Engagement Announcement

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Nelson wish to announce the engagement of...
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A Word to the Wise

"Let everything you say be good and helpful,
so that your words will be an encouragement
to those who hear them."
Ephesians 4:29

One day, I was 'servicing' a kerosene lantern. I was not totally familiar with the process, but I felt I could figure it out. I'm not sure what happened, but at some point...
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Sunday May 25th, 2008

Sunday, May 25th was a Sunday in a three-day weekend. I wasn't sure who would be coming to church, realizing that many go and do special things on Memorial weekend.

What a surprise when...

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Dear Young Mother

Dear Young Mother,
I know that you are exhausted tonight. Your day was filled with so many things - you probably feel like you lived today three times over and wish that tonight would be three times longer in order to catch up in the amount of rest you need to run today's marathon all over again tomorrow...

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Your Heavenly Father Loves YOU!

"The Lord is like a father to His children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him
For He knows how weak we are;
He remembers we are only dust.
But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear Him."

Psalm 103:13,14,17

The heart of a good father knows his children well, and because he is good, his children will love him with all their hearts. He knows that his children do not try to be deceptive, selfish toward him, foolish with the gifts he gives them, or manipulative in trying to get their own way.
In a relationship that is so full of love and goodness, the children know no fear...
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AND, UPDATED "About Us!"

As God Sees You

You are so precious in the heart of God! He made you because He loves you, creating a masterpiece for His pleasure!
He has good plans for you and wants to walk with you everyday, giving you joy unspeakable! Everything in His hearttoward you is life-giving and beneficial. He created you for a purpose! He has something good for you to do!
Because He loves you so much, you are very valuable to Him and you need to see yourself as valuable, a treasure, a prized possession.
You are not a mistake...
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What if . . . ?

This is a common question people ask themselves after they have lived through a tragedy. I remember cross examining myself, over and over again, after my mother died. She had been hospitalized and her situation called for an advocate with the medical system. My dad was not knowledgeable about what to look for or what questions to ask the doctors or nurses, so I, being the oldest daughter took on the role of monitoring her care. I lived through two very intense weeks, one moment at a time. My next oldest sister was there helping me think through many decisions. My youngest sister helped with practical life at home.
There was a point when I felt like I was responsible for the final 'life and death' decision. Do we continue with life support or do we face reality and accept that there was no more hope of turning the situation around? There was a point when Mom's body was beginning to shut down and according to the medical staff, it was inevitable that she was going to die - and soon.
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The Glory and the Lifter of My Head

Discouragement can really "take the wind out of your sails". It can take all your strength and enthusiasm, leaving you feeling like a wet noodle and feeling worse the longer your thoughts are bogged down in your troubles.
When we choose to stay focused on the trial at hand, we end up in a mental quick-sand pit, sinking deeper and deeper, wasting time and energy just thinking about things we can't do anything about...
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www.captivatingwoman.com

I am very pleased to announce my new web site:
Captivating Woman
It is a beautiful expansion of my blog and is designed by
my dear friend, and Web Master,
Rebekah Sfair.
You are invited to 'click' and visit.
If you like it and would like to share it with your friends,
feel free to do so!
It's brand new and is really just the beginning of a wonderful resource for women!
Thank you for your support and encouragement!
Blessings to you, friends

Sunday May 4, 2008

I'm finally getting to journal about Sunday, May 4th, and I'm still not sure how to put the day into words.

I woke up with so much love and joy in my heart. The weather was gorgeous, but more than that, there was the feeling of 'something in the air'. I worked on music, spent time going over my notes for church, and got ready to go for a walk at the Dungeness Spit with Jeff and Rebekah.

None of us were prepared for the stunning display there! The waves were not like anything I've ever seen - not here, nor at Long Beach! Swells of 4 - 10 feet, in slow motion, took our breath away over and over again. I couldn't help expressing the thrill as each wave rose up and came forward with so much energy! And, it felt like there were waves of equal size and strength inside of my very being. Here is a snip of one of the many swells - Rebekah took the video with my little digital camera:

Redeeming Life Fellowship's meeting on Sunday was in the evening, because the facility had been reserved in the morning. So, after we came home from the Spit, my time was invested with preparation for the evening meeting time. My heart had a growing anticipation. It felt, again, like the waves I had seen at the Spit. Music, prayer, notes for my time of sharing with the people were all melding together. I kept seeing the faces of those who have come before and prayed for them. The excitement was building, and building, and building!
How can I relate to you all that happened? How can I articulate emotions that are bigger, deeper than anything I've ever known before? There is no way to explain the dynamics or science of what happens when the physical realm is touch by the spiritual realm!
There were only 2 instruments - a keyboard, a guitar.
There were only 2 vocal leaders - Ethel and I.
There was only a little (very little) sound system.
There were only about 35 people in the room.
BUT...it seemed and sounded like there was an entire orchestra and the huge choir!
Three times, I felt 'waves of warm mist' that came over me, covering me from the top of my head to the soles of my feet - unlike anything I have experienced before.
I was playing music like I didn't know I could!
There was an energy of unity that was as solid as a Rock and the joy of the Lord permeated the place.
When I got up to speak, I looked over the group and was struck by the beautiful radiance coming from the inside of each person there. God had definitely visited us. It was extraordinary!
After I shared my heart concerning how God wants to reveal Himself to the world through us, my husband, Jeff, shared with everyone how Redeeming Life Fellowship came to be and what is in his heart and the hearts of the men that have come alongside to support this new church. There was a blissful, warm agreement flowing around the room.
In closing, we sang a song, "We Will Dance" - a celtic sounding song about Heaven. It was overwhelming to feel the synergy of hearts in love with their God. It felt like the roof was going to burst off!
WHAT A DAY! ! ! WHAT A LIFE! ! ! WHAT A THRILL TO KNOW GOD! ! !