For the Sake of the Call

2008-09-15T21:36:00.004-06:00

It's hard to imagine how I could ever put into words all that has filled this past month of my life... So much has happened... and yet, there is very little I could say that could ever be more true than simply this: God has been so abundantly good to me, my precious friends.

I am recently engaged, and I'm soon to wed the best man I've ever known, one of the kindest men God has ever brought into my life. So, it is with great gratitude and deepest honor that I am able to introduce you to Chaney Rutherford.

We'll be married at First Baptist Church of San Antonio on December 20th, 2008 at 5 p.m. and will be so blessed to have those we love near at hand. In fact, my precious friend, Aimee Wheeler Moore, is even returning for the Christmas holiday from her missions in China (for the first time in a year-and-a-half and the last time for another two years.) Many other dearly-beloved friends and family will be there to celebrate alongside us...

I'm simply wanting to share the goodness of God with you all here... and wanting to say how much I love you--each and every one. May the Lord bless you!

2008-07-13T00:25:00.007-06:00

This is me, saying "Good night" and telling you all how dearly I love you... I know time flies, these days, and before I know it, friends have moved, kindred spirits have married, siblings have grown, loved ones have gone to God, and the world has changed around me, yet again. No matter how things change around me, however... no matter how much even I, myself, change within... God never changes. He looks down with the same faithful countenance of love that He has turned on humanity, through the centuries past... and the gaze that has granted mercy to millions still finds grace to lavish on even me. What a beautiful God. Farewell, my loves. Remember that I hold you dear, but--most of all--remember the love of One whose heart never falters, whose mercy never fails, whose goodness never changes. The name of that perfect One is Jesus... and He is utterly in love with you.

2008-06-09T00:58:00.003-06:00

Hello, sweet friends! I realize it's far too late for me to be sitting here, enjoying the pleasures of conversation with you all, but I simply can't help myself. :) In just a few fleeting hours, I'll be boarding a flight bound for Luhansk, Ukraine. What wonders hath God wrought! While there, I will be greeted by two weeks' evangelism missions and music ministry. I'm entralled with the provision of such rich opportunities for the advancement of my beloved Lord's kingdom, and I can't wait to see all that He will do in the coming days. More than all else, I'm praying that this endeavor will bring great glory to His name; it's the highest calling I could ever hold--to bring Him pleasure and honor... God be with you, my dear friends! Lord willing, I'll hope to be soon rejoining you here. :)

Shalom!

2008-06-03T02:05:00.003-06:00

Hello, my dear ones! I have been fair-weathering and have long since left you here. I am very sorry, loves... I always pray that none in my circle of influence judge my Father God too harshly by looking at me; it could never be fair. When I have forsaken, He remains faithful. When I have forgotten, He remembers. When I am failing, then is He victorious. All that is good in me is solely birthed of Him; all that is bad is simply a reflection of my failure to embrace His presence in my soul. So look on, my friend, and mark the measure of a man in looking at me, but know ever that my faults are mine alone to bear and that my merits are solely Christ's. I pray that my life may be lived in such a manner as to be worthy of His high calling; I desire that honor only would be brought to this Name most beloved by my heart... Good night, my dear ones... and thank you for continuing to stand beside me. All my love...

2007-09-09T19:07:00.000-06:00

Hello, dear ones! For once, I've actually made a return visit here in under a month. Aren't you all so proud of me? I know it's a rather small accomplishment, but for a languishing blogger like myself, the progress isn't half-bad. :)

Life is going alright here. There are many things to fill my days, and I'm daily learning more and more about what's really important in life. These are good times for my soul..sometimes a little hard, but nonetheless, tremendously valuable.

I've just finished a full day of Sabbath worship services and activities, and I'm truly grateful for the opportunities to celebrate being a child of God. He's so very good to us, and each day just lets me fall more in love with His grace.

2007-08-13T22:55:00.000-06:00

I'm writing with so much on the heart and yet so little to write. :) Such a fool am I! Let it suffice to say that life is rushing by me with lightning speed... so much can happen in such a short time. In the latest news, my mother and brother, Brent, returned from the mission field in Nicaragua, I sent off a hundred songs to the Library of Congress Copyright Office, I was blessed to serve as the maid-of-honor in my best friend's wedding, I saw her off at the airport for her honeymoon to Scotland and her following move to the Chinese mission field, our church worship ministry unexpectedly took a turn for a "rest period," I've found the company of old friends still as precious as ever and the company of present loved ones a refreshment to my soul, teaching lessons continues several days a week, I now know I'm a rather industrious warehouse worker when Dad's company has need of me, I have two remaining courses until my college is completed, and some nights, I sleep. :) God has been tremendously good to me. Whether in rain, shine, joy, or sorrow, He's simply so gracious, and I continue to stand in awe...

I love you all so much and pray that God is blessing each and every one of you. The Lord be with you, dear ones. I'll try to write again soon and leave behind me the apostasy of my wandering ways... You see, I never meant to "desert" any of you here, and I promise to come again, as soon as I can. All my love...

2007-07-06T23:12:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to say...

"Yes, I'm still alive, and despite my shameful lack of words during these past many months, I love you all dearly."

...Truly, I do, dear ones.

God be with you!

2007-05-12T22:43:00.000-06:00

It's a calm night around me, and I feel God is filling my spirit, also, with a great inexplicable peace... I love these silent hours spent waiting before Him. Oh, that my Father will, all my days, permit me to worship there!

May the Lord be with you...and all my love, as well.

Good-bye, dear ones. :)

2007-05-05T21:42:00.001-06:00

My dear friends, I know I'm terrible...

My lack of dedication to my little site here is utterly appalling. Feel free to report me to the Better Blogging Bureau. :)

To be very honest, I really am still here, and I'm sorry my attentions have been slightly apostate, during the past months. As much as I truly, truly love writing, I've simply been too tired to even visit my own site, let alone leave any fresh words on it.

Fortunately enough, I'm now resolved to try harder and make time in life for what's truly important. One of those many things is the fellowship with friends--even through something as "trivial" as my humble "For the Sake of the Call."

So, I'll write soon and visit often, remembering you all in my prayers, when I'm not to be found here. God's got great plans for each and every one of you, and I pray each step will find you drawing ever nearer to the richest beauties of His heart.

The Lord bless you!

2007-04-18T23:09:00.000-06:00

I'm so tired tonight... wholly exhausted by life in all its complexity, beauty, difficulty, blessings, and wonder. This is a "good tired"--just the fulfillment of knowing that I continue living the life God meant for me to live and falling into bed at night, having given my all in seeking after what's truly His best.

Good night, my dear ones.

May God ever be near you...

2007-03-29T01:37:00.000-06:00

The cacophony of the busy day has finally settled itself. I find, in its place, a quiet, lulling melody of nighttime wind and crickets "singing" in the soft moonlight. It's a beautiful, restful evening, one in which I find myself especially aware of God's goodness in my life, and I've decided to sit down for a little while and simply list the blessings given me by His hand...

1.) Salvation and redemption--I can't put their worth into words. 2.) A heavenly home awaiting me. 3.) A priceless relationship with my loving Father God. 4.) Limitless opportunities to serve my Lord and minister at His feet, mirroring His heart to others. 5.) Parents who have faithfully led me in love and righteousness, all my days. 6.) Siblings that mean more to me than life itself. 7.) My sweetheart: a precious, Godly man growing ever dearer to me; I see more beauties of his character with the passing of each day. 8.) Friends that have been at my side, through laughter and tears; these relationships have become even more treasured through our journeys together. 9.) Music...and how my life gets to be "wrapped up" in something so profoundly moving to the soul. 10.) Health and a passion for life.

11.) A strong roof over my head and a warm bed in which to find shelter from the night. 12.) The pleasures of learning, through which both the mind and soul can be strengthened. 13.) Friends who are engaged. (I love seeing God work in your lives...Congratulations, dear ones!) 14.) Resurrection Sunday is coming soon...Oh, how I long to be in the sanctuary, rejoicing in Christ's triumph over death and hell! 15.) Four babies whose unwed parents have made the choice to lovingly bring them into this world...God be praised and may He bless you, precious little ones. 16.) Showers of blessing have come to Texas. :) 17.) My best friend, Aimee, is returning from the China mission field in a mere five days. (I can't wait to welcome you home with a grateful embrace, dear friend!) 18.) I have the joy of teaching music to children...and much more. I'm given the privilege of ministering to their souls, as I guide their fingers and grow their minds. How good God is... 19.) The Lord has given me the blessing of hard work; I go to bed exhausted every night, having lived life to its fullest and redeeming the days. 20.) I know I am loved...by God and so many others. Few hearts may ever know such blessedness.

The evening hours are fading into those of the morning, so I'd best be off to bed now. I couldn't leave you all, however, without first telling of God's great kindness. Each of you, to me, are a dear and beautiful gift from a loving Father, and I just had to tell you before I could sleep. :)

"God has been very good to us...very good, indeed."

2007-03-19T22:55:00.000-06:00

This little entry shall have to be a dedicatory one...my precious friend, one of the oldest and dearest of my heart, is engaged!

Congratulations, Aimee!

For those of you who don't know her, I have to share a bit of her story, for it is really incredible. God's providential hand was so evident, every step of the way, and I think it's all a beautiful example of trusting your life entirely to His sovereign guidance.

I've known Aimee for the past fourteen years, and as far back as I can remember, she's had a heart deeply called to missions. Not just any mission work, mind you. :) God has given her an incredible heart toward children, and she wanted to serve him in an orphanage.

For many years, while living here, (a very comfortable seven miles away from me), she has served her family with an awe-inspiring dedication and servant-heartedness. This rare spirit's beauty became even more evident, when her first nephew was seriously handicapped. I watched my friend love the little boy beyond the expression of words. He felt her love in every warm smile, careful spoonful of food, patting of the back, comforting embrace, and many more expressions of her loving concern for him.

I know that God always creates everyone uniquely and with special abilities for His use, but I must say, God did an incredible thing, when He created Aimee. She has a heart so big, it wasn't right for me and a few privileged others to be holding it here. It belonged to the whole world because it belonged to Jesus.

After many, many years of waiting on the Lord to show her His direction for her future, a young man came into her life, last fall. He was an American missionary serving in China, and she has spent the last three months staying in Tianjin with a missionary woman, to see if the Lord would lead her in accepting a call to China missions. "What was the mission?" you may ask...

...serving as a missionary in a Chinese orphanage for handicapped children...

I could not have orchestrated a better setting for her, had I tried with all my might. That's why it's so much better to let God have the reins of our lives; His ways are so much better. :)

Several days ago, the man serving as a full-time missionary there took Aimee out to the Great Wall of China, got down on his knees, and asked her to be his wife. After having the gorgeous ring placed on her finger and finding tears as they coursed her face, she accepted him.

...And so, my precious friend is returning from China to be married here, before returning to the Orient again as the new Mrs. Robert Moore. I'm thrilled for her...and a little selfishly grieved for my own loss, but I know God has great, great things in store for her, and I wouldn't dream of standing in the way of the wonders He would perform in the world. All He asks is yielded hearts...hers is ready, and so is mine. So with gratitude for God's faithfulness, I say "Blessed be the name of the Lord," and may He richly bless my sweet friend and kindred spirit, as she sets out upon this new journey with her Savior.

"What hath God wrought?" ...Wonders of His grace, and I'm so awed to see His hand at work. :)

God be with you, Aimee.

2007-03-12T21:43:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had "one of those days"? I'm sure you know the type of which I speak... little sunshine, sickness or exhaustion, people who take delight in pressing you to a breaking point, too many other people needing things of you, etc. :)

Well, today was "one of those days" for me, and you know, I'm think I'm okay with that. I sat here tonight, trying to figure out what I could have done differently, when I could have been more patient--where I simply could have done better--and I came to one conclusion... In every overwhelming circumstance, I could have given more love. While much of the world never offers as much as is needed, those in the Body of Christ should know that one can never give too much love. Today, I could have listened more, turned the other cheek a few more times, and sacrificed more of my own personal "rights" that I'm so fond of claiming.

There's just one problem with personal rights: as Christians, we surrender such things to our Savior. When we dedicate our lives to Him, He becomes the One Who guards our time, emotions, money, effort, and so many other things. When someone trespasses on my kindness, are they truly affronting me, or is it my Savior whose heart they are wounding? When my efforts are wasted by the insensitivities of others, is it my day which seems a failure, or is it my Redeemer Who mourns that His gift to others is not more willingly accepted?

Where is my focus, my friends? I find myself wondering that more and more, with the passing of each day... Confronted with hatefulness, do I adopt the heart of Christ and find myself viewing the antagonist through Heaven's eyes, or am I simply too concerned critiquing how many of my rights were squelched in the process? It's wrong, and I'm ashamed, but far too often, the latter of the two options is my accepted means for the moment.

I am meant to be Christ to a dying world. I cannot be that, if I continually allow myself to be dying alongside them in a heart drowned by its own resentments. How much better to be "crucified with Christ"--to allow myself to give all I can give, to sacrifice till there is nothing more to be withheld, and to pour forth so much love that people will look on me and know only Heaven could be the source of a devotion so great. It is not easy...no, not at all. Such a commitment will exhaust; such a calling will exact a high price of the giver. It will hurt, sometimes deeply, and more often than contemporary Christians would willingly admit, it will cause death--death to self, death to personal preferences and comforts, death to rights we believe we hold, death to rest and peace, and even death to our pride, which is sometimes the most painful.

There is good news, however. In the midst of "dying" in so many ways and giving up the life we thought we were owed, we begin to find the life for which we were truly meant. Christ's heart within us births love...His love which pours forth from us to a dying world. It is a painful process, but we are united with Christ "in the fellowship of His sufferings," and we begin to live life that knows no bounds. There is nothing more freeing than life in Christ. He leads us to a heavenly home beside Him, and all along the way, He allows us to be His hands and feet to those Who most need Him...that is, if we will allow our Savior to use us.

So, here I stand... I'm humbled by the reality of my own willingness to flee the cross we each must bear, and I'm even more humbled to realize that the same Redeemer, Who once saved me, still seeks to use me--broken though I be--in leading others to His saving embrace.

"I have been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live,

But Christ who lives in me.

And the life I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God,

Who loved me and gave himself for me."

Galatians 2:20

Let us purpose to leave behind the life into which we were first born and embrace the life we were meant to live...a life of quiet devotion, a life of world-changing passion, one of sacrifice and death to self, and a life wherein we give all the love of which we once thought ourselves incapable. Let it not be we who live, but Christ Who lives within us. Then, and only then, will "one of those days" become an opportunity in which we may be Christ to the world in which He's placed us: a reflection of His light to shadowed hearts.

2007-03-01T00:10:00.000-06:00

I've found myself wandering in my thoughts tonight, while I've tried to devote myself to homework. Of course, a more commendable student would have ignored such things and kept to the task at hand, but I could not. You see, my dear ones, I could no longer bear not talking with you here, in this little world I call "For the Sake of the Call." I guess that's the funny thing about it all... My calling, ministry, work, and education often so deluge me, it's difficult to stop awhile just to say "hello" and "I'm thinking of you," much less, really see what the Lord's doing in all of your lives. If anything is certain (besides the Lord's great love for His children), it is that you are very special to me. Whether I ever have the chance to stop by and say so as oft' as I should, hear me now. All you family, friends, confidants, loved ones, and even strangers...you are all a part of what makes me love this little site in which I tell of my heart, and your lives have made my own so much more beautiful. I thank you and ask that God will continue to work His perfect will in all your hearts, drawing you ever nearer to Him and to all the dreams He has dreamed for you.

Good night, dear friends!

2007-02-19T21:12:00.000-06:00

It's Amy, my dear friends. I'm sure you suspect that I've been stolen away and this is some impostor...but, no, a graver truth is to be realized: I have been too busy to even visit my own site, let alone write in it. :) I'm really am so sorry, dear ones.

In an humble effort at reconciliatory writing, I've provided quite a little story for all my friends here to read tonight. If you happen to have a few minutes, pull up a cozy chair and sit awhile to read some of the quiet occurrences of my life.

This tale comes from the last night I spent in Glasgow, a journey now many months distant from my present thoughts. The story tells a great deal of even more distant history in my life, however, and that is why I thought it just might bring you some pleasure. Enjoy the not-so-important recollections of my heart which, truth be told, are very precious to me... :)

********************

There was one more grace of Heaven that would find my soul, in the final hours before my dawn departure for home. I was allowed, at last, to find the birthplace of my instrument, the beloved violin that has sung the melodies of my soul for so long now. Crafted in Glasgow’s Hinshaw Street, in 1875, by John M. Crindle, the violin was priceless to me. It came to my hands only through God’s great mercy, and every day of my musician’s life has been spent in trying to return to my heavenly Father a small portion of the immense blessing He poured out on me. I desperately desired to be a faithful steward of the gift given. Thus, when the hour had grown late, the fingers were raw, and every joint was throbbing, it was still too little a price with which to repay the glory of God’s great goodness. Since the time I was a young girl, there was a friendship developing in my heart, a relationship of mutual appreciation with a “lowly instrument.” You see, my heart had songs still silent, and the instrument needed hands to help it sing. God has a mysterious way of putting people and things together in this life, but every union—no matter how colossal or commonplace—is always meant for His eternal purposes. Such was my story. The first time I ever saw the instrument that was “soon to be mine,” I remember having this dull ache of disappointment. In orchestra, every other child held a newly-made violin, shiny and fiery in hue of varnish. My violin was old and very dull in varnish, the color of the wood underneath being a simple mocha color. I even noticed that there were a couple of tiny dents and nicks in the wood, likely wounds from another lifetime. I’d never have let my face betray me, but it was with a sigh of resignation that I picked up the bow and made sure the strings were in tune. Before I even drew the bow across the strings or heard the first note, my hand went to grasp the neck, and I remember thinking “Hmmm…that wood’s incredibly smooth, how beautiful.” When the first note did come forth, that was the end of my silent struggle. In a single moment, God took a part of my heart and made sure the violin would never again leave it. That day, I went home, bearing a simple case in hand. It contained an instrument that was going to find its place in the world, its place in the great purposes of a loving Father. I did not then know that life would be a struggle. My youth was still with me; all was yet beautiful in my eyes, and I had barely started to know the heartbreaks of this world. Many a night was spent, pouring myself out to the Lord in a sacrifice of preparation for His use. So few ever know the hidden life of one whose worship is to be given through music. Slowly, I awakened to the realities, sometimes cruel, of living in this world. Though it sounds peculiar to others, I know what I say is true: within a mere chapter of life, an almost-overlooked violin had become one of my truest friends. If anything, the wounds in its wood were made only more beautiful, for they helped me not to feel so badly, when I let hot tears course down my face and over the instrument’s wooden one. I knew the violin had borne a few marks of the reality of life already. While I was yet a small girl, I started to dream of visiting the place in which this priceless gift had been created. To most, Scotland would have seemed a rather outlandish dream for such a young child, but a loving Father was looking down, and He did not think it so nonsensical a desire. By the time I’d grown to be a young woman, a little girl’s dream had become reality. I was standing quietly in the empty Hinshaw Street of Glasgow’s “Old Town.” This was the place in which had been birthed a friend, something with which my soul had been knit these many years in praise to God. Just steps away, mere wood had been humbly carved by a man who never knew the true worth of the task then at hand. Over a century before my birth, God was already preparing my way in this world…and I was standing in the place where a story of faithfulness first began.

******************** I hope you enjoyed the story. :) Until we are together again, may God richly bless all of you. Thank you for being such faithful friends... I'll try to visit with you more often, but remember always that each and every one of you are in my thoughts and prayers. :) God be with you, dear ones!

Blessings Always,
Amy

2007-02-12T00:12:00.000-06:00

February's second week has now come and gone, and I wish so greatly that I'd been more able to write lately. Life has circling around me with ceaseless course work, teaching music lessons, worship ministry, work in the musical secretary arena, helping a friend to begin a new business, travel, etc.

I just wanted to take a few moments to let all of you know that I'm doing well...just really exhaused. :)

I love you all, my dear friends. God be with you!

2007-01-31T01:14:00.000-06:00

First, must come all my apologies for seemingly abandoning all of you here. Believe it or not, I'm a better friend than this, in real life. :)

You can't imagine all with which my past week's days have been filled. Let it suffice to say, I feel as though it's a great accomplishment, if I'm simply "still standing" at the end of each day. :)

Since I last wrote spoke with you here, I've said farewell to my best friend, Aimee, as she left for several months' ministry to disabled orphans in China. This mission holds so much of her heart, and I'm thrilled to watch all that the Lord is doing in her life right now. I would be feigning strength, however, if I did not admit that I miss her very greatly.

Sometimes, God's greatest purposes mean we must set aside the treasured things of our heart, for a time...it's as though, in our letting go, He's most able to use us and those we love for His Kingdom. Please, remember her in your prayers, as the Lord brings her to mind.

"Behold, you have instructed many,
And you have strengthened the weak hands.
Your words had upheld him who was stumbling,
And you have made firm the feeble knees..."
Job 4:3-4

Also, several days ago, I went to a wedding held in a gorgeous Victorian mansion, just inside Dallas. The wedding party was standing all along a staircase, splendidly crafted of oak, and it was a beautiful ceremony...almost. Right as the groom was giving his bride her rind, I heard a sickening "thud" and looked just in time to see the ring bearer had collapsed in a heat-induce faint and was rolling down the stairs. ...Never before in my life... the entire wedding stopped for ten minutes so that the officiant and a groomsman could carry the 11-year-old away to receive some help. By the time everything started, once more, the officiant thought he had lost the groom's ring. By the grace of God, he had not, and the ceremony finally drew to a close, with a greatly "relieved" ending kiss by the couple. :)

(Yes, I know the picture's sideways...I just wanted you all to see the staircase, but it's getting far too late to spend much more time on editing, etc.) :) I know, I'm so terrible... :)

Last night, we lost our last little puppy from the trouble -stricken litter, born to us in the middle of the ice storm, 15 days ago. I cried like a baby, I have to admit. I just had so much heart invested in the tiny little girl. I suppose that's what happens, when you don't sleep hardly at all for two weeks straight, just trying to help something survive through the night. Anyway, we'll miss the puppy that so endeared herself to our hearts.

By the grace of God, there was something else there that could lay its head in my lap and comfort me. My precious Great Dane puppy has arrived, and the mother dog, which we also bought, has become one of Mother's dearest companion. :)

My puppy won't stay this small for long, but I'm delighting in this stage, as long as I can. The little girl pup is adorable and loves to sleep. Whenever I take her up in my arms and rub her belly or her ribs, she begins to moan quietly, much like a cat purrs to show its pleasure.

In fact, my puppy so loves to make the noises anytime she's in my arms, we've all named her "Moaner Lisa." :)

( To the left, you'll see the mother, Maggie, and her little puppy, Moaner Lisa, is to be see in the photograph to the right.) :) They've both become absolute joys to us all, and I'm really grateful that they've found their homes in our hearts.

An interesting occurrence, this past week...our pastor, very diligently, wanted to prepare our sanctuary for this Sunday's baptismal service. On Thursday, he went to turn on the baptistery's faucet. He wanted to let the water have a good chance to be heated before the Sunday service, so he got "a head start" on the project. Knowing the baptistery would take a full 45 minutes to fill, he left, having turned the water on around 10:30 in the morning, and went back over to the office to continue in his studies.

Around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, he suddenly realized he'd forgotten about the running water.

Clutching keys in his hand, he ran to the sanctuary. First bad sign: water was running out the side door and across the sidewalk. The key wouldn't work in that door. He continued running to the next face of the building, trying to find a workable lock. (All of our locks were in the middle of being changed, and a very small number were fully functional before the weekend.) :) Second bad sign: the rear wall of the building had water streaming through the mortar of the stone exterior walls.

When our pastor finally reached a door his key would open, he stepped into the main entryway and saw a sight that surely made his heart stop...

Water was pouring down the baptistery staircases like Amazonian waterfalls, and an inch of water had filled the entire sanctuary. Sound cables were submerged; an piano and organ were trying to stand their ground amid ripples of water rushing toward the front entrance of the building; carpets were soaked; boxes in storage were nearly floating; and papers were drifting about aimlessly in the growing pools.

Over the next three days, every item in our building that was not nailed down had to be moved or removed. Hundreds of chairs were stacked away. Our entire sound system was dismantled and dumped in heaps wherever there was dry ground to be found. Risers were moved. The stage was pulled apart. Emergency water extraction personnel turned the building into a 97 degree inferno of hot air vents and tubes which snaked their way over every square inch of floor to be seen.

Oh, yes, it was an experience.

I actually really feel badly for our pastor. What's so ironic is that he's really a very responsible person, when it comes to day by day life. He's, also, an architect, of all things, and I can only imagine what was going through his mind, as he first saw the soggy drywall and submerged wiring. :) Poor guy...

Come Sunday, a "task force" of a dozen men came to try and reassemble the sanctuary, as the hour approached for the morning's worship service. The funniest part was the eight deacons trying to agree on the best way to position the hundreds of chair, once more. :)

I feel a little silly, quoting through all the "little things" of this week. In truth, there are many things which remain unsaid...partially because they would be burdensome to the heart and partly because I'm simply too tired to recount them right now. :)

What could not remain unsaid, however, is this: how very dearly I love you all and how glad I am that I'm able to share life with each and every one of you. :) What a gracious gift of God!

For now, I'm heading off to bed. (This is another one of those drafts that took me two days to complete...ahhh; how embarrassing. What's become of me?!?) :) All that to say, thank you for being here with me and for "hanging in there" when the words are few...and many. :)

One last picture...

Moaner Lisa and I say "good night!" :)

2007-01-17T14:56:00.000-06:00

As I imagine, quite a few of you have been able to participate in this latest seasonal phenomenon, rarely before seen in Texas--a little surprise I call "winter." :) Several days ago, the winds picked up, and temperatures began to plummet. Before another three days had passed, the thermometers seemed frozen somewhere around 25 degrees, and ice had effectively entombed every visible surface outdoors. More than a few times, power flickered off and on, and our first night without power found me writing my evening work by candlelight. I can't say it bothered me too greatly...I'm far too much of a romantic at heart. :)

The evening hours spent in quiet solitude would not last long, however. Monday evening found our family in a flurry of activity, despite the silence of the frost forming outside our stone walls. Bryan was to be returning from his Mexico missions, a full day earlier than planned. Torrential rains and fierce storms had driven the group out of the heart of Mexico's interior, and when the group's leaders heard of the impending Texas storms, they all had no choice but to rush homeward, as quickly as possible. It was midnight, Monday night, by the time the weary travelers finally arrived safely back at our church in Boerne. Mother and Daddy had made the treacherous drive to pick him up there and bring him back home to us, but driving conditions slowed them so greatly that the three did not get back to our house until after 1:30 in the morning. We were in the middle of getting Bryan back inside with his things and situating our animals for the most warmth possible, when Mother noticed that one of our Maltese dogs was a little damp. Upon closer inspection, we found the dog was in labor.

The happy little dog had herself in a bit of a fix, you see. First of all, she wasn't even supposed to be "with pup." :) Our chihuahua puppy and she had shared a back porch of our home, and the five month old pup apparently was a little lovestruck by the beautiful Maltese. Long story short, they were caught "red-handed." Mother called up the vet, saying, "Is that Chihuahua pup even old enough to cause any trouble?" The vet replied that we should be perfectly fine..."The pup's really little and quite a bit too young." Well... apparently, the Chihuahua was perfectly mature enough. As if all of this was not already a bit unusual, another factor had to be added to the situation. The labor was coming days ahead of schedule; Mother and I would be walking the dog through premature labor...not fun.

By the grace of God, I've been gifted with a mother who made her living as an RN specializing in Labor and Delivery. Such training comes to be very valuable in many areas of life, one of which is helping a mother dog in distress. :) Many years ago, our family, also, professionally raised Maltese puppies; so this was not "our first time around the block" with such situations. This was, however, the first time we would be experiencing premature labor, and I can honestly now say, it is much more difficult and misleading. A full 18 hours would pass before all three puppies were born, two of which actually survived. They were a beautiful pair: a tiny boy and a strong-hearted little girl.
Another concern quickly greeted us... Due to the early delivery, the mother dog had not one drop of milk. This would not usually be a big deal; I always keep a can of "Mother's Replacement Milk" in the pantry. My carefully-stockpiled supply, however, had been raided for the sake of an orphaned fawn found earlier in the year. We had to get milk for the newborn puppies...and soon. Therefore, Papa somehow found a way to get down the "closed" highway on a mission of mercy to our H-E-B, ten miles away, determined to find some puppy formula, no matter how difficult it would be to attain. Several hours later, he was able to return home, and immediately, Mother and I set to the task of nursing the tiny pups from a small bottle.

It's actually taken me so long to complete the writing here and post the draft...that several days have now passed. It's very late on Friday night, and so much has happened, in the days that have come and gone.

The storm worsened until we were iced in "till Kingdom come." :) Unfortunately, being badly homebound, we had no means of getting the mother dog to the vet when she was greatly in need of such help. Part of the afterbirth was never delivered, following the traumatic births, and she developed a deadly uterine infection, "slipping downhill" long before we could finally get through to the veterinarian office, a couple of days later. The small amount of milk the mother eventually produced was essentially "poisoned" by the severity of her unseen infection, and her darling male puppy was lost to it, just yesterday. The mother's "hanging on by a thread," but God has been very gracious, and she's somehow still with us, though she and the remaining girl puppy now require "round the clock" nursing care. Needless to say, neither Mother or I have slept more than two hours a night, this entire week... Oh, well; God's using it all to make us stronger in heart. :)

In the midst of all the drama and trauma of the past week, our Creator has still poured forth immense blessing all around us. I found myself greeted each morning by dawn rising over a landscape of unspeakable beauty. (You must remember that this Texan girl has not seen many a winter morn, in her brief 22 years.) :) Even now, I am cherishing the memories of our family's children running across the ice to gain the greatest "sliding momentum"...Bryan loosed his Labrador Retriever for a far-too-humorous game of slippery fetch...Icicle contests were held, the kids holding competitions to see who could knock down the biggest icicle without breaking it in the process...

Life was, quite simply, beautiful because all around us lay yet one more reminder that our Creator's hand was still at work in the world around us...and if our God loved us enough to spread His glory upon the radiant earthen fields and soft winter skies, then surely He also knew the smaller, "less-significant" things filling our days. He saw the midnight hours of toil and exhaustion...He heard the silent pleas for life to be granted the "most humble" of His creatures...He safely guided home a beloved brother from the mission field...His eyes still kept watch, seeing through the dark hours without electricity...His hands continued to warm the hearts of all who call Him "Father."

Thus, a week of my life has drawn to a quiet close. Ice has melted away, and the chilly winds are fleeing to the North, at least for a little while. :) The deer are coming out, at long last, from their hollows of shelter, and my little corner of the world is seeing some sunshine, once again. The most radiant light, however, never forsook us; its faithful glow was found in the constancy of the Savior's presence within our heart of hearts.

Much love, my dear ones, and many blessings to you all!

*******

P.S. I'm getting a harlequin Great Dane puppy. I just had to share the good news with all my friends here. :)

2007-01-11T15:30:00.000-06:00

I write with a familiar face held dear to my heart. My precious brother, Bryan, has left us for a short time, going deep into Mexico for mission work. He's joined a wonderful group of friends from our church, Currey Creek Baptist in Boerne, Texas. The sweet boy hugged me farewell yesterday morning and waved as he drove away with two of his best friends, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks. Both of these dear people have long been treasured Sunday School teachers to several of our children, and I'm thrilled that Bryan will be in their company. Please, join me in praying that God will richly bless their time of ministry "South of the Border." I know God has great things He can do through willing vessels, and I'm praying that world-changing things will be accomplished for the sake of His kingdom and the glory of His name. :)

Much love, my dear ones!

2007-01-07T23:23:00.000-06:00

I'm off to bed for now, my friends. It's certainly been a long day, but I know I've been much blessed through its hours. Not much sleep has found me, as of late, so I eagerly await nestling myself in the covers and drifting off to a long-awaited Elysium. God's been very good to me; that's the last thought that will remain with me, in the final moments before slumber, I know. :) Farewell, my friends! God be with you!

2007-01-05T11:51:00.000-06:00

The new year has come to greet us, and I'm so blessed that 2007 has arrived. :) I pray that each of you have been given a wonderful transition between the old and the new. Truly, it is my hope that God will bless you with incredible times of growth in spirit and a year filled with much hope and joy.

Much love, my friends!

2006-12-29T23:55:00.000-06:00

This is the date of my precious sister's birth. Nine years ago, one of God's greatest blessings was brought into my life...in the form of a tiny child named Anna Grace. The little one is thirteen years younger than me and came as the fulfillment of seven years' prayers for a little sister. :) How gracious God was in sending her. Anna's been the joy and glory of each day's waking and the rest and peace of each night's sleep. To God above, I say, "You are wondrous and good...and gracious above all, for you have given to me a double portion of grace, our beloved Anna Grace." Anna, I cherish you always. Happy birthday, dear one.

2006-12-25T22:40:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas, my friends! May the Lord grant you much peace and many blessings tonight and in the new year to come. You're always in my heart, and this evening, my heart is filled with great gratitude to God for His goodness in bringing each of you to my life. I'm very blessed, indeed. :)

May this Christmas night find you resting in the hand of the Almighty, remembering the beauty of His great, sacrificial love on our behalf. How good He is! Merry Christmas, my dear ones!

2006-12-23T02:56:00.000-06:00

The events of these past several weeks have so filled my moments that I've literally not had the time to write here. That seems quite a likely excuse--even I'll admit that--but in all truth, that's been the case. :) If I somehow managed to find a way to visit with you here, the hour inevitably flies far into the predawn moments of the morning. Oh, well... I'm trying to reform such things now. :)

In late breaking news, I've just turned 22. December 21st came like any other day but left me another year older. :) A wonderful several-days-long celebration with lots of love from dear family and friends comprised all the birthday revelry. ...I'm such a blessed girl. You'd have to know my family and friends to know how very truly I mean that, but trust me, they're precious people and great gifts of God in my life. :)

Life has been so busy, as of late. Long before I tried to fit in any birthday commemoration, the days were already too full, literally, to be able to include more than three hours of sleep. :) It's been a good season of life, though. Many beautiful things have been brought into my days on this earth.

Speaking of the earth, our Hill Country is actually expecting snow on Sunday. I'm ecstatic. :) This may seem like a rather mundane occurance to some of you, but if you'd been "enjoying" 80 degree daytime temperatures, this whole Christmas season, you might be a bit excited, too. :)

A few days ago, I had my final concert of the season with my Renaissance choir. What a wonderful time I had! I'll try to post a song here so that you can all hear a bit of our work. 'Hope you'll enjoy it. :)

Much love, my dear ones. Thank you for remaining by me, even when all my "interesting writing" has ceased in the wake of an entire month of sleep deprivation. :) You're all dears, and I'll be praying that you'll enjoy a marvelous holiday season. Merry Christmas, sweet friends!

2006-12-14T00:21:00.000-06:00

Dear Ones,

I know I've not been here very much lately...Forgive my seeming lack of care. In truth, I love visiting with each and every one of you, and I regret that I've been so insurmountably busy, these past many days. Promise me you'll not hold it against me forever. :)

As I know all of this will seem gibberish, just trust that I will post more worthy things very soon. :) You're all so good to me...Thanks for being there.

Farewell, dears!

2006-12-03T01:45:00.000-06:00

This is to be a post of pictures. :) Photographs have long been revered as one of my most loved things on earth, and it's time I shared a few of my favorites with all of you here.

First and foremost, here is our lovely tree. (Unfortunately, such beauty comes at a great price. This tree bears a heavy blame in my "state of crutches" right now. :) It's a really long story, but I'll be sure to tell you later.) Each of the limbs hold ornaments...each of the ornaments hold dear memories...each of the memories hold a portion of my heart. All this to say, I love my tree because it reminds me of all I most love. :)

This photo is one that was snapped of me tonight. Of course, it was one of those "on the whim" moments, but somehow, it called to mind one of those old songs I so love, "All is Well." I don't quite know why, but it seemed veiled in echoes of peace and quiet rest. I thought, perhaps, it would bring some tenderness to this cold, December night. :)

This little ladybug looked a bit vulnerable when it landed on my shoulder a few weeks ago. I figured I'd carry it around for a bit, before letting it fly off to the great unbounded fields surrounding my much-loved town. (In case I've never mentioned it before, I love ladybugs...especially yellow ones.) :) I was glad to have the company of a friend, for a little while.

This was the view from my sweet grandmother's front porch, last Friday evening. Is it any wonder that the Tyler farm is one of the dearest places in which I find sanctuary? I spend most of my life running--figuratively when not literally--and the moments when I can simply "Be still and know that He is God" are growing increasingly more precious, with each day I live. This was one of those moments, gazing on His creation in wonderment and knowing that, among all this, He still has a place in His heart for me...

For the truly strong of heart, I'm also including a link to the photos with which I returned from my journeys in Scotland and Ireland. You should all feel very honored; I went through over 1700 pictures from the trip and gathered only my very favorites for each of you, a mere 330 photographs. :) Needless to say, if you have a few moments to glean through the thumbnails, I'm sure you'll find some lovely pictures in the web album. I'm still in awe of so many things I found during my sojourning there. I hope you'll enjoy...

http://picasaweb.google.com/For.the.sake.of.the.call/AmySTripFavorites

God be with you all! Much love...

2006-11-30T23:25:00.000-06:00

I just finished a lengthy phone call with a dear friend, one who is very preciously falling in love. I'm just delighted to be a witness to all that God's doing in her life. All that to say, I'm quite in the mood for some endearing poetry and thought I might share a bit with you. :) Enjoy the reading, my dear ones!

She Walks in Beauty

She walks in beauty like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face--

Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.

Lord Byron

May we all the find the joy of hearts whose love is innocent. So very greatly, this world longs for such love. Whether it be the simple kindly gaze at a passing stranger, the embrace to comfort a grieving friend, a note that quietly whispers "I love you," or prayers unheard by this earth, there are so many ways in which to share a heart full of the Father's affection for the world He created. May each of us find some way in which to be an expression of His character, "of a heart whose love is innocent."

Good night, my dear ones!

2006-11-28T01:01:00.000-06:00

I trust all of you have been blessed with a wonderful Thanksgiving, each in your own special ways. :) I''ve recently returned from the Tyler farm where I spent the holiday with dear ones. There's so much to tell, and in the days to come, I'll try to find a few moments to sit down and share more. For now, however, I wanted to at least say hello and show a quick photo from the delightful week...

This is me with my sweet sister, Anna, in "the backwoods" of Tyler, (the prettiest part, by the way.) I thought you all might like to see the little girl that was the gift God gave after seven years' petitions of an older sister. :)

God be with you all, my friends. Have a blessed day!

2006-11-20T23:46:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow morning, I'll be leaving for my grandparents' farm in Tyler, and I'm thrilled to be heading "home," or at least to a huge portion of the home of my heart. :) Thanksgiving is soon to greet me, and this most beloved holiday never ceases to bless the deepest parts of my soul.

Before I steal away for the next two weeks, I wanted to take a few moments to say how dear you have all been to me. I'm so grateful that the Lord has seen fit to bring you into my life. You can't know what joy and encouragement you've brought, time after time, and I can only say...Thank you ever so much, my precious friends.

I'll close with the lyrics of a beautiful song (Nichole Nordeman) I recently heard, when a dear lady in my church shared the recording with me. It's called "Gratitude," and its humble words "speak volumes" about the state of a truly thankful, truly trusting heart. I hope the lyrics will bless each of you.

Gratitude
Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace ...

But, Jesus, would You please ...

I've been given so many blessings of which I know I'll never be worthy. Even now, I stand humbled by the knowledge that you have each taken me into your hearts and called me friend. That is a gift, indeed...

I appreciate you. I love you. I see God has great things for you.

...and I'm so very grateful.

May each of you have a tremendous Thanksgiving holiday. Remember to treasure it for the holy day that it is, and find joy in thinking of the precious Lord Who gave us everything we'll ever need and so much more than we'd ever have dreamed.

God be with you, dear ones.

2006-11-13T16:02:00.000-06:00

I'm gazing through a vast window and find myself mesmerized by the beauty of the day I've discovered outside the confinement of strong walls. Yes, there is plenty of work to do. Yes, I know I should be doing it, even now, but there is such a wonder of seeing my Creator's hand at work. I just simply had to stop a few moments and tell you all how dearly I love Him.

In the sky, I see the infinite measure of His love, the vastness of His divinity, and the incomprehensible span of His mercy. In the trees, gently swaying in an autumn's breeze that's just beyond my grasp, I see the strength of His justice and the unfailing faithfulness for which I adore Him. In the flowers of vibrant hues, I remember that our God is a God of beauty and that, someday, He will bring my soul to its final place of glory before Him... In that place will be beauty such as this world has never known, and I long to see the loveliness of His face.

I'll turn, for now, back to my humble responsibilities of life, but I'll do so, remembering that my Creator God is ever near me. May you, too, feel His presence everywhere you are, this day. He puts so many things in our lives, helping us to remember "How great the Father's love for us."

2006-11-11T23:00:00.000-06:00

We've laid our beloved Luke to rest.

I will hold fast to the words that have guided the ages...

"The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.

Blessed be the name of the Lord..."

2006-11-04T03:46:00.000-06:00

As a teacher, I've walked through some trying times with students. I've been there to comfort, when hands are sore and minds are weary. I've been there to encourage, when older brothers are mercilessly teasing the practicing sibling. I've been right beside students, as their dear ones have grown up, moved away, gone to war, married, had the first children, etc. Through this all, I've learned so much about the human heart and about the worth of sharing my own when another's soul is needy.

Tonight, my teacher's heart was grieved more deeply than I've ever known in the past...my best student. Receiving a call late tonight, I heard an emotion-burdened voice saying her brother was killed yesterday in Iraq. For several moments I couldn't speak...a few seconds found me scarcely able to draw breath. I didn't know what to do, but I knew I had to go tell the girl I loved her and that I was more sorry than I even knew how to express. I've known them all now for the past fifteen years.

The family's home is only four minutes from my own, and I went there tonight with my mother and brother, Brent. The family clung to us, and it seemed the hands that had wiped away a multitude of tears would never let go of the strength to be found in our embrace. Oh, how we cried...

On the table was the boy's last portrait...steady eyes, handsome face, gentle expression. I was greeted by the last gaze of one who had reached a mere twenty-one years, my own age, and something deep inside me started to pulse with a terrible pain. What must God have thought, as He watched His Son be sacrificed for those who could not save themselves?

One thing is certain; He is well-acquainted with our grief, and He has known every sorrow. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18 Pray for me, as I strive to love a precious girl through the darkest days her soul has ever known. We've always been like sisters, and I feel as though a part of my heart has lost a brother, too.

2006-11-03T02:11:00.000-06:00

I promised someone I'd share the lyrics to a song I wrote, several years ago. I'd been "holding down the fort" for a customarily "lively" household, while my parents were away for their anniversary journey into the rapturous hills of Vermont. Late at night, after all the commotion would cease, I absolutely loved going to kiss the little ones good night, praying over them all and asking that the Lord would help their rest to be sweet.

At that time, our youngest one in the family, Peter, was only about three years old. I've always been sixteen years older than the little fellow, so he's been cherished much as though he'd been my own child. As I saw him in his bed, resting and finally wearied from the day's "work," a song came to my heart, as I imagined how very deeply I'd someday love my own child, should the Lord bless me in such a way. Those thoughts gave birth to the song that is now "Sing Me to Sleep."

It's written from the viewpoint of a mother, looking back over the lifetime of love in which she cherished a son. I hope its words will cheer your heart and warm your soul. Whether or not you have been blessed with a little one of your own, it's so important that we never forget that there is One Who sings over us, even when we have no one over which to sing ourselves. (Zephaniah 3:17)

I hope you'll enjoy the song's words...

Sing Me to Sleep

(Verse 1)
I tucked him in and said a prayer on my knees by the side of his bed.
As we said "Amen," I rose to leave, quietly patting his head.
I crept to the door, then looked, once more, to see that he was alright.
As I started to leave, he spoke to me and said so quietly...

(Chorus 1)
Won't you sing me to sleep? Let me be
In your arms for one more moment.
Hold me close so I can feel your heartbeat.
Sing to me; sing me to sleep.

(Verse 2)
My little one grew into a man, quiet and gentle and strong,
But the songs I sang over him will stay with me, my whole life long,
And the little hand that clung to me, as he listened to those melodies
Will forever hold my deepest heart, just as when he said to me...

(Chorus 2)
Won't you sing me to sleep? Let me be
In your arms for one more moment.
Hold me close so I can feel your heartbeat.
Sing to me; sing me to sleep.

(Bridge 1)
Oh, how the moments of life have flown.
Oh, how time quickly slips away,
But the memories of those precious times will never fade.

(Verse 3)
I'm older now, and my son has a family of his own.
He loves me, oh, so very much, regardless of how frail I've grown.
He came to see me, the other day, as the evening sun grew faint.
As he kissed me good-bye, he started to cry, then tenderly he sang...

(Chorus 3)
Let me sing you to sleep. I want you to be
In my arms for one more moment.
Let me hold you close so you can feel my heartbeat.
Let me sing to you, sing you to sleep.

(Bridge 2)
I don't know how much longer I will be
Here to savor all the memories..

(Chorus 4)
Won't you sing me to sleep? Let me be
In your arms for one more moment.
Hold me close so I can feel your heartbeat.
Sing to me; sing me to sleep...

(c)2003--Amy Elizabeth Salter--Hanley Music Company

I pray that your heart may have been blessed in some small way. God be with you, my dear friends! Never forget He sings over you...

2006-10-31T23:05:00.000-06:00

"Blood alone moves the wheels of history."

--Martin Luther--

Four hundred eighty-nine years ago, one man took an irrevocable step of courage and conviction, nailing ninety-five cries of Scripture to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. The man who was willing to give his very life for God's righteous cause was Martin Luther, and the "paper" he nailed to the door has come to be known as the Ninety-Five Theses, a declaration of the truths of God against an age of tyranny and corruption in an apostate "Christianity." This act brought birth to the Reformation Day we commemorate on this day, the 31st of October.

In honor of the sacrifices Luther made for the sake of spiritual children, yet unseen by his eyes, I'd like to offer a gift of his words to you. We all are children of the Reformation, a fire of passionate love for the Word that was sparked by the undying devotion of a few men. These quotes from Martin Luther are especially meaningful to me...I pray that they may impact your hearts, as well.

"Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times."

"God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars."

"I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, Self."

"People must have righteous principals in the first, and then they will not fail to perform virtuous actions."

"I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth."

"Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave."

"No man ought to lay a cross upon himself, or to adopt tribulation, as is done in popedom; but if a cross or tribulation come upon him, then let him suffer it patiently, and know that it is good and profitable for him."

"To gather with God's people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer."

"How soon not now becomes never."

On his deathbed, in the year 1546, Martin Luther uttered these last words, "Into your hands, I commend my spirit. You have saved me, Father, You faithful God." ...If there's anything I'd wish to leave to those still on this earth, when I am long-since gone to be with my Father God, it would be this: that this precious Father had saved me, had brought me near in His grace, and above all, had forever been faithful. Death has not been brought to me, but life has. In death, my heart is His, and ever so much more...in life. So,"into Your hands, I commend my spirit. You have saved me, Father, You faithful God."

May God be with you, my precious friends. Never forget the great depths of His faithful love. You are dear to His heart and mine, as well. Good night!

2006-10-28T16:04:00.000-06:00

It's a blustery day here in Holland...Holland, Michigan, that is. :) The last several days have found me ministering in a wonderful church, and I've absolutely fallen in love with the beauty of the area. I'd certainly return again. The fellow ministers in the church had precious spirits, so much was accomplished for the kingdom of God (by His grace alone), and I've even been given the additional gift of being among fields aflame with hues of autumn foliage. This all was combined to make an absolutely beautiful experience.

In a few minutes, I'm to be boarding a flight homeward, and I'm praying my beloved "wintry winds" will not hamper the flight schedule in any way. :) I have no choice but to make every last one of my flights, this evening. My home church's music ministry is counting on me for the weekend's service, and even one botched flight would make sure I never greeted tomorrow's sunrise in San Antonio. :)

There's not really anything of profound worth that I can share right now...I've been too busy to do much "thinking." Mostly, I've been "doing" and hardly sleeping. :) I did, however, want to send warm wishes your way and let you know I'm thinking of all my friends tonight. I pray God will give you much joy, this evening and a Sabbath, rich in the wonder of Him, tomorrow.

Much love and many blessings, my dear ones!

This is just a random picture from Scotland... (Instead of overwhelming all of you with the entire collection of 1700 pictures, I thought it might be kinder to share a few at a time.) :) This is a lovely lighthouse, just of the coast of the Isle of Iona.

2006-10-23T15:38:00.000-06:00

Greetings, my friends! I hope you're all enjoying a marvelous Monday afternoon. Mondays have long-since been hallowed as a day of rest in the Salter family, likely because our weekends are so busy with ministry. Sabbath rest has to have some place in life. :) All that to say, I've spent my day in much-welcomed quiet study, and I thought I could take a few moments to share a humorous happening with all of my friends here...

Two nights ago, I was returning, rather late, from an evening in town with Mother and two of my brothers. I was just about to "tuck myself in" for the night, when Mother came to me with a grin on her face and a paper in her hand. Apparently, my sister, Anna, had left a little "message" waiting on Mother's pillow. As I read, a smile spread, quite rapidly, across my face. I thought you might enjoy a look at the tiny "letter." If you can translate any of it at all, you might just find yourself amused, too. :)

Dear Mom, Amy, Brent, and Bryan

Peter lost his tow nell he hit it on the shower door brase he is so prowd he can't wate to show you get Amy, Brent, and Bryan and tell dem the the good news good night

Love,
Peter B.

P.S. my handwriting is bad cas I was choking bad and still hirt good night Love, Anna

My English-conscious self is "reeling itself in" to allow my heart a moment to revel in the joy of a young child's words. :) Commas, periods, capitalization, spelling...All those things will be learned later. What most interested me was the childish delight in simple things. "Good news"? When's the last time we stopped and admired the valor of a well-earned scar? :) Can we even remember the last time we couldn't bear to let an evening pass without sharing the quiet things of our heart with another human?

Perhaps, our grammar may be better or our spelling will show the effects of more life lived, but let our venerability of "maturity" and "wisdom" not ever cause us to forget how to revel in the simple things, to look on the scars life hands us and learn their hidden beauty, to delight in sharing the quiet things--maybe seen by our heart alone--with one we love.

I suppose that's all there is to share, for this afternoon. Perhaps, however, you'll gain a smile through the eyes of a little girl.

Blessings, my friends!

2006-10-18T02:12:00.000-06:00

I somehow keep thinking that I'll get better about writing frequently on my little site here. It hasn't happened yet, I'm sorry to say. :) To be completely truthful, it may be quite a while before life slows down and allows me to write as much as I would love. So, please, continue to "bear with me," my dear ones, in the meantime.

I just finished my devotions a few moments ago and find myself, once more, utterly in awe of my precious Father's heart for me. There's nothing so sweet to read as His "love letter" to me...the Word is my delight. :)

A few verses, especially, gripped my heart this night, and I thought, perhaps, their promises might bless you, too.

"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; You hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the Lord Who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let Your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." --Psalm 16:5-11

May the words bless you! I hope you are all doing very well, and I send my love, as always. :) God be with you all!

Here's a quick photo of me, during my stay in Scotland. There are some gorgeous sceneries to be shown, and I'll try to share a few of them quite soon. :)

2006-10-04T15:20:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's certainly been awhile since I've graced you all with my presence...I'm really sorry about that! It seems that life will be only moderately crazy, during the week to come; perhaps that will allow me another chance to write without a full week have passed me by...wordless and wearied. :)

I've been reminiscing over the happenings of my recent trip to Scotland and Ireland. God did so much work in many lives, all throughout my sojourning there. I must be honest. The ministry portion of the trip was not what it was meant to be. I went with a heart willing to serve and give all to bless; I returned having barely survived one of the greatest spiritual struggles of my life.

Perhaps, I'll share more of those particulars some other time. I found God so gracious in redeeming the longings of my heart, however. He took unexpected moments from the tour, the travels, and the time of service and transformed them into life-changing opportunities for His purposes.

I thought, perhaps, you'd like to read of one of these instances. There was a time when I would never have shared this story...I'm just one of those desperately private people, usually. Then, God started to grow me, showing me that it's even the little, hidden things of our lives that sometimes most greatly show the way to Him. I originally gave this story, an excerpt from my journal, to my Mother. Within a week, it had been shared with about 400 people, one of whom committed their life to the Lord. Wonder of wonders...God uses the quiet murmurs of one's heart for His great glory. I hope you'll each enjoy reading. All my love...

September 9th, 2006
I come from a life in which most I know are in control of their reasoning. Tragically, I watched tonight the discouraging truth that that is not always the case...I almost decided to bypass the inclusion of this story, but Christ within me compels me to say what is true but difficult. After all the goodbyes this night, I went down, as always, into the sitting area down near the lobby and seated myself, beginning to write and read my devotions. 'Tis the only area in which to write without keeping Aimee awake and is most unfortunately located very near to the bar. Every night I've been here, I've gotten a glass of water and done my work, although there's a process of misery very near at hand. I had one bothersome fellow come speak to me for a moment, but he took the hint and went elsewhere, leaving me to my writing. Another twenty minutes passed, and the whiskey started flowing through the blood of about three other men, not so very far from me. One of them broke into an alcohol-crazed song and dance. I kept to my "I will not set my eyes upon any unclean thing" status and stayed quietly in my corner, waiting until it would be safe to make my way elsewhere without having to walk through the very center of the spectacle. By only the greatest strength of Christ within me did I manage to hold back the tears. I'll try to explain...here was this man, certainly still relatively young, and God had given him really a beautiful voice. Yet, here he was, humiliating himself, though he'll never know it, just singing and shouting about how he wished he'd never been born, how he didn't know what he was doing here, how he really didn't care and neither did those listening. Oh, no, my dear ones, if only he knew; there was one listening who did care, more deeply than he could've imagined. Something deep inside me seemed to shatter, the hopes for humanity. I just saw , for the first time, the cruel effects of this world's ways...what we might all be except for Christ's great love, hope, cleansing, and redemption. The scene settled itself a bit, and I could hear the main rabble-rouser seating himself with his friends, once more. I readied myself to leave and was just about to rise when a young man sat down right across from me and asked me why I wasn't enjoying the "party." You must remember that I was verging on tears by this time, but I collected my thoughts and managed to say that I had just been greatly saddened by watching everything. I was more than ready to leave, but he wanted to know why I had found it saddening. I answered that it really grieved me to see that God had given a man a beautiful voice and that I had watched it be wasted in humiliating the very one to whom it had been given. I was about two words away from finishing this statement, when I realized that the man speaking with me had to have been the one causing the uproar earlier. I don't know enough about the effects of alcohol to know what was happening in his mind, though he seemed to slip into sobriety time by time, if I were simply reading his face and the depth in his eyes. Many words were exchanged in a brief minute or two until the man insisted that if I didn't like what his song had been, I would have to sing myself. (I had discussed how God gave a voice to be used in loving Him in return, how that had been the dearest joy and purpose in my life.) I flatly told him no and that I had to leave. Not only did he persist, but his two friends just behind me took up the cause, as well. "Oh, God," I prayed, "I have no idea what to do." In an instant, He made it clear to my mind...He had given me an opportunity to sing into the hearts of waiting and lost men, a chance they or I might never have again. I gave God my heart's submission to sing, if He would just give the song, I had no knowledge of what to sing. Then, it was brought to my me..."Father, We Commit to You." I finally stood, telling them I would sing only one song, before leaving them. The men all sat in their places and waited. I begged God for mercy in wordless prayer, then began singing. My voice trembled many a time, but my heart was steadfast. When I finished and opened my eyes, once more, a reverent hush had fallen across the entire room. The man with whom I'd been speaking was in awe--not of me, but of God, I pray, and I reiterated to him what his true purpose was. The most-sober of the three, if that is possible, rose to shake my hand and thank me. He had a receptive heart, and I told him what I had told the friend. Suddenly, he stopped me and said, "Oh, no, you don't understand; God can't love him." My heart broke, and I asked why not. "Because he's a bad man, a sinner...he does bad things." Right then and there, I explained the briefest summary I could conjure of salvation. Be not misled; he had certainly drunk too much, and I can't think he would remember any of it by the morning, but I pray he will. The first man who had been shouting and singing rose very quietly, almost in a child-like manner, before lightly kissing my hand and saying good night. I was nearly to the safety of the lobby, when I heard someone yell out to me, "You lied to me; you're a Mormon!" I turned to find the man that had tried to talk earlier, when I'd asked to be left to my writing. I didn't know what he was meaning, but I wasn't about to have the little the other three men might remember be associated with Mormonism, so I quietly corrected this other fellow and began to leave again. He was far from finished, however, and I spent the next five minutes very meekly and gently expressing my heart in response to his every question. A lady from the front desk came to me and said there was a call for me. I left, grateful for God providing a way of escape, and followed the woman, not knowing it to be a ruse. Suddenly, I was in the manager's office being told that he had received complaint about religious argument near the bar, and I was being told to leave in a firm but muted tone. I explained that I had only come there looking for a quiet working place, that I had never meant to cause him any additional concerns in an already terrible evening. I told him I would be very willing to go elsewhere, and he led me through the halls and up flights of stairs, before depositing me in a locked boardroom. He was as courteous as could be expected and even offered me some water, but shortly he left, and suddenly I was alone in an empty room with a journal in one hand, a Bible in my other hand, and a piercing pain in my heart. As soon as the door had closed and the footsteps faded, I broke into great sobs. "Oh, Father, my precious Father! Did I fail You? Did I cause You shame?" I pleaded. His response came as I opened my Scriptures for tonight...Prov. 9 (Verse 7, especially, struck me) and Psalm 9 (incredible comfort to my soul, even in the depths of my distress for the others' souls and for my Savior's name.) I gave all I had to give with all the gentleness this world can know, and it cost my soul more deeply than any will ever understand. I have the hope resting within me that some fruit will be borne of the sacrifice, for I only found later that one of the three had used their cell phone to record the song...I pray its words will draw them to the Savior, when their hearts are not so dimmed by drink. Will they ever recall this night? Will I simply be some angel unseen in a dream perhaps forgotten? I cannot know, but I will rest in the promise that God's Word cannot return back void. I sat in the room there writing awhile before I could no longer. I put my usual things away and wrote a note to be left for the manager, one that will reconcile any wrong and hopefully, bring him to some understanding of my heart...

That's the close of my little tale, dear ones. I pray God may have used it in some way to bless your hearts. I look forward to "talking" with you soon. God be with you!

2006-09-28T21:24:00.000-06:00

I'm home, my dear ones. :)

2006-09-25T22:14:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

It has been such a joy to write to you all, during this long journey. I’ve been honored to be given the privilege of your company and concern, even though we’re thousands of miles from one another. Thank you so much for you love, your prayers, and your encouragement which has continually allowed me to know that I am in your hearts and our Heavenly Father’s, as well. You are all deeply appreciated, and I wanted to take one more opportunity of writing to you, before I begin my journey homeward.

I’ve safely returned back to Glasgow, late this afternoon. The past several days, leading unto this one, have been truly blessed and very wonderful. The last time I wrote, I was mentioning some of the remembrances of our time in Ireland. God brought us back to Dumbarton, through a surprisingly uneventful trip. After the past many passages, this was an unusual blessing, indeed. :) We remained in Dumbarton, only a few hours; Aimee’s mother had arranged for us to stay with family in Montrose, and we were due there by evening. The following three days were such a gift to us.

Once in Montrose, we were hosted by a caring and elderly widower named John. He took especially great delight in cooking warm, homemade meals for me, my brother, and my friend, Aimee. He and Brent got along famously…they both love to talk. :) John was so gracious and made me feel, for once, as though I’d actually come to a place like home. It was a tremendous blessing just to be loved. This sweet man was so thrilled that we had come and given him company. Yet, I was simply glad that we could bless him, in some way.

Montrose became a haven to me…a place full of life and joy. On Friday, we walked the mile’s length into town and visited the Continental Market. The market had come to the city for only two days, and we found it during its last day here. Peddlers had come from all over Europe. There were stalls full of fresh-baked Parisian bread, candies of every color under heaven, huge rounds of Italian cheese, a vendor with delectable Spanish food, fragrant soaps from the South of France, cookies from a small bakery in Brittany, and so much more. I so loved the sights and scents of the central square’s tented crowds and wares.

The next day, Aimee and I traveled with Brent to Edinburgh. Earlier in my tour here, I had already gone through this wonderful city, so rich in history and significance. All throughout Brent’s stay here, I had so wanted to bring him to Edinburgh, and I was blessed, indeed, that everything finally worked out just perfectly so he could journey there. The weather, that Saturday, was uncommonly lovely. For hours, we walked the streets…reading plaques, tracing history, finding special gifts, and taking in the beauty of hundreds of years’ testimony to faithfulness, dignity, and conviction.

On Sunday morning, I had the great joy of going to the Kirk (the High Kirk of Scotland, the Presbyterian Church) with a sweet family member of Aimee’s, Aunt Mary. This aged woman was so precious and afforded my heart such encouragement. So greatly I’ve missed the opportunities to be in the house of God, and Aunt Mary brought us to her own sanctuary. We sat together in the hundred-year-old oaken pews, sang absolutely gorgeous songs of worship, and heard a sermon rich in truth from the aged Reverend. It was really a sweet highlight of the whole trip.

Later on that afternoon, I took Brent with me into Arbroath. This town held the glorious abbey in which was signed the Treaty of Arbroath, the Scottish mirroring of our Declaration of Independence. This abbey is little more than ruins now, but to me, it stands as a silent prayer, a plea to Heaven for another rebirth in this nation…a liberation of souls unto the Lordship of our precious Christ.

One of the only areas still standing is the sacristy. This certuries-worn room endured years, completely unsheltered from either storm or sun. The stone walls are eroded deeply, and the carvings are not so fine as they once were, but there is a certain peace and holiness that has come to dwell within its expanse. In this special place, one can sing, and a voice reverberates, seemingly without end, as though it were to reach unto the very throne of God.

Today, I’ve been able to make a lengthy passage from Montrose to Glasgow. We stopped for a little while in Dunfermline. It was a lovely place, but there was more that drew me to this city very near the Firth of Forth. Forty years ago, one of my grandfathers pastured a large church there; I wanted to return to a place that had held such significance to him. I found the glorious, granite building and found myself standing there, asking that the Lord would bless me with even a portion of the godliness that is so beautifully rooted in the heart of my blessed grandfather.

Tonight, after checking into our hotel very near the Glasgow airport, I set out on my one, remaining mission of the heart…I longed to return to Hinshaw Street. This is the place in which one of my dearest instruments was made, a beautiful violin. It was made fashioned there by John M. Crindle in the year 1875. As long as I can remember, I’ve desired to return to the place in which was birthed a instrument that so fostered a love in my heart, a love for worshipping my Savior. It was not very long until I was standing on a quiet street corner of Hinshaw and Maryhill streets, reminiscing over the many years that have brought me to this place of such gratitude to my Heavenly Father, thinking over His faithfulness that has borne me thus far. How good He is to His children!

In just a few hours, I’m to rise and begin my flights homeward. I’ve been richly blessed during these many weeks…whether through the struggle of “loving-in-spite…” or in the sweetness of knowing I am the one who has been loved, I’ve learned such a great deal. God has brought my heart to the realization of so many wondrous truths of His character and compassion, and I pray He will give me the strength to continue onward in the path to which He’s set my feet—may I forever be faithful in carrying the fragrance of His beauty wherever I go.

I’ve so missed you all. God has kept me close to you in heart, but I long, once more, to see you, face to face. Pray that the Lord will guard me, during these final hours of my sojourning and bring me safely home to you, once more. May Christ be ever near you and richly bless you in all you do. I will be forever grateful for your prayers and concern, and I send my warmest greetings to each of you. All my love, dear ones…

Blessings Always,
Amy E. Salter

2006-09-21T15:48:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

How beloved you have all been held in my memories during these past many days! There are no words that could come close to expressing my thankfulness for the prayers and love in which you have kept me. Life has been difficult, but God has been good. He has revealed so many lessons to be taken to heart, and I’ve tried to be a good steward of such costly gifts from His hand. Even in the midst of struggles, there has a been a certainty and sweetness of knowing Jesus is holding me close. He’s been so faithful, and I know I’m a blessed woman, indeed.

Two days ago, God provided an opportunity to come away for a time to Ireland. There was quite an adventurous journey that led to our finally reaching its emerald shores, however. Let it simply suffice to say, I’ll don’t have any intention of using another RyanAir flight as long as I live. :) For all the “misadventures” of Tuesday’s travels, everything was certainly exhilarating. Many diversions and delays were actually shadowings of God’s hand at work, trying to bless us. Through His “redirection” of our plans, we actually flew into Dublin, rather than the intended Lower Shannon area. This, however, is where everything grew far more interesting. We were able to take a bus all the way from Dublin to Shannon, a trip which took about five hours and wound its way through most every delightful town all the way across Ireland.

We arrived in Shannon, very late Tuesday night and found a wonderful hotel room awaiting us. The hotel was only a minute or two from the airport here. I walked through the embrace of the night’s raindrops, so dear to my soul, and the hotel’s front entry was just a few feet ahead of me. In the dim of twilight, stood several flags to greet me. There, at the farthest right, was my beloved “Red, White, and Blue.” Tears nearly came, as I saw the unexpected and comforting sight, a welcome which had not met my gaze in nearly a month. It was then that I truly realized how deeply I missed the land of my birth. Lord willing, the sunny shores of Texas will be near me again, very soon. In the meantime, Shannon’s hospitality has been truly wonderful.

Yesterday, Brent, Aimee, and I bussed our way over into Ennis, a charming town about twenty minutes from here. The village is renowned for its quaint shops, cozy restaurants, and age-old cobbled streets. Rain was coming down steadily all throughout the day…cold and blustery and somehow inexplicably refreshing to the senses. :) All the chimneys were softening the sky with gentle clouds of smoke, smoke which climbed upward until mingling with the mists of the afternoon. How wonderful it was to wind through the beautiful streets and soak in the liveliness of painted store fronts, make small talk with the friendly shop-keepers, and even settle into the cozy warmth of a booth with friends and partake of savoury soup and warm Irish soda bread. :)

For now, I’ll say farewell and assure you that God has been watching over me and has brought me such refreshment and joy. Whether in difficulty or in delight, all has been well, for I have felt “the sunshine of the Father’s face.” I love you all and will try to write again, as soon as the Lord allows me to find another source of internet access. In the days until then, just remember you’re all in my loving thoughts and prayers. I trust that you will hold me in yours, as well. God be with you, dear ones!

Blessings Always,
Amy

2006-09-07T18:17:00.000-06:00

Hello, my dear friends! Yes, I'm still alive, and I so regret that I've not been able to reply sooner to all your warm wishes. Thank you so much for the notes and hellos; my countenance was truly lifted in encouragement.

The trip's been progressing just wonderfully, and I love Scotland more and more, with each passsing day. It's such an amazing land and culture, the history is incredible, and the beauty is breathtaking. All that to say, I can't wait to return home, Lord willing, and assemble a "real post" where I can actually do a good job of sharing the stories and photos. :)

Internet access has been a real "Waterloo." :) Even now, I've found a connection, and I'm up at "I don't even want to think what time it is over here" in a darkened hotel lobby, writing my heart out to all my loved ones--as quickly as I can, before my connection's heartless timer expires. :)

I think I'm going to attach a bit of a letter I penned, earlier today. Hopefully, it will give you a better glimpse into my life here. :)

"I’m writing from the beautiful seaside town of Oban, on the west side of Scotland. It’s a lovely day here, and I’ve found that that’s a rarity. For the last three days, I’ve seen naught but rain. Fortunately enough, I absolutely love such storms. It must all go back to my having grown up in drought-ridden Texas. :)

Yesterday, I took a ferry over to the Isle of Skye. The passage was wonderful, and the ferry was quite officially the largest ship in which I’ve ever found the sea. We were taken across the Sound of Sleat and spent a delightful afternoon on the grounds of the Armadale Castle.

I have absolutely fallen in love with the beauty here. Already, I’ve compiled a list of the locations to which I’ll certainly want to return someday. At present, the list is as follow: St. Margaret’s Chapel in Edinburgh, Arbroath Abbey—especially the sacristy, the village of Ballater, Dunnottar Castle off the eastern seacoast, and Glenfinnan in the deep Highlands.

I’ve learned so much, during these past days. History, especially as regards the Christian fathers of the faith, has been so rich, and it’s been wondrous to walk in the steps of such visionaries for God’s kingdom. I thought you might like to hear of the places through which I’ve traveled…

So far, I’ve journeyed to the town of Melrose and its Abbey; Abbottsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott; Edinburgh’s bustling shops, amazing Castle, St. Margaret’s Chapel (felt like hallowed ground), John Knox’s home, Greyfriar’s Cemetery (one of the greatest testaments to the Covenanters’ heart for God), St. Giles Cathedral (the High Kirk of Scotland and John Knox’s pulpit), the Palace and Abbey at Holyrood; the Antonine Wall dating back to 144 AD; Bannockburn; Stirling Castle; the Wallace Monument and its 256 winding spiral, stone steps :) ; Aberdeen; St. Andrews; Arbroath and its Abbey (which will ever hold my heart); Montrose; Dunnottar Castle (absolutely wondrous and bears quite a testimony to faithfulness); Banchory; the Deeside, Donside, and Speyside winding their way through the Highlands of Glenfinnan and Gainscheel; Culloden’s costly battlefield; Inverness; the Caledonian Canal; Loch Ness and the age-scarred Urquart Castle; the Isle of Skye; Glencoe; and the Isle of Iona (the birthplace of Christianity in the Scottish Isles—560 AD.)

I know that this seems to be quite a long and discursive list , but I thought it might be nice for you to see at least a sampling of the places to which I’ve traveled, thus far. Perhaps, one or more of them has held some place in your own life or the life of one you love. :) I know, most certainly, that all of them have secured a treasured hollow of my heart, a place that they will hold held for many, many years to come.

Ah, yes… I’m experiencing so many wondrous things, and my heart is much-warmed by the beauty and the passionate vision to which I am witness. I miss you, however, my dear ones, and I’ll be praying that God will hold you close while I may not. Just know that you are in my loving thoughts and remembrances; I can’t wait to return and tell you of all I’ve been taught…after I give you each a long-overdue Texan greeting. :)

Promise that you’ll keep me in your prayers, my dear brothers and sisters. In three days’ time, I will be joining the mission to which my service is pledged through the end of September. Much strength of heart, body, and mind will be necessary, and I’m just asking that God will continue in His faithfulness to provide such gifts of grace to me.

I’m so grateful for each of you. All my love, dear ones…"

I'd love to share some photos, as well, but for some reason, my google.uk just doesn't like that idea, in the least. :) You'll all have to be dears and simply bear with me, until a later time. I really miss talking with my sweet friends "out there," but please write whenever you're able, and I'll do my best to find another internet connection, as soon as possible.

May God be with all of you. I so appreciate everything and send much love, though it must travel quite a distance. :)

2006-09-01T15:27:00.000-06:00

I’ve safely reached Scotland, and I love the countryside. It’s amazingly beautiful, here near Edinburgh, and the accents have been utterly delightful.  Today was my first day of the tour that is to last a week, and before much longer, I’ll be serving at Overtoun House in the vicinity of Glasgow. Such excitement fills my heart, as I await God’s hand at work. Actually, He is, even know, moving in His beauty through my life and the lives of all those He’s placed around me…I’m so grateful.

Internet access seems as though it will be scarce, so keep me in your prayers, please, but forgive me if I cannot say hello again for awhile.  May God keep you all in His wondrous grace. He has been so good to me, and I pray you shall feel the measureless depths of His love surrounding you, as well.

Good night!

2006-08-22T14:26:00.000-06:00

The evening was growing late, as I sat down to do some reading and writing last night. I was reveling in the beauty of all the words and phrases before me, but from somewhere, a continuous tapping "greeted" my ears. Within a few moments, it was proving itself distracting, at best, and annoying, at worst. I looked around the room to find my brother, Bryan, working on his math...supposedly. :) He had managed, however, to slip into a pair of headphones and was enjoying some music, too. Not one to ever be a simple observer--a participator at heart--he was drumming along with his pencil. The whole scene might have been thought irksome, had not it proved comical within only a few more glances. As I watched the little fellow, I saw him drum not only the desk edge but, also, reach up and occasionally strike the shade of my mother's prized stained-glass lamp, as though it was a lowly high-hat. :) Oh, how I struggled not to laugh! He did, however, get quite an "exhortation" in the value of paying attention to his schoolwork and keeping his thoughts on the task at hand. :) I'm sure you'd have to be the oldest of five children in a home schooling family to understand the situation in which I found myself, but I thought it was rather humorous and that it might afford you a smile, too. :)

I've had plenty to keep me busy, throughout every day of this past week. A full listing of all my activities would, likely, produce only boredom, so I'll do you the kindness of not recounting every single detail. :) I will, however, tell you of my activities, last night...

My brother, Brent, and I sing in a Renaissance choir, and our holiday season just began...or at least, the rehearsals just began for all the Christmas concerts. I love the music, and the fellow musicians are really delightful. I've been given an excellent opportunity for growth, this year, because I'm singing alto in a formal setting, for the first time in about thirteen years. :) Long story short, the group had plenty of sopranos, the alto section needed help, and I was able to sing both parts...so...the new alto is "yours truly." :) Also, I'm quite fond of singing in foreign languages--especially the romantic Latin-based ones. This year, we're incorporating German, too, and I must be perfectly honest...it'll be a real stretch for me. I feel sorry for any German language experts out in the crowd! I'll be sure to let you all know how it turns out. :) All in all, everything should come together very nicely, by the time December greets us with its wintry winds.

I made myself promise I wouldn't write another chronicle; I'm really bad about that, I know. :) I do have a really humorous story to share, though. It comes from one of my sweet Grandma's "As the Farm Turns" emails, earlier this week. :) It is reprinted with permission, just in case any of you were wondering. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

On Friday, I had to run some errands in town, and while I was gone, Byron decided to move a round bale of hay down to the horse barn. He put the hay fork on the front of the tractor and got on it to go get the hay (he has to travel behind the house and on down the dirt road through the middle pasture and on to the north pasture to get it). As soon as he got on the tractor, a mouse tried to run up his pants leg. Needless to say, he had a conniption fit and knocked it off the tractor. Then, as he was coming up the driveway to the house, he saw the mouse (or his "brother" on the floorboard of the tractor again). He kicked the mouse off the tractor and it fell beneath the rear wheel so he ran over it. He then saw that the wheel missed it, and it was running in the grass toward the little gardening shed (behind the house). He decided he was going to try to run over it with his front wheel so he yanked the steering wheel to the right as he chased the mouse. He forgot that he had the hay fork on the front of the tractor and, all of a sudden, he heard a loud crash-bang! Alas, he ran the left fork into the wooden door of the gardening shed and it split the door and the metal front right side of the shed was pushed in with it. He then hastily decided he needed to back up and, as he did so, the door and the metal siding come out with the fork (way too far out)! He did repairs with lots of "jerry-rigging" and with lots of mutterings under his breath -- or out loud -- am glad I was not here!ha The door will close now, although it is askew, and the metal front side of the building has lots of new screws, and it is a little the worse for wear! I got so tickled at what he had done, that I almost laughed myself silly! Bet he doesn't go chasing mice with the hay fork on the front of the tractor again! Talk about "over-kill!"

I thought the story was so funny! The most humorous part is that it's completely unlike my usually assiduous Grandpa. :) Don't we all have moments like that? Those times of "What was I thinking?" come to all our lives, at one time or another. :) Perhaps, you are all completely sensible individuals and could teach me "a thing or two." Alright, I might as well be completely honest...one of my greatest faults is thinking too much. I'm sure I need no help, whatsoever, to become more contemplative than I already am. :)

Before I say good-bye, I'll share a favorite Scripture with all of you. Perhaps, it will cheer your countenance and encourage your heart, as it does mine. :)

"Thus says God, the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and what comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it; 'I am the Lord; I have called You in My righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord; that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.' "

--Isaiah 42:5-9--

Isn't that a wonderful promise? How very desperately I long to be used by the Lord as a "light for the nations." I think that's one reason I'm growing so excited about the ministry that is soon to be given in Scotland. The most precious times of my life have been spent in serving my glorious Savior, and only in recent years, have I come to know the deeper beauty of ministering in His name to foreign lands. I pray we will all grow to be "lights to the nations," starting with the hearts nearest to us, even now. So be strong and of good courage, my friends!

Enough said for one day, I suppose. I'll close this "longer-than-it-should've-been" letter and say farewell, for now. :) I hope you all enjoy a wonderful day!

2006-08-20T21:47:00.000-06:00

Even I was taken aback tonight, when I realized how long it's been since I last left a post with all my dear ones here. I'm really sorry about that. I guess life just "ran away with me" this week. :)

I've just returned home, for the first time in about fifteen hours of weekend service. It was a long day, but I feel God was glorified through its every moment, and that thought brings my heart great delight. :)

I trust that God is keeping you all near to His heart. I pray for all my readers in "the vast space out there" and hope you are being much-blessed by our loving Heavenly Father. I'll not stay long tonight--just long enough to say hello and wish you well. :) I look forward to offering a more lengthy hello soon! :)

God be with each of you!

2006-08-14T21:17:00.000-06:00

This seemed, to me, a good night in which to share some photos with all of you. :) I hope you'll enjoy a glimpse of our family life.

This is my sweet Anna (8). She and all her friends had gathered at a home to enjoy a "welcome home" tea for a little girl named Yvette. Yvette had a nearly-fatal accident years ago, and God somehow allowed her to survive, bringing Himself immense glory , in the process. The little girl will never be "the same" again, but in one sense, I think she will be better. Her heart is an amazing testimony to loving God, even through the worst that can find us. She serves in her family's ministry with tireless dedication, and she's only twelve years old. That , my friends, is humbling. Her life is one of the greatest gifts the Lord has ever given my sister, Anna. Their friendship has been an absolute joy to witness. Yvette had spent about a month traveling the U.S. with her parents, and she wanted to show her friends all the photos from the journey. She hosted a tea, and I was fortunate enough to be invited, too. I have the great honor of being her mentor. :)

This is just a picture Bryan took while we were visiting the zoo, a few days ago. I've been visiting this beloved zoo for years and years, and I must admit, I'm uncommonly fond of it, or at least, of the memories that surround the place. :) I like this building, especially. It's the aviary, and there are all manner of marvelous birds housed there. (In truth, I'm probably more drawn to the unusual construction of the building and its air conditioning.) :)

Now, you must understand, I absolutely adore these kids. I'm such a blessed sister. They are, from left to right, Peter (6), Bryan (12), and Anna (8). You still have yet, I believe, to meet Brent (17 nearly), but he's a dear, too. This picture was taken at the San Antonio Zoo, also. I think they're somewhere near the the Komodo Dragon or Reticulated Python exhibit. (Not my favorite area of the park, I concede.) :)

Ah, yes...a picture of my beloved harp. God provided it through an absolute miracle of His grace. Isn't He so good to His children? Any of you "music lovers" would have a great deal of fun in our living room. At the moment, it's filled with two grand pianos, a guitar, an electric bass, nine violins, one viola, a cello, Irish whistles, recorders, two concert harps, and a more expansive worship library than you could hope to find anywhere else in the city. :) One of the pianos belongs to a missionary couple that was serving in Sri Lanka. (They arrived there only a week before the infamous tsunami of 2004 struck. They ended up being the main liaisons between the government there and all the aid organizations seeking to serve the people.) They sold everything they owned, before going on the mission field and were going to sell us this piano, too. It's a lovely instrument, but we felt very strongly that they should keep it for the sake of their young daughter, who was showing an uncanny aptitude for music, even at the age of three. Obviously, they would be unable to carry the piano across the ocean with them, so we offered to "board" it in our home, until they returned to the U.S. They returned here, last year, after having poured themselves out as an offering for the Lord and the people of Sri Lanka. Just today, I received a call that they were finally safely settled in a home and were able to receive their instrument. I'm so happy for them, and I've been blessed to have the piano with me, for the past two years. It has been a constant reminder to lift them in prayer, and I'll cherish its company for a few more days until it departs on Wednesday.

I think these are the only interesting photos I have available to share tonight. Perhaps, more will surface later. :) I pray God will bless each of you and continue to hold you in His precious hands. All my love, dear ones! Have a wonderful week!

2006-08-10T20:53:00.000-06:00

There's a delightful breeze sweeping through the Hill Country tonight. What a blessing! I just returned from a jog with my sweet brother, Bryan (12), and our time was made so much more pleasant by the company of the cooling winds. :)

Earlier today, most of my family departed for Austin. They're not to return until late tomorrow evening, and Bryan and I are "holding down the fort", in the meantime. I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but our home possesses quite a resplendent menagerie. :) It'll require a good portion of care, since there are only two humans here, but I don't mind. :)

My family's collection of animals actually brings me a good smile. As soon as my students complete their lessons, they always take the "long way back" to their car and are sure to stop by and visit all the the furry friends, on the way there. :)

The majority of my evening has been dedicated to recording. I've not had the studio equipment "up and running" in, at least, a year and a half here. Our home went through a huge remodeling project--actually, it's still "in the works"--, and I had to move all my gear to a safer location. Finally, I was able to close in some walls, however, and I arrived home from worship team practice, late last night, and found that my dear dad and brother had spent their entire evening reinstalling all the equipment for me. I'm a really happy girl. :)

I wish I could say that I'm in the middle of recording a beautiful CD; I'm still in the copyrighting process and have to provide "scratch" copies of all my work to the Library of Congress, for the task at hand. It actually goes against everything in me...I'm the type that would try a song two weeks straight, if that's what was needed to get a good "take." The hard, cold truth, however, is that I have to do less than perfect cuts, "just to get them done" and sent in. Apparently, the good copies come later--At least, that's what all my "professional" friends tell me. :)

Anyway, there's always at least one or two notes that I just find irksome, in the final cut. Perhaps, no one but me would notice, but all of you would certainly be afforded a good laugh by watching me unavoidably cringe when I hear one of "those spots" coming. :)

Life, this week, has really been busy--it's nearly swept me off my feet, at times, though I hate to admit it. One of my oldest and dearest friends and her family have really needed me, in the past many days. Her beloved mother was on her deathbed, and I've tried doing all I could to be of service to her. Well, I was saddened, Tuesday morning, by the news that the precious elderly woman had finally "left us." An incredible saint of God has returned to the true home of her heart. She's far happier now, I know. I must, however, honestly tell you, her death actually grieved my heart more than I thought it would.

God's been ever so gracious, though. He's given me all the strength I've needed--minute by minute, and I've been able to offer encouragement and comfort to all my dear ones who have lost such a loved one. Pray for the Spencer family, please, if the Lord brings them to your mind, during the days to come. Pray, also, that God will lead me to love them in whatever ways are best.

I'd best be off, for now. There's lots more to be done, before I'm able to "call it a night." :) I'm truly grateful for all of you, so thank you for stopping by and offering your sweet friendship and encouragement, whenever you can. God be with you all!

"You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God..."

--II Corinthians 3:2-5--

All our lives have been inscribed by the hand of God and written not with ink, but with His precious blood. May we ever only find our sufficiency in His strength, and may He use us to write His love upon the hearts of others... Good night, my friends!

2006-08-07T11:56:00.000-06:00

I'm enjoying the gentle lull of this Monday afternoon, long-since established as my substitutionary Sabbath day of rest. As far back as I can recall, my life has been enveloped by weekend ministry. I've always cherished the opportunities for service, but such a schedule can sometimes leave the servant in need of the rest and renewal they seek to bring to the hearts entrusted to their care. Therefore, I've always tried to set aside my Monday, at least, as a time to simply "be still, and know that He is God." I think our Father's pleased when we can just quietly enjoy His presence in our daily lives.

Yesterday was a wonderful day. :) The morning worship services went beautifully. Despite earthly complications and distractions, when is a precious time in God's presence not beautiful? :) My heart was given a great joy, when I stood--ever so quietly--and made my way to the front of the sanctuary to play the invitation song. A dear friend stole quickly and silently from the rear entrance of the room and gave me a hug. I haven't seen her in months, and she had just returned home, just that moment, from her travels. When I started singing the invitation, I had the memory of a sweet friend's embrace still warm upon my shoulders, and the gesture of kindness just reminded me how very much our Father must long to see us. Can you imagine how thrilled He will be to take us in His arms, when we, at last, come home from our sojourning of this vast earth? I love the tenderness of long-awaited reunion...

After a thoroughly enjoyable meal and fellowship with my sister-in-Christ and a few other dear friends, I met my mother, and we headed deep into our city's downtown area. Halfway through the drive, I stopped for a few moments at an HEB store and purchased some cheery blossoms. You see, I was a woman with a mission. :) The bright bouquet was filled with blooms of gold, vermilion, saffron, coral, and even celadon, and its sunny warmth was meant for the bedside of an old friend.

Two days ago, I was just putting a meal on the table for some dinner guests, when my phone starting ringing insistently in my pocket. Answering it, I found that the voice on the other end was my piano tuner's. For the last seventeen years, he's been the reason anyone is capable of being blessed by the worship my family has led in so many churches. :) Without him, the music would have seemed very dismally discordant, indeed. :)

Throughout the many years of the friendship that grew between him and my family, we've tried with all gentleness and sincerity to show Him the way to Jesus. He's been a member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation for as long as I can remember...You can't know how desperately I long for those I love to know the heart of my precious Savior. God has given many opportunities to simply share His ways, His Word, His love, and so much more. For that I am very grateful, and I still pray that God will bring my friend's heart to love Him--in spirit and truth.

Well, the piano tuner couldn't talk long--only long enough to let me know he'd had a heart attack and was somewhere in one of the downtown Baptist hospitals. The news certainly caught me off guard, and my heart was left in a very tender state, through the duration of the meal that night. Oh, but such gratitude was given to God, for my friend had been given the miracle of continued life.

The following day, Mother and Daddy were able to go visit him in the ICU, and yesterday was the first opportunity I'd been given to see him. As Mother and I drove deep into the heart of San Antonio, great, mountainous clouds could be seen forming, all across the horizon of my beloved city. I could tell a great storm was soon to find us, and the blackness of the clouds only deepened, as I neared the hospital.

Mother let me out at the emergency entrance (because it was partially covered), and I didn't reach the safety of the interior doors a moment too soon. The squall descended in fury over the city, and I felt as though I was going to be swept off my feet completely. Even though I survived the sudden coming of the storm, I figured my little bouquet certainly couldn't have. :) As I wove my way through seemingly endless hospital hallways, however, I checked on the flowers, and they were just fine--just a bit more "lively" than usual. :)

Within a few moments, I reached the doorway of my friend's room and was welcomed inside with a weak wave of his hand. I set the little arrangement on his table and stood there, talking a few moments with him. He couldn't believe someone had actually cared enough to bring him some "get-well-soon" flowers. You must understand, he's a quiet--almost eremitical--sort of fellow, and his true friends could be counted on one hand. Such a warmth flooded through my spirit, as I saw how deeply he had been touched...by the love in what I would have considered a very simple gesture of kindness and goodwill.

I was just turning to go, when he reached out his hand to try and grasp mine, and suddenly I found I was nearly crying, reflecting the rain drops now streaming down his window. In a fleeting moment, I thought how rarely we stop and realize how much people long to be touched. This world is a lonely place, even for those who have the Lord indwelling their heart--for we are to be strangers in this earth we roam--but can you imagine the loneliness that must engulf a heart, void of the comfort our Savior's presence brings?

Oh, yes, I took his hand...and prayed silently that he would learn to reach out to another hand--the hand of the One Whose love was my heart's source.

We have such a great responsibility, as children of God, to be His hands that touch a waiting world. Does that always mean grasping a frail hand in a dimly lit hospital room? I think not... There are flowers to be given, notes to be written, phone calls to be made, loving greetings to be spoken, shoulders to be offered in strength, embraces to uplift in times of sorrow, and smiles to daily remind humanity that there is something--Someone--higher, greater, and far lovelier that anything this world yet has known.

Be Christ's hands today, my dear friends, and ask Him how he would have you touch this world with His heart. It's a mystery to me...to think that the holy God would allow us to have some part in His dealings with the sons of men, but He does. He somehow grants us the joy of being His body here on earth, and I never want to make Him wish He had entrusted such care to someone else. I offer my humble "tryings"--sometimes failings--and He continues to glorify Himself through the lowly hands of a girl whose heart is with Him. Be willing to invest yourself in loving the many people He has placed around you--such an existence leaves immense joy in my spirit and newfound hope in others'.

2006-07-31T23:49:00.000-06:00

Tonight, I thought I would simply share one of my favorite Scriptures with each of you, my friends. Perhaps, it may give to your hearts the same strength and peace it offers mine. :) You're all so precious to your Father's heart...never forget how dearly He loves you.

"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:14-21

I'll say good night for now, but I hope you will all be blessed with a wonderful day tomorrow--full of opportunities to grow in Christ more and more. :) Thank you all for caring enough to share your time with me here...it means a lot. All my best!

2006-07-28T00:02:00.000-06:00

Earlier this afternoon, I was blessed to go visit a dear friend of mine. She has three precious nephews, and they were all over at her home, enjoying their aunt's company, when I stopped by to see her. One glimpse of the tender, little eyes was all it took to bring me back, in an instant, to times so long since passed, that the years seem to have been part of another lifetime...

The first-born little baby was named William, and he greeted this world far before any of us expected his company. Being born at only 21 weeks of gestation, he was instantly brought into a world of immense medical difficulty--even what some called impossibility. Tears and prayers were poured, as never before, from our hearts upon the altar of God's throneroom...and our Heavenly Father listened to our pleas for William's life.

He did survive and continued, with each day, in his tiny heart's struggle for life. Doctors, even now, are baffled by his overcoming such odds. All I know to say is that God chose to show immense mercy...there is no human explanation for the miracle of his life.

He will have difficulties that stay with him the rest of his days, but I have never yet found another heart so pure and so inexplicably able to make me feel as though I've suddenly entered the embrace of my Savior's loving arms. William just has a certain peace that overflows from his life and shares its fragrance with all who are blessed enough to be near.

During the first night of his life, I penned a poem--not knowing if he would still be with us the next morn. In its words was a certain dedicatory trust; we had no way of knowing what the next dawn would bring, but we knew God would be caring for William, no matter what came to pass.

You gave me a child, Lord,
For which I daily prayed.
Yet now he's weak, and I know not
When tomorrow could be his last day.

If the world cannot here hold him, though,
We trust Thy tender heart.
Perhaps Your lamb couldn't rest as well
Within our mortal arms.

If this be so, we lay him then
In Your own loving hands.
We pray, Lord, that You'll hold for us
Our precious little lamb,

And when someday, I come to You,
And my life here on earth is done,
I will hold out my hands and You will place,
Within them, my dear little one.

In that moment I'll know, after all that's passed,
Why You sheltered my lamb so long.
You knew that in no other place could he rest
As he could in the hand of God.

The Lord graciously allowed us to keep William here, and today as I looked upon all the precious little ones, my heart reminisced over the many years of faithfulness in which God has blessed us all. Never once, did He fail to show His love--even when it seemed hidden; Through all, He was perfectly orchestrating the symphony of life which cannot cease from showing His glory.

Today, William's existence is a testimony of God's faithfulness to all who have been blessed to know him. I consider myself honored beyond any measure to have shared in his life.

Before I bid you all farewell for this evening, I will share one more poem... This one was written on the day of William's first birthday, and I think you will begin to see, even at that early stage, what a beautiful place he was holding in our hearts.

Dear little one of blessing,
Tiny gift, oh precious lamb,
We were praying here for you,
While you were still within God's hand.

He held you there in Heaven
While we waited here on earth,
Until He thought the time was best
To show to us your worth.

In truth, you never really left
All Heaven's glories there above;
For when you came to bless us,
You carried, with you, Heaven's love.

So when we hold you here on earth
And cradle you within our arms,
We don't just hold a precious lamb,
But also love within our hearts.

So thank you, tender little one,
For coming with your love so true.
You've touched our hearts, and we will ever
Thank our Lord for sending you.

Thus ends the story of my cherished William. I cannot wait to see how the Lord will continue to use his life to bring unending glory to His name. Is it not written that God uses the foolish things of earth to confound the wise and the weak to confound the strong? The Lord is working through a little child, robbed of his sight, to open our eyes to the truths that matter most. I'm humbled by this precious gift of love from our Father's heart; I will never cease to marvel at His grace.

May the Lord bless you in everything to which you set your hands. I pray you will be used to bring great delight to His heart and tremendous honor to His name. God be with you!

2006-07-24T21:17:00.000-06:00

Hello, my friends! I hope you, too, have been blessed by a wonderful day. I'm heading out, in just a little while, to go walking, and the Hill Country is very lovely tonight. A breeze has swept its way into our area, and I only wish it was here to stay. :)

My day has been filled with all the "heaviness" of massive homework, so when someone told me of a humerous happening today, it gave me even more pleasure and lightness of heart than it would have, under normal circumstances. :) I thought some of you might enjoy the opportunity to laugh at and with us, too!

Several days ago, my mother remembered that her sister's birthday was near at hand, so she purchased a beautiful card for her loved one. That served to remind her that a old family friend shared the same birthdate, so we picked out a wonderful card for him, too. The weekend was even busier than most, but we gave a concerted effort to write hand-penned notes within the little cards and rushed them off to the airport post office, around ten p.m. one night. Wanting the letters to have the best possible chance of reaching their much-loved recipients by this morning, I admit I was quite well-pleased that my family had given such a good effort. :)

Well...this afternoon, my mother called my aunt, and my cousin answered the phone. Mom quickly said, "Hi there! Is your mom around the house? I wanted to wish her a happy birthday." A few moments of silence passed before my cousin replied, "um...yeah she's here...but it's not her birthday." My mother nearly dropped the phone, as the realization came to her that the birthday wasn't until August. My aunt still took the call and thought the whole situation was as funny as could be. :)

Of course, Mother's sister took it all with a well-humored laugh. The more humiliating scenario was the fact that an old family friend, also, received his "birthday card" today--only it was a month early. :)

We've never, ever done something like this before. You've got to believe me. I remember a few "select" birthdays and trust my mother to remember any other ones of great importance. That would have worked this time, too--except that my mom's in a transition time of her thyroid medication. To put it mildly, my valedictorian mother's mind is a bit less "connected" than usual. I don't bear humiliation too easily, but what a good laugh we shared, when all was said and done! :)

Anyway, there aren't too many earth-shatteringly important lessons in this little post--just some cause for good humor. :) However, I think God takes great pleasure in seeing His children smile, so take a few moments and thank Him for the joy He loves to add to our days.

I hope you will all have a marvelous night, and I send my best wishes to each of you! God be with you!

2006-07-20T10:35:00.000-06:00

I'm mortified that such a long time has passed since I last said hello to you all here. I'll try to be a more steadfast friend, in the days to come. :) So very much has transpired, since last we spoke, and I've had the immense joy of watching God's hand at work in my life and the life of those all around me. I'll share with you a short story that really touched my heart when its news first reached me, early yesterday afternoon...

When I was only four years old, I moved with my parents to the San Antonio area and within weeks, we had chosen a church home. As God would have it, our family became one of only four founding families of the infant congregation. Seven years later, 2000 people were hearing God's Word taught there each weekend. :) (These are some of the dearest times of my life, by the way.)

Though times eventually have changed and dear ones have moved and embraced new callings, we've kept close bonds of friendship with those other founding families. A long while back, one couple took their family and moved to Brazil to serve as missionaries. While ministering there, a little orphan grew very dear to their hearts. They tried everything to adopt the precious girl, but eventually, there was simply nothing more that could be done. After serving in Brazil for years, they returned to the States and, in doing so, were forced to leave behind the little girl whose heart had been inscribed within their own.

Ten years have now come and gone, and the little girl has grown from a youth, only seven years old, into a young woman. My missionary friends haven't been able to see her in a decade, but every day has found her in their hearts. Only days ago, the wife opened her mail to find a letter penned in Portuguese. The orphaned girl, now seventeen, desperately wanted them to visit her. She told of what has filled her days throughout theses past ten years. Her life brought anything but simplicity or ease, but her heart has stayed tender to the Lord. What one influence helped to birth such love and trust for her Savior? --my precious missionary friends...

I'm truly praying a great deal now for them all. If the Lord allows, the girl would love to be brought to the States to be a part of their family, as they have longed for her to be, so very long now. It may be that she will have to wait another year, until she will have reached an age of adulthood. I know that God is looking down on everything and that He will bring His very best to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I trust that His love will triumph in the end, no matter what we see immediately around us.

I found it astounding that she had not seen them since the age of seven, and yet it was that small "window of time" which has given rise to the character she embraces today. Truly, I found it all very humbling. I believe we all try to be a reflection of the Lord to those with whom He's surrounded us, but sometimes, we neglect to realize the incredible power of influence we are given. I stand as witness to the beauty of spirit that has been birthed through the willing obedience of just one couple, and I wonder, "What if they had not been a mirror of Christ to that girl? What would've become of her soul?"

We never know when we may be the only glimpse of Jesus that another person ever sees. That thought brings me a great impassioning to submit myself wholly to God for His perfect purposes. More than all else, I want to adore my Savior and lead others to His love. We never know when that little girl or boy at our knees will be the next champion for God's cause on earth. We never know when a hungering person fed in mercy will have seen the hand of God through us, for the first time in their life. We never know...

God has placed around us so many people to influence with His heart, and I know I am the woman I am today because someone cared enough to invest in my life. I'm both humbled and filled with gratitude for the amazing hosts of friends, mentors, and leaders by whom God has grown my heart. I owe so much to them and to the Lord for His immense mercy in placing them in my life. I only pray I can give back to this world even a portion of the love God has poured out upon me.

I've missed you all, and I'm glad I was able to sit for a little while and share a bit of life with you. :) God be with you all, my friends!

2006-07-14T19:56:00.000-06:00

This is for you, Paige, on an important day...you know why. I just wanted to tell you I love you and keep you always in my thoughts and prayers. You'll forever have a home in my heart, and more importantly God has a special place for you in the most treasured recesses of His heart. So rest therein, knowing you are precious to Him and to me, as well. Blessings, my sister in Christ!

May God be with "the rest of you" sweet friends, also. You can't know what a joy it's been to share your company here. I pray our Lord will bless you all, as you find the strength to follow Him!

2006-07-12T00:50:00.000-06:00

I have to admit, I promised several of you that I would post pictures soon...a long while ago. Forgive my tardiness in fulfilling my word. Though late in coming, I hope you'll enjoy a few glimpses into family life. :)

This first picture is one of my dear sister, Anna. (She's the one on the right, of course.) :) Her sweet, little companion is named Joanna and is the instigator of all my back-breaking, stable-building labor, of the past month or so. :) They're both quite lovable, I must say; the work was hardly comparable to wanting to bless my "long-prayed-for" sister and her new little friend. :)
This second photo shows what the first could not display in entirety...that Joanna's a creature of great beauty. :) I'm still amazed at how wondrously God creates all the life we see around us. From the microscopic to the magnificent, everything reminds me that my Lord loves to design everything as a reflection of His character, beauty, and purpose.

This one is being included because... well because... To be honest, I'm not quite sure why it's being included, except that it was vulnerably sitting on my desktop, saying, "I feel so ignored, so utterly neglected." So, not wanting to discourage the poor, little picture, I've posted it, as well. True story now...it was a lovely day, and my brother just wanted to take my picture, so I'm sharing it with all of you. :)

Here's a gathering of some of my dear ones... From left to right: Gen. Engel, Peggy, Amy (me), and David. We were just finishing a delicious meal, and seeing my camera come out, the server said, "Let me take the picture for you!" (He certainly earned his tip. I love it when people "go the extra mile", even in showing the most simple consideration.) :) At that point, the realization was just starting to "dawn on me" that I'd soon be bidding the General farewell.

Last one...I promise. :) I just loved this picture of Daddy and Mother. I thought those of you who know them would enjoy seeing them again, and that those of you who don't know them might enjoy making their acquaintance. Also, I thought the photo would be something endearing to keep me company when I check on my site... :) Aren't they sweet? I'm blessed beyond measure to have such incredible parents. I certainly never deserved such grace of God. :)

Well, that's all for tonight, my friends. I hope you all are blessed with a wonderful week, and I send my best wishes and prayers to you all! :)

2006-07-09T21:19:00.000-06:00

Today has been filled with such beauty and such fulfillment; rarely, have I known the blessings of such a day. Soon, I will tell you why... It would be unfair, however, for me not to explain the many events and past days that have led to the one, now at hand. So, nestle into a cozy chair, and enjoy the reading, for a little while. :)

I have a dear friend, David, whose son died last year, at a youth's age of 21. It nearly broke my heart. David's heart of friendship and devotion is one of the dearest gifts God has ever given me, and it hurt so deeply to watch the pain through which he and his precious wife walked. More on that later...

David's business travels have taken him all over the world, and years ago, he made a good friend in Israel. The man there was a brilliant, retired general who held the hearts and respect of his countrymen, in every possible way, and years of devotion and dedication to the cause of his land's freedom had made him a hero in the eyes of all who knew him. When this dear friend heard of the death of David's son, he promised the grieving father he would come visit him...especially so he could pray by his side, at the grave of the young son.

For months now, David has told me this sweet friend was soon to visit, and he very much wanted my family and me to meet him, during his stay here. Over the past years of their friendship, David had often spoken to the general of us, and the general wanted to know the friends that had so loved David and his family, especially during the times of heartache.

Well...the long-awaited day of the general's arrival finally came, this past Friday. We were to share a meal and fellowship with him, that evening. Also, the distinguished visitor had longed to hear the worship we so love because he had heard of it from David, for years now. :) I couldn't have been more thrilled than to offer a sacrifice of praise to my loving Father, that night. You see, the general is certainly Jewish and has not yet accepted my precious Jesus as his Redeemer. As he listened to the music and saw, in our faces, a fervent love and humbled adoration for our Lord, he realized that this was so much more than a religion to us; he looked deeper to see that it was a relationship--treasured in my heart more than anything I can even comprehend.

After an hour's worth of worship, he still wanted to hear more, and when the music finally stilled and found its cessation, the guest looked through misty eyes at us and spoke some of the most moving words of gratitude and blessing, I've yet ever heard. These words of graciousness and honor were coming from the man who was a national hero, had designed the most technologically advanced tank of our day, and to this day, holds great influence...

The heart was, slowly, being made tender to the call of God--to the beauty of the loving relationship we share with our blessed Savior, Christ. No, he has not accepted my Jesus, but he is listening, perhaps for the first time in his life, and that gives me immense hope.

Throughout the three days I spent in the man's company, I grew to deeply love this one who is so different in every way from me. I have lived in a land that holds an unfathomable degree of supremacy, across all the world; he lives in a land that was founded upon the shoulders of a mere 400,000 persecuted but impassioned patriots. I have lived in relative safety, not having to regularly watch the skies for attack; he has fought every day of his adult life to protect the land and the life he holds sacred. I have adored Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with every breath that's been given me, since my accepting the salvation of my awesome God; he still awaits the coming of the Messiah Who will save him and all that he holds dear.

In the midst of the great love I held for him, there was an equal portion of heartbreak, in knowing that one could know so much and give so much for the sake of a holy God, but somehow, he had lived 58 years without accepting God's most precious sacrifice, Christ Jesus.

For the first time, a face has been put alongside the prayers I've prayed since grade school--that God would watch over His chosen people and bring them to a saving knowledge and acceptance of Jesus. Now each time I raise my eyes to heaven and beseech God on Jerusalem's behalf, a pair of crystal blue eyes will be in my memory, spurring me on to give even more of myself to love others--especially these precious, chosen ones--unto Jesus.

I am amazed, as I look across all the happenings of God's faithfulness, these past several days... For the first time in 58 years, the general stepped foot into a Christian church, sat down, and attended a service unto the glory of Christ. He said he was going to honor David and us, and that he wanted to hear more of the music, but I can tell you that his heart was incredibly moved by the service today, and I only pray it will not be long, 'ere he is my brother in Christ. Even when it seems to be impossible, that is the blessed end to which I will direct my petitions before God.

Just hours ago, David, his precious wife, a few of our family, and I all went to the airport with the special guest and "saw him off." :) He did not know that our family was coming, and the man nearly cried, when he learned that we had loved him enough to bid him one, last farewell and a Godspeed. There's so much that I simply couldn't be able to fit into this note, but let it suffice to say that this man of such valor and prestige found a place in my heart through his gentleness and tender honor toward us all. I miss him already. There's a reunion, near at hand, but I'll save that story for another chronicle. :)

So, months of awaiting his arrival have flown by, and now he is come and gone. He did visit the grave with David...he prayed, turned to leave, then stopped and came back to pray, a little while more. Atop the youth's headstone there now rests another smaller stone. The little rock made a journey of thousands of miles and was brought by the general from the Mount of Olives. So there, atop the grave of a twenty-one year old son, lies a testament to the greatest acceptance of the will of God that has ever been known. "Not My will, but Thine...", were the words of the Savior Who there sacrificed his heart that mine might be saved.

God's purposes are so far beyond all that we can ever hope to see, while we are yet upon this earth, but someday, I know all will be clear. Even now, I trust Him in all and know that He is fulfilling all He has ever dreamed for us. So I willingly bow the knee and ask that His will only be done...no matter what the cost or what the joy, I know He will bring it all to His glory. I wait to see what He brings to fruition in the heart of my new and dear friend, and I know that my heart has been forever altered for the better, in the process.

Father, may Thy will be ever done! I am humbled beyond measure that you allow me to have a part of your purposes, but thank You, Abba...loving You and loving others unto Your kingdom has been the delight of my life.

I'll leave you, my friends, for this night. I know it seems unbelievable, but there's actually so much I've left unsaid. :) Pray for General Engel and for his nation which is so precious in God's sight. I thank you all for honoring me enough to read through all the glimpses of life I share and for making them as momentarily important to you as they are eternally pertinent to me. :)

Blessings to you all!

2006-07-05T16:43:00.000-06:00

I know it seems as though I've "fallen off the face of the earth", but I assure you, my friends, I am still here. :) ...sorry about that.

Our family celebrated a wonderful Independence Day yesterday. I was less than thrilled about having to get up by six am on a "supposed holiday", but coming to my senses, I quickly realized that this was to be a great day and I wouldn't want to miss a minute of it. :)

We arrived in Austin, around eight-thirty, and found our place in the Alandale Parade, of which my father's family has been a part for at least fifty years. I've been a member of the jubilant crowd there, for as long as I can remember, and I've certainly participated in my share of flag waving, bike riding, and period dressing.

Well, my little sister, Anna, has been begging me, month after month, to dress up with her for this year's parade, and after promising her I would, I held true to my word. We arrived in full antebellum splendor, and for the love of my dear little sister, I completed the entire walk, even though the humidity could've easily squelched someone. :) It seems the sisterly endeavor was well-blessed by God, for we received second place in the "Best Costume" category, and Anna has been "on cloud nine", ever since. (You should have seen her face, when she had the joy of showing her official certificate to our mom, Mema, and beloved cousins galore.) :)

'Ere long, I was home again, and my evening was spent, reveling in the beauty of a good thunderstorm and hours spent in worship before God. It was such a wonderful day, and I am unspeakably grateful to my loving Lord; the fact that He has given our nation such favor is still a wonder to me, but even more deeply, my heart is stirred to thankful humility by all that the Savior has given to free my heart. So tonight, I look over all the yesterdays that have come before, and I can't wait to stand as witness to all I know the Lord will do in each of the tomorrows to come. :)

God be with you!

2006-06-30T22:53:00.000-06:00

Anna's newest little blessing in life has joined our family today, a miniature horse named Joanna. The new addition to our "family menagerie" is long-awaited and has proven herself a sweetheart, indeed. Everyone is so happy that she is now settled in; perhaps, life can settle down, too. :) Throughout the past three weeks, our entire family has been working, night and day, to ready our "homestead" for her arrival. There was a new stable to be built, a beautiful fence to be raised, and much more. I look back and smile as I recall all that was accomplished because God graciously allowed me to have a hand in every part of it. :)

Few things are as fulfilling as a good night's rest, after a wearying day of work well-done. I'm truly grateful for every blessing the Lord has placed in my life--love and fellowship of family, growth of mind, nourishment of spirit, even the strengthening value of hard labor. Now I turn, with fond recollections, to find the rest so needed, after a day so sweetly fulfilling. :)

I pray each of you have recognized the hand of our loving God, weaving His beauty through your lives, this day. Many blessings fall upon you all!

2006-06-27T07:21:00.000-06:00

As my dearest brother informs me, I have yet to write anything about him. I don't know how that happened, but I'm not about to slight my sweet Bryan. So...this little entry is dedicated to him. :)

Bryan is 12 years old and a bundle of joy and energy. When he was much younger, we all called him our "bumble bee" because he was always "buzzing" everywhere. :) His other well-deserved nickname was "Sunshine" because he would never get up in the morning and greet us without a huge smile and lots of love to brighten our day. :)

Now he's all grown up and is still a sweetheart. When he's not building a hideout, he's training his white lab; when he's not climbing a tree, he's scraping a knee, in the process of trying one of his multiple bicycle stunts. :) Somewhere in the midst of all this boyhood, I try to give him an education--not always easy to keep him in a desk, but he's a clever boy when I can manage to keep him there.

He's given me the gift of striving for excellence in his musical endeavors. He knows how very much worship means to me and to God, and Bryan's tried very hard to do his best with violin, piano, guitar, and bass. In fact, he's playing bass, right now, for our church's music team. I'm so proud of him, and I can't wait to see how God will use the investment Bryan's made in His kingdom. :)

Bryan is our mercy spirit. If you ever need a friend to keep you company while you're up folding laundry alone at midnight, it is he whose hand you'll feel patting your shoulder and asking to help you. If a woman has far too many things she's carrying, he's the first to run across a parking lot and go help her. If I'm just needing a little encouragement in the day, he reaches over and squeezes my hand three times--our little code for "I love you," and I respond with four squeezes to say, "I love you, too." :)

All in all, he's a precious boy, and I'm blessed beyond measure that God has given me such a loving brother. So this day I'll dedicate to Bryan...I pray that God will continue to grow you in His grace and strength. I love you. (3 squeezes) :)

2006-06-22T00:33:00.000-06:00

Hello, my friends! I know I've not been very faithful in tending my garden of words here, but I decided to sit for just a little while tonight and write, before I go find the haven of my bed. :)

I'll share one of my favorite passages with you. It's been on my heart all this evening, and perhaps, it may mean something to another's heart, as well. God be with you all! :)

"Oh God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise You with joyful lips, when I remember You upon my bed, and meditate upon You in the watches of the night; for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to You..." Psalm 63:1-8a

The "watches of the night" have been some of the most precious times of my entire existence, and I would not trade their quiet communion with my Father for anything this world could ever offer. I pray we will never cease to thirst for Him, that our desperation for His love will never find an end. It is that thirsting of our souls that drives us to seek His sanctuary,and in that holy place, we are satisfied with the living waters that are the outpouring of His mercy and grace. Oh, blessed is the yearning that drives me to You, my precious Savior!

I pray you will each continue to grow closer to Jesus, with every day and every moment that He gives you upon this earth. Blessings to you, my friends...

2006-06-18T13:43:00.000-06:00

This is the day dedicated to fathers, and I couldn't let it pass without saying that I have the dearest one for whom I could ever have hoped. God has been so good to me...

Papa knows how to laugh "with the best of them", how to make the best brownies in the world (the Duncan Hines special), and how to correct me, when I'm in need of guidance. He, also, has enough sensitivity to simply be with me in quietness, when life has grown trying.

He never goes to bed or says goodbye on the phone without, first, telling me he loves me. After twenty-one years, however, it's not all the times he's told me that have made that sentiment a part of my heart; it's all the unspoken and seemingly unseen expressions of love that have filled my every moment since the day I was born to him and my precious mother.

I find I am at a loss of words with which to truly show my gratitude, so all I can say is, "I love you, my dearest Daddy. You've been the greatest father I could ever have desired, but the best thing you've ever done for me is showing me how to love our Father in heaven. He has created all, and I'm so blessed that He fashioned you and then placed me in your arms...and in your heart. Thank you for being forever an expression of His love to me. I'll cherish you always."

I pray you will all be blessed with a wonderful Fathers' Day. If no earthly Daddy is able to hear your voice, I pray you'll raise it to your Father in Heaven. He loves you more than life, and His heart longs to hear you call His name.

Many blessings, my dear ones. Happy Fathers' Day!

2006-06-15T00:05:00.000-06:00

I know this note will fall under the heading of June 15th, but its heart filled my thoughts all day long...on the 14th, our nation's "Flag Day". Please forgive the tardiness with which it is being shared, my friends, but perhaps, the words may have some purpose yet... God bless you all! :)

Freedom's Flag

Breezes gentle, galestorms fierce…
There in sun and storm
Flies a banner of my land;
Of sacrifice ‘tis borne.

Crimson stripes, and blue and white,
With stars therein are lain;
I see the glory birthed of those
Who only saw the pain.

In that “simple” piece of cloth,
With lowly thread to bind,
Is every member of this nation
Bound in heart and mind.

We, therein, find memories of
Our freedom bought by blood.
Honor drives us each to give
In courage, faith, and love.

I see so much more, howe’er,
Behind this flag I laud.
There through ages, long-since passed,
Has stood the hand of God.

Long ago, another banner
Flew so high above—
A canopy ‘twixt earth and heaven,
Of Atonement’s blood.

In that banner was enthroned
The love that made us free.
In that grace I pray my land
Shall find its liberty.

Not until we’ve bowed our hearts
Unto our Sovereign Lord,
Will the flags we see today
Say peace has found this world.

Yet, today, I’ve raised my eyes
To find a flag still waves.
It ever shall remind me of
The mysteries of grace…

Our fathers formed this land at cost
Of life, and peace, and years.
Our Savior cleansed humanity
And beckoned them come near.

A flag of red, white, and blue
So bravely waves above,
But crimson flowed to save my soul.
That banner o’er me is Love.

So forevermore I’ll cherish
Grace that set me free.
America, I pray this Grace
Will be received by thee.

Look unto the flag that flies
And grateful you shall be;
But lift your face still higher,
And your Savior you shall see…

For far beyond the things of earth
And kingdoms built by men,
You’ll, one day, see that Providence
Our freedom’s flag has been.

06-14-06 Amy

2006-06-12T22:12:00.000-06:00

This is the tale of a beloved pet named Glacey. :) I bought my sweet Pyrenees "on a whim", several years ago, and my days have been made far more interesting by her antics and their addition to my life. :)

She's the most amiable dog you'll likely ever meet, but she does have just a few character flaws...like the fact that she chewed several of the feet off my mother's brand new dining table, only days after coming home with me. Also, in spite of her sweetness, she is stricken with an incurable case of "wander-lust".

Well...today, I was just about to leave home for a long-awaited walk when I walked down the hall and found our rear entry door standing wide open. A wave of dread came over me, as I had a premonition of what was to follow. I quickly searched through the home, and sure enough, Glacey was already long gone. She can't help but indulge herself in a fling, when the door is beckoning her toward the radiant sunlight outside. :)

I "ran for the hills", literally, and found myself on a hour-long sprint to chase her down. I have to be honest, after tearing through thickets and brambles galore, I was about ready to just let her run as far as she pleased. (step...step... oh! dried thistle... step...step... a cedar limb slapping back on me... step...step... spear grass... step... step... "Think happy thoughts. Think happy thoughts.") :)

As soon as I rounded her back up and took her home, she was immediately inducted into "bootcamp" with my mother as drill sergeant. Two hours later, we were still trying to get the "oh, so stubborn" pooch to sit on command. When she finally did make up her mind to lower her haunches, it took her a full six seconds for each sitting attempt. :) Meanwhile the brilliant, white lab in the yard next to Glacey sat the entire time, watching Glacey and not moving a muscle. I know she had to have been thinking, "You dolt, just sit down!" :)

Well, I've decided that since I am to dwell on what is good and lovely, I'll put aside her shortcomings for the night and reminisce on the qualities I love about her...her mild nature, her faithfulness, her sensitivity to come lay her head in my lap and just "check on me" when a day has been trying. You see, even the most tedious companion can offer manifold blessings, if we'll just look beyond the "growth opportunities" to see the hidden qualities of beauty...

Surely, if this is true with a lowly (yet truly treasured) pet, it is all the more true when applied to the human relationships we find all around us. Tonight, I am preaching to myself, for today has brought me many opportunities to look past the smudges in the hearts of those I love. I know I should be appreciative of the glorious blessings that are beyond the slight shortcomings. So often, however, I don't try as hard as I should, and today, unfortunately I could've tried a bit harder. That's why I'm so grateful that God allows us to ask forgiveness and "try again" tomorrow.

For tonight, I will simply stand humbled by the fact that a Great Pyrenees has helped teach me a lesson about life. Tomorrow, I'll give all my heart to find the very best in those I love. I owe more to them and to the Lord Who bestowed them on me than I can ever repay, and I'm so grateful for the grace that has been made mine...

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment."

I Timothy 6:6

Find something you've never recognized before for which to be grateful in the life of one close to you. It will brighten your spirits as nothing else and make you so much more able to love them in the way Christ first loved you...

Goodnight!

2006-06-11T23:02:00.000-06:00

My walk this evening was graced by a beautiful moon, and the hour spent in its company has made me long to read some poetry tonight before bed. (Does that make as little sense to you as it does to me?) I'll have to pull down my favorite compilation and revel in some of the lovely words. :)

I was much encouraged by a wonderful worship service, this morning. Our pastor spoke from John 4, and I was thrilled when he began because this particular passage is one of my favorites. It's always emboldened me to "go the extra mile" to find people "where they are" and share with them the matchless grace of my beloved Savior.

My mother and I lead the worship team at our church, and very late last night, I realized that I had never secured someone to sing an offertory for this week. (Yes, such things do slip my mind, at times.) :) Since I knew I would be responsible for doing it in about nine or ten hours, I asked the Lord to impress on my heart what He would like me to sing, and He sent a beautiful song. I was up "into the wee hours" writing it, but it was really used to touch the people's heart, this morning, and I'm so humbled and blessed that the Lord saw fit to honor such a request, yet again.

This afternoon held a "should've been 3o-minute, turned 2 hour" nap, and I was grateful that Sunday is set aside as a day of rest. Otherwise, I would have felt quite guilty for such an indulgence. :) When I rose, however, I was much more equipped to help out with all the little things that make a home function best...like clean dishes, vacuumed floors, etc. :) I even got an opportunity to go outside and work, for a little while. Papa and I are still digging post holes for my little sister's miniature horse stable, and our bedrock-ridden ground certainly requires quite an investment of time. :)

I'd best say goodnight now and go to my devotions and journaling. I might even get a chance to read a bit of poetry, too. I'm so grateful to God for all his wondrous blessings that we, oft times, don't even notice...full moons, night breezes, fellowship with His Body, loving family, even hard labor that strengthens our bodies and minds. :) I hope that you, too, have had a good Lord's day and will be much blessed in the days to come, as you seek to follow Christ and love Him above all else...

"Now to Him Who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen"
Ephesians 3:20

Farewell, my friends!

2006-06-08T22:23:00.000-06:00

Hours ago, I bid my beloved brothers farewell. Brent (16) and Bryan (12) are to be ministering in missions to Mexico for the next several days, and I know God will greatly use them for His Kingdom, as long as their hearts remain submitted to His perfect will. My, I miss them already, but I'll be praying for them and looking forward to having them back again with me, 'ere long. :)

"Miss you, miss you, miss you;

Everything I do

Echoes with the laughter

And the joy of you.

You're on every corner,

Every turn and twist,

Every old familiar spot

Whispers how you're missed..."

Well, my dear ones will still be held in my thoughts and prayers, even when they are beyond the embraces of my arms. In the meantime, Daddy, Mother, Anna (8), Peter (6), and I will be "holding down the fort" and anxiously awaiting their safe return, by the grace of God. :)

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in everyway. The Lord be with you all." II Thessalonians 3:16

2006-06-06T09:48:00.000-06:00

Late last night, I was out on my evening walk with my mother. The hour, I'm sorry to say, was very late, indeed. :) That's why I was more than a little concerned when it seemed "something" was crawling beside me on the roadway. You know how the human eye can detect motion even when it can't sense color? Well, this was a perfect example...a blurring of the grey asphalt beside me, barely made discernible by the faint moonbeams. Had the little, grey spot seemed larger, my first instinct would have been to forget walking or jogging and take to sprinting. :) Somehow, however, it didn't seem to be larger than the size of a hare or something of that sort.

Resourceful woman that I am, I opened my cell phone for some source of light. :) There, illumined by the blue glow, was a tiny fawn, crawling very slowly towards me. Actually, I can't quite say it was "crawling"; it was down on its front knees and was pushing itself just barely with its hind legs. It stopped from time to time and just lay panting on the asphalt. Within another moment, it had closed the remaining few inches between itself and my feet and then, simply stopped and lay there in a pile of brown fur with a multitude of white spots.

By now, I was definitely wondering where the tiny fellow's mother had gone. I left Mother with the little one and ran to search the street in both directions, finding no doe--either alive or dead. I returned to my mom and the fawn. It was tremendously weak and couldn't even lift its head. I'd love to take a vote right now and see how many of you think I continued with my jog and left the helpless fellow lying there alone in the middle of the street. :) ...not on your life...

Mom gathered our new ward up in her arms, and we slowly walked back home. Soon, we were in our kitchen, and I was rummaging through the lowest shelves of our pantry. Finding that for which I was searching, I finally emerged with a can of "replacement milk" and a tiny bottle. Yes, that's right...we actually keep such "necessities" in our pantry. :) You never know when you may be entertaining "angels unaware" or at least, "antlers unaware", in this case. :)

It took us about an hour to get the little one to sip down a decent portion of the milk (with some nourishing Nutri-Cal added). When I finally turned off the kitchen lights and started toward bed, he was, at last, getting enough strength to pick up his head just a little. I left him in a little cushioned bed on the kitchen floor, and my last sight of him was a glimpse of the tiny fawn nestled in the corner with our two Malteses settled in close on each side.

Right now, my little "antler unaware" is on his way to the wildlife refuge and rehabilitation facility about a half hour from our home. I know he'll be given good care there, but I was grateful to spend one night in nourishing the fawn in our own home. For it having been such a dark night, he added quite a ray of unexpected sunshine.

I hope all of you have a wonderful day. I pray you are blessed of God in all to which you set your hands for His glory. Bye for now. :)

2006-06-04T13:40:00.000-06:00

June has come, and I've not yet welcomed it with its sunny, summer days. Shame on me...I try never to slight an old friend. :) Some may feel that Texas exists in a continual state of summer, but I may assure you ( at least in the San Antonio area), there is a definite temperature change--the average daily high is no longer confined to a mediocre 95 degrees but is emboldened to reach 100, 104, etc. :) (This is the one case in which I would advocate a lack of courage.) :)

Anyway, all light-heartedness put aside, I'm grateful for the coming of summer days. May God bring, with them, a season in which many souls may be enlivened with the warmth of His presence.

2006-05-31T23:25:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm afraid the last two days have been difficult to bear, and I'm sorry that I've forsaken my little attempts of words left here. I learned yesterday that a lifelong friend of mine was deserting everything of the life he has always known in Christ and is leaving his family to follow a path completely opposed to all that God has ever set forth as honorable, just, pure, lovely... and my heart is reeling with sorrow, as I watch what my friend is doing. God created me as an exhorter in spirit, and almost all I do is motivated by a passion to help others be all they can be in Christ. When, suddenly, a loved one has "gone off the deep end" and the only one to hear my words is my Savior, my soul finds that even in pain, God will be my refuge and peace. So, tonight, I'll leave you dear ones with some Scriptures that He's brought to strengthen me, during these past two days and, actually, many in the years long since gone. Perhaps, some of them may bless your soul in a time of need...

Psalm 62:1-2, Psalm 63:1-8, Psalm 43:5, Deuteronomy 4:29-31, Jeremiah 1:7-8, Isaiah 35:3-7, Isaiah 40:11, Romans 8:26-28, Ezekiel 37:23, Matthew 10:26-31, John 10:10-11, Genesis 50:20...

In these coming days, I'll be doing all I can to fulfill what I believe God's asked of me. May He give me strength to faithfully follow His leading. "And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstance; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." I Thessalonians 5:9

So, my friends, I will rest myself tonight in the promises and purposes of God. I know they are so far beyond the earthly paradigm that mortal eyes can behold at this time. Above all else, I know that I can trust my precious Savior to be faithful and to be working "all things together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose".

2006-05-28T21:02:00.000-06:00

A busy day is drawing to its close, at long last. It's so good to finally sit down and just take a moment's rest. :) Our family's Sundays begin very early, as we are responsible for leading worship in a Baptist church about thirty minutes away. It's always a great blessing to be before the Lord in such a way, but a tremendous will power is required of me during the first service's sermon, in order to keep my eyes from "glazing over" in sleep deprivation. :) I must, however, not lead you to believe the expositions dull in any way. I commend my pastor for the excellence of the word he shared today from Philippians 2. It's rather humbling, honestly, that the Son of God would, "not counting equality with God a thing to be grasped", choose to take on the form of a bond-servant of a fallen humanity. How very much that thought fills me with a desire to be ever willing to serve, no matter what He requires of me.

"...But drops of grief can ne'er repay

The debt of love I owe.

Here, Lord, I give myself to Thee.

'Tis all that I can do..."

After the morning services were completed, I stopped by a friend's horse farm for a little while. It was a glorious day out, and the hour spent in the company of such a dear woman could not have been more pleasant. My little sister, Anna, is getting a miniature horse from this farm very soon, and we all wanted to say hello to the little mare, Joanna, too. You must understand that our family already has a very well established menagerie, but "where there's room in the heart, there's room in the home", or stable, in this case. :) Dear Anna couldn't be more thrilled, especially since we're building Joanna her own miniature yard and tiny stable to match her slight build.

Papa and I went to buy all the posts and planks for the fencing today, and the excursion turned out to be more enjoyable than most would think. (I love the scent of freshly hewn lumber, always have.) :) As I was helping Daddy hoist all of the boards atop our Suburban roof-rack, another shopper came out to the parking lot and, after a few moments, could no longer stand the sight of me and my feeble attempts at helping. I was on my very tippy-toes, reaching as far as I could to get the lumber where it belonged. The man came over with a good-natured grin and absolutely insisted on taking my place; he chuckled and told my father that I was "vertically challenged". I have to admit, 5'3" doesn't "go too far". :)

Anyway, all is well here, and I'm a blessed woman, indeed. I'm surrounded by a family I adore and a menagerie of which I try to be fond. :) God has seen to it that my life is full of many people and creatures to nourish in some way, and that makes me both contented and fulfilled. :)

Goodnight, friends!

2006-05-27T12:19:00.000-06:00

I've just finished a delicious lunch of crackers, raspberry-jalapeno ambrosia, and cream cheese. (Ah, life is good.) :) It seems that steam cleaning is to be the "order of the day", and I'm a little less than enthused. :) I had to move a humongous rug and two 75 pound harps out of the living room already, and I haven't even begun the real cleaning yet. It's alright; I know the day will turn out just fine and all will be well, in the end. I may even have an opportunity to steal away outside for the most lovely hours of the afternoon. :)

"The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything." Julian of Norwich

Therefore, I'm setting out to find the hidden joy that must lie somewhere in the "art of spring cleaning" :) and hopefully, be a blessing to my family so that they may see God in me.

Have a blessed day, my friends.

2006-05-24T21:41:00.000-06:00

Tonight is a night of beautiful rarity. I've mostly finished all of worth that needed to be done, and I think it shall not be long until I can rest. God has been very gracious simply to multiply what I was able to accomplish in the hours given, this day. :)

I've already completed my journaling for the evening and just set the last word to the last page of the little volume. I'll look forward to purchasing a new one tomorrow. This is my sixth journal to finish in the past two years, since I began the nightly writing, and I'm so blessed to see that God has strengthened me to stay faithful to the cause. (Someday, I pray my progeny will find many lessons of worth and even some glimpses of humor in the humble happenings of my everyday life.) :)

For now, I must turn to my devotions for the evening. However, I think I'll share a small portion of my reading with you, my friends, before I say farewell...

"...In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.' They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for He Who has pity on them will lead them, and by the streams of water will guide them." Isaiah 49:8-10

May you each be greatly blessed by the Lord, this evening. Rest well. Goodnight! :)

2006-05-23T04:35:00.000-06:00

I've just bid a friend farewell, a friend that I didn't have even a month ago. She's grown dear now, however, and my heart is heavy, as I allow my Korean guest to travel on to her next destination. She will be tremendously missed by all in our family, and I hope it will not be long 'ere God allows us to share fellowship, once more.

May all who read this be much blessed of God this day. I know, already, that I have been blessed, for I have been given the privilege of having a friend...

2006-05-19T09:54:00.000-06:00

I've just returned from a blisteringly hot walk. The Texas Hill Country is lovely, indeed, but at times, its heat can be cruel. :) I was about two miles from home when a landscaping company's huge trailer passed me by and sped up a hill in front of me. In a few moments more, a fragrant zephyr made its way back to me, carrying with it the scent of rosemary. Ah...in an instant, I'm back at a favorite little restaurant enjoying the flavor of rosemary and some gourmet cheese. :) Oh, I'm sorry about that slight diversion...back to the topic at hand. As I crested the hill, I came upon a large bush of the herb which, apparently, had blown from the trailer. So, I did what any other "average individual" would have done and picked it up. My intention was to tote it home and have my brother plant it in his garden for my later enjoyment. (He has an incomparable "green thumb", while I have the "black thumb of death". ...Hence his garden.) :) I hadn't walked another quarter mile before vehicles began passing me again. I can only guess what their drivers were thinking as each one answered my "hello there" wave with a quick, friendly smile. "What kind of girl simply walks over to someone's garden and brazenly pulls up whatever she wants for her own?" :) I didn't much care, however; I'm from strong stock and try not to be too dissuaded by others' ill-informed opinions, so I kept on walking homeward with the gleaned rosemary in hand. :) Well, the little plant's now happily planted in my brother's garden, and soon, I will able to enjoy some of its plenty in my meals.

Scorching as the hours were, actually God gave me a beautiful day. He even gave me a good reason to laugh at myself, and such opportunities should never be squandered. Some of the most fun I've ever had in life have been those times when I've looked at myself and enjoyed a good dose of humility. :)

Have a wonderful day, my friends. Find something to bring you a smile, and hopefully, your weather will be a bit milder than mine. :)

2006-05-17T22:51:00.000-06:00

It's been a glorious day in my sleepy hometown. However, my life has been anything but lulling. :) Hours and hours were spent in teaching music lessons. I've had the great joy of watching a certain young fellow really blossom in his studies during the past several weeks. A short time ago, the little seven year old was just about ready to "quit piano". (I have to recount such things in hushed tones; the word "quit" is utterly forbidden in my home.) :) Well, I urged the boy's mother to make him "stick with it" for just a little while longer, and I'm thrilled to see that he's developed wonderfully in the past month. He's truly putting his heart in it and being quite inquisitive, too. :) It's "one of those moments" that makes a teacher's spirit soar...one can actually see the positive change in another's life.

Earlier this afternoon, I was teaching my baby brother, Peter, his kindergarten phonics. He's a little over six now and has reached the near-end of his first year in school. He's still saying anything but "crash"...cwash, cwaps, etc. Finally, when he's nearly "blue in the face" from exasperation, he actually positions his tongue and lips, as I suggest. Then, with great drama, he "rolls out" a perfect "crash". :) I love to help my mother with the children, but the teaching became, quite suddenly, even more intriguing today...

For several weeks, I've been hosting a Korean girl in our home. This is her first visit to the States, and she came with great hopes of learning the English language and, also, American methods of home schooling. For weeks, I've been teaching her "in-depth" lessons in English, and she's progressed very well, thus far. Today's phonics lessons with Peter provided the perfect opportunity for some study in pronunciation with my sweet guest. A mispronunciation of "crash" turned out to be the very least humorous of the words said in the next hour. :)

All in all, the hours spent in helping others gave me a good perspective on why God allows us to learn, in the first place. When I've tried to be faithful to "study to show myself approved unto God", He has continued to give wonderful opportunities to share what's meaningful with so many others. God has been very good, indeed. :)

I musn't tarry here long, for I've much study and writing to do 'ere the dawn comes. :) Blessings on you, this night.

2006-05-14T22:27:00.000-06:00

To the mothers of this world I nod my head with deep gratefulness--both heartfelt and sincere. There are few words which could ever give thanks worthy of the great love that has been given by so many. I know many beauties in my life have been borne of the sacrifices of her who bore me. Bringing me into this world was the least of my mother's worries, although I left her with a broken tailbone :); the real challenge came in staying by my side, adjuring me to not give up my instruments when my heart was young and weary, the night was long, and the tears were many. :) Precious woman...she could see so much more than I ever could. She knew how very greatly God would use the musical equipping in my life as the years passed. Through her influence, my heart has been fashioned in its inexpressible love for Christ, for I have followed in the steps of one who has loved Him more dearly than many can ever even dream. I only hope that I will, one day, be even the faintest reflection of the woman that my mother has been. May God be praised for His immense grace in having given me a gift so cherished.

"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband, also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."

So, to those mothers who are beloved, to those who are forsaken, and to those who have reached Heaven long before I ever shall, I commend you for all that you are and ever have been. My life has been made more meaningful by your influence today and by the memories thereof in times past. I call you blessed...

2006-05-13T22:33:00.000-06:00

I must, first, inform you that I shall likely be the most lacking in constancy of any writer of whose life you shall ever read. :) God has seen to it that my days are fulfillingly busy, and I would not wish it any other way. I greatly love my devotions and journaling in the evenings. It is during those last, sacred moments of my day that my heart remembers all that the Lord has done from me, and it is very beautiful to recount His goodness. I know there will be times when I neglect my little column here in hopes of surviving the great struggle for slumber :), but I hope the little portions of life I leave written here will bring some joy to the heart of someone somewhere.

"But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, 'Let God be exalted!'" Psalm 70:4

May many blessings of God's grace fill your hearts, this night. :)