Whewww!

Track season is a VERY FULL season indeed. All three of my kids are involved in different track programs. Every week there are at least 3 track meets and sometimes 4. Glad to be able to write again. Thanks for your prayers:
Darragh was accepted to Capenray, Australia- to enter January 2011!!! Congrats Darragh! You have made it over some hurdles this year. I am so excited for you. Living in Australia is going to be SO good for you.
Dannah made state in pole vaulting. ONE more meet to try to make it over 11' this year. We are so blessed that she made it to state - as 2 of the best girls in the state happen to be in our district. Congrats!
Daylon was asked to give a speech at the "Bagels and Books" breakfast for the Gresham/Barlow educational foundation. YAY. DO good little brother! Congrats!

Prayer

Lots going on. Thanks for your prayers!
Janie

Reflections

These are my meditations for the week- maybe even month.

The Lord is near to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him. The Lord watches over all who love Him.
Psalm 145

The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
Psalm 145

He will call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
Psalm 91:15

God is our refuge and strength an ever present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1

You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is the fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalm 16:11

Honestly

Honestly, I am embarrassed to have not posted for so long. I have begun a poem, a story, a Bible truth I have meditated on but have not finished any of them. Sooooo...... Hmm...... Well. I guess I will tell you in a rough form what I have been contemplating recently....~some of Jesus' last words before He went to the cross. As He was praying for His disciples He said to the Father in John 17:12
"While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. "
I never thought about it before. I asked myself What did Jesus mean by protecting them? ...keeping them safe? Why is that so important to me? Because, I also have children- physical and spiritual.... Will I be able to say the same thing when I am about to die and am turning the kingdom over to the next soldiers?
Some answers came a few verses later in John 17:15-18 : "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."
So, I am not to protect them from being in the world, but as they go in the world let them be taught what it means to become set apart. How amazing that Jesus also had to pray for the Father to protect them from the evil one. WOW. SO if Jesus had to pray it then I must pray it for all of those the Lord has given me.
Well, lots to think about. What are the ways Jesus protected them...besides teaching them truth, praying for them, becoming set apart Himself as He walked in the world in order to show them how to do that themselves ( vs. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified)? Who all would that include- just the 12 or more? What does it mean to protect them from the evil one?... that they would not turn against Jesus? ...that they would always walk in His ways?....that they would not fall into sin?
I suppose we all must ask ourselves this question. Who are those He has truly given us to watch over and do we get sidetracked with others He has not given us? We should not feel we must take care of everyone- for we cannot!



Libby, I would like your thoughts too on all of this. (love ya girl!)

ps... this was written while boys were wrestling, guitars were playing and husband was munching and talking. HA. I hope it makes sense.

More Sudan Pics

I haven't had time to write. Maybe tonight.
Here are a few pictures of Africa. The Sudanese are amazing! Sorry but there were several more pictures I had wanted to put on the post but Blogger was acting up on me.


Pumping the well with the children.


Enjoying filling the water containers with the children.


I have been in numerous outdoor squatty potties over the years having lived in China, even some with millions of maggots but never one with a grass thatched roof so I was excited to use this bathroom. I jumped in and before i could even begin my duty I heard something above my head moving- either slithering or crawling- I looked up and I do believe (Jonathan seems to doubt me) I saw the belly of a snake- YIKES. Now, I am NOT Joy Forney. I have not completely overcome my fear of snakes nor of big spiders so I ran. Later, i was told that the day before there had been a poisonous snake just about 20 feet away from the hut.



Here are a couple of homes nearby CLIS_ Christian Leadership Institute of Sudan
Here is a young handsome 13 year old. I took this picture so that Daylon could see a sudanese 13 year old boy.

The Tree

This poem is in honor of the Bride: Good Shepherd Community Church ~ all of my brothers and sisters who have weathered the storms of “winter” standing firm, immovable serving and loving others, honoring Jesus in word and deed in the midst of this past year’s hardships.



( I tried to post this written as a poem, but the blogger wouldn't let me- so just bear with me here)


In the peaceful still and early hour firm but delicate, gray black bark shaded branches reaching outward from their body sparsely dotted with winter leaves, three dimensional in scope remain against the backdrop of an icy blue sky holding up blustery clouds with mingling hues of blue and gray like distant dark ocean waves.

A story conveying a life which is resolute to stand the trials of winter~ steadfast, staying its ground, residing in its intended purpose. Whether unnoticed or perceived
preserving the design for which it was created~ immovable, solid, unyielding to the commands of nature,yet of humble disposition .

A casual observer deciding to peer more closely delights in its beauty which another day another backdrop reveals the same tree a different beauty.

The Gospel of John

When was the last time you read the gospel of John? WOW. Powerful. Impacting. No one could have ever made up that story. Kings food is what I have been eating. Rich delicacies, tasty treats... no... I would say a seven course meal that my soul has feasted on this past month- and I am only on chapter 13. Yummy, I just can't wait for breakfast,, no maybe I'll make it a midnight snack tonight. I just can't get enough of it. This kind of food is addicting. The powerful presence of Jesus. Reality of Jesus lighting my soul. There is more of me to be taken by Him. - Or according to John, darkness to be sonlit by Him. Today I savored the passage where Jesus says "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it." (John 14:12-)
NO NO NO. These aren't just black letters on a white page of paper. Jesus meant it. All to bring glory to God... to reveal just who Jesus really is. The Father. They are One. Well, go read John. Taste again for yourself. meditate slowly. allow the pictures to form in your head. Be there.