A Time for Thanks

THANKSGIVING...

Our first one without "DAD".

I missed him....

a lot.....

it didn't feel like Thanksgiving.

Even though I was missing Dad, I just had to thank God for all that I

DO HAVE

and all that Dad gave me.

He gave me LOVE...

hugs, words of affirmation and always had an "I'm proud of you, honey" smile.

He gave me TIME...

watching "The Magnificent Seven" is one of my fondest memories...I've watched that with him MORE than seven times!

He gave me COURAGE...

how many times did he believe in me when I didn't?

How many times did he tell me to just "try" when I didn't want to?

He gave me LAUGHTER...

his laugh was LOUDER than mine..watching old "Apple Dumpling Gang" movies in the theater, he had the greatest laugh, the kind that would make you laugh just hearing it.

He gave of HIMSELF...

generously...

not just to me, but to EVERYONE he came into contact with.

I am SO THANKFUL that God blessed me with such an amazing father and man.

I am SO THANKFUL that I had 45 years with him...to the date...

I am SO THANKFUL that he left so much of himself

in

ME.

I am truly very thankful for so, so many

THINGS

(running water, heat, food & shelter)

PEOPLE,

( family, friends, teachers, coaches, mentors )

EXPERIENCES

(learning, growing, reaching, risking, trusting)

and

FEELINGS

(joy, pain, sorrow, freedom, passion, anger, peace...and LOVE)

I have SO MUCH and SO MANY to be THANKful for...

but I am most THANKful to God,

who gave His son for me,

so that I can live, eternally with HIM

in heaven...

where I WILL see my DAD

again.

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die".

John 11: 25-26

Growth and Change

My children are growing and changing right before my eyes...

I can't believe that my 12 year old daughter is 12, soon to be 13...

She's not only changing physically, but emotionally and spiritually, as well.

I can actually have discussions with her. She has a different perspective. Yes, YOUNGER :-( ...MUCH more innocent and less jaded, fo' sure.

But growth and change never come without pain.

Why is that?

There is no butterfly without the METAMORPHOSIS that happens in the cocoon.

There is no muscle growth without the tearing of the muscle while working out...

There is no growth without pain...

I want to continue to grow and be better, stronger, faster...ooops, I was onto

"The Six Million Dollar Man" intro ...

I'm growing... and changing, as much as my children, but it looks different.

It's on the inside.

God is growing me, and guess what?

It hurts.

Does it have to?

This growth is painful...ouch....

I'm not depending on things to "help" me like I used to....

strrrrrrretch....

I'm not depending on people to make me feel "better" like I used to....

puuuuuuuuuull.....

I'm not depending on my achievements to tell me I'm AWESOME,

like I used to.....

oooowwwwww...

I'm not depending on the world to tell me how good or bad I am in it's eyes..

uugggggghhhh...

God says:

"I'm enough"

"I'm all you need"

"I'll fill the holes in your heart if you let me"

"I am The WAY, The TRUTH and The LIFE"

John 14:6

He is....all of those things.....and more.

SPARK Ministry

SPARK MINISTRY RETREAT

Last weekend I was a part of an amazing ministry- SPARK Ministry.

Serving

People

And

Reflecting

Kindness

I heard about this ministry in September through a friend I was working with in Dallas.

She told me that she, and a large group of women from her church, were coming out to California to serve women in a Homeless Shelter. The shelter is located about an hour north of where I live so I told her I would love to drive up and help out how I could.

After all, THEY were flying out from Texas and I live here, so why couldn't I help?

I had no idea what I was in for!

This weekend was POWER-FULL!

I must admit I was scared...

I've never done this before....I didn't know what to expect...HOW could I help?...how could I possibly minister to these women (they had been through so much)...I won't know the rest of the group...what if I do something wrong?

As I drove up the dirt hill, I drove past dumpsters, old cars and some old looking garages and bungalows...SCARY!

I came around a corner and saw a gate. As I drove up to the gate, I could see just past it into a nice driveway which passed a building where a few women were sitting in front of. The guard let me in and I must say I was surprised.

The grounds were BEAUTIFUL...peaceful and lush.

This was a safe-haven for women and some children to live in safety.

The Shelter not only provides physical shelter from abusive spouses, but provides emotional shelter where women can heal from the emotional scars as well as recovery from substance abuse and/or prostitution.

The Shelter itself is a Ministry...what a blessing not just for the women...but for their children.

The weekend was filled with small group time, to build relationships through discussion, crafts, food, laughter and fun.

SPARK Ministry comes in and makes these women feel loved...unconditionally loved, where every woman there is on the same level. We ALL wore the same shirts during the weekend.

The SPARK volunteers, staff and residents all worked and played together.

There was a day of pampering on a ranch in Wrightwood...we played relay games and later made S'Mores.

Our final day was amazing- we made Sunday brunch, had a lesson on The Lord's Prayer and then covered our Buddy with prayer verbally, then covered them with a Prayer Blanket that they could keep.

Not a dry eye in the house...

What a blessing and honor to serve with these ladies from SPARK Ministy.

Thank you to MOLLY, who founded the ministry a few years ago.

And a big THANK YOU to my dear friends who sponsored a "Sister" in the shelter so that she could get the shirts, food and gifts!

Charlotte adopted Sara

Bonnie adopted Jessica (staffer)

Rena adopted La Tonja (staffer)

Sharon adopted Laura (staffer)

Nancy adopted Sheri

Susan adopted Sherry

Rhonda adopted Takeisha

Lorna adopted Jackie (staffer)

YOU LADIES made this weekend special for these women!!! THANK YOU again, for your support and prayers!!

You're joining me next time SPARK comes to California!