Covered in Feathers?

(Psalm 91:4 NLT) "...He will shelter you with his feathers..."

Huh? What kind of sheltering can God do with feathers? That was my question to Him this morning, during my daily reading. This verse jumped off the page and lodged itself in my muddled brain, begging for clarification. I know God can do anything He wants, but why would He choose to use feathers?

My trains (yes, I mean multiple) of thought while searching for clarification:

Feathers...soft, inviting, definitely not something I would choose to make a shelter out of, especially if there are any rocks or wood lying around.
Is this related to God's character?
Maybe a different translation will help.
God bless America, where I can have several translations at my disposal on my nightstand without persecution.
"He will cover you with his feathers..." (NIV)
Cover, shelter, cover, shelter
Like the blood of Christ covers our sins?
Hmm...back to feathers
I know ostriches were pursued for their feathers, to be used for headdresses and shield ornaments.
So they must be beautiful.
Last I checked the "world famous" Topeka Zoo didn't have any ostriches, so I can't vouch.
People are drawn to beautiful things.
But what about, oh, say, eagle feathers?
I found a quote from Pliny (who was 10 when Jesus was crucified) that said eagle feathers were so powerful that if laid with any other, the eagle feathers would devour and consume all the rest.
So God rescues us from our troubles (taken from the previous verse), devours the sin in our lives, leaving us covered in His beauty. Now that is cool. Cover me with your feathers, Lord!

Chew on this and let me know if He reveals anything different to you.

Name of Jesus Concert

Last night, Jason Morant, Nate Sallie, Big Daddy Weave, and The Todd Agnew Band graced Wichita's presence with an intense concert. I was blessed to be able to attend, with full access passes, and quite possibly the best seat in the house. This refreshing concert is not about those men, but about coming together to worship God, as they will continually remind you.

JMo is gifted with both a beautiful voice and spirit. Chatting with him only epitomized his graciousness, humbleness, and friendly personality. He's so "Lovely" he needs to be headlining his own tour. (Picture upper left)

Nate Sallie--wow--that man can blast and is full of the "Holy Spirit." He was energetic and involved the crowd. Nate, I'm ruined.

BDW--love them. They were so much fun to watch and really know how to entertain an audience. I spoke with Mike a couple times. If I had to tour, I would want them along for the ride as they know who they are truly performing for--an "Audience of One."

The Todd Agnew band. I can't mention this group without first talking about Jonathan Chu. This talented and gracious young man, knows how to worship with his violin. He worked hard all night as the stage hand, gave an incredibly vivid performance, and still found time to talk to me several times. Todd is intense, insightful, and intelligent. His transparency and down-to-earth talks were heart rending, surprisingly humorous, and necessary. His music never fails to touch me, and seeing him perform live is even more wrenching. You will walk away desiring to be more like "My Jesus." (Picture upper right)

As the concert came to a close, I dreaded the final note Todd would wail. But it made me intensely long for the day where I will be able to worship for eternity, without having to stop and drive 3 hours through a Kansas springtime storm to arrive home in the wee hours of the morning. Oh, and maybe there I'll be able to carry a tune. :)

Impossible to walk away untouched, unmoved, or unchanged. "Be The Moon." If you don't know what that means...you need to go to the concert. You won't be disappointed.

Judging 4N6

This afternoon brought back fresh memories of experimenting with my acting chops: the sick feeling I never failed to get right before performing, doing everything in my power to impress the panel of judges piercingly staring at my every move, and rejoicing when I placed first. The National Forensics League competition for Kansas was today, and I was recruited by my former coach to judge Dramatic Interpretation and Humorous Interpretation. My specialty, oh so long ago, was Duo Interpretation. It was exciting to meet up with a couple of my fellow forensic friends and catch up on where our separate roads have led. Amazing how easy it is to lose touch. Anyhow, here are a couple of my comments:

• It is not necessary to incessantly scream (especially in a small classroom) for extra emphasis. Voice inflection and facial expressions, my dear, are equally powerful. And saves the judges at least four Advil.
• Chocolate (or unmarked bills) is the only acceptable form of bribery. Crying does not help.
• As a Christian, I try not to judge people. Isn't it fun when society finds a way to make sin acceptable?
• According to the leaflet, Dramatic Interp is supposed to make me cry...oh what, I'm sorry. I must have dozed off.
• As a contestant, you are not entitled to be bossy. Cockiness leads to ten minutes of me hearing blah, blah, blah, last place.

Uh oh, I think I'm supposed to learn some life lessons from this. I hate when that happens.

Angel's Picnic Fiasco

What does watching a child eat five chocolate chip cookies and a plate full of cheetos at a picnic get you?

1. Ten minutes of relaxation between swinging, playing catch, screaming, and climbing jungle gyms.

2. The end to five minutes of pouting because BBQ briscuit just isn't up to par with a hamburger and ketchup. (I'll spare you the details on the lack of Gatorade issue)

3. A sugar high that peaks during the awards ceremony. Restraints, anyone?

4. Ten sticky, orange fingers. I've never seen anyone attack a plate of cheetos with both hands before. Next car purchase...leather seats.

5. The inevitable upset tummy on the ride home. (Easter baskets can be used for a variety of purposes)

6. Hopefully her grandma felt the benefits of the sugar crash. I didn't stick around to find out.

Back to Name Dropping

So I promised more name dropping...today I will finally deliver. My major morning track at the conference was taught by none other than David Kopp. He wrote some of my favorite books including The Prayer of Jabez and The Dream Giver. I also purchased his latest, Roar. I recommend this beautifully illustrated book if you have any children interested in The Chronicles of Narnia. It's basically a work/guide book in association with Narnia.

I met Brandilyn Collins by accident at a fiction writer's breakfast. I really don't belong to that group, but they kindly invited me due to my association with my mentor, Julie Carobini. Julie has a book, Chocolate Beach, coming out in 2007, as well.

Kay Strom was one of the key note speakers, and I bought her Daughters of Hope book. I had the opportunity to speak with her for a minute. A truly lovely lady who sheds new light on the state of Christian women across the world. I had no idea torture and persecution still existed, let alone to the levels that prevail many cultures. This book will open your eyes and make you realize how blessed we are as Americans and challenge you to make a difference.

There are too many others to list here, but I must give a shout out to my incredible roommate, Tasra Dawson. She is self-publishing her first book this fall, so I wish her all the best in that venture!

Easter Prayer

I was nominated to give the prayer before Easter dinner tomorrow so I thought I would share it with you, as well. May you all have a blessed holiday with your family and friends celebrating the life of our Risen Savior.

God, we love you.
We recognize that Easter symbolizes your infinite mercies and the ultimate sacrifice...for us. Today, as our family gathers together in fellowship, we celebrate that your son, and our savior, is risen, and give thanks to Him for opening the gate to everlasting life.
May we always keep near the cross.
We have peace, for you forgive and forget our trespasses. Purpose, for you direct our steps. Joy, for you triumph over evil. Love, because the Holy Spirit resides in our hearts, and hope, as you promise to come again and take us home.
May we always give thanks.
Lord God, holidays are a great reprieve to stop our busy schedules and honor you, but we also want to know more of you in our everyday lives. We yearn to experience your spirit leading us to growth in our faith and we long for you to flood every aspect of our existence with your glory and love.
May we always desire to know you more.
Thank you for this tangible reminder that Jesus sacrificed His life for us, prevailed over both death and sin, and will forever reign at your side.
May we never forget.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Back in Action

I am back, and almost fully recovered from a week long conference. It was an amazing, but exhausting, experience being surrounded by 400 like-minded people. I learned far more than my mortal brain can retain, but hopefully the most important stuff has sunk in. I've finally shuffled through most of my email backlog and caught up on my sleep, so tomorrow it will be back to some serious work! My to-do list grew substantially...and I love every second of it.

Phil Callaway was the keynote speaker for the week. This man made me laugh and cry at the same time, or was it laugh so hard, I cried? Both, actually. Talk about a man humbly fulfilling his purpose and glorifying his maker. Unbelievable. I highly recommend getting one his books. I purchased Laughing Matters (autographed, of course), so I'll let you know if it lives up to the hype I created.

I'll continue name dropping...tomorrow...

On Getting Older...

First it was being called ma'am at the grocery store, then the new car insurance discount, and now it's those pesky crow's feet. I am, of course, referring to the little reminders that I am getting older. Everyday I look at my face and say, well, it's not going to get any younger, so I might as well start to like it. I'll keep you posted on how that one turns out.

But this evening, I had a very pleasant surprise, that in truth made my whole week bearable. I usually try to avoid answering the door to anyone who looks like anything remotely like a door-to-door salesman. I have a hard time turning people down, feeling guilty for not buying fifteen magazines I'd never get around to reading anyhow, just so some kid could try to win a trip to Hawaii. I digress, as I did open the door this time.

The first words out of this "miracle cleaner" salesman were, "Are your parents home?" I was literally stunned speechless. I could feel a cheesy smile plaster across my face, and I'm sure this guy was wondering what kind of nutso he happened upon. I just hope I didn't have anything stuck between my front teeth, because I was too blinded by bliss to take any care. I eventually managed to squeak out a "No." Then he took off his sunglasses, took a better look, and apologized profusely. Are you kidding me? Just for saying that, come on in, mister, and sell me some of that cleaner. If only it could erase these wrinkles...

Oh wow, I just thought of something. Do they teach that tactic in salesmanship school? If not, they should. Oh well, I'm taking the compliment and sticking it into my pocket for a rainy day.

Anyone, or perhaps your parents, want some miracle cleaner?

Band-Aids

I took Angel to my parent's house on Saturday. They were planning to spend the beautiful afternoon working in the yard and Angel loves playing with the dogs. Their back fence is lined with huge evergreen (I think) trees, and the ground below them is covered with the dead needles that have fallen off over the winter.

Angel decided to build her own garden in the needles. To start with, she wanted gloves, but none of the five pairs my mom produced were good enough. And needless to say, every tool, flower pot, weed, and piece of yard art was succintly moved to her area. She even hung a welcome sign.

After some coaxing, she managed to coerce my mom into going feather hunting with her. (Kobe, my mom's dog, and I declined as we were quite comfortable lounging in the shady grass) So they crawled around in the needles, dodging the low branches, and surprisingly found a lot of feathers. But unfortunately, something happened to Angel's hand. We took her inside to examine her mysterious pains. Nothing was visible to my naked eye, but for the sake of peace, I rubbed some ointment on her hand and my mom put a large net-like bandage around her hand and secured it with tape.

Now that everything was in perfect working order, she proceeded to go work on her garden again. Approximately three minutes later, she acquired the same wound on her other hand. I ushered her back inside and gave her the same ministrations as the other hand. Well, almost. She was quick to point out that my mom put three circles of tape around her hand, while I had done only one. Then she asked how many days should she keep the bandages on for. A month, at least. :)

When I took her home, she wanted me to tell her grandma what happened to her hands. And per grandma's rules, those darn feathers never even made it inside.

My mom invited her back to help during planting season, promising her new gloves. I'm buying stock in Band-Aids.

Driving Miss Tobias and Mr Kobe

It even smelled like spring today. The sun shone brightly and a strong breeze blew in warm temperatures. Despite being a cold weather girl, I couldn’t help but want to spend as much time as possible outdoors.

During high school, rain or shine, my friends and I would take long drives through the countryside to relax or wind down after a stressful event. We grew up in a small town surrounded by both beautiful rolling hills and flat farmland. After meeting a tough deadline yesterday, I have needed something to help me relax and refocus to gear up on other projects. Why not resort to a tried and true method?

With it being Wednesday, I had dog duty, watching my dog, Tobias, and my mom’s, Kobe, at my parent’s house. They are a Yorkie and Bichon respectively. Not wanting to leave them out of the fun, I invited them along for the ride. As I opened the front door of the house, amidst stern warnings to get right into my car, they raced down to the corner as fast as their little legs would carry them, only stopping when they found a suitable place to go to the bathroom.

Standing at my car door, and looking quite ridiculous, I holler, plead, beg, yell, threaten, and bribe until they deem me worthy enough to listen to. While the neighbor smirks, I finally toss them into my car. I crank up the radio, open the sunroof, and roll down the windows. I pull out of the driveway as the two rambunctious brats fight for position on my lap to stick their heads out the window. With my vision and arm movements severely impaired, I narrowly avoid missing the trashcans, but hey, we were on our way. As for the rest of the story, well let’s just say…the next time I try this adventure I must remember:

• To take a pillow to cover my legs to protect them from toenail punctures
• Never have more animals than I have free hands while driving
• Dogs are vacuums of food, but otherwise leave a trail of mess
• There’s no point in washing windows when you have a dog
• Kisses do not make up for five minutes of whining in your ear
• Curves, lovely in some places, not so good when the dog at your feet steps on the gas pedal for you
• Trade my car in for an automatic (my transmission can be found three miles north)
• Leashes!!!!
• Cows…the smell of money?? The smell of something all right…
• Naps are a valid alternative...just ask Tobias and Kobe…well, when they wake up. Glad to know the drive relaxed them enough for a nap.

Used Books

My mother and I made the trek to the big city (i.e. Kansas City) today. She had an appointment and I was along for the ride, well, really for the excuse to peruse the used book stores along the route. There is nothing like being surrounded by beautifully bound and crafted literary insights. Losing myself in mountains of books is the ultimate stress reliever. Perhaps that's why my bedroom looks like a tornado-tossed library. :) In Lawrence we hit up a couple, and in Kansas City we found another duo plus the obligatory Barnes and Noble.

We found walls and walls of mysteries, romance novels, fiction, non-fiction, etc., but I was on the hunt for some Ted Dekker, Thomas A Kempis, and Elizabeth Elliott, to name a few. The religious sections seemed much smaller than many of the other displays and I was time and again disappointed in the selections.

Perhaps Christians like to hang onto their books instead of selling them back. While that says a lot for the quality of books we are reading, it makes it hard on us bargain hunters.

So, if any of you know of any good used book stores where I won't be disappointed, please let me know. I am no longer allowed to explore with my mom. :)

Despite my disappointment, I still came home with five new babies. Onto the dresser they go. Oh no, where does this put Narnia? Decisions, decisions.

Narnia

As usual, I am several months behind on seeing the latest movie releases. So Angel and I went to see Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe this evening. Barring the bathroom trips and crying kids, it was incredible! Actually, having an acceptable movie that children can attend and see Jesus's sacrifice, among other things, in a different context was well worth the distractions. The book is on my nightstand buried with forty others lined up to read, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. But the parallels with Christianity were very cool. I need to see it again, as I'm sure I missed a lot.

My favorites:
Lucy...I could not stop thinking about her. She mirrors so many of Jesus's traits...her unfailing love, easy forgiveness, blind faith, and ability to know her gifts and to use them without hesitation.

Edmond...I felt like he really didn't fit in with his other siblings. Sure they loved him, but he was more difficult to understand. He refused to listen to authority and always went his own way, which almost cost him his life. Aslan had to send his men to rescue him, and ultimately gave his own life for Edmond's mistakes. Sound familiar? I know it does to me.

Susan...she didn't want to leave her comfort zone. She wasn't ready for the adventure because they didn't have warm clothes or any food to eat. She wanted to go back to where it was safe. But had she followed her instincts, she would have missed out on the journey of a lifetime. Yup, this one is familiar too.

Peter lead his army into battle and they fought with creativity. They used everything at their disposal (ex: birds dropping rocks, and spreading fire) against the basic brute force of the enemy. It reminded me how our God is infinitely creative. Despite the downfalls of each of the kids, Aslan was able to use them for greatness.

As amazing as it would be to be called to be a queen or king, keep in mind there are a lot of vessels who have to do their part. Without all the soldiers, they never would have won this battle, no matter how strong the kids were. We all have a part to play, big or small.

Aslan...I knew he would come back alive, but my heart still ached seeing him walk toward his awaited humiliation and torturous death. But when he awoke and ROARED, chills racked my body. I stood up on the inside and thought, that is our savior, our hero. "Not tame, but he is good."

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe has jumped to the top of my stack.

Parade Insights

Yes, I admit it, I used Angel as my excuse to go to the local St. Patty's Day parade today. But I consider that a fringe benefit to being a Big Sister. Overall, it was enjoyable (at least I wasn't the one wearing a kilt) and Angel was able to take home a ton of candy, beaded necklaces, a bracelet, business cards, a balloon, flyers, a mouse pad, and probably some other crazy things I've already forgotten. The last time I went to a parade, I was ecstatic for stale tootsie rolls and maybe a piece of bubble gum.

Well, it was made blatantly obvious that I am not yet a mother...as I seemingly was the only person to have forgotten a bag (let alone a green hat or other festive sack) to put all the goodies into...and to be quite honest, the thought never even crossed my mind until both of my hands were filled. Fortunately, it was a wee bit cold, and my coat had two big pockets, both of which ended up being filled to the brim. Where did I put my hands? Not sure, I couldn't feel them until I got home.

While Angel was on the front lines battling the other children for handouts, I had the following observations:

• No matter how hard you try and keep your kids or yourselves away from second hand smoke, there will always be somebody who thinks it's okay to butt themselves to the front, dropping ashes and leaving puffs of smoke in their wake
• The persistent and agressive get more candy
• While you're looking at the ground for scraps, you may miss the best to come
• The most rewarding part is seeing a child's eyes light up when you hand them a piece of your candy
• Wear sunglasses if you value your sight (even if it's cloudy) -- the trajectory from a float to the ground, when a high school boy is throwing out the candy can be real dangerous
• No matter what, a rainbow is still the symbol of God's promise
• We've taught our kids to raise their hands for treats, but have we shown them how to lift their hands in praise of the only one truly worthy of it?

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Hope you didn't get pinched!

Words

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." We've all heard that mantra and even possibly used it to try and deflect the impact of the hurtful words being shouted at us from the neighborhood bully, or as we age, from a boss who must have forgotten the third grade lesson on respecting others.

Words are extremely important in our lives. They are how we communicate with friends, family, business associates, or even enemies. And in this internet age, the written word has become even more important in keeping in touch with current events or people around the world.

There are two outcomes when we speak with others: we either build them up or tear them down. Which one will you choose? One of my favorite bible verses, Proverbs 25:11 (NIV) says: "A word aptly spoken, is like apples of gold in setting of silver." God values words spoken in encouragement and honesty.

I received an unexpected email today containing four words. An encouragement, a delight, a corner stone to help me through the day and to continue to toil on even when the road seems full of brush. Did this person have any idea of the impact of his four tiny words? Probably not. But that is the pure, simplistic beauty of it. God will do more than you can imagine with a mere "good job", "atta boy", or "I'm proud of you" than you ever thought possible. Let God use your mouth to spread His love, and watch as lives are changed, and brush is cleared.

Challenge for today (the boomerang effect): Let not your tongue spew evilness, but use it to lift others up and encourage them in their walk. And I just bet you will blessed in return.

On our Own

You are teaching your child to ride a bike and the first time you let go, you see him teetering precariously and you desperately want to run after him, to make sure he doesn't fall off and hurt himself. But something holds you back. Innately, you know he has to learn to ride the bike on his own. Your hand cannot be on the back of the seat for his entire life, despite being a champion marathon runner. Personally, I would make it a block and then have to bribe my kid with ice cream to go back inside. Give me a break...it's hot in the summer!

Have you ever seen a friend or loved one make a huge mistake? Perhaps you've seen your best friend stay in an unhealthy relationship or you see your child tempted to drink at a high school party. All of us are well aware of temptation and the desires we have to do sinful acts. None of us are immune, and at some point we will all succumb.

I believe that for every sinful act we commit, there will be consequences. (i.e. we reap what we sow) I've often wondered what it would be like if we could suffer the consequences of someone else's sin. What parent wouldn't take the pain of their child's scraped knee? What husband wouldn't take the blame for something he led the family to do? Why doesn't the person who tempts us to commit the sin get double the consequences?

But Deuteronomy 24:16 (KJV) says: "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin".

There we have it. End of discussion. It is up to us, individually, to choose what activities we partake in. No matter how hard the temptation was, or what the motivation behind the act was, we will not escape the consequences.

My advice? Have band-aids, disinfectant, and a loving kiss ready at all times. We all will fall off the bike and need some help back up.

Saying No

When is it okay to say no? How do you know if you are being selfish or unkind? When is it okay to put your needs in front of others? As women, we continuously give of ourselves to our families, friends, careers, volunteer organizations, church, etc. But there are times when we just have to draw the line, right? Are people pleasers the only ones who deal with these type of questions?

Today, my case manager for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program called today to both set up my three month evaluation and to make sure I was putting together a team for the bowlathon. First of all, I abhor bowling. I love recreation and sporting activities, but I just do not find bowling enjoyable. I would also have to recruit four other people who would be willing to raise a bunch of money (another of my least favorite activities). I have a conference coming up that is very important to me as well as a business to run and all of my other personal obligations to meet. Excuses, I know. But do all of those go on the back burner to meet someone elses needs? What does God want me to do?

Am I a bad person if I don't put together a team? Probably. Should I put together a team? Probably. Am I letting others down if I don't? Probably. But I can't make everyone happy. For once, I think this people pleaser is going to have to say no.

Big Sister

I recently made some major changes in my life. For one, I became a Big Sister. As in, part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. I am single, with no children. None of my siblings have children and I'm the last person any of my friend's would call to babysit. New mothers cringe when I come bearing gifts to the hospital...praying I don't ask to hold their precious newborn. Come on...even children illiterate people like me don't drop babies...often. :)

So now I find myself in charge of an 8-year old girl, I'll call Angel. Don't take that literally. Since it's my first post, I suppose I best warn you that I can be a bit sarcastic. It's up to you to figure out when. This is our third month together (Angel and myself, not me and you) and I usually have her for a few hours a week, so I am starting to get to know her pretty well.

Tonight, however, was a first. The first time in my life where I have been the one in charge of the crying, obnoxious, peace stealing child who ruins everyones experience at the store, leaving more than a few with a migraine. Yes, Angel threw a temper tantrum in the middle of the Dollar Store because I would not buy her some hideous squishy elephant whose plastic skin gave me the heebee jeebies. Normally, I would be the one in the book section giving dirty looks to the parent unable to control their child, or rolling my eyes at the other shoppers looking around for the culprit. Not to mention making promises to myself that my children will never act like that.

Trust me, I would have put down the $1.07 to get her to shut up, but I had previously promised her grandmother I wouldn't buy her anything, until Angel's therapist cleared the road. (ie she got in trouble and had all her toys taken away) Grandmother's wrath vs Angel' tears...tough one.

Thoughts:
#1: Do 8 year olds really still cry and pout in stores? I thought that ended after the terrible two's?
#2: Is there anyone close by that I can pretend she is with instead of me?
#3: Where is the nearest exit?

Needless to say, I grabbed her hand and took her to my car immediately, amidst promises that I would never take her shopping again. I let her pout back to my house (about a 6 minute drive) then told her that I thought spending time together was more important than buying a squishy elephant. And that all of other times together had been a blast, whether or not we had spent any money. I didn't know if she was buying it or not, so I said, let's skip down the street. By the time we returned to my house, she was all smiles again. And we enjoyed the rest of the evening.

To all you mom's out there...especially the single parents...if I was wearing a hat...it would be taken off to you. I experience two hours of your craziness a week, but now enjoy all the other 166 all the more.

And for any of you adults in a bad mood. Try skipping down the street, hand in hand with a child (borrow one if you have to). It works wonders.