gena's world this past week:

1- teenage girls! we had an "in town mission project" slathered with self indulgences. we prayed and had pedicures, we watched "she's the man" and "girls just wanna have fun" (i was in heaven) we had a small dance party in my kitchen to the tune of "cotten eyed joe"...we made canvas gift bags full of treats for icu patients and snack mixes for our new visitors at cpcc. we delivered everything to ecm and we were filled. an awesome event. there's nothing like 16 teenage girls, one college and your best friend hanging out together...it was righteous

2-from 16 teen girls to 5 and 7 year old girls (karen's, my neices) -another movie, this time "the wild" i think that may have been the third time i paid money to see that...i can't think about that... i have refereed fights this go around, peeled fruit and given baths. a different kind of spend the night party indeed but fun none the less.

3-today i am going to pontoon with my parents. the river and wind, a couple of my favorite combinations and this time i just go...refreshing.

4-i bought some herb/vitamins i plan to start taking. it is supposed to reduce stress along with a string of other promises. i will report if this is worth the efforts..$20 for 1 month. i am doubtful.

5-God's hand has been present.
i came home from mexico a week ago today. already real life has tainted my fresh spirit. Please pray for me to have that fresh wind again, more specifically to FOCUS. He is sooo amazing so i know it can't be that hard. Pray for me that i can see His hand in those times that i really can't see much, much less His work in all this. i have had a few of those moments this week, where all i see is the hopeless, human part. Satan is mean to us when we try, i get that...and when we are already weak he wins. i just don't plan on him winning.

James 1:12 God will bless you, if you don't give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him.

my uncle ronnie...
i was reaching in my desk drawer in my office today to discover an email address...baron33@ something i can't remember. i knew that baron33...so familiar. my mystery blogger. and then it sank in...my uncle ronnie!
i even remember now why it's baron33. the story behind it i mean. i am sorry u. ron!
so i then re-read all your comments with these new eyes. i am always filled by how much we are alike. i get you-
and this lovely realization came on a rather gloomy day for me. it's like hearing your favorite song on the radio right after a string of bad ones and commercials.
God is good...
i think about you often. i miss you. i can't believe i didn't make the connection sooner.
i wrote this a while back...i think of you when i read it-
you are the writer and guitar player i long to be. i love you!
(some may notice i wrote this as i poured over the wizard...)

holding my guitar
holding my pen
ready for words
as i travel within

my few chords i know
with my limited words
hold candles to shape
and my voice goes unheard

i sence You are listening
waiting
in beautiful hope
to form me
to mold me
to watch me let go

bringing inspiration
to the writer
a brush to the paint
an artist is blessed
by His infinate grace

as i sit here my words
come from the heart
of my soul
it isn't my story
He wants to be told

i pray for wisdom
i pray for release
for my weary old self
wants a canvas for me

i pray for knowledge
the story is Yours
my craft is to share
in a way to allure

i pray for courage
to give You the pen
to give You the glory
as i travel within

hello friends! mexico was amazing- i was challenged in ways i wasn't expecting. i can't really pass on words that describe the change in my heart- the faces of the people... the communication that was obviously beyond verbal. i made friends with a culture. it is beautiful to me how God can rip a barrier away in an instant and instead create a bond that feels like to me will be in my heart despite the barriers placed again by distance. i spent a lot of time with the kids, surprised? i am in love. and not only with our hispanic kids but our 10 kids from our youth group that went with thier families. serving the lord together bonds souls...forever in a way you can't understand until you do so in a determined kind of way. i would love to share all my great stories- but i doubt your intrest would last. i pray He can just keep this feeling alive. the feeling that i want to make a difference. it's spiritual motivation... i needed that. life goes on the same here but now i have something in my heart pressing me. i am not sure what that means or where that will lead me but i don't plan to deny it.

keep a guy named "adrian" in your prayers that he will build a relationship with God. one particular person that i hated to leave because i felt the seed wasn't quite planted. i hope i am wrong.

thanks for the prayers while we were gone.

and this picture in the only one i have from mexico...my camera battery went out, ahem...but aren't we so cute? i like to call it 316 ;)...if you look closely you can see a small portion of a mexican statue.
see trina for one of the 650 some odd pictures of our experience...trina-get a blog already.
i'm out-

i want to muster a genuine thanks to my friends for helping with and praying for vbs...the wizard was wonderful- it was a work of many and i can't really relay the contentment i feel about the whole thing. it's over. bittersweet. now my mind is on my kids and mexico. tomorrow is their day. i have felt a little less than a professional mom of late and now i am leaving for what i see as an obscene amount of time...please pray for my peace of mind- and for hearts in mexico to get ready. for God to cultivate. i am not leaving my babies for stoney ground. i know God gets that but this is big to me. i want this trip covered in prayers. my attitude is a little weak right now so i know i need a fresh take on this trip. this summer is a rollar coaster for me...
i found this verse the other day and i keep going back to it

Proverbs 3:5-11: msg
Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.

God is good. Don't you just love Him? I know my thoughts are random and scattered- again, it's been up and down for me lately. Thanks for your prayers, please let me know any specifics for your families.

Prayer Request

i know everyone who reads my blog loves God and talks to Him often, a hopeful assumption. can you please lift me up this week to be clear minded, focused and not forget my reason i do the things i do. the wizard will begin in the morning...i want God to be glorified- bottem line- and i want kids to know Him. so pray for that and throw in a good word for Gates self esteem. thank you.

never cut your
child's hair when
you are in a hurry
and mad at the same
time...
Gates just left crying because he looks like the girl in this picture- i am sure that will be the last haircut i am allowed- i just grew weary of the scraggles and thought i'd trim the top a bit...i hope he will forgive me and when you see him...please try to muster a genuine..."That Looks Great Man" be sure to tack on "man" because he's having trouble with the fact he looks like a girl. because he sort of does-

God is Good

Ps. 8:3...I often think of the heavens your hands have made, and of the moon and stars you put in place.

i have been focusing intently on the big picture lately and i think i may be onto something...
life seems easier when i get that this just isn't it- thank you God!
it's a wonderful feeling really to actually get that there is nothing here better than His salvation. i am living more freely- but i must say i have to remind myself to think this way often.

why is that?

you would think something that brought such peace would be easier or more natural, not so-
but i am determined practice makes perfect in this situation, or close at least.
we are just here for minute...it's just a blink really and then we will be with HIM and get it all, understand, see HIM, His face and feel His arms around me. i get so giddy. but He keeps me here with purpose. and i get that purpose so i am ok with waiting.
and until i get to be with Him i just try my best to obey and please, forgive and trust and above all love in ways i don't understand everyday.

i am truly getting that being thankful helps...read jim manchester's blog or i should say look at it. Look up...God is amazing. i am afraid i don't thank Him enough for his creative touch- that which i am most impressed.

so vbs and mexico are up next for me, please pray for spiritual success.
i am anxious, excited but trying to think eternally- hard combination with all that's on my mind.
amy- i miss y0u- holly, what are your summer plans, i need to visit ;) amy f.- lunch?

for those who may not know, we made a 4 hour stint in the er last night with my sweet little sadie, our first experience with stiches.
she did amazingly well, me not so much.
she simply ran into a wall, the corner of it i mean and pop- i had to sit down while everyone else comforted her- i felt so helpless but i couldn't stand. it was gross and i felt so bad for her all rolled into one. some mom i am... i pulled it together with the help of God and got over myself- 3 little stiches on her cute little head. and they didn't even have to shave her hair, yeah!
maybe i will post a pic of her. she looks cool. thanks to valerie chowning who came to the er (i think she feared i wouldn't make it:) and the shepherds for taking the boys, i think...where are they?

Happy 4th!

i need an unforgetable verse on, how do i put this-...staying close to God thru the blah's,
the "i don't feel so desperate for You" today kind of attitude
BECAUSE i know i am-(desperate)

ok, get busy for me- i need someone to hold my arms ;)

Ghost of the Bayou

not to sound perverted but-i touched this last night...and yes, it's real-

He was being held by Mandy our Zoo Snooze leader. She's Joe Manchester and Meg Ryan's love child. I was a little more scared of her than the gator. One of those people you really want to like you and you end up saying something dumb in front of and figure they think you're an idiot and then you avoid the rest of the many times you are around them...

OK, enough of my insecurities. I had a fabulous time. Seriously. We camped under the stars to the sound of monkeys-

I had two "unforgetable's":

One, Riley made my heart get that feeling like i can't get anymore happy when he wanted to hold my hand the entire length of the zoo last night because he just wanted me near. I miss that just being a given with my boys.
Second, the ride home with just the girls in the van. James Blunt's "beautiful" and Anna Nalik's "2 am" blaring from my speakers with the windows down. I think heaven will involve wind. I am so filled by wind and sound. Thank you God for a surprisingly amazing time. I am blessed and am anxious to walk with these kids as they grow up in the youth group.