I have already confessed...

to reading a LOT of blogs. I actually read them all through the day. When I am not on the run for church or family...or if I am not feeling well, I have been known to lay in bed with my laptop...reading. Sometimes reading and laughing, sometimes reading and crying.

I just wrote about being grateful for what God is doing in today and the need to stop looking backward with the "what-if's" of life weighing heavy on our minds.

I came across this blog a little while ago. I went back and started reading from the first post all the way to the most recent one. It just kind of put things in perspective for me. If I ever feel like a pity party about not feeling good, I can read what this family is dealing with and I can be grateful for the "sickness" that I am faced with today.

http://forleslie.blogspot.com/

All I am going to say is that if you read this...please do so with tissues close by. I don't know these folks, but my heart goes out to them. They are asking for prayer. And that is something that we all can do. To whisper a prayer daily for someone else. I don't know that there is anything more easy...it doesn't cost money. It isn't signing up for hours and hours of grovelling on bended knees. God knows their future or what they will endure. I pray for strength. I pray that whatever their tomorrow's hold, that they will be ready and will not lose hold of the hand that sustains them.


Today, I am grateful. Grateful for a STRONG tower. One that I can run into and be sheltered from the wind and rain of life. Some without faith would call it a "crutch". I would beg to differ. Hiding myself under the shelter of the Almighty, isn't pretending that the storm doesn't exist. It is understanding that I will be ok through it. NO MATTER what the outcome. Even when a heart of flesh is breaking, a heart of faith rises us and plants a foot in the next step God has ordained for us. Moving forward into whatever God has for us. Realizing daily that HE knows my name, He knows where I am, He knows what I need.


Wanted to share a picture for ya'll today. It is of my hubby. I love the efforts that he is making to spend some quality time with us. Have I told you recently how much I love this silly man?

Love you Glen Keefer! I am so glad that we have each other to navigate through life. God honors us for keeping this family on course. The course pointing toward what He has for us. That is all that I need. Keep doing what you are doing. It doesn't go unnoticed. NOT EVER!

HUGS! ^j^

Moments...

We took some time to be together yesterday. A moment to relax and just be US!

I can't say that I love this picture, but look at us. I think Kelsey was the only one trying to maintain a "picture" face. The rest of us lost it! Can you see that we are playful and that we LOVE each other? I can. I know what I was feeling as we were wrestling for space in the shot...lol. (Sorry we cut your body off Kel!) I love these guys...(and girl). Just a moment in time, but even more than that, it is a memory. One that we share!

I have to tell you that my choice has always been to ENJOY what God has given me. And lately, I have been reminded that there are people who constantly dwell in what they don't have. While we aren't rich, nor do we have the "finer things" of life, but I have something that SO many would pay a lot of money to have. And I wouldn't trade it... NOT for anything this world could give me.

Be grateful for the things that God has blessed you with. Stop looking at the pieces that are missing. Is my life picture perfect, NAH! There are things that I hold on for... that I know God is working in. But it is kind of like this picture... I can't go back and retake it, I can't look at yesterday and say it could have been so much better. Instead, I can see this imperfect picture and remember the love and laughter that we shared. To dwell on what was, is to miss what tomorrow might be! If we are so busy living life looking in the rear view mirror, we can miss the blessing and the glory that God is showing us today! Stop using situations that happened last year or twenty years ago as an excuse or a reason to stay angry. I learned years ago that it really doesn't effect anyone BUT you!

I am going to try to share more pictures that we go to take. I have been told that it makes those of you who are far away feel closer. That is the best part of blogging! The people that I hold dear, (even if I don't get to talk to you daily) You see us, you know where we are... if I am on a mountain or struggling to climb out of the valley.

I figure that it has been a week...

So I better update my blog.

You have to know that when I don't update it...I get yelled at. Glen fussing about not knowing what is going on in my brain...friends that request new pictures... SOMETHING! I have to tell you that blogging can be exhausting. The stress about what part of my life I need to expose for the world to see. Decisions...decisions....

Let's start with the everyday stuff. Bryan stopped by today with Ethen Michael. He didn't even make it INTO my house before I ran out the door with camera in hand. Here are a couple of shots that I managed to get. He is such a sweet BOY!

I have been "scrapbooking (paper crafting)" a lot... seems like with more pictures to choose from, the ability to be creative comes so much easier. So Kelsey and I have spent loads of time stamping and working on some fun projects. Centerpieces for today, and we still have the favors for an upcoming party to work on. I think staying busy being creative helps me feel better.

Let's see, we were missing several of our ladies on Weds. But the lesson was about God's glory. As part of our discussion we talked about what God's glory is. And I came to the conclusion that it is more than we can imagine. We talked about His glory being his presence... but several scriptures point out different meanings of the word glory. If that is the case then we don't need to try to explain or wrap our human minds around God concepts. We need to dedicate ourselves to seeking to KNOW more of God, understanding the depths of his love... his forgiveness, his mercy... and still today people think of God as a tyrant waiting to strike humans down.

I have challenged our ladies to dig deeper, to seek out the things that keep us from moving forward. There are people who have a form of "godliness" but they deny the parts that force them to purge things from their own hearts. God forbid we stay in that place.

Ok back to my family. Kids are doing well. They have a couple of weeks to relax. Kelsey has taken up riding her bike daily with her grandma. Caleb has been down at my dad's house helping with the shed that he is building. Little do they know, that the summer reading and writing assignments will begin shortly. Shhh...don't tell...they may try moving to my Mom's house.

Be blessed!

^j^

I guess I better keep you in the loop.

So many of you know that I have been doing our Weds night bible study in the Ladies meeting. I chose a Beth Moore book, but I am not teaching it straight from the book. We have a beautiful range of women. Some that are new in church some have been there longer than I have been alive. So sometimes prepared lessons don't really work well.

We are talking about Benefits and Obstacles in our Christian walk. The first one that we dealt with is knowing God. The scripture that we used talked about knowing God with more than just a book knowledge. The original Hebrew word used implies a "familial" knowledge. The way that a wife knows her husband. Do we know God with that kind of intimacy? The same kind of closeness?

The obstacle that goes hand in hand with that is unbelief or doubt. What hit me in teaching this is that this doesn't only mean the kind of doubt that means we have turned our back on God. We can sit in church for years and not know God. We need to come to a place that we know WHO God is. His character doesn't change. So if we know that God is the same yesterday, today and forever like Hebrews tells us, then we should know that God who delivered the Israelites out of captivity, and rescued Noah & family from the flood, and sustained Job as Satan tried him, and sent Jesus, his Son... is the same God who is concerned about our situations and circumstances.

All a matter of TRUST. A big word in a christian walk. How many things in our lives affect our willingness to trust? A loss or betrayal can scar us. A broken heart that was never "REALLY" mended acts as a spiritual handicap. And let’s be honest, trusting an invisible God doesn’t really come naturally in our world. We can only grow in trust by taking chances. To step out in NEW places, that we haven’t been before. It is through EXPERIENCE that we grow in this area.

Have you stepped out into places that are unsure? Or do we go kicking and screaming when situations cause us to be "uncomfortable"? Take it from the girl who has been uncomfortable for a while! It is why Satan uses FEAR. It freezes us from walking out into those places where TRUST shows up.

I challenged our ladies to start thinking about the things or the people that keep them from growing in trust. We have a creator that wants us to serve with reckless abandon. Not holding on to the things that impede us from growing and fulfilling our purpose. Oh and by the way, I don't care what Oprah says... Or Scientology... Or what the New Earth says...or the JUNK the new age movement is trying to instill in our kids and society. The highest calling that we can ever attain is knowing God. There is no higher "purpose" no matter how noble the cause may seem to be.

That is enough out of me tonight! Phew!

Looks like we are going to get the scrap girls together AGAIN! I am ready. I have a couple of projects that I need to do...and then back to working on MY albums!

HUGS to you all!!
^j^

Raising kids.... continued

Many of you know that I am a "blurker".

I read blogs. LOADS and LOADS of them. Some are about being creative. I love those! But I also read several "Christian Women" blogs. All kinds...some about parenting...some about our christian walk. It is crazy the number of blogs that I lurk on.

So I have been reading about parenting, and I started giving you my two cents about that on my last post. So I am going to take a step back and tell you where this started.

I was reading a blog that is updated by the lady with the Pokemon cards that ended up on ebay? Do you remember that making national news? She ended up selling a $4 pack of cards for over $140 because of parents supporting her decision not to let her kids get away with sneaking them into the groceries at the store. She is a stay at home mom with 6 kids. Her blog is all about the insanity that she lives with 6 kids at home! She is hysterical.

I have read the gamut about parenting advice. And quite honestly, I don't pretend to be a parenting expert. All I know is that I have arrived in the "teen" years without any emotional broken bones or breakdowns. I believe that children are a heritage from the Lord. We as parents have been given the most awesome gift imaginable. To be entrusted with GOD's most precious creation. It is mind blowing. I believe that we need to shape and mold them. And teach them the things that God would have us to.

The bible tells us to "train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart". Some people believe that this is allowing them to "find" their own way. No! That isn't what it means. It means that we are vocal and CONSISTENT in raising our children. Teaching them by EXAMPLE of what is expected out of them. The virtues and the admonitions that God has laid out for each of us is what we are supposed to instill in our kids.

I have had the pleasure of befriending some really great Moms. Erin, your kids demonstrate in their actions that you have made them feel important. They show it in the way they treat the "little" kids that are around. EVEN when they would rather be doing something else. Logey, you are consistent. STAY that way! If we waiver or choose to "get lazy" in raising kids, we will reap the heartache of not stepping up. Bonnie, you are focused always looking for quality ways to share your time with your daughter, even when you need a breather! She will always remember the time and effort you took to share special things with her. Patti...I couldn't forget you either! Your kids...well... just in emails that I exchange with them. #1- They love the Lord. #2- They have a characteristic that I admire SO much. They talk to adults. by realizing that they bring something to the conversation. They love to laugh... and their parents have taught them the things of the Lord and the moral compass written on their hearts always points due north. You should be SOOO proud of the quality of character that you have instilled in them.

This isn't a post about perfect kids. It is about PARENTS who are hands on. INVOLVED... and REALISTIC. That when your child is not where they need to be...you know it ...and start taking the steps to correct that action before it becomes an issue of character. Parents be challenged to NOT choose the lazy way out. Our children will not raise themselves. If you are so focused on YOUR needs and YOUR issues.... your children will suffer the consequences. Matthew chapter 5 outlines the Beatitudes. THESE are the characteristics that will carry our kids into being GREAT adults... the future of our churches, the future of our country and the legacy that we leave.

For anyone struggling to parent, don't give up. Don't think that you can "leave them to their own devices and they will find the way" Dig your heels in, decide that with God's help you will do your best by them. Teaching them God first, Others second, and then their own needs...

The things don't take the place of boundaries. Indulging them only teaches them that THEY are more important than others. Let your own actions mirror the qualities that we want to see in them some day. And do it daily... day in and day out. And when we make a mistake...admit it and move on with the same determination.

I heard this song and had it sung at Kelsey's dedication over 11 years ago. Because this truly is one of the prizes that I am pressing for! Here is just one part of it! Hope it speaks to that place in you that says... the best is yet to come!

Cradled in my arms I held you

and I loved you more with each day passing by

Sharing joy, sharing pain

through the sunshine and the rain

I can’t believe it’s time to say goodbye
I don’t know what the future brings you

But I hope that you’ll keep Heaven as your goal

For we’ve taught you how to pray

we made sure you knew the way

so remember my request before you go

Just be there-

When I finally make it home

and I stand before the throne

Just be there -

When I look around to see

If you are standing next to me

Just be there

No...I am still here.

It isn't that I don't have a whole lot to talk about... it is really a matter of feeling "up" to sitting at the computer while I read and reread...always trying to be sure that what I say actually makes sense.

You'll be happy to know that the stomach virus that had the Keefer house captive, has left the premises. YEAH!! We have cleaned and sanitized and now are ready to start SUMMER. Kelsey Jeanne has another few days of school. So next week, I'll be home with BOTH of the Keefer kids. Look out Raleigh. We will be around taking pictures and doing some fun things this summer but will be staying close to home because GAS prices are CRAZY!


Our youth group had a yard sale last week to raise money to go Kingsfest. King's Dominion's version of "christian day at the amusement park". They did a great job...they worked together and raised almost $500 after all was said and done. I was so proud of them. Some kids are trouble makers. We really don't have any like that! They get along, they worked together, and made it a nice day to spend "working" at the church.



Here are a couple of pictures:

This is a little brother who came to help his older siblings raise some money for their trip. I think that he was what drew the crowds that we saw! Owen... he is a cutie!

I suppose that I should "retouch" some of my photos. But this one of Caleb, didn't need a whole lot. One would think that he spent some time in braces with those teeth...but he gets that from his MOMMA! Everything else...yeah....that is his daddy!!! Anyway, I thought this picture was a keeper! And yes, it is from the yard sale! My kids are ready to pose at a moments notice. LOVE THAT BOY! Speaking of Daddy....

He spent the day keeping a watchful eye on the crew. Can I say something about my husband? First... I love him. Second, he is unlike so many of the clergy that I have known through the years. He works full time... He pastors CFC... he took on the youth group on. They needed a leader...he decided that he would fill the position for now. He is a hands on worker. Sometimes to a fault, because he tries to do TOO much with the "extra" time that he has. (Let's just say, that we aren't winning any awards for the landscaping or the lawn color in our neighborhood) He isn't sitting at some head table barking orders. He isn't wired that way. I have had conversations with other ministers and wives, they seem to have an attitude of "deserving".

Here are my two cents about that. If we were given what we "deserve" by God, how many of us would still be alive? None, I fear. If I can be behind the scenes with my hands dirty with the tasks I have, so be it. My husband... is just that kind of pastor. He lives out Christ's example of bending to be a servant even when your "title" says you don't have to. I know that my parents taught us to serve others. To esteem them higher than ourselves, I am so glad that I married a man whose Christian leadership taught him that as well. When it is ingrained in us to be "do-ers", serving as an adult becomes very easy.

I pray that our kids have learned that lesson. My kids are not indulged. Some think that as pastor's kids, they would be. They are VERY compassionate. I have heard so many cute stories about other people's kids. I could tell a million about my kids as well, but show me kids that are well behaved, polite and don't have "typical" attitudes...and I'll show you parents that have done a GREAT job.

Ok...I'll leave the rest of that for my next post!

Our love

^j^

Wednesday is always a good day....

I should start this post by saying that *most* Wednesday's are good. I use the day to prepare my final thoughts for what I am going to share with the Ladies in our small group meeting. And the book that I have been using as a guide line has been really good so far. I love it when that happens. You know, when having something to say isn't an effort because you can identify with your teaching materials.

Tonight's lesson is a continuation in the study of Israel's relationship with God during the time of Isaiah. But it finishes in a really great place of soul searching. Our journal work for the upcoming week will be an examination of areas of our own life that we are still held captive by.

In this study, the word captivity is synonymous with the word bondage. What holds you back? What keeps you from realizing the best that God has for you? We are going to talk about issues in our past, issues of never feeling worthy or good enough, the issues of legalism that have crept into the hearts of so many Christians. Christ came to set everyone free. The bible is clear that God wants none of us to perish without coming to the saving knowledge of Christ. According to the scripture, Christ came as an ambassador of the HEART condition of men, not as the political figure that the Jewish people were looking for. Or to remove from us every trial in life.

"CHRIST came to set ALL captives free, no matter what yoke binds them
HE came to bind the broken hearted, no matter what broke their heart
He came to open the eyes of the blind, No matter what has veiled their vision."

We need to stop placing limitations on what God can heal and remove and cause restoration in. It is time as Christians we stop trying to qualify who is "good" enough. And rather than click our tongues with the words, "I told you so", we should hurt for those who have fallen away or choose to stand on the sidelines forever a voyeur of life. I am sure that if we could see the lives of those around us through Jesus eyes for just a moment, we would be forever changed. Transformed by the grace and mercy that God is so quick to show after repentance.

Wonder how many in church today carry around the "secret" things that they hide from the outside world? Maybe out of fear of judgment, maybe out of fear of rejection, maybe because they tried to share it once before and that didn't go over so well. Whatever the reason...God knows. Now if I can just keep remembering that there is no difference in God's love toward each of us. God doesn't love me 3x more than someone else because I was obedient last week. God's love is the same for each of us. So what are OUR issues that hold us back from accepting that fully? There is the real question. God isn't in heaven opening and closing the spigot on his love depending on who is underneath the flow. The question is why do we CHOOSE not to stand under it completely? Why is just getting our feet wet enough, or for some, why is just getting up to our knees wet, OK?

Enough, enough...I know. But when you have one of those moments that helps you to realize that NONE of us have arrived yet... You just want to tell it!

Blessings!!!
^j^