The fruits of our labor...

I had my Wordless Wednesday partially done, but decided to forego it this week because I thought this post was more important for two reasons: (1) it's a very real reminder of how God uses His people, and (2) i think this is a worthwhile cause.

I went to a rally for the Children's Ministry volunteers at church and they had a guest speaker. The guest speaker told of a cause that is close to his heart. Why? Because the founder of the organization, Scott Harrison, was one of the speaker's Sparky's in the Awanas program. Well, this brings it near and dear to my heart because this will be my 4th year as a volunteer in the Sparks group (that's K-2nd grade) in my church's Awanas program. It was a great reminder that, even through we may never see the fruits of our labor or know how our faithfulness in God's service is used to help others, that God does use us to accomplish His work here.

No, it's not like our speaker went and told the child that he needed to go save people. But, by teaching the children about God, God's love for all people of the world, and about being in service to God, Scott Harrison a former Sparky who put his faith in God a long time ago has gone on to see a need and follow the cries of his heart to give other people of the world something that we take for granted...clean water. Another reason this is close to my heart is that I've been to Kenya. I've walked through the slums of Imara Daima. I've seen the children who walk to school everyday and fill their daily water containers with water from a river where the cows bathe. I admit that I take my accessibility to clean water for granted just as much as the next person. But this has been a reminder to me that there are some that don't know that clean water exists. I can't imagine a life without clean water...it is my beverage of choice.

The cause that Scott started is called Charity: water. Scott started out with what was in his heart and he came up with a simple and unique way of raising money for his initial project. His goal last year was to raise enough money to go back to Kenya and drill a well so the people could have clean water. After the success of last year and their live airing of the drilling project, the organization has decided to take on much more this next year and the goal is to raise 10x as much so they can drill more wells for 33 villages in Ethiopia to be able to have clean water.

So what is his unique waay of raising the money? For the project in Kenya, it was the year he was turning 32 so he asked all the people he knew that have September birthdays to give up their birthday gifts and ask for small donations ($32 for his 32nd birthday) to help people in need. Since he is turning 33 this year, he's asking for $33. 100% of the money raised will go directly to building wells. Of course, everyone is welcome to donate and everyone is encouraged to spread the word. You can visit the link to find out about Scott's story and, if you feel inclined, about how to help his cause.

Please join me in praying for Scott and his organization. If you are a September baby, please consider doing as Scott has done. If you were born in any other month, please consider donating or just sharing this story with others.

Learning to be more gracious

I think God is trying to teach me something...to be more gracious and not whine!

There have been several situations occur over the past few weeks that have brought my attention to how things seem to "just work out". Well, I believe 100% that God is in control and that there is a reason for everything. However, I still find that sometimes it's just so much easier to go straight to the thoughts "Why is this happening to me?" "Not now, God!" "There's just too much on my plate, I can't handle one more thing!"

Last Saturday, "B" and I were sitting in my living room talking about little Sheeba and discussing how I missed her already (after only just a couple hours) and how things were so quiet, etc. Then I said to him that one very good thing (other than Sheeba getting her forever home, of course) was the timing of her adoption. I said something like "Isn't it strange how no one has been interested in her until now, just 1 week before our vacation? Now I don't have to figure out who will take care of her while I'm gone!" And "B" just looked at me and said "Don't question when things work out. We (people in general) so easily complain when things go wrong or don't work out, but rarely thank God when things do work out. We need to learn to thank God more."

I'm in total agreement to what "B" said and already knew that it was God's hand in it all. But it made me reflect on how God's hand has been so visible the past few weeks...all of the hassle with my car that could have been crazy worse than it was (I haven't even shared the whole story yet!), Sheeba's adoption, and the latest is the destination of our vacation. We originally had planned to go to the Grand Canyon, had planned to leave on August 23rd and even got the days off work. Since then, we have changed our destination twice, having never made any arrangements for Arizona. Well, I was watching the news the other day and saw the crazy flooding and dam breakage in the Grand Canyon and I realized that we would have been going at a time when it's not quite at its best (nevermind the rafters and hikers that had to be rescued). So, just one more thing where God's presence is obvious and known.

With all of those events over the past few weeks I've realized that I think God is trying to tell me something. Ya' think?!?

A new home for Sheeba!

I had a very good weekend, productive and fun (most of which I'll fill you in on in a Wedding Update post later this week). But there was one event that happened which makes me super sad and overjoyed all at the same time. The event? Sheeba (my first foster cat) found her forever home and was adopted on Saturday!!!From day one, Sheeba had me wrapped around her little paw. Now my house is once again quiet and I don't have a cute little face looking up at me when I walk through the door. :( But my sadness is all around me. I am overjoyed for Sheeba. When dealing with my car troubles just over a week ago, I worked from home for a couple days and I realized just how much Sheeba would thrive in a home where someone would be home most of the day. Well, she was placed in the home of a retired woman who recently lost her dog of 15 years. I've also had the feeling that Sheeba would do best without other pets around and this woman stated that that is exactly her tintention (for Sheeba to be the only pet). The woman came to meet Sheeba and we finalized the adoption on Saturday. After meeting her, I know that Sheeba will be spoiled and treated like the queen that she is! Through this experience, I was reminded of how God takes care of even the smallest of creatures. Just think of Sheeba's case for a minute:

• Sheeba was found by sewer workers and turned into the rescue for fear that she would get trapped and die.


• Sheeba was given to me at the age of 9 mths to foster until she found her forever home. She was skinny but oh so lovable.


• For 3 months, not one person inquired about Sheeba. She was difficult to take to the adoption days, because she would spazz out in the cages and needed me to sit with her. So, she only went to a few adoption days and we pretty much were hoping for some "hits" on Petfinder.com.


• When her new mom starting looking at Petfinder.com, she came to Sheeba's picture and just stopped. She just knew that she wanted "that cat". Then, when she saw her in person, the woman was smitten. And, don't forget that the home that Sheeba was placed in was the exact scenario that I thought would be best for Sheeba (based on my observations over the few months that I had her).

With that I have to ask...if God takes care and can find the perfect home for a small cat, how much more then does He care for us, who are made in His image? It's just another reminder to me of God's love and provision for me...a reminder that I need quite often.

So, what's next for fostering you might ask? I've decided that the foster thing may be a little tough for me...I just get attached too easily. So, when I get back from vacation, I'm going to start giving "cage breaks" to the cats that essentially live in the cages at the PetSmart that are with Res-Q-Pets (the rescue I volunteer with). I think this will be a great service to these little ones. It breaks my heart to see them in there for weeks on end in the tiny cages, even though I know they are visited often by the very loving volunteers and are very well taken care of. I may occasionally foster when there is an emergency foster situation, as well, but I'll have to play that by ear.

For now, I'm pet-less again and already missing the pitter patter of little paws:(

Scary situation!!!

Tonight I experienced a first...my first REAL car breakdown! I was on my way home from work (running about 10 minutes behind, as usual) and my car was zipping along quite nicely. About 1/2 way home, I stopped at a red light then, when the light turned green and I stepped on the gas, my "check engine" light "binged" and my car stalled...in the fast lane...on a main thoroughfare!!!

Well, I quickly tried to start it back up but, even though it was making a concerted effort, it just wouldn't turn over. So, dial AAA and I got a very slow talker. Very sweet but, when you have cars barreling down on you at 60MPH in daylight so that they can't see the hazards that well...you start to get a little worked up and impatient. I finally had to let her know what a dangerous place I was in and she sped it up a little bit...though, I must say, not much! After about 10 minutes on the phone with her, we were finally done and she did put it in for a rush, which meant someone would probably be out within 1/2 hour. Well, by that time, I was starting to FREAK OUT, because there had been about 10 too close for comfort moments with other cars.

So, then I dialed 9-1-1 to get some cops out there to help. After an exasperating 3-5 minutes talking to the 9-1-1 lady, she FINALLY figured out approximately where I was. Even though I could tell her EXACTLY the road I was on and 2 cross streets within ~100 yards, she needed the town...which I wasn't sure of (UGH!). Thank goodness for the fastest police officers in the East...the first one was there in 3 minutes or less...amazing! And the 2nd was there about another 3 minutes after that! The lovely police officers helped move my car to a gas station across the street...no fun ordeal with no power steering or power brakes when you have to cross not one, but TWO roads in heavy traffic. But with some stellar assistance from the nice policemen, I was in safety in minutes. I did have a dumb "blonde" moment, but I won't go into that!!!

Once I was in safety and waved goodbye to the officers, the tow truck driver came not more than another couple minutes later...about 20 minutes ahead of the estimate (yay!) He was able to tow my car about 10 miles closer to home to his shop at no charge (the shop waved the 9 miles over the AAA allowance...whew). Tomorrow they will run diagnostics on my car and provide me with an estimate (cringe). A couple people thought it might be my fuel pump, which I guess isn't a huge expense, so I'm hoping for something like that.

Well, this whole ordeal was very stressful. I was certain someone was going to plow into the back of my car with me in it, but God just did not have that planned for my day. What I did learn is how helpful people can be:

• 2 cars stopped in the lane next to me to make sure I was getting assistance
• The police officers were great and didn't even make me feel stupid with my dumb blonde moment.
• The tow truck driver was ever so sweet and helpful and the other guys at the shop were so nice too.
• My friend, who I was supposed to make dinner for, drove ~20+ miles to pick me up and take me home.
• And thank good for the Vincentown Diner and for comfort food...diner's make the absolute BEST grilled cheese sandwiches!

Now car-less, I will have to work from home tomorrow (thank you God that I have a job that I can do that with!) but, unfortunately, I will miss our company's afternoon at the Phillies game. It's a free 1/2 day off work but, since I don't have any way to get there, I'll have to work the whole day and will not get the bonus of connecting with my colleagues. Oh well, again, I guess that's just not what God had planned, but still it's a little disappointing.

I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow...and for relatively good news about my car and the amount of $$$ that I'll have to fork over (another cringe).

Prayers for Tricia please

Please keep Nate, Tricia and family in your prayers today and for the many weeks to come. I have been following their story since April, when Tricia received her new lungs. Nate and Tricia have graciously shared their story with the world through all their ups and downs, but they have continuously put their lives in God's hands and will. This new development is just a reminder that it is important not to take any day for granted...every day is a gift from God.

Quote & Scripture of the Day

I read the below "Quote of the Day" and "Verse of the Day" on the Lancaster Church of the Nazarene website and it felt that God was speaking to me. Boy, I really needed these words! Check them out...I've included the links as well:

Quote of the Day: “The church of Christ has been founded by shedding its own blood, not that of others; by enduring outrage, not by inflicting it.” —Jerome

Verse of the Day: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” —Ephesians 3:20-21

Hugs from our Father

"But those who suffer He delivers in their suffering; He speaks to them in their afflictions." Job 35:15

I have a Peace Lily that I've had for over 12 years now. It only blooms once in a great while...about once every 1 to 3 years. On Tuesday (the day after my Copper was put to sleep), I was milling around my kitchen talking to a friend on the phone and I looked up at the window and noticed a very new bloom on my Peace Lily. I can't remember the last time it bloomed and I know the bloom wasn't there the day before. Then I noticed a SECOND bloom! I felt like it was a big hug from God, showing me that there is life in my house, even if it's not in the form of my 2 deceased cats.


I sometimes miss the gentle ways God speaks to me daily, namely because I'm not that observant. Oh, I see the beauty in the world, but I don't always realize when God is speaking directly to me. I'm so grateful that God opened my eyes and my heart so I could see that He is here with me, comforting me and that He really does speak to us in our afflictions.

This experience caused me to reflect on why our Father chooses times of suffering to open our eyes and hearts so we can hear his voice clearly and feel his gentle hand more tangibly. For that I turn to Isaiah 53. The entire chapter speaks of how He is so intimately in tune with our suffering...because his own Son went through worse than what we ever will experience. An excerpt, Isaish 53:3-5, captures it beautifully:

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."

I don't know that I can adequately express the comfort and peace that came over me when I saw those blooms, but I do know that it has helped carry me through this week. Let us not forget who it is who comforts us in our pain and just how it is that He can understand us so initimately.