2008... A time to Rebuild

Phew!! I am so glad that 2007 is behind us.
I know a lot of people that would give a big ol' shout "amen" to that one.

Looking back at 2007, it was a year of ground shaking. It was dreams built of wood and straw being burned to dust. It was the awakening for me that days and things of this world are vapors. Here today, gone tomorrow. My theme song, "Lord Blessed be your name" (posted previously). He gives and takes away, but my heart will choose to say...

I feel like 2007 shook our very foundation. Nationwide. Tragedy and heartbreak were abundant. It stripped away all the thieves in our life. The time stealers. The joy robbers. The chasing after the wind (Book of Ecclesiastes). In the end we saw all that was meaningless. When the dust settled, we saw were our foundation was. And our house stood firm. (Mt 7:24-25). It wasn't a house built by man though (Mt 19:6), those things will not last. It was our foundation of faith in God (Mk 11:22) and our love for one another that was strong. It is this that we will rebuild from .

2008 is our time of rebuilding. It is a year of purpose, vision, and hope. We do not enter this year disillusioned that trials won't befall us, for we now know that it is these very trials that strip away what is weak and dangerous to the entire building. I don't want weak walls. I want God's perfect will. I want our lives to be the reflection of His glory. The house on a hill. The light of Christ that is not hidden from the world. Rather, I want to be the light that burns brightly in a dark and dying world. Our world is full of wounded and hurting people that are hungry for hope. They too have had the temporal stripped away and too have come to the conclusion that it was all, as Solomon says "meaningless".

1Peter 1:6-7 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

Our family desired to be spirit led this year. Not for personal gain, but for the Glory of God. I am excited about this year. The struggles and the victories (our as my blog title says "Mountains and Valleys"). I know that we, as a family, will continue to grow in our relationship with God. I know that He will continue to guide us in wisdom. And that we will continue in our charge to be Ambassadors of Hope. I am so thankful to be on the journey of life with people like you! Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." I so love that! Yes Lord. Show me!

Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.
(Is 49:23)

My Puppy Dog Keeps Following Me...

So... we got a dog! I am already learning so much through him. He has been a very wonderful addition to our family. He is so sweet!


He follows me EVERYWHERE!!! I walk to the kitchen, he follows. I walk to the office, he follows. I walk into my room and sit, he follows and lays down. He pretends to be sleeping, but then, I get up and ..... he follows! It amuses me and surprises me. I am his master, his provider, his caregiver. He depends on me for everything. Without me he will no longer thrive. His greatest desire is to be near me. He seeks me for affection, his needs, and sometimes just wants to know that I am near. It is, to me, just how life with God is.

Now, I've noticed something else. Sometimes he goes into a different room. For food, water, to check it out- whatever. But when I call him, he usually comes quickly. Then I know that all is well once again.

But then there are times that I call him, and he doesn't come. He does delay. I call again, and again.... hmmm...."Adam,(in the garden of Eden) where are you?" It is when he doesn't respond to me that I know that mischief is near. I find him and my suspicions are confirmed. He lowers his head and looks away. For he knows that what he has done is wrong. That is why he wasn't near me. People say dogs aren't so smart. But they know when they've done wrong. What a basic instinct that God puts in His creation. We know, naturally, when we are far from our master and out of His will.

But just like me and my dog. I desire to train him to obey. I want him to trust me and for him to know that my love for him is not conditional. And when he is in sin that I accept him back and love him still. But I will continue to train him in the ways that I want him to go!

Hope you enjoyed my puppy notes!