Lessons From Nineveh

Check out my new blog

2010-10-14T23:11:00.000-04:00

I have been inspired to blog again! Visit my new blog at http://www.forthedisplayofhissplendor-nancy.blogspot.com/

If I would've had time to post this past week, here's what I would've shared...

2009-04-18T09:02:00.014-04:00

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1Peter 4:8

My Man Monday
Every time we go camping, it rains. It just does. And 9 times out of 10, it rains on Friday when we have to set everything up. (Side Bar: Because of this pattern, we traded in our tent for a pop-up camper 2 years ago. After last weekend, my husband is now looking for a regular camper - one that doesn't require a crank to set it up!) Our latest camping trip was no exception, only this time there was a major thunderstorm with a heavy downpour on Friday night. FUN! FUN! FUN!

But my husband, who had already waited VERY patiently for the children and I to get ourselves ready to go, wasn't about to let a lot of thunder, lightening, and rain stop him! No, sir.

When we arrived at our campsite in the dark and pouring rain, my generous husband gave me the umbrella. Then, guess what God did??!!! He sent us some helpers! The folks staying beside us asked if they could help. The first thing they did was park their car where its headlights were shining on our site so we could see what we were doing!!! Then, they helped my husband set up our camper in the rain! WOW!!! What a tremendous blessing!

Once the camper was ready, the rain really got heavy. So, my husband sent me and the children inside the camper while he unloaded EVERYTHING out of the truck - all by himself. He got soaked! But he did not complain. Nor did he remind me that if we had left earlier (like he had planned,) we would have avoided setting up in the rain all together. THANKS HONEY!!! You're my knight in ~~soaking wet~~ shining armor!

Here's a picture taken Saturday morning on our walk - no signs of the storm from the night before. *It was too wet to unpack my new camera and take pictures in the rain Friday night - SORRY!*

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T-Man Tuesday

He's growing up!!! And he's practicing his driving skills! Today it's a lawn mower, but before you know it, it will be a car - YIKES! (I foresee my prayer life reaching a whole new level when that happens!)

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Wrennie Wednesday

She really enjoys being outside. And just because the fish aren't biting doesn't stop her from fishing. There's always hope - and persistence.

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And The Truth Is...

Tanner loves his little sister very much! Why else would he ~~aggravate her every chance he gets~~ share his 12 years of wisdom with her??!!!!!

Faith Wrenn loves her big brother very much! Why else would she ~~blame him for everything~~ encourage him and cheer him on??!!!

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1Peter 4:8

And God Speaks Through Christian Fiction

2009-04-13T23:33:00.009-04:00

Over the (Easter) weekend, my family and I went camping. Our relaxing trip allowed me to finally read "The Debt" by Angela Hunt. My mom told me months ago to read this book. I did check it out from our church library but didn't have time to read it. So, I returned it. But, a few weeks ago, I found myself checking it out again.

I now know why I wasn't able to read the book before this weekend... God's perfect timing! I needed to hear from God at the semi-silent retreat (last weekend) before I read the book (this weekend.)

Without giving anything away, I'll just say this book deals a lot with Christian "comfort zones" and what we miss if we choose to stay in them. SOUND FAMILIAR??!!! (If not, read previous post.) Yeah, God has really been showing me how my own comfort zone is hindering my walk with Him and the future He has planned for me.

Isn't God amazing??!!!

Please pray for me as I take the necessary steps to get out of my comfort zone. Pray that I will trust God enough to be uncomfortable for His will - NO MATTER WHAT HIS WILL IS AND NO MATTER WHERE IT MAY LEAD!

God Speaks Through Trail Mix and Hair Brushes...

2009-04-10T19:12:00.005-04:00

This past weekend, I participated in a semi-silent retreat with 13 other ladies. We went to a conference center where we each had our own private room. We only met together (briefly) to be encouraged, share, sing, pray, and eat. The majority of the time, we were alone with God.

Have you ever tried to quiet your spirit and totally clear your mind? I'm talking about completely clearing your mind and only focusing on ONE thing - God.

On Friday night as I began to try to do this, the only thing that was clear to me was that my mind was ADHD and in serious need of spiritual Ritalin!!! My thoughts were jumping around like a competitive ping pong match.

Fortunately, our retreat leader Ruth gave us some material to help us focus. So I decided to read over what she gave us. One thing I read was a list of ways to focus on God from the book "Practicing the Presence of God." What caught my attention was the suggestion "to hum a hymn or chorus --- inaudibly." I was intrigued because I am NOT a music person - I cannot sing (maybe that's why it said to hum!!!LOL)

Anyway, God brought a song to my mind right then, and I kept hearing it play over and over again. Then, the next thing I read was directly related to the song playing in my head!!! God was speaking to me through the song and confirming it with written words! How powerful!

This continued all weekend. God would give me a new song and then show me something in His Word or in the focus material I was reading that was directly related to the song!!! I'm so glad that I journaled all of this because I do not ever want to forget the specifics of my time with God.

God also spoke in some other tangible ways. On Friday night, we each were given a goody bag filled with lots of treats. The first thing I ate was a bag of trail mix. I ate everything except the raisins - I do not like them.

As my time alone with God continued, I started going through a devotion book that Ruth gave us. The very first devotion was entitled "Help me to say yes... to any request ." A few things came to mind immediately that I knew God wanted me to do, but I hadn't done yet. So, I wrote them down. Then my eyes glanced at the bag of raisins. That's when God spoke to my spirit and said...

"That bag of raisins represents your obedience to Me lately. You have been picking and choosing what you want to do instead of doing EVERYTHING I have asked you to do. (OUCH!!!) I need you to trust Me with all your heart and surrender your will to Mine - completely."

Partial obedience is still disobedience. I've been doing only the things that were easy or that I liked. But, God has been calling me to do so much more. He wants me out of my comfort zone, completely dependent on Him, so He gets the glory instead of me.

On Saturday morning while getting ready for breakfast, ~~I'm not even sure where this came from~~ God brought to mind my hair brushes and other "utensils" I use to fix my hair. All 5 of them!That's right, count 'em 1,2,3,4,5!

Here's how the conversation with God went...

GOD: "Can you please explain why you use 5 "brushes" to fix your short hair?"

Me: "Aaaah.....Hmmm......well......I've never even thought about it. Let me think. Aaaah, because I have been doing it this way since high school. It's a habit I started back when I had really long hair, and I've just continued it."

GOD: "It's time for some new habits. And I'm not just talking about how you fix your hair!"

Me: "It's that comfort zone thing again, isn't it Lord?"

GOD: "Yes it is. You need to trust me with every single detail of your life so we can move forward - together. It's time for a new thing!"

WOW! The quality time God and I spent together sure made me feel loved. It also gave new meaning to "Be still and know that I am God."

I highly recommend spending some time alone with God today. If you listen, He will speak.

Wordless Wrennie Wednesday

2009-04-08T21:50:00.001-04:00

T-Man Tuesday

2009-04-07T22:35:00.009-04:00

*UPDATE* Wednesday, 4/8/09

This morning I went to work and look what my aunt gave me!!!!! This is sooooo GOD and HIS PERFECT TIMING! WOW!!!

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"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity..." Ephesians 5:15-16

Some Quality Time Together

On Monday afternoons, Faith Wrenn has started taking piano lessons after school. Usually, Tanner likes for me to drop him off at the house so he does not have to go with us.

This week when I asked Tanner if he wanted to stay at home, he said, "No, I'll go with you. Hey Mom, can you and I play soccer while we wait?"

And play soccer we did! I snapped a few pictures and then put the camera away so I could give Tanner and soccer my undivided attention.

We had fun and did not let the roaring wind, frigid air, or the neighbor's vicious-looking dog stop us from playing!

This time with Tanner was extra special because of what God revealed to me on Sunday morning. I was up early cutting strawberries and and talking to God. My thoughts took me back to my childhood and God gave me another piece of the puzzle to my life.

God revealed to me that certain relationships in my life are somewhat distance today because of the foundation that was laid when I was young. The reason...my love language (what makes me feel loved) is quality time, and growing up there wasn't much quality one-on-one time with some folks in my family. We did spend a lot of time together, but looking back now I realize that we were usually in a group. There were always other people around. But, what I really needed to feel loved was some undivided, one-on-one time. (Hind sight is 20/20!)

God did not show me this so I could place blame or have a pity party. He showed me this so I could be reminded that He's given me 2 children who need quality time with me RIGHT NOW!!! So, when Tanner wanted to go to piano and play soccer with me, I knew this opportunity was from the Lord. That's just the kind of God I serve!!!

Is there someone in your life who needs some undivided, one-on-one quality time with you? Make the effort. Take the time. Connect with them. Enjoy them. They are worth it. And so are you.

My Man Monday

2009-04-06T22:41:00.005-04:00

Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind and with all your strength....Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

It seems that the past few Mondays have been quite challenging and blogging about my husband has drawn the short end of the stick every time. But, I did not want to neglect bragging on SS again for yet another week, so I'm forfeiting sleep to do it tonight.

SS has been asking God to love other people through him, and God has been answering!!! He has been giving SS lots of opportunities to reach out to others. Here's just a few examples.....

While heading home after working 12 hours, SS saw someone's car on fire. He recognized the man as a customer from Chick-fil-A and offered to help. SS ended up taking the man and his family to the local high school to pick up another child. Then, he took all of them home - their home was not in the same direction as our home.

Our Sunday School teacher asked SS to share with the class what God is doing in his life. SS spoke like I've never heard him speak before. His topic - LOVE. He allowed himself to be vulnerable. It was very touching.

Last Wednesday, I kept my 11 month old niece Grace. She actually spent the night with us. When I asked SS if he wanted to take Tanner to church or to keep Grace while I took Tanner, SS said he would keep Grace. It's been 7 years since he's taken care of a baby, and I was gone for over 2 hours. You see, I meet with a friend on Wednesday nights to chat and pray while Tanner is in youth group. SS said he didn't want me to miss that! I definitely felt loved!

One of SS's co-workers has been asking SS to reach out to her husband. SS has arranged for their entire family to come over for dinner next week!

The air conditioner in my van stopped working. SS made arrangements for our mechanic to work on it last week. We got my van back on Friday, but the air conditioner started having some new problems - the compressor would cut off and the cold air would turn warm. SS was on it immediately. I've got proof.

You might be a ~~redneck~~ wonderful husband if you have to pop the hood of your wife's van every few miles,

and jiggle the blue wire to turn her air conditioner back on!
(SS has arranged for the mechanic to work on my van again in the morning!) My hero!!!

I could go on and on about SS. But, I won't. I am just so grateful for what God is doing in SS's heart and life. And for SS who is choosing to love God and love people just like Mark 12:30-31 says. God is transforming my husband which is transforming our marriage. And I'm in awe.

Wrennie Wednesday on Thursday

2009-03-26T22:46:00.007-04:00

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Today, we are giving a big shout out to MODESTY!

One of Faith Wrenn's favorite ways to study her spelling words is to write them in shaving cream. We usually put the shaving cream on a baking sheet to make it easy to write on. To avoid the usual mess, I decided to use the bathtub this time since it can be cleaned up easily. As you can see in this picture, Faith Wrenn sometimes gets a little carried away with the shaving cream. She got really creative this time and covered herself and the bathtub. Then, she literally started skiing back and forth in the tub.

She had so much fun and it was absolutely hilarious! So, naturally I wanted to take a picture of her skiing. Faith Wrenn agreed but said that I could only take a picture of her feet. The 1st picture that I took (which is NOT shown) included her knees. When she saw it, she got upset and asked me to delete it. I completely respect Faith Wrenn's modesty. It makes me smile!

And what does our laundry area have to do with modesty??? Well, the day we had Faith Wrenn's birthday party at our house, she told me at least 3 times that I had to be sure to put away all of our clothes, both clean and dirty. She said she did not want any of her friends to see her clothes like that.

Give me a M. Give me an O. Give me a D. Give me an E. Give me a S. Give me a T. Give me a Y. What's that spell? MODESTY! You go Faith Wrenn. Stand firm.

Oh, and just in case you thought I was exaggerating, this picture is for you.

A Few Steps Forward On My Journey

2009-03-25T22:41:00.002-04:00

"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart....." Proverbs 3:5

Today is actually Wrennie Wednesday. However, I was so tired (I'm still not 100% after the flu last week and a very busy schedule this week) that I decided to do that post tomorrow. So, I went to bed early and waited for sweet sleep to come. It didn't. Instead came this post.

I've learned that when God begins to compose, I must be willing to transcribe, despite my plans or the time. So, I've left the security and comfort of my warm covers to openly bear my soul to you out of obedience to God.

God is doing a mighty work in me. He has the roots of my trust issues in His righteous right hand, and He has started pulling. The ground is loosening.

So far, here is what He has revealed to me: (Disclaimer - the roots are 25 years old. It seems quite strange, rather juvenile, to be talking about these things now. But, I'm finally at a place in my walk with Christ that I can understand the extensive impact of these events in my life. Not only understand them but also be completely healed and freed from them. And just for the record, my husband is aware of everything, and them some, of what I am going to share.)

When I was a teenager, I put a lot of faith and trust in my boyfriend C. He was a top priority for me for about 3 years. We were both Christians, and we primarily saw each other at youth group at church. We were both bold in sharing our faith in Christ at that time. Then, things changed, and my world was on very, very shaky ground.

What I learned from that experience was to always choose your friends over your boyfriend because friends will last forever, boyfriends won't. Unfortunately, this new truth didn't remain true for very long in my life! I was deeply hurt by some close Christian friends who were also in my youth group.

Fortunately, God wouldn't allow me to be bitter or to harbor unforgiveness. So, I moved on and eventually began dating again. Enter boyfriend D, someone new to my church youth group. Within a year, the same exact betrayal happened again with D and with the same Christian friends. Lesson learned....it is not safe to trust others so protect your heart and keep people at a safe distance to avoid being hurt again.

So, I began building the protective wall around my heart. Over the years, there have been times when I actually removed some pieces of the wall. But then, I would realize what I was doing and quickly put them back in place.

In the last month, God has really shown me what this wall has done to my life. My mistrust has managed to rear its ugly head in my relationship with my children. Not to mention the impact its had on my marriage. I'm sure my husband has felt like he was on an emotional roller coaster blindfolded - not knowing what was coming next!!!

This past Sunday night in our small group (that is doing the "Fireproof" marriage study), we were talking about addictions/parasites in our lives that can and will destroy our marriages. One of the ladies said that most people think of alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc. when talking about addictions. But she wanted us to think about ANYTHING that prevented us from giving our hearts COMPLETELY to our spouses. Immediately, God convicted me of the wall I had built around my heart!!! I never, ever thought of my trust issues in this light before! WOW! This was huge for me.

Unfortunately, I must also admit that my apprehension to fully trust has even spilled over into my relationship with the Lord.

But, God has brought us to "Nineveh" for healing. He's already started. The mere fact that I'm blogging about all of this is evidence of that.

I feel the need for a third dose of Beth Moore's "Breaking Free" Bible study coming on. (It's about breaking cycles of sin in our lives.) And wouldn't you know it, Beth has been working on an updated version to be released in just a few months. God's perfect timing. He and I have some serious work to do on my journey to learn to trust Him completely, and it's going to require access to my whole heart. So please excuse me. I've gotta run. I've just taken a new ~~construction~~ demolition job and I've got a pretty big wall to destroy.

T-Man Tuesday

2009-03-24T21:57:00.004-04:00

"For God did not give us a spirit of fear (timidity), but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. " 2 Timothy 1:7

BEFORE

AFTER

Brave! Very, Very Brave!

My Top 10 Blessings From Being Sick This Past Week.....

2009-03-20T21:06:00.003-04:00

10. I didn't have to wear make-up;

9. It was the middle of the month, and I was all caught up at work - I didn't get behind either;

8. I've gotten more sleep in the last 5 days than I have in the past 3 months;

7. I was able to conserve my favorite perfume because everywhere I went, someone was spraying Lysol all around me;

6. I haven't cooked since LAST WEEKEND;

5. I was "complimented" often. Here's a few: "Mom, are you feeling better because you look a little bit better today?!!" Said with a look of shock on his face, "Mom, you got dressed today!" "Honey, can I get you anything? I know you feel really bad. You look like death warmed over!" It's a good thing that my love language is NOT words of affirmation, huh??!!!

4. Tanner completed his math project 5 days EARLY and WITHOUT me sitting right beside him cheering him on (HUGE PRAISE!);

3. Tanner and Faith Wrenn got along very well and rarely argued (either that or I slept through their arguments!);

2. I haven't cooked since LAST WEEKEND; and

1. When Tanner got home from school on Wednesday, he said "Mom, I asked Mrs. L to pray for you today. Are you feeling better?" WOW! He asked his Language Arts teacher (in a public school) to pray for me. This really did make me feel special, and I was very proud of Tanner for entrusting my health to God.

There are blessings all around us, even in strep throat and the flu! It's all a matter of perspective. So put on your spiritual glasses and look for God's blessings in your circumstances today.

Happy Birthday to you...

2009-03-15T23:01:00.005-04:00

HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY WRENNIE!!!

Jesus said..."I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

It was on a cold and rainy morning 8 years ago today that the Lord blessed us with our beautiful daughter. Her determination and strong will were obvious from the start - just ask the nurses at BMC!

The Lord has some amazing plans for you, Faith Wrenn, and He has equipped you with exactly what you need to fulfill them. My prayer for you is that you will love, seek, trust, and obey God with all your heart. What an honor it is to be your mom! I LOVE YOU SWEET ~~GIRL~~ TOMBOY!

Faith Wrenn celebrating at Chuck E. Cheese

*Faith Wrenn and I did spend part of our day today at an urgent care center - we BOTH have strep throat. We are on antibiotics now. You would never know anything is wrong with Faith Wrenn. As for me, I think I'm dying!!! Oh to be young again!

Tonight I feel...

2009-03-14T23:45:00.001-04:00

beat up by the enemy! That's the only way to describe it.

Anytime that I lead a Bible study or share what God is doing in my life with others, I have this mental battle with the enemy afterwards. He tries to convince me that I should not have said certain things. He tells me that what I said was misunderstood or taken the wrong way by others. He tries to turn my peace into a pit of regret. He tries to discourage me from sharing Christ again.

But, today, I did not teach or "formally" share with a group. Today, I hosted my daughter's birthday party.

Instead of having sunny 80 degree weather like last Saturday, we had cold (low 40s) and rainy weather today. This of course meant that all 14 of the precious, energetic (that's putting it mildly) children were in the house. For whatever reason, God wanted us inside.

I'll be honest, it was loud, chaotic (at times), and exhausting trying to "entertain" everyone. But, just as the party was winding down, I sensed God reminding me that "Nineveh" is my family's mission field. We have been called to share Him with this community, which does include the new friends that Faith Wrenn has made this year in public school.

Then God also reminded me that the house we live in belongs to HIM. So the 14 children who were here today were not in our house, they were in GOD'S HOUSE! A place that some of them have never been but were able to experience today because God lives here.

Now, the enemy has me replaying everything that happened today. He is trying to bury me in condemnation for the things that didn't go as planned. For the arguments that occurred. For allowing the kids to take over the house at times. For being a little relaxed with a house rule or two. For being more patient with other children than with my own.

The Bible says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2

I'm going to eject the enemy's tape from my mind now and go to bed! Please pray that I do not put that same tape back in when I wake up in the morning.

19 years ago today...

2009-03-14T23:09:00.005-04:00

I was attending Cal State Northridge (CSUN - located in the Los Angeles area) my sophomore year in college as part of the National Student Exchange Program and planning to transfer there permanently. That was my plan until I received the news from over 3000 miles away that would change my life forever.

While at work. my stepmom Rachel was killed - brutally murdered. The events that unfolded over the next two years were like nothing I could have ever imagined. People in my family were falsely accused - they were only proven innocent after enduring a death penalty trial.

Not only were our hearts breaking over the death of Rachel, but our family was ripped to pieces by the false accusations. It took years before I was able to really mourn losing Rachel. She and my dad had been married for over 10 years, and we were close.

We all coped the best we could. Unfortunately, the grief, numbness (at times I could literally feel NOTHING), anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness that my heart harbored left no room for the Holy Spirit. I chose what the world had to offer as my remedy - not God.

In another post I'll have to share how God's hand of protection was on me and how He used this period in my life as preparation for what was yet to come. He allowed me 13 years later to be in a somewhat similar situation and to have another opportunity to choose Him, instead of the world. Ohhh what a difference doing life God's way can make!!!!!

On my birthday 2 years ago, I received the best birthday present ever. It was a letter from my stepsister Angie! We had not spoken to each other in 17 years. Angie was my stepmom's only biological child, and Rachel's death absolutely devastated Angie as you can imagine.

In the letter, Angie told me that she had just accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior while in jail, and He had changed her life!!! WOW! If I had not been living in "Nineveh," I'm not sure that I would have ever received that letter. You see, our county allows you to look up people on the internet who have been arrested &/or are serving time in the jail. Someone told me that Angie was in the county jail so I looked her up. Sure enough, she was there.

Now here is how God works. On my route to take my children to school, I had to pass by that same jail - at least 4 times a day. I felt convicted to pray for her, and I did every time I drove by. Then, the Holy Spirit prompted me to send her a card to tell her that I had been praying for her. After hesitating initially, I finally sent the card.

In her letter, Angie told me that since she had become a Follower of Christ, she had started praying for me and my brother. She wrote...

"God had put you and S. (my brother) on my mind a lot lately. Especially the last 3 or 4 weeks before I got your card. I had started praying to God right before I got your card and 3 nights before I got it, I talked to God about you and S. So you can imagine how it made me feel when I saw your name on the card. I was so amazed. After 17 long years of no contact and only 3 nights after I talked to God about it.

But you see I have not reached out to God until I came in here. I really had been mad at God all these years. But now I realize that my life was saved when I was brought to jail."

My God is the Restorer of Relationships!

I do believe that I had to do my part and obey God in order to receive this blessing in this special way. And my journey of obedience started when I moved back to "Nineveh" 5 years ago.

So whatever it is that you know God wants you to do, DO IT!!! No more hesitation or justification - JUST DO IT!

"I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

#3 and I'm Complete

2009-03-07T08:08:00.036-05:00

A ~~Double~~ Triple Dose of Dads

I grew up hearing people talk about my Dad #3. I was told that He loved me unconditionally and would forgive me, no matter what. I was told that He even wrote a Book for me that was full of instructions on how to live an abundant life. And then it happened. I finally got to meet Him for myself when I was 10 years old! I was soooo excited!

Like most new relationships, we spent a lot of time together, getting to know each other. I thought about Him all the time and constantly talked about Him to other people. I wanted to do things that would please Him, make Him proud of me. I thought the more I did, the more He would love me. I also thought that when I messed up, He was ready and waiting to punish me -after all, I deserved it.

Over the years, I allowed my imperfection to take its toll on our relationship. I didn't spend much time with Him anymore. Oh, I knew He was there, but I chose other people and other things over Him. However, I always knew that when I finished college and got married, He would be an important part of my life again.

What I didn't expect were the horrific events that took place my sophomore and junior years in college. "Lifetime" could have made a movie about it!!! Unfortunately not having a close relationship with Him during this time resulted in some very poor decisions on my part. I was simply in survival mode - the world's way. Even then, He never left my side. He protected me.

Finally, my life began to settle down. I got married and invited Him to be a more active part of my life, especially when challenges arose. He was always there, no matter my motive. Then, I had children and my communication with Him become more consistent. A few of the scales were removed from my eyes, and my hard heart was beginning to thaw.

In 2002 while taking my very first women's Bible study (Beth Moore's "Breaking Free"), my relationship with Him went to an entirely new level!!! And the healing began.

Since then, He has healed me from.....

- the lies that I believed about Him for so long (He was an angry judge just waiting to sentence me for my sins; He wouldn't love me or allow me to approach Him until I was perfect, etc.)

- the sins I committed because of the lies that I believed, both about Him and about life; You know, the thoughts we have and the things we believe (right or wrong) play themselves out in the choices that we make and the actions that we take.

- my bitterness, anger, disappointment, unforgiveness, perfectionism, control issues, etc.

- expecting other people to meet all of my needs; That's God's job, not anyone else's. This realization has been huge for me. It has allowed me to let people, especially my husband, off the hook. I've learned to turn to God first.

He healed me by extending His love, mercy, forgiveness & grace to me. He replaced the lies that I believed with truth, His Truth from His Word. He turned my anger & bitterness into joy.

So without further adue, let me introduce you to my Heavenly Father, my Savior, my Counselor, my Everything......

He is my Creator; my Abba Father (& yours)- 39 years ago today, I was born. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." Psalm 139:13-14

He is my Protector (& yours) Our house burned down when I was just one year old. We lost everything (all my baby pictures - which is why I take so many pics now!; the Easter dress my Granny had made for me; all of our worldly possessions), but we did NOT lose each other!!! No one was at home when an electrical problem started the fire.

He is my Triune God (& yours) He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all wrapped into one. The character of God is so vast that it's hard to wrap our little brains around it. The concept of the Trinity reminds me of an egg, to be tangible about it. An egg is made up of 3 parts - the yoke, the white, and the shell. These 3 parts come together to form 1 egg, not 3 separate items. Each part has its own purpose to fulfill, and an egg wouldn't be an egg without each part. God is the same way. He is The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit - each with His own special purpose to fulfill.

When I am afraid or in over my head, He is my Rescuer and my Comforter (& yours.) He is always with me (& you.) "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

He is my Redeemer and my Savior (& yours) God loved us sooooooo much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so we could be forgiven and have eternal life with Him. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21.

He is my "Change Agent" (& yours) He loves me (& you) way too much to let me (& you) remain the same. So, He is constantly molding me, stretching me, and transforming me into the likeness of His Son.
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

"Yet, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand." Isaiah 64:8
I'm praying that God will use me as His hands in ministry to those around me, and that my life will be a reflection of God's handy work. May the imprint of God on my life be used for His glory.

He is my Gift Giver (& yours.) God gave me a birthday present today...I have a daily Bible verse calendar that I read everyday. Today's verse said, "...the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." WOW! What a gift!!! "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

And this is just the INTRODUCTION of who God is!!! I will be posting more about God and His attributes at least twice a month - more or less depending on the Holy Spirit's promptings.

So, how has God revealed Himself to you?

Another Dose Needed

2009-03-06T21:08:00.007-05:00

A ~~Double~~ Triple Dose of Dads

About 30 years ago, God blessed me with my stepdad, Wayne. Once Tanner, the first grandchild, was born, my stepdad's name changed to Whack. We have affectionately been calling him that ever since.

Several years ago, Whack's health became a major issue. The Lord saw fit to completely heal him by taking him home in June 2007. Today March 6th was his birthday. In honor of him and what he meant to me, I would like to share some memories with you.

*Whack was a single dad raising 2 boys when he met my mom all those years ago. He loved to play sports, but softball was his favorite. He and my mom actually met at the softball field.

This is Whack and Nana (my mom)

*Whack was a pitcher and he stuck his tongue out with every pitch. He was known as "Hollywood" back then with his red afro and orange tinted sunglasses.

*Needless to say, we spent a lot of time at the ball field. One night, Whack was playing a game, and my siblings and I were playing in an open area at the end of the field. Someone was being mean to me so I had to walk beside the field to go tell my mom of the injustice that had occurred. The next thing I know, a foul ball hits me in the head and knocks me off my feet! The batter behind this infraction - WHACK!!! He felt really bad, but not nearly as bad as my head!!!

*There were 5 children (yours-2; mine-2; ours-1) in my family, and we were not cheap. So, Whack worked 2 jobs - a full-time 9 to 5 & a newspaper route in the middle of the night. He also played sports & coached our teams in between. There must have been more than 24 hours in his day! I can't remember him ever complaining about his schedule either. My mom may have a different story to tell, but even so, he never complained in front of us (the kids.)

*Whack came from a musically talented family. Singing was his strong suit. He also had a signature dance move that he performed only when he was driving. It makes me laugh just thinking about it!

*Whack played with us. He was never too busy or too tired. I can remember we would divide into 2 teams and Whack would be the pitcher for both sides. He was also the referee. He gave us instruction & encouragement.

*Supervising was a role Whack did very well. My older stepbrother would cringe & probably have nightmares if he heard me say "french drain!"

I could go on and on about Whack. Instead, I'll just spend some time praising God for making Whack a part of my life.

Oh, just one more thing..... Whack taught me about the importance of always making time for family and taking care of them. I hope I leave the same legacy.

My First Dose

2009-03-05T23:35:00.003-05:00

A ~~Double~~ Triple Dose of Dads

Some of us are more needy than others, wouldn't you agree? Well, God knew that I was one of those people who would need some dads in my life.

Today, I want to tell you about my dad - Max. Here's a little background. He was the "baby" of 16 children. I must add that my grandmother was told by her doctor that she would never be able to have children. God apparently didn't get that memo!!!!! (She actually had 18 pregnancies, but two of them ended in miscarriages.) Everything is indeed possible with God!

My dad grew up on a farm on the outskirts of "Nineveh." This not only instilled an incredible work ethic within him but also a strong desire to provide for his family (so we wouldn't have to live a life of "hand-me downs.") So, it's no surprise that my dad went into business for himself when I was really young. He's been working hard ever since.

Although my parents divorced when I was 6 years old, I've always lived within a mile or 2 of my dad, until I went to college. I could see him whenever I wanted. Fortunately, my parents (and my stepparents) made the decision to get along with each other - after an initial healing period. Today, we celebrate birthdays, special occasions, Thanksgiving, and vacations together. God makes all the difference, and I'm so very grateful.

If I had to describe my dad in one word, it would be G-E-N-E-R-O-U-S. He is an incredibly kind and giving person. He cares about people and helps others any way he can.

Case in point, when SS lost his job 6 years ago, my dad gave him a job. When we moved back to "Nineveh," my dad let us move into one of his houses - the one he was going to sale. Well it's been 5 years now and we are still here. There's no For Sale sign in the yard either.

Some of my fondest memories with my dad are..... my 5th birthday when dad brought home a big purple bike for me (my bell bottom pants got caught in the chain the first time I rode it, but my dad picked me up when I fell down.) Going tent camping in the mountains. Spending Sunday afternoons on the lake learning to water ski. Getting a camper and staying at a local campground with a swimming pool (dad drove back and forth to work everyday.) Riding go-carts in the backyard. Going to the Shaun Cassidy concert. Trading in the boat & camper for a swimming pool. Playing softball and volleyball weekly with family and friends. Going to the race track on Saturday nights (my dad sponsored a car and actually raced it for awhile.) Cookouts. Just spending time together as a family.

Here's my dad, the chef, with T-Man, the taste tester!

Probably the most important thing my dad taught me was to treat everyone the same. I love you dad! I'm so glad God chose you to be my dad.

A Desire to Serve

2009-03-04T22:15:00.004-05:00

"Wrennie Wednesday"

"He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." Proverbs 13:3

Faith Wrenn has been looking for ways to serve others recently. SS and I decided to eat in the living room (which we rarely do) so we could watch the race on Sunday afternoon. SS had a TV tray, and we were going to share it. Without saying a word, Faith Wrenn went downstairs, got another TV tray, brought it upstairs, and then set it up for me. How thoughtful!

After playing in the snow Sunday night for nearly 2 hours, we finally decided to come inside and warm up. Faith Wrenn immediately ran upstairs and got her dad's bedroom shoes because she heard him say that his feet were cold. He was pleasantly surprised and very thankful. Upon delivering the shoes to her dad, Faith Wrenn said "Mom, I wanted to bring your shoes too, but I couldn't find them" - the thought really does count!

Then, yesterday morning, Faith Wrenn saw my sweatshirt laying on the bed, picked it up, and got it ready for me to put on. (I'm sure you moms can picture this because we do it all the time for our younger children.) She just wanted to help, and who was I to deny her the opportunity..... We've almost got it! The Bible does say that two are better than one, right??!!! Sometimes, we get in such a rush that we don't allow our children to do things that they see as being helpful to us. I could sense God telling me to let Faith Wrenn help and not refuse her offer because I was in a hurry or because it would be easier if I did it myself. What strikes me the most about these acts of kindness is that Faith Wrenn does them without saying a word. She is genuinely acting out of love and a desire to serve others. I'm praying that her servant's heart will continue to grow and grow and grow!

One Small Step for Tanner; One Giant Leap for His Mama

2009-03-03T15:00:00.000-05:00

"T-Man Tuesday"

"The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:4

Yesterday, Tanner headed outside to play in the snow. Any evidence that we had played in it the night before had been covered up by new snow. The only thing that could be seen was SS's footprints from earlier that morning.

When Tanner stepped onto the porch he said, "I'm going to follow in dad's footsteps." Then he proceeded to step only into the visible footprints that his dad had left behind.

After walking in his dad's footprints for a while, Tanner said "I'm just going to make a set of footprints of my own."
Tears welled up in my eyes and eventually made their way down my cheeks before I could stop them! This scene is exactly what is happening in "real life!" Tanner is quickly approaching teenagehood (I don't think that is a real word, but you know what I mean.) He is reaching the point in his life where independence will become his primary goal. He will be making his own footprints in this world.

My prayer is that he will follow in his Heavenly Father's footsteps.

One Snowy Night

2009-03-02T17:40:00.015-05:00

It rained for 2 days, and then it all turned to snow Sunday afternoon - a lot of it. We knew that SS would have to work today so we decided to play in the snow together last night while it was still snowing pretty hard. Here are some pictures:

We made 3 snowmen total, but this one was the largest. It took a lot of patting to get it to stand up and stick together. In the next picture, you will see how this snowman looked this morning.

"The Leaning Snowman of Nineveh!" Obviously, she had a rough night but is still ~~standing~~ slanting.
Faith Wrenn eating a "snow biscuit" made especially for her by her daddy. Look out Chick-fil-A!

Me and SS on the sled preparing to go down the driveway.

Tanner, SS and Faith Wrenn at the end of their sled ride Tanner early this morning in training for the Polar Bear Club!

Our measuring stick

A view of God's creation from the front porch.
"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." Romans 1:20 (NLT)

A view of God's creation from the back porch.

One of my favorite things about the snow is the calm and the quiet. Our neighborhood is off a main highway so we can hear the constant sounds of cars in motion, especially from the master bedroom. But when it snows, everything is still, perfectly still. Until SS had to get up at 4:15 a.m. to go to work and I complained the entire time he was getting ready!!!

SS's footprints from walking to his truck very early this morningThis reminds me of the "Footprints" poem when Jesus says there is only one set of footprints (instead of 2) because He is carrying the person through their difficult time.

A Table for Two

2009-03-02T13:19:00.006-05:00

"My Man Monday"

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

Last week SS said that he wanted to spend more one on one time with Tanner and Faith Wrenn. He came up with the idea to take them out to breakfast on Sunday mornings before church. The kids will rotate Sundays so each of them can have their daddy all to themselves.

SS started yesterday and took Tanner out to a local restaurant to have some guy time. Tanner was thrilled and said this is something he definitely wants to keep doing.

So, today I am singing SS's praises for being very deliberate about spending quality time with our children and staying contacted to them as they grow older. SS is so important to Tanner and Faith Wrenn now and to the people they will become.

6 Years Ago Today...

2009-02-28T21:52:00.002-05:00

I believe that God had me start this blog as a way to remember. Time and time again in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, the Israelites would have an encounter with God and then build an altar to Him so they would never forget Him or what He had done for them. They used these altars as places of worship and places of remembrance. They used them as visual, tangible reminders so they could tell their children, grandchildren, and generations to come about God.

That is what I want my blog to be - a visual, tangible reminder of what God has done in my life and what He can/will do in the lives of generations to come. God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

So, God is using this particular time of year with its many anniversary dates of major events and people in my life to build this written altar to Him as a fragrant offering of praise on my journey to learn how to completely trust Him.

Six years ago today, February 28, 2003, was a cloudy Friday. Shawn was at work. Tanner was at school. Faith Wrenn and I were at church doing some fun activities with my friends and their children.

On the way to church that morning, I had called my husband Shawn (I'm going to call him SS from now on), but he couldn't talk because he was in a meeting. He said he would call me back. It was now lunch time, and I hadn't heard back from him. So, I tried calling him but no answer. Odd. He had a pager and a cell phone due to his job as an investigator at the sheriff's dept. He rarely missed a call. I called a few more times and still no answer.

An uneasy feeling surfaced. Actually, I had been dealing with some very strong emotions lately but had attributed them to some anniversary dates that were approaching. I thought God was having me deal with some unresolved issues from an event that I'll blog about on March 14. I now know that God was preparing me for what was about to happen, not something from the past.

Anyway, I shared my concerns with my good friend Leann who trusted my instincts. She decided that we should take our children to lunch at McDonald's near my house. She did this so our children could play at the indoor playground while I ran to my house to make some phone calls to try to reach SS.

I called SS's immediate supervisor who assured me that SS was fine, but he was still in a meeting. Red flags began to fly!!! Something was wrong - very, very wrong. It was lunch time on a Friday afternoon and the chances of a "regular" meeting lasting this long were slim to none.

Several hours later, I finally got a call from SS. My instructions were to get him an attorney NOW! He wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but he was being falsely accused of something because of his friendship with a co-worker who had been videotaped engaging in some questionable behavior.

As you can imagine, my heart dropped and I wanted to throw up! Instead, I prayed, called an attorney, and then called my parents to ask them to come get Tanner and Faith Wrenn. I spent that night alone, journaling, crying out to God, and gaining strength from Him. SS spent the night in jail.

Today, February 28, 2009, is 6 years later. SS and I spent the day together at a marriage conference hosted by Focus on the Family. We heard some incredible speakers and learned some "meaty" truths from God's Word. Honestly, SS and I were deeply touched and cried several times as the Holy Spirit moved us. (Don't tell him I told you that!) I know I'm writing the great American novel, but I have to share some of the things that we heard today. Gary Thomas, the author of "Sacred Marriage," said God designed marriage to make us holy, more so than to make us happy. He said it's not about the "how to" but it's about the "HEART to." He also said that marriage becomes the best way for us to worship God. We must love each other out of reverence to God.

Beth Moore said over and over and over again...FIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGE!!! A good fight is a fight FOR your marriage, not with your spouse. She said a lot of powerful things, especially to the wives. But, the last thing she said keeps playing over in my mind. Her husband had made a comment about what his life may have been like if a certain event had not happened when he was a young child. Then Beth said that God spoke these words through her to her husband... You are a much neater person healed than you would have been just being well. Being a miracle gives people hope! WOW!!! How profound!!!

Del Tackett - Ephesians 5 - Wives submit to your husbands - Submission is an attribute or characteristic of God. It is His nature and we are called to be like Him! What a privilege we wives have, despite what the world would have us believe.

Gary Smalley was hilarious. He said the quality of our lives depend on our relationship with God. When we try to change our spouse to improve our quality of life, we are saying that Jesus Christ is not enough. Also, when people say things like "I don't love my spouse anymore" or "I'm not in love with my spouse anymore," they never had God's love in the first place because God's love NEVER ends, etc. (See 1 Corinthians 13.)

Lastly, John Trent talked about making small changes to impact big problems. He refers to this as the 2 degree difference. I would recommend visiting his website at http://www.strongfamilies.com/ for more details. He also told us to start blessing our spouses.

Speaking of marriage, SS and I both agree that if the events that began 6 years ago today had not happened, then we most likely would not be married today. SS will readily tell you that 6 years ago, his 1st, 2nd, & 3rd priority was his job; it was his mistress. He viewed his role in the family as strictly being the provider. He worked so much extra duty that the kids and I rarely saw him.

But God changed all of that. Not in a way that we would have chosen, but in a way that was very necessary. And looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.

The first Scripture that God gave me when all of this started was James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (Did I mention that I had been praying for joy before all of this started??!!!)

I will share more details of our story as God leads. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Being a Good Steward

2009-02-25T21:59:00.004-05:00

"Wrennie Wednesday"

"He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." Proverbs 13:3

In November 2008, all 2nd graders in our school district were tested for the gifted and talented (MERIT) program for next year. We got the results on Friday, and Faith Wrenn has qualified for MERIT! Good job, Wrennie!!! I am proud of you for working hard in school!

It is my prayer that MERIT will challenge Faith Wrenn and provide an outlet for her creativity and hands-on learning style.

God has called each of us to be good stewards of what He has given to us. Very often, we just think about this in terms of money and material possessions. But, we should honor Him with EVERYTHING He has entrusted to us, including our time, talents, abilities, etc. Oh, how I pray that Faith Wrenn will learn this and live this for God's glory - sooner rather than later!

God has incredible plans for you, Faith Wrenn Swicegood (Jeremiah 29:11)!!! Just trust Him and follow Him - no matter what!

In the Spotlight

2009-02-24T21:33:00.004-05:00

"T-Man Tuesday"

"The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:4

Tanner was recognized in his school newsletter this month and I quote....

"Congratulations to our 'Team 6-1 Writer of the Quarter' Tanner Swicegood. Check out his clever 'Now Hiring' poster with job descriptions for water molecules. It's proudly displayed next to Mrs. Parkers'' science room. Great job, Tanner!"

I am proud of Tanner for being so brave as he ventured to a new school this year. I am proud of him for trying new things such as playing basketball in a different league. I am proud of him for reading the chronological Bible with me and having some in-depth discussions (we just read about Lot and his family - interesting, very interesting!) But, I am most proud of Tanner for just being Tanner!!! I love you, T-Man!!!

To tell the truth, the whole truth...

2009-02-23T21:54:00.008-05:00

"My Man Monday"

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

My husband is a very straightforward, honest man. He will tell you the truth, as brutal as it may be at times. If you don't want an honest answer, then don't ask him. Obviously, the one thing he despises is lying. He has zero tolerance for it.

When I first met Shawn 18 years ago, it was his honesty that first caught my attention. God is simply amazing, isn't He? He puts the girl with major trust issues with the brutally honest guy!!!

Interestingly, it was Shawn's honesty that led us on one of the most challenging journeys of our marriage thus far. But, Shawn stood firm in his faith and in his conviction, and we stood together. And God used the situation to draw us closer to Him and to each other. God also used it to bring us back to "Nineveh." (God just reminded me that the anniversary date for all of this is in a few days!!! I will post more about it this weekend.)

***My daily Bible verse for today was..."Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth." John 17:17

The Family Edition

2009-02-21T17:13:00.013-05:00

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

I am a little behind in my blogging for the week, so I decided to do a family edition to cover everyone at the same time. On Monday, we went skiing with the youth group at our church. Tanner and Faith Wrenn had never been snow skiing before. Fortunately, our youth minister requires anyone who has not skied at least twice to take lessons. What a wise man!

The last time I went skiing was almost 15 years ago on my honeymoon. Shawn and I skied the Matterhorn in Switzerland - you know, when we were just a little younger. Shawn has been skiing a time or two since we've been married, but it has still been 8 or 9 years ago. We were feeling brave.

One thing I noticed was how skiing brought out our different personalities. Shawn was patient and hung out with me on the easy slopes during the morning. Then, after lunch, his adventurous side took over, and he went with some of the other dads to the more difficult slopes.

Tanner did well with his lessons and learned the basics. He then proceeded with caution and stayed in the beginners' area to get lots of practice. He wasn't feeling 100% but that didn't stop him from skiing. WAY TO GO T-MAN!!!

Faith Wrenn completed her lessons, practiced, and then took off to the regular slopes without a second thought. When she got off the ski lift, she was GONE down the mountain! Did I mention she learned to ski without poles??!!!

As for me, my least favorite part of skiing is getting off the ski lift. I have a tendency to fall, and then be in other people's way. My spiritual gift of mercy has me concerned about others even when I'm about to break my own neck!!! This has to be the Holy Spirit! lol

Anyway, some things never change, even after 15 years - I'm a creature of habit! The first lift Shawn and I got on actually went to the top of the mountain, but it had a place for "beginners" to exit along the way. Unfortunately, this exit consisted of a steep hill, a wall, and me on my backside! But, don't worry, the nice gentleman who was working the ski lift drug me out of the way before anyone else fell too! I found a different ski lift after that. I must mention that my husband didn't even laugh at me (at least where I could hear him!) Thanks honey!!!

These first 3 pictures are from our honeymoon 15 years ago. In Switzerland, we took a tram up the mountain, not a ski lift!!! 11/94

Shawn at the Matterhorn in the clouds 11/94

Me (Nancy) getting ready to ski the Matterhorn 11/94

Shawn and I at Sugar Mountain, NC 2/16/09

Tanner practicing his new skills

Tanner learning how to stop the old fashion way

Tanner skied from the top of the beginners' slope to the bottom without stopping

Faith Wrenn skiing down the beginners' slope - "Look Mom! No poles!"

Faith Wrenn skiing down the regular slope

Shawn and Faith Wrenn at the bottom of the slope

Your mama might be ~~a redneck~~ resourceful if she uses duct tape to patch up a hole in your ski bib!!!

P.S. I did see another girl about Faith Wrenn's age wearing a hot pink ski bib accessorized with a little duct tape down the seam of her leg! Another resourceful mama in town!

Hands On

2009-02-11T22:25:00.005-05:00

"Wrennie Wednesday"

"He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." Proverbs 13:3

Faith Wrenn is quite creative and definitely a "hands on" young lady. She enjoys touching EVERYTHING and then covering herself with it, if possible. SEE WHAT I MEAN.....

Bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles

A little bling, bling and a cool hat go a long way - fashion school, here I come!

Got mud??!!!

Who needs hairspray?
This started out as a fun way to practice her spelling words by writing them in shaving cream. What we ended up with was Faith Wrenn literally covered from head to toe in shaving cream - clothes and all!

God has unique plans for this creative mind and these touchy, feely hands.

Being Jesus

2009-02-10T21:51:00.006-05:00

"T-Man Tuesday"

"The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:4

Tanner has a project in Social Studies this week in which he gets to dress up like an important ancient Greek or Roman person. He chose Jesus. Contrary to popular belief, Jesus will be in public school this week (lol!) Here are a few pictures:

Getting this white robe was an answered prayer. The alternative was for me to make one out of a sheet. And given that I don't sew, who knows what Tanner would have ended up with! Thankfully, we will never know. My mom, not wanting Tanner to be embarrassed by my lack of fashion design skills, called the children's minister at her church. Mrs. P started digging through their children's costumes and found this perfect match for Tanner and willingly let us borrow it.

Check out the Jesus hair! Getting this wig was a blessing. At church on Sunday morning, one of the teachers, Mr. M, was dressed up to do a skit for the children's program.. When I dropped Faith Wrenn off, I saw Mr. M out of the corner of my eye and had to look directly at him to figure out who he was. The 1st thing I noticed was the Jesus hair. Mr. M graciously let us borrow the wig this week.

Tanner will be sharing the Gospel with his entire class! I'm praying for seeds to be planted, watered, and harvested.

Timeout

2009-02-09T23:04:00.003-05:00

"My Man Monday"

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

I mentioned a few days ago that we have been very busy and that I have been feeling overwhelmed. To help, my husband gave me some time to myself right here at home last week. One night, he rented a fun movie for the kids, and they watched it together. Then, on Friday AND Saturday night he came home after working all day and cooked dinner! WOW! Thanks, honey!

I am very thankful for this time to myself, but even more so for my husband's thoughtfulness and selflessness. Tag - I'm it, huh??!!!

He shoots; He scores!!!

2009-02-07T12:24:00.005-05:00

Well, the laundry is underway and the kids are fed so I thought I would post about our morning before I tackled the dust that has accumulated in the corners of the hardwood floors.

Tanner had a basketball game bright and early this morning. For the past 4 years, Tanner has played basketball in the Upward Christian league at my mom's church. But, this year God impressed upon us to sign him up at our local recreation center - since we are learning to get out of our Christian comfort zone and meet new people in our community.

Our rec center is small and doesn't have a website yet where you can get registration information, etc. on all of the activities that they offer. So, I had to physically go to the center and get the information. When I got there, I learned that the original deadline to sign up for BBall had already passed. However, the deadline had been EXTENDED for 3 more days! God was providing the way so we could be obedient.

Then, the rec center decided that the younger children would use the gym at the center for their games. The older children, Tanner's age, would play at a brand new gym at a CHURCH close to our house! Although Tanner is not playing in a church league, he is still playing in God's house! Once again, this is an example of God's provision.

Tanner in position during a foul shot

His #1 fan

Tanner scores his first points of the season today!!!

Tanner plays defense very well and usually passes the ball to a teammate on offense. But today, he was in the right place at the right time and SCORED! The best part was that EVERYONE in the gym cheered for him when it happened, even folks from the other team. They were pulling for him because they know he doesn't usually score. It brought tears to my eyes!!! I'm actually tearing up again typing about it. WAY TO GO T-MAN!!!!!

You know you are TOO BUSY when...

2009-02-06T22:23:00.007-05:00

1) your 7 year old daughter says, "Mom, you might want to consider tackling these clothes sometime soon!!!" And this is only one of the three dirty clothes baskets/hampers that we use!

2) that same 7 year old daughter says, "Mom, are we going to be in a hurry today??!!!"

3) you go to Wal-Mart (or the grocery store of your choice) 6 times in one week because you didn't have a weekly dinner menu prepared in advanced! (Fortunately, I drive past Wal-Mart at least twice a day during my normal route.)

4) over the past 2 weeks, you have several posts you wanted to put on your blog but didn't get a chance to - instead you posted 4 entries and 19 pictures all at one time!

I can't really explain why we have been so busy except to say that life happens. A very wise friend told me one time that BUSY means "Being Under Satan's Yoke." When we are so preoccupied with daily tasks that we can't think straight, we are certainly not thinking about God and His will. I tend to become so focused on my "To Do" list as a means of survival that I miss out on the opportunities that God gives me to reach out to others, to laugh, to enjoy the moment, to relax, etc.

So tonight I'm staying up late to do what I have wanted to do for the past 2 weeks - post 19 pictures and blog 4 posts, even if it is all at one time! Be sure to read this post and the 3 that follow. ENJOY!

Here's Faith Wrenn helping her dad wash his new truck. "Unpictured" here is Tanner and Faith Wrenn washing my van as a surprise for me. How sweet!

The work is done and now it's time to play. Tanner and Shawn play a little one on one.
That's right, it's time to stop and shoot some B-Ball. Now go play with your children, your grandchildren, your spouse, your friends, your neighbors, or whoever else God puts in your path.

Too Busy Part 2

2009-02-06T22:19:00.005-05:00

We came. We jumped. We laughed - A LOT!

So often, Faith Wrenn wants me to jump with her on the trampoline when it's time for me to start dinner etc. But not today. Today, we jumped until we couldn't jump anymore. Well, now that I think about it, we actually jumped until Faith Wrenn and Tanner had an argument and they both had to go inside. But still, we jumped and laughed until then.

Then I got brave and let Tanner, Faith Wrenn, and a neighbor "popcorn" me on the trampoline. I took these pictures while laying down on the trampoline with 3 kids jumping all around me.

Take time today to do something that will make you laugh!

Too Busy Part 3

2009-02-06T22:12:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, Tanner went on his first youth retreat. We dropped him off at the church Friday night and didn't see him again until Sunday after worship. We have a fantastic youth group and the leadership is top notch. Tanner had a great time and was in need of some serious sleep when he got home!

Here's Tanner with the marshmallow sculpture the 6th grade boys made of one of their youth leadersIn Tanner's absence, Faith Wrenn decided to surprise him by putting together one of his new lego sets. She enjoys putting things together; Tanner not so much

Time to get started

636 pieces later and WAAAH LAAAH....project complete!

This reminds me of what God does with us and for us. He takes the pieces of our lives and puts them together to make us exactly who He wants us to be. Sometimes from our perspective, pieces seem to be missing or not to fit properly. Sometimes pieces fall off and have to be put back together with special care. Sometimes, we become frustrated because we can't see the big picture. But through the entire process, trusting God is what holds all the pieces together.

Too Busy Part 4

2009-02-06T22:00:00.008-05:00

We made another firewood delivery to some folks in need of wood because they heat their homes with woodburning stoves only. My grandparents had a huge tree cut down in their yard and gave us all the wood our truck and trailer could hold. Shawn still has his grandfather's woodsplitter which made cutting the wood a lot easier. Notice who's unloading the wood....which means Faith Wrenn has the camera. Hey, that's MY job!

Taking pictures is a tough job and will wear a girl out!
And then there was the super bowl...we went to some friends' house who had their projector system hooked up! We thought we were sitting in the stands in Tampa.
I had Tanner and Faith Wrenn stand in front of the screen to put the size of it in perspective

And just when I thought I was making real progress with my "To Do" list and starting to regain my sanity again, I was handed this...

Every Thursday morning, I go to Faith Wrenn's school and make photocopies for all 6 of the 2nd grade classes, BEFORE I go to work. I really enjoy volunteering. Last semester, I was able to help out a lot because I wasn't working. Now, it's tax season and back to work for me. Anyway, yesterday Faith Wrenn's teacher told me she had a project for me - copying the 19 books found in these notebooks for all 6 teachers!!! One down and 18 more to go!

Did I mention I only have an hour each Thursday morning to do this??!!! I am very much a task oriented person who needs to get things done so they don't hang over me. I have already been trying to find a block of time to go to the school to work on this. You know, some time when I can get in the building, not have children with me, that doesn't interfere with my job, dinner, or homework time. I need a secretary to do this scheduling!

So, if I don't post again (other than my weekly family posts) for another few weeks, you'll know why. Oh, did I mention that the size of the pages in the books are slightly larger than 8 1/2 x 11 which requires me to work hard at not cutting off any words. They also must be double-sided. You know what happens. One side prints correctly, but the other side messes up. Then both pages have to be copied AGAIN!

God is going to use this project for His glory though. He's going to have me in the workroom exactly when He needs me to be there to talk with a teacher, staff member, parent, etc. Again, it all goes back to trust, and I'm trusting God with the details of this project, with my schedule, and with my sanity!

Almost Wordless Wrennie Wednesday

2009-02-04T22:36:00.004-05:00

Faith Wrenn just puts a big ole smile on my face!!! Enough said.

Here a book; There a book......

2009-02-03T23:18:00.009-05:00

"T-Man Tuesday"

"The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:4

Tonight, we went out to eat with family to celebrate my cousin's 18th birthday. It took us about 30 minutes to get to the restaurant and then 30+ minutes to get home. On the way there, Tanner read the new book he checked out from his school library today.

On the way home, he read the OTHER book he checked out today because he had finished the first one! WAY TO GO T-MAN!!!
Tanner has always been an excellent reader, but he just hasn't liked to read until now. His new found desire for reading has been sparked primarily by his Language Arts teacher (who happened to be the vice principal at my high school 20 years ago!)

Anyway, watching Tanner read so much (and actually enjoying it) has been a blessing. It has been one of the best things about public school.

Prior to this school year, Tanner attended a small Christian school for 4 years. I know the transition hasn't been the easiest thing for Tanner (he is in middle school now!) But, I admire Tanner for trusting us (his parents) as we seek God's will regarding his education. God made it very clear that we needed to get out of our Christian comfort zone and get involved in our community - starting with the public school system.

I pray everyday for Tanner to be salt and light in his school. After all, "Nineveh" is our mission field.

Very early in the morning...

2009-02-02T22:20:00.006-05:00

"My Man Monday"

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

My husband's alarm goes off promptly at 4:15 a.m. every (work) morning. But before he leaves our room, he prays with me. This morning, I snapped a quick picture of the clock when he finished praying - before I rolled over and got my snore back on!

I am so grateful for my praying husband. Praying together brings us closer to each other and closer to the Lord. It lets me know what is on Shawn's heart and what is important to him. When he prays specifically for me, it makes me feel secure and valued. I am definitely blessed!

We Need to be Connected

2009-01-28T20:01:00.008-05:00

"Wrennie Wednesday"

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11

Faith Wrenn has learned how to link rubber bands together and make a chain. She apparently found a rubber band stash in her Sunday School class and made one of her chains at church.

The sermon that morning was about God using people to grow us. Our pastor talked about how God created us to be linked or connected together with other people. He said that we can't obey a lot of the Scriptures if we don't have other people in our lives (i.e., being a part of the body, loving one another, etc.) - this really spoke to me.

Anyway, after the service, Faith Wrenn was playing with her chain while we walked to the car. She was using it as a jump rope when she said, "Hey Mom, this (chain) looks like what Pastor Jeff was talking about. We have to be connected to God and to other people!"

It brings tears to my eyes when Faith Wrenn and Tanner actually "get it" - you know, when they truly understand God's Word and take it to heart. Faith Wrenn was playing with her chain again this afternoon and made a comment about needing God and other people.

God used a handful of rubber bands hooked together to teach a 7 year old (and a 38 year old) an important truth. Isn't He amazing?

Monkey See, Monkey Do

2009-01-27T22:19:00.007-05:00

"T-Man Tuesday"

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Saturday night I asked Tanner and Faith Wrenn if they would be willing to donate some of their stuffed animals to a local children's home for Valentine's Day. Faith Wrenn was hesitate because her stuffed animals are very special to her and she is "collecting" them. Initially, she said no.

Tanner said he would be glad to give his stuffed animals away, and he went to his room to get them. As Faith Wrenn watched Tanner put his animals in a bag, she was inspired. Once he was finished, Faith Wrenn headed straight for her room with Tanner close behind to help her.

As Faith Wrenn debated long and hard about if/which animals to give away, Tanner encouraged her and offered pros and cons to make the decisions a little easier. With Tanner's prompting, Faith Wrenn did donate several animals. It was Tanner's example of selflessness that made Faith Wrenn want to follow suit. His generosity was contagious.

May we never forget that someone (i.e., our child, spouse, friend, co-worker, family member, neighbor, stranger, etc.) is always watching us and that our actions can have a positive impact on them. May we be like Tanner and imitate God through our actions (Ephesians 5:1.)

A Man After God's Own Heart

2009-01-26T22:35:00.007-05:00

"My Man Monday"
"Encourage one another and build each other up." 1 Thess. 5:11

I am so grateful to have a husband who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and who is growing in his faith. Recently, Shawn's prayer has been for God to fill his heart with compassion for other people. (Mercy is not one of my husband's strong suits. He's more of a "pull yourself up by your boot straps & get things done" kind of guy.) But, he truly has been asking God to change his heart and to love people through him.

Here's how God has answered this prayer in the past week:

*Last Thursday, I walked into our bedroom to find my husband putting some socks into the pockets of a nice jacket. The next morning, he gave the jacket to someone at work who is struggling to make ends meet.

* Friday night, we were at a restaurant with my family waiting to be seated when Shawn got a phone call from another co-worker who was in a difficult situation and needed some help. Without hesitation, he and I were in the car heading to help. Dinner had to wait.

* On Sunday afternoon, we went with another family from church to help some folks in need of firewood. This required Shawn to borrow a wood splitter from his grandfather, get it in working order and then use it to cut large logs into firewood.

WOW! God is up to something GREAT in the heart of my husband! And I'm so thankful that Shawn is pursing God and is willing to have his heart transformed by Him.

Me and My Man

Take Your Daughter to Work Day

2009-01-21T21:11:00.005-05:00

"Wrennie Wednesday"
"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11

While you all were enjoying MLK Jr. Day on Monday, Faith Wrenn had to go to work with me - thanks to the relentless stomach virus that is still circulating amongst some of our family members.

She did FANTASTIC! She helped around the office by doing things like watering the plants, moving furniture (on wheels), taking things to other people for me, picking up cans after the recycling truck left them on the ground, etc. She really was a great helper, and she never once whined or complained. I was sooooo proud of her!

We did pack her a bag of fun things to do while we were there all day. Here's a few pictures:

My desk is L-shaped and it made a great hideout for my little spy while she played on the computer and with her PSP. Fortunately, there was plenty of room for her and my feet!
Smiling faces from cool hideout places!

"T-Man Tuesday"

2009-01-20T23:38:00.005-05:00

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

Here is my T-Man with a few of his favorite things: his X-Box 360 controller, his bandana, and his cellphone. I am amazed when I think about Tanner turning 13 this year!

We had a "teaching opportunity" this weekend that reminded me that he is definitley growing up and that God has given him a noteable ability to discern between right and wrong (by God's standards, not the world's.) My prayer for him is that he will continue to seek the Lord and His will as he gets older.

"My Man Monday" - on Tuesday

2009-01-20T23:13:00.003-05:00

"Encourage one another and build each other up." 1 Thess. 5:11

To say that Shawn, my husband, is a positive person would be putting it mildly. Not only does he see the glass half full, he automatically starts looking for ways to add more to the glass!!! I admire this about him.

He also likes to take care of things ("to do" lists, etc.) immediately. Opposites really do attract! Often times, God uses this quality in my husband to keep me motivated and on track. Usually, I come up with an idea or "a project," and Shawn takes the steps to make it happen. THANK YOU LORD FOR MY HUSBAND!

"Wrennie Wednesday"

2009-01-14T17:59:00.002-05:00

READ POST BELOW FIRST - then you'll understand these pictures!!!!! SORRY, inexperienced blogger error!

The picture above is of Faith Wrenn's spy gear. She and her friends love to play spies. She has a wonderfully vivid imagination.

Faith Wrenn got a keyboard from Nana at Christmas. She sings, plays, and dances to music all the time. She has an ear for music.

This is a picture of Faith Wrenn's science lab kits. She wants to be a research scientist who discovers a cure for something like HIV/AIDS when she grows up. Until then, she will be honing her skills via concoctions made in her own laboratory at home.

THANKS FOR THE PICTURES FAITH WRENN! YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB!

***START READING RIGHT HERE FIRST***

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11

Not only has Faith Wrenn been setting her own alarm for school and actually getting up when it goes off, she is also checking the weather every night and laying out her clothes for the next day - WITHOUT BEING TOLD!

When I walked into her room the other night to turn off her night light, the picture to the left is what I found in the middle of her bedroom floor.

This girl is very prepared! When she commits to doing something, she goes all out. I admire her motivation and determination.

Case in point, she just saw me typing this post and was inspired. She took my camera to her room and took pictures of some of her favorite things to share about herself on today's post. Now let's see if I can upload them. Hmmmmmm.........

Obviously, I'm having blogger issues! I did upload the pictures, but they are ABOVE this post instead of after it. Even tried to delete them, but couldn't get that to work either. I'm so glad God started working on my perfectionism years ago......

If you go back to the pictures at the beginning of this post, they should make sense now.

I'm a work in progress, how about you??!!! Hey, is there a "Blogging for Dummies" book? Could be a birthday idea.....

"T-Man Tuesday"

2009-01-13T21:40:00.000-05:00

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

God has blessed Tanner with a gentle spirit. I saw evidence of this on Saturday at his cousin's birthday party. One of his cousin's is about 7 years younger than he is. He is protective of her and very patient with her. He cheered her on when she was shooting basketball until she made the basket. He did what she wanted to do instead of what he wanted to do. He spent a lot of time with her outside playing and laughing. He's going to be a great father one day! You know, when he is about 35 years old or so!!!

"My Man Monday"

2009-01-12T22:07:00.000-05:00

"Encourage one another and build each other up..." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

This weekend, Shawn and I went to a parenting conference. It was very useful and so in line with what God is teaching me right now. After the conference, we stopped at the store and saw someone that I grew up with. She asked us how we managed not to have our children with us. I told her where we had been and a little bit about what we had learned. She commented how blessed I was to have a husband on the same page with me when it comes to God, to parenting, etc.

I do tend to forget how blessed I am to have a husband who loves the Lord and who is seeking His will for our family. It took talking to someone who was longing for that in her husband to make me appreciate the gift God has given me in my husband.

P.S. Not only did we learn some new parenting prinicples, but we have actually started using them - with my husband taking the lead!

"Wrennie Wednesday"

2009-01-07T22:38:00.000-05:00

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11

It's Wednesday and time to brag just a little on my daughter Faith Wrenn.

Faith Wrenn is 7 1/2 years old. She is very creative and wants to be a scientist when she grows up. This week, she has her eyes set on Harvard because if you go there, you can get a job anywhere!

For Christmas, Faith Wrenn got a clock/radio/cd. Since school has started back this week, she has been setting her alarm and getting herself up! I'm very proud of her because she is a night owl, not a morning person.

Also, Shawn's grandmother is in a nursing home with alzheimer's. Faith Wrenn and I try to visit her once a week. We usually go after Faith Wrenn gets out of school and before we have to pick up Tanner. (There is an hour difference in their dismissal times and the nursing home is very close to Tanner's school .)

Anyway, we went for a visit yesterday, but Grandma was asleep when we got there. Instead of being ready to leave, Faith Wrenn said, "Mom, let's go see who else we can help." Then off she went looking for someone to push in their wheelchair or talk to. She has learned the names and rooms of some of the residents, and she is sure to check on them when we visit. She also just goes with the flow when she gets asked "interesting" questions from the residents with alzheimer's. I'm very proud of her.

"T-Man Tuesday"

2009-01-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

It's time to brag a little on my son Tanner.

Tanner recently had a birthday and turned 12 years old. Every year around this time, I am reminded of the miracles that God performed in that little guy's life as he was born 2 months early and is 100% healthy today. God is sovereign and so very worthy of our praise!

Tanner had his first basketball game on Saturday. When one of his teammates got hurt during the game, Tanner was the first one to forget about the game and run to his friend's side to check on him.

Also, on the ride home from church Sunday night, Tanner was asking me questions about how did I know when God wanted me to do something, & how did I know for sure it was God, etc. We had a great discussion. Then, just before we got out of the van, Tanner said, "Mom, something is telling me that I want to read the Bible in a year and I think it's God!" We talked some more, and then I gave him my One Year Chronological Bible so he could get started!

In the Beginning...

2009-01-06T13:09:00.000-05:00

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to move away from "Nineveh" and live somewhere else. As early as 3rd grade, I used to daydream about living in another city, another state. Before the internet, we actually had to get our factual information from books - what a novel idea! Anyway, we were fortunate enough to have a set of encyclopedias at our house. I can remember looking up various places and reading about them in the encyclopedia. I began to plot and plan my escape then.

Enter reality. Every time I have tried to move away, God has SLAMMED the door shut. He has been gracious enough to let me travel to a lot of states and even go to college for a year in California on an exchange program. But, when I have tried to move away to another state, something major has happened every time.

I am very thankful that God did allow me to live about an hour outside of "Nineveh" for 16 years. What a difference an hour can make!

Anyway, I don't really know why living in "Nineveh" is so hard for me. But it is! We have lived here nearly 5 years now, and I still struggle. Maybe it's the small town mentality - only "Nineveh" has grown by leaps and bounds. Maybe it's the lack of things to do & places to go - only "Nineveh" is surrounded by larger cities with lots to do. Maybe it's flashbacks to high school where bored kids used their vivid imaginations to create rumors for excitement & I want my children to avoid that - only that happens everywhere. Maybe it's pride because I said I would never live here again - only it's not about me; it's about God. Honestly at this point, I don't really have an answer.

Enter trust. God is calling me to trust Him with all of my heart, especially when I don't understand. I have struggled with trust for most of my life. Just recently, God has connected some of the dots for me and revealed that my struggle to trust others (& ultimately Him) began right here in "Nineveh" when I was a teenager. Maybe one of the reasons God has brought me back here is so He and I can tackle this issue and pull it out by the roots from the exact spot it was planted all those years ago. What a mighty God we serve!!!

"My Man Monday"

2009-01-06T02:35:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be brutally honest...I'm a recovering perfectionist - in progress! Unfortunately, my perfectionism still rears its ugly head from time to time, and I find myself focusing on the shortcomings of my wonderful husband and children more often than I should. So, God has impressed upon me to brag on them a little each week instead. "Encourage one another and build each other up..." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Mondays belong to my husband Shawn. Let the bragging begin.

Last night, Shawn was watching TV before going to sleep. Then, I came into the room and started talking to him. A few minutes later, he turned the TV off. I assumed this meant he was going to sleep (he has to get up at 4:15 a.m.) So, I made a comment to this effect. Then he very sincerely said, "I'm not going to sleep yet. I turned the TV off because it was getting to the conclusion of the show and I knew if I kept the TV on I would want to watch it. I turned it off so I wouldn't be distracted and we could talk." WOW! He got major brownie points for that one! He definitely has his listening ears on! This really meant a lot to me.

A Few Disclaimers Before I Start

2009-01-05T12:09:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer #1..... I really enjoy reading other people's blogs, but I did not have any plans to blog myself. The optimal word here is "I." However, God had very different plans so now I am blogging out of obedience to Him.

Disclaimer #2..... I have a very large and loving family that I am blessed to be a part of. My reasons for not wanting to live in "Nineveh" have absolutely NOTHING to do with wanting to be away from them. My family is very important to me. To be honest, I saw most of my family more when I lived out of town than I do now living in the same town!

Disclaimer #3..... Learning the ins and outs of blogging is a process. So, please bear with me as I navigate this new adventure!