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My Sister, My Best Friend

October 18, 2011 in family, sisters with 2 Comments

Dear Karla,

Sometimes, I find it hard to believe we’re adopted. The bond we share feels like it’s in our blood. When you hurt, my heart sinks like a crow bar. When you’re happy, my heart turns cartwheels. I know you feel the same toward me.

Sisters

You’ve literally always been there for me. At the tender age of eight, you became more than a big sister…you became a second mom to me. I look at the foul way my boys treat each other sometimes, and I’m completely baffled. I don’t get it because you never mistreated me. You always made me feel special, important, and cherished. Well…except for that one time you hung the “I’m a thumb sucker” sign around my neck and made me wear it around the house to shame me into quitting the habit. I know you meant well. Months of therapy fixed me up. (grin)

Dean and Karla taking me on one of my first pony rides.

Dean, Karla, and me mid-70′s

Karla’s high school graduation 1980
Me, Karla, Buddy

From that first car ride home from the adoption agency, you’ve been proud of me. I remember hearing the story of you and Dean taking me out of the church nursery so that you could stand next to the preacher at the back door and show me off to the rest of the church family. I remember how you used to always call me “Whiz Kid” because you thought I was super smart.

You were always there to cheer me on no matter what I happened to be doing. Piano and dance recitals, school talent shows, and rodeo stuff. Remember how you cried your eyes out when I won the Little Miss Topps pageant?

My moment of fame and glory: Little Miss Topps 1980

My wedding day with my brother Dean and matron-of-honor Karla

The tears. Tears of pride. Tears of goodbye. Tears of grief when we lost our brother and then Buddy.

Dean and Buddy goofing off at a family BBQ

We’ve been through a lot these last few years. A lot of pain and a lot of joy. A lot of tears and a lot of laughs.

Karla laughing her head off about something or other

Karla, I can’t fully describe how happy it makes me to see you and Bubba so in love and so happy and peaceful together. What a gift from God! What a blessing for me to be able to love you both so, so much.

Karla and Bubba on their wedding day 2009

I feel the same way when I see you with Shields, your soon-to-be daughter-in-love. That girl adores you! Matt is destined for success with two incredible women in his corner who love him and love each other. Shields can enter into her marriage with Matt knowing that you will support them, love them, and let them live their own lives without interference.

Karla and Matt

Shields, Mom, Karla, Me

I will never be able to repay you for the loving support you’ve given me as a momma to my three sons. Thank you for the way you love the boys and for the special attention you give to your fellow middle child, Logan.

Karla and Logan (10 yrs old or so)

Our parents are getting older. I think we both secretly wish our precious dad would go on to be with Jesus. Those trips to visit him in the nursing home are becoming more bitter and less sweet. It’s hard to see our strong cowboy daddy so weak, so vulnerable, so unlike him. The thought of Dad and our brother Dean reunited in heaven comforts me.

Dad and Karla
Dean, Dad, and Karla at one of our famous family BBQ’s

I pray we have many, many more years with our Southern belle, shopper extraordinaire mom, but at some point, it will probably be just the two of us left from our family of five. But we’ll be ok because we’re family and we’re sisters-in-Christ. Adopted by law and adopted in Christ. One permanent, the other eternal.

Sisters…so different yet so the same. Your support and unconditional love buoys me in this raging sea of life. I love you, Karla. Happy 50th birthday!

My beautiful sister and me

PrayerGift Mondays: A She Speaks Send-Off Prayer

July 18, 2011 in prayergifts4shespeaks, Proverbs 31 Ministries, She Speaks Conference 2011, sisters with 6 Comments

She Speaks 2011 is almost here!

The excitement is electric. On Facebook. On Twitter. On blogs.

For the past month or so, I’ve been devoting my PrayerGift Monday posts to praying for different participants of the She Speaks Conference. Planners, Speakers, Writers, Women’s ministry leaders.

Today, I write one more prayergift for my SS sisters. This one is for all of you. Some of you I’ve met and some I haven’t, but all of you I LOVE as my sisters-in-Christ.

Know that I will be praying for you all week and especially this weekend. My heart is with you all.

Here’s my prayer for you today:

Lord,

My sisters are making their final preparations for She Speaks 2011. The planners are making sure everything is just-so. The presenters are putting the finishing touches on their messages. The publisher reps are packing their briefcases with their business cards and notepads. The conference attendees are picking out their outfits, practicing their pitches and talks, and making sure the homefront is in order.

As I’ve read my sisters’ tweets, FB posts, and blogs, I feel compelled to pray for three things to be present and three things to scram.

Chase away fear and welcome in joyous expectation.

I remember my first year at She Speaks. Traveling there alone and not knowing another soul there was scary, even for an extrovert like me. What if no one talked to me? What if I made a fool of myself in my publisher appointment? What if my roommate was some kind of crazy person? What if? What if? What if? Every, single one of my “what if’s” proved to be false.

Lord, fill my sisters with complete assurance of Your presence with them from start-to-finish. Convince them that they will be received with open arms by sweet women from all over the place. Help them visualize the lifelong connections they will make at this unique conference. May they feel You sitting beside them when they pitch their book ideas and standing by them when they give their talks. May they reserve a seat for You at their tables so their conversations will be sweet. You are ALL OVER this conference, Lord!

Some of my sisters may fear leaving their families behind to attend She Speaks. Give them the grace to let You hold their families close while You teach them things that will just make them better wives, moms, servants, and Daughters-of-the-King.

If fear rears its ugly head, help my sisters to declare as many times as necessary: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 27:1, 56:3-4)

Chase away comparisons and welcome in unity through the bond of peace.
 
 The way of the world is to scratch and claw oneself to the top. Competition and comparison are the status quo. Even Christians can fall into this trap. I pray my sisters will fight the urge to compete and compare. Help them to realize that they are all after one goal: the glory of Your name.
 
Assure them they have no cause to worry about who has similar book ideas, messages, or platforms. No one can tell their specific story but them.
 
Empower them “to live a life worthy of the calling [they] have received. [To] be completely humble and gentle; [to] be patient, bearing with one another in love. [May they] make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as [they] were called to one hope when [they] were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6) 

Chase away the evil one and welcome in Your Still, Small Voice.

As I’ve read up on my sisters on Facebook and Twitter, I’ve heard of health emergencies, unexpected financial strains, travel plans falling through, and family strife. I fully believe the evil one is in a real tizzy about hundreds of women coming together to worship You, learn from You, and learn from each other.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; [You] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) I pray my sisters will truly experience ”life to the full” at She Speaks. Place a hedge of protection around each and every one of them this whole week and always. Pave the way for safe arrivals. Position angels on guard at the hotel in Concord by the front doors, meeting room doors, and every hotel room door. The evil one is the author of fear, doubt, and a sense of unworthiness. You are the author of courage, faith, and true identity.

Remind my sisters “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set [us] free from the law of sin and death.” (Roman 8:1-2) Close their minds to the taunts of the enemy. May they hear Your voice whispering truth into the depth of their souls: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”  (Isaiah 43:1; Joshua 1:9)

The more time I spend with You, Lord, the more I learn what pleases You.  I have no doubt that You give the She Speaks Conference a nod of approval. Please, Lord, make Yourself at home there. May every worship song serenade You, every message glorify You, and every prayer touch Your heart.

In the beautiful name of Jesus Christ I pray, AMEN and AMEN!!!