It’s good to be home after 3 days of writing and study in Seattle, then a whirlwind weekend of ministry in Tacoma, Washington at Impact Church - we’re home and busy unpacking.    Below, Gregory and I are enjoying a pleasant and peaceful ride on a huge commuter ferry to the city of Seattle where we enjoyed spending the day with all of our precious children on our second born’s 22nd birthday.  Seattle was experiencing an absolute HEAT WAVE…I’ve actually come home with a slight sunburn.  However, it was raining as we headed for home.  Wow.  What a superb time it was in the Emerald City.  More to come - stay tuned!

…AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RELEASE OF YOUR FIRST WORSHIP CD!  Yes, they just arrived this week, so if you pre-ordered a copy, it’s being shipped out today - whoo hoo!  Soon, you can hear samples here on my website/blog. Ben is our second-born son, and has filled our lives and the lives of so many with God’s love, grace and truth. We are very blessed indeed to have been given the gift of our Benjamin 22 years ago today.  We have the happy surprise of spending the day together on this sunny and beautiful day here in the Pacific Northwest. Can’t wait to share Benjamin Greg with all of you!

Time certainly does fly and today marks the end of my time alone here in Seattle.  It’s been productive, surprising, good, hard, enlightening and very peaceful.  God has also done some poking around in me that I did NOT sign up for.  He is so sneaky.   But I’m the better for it and I’m sure you’ll hear all about it before long - hee haw!

Well today I meet up with hubby and the boys as we prepare for a big weekend in Tacoma, WA.  We will be ministering on Sunday, along with meeting with leaders during our time here.  It will be a wonderful visit, spent with good comrades!

Hang on tight - Friday is almost here!

…and making progress.  I usually stop mid-day and take a long and strenuous walk/jog to keep my blood running and my mind alert, and to burn all the calories I consume munching on multi-grain tortilla chips, baby carrots, triple-flavor hummus, and salsa-oops, almost forgot the extra dark chocolate bar.  By the way, if you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s Market - get online and request that one come to your neighborhood a.s.a.p. because NO HUMAN couldn’t love TJs!  Trader Joe’s is my absolute favorite grocery store on the planet.  It’s like having a gourmet, natural food co-op without the ordering and delivery hassles and at extremely reasonable prices.  TJs automatically upgrades your life and lowers your food budget.   I’m ‘eating in’ while I’m away to save money and to stay focused.  I even bring my own Starbuck’s ground coffee along.  I’m trying out Sulawesi and it’s pretty nice - with  half and half, of course.  Today since it was rainy and cool, I chose to do my workout on the treadmill.

My back muscles are finally recovering from bringing a roll-on so heavily weighed down with all my writing and study paraphernalia, that when I went ‘heave-ho’ and hoisted it up to the overhead bins on the plane, I wrenched my entire body.  I couldn’t bear to check it just in case it was lost somehow.  Back in the early 2000s I took my only copy of all my personal contacts collected over time from my entire life, on an airplane to Canada and back (which the experts tell you never to do) and haven’t seen it since.  I still can’t find some of those old friends and acquaintances, even after Googling them.  And seeing that I’ve moved so many times, they probably think I’ve deserted them on purpose.  So how could I possibly risk losing 10 journals and 5 files of writings, 1 zillion sticky notes, 8 cds, 2 dvds, plus 6 hardback reference books????…yes, I am a complex creature.  Pray for my dear husband!

Back to work….

…to study and write.  Hubby felt it was high time I complete (or at least make substantial progress on) some projects I’ve been working away at for awhile.  So he graciously arranged for me to hide away and focus on doing just that.  If I come to mind, please pray for grace and all the other stuff I need to make supernatural progress this week.  I’ll keep you posted…get it?!

P.S. (it’s always one more thing, isn’t it?!  When ever I leave the house, I ALWAYS fly in the door one more time to grab what I forgot - it’s turned into a joke at our house - anyone relate?) But I just had to say: I’m so enjoying hearing from all of YOU!  Don’t forget, every comment you post is another entry in our No Ordinary Big May Celebration!  Same goes for book orders which are 2 for the price of 1 until the 31st.

I promised to share another fresh, alive and prophetic worship experience with you - so here it is.  My almost daily iPod prayer walks/runs/leaps/spins/dances/shouts will never be the same. This guy is definitely ‘out of the box’ for most of us white, conservative Christians.  He’s Latin American, Hispanic, however you would describe a guy with a Mexican heritage, musical flavor (and Spanish language sprinkled in effectively at various spots on his cds), and he’s definitely alive in Christ.

Let me introduce Ricardo Sanchez to you, if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to hear of him, his work and the worshipful, freeing anointing the Lord has placed upon him which is encouraging so many believers.

My firstborn, Gabriel, was the first one in our family to discover these lively and life-giving cds, and shared the news with all of us.  Then my dear friend, Cindy, ordered both of these for my birthday in February.  I can’t decide which album I like more - I bounce (literally) back and forth and love them each for different reasons.  On ‘Moving Forward’ #8 My Nation Healed is worth the price of the entire cd, although I thoroughly enjoy the other songs and, well…perhaps check out his web site and listen for yourself.  I think you’ll like it.

I listen most often when I’m MOVING.  It’s MOVING WORSHIP and it’s more fun than anything this world can offer us…

Let me know what you think…and,  Happy Monday!

Today however, the second Sunday of May, was designated by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 (after lengthy campaigning by individuals in the United States) an annual national holiday called Mother’s Day.

This announcement caused 21-year-old Joyce Hall (founder of Hallmark Greeting Cards) to jump up and down with glee for decades while it plunged most good children into annual stress and angst, trying to conjure up ways to adequately appreciate their mothers by sundown on the stated day.

OK, let’s be honest, how many of us have paid Fed Ex the price of lunch for four, just to get that package to Mom ON TIME?!  Those of you who have Mom in town, well, you have no excuse and should just count your blessings every May. 

I’m a mother of 5 boys and by God’s marvelous grace I am loved every single day of the year, so Mother’s Day does not make or break the year for me.  My kids know there isn’t pressure to produce something more to make me feel special (they do that for me just by being who they are, loving and serving God, honoring their Dad and I, and being there for us 24/7 in their hearts, prayers and practical expressions - yes, on occasion even gifts!) but how many mothers across the earth (now that this holiday is celebrated everywhere) do you imagine have been bereft of spirit at the end of THE BIG DAY when they felt ‘forgotten’  by their offspring? 

I think I just want to take a moment to remind us not to allow our culture’s imposed customs to push us into their mold and cause us to somehow feel we don’t measure up, we aren’t valued or we didn’t do a good job based on what we get, don’t get, who remembers, who forgets, blah, blah, blah.  I’ve always tried to honor my mother and father on Hallmark’s special days, but I’m sure I could never measure up to society’s huge expectations.   I do my best with what I have, but more than that, I endeavor to do far more on all the other days of the year with my prayers, emails, calls and constant love. 

Here is a big yellow sunflower for YOU, Mom, who ever you are and where ever you live, and a hug to go with it.  Keep on doing all that you do with all your heart as unto the Lord and you will receive rewards so rich, Hallmark’s gold crown will pale in comparison.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!…and remember, every comment you post on my blog during May will automatically enter you into our NO ORDINARY BIG MAY CELEBRATION DRAWING!  XOXO

I’m laughing OUT LOUD  - can anyone relate??? I could not resist posting this…especially since so many of us will be sipping our favorite roast this morning…Happy Saturday!

I’d love to hear your coffee stories and remember, every time you leave a comment on my blog this month, you’ll be entered to win some fun stuff during our BIG MAY CELEBRATION!

 All Christian parents……

long for tools they can use to help their children fall more in love with the Lord and His Word.  Everywhere I go, folks ask me, “what are some great resources for my children?”  That’s why Dan and Louie Audio Bible Stories are now an item we stock at our resource table when we travel, encouraging parents in their child rearing. 

These humorous, often hilarious and heartwarming, dramatic Bible stories  are priceless.  Imagine a grandfatherly ventriloquist chatting it up with a dorky, scheming and immature dummy (who actually has a heart of gold under all that stuffing) and you can begin to imagine the fun they have together as your children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends listen in, trying to visualize these unique characters they’re listening to.

While our children were growing up - and even now on occasion as I’m raising cool teen-agers, believe it or not, Dan and Louie still take us on adventures to The Bible Storybook Castle.  Dan and Louie have been fixtures in our household for almost 2 decades - (am I that old???) and I know you’ll love them, too.

Simply post a comment annnyyyywherrrrre on my blog anytime during the month of May and you’ll be entered to win as many times as you comment!