“Later after murdering two brothers who were much involved in community development and Sunday school ministry locally, Muslims from three different sides surrounded the area and started shouting, screaming and making calls to shoot all Christians who live in Pakistan.”

Pastors Rashid and Sajid Emmanuel

“They burnt shops, local businesses and kept throwing stones, fireballs and attacking anyone coming in their way. Police were present there but doing nothing. I was on the phone with one of my cousins who was on the roof top hiding himself while other family fled from the area earlier. I could hear their shouts and shooting. This the area where I spent 20 years of my life, built our family house and started my ministry life. Many of the families I know have lost their income resources.”

“We’ve indentified five local people (who I know from childhood) to help
raise funds for them so that they can re-open their only income sources.
We need to help raise funds for two grocery stores, a salon, tailors shop
and for a widow who owned a local small eating corner.”

Total amount needed: $8500.00

And, get this……they are halfway there!  The dollar goes much further in Pakistan.  So, a small amount goes a long  way.

I know that it can be so incredibly easy to feel disconnected from things like this.  It’s across the world from us in a land we do not understand.  Let me just tell you all that I have been to this land, and these Christians in Pakistan love like no other people I have ever met. Let’s show them our support by pooling our resources.  If you hesitate because you can’t give more than $5, just give $5!  Every amount counts and, remember, the dollar goes much further in Pakistan!

You see, my friend has had tragedy hit her life in numerous ways.  I won’t get into all of it, but the latest tragedy hit 2.5 years ago.  Her husband left her with 4 boys to raise alone.  The twins were 6 weeks old.  She was devastated and dumbfounded.  She had no job and no church body to support her.  It just so happened that I was traveling through NC at the time, and had already planned a visit to see them and their new babies.  Instead of rejoicing with them over their newest additions, I found myself comforting a friend who was in deep despair.  There are no words to describe the suffering I witnessed.  I didn’t want to leave her when it was time to go.  I called someone from a local church she had just so happened to make a connection with a few months prior and pleaded with her to find people who could help.  What transpired after that, and what has continued to transpire has impacted many lives in profound ways.  This church rallied around her and sent people into her home daily to help her with cleaning, childcare, cooking, etc.  God answered my prayers for her in bigger ways than I could have ever expected.  I had to relinquish her to Him, and He cared for her well through His people.

Time has passed since this crucial point.  Now, when we get together, we remember all that God has pulled her through.  We reflect on how much God has cared for her.  We are both encouraged and leave each other in awe of what God has done.  And, I always leave her amazed that God continues to use her for me.  How can a single mom of 4 boys still have time to love me and encourage me?  How can she have time or energy to pray for me?  How can she have time to even think about me?  To have a get-away from her own kids and come love on mine?  It is truly amazing.

As we spend time together our Rescuer, Jesus is glorified.  It sounds absurd to say that God is glorified in the midst of such suffering, doesn’t it? Through this friend, I am reminded that God is in the business of redeeming all things.  What Satan intended for evil, God is using for good. He is caring for her in tangible ways and causing others to see His hand in her life.  Not only in His provision for her, but in the joy she is able to possess as she walks through this tough life, and in the way in which He continues to shape her and heal her heart.

On Sunday, we worshiped together side by side for the first time in many years.  She swayed back and forth to the music with joy radiating off of her face as she sang “our struggles here cannot compare to what we have to gain.”  What an amazing gift I have been given in this friend!  And, what hope we have in knowing that this life is a speck on the line of eternity.  Our suffering here is so small in comparison to what we will gain.  What grace He shows us in giving us glimpses of His hand at work now, in the midst of a broken world!

I took Bryn to the doctor today for her first well child check-up since she was 3 months old.  I rebelled against the system and decided to not take my well child to the doctor during flu season this year.  She weighed 14.5 lbs!  That puts her off the chart.  The nurse told me she is in the 0%.  However, they weren’t worried about it, which I was relieved to hear.  I’ve known that she is tiny and I was afraid of what the doctor would say.  He was satisfied with her proportions and agreed that she just has small genes.  He did, however, hear a heart murmur today.  I was really surprised to hear him say this, because this has not been detected in the past.  He said that the fact that she has not had a murmur in the past is a good thing.  He feels sure that it is no big deal, but we will have an EKG done soon to make sure everything is okay.

She would rather play with the laundry (which, by the way is permanently attached to this chair) than any toy.

I love the way she hold hers foot so daintily!

When I take Bryn outside to watch her brothers skateboard, she wants nothing to do with being held or being put into the exersaucer.  In fact, the exersaucer has turned out to be a waste of our money.  She wants to be free.  Problem is, if you put her on the grass, she eats it.  The only other option is to put her on the concrete driveway, which I know is really dirty.  I solved the problem by putting this winter pram on her.  She can crawl all over the place and avoid scraping up her knees and getting her clothes filthy. I’m not sure what I’ll do when the weather warms up!  She’s so tiny that she doesn’t look like she should be so mobile.  The landlord (who lives next door) came over the other day and acted concerned that I would let her crawl on the driveway.  She was worried about her hitting her head on the concrete.

My sister bought her this baby for Christmas and she loves it.  We can tell her to go get her baby and she will find it.  If we say, “Give the baby kisses”, she’ll open her mouth and give it a big slobbery kiss on the face.  I love this picture because she’s looking at me like she’s saying, “Come on, Mom, this picture thing is getting a little old.”

]]> http://lyra.seekingdaily.org/2010/03/our-little-brynda/feed/ http://lyra.seekingdaily.org/2010/02/thin-places-a-memoiravailable-now/ http://lyra.seekingdaily.org/2010/02/thin-places-a-memoiravailable-now/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:00:04 +0000 Lyra http://lyra.seekingdaily.org/?p=965

You really should read this memoir by Mary DeMuth.  I’m reading it now, thanks to receiving a review copy from Zondervan, and God is using her words to minister to me in powerful ways.  Her honesty is refreshing and to see the ways in which God has healed and continues to heal her is such an encouragement.  Click on the book cover above to order from Amazon, and be sure to watch the trailer below.

Now, I feel happy and mellow as I nestle down on the couch with my laptop, smelling the granola baking in the oven.

Anyone want the recipe?  Here it is.  I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Robin.  The whole family loves it and it’s really easy.

Homemade Granola:

10 cups rolled oats

1 cup plain corn meal

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup wheat germ

1 cup chopped nuts

Mix in a large bowl.

Heat over stove until smooth, the following ingredients:

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup oil

1 cup honey

1 cup peanut butter

1 Tablespoon salt

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Pour into dry mixture and spread out onto cookie sheets.

Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.  Stir, and bake for another 15 minutes.

And, you’re done!  Enjoy!

By the way, I have a great husband, and I’m so proud of him.  His job, which payed our bills through seminary, came to a screeching halt back in November.  His paychecks dwindled to $75/ week and we just didn’t know what to do.  He spent hours in his office, doing all of the internet stuff that I don’t understand at all.  He was told by some, “Well, you may just have to go get a job at Wal-Mart.”  You know, all the cliche sayings that really grate your nerves at times.  Jared felt sure that he could work hard at what he knows and make some money from it, and that is what he did.  And, God is providing.  He always has, and I am always amazed.

In the middle of searching for ways to make money, Jared has also been applying for any ministry job that catches his attention.  At this point, we are willing to go anywhere.  It’s a strange thing to be completely open to anywhere God opens a door.  We could end up anywhere, including outside of the US.  We just want to be there and plug in.  We’ve been in transition since last May and I have to admit for all of us that it’s getting old.  The boys want friends.  I want friends.  Jared wants friends.  We long to be in the place we believe we are called, but we don’t even know where that is. There have been some disappointments since moving here.  There is more loneliness than I expected so close to family and old friends.  This is disappointing and causes me to yearn even more to settle and put roots down somewhere.

Last month, we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary.  We sat across from each other at a restaurant, looked into each other’s eyes, and both agreed that we are happy with our marriage.  Life is hard, there are many unknowns, but we know we love each other and are satisfied with our marriage, and for that I am so incredibly grateful.  Is it perfect? Of course not.  And, we talked about some things we can change.  But, we also talked about all that we like about each other.  What a relief to look into my husband’s eyes and hear him say, “You’re exactly what I need.”  I am grateful that when life is tough and there are so many unknowns, we are able to cling together.  This is truly God’s grace in my life.  I know what it’s like for things to be different.

I believe God is stirring me.  I feel emotional and vulnerable, and lately, in church I am on the verge of tears the entire time.  I’ve felt this before in my life, and it is always on the precipice of something.  I believe He is in the process of preparing us for what lies ahead.  I’m excited and nervous at the same time.

We will keep you all posted as we learn more of what lies ahead.  In the meantime, we would greatly appreciate your prayers.

This little girl is growing up way too fast.  She’s a tiny little thing, weighing in at 13 lbs. at 7 months old, but she is not letting her little stature hold her back one bit.  She’s crawling all over the living room and just decided to venture into the kitchen tonight, as I was cleaning.  She also sat up for the first time today and was so proud of herself when I glanced over and saw what she had accomplished.

I can’t keep up with regular household jobs, as evidenced by this:

We’ve been dealing non-stop since July with unknown itchy bumps on Shea’s skin:

These bumps cover his whole body, and just as we think they are getting better, he develops new ones.  We’ve tried EVERYTHING.  Our next step comes this week with a trip to UNC-Chapel Hill.

We celebrated Christmas close to family this year, which was so incredibly nice.

My little sis, Emily, made the birthday cake for Jesus.  This is a tradition my Mom started.

I wish I had more pictures from our Christmas with family, but I guess I was having too much fun to worry much about pictures.

So, what else have I been up to?  Well, raising 3 kids, one of which has reached the age (he’s 10) where problems are bigger than a broken animal cracker or spilled milk.  Yes, I’m finding it to be exhausting at times.  And, am learning (slowly) to relinquish it to the One who can bear it all much better than I can.

I’ve also been taking some pictures and enjoying it.  I did a photo shoot with one of my best friends, Mandy, and her family.  I was much happier than I expected to be with the results.  I still have a whole lot to learn, and that is my goal for 2010.  To learn as much as I can about photography.  It’s really a nice escape for me.

This was one of my favorite shots.

Our friend Mandy (from STL) came to visit over Christmas.  She’s like family to us, and we love having her as often as we can see her.  She is an AWESOME photographer, and she taught me a few tips to get me started with Photoshop.  So, I’ve been playing around with that some for the past few days.

I absolutely adore this photo!  Bryn had just woken up from her nap and was peering through the crib slats at her brother, Shea.  Can’t you just see the adoration in her eyes??!

And, I couldn’t resist throwing this one in!

The other day, I was going on about 3 nights of very broken sleep (due to our baby awakening numerous times during the night), and so Jared left these notes all over the house to warn the boys to NOT wake me.  He had to leave early to take Mandy to the airport, so when the boys got up that morning, this is what they found:

Yep, my man has got my back!  The kids were so good that morning.  I didn’t hear a peep from them!  Speaking of sleep deprivation…….I’m still not caught up, so I better get to bed.

That’s all for now!

]]> http://lyra.seekingdaily.org/2010/01/where-have-i-been/feed/ http://lyra.seekingdaily.org/2009/11/skateparks-and-hair-gel/ http://lyra.seekingdaily.org/2009/11/skateparks-and-hair-gel/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:06:22 +0000 Lyra http://lyra.seekingdaily.org/?p=938 This is definitely a blog worthy post.

Gage (my 10 yo) just asked me how much a bottle of hair gel would cost.  When I asked him why, he said, “Because my friend Pedro told me that all of the kids at the skate park have gel in their hair.  He said the ones that don’t have gel get picked on, and are considered the dorks.”  I held  back my laughter as he said, “I’ve got 2 bucks.  That ought to cover it.”

Funny, and yet so incredibly shallow.  This is the world we live in.  If you wanna be cool, you better get your hair gel out.