23 before 23

I found a list titled: 23 before 23 on my computer today....

Well, let's just say that is it more like a grand list of 5 before 23 that didn't happen.....

And it was created over 2 years ago!  I really don't know what I was thinking...

My 23 before 23 list :D

1. Learn to dance to The Civil Wars – Dance Me to the End of Love
2. Go sky diving 
3. Visit Portland, Oregon
4. Go hiking in Washington State
5. See Chris Thile in concert

A few, okay 2, of the items on the list would be cool to do but as for the rest....

Christmas favorite songs...

Christmas time with the Turbeville's is lots of fun, I assure you.  I will post pictures later but for now, here are a few of our favorite songs....

Favorite Drive Time Song:
Lifehouse- Between the Raindrops

Dancing in the Kitchen Favorite:
Brenda Lee- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Favorite Song to Sing in the Kitchen:
George Strait- Christmas Cookies

Christmas Season Song:
Joy Williams- Here with Us

And of Course what Christmas would be complete without:
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

I hope you enjoy this season of life and take time to celebrate the Saviors' birth.  Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Merry Christmas!!!
Blessings,
Carolyn

December Weddings

December weddings are my favorite.  They are elegantly filled with white dresses, flowers in an assortment of red, white and green, handsome young men in suites, faces filled smiles and tears, parents of delight and friends of excitement.  They are a symbolic and gorgeous gift.

They remind me of the most wonderful gift of all: Jesus Christ.  Luke 2:11-12: “11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

All weddings are a gift, a gift unity.   

A promise “to be a faithful and true, to “love, comfort and keep,” “forsaking all others,” “remaining true”  “as long as you both shall live,” wedding and endowing “all my worldly goods, in sickness and in health, in poverty or in wealth, 'til death do us part.”

They are a beautiful union of three: the bride, the groom and God.  They are a lifelong commitment.  They are committing to be faithful, to remain true and pure to one another before friends and family.  They are allowing those dear to them to keep them accountable during sickness and health, poverty and wealth, until they die. They are giving each other their time, affections, wealth and lack thereof.

Wow. That doesn’t leave any room for giving or living erroneously! And then to follow the command in Ephesians 5:22-33:

Wife: love your husband and submit lovingly to him because he is called to love you with a Christ-like love.

Husband: love your wife like Christ sacrificially loves his children.  Love her better than you love yourself.  You would never want your body to go without anything, so don’t let her go without that which you wouldn’t go without. Love her so that she maybe holy and blameless then she will be loved and nurtured like Christ loves the Church.

To love each other and live together for the rest of their lives like that is huge!  This charge is ginormous, yes ginormous. What kind of true and pure love most compel such actions!

Many of my dear friends have married in December, Lizbet, Julianna, and Lindsey.  I am thankful for their weddings and more so for their marriages.  Thankful they accepted the challenge to love like Christ and display his love to the World.  For these sweet friends, and all of my married friends, I pray blessings and a deepening of their love.

Ephesians 6:24 “Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.”

Here's to days...

Here's to days of...

1. Failing and requiring lots of grace
2. Days when I get up late and the rest is lost
3. Intentional lies that need forgiveness
4.  And glory in the small victories

Thankful: Lizards, clothes and the Gospel

Funny things happen growing up as an American.  For example, I have to fight the culture and the lies that daily bombard me.  I have to learn to be thankful the lizard  I found in my house is not a snake.  I have to learn to be thankful for the 30+ outfits I have in my closet instead of the 20 million cute ones I don't currently own but am obsessing over on Pinterest. (Don't get me wrong, I do LOVE Pinterest, I just need to use it as a tool for my creative juices.)  I have to learn to be thankful for running water and toilets instead of complaining about how the shower sounds when I don't have the water combination.  I have to learn to be thankful for the time spent with my parents instead of wishing we had taken a grander vacation this year.  I have to preach to myself daily of all I can be grateful for. I have been given many earthly things yet I take them for granted daily. 

Not only I have been given many earthly blessing, I have been given heavenly blessings.  Least I never forget the Gospel and the Ultimate blessing that comes through Jesus Christ death, burial and resurrection.  The Ultimate gift I could ever receive the free gifts of mercy and grace that flow abundantly and lavishly from the Cross.

Colossians 3:15-17 reminds me to "let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." 

Now that the Word would richly dwell in me in order that I may overflow with thankfulness.

Here are a few blogs that also remind me to be thankful. 

1. Bekah's blog post on the Peruvian dump
2. http://gracefullmama.com/mama-never-said-thered-be-days-like-this/
3. http://gobolivia2013.blogspot.com/

The 5:30 am club

Well, the 5:30 am club met for the first time today and I can safely say both members are alive and awake. (Ask me at 9 pm tonight and you might get another answer....)

In an effort to get the most out of their days, Carolyn Mahoney writes in Shopping for Time about waking up at 5:30 am to start her day with the Lord and phone call to her daughters, the other members of her 5:30 am club.  Her days are fuller and the best use is made out of them because she has gotten up early and started her day before most people are awake. 

A friend and I have begun to embark on this 5:30 am journey as well... Want to join us??? Definitely feel free to text or call us at 5:30 am to see if we are awake.  (I promise I won't hate at you for it.)

This is what it took to get me downstairs this morning :D

Thankful: my daddy

If the chubby cheeks don’t automatically give it away, spend an hour with my dad and I and you will quickly realize we are very similar (in more ways than even we would like to acknowledge). We like the same things.  Dad runs. I run. We run.  Dad reads. I read. We start lots of books and never finish them.  Dad loves backpacking & the outdoors.  I love backpacking & the outdoors.  We go backpacking adventures in the outdoors.  He does triathlons. I would love to have time to do them. He has 7 letters in his 1^st name. I have 7 letters in my 1^st name.

We do the same things: if there is a new diet or a new way of eating dad wants to try and you can bet your bottom dollar I will be the 1^st to join him. We both like quite.  We both retreat from chaos and enjoy solitude.  He listens.  I listen.  He listens to me a whole lot more than I listen to him though…. but I do listen. ;)

We are different: he is an electrical engineer with a shop full of tools and nails.  I know how to spell the words like substation, transmission lines and bucket truck with a closet full of toys and games.   Going further though, Dad is the giver of sound biblical advice.  He is the family theologian.  He speaks.  We listen.  He leads.  We follow. 

I have been blessed by the Father for the protection, strength and security this man offers.  I can honestly say my earthly father is a gift from the heavenly Father.  I the past I haven’t always wanted his advice or wisdom yet when I have obeyed it (not always very compliantly or passively) I was rewarded for my obedience.  The rewards weren’t always immediate or physical or monetary but rewards and blessings happened in return for my obedience.  

No, it’s not Father’s Day but my daddy has blessed my life more than a short blog post can express.  And yes, my dad is still the MAN of the House, the only man in the house with 2 girls and a lovely wife ;) but THE MAN, nonetheless, and the head of our household.  

Daddy, I love you :D

Thankful: Caleb Ministries

I am thankful for Craig and Sandy Day and Caleb Ministries.   Mrs. Day has been instrumental in encouraging my walk with the Lord.  I am so thankful for the way she speaks Truth, blown away by God's faithfulness in her life and humbled to call her friend.  She is truly a woman after the Lord's heart serving His Kingdom.

I am thankful for my mentor/counselor/discipler/friend.

Thankful: More Than You'll Ever Know

The lyrics More Than You'll Ever Know by Watermark describe my summer and the friends I am blessed to walk through life with. So grateful....

Watermark: More Than You'll Ever Know from the album All Things New   

                                   

Something brought you to my mind today
I thought about the funny ways you make me laugh
And yet I feel like it's okay to cry with you
Something about just being with you
When I leave I feel like I've been near God
And that's the way it ought to be...

Chorus:
'Cause you've been more than a friend to me
You fight off my enemies
'Cause you've spoken the Truth over my life
And you'll never know what it means to me
Just to know you've been on your knees for me
Oh, you have blessed my life
More than you'll ever know, yeah, yeah, yeah
More than you'll ever know, yeah, yeah, yeah

You had faith, when I had none
You prayed God would bring me a brand new song
When I didn't think I could find the strength to sing
And all the while I'm hoping that I'll
Do the kind of praying for you that you've done for me
And that's the way it ought to be...

You have carried me
You have taken upon a burden that wasn't your own
And may the blessing return to you
A hundredfold, oh yeah...
A hundredfold, oh yeah...

Thankful: Daisies

Thankful for the prayer warrior these Daisies represent. Thankful for the way she loves the Lord and my family. We are blessed to know her!

she's alive!!! :D

Check out the latest update from Bekah!!!

http://adventuressouthamerica.blogspot.com/

teaching me rest

Sounds. Sounds take me places instantly.  I am immediately transported from the present to another place and time.  I hear the crows and I am 12 years old camping at Kings Mountain State Park with my family for the first time.   I hear rain on a tin roof and I am dancing in the rain with my sister in our backyard.  I hear that silly bird that only sings at 1:30 am and I am a junior in college when staying up until 1:30 am was the norm.  I hear crickets outside my window and I am reminded to slow down.  I hear the frogs singing and they remind me that there is more to life than school.  They are giving glory to God in their croaking.  Sounds remind of restful times in life.  Sounds remind me to rest. 

God created an entire day to rest in Genesis.  We are commanded to rest all throughout the Old Testament.  My body was created for rest.  Psalms 23 talks about true rest: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.  3 He restores my soul…..” True rest is coming.  He will lead me to it.  He provides ultimate rest.

So, dear birds chirping keep chirping I love listening to your morning song.  You remind me to acknowledge your Creator. You remind me to rest.

One of those days....

If I was honest, yesterday was one of those days when you wake up and make a choice to dwell on the truths or the lies.  Yesterday was one of those days you choose to survive or thrive through.  It’s your choice, your choice to dwell on the things of the Spirit or to just pray you survive, bad attitude and all. If I was honest, there have been a few of those days this semester.  Many of them I have sought to survive through.  Yesterday things changed.  Yesterday was a choice to thrive through. 

Yesterday morning on my way back to the car after class, I told myself over and over again, “I choose joy today.  I choose joy today.  I will think on peace, joy and love because this is Truth.  This is the life God wants for me.”  The Lord knew I needed to be prepared because the next few hours would only get crazier: I got almost to the Center, forgot my therapy materials, drove all the way home, prepared for sessions at the last minute and the list goes on.... but His Grace was enough.

Over the past few weeks I’ve begun to realize that through this craziness affectionately called the “grad school life,” the Lord doesn’t want me to just make it through so I can enter into a new season of life.  No, he has my best interest in mind right now.  He doesn’t want me to just survive this chaos and madness; He has a plan.  As Paul tells the church at Thessalonica “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil.  Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24). 

Grad school is an edifying experience.  Am I going to survive through or thrive through?  I can take it or leave it.  I’ll take it. I’ll continue to pray, give thanks and hold fast to what is good through it all.  

He who calls me is faithful! Now that's Good News :D

Bekah's latest update

Last week Bekah updated her blog and posted some awesome pictures!! Super excited for her and the mission the Lord has her on.  Keep up with her at: http://adventuressouthamerica.blogspot.com/

my prayer for you....

Dearest sister,

Just as you sign every email with Habakkuk 3: 18-19, my prayer for you today is this: that you would "rejoice in the LORD," that you would be "joyful in God [your] Savior," that the Sovereign LORD would be your strength and that he would make your "feet like the feet of a deer" and enable you "to go on the heights."

 

 

Praying that your mission comes to completion and that you see some rewards, no matter how small, for your labor. 

Your loving sister,

Carolyn



What did you say???

"Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear..." (Matthew 11:4-5).  Excuse me, what did you say???  I don't think I heard you. The deaf will hear??  My babies with hearing loss don't have to go through life without hearing?  They can receive sound?  They can hear their mommies and daddies voices for the first time?   They can hear crickets singing and birds chirping? They can become regular teenagers and adults functioning in mainstream society?  Elderly adults can still hear at 85? WOW!! Are you serious??

In my world of modern medicine where children and adults are frequently referred for Cochlear Implants (a modern device that allows many people who have lost most or all of their hearing to hear) and where "learning to hear" is a daily occurrence, I often forget hearing is a miracle.  In my world of checklists, Auditory Verbal techniques and Learning to Listen sounds, the miracle gets lost.   Working in a place where we teach and train children and adults to listen, the phrase “did you hear that?” is repeated many times a day.  I forget the fact that my babies hear their mommies say "hello, beautiful girl" for the first time, is a precious thing.  The deaf hearing is a gift.

When all of the parts of our ears work like they should, we experience sound to its fullest, we get to experience this amazing world we live in various dimensions and sound adds to it. It is a miracle to praise the Lord for.

This video of Isaac reminds me how special hearing is.  Here Isaac receives hearing aids for the first time.  Take a peak, you might cry :D

grandfathers

Growing up there are a few times when I remember kneeling beside the bed to pray, most of those memories include my Poppop. When Bekah and I would visit Granny and Poppop, it was Poppop who tucked us into bed every night and Poppop who would pray with us.

I vividly remember the night Poppop taught Bekah and I to pray The Lord's Prayer (found in Matthew 6:5-15 and Luke 11:2-4). Poppop, being the strong Episcopalian that he is, was shocked Bekah and I didn't know it.  In his best effort to impart wise values to his granddaughters, he proceeded to say a line and we repeated a line back. This tradition continued throughout childhood.  Each night we would kneel beside the bed and would pray The Lord's Prayer.

Reading through Matthew this summer, I remembered those times.  I remember spending many weeks each summer with my grandparents and I am thankful for their loving kindness. I am blessed to have grandparents who prayed with me and who wanted good things for their granddaughters.

Happy Father's Day Poppop!!!

Should you read this, consider yourself a friend…..

Bekah, my younger sister, left for South America Monday.  While she has been away, (yes, all 2 days) Mom and I cleaned her room; I found items I could use, raided her closet and borrowed her clothes. (Never fear, we have very different taste and I won’t be donning any Bekah-style outfits in the near future. Just for the record, I love her and her sense of style, on her.)

While going through her room, I rediscovered an old picture.  Above Bekah’s bed hangs a black picture frame and in it an image of newly polished toes on weather beaten boardwalk.  High above the ocean in the bottom right-hand corner Isaiah 52:7 declares: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion “Your God reigns.” 

Other images from that beach trip display Romans 10:15 written in the sand. These pictures remind me of a time when our hearts weren’t as focused on spreading the Good News of Salvation as they are today.  It reminds me of years when we, honestly, thought our toes were cute and the verses fitting inscriptions next to them. 

The entire passage in Isaiah 52 rejoices of coming salvation. What beautiful verses and what a fabulous passage.  How beautiful, truly, are the feet of those who declare and spread the Good News of Salvation.  Oh, what a joy to know that my sister is doing just that!! She is sharing the only thing that will last FOR-EVER, the only thing that matters, the reason for living. Yes, her feet are beautiful but more importantly she is sharing peace and salvation amongst the nations while declaring that our God reigns.

Salvation is coming.  Salvation is coming for all peoples. Bekah gets to be a part of this.

little sis is on her way....

By the time you read this post my little sis will probably be on her way.  My beautiful sister, Bekah, is heading for South America this summer to spend 2 1/2 months serving and ministering to the people of Peru with stops in Columbia and Ecuador along the way.  I am super excited for her and so glad that she gets to be a part of God's mission for these countries by sharing His Good News with them in any way she can! Oh, what a blessing to be a part of the Great Commission, as a Christian and then to fulfill it away from your "home" country is a whole different experience.

She would love your prayers for her trip as she goes. Today, specifically, she is flying.  She leaves Charlotte at 11:45 and won't be back until August 10th. This is her 1st trip "overseas." She has never been through customs before and speaks very little Spanish. So please pray over her travels, for her safely and that the Lord would literally guide her as she goes through customs on her own.

Also, it would be an honor if you would join me in praying for:

- Health - that she would stay healthy, so she can do what she was called to do this summer
- Physical safety - that she would avoid injury throughout her adventures
- Communication - that she would not become frustrated by the language barrier, instead be joyful as she strives to understand the people better, and that she would pick up on some Spanish while she is there so she can communicate in a meaningful way.
- Unity - that she would be unified with her teammates and the missionaries that they are serving with, so that they don't get distracted by things that don't matter and would avert their eyes from spreading the Truth.
- Spiritual warfare - that nothing else besides the cross of Jesus and the message of Salvation would remain or matter. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

Praise the Lord for His works among the Nations and share His works with them ALL. Great is His name and greatly to be praised for his name is above ALL else. Psalm 96:3-4 – paraphrased

For more information on Bek's trip and, hopefully, updates coming later, check out her blog Bolsillo Caliente.

Glad you are gone!...Just kidding! ;) Gonna miss you soooooo much!!

James 5:7-11

Truth #1: God is good

Truth #2: He works all things for the good of those who love him

Truth #3: The first year of grad school is TOUGH

Truth #4: I am glad I didn’t know how hard it was going to be

Truth #5: I wouldn’t want to re-live those days but I am THANKFUL for the edification they ushered in

Many moments from this past year felt like suffering.  But they weren’t.  I wouldn’t want to re-live those days but they were necessary.

James 5:7-12: Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

What a beautiful picture. Just as the farmer waits for the fruit of the earth to yield what he has planted for the harvest it long after the rains have come, so we should wait.  While I am waiting, I should not grumble against His people in the process.  Oh, the works happening may be awfully painful and I desperately want to think they are the problem.  Whew, how I would have liked to say a few something to a few people who the Lord used as tools in my life this past year.  Thankfully, in the end He will be the judge.  I don’t have to say anything.  He will uphold the righteous and speak on our behalf.

My suffering is planted and when harvested at the right time should yield beautiful fruit.  It may seem like one too many rainy seasons fall on it but I have seen and know the purpose of the Lord. I know how gracious, compassionate and merciful He is. He is wants my holiness and righteousness.  He brings about experiences to bear fruit; fruit that looks more like Him and less like me.

 Oh how there were times this first year of grad school, I questioned why I was here and what He was doing.  I was not very patient!! At all.  I wanted to know His purpose behind these times. Yet I was reminded of when the unexplainable times brought great changes in my life.  He has been faithful in the past to make all things work for His good.  I know He will again.  He is into redemption.  It is what He does.  It is who He is. 

Despite my wrong thinking and bad attitudes, His purposes prevailed.  Through it all, I was brought to humility and complete reliance on Him.  I couldn’t and didn’t make it without Him.  I became a child broken before her Maker and that is a painfully beautiful place to be.

He is at work doing something I am totally unaware of.  It will be really good.  The seed has been planted. The rains have come.  He is compassionate and merciful.