take a leap!

Oh my...look at the last date that I posted here...April! Are you kidding? Has it been that long? Sorry, sweet friends & fellow bloggers!!! We've been a wee-bit busy.

I thought I'd ask you a favor.
Brady, Michael & I will be moving to Hong, Kong...VERY soon. And I would like to take a short break from this blog to write about our Hong Kong journey.

I may end up coming back to this one: perhaps rename it 'My life as a Pastor's Wife in Sha Tin, Hong Kong' (hmmmm...what'dya think???)

Here is the web address for our Hong Kong blog:

http://healing4hongkong.blogspot.com

*hope you'll consider jumping over & join us!

Winds of a storm

Good-morning, Kansas. Once again I wake up to...wind. There was UNBELIEVABLE winds that occured last week - the kind that lasted ALL day & was so fierce I was afraid to allow my 20lb. schnauzer outside! I tell folks here that I've experienced high winds (living in Tx all my life)...but they don't hold a candle to winds in Kansas.
Our home, the parsonage, has a corner between the den and kitchen that faces the northwest. It's all open - one big room - which includes the kitchen, dining and den. Well, this corner seems to 'catch' all the wind that blows from the north...and we can hear it in the house. That's how I gauge the amount & strength of the wind here. When we first moved to Dighton - we would sit in the den and just listen in amazement to this wind. We'd just look at each other and laugh at this 'song of nature.'
It reminds me of the storm that came up on the disciples while they were in the tiny boat on the sea. I can't begin to imagine the fear that must have consumed them at the fury of this storm. Just hearing the winds in Kansas and seeing the things blowing through the streets is enough to send me hiding under the bed. AND to think these men were on the water! And just as they believe they'll all perish - they awake the One who is sleeping through this storm...yep, SLEEPING!! (after all...He knows Who's in charge of storms.)
All Jesus had to do was SPEAK to the wind and the waves - and they CEASED. Wow. Can you imagine being in that boat and watching this unfold. Jesus spoke...God spoke...and amazing things happened.
Guess what? God still speaks. Jesus still speaks. AND amazing things are still happening. Keep your senses keen & keep looking/listening for amazing things. They're happening everywhere - just for you to see...and believe.

SO THEY SET OUT, AND AS THEY SAILED HE FELL ASLEEP. AND A WINDSTORM CAME DOWN ON THE LAKE, AND THEY WERE FILLING WITH WATER AND WERE IN DANGER. AND THEY WENT & WOKE HIM, SAYING, "MASTER, MASTER, WE ARE PERISHING!" AND HE AWOKE AND REBUKED THE WIND AND THE RAGING WAVES, AND THEY CEASED, AND THERE WAS A CALM. HE SAID TO THEM, "WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?" AND THEY WERE AFRAID, AND THEY MARVELED, SAYING TO ONE ANOTHER, "WHO THEN IS THIS, THAT HE COMMANDS EVEN WINDS & WATER, AND THEY OBEY HIM?" (Luke 8:22-25)

...and just like that...there are no more winds out my window in Kansas.

keep the faith, sweet friend
~love, karen

a Heart in the Hershey's

God uses anything He desires to get our attention. I love the song by Mandisa...'God Speaking' - for me, it stands as a reminder of how much God loves me - and how He will go to great lengths of showing me. (if you've never heard the song, I HIGHLY recommend listening...call me, I'll let you borrow my copy on my IPOD!)

Here lately God has been showing me how much He loves me through hearts. Call me crazy - that's quite ok, I can take it. But I am a beloved child of the Living God and He's reminding me just how much He cares. (and I'm lovin' it)

I recently spoke on concepts in women's ministry at a wonderful church worker's conference in Rexford (KS). Throughout the trip (the whole weekend in Rexford) God gave me signs (little remembrances) the He was there with me & would give me what I needed to speak to the women attending my session. These seem to be coming through 'hearts.' While walking to dinner, as I passed something on the road - it turned out to be in the shape of a heart. Then, walking back from hearing the main speaker at a church - again something caught my eye, which was in the shape of a heart. Also, walking across the street to the location of my session - there on the street...a heart-shaped piece of tar in my path. Finally - walking down the street to where we were sleeping (a beautiful restored hotel) I spotted the water tower for the town of Rexford. (side note - I'll share my 'water' stories sometime with you...they're amazing examples of how God has spoken to me)

Well, fast forward two weeks and now I am back full-force into life...along with the usual ups & downs. The only difference is trying to keep my eyes, heart & mind open for those signs. That's when just this morning God surprised me with some more examples of His love. While walking with a sweet friend through the streets of our tiny town (5:45am) I noticed at least two hearts. I just had to say openly "Wow, look a heart!" At some point God is going to give me a way to talk to my friend about Him...the REALness of Him.
Once home it was time to get my daughter up & prepare for school. Her request was a strawberry toaster strudel & warm, chocolate milk. I decided to use the can of Hershey's syrup in our pantry, which I grabbed. I opened the plastic lid and began to pour. What to my wandering eyes should appear? A heart! One of the openings (which I used a bottle opener) was in a perfect shape of a heart. I've shared with my daughter that God speaks to us in SO many ways...we just need to keep our eyes open and looking. It sure was fun to share the Heart in the Hershey's with her today!

Now you cannot convince me that's not God speaking! When my eyes fall at just the exact moment on somthing that is so crystal clear...that is Him. (I've even called on others to confirm to me what they see - and it's always the same: hearts.)

Keep your eyes, mind & your heart wide open to Him...He's speaking now. Look for Him - He's trying to show you how much He's in love with you.

MAY THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS TO THE LOVE OF GOD AND TO THE STEADFASTNESS OF CHRIST. (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

keep the faith, sweet friend
~ love, karen

Mark it on the Mirror

Have you ever wanted to remember something so much that you end up writing it down somewhere...and then lose the piece of scratch paper you wrote it on? Or, perhaps like me, have several (hundred) little post-it notes, pieces of torn envelope or notebook paper corners that have hen scratchings with words of wisdom that I've read somewhere - devotionals, scriptures, emails, self-help books. Many of which are taped in places that I hope to remember to look at each day & take the time to read. Hey, I've even got three taped to the little lampshade on my writing table in front of me!
Sad news is...I really don't take the time - daily - to glance these over. So what happens is...they end up adding to the clutter around me. Man..if I could take a glance into my brain...it's probably COVERED UP with clutter, too!

I think I may have found a simple way of getting words of wisdom to 'sink in'. (I'll have to give my hubby some credit here.) I've a dry erase marker that I keep in my bathroom - close to my sink/mirror. At any given minute - if I run across a scripture that hits my heart in a particular way...all I have to do is (you guessed it) write it on the mirror. I have a couple that have been written there for going on three years now. They have truly seen me through some TOUGH, TOUGH times. It seems when I'm in the midst of 'life-strife' and want to be alone for a little while...I end up in my little corner-of-the-world (bathroom) and God reminds me that He is there in the middle of the muck with me. Perfect timing for seeing the Perfect Truth from a Perfect God! It never fails to be encouraging and I usually leave that little 'corner' uplifted & ready to face the giant(s) again.

Even my eight-year old has caught on. Just the other day I found a big LOVE note hand written by her - covering the little space that I leave open for hair & makeup. PRICELESS.

I encourage you to give it a try. (It also works for leaving sweet notes & scripture to family members on their mirrors, too!)

one of the two on my mirror now:
HE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE WEARY & INCREASES THE POWER OF THE WEAK. (Isaiah 40:29)

keep the faith, sweet friend
~love, karen

Pajama Day!

Ok...so it seems every day for me lately is pajama day. What can I say? I quit my job the last day of November (2010) to stay home. It was a really good job - hospital administrative assistant. I made my own hours, could leave when I needed, my boss is a wonderful, Christian woman who believes family comes first. So why did I leave? Well, ask my sweet husband and he'd probably tell you I'd lost my mind. He'd say(a little off the cuff) that God told me to go home & bake cookies. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Actually, that's not too far off from the truth.

This last summer a couple friends and I started walking in the mornings together. We'd meet at my front yard (5:15am) and walk 3 miles through our town. (keep in mind we could cover just about all of our town, which is 10 blocks x 10 blocks..roughly). We (gals) would talk of our hopes, dreams, trials, troubles and most days try to end our time together with a short prayer. It was such an uplifting time.
One of these gals dreamed of a ministry for women in our community with dance. She is now running Zumba classes for believers & non-believers. We dance like crazy four nights a week to Latin (AND Christian) music. It's great!
Well, I talked about wanting to be a blessing to others - and I just didn't know how. I knew I was blessing some at work (Michael, hubby, was ALWAYS so encouraging to me about touching the lives of co-workers...and I think I made a little ripple in that pond.) But I was doing a little baking on the side & really liking it.
About the same time, my daughter - Brady started asking (almost daily) when was I going to stay home and just be her mom. (Talk about your heart melting...) I knew this was a cry (ok, maybe a whimper) for her to have me home. So I started praying fervently for God to show me a way to be home, be a blessing & there for my family.
It didn't happen overnight and there was no magical, fairy-god-mother that appeared to make all my dreams come true. But in my praying - I asked God to put it upon my husband's heart to start a dialogue of me quitting. He answered that prayer and communication began!

Long story short - I did quit and I have been baking ever since. (check out my 'other' blog - www.bradyshands.blogspot.com) I love to bake cookies, cupcakes...just about anything sweet. Can't cook worth a darn, so I'm not much help to my beautiful husband - who does cook MARVELOUSLY!!!! And it's not been a beautiful fairy tale that has a happy ending. No, its been work - hard work. There have been unhappy times because we're living with one paycheck (his) and its an area where satan can try to divide. BUT...I know God provides for ALL our needs - so to me it's just another way we can place our trust in Him.
I am loving the opportunity to be at home - make beds, do laundry, listen & sing to my Christian music...and bake. More importantly I'm loving the fact that I can be there to support my husband, tend to my daughter more and put my family first. I'm not perfect at anything - but I'm trying to be the best that I can & leaning on God's Love and wisdom to help (because He is).

PS. If you ever need something sweet, just let me know.
Now I think I'll go change into some clothes...

I DELIGHT MYSELF IN THE LORD AND HE GIVES ME THE DESIRES OF MY HEART. (Psalms 37:4)

keep the faith, sweet friend.
~ love, karen

I wonder...

The other day I had some time on my hands...waiting for my youngest child to come bouncing (from a day at school) out to our car waiting in line. (I was one of the lucky ones today ~ got there early enough to grab one of the last parking spaces next to the curb. That way I didn't have to continue circling the school..waiting on a new spot to appear, once another car pulled away).

Anyway - I was wondering about what people think when it comes to pastor's wives. Do the 'normal folks' out there suppose a pastor's wife is "untouchable" when it comes to suffering, heartache, temptation & the likes? Just because a pastor's wife is...married to a pastor - do you suppose people think she's in a 'safety bubble?'

I used to have that misconception. (and believe me...IT IS A MISCONCEPTION!) I'm beginning to understand that satan will stop at nothing to hurt anyone. (...the thief comes to steal, kill, destroy...John 10:10). And guess what...if he can't seem to shake a man of God to the core ~ he's going to go after what the pastor holds dear to his heart...his family.

Growing up - one of my sweetest, closest friends(BFF) lived a couple blocks away. Her daddy was our pastor and I was always so envious of them...their home, their family, their mom, their dad's position. I grew up (secretly) wanting to be a pastor's wife because I saw (on the outside) what looked like 'the perfect life.' And I thought it was all because of his job. What I came to learn MUCH later in life is...there isn't any such job, home or family this side of heaven that's not without troubles. (I was heartbroken to hear her family had broken apart shortly after graduation and later they divorced.)

Statistics are fun, aren't they? - on your left (the "married" column) and on the right (the "divorced" group). Did you ever stop and consider you are a statistic? If you're married - your life will become a statistic. Which side do you want to be on at the end of your life? Do you want to add to the numbers on the left or the right? That's what started my pondering today. Because whether married to someone in ministry or not, you've still got to fight like heck to make it work.
And you can bet your paycheck that satan is lurking in the shadows ready to pounce. He knows every weak spot, every vulnerable area of your life (perhaps even better than you)...and he's after you. He won't stop. He will continue to try to wear you down & make you weak enough to give up. Trust me on this one. I just came through a really tough fight and a little tattered from the battle. One important thing I totally forgot while knee-deep in the trenches...Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world(1 John 4:4). Satan's going to throw his darts; but I can be smarter and deflect those darts if I remember to run to my God ~ Who can protect me and help me in times of danger. Now that's a promise I can take to the bank!

YOU HAVE DELIVERED ME FROM THE EVILS OF THIS WORLD, FOR IT IS YOUR WILL. (Gal 1:4)
keep the faith, sweet friend
~love, karen

Dumpin' My Bucket

My devotional yesterday was titled "Become God's Friend." At some levels that sounds pretty easy...and yet at others very difficult. I read on. It said that I have to choose to be honest with Him. OK, I think I can do that easily enough. God's friends in the Bible were honest with Him about their feelings - sometimes even complaining & arguing with Him - yet He didn't seem to mind. In fact, He encouraged it. (WAIT, WHAT???)
God listened patiently to David's accusations of unfairness, betrayal and abandonment just as Job was allowed to vent his bitterness - God actually defended him for being honest, while rebuking his friends for faking it. (Job 42:7).

To be God's friend is to share my TRUE feelings with Him, not what I think I 'ought' to say in prayer. (a little convicting for me here)
While I think sometimes I complain too much to God for me, myself & I...and don't pray nearly enough for others...it's refreshing to know that God doesn't look on me like the 'whiny little child' that's in a first grade classroom (and NEVER absent).

I really liked what my devotional said: Revealing my feelings and releasing my resentments to Him are the first steps in becoming spiritually whole. (Wow)
After all, He already knows my thoughts, my heart, my mind & my intentions before I do. I can certainly humble myself before His throne and 'dump my bucket'...isn't He big enough to carry it?

I long for a deeper intimacy with my God ~ so I've started (in a prayer journal) to reveal my innermost feelings, hurts & resentments to my Abba. I'm sure He'll know what to do with them and can help me. I know He uses everything for good in my life.

AND WE KNOW THAT GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSES. (Romans 8:28)

keep the faith, sweet friend
~love, karen