I Shall Not Want

To want: (verb) to lack, have decrease, have need

Shepherd: (noun) Yahweh - Supreme God, herdsman

(verb) to tend, to pasture,

There is nothing I need that His hand will not provide. It's the things I want and don't get that put me in a bad place.

So what is it about "The Lord is my Shepherd" that I refuse to grasp?

Instead I wallow around in my hurt. I swim in self pity and dance in the ballroom of

of deception. Buying the lies that I need things that I really only want.

Sometimes I'm desperate in my wanting.

Believing that I cannot live unless I have. Oh Father, show me the difference.

I shared the words to a song once before but I think part of it bears repeating:

When my life is not what I expected

The plans I made have failed

When there's nothing left to steal me away

Will You be enough for me?

Will my broken heart still sing?

I want Him to be enough. I want to put all my wants in the "wants basket" and just give them to Him. Knowing He already gives from the "needs basket". But I'm a selfish child with my hands behind my back refusing Him because it isn't the exact thing I desire.

Why can't I wait for things?

Be content?

Not worry?

Deny myself?

Why can't I just trust the Shepherd Who tends to me? Who will only do what's best for me?

I love the part of the definition of Shepherd to "tend". Tenderness. Tenderly pulling me to Him to comfort hurting, to rest weary, to restore broken.

To hear Him breathe love words to me; His wanting, whining, silly child.

He is my Yahweh - my Supreme God.

I shall lack nothing.

We Need More Towels!

It takes one towel to be draped around shoulders as they step out of the watering tub; to pat face, and to squeeze dripping hair.

To soak up as they stand and watch. They watch as the next one steps gingerly into the warmed water for their own dunking.

One towel for each body.

Each one standing because they choose to walk the life road differently.

Each body with one hand holding Youth Minister, the other holding Dad. Or one holding Youth Minister, the other holding Spiritual Hero; or one holding Youth Minister, the other holding Mom.

Then there is the couple wanting to start out their “rest of their lives” on a spiritual foundation.

There are plenty of tears. There are a whole bunch of smiles.

My heart can hardly handle the sweetness. The sweetness of seeing family gathered around.

The sweetness of having to buy more towels.

God is Here

We are day four of youth camp here in the hills of northern Arkansas. God is here. I honestly think some of the kids didn't even stop to think that He might come to meet with us.

They are overwhelmed.

He is so good.

I'm in between cleaning up after breakfast and cooking for an early lunch so we can go in to Eureka Springs to go through the Bible Land tour and then end our evening with worship at Thorncrown Chapel. Then back here for a late night snack of apple dumplings and ice cream. Ummm.

We've had very little sleep and a touch of a stomach bug. Nothing Pepto hasn't been able to handle.

Please pray for these kids because walls are coming down. Lives are being changed.

All those prayers you have been offering up have been received and acted on. There was lots of weeping in cabins last night because, yes, God is here.

We are bringing Him back with us.

You will see Him in their faces.

Stripping Down

She peers into her closet, searching. There’s a cute sweater – just what she thinks she needs. After all, hadn’t the words just slipped through her lips as she whispered to her Jesus, “I want to be more like You. I need to be kind, to be compassionate, to show love.”

That pretty red sweater with the “kind” label should do the trick.

It wouldn’t button. It was the right size but it wouldn’t button.

It didn’t fit around her. She really wanted to wear that sweater, to show kindness, but it just didn’t work.

That’s what we do.

We try to look like Him, we want to look like Him. We attempt to put Him on

but we still stink.

We really stink.

Because we didn’t take off the old clothes underneath. And they stink.

Colossians 3 talks about taking off the old clothes. Clothes with ugly labels. Labels that read anger, impurity, envy, slander, and lying.

Some of us look like Michelin men walking out our front doors because we don’t take off the old stinky clothes. Then we try to dress up with “God clothes” on top of all the ugly.

That’s why it says we are to put those things to death. Separate ourselves from them. Take them off and burn them in the burn pile.

THEN.

Then we put on the sweaters, the pants, the pretty shoes and the adorable hats.

We clothe ourselves with Christ. We forgive as He has forgiven us. Then ABOVE ALL, we put on LOVE.

We put on love because it pulls all things together in harmony.

Then comes the peace. Oh, that peace we long for.

Take off. Put on. Be forgiven. Forgive. Be loved. Love.

And then be thankful.

Go Play Outside

Moms, how many times have you hollered* those words to your kids? Your husband? It gets them out of your hair and, after all, the clean, fresh air is good for them.

I walked outside yesterday and figured out that maybe we've done it wrong all these years. Maybe WE are the ones who needed to go outside to take in that God-breathed air.

Maybe it would clear our head. To hear Him better.

I had lots of things on my mind. Lots of things that needed to be prayed over.

I stepped out on to the newly painted porch (thank you kids for birthday Lowe's gift cards) and glanced up at the ceiling fan (thank you kids for the Mother's Day Lowe's gift cards) and I smiled. Thank you God for giving me kids who understand how I love Lowe's gift cards!

Love my cute little frog watering can!



Our baby chick went from Bed Baby Nursery to the Toddler room - adjusting well.






Wooden ice cream freezers should make even the hard-hearted smile a little bit.






We brought Spencer (AKA Delilah) home from the church to snack on the weeds in our old chicken pen. The girls named her Spencer then realized he was a she so changed her name. Eli still calls her Spencer because he likes that name. I went out to make friends with her because I think she is missing her buddies at the arena.



She liked me and I think she wanted me to take my shoes off and stay awhile. She untied my right shoe, then went straight to the left. Like she knew exactly what to do. Smart goat.

When I went back into the house to start on "stuff", I felt so much better.

My mind had cleared, I felt like I could hear Him.

Thank you Father, for sending me to play outside for awhile. I needed it.

* Texan for screamed

Memorial Day Weekend - Busy

We started last weekend on Saturday morning with the Polka Fest parade. That is one of the longest parades ever. We had lots of people on the float and riding horses behind the float.

We grabbed a burger then went out to the church for the Car Show and Buckout going on until mid afternoon.

Then I went on to the house to continue getting things ready for the church picnic on Sunday evening at our house. Kayla, Rachel and Sam were coming in from Oklahoma and they brought a surprise. Actually, two surprises: Eli and Journey.

I always love when they come.

We went to church on Sunday morning then hurried home to put on the beans and make the hot sauce for the evenings' festivities.

Bob and Madeline came out about three to start cooking burgers and hotdogs.

Glenn helped a lot because Michael was meeting with a family who was about to bury their daughter.

I think we fed probably about 160-170 people. And probably that many chiggers, despite the attempts to eradicate them before the humans got there.

Overall it was a great, very full weekend.

Monday morning I wrote what I was thankful for in my 'Writing Down Grateful' book:

A yard full of trash after a yard full of party.

Cowboy Church of Ennis float in Polka Parade.

My man on his horse.

Church members riding in parade.

Choosing "Pastor's Favorite" award at Car Show at the church.

Garrett doing his thing - and doing it well.

Gene ready to help.

Dominoes at the picnic.

Relaxing and enjoying the fellowship at the house.

Sweet girls.

Volleyball game.