Celebrate!!!!

Yes. It's really true. Today is National Candy Corn day. Grab a handful and. . . celebrate!!!

(And for all you moms out there, tomorrow isn't just that holiday we wish would go away, it's another one we don't even know about: National Knock-Knock Jokes Day. P.S. Don't tell the kids. Cause if you do, it'll be a very long day.)

Overheard

"Do you have dizzy smells?"

T. age 5 

True Woman 08'

I've been contemplating this blog post all week. My mind has replayed parts of the conference. I've wondered how to put into words the deep things God started in my heart. I've pondered the amazing goodness of God to allow me to be part of this "counter cultural movement" among Godly women.

October 9 began extremely early for me. 3 am to be exact. Actually it started earlier. But I really don't know the time because I honestly didn't get much sleep that night. A sweet friend from church came to "sit" with the still-sleeping Hobb(it)s. Daniel and I left for the airport at 3:40 am. My flight left State College at 6 am. A friend today asked if I had the red-eye flight. For me it WAS the red-eye. 

My friend Danelle Alexander met me at O'hare and we made our way to the hotel. We had the privilege of staying with friends at the Renaissance Hotel which was part of the Conference Center where True Woman 08' was held. When we went to check in at the hotel they informed us that we would have a room with a king sized bed and a roll away cot. For 5 people. 

We informed them that that was simply unacceptable. They offered us a "hospitality suite". Basically it was the living room between two "normal" rooms. Therefore it was a room with no bed. Yes, that's what I said. No bed. Just many couches. One of the couches made into a bed and they brought us two roll away beds. The extra person slept on the couch in the picture below. Fortunately there was a bathroom with a shower. And we received an added benefit of a teeny refrigerator and microwave! We joked all weekend about getting the room with the crazy couches. 

True Woman 08' was sponsored by Revive our Hearts and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. But it also included an incredible line-up of speakers including John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Janet Parshall, Mary Kassian, Karen Loritts, and others. 

Probably the session that ministered to me the most was Mary Kassian's session about how the feminist ideology has infiltrated even the church. I really didn't know much "feminist" history, but Mary explained it all so well and so clearly. 

God allowed me to see some of the lies I've believed regarding my role to play as a woman. And as a woman of God. 

Another highlight was meeting Keith and Kristyn Getty, singer/hymnwriter couple from Ireland. They led the worship for the conference. 

The climax of the weekend was the signing of the True Woman Manifesto, "a personal and corporate declaration of belief, consecration, and prayerful intent—to the end that Christ may be exalted and the glory and redeeming love of God may be displayed throughout the whole earth." 

The conference ended Saturday at 12:15 pm. My flight didn't leave until 6 pm, so I had several hours to wait. I was rather dreading it, but God turned it into a huge blessing. I had all those hours to read and remember and think and process and pray. Mmm. The goodness of God!

Our little Northwest Airlink jet touched down at the airport in State College at 10:30 pm. What a joy it was to be greeted by my family!! Complete with snacks!

Going away is nice. Coming home is nicer. God brought so much refreshment to my spirit. I felt like I was coming home a new woman. 

Well, there it is. I feel as if I've done a miserable job trying to convey the things going on in my heart. Maybe it's better left unsaid. 

And if you're interested in listening to any of the conference sessions visit truewoman.com and click the "events" tab at the top of the page. At that page you can either listen to the sessions or purchase them on DVD or CD. 

Conference friends. . . 

a bedtime conversation

The scene: Tobin and Tristen (age 5 and 3) have been freshly bathed and put to bed. Mama is tucking them in. 

Tristen: "I'm thirsty."

Mama: "Honey, you can't drink any more water tonight or you'll pee in your bed."

Tobin (from the top bunk): "And if you pee in your underwear you'll get radishes between your legs."

So maybe I'd better explain.

During the hot summer I had smallish children who put off visiting the bathroom for as long as possible. This foolishness resulted in many an accident. Which resulted in chaffing on their poor little legs since they didn't bother to tell Mama about the accident since playing outside was far more important than one little accident and changing clothes in the middle of the day. 

Surely none of your angels have ever done this.

Anyway, poor Tobin was greatly confused with the English language. The "rashes" on his legs somehow morphed into "radishes". 

May all your "radishes" be in your garden. And NOT on your legs. 

hApPy tuEsDaY!!!!

I refuse to be shamed by stones.

My Scripture reading has recently taken me to the book of Revelation. 

I love it. I soak in it. I rejoice in it. I long to see the hidden and deep meanings that have been pondered by many. I wish to hear it as John heard it. 

And this time reading through I was amazed by the fact that it seems God created certain "creatures" to give Him glory. I mean, that's their job. It's what they were created to do. They really don't "do" much of anything else. Hang around the throne and bow down and give honor and glory to God. 

And then I reached chapter 5 and read this:

And they sang a new song with these words:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and break its seals and open it.
For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
And you have caused them to become God’s kingdom and his priests.
And they will reign on the earth.”
Then I looked again, and I heard the singing of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:
“The Lamb is worthy—the Lamb who was killed.
He is worthy to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing.”
And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They also sang:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
belong to the one sitting on the throne
and to the Lamb forever and ever.”
And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped God and the Lamb. 

Revelation 5:9-14

My heart soared! I want to be in that "crowd"! The privilege of ascribing greatness to the God of the universe. The Creator of everything. The God Who knows my name. The God Who knit me together in my mother's womb. The God Who knows my address. He sees where I live. He knows the thoughts and intents of my heart. He sees all my secret dreams and desires. He is my personal and intimate God. He knows all my strengths and weaknesses. And yet He loves me. He wants me in that crowd. He wants my praises. He wants me to live for His Glory. He wants me to know that it's all about Him.

Then the Spirit reminded me of another Scripture:

Then the crowds spread out their coats on the road ahead of Jesus. As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.
“Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!”
But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

Luke 19:36-40

I don't want to begin my praise to God on my first day in Heaven. I want it to be something I do constantly here on the earth so that on my first day in Heaven it's only a continuation of how I've lived my whole live up to that point. No new learning curves. No wondering why I hadn't done it before. Only the joy of doing it face-to-face. 

Today I am a God-follower. Today I am a wife and mother. Today my shoulder is in pain. Today I am uncertain of what tomorrow holds. Today I cannot see my future. Today I feel inadequate for the tasks I'm responsible to complete. 

These things do not change Who God is. He is still worthy of praise. He is still the God of Glory. He is a God of goodness and mercy and justice and love.

I'm not giving the stones a chance. I refuse to be shamed by stones.

Care to join me?

Sweetness for Monday

Happiness is like a kiss - it feels best when you give it to someone else. 

Author Unknown

peace

This is a picture I created for a friend.

It reads. . .

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of cringing and fawning fear), 

but [He has given us a spirit] of. . . 

POWER

(the Holy Spirit is our power)

and of

LOVE


(God the Father is love)

and of 

CALM and WELL-BALANCED MIND

(Jesus is our peace. It is through Him that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds.)

II Timothy 1:7

“Fear is the absence of faith.”