More mourning, more hoping

This morning, someone special ran into the arms of Jesus in great victory. I urge you to click here as I am remembering him today and thanking God for the work He's done through this great man. Like his daughter so wisely said, cancer lost. He is now fully healed and fully alive in the presence of Jesus and for that, we are joyful.

But if you can, pray for his family.

While you're at it, talk to the Lord about strengthening my family's heart as well- especially my mom. It was my dad's birthday yesterday and we all miss him a lot. She's also having to say goodbye to her mother who will finish her race any day now. We just said goodbye to her dad in September.

My older sister has lost her father-in-law, grandmother-in-law, and grandfather all within weeks of each other, and now we're having to say goodbye to Gran, too.

All that to say, it's just a lot of mourning.

The good news is that these are but momentary and light afflictions. We have great Hope. This is not the end of the story.

How could I possibly endure if this weren't the truth? Geesh...

Wherever you are, I urge you to put your trust and hope in Jesus Christ. He is good. He is faithful. He leads with great love. And I say this to you in the midst of great sorrow. He is real and He came to bind up our broken hearts and free us from our bondage to sin.

The thing is, one day, all of us will face death. I want to live well and be ready for that day.

Don't you?

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

How full is your tank today?

It turns out that you can do a lot of things for your children and yet miss out on giving them what they need the most: your time.

Anna Grace Chaney is my Exibit A. Lately, she's been losing her cool at the slightest glitch in life and for a while, it befuddled Jack and me. We were at a loss until, that is, we sat down to think about it. We then decided that she just needed a refueling of what my friend likes to call her "love tank."

All children are different and therefore their hearts respond differently in different situations, but I've learned that Anna Grace is a little more sensitive than your Average Joe. It really matters to her that we stop what we're doing and really listen to her and tune in to what's on her heart.

I'm happy to report that after a breakfast at Chick-fil-a with her daddy and some time alone with mom, the song returned to her heart. It took a lot of listening and a lot of talking, but she just needed to feel heard- and she really didn't have anything much to say.

But it brought the song back to her heart.

Last night as she took her shower, she had me sit in the bathroom and write the lyrics to the song she was creating. In case you can't read it, the highlights include "I sing this song with all my heart, I sing this song like birds in a tart," and, "My heart is great, my heart is good, it's good for beating, it's good for hood, and now this song is about to end, thank you Lord for my song."

I wish you could hear her sing it. She, of course, decorated it and hung it on a piece of cardboard in Zeke's room.

It was amazing. And it got me thinking about my own love tank- how I fill it or don't fill it and what the repercussions are in my life. How do I lash out when I haven't filled up- when I don't take the time out with my Heavenly Father to be heard, to be loved?

Turns out, it's important. It's a matter of the heart.

Maybe I should sign off to go fill 'er up...

They're goin to the chapel

I've gotten a lot of bad news lately, so I'm REALLY happy to have gotten THE call last night.

My sweet sister-in-law Kate and her boyfriend Patrick are getting married!!!!!!!

We huddled around Jack's phone last night as she gave us the news and we all shrieked with joy. Of course, Anna Grace asked if she could be the flower girl, prompting Zeke to ask if he could be Superman.

Of course. What's a wedding without a flowergirl and a Superman?

Congratulations, Kate and Patrick! May your life together be blessed!

If you came to my house today

You'd see that my geraniums are blooming... again.

Hello, second trimester!

I try not to be too concerned about how I look like I'm more like 25 weeks pregnant than 13, but this is my third baby and I only have 5 feet and one inch of height to work with so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the comments from the peanut gallery started today in full force. It was amazing.

However, I'm parading my pregnant pooch and I'm proud of it.

I can't wait to meet this baby.

And I think if it's a girl I might have to include Hope in her name in some way. I would have a hard time even starting to describe the myriad of ways that we're dealing with death right now. I just can't even begin to go into all of it, but like I told my sister tonight, if I didn't know Jesus, it would be pretty ugly right now. And depressing.

I need a little Hope.

Don't we all?

The intruder

Because you asked, Melissa....

I pulled up to the house on Friday morning only to find a furry creature sunning himself on the windowsill of my bedroom.

Great. I really had a busy day lined up and this little guy ruined my plans for a shower, among other things.

However, overall, I'm grateful for all this little rodent taught me.

So, because I know you want to know, here's the list:

1. Animal control and all other pest control services wash their hands of squirrels. I don't know why they discriminate, but they do. No help there.
2. You can get some really amusing although largely unhelpful advice when you solicit it on Facebook via a frantic status update (VexCon?, squirrel stew).
3. It's kind of fun to call your best friend and kind of screech about it. I mean, when your days kind of run together sometimes like mine do, a squirrel in your house can kind of ruin your day, but also add a little excitement.
4. I am completely and utterly inept at the business of pest control. I may like the "Brown Squirrel" song, but I don't ever want to get anywhere near them as they shake their bushy tails.
5. Never, and I mean never, underestimate what Jack Chaney can do with his hard hat, safety goggles, and a broom. If only I had a picture of that part of our Friday afternoon excitement...

Singing bird, flowing fountains

Kathy, one of my most faithful encouragers and recent traveler to the top of a Hawaiian volcano (isn't this picture amazing?), sent me an email on Thursday letting me know that I and the hymn "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" were on her heart and mind.

Of all the lyrics, "singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee" really stuck out to me.

Call me crazy, but all I could think about were my two kids. My singing bird? Anna Grace. My flowing fountain? Zeke's victory in potty training. He doesn't wear diapers- ever. Not even at night. It's amazing and wonderful. I'm thankful for flowing fountains of urine. Is that weird?

I guess I just have the mind of a mother.

But I'm dead serious. It causes me to rejoice in Jesus.

Not only that, but for the Father love reigning over me and Kathy- binding us together in a bond even death cannot break. I am so grateful.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.

May you find Joy today. Like my peculiar joy found at the toilet goes to show, it may be in the oddest or most ordinary place, but it's waiting for you just the same.

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

Picture of the Day

Proverbs 15:13 "A happy heart makes the face cheerful"

by Nora Greer