Marked for Life

"Marked for life." I turned and met the glance that went with the words I had just heard from behind.These were the exact words of an older gentleman in a restaurant today as he and his wife waited for a friend. Bethany and I were standing side by side waiting for the restroom to open up and he'd spoken as an observer. I was somewhat taken aback by what he said. What he was trying to say was that there was no question that, the way he saw it, we resembled one another closely, and that she was, as a result, "marked for life."

"Marked for life." I heard so much more than those words. Truth be told, I believe he saw more than what he said. There is something about Bethany that is pure and clear and full and ready! She is totally alive, and in her is a destiny that is not yet known, but certain! She is so lovely. She is so FUN! She brings sunshine to our home and our hearts. She is an amazing and devoted friend. Small children are drawn to her. She makes everyone feel special. She's talented and brimming with potential that has yet to be tapped. Best of all, she's unaware of much of this. She would not even describe herself in such complimentary ways.

As a mother who prays steadfastly for her daughter, this man spoke words of high impact. Bethany, you are marked for life. You will live, you are alive and living in Christ because His name is on your heart, and His presence fills you up so full that His essence flows from you. You are indeed, marked for life. Christ has a plan for you, a destiny, His name is on you, He's after you, He prays for you. You will be like a well-watered garden whose waters do not fail (See Isaiah 58:11). You ARE marked for life because of Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The strangers words will be mulled over in my spirit for days to come as I consider what it means to be marked for life. I will be thinking and considering, exactly, how do I measure up to these words? Is Christ's presence so evident in me that someone would see me and say I was "marked"? Owned? Possessed by another and not living only for myself? I think I will be wrestling with this. Whose mark is on me? Is it indeed the mark of Christ, Himself?

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. 6:19-20 KJV

"And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail." Isaiah 58:11

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place." 2 Corinthians 2:14

These are a handful of verses that have come to my mind as I think about what it was in Bethany, besides her resemblance to me, that this gentleman saw. This picture was taken the same day as this story took place.

God Says....

I am aiming to cooperate with God: Co-with AND operate-function. To co-operate, or function together with God, I must first know what He thinks, be in agreement, and then act accordingly. I found this picture on facebook that I think captures a part of what it means to co-operate with God. Did I mention this means dying to self?

Galations 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Praying Through

As the year draws to a close and the new begins, I have several things I am praying for and praying through. First, the biggies:

1. How can I be a better Mom?

2. How can I be a better Wife?

3. How can I be a better Worship Leader?

4. How can I be a better Homeschool Group Director?

These are the topics that I often view first as they are my "places of influence." These areas require most of my time, thought, and energy during any given day or week.

Then there are the matters that are more private, I'm less likely to share with others. I suppose we could call it the fine print. Questions like these are roaming through my heart and mind, and they're questions I really want answers to, such as: Should I still be leading worship, am I to focus solely and only on teaching my children, Why do I struggle with the bed bug of procrastination that bites me over and over again, and all of the other questions I have, the nitty-gritty "wonderings" that seem to nip at my heals that just keep ....nipping. And, by the way, this is only a sampling of the questions that turn to prayers as I go about my way.

Father in Heaven, Maker and Knower of my days, I ask that Your purposes be fulfilled in my life. I see even now how many of my wonderings fade more easily as my heart and eyes are fixed upon You. While I have these over-arching questions, and yes, even the fine-print ones, I pray I will love You more and love You most. Let that prayer be my beginning point. Thank you Lord that you are a Father who cares and who concerns Himself with the things that also matter to me. Father, if there is anything in me that will accomplish Your purposes, leave it there and sharpen it. If there's anything I'm doing or anything in me that prohibits Your Kingdom purposes and ways, then please remove those things. Make the vision clear, O Lord, for this next year. Make it clear and plain to me, who at times is hard of sight and hearing.

Something New

This is not just a picture of a Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar. It's God's reply to a young boy who said to me the morning of our adventure, "I never see anything beautiful. You always are the one who sees the beautiful things."

Off we went, our family of four, on a hike up the creek. It was the tail-end of an annual 5 day camping trip to our favorite spot. I had packed two PBJ sandwiches, two turkey sandwiches, and apples. Danny grabbed a bag of chips on the way out of the camper. We found a sitting spot and lunched. We watched a slew of ants haul off one very large potato chip. During our resting and sliding off of slippery rocks time, Daniel found this little fella who will one day become a swallowtail butterfly. Can you believe this little critter?

We were fascinated by him , truly. When he was still, you could see something pulsing through a vein that went down the center of his body. He moved so quietly and undeterred. When we wanted to investigate his belly we took a stick and touched him. He grabbed onto the stick and tucked his head inside his body. His beautiful blue markings made it look like he had eyes over all his body. When he began to relax and was ready to continue his journey, his head popped out again. The color in this photo we found on the internet is more orange than the one we saw. Ours had a more rusty color. The reason we don't have a picture is because of my history with water and technology. The two have become one a number of times, and it's never been a positive thing! So, because I have yet to invest in a waterproof cover, we have to make do. But, trust me, this is the fella we spotted.

Lord, thank you for displaying something none of us had ever seen before. It was so easy for you to do. Thank you for showing us your beautiful creation. Thank you for doing this wonder for my son.

Love IT!

What I'm really trying to say is that I like THIS: My Father's World guidebook that came with our geography study called,"Exploring Countries and Cultures."
This handy, dandy little guidebook serves the purpose of both guide AND planner. While ECC is a cultural geography program it schedules in and includes the following subjects: Bible, Geography, and Science. It also has recommendations for Language Arts & Read Alouds. The part I r e a l l y like is where it leaves a blank space for Math, Spelling, English, Reading, Foreign Language, etc. Enter: my planner for this year! What I do is take the rectangular blank, draw a diagonal line across it, and then fill in what my family is using for those subjects. I have two children, so this method works well for me.

In MFW guidebooks, each day is its own column. At the beginning of the week I fill in the lesson numbers with brief descriptions for the subjects that are not already assigned by My Father's World. I also write the number of the school day we're doing for the week. So, for this week, the days are numbered 16 through 20. When each subject is completed, I whip out my handy-dandy yellow highlighter and highlight items as they are completed. It feels so good at the end of the day to see all of the yellow marks on my planner/guidebook. I also keep a little notebook and write down assignments from Geography that may need to be carried over to the next day or week.

Why is this so exciting to me? Well, it's like this. I know I am not the most organized cubby on the shelf, but I am enjoying watching the Lord help me improve. It's fun to make progress! Ultimately, we all benefit.

Note: The frequent use of the word "handy-dandy" is a mark of how much I LOVE one of my homeschooling tools. Truly, a sign of affection!

When I tucked Daniel in tonight he said he was sad. "What are you sad about, honey?" "I'm sad about Uncle Gus," he stated. My brother, Daniel's Uncle Gus, died when he was 28 years old. He was a young Montana rancher with a wife and a son. He was pure hard work, and tender hearted toward the Lord. Daniel would've loved him. So, as I rubbed son's back, we talked quietly. He'd ask the questions, and I'd provide the best answers I knew. We agreed that it would be so nice to see Uncle Gus in Heaven.

So, the prayers began. Being the momma that I am, I prayed quiet, but I prayed long. I am a momma afterall, and there's much to pray about. There's a little boy, nearly nine now, who needs blessing, who needs instruction, who needs to know that his Mother and Father will always pray for Him.

The breathing became quieter on the pillow next to her, and she was honored, once again, with the privilege of ushering her son into a night's rest at the sound of his mother's voice as she prayed, prayed to a Father of her own, giving thanks, and trusting Him for her own son's future. Unknown to her, but very well known to Him. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.

The Ministry of Worship

In my search for a really good recording of "All That Thrills My Soul Is Jesus", I came across this song. This couple ministered to me, and I just had to share it with you.

By the way, while I'm typing this, God's thunder is resounding outside.I'm loving it!!!