The Seasons in our Life

I traveled through the mountains today, 12 hours and three lovely seasons. Left Langley , BC after a funeral, which was the celebration of Bernice Gerards amazing and exemplary life. It was wonderful! The Vancouver Sun called her "Nobody's Child".
It was a passing of the torch, the most outstanding thing to me was when they said Bernice had said "we don't stand up for things because we are going to win (ie pro life, etc) but because it is right to stand up. I know God is calling me to "stand up" and not be silent. I pray I will have the courage.
Langley was summer like, with roses and my summer flowers still in Bloom, Kamloops was fall with colors still changing and yet lots of green still. But Golden and on ward was full blown winter with road sanding crews etc. The snowwy mountains and frosty trees were magnificiant!

I almost forgot my friend (also a Texan) helped me off and on all day to get a printing project done...and yes that is his 'real name' , I quite like it an dhave gotten used to it now, he suits it too. He is a young dad and I am certain his kids talk about how their daddy gives them 'bear hugs'.
What  a blessing to me to know bear.

My Special Day

I am here in Dallas, Texas basking in the warmth of the sunshine and the warmth of the people! Some of the friendliest people in the world live here and they reach out in such kindness and hospitality that you feel right at home. Like wearing comfy slippers. Today was an amazing day full of sparkle and surprises. Starting with Suellen my hostess who brings me tea and breakfast in bed every morning! And her husband Jimy who clears away the dishes after each meal, its embarrassing to be waited on like this! My dear friend Mark arrived from Oklahoma (we met at the boot camp 2 years ago) and he took me for an delicious Mexican lunch and desert (which I can't recall the fancy name for but its a puff pastry with honey drizzled on top).Yummie! Marks daughter Erin and her Texan friend are working on an Apple upgrade for my Mac for me. And thats not all, Mark took me shopping to the Apple store and purchased several special things for me...including a new mouse that I ahd been needing and wanting for a long time (who would have thought the day would come when we would all long for a mouse in our house? Big smile. And then...I arrived home to find new pj's rom Suellen on my bed! And last but not least an e-mail invitation from another friend inviting me to come spend Christmas...all expenses (including airfare) paid. Sigh. This has been an extraordinary day of blessings showering down on me. E am so blessed, thank you Lord for all the sweet friendships and people ou bring into my life.

Our Friend Has Cancer and This is What she Wrote...

I had to post this precious letter (with out the name) because it touched my heart so deeply. That this friend, S, would be "praying for me" (in fact praying for all of us that are part of producing and broadcasting Maralee Dawn and Friends) while fighting her own battel with canceer, has inspired me! Will you please stop and pray for her right now? Thank you. And read on ...

Maralee dawn

 

Hi how are you doing? I am doing pretty good, but i,m real tired from the Chemo Treatments that i`ve been going through now. I will be getting a power port in a few weeks, I have a special hero to they are my doctors and nurses to help me with my type of Cancer that I have. I hav`nt been sick or anything, but I lost my hair,and had a few infections here and there, But i,m doing really well.

I have enjoyed your TV show today on respect of other properties.

I want to thank you for the prayers,and I have been praying for you too.

with love

s

 You may read my response to her following (I try to repond to all the letters and e-mails we recieve personally. Please pray for me as I do and that the Holy Spirit will use me in this way as well.

Our Special Friend has Cancer...my Response

My heart went out to a special friend who watches our Maralee Dawn and Friends TV series every Saturday. She recently wrote about her cancer, I will not use her name just the first letter "S". Here is what I wrote back, perhaps you have a friend with cancer? This might encourage them too...feel free to use it. We are all part of the same family, and we need to "ber each others burdens".

My dear S,
I was so very happy to get your e-mail this morning (Nov 02)! Thank you for remembering to pray for me sweet friend. I am sorry that you must take this chemo, but I am proud of you. You are so brave and courageous! I am delighted to know that you are getting better and that you have great Dr's and nurses! I will pray for them too. Do you have a wig now? I wear a lot of different wigs on my shows, did you notice? I have about 15 wigs!

Did you hear the story about the little 3 year old boy who had memorized the 23 Psalm? Have you ever memorized a verse before> This little boy stood up in church to recite his verse for all the people. He looked out and got a little frightened, and had what you might call "brain freeze'! He took a deep breath and said "The Lord is my shepherd...then silence, and then he said "thats all I know and thats all I need to know"! Big smile. I can learn from the little boy and so can you. A shepherd looks after His sheep. He uses his staff to chase a way the big bad wolves! And the hook part on his staff is to reach around a little lamb to use a hook when a lamb falls down, sometimes that get stuck in a crack in the rocks and he can use the hook end lift it out. He cleans there sores and and pours on something like wine to clean it (and that hurts like stink!). But He must clean it because you know how bad it is infection gets in there right? And then the great shepherd pours on oil, the healing kind, and that feels so good. The shepherd loves his lambs and they recognize His voice. he knows every lambs name and calls them by their name. He knows you Shelley, and He loves you so much.

We Love you too!
Maralee Dawn, Butch and Suzi and friends

Heb13:8

Living Your Dreams and Embracing Your Passion

Living your dreams and embracing your passions, now how exciting is that? I am so motivated to write this its like the Holy Spirit is prompting me. There are so many things but where do I start? It's coming to me like a super sized load of towels tumbling out of the dryer. Let me see if I can do one towel at a time.

The pursuit of my dream began when my friend Cheri and I attended a conference in Boston this past year called, God has a Dream for Your Life, and the more I listened to the keynote speakers talk about their "God Dreams"  the more I disconnected. I could not relate to the dream thing. I had no dream. There have been many times that I have had dreams as a child and youth and I was blessed to see most of them come to pass. But there I was, and here I am, in transition, without a dream.

 Two weeks ago I was in Washington, DC standing on the stairs near the White House, where Martin Luther King stood, in fact right on top of the very words, "I Have a Dream", imprinted in concrete. I lifted my face to the starry sky and said " God I don't have a dream. Why don't you give me a dream"? I thought of the verse ..."with out a vision (dream) my people parish."  And being a type 'A' personality I needed a dream, I felt like I was dying, surely God knew that, He created me!
 And now it is all coming together, like a revelation, but in little bites. There was my devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers, Aug 05, The Baffling Call of God, it caught my attention because I am writing my life story and the working title is 'The Call'. So I read what Oswald had to say "God called Jesus Christ to what seemed unmitigated disaster...He [Jesus] led everyone of them [the disciples] to the place where their hearts were broken" (now I could relate to that)! ..."The things that happen do not happen by chance, they happen entirely in the decree of God". And now here is the crux of the matter, "If we are in communion with God and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, we shall no longer try to find out what His purposes are...we are less inclined to say - Now why did God allow this and that?"  Then there was a bite that came from Rev Claire Stevens who said "God is not a distant deity. He is here." Claire chose his text from the book of John (the book that I instruct new believers to read because it teaches us who Jesus is) and John uses the word 'believe' so many times! And then as I turned the pages in John my eyes fell upon the notes from Kay Arther, when she addressed us (Women in Christian Media) in Nashville earlier this year. Kay challenged us with two keys, #1 You; meaning you knowing your God, and #2 Your body a living sacrifice! And Suellen Roberts prompted me with "your call (dream) is likely the thing you do with ease, what brings you the most peace"? I pondered that question (yes like Mary) and I couldn't answer it. It is like asking a person, with multiple talents, pick your favorite instrument. I like them all! 

 While I was in Spring Field Mo, searching for my dream, Dr Debbie Gill my host, encouraged me with her teaching to fast and pray, to know Gods will and plans/dreams for my life. We attended the Inaugural Lecture of DeLonn L. Rance who spoke passionately about "Fulfilling the Apostolic Mandate in Apostolic Power" and I wept. Then we sang the old time hymns that I haven't sung in a decade or more, the ones I sang out at the top of my lungs as a teen whom had heard 'the call"; I will go where you want me to go dear Lord.." and the second song was just as powerful "Take my Life and Let it be... wow, what an impact. Now if only I had "A Dream". Dr Cathie Kroeger prayed with me and encouraged me but still ...no dream. Rev Carol Griffiths fed me the next bite; "I am giving you a "special assignment", I was ready for any assignment, "go into all the world and preach the good news, and I give you my authority, my presence and Holy Spirit power!" Thats it? That is the assignment? Some how it all started to come together for me, like the final pieces in a puzzle.

 I get it. Gods dream for my life is in the here and now. He is here, and His dream for me is that I trust Him here and now without reservation. I need to focus on the present, all of the above divine appointments were imprinting my life. They were all God orchestrated. I am living His dream for me as I walk with Him, hand in hand, day by day. Knowing Him is his dream for me. Intimacy with Him is His dream for me. I am living my dream and only now, today, I realized it. The journey I am on is... "His dream journey for me"! I was looking to the stars, the prophets, my teachers and longing for "A Dream", something big, a vision for the future type of dream. And Gods dream for me was here all the time! Big smile. I have been living "the dream" all along. The here and now with my Jesus. LOL. How funny is that? I am passionate about every person I meet, every e-mail I send, and every divine appointment. They are God's dream team for me! I am highly favored, deeply loved, and very, very blessed. I am free from the intense pursuit of finding my dream. I am living my dream, His dream for me, and embracing my passion to proceed with "my special assignment" here and now. I am free. Smile. Yes free indeed.

Rule of Thumb

Dr Debbie Gill told me this saying comes from England and the meaning was intended to be instructions for men. They were allowed to beat their wives with a stick, so long as it was no larger in circumference then their thumb. Thus we have the expression "rule of thumb". I think this is one phrase that I will drop from my vocabulary! I could laugh and say "be sure to marry a man with small hands, or at least a skinny thumb. Preferably no thumbs"! However facts tell us that abuse is prevalent today. For example, what do you think the #1 reason for women visiting emergency rooms is? Dr Nancy Nason Clark and Dr Cathie Kroeger have done the research and the answer is ...partner abuse. Sigh. Must break the heart of our creator, my Lord and my God. And... Jesus wept. #end

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