Music Mondays

I've decided to present songs that are meaningful to me on Mondays.

Since this is the *First* post, I wanted to start with a song about *Finishing*.

So I chose "Finish Well" by my dear friend Julia Schmidt.

I picked this particular song because, as a (uh-hum) middle-aged Christian woman I remember thinking while I was in my my 20's, why are so many of the older women in church so burned out and crabby? What happened?

I remember saying to myself, " I'm not going to let that happen to me."

So, now years later my family and friends are (I am) constantly reminding myself to "Finish Well" in life. With everything that life throws at us and all the business that we all let creep in, we can forget our first love.

At the end of our lives we want to hear the encouraging words spoken by our Savior to the Church of Thyatira.

Revelation 2:19 "I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first."

We don't want to hear the rebuke of The Church of Ephesus.

Revelation 2:4 "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first."

So we need to be reminded to Finish Well.

Hebrews 12: 1(b) - 2(a) "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."


I don't want this as my epitaph.



or this




Definitely NOT this





Julia is a dear friend and I've had the pleasure of hearing her perform at such diverse venues as a Womens Shelter on skid row, Several coffee houses, and Retreats. Often I find myself humming and singing her tunes especially when I'm alone. I think her unique gift is that she pairs complex challenging themes with simple singable melodies. Her bio is as follows:

"Julia has been performing original songs both nationally and internationally for over 30 years. Her songs have been called refreshing and honest and cover topics from God’s grace and compassion, to our struggles with sin, to living authentically. Her sense of humor sometimes shines through in songs that are tongue-in-cheek, yet pull no punches. She uses music as a way to talk about emotions and topics that people tend to avoid discussing and desires to encourage people to look honestly at themselves and turn to Christ with the areas in which they struggle.

As a young adult, Julia toured the U.S. and Canada with Youth With a Mission and subsequently performed private concerts in North America and Europe. Today she lives in the Greater Los Angeles area with her husband and four children and continues writing songs from a Biblical worldview out of her experiences as a wife and mother."

She had this to say about "Finish Well"

"When I was in my pre-teens, there was an older couple at church, Mr. & Mrs. Willis. It was a fairly young church, so they were our token "gray-hairs." They must have been in their 80s, and whenever either of them spoke, everyone would stop and listen. They had been in full-time ministry together for their entire adult lives, and even though they were "retired," showed no signs of slowing down. When people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say, "Mrs. Willis." It's still true today -- I want to hit the finish line at full pelt, sprinting for the end, not looking to the left or right but keeping my eyes fixed not on the finish but on the prize that waits on the other side."

Listen Below:



You can listen to more of Julia's songs HERE and purchase them by sending an e-mail HERE

I would love to hear about what you are listening to. What is on your iPod, radio, or CD that means something to you? Or has encouraged you in the past? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below, with a brief explanation of why you love it. Perhaps it will turn up in an up-coming Monday.

Wordless Wednesday

Carmel, California

Top 10 Videos of 2010

Enjoy "THIS CRAZINESS" on my other blog. Happy New Year!

And A Little Child Will Lead Them

"Christmas, my child, is love in action." Dale Evans

Last November Olivia, our then 14 year old, approached John and I and said,

" For Christmas I want ALL the money you would spend on me to go to sick kids in the hospital. I mean, there are parents and kids who have nothing and I have everything. Please?!"

After John and I picked our jaws off the floor and made her wait a day to make SURE she really wanted to do this. I made a phone call.

Stephanie is the Child-life Specialist at Kaiser Hospital Sunset. She helps both parents and children cope when they are in the hospital. She has helped us numerous times while Yverline, our other daughter ( story here ) was hospitalized. She told us they were making a FREE to the parents Christmas store at the hospital.


Toys from 2009 Christmas Shop:




We knew from past experiences with Yverline in the hospital at Christmas time that going Christmas shopping for your sick child and other children just isn't a top priority. The result is parents and kids are alone and without presents on Christmas morning.

Stephanie and her co-workers set up a a store and wrapping station. Parents come into a special room in the hospital that is FILLED with toys and *shop* for their children. They can then choose to either give the presents to their children themselves or have a live Santa delver them on Christmas morning.

Having a sick child in the hospital at anytime makes you feel powerless, depressed, exhausted and bored. We know this from experience. The Christmas store provides parents a dignified way to shop without having to leave their sick child alone in the hospital and gives them much needed control, even if it is just in the area of choosing a gift. Besides being a fun distraction, it preserves an important cultural tradition. It also helps parents feel a little less guilty about money that may need to be spent on hospital bills rather than Christmas gifts.

I had Olivia and Stephanie work out the details and they came up with a plan.

Stephanie asked Olivia if she would be in charge of the teen section of the store. Knowing what teens want for Christmas was hard and usually the donations that came in for the Christmas store focused on younger kids.


Teen girls section Shop 2009 collected by Olivia:




So off to the mall Olivia and her friend Rachel went. Bath and Body Works in the Galleria Mall found out what Olivia was doing and helped her by giving her discounts, which made her money go further. Then their employees got involved and made a donation box and collected items for both boy and girl teens. They even donated shopping bags! NICE!!


Bags donated by Bath and Body Works:




Only once throughout this process did Olivia waiver. As we walked through the mall she turned to me and said " Holding all this money and shopping is making me feel tempted to want to buy stuff for me. You hold it Mom and let's hurry up and finish" I took the cash and we finished the last of the Christmas shopping as fast as we could.


Rachel and Olivia with toys from 2009 Shop:




We then drove all the donations up to the hospital on the 23rd to set up the Free Store. Olivia , Rachel and the staff at Kaiser began organizing the gifts by age and sex to make shopping for the parents easier.


Olivia and Jessica the Social Worker 2009:




Shopping for the parents was private and we didn't stay for the the store's opening. Olivia was so happy to have participated and the only people that she told were her brothers and a few close friends.


Olivia, Stephanie and Rachel after setting up the Christmas shop 2009:




In fact she inspired her brothers to donate their Christmas gifts as well.

James gave his money to help buy an ambulance in Haiti to transport pregnant women to the hospital through our friends at Heartline's Ministries (see here) It was also used to help transport earthquake victims to the hospital they set up to meet the overwhelming need post-earthquake.

Peter gave his Christmas gift money to a family in the Dominican Republic whose daughter has a heart condition.(see here)

On Christmas morning we kept the tradition of stockings, this was the one small concession to gift giving. They contained the usual ornaments for each child and candy. We had our "Happy Birthday Jesus Coffee Cake" and watched little Yverline open her gifts , after all she was only nine and this was her second Christmas with us since she came home from Haiti. That night we all went to the movies.


Yverline and Olivia Christmas morning 2009:




It was one of the most relaxing and worship-filled Christmases we have ever spent as a family.


James, Yverline, Olivia and Peter Christmas morning 2009:




This year Olivia approached her youth leaders Kelly and Rocky at our Church, Kings Harbor, and asked if they and the students wanted to help provide some of the gifts to this year's store. The response was overwhelming as over 75 gifts were collected.


A small portion of the toys collected by the youth of Kings Harbor Church 2010:




Seventy-Five teenagers and two adult brothers giving of themselves as a response to what one girl started the year before. "A Little Child shall Lead Them." Isaiah 11:6

Merry Christmas

Hiding from God

Every night since Yverline has come home to our family she lies in bed and wants us to come find her while she laughs and squeals. We kiss her goodnight and say prayers while she smiles, giggles and snuggles with us. EVERY night for 2 1/2 years.

I think about Adam and Eve hiding from God in the garden not wanting to be found; not wanting to be close and intimate. Shamed by their misdeeds and hiding.

Then I think about Yverline and all she wants is to be found.

God help me not to hide from your love even when I'm shamed, but to delight and run to you.

Psalm 119:76, 77
Let your steadfast love comfort me
according to your promise to your servant.
Let your mercy come to me, that I may live;
for your law is my delight.

Finding God at a Time-Share Part 3

Click here for Part 1

Click here for Part 2

There was your brother’s accident and the exhaustion from talking care of him. And your sister’s brain tumor and her three surgeries since January, followed by her daily radiation treatments. But I think at the top of my list, or scorecard, was watching both of them suffer and struggle in pain. Seeing anyone suffer is difficult, but even more so when it is your very own precious children. All parents want to protect their children and I’m no different, so this was very, very, very painful.

After watching the film and spending time alone with God I didn't have any real answers other than I knew I wasn't alone in this. I’m not the only person who has felt like everything was wrong and would always be wrong. There are very few situations in life that others haven’t felt almost the same feelings you have or they have gone through something similar . I also took comfort in knowing Jesus shared similar feelings on the worst night of his life.

He was facing torture, separation from His Father, betrayal of friends and death. All He wanted was His closest friends to stay up with Him while He prayed for help, release and ultimately surrender. But more then once He was disappointed.



Matthew 26:36-38,40 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."........ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.



Even though I didn’t know what to do with everything that had happen in the last nine months. I knew what NOT to do and how NOT to act. Perhaps when you are stuck sometimes it’s enough to stop what you are currently doing. I think this bought me enough time to think what I could do to make it better.

It really isn’t that complicated. Often in life you know what to do, but you lack the will or motivation to do it. Like I said I was in shut down mode. It was almost if the accident was system crash that God allowed so I could re-boot .

I knew the first thing was I had to start re-engaging life. I needed to get up and read my Bible, even if it was just a verse or two. Like I said earlier it isn’t Bible reading that helps in itself, but the act of listening to God and putting myself in a position to hear His voice and think about the things that matter to Him. Prayer is the same thing; this is the part that is always harder for me. I guess because when I’m feeling guarded the last thing I want to do is share my deepest longings and hurts.

I also knew I need to ask for forgiveness.

I’m sorry I’ve been shut down or angry. I’m sorry I set a bad example by trying to go it alone and “handle” this on my own. It wasn’t working. (Duh) ! I know that there were times when I wasn’t there for you and that makes me sad. I hope in the future should times become difficult you will remember what not to do. Remember that when life is complicated and out of control the simple things are best. Rely on God, Family and Friends to get you through. And you can always, always turn around even if you have gone way off course.

I’m thankful for all that I’ve learned, or really re-learned in the last 9 months. I’m even thankful for my accident and the opportunity to start over, because IT IS a Wonderful Life.


I love you, Mom



I never finished my letter to my children while I was at the time-share. I prayed, read my Bible and tried to be quiet and listen. I also watched more movies. I finished the last 1/3 while writing this post. I decided to finish the letter and make it my first blog to honor them. Along the way I discovered that I liked writing, even if I wasn’t that good at it and that has been a gift, to me anyways.



When I came home I kinda looked like this this:









Or maybe like this:









But really like this:








It has been 2 months since I’ve been home from the time-share and God was definitely there. I have tried to implement all the things in this letter with the additions of, exercising and blogging. So far it’s going pretty good, not perfect but good.

I often think of the man I hit in my car that day. I’m praying there are no lasting effects from the accident. I’m praying that he is healed and finds peace.



I hope that even now he looks like this:

Blogging while A.D.D.

Why would anyone need two Blogs?

I blame A.D.D.


Click here to find out and see my other Blog.