Pitter Pat...

The rain is pitter-pattering on the sidewalk outside my house as I sit here this morning thinking about storms. The storms of life come and sometimes they are frightening, but mostly they are a time when you either face down your fear or you are controlled by it.



God's been teaching me about what it means to trust Him and walk in His peace these last few years. I'm not talking about the kind of trust that speaks of how much I love and depend on God, but the kind of trust that runs to Him in the storm instead of doing Tornado drills while making my children empty the closet under the stairs.



Several years ago, we were in the midst of a train of storms blowing through North Texas when the news began to report Tornadoes touching down not far from the small town we lived in back then. Justin had a friend from church over and we were all watching television when the report came in... I immediately began enlisting the help of my children emptying the closet under the stairs and then had them all "practice" running into the closet while I made the whooping sound of sirens. It was a crazy, chaotic and now as I look back on it hilarious moment in my sometimes querky life.



My children also remember that night vividly. I am oft reminded of it when the National Weather Service Emergency Alert begins to sound on the television. So... what does that have to do with how I began my post?



My youngest daughter, Taylor, has recently committed herself to the calling of God to be a missionary to Northern Uganda. It is no secret that Uganda is one of those countries that is very dangerous for its own people, much less missionaries. However, God has purposed Taylor for that very place on this planet and given her a heart to minister to and adopt children there who are either orphaned or ripped from their homes by the military and forced to fight in a war that few people understand. A storm... Possibly even a firestorm.



My oldest daughter is on the verge of moving about a half hour away and beginning her adult life in college on her own. With a constantly shifting culture and economy that leaves many uncertainties for her and us. A potential storm on the horizon...



Having been through the loss of my oldest child and the near dissintegration of our marriage in the aftermath, I find myself these days calmly riding out the natural storms where rain and thunder accent the background noise in our home and lightning dances across the sky. I am learning to trust God completely - not only with what happens to me but also with who I am. Trust does not happen apart from knowing the truth about that in which you've placed your trust. The more I learn about God through His Word, the more I understand His nature and His character. The more I understand His nature and His character, the more like Him I want to become. The more like Him I become, the more others see Christ in me. And the more others see Christ in me... The more He is glorified.



Recently God has asked me why I claim to trust Him so much when I don't trust the people He has placed in my life. I've had to grapple with that reality over the last few months. The truth I am learning about my relationship with God leaves me marked, changed and learning to let go of those things that hurt me so much about people and love with abandon, live without fear and hope without doubts. "If you abide in my word... You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." ~ Love, Jesus. AMEN.

Life in the Church Lane

As I eluded to in my last post, I began my position as Pastor Angie's new assistant this week. Working in a church creates an interesting mix of business and ministry. I've been here before on a much smaller scale. As in... I had three or four extensions to keep up with max and three pastors and one Secretary besides me...

Fast Forward! Today, I am responsible to one pastor, but working among many. I've seen so many my head is swimming. Training is going slow because we have meetings where everyone is getting to know the "New Kid on the Block" and well, they're graciously bringing me up to speed. Today felt like we accomplished so very, very much - We marked one thing off of our to-do list for the last three days (we had six originally and added three today). Well, save the meetings mind you.

Does it sound like I am complaining? I'm sorry... Because the best part is while it seems like vital things are moving slowly - I'm so excited because I'm learning so much. I love it. I'm beginning to understand the dynamics of the team I am working with, and I have a feeling Thursday I will surely begin to grasp the way our team fits in with the other teams in our department.

I'm fascinated, excited and honestly overwhelmed in a really good way by it all!

So... If you don't see much of me for the next week or so it is because I am learning to do my job... Which is more than a job. It is really something I'm eager to learn and learning to Love! I love my boss and her sweet assistant who is leaving us already.

Ever feel like the slowest car on the freeway? Well, I'm in that huge machine barrelling by you just about now. Nothing slow moving about this place! It's a blast.

Newness!

So, I'm the newbie at the office. First day in the office as Pastor Angie's Assistant... I met several wonderful, smiling faces today - and ran into a few familiar ones as well. It was an exciting day - half of it anyway. Highlight... The Key Fob (I feel so official) and the people! :)

The other half - well, let's just say being shocked and pinned and needled is no fun at all. I had an EMG today. The results - Negative for nerve damage. Looks like my MRI came back better than expected. I'll get the official results on Thursday.

How's life with you? Obviously I'm in a season of Newness... What about you?

Well, I'm off to bed... If you are reading my blog then check out www.angiewyatt.com tomorrow. She is a fabulous woman of God who is jumping in the blog pool with both feet! Love you guys.

Hummingbird Crazy - Eureka Springs, Arkansas

The Wonder of It All

To say that all of creation cries out that God exists to me is an understatement. As I walked through the trees surrounding the Mildred B. Cooper Chapel I was completely in awe of how an area so densely populated with trees could give you such glimpses of light. I also realized that as we walked along the cobblestone and cement path that some trees were shedding dead branches and bark while others had fallen completely and lay as a reminder that amid such beautiful life there are remnants of death all around.

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I loved every inch of our walk. That morning the temperature must have been at least ninety degrees but in that particular wooded area we barely broke a sweat. A cool breeze danced overhead and swirled all around us as we made the journey that wove through the trees about this chapel.

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I guess the other thing I noticed was how intimate the setting seemed. This place was untouched - so raw and natural. Aside from the paved walking path and the two buildings in the park area - the place remained relatively untouched. A small squirrel (or chipmunk) played just up the path from us as we began our walk and I managed to snap a couple of photos of the little guy before he scampered off up a tree.

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Just before we finished our walk, Scott pointed to a little Robin (red-breast) that was hopping down the sidewalk a few yards ahead of us. I quietly crept up the walk and snapped a few shots of this little friend. He made a short flight into a tree and I captured the most remarkable shot while trying not to leap for joy as not to disturb this sanctuary of peace.

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On the way out of the park we spyed a small beetle snacking on a leaf near the entrance and the wonder of creation hit me fresh. If that had been all... Oh that would have been enough. However, God continued to delight me with His beautiful testimony throughout that morning. We went around the corner from the chapel area to a dammed lake. I walked out and took pictures. In my photos you will find several pictures of huge boulders that have all manner of vegetation growing out of them. Life on the "ROCK", so to speak.

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Another little bird rested on a sign before flying off to join his friends in some nearby trees. The view was breathtaking ... And that's when it happened, I noticed that the dense wooded area just to the right of the dam was actually the little hill on which the chapel sits. Yet, from that dam you would not even know there was a building nestled among all those beautiful trees. Utterly protected and sheltered from a prying and adulterated world, this chapel sits among the trees relatively secure and serene. Undisturbed. Peace be still.

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It was so hard to leave such a beautiful place. Still, we found ourselves heading off to capture the pictures of Eva and Ben's fishing trip. While we waited for them to arrive at the second small lake a few blocks from the chapel I began searching out a spillway that led to a creek running through the trees just off the small lake. All this beauty tucked in just behind a hardware store off of Highway 71.

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We could see the large boulders and rocks that seemed to be cut by the water peeking at us through the trees as we drove by. Little did we guess what wonders flowed through them. As I got closer I could hear the rush of water and knew there was a treasure behind all those trees lining the road.

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I was right.

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A beautiful cascade of water was falling through those rocks. So I searched and searched until I got the perfect shot(s). A little butterfly even came along side me to play and catch the wonderful view. Just as I snapped the last few pictures, Jef and Dad drove by with the kids and I went to snapping away at all the fun they had that day. This has been the best vacation of my life.

So... Without further adieu, the sights of our little walk continue as nature speaks through these pictures. I hope you enjoy them.

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(Songs included in this video are "Draw Me Nearer" and "Peace Be Still" by Gateway Worship available on the "Conversations with God CD" at www.gatewaypeople.com [Click Resources]).

Mildred B Cooper Memorial Chapel - Bella Vista, AR

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The LORD fo hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."

~ Psalm 46:10-11 (NKJV)~

Yesterday Scott and I took a little walk up a pebbled sidewalk to the most beautiful sanctuary in the trees I've ever seen. This beautiful chapel is constructed mostly of steel and glass with 14th Century Gothic Architecture in mind. It is amazing to stand in this beautiful structure and experience serenity and peace as light filters to the arches and glass skylights. My heart was overjoyed to see how so many would use their gifts and talents to create a sanctuary for others to come and visit with the Lord. A precious place.

There is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words... So here are a few thousand words to help you relive the experience with me.

Fishing with Ben and Eva

Here are some pics from Ben and Eva's fishing excursion with Granpa and Daddy... (Uncle Scott and I tagged along for photo ops...) I'll try to post a cute video of Ben when they first started fishing this morning! SWEET TIME!