A Birthday card ...for Leisha?

...or for me?

We celebrated Leisha's birthday (April 28) and my Dad's birthday (April 29) with my parents and my brother Brad, Tanya, Chelsi and her boyfriend Zach!  I don't know if we've ever celebrated Dad & Leisha's birthday's together all these years.  But Ren & I got to be in Texas this time and enjoyed our visit with them.

Mom slipped a card over to me after we finished eating.  On the front was written 'Leisha's Hope' and inside was a gift for the electricity DEEP WOODS project.  I was elated.  There was also a page that had been torn out of a daily bread devotional.  She had marked some portions of it that she especially wanted me to see.  I slipped in back in the envelope and promised I would read it later.  

I didn't get a chance to read it till we were traveling home a couple of days later.  But I was amazed how it tied in with the dreams and words of the hymn on Leisha's birthday. (See April 28th's blog)

I include it here in it's entirety so I won't forget what it said...

from OUR DAILY BREAD, February 8, 2013

Mysterious Truth

Sometimes when the infinite God conveys His thoughts to finite man, mystery is the result. For example, there’s a profound verse in the book of Psalms that seems to present more questions than answers: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants” (116:15 niv).

I shake my head and wonder how that can be. I see things with earthbound eyes, and I have a tough time seeing what is “precious” about the fact that our daughter was taken in a car accident at the age of 17—or that any of us have lost cherished loved ones.

We begin to unwrap the mystery, though, when we consider that what is precious to the Lord is not confined to earthly blessings. This verse examines a heaven-based perspective. For instance, I know from Psalm 139:16 that Melissa’s arrival in God’s heaven was expected. God was looking for her arrival, and it was precious in His eyes. And think about this: Imagine the Father’s joy when He welcomes His children home and sees their absolute ecstasy in being face to face with His Son (see John 17:24).

When death comes for the follower of Christ, God opens His arms to welcome that person into His presence. Even through our tears, we can see how precious that is in God’s eyes.

Lord, when sorrow grips our hearts as we think about

the death of one close to us, remind us of the joy You are

experiencing as our loved one enjoys the pleasures of

heaven. Please allow that to give us hope and comfort.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. —Psalm 116:15

A sunset in one land is a sunrise in another.

Pasted from <http://odb.org/2013/02/08/mysterious-truth/> 

Thanks Mom!

Happy Birthday Leisha!

MOVING IN!!!

Last week the floor was laid in the HOPE cabin- and moving in day was Thursday!  It was a beautiful day! Incredible really!  The WOODS were beautiful with the leaves just beginning to turn. As I rode out to the site on the wagon filled with furnishings, I marveled at the feeling of joy that I felt.  And as we began to unpack, that joy only grew. You know that feeling when you begin to see all the peices of a puzzle put together- only way better!

Often when you think of a cabin in the woods, it's pretty rustic.  Well, we may not have electricity yet, and you may have to walk to find the porta-potty, but the insides of these cabins are not rustic.  They are great!  Each one with a different personality.

We have been collecting things for the HOPE cabin for 2 1/2 months.  Pastor Randy is great with design and Pastor Barb sees things that will help people see anything better.  The two of them, along with some great assistance from Randy's wife, Rhonda, gathered most of the items.  Ren's mom had us bring a small barnwood cabinet from her house to include.  Brie found a rug and ...
tada...it's amazing!

(I'm not showing pics of the inside until after the Cabin Dedication on October 14th at 2pm in the Deep Woods!  Come join us!  If you want to see teasers- check out my FB page at Kathy Burrus)

All day Thursday, I was so excited with the thought of it.   I was running errands for supplies for the dedication event, and enjoying the warmth of the day, looing forward to the day we could show it to our world-especially to Cait & Brie!  My plans were to run home and get some stuff so Ren & I could spend the first night in the cabin!

But I got home and ...this crisis of emotions begin to overwhelm! Yes!  I am thrilled the cabin is built.  Even more thrilled that we are very near the dedication of it so others can use it.  But even as I saw the items being unpacked and put together, I became keenly aware of how incredibly the SPIRIT of HOPE was captured. For me, it was also a reminder of Leisha's spirit.  Full of color- Greens, of course. Full of texture- never the same way twice with her.  Full of wondering- how she would LOVE this chair, or that one, or the colors, or...!

Suddenly, though I have felt her influence in all of this,  I was completely spent with feeling her absence. My heart was torn with being exceedingly joyful and sad all at once! I realized that my first time in the cabin could not be rushed!   I would need time to prepare my heart for something more than just the experience.  Somehow, God is using this cabin to heal more wounded places than I knew were still there.

Six years ago, I felt that darkness was swallowing me up. I was at a place where I couldn't imagine feeling hope again- let alone joy!  Today I feel both.  But I am reminded that I can feel those so strongly because I've known what it's like to not feel them!

How about you? 
Are you feeling hope and joy right now in great abundance? 
Oh I celebrate with you!  Drink it up! Be grateful!

Are you feeling dispair and darkness so strong it's about to drown you?
Oh I'm so sorry it hurts so bad!  Please don't go it alone!  Please reach out to someone you trust!

But more than anything- stop flailing, as if trying to get out of quicksand.
Stop, Close your eyes, and in your minds eye, look for the glimmer of HOPE that God has planted there just for you!  Come on, humor me!  Just do it!  Keep looking!  Keep looking! Do you see it? 

...that little leaf of green!

...that's HOPE!

...growing just for you!

I'd love to hear from you!  Add a comment or send me an email at kathy@greenhopecoaching.com.  You are not in this alone! 

You are invited to the DEDICATION of HOPE!

Come Celebrate the

HOPE CABIN DEDICATION

Sunday, October 14th, 2pm

Meet us in the DEEP WOODS

@Crossroads Church,
775 S Thayer Road, Lima

Light refreshments will be served.

Brush Strokes

Whew!  This weekend, Ren and I finished the staining of the outside of the HOPE cabin and the clearing of the inside.  We didn't do it alone.  We had the help of some good friends- and I mean good friends- who were willing to come out and do the work. It wasn't hard really- though my arms felt differently last night.  But it was more just careful work.  The clear went on pretty easy on the inside, but the stain was more difficult.  Every space you didn't get, it showed.  Every brush stroke that was against the grain, was obvious. And then to get each person staining to use a similar stroke and heaviness of hand, well that was another important thing to think about.

I've thought a lot about the lessons I learned on the ladder with brush in hand.

First off, it feels really GOOD to see a dream like this come to completion. There is great significance that we are staining the HOPE cabin, less than two months after the LEISHA'S HOPE event on July 28th!   You can read more about the journey starting with this blog http://brickhousenews.blogspot.com/2012/08/leishas-hope.html)

Less than two months!  A journey that began almost 3 years ago when we first heard of the cabins being built and that one of them would be called HOPE! We started to raise money over a year ago on Leisha's birthday, April 28th, and raised almost 1/3 of the needed amount by her birthday this year.

But we made a Garbage Pail Dinner and invited everyone we could to join us and raised more than we imagined for the project. And here we are - Less than two months from that- and we are very near a move in date!  What an incredible gift from so many!

That's the second thing I was reminded of on that ladder. This is not the kind of thing you can do alone.  It takes so very many people, each adding their own 'brush stroke' to make it work.
It takes

• Givers of money and Givers of time
• Food preparers and servers
• Wood clearers
• Foundation Builders
• Refreshment and lunch servers
• Picture takers
• Stainer- outside
• Clearers- inside
• Floor layers
• more picture takers
• Furnishing designers and purchasers
• more picture takers
• Encouragers
• Prayer Warriors
• and the staff- men and women who had VISION to see this DEEP WOODS project from the very beginning.

I'm sure I've missed some!  But please know, to all of you who made a brush stroke on this dream, THANK YOU!  THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  I am so grateful for all of you! Thanks for leaving your mark to build HOPE!

We're getting close to move in- Ren and I have already reserved the first night in the cabin. But after that, you are all welcome to set up your times.  Also, put October 14 on your calender for the HOPE CABIN dedication!  More info will be coming this week.

Staining HOPE cabin

Staining HOPE Cabin with Michael and Jennifer Klear with Steve Lawson

Not shown (I'm sad to say) Paul Morton & Pat Emery who put on the clear coat on the inside with Rennie & Kathy on Saturday.

Building HOPE!!!! a pictorial view

a pictorial view of the HOPE cabin being built

 

Pictures courtesy of Jennifer Klear and Kathy Burrus