My beautiful mama, Annette Keller, went home to be with Jesus on October 27, 2011 at 12:45am. Thank you for the incredible love & prayers poured out on her behalf, and ours. He is still God, and He is still good. We know that my mom fought valiantly, that Christ already won, & that this world is not our home. This is an excerpt from one of her Bible study journals near her bedside, which I shared at her memorial service last week:

"The proper attitude in meeting adversity is to count it all joy, which is not an emotional reaction but a deliberate, intelligent appraisal of the situation from God's perspective, viewing trials as a means of moral and spiritual growth. We do not rejoice in the trials themselves, but in their possible results. Testing carries the idea of proving genuineness. Trials serve as a discipline to purge faith of dross, stripping away what is false. Patience is not a passive resignation to adverse circumstances, but a positive steadfastness that bravely endures." (from one of the last entries of Annette Keller's study journal; appears to be a quote by Jack Hayford, anyone know the actual source??)

I think one of the things I learned most from my mom was about giving praise in all circumstances - not the kind of praise you FEEL like giving in the moment - but the kind of praise that you know an all-powerful, completely capable, merciful, just, healing, holy, sovereign, awesome God is absolutly worthy of in SPITE of your circumstances. It is when we offer up praise in the midst of our trials that our God is the kind of God that can shake the earth, bring healing, and open jail doors - but ultimately, whom is most glorified in those moments when we choose to trust Him and worship Him in spite of what we see.

Just as my mom held my hand through divorce and I held her hand through seventh months of horrific cancer treatments and ultimately her homecoming to be with Jesus, this kind of sacrifice of praise was always evident in how she lived her life, loved others, loved God...and worshipped. I only hope that it will always be as evident in mine.

I love these verses from 2 Corinthians that remind us that we're just "passing through." Mom was just passing through, we're all just passing through...and one day we'll all go home to be with him together. What a glorious day that will be. "To live is Christ and to die is gain." Amen & Amen!

2 Corinthians 5 (The Message)

1-5For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less.

6-8That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.

9-10But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.

11-14That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.

14-15Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

Hey all! Hard to believe it’s been two months since my last blog. It’s been an eventful time. I started a new job at my church as a full-time Ministry Associate for the Women’s Ministry. I am so blessed to be surrounded by some AMAZING women, especially the other three on staff with me in the Women’s Ministry office. The Lord is has been so faithful to take such good care of me time and again, and placing me here in this season is another good thing for me, I think! I’m so thankful for God’s provision financially as well. Huge blessing.

So this morning at department meeting, we repeated an exercise that had been introduced at a recent women’s fellowship as a means of sharing “what’s up” in our world. A number of items were placed on the table – a wash rag, fly swatter, paper bag, salt shaker, hammer, computer charger, and measuring spoons – and we were told to pick whatever item we most identified with at that moment, and to share why.

I chose the hammer.

It snowed here in Atlanta this afternoon and evening, "burying" us in four or five inches of white. For all of you in places where you have multiple FEET of snow right now, I know you might laugh, but around here you just don't go anywhere when that happens since all the roads become slushy ice rinks and people are not experienced enough to drive on them. I grew up in Michigan and Indiana, so I know snow, but we don't have snow plows and salt trucks enough to go around in the South, and so the city just shuts down when this happens. For years, they will likely talk about this as "The Blizzard of 2010."

So I enjoyed staying home on this quiet Friday night and watching the snow fall. Then I snuggled under a blanket to watch TV, played a little guitar, and went to bed early. It's the first night in weeks (maybe months?) when I actually went to bed fairly early AND could have slept in late, and I was so excited! However, at 4am, even with the world so quiet and peaceful and covered in white, for some reason I am wide awake again.

Have you ever had “one of those days?” Maybe you've had a few bad days this month, this week, or maybe you're having one today?

I know I've had just a few bad days myself recently, and on one of those days when I was trying to find some encouragement by reading my Bible, I found myself reading in the book of Acts. Maybe you’re familiar with the story of Saul of Tarsus (who was later re-named Paul). He was certainly a guy who saw his fair share of bad days! First to give you some background…

It starts young.

Were you ever picked last when classmates were choosing teams for kickball out on the playground? No one wants to be the one picked last. I sometimes was.

Did you ever have a falling out with your group of friends at school and find yourself standing in the lunch room with your tray of food with no where to sit, no where to belong? Many of us probably have!

Even our two cats can seem to get jealous of one another when they see one getting special attention or being fed treats. Sad, but if you have pets, you know it's true!

After a crazy week at home full of gardening, baking, a tea party, music prep, and trip to Alabama, today I tried to take a sort of Sabbath until sundown. I could tell first of all that my body was tired, but that I also was spiritually dry, feeling anxious over things needing to be accomplished, but also lacking motivation to tackle anything whatsoever. Ever been there?

Has your life turned out like you expected it? Maybe you have been blessed to be able to pursue your goals, living your dream just the way you imagined it. Or maybe you haven’t. I suppose I’m the latter. It’s not that I haven’t experienced some wonderful adventures in my life for which I am extremely grateful…it’s just that none of it is really what I had planned on!

So I have a confession to make. Chocolate cookies are (I think) my greatest weakness. Not just any chocolate chip cookie, but soft, gooey, homemade-with-love chocolate chip cookies.

Some restaurants come close. My new favorite is Panera. I’m enjoying one right this moment while I’m here in a corner booth using their lovely classical-background-music-&-free-wifi-atmosphere as my afternoon office while between rehearsals. It’s a good thing I don’t have a Panera closer to home or this might be a pretty regular occurance – the cookie, and the afternoon office. ?

"Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning!" (Psalm 30:5b, NASB)

Thursday night I attended a Maundy Thursday service - which I have done multiple times in my life - but for some reason this year it really stood out to me. Really, the entire season of Lent and Holy Week has come to life for me in a new and fresh way. Perhaps it is because, in this season of my own life, I am acutely aware of my shortcomings, my failures, my sin, and my undeniable need for a Savior.

So this week is what Christians traditionally call Holy Week - when we remember the day Jesus entered Jerusalem like a King, the night He had the Last Supper with His disciples, the prayers He offered in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Jesus by one of His own disciples, Jesus' arrest and torture, the day He was killed like a criminal on that cross, His burial in the tomb, and the darkness and hope lost on the day after His death as He lie dead in that tomb. All this of course leading up to Easter Sunday when we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection!