Nine years ago...we packed up our van and headed out on a six week long missions trip with Native Praise Gospel Band. Each year they have a Reviaval Desert Jam in the desert...right here in our valley. On the reservation.

Prayer Request

UPDATE:
Damon phoned last night. He is quite nervous about detox. We told him that his paperwork with the state was in....that he was all paid up and ready to go....and that we loved him. Also, that many, many people were praying for him.

If you can imagine a boy emotionally stuck at seven....wounded by life's crushing blows and disappointments....in a 40 year old body....this is Damon. Oh, that You, Lord would heal his broken heart and be a Father to the fatherless. That You would be the Great Physician. That You would be a Friend in time of need. That You would be a Comforter. That You would be the Redeemer...the Provider....the Alpha and Omega of this story. That Damon would climb into your lap and rest in Your embrace and call You, Abba.

According to Your good and perfect will. In Jesus' name this and more is asked.

_________________

The Lord is living. The Lord is faithful. The Lord is moving. The Lord is intimately involved in the affairs of our lives. The following are three prayer requests that went out this week on behalf of Bradley's brother, Damon. He is a loving man who is wounded by life and struggling to find his way.



Bradley's brother is scheduled to check into rehab on 4/28. Please pray that he would be saved and taken home before then....or that he would survive long enough to get into rehab and then....the Lord would save him and turn his life around.

Thank you for your constant and unceasing prayers.

Lovingly,
Dawn
___________________

Please pray. We have lost contact w/Brad's brother, Damon. He is supposed to go into rehab on Tuesday...but his phone is not working. Bradley is very anxious and worried sick. Damon is homeless and living with dangerous people on the streets.

Thank you.
Dawn
__________________

I am absolutely amazed and humbled by the Lord. Got a call from Damon this afternoon. A woman who feeds homeless people had a soft spot for him and called friends. The friends are an older couple w/a spare bedroom....who are in the habit of taking homeless drug addicts into their home. They are born again Christians and she wants him to call her "Mom." She has already spoken to the rehab on his behalf. He is set to enter on Tuesday as planned. When he gets out...the couple has a room and a job waiting for him w/their modest house painting company. The reason we were unable to reach him by phone is because she made him toss it...saying anyone who had that number was bad news. She gave him a new phone.

(Bradley spoke w/the woman...verifying the story and he is also involved w/the folks at the rehab facility.)

Keep praying, please. Tuesday will be a big day for him. First time entering rehab on his own...without coercion.

He had but one request of Bradley..."Please send me your script for
Cedars of Lebanon so I can read it in detox."


Love,
Dawn

____________
Prayers as they come in:

I will pray for Damon and God's mercy and grace to envelop a
lacerated life with unlimited love.

___________

God, may you this very hour from your indescribable throne of glory reach
out your unmerited hand of mercy and save Damon by grace alone, through
faith alone in Christ alone. May you do it not for us, but for your own
glory. Please save him so that he can be one of many who will glorify you
for eternity. Save him, Jesus for your name, for your sake, for your glory.
Bring glory to yourself Father in Damon eternal worship and thankfulness for
your unmatchable grace. Holy Spirit please testify of the work of Christ's
suffering on the cross and convict Damon of his sin and need of a savior.
Spirit, we ask that you would lead Damon to cast his sin and suffering upon
Jesus and be saved today. Please do it today Lord for your sake, your glory
and to your praise alone. You are good, O God and able to save. Please act
on your great mercy and grace for your glory. We ask you to accomplish this
Father, through your son and by your spirit! Amen.

___________

praying

___________

Can do and will do.

___________

I can only imagine how close Damon is to YOUR heart. Praying.

__________

I have just prayed and will continue to pray for him and his awakening
to the truth, peace and Love of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.

____________

We will be praying..
____________

We are uniting w/ you in prayer that your loved one will be safe, and that you will get word soon from him!

____________


That’s so God! How exciting and what a relief. Praying he transitions well into rehab Tuesday. So glad to hear the update and that it’s good news.

____________

praying for Damon

Artsy Stuff

Culitvate art. Inspire the artists in your home. It's easy and practically free!

Saddle Club

Hanging out w/horses, goats, pigs, and dogs in the dust is way out of my comfort zone. But, my girls enjoy it....so I do it with a smile :) I like the people...believers who have followed the Lord's calling to share their love of horses and Himself to young girls. What a blessing this ministry is. I must say...it's growing on me.

Pretty Metal

This pretty metal caught my eye.

We are repainting every interior wall here at our home...and I'm thinking this trio might look good in the kitchen.

When I was 16 my parents took us on a vacation to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. I fell in love with Valentina. She was ten. We were kindred spirits. This girl left a mark on my heart that never ever went away. We communicated for years....then lost touch.

I found her on facebook a few months ago. Just as the Lord would have it.....she is here in town..... all the way from Monaco....with her beautiful children and came to dinner last night....along with her friend Barbara....and Barbara's beautiful children. What a lovely evening! I cannot believe how small this great big world is and I am so grateful for Facebook.

Get this...she is a photographer. You can see her work here:

http://www.studioevents.eu/

Tea Party

Whenever things get hairey...my dad always advises..."Sit tight. Darkeness will be exposed."

I believe this is true in governments. In relationships. In business. In churches.

Darkness will be exposed.

Eventually.

Sit tight.

Sometimes I resemble Alice though. White knuckling the sitting tight part....ready to stand and SCREAM!

Tonight I want to SCREEEEAAAAMMMMMMMMMM, "NO UNFAIR TAXES!!!!!!!!"

The girls are at an age now....where they have much "independent" free time. Where I do not have to be in the same room....supervising. I love seeing what they come up with to occupy their time during "playdates." Here's a twist on the good ole standby known to all little girls as "Dressup."

I laughed out loud when I saw these photos on Jemima's camera. Look how seriously they are taking themselves!

Seeds of creativity taking root and growing sprouts. I love it!

That's sweet Lizzy posing right alongside them :)

The Scarlet Thread

I liked it. Not more than Redeeming Love or The Mark of The Lion trilogy....but I liked it.

"Nellie said we are wandering like the Israelites in the desert. The land is cruel and the heat unrelenting. We are pulling out with first light and stopping when the sun is high. We wait a couple of hours in whatever shade we can find and then go on until sunset. But even then the going is so hard I sometimes want to lay down and die and have done with it.

Maybe we are like the Israelites. God watched them die on the edge of the Promised Land."

Aunt Florence just had her 93rd birthday. She has the most beautiful skin. Cocoa butter....that's her secret.

After Bradley's family broke apart....he and Damon were latch key kids. Anita and Robaire were the loving couple a few doors down who cared for them. Meals before and after school...little league coaching, sleep overs etc. Brad remembers them sitting up with him during the worst of his migraines......taking turns rubbing his temples....trying to provide comfort....as if he were one of their own. He's never had anything but a kind word to
say about them and they.....well, they claim him.

We were in the mood for a Pinkberry so we walked. I had forgotten about the beauty of this building on the corner of Wilshire & Beverly and about the height and lankiness of L.A. palms.


Willie's eyes caught my attention right away. The are a beautiful grey blue and I told him so. I think he was a little embarrassed by the compliment. I asked him if he was hungry and he said that he was. He likes Subway's tuna melts on flat bread....so that's what I got him. With mayo, mustard, pickles and a little bit of lettuce. He got a bag of chips and a Sprite too....along with a request. "I am a photographer, Willie and I do not want to offend you in anyway. Would it be dishonoring if I snapped a photo of those eyes of yours?"

Again, he chuckled shyly and said, "That would be alright."

He wanted to know what color I saw.

"Grey blue."

"But they are yellow all around,"...he said puzzled by my admiration.

"I don't see yellow. Just greyblue."

What a lovely, lovely man.

Anette Benning was in the crosswalk. She looks great! Naturally beautiful.

And then we walked home...stopping to admire things we don't normally see.

Resurrection Sunday

He is risen!

Maranatha!

Do you see it? Do you see the cross?


For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

Passover

Hoshana!

Galilee awoke early Wednesday morning to watch quietly from the window as the neighbor family prayed in their backyard. According to Galilee....they were speaking in a strange language and burning something on the ground. And the boys were wearing those little hats.

An hour or so later all the kids were playing out there together. Sarah explained that they were a "rabbi family" and that they couldn't listen to her ipod that day because it was considered "electronics."

That led to a long discussion of Pharaoh and Moses during our walk over to Beverly for lunch. 100's of Jews were in the streets.


Hear Oh Israel...the Lord our God is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart....with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5

See (Mark 12:29, John 10:30, 1 Corinthians 8:6)

The building with the Star of David....used to be a furniture store owned by the brother of Bradley's grandfather....Uncle Louie Spiegleman.

I love the details in the architecture of this temple. I was snapping away as we passed...but was told to "Stop!" by an offended gentleman in a prayer shawl. Taken aback....and not sure if he was serious or not...I said, "But the building is so beautiful. I want to remember it." "No pictures! This is a temple!"


The guy was completely serious. Not kidding one little bit...and not all too pleased with me.

So I put lowered my camera and we continued on our way.


Do you not know that you are God's temple

and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him,

For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are. -- 1 Corinthians 3:16-17