Dead Trees

today i got home from spending the night at my friends' house and looked out the window to see several men cutting down the dead tree in front of my apartment building. i was fascinated by the process. one man climbs up the tree in harnesses while others gather limbs. the man who is tied to the tree uses a chain saw to cut part of the branch, while he stands on the other part. he holds on to these ropes and cuts with one hand. i coudn't stop watching this man right out of my 4th story window. the tree is even with my apartment so the man and i waved to each other. as the dead tree branches fell, i could see more and more of the city, the park in front of my apartment and the green of the trees. out with the old and in with the new. it's amazing how much more sunlight comes in now that the dead branches are gone in front of my windows. there was some sadness in watching that tree fall. i was sad that it died. i love trees, and now this one was gone. there will be an empty place, a BIG empty space where that tree was. it had to be cut down though. it had to go. it was dead. it was a fire hazard. it was dangerous with the big heavy branches hanging over the front walk. now, there's a newness around the building.

so i have my furniture now, the dead tree is gone and life is going on.

please pray for:

friends in mississippi who are going through a divorce

a friend who lost her father suddenly

a woman in Dallas who has spinal fluid leaking into her brain

men that cut down trees--it seems like a very dangerous job!

the babies in anchorage.

the babies in st. jude fighting for their lives.

my friend in Lake Tahoe who is organizing a Relay for Life in memory of her friend who died of cancer at 25.

...may the Joy of the Lord be your strength today...

babies

what is it about a baby? the sweetness? the innocence? the softness? the purity? what is it that makes us gush, makes us change the intonation of our voice? or, in my case these days, what makes me tear up at the sight or thought of a baby? and a sick or dying baby--well there are no words. the pain is almost unbearable for those going through it. why do so many want to have them? why are so many devastated when they don't? what is it about a baby?

marian, a healthy, happy baby, said one of her first words today. she is a baby in nashville, the youngest of three. her mother was ecstatic. the twin premies in the NICU in Anchorage seem to be making progress, but you can hear the stress in the parents' messages. they were born so early, so they have so many medical needs. i think of the baby who has been in St. Jude, almost since birth and the hope in his parents' messages about his healing. there is a newborn in D.C., born on the 12th, healthy, to one of my friends. she says he is a "sweetie pie". another friend had twin girls on the 11th. they are in Richmond. a friend in birmingham writes that her twins ( seven months--a boy and a girl) have begun communicating with one another in their crib. she expressed joy and excitement in the thought of them interacting with one another. i had the joy of holding one of my best friend's from high school babies the other night in Memphis. he crawled all over me and settled into my lap so i could read him a story. i also got to peak in on a friend's from college baby while he was sleeping. precious. sheer delight. the thought, sight, smell, touch of a baby is life-altering. what is that?

i sometimes think it's because they just came from God. it's the closest thing we get to a real-live angel. there they are, without sin, without fault--perfect in God's eyes ; and for a brief moment, perfect in man's. God never loses sight of the beauty and perfection and love of His children, but man does. man quickly forgets what is pure, what is right, what is true, what is lovely and good. (Phillipians 4:8) man forgets, but God...God never forgets. He never fails. His love endures forever. 1Corinthians 13; Psalm 136

so to think, that our God would come here in the form of a babe, the most innocent, vulnerable, pure, weak of all creatures; to come here and experience what we experience. the love that took. the perfect sacrifice. to become sin, pain, dispair, ugliness. to take perfection and become imperfect...for you...and for me. now, all he asks is that we love as He loved us. it's easy for us to love babies. they are pure; they can't hurt us. but, He calls us to love all of His children, even the "big babies". so, how do we do that? a baby is helpless. a person who is rude at the grocery store can help it. a person who takes advantage of us or fails us in some way is not innocent. so, love is harder for us, but not to God. to God, we are still His babies, still His children. everytime He looks at us, He feels the way He did when He first saw us, first created us. He loves us no matter what...no matter what. amazing love.

...love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself." Luke 10:17

...love each other just as much as I love you. your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13: 34-35

If I had the gift of being able to speak in other langauges without learning them, and could speak in every language there is in all of heaven and earth, but didn't love others, I would only bemaking noise. .. (If I ) knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would it do? ...If I gave everything to poor people...but did not love others, it would be of no value whatever. 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3

love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices when truth wins out. if you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. you will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him...love goes on forever. 1Corinthians 13: 4-8

Pray for the babies, "big" and small.

my friend renee has a new lullaby album out
check out the new lullaby websitehttp://reneeandjeremymusic.com

new day

i wish everyone a beautiful day. be the "light" in someone else's life today, no matter what is going on in your own life. i could sit here and type about how my furniture is being held hostage (true) or i could share with you some joy and light. we all have things going on. cast your burdens upon the Lord and be the "light" today. when darkness overcomes you and surrounds you, turn to the One who brings light, gives light, is light. as one of my friends says, all of the broken cracks in us give Christ the opportunity to shine through us. be broken and let Christ shine through you!

praises that my little cousin accepted Christ this weekend.

pray for my friend in VA who travels to Europe this evening. she is going for educational purposes. she is 13.

pray for ethan powell who is at st. jude in Memphis. he needs hope and light and a miracle.

please pray for my friend in amelia, VA whose mother is dying. pray for peace for this family, love and comfort.

pray for my friend here in nashville who has not slept in weeks, because of her three small children. she is exhausted. may God give her rest.

pray for the babies in anchorage, AK

pray for lily and sophie--new babies in the world in richmond, VA

pray for those who are trapped in bodies that don't work like my friend with ALS. pray for love, friendship and freedom for her. may God's love surround her in such a way that she know nothing but His love, His way, His peace.

pray for our nation and the immigration laws (that is on my heart today). pray for those that flee to our country for a better life. pray for peace & love in their lives, not fear & distrust.

may God's peace be with you today...

each of us will be a blessing to the other. Romans 1:12

moving

so just completed my 18th move in 10 years or something like that. exaggeration. so today is day 13 in nashville. no furniture yet. not an exaggeration. still sleeping on an air mattress with woodrow. endurance. we have a friend in this building that we moved into, on west end. his name is moses. he is a weimeraner too. he and woodrow played together today in the big grassy area in front of the apartment building. joy. this apartment building is a historic building. character. it has an old elevator with a glass door. you can see the floors as you pass them by. i enjoy looking out while riding. fun.

please pray for ethan powell. he is a baby, born in december of 2006, who has leukemia. his mother and father are with him in the icu at leboneur in memphis, tn. please pray for total healing of this baby.

please pray for twin baby girls in the NICU in alaska. they were premies and are the grandchildren of one of my friends. they are just a few weeks old.

please pray for my friend who is traveling to europe for three weeks for a dance conference. she is thirteen and is going without her parents.

please pray for my friend amelia who just had twin girls: sophie and lily. 1st time mom. mom and babies are doing well.

please pray for my friend who has ALS. pray for her total healing.

i am with you. i will bless you. Haggai 1:13