Maybe it’s just the new momma in me, or perhaps because Evangelina spent her first week of life in the hospital. Or maybe it’s because I’m watching my sweetie with her little cold at the moment, but this had me crying up a storm!  Truth is, your story, pain and all, is a remarkable story that God’s using to impact so many others each day, if you let it; that’s no small thing!  This Christmas, thank Him for your many blessings …even your pain.  Your story wouldn’t be as precious or important without it.

It’s a question I think we need to ask ourselves often …especially in today’s busy culture where time management is something we simply, more often than not, don’t want to spend the time doing: What is really important? Busyness surrounds us, and sure can keep us from what’s honestly important. It’s funny though, if you think about it, we really only fill our schedules, add friends on Facebook, and make plans so we don’t miss out on what’s really important, but if we take an honest look, most of us are too busy in the attempts not to miss out and the opposite ends up happening -we are swamped and what’s most important ends up being neglected.  God’s really been reminding me of the importance of managing my time in a way that’s realistic for the place in life He has me, prioritizing the people closest to me in this calling of being a wife, mother and artist. It’s not an easy task for any of us, but one in which is indeed necessary if we truly want to become to the fullest that which Christ calls us to be.  How are you doing in making what’s really important really important? …let me know if I can be praying for you! 

So …I’m sitting here at the church, in a rather melancholy mood. Perhaps it’s the thoughts from a family wedding we ventured to this past weekend combined with the lack of sleep from our long drive home late last night.  Or it could be from some rather emotional ‘baggage unloading’ with my significant other while en route in the wee hours of the morning.  Or maybe reflecting on the death of a dear friend who’s funeral was this morning combined with memories of dedicating my sweet darling a few weekends ago at church that triggered it all.  Whatever it is, I find myself very distracted this afternoon, and quite mad that ‘more work’ isn’t getting accomplished.  But as I sit here in this quiet, and listen, it’s though the Lord is reminding me once again how sacred this thing called LIFE is …our past, our present, and our future.  Our every moment; the good, the bad and the ugly, is a relational tapestry, woven piece by piece, for significance …and something not to ignore nor pass by nonchalantly.  Every moment of every day we get a choice to either listen to what God is telling us and pattern our lives in making little by little significant choices for eternity, or we can miss out on so much; miss out amidst the busyness and never truly know God’s best for us.  What is God saying to you today?  Are you on a mountain top, in a valley, somewhere in between???  Are your actions, your choices, your family and your mind focused on what’s significant?  This thing we call life is sacred.  If you’re living with the mindset that it’s anyting other, I challenge you to rethink this life God has given you.  It’ll be worth it.

Things were looking up yesterday …more support coming in, a great evening rehearsal, lots of smiles and fun times with my 3 month old, and my heart was so incredibly happy with anticipation that she’d be joining me on the airplane tomorrow morning. But then things changed. Evangelina started acting out of sorts, like she just knew Mommy was going away from her for several days, she didn’t want to take the bottle Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa tried to feed her but, like a light switch, calmed and happy when Mommy held her, …and we encountered, like hitting a brick wall, how traveling expenses to bring she and Daddy along to Oregon with me skyrocketed and more than doubled from mere days ago.  So no, sadly, Evangelina will not be coming with me to the record label.

I know this is a strategic and incredibly important developmental time these next days ahead for this ministry, and such concentrated time with the leadership at the record label invaluable, …meanwhile each time God organizes time for me to travel out there it’s not only vital for this ministry, but He exceeds expectations and then some. But this time it’s more than hard in having to leave my sweet baby behind. MAN, I knew it’d be hard, but not like this!

So, why do I process this all for the internet world to read???  Well, first of all, I want to thank each and every one of you nursing mommas and beloved friends who poured out your love and support to us with many prayers and financial donations while trying to make Evangelina’s presence with me across the country a reality.  We cannot thank you enough for each act of kindness and authentic love which motivated your heart to do something.  It’s your interest in our lives and this ministry that keeps enabling it to reach the hurting more than ever, and make a big difference in this community of brokenness and beyond.  Without you, point blank, this truly would be impossible.  So, thank you!  Secondly, I ask that you would please pray for this first time momma, papa, and nursing sweetheart these next five days.  We knew this reality would be tough, but not this tough.  I’m literally having to focus my mind on what’s ahead in order to not drown in tears.  I know I’ll look upon this time after growing up more and with new eyes in the days ahead, yet my mind and heart both currently long for Evangelina to venture these five days with me.  I’m trying to wrap my understanding around it all, looking form God’s eyes: perhaps lugging her across the country isn’t the best option, this’ll give good bonding time between her, Daddy and my folks, etc.  I know there IS good in all of this.  God’s like that.  And lastly, would you pray that God does, once again, more than we could ever ask or think with this ministry from this specific time with the label folks and special artist friends?  It’s gonna be vital that I focus and really hear what the Lord has to say for these strategic steps once I return, when baby will be in tow.  I don’t wanna miss a single second of God’s imparting of wisdom and direction in how and where he wants this ministry to go in these days ahead.  Just as Mommy-hood, this ministry too is something God’s crafted me for and placed as a ‘good thing’ in this life to accomplish diligently for eternity.  I don’t wanna loose sight of that.

So well …sadly, not this time.  But I’m looking forward to writing a blog in the days ahead, sharing God’s amazing faithfulness.  Will you stick with me as God unfolds this next chapter in my story?  Oh, I hope so!

So …my little sweetie was laying on her mat cooing up a storm yesterday, and it got me thinking, where does the time go?  When talking quite intently with my hubby the other day too (yes, we had a fight!), the fact that we’ve been married 6 years already got me thinking, where does the time go?  And as I look at my calendar for this month with flying out to Oregon and performing at Ultrafest 2.0 in just a few short weeks, I am reminded, where does the time go?

That really is a question our culture doesn’t deal with all that wonderfully.  The pressure is on, as parents, to keep wanting and seeking after the next step and next best thing for your kid, that the NOW certainly can be passed over.  Even with plastic surgery, botox, etc. time is not something sought too fondly after.  But as I’m watching my little sweetie grow up from day to day, reflecting on my marriage with my husband, and preparing my set for Ultrafest 2.0 (2:30pm on August 28th …check out Cornerstone’s website for more details!), I’m realizing more and more that time does go waaaaaay too fast and the NOW is very important in each aspect of our lives. And when we realize this truth, dealing with our past and working on the present is the ONLY way we can make a better tomorrow …where time is heading, yes, way to fast.

Where does the time go? I challenge you to embrace the now, NOW.  Do it before it’s to late, friends! (And feel free to share with me how it’s going, if you’d like!)

My, how time flies! Our daughter is one month old today and it’s got me thinking about family. Family is a gift from God and something meant for good in our lives, and yet how common is it in our world today that painful memories and happenings in our families tend to override the good ones and even keep us ’stuck’ in that pain, if we let it? You know, God hurts even more than we do when there is pain in our family. And to that end, He wants to help heal us from that pain which has been a part of our story, and make the rest of our story more like that Happily Every After than our time with a Big Bad Wolf.  Yes, it’s true; hurt people hurt people. So let’s boldly face the inevitable and concentrate on 1. asking God to help us forgive those people in our family who have hurt us, and 2. as He brings His healing, ask Him to help us make things right with those we hurt. Family can be a very good thing …especially with Father’s Day coming up, let’s think and purposefully pursue family this week, eh?

Here’s a link to a few family pics we took when our sweetie was three weeks old, those of you who’ve been asking for pics.  Enjoy!

Do you remember my sweet friend Dorothy from a previous Featured Testimony here on my site? Well, Dorothy has been through a lot since that feature. She’s been diagnosed with cancer and is currently in an assisted living home. We went to visit Dorothy today, (Dorothy pictured here with Evangelina) and I’d like to ask you for your prayers. She’s doing a lot better than where she has been, yet is needing to regain some weight. She was most recently hospitalized for her breathing and fluid around her lungs. She is eating better meals and they have the fluid under control, but your prayers would be most welcome. Thanks for caring for not only yours truly, but for those who care for and support this ministry as yourself! I love you and pray God’s blessing on you…

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1.  She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2.  Mostly to clean the house.
3.  To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1.  He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2.  Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3.  God made my mom just the same like he made me.  He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1.  God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2.  They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1.  We’re related.
2.  God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?
1.  My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2.  I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3.  They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1.  His last name.
2.  She had to know his background.  Like is he a crook?  Does he get drunk on beer?
3.  Does he make at least $800 a year?  Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1.  My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world.  And my mom eats a lot
2.  She got too old to do anything else with him.
3.  My grandma says that mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.

Who’s the boss at your house?
1.  Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a goof ball.
2.  Mom.  You can tell by room inspection.  She sees the stuff under the bed.
3.  I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What’s the difference between moms and dads?
1.  Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2.  Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3.  Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power ’cause that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4.  Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1.  Mothers don’t do spare time.
2.  To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1.  On the inside she’s already perfect.  Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2.  Diet.  You know, her hair.  I’d diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1.  She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean.  I’d get rid of that.
2.  I’d make my mom smarter.  Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3.  I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.