25 Days of Christmas

So... this post is a few days over due... my apologies!

Each year for Christmas our family does something for someone else as Tom's Christmas gift.  My husband is an amazing man, and he decided quite some time ago that he didn't want any "thing" for Christmas.  I can still remember the first time that Kendra, Matt and I did this.  We adopted a family through ATLAS and dropped off a bunch of gifts at our church for them to pick up.  I also remember the tears in their daddy's eyes when he read the note that we gave him as his gift.  You know it is a great gift when it makes a grown man cry! 

Anyway... every year it is a challenge to find something that I think will be special to him.  I've been praying about this... and then it came to me.  Our kids have been loving the 25 days of Christmas commercial on ABC.  (Also their every night Christmas shows have found us in front of our tv as a family (minus the big kids:-(ALOT more than usual!)  Here's a link to the song.  It's not uncommon to hear one of the little Sandbulte's running around the house singing this tune... 

http://abcfamily.go.com/specials/25-days-christmas/videos-details/promos/the-band-perry/pl_PL5564978/vd_VD55153398

As Emma was singing it the other day, it came to me.  25 days of Christmas.  25 days of giving of ourselves.  Each day Tom tells the little kids to be Jesus and make a difference in someone's life today.  When I drop them at school, that's the final parting...

So what does 25 days of Christams look like as a gift?  Well... that's where you all come in.  I'm challenging our kids (big and little) to do something that makes a difference in someone's life each day until Christmas and to record it.  I'd LOVE for you to join us.  Maybe challenge your family as well.  And I'll be posting here each day and on facebook.  Join in and share your comments.  And then, when we celebrate the arrival of Jesus as a baby on Earth to reign as our Savior, we will have a heart that is operating in loving our neighbors. 

Please keep in mind it doesn't have to cost money, or be a "thing".  It's really just about looking around us with different eyes and doing things for others. 

So...

Day 1 - Dec. 1 - Thursday night is Harp & Bowl night.  I had the privelage of leading prayer.  As I closed, I felt the Lord speaking a verse to me about the hem of his robe.  I prayed into that at the closing not knowing what it was really about.  My friend Wendy was there and I hadn't connected with her since before Thanksgiving.  Wendy is going to India for Christmas to minister to disabled Orphans.  Instead of being with her family.  WOW huh???  Well... As we hugged and chatted briefly she shared that verse had spoke a great deal to her.  Where was it from...  Believe it or not... I had forgotten by then - Isaiah 5 I think.  When I went back to my seat I looked it up.  Isaiah 6.  nuts... so back to her I went to share the right reference.  It was really a little thing.  REALLY.  But as I think of Thursday and what was a blessing to someone else, that is definately what comes to mind.   

Day 2 - Dec. 2 - I was with a couple of friends and we went to DesMoines to meet with our COMPEL Conference (www.compelconference.blogspot.com) speaker.  I bought lunch... (OK that isn't it the part I'm talking about!)  2 of the ladies insisted on paying me for their part.  I had fully intended to buy lunch as I had called the meeting.  So.. I told them if they wanted to leave the money it would turn into a tip for the waiter.  (Who by the way was very gracious in letting us sit at his table for 3 hours in Jordan Creek Mall at the Cheesecake Factory during a Friday Christmas lunch rush!)  We left before he saw it... but I'm sure this young man was pleased with his tip that was nearly $30 (I'm guessing - I didn't even count it. 

Was it tempting to pick it up and think... he doesnt need THAT big of a tip....  sure.  But really???  My intentions were the same the entire time.... to buy lunch.  If they chose to contribute (or insisted) then why would I not leave it for him...

Dec 3 - We had our first snow of the season today.  (And a swim meet an hour away)  Emma stayed at my moms house and had a hay day!  After I had gotten home on slick roads, it was nearly dark and the boys were coming in from playing in the snow with a friend.  Little Emma cried and cried because she had been begging to do a snow angel when she got home.  Try as I might, I couldn't convince her brothers to go out with her.  SO... on went the snow gear, and MOMMY went out with her and did the snow angel (OK - reality time - mommy was not so happy about all this at this point! But I couldn't bear to see her so sad!)  A snow angel turned into a snowball fight and the neigbors coming to play.  Before I knew it the neighbor kids were over.  And on a glistening winter night our neighborhood came alive with laughter and memories. 


So you see... they are little things.  But things that make a difference.  In total.. I've spent - oh yeah... $0.  No black Friday sale, no standing in line, and no bills to pay after Christmas.... 

Ok - today is a new day... Can't wait to begin this journey with all of you.   Praying blessings over you as you become a blessing to someone else. 

What does God think about me?

Today as I was getting ready for our Simple Talk Bible Study at noon, I reread chapter 5 of Renee Swope's Confident Heart. 

And what jumped out at me is something that I am still processing.  I don't have my book here, so I'm going to paraphrase

How often do we, throughout the day, worry what someone else will think of us?  Either consciously or subconsciously?  Who are we really trying to please.  Usually it is someone else... Our boss, our spouse, or friends, etc. The list goes on and on.  We may shift throughout the day of who we are trying to please and who we are worried about thinking less of us. 

But in reality, how often do we first think "what does God think of me"  For many of us, that seems almost scary to say.  But really, shouldn't we be living our life every minute of every day asking that question.  Who are we really living for?  What are we living for?  Many of us would answer that question with God.  But do our actions reflect that? 

When I get dressed each morning, and think about my day, Am I REALLY getting dressed to impress God? 

When I get upset with Emma cuz she won't let me fix her hair.... is that for God?  or to impress someone else? 

When I change twice for church cuz I can't decide what to wear....  (ok - or maybe what fits, but still...) is that for God? 

When I read facebook instead of my bible... Is that for God? 

When I buy Christmas presents, but then hesitate to give someone money to go to Haiti... Is that for God? 

I think you see where I'm going with all this.  Even in our best intentions, we are missing God in so many ways.  Don't ask me why, but this was VERY convicting to me today.  I want to go deeper with the Lord, and yet so many of my day to day decisions are shallow and for the wrong reasons. 

I don't want to be lukewarm... I want to be hot.  I want my first thought and my last thought of the day to be honoring to God.  I want more of him and less of me. 

Lord I thank you for humbling me in new ways today.  For helping me to see how afraid I am of being sold out fo ryou and not pleasing man.  Guide me God.  Give me eyes to see what you see when you look at me!   

Diversity.... and Adveristy.

Such a big word... diversity.  And yet a word that I'm not sure I can even begin to understand or explain.  I have been struck this weekend by the diversity in my life, and how it's easy to "miss" it. 

As I pray about Thanksgiving and the upcoming Christmas season, I've taken some time to reflect on the blessings of 2011.  It has been a year of both diversity and adversity.  And I can either focus on the adversity and be a downer, or I can look at the diversity and count my blessings.

You see, diversity is more than looking at someone's skin color.  I have met many people who are of a different "color"  of skin.  Looking superficially is something that we do too often.  Both of others and of ourselves.  Much of our adversity this year has been the result of polished, clean cut professionals who may look and sound like heros. 

True diversity is what's on the inside.  It's not just an issue of what the outside looks like, it's what's on the inside.   This weekend I had the opportunity to sit with my neighbor and learn how to make Egg Rolls.  Authentic eggrolls.  But the diversity wasn't in the cooking, it was in the conversation.  We talked about what faith had looked like to her in her lifetime.  Growing up in Laos meant a compeltely different worldview on faith and church.  It was a great conversation and I learned so much.  One thing she said to me is... "I hate it when people say... there is no hope for people in this religion or that religion, or they say they will never change.  They don't know the power of God.  I know what change is."  Wow - rock my world, diverse thinking.  You see, I may think that in my world, I have encountered adversity... but I have always known God.  I haven't been buddist, or muslim, or, or, or...  And yet I get the privelage of sitting at the table with a dear group of people who know diversity in a way I could never understand.

And then we began talking about her home country and her family.  The heart that she has for her people and what she has experienced and they are experiencing... that's adversity.  My 2011 holds nothing compared to what other "non-westerners" go through as a part of normal life... 

As I reflect tonight and pary into how I can better have eyes to see true diversity and adversity, I'm reminded of a "moment" I had with God while we were in Cancun last February.  The verse he set on my heart was Isaiah 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
So, my challenge in adversity is to continue to move forward in faith, and to pray for Ears to hear God calling me and then be obedient when he speaks.  Just as I had ears to hear completely differently yesterday when the language spoken was so different I couldn't identify one word....  when he prompted me to ask hard questions and my reality was shook by the responses I heard.  Lord... give me ears to hear... 

What about you???  are you listening when he is saying... This is the way; walk in it! 

He's Calling

Over the past few months, God has been moving in my life.  He's calling.  My answer lies in waiting. 

You see, their is this term - Human trafficking.  And I've come to realize a portion of how it sickens God.  And I can never be the same.  I didn't learn it through statistics, or videos, or conferences.  Instead, as I was enduring and calling out, He welled up deep within me.  And showed me that I was only feeling a portion of what he feels.  Honestly, I can't put into words how it felt, how it feels today, or what it might look like going forward.  Pain for both the Earthly and heavenly realms were revealed.  And... never, ever will I be the same. 

You see... it's here.  Right here, in our communities.  Not in third world countries, not in the BIG cities in the US, but right here.  And... it's in the big cities and third world countries. 

Let me share some things I learned at a conference in Grand Rapids Michigan in late September...

*  Ever 30 seconds, of every day, a person is trafficked. 
*  AMERICA is the 3rd highest destination country for trafficked in children. 
*  1 women in the sex trade is worth $250,000 to their pimp.  It's not about sex... this problem is largely due to money.  Imagine if you had 100 of these women working what your annual income would be. 
*  Every month in Atlanta GA, 3000 children trafficed. and in New York - 3500.  (that is more children trafficked in just New York that women that die of breast cancer each year!)
*  Many of the "enforcers" are women.  They lure and keep the others in line.
*  100,000 - 300,000 minors/kids per year in the US trafficked.
*  Avg. age is 12 - older girls are recruiting 8-9 year olds.
*  Of women in prostitution - only 8% of those using drugs did so before they got into prostituion.  92% started taking drugs after they were already being prostituted.
*  Strippers have more post tramatic stress than prostitutes - because of what they say to them!


Places trafficking happens....
*  Political conventions
*  Rose Bowl - estimate 10,000 women trafficked in for it
*  South Dakota Hunting Season
 

WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN AMERICA....  and everywhere else.  God's heart is breaking.  I can't tell you the number of times I have sung and prayed - break my heart for what breaks yours...  When that happens, well... wow.  The GOOD news is... I have Jesus.  and Jesus whooped Satan.  And his holy spirit lives in me and guides me.  With God all things are possible.  When we look at the statistics, it seems impossible to make a difference.  BUT.... Wait....  if we make a difference for just one, then praise God.... 

As I listened to my dear friend Niki talk today, I was struck by one thing.  IF we are overwhelmed and don't know where to start... we can start with one thing... PRAYER.  We can all do that.  If we pray for this topic, God hears.  He heard for Niki and spared... and he loves the prayers of his saints... 

Lord God, hear our prayer as well look for guidance on what to do in the midst of this tradegy.  Let us, your people, your church, rise up and fight.  Help us to be who you are calling us to be and to see clearly what that means. God, as we fall on our knees in prayer, we ask that the heavenlies shift.  That your heart is moved, and that Satan is bound.  We ask boldly that you would rescue children even tonight right here God.  And don't just rescue them, deliver them and restore them.  Only you can bring restoration.  For each of these young ones, surround them with a shield of angels! 

Let Everything that has breath... Praise the Lord

Oh, how I love summer.  Sunshine and warmth are my friends.  This summer has been especially busy for some reason.  Perhaps it's kids getting bigger, perhaps its been spending time working on the HOME building, perhaps it's because my step son is at basic training for the Marines and we're counting down the days til we see him, perhaps it's because I've had so many good God moments that are keeping me charged and going. 

Today is a log of some of the spiritual ah-has I've had... 

Following some stuff with Emma, I was crying out to God one Sunday in church for her emotional well being.  God chose to touch me in a way that said... now you can see a piece of my heart, in part you feel what I feel.   And I did.  In the core of my being, I could feel his sadness and grief and pain for each of the children that are trafficked each day.  And just that brief glimpse of his heart was more than I could handle.  I was nearly sick.  Literally.  Oh....  words don't describe what happened to me in that moment, but to say that I'm changed forever is an understatement. 

And then...
I was able to take in Beth Moore and pray for hurting people that came forward, and feel God saying how much he loved me in such a joy filled way that it is still overwhelming.  He whispered to me that Emma will get "better" and my weepy eyes just stood in awe at how much he truly loves each of his children.  I also got got bond with three new friends.  Friends from the http://www.compelconference.blogspot.com/ - Compel Women's Conference, and sisters at heart.  Leila, Jill and Michelle, thanks for the fun and laughter.  Jill - next time, we're taking a map:-) 

June also held healing for my husband.  He wrecked his shoulder and when I left for Beth Moore, was literally unable to move.  Through the prayer of faithful kids (and others along the way) 24 hours later he was able to have full range of motion, no pain, and able to use it normally.  The crazy thing about healing is that we always believe it is for someone else.  And when you are healed... it's very humbling.  We processed and praised and stood in awe.  And then... my macho man was flipping a countertop (he makes concrete countertops) and hurt it AGAIN.  (It's ok to roll your eyes - I did!)  This time, God's holding out on healing..

Tom and I have been able to do some fun studies together.  We're meeting with a group on Sunday nights studying revelation and are loving it.  New perspectives and mroe anticipation for what God has in store for us!  

July held camp for my boys in Kansas City.  (And meant I got to spend 5 days (yes I said 5!) in the prayer room in Kansas City.  Emma bonded with her daddy, and I had from 9:30 in the morning until 9:00 each night to be with the Lord.  (oh, and some great girlfriends too!)  To sit at his feet and rest and soak in sweet music.  To pray and process.  To love Him.  While there I was able to be a part prayer with and over some Messianic Jews.  My heart was moved in deep places.  And to meet with some people at Exodus Cry.  (Check them out - awesome work with human trafficking!)  and to be prayed over and feel affirmations from God.  Such a blessing for me.  But for my kids... OH MY!!!  Blessing doesn't even begin to touch it.  To be surrounded by on fire kids from all over the world and to learn to pray and worship...  to commit to 1/2 hour of dedicated prayer a week... to pray healing over strangers... wow, the list could go on and on....  Such a stretch for them, but such a blessing. 

And last week, we were blessed with a teriffic family vacation.  (Well, without Kendra and Matt, but it was still pretty fun!)  Surrounded by God's beauty we swam and fished and boated. 

It's amazing to me how God blesses us and how we miss it.  Tom and I have walked thorugh some storms in the past year, but we can look back and see his hand upon us and his blessings is so many ways...  At times, breathing seemed a struggle and yet the passage, let everything that has breath... takes on new meaning.  We will praise the Lord.  In good times and bad.  In the dark night or in the brightness of sunny days. 

I pour my love on you...

God's love is so lavish.  And sometimes he pours it on us.  I'm just back from a trip to Lincoln Nebraska for a You Lead conference and Beth Moore live. 

I'm not going to write in detial tonight, as I'm just processing.  You see, Beth was great, but what was so amazing to me was how I was able to witness God pouring His love on me. 

Honestly girls....  it has undone me.  From Thursday when I connected with one of the speakers in a way that is hard to describe (but will hopefully mean we can continue to build a relationship and share passions!) to the love poured out on me by our generous hosts Michelle and Leila.  (It was so Christ's love that they showed in their hospitatlity.)  I mean their is being nice and letting someone stay, and then there is lavishing them with love.  The latter is what we received.  Thinking of these two girls and the amazing time with them makes me sad I'm gone!  (Good thing I have a family at home, or they'd be stuck with me!) 

And then their is Jill.  She is a new friend from Sioux City that rode and stayed with me.  Although we've only known each other personally for a very short time, it seems like a lifetime.  We too connected in a way that will never be forgotten and will surely be friends for a lifetime! 

Walking into the stadium on Friday afternoon knowing that 4000 women would be there and that I would have a chance to minister one on one to some of them during prayer time was overwhelming.  All the chairs were empty.  It was just surreal and I remember thinking... why are you blessing me like this.  Little did I know that this was the beginning of his blessing for me! 

Front row seats right next to where Beth sat, awesome worship, great teaching.... wow...  I mean honeslty, during worship time on Friday night I was just lifting my hands and literally praising and say thank you to the Lord all at the same time.  It wasn't just all of the reallly cool special blessings... it was the Holy Spirit I felt.  With 4000 women in the room, it was just Jesus and I and him surgin through me saying - I did all this for you because I love you and I knew you needed it.   And NEED it I did. 

So... he Poured his love on me.  He didn't sprinkle it or mist it, or toss it, or dump it.  Like a warm shower after working hard outside all day.  It was refreshing and warm and I kept wanting to stay in it because it felt so good. 

More will come on this but for now.... I soaking in what he poured out on me and savoring it. 

I'm humbled that my God love sme this much that he pours himself out on me jsut when I need it! 

The few... the proud... the Marines!

Goodbyes are not really my thing.  I cry when I even watch someone else have to say goodbye!

This week, we took Matt to the airport and said goodbye.  Goodbye, not because we wouldn't see him again, or because it was bad.  Goodbye, because the guy that we dropped off will never be back.  He will be way different when he returns. 

Don't get me wrong, different is good.  BUT....  when you love someone and love who they are, and don't know for sure what "different" will look like... or what has to happen to him to create different... it's a bit of a process.

The good news is that our soon to be Marine is SO... excited.  He has wanted this for a long time, and had a peace and calmness to him.  He knows it will be hard, no doubt about it!  But... he also knows that this is what he wants to do.  For the first time, it's what he wants and is totally committed to.  Not what he's willing to "try". 

Matt is a great kid.  So often I think of those going to the Marines as "needing" to go.  He didn't need to go.  He could be successful at whatever he put his mind to.  But he chose to go.  Because it's a dream of his.  I'm not sure what God puts in those who desire to serve and protect their country, and more importantly their family, but Matt definitely got a good dose of it. 

So, we stand in prayer.  Specifically we are praying the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation over him.  That God would protect his heart and his mind.  That the things that need to be transformed within them to make him into his likeness, that God has planned for him, would be transformed, but that doubt and fear and the ugliness from Satan shall not pass! 

To those of you who join us in prayer, thanks.  As a parent we always want to help our kids in any way we can.  As a step-parent, it's not only wanting to help Matt, but also Tom.  Watching a dad process this and aching for him in a different way is a totally different experience.  The countdown has started, and SOON, we'll have a Marine in our family!