There has to be a reason....

...that I'm blogging at 1:00 a.m. Hmm, strange person I am. I guess it's because I've been rather busy all week and Sunday I'll be going to camp, and I have a to-do list the size of my family's Christmas lists put together to do tomorrow, so I'm neglecting sleep to blog again. This is becoming habitual (this blogging), I'm afraid. I'm afraid because I'll probably disappoint you all and just as you're getting used to seeing new updates, you won't be getting them because I'll be immersed in 19 hours of schoolwork again in exactly four weeks, Lord willing. I will try, though. I will try.

Soooo...speaking of camp, Lord willing, from July 27-August 1, I'll be speaking at girls' grade school week of camp at Kansas Bible Camp. I am SO excited about it! Preparing the messages this month has been such a huge blessing. I am learning so much. We will be talking about faith in the lives of Anna, Rebekah, Hannah, the Widow of Zarephath, the Widow of 2 Kings 4, with the oil jug, and Naaman's wife's maid (boy, it'd sure be easier if the Lord had just named these dear women!). I had an amazingly timely and challenging reminder from a friend the other night, though. We were talking about preparing messages, and he was telling me about his "unorthodox" way of going about it. His steps to message prepration (in his words) are to:
1. Pray
2. Pray
3. Pray
4. Pray
5. Pray
6. Pray
7. Prepare the message
8. Pray
9. Practice the message
10. Pray
I don't doubt it for a minute, either. I've never known a man of prayer like Caleb. If he prayed that there would be no rain in Japan (where he's working as a missionary) for 3 years, the Lord would probably answer that (like Elijah, you know). :) In any case, it was kind of a gentle prodding from the Lord - "Maybe you should be praying more steadily and consistent about these messages, Elizabeth." So I've been doing that. I really covet your prayers this coming week! I know the Lord can do mighty things through His word. I only want to be the vessel. I want to be like Ezekiel, whose mouth was opened and shut by the Lord's hand. :) Please pray 1 Cor. 2:1-5 for me and for Sherry, the other speaker. :) THANK YOU!

In between all the microbiology tests (which went well - thank you!) and the message studying, I've been doing lots of random summery and not-so-summery things. Like...

...visiting my precious new baby cousin, Chloe Grace Rudzitis



...taking fun Americanized pictures of baseballs, flags, and puppy dogs



...splashing in rain puddles with an umbrella in one hand and a camera in the other



...talking to one of my favorite boys on the phone


(do you have ANY idea how encouraging it is, after years of keeping in touch with kids, encouraging them, challenging them to live for the Lord, to have them call or contact you when you haven't contacted them in a while, just because they want to find out how you are doing so they can pray for you? I've had two of my boys do that in the past two weeks and it is such a sweet blessing. 3 John 4)

...and dreaming, mostly about Peru, and the people I love all over the world, but about everything in general, too



Dreaming is nice in a Kansas summer. I love that my Jesus knows my dreams and is teaching me to dream things that He loves, too.

So, summer is good. The Lord is good. And you all are good for reading and caring and praying. :) Gracias!

summer song

Summer warm and lazy
Lemon sun and hazy
Remember?
Popsicle red on my chin
Bikes and plastic army men
And no sign of September
Something in my seven years was telling me
To thank the Author of such a biography

CHORUS
Nonny Nonny Odle'ee
River washes over me
Up for air and carry me away
Nonny Nonny Odle'igh
Run the earth and watch the sky
Praying hard and waiting for the day
Nonny Nonny Odle'ay


My adolescent 70's
Reads just like the pevensies
Adventures
'Cause every perfect now and then
I cought a glimpise of Aslan's mane
And I longed for His treasure
Something in His mystery was drawing me
To love the Author of my own biography

CHORUS
Nonny Nonny Odle'ee
River washes over me
Up for air and carry me away
Nonny Nonny Odle'igh
Run the earth and watch the sky
Praying hard and waiting for the day
Nonny Nonny Odle'ay

All grown up and living fine
Biographies all intertwined
With billions
And soonHe turnsthe final page
We'll look the Author in the face
Then the book really begins
'Cause something tells me all these years of memories
Are only the first sentence of eternity

CHORUS
Nonny Nonny Odle'ee
River washes over me
Up for air and carry me away
Nonny Nonny Odle'igh
Run the earth and watch the sky
Praying hard and waiting for the day...
Nonny Nonny Odle'ay

- Chris Rice

whooossshh

It's been a long week, ya'll. And it's only Tuesday. And I have scads to do. Why am I blogging? I suppose because I'd really appreciate prayer. :)

(read this with a mental British accent)
Margaret Dashwood: Have you really been to the East Indies, Colonel? What's it like?

Sir John Middleton: Like? HOT!

Colonel Brandon(mysteriously): The air is full of spices.

OR

New freshmen at school next month: Do you really live in Kansas, Liz? What's it like?

Liz: Like? HOT!

This week I'm spending my time pouring over my Bible, notebook, and laptop, or my microbiology notes, by turn. I'm preparing for my lessons when I speak at KBC, Lord willing, next week at the girls grade school week. Refilling my cup with ice water and adjusting the fan to blow at me just right are priorities. Every now and then I take a random, crazy break to do something like mow a lawn in 100+ degree weather.

I have lots to do this week (and that's an understatement!), and that's what I'd appreciate prayer for!
Please pray:
~ That the Lord will help me get my things finished for camp next week
~ That the my final micro test will go well tomorrow afternoon
~ That the Lord will use the letter I'll be giving to my micro teacher tomorrow to turn his heart to the Lord

Thanks!

PS No amount of business stops me from enjoying fellowship...I drop things to talk on the phone...anytime. :)

A summer day

Ah, don't you all wish you were me? Today I have no appointments, no schedules, no rushing about to do the next thing on my list. Oh, that's not to say I don't have a list....here it is:

Bible study for my lessons at the girls' camp in a week and a half
Picking apples for my mom with my sister and two little brothers
Studying for a microbiology test

The sun is shining, the breeze is light, the Lord is good and life is beautiful. I woke up this morning to my brother's hearty laugh joining with my mom's. Whenever Dave is around everyone laughs. It's inevitable. Even if I don't hear him laughing when I wake up I know if he's here or not just by how everyone is jolly and noisy upstairs.

Ah, breakfast now...biscuits and gravy. Then some lovely quiet time with the Lord and my day will get rolling.

Enjoy what the Lord gives YOU to do today! Choose joy!

He will hold me fast

When I fear my faith will fail,
Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail,
He can hold me fast.

He will hold me fast,
He will hold me fast;
For my Savior loves me so,
He will hold me fast.

I could never keep my hold,
He will hold me fast;
For my love is often cold,
He must hold me fast.

I am precious in His sight,
He will hold me fast;
Those He saves are His delight.
He will hold me fast.

He’ll not let my soul be lost,
Christ will hold me fast;
Bought by Him at such a cost,
He will hold me fast.

He will hold me fast,
He will hold me fast;
For my Savior loves me so,
He will hold me fast.

- Ada R. Habershon

My Maker

Truth is such a beautiful thing. I never realized how much so until this summer, as I've had to sit under the lies of science and false doctrine. Yesterday was one of the hardest classes yet. As my teacher took a tangent, I started getting excited - that pulsing feeling that I usually get when I get to share the gospel with someone. That heart-pounding tingle that says "Let me talk! Let me tell you about Jesus!" I thought we were headed in a good direction. Then he stated one of the most ridiculous falsehoods I've ever heard and my heart kept racing, only now it was in anger. I know many of you who read this have sat beneath the teaching of secular professors, and I don't know if they affected you or not, so don't think I'm silly or that I'm overreacting. The truth is - all those women were sitting there, most of them probably caring less about anything Biblical, and when he said those things, they were spoon-fed lies. I wanted to stand up in class and refute everything he said point by point.

Truth is truth. That's why it's so beautiful. I am so thankful I have absolute truth I can bank my whole life upon. So grateful for the Word of God to rest my soul in.



This is tonight's sunset. The third night in a row we have had an absolutely gorgeous display in the west. The Lord has been showing me so much of His beauty this summer. In nature, but also in His Word. It seems that He really, truly wants to prove to me that He is my Maker. I never doubted it for a moment, but it is so amazing to see Him point out His truth to me in His word as reaffirmation of WHO HE IS.

For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens: God himself that formed the earth and made it: he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord: and there is none else. (Is. 45:18)

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his and he made it: and his hands formed the dry ground. (Ps. 95:3-5)

AMEN? Praise the Lord with me - let's exalt His name together!

As the seasons change...

Life is like a wheat crop, I think. It starts out poking through the well-worked earth, tender and green, looking out timidly at the big world, wondering what its destiny could be. It doesn't waver, though. It slowly, steadily grows, nourished by the sun and rain, until it is buried by the winter snow. Through the barren winter, the only real beauty in the brown Kansas world is the green wheat, like a child who brings sunshine into the world through their simple faith and innocent spirit.



When spring comes, the wheat suddenly grows into a thick, lush carpet of green that waves in the wind. It faces one of the hardest times of its short life...the dangers of hailstorms, the violent March winds, lashing, pounding rain at any unexpected time, or the threat of May tornadoes to tear its fields up or scatter sheets of metal or wrecked irrigation systems or the floor boards of a house over it. A beautiful crop could be wrecked in a moment, or, through steady growing in spite of the wild weather, could stay lush and thick and fruitful for the harvest. Just like it is a teenager's life, fragile and full of unexpected twists and turns, and many storms to weather.


Finally, the wheat has ripened. It's life is full. Now is when the sun shines down, hot and bright, shimmering on the golden rippling fields. It seems done growing, yet it never is. Those heads full of kernels slowly continue to harden. Each night they soften, then harden in the sun again in the morning. It seems to be resting at last, and yet, waiting for something. An adult's life seems full, golden, mature. Yet it is never truly done. What a beautiful thing is the life of a person who, although they have faced storms and wild weather, is going on quietly and steadily, trusting and waiting.



And then the wheat is cut. Gently severed from its stalks, it is worked through the machine and processed to the point where its grain is ready to travel to the buyer. Somehow, I can never imagine wheat complaining, even if it is being removed from its lifelong home. As I ride the combine, the wheat seems to be shouting, "Hurrah! I'm being cut at last! I'm ready to go - to die." I don't think you have to be an elderly adult to come to this point in life, I think it's more that you just have to come to a surrendering point at any age, but there is no more beautiful thing than the life that is ready to be harvested - ready to die for its master. What I guess I mean is, "To live is Christ, to die is gain."



I want my life to be like the wheat that ripples in the wind. A field of wheat at any stage of its life makes this Kansas girl's heart smile and her throat hurt, but watching that wheat, gently being swept into the combine, accomplishing its final and ultimate purpose, is a beautiful thing. Through all the storms and seasons in life, I want to keep growing and changing and trusting. And I long to be content in the Lord's will - so in love with Him that I can truly say, "For ME to live is Christ, to die is gain."

(First photo by Tim Skiles)