The Cross

 

 

We sometimes complain about the cross we bear but often don’t realize it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we  can’t. 
 

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A Trip Down Memory Lane, aka Lithonia, GA

My husband Darrell and his sister Paula (visiting from California) took us on a trip down memory lane to places they lived and played when they were elementary children. It was a serendipitous day; perfect weather, fun with family and a few surprises!

Oops, Lydia, did you want to go too?? j/k!

Darrell and Lydia standing on the side of the last house Darrell’s grandparents lived in.

Surprise #1

This is the plot where Darrell’s grandparents are buried. But where are the headstones??

Pushing back the bushes…Surprise!

Darrell and I actually planted two small shrubs back in 1979 after PawPaw Griggs passed away. They were shorter than the headstone at that time. We remember picking out something that would grow on its own that would need no maintaining. No kidding!!

More cemetery “fun!”:

Darrell, Staci and Shelby chewing on sassafras growing wild in the cemetery.

We don’t know this person- but I think it’s worth remembering someone who lived to be 100 years old!

Lydia was excited to pick flowers and sassafras too!

This is something you don’t see in a cemetery everyday!

In honor of a famous Lithonia resident, we drove down “Brenda Lee Lane.”

Next we went to Rock Chapel Elementary school where Darrell and his sisters attended in the 1960s. Darrell was really excited to see the quince tree that marked “home plate” in the school yard was still standing! Here he is cutting a piece for Shelby and Staci to taste.

Shelby loved it (not!) If you’ve never tasted a quince, be careful- it will make your mouth pucker!

Lydia loved the quinces. Watch her playing with them:

My camera did not do this tree at the school justice- but I think you can get the idea. The leaves were gold, green, brown and shades of red- all on one tree. It was beautiful!

Next, we arrived at the “old homestead.” This was such a great place for children to be raised. Outdoor fun, plenty of space to play, the woods to stimulate their imaginations; horses, tractors, gardens and fun. Darrell and Paula were so excited to see their childhood home.

Here is where serendipity (actually the blessing and favor of God) comes in. The neighbors next door (new since Darrell’s family lived there) were on their front porch. They own the old house as well and allowed us to go inside, roam the yard and even tromp around in the woods to find special places they remembered playing as children. Even as I am typing this, the looks on Darrell’s and Paula’s faces bring tears to my eyes. It was really a time of fun and adventure- but also some nurture and healing as well. We couldn’t help but think about their mother who passed away exactly a year ago this season. You see, God is intimately concerned with the details of our lives (my blog title, remember?) If we will allow Him access to our hearts, our thoughts, our attention- He desires to bless us and give us a full supply in our lives. Even in cemeteries, in school yards and at old country homes.

Look at Darrell and Paula’s faces as they look at the interior of their old home:

Here they are at an old well (now a little collapsed and overgrown) they used to play at when they were kids:

Surprise #2

The current owner found us in the woods and wanted to tell us a few stories he knew about the property. It sounded to all of us like his grandfather bought the land and house from Darrell’s dad. But the biggest surprise was that the property had been sold to developers- and this was the last day he and his family would be living there. The houses and woods are being torn down to put in residential development. The next time we might ever go back out there- this will all be gone. God knew exactly which day we needed to go to Lithonia in order to bless Darrell and Paula (and all of us.) God’s direction in even just this fun little outing did not escape our notice.

Surprise #3

Paula has been a lifetime collector of Coca-Cola memorabilia. Her kitchen is decorated with fun Coca-Cola collectibles. In casual conversation, the current owner said to her that he had a tub of Coke bottles he had saved for 30 years, but wasn’t taking with him when they left the house today. Would she be interested in them? Yeah! I guess so!

We had a wonderful time visiting, but it was getting a little late and we were all starting to mention it was time to get going. Atlanta traffic, you know. Suddenly I realized it was about 4:15 p.m. and we were in Lithonia on our way to Roswell, then Woodstock on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving! The worst traffic day of the year. And we were hungry and still had to do our Thanksgiving grocery shopping!! I was not too excited about what was ahead of us.

Surprise #4

We did not hit one bit of traffic. Just in case you don’t believe me, let me say it one more time. WE DID NOT HIT ONE BIT OF TRAFFIC. I honestly think we were in Roswell, eating supper 30 minutes later. We couldn’t even explain it. An expressway sign I zoomed under at 70 mph warned, “Expect Severe Delays from Noon to 7 P.M.” Amanda and I said we felt like we had been in a “miracle bubble” all day- and this quick trip through traffic proved it!

God is certainly in the details!

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101!

OK- I think this is just right to celebrate over 100 posts!

 

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Jamie Buckingham

I think many of you may not be acquainted with Jamie Buckingham. But he is a spiritual giant in my life- although I never even had an opportunity to meet him. 

Jamie wrote one of my all time favorite books, Run, Baby, Run; the true story of Nicky Cruz, gang-leader, drug dealer and all around rough guy. As I’m sitting here writing this, I can think of one scene that repelled and scared me as a 13 year old girl reading about life on the streets in NYC. But I loved it! The book was a testimony to the life-changing power of God as well as to the ministry of David Wilkerson who led Nicky to the Lord. In my teen years, I was really excited to get a chance to see both Nicky Cruz and David Wilkerson speak in person.

After reading Run, Baby Run, I always admired Jamie Buckingham. Years later, I was reintroduced to him through his “Last Word” column in Charisma magazine. It was literally the last article on the inside back cover of Charisma magazine each month- and as soon as I took the magazine out of the mailbox, I would turn to Jamie’s column. His writing was always full of encouragement, insight, warmth and challenge. I couldn’t wait to see what he had to say each month.

Later, I was saddened when he began to write about his life-threatening health problems, then encouraged when God touched him and stayed the inevitable during a miraculous period of healing. Finally, Jamie put down his pen for the last time in 1992 as he stepped into eternity with Jesus.

Well, the reason I am writing about Jamie Buckingham today is because of “The Box” again. I’m still sorting through the last bit of scraps of paper, notes and memorabilia I tucked into those files so long ago. In my handwriting on a scrap piece of paper I had written a short quote that penetrated my heart one day many years ago:

It was the beginning of a love affair with the Bible that lasted until the day he laid the written Word aside and entered the Writer’s study.  Jamie Buckingham, about the death of his father

Once again, Jamie encouraged and inspired me. In re-reading Jamie’s words written long ago about the passing of his father, I was reminded of the intimacy with the Father that is available to me. I see why I saved Jamie’s words- and what a blessing to come across them again this week!

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Hmmmm…Eat, Pray, Love

I was half paying attention to The Oprah Show while I was putting on my makeup the other day. Suddenly, I picked up a little of the conversation and began to pay closer attention. Oprah was interviewing Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the NY Times bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love. Here is part of what I heard:

Liz began her journey with prayer. “I had no experience. But I just said to God, ‘I need your help. I don’t know what to do. Please tell me what to do.’ And the decision I was struggling with was, Do I stay in this marriage? Do I leave this marriage?”To help find the answer, Liz began keeping a journal where she would ask herself deeper questions as if she were her own friend. “I was going to write myself everything I’ve always wanted somebody to say to me when I’m in my deepest despair,” she says.“I would write ‘I am in so much trouble. I need you.’ And there it would be—I would write back, I am here. What do you need? You know. Tell me. I love you. What do you need?”

Liz says she does not know where the voice came from but says, “I know that it came through me but it was not entirely me. As long as you believe on it and lean on it and listen to it, I’m not sure that it does matter. It’s just there when you need it.”

I don’t know what to say. The longer I listened, the more “yuck” I began to feel. The journey on which Liz found herself was to find answers to her dilemma. And she was correct in turning to God who does hold the answers we all need. She began by looking in the right direction- to God in prayer. But somehow, Liz’s journey turned to what practically every Oprah guest turns to, a little “god” named me. Rather than continuing to seek God, suddenly Liz was turning to herself.

Look back at the answers Liz heard (in italics above.) That was God’s voice speaking to her. God, who is powerful enough to make the universe, yet intimate enough to whisper right into Liz’s heart- and she missed it!! She thought it was herself. And Oprah is sitting right next to her on that couch applauding.

I only have one word: “Yuck.”

 

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Even at WalMart!

I will answer to either my real name, Cindy; or to my bird name, Hummingbird, which is my camp name. I’ve been Hummingbird for over 20 years- so it seems like my real name.

Well, today God spoke to me in the WalMart parking lot. And He called me Hummingbird. See??

I like it!

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Camp Rocks ’07 is over!

Saturday morning

I’m sitting at the computer in my typical after camp stupor- tired and dirty- but oh so glad to be home! We got home last night, but I just got my car unpacked. And now I’m as hot and sweaty as if I were still at camp! Even worse though, now I’ve got mountains of clothes, sleeping bags, tennis shoes, jackets and bedding to wash. Not to mention tons of office supplies, personal items, lost and found doo-dads and stuff to find a place for. But…the satistfaction of a wonderful week of camp once again accomplished makes it all worthwhile. Even though I’ve been in camping for a long, long time, it still amazes me how much ministry and growth can happen in just one week.  Here are just a couple of items that are running through my mind as I’m trying to muster the energy to get in the shower and find my toothbrush: 

The canoe trip with 9 middle school boys, my son Jason and me; Jason is so good, kind and patient with the boys and with me- I’m not anywhere near as strong as he is and since we share a canoe- he does 75% of the work, while I do 25%…

The birds singing in the morning during Morning Watch; Are they singing praises to the Lord?

70 campers and staff spread out over the games field with Bibles and devotion books; spending a few quiet moments with the Lord- that’s when I can really hear the birds and wonder at the beauty of God’s creation all around me…

Yummy camp food! Seems like an oxymoron unless you know the cooks: my husband and my sister-in-law who both love cooking and are good with kids…

Our camp staff 4th of  July parade;  we were the most rag-tag, creative, funny crew of patriotic costumed people I have ever seen. I laughed until my stomach hurt!

The faces of the kids as the staff came down the “parade route”- it was like we were different people of whom they were suddenly shy. Yet they were excited to wave at us and cheer. It was sort of a serendipitous moment that I didn’t quite expect…

The last night: groups of campers, in small circles with their counselors, praying for one another, some tears-but joy for what we had experienced in God’s presence and his “outdoor classroom” all week…

Oh well, there’s so much more- but my shower (and the washer and dryer) beckon me!

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Oh boy.

Yikes, these last couple of days have been crazy. Step into the whirlwind:

Sunday 

Monday: can’t remember it….Oh yeah, it was Memorial Day.

Tuesday morning: worked like crazy on PreCamp Staff Training stuff (see
Camp Rocks tab, above.) There is a lot of detail in a week long camp and the staff training is a big indicator of our success in organization and creativity for the week. In this year, particularly, I am walking by faith, not by sight!

afternoon: Square Peg meeting (see Square Peg Ministries tab, above); for a little-bitty organization, we sure do have lots to decide on, figure out and talk through. Jason was not feeling well during the meeting.

evening: fun celebration dinner for our Upward Basketball and Cheerleading commissioners. I know the season has been done for 13 weeks- but it was the best we could do! Thanks to our anonymous donor who made our get-together possible! We ate at California Pizza Kitchen- loved it!

Wednesday morning: worked like crazy again on PreCamp Staff Training stuff

lunch: great lunch meeting at Roswell United Methodist Church and with Unite! folks. Great panel discussion about the ministry, outreach possibilities and responsibilities regarding immigrants. I personally was very blessed by rubbing shoulders with people doing similar work as Square Peg is doing. More about this in a future blog.

afternoon: I was in the Twilight Zone. More about this in a future blog.

evening: last (678) middle school outing for me at Restoration Church of God. I was late (see Twilight Zone, above). We ate at Cici’s Pizza for supper. Went to Startime Entertainment and actually had a very fun time. We had been assigned an event host who led us in team competition in mini-golf, Daytona 500, skeeball contest, basketball shoot-out and then we all got to ride the go-karts- twice. Plus we had lots of points left on our game cards and the kids got to pick out a bunch of little plastic toys at the prize counter. For a kind of run-down event facility that is pretty uneven in its service and facility upkeep- we actually had a really good time. Way to go Startime!

Later: back to church for a short time of praise and worship, discussion and prayer in our (678) room for the last time ever. It was kind of sad. I have had the best (678) leaders for the past 5 years. Many thanks and lots of heartfelt love to Jen and Ed and Miss Staci. I love you.

Even later: one last moment of doodoodoodoo (that’s supposed to indicate the final credits of my Twilight Zone experience that day.)

Thursday (today): this is why I felt like I’ve been run through a wringer. Morning: shopping for Kids Club supplies. On the phone (like crazy); trying to touch base with folks I am expecting and hoping will be at the PreCamp Staff Training this weekend. Lots of long but good conversations. Noon: finally get to our ministry apartment noon to meet Kristen. She and I spend the next two and a half hours setting up, cleaning and running around (like crazy)- getting ready for our Kids Club (elementary ministry) and Mealtime  (middle school ministry.)

3:30-7:30 PM Kids Club (about 30 kids & 6 leaders jammed into one and a half  small rooms with no A/C in one of the rooms) Take elementary kids home (Jason and Kristen), pick up middle school kids (all of us.) Take middle schoolers to Cici’s Pizza- wasn’t I just here yesterday with another group of middle schoolers? Yes, and this is not even the Twilight Zone anymore! Eat supper and then have a “planning meeting” with our kids about upcoming summer events. Yikes! Can I tell you that Hispanic apartment boys have an EXTREMELY difficult time focusing on anything, much less a meeting on the sidewalk outside Cici’s Pizza??  Finally get the middle schoolers home. I get home at last.

Later: work on PreCamp Staff training stuff like crazy. I am excited about this year’s vision and opportunity for camp. It will be a life-changing week- guaranteed. God has given me a full heart about this year’s ministry. It’s just hard to get busy adults on board. However, God has never let me down- not one time- about staff or finances regarding camp. A lot of times, it is right to the last minute before I see the provision. But guess what, that’s when I needed it anyway- so I just thank Him for already having a full supply available for us at Camp Rocks this summer.

Midnite: Realized I have got to write in my blog. So I did!

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Homework Help/Tutoring

A couple of weeks ago in this blog, I said I would write some details about Square Peg Ministries (see tab above.) Well, this is the last week of Homework Help for this school year- so let me talk about that for a bit.

Our team works in an apartment complex 99% comprised of Mexican immigrants and their children. Because of the language barrier, parents; good ones, concerned ones, I-really-love-my-kids ones; cannot help even their first grade children with their homework. So, on Tuesday afternoons, every week that school is in, our little band of “tutors” sits down with approximately 20 grades K-5th kids and help them achieve a little more success in school than they probably could have on their own.

It’s amazing the amount of work these kids have in their homework packets! Kindergartners, with approximately a dozen pages per week. Even in that grade, they are writing simple stories, subtracting with two digit numbers, learning about vowels and blends. Much more advanced than the work I did in kindergarten. Back in the dark ages when my kindergarten teacher puts stars on our classroom chart for knowing how to tie our shoes, recite our phone numbers and knowing our addresses. Fast forward to my own kids- and I clearly remember kindergarten work to be one alphabet letter per week.

But these kids have to really work. Accomplishing assignments that I consider to be one or two grade levels above where it seems their brains can connect- and then for most of them, doing their work through two languages- first Spanish and then English.

Anyway, we can tell, even with the language barrier that parents are very appreciative and kids are getting more work completed than their parents could have helped them with.

We thank God for again showing Himself faithful in the details of this part of our ministry: We have an apartment right in the midst of the need- kids just walk over! Adults giving an hour and a half on this day, plus the drive through traffic, to work with kids who have already been in school all day! But most of all, that God has given us this little “fishing pond” called Homework Help in which we can make relationships with kids. Out of those relationships, we pray for the ability to connect them with Jesus through our other programs, ministry opportunities and ultimately the trust we build between us through just helping them get that homework done!

Here are a few pictures of some of our leaders and kids. See you next school year!

                   

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It Was a Happy Mother’s Day!

Oh, Mothers’ Day was so sweet. Unfortunately, we are lacking in the camera department right now, so I will have to depend on Amanda or Brandy for pix. I was very blessed on Sunday.

We went over to Amanda and Les’ for a really yummy dinner that they and Jason and Brandy made. It was especially sweet, because both couples already had spent time that afternoon with the other side of their families to honor their moms. That running-back-and-forth-between-two-families-on-the-holidays thing is not fun. Been there, done that.

Anyway, they had planned a great meal; we had fondue! My favorite. First course was cheese fondue with a huge assortment of bread, veggies, fruit and more. Plus an extra good green salad. Then, the real reason I love fondue: the chocolate course! We dipped pretzel rods, marshmallows, pineapple, strawberries and and all sorts of yummy things into that chocolate. My sister Sheila had made a zucchini chocolate cake that topped off the whole meal. I loved it!

We all sat around and talked and watched the babies after we ate. A lot of the time we sat on the back porch overlooking the lake. It was so pretty and peaceful.

My children are precious to me. I could fill up an infinite blog with my feelings of love and pride for them. They are so good to me. It’s an honor to be Amanda and Jason’s mom. And then add the blessing of their spouses, who also love and serve God is beyond what I could have ever imagined.  It goes without saying that the frosting on this “family cake” are the two precious babies they’ve given us: Nora and Lydia.

Oh my goodness, thank you Lord for intricately weaving the details of our family together. Your love and graciousness to me in this very most important part of my life is a precious gift that just fills me up to overflowing!! Amen!

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