Happy 10/14

Some of you are going to get way too much of a kick out of this, but here it is for your enjoyment just the same ...

Your Birthdate: October 14

You work well with others. That is, you're good at getting them to do work for you. It's true that you get by on your charm. But so what? You make people happy! You're dynamic, clever, and funny. And people like to have you around. But you're so restless, they better not expect you to stay around for long. Your strength: Your superstar charisma Your weakness: Commitment means nothing to you Your power color: Fuchsia Your power symbol: Diamond Your power month: May

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

What I Don't Do Well

Sometimes, I think my life is more about finding out what I'm not good at doing than discovering what exactly it is I'm so gifted for! I've written on several occassions that I'm not a good missionary. That doesn't mean I don't love missions or even that I don't do missions, just that I'm not particularly good at it. I've probably shared with many of you that I'm not at children's ministry. It doesn't mean I can't do it or that children suffer when I'm in charge, just that it wears me out with an exhaustion I can hardly describe. Other things I'm not exactly good at include but are not limited to: music (ask Lauren about high school band and/or youth choir!), athletics (this is a particular disappointment as the only child of a football coach!), matchmaking (sorry everyone whose ever fallen prey to those attempts -- you know who you are!), and time management (it's not that I am not aware of dates and times, just that I tend to prioritize fun a little to highly!). This weekend, I added something new to the list. I am not a good camper. It's not that I'm bad at it. I just don't love it. I like it, some. But, I don't love it. I think the moral of the story for me is that just because I can do something doesn't mean I have to or that I should. :-) SuperDave the Boy Scout took several of us camping at Enchanted Rock this weekend, and he was kind enough to allow me to tag along. We drove down on Saturday morning, stopping along the way at a Dam, then at the nesting site of a bald eagle, and at Cooper's BBQ in Llano. Then, we arrived at the State Park. We loaded our stuff onto our backs, hiked a mile and a half up to the camp, set up tents, hiked back for our water, and commenced with dinner preparations. I use the term "we" here very lightly. I was completely at a loss for what to do once we reached the camp site. I know nothing about putting up a tent, cooking on a miniature stove, or digging a hole to bury excess food. Trust me. I was born with the gifts of supervision and delegation. ;-) SuperDave, the beast of a man that he is, prepared quite the feast for us on Saturday evening and we were not lacking for breakfast either as we dined on chocolate chip pancakes and bacon! After breaking down camp and hiking back to the cars, we headed up the side of Enchanted Rock. This amounted to a 20 minute climb up the side of a steep but smooth giant rock with wind threatening to knock us down constantly. Had it not been for my ridiculously long pony tail, my cap would have been gone about halfway up! (Russell, your dad would have been proud of all of us! ;-) After climbing Enchanted Rock, our plan was lunch in Fredricksburg then picking fresh strawberries and heading home. The problem was, I was over the 24 hour mark for a hot shower (which means I was FILTHY) and I had slept on rocks all night (which means I was grumpy). Oh, and I grew up in a family that didn't take road trips. We took vacations to destinations, but none of this stopping along the way to enjoy the sites. I liked that part on the way down a LOT, but once we pointed our cars back north, I just wanted to get there. Good thing I have patient and good-natured friends! Overall, the weekend was a blast, but I think I can add camping to the list of things I just don't do well. :-) I asked SuperDave if he'd let me camp again sometime. He said it all depends on how much Egbert's willing to pay him to take me back out there!

Borrowing Faith

It seems to me over the last couple of years that there have been a number of experiences in my life and the lives of my friends which required us to "borrow" one another's faith. I would never suggest that one could borrow saving faith. But, when it comes to praying and believing God in faith for the things that we need, I am increasingly inclined to believe that God somehow allows us to have faith for one another. There are things in my life that I really want to see God do, but my faith is weak at times, and I have a difficult time asking for those things with confidence. I have learned to ask God for the faith I lack. However, I have also found that when I share them with another brother or sister who has faith in a very big God and readily believes Him for those good things we know He wants to accomplish in me or through me and commits to persevering in prayer over them -- things happen. And, it would seem the reverse is true for me as well. It's so much easier to look into another's life, identify things I know God, in His faithfulness, can and will do for them and begin praying boldly toward that end. They don't always have the perspective to see it so clearly, but I have the faith to believe God for them, and we begin to see things happen. I am so thankful for the godly women in my life who have big faith in a big God and pray boldly for His glory to be accomplished in my life. I am asking Him this week for the privilege of returning the favor.

Shout Out to Pruitt

Some of you have been concerned about the slowed pace of my recent blogging activity. One such concern was expressed today by my good friend, Pruitt. She felt there was increased distance in our friendship due to a lack of regular insight into my inner thoughts. And, now, I must confess the reason for this distance. I am a myspace addict. Yup. Just go there. Surf a bit. Sign up for one yourself. You'll see. www.myspace.com/kristenrea However, for those of you who are fans of my more serious posts, well, I should warn you -- myspace is rarely a serious place for me. It's just where all the fun happens! :-)

The Value of Tears

I was sharing with my cousins this weekend, how God used last year to teach me a little bit about the value of tears. I know some of you won't believe this, but I have never been much of a "cryer" and yet, last year, through a series of difficult circumstances, the non-tearful days were less common than those that were tearful. I was so frustrated by that in the beginning. I knew that it was only a season I was going through and that seasons change. I knew that there would be joy and laughter again, and I wanted to skip right to that place, but I believe our loving Heavenly Father had things to teach me in the tears. As I read passages about "crying out to the Lord" and found Him faithful to hear and come quickly, I learned that He, indeed, is near to the brokenhearted. As I read passages about "sowing in tears" and "reaping in joy" I learned to believe Him for the harvest. As I read passages about Him storing my tears in a bottle, I realized that they were precious to Him and I could make them an offering. God knew the deepest aches I was experiencing, and He allowed me the opportunity to offer Him a sacrifice of praise. As I shared these things with my family, Steven pointed me to this song by Casting Crowns. I had to share the lyrics with you, for those of you who've been in this place, and for those of you who may be there now.


"Praise You In This Storm"

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

My Favorite Words

Some of you know how much I love to hear them. Three little words. I take way too much pleasure in hearing them, but I can't help myself. I get giddy. Three words ...
Kristen, you're right.
Tonight, I found even more pleasure to be had in this phrase thanks to my good friend Bob. They went a little something like this ...

bob: that's exactly right
me: add "kristen" to the end of that sentence and it would be the best one you've ever written!
bob: that's exactly right kristen

(sigh) What a great day!

Living and Active

Y'all, I am enamored with the Word of the Lord today. I am in awe of the power of God's Word to comfort, encourage, challenge, and bless. As some of you are aware, this is that time in the semester when midterms are schedules, papers come due, assignments pile up. That's plenty of stress. Then, at work, two coworkers who I depend on a lot to make my job go more smoothly tendered their resignations. At home, both of my WONDERful roommates have been very ill and my cousin was coming in for a weekend visit. At church, I was filling in as teacher in one of the ladies' classes, introducing a new quarter's study from Isaiah. Needless to say, I've had a lot going on, and for those of you who know me so well, you know that I rarely know how to ask for help until I've come completely to the end of all my strength and resources. :-\ So, it wasn't until last night, after the evening service that the emotional let down began to occur -- in front of several friends and strangers! Praise the Lord that His house is a safe place to be broken. But, that's not even the good part. :-)
Today, amazingly enough, the sun did come out -- in full force as a matter of fact! And, I did get out of bed and make it to work after spending an abbreviated time with the Lord this morning. That was the first blessing from His Word, just being reminded that He longs to have fellowship with us. Then, I received an email from a friend reminding me to "pray on my spiritual armor" and a voicemail from another, reading the words of Matthew 11:25-32 for me, "Come to Me all ye who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest ..." Then, I found a text message that was "accidentally" left in my phone with the reference to Isaiah 50:10, "10 Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God." I had to laugh at that point. God knew over a month ago when a friend was playing with my cell phone that I wouldn't find that verse until today, when I so desperately needed to be reminded of His faithfulness to those who fear Him and seek to obey His commands. Finally, I came home this afternoon to put in a little work on a paper before my class and opened an email from another friend with very familiar words from Psalm 65, including verse 11, "You crown the year with bounty and your carts overflow with abundance."
I share all of this with you to say that there is no comfort like the comfort of the living and active Word of the Lord, and I am thankful for friends God is using to point me back to it when other distractions threaten to crowd it from view.