Sneaking into church

I did something yesterday that I never, in a million years, thought I'd have to do. I sneaked in to a church. For reasons I'll blog about another time, my family is not allowed to go to our former church. So, what do you do when one of your closest friends is singing a solo in that church? You sneak in of course!!

Church starts there at 10:30 so I waited until approximately 10:45 before walking through the doors. I hung out in the foyer until my friend picked up the mic and then I stood in the back and listened. She did an amazing job and I'm so glad I was able to hear her perform. It was her first time singing a solo and I knew I had to be there to lend her moral support! When she finished singing, I left.

It felt strange to be in that building again but it would have felt worse to miss my friend's singing debut!!

Well, here we go again. I haven't blogged in a little over 2 years and I probably still wouldn't be if it wasn't for a good friend who started to blog and that motivated me to start writing again.

I have an irritating box right in the middle that says "photo has been moved or deleted" or something along those lines. If anyone knows how to get rid of that please let me know.

These past 2 years feel like one crisis after another and there have been times of sadness, anger, and worry. Through it all, I have been blessed with God given friends who were there to listen when I needed an ear and a shoulder when I needed to cry.

If you're blessed with friends like that, hold onto them and make sure they know how much you love and appreciate them. Don't assume that they know.

There is so much more to write but I'll leave that for another day. It feels good to be back!!!

Where has the past year gone?

I can't believe it's been over a year since I've posted anything here. Let's just say it's been a year of mistakes, learning experiences, heartache but most of all, feeling the love of my Heavenly Father.
We had a revivalist at our church for the past 5 days and I won't even begin to try and repeat what he spoke about. It's one of those times when you just had to be there! But, I do know that I left the last service last night a changed woman. No longer will I be lukewarm in my faith! When I've done all that I know to do, I will just stand! I want the Holy Spirit to keep filling me; it's not just a one time thing! I want the fire back and I want it now!! The best part is, God will do that for me and He'll do it for you as well!!

A revival is starting in my family and my church. Won't you come along for the ride?

Cyndy

2 Chronicles 7:14

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Today is the National Day of Prayer and I believe with all my heart that our country needs prayer. We need to ask forgiveness for all the many ways that we have sinned against God. We need to pray for our leaders, that God will give them wisdom as they deal with the problems we face as a nation as well as dealing with other countries, both friend and enemy. We need to pray for our military, that God will protect them both physically and mentally.

God's Word assures us that He will forgive our sin and heal our land but we must do our part first. Please join me today in praying for our country.

Mirror, mirror on the wall

I don't like what I see at all.

Self image is something that I believe all of us deal with at one time or another. You'd think that I'd move beyond that at my age but just this morning I looked in the mirror and did not like what I saw looking back at me. So, how am I supposed to instill self esteem in my children, especially my daughters? Fortunately, the answer is simple: turn to God's Word.

1 Samuel 16: tells us of how Samuel was on a mission to find the one who would be king of Israel. He was certain that he had found the one the Lord wanted when he cast his eyes upon Eliab but God told him differently. He told Samuel in verse 7 "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

What precious words to remember in times of not liking what I see in the mirror! And how I want to instill them in my children's minds. The next time I look in the mirror, I want to hold up a mirror to my heart as well and make sure that what is there is pleasing to my Lord.

Leaving a legacy for my children

Deuteronomy 6:6&7 says "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."


Growing up, I went to church every Sunday. My brother and I would go to Sunday School while our parents went to church. However, that's where it started and stopped. I don't recall ever talking about God during the week, nor do I recall ever seeing my parents read the Bible or pray. I didn't have the assurance that no matter what happened, my parents were praying for me. No one asked me how my walk with the Lord was going and once my brother and I were confirmed my parents quit going to church.

I want so much more for my children. I want them to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their mom is praying for them each and every day. I want them to remember going to worship the Lord together as a family and how we looked forward to it instead of dreading it as just another obligation. I want to make learning about the Lord an exciting adventure, to make Jesus so real to them that they will continue to love and serve Him long after they leave our home. I believe with all my heart that the Lord will help me with this but I have to do my part as well. So many things compete for our time and it's time to make Jesus the top priority. After all, He has made us His.

1 Thessolonians 5:11

Since I'm relatively new to the blogging world, I don't know how to find awards to give to people. So, I'm going to create my own.

1 Thessolonians 5:11 says "Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

Diane, over at http://auntdisexperimentallife.blogspot.com/ is such a person. She always has a kind word for people and no matter how rough things can get, she can always make me feel better. Despite what may be going on in her own life, she is always there to lend an ear or build people up, encouraging them to live up to their full potential in the Lord.

So, I'm dedicating this post to Diane, my friend and my sister in Christ. I love you!

Life is slowly getting back to normal

Businesses were allowed to reopen last week and the schools were in session today. Porta potties still line the streets of my town but even there people are making the best of it. Many of them are decorated with Christmas lights, flowers and reading material hung on the doors. The river is continuing to go down despite the snow we received yesterday. (it is April, isn't it?)

Throughout all of this, God has continued to be faithful. Neighbor helping neighbor and strangers pitching in as well. This was spreading the Gospel through actions rather than words.

We had church yesterday and what a service it was. Brothers and sisters in Christ, lifting their voices to God the Father, praising Him for His protection. It felt so good to be in His house!!

It also feels good to be back here again. I missed my blogger friends! I hope this post finds all of you well!!

Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever

This is a picture of what residents of my town now have to use. Our sewer system has failed so there is no water usage of any kind. Porta Potties like this one have been placed all over town. School is cancelled for another week and alternatives are being checked out for the remainder of the year as our sewer could take a month or more to fix. The mayor is begging people to leave town but that's not an option for everyone.

Through it all, I have to remember to praise the Lord. Praise that very few houses have been lost and no lives as far as I know. Praise that the river seems to have stopped rising although it will remain high for at least another week. Praise that the Lord brought just the right people to help out. Praise that my family lives out of town so we still have running water and a working septic tank so we can offer our home to those who need a shower or to do some laundry. Most of all, praise that despite how it looks, God is still in control and is giving us His strength to deal with all these issues. We are not walking through this alone.

God is still in control

April 15th
The U-S Army Corps of Engineers has revised its flood crest prediction for Valley City and now says the Sheyenne River may have already crested at 20.63 feet on April 13th.

The above news release raised everyone's spirits last night. Maybe the worst was over and we could rest just a bit while still being watchful. Below is what I saw when I checked the weather this morning. Maybe we're not out of the woods yet. Regardless of what the future holds, it won't come as a surprise to the Lord. He alone controls the water and He will tell the river where to flow. "Great is His faithfulness, His mercies are new every morning."

FORECAST...THE SHEYENNE RIVER AT VALLEY CITY HAS NOT YET CRESTED. ALTHOUGH LOCAL RUNOFF IS DIMINISHING...INFLOW ABOVE BALDHILL DAM CONTINUES. AS A RESULT...THE OUTFLOW FROM THE DAM MAY INCREASE LATER THIS WEEK...WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE RIVER LEVEL TO RESUME RISING MORE STEADILY.

The pictures I posted show how our town is beginning to look like a war zone. We are all so grateful for the National Guard and all their hard work. The Black Hawk helicopters are truly a sight to see. I live about a mile from the Barnes County airport so we were able to see them take off and land. It's an awesome sight to behold.

Half of our town has been asked to evacuate but there's no word yet on how many have complied. Traffic is very light in town so people are staying off the roads. Many non essential businesses have closed to save water and stress on the sewer system. An announcement will be made tomorrow regarding when the schools may start again. Valley City State University has closed the campus for the rest of the semester and the classes will all be finished online.

So, that's the latest from Valley City. I have truly seen the hands and feet of Jesus thoughout this whole ordeal.

Preparing for the flood

The first picture is of one of the parks in my town. The second picture is of the only bridge left open in Valley City. The river is expected to crest tomorrow night or Wednesday. We've had 2 levees with leaks so far and school was cancelled today. The southwest part of town was urged to evacuate earlier today while they worked to repair the breached dike. We had Blackhawk helicopters dropping 1,000 pound sand bags on the dike and the National Guard was out covering manhole covers with sand. It looks like a war zone but through it all, I know that God is in control.

I will try to keep you all updated as much as possible.

He's Alive

Sin couldn't keep our Lord on that cross but His love for us did. The devil only thought he had won but Jesus rose from the dead! He conquered death and sin and now we'll spend eternity with Him as long as we believe!! As the old song says "We've only just begun."

Good Friday.

Because of what Christ did on this day, I know I'll be spending eternity with Him

How high's the water mama? 18 feet high and rising

This is a picture from one of the parks in my town. It's our turn now to worry about flooding. They have diked all around our hospital and closed all the bridges except for one. I have a friend who lives right by the river and the water is almost up to her second story. It's been sandbag central at her house for the past few days, with many college students helping to build a sandbag dike. High school students are sandbagging also and people are volunteering to direct traffic so that the dump trucks can keep going instead of having to stop at traffic lights and stop signs. As of right now, school will still be in session next week but that could change at any moment.

I can't help but think that this couldn't happen at a better time. Sunday is Easter, when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. No human, on his own power, could come back to life. But our God, who can do immeasurably more than we could ask for or imagine, has the power to raise people from the dead. He parted the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites and He can perform a miracle here too. We already saw what He did in Fargo and I'm believing for a miracle here as well. God has already used this flood to bring people together, working side by side with strength that can only come from God. He is working in this situation and I will continue to trust Him with the safety of the town that I call home.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I'll keep you posted.

My Love Story

My friend Di over at http://auntdisexperimentallife.blogspot.com/ has asked that some of her friends blog about how we met our husbands. So, here is my love story.

I was a single mom, raising my daughter Mandy. We lived in a neighborhood with lots of kids who always seemed to be playing football, softball, kick the can, etc. Every weekend they were joined by a handsome guy from across the street who would pull up in his semi and run and jump with the best of them. I watched him spend hours teaching Mandy just the right way to hold a baseball bat or throw a football. One day, a toy of Mandy's broke and she brought this handsome guy over to our house to fix it. The rest, as they say, is history. We had our first date on May 19th, he proposed on July 28th and we were married on September 26th, 1992. Mandy was my flower girl.

Tony never treated Mandy as a step daughter and in May of 1995 he legally adopted her. It took that long to track down her biological father.

I love the way that one of God's most precious gifts (Mandy) introduced me to another one of His gifts to me. I am truly blessed.

Ruts in the driveway tell me spring is here

One thing I don't like about living in the country is the mud. As soon as the snow melts our driveway turns to mud. I'm not talking nice little mud puddles but the type of mud that will suck in a vehicle in 2 seconds flat. Each day we have to leave the house we pray that the Lord will keep our vehicle in the tracks that have already been made. The mud tries to pull us in one direction or another but we're safe as long as we stay the course.

This is a lot like life. The evil one will try to pull us in one direction or another, tempting us with what the world has to offer. Without the Lord, it would be so easy to veer off the course and into the mud hole. But like driving our vehicles through the mud, we'll be safe as long as we stay the course and keep our eyes on Jesus.

My First Award

I received this award from Roberta Anne over at Little House in the Desert. I am so very blessed to call her my heart friend.

In order to accept this, I have to name 10 things about myself so here they are.

1. I love Jesus and strive to have Him at the center of everything I do, although I fall short often.

2. I'm a mom to 3 wonderful kids as well as many of their friends.

3. I'm married to a hard working, over the road truck driver.

4. I used to work as a correctional officer at a medium security state prison.

5. I have one brother.

6. I'm technologically challenged.

7. I love my pups so much that one of them eats at the table with us.

8. Kettle Potato chips are my favorite snack food.

9. I quit smoking 2 years and 3 months ago.

10. I have the best church family in North Dakota and possibly the entire United States.

Now I need to pass this on to 3 others; here are my choices.

Samantha at Sweet Southern Journey

Chari at Happy to Design

Athella at OCDesigner

Crying out to the Lord

Isaiah 40:29-31 "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

These verses are among my favorite portions of Scripture and I'm hanging onto them for dear life today. After Bible Study last night, my van wouldn't start. My friend and I prayed over it and it did start but it wouldn't stay running. My husband and son came to pick me up in my son's car which also has problems. We went back to my friend's house this morning, I prayed over it again and it fired right up. As of now, it's still starting although the check engine light is on.

There was a news conference on an hour ago letting us know that the Red River will be cresting again and there's a 75% chance that it will crest higher this time. The people of Fargo and Moorehead are certainly weary but God's Word promises us that He will give us strength. As the worship song says, "My hope is in You Lord, my strength is in You Lord."

I believe with all my heart that the Lord honored our prayers and that's why my van is running. I also believe that He held back the floodwaters of the Red River and that He can and will do it again. If God is concerned about something as small as a motor vehicle, how much more will He answer our prayers regarding the salvation of a loved one, illness, or any number of other needs that we have. Just as parents we're concerned about our children's lives, so is our Father concerned about us.

Happy Birthday Mandy

Today my oldest child, my miracle child, turns 22. From the time I was a little girl, all I wanted to be was a mom. When I was told at 18 that I could never have children, I was devastated. But, God granted me the desire of my heart and 11 years later He blessed me with Mandy.

Where has the time gone? I remember so clearly her bright blue eyes looking up at me as if I had all the answers to life's problems. I remember her first day of preschool, climbing on that big yellow bus that was taking her away from me and telling me not to cry.

I remember her lunch dates with my dad when he would take her to Perkins for pancakes. I remember watching "Wee Sing in Sillyville" over and over and over again. She knew all the words to all the songs and I loved watching her sing and dance.

I remember her first day of Kindergarten when she told me not to hug her in front of her friends. How did she grow up so fast? I remember how she couldn't wait to come home and tell me all about her day and what she had learned. I remember the days playing football with her dad and all the other neighborhood kids each night until it got too dark to see. She still is a marvelous quarterback.

She's grown up so fast but she is still my first baby; my miracle child. I love her, worry about her and pray for her every day. She has a kind and compassionate heart and a love for people that is so refreshing to see.

Happy Birthday Mandy. I love you.

There's Snow place like North Dakota

Yep, we're in the midst of another winter storm. When it's all said and done, some areas will have received 20 or more inches of snow. Fighting the flood is now taking place in blizzard conditions. This storm is expected to last through midday tomorrow with another possible storm entering this area over the weekend. How much does God expect us to handle?

The answer is, He doesn't expect us to handle any of this by ourselves. He is with us every step of the way. God is in control of the rivers, the rising waters and the snow and strong winds. He has already brought the river levels down much faster than anticipated. He's bringing this new moisture in the form of snow instead of rain which is a huge blessing. Neighbor is helping neighbor in an awesome example of what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

We can be joyful in the midst of trouble. I don't believe that God expects us to be happy that our homes are flooding or that our finances are tight. But we can and should be joyful that no matter what the circumstance, we know that it's not catching God by surprise. We can be thankful that God is with us and He's a big, big God. We can be filled with joy knowing that we can approach the throne of God boldly and talk to our Father.

So, do I want it to continue storming? Of course not. But, I can still rejoice knowing that God is in control.