My Hero Is Super!

 "Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!" Well, ok...not exactly. However, I do refer to him as Mr. Incredible...and there are numerous reasons why. I know, you probably think your husband is the best, and I hope you do, but today August 5th is my husband's birthday..and I'm taking this opportunity to share why he is one of my most treasured gift from God. Forgive me while I indulge.

He may not be more powerful than a locomotive, but he can calm a crying baby and actually loves to do it. He is one of the most self sacrificing people on the planet. This man has, on numerous occasions, taken care of other people's children as well as our own, so that I can go an help a friend, or have a meeting with others whose husbands work (his contribution to women's ministry). He has cooked more meals than I can count for people who are sick (I may volunteer...but he is in the kitchen). I love to hang with people, he does too, but when we do...he's the one in the kitchen. Actually he always does the cooking all the time. ♥

Here he is cleaning his sister's refrigerator that had stopped running while she was away on vacation. This took hours and he had to clean it out..maggots and all. That has to be love.

After giving birth to my twins, I spent 4 days in and out of a coma...he was on it..feedings, diaper changes, up all hours...sacrificing, my children are 11 & 9...and he still on it! Faster than a speeding bullet, maybe not, but you chase after 3 kids under 2 years old.

He's is one of the most present father's I know. He earned that accolade because for several years, he was home..unemployed or taking care of his grandfather and being a dad...24 hours a day. Allowing me to go on retreats, meetings and conferences. Making sure I got some alone time...he still does that.

Leap tall buildings in a single bound...maybe not, but he certainly has built his share of tall buildings with mega blocks and legos.

 He has played the sick patient for a couple of quack doctors.

He prays with his children every single night and often during the day too. He has modeled what it is to be a man after God's own heart to his three sons. He is teaching them every day how to be a father and a husband, how to pray, how to love, how to live.

Unashamed, he has faced hardships like none other. Ridicule and harsh words thrown in his direction by people he loves...yet he continues to love.  He has struggled to find work, yet has supported his family. He has worked part time while going to school full time.  Pretty powerful in my book.

 He (with me) has taken several young girls to concerts...helping make some of their dreams come true. There he is with his niece above, and below some other friends.

Again...just look at that guy. Who couldn't love that face...the two headed pushme-pullyou!

OH and of course...my personal hero when it comes to capturing all things creepy. There he is disposing of a rat snake. 

So I've bragged on his cooking, he cleans and does laundry too (please don't ask what I do). He also makes costumes. His creation of the Lenni Lanape Indians above and of course our most recent Star Wars escapade...that's all Mike. I'm not that creative.

He is my rock when it comes to emergencies. This is when Shane busted his head on the corner of our counter. My man, Mr. Incredible, calmly holds the child, puts us all in the car and drives us to the emergency room. Calm as a cucumber.

Love this man! Speaking of calm. I know I don't have to repeat it, but for 4 years he was the sole caregiver of his grandfather. Pop, suffered from Alzheimers/Dementia. When he finally went into a facility, the nurse told my husband that he had gone...way above the call of duty and that Pop really needed a full staff of professionals for that last two years at least.

 My husband lovingly, sacrificially, tirelessly cared for him until the end.

OH and yes...he is that Dad and Husband who really couldn't see getting a puppy, but just because he loved us and really couldn't see his family be disappointed...he said yes...to Dodger! He totally went up in the ranks for all of us that day!

At 45 years old...he goes back to school. Trying to begin a career, finding out what "God has put on his heart to do", he goes back to school for nursing. He graduates at the top of his class in 3 more days at 47 years old. Nursing school full time, work part time, father and husband full time, head elder of our church for the past 6 years. Lost his mother and grandfather...his family hurt him deeply...yet he loves on. We are so profoundly proud of him (next post I'm sure).

So, Mr. Incredible...we may not look up in the sky to find him flying like a plane or a bird, but I certainly look up to him. My three sons, look up to him. I'm so incredibly blessed to call him my husband and best friend for the past 22 years. He's mine and I love him. One of the most treasured gifts that the Lord has blessed me with. So, Happy Birthday Mr. Incredible..my man who is indeed smarter than anyone I know, more patient that a rock, and able to make my heart leap miles high by just one look or a simple kiss! My protector, (who has watched me get so deeply hurt in the past few years and has been my rock of wisdom) my umbrella, my coffee buddy, my sounding board, my best friend, my hero -  I love you Mike Engel!

An Encounter With Hope!

It was almost a year ago when I posted about My Little Man With a Big Heart. I realized that he may potentially have a calling on his life and it was important for me to foster that. So we ended up seeking a way that we can be a light in our community. For just about a year now we've been helping, along with others, serve food to the hungry once a month - see this post. We have developed amazing relationships and deep love for these people. Then several months ago our children's director at our church asked us to help pilot this missions minded project called Mission Possible. Of course then I Left My Heart In Eustis...yes...I pray for those children every single day. All of this, coupled with the fact that I'm working on memorizing the book of James and doing Beth Moore's Study Mercy Triumphs and a large part of James regards our heart for the lost, the poor, the widows, the orphans. Well, the only surprise today was that it was Monday as we normal try to devote Wednesdays to really focus on what God would have us do, how He would have us pray for the lost in our community and in our world. Actually, I love when God interrupts our plans, because His are always better.

So on with it Lisa! Today we had to go to the library to begin our research papers. Since I'm working on getting fit..and possibly thinking of a Triathlon (shhhh..I haven't announced that officially -- you know that means on Facebook right?) I figured I'm gonna ride my bike whenever I can..since I'm already running and then we just have to work on swimming. I digress. We ride our bikes (we meaning my superheros and I). Get to the library and get our books only to find that my one son's back tire is flatter than flat. There is no way he is going to make it another 2.2 miles home..just walking. So I pull out my phone and begin to make the phone calls. Two of my friends have no car, one was apparently mowing his lawn and numerous people didn't answer the phone. Hmmm?

There she was....having a bad day. So Kyle decides that maybe if he gave her a magazine it would make her smile. She smiled as she sat on the bench next to mine. She had grabbed some guy to come and tie her shoes..I'm thinking because she was too strung out on drugs to do it. She talks to Kyle and says nice and loud, "Do you think we could ask your Mom if I could borrow her phone?" So I reply, "sure can I call someone for you." I am pretty sure that my children were watching this all go down...very carefully. "Well, I need to call it, I'm really a nice person, can I just use your phone..if anyone calls you back about your tire, I will give it back!" I hand her my phone. My one son says, so astutely, "Are you worried she might steal it?"

Well, yes, that thought crossed my mind for a moment. Then I remembered, everything is His anyway. She made a few phone calls and as I listened to bits of her conversations I realized her life is hard - possibly by her own bad decisions, possibly some challenges that have come her way for whatever reason...possibly both. It was my moment. I asked if everything was ok...she replied..."Oh you don't want to hear my sob story!" Well, actually, I'm pretty sure that I'm stranded here for that very reason...with all 3 of my superheros right next to me. "YES, I do...please tell me your story. Oh and I'm Lisa by the way!"

For the next hour we sat and talked. She confessed that she was living on the streets, poverty stricken, addicted to pain medication, stemming from an accident she had a few years back, had stolen from the dollar store, was 20 years old, had a 3 year old son and hated her life...all she wanted was a good night sleep. She had a fight with her Mom the night before and slept on her front porch. She was at her end and really didn't have hope.

Well, you could have blown me down with a feather! I'm teaching on Hope at Bagels & Blessings (I have been for the past year...my final B&B for this season is...Saturday). He is our Hope! We talked about the local shelters, food pantries...etc. I was about to ask her if I could pray for her...so I said..."I wish I could do more, but can I...(and before I could get the rest of the words out she cried..."can you pray for me?" I was just about to say that. I asked if she had a relationship with Jesus. We went through the ABCs of salvation. She prayed that prayer with me. Then I began to hold her and pray over her as she wept in my arms right there on the curb of the library.

She couldn't stop crying. I just sat and held her hand, and put my arm around her. Sometimes you just need someone to put your arm around you. Finally someone came to pump Kyle's tire and she knew I didn't have much time to get home before it would go flat again. She asked me why my children were not in school and I told her I  homeschooled. She asked if I might teacher her math so she could pass her GED. "If I could get my GED maybe my life would be different!" I gave her my number and told her I would do it. I would teach her what she needed to pass the GED. We embraced. She told my kids to "Stay away from drugs!" ;) and off we went.

Kyle: "Mom, you gave her Jesus today!" WOW - I'm often shocked at his abilities (being my boy on the spectrum)!

When we got home my Shane had lots of questions about what she talked about. Abuse, drugs, homelessness..."Mom, what if she has to sleep on the streets tonight can we bring her some food?" YES!

I made lunches for everyone including our new friend. We drove it to the library. Peanut butter and jelly, an apple, banana, and orange, some peeps and other candy and a bottle of water. It really was all I had..it was what my children ate too. She saw me, my boy hands her the bag and I tell her..."Lunch. Because we love you and want you to remember how much you are loved by the Hope of this world...Jesus!" She was so thankful. Her friend was there now too. She asked if I could pray for her too. Of course! They both cried. She looked up at her friend and she said..."I want to go to Lisa's church...I want to turn my life around!" She hugged me and told me I was an angel. I reminded her that no...I was a girl..just like her...saved by Grace. I asked her to just think about what we had prayed about...and consider this a gift of love from Jesus, the One who Loves you just as you are..and longs to rescue you..if you allow Him to.

I don't know if I will ever see her again. Possibly, this could be her story...ten years from now. I know one thing for sure. She had an encounter with Jesus today...and so did we.

Knit To The Heart of God

 "When you pray..pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." Matthew 6:6

I've tried to remember when I learned to pray. I don't think I was every taught to pray, in fact, I was the first one saved in my family and at that time I was only 7 years old. I remember being told that I was to simply talk to Jesus. That is how I started and that is still how I pray today.

Being married to Mr. Incredible only enhanced my prayer life. We encouraged one another to pray, we prayed together, we prayed together for others and we respected our time to pray alone as well. When we had children, it was no huge leap to model this to them, it just happened naturally. Children do, most often, what their parents do.

You won't hear my children recite the memorized prayers at meal times or bed time..(that is precious and there is nothing wrong with that)..but I never learned those prayers so teaching them to my children was never a priority. Talking to Jesus...now that was/is a priority.

I'll never forget when I was pregnant with Shane...my twins were not yet two years old...I had just gotten out of the hospital after some complications with my pregnancy. My doctor didn't give much hope for Shane's birth, we were to prepare for the worst. I remember sitting at the kitchen table so tired and I started to cry. My husband, released his grip from my hands and left the room for a moment. He came back holding two little hands - Kyle & Brendan's..he walked them up to my belly and laid their hands on my womb. He told them we were going to pray for baby Shane that the Lord would heal his body and that he would live. My babies, closed their eyes and laid hands on Baby Shane and prayed with their Daddy. That was the beginning of their faith journey.

Today you can ask my children to pray for you and they will not hesitate. Just today we surrounded Brendan and prayed for some pretty bad bruises on his legs, and later in the afternoon, we walked around a church fellowship hall and prayed over every seat, and over their new youth minister. We're growing men of prayer!

If you were to peek into the window of my family during a time of prayer, you would find that each member says a heartfelt prayer that is spontaneous and unrehearsed. This creates an environment where their hearts can be knit to the very heart of God, not to mention to each other. This invites them to share their heart with the Lord. Having each family member pray allows our children to catch a glimpse of their souls and learn from their example how to relate to God, give praise, and make their request known to a loving heavenly Father.

Earlier this summer my children had to say goodbye to their grandmother who was dying of cancer. How do two 10 year olds and and 8 year old do that? How do grownups do that? We didn't say they were saying their goodbyes, we just told them they were going to tell their Meme how much they love her. We talked about what it would be like to see her at hospice, but nothing could prepare them really. Brendan brought his Bible with Him (the Word brings him comfort)..he really wanted his Meme to accept Jesus. He was prepared to lead her to Christ. This is what happened when we got there. Brendan walked in and was frozen. He could hardly say anything at all. Like a deer in headlights..just stared at her bed..eyes welling up with tears. Shane walked right over to her and held her arm and asked..."Meme, are you really dying?" And finally, Kyle...he could barely drag his little legs into the room. When he got in, he looked at her from the foot of the bed and cried out..with his hands folded and resting on his chin..."Meme..I just have to know..do you know Jesus?"

Confused by her answer Kyle looked at me with questioning eyes and without any words exchanged between us, he said.."Meme, can I pray for you?" He proceeded to cry out to Jesus. "Please Jesus, heal my Meme. Make her feel better. Rock her in Your arms, let her know how much you love her...." Tears streaming down his face, crying out to Jesus..the words from this child blew me away. When he said amen, it seemed Brendan found his strength, and asked if he could pray too. Oh the petitions falling on the ears and heart of God. I weep as I am typing..."Lord, send your Holy Spirit to my Meme..don't let her die without knowing you Jesus." I was humbled and in awe at the hearts of these precious boys. Then Shane...finally asked if he could pray as well. Sweet and precious heart poured out to his Jesus...some duplication of his brothers, but that is how we learn.

What moved this mother's heart was the fact that my boys did not know what to say to their Meme that would die 4 days later...but they knew and felt comfortable talking to Jesus. Why?...because that is just what we do around here. When we are thankful, joyful, sad, scared, or sick....we go to Jesus. They know they can always cry out to Jesus because their hearts are knit to His.

Focus

I have been studying Hebrews, partly because I will be teaching on Hope this coming year. I love how the Lord is faithful to allow me to learn first hand what it is He would have me to teach. Last year it was lies of the enemy and the Truth that sets us free, this year it is Hope. I have been unable to write about my present circumstances up to this point, and need to continue to keep some things confidential, however, I am free to share bits and pieces of what I'm learning.

If you know me at all I am not a ballerina or even remotely like a ballerina, well at least not in body and strength. However, in studying Hebrews I began to think a little about ballerinas. They require (among many things) intense focus. In that way I can say that, even I, am ballerina-like. I have been required to have intense focus lately.

Making Christ my focal point as I wade through my day of serious circumstances. Just like a spinning ballerina must keep returning her eyes to a given point, to keep her balance, I too must keep returning my focus on Christ, lest I fall and fall hard.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

The truth is our circumstances are always in flux, and the world seems to be whirling around sometimes. The only way to keep our balance is to fix our eyes on Him, the One who never changes..(also found in Hebrews by the way).

I heard it once put this way: "Are you gazing at your circumstances and glancing at God or are you gazing at God and glancing at your circumstances?" Let's face it...we have a great deal of hardships and battles going on all around us. My son Brendan is struggling so much right now with high anxiety and stress. He is only 10, yet the effects of his surroundings (having to live with an aging Alzheimer's great grandfather and the death of his grandmother) I continue to saturate him with verses like these. We have circumstances, to think we could totally ignore them would be unrealistic. They are in our face.

However, I know, now from experience, there is a remedy! If we gaze too long at our circumstances we will indeed become dizzy and confused. If we "fix our eyes" on Him, continually refreshing ourselves in His Presence, He will set our path straight and we will not fall or lose balance. I have been saturating myself in His Word, spending time in my prayer chair and communing with Him daily. It has enable me to GAZE at Him and only Glance at my circumstances. I want to encourage you to make Him your focal point today...and see what a difference it makes. Let me know what God is doing in your life!

Special

I know you've met my Kyle before! Isn't he just special? OH I can't stand it---I love him so much! All my boys are special of course, but Kyle as you know has some "issues"! I've gone into much detail in previous posts and in fact this one is not really all about him, but I met someone last Sunday when I went for a walk that really made me think.

Her name was Terri! I didn't have my camera, and she was a complete stranger, but we walked by each other as I was going for my walk last Sunday after church. I was headed west, she was headed east. Usually, when people pass by, I smile and say "Hi". It was no different with Terri, but she spoke up first. "Lots of loud bikes out today huh?", she said with a smile. "Yes, Biketoberfest always brings out the loud pipes" I replied. In order to say this many words, we actually had to stop. She looked at me, eyes darting right into my soul, and she smiled as if she and I were old friends. She was most likely in her 70s and she wore a smile that was so contagious! I kid you not, when she and I looked at each other I saw a sparkle in her eye and she said these words to me as she reached out her hand: "My name is Terri and I love Jesus!". "Well, it is so nice to meet you Terri, my name is Lisa and I love Jesus too!" I couldn't help but love her instantly!

She went on to explain to me that she has brain damage. A few years back she was attacked, and though they could not find her attackers, she was left with brain damage but she loves Jesus and is very thankful that her daughter has taken her in. As she spoke, her whole face shined with joy. She told me that her daughter doesn't go to church with her and she will not let her grandchildren go either, but Terri still goes and hopes that they will someday. We talked as if we were old friends and yet it was for less than 5 minutes. I said that I would pray for her and her family, that they would come to know Christ as their Savior. She smiled at me with her understanding eyes, we shared a brief hug, then we said our goodbyes and she headed east and I headed west.

As I walked away, I said a little prayer to the Lord, something like this: "Father, thank you for allowing me to meet sweet Terri today. Lord, she loves you so much! I pray that you would heal her brain damage in the name of Jesus." As if the Lord were right there beside me, walking west with me, he whispered in my heart: "Why do I need to heal Terri? She is perfect.....she loves me with all of her heart, all of her mind and all of her soul." OH, Father, of course, there is nothing wrong with Terri! She may have brain damage, but the Holy Spirit resides in her heart and her mind is clear on the most important thing......her Jesus loves her and she loves Him!

I was reminded that I feel that same way with my son Kyle. Really, what is most important when it comes to his life. As a Mom, I don't want to see my son struggle, I pray regularly that the wires in his brain would be connected and that he would be healed. I would love to know that those obstacles in his sweet life were lifted, but really, what is most important? That he learn to read and write, that he can handle change, that he transitions well, or that he knows that his Jesus loves him and he loves his Jesus! What is most important? Thank you Lord that Kyle loves you and that you show him regularly how much you love him. His mind may not work like his brothers', he may not be able to grasp some of the same concepts that other children his age can grasp and he may not always act like a 7 year old, but there is one thing that he is sure of.....he loves his Jesus and his Jesus loves him.....and he will tell anyone at anytime....just like Terri! We all need to be a little more like these two people!

Please pray for me this week as I go before the child study team and we work out Kyle's IEP. Kyle has recently been through a battery of tests and it has been determined that although he is high functioning on the autism spectrum (PDD-NOS), he has be evaluated as Extremely Learning Disabled. Kyle is not homeschooled, he goes to a public school and I do believe that most people there that know Kyle love him. (It is hard not to)! However, I am his Mom, and really, I have laid out my fleece before the Lord. Kyle needs certain things in order to help him learn, and there are certain things that, we as his parents, feel would be detrimental to him. If the school leaves us with no choice, we may have to remove him and homeschool him. The Lord knows what is best for Kyle, hence the laying of the fleece. It is our way of knowing God's will for our son at this particular juncture. Please pray that the Lord grants me wisdom and strength at this meeting, as my husband will be unable to attend.

As parents, and/or as believers, we must trust in the Lord at all times, for all things and then we must obey. We are trusting the Lord for our Kyle, help me Father to obey! Thank you Lord for special people in our lives, like Terri and Kyle that remind us what is most important. I love you Lord!

Who Or What Is Your Goliath?

I have said it before, my boy Kyle has some severe obsessions. They vary from time to time, but when they are present it tarries for quite a while. Sometimes, the obsession may be balloons. Heaven forbid we see a balloon, the boy cannot drop it - he must have a balloon and plenty of them. This month's obsession, David and Goliath. He chose a book and a DVD about David and Goliath at the library at the beginning of the month. We have read and watched and renewed these several times. He knows the DVD by heart! Below is his reenactment using Little People to display the battle seen. Kyle narrates: "By my foot are the Israelites (these three are David's brothers), over here (by the blue bin) that is King Saul, this is David (tiny monster) and this is Goliath (Buzz Lightyear). Over here are the Philistines (right behind Buzz)!"

Who will fight me? says Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:45 says "David said to the Philistine, 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty!"

David defeats the Giant Goliath. Small boy, defeats evil giant with a sling and a stone, in the name of the Lord. Point - we serve a much bigger God. So, who or what is your Goliath today? Is it a relationship or lack thereof? Is it finances? Is it a physical condition? Is it loneliness? Is it your past? Is it fear? Do you trust the Lord? Do you know that He is bigger than any amount of debt? Bigger than divorce! Bigger than cancer! Bigger than autism? Bigger than loneliness! Bigger than fear! Bigger than sin and death! Isaiah 57:4 says "No weapon formed against you shall prosper!" So, go ahead and say it to the Goliath in your life: "You come against me with ________ (fill in the blank), but I come against you in the name of the Lord God Almighty, who Was and Is and Is To Come, who is the Great I AM!"

Granny Han & I

I love Granny Han! We met this week, and I have found a "sister of the heart" in Granny (Pauline) Han! If you have not met her, you must go to your library right away or click here and buy the book "Granny Han's Breakfast". Seriously, it is only 25 pages long but Brendan and I both agree that it was one of the best true stories we have ever read. It is about a Christian ambassador living in Taiwan. She lives day to day trusting in the Lord for her every need and the Lord comes through for every single need down to the smallest of details.

In light of what my family is living right now with husband being unemployed since January, I can totally relate to Granny Han's miracles. She even mentions the 5 loaves 2 fish miracle that I feel like we have been living as well. God has been so good to my family in provide for our every need, and the greatest thing is that it is not only increasing my faith, but my children's faith as well. Thank you Lord for good Godly examples of saints who went before us and thank you for being the same yesterday, today and forever! ~ Lisa