Up the Sunbeam

Thank you for stopping by! I have suffered a hard drive failure and will be out of commission until I can get everything fixed. I'm praying that it won't take too long--you're welcome to pray too :). Let this be a lesson to always back up your computer--I'm so glad I did!! In His Grip, Shaunie

-- "That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying 'As you wish', what he meant was, 'I love you.'" Quote from the movie The Princess Bride My Valentine is not the sentimental type. Our connection has never been about mushy nicknames or characterized by pink hearts and chubby cherubs. Not sentimental, no, but Hero Husband is very sensitive in his own way--he puts his feelings into action and I am SO thankful. To my Valentine, my Hero Husband, on Valentine's Day: You are the one who . . . . . . doesn't throw away my boxes of sentimental keepsakes ONLY because you love me . . . . . . secretly goes and washes my car because you heard me say I wished I could . . . . . . bought steaks for our Valentine dinner because I love them (you'd prefer chicken) . . . . . . makes an effort to understand me, even when you're sure I'm making no sense . . . . . . hands me the remote control so I can watch my bull riding . . ....

-- His name is synonymous with BETRAYAL, his life an emblem of greed, ambition, and cold-hearted, self-serving treachery. Unwilling to adjust his expectations of how life should be, he chose bitterness in response to disappointment. Ultimately, when faced with his own wickedness, he chose to take his own life rather than to bow at the foot of the cross he so despised. JUDAS. "As soon as Judas had taken the bread, h e went out. And it was night." John 13:30 NIV It was as dark as night within the heart of Judas too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HIS name is Love. HIS name is Way, and Truth, and Life. HIS name is I AM , Word, Lamb, Light! His life is the the exact representation of God. Despite all that, rather than to cling to the privilege of Deity that was rightfully His, in humility, He gave up all His expectations and chose love in the face of betrayal. Humankind had betrayed Him, first in the Garden, th en all down through history, to the very moment when Judas betrayed ...

-- I had struck out f or the third time. In some games, that means you're out, but this time it meant I won! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A couple of weeks ago, I had hit a low spot, wondering if God was hearing me at all . My friend and Bible study leader had called me that Sunday afternoon and hearing the need in my heart, she prayed with me. It was such a comfort and uplift to hear someone else passionately, enthusiastically asking God to help us--I was tired of only hearing my own voice all the time! I went into the week, eager to see how God was going to work. Three times I had put in my application and been interviewed for posted positions in my office. On that Thursday, I got the word that for the third time I had not been selected. This time my friend (who is already in a position like the one I had applied for) came to talk to me as soon as she heard I had not received the sought-after promotion. "I'm so sorry!" she said, "I just heard." Her eyes s...

-- A surprise text message broke up the monotone of the workday. Drummer Boy was 4 stories below asking me to meet him there for lunch in an hour. Delighted, I shared the fun surprise with coworkers who "ooohed and aaaahed" over the marvel of an 18 year old son choo sing to come hang out with his mother! I beamed. We filled up the 30 minutes of my lunch break with talk of many things . We laughed and shared and caught up on things we haven't had as much time to talk about since I've been working--after all, for all his 18 years, I have been a stay-at-home -mom, ALWAYS there, ALWAYS available. It's not easy to adjust when things have changed from how they've been your whole life! As we got ready to go our separate ways for the afternoon, he spoke very grown up words of gratitude for the sacrifice I'm making to help the family--his description, not mine. He knows that this is a job for the purpose of a paycheck, and that there is no passion inspire...