2008JeffJourney

Dancing with My Father

March 12-14, 2010

***Room Service

As a gift from my husband, I took a three day hiatus from my normal duties to rest and recharge. After receiving an email about this conference that my favorite inspirational speaker was to leading, I began to see all around me the "need" to go. M asked why I was leaving him for what seemed an eternity and I said, "To be a better Mom." He then replied, "Moms get better at being a mom by being with their children." Though there is some truth to how patience and kindness are gained with practice, I find that Sally Clarkson's conferences equip me with a vision that guides how I view this high calling of motherhood.

I had three goals for the conference:

1. To be renewed through the teaching
2. To exercise every day
3. To eat a calzone

Hurrah! I met them all. The conference was incredible, challenging and exhausting. Just to give you a flavor, the topics covered were:

1. Five Habits to Stay Filled with God's Grace (a convicting message to make habits of rest, reading scripture, prayer, fellowship and celebrating life),
2. Tending Your Heart to Endure with Joy (A call to examine our lives and live a life with confidence before, and clinging to, a God who has spoken.),
3. Living as a Life-Giving Mother (an inspiring message to look at our creative God and realize that we were made to be creative in our ministry in our homes as well.)
4. How to Find Hope on the Journey of Faith (an encouragement to enjoy God's will whether circumstances are hard or smooth at this time - Consider it all joy...)

Also Tracy Klicka gave testimony to much of this teaching as she reviewed how God lead her and her husband through many trials over the last 15-20 years. She made us laugh and cry as she recounted God's faithfulness.

During the last session Sally made reference to life after the conference and the implication was to be prepared for application. How true this insight was.  The week following the conference was full of unrealized plans and plans added to my calendar that were unexpected. One image that stuck with me that helped me shift gears with joy - o.k. with less distress - was the image from the title of Sally Clarkson's book, Dancing with the Father: How God Leads us into a Life of Joy and Grace. The image of the beauty of a skilled ice dancing couple can be transferred to the image we should make as we "dance" with the leader of this dance of life.  An uncoordinated dance partner is often what I convey as I fight against what God is doing in my life. As I rely on his lead, how much more has my faith grown and my understanding of what a awesome, powerful, gracious and loving God I serve!

“Are We in Haiti Yet?”

June 19, 2009

This question from the back seat confirmed my thought.  We could pray and talk about these mission trips but there is nothing like being there.

The invitation went out that everyone who wanted to visit our church’s ministry on the Cherokee Reservation was welcome.  Excited that we were at the stage where we could go, K, D, L, M, A and I decided to visit on their last day of VBS (Vacation Bible School).

The VBS was well attended by 30 children that came by way of their parent’s car or by way of vans that drove the hilly roads picking up any that wanted to come.  The enthusiasm of the kids and their love for those leading the singing and activities were obvious.

 

***E goes over the Bible memory work with one of the attendees.

My children jumped right into the VBS that they were familiar with from attending the one at our church.  K helped with crafts, D was recruited as a shepherd in the drama tent, M, A, and L began making friends with the others in their group as they participated with the day’s events.

 

***The first question was, "Is this going on the blog?" so of course we had to include K and her friend organizing the crafts for the kids.

 

*** D was quickly recruited to be in the skit explaining the Bible story of the day.

On our way home one commented, “Mom, many of those children were naughty…. It was annoying.”  Mom responded, "Aren't you glad God chose not to respond to you in the same way? ...  That boy is so naughty.  He’s annoying!”  What a concrete picture of our position before a holy God.  But God does not respond in annoyance. No, instead “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”? (Eph 1:5-6)  

 

*** M and E look on as a science wonder is demonstrated before their eyes.

This is exactly what is exciting about this ministry.  Here are people who are modeling God’s love to these children.  Showing them through Jesus Christ they can be loved and forgiven, even holy and blameless.  Christ has given many there the passion to love unconditionally.  One man I met during the day said, “Each year it gets harder and harder to leave.”  He and his family are considering moving to the area full time as their love has grown.

Two things were accomplished today.

1. Cherokee became a real place in our minds & 
2. We gained a deeper understanding of God's love for us.

***

Our church has been developing relationships with the people on the Cherokee Reservation for eleven years.  K has participated in the week long trips for two years and E adventured there for the first time this year.

Rest in the Hills of Franklin, NC

June 16-19, 2009

 

The three hour drive up took us five hours.  We beat the Atlanta work traffic but seemed to be hindered with errands and dinner.  Then another stop to re-outfit a little boy who forgot to put his clothes bag in the car.

 

**A plays as a ladybug

In our minds we were thinking of hiking, sightseeing, shopping…. Instead we rested, read, talked, ate and enjoyed the beauty of the mountain view and the hospitality of my aunt and uncle.  (Truthfully, we did get in one afternoon of thrift shopping.)

**Fun with the new piano

 

On the Road Again

January 17, 2009

Weather:  Teens - 20's, clear skies
Audio Books:  Joy Hakim's Book Seven: Reconstructing America, 1865-1890 and Treasure Island by R.L. Stevenson.

We used D's gymnastic meet as an excuse to travel.  On the road by 6:30 a.m. we made it to Scaly Mountain Outdoor Center by 10 a.m. for a fun morning of playing in the snow.  This year's experience was more pleasant than last year due to the clear skies (though the temperature was a bit nippy) and earlier arrival (the crowds came in buses as the morning wore on.)

Around 1 p.m. we began our 3 hour driving tour to Knoxville, TN.  Our route took us though:

Cherokee, NC:  K enjoyed pointing out what was familiar to her from the mission trips she has been on in the area.

Great Smoky Mountains: Driving through this park on a day with clear skies and snow on the ground we could see why this is the most visited National Park in the country. The drive north via Route 441 through the center of the park brought us along the Oconaluftee and  Little Pigeon Rivers.  As we slowly wound our way on the curvy roads we saw many tourists taking pictures of icicles and snowy river banks and trying out sleds on small slopes. We finally joined them.  The boys were taken with throwing rocks into the ice and were amazed that they couldn't break it. I've added this place to my I-want-to-camp-here list.

***L enjoys her new camera.

***Mischievous C waves from his strategic site after pelting J with snowballs.

***The boys try hard to break the ice.

Pigeon Forge, TN: Here the kids ogled at one tourist trap attraction after another.  It has been placed on their I-want-to-go-there list.

We arrived at a Marriot in downtown Knoxville to enjoy take out pizza in our adjoining rooms. After an episode of Dirty Jobs and Survivor Man, our weary bodies enjoyed sinking into the soft beds!

Packing up the RV again

Date:  Friday, November 21, 2008

Location: Franklin, NC - Cullasaja River RV Park (http://www.campnc.com/)  This park was perfect for our purpose - to visit family up the mountain.

Audio Book:  Uncle Tom's Cabin  Harriet Beecher Stowe

Weather:  Freezing was an understatement!  The temperature went down to 12 degrees that night!

"Why don't we ever leave on time?"  This was the question of the morning as we finally rolled out of town at 11:30 a.m.  This meant we ate lunch with Aunt Donna and Uncle Guy at 4 p.m. in their amazing "fortress on a mountain" - as C referred to it.  They have recently finished building a round house to escape the heat of Florida and creatively store the four creatures shot in New Zealand that grace their walls in the living room.