Quiet Place

Hi, This is a picture of my quiet place and the verse the Lord 'spoke' to me while I was sitting there listening. It's the third verse I've memorized and placed into my 'memory' album, this has been a fun way to encourage myself to really hear from the Lord and to 'hide' His Word in my heart! I have an exciting adventure coming up. I'll be attending a Novel Retreat a few days of intense focus for writers working on a novel. (see link for more information). When I'm finished I'll fly to Sara and Mikes for a few days and they get to go away a couple of nights while I stay with our KY grandkids. Can't wait, should be a lot of fun.

Happy 50th!

THE CAPTURE!

THE SURPRISE!

For my husband’s 50th birthday, my friend Pam and I planned a party. We held it two weeks early so it’d be a real surprise (and it was). Our son, Eric, blindfolded his dad while son-in-law, Robert put the handcuffs on (not without a struggle). They then drove him around in an attempt to disorient and confuse him—it all worked perfectly and we all had a wonderful evening.

Before taking Craig off to his surprise party we all ate pizza. Then he made chocolate-chip

cookies (from the tub). Ethne was helping him and said, “Granddad, you’re a good man to make

chocolate-chip cookies.” I think this was his very favorite part of his entire day, maybe even better

than a bunch of adults surprising him with a party and singing “Happy Birthday”!

We started back to Bible Study this week. These are the other ladies on the ‘Servant’s Team.’ Back row: Kellie, Karen, Debbie, Front row: Molly, Shelly Stephine, Kim

Here is Aimee on her 24^th birthday.

I really think I should know better. Whenever I’m feeling guilty about the good things I should be doing, and how I ought to be spending my time, there’s a problem. The problem is that I really shouldn’t being doing those good things, because they are not the good works God has planned for my life and for me.

Do you have a ‘life verse’? Mine is Eph. 2:10. Here’s how it reads in the New Century Version, “God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.”

Well, it’s up to me to follow His plan, not make my own. When guilt becomes the motivating factor, it’s a sure sign that I’m not following but leading. God’s not the one who accuses us, and makes us feel guilty, that’s the voice of the evil one. “You should be doing this,” “You ought spend time here,” “why aren’t you doing that?” Our heavenly Father’s voice is one of delight. When I’m doing what He’s designed for me to do, my heart says, “Oh goodie, I get to—.”

It took me months to identify the fact that what I was straining over accomplishing a certain assignment. I was miserable until I realized that every time I thought of that task I felt guilty. So I asked, “Lord have you asked me to do this thing?” “No, I’ve asked you to write and you are not writing.” He was right of course and I was set free. I’m so grateful for His longsuffering and kindness and for His voice of encouragement.

Blessings,

Sue

THE WITNESS OF PRAYER

I just read an amazing story in The Voice of the Martyrs, magazine. I want to share it with you. It’s about an Algerian woman who wanted to know God and kept crying out to Him. One night, when she was 15 years old, she said, “God, I know you are there, so why don’t you answer me?”

“I was crying on my bed and I saw heaven open and rays of light writing the words, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’ I knew this was not a dream, I ran outside on the patio to look up at the sky. I was sure God had spoken to me.”

Later, she was given a New Testament and read the words of Jesus, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,” she knew that they were the same words God had spoken to her, so she gave her life to Jesus. Time passed and she was charged with being a Christian in a land where that is illegal.

She went to court. The judge asked her, “What did you find in Islam that you didn’t like?”

She explained how she was searching for God and how He spoke to her and about the words of Jesus she had read.

The judge then asked her about Christian prayer. “Where do you pray? What do you pray?”

She said, “We can pray anytime, anywhere.”

He asked, “Can you pray now? Here?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, pray.”

“Thank you, Jesus, because we are sinner and You died for us. . . “ She knew that her prayer would be an opportunity to share the message of salvation. She prayed a blessing for the leaders of her country and that those in the courtroom would see the salvation of Christ.

She took 10 minutes to finish. “When I said, ‘Amen,’ the officials turned and to look at each other. The room was quiet. They were speechless. The judge said to me, “This case is dismissed. Go home.”

I turned to walk down the long aisle to the door. I heard someone running behind me. I

turned and saw the judge. He caught up with me and said, “Woman, when you pray to Jesus,

please pray for me."

What my name is?

Do you remember being little and playing make-believe, dressing up or just pretending?

Ethne, at 2 ½ is the queen of pretend. You never know who she’ll be. The Princesses have been

ruling in her life and ours lately. On any given day she might be Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel or

Jasmine. The other day, when we were at the park and told her it was time to leave, she said, “Oh,

no! Not yet! I’m Pocahontas, running through the forest with John Smith.”


Then, yesterday, her Mommy bought her some new panties, these are decorated with the fairy

Tinkerbell. I don’t think Ethne had heard of this tiny creature with wings before, because all

day long she kept talking about wings and asking me, “What my name is?” It’s a very strange thing

for a Grammy to tell her granddaughter that her name is Tinkerbell, but if I would have said, “Ethne,”

I know she would have protested. Besides, I still like to have an excuse to pretend, don’t you?

Hot and Humid

We just returned from a quick trip to San Diego. It was great to be with Craig's family but boy was it hot and humid. When we got back to El Paso, we thought, "They should have come to see us, our weather is perfect!" Of course we don't have the beach--we took the girls and here are a few pictures to prove it! Happy Labor Day.
sue