Hearing Heart Blog

Just a quick note this afternoon... I've added a slideshow at the bottom of my blog* and included two pictures that my son took of an interesting flower. Does anyone know its name? It appears that God had some leftover parts from some other creations, and stacked them on this flower. If I were to name it, I think I'd call it "Henrietta's Hat". If you identify it for me, I'll send you a hershey's kiss in the mail! (you provide shipping, of course) How's that for a deal? *not the "www.myspace.com/deliberatejoy" blog

Help me make a list. I'm just starting this research today, so help me fill in the blanks...I'd like to make an encouraging list of women who started a "new" life/ministry/business at a later age. Corrie ten Boom, with her family, began their work with the underground in Holland when she was 50 years old. After her arrest and then release from the concentration camp, she opened rehabilitation centers and then began her public speaking ministry at the age of 52! (that's my age!) Mother Theresa - She started the sisterhood "Order of the Missionaries of Charity" in India at the age of 40. Grandma Moses - I've read that she started painting (after a life as a farmer's wife and having given birth to 10 children) while in her 70's because arthritis prevented her from continuing her embroidery. She produced hundreds of paintings until shortly before she died at the age of 101!

I don't think I'm releasing private information if I tell you the first names of my three foster daughters. I still call them mine, though I share them, because I gave them my life for a long period of time. I home schooled them and mothered them when there was no one else there for them. I got to speak with Therese, Elizabeth and Kayli, all on the same day this week. They've been out of my home since last winter, but we stay in touch. Kayli came to us when she had just turned 7 yrs. of age. She was in and out of our home twice, and now lives with her brothers in a foster home near Salem. She is 12 yrs. old now! Therese and Elizabeth were in our home one full year. They are now 9 and 7, respectively. What a delightful time of girl stuff! We had raised three sons and a daughter, and had never had a houseful of little girls before. What a scream! (sometimes literally!) I don't know why I wanted to say this, I guess it's just to remind myself of what my life was like l

“ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose .” -Acts 16:25-26 NIV As simple as a song? Paul and Silas were beaten, bruised, damaged. They sat shackled and humiliated in the darkest place, and they worshiped. They’d been faithful to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit; they’d left their homes to preach the good news, they prayed for the sick and demonized, and given gifts to the poor. It’s recorded at the beginning of chapter 16 that they even refrained from preaching in one location because the Holy Spirit restrained them. They obeyed. They were faithful, and now they were in prison! I have sat there. I told myself that depression is understandable; things have gone horribly wrong! I’ve been faithful. I have obeyed, but look at me now! I scoped ou