When Surrender Leads to Victory - Part 1

It has been almost two years since I've written a blog post!  Though I enjoy writing, and have many thoughts to share, I tend to edit myself silent.  Not wanting to waste words or bore a reader to no end, I rehash every single word, and then hit the backspace button until every word is gone!  However, I'm trying to push past that inner editor and just start "writing" things down for my own practice and freedom!  A new year has dawned and with it the opportunity for fresh starts.   So, here I go.  

Several years ago I took a challenge from a favorite author to pray at year's end about a word/theme for the coming new year.   It is a practical way to seek God's heart about a particular area of focus.  One year the word/theme was "rest" - which was greatly needed though easily misunderstood.  Another year brought the word/theme of "favor".  I remember my excitement when He placed that one on my heart!  Who doesn't want to experience His favor in a deep and more profound way?

As 2013 was coming to a close, and I began praying about the coming year's focus, the word "surrender" came to the forefront.  To be honest my initial response was one of disappointment.  Following a year of God's favor, I wasn't so sure I was ready for surrender!  Surrender, to me, meant giving up (in a negative sense).  However, I realized that God's purpose and direction would go so much deeper than that.  As 2014 began, I was in the middle of a year long devotion series by Rick Warren (via the YouVersion Bible App).  Imagine my surprise, delight, and conviction, when I saw the focus of the devotion on the second day of the year:  "Surrender!"  Here's an excerpt:

"Surrendering your life means:
1)  Following God's lead without knowing where He's sending you;
2)  Waiting for God's timing without knowing when it will come;
3)  Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide;
4)  Trusting God's purpose without understanding the circumstances."

From January 3rd:

"In surrender, you begin to really live the life God intended..." 

 From Draw the Circle, by Mark Batterson:  "Our job is simply to consecrate ourselves by yielding our will to His will... If we consecrate ourselves to God, amazing things will happen...  Consecration is a complete surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ."  And this:  "Consecration is a process of surrender that never ends."  

2014 brought with it some physical pain and challenges (frozen shoulders), as well as great loss (the passing of my beloved big brother, Jackie).  God, in His goodness, had been preparing me to walk through those difficult times with grace as I was leaning into this way of surrender - "not my will, but Yours".  That is not to say that I did it perfectly and without complaint, but there was a context of His presence and purpose that kept me seeking growth during this part of my journey.

Here is some more food for thought that I was given through devotional reading:

"Stubborn temptations and overwhelming problems can be defeated by Christ when handed over to Him (think Joshua & the Battle of Jericho).  Surrender doesn't weaken you, it strengthens you."  

"Why surrender?  Because you belong to your Creator --- God has a right to direct your life."
(Romans 14:7-9)

More nuggets:

"Everybody surrenders to something or someone in life.  If not God, you'll surrender to popular opinion, to money, to resentment or fear, or to your own pride, lust, and ego.
We were designed to worship something, and when we fail to worship God, we create gods (idols) to surrender ourselves to.  E. Stanley Jones said, "If you don't surrender to Christ, you surrender to chaos."
"You're free to choose what you surrender to, but you're not free from the consequences of that choice:  'So give yourselves completely to God (James 4:7 NCV).'"
"Surrender is not the best way to live; it is the only way to live.  Nothing else works.  All other approaches lead to frustration, disappointment, and self-destruction."
"Surrendering your life is not a foolish emotional impulse but a rational, intelligent act, the most responsible and sensible thing you can do with your life.  Your wisest moments will be those when you say yes to God."  2 Corinthians 5:9

Wrapping it up with a few more thoughts gleaned from the year of surrender:

"Surrendering is never just a one-time event.  There is a moment of surrender and there is the practice of surrender.  The practice of surrender requires perseverance.  It is moment-by-moment and lifelong.  You may have to re-surrender your life 50 times a day.  It is time to surrender - to God's grace, love, and wisdom."

In closing, I'd like to go back to my very first encounter with the word/theme in 2014:  Surrendering my life means following a God who knows where He wants me to go and how to get me there.  It means waiting for God's timing because He's always right on time.  It means expecting miracles because nothing is impossible with God.  And, it means trusting His purposes because God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

So, there is no need to fear or be disappointed at the thought of surrender.  Ultimately, it brings freedom, power, and victory!

Love is...

I was on Facebook this morning and a friend had posted a picture of a card or photo that had I Corinthians 13 (particularly verses 4 - 8a)  printed on it.  The passage of Scripture often read at weddings, and a fitting passage for Valentine's Day.  Here it is:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails...

Typically, when reading this passage I am reading it as a list of to do's:

Love is kind?  (Yes, I can do kind... check)...
Love is patient... (can I skip this one?)...
Does not envy (well, most of the time... check)...
Is not rude (this one's making me a bit nervous, moving on)...
is not self-seeking (gulp),
is not easily angered (now she throws her hands up - ready to give up and stop reading)...
keeps no record of wrongs... (don't you even ask my husband about this)... 

does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth... (I can feel better about this one.. check)... 

always protects (I try, but...)...

always trusts (nope, not so much)... 

always hopes... (deep down inside where it counts?,)...

always perseveres...(well, I'm still here, that's a good sign?)... 

Love never fails... (forget it, because I'm pretty sure that fail is my middle name)... Sigh.

Today, however, as I was reading it, something different captured my heart...  and it all stems from this one simple thought... God is love. (1 John 4:8).

God is patient (2 Peter 3:9),
He is kind (Jer.31:3).
He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud  (Isaiah 43:10).
He is not rude (Rev.3:10) ,
He is not self-seeking (John 3:16),
He is not easily angered (Psalm 86:15),
He keeps no record of wrongs (Psalm 103:11-12).
God does not delight in evil (Ps. 101:4)
but rejoices with the truth (Ps. 51:6).
He always protects (Prov. 2:8),
always trusts (Matt 27:43),
always hopes (1 Peter 1:3),
always perseveres (Heb 12:2).
God never fails (1 Cor. 15:54)..."

God is love.  He loved us so much that He gave.  He gave His Son, who then walked this sod, and fleshed out love!  We love, because He first loved us.  And so, Love is....

"Consider my sighing."

Recently, I have received news of heartache and struggle in the lives of so many.  I was in my kitchen, when I realized that for some time I had been sighing...deeply...over and over.  It seemed to be all I could muster in my sadness.  Then I remembered something I had read recently concerning that very thing.  I want to share that with you.

The author, Mark Batterson, wrote in his book, "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day",

"During the funeral, I realized that I couldn't stop sighing.  I later read that sighing is one way we process grief.  It is a physiological response to distress.  I didn't know how to vent or verbalize what I was feeling, so I sighed. 

It was during that time that I discovered what is now one of my favorite Psalms:  'Give ear to my word, O Lord, consider my sighing.' (Psalm 5:1) 

That little phrase - 'consider my sighing' - became a source of strength for me.  I didn't know how to pray or what to say, but I knew God was considering my sighing.  Even when we can't put our frustration or anger or doubt or discouragement or grief into words, God hears and translates those low-frequency distress signals we call sighs. 

Maybe prayer is much more than a combination of the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet into words?  I love Ted Loder's perspective in Guerillas of Grace: 

'How shall I pray?
Are tears prayers, Lord?
or groans
or sighs
or curses?
Can trembling hands be lifted to you,
or clenched fists
or the cold sweat that trickles down my back
or the cramps that knot my stomach?
Will you accept my prayers, Lord,
my real prayers,
rooted in the muck and mud and rock of my life,
and not just the pretty, cut-flower,
gracefully arranged
bouquet of words?
Will you accept me, Lord,
as I really am,
messed up mixture of glory and grime?' 

Sometimes it feels like God isn't listening, but He considers every sigh.  Not only that, He is interceding for us day and night.  Scripture says that God makes prayers out of our wordless sighs and aching groans. 

The Holy Spirit helps us in our distress.  For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray.  But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. (Romans 8:26) 

Here is an incredible thought:  Long before you woke up this morning the Holy Spirit was interceding for you.  And long after you go to bed tonight, the Holy Spirit will still be interceding for you.  That ought to change the way we wake up and fall asleep..."

So, in light of all that is going on in the world, and in our individual lives, I just wanted to share the hope that I found in this.  From now on, when my heart grows so heavy that all I can do is sigh; I will remember that there is One who considers my sighing, and does what I cannot.  I am so grateful.

Turning Sixteen

It seems just yesterday that he was walking around in toddler-sized sleepers, playing with toy cars, motorcycles, and Little People.  How can sixteen years have gone by so quickly?  Now he's looking forward to driving a car, and I can't seem to grasp the fact that he's really old enough to do so!

In honor of his birthday, here's a clip from Christmas when he was 2!  We love you, Josiah!  Have a fantastic day, and I'm sure you'll do well on that test...

(The boy who has always loved things with wheels)!

Our "Princess" Celebrates Her 12th Birthday!

Our middle girl turns twelve today!  Sarah is our animal-loving, ukulele playing, songwriting, art-loving, sweetheart of a girl.  We are crazy about her, and so thankful she's ours!

When Sarah arrived, she was our "biggest" baby at weigh in, and sported the most hair, as well as the darkest!  She was also our first climbing, escape artist!  She didn't really want to sit in a high chair or stroller, she wanted to stand or climb out!  However, she was also the quiet one, who was rarely seen without her "ga ga" (pacifier)!

Here's a video from around the time she was about three years old.  The stars of the video are Sarah and her big sis, Meredith.  I love the little outfit Sarah is wearing, and her sweet little voice..."All wight...  All wight"!
(Ignore the goofy camera lady who screams at the beginning of the video to answer a question in the distance)!

 Sarah, Happy Birthday, beautiful daughter!  We love you very much!  We hope you enjoy your day!  You certainly make our days richer and brighter!

Thank you, God, for the blessing of four fantastic gifts you've given us!  Today, we especially celebrate, Sarah Lynelle Ferenczy!  Our lovely "princess".

My Baby's Turning 9!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA!

Today we are celebrating Emma's ninth birthday!  Time flies when you're having fun!  Since the day she arrived, she has been our delight.  In honor of her day, I decided I would post a favorite video.  The video begins with the girls outside.  She's the one sporting the large hat.   Then join us at the dining room table where Emma decides that keeping us all laughing is quite fun!  We love you, Emma Beth, and hope you are having a fabulously fun day!

Mother's Day Reflection

Jean Lynelle Rodgers Craig

This is a picture of my mother many years before she became one.  I'm not exactly sure how old she was here, but isn't she lovely?  I look at her face, and in it is reflected my own, as well as my girls.  Emotions run deep here.  So much so, that it is difficult for me to put words to the page to adequately express my heart.  With that said, I just want to wish all you beautiful women out there a Happy Mother's Day.  

A passage of Scripture came to mind as I was thinking about being a mother and the depth of what motherhood brings into our lives.  Rather than try to explain it, I will just type it here, and let the words fall fresh on our hearts.  See if much of it doesn't ring true in some form or another regarding our job of mothering.  God bless you all, and may your day be filled with cherished memories from yesterday, joy-filled moments today, and dreams for tomorrow that keep you growing.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-11 

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil?  I have seen the burden God has laid on men.  He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

April 22, 1995

Seventeen years and counting...

On a lovely, sort of rainy/snowy day in Colorado Springs, Bill and I embarked on our marital pilgrimage!  With the worst cold I'd had in my then 30 years of living, I was barely able to speak those two important little words, "I do".  While Bill, started his journey as a husband, having to deal with the whole "in sickness and in health" business right from the start!

Mr. and Mrs. William Ferenczy

Since that day we have been through seventeen full and busy years of life together.  We have experienced great joy with the birth of all four of our children, and we have walked through the valley of the shadow of death when we experienced the miscarriage of one child, and the passing of his father and mine.

"Pop"    and    "Daddy"

We have enjoyed the blessing of fellowship with our extended families, and we have plumbed the depths of despair while being caregivers to my parents who both suffered with dementia/Alzheimer's.

Life's difficulties have been more bearable, and its joys richer as I have been blessed these years to journey with Bill.  I am so thankful.

"Mom"   and    "Mom"  : )

Now as we journey onward, we continue with God as our Constant Guide, and Faithful Sustainer.  Thank you to all of our friends and family who have been and will continue to be such a vital part of our lives.  We are richer because of you!  Here's to another seventeen and counting.....

Having our cake, and eating it too!

Note:  These snapshots are just some I grabbed from a photo album close at hand.  One of these days I'll break out the professional pics to post.  Until then....

Remembering....

This is one of my favorite pictures of my dad in his younger years.  I think it is because of his curls, that bit of mischief behind his eyes, and of course that perfectly charming smile!  Or, maybe it is just because it is a picture of my dad.

I miss his smile, and his corny jokes.  I miss hearing his voice, especially when he would sing one of his favorite hymns, "Because He Lives".   And oddly enough, I miss the sight of the cowboy boots that he was seldom without.  He never did look quite right in a pair of sneakers!

Two years ago today, I was sitting by his bed at the nursing home trying to be a voice of comfort and support as he ended his journey on this side of eternity.  It was a most difficult day for this daughter.  Many guilt feelings plagued my heart and mind that day as I sat vigil there.  In the midst of the quiet and sadness, God brought me comfort through nurses and hospice volunteers that day.

My heart was lifted as one nurse after another came in to check on him.  Each one mentioned something specific about him that they had discovered in his 72 days in their care.  One of the nurses had discovered his enjoyment of country music, and had watched videos with him on occasion.  She had tuned the TV in his room to CMT that morning.  Another peaked in to say how much she enjoyed his feisty attitude with her.  They would air box one another in a playful manner; she said she would miss that.  Still another nurse came in to check on him before heading up to the third floor to start her shift.  She had come to work there about the same time Dad had moved in.  She had ordered him a book about Oklahoma through their library system - a very thoughtful gesture indeed.  She teared up as she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, and said something to him about dancing.  I will be forever grateful for their gracious and compassionate care for him during his last days.  I couldn't be there, I am so thankful that they were.

So, today as I remember my dad, it is with mixed emotions of sadness and joy.  Though there are certainly things that I miss, and even that I regret, I live with the hope that I will see him again. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). When that day comes and we are united with our Savior and Lord, death behind us completely, I will hear him tell corny jokes, see him smile, hear him sing, and maybe even dance in his cowboy boots!

Happy Birthday, Meredith!

Thirteen years ago today, March 16th, 1999, we were blessed with our first daughter, Meredith!  She is a beautiful young lady with a heart for her Lord.  There seems to be no end to her creative ability, and she loves to minister to others.  (I will be sharing more about that in the near future).

  In honor of Meredith's birthday I decided to post a favorite video clip from her toddler years.  Whenever I was videotaping she always "wanted to see".  In this particular clip she is very vocal about it, and I couldn't help but get tickled at her.  I also love how she responds when I tell her to say hello to the camera.  It sounds like she says, "Heyyo, Hannah".

Meredith, we love you.    What a gift you are to us!  God bless you on your day!

The Not-So-Great Exchange!

Check this out.  Psalm 106:19-20 says,

19 At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. 20 They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.

Now, I just have to tell you that when I read this chapter in Psalms recently, I had to re-read these two verses several times.   When you read verse 19 you might almost let it go by because of the familiarity of the story, but then if you're paying attention when verse 20 rolls around.... WHAM!  They exchanged their WHAT?  For WHAT?  

"They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass."

Let me just say this; although I was stunned as I read those words, I can too easily relate.  No, I haven't recently exchanged my Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.  But, I have exchanged my Glory for many other lesser things.   Well, all things are lesser when compared to the Glory referred to in this verse.


Have you been exchanging your Glory for lesser things?  It is certainly something to pause and consider.  I'm sure with very little effort we could come up with an extensive list of other things that we settle for or look to:  food, shopping, hobbies, ministry, alcohol, sleep, friends, spouse, comfort, pets, money, reputation, power, religion... the list goes on and on.  One last question.  Why did they do this?  Why do we do this?


Check out verse 21:

21 They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,

They forgot.  We forget.  (See James 1:23-24)   


Let us be thoughtful and remember;  there is nothing worth the exchange of our Glory.  Nothing.


"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."    2 Corinthians 3:18

The Answer by Fire!

What comes to your mind when you think of fire?  Warmth?  Light?  S'mores?  Getting burned?  How about the fact that our God is a consuming fire? (Exodus 4:24; Hebrews 12:29)

Recently, I was reading 1 Kings 18.  It is a familiar story involving the prophet, Elijah.  However, we should never let familiarity keep us from studying a passage again.  Let's jump right into the middle of the account where Elijah issues a challenge to the prophets of Baal  (vs.22-24):

"Then Elijah said to them,  'I am the only one of the Lord's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.  Get two bulls for us.  Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it.  I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it.  Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord.  The god who answers by fire — he is God.'"

The prophets of Baal, miserably unsuccessful in the attempt to get their god to answer them, are about to experience the One True God.  It's Elijah's turn to call on the name of the Lord,  and he has set up the altar and directed the prophets of Baal to completely soak it in water.  Let's look at verses 36-39:

"At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed:  "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.  Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."  

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.  When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The Lord he is God!  The Lord — he is God!"

Are you facing odds that seem insurmountable?  Look to the One who answers by fire.... He is God!

Note:  I want to thank my friend, Lisa DeVinney, for the awesome fire pictures!

Happy Birthday, Josiah!

October 15, 1996, was the day he arrived on the scene.  I must admit that he captured my heart from the moment I first heard his beat.  Now, all he need do is smile, and I am pretty much conquered.  I have never been the mother of a fifteen year old boy, so this year will unveil a new part of our journey together.  

Josiah with Super Lolli!

Happy Birthday, Josiah!  Even though this post is showing up a few days late, I did actually type it up on your birthday.  My plan was to have a few more pictures; from your beginning days to present.  No such luck.  I scanned them in, but could never figure out how to get them from there to here...  One of these days I'll get all of this tech stuff figured out (maybe).  You could probably do it.  Why didn't I think of that?  Oh yeah, it was supposed to be a surprise.  Oh well, maybe next year.  I love you!

Something to Say

It has been longer than I would like since I last posted.  As I have often done in life, I went from one extreme to the other:  trying to write a new post every day to skipping entire weeks!  One of these days I hope to find a normal rhythm and stick to it!  The fact of the matter is.... though I always have "something to say", when I sit down here to type it, my mind just seems to go blank!  It is a rather frustrating thing because my mind seems to go non-stop!  Life is so full of inspiration, be it difficulties we go through, the beauty that surrounds us, family moments we want to remember, the list goes on and on.  So, I'm going to get back in to the swing of this blog thing by just saying... something!

I decided to go with something I'm looking forward to.  There is a new book coming out this week by one of my favorite authors.  I encourage you to get a copy and see what you think.  It's called, "Beautiful Outlaw", by John Eldredge.  http://g.christianbook.com/g/product/9/960881.gif    I have been looking forward to this for a while now.  If you can get your hands on a copy, I say DO IT!  I don't think you will be disappointed, and if you are you can come back and tell me about it (nicely)!  : )  God bless you all!   By the way, I'd love to hear about something you're looking forward to.  Just click on comments below, and tell me about it!

Five Days Behind

Well, I am five days behind in my personal challenge.  My goal was to write a new post every day for an entire year.  Unfortunately, my computer does not know or understand anything about my personal challenge, and therefore did not cooperate.  So, I'm picking up where I left off several days ago.

I guess the most important thing to take from this is that we can make all the plans we want, but interruptions   come, and can alter our course.  How will we respond?  I must admit that usually (and this time is no exception), I don't handle the road blocks of life very well.  Whether it's illness, a cranky computer, a car breakdown, or you name it;  I usually have a fit (of some sort.)  Just being honest here.  Now, I have learned to keep most of my fits "inside".  In other words, I don't have a loud, ugly tantrum every time something goes awry.  I do, however, have some serious wrestling matches in my heart and mind.

I think it all goes back to the flesh and spirit debate.  My spirit is willing to deal with whatever God allows along my path (because after all He is my Maker, and knows what I need), but my flesh is weak, and I'll take my comfort, security, everything-to-go-just-as-I-planned, thank you very much!  Nope, not going to happen. So, I will let out a big sigh, and say I am back on course (for now) with my posting plan.  Looking back on the last five days, it's probably best that I wasn't posting anything.  I'll leave it at that.

To Listen!

Today I stumbled across an article online about a famous musician from the 70's.  He had left behind his "glitzy showbiz" life because he wanted to deal with his addiction to alcohol and fame, and make a better life for himself and his family.  He had been out of the limelight for so many years that some of his fans had assumed that he was deceased.  A filmmaker who was also a fan, found out that he was still very much alive, and still famous in a certain part of Canada.  He contacted him to discuss doing a documentary.  


Long story short, he ended up doing the documentary even though he admitted to feeling uncomfortable about it.  After all, it put him back in the middle of the addiction temptations he had left behind.  For the conclusion of the documentary, he wrote a song that he feels tells the story of his life, and he hopes that people will not miss it as it is playing during the credits.  He concluded the article with this: 

"I hope people don't applaud through the credits at the end of the movie and then miss the song. Which would actually be an amazing comment on all of this. You feel like you do your best work, and it disappears in applause? I don't want the applause; I want you to listen!"

I found those last ten words to be very thought provoking.  Any thoughts?

 

It's Getting Late

It's getting late, and I really don't have much to say.  So, this is going to be one of those random posts about.... whatever happens to come to mind.  That's a scary thought.

Actually, we have finally started school out here in the Northeast!  Hurricane Irene followed by more flood-causing rain from Tropical Storm Lee, pushed the school start date all the way to September 12th!  I think even the kids were getting disappointed.  Once you get yourself psyched up about going back to school and it gets pushed back a week... well, let's just say it was causing some stress.  I'm not sure whose was more intense; the kids or mine?  : )

The girls and I started last week by doing one subject a day.  So, today was our first full day with all subjects (well almost all) on board!  There were a couple of glitches in our day that stretched it out a bit longer than I'd like.  But, we're using some new curriculum, and trying to find what will work best for us this year.  Let me just throw this out there while I'm at it.  I never really planned to homeschool my kids.  It came about after much prayer and thought.  I still don't feel adequate to the task, but am assured that I am not the only homeschooling mom that feels that way.  Plus, I do have a certified teacher in the house as back up should I really have trouble.  : )  Well, enough of my random chatting.  I must get to bed.  Morning comes early for us all!  God bless you.

Miss Universe

I have to admit I used to love watching beauty pageants.  It has been a long time since I've watched one though. As I was sitting down to check my email, and write my post, I turned on the TV for background noise, and the Miss Universe pageant was on.  I watched the evening gown competition, because, well, obviously, what girl doesn't love a gorgeous dress?  (Okay, some of them were lacking... here and there).    Then they narrowed the top ten down to five finalists, who were then asked a question by one of the judges.  I decided to share this with you mainly to tell you about Miss Philippine's question and answer (for this alone, she would have my vote).

She was asked if she would change her religion to marry the one she loved, why, and/or why not?  This was basically her answer: (Loose translation) "No, I would not change my religion to marry the one that I love. God is the one I love first, and if someone loved me for who I am they would love my God, too!"

If everyone else in the house wasn't in bed already, I think I might have shouted, "You go girl!"

Speechless

After watching the coverage today of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, I basically find myself speechless.  It doesn't bother me, I have learned that I don't always have to say something.

However, I had challenged myself to post on my blog every day for a year (what was I thinking?).  So, I needed to get on here to say something.  I have nothing profound to share, so I will just say that I am thankful for so many things:  my family, my home, my health, my ability to hope, my relationship with Jesus that grows sweeter with the passing of time, and for the simple opportunity to "say" anything.  If you're reading, thank you.  I hope you are thankful for many things this day as well.

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Remembering 9/11

9/11 is a day that everyone remembers.  Most of us (old enough to read at that time) can probably tell anyone willing to listen; where we were, and what we were doing that fateful morning.  I was at home with two of my children.  The oldest was in Kindergarten.  Bill was at work already.  I remember wishing that we were all together.  (In hindsight, maybe this was a motivating factor in my growing desire to homeschool my kids).

I distinctly remember watching in disbelief as those towers fell; forcing myself to deal with the reality of what was happening, all the while wondering... what IS happening?  I had to tell myself, this is not special effects in a movie.   These are real lives... too many lives... devastated.

We had only been in our "new" home for a couple of months.  I was still trying to adjust to life in New York.  One of the first concerns for me was our family who live and work near "the city", and our neighbor who was a firefighter in NYC.  All of our family was fine, and it turned out that our neighbor was not on duty that day. So, he was alive, though no doubt greatly affected.  He, of course, along with any other firefighters who were not on duty were immediately called in.  This man worked tirelessly alongside so many others for months on end.  Though he did not lose his life that day, he had to leave his job a few years ago because of health issues related to that horrible event.  He is younger than I am (I'm 46).  A bit early for this young man to retire, but he had no choice.

He has a get together with friends and family every year on September 11th.  I think it is his way of honoring all those who lost their lives that day.  He is not one to talk alot about his experience, it is too hard.  Too raw. So, he spends time with the people he loves, and cherishes those moments in his quiet, unassuming way.  This year he was invited to the city for a special memorial event with other firefighters.  I was saddened to hear that he would not be allowed at the Memorial Site Dedication Ceremony (at Ground Zero), because he did not lose a family member.  ???????   I don't know, I just think that's wrong, but they didn't ask my opinion.  

Let us always remember.  Let us learn to cherish the moments we're given.  Let us continue to pray for our nation, and for our enemies.  Let us love those around us more intentionally.  Let us rejoice in each new day.   God bless you.