New Gifts...to ANYONE...in this New Year...Love to you from the Tuckers!!

Hello, beloved friends on this last day of 2011!!

I have so appreciated our visits together through this blog. :)

This post is a gift to you today from our family. We are at a wonderful conference this weekend in Kansas City that is given by The International House of Prayer Ministry. It has been an incredible time of refreshing and intimacy with God as a family.

The talk below started off our time here with an explosion in our hearts!! I hope it blesses you in the same way!!

Blessings to you!!

The video takes a couple minutes to load fully at the beginning...maybe skip the minutes ahead?...the worship on it is powerful and so is the first talk...but the one we are highlighting to you today is at hour 2 and 5 minutes time...push the timer ahead to hear of how you are a "power and lights district in Christ!!"...do you believe it?...maybe you are starting to?...Do you want this in your new year?..."if ANYONE is in Christ...he IS a New Creation"...

Love to you from Gillian and the Tucker family. Happy New Year...He makes ALL things new!!!

Gifts in Sticky Packages..

Its just like Jesus to give US gifts in HIS season...

...little voices belt out, cracking cause they are singing with greatest volume," OH COME LET US ADORE HIM" in the back seat as we pull into the grocery parking lot... feet dance and skip across asphalt and shivering arms pull me until we are ALL skipping into the warmth of the store...and we finish our our race with another-- racing pennies into the donation bucket down ramps and around slides...2 pennies buy such delight!!

..earlier,we watched with wonder and enjoyment, clumsy little fingers wrapping up homemade gifts for teachers, wrestling with Loooong strands of tape and then unsticking the tangle, leaving powdery fingerprints--their identity adhered in tapey lines all over crumpled packages placed so preciously into backpacks...

NOW they are saying, "Mom, i LOVE to spend this time with you!!".... and "we will HELP you" in our grocery journey to Aldi where two little boys in their vigor throw a weeks worth of produce onto the conveyer belt faster than an "I Love Lucy" episode...one's bobbed blonde hair swinging over his eyes as he grabs and throws and helps with such exuberance that instead of correction i have to just fold my arms,step back to behold him now lifting that Biiiiggggg bag of potatoes over his head and just laugh with joy...

...then for the bagging--oh what an adventure each moment is if we see them as gifts!!..."watch OUT for the SOFT things,guys...HOW about putting the butter on the BOTTOM and then the vine tomatoes?" ...oh,well....it all flies by in cuteness and earnestness and their brand of wholehearted service...love...who can resist this God of love?... who paints my life with children's adoration to Jesus in the candle lights of advent...or who makes little boys run past me this morning in matching red jackets... eager to bring their gifts to school...

...did you run to be the gift in the manger, Jesus?...what gifts did you make for Mary and Joseph in the Carpenter's shop?...how did you gather up pieces of your Creation that you had previously fashioned to now construct into creations of your heart for the ones you loved...yet this time with the hindrance of little boy dexterity ...how did it feel to be a little Jewish boy?...how did you, the Darling of Heaven make YOUR FATHER and the angels smile and laugh?...

...I SEE your JOY and LIGHT..your Father's pleased smile... in the radiance of these ones who love you...who are WRAPPED in YOUR love and YOUR identity...your fingerprints are all over us...we are wrapped in you...

Love, GG


Praying to remember this:

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father. (From Philippians 2)

Stables,Garages...its all the same to Him :)

Tonight we were in the garage.  We had just brought down our Christmas boxes from the attic and now we were sorting through them. Different children floated in and out of the task when it seemed to become "work" instead of "fun". :)...our "tween", Anderson came in half-way through and started pulling out stockings and stocking holders.  He took over displaying all of our stockings with great pride and he was a cheery buddy to work with.  After a bit, Anderson saw this tiny little stocking and stopped short..

"..AWwww a BABY stocking." He said stroking it..

."Yes, its cute isn't it",

 I was registering that he REALLY loved the stocking as I continued to hunt around in various boxes, organizing my strategy for what and how it was to come into the house...at the end of a longish day Mama was pretty tired in the midst of a task that so requires mandetory cheer!

Standing behind me, still very focused on this stocking, He seemed to be growing quite attached to this bit of Christmas decoration that did not even have enough material to be worthy of the name "stocking". Yet,He went on, "Mom, I really wish she could have it"

 I continued ruffling around in a box of decorative bows fishing out our collection of cookie cutters that must have fallen in there at the end of last season.  His task had halted. And, he gazed at this little stocking.

 "Yes, it would have been so right for her...she would have loved it."

His words came cloudy to my mind.  Her?  Was he talking about his teacher at school?  Was he missing our foster daughter?   I finally was confused enough to ask," Anderson who is 'she?' are you missing..." , and I mentioned our foster girl, M.

 His eyes grew big and tender and as he picked up the little stocking , he pulled me around to face him. "I mean HER. The one God made in you...You KNOW Mom.  The one of us who is in heaven with our other little brother, Joshua.  I wish she was here to put on this little stocking."  He got really quiet as he looked down at it. " Wouldn't it have fit her JUST right?" He smiled sadly. "But I am glad she's spending Christmas with Jesus...."  He hugged me TIGHT...he stroked the little stocking..."I do miss her though..." he whispered.

 This little stocking has now become exceedingly precious to me as I remember the tiny one it belongs to now...Back in August a little baby girl who was being knit together in my womb...was called home to Heaven...to live with the Christmas Lamb.  She is our second child to now reside there ~ to have access to Jesus' LAP!!  To hear angels sing...to KNOW love in a way that we only would have begun to taste here.  The holidays blow my heart and mind to know that I literally have little ones rejoicing in the Presence that we are worshiping and celebrating ~ and then to realize OUR access of Jesus is just as real and as Present Here.  That WE ARE sitting in His lap too.  That His angels move at the sound of our worship and intercessions...That our family here and there share the same joys and wonders for "IN His Presence IS Fullness of Joy" ~ forevermore... {Psalm 16:11}

And, my heart fills with wonder over sweet Anderson tonight.  A boy who also sits with simple trust and love in the lap of his Jesus.  The one who worships with abandon and loves with affection.  "Christ IN" him "the hope of glory"... The compassion of Christ in a child...the discernment in a believing child's Spirit of the season in which they live astounds my heart...messages like this one.. through these little ones...

Much like the packaging of a most wonderful message wrapped up in swaddling clothes!...

I was completely unaware that I was in need of a kiss from my Heavenly Father tonight.  That after seeing the quiet but painful grief of this past semester He would take THIS little moment, IN MY GARAGE to love on me.  Through my tweenager! ;)  Yet He's like that!  Yes, this is the God who likes using stables and water-logged fishing boats and wilderness hikes to show His glory!!

 I love that God-who-sees is always taking heed to and care over the tending of my heart's pulse even when I am unaware, as I was tonight, that I would need ministering in THIS moment....Glory and care in a garage! :)  Let us worship Him for He is GOOD to us.

Love and Blessings,

Gillian

P.S. Much of this was originally sent in a message to my precious friend, Michelle, who is another gift from God in my heart's journey.  All the time but particularly as I have walked through this specific sorrow.  My heart would not be as healed today if God had not graced me with this friend who has loved me so well. He keeps sending such sweet gifts!!

Hugs from our Home Today

Many of us over the last several days have "Entered His gates with Thanksgiving"  in our hearts and around our tables...First, the thanking...next comes the Praising and the knowing of the Presence... and...NOW enters the time for the WELCOMING of " God With US", Emmanuel...

Here's a GIFT from the Tucker Family today to WELCOME the Celebration of Jesus our Precious Savior's COMING into the World...Into our Lives...FOR EVER...

And may this SWEET Telling perhaps jumpstart your..."Entering His Courts with Praise" this Christmas season...

We LOVE YOU, Jesus!!  We LOVE you, Friends!!

Hugs!




....now where did I PUT that box of Christmas dress-ups....Hmmnnn.... ;)



Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving thanks.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is He who made us, and we are His

we are His people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;

His faithfulness continues through all generations.

Thanksful Testimony!!!

God brought a miracle into my life this past week. :) I had been wrestling with 40ish eyesight.  For the first time in my life I was dealing with having to bring literature up REALLY close to my eyes to make out the words...not  great for a girl who LOVES reading and is teaching a couple to read at home right now...and helps out at school in the library--not to mention ALL the other inconveniences this was creating...

Last Sunday at church, a young woman testified to God dramatically healing her eyesight after she asked to for her sight to be cleared so that she would not have to wear her corrective lenses anymore. Soon after this, there was an opportunity to receive prayer for healing in the name of Jesus right there in our seats.  As I raised my hand, asking God for healing for my eyes among other health inquiries, I felt the real presence of the Holy Spirit as several people laid hands on me and prayed.  It was a simple prayer time...they prayed silently...I may never know who each of them was...all I knew was that the heavy presence of God pressed on me with such nearness as they prayed for me...

  In a moment, as I opened my eyes, I could read the bulletin's fine print..AND the Bible that lay in my lap WITHOUT picking it UP ..AND I could clearly see people's faces ACROSS the room!!  All week long I have been thanking Jesus for healing my eyes.  I was especially thankful as my mom and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner that I could clearly SEE handwritten recipe cards and the small print on the can labels...I was again blessed to read little notes from the kiddos to one another ~ and my Favorite blessing was being able to read my Bible in bed again before sleep in the SOFT light of the lamp nearby!!

    What particularly struck my heart this week was that no healing desire is insignificant in God's eyes.  And, that we do not have to just resign ourselves to "all" the little " problems" that "just come" with the  "territory" of the"aging process".  I have NOThING against aging!! ~ but desire to be a Caleb that walks into the promised land with a spring in my step at a very old and green age. :) I hope you feel free to ask our loving Father for the desires of your heart that could be related to healing needs.  He loves to heal and He LOVES you so!


"And He healed them ALL..."


(Mt. 12:15,Mt. 4:23,Mt 12:22,Mt. 9:35)

Arrows in a Mighty Hand ~ "Do you Want in on This?"

You gotta see this one!!

This is from Orphan Sunday here at our church and ministry here in Kansas City.

The Bolender family is a beloved adoptive family here who are being greatly used by God to highlight adoption as a solution to the abortion crisis as well as the founders of The Zoe Foundation, a non-profit adoption agency for Christ-centered adoption. Plus they are are so loveable, witty, and just really funny. :)

I love how our children ~ ALL of them ~ are referred to in this talk as ARROWS in the hand of the Lord. I deeply believe this and it permeates my understanding about "why adoption

And HOW I LOVE This quote!!

"We adopted to expand the Kingdom of God in a real way and to buy Jesus an Inheritance from among the nations...and we are full of joy to do this."






The Zoe Foundation

http://thezoefoundation.com/


Let love reign!

Love, Gillian


Isaiah 58:5-8

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,

only a day for a man to humble himself?

Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed

and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call a fast,

a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe him,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousnessa will go before you,

and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

A Priestly Project !

But you are a chosen race who serve as Priests for The Kingdom, a holy people, a redeemed assembly; you should proclaim the praises of him who called you from darkness into his excellent light. (IPeter 2:9)

We made "priestly breastplates" for our time in prayer for others this week. We listened today to a pastor speak of Aaron's breastplate and how it was a reminder of how each of the tribes of Israel, symbolized by 12 gem stones set into the breastplate and laid over the pure white linen priestly garments, were carried into the tabernacle as the priest would intercede for them...In this way, the priest was truly carrying EACH person of Israel in before God's Presence...Later Christ would carry 12 disciples and then after dying for us and raising in resurrection, He would LIVE in intercession for us...

We suddenly got what we call around here, "a suddenly".
Since Jesus as our high priest has knighted us priests and kings of His Kingdom, why not make a breastplate to use in our times of intercession!! We too could "carry" 12 people before God every day.
The photo above shows the simplicity of our idea--12 circles on paper.

3 for family members--

We chose this time those family members who need salvation or healing. The kids loved choosing various people in our family. A couple even chose siblings but the prayer request had to be for something specific like a spirit of love/unity for that brother--something along gifted and kind lines!! We wrote the names in the circles and for the non-readers drew a little picture -- something that would remind them of that person, for example perhaps a cookie for a Grandma.

3 for friends--

I was amazed at how the children carefully thought through these choices. We had some choices for friends who need prayer for salvation, some who are sad, some who have special needs, some who need healing

3 for neighbors--

This was fun!! We now live on a busy street and have not gotten to know all of our neighbors--I think this prayer project will prompt this! Ava is praying for the family in the yellow house, the elderly lady in the blue house, and the couple in the brick house across the street--she can see every one of these houses from our living room window. Can't you picture her cute little face peeking out that window every day to check on her "gems"? I bet she will both fall in love with these precious people, thus we will have reason to meet them, and I know God will listen to a little girl's earnest prayers.

3 for strangers--

This was a harder concept for my littles. One wrote down policeman,fireman, cashier. Jack wrote, "lost people". Won't we have to make some friends now?!! The suggestions for the next children were to hold on this category until we could see some strangers and write them down this week as we go about our week OR think of some strangers we see every day and write them down. We asked God to bring some to mind...
And He did! Bruik, suddenly animated shouted out that he was praying for Africans. Ava is now praying for the mailwoman, and for two friendly muslim women who visited our lemonade stand this summer...she has now talked of them all night...they are already on the heart...
I love this category for faces become so much more precious ~YES, GEMSTONES ~ to our hearts as we pray for them. Who knows what God will do with this?!!

We lightly colored in over the names--they were already so excited!!
You could go so much more fancy with this with different foils and materials...perhaps faux gemstones...I could see the breastplate being made out of a paper plate (although they were rectangular) or hanging from a chain or yarn around the neck...I think the idea is WELL suited for adults too--Can't we all think immediately of people in each of these categories we could pray for every day?

Then we prayed over the names.
Sacred Beauty...from something SO simple..
But doesn't most beauty in this life come to us in containers such as this?

This is my happy "pray-er, Bruik.
He wanted to fold up the Breastplate, stick it in his pocket, and use it everywhere we go today--he told me!

Praying in a harvest...


We then hung the "breastplates" up in our stairwell on a clothesline of sorts..

The children have stopped by them to touch the circles and pray for people already as they pass them today--we will take them down for corporate prayer as a family. My teens and Richard and I will make some too and join in!!

This project was very dear to my heart for I am the product of a "harvest" more than 3 decades ago...In 1975 a sweet young woman, wife and mom of 2 looked out her window and saw my family playing outside...sweet Linda Wade, then in her twenties, I believe, committed to pray daily for our family's salvation. Within a year, my Dad became a Christian at a Bill Gotherd seminar, My mom got to know Linda and came to know Christ in a bible study Linda arranged to have at OUR house with other neighbor ladies...months later, after seeing sweet transformation and the joy of the Lord fill my parents, little 5 year old Gillian would place her trust and faith in Jesus...Boom!! All from one faithful woman's prayers. What if Linda had been too distracted or busy to pray, and then, what if she had been too shy to befriend and invite herself into my family's life? After all, there were many jokes about "those Jesus People" out there... Oh, I'm EVER thankful for one woman's obedience and discipline to bring me before Father God every day...Think of all the people who will NOT spend eternity in Hell and will spend it before the riches of Christ all because of simple actions and prayers and neighborly friendships...by the homemaker, the mom, the Grandma, the working man, the child peering out our living room window and across the street...

Peek out YOUR windows,your car windshield, your vantage from the checkout line, your view from the dropping kids off place, your place on the sports field,your work area room tonight...tomorrow...this week... and fill up the breastplate of prayer. Then PRAY!! Heaven will celebrate. Your Neighbors will thank you with eternal thank yous!!

Love, Gillian

Nothing Else Will Do

We'll be there--you can be too!! :) Our church has the honor of hosting the event " Orphan Sunday Live from Kansas City" PLEASE join us for ONE HOUR live or over the web in intercession prayer and worship for the orphans of Father God's World. This will be a global event, we are so excited!!
This is the type of intercession we do for the orphans of the world during prayer sets here at the International House of Prayer. It is powerful and tenderizes my heart for God and His love for His children every time. Knowing that prayer is the finest effectual action we can take for it moves the heart of the GOD who holds this world in His hand never ceases to AMAZE me!! What a privilege and a partnership prayer becomes!!



Register for free tickets to this event live or webstreaming

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And he came unto the disciples, and found them asleep, and said unto Peter, What, could you not watch with me one hour? Matthew 26:40

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You know what I am considering tonight as I type and worship and listen to all the little voices floating upstairs from a dress-up extravaganza?...

That adoption can be summed up in several words but here is the one that is striking my heart as I consider love tonight...

Jealousy...

Have you ever considered HOW MUCH God loves you? I mean, HOW MUCH He loves?

The other morning He woke me up...with the thought/prayer..."you need to consider LOVE...and how much I love you...my perfect love casts away fear...it redeems and frees...it is for you not against you...how much will you consider my love, Gillian?"...

and I have this week...as I have washed dishes and stroked faces ...and wiped away the tears of a child who was hurt by another...and wondered about the gathering of souls here...that God purposed ...for us to encounter what ...

LOVE IS...

He is JEALOUS...

That we would not have another...

Or another thing...

He is JEALOUS for each of our souls to only belong to him...

To know this love...To know HOW MUCH...OH HOW Much HE (not me, not families, not movements) but HE loves....HE Loves....How much HE wants to love...to save.. to know..to show HOW MUCH ...He IS Love...

Adoption's not only about filling tummies or one more bed to make...

Adoption's about a "buy back"...It's about a God who is so

JEALOUS

for LOVE

So glorious in beauty and holiness and forever love

That He will have NOTHING BUT

US

That He would EMPTY HIMSELF of EVERYTHING

but LOVE

That He would consider the cost

And come live HERE

In a place like the places we visit on missions trips.

That He chose to be a poor baby...loved by a Mommy and Adopted by an astounded Daddy

That He would live sinless,

love wholehearted and fierce,

That He would step away from the majestic temple to walk the dusty streets,

LOOKING for LOVE.

Searching for the one...

Dying for All

ALL of us ...from any home...in every culture...in every time...

For ALL of us.

Not just some would do...

He was Jealous to rescue and buy us back from an enemy who oppressed, hated, used us and orphaned our hearts from Him.

But He had a quest to buy us back with blood,

Purify us for Presence and ready us for a great big family...

For LOVE

He would NOT have us in the arms of another lover

Or under the foot of an oppressor...

And...He is jealous...Jealous for those little ones tucked upstairs in bed

and the mommy at the sink

for the ones who run barefoot in the grass outside under the sprinkler

as well as for the one who shivers under a thin blanket under drips in a shanty

He wants them ALL

At His banquet table

Well fed, Set apart for a joyous forever family, Holy unto HImself, dressed in white and feasting in His Presence.

And so,

If I am to consider how I am to move in Him,

I will Go

I will LOVE

I will SEEK

Those we can bring home to Him as gifts to HIM...

And its a life-long treasure hunt for the King who


Will stop at nothing less than loving all...


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...and here comes little Ava, our Ethiopian daughter...she's spontaneously singing this song tonight:

Blessings and Love,

Gillian

What's in Your Brownies?? ~ Take Back the Date!!

...from our archives...we love to repost this on this date...







A modern day parable...

Hey, kids!! You're home! Hey, come on back to the kitchen--we're making brownies today! You get the mix out...O.K. let's see ...what do we need next...
a little sugar {yum, sugar! who doesn't love it?!!}
some eggs {watch out! They are fragile--they might break!}
salt {make sure its the salty kind--we can't use it if it loses its flavor--taste it, test it to make sure--is it salty? a little goes such a long way! great!! you kids are GREAT bakers!!}
What else do we need...Oh, yes!! OIL {It holds EVERYTHING in the recipe together} Let's pour in the oil and mix it ALL through our recipe

Hmmmmn, kids you know what? These brownies are going to taste terrific? Can't wait to eat em huh? Let me JUST slip in ONE more thing before we bake and eat them up--I saw alot of my friends putting this into their brownies recently. Yeah, it doesn't smell so great but...it's brown isn't it? Yes, it looks kinda gross but we're just putting in SUCH a LITTLE bit and maybe JUST this week we will add in this extra ingredient and then we'll go back to making our brownies the way we usually do. O.K. Let's mix this in--this is going to be FUN--does everyone want a turn stirring? Good JOB. Hey, I know, let's share some of these brownies with the neighborhood kids too--so that we all can try em. GREAT! This is fun--now let's pop them in the oven...setting the timer...

Hey, hand me that bowl over there--wow, it really is stinky, huh? But I sure wouldn't want our friends to not like us if we didn't make brownies like this, this week. We might miss out on some great fellowship--I heard they are even bringing brownies like this to church fellowship groups and celebrations this week in addition to all the brownie parties in the neighborhoods and schools this week. You, know if its being brought to church--it MUST be O.K., right?

DING, DING, DING--Oh, that's the oven buzzer let's take out our treat. Who wants a glass of milk with our brownies today? YUM!! FUN!! Oh, you're welcome!! :)
Yummy, soooo good! Should we pack some up and hand them out now? Great?--Yes, honey, what did you say?--Oh, what was the special ingredient? Is that what you asked? Well I just added in what everyone is adding into baked goods this week...

Dog Poop...

Oh, don't look so horrified!:)

...it was only a little bit...
Now...who wants some more?

A little break down of our recipe and why I'm telling this story this week:

Brownie Recipe is what we are pouring into our children's lives and hearts.
Mix is God's best, His Truth for them, the foundation of God's Word

Sugar--the pleasure this world has to offer can be a gift from God and also a distraction for our hearts

Egg--a reminder that their hearts are fragile. As parents we are the guardians of our children's hearts--our wellspring of Life flows up from well-tended hearts.

Salt--Our value to the Lord and our influence for His Kingdom in our World. Just a little of our influence shines SUCH a long way.

Oil--The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in us. We are to stay in step with Him. Choosing ways that are not of Him actually brings grief to Him. Every bit of us should be "mixed" with God's holiness--His presence--His anointing--His anointing is light and cannot mix with darkness.

And the mystery ingredient? GROSS!! you say! Yes!! Totally Gross!! But a picture of what so many believers in Christ do every Halloween week. Taking just LITTLE bits from a demonic celebration and ingesting them--mixing them into their lives--feeding these elements to their children with much festivity!!

You may have not heard, and if not, you need to know that Halloween is not just about candy, good times, costumes, and acting. NO, the origins of Halloween are downright creepy. As my kids would tell you, I'm sure there are no Halloween celebrations going on in heaven this week and so there will be none at our home either!
Halloween has pagan origins. There is much more history that would be helpful to know but simply, the people worshiped dark spirits and were afraid of the undead who walked on the earth once a year on this night. They would leave treats outside of their door so that demons would not carry them off to Hell--some "trick"!--and the costumes were to hide from the evil spirits as well. Even without knowing this, there are obvious signs that this celebration glorifies death, fear, and witchcraft--

-all things that Christ died on the cross to get VICTORY over!!

There just is NO fellowship light with darkness.
In fact--when light appears--the dark must run away!

Many, many cool and nice people--really likable people that I know celebrate Halloween--some only in measure. But PLEASE remember the brownies--even a little bit -- is dangerous. If I am now not "likeable" for writing this post to you, that's really o.k. with me for although I like you very much, I love you so much more and needed to share truth with you today.

"This is the message, we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in Spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that His word has no place in our hearts." I John 1:5-10 "And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." I John 2:17

"Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living...clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ..." Romans 13:11-14

Children of Light--don't eat the brownies!!

Love, Gillian

He saw all of us...and yes...He loved us

Ashley speaks on Comrades :)

Now it's Ashley's turn!

Here is a video about forming David/Johnathon type friendships in our children. School does not have to be a lonely or scary for any children in our midst when Christ-filled children learn how to reach out with God's love to draw in other kids around them. The bond children are capable of creating is incredible and can last for a lifetime.

We call this, "marvelous comaraderie"--its simple, but carries so much impact for children. If you have ever lived through a season in which it was your child who was the one who was left out (or that is a tender memory) you know how weighty relationships are in a child's life. We are watching the fruit of real "comaraderie"--where children are truly for one another--not perfect, but definitely joy-filled and welcoming-- in our family and at school. Makes such a difference in the school experience for the whole family!! The whole video is sweet but if you are short on time, friends, and have not seen Ashley in a while, her part of the video starts around minute 6.26.



Blessings!!

Ashley and our other children would love to pray for any kids that might be lonely or having a rough time with relationships in school or for any other request. The kids will be taking questions as well for how to create a more peaceful/joy-filled environment for friends at school. Feel free to contact them for prayer at tuckergillian@gmail.com or in the comments section below.

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

Fire in the Night ~ Anderson takes over the blog this time! :)

This post is really by our Mr. Adorable, Anderson. (11 years old)

His Words:

"Hi this is Anderson, after dinner tonight we were praying for people who do not know or love Jesus. There are SOOoooo many who DON'T. God pressed on my heart and I had to do SOMETHING. First, I made a good news book out of craft materials and asked my mom if I could go out right then and find someone to share the gospel of Jesus with. She said it was too dark and late but suggested I tell YOU on HERE by making a video!! I just needed to tell people about Jesus tonight! This is good news that EVERYBODY needs to hear!!If you don't know Jesus, here are the basics in my videos here. Really. Get to know Jesus, He is so awesome. You will get more than like all the money of the world if you come to know Christ. You only have a little bit of life to know Jesus."

(Yep...I told ya he's adorable!!)

"Please look at my videos. I really want you to know Jesus!!"

"Love, Anderson"


This will blow your MIND!!:




Let's start at the very beginning:



This is VERY important:



The red words bring us life --REALLY!!



Getting Washed is Like Jesus having a car wash



(sorry this is on its side!!)

Be blessed, Love, Your Friend, Anderson

Getting Ready to Hear :) ~ so cute!!

I am having so much fun sharing this fun resource with you today!!

This little video is made by The Daniel Academy, our school here in Kansas City Missouri. We love how our children are being trained up in adoration for Jesus and in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord here.

In this video, Ava's Kindergarten teacher, our dear friend, Lelonnie Hibberd,who has a heart for children to know God's heart ( she's just the bestest Kindergarten teacher EVER!!), is showing what it means to get your heart ready to hear from God as you study scripture. This is how our kids study the Bible every day in addition to Bible teaching and worship. There are jewels on this little video here for each of us!

The super-cute family highlighted, is the Mike and Stephanie Gerard family--such an amazing family, full of life and God's joy and love. Each one of us in the Tucker family claims a buddy in the Gerard family and you will easily be able to see why!! :) ~ Make sure you watch long enough to hear little Shekinah sing--it is WELL worth bringing joy to the heart and a smile to today!!

Maybe show this to your family and try the "dare" at the end. :) You may be wowed at what God wants to say through your children. We did the "dare" last night and it was incredibly special to later gather round on the living room floor as the children shared what God had revealed to them as they meditated on Psalm 23:1~each one was so different and so special. We grew.

Blessings as we all grow in waiting on God and knowing His voice more every day...

"My sheep will know my voice" (John 10)

(Ashley will be on the next "Daniel Dare" video we will post and then Jack and Anderson too! ~ stay tuned! )

Turn it into...JOY

This was pressed on my heart for a precious friend...but I can't get it off my heart...its for me as I adore Jesus today...and my gift to you...
Blessings!




You bring restoration
You bring restoration
You bring restoration
to my soul

You've taken my pain
called me by a new name
You've taken my shame
and in it's place, You give me joy

You take mourning and turn it into dancing
You take weeping and turn it into laughing
You take mourning and turn it into dancing
You take my sadness and turn it into joy

hallelujah, hallelujah
You make all things new, all things new

Love, GG

Sow in the Morning....Harvest at Night...

O Lord bless me and keep me cause Your face to shine on me
Lord be gracious lift the light of Your countenance give me peace

I live only to see your face so shine on me

Let the light of Your face shine down on my heart and let me feel it

~ from Psalm 4 vs. 6b.


Woke up to a Golden Morning this Morning
And this is what I am singing today.
And He is singing it back to me.

It is good to seek Him in the morning...
and to walk with Him through the rest of the day




"In the morning, O Lord,
   you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my 
   requests before you
and wait in expectation."


Psalm 5:3


To sow our requests in the morning 
and to harvest our praise at night...


This is what I am singing today.

Love, Gillian

Love Letters to Mimi

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Just about a week ago, on August 23, 2011, my precious Mother ~ in law,  Laurie B. Tucker,  passed away into the arms of Jesus.  She was 68 years old.


Mom Tucker "ran the race of her life" WELL. ~ with so much Grace and Faith and Beauty. 

  She was a superb mother and raised three Godly children.   Her husband, Richard was her best friend  and they enjoyed 46  rich, joyful years of  marriage. I loved all the visiting times I have had over tea with her for it was then that I got glimpses of her heart for those who did not know Jesus, or her love for God's word, or her tenderness for her family.  She loved to be around her family and her laughter was a gentle breeze around the family table.  Her voice was musical.  She had enjoyed years of professional opera singing and solo singing for many large churches.  One of Richard's special memories of his mom growing up was hearing her singing and piano playing in his home.  He also remembers rocking in her lap and resting his head on his mama as she sung his favorite song, "Jesus Loves Me."  Mom Tucker was a WONDERFUL teacher.  She enjoyed many years of teaching and some of her favorites were with underprivileged girls in Atlanta. 
 I lOVED hearing her stories!   Having grown up in Atlanta,she was a southern girl at heart and could tell a colorful,tender, or funny story in a way that slipped quickly into your heart.I loved seeing all my children grouped around her as she would tell them and teach the littles....And even more, to see our children each have their turn with Mimi to sing praise songs at the piano--well it just doesn't get better than this in a family!! 
She was diligent and hard working ~ quite a role model for self discipline and self denial for others. As well as a wonderful model for me when I was a young homemaker!  For years, through the course of  many different visits, we would hear her get up very early in the morning to get an early swim in at the Rockville, MD pool.
  She also did retreat leading and was absolutely gifted at encouraging large groups of women.
She loved to be amidst her twelve grandchildren.  I loved talking to her about her "tribe".  I loved walking into a room and finding her with her bible or a devotional...I loved hearing the story of how when she was five she walked down to the front of the Billy Graham Crusade...and began a walk of love that day...I love that she loved people and was such a dear friend to so many women.  


There is much more to be shared about Laurie Tucker.  
She was a truly remarkable woman.

She ran her "race" so well.

And finished it in grace and triumph...

For the last two and a half years she had wrestled with ALS (otherwise known as Lou Gerick's disease).  This is the terrible disease that paralyzes a person's body progressively.  While her body gradually shut down, her spirit remained joyful.   I am told she never complained, so great was her dependence on God for her strength of heart, soul, and body.

On August 23, 2011, Our mom/Mimi went to be in the literal presence of Jesus.  Her passing was like her illness, a drawn out endurance of pain and struggle but threaded through with such grace.  She was surrounded by her beloved Richard (senior) and two of her children and their spouses as they prayed and sung hymns over her.  The entire family ~ ours especially included in this~ keep the fires of prayer and watch burning continually during this week and still now.  It was very difficult to be eleven hundred miles away from our family as they suffered a travail we wanted to shoulder with them. We are immensely grateful that in another week's time we will get to journey to Maryland (Washington D.C. area) to join our family and celebrate Mimi's life.  We will be joining Richard's father,brother,sister, six young cousins, and a very close extended family including Laurie's Mother, Rachel and her brother and sister and their families.  Please pray for the Tucker/Bunte/Wormald families next week.  Laurie was greatly beloved and will be acutely missed.  Please pray for travel mercies for so many traveling from long distances.  And that Jesus will be greatly glorified at her celebration/funeral service next Saturday ~ she would greatly have desired this!


And please, keep Mr. Tucker in your prayers over the next season.  his love for his precious wife was an epic one and deserves much honor and thanks to God who is the only one who can pour that kind of "BRAVEHEART" love into a heart.  He never left his wife's side and tended to all her needs day and night week after week until it became year after year of loving care.  How we admire his endurance as well as Mrs. Tucker's.  The loved well to the end... may we all.


Richard Jr., my husband, is grieving but so thankful also for this relief for his mother.  I am blessed to have days to tend to him as he grieves and processes his love for his mother...and so another Tucker generation walks in the good footsteps of  forever marriage vows...Thank you for lighting the way, Mom and Dad...of the walk of love.


We are having a sad and sweet time with the children.  They adored their Mimi.  They will each need the closure of next week and also to represent and honor their unique love for her as they stand with the other precious grandchildren of Mimi.  Mom Tucker  told me several times, that she loved the way her Mother~in law passed away...to the touch and the sounds of her grandchildren surrounding her bed and singing hymns all around her.  She would then ask, "Don't you think that's so beautiful?"  We will be gathering her grandbabies next week to honor her good and precious name...more precious than silver...more costly than gold is a good name Proverbs says. 


We each in our family look forward to next week to:


 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gates.  Proverbs 31:31




My children came up with these descriptions of their grandmother this week (I loved being their scribe) :)...





Mimi Tucker was a

Kind

Generous

Nice

Loving

Funny

Full of Life

Caring

Lover of God

Lover of the Bible

Servant


These are some of the words that my children have shared with me this week as they have considered love for their precious Mimi. And I would say, praise such as this from the "mouths of babes" is most precious indeed!!


Please feel free to click on the "smilebox"  below to listen to the love letters they have spoken over their precious Mimi.  Please allow a little moment for all of Ashley's video's to load--go back to them--they are precious ;)--if you click on a video and want to see another---just click on it again to return it to its place.

This free scrapbook personalized with Smilebox We love you, Mimi!! We love you, Grandpa!!  We love you Family!! We love you dear friends of the family! May blessings ring like bells.  You are loved,   You are loved,  You are loved. Love, Gillian

Leaning, Leaning ...

We are praying for the East Coast as Hurricane Irene nears...

We believe this storm is not a coincidence...It is a severe mercy intended to provoke hearts toward repentance--

and back to WHO is

FIRST

--Love for God-- first -- and a seeking of understanding and knowing of who He is and what He feels and wants for us on a personal level and for our country. ...

to shake us .... and to wake us

up...upwards in our hearts to Him again...

There are many,many in America who need to turn from their own ways and seek God's leadership and fathering over their lives... (even for those who go to church and who believe that the Bible is true) ...a turning back is in order...we believe this storm and the earthquake are not a coincidence...or an unusual "happening"

We believe God is asking,

"Who do you say that I AM?"

We each have to answer this question. It is before us every day.


For those of you who love and seek God...who may find yourselves in the path of this storm...we have a testimony of the wonder and goodness of How God is a refuge to those who seek Him.

--I'm not talking about a one time cry out and then a forgetting of His face but for those who LEAN on Him...this is for you...

...this is also for those who want to turn away from their own way...who feel an awakening in their mind,emotions, and spirit as they trace the storm line on the T.V. with their eyes... and who may have felt the earth shake under their feet this week...and felt weight...a shaking...in their hearts...

Its time!...

...to turn away from selfishness and greed, from days spent on our own thoughts and ways with no consideration of what God's heart and ways are...

From drawing lines against Israel.


For being complacent in not standing for her...

(PLEASE be in prayer over the decisions our government will be making in the next 30 days regarding the lines in Israel)


For the same complacency with the horrors of human trafficking or abortion--the blood that calls up from our ground...

For dullness of heart toward God...for no love or worship toward Him...and yet we were constructed to worship so we instead turn our worship to materialism, Social Networking, and Pleasures and Business that fill up the hours of our day...

Turn back! Tonight!!! You can hide yourself in the name of Jesus, America...I love you, and that's why I speak so strongly here today...



We have a testimony about Jesus.

In May 2010...a devastation flood came to the Nashville area...

It was one of the severe mercies or judgements that He is allowing to come to America, to awaken her...back to Him...

God's beloved live in each these regions. We have heard miracle story after miracle story of how God protected the apple of His eye --those who seek Him first, not perfectly but in their way of living He is first--have been kept in obvious ways in Earthquakes in California,in floods in America, during Katrina,in Tsunamis in Myanmar, Tornadoes in Joplin...I would love to tell the stories we have heard ...they are beautiful..and fill us with courage...I will tell some... we see God's hand bringing labor pangs to the Earth as well as preparing the beloved heart of His bride all in the same stories...


Our Story

Our neighborhood in Franklin, TN, a suburb south of Nashville, is backed by the Harpeth River. One afternoon as it rained and rained the river went over the 100 flood plain line and then the 200 year plain..."No..it couldn't be...we watched from back streets and windows in our kitchens and bedrooms as the water filled our neighborhood swimming pool, then crested over the soccer fields, then rolled down the road from the club house toward the 200 homes in its path..

Within a few hours it crept toward the home we had brought so many of our babies home to

...foot

by
foot...

...soon flowing down our street.. filling up the land up to our mailbox level...

Times like this move too quickly and at the same time feel like a terrible slow motion movie--like you are watching yourself and experiencing this trauma all at the same time...by early evening...

The National Guard carried away our neighbors to places of safety...many neighbors of these 200 homes doubled up with the rest of the homes in our large neighborhood...many neighbors suddenly became roomates in the other 200 or so homes nearby...some had to flee in canoes..and on ATV's and boats...

Richard says, after he gathered our family into safety, that God burned on his heart to now turn and head back into the rising waters to find who may still be in the homes in our street. "I'm going with you!!" Our 8th grader, Graham insisted. Richard and I exchanged the same glance. We knew it was dangerous and at the same time saw the light of God's zeal and love in our young teens' eyes. "Let's get out there, son." They waded out into the night.

My 6 foot 5 inch husband waded through flood waters that by now were up to his waist, Graham's chest. By this time the river water had a current in it and all sorts of debris...gasoline...cat litter boxes...toys...trash...home items...all brushed alongside them...Their hearts were captivated with the those trapped and too weak to get our of homes...they carried out the elderly, helped a precious lady and her children that rented this home of ours at the back of the community get out, they found handicapped who were tethered to machines and chairs,hoisted little children on Graham's back and Richard's high shoulders, wrestled with and took scratches from terrified pets as they removed them from the pushing flood...these were the treasures to be saved of this night...

Dry, inside a home we had previously joked over, calling it, "The Ark" for it had so many dormer windows, one for every one of my children and foster children :)that year, we waited out that night in worship...

We claimed God as our Shepherd...we prayed in the name of Jesus...we LOVED Jesus...we claimed His blood's power over us...we sang in the refuge of God's "wings"...

He shook us and flooded us with... LOVE and TRUST and ADORATION of His leadership and goodness in a way that simply did not "match" the circumstances..

All through the watches of the night, I snuggled our eight children on the floor in the living room, and sung and prayed with worship praise from a 24/7 prayer and praise prayer meeting going on online.

As the children slept, I worshiped...I asked for God's hand to cover His beloved ones... and as I sat before Him, He flooded MY HEART...with His warm Presence...and with His love...all night long..

I listened in awe to the power of God's hand as the flood poured over us, He spoke back to me,

He really did.

He began by pressing an entirely new request on my heart. I could actually SEE in my heart what He was pressing on me to ask for. It was so powerful. He gave me this picture of a Shepherd with a long staff, standing in my backyard, I knew the Shepherd was Jesus and that I was to ask Him to put down His staff in the water...that, like the Red Sea, the waters would obey Him...I also felt strongly led to ask that the waters would not cross the threshold of our home...I did not know why I felt this so strongly on my heart but I prayed for these things many times that night...

Richard came in around 2 in the morning, covered with mud and oil and who knows what other substances that had been floating in all of that flood water..Most of his clothing he just discarded...after cleaning off..exhausted, Richard knelt next to me in the living room with all of our sleeping lambs there... there we waited...ON..so different than just waiting...we believed and bowed down to worship Jesus and to wait...on Him...

During the early morning hours...way before dawn...God's quiet voice spoke this clearly to my heart:



"Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him."


"Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment."


"Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him."


(Psalm 32:6)

and I stood upon it...it was a clear "NOW" Word of promise for our family.

I claimed it for us, for an neighbor who needed encounter from Jesus, and specifically for another family that God pushed and pushed on my heart that night ...I prayed for many but these were the lambs God laid promises on my heart for that night...

We had to wait for 3 days

To see what had happened to our home.


And, on that third day, as we waded to the back of neighborhood that day... we saw devastation...the majority of the homes around us were completely flooded--they had taken water all the way up to the 2nd story of their homes.

And at our home...the water had come to the yard...and then had stopped...at the threshold of our door...although it had filled the crawlspace and a garage area...not a drop entered in. There was a visible line where the water had held back at each of the three entrances to the home.

The only other dry home on the block was our neighbor who we have interceeded for over 10 years...as we gave one another a tearful hug the next day, our words were:

Gillian "Oh, we were PRAYING for you!! Look what God has done!!"

Neighbor "I KNOW you were praying. I KNEW you were that NIGHT!! I FELT it, Gillian!! and you know what? I WAS PRAYING. The night of the flood I was praying to God, to Jesus, and (he whispers) to the Holy SPIRIT!!"

May the storms of life--May the shaking s cause us to get down to worship.

Hide yourself in Jesus. Worship Him, consider Him, even as the storms come, let them tenderize your heart for Him and you will experience His glory. He IS our only refuge in the storm.

Oh, East Coast, we love you. We look forward to hearing your testimonies of how you ran into God and found refuge. Press into Him ~ He watches over His beloved in wondrous ways.

Love, Gillian

P.S as I write this, my little daughter, Ava (5 years) is singing, "You are my rock and there is no other!,You are my ROCK!!"

The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.

(months later I discovered what the staff means in the Bible. That it is a symbol of authority and leadership...the threshold represents the place where the diety of the home resides--to cross it would be to cross the god of the home--God was directing me that night to ask for his LEADERSHIP and to claim Him as our shepherd, as the only TRUE GOD ~ the authority of our home)

Oh, HELP us, Jesus

If we are a friend of God we will love the poor from our heart, through correct thinking,in loving and specific action,in selfless giving...for as we give to them...we are giving to the Kingdom of God's ROYALTY. The way we love the poor is literally the way we love God.




He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done.

Proverbs 19:17

The Pursuit...always the Pursuit...

And now these three remain:

FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE.  

But the greatest of these is LOVE.

(I Corinthians 13:13)

...THIS
is our new family secret...

We have a green plant that we use as a center piece on our dining room table.  It is a simple houseplant with cheery spreading green "arms" and heart leaves.

Each night conversation, laughter, and singing,and prayer flows over this little humble plant as we sort through the days' business, lessons, trivia, triumphs, stories,  and testimonies. And at the end of the meal we purpose to make sure we have fed everyone  REAL,LIVING FOOD that keeps us ever-full and nourished--God's Word.
  We bring verses that have impacted us in our day with the Lord and share them...or listen to one of the littles read a chapter that they have been reading in their cute lispy way...or we memorise a verse all together...or sing a verse together...

...the Holy Spirit will press on one of us to open up a piece of the Word and share it/ digest it with whoever God has brought to our table that evening.  The corporate "chew" is an incredible dynamic.

  I have learned and been taught by every member of my family here.  For there is no "JR. Holy Spirit"!!  He can speak through a child powerfully and clearly ~ maybe even more so than the adults many times!  We are a flowy family more than a systematic one--so each night looks REALLY different but is rich and precious ~ truly alive.  Then, after Word, we "work out" this word in worship in the living room--or I could say, since what God is doing here is so organic--our Word time that vines around the table springs into blooming,fruitful  praising worship in our living room...

  Before dishes...before bed... THIS...is my favorite portion of the day...

Recently, our fresh green "friend"lost a few leaves the night after our day spent picking blueberries this week. But for a very noble purpose!  (Aren't the humble so often used for noble means?)  :)

We love the Hebraic model of teaching aka. asking questions.  As we impart things to the children.  Our time had gone something like this:


"What was it like to find fruit on the blueberry bushes today?"

Oh, YES...EATING the fruit...that's best part for sure!!

"What was it like to see your bucket filling up with fruit?"

"What do you plan to do with all of that fruit?"

"What happens to a bush that is picked?"

YES!  It makes MORE fruit..!"



"What about the branches that did not have fruit on them?  What about them?"

"Why do you think they did not have fruit?"

You know...JESUS spoke about gardening and pruning and picking and fruit...does anyone know about this?


And God moved the conversation to our little plant on the table...and at this point our little friend lost two leaves for the betterment of our hearts!! :) 

"AW! Don't pick off her leaves!!"

"But what do you think will happen to these leaves?  Can we reattach them?
  Are they getting that good life from the roots of our little plant or from the vine?
  What's going to happen to these little leaves?"  Lets watch them for a couple days and see... (...hint...for those who want to know...shrivel...shrivel...shrink...dry...dust....Poor little leaves...)

And now for the Word...Children, did you know there are SECRETS in the Bible?  God says that if we seek Him out, He will be found and He will share the secrets of His heart with us ~ the secrets of the KING!!  We are going to hide ICor. 13:13 in our heart.

  It is a SECRET to life.

To ABIDING...

In Christ...


  In anything that we are doing whether it is getting along in our family, or doing our work jobs, or in friendships or talents, we can ask this question of ourselves:

"Are we growing in Faith (in this area), Is (this area) full of hope to God? Do we see more and more love (here, in this area?)  Let's take LOVING YOUR BROTHER as an example (hee!hee!~it had been kinda a rough day for this!!)  You could love God in your room or anyplace and just lift up in your hands your love for your brothers~ you could ask yourself, "Did I grow in faith with God in the way I loved my brother today?...Or in the way I forgave my brother today?...cause growing in Faith is actually more important than being right about the card game..."How about my love, God? Did I grow in love with you today?"
 
Jack relates..."you know...its like God is always there but you have to accept Him and let His love grow UP,UP,UP around you.  You gotta CHASE it down...like when I chase Bruik around the house!!!"
 
Bruik beams with pleasure.
 
"Yeah, you gotta chase love down"
 
And we read that NEXT  verse about "pursuing love"... (later he dances this out in the Spirit in the living room...(see video below)
 
Then it is 10 year old Anderson who makes this connection.  "OH! and when you find out that you need to love more you will realise that you JUST DON"T have the love you need.  Then you are like the little green leaves on this plant...as long as you STAY close to Jesus,stay near to Him and repent from what is not love...HIS love will flow THROUGH you...it won't be work!  The leaf just rests on the vine!!!"  He puts his head on the table and grins. :)

"Whoa! "  He rests...in knowing...in loving...in connecting with the one who brought this revelation to his heart...then...

"You know what? I found out today that I never have to be bored!" 

All eyes on Anderson--after all we have been stuck in the house ALOT on 110 heat index days in Missouri summer heat.  "All I need to do is to go in my room and turn on worship music on the radio and sing to God...and I'm never bored!" (and you are abiding my son...)He bounces over to our computer and puts worship music on REALLY loudly and I do not dare turn it down for the children are all so ready to dance...and we flow into worship...

Untitled from gillian tucker on Vimeo.

Untitled from gillian tucker on Vimeo.

...This is sweet Jack "Chasing God's Love Down" ~ Look, Mom! He said, "I'm Chasing Down ...I PURSUING God's Love....I chase Him and He chases me....and His love goes UP, UP,UP all around me...then I bring it to other people too...It heals them...God is chasing them down in His love too..."

Blessings, precious friends!!

Love, 

GG

p.s. Blue Scarf Jack is using for dancing was brought back to us from Ethiopia by Ally P. at the time of the P. family's addition of their beautiful two Ethiopian girls :)