Tune in April 8th to the Her Freedom Show

Please tune in to the Her Freedom radio show next Wednesday, April 8th, 9am mountain time at Castle Rock Radio.com. This is the same internet radio show I shared my abortion recovery on back in February. However, this time Janna Kazsa and I will be hosting the show together. We will be interviewing Norma McCorvey, the former "Roe" of Roe vs. Wade. If you don't know McCorvey's story, she is now a Christian and a pro-life advocate. She has quite a story.

I'm so excited to be a part of this show. It lines up with passion to speak out about abortion and for life! I hope you will tune in. Please feel free to share this with others. The broadcast will also be archived if you can't listen online live.

Please pray for Norma, the listeners, and Janna and me. Also there's a slight chance I may be hosting the show myself. Janna's expecting her first baby and her due date is April 10th. I told her I'd do either to help out, cohost or host. Boy, I'm putting myself out there. Lord, help me. I'm clueless, but You aren't.

May God continue to use our messes to bring forth His message!

There's life after death.

Let It Snow!

This woodpecker figured out how to twist his neck just right to get a bite to eat! LOL I use this guard to keep the big black birds from eating all my seed.




This is so funny. My kids are so willing to follow my lead. I told them to we had to hurry and come catch some snowflakes on our tongues. These are gullible hams for sure! Especially Justin!




I know there is NO safety net on our trampoline. It ripped off during the high winds and we have yet to tear the whole thing down.






What fun we had watching the snow come down yesterday! We've had no real snow accumulation all season! No snow days off from school. No moisture to speak of. So this was a real treat! Now we are back to the sunshine like usual. Yeah!

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7(NIV)

Parenting My Kids

Aren't these two something?

I love my two kids with all my heart!

And yet I tremble when I think of the task of training them to know and love God. I'm better at sharing my faith with my dear friends or writing on my blog. I just feel so weak and unqualified. I'm an encourager at heart, not a Bible teacher. I can't remember the stories of the Word, but I can remember the practical applications. Thankfully!

Raising kids is hard. My failures are no secret. Especially when my kids were younger and I was still knee deep in my own woundedness. Wow, I wasn't a happy mommy. They felt it.

My kids see me as is.
In the morning without my coffee.
At night when all I want is shut down and sleep.
They see me high and low.
Joyful and sad.
Angry and glad.
Laughing and crying.
They see the real me.
As is.

And that idea used to cripple and depress me. But not today. The enemy has stolen my joy for far too long. I'm learning to lean on God more and more. To live in the moment. With my weaknesses still there. This is where God wants me, running to Him for rescue and strength. I'm designed to need Him. Every hour, everyday. I can't parent without Him. What relief!

So I ask God for His grace and wisdom to live out my faith right here at home. With joy and passion and a light heart! During the everyday, ordinary grind! Especially now during spring break while my kids are home all day.

I have a choice. Today I choose life! I want to enjoy my kids while they are still under my care. And the fun part about today is we are expecting our first real snow. A blizzard even. Maybe over 10 inches in a few hours. So far, nothing. Sunshine even comes off and on. Strange. So we wait with expectant hearts. Watching the snow come down is such fun when you don't have to go anywhere.

Bring it on, Lord! My camera is ready!

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"Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD." Psalm 34:11(NIV)

This Makes Me Laugh- Hula Hoop Baby

(PLEASE PAUSE MY MUSIC PLAYER)

Have a hula hoop kind of day! This is true freedom. Not caring about what others think! Just cutting loose and having fun!

Originally saw this at Piles of Smiles blog. Loved it. Watched it a few times. Today I found it on Youtube for your entertainment.

She Speaks Scholarship Contest

It's that time of year again, ladies! The She Speaks Conference is fast approaching. It's July 31st through August 2nd in Concord, North Carolina. And once again, Lysa TerKeurst and her team are giving away a scholarship valued at $550. How sweet!

And since I love to write, blog and speak, I thought I'd promote this conference and try to win this scholarship.

Why do I want to go to She Speaks? Let me count the ways...

1. I've been blogging for 4 years(long time in the blogging world)and I have yet to meet another blogger other than my local friends. I dream of meeting face to face the precious sisters who've encouraged and prayed for me over the years. Last year after She Speaks, I read many blog posts and saw pics of bloggers who got to meet. Of course, I was thrilled for them! But inside I was also kicking and screaming, "No fair!"

2. I'm a newer public speaker and I haven't had any professional training yet. I'd love to learn more about to how to communicate effectively to an audience. This conference offers a track for speakers. She Speaks is calling my name two years in a row now.

3. I've never been to North Carolina! And one of my dreams is to visit every state in the US. What a gift being able to visit North Carolina would be. I wonder if everyone there has an accent? Duh! I really don't know.

4. I love the idea of going somewhere I've never been to gather with like minded women to gather to praise God and learn from keynote/workshop speakers. I imagine making new friendships. One can never have enough friends, can they?! At a writer's conference six years ago, I met two women who still today are some of my dearest friends.

5. One of my passions is to encourage women. In a conference this size, I imagine there will be some ladies who feel insecure, out of place, or alone. I'm a greeter at heart! Always looking to acknowledge the forgotten. I would love to be able to pray and encourage that special person, two or three. No one should ever feel alone at a conference!

6. I'm in a place of wondering what God wants me to do with my writing skills. At the beginning of 2009, I pulled away from my freelance opportunities and critique and business support. That was painful but freeing. I miss my friends. But I was too burnt out to keep going! However, I still love words and I believe God wants me to continue using my voice. This conference could be just what I need to refuel my passion and redirect my ministry. I haven't been released from the call of communication! I love to help others find freedom and experience God's love deeper.

7. Obviously money is a factor. I didn't go last year because of my budget, and this year is no different. A She Speaks scholarship would be a huge God sized gift and an answer to my prayers.

Okay, I'm done begging now! 7 is a perfect number, right? No need to add to this list. Time to rest in God's choice.

Ultimately, I want God to handpick the woman He knows will benefit the most from this conference. Her name is already known to Him! His plan will soon be revealed.

Not my will Lord, but yours.

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Want to try to win this scholarship? Here's the scoop. Visit Lysa TerKuerst's blog. Hurry, the deadline ends this Friday, March 29th.

1st Video by Tea with Tiffany

Here I am on video, trying something new thanks to Marsha at Marsha's Musings for bravely leading the way. (Thanks, Marsha for your purity video.) I've wanted to add my own homemade videos for at least a year, ever since I saw a couple bloggers have them, but fear and not knowing how stopped me. Tada, I figured it out. I even cut out the beginning and end when I got up to push the start and stop button. LOL Anyway, I hope you enjoy my devotional thought for today.

PS This was quite humorous trying to pretend you were in front of me. It's hard talking to a camera, sitting on a chair with a laundry basket upside down on top! I felt goofy and awkward..And the sad part is my camera fell and my lens is not happy. It makes the strangest sound as I zoom in and out. UGH!


(PLEASE PAUSE MY MUSIC PLAYER!)


A challenge for all bloggers! Please let me know if you are willing to add your own video for your blog. Pretty please! Even if it's just a quick hi! I'd love to see all my bloggy friends this way. Videos add what a picture cannot. 3-D effect and a voice.

Question for you: Would you like to me to add videos on my blog on a regular basis? Of course, I will always write posts too. I'm praying for wisdom about adding this to my ministry.

Calling All Dreamers

(I am reposting this post for a blogging friend of mine, Laura at The Wellblog. After reading this post of hers, I thought I would share my dreaming thoughts again. Laura, it's okay to dream!

This is a repost from 2005. Yes, I've been blogging for 4 years. Call me word crazy! Here we go:)

Yesterday at a friend’s house for a fall brunch, I sat and ate with five women I didn’t know. With a list of icebreaker questions we kept the conversation going. What is one of your dreams? Elaborate.
I blurted out, “I have lots of dreams. I want to go on a mission’s trip, learn a second language, learn to play an instrument, and open up a coffee house for teens/twenties."

I didn’t mention these dreams:

Write a book. (I have four ideas.)
Go on a week’s vacation with my husband to Alaska or somewhere tropical. (We never had a honeymoon. We eloped in Las Vegas.)
Visit every state in the US. (To see the diversity of our country.)
Go on a mission’s trip with my family. (To experience serving others as a family)
Visit the Holy Land.
Host a foreign exchange student.
Volunteer at the Special Olympics.

I could add more, but I won’t bore you.

Out of the six of us, only one other gal shared saying, “I know this is a kid thing, but I'd like to swim with dolphins someday.”

“You don’t have to be a kid to swim with dolphins," I said.

The other ladies couldn’t think of anything.

Not one thing.

I felt naked sharing my dreams with strangers. Yet it felt good. Maybe my sharing inspired one of them to dream again.

Why don’t we dream anymore? Is dreaming something only kids do? I feel sad for people without a dream. My guess is everyone has at least one.

Where have all the dreamers gone?

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson is a great book about dreaming. I believe God gave us all a dream. But for some reason, we think we’re too old, or our dream is silly or too big. So we discredit it. We hide it and pretend it’s not there. We’re ashamed to share the secret dream of our hearts. Why?

I’m heartbroken by this. Some people are naturally the "dreamer type" more than others. But let’s face it, we all dream. I want to know why we let our dreams die.

Last week, I saw the movie The Dreamer. Loved it. Cried too, of course. I relate to the girl with the horse. I’m a dreamer.

I dream of making a difference, helping the helpless, experiencing all of God’s creation, and trying and learning new things. I'm hopeful.

Last year, my family and I attended our neighbor’s graduation. He was about 40, married with children, graduating from tech school. I loved watching him receive his diploma. I cried watching a man in his 70’s walk on stage to receive his. He never gave up on his dream. Wow!

What if one of our dreams is actually a desire God gave us, one He wants us accomplish in our lifetime?

Let’s not ignore our dreams, big or small. Let’s start dreaming again. Dream for the fun of it. Write it down. Dream huge. Then take baby steps towards achieving it each day. And watch it become a reality.

Our God is able. His dreams for us are bigger than we could ever hope or imagine.

Without dreamers, we wouldn’t have the light bulb, telephones, computers, airplanes, electricity, Peanut M&M's, potato chips, a pen, a pillow, a hairbrush, or an eyelash curler. We need dreamers.

Dreams start as seeds. Seeds grow with proper care slowly over time. Maybe this reminder is just what you need. Dreams aren’t just for kids. And if you think they are, remember who you are. A child of God. Be that kid again and . . . dream!

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PS Derek and I went to Alaska in 2006! Thank you, Lord, for letting a dream of mine come true. I still have some of the same dreams from 2005, but some are no longer up there on my dream list. They've been replaced with new dreams!!

Mom, Look!

Hannah and I were driving to the doctor's after school when all of a sudden she shouted, "Mom, look there's a giraffe." Why would there be a giraffe in Colorado Springs? I looked for a bumper sticker, sign, something. I saw nothing.

"Where?"

"Right there." After a moment of watching me look around, she added, "In the sky."

Wow, now I see! I grabbed my camera from my purse and Hannah quickly snapped these two shots.



I love the skies. Isn't God an amazing artist?

Lord, help us not just go through our days. Help us notice your wonders. Open up our eyes and ears and hearts to know You more.

A Post from B His Girl Blog

I've been given the privilege of reposting this post from my new blogging friend, Barbara Keene at Be His Girl. I cried reading this post. First of all, turtles speak to my heart. So do mosaics. My book on shame(on hold currently) starts out with my personal turtle story. B had no idea what these words would mean to me. I am overwhelmed that God connected me with B. We see life through a similar lens. Please enjoy this post from last year, October 28, 2008. And stop by and visit B on Tuesdays for her Turtle Tuesday posts or any other day for inspiration.

This Tiffany turtle isn't just for me. It's for everyone!


"Meet B and her friend Tiffany, the turtle.

Turtle Tuesday is a little different today. I usually feature a turtle from my collection however, I do not own Tiffany, the turtle. I saw her picture in a magazine. This turtle is inspired by the legacy of Louis Comfort Tiffany, an artist best known for his work in stained glass and mosaics.

B got all choked up when she saw this turtle. She had to tear the picture from the magazine. You may think B is crazy! Why would she cry over a turtle picture? There has to b more to this turtle story than you can see with the natural eye.

THIS TURTLE HAD A MESSAGE For B. Here is what washed over B's heart the moment she saw this turtle. Tiffany is looking at Bee and smiling. "Everything is Beautiful" is the song she sings. B recalled the lesson from her mosaic cross on the post below. He makes everything beautiful in its time. (Eccl 3:11) Coincidence? B did not think so.

B looked up the meaning of the name Tiffany. In the Greek, it means Manifestation of God. B felt His Presence in this picture. The Lord, the real master of all 'stained' glass, wanted B to see His smile and know His love for her.

That is how Jesus sees you too...through eyes of love! You are a beautiful piece of His workmanship. Read His words to you. Plant them in your heart.

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great
delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you
with singing Zep. 3:17

B His Girl"

Thank you, B, for being available to hear the voice of God and then write and speak them. You've touched my life. I thank God for you!

Backyard Wonders

I spent some time in my backyard yesterday capturing nature and textures with my camera. I had the best time listening to song birds in my fuzzy pajamas. Spring is here. One of my dreams is to use my pictures to bless others. Share beauty with them somehow, some way. Someday I hope to take a photography class and get a better camera. This one is definitely decent but not professional by any means. I'd love to be able to create a book with words of encouragement and beautiful images. I'm clueless as to what is involved with that. Only God knows if that is something I should do or not. Right now I can't discern the way. I just love to take pictures. They make me happy! I hope they will make you smile too!

Here's a glimpse of what I saw. There are over 100 more of these. So many different wonders in my small backyard. God is amazing. His creation makes me worship Him all the more.






Found a heart in my bricks!









Looks like an eye in my aspen!

What Brings Me Joy and Greater Freedom

(taken on vacation last November)

Lately I'm more alive than I have been in all my life. This is no joke. It's something I cannot contain. I want to dance around and pour love on every hurting heart! I want everyone to know life can be lived to the full as John 10:10 says. I thought I'd share a few things that are helping me live with greater joy!

1. Not comparing. For most of my life, I've spent useless energy trying to be those that I admire. I'd look at their success and dream of mine. I'd fall short! The truth is we are all unique and comparing is a life sucker. Lately, I've been denying these thoughts from making themselves at home in my mind. I ask God to ship them out. Not always, but when I do, I am better off.

2. Give up trying to figure out my future or the past. Wow, this one is HUGE for me. I'm a deep thinker. Analytical by nature. I want answers to why bad things happened to me. I want to know what comes next. I want to control. Because of this, I like to process things repeatedly to the point of torture. Now, processing can be good to a point. But for me to live with a greater freedom, I must not think long about the "what if's" or "why me's." The key for me is trusting God! He knows. I don't NEED to know, do I? That brings me rest! I can live today! I will never fully figure out my yesterdays or my tomorrows. In the end when I meet Him face to face, I doubt this short life and my questions will matter. Instead, I will fall face down in worship, thanking and praising God.

3. Quit trying to change others. Learning to accept others "as is" is another gift. When I try to manipulate or change those I love, I spin like a washing machine. I drive myself loony. Letting God have them is revolutionary. Again, a trust issue. Sometimes easier said than done, but so freeing!

4. Focusing on gratitude. This is amazing! I love to talk to God about all the good in my life and in our ugly world. I look for beauty on purpose. I start my day thanking God for another day! I see each day as a privilege. I get another day to live and love. Life is hard as we all know. Especially lately. Darkness hovers over our media. I believe it's so important to have a constant stream of thanks going up to God through our attitudes, songs, words, and actions. When we do, God receives our thanks and we feel His reward: MORE joy! More gratitude!

5. Spending time praying Scripture out loud. Spiritual warfare. Arming myself with the truth and hearing it again and again. I have battles every week, fears hits me hard and tries to steal my joy! I'm learning how to fight fire with Holy fire. I put on music loud, I dance, I say verses over and over again until I feel a release, a lift. Sure, it's work, but I find peace eventually by saying "no" to the enemy's arrows and "yes" to God's love letter!

Okay, there's another post for this week! I hope these thoughts encourage you! I'd love to know what brings YOU greater joy and freedom! Please share.

I'm sure I'll be back real soon. I can't help myself. I could sit here all day and dump more and more words for people to read, but I have to get my house in order. It was a full week for me! :)

HUGS!

The Reward of Living by Design

WOW! I'm on a high! Living out my purpose feels great! I'm filled to overflowing!

Wanted to update you about my MOPS(Mothers of Preschoolers)talk this morning. Thank you for your prayers. God answered them. But first I had to press through the battle. I was so sick this morning. So full of nerves. Wanting to say forget it. I didn't know if I could share, all I wanted to do was lay down. I felt weak and sick to my stomach. My back ached. Anyway, I prayed and surrendered my day to God as I put on my makeup(my happy face)! As the meeting time approached, I felt a little lift. By the time I got there, I thought, "Ready or not, here I am." No turning back now.

My talk encouraged women/moms to be their God given self, not "one size fits all." I challenged them to consider what their gifts and interests are. Reminding them that life is a discovery process of learning who God made us to be. I also challenged them to start saying yes to some things and no to others. Being good to self is a good thing! Others benefit! We looked at a few lies and then focused in on truth. And as always, I used word pictures and props to make my points: laundry baskets and a blanket/robe. My goal was to free each mom up to be unique and not to buy into the world's pressures to do and be MORE.

When I finished, I heard lots of positive feedback. I sat in on one small group Q&A time. There were about 50 women total. They all seemed to get it. Yeah! I am so thankful to God for given me the opportunity to be a voice of encouragement. Sure the prep work was hard and stressful for me--the procrastinator. But the reward is worth it! JOY! This is why I live!

"Here I am, Lord. Send me."

Il Divo's Amazing Grace

Il Divo's Amazing Grace

An amazingly beautiful start to my day! Wanted to share with you, especially if you haven't seen video yet. To get the full effect, please watch all 4 plus minutes of it.

Everything That Has Breath

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD. Psalm 150:6 (NIV)



















Boy, just looking at my pics got me in a better head space to continue carving out my MOPS talk for Thursday! Not ready yet. I'm good at procrastinating. :)

God is amazing, isn't He?! I could post so many more pics of His creatures but this is a good glimpse for today! Have a wonderful day! I love you all!


**** PS As I prayed last night for Hannah, she kept looking all around my face, at my bangs, at the sides of my hair and then back again. I finally said, "Why are you checking out my hair?" Did I look that weird? Bad mom hair day? She answered, "I was trying to count your hair, but it was too hard." Gotta love her! She knows that God knows the number of hairs on our head. Matthew 10:30, Luke 12:7***

We are His Sheep

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28(NIV).


Took these pictures last September while watching a sheep herding dog competition. There were SO many spiritual truths I saw. Here's just a few. The enemy chasing them. The sheep stayed together for strength in numbers. And the sheep eventually finding safety! God is our Good Shepherd. His rod and staff comfort us. (Psalm 23:4) He watches over His sheep always! Even when the enemy prowls nearby!

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(Thank you all for your sweet comments about my Ivy story. I appreciate all your love! Sorry I haven't made it by blogs this week. I've been preparing a talk for a MOPS group next week. Please pray for God to use my message to help moms learn to become all that God made them to be! I'm passionate to get women to accept themselves(and not try to be like everyone else)and then live with personality, purpose and passion!)