Getting to the Church on time...

It happened again today.

I get a heavy feeling upon my shoulders. I feel rushed. Suddenly, the morning is gone and I'm late - when I should've had plenty of time to get ready. Goodness, I've been up since six. Three hours is plenty of time to get ready and make it to church on time.

That's what I'm talking about. Getting to church on Sunday mornings. You'd think I was putting on a ton of armor and going onto a desert battlefield.

I'm just going to spend an hour with a few preschoolers.

How hard can that be?

Why do I make it so hard?

Why do I listen to that little voice, that speaks to me as I'm rushing through the house? The voice that tells me I'm not good enough. I should quit.

But I haven't listened to that voice yet. I'm still teaching Sunday School and every Sunday, the class works out fine. No matter how prepared I am, or not. It's like the Lord is watching over me and helps me communicate His word to these little children. His little children.

I am reminded, when I look into their precious little faces, that they love the Lord with an innocence I need to revisit. They know God and they know Jesus and it's my job to teach them stories of the Bible.

No wonder the Devil wants to put a roadblock in my path every Sunday morning.

But I'm not going to let him.

It's easy to quit. However, I couldn't live with myself. I made a commitment and I'm going to see it through.

Rejoice for Rain!

Happy Friday All!

Rejoice in the Lord, for He has sent Northeast Georgia some much needed rain!

And...I'm blogging on F.A.I.T.H. today.

Luke 2:1-20

Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Merry Christmas!!

Old Federal Park - Lake Sidney Lanier, Georgia

My interest in Lake Lanier is rooted in the past. My grandparents bought a small lake cabin in the 60's. I was born in the 70's. My earliest memories are on this lake. It's quickly drying up.

A view of Old Federal's beach and all the little islands popping up as the water continues to recede.

A couple of weeks ago, my husband drove me to the other side of the county to my childhood home. From the driveway, I could see these owners have continued to maintain the property. When they first moved in, nearly ten years ago now, they cleared out the thick ivy growing from the front yard to the cove. They also replaced our meager square dock with a double-decker. And a couple of boat slips. The house still looks the same, even with these changes and a large front porch. I was surprised the little cove I always worried was home to a million water moccasins still had water. It didn't have much, but it had water.

But it's a different story here at Old Federal.

The boat ramps have been closed for some time.

Across the water, docks are on dry land.

More red dirt is exposed.

Here, you're looking at the sailing club.

And I give you another view of the beach.

My next trip here, I want to get out and walk the beach. There were four people out here today, with their dog. I guess people are like me: curious. Interested.

Or maybe they were just walking off Christmas Eve lunch.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I can't help my sentimental side. It takes over when I get near the lake.

We've been blessed with rain this week, but we're still in a water crisis. We will be for some time. It'll take a lot of rain to cover all these bare spots you see in the pictures above. Conservation is key.

But our beaches will be full again.

Some day.

Distant Heart by Tracey Bateman

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing


Distant Heart


(Avon Inspire January 2, 2008)


by


Tracey Bateman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracey Bateman is the award-winning author of more than twenty-five books, including Defiant Heart, the First in the Westward Hearts series. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and recently served on the board as President. She lives in Lebanon, Montana, with her husband and their four children.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In the second book in the Westward Hearts trilogy, will the promise of a new life out west heal the scars of Toni's past?

This series tells the stories of three strong women as they struggle to survive on the rough wagon train and lose their hearts to unlikely heroes along the way. Think Little House on the Prairie meets Francine river's Redeeming Love and you begin to get a sense of the riveting historical series that Tracey Bateman has created.

In this second installment, we follow Toni Rodden, a former prostitute who sought to escape her past and build a new life, and a new reputation, when she joined the wagon train. Despite much resentment and distrust from the other women, Toni has finally earned a place on the wagon train and found a surrogate family in Fannie Caldwell and her two siblings. For the first time in her life, Toni actually feels free.

But while Toni once harbored dreams that her new life might include a husband and family, she soon realizes the stigma that comes with her past is difficult to see beyond and that she'll never be truly loved or seen as worthy. As the trip out west begins to teach her to survive on her own, she resolves to make her own living as a seamstress when the train finally reaches Oregon.

But despite Toni's conviction that no man will be able to see beyond her marred past, Sam Two-feathers, the wagon scout and acting preacher for the train seems to know of a love that forgives sins and values much more than outward appearances. Will Sam have the confidence to declare his love? Will Toni be able to trust in a God that can forgive even the darkest past? Faith, love, and courage will be put to the test in Distant Heart.

*************************************************

Christy here:

Unfortunately, I haven't gotten my hands on a copy of Distant Heart, but I assure you, this is one that has been on my to-be-read list ever since I finished Defiant Heart. If you're interested in my review of that book, click here.

I'll follow up with a review of Distant Heart when time allows. But even without reading it, this is one I would recommend you pick up if you like romance and you like a Western-sort of story.

Also, while reading Tracey's first book in this series, I was hooked by the character of Tori and interested in what her story could be by just her interaction as the supporting character. It was exciting to learn that the author was one step ahead of me in her planning of book 2!

Deer taking a cold dip...

...In Lake Lanier around Shoal Creek Park. My husband took these pictures Monday morning. He'd just put the boat in the water, and noticed something bobbing in the water. At first glance, he thought they were ducks. Here's a video. It's pretty cool. I have never seen deer swimming. Look how fast they go! Just pardon my husband's blunt commentary.

Running Free

Running Free

On F.A.I.T.H. today.