God of abundance

We serve a God of Abundance. He doesn't run out.
We see 5,000 fed. They took and they took, and he continued to provide and provide. Everyone got the bread and the fish. There was no lack.

His love is the same. He is the God of Abundance. He has enough to go around.
There is enough for me, for you, for the guy down the street, the child in Africa, the lady in the check out line, the granny in the nursing home....
He will not run out. He is the God of Abundance.

Jabu

Jabu has arrived home and is adjusting so well! He has a bit of a cold and I'll take him to the vet this week. But he is lovable, well behaved, and beautiful!
He likes to explore the house from top to bottom, and loves sitting in the window sills to watch nature outside. He also will snuggle up to me in my chair to nap on my lap.

Guess who is coming home today?

I'm gonna be a mommy.... on saturday

Yep! I' m in love. I went to the humane society. I have been for weeks and I keep seeing all these little dogs but Im just not sure. I don't one that barks, or digs or chews, or pees on my new carpet, or jump on people or isn't housebroken.
I just want one who is sweet and quiet and playful. There was one I was thinking about but when I went back yesterday he was gone. I guess he got a nice new home so that's fine.
So then yesterday I walked into a separate room where some little dogs were kept and as i walked past an upper cage a little paw stuck out and tried to take a swipe at me.
When I looked in I saw a beautiful solid black cat.
I talked to him and he pressed his whole body up against the cage for me to scratch him. When I put my face up to the cage he started batting at my nose to play.
It was love at first sight. I don't know why it didn't occur to me before. A dog with all the qualities I want is a cat.
He is six months old, and his old owner moved. Best of all he got neutered today so that will help with spraying because he's still young enough.
So he's resting a few days and I can adopt him on Saturday. I might put him on hold for a few days if I feel he needs to stay there and recover, but they said he should be fine if I keep him in a small room.
I went to walmart today and got his supplies and a few goodies as well. :0)
I'll post some pics when I get him.

I'm learning to rest in Him.

"The beloved of the Lord rests in safety - the High God surrounds him all day long - the beloved rests between his shoulders."
Deut. 33:12

I made me think about all of those babies in Africa, tied upon their mother's back. They were secure.
They were resting safely between her shoulders.

They couldn't see what was ahead, only she could see the future
They would have had difficulty seeing behind them, they couldn't focus on the past.
They simple could look around, side to side and see the present.
In their security, they rested. Momma took care of all of their needs.

There's a lot of things we worship: money,jobs,relationships,our youth and beauty.
But money can be spent, jobs lost, relationships ended and beauty fades.
If we allow ourselves to worship anything other than the Lord, we risk loosing the very thing we love.

Child of God.

I was subbing in a headstart classroom with 3 and 4-year olds. One activity I did with these at risk children was "message of the day" to build their oral skills and build vocabulary.
I read the message: "Tell me about a time when you had an adventure."
Hand went up. I picked one child.
"I went on a motorcycle with my uncle... and we went very fast!"
"Wow! That does sound like an adventure. Great job! Does anyone else have a story about an adventure?"
More hands. I picked a second child.
"I went on a motorcycle."
"Er...okay. Remember kids, an adventure doesn't have to be about a motorcycle. It can just be an exciting time. Any exciting time." I said. "who else?"
More hands, more picking.
"I went on a motorcycle."
"Nooooo!... okay.... I want to hear a story that's not a motorcycle story....any other adventure... but not a motorcycle.... okay? no more motorcycle adventure."
One little guy put up his hand.
"Okay, you. Tell me one."
"We saw a big boat... it was in the water..."
"Good!" I encouraged.
"...And there were dolphins... no no,- a shark!" he exagerated.
"Wow! That is exciting!" I played along.
And then dropping his eyes he mumbled under his breath, "and there was a motorcycle."
Sigh. So close.
But today I"m taking a look at my prayer life. I've been rereading a lot my old journals and my prayers have a common theme of hating being single. Perhaps I'm an at-risk student who should have been enrolled in God's headstart program for early intervention. My prayer life often sound like this:

Monday
God: Okay, children, who has a prayer request today?....Christy?
Me: I want a husband.
God: Okay, good... moving on

Tuesday
God: Okay children who has a prayer request today?...Christy?
Me: I want a husband
God:... um... okay... but you said that yesterday... is there something different you'd like to pray for?
Me:...um... I want to be... married?
God: ..um...okay... yeah.I get that... but what else?
Me: umm...I don't want to be single anymore?
God: [slapping forehead] yes, yes, I know that. but there are other things to pray about,- world peace, children in Africa...anything different you want to add?
Me: oh, yeah.... there are children in Africa who need you help.
God: Good! Good job. Yes, there are children in Africa...
Me:[mubling under my breath] and I want a husband.

Wait...

When Heidi taught preschool, she had "wait cards". When a child tried to interrupt or needed her attention, she would simply hand them a wait card.
Amazingly it seemed to be enough. The child knew she was aware of their need, and that Heidi would give him her attention in just a few seconds. They were not being put off but were willing to wait patiently.
Ingenious idea. I always intended to try it....
But since coming back to the US, I feel like God has given me a wait card. But somehow I've interpreted it as "go figure it out yourself"
Ech, a very frustrating place to be.
He's setting me straight. The other day in a store I saw "Be still and know that I am the Lord" Psalm 46:10.
So I'm reading the card correctly. It says "wait";- Not "fret", not "figure it out", not "I'm unaware"...just "wait."
my eyes have been opened, with a big "Ohhhhhh! I get it now."
:0)

NC

I've been visiting friends and family down south in VA and NC. I love the nice weather (and by nice I mean not freezing) and I've loved catching up with everyone from my school, church, and just old time friends. Here are some pics of all the amazing people in my life!!!!

I'm sick of winter

We all knew Facebook was heaven sent

My email had this message

Garnet Merrill has joined facebook and has confirmed you as a friend.

Dad?

My first thoughts were "Woo-hoo!!!!! we get to facebook in heaven!!!!!!"

After all, facebook is the best known time waster, and if we're gonna be there for all eternity....

Then I realized it was just my brother. Garnet Bryan Merrill.

oh well. I tried.

My Jesus dress

A few years back the Lord told me to radically bless a friend of mine. He was very specific what I should do. So I took some money out of my bank account and set out to do it.

However, on the way I happened to pass Ann Taylor Loft, my favorite store and saw such beautiful dresses in the window. And that made me want a new dress for Easter, which was just around the corner.

Now of course, you know where my mind went. "I could just use some of the money to buy a dress, and then use the rest to bless my friend. After all she doesn't know about it anyway..."

But no I couldn't do that. So I did it exactly as God had instructed me.

But the thought of a new dress still lingered. Wes had invited me and Heidi to his hometown for Easter, and well... I just wanted a new dress.

So I decided to pray about it honestly.

"Lord. I want a new dress. I don't need a dress, I have others that would work. But I just want one. If you could work it out, I'd really appreicaite it. But if not it's okay. I'll wear another one. Amen"

Two days later my friend Heather called me. "Girl I want to go on a girl date with you."

"Okay, well, what did you have in mind?"

"Well I was in the shower praying yesterday, and the lOrd told me I should take you out to lunch and then buy you and Easter dress."

WHAT?!!!!!!

"What did you say?"

"I said, 'the Lord said..."

I started crying. I explained the story to her, and then she started crying.

"You mean I really heard that from the Lord?" she said,

And we carried on like that crying and in shock and happy for each other.

Well, that girl took me out and not only bought me this sooo cute dress at The Gap, but also bought me shoes and a purse to match.

How awesome is life when we step back and let God put things into place instead of always scheming to make it happen for ourselves?

So this is my Jesus dress, that I love to wear. And when eve someone compliments me on such a cute dress I tell them the story.

My God is awesome!!!

ungrateful

Months ago in Swaziland I had to attend a community meeting as a representative for our education program. As always we opened the floor for questions or concerns for the caregivers.I was appalled when a woman stood up and started complaining about the children not having meat at the care point.Are you frickin' kidding me?!!!! I thought to myself I'm so glad I didn't have to take this question because I would not have handled it well. My response would have sounded something like, "Well, we feed 10,000 kids a ample nutritious free meal everyday. We don't force them to eat here. If yours don't like it, they don't have to eat here. They can go home and eat the nothing that you provide for them."I have no grace when it comes to ungratefulness. If these kids are as hungry as the community says they are, then they should have no problem with pap/rice, beans, vegetables and meat on special occasions.Grrrrrrr!!! (But I must say not all of the caregivers felt that way, and some were very apologetic at this woman's request)But to be honest I've caught myself with the same attitude these last few days. I've been shaking my fist at God, angry and whiny about what I don't have, instead of being so grateful for what he has already given me.I have a roof over my head, a car to drive, my health, a wonderful healthy family, food in my belly, clothes on my back, money to pay my bills, friends to talk me off the ledge, I live in a country with freedom and have a Jesus who loves me enough not to strike me dead with a bolt of lightning when I act with such audacity!!!
Sorry Lord. Thank you for showing me all that I already have. Help me to be content, like Paul says, whether I have a little or a lot.

heartbroken

I recieved word that Little Musa has passed away.
I remember an American team visiting just last month and noticing him. They had a concern about a rash they had on his hands and arm.
It's a rash we've seen way too many times as missionaries.
"Maybe it's scabies" someone suggested.
But the Swazi are private people. You don't betray them with your knowledge.
So I smiled and lied. "Yes, maybe it's scabies."
And now this beautiful little boy is gone.
I'm so heartbroken today.

Rise and shine!...yeah, what ever!

While living in Africa, I rose with the sun. In summer that means 4:30-5:00 am.I loved it. I prided myself in it. Ask anyone who has ever lived with me,- I'm a morning person.I'd laze around, drinking my coffee, reading my bible, got ready to start the day and make it to the office by 8:30.

But upon returning to the states...well it's a different story. Ech! I can't pull myself out of bed before 8am. (and to anyone who knows me, that might as well be lunch time) It makes sense, since I've been going to bed between midnight and 2 am.(Gasp! I know. In Africa it as 9pm at the latest!!!!)

So what the heck has happened to me? I don't know if it's the cozy electric blanket, the deep darkness outside, or the cold winter house but I can't get out of bed to save my life! I've tried! I've set my alarm for 6am, but will consistently smack the snooze every 4 minutes until 8.

Well needless to say, since I've decided to start subbing this will cause a problem.For the past 2 days, the phone has rang just after 8 with positions available starting near 9am. Well of course that's impossible for me!And then yesterday it occurred to me. If I want to work, I will have to get up, get ready for the day, so when a call comes at 8, I can walk out the door.

Ohhhhh, I was conflicted about this one.Could I actually get ready to start a day without guarantee for work?I really had to psyche myself up for this one. And since I was so tired I went to bed early last night. And as I went to sleep, the Jekyll and Hyde voices began in my head:

You'll get a nice night's sleep and wake up at 6am with the alarm. You can do this Christy.

Well of course I went to bed so early, my body thought I was taking a nap and woke up at 12:30. It took a while to go back to sleep.

Now you've lost too much sleep. you will be tired in the morning. You'll never be able to get up.

So at 6am the alarm went off and the snooze slapping began.

you have to get up christy. you'll get work today. you will. and it will feel good!

No, this is crap. just go to sleep. just rest. you don't need to work today.

slap. slap

Christy, this is called being self-disciplined. you need that remember? Just like your exercising. get up. make yourself.

Get up? For what? You might not even get called.

slap. slap.

C'mon girl, you can do it!

Reaching over my head I flicked the lights on. The voice in my head went up an octave to feign cheeriness.

See? it's like the bright African sun! it's morning. Get up sunshine!

I got up and staggered downstairs started the coffee pot. I staggered to put my socks on. I staggered into the bathroom.

Look at yourself in the mirror girl! You look rough! Go back to bed! You don't even want to work today do you?
"No I don't. Maybe they won't call today."

Yes, you do.

So step by step I rolled my hair, put on makeup, brushed my teeth, and got dressed all by 8am....

"Maybe they won't call today. But they will call today.I want them to call today... oh please don't call today."
no call.
So it's 8:30 and I am completely ready to start the day... and yet have no day to start.
Tomorrow I will have to do the same thing. Ugh. I can hear the voices already.

You know I'm reading Ezekiel this morning. The Lord was speaking about shepherds who abuse their privileges and neglect their flock. Yep, I could finger point.Then he talks about the sheep and the goats. Okay, know that one. Believers and not really believers.But then look at this Ezekiel 34:20"Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep. For you fat sheep push and butt and crowd my sick and hungry flock until they are scattered to distant lands. So I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be abused and destroyed. and I will judge between one sheep and another."This is the delicate Christians being abused by other Christians. Yikes. You know it just goes back to what the Lord has been trying to instill in my about loving everyone... not just the happy people, the nicely-put-together people, not just the not-too-high maintenance people. But he wants me to love the "freaks & geeks" crowd too.I just keep being drawn back to Jesus saying, "You will be known as my followers by the love you show to one another.

Miracle on the Hudson,- very cool

We now return to our regularly scheduled program....

While I've been nesting, I've been listening to some podcasts from Celebration church (thanks for the recommendation mike)
This awakening series has really spoken to me.
And while he's talking about the Daniel fast, food isn't really an inhibitor for me these days. however tv has been! I've gorged myself like a fat kid in cake!
So for the next 21 days, I am fasting all tv before 6pm. ( I now that doesn't seem like a challenge but it is. I am obsessed with the today show, so by not watching it my day starts 4 hours earlier.) I think my QT will be much more productive and I will be closer to Him as a result.
Stay tuned!!!

Snow fest

So what so states in the north do in the winter? They have a snow festival of course!Frakenmuth Michigan has this fest every year.

even if you've never come to the winterfest, everyone has come to Frakenmuth to visit Bronners, the world's largest Christmas store (I was in heaven) eat chicken at Zehnders, or buy fudge, sausage, cheese or pretzles the the Kandy Haus, or Cheese Haus (or any other Haus...someone should teach these Germans to spell)
Now this year there was a high school competition in snow carving.
my high school was there. When did my high school get a snow sculpting team? I mean, I'm not much of an artist, but I can rock a snow man!!!!!! And there was icy putt putt.

and a warm lunch later...
but you get the point

My room

okay I've been working on getting the house the way I like it... a long journey but it's okay, what else to I have to do?So these are before/after pics of my attic bedroom. I'm not real thrilled with the blue'gray color,- a bit too blue for my taste. But it's livable for now.