Without Fear

Making Another Move (I won't be here anymore)

2013-03-25T14:06:00.001-04:00

I have often wondered why things have been so quiet over here at Without Fear. Not that I have to have a huge following to make it worth writing. The writing is for me, and I choose to put it in a place others can follow along. However, at some point my feed reader got bungled, so it has become nearly impossible for folks to find me (folks I consider friends and really like me, too). I have tried to figure out how to make it work, but alas it is not cooperating. I cannot fix it, so I am going to take my marbles and play elsewhere.

This is the last post I will make from my Without Fear blog. I have decorated my new place completely by myself. Basically because the cutest blog on the block was unavailable, and I am too much of a cheapskate to buy a new template for a freely hosted blog.

So, if you will bear with me one more time, come and join the party over at my new place where you should easily be able to follow along in your choice of feed reader or via bloglovin, if that's your choice. If you will add me, I will be sure to follow you as well so we can keep in touch.

Heartiest of farewells from this little spot. I'll see you at the newest place I have planted myself. In order to make it easier in every way possible, I have imported all 324 posts from this blog to my new one. Without Fear will still show up in the blogosphere for a short period of time, but I will soon be deleting it as all the content has been safely transferred.

On His Adventure~

Pam

In the Blink of an Eye

2013-03-24T14:22:00.001-04:00

My Darling Prince and I were chatting first thing this morning. Considering today is Palm Sunday we began discussing the events Jesus experienced, beginning on this day and ending on what we now celebrate as Easter.

From the perspective of a believer in this century it is daunting to think of the drastic swing of emotions Jesus may have had from Palm Sunday to Good Friday to being raised from the dead that third day -- Resurrection Sunday.

Let's think about it for a minute. The disciples go and get the colt. A donkey. They load their Teacher upon this lowly barn animal. He begins His trek down the road as hundreds, maybe more begin to line the way with palms and singing "Hosannas", proclaiming their allegiance and honor of Jesus. It is commonly referred to as the "Triumphal Entry" into Jerusalem and still celebrated as the kick off of "Holy Week."

I did a little research and came up with this:

The people had " heard about his miracles and regarded him as the leader who would deliver them from the Roman Empire’s domination. They carried palm branches, which is a traditional symbol of victory, and spread them throughout the streets before him."

Jesus was revered as a hero. He was lauded. He was welcomed. He was honored. Palm branches were laid at His feet. Palm branches symbolized victory. The people were on His side. The people wanted to be near Him. They couldn't get enough of Him.

I am not going to detail the events of the week in this post, but I am going to ask you to fast forward to the end of the week with me.

Jesus is on trial. He is beaten. He faces a crowd who shout and scream "Crucify Him!" at the top of their lungs. This same man who had received a hero's welcome is now banished, ousted, hated, and brutalized. The palm branches have been trampled and are no longer remembered. Some of the same people who raised the branches on Sunday are now raising their hands in fists on Friday, adamantly agreeing over the sentence inflicted upon the man called Jesus. In the blink of an eye everything had changed.

Back to the conversation at my house this morning. My Darling Prince posed this question:

Does this rapid change of events in regards to what happened to Jesus during Holy Week give you hope? Am I the only one who thinks this way?

I don't think he is the only one.

This is why.

The circumstances Jesus faced, as ordered by God the Father, all played out in a matter of a week's time. The changes rendered by the end of the week would never have been predicted by most of those standing alongside the road when Jesus rode past on a donkey. They were caught up in the moment. God knew the outcome. Jesus knew the outcome and still chose to obey.

Regardless of what we face on any given day our circumstances can also change, as ordered by God the Father, in the blink of an eye. He can and does order our steps. We may see our circumstances as endless and unbending. He sees all as temporary.

The hope is found in trusting. Jesus trusted His Father and knew the ultimate victory belonged to Him. We can know the same thing to be true for us. Our current circumstances can look bleak. Our view of said bleakness can feel grim at best, and we may despair.

Yet in the midst of what may seem to be unending darkness, God may bring a swift end and turn our path in the opposite direction entirely to accomplish His purposes in our lives. He did that for Jesus.

The events that transpired during Holy Week were all to fulfill the prophecies made about the Messiah. The final result was Jesus was raised from the dead and prepared a way for all who came behind Him to have eternal life. We can rest in this truth when we can't see to the final chapter of our own stories.

So I am entering this upcoming Holy Week with a different perspective than those of my past. Indeed, I am anxious to focus on the events I have longed celebrated. I am anticipating the joy I will feel next Sunday as I rejoice with other believers over my Risen Savior.

I am also gazing ahead with eagerness at how God can and will change my earthly circumstances "in the blink of an eye." I place my trust and my hope in Him.

“So, Lord, what hope do I have? You are my hope." Psalm 39:7 (NCV)

Have a blessed Holy Week!

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #205

2013-03-21T19:58:00.003-04:00

I have finally come up for air for moment to make sure I don't miss taking the time to be intentional about how God is filling my thanks tank this week.

Here's my list without further ado:

Work: I'll try to keep this one short, but I am so incredibly grateful for the way God moves His hand in my life. I quit my job in January, and I had no prospects of anything else on the horizon. I am a writer, editor, and proof reader by trade, so I began praying God would provide me with something in an area of expertise and talent. I put out a few feelers with what seemed to be closed doors at every turn. When I woke up one morning thinking I had no idea when or if I was to continue pursuing editing jobs, I got an email from someone who had refused my editing services. He asked if I still had time to work on his book, and if he could contract me for the job. We set it up, and I began working diligently on his proposal and his 58 chapter first novel. I am more than thrilled to be in my groove, doing what I love best. Plus, the book is getting pretty interesting as I just finished chapter 36 today!
Food: For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you will chuckle at this one. I have become obsessed with taking pictures of my food and posting them to tantalize those who are my friends there. It also has had a motivational effect on me. I take more time on preparing and presenting lovely food -- that's a win/win. I eat healthier and get lots of affirmation from those who get to see my dinner. Shameless, I know!
Azaleas: Not a big fan any other time of the year, but woo, wee! They are gorgeous right now!! I can look in any direction from my house and see hot pink loveliness, and the abundance of them is phenomenal. I adore flowers, and I am especially wowed by banks of fuchsia.

I know this list is a short one, but I have got to head back to the editing board, so to speak. My list of thankfulness is far longer, but I may have to drop by again another day to chat about it.

Take a few moments to be intentional about your gratitude. It never fails to alter my perspective or increase my level of joy when I do it. Have a thanks-filled rest of your week!

On His Adventure~

Pam

I Need You Now

2013-03-18T17:57:00.000-04:00

Sanctuary.

Just ~~saying~~ seeing the word opens up so many different memories.

I walk back through them from my earliest one, and I see myself sitting next to my parents. I stealthily remove one of my favorite books from my purse and escape to another world while the pastor ~~drones on~~ speaks from his heart about God. When the story loses its charm, I gaze around me and learn the story of Jesus via the stained glass windows all around the sanctuary.

Next I am sitting next to my grandma at her church, which is what I always got to do when we stayed overnight at her house. I have no book, so I read through the hymnal until that loses my attention, and then I am mesmerized by the huge stained glass window immediately behind the pastor. Pews scatter across the room, the pastor stands at an ornate pulpit, and the people are in the same places they have found themselves for years.

Fast forward a few years, and I am in the sanctuary of the church where I was confirmed and spent most of my formative/high school grades. Most often I sat with my parents, in the choir loft, or in one of the front two rows of pews when I was playing in the bell choir.

The sanctuary here was simple and traditional. Two pulpits, choir loft, organ, piano, stained glass, and red carpet to complete the motif. Holy, Holy, Holy was my favorite hymn. Silent Night and candlelight capped off the completion of every. single. Christmas Eve service. My memories of this place are many and varied. It was a haven. It was where I began to get acquainted with Jesus and many seeds were planted for my future life of faith.

Over the next 20 years or so I have been seated in a number of different places of worship. I have worshiped in a warehouse, a barn, a storage building, a block building, and numbers of other structures set aside as a "sanctuary." At each and every one, my attitude determined my level of worship.

At one time in the recent past I came to this conclusion -- we are called to corporate worship for an audience of one rather than to be one. That changed my whole perspective and outlook on what I did with those moments in the sanctuary. I no longer silently criticized the worship if it wasn't chock full of my favorite songs. I no longer found myself "miffed" if the sermon wasn't exactly what I had thought I needed that particular Sunday. I began to see my presence and my worship as an offering to my Savior . . . the audience of one. You know what?! I left far more "sanctuaries" with a satisfaction rather than a sour disposition. God had met me, and I had poured myself out for Him. It was a sanctuary moment, regardless of what took place around me.

This attitude has translated into so many areas of my life. I now find "sanctuary" and a place of worship in the unlikeliest of venues -- my car.

For those of you who don't know, I spent six months working as a hostess at our local freestanding Chick-fil-A. For more reasons than I can share in this post, it was a bittersweet time for me. Many days my travel to and from were accompanied by tears.

What I learned in the midst of what could have been a terribly lonely trek on the road each day was God made the inside of my car my sanctuary.

He spoke to me in the silence as I traveled alone.
He spoke to me through the words of people I've never met on the radio.
He spoke to me, and I worshiped Him through the many songs I listened to on what have become my favorite Christian stations. God created a sanctuary for me. The song in the above video is one God used to literally carry me to the next step of His journey for me. I pray it blesses you, too.

So, the next time you walk into the building you call a sanctuary, or a worship center, or gathering place, or whatever you call it, know your God will meet you wherever you are. He promises it:

Matthew 18:20
"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

On His Adventure~

Pam

Mornings

2013-03-16T09:36:00.001-04:00

Now, I would never classify myself as a morning person. I've always been that one who likes to stay up late and watch movies, read, fritter away time on the computer, and have even been known to start major cleaning projects or go grocery shopping -- after everyone is in bed at night.

All that said, as I have gotten older I have slowly begun to appreciate those early morning hours in the quiet of my house. Those are my moments with Jesus. All I can hear at this time of day is His creation rousing through my neighborhood, see the sun peeking through the mini blinds, and feel the calm and soothing presence of my Savior.

He meets with me.

When I seek Him, I find Him.

He never leaves me.

He never forsakes me.

In the busyness of my day, I sometimes forget those things.

That's why it is so precious when I choose to meet with Him alone . . . in the morning.

Have a great day! I know I will.

On His Adventure~

Pam

Impatient

2013-03-15T16:09:00.000-04:00

That's me. I do not like to wait, especially when it comes to healing. I don't like to have to "baby" myself or deal with the limitations the healing process requires.

So, let's get to the back story here. I hurt myself back in November.

I "sprained" my hand.
My left hand.
My dominant hand.
I write with that hand.
I dress with that hand.
I hold the phone with that hand.
I eat with that hand.
I . . . you get the picture.

Without the use of this hand, I find life a bit more of a challenge than usual. I am used to routine pain, but this new pain has been sporadic and unexpected.

I kept putting off a doctor's visit. I was convinced I could outlast this pain and somehow soar above the injury to where . . . I don't know. Maybe la-la land, because that was how realistic it was for me to go on for an extended time without any medical care.

So, now I am on the other side of the much-delayed doctor's visit. Diagnosis = ruptured ligament in between two bones of my hand. This injury pushed one of the bones closer to my thumb and aggravated it, causing the already arthritic digit to protest loudly and grind those bones together since the cartilage that's supposed to live there decided to take a hike.

Here is what I get to wear for the next four weeks during the night and when my hand just hurts too much to leave unsupported. Notice my one and only good nail right now . . . any irony that it's on my one bad finger?

I am learning a valuable lesson from this one offending digit. It may be small, but it is huge in the grand scheme of maneuvering through my day.

God wants to keep my attention focused on Him and my need for dependence on His strength. Without the support He offers me, I am tempted to rely on my own strength and do stuff to cause myself further injury. I then delay the healing process further and find my own weakness drives me further from Him rather than prompting me to run with abandon toward the safety of His control and care for me.

Without the support of this mostly ugly brace, I will cause myself further injury and remember quickly how weak I am without it. Relying on my own strength just gets me nowhere. I am left wounded and needy. Looking to the One who made me for the very strength He promises brings about healing, both physical and that of the heart.

The prognosis for my hand is iffy right now. I may end up having surgery. I may have to have a yucky shot before I have that surgery. I may always have pain in that hand. While complete healing for my hand is not guaranteed, I do know God is about complete healing for me His beloved child. He will bring about a complete wholeness at the completion of my life via my introduction to eternity.

In the meantime, I must trust Him with the little and big frailties of my life. I must rely on the support He offers and lean on Him for the strength I know I will receive at my utterance of His sweet name in plea. I must wear the mostly ugly brace for now as a reminder. I must obey if my goal is freedom.

Off to put that brace back on . . . my little mobile support group.

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #204

2013-03-14T12:18:00.002-04:00

Yes! Feels good, like that favorite pair of jeans. You know the ones. They are broken in just right. They aren't too tight anywhere, and they always make you feel like you can conquer anything when you wear them. That's how it feels to be doing a Thanks Tank again.

Long ago I started taking time to intentionally record my gratefulness in this forum each week. This was long before I ever heard of Ann Voskamp, her blog, or before she'd written her book. I just simply knew making an effort to enumerate my blessings was healthy for me. No matter what other circumstances crowded my days, taking that time each week restored my gaze to the Creator and how He had chosen to fill up my "tank" with more of Himself. I am currently reading Ann's book.

It is a great reminder to be intentional, to be alert at all times to the way God blesses, the gifts He showers on us each and every day when we take the time to look. I want to anticipate His hand. I want to eagerly watch for His presence. I don't want to miss a thing.

With all that said, here are a few of the ways God has chosen to let me in on what He is doing in my life:

My Darling Prince came home this week and initiated going on a walk together. This is HUGE!
I am seeing Him restoring and growing our family in areas I thought were long dead.
I felt the warm sunshine on my face as it streamed through the windows, setting in motion my little Dollar Tree solar-powered flowers who dance in His presence and make me giggle.
I had a great experience at the orthopedic doctor, who diagnosed my hand and put me in a brace that has offered support and comfort from pain that has plagued for months.
I drank chocolate raspberry coffee -- enough said.
I have reconnected with my bloggy self, and am finding much-desired freedom in being me.

Have a great Thursday, friends! Take a few moments to be grateful for all the big & little ways God fills your tank. You will be blessed!

On His Adventure~

Pam

Tentatively Poking My Toe Back In the Water

2013-03-13T22:04:00.000-04:00

Let's see . . . where to begin.

Hi! I'm Pam, and I used to be the one who blogged on this frequently changing template of a blog. In the months since my last post, I have periodically gone through changing my blog "dress". I changed colors. I changed styles. I changed the background and title colors. I chose a new template.

I kept trying to figure out what might draw people back to reading here or what might give anyone -- especially me, a reason to come back here and blog again.

My family has asked if I will ever blog again. I have wondered the same thing. When I first started blogging back in 2005 at a place I then called "Homeschooling in the Peach State," I was looking for connections. I was looking for like-mindedness. I was looking for a place to spill my stories and to find some sort of validation for what I was doing during the time I wasn't blogging. I was looking for kinship and other homeschooling moms.

After a few months and a number of posts about homeschooling, that blog transformed into a place I then titled "Just Peachy". The posting became less about homeschooling and more about me, what God was teaching me, and a little bit about thankfulness. I started getting some comments from people who didn't know me, making some connections, and at the urging of a number of other bloggers I interacted with at the time I transferred my blog to the now nearly invisible typepad blog platform host.

I lost readership in the transfer and found I also had lost a bit of the passion to blog. Months later I dropped typepad like many others apparently have and headed back to a free blogging experience here at blogger.

Again, I had an identity crisis, moved again both geographically and on the internet, bought a blog design and changed my blog name to . . . Without Fear. It so seemed to express the direction I wanted to head in my life and through my writing. I used my life verse to anchor the blog and began regularly post and consistently share my gratitude intentionally via my Thursday Thanks Tank.

I have had a love/hate relationship with blogging. I love the writing. I love the friends I have made. I love reading other blogs occasionally. I hate worrying about whether anyone is reading me. I hate feeling like I am writing for anyone but myself. I hate trying to write with an audience in mind, yet I know anytime I hit the "publish" button I am submitting my musings to a potential audience. I hate worrying and wondering whether there is actually an audience out there that wants to read what I have written at all.

So, after a mental argument that no one participated in with me, I decided to drop out of the blogging world altogether. I wasn't doing it for the fun of it anymore. I wasn't enjoying myself. The little I did felt like an obligation rather than an overflow my heart, and I didn't want to perpetuate the shell without substance I felt like blogging had become for me.

Interestingly, over the past few weeks I have had a stirring to write again. Due to a problem with my hand, I can't really write in my journal comfortably. Yet I can type! I can express myself here, and I feel like God has given me a voice. Now I just need to figure out what He wants me to say and say it!

It's been eight years since I started blogging! Eight! When I started this whole thing I had a 9-year-old, 6-year-old, and a 5-year-old.

Life has changed a good bit, and so have I. I look a little different . . . older maybe, wiser hopefully. My hair color has changed dozens of times. My address has changed almost as many.

However, after taking a spiritual gifts evaluation online the other day I came to a stark realization.

My gifts are the same as the very first time I took one over 20 years ago.

I am still the same person with the same spiritual gifts God gave me when He created me.

I am no one else but me. I am not any other blogger. I can't be anyone else but who God had in mind when He decided to let me join y'all here for the tiny space of time we have together.

On that note, I want to share a song with you that reminded me of who I am and hopefully will let you see who you are when you belong to the God who made you in the first place:

Matthew West ~~ Hello, My Name Is

I am glad to be back, and I look forward to seeing how God chooses to use this space to speak through me . . . as I move forward . . . Without Fear!

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #203

2012-10-25T17:56:00.001-04:00

I so want this to be an encouraging, uplifting post about how great is our God and how He provides for me in ways beyond my imagination. To be real honest, I am not feeling it.

Yet, what I do know to be true is that faith is not a feeling; it is an act of the will. So, at the urging of a fellow gratitude poster, I am going to share a few of the ways God is filling my thanks tank in spite of my attitude to the contrary. I am thankful for:

This Forum/My Blog -- It is therapeutic. It helps me to put things into perspective. It is a place that is mine.
My Daughters -- They cook and cook well. They spend LOTS of time alone and have no friends here, yet their attitude is usually good and they are getting along with one another better than they have in years.
Sweet potato casserole -- One of the yummies my girls made this week. Fresh sweet potatoes do make a difference and so does the crushed pineapple they stirred into the deliciousness.
Cool days ahead -- We are anticipating some cool weather for the weekend. Considering I have the day off Saturday, I am hoping it feels a great deal like fall so we can enjoy getting out in it as a family.
Roof over my head -- I know that is not to be taken for granted. I am grateful to not be homeless.
Pumpkin spice coffee -- I found some I can make at home, which is much more budget friendly than buying it at a place with a barrista. I am my own barrista, I guess.
Sale notebook at Target -- Made by the Crayola company, this fun notebook has a "magic" pen that allows me to write in multicolored hues when I draw, or when I make a grocery list if I choose. I know it's silly, but the little things make me happy . . . and I am trying really hard to be thankful here!
Friends who "get" me -- none very close in proximity, but thanks to the internet and texting I am able to keep in touch with those who hold pieces of my heart from afar. A hearty "thank you" to any of you who have prayed and encouraged me recently. I couldn't make it without you right now! I've also found that since I went to visit my family in Ohio last month that I miss them more -- so I'm glad I can reach them at the push of a telephone button.

I am now being summoned to make some sort of dinner for the family, so I will close this paltry attempt at gratitude. I will say the effort has given me reason to not feel as bad as I did yesterday.

Ultimately I am grateful for a God who doesn't give up on me when I am in this place. He knows my heart. He created me in this particular way, and He is not surprised to find me here. He will carry me through this, of that I am certain. And He is with me in the midst of it as well.

Running now to my Abba Father!

On His Adventure~
Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #202

2012-08-02T23:11:00.003-04:00

Sometimes my level of gratitude may seem simple and common to most, but trust me -- the ways I've been blessed lately have been anything but that for me. Here goes with how God is filling my tank:

Talking to my dad and getting the chance to wish him a Happy Birthday! This means more than just a phone call. We truly enjoyed talking with each other, and that thrills my soul. Happy 71st birthday, Dad! Thanking the Lord today for you and His providence in choosing you to be my daddy all those years ago. I love you.
So grateful for the days of peace and order that have come with our new address. Healing is certainly in the works, and I am hopeful for a full recovery of the trauma we all experienced over the past six weeks.
Had a great time with my girls tonight at the grocery store. I challenged them to make a meal with a limited amount of money, one that would feed our whole family. I'll share photos once each meal is made; but I am so thankful to see their creativity expressed, their frugality surface, and their desire to make something healthy come into play as they shopped. So fun!
I am thankful for an extended summer here in Louisiana. It was such a relief to not be joining my friends in Georgia as they went back to school this week, knowing we still have a bit of summer to savor.
Watching the Olympics and admiring/rooting for those athletes who have devoted their lives to excelling at the sport they have chosen to best exhibit their God-given talents. Exciting and exhilarating!

Have a great rest of your week! Take time to be intentional about gratitude. You'll be amazed at how God pours out His blessings when you thank Him in spite of your circumstances.

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #201 (a little late)

2012-07-27T22:16:00.000-04:00

Each Thursday I try to make a list of how God fills my tank. Sometimes I jot it down in my journal, sometimes I share that list in an official way on the blog, and other times I just highlight one or two things that I am thankful for. This is my Thursday Thanks Tank and the things that have filled my tank this week:

Moving. Yes, it is my fourth address . . . this year, but I am oh so grateful for it. Every step, every load, every mile away from address #3 is a blessing.
Town. We now live in a town with neighbors within view of my windows. Oh, how comforting it is to know human life is right outside my door!
Help. My family (both immediate and extended) has just stepped up and done a lion's share of work this week. We are all tired, but it's the best kind of tired found after laboring together.
Food . . . I didn't make myself. My MIL has done a great job of keeping us well-fed while we have been busy and had no time to cook anything. It's been a true blessing to avoid fast food by having someone take charge of the stove at home.
Toddlers. We had two little ones at our house yesterday. They are the adopted daughters of a friend of mine here in Louisiana (maybe I'll share her story here at another time), and we had a fabulous time with a 2-year-old and 3-year-old in our midst. God's all about adoption, and it is fun to see His blessings in action.
Marriage. Reminded just about daily how blessed I am to have a marriage that has withstood the better and worse of 18+ years.
Clean. Just moving into a place that is clean and bug-free has been a reason for peaceful rest and mental relaxation.
Library. How I love the welcoming atmosphere of a new library. Ours here is only three minutes away from my house, and I've been there four times already.
Prompt internet installer. He was here before 9am today. That's why I am able to do my Thanks Tank from my living room tonight.
Olympics. Watching the opening ceremonies in London from my living room tonight, too. Grateful for the coming together of our world's best athletes. Love the parade of those athletes!
Home. My favorite word of the summer of 2012 so far. Sounds good rolling off the tongue. Feels even better.

Have a great weekend everyone! Thanks for dropping in to read my Thanks Tank. Let me know how God is filling yours!

On His Adventure~

Pam

God DOES Do What He Says He Can Do!

2012-07-20T01:53:00.002-04:00

As some of you know, our move to Louisiana has been less than stellar. The house we've been living in since the first week of June is not exactly what I was hoping for after a stint of single parenting, leaving my own friends, and uprooting my children from all they knew and loved in Rome. Our neighbors swish their tails in greeting, "moo" their farewells, and literally "high-tail" it when the weather gets rough. They are "fair weather" friends at best and leave us feeling nothing less than non-existent to anyone living here.

Considering the school year is rapidly approaching, I was feeling like I needed God to move on my time schedule. I went as far yesterday as to think ~~speak~~ of how I wanted to hurry ahead of God to make things work in my own way and time.

Early in the day, Thursday, we found out the house we thought we wanted was not pet friendly. For a brief millisecond or two, my husband and an unnamed child discussed the possibilities of living in a home without Shelby (our Jack Russell Terrier) in order to get out of the situation we've been in for weeks. That quickly ended when thoughts of living without our dog superceded our need to exit the address we've had mail sent to for the last month or so.

So, my Darling Prince's dad was on his way to drop off some homemade soup. When he and DP were chatting--he mentioned having seen a house with an address right in an area we'd wanted. As soon as PawPaw left, we called immediately and set up a time to head on over.

We walked into this house, and I immediately found the presence of the Holy Spirit there. I felt at peace, and I knew we needed to pray and lift this house before the Lord.

So, after we met one of the landlords and finished touring the house on our own, . . . DP, Libbyline and I did just that. We held hands in the darling white kitchen and prayed our hearts out over what we hoped God would see fit to give us as a new home and fresh start for our family while the cleansing tears streamed down our faces.

Then it was time to go meet with the landlords, who conveniently live right next door. Mr. and Mrs. W invited us in, and we sat down to discuss the specifics of a contract. Due to our circumstances of the past two years, we knew grace and mercy must precede us in order for us to find a place we could be accepted. We asked God to prepare the way.

Through tears we were honest. Our future landlords were also honest and also in complete agreement that they wanted to take a chance on us. God had prepared the way.

After all the particulars were ironed out and we had all prayed together at their kitchen table, Mr. W. shared as he was about to let us head on back to our car that he'd told his wife when it took us so long to go through the house that he knew we had been praying in there. After we acknowledged we had, Mrs. W., in a hushed voice told us that many prayers had already been said in that house (she and her husband had raised four children there before building their current home next door).

Precious moments like that could only be orchestrated by our Heavenly Father.

He alone knew what address would be ours at the end of the day.
He alone knew all the details that would need to fall into place for us to be able to sign a contract on this house.
He alone could close one door on a house we thought we wanted -- only to open a bigger door to the house we needed.

Source: trulia.com via Pam on Pinterest

We are so incredibly grateful and humbled by God's gracious provision of a place to start anew! Join with us in praising Him for His indescribable gifts . . . to us and and for those He's brought your way as well.

I'd love to hear about moments you've experienced when you know beyond a shadow of a doubt God's hand had to be moving or the circumstances would never transpire. Shout out and tell of God's faithfulness and goodness!

On His Adventure . . . Always!

Pam

Nicaragua: Loving on His Children

2012-07-20T00:47:00.001-04:00

Heading into the church in El Bongo for the worship service.

Libbyline loves on her new friend, Gabriela, age 2.

Gabriela

Lupe receives a lovely headband Libbyline made for the children she met.

Thursday Thanks Tank #200

2012-07-19T13:42:00.001-04:00

Hey There~

I'm making a point of taking the time to be grateful today -- intentionally doing so before I hear about the house we're trying to rent. I don't want my pure attitude of gratefulness to be skewed by whether He has answered the request of changing my address.

So, here are the ways I am grateful to the Lord this week. He has blessed me in so many ways over and above anything I could ever request.

God restored a relationship that has been strained for years. He used His Spirit to touch the hearts of all involved and allowed us to move beyond the hurt and experience the freedom of forgiveness and grace He alone can offer. May His name be glorified in the relationship that emerges from this point. Praise Him for His heart for the family!
God has provided for us in little/big ways I don't want to forget. Just when we thought we had no money to put gas in our car Tuesday night, He had me find money that would get us where we were going and then some!
Again, yesterday, as we were needing to get a few things from the grocery store I found two different gift cards in my wallet I'd forgotten I had -- both with balances on them that more than covered the cost of the items we needed to purchase at good, old Wal*Mart.
I am grateful for the ways the Lord is having us live by faith, because it is such a testimony to our children and gives them tangible evidence of His hand in our lives.
Rain. I am grateful for rain that has kept it a little cooler, kept the bugs at bay, and helped the house to not reek nearly as much as when it is dry and hot.
Fresh produce. I thoroughly enjoy the fresh veggies and fruit available during the summer. Tomatoes are a favorite, and I could eat plates and plates of them if given the chance.
God's Word. I have found refreshment, strength, comfort, and love in the pages of the "life manual" my Abba has left for me. He has drawn me close to His heart through the words that lift from their pages and into my heart.
Friends. Those of you who have been standing alongside me in prayer, through phone calls, texts, emails and facebook have encouraged me exponentially. I cannot fully express how much that has meant to me. THANK YOU!

As I said at the beginning of this post, I want my offering of thanks to be unhinged from anything I have requested from the Lord. This is my Thursday Thanks Tank. Thank you for walking this path along with me!

On His Adventure~

Pam

Need Your Help

2012-07-16T14:46:00.000-04:00

I believe in the power of prayer.
I believe the prayers of God's people linked together for the same purpose are more powerful.
I believe prayers prayed out loud have doubled power.

Please join me in praying for a new housing opportunity for our family. Pray we will be able to secure a new place to live, move, and get settled before school starts next month. God knows all that needs to happen . . . and when.

He has moved me twice right before school started.

In 2003, He moved us in less than a month from Knoxville, TN, to St. Marys, GA -- over 500 miles. He found us a house to rent. He orchestrated all the details and provided us all we needed.

In 2006, God moved us from St. Marys to Rome, GA in less than three weeks --over 350 miles. He found us a house to purchase. He got us from point A to point B and protected us each step of the way.

It is 2012, and I need Him to move me less than 50 miles. I have exactly four weeks until school starts here in Louisiana. From my experience, God is in the business of answering prayers in His timing.

Please pray along with me that the God of all the details of my life and yours will have mercy on us and allow us to find housing that would be suitable for our family in an area with great neighbors, great school options, and with a safe place for us to rest our heads at night.

God knows exactly what we need, so please pray, too, that we will be willing to wait upon His provision of the right place for us. I know God will not be late in His choice for us.

Thanks for your prayers!

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #199

2012-07-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Gratitude surely is a choice. In no time in my life have I ever been so reminded of that fact.

I spend much of every day right now intentionally trying to find those things for which I can be grateful. Here's some of what I've come up with this week:

Air conditioning: The less than "glamping" we've been doing is made bearable by the presence of this luxury.
Time to Write: I'd be about so many other things if my circumstances were different. I'm thankful for the time to write and a forum in which to place my thoughts -- both good and bad.
Technology: How incredibly FABULOUS to have the ability to receive texts and calls from Nicaragua from our sweet Libbyline, letting us know she is doing well and thoroughly enjoying her time there. Also, I am grateful for the presence of the internet that houses all my friends near and far and all things Pinterest. : )
Awareness: The awareness of God's presence in a place I'd think I was forsaken. The awareness of sights and sounds around me that I'd miss if I were in the city, ie. the cute lizards, the bunnies, the thousands of dragonflies who have been visiting our front yard nightly, the spider webs with dew, the lush green of the grass against the dark blueness of a stormy sky, the sunsets that stretch out across an expanse unburdened by trees or hills.
Quiet: The absence of a city has its benefits. I no longer hear the sirens of numerous emergency vehicles peppering my evenings and lulling me to sleep. I no longer see lights of neighborhood vehicles darting across my view or my bedroom window once I'm in bed for the night. I am greeted by quiet in the morning, kept company by quiet throughout the day, and without my fan whirring in the background -- my days end in quiet as well. Gives plenty of time for contemplations to wander freely about in my head.
Music: The alternative to the quiet described above. How I love the eclectic mish mash of musical genres I am able to concoct via grooveshark.com. I can listen to my favorite Christmas music . . . followed by a little Bon Jovi, then immediately swing into a loud rendition of "Defying Gravity" along with Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, and then wrap my time up with a little Dolly Parton or George Strait. I might even add some Gregorian chants if I'm in a mood. Music is life-giving, and I am grateful God gave it to us to praise, to weep, to share.
Imagination: I am thankful God has endowed me with a great one. My life right now would be a far drearier place without the ability to imagine myself beyond my current situation. I can close my eyes and see myself somewhere else. I can close my eyes and remember back to better times. I can pray and use my imagination to carry me to the place where I am at one with my Savior.

This is my Thursday Thanks Tank.

Wordless Wednesday -- Daddy's Girls

2012-07-11T14:36:00.002-04:00

You said Nicaragua?

2012-07-09T23:55:00.000-04:00

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Elizabeth Stone

Back in February I went to an informational meeting at church with my oldest. The meeting was about going to on a mission trip to Nicaragua this summer. I was pacifying her. I figured there would be no way we could make that trip happen for her.

I knew Libbyline always wanted to go on a missionary trip. She's the one who came to me at age four and told me God wanted her to go live in China when she grew up. I didn't want to stand in her way, but I also didn't want to let her go.

So, we went to the meeting. We came home and prayed. We discussed it on Skype with her daddy. We prayed some more. She started exploring ways she could earn money on her own. We paid the down payment and prayed some more.

She began watching youtube.com videos and taught herself how to make hair bows. She worked and worked on hair bows, selling them every chance she got at church, online, and anywhere else she could. She got donations from a number of people, and God ultimately provided all she needed in the way of supplies as well, including her passport.

Everything did not go without any complications. We had more than our share of runarounds with the post office, with the bureau of vital statistics, with the office of passport relations in our region, and with the postal services in general. Libbyline's passport finally arrived in our mailbox June 25, after making our first application and interview on April 9. Certainly a case of leaning on the Lord's understanding of the situation instead of my own. He knew exactly when we'd need it, and He is rarely early but never late.

Fast forward to yesterday. The day of her departure. The day her daddy and I put sweet Libbyline, 16, on a plane by herself to Nicaragua. She traveled by herself due to the fact that we moved away from the team in Rome, who flew from Atlanta last evening to meet up with my precious one who flew from Houston on her own.

We got to the George Bush Houston International Airport in plenty of time. The guards in the ticketing area would only let one of us accompany Libbyline to baggage check. That would be me, the ultimate "mama bear". We sailed through that with her bag coming in at 33lbs. -- way under the 50lb. limit set by the airline powers-that-be.

We then moved on to the hubbub of people waiting to go through TSA security. The guard at the beginning of that long line matter-of-factly looked at me and told me that was as far as I could go without a boarding pass.

As the tears welled up in the eyes of both my Darling Prince and myself as well as the chin of my girl beginning to quiver -- I must have looked as panic-stricken as I felt. The guard immediately amended her ultimatum and told me that DP and I could go apply at ticketing for "passes" that would allow us to accompany Libbyline to her gate.

I fairly ran to ticketing and had a precious lady expedite our passes so we could rejoin Libbyline at security. I survived the TSA system and gave thanks again for the ability to be by my sweetie's side right up until she boarded her plane to take her more than 1600 miles from me.

Now, you'd be proud of me, because I refrained from the desire to cling to Libbyline as she walked down the ramp to her plane. I said a tearful goodbye and allowed her to go where God had ordained for her to go from the beginning of time. He was not surprised by her destination or the manner in which she would arrive there. He was with her every mile of her trip and right up until she met the pastor in Nicaragua.

She is safely in the country. She has been joined by her teammates. She has now finished her first day of ministry.

I have missed her greatly already. Yet, in spite of all my worry and anxiety . . .

I am so proud of my 16-year-old daughter. She has a heart for people unlike anything I found in myself at that age. She was thrilled to be going on this trip to minister specifically to the children of the village and to those who live in the area orphanages. Her only burden in going? She didn't have enough bows for every little girl she might meet, and she didn't have the ability to buy clothes and toys for every child she might cross paths with during her week in country.

More stories to share once she returns, but so excited to see how God's hand has been present from the very first day we heard about this opportunity.

Please be praying for Libbyline. She will return to the US Friday morning. I am grateful for your prayers for her, for her team, and for those who may be hearing of the love of Jesus for the very first time. The quote at the beginning of this post is exactly how I've been feeling.

On His Adventure~

Pam

Silver Linings . . . Searching Deep

2012-07-06T09:57:00.002-04:00

Being in a place you can't stand offers many opportunities to do things you'd not take the time to do otherwise. Due to the fact that the main living area of my house has a noxious smell emanating from the walls, the floors, the fireplace, and now possibly my own furniture -- for most of every day -- I've been spending lots of time in the master bedroom or the kitchen.

Just for my own sanity, I am going to make a starter list of the "silver linings" of my current living situation:

Spending great quantities and mostly great quality time with my girls . . . and occasionally my hard-to-pin-down son, as we sprawl out on the king-sized bed to talk, laugh, strategize our escape, and dream for the future.
Exploring our creative sides as we write, draw, and make other crafts to pass the time.
Getting to see us at our "realest", because adversity leaves no room for facades of any sort. You are who you are who you are during crisis, because it's too tough to find or properly place that mask you carry around much of the time.
Cooking quickly and creatively so as to avoid cupboards that haven't had their "unwelcome guests" eradicated yet. My new love is cheese and any sort of meat quesadillas with corn tortillas -- all ingredients found in the safe refrigerator.
Coming face to face with my relationship with my God as I seek His face daily in a way I'd only thought others could prior to this experience. I would love some relief soon, but I also know He has not left me here without a purpose. I do praise Him in this storm.
Hearing the sounds of nature I overlooked or couldn't hear due to living in the "city". I am now more familiar once again with tree frogs, toads, crickets, numbers of different birds, cows, mosquitoes . . . and while not from nature, I am also quite familiar with the sounds of flying crop dusters that send my dog fleeing for her life and dive bomb my house for sport.
Seeing the evidence of nature in the bunnies that romp around my yard, the lizards that crawl up and down the outsides of my windows, the ever-present cows, and those recurring unwelcome critters that somehow prefer living with me rather than outside where God created them to live.
Finding solace in the short periods of time away from this house as we try to get acclimated to the area in which we find ourselves.

Now to get about the tasks of my day. Thanks for stopping by!

Source: simplystated.realsimple.com via Pam on Pinterest

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #198

2012-07-05T17:59:00.004-04:00

I've returned . . . after a break that lasted far longer than I'd ever have predicted. In the time I've been gone (in no particular order):

I finished my four-month stint as a single parent.
I wrapped up my time as the children's ministry assistant at our church May 10.
I got my children through their respective school years, including honors days, field days, and homeschooling my now rising 9th grader.
I attended and gleaned incredible amounts of wisdom from another Beth Moore study and my first Angela Thomas study, Brave. In attending Brave, I had no idea how much I would need that one until I got here.
I packed up our house once again and was reunited with all the "stuff" I'd stored since our move in March.
We loaded up another moving truck; this time for a haul across the country to Louisiana.
We stopped at the beach for a quick pick-me-up day and a half respite. I listened to the therapeutic nature of God's majesty through the steady pounding of the waves on the white, sandy seashore. I beseeched Him to go before me and prepare me for this next step of my journey.
God didn't fail me, but very little could have prepared me for what awaited me at my new address out in the middle of a cow pasture.
We unpacked the essentials, taking account of all the broken things and tried to clean the major rooms we had to use. We stuck the rest in an outdoor shed behind the house, and there it still sits as the field mice have the run of the place, letting me know of their presence in unpleasant ways.
I have watched a ton more television through our Roku in the past 3+ weeks than I've watched the whole year prior to this move.
I have shaken my fist at the Lord.
I have cried.
I have virtually stomped my little foot in my own version of a tantrum.
I have spent time with the Lord, seeking His face, desiring His wisdom, and begging for His mercy.

What I have received is this (highlighting mine):

From Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest (July 4)

Do not fret— it only causes harm —Psalm 37:8

Fretting means getting ourselves “out of joint” mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, “Do not fret,” but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It’s easy to say, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to “rest in the Lord” then? If this “Do not” doesn’t work there, then it will not work anywhere. This “Do not” must work during our days of difficulty and uncertainty, as well as our peaceful days, or it will never work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work for anyone else. Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstances at all, but on your relationship with God Himself.

Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that ~~foolish~~ stupid(Chambers' original wording) soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.

And this:

The things you wish were most removed from your life are often the very things that God is using to shape you and make you into the believer of character He wants you to be. He could have kept Paul out of prison in Philippi but instead God let Paul go to prison and the jailer became a believer as a result. Father God wants to use whatever problem or set of problems you are experiencing for good in your life. There's something more important than your pain. It's what you're learning from that pain. God is in control.

And this from Jonah: A Life Interrupted, by Priscilla Shirer:

I am Jonah.
I want to serve God . . .
As long as it is convenient.
I desire to do His will . . .
Until it is a tad uncomfortable.
I want to hear His Word . . .
As long as its message is one I'm supposed to pass on to someone else.
I don't want to have my plans interrupted.
Oh yes. I am Jonah, and I suspect that in one way or another, you are too.

Priscilla Shirer explores the idea in this pithy study that we can look at our interruptions as just that, or we can rename them and see them from God's perspective.

"Insignificant person + insignificant task = interruption
Significant person + significant task = Divine intervention"

I've asked a number of times in the last 30 days for the Lord's wisdom and fighting against His silence. Just when I thought He'd turned His ear the other way or turned up His heavenly headphones to drown out the incessant whining from me; He began leading me gently toward the answers He had for me.

*** Do I enjoy all the answers He's given? NO!!
*** Do I trust Him implicitly with my today and my future because I've seen His hand faithfully move in my life in the past? YOU BET!!

I don't want to be known as a "fair weather" child of God. I must be willing to take the tough times right along with those mountain top experiences He's graciously given over the years. Do I enjoy the tough times while in the midst of them? Not much.

I can't really say sharing a house with numerous rodents and their excrement both solid and liquid, fending off the thousands of mosquitoes that threaten my every move, dodging the "dirt daubers" and real wasps each time I open a door, and staying inside in preference to the suffocating heat outside are conditions I would have asked to drop into my life.

What I can say at this stage of this chapter in my life is God has not forgotten me. He has not forsaken me. I can be assured of these things:

God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
I am who God says I am.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
God's Word is alive and active in me.

I'M BELIEVING GOD!

The enemy is NOT the victor here and will not have that victory over our family.

In a very roundabout way, this is my Thursday Thanks Tank. Thanks for letting me share my heart.

On His Adventure~

Pam

And The Dust Settles

2012-03-18T14:37:00.000-04:00

Wow! It's been a wild and wooly couple of weeks! Round one is done, and we are now fully moved in to our new spot -- the one we will call "home" for the next 11 weeks. Our precious church has gone above and beyond anything we could have asked or imagined in getting us set up in this darling, little house for this short time.

We have stored more than half of our belongings, and we still have plenty of items to fill up this cozy place and make it look a little bit like us. I unpacked almost everything the first day, and yesterday I hung some pictures that help this gal feel more at home.

Internet was installed yesterday as well, so I can now sit at my own kitchen table and chat with you. We are getting to know our neighbors and also made our first obligatory visit here since we live directly behind it. That won't be a regular occurrence, due to the fact that the four of us got one scoop each for a whopping $12.80. I'd rather have a whole half gallon of this than pay that much for some tiny scoops in a cardboard cup.

So other than a few minor adjustments here and there, we are moved in and ready to begin our routine when school starts back after Spring Intersession is over. The week was relaxing and much-needed in light of all the energy expended to get us to this point. Now I am eager for the rest of the school year to wrap up, since each day that passes brings me one day closer to living with my Darling Prince again.

Speaking of my Darling Prince, he is coming home for his spring break the week before Easter! Can. not. wait! Hopefully by the time he gets here, he will know what school he'll be teaching at next fall and can begin preparing the way for us to find a home in Louisiana.

Stay tuned for what God's been doing to fill my Thanks Tank later this week!

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #197

2012-03-01T12:50:00.000-05:00

Despite my best of intentions to come and visit my little bloggy home more frequently, Thursday comes back around again -- and I've not posted since the last Thanks Tank. So, here I am, a willing heart in the midst of a harried life -- intentionally taking the time to be quiet and reflect on how God is showing up to make peace at the center of it all.

The practical will certainly take the spotlight today:

Boxes: Yes, I have needed lots and lots of them. God has provided in a multitude of ways, and I think I finally have enough to get this place packed up and moved a couple miles from here . . . in 9 days.
Markers: I love markers of all kinds, but my favorites right now are Sharpies and Marks A Lot fat markers that make writing on boxes much easier.
Colored tape: Ah, this one will hopefully yield a goof proof move as I rely on a number of men stronger than myself to load and move those boxes God has provided. Blue tape to identify those boxes going into storage and hot pink tape to make sure those boxes come with us to the new house.
Going to bed early: Any of you who know me know this one is not an easy task -- especially when My Darling Prince is not under my roof. Yet this week has been one of me turning in not long after my children are all snuggled in their beds. I think it has made me a much more pleasant person to be around. I guess you'd have to ask my kids . . . and they get no voice on here. : )
Giving Away: Very important when packing is the purging. I find it very cathartic to give away and throw away. I have a whole stack of things headed to our church yard sale. What freedom there is in the things we leave behind. Makes me think of this song:
Accepting Help: Another task harder than the actual manual labor that accompanies a move. I'm not good at letting people help. God is teaching me . . . again . . . how necessary it is for me to humble myself and allow others to receive a blessing as they so greatly bless me.

I'm off to pack some more boxes! Have a great rest of your Thursday and don't forget to take time to thank God for filling up your tank -- each and every day. He does this whether we thank Him or not. How much joy does it bring when we remember to give Him thanks for what He does?

Have a thanks-filled day!

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #196

2012-02-23T23:12:00.000-05:00

Each week I take a little time out of my Thursday to intentionally recognize and be grateful for the way God is filling up my "thanks tank".

Here goes:

A pink skillet -- Yes, I bought a pink skillet, and it makes me so happy that I made myself a yummy omelet in it tonight for dinner.
Fresh Asparagus -- Thoroughly happy I could use some tonight in my yummy omelet.
Taste of Spring -- We had temperatures around 76 degrees today. Wearing flip flops and taking the kids to play frisbee outside definitely made it feel like spring.
New sheets -- Ah! The silky softness of brand new sheets is second to none when it comes to setting things up for a great night's sleep.
Exercise -- Far from where I want to be, but moving at all is better than being a sofa warmer. Thankful that the beautiful weather is a motivator to get moving.
Gluten Free Snacks -- I have had a number of disappointing ones along the way of trying to live without wheat, but these are fabulous. I found some at our local damage recovery grocery for a tiny fraction of their regular retail price. Score for me!
Visiting with My Darling Prince -- Saved the best for last! We had a wonderful few days filled with every emotion possible in such a short time. Overall it was just so good to see his face and to have him with us.

I can't describe what peace and comfort come from making this list each week. I guess you'll just have to try and make one yourself to find out!

Have a thanks-filled weekend!

On His Adventure~
Pam

Thursday Thanks Tank #195

2012-02-16T22:14:00.000-05:00

Each week I take a little time out of my Thursday to intentionally recognize and be grateful for the way God is filling up my "thanks tank".

No matter what my week has offered me thus far, it is always put in perspective by these few moments of turning my gaze upward toward the One who makes it all possible in the first place. I have no time to worry or look about at what others have received when I focus my eyes on how He has graciously chosen to bless me and the ones I love so much. So here goes:

Driving my children to school. We send our kids out of district to our county school system, so we have a 20-minute drive to get everyone dropped off and picked up each day. It has been such a joy to share those moments with them lately.
Fresh fruit. I love making smoothies, and having an assortment of fresh fruit on hand is always a stimulant for my creativity. We had banana, strawberry, pineapple, orange ones the other day. Yum!
Skype. What a wonderful invention! I have thoroughly loved being able to "see" my Darling Prince while he's been gone, and I know he's loved getting to see our children, too. This marvel has made our time apart much easier to bear.
Trips home. Speaking of my Darling Prince, he is on his way home Saturday. Being in Louisiana, you get a holiday for Mardi Gras, and am I glad for that!

The one thing I'm not grateful for this week is a migraine headache, and since I am continuing to suffer from one that woke me up at 4:30 this morning -- I am going to cut this short and head back to bed.

Take time to focus on what fills your life with gratitude and you'll see things from an entirely different perspective.

Have a thanks-filled weekend!

On His Adventure~

Pam

Thanks Tank #194

2012-02-10T08:46:00.000-05:00

Sometimes someone's words come so close to being exactly what I would have said . . . so I think I will share her words instead of making an attempt to say it in mine. This is my Thursday Thanks Tank via Beth Moore here.

Have a thanks-filled weekend!

On His Adventure~
Pam