Sing Your Praise to the Lord

I Sing. I love to sing. Singing gives me the ability to express what is in the depths of me. Singing is so much more than words to music, as every word that is expressed breaths passion, hope, love, joy, deliverance, truth, life!

I do not speak well, I fluster over my words, become insecure, quirky and fidgity. When I communicate i have a difficult time putting my words together, but a song puts into words what my heart wants to say.

I would enjoy life more if it were a musical.

Josie's life is a musical (she reminds me of a little girl I use to know). She sings while she makes her bed, puts on her clothes, eats her b-fast, is on the potty (there are great acoustics in there :-), while she plays with her dollies, does her chores, does her school work, in the car, in the store, down the slide, while she bathes (again great acoustics)... She sings. She is a happy girl.

My best days are the days when life is a musical. When I wake up with a song in my heart.
When "This is the day that the Lord has made" welcomes us to our school day.
And "The hills are alive with the sound of music" is sung loudly as i take out the trash (the neighbors don't mind).
Fighting for friends comes with a tune, and "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord."
"Open the eyes of my heart" leads us in our family bible time.
When dishes are done singing "My Jesus, My Savior, Lord there Is none like you."
And the day ends with "I Love you Lord" being sung over my children.

I once heard someone sing "Praise is who I am, Praise is what I do"

When my life is musical, it is a life of praise. That is the life I want to live.

The Feast of Tents!

6 yrs ago, at a Sunday a.m. service, while sitting in the amphitheater on our church property, God and i had a conversation... " This property is really beautiful...we do not get together enough as a community of believers... we should get together and have a church retreat... financially not everyone would be able to go...it's so pretty here...we do have really beautiful grounds, we are a fortunate church... wait!
We Could Do It Here!...have a camp out here...
a Feast of Tents!"

This weekend we participated in our 5th Feast of Tents!
Despite the rain, many camped out and shared sweet community!

This years theme was Kingdom Come. It is our desire to be part of God's Kingdom, for His kingdom to come in each of us, in our homes, and in our church.

Feast Activities-

All Church Service

Lunch

Family Games

Water Rockets

More Game

Dinner

Evening Worship

Campfire & Smores

"Hoany, shoany, moany, doany, dashy, dooey, qiyum, reeeqiyum, oompa, oompa"

Camping

Closing Service & Memorial Marker

TaGgEd!

My sister-in-law Lindsey at imperfect tagged me.
Because i LOVE her i will play along!

What i was doing 10 years ago:
i was living in Bass Lake, with hubby of 1 1/2yrs and Noah, our new baby...i can tell you what i was doing- NURSING! What i was not doing was sleeping, fitting into my clothing, eating warm meals, but i was being made Real.


5 things on my to do list today:
1. Back to reality after the Feast of Tents; laundry and cleaning to catch up on.
2. Blog about the Feast of Tents (might wait till tomorrow)
3. Teaching/train a child (or 3) in the way he should go
4. Hold Tight
5. Snuggle with Michael

Snacks i enjoy:
1. Popcorn with Lawry's season salt
2. Chips and the green sauce from El Cid
3. Peanuts and raisins
4. Edamame with soy sauce
5. Dave's chocolate chip cookies?

Things i would do if i were a millionaire:
1. Give $ back to Jesus
2. Pay off our mortgage and move up ( literally in elevation- not class, i'm not that kinda "Keeping up with the Joneses")
3. Kids future needs (college, homes, fuel)
4. Retirement
5. Take my family to Flores, Azores

Places i have lived:
Modesto Ca.
Oakdale Ca.
Bass Lake Ca.
And here California- though it seems like it's not in California :-)

Look Who's 50

Happy Birthday Mom!
50 years ago Belinda Linn Greene was born, 1lb 8 oz small, her life is a miracle.

My sister and i surprised her last weekend with a 50th birthday fiesta.



Favorite moments with my mom- Mickey's Grove, Columbia and Knights Ferry, Bluegrass Festival at Kerr Park, Cruising, cold top ramen, holy jeans, stealing your clothes, having the prettiest mom, sponge painting our rooms, puppets out the sun-roof, outlet shopping in San Francisco, "Have mercy on me," Mork, Valentine's Day 90 (when the isuzu hit the falcon), teaching Toni to drive together ("do you push up or down on the gas pedal"), biscuits and gravy, the plaid sweater,purple Christmas, rescuing me from bad hair cuts i'd given myself, milkshakes and taking care of me when i was prego, washing/drying/folding/putting away a dozen loads of laundry, packing my kitchen and unpacking my kitchen when we moved to Bass Lake, buying diapers, taking care of the kids and i when i had the flu, piano lessons, being off at your house, encouraging me as a mommy.

Belinda means "beauty of soul" and "precious one."
"But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." Ephesians 4:7
May God's grace upon grace tell you that you are His beauty, His precious one. He loves you with a love that is higher, wider, longer, and deeper than you can grasp or imagine. May you live in the fullness of His love. My prayer for you in Jesus.

Say the Name Jesus

In our family we say Jesus.
This began more than 6 years ago, at a time when I struggled with believing lies. Sadly, I was overwhelmed with fear of Satan. I was giving him too much power and ability in my mind.
Growing up the phrase "the devil's in this house," was said often (usually referring to my drug using, schizophrenic dad). The awareness that something dark was at work was at the forefront of my little girl, and now adult mind.
For many years I believed that Satan was the equal opposite of God. He is not.
I began a journey to replace the lies with truth. Unfortunately lies had to surface so that I could take each one captive and replace them with truth. Needless to say these were difficult years.
As I learned to "love the Lord my God with all my mind" I thought about the impact it had on me to hear the words "the devil's in this house." I wondered what the opposite would have been like.. hearing "Jesus."

I thought of scripture that says, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Phil. 2:10-11
There is power in His name. I needed (need) that power.
So we began to say "Jesus." As we put the kids to bed, we kiss them and whisper "Jesus." When Michael leaves for work early in the a.m., he prays over me, then whispers "Jesus." When one of us drives away, the kids yell their good byes, and "Jeeessuuusss!!" When we drop them off for school or at a friends, we hug them, and whisper "Jesus." On all sorts of occasions, for no reason, but for every reason, we say "Jesus."
It is my prayer that the One who is at work will be at the forefront of our minds, and that He will work mightily in our lives.
Jesus!


Say the Name
by Margaret Becker

A more sweeter sounding word
These lips have never said
A gentle name so beautiful
My heart cannot forget
Just a whisper is enough
To set my soul at ease
Just thinking of this Name
Brings my heart to peace
CHORUS
Say the Name
Say the Name that soothes the soul
The Name of gentle healing
And peace immutable
I'll say the Name that has heard my cry
Has seen my tears and wiped them dry
From now until the end of time
I'll say the Name
May I never grow so strong
That my heart cannot be moved
May I never grow so weak
That I fear to speak the truth
I will say this holy Name
No matter who agrees
For no other name on earth
Means so much to me
(repeat chorus)
With all the honor I can find
With all my heart, my soul, my mind
I will say the Name
Without defense, without shame
I will always speak the Name
Of Jesus
(repeat chorus)
From now until the end of time
Say the Name

Praying

I was 16 the first time I heard Steven Curtis Chapman sing.
Over the years S.C.C.'s God/Life inspired songs have stirred my heart, expanded my faith, and helped me to hold fast to my Father.

And now, I pray for the Chapman family with the loss of their youngest daughter. I pray that God would magnify His mercy on them, comfort, speak truth, and pour His love deep, wide, long, and high into each one of them.


a few SCC God moments -

It was the summer of 92, I was the intern for my church youth group. I recall climbing into the "Frog" (green church van), off to downtown L.A. (just after the riots), San Diego, and Mexico for a missions trip... The Great Adventure lead the way... "Let's follow our leader into the glorious unknown, this is life like no other..this is the great adventure."

Fall of 92, Still Called Today... "There's a girl whose waited day after day, to hear her daddy say 'I love you,' now the days have turned to years, she's holding back the tears, he's holding out on his fears, and while it's still called today, won't somebody make it right, before the day slips into night, and the moments waste away..."
After listening to these lyrics, I decided to write my dad a letter. God filled my heart with love for him, even after years of emotional and verbal abuse, and I needed to tell him that. I included the lyrics to the song in the letter, prayed over it, placed a 20 cent stamp on it, and mailed it. 2 weeks later we had a conversation (at that time we averaged 2 horrible conversations a year, and I was always reminded that I wasn't his daughter). My dad received the letter, and for the first time, he told me he loved me.

In July of 1999 Michael and I stood by Emilie, 7 weeks premature. The nurses told us they were concerned because her heart-rate/breathing was too fast. We returned to our room and prayed. The song Be Still was stirring in my heart that week, and I prayed these lyrics "come lay your head upon His chest, listen to the rhythm of his unfailing heart of love." I prayed that Emilie would lay her head on God's chest, hear His heart beat, His rhythm. After we prayed we returned to the nicu, and the nurse said, "Emilie's heart rate and breathing is at normal." We responded. "We know."

September 2000, after 14 weeks of pregnancy, I miscarried. As I held our tiny baby boy in my hand. I cried, prayed, and then I sang, "as I look back on this road I've traveled, I see so many times He's carried me through, and if there's one thing that I've learned in my life, my Redeemer is faithful and true... My Redeemer is faithful and true, and everything He's said He will do, and every morning His mercies are new, My Redeemer is faithful and true, Jesus is faithful and true."

Summer of 07, listening to the Great Adventure again, but this time with the V.B.S. c.d. as my 3 kiddos sang in their loud, cheery voices "saddle up your horses..." While I smiled because the adventure continues.

NOT CRYING!