This Blog is about trying to grow in faith.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path."
Hi! Thanks for reading! I wanted to let you know I am moving my blog to a new site. http://amicarr.com/ I will be better able to keep information more up to date and current this way. I will use the new blog to keep you updated on our adoption: We got a court decree for our children---yes, that's a good thing! I will also post more about practicing hospitality, upcoming opportunites to serve, and whatever else the Lord lays on my heart. I hope to be a source of encouragement to others going through hard times etc. Hop on over to my new site and become a "follower" or simply leave a nice comment and you will be entered into a drawing for a beautiful handmade necklace made by my daughter and I. Be Blessed my Friends, Ami
It's National Adoption Month! Want to have some "Free" fun and get some shopping done for the holidays? Then come on down to Messiah Lutheran Church on November 6th from 9-3pm. 6900 Kingston Pike 37919 (near Papermill) Craft show! FREE ADMISSION! I will be there showcasing my upcycled handmade magazine beads and other lovely pieces. There will be 21 plus vendors. FUN! All proceeds from my sales go to supporting our children in Liberia. Thank you Ami
Well, does it? You know the hustle and bustle of having a family---a full house. One day it all comes to a halt---a screeching one and for once you realize---I don't want that quietness and alone time I have craved all these years. A quiet house? Really? Rooms I don't even go in. Doors that aren't opened for days maybe weeks at a time. Me? Never. But, that is what my life has morphed into. A kind of "in-between" phase. In-between "being" and not knowing what I am supposed to be. I have mothered for 19 plus years. It's now down to my daughter and my husband. How different this all is than what I planned, than what I anticipated. When will I be able to quickly pass by the baby aisle at Target and not stop to ponder, even for half a second, what that dress or this outfit might look like on...It didn't happen tonight I can tell you that. Why do the tears come so easily? Why does the life I am to live now feel so hard. My desires aren't bad ones. Having more children. Blessing others. For now, I am going to let Abba Father hold me. He is my Daddy. He is ALL I need. A very very good friend reminded me tonight that I don't NEED anything to make me happy, I have HIM---God, He is all I need. So I will feel these raw emotions and at the same time really try to trust the one who put me here. It's not for naught. I know my Savior LIVES and it is because of him I live. Amen.
Jill, this post is for you :) and others out there who want an alternative to the msg/chemical/preservative laden Ranch you buy at the store.
Ranch Dressing: 1 cup of Mayonnaise or 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/2 cup mayo (I use the buttermilk and mayo combo) 1/2 c. Sour Cream (I use Daisy Light) 1/2 teaspoon dried chives. (I use the ones my neighbor gave me growing in a pot by my back door) 1/2 tsp. dried parsley 1/2 tsp dried dill weed 1/4 tsp garlic powder (Another thing you can do is leave out the garlic powder and salt and just add garlic salt. 1/4 tsp onion powder (I usually leave this out---dear daughter loathes onions.) 1/8 tsp salt. ( I also leave this out) 1/8 tsp ground pepper. ( I always add more) DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl whisk together the mayo, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving---HA, Who are they kidding? I slap it together and throw it on the table :) Me, plan ahead? *The great thing about this recipe is you can play around with the spices and jazz it up a bit or down. It tastes great. I do not like the ranch you buy in the store but I'll eat this! You can also make BLUE CHEESE DRESSING using this recipe. Add 1 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce and Gorgonzola Cheese. And Voila, there ya go.
I also have a great recipe for Italian Dressing Mix: Since I have it out I'll pass it along. Oh, we don't use it for salads. I use it to marinade my chicken breasts. It's Yummy! RECIPE 1 tsp of Garlic Salt 1 Tablespoon of onion powder 1 tablespoon of white sugar (I never put this in and it doesn't seem to make a difference) 2 Tablespoons of dried oregano 1 tsp ground black pepper 1/4 tsp dried Thyme (I never seem to have this so I don't use this either) 1 teaspoon dried Basil (I always put more Basil) 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon celery salt (never use this either) 2 tablespoons of salt (I skip the two tablespoons and use maybe a half teaspoon of sea salt that I grind) Directions: Mix all ingredients in small air tight bowl and seal To Prepare dressings, Whisk together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2/3 canola oil (I always use Olive Oil), 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons of the dry mix. To make the marinade I use ALL the dry ingredients and I think I triple the amount of water--oil etc. It is a great marinade!
Hope that helps. Have a great weekend and I'll let you know how the "Scarrots" go over. I remember one Halloween as a child I got a beautiful apple. I wasn't allowed to eat it----"might be a razor blade in it" I was always excited about fresh fruits and veggies. Yup, I am one of the weird ones. Blessings Ami ps in case you didn't see my facebook post: I bought "Scarrots" to hand out tomorrow night. They are really coolly packaged mini carrots for the holiday. They even came with temporary tattoos. You can see their website here BabyCarrots.com It says on the back of the bag "There is nothing scarier than veggies on Halloween. Yet this holiday teaches us that kids will stuff their faces with pretty much anything sweet..." I think it's Great! Our state got first place in most people with obesity last year. I think of it as doing my small part to help combat it. :) BTW I loved all the facebook comments. Ya'll are hilarious! Still smiling. I'll let you know if I'll be making scrambled eggs sometime this weekend---omelet party! Ha ha! (That is when/if my house gets egged for handing out carrots :)
These days I don't know if I am trying to get back or move forward. The last two years have been arduous. The last 7 months have been---very difficult. Our family went from four to seven to six and now it's just the three of us. I am in a dream-like fog of emotions. They vary through-out the day, the emotions do. Here's a snapshot into this week: Monday dear daughter posts on facebook "my mom has decided to stop cooking" She was right. I did. I figured I could retire after 20 something years, right? Today dear daughter says "Are you making a menu plan?" Me to dear daughter "Mmm Hmmm. But, don't get excited, that doesn't mean I am gonna cook" Dear daughter then jumps for joy shouting "Woo Hoo. You haven't made a menu plan in forever. Can we have soup week?" I say "sure" So there you have it. I am not sure what I am reaching for these days. So much is gone. So much is yet to come. One thing, somebody please tell me how to go from cooking for a crowd to cooking for three? Me, moving forward in faith for this next phase of my journey----maybe. Baby-steps! Ami
A dear sweet friend told me about this article. I mean it to be encouragement for those of you that have friends going through this process. It is a walk of faith and not for the faint of heart. http://itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com/2010/08/spiritual-attack-for-those-who-adopt.html Keep praying for those you know who are fostering or adopting. Pray those that are called to care for the fatherless. Ami
Okay, I just read a dear friend's Facebook post. I did not ask permission to write about this but suffice it to say the majority of you do not know her. What she had to say nearly broke my heart. These are her words: It was just weird. I can talk to ANYONE..and I don't sit around waiting for ...someone to speak to me..Today was a kids pool party. My children had a blast.i helped pour drinks and set out pizza and pick up trash..I was right there, but honestly, people kind of clustered up around the pool and it wasn't where you could just plop down and get in a conversation. I think folks are just so stressed out in their own lives or something that they really can't see others and I don't particularly "look" lonely.....hard to look that way with 6 kids following you..LOL but they had no idea how I would have loved to have visited with another woman ..just to talk about..ANYTHING really..just goes to show you that you never know what people are thinking...God will use this in me for His purposes, I am sure... As you know my husband and I are passionate about following Jesus' lead in serving people. We want to be His hands and feet. We know that we do not need to add to the finished work of Christ on the cross however; we are living in a time like never before when we are surrounded by a sea of Lonely people. Do we recognize that? It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day of just trying to "survive" I say that tongue in cheek. As Americans and especially if we are believers we have been given life to the fullest. We are very blessed. Do we use our blessings to bless others or are we constantly so focused on ourselves that we can't see the needs of our neighbors, friends, cashiers at the grocery store, or even our own family? Just 3 days ago my spiritual "Dad" passed into Glory. Oh how I loved him! he was always there for me and for our family. He never let us go or gave up hope that God would do Great and mighty works in our life. My husband and I had been meeting with he and his wife for some time on a weekly basis. We prayed, we laughed, we cried. They were there in our time of loneliness and great need. Adrian and I are more convinced than ever that we want to be that kind of a couple. We may not be able to do everything, but like my dear "dad" said---do what the Lord puts in front of you---you can't do everything, put God first, your mate second and everything else third. That is our goal and aim. We serve an audience of One. For His Glory Ami
Okay if you are one of those typical Americans who just eats whatever food companies package up as "nutritional, fast, and easy" this blog post isn't for you. However if you are into eating HEALTHY and SAVING money then here you go. For three years now I have sworn off Wal-Mart. I do not have a hard time sticking to a list and only getting what I need, however once I did a cost comparison between our local Kroger and Wal-Mart I realized I could save more than a hundred dollars a month! Wow, that's a lot of moolah! I also got a Sam's Club membership. I only buy the produce and some meat and fish. If I were to buy the same amount of organic lettuce mix at Kroger it would be more than $30. At Sam's its around $3.00 YES you read that right. So without further adieu here is a blog post written by someone else. It's everything I have wanted to put into words but haven't had time to: http://allrecipes.com/Cook/1581332/BlogEntry.aspx?postid=189004 Happy Cooking! Ami
We have some friends who are in the process of adopting. Please read about how you can help here: http://helpushelpchildren.blogspot.com/ There is a precious boy waiting to come home. Will you help us help him? Thank you, Ami
This is Amazing. Please read and pray! Foster Care Prayer Requests
1.Pray for the children entering foster care today, that they find an appropriate, kind and loving foster family to care for them until their birth families or relatives are able to do so.
2.Pray for the sibling groups of children entering foster care today, that they will be placed together in one foster home.
3.Pray for all the foster children in care, that their first foster home is also their last foster home, as multiple placements rob children of stability and love which is required to build the self-esteem needed to grow into responsible, caring adults.
4.Pray that more singles, couples and families become foster parents. More experienced and caring foster homes are needed to enable Division of Youth and Families Services to make appropriate placements that keep siblings together, make the first foster placement the only foster care placement, and assure each foster home is able and willing to meet the special needs of their foster children.
5.Pray that all children in out-of-home care will quickly return to a safe home or find an alternative permanent and loving home.
6.Please pray for God's intervention with all families, particularly those struggling against alcohol and drug abuse, and mental illness, to enable them to successfully complete programs for recovery, and allow the reunification of foster children to safe and caring birth families.
7.Please pray that the federal, state and local governments, will see the plight of so many of our children whose families are wrecked by drug and alcohol abuse, and work toward prevention and increasing services for addicts, particularly addicts with children.
8.Pray that God blesses all the Division of Youth and Families Services caseworkers and staff who make decisions daily which have a huge impact on the lives of children and families. Their job is a thankless one, requiring walking a thin line, in that they are continually criticized for being too intrusive, removing children too quickly; and for not acting quickly enough, whenever a child is abused.
9.When a family reunification is unlikely in a reasonable time period, we pray that God's hand guides the judges at termination of parental rights trials to make their decision in the child's best interest. God bless the judges who must decide whether or not children return to birth families or become freed for adoption.
10.Pray for all those children whose birth families are unable to care for them, are freed for adoption, but have nobody willing to give them a forever home. Although more than 80 percent of foster children freed for adoption are adopted by their foster families, today there are 500 children awaiting forever homes in New Jersey.
11.Pray that foster and adoptive families and their children receive the support and understanding of their communities.
12. Bless those who put idea into action and make a positive difference in the lives of children, particularly children in foster care.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Janet Farrand is a 15 year foster and adoptive parent, President of Foster and Adoptive Family Services, and founder of the program. Janet and Geneva Hill, a foster and adoptive parent and past President of the Essex County Foster and Adoptive Family Services, wrote the prayer concerns. Janet can be reached at jlfarrand@earthlink.net. For more information about becoming a foster parent or adopting in New Jersey, please call 1-800-222-0047.
As I read this blog post I was awestruck at how kind our God really is. We were unable to go to Liberia with our team. We didn't get to meet our children, but God knew why. That is enough. I am filled with Joy for our friends in Christ and look forward to a day when all our family can be together, whether in Heaven or on Earth. http://whenyouriseup.blogspot.com/2010/06/liberia-part-1-moments-of-meeting.html I received a letter from Lydia and Leo's foster mom today and several pictures from a friend via email. I am filled with emotion. Thank you Lord. Your timing is perfect and that is enough. Ami
Do you have debt? How much? $500? $500,000? Are you a Christian? Do you know that even if you owe no monetary debt you have a debt you can never pay? Romans 13:8 tlb says "Pay ALL your debts except the debt of Love for others----never finish paying that!" I think it is interesting how God gives us the command to pay all of our debts except for the debt of love we owe others. When I think of the word love I think of it as a verb. Something you do. I Corinthians chapter 13---the LOVE chapter, it's unattainable. We may get bits and pieces of it from time to time but we are never gonna get it and are never gonna get it all right. So why would God give us a debt that we can't pay when He Clearly commands us to pay ALL our debts except that one? I don't pretend to know this. One thought that comes to mind is we are infinitely selfish creatures. To love others is easy for some and most difficult for others. I believe each of us has been given a gift to love others as we draw on God's love for us. I hear a lot of talk of Grace and how we don't have to add to the finished work of Christ. I believe that with all my heart however I also read in scripture we have a debt to pay----that we are commanded to never stop paying. Wow. Now that is convicting! I don't want to love my neighbors sometimes. It isn't convenient. It gets in the way of what I want to do and what I think I need to do.It takes time, you know? I Corinthians 13 gives a great description of what Love is and isn't. I have a poster of it in my kitchen. It says: Love is Patient Love is Kind It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud. It is not rude. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of wrongs. Love is not happy with evil. But is full of Joy when the truth is spoken. It Always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It never gives up. Love never fails. How kind of God to give us our entire life to pay this debt. I know I am going to need a lifetime and then some! Keep pressing in and keep looking up. If you do have monetary debt--get out of it as soon as possible so that you may become a slave to God and not to the lender. And while you're at it---start today by loving your neighbor in a practical way. Figure out what that looks like for you and just do it. Remember the scripture that says to "Practice Hospitality" I believe "Practice Makes Progress" So practice hospitality and start practicing loving your neighbor. Do it today.
Today, the team I am on is leaving for West Africa (Liberia). My family and I will not be on that plane. Funny-odd-funny, I put on a shirt this morning from a dear friend in South Africa. It says "It is Finished!" at the top and then quotes Rev. 21:6-7. Incidentally my daughter is wearing my "Hope in the Dark" Tee shirt. It has a picture of Africa on it and on the back it says "I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you." Symbolic of this day? Sure. We all have to push through our own hurt and bitterness and pray our team through this trip. it is going to be a turning point trip for so many even the ones who had to stay behind. So while I fight my tears and wish once again the pain was not so bad and that I had a button to stop the hurt, I am choosing to push through and pray. The spiritual warfare over Liberia is so intense. It's so intense it even affects people who are involved with that country that haven't even been there---yet. So while I think of letting Musu down and our children Lydia and Leo down and our team-mates down, I also think we serve a mighty God who can do all things. I do not think of this as a closed door---I think of it as God flinging it WIDE open and saying come follow me. What if, say, Moses after only one visit with pharaoh said, "well that was a closed door---not going back. See God he said no." Door closed. What if Joseph did the same thing???? Get the picture? God's people simply have to persevere. We must heed the call to care for the Orphan. It is the Father's heart. As Christians we are to become more like our Father. Pure religion is to care for the orphans... So will you pray with me today? We need peace. We need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and start digging our heels in and start praying for our team. Time to dust off the ashes and kick satan in the butt. Time to go to war!!!!!!! Let's pray. Will you do it now?
Adrian has asked me to take on the “task” of writing this letter. I have put it off and now just want to get it over with. While the flight we have tickets for to Liberia is leaving on June 17th the Carr family will NOT be on it. For many reasons we had to cancel. Yes, God provided what we needed to get there however my husband thinks it would be unwise to go at this time. We are not ready to share everything yet. At least I (Ami) am not. We just need some time to heal and regroup. To those of you who contributed financially your checks will be torn up. If for some reason one was cashed please let us know. We will be glad to reimburse you. Thank you for your prayers at this most difficult time in our lives. Sincerely, Ami and Adrian (Rachel and Johnny) PS I know that many of you still have many unanswered questions about our adoption. I will get to those questions as soon as I am able. It's too raw right now. In the meantime we are doing our best to serve three blessings from foster care. We think we will be seeing a reunification VERY soon...PRAISE THE LORD for HE is SO WORTHY to be praised! pss Rachel and I have felt called to make recycled paper beads and sell them to help people in need around us. If you would like to help support a single mom about to give birth please click here: http://helpushelpchildren.blogspot.com/2010/06/pro-life.html AND REMEMBER OUR MANTRA IS "JUST BECAUSE IT IS HARD DOES NOT MEAN IT ISN'T THE LORDS WILL"
And Other thoughts. Okay so my family (daughter) has been pleading with me of late to buy some new clothes. I kept telling her "no, I don't need them" So then my husband starts backing her up. What's a girl to do? I used to live to shop. That was in my younger days---MUCH younger days---we're talking 80's Early 90's folks... So I dragged myself out of bed yesterday got my sleeping daughter up and headed to Old Navy for the $2.00 tank tops. I couldn't justify buying any for myself. Hey. Rachel wears the same size as me, we'll share. After a shopping spree at "Old Navy" that cost less than $10 we headed over to the Mall, JC Penney's to be exact. I was armed with two $10 off coupons ($20 in savings) plus a %15 off coupon and then found another coupon upon checkout. My receipt says I saved $268!!!!!! No, I did not even come close to spending that amount. I am the SCROOGE of the shopping world. I am not gonna spend more than $10 on a pair of shorts and I prefer not to go over $5 on a shirt... Let's get back to the WHY did I need to shop? Ugh! My excuse was there are plenty of people out there that don't have clothing that looks nice or fits correctly but are still modest, right? Well I have recently, unintentionally mind you, lost close to 40 pounds which means even my ,ahem, most essentials no longer fit. I guess since I live in America you could say I "needed" clothes. Oh there's that word "need" Well when the belt I was using to hold up the pants/shorts I owned was being wrapped around my waist twice I decided to give in. I went to Penney's. No luck in women's or misses. NOTHING fit. The sales lady kept ushering me to Juniors. That was the LAST place I wanted to go but the first place my daughter wanted to be without me trying on clothing in "her" department. After an appointment in Maryville last week I took my daughter to Rue 21. I picked up a dress to try on and to her horror it actually looked good and I bought it along with a pair of jeans that were $3. So guess where I ended up yesterday? Yup, Juniors. (the old lady!) I even got a shirt that was marked $38 for $4.10. So I think now I am set for the dog days of summer. Let's just not talk about the fall/winter clothing yet. At this rate "I'll be back in the Kids department!" Getting back to that whole living in America thing. I couldn't be more thankful for where God decided I would be born. We are so richly blessed by His kindness in the way of provision: food, clothing, shelter. It saddens me when I hear people complain. Oh it really breaks my heart. The other day I heard a child say "Oh man, I have to eat FRESH blueberries? I WANTED frozen ones" Where else but in America? We are under the test of prosperity here. Even the poorest of us can still work and eat. Be thankful. Just be thankful... Oh and my daughter and I? Let's just say we'll be sharing the same clothing department and closets for a while. And, since you've read this far why don't you head on over to my daughter's and my blog and help a single mom with three children that is about to give birth. Be Pro-Life in action and word. http://helpushelpchildren.blogspot.com/2010/06/pro-life.html
What exactly does that word mean? I have been analyzing that word a lot lately. There are a lot of areas I have worked so HARD to make work, family, children, friendships, serving and loving the Lord with my whole heart... The conclusion I have come to today, and keep in mind these are just my thoughts and the scriptures, well, It's what God says so I won't argue His thoughts. I feel as though this past week I have been carrying around all my failures in a box inside my stomach. My oldest moved out for the summer. He says he's coming back in September. We'll see. I don't think he'll want to. Although, he is welcome. I have so many things I want to go back and do differently but when I really really think about it, I wouldn't change the things I did. Not because I was the "perfect" mom, by no means. I did what I could and I prayed like crazy. There's that scripture Train a child in the way they should go... Then there's the part about the extended "family" Oh, you know, the ones you see once maybe twice a year and they are always quick to point out all the things you're doing wrong. They are well meaning but it hurts. Like us mom's don't already have ENOUGH guilt. Now what's that other verse, oh yes----There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. You do the best you can with what the Lord equips you with. Nothing more nothing less. I may not be handling the loss of my two almost "legally" adopted children the "expected" "normal" way. I may not be handling step one of Empty Nest Syndrome, normally----Hey I am still in my 30's and yes want more children! But, WHO get's to define NORMAL for me? WHO? No one but God. He formed ME in my mother's womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. So I took a couple days to regroup, and? I didn't go to the "SELF HELP" section of Barnes and Noble to buy a book from the women's self help section entitled something like "How to put your needs first" or "make YOUR life priority number one" or "If you don't take care of yourself, who will?" By the way, NO these are not real books. Instead of the local book store I went straight to my Bible and to the Lord. He and I alone together, just me and my heavenly father. He showed me that I am not the only one to handle grief "abnormally" as some of you are saying and not everyone "handles" it the same. Some of you accusers might want to look up David. He is in the Old Testament. Read Psalms. Wow. There's a man of God who suffered huh? He grieved so much he asked the Lord to take his very life. Hey, I am not saying I have suffered like David or Job but I sure have felt like the weight was too heavy to bear these last few days. I clearly and concisely spelled it out to the one closest to me and was not believed. So I have a shell and I come across as a strong person. I am only strong because of the Lord. BUT, HE brought me to my breaking point so that HE COULD REBUILD me the way HE wants me to be! For two days I have sung His praises in spite of these horrible circumstances. HE loves me and that is ALL that matters. He poured His life out for mine. I can do no less! I will do no less. I will wake up every morning with fresh mercies from above. I will learn to let go and let God. All I ever wanted to do was serve Him and He will make my paths straight and Lead me. Psalm 89:1"I will sing of the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness from generation to generation." One of my favorite Christian artists right now is Francesca Battistelli. I love this Song called "My Paper Heart" Here are the lyrics: My Paper Heart: Well I’ve been treated like a valentine That’s been ripped apart and left behind I’m a fragile girl In a crazy careless world My dreams were torn and scattered on the floor But You’ve been picking up the pieces, Lord ‘Cause Your love is real The only hope to heal
My paper heart is Yours now I have landed in Your hands Come so far to find out My life will never be the same Since you wrote Your name On my paper heart
I had been so terrified to trust So many times I’d been reduced to dust But You keep showing me You’re the safest place to be Never knew that I could feel the way I feel Never knew that there could be a love so real Never knew that I could feel the way I feel right now
Notice it says "my dreams were scattered..." Oh wow, "My Dreams?" So here I sit typing trying to figure out what My Father's dreams for me are? I want to serve Him. What now Lord? I love you so much. What will you have me do? I am here. I know and feel your love. I am willing. Send me or keep me here----I am your child not my own.
I leave you with a quote from a book my dear friend Ann gave me to read. It's called "A Path through Suffering" by Elisabeth Elliot. She says: "When Satan the accuser scorns that act of renunciation later and taunts---------"Hypocrite! You didn't mean it! You never really put yourself at HIS disposal or parted company with us at all!"-----------RUN to the foot of the Cross, our safe shelter and abiding place."
Yesterday my neighbor from across the street stopped by. We ended up talking about my yard. If it's possible to have multiple passions then I guess I am one of those people. I have every kind of plant known to mankind and then some. I am sure I have plants that haven't even been named yet or even "discovered" growing in my yard! We bought the house we live in largely due to the beautiful yard. It has been a sort of "curse" ever since. (said sarcastically) I was so sick the last three summers or so that no work was done. The weeds took over and let's just say those lovely 3 feet tall Ferns and Coral Bells, to name only a couple were lost under weed upon weed. One day I took out 22 small trees from my small side yard. Yes! 22. Ranging in size from 5 feet to 15 feet. Speaking of trees we have a red bud in a pot. It's about 15 feet tall and it's been dug up and potted for almost two years. Want it? It's yours. My husband "saved it" Waste of time if you ask me! Lately I have been looking at every plant and saying, "Hmmm, a weed is only a weed if I don't like it" Right? Well, BE GONE Leather Leaf Mahonias and the birds that eat the berries and plop them on my outdoor furniture. I gave my neighbor THREE potted ones yesterday and cut down a 6 foot tall one not too long ago. My husband very much dislikes it when I do stuff like rip out "beautiful" Nandinas and toss them away like trash. Any one want some? I better not! We only have about 20 or more... I accidentally destroyed my "Bridal Veil Clematis" a week ago. I was heart broken for about a minute then I got over it. It'll come back next year, besides now I have more light in my house and I kinda like that! If chopping down Lilacs is a sin then I am guilty! If digging up and throwing away 6 Mediterranean Heathers is bad then, ahem, guilty! They were overgrown and about 10 years old anyway! Besides the Lavender and Shasta Daisies look Oh so much better in that spot. So what does this have to do with my neighbor? I simply said to her "You have to look at my house everyday where do you think I should put these thousands of Stella D'Ora Lilies that need to be moved?" Yes, my Ferns came back and now, no more lilies (at least if I keep the Lilies in that spot. I was into killing ALL of the Lilies but I suppose my husband is right on this one, they do cost around $6 a piece. I know, I could sell them but it's just too much trouble. Anyway so guess what I did today? Yup, planted Day Lilies just in front of the Roses and behind my walk-way behind the Salvia and Candy Tuft. The joke around here is if you see a new plant coming up that you might like don't tell mom! She'll cut it down or kill it. The truth of it is though, Our yard, it's beautiful. While I might make my hubby frustrated at times I'll never forget to remind him how he reacted when he saw the side yard After I took out the 20 plus trees. He loved it. He said he simply could not imagine how lovely it would look. Now what to do with the dozen Oak Leaf Hydrangeas and the Vinca Minor taking over my yard. Hmmm, I learned how to use a chainsaw last week maybe I'll get out that sprayer and buy some chemicals and see about using that thing as well! Just kidding honey, if your reading this!
Can you believe it? YES! The enemy came in when I was doing life and tried to destroy my family and marriage. Surprised? Who me? I wish I could say no. But, alas, YES. I did not give the enemy enough credit. Do we ever? Yes God is control but He has given this world over to the enemies schemes. satan prowls around this world seeking to steal, kill, and destroy those whom he may devour. "he" got me out on a limb so to speak and then fired up the chainsaw and I came crashing down along with everything and everyone around me. I have a beautiful friend praying for me, pursuing me, calling me, and not giving up because she loves Jesus, not just me, but Jesus and she HATES satan and what he is doing to marriages and families. satan wants what God wants. God wants our family. "satan" wants our family. God already has our family BUT if he can destroy our witness and tear us apart by the roots then that's exactly what he will do! Today HIS (GOD's) Mercies are new and I am walking the path He has for me! I am calling in the calvary! Enough of this! I am commanding the enemy to leave. Jesus I am forever yours. Protect our family--our foster children, our marriage, our children in Africa, our biological children etc. Today I am "CHOOSING" to walk in your Grace Lord. It is always ENOUGH!
Who knew? Who knew that this cross of mine to bear would be so hard? Who knew? Jesus knew. He kept himself nailed for my transgressions and sins. Some days all you need is a shoulder to cry on and a friend to listen to you. Today I need you Jesus (my husband) to wrap your loving arms around me and give me the strength to fight the battle I am in with the enemy. Help me,please,just help me.
This day will go down in history for me. It truly is the little things and the little decisions you make along this journey that matter isn't it? The small decisions like, "should I cook dinner or read to my three year old?" Does it matter if dinner is late? What about the homeless lady that needs a shoulder just for an hour or the spouse that's crying out for attention, the spouse that just wants to be nurtured and loved? What about the orphans, the widows, the AIDS victims? Is life fair? NO! NO! NO! IT never will be. Every ending is a NEW Beginning. I suppose today is the first day of the end... a new beginning of sorts.
Ever have one of those days that seems to last forever? That's how my life has felt lately. The song I am posting below says it all. I cannot go on much longer the way things are but I know God will take care of me.
Yes. I would have loved to be able to worship the Lord in church yesterday with my fellow family in Christ, however: I felt like God called me out to serve. So I did. I know several people don't get that and feel the need to tell me. I know you are motivated by love and care for me. I do admit though, it makes me sad. I prayed, I danced, I worshiped. I experienced the filling of the Spirit and received fresh faith for the Journey. God is bigger than the four walls of the church. I am however looking forward to worshiping with my family in the church building next Sunday. I was blessed anew last night as I was reading Charles Spurgeon's: "Morning and Evening" evening May 9th. Here it is: "Come, My beloved, let us go out into the fields...Let Us...See whether the vines have budded. Song of Solomon 7:11-12" The Bride was about to engage in hard work and desired her beloved's company in it. She does not say, "I will go," but "let us go," In like fashion, it is a blessing to work when Jesus is at our side! It is the business of God's people to be the trimmers of God's vines. Like our first parents, we are put into the garden of the Lord for usefulness; let us then go out into the fields. When God's people are thinking properly, they desire to enjoy communion with Christ. Some may imagine the cannot serve Christ actively and still have fellowship with Him; they are mistaken. Ther is no doubt that we may easily neglect our inward life in outward exercises and be forced to say, "They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own my vineyard have I not kept!" There is no reason why this should be the case except for our foolishness and neglect. It is certain that a professing Christian may do nothing and end up just as lifeless in spiritual things as those who are most busy. Mary was not praised for sitting still, but for her sitting at Jesus' feet. Even so, Christians are not to be praised for neglecting duties under the pretense of having secret fellowship with Jesus: It is not sitting, but sitting at Jesus' feet that is commendable. Do not think that activity is in itself an evil: It is a great blessing and a means of grace to us. Paul called it a Grace given to him to be allowed to preach; and every form of Christian service may become a personal blessing to those engaged in it. Those whose have most fellowship with Christ are not recluses or hermits, who have time on their hands, but tireless workers who are toiling for Jesus and who, in their endeavor have Him side by side with them, so that they are workers together with God. Let us remember then, in anything we have to do for Jesus, we can do it and should do it in close communion with HIM.
Since today is Mother's Day you might expect that you would find me inside a church. Instead I am taking the church to a lady I met a week or so ago. She and her husband lost there jobs and subsequently lost their house and the state took their daughter. I met her in the most "foot in your mouth" kind of way! I walked into the place she now works and she asked me how I was. I promptly responded "TIRED" But I'll be better though, when I get a large cup of coffee with cream and sugar! Then I went on to pour out all my troubles. Why not? She was listening and seemed to care. I needed someone to talk to and I had been praying all day! I think God may have needed a break (Just kidding about God needing a break) So I proceeded to tell her about my two biological children and the three foster care children we just took in a few months ago. I said I was exhausted, that the boys were full of energy and that I was burdened by their situation etc. Oh yah, I went on and on to a perfect stranger! Then the FOOT WENT IN! She says to me, "yeah, I lost my daughter about three months ago. The state took her because we couldn't care for her." Wow. Me and my big stupid mouth! She was a mom grieving the loss of her child to foster care and I was standing their grumbling. I shared the Gospel with her and told her I would pray for her and I do! I am going to try and find her today. I am going to hug her and share God's love with her in some small way. This IS the church. Jesus PLEASE minister to this lady through me.Then I am going to prepare a small "feast" for the biological mom of the three children in our care. Please pray as we go about trying to be Jesus to the broken-hearted. I will be praying this song as I try to find her. By Britt Nicole: Feels like I've been here forever, Why can't you just intervene? Do you see the tears keep falling I'm falling apart at the seams, You never said the road would be easy You said you would never leave, And you never promised that this life isn't hard, But you promised you'd take care of me, So I'll stop searching for the answer, I'll stop praying for an escape, I'll trust you God with where I am And believe you will have your way, Just have your way, Just have your way, My friends and my family have left me, And I feel so ashamed and so cold, Remind me you take broken things, And turn them into beautiful, So I'll stop searching for the answer, I'll stop praying for an escape, I'll trust you God with where I am And believe that you will have your way, Just have your way, Just have your way, Even if my dreams have died, Eve if I don't survive, I'll still worship you with all my life, My life, yeah, And I'll stop searching for the answers, I'll stop praying for an escape, And I'll trust you God with where I am, And believe that you will have you way, Just have your way, Just have your way, yeah I know you will, I won't forget, You love me, Have your way, Yeah
HI! I have been going through some digital photos recently and found this site. You can save a lot of money by using these coupons. Plus, you can down load the photos to your local Walgreen's for pick up or if your like me and have family all over the country you can choose another Walgreen's in another city/state and download them for pick up there at no extra charge. Pretty Cool, Huh? http://www.retailmenot.com/view/walgreens.com Happy Scrapbooking!
I wanted to tell you all about our "Sunday Box" It works like this: If a child/teen leaves something lying around the house and doesn't put it away BEFORE bedtime I pick it up and put it in a large plastic box in my room. This includes things left on kitchen counters and also bathroom counters such as hair brushes and toothbrushes. Hey, they can brush their teeth with their finger and they won't get a cavity in a couple of days! This week I have a plethora of things! Shoes, lots of clothes----clothes that I might add one of my daughters was looking for and needed "before" Sunday. Hmmmm, too bad huh? I have had school bags go in there---you wouldn't believe it! The point is to remember, when you are sharing a bathroom amongst 5 siblings it isn't nice to leave things on the counter, floor, or outside the door in the hallway. And, when there are seven of us we don't want to be tripping over each others things. Everyone gets all of their things back on Sunday. One catch is if they do not go immediately and put it away where it belongs then we get to keep it another week. If they get it taken on Monday or Saturday they will still get it back on Sunday. You would be surprised at what they DON'T miss! Those things I keep a while longer then we talk about whether they really need them or not. My husband and I hope to teach all of our children "people, BEFORE things." I sure hope it works. Still relying on the Lord! Blessings Ami
What do children mean to you? Catherine P. of Hoboken, NJ put it perfectly when she signed the Childhelp Pledge earlier this month: "The most treasured resource on this Earth is our children. Period." We couldn't have said it better.
Do you Agree with Catherine? Then Please sign the pledge below.
The Childhelp Pledge is not a commitment to give money, nor is it an especially large commitment of your time. It's a commitment of one moment -- a moment of silence in recognition of the five children who will die today as a result of abuse or neglect. Pledge now:
A Great Way to SAVE some Green! Check out this video on making your own laundry soap or forgo it all together! I have even more recipes for laundry soap but since I just came across this short video I thought it would benefit someone today. http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=19060710 Someday soon I will post my recipe for homemade cleaning products, including one that disinfects without the harsh chemicals---and YES it really cleans and saves you money! What more could you ask for?
I just got this recipe off of Mary Jane's site. It sounds yummy and relatively FREE, since I have a plethora of violets and dandelions---I also may substitute wild onions for the shallots (I have more than enough of those too) I'll let you know. http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/recipe-project/recipe-20100419.asp I am also hoping to post my yogurt recipe. It is so good! We have smoothies everyday. I even sneak baby spinach into all of them and the kids (and Adults never know!) Well, I guess they do now huh????? Here is another recipe for homemade Ranch Dressing with no MSG or chemicals. 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup buttermilk (can use low fat) 1/2 tsp dried chives 1/2 tsp parsley 1/2 tsp dill weed 1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder 1/8 tsp ground pepper. (I use a little more) It also calls for 1/8 tsp of salt but I leave this out. In a large bowl whisk together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving. I never remember this part! :) I don't know how long it lasts because our family puts it on everything! Even burgers! Yum! Yum!
I wanted to cover all the bases here. I just posted this on our adoption blog but just in case this anonymous person does not read it I wanted to post here as well
I don't know who anonymously donated the ticket for my husband to join me tonight at "Hope in the Dark" but "I want you to know whoever you are that you have renewed our vision and passion for helping orphans in Africa and around the world. We had a wonderful time and have fresh faith to carry God's calling to the ends of the earth. I am now headed upstairs to check in on our three little blessings that joined us a few weeks ago. Life is so rich and full when you are living for King Jesus and not for yourself. "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' " ----Matthew 25:45
Why I really like my case worker and why I am so thankful for his example. You know most of us as Americans have a million and one excuses as to why we simply cannot do what God calls us to do. I remember back when I was a kid feeling the call to missions and listening to people say "oh don't ever pray God will use you, He might send you to Africa" Really? Hmmmm, He might just send you to your neighbor or a neighborhood down the street that everyone has forgotten about or is too afraid to go to. Let me tell you about my case worker. He is a wonderful guy that is dedicated to helping the children of Tennessee! He works and works. He knows his job will never be done until Jesus returns but that does not stop him. He carries FOUR cell phones at one time! He is always there to answer my hundreds of questions and is very patient with me. I had (have) a big learning curve. He loves the children he serves and he loves Jesus! Here is one more thing that would probably surprise you about my case worker, he is a quadriplegic. Yup! That does not stop him from serving the Lord and the children. He requires a wheel-chair---and help with pretty much everything. But you know what? He's doing it! Wow! If that does not inspire you I don't know what will. So really, what is your excuse? Has God called you into the neighborhoods of your city that need Jesus. Has he called you to "know" your neighbor? Do you even know your neighbors name? There are a lot of scriptures about serving and loving your neighbor in the Bible. I'll let you take the time to look them up. It'll be fun! I promise. So GO! Introduce yourself to your neighbor. Take it a step further and bring them cookies, dinner, or even a bouquet of flowers from your yard. You will be blessed as you bless others.
"I think of the children in foster care as the hidden mission field. Don't you feel that? Like they are hidden inside some dark hole (they get to come out to go to a Children's Services building for check ups or perhaps just check ins. Regardless, they feel shifted around, go here/go there, but does anyone really care. Do we?
Yet, there is hope in Christ. I feel like the churches eyes are being opened like a curtain being lifted slowly, very slowly, but it is opening! What is behind the curtain? You guessed it...the children, and they're not so scary anymore. They are not all "...the ones that put strychnine in the well!", as Rachel Linde said in Anne of Green Gables.
God is working. My prayer has never been, "Lord, do I care enough", but "Lord, will you use me...please." You see, Jesus said to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send laborers into the harvest field. He has to send."
I (Ami) would like to add a question of my own, Have you prayed the Lord would use you? Or are you comfortable enough? I once had a person tell me I had a problem facing hard things. Most people would say taking in foster children is hard. It is the hardest job I have ever done but it is also the most rewarding. I love them. Do you? Jesus said "let the little children come to me..."Are you letting them come to you? As I type this I have a three year old sitting next to me singing "I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart..."It is a miracle he can sing this after all he's been through. But he can. It's breakfast making time. Better go!
Not only have I hand sewn a curtain for the boys room because my sewing machine is broken, but I have also learned how to make yogurt in my crock pot and ranch dressing without the yucky msg and chemicals. Amazing how much more you get done when you have to and how much more there is to do. Socks multiply like rabbits and disappear one at a time as if they were picked up by a hawk and dropped off in another planet. I also learned that it's easy to teach a three and four year old how to make a bed. They do it every morning! They also put their dirty clothes in the basket and have a spotless room. They still do not like naps and bedtime but we have learned that naptime is for rest and that that is what they do. Oh my life is rich and sweet, challenging and sometimes hard. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I still wish children came with volume controls---but one thing at a time right?
This is day two and a half of having 5 children---okay, one almost 19 y/o and a teen and three others. Wow, "this is a great adventure"---(to coin a phrase from Steven Curtis Chapman's song) We are practicing hospitality Lord. We may not always get it right, but we are trying to be obedient and we look with wonder to the cross and say thank you! Thank you for saving us, thank for commissioning us and thank you for laying your life down so that we might live. I love you Jesus! Upon your rock I will stand, I will hide in the cleft of your wing...I will serve you all the days of my life---at least try too! :)
Okay, Honestly, I took this from someone else's blog. It is so good and encouraging for where I am right now. So Word of God Speak
"Come to me for understanding, since I know you far better than you know yourself. I comprehend you in all your complexity; no detail of your life is hidden from Me. I view you through eyes of grace, so don't be afraid of My intimate awareness. Allow the Light of My healing Presence to shine into the deepest recesses of your being - cleansing, healing, refreshing, and renewing you. Trust Me enough to accept the full forgiveness that I offer you continually. This great gift, which cost Me my life, is yours for all eternity. Forgiveness is at the very core of My abiding Presence, I will never leave you or forsake you.
When no one else seems to understand you, simply draw closer to Me. Rejoice in the One who understands you completely and loves you perfectly. As I fill you with My Love, you become a reservoir of love, overflowing into the lives of other people." --Psalm 139:1-4, 2 Corinithians 1:21-22, Joshua 1:5
I hear this a lot "You are so blessed to have the gift of hospitality" Ha! Actually, I really do not have a "gift" of hospitality. Just ask my family. Go ahead. They'll tell you. Early on in my marriage I was challenged in this area when I read in the Bible that we are to PRACTICE hospitality. I took that verse literally, shouldn't we all? We lived in an extremely tiny apartment and the kitchen was the size of the bathroom we have now---maybe smaller! Practice makes progress but you would have thought while my daughter and I were getting ready for company last night that I had regressed back to 1995. I cleaned for a week just to have someone over back then! I look back and think I really did not have to scrub all of those baseboards that were clean already... I didn't clean for a week to prepare for last night. I started at 1pm after taking care of children at a local church for a Bible study. Let me just tell you about yesterday, if it could have gone wrong, it did! At one point I sat down and just started crying. It was late afternoon, none of the recipes were doing what they were supposed to, the kitchen was a wreck, I hadn't been able to vacuum in a week and with 4 animals it was pretty gross. We have hardwoods but you could have mistaken it for "Shag Carpeting" :) My house usually stays clean it's just been a busy couple of weeks for us. Plus my son's car is broken and I got to pick him up from work. One look at his face and I knew I was getting no help from him. I sent him upstairs right when we walked in the door to shower and relax. He needed to. He works so hard! He inspires me! I have to say if it weren't for my daughter I would have been sunk! During my mini pity party she came over, put her arm around me and just said it's okay mom. We can do this together. And we did by God's Grace! I ended up throwing out the dessert and coming up with my own recipe and doing a lot of things differently.We ended up having time to cut fresh flowers from the yard and decorate. In the end I was relaxed and able to focus on breaking bread with other believers. I loved it. It was so much fun! The food was wonderful and the company too. So no, don't give me the excuse " I just don't have the gift of hospitality" Let me give you the command to practice it---I promise it gets easier. And remember, try to think out of the box when you think hospitality. It isn't just having people over for dinner. Sometimes budget restraints do not permit that, some of us have space issues. I encourage you to think creatively in this area. Ask your church if you can borrow a room and exchange recipes and fellowship. Ask a friend who is willing to share what God has given her to help you practice hospitality. We have hosted many events for other people and have been so blessed to get to meet new people through doing that! We are Christians. What we have is not our own. It is simply entrusted to us. We are caretakers of God's possessions for a season. If we are in possession of anything we don't want to share our family holds each other accountable. If it is that important to us then maybe we do not need to be in possession of it...I am so thankful for my children and husband. We balance each other out in those areas. I would love to know how others practice hospitality. Please leave a comment and let me know.
We just finished up another day of training. Adrian and I have heard the call to care for the children of Tennessee, the ones that need temporary homes. We did not know there was such a need. Our eyes were opened at a conference in Nashville this past fall. We went to T4A---"Together for Adoption". We had our schedules all set but then out of the blue, Adrian stands up as our class was beginning and says "I am going to this other class over here" and he walked out. So I did the same, except I "accidentally" ended up in the "how to get involved with foster care" class. I am sure that wasn't the name of it but you get the idea. When that session was over, I was enraged, heartbroken, and did I mention enraged? I'll get back to that in a minute. For the next session, I was supposed to meet back up with my husband but lost him in the crowd. So he then "accidentally" went to the "wrong" class---Yeah, you guessed it, the foster care one. (How could so many children need homes--Where is the church? equals me-enraged) But then again I am the church...What was I doing?---adopting, but I "could" do more. Okay so you already see where this is going right? Well, not quite yet. I simply was NOT open to doing foster care but I now felt like it was my goal in life to motivate others to care for the estimated 115,000 adoptable children "in the system", not counting the ones in foster care that weren't adoptable. Afterall, we are in the process of adopting two children. That's enough, right? The conference was over and we were headed to a restaurant to meet our Liberian exchange student for the first time when Adrian says to me "so what do you think about foster care?" At the same time my logical mind kicked in with NO-WAY, my spirit was screaming---Yes, what you do for these children you do for me (Jesus). It really doesn't have to be complicated now does it? We didn't have much time to talk so I didn't want to delve into this conversation/controversy right then---ahhhh, we got lost. We had been given more time to talk. I avoided the question like the plague! But after a wonderful dinner we had a three hour ride home together, alone in the car. The conversation that followed shocked me! My husband, the "used to be" anti-adoption guy was asking if I would consider foster care! Uh NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But God was at work and the Holy Spirit was breaking that heart of ice inside of me. In November we had the awesome incredible privilege of helping to put on an orphan care/adoption seminar at our church. We had worked to schedule several break-out sessions. One of the sessions was on foster care. My husband had talked to a case worker named Scott from ChildHelp. What he had to say about serving the Lord through fostering convicted me beyond belief. That was it! I was sunk. My husband convinced me that we should sign up for the required classes to foster so we could help educate others and help guide them through the process. Then the movie "The Blind Side" came out, the Lord was pulling out all the stops now. Hollywood. Really?
Yes, it's true. Adrian and I graduated from the required PATH classes last Tuesday, March 9th. PATH stands for Parents As Tender Healers. It is a 30-hour course to teach people how to foster children. Along with that, we went to a first aid training Thursday evening, we spent all day today learning cultural diversity and will spend the majority of tomorrow at a Level II training. Tuesday we will head back to Seymour for a medicine administration class and then Thursday for CPR class. In the past three or so months we have had a home inspection, multiple interviews, homework, tests, appointments for finger printing, vet appointments to get the animals ready for more children---:) Etc. Phew! Are you exhausted yet? We get many weird looks and some strange comments. A lot of people just ask why? Why are you doing this? I simply say because I have to. The Bible does not suggest taking caring of orphans/the fatherless. It commands it. Once our eyes were opened to the need, we couldn't simply walk away and do nothing. So maybe you aren't called to adopt or even to foster. You are called though--to care. You can help us help these children. Please pray for us and the children coming into our home. And if you are inclined we need wooden bunk beds that can separate into twin beds if necessary and twin mattresses. We know the Lord will provide. I also know scripture says in Acts that "there was not a need among them..." So if you are reading this please help us by praying, and give if you can. My husband gave me a scripture the other day, actually I was listening in on his time with our son in the morning when they get together and read scripture and pray. The scripture was "Do not be slothful in ZEAL" That's it! I am Zealous for the Lord. I love that He loves me and that He called us to such a time as this. So while you think about hospitality, think about ways you can serve the children in your community and around the world. You may not think you can make a difference---Oh, but YOU CAN! The Harvest is Ripe! The workers are Few! Oh let it never be said we had the chance to serve the Lord and turned and walked away. To watch a video on the agency we chose to work with click here:
To read more about Child Help click here:http://www.childhelp.org/regional/tennessee Nancy Reagan referred to a part of this crisis as "America's best kept secret" Now that you KNOW there is a crisis and these children and teens need you, what will you do? You know the secret not get out there and tell someone. If you want to you can go here: http://justthreemore.blogspot.com/ to read more about the journey the Lord is taking us on with adoption.
Recently I have been challenged in this area of "Hospitality to Strangers". Not challenged to do it necessarily, but surprisingly, challenged by well meaning individuals because I did do it. With the author's permission, I am going to share an article here that was printed in the latest "Above Rubies" magazine by a new friend of mine. My husband and I actually met Brenda and her husband in February at a conference in Kentucky. She saw me and recognized the name on my name tag. She had gotten an email to pray for our adoption. I am ALWAYS amazed at how SMALL our world is. So now I get to share these words of wisdom from my friend, Brenda. She captures the very essence of WHY we do what we do. So Thank you Brenda for encouraging us all. Ami
How wonderful it is to open my home for an evening of feasting and fellowship amongst my circle of friends and family members! I also enjoy hosting a monthly Above Rubies Bible study with friends to study God’s Word. Everyone enjoys these times to eat together, share our hearts and discuss all the important details of our lives, but what about the idea of showing hospitality to strangers? Am I as a believer in the Lord still expected to feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, or open my home at a moment’s notice to the traveler? Jesus said in Matt. 25- “For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Job acknowledged that “The alien has not lodged outside, for I have opened my doors to the traveler”- Job 31:32.
My husband and I recently have had our hearts opened to this type of service. The Lord has been orchestrating one confirmation after another to soften our hearts and open our eyes to the ministry of ‘stranger’ hospitality. We have begun praying for opportunities to serve the needy, the traveler, the stranger, the widow, the sick and the orphan. Being the mother to 6 children with another blessing on the way, it is tiring for me to even think of serving others when I already have a full-time ministry at home with my own family, so we have prayed for ways to help while not burdening our family’s lifestyle of ‘being at home’. I could easily rationalize that by having a Bible study in my home or having other Christian events with friends who are in the same social group as I am is “enough”, but there is a huge difference between fellowshipping among like-minded believers and fellowshipping with the down-trodden of this world. Jesus said, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”-Luke 14:12-13. Am I supposed to do these things out of guilt? No. Am I supposed to do these things to earn my salvation? No. I am told to do these things out of my sheer love for the Lord and out of my desire to honor Him. Because of the compassion, mercy and kindness that Jesus has shown to me- a most undeserving sinner- I must show compassion, mercy and kindness to those who may seem undeserving or unworthy as well.
I was recently on the way home from my appointment with the midwife feeling very tired with a van full of cranky children. My mind was already thinking ahead to being at home, taking a long nap and allowing my husband to cook dinner again. I had been battling morning sickness for a few weeks and my sweet husband had taken over a lot of the chores at home. I almost could feel the soft pillow at naptime- that is until I pulled off the Interstate and saw an elderly lady standing on the side of the road with a bag in one hand. She looked so lost and vacant. Immediately my 17-year-old son said, “Mom, pick her up!” Thoughts were racing through my head- “What do I say to her? What would my husband say? I’ve never done this before! Help, Lord!” I pulled off into the gas station to call my husband and ask his permission to bring her home, but he was not answering! I then recalled the conversations we had been having about how we would be open to having someone over who needed help. I drove up to the lady, rolled the window down and asked where she was going. She said that she was going to the next state and needed a ride. I said, “I am not going that way. I’m heading home. I live right down the road. Would you like to come home with us and have dinner with my family tonight and take a shower?” She looked completely flabbergasted, but seeing that I had several children in the van, she kind of shrugged her shoulders and said, “Well, o.k.” On the drive home, I found out that she shared the same birthday as my mom, which meant that she was only 54, not in her late 60’s like I had thought. My husband opened the door and I saw the look on his face when he saw this down-trodden lady. Before she even got out of the van with her bag, I whispered to him, “Is it all right that she’s here for dinner?” He said, “That’s perfectly fine”. Instead of focusing on my exhaustion and morning sickness, I got right to work in the kitchen preparing dinner. I completely forgot about the nap I was going to take or that I was going to ask my husband to be in charge of dinner again! I learned that when I focus on the needs of others, the troubles and cares of my life melt away almost instantly. We were able to find new clothes for Catherine in a bag of hand-me-downs that someone had just given me the day before. Catherine was very quiet throughout the night she was visiting with our family, but her presence at our dining table was much needed and will never be forgotten.
What if something bad happened to me upon picking her up? What if something bad had happened to my children while opening my home to a stranger? What if I was taken completely advantage of? Oswald Chambers says in his devotional ‘My Utmost For His Highest’: Don’t plan with a concern for evil in mind. Does God really mean for us to plan without taking the evil around us into account? “Love…thinks no evil” (1 Cor. 13:4-5). Love is not ignorant of the existence of evil, but it does not take it into account as a factor in planning.’ I may be stolen from. I may have things taken from my home. I might not be shown gratefulness. But Jesus says that we should “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.”- Luke 6:30. And in Isaiah: “…Divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him.”- Is. 58:7.
Of course, there are many different avenues to help the needy besides bringing a stranger into your home if you are uncomfortable with that idea or if your husband doesn’t approve. Carrying extra bottles of water and packaged snacks in the back of your van for those times when you see someone in need is one way of feeding the hungry. We can minister to the sick by bringing meals to someone who is unable to prepare them for themselves. What about visiting those in prison? How can we do that with our children? Are we even supposed to? There are different types of ‘prisons’ and for some elderly, living in a nursing home against their will is a daily prison. While grown men and women can conduct Bible studies with inmates in a penitentiary, a mother and her children can “adopt” a grandparent in a nursing home. When I have done this with my children, I can see fresh new life in the eyes of someone who previously felt like they were forgotten and alone. Bringing special treats, a hand-written card or reading books are all different ideas of showing hospitality and encouragement to someone who feels imprisoned. Another idea that the Lord gave my family was volunteering with our local women’s shelter to open our home in the afternoons to latchkey children whose single mothers have no other choice but to work a job. We decided to “adopt” a family in which the children can come to our house for a few hours after school, receive some help with homework and see first-hand what a Christian family looks like. We have also asked for the mother to stay for dinner at least once a week so that she can be fed- not only physically, but spiritually as well. The director of this ministry told me that she’s never had anybody offer to do this type of hands-on ‘family care’ before; usually the avenue that people want to help is by donating used clothing or writing a check (which is very helpful!), but when she tells them that what the women really need is to have someone befriend them or come to the shelter and just listen to them, there is not as much interest in this type of volunteering. Why? Is it because we do not want to get ‘dirtied’ by the problems of other people’s lives? Are we afraid we will be taken advantage of? Currently there is no one in our vicinity who is being housed in the emergency shelter, but when the need arises, we look forward to the day when we can open our home to a family in desperate need of compassion, acceptance and Christian love.
I believe we will be given the discernment to know when to act on the Holy Spirit’s leading. But there might be times when we don’t hear a specific ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the Lord when we see someone in need. What should we do then? I believe that we should try to not overanalyze the situation, but simply to act with compassion. Even unbelievers (shall I say even atheists?) practice ‘random acts of kindness’ for their fellow man, how much more should a child of God help the helpless! If we are feeling unsure or hesitant in any way, then this might be the Lord’s way of saying that now is not the time, but we still need to be open in the future for areas that we can minister to the needs of others. Again, the key is listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit who promises to lead and direct us.
Oswald Chambers also states in his Feb. 5 devotional that we are called to be doormats- “Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer- to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do you say, ‘I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don’t want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, “Well done”.’ It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a “doormat” under other people’s feet...Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.’
During the time when the New Testament was being written, a wife was expected to bring up godly children, but she would not be allowed on the widow’s list unless she had also shown hospitality to strangers and devoted herself to every good work and had assisted those in distress, among other qualities (1 Tim. 5:10). The idea is to make it a lifestyle of charity, not one of legalism or a set standard of rules that are forced and fake. I am not supposed to be like the Pharisees who did “all their deeds to be noticed by men” (Matt. 23:5), but I am supposed to let my “light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven”- Matt. 5:16. I am also not saying that we should put our ministry to our husbands and children on the back-burner- may it never be! On the contrary, the lifestyle of ‘stranger’ hospitality should be all-encompassing with my children being given ample opportunities to humbly serve alongside their mother. The idea of this type of radical hospitality is foreign to me; I was not taught it while growing up. I do not desire for my children to grow up living in an isolated bubble, always talking about ‘one day they will leave the home and minister to God’s people’, when there are plenty of chances to be serving here and today.
One day recently, my husband called while shopping in town and told me he stopped to help a man on the side of the Interstate who needed a ride to Texas. My husband got out of the car, went over and sat next to the man on the side of the road and began talking to him, “friend to friend”. He offered for the traveler to come to our home for dinner, but the man wanted to stay near the Interstate in case he was able to catch a ride. My husband was able to buy him some food at the store so he wouldn’t be hungry. The man was short $10 to pay for a room at the hotel for the night, so my husband went inside the hotel lobby with him to pay the extra $10. After the man had filled out the appropriate paperwork and was paying, my husband felt led to pay for the entire room. He looked at my husband and said, “You must be a Christian.” My husband said, “Yes, I am. How did you know?” And the man replied, “I can tell by the way you’re treating me”. The world has heard a lot of words spoken loudly from Christian circles, but the world will not remember us by our words, but by our actions. I am reminded of what Job said, “If I have kept the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the orphan has not shared it, if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or that the needy had no covering…let my shoulder fall from the socket and my arm be broken off at the elbow.” (Job 31:16-22).
We are told that we should ‘not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it’ (Heb. 13:2). Up until this point of my life, I have not given myself many opportunities to entertain angels. That is a pity! I’d love to find out one day in Heaven that I served angels in my home!
If you have fed the hungry, invited a stranger into your home, clothed those living in poverty, visited those who are sick or in prison, please share those stories with others around you. I am sure the Lord would delight in seeing a revival of family service that plants seeds in the lives of our children at home as well as the needy of the world.
“Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful”- Titus 3:14.
By Brenda Weatherly
Wife for 14 years to Mike, Mother to Andrew-17, Tiffany-11, Kaylie-9, Isaac-7, Lillia-5, Josie- 18 months, and a new blessing arriving mid-March 2010.
Brenda hosts a monthly Above Rubies Bible Study for mothers living in the East Tennessee area SW of Knoxville. It meets the 1st Thursday of each month and all mothers and children are welcome. E-mail brendaw@jesusanswers.com for more information.
Posts
