GOOD FOR ME

I just cannot believe it's been 2 weeks since I sat down and wrote anything! We had 2 birthdays in the first third of March and one of those set a certain child a-fire attitudinally speaking. (Yes, I made that word up. It worked for me, how 'bout you? Oh, wait, I just spell-checked it and it was almost in there as a word! Woo-hoo! I invented a word already invented;) Not sure what clicked in said child but it wasn't a pretty week. And, Mom was having just a bit o' trouble functioning at the level needed by the emotional demands of the week, so the thought of putting something even remotely intelligible onto paper, er screen, just wasn't happening.

For instance, one night I had decided I was going to use up some of our spinach from our Abundant Harvest Organics produce box by attempting a Spinach Quiche. I know it's a fairly straightforward food to prepare but it isn't in my normal repertoire so it required a bit of homework on my part to figure out how to make it dairy-free for the allergy kiddos and with fresh, as opposed to frozen, spinach. Early that morning, before the emotional drain of the day had opened up, I did some online sleuthing and vaguely figured out how to approach the plan that evening. By the time evening arrived, however, my brain cells were all used up for the day so we ate spaghetti, because I can make that with my eyes shut and a hand tied behind my back... As long as I have a little help opening those cans of sliced, diced, stewed and pasted tomato products!

So, I've been very much desiring to share with you my third prayer song. Just couldn't do it while I was undergoing brain-fry week. Which I find slightly humorous now that I'm a week out and can look back at what we were going through, what parts I didn't handle well, and the words of the song I've been wanting to share with you.

I am not a "FAN" per se of people in the spotlight. I love to get to know the heart of an artist or author, for instance, and that lets me understand their motivation, their desire to serve our Lord, and their drive behind what they do or say a little better. I believe we are all created equally as His beloved children. It's just that some of His children end up serving our Lord a bit more publicly than others. I've never been an autograph seeker, photo-op kinda girl. Though I've had my fair share of opportunities over the years. In our family, our Recycling truck driver, Jonelle, is someone we admire just as much as an artist that we enjoy listening to their music. No joke, we wait at the window for her weekly!

Have you had a chance to listen to an interview with Nicole C. Mullen? I love that dear sister and you know, her ministry at home seems so much more a part of who she is, to me, than when she's singing to thousands! That girl is an amazing adoptive mom. She is a mom in ministry, just like so many of us. Her ministry just takes her out front a lot of the time.

Or, what about Bethany Dillon? I had the opportunity to visit with her one-on-one last summer for a few minutes and what a dear, sweet heart she has for her Daddy in Heaven! I had my camera with me and I am a scrapbooker, but you know, it just wasn't right. Here we were, just two sisters in Christ, sharing our hearts with one another, no need for an autograph or pic with the "star." Jesus was the star of our conversation. We were celebrating Him through our sharing of our ministry efforts while here on earth.

All that to say, the reason I'm sharing music with you in these last few posts has nothing to do with my "following" one artist or another. Normally I cannot even tell you an artist's name even though I'll say something to the effect of them being one of my fave's. Meaning: their lyrics lead me into a closer fellowship with Jesus. It has everything to do with lyrics that draw me into a closer relationship with my Lord, Jesus Christ.

And, now I'd like to introduce you to Nathan and Christy Nockels, a husband/wife duo that used to be known as Watermark. I believe Nathan is now in the production end of the music industry and Christy has solo projects nowadays. Their CD's are quite often in our players! http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/watermark.html
You can hear in their lyrics their heart for Christ. And, so much of what they write has spoken to my heart over the years but during this time of seeking God's face in regards to enlarging our family through orphan rescue and the fears and worries that started rearing their unwelcome heads in my heart, this song, in particular became a cry of my heart:

GOOD FOR ME

You bring life to my bones
And a spring to my step
And a heart that knows what it means
To wait before You
And laughter to my house
And a time to sing and shout
And a heart that knows what it means
To really trust You...
And when the shadow of sorrow comes
I will fall on the only One I know
Is the Rock that won't be shaken...
Chorus
'Cause it is good for me
To lay it down at Your feet
It is good for me to lay the good and bad
In Your hand, my God...
It is good for me
To lay it down at Your feet
It is good for me

You are the constant One
When my life is overwhelmed
And You stay the same when all around is changing
And, oh, how good it is, yeah
Just to know the life You give
And my song shall ever be
That my God is faithful...
And when the shadow of sorrow comes
I will fall on the only One I know
Is the Rock that won't be shaken...
Chorus
'Cause it is good for me
To lay it down at Your feet
It is good for me to lay the good and bad
In Your hand, my God...
It is good for me
To lay it down at Your feet
It is good for me

And when I delight myself in You
You give me the desires of my heart,
When I confess that You know best
Peace flows like a river and joy comes in the morning...

Father God,
When I lay it at your feet,
could you please build a fence around it so I won't try and snatch it back?
Amen

TAKE ME 'CAUSE I WANT TO BE YOURS

Before I had 3 boys of my own, I had 2 little platinum blonde guys as neighbors, one house down, in a huge neighborhood of 3 houses! I adored these little guys and they brought joy to my life at a time when we were struggling with infertility and those desperate feelings and thoughts of: "Will we ever have children of our own to enjoy??" I know their mother often thought they were "bugging" that young couple down the street. But, far from it.

They'd interrupt a moment of tears with a little giggle at the window and I'd join into their laughter. They loved spying on me at my kitchen window and though they were as sneaky as 5 & 6 year olds can be, I'd hear them coming up the dirt road, and, with my back to the window, know just the moment when they'd stick their noses up over the edge of the window sill. With that surprise move that got them every time, I'd wave a sudsy hand at them over my shoulder without ever turning around from my sink full of dirty dishes. Off they'd fly, giggling all the way back home! Their spying mission had been foiled again, but they were sure to get me the next time!!!

These boys were avid soccer players! We were all pretty sure these little guys would go on playing soccer "the rest of their lives" and earn college scholarships based on their soccer skills. However, God had a very different path that He asked them to walk. While their parents had been in music ministry, pre-children, in a very prominent church, they stepped down in order to focus on raising the children God had entrusted to them to serve Him. They did not fully step out of ministry, don't get me wrong, this family is all about serving Him!! They just set their music aside.

Along come Jr. High-ish years and these not-so-little guys start praising God through music. I always thought this was so awesome that God had brought their family full-circle, so to speak.

Those little guys are all grown up now and, along with a few of their friends, they are known as Dizmas. They have been together for 10 years or so, and have served Him in places and shared the Gospel with people that the average person reading this blog, it's author included, could not do. Though they'd been making music together for years and were supported in prayer by us, their style wasn't really what we listen to in our home. Very God honoring and sold out to God just a different musical style than Mom prefers around here. During my time of seeking the LORD's face about orphan rescue, one of their songs, became one of my prayers.

One of my favorite radio stations ( http://www.sosradio.net/ ) was playing this song one day and it immediately struck a chord with me. I heard something about fear and giving it over to the LORD and asking Him to hold my hand through the fear, and remove the overwhelming fear I was dealing with in the thought of doubling the number of our children. And, then the song said, "Take me where you want me, take me 'cause I want to be yours," and that was what I needed to remember. I am His and He will take me nowhere He cannot handle. I told my boys, "Now that is a good song, I wonder who it is??" But the announcer didn't tell us.

So, a couple days later, I hear this announcer talking about an "up and coming band" that we, the listener's, need to be watching for and I'm thinking, "Okay, let us hear the song already..." And, at that same moment he said, "Their name is Dizmas." Another giggle for me, all these years later, since I knew this was not a new band, they'd just celebrated 10 years together. But, imagine my surprise, when the opening line started and it was the VERY song I'd wondered just 2 days earlier who it was!!! So, without further ado, please join me in prayer...

YOURS

It feels like the sky has never been so blue
But that's not the way it used to be
Because there was a time that I was without you
Before I said that I believe

Ooooh, I need a savior
Ooooh, I need a savior

I want to give this up
I want to hold your hand
Take away this fear that's like an ocean in my head
I want to tell you now, What I couldn't say before
You are everything that I was always looking for

So take me where you want me
Take me 'cause I want to be yours

I've got pride that I still have to break
It's keeping me away from you
And You stay patient while I make mistakes
I'm learning how to trust in you

Ooooh, always a savior
Ooooh

I want to give this up
I want to hold your hand
Take away this fear that's like an ocean in my head
I want to tell you now, What I couldn't say before
You are everything that I was always looking for

So take me where you want me
Take me 'cause I want to be yours

In the good and the bad times
Ooooh
It don't really matter
I want to know you

I want to give this up
I want to hold your hand
Take away this fear that's like an ocean in my head
I want to tell you now, What I couldn't say before
You are everything that I was always looking for

So take me where you want me
Take me 'cause I want to be yours.

I'm not very talented at this computer stuff,
but maybe this link to the video of YOURS will work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlSquUhZuc4

Lord, Give me your Eyes

During the months that Mark and I were deliberating on whether or not to adopt again, the LORD used many different avenues to speak to my heart. No joke, it was as if every sermon took me back to: Yes! If this (whatever the topic was) was active in your life, you'd be jumping at the chance to serve His children in this manner. For example, my Pastor, Jim DeVore, of Cornerstone Church of Littlerock, is preaching on the purity and sanctity of marriage and my brain goes, "Of course you should rescue the girls, have you seen the statistics? Do you know how miniscule their chance at a pure marriage is if you don't?? Bring them home, set an example of a pure marriage for them...."

Wait, how'd the rest of that sermon go after I got carried off on my rabbit trail??

Mother's Day, 2008, with Mark's Mom at Rainforest Cafe, thus the leopard!

Anyhow, songs were another powerful tool He used to speak to me. There were about three that truly became prayers for me and when I would hear them on the radio, I would take a time out and just stop and pray. My boys started figuring out what I was doing and, if I was on the other end of the house, and one of my "prayers" came on the radio, they'd turn it up for me. I'd like to share the powerful words that stirred my soul, with you, over the next few posts. This first one had me in tears just about every time I heard it! I'd start picturing the homeless men and women down near skid row that we haven't had the time to get back to in the last year. Or the orphanage in Haiti that we supported for years when our boys were toddlers. Or, our little Christian orphanage ( http://www.elsauzal.org/ ) in Ensenada that we love so much but haven't been back to in about 3 years because of passport issues with the new rules, and sports schedules with three teen boys around here. Well, I could go on and on but then I'd have you in tears and I really want you to read Brandon Heath's words so no teary-eyes, ya hear??

At the bottom of today's post, I've tried to post the link to his video on YouTube, I do hope it works for you. If not, just search for Brandon Heath's own video of Give Me Your Eyes.

Give Me Your Eyes
by Brandon Heath

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black-top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breathe in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere, Why have I never cared?

Chorus: Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Ye-ah ye-ah ye-ah ye-ah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work, He's buying time
All those people going somewhere, Why have I never cared?

Chorus: Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Ye-ah ye-ah ye-ah ye-ah

I've been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving, pass me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well, I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you've seen the people all along

Chorus: Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see...

Lord, please give me your heart for the broken-hearted, Penny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTsYAZvHsEQ