Labor Day!

We spent Labor Day up at Vogel State Park with my parents, my sister, and all of the kids.  

It was kind of a last minute trip, but I was glad my mom invited us.  She and dad go camping to relax, and there's nothing about having us all together that's relaxing.  Ha! They enjoyed having us, I think, but I'm pretty sure that they were glad when it was time for us to go.  :)

We actually arrived right behind my parents, who were staying for the whole week.  Jordan went with them to their campsite to set up, and the rest of us went to the lake to swim.  

Violet made friends with this adorable little boy.  She even shared her watering can with him, with a little coaxing.  

My parents and Jordan came back to the lake and Jordan went fishing with  my dad while the rest of us kept swimming.  

I really like Vogel.  If I was a camping type of person, I'd spend a lot of time there.  

After a while we went back to the campsite for lunch.  The kids and Chris played in the river and I visited with my parents and sister.  Oh, and our friend Suzanne.  

It really was a good day!

Keep on Dreamin'

Last Sunday, my pastor preached about dreams.

The sermon, titled "The Value of Your Dream", came from Genesis 37 and dealt with Joseph, his dreams, and how those dreams ultimately led to his destiny.  

I was sick with a sinus infection that Sunday and almost didn't go to church at all.  Isn't that the way the enemy works?  I came to service with a cloudy "medicine head",  but as the message went on,  my spirit was stirred.  

Dreams.

I used to have them.  Big dreams for myself, and for my children, my whole family.  But my little family has had a really tough 3 and a half years.  You know most of the story... I was pregnant, my husband lost his job, he found work again- but only part time work.  Struggles with the kids.  Financial issues.  I really felt as if our lives were stuck in limbo...we knew in our hearts that we were where we were supposed to be, but we were barely scraping by.  God kept providing, most of the time in miraculous ways, but the waiting was so stressful!  Things are better now, but somewhere in the middle of the stress and anguish and tears and fear, I forgot about my dreams altogether.  

When I say dreams, I mean literally dreams and visions from the Lord.  Years ago, the Lord promised me things during a time of fasting.  I'm still waiting for these promises to come to pass, and I was reminded last Sunday that this day is indeed coming.  

I was reminded of dreams and promises from my God that I had completely forgotten about.

It was a really good message!  

But, I was sick.  Sinus drainage got the best of me and I slipped out right at the end of service to take some more medicine.  I was feeling a little sick to my stomach, too, and didn't want to take some meds on an empty stomach so I decided to buy a Coke.  I hardly ever drink Cokes or any soda anymore, but I dug some change out and went to the machine. 

The machine gave me this can:

Share a Coke with a Dreamer.  

I laughed and cried a little.  Coincidence?  Maybe, but I doubt it.  

I drank a few sips with my medicine and then, without thinking, threw the rest of the can into the trash when I sat down behind the info desk, where I was about to serve.  I wasn't thinking clearly- the medicine head, remember?  A little while later, after the crowd from the 11:00 service had died down, I told my friend Jennifer about the can.  She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "You need to save that can!  Get it out of the trash!"

I decided she was right.  I had literally thrown a prophetic word from God into the trash!  So I got it out.  

For the record, this was the trash can behind the information desk and nothing else was in it.  So the fact that I reached into a trash can to retrieve this Coke can isn't gross at all.  :)

I rinsed it out and now it's sitting on the desk in my room as a reminder to keep on dreaming and never stop believing that my dreams and prayers will be answered.  

I'm sharing this to encourage anyone who, like me, has let life overshadow anything that the Lord has promised you.  

...God gives us dreams.  When He gives a dream, it's for a purpose.  Not everyone will always support our dreams.  Some will think we're crazy, or just plain dumb.  Some of our dreams will make others uncomfortable, jealous, or even angry.  It doesn't matter.  Keep on dreaming, and believing.  God gives us these dreams, sometimes in times of adversity...  Just some more notes from the message.  

Keep on dreaming', my friends!