Three out of five in our family woke up sneezing this morning!  That leads me to believe....Fall is here. 

What things remind you of Fall?  What activities bring you into the season?

Most of you know that we live in a forest!  This time of year is probably one of the busiest for us outdoors, but it's just beautiful to see all the changes that take place.  The walnuts have already fallen.  The trees are beginning to yellow.  And the little animals are out in full force!  I love the Fall season.  Now......if I can just get my allergies to cooperate! 

I ran across a life changing verse this week in my Bible study (Believing God by Beth Moore).  I just have to share with you this one simple verse.

Hebrews 11:6
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Did you hear that?  He wants us to go beyond merely believing that he exists.  Yes!  He desires that we earnestly seek him.  He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him!  Do you grasp this meaning?  We have an opportunity to please God and to be rewarded for our Faith!      

But, rewards?  Are those really for me?  And what is a reward?  I looked it up in the original Greek language.  It literally means as a "renumerator, rewarder".  It referenced two other Greek words that simply mean to "to let out for wages, to give away, to deliver (again), repayment, perform, restore, yield". 

Do you need a Heavenly Father who will deliver (again) and (again) on your behalf?  One who is willing to give away, perform, restore, and yield in your life?  One who is well pleased with your Faith?
 
I'm not beginning to suggest that I understand the rewards of God.  But I do know the Fruits of His Spirit, which are rewards far greater than I can imagine.......love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). 

As we seek him earnestly, may He be our full reward!  Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend. 

So my friends Anita and Gabby are out tagging everyone!  So here's my short list of 6 random facts about myself.

Enjoy! 

1.  I am a neat freak in my head.  Not so much in practice. 

2.  I have a nice small collection of karaoke tapes from rainy days at Opryland Theme Park.  We used to fight over who was getting into the booth to sing a duet together.  My friends and I were stupid.  Plain stupid.

3.  I met a nice young man at Opryland one time.  Kinda felt some "I like you" feelings.  Asked my Mom if a friend and I could go to the movies to meet our new "friends" from Opryland.  She agrees and drops us off in her cranberry red Cadillac.  The hooptie kind!  After the movie, mom picks us up from the movies.....shouting, "Oh my God......get in the car."  I'm holding hands with new guy.  Turns out new guy is a distant cousin.  I said DISTANT.  His dad and my mom were cousins.....we'd never met before.  I think we were 14.  We decided just being friends was a great idea.  No more movie going.  

4.  I hate buying new tennis shoes.  They feel like someone else's feet.  My old ones are just fine.

5.  I love games, but hate losing.....so I don't play very often.  I hate to see people get bent out of shape over a game.  I mean really....get a grip! 

6.  I met Aaron at Belmont in the guys' dorm.  They were having a "lobby only" movie event.  I'm pretty sure I just walked into the room with 2 other guys.  We were heading out dancing for the night.  We sat and talked for a minute or two.  I thought he was weird...but nice.  He was lounging on the couch, eating animal cookies (yes the ones in the huge bear jar) and we struck up a conversation about his Elvis pillow that his grandma had made him.  End of story....he was a family guy who loved his grandma.  I married my best friend 3 years later.  And we still have the pillowcase.  I took it to the hospital with me when we gave birth to Emma.

So...now that you know these things.  Here you go......it's your turn.

 Here are the rules.

1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules to your blog
3. Write 6 random things about yourself
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them
5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.

I am tagging: 

Brea Freeman--because she never returns my phone calls
Sarah Andrews--because I can, and she's fun enough to do this
Amy Lafayette--because I always get a good laugh out of her
Ray Carman--well, because he's the only dude who might actually do this
Karen Reinsch--she's probably got something really funny to say
Jenn Benn--because she owes me!  I gave her all my great secrets of how to have an awesome Disney vacation!

Romans 12:2 
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Christian.....are you living your life where others can see Jesus?  Or are you currently a slave to the patterns of this world?  Is your mind being transformed?  Or others know more about your problems and frustrations than they do about your God?  I must admit.  This is where I am.  In the self-evaluation phase.  I've come to recognize that my words, my thoughts, and my actions in this life tell a story.  It reveals what I truly BELIEVE about God.  This is my real testimony.  Am I living proof that Jesus resurrects the dead and makes them alive once more? 

God help us all.  



     

I love the islands.  I went to Hawaii when I was a preteen and I can still remember walking around the beaches wondering what worlds lie just beyond my sight.  The sand was a beautiful Earthy brown, made up of tiny pebbles that would catch in the morning breeze.  I remember walking out there thinking I was in a small wind storm of some sort.  The light brushing against the skin felt like an awakening!  Just off to the side of the beach stood these "great rocks" that had made their way toward the shoreline.  Lava, from the beginning of the ages, spit out, formed, and resting near the water's edge.   

I stood there.  I breathed in the air.  And I felt "distant" for the first time in all my life.  There were people all around, but I felt small in the world.  The next day we went to the top of the mountain (the name has escaped my memory).  As we are driving up to see "The Crater" I noticed that we were traveling through cloud coverage.  This was alarming at first.  But we quicklky rose to the top, beating the clouds!  The next few hours would bring majesty beyond belief!  We were there when the clouds continued to rise......rising to the point that the dew fell upon us.  And then it happened.  The first break of morning SUN!  It was amazing.  The day broke before my very eyes.  As I stood there surveying this beauty, I realized....I was on the island!  In the middle of the sea!  With all this detachment!  It was a moment in time I cannot forget.      

I wasn't intending to write about islands, detachment, and distance this morning.  But in so many ways the heart of man can become an island nation.  We stand in awe of our own beauty, and worship the sights and wonders of self.  Our oceans are full of deceit, lies, and sinfulness.  They seek to insulate us from the "main land".  This is not God's design. 

Isaiah 51:5
My righteousness draws near speedily; my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations.  The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.

The islands lie in wait, and hope for His arm!  The connectedness to the "I AM".  Creation cries out to be restored.  Oh, friend!  May our hearts cry out from the distant places!  

  

(If anyone's been to Hawaii recently and this story is all wrong.......don't tell me, because this is the way I remember it.) 

Restoration.  It's life giving.    

Live according to the marketing machines of the world and you'll be counting, organizing, and collecting everything in your life onto one nice "To Do List".  Oh....and remind me when you get to the end of your list that the sense of accomplishement was worth driving everyone else in your life NUTS!  Yes, anything that runs like an organization, smells like an organization, "is" an organization.  We have plans, flow charts, and facts/figures for everything.  Is your family life simply a well-oiled machine?  Are you running your marriage on weekly meetings, or conference calls?  Can I look at your Excel document to see the health and wellness of your life?       

Tell Me....Where's the JOY?  Where is God in your life?  Are you struggling to breathe?  And some of you are doing all this in the name of Jesus.  And I say in the name of Jesus........HIS yoke is easy, HIS burden light!  Who's burdensome yoke have you taken on?  I'm not suggesting that our lives are simply taskless, I'm saying that they are life-full in the Spirit, only taking on those tasks that God designed and desires for you!!  Who's job are you doing, while they rest?  Do not act so foolishly to consider that YOU must be the one.  If you're operating out of exhaustion, you are not the one!  Take a break.  Go rest!  Listen!  He's speaking even now!     

I'm telling you that the past month smothered me.  Choked me out of existence.  I was there.  But I wasn't feeling a single thing.  Like a fine tuned machine, I did and did.  I was BUSY!  My God cried out for me and said "STOP.  This is not my will for you!"  My husband echoed that cry.  I listened.  And you know what I found....I'm not all that important.  Not to those situations anyway!  They can be done without me.  Those tasks can be handled.  But my family.  My husband.  My love and my heart.  They cannot be ignored so that I get lots of other things accomplished.  For then, what could be said of me?  She's a really efficient wife!  And a great hand of support to this and that!  NO!  Living my life to the full means living in passionate pursuit of my God, my husband and my kids!  Doing whatever God commands....so that we might proclaim His Goodness to the world!  I am not proclaiming this message of Man....but the Message of God to man.  And I will not proclaim it as Man directs, I will proclaim as God instructs.  In His way, in His timing, and in His gracious gifting.....as He equips!             

Escape the normal.....pursue the abundant.      

Everything in our lives is so "agenda-like".  God's not like that.  We're missing SO very much more of Him.  He says he can do "immeasurably more".  And we are just OK with our agenda.  I'm out of the box.  I'm not converting my creativity and my heart into a box that fits someone else's design for me.  I'm pursuing God in the ways He shows me.  And as long as I have breath...may I be proclaiming freedom to those held captive.

GO ON RETREAT WITH GOD AND WITH ONE ANOTHER!  Your family needs you!

Blessings!

I frequently check the world-wide pictures of reuters.com and today I am amazed to see the suffering of leperosy so clearly displayed.  My immediate thought was "Oh, Lord Jesus....this is what you see."  The outer sufferings of the leper are evident.  My leperous spots (the ones hidden in my sin nature) are just as evident to my Lord and Savior.  Where this man's affliction is on the outer skin, so many of us are affected internally.   

This picture brings me to tears.  Not because of the one man's suffering (although that would be enough), but my heart is graciously aware of my Savior's embrace, smile, and intimacy with me.  The Leper.  Isn't this me?  Isn't it you?  Don't you see your sin coming forth from the inside out?  Like boils on the sides of my face, my sin lays bare before the Throne.  Heal ME Lord Jesus.  Take away my spots.  Cleanse me from all unrighteousness.  He says, "Laura, I am willing....Be Clean!" 

My heart is safe and secure in the Healer's embrace.  There.....at my side.  Is MY Jesus.  Do you know Him?   

Take time to reflect on Matthew 8: 1-4.

"When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

I don't know the man in this picture.  Neither of them.  But my guess is that one of them knows my Jesus, perhaps both!  Read the excerpt below the picture.  Amazing.  A Bishop turned President.  Pray for Paraguay and for Fernando Lugo. 

Paraguayan President-elect Fernando Lugo (R) and Narcisa, 80, talk during his visit to Santa Isabel Hospital for leprosy patients in Sapucai, 100 km (62 miles) south of Asuncion, August 2, 2008. Lugo, who assumes the presidency on August 15, was elected in April, ending more than 60 years of one-party rule in the poor South American country notorious for corruption and contraband. He had stepped down as a Roman Catholic bishop, saying he felt powerless to help the poor.  

REUTERS/Jorge Adorno  from:  http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/slideshow?collectionId=1926&galleryName=24%20Hours#a=15

What are the Fruits of the Spirit, and why should we pay close attention to these characteristics?     

Paul used these virtues to instruct the believers gathered in Galatia for what I believe to be a two-fold purpose.  One to encourage them in understanding what "life in the flesh" vs. "life in the Spirit" looks like.  And also to instruct them in living by the Spirit, in order that they may remain clear in the Gospel that they originally received.  You see, they were moving outside of what God's teaching was, and began intermingling other doctrines with the doctrine of Truth!  How easily we become experts in our own Law!  All the while, Christ has set us free from the Law!  The overriding message of Galatians 5 is quite possibly, "Any message by any other name....is phony!  Do NOT be deceived!"  

These Fruits are the essential characteristics of our Lord.  It is how we can determine truth from deception.  He is not contrary to His nature.  And this is what He says about those living according to the Spirit.  I've selected a few verses to set the appropriate context.    

Galatians 5

6b The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. 

7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?

8That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.

10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 

14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:

• sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is

• love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Isn't it amazing how very clear God's Word is!  Now.....for application!

1. Make sure that your tongue, your actions, and your communication include the Fruits of the Spirit.  If they do not, you're not living by the Spirit.  And those hearing your message will not receive your words of criticism, judgment, and condemnation.  Your opinions are not sacred!  God's Word is!  So, in times of great need to share something with someone, share Scripture!  We are not experts in anything, but GRACE-receiving! 
2. Check the list of "acts of the sinful nature".  Are you bound up in some of those chains?  Undoubtedly we all struggle, wrestle, and are tempted.  But don't overlook what we might consider the lesser of these!  Just because you don't find yourself in witchcraft or drunken orgies doesn't mean that God is pleased with your jealousy, dissension, or fits of rage!  All of these render us "warned", and beckon us to repentance. 
3. Keep in step with the Spirit.  Move in His direction and in His leading!  Do not become envious of where God is taking someone else.  Go where He's sending you!  Do what He's asking of you!  First and foremost, we must place our lives in proper position to hear from God.  And then the response we should have is LIFE in the Spirit. 

Be encouraged to use the "Fruits" as a filter.  Remember, any message or messenger by any other name (or characteristic) is not of God, and is a phony representation of what His Word says, or how His message is carried out.  And if you or someone in the Faith is struggling with exhibiting the Fruits, then ask God to give His Spirit in abundance concerning that area of sinfulness.  You might pray,

"Lord, I confess my tendency and sinfulness in the area of __________, and I ask that your Spirit warn me each time that I begin walking in that direction.  Please allow me to experience deliverance from this nature, as I have been named a 'new creation' by your son, Jesus.  Through His blood I have freedom over my sinful nature!"   

Watch God do JUST that!  He will warn you.  And you will receive guidance into new life.  But the response must be in obedience, in order to experience true Freedom in Christ. 

Blessings!

I stumbled upon these words this morning.  How incredibly purposeful they are!  I know it's the whole chapter......and blogs are supposed to be quick, easy, and Igoogle friendly!  But take time to read this today.  Read it aloud if you're able.  It's amazingly full, and life giving.  May we cry out, wait patiently, and be lifted. 

Psalm 40

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

 1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
       he turned to me and heard my cry.

 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
       out of the mud and mire;
       he set my feet on a rock
       and gave me a firm place to stand.

 3 He put a new song in my mouth,
       a hymn of praise to our God.
       Many will see and fear
       and put their trust in the LORD.

 4 Blessed is the man
       who makes the LORD his trust,
       who does not look to the proud,
       to those who turn aside to false gods. ^[a]

 5 Many, O LORD my God,
       are the wonders you have done.
       The things you planned for us
       no one can recount to you;
       were I to speak and tell of them,
       they would be too many to declare.

 6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
       but my ears you have pierced ^[b] , ^[c] ;
       burnt offerings and sin offerings
       you did not require.

 7 Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
       it is written about me in the scroll. ^[d]

 8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
       your law is within my heart."

 9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
       I do not seal my lips,
       as you know, O LORD.

 10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
       I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
       I do not conceal your love and your truth
       from the great assembly.

 11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
       may your love and your truth always protect me.

 12 For troubles without number surround me;
       my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
       They are more than the hairs of my head,
       and my heart fails within me.

 13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me;
       O LORD, come quickly to help me.

 14 May all who seek to take my life
       be put to shame and confusion;
       may all who desire my ruin
       be turned back in disgrace.

 15 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
       be appalled at their own shame.

 16 But may all who seek you
       rejoice and be glad in you;
       may those who love your salvation always say,
       "The LORD be exalted!"

 17 Yet I am poor and needy;
       may the Lord think of me.
       You are my help and my deliverer;
       O my God, do not delay.

Yes, it's official.  My baby girl is grown up!

Something about being FIVE just says, "grown up" to me! 

This year she'll attend Kindergarten, probably spend the night with a friend for the first time, and find complete joy and satisfaction in something that she discovers on her own.....and I may not be there to witness it!

There are so many reasons to want her to remain little, but oh so many reasons that I enjoy watching her grow. 

What I enjoy most are:

1. Watching her imagination get the best of her!
2. Seeing how she respects and is mindful of those around her.
3. The lights coming "on" as we begin working through Hooked on Phonics
4. The way she can make up her bed (without any wrinkles or "bumps" as she calls them)
5. Being an age, where age doesn't matter!  She can play with kids who are 2, or 12.  It's all good! 
6. Her singing without regard to correct words or staying on key.....as long as it's loud, it's perfect!!    
7. The times that she asks to help me clean....and does a better job than I do!
8. Seeing the interaction she has with both Emma (age 8) and Will (age 2) and the love they share.
9. Helping her develop friendships and learning how to "be a friend"
10. Hearing her pray......this always gets me!  We've finally made it out of the stage where praying about pencils, potato chips, dogs, being able to poop on the potty, etc. has been transformed to a thankfulness for people, who God is, and what God is doing in our lives. 

This may be my favorite reason for embracing her growth.......She's learning who God is, and beginning to recognize His presence in her life!  As a parent, there is nothing better than knowing your Heavenly Father is extending His grace to your children.  Their awareness of Him is amazing.....and something we've prayed for since the beginning of their days.  Change is not easy for any of us....and yes, I'm going to miss her being here with me, but those car rides home from school are SO important, and fun, and filled with anticipation!  I look forward to all of it.....even the hard parts of letting go!  You've got her God.....I can't hang on tight enough! 

We had the privilege of celebrating Hannah's 5th birthday with some of her very best friends, and mine too!  We love all of you.  Thank you for making an impression on her life, one that will last a lifetime.  Blessings!