Catch up..and not the kind you put on a burger!

So, it has been quite some time since I have sat down in front of the keyboard to blog.
This is probably going to be a very random writing since there is so much to catch up on.

Christmas was good. After much prayer, I invited a couple of people from the park to our home for the day. I was nervous about it at first, not knowing how it would all play out. Everyone in the family (except Brian), could not understand why I would want to invite homeless people to our house for "their" Christmas. I think they were all just anxious about the unknown. Luckily, it went great! Everyone showed up sober and we shared a lot of laughs! I had a whole new captive audience to show my Haiti videos to! Hey, who does not like home videos, right! Ha Ha!


Megan, Heidi, Brian, Steve...my friends from the park


New Years was pretty much uneventful. We went to a party a couple from church was having. Whew, drank way too much diet coke! P A R T Y! We were home in time to watch the ball drop (why would anyone want to be part of that crowd, I do not know)!
New Years day, Brian cooked amazing hamburgers! Byron and Sherrie spent the day with us, so that is always a good day in my life! After dinner we played Cranium, and I laughed so hard I could not speak! It was a fantastic way to start 2009!

I have been excited about the new year. Excited because I cannot wait to see what The Lord has in store! He gave me John 3:30 as my verse:

He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30 NIV
This is the ASSIGNED moment for Him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines. JOHN 3:30 The Message


God has been growing the park ministry like crazy! Last week I got a phone call from a lady saying that her mother was turning 50, and all she wanted for her birthday was to help the needy! Whooo Hooo, come on down! They brought all the food, and tons of it!
Talking to them after everyone was fed, they asked a lot of questions about why we do what we do each week. It was an amazing time of evangelism because none of them go to church. We got to share why we love on God's children. We explained that we don't just show up and hand out food, but that we are in relationships with those we feed. I know seeds were planted.

Speaking of relationships, we have been feeding a pregnant lady named Cynthia each week since March. This past Sunday we were going to do our inaugural baby shower in the park! We had it all planned, cake, decorations and lots of gifts. Well, I got a call on Friday saying she was in the hospital and in labor! She was not dilated enough and she told me the baby would not come until Saturday. I went to see her around 2:00 in the afternoon on Saturday, and she was still was not dilated very much. When the doctor came in, he discovered the baby was breech. Off to surgery Cynthia went. Now mind you, all of her family lives local, but not one of them was there for her. It was very, very sad. Before she went to surgery, she asked me if I could please stay until she came out of surgery. Sure, no problem. Baby Christoper was born at 5:54 p.m., weighing in at 6lbs 8oz! When she got back into her room, she found out that she could not have Christopher in her room with her all night unless someone stayed the night with her. She started to cry. I looked around the room, and I was it...no one else. How could I not stay? I wanted to go home and sleep in my bed. Quickly, God reminded me about the scripture He gave me a few days before. This was not about me, it was about Him and his hurting child. It was time for me to put "me" on the sidelines. So I did. I got home Sunday morning at 8:00, with no sleep.
Without breaking any confidential trust, I ask you to PLEASE pray for Cynthia and baby Christopher. Their futures are very fragile right now. I am giving her a ride home from the hospital tomorrow and I am not sure baby Christopher will be going home with her. Why God thinks I am capable of handling these situations, I do not know, but He keeps putting me in them. If God can use me, He can use you.

I know it is kind of late for a New Years greeting, but I wish each of you a year of falling deeper in love with the One who paid an incredible price for each of our sins.
You are each precious to me! I love you xoxoxo