Sunday, June 29, 2008

and the bad news still comes

No words...nothing I can think to say. It's all so hideous, so sad, so bizarre.

Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

Prayer needed for the Baker family.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Crazy stuff

This story is a hoot. I like to think of it as another classic example of God's sense of humor.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

waiting

Changes For The Buggy Family -

In the Master's garden, there are many beautiful things. All of
which He created and tends with love.

In the Master's garden, live many bugs and all manner of creatures
and the Buggy Family are one of these. There is Daddy Buggy, Mommy
Buggy and the baby buggy's, Bethani, Brittani, Bryon and Bryce. The
Buggy family are caterpillars. They spend their days searching for
food and following Daddy Buggy as he tells them where to go for the
best, juiciest leaves. Daddy Buggy is always very, very busy working
hard to help his family. The Buggy kids love their Daddy and Mommy
very much. But for all the Buggy's, life seems rather pointless.
They spend every day trying to find food, but with no purpose, no
joy and no hope in a better future.

Always in the background, somewhere near by, stands the Master
Gardener. He speaks to the Buggy family, but they are just too busy
hurrying about trying to find food to listen. Especially Daddy
Buggy, after all he is the one responsible for keeping his family
fed. Or so Daddy Buggy thinks. The Gardner looks down at the Buggy
family with great sadness, He thinks that He must get their
attention some how, so that He can help them and show them a better
way.

Mommy Buggy often crawls to the top of the leaves and looks up as
far as she can. There it is beautiful; she sees white fluffy clouds
and blue sky, in between the green of the leaves. She often wishes
she could go up there, it seems so peaceful. One day as she is
looking up, suddenly she sees for the first time the Master's face.
Oh how beautiful it is, more beautiful than anything she has ever
seen! She starts to listen to the Master and to ask Him questions.
Then she tells her Buggy family about this wonderful Master Gardener
who wants to take care of them all. Daddy Buggy isn't so sure about
this, after all Daddy Buggy is the one to take care of his family.

One day as the leaves are starting to fall from the trees and all
the plants in the Master's garden are turning brown, Daddy Buggy
comes to his family with sad news. Daddy Buggy says that he can not
find food for them anymore. He is very upset and he believes he has
hurt his family so badly that they can not possibly forgive them.
Near by sits a nasty little worm named Bitter, just waiting for such
an opportunity as this.

Bitter sneaks up to Daddy Buggy when Mommy Buggy and the Buggy kids
aren't looking and says to Daddy Buggy, "You will never be able to
find food for your family again, you might as well leave them alone
and try to find food for just yourself." Daddy Buggy starts to
believe the lies Bitter is telling him. Bitter follows Daddy Buggy
around and tells him more and more lies, like "You'll be happier if
you don't have to take care of all those Buggy Kids. Your family is
better off without a bad Daddy like you anyway."

Even though the Buggy family doesn't always hear the voice of the
Master trying to get their attention, they still feel the urges that
He has built into their hearts. They all know that it is time to
build a cocoon and rest for the cold time to come. As Mommy Buggy
and the Buggy kids build their cocoons, they work quickly, feeling a
little worried and starting to learn to call on the Master for
comfort. Daddy Buggy works on his own, without even talking to his
family. After their cocoons are built they all rest for a very long
time, waiting on something they do not even understand. While they
are resting in their cocoons, the Master is working on them. He
quietly, and with the touch of the Creator that only He has, changes
their appearance so that they are no longer what they were before.
They are now beautiful too, like the Master had planned all along.

Soon, spring comes, and with it warm weather. Mommy Buggy and the
Buggy kids start to wake up and stretch. They feel different but
aren't sure what has changed. As they stretch, slowly they tear
through the cocoons protective covering and push out into the new
air. Here they meet each other again with joy and amazement as they
see what the Master has done while they waited quietly on Him. Each
Buggy family member is now a beautiful butterfly, with the most
gorgeous wings of many colors. As they frolic and try their new
wings, slowly the family realizes that Daddy Buggy is not among
them. The children and Mommy look frantically and then discover that
Daddy Buggy is still in his cocoon.

Mommy Buggy and the kids fly near the cocoon and see sitting there
near by, Bitter the worm. Bitter smiles a very wicked smile and
says, "I have taught Daddy Buggy that he is better off to stay where
it is warm, then to come out here and risk facing this harsh world."

Mommy Buggy gasps, "That is a lie, Bitter! Daddy Buggy will never
know how beautiful he is now, how the Master has changed him, if he
doesn't come out of his cocoon." Bitter just laughs and slinks away.
Quickly Mommy Buggy flies up, up high, to the highest flower she can
find, and lands there. She calls desperately for the Master, and
before the words are even out of her mouth, there He stands. He
smiles a warm, knowing smile.

"Master, please, tell Daddy Buggy that he must come out of his
cocoon and come back to his family!" The Master reaches out and
gentle places a finger forward for Mommy Buggy to crawl on to.
Quietly the Master explains how Mommy must trust the Master for all
things, and let the Master work on His perfect plan in His time.
Mommy understands and is filled with peace as the Master promises to
restore Daddy Buggy to his family one day.

Mommy flies back to the Buggy Kids and shares with them this new
peace and wisdom that comes from the Master alone. Each day she
teaches them more about the Master as she learns from Him. Soon
after, the Buggy family watches as the Master comes and cuts the
branch that Daddy Buggy's cocoon is attached to and carries the
branch away. They follow for a short distance and see that the
Master places Daddy Buggy's cocoon in a cold part of the garden
where there is very little light. The Buggy family knows that they
can not go there. They must return to the place the Master has put
them and wait on Him.

So each day the Buggy family goes about the things that the Master
asks them to do. Spending time with Him, learning from Him and
listening to His commands. Each Buggy family member misses Daddy
Buggy so very much and they wish with all their hearts that Daddy
could be with them now. Each day they talk to the Master about
Daddy, never forgetting that Daddy needs to know the Master too, if
he is ever going to choose to come out of his cocoon. Many days pass
for the Buggy Family. Many days seem hard as their hearts long for
their Daddy, but even more of those days are filled with joy and
love.

One day as Mommy Buggy and the Buggy kids are up on a pink sweet
petunia flower sipping nectar for their lunch, they suddenly see a
shadow cross over above. Looking up they see a huge butterfly with
deep, rich colors, swooping down to land next to them. At first they
don't even recognize their Daddy Buggy, he is so changed! But then
they see who it is and they all cry and flutter close to each other
laughing. They welcome Daddy Buggy back to their family with love.
Daddy Buggy explains how sorry he is, to have listened to Bitter the
worm and to have left his family. He tells them of how the Master
never stopped speaking to him inside his cocoon and how finally he
listened and came out of that cocoon. They are so glad that he did.

The Buggy Family now live in the Master's Garden with joy each day.
They speak with their Master and learn from Him and Daddy Buggy is
not sad any more. How grateful they are, for the changes the Master
has made in them!

Waiting for Daddy Buggy,
Tawnia in Missouri

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Teachers needed!!

Hey everybody we are gearing up for the Houston seminars this July 17-19 and need teachers for the Children's Institute!! If you are interested in helping please let me know so I can send you an application. You can email us here. The clock is ticking so please let us know soon!!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

So much to my siblings' dismay I have my own wheels now. Of course it's not that fact that they are disgusted with, it's the vehicle I have they don't like. Of course it's only temporary but Savanna is not amused. Now I know what you are asking..."Lucky! You ever take it off any sweet jumps?"



Sunday, June 1, 2008

Crucified with Christ


As I look back on what I thought was living
I'm amazed at the price I choose to pay
And to think I ignored what really mattered
Cause I thought the sacrifice would be too great
But when I finally reached the point of giving in
I found the cross was calling even then
And even though it took dying to survive
I've never felt so much alive.


For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live
Not I but Christ that lives within me
His Cross will never ask for more than I can give
For its not my strength but His
There's no greater sacrifice
For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live


As I hear the Savior call for daily dying
I will bow beneath the weight of Calvary
Let my hands surrender to His piercing purpose
That holds be to the cross but sets me free
I will glory in the power of the cross
The things I thought were gain I count as loss
And with His suffering I identify
And by His resurrection power I am alive


For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live
Not I but Christ that lives within me
His Cross will never ask for more than I can give
For its not my strength but His
There's no greater sacrifice
For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live


And I will offer all I have
So that His cross is not in vain
For I found to live is Christ
And to die is truly gain


For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live
Not I but Christ that lives within me
His Cross will never ask for more than I can give
For its not my strength but His
There's no greater sacrifice
For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live