Christmas Tour of the Office

We're joining BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes on the very last day! I think she's closing the links down any minute. If you'd like to take a peek at tons of beautifully decorated homes, hop on over to her site and visit some of the blogs listed. You'll find lots of Siestas on there.


Welcome to LPM! Here's the front view of our office, which used to be a home. Hopefully that qualifies us for the tour of homes.


Front doors


Entryway


Our beautiful tree


The boardroom and our banqueting table. I love the chairs.


Fireplace


Each of us has a stocking hung on the mantle.


A little tree in Diane's office


Another one in Evangeline's office


The water cooler in the resource room


Did you know that our resource department is named after the wonderful Mary Helen Davis? LPM would not exist as it does today if it weren't for this wonderful lady and her tape recorder. She used it to record Beth's Sunday school lessons for years. We love you, Mrs. Mary Helen!


Jingle bell tree


Some little angels


This is not really a Christmas decoration, but we bought it at a Christmas market last month. I LOVE it!


We have several of these for all the fun cards we receive.


A fresh wreath


Outside on a staircase


The fireplace in our ministry director's office


Some bling on Beth's desk


The fireplace in her office


Merry Christmas from Beth and Starsy!

LPM's New Home

Ladies, this is what I was talking about back in November when I asked you to pray for something cool going on at LPM. We are so excited to finally share this with you! Interestingly, when I wrote that original post, Twinkle left a comment saying "Ok, I'm just guessing but I think this teaser might have something to do with couples or men." At that time we did not know what God had up His sleeve for Curtis. Twinkle, you were really in the Spirit that day! God began opening up that door just a few days later. I have thought about it many times since. But that's not the point of this post. I just wanted you girls to see what you were praying for and rejoice with us in God's sweet provision! Thank You, Lord! We are filled with joy!

God Is On The Move!

Hey, you most darling of all Siestas! I hope you guys are doing well and seeing some fresh revelations of Jesus in His Word and in the blooming Spring. In my own quiet time this morning out on my back porch, God spoke to me about getting the "full measure" (those are the two words I kept hearing in my spirit) of God out of every trial or season. In other words, if I have to be in it, I want every drop of God I can get out of it. Milk that thang, Girls. Milk that thang. He didn't allow you to be in that situation for nothing.

I am writing to let you know that this is a huge week for Living Proof. We are moving from the office building where we've been for many years to a free standing building that God has provided for the ministry. We are ecstatic! So humbled and thankful to God. And we are also practically out of our minds with all a move entails. Poor Curtis. I told him yesterday that I bet he wished he'd started at Living Proof AFTER the move. He's the only man in the ministry so he's been put to some use! He said he was glad to be there for the transition, however, and goodness knows he's certainly had a chance to bond with his coworkers. They have all worked so tirelessly and joyfully. They are the most terrific staff in the world.

It seems like just yesterday our modest hand-me-down dining room table was stacked to the ceiling with research books while a very blonde-brained young woman tried to hear from God from 8:00 to 3:00 sharp and seek a divine touch in the daily-ness of carpools, basketball games, volleyball games, fusses and fights, and budding hormones. There at that same table I labored away at the Tabernacle series, the David series, Jesus the One and Only and Living Beyond Yourself. All of those were written in their first forms right in that spot while clean clothes piled to Heaven on my breakfast room table. And I was ruined for life.

I'll be back at that table someday - don't know if it will be sooner or later - with those of my generation and you young things will be doing all the break-neck studying and serving and laboring that we older things had been doing. And will still be doing in whatever form God directs. I don't believe in retirement but I do believe strongly in transition. In moving. And in also knowing when to MOVE OVER and let the next generation do what they're meant to do. With much help. Much love. Much blessing. That's God's way.

But for now, Lord have mercy, we're moving all right. Boxes to the ceiling. Knees to the ground. Pray for us! And more than anything, pray for God to fill this new house with His great glory. He's met with us many times in our old building. I want JESUS more than I want any surrounding. Any new carpet. Any fresh paint. I want HIM. Ask Him to baptize that place in His Presence and let me love Him more within those walls. We hope to grow in the depth and breadth of serving Jesus to you as we move with the cloudy pillar of His Glory to this place. You are so dear to us.

I love you!
beth

Remembering in the Desert

Guess what!?!? I am blogging from the LPM office today! Isn't that fun? I almost brought my camera to document the day, but I decided not to pester my co-workers with a camera flash on my first day back. The Jones family made the move down to Houston two weeks ago. I will still be working mostly from home, but on Thursdays Curt and I will switch places so that I can work in-office with the rest of the Village. I have been away for four years and I probably don't need to tell you how good it feels to be able to see and talk to these wonderful women again on a regular basis! There is a lot of iron sharpening iron in this office and my spirit dearly missed that while I was away. These women have set the bar high and I benefit from their influence in countless ways.

Well, this has been a big week. Curtis started work at LPM, Beth flew up to the Dallas area to do a filming at the Life Today studios, and she heads back out of town again today. She is meeting up with her beloved LifeWay film crew to tape "intros and outros" for the Esther series. (Intros and outros are the little clips you see immediately before and after the teaching sessions.) They will film on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and then we will get her back home on Monday. Beth and the crew would love to have your prayer support during the next few days. The biggest request is for great weather and no rain!

In October of 2006, Beth and the crew filmed intros and outros for the updated version of the Tabernacle study. Beth wrote a really neat reflection about that week and, not having a blog at that time, we posted it on our devotional page. Here's a link to it in case you'd like to check it out: Remembering in the Desert.