So.... did we do it?

I hope you're all wondering!  Cuz I sure was :)

Last night as soon as I got home, that was the first thing on Joe's lips - Did we do it??

I said - I don't know yet - let me check!

Happy dance :)  We surpassed our goal!  Christmas is right around the corner - money is tight- but you have all been INCREDIBLY generous.

I will send the money for the well out today!  What a beautiful Christmas present for our family in India!  I wanted to send one - God blessed us with two - and after sending the money for #2, the additional money left over will be combined with other gifts from even more family around the world to be a part of well #3!!

I'm kinda freaking out a little bit here! hehehe

so now that its finished - i'll tell you exactly just how much we raised :)

(Oh - and for those of you just tuning in... hehe  we raised a total of 2,177.65 - but the first well was sent out earlier in the year.)

Thank you LORD :)

I just got a letter in the mail, about two days ago - from Gospel for Asia, and guess what it was about!  Jesus wells.  I can't wait to send him a reply back with our response! hehehe

Remember that verse I shared a while back - talking about Isaac and Rebekkah?  Remember that as his servant finished praying, the answer to prayer was already on the way.

Our well was already on its way as Brother K.P. was writing that letter of appeal!  Happy dance!!

I pray your Christmas this year is filled with Christ.  I hope that this is one of the more memorable Christmas gifts you give!  Actually - no - I hope that this is just the beginning of many more memorable Christmas gifts that you are blessed to give!

Joy... peace... love... my cup is full, and it's running over :)

Tomorrow is December 1st :)

Hi there friends :)

There is only one day left for any donations.  Tomorrow, whatever we have will go to India!  And you have no idea how excited I am about that :)

As for my final "official" walk - Sunday was beautiful.  It was simple.  It was gorgeous outside.  It was just what I needed.

Joe and I walked the three miles while the "twinsies" played at the playground. (Our Joey watched them while we walked)

I had considered having them all come walk with us at least one of the laps - but they looked so happy playing at the new playground - it just felt right to let them enjoy the swings :)

My sister and Matt did a celebratory lap with us (she was even in her church clothes! hehe)  and Paul and Jami said yes to joining us- but their two littles (Jed and Simeon) said no! hehehe  That's ok!  When their littlest little was just born - he braved the chilly, rainy weather to come to the first 250 party!  I am smiling thinking back to that day - that was a good day :)

Today I will do a final "unofficial" walk with Adrienne and her littlest little, Micah.  I say unofficial - because technically I have reached my 1000 miles.  This is just the few miles added on before December 1st - the official end of my sweet journey.

In some ways -it's over.  But in other ways - it's really just beginning.

After our walk on Sunday - we went to Christy's house to celebrate Orphan Sunday.  (what a GREAT time that was!)  At one point in our day - someone was talking about how we are exposing our children to such a wonderful thing by opening up our hearts and lives to adoption.  He reminded us that "what parents do in moderation, children do in excess".  What a great thought!  We adopt one - maybe two... what will they do?  Wow!

Having come freshly off of our walk - Gospel for Asia was on my mind, and I immediately related the two concepts and confirmed in my mind how true the proverb was!

A few months into my 1000 miles - Micah and Sydney were just loving what was going on!  They loved the excitement of raising money for a well.  Micah used to talk about "what if we found 10,000 dollars - think how many toys, vacations, new cars we could buy! "   ( -ahhhh to be a child and not realize how far a dollar will go. hahahaha)

but - after the well walk started - he started saying - "what if we found 10,000 - think of how many Jesus wells we could buy!"

love that boy.

soon that wasn't enough - and both he and Sydney decided they were going to do their own little journey.  I encouraged them - but honestly, I was thinking...  sure they're excited now - but this will probably pass.

It didn't.  So they asked me what they could raise money for.  I said - go open the catalog and see what really interests you!

Parents, if you do this - be prepared. LOL   Apparently, I should have given them a little more direction?  hehehe

Micah chose a $11,000 church and Sydney chose a $1800 generator for the church.

*gulp*

Before I brought them my dose of reality - the LORD kept me quiet.  He just spoke to my heart very clearly and told me to encourage them, smile, and sit back and watch Him work.

so... with clenched teeth - i said greeeeeeeeeeeeat!  Let's do it!

We didn't think that walking would be a good platform for their mission, but we didn't really have any idea what we could do.  I told them - well, we're not in any rush.  Let's wait for the LORD to tell us what to do.  In the next few months, He made it clear what we should do.  Memorize Romans.  yep- all of it.  :)

Don't worry... I'm not "hitting my friends up" for $12,800.  I'm pretty much letting the LORD handle the publicity on that one! hahahaha  I think I might need a slightly bigger circle of friends ;)  or just one really rich friend hehehehe.

Allllllll that to say...  (winking at you Joe)

Here is the point.  He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.  (shedding a tear or two right now)  Isn't He just so good?

Let me say it again.

Isn't He - just - SO - GOOD!

He doesn't just complete it with you - He takes it onto the next generation and then the next!  He is faithful to me through my children and children's children.  He loves us so much that He did this journey - for me, for you, for our family in Asia.  This was for Him, by Him and through Him.

Thank you thank you thank you for your love.  for your support. for your attention.  for you!

If I could express one thing to you that I learned along the way - take this with you.  (and i'm borrowing this from you Christy!)

Live to give His love away.


I never like saying Goodbye.  It just sounds so final, doesn't it?  But the other day, I read where the word "goodbye" comes from.  It means "God be with ye."   Neat, right?


so..... i love you all.  
God be with you

Joy- FULL Le :)

I've got this friend

(the title of this blog just started me singing one of my favorite new songs... hehehe)

anyway - i DO have this friend...

I love her dearly - we try to get together  - and something happens at the last minute that cancels our plans!  so frustrating!  But we forgive each other's schedules and make plans for new plans!

Well- we FINALLY got together.  We had such a great time - i mean - it was just perfect!  well worth the wait! We laughed, we cried, we had this amazing heart to heart conversation, we just had the best time!  it was one of those times when you just sit back and go... wow - that was so special!!!  so right as we were just sitting there smiling at each other and getting ready to talk a little more - everything started to go fuzzy, and fade a little. so strange...

and i woke up.

Can you believe that!!! hahaha it was all a dream. I seriously was confused when I woke up - it was just SO REAL!

The mind is a strange thing - isn't it?  I got sick this past week.  Really really sick.  I felt awful.  There were times in the beginning when I would just lay there in pain and try to calm myself and I'd start to feel better.  I couldn't move.  I couldn't think about anything.  I could only lay there still, motionless, and thoughtless -  then a stray thought would get into my mind and start turning. The thoughts would become sensations - smells - it would seem so real!  How could I simply think about a certain food and imagine the aromas, taste, and texture so effectively?!  It would be a matter of seconds before it would trigger a reaction.  Afterwards, I could only think about how a thought could grow into something with real power behind it.

Thoughts can be so powerful, can't they?

It got me thinking about prayer.  It's so much more than thoughts.  I know - there are people who believe that positive thinking and wishful thinking is just as beneficial as prayer.  Do you know there have been studies done?  Psychological studies done where they try to evaluate the power of positive thinking and prayer.  I know that no one will ever "prove" the power of prayer - because there will always be someone there to disprove it or to rationalize or reason away all of its efficacy.  But that's ok - because that's where our faith comes in.  And we know without faith, its impossible to please God.  We don't have to be caught up in the "proof"  because faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.

It makes me sad that there are people that will never understand the beauty of prayer.  The privilege of prayer.  The power of prayer.

I had a sweet answer to prayer recently.  My treadmill was dying.  Dying dying dying again.  (I guess that's what happens when you walk, walk, and walk on it. hehehe)  I needed one - and I didn't want to tell anyone but the Lord.  So - I didn't.  I just walked on, and let my request be known to my Father.  I know he knows my needs and He knows my desires, and He knows the difference! hehehe  I wasn't so sure if I "needed" a new treadmill.  After all - there is an awful lot of ground out there.  :)

Long story short, about a month ago - a friend came up to me and said - Leah!  I have been meaning to ask you this for a while!  We are getting rid of our treadmill, and everytime my husband says he is about to toss it, I tell him - No!  I'm saving it for Leah!  But i  never asked you - did you need it?

I just laughed...  She said she didn't know why it was on her heart, but she just had to keep saving it for me.

Now, I know.  the doubters out there will say... oh come on.  You're walking a lot.  You blog about it - of course it wasn't your prayer.  It was just common sense that she thought of you.

Well. Believe what you will.  I know.  I am certain.  I am sure that my Daddy answered my prayer.  And yes - its ok if I call him Daddy.  He likes it, you know :)

And He gives very good gifts.  This treadmill is like - straight out of a gym.  It's GORGEOUS.

So want to know how I broke it in?  I wanted to do a little challenge for myself.  So I did a half marathon on it!  hehehehe.  I had to keep restarting it when it would hit the 100 minute mark, but it kept a running total of my miles.  It felt great.  Thank you so much for my treadmill, Lord - and thank you so much for your love and friendship, friends.  I would totally say who they were - and probably a few of you already know - but I don't know if they want to be mentioned.  so..... thank you thank you thank you.  I love my treadmill :)

This bloggie is all over the place.  I know.  I have a strange mind.  Now you know why sometimes I just don't write.  There is just too much going on in here and no way to sift through it - so I just let the random thoughts run away wildly... hehehe

Today, I decided I had better write because I only have a week left!  Can you believe it?  I can't. It feels like I've just started!  But then I look back to last year - and it feels sooooo long ago.  I remember walking in the early morning in the dark!  I remember those pictures!  I remember that horrible mountain Cory took  me on! hahahahaha  Feels like forever-ago :)  You're probably all thinking - wow - what a great way to end - why don't you go back to that mountain and prove how far you've come!  Go back to that mountain and finish it and say - wow - this seemed so hard before.

Forget it!!!! YOU go to that mountain!  I NEVER want to go back there! hahahahaha

Oh!  and before I forget - there's no party this time.  I know!  I said we'd forego the 750 party and have the 1000 mile party instead.  but I just thought - it seems so silly to spend money on a party when I can just sent it to the well.  Right???  But I WILL have a final walk if anyone wants to join me.

I've been doing about half of my walks down at the new park for our church.  If you haven't been there yet - just go.  You will love it.  It is so peaceful and so beautiful, and for all of my church family - it just has so much more meaning than a park - again - its just a sweet and long-awaited answer to prayer.  When I walk there, I just feel so loved by Him.  and especially close to Him.   Its lovely :)

So I was thinking.... I'm already going to have passed my actual 1000 mile marker by December 1 - my "official end".  But if you want to join me for a symbolic 1000 mile - I'll be walking this Sunday after church at our park on Cole Grade.  I'm going to do three miles there (that's 3 laps) but you can join in at any point and taper off at any point if you like.  That's the nice thing about laps :)  We will probably bring a picnic lunch to eat afterwards - so you are more than welcome to join any part of our plans if it suits you.

One last thing - I've been asked by a handful of you how much left I have to send this second well.   I was considering telling everyone how much more we needed, but I decided against it.  I just feel like - sometimes we feel the need to send a certain amount because we're pressured into it.  Don't get me wrong - sometimes pressure isn't a bad thing!  But I just feel very comfortable and peaceful having the Lord know what we need and leaving it at that.  It's something I learned from George Mueller :)

Whatever we send will be a blessing!

I love you all :)
Le

clothes need to be altered... spirits need to be altar-ed

[ i wrote this a few days ago]

Where to begin?

No - I haven't quit. I still have 6 weeks to go!  I have missed many days these past 6 weeks, but today my spirit has been renewed in a very special way.

It's actually been happening for the past few days - but today - some things really clicked.  I've been doing a Bible study, reading a devotional book, crying...ugh, encouraged by fellow pilgrims, and doing a lot of looking in the mirror.  The Lord has been using all those things to shift, sway, shave, and finally - gently tug me to my knees.  Don't you love that He doesn't shove us down in anger?  

The past month or so has been such a violent rollercoaster ride - with super high high's and super low low's - and a million things stuck into every crevice of my life - so that its really brought me to my knees.  But here's the thing - when "life" knocks you to your knees physically - it really doesn't do much except drive you to despair.  It's just a pity party.  But when Christ brings you to your knees - wow, what a difference!  

When He does it, there is love, there is hope, there is comfort, there is peace and clarity.  

Don't get me wrong - I love that my life is filled with the busy.  I thrive when there is energy!  I love when I'm being used!  But when that's all there is - and I'm not beginning my day centered on Him, asking Him for His blessing of my schedule, and asking Him for wisdom in where to put my focus - it falls apart quickly.

I'm pretty good under pressure - so quickly can mean... a month! hahaha.   Because I'm a fighter, I hate admitting defeat!  So during that month - I'm fighting to "stay ahead of the game" on my own.  Been here before - you'd think I would have learned by now. :)

Thankfully, the Lord doesn't give up on me.  Mercifully, He is patient and proves time and time again - He didn't make a mistake by choosing me.  He knew exactly when and where I'd fail, and before I even begin to travel down that dark road again - He already has the Rescue in mind and planned out.

So that when I call out - the answer has already been on its way, waving its hand out to me, waiting for me to recognize it.  I just love that about You, Lord!

so no. i haven't quit.

as a matter of fact - i considered stopping, and while I was on my walk, the Lord showed me a sign.

come on... laugh - that's FUNNY!!!

Sooooo. I have 6 weeks to go.  I WILL make my 1000 miles. that definitely means more than 3 miles a day with all my missed days this past month, but that's ok.  I don't mind :)  I've been walking in the morning and at night!

I dont' know if we will have enough money to complete another well, or not, but I know that whatever we've raised will be used by God to go TOWARDS a well.  And that's cool :)  

So - sorry I've been so quiet for a while.  I'm still here - but I kept forgetting where I misplaced my joy.

and that's not easy to blog about.... LOL  Well I should say - its not easy to blog honestly about.  

Pray that I can end this journey changed.  I look back to the spirit and heart I had initially when I started this, and I already know I'm so different.  God has definitely used this to continue molding me.  Some has been so much fun, but some has just been downright painful. 

But no matter what I think, no matter how I doubt or question, I have a sweet and special "Thank You" card sitting on my front room table, with a picture of a woman in front of the Jesus well, reminding me that God cares for His people.  And, just think - we got to be used on the other side of the world to help show that love and care.

6 weeks left. pray for me.  pray for them.  I love you guys.

Nehemiah 8:10

Joy renewed,  :)  (surprise surprise, i thought i lost it - and it was with Him the whole time!)

Le

been meaning to share this!

Today is my first guest blog!

I loved this when it was shared with me, and I asked permission to share it with you.

I actually asked months ago - and he gave me immediate permission!  but i guess the time wasn't then.  its now

so i hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

******

Jesus Loves You, but...

Copyright (c) 2010 by Dann McCreary

It's not often that I sit down to write a devotional.. but here I go! I'm in New Hampshire for a few
weeks, working (thanks to my "portable office") and babysitting my brother's dog Koober.

During a work break, I thought I'd head to the Chocorua General Store on Route 16 to see if the
owner might be there. Maryanne and my wife Pam shared a hospital room in North Conway, where
our second son Christopher was born shortly after Maryanne's Kimberly. Sure enough, Maryanne
was there but she was helping some customers and didn't notice me come in. I proceeded to look
around the store, browsing while waiting for Maryanne to finish with the others.

I found a small oval ceramic plaque – blue lettering on an off-white background with a curly flower
motif below the lettering – that read as follows:

Jesus Loves You

but I'm His favorite.

Now, Pam will tell you that this is completely uncharacteristic of me; I immediately took the plaque
down off the wall and up to the front register where Maryanne was almost finished with her
customers, and after reminding her who I was (yes, I have greyed out considerably.. yes, the beard
is substantially longer,) I bought the plaque on the spot. After exchanging a few pleasantries, I left
and went back to work.

Strangely enough, I virtually NEVER make an impulse buy like that, especially not something cute
or decorative. Whatever could have possessed me to buy a knick-knack like that plaque?

During the last few years, I have simply felt so intensly loved by our Lord Jesus that I've found
myself being almost apologetic to my fellow believers, occasionally finding myself making
comments like "I don't understand why the LORD loves me more than you, but it's just obvious to
me that He does." I have watched in wonder as the LORD has so kindly and graciously resolved
issues that I had despaired of ever seing an answer to.

In reflecting on this, I recalled the Apostle John. When I was younger, I always wondered why it
was that, in the Gospel of John which he wrote, John never referred to himself by name. Rather than
saying "John" or "me," John spoke of himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." (See, for
example, John 19:5, 20:2, 21:7, and 21:20)

I am finally coming to this conclusion: the better we get to know the Lord Jesus, the more we will
all come to think of ourselves as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." I no longer wonder why John felt
that way. It was obvious to John that Jesus loved him more than all the rest! It is just as obvious to
me that John was wrong, because Jesus couldn't possibly love anyone more than He does me!

Sometimes Jesus' love is tough. Sometimes it's as gentle as a summer shower. How about you? Are
you "the disciple whom Jesus loves?" Wouldn't you like to be? Just get to know Him better, and
you'll soon find out that I'm wrong, that it's you He loves the most!

******

Of course Dann is wrong, He does love me the most :)
hehehehe

Le :)

a time to be born

and a time to celebrate that birth :)

i thought that i had gotten on here on my birthday!!! but i'm looking back over my blog and laughing that i did 3 posts thispast week and realizing that i only did one for the whole month of July!

wow, lazy bum!

so i guess now i'm making up for it!  hehehe

I not only celebrated another year of life for myself in July - but also another year for my hubby and another year for my baby boy Joey.  who is my big boy really.
our firstborn!  only one more year until he is eighteen!!!

i can remember his first steps like it was yesterday.  so crystal clear in my mind.  his little legs walking down the hallway in our vacation condo in Ocean City, Maryland.

wow.  time is a crazy thing.

on my birthday, as i was driving him to school, we passed by Margi and her kids on the road.  we hit a red light, she asked what we were up to, i shouted with a massive smile and upraised arms "Its my birthday!!!"  in the goofy way that only I can.

she said "come over!!!"

we did - and i had the best impromptu birthday time in the world!!!  i love you Margi :)

we walked (of course), we talked (of course), we had lunch and then we were on our way.

**before i go any further.  Margi walks with an insane pace.  unreal.  my shins were BURNINGGGGGG. LOL  ok back to the bloggie.**

5 years ago she and Michelle surprised me at my house for my bday - and now 5 years later she did the same again! hehehe  this is becoming a fun tradition.  i suggested that for the next bday 5 years away, she might want to celebrate it with me by surprising me with a trip to Fiji.

just a suggestion LOL

and then around my bday... I got an amazing donation to the well.

like the kind that makes your eyeballs pop when you do the double take.   it wasn't FOR my bday, but it sure did make that bday week something special.  I couldn't have asked for a better bday gift :)

I think this second well is definitely going to be sent this year - and I'm so excited for it!

I thank the Lord for all of your generosity.  You have made a huge difference in the lives of one entire community already and we are "well" on our way to doing the same for another community.

do you love it???  i do and i love you too
Le :)

a new ache? COME. ON!!!!!!!!!!!

why did i think that i would be getting FEWER aches and pains as I continued jog/walking.

by the way... i hate saying jog/walking.  isn't there a word for that?  i need to create one.

jalk?

yeah - i'll keep thinking about that one.  that sounds stupid.

how about wog?  "I'm going for a wog."  "How was your wog today?"  "Anybody wanna go for a wog with me?"

hahahaha i like it.  wogging for a well.  it still works :)

back to my train of thought... so i finally kinda found a way to decrease the pain from my heel.  it hasn't gone away completely - its more like.. at bay.

which is cool - cuz it keeps me faithful in my stretching.  when i don't stretch, i am painfully reminded of how necessary it is.

but now the OUSTIDE of my foot is hurting!?!?!  (i know. i know.  i'm running on the outside portion of foot.  I got it.)

but apparently walking on the outside of my foot didn't really aggravate anything.  stepping it up to jogging, with all of its jarring motion, has made me now aware that I even have an outside portion of my foot. LOL

isn't that funny?  you forget about certain muscles - until you overwork them.  You don't even realize you need certain body parts until they're out of commission!  you take your body for granted until its compromised.

speaking of which... saw Soul Surfer this week.  amazing movie.  nah... amazing girl.  the movie was cool - but her testimony spoke volumes.  craziest thing that I took away from the movie was - months before the shark attack - she and her mother had been praying that the Lord would use her in a mighty way.

Wow.

in case you haven't heard - this is the story of the surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack and came back to surfing with a vengeance!  amazing girl!!!!  in the movie, you assume she's 17 or something - but in the documentary - you realize she was 13 at the time of the attack.  when the shark took her arm, she didn't even scream.  its so much more than a movie about a shark attack.  i recommend it.

but this week as i get up from my chair, and it takes literally 10 seconds for my hips to feel normal... ( i swear i look crippled for the first few seconds!!)  i am just thinking...  in 10 seconds i will be able to move normally again.  what about people who will never be "normal" again?

Thank God for healthy bodies.

I know I've said that before - but I'll keep saying it.  I thank my God for my healthy body.  The healthy bodies of my children.  The healthy body of my husband.  Look around you.  be thankful for His blessings.

so... i have more aches and pains now that I've stepped up to wogging.  (like how i just threw that in there??)

There will always be new struggles with new experiences.  Just opportunities to gain perspective and appreciate who He is.

love it.  love you.