peace poem

Yesterday was a rough day.  To release some of what was going on in my head and heart, I wrote a poem.  Poetry is definitely not my thing, so it's not well written.  But I wanted to share it anyway:

Praying for peace in the middle east
And across the street
Will it ever end?
Keep trying to mend
The broken pieces keep slipping through my hand
Maybe I'll go bury my head in the sand

What do you do when you're having an emotionally rough day?

meet the parents

Last week I forgot to post my Friday's "person you should know."  Oopsie.  So this week it's the "people you should know."  :)

Let me introduce you to my mom and stepdad- Marsha and David Mitchell:

My mom is my hero and best friend.  She has always been there for me, teaching me and guiding me as a teenager and young adult.  She always takes time to listen to me and pray for me.  She laughs with me, cries with me, and loves me through it all. 

It is with my mom that I have most of my memories.  She was the one who taught me how to talk, to walk, to read, and tie my shoes (though technically it was my babysitter, Colleen, who taught me how to tie bows on my Raggedy Ann doll!)  She was the one who took me to dance lessons, tumbling classes, and baseball practice.  She was the one who held my hand at the doctor's office and fed me popscicles after getting my tonsils taken out.  She was the one who taught me how to drive, how to cook, and how to balance my checkbook.  She taught me how to be a strong and independent woman.  She taught me that no matter what life brings, life is still worth it.  She taught me about God.  Most importantly, she showed me God's love every day.  She still continues to show me God's love every single day.

My mom is my hero and my best friend.

David, my stepdad, has been one of the most wonderful additions to the family.  He and my mom met and married 12 years ago and our family hasn't been the same since!  Dave is a quiet, funny guy.  He loves Nascar, John Deere, his family, and Jesus.  He is the one person I know that I can call at any time of day with a need, and he'll be right there to help.  If I need prayer, he's just one phone call away.  He has a servant's heart like no other.  He has endured suffering and sickness, and yet still has joy.  He has been the one to show me the Father heart of God in ways that no one else has.

My parents are wonderful, and I thank God for them every day!!  My prayer is that I will one day be able to be the same kind of parent that these two have been for me.  May my life honor them, and bring joy to their hearts!

it just takes one

In John 4, Jesus and his disciples travel through Samaria in order to return to Galilee.  At the village of Sychar, Jesus and company stop to rest at the historic well built by Jacob and given to his son Joseph.

As his disciples venture off to find food, Jesus took a seat close to the well and watched as a Samaritan woman came to draw water.  Against the social norm of the time, Jesus strikes up a conversation with the woman.  He tells her things about her past and present that only she would know, revealing himself to be the Liberating King.  In that instant, her life was changed. 

But, the story doesn't end here.  The woman goes back to the village and tells people that she has met Jesus, the Liberating King.  Verse 39 tells us the impact this woman had: "...because one woman shared with her neighbors how Jesus exposed her past and present, the village of Sychar was transformed..."

It only takes one person to change things.  Because of the Samaritan woman an entire village was transformed.  Think about that.  It's an incredible, challenging thought.

YOU have the power to change things.

What kind of changes do you want to see take place in your life, in society, in the world?  What are you doing to see these changes come to pass?

joshua m. dilley

Last week, Matthew Paul Turner (aka @jesusneedsnewpr), started a new blog post series called "Friday's Person You Should Know."  The idea was to create a positive series to celebrate the people in our lives. I thought this sounded like a great idea, so it's my new thing for Friday's!

Please meet my husband, Joshua M. Dilley:

Josh and I met my senior year of high school in photography class and became fast friends.  There are many things that attracted me to him back then - he's cute, intelligent, and funny - that still attract me now.  But there is much MUCH more to Josh than that.  He's loyal to a fault.  Even when friends take advantage of him, he sticks by them.  He's generous and giving to those in need.  He loves, honors, and respects his parents, and would do anything for family.  He loves Jesus and prays continuously!  He has supported me in all my endeavors even when they've taken me away from him for long periods of time.  He stays with me through all the good and especially the bad, lifting me up, and sometimes putting me in my place when needed.  And he loves me - unconditionally and without question. 

I thank God for creating Josh and bringing him into my life!!! 

Who do you thank God for bringing into your life?

friday's person you should know

Matthew Paul Turner, aka @JesusNeedsNewPR, began a new blog series today titled "Friday's Person You Should Know."  The idea behind this new series is to create a positive series to celebrate the people in our lives.  I thought this sounded like a great idea, so it's going to be my new thing for Fridays.  Since I just found out about it today, I'll wait to start this series until next Friday!

What person in your life do you want to celebrate?

homeless in ohio

My hometown is pretty small and homelessness isn't something we come across every day.  Occasionally there will be an old guy holding up a "will work for food" sign by the exit ramp or at one of the shopping centers.  But we don't see them sleeping on the side of the street or on a park bench.  Just because we don't see them, however, doesn't mean they're not there.  Even in the small city of Chillicothe, homelessness exists.  It is real.

According to statistics, there are about 12,000 homeless men, women, and children in the state of Ohio.  On any given day, 1500 of those go unsheltered.  Some of those who go unsheltered are living under bridges, down by the river, in cars, anywhere they can find a place to lay their head. 

The question is, what are we doing to help?  I came across a blog today written by a lady named Sandy.  She is using her creative talents to help the homeless in her Ohio hometown by knitting scarves, hats, mittens, and socks.  Read about her efforts to help the homeless here. 

In Chillicothe, one of the ways in which we can help the homeless is through a ministry called Homes of Hope.  In the near future, I will have more details to share on how to be more involved in serving this wonderful ministry.  But, in the meantime, please watch this video and share it with your family and friends.  Together we can make a difference and impact the homeless community where we live!



How are you reaching out to the homeless community in your hometown?

random blogs

This afternoon has been a lazy day, which is a rare occurrence in my life these days.  Most of the afternoon I spent online clicking one random blog link to another.  Here are a few I'd like to share with you:

Joshua Dilley - my wonderful husband now has a blog (but he hasn't written anything yet!) 
Kate McRae - a 5 year old little girl battling brain cancer
Beauty Unveiled - written by a mom with an autistic child
Footprints...My Walk
The Church of No People
The Sex Cafe - an article about sex trafficking in Moldova