2011 Douglass Christmas Letter

ALL ABOARD!...to blaze the locomotive trail of our year!! That is indeed the only way to describe life from the past 12 months!

Bert & Jessica’s locomotive life was already on the fast track and hasn’t slowed down yet. Before April saw its last week, granddaughter #6 came unexpectedly on the scene 3 weeks ahead of schedule. Several hours after her dramatic entry, we were able to hold Caroline Lawson Kelly and love on a very exhausted mom and dad. Less than two months later, they moved, settling once again into their own home in Marietta, Georgia.

Elizabeth has kept them on their toes in more ways than one...despite several seizures that sent them to the doctors in 2010, Elizabeth is seizure-free and full of personality and independance. Caroline, on the other hand, is proving to be more laid back and is always full of smiles. "E" loves her baby sister and is the ideal big sister!

Jay and Melanie just keep chugging along the tracks as Allie, Alexis, Aleaha, Alivia and Alaina continue to grow faster than weeds! Melanie is excited to be finishing up her first semester back to school and yet is still a bit apprehensive as she gets ready to blow full steam ahead into the nursing program!

Hannah was traveling full speed ahead when she derailed in an all out train wreck at the end of summer. The debris has finally been cleaned up and she is now back on track...the load she is pulling weighs heavily behind her, but if you listen closely, you can hear whispers of "I think I can...I think I can!"

It has indeed been a rough year for her, but she is surviving; and before it is over, she will be one of the few to complete the IB degree. Through all of this, she has made the decision to hold off college for a year in exchange for 7 months with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). The $7,000 price tag covers 3 months training in one country and 3-4 months outreach in another country. She has applied to Belmont and Carson Newman and will seek a deferrment if accepted. So, in addition to the money she is working to save for her France trip in May and Columbia missions trip in June, this is quite a lofty goal. She is excited about her future and trusts everything will fall into place!

Despite all the mess, she still found reason to sing: open mics; prom; homecoming court; spring break at Seaside; induction as Thespian President and French Honor Society Secretary; and a week each visiting her aunt in Indianapolis, attending camp at Carson Newman, on missions in Kentucky, babysitting her nieces in Georgia, visiting her grandparents in Memphis, and vacationing in Clearwater, Florida! (Whew!)

Rebeka’s travels this summer were limited to Indiana, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida...the miles she’s racked up, however, are from cross country and track... enough to place her into the 300-mile club. She loves the sport and is an excellent runner (in spite all her injuries this year!)

She, too, found her school year causing a derailment, but she’s rustling on and able to balance everything easier now that she has been able to drop out of the I.B. pro-gramme...she still carries quite a load, though, with 5 AP classes. Carson Newman is at the top of her college choices, and she is also praying about doing YWAM.

She doesn’t get to spend as much time playing her violin as she would like; but on the weekends, she will get together and play with Hannah on the piano. Other than that time, their schedules take them in two different directions, so we soak up every second of those moments!

For the most part, Keith and I have been stalled on the spur since August still trying to regroup. Up until that point, we were traveling along enjoying all the activities of each season, then WHAM! We found ourselves in some major crises that called for quick action...next thing we know, we are renting out our home and moving into a rental home for what we thought would be two years. I don’t think a whiskey mill could’ve been moved as fast as we did! After all the dust settled, we were faced with a collossal mess, and we are still trying to put all the pieces back together!!!

As it is, here we are in a new place, for a time, doing a new thing. It has been an experi-ence that has drained every one of us. BUT, that being said, we cannot com-plain~~life is good!...despite Keith losing his overtime hours, he still has a job...that is great! Despite some physical challenges, I am still able to do most everything I’ve come to take for granted, with only minor adjustments...that is awesome!

One of the lessons this year has reminded us of (yes, I ended that with a prepositional phrase...!) is that life hands out lemons~~in bulk, sometimes! Our job is to figure out the best lemonade recipe possible, make it, and SELL IT!!! The girls are so tired of hearing me say that, but man is it ever so true!!!

And in a world filled with facebook, texting, blogging, and other high-tech gadgets, there really is nothing more precious than the relationships we share.

So as you step off our "train" back onto the platform of your own life, we hope you know how precious your friendship is to us! We also pray that we all will find ways to slow down this Christmas season to focus not only on the beauty of the season, but the beauty of God’s plan fulfilled through Christ!

Obedience and other connotations

Our dog, Dakota, prays with us at dinnertime--we pour his food, sit down, and he sits and waits for us to pray.  When we're done and we begin eating, so does he.  As i watched this one night while the girls were gone, I thought, "Wow, I wish the girls were obedient like this!"  The dog does what you tell him to do--it's an awesome thing! 

Then, it struck me...yes, Dakota is obedient...he's doing EXACTLY what we have taught him to do!  BUT...does he KNOW what he is doing?  NO!  He's "praying" out of obedience, not out of a desire to communicate with the Lord!!! 

Almost immediately, God spoke to my heart, "That's not what I wish you to accomplish with your children--obedience for obedience sake! I look at that heart, and my wish is that you would work on establishing a surrendered heart to my Word; then the overflow from their heart will be expressed through their behavior!" 

When our children are toddlers, we are in the business of teaching obedience because they are incapable of reasoning as an adult and therefore are following a "do it because i said so" mindset.  But as our children grow and begin reasoning and making their own decision, it is our job to help them think through their choices and the decisions they have to make.  We are responsible to teach them HOW to make WISE decisions so that their behavior will reflect their heart...that can be accomplished only by pouring into them and filling their lives with the truths of God's Word and the example we set...24/7!

In this may I be found faithful, so that from the overflow of their hearts will be blessings; in turn, my cup will then overflow with the same!

What Happens When Scripture and Texting Collide....

One of the things I DO like about texting is being able to share scripture with my youngest daughters on a fairly regular basis from my daily reading.  Well, once I got into Kings and Chronicles, I had a hard time finding one-verse scriptures that would be relevant to them...but there were multiple verses that spoke loudly to me.  So I found myself adding my little commentary so that they might find some relevance...so, i thought i'd share this last week's worth here:

2 Chron. 16:9  "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars."

Note:  This scripture really stuck out to me today--king Asa had, up to this point, been seeking God. When he took his focus off God and relied on man rather than God, he failed.  Hanani then reminds the king of God's power in Asa's life so far and then reminds him of this truth that is quoted.  Because he relied on man and not God, the natural consequence had lifelong implications!  God gives us a choice and when we rely on Him, He is able to show Himself strong...if we rely on others, we reject Him and, thus, His strength in exchange for what the world offers--and Satan is the prince of this world...we don't think we are rejecting God, but we are--by default!  That was so convicting to me!  It reminded me that reliance on God (and therefore His strength) is a daily, conscious, purposeful decision and effort ( requiring action on our part)  it pierced my heart and so I thought I'd pass it along to you!

1 Kings 19  11 Then He said (to Elijah), "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.  13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Note:  God doesn't always reveal Himself or accomplish His ways in the powerful, the miraculous, the mighty ways.  He is often missed because more than not He is found gently whispering in the quietness of a humbled heart.  We must listen for Him as well as respond to that still, quiet whisper...

1 Kings 22 6 Then Ahab, the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?" So they said, "Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king." 7 And Jehoshaphat, king of judah, said, "Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?"
Note:  Ahab did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and his "prophets" were selected not from the tribe of Levi but at random by Ahab.  Jehoshaphat did what was right in the sight of the Lord.  I thought it rather humorous that Jehoshaphat after watching the scene, turns and  confronts Ahab with an attitude of "really?!  Do you not have anyone around who will ACTUALLY inquire of God and not just tell you what you want to hear?!"  Soo, the application to me is no matter how much we surround ourselves with folks who will tell us what we want to hear, it doesn't change the way things are or help our "causes" any. We needs godly folks who will speak truth to us so we can make wise decisions based on God and not on the world.  We need godly folks who will not be afraid to say the hard things we need to hear that will, in the long run, keep us on the right path...


2 Chronicles 21:6 "And Jehoram walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD."
2 Chronicles 22:3 "Ahaziah also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother advised him to do wickedly."
Note:  it has struck me in reading kings and chronicles how these great men were destroyed because of wives and mothers.  In just two of the chapters I read today were these verses which, because  the kings listened to these evil women's advice, ultimately ended up being the cause of the kings' demise.  How powerful we are as women to bring evil or to bring good--and the effect we have on the generations as a result of our words and our actions...what a great responsibility we have!  Think of all the women out in the world who encourage evil and the death that results...maybe that's where Solomon received words for Proverbs? 

2 Kings 10:31 "But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin."
Note:  kings/chronicles are so difficult to read because they are so detailed.  Jehu has become king of Israel and he followed after God and had done away with all associated with Baal (he is the 11th king since the kingdoms have been divided).  What stood out to me is the importance of following God with ALL our heart, soul, AND mind.  Because jehu didn't follow God with ALL, he still harbored sin--and not just any sin--the sin of his fathers from 11 generations prior (the generational thing we've discussed).  I think about Rebeka and katie's discussion about how we have broken so many of those generational strongholds/curses--AMEN!  However, we must persevere in our walk with the Lord in giving Him our ALL so that we can tear down and destroy ALL that which satan tries to keep  alive in us.  That is the legacy I want to leave with y'all and that I know you want to leave for your children!

What happens when scripture and texting collide?  it makes my cup runneth over! :)

Descriptions of the heart

There's a certain way words are phrased that cuts to the very marrow of your bone, opening the rusted door to your heart.  The chilling reality and redemption of these words resonated and bounced back and forth till i lost my balance:

DEAR X:
by Disciple

Dear pain, oh, it's been a long time--

Remember when you were holding me tight?

I would stay awake with you all night.

Dear shame, I was safe in your arms--

You were there when it all fell apart...

I would get so lost in your beautiful lies

I let you go, but you're still chasing...

Go ahead

You're never gonna take me.

You can bend

But you're never gonna break me.

I was yours,

I'm not yours anymore.

Oh, you don't own me!

Dear hate, I know you're not far--

You would wait at the door of my heart.

I was amazed at the passion in your cries!

Dear anger, you made me so high--

You were faithful to show up on time.

Such a flame that was burning in your eyes!

I let you go, but you're still chasing...

Go ahead,

Put a target on my forehead.

You can fire

But you've got no bullet.

I was yours

But I'm not yours anymore!

Oh, you don't own me!

You tempted me to look back,

But everything that we had together was a lie!

I am in awe of the writers' ability to give such powerful and reflective words to feelings--I could see my past in each stanza and literally cringed.

But even more powerful is the message of redemption and freedom that is found in the Truth and the Power that is ours as a result.  It reminded me of how far I have come and what an amazing God I serve who can break any chain, giving freedom to even the worst offenders!  Thank you, Jesus! 

When I reflect on that, i know why my cup runneth over!

Summer Surprises

I don't know why I am always surprised when God answers my prayers...especially when my prayer seems too insurmountable for even God.  Yet, the heart of a surrendered soul is bound to find itself overflowing--in the land of the living no less.