Page 38 of 39

Some late coming news

March 31, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 1 Comment

Mike scolded me the other day for not having any blogs in March. 🙂 I need to work harder at putting blogging in my routine and get over the fact that I have little to say and just say something. I don’t mind a gentle reminder from time to time that’s been a while since I’ve blogged. You’d better send it in an e-mail though.. Sometimes I forget blogging exists. Did I mention that I am thinking about trying some ginkgo?

I am blogging today because I just learned some really sad news and thought you all should know. Larry Norman died of heart failure last month on February 24, 2008. He was a revolutionary song writer, a prophet, an evangelist and music producer. He led hundreds to Jesus and helped disciple many others through his music and testimony. He is known as the father of Christian Rock and has affected all our lives… even though we may not have realized it.

Larry had a heart for the lost and knew that he could reach his audience with the gospel through rock music. The secular music labels rejected him because he had too much Jesus in his songs and the Christians baned his music from their stores because they had too much rock. He started his own record label, Solid Rock and over the years produced a hundred solo albums and helped many other Christian artist, and in doing so helped Christian Rock to get its start.

Time Magazine once called Larry “the most significant artist in his field.” In the 70’s Billboard Magazine called him “the most important writer since Paul Simon.” He sung at the White House twice and at an 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium in Moscow once. In 2001 he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame alongside Elvis Presley. He was still singing and producing in spite of his illness near the end of his life.

I am glad he stuck it out and paved the road for so many others like Third Day, Switchfoot, and ___________ (fill in the blank with your favorite). Music is such a powerful tool and so many people have been lead to Jesus through the message of Christian Rock that would have never have listened to a hymn. Can you imagine a world without the song “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me? Would you have ever thought just a few years ago that hundreds of secular radio stations would be playing a song about worshiping Jesus several times a day at their listener’s request? Larry played a part in that happening.

My personal Larry experiences:

The first time I saw Mike out side of school he introduced me to Larry by playing several of his songs for me on his record player (Mike barked like a dog to one of them and scared me to death).

Months later I was honored to hear that my picture hung next to Larry’s in his college dorm room.

Larry’s “I wished we’d all Been Ready” and “Sweet, Sweet Song of Salvation” have been among my favorites.

Mike sung “The Tune” by Larry to me in our wedding.

Larry came to San Antonio once and we got to take the kids to meet him. He was very down to earth and enjoyed talking to just anyone. He signed a CD for us with a sketch of himself. Princess J was extremely flattered. His drawing of a face with long hair made her think it was of her. We all had a good laugh.

He has left a legacy of Christian faith for many generations. I am thankful for his life and for that of all the saints that have helped encourage us along the way to Jesus.

Jenny

Larry’s site
http://www.larrynorman.com/bio.html

Gospel Music Hall of Fame Bio of Larry
http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/artistdetail.php?artist_id=514

CCM Mag’s report on his funeral
http://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/stories/11570494/

Puzzle Pieces

February 28, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 3 Comments

I read where someone said that moving is like having all the puzzle pieces of your life dumped out and you have to put it all back together.

Having moved to a smaller house a bunch of my puzzle pieces have been going to the dump and Good Will. About 10 car loads to each.

So far I haven’t regretted letting go of stuff.. it’s only been a couple of months, though. Less clutter has been nice and having to put all the puzzle pieces back together has given me the chance to look at what I really do need or love. I am a little concerned that there’s a day coming when I’ll spend ALL day looking for something only to remember days later that I took it to Good Will.

I am finally to the last hardest pieces: finding a place for those things I don’t need often but I wasn’t ready to see go and decorating.. the icing on the cake. Mom and Dad have been helping me by ordering some large prints of Dad’s beautiful nature photos. Some of my old art work just didn’t work in this house. THANKS so much! I’ll post pictures of them later..

I had some frames that I had put plain Bible verses in before and a bunch of pictures of the kids that I wanted to find a creative way to display.. so ta-da I decided to try to put them together in digital scrapbooking. Here are my first tries using Adobe and some free papers on line.

The Storms of LIfe

February 19, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 3 Comments

I love this painting by Rembrandt. I think sometimes we don’t take the Bible stories literally or seriously enough. We look at the disciples with scorn and think “Silly disciples. Why didn’t they trust Jesus?” When in their reality the waves were about to swallow them up. They were fishermen. They knew the sea. They weren’t afraid of a little storm. They were afraid for their lives for a good reason… I have no idea how Jesus slept during that storm. I think He must have been playing possum so that He could bring the disciples up to a higher level of faith for the storms of life that were on the horizon.

We have been keenly aware that we are in Tornado Alley since moving to AL. There have been several tornado warnings this year, a school closing and the tornado sirens are becoming a familiar sound.

Sunday there were several places in our area hit including a neighboring town where several of Mike’s co-workers live. Please, keep them in your prayers.

The storms were still a ways off when we left for church. Princess J had several questions about the safety of the church building in which we attend. I explained to her that it depended on the strength of the storm. She consoled herself that there were no windows in the main auditorium. I looked up and said that roof might get torn off and asked her if she knew what to do if it did.

I know. I wasn’t very reassuring. But I wanted her to put her trust in God no matter what happened and not be shocked and appalled if something did happen. We have to keep a cool head in times of crisis and not forget Who is in control and brings all things together for our good. Princess J has shown herself to be very calm and collected in storms of the past. At times much more so than I.

Once she was trying to climb down from a tree in our front yard and ripped her knee open. We rushed her to the ER. I thought a chunk of her leg was messing and was turning shades of white and green. All I could say to the ER attendant was “Help my baby.” She stayed perfectly calm and still through 25 stitches. She was only seven. She is really amazing. I could tell you more.

While in FL we weathered 4 hurricanes and several tropical storms. When there is a hurricane on the horizon you know sometimes weeks in advance and it’s all the news reporters talk about. The anticipation grew so bad that I had to stop watching TV. I was loosing my joy to fears of how I would handle it if I lost my home or how I would comfort a neighbor or friend who lost theirs.

Here is a poem I wrote early one morning during an approaching storm. I found my focus once again and was..

Overtaken by Joy

Hurricane Wilma on the horizon
My thoughts run this way and that.
How to prepare? Stand or escape?
What will she leave behind?

Not willing to cave into Fear
I look up to my Heavenly Father
And declare, You’re My Rock, My Fortress
My Invincibly Strong Tower!

Basking for a moment
In His unfailing love
Undeniably displayed in His Son
I sit myself down with an old friend, Peace.

Then suddenly,
Unexpectedly
I am overtaken by Joy
Poured forth as a warm anointing.

As I’m absorbing, it immediately begins transforming.
My lips are forced up by a smile from within.
My heart so full that tears must escape.
My mind is lost in wonder.

How did this happen?
After searching endlessly,
I am caught unaware?
Joy, you were hidden in such a curious place.

Peace beyond understanding.
Love casting out Fear.
Joy comes when trusting in
The One Who holds me so dear.

by Jenny Coleman
October 19, 2005

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. Psalm 28:7

The truth is that when and if something happens God will be with me as always and lead me, guide me and provide everything I need. In the mean time I need to be focused on what He is leading and guiding me to do now.

God bless and keep you!

Jenny

The Steadfast Love of the Lord Never Ceases

January 2, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
His mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in Him!”

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NLT)

There is a song based on this verse called the Steadfast Love of the Lord Never Ceases that I love and live by. I can hear it playing deep in my heart.

I love mornings. I love spending time with God. I love meditating on His word. I love knowing that He loves me and that I can live in His mercy and grace.

In the movie Ann of Green Gables one of my favorite quotes is “Each new day is fresh with no mistakes in it.”

Sometimes a new day isn’t soon enough and I need a fresh start before the morning is even up. When my day is going really wrong, I hide in closet and pray. Many times I know the problem is me and I beg for a new attitude; other times I feel like I am loosing a battle and pray for more strength, mercy and grace. Once I’ve poured out my whole heart, I come out determined to have a fresh start on my day and to trust God with the answers to my prayers.

The idea of a “New Year’s Resolution” seems so foreign to me this year. New I understand. Everything is so new for me right now; new house, new city, new Walmart, new community, new way of life, new morning, renewed love for God, new dreams and new visions…

Year – Wow! So much can happen in a year. I need those fresh moments of mercy and grace that never cease to come from our Father’s loving heart!

I had a dream last week that I was putting some things up on a bulletin board. I was praying for help with how to arrange it as I worked. God answered with instructions on where to put a tack. I was taken by surprise. I couldn’t see the big picture of what was ahead (posted on the bulletin board) but I could see exactly where God wanted the little green tack. God is so into details. I know this from experience and it shows forth His glory in His creation. Details so small and complicated that we can see them or comprehend them.

I am still hearing God say “Dream Big”. I don’t know what big dreams He wants me to dream, but I believe He will show me and help me to do all He is calling me to do and be even to the last detail. In the meantime I am going to put that little green tack where He instructed and keep praying for His guidance and help. It’s my first step out into the big dreams of God.

I don’t really have a resolution. I have a determination to keep trusting God in and for each moment. Great is His faithfulness!

Entering in as a child,

Jenny

Christmas Day

January 2, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 1 Comment

Christmas Day was a good day. We had two Christmas miracles; Mike found his badges for work and my washer was hooked up and working. We talked about the true gift of Christmas being that Jesus lives in us. I am happy to know Him and to be together as a family again. Nana sent us some Christmas goodies to munch on and the kids have been making their plans for how to spend their Christmas money. Josh and Joel are hoping to go in together on a computer and Judi is planing on buying her very own ipod. James is saving his up for his future computer needs. Mike made us a Christmas brunch of bacon and apple turn overs (I felt so spoiled) and I made fajitas for lunch. One thing we liked about this house is that it feels like home. It’s nice being at home with your family.

Thank You, God, for happy memories!

A New Home For Christmas

January 2, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

Proverbs 16:3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.

I have this verse from the Amplified posted by my bathroom door. I love to meditate on the idea that God can cause my thoughts to be in agreement with His and that I have the potential of successfully completing my plans when I give them to Him.

I’ve been praying while preparing for this move for God to show me His vision for this new season of our lives. First of all because I know that being in the center of God’s will is the best place to be and because I need a vision to help me make it through this move and four growing teenagers.

I felt like I finally got an answer the other night. It wasn’t what I expected. I was hoping for something more tangible. Instead I heard, “Dream Big. Ask me to stretch your imagination beyond what you can imagine.”

These verses had been in my thoughts all week.

“Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. John 15:4-8 MSG

The idea of asking was big in my heart but I didn’t know what to ask for. Now that I do it’s a little scary… to tell the truth. What are these big things that God has planned for us? Am I ready to walk them out? Can I really successfully follow them through? Do I dare to dream as big as God can stretch me to dream?

I know one thing for sure. I have had to lean on Him big time for the strength to do all that it takes to get ready for this move and He has been faithfully pouring out His grace on me. Oh, for the courage to trust Him for bigger things than I can imagine.

The moving truck will be at my door tomorrow and I will be starting a new adventure. Will you take the plunge with me? Learn more of His love, how to trust Him more and how to ask and “Dream Big.” for the new season He is bringing you into?

“My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!”

Ephesians 3:14-21 The Message

Love,
Jenny

The Wait

December 15, 2007 / Jennifer Coleman / 3 Comments

This week has been excruciatingly long. Mike and I have been living in two different states for 75 days. We got in two little visits. But buying and selling a house is so stressful that it just wasn’t the same as being together day in and day out.

Yesterday was the big day. Mike did his final walk through of our house in AL and signed all the papers. We are now the proud and nervous owners of two houses. Hopefully not for more than a few days. The previous owners of our new house scheduled a professional cleaning of our house and carpets. And were planning to be out by noon today.

Mike called and let me know all went well. Closing cost were less than they had expected and Glenna, our sweet realtor, gave us an iron cross to hang over our new fire place for a house warming gift. He didn’t have much to do for the rest of the day. He was all packed and ready to move out of his apartment. We had one last excruciating day of waiting for him to be able to move his stuff into the house and drive down to help us move up.

One thing that’s been nice about the separation is that we have free minutes to talk to each other on the cell phone. We’ve done hours and hours of that. Around 6 pm I started wondering what he was up to and called and asked where he was and what he was doing. His first answer was that he was in AL. I said “Well, I know that.” Then he said he had been out shopping, named off some stores that he had been to, and said he had a surprise for me. We chatted some more. I kept thinking that it was awful quite on his end and I asked are you still shopping or are you home now. He said he was home. I kept thinking why don’t I hear your TV. I was looking at stuff on line and wanted to send him some links via e-mail to look at. He didn’t act real interested in looking. I thought that was odd.

We hung up because I had to get ready to take the kids to One Thing, an international house of prayer. The kids and I were out late. One Thing ended at 11 pm then we went to Walmart to pick up a couple of things and to McDonalds for a snack. Got home and made some tea to unwind and sat down. A few minutes later I heard James calling out, “Dad’s home.” It didn’t compute. He walks in my room saying “Ho, Ho, Ho.” I thought, “Is he supposed to be home?” Then as I jumped up to hug and kiss him I realized what you now know.

Yay! The wait is over!

Jenny

Father’s Love Letter

December 11, 2007 / Jennifer Coleman / 1 Comment

Making my Home a Temple

December 6, 2007 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

One day a few months ago I was praying about what house God wanted us to buy in AL and what His vision was for our new home and life. He put in my heart an idea about setting up a communion table that has continual supply of crackers and juice and an inspirational painting hanging above inviting us to commune with God so that at any time on any day any one at my house could stop and have a quite moment with alone with God.

Later that week I got a devotion by Charles Spurgeon in my e-mail that asked “Is there a Church in this house?” It went on to say, “More is expected of a Church than of an ordinary household; family worship is a must, in such a case, be more devout and hearty; internal love must be more warm and unbroken and external conduct must be more sanctified and Christlike… As a Church let us now draw nigh to the great head of the one Church universal, and let us beseech Him to give us grace to shine before men to the glory of His name.” I thought it was so inspirational to think of your home in that way. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what being temples of the Holy Spirit of God means and I think that your home is a perfect place to express who you are – or want to be. Early in my career as a home maker, before I even had a desire to for my home to reflect God’s love, I had visitors giving me encouraging words that it did. Now I want to do it on purpose.

About the time all these thoughts were going though my head I had a dream or a vision or something and heard God tell me that I was going to buy a nativity set. It was the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard God tell me. I thought, “OK?” The Christmas decorations in the stores weren’t out yet. So, I kept praying about it.

Then a few weeks ago when the stores put out their Christmas stuff I took a day of shopping and visited several to see their nativity sets. I found a couple that I liked but not the one that said, “This is the one.” So, I kept praying.

One day I had some extra time for the computer and decided to do some online shopping for nativity sets. I looked at some Christian book stores, I looked on e-bay, then finally I felt real strongly that I should look at Craig’s list. I almost never look on Craig’s list for anything. When I say I felt strongly that I should look on Craigs list I mean that I thought God was about to yell it in my ear so I looked. I did a search for nativities in the Tampa area and a large Fontanini set came up. I couldn’t believe it.

My MIL had given us a beginner set 19 years ago when we went to Thailand as missionaries. That Christmas in Thailand our oldest (8 months) threw away baby Jesus. He loved throwing things away. By the time I realized it was missing it was too late… so the next year I just took a cotton ball and rapped piece of muslin around it for a baby Jesus and used it for years.

One year a friend of mine in IL bought me a new baby Jesus – I didn’t know you could do that. Then I saw her collection. It was huge, beautiful, a whole village that she placed in niches around her living room with green garland and white Christmas lights. Ever since then I’ve always wanted to collect them but they are expensive and I have had to use many a Christmas check for groceries instead.

So here on Craig’s list was my chance. I knew that was the set God had been talking about. I prayed. The seller said he would take any offer seriously. I called Mike in AL and asked if I could offer $200. I about fainted when he said yes. When I e-mailed the seller my offer he said he couldn’t possibly take less than $500. It was worth $900 so I understood but there was no way I could spend that much.

I prayed some more – I felt like I could go up to $275 and kept watching Craig’s list. Each week he posted a new lower price. I thought for sure someone else would snatch it up. They go for retail prices and up on e-bay. After a few weeks, the seller contacted me and said that he was lowering his price to $275 and asked me if I was interested.

Ta da.. Here it is. Sorry the picture isn’t that great.

I am not sure why God wanted me to buy it –

it seems silly spending so much money on little plastic figures – but it’s beauty draws me to Jesus and maybe it will help my home feel more like the temple God is designing it to be and draw people to commune with Him. And I think I know the perfect place for it in my new home.

Fontanini Store

Craig’s list

A Thankful Perspective

December 3, 2007 / Jennifer Coleman / 5 Comments

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:18

This picture screams out, “COMPARE ME!” As Princess J and I were staring at the startling differences- Princess J rightfully enjoying her youth and I marveling at where mine had gone, the mathematician of the family brought in some perspective, “Well, Mom is 3 times older than you, Princess J.”

Pollyanna is one of my favorite movies. She comes in on the scene having lost everything, she’s placed in a loveless home and by choosing the right perspective brings an infectious change not only in her home but in the whole town, which honors her by nick naming themselves “The Glad Town.”

St. James addresses the problem of comparing people in the second chapter of his book. I think Pollyanna brings verse 5 to life, “My dear brothers and sisters, listen to me. Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor in the world’s eyes to be rich in faith? Hasn’t he chosen them to receive the kingdom? Hasn’t he promised it to those who love him?”

Romans 8 has been an life changing chapter in my life. It says that it’s all about perspective – what set your mind on… Turn your thoughts toward God and you’ll find the freedom to receive all Jesus died to give you. Let yourself be consumed by sinful thoughts and they will lead you to your death. When tough times come draw strength from the Spirit of God that is in you and pray with a hope in God who uses all things for the good of those who love him.

I was young and now I am old(er) and I have found that God is faithful in every circumstance. In return I want my life to reflect an infectious perspective full of thankfulness. Jenny