Today just begun and already I can tell it's going to be great. I woke up not tired this morning which hasn't happened in a while. When I went outside to get in my car there was a chill in the air! It actually feels like fall today - my favorite time of year. On my way to work I had a chai tea latte and a pumpkin cream cheese muffin and they tasted like fall. And, on my way in I was listening to Sara Groves. She always reminds me of the fall - her and the Counting Crows.

I tried figuring out why the fall is my favorite time of year. I think I wrote about it last year at this time. For me it has to do with reminiscing and loving what I remember. It makes me feel like going out and buying school supplies - a trapper keeper, cool pens, and a new backpack that matches my high top converse. I want to sit outside and watch the leaves change color.

As I looked for leaves that had changed color on the way in this morning, I thought about the process - why they're changing. All of nature is going into hybernation. Perhaps I should hybernate for a while - pull away, rest, learn from the Creator who has taught his creation what is important. There is a season - turn, turn, turn.

I hope you have a chance to buy some finger paints this season.

Our First Baby Pic!

Matt said that our baby looks a lot like Ella did at that age. Go figure!

Sometimes I wonder if other people make as many mistakes as I do. I'm not talking about the mistakes that don't matter like putting too much paprika in the chicken for dinner or forgetting a phone number. I mean mistakes that really make a difference like forgetting to add someone to a list that means whether or not they go on a trip. Pretty important stuff.

I'm learning the value of checking and double checking and copying people on emails. Perhaps someday I'll get it right. In between I'm wondering when the big mistakes will stop. Geez!

Hope your day is working out more mistake-free than mine!

On a whim...

Got a call yesterday from Kelly who announced that Dave Barnes was doing a concert at the Gwinnett Arena last night. $10 a ticket? Okay, I'll go. So, Marty and I headed out. It's strange to think that there was a time in my life where doing things in the middle of the week was normal now it's a rarity.

So, Dave was amusing. He played a great set for about an hour. The room wasn't packed - not even close - but he was still full of great stories and beautiful songs. I have a favorite that gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. Last night, hearing it live was breath-taking.

Just in case you haven't gotten a Dave Barnes CD yet, I suggest you do so.

Here's a little taste:

They tell me, this song's reserved for angels
Just sing me one a stranger just to prove your love
and you know they tell me
you've given poor men kingdoms
landed guilty freedom
taken on their stains
Your love will never change

They tell me, you dwell with good and evil
Alleys and Cathedrals
Shadows in our lives
and you know they tell me
You hold the world together
Not from guilt but pleasure
You somehow know my name
Your love will never change

So tell me there's nothing that you can't do
Love me though I've hurt you
You take all my blame
Your love will never change
Your love will never change

Have a great dave!
Joy

The Jet Lag Blues

So, I woke up this morning quite abruptly at 2 a.m. What? Go back to sleep, go back to sleep, go back to sleep. Not happening. I counted backwards from 300. I got to around 150 before I got bored. The thoughts of what lie ahead of me bombarded. Then I realized I was hungry. So, I quietly slid out of bed and dug through my backpack which still hasn't been unpacked (thankfully) and found the snacks I packed for the trip which went untouched. I grabbed a pack of Cheez-Its and hung out in the bathroom for about five minutes munching. I crawled back in bed and began the routine all over again. Ugh! I'm not quite sure when I fell back asleep again but I know I saw 3:30 and possibly something closer to 4. Needless to say, today I'm done. I feel like a zombie sitting here. So, I figured I'd write more about Australia. I promised I would while I was there but time just didn't allow.

Marty and I were asked while we were there what our Highs and Lows were of the conference. So I figured to give everyone a brief overview, I could stick to that. We really received a lot of great teaching. I guess that was the highlight. We got really deep stuff. For example, Danielle spoke one night about Gideon.
Notes:
If we're really going to be the people God called us to be - free and freeing others - something has to shift.
1. True Humility
2. True Dependency
True humility is agreeing with God about who you are. Gideon's been getting his definition about who he is from different places - the world, his family, his occupation.
False humility - the I suck mentality. Who's defining you?
Peace is not the absence of conflict it is the presence of war. (someone famous said that)
We are not fighting out of insecurity. We are fighting for righteousness and justice and because we agree with God about who we are.
True dependency is agreeing with God about who HE is. Gideon creates circumstances where only God can show up (the fleece). We settle for things that we can do. We need to believe God for more and create pockets in our lives where only God can show up.
We have to start coming into agreement about what God says regarding each other.

So, that was a little taste of what we got. That was just one of the speaks. My favorite meeting simply because it was fun was Saturday morning. Steve and Danielle led us in a time of worship called Harp and Bowl. Before the meeting Steve was hopping around like a kid in a candy shop because he was so excited to do it. That morning I felt like crap - cough, tired, nauseous. I didn't know if I could make it through the meeting. Danielle and Steve start to teach about Harp and Bowl - where the reference comes from Scripturally (Revelation). They explained to us that there are angels around the throne of God who hold a harp in one hand and a bowl of incense in the other which is the intercessory prayers of the saints. They said that the angels are worshipping while praying. That's what we were going to do. So, a scripture verse came up on the screen (Ephesians 3:16 - 21) and Danielle prayed a pray for The Salvation Army based on that scripture. The entire time the worship band was playing. After Danielle finished her prayer, one of the guys from the band sang a spontaneous prayer from that scripture for The Salvation Army for 30 seconds. Then Marty went. Then Kath went and then....oh, and then, THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION WENT!!! It was really cool to hear an entire room filled with intercessory prayers for The Salvation Army that were worshipful. I loved it!

So, that's just a little bit more about the conference. If you'd like to see the DVD of the Harp and Bowl experience, just let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll talk about the week after the conference during Marty and I's vacation but the highlight of the trip really was the conference. Does that make me a sad person? Nah.

True peace,
Joy