The Call was incredible. I really appreciated the fact that fingers weren’t being pointed left and right at politictians…that they were in no way being held responsible for the moral decline of our country. The spotlight was shone directly on us, the Church, and our lack of whole-heartedness. We cried out all day in repentace for having not seeked God above all else in our lives. Oh man, it was powerful! It was a blessing to have been a part of it.

Dave and I were both deeply impacted by this: as we prayed for the ending of abortion in America, we also prayed for the spirit of adoption to arise in the hearts of many, many believers across the nation. Yes, it’s true that abortion is a sin. But it is also sin how we, the Church, have turned our backs on the poor of the earth. Think of the multitude of orpans in this country…the foster children who are moved about from place to place, often abused, down-trodden and oppressed. Consider how Christians could absolutely revolutionize this foster care system! Dave and I both felt a “spirit of adoption” rising up in us…although we don’t know how or when or what it will look like!

I’ve mentioned our 40 day media fast, and have promised to share a little about it, but I think it will have to wait for next week. We’re in the final week of summer vacation, and I want to make the most of it. I’m really gonna miss the big boys, but I think Noah and Phoebe will miss them even more. We’ve really had an awesome summer together. We’ve grown and learned so much as a family! I’m so proud of us!

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity… Blow the trumpet in Zion, decalre a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.

Dave and I are headed to The Call in Washington DC this weekend. (18 hour drive!) I mentioned to Dave last week that I was really feeling we should go, and the next day everything pretty much fell into place for us to go! The little video clip below will explain a little more of what it’s about. I encourage you to prayerfully consider participating in this event even from afar. (I believe you’re able to watch it via webstream.)

P.S. Our whole family is doing a 40 day media fast…and it’s been so good. For me especially. I’ll share some about this next week maybe. God is good!

We must not think that all the things that threaten the spiritual life are evil in themselves.  So often it is the good that is the enemy of the best.  That is why the culture of the spiritual life demands a strict discipline.  You and I must be ruthless with ourselves, if the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is to survive within us.  Jesus sad that though “the eye is the light of the body,” yet “if your right eye causes you to sin, then pluck it out and cast it away from you.”  My own experiance has been that there are some enjoyments, some distractions, some ways of spending my time, from which I must firmly turn aside, if I am going to keep the Spirit alive within me.  I can say nothing against them in the abstract; they may even be all right for other people; but I know myself well enough to be sure that I cannot afford to indulge in them wihout danger of losing the Pearl of Great Price. 

This is so where I’m at right now.

We arrived home last weekend.  It’s lovely to be home!  I love summer evenings in Minnesota.  Blogging has been on the back-burner though, and will continue to be for the next month or so. 

Among the things that impacted me most at IHOP was our study of the book of Daniel.  Daniel has quite a bit to say about the end times, but we also dug into what the book tells us about what it takes to cultivate a prophetic spirit as Daniel had (it was awesome!!!).  One thing that we talked about just briefly, but really went deep into my heart was the question, “Who were Daniel’s parents?”  What was instilled in this young man that after (most likely) witnessing his parents being murdered, being shackled and marched across the desert to Babylon and then being sat down in front of the King’s yummy food and choosing not to defile himself with it?  He was trained up in the ways of Babylon, but returned to his God day after day in prayer…even when his life was threatened!  (The song “Dare to be a Daniel” has a whole new meaning to me.)  He had a Living Truth inside of him!  Oh that my children would have that same Truth inside of them! 

Anyway, all this to say that our family has taken a huge step back from media/entertainment/internet in order to persue cultivating a spirit of prayer and prophecy.  In my own personal life I can say for sure and for certain, that nothing has distracted me from knowing God like the TV and the internet.  I believe our North American culture is addiced to entertainment…Christians included…myself included!  And if you think, “Nope, not me,” then try shutting everything media related down for a while like I have, and see how it effects you.  My friends, at the end of the day, when the kidlets are all in bed, I absolutely long to turn on the TV or cumputer!  And please believe me when I say that this is not meant to be an indictment against anyone.  Really and truly it isn’t.  I’m writing this from a place a brokeness and humility…and with a sadness that I don’t know the voice of the Lord…and most of the time I don’t even care that I don’t know His voice.  I’ve been asking the Lord to give me spiritual hunger, but how can I feel spiritually hungry if I am constantly satiating myself with media and enterainment?

Sheesh!  You certainly got an earful (or, I guess it would be an eyeful?) today didn’t you?!  Many have asked since we’ve been back what impacted me most during our time in Kansas City, and well…you just read it. 

I want to end with this (since I must end somewhere):  Part of what makes IHOP IHOP is their teaching on how to God we are “dark yet lovely.” (Song of Solomon 1:5)  Even in our weak and feeble human state He is absolutely in love with us!  Also from the Song of Solomon:  “You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes.” (4:9)  God’s heart melts at every attempt we make at persuing Him, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem.   Friends, I don’t know what I’m doing…I kind of feel like everything I thought I knew and believed about raising my children as Christians in today’s word has been pulled out from under me.  But I do know that I have a sincere desire to know God in a much deeper way; a sincere desire for my children to know God.  And that steals His heart.  :-)  How empowering! 

Our home for ten days…

Mmmmm…

How cute is this?

Elijah’s our little fish. He totally taught himself how to swim in the pool at our camp ground.

Bathtime at the camp ground…

Such handsome boys. (But I’m a little biased)

Silly Noah.

The perpetually askew hairclip…

“Baby Steps”

…Oh man…so much to say! But…how? I struggle to put into words all that God is doing in my heart and in our family. I feel somehow that I shouldn’t. Not yet. Like Mary the mother of Jesus, I feel I am to “”treasure up all these things”, and “ponder them in my heart.” (Luke 2:19)

One thing I will share though… As you can see in that last photo Phoebe is learning to walk! There are few things quite as precious and just downright cute as a toddler learning to walk, wouldn’t you agree? She’s taken many of her first, wobbly steps right in the prayer room here in Kansas City. A prophetic sign to our family, I believe, that as we step out into this prayer movement on wobbly legs, as a toddler does, that the Lord is smiling down on us. We’re not sure how it’s all going play out with our four rowdy children in tow (:-)), there will be many days that will be discouraging, we’ll lose focus, and fall down… But just as walking will soon be “old hat” to Phoebe, so raising our kids right in the midst of the prayer movement will be. Although, I assume the former will happen much before the latter.

I want to share some more thoughts, but I’m running out of time. It’s just about time to go pick up all the kids. They are at the Children’s Equipping Center here (which is so awesome!) three hours a day while Dave and I are in classes. (This is a class-free day though) Imagine…I’ve been without my kids for three hours a day for the past two and a half weeks! It’s been such a refreshing time for me. I’ve not been able to sit and soak up teaching since… well, I think since before Elijah was born!

So we made it to the east coast of Canada and back. Super fun. It was so awesome to see family and friends. And now we find ourselves in Kansas city. God provided us with a free place to stay for most of our time here (a whole three bedroom house!!!) minus this week, so we went with the cheapest option and decided tent at a campground. It’s been really fun…so far

Well…that’ll be all for now folks. Even this little note has taken me almost a half hour to write. Hope you’re all having a fun summer!

Zeke and Noah decided to have an impromtu game of “Hide and Zeke” while I fed Phoebe her lunch today.  Noah searched patiently for Zeke while Phoebe made quite a mess of her food and herself.  In the end, it was I who found Zeke when I reached into our linen closet to grab a cloth to bathe Phoebe with.  Sheesh!  (Good hiding spot though, eh?)

Such a random thought from my three-year-old!  It made us all laugh, but since then I’ve been thinking a lot about how we, the consumers, are so far removed from the products that we consume.  A shift that has really just occured in the past century or so.   It’s so crazy to think about how much our world has changed in just the past 100 years… don’t you think?  What will the next 100 years bring?  I wonder if this blog will survive out in cyberspace for that long?!  Will it be a cyber-type time capsule?  Okay, now I’m just rambling…

I’m not entirely sure how often I’ll be able to blog this summer.  From our vacation in Canada, our whole family is headed to IHOP in Kansas City for an entire month.  Exciting!  We’ll be taking part in something called “Commission,” a month long school, if you will, consisting of one part teaching on eschatology and the other part time spent in their prayer room.  We’re especially excited about their “Children’s Equipping Center,” that the kids will get to be a part of.    It’s really cool. 

As for now, I may have to neglect blogging a bit so that I can focus on getting my house in order.  I share my mother’s somewhat “OCD” drive to have my house thoroughly cleaned and in order before I leave it for any length of time.  Weird, I know.  But who wants to come home to a messy, disorderly house after a couple months on the road? 

So, I guess I’ll say an official “Bye” for now.  (Sniff, sniff)  I hope all you and yours have a fun and relaxing summer!  And to friends and family in the far reaches of eastern Canada, (and, to be honest, who this blog is mostly meant for) see you soon!

Phoebe, Noah and I just came back from a quick visit to our pediatrician.  Phoebe ran a temperature and was just downright ornery all weekend long.  I was relieved to find out that it wasn’t an ear infection and Dr. said to watch for the fever to break and a rash to come out in the next couple of days, as she’s seen a lot of Roseola in the past couple weeks.  Fun fun.  I must say, though, that I don’t think I have a right to complain…besides the flu that made our lives miserable for about a week in February, we had an exceptionally healthy winter here in Horsman-ville.

Elijah had his third piano recital on Saturday and he did AWESOME!  He has so much natural musical talent.  I hope we can continue to cultivate this without pushing him too hard.   He’s at a place now where he would quit if we let him.  And probably never give it a second thought…until, of course, he’s 31 and, like Dave, he’s wishing he had continued with piano when he was young.  (By the way, Dave is getting better and better at piano these days, and even leads from it occasionally!)

We painted our kitchen this weekend too.  “Orchid Breeze”…otherwise know as, ummm, pink.  Dave and I are known for our outlandish paint colors, but I have to say, this tops them all.  We love it.  It’s bright and fresh, and …well, pink.  I guess Phoebe and I were outnumbered, and we needed a little more femininity in our house!  :-)  Let it be known, though, that I was leaning a little more towards a mossy green colour, and Dave gave the final word on the pink.  Now there’s a guy who’s secure in his masculinity. 

I also became an Aunt all over again this weekend!  My sister, Jill, had a baby girl named Nevaeh on Saturday (and I’ve just realized that I don’t know her middle name!)  Hooray!  Can’t wait to see you, Nevaeh, on our way through Toronto.  (Now only 17 days away!)

And it’s not officially spring around here until the cookouts begin.  We had a good ol’ kabob cookout on Sunday afternoon with the BHOPers and a family visiting from IHOP in Kansas City.  Oh, so good.  Mmmmm….