Noah had vacation bible school this week. The theme was "Jerusalem Marketplace: A Holy Land Experience". Everyone was placed in a tribe; Noah was in Reuben. The kids learned Jewish culture, including games, foods, language, and dancing! I loved it. They also did a great job explaining Jesus' death and resurrection. Noah came home Thursday with lots of questions and was ready to pray the prayer of salvation!!!! Praise God!
Here is a clip of one of the circle dances the kids did. The step at the beginning is called the "mayim", a traditional Jewish dance step (I teach Jewish dance so I was watching to see if they were going to be authentic!). I think Noah got it once or twice during the dance.
Notice the rabbi in the background on his blackberry.
I'm still here! Just been super busy since getting home. I feel like I bounce from one thing to another all day long!
I had the best time in Atlanta. My kids were loved on by everybody and that was a blessing to me. Noah played with friends and cousins the entire time we were there, and Isaac got passed around from one set of loving arms to another. I have many pictures; I'll do another photo story from the weekend.
Although I was busy visiting friends and family the whole weekend, it was a refreshing time for me. I went to church three times!
Sunday morning I went to Christian City Church, a plant from Hillsongs in Australia. Our family attended that church in the summer of 2001, and it was great to be there again. Their church has an interesting vision; I'll share more about that later.
Sunday night was a big treat for me. I checked my email Saturday to see that Kim Clement was doing services that weekend at a church in Conyers. He is a prophet and uses music when he prophesies. I follow him and his prophecies and am very blessed by his ministry. I've always wanted to attend one of his services but he lives in Hollywood and doesn't usually come this far south. So, I went with my mom and Caleb and we all really enjoyed it. I just beamed from ear to ear the whole time, I was so excited to be there. The worship was very passionate and very free and it felt good to be able to dance. The service aired live on the Internet that night and I hope it will be archived soon so I can share it. Here is the church we went to, it was about the size of Albany's civic center.
Monday night was Joshua's All State Choir concert in Fayetteville. It was great. All the kids were exhausted from the trip but they got their second wind and sang and played their little hearts out. Here are two videos I shot on my digital camera. Joshua is on the drums, his friend Chris is playing bass, and his friend Will is one of the ensemble vocalists. The first is 40 seconds if you want to see but don't have much time. The second is three minutes and you'll get to hear Isaac singing along in that one. He was in my lap, yelling to the music, and Noah was asleep on the pew beside me. I tried to get them in the video but couldn't see what I was recording, you'll see when you view it.
I got a call today from the insurance company of the guy that hit me last week. The ball is rolling to get my car fixed. Ironically, the mirror that was knocked off was the same one I'd cracked while attempting to back down my curving driveway and came too close to the limb of a small tree. It needed to be replaced anyway! Here's a photo I took after the accident.
On a final and personal note, please keep my friend Larry and his family in your prayers. He has lung cancer and is praying about treatment. Please pray that the family will hear clearly from God about the right direction to take, and that His perfect peace will reign in their lives. Thanks!
I am back from my trip, with praise in my heart. I am glad I asked for prayer for safe travel in my post last week, and THANK YOU to all who prayed for me. I was in a car accident on I-75 last Thursday.
I was driving to Atlanta with the three youngest boys. South of Macon, I noticed some activity ahead of me, a semi swerved from one lane to another. Next thing I see is a big white F150 type truck coming sideways across the interstate. He popped out from in front of the car beside me and side swiped me. He was pulling a trailer, and while going down a hill, the wind caused his trailer to sway from side to side until he lost control of his truck. He hit the guardrail on the right and bounced off back across all four lanes of traffic. He was trying to regain control of his truck when he hit me, in the far left lane. His driver side hit my passenger side, taking off my mirror, and leaving streaks of white paint on the side of my car. Miraculously, that was the ONLY DAMAGE!!!! The kids and I were unharmed; the little ones didn't even cry.
I was on the phone with Heather when the accident occurred. She heard the crash and immediately started interceding for us. I felt awful for scaring her but was so thankful for her prayers. I believe they were the reason I was able to bring the car to a sudden stop after being hit and forced onto the shoulder at 70 miles an hour.
I called the police, wondering where I was. I knew I was south of Macon but didn't know what exit I'd last passed. When the 911 operator asked me where I was, I glanced up to see a mile marker right beside me. So I was able to tell her exactly where we were and a trooper was there in minutes. He checked on the other guy, who wasn't hurt but his car had major damage, then he came to me. He asked me what happened and I told him the truck hit me. He said "the truck hit you? or the trailer hit you?" I said the truck; Caleb and I both saw him hit us. He stepped back and looked all over the side of my car, incredulous that there wasn't major damage. Perhaps my angel was right there by Caleb's window, absorbing the impact, keeping us from harm. There is still white paint from the truck on the passenger window, it was hit but did not break.
I called Heather back to let her know we were okay, and when the cop finished the report we continued on to Atlanta. I was shaky and nervous so Caleb got my Ipod and played Journey for me to calm down. Sweet boy.
Bo teases me about it, but when God gave me my car (for my birthday two years ago) I named it. She's female, I named "her". Her name is "Petra". The kids make fun of me too, when I say "Petra needs fuel". Petra means "rock" and she lived up to her name by being so strong for me!
Noah told everyone we visited over the weekend about how a big white car hit us, but God kept us safe. I love it.
I am humbled to think about what could have happened. I feel totally graced and protected by God. I would imagine that most interstate accidents result in much worse damage and injury than the "kiss" I received from an out of control vehicle.
I am alive. My children weren't hurt. I am thankful, and I give God the praise.
The past five years or so I've been saying that I wanted to take Joshua to New York his senior year. Well, I guess I spoke it into existence, because he's there! Not with the family like I'd planned, but as a minister of worship. He is a part of the All-State Choir, and is playing drums for the All-State Ensemble. So, I guess you could describe my son as the best drummer from all the Baptist churches in Georgia :) They are touring in Buffalo and Rochester, and even doing a worship concert at Niagara Falls. I really wish I could be there for that one. He took the video camera so hopefully I get a glimpse of what he is experiencing. The band is coming home next Monday. They are flying into Atlanta and doing a final "farewell" concert at a church in Fayetteville. I'll be there for that one.
Please keep our family in your prayers as the children and I and all traveling this weekend. I leave in the morning for Atlanta, with Caleb, Noah, and Isaac. We will visit with my mom and Bo's family, maybe go to our old church, and reconnect with dear friends.
Oh and pray for Joshua too, I know he misses me dearly. You can tell from his tattoo that he's a mama's boy. Funny, that tattoo only lasted one day.....
I have to brag on my sweet young friend Kelly. She was a former dance student of mine, when I was teaching for a private school in Atlanta. I was her first dance instructor.
Now, many years later, she has blossomed into a very gifted and beautiful ballerina. She has been well taught at another school and is quickly advancing through their dance companies. Her mom says that the worship base that I instilled in her is still thriving in her life. I couldn't be more proud.....
Have you ever noticed how having a word from the Lord changes everything? I want to share.
Recently I received communication from someone who had been my friend, but has had nothing to do with me for a long time. I was confused and irritated by their light-hearted, sing-song attitude. It was like this: "la la la la la, nothing ever happened, la la la la la, let's pretend every thing's fine". I was annoyed and couldn't shake my frustration. So, I kept bringing it before the Lord until He spoke to my heart about it.
He said to me "milk and meat" and immediately in my spirit I saw me, dressed as a cook, standing behind a buffet table. On one side of my table were glasses of milk, on the other, a side of beef for me to slice and serve. He was speaking to me about different levels of intimacy. Some people are happy with milk; others want the meat. The peace came when I realized the difference between the two.
In high school, I was blessed to have a Sunday School teacher named Martha. She taught "milk messages" and "meat messages" to our class. I even remember her once saying, "this is the meat part of the milk message". She was wise to acknowledge and minister to the differing spiritual levels of the disciples in her care.
Milk people aren't bad. We all start out on milk. God gives us milk as baby Christians but he expects us to grow and develop an appetite for heartier things. How pleased would He be if after twenty years, we were still on a liquid diet? It would be like still being in kindergarten when all your friends are graduating from college. Milk people can be very superficial; it doesn't take a lot of effort to acquire milk, it's pretty external.
"I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.
Indeed, you are still not ready." 1 Corinthians 3:2
Meat people dig deeper into the food source and are willing to eat and digest what God feeds them (wasn't it Isaiah that ate the scrolls ????). They've moved past the milk stage and have cut their teeth on the Word of God (Matthew 23:23). This group is more receptive to the heavier things of God and life. They are willing to stand alone, and speak the truth in love. While it may not be easy, they are willing to address and resolve conflict.
So, now, back to my friend. I realized I was expecting a meat response from someone who only wanted a glass of milk. Realizing this helped me make sense of the confusion. For whatever reason, the capacity for the meaty honesty and resolution I desired was simply not there. You cannot get a fillet mignon from a milk maid. Knowing this in advance can save our hearts a lot of turmoil. For example, last year I went through a painful ministry experience. I asked for meat from someone I loved and trusted and had milk thrown in my face. Still not getting it, I continued to hurt, struggling with pain and confusion, expecting truth and forthrightness that a meat person would have extended. Pitifully, I continued offering my empty bun, wanting meat, asking "where's the beef?" (remember the commercial?).
Have you ever experienced this kind of struggle?
Then listen to me:
TAKE your BUNS to GOD.
He will fill you with the meat that you crave. It will satisfy the inner hunger than humans can not.
Whether someone is a milk person or a meat person in their walk with the Lord is between them and God. We are not to judge the depths of another's spiritual devotion . Taking care of our own spirituality is enough! But, in the area of friendships and communication, discerning milk people from meat people can be a good thing. It can be a heart-protecting principle to keep in your life. You can serve milk to those who deal in milk, serve meat for those who want the steak, and keep your peace!
