they are not walking this path alone...that there is comfort and hope and grace along the journey. One way I was thinking we could do this, is to feature a blog of one grieving mama each week. I will do a post on the Walking With You blog letting you know who is being featured, and others who have walked this path can go and offer a word of encouragement, prayer, or scripture on that person's blog. That way, instead of having to prepare a post and visit all of those who link up, we just have to visit one person, focus on their story, pray for them that week, and leave a comment on their post letting them know. I have come across many families who have lost a child, and some have readers. While, some do not have many. We would like to welcome anyone to join in...those new to grief, as well as those who have experience walking this path and can be an encouragement to those in need.
If you would like to be featured on Walking With You, please go to the Walking With You Page and leave a comment letting us know your name, blog name, and your baby's name. I think this could be a great way for us to reach out and get to know other families walking this path, as well as to offer hope and encouragement to one another. I hope you feel the same, and I'd love any input on this idea!
Another favor I'd like to ask is if you are participating in Walking With You or would like to follow and read along, offering encouragement to others, please become a follower of the Walking With You blog. I will be putting up a follow button there for those wishing to keep up on that page. It is now a separate blog, although it is linked to this one.
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The Best BBQ Sauce known to mankind...
Around Christmas time, we received a gift from our friends, Glenn and Toni. It was a container of barbeque sauce produced locally from Mission Kitchen. Little did we know that in that container, just waiting for our discovery, was the best barbeque sauce known to mankind! Let me tell you, we are conoisseurs of sauce. We love the honey mustard, hot mustard, barbeque, sweet and sour...oh yes, we do. And, our James is the biggest connoisseur of all...especially of the BBQ sauce. Why, he even eats it on his burgers...yes ma'am.
So, when the sauce was finally gone, I contacted sweet Toni to inquire as to how I may obtain more...so that I could continue to slather the barbequey goodness all over our food. When I visited the website she passed on to me, I was even more delighted to learn that there was a story behind my newly beloved sauce. Ya'll know how I love a good story behind the story...and even more so when that story shares about a mission.
This sauce was created when the originators were in the mission field...and their mission continues through the distribution of this perfectly blended symphony of spicy and sweet goodness.
From their website:
Mission Kitchen Ltd is a local business with a global conscience. Our personal lives affect, both positively and negatively, those of others across the globe. Mission Kitchen Ltd is dedicated to empowering the population San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic. A portion of all proceeds will return there to benefit the shoeshine boys and undernourished children who live on those streets and call that place home.
To learn more about this worthy (and yummy cause), please visit: Mission Kitchen
And, in honor of my green kitchen...and because I love you and feel that everyone simply MUST try this sauce, leave a comment on this post to be entered to win your very own container of Mission Kitchen BBQ sauce! (Plus...I thought that if you are still reading this long post, you deserve a prize!!)
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