Unity

It was a sweet weekend. We had great fellowship in harmony at the Christmas Choir practice, we were together as a family and we had a great teaching on Sunday am. As it usually is where were are in the Word is where I am at in my walk with the Lord and he has had a lot to say to me lately about unity.

We started our first choir practice talking about it and saw (heard) it in action at the second. It was lovely but what was beautiful about it for me was the picture God was giving me of how he wants us to be in the body of Christ. Everyone taking their part, some a little different than others but all in agreement with the music, representing in this case the Word of God. Before practice I had asked a few people to take up leadership roles with in the choir, they did so with all seriousness and it was such an encouragement to watch! They went over and over the music with the others until they got it right. I could not be everywhere, but they were right were I had placed them. It is just like that in the body our Pastors can't be everywhere so they place leaders over ministries while the Pastor sets the direction and makes corrections.

I am sure I am preaching to to choir here (awww come on I had to..) but though I know all this well the Lord was pressing it in to my heart. So on Saturday pm I was trying to figure out whay the Lord was telling me all of this and on Sunday am during the teaching it all came together.

Lately I have been pulling my hair out over my kids lack of unity with each other. The Lord was showing me that they need me to lead the team in a better way. I try so hard to get them to stop fighting but I don't practice working together with me as the "director". We together all day and I am a one woman show around here sending them off on their little tasks alone as it benifits me. They want to work with me, not for me. We are a team not a dictatorship. As we read on Sunday...

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel Philippians 1:27

Don't get me wrong, they are good kids, and they love each other but lack of peace hinders our ability as a family to accomplish so much, even the furtherence of the gospel. May it not be so of us.

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Walk a Little Slower Daddy

Walk a Little Slower Daddy
Walk a little slower Daddy,

Said a little child so small.

I'm following in your footsteps,

And I do not want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,

Sometimes they're hard to see.

So, walk a little slower, Daddy,

For you are leading me.

Someday when I am all grown up,

You're what I want to be.

Then I will have a little child,

Who'll want to follow me.

And, I would want to lead just right,

And, I'd know that I was true.

So, walk a little slower Daddy.

For I must follow you.
-- Unknown Author

My H does lots of things right; this little poem reminds me of one of his best qualities. He leads our children well. He just finished putting the kids to bed, something he does nightly. Every night he reads them the Word, prays with them and sings their songs. In the AM if they wake up and he is having his quiet time he does not shoo them away like I am prone to do he just begins to read aloud. My girls will be blessed to find a man who will be as loving a Father as they have and my son will do well to follow in his steps. Is this a good husband brag? Maybe. But whatsoever things are good and noble, think in these things... I am just thinking about my husband.

My only politcal post-- ever

The election is over, I am thankful for that. It ended as expected if not as desired. I am not very polical but as we watched it all unfold I heard statements like "the first truly Global President" and President Elect Obama described as "a Citizen of the World". Keep your eyes up. I heard a speech by Senator McCain that was gracious in defeat and it was the first time in the campaign I was impressed. I saw a sea of faces of all colors and backgrounds throng together to greet their newly elected President. I saw admiration bordering on worship, joy and relief. I saw white faces glad to be part of this day and black faces that had waited a life time to see it. That moved me. No, not politically, I am unmoved. I was moved that our country made this choice, some with no deference to skin color, some in spite of it and some because of it. Keep your eyes up. Every man did what was right in his own eyes. Look up. I heard a speech that ignited hearts and gave credit where it was due with One exception; he did not acknowledge God except to demand God's blessing upon the people and the country.

"Thou, O king, art a king of kings, for the God of heaven
hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, glory.”
( Danieln 2: 37 )

Look up God will not be mocked. God has allowed this man to become the next president of the United States of America.

President Elect Obama will take us closer to a Global Economy, Global Government and a Global Faith. I am not saying he will take us there but he will surely pave the way. Look up. He will be my President, like it or not and God's word, commands me to pray for him and speak no ill of him. Unless he is asking me to sin against my Lord I am called to pay him the honor that he is due.

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
there is no power but of God. The powers that be are
ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power,
resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall
receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror
to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of
the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise
of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good.
But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth
not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger
to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must
need be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
For this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are God's ministers,
attending continually upon this very thing.”
( Romans 13: 1-6 )

"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the
Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto
governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the
punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do
well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may
put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. As free, and not
using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the
servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood.
Fear God. Honour the king." ( I Pt 2: 13-17 )


Pray for President Elect Obama, pray for his safety, wisdom and for his heart to hear God calling him to Himself. He needs Jesus as much as I do. Pray that God will do exactly that which will bring glory to Himself.

Change is coming, God's Word promises that but I won't put my faith in any government until the Prince of Peace is ruling here on earth.

Sunday Picture of the Week

We call this "Double Bass With Feet"

One of the best things about taking Isaiah to his bass violin lesson is getting to watch him carry the thing inside. You should see the looks he gets!

The program his is involved with is on the UTSA campus so there a lots of very "cool" college students and they are all very impressed. If you see him from behind all you see is the bass swinging to and fro (no hair pun intended) it is comical.

He is doing well by the way, he can take it as far as his desire to learn, hard work and those little feet can carry him. This week at worship practice he was able to play along with us for one song. I think it inspired him to know there is more to the 4 notes he knows than Jingle Bells and Hot Cross Buns. I was one proud Mama.

Kissing Bears

Here is some video and pics from our first ever CCNWSA Homeschoolers Field Trip! We went to the Wild Animal Orphanage here in San Antonio and we had a great time. It is a really interesting place, they get animal from around the country, around the world that have been mistreated, abandoned or just can't be cared for anymore. They take them to this place here in town to allow the animal time to adjust and to quarantine them for awhile. Then they take them to another facility some where within 100 miles of here where the animals live in a more natural environment. Now these are tigers and monkeys and bears OH MY! So I am not sure how natural these environments are but they do their best make these "retired" animals comfortable.

Lots of the animals are former circus or show animals, including a huge Russian Grizzly Bear that was forced to dance for his food. That food was not "bear food" it was like pizza, beer and what ever junk they had left over. This bear was not doing well when he got there but "Boris" is a whopping 900lbs now! He was beautiful. He is still a performer by habit and was doing a bit of his dance for us in hopes of getting a branch of his favorite treat, hackberry leaves.

The 2 bears seen here will hopefully be companions to Boris in the future. They are brother and sister and love to play as you can see.


kissing bears from Jennifer Velarde on Vimeo.

The kids caught lots of photos and videos some of the best were of the big cats here are a few.




This guy was born with a defect caused by inbreeding of the white tigers. from the front he looks great but his hind quarters are weak and he struggles to walk.

They also have lots of stray cats for adoption so please check them out if you are looking for a feline friend!

It was worth the cost to get in, knowing that all of the money goes to helping maintain this facility.