One Handsome Young Man

My Daniel is one very sweet and very special guy. He has blessed me with his unending love since the day he was born. Daniel is now 10 1/2 years old and is just blossoming into a very nice young man. Remembering back to when Daniel was born and the personality God gave him warms my heart. Daniel wanted his mom and that is pretty much it, as long as he was with me, on my hip, all was well. But then, one day...everything changed...that was the year 2004 when we moved to Iowa and he started kindergarten. I couldn't reel him back in because he just wanted to play and wrestle; that blessed my heart to see him having so much fun and loving to play with his friends. He has now ventured out to Panora to have sleepovers with his cousins without his big brother tagging along...lol...

Daniel loves to swim in the summer and just recently learned how to play tennis. He also wants to learn how to golf. He loves to be outdoors (that is when he is no longer allowed on video games, ie...ds, wii, xbox 360 and game cube) and play with all of his friends on our street; there are about 17 kids that live on our block. He is in the midst of it all and all of the kids love Daniel. He is very gentle and caring with the young kids on our street. Once winter comes, then the sleds come out, the snow boots/clothing and hot chocolate awaits him when he comes in.

He is going into fifth grade this year and is already contemplating which Bible characters he will be doing his independent study on. At his point, it's going to be Daniel, Joshua, Nathan or Jonathan and Jesus. I know he will be a fantastic fifth grader as he learns to switch classrooms, joing 23rd Street Singers and continue on in his second year of orchestra playing the cello. We are anxious to listen to his concerts and performances.

He is a leader at church amongst his friend in the children's ministry. He loves to worship the Lord and study the Word. He is a thinker and although he is quiet, he gives much thought and attention to all that is taught.

He looks very much like his daddy when Steve was a young boy. He has his dad's disposition and sweet nature.

Atttached is a video from Daniel's last orchestra performance.

Isn't She A Lovely Lady

My precious Ashley Elizabeth was handed to me by the hands of a loving God who saw fit that we should humbly raise our breath of sunshine to love and glorify Him with her life.

Ashley is now 12 years old and is continuing to grow in her love for Jesus learning more about how real He is in her life and how His grace is what draws her unto Him.

Ashley is an amazing person. She blessed our socks off right from the beginning. She has the most contagious smile known and hasn't stopped smiling since the day she was born, just ask Aunt Toni.

God has blessed Ashley with a natural beauty and has laid it heavily upon my heart to pray for her inner beauty that she would in turn beauitfy God with her spirit of gentleness that is seen in her love for children.

She is a gifted learner and is talented in soccer and basketball. She absoltley loves the violin and I absolutely love hearing her play it. Our hearts desire is to see her use it in worshipping our Maker.

She is starting a new journey now as she enters Jr. High School. Please pray for our special daughter as she ventures into a new segment in her life. She would like to be in Show Choir like her brother Josh.

The video below captures her performing Midevil Wars (my favorite orchestra song) that she tried out to be a part of. Honor Orchestra is for 6th graders only, she did a fabulous job. She has played the violin for three years now and will continue on into Jr. High School.

She has set a wonderful example for her younger brother Daniel who is now playing the cello. She is quite a help to him on his new venture. Ashley is hard to see at times during this performance, but...she has a black headband on.

My Special Josh

Josh is 13 years old now and is my amazing evangelist at his Jr. High School. He takes after his dad and I wouldn't be surprised to see him as a Calvary Chapel pastor someday. He loves to wear witness shirts most days of the week and would wear them everyday except he doesn't own that many. We need to change that:).

He still plays baseball but one thing that is new this year is Show Choir. Josh loves to sing and dance. He takes after his mom. I wish I was up there with him.

I am so proud of my oldest son. I remember when I was pregnant with him and I was on bedrest. I had to fight for him to stay healthy while I was pregnant. Sometimes doing nothing is the hardest thing to do. I remember my mom telling me that although it was hard for the four months I was on bedrest, it was minimal compared to the lifetime it would give Josh, and boy was she right.

Josh is actively involved at church helping set up and tear down. The other kids look up to Josh and one has even said he wants to be just like Josh. That makes me very proud.

He is a very protective brother of his sister Ashley. He has had to warn some of the other guys to stay away. He is also a great brother to Daniel (his video game buddy) and Nathan.

Josh is trustworthy. I remember when he was just a little boy and he came running to tell me that he did something he shouldn't have done. He went outside and got into the gated pool area (appearantly the gate was unlocked). He felt so guilty that he had to come tell me to clear his conscience. The good thing about that is that he hasn't changed one bit. He is very sensitive to the power of the Holy Spirit and he is very close to both Steve and myself.

He is a genlte leader amongst his friends. He doesn't do the "in thing" just to be considered cool. He does the right thing and is a very happy person.

Small Treasures: Nights to Cherish

I am in a season of sleepless nights, ever been there? Night after night you hope and pray that the Lord will allow you to sleep past 2:00 or 3:00 am? But, then awake up as if someone just shouted your name.

Then you just shrug your thoughts in disbelief and think 'not again'. You pray, "Lord, please by your grace and mercy may I sleep tonight". But...the night wears on and on and on. Oh the many nights that I have spent in prayer for many loved ones and current circumstances in my own life. They are some of the most undistracted times available that I have had with the Lord.

I was just recently listening to Beth Moore's teaching on "The Tabernacle, God's Dwelling Place" and she mentioned the darkness of the night and how our problems seems to be more grand than in the daytime. I can relate to that, can you? We know that the Lord's presence is best made known in the dark because light illuminates the dark.

Do you know that the very next night after I heard that, as I layed awake in bed, my son's iPOD light came on for maybe two seconds. It shone very bright in the darkness of the night and then turned off. I likened it to the firey cloud in the sky that the Lord led the Israelites by in the dark nights. He was illuminated the verymost in the dark and I find it true during my sleepless nights that He never sleeps, He is there waiting for me to wake.

Perhaps it's Him shouting my name, "BECKY, I am here, waiting for you to cry out to Me. Let me heal your hurts, your unknowns, your pains, your family, your friends, your loved ones. No one can interrupt you dear child, it's you and I. What's on your mind child? What is burdening you Becky? Cry out to me for help, not sleep. I hear you dear one. Remember My faithfulness to see you through your day. But I have set this time aside for you and Me. Let's chat:)". As I am writing this, He is confirming in my heart that it is Him who is calling me.

I encourage you to take the time He offers in the middle of the night and just be with Him. Do you know He has provided for my every need during this season. I have not gone without, I haven't missed church or appointments. He has given me the strength to do as He has willed me to do. I would guess it's been a couple of months now that I havn't been sleeping well, but I cherish the time we have together. There have been things I have chosen not to do, places not gone, chores set aside for a while, but it will all wait. But for me, in this season, it's a little different, and that's ok.

Small Treasures; Unending Mercies

As I have been studying in Genesis, my heart would leap for joy when you knew that Isaac was just about to meet Rebecca, or Jacob would finally be able to be with his long-time love Rachel, or Joseph would finally be reunited with his brothers. Or, my heart would be in suspense, even though I know the story, but my heart would be amazed at God's mercy over Abraham when he lied about his wife being his sister (or rather told a half truth). One would expect Abraham to really get in trouble for lying, not only from the Pharaoh/king but also our Lord. Or when Sarah laughed at the thought of her 90 year old body giving birth. Wouldn't we all laugh at such a thought? But then, I thought "oh my gosh, will the Lord allow her to laugh at what He is doing?". You would have expected lightening to come down and punish her disbelief. After all, is that what we as parents tend to do to our children? Maybe not lightening bolts, but we certainly must correct lying lips, or disrespectful laughter, right? Wouldn't we be neglectful parents if we let our children get away with this stuff? And yet I marvel at what the Lord's response was so many times in the book of Genesis, from Adam and Eve to Jacob and Rachel. He was so gentle, so pure and so true to them. His outpouring of grace and mercy were lavished upon their lives.

Look at Israel's sons, filled with jealously, just like their dad was filled with his ungodly characteristic towards his brother Esau. And Esau hated what Jacob had done to him. Sold him out! And yet there is a love that brings them back together, both thinking the other does not want anything to do with them. Yet they long for each other and embrace each other. At last they are together, God's mercy was enough to heal their hurts.

Israel's son Joseph, whom he favored; both him and Benjamin were his favorites. Just like his dad Isaac favored Esau and his mother Rachel favored Jacob. But this jealousy that his ten brothers had toward him was brutal. Yet God restored and redeemed his life that had been taken away. What did not make sense to him was yet part of a vast plan to save the land of Israel. God's mercy was with the ten that sold him off and lied to their dad that he was dead. God restored that relationship at the very end of our text.

There are other stories like the marriage of Isaac and Rebecca, how difficult it must have been to have both parents choosing favorites among their children. What lack of harmony there must have been and yet the Lord pours out His grace on both sons and Isaac and Rebecca.

And finally one more story of Rachel, what did she do during those long fourteen years of waiting for Jacob. How did she deal wtih her sister's ugliness toward her. It must have been so hard for Rachel to watch this unfold before her eyes. After all she was only human. And yet God...intervened and gave Rachel to Jacob, the man she loved. But only to find she was barren. She must have had thoughts toward God that were not kind. So much that she yelled at her husband and he snapped back at her. But God was with them in His abounding mercy. He gave them two beloved boys, Joseph and Benjamin. And boy did He have plans for these guys. Joseph had a future and a hope. The hope of a wasted land was in the control of Joseph and the Lord used him to save his family.

When things don't make sense. let God's mercy be what you need to see you through. His mercies are ne wevery morning, don't take it lightly or doubt it. His grace is enough to see you through. You see, He will give you the very amount of grace that you need to see you through. If you need more, He will give it to you, but you have to ask for it. The manna was there for the Israelites, but they had to go get it. The Lord is a gentleman and will nor force anything on us. We are His special treasure.

Small Treasures

"Small Treasuers" is taken from Exodus 19:5 and these treasures are thoughts from my daily and devotional time that the Lord has impressed upon my heart. They are rich treasures that He has opened my eyes to. The Lord has just captivated my heart through His Word this past year and a half. Back in February '08 the Lord gave me an excitement to read through His Word in a year. At the end of December, He drew me in to a deep study of His Word, verse by verse, every morning/evening. I have been smitten, mesmorized and completely captivated to ALL that He has written, yes even the geneologies have stopped me to read everything I can on the people including all the of "who begat who". His Abiding Joy describes the life He has given me. Without Him I would be nothing of worth, hopeless and destitutue. But He has shown Himself on my behalf and lifted me up to soar with Him and to gleen all that He has for me. It is my prayer that what He has impressed upon my heart will bless you in your walk and draw you closer to Him as He pours out His unending mercy and grace moment by moment, morning by morning, day by day and each evening throughout the dark and often times sleepless nights. May God's blessing reach out to you and fill every whole, from the tiniest sliver to the biggest crater that has been left and fill you with His grace the fullest amount that you need at this moment.Lovingly in Him,Becky