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.

Warrior is a Child

This song never gets old....

 

even though it is older than I am. I like the lyrics.

done for now...

Exams are done and over.  What a great feeling it is to be done! First year of grad school: finished!!!!!! Wahoo. Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow!! They are quite literally all blessings from Him.  I couldn’t have done it without mediating on His Words. This past week encouraged total dependence and reliance on the Ultimate Provider.

I admit I am not a studious student. I would rather sit and chat over a cup of coffee than read about language disorders in adults. This comes as no shock to my roommate…  Even though I do not always have a heart of thanksgiving, He provides.  This past semester He has provided grace in my weakness and wisdom from Above.  Two scriptures that clearly talk about this are James 3:13-18 and 2 Corinthians12:1-10.

We can chat more about these later but for now we made it through with His wisdom and grace!!