Soar on Wings Like Eagles

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint"

Isaiah 40:31

Closing out the Year 2010

Once again it’s time to finish the final chapter and place the last book on the shelf on the library of 2010. What a year it has been. Every year as I look back, I’m amazed at how blessed we are, and how He cares for us in each detail of life.

2010 was a tough year. It marked a year of great loss in our family in more ways than few. With that being said, it was a good year in which we made it through those storms, grew stronger, and no doubt built character along the way.

In what is now an annual tradition, here are some random things in random order that I have learned, experienced, and seen in 2010.


-If the History Channel is one of your favorite channels on TV, you might be a nerd. If you really love the channel like I do, you are fine with that.

-You can’t figure out where you are going if you don’t know where you came from. Study the book of Daniel. That statue in it…it’s your history.

-Keeping an open mind to new things can open the door to awesome things. Two examples- Yoga and Acupuncture

-Good friends are hard to find but so worth the search once you find them.

-I couldn’t figure out what was more depressing: The fact I waved good-bye to my twenties, or that I started using night cream this year. The fact that my husband didn’t seem to mind about either made it all better.

-There is a purpose for everything that happens in life…even if we can’t see it or understand it.

-My husband is still the best decision I have ever made and the biggest blessing I’ve ever received.

-Shooting guns at targets is a whole lot of fun…just saying.

-Using “outdoor bathroom facilities” while camping in the mountains does not make me feel at one with nature. It does allow me some quality time with the hubby and a chance to experience things he is passionate about.

-A freezer full of Blue Bell Ice Cream= a happy home.

-The H’s that make me happy in life: Husband, Hammocks, Ham Loafs, Happy Birthdays, and Hobby Lobby

-My brother-in-law Alan’s BBQ is the best BBQ hands down

-I make a better First Mate than Captain of sail boats.

-Praying with even just a half ounce of faith is powerful. Faith the size of a mustard seed will move a mountain just like we are told it will.

Gracie Mae

I believe the Lord has a reason and purpose for each creation and relationship in our lives. Sometimes he works miracles with His hands. Sometimes He works through His creations to do the same. My childhood dog, Bandy was the best dog a child could have. He died at 16 or 17 years old. This weekend our dog Gracie passed away as well. She was 17 years old and a sweet, sweet girl.

She proved to be a best friend to my husband long before I came along. Because she was such a good dog, it was so hard to say good-bye. I think she hung around as long as she did because she wanted to make sure my husband was going to be well taken care of. Not only did she welcome me into their lives, we even became good friends. I like to believe she passed the torch to me in taking care of him when I proved worthy in her loving eyes.

The Lord certainly used her countless times when my husband needed her. I remember during some really trying times this last year, she stuck so close to me and did her best to make me feel better. The Lord used her in many ways.

I have a sweet picture in my mind. It could be a vision or just even a longing or a hope. With the same innocence I prayed with as a child years ago, I did it again as an adult this past weekend. I don’t know if dogs go to heaven. I’m sure many could debate either side to this. I do know that if my request is granted, two of my favorites are playing up there right now. In our mourning for a dear friend, I know He is honored by us loving one of his most precious creations. Gracie Mae will be missed.

Walking Through the Fire

I’m in the midst of a study of Daniel right now. I’m learning so much by taking almost each verse apart and digging deep. We finished looking at one of my favorite stories in the Bible.

The scene is set in Babylon and ruled by an egocentric king. The king builds a statue that symbolizes himself and demands his advisors, governors, etc to worship it. Three men took a stand and said no. They would not bow down to the statue and worship it. They were Godly men who knew who God was and weren’t about to turn against Him. They knew the consequences that were clearly displayed before them. They could probably feel the heat from the furnace they were about to be thrown in when they gave their answer of, “No.” Into the furnace they were thrown with their hands tied behind their backs.

Three men. The king had three men thrown into the fire. If you can handle the powerful message within one verse…get ready. Here it comes.

“Look, Nebuchadnezzar shouted. I see four men, unbound and walking around in the fire unharmed! And the forth looks like a god!” Daniel 3:25

Have you been through any fires lately? Are you going through one now? Check out Isaiah 43: 2-3. Notice we are told “When” we go through trials (not “if”) He will be with us. When the King Nebuchadnezzar saw the forth man walking in the fire, even he saw it was Him! The Lord brought the men through the fire and the only thing burned were their ropes that tied their hands together. Not only did He save them, He took away their bondage.


Going through a recent difficult time, I imagined God sitting up on high and looking down at me. I mean in the way of a Father lovingly looking down at His child. I did feel He was allowing me to go through the season for a reason, and I was accepting that. However, this old story that I’d first heard as a child suddenly had new meaning. Why would the creator of the universe come down from the glory of Heaven to walk through a fire with me? Because He said He will..every time.. and He never lies.

Powerful.

Where's Waldo?

We dressed up this year as Where’s Waldo and his friend Wenda. It was an easy costume to make. We didn’t have shirts with red and white stripes. That was an easy fix…just bought a couple rolls of red electrical tape and put them our clothes. It didn’t ruin the clothing like duct tape may have. We rolled a small ball of paper up in some red felt and pinned it to white stocking hats I bought for a few bucks at a discount store. My glasses came from the dollar store. It was from a Groucho Marx mask that we took a part. His glasses were something we already had. There ya go…a couple’s DIY costume!

Broken Glass

Today I was grabbing something out of the cupboard and knocked a glass jar of pasta sauce on the floor. Glass objects and our concrete kitchen floor do not make a good combination. Sauce and glass went all over the place. There must have been a thousand shards of broken glass on the floor. In an instant, the place where I was walking barefoot so carelessly just an hour before was now a danger zone.

It took about 20 minutes to clean up the mess. By the time I was done, the sauce that had splattered on my feet had dried. I grabbed a paper towel, dabbed it in some water and blotted the sauce. It was stuck on my skin. I then did what only made sense at the time. I added some elbow grease and started scrubbing vigorously to get the sauce off. I was in a hurry and needed to get cleaned up fast. Pain radiated all over my foot. “Ouch. I must have rubbed a nerve or something,” I thought to myself. Five minutes later, my foot still hurt and when I looked down at it, blood was everywhere.

Apparently I had broken glass on my foot and had pushed it into my foot while scrubbing. It hurt. Thankfully, it’s not too bad and I won’t need stitches or any medical attention. My pride is probably more wounded than anything. I felt pretty stupid for not being more careful. How did I manage to make a bad situation worse, or yet even painful?!


As I cleaned the broken glass and red sauce from the floor, I couldn’t get over what a mess I had on my hands. I realized that no matter how good I cleaned, I would no doubt miss a piece here or there. I’m sure I’ll be finding missed pieces for a while. It wasn’t the easiest mess to clean up. I found myself thinking about what a mess we are at times, and how the Lord manages to clean up our mess. This is all if we allow Him to. He can pick up the pieces and put things back together in a way that is sometimes better than it was before. Again, if we allow Him to. He doesn’t miss any pieces and doesn’t throw the broken mess in the garbage either. If and only if we allow Him to. Oh, the pain we would avoid if we trusted Him and let Him do the work. What brokeness could you hand over to Him to fix? What mess is in front of you that you could use His help? Allow Him to help. He wants to lend a hand.

Canning

My family is going through the difficult job of sorting through my Grandmother’s belongings. Unfortunately, they are doing all the work since I am not nearby to help. While visiting back home, I spent a couple hours helping in the effort of going through things. Grandma had a house full of things, most of which each hold a memory or two.

In an almost hidden storage place in the basement, we found what seemed to be a storehouse of mason jars for canning food. It instantly brought back memories of my grandmothers on both sides canning when I was a little girl.

Canning is something I have never attempted on my own. I’ll be honest, I was a little intimidated by it for some reason. However, I decided today that I would try following in the footsteps of my Grandmothers’ legacy.

Here is the result of my first attempt. I canned carrots, green beans, and homemade applesauce. I also cooked a big pot of corn on the cob. I shaved it off with an electric knife, and put it in freezer bags in the freezer. I have to admit, it was easier than I was expected. In fact, I found it enjoyable and almost therapeutic. Has that feeling been passed down from generations of canning women in my family? Maybe!

Sometimes you try new things and it doesn’t go so well. This time, it did. I’m already thinking of other foods to try next time. What’s something you have been thinking about trying but are a little timid? Give it a shot. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised!