Ok. If I can't find the time or interest to update my blog, I can at least post some awesome things one in a while! I C A N N O T wait for BarlowGirl's new CD... coming out 9/22!
Here's the video to a track off of the new album - Beautiful Ending:
Isn't is great when something happens and you just know it is something God has done... an answered prayer, or unexpected blessing? I love it!
On March 5th, Collin came downstairs after doing a Bible lesson. He was in tears, barely able to speak. At first, I thought something was wrong, but actually, something was very right! He told me that he had prayed for Jesus to save him! Those words are the most precious for a mother. None can compare! They are etched in my memory forever!
I marvelled at the understanding of this 10-year old son of mine! I can't even begin to express the emotional and spiritual clarity with which Collin described his confession and repentance of sin, and profession of faith. His fear of Hell and hope of eternity in Heaven were strongly felt.
As Collin neared his 10th birthday, and more fervently after, I prayed earnestly for God to knock very loudly on his heart's door, but I was determined, despite my personality, not to push it on him. Praise God, I didn't even have to be present! The wonderful truth is that Collin felt compelled by the Word of God, not an overbearing or desperate mother.
For as long as I can remember, I've imagined from living with Collin day-in and day-out that he would be around 10-years-old when he'd be appropriately aware of what giving one's life to the Lord requires. And because he's spent that last four years with me working at Victory Home, he has seen first-hand the effects of half-hearted and whole-hearted decisions for Christ. He has found, with us adults, that Heaven and Hell really do hang in the balance for every person that walks through our doors. We've seen guys leave... and die. He knows getting saved is not just something you do or say... it is who you are, how you live, why you exist. And he knows this, not because of anything I have done right as a parent, but because Jesus died for him, and God loves him and prepared his heart to understand that there are only two choices in this life: one leads to death, and the other to life.
Only time will tell of the condition of Collin's heart. For now, I know that my conversation with him that night was about as genuine as it can get. Children can be dramatic, and sometimes I think my boy should be in front of a camera, but about serious things he is just that... serious.
Just last night, he asked me whether I noticed any changes in him. I was able to list a few, but told him that most of his would be on the inside, as conforming outwardly for disciplined children is rather easy. He replied that he realized he sinned more than he thought on any given day, and had to pray for forgiveness much more than before. I told him that it is one of the wonderful gifts of the Holy Spirit... growing increasingly aware of what we do that offends God, and wanting to make it right.
God is at work in my not-so-little boy's life, and I can't thank Him enough!
I just don't have the time to do a blog entry now... though I have plenty of stuff that pops into my head, day in and day out, that I would like to write about, but...
Came across this video. Undoubtedly, any person into contemporary Christian music will know the song, and probably have already seen the video. But I wanted to post it for myself, if for no one else. BarlowGirl rocks!
I have decided I am not going to refer to Barack Obama as President. I am going to call him by his given name because it says so much more. Anyway, I am trying my hardest to follow nothing more than the economic bailout decisions of Obama... but I came across a very sobering entry at Gateway Pundit. Click here.
Seems as though the our economic crisis is not so bad as to stop short of murder!
Okay. Not exactly, but I will get to that.
I see it has been almost two months since last I blogged, and that's ok. Well, except for the fact that there have been so many things to blog about, it being the holidays and all, and not enough time to blog about them... it being the holidays and all.
Anyway, on December 13th my most favorite person in the world turned 10! I can barely believe the happiest decade of my life have flown by so quickly... but it has, and I have a tall, handsome, 10-year-old son to prove it. Oh, there are so many pictures, and funny stories, and hilarious video (thanks Beth!) of Collin's birthday that beg to be blogged about and posted if only I had the time. It was a wonderdul day... and the boy is up to his neck in Legos. I'd like to revisit the celebration some point soon. I also hope to do a little stroll down memory lane celebrating all that is my most cherished relation (those cute baby and toddler photos beckon)!
Additionally, Christmas was wonderful. I, too, had a great brithday despite the fact that I didn't feel very well. Collin surprised me with very thoughtful Christmas and birthday gifts I couldn't have anticipated (I correctly guessed at only one). God has placed in him a talent for being attentive to the likes and individuality of those around him! If Jesus tarries, a wife will treasure that about him!
Now, as to the title of this blog I must say, no, I haven't let Collin drive my car (or anyone else's car for the matter)! However, I think it right to assume that he may be ready. You see, one of the guys in Victory Home's apprenticeship program recently went to reinstate his driver's license. He failed the driver's test miserably. Then he went back, passed the test, and has had the privilege of driving restored. Paul E. (a co-worker and friend) is also looking to reinstate his license, so he visited the online driver's test for preparation. He and Jeremy (a co-worker and friend), who rightly believe Collin to be a very bright child (I am his mother, I can say that), thought it would be a hoot to have him take the test, too... though, they weren't expecting the results! Both Jeremy and Paul came to my office to exclaim, "Collin took the same test (the VH guy) failed and got them all right!" Now I don't know which I should be more concerned about... a driver certification test that is so easy my 10-year-old can pass, or sharing the road with a near-40-year-old driver who failed the same test the first time!
Pastor Mike appeared on WVEC's (Channel 13) 12:00 news show. Here is the video:
Good stuff!
This week, needless to say, a lot has happened. An overwhelming majority of our nation voted in the most inexperienced, smooth-talking, flip-flopping, empty-promise-slinging liberal (seems those characteristics go together) for president. I have to stop here... or this blog entry would never end.
But, beyond that, and much more exciting, is the privilege I have had (with the rest of Victory Home's staff) of watching God seemlessly pull everything together for our upcoming banquet on November 18th.
This year is our fourth banquet. We have never had so many table sponsors (21.5 tables paid for!), so many table hosts (14 at last count), and so many high caliber auction items donated (32 so far)! It has just been amazing. And it's not like the Lord has been doing this just the past week... of course, He works like this all the time. However, working in ministry, one often gets used to "everyday" miracles and keeps on pluggin' away.
Our finances are stretched at Victory Home, to say the least. At times, the strain is more noticeable than others, but we continue to trust our Provider for all we need. He is faithful, and I've been reminded of this in a BIG way in the weeks leading up to our banquet.
There are many other thrilling things God is doing...and the list is longer than the time I have to record it all. Relative to fundraising, also, is the answered prayer for more car washes at a set venue. The Autozone around the corner from us lets us hold car washes regularly in their parking lot, and today I heard Emmitt (a VH client, and car wash king!) talking about two gas stations that set dates for us to use their property, too. It's awesome!
I read Oswald Chambers' during devotions every day (almost). This week, and last, so many of the daily readings hit the nail on the head, so to speak. This is an excerpt from last week:
We tend to forget that the one great reason underneath all missionary work is not primarily the elevation of the people, their education, nor their needs, but is first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ— "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . ." (Matthew 28:19).
When looking back on the lives of men and women of God, the tendency is to say, "What wonderfully keen and intelligent wisdom they had, and how perfectly they understood all that God wanted!" But the keen and intelligent mind behind them was the mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the divine guidance of God being exhibited through childlike people who were "foolish" enough to trust God’s wisdom and His supernatural equipment.
I am grateful that, though we are tested, the family of Victory Home is "foolish" enough to trust God's wisdom and His supernatural equipment!
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