Osteochondroma What?

It was bedtime and I was sitting on my bed, it was just like every night. My mom had just finished praying with me and was giving me a hug goodnight and then she noticed something out of the ordinary. I remember it like it was just yesterday, she began feeling my right arm and I could sense the feeling of worry. I was just a little girl around five and I began to worry too. There was a lump on my arm.

We went to the doctor and we were told I had a benign tumor, Osteochondroma. It was bone growing off the side of my humerus....it looked like a piece of cauliflower growing off of my arm. I was told not to worry and that when I was older they would take a look at it again.

I remember my parents having the elders praying for me back then. It was all a little hard to understand when I was little. To be honest, I didn't think much of it at all; I just knew I had a lump on my arm.

It was just around Junior High that they wanted to take some more X-rays. We went in and got the first set done and the tumor had grown; which I knew because if you touched it...it hurt. I remember when a boy at school was playfully teasing me and punched me in the arm....Ouch. I kind of talked firmly at him and told him about my tumor. I think I made him feel sad...sorry Rodney, you didn't know.

The next step was surgery; now that is when I got scared. I in no certain terms wanted to have surgery. They wanted to wait one more year before they made that finale decision. Whew...I had one more year to talk this over with Jesus! My parents had the people at church pray for me again. But I remember having a heart to heart with Jesus. I told Him how I felt about the whole thing and I remember telling Him I was scared. I then asked Him to heal my arm. I was in the car traveling down Telegraph road in the backseat of our car; listening to WMUZ....I knew He was listening to my prayer.

When we went to the doctor the following year, I remember the room and the feel of everything around me. My mom was with me and the doctor came whipping in and threw up the X-rays on the lighted board. He had last years and that day's....and then he began to say some things about how he didn't understand. He pointed to the X-rays and said here is last year's with the very large tumor on my upper arm and here is today's with the tumor completely 100% gone. He said he didn't understand how it could be...bone does not disappear! He turned to me and jokingly asked me if I had been eating my Wheaties. I replied very quickly, without hesitation, that Jesus healed me...I asked Him to and He did.

The most amazing thing about that day was yes God had healed me....but more importantly I knew that God heard me. He knew me. He cared about me. He loved me!

Ooooo, this story helps me remember God's goodness and helps me....

Today, She Turns 10!

Today, my oldest turned ten. She wanted to have a Willy Wonka birthday party and that is exactly what she got. I am now trying to recover from my sugar coma as I write this....

The invitations went out and golden tickets were found...

Hold your breath

Make a wish

Count to three

Come with me

And you'll be

In a world of pure imagination!

Everyone must sign the agreement....

Who can take a sunrise ...Sprinkle it with dew...Cover it in chocolate...And a miracle or two?
The candyman...The candyman can...The candyman can cause he mixes it with love....And makes the world taste good!



Fun goody bags complete with a toothbrush of course! One of my favorite parts of the original movie....
What do you get when you guzzle down sweets?
Eating as much as an elephant eats?
What are you at getting terribly fat?
What do you think will come of that?
I don't like the look of it




She loved opening her presents...crafts, ChixO's, Little Missmatched flip flops and of course Duct Tape!

This was the best birthday cake replacement ever...dipping angel food cake in chocolate...pure heaven!

My favorite part of the old movie...lickable wallpaper...achieved with dot candy!

And of course Oompa Loompa dance training!

My darling turned 10 today and I realized that some of that child like wonder is starting to fade with each growing up day. I just want to soak it all in. Thank you Lord for giving us such a beautiful, talented, creative, smart girl. She is truly a gift to us. Bless her in every way imaginable.

A very profound quote......

Time is a precious thing. Never waste it. ~ Willy Wonka

Wednesday's Walk ~ Mission Trip to Mexico

I love going on Mission's Trips. Unfortunately, I have only been on two out of the country. I was just in Jamaica last November, what a wonderful time. I also went to Mexico after my junior year in high school. It was also a really great time of learning, giving and growing. One major theme I learned while down there was to "Let Go and Let God".
There were so many cool things that happened before, during and after this trip. I had just been in a major car accident a few months prior. I was supposed to be on crutches all summer long. I had fractured my pelvis in 3 areas and my sacrum in one spot. Jesus and I had a little talk about that. I knew that I could not keep up with the mission's team if I were using the crutches. We were told we would be doing a lot of walking (they were not kidding). And even if I was off my crutches I was worried about the pressure I would be putting on my pelvis and pain. I was really worried about it but I had to give it to Him. I stopped using crutches two weeks before we had to leave. My trip to Mexico was mid July. I was in no serious pain before, during, or after. God is amazing!

I worked with the children's team. We did puppets, balloon art, clowning and just a bunch of other stuff. The children were so amazing...I fell in love with them. I learned to be so thankful for the things that God has blessed us with. I was able to see miracles, people give their hearts to Jesus, feel God's call on my life, and see the power of God. So, if you ever have thought or are thinking about going on a mission's trip...do it!

(Michigan AIM Team to Mexico, July 1993. One of the largest groups taken on a missions trip from our state.)

Doing what Jesus has called us to do will help us....

Comfort and Warm Fuzzies

My dear friend shared about things that bring her "Comfort and Warm fuzzies". I like the idea of sharing, so here are mine....

This is my comfy spot...my spot....I love my comfy place.
You can usually find me wearing a zip up hoody....they have become some weird security blanket thing in my life. I love em!

My "Get Joy" book that I keep by my bedside to think about all those I love dearly.

I love my soft, fluffy, comfy, wrap my self up and crawl into a ball ...robe.

I love a warm cup of raspberry tea or a cup of hot cocoa....yum!

Books and my Bible of course are the picture of perfect peace!

My pillow I got from my chiropractor....l love it! It is filled with water and is exactly perfect! It goes with me everywhere. Ahhhh comfort!

This funny card that my dad gave me for my birthday is fantastic. It plays a portion of a song I really like. Every once in awhile I open the card and it make me smile every time. I love what the front says. It was the most perfect card....

Here is the song....

Last but not least, what gives me the best warm fuzzies and comfort in the whole wide world....Hugs from my babies....

Comfort and Warm Fuzzies definitely help me...

31 Virtues for Our Kids ~ Responsibility

Responsibility

Over the next few months we will be praying for 31 Virtues for our Kids maybe even for ourselves too!

Galatians 6:1-5 (New International Version)
1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.

I think this so important for myself and my children. We need to learn responsibility. Being responsible is answerable or accountable, as for something within one's power, control, or management. Dictionary.com also defines it as having a capacity for moral decisions and therefore accountable; capable of rational thought or action.

I love how our Father deals with his children. He gentle but stern. This passage adddress so many things in our lives. We need to help others be restored but be careful that we don't fall in the process. Help others but don't become prideful and think you have arrived. There is such a delicate balance in taking pride in yourself and not becoming prideful. This verse asks us to check ourselves.

I told my daughter the other day that she is only responsible for herself. I actually thought of this passage while I was helping her work through some things. We can not control others and what they do to us. They only thing we can control is our reactions to those things that bug us. I told her she had two choices....#1 stay mad and let it ruin your day or...#2 let it go and decided to be loving even when it seemed that others were not being loving to you.

I want my kids to understand that we are in control of ourselves...when we need to do good or even when we have done wrong. It is funny how much I remember my dad drilling into me the importance of being responsible and making sure I kept my commitments. If I dropped the ball on a project...I was taught to make it right. If I wanted to quit even though I made a commitment...my dad wouldn't let me. I am sure he saw my eyes roll at him plenty of times; but he was teaching me to be responsible with my actions. It is the same thing I need to teach my kids. This is such a valuable virtue to take with them into adulthood.

*"Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load."

*by Bob Hostetler, it is excerpted from Pray! magazine issue #4, 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Kids

Not Me Monday! Dentist, Kidnapping and Dog Edition.

My oldest daughter did not have a cavity that was filled. No not my child who regularly brushes and hardly drinks pop or eat candy, not my child. I have no cavities and surely my children would have my wonderful teeth because that is how it was suppose to work out. I would not get upset with the whole thing because of my desire for them to have perfect teeth like me...no I would never put that kind of pressure on them...nope not me!

She didn't come out of office like it was no big deal. I was really upset for her and surely she would be upset as well. She did not tell me in front of the receptionist and the dental aide that the dentist "Terrorized" her by making her keep her mouth open so wide for so long. No my child would never use such a strong word.

She did not also watch the whole process through the reflection of the dentist glasses. She did not catch on to the fact that when the dentist said he was cleaning her tooth that he was actually drilling. She did not say, "I could tell that it was a drill mom". I do not have one smart kid!

( I would not go and try to wake her up, this morning, to take a picture of her pearly whites...nope not me...not on her no school day....not for blogging purposes...no way, not me)

My middle first grade girl has not been inviting all her friends to our house for sleepovers without asking me. She has not been drawing crayon maps to our house that are actually incredibly accurate and passing them out to said friends. I did not have a mom call me and ask me if her daughter was coming over on Friday for a sleepover....ah no I believe I had other plans.

When I saw my daughter walking home, she did not have a little girl walking home with her. What! My daughter would not bring little girls home with her without permission that would be kidnapping....I think. I would not have to take her back to the school to try to find her mom. I would not have to have the principal page her mom in the school. I would not find out later that the child's mom said it was okay for her to walk home with my daughter and she would pick her up at our home. (we live just on the other side of the school so not really a big deal) But my daughter would not leave out that very important piece of information....no not my daughter.

We would not have to have a very lengthy conversation on the way home about inviting friends over. I would not have to tell her that she has to ask me first and then I will make the plans with the mothers. No more bringing little girls home...I would not have to say this....no not me.

I would not have a 1 year old who can say the dogs name "Eowyn" before saying mom. I mean can you say it correctly...if you can it is only because you have seen the Lord of the Rings. I would not be totally annoyed by this fact. He would not be able to say other words like football, hot dog, cookie, thank you, car, go go go, yo, grandpa...no not my son. I mean come on...I think he is toying with me.

No, a good mom would realize that her wonderful son will say mama when he is ready and be good with that, that is what a good mom would do. I would not get totally bugged by this.....Nope Not Me!!!!!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Some Kinda of Crazy Faith Answer!

Back in July, I wrote a blog "Some Kinda Crazy Faith"....take a minute and go read it.... Yes, right now....go on, I will wait.





da da dee dum dum da da dee dum dum.... chicka chicka boom boom....





Did you read it? I hope so!

Now if you read it, you read about a lady in my church who was praying with me on a need of our family. I didn't want to tell you then what it was we were praying for; because I wanted it to be a surprise to everyone when God answered the prayer. I knew God would answer the prayer, but I was not sure how or when. Maybe, my answer might fall from the sky or maybe God might teleport it to my yard....hey, I figured anything was possible. Today, I know the how and the when.


10 years ago, John and I were given a car. It was a wonderful car. It was a 1998 Chevy Malibu. We loved that car. We brought home from the hospital three babies in that car over the last 10 years. But, that is just it...those three babies decided to grow up into children and they keep growing. Our wonderful Malibu was getting small fast...and getting old. We had 149,000 miles on that blessed car. We both knew that we needed a new car fairly soon and being in the ministry and youth pastoring paying for such a vehicle would be a big problem.



So, a wonderful dear lady in our church decided to make it her personal mission to take it to the Lord. In July, she said the answer was on the way.

A few weeks ago, I got a call from my dad wanting to make a trade. He wanted to trade there nice, beautiful mini van for our car. To be honest, I could not even stomach the idea. I literally wanted to vomit over the whole thing. I told my mom it was like giving them a dirty kleenex for a beautiful van! The gesture, this gift, was too big for me to accept. But, this is how God wanted to answer our prayer.

God began to show me something through it all! He quickly reminded me that we come to Him like dirty rags. He then gives us this new life in Him. We don't deserve it but our Father loves us and wants to give it to us. It is His beautiful gift for you and for me. We just have to accept it. I think sometimes we feel so unworthy and feel not good enough for the trade; but He doesn't care because He loves us.

There are not words to thank my parents for the blessing of this van. When I think about it all...tears just flow. Once again my parents provide an answer to prayer for me and my family. All the way down state to trade the cars... all I could do is pray a blessing over the Malibu. All I can do is trust that God will honor it. When we got to the house my dad was having a pretty rough day and my heart nearly broke as we were about to trade these vehicles. But somehow, I know that my God is going to bless him in more ways than he could even imagine. Thanks dad and mom!

I have the best parents in the whole wide world! Now, I just have to remember, "To whom much is given...much is required!"

My Silly Baby and Doggy

So, my cute little baby boy has a new fascination with the dog's cage. He loves to go in there and just sit. This totally grosses me out; because Eowyn sheds like crazy and in general I think dogs are just plain gross. I think I have mentioned my germaphobia before. But here is where I found him the other day and of course I had to take a picture.

Is it sad that he can say Eowyn before he says mama????? Or is just me feeling sad about being trumped by the smelly dog????

Oh well, my son gives me such joy.......not the dog....I will....

31 Virtues for Our Kids ~ Compassion

Compassion

Over the next few months we will be praying for 31 Virtues for our Kids maybe even for ourselves too!

Colossians 3:12 (New International Version)
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Here is what dictionary.com defined compassion as a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

I firmly believe that while Jesus was on this earth this virtue is what motivated Him. It is why He healed all those who came in contact with Him. It is why he took the children into his arms and blessed them. His love is so deep for us that it was compassion that Christ was feeling in the garden of Gethsemane. I believe it is what compelled Him to the cross. He knew what our future would hold if He did not endure the cross. His sorrow is now our joy! Huh, makes you think....

I love the word pictures the bible creates for us. It says in this passage to clothe ourselves in these virtues. I love the idea of wrapping ourselves up in compassion, fully covering us in this beautiful, good action. This idea makes me think of getting on my winter clothes...just like my son in the picture. I put on my layers, my snow pants, my coat, hat, mittens, scarf, warm wool socks, and boots then I am ready to brave the cold. I don't put on all that stuff to go sit on my couch that would be crazy and hot. I put all that stuff on to go outside and do something like shovel the drive, go sledding or make a snow man.

Compassion is not just a feeling. It is an attribute that calls us to move on behalf of those we feel sorrow or sympathy for. I want nothing less for myself and my kids. I want us to be compassionate. I want us to feel and do something about the pain others are going through. I want us to always do what we are able. We can not fix everyone's problems but we can certainly help as many as we can. I want us to be compelled to have compassion just as Jesus was compelled and not just sit on the couch.

*"Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion."


*by Bob Hostetler, it is excerpted from Pray! magazine issue #4, 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Kids

Happy Easter

Oh baby boy, too cute watching you dye your first egg!