A time for everything

"a time to be silent and a time to speak", Ecclesiastes 3:7b

No blogging for 3 years? It didn't start out as 3 years of silence, but that is where it ended up. Why am I back? Good question.
Recently, I found myself sharing something on Facebook and declaring that it was time to blog again. I don't think I realized how "fired up" I had become over this subject, but lo and behold, I was. Why? Because it affects me and the people I love. It's an area where the devil has basically tried to harass me on every level.
On the way home from school one night I had been halfway listening to NPR's Talk of the Nation. Sometimes I like to listen to music, and sometimes I just want to listen to someone talking and this particular night, it was talking. What caught my attention was the host sharing about an upcoming story on single mother's and the stigma that was hard to shake. It caught my attention for obvious reasons, I'm an only parent. But, it also caught my attention because I have been wrestling with this myself for some time and have found myself somewhat preoccupied with my plight (never a good thing to become preoccupied with your own plight)
So a survey was conducted and 99 percent of the people responding agreed that single mother's were bad for society. Can I just stop here and interject something? We don't need a survey for this! We know it and for the single mom's reading my blog, you know how people feel, right? This is not new! Really, why couldn't they conduct a survey that asked whether or not people thought deadbeat - absent fathers/mothers were bad for society, they probably have, but that is not what I heard on radio that night. After having lived most of my adult life as a single mom, and having worked with kids of single parent homes, I have come to my own conclusion, and it is that society can be bad for single parent families!
Let's face it, the world we live in today is tough on every level and we don't need each other to make it any tougher.
I am not advocating for single parent homes, but it is what it is and were seeing the trend continue to move away from the direction of the nuclear family, making it more important than ever that we don't ostracize the single mom's or their children (or any people for that matter), especially in the church!

The thing is, if I were to ask anyone..and I mean anyone, they would be able to tell me stories about feeling left out, or ostracized. If our eyes our fixed on that we will become discouraged and isolate even more. How I respond to my circumstances and treat others is up to me - and I needn't get to fired up about it because it will distract me from what God has called me to be and do, especially at home! Unless, of course I get fired up about the right thing.

When I do get fired up it should not be because of how society feels about me or my family, but it should be because the devil has been relentless in his efforts to destroy me and countless others by attacking the circumstances in our lives. We belong, I belong, you belong. How do I know? The same way that all others can know,


5 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
6 God sets the solitary in families;
He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
Psalm 68

God has made a way. A way out of every rejected, discouraging feeling I have. And not just me but my children too! God has provided for us and it is simply a choice away from being a reality for me and you! I get fired up about a lot of things, injustice, crime, drugs, prostitution, abuse, and more. Earlier I wrote that i was fired up about something that affects me and the people I love, it's not societies lack of acceptance of the single parent homes...it's the enemies relentless pursuit and strategy to isolate and crush the human spirit.
It's an old strategy and as my spiritual mom always said, "he always overplays his hand", so if there is an injustice or unfair treatment that has a hold on you today, be encouraged friend, the one who is faithful has an answer for your plight, and in that you will find the strength to lift others from theirs.
Lastly, I want to thank so many amazing people in my church family and YWAM community, plus friends who have continued to make me and my family a part of theirs! We are blessed and strong because of love.


So it looks like I'm back and praying we will all know!

here is the link if your interested:
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/24/134031175/For-Single-Mothers-Stigma-Difficult-To-Shake

remember..it's not the last word on the subject!

God and the city and....hope

So the urban dept. is with partnering with a church in Eaglerock, Christian Assembly. We have brought the base on board using the School of Ministry Development's up and coming leaders to staff much of this outreach. The church itself is located about 15 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles. We will serve Christian Assembly as they endeavor to serve the city. The primary focus is Downtown, Watts, South Central, and Hollywood. The vision is to ignite the hearts of their young adults with passion for the city in which they live! 200 young adults loving and serving the city of Los Angeles together, for one weekend with the knowledge that this is a beginning of many good things. Were facilitating the urban plunge, placing them in strategic ministry locations for a weekend of service among the hurting and the poorest in our city. Working alongside local organizations to serve meals to the homeless, hanging out with at-risk youth, serving the poor, walking the streets and praying for those they meet!
The prayer and hope for this weekend is that God will move in their hearts and lives and new relationships will begin, and the arm of this church, the arm of God will reach further into the city and touch the lives of those in need.
There will be an urban event Saturday night which will immerse them in the city, in teams, with challenges and obstacles. It is an activity that is filled with discovery. It enables them to discover new things about themselves, each other, their city and God! It is sandwiched in between two days of service. So pray for God to move mightily in our city - that His love would be shown in all places. Here is a video from the church: pray for LA.....

I am a grandma!

Again, for the 5th time...Can you believe it? You should because I am and oh my gosh she is so beautiful. My son, Mikal and his wife Heather gave birth to Sonshine Madison, how cute is that? Cute, right?
Ok here are some birthday details.....with oh of course the amazing debut photos of the newest beauty in my line of Granddaughters.
We all went to the Hospital on Sunday the 17th of February @ 7:00 am and by 3:00 pm on Monday they couldn't get enough "progress" so they had to do a c-section...and ta-da at 6:13 pm on the 18th of February we were able to meet this little cutie and I now have five grand-daughters.















“There are two great days in a person's life -- the day we are born and the day we discover why.”

William Barclay

poverty

Poverty is not just about not having enough, it is also about inequality and about being unable to join in with your community.

An American Hero and a life well lived....

An American hero, a brave-soldier, a warrior, blessed child of God. He came home to his family for the last time. He is now home, with Jesus. He IS an example of a man who lived his life well. He gave sacrificially and taught those around him to do the same. He has left a long lasting impression on the hearts of many..Sgt. David Joseph Hart, a good man. All this at the age of 22 years old. How many can say they have accomplished this much in such a short amount of time.






Please pray for the hearts that are broken over this loss...they will surely miss him and the days ahead will be difficult.



David Joseph Hart, loved wholeheartedly. He loved his family and he loved his wife. He was an example.
wholehearted: showing or characterized by complete sincerity and commitment





An excerpt from Los Angeles Times Article - doing as much justice to this young man's life as words can do.....


By Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 27, 2008
He was known as the guy with the random stories. "When I was in Tahiti . . ." or "When I was in Sydney . . .," he would tell his Army buddies, who listened intently, if just the slightest bit skeptically.

They needn't have been. As a young man, Sgt. David J. Hart of Lake View Terrace crisscrossed the globe alongside his missionary parents. He'd been to Tahiti, Australia, Mexico, the Philippines, Romania and Hungary, all before enlisting in the Army at age 18.

The years spent traveling the world made Hart unique among young soldiers, instilling in him a deep understanding of the world's diversity and making him particularly careful when communicating with Iraqi citizens.


Hart was born in 1985 at his parents' home in Burbank. The family moved from city to city, living in missionary communities where they built churches and did evangelical work. During their time off, Hart, his brother, Daniel; sister, Sarah; and other children would put on plays and puppet shows to entertain themselves.

As a teenager, Hart toured up and down the California coast, playing the drums and bass in Christian bands. He did missionary work on Native American reservations and in schools. He was 12 when he met his future wife, Nicole, at church. They quickly became best friends, working together on evangelical performances throughout the state, including an anti-drug show prepared for school assemblies in Southern California. She danced; he did the sound.

Hart was 16 when he told Nicole that he planned to marry her. Four years later, they were married at a country club ceremony in Pico Rivera. They were married for 2 1/2 years. Because of his deployments to Iraq, they spent only about a year of that time together.

"I've never respected a man more than my husband," Nicole said. "He was perfect in so many ways. Not a day went by without him telling me how much he loved me."

While his father spoke eloquently about the compassion his son showed toward others, Nicole remembered the man she married as a "warrior," something she did not want lost on family and friends as they mourned.

"David was not a victim," she told the family's pastor when she learned of his death. "He went to serve his country and serve us, and if it meant dying, he was ready for that."

Hart, who was on his second tour of duty in Iraq, was mortally wounded when he rushed into the middle of the firefight to help an injured soldier. For his actions, he was awarded a Bronze Star with valor, one of the military's highest honors.

Two other soldiers died in the firefight: Pfc. Ivan E. Merlo, 19, of San Marcos, Calif.; and Pfc. Phillip J. Pannier, 20, of Washburn, Ill. All three were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.


A Life lived so well the lasting impression will not fade away....thank you
Sgt. David Joseph Hart



Here is a picture of the family with David...please keep them in your prayers they are as precious as he.....I love them so much.....

7th grade

Reid has finals this week..there are no stressors that seem to affect him. We are in a carpool with three other families...the other kids are girls. So here is Reid in the front seat of the car this morning on the way to school for his science final, as calm as could be. In the back seat three girls, 12 years old in a full panic. What a difference a gender makes. :)

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Psalm 34:8
This is what I shared with Anthony. I remember I would say, "just give him a try
he will not disappoint you!"
It was four years ago about this time, in the fall, at Camp Routh -

So fast track to May of this year and I get this phone call from jail...I don't take it (collect, to much $$$) But I wonder and ask God,
"Who
is calling me? Who
is in?"
I pray and wait.
Then after New Orleans I receive another call,
this time 3-way, and hear a sweet familar voice (he used to call me mom)
it's Anthony, he is in.
He memorized my number and after years back on the street and alot of drugs, he remembered my number. But more important than that after a very touching visit with him he told he has not forgotten that verse........

The LORD is good.

Pray for Anthony