Confess and be Healed

Last night during evening church service, my pastor Dan Gutenson gave us a very inspirational sermon about the healing power of prayer.  The focus was not so much on physical healing, as it was on spiritual healing.  The scripture that he used was from  the book of James .  James 5:13-16 says "Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

Brother Dan shared with us that afflicted doesn't necessarily mean ill.  When you look up the correct translation of the word it means weak.  Tell me one time in our lives when we weren't weak and down trodden?  That study of the word and especially the last verse, Confess your faults, spoke to me.  The Holy Spirit used that sermon for me to speak up, and ask for the congregation to pray for me to be in God's word daily, and not just to say I have done so, but to actually receive a message every day from it. 

I would like to ask you all now, whomever is reading this, to also pray for me.  I need it.  I will also pray for you.  Thank you Brother Dan for delivering what I think God wanted you to say just to me :) 

A Bittersweet Memory

Yesterday was the day we chose to celebrate all of my children's birthdays.  Since their actual birthdays are all within one month, we give our family a break, and let them all join in at one time.

The day was marked with chili, lil' smokies, cake, ice cream and presents.  Lots of kids, laughter and a few tears.  But a day I feel blessed to have witnessed.  My children and those that got to attend had a wonderful time.

In just a couple of weeks, it will be the anniversary of my nephew Jeffrey's death.  He was 26 when he passed.  When he died, he had very few possessions.  One of his mainstays was his shotgun.  While the search party were searching for him, they found this laying in the grass just a bit away from where he was eventually discovered.  I would dare say that when we saw he left that behind, we knew we wouldn't find him and smile about it.

My father took Jeffrey's gun.  He got it completely redone.  It was rusty and dirty, and when finished it looked like a completely different gun.  Yesterday, at my oldest sons birthday party, my father gave it to him.  Jeffrey's mom, my sister Lisa, told my father that Jeffrey would have wanted Jakob to have the gun.  Watching my son be handed that gun was one of the saddest moments of my life.  I wish Jeffrey could be here to pass it to Jakob, to teach him to shoot it and to take care of it. 

Jakob receiving Jeffrey's gun

Jakob will treasure it.  As he treasures the memories he has of Jeffrey.  He will always be in our hearts.  I will always live my life, knowing he never got the chance. 

Dear Friends,

God bless my friends tonight
Help them through this life
Thank you for sending them to me
I pray that they're alright

Bless the one that pains
She needs a brighter day
Lead her, heal her, strengthen her
Please take the reigns today

Bless her mate restore his will
Give him a loving calm
His cup I ask for You to fill
He needs your hand to guide him now

Thank you Lord for those most dear
Whatever your purpose, I know not yet
But when You chose to show it to me
I promise not to forget

~:D

3 Winter Babies… Why did that seem like a good idea?

Not only are all my children winter babies, they were all three born within the same month.  Baby 1 was Jan 10, baby 2 was Dec 29 and baby 3 was Jan 25.  What was I thinking when I … wait.. I wasn’t.  Anyway, in accordance with most Western (and I’m sure lots of other ern countries) I prepare for the birthday.  And I do mean THE because we have a single party for all three.  How could you get all that family to come to three parties, in wintertime, in Kentucky?  What a whop on the wallet that is!

Isn’t life wonderful though?  I have good friends, most I’ve never met.  Kinda like it that way.  I know they love me for me.  Not what I can do for them.  I have a wonderful family.  Insane, and God given.  I love each and every member.  And I have a wonderful God.  What more can a person want? 

Nothing. Amen

My Shoes

Imagine I said I hated you

For the color of your eyes

Well you could get some contacts

We could compromise

For those dear souls that are hated

For the color of their skin

A solution can’t be found for that

With a trip to the 5 and 10

Walk a mile in my shoes

Before you decide to hate

If you don’t even know me

Can’t you pause, just wait

Why spend your life hating

When there is so much more to do

Life is much more worthwhile

When you love like God can do.

Ten Years Of Motherhood

I woke up this morning and thought, ten years ago at this moment, I was in the hospital in labor with my firstborn.  I had all 3 of my sisters by my side.  At 6:30 pm I welcomed my son, Jakob Ethan Mink into the world.  At a whopping 7 lbs. 7.5 oz., he would forever change my life.  I went from Christina to Mommy in an instant.  All the sappy movies and books can’t prepare you for the indescribable love you feel when you hold your child for the first time. 

Motherhood is a very long and hard job.  But it is the one job that I’ve had where the rewards are worth it.  To see my children grow up to hopefully be God centered people, who care more for others than they do themselves will be my reward.

I thank God on this day for allowing me to be the vessel to deliver three of His creations.  I feel blessed that He trusted me enough to care and nurture three souls that He created for a specific purpose.  That the Creator of everything deemed me worthy to be the mother to three of His children.

Thank you God. Happy birthday Jakob.