As promised- Anniversary before and after photos!

Alastair proposed to me on Torn mountain at Star Lake camp. ('88)




Married at Hempstead Corps June 16th, 1990



At the Eastern Europe Territory's congress in St. Petersburg, Russia ( '06)


Our Wedding Song
written for us by Darryl and Faith Collier

From the start and through all my life
I have been searching trying hard to find
the one who might touch my heart
Yes, The Lord he knows my heart's desires
and He knew you would come into my life.
How you compliment my individuality,
He willed us to be man and wife.

Now together we belong
and I have no doubt that it is true,
because The Spirit gave me confirmation
to share my love and give my life to you.

When I prayed to God for a glimpse of His love
I could not envision a union like ours.
Love responds to dreams growing closer,
everyday joins us in the bond of love.
I now belong to you and yes, you now belong to me.
Hand in hand for life, death us do part.

Now together we belong
and I have no doubt that it is true,
because The Spirit gave me confirmation
to share my love and give my life to you.

Yes! Together we belong
and I have no doubt that it is true,
because The Spirit gave me confirmation
to share my love and give my life to you.

New Pictures

Alastair got a new camera for Father's Day/our Anniversary so there are a lot of new photos that I have just uploaded to my flicker account.

You'll be surprised how many we've taken in such a short time.
He is very happy with this new toy and the girls have taken quite a few pictures too.
Check out the different "sets" of photos to see our oldest graduating from Middle School, new family and friend photos, Father's day at the corps, a concert at the park and the corps band's recording day.
It's been a busy weekend!!
The nature and flowers sets are mostly photo's taken by our oldest two daughters.
I was impressed- with them and the camera!
Blessings-

17th Anniversary - June 16, 1990

This is the "After" pic -I'm going to scan the "before" when I get a chance!

He is faithful to His word

The Lord has spoken
He is faithful to His word
The Lord never fails
He is with me in this world

When all the pressures come
I will not be crushed
When all earthly reasons gone
I will not loose my hope!

When evil says “all in vain!”
Efforts I have made
When doubt whispers to my heart
I’ll call upon His name!

If all I’ve hoped for is gone
Some may call me fool
Even still I will look up
I know I’ll rise with Him!

cjb

God of the floodgates

God of the floodgates
Open your skies
Rain down upon us
Changing our lives

God of the harvest
Plant within me
Seeds of your word
Rooted in thee

God of the ocean
Lord of the seas
Depth of devotion
Submersed in thee

Start the revival
Lord in my heart
Spread it like fire
Your will impart

cjb

This is why I'm saved

Sharing in the master’s work
Sacrifices come
Every loss will be my gain
When this war is won

Sharing in your suffering
Giving as you gave
Living out your life in me
This is why I’m saved

Giving all I have for you
What more can I do?
Your love is extravagant
Make me more like you

Living every day in full
Life abundantly
God’s great goodness and His grace
Brings me to my knees

Fighting in the war for souls
This is why I’m saved!
Battles raging all around
Efforts not in vain


cjb

Hearing God through nature

We went camping this past weekend with friends. It was wonderful weather, good food and great fellowship. Our campsite was in the woods of northern New Hampshire and had no phone signal. When I asked the women at the desk if there was somewhere I could go on site to get a signal she told me I would have to drive six miles off the campsite. LOL! So we were really in the middle of nowhere. No signal but a nice pool. The pirate ship on the edge of the pool had slides of all sizes and this entertained all the kids for hours.

Sometimes God speaks to me through nature and this weekend was one of those times. Every where we went there was a sweet smell of lilacs. Every road and pathway had lilac bushes in full bloom. God has used these simple bushes to speak to me in the past. Also there was one yellow butterfly that seemed to like me a whole lot. At least twice a day I would find it flying past me or over me. God has often used this symbolism to speak to me on many different levels.

All this to say, on my arrival home these words came to me. I hope they are a blessing to some as I play with words and images the has Lord placed before me.

picture by walksinthewoods

Violet lilacs
Golden butterflies
Fragrances of gratitude
Transformation flies
Thankfulness smells
Sweet as spring
Hope can lift us
Like those wings
No longer crawling
On a wall
But soaring high
Above it all
No longer smelling
Excrement
But breathing in
Heaven’s scent
An atmosphere of
Metamorphosis
Faith is why
We believe all this!
Cocoons bound
Holding in night
Breakthroughs come
Releasing light
Change that sends
Worms to flight
Transformation!
Prodigals lost
Now are found!
Sons feeding pigs
Now wear crowns!
Sweeter fragrance
We cannot breathe in
Than a life transformed
Surrendered to him.

cjb

A full boil

My Grandmother Voisey always liked a hot cup of tea. She insisted that the kettle not only come to a full boil but she would let it boil for 3 minutes before she would steep her tea.
It always amazed me, at restaurants, when she would be given her tea and she could tell on the first sip if the water had come to a FULL boil. Often she would politely send it back. On many occasions, I have waited for a kettle to come to full boil. Hovering, watching, wondering and sometimes taking it off too soon because of an impulse that says, "it's hot enough!" I'm usually in a hurry when this happens. I have also been bright enough to leave a kettle on the fire too long. I have ruined at least two kettles this way. Usually, when this happens I have become too busy with other things and forget I even put the kettle on the fire. The water has evaporated and the kettle is left with a scar.
There is an art to making a good cup of tea. An art that for the most part is completely lost here in the States. Maybe it is my grandmother's influence but I can tell the difference between a cup of tea that has been brewed "properly" and a cup that has been brewed with water that has not been given time to come to a full boil.
I wish I had this same discernment when it came to spiritual things. I am praying for it, asking God to give me this kind of discernment! To know the difference between divine pressure to move or speak and my human impulses. I do not want to take any kettle off the fire before it has reached a full boil. I do not want to serve up a lukewarm cup of anything! I also do not want to miss the moment and scar the kettle.

How does one know for sure the difference between human impulse and divine pressure?

A need to know

I’m struggling with questions. Why do I have so few questions? It makes me wonder am I just simple. It isn’t that I don’t care. I read the debates and I know I have an opinion. I also am keenly aware when I don’t have answers for some of the questions and sadly I’m alright with this.
I feel like I am on a “need to know” basis with God. When I need to know….then he fills me in. The rest of the time I just try and live out what I already know. I don’t think it is wrong to question. I actually think it can spur on great discussions and sharpen our beliefs. I admire those who can ask the cutting edge questions. I just realize- I don’t have that in me. I’m not cutting edge material. (At least not on the internet.) I like the debates and discussions but I think one thing that holds me back is not having the conversations face to face. I am uneasy when I can not see the whole language of a person (words and body language) being spoken before me. The other reason is my fear of just not being smart enough or well read enough to participate. Sad, I know…but this is true and holds me back.

I also am overwhelmed with the amount of need in our world for God to intervene in and through us in tangible ways…

Human trafficking
The blasphemy site (which I just learned about from Rob Reardon’s site)
The links on the blasphemy site- They make me cringe!
The apathy and self centeredness of society
The list goes on and on.
I am very aware of these things and yet sit here with absolutely no idea of how to even begin to turn the tide. My game plan….seems weak at best. I’m trying to live out Christ where I am. This isn’t a self- righteous statement…I actually feel like living out Christ where I am doesn’t address any of these needs…at least not in a tide changing way. But it is all I can do at the moment so it is what I do. Again…I guess it is a need to know kind of thing. When the Lord want me to do something more….He will tell me and give me creative ways to participate. Until then, I just do what I already know to do.

In my life recently, God has poured out upon me a real sense of how he has blessed me. To tell you the truth he has gone out of his way to romance me. I am undeserving to say the least and yet I know it is my responsibility to receive this from him wholeheartedly. This isn’t as easy as it should be. This I question! Go figure!?
I have also been made aware recently of areas where I may have failed him and as Moses….. I have been given permission to look at the “promise land” from a distance but not be there. My heart breaks over this one and I’m not even sure where I went wrong. Now for this situation, I have many questions for the Lord but they are just between us.
Any questions??

Blessed-beyond reason

God’s capacity to express his love to me far out weighs my capacity to contain it.

Blessed-beyond reason
Loved-in every season
Sacrifices-fall too short
As does -my admiration.
Every time I give to God
I’m blessed-again!
Blessed- beyond reason.

cjb

Old friend - New site

If you are interested in:

missions

great photography

The Republic of Georgia

or just reading yet another Blog!

This is the site for you.

Our friend Tony who we first met in St. Petersburg in 1994 and then later in The Republic of Georgia has a blog. I know many of you will love what he has to say and his pictures are out of this world.
Drop by and see what he is doing for God and say a prayer for his ministry while you visit his site.
Blessings to you Tony!

A cross in the sky

My youngest yelled out in the car, "LOOK! A cross in the sky!"
She showed me her discovery with excitement. The day was bright and beautiful.
She is too young to know that the pattern was made by planes flying in and out of Newark Airport.
Enjoying her excitement, I just agreed.
"And it's right over my sister's school."
"Yes, it is."
"You know Mommy, when it is sunny like today, Jesus is in the sky but when it is dark, he is in our hearts."
"Emma, he is always close by us isn't he?"
" Yup."
"You know what Emma? Maybe the sun on our skin is God giving us hugs and kisses? What do you think?"
Her little girl giggle told me she agreed.

Singing in the Rain

Get thee behind me satan!
My efforts are not in vain.
My God loves me!
So, WATCH CLOSE! 'cause
I'll be singin' in the rain.

Moon over Manhattan

Moon over Manhattan
Round, bright, full
I can’t stop staring at it
It takes my attention from the city lights
Overshadowing the man made with its purity
Capturing my eye, stealing my breath
Against the dark turquoise sky
Clear of clouds and too bright for stars
I feel everything in me gravitating towards it
As strong as the forces of attraction
It tugs the waters of the earth and my heart
Pulling me, distracting me and I understand
Why some howl when the moon is full
The romance of it all is intoxicating!

cjb

Skipping Stones

Skipping stones
Across the lake
Two- three- four- plop!
Small, round, flat, smooth
Cast them out!
Some go far
Some drop hard
Some skim the top layer of water
Bouncing, flying, gliding
PLOP!
Again and again
We search for the perfect stone
To toss, to skip
Competing against ourselves
And the last stone tossed.
Hunting for the next with purpose
Excited, hopeful when it’s found
Will it soar?
Skip more?
Go the distance?
We choose carefully
Aim intently
Casting the perfect
Casting the chosen
Out of our hands
Propelling it into the distance
Loosing
What we earnestly sought
Tossing
What we once had found
Holding nothing back
Two- three- four-five
PLOP!
We start the search again
Hoping-
The next one will skip more
Believing-
it will go the distance.
Praying-
it will stay a little longer above water
Before it sinks
Like a rock

CJB

Worthy of mention

This whole week my girls have been off school. Alastair and I did not have vacation time so my parents offered to take all four girls to Atlanta, Georgia for a visit. They have had so much fun! They have been to a water park, they've been shopping, catching sun rays on my parents back deck and mining for precious stones at a local gold mine.
I am so grateful to my parents. The girls are having a great time.
More pictures on Flickr!!

Words of Faith

I'm a Beth Moore groupie. I don't belong to a fan club but if there was one I would sign up. Beth Moore is a bible teacher who has inspired many women to dig deeper into the word of God. She by example with a gift of transparency, encourages everday women to apply scriptures to their lives, to live out what they say they believe.
On her blog recently I read something that spoke to my heart directly. At one of her recent weekend ministry events the women stood and spoke out these words to each other and over themselves. I found them very helpful, I've recieved them as a word of comfort and strength for myself and wanted to share them.
Here they are:

Count it a joy,
Dear One
When life gets hard.
God is doing something huge!
He is also proving
That you are NOT a fake.
Be brave, Mighty Warrior.
Your God is with you!
When waves are crashing,
Stand to your feet,
Throw your head back
And feel the wind of the Spirit!
God is painting a masterpiece
With multi-colored trials.
Go forth and display
Divine special effects
To the great glory of God.
YOU CAN DO IT!

Hope you are blessed by them.
Speak them out!

James 1:2-4 (NIV)
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

NJ - Youth Councils 07

Just got back from the weekend. God's Spirit moved ! Praise HIM!
I may write more about that later but right now I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine who has just started blogging.
He has posted something new while at Youth Councils and I think there are people out there who would have some comments to throw his way.

His name is Charles Kelly aka "CHIP"

Here Chip is with my husband behind bars.
We should have left them there!

Check his blog out and leave a comment!

The newest Sr. Soldiers of Montclair

Ronnie Williams,Courtney Scheibner,Karin Tillsely,Heather Bate (my daughter),Stephen Johnson

Don't they look great!!

What can I say? It was a great Easter Sunday!!

The enrollment was going smoothly until I looked at my firstborn standing before me in a uniform under the flags. I was overwhelmed and almost unable to speak. It was a "Mom moment". Snap shots flooded my mind of her dedication under the Army flag when she was a baby, then flashed to the future and all the Lord has planned for her. Unfortunately for the rest of the congregation, I was officiating the ceremony when this emotion caught me off guard!

I choked back the tears and carried on as best I could.

As I look at each of these young adults I imagine all that the Lord has for them and all they have to give to the Lord. My prayer for them is that God will sanctify them through and through. That their whole spirit, soul and body will be kept blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls them is faithful and He will do it!!

I believe it!

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."

Rock of Ages 1987 NYSB

The Salvation Army's New York Staff Band sings William Bearchell's arrangement of "Rock of Ages", led by band chorus leader Major Thomas Mack in this 1987 broadcast.

My Dad is in this!!

Thanks Stephen for sharing this on facebook!