For Better, For Worse, For Keeps

Today we received the wedding invitation to Chad's cousin E's wedding. Emma will be her flower girl. We couldn't be happier for her and J. They are just the cutest little couple you've ever seen. E. will finish grad. school just 2 days before the wedding, and J. has 1 more year of law school. (I think one year, but I could be wrong.)

E. holds a special place in my heart because she was the first of Chad's many cousins that I had the privilege of meeting. (And she's my favorite! Please don't tell the others!) She was about 10 years old and a bundle of energy. She was the cutest 10 year old I'd ever seen. I could tell she was checking me out, but eventually warmed up to me and talked my ear off. She could out talk me, and girls, that says a lot.

A couple of years later, we asked her to keep the guest book at our wedding. (If I knew how to use our scanner, I would scan the picture of her for you to see.) We've watched her work hard in school, and loved hearing of her success on the volleyball court. She has changed from a cute little 10 year old, into a beautiful young women. If I could think of one word to describe her it would be: Captivating.

It was a holiday dinner at my mother-in-law's house, when up the driveway they came. E. had brought a guy by the name of J. Girls, his momma raised him to be a true southern gentleman. I remember Chad commented that he was a very grounded young man. We were impressed, but E. was in college and we didn't think we would see him again. Little did we realize that we had just met the man God made for our E.

E.I pray that as you enter into this covenant with J. and God, you will continue to grow in your knowledge of our Heavenly Father. He's everything you need. The verse from Ecclesiastes 4:12, would be fitting here:

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

My friend Angela at Refresh My Soul used this verse recently in a post. I just loved her post and encourage you to jump over there and read it. It made me think about Chad and how much he means to me. We celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary in May. I guess I feel like we've entered the "teenage" years of our marriage similar to how our marriage started, with a health crisis. At some point, I want to tell that story. But, that is for another day.

The following are the lyrics to a song I wrote for Chad on our 11th anniversary. The song is called "For Keeps". (I won't subject you to a sound clip! And, yes these lyrics are copyrightstephanieparson2005. Thanks, I just have to say that!)

FOR KEEPS

Here we are again, looking back to where we stood not long ago.
Photographs show change, but the love has only grown.
And this I know, the words we spoke so eagerly,
Mean more now than I ever dreamed.

For better, for worse, for keeps.
That’s what we prayed that our life would be.
In the good, the bad, I’m so glad we said.
For better, for worse, for keeps.


In sickness and in health, poverty and wealth,
I wouldn’t change a thing.
The harder the battle, the stronger the bond
God tied between you and me.

For better, for worse, for keeps.
That’s what we prayed that our life would be.
In the good, the bad, I’m so glad we said.
For better, for worse, for keeps.

In the good, the bad, I’m so glad we said,
For better, for worse,
For keeps.

5/14/05
Copyrightstephanieparson2005

Reflections

I haven't really slept well since Chad's accident, but the past two nights have been rough. This afternoon, I took a nap. A real life 2 hour nap! It was great. I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to go. Until Chad says, "Let's take this bandage off." I don't usually get sick at things like this, but these "3 little holes" as his Dr. called them, are DISGUSTING! They aren't little and I don't really understand why they didn't get a stitch! But, I didn't go to med school so who am I to say. Needless to say, I got a little light-headed by the whole thing. :) I know that Chad felt better getting that bandage off and that's all that matters. It's still really quiet around here. The girls are still gone and I feel a little lost without them.

I was having a bit of a pity party when I decided to check my e-mail. Much to my surprise my "real-life" friend, as well as a sister blogger, Kate at Small Scribbles gave this award to me today. I'm very humbled and quite frankly, speechless. Here are the directions for this award.


Give to those who have who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you. This award is for the best-of-the-best so consider who you pick, carefully. This award should not be given to just anyone. If you’re going to do the award don’t just write a few words and slap it on your Blog. Write real thoughts about these Bloggers and what they’ve meant to you. If the Bloggers you pick have already been given the award, don’t be afraid to give it to them again. They deserve it as many times as it’s given.


With that in mind, I bestow this award on the following:

Angela at Refresh My Soul. We had the honor of co-directing the women's ministry at our church in Chattanooga. We share the desire and passion for women to experience God in every aspect of life. She is an excellent writer and never ceases to encourage me. She is a prayer warrior and willing to take a stand, even when it's not popular. I love you Angela and can't wait to see what God is going to do in your life.

Meg at No Shadow of Turning. Meg if I remember correctly, was the first person outside of my real-life friends to comment on this blog. While we have never met face to face, we share the bond of Jesus. The best bond there is! She has the gift of writing and weaves, or should I say "knits" the Lord into every situation. I love that about her.

Kate at Small Scribbles. Kate is so precious to me. Like she says on her blog, we served together in our previous church. When I think of Kate, I think quiet strength. She has a servant's heart and I'm so glad God allowed us serve together. She is such an example of a godly wife and mother. Because our lives are running parallel right now, I feel a deep bond with her. Her writing reflects real life. I always come away from her blog thinking and pondering the ways of our God. I love you lady and thank God for you!

Amy at Adore, Amplify, Admire. This dear friend has been keeping her blog a secret. She has just recently "granted access" to her site. Let me tell you, this girl can write. She is a true lover of God. I fell in love with her precious daughter right after they moved to Chattanooga and God placed her in my VBS class. When Amy came to pick her up at the end of the evening, I knew that she was the real deal. Jesus was on her face! She has the gift of hospitality in real life and her blog is just as warm and welcoming as her home is. Amy is a prayer warrior. (I fully expect Jesus to part the sky while Amy is praying!) When she says "I'll be praying", she means it. When I read Proverbs 31, her face comes into my mind. I've already been encouraged by her blog. I love you Amy and thank God for you. You inspire me and encourage me to be a better daughter of the King.

Thinking and writing about each one of you has brought tears to my eyes. (Big surprise I know!) You are so special to me and this blog friendship has been a gift from the Lord. (Hmmmm, maybe a sappy little song will emerge from this. A real tear jerker like "Friends" or "Wind Beneath My Wings". Just kidding!)

If I had tiara's and scepters, and this wasn't blogland, I would crown each one of you! I'm honored to know you and thank God for you. YOU encourage me, each one in your own way, make me want to follow harder after God. THANK YOU!

Surgery Day

We are home!!!! This morning, we weren't sure that we would be coming home tonight. Thank you so much for your prayers. I could feel them and was very aware of God's presence all day. Our church media director, Brian, came and sat with me for quite a while and he was with me when Chad's Dr. came out to talk to me. This little hospital is very friendly and they once again invited me behind the scenes to see Chad. They even let Brian step in with me.

Surgery went great. It took quite a while, but the Dr. was very pleased with how everything turned out. Chad really did a number on his shoulder and we still have a long road ahead of us, but the surgery was a success. Praise the Lord!

Brian had been gone about 10 minutes when our friend Ron got there. He brought homemade Banana Muffins. They were very yummy. In fact, I'm eating one now! Pam was speaking my love language with those.

I have to say that this is the first time that Chad has had surgery that we have had NO family around. When they took him back to the OR, I had this brief thought that I was alone in a strange hospital. What if something happens, and I'm here alone. It was almost immediate that I felt peace. No words, just God's peace. The waiting room was small and I was the only person in there. I was so thankful today for Brian and Ron. They will never know how much it meant to me to have my Christian family there. Ron followed us home and helped me get the patient in and settled. He even moved one of our den chairs into our bedroom for Chad to sleep in.

We had a good afternoon and even took a very short walk this evening. I'm just praying that tonight goes as well as this afternoon!! Well, it's medicine time. Thank you for your prayers today, they were felt!!

Gram & Mack's Camp

 

My parent's need your prayers this week! They have all the grandkids for Gram's Camp. Campers are:

My nieces Mia & Morgan: 11 months are only there Tuesday and Thursday.

My nephew Colin: 3

Chloe 8 (almost 9)

Emma 6

Today they were to finish up their t-shirts, and go to the children's musuem. After that, they will spend the afternoon on the slip & slide. Hopefully that will wear them out and maybe go to bed early tonight. My grandmother, their great-grandmother will be coming to lend mom a hand on Thursday. Apparently, the twins got a little jealous with all the other kids around!! I will say, while I was there they showed off a little for me. They are singing and trying so hard to talk. Both told me Bye-Bye. And I promise you one of them said apple, when I was standing next to the fruit bowl.

Chad found out we have to be at the hospital at 6:30 in the morning. Sooooooo, I guess we'll be turning in early as well. We are just glad that surgery day is finally here. He's sick of this and ready for it to be over! :)

I'm so thankful for God's faithfulness during this time. I'm believing Him for something and seeking His will in a matter. I have been for quite some time. Last night as we talked over dinner, we both agreed that all of these "dramatic events" of the past few weeks and months have been darts thrown by our enemy. But hear me: God has allowed each one to be thrown and I'm believing Him that each one of those darts has a purpose. I do not believe almighty God would allow anything like this to happen without a divine purpose.

He knows the plans He has thought toward us. He knew the day of our birth, the day we will see Him in glory and every second in between. How in the world can I not believe He doesn't have a goal for this short time period, these trials, in our life? So we are willing to take the hit so to say, knowing that this is all part of the Father's plan. His ways are so much higher. I can't begin to understand why, and honestly I don't need to. He's in control. I believe Him, and I trust Him. Period.

Our Weekend

Well, this has been a pretty uneventful weekend. THANK THE LORD!!! We've had enough excitement around here lately. :)

We've had some pretty funny moments this weekend that I want to document, so humor me with a very "un"serious post.

Chloe gets gum stuck in her hair. Instead of asking for help, she takes matters into her own hands and CUTS THE GUM, along with quite a bit of hair, out. She has a very ....unique hairstyle right now. If you don't know where to look, you really don't' notice it. But we learned a good lesson. There is a reason you go to a licensed hair professional for a new do! More importantly, always ask for help. Even when you think you might get in trouble.

We spend 6 hours at the pool on Saturday. For the most part it was Chloe, Emma, myself and a friend from up the street in the water. Chad reads and gets a kick out of our water wars. Chloe and her friend were in a fierce battle with Emma and I. 4 water guns, noodles and boogie boards made up our armor. I learned that I can hold my breath under water long enough for Emma to distract the opponents and force them to empty their guns. That's when I force myself back to the surface and unload my supermomma water gun on them. This evokes screams and forces the enemy back into the bathroom to reload with icy cold tap water. This went on for 2 HOURS!!!! I'm not kidding. I hurt in places I didn't know existed. (Note to self, stretch out before water wars with 9 year olds.)

Paddington (our toy poodle) is licking his lips. A telltale sign he's been in the garbage. Chad says, "Paddington why are you licking your lips?" Chloe says "I bet he's been in the garbage." Emma says "Maybe his lips are just chapped."

Chad, the one armed bandit, walks in our bedroom and almost immediately walks back out without saying a word. In a couple of minutes he comes back through the living room with a book in one hand and 5 rolls of toilet paper in the other. He looks at me as serious as a heart attack and says "Holler if you need me." No I am not making this up. This man cracks me up.

Our friend from down the street, he's 11 and autistic, is visiting in our backyard. (We live next door to our community pool and his family is over there. He just came over to have a Popsicle with us.) His mom starts calling him to come get in the car and go home. He says "Oh No!! Don't take me!!" and starts to run laps around our house. He's about 5' tall and about 150 pounds. He is a big boy. Bless his momma and daddy's heart. We all had a good laugh. I love this kid. We have a standing Monday night date to hoola-hoop. It's quite a show.

Laughter, and a cheery heart are very good medicine. I hope you had a wonderful weekend with your family. On this Sunday evening, I'm not quite ready for it to be over.

The Path

God keeps taking me to and bringing to me scripture that mentions the right path. The path that He designed just for me. Yesterday was the 20th and He had me read Proverbs 20:24 "How can we understand the road we travel? It is the Lord who directs our steps." Psalm 37:23 says that "The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives." (New Living Translation)

Oh how I love Him. He never ceases to amaze me at the way He provides just the word I need, when I need it! He has a specific plan for me and for you. Today verse 1-3 of Proverbs 21 really spoke to me. Verse 2 reminded me that there are times when I think what I'm doing is right, but that God examines my heart. I really had to think about what I'm doing in different areas of my life. What are my motives? Do I really want to be on this path God has designed for me, or do I try to manipulate it to look like what I think I should be doing? He tells us that He is more pleased when we do what is right than when we give him sacrifices.

I know the one thing He wants is my heart. Complete access to my heart. Right now that's what we're working on. My heart has to learn to be full or satisfied with HIM. Not a job, or a position. Not a house or financial security. Not a human relationship. Him. Just Him.

Please hear me. I am crazy about Him and love Him with every ounce of my being. But I have allowed this waiting thing to turn into an idol. That idol is occupying a portion of my heart. I'm wearing it proudly like a piece of customized jewelry and it consumes much of my thought life. I'm beginning to become "proud" of it. That is where the trouble is.

I think it's good to talk about where God has you and what you're learning in that place, but I'm putting to much emphasis on the waiting(the idol) and not enough on the Lord. For that I am sorry. I do feel it's okay to share the pain and the frustration of waiting this thing out. After all God wants us to encourage one another and we can't do that if we all walk around with a mask on, I want to be real with you. I want to be transparent, but I'm walking on the edge of giving glory to this idol instead of God.

Back to the path! My walk lately hasn't been totally on the path. I think I've sort of been running half on the path and half in the ditch next to it! Right now, God is pulling me up out of the ditch and retraining me to stay safely in the middle of His path. I get distracted so easily and we are working on keeping my mind and my eyes fixed on Him. He's reminding and retraining me to take every thought captive. To take those thoughts and give them to Him right then! It isn't an easy thing to do and I feel as if the enemy is pulling out all stops to try and distract me. As powerful as that enemy feels, God is stronger and mightier. He is my deliverer, my strong tower and He is more than enough to handle this enemy.

Psalm 64:8 is a favorite verse of mine. "I follow close behind you; your strong right hand holds me securely." The message says " I hold onto you for dear life!"
That's what I'm doing right now. I'm holding on for dear life, but there is such sweet rest in knowing that His strong right hand has me! Isn't He good!

He's in the details I tell you!!

I told you yesterday I had a neat prayer thing to share and I do, but first I've just got to comment on the scripture God gave me this morning. I read one Proverb every day and usually ask God to give me a verse for the day. Today it was 19:2 "Zeal without knowledge is not good; a person who moves to quickly may go the wrong way." (New Living Translation) If you've read this blog for any amount of time you know that I'm in a waiting/transition phase of life. Over the past year I've been praying and asking God to show me what it is I'm to do for Him. The passion for worship and women's ministry continues to grow and at times I feel so consumed with the longing to be serving that I don't think I can breath. God continues to have me wait. He is allowing me to play for rehearsal this week and I'll be filling in for our pianist on July 8. I'm so thankful for that, but it makes me so "homesick" to do it more!!

This morning when I read verse 2, I felt God say stop. It was if He wanted me to ponder that point a little longer. What my soul wants more than playing for worship, or speaking to a group of women is to be where God wants me. I want so much more of Him, to know more about Him. I want my desires to be His desires. The things I long to do and feel called to do are good things. He knows those desires, He put them in me!! But until He is ready for me to step into that role whatever it may be, I can not and will not try to make it happen! I can't.

When we try to rush on with life and ministry before God says GO, we take a huge risk of taking a wrong turn. I know, I've done it. All my good intentions are nothing without God's hand on it. So I will wait on my precious Lord to show me the path He has designed for me.

Okay now for the prayer thing! Last fall, I had the privilege of leading worship for a women's conference called "Keeping it Real". My friend Angela at Refresh My Soul, has felt called to write and speak and God gave her the vision for this conference. This particular weekend was the first one. It's a group of women speakers at various points in life and the overall theme is just being real with yourself, others and most importantly God. One of those speakers is K. She is the mom to 6 children and her testimony is powerful.

Angela had told me at our slumber party that K. had written a Bible study and was beginning to speak more often. Her study was finding it's way, or better said, God was placing the study in prisons! That was just a powerful thought to me. (So often we forget about those ladies.) I could not get her or those women doing the study out of my mind.

Every day last week God brought K. to my mind to pray for. Nothing specific just to pray, so I did. To this day, I don't know why and that is okay. So Sunday I'm reading Beth Moore's blog and some of the comments. There was an anonymous comment and I promise you that it was K. sharing a little of her story and what God was doing! I sat up a little more and thought about how God had K. comment for me. I'd been praying for her and this little comment was God's gift to me. I tell you again, God is in the smallest of all details of our lives!! Are you looking for Him?

I say that to say, when God puts someone on your mind. Pray for them! Goodness gracious each one of us needs all the prayer support we can get! It's one of the "perks" of being in the body of Christ. So, today when someone comes to your mind say a prayer for them. Then think about how awesome it would be to have someone do the same for you. I love you sweet sisters!