Memorial Day

Mike and I went to my mom and pop's house on Memorial Day in the afternoon/evening. We roasted hot dogs and made smores on the fire. It was fun...but it really got fun when Pop got out the 4 wheeler. It had been a while since I had gotten to ride it, but what really made it fun was that my two nieces wanted to ride with me. There is nothing better than getting to share something that I really love to do with my little nieces. At first, my three year old niece was ready to hop on with me right away. She was loving it. I think she will grow up to be like me, because she not only likes the 4 wheeler, but she also enjoys playing drums, and she seems to like a lot of other things that I like. We tried to get my older niece, 10, to ride, and she did not want to at first, but after watching us ride for a while she decided to ride too. So, I got to take both of them around and around and around..........they did not want to quit once we got started! Here are some pics and video for you to enjoy. It was a good time, not only with the girls but also with the rest of my family. I always enjoy hanging out with my family. Oh, and for those of you who cringe seeing a kid riding on a four wheeler........I want to assure you that I stayed between 6-8 miles per hour and stayed in the relatively flat, obstacle free yard. No crazy driving with the kiddos on there!!

WoW!!

I think my title about says it all! I spent this past weekend in jail. No, I was not taken there by someone else, I went there on my own will...or maybe I should say on God's Will. I was working a REC, which stands for Residents Encounter Christ. I blogged about it a few weeks ago. I was the drummer in the praise band that did the worship while we were in there, but as it ended up, I did so much more than play drums.

Let me go back just a bit. This was basically a three day retreat for the ladys of the Clark County jail. There were 39 ladies in the jail as of last weekend, and while they were given the choice of attending or not, 38 of them choose to attend. The Major at the jail said that he has never seen that high of attendence for any other REC or other meetings that have gone on there. That was a true blessing. Also, after getting to know some of the residents, I truly feel like each one was there for a reason. I heard stories like one lady missed the bus to prison, and if she had made the bus, she would not have been there for this REC. I heard others that were supposed to be somewhere else for different other reasons, but yet they were there, and got to be at the REC. Also, we were scheduled to do the REC three weeks sooner, but it was post-poned, and there were a few ladies who I talked to who had only been there for a few days, and would not have been there if we had it earlier. So, just some instances to show that God does things for a reason. There were some ladies who were there, and who definately were impacted in a big way, and had the REC not been that exact weekend, they would have more than likely missed it. Oh, and there was one lady in particular who was hugely impacted for Christ, and she got out the next day! You would never be able to convince me that she was not there, in that place, at that exact time, for a purpose.

Esther 4:14For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"


I have mentioned to my friend who was also working the REC that since I have been home, it has actually been a bit frustrating trying to tell people about it, because I just don't have any words to use that can accurately express just how awesome an experience this was. When I talk about what went on, and what I saw, heard, and experienced, my words fail to come even close to comparing to what an impact that this had on me. However, I do want to share a few things, because it is just too amazing to keep to myself.

The first time we met the residents we were playing an upbeat praise and worship song, with the rest of the team singing. The ladies came in and I watched their faces. Many came in with huge smiles, some joined right in with singing, and/or clapping their hands, some danced a little bit, others gazed around the room, curious and smiling, while others did not smile, but looked around the room just to take it all in. I am sure that some really did not want to be there, but choose to be there just because it was something different to do with their day. Those are the ones I was looking for, because those are the ones who I felt we could have the biggest impact on. Later that night I found one. I will call her.......Angie. (Not her real name) I watched Angie the whole weekend. I saw her rolling her eyes, sitting like she was bored out of her gourd, snickering at a few things, etc. I prayed for her. Do you know, on the last day, when the ladies were being taken to a different room for the ending stuff that we did, as she passed me, she hugged me and thanked me for being there. I had not actually talked to her that weekend. Others had I am sure, but I had only watched her from a far and prayed. Also, she said later....not just to me but to a group, that she did not believe in (our) God coming into this weekend. She figured that there was something out there but she did not believe in God as we know Him, but now she is beginning to believe that maybe there is something to it (God, religion, etc.) Wow...how amazing is that? I mean, she was not down on her knees calling out to God, or accepting Christ, but still...........we all have to start somewhere! How cool is that?

Ok, this blog is already going on too long, but I just have so much to share. So, I will share a bit more. How about talking intensely to a sweet, sweet, young lady, who has anger and abandonment issues. I was actually just walking around the room, to each lady, showing some love, and I ended up with her. She was having a hard time allowing us to "love" on her. She felt like she was not worthy of it. She told me she is a mean person, and she does not deserve for us to be nice to her. Also, as it was Sunday, our last day there, she was also upset saying that everyone always leaves her, and we were going to be leaving her later that day. Wow.......how sad. I did get to talk to her for a while there, and a long story short, she finally agreed that she would start to let go of her anger, and pray, and read the scriptures. I did not have a good answer about me leaving, because of course I had to leave, but I told her that she would be in my prayers and that I am not really leaving, I just cannot physically stay there in the jail with her. I encouraged her to write to me, because I want to continue to commuicate to her what a loving and forgiving God we have, and that He never will leave her.


Or...visualize this. We are in a concrete room, the residents, and the REC team. We have just listened to one of the leaders speak, I cannot even remember right now what it was about.......and then this lady, with a beautiful, strong voice (a team member) starts singing Amazing Grace....accapella. One by one, everyone starts standing until everyone in the room is standing. The residents are singing out loud and strong.....everyone has their arms around those close to them...it was just so powerful. I had to stop singing a few times just to listen, partly because I wanted to hear how awesome it sounded, and partly because of that lump in my throat!

Well, I could go on and on and on, but this blog is pretty long already. I would be more than happy to share more with anyone who asks. A side note, this REC is a part of the Emmaus program. If you have ever been on an Emmaus walk, I would encourage you to check into being part of a REC team. It is an awesome experience. And, if you have never been on an Emmaus walk, I want to encourage you to talk to me about that, and I would be happy to sponsor you to go on one. It is a time for you to focus on your relationship with Jesus, and it also helps foster Christians to become strong leaders, so it benefits your church as well. There are some really awesome things that go on.......which is why I might have been a bit vague in my blog about some of the specific things we did, but, if you ever experience an Emmaus Walk you will be blessed!

Video from Henry's Ark

See other blog below for more Henry's Ark photos.

Fun with Carly

This past Friday evening, Mike and I got to enjoy spending some time with our young friend Carly. We picked her up at school and went to Aldi's to get some fresh vegetables, fruits, and crackers, and headed out to Henry's Ark over in Prospect Kentucky. This is a personally owned zoo that has a variety of animals that you can pet and feed. Many of these animals have been rescued from less than favorable situations, so many of them have weird oddities to them, but they are all very friendly and they love it when you have good food to give them. I have added some pictures at the bottom of the post for you to enjoy.

Besides going to pet and see the animals, we really had an enjoyable time getting to talk with Carly and catch up on what all she has been doing lately. After the zoo we went out to dinner and then to a bonfire to hang out for a while.

Mike and I both are very blessed by the time we get to spend with our high schoolers at church, and really enjoy getting to have special time with them outside of church. For you high schoolers reading my posts.........we'd like to spend time with you too! It is hard to get to know all of you at church but any of you who want to hang out with us outside of church, just let us know. We'd love to find things that you like to do and spend time with you as well.

Enjoy the animal pictures below! Oh, and by the way.......Carly and Mike seem to think that the ostriches want to attach, but as you can see by the picture towards the bottom, they really just want some crackers and some love!

R.E.C.

Just after I got home from Guatemala at the end of January, I got a call from a dear friend, the one who taught me how to play drums many years ago. He said that his wife was in charge of the music team for the upcoming R.E.C. and wanted to know if I wanted to play drums on the team. I immediately answered yes, because it was something that I had hoped to get to do one day.

The R.E.C. stands for Residents Encounter Christ (as you might have figured out based on the picture at the top of the page.) It is a 4 day weekend of a group of people going into a prision or jail, and teaching them about who Christ is, what He has done for them, and how they can have a relationship with Him. Or, for those residents who are already Christians, it is a chance to further their relationship with Him. It includes a large team of people. Some will give talks, some will be leaders of small groups of residents to guide discussion, some will be there just to care for any needs during the weekend, and some (us) will be there to lead them in times of praise and worship, and just plain fun with music! For those readers who might not know, I am a drummer, so I am the one on the team who gets to make all the noise!

The whole team has been working hard for this upcoming REC weekend, but things have not gone most smoothly. We were supposed to have one of our all day team meetings on the weekend of the big snow, so we had to reschedule that for last weekend. Being that it was Easter weekend, not everyone was able to attend. However, that was only a small thing.

The REC weekend was supposed to be on April 10-13th but since that is Thunder weekend, the captain at the jail postponed our visit because he said it will be too busy of a weekend, and they will have all of the officers out, and will be making a bunch of arrests probably and just don't have time to allow us in there. So, they rescheduled it...............for Derby Weekend!! We now have some of our workers that cannot make it because they cannot get off of work that weekend. We do have one woman who has Derby Tickets, and is going to give them up so she can work the REC! Now that is dedication! How awesome!

Anyway, I just hope and pray that our new scheduled date does not get cancelled once again, and that we are able to get into the jail. Not only because everyone has worked hard and prepared for this but because it is so important for the RESIDENTS TO ENCOUNTER CHRIST!!

March Snow!

I just wanted to post some pictures of the snow at our place. It was beautiful. This was the first big snow since we have been in our new home, and we really enjoyed it. It happened to be on one of my four day weekends, so I was able to enjoy the snow instead of having to get out in it to go to work.

Godly Desires?

Have you ever really wanted something, and you pray and pray about it, but it never happens, and you just have to wonder why? Well, I am sure that happens a lot, but a lot of times if you step back and really look at what you are asking God for, maybe it is not so much in His plan, and there is your reason for not getting it. Maybe you are wanting "things", or to look good or something that is not Godly. But, what about those things that seem like they have to be part of his plan, but yet He seems to be saying no to them? Why would the desire continue to be so strong in your heart and mind, if it is not what He is planning for you? I have...since I was a teenager...had a desire to adopt a kid, or kids. Here I am...in my thirtys and it has not happened. And now, in addition to that, I have developed a desire to be a foster parent, yet I don't feel that I can do that unless I can be a stay at home mom, in order to be really fair to the kids. And to top it off, now that I have been to Guatemala, I have a huge burden on my heart for the people of that country, and I want to do more for them. However,it seems that a person has to have money to really be able to do things like that. So.......why are these things, adoption, fostering, and the people of Guatemala, on my heart so heavy, but I am not in a position to do anything about them? It is really hard..........some days harder than others. I mean, it gets me so upset some days, that it gets almost to the point of depression. I feel that I have an empty part of my heart. I feel that my desires are Godly desires, so I cannot understand why God does not seem to make a way for them, or at least one of them, to happen. I have even stepped back and examined my motives for my desires, and I cannot find anything wrong them them. I just have such a desire to help, to love, and to provide for these particular groups of people. Because of these desires, I often feel "incomplete" in my heart. So....I just wanted to share. It really does get me down sometimes, and sometimes sharing things like this can help a person deal with them better. My prayer is that God will either put us in a position to do some of the things that my heart desires, that like I said, I feel are very Godly desires, or that He will ease those desires of my heart so that I don't feel so empty not being able to fulfill them.