On the Way Home
My parents will be at the airport in a few hours and start the journey home. Yay! After a layover at Newark Airport they will arrive in Houston around 10:30 Tuesday night. My dad will be very happy to be back in Texas. He doesn't like to be gone from his roots very long. He actually called me today because "My Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was being played in the streets during the festival. That's one of our songs. I'm not sure why, other than that he used to sing it a lot when I was growing up. And also "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd." He always has a strange song in his head. I don't really have a good grasp of what has been going on for the last two days, so we'll have to wait and hear it from Bethie. It's a good thing I'll be with her in person next week because I have to wade through tons of questions about Jackson before I ever extract one story from her! These things take time!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for praying. May God bless you and your precious families for interceding for my parents and the film crew. And for all of you who woke up to pray in the middle of the night, I really wish I could take you to Starbucks and get you a good caffeinated drink.
posted by Amanda @ 9:13 PM
37 Comments
37 Comments:
You know ... intentionally praying in the middle of the night for someone else was / is a wonderful place to be. I generally wake up at 4 am anyway. But, it's been because I am stressed or worrying and I end up praying through it. I was thrilled to have something exciting to pray about, and God has been gracious to me bringing me awake at that time every night. I'm glad they're on their way home and I'm glad they had a fabulous time! ... I had to ask my husband about roller-skating in a buffalo herd. That was new to me, but he began singing it to me!
I wish I could take you to Starbucks, buy you a tea and hear more of your story because you seem so sweet!
Sleeping through the night went out the door with the birth of my first child over 11 years ago. It is rare that I sleep all the way through but these past few days I have woke at random times through the night with your Mom and Dad and their crew on my heart. It is so crazy how you can feel yoked with someone you have never met. I can't quite describe it, but anyway we are all family in Jesus. I am so blessed to have found this blog! It is a highlight to my day! :)
Good night sistas!
Teri (MI)
My Dad and I share some fun, songs, too...including "Orange Blossom Special" and many by Johnny Cash! He also had some silly ones...he loved to sing and I loved singing with him!
It was a pleasure to pray for your parents as they did their work in Israel. I can't wait to see and hear the fruits of their labors when the Bible studies are released!
Have a great time with them next week!
Love,
Kristen
Hey Amanda-- My dad and I used to have a thing for "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd" too! I hadn't thought of that song in years!!!!! Now it is stuck in my head--Thanks alot ;)
You know what? I just LOVE when God wakes me up in the middle of the night (even when I didn't sign up for it). Only HE knows how very hard it is to wake me up! I know that when He does, it's important...only a handful of times in my life has the LORD actually tried to get this sleepy-head up...so Starbucks or no, I am excited to see and respond to the LORD in this next study.
BTW,my husband Chris and I have a contest all the time where we hum a weird and stick-in-your-head song to simply drive each other crazy! Then I may ask, where did I hear (for instance) "Achy Breaky Heart" today? Were you humming it? Who me??? He replies. Then I respond with "Sing a Song of Sixpence"....hee hee
"God is so good. God is so good. God is so good to us!" Praying traveling mercies for you and Keith as you come back home! We can't wait to hear all about it and the ways God worked! Come on home! Your "home girls" are waiting for you!! We love you, dearly!
see now, that's why you just put off your studying until late...then you're already up at 2am to pray :)..and THEN you konk out and oversleep :D
ps...amanda can i just say, i LOVE your dad. for those of us that don't have the best relationship with our dads, it makes me smile to read about how he loves his girls so...and keeps me believing in the possibility of that in my own life. PLEASE thank him for the way that he loves the Lord and let him know that this blog sista is terribly grateful for his heart :)
I am thankful that "Miss Beth" and "Mr. Keith" are on their way home. I cannot wait to hear how God really showed off! I long to see the places where Jesus walked, and David hid, and Paul preached, so I look forward to seeing them on video! May God continue to bless the efforts of this ministry!
And may God give Beth and Keith, and everyone else involved some much needed and well deserved rest.
Hello, I've never left a comment before, but just wanted to say we are thankful the trip went well and your parents are headed home. I'm really enjoying the blog, we live overseas (UK, with the IMB) and I feel so out of touch, so it's nice to have this blog to know what is going on. Thanks so much! Blessings!
Dearest Amanda.
Oh, thank God! I feel so relieved that your mom is coming home, having felt unsettled all week that she has been so far away. Sounds crazy, because I'm still thousands of miles from Texas, but it's just that unexplainable, precious part of sisterhood. Oh how great is our God, that His family crosses all boundaries!
I will go to sleep tonight praying for a safe flight and happy homecoming tomorrow. Thanks for taking us along on this journey, Amanda, and making us feel connected.
God bless you.
Chris
It has been a privilege and an honor to pray for your parents and the LPM film crew. I was so excited to hear that they were able to experience Purim and will be anxious to read and hear ALL about their trip! This has been such a personal experience for me on so many levels and others too, I am sure: praying each day so specifically for their needs and knowing that when I see your mom during the Psalms of Ascents study and the Esther study that we had some small contribution to it all. And my prayer calendar will always reflect the days and times that prayer was sent up on their behalf. Wow! It doen't get any more personal than that; unless I go with them next time:) Have a blessed day!
Dear Sweet Amanda,
Okay -- I didn't think it possible, but I think I'm beginning to love you as much as your Mom. You are a hoot and make me laugh with your tales of Chicken & Dumplins and taking the middle of the night "pray-ers" to Starbucks for caffeine.
One thing is certain...
THE NUT DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE!!
Welcome home, Keith and Beth! I cannot wait to experience through your eyes and words a glimpse of Israel and all her glory.
Praise God they are on the way safetly home :-) No thanks needed, I was blessed to pray for them. Prayer is so powerful and I enjoy it!
Funny, I am older than you and my Dad sang "You Can't Roller Skate in A Buffalo Herd" as well. I suppose great dads like to make their baby girls giggle!
Thank you for all you do, nice Amanda. I pray for the safe return of your parents and the crew, for a joyous time of reunion when you get to be with them, and for Jackson to be spoiled, spoiled, spoiled by his grandparents!! Thanks to the Lord for ALL the glorious things HE does.
Yeah! Thank you Lord! I won't stop praying for you all! God has so put your family and your Mom's ministry on my heart that I will always be praying for you! God has used your Mom's teachings to change my life...I am SO HONORED to pray! (I will continue to wear my Jerusalem Cross on my "I'm Believing God Bracelet!" not only to remind me of Who He IS...and Who I am in HIm...but also to lift you all up to Him with Joy and Thanksgiving!) Thank you precious Amanda for not only giving up your Mom to so many in order for them to be blessed...but for sharing your adorable heart with us! You make me smile! Have a blessed day!
GBY - Emmy : ) (that is how my kids say God Bless You!)
Amanda, you've been such a tremendous blessing. You willingly kept us up to date, and I am so thankful to you for your constancy and devotion. I will be praying extra hard on the trip home. The idea of home has been on my mind bunches lately -- I've been thinking about what it means, where it comes from, and what it means to be there. I will admittedly breathe a sigh of relief when they land on domestic soil again. I have no doubt that your mom is transformed and changed a little bit more each time she comes back from the Holy Land, but isn't it wonderful (and completely like her) to know that she will be first and foremost filled to the brim with questions about Jackson? Home is where you all are, and I know she will fall into your embrace with so much love overflowing from her that you'll scarcely be able to gather it all up! Blessings to you today. Soak up that precious baby boy!!
~ Lisa in PA
Amanda,
I have not been on the site for a few days and have missed out on all of the goings on. I just read all the latest posts and have caught up. Sounds like I have missed a lot. I wanted to say that I stopped and prayed for your mom and dad to have a safe trip back home. I am so excited about the Esther study. I would truly love to go to Israel one day. May the Lord be willing and me able.
Also, my heart goes out to you during this time of weaning your son. I have 2 sons and remember those days well. You feel a sense of loss but know that God will fill that loss with new experiences with your son. I have been remembering a lot lately because both of my boys had birthdays this past week. My oldest turned 10 and my youngest six. I too have written much in the baby books and journals. I wish I had written more however; how the years fly by.
Take care and may God bless and anoint your day with His grace and peace.
Sarah
Georgia
I am so excited they are coming home and that God showed himself Faithful and Trustworthy! God woke me up twice at 3:15 to pray for Beth and the crew and I would love to know what was going on at that time. For right now, it is enough that God knew what was going on! I have been praying for Beth's conference in San Francisco. I cannot believe she gets home tonight and then has to fly out again. I am believing God for the impossible and asking him to take away the jet lag and fill her full of energy and strength!!
As for your dad's strange songs. I can understand because I go around and make up my own songs. I am not sure where they come from but most of them have to do with my dog. My boys think I have lost it. Even the dog runs when I sing. Do you think they are trying to tell me something?!
Thanks for the Starbucks! It was delicious ! Have a blessed and fun day sistas!
Love,
Patty
Ms. Amanda,
I am so glad to hear that all went well with your parents and the crew. Please know that a little gal from Athens, WV (town of Concord University) lifts you and your family up in prayer often. May your ministry continue to bring glory to Gods kingdom.
Those strange tunes from the past and from certain childrens programs, is common around our household. I can't explain the joy within to hear a precious one hum or sing a tune. It is in those moments I find that I am filled with a certan melody.
Singing...It is well, it is well, with my soul!!!
Blessings my dear Sista...
Debby Ann
I know it's such a relief to know they are on their way home! We have all been praying for safe travels, and will all thank God when they arrive safely in Houston!
My dad has those little silly songs too! My sister and I have had them memorized as long as we can remember. He sang them to us to get us to sleep on nights my (stay at home) mom was exhausted.
Love, Sarah
Dad's silly songs reminds me of my dad singing funny country tunes at the top of his lungs. He would be driving me to school, roll the windows down and blare out some funny lyric song, filled with emotion and glee. Being shy, i'd want to dive under the seat, giggling i'd quickly depart when we pulled up to the drop of place in front of my school. Then i couldn't get the song out of my head all day long. I now wonder if he spent all day finding another crazy song, because the next day the same scenario would repeat itself only with a new tune. What good memories he built through the years.
Briefly i must mention one more. I was away from the Lord during my college years and beyond, and it was a terrible time for my whole family. When i would return to visit my folks for a holiday, stuff usually hit the fan, so i stayed no longer than necessary. However, on my arrival, my dad would, get up at whatever time he had to, in order to greet me with the most wonderful smell, the smell of baking bread. He would always pinch off a couple of pieces that would be finished cooking around the time of my arrival and we would sit at the table, devoring homemade bread with butter. It might not sound like much but whether he realized it or not, he was building a precious memory in me of his love.
Sounds like our heavenly Father who continues to be so Faithful even when we are not. He infact loved me back to Himself after my 10 years of rebellion and continues to draw me to Himself, much like with the familiar aroma of fresh baked bread.. for He is our Bread of Life.
The countless times the Lord has awoken me to pray for the whole LPM team has been a previlage and a pleasure but i'll take you up on a vente soy latte anyday of the week:)
A blog from the LPM people ! How flipping awesome! You have made a wee lassie VERY happy! To learn from your mothers studies of the Word has been awesome; thank you for your bloggins', your stories about your wee boy and diarising your lessons on becoming a mother, it's so wonderful.
I do so appreciate hearing where the studies are at, I'm so nosey that way; it's very cool for me.
Blessings on you and your wee family
Under the blood and fire
Sounds as if Mama Beth has her priorities right on...first things first, news about her precious Jackson.
I am praying for your parents safe return. We can wait to hear about all the "God-Stops" when your mom gets home and rested.
Bless you, sweet Amanda
Mary
Arkansas
Praise God that they are on their way home now. However, the prayers will still be going up from my heart 'til I hear that they have landed safely, etc.
Jennifer
Hi Amanda-
I have been awakened almost every night since your parents left to pray for them. I agree with the others, I will be glad when they land on domestic soil. I have missed them and have also been unsettled, not knowing the time difference, but feeling the NEED in the middle of the night to PRAY,PRAY,PRAY! It has been a total joy- Up here in Seattle area we are Tully's fans-we even brought your mom into the fold while she was here! Looking forward to hearing about the trip. Tell us the story later about Jackson's reaction to your mom and vice-versa after not seeing her! I enjoy you so much-Thanks for the imput into the blog! Kiss Jackson and hug on his little neck- and please tell your parents how much we all missed them and hug on her neck also!
I am so thankful that your parents have had a very productive and blessedly safe trip. I am also very thankful for this blog- It keeps me in touch and makes me feel a part of a ministry which I have cherished for years. Keep on keepin' on Amanda. You bring great energy and enthusiasm to this ministry and you have blessed me as well as others I am sure, through your sharing. Blessings on your day and your reunion with your parents.
I totally agree with Teri as far as feeling that being yoked to someone you have never met is odd, but hey being odd is perhaps more normal than not being odd. Was that an odd comment? Anyway, Amanda, the point is I love your mom and now you too. I so often wish I were a part of your ministry and then I remember that I can be a part simply by praying. I too feel blessed to have found this blog and look forward to reading it each day. Donna(VA)
I wanted to send a shout out to Debby Ann. I graduated from Concord University in 1986. (it was called Concord College when I was there.) Maybe I will see you one day at a LPL event. I now live in Raleigh, NC. (I was so blessed by the Psalms of Ascent message that Beth gave to us and can"t wait to do the study!)
Thank you Amanda for keeping us updated while your mom was away.
Praying for everyone was such a priviledge. Enjoy your time with your family next week.
Can't wait to hear stories from the trip!
Love to all my sistas
Kristi B.
i feel like it's christmas time and we're all sitting around the fire telling stories while we wait for the rest of the family to get here...except instead of waiting on the kids to get home, we are all home waiting for mom and dad :) ONE BIG CRAZY HAPPY FAMILY!!!
i love you sistas!!
Amanda,
You can take me to starbucks if you want. I won't stop you! Plus, today I really really really need one! But...God still reigns! So glad about that! I can't wait till Esther comes out! I'm going to sound like a broken record till it does. And then when it does, I'll be saying I LOVE THIS STUDY! And sound like a different broken record! Should we call them broken CDs now, since they don't make records anymore? :)
love you,
Kristi
Amanda,
I love this blog. It makes me feel so included in the daily life of living proof ministries.
I just wondered where people signed up to pray for this trip? Was this a local church thing?
Thanks for all you do.
Bengi
I am so glad they are heading back home.. they aren't even my mom and dad, and I will still feel much better with them on Texas soil. I have faithfully prayed twice a day at my times, but also many other times throughout thier trip. it is great to be a part of something so big. I am happy for you that you will be with them soon- enjoy it and let your momma get her fill of Jackson, just wait till another one comes along- imagine all the questions then!! :-) Love ya-
Jackie
Many Blessings to Kristi B. It is nice to know that someone knows about my little town. Sista Kristi, I pray that one day we will meet at a LPL event.
Ms. Amanda,
My prayer is that your parents and their crew make it safely home. Starbucks sounds great with all the Sista's. I find it pure joy for my soul to connect with the comments on the blog.
Blessings to Ms Amanda and all the Sista's
Debby Ann
oh I am so thankful Mama Beth and Daddy Keith are their way home. Praying they have safe travel and rest at home. God is so good.
I will be raising my teacup in prayer.
Nigt Sistas,
Tammy from NE
My Dad and I had a song too, "These Boots are made for Walking." We used to sing it all the time. It has been a pleasure to pray for you all!!
Stacy
After the line, "You can't roller skate in a buffalo herd" comes the line, "But you can be happy if you've a mind to..." Gives a nice application of Romans 12:1, doesn't it? :-)
I grew up in a home where we had two albums we could listen to...literally. One was Andy Williams' Christmas album. The other was Roger Miller. We almost scared the man who would be my husband one day to death when my sisters and I, one afternoon, out of the blue, belted out an impromptu rendition of "Dang Me" with every verse carefully intact! It was...well...weird.
Your dad sounds like the salt of the earth to me. Terrific musical taste. :-)
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