My Friday...

Many of you know that I have felt called to a ministry based out of Charlotte, North Carolina called Proverbs 31 Ministries. For the past year I have been praying over this, and I’ve been in contact via e-mail regarding this since November or so.

Yesterday I was expecting a phone call from Renee Swope with Proverbs 31. We’d been trying to hook up for a couple of weeks, and she was supposed to try me again on Friday. Fortunately, our boss let us off work at about 2pm ET, and I thought PERFECT, that will allow me to speak with Renee at home, instead of having to do it at work. At least I thought it would be perfect. Instead I was SOOO distracted that I’m not sure I even formed a sensible sentence. Here’s what happened…

For the last couple of months our dog (golden retriever) has been sick. Her kidneys have been failing; we think she ate some of the dog food that had been recalled. Anyway, when I came home from work she was acting REALLY weird. As soon as I got on the phone with Renee, she started vomiting! I thought, “oh great…” I knew I could not get her outside, because I had already tried to get her to go out and she would NOT go.

She ended up throwing up not once, not twice, but THREE times while I was speaking with Renee…so I was grossing out over that, and thinking “what do I do with her? (the dog)” Then, this storm blew in, and our weather radio went off with A LOT of consecutive VERY LOUD beeps followed by a message. This is a new radio, we’ve never had one before, so I was distracted by that and thinking, “do I need to be listening to what it’s saying?” THEN as if all of that wasn’t enough…the TORNADO sirens started going off!! YIKES!!

Not long after that, we were disconnected due to the fact that our phones went out! After we got disconnected, I immediately looked up to the Heavens and said somewhat sarcastically, “thanks God, that was great…thanks for working the timing of all that out so well so that I could freely speak with Renee!!”

That was the funny part, here’s the sad part. Right after we were disconnected, I walked over to our dog who had jumped up on our couch, she was lying down, and we NEVER let her on the furniture so I said, “Sophie, you need to get off of the furniture.” And she did not move. So I stroked her head, knowing obviously that she was sick, and said again, “Sophie, please get off of the furniture.” She still did not budge.

So I walked into the kitchen to get the Resolve to clean the mess up. As I walked into the kitchen, I heard her jump down off of the couch and she laid down on the floor. By the time I had picked up the Resolve and walked back into the living room her legs were moving frantically and she was gasping. I thought “oh my gosh she's dying!” So I said, “Lord, please let her go quickly and peacefully.” By the time the last word got out of my mouth she was gone. Praise God. And after griping at God for allowing my phone conversation to be cut off, I was now thanking Him that I was able to pet her head one more time, and speak to her before she died!

The other thing that amazed me was her final act of obedience…the dog was dying, and yet she obeyed me, and got off of the sofa and onto the floor! Will I be that obedient to my Master? Right up to the very time of death?! I hope so.

Global Day of Prayer

I spoke with Paul and Sara Boyer yesterday who are heading up our area Global Day of Prayer service. To say that these two are excited about prayer is an understatement! Anyway, in talking to them, it sounds like this service will be really special...please come and participate in this time with God, I know you will be blessed.

The FCC Praise Team will be leading worship, and there will also be several other churches involved in this event.

Here's the details: Sunday, May 27th, Courthouse Lawn, downtown Marshall, 2pm, bring a lawn chair!

When Did You Fall in Love With Me?

Well, as God would have it, this little anniversary trip has come complete with a theme song. A couple of months ago, Denny came home ALL excited about this Chris Rice song that he had heard called When Did You Fall in Love with Me? He downloaded it into his i-tunes and played it over and over.

Saturday night, while on our trip, we went to a mall a did a little shopping. We had actually split up. Denny went to a bookstore, and I was in the Gap. While in the Gap this song came on, much to my surprise that they would be playing it in the Gap, so I called Denny and said "hey...listen..." Anyway, just between Denny and I and God, I thought it was pretty cool that God had blessed us with that song while on our trip.

Sunday, we went to church at Without Walls International Church. Pastors Randy and Paula White are under much scrutiny right now, but whether you like them or not, one thing is undeniable for me...every time I've ever been to their church, I have experienced God...and today was no different.

We were only two songs into the worship service when my tears started flowing. I could feel God's presence immensely. I love both praising the Lord, and watching people praise the Lord. I was particularly caught up with this one elderly black woman. I'm guessing she was probably 65 to 70 years old. She was dressed much like a rapper. she had on white slacks, and a white shirt, untucked, and she had a white baseball cap on BACKWARDS! She was dancing before the Lord. She came in DANCING! As she came in one of the ushers took her to a seat..kind of put her in her place, but that did not keep her from dancing. As I watched her, I could not stop crying. Even now as I think about it, it makes me cry. I love the "holy roller" atmosphere of worship...where you don't hold back, but are undignified before the Lord. I've got a feeling that if King David had been there, he'd a been dancing.

When we left there, I asked Denny, "what did you think of that service?" He said, "it makes me wonder how it's gonna work in Heaven...the Methodist, with the Pentecostals..." (keeping in mind that we feel that both are appropriate ways of worship).

As he said that, it made me think, "how did I get to where I'm at?" When did I go from laughing at these "holy rollers" to becoming one myself?

We drove back to the hotel very quietly. No talking. No music. I remember Henry Blackaby saying one time that when we've been in the presence of God, we need to take time and process what we've just experienced. So that's what I was doing...processing. The real question that I kept asking over and over was, "when did I fall in love with you, Jesus? When did that happen?" Because that's what the difference is with me. I have fallen so head over heels in love with my savior, that I no longer laugh at the dancing, and outward expressions of worship, because I now understand them. It's not my denomination that's changed that...it's my heart that has changed. And so the question remained, "Jesus, When did that happen, when did I fall in love with you?"

finally about five minutes from our hotel, I decided to turn on the stereo...and the first words I heard were this..."When did you fall in love with me?" Yep, the Chris Rice song was on at that exact moment.

So, all that to say that this song has not only served as a theme song for myself and the love of my life, but also for myself and the lover of my soul.

After the song was over, the D.J. said, "I think that would be a perfect song for a newlywed couple to dance their first dance to". and I thought, "I think it's a perfect song for a couple who's celebrating their 20th anniversary." thought I'd share...

Enjoying Time Together...

In case you're looking for Denny and I, you can find us on a beach in Florida, sitting around reading Song of Solomon to each other in honor of our anniversary. :-)

S.O.S. 4: 2 "Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone." :-) whatever that means.

Okay, really, we're not sitting around reading SOS, but talking about it DOES make me think of my favorite SOS verse which is 4:9 "you have captured my heart my sister, my bride, you have captured my heart with one glance of your eyes..."

Multi-denominational Mother's Day Celebrations!

I had a FUN time hangin' with my Baptist Sista's Saturday night at their Mo Do Banquet! And a fun time visting with the Beltz girls while there!

Sunday morning, prior to our services, Maren and I got up and went to breakfast at the Methodist church with my Mom and Grandma...below you'll see a picture we took of the four generations (I love the look on my Grandma's face!)...as well as a snap shot Denny took this morning of the kids and I.

Tonight we're looking forward to spending time at my Mom's apartment, as we all invade them for a Mother's Day dinner...(including Denny's Mom)!

I hope you had a great Mother's Day!