The living room has mounted deer heads hanging on the wall. You can find a turkey beard laying on a dresser in a bedroom. There is black bear decor throughout. Gun cabinets are filled with rifles, shotguns, ammunition, deer calls and bow with arrows. And there is plenty of camouflage in any given closet (including mine). The Barnes' home is surely a country man's mansion, but our home is not a huge, extravagant living place with fancy furniture or lavish accessories. However, it is our home and it reflects the people and personalities that live here. We truly are a south Georgia blessed family!
I describe who we are only to tell you a story, a God-lesson. My dad was out hunting with his black powder gun this past weekend. He made a shot on a deer and called us to bring our deer tracking beagle, Lucy. Lucy has been tracking deer for about 2 years now. She has tracked and found several deer but she is still learning the process. We arrived at the hunting land and began working Lucy to track the deer. Lucy tracks from one point to the next, all the while, searching for something to lead her. Her nose is her tool for tracking and following after what she is hunting. She constantly searches for some sort of scent from the deer. Sometimes she even has to back track to find the trail again if she gets off course. As we were tracking through the woods, I began to ponder the thoughts of how we Christians have to continuously seek (track) God's will, direction and purpose in our lives.
Oh, what lessons we Christians can learn from something such as a dog! God gives us all different abilities with a lot of the same tools to use in tracking His will in our lives. God leads us on different trails of life. Don't be afraid to start tracking your path. If you have gotten lost on your trail, be bold and back track until you get the scent of His leading again. He will never leave you in the wilderness with no direction or without simple clues for you to seek after. But you must be obedient enough to seek, listen and TRUST His direction of leading whether it makes sense to you or not.
As we were tracking the deer, so many times Lucy would try to go in a direction that didn't seem right to us. We would pull her away and try to get her to go in the direction we thought was correct. She was on the right path and we kept trying to pull her away from it. When we are tracking our path in Christ, there will be times when people or things will try to detour us. They may not understand our decisions or why we are doing the things that we are. Be bold..take a stand for who you are in Christ. Stay strong and determined on your path! Keep seeking until you find or reach the divine answer.
This blog may sound a little crazy to you if you are not an outdoors kind of person. God speaks to people in so many different ways and He speaks to me constantly through His creation. Some of my most favorite conversations with God have been when I was sitting in a deer stand observing the land, trees and wildlife (His majestic creation). Remember to take time in the busyness of life to hear the quiet voice of the Lord. He is always talking to us...it is just a matter of if we are listening! He is always leading us on our trail...it is just a matter of if we are seeking and tracking Him to reach our destination! How hard are you seeking and tracking God's will in your life? Are you allowing fear to put detours in your path? Have you ventured off onto your own trail of life? Do you need to back track and get back on God's trail? Start today by asking Him to show you the way and surrender to His leading no matter where it takes you.
For the Lord knows the plans He has for you....
Continue to seek Him and you will know them too!
Keep tracking Christ!
Tonya
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Family Ties
We had a wonderful holiday weekend with friends and family! Friday evening, we enjoyed a delicious dinner with some of our best friends. Saturday, we spent the day with all of our boys and their girlfriends (except Camo - his girlfriend is still his mama. LOL!) It was a day of watching old home videos and the house was filled with laughter and joy. Sunday was a day of worship for our Lord. Sunday evening was beautiful. You could feel the autumn bite in the air just teasing us with fall. It has not arrived yet as temps will get back up in the 90's here this week. That evening, we entertained friends with burgers and four wheeler riding. It was a beautiful night. As we were riding, the stars in the sky were breath taking! God's creation is such a beautiful painting of His greatness! Monday consisted of dove hunting for Rodney, Ryan and Justin. Camron enjoyed a day of being spoiled with Mackenzie, Lele and family. Ryan left to head back to college that afternoon and I was left at the house to enjoy sometime to myself. However, I found myself very sad and lonely. I went and walked our puppy and then rode around in my car for a little while. I began to tell God of my feelings. I didn't want to feel this way. I asked him to take the sad feeling from my heart and to just remind me of the joy of being His daughter and a part of His family.
The Lord did remind me of something Camron had said Sunday as we were leaving church. Camron made the statement "Mama, it feels like Ryan is a part of our family again". We all chuckled at him and Ryan gave him the biggest hug. Camron was happy to be spending time with Ryan. You could tell that Ryan and Justin enjoyed spending time together this weekend as well, even though they would never admit that they miss each other. As I was driving, I began to wonder if God ever feels this way toward His children. I wonder how lonely He may feel because of His children not meeting, talking and spending time with Him? And also, just how excited He must become when He feels that we are a part of His family when we do take the time to visit Him in prayer, bible reading, fellowship or singing praises to Him. Whether you realize it or not, God desires for you to be a part of His family. He wants to spend time with you. He wants to help you make decisions in the crossroads of life. He wants you to feel His love. How long has it been since you felt as though you were a part of His family, or that He was a part of your family? Do you miss leaning on His shoulders to rest? Jesus died for our sins not just so that we would be able to go to heaven, but that we would be able to have a relationship with and be a part of God's family. Jesus is the bridge that ties relationships with God and makes it a family.
My prayer today is that God is not lonely for you but that He recognizes you as an active part of His family. After all, a Father loves spending time with His children as often as they like to visit!
Tonya
The Lord did remind me of something Camron had said Sunday as we were leaving church. Camron made the statement "Mama, it feels like Ryan is a part of our family again". We all chuckled at him and Ryan gave him the biggest hug. Camron was happy to be spending time with Ryan. You could tell that Ryan and Justin enjoyed spending time together this weekend as well, even though they would never admit that they miss each other. As I was driving, I began to wonder if God ever feels this way toward His children. I wonder how lonely He may feel because of His children not meeting, talking and spending time with Him? And also, just how excited He must become when He feels that we are a part of His family when we do take the time to visit Him in prayer, bible reading, fellowship or singing praises to Him. Whether you realize it or not, God desires for you to be a part of His family. He wants to spend time with you. He wants to help you make decisions in the crossroads of life. He wants you to feel His love. How long has it been since you felt as though you were a part of His family, or that He was a part of your family? Do you miss leaning on His shoulders to rest? Jesus died for our sins not just so that we would be able to go to heaven, but that we would be able to have a relationship with and be a part of God's family. Jesus is the bridge that ties relationships with God and makes it a family.
My prayer today is that God is not lonely for you but that He recognizes you as an active part of His family. After all, a Father loves spending time with His children as often as they like to visit!
Tonya
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Better than a Hallelujah!
This past weekend, one of my dear friend's son was burned. He received burns to his face, chest, shoulder and arms. This young man has shown such great courage and strength through it all. He received minor surgery from one of the best burn facilities around. He returned home and is now on the road to recovery.
As I have prayed for this young man daily, I can't help but to be filled with tons of joy and praise just thinking about what God has in store for him. I know that this whole experience has been a very painful, frightening, and nerve wrecking time for him and his family. The best thing through all of this has been that God has been in control. He was there when this young man was on the burn pile, He was there with the paramedics when the father met them with his son, He was there when the mother received that sinking feeling in her stomach and heart because of news that one of her boys had been hurt, He was there at the hospital when the ambulance arrived and was met by what seemed like 50 doctors, He was there on the helicopter ride entertaining this young man with a view of wildlife in the fields, He was there meeting this young man as he arrived at one of the best burn victim hospitals around and was by himself, He was in the vehicle with the parents as they had to drive the four hour ride to reach their son who had been transported, God was with the young man through surgery, his journey home and He is still there with this young man and his family!
A family leaning on God during times of pain and suffering is better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
A community coming together and loving this family like Jesus loves is better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
God hearing thousands of prayers for a young man is better than a Hallelujah!
We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are, The honest cries of breaking hearts...are better than a Hallelujah!!!
Thank you Lord for your mercy and blessings on the Patrick family this week! I pray you continue to heal Clayton and speak to him during this time. Lord, may he grow to be a "mighty" soldier for you! We pray for complete healing and can't wait to see him back on the baseball field! Amen!
With much love for the Patrick family,
Tonya
As I have prayed for this young man daily, I can't help but to be filled with tons of joy and praise just thinking about what God has in store for him. I know that this whole experience has been a very painful, frightening, and nerve wrecking time for him and his family. The best thing through all of this has been that God has been in control. He was there when this young man was on the burn pile, He was there with the paramedics when the father met them with his son, He was there when the mother received that sinking feeling in her stomach and heart because of news that one of her boys had been hurt, He was there at the hospital when the ambulance arrived and was met by what seemed like 50 doctors, He was there on the helicopter ride entertaining this young man with a view of wildlife in the fields, He was there meeting this young man as he arrived at one of the best burn victim hospitals around and was by himself, He was in the vehicle with the parents as they had to drive the four hour ride to reach their son who had been transported, God was with the young man through surgery, his journey home and He is still there with this young man and his family!
A family leaning on God during times of pain and suffering is better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
A community coming together and loving this family like Jesus loves is better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
God hearing thousands of prayers for a young man is better than a Hallelujah!
We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are, The honest cries of breaking hearts...are better than a Hallelujah!!!
Thank you Lord for your mercy and blessings on the Patrick family this week! I pray you continue to heal Clayton and speak to him during this time. Lord, may he grow to be a "mighty" soldier for you! We pray for complete healing and can't wait to see him back on the baseball field! Amen!
With much love for the Patrick family,
Tonya
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