In the very thought of Jesus...

This morning has been an awesome morning. I know I'm risking sounding superspiritual (and that I'm not), but I've been sensing the reassuring presence of God repeatedly throughout this morning, and I can't keep it to myself!

Many moons ago in a college PR group, we sang a song that has come back to me at the most desperate and wonderful times... I found myself singing it this morning. So true!! He's that close.

He's as close as the mention of His name
by Gordon Jensen

In the very thought of Jesus His presence can be found;
He's as close as the mention of His name.
There is never any distance between my Lord and me;
He's as close as the mention of His name.

Chorus:
He's as close as the mention of His name: Jesus, Jesus.
He's as close as the mention of His name: Jesus, Jesus.

In my hour of struggle so many times I've found:
He's as close as the mention of His name.
Just to breathe the name of Jesus can turn everything around;
He's as close as the mention of His name.

Another song running through my mind on that same tenor is an old hymn, a favorite of mine, "Jesus, the very thought of Thee." The two verses I remember are:

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Savior of mankind!

(Oh my! I decided to google the hymn to be sure I had the words right... there are 15 verses on the cyber hymnal site!)

Gotta get back to work now. :)

One small step...

Wow! Ken & I have been so encouraged by you all praying for us--and by your letting us know. Thank you!!

We got a call Friday from the first place to which he applied (or thought he had applied). He filled out the online application on January 1st and came to a point that asked him to login with user ID and password. He didn't remember having seen anything along the process that indicated he should create this and the message on the webpage said that if he was at a state agency to ask an agent to come enter this information, so we thought we needed to contact the company to acquire user ID and password. We pored over the website looking for a contact number: nothing. Thankfully, we called the friend who had referred Ken, and he gave us the HR lady's phone number! Over the next week we called three times and left messages asking the means by which he is to get this important bit of info. No response. Then we learned from the friend that the company wasn't hiring just then.

Last week Ken saw on the company website that they are again hiring, so he filled out the online app again, getting stopped a second time at the login screen. The next day I called and left another message for the HR lady. Then Friday the phone rang, and I saw the company's name on my caller ID! The HR lady is out of town on vacation and also working at another Distribution Center, but this man on the phone is filling in for her: Mr. Claudio. How can he be of help? Come to find out, applicants have to call the company to make an appointment to come in to complete the app or go to a state unemployment agency to complete it. You have to schedule an appointment because the place is so secure, the gatehouse won't let you in unless you show up on the schedule. Well, it sure would be nice if they would tell you all this stuff on the website! Also if they would provide a phone number! Whatever...

Mr. Claudio was very friendly, asked lots of questions about Ken, and answered lots of questions from me. He seems very excited about Ken applying to work there--hopefully he has some impact later in the process! Ken has to come in to complete the app, which is a skills assessment and work style test. Sometime the following week, he should get a call to let him know if he qualifies for an interview. Then we schedule the interview for sometime in April (after the HR lady returns). Sometime the following week again, he should get a call to let him know if he qualifies to continue in the process. If so, then he attends 4 training sessions, 3 hours/day for 4 days. (It's set up well for people who live in the area: morning or evening training sessions depending on when you can come in around your current employment. Since we are 4.5 hours away, it means taking a week off to go through the training.) After the training, we wait for a call to say there's an open position and they want Ken to fill it. Whew!

Where Ken works now, only one person per department can be off at any given time. He knew someone has the week of Mar 24-28, off, and we would like to get the process going before Mar 31, so he looked at the calendar at work and saw that nobody was scheduled off on Friday, March 21. He requested off, and the supervisor promptly denied it because another employee does have off, he just didn't bother to post it. * sigh * Ken said he really needs to be off, the supervisor pressed him for a reason, Ken backed off deciding Mar 31 would be better than revealing his reason, and the supervisor finally said he would see what he could do because the other employee is actually going into family medical leave for several weeks or possibly longer (which doesn't bode well for the time off Ken is going to need for this process!).

We prayed that our steps are ordered by the Lord and we'll do our best to stay calm and go with His flow. Ken called me this morning to say he has off this Friday! I called Mr. Claudio and scheduled an appointment. So... we are on our way for the first step!

I called Ken's parents to let them know we are coming (I had already called last week to be sure it would be ok), and Ken's mom said when she had talked with the fellow who referred Ken he said he doesn't see any way Ken won't get hired. "You should see some of the people who work there!" (his words, not Mom's!) Ken is, of course, nervous, so your continued prayers are much appreciated! Thanks in advance. :)

We were wishing we could be with family for Resurrection Sunday but had decided we shouldn't make the trip over there only for that reason since we have been and will be making this trip so many other times. Well, wish granted! :) "Hippity, hoppity, Easter's on its way!" (Did I just show my age?!)

To pack or not to pack, that is the question!

Oh my! Where have I been for a month?! Too busy living to blog, I guess. :)

For the last year or so, we have been considering moving to the Carolinas. All the reasons we moved to TN no longer exist, and we would like to be near family. We've prayed a lot about whether we should stay put or move and feel absolutely no particular leading one way or the other.

Sometimes God leads by dropping a little scroll outta the sky giving explicit instructions, and we tend to like that, but I have learned that the times we get the little scrolls are the times when we need most assuredly to know later that regardless of what we are experiencing, God placed us there. (That being said, I really don't prefer the scroll method!)

Other times God leads by letting us use our noggins to make the wisest decision we can and then let the peace of God be the umpire in our hearts (Col 3:15, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts..."), and, while this method is less dramatic, I have learned that the peace times are the times when we don't seem to need something as tangible as a little scroll to let us know God has placed us somewhere.

Well, we haven't seen any little scrolls so apparently this is to be a "peace-be-the-umpire" decision. Where's the fine line between "putting feet to our prayers" and "getting ahead of God"? So, we're moving (or more like shuffling!) in this direction, going slowly enough to change direction or stop altogether if the peace is disturbed.

After living in TN for 11 years--and never having lived in the Carolinas, it would be a big move for us, but we are excited about the possibility of being nearer to family. We know that there are other things to consider as well: church, job, finances. Wow, finding one place that answers all four of those needs is a challenge! Eventually we realized something has to give, but which one? We have literally gone in circles (yes, plural!) on this issue.

We initially thought that Ken should not quit his job, only transfer within the company so he wouldn't lose his accumulated benefits, which meant Greensboro, NC, or Charlotte NC (live over the border in SC, however). After investigating the Greensboro area online and in-person, we decided the cost of housing/living is too high. Can't really "give" on finances. In the Charlotte area, we were unable to find a suitable church solution. Can't "give" on church either. Should we give on job? We started entertaining the idea of quitting his job and starting anew in Anderson/Greenville, SC, because that area does meet family, church and financial needs--and 3 outta 4 isn't bad! (We also discovered that one of the companies offers the same or better wages he has now, and another offers almost the same paid time off benefits he has now.)

For various reasons, we knew we couldn't move until at least January 2008, so we were not overly concerned that nothing worked out before then. From January to the present, however, several medical supply warehouse and hospital receiving positions have been available, and Ken has applied for them. We've also found several houses within our price range near to those jobs, although we can't make an offer until we know where Ken will work!

The first place to which he applied (a friend referred him there) was not hiring even though the friend thought they were. The second place had 6 positions open, and Ken applied, but they have all evidently been filled with someone else because the vacancies are no longer listed on the company website, and we haven't heard a peep! The third one is another friend referral that to our knowledge has no vacancies. Ken still applied because who knows when a position might be opening! (When he applied for his current job, the Human Resources lady wondered how he knew about the position because it hadn't yet been posted! Ken said, "Early Edition!" jk) Just this week the first place announced on their website that they are hiring! So Ken just re-applied.

If you have a second, we would appreciate if you would breathe a prayer for us to have wisdom about this whole situation. At this point I think more than wanting to stay or go, we just want this process to be over! My dad used to say, "You get used to hanging if you hang long enough!" ... Then he'd pause a bit before adding, "Of course, once you're dead, the hanging doesn't bother you so much!"

A Providence

A couple years ago, a friend at church was scheduled to sing and asked Ken and me to join her for a trio and sing a song which had been written by Daniel & Angie Edwards (one or the other or both--I'm not certain exactly). I struggled to sing it not because of the range or difficult harmony, no, no. I struggled because it hit me dead center in my heart! We postponed singing the song for several weeks "for no apparent reason" until I had prayed enough that I could finally sing it.

When I posted yesterday morning (see Faith on faith, below), this song was running through my mind, and I thought about posting the lyrics but didn't feel like digging through our notebook to find them. Interestingly enough, last night we watched the evening service of Sea Breeze Campmeeting in Hobe Sound, FL, (http://www.hobesoundbiblechurch.com/livestreaming.php) and Dan & Michelle Durkee and their oldest son sang this very song! That did it. I decided the lyrics need to be posted!

I CHOOSE TO TRUST

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus;
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Have you ever been beaten low,
The doubts and questions are lurking so?
That is when the tempter always comes.
You wonder if our God's the same;
You wonder if He knows your name;
In spite of all your doubts just say to Him:

• I choose to trust the God I cannot see;
  I choose to walk the path He chose for me;
  I choose to love the One Who gave His life for me;
  I choose to put my faith and trust in Christ.

God said in His Word so dear,
"Draw nigh to me, and I'll draw near;
Resist the evil one, and he must flee."
So then, my friend, take up your shield,
To Satan's darts we must never yield,
Take courage, lift up your heart to God and say:

• I choose to trust the God I cannot see;
  I choose to walk the path He chose for me;
  I choose to love the One Who gave His life for me;
  I choose to put my faith and trust in Christ.

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus;
Just to take Him at His word.
I choose to trust the One Who gave His life for me;
I choose to put my faith and trust in Christ.

He's arrived!!

Earlier this evening the phone rang, and we saw were excited to see "Pamela Stence" on the caller ID. Only one reason Daniel & Pamela would be calling right now: Baby Jared Ian arrived!! He had a rough trip into the big, wide world, so he has a few bruises, but isn't he just perfect?!!

Welcome. Baby Jared!

Congratulations, Daniel & Pamela!

Faith on faith

Blessed is the person who not knowing what to say, says nothing. :) (That sounds like a plausible explanation for not posting the last couple of weeks!)

I've been spending a LOT of time looking for a suitable house at a suitable price in a suitable area near a suitable job for Ken... Satisfying needs for church, home, work, and finances is a challenge!

I've also been reading "Your Best Life Now," written by Joel Osteen, pastor of the Lakewood Church in Houston (and watching his sermons on his website!). The book was a Christmas gift (straight off my wish list!), and I started reading it right away. It's easy reading, and I found myself so encouraged as I read that I finished the book much too fast. The words are easy to read, but the concepts take time to "own" and apply. So now I am re-reading it (something I rarely do [my philosophy on books is that since there are so many good books out there that I will never get to read all of them ONCE I shouldn't waste my time reading one of them TWICE]).

My name being Faith (and that for 47 years now), I find it a bit embarrassing to admit that the light bulb about faith finally switched ON. I'm familiar with praying about a matter, trusting God to "work everything for good," thanking Him for what He is going to work--praying and then watching, wondering, waiting for God to work. In "Your Best Life Now" and/or in his sermons, Osteen encourages readers/listeners to pray in faith and with thanksgiving, shifting the focus from the problem to the answer.

Applied, instead of praying/pleading, "God, please help us to find a suitable house at a suitable price... Thank You for your help. Amen," we pray/praise, "God, thank You for a suitable house at a suitable price...!" Instead of "Please provide the money for this need," "Thank You for providing the money for this need..." (Praying like this puts skin on "His praise shall continually be in my mouth..." Psalm 34:1, doesn't it?! )

As I was praying from this new perspective, it hit me: Praying in faith is more than praying, watching, wondering, waiting for God to work. That's FORWARD praying, future-tense praying (sorry, the grammar surfaces spontaneously!). Praying in faith is praying knowing that God has already worked. It's BACKWARD praying--past-tense praying! It's skipping the request step and going straight to the thanksgiving. Exactly!! Faith is the actuality of things of which we are certain, the reality of things not yet real. (aka Hebrews 11:1) If we are certain of things not yet real, then we can patiently wait for it because it's only a matter of time. (aka Romans 8:25)

Duh! (the smack on my forehead dented my enthusiasm a little) This is no "new" concept. I've known this for most of my life. ("...in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6) But that knowledge just morphed into a breathing, living thing! :)

The issue isn't prayer or thanksgiving. It's faith. Faith is easy when I pray in future tense... and NOT so easy when I pray in past tense! Praying in past tense puts me "out on a limb," makes me "stick out my neck." Reminds me of a poster I have that reads, "Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to." Also of an object lesson my dad used to present about trusting. If you are visiting somewhere and someone brings you a chair to sit on that you don't trust. How do you sit? On the edge. Muscles tensed, still bearing some of your weight, because you are poised to jump up. Not an enjoyable experience!

And when they bring you another chair that you trust? You sit down and relax--perhaps even prop up your feet, allowing the chair to bear your full weight. There's no "poised to jump up" posture. If this chair goes down, you are * splat *! I can sit in faith. Can I pray in faith?

Thanksgiving in January!

I was working hard at my computer this afternoon, when Ken called with a question prior to heading home from work. At the end of the conversation, I told him I was nervous because I had been hearing a bunch of bumping and banging around (at one point it sounded like perhaps someone had been on our porch but they hadn't knocked on our door), people talking loudly, and a rumbly vehicle that was parked somewhere nearby and running, running, running... I just wished that the people who were banging and bumping and talking loudly would get IN the vehicle and drive away!

He asked, "Well, have you looked out to see what might be going on?"

"No," I answered, "because with all that noise, I didn't think sticking my head out the door was a bright idea!"

He suggested that I stick my head out the door while he was on the phone with me. To my surprise, those loud-talking people were firemen and policemen, and the rumbly vehicle was a hook-and-ladder truck parked at the end of our trailer! A police cruiser was parked half in our parking spot, half in our lawn. Lights were flashing. People were milling about. Down the hill was parked a smaller fire dept SUV. I hurried to look out a window on the other side of the trailer--there I saw a mid-size fire truck, another police cruiser, another large fire truck, two ambulances, and a conglomeration of civilian vehicles.

I looked up and down the street, but didn't see any fire, smoke, or burning or burned building, so I wasn't certain what had happened. I reported that to Ken and then added, "It must be a trailer down beyond what I can see."

We hung up, and I went outside to see if I could see what the source of the excitement was or find someone who might know what had happened. A lady across the street, on the other side of the fire truck, pointed at the trailer directly across the street from us, so I walked over to and around the fire truck. My eyes popped open! I hadn't been able to see the trailer because of the fire truck blocking my view. All the windows were broken out, and we could see the blackened inside of the trailer! The firemen predict it to be a total loss.

Another lady, our next-door neighbor, told me that she had been out for a little walk earlier and had noticed what she thought was steam coming from a vent. On her return, she thought she smelled smoke but assumed that perhaps someone was grilling and went back inside her house. A few minutes later she thought, "Wait a minute, I don't think anyone was home. I better check that trailer across the street again." When she looked out her front door, the trailer was completely engulfed in flames. She immediately called 911, then rushed over to the burning trailer. (She's the one who had been on our porch, but she thought nobody was home and left without knocking.) Another neighbor, a man, was already there, breaking windows and trying to get a door open so he could spray his fire extinguisher.

And to think... I was sitting quietly at my desk diligently working on my project wishing the whole time that the people who were banging and bumping and talking loudly would get IN the vehicle and drive away!!

The young lady who lived there was at work. We all sympathize with her. What a dreadful sight to come home to! Her sister also lives here in the community, so she was going to meet her and tell her about the fire and then accompany her home. Her sister also has room for her to stay with her until things get worked out.

Needless to say the community (on our street especially) is full of thanksgiving to God that no people were hurt (the ladies' three cats perished--I won't say trilogy :) ), that the strong winds we have been having this week weren't blowing this afternoon, and that the fire was contained quickly and didn't spread to other trailers. "Thank you, Lord, for Your blessings on me!!"

Thanksgiving knows no season.