Part 4: Lost and Found

I woke up Wednesday and looked for my camera once again before breakfast. I still couldn’t find it. Unbelievable!! I could hardly stand it! I just couldn’t imagine what had happened to it!! It HAD to be in that suitcase; and yet, it wasn’t!!

I walked down to the dining hall for breakfast. As I walked, I thought about the reality of the situation. In times of unknowns, I think of a story I read in the book “Calm My Anxious Heart” by Linda Dillow (though, when searching for the story, I found it through Max Lucado). You can read the short little story through the link provided (which I highly recommend! It‘s helped me a lot!), but what it basically says is you don’t know what you don’t know. Don’t assume anything and don’t worry. I kept thinking “remember the horse” every time I was tempted to let my imagination run wild with the possibilities of my camera’s fate.

I also thought about how the camera would eventually be replaced. If I never found it, it would be a loss for a while, but nothing compared to what everyone else at the Home was going through. June is when “Mom” died (she was Jerry’s wife, Sandy. She passed away two years ago. They are the ones that started the ministry; and adopted many of the special needs kids that live there). During the week, I heard little things about her here and there, and still saw remembrances of her all around the area (like a note made on a calendar about how she “went home“ on that day). I regret that I was never able to meet her. She was undoubtedly a remarkable woman!! I was wowed by some of the stories I heard; like how one of the kids (who doesn’t talk) pointed upwards toward heaven when he viewed her in her casket at the funeral. Or, the kids who visit her grave; listening to the ground and saying that she’s waking up. Greater still is the story L.A. told us about how Medina wondered why God only took Mom’s spirit and not her body. He had prayed for an answer, and felt like the best way to explain it was in relation to Butchie (who apparently likes to wander around a lot). He said that if no one could find Butchie, it would bother everyone if no one ever knew what happened to him. L.A. said that they knew what happened to Mom. If they hadn’t had her body there, everyone would wonder what had happened to her and would never have that closure if she had just mysteriously vanished. I thought that was a wonderful way to describe it!!

Seeing and hearing everyone’s great love for Sandy was so touching to me. Losing a replaceable camera is nothing compared to losing an irreplaceable human life (especially a life like hers! What a woman!!). Thinking about all of that helped me not to think about the camera, and to just enjoy the beauty of the ministry by thinking about Sandy and how her legacy lives on. Because of her and Jerry, we were able to come to the Galilean Home and spend time with so many wonderful people (including those adorable babies!). The camera was less and less at the forefront of my mind as I just enjoyed the blessings of those little ones at The Angel House that day!!

After being at The Angel House all day (as usual!) I went back to the Mary & Martha House to hunt for the camera before dinner. I took off the comforter and the sheet (to see if the camera was mixed up in there somehow) and I even lifted up the mattress and box spring to see if it had fallen inbetween them and the wall (or gotten under the bed). I looked all around, and then I decided to unpack my suitcase for probably the fifth time. This time, I thought I would unfold everything too (even if it was a t-shirt and was as flat as a pancake!). And wouldn’t you know it, in a pair of folded jeans, there it was!! It was in my suitcase that whole time (of course)! I was relieved, and I thanked the Lord over and over again!! I then vaguely remembered that I didn’t want the camera getting bumped or damaged by sitting in the suitcase, and sort of remembered putting it in the jeans so it would be “cushioned” and safe from damage. I also laughed when thinking about what Jim (aka “Mouse”) had said earlier that day about how he sometimes hid his own stuff so well that he forgot where he hid it. Yeah, I definitely did that!! I felt silly, but was glad that I didn’t have to feel sillier had I started to let my mind go wild with suspicion that someone had taken it. What a waste that would have been! I’ll admit, the thought did cross my mind here and there, but I rebuked it and kept thinking of the horse story. ;) I’m glad I did! (The following picture is the "I'm so happy I found my camera" face lol).



It was in that moment that I totally understood the story in Luke 15:8-10: “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Before that day, I don’t think I fully understood the depth of that story (even though I had read about it in “Captivating” recently). Granted, everyone gets excited (and relieved) when they find lost money, but I guess I couldn’t relate to a single “lost coin” like I could a lost camera. Though, I could finally relate to that woman now! I had found something precious to me that I thought was lost, and I went about telling everyone (with great excitement) that I had found it!! Even though I was glad to have found my camera, my heart was even gladder that that story had become so crystal clear to me and that the idea of that great joy sunk in! Finding my camera was a relief and a joy; but how much MORE SO is the relief and joy of God when a precious lost son or daughter is found!! As the Eldredges had pointed out in their book, that last verse says that “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God”. Did you catch that? The ANGELS OF GOD are the ones WITNESSING the joy! WHO is it that has such joy in their presence? It’s GOD HIMSELF! Your Father in heaven REJOICES with great joy in the presence of His angels when you repent! Consider Zephaniah 3:17 which says: The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Amen!! That says it all!!!

Well, I had survived yet another attempt from Satan to steal my joy and shift my focus. Once again, God turned the whole thing into a blessing and a learning experience. The whole thing was my error to begin with, but God used my mistake as an opportunity for something good. He’s so awesome that way!!

I felt like Wednesday was indeed what they called a “hump day”. I had not only gotten over that hump in the week, but the hump in the trip. It was all downhill from there. Not only was I feeling content, well-adjusted, and at home there, I was looking forward to my next adventure even more; my trip to the prison to take some of the babies to see their Mamas……….(to be continued).

Part 3: New Highs and Lows

Tuesday morning, I woke up and prayed that God would infuse me with His strength. I was confident that the Lord would get me through the week and that I would truly start enjoying the trip even more now that I had had time to adjust.

Going to breakfast, I definitely felt more at ease. Every single person was becoming more and more like family and I was getting to know everyone better all the time. I finally felt more at home, and I was enjoying the presence of God, others, as well as the peace and tranquility all around me (yeah, including the silence!).



Once again, I went up to The Angel House after breakfast. Babies are so perfect! It‘s just heaven! Maggie was with me too, until she and some other gals went into town to supposedly pick up supplies. They were supposed to be back before lunch, but they were missing for a good chunk of the day. I hassled her good once she got back lol. They were on a shopping trip instead of a mission trip; one would have thought I would have been the one that ended up doing that! Ha ha!!

While Maggie was gone, Cindy came and told me that L.A. needed our help. He had a trailer hooked up to the Mule (a golf cart type of vehicle) and he was going to take some of the special needs kids on a ride on the hills around the area. Leaving the babies was the last thing I wanted to do. If Maggie had been there, she probably would have been the one to go, but no…..now I had to do it. ;)

Yeah, that’s how I felt at first. I didn’t want to ride on a trailer in the heat and supervise the kids in the wheelchairs. For one, I always have trouble with “special” kids. Not that I don’t like them, but I have just never known how to relate. I have always felt awkward. I’ve always been afraid that I would upset them somehow, or not know what to do if something went wrong for any reason. I had visions of me falling off the trailer or chasing a wheelchair down a hill. I just wasn’t thrilled with the idea.

Quickly, my outlook began to change as I really got to see and meet some of the people in The Blessing House. Weldon and James (and James’ “baby”, his doll, Adam) rode in the Mule with L.A. (I think George went too, but I can’t remember). Cindy, Edith, and I rode in the trailer behind Amy and Lance who were in their wheelchairs. They can’t say anything, but Amy smiled the whole time! She’s always smiling! Lance smiles sometimes. I think it might have been Edith who told me that he likes music and that he always smiles if you sing “Jesus Loves Me”. (In fact, a few days later, I thought I would try to get him to smile when he and the other kids were outside. I sang that song, and he did smile a little).



While we were riding all around and up and down the hills, I felt the wind on my face and saw all the beauty of nature around me. I saw Amy continuing to smile and I just stayed present in the moment. It was beautiful. I was glad that I had been one of the ones to help and that I didn’t miss it (but Maggie did!! Yeah, that’s what you get for leavin‘! Lol). The more I was around those kids, the easier it got because you do start to get to know more about them, and the “awkwardness” begins to fade. I think it’s even easier because of the fact that they (and everyone down there) just LOVE Jesus! You can feel Him and see Him everywhere!! The whole part of the Lord’s prayer, about “on earth as it is in heaven”; it’s right there at The Galilean Home. It really is a slice of heaven. Everyone loves each other, helps one another, and genuinely cares. I never seen any conflict or negativity; only unity, teamwork, and unconditional love. I don’t think I have ever seen so much of that in one place!! It’s beautiful!!

The ride finally ended, and it was time for Cindy and I to get dinner started. My back (and butt lol) was glad to be off the trailer, but my heart would have loved to have had more! I’m so glad that I got to go on that ride and see all the blessings that I seen! I will remember it (and the kids) always!

I helped Cindy for a little while, until I had the opportunity to help Medina make a rug. You would think I would be all for it, but it was yet another one of those instances where I was like, “eh, I don’t know.” But, I was shown how to do it and we started weavin’ it. I think in my mind, I was just concerned that I would screw it up and then upset her or something. Or, that I wouldn’t know how to talk to her. However, we were getting it done and talking it up in no time. She’s a sweetheart! And, she’s very smart! She doesn’t have much sight, but her hearing must be impeccable! I had been humming a song from “The Sound of Music” while I was working (though rather softly). Yet, she picked up on it and even recognized it! She said, “I love the Sound of Music.” I was so surprised lol! So, I started telling her about how I had it on my iPod (Maggie and I had listened to it on the way down and Lincoln turned up the radio when he heard us singing lol). I told her I could go up to the house and get it (and my camera too, because I wanted a picture with her). So, I left for a minute to go them while Maggie (who had FINALLY returned lol) continued to help weave the rug.

As I went through my suitcase, it was no where to be found. I rummaged around for several minutes and STILL couldn’t find it! I couldn’t imagine where else it could be! I KNEW that it had to be there because I dropped it in there after looking through the day’s pictures last night before I went to sleep. However, no camera. I looked in my purse, under the bed, and all around my bed area. Couldn’t find it. I was confused, panicked, and even a little suspicious.

Well, I gave up for the time being and tried to push it all out of my mind. I figured I would look for it later that night. Yet, even in the evening, it still wasn’t turning up and I was starting to get upset. I had thought to myself “I would rather lose my wallet than my camera!” Ya’ll know me! I’m a shutterbug! And, I have already had to replace that camera once (when it broke last year) and I couldn’t afford to replace it again! I was starting to get a little tearful, and Maggie helped me look and everyone else kept and eye out for it, but it was no where to be found.

That night, I tried to rest, but I was so unsettled. I tried to ignore Satan’s attempts to convince me that someone took it (I know that NO ONE there would do such a thing!). I even thought that maybe I was being “punk’d” by Phil or something (because he said he was going to “get me” during the week as payback for the pictures I took of him that he didn’t like lol). But, none of that was the case. I just hoped and prayed that I would find it soon. Otherwise, it would bug me like the dickens and be a distraction until I knew what happened to it. More than that, I thought about all the pictures that I had taken that would now be lost forever, and the fact that I wouldn’t have them to post when I got home. I would also miss out on taking more pictures (as well as when I got home to my regular life too). I know I sound overly dramatic (and I was), but that didn’t last long…….(to be continued).

For Optimal Performance, Please Read All Instructions Before Proceeding!

As you might have read from my last entry, I had a very meaningful and enjoyable Christmas this year. And, in addition to the gifts I mentioned, I received another very nice and much needed gift this year: a digital camera!! That’s right people, …..I will no longer be using film and I will now be able to upload the numerous and wonderful pictures that I take, quickly and easily, without having to wait for my pictures to get developed. LOL So, all you people who have been picking on me for being old school can stop now (you know who you are!!). So there! LOL Thank you Dad and Lauri for the camera!! OXOXO And, thank you to Janelle who told me about the one that she had so I could get the same one with all the cool features that it has!!

The main reason I am choosing to blog about my new digital camera comes from an inspiring analogy that God brought to my mind as I was learning to figure out how it works. Yesterday, I was reading the manual and testing things out, and showing my cousins how it worked. They were comparing it to their cameras and asking if their cameras had a color accent feature like mine does. I told them I didn’t know, and that they should check out their manuals. One of my cousins said that she had no clue where her manual was and that she probably lost it a long time ago. I asked her what good was it to have such a valuable piece of technology with all its features if she didn’t know how to utilize it. What a sad waste!

I know that people don’t always like to read directions (especially MEN! LOL) and that they like to figure things out on their own, but how much sense does that really make? Why not make things easier on yourself by reading the instructions (as well as the safety precautions and warnings!) from the person/persons that created that piece of technology so you can use it to its full potential - effectively and safely! Are we really that prideful to say we don’t need instructions and we can “figure it out” ourselves without the proper guidance right at our fingertips?

That got me to thinking about life and how we have an instruction manual right before us to tell us how to make the most of our lives. That instruction manual is the Bible. The creator of life itself provided it for us so we could have the fullest life possible and live it out to its greatest potential. So, why would we not want to read HIS instructions; instructions on living the life HE created? What good is our life if we don't implement the wisdom and guidance we find within His words? How much is God’s “manual” going to help us discover all His wonderful features and power if it sits in a drawer untouched or gets lost? How tragic!! It’s specially tragic considering the fact that there are many out there that are literally “dying to get their hands on it.“ How foolish it would be to ignore such a wealth of information from the EXPERT CREATOR THAT KNOWS BEST!!

How will we make the most of the life and gifts that God has given us if we don’t know about all the things God has made available to us as children of God? All power and authority is given to us by Christ so that we can make an impact for Him in this world. Yet, some are still clueless as to the bigger picture of God and that there is a whole lot more to Him than just the “basics.“ That’s another thing I realized as I looked at the TWO manuals that came with my camera: the basic and the advanced manual. The basic manual is so you can learn how to functionally operate the camera at it’s minimum potential. Sure, you can “get by” with it, but you’ll be missing out on so much more that it has to offer!! To get the most out of it, you have to want to go deeper and get more “advanced.“ But, I suppose it’s intimidating for some, because it’s seems “too hard” or “complicated.“ But, it doesn’t have to be! You can take it one step at a time and gradually work your way into more knowledge. The manual wasn’t meant to be read all at once and digested in one sitting. It’s meant to be broken down into smaller chunks. You aren’t going to know everything overnight.

I am still learning about my camera the same way I am learning about God. I can’t possibly absorb every nugget of wisdom and information all at once. It comes in “chunks.” But, every little byte (sorry, had to use the pun! LOL) increases my knowledge and broadens my perspective. And, the more I practice what I learn, the more adept I become and the more helpful it is to me!

I can’t tell you how many times I have been “wowed” by all the sides of God that I had previously not known about before!! Over the years, I went from a Methodist-raised-basic-knowledge-of-God Christian, to a Christian who started seeing that God was much more than His Bible stories or church doctrine. I started seeing Him as the “multi-faceted” God that He is and learned that there is so much more to God than what people accept Him as!! He STILL does miracles!! He STILL works through us!! His Name STILL casts out demons and evil spirits (oh yes, and they still exist people!! The devil never took a holiday!). Jesus is the same TODAY as He was yesterday and as He will be forever! He is faithful and unchanging!! Just because we have changed, and most of society believes that God isn’t the same God that He was then, doesn’t mean that He’s not. He’s very much so the God of the Bible; then, now, and always!! All we have to do is GO DEEPER and explore all the glorious aspects of Him!! There is SO MUCH MORE! We don’t have to settle for “basic” or just “go it alone” and “get by” with whatever we can.

Like I said, I have experienced God more and more over the years and have seen just how miraculous and wondrous He is! I have seen the manifestations of His power through me and through others. He still blesses us with dreams, tongues, interpretations, and miraculous healing power as well as authority over demons in HIS NAME!! (And that is only the tip of the iceberg!!).

On this closing note, I would like to point out that while my cousins' cameras didn’t have some of the “features” mine did, that aspect doesn’t apply to any of us. We are ALL given access to God and have all the same benefits of His power that all the rest of our Christian brothers and sisters have. The only “features” that are different are the “features” that He gives specifically to all of us. We all have different gifts, but they are all used to make up one body that works together to accomplish its goal. We all have a unique function and purpose, and we got to do our part. But first, we got to know what our “function” is, take our place, and do our part in completing the body!! And, just because one person functions different than another, it doesn’t mean that you are any less “functional” or special than another. Even though my cousins’ cameras didn’t have the same assets as mine, they were no less special or functional than mine. There is no reason for them to think that their cameras aren’t as good or important as what mine can do. It doesn’t lessen their purpose or functionality. Each camera still accomplishes the same goal which is to take pictures. That is the same concept with all of us as children of God. Just because one person SEEMS to be “better” or have more “functions” than we do doesn’t mean that you are any less important or essential!! We all have different gifts and purposes, but the objective is the same and that is to glorify Christ!

So, read your “manuals” everyone!! DON’T SETTLE FOR “BASIC.” There is SO MUCH MORE that you don’t know, but once you choose to learn, it will wow the socks off of you!! Then, you’ll wonder why you didn’t bother to discover it before and will wonder how you ever did without it!! Don’t waste so much time only to discover “oh, why didn’t I learn this sooner?!” Discover it NOW!! GO DEEPER!! GO ADVANCED!!! READ YOUR MANUAL!!! GOD BLESS YOU EVERYONE!!