friday favorites {random}

 1.Birthday girl

Me, Jamie (as Hermione) and my amazing sister-in-law, Laura

 Jamie, a dear friend of mine celebrates her birthday today. She is one, among many friends, who has been such a blessing in my life, especially in this season of small children. I truly cherish our friendship. She helps me maintain my sanity, she prays for me and she laughs with me. She understands the, at times, ridiculousness of life with kids, she "gets it," she's honest and forthright, doesn't mince words (which is good for this people-pleaser) and she has really challenged me in my walk with the Lord. 
So, Happy Birthday, Jamie! Praying this year 32nd year is one of more growth, radical dependence upon the Lord, blessing beyond measure, snorting-out-your-nose laughter, abs of steal and lots of margaritas (with me, of course). Love you! 

 

2. House Concert

Some friends of ours hosted a house concert the other night, and the artists were Barry and Michelle Patterson. They were a-ma-zing. It was fun, intimate and you could tell they loved the Lord and one another. I am so thankful to have been introduced to their music (thanks, Kap and Wendy).  Right now, you can download 5 of their songs, but I don't think they'll be up for much longer. So go check them out. You won't be disappointed.

3.Human Sacrifice (not my favorite but this needs to be told)

This boy was left for dead after a viscous attack

This story is completely disgusting, shocking and repulsive.  
This is a call for the Church to pray. To weep. To be a voice for these victims.
“The ritual, which some believe brings wealth and good health, was almost unheard of in the country until about three years ago, but it has re-emerged, seemingly alongside a boom in the country’s economy. The mutilated bodies of children have been discovered at roadsides, the victims of an apparently growing belief in the power of human sacrifice.”
Read more here.

4.What's in a McRib sandwich, you ask?

David Paul Morris / Getty Images

Well, I'll tell you. Yoga mats and the soles of shoes. This article explains why the sandwich is bad for your health. It's sad to me that it's not surprising in the slightest. It makes me want to hurl.

"These components are in small enough quantities to be innocuous. But it's still a little disconcerting to know that, for example, azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent that is most commonly used in the manufacture of foamed plastics like in gym mats and the soles of shoes, is found in the McRib bun. The compound is banned in Europe and Australia as a food additive."

Happy Friday, ya'll!

 

Drought

We are experiencing a major drought here in Texas. Apparently it is the third worst in Texas, since the early 1900's when they started recording the data. We live in one of the really dark red portions on the map.

We can't really afford to water our yard every day. The ground is so dry, that when I do, the water literally runs off the top of the grass and onto the driveway. It's maddening. I think, why don't you let it soak in, you silly-crunchy-dry-brown grass? And I'll say, "You need this water because you are dying." I have literally said it aloud a couple of times, hoping it hears me.
Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are experiencing their worst drought in 60 years. The major difference is that they live off the land. I live in a suburb and buy my groceries from HEB with woman who teach blind students how to make pie. I have no concept of what it really means to suffer in a drought. I have no idea of what it would look like for my family to become refugees because we have to move to where the food is. This image from the drought has stuck with me since I read that article, because well, they're a family. They are just trying to survive.

Roberto Schmidt / AFP - Getty Images

Sarura, left, her husband Ali, right and their six children look bewildered as they arrive at the Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya on Monday. Ali and his family had just finished an eight-day-journey to the camp from their home in Somalia. 

My pastor talked about the drought this weekend in relation to this passage from Scripture:

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." 

Isaiah 55:10-11

Although, I don't fully comprehend the magnitude of a drought since we get water from dammed up rivers, thanks to the industrialized country that we live in, it helped shed light on the image that is put forth in the above passage. God's Word does not return to Him empty. My dry, hard heart is softened with the reading of His Word. That's a promise. It's a mystery. It's faith. My pastor said it should be comforting to know that when it rains, all the ground has to do is receive it. It's just there, it didn't do anything to get the rain, but after time the rain begins to soak in and reach deeper. "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 

I watered the yard last night and watched the water trickle down to the concrete and couldn't help but think of it being wasted. But praise God He doesn't see it that way. Out of His abundant grace, He continues to pour out His life-giving Word on my heart and nourish my spirit. He is extravagant in His love for His people and He promises that his Word will always accomplish its intended purpose. I am going to continue reading His Word in faith, believing that He will accomplish His purpose in my life, whether I feel like it is or not. I am thanking Him for the promise of nourishment found in His life-giving Word. 
I also believe that He will accomplish His purpose in the world. Today I am praying for the displaced people in the Horn of Africa. I am praying for rain, for food, for protection, not only from drought, but also from the various wars that ravage that part of the continent. I am praying that our country will respond on behalf of the 6 million people who desperately need food and water.
And I am thanking Him for softening my heart to see this need and for the reminder of how blessed we are to live in a nation that takes for granted the water that is so plentiful despite a drought of historical proportions.

Global Day of Prayer

“Prayer isn’t passive, it’s active. It’s really doing something. Prayer isn’t the least we can do, it’s the most. Prayer is supernatural. It’s reaching out of the visible world into the unseen world, and tapping into powers beyond this dimension.” - Randy Alcorn

Today is the Global Day of Prayer.

And the purpose of it is:

"To meet as God’s united church to worship Him, seek His face and intercede for the transformation of our city and the nations. We seek God for revival, intercede on behalf of our world, and collaborate with Him for the blessing and transformation of our cultures."

 Will you join me in praying for the peoples of the world, for the global Church and for the persecuted believers around the world? Will you pray that God would be glorified throughout the world and that this verse will be fulfilled?

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

This is a portion of a prayer found on the Global Day of Prayer's website. Go here if you would like to see the full prayer. 

Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Together with believers all over the world, We gather today to glorify Your Name. You are the Creator of heaven and earth. There is no one like You, holy and righteous in all Your ways. We submit to Your authority as the King of the universe.

King of Glory, 

Come and finish Your work in our cities, our peoples and our nations. We lift our voices in unison with believers from Africa and Asia, from the Middle East and Europe, from North and South America, and from Australia and the Pacific Islands—together we cry: 

Lift up your heads, O you gates! Be lifted up ancient doors 

so that the King of glory may come in! 

As Your deeds increase throughout the earth, and as Your blessings abound to all the nations, they will seek You, asking, “Who is this King of glory?” 
Together we will answer: 

He is the Lord Almighty! 
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! 

Come fill the earth with Your glory as the waters cover the sea. 

The Spirit and the Bride say: 

Amen! Come Lord Jesus!

~cheryl~