Did you know you are one of these?

This morning as you read this I will either be on my way or will have arrived in Houston.  My very dear new friend in my new home is having brain surgery tomorrow.  Yes, thank you for praying for her!

Last week she was telling me about someone she had the opportunity to minister to with the biggest smile on her face!  She could barely contain her joy about loving on this young lady and showing her the character of Christ.

As I listened to my friend's story I thought about something my little 4-year old said recently...

Unfortunately JP parked his Red Rider tricycle right behind my Dad's truck (instead of putting it back in the garage where it belongs) - we've probably all been there and you know where this story is going...

Yes, the tricycle now has a bent wheel.  However, my Dad has assured JP that it can be fixed!  JP was talking about this experience with my Mom - this is part of the conversation...

JP - "Grandmother, I think God can fix my tricycle."

Grandmother - "Yes, JP, I'm sure He could."

JP - "Grandmother, what kind of tools do you think God has?"

Grandmother - "I'm sure God has any kind of tool He needs for anything that needs fixing."

Wow!  Did you hear that question?  "What kind of tools do you think God has?"  I know little JP was thinking hammers, wrenches, nuts and bolts, and such - but as soon as my Mom shared this story with me it reminded me - we are His tools!

I shared with my friend that she has been God's tool in ministering to this young lady!  Imagine for just a moment your own tool box, or tool drawer.  What kind of tools do you have in there?

I know I used to have that "drawer" in the kitchen.  It was supposed to be a drawer filled with useful tools - but eventually it ended up being a drawer with useful tools and a whole bunch of junk!  I always had to search to find what I needed from that "drawer".  Most of the time I just gave up looking for that useful tool and settled for something less helpful or went to another source to find what I needed.

Now imagine that we - the body of Christ - are God's tools.  Are we useful or have we become like that "drawer" - more junk than tools?  I don't want God to be looking to use me and have to go to another source for something more readily available or useful!

Today as I travel to be with my friend in her hour of greatest need I pray that God prepares my heart and that I am found useful.  I pray that I will somehow be the hands and feet of Jesus and that she will experience His peace and see His love coming through my eyes.

When I return I'll be working hard and fast with Vacation Bible School preparations.  This is one of the verses for our week of the "Big Apple Adventure"...

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, "I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Go & teach others what Christ has taught you - and you will be a useful tool in God's toolbox!

You will be the tool God choses to fix and mend broken hearts!

Your sis in the faith,
Penny

Thank you...

Last night I enjoyed talking to my parents about both of their Dads - my granddads - about their service to our country in World War II.  My Mom's Dad was in Patton's army and his battalion rescued my Dad's Dad from a prison camp.  What a really cool story for our family!

Today I wanted to take a moment to honor all the soldiers - those who have gone on to heaven and those who are still fighting for our freedom every day.

I read about a man who faithfully followed his leader today in my One Year Bible... as I read it, I thought about how this was probably the heart of every fallen soldier.

2 Samuel 15:21 (ESV)

But Ittai answered the king, 

"As the Lord lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, 

whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be."

What a statement!  On this day, the Sunday before Memorial Day - John would always sing this song in church as he honored all branches of the military.

Today - take time to thank a soldier!

Life is not a snapshot

Today is the last day of school  - well at least for my kids!

I think a little bit it started yesterday.  My kids got to dig out potatoes from my cousin's garden.  They had a blast and learned so much!  It was a good day!

I'm learning to celebrate those moments as they come along.  I read this verse this morning and it just seemed to go along with a song that a friend sent me this week (Thanks Angel!).

Psalm 119:75-76 (ESV)

I know, O Lord, that Your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.  Let Your steadfast love comfort me according to Your promise to Your servant.

Josh Wilson's new CD is entitled, "Life is not a Snapshot" - Praise God!

I know I can't see the end - but I'm clinging to His promises every day that all this will be for His glory.  In the mean time I'm doing my best to be comforted by the Lord.

Leading through the pain...

Most of you know that I ABSOLUTELY love my One Year Bible!  God never ceases to show me great things in His Word that I've never really noticed before, and I've been reading my One Year Bible for 11 years.

As most of you know, my last 4 months have been riddled with much pain.  Not only have I been dealing with missing John like crazy - a pain that upon hearing the news I thought would be the end of me - but I've also dealt with many unpleasant circumstances as a result of his Homegoing.

So many days I just wanted to run and hide.

I've never been one to avoid an email or a phone call.  But since December 30th, I must admit, I have not been the best communicator.  This is just real talkin here...

But I read something last week in 1 Samuel that really encouraged me and has given me new strength and a new perspective.

1 Samuel 22:1-2 (ESV)

David departed from there (Gath) and escaped to the cave of Adullam.  And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.  And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him.  And he became captain over them.

Let me set the stage for you just a bit...
David is running from Saul.  Saul is king of Israel and yet the Lord is exalting David in every way.  David was winning battles and gaining popularity with the people.  Saul didn't like this and therefore wanted him dead!  David is on the run to save his very life!  What a devastating time for him.  He has lost his home, his best friend and is away from everything he knows to be home.  He is in fear that at any moment an entire army may find him and kill him.

Talk about despair!  Talk about pain and heartache!

And yet... what do we find him doing?  Leading.

Did you see what happened?  He escaped to a cave and his family surrounded him to love on him and comfort him.  But they weren't the only ones to arrive.  Basically everyone who had a need came to him as well - those who were in distress, in debt, and who were bitter in soul.

They obviously saw something in David that encouraged them - even while he was experiencing a tragedy!  What a message for us all today!  While we are hurting and experiencing pain and sorrow - God can turn that into a tool to lead others to Him!

We never read that David questioned why they were there or that he sent them away.  Instead we read that he became their captain.  Ladies... God gives us opportunities to lead and guide others at what seems to us the strangest of times!

David could have said,

"Not now! Can't you see I'm busy!"  

"I'm not up for seeing people today!  

Dad, make them all go away!"

"I've got to figure out my own life 

before I can lead someone else!"

He didn't say any of these things!  He just lead through the pain.

Don't miss these when they come your way!  It's okay for others to see you hurt.  We know in this life there will be pain and sorrow.  It's what you do with the hurt and the pain that counts.  We can teach God's Word all day until we're blue in the face - but sometimes we have to teach others how to hurt as well.  I believe this is what David did and that is why they followed him.

This has become my prayer -  that even in the middle of me trying to hide in a cave on some days - that others would see Jesus right here beside me.

" Real Talkin' "

Every job has its own "language."  I'm sure you've experienced this before...  you take a job and learn a whole new world of acronyms which are used much like words in a sentence.  Typically, everyone knows them and throws them around as if you know them as well.

I'm learning day-by-day that teenagers have their own language too.  While having lunch with some other teachers last week, I learned a new "term" if you will.  It's called "real talk" or "real talkin'".

This is how you would use this term properly.  If someone says something to you and if believed it to be true, instead of saying, "that's true," you would say, "now that's some real talkin'."  Or, if you wanted to say, "I'm going to be honest with you..." - instead you would say, "This is real talk..."

So today I thought I might put my new vernacular to use... and give you some "real talk" here at Living Above.

The real talk is that I'm about to head into some very emotional days in the upcoming summer months.  I'm just going to lay it out for you...

June 1 - would have been our 9th Wedding Anniversary
June 19 - our first Father's Day with John being in Heaven
July 7 - his first birthday in Heaven

These days have always been very full.  Typically John would find something that he wanted and instead of 3 presents, he would ask for 1 really big thing.  I loved his heart!  He would search all year that for 1 special gift that he knew he wanted.  He was like a little kid around this time of year.

I'm not dreading these days, for I know I'm not going to be alone.  The kids are wonderfully resilient.  And I've got plans for every single one of them already!

June 1 - I'll be with a friend in Houston who's having a very serious surgery.
June 19 - we'll all be with John's brother and his precious family.  Jordan asked early on if she could call her Uncle Joe - Uncle Daddy - since he's taking care of us like Daddy would have done.
July 7 - we're having a birthday celebration for John at the place where he went Home - with all the people that were there on December 30th.  We have plans to plant a tree and release balloons and just be together again.

As I was reading my One Year Bible, I realized that although "real talkin'" - I've got some difficult days ahead of me... the biggest Real Talk is God's Word.

I knew I wanted to talk about Real Talkin today.  I just hadn't worked it out in my brain yet - but God had - for today in my One Year Bible we started Psalm 119.  I'm sure you know that Psalm 119 is all about His Word.

Check out this Real Talkin'... especially regarding my next couple of months!

Psalm 119:50, 52 (ESV)

This is my comfort in my affliction, 
that your promise gives me life.

When I think of your rules from of old, 
I take comfort, O LORD.

Do you need to hear some "real talk" this morning?  Open His Word.  I promise there is something specifically there for you.  And it will address the very "real talk" of your own life!

His Word Sunday

Whose Glory so I seek?

Well, it's Sunday, May 22, 2011 and we're all still here.  I think I must have been hiding under a rock for the past several days.  I just learned yesterday that the world was supposed to end last night.

And yet... here I am on Sunday morning - writing my blog!  No worries, the topic of today's His Word Sunday is not about this "prophet" - but rather something much more important.

Today I read the follow verses in my One Year Bible.  It was written about the people who actually got to hear - audibly - the very words of Jesus.  Imagine for a moment what it would have been like to hear His very words - out loud.

I prayed this morning that I never do what these people did after hearing a word from the Lord:

John 12:42-43 (ESV)

Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in Him, 

but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, 

so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 

for they loved the glory that comes from man 

more than the glory that comes from God.

Meditate on these verses today.  Which do you seek?  Don't let the approval of men (or yourself) be louder than glory that comes from God!

Just a few verses earlier... I read this and I  believe this is the key - proximity to the Lord...

John 12:26 (ESV)

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; 

and where I am, there will My servant be also.

Brave the dark... and let it shine!

Today is my little girl's birthday!  Our sweet little Jordan Paige is 7 years old today!  I remember the day we found out Jordan would be a girl.  John was so excited!!

Those 2 were such a great team!  They really had a super special Daddy/Daughter bond.  So to keep his memory alive today I have a special song for my blog.

On almost any given day or evening you could find Jordan & John outside singing songs.  Either making up new ones or singing some old faithfuls.  They were constantly saying to one another, "Hey listen to this new song I wrote..." or "let's sing this song together."

There was always time for music in the Franklin house!

I know today is going to be a happy day.  Jordan is going to make sure of that for sure!  However, it's yet another "first" that we're experiencing without him.  I miss him so much today.  John LOVED to celebrate.  The big the small - but especially birthdays!  Sometimes I just can't believe that he won't be here for all the birthdays to come.

I'm so thankful to have my family and friends so close by during this time.  It makes being brave through this dark new road so much easier.

I recently heard this song and I LOVE it!  It reminds me of the innocence of those younger days and yet maintains a wonderful message for us all today.

I love the line that says, "I'm gonna brave the dark and let my little light shine."  This is exactly what we're all doing day by day!