I don't in any way condone MTV and the things that they promote. That is not my position for writing this post. With that said, my sister told me about this show that MTV had done called 16 and pregnant. I have not seen the other episodes but I was finally able to catch the last 20 minutes of one of the episodes. I did not know their story. I came in where they were giving birth to the daughter they had chosen to give up.
For a few heart wrenching moments there teenagers agonize over the decision they made for their child to have a better life. It is painful to watch, I can not even BEGIN to imagine the intensity to live it.
In this particular episode, Catelynn and Tyler are 17 at the oldest. They did not make the right choices and it resulted in pregnancy. They chose, in maturity that was huge, to give their child up for adoption. A couple adopted their baby girl.
As I watched it dawned on me how brave these mothers are. Your immediate reaction is for the children and the life they will have and if you know me these kids have my heart. But for this mother to hand her child to, in essence, strangers and trust them with this life that she has carried for nine months is HUGE! There are several people near and dear to my heart that if it not for these ladies, I would not have the pleasure of knowing.
My heart goes out to these women who are choosing life for their children.
Mark Shultz recently put out a song telling of this very thing. He too was given up for adoption and now looking back wants to thank his birth mother for the sacrifice she made. Make sure you turn off my playlist.
Again, if you know me, you know I don't get "emotional..." all that much. But, believe me when I say that I was crying like a baby as these teenagers handed their daughter to her parents.
11.30.2009
11.29.2009
Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving!
We celebrated this year with 25 people in our house! It is always crazy having that many but it brings with it lots to be thankful for!
My parents decided to fry the Turkey this year! Much to their pleasure it was tasty. It was not bad. =) Yes, I just admitted it! Reference next picture: I did not want to do it! 
In it goes! 
So sweet moment! 
I love them! 
The finished product... 
Another war story, I am sure! Sweet memories being made, I am certain!
This is the closest we have come to having all of the cousins on my mom's side of the family in 6 years. We were still missing 1, but that's pretty good for over half of us being adults now! 
11.26.2009
The giving of thanks
1 Chronicles 29:13
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
Ezra 3:11
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD : "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
Ezra 3:11
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD : "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
11.21.2009
follow You
Leeland's new song has been played out on the radio stations here. It is not a bad song, it is just getting to the point of too much.
But, I love the words.
You lived among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.
All my needs you have supplied.
When I was dead you gave me life.
How could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
Use my hands, use my feet
To make your kingdom come
Through the corners of the earth
Until your work is done'
Cause Faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was shed
So how could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
I give all myself.I give all myself
I give all myself... to you.
And I give all myself.
Yes, I give all myself.
And I give all myself... to you.
And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.
I have loved taking many trips following God to many places in the states and in Central and South America as well as here where I live. At random I find myself thinking about the many people I came across and wonder where they are. Let me take you on a trip for a minute...a trip that is, on the trips God has taken me.
For 3 years I went on spring trips to Maryland. Spending the days canvasing some of Baltimore's roughest streets and ministering with the local churches.
One summer I spent in New Jersey ministering to the teens at a local teen center, doing back yard Bible clubs, and loving on the kids at boys and girls like-clubs all over the cities of New Brunswick and North Brunswick.
In 2007 I spent 10 days in Hermosillo, Mexico. I spent 4 days prayer walking and distributing Gospels of John throughout the city. I met several amazing people and God grew me so much.
2008 was my home year. We stayed here to minister and love on the community. We held a week long summer camp offering several tracks (my track was all about girls! The pictures speak for themselves) while delivering the message of the Gospel to some who had never heard.
3 months ago I visited a place that has not left my heart! My prayer before I left on the trip was that God would break my heart for what broke His. He developed in me a love for those people that I never would have expected. I don't easily feel attached to people and for me to spend a matter of days with them and miss them is odd.
Anyway, me and a team of 15 from my church spent 9 days in the mountains of Peru continuing the ministry my church has started among the people in San Jose de Quero and Usibamba.
I love when God takes me...I am learning to love when God leaves me too. It is harder for me to see what I am doing for Him in my every day life. When I think about it I can find several ways to make Him more famous right where I am without stepping one foot outside of my yard. I don't know where God will take me next. It may be here or away. Where ever it may be I can't wait to see how He will work!
11.20.2009
It's a start
I love to blog and have been doing it for several years on a private blog. I loved to blog that I wanted to do it in a way that I could share it with others.
To begin, I am not the person I saw myself being when I was a kid. In some ways and on most days I still feel like a kid. Growing up was hard to do. My senior year in high school I did not have a "plan." God was so good and knew what I needed. He had given me 2 wonderful and supportive parents who, (BTW, struggled through 4 years of high school with me trying to get all my college bound credits) encouraged me away from furthering my education beyond my high school diploma. I never had a peace about it. Grand ideas really didn't matter when in reality God had been prompting me to stay away from it. I don't believe God said never, just not then.
So back to the first thought...yes, I ramble! =)...I am not in a place that I never thought I would be. Not because I didn't like the elements of my position. Or because it goes against every grain of my being. Just simply because I never thought of it. I am a nanny. To some that does not even sound like a real job...i don't wanna hear it! I am also my church's preschool coordinator...again some might think, does this chick even work? But, let me tell you! Forms to be filled out...or made, schedules to be written up, sitters to find, meetings to attend, feed the hungry toddler, oh yeah, he takes a nap, make signs, take down signs, catch the baby going up the stairs, make phone calls, and attempt to keep my sanity!
Really it is not that bad! I love what I do! I am learning so much about being organized and disciplined to do things I need to do! God has been faithful thus far. He has brought me to where I am and I have not doubt He will take me where He wants me next! Along the way I am learning to be obedient and taking every step even if I don't understand all that goes along with it!
To begin, I am not the person I saw myself being when I was a kid. In some ways and on most days I still feel like a kid. Growing up was hard to do. My senior year in high school I did not have a "plan." God was so good and knew what I needed. He had given me 2 wonderful and supportive parents who, (BTW, struggled through 4 years of high school with me trying to get all my college bound credits) encouraged me away from furthering my education beyond my high school diploma. I never had a peace about it. Grand ideas really didn't matter when in reality God had been prompting me to stay away from it. I don't believe God said never, just not then.
So back to the first thought...yes, I ramble! =)...I am not in a place that I never thought I would be. Not because I didn't like the elements of my position. Or because it goes against every grain of my being. Just simply because I never thought of it. I am a nanny. To some that does not even sound like a real job...i don't wanna hear it! I am also my church's preschool coordinator...again some might think, does this chick even work? But, let me tell you! Forms to be filled out...or made, schedules to be written up, sitters to find, meetings to attend, feed the hungry toddler, oh yeah, he takes a nap, make signs, take down signs, catch the baby going up the stairs, make phone calls, and attempt to keep my sanity!
Really it is not that bad! I love what I do! I am learning so much about being organized and disciplined to do things I need to do! God has been faithful thus far. He has brought me to where I am and I have not doubt He will take me where He wants me next! Along the way I am learning to be obedient and taking every step even if I don't understand all that goes along with it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)