Preparing For The Holidays: Step one- cleaning

Let the games begin! Or preparing for the holidays which ever seems to fit your approach. For those who don't know the "holidays" are the time from Thanksgiving until New Years Day. It's a time for decorations, celebrations, reflections, family, food, gifts, parties and whatever else we can fit in. It's even a time people will go to church when they won't go other times and for regular attenders there will be special music, plays and everything above only centered on the birth of Christ.

The holidays don't just happened, you women know what I'm talking about! Men, you don't have a clue! It takes a lot of work and preparation.Because there is so much I think it's best to tackle it in steps, so the next few weeks on Mondays I'll let you know my thoughts on the matter at hand, today it's cleaning the house.

 Nothing like company coming to motivate you to clean, I mean the kind of cleaning you do for special gatherings. Not just regular vacuuming and dusting, you actually move things and dust and vacuum under them. After all who knows what relative or friend coming will move things and look? We don't want people to think we have dust bunnies and cobwebs, do we? Hands and knees cleaning the bathrooms, you know how really gross those can get in a short time. If company comes and stays for any amount of time you know they're going to have to go to the bathroom. What's worse than worrying about what they are doing in there, like looking behind the shower curtain, or what they are thinking? Like " I wonder when was the last time Margie wiped down the base boards in here?"

It isn't that I'm a slob but on the other hand I'm not June Clever either. I know you can relate, we just get comfortable with our own dirt. When company comes we want things in order, to sparkle and shine. We don't even see the cobwebs in the corner and the dust on the baseboards, we don't mind it, we just live with it. That is until someone else is coming and we don't want them to see it.

With all the things about the holidays we get distracted from what it's really about. Thankfulness that a Savior was born and is coming back. If you are a first time believer you don't have to worry about the mess in your life, Jesus is only too happy to help clean it up if you are willing to let it go. If you already belong to Him, you know better. We need to clean up that sin we've grown comfortable with and get ready for His return!

A Son At War: Part Three - From A Brother's Heart

The time is at hand and Garrett is on his way across the ocean where his life will be threatened for the next year. We stay near the phone and computer waiting for any news along the way, I am thankful for technology like never before. Graham hasn't had alot to say during this whole process and I have to admit it was bothering me. Did it not matter to him at all what his little brother was heading for? The following letter Graham wrote on his blog the night Garrett left tells it all. As I read it chills ran over me and my heart was filled to bursting. I hope it touches you too.

Aug 7, 2010   //   by Graham   //   Blog, Life  //  No Comments

Dear Enemies of our Country, Living in the Desert,

Consider yourself warned. In a matter of hours, a plane will land delivering hundreds of brave, courageous men and women. Among them, you’ll find one smaller and younger than most. Be careful not to judge what your brain interprets through your senses. What you won’t see by his outer appearance is what you should fear most. Beneath the tree-like exterior and metal chest protector lies the most offensive weapon to your mission. His heart. You may think it’s mere tissue and fluid, but trust me, there you will find the courage to stand face to face with this challenge, the endurance to bear your hatred, the determination to end such threats to our way of life, the confidence to know he is well-trained and well-prepared, and most importantly, the unfailing love for a family he leaves behind that drives him to bring this fear to your door.

Consider yourself warned. He and his companions have taken an oath to never accept defeat and to never quit. I agree, along with every kindergarten student in our great land, that “sticks and stones can break bones, but words can never hurt you.” But it is not these words you should find frightening. It is the hero who utters them.

Consider yourself warned. If these are not reason enough, I share the most horrific in my conclusion. He has and is being prayed for by numerous believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. And as a follower of the Messiah, he carries with him a power far greater than any weapon your hands can craft. Nestled beneath his armor and flowing through his veins is the assurance that the God that allows you to taste the air He provides will see Him through these trials. The God that created this universe by the commands of His voice will one day destroy all enemies of His kingdom. Even if He allows defeat in this battle, take heart that the last laugh is already had.

Consider yourself warned. You will soon witness a force that you have yet to face. I write to you proudly and with great confidence in my words. I say again, consider yourself warned.


Graham Culbertson, Brother

To read more from Graham go to www. GrahamCulbertson.com

Son At War: Part three

Crying makes me sleepy and as we begin the trip home without Garrett I am emotionally exhausted. It's Sunday and I know I should be going to my Father's house to worship Him but all I can manage is to go crawl into bed. The sleep that last night would not come, now over takes me.

Garrett will still be in the States for a few weeks of training before heading to Iraq so for now we don't have to think about his safety. He will have a four day leave while in Mississippi and we will go down for that. It's something to look forward too. Some say the second good-bye will be worse than the one we just endured, I wont miss a chance to be with my son no matter the pain that may follow.

A Son At War: part two

We walked into the main room of the armory filled with Soldiers, their bags and families whose faces looked like mine. They were tear stained or had that look that the dam was fixing to break. I had gained temporary control but lose it again as I look into the faces of all those loved ones whose hearts were breaking just like mine. I need something to do, I had brought some things to make this terrible gathering more pleasant so I go to find where to put them. This early in the morning there was bound to be coffee served so I brought flavored creamer. Do you remember the Calgon commercials " take me away "? Was it too much to hope for that flavored coffee would take our minds off the good-byes just hours away? We try to comfort each other with hugs and words of encouragement, the minutes tick by and the tears flow. We are given as much time as possible to be with our Soldiers, Bubba is roaming around the room with his camera trying to capture moments that are too quickly slipping by. My Soldier is moving through the room talking to different people and I am left standing alone watching with tears that I am convinced will never stop. Then I see one of my comrades coming toward me with open arms that envelope me with the understanding that only someone going through the same thing can have. She is my comrade because we share a battle faced by the families left behind on the home front and at this moment we share our tears and dread of the good-byes that are coming way too fast.

Then it begins, our Soldiers have to move into military mode. There are task to complete, list to check off, bags to load , formation and loading. Families are left to themselves as they will be for the year ahead, parents, children, siblings. Facing what they can no longer push aside, good-byes. I am almost in a panic to get my arms around my son one last time and trying to find one of his friends who did not have family there. "He has no one to hug him and say I love you " I thought. So I am frantically searching for him. He has already boarded the bus but the Commander calls him off for me. His face was confused and surprised as I wrapped him up in my arms. He was not my son but he was someones son and I couldn't bear the thought of him going off  without that last hug.

The bus begins to pull away as we walk along side trying to keep eye contact with our Soldier, waving, crying and realizing He is in Gods hands now. Families are left to console each other as we watch the tail lights of the bus moving out the drive onto the highway. The moment I feared has come and little by little those left behind head home to begin the year without their Soldiers.

So Much To Be Thankful For

Today on this drab, dreary, rainy day I have so much to be thankful for. I have a nice house that is warm and dry, while so many people around the world have no shelter at all. I have a pantry full of food and everything I need to cook it, while many people will have to go out no matter the weather and forage for food, even eating out of garbage cans. There will be many people around the world that will simply have to watch their children go hungry. I have a closet full of nice clothes and shoes while many people will put on shoes with holes and clothes that are rags. I have a loving and supportive husband while many women wonder whether they will be beaten today or if a pay check will make it home to take care of the family. I have two amazing boys who follow Christ while many parents don't even know where their children are or can't sleep at night because of what they are involved in. My son will be home for the holidays this year while many parents will have to miss theirs because they will be serving in a war zone. I am healthy while so many people are in the middle of treatments to save their lives and around the world there is not even medicine or treatments to give people a fighting chance and children are left to face the world alone. I was born in America where my life has been full of choices and across the world people's lives are dictated by their government. I could go on forever but there is one thing I am more thankful for than all of these. I have a savior, His name is Jesus Christ. He is the son of the one living God and He gave His life so I could be saved. Not only for me but for every one  across the world, He is available to all and He is waiting for you to call out to Him.

Veteran's Day

I've seen plenty of war movies to know it is a terrible place to be, it's dangerous and scary . The scars it leaves both physical and mental last a life time.If it were not for the brave men and women who have put themselves in harms way we would not be the country of freedom we are today.

Being the mother of two boys I wondered what it would be like to send my son off to war. It used to be a common experience but now it is strictly volunteer. Years ago before computers and e-mail, instant messaging, Skye and even before telephones mother's sent their sons off to war. I can not imagine not hearing from your soldier for months on end and knowing by the time that letter arrived their situation would have changed to who knows what.

War is an ugly thing but even in His word God tells us there is a time for it. I am thankful for all those soldiers, past and present who suffer the unimaginable so that here in America we can be free. God forgive us for using that freedom for indulging our sinful flesh. I am thankful for technology that allows me to stay in touch when it is my son in the middle of a war zone.I am thankful for every soldier who has a heart to serve his country and all those he loves and all those he doesn't even know.

A Son At War: part one

Its early morning, dark and still. The duffle bag is loaded in the trunk and my soldier son in the front seat; we are on the way to the armory. I’ve known this day was coming for a year now but I am not prepared. I’m in the back seat alone as my husband drives and my son copilots, waging my own battle against all the what ifs that are assaulting my mind. What if he never comes back? What if he comes back with out limbs or a mind that allows him to live a life free from this war? The tears begin to fall quietly as I grasp hold of the only thing that will get us all through the year ahead, faith in our God who is sovereign. I believe He has a plan for my son over there beyond what the Army has and I know that He goes with my son. It has always been my hope that both my boys would follow God’s will for their lives. So as this brave young man steps out of the car gathering his gear, he is a hero already to this mom. He is serving his country in a time of war but more importantly he is serving his Lord. As we walk into the armory I am proud and I am confident in my God’s ability to take care of him but I am still a mom sending her son off to war.  

Getting What You Want

My, how times have changed. I was not raised getting everything I wanted. I was prepared to live in the real world that is not going to be all about you. After all it's not good for us to have everything we want, you know how those people usually turn out.

If you ask my children they will tell you they didn't get everything they wanted or even allowed to do everything they wanted to do. I see so many parents giving into their children to stop them from crying, but I discovered long ago it will not damage children to let them cry and can be even good for them. I'm sure I gave in plenty of times when I shouldn't have. Now as I have gotten older I have a different perspective.

When I was employed as a teachers assistant I took a class that told us when teaching children we should prepare lessons so that they do not have to wait. You should go from one thing to another and one child to another without any one having to wait. I questioned the wisdom of this in my own mind immediately, can you say road rage! Back in the day we learned early on we had to wait our turn. What kind of people are we raising that they think they shouldn't have to wait. Then I saw it on the news, a young woman who was jumping through a drive through window attacking someone because she couldn't have chicken nuggets, the restaurant was serving breakfast. People don't know how to wait anymore, they want what they want and they want it now. Not good for any of us.

Poor Micheal Jackson wasn't raised getting what he wanted really, we learned after he grew up what he really wanted was a normal childhood and a father who knew how to love him. When I watched interviews with him I remember feeling an aching for what he had missed. Certainly as an adult, his fame made it possible for him to have whatever he wanted and I'm sure that is something you can quickly become accustomed to. In the end it cost him his life. This doctor turned a blind eye to everything he knew to be right and gave him what he wanted even though it wasn't what was best for him. It is tragic.

I am so glad my heavenly Father doesn't always give me what I ask for. He loves me so much He gives me what is best for me even if it makes me uncomfortable or causes me pain. When I think of some things I have asked for in a fit of stupidity, it makes me shudder. All I really want is to be in God's will for my life, so thank you Lord for loving me enough to give me what is best for me not always what I want.

My Baby Boy

I call both my boys that at times. It's probably irritating to them now at ages 27 and 22, but in a mother's heart that's what they always are.

When the first was born, it was the biggest life changing experience I've had. God actually whispered in my heart "this is how much I love you, I gave my son's life for you." I could never understand God's love for me, until then. I was so unprepared for how much I would love this child and I knew I could never give him up for anyone. I realized the most important thing I would ever do would be to raise this boy to know God, to love him and to serve Him. I also realized that was something I could not do on my own and it was then that I gave my life completely to Christ. God revealed Himself in the face of my beautiful baby boy!

I did not have any specific desires of what I wanted Graham to grow up to be, only for him to follow Christ's will for his life. He has done just that all through out his days. God has had His hand on Graham always and today he will be ordained into the ministry. I am a very proud mother and a very thankful child of God.

That's Not What We Had Planned

Well, a week ago I left the US so excited about the wonderful plans and trip my husband had made for me! I know all of Heaven must quake with the laughter of our Lord sometimes at the plans we humans make. I also had a few ideas of my own in the mix. I know you have done the same thing, it is a common human condition.
My oldest son is a planner far beyond even his father who is meticulous. It gives us humans the delusion of being in control.

The fact of the matter is, even with the best made plans, anything can happen and there we are. In the middle of a situation, caught so off guard that we plunge into despair. God is never caught off guard and has already prepared the help He knows we will need, even while we stand there and worry. Time after time He has demonstrated this very fact to me and yet time after time I find myself in that worrisome place.

When things don't go as planned it is not because God decided He is going to smite us. We don't purposely do bad things to our children, do we? No, it is because we live in a fallen world and we suffer our own consequences or someone else's. In this world there is sickness, death, accidents and sometimes just plain crazy people. Yes we experienced that last night in the hotel, more about that later. If you are a child of God, He's got your back! Through out these last four days God already had it worked out, He had prepared the help ahead of time. Bubba had been here three weeks so the hotel staff knew him and it is a wonderful staff. He had me come over and the people Bubba works with worked together to solve the only issue we really had which was paying the hospital bill. Even though the hospital aggravated me to death about it. They better be glad my sister Marie wasn't here, she would have let them have it!

This hasn't been exactly what we planned but it has been what God knew would happen. He has taken care of us. We have one more day to sight see and try to keep Bubba calm, so I guess I better hold back on the shopping. Then God will bring us home and life goes on with all we have planned but we know it doesn't always go that way. It has been a wonderful trip.

How Quickly Things Can Change

My goodness, how quickly things can change! We spent the weekend in Paris seeing things we have only read about, architecture so beauitful it just leaves your mouth hanging open. More about that later, on Sunday morning Bubba, my husband, gets up with a nose bleed that last 4 hours. He has these on occasion but can usually get them under control in an hour or so, this one is bad. It finally does stop and he wants to continue sightseeing in Paris. Through out the day it bleeds off and on, not out his nose but down his throat but he will not give in and leave. He is determined to show me Paris and so he does. We naturally stayed later than we should have before starting back to Antwerp but what else would you do in Paris?

The drive back was uneventful and we arrived at the hotel around 1am, you can say we were exhausted and went straight to bed. I am awaken about 4am with Bubba jumping out of the bed and running to the bathroom. He is bleeding very badly again and we can't get it to stop so the hotel calls for a taxi and we are off to the emergency room in a foreign country. They get it to stop and we go back to the hotel to rest, it begins again and we are back at the hospital. They have admitted him and he will stay again tonight, the bleeding has slowed but not stopped. It was crazy yesterday and I had several melt downs and cried in front of who ever was standing there.

I didn't want to go back to the hotel by myself last night but it is not allowed for you to stay with your loved ones in the hospital here. So I had no choice but God had some schooling for me while I was alone. This is what I learned or at least was reminded of.

The same God that is always with me at home came with me to Belgium, as a matter of fact He was already here. It was His plan that I come to begin with to be with Bubba when this happened, Paris and all the other awesome stuff are the good that God brings out of bad situations when we belong to Him. He is taking care of every need for Bubba and myself in magnificent style, the Hilton Hotel are treating us like family and Capsugel  has sent us a helper and are keeping tabs. So I need to dry my tears and start acting like someone who knows the God of the universe loves her and will take care of her. I am so thankful He understands about women and tears though, oh yea He made us! So today I am in Belgium and Bubba is in the hospital and God is in control! My how quickly things can change!