How Great is Our God

Mom tried to post this in the comments section, but couldn't get it to work, so I made her email it to me instead:

The e-mail Ginny quoted was sent a little before 10:00 p.m. After I went to bed last night (at 10:40), I had trouble sleeping. Then I thought about the fact that I had just requested that everyone pray when they couldn't sleep, and no one had gotten my e-mail yet, so it was my turn to pray. This morning I got the following e-mail from a friend:

I just have to tell you this. Elmo and I went to bed, watched a DVR and by the time it was over, it was around 10 p.m. We turned the light off, said our goodnights and were hoping to be off to sleep. Wrong. This was just not to be. So, I got up, got some snacks, got online to see if there were any new emails. Sure enough, the one from you about baby Jaden. The Lord had a reason for not letting me sleep tonight. So, I just said, "Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to intercede on Jaden's behalf tonight."

She was the first intercessor! I know the Holy Spirit was busy waking others up because Cindy and Wesley were awakened at 2:30 a.m. by a wrong number phone call and decided it must have been for a reason. They prayed for Jaden then. It amazes me...even though it shouldn't...how amazing our God is!

Pray for Jaden

My sister's sister-in-law (yes, it's a mouthful), Jennifer delivered her baby four months early. His name is Jaden, and he's having a rough time...as is the whole family. Please pray for baby Jaden and for Jennifer and her husband. He is their first, and I can't even imagine what they must be going through. He weighs about a pound right now, and doctors are struggling to keep him going while his tiny little body continues to develop. It is not unheard-of for such a little one to survive and develop into a healthy, happy baby...even if it were, we serve a BIG GOD who can do anything! Read Mom's update below...and please be in prayer!!!!

Hello all,

The baby had a rough night last night. Doctors called the family in to say their good-byes because the baby's vital signs were not good. When they got to the hospital, there were three nurses trying to rally him without success. When Jaden heard his mommy's voice, he was fine. It's just been so amazing how he responds to Jennifer. I think the hospital should let her have a bed beside him! Anyway, he stabilized and they went home. Then doctors told them today he had an infection...normal since he has no immune system yet...and they're flushing him with antibiotics which usually makes them lethargic. However! Jaden has been very active all day! Yeah, Mom's been there. So we need to pray for Jennifer's strength to hold...and that the hospital will let her come anytime day or night. Oh! Another good sign...he's tinkling...all over the place...and the doctor says that's great!

If God wakes you up in the night, please pray for Jaden. We need to keep the prayer vigil going especially at night. We do have some missionary friends in Asia praying, and I think their day might be our night, but we still need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit for the night vigil here. Don't be aggravated when you can't sleep. Just pray.

Dance Like David

Last night was so much fun, I can't even begin to describe it! Leigh was visiting each Kidz Praise class to teach motions for "Feliz Navidad." She had promised to come to our class first, so I didn't really want to get into any of our Christmas music until she came by.

So I popped in the "Crazy Praise" CD so we could just dance around and sing some silly fun praises to get everybody warmed up. The first song we did was "I Think I'm Gonna Throw Up" (My Hands to the Lord). Tons of fun. I never know all the motions, but the kids do, so I generally have about six or seven kids up front with me to lead the class (and me) in motions.

After that, Leigh hadn't made it by yet, so we continued on with "Dance Like David." This one, for those of you who have never had the pleasure of singing it with kids, has tons of motions that require full body movement. It also contains two long virtually un-singable verses and a long instrumental interlude...during which a lesser crowd might get bored and feel awkward and lose interest. Not my kids. Nope, we decided to utilize those sections for a little freestyle dance party.

There were kids doing the twist, the swim, the mashed potato, the pony, and even...the robot. Yes. The robot. One little girl, in fact, was roboting across the length of the room back and forth in front of the whole class. Great job, Amanda...you made my night!

This morning I started thinking about it more critically, and I had to smile...I think David's dancing was probably just as unhinged and unscripted. He was dancing for pure joy and thanksgiving to be in the presence of God Almighty...not unlike a happy child lost in the unquestioned bliss of a freestyle praise dance party.

2 Samuel 6:14-15
"David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets."

Can you remember a time when you totally let loose and just PRAISED with complete abandon? Let's hear about it!

Whew!

Last night, just before my head hit the pillow, my husband asked me how my day had been. My answer? It was magical.

We had a commercial shoot planned for weeks, during which we were also going to shoot stills for whatever purpose may come up, because former Miss Texas, Magan, was coming into town for the commercial. Any time we can get Magan, we try to get as many photos as possible. She's not only impossibly beautiful, she's extremely good (yes, modeling is actually really hard work that requires talent and intelligence) and she's unbelievably kind and fun to work with.

So about a week ago, Crystal (who normally does the model photography) told me her husband had asked her to take off the day of the commercial for a family thing. She was willing to forego the family event, but I hastily volunteered to take her place. Not that I was anywhere near prepared, or consider myself good enough to fill her shoes. I was, however, aware of what a great opportunity it would be, and "do or die," as they say, I was going to GET prepared.

I nearly drove everyone around me crazy for a week, and I did have to go home early Friday because I gave myself a migraine I stressed so much, but now I'm standing on the other side of that "good opportunity," and all I can say is....MAGICAL. Everything went smoothly, I think I got enough decent photos for Crystal and myself and whomever else in our little marketing office may need to use them throughout the holiday season, and it was just plain fun. I can't believe I get paid for this stuff :)