Flight of The Gypsy Bird

  Storm Damage. I think video footage of massive storm damage is among the most heart-wrenching things to watch. Video footage of people's lives, well-being, dreams, hopes....just....leveled. It's been 6 years since a tornado ripped through our small town and the lives and hearts of many were permanently affected .  6 years since hopes and dreams were crushed and life as many knew it changed forever. Every day we drive past the scars...although houses have been rebuilt and lives have slowly moved on, the land has yet to recover.  Once majestic trees now stand as ghostly reminders that something terrible happened. We pass one of the paths that the tornado took, everyday on the way to and from school...to and from town...to and from anywhere. At first, it was a solemn reminder of lives lost, a beacon of hope that humanity was not lost, and for our family, a grateful prayer was said every time we passed it for the sparing of...

About 8 months ago, a dear friend prophesied over me that I would write 3 books and not to get distracted by the illustrations. I thought, "Ok. I've got 2 already in the works...but....I really....don't need illustrations..." And then she said, "And there are children's books too." Wait. I know I didn't hear that. I'm not a children's author. She must've heard wrong. The books I write are novels and blog-style...definitely not children's books and I CERTAINLY don't feel a pull in that direction....At all. But I know this woman....I know she hears from Papa.... So I chalked it up and put it, wrapped ever-so-neatly, onto the shelf in the back of my mind for another season. Then, in December, I was sitting in the recliner at our former house and one of the littles came through and said, "Mama can you tie my shoes? I been tryin' and tryin' and it's just too hard!" He was quite upset...

Oceans. That song. Dangerous to your faith. ...And your life. Not too long ago, I read a blog post that circulated throughout facebook that talked about not singing the lyrics to "Oceans" unless you meant it. For those who may be unfamiliar with it, here are the lyrics that will cause you great difficulty if actually taken to heart: "OCEANS" Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Solomon Ligthelm (c) Copyright 2012 Hillsong Music Publishing VS You called me out upon the waters The great unknown, where feet may fail And there, I find You in the mystery In oceans deep, my faith will stand CH And I will call upon Your name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours and You are mine VS Your grace abounds in deepest waters Your sovereign hand will be my guide Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me You've never failed and You won't start now BRIDGE Spirit lead me where my trust i...

Gossip.  A word that can describe the single-handed destruction of one's character. Gossip. A word that causes every leader in a house of faith to cringe as if Freddy Krueger had just had his way with a chalkboard. Gossip.   Something that no passionate believer would ever admit to being a willing party to. And yet.... I bet you think you know where I'm going with this, huh? A rant about an epidemic of rot in the Bride of Christ where we deface each other? A couple of choice scriptures to quote that supremely make my point? Well, nope.  I'm not talking about gossip as it applies to each other...I'm talking about gossip as it applies to our God. Yep...I'm talking about Gossiping about the     Creator of the Universe. Hahaha. Papa just told me that some of you might even think you know where THIS is going...that I'm putting a positive spin on it...like telling the world about Him is the 'gossip' I'm referr...