My Story... Part 1

    For the past few months, we've discussed our personal stories.  So this is mine.... at least part 1.

    I was raised in church.  As a child, I was a faithful member of Mission Friends on Wednesday nights at our church.  Yawn!  It never really appealed to me, but I was a "pleaser". I loved my teachers in Mission Friends, but I wasn't a fan.
 
    As I grew older, I advanced to GAs- Girls in Action.  Again, this "program" did not interest me, in fact- it kinda scared me. I vividly remember a particular story about  missionary to some foreign country. (probably Africa) In this story read to me in GAs, a missionary returned to her home or hut or whatever to find a cobra coiled up on her sofa.  Well, that was it for me.  There was no way I would ever be a missionary. I could be a teacher, a nurse, a children's minister, but never a missionary!  Not this girl!

     About this time, a family in our church was called to move to New York City and preach on the street.  I have to admit, this was a little interesting to me. But I didn't tell anybody.  However, I remember when "Brother Scotty Teague" and his precious wife, Linda, and their boys would come home to visit. I was always eager to hear what God was doing in their lives and in the lives of the people who came to the Lord as a result of this ministry.

     When I entered junior high school, I became an Acteen, the "middle school" mission program for girls.  BOORRRIINGGG! Again, I loved my leaders, but I wasn't a fan of the material.  Ugggg. Yuck!  Seriously, who in their right mind would want to be a missionary. Not this chick! NEVER!  

    I completed high school and attended Louisiana Tech University to become an Elementary School teacher.  In 1993, I met Coach Ronnie Coker. We dated for a couple of years and married on July 1, 1995.  (a teacher and a coach- now isn't that sweet?! And this Friday will be 16 years!)
 
  Then, surprise!  Before our first anniversary, we found out we were expecting our first child. One day Tracy, Mrs. Barbara, Mrs. Betty and I were shopping in a bookstore- aka- HEAVEN for a  teacher-!!! I was buying books for "baby" Peyton.  Picking up a book entitled, Miracle in a Shoebox, I noticed the author was Franklin Graham, so I bought it. I mean, if Franklin Graham wrote it, it must be good! 

    Well, you may have guessed it was about Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child project.  I was hooked and have to admit, it was "divine intervention".  Peyton and I began a tradition. We shopped for our "shoebox kids", read the book, Message in a Shoebox, and recorded our "gifts" in the front cover of the book. It was so exciting to shop for a child with my child. And Peyton enjoyed it, too! We were making some special memories...

     But little did I know, that was only the beginning...

Part 2- Coming Soon

Top 10 Reasons I Love the USA

 Top 10 Reasons I Love the USA:

10.   I don’t have to check for black mambas under my bed every night. (I believe the “ecosystem wouldn’t support that” cold-blooded  creature –or at least it was hibernating while we were there.Guys- you can’t scare me that easily!)

9.   I can brush my teeth with tap water, not bottled water. Wooo Hooo!  No ooohhhssss!

8.   Diet Coke & Ice! (Not Coca-Cola Light!)  Diet Coke, the real thing!

7.    Smoother roads.  Surprise!!! Yes, even in Louisiana the roads are smoother. (Another reason to be thankful)

6.     Nickeys, Johnny’s Pizza,  Silver Star, and even the grocery store. (Oh how I truly dislike going to the grocery store, but at least I don’t have to grow my own food to sustain life for my family.  Praise the Lord!)

5.    Fabric Softener- yes, I so enjoy the feel of soft towels, soft sheets, and soft clothes.  And the smell of fabric softener-did I mention the smell? The magnificent smell of Downy Lavender Fabric Softener in the purple bottle is a little bit of heaven on Earth.

4.     Air Conditioner – good ole AC! We didn’t need AC except in the airport, but when it isn’t available you really miss it! (right Brad?)

3.     Food Safety- how often do we give this a second thought?  Eat as you wish because we have food regulations!

2.      Multiple electrical outlets.  We have so many gadgets to recharge that many electrical outlets are a must.

1.       INSIDE TOLIETS!!!!  Hooray for indoor plumbing!  Toilets that flush! Not a hole in the ground. 

Thank you Lord for the “little” things!

With that said, we were gently reminded how our “technology” and gadgets allow us to quickly disconnect from each other and from God.  It is nice to journey back in time to a world where less is truly more.  A place where there are far fewer “distractions” which provides us with an opportunity to actually be still and know who God is…..the Creator of the Universe.  It is evident by watching the sunrise over the savannah, or the giraffe as it nibbles leaves for its breakfast.  There is evidence in the vibrant colors of the hundreds of species of flowers, and the breathtaking aroma of rosemary that grows freely in the wild. Amazing! Who could see these wonders and doubt there is a God?  (So many of us discussed this as we watched the sunrise, and when we observed the animals in their natural habitat on the safari.)   But so often, we are totally consumed with our “technology” that we hardly even notice the quiet, awesomeness of our Creator.  And it’s on display everyday….even in the good ole USA.  

Psalms 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Book Review: The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

David Ponder is now an older gentleman.  His daughter is grown and has her own family.  David is once again very successful financially, but he is struggling with the death of his precious wife, Ellen.  The feelings of loneliness and heartache are almost too much for David to handle.

Suddenly, Gabriel appears to him. David is ordered to a gathering to help rescue all of humanity from a path of destruction and disaster.  Heroes and heroines from the past join David as they are called upon to discover the solution to getting the world back on track. And the solution is in just two words.

The Final Summit is suspenseful and inspiring.  Once again Andy Andrews uses influential people from the past to assist David Ponder as they work quickly to determine the two word phrase that will hopefully save the world.  King David, Joan of Arc, and President Lincoln are several of the characters that use their life experiences to help decide what message could possibly change the direction of entire world.

This book is interesting, exciting, and suspenseful.  The final message is clear.  Andrews is truly an inspiring writer.  I recommend this book, but suggest reading The Traveler’s Gift prior to reading The Final Summit.  I promise that both books are difficult to put down before the final page.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>

Disney World vs. Real World

     Disney World was awesome!  Even Ronnie couldn't believe his eyes!!! We saw Snow White, Mickey Mouse, Alice in Wonderland, some princesses and princes! There were parades, and life was truly magical.  Walking down Main Street with "We're All in this Together!" blasting, I just wanted to run up to Peyton, grab his hand, and start dancing like we did when he was 4 or 5 in the living room.  But I didn't!  I grabbed Nate instead! But I didn't embarrass him- much!
      The rides I rode 29 years ago were just as wonderful as they were back then.  Oh, there were new rides, and new tunes, and new princesses, and new characters and all were absolutely fantastic. Parades that made Ronnie stop and take note. And Cinderella's Castle was still standing tall. (Now who wouldn't want to live in such a magnificent castle?) From the opening act as the Magic Kingdom welcomed us into the gates, until the fireworks ended the day, life was magical.  And everyone lived happily ever after...
       But then news came. And all too soon the magic was gone.   
       Another grieving family. A child taken too soon. Ugggg. And it was a blast into reality. 
       Oh, Disney World is great! A wonderful escape. A place to be a kid again. But we live in the real world. And Cinderella's castle isn't really a castle at all.  It appears to be on the outside, but she doesn't live there with her prince happily ever after.  And neither do we.
      The truth is we live in the real world.  The fallen real world.  A place where accidents happen, and people get sick.  Even children.  Families suffer. Hearts break. Tears fall- often. I don't like it!  It stinks!
      What about my favorite verse- Jer. 29:11? It states, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans for a hope and a future". How does that work when our hearts hurt so deeply? What about the plans we had?  So much loss......
      Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."  I've never been "crazy" about those verses.  Maybe because I like things to go "my" way.  Maybe, I think that my way is best. 
      But it's not.  I don't understand why the Lord allows things to happen the way He does. But those verses say two things. First, trust in the Lord. Now that's not easy especially when it hurts so deeply.  Then, it says Lean not on your understanding.  In other words, God is saying to me: "Dawn, You have no idea what I'm up to- and your little human mind wouldn't understand." And He is right. Always.
      I don't like it. I don't understand. I want answers. But He says "trust". "Trust in me- I promise I'm still in control."
      And so we go on with our lives in the real world. No real castles, no real princess and prince, and many days of no happily ever after. 
     But I can continue to teach my fourth grade girls that "I can trust God no matter what".  Because we can. Even when we don't feel like it. He's not going to let us go.  Romans 8:39 reminds us, "nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
      Charles Stanley writes, "God is more interested in our character than our comfort". Yikes! (see http://www.intouch.org/resources/sermon-outlines/content/topic/the_valley_experiences_in_our_life_outline)  There is so much more that I need to learn!
       Disney World is magical. But it's not real. Real life is difficult. Very.  But God is real and never changes! So, I know that I can trust God no matter what.  And one day soon, I will live in a Castle (aka-mansion) with the King of Kings forever.