Hoping and will you hope with me too?

Kindof (is that a word) excited about this smash book idea for the summer writing program for the 900 students who go to Edinbrook Elementary.

See it here:
http://youtu.be/_PFsArr4Z1s
I am on the reading committee and this was one of the ideas so ... I am hoping to get 900+ journals donated for the students from different retailers in the next few weeks as I go and ask. He says, "ask and you shall receive".

Would you hope with me too?

I am continuing to count my gifts from Him. Sometimes I get distracted by the  things that don't matter much and I begin to complain. I often don't know why this happens. I know that I am not alone in this but I do want to be transformed in my heart so I will walk in joy and gratefulness more often. So once again I am linking up with Ann and counting my gifts.
http://www.aholyexperience.com

824. waking up reading Galatians and knowing that I have grace and peace from You

825. hearing and watching my youngest lead in worship at NHC yesterday

826. hot coffee as I read

827. family (close and far away)

828. friends in need of prayer http://thetumordiaries.blogspot.com/ please pray for Amber today!

829. music in the background

830. burdens that don't seem so heavy today

831. a repentant heart

832. friends both present and online

833. Hannah and Rachel being led to participate in a 30 hour famine

834. time to relax and read

835. signs of spring

836. walking with the golfer

Is Jesus Clearly and Obviously your Lord?

Another Sabbath and another profound message regarding Living Sent! Take away today for me was:

"When Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christan
they are useless."

The text today was Matthew 5:13-20

But the whole story is in Matthew 5 often referred to as The Beatitude's or the Sermon on the Mount hence the reason I thought this You Tube by Ann was profound as well!

May I remember to be useful, for when Christians intrigue the world they attract the world.

Grateful for a game of basketball!

Grateful for a game of basketball in the gym with the boys on Monday!

I am a teacher, I work with 4, 5, and 6, grade black boys who just happen to have Emotional Behavior Disorders (EBD). I walk into the darkness each day from 9-3:30.  I cry out to the Lord for these boys at night as I lay my head on the pillow. I pray for them on my way to work. When one of them gets angry at me during the day and tells me to "f" off or calls me a "b", white woman that I am, I bring peace and calm and I begin to pray for them. I bring empathy and compassion as one boy says, "Mrs. P. when I got angry today at you, it wasn't you I was angry at. It was just that my mom told me last night that my grandma committed suicide". He cries and I listen. It's true I walk into the darkness daily but I bring the light because I am Living Sent. 

 I come home today after a full day with the boys. I remember that I belong to Him and my heart is full of gratefulness.


Gratefulness knowing that I have been on the receiving end of gracious comments too, the ones He whispers in my ear, "you are mine, you are worthy, and you are amazing".


I know the power of well-chosen words. I speak them as a teacher and I hear them from the students; "Thanks Mrs. Pederson, Can you help me Mrs. Pederson?"


Still counting and speaking my gratefulness


807. a cold winter day

808. the cardinal on the bird feeder

809. the amazement of the grandchildren as they watch the birds and squirrels eat

810. warm coffee

811. reading Bible stories to the kids

812. a day for warm pj’s

813. heat for the house on a cold weather day

814. sitting face to face with Him

815. His love washing over me

816. a warm embrace from the golfer

817. just a simple egg and toast 

818. grateful that my life is not defined by my own pain but by my union with Christ

819. warm chili served by the hands of the golfer

820. a good night’s rest

821. knowing I am loved, chosen and called

822. a game of basketball in the gym with the boys

823. grateful to have a teaching job


I speak these words to Him, make me an "oak of Righteousness," partnering with You in the restoration of the shattered lives of these boys. 

5 Minute Friday .... Empty

Start ....

Not sure I can write for 5 minutes on this but will try anyways

Empty; it's how I felt today cause I did not have to go to work and I did not put anything on my to do list

Empty; it's how I felt yesterday when I learned that my daughter-in-law had lost her baby the second time around

Empty; it's how I feel when I long to be close to my daughter in Texas and her kids

Empty; it's a feeling that has been coming over me due to the deployment soon of my youngest daughter

Empty; it's how the house feels on any given day

Yet, I think about the opposite of empty and that is full .... full of memories of fun and fellowship and family and times of reading the Word and once again being filled with His promises to meet me where I am either feeling empty or full or even in between ...
God is Good, All the Time! All the Time, God is Good!

I did it 5 minutes no edits

Stop ...

A vision without a plan implemented is ....

Some thoughts from Sunday’s message that I am living out today are:

I must be an effective ambassador for Christ in my neighborhood.

I must go forth with faith, boldness, and ability.

I can be a bringer of peace to Plymouth.

I can intentionally cultivate opportunities to spend time with unbelievers.

Because I know the Gospel is the answer for all and because I am called to be an everyday apostle here: “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two (I am one of the 72) and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town …” (and the suburb of Plymouth, MN, where I live) Luke 10:1-12 I must LIVESENT!

Finally; a vision without a plan implemented is merely a good intention.

Some questions I am asking myself and you could be asking too are:

What do I know about my neighborhood?

What kinds of people live there?

What do I think people struggle with?

What do I think they care most deeply about?

Listen to the whole message here www.newhomechurchmn.org

He Whispers

These are the whispers I heard this morning:

Beth, you are to love people but you are only asked to please Me!

Beth, remember,

I am your Fortress
I am your Stronghold
I am your Delieverer
I am your Shield

Take refuge in Me!

An embrace and a smile

These are the times we will miss ... times of family, love, embraces and smiles ....


As I think forward to the next few weeks I realize our youngest daughter will leave us to deploy, to fight for our freedom, to serve our country and our "one nation under God". The question I receive many times in a week now is, "How are you doing as a mother?" I don't always know how to respond but I know that I released this one to God some 23 years ago and it is for this reason that I spend some time tonight sharing one more letter from boot camp 2007.

Dear Family,

Hey you guys! I miss ya'll like crazy! There has been quite a few interesting things that have happened since I left the great state of Minnesota. I've been at reception battalion with the 43rd unit. There has been a lot of waiting and barely any sleeping. ha ha! I got here at 12 am on Thursday morning and they had us doing stuff 'til 3:30 am. Once we got to the barracks, we had to shower and get our beds made while it was dark. I got to bed around 4 am and wake up was at 5 am. I got a lot more sleep on Thursday night. Today our Drill Sgt. told us that 20 of us would have the opportunity to go to a rodeo on Saturday night. He went thru everybody and had people guess the number he picked. By the last five, he picked out something in the book that we would have to do. The first thing he asked was, "Who can sing the Army song?" I rasied my hand, and he picked me. I stood up, sang it loud and got a ticket!! So tomorrow, I get a break from base already. Woo Hoo! I got my uniform today. It made me feel really important. Seriously, I feel honored to put this uniform on. It's hot as heck, but that's OK. The girls are nice and so are the guys. I'm actually going to church on Sunday with one of the girls. Please keep praying that everything keeps going well. I love you all so much. I'll write you again as soon as I know my address!

Ashley

wow, guess Ashley said this is the second time I posted this letter so ... next week a new post with a new (old) letter!