Do It Anyway

I was reminded of these beautiful words of wisdom over the weekend....was thinking it would be a great thing to share for people to start their week. Mother Teresa hung a copy of this poem on the wall of the orphanage she founded in Calcutta.

Do It Anyway


People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.



In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
...... It was never between you and them anyway.

Have a blessed week my friends~
*~Michelle~*

Are you putting your faith into action?

Time for me to have and share a pep-rally......

"we gotta stop asking for relief.......and start showing some belief"

Ouch.Guilty as charged.

So, Benjamin Franklin once said "God helps those who help themselves".

Now although the majority of what we learn in the Bible about God helping the helpless..... I do believe that we, as Christians can fall into the trap of inactivity. We are taught that God will provide according to His timing, but this should not stop us from getting off our keesters (to keep this a PG-rated blog) and believing His Promise, trusting His Word and putting our faith into action.

Sometimes being a Christian isn’t always easy. Sometimes we have to roll-up our sleeves and do the challenging work of following Christ, and stay obedient to God’s Word..... even when we don’t want to or it seems to difficult.

This also applies to our daily living. For example... like many of us....financially, things are stretched super tight around here. My part-time job of doing hairdressing is not cutting it.

(no pun intended, but can I get a ba-dum-dum *cymbal??)

*crickets chirping*

OK, lame.....anyway.

I trust and believe that God will always provide for us.....as He has always done. Even when the numbers do not jive.....supernaturally, we end up having just enough money each week, even if our balance is 2.97 right before the next direct deposit is coming in.

But I am growing tired of treading water.....feeling the waters rise, bobbing up to the surface for a few days....only to feel pulled under when the next bill shows up or an unexpected repair comes about. Bottom line......I am looking for an additional job. So I can pray and ask God to help me find one and while it is in His power to do so, it is highly unlikely that God will cause employers to come looking for me. I must get up and out, hit the pavement.... and look for one. I will set out trusting that there will be a job for me. I will not give up, I trust God.....but it is going to require alot of effort on my part as well.

In our lives, we will come across winding paths of uncertainties, setbacks and signs that read, “Road Closed.” However, these are not dead ends, but merely detours as we move toward our destined purpose. We need to keep the faith, take these potholes in stride, and move ahead boldly. We cannot let challenges discourage us.

The New Living Translation of Romans 12:11-12 tells us " Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying."

This message can also be applied to our spiritual connection with Christ. Sometimes I feel so distant and I long to feel Christ beside me (even though I know He is always there.....) That same passage in the New International Version reads "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

The word "fervor" literally means "to be hot, boil or glow." There is metaphor of boiling water and our spiritual life. The idea is that there must always be a stirring up or a heating up in our spiritual life as we pray and serve. We need to keep it that way. In order to keep water boiling we have to keep it on a flame. We need to constantly work and tend to that fire. That takes effort.....it takes action on our part.



I'll wrap it up with this story, you've probably heard it before, but I'll share it anyway.....

It's the one about the preacher in the flood. The water was up to the top of the church steps when a National Guard truck came by. "Get in, Preacher! The water's rising."

And the preacher said, "No. I trust in the Lord."

The water rose and flooded the church. The preacher climbed up on the roof. Two boys came by in a John boat.

"Get in, Preacher! The water's rising."

And the preacher said, "No. I trust in the Lord."

The water rose higher, and the preacher climbed up on the steeple. A helicopter came by and dropped a sling.

"Grab the sling, Preacher! The water's rising."

And the preacher said, "No. I trust in the Lord."

The water rose even higher, and the preacher drowned. In heaven, he said, "Lord, I had such trust in you. Why did you let me drown?"

And the Lord said, "Dummy! I sent you a deuce-and-a-half, a john boat and a helicopter!!"


The meaning of this is that the Lord helps us by giving us the means to help ourselves. And He expects us to do that.


So I ask myself.....and possibly you can ask yourself.....Do you feel that God is ignoring your prayers/requests? Or could it be that He is stalling so that we will stop acting helpless and put our faith into action?


Peace~

*~Michelle~*

V is for Victory!

So if you've been visiting even just occasionally......you'll probably get the idea that I am a very visual person. I am guessing that this is one of the reasons I babble on and on sometimes all the time. I guess it's because I really want to get what is going on in my head (scary place!) and heart and get it out in words. Most of the time, WAY too many words/run-on sentences, grammatical nightmares and abuse of all forms of punctuation. Then I take you way off on some tangent. But that is another story and yes, medication has been suggested to me many times.

So today.....I will share briefly what is on my heart.....and leave you with a visual that I feel best sums it up.

Not sure who needs to hear/see this......but I know I cannot be alone on this. Being in a place where you feel like you are really breaking through some areas in your life and the Light is starting to shine again. You start to work out the kinks in those tired muscles and get back on your Walk. And just as soon as you start to pick up the pace.....the enemy throw down a roadblock......a set back. He knows where you are heading, and will do anything in his power to keep you bound in frustration, depression and bondage. He knows if he keeps you there, you will be unproductive. He tells you lies and reminds you of your short-comings/failures.

But I am here to remind you that God is the Great I Am. He is and will continue to be with you through it all. He knows the ending to this situation and will never let you down.
There is nothing in this world that He cannot do. There is no addiction He can't break, there is no heart He can't change, there is no medical report He can't contradict. He will bring peace beyond understanding. He will bring hope to the discouraged.

I encourage you friends to never give up. And pray. If you continue to press ahead, give it all over to Him.....and trust in His promise.....there will always be a Victory.

(excuse the quality, but I had to sketch what was going on in my head quickly and scan it)




But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
~1 Corinthians 15:57

Be well, my friends and celebrate the Victory~

*~Michelle~*

System Restore

So I feel I have been reaching in my excuse bag lately for my lack of posting.....

Off the top of my head, I can definitely say it has been one and/or the combo of the following:

• family obligations
• preparing for and attending country fairs and livestock shows
• the endless list of home improvements
• enJOYing the summer as much as possible
• visiting friends and family
• spiritual dryness
• and lastly.....being so frustrated with this darn computer which is bogged down with viruses that cause it to freeze up every 18 minutes or better yet......when I am in the middle of something really important. I won't lie and say it has happened while I have been into a wicked awesome blog post where I am sharing such wisdom and inspiration......(see prior teeny excuse) but I will tell you that when said crashing/freezing event happens....I have been known to have non-Christian words slip out of my mouth all while screaming at the monitor asking what I have done to deserve such punishment.
  

So I am pleased to let you know, that a friend has kindly given me a Windows XP install disc and I plan on transferring the bajillion files/photos/documents over to my external hard-drive over the next few days and flat-lining this badboy and starting out again with a clean slate.

How refreshing to think that I won't have 948 unread emails (mostly spam) in my Outlook Express inbox. They loom in the shadows and haunt me. I want to hit "select all" and then delete.....but what if I delete an overlooked correspondence (like the 150,000 Euros that is waiting for me to claim)

And now.....Poof. They will be gone. Yes, I'll lose that coupon code for Viagra at the wholesale price (don't ask)........and I'll never get that link for the online degree to be a medical transcriptionist.....but I will be FREE of that daunting task of going through all of those emails looking for those few correspondences that shouldn't have gone unread.

Josh will be thrilled that our "desktop" will now be clear and clutter free......it will no longer look like a jigsaw puzzle of shortcut icons and cover the photo of one of my favorite chickens. (is that bad that I don't have one of my children up there?)

I am hoping that my sound driver will be re-installed so that I can finally get my K-Love on during the day. I can also resume watching some of the great podcasts from my favorite preachers/speakers. (did I mention that I believe that a good majority of these viruses are enemy-sent?)

And like a responsible and paranoid amateur computer person, I did my research on what all this restoring will do. It was explained to me that a system restore is like a time machine for your computer, in which we will be able to restore a previous configuration from before problems began to occur.

Wow....wouldn't that be nice if we could have a system restore in our lives?

Well folks.......step right up. We can.

Think about it. When we start digging deeper with Jesus, He offers us the ultimate System Restore.

Have a corrupt file haunting you from your past and/or the baggage of worries/anxiety hanging in your inbox?

DELETE them with Philippians 3:13,14
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

You also can get a whole new operating system to tackle this thing called life. And since the operating pretty much is the backbone of the computer, you get a brand new way to send and receive information and process applications. You can make major changes and upgrade to keep up with needs that change over time.

All you have to do is RE-INSTALL Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

And let's not forget about having a brand new anti-virus software installed with this offer. Knowing that even when we encounter dangerous situations, we can and will have the protection installed to keep us safe and hopefully make the right decisions.

Just DOWNLOAD Isaiah 54:17
"No weapon forged against you will prevail......"

I am sure I could list many more but I am sensing another meltdown approaching with this computer and I will lose my mind if it crashes on me again.

So wish me luck with this scary task I am about to undertake this weekend.....I am praying that I don't get sucked into the Black Hole of cyberspace and lose everything, including my mind (which is already half gone).

See you on "the other side" of this adventure! :)

xox
*~Michelle~*

Consider the sparrow......

Consider the sparrow they don’t plant or sow
But they’re fed by the Master who watches them grow

~from Consider the Lilies (Joe Hemphill)

Hello my friends......I know I have been MIA in the blogging world lately. No specific reason, just a combo of many reasons......my daughter is continuing to save the world, one goat at a time......we have been visiting friends, enjoying the weather/summer......and have been also been battling our share of trials (but keep reminding ourselves that these are just tests)

But sometimes trying to remember that these are just "tests" is a challenge. Sometimes in the middle of it all.....I will admit that I get anxious and worried. That brings out the control freak in me and then I start spinning my wheels trying to "fix" everything. But these things cannot be fixed by myself......I cannot make people do what I want them to do or make choices that I feel is best for them. I cannot magically make more money get deposited in my checking account, although that would be nice, wouldn't it?

This past weekend.......after all my attempts and scramblings, I ended up in that familiar place of weariness, frustration and helplessness. I felt physically and emotionally drained....I also have been noticing that my spiritual health is on the fritz as well. It's like I scramble and exhaust myself trying to find the answers and solutions, and then throw in a quick prayer to God at the end of the day. I am not sure if I feel my issues/problems are too insignificant for Him, that He has way more important issues to tend to....or that I am forgetting His promise that He will never leave me or forsake me. I am thinking the it is a little bit of both.

So yesterday morning.....still feeling spiritually dry.....I sat outside my front porch contemplating going to church. (how's that for brutal honesty about where I am at) As I drank my coffee, this teeny little bird flew over to the a dangling branch of my Weeping Cherry tree. The branch was right about eye level and she just sat there.....I swear......looking right at me. There was this amazing sense of peace about this little creature. She did not look concerned that the fragile branch she was perched on was going to give away, she did not look hungry or anxious of the threat of any predators (that would be one of my cats that was curled up under the tree liking his chops)

It was then that I felt God say these three powerful words to me.......

.....consider the sparrow......

It was then that I remembered what has been taught to me about the sparrow. So insignificant were these little birds that if you bought four sparrows the seller would throw in one more for free. It was this extra sparrow of which Jesus said, "and not one of them is forgotten before God." (Luke 12:6-7) He cares so much for His creations..... is so great that even this extra sparrow is noted and observed by God! So if we are taught about how He shows such concern for all the birds in our world.....how could I think he is not concerned and caring about me?And how I am far more precious to God than all the sparrows combined.

He also reminded me that He knows my troubles and understands my fears. I just need to trust Him just as this little sparrow does. She was not panicking, fluttering around......all flustered and worried. No....she was at peace....knowing that God's eye is on her at all times.

And I was pleasantly reminded that His eye is on me at all times.

And you as well.

Peace, love and stay barefoot~
*~Michelle~*

“Be faithful in small things......

............... because it is in them that your strength lies” ~Mother Teresa

This is what I have been reminding my daughter of these past couple of weeks.

You see.....my little animal lover has been devastated, as we all have, about the horrific oil spill. She felt completely helpless as she clicked through the countless brutal images of all the animals affected by this tragedy......

......until we came across this website Matter of Trust. This awesome organization has a program where you can donate hair clippings as well as animal hair, fiber and fur and they turn them into valuable hair mats and "booms" (tubes) to assist in the clean up of oil spills.

They explain it this way on their site; "You shampoo, because hair collects oil. Hair is very efficient at gathering oil, skin oils off your face, oil pollution out of the air, and water, even petroleum oil spills. Hair is adsorbent (as in "clings to" unlike absorbent which is to "soak up.")
So she has been clipping all our goats and packing up the hair getting it ready to send out. We also just sheared our alpacas and are donating the majority of that fiber as well. Although we know that the few pounds of hair/fiber we are sending will probably only make a percentage of one boom.....we feel we are doing something to help out. And if we if add it to the many other people who are sending a few pounds over......we can all make a difference together.

Figured I share a few pics.....surely one will make you smile!



Here is how we "roll" when transporting our boys.(we're working on saving for a trailer, HA!) So, you gotta do what you gotta do....they actually didn't mind at all. This was when we were bringing them to get sheared.



Yeah....we do get some strange looks when people pass us on the road. Even funnier comments when we go through the drive-thru.



So yes....they didn't seem to mind the drive.....but I think they might have a problem with what they looked like after! (thankfully we don't have any mirrors in their corral) Isn't that hilarious? We decided to keep the fashionable "Ugg" thigh-high boot look along with the afro.







And here we have Ez and Nev clipping down our goats....





















oh, and while we are in farm-mode....I wanted to share that I am really getting my "midwife" skills on. A couple of nights ago.......at midnight!.....our first time mama, Margaret went into labor. Now normally, I am sleeping WAY before then.....but God has a funny way of keeping everything in line and had me out at a friend's house alot later than normal. So I happen to check on her just in time.

Well...after a half hour or so, I started to think that things were not happening the way they should with this birth process....and I started to panic. Then I started to pray.......more panic.....more praying. After calling my vet in the middle of night and knowing I was alone, I knew I had to put aside my fears and intervene. I also happened to get intouch with my neighbor and he came over. So with his help, I just had to go in and help get this little baby into her birth canal so the mama could get her out. The frightened mama still couldn't push her so we had to pull her out. So I just said to God....."OK, this is it. I need your strength to pull this off, don't leave me now!"

So after 3 hours.....we delivered a very breech.....but very beautiful little doeling.


I'd like to introduce you to little Ava. (We chose this name because you can always spell it backwards......just the way she came into this world)










Peace, love and stay barefoot~
*~Michelle~*

This is a test......this is only a test.

So my pastor was talking about this a few weeks ago, and it came at such a great time for me. I figured there's got to be a few of us out here that are facing some trial/struggle, some disappointment.....some unanswered prayer right now....so I thought I'd share.

He reminded us that when these trials and struggles come our way......ultimately they are just tests.

Now we use the word test in many common phrases;

When we are being cautious, we test the waters.

I don't know about your kids, but mine definitely test my patience. (not sure if I have passed this one lately)

We talk about the quality of something when it stands the test of time.

How about when we were in school? When a test was given, it revealed how much you had actually learned of what you had been taught. I hated tests......and I always bombed on them. Looking back, it most likely was due to my ADD/retention issues....(not anything to do with me totally goofing off)

But tests are part of school, I guess. There's no way around them. If we can relate this to life now....Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:20,21 that we are being taught in a different school when we are Christians. The School of Christ. We are "learning Christ" and are "being taught by Him, as the Truth is in Jesus". So we will have these tests........even "pop quizzes" throughout our walk in life until Jesus returns.

I decided to look up the word test and found the first definition to be:

~the means by which the presence, quality, or genuineness of anything is determined; a means of trial.

So the purpose of these tests are to determine.....or establish.....the genuineness of who we are.

How do we handle disappointments and setbacks? How do we treat others when we don't get the answers that we want to hear. How do we treat God when things are upside down? We ask Him to solve our problems, but do we ever ask Him what it is that He is trying to teach us through it all?

And it's not only to see how we handle these trials, but how we have been transformed when they are over. What is actually gained after the dust settles? That got me thinking about those first couple of verses in James that I always had a hard time wrapping my head around.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." ~James 1:2,3

(on a side note.....joy? Really, James? Not sure about you......but when I am finding myself struggling with relationships, wrestling with emotions, scrambling with finances and/or just the junk that life throws at me.....I can honestly say I am NOT very joyful.)

But what I have been learning, as I have been digging deep with my friend Jesus these past couple of weeks (which is one of the reasons I've been a little MIA)......is a little enlightenment on just what James is teaching us with that Scripture.

I guess the joy should come from the fact that we should look at these times as a sign that God has something great planned ahead. But we are not quite ready for it, so he needs to do a little work on us. I read somewhere that these hammerings and chiselings...although painful.... are necessary (while still in this earthly “quarry”) to prepare each of us so as to fit perfectly in our unique spot as a pillar in temple of my God (Revelation 3:12).

These tests are to shape and develop our character.....our true character......not just what we proclaim to be. I picture God using His tools..... chipping away chunks of pride, unforgiveness and selfishness off of me when I think back to certain issues I have gone through... or maybe I should say.......He brought me through. God, in His infinite wisdom, can work on so many areas in our lives with just one situation.

Of course, when we are amidst the trial, it is hard to imagine that God has His Hand on it. It is hard to trust that He has something better ahead for us. Whether it is a new job, a new chapter in our life, a new (or renewed) relationship. Helen Keller once said.....“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one, which has been opened for us.”

These tests are not only tests of our faith......but of our total trust in God that we are "going to be OK"....(in fact, quite sure we will be much better) after this all plays out. Think about some of the past trials you have gone through. If you had a clear picture of how it really turned out in the end, you probably would not have been robbed of a week's worth of sleep....saved your stomach some damage with heartburn/indigestion.....probably spared yourself some wrinkles and gray hair too. (oh, that would be me). Well, you might have said a few less damaging words to others, been a little more pleasant to be around......maybe you just might have enJOYed life a little more.


So I'll wrap it up here and leave you with these two things:

One, try to remember that these tests are for our learning, not God’s....... He knows the end from the beginning. If we recognize that these trials are meant to strengthen us, change us where change is needed.....we will persevere as James reminds us.

And second........when you find yourself in the middle of a difficult situation......try to imagine a loud voice in your head......with that annoying beeping sound in the background.....saying

"This is a test, my friend........this is only a test."

Be well~
*~Michelle~*


P.S. funny thing.....I was being tested with writing this post. Guessing the enemy did not want someone to read it. Basically started this about four hours ago. My computer locked up about six times, had to keep shutting it down, then go back and rewrite many run-on sentences just to get this message out. I will tell you that I am actually laughing now thinking about how I wanted to kick, scream and swear after the third time......or how I wanted to throw the whole computer out on the front lawn by the fifth time. But I passed the "keep my cool" test with flying colors. I only mumbled a few choice words......slammed my hands on the keyboard a couple of times and did a little tantrum dance on the front deck once.

P.S.S.

Thank you to all my friends who took the time to shoot me an email and/or post to my Facebook, wishing me a happy birthday this past weekend! I had a great time celebrating the 22nd anniversary of my 21st birthday! I was spoiled by my family with lots of presents including new muck boots (have to be fashionable cleaning barns), milking and soap making supplies....and a brand new dishwasher! WOOHOO! :)

Welcome Committee

Hello friends! Hope this finds you smiling and well......

I thought I would give a nice greeting seeing as though I am going to talk about being greeted and welcomed. But not when you visit someone's home, a retail store or a church service. The Ultimate Greeting.....when we enter Heaven.

I mentioned that we had the privilege of listening to Don Piper speak at our church last month. He spoke about his 90 minutes in Heaven following a horrific car crash. He describes "the celestial greeting committee, the swoosh of angels wings, and the myriads of sounds"

OK, so some say that this might be taken too literal from The Book of Revelations.....but I am happy believing that Heaven is nothing short of AMAZING! Remember, I am a children's bible reader....I believe the Bible literally.....and I am planning on dancing on those Streets of Gold!

But we can discuss that later, one of the things that really intrigued me was when he spoke about who was "at the gates" in that greeting committee......the people whom he knew personally that were ready to welcome him into The Kingdom.

He said that he saw the people in his family that he expected.....his grandparents, close friends and a pastor who had passed before him.....along with people he didn't expect to be greeted by such as a woman who lived in his neighborhood when he was growing up. This woman was the neighborhood woman who took in many foster children. Her station wagon was always packed every Sunday for church, but she still made her rounds in the neighborhood squeezing in any child who didn't have a way to get there. He said that the people who greet you in Heaven are people who have had an impact on getting you closer to God in your life, whether you realize it or not.

So I thought about that.....hmmmmmm, well I know there will be my bestest friend Lili who brought me to that first church service where I just knew this was the God/worship that I have been longing for. (hopefully not implying that she is going first!).....and I know Josh's grandmother, Ruth, will be there.....what a strong woman of faith. I remember an old friend of my parents whose home always had worship music playing and had constant reminders of God's love displayed. There are so many people that I love to surround myself with today who are positive influences and keep me held accountable with my walk of faith. There are people who have graciously given forgiveness for when I have wronged them.....or have reached out to help knowing I would never be able to "return" the favor. I also have listened to many testimonies of people/preachers who have catapulted my faith to the next level. Come to think about it......I am pretty darn sure that many of my blogging friends (that would be you!) will be there too. It might have just been that one post that hit me like a ton of bricks and inspired me......caused me to dig even deeper into The Word.

.....oh crud! This is hard to explain without placing a sentence of death right now on people.

OK, let me switch gears here......

Let me ask you this......if what Don Piper says is true......

(which I do believe.... Who am I to doubt a man who was pronounced dead by four EMTs? A man who was crushed and dismembered. And although he spent 100 days in the hospital and endured over 30 painful surgeries....had no internal or brain injuries and is walking with full use of every body part preaching The Good News of hope and faith. )

.....than who are you going to welcome into The Kingdom? Whose lives have you touched and/or are you touching that are bringing them closer to God? Whose life have you planted that "seed" in? Who have you shown the love of Jesus to? Have you changed someone's outlook for their own life? Who have you brought hope to in their time of darkness? Who have you truly prayed for, even if they didn't know it?

I, for one....want to be busy in Heaven with a list of people to greet. Again, keeping this as upbeat as you can when talking about dying.....but seriously. Wouldn't it be great to have your schedule full in Heaven because you are constantly needed at The Gates? I don't know about you, but I want to be on that committee, in fact....let me go so far as to say, I want to be one of the directors! HA!

But that can only happen when we make this a priority in our lives.....right now, while we are here on earth. So whether you believe in Piper's story is irrelevant. The fact is, as Believers we are called to be Disciples. We are called to pray for the sick, give hope to the hopeless and help find the lost. I cannot imagine that these people will not be revealed to us when we get to kick back and chill out with Jesus. (yes, that is my visual/idea on being up in Heaven....hanging out, and like my friend Jennifer's blog title says.....getting down with Jesus.)

So things to think about and please feel free to share. I'd love to hear about those special people in your life that you can be sure will be greeting you. What did they say or do that brought you closer to God?

And on the flip side.....Let's think about who we are impacting in our daily walk. How many people are you bringing/directing towards Heaven? Maybe today is the day that you have the opportunity to add to your Heaven Hospitality list.

Have a beautiful day......enjoy the SONshine!

~*Michelle*~

Jeremiah 17:7-8

So it's easy to trust and praise God when things are going well in your life......isn't it?

When things are flowing great...joy is radiating from me where-ever I go! I am giving people a Holy high-five....I've got that extra pep in my step on most days. I am "letting Go, letting God". Kinda like being on a rollercoaster with your arms waving up high!

But what about when times get a little rough? You wake up Monday morning and your checking account is already in the negative? You get that dreaded phone call that some medical tests were "inconclusive" and you need to return for a follow-up. Rumors are surfacing of an impending lay-off within your company. Despite all the guidance and boundaries......your children make poor choices in their lives.

I find that when issues arise (which they do!).......my hands that were freely dancing in the sky are now clutched with a white knuckled grip in a panic state. My brain starts racing on how to "fix" the issue with my own doings/actions/thought processes. I snatch the issues and hold them tight as if I can smother the solution out of them.

Of course I am doing more damage by reacting this way. Not only am I robbing myself of peace and joy with constant worry and anxiousness, I am basically telling God that I don't trust that He is able to handle it. I mean, let's be honest.....He can overcome the grave, but I think *my* issue just might put Him over the top and be a little out of His league!

How insane does that sound? But it's what I am saying when I act that way.

So friends, I need some encouragement to unload the burden and get back to the weightless freedom that trusting God with everything brings! Remind me that freedom is what God is all about.

Revive my way of thinking.....remind me of all what is taught in His Word:

We were bound in sin......Jesus sets us free.
He has paid The Ransom.....now we are free.
We will know the Truth and the Truth will set us free.
We are no longer slaves to sin for He has rescued us.
We are no longer prisoners, we have received the Ultimate emancipation.
There is total freedom in Christ

I know......the references are endless. Sometimes I just need that little nudge. I know God wants me to remember that He is never going to fail me. I woke up this morning, and flipped my Bible open. Ironically, my eyes went straight to this Scripture:

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."

~Jeremiah 17:7-8

What do you do when times get a little tough? How do you keep your eyes fixed on God? Can you offer some advice/prayer for me... and maybe that one person who also needs some encouragement that came to visit my place today?

Thank you in advance!

Peace~
*~Michelle~*

Gentleness....

Yesterday, I was getting ready to put together a little something as I wanted to participate in Bridget Chumbley's "One Word at a Time" blog carnival. This week's topic is gentleness.

But you know me, I am easily distracted, my brain is like a pin-ball machine and I have a hard time collecting my thoughts.

But that was not the case this time....

I got preoccupied with something. Something so beautiful and I was blessed to be part of....a gift from Above.

.....and yes.....oh, so gentle.

I helped welcome this little girl into the world

......along with her two other sisters.......

Their mama tending to each one.......ever so gently......
never shown/told what to do.....only taught from Our Great Creator.

Again.....thank you, once again, for allowing me to share the miracles that I have graciously been given in my life. I think this last picture it all up for us.......as we give Him all the Glory!

Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*


......for many other stories about gentleness......pop on over to Bridget's place and be blessed.

And that's my final answer.....

So this weekend we got the opportunity to listen to Don Piper speak at our church. He wrote about his amazing testimony of his death experience (not near death....death, as in white sheet over his dismembered body for 90 minutes) in his book, 90 Minutes in Heaven.

Here is a little recap from his website:

In 1989, Don was on his way back from a church conference when an 18-wheeler struck his Ford Escort head on. He was killed instantly - pronounced dead by four sets of EMTs. Shortly after the accident, a pastor from the same conference arrived on the scene and began praying for "the man in the red car." God worked a miracle and sent Don back to a broken body. To date, 34 surgical procedures have taken place. He walks only as a result of miraculous and in some cases medically unexplainable circumstances. During the time he was dead, Piper was granted the extreme privilege of glimpsing Heaven itself.


This book has sold over 2.7 million copies and he now travels all over the world sharing his message of hope and healing. It was totally awesome!

Don touched upon so many important things we really need to think and pray about. He believes that we all have that second chance right now to live the life that God has called us to live. To treat people the way they should be treated. To make the best choices.....and to show others The Way as well.

There was one thing that he spoke about that really stuck with me.

He was reminding us that God is still in the miracle business and said that God always answers our prayers. Period.

Sometimes the answer is "yes", sometimes it is "later".....sometimes it is "I've got even more than you are asking for".....

.....sometimes, that answer is just "no". Because "no" still is an answer, is it not?

*sinking feeling in stomach*

It is not because God wants to withhold anything from us.....He loves us very much. I am pretty sure the reason the answer is "no" is just for that reason. He knows what is best for us.....even when we don't understand. I've had a few no's in my life.......many I am thankful that God knew what he was doing in the "answering prayers" department! But if I am going to keep it real.....I have been told "no" a few times these past few years and it's left me wondering why.

So what do you do when God's answer is "no"?

As you ponder that thought........I'll leave you with this beautiful poem by Claudia Minden Weisz

And God Said No

I asked God to take away my pride,
And God said, "No."
He said it is not for Him to take away,
but for me to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,
And God said, "No."
He said her spirit is whole,
Her body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience,
And God said, "No."
He said that patience is a by-product of tribulation,
it isn't granted, it's earned.

I asked God to give me happiness,
And God said, "No."
He said He gives blessings,
Happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain,
And God said, "No."
He said, "Suffering draws you apart from worldly
cares and brings you closer to Me."

I asked God to make my spirit grow,
And God said, "No."
He said I must grow on my own,
but He will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked God if He loved me,
And God said, "Yes."
He gave me His only Son who died for me,
and I will be in Heaven someday because I believe.

I asked God to help me love others,
as much as He loves me.
And God said,

"Ah, finally you have the idea."

I'd love to hear your thoughts on hearing "no".....

Have a great day......and remember to live today to it's fullest!

xox
*~Michelle~*

Pass the Salt

Happy Friday!!!

I wanted to thank you all so much for all your great input/insight on my last post regarding *that* question regarding churches and denominations. It just definitely reinforced my thoughts about us all being united as followers of Christ.......We are all ONE in Christ.

Christy Rose slammed dunked it with "It's all about Jesus.....It's about love." LOVE THAT!

So it was really awesome when a friend shared this link on Facebook called Flavorless Salt/Francis Chan. Now, as you know....I am becoming a huge Francis Chan fan, just finished his second book, Forgotten God).....and the title definitely caught my attention because I had written a post when I first started blogging called "Pass the Salt" which was chosen to be published by Serious Life magazine. So seeing as though I had about 3 readers back then, one being Josh...... and as you know, I am a huge run-on sentence abuser and seriously distracted......I decided to share it again today even though my first intention was to post that video clip.

So, if you can hang with me for a bit.....I encourage you to watch the clip of Chan's sermon that I share after this post. He speaks boldly about the church and what he believes it should be. It is about 13 minutes long.....but totally worth every minute.

Pass the Salt (originally posted Jan 27, 2009)

So Sunday we had a great pastor visit and preach. I am always so excited when I see Pastor Felix sitting up front knowing that powerful stuff is coming.

He got into a great message about how Jesus came to mend the broken-hearted.....not so much in the sense of broken heart associated with a break-up or personal relationship. But talking about the broken center or core of man. He talked about how we must be secure in who we are in the outside without the need to be assured/noticed/honored on the outside. It was a deep, but easy to understand message as this man knows how to preach it.

But what really pierced into my heart, was how he started out his sermon referencing to how as Christians.......we are to be leaders. The city on the hill, the light in a dark place.....the salt of the earth. He made this excellent reference about how when you cook or bake....you don't need a large amount of salt as you would other ingredients. A little bit of salt goes a long way. It is very influential and can affect the whole recipe.

So, I started thinking about how I want to make sure I am doing my best to be the salt in this life. I want to be that addition in people's life and season it. I don't want to just go through the motions, but really live the life that God has called me to live.

I want Jesus's love and glory to radiate through my everyday life.

Even better.......I want people to see Jesus when they see me, but not because I am wearing a cool Christian t-shirt (even though I do have some pretty awesome ones)

Wow, that seems like such a huge unobtainable feat, doesn't it? But you know what? This all can happen because He is in me!

And He tells (commands) me to love and treat people the way Jesus did (would). As His servant, I am commanded to go out and teach others about Him. And who am I to doubt what He says I can do (and that He expects me to do). This is something that I cannot let my own insecurities or junk that I am harboring in my heart to stop me.

So I am jotting down just a few things that I want to hold myself accountable for:

I want people to "meet" Jesus when they meet me.

I want teachers to know there is something different about my children.

I want to choose being kind over being right.

I want to give that stranger a smile when they didn't even realize that they needed one.

I want to inspire others to keep the faith, even when it looks like there is no hope.

I want to be kind to that cashier, even when she if she is rude to me.

I want to radiate God's glory, even when I am in a dark place.

I want to encourage others to seek Him when they are the furthest away from Him.

I want people to ask me why I have such a burning desire for God.

I want to show that you can see God's artistic ways in every insect to the highest of mountains.

I want to lead the broken hearted to The Ultimate Physician.

I want to be able to have the perfect words land on someones' heart.

I want to display the confidence God gives me to face anyone or anything that tries to bring me down.

I want to do all these things (and I can, The Word tells me so....Philippians 4:13)
......not to get any personal satisfaction/reward.

My reward has already been given to me.
Eternal life.
Jesus living in me.
The joy.
The peace.
The forgiveness.
The hope.
The strength.


......the love of Christ.

I want to be the perfect dash of salt that God has created me to be in this world.

xox
*~Michelle~*



and without further adieu (I always wonder what that means) ..... I share with you a powerful message:

Flavorless Salt by Francis Chan.


Have a beautiful weekend.......filled with SONshine, my friends!

Moving Mountains

*I got something brewing inside.......can't put my finger on it, but it is almost unsettling. Not necessarily in a bad way....but in a different and powerful way. Situations......again, not all negative.......are presenting themselves in my life. Just causing me to make decisions. Decisions that I know I am not qualified to make without going to The Only One whom I can totally trust for counsel and advice.

I know God has His tools out and He is adjusting, tightening and rearranging things in my head and heart. (Thankfully He created me or He would need a map to find His way around this place). So with change, comes uncomfortable and edgy feelings.....but at the same time, it is exciting and it is causing me to seek Him even more.

So that is where I am at....which is why I have been somewhat absent in the world of blogging. I am digging deep with my Jesus and searching for what He has planned for me......because I know it is gonna be GOOD!

I thought I would re-run another one of my older posts that pertained to obstacles/challenges and how we need to put our faith into action and do our part in pursuing the Plan that God has for us. For me....right now....I am in full force mode seeking that out and not give up until it is revealed to me. For others, it may be the thrill of knowing that no matter what lies ahead....nothing is impossible when God is by your side.

Moving Mountains (originally posted 6.29.09)

So yesterday at church, our pastor's wife was prophesying after a powerful praise and worship song. She was declaring that we have the gift to speak out and move mountains and we must exercise that gift/right......now.

So it got me a-thinkin'

A mountain is basically any obstacle/issue/trail that is standing in your way. We all face mountains in our lives. It's part of life.

Most of the time, we (including me!) pray to God about these mountains. But in a verse from Mark:

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." ~Mark 17:20

......Jesus is telling us to speak directly to that mountain (obstacle) and command it to move.

There is nothing wrong with discussing things with God. We should. But we also have to trust in His Word and promises. We need to trust in the fact that God wants only the best for us. But we have to believe. We need to have faith.

He replied, ".......I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. " ~Matthew 17:20

Again, Jesus said YOU should tell it to get out of the way. And again, most Christians just speak to God about the mountain. Instead of following Jesus' directions & speaking directly to the mountain.

I don't want to waste another moment talking about my mountains.
I want to talk to my mountains.
I don't want to waste another moment begging or whining to God about moving my mountains
I am going to speak to it myself.... in faith. Faith in the promises in His word.

I am going to just do it in Jesus’ name & not my own.

We need to speak to fear and tell it to be gone.
We need to speak to doubt and worry and tell it that it has no place in our life.
We need to speak to sickness & tell it that it can’t stay in our body.
We need to speak to our debt. Tell it to be removed from our life.

I heard this reference to having hardcore, steadfast faith regarding a stone-cutter. He may be whacking at that rock over and over with no signs of the stone cracking. He continues to labor and even at 99 whacks he sees no results. But when he swings that 100th time, it breaks in two. We can apply this to our own rock (obstacle). We might not see any results with those first 99 whacks , but we are weakening that rock even with no indication. Being persistent can bring us victory.

So today I am believing in that 100th whack.

I will continue to press forward and know that I am covered in God's armor. I believe what the Bible tells me. It tells me that nothing is impossible with God. I believe that God gives me the authority. I will not let unbelief or lack of faith keep me from speaking to my mountain.

So today, I encourage you.


Speak to your mountain!


xox
*~Michelle~*

Lukewarm

So I am reading this amazing book Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

Yes, you read that correctly.......*I* am reading a book!!!

So I heard about this book when a few blogs were doing a "book club" study. I missed out on joining it, but to be honest....I probably wouldn't have been able to keep up because, well.....you know my issues with me not really reading all so well. So what most avid readers could finish from cover to cover during a nice hot bath.....takes me about two weeks. But in my defense.....my pace works well for me. I read one chapter in the morning and I let the message simmer for a day or so. I love that Francis Chan also has online resources that have chapter videos that summarize his powerful thoughts and other great clips where he shares great messages.

Anyway....for me to stick out something that normally is mentally exhausting/frustrating.....it must be gripping. And that it is. And I encourage you to grab a copy for yourself, I am sure you can "hang" and read about 200 pages......(if I can, anyone can!).........it will totally bless your socks off!

This morning, I read Chapter 4 and Chan addresses being "lukewarm" in Christianity. All I can say is OUCH! He gives examples of lukewarm actions such as:

Lukewarm People don't really want to be saved from their sin; they only want to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm People don't really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one.

or how about this one that is a zinger to my heart:

Lukewarm People love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return like family, friends and other people they know and connect with. There is little love for those who cannot love them back, much less those who intentionally slight them, whose kids are better athletes then theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached.

Chan give many more examples including how Jesus asks us for everything, yet most of us try to give him less (or what we feel "comfortable" with).....or how we feel we are "playing it safe" by attending church regularly, giving our tithes and refrain from cursing. We proclaim to trust in God and let Him control our lives......as long as it is going the way we want it to.

(another OUCH, huh?)

I don't know about you, but just those few examples of being lukewarm convicted me in a big way this morning. I don't want to become stagnant in my faith or my walk with Christ......I want to always be on fire...I want to be "that" radical Christian no matter what others think. The only One whose opinion of me that truly matters is God alone. Yet, it is so scary, that even with the best intentions.....the busyness of this world, the chaos of life......our own wants and needs....... pulls our focus off of Him and we can slip into that lukewarm state without even knowing/realizing it.


This kind of reminds me of that Casting Crowns' song "Slow Fade"

"Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day"







So what about you? Do you struggle with being lukewarm sometime? What do you do to "fire it up" and get back to the place that Jesus wants you to be?


Have a beautiful and safe weekend.......

Peace and love~

*~Michelle~*

** I, in no way shape or form, have been compensated in any way with recommending this book....I am quite certain that no promotion agency, in their right mind, would even consider me for reviewing any book for fear that it would be out of print by the time I finished it. Just thought I would mention that. ;)

"....and they called it.....Puppy Love"

OK, so this is totally dating myself.....now, I won't say that that I remember the original song "Puppy Love" by Paul Anka in 1960....but I certainly remember Donny Osmond's version from the early 70s quite well!

This is about my daughter's first experience with "puppy love" that goes beyond the typical adoring affection of a young one.

Now I am sure you know by now, I am a mushy mama. And when it comes to sentimental Christmas movies.....there is usually no doubt that there will be boogies and tears.

For example, I still sniffle away when the Little Drummer Boy plays for Jesus....and I always get choked up when Linus preaches his message on The Charlie Brown Christmas. It doesn't matter that I have probably seen this movie over 100 times in my lifetime.....I get that lump in my throat every time I watch it!

N is the apple that apparently hasn't fall from the tree. She has been watching all the Christmas classics since mid November. She is all about Christmas.....and all about animals. So when I saw this new Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, A Dog Named Christmas being broadcast, I knew I had to record it.

I won't blow the movie for you in case you are going to watch it.....(I think it is going to be re-broadcasted soon) but it is a story about a developmentally challenged boy, Todd (who is played by Noel Fisher). He lives on a farm and adopts a dog temporarily for Christmas. He ends up encouraging others to do the same all while teaching his community about peace on earth and goodwill toward men--and animals.

Well N connected instantly with "Todd". I could see a twinkle in her eye when he first appeared on the screen. After about 15 minutes, she noticed that his speech was a little delayed, so she asked me why he talked a little differently. I told her that he was just special, that's all. Not thinking anything about it, she replied...."He sure is".....and then with the sweetest little grin, she added "He also is cute"

She had her eyes intently fixed on Todd, everything about him...scene by scene. She would curl up in a ball, wrapped in blankets and a smile wouldn't leave her face for the whole 2 hours! At the end of the movie....she told me that she had something to tell me. I thought I had an idea on what is was going to be. But she took me for a loop with this....

She told me "Mom, you know how you told me that God promises to bring the perfect someone in my life to marry? Well I think mine is Todd. No, I know it is Todd. He is perfect for me. I don't care that is he special....that makes it better! I am going to write a letter to him and let him know. Btw, can we watch that movie again?"

My heart swelled looking at her sweet eyes. So sincere. So innocent. So full of a pure love for someone else, based on looking in their heart.....rather than their outward appearance.

I gave her a big hug and we grabbed some paper for that letter.

I was torn on how to handle the reality of her distinguishing between actor and character. I didn't want to be the big mean mother who crashes her dreams, but I also didn't want her to be disappointed if/when she saw him playing some polar opposite role in an another up and coming movie.

So I decided to just ask her if she realized that this was a movie and compared it to the show, iCarly. She knows that actress, Miranda Cosgrove plays Carly. She said that she did understand and we then went to look up Noel Fisher online. We needed to find out if there was a fan club of some sort for her to send her letter. When the image search came up, there were photos of him looking quite different and that was a little upsetting to N. She couldn't understand why he would change his hair when she loved it the way it was. Again, I tried to gently explain that he might have needed to change it for a new movie...

.....because he was an actor.

I was getting a little concerned, until what came next out of her mouth. As she was frantically clicking through the images to find a shot of "Todd", she noticed that in most of his photos, he was wearing a cross....she said. "Oh, I totally know he is the one for me......look! He loves God too!"

It was then, that the fact if she really understood the whole actor/character was not important anymore. I needed to let her go with her heart with this. Why would I crush her spirit or her faith that God would find a way for her dream to happen?

I emailed Hallmark and shared N's story along with the request for an address to mail her letter to. Surprisingly, we got a reply within hours from a very nice woman, Ellen, who thought it was precious and gave us Noel's agent's contact information. She also said that Noel was a really sweet guy and would love to hear from her.

Here is her letter. We included some photos of her with her animals along with her marriage proposal.


Dear Todd,
My name is Nevy. I really loved your movie. We have alot in common. We both love animals, Christmas and God. We would make a good couple. I am 7 so I know will will have to wait to get married. I hope you have a Merry Christmas!
Love, N


She wanted to add that there was a house down the street for sale and that he could move there until she was old enough to marry him, but unfortunately she ran out of room on her paper.

My little girl taught me so much with this.....not only about the beauty of loving people for what is on the inside, but also to have that child-like faith that God will always provide as He promises.

God, I pray that I keep the faith even when my hopes and dreams seem a little far-fetched or unrealistic. Remind me that nothing is impossible with you, Lord.

I hope this finds you with the joy of the Season in your heart.

Peace and love~
~*Michelle~*

Everybody Stumbles....

Good morning.....I wanted to thank you all again for your prayers over the past week.....we had an awesome time at the concert! It's amazing how through the power of Jesus, prayer and faith our whole family came through the trials, individual and collectively......changed for the better. What could have torn us apart, brought us closer and stronger. Praise God!

.....I am blessed and honored to be featured over at Abundant Living today! Tracy is a wonderful sister in Christ who I am blessed to call a friend. She chose to share a post I wrote last December (when I had about 4 reader friends.....one being Josh) that I think is perfect now that the Holidays are rapidly approaching. Follow me on over!

Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

ps. If you get a moment and you are in the blog hoppin' mood......check out my hubby Josh's recent post about how something so little can flip your world upside down....or inside out....or put it all back together......you decide. ;)

Are you there God? It's me....Nev

OK, so this isn't about my daughter asking about training bras or any pre-pubescent body changes....thankfully we haven't gotten there yet. (hopefully you all remember that book or I completely lost you with my first sentence. Usually that only happens by my second or third paragraph of rambling)

No, this is about my little girl who for the first time, had her first test of faith and questioned God.

It all started out this past Sunday morning. Not sure if it was a combination of a candy hangover from the night before and/or how toasty it was to stay in my flannel sheets that extra hour, but I had a hard time waking up and getting a start on the day. It was one of those mornings where there was a little frost on the ground which made it even more difficult to think about getting out of bed. But we knew we had to.....so Josh and I struck a deal. He would go out and take care of the animals, I would make breakfast and get everyone up for church. I think I scored on that deal.

So as I am starting to make coffee....the phone rings. It's Josh calling me from the barn. He says....."Uh, I think you better come out here". From many past experiences....that usually is not a good thing.

I threw on his construction boots and a sweatshirt and ran to the barn. When I flew open the door, what I saw was not pretty. One of our bunnies had a litter of six babies and they were all strewn about the cage frozen and lifeless. I was in complete shock because..... let me let you in on something. We were under the impression that Snowball was a male. And (s)he didn't even appear to be any fatter these past few weeks....not to mention, we just put her/him in a cage a while back separate from our other bunny, Hershey.

You see......we are in the habit letting all our animals, including the bunnies, be "free range". Well my neighbor came over a few weeks back and told us that although he didn't care about our chickens going over for a visit.....the bunnies were pretty much torturing his dogs. Come to find out, he trains his dogs for hunting with rabbits and it was getting a little difficult to reason with two Labradors and let them know that these were not the rabbits they have been trained to chase and catch. So when our bunnies would hang out in his driveway and the dogs were starting to shred the screens in his windows trying to get out.....he thought it might be time to let us know.

So getting back to the baby bunnies.....My first words were "Oh my God!".....Josh's first words were "How did this happen??" I didn't have time to give Josh the lowdown on reproduction...so I just gave him that look instead. You know....the one-eyebrow-raised and chin-tucked-back look.

Josh then said....."Oh man,I think they are all dead....feel them, they are frozen" And sure enough, they all were like ice cubes. As I started picking them up one by one, I couldn't figure out why Snowball didn't tend to them and/or prepare a nest.

As I was picking one up I noticed that one moved it's mouth a bit.....I screamed, "This one is still alive!". So I scooped them all up and tucked them in the pockets of my sweatshirt and ran back in the house.

I yelled down to Nev to wake up and that I needed help. She came out all groggy.....her hair looked like a rat's nest and her eyes were barely open. I told her to get the heat lamp quick....she took one look at these little creatures that resembled naked mole rats and dashed off to find the lamp. As she is scrambling she is asking what they were. I told her that Snowball had these babies and we are trying to save them. She brings over the lamp, her eyes are now as big as saucers and says...."But I thought that Snowball was a boy".

"Yeah, you and me both" I replied.

We started our best efforts at bunny CPR and got three to start breathing on their own. The other three didn't stand a chance. After about 5 minutes, one of the three just couldn't keep up with breathing and passed as well.

So we had two alive. Now we had to figure out how to keep them alive. Baby bunnies do not thrive well without their mom. Even though we researched and found out that mama bunnies are not like chickens and sit on their young.....they make a nest, leave the babies to keep each other warm and only feed them once a day. Sounds like someone should call the Dept. for Child Protection if you ask me.

We grabbed one of our many critter cages and made the most comfy warm nest we could and laid them in it. Of course I had nothing in the house to feed them.....I had since tossed the kitten replacement formula from our last rescue mission with those baby rats. (which coincidentally was around Nov. 1st of last year.......hmmmmmmm)

We got them settled in and needed to finish getting ready for church. Nev wanted to bring them but I told her that it was way too cold outside for them to stay in the car. Apparently she wanted to bring them into church and her class.......possibly an altar call for healing? I convinced her that God would keep an eye on them when we were gone and that after church we would take a trip to Tractor Supply (my version of a being a kid in a toy store) and grab some formula for them. Heck, if the mom only feeds them once a day as newborns.....surely they can wait a few hours.

We came back from church and got them started on their milk. I have to tell you that my little girl is like Elly May Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies. Seriously.....you'll never see her out in the yard without a chicken tucked under her arm or some critter following her around. She is just a natural at taking care of animals and they sense it.

She jumped right into heating up the milk and feeding them with a syringe. Then she tossed a few hand towels in the dryer to warm them up and then wrapped them with their full bellies. It was looking pretty good for these two little guys. (or gals....like I have any clue!)

She did the night-time feeding and tucked them into bed that night.

When I woke up Monday morning....I went to check on them. I saw one out of the blanket nest and it was on it's back. I picked it up and it was ice cold. I tried to rub it to see if I could give it a little "heart jump start" but it remain lifeless. Unfortunately, it must have wandered out and couldn't find it's way back to the other one and got too cold. The other little one was curled up nice and warm, thankfully!

I had to break the news to Nev when she woke up. Another thing I have to tell you about Nev is that growing up on a little farm teaches more than responsibility for children. It also teaches some hard lessons about life (and the circle of it). I am also thankful that she doesn't equate death with saying goodbye forever. She always talks of seeing all her pets/friends in Heaven and how they are happy and healthy there.

But this time, she had this confused look....she said "I don't get it. Before I went to bed, I prayed to God. I thanked Him for sending us these bunnies. I told Him that I understood that some had to go right back to Heaven to be with Him.....and I prayed that He would keep the two we had safe and healthy. Why would He do this? Maybe He wasn't listening to me."

*gulp*

I tried to explain....as best as I could.....that even when we pray for certain things, sometimes God has different plans. It doesn't mean that He is not listening or does not want us to be happy. We just have to trust that He has a plan and purpose for everything, even when we don't understand and/or are disappointed.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. ~Isaiah 55:8

Of course....this convicted me. Sometimes...well OK...MOST of the time....my prayers can be like "prescription" prayers where I act as if God is going to "fill it" exactly as it is ordered. The true test is still believing, praying and trusting in Him even when He doesn't "fill" those prayers.

My heart leaped when Nev passed this test. After I explained it all, as best as I could, she sat there for a minute, holding our last little bunny in her hand. She held it close to her own nose and stared at it's little face......"Well I guess God wants it to be just me and you, little guy.....let's go have some breakfast"

I pray that I may be more like Nev......accepting God's will for me and my life, no matter if the circumstances are not always what I want/pray for them to be. Give me that child-like faith that releases me from the bondage of doubt and disappointment.

I will leave you with this prayer/poem I found. It was written by Claudia Minden Weisz (a mom of a Rett Syndrome child)

And God Said No

I asked God to take away my pride. And God said "No".
He said it was not for Him to take away, but for me to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. And God said "No".
He said her spirit was whole, her body was only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience. And God said "No".
He said patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness. And God said "No".
He said He gives me blessings, happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain. And God said "No".
He said suffering draws me apart from worldly cares and brings me closer to Him.

I asked God to make my spirit grow. And God said "No".
He said I must grow on my own. But He will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. And God said "No".
He said He will give me life, that I may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me love others, as much as he loves me.
And God said "Ah, finally you have the idea!"

Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

***EDITED TO ADD: At 7:30 tonight we discovered that our last little bunny passed away and is joining it's siblings in Heaven. Nev is heartbroken as you can imagine. We just said a prayer as she held him crying about how we did our best to keep it alive, but it just wasn't enough. I reminded her that God was very proud of her for the way she loves animals and always is there to care for them. If you have a moment.....please say a little prayer for Nev.