Women of the World Recovery Weekend

I am back to my home blog.  I hope you have followed along on my “Tidbit Journey” over on The Sisters of the Traveling Scarf blog.

My sweet husband is cleaning up the dinner dishes. It is wet and cold outside. No news flash there. He says washing dishes warms him up.  I am happy to help.  After all, I did prepare one of his favorite meals.  Okay, so I didn’t exactly slave away with the deli rotisserie chicken but I did boil up a couple of sides. While Dan is warming up at the kitchen sink, I thought I would catch up.

We knew we would pay for the few days of sunshine.  As soon as the sweet little daffodils show their smiles, the cold zaps them.  It happens. One of our friends from a near city reports sleet in 50 degree weather.  She also claims to see folks carrying signs with “The End Is Near”.  It sounds plausible don’t you think?

WOMEN OF THE WORLD RECOVERY WEEKEND

The Lord willing and snow and ice doesn’t deter, we will be in New York this time next Friday in the midst of our Women of the World Recovery Weekend.  We are so excited to have women coming from the other side of the world to attend.  No doubt, God will show up for them.  Your prayers are coveted by us all.

I am humbled and honored to be a small part of this awesome team of women. They have worked diligently and sacrificially in putting this weekend together.  Their hearts are as big as the world they care so much for.

Calvary Church and The Salisbury Hotel in Manhattan are sponsoring this weekend.  They are generously providing room and board at no cost to the participants.  They could have just as easily given these room and suites to guests of the United Nations and made thousands of dollars.  We are so very appreciative of their willingness to share God’s love in such a tremendous way. If you are ever in New York, please book with them. Central Park, Carnegie Hall, and Times Square to name a few iconic places are nearby. They are very accommodating and reasonably priced.

The idea for next weekend was actually birthed this time last year at the United Nations. Many have worked and prayed long hours to see this come to fruition. We are very excited but still pinch ourselves that the time has arrived.

Again, we covet your prayers. Please pray for traveling mercies, health, provision, and sweet spirits in this healing weekend.  Lastly, we wouldn’t mind beautiful sunny days over New York for the next couple of weeks Lord. 


The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the suffering and afflicted.  He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted, to announce liberty to captives, and to open the eyes of the blind.  He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of God's favor to them has come, and the day of His wrath to their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel He will give; beauty for ashes; joy instead of mourning; praise instead of heaviness. For God has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory.  Isaiah 61:1-3 

Tidbits Journey

I will be hanging out at another blog site "Sisterhood of the Traveling Scarf" for the next few days.  Follow along with me on my Tidbit Journey.

:)

Judgement Free

Since my favorite niece (named Lori) via facebook proclaimed this to be judgement free day, I will share mine with you all. 

This morning I went for my annual physical.  Don’t we all look so forward to those?  The doctor typed away answers to questions. She asked what kind of exercise I had been doing.  When I replied I had been running, she stopped dead in her typing tracks.  “What??  Did you say run?”  Timidly I reaffirmed my previous answer. “Youuu?  Realllly?  Wow!   I mean that’s great!”  She acted like she had never seen an elephant in running shoes before.  Really!

We are still in the midst of an arctic blast.  I reminded heaven that this was indeed the sunny south.  No doubt all of heaven turned on their heels to say thank you Linda for the reminder.  In spite of the fact we are on the same power source as all Village emergency services, our power went out for several hours last night.  Scary huh?

The power had been flickering all night long. When the lights went totally out I fully expected it to be a few minutes.  After waiting impatiently in the dark a bit I finally decided to resort to emergency lighting—matches.  I fumbled my way around the corners of the pitch dark rooms until I finally found them.  Then it hit me---I had my cell phone in my pocket.  You know the one with the bright light?

As I left for church tonight I was still a bit gun shy about the power stability.  No worries, I thought.  I will leave the porch light on in case the power is out when I get home.  That way I can see my way to unlock the front door.

No doubt power lines and trees aren’t the only things iced up. Today put a new spin on the term brain freeze.  Remember…..no judgement!

 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement."

John 7:26

J

Winter Stress

Clearly this has been an unusual winter everywhere. Since November we have been pelted with ice and snow.  We are thankful for breaks of sunshine in between assaults.

When worship hour arrived yesterday, there was drizzling rain but comfortable.  Several friends went to lunch afterwards. By that time there was a torrential downpour.  By lunch end, there was freezing rain and the trees were already showing distress from the ice. Shivering from the cold, we quickly changed into our flannel, hopped under the covers and napped.....all afternoon!

Another beautiful photo by Joe Coker.
This is just the way I love my snow and ice....in a picture!

Today it was cold but sunny. Our streets were clear so I headed out for my afternoon jaunt, I suddenly found myself pelted with falling ice.  The sun was melting the trees here at the bottom of the mountain enough to unleash tiny missiles.  In the distant mountain the trees were still blanketed with ice.

Typically January is a stressful month.  November and December are filled with the hustle and bustle of family, friends, traveling and rich food.  It is no wonder our bodies go into physical and emotional detox in January.  The dreary cold and dark days only worsen the scenario.

Ski Dubai
Indoor ski lifts and mountains.

Dan was talking about buying a condo in Florida.  I don't know about that but I was thinking what I might do if I had money to burn.  I have visions of creating a climate controlled home.  How wonderful it would be to have sunshine and ocean waves with a click of a control?  Futuristic you say? The future is hear. In Dubai United Arab Emirates there is an indoor ski resort with mountains. The West Edmonton (Alberta Canada) Mall holds the Guinness World record for the largest indoor show on earth.  Among it's bragging rights is the worlds largest indoor wave pool.

West Edmonton Mall
My sentiment exactly boys!

So if you can have a ski resort in the desert and a wave pool in the Arctic, why not in Casa Jackson? Unfortunately, I don't have the millions to make my personal vacation on demand home--yet. When I do---ya'll come any time you hear?

I am about to do something new.  It is beginning to happen even now.  Don't you see it coming?  I am going to make a way for you to go through the desert.  I will make streams of water in the dry and empty land.  Isaiah 43:19