Wedding News & Pics

Just a few shots from the Big Night.
Newlyweds, September 26, 2008

Steve & Jessie
Me, Jessie, Steve & Dad


Steve goofing off.

The excitement in over and things are back to normal around here.

We welcomed a new daughter into the family last Friday night when our son "got hitched". The bride looked beautiful and the groom cleaned up pretty good, too. It was a small, intimate wedding where we all felt the warm glow of their love. The week-end honeymoon spent at the lake was a huge success and they came home tired but happy. Now, every one is settling into our normal routines.

El Elyon, God Most High

The Sovereign God

Controller of the universe, all things exist by your will.

You know my future.

You have a plan for me.

You know my adversary and do not allow him free reign.

You hedge me in and offer protection.

By your will the history of my life -- indeed, the entire world -- unfolds before you.

You give me the choice to follow you.

You will not force your will on me,

But allow me to choose to seek you.

When I do, I give you joy.

You control all the circumstances of my life -- both good & bad -- and use them to fulfill your will and purpose in my life.

Your purpose for my life is to love, honor and praise you.

I look forward to eternity with you when I may perfectly worship you.

I call you by name, God Most High; you fulfill your purpose for me.

You accomplish all things for me.

You are my El Elyon, my Sovereign God.

Trying Something New

I saw a writing prompt recently that suggested writing a Haiku. I had never tried this before and found it quite challenging. You might want to try it, too.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary definition:
Haiku -- an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables respectively ; also : a poem in this form usually having a seasonal reference

Belief

Father, Son, Spirit

Our universe creator

Deserves our worship

Below is the second one I wrote. Our younger son is getting married this Friday so weddings and family are on my mind right now.

Family

Wed, two become one.

We live, laugh, love together

Growing close with age.

A Prayer of Commitment

Father God, my Creator,
What is your purpose for my life?
Why was I born? Why am I here?
Your Word says I am created in your image and for your glory.
Your Word also says I am created by your will and for your pleasure.

Lord, by your power alone, I live for you.
By your Holy Spirit, I reflect your holiness, goodness, mercy and grace.
Your light, shining through me, reveals your loving kindness and sacrifice to the world.

I rest in you.
May my life give you honor and glory.
Let me "die to self" and live each second through you.
You have my heart -- I gave it to you when a child.
Now I surrender all of me to you.
Use me, all of me.
Take all of my knowledge, talents and gifts for your kingdom.
Be my strength and courage as I face each day.
Give me boldness to show others what you have given me, and more than that, show who you are.

I love you, my Creator, because you have loved me with an everlasting love.
I serve you, Father, to do your will and give you pleasure.

Visit with Family

Last week I went to visit my sister. Her daughter, my niece, was home from D.C. I hadn't seen her in about a year, so was excited to be with her. We had some valuable one on one time that I truly enjoyed.

While in Oklahoma, I also heard my nephew and the church band as they rehearsed for Sunday morning. It was fabulous! I learned he writes song lyrics and he wrote one of the songs they played that night.

I learned something new from my sister, too. While we drove to her house after dinner, she casually mentioned that she sang solos at church. This kind of floored me because it seemed out of character with the sister I knew. But, I've heard her sing around the house and she's pretty good. I look forward now to hearing her sing in public.

I very much admire the life my sister has built. I give thanks often for growing up with her. I am especially proud to know her as a woman of character, sister, friend and servant of Jesus.

All of this made me wonder -- what have I learned about myself? I'm not sure I learned anything new, but I realized that I am more self confident these days. I am more content and satisfied with the person I have become; I like me a lot better. I hope I continue to stretch my limits, grow, try new things and learn something every day. I pray I draw close to the Lord my God, learn of Him, worship Him, and obey Him.

So Different, So Alike

Why do we do the things we do? How do our idiosyncrasies make us each different, unique in the way we think and reason?

Some things must be learned behaviors from watching parents or other adults as we grow. But how do we explain twins, separated at birth, who grow up miles, even countries, apart and yet have the same behavior patterns and mannerisms? How much is actually from our DNA?

The diversity of humans amazes met. Yet, how much we are the same.

I see, as many women do as we mature, so very much of my mother in me. My sister-in-law reminds me of my mother-in-law who in turn is similar to her mother. What makes this so? Even our best efforts fail to overcome those habits we see in ourselves that remind us of our parents. Mannerisms: the turn of a head or a gesture, so like a parent even as we strive to be different.

Sons like fathers, daughters like mothers. So different, so alike. The very things about our parents that drive us crazy, even infuriate us, and push us out of the nest to be on our own, we begin to see in ourselves more and more.

As young parents, we look at our babies searching for us in them. Why? When we don't want to be like our parents, why do we expect our children to be like us?

To God and Father as Elohim

You are wonderful, Father.
Your power and might brought the universe into existence.
You created the huge vastness of space.
You caused the microscopic molecules of the air.
You made man, male & female, in your image.
You love diversity -- in the world, in nature, in people & personalities.
You love your creation.
You, oh God, my Elohim, planned each detail of the world before you placed Adam in the garden.
You provide all we need to be born and to live on this earth.

You knew me before I was born.
You thought about who would be the right parents for me.
You, only you, gave me life.
You planted me in my mother's womb.
You nutured me as I grew into a woman.
You alone caused me to look as I do, think as I do, feel as I do.
You had a plan and a purpose for me before you made the world.
You made me to be your child.

You gave your Son for me before I lived.
You called me to new life in you.
You gifted me with your Holy Spirit.
You grew my faith.
You alone are worthy of my praise.
You alone receive my honor.
You alone deserve my devotion

Continue, day by day, moment by moment, to breathy your Spirit on me that I may worship & adore you, praise & honor you, obey & serve you, love you.

Changing Seasons

Cooler days -- almost cold nights

Cloudless sky

Soft breezes -- leaves flutter

Comfy grass carpet

Water trickles down the rocks

Hawks scream over head

God's glory revealed.

Soon, leaves will color then fade

Float and dance on the wind

Frost, snow and icy wind whistling down the hill

Changing seasons explode with God's greatness

Can't wait for Spring

Flowers bloom -- trees leaf out

Rain

Signs of the season

Days heating up

Longer days, fresh cut hay

More sun -- less rain

No school -- lazy times

Laughter, swimming, baseball

The best time of the year

God's goodness shines with the sun

Metamorphosis

Like a butterfly, she magically floated away as she opened the pages of the travel magazine. She imagined herself among the exotic peoples and places. She pictured her life drifting from place to place as she explored the wonders of God's creation.

Free to imagine, free to dream, free to live her own life with no one to answer to but God; His constant presence real and meaningful. She felt held close by His love.

Freedom. Isn't that something we all crave? Freedom from war, poverty and desolation. Freedom from fear of ridicule and embarrassment as well as freedom from physical pain and degradation. Freedom to love and worship God. Freedom to follow His leading and direction. Freedom to say or do whatever is within His will.

Reading her magazine, she transformed into a courageous adventurer. She climbed mountains and crossed oceans. She became whatever she read.

She closed the book at the end of the last page and slowly, cautiously re-entered her self imposed prison in the real world. She rose from her chair and walked into the kitchen to start dinner for the family she loved.

On Loneliness

Loneliness is separation. Separate by background or activity or history. Separate from ones you love. Separate even in a crowd of family and friends.

Loneliness engulfs you, crushes your spirit, binds you to the earth. Loneliness kills. Kills thought and feeling -- except for the longing to be with someone who knows and understands you.

Loneliness needles at you, makes you retreat in defeat. Or, it forces you out into the world to find that someone who completes you, to find some thing to fill the void.

Loneliness can reveal God: His great comfort and solace, His nearness, His plan for you -- big or small -- His purpose for your life. So, good can come from loneliness if you can be strong enough and courageous enough to step out.

Step outside yourself and see who else is there. Overcome the self pity of being alone. Embrace the aloneness as a time of discovery. Discover who God is and what He's calling you to be. It maybe a time of New Beginning.