A Paws Alert

Lately several friends have indicated how my life could be enriched: add a pet! Since I don't enjoy gerbils or fish, and cats don't necessarily come when called, they concluded a dog would fit the bill. I laughed.

I laughed and waved a paw...er, hand...and said, "If God wants me to have a dog, he'll have to bring me one--and specifically one that does not shed!" Like such an animal exists. ha!

Silly me. Wouldn't you think by now I'd know God has a sense of humor?

I visited my sister, Trish, in Houston the first weekend of August, with plans to drive home on Saturday. I had such a delightful time with her kiddos, I decided to stay over and go to church. From the pulpit, the pastor's wife, Jana, announced that for the very first time ever the Houston Humane Society was holding a pet fair in the parking lot after church, just a sashay from my car door. There were four pets on display. A volunteer held the leash of a 4yo Maltese-poodle mix...who grinned at me. (I'm sure she did.) I discovered she was totally housebroken and very friendly. Do you know poodles don't shed?

So meet Lindy: named after Lindale Assembly of God Church. And my Father in Heaven is chuckling!

Genesis l:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

p.s. This morning my pastor exhorted us to pray/walk in our neighborhood. I've lived here 3 yrs and only since I've had Lindy have I taken a walk. Guess she's a prayer partner, too!

Purchased with a Price

We watched a video of Dr. Wayne Cordeiro, Senior Pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship,in Honolulu, Hawaii and he told the following story.


A young boy built a sailboat. He sanded it, painted it and carved his initals on one side. Pleased with the results, he took the boat to the river for a sail. Daily he played with the toy he'd created and had such fun. One day the river was swollen from a rain storm. Caught in a raging current, the boat slid downriver faster than the child could run. To his dismay, his sailboat was lost. All that work gone.

Several days later the youngster took a trip to town. There in the mercantile's window sat his sailboat. He entered the store, picked it up and examined it. Sure enough, there were his initials. He took the boat to the cashier. "Sir, this is my boat. I made it."

The man replied, "It's yours for $19.95."

The boy shook his head. "No, it's mine." He pointed to the initials. "See, it's mine."

The man stroked his chin, "Yes, for $19.95, it's yours."

The boy placed the boat on the counter with a heavy heart.

For the next week the boy worked: raking leaves, washing cars, and saved every penny. With a sock full of coins, the youngster returned to the store. He plopped his money on the counter and grinned. "I have $19.95."

The storekeeper took the money and handed the boy the boat. "Then it's yours. You bought it."

The young boy created the boat, yet when lost, had to purchase it with a price.

Do you see the parallel here? WE are God's handiwork; his masterpiece. He created us. And purchased us with a price. His only Son. Amazing grace! How precious.

Cordiero's sermon urged us to reach the world in two easy steps. "Start with you. (your relationship with Jesus) Start with the face in front of you. Everybody's waiting for Jesus."

Waiting for Jesus. If each one who reads this post renews that Jesus-relationship and prays for the face in front of them, think what the Holy Spirit could do!

1 Corinthians 6:20 (New Living Translation)...for God bought you with a high price.....

Hangin' On

This poor bear has gotten himself into a real predicament. He's hangin' on for dear life.


Ever feel this way? Sure we do! More often than we'd like to admit. At times like these, we need to feel the Savior's secure hand scooping us up and holding us close to him. Psalm 37 tells us to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Aaccck! Patiently? Not MY strong suit, that's for sure.

Today I wanted to remind someone in blogdom that the Lord KNOWS of your predicament. He sees! He cares. He loves you. Find a Bible and read Psalm 37. Notice the repeated phrase 'do not fret.' Rest in Him. You are LOVED with an everlasting love.

O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love!
Ps. 36:6

Our God Works Miracles

Our friends Mike and Anita have a tale to tell:



A few weeks ago at Grace Community Church, Pastor Mike preached a series on “Miracles” - whether God’s miracles are still for today. We, as a congregation, prayed for God to do miracles in people’s lives and did He show up in our family!

Shortly after the series, we received a call from our family in Indiana that Mike’s sister (Mary Jo) was in the hospital undergoing emergency surgery and was not expected to live. When we arrived, we were told of situations that only could have happened by God’s hand. Mary Jo had been experiencing severe abdominal pain. An MRI revealed a spot on her intestines, and the miracles began-

1. She was already in the hospital due to another situation.
2. After the MRI they determined surgery was necessary. The surgeon on call, a Christian, prayed over her before she went into surgery (how cool is that!).
3. The surgery revealed one perforation in her colon and two in her intestines. They had no idea how long they had been there, with poison leaking into her system. It was necessary to do three colostomies. The surgeon told the family that it was a very dire situation and all that was left to do was pray, but he did not expect her to live through the night. She did!
4. Day 2 they began trying to take her off the ventilator, but she was not able to breathe on her own. Again the doctor said if they were not able to wean her off of it soon, she would not make it. She already has COPD and emphysema. On day 3, she came off the ventilator. Thank you Jesus!
5. Later on day 3, her kidneys started to fail. After a time, they were preparing to put her on dialysis when her daughter happened to notice there was no output from the catheter. Lo and behold it was stopped up – No dialysis. Praise God.
6. All of Mike’s family rallied around and prayed over her many times. It was awesome to see God work in each person. One doctor even commented that if she were ever in the hospital, she would want this family praying over her. Only God could have brought this family together in faith.
7. We were there for a week and watched as Mary Jo recovered a little more each day. By the time we left, she was able to walk some and was starting to eat. Her surgeon said several times that God must have plans for her because as sick as she was, it was a miracle she was alive.

What a wonderful God we serve! Two months later, Mary Jo is in rehab with a long recuperation ahead, but we know God will be faithful to continue His work and there will be a time for the “rest of the story.”

God has also placed on my heart that there is no question as to whether He still does miracles – they are in every breath we take because only through Him do we live and breathe and have our being.
Mike & Anita Hughes
April, 2009
Acts 17:28 It is in Him we live and breathe and have our being.

God's Amazing Connections

I love a good story, especially love a good story about Jesus and His working in and through His people. A young couple has become part of our story. It’s a most unlikely combination. They are the ages of our grandchildren, but what a great joy they are to us.


Pastor Mike and Antoinette have come to be pastors of Grace San Antonio and are rocking this part of the world with their amazing love for people and the mission of “doing church” God’s way. In the several weeks they have been here, God has “shown up”!


A series of sermons was announced by Pastor Mike on the Miracles of God. Eager to hear and experience the power of God, I was reminded of a book I read 5 or 6 years ago that reported a powerful moving of the Lord in Redding, California. The book is called When Heaven Invades Earth. Thinking Pastor might like to read it because it had rocked my world, I began describing the book to him. When I mentioned the author, Bill Johnson, there was a glimmer of recognition in Mike's eyes. Continuing, I told him that the most amazing part of the accounts of God’s miracles in Redding was how the Youth were captured by the Lord and went out to malls and other places – not necessarily churchy places, and the Lord healed many and used them in powerful ways.


At this, my pastor could be quiet no longer. “I was one of those young people! I was there my senior year of high school and my sister went to the Bethel school.”


Well, as my Spirit did back flips, I realized that it is better to be part of the story than just read along, no matter how exciting the reading is. That the Lord would send into our lives this young, full of the Lord pastor is an awesome gift.


To quote Paul Harvey, “the rest of the story” is still being written… and we get to be part of it!!

The last verse of the Book of John says: Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25

Times Three

Imagine the couple's surprise when the doctor said, "It's a baby. It's a baby. It's a baby!" Everything times three! The young airman's salary was already stretched, and now triplets were on their way. How exciting and overwhelming.

A few months before delivery, Dr. GoodNews clapped Mom in the hospital: bed rest. This is when our friend discovered their story. She knew one thing: babies needed diapers. So with her husband in tow, they hit the baby aisles in Target.

Boxes of diapers loomed before them. Pampers, Huggies, Wet Ones, Aloe, Pull-ups. Sheesh, what kind should they purchase? They spotted a family--a mom in the know--and asked for advice. A short explanation: Mom on bed rest at Wilford Hall, triplets due, diapers needed. The experienced woman doled out suggestions, and our friends made it to the cash register with a cart full of boxes.

The next day, our friend received a phone call from the Soon-to-be Mommy. "Maggie, some strangers showed up at the hospital and donated five boxes of diapers to us. Who did you tell?"

Only the parents shopping at Target. Total strangers who reached out to help total strangers. Mom to Mom, Dad to Dad. What an encouragement to know others care!

Ripples of kindness. Times three.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.(NIV)

Resting Easy

Many who read this blog are our prayer partners and lately you've been prayin' up a storm. For that, we give thanks. Just wanted everyone to know Caron's best guy, Lee, is on his feet and looking good. He was poked, prodded, and examined totally. The cardiologist assured Caron he had a strong ticker. The pulmonologist said to B R E A T H E during the night. The radiologist said all clear. The phlebotomist said...let me have a vein. Caron slept pretzel-like in a recliner and an overrated chair/bed, and should have the kinks out of her neck by May.

Bless each of you for your attention and care during this stressful time. Now it's time to schedule some fun!