As I walked into our office on Friday morning a co-worker who quickly mentioned she was in pain created me. “Hmmm” was my first thought.
She had opened her garage door that morning and the cat ran out under her feet. With a girly scream and a quick hop she avoided stepping on the cat. What she did not avoid was landing on one of her daughter’s roller blades. Her feet went straight out from under her, which flung her up and then down onto the other roller blade. Thus came the pain and tears and a house filled with commotion.
“I should pray for her,” was my second thought and third thought and fourth thought. But for some reason I never said anything.
I eventually went back to my office and pondered why I hadn’t prayed for her. I was actually really nervous to pray for her. It was an odd feeling. I wasn’t nervous that God wouldn’t heal her but more on the setting (at work). I wasn’t sure what to do or how to go about it.
A few hours went by of nervousness and I finally was fed up with it. I instant messaged her and asked her how the pain was. She said it was bad. I asked if I could pray for her (I prayed for her about 8 months ago and her sinus’ instantly cleared up). She said yes.
I told her I would be there in a few minutes, mainly because I was really nervous. I had to get my mind focused. Once I determined it was nothing I walked over to her office.
By the time I arrived she had someone in there. More nervousness.
I walked into the sales office and mentioned to a friend that I was going to pray for so & so. He asked if I was doing that now because we were to go pick up a company vehicle out at the nursery. I said well let’s go and I will pray for her when I get back.
I was still nervous.
Driving back to the office I begin to renew my mind to the truth so that by the time I arrived at the office I was ready.
I walked into the main office rounded the corner to her office and she wasn’t there. She had left for the day to go to the doctor.
What? I had missed the opportunity to see the Kingdom of God invade her world. My nervousness had won.
I put my tail between my legs and walked back to the sales office defeated.
I will call her on the phone. I grabbed my phone and rang her. She answered and we clarified what had happened and how we missed each other.
She was sitting in the doctor’s office waiting to be seen. I asked if I could pray for her now, she said, sure.
I asked her what her pain level was and she mentioned it was at least an 8 or 8.5 (10 being unbearable). I told her to place her hand on the area of pain. I prayed this, “Jesus thank you for (her name). In Jesus name I command this pain to leave right now! Thank you God.”
Do feel anything?
Well, I don’t know. Let me see if I can do something I couldn’t before. Oh my gosh Heath it’s gone. I can touch my toes, oh my gosh! Whoa, wow, oh my gosh. No, there is no pain. I guess I don’t need to see the doctor. Oh gosh!
The easy part is know God’s will concerning healing, “My will on earth as it is in heaven.” There is NO pain in heaven.
The hard part is calming my nerves.
Heath Locke
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Emie's Update
Hey everyone! Thought I'd come out of hiding again and give you a quick update on all that has been happening around here for the Locke family. We are continuing to LOVE and ENJOY our season of rest.
With the help of our friends, the Coulombes who came to visit for 3 weeks, we made and planted a beautiful little garden. Judah is in heaven as he has been longing for a garden for a couple years now! He is thrilled with the peppers, tomatoes, flowers on the melon plants, and the corn that is taller than he is! He's also thrilled that the world of words is FUN now and not the effort it has been almost all year! It's fun to hear him read every sign he passes!
Asher is growing and enjoying catching every bug, lizard, bird egg that falls from a tree, tadpole, frog, slug, snail, caterpillar, roly poly bug, you name it, he'll catch it, bring it in a jar and beg to keep it in the house!!! NO! He is learning how to be just as aggravating as his big brother and I'm no longer sure who's to blame in the sibling rivalry!! He can hold his own really well. Watch out Judah. Pray for Asher's immune system. He is the one who seems to get every germ that comes around and it hits him hard. We just had a round of sickness and he is still trying to fight off a fever (we're on day 5), sore throat, throwing up, headache, stuffy nose and all the rest of it! He's been better natured through this sickness than ever before, so that helps.
Elianna is full of life and personality! She is finally becoming more independant and not needing mommy to hold her as much as before (which was pretty much all day every day!!). She's talking like crazy and repeating everything we say! One day she had a snotty nose and I said, "Can you say booger?" "JUDAH" instantly came out of her mouth!!! I had a good laugh with that one! Judah is her favorite word to say! It may be because it's the word she most frequently hears me say!!! :-) She loves the chickens, weeding the garden with me (though I loose a few plants every time!), playing in the dirt and splashing in water. Every morning she climbs out of her crib, comes into my room and brings me my flip flops and glasses, smacks her lips, and stands there until I get her breakfast!! See Heath, who needs a dog?! :-)
Abiel is a beautiful young lady almost ready to turn 10! She is loving swim lessons, and dreaming about her summer that is full of fun! She is able to go to a summer camp that I went to as a kid and also a small camp in Oregon. She's looking forward to possibly taking ballet classes this fall and getting involved in 4-H. She continues to be my most social child and can make friends in the span of 3 seconds flat! It's pretty fun to watch. I don't know what I'd do without her. She is precious and extremely helpful.
So that's the kiddos. Heath is keeping busy by learning some new skills in videography and photography. He had the opportunity to be hired to do a promotional video for a local company and it turned out incredible. It seems God is opening some avenues for Heath to incorporate more of his artistic abilities into some of his dreams for the future. I'm really excited for him. He continues to be a blessing and light in his work place and pretty much where ever he goes. Though this isn't his ideal place in life, he is very much alive and moving forward with what God puts before him. He is a faithful man of God who works hard and brings Jesus whether he is in formal ministry or the business world. By the way, his birthday is June 28th. He loves encouragement as we all do, so if you think of it, send him an email and let him know how much you appreciate him!
I am in resting heaven!! I never thought I'd be able to say that raising four kids is resting!! But I guess after the chaotic life of our previous years, I'm able to say this is a piece of cake, comparatively! Heath does a great job of giving me breaks. About once a month, I spend the night at our friends house for some peace, quiet, and soaking time with Jesus. It has been so healing for me. This weekend, I am going away for 2 nights to just BE! I don't even know what I'll do with all that time and space, but I plan on enjoying every moment with Jesus all to myself!
As I feel like I'm coming to life, I'm being able to "see" the world around me again. As everywhere, there is a fairly large homeless population in the area. Several weeks ago, Serenity and I (when the coulombes were still visiting) met a lady named Laurie. She needed help with food. So we were able to take her to the grocery store and bless her. She also very humbly shared that she was sleeping in her car and at the moment it was stranded in the Walmart parking lot, needing a new water pump. I told her I'd be back in a couple days to help her with it and gave her my number. The next day the kids and I decided to meet Heath for dinner at In -n- Out Burger. As I walked in, there was Laurie. I grabbed her and gave her a big hug and said, "Hey Jesus really wants us to be friends! Do you want to have dinner with us?" And that was the beginning of my friendship with Laurie.
Over the last several weeks, I have met with Laurie for a few meals. I'm learning who she is. I'm hearing her needs. I'm enjoying just getting to know her and sharing who I am and who Jesus is with her. The other day when we were at lunch together I asked, "Who is Laurie?" She got the most innocent, childlike smile on her face and thought for a long time before responding. It was a precious moment of her just reveling in the fact that someone wanted to know her. Don't we all just want someone to know us?
Today I had the opportunity to help her get to Georgia to see her son graduate from National Guard Basic Training. She called me earlier this week wondering if I could help her get down there. Honestly, I wrestled. It's one thing to buy someone groceries. It's another thing to be someone's friend who has continual need. Just ask anyone who has been the friend of the Locke family.
I wrestled with whether or not I should help. So on the way to meet her, I heard the Lord ask me, "Could you give the money to Me?" "Of course. No problem." And then He answered me with this, "Then just find Me in Laurie's eyes tonight." Wow.
And as I drove I remembered all the times we were in need of getting somewhere and friends listened to Jesus and came through. Why is that any different? Is it more noble to give to a "missionary" than to give to a homeless friend? And again, I was reminded of all the times we've literally been homeless and if not for the generosity of friends and the family of God, we would've slept in our van too. Is it different? Maybe you could argue that the circumstances of homelessness were different. . . or maybe not. I wish you could've seen the joy, light and excitement in her eyes tonight as I sat across from her at In -n- Out, listening to her quiet but excited voice share about how amazed her son will be to see her there! And I had no problem finding Jesus in her eyes right there in that noisy, crowded restaurant.
Thank you Jesus for being among us. Thank you for showing us Your face. Thank you for giving us the privlege of being ministers of reconciliation. Thank you for giving us the job of reflecting Your glory with increasing measure. It is an honor to represent you to the world. Pour out your love into the hearts of Your people so in turn, Your people can pour your love out on the world around them.
We love you all,
emie for the locke fam
With the help of our friends, the Coulombes who came to visit for 3 weeks, we made and planted a beautiful little garden. Judah is in heaven as he has been longing for a garden for a couple years now! He is thrilled with the peppers, tomatoes, flowers on the melon plants, and the corn that is taller than he is! He's also thrilled that the world of words is FUN now and not the effort it has been almost all year! It's fun to hear him read every sign he passes!
Asher is growing and enjoying catching every bug, lizard, bird egg that falls from a tree, tadpole, frog, slug, snail, caterpillar, roly poly bug, you name it, he'll catch it, bring it in a jar and beg to keep it in the house!!! NO! He is learning how to be just as aggravating as his big brother and I'm no longer sure who's to blame in the sibling rivalry!! He can hold his own really well. Watch out Judah. Pray for Asher's immune system. He is the one who seems to get every germ that comes around and it hits him hard. We just had a round of sickness and he is still trying to fight off a fever (we're on day 5), sore throat, throwing up, headache, stuffy nose and all the rest of it! He's been better natured through this sickness than ever before, so that helps.
Elianna is full of life and personality! She is finally becoming more independant and not needing mommy to hold her as much as before (which was pretty much all day every day!!). She's talking like crazy and repeating everything we say! One day she had a snotty nose and I said, "Can you say booger?" "JUDAH" instantly came out of her mouth!!! I had a good laugh with that one! Judah is her favorite word to say! It may be because it's the word she most frequently hears me say!!! :-) She loves the chickens, weeding the garden with me (though I loose a few plants every time!), playing in the dirt and splashing in water. Every morning she climbs out of her crib, comes into my room and brings me my flip flops and glasses, smacks her lips, and stands there until I get her breakfast!! See Heath, who needs a dog?! :-)
Abiel is a beautiful young lady almost ready to turn 10! She is loving swim lessons, and dreaming about her summer that is full of fun! She is able to go to a summer camp that I went to as a kid and also a small camp in Oregon. She's looking forward to possibly taking ballet classes this fall and getting involved in 4-H. She continues to be my most social child and can make friends in the span of 3 seconds flat! It's pretty fun to watch. I don't know what I'd do without her. She is precious and extremely helpful.
So that's the kiddos. Heath is keeping busy by learning some new skills in videography and photography. He had the opportunity to be hired to do a promotional video for a local company and it turned out incredible. It seems God is opening some avenues for Heath to incorporate more of his artistic abilities into some of his dreams for the future. I'm really excited for him. He continues to be a blessing and light in his work place and pretty much where ever he goes. Though this isn't his ideal place in life, he is very much alive and moving forward with what God puts before him. He is a faithful man of God who works hard and brings Jesus whether he is in formal ministry or the business world. By the way, his birthday is June 28th. He loves encouragement as we all do, so if you think of it, send him an email and let him know how much you appreciate him!
I am in resting heaven!! I never thought I'd be able to say that raising four kids is resting!! But I guess after the chaotic life of our previous years, I'm able to say this is a piece of cake, comparatively! Heath does a great job of giving me breaks. About once a month, I spend the night at our friends house for some peace, quiet, and soaking time with Jesus. It has been so healing for me. This weekend, I am going away for 2 nights to just BE! I don't even know what I'll do with all that time and space, but I plan on enjoying every moment with Jesus all to myself!
As I feel like I'm coming to life, I'm being able to "see" the world around me again. As everywhere, there is a fairly large homeless population in the area. Several weeks ago, Serenity and I (when the coulombes were still visiting) met a lady named Laurie. She needed help with food. So we were able to take her to the grocery store and bless her. She also very humbly shared that she was sleeping in her car and at the moment it was stranded in the Walmart parking lot, needing a new water pump. I told her I'd be back in a couple days to help her with it and gave her my number. The next day the kids and I decided to meet Heath for dinner at In -n- Out Burger. As I walked in, there was Laurie. I grabbed her and gave her a big hug and said, "Hey Jesus really wants us to be friends! Do you want to have dinner with us?" And that was the beginning of my friendship with Laurie.
Over the last several weeks, I have met with Laurie for a few meals. I'm learning who she is. I'm hearing her needs. I'm enjoying just getting to know her and sharing who I am and who Jesus is with her. The other day when we were at lunch together I asked, "Who is Laurie?" She got the most innocent, childlike smile on her face and thought for a long time before responding. It was a precious moment of her just reveling in the fact that someone wanted to know her. Don't we all just want someone to know us?
Today I had the opportunity to help her get to Georgia to see her son graduate from National Guard Basic Training. She called me earlier this week wondering if I could help her get down there. Honestly, I wrestled. It's one thing to buy someone groceries. It's another thing to be someone's friend who has continual need. Just ask anyone who has been the friend of the Locke family.
I wrestled with whether or not I should help. So on the way to meet her, I heard the Lord ask me, "Could you give the money to Me?" "Of course. No problem." And then He answered me with this, "Then just find Me in Laurie's eyes tonight." Wow.
And as I drove I remembered all the times we were in need of getting somewhere and friends listened to Jesus and came through. Why is that any different? Is it more noble to give to a "missionary" than to give to a homeless friend? And again, I was reminded of all the times we've literally been homeless and if not for the generosity of friends and the family of God, we would've slept in our van too. Is it different? Maybe you could argue that the circumstances of homelessness were different. . . or maybe not. I wish you could've seen the joy, light and excitement in her eyes tonight as I sat across from her at In -n- Out, listening to her quiet but excited voice share about how amazed her son will be to see her there! And I had no problem finding Jesus in her eyes right there in that noisy, crowded restaurant.
Thank you Jesus for being among us. Thank you for showing us Your face. Thank you for giving us the privlege of being ministers of reconciliation. Thank you for giving us the job of reflecting Your glory with increasing measure. It is an honor to represent you to the world. Pour out your love into the hearts of Your people so in turn, Your people can pour your love out on the world around them.
We love you all,
emie for the locke fam
Friday, June 5, 2009
Quick thoughts
Sorry it has been so long . . . blah blah . . .
Of course all of you Facebookers will keep up to date with my wife and thus hear a quick on the fam.
Life is going great. We love our home and fields of Ag all around us.
Finally feeling like we are settling in.
I have been busy (late nights) creating a video of a local company. Finished last night or about 1am this morning.
Ministry is going awesome and I feel bad we have not shared any stories.
I got to pray for a co-worker a few weeks back who was laying his head on the desk in intense migraine, sinus, and neck pain. He was only at work because he was head on vacation towards the end of the week and had to get his stuff done.
I asked to pray for him, he said sure (quick version). I prayed and he said it had gone down from a 7 pain level to a 5. So I prayed again, then he jumped up and yelled get away from me Heath you're a weirdo (half serious/half joking).
He was stunned because all the pain (and everything else attached to it) instantly left.
He sat there in silence and disbelief. I briefly shared the gospel of the Kingdom and smiled because once again Heaven had invaded earth.
Bless you all and until I write more stay socially connected with Emie on Facebook.
Of course all of you Facebookers will keep up to date with my wife and thus hear a quick on the fam.
Life is going great. We love our home and fields of Ag all around us.
Finally feeling like we are settling in.
I have been busy (late nights) creating a video of a local company. Finished last night or about 1am this morning.
Ministry is going awesome and I feel bad we have not shared any stories.
I got to pray for a co-worker a few weeks back who was laying his head on the desk in intense migraine, sinus, and neck pain. He was only at work because he was head on vacation towards the end of the week and had to get his stuff done.
I asked to pray for him, he said sure (quick version). I prayed and he said it had gone down from a 7 pain level to a 5. So I prayed again, then he jumped up and yelled get away from me Heath you're a weirdo (half serious/half joking).
He was stunned because all the pain (and everything else attached to it) instantly left.
He sat there in silence and disbelief. I briefly shared the gospel of the Kingdom and smiled because once again Heaven had invaded earth.
Bless you all and until I write more stay socially connected with Emie on Facebook.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Update on Tuesday nights
Here is another list someone from our group on Tuesday night put together for the last month or two.
It truly is amazing how the Lord continues to move and it takes an hour to share all the testimonies.
This list doesn't even take into account what has happened in the last two weeks and how individuals are experiencing God in fresh new ways.
If you are ever in town on a Tuesday night stop on in.
A families “awful bill”-$ arrived to pay
Sarah’s “dry bones” dream and her “let(ing) go”
Kristal bringing the presence of God in to client’s homes
Scott prays for Paul S’s knee and it is healed
Carrie S suitor “moves on” in answer to prayer
A ladies deliverance from the spirit of approval (intense)
Beth’s healing miraculously started
Lorie’s salvation, but still waiting on healing
Sarah’s dream about Debbie and Stephanie, the next day Debbie calls! Haven’t talked for a couple years.
Kelly’s dream about Diane J, sister, acupuncture
Susan’s Mom’s liver cancer healed (“the doctor can’t find the tumor”)
Shawna’s brother Anthony miraculously healed (2 knife wounds, one cut artery, “death” sentence, “certain brain injury” sentence, nurses confession of “miracle”, complete healing started, BSSM students “show up” to pray with Shawna as she prays for help)
Prophetic word about Anthony being a light and testimony to all his family
Shawna’s mother (pre-saved) thanks group for praying for Anthony!
Financial release for family that also blessed someone else
Resurrection of Christina and Adam’s baby (in womb) after Emie prays
Scott prays for a stabbed hand at The River (Church) and it is healed
Beginning of Casey/Christina’s reconciliation after night of warfare prayer
Kyle /Lesley’s “peace” answer to prayer regarding their future
Baby Benjamin’s miraculous continual healing & prophesies over his life.
It truly is amazing how the Lord continues to move and it takes an hour to share all the testimonies.
This list doesn't even take into account what has happened in the last two weeks and how individuals are experiencing God in fresh new ways.
If you are ever in town on a Tuesday night stop on in.
A families “awful bill”-$ arrived to pay
Sarah’s “dry bones” dream and her “let(ing) go”
Kristal bringing the presence of God in to client’s homes
Scott prays for Paul S’s knee and it is healed
Carrie S suitor “moves on” in answer to prayer
A ladies deliverance from the spirit of approval (intense)
Beth’s healing miraculously started
Lorie’s salvation, but still waiting on healing
Sarah’s dream about Debbie and Stephanie, the next day Debbie calls! Haven’t talked for a couple years.
Kelly’s dream about Diane J, sister, acupuncture
Susan’s Mom’s liver cancer healed (“the doctor can’t find the tumor”)
Shawna’s brother Anthony miraculously healed (2 knife wounds, one cut artery, “death” sentence, “certain brain injury” sentence, nurses confession of “miracle”, complete healing started, BSSM students “show up” to pray with Shawna as she prays for help)
Prophetic word about Anthony being a light and testimony to all his family
Shawna’s mother (pre-saved) thanks group for praying for Anthony!
Financial release for family that also blessed someone else
Resurrection of Christina and Adam’s baby (in womb) after Emie prays
Scott prays for a stabbed hand at The River (Church) and it is healed
Beginning of Casey/Christina’s reconciliation after night of warfare prayer
Kyle /Lesley’s “peace” answer to prayer regarding their future
Baby Benjamin’s miraculous continual healing & prophesies over his life.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Got fired? Good!
Nathaniel Hawthorne went home to tell his wife that he had just been fired from his job. "Good," she said. "Now you can write your book." "What do we live on meanwhile?" Hawthorne asked. His wife opened a drawer filled with money. "I have always known that you are a man of genius," she said. "So I have saved a little each week, and now I have enough to last for a year." Hawthorne used the time to write The Scarlet Letter, one of the greatest masterpieces of American literature.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Hello Dear Team Africa!!
I think I'm ready to come out of hiding . . . for a few minutes anyway!
I can't believe it has been an entire year since we landed back on the soil of good ol' US of A. And it has taken that entire year to recover! As I have been reflecting on our time in Africa and the few months following our return to the States, I am in complete awe and unexplainable thankfulness for how the Lord used you, our incredible team, to support, love, pray for, and bring us to a place of rest and refreshing again. YOU ARE INCREDIBLE!! And I'm not just saying that!
We have met many, many missionaries in our journeys over the years. Many of their stories of their support systems are very sad. Often missionaries get sent out with a big fan fare, rarely to hear from their supporters or "team" during their difficult days on the field and ESPECIALLY upon their return FROM the field. Many feel they cannot be real with their supporters for fear of losing necessary funding. Because of our anonymous giving, we felt total freedom to give you our yuck! And we did! And you responded in such love and grace, we just can't imagine it being any other way! Thank you for helping to make our experiences very different from those who feel so isolated in their service in foreign lands.
As we left for Africa two years ago, we were sent out miraculously as God used you to provide the necessary finances to get on the plane with our 17 bags and 3 kids! Once in Africa, we never once felt abandoned. You were faithful to email just at the right time (Praise God for technology. . . 25 years ago, that would've been impossible!!). You would email things God was asking you to pray for and it was SPOT ON! Many of you, I was able to build wonderful relationships with as email prayer pals! We were truly surrounded in prayer. And we always had what we needed monetarily. There were weeks it would look slim, but then God would prompt someone to give and we'd have exactly what we needed . . . over and over again. And as Heath has updated once before, we "made" more money as missionaries than he is making at a "real" job! That is miraculous and such a testimony to your faithfulness to care for us and respond to God in giving when He prompted. THANK YOU!
Mozambique was an incredibly rich experience for all of us, while South Africa proved to be much more trying. The uncertainly of what we were doing there, how long we were to be there and what was next, ON TOP OF having our 4th baby, made the stress of missionary life very difficult. Yet once again, we never felt abandoned by God or by you, HIS Body! Over and over your prayer confirmation was direction for us as the Holy Spirit would tell you things only He and we knew!
The love and care that we were given from Kent and Shay at the Ehmke house (the one we lived at in South Africa) and the friendship and fellowship from Richard and Sheila and others in Nelspruit was invaluable. Thanks so much for loving us and enduring with us through our difficult days! I was a basket case to be sure!
God's provision through YOU to get us back to the US was another amazing miracle. And everything preceding our landing in Portland, Oregon was the love of God manifested tangibly through you! Two weeks prior to leaving South Africa, we had no where to live upon returning home. Then God shows up through Mike Thaler and offers us a beautiful place to stay for 3 months! We got "home" and the house was set up and livable, complete with towels, sheets, beds, crib, soap, shampoo, dishes, warm clothes and a month and a half supply of food! For all of you who were part of that, we will never forget it. You blessed us beyond what we could've thought or asked for at that point. You provided a place for us to come home to and we felt anything BUT abandoned by our friends and team!
Those three months were so difficult in the reverse culture shock and wondering what the heck we were supposed to do next! Yet again, we had you to cry with, sob our guts out with, tell our jaded, processing thoughts to and to pray with! You know who you are! Thank you for letting us be so real. It made our restoration process so much quicker than it could've been. From toilet paper and diapers to friends GIVING US their mini-van, we couldn't recount all the ways that YOU, our friends and teammates have given to and been there for us.
Thank you to all of you who housed us, loved us, supported us financially through those awkward months. The Truaxs, Stagers, Bocseris, Kinds, and then the Georges whom we told we'd be there for 2 weeks and left 3 months later!!!!! I'm telling you, our friends are full of hospitality. We have so many crazy, unbelievable stories of true hospitality and the family of God working and providing for other parts of the body, it's bizarre!!
We truly have not taken any of your love, gifts, prayers, hospitality, financial support, and most of all friendship for granted. And I know in my attempt to give honor to you, our friends and supporters, I will miss mentioning some really big things, moments, or gifts. But they are not forgotten in our hearts and minds. My journals tell it all!
And as we could never repay you for such acts of love and kindness and sometimes sheer obedience, we continually pray that the Lord will bless you beyond what you could imagine for the sacrifices of friendship and love and gifts given to us for the Kingdom of Heaven.
It has been a wonderful 5 months of living in our own little house, with our own little space and our own little family. The Lord told me this would be a greenhouse time for our family where he was tenderly caring for and growing us in order to send us out again. It has truly been this. I am coming alive again and loving life again! YEAH GOD! Hiding has been the best thing in the world for me and the kids . . . a little rough on Heath but he's enduring for our sake!! Ministry, though on a much smaller scale, continues to be amazing as we meet on Tuesday nights to pray. The Presence of God and power of the Holy Spirit is just amazing.
And the biggest miracle of all is that I am LOVING and fully embracing the role of motherhood like never before in my 10 years of marriage. God had to take me through the last 3 years to bring me to a place of fully surrendering my heart and this time in my life to Him by giving it to my family wholeheartedly.
So thank you. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. Forgive my hiding! I will return (it may be 17 years from now but I will return!!). Jesus is ministering to us and continuing to minister through us. Someone asked me if I'm enjoying living in California. I said, "I would've enjoyed living on the moon at that point! I just needed somewhere to LAND for a longish period of time!" So yes, I'm enjoying Cali, but most of all, I'm enjoying routine, stability and hiding! This is the first time in 10 years of marriage where all I have to think about is my family! I think I'm considering this my sabbatical!
Ok, that's enough for one "outing!" Love and blessings and abundant LIFE to you all! We LOVE YOU!
Emie for the Locke Family
Monday, March 2, 2009
Abraham Lincoln on Finances
Dear Johnston:--
Your request for eighty dollars, I do not think it best to comply with now. At the various times when I have helped you a little, you have said to me, "We can get along very well now," but in a very short time I find you in the same difficulty again. Now this can only happen by some defect in your conduct. What that defect is, I think I know. You are not _lazy_, and still you _are_ an _idler_. I doubt whether since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work, in any one day. You do not very much dislike to work, and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it. This habit of uselessly wasting time, is the whole difficulty; and it is vastly important to you, and still more so to your children, that you should break this habit. It is more important to them, because they have longer to live, and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it easier than they can get out after they are in.
You are now in need of some ready money; and what I propose is, that you shall go to work, "tooth and nail," for somebody who will give you money for it. Let father and your boys take charge of things at home--prepare for a crop, and make the crop; and you go to work for the best money wages, or in discharge of any debt you owe, that you can get. And to secure you a fair reward for your labor, I now promise you that for every dollar you will, between this and the first of next May, get for your own labor either in money or in your own indebtedness, I will then give you one other dollar. By this, if you hire yourself at ten dollars a month, from me you will get ten more, making twenty dollars a month for your work. In this, I do not mean you shall go off to St. Louis, or the lead mines, or the gold mines, in California, but I mean for you to go at it for the best wages you can get close to home, in Coles County. Now if you will do this, you will soon be out of debt, and what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again. But if I should now clear you out, next year you will be just as deep in as ever.
You say you would almost give your place in Heaven for $70 or $80. Then you value your place in Heaven very cheaply, for I am sure you can with the offer I make you get the seventy or ighty dollars for four or five months' work. You say if I furnish you the money you will deed me the land, and if you don't pay the money back, you will deliver possession-- Nonsense! If you can't now live _with_ the land, how will you then live without it? You have always been kind to me, and I do not now mean to be unkind to you. On the contrary, if you will but follow my advice, you will find it worth more than eight times eighty dollars to you.
Affectionately your brother,
A. LINCOLN.
Your request for eighty dollars, I do not think it best to comply with now. At the various times when I have helped you a little, you have said to me, "We can get along very well now," but in a very short time I find you in the same difficulty again. Now this can only happen by some defect in your conduct. What that defect is, I think I know. You are not _lazy_, and still you _are_ an _idler_. I doubt whether since I saw you, you have done a good whole day's work, in any one day. You do not very much dislike to work, and still you do not work much, merely because it does not seem to you that you could get much for it. This habit of uselessly wasting time, is the whole difficulty; and it is vastly important to you, and still more so to your children, that you should break this habit. It is more important to them, because they have longer to live, and can keep out of an idle habit before they are in it easier than they can get out after they are in.
You are now in need of some ready money; and what I propose is, that you shall go to work, "tooth and nail," for somebody who will give you money for it. Let father and your boys take charge of things at home--prepare for a crop, and make the crop; and you go to work for the best money wages, or in discharge of any debt you owe, that you can get. And to secure you a fair reward for your labor, I now promise you that for every dollar you will, between this and the first of next May, get for your own labor either in money or in your own indebtedness, I will then give you one other dollar. By this, if you hire yourself at ten dollars a month, from me you will get ten more, making twenty dollars a month for your work. In this, I do not mean you shall go off to St. Louis, or the lead mines, or the gold mines, in California, but I mean for you to go at it for the best wages you can get close to home, in Coles County. Now if you will do this, you will soon be out of debt, and what is better, you will have a habit that will keep you from getting in debt again. But if I should now clear you out, next year you will be just as deep in as ever.
You say you would almost give your place in Heaven for $70 or $80. Then you value your place in Heaven very cheaply, for I am sure you can with the offer I make you get the seventy or ighty dollars for four or five months' work. You say if I furnish you the money you will deed me the land, and if you don't pay the money back, you will deliver possession-- Nonsense! If you can't now live _with_ the land, how will you then live without it? You have always been kind to me, and I do not now mean to be unkind to you. On the contrary, if you will but follow my advice, you will find it worth more than eight times eighty dollars to you.
Affectionately your brother,
A. LINCOLN.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
