Don't Forget to Get Dressed

I'm taking my first photography class at our local community college (along with five other "mom" friends of mine!). On the first day of class our teacher told us to set our cameras to "raw" in order to be able to work more effectively with the pictures when we start using "Photo shop." At the next class one of my girlfriends raised her hand and posed the question "When we are shooting in the raw..." at which point the whole class began to giggle (or should I say "laugh"since there were guys there and guys don't really "giggle" do they?).

My friends' "Shooting in the raw" question reminded me of the importance of "getting dressed" on a daily basis before going out to face the world. In the book of Ephesians (6:10-17), the apostle Paul writes "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms..."

As a result of this exhortation I have been praying the following prayer on a regular basis for some time now and recently my friend Patti asked me if I would write it down for her so...here I go not only for Patti but for all of us out there that need to fight our spiritual battles properly because fighting the forces of darkness "In the raw" will get us nowhere!!!

Today I choose to get dressed in the armor that you've given me Lord.

I put on the "Helmet of Salvation" and trust that it will guard my mind.

I put on the "Breastplate of Righteousness" and believe that it will guard my heart. I thank you that you've exchanged my sin for the gift of your Righteousness and that as a result "I am the "Righteousness of Christ."

I place the "Belt of Truth" securely around my waist and believe that that Belt will help me keep out the lies and take in only that which measures up against the Truth found in the Word of God.

I put on my feet "The Shoes of the Readiness of the Gospel of Peace" and I thank you that I can take your peace into every relationship and situation that I walk into on this day.

I take up the "Shield of Faith" and believe that EVERY fiery dart the enemy throws my way will be extinguished on that shield. I thank you that I can choose to "walk by faith and not by sight."

Lastly, I take up the "Sword of the Spirit" which is the Word of God and I trust that you will give me the Word I need to speak today to fight and win the offensive battle I face today.

Thank you Jesus that you tell me that "I am more than a conqueror" and that "No weapon formed against me shall prosper."

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Blessings,
Tracy Klehn

How Do I "Consider it pure JOY?"

As many of you know I am in the process of recovering from surgery and it is slow going. My energy is pretty much non-existent, my emotions are fluctuating wildly and rapidly and my daily routine has been in a state of upheaval. I'd say this pretty much goes into the category of what James (1:2 in the Bible) calls a "trial." Yet James also says that when we face a trial we are to "consider it pure joy..."

WHAT?!
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT?!

Well, since you (or I) asked...

Just the other night as we sat down to yet another meal that a friend from church provided for our family, I was struck by what my daughter said to God during her prayer...

"Jesus please bless this food to our bodies and I just want to thank you for the way you are loving us by having so many friends bring us dinner."

My daughter is getting it. My little girl (and I'm hoping my son as well) is learning that God answers prayers through people. That the Lord provides comfort and love through the Body of Christ (the community of Believers that make up the church). My daughter's eyes have not missed the fact that when our family is in crisis that we are not alone, that we are not without help and that we are loved.

So now I see one of the reasons that I am to "consider it pure joy." It may not be very fun to have a twinge of pain here and there in my body and in my emotions, but I will endure it knowing that this is just one of the reasons God has allowed for this to happen...to remind me and to teach my children that we all need each other.

Hopefully as my kids grow up and they see a friend in crisis they will reach out to help. Hopefully when they are in crisis themselves they will welcome the love coming their way. Most of all I hope that when they find themselves in a "trial" they will "consider it pure joy" knowing that there are lessons to be learned and love to be experienced.

Blessings to you my friends,
Tracy Klehn

P.S. Kristine Weatherly please email me via my website...your email address for the book give away isn't working and I still need to get your book to you :)

"And the Oscar Goes to..."

Since this is "Oscar season" I thought it only fitting that I take the time to hand out a few awards for the most recent drama in my own life entitled "The Emergency Appendectomy." Yes, you read correctly I did have surgery last week and no I did not see it coming. I went out on Saturday evening with my husband and several friends to hear our friends band play, after which we hit the hay pretty early only to wake up a few hours later in excruciating pain. By that afternoon I was at the hospital and by that evening was in surgery.

Have you ever been surprised by a sudden drama in your own life? Have you ever lived in fear of a sudden drama occurring?

Throughout this particular drama I was overwhelmed by the cast of characters the Lord used to support our family. Overwhelmed in a good way as in flowers and cards galore, food arriving in giant batches, person after person posting lovely thoughts and prayers on my Facebook page and several folks stepping in to cart my children to and fro to their various activities. I was also blessed to see that the "Director" in my drama had not abandoned me but given me a wonderful script (The Bible) to return to again and again that I might rehearse and be reminded that my Director is "GOOD and His mercies endure forever," that "His grace is sufficient for me" and that "He will never leave me nor forsake me."

Who is God using to support you? Who is a part of your "cast of characters"?

I love what C.S. Lewis writes about friends in his work The Four Loves...

In reality, a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another, posting to different regiments, the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work...The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others.

Sometimes I can forget that throughout the joys, comedies and dramas of life that a "Master of Ceremonies" presides; one that is available to be called upon at all times. I hope that wherever you find yourself this Oscar season that you sense the presence of the Director waiting to assure you and guide you in the next scene...the next act.

Blessings to you,
Tracy Klehn

For a List of My Award Recipients Continue Reading...

BEST ALL AROUND PERFORMANCE BY A SPOUSE
Russell Klehn

MOST ABLE NOT TO PANIC DURING DRUG INDUCED ANXIETY ATTACKS
Russell Klehn

MOST CAPABLE OF SAVING DOMESTICATED ANIMALS FROM SUICIDE BY HEATING BLANKET
Russell Klehn

BEST AND MOST AGILE PERFORMANCE BY A DUO
Sharon and Andrea (who were able to enter Tracy's bomb of a house to find school uniforms, backpacks, lunch boxes for the kids as well as find the food and medicine the dog needed)

BEST E.R. PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Dave White, Matt Warner and Eric Johns (in Tracy's drug induced state she found Dave quite amusing as he opened all the drawers in the ER to pull out band aids and other assorted medical products to let everyone know what it would cost their insurance if they were used)

BEST IN HOUSE ENTERTAINMENT
Ruiz/Demarois
Jayne Fall
Tobon's (especially 6ix year old Caleb who would hand me my drink and ask hilarious questions like "what's the matter with you anyway?")
Liz Caddow
Dina Murillo
Sharon Koppenhaver
Patti Miller
Shirley Almeida
Jennifer Schafer
Dana Hobelman


BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Max and Tracy Cameron AND Shirley Almeida (who all wore their pajamas over when they came to visit)


BEST HAND HOLDER
Mother In Law Brenda Klehn

FUNNIEST CARD
Brady, Brevyn and Julia White "Sorry the appendix had to go"

SET DESIGN AWARDS (flowers)
Black's
Eisenman's
Mom and Sisters
White's
Fall's
Deberry's
Maimone (we got the first official "N" logo balloon!")

CUTEST COMPANY
Baby Isabella Klein (who rolled around on my bed the day I got home from the hospital)

TRANSPORTATION
Jennifer Shaffer (who took over the carpool)

BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL
Julia White (who per my request used her lovely singing voice to bless me--and our dog Eve who she sang to)

CRAFT SERVICE (YUM)
Caddow's
Howell's
Stroh's
Tobon's
White's
White's
Deberry's
Gonzales'
Klehn's
Eisenman's
Murillo's
Cameron's
Michele Brackett
Gabbi Klein
Shirley Almeida
Sharon Koppenhaver
Maimone's

BEST ASSISTANT
Margeret Mike (who brought fig newtons, plum juice and water...hmmm I wonder why???)

BEST WISHES
Impossible to award a single person...thank you to all of you in my family, my church, my kids school and of course my Facebook community and beyond :)!

BEST PRAYER WARRIORS, CUDDLERS AND LEAST LIKELY TO FREAK OUT FROM MOM'S MOOD SWINGS
Spencer and Grace Klehn (who I gave permission to ask their school friends to pray that I'd fart a lot so my stomach would stop hurting...they refused to pray that specifically but their prayers got the job done anyway!)