Joy and a Thankful Heart

Somehow, November slipped by with all kinds of fun things for me on my journey called life!!  There were days that were easy and fun and then, of course, there were those days of feeling like a truck ran over me…..BUT mostly there were good days!!  Days of joy and being thankful!!!

Thankful for my wonderful husband who is always there for me…. he even helps lift the truck off of me at times.  It isn’t a literal truck but a truck of aches and pains and discouragement.  He knows how to rub  the pain out of my neck, shoulders and also knows just what to do for me!!  So I am blessed!!

Thankful for my wonderful, funny grandkids that keep me laughing.  Some of the things they come up with are priceless.  We made a couple of trips to Biltmore with them during this past month.  Watching their faces as they saw the  30 ft Christmas tree being brought to the house on a horse drawn carriage and then later seeing it all decorated….was priceless.

JOY in holding a newborn grandson and watching his little face change each week, seeing that first little smile in his eyes when he hears your voice.  Watching him turn into a little chipmunk with his chubby cheecks and double chin.  Getting him to fall asleep in my arms twice in one day has been pure JOY.  He is number 11 but still I am still amazed at the miracle of this little tiny one who will one day call me Nana.  What joy!!

Laughing so hard at my three year old and 5 years old as they swallowed warm tea and telling them, I can feel it in my throat and now I  can feel it in my belly.  They each took turns and smiled in wonder as they had the same feeling.  We laughed and laughed as we all took turns drinking from the same cup (ON different sides of the cup, of course) and expressing our joy at feeling that warm tea hitting our belly,

My journey to getting healthier is a SLOW long one but I think I am making progress each day and I am thankful….next week our daughter and her dear family are coming for Christmas.  I am indeed thankful and blessed!!

Andrew Dale

Andrew Dale with Luke

Brazil trip in July

We have been praying about going back to Brazil for the past few months and I have  looked, looked and looked at almost every available travel web page….trying to find the best deal!!!  July is the month of vacation in Brazil so the prices are higher…sigh!!

After hours of planning and looking and asking my hubby over and over again for his advice I finally booked it today!!  We leave Charlotte on the 13th and return late on the 25th.  I am excited but also a little apprehensive…..

You would think by now I would  KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that God would go before us and HE would make a way when there seems to be no way….but my faith is once again like a little mustard seed.  Maybe it always has been that size,  during the last few years our trips have basically been paid for by the mission and we have raised other money for different projects.  Has HE always provided, yes, beyond my imagination so why in the world am I a little apprehensive this time???

I am reminded of the hundreds of times HE has been one step ahead of us in every situation:  Leaving our home church with 2 small babies and heading to New Tribes Mission for missionary training, God giving us 2 more children and helping us train other missionaries for 10 years there in Missouri, having cancer and treatment (Praise I am still going….and going and going), HE then undertook as we went   to Papua New Guinea with four children ages 8-16, having my hubby have hepatitis on the field…raising kids, the list can go on and on and  as I sit here I am reminded that HE can go before us and HE can pay for the tickets, give strength for tomorrow and line up the meetings there in Brazil.  It is going to be exciting to see how HE undertakes…  I will have to keep posting how HE takes care of all of the details.

Yes, my hubby was glad I finally booked the tickets now we just have to pay for them!!    We are both excited about this trip and are looking forward to connecting with many of our Brazilian friends.  Dale will be teaching, discipling and encouraging the believers in a couple of churches.  HE IS ABLE!!

Peace in the midst of life….

My sweet, special hubby is leaving for Haiti in a week….on a Mission Trip, OH how I would love to be going along but this is my time to stay put and PRAY for them as they GO!!  I love meeting people from other countries and most of ALL love hearing them singing songs to the Lord in their own language.  What a thrill to hear people singing ” How Great Thou Art ” in their own toungues….amazing!!  Just think what it will be like in heaven!!! 

I know that I will see people up there that we have ministered to over the years.  I think of the little old lady in Papua New Guinea that could barely see but wanted Dale to look her up in heaven.  I think of my dear friend Poko, a Kuman lady who was a pistol at times but loves the Lord.  It will be GREAT seeing her up there and just think my sweet parents all ready know these people and countless others who they ministered to in Brazil and also here in the States.  BUT most of all it will be SO AMAZING to see our Saviour face to face!!!  I can’t even imagine what that will be like, can you???  WOW….just the wonder of it ALL!!!

I will THANK HIM for the thousand of things HE has done for me…most of all my salvation and then my wonderful family and I will also thank HIM for the storms!!  The storms  ???  who will thank him for the storms   ???  I will THANK HIM for the storms of life…although I don’t understand them all I KNOW that HE knows and HE gives peace!!!  Peace in the midst of life…..

In one of the songs I have been singing to myself the last few months I am reminded to LET it be, Let it be, Let it be……I hope you will be blessed by the words of this song, song by the Collingsworth family!!

Here are a few of the words of the song…”He sees the storm from the other side”

And when the storms of life come crashing in and trouble me
I can feel Gods arms around me and he whispers
Let it be, Let it be , Let it BE

Storms

“No matter what we go THROUGH God will calm the storms in our lives”  I lift my eyes up to the mountains, you are the maker of earth and heavens and there is nothing that is too hard for you!!

If you believe the words we are singing today it would change your life and the things you are going through  When we start believing those words we get out of the way and HIS power starts working.  Do you believe these words??  When you feel like you have nothing left and can’t make it on our own, then that is a good place to be….then you can go running to HIM!!   HE is always there because NOTHING is too hard for HIM!!

An amazing promise is that NOTHING is impossible with  GOD.  He understands, no matter what we are going through, he promises us that HE will calm the storm.

If I told you  to bear your cross didn’t I tell you that  I will take you through the storm you have to trust me…Mark 4:39  “Peace be still….” and then there was peace!!   Calmness…He knows why we shudder but He wants us to run to HIM in the middle of the storm, if you have storms I will calm them!!!

Phil 3:10  “Oh that I may know him and the power of HIS resurrection and the fellowship of HIS suffering being conformed to HIS death”  Going through sufferings with him is how I become more like HIM.

What do you need Jesus to calm???  Jesus know all of the storms and  Jesus said, I know I will calm your storm!! 

FEARS

Example of zip line and having fears….one of the kids had a great fear and they had him ready to go on the zip line and he said, No, I am not doing this…Let me down…No I’m not doing it…he then talked to him and said you can do it.  They got him back up there and he said No, I’m not doing it, Let me down.  After talking to him again he told him Listen to me, I promise you will be O.K.  Look at my eyes…and then he got up there and looked at his dad and went on the zip line only to go 8 more times that day.  We have to look to HIM with our fears!!

I took these notes as I was listening to a sermon a couple of weeks ago…God knew I needed to be reminded that HE and HE alone can undertake and that NOTHING is too hard for HIM….we have had a few storms lately and wonder if we will ever see the calm of the storms but we WILL…………Peace and more peace!! 

 

 

Valleys and Mountains

Sometimes life goes sailing along all smooth like the ocean and then at other times  life is either a valley or a mountain,  During those times I seem to forget that  HE is in control!!   Although I definitely don’t feel like He is when things seem to be OUT of control!!

A friend of mine recently sent me an e-mail reminding me of our many blessings and how we don’t deserve anything, NOTHING….we don’t deserve even the breath HE give us every day and without HIM we wouldn’t have the fresh air we need to even breathe.     HE does give us breath, a warm place to live and a wonderful family.  GOD has certainly been GOOD to me in so many marvelous ways!!

I love this song,  God on the Mountain

Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain
And you’ve got peace of mind like you’ve never known.
But then things change and you’re down in the valley.
Don’t lose faith for you’re never alone.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

You talk of faith when you’re up on the mountain.
Oh but the talk comes easy when life’s at its best.
But it’s down in the valley of trials and temptation
That’s when faith is really put to the test.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.
The God of the day is still God in the night.

“God On The Mountain” words and music by Tracy G. Dartt

A great reminder that the God of the day is still God of the night!!!

Joel 2:21 “Fear not, O land (Barbara);be glad and rejoice:for the Lord will do great things.

 Joel 2:21
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.
KJV

This verse has been a blessing to me during these past weeks…..I substituted my name  O land, Fear not, O Barbara…be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.  I looked over at Dale’s bible which was another translation and his said….Fear not, O Barbara…be glad and rejoice: for the Lord has done marvelous things!!

How true, God will do and has done marvelous things.  Pastor Traylor, thanks for having us look into the little book of Joel!!  The verse was a good reminder that we don’t need to fear as we face various things in our lives.  Small things become HUGE at times, wondering about the future. our  health,  and getting older at times become HUGE items in my mind, so this was a good reminder to me that we are to rejoice and be glad for HE has done and will be doing in the future…FEAR NOT!!

Thanks for your prayers and for standing with us as we serve our Lord.  We weren’t able to go to Brazil this past summer but a team did go down to Peniel and they were able to  remodel one of the houses for the couples attending the Bible school, Praise!!  We are thankful for the staff at the Bible School in Brazil as they train others to serve Him. 

 Dale is still improving from his knee replacement and is thankful that he had it done…(although it has taken quite a few months to be thankful as the recovery is slow)    Update….this is February 2 and he is doing GREAT…the verse is an encouragement to me….Fear NOT!!!

 

Our Lilly

This is sweet Lilly with her cousin, our Brittany….they are SO alike and such a joy.  They both love to serve others and are always helping in the kitchen.  Brittany is a great cook and Lilly has all ready started helping her mom make cookies.  Recently we have been remodeling our kitchen so we haven’t had counters.  Lilly walked into the house the other day, looked around  and said, “Nana how are we going to make cookies???”   She loves to roll out the cookie dough and make, Easter, Valentine, Thanksgiving or Christmas cookies.    I told her, “Don’t worry we will still be able to make cookies..”  I don’t think she totally believed me as she asked “where??”

Our son, Stephen bought us a beautiful piece of granite for one of our counters…..so when she walked in and  saw the counter she  pushed a chair up to it and said, “Nana, let’s make cookies!!”  So, I guess we are going to make cookies pretty soon!!

She is amazing….the other day we were at Biltmore and I was trying to help her and she quickly told me, “Nana, I can do anything….I know how to do everything!!”    Then she looked up at me with those beautiful brown eyes and said, “But I can’t do everything…GOD can!!, Do you know God??”  I told her Yes, I do!!  and then started singing, “God can do anything, anything, God can do anything but fail…”  and then started singing it again…”God can do anything, anything..God can do anything but fail..He is Alpha and Omega….”  She stopped me and said, ‘Nana don’t sing anymore now, because I don’t want to learn another song!!” 

She is amazing for a 4 year old…Lilly, I love you!!

32,000 Feet in the sky and being blessed!!

Our trip out to California was so amazing…..the first flight to Dallas was cloudy and you couldn’t see a thing….but we had a good flight and had almost 3 hours on the ground so that was nice.  We ate and walked some before our next flight.  

 We left Texas and the pilot told us that we would have clear skies and would be flying over Utah, Nevada and then into California.  As we got up to 32,000 feet the sky was so blue with clouds here and there. It was SO, so gorgeous….the clouds were incredible and Dale was showing me how some of them seemed to just be huge cliffs, others were huge puffy clouds with sharp edges.  They were pure white and just here and there.  I was reading a book and Dale was listening to music and handed me the head set and said, Hon you will like this song!!   I put the head set on and started listening and the tears started to fall…..the song was incredible and God knew it was just what I needed at this time in my life…

 Here is the chorus:

  God sees the storms from the other side.  He knows the lessons learned   And just beyond the clouds he sees clear skies He speaks peace to the raging storm when peace would not be found He all ready sees the rainbow when we see only clouds

  Remember we were at 32,000 feet and as I listened I kept looking at the clouds and the little patches on ground down below those massive clouds and God just showed me once again that HE is there….in the middle of our storms and at times when we just can’t see past the storms of life.  I thought of the storms we have faced on the field, off, past, present and the future ones I think we will face and the tears kept falling.  I know,    I am a tad insane….but  I listened to it again and this time I caught more of the words…  

And when the storms of life come crashing in on me and trouble me I can feel his arms around me and he whispers Let it be…let it be…Let it be….   LET IT BE, LET IT BE….

Oh so many times I don’t let it be, I pick it back up and try my hardest to fix things…..   Anyway it was totally a GOD moment and I won’t forget the view of those clouds and feeling OH so close to God up there in the sky!!   I probably have you in tears but that is O.K.!!! 

So just LET IT BE….whatever is bothering you LET IT BE…I don’t know how many times I have listened to that song but that time God reminded me that He is in control .  The song is by the Collingsworth Family and is called…God sees the Storms…

God in the midst of a storm, peace and singing!!

Wow…is all we can say….last weekend we were able to attend a concert at www.biltmore.com.  You just had to be there to experience the magnificent views of the mountains, sunset and just sitting there worshiping the Lord.  They had the concert on the south lawn close to the “castle”  At least I call it a castle!!!

We arrived early, only to hear thunder and see streaks of lightning in the sky.  As the time for the concert approached so did the sounds of the lightning and thunder….no rain, which was surprising but very LOUD thunder.  Before long they opened up the Biltmore House so that everyone could be in a safe place while the storm passed.  We were told that the radar showed that the storm would be passing and the concert would begin on time.  I know many were praying that GOD would push back that storm.  So many times in our lives we have “storms” that come our way and we feel overwhelmed by the “storm” in our lives.  I know I have felt that way countless time and feel like this “storm” is NEVER going to pass….but just when I think it isn’t ever going to get over GOD sends the calmness after the storm. 

The calmness came that night and it was so awesome to sit there and see the storm passing off into the distant mountains.  The clouds were so, so gorgeous.  Clouds always remind me of the  glory of the Lord!!  So many times I can look up and see in the midst of the clouds a peek of blue and rays of sunshine coming through and I am reminded of the song..”  I see the Lord seated on the throne exalted….”   Amazing to just watch the clouds after a storm….it was that way that evening. 

The Gaither Vocal Band started singing and you could just feel the presence of the Lord in that place.  Later we were all asked to sing, ” I need thee, Oh I need thee, every hour I need thee, Oh bless me now my Saviour…”  I don’t think there were many dry eyes during that time of singing it was like we were touching heaven!!  We DO need the Lord and it was so great to just sing that song with thousands of total strangers.  The vocal band just stood there during the singing and were in awe….it was totally a GOD moment.  During this past week I have thought time and time again of the storm and them the calmness after the storm.

GOD also sent a sunset in the middle of the concert….word was passed down our row to look to your right and as we did we couldn’t believe the beauty of the sunset…the colors were awesome and the reflection was there over the mountain.  GOD is in CONTROL of HIS creation, which means US….oh we get so unruly at times and go our own way…BUT HE is always there during the storms of our life and during the sunsets and the good times.

Thanks to my wonderful hubby for allowing me to go to the concert and IF they have another concert like this next year I am going to save up my pennies so we can go again.    On Sunday we went to hear Gloria Gaither….and that story will just have to wait for another day!!!!