I Found God In Dessert...

Believe it or not, today is National Chocolate Chip Day. In my opinion, it's about time someone gave official kudos to this little nugget of chocolatey goodness... :) But it did get me thinking about dessert...

Psalm 34:8 says

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of taking refuge in Him.

We had a Women's Event at our church a few month's ago with a dessert-y theme. The keynote speaker lended some wonderful thoughts to ponder on this verse...

God is good. All the time. While people experience illness, loss, grief, or other hardship that can make it nearly impossible to face each day, God can take that hardship and use it for good.
When trauma or hardship enters your life, there are two choices: You can run TO God... or you can run FROM God. Running TO God can give you comfort... support... peace... and no matter what hardship you endure, God can use your story for good.

I've mentioned before that my neice, Julia, died after only 6 days of life. My in-laws are currently working on this year's Charity Golf Outing. This is their main source of funds for the yearly scholarship, and the 2nd scholarship will be awarded any day now! In the wake of their unspeakable grief, Tim and Stephany never turned away from God... In fact, they ran to Him with their sadness and sorrow. God was able to help them find a way to turn their loss into a blessing for college-bound students. And, that's just the scholarship fund...! They have also lended their support and experience to numerous other families dealing with the loss of an infant or unborn child. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of taking refuge in Him.

I've dealt with a brain tumor. There really isn't anywhere ELSE you can go with a brain tumor except to God. Nothing was in my power to fix. I couldn't even comfort my husband or family because I had no idea if this would kill me or not. But God was with me and my family. He comforted David when he was at his lowest point worrying about me. He guided the doctors' hands during the surgery. He gave me strength through my physical therapy. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of taking refuge in Him.

God is like dessert.

But better than dessert, you can drown your troubles in Him without worry for extra calories...!

Julia's Story & Trading My Sorrows

This song is all about CHOICE. Choosing to push past the garbage in our lives... the sorrow and shame... the sickness and pain... and purposefully trading it in for God's Glory.

This is not an easy choice, by any means. Some of us have unimaginable hardships to deal with. Sometimes, not only can we not find a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel but we find we are at a gigantic wall... a crisis of our faith. It is at that time, where we can make the choice.

My sister-in-law, Stephany and brother-in-law, Tim have reached that point. Actually, I'm sure they've made the choice earlier than now, but now is when they are telling their story. I've mentioned my neice, Julia, in previous posts. 3 years ago, this precious baby girl was born. Dark hair, wide eyes, tiny fingers and toes. Only hours after her birth, did our family receive the devestating news: that Julia had been born with a chromosomal abnormality called Trisomy 18 that was incompatible with life. Most babies with this condition do not even make it through the birth process. The fact that Julia was here at all was a miracle.

Tim and Stephany were blessed with 6 days with their daughter. Six heartfelt, heart-wrenching, heart-stopping days to hold and kiss... to care for and cuddle... to sing to and pray over. And after 6 days, Julia gave up her earthly fight, and went to play in Heaven's grand playground.

What in the world can you say to a person who has lost their child? What small words of comfort can you come up with? There are none. There are no words that will lift the cloud of grief off of their shoulders. And even as they learn to laugh and love again, that grief hole is always there in their hearts.
But Tim and Stephany made the conscious choice to use Julia in a way to positively impact others. They set up a scholarship fund, and this year, will award the 2nd Julia Scholarship. They have an annual Charity Golf Outing to raise money for the fund... with amazing raffle prizes and even the opportunity to win a CAR (IF you can get a hole-in-one on a certain hole...). As the lyrics to the song proclaim, they are trading their sorrows for the joy of the Lord.

Trading My Sorrows - LYRICS HERE

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 talks about Treasures in Jars of Clay

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

My sister-in-law, Stephany, is ready to tell her story of frustration AND faith, grief AND gratitude, staggering loss-- yet bountiful blessings. She has aptly titled her blog "My Jar Of Clay" - knowing that while she and her husband have dealt with some of life's most devestating hardships (many times over!), they have found that their Faith has grown exponentially.

Hard-pressed, perplexed, struck-down... Yes.

But NOT crushed, despaired, abandoned, or destroyed.

I invite you to stop by her site and read her stories. The blogging journey is just beginning for her - but the story is not over, and there is MUCH to share. Here is the link: http://myjarofclay.blogspot.com/

I Found God In A Coincidence...

If Julia had lived, our family would have been to a 2-year old-birthday party for my niece on Monday, April 21st.

Sadly, Julia was born in 2006 with Trisomy 18, a chromosomal abnormality that is incompatible with life. She exceeded doctors' expectations, though, by living 6 days instead of passing away immediately or being stillborn.

So on this 2008 Monday afternoon, I was just watching mindless TV - waiting for my first grader to return home from school when my mind started wandering to Julia. I was thinking that, had she lived, we'd be getting ready to go to my sister-in-law's house for a family party... that Julia would probably be wearing some ridiculously-cute, pink frilly dress bought by Nana... that my sis-in-law, Stephany, would have baked a cake and adorned it with pink or lavender icing... that my boys would've helped pick out a fun 2-year-old-GIRL toy for Julia - grumbling that they "hate Barbies" of course - but all the while being careful to choose just the perfect gift...

As I was thinking all this, I felt a voice in my head say "Call her." I wondered what I would say... after two years, there are only so many ways you can verbalize "sorry about your daughter," you know. But, I figured maybe we could all go out to dinner - and while it wouldn't be the same as a real party, maybe we pick a place with balloons and send them up to Heaven with birthday wishes written on them (I keep a Sharpie in my purse for that very reason!). :)

When I called, I could tell Stephany was teary... she said she had just been looking at some of Julia's pictures - and that 4:30 (the time I had called) was the time of day that Julia had been born...!

I made my dinner offer, and they accepted... so she and my brother-in-law (Tim), my two boys, and I went to Red Robin. We had the onion ring tower (of course!), our dinners, and then splurged on dessert in honor of Julia. The boys helped write messages on the balloons and then released them to heaven outside. We watched those balloons sail straight up to the clouds - and the moment they blinked out of sight, my kids knew that Julia had reached out to snag them. :)


Was it mere coincidence that I felt the urge to call Stephany at 4:30 that afternoon... the exact time she was remembering her dear daughter? I doubt it... because that little voice you sometimes hear in your head.....?

That's GOD talking to you.

You can override His request by choosing to do the opposite.
You can mute His voice by filling your head with other thoughts.
You can be so busy with trivial things that you aren't even aware that He is speaking to you.

But if you open your mind and L I S T E N... you will start to hear Him talking to you. Speaking. TO. YOU.

And when the creator of the entire universe chooses to send you a message... don't you think it would be wise to listen up?! I did the random opening of my Bible just now (The Message translation) it opened to Psalm 119...starting at verse 129:

Every word you give me is a miracle word -

how could I help but obey?

Break open your words, let the light shine out,

let ordinary people see the meaning.

Mouth open and panting,

I wanted your commands more than anything.

Turn my way, look kindly on me,

as you always do to those who personally love you....

And at verse 139...

You ARE right and you DO right, God;

your decisions are right on target.

You rightly instruct us in how to live

ever faithful to you.

Are you listening?

Are you really and truly listening?

Because God might have something to say to you... and you wouldn't want to miss it.

By hearing God say two simple words: Call her. I believe that we, in a small, simple way, helped lighten the heavy burden that my in-laws were feeling that day. I could've ignored it. I could've have "planned" to call later. But I chose to listen - and I (and, I hope, my in-laws) were a little better for it.

Thanks, God, for giving me a shout-out! I invite you to call on me anytime!

Take care of you and yours,

:) Mags