The Ties that Bind

PRAISE THE Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God, for He is gracious and lovely; praise is becoming and appropriate…He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows]. ~Psalm 147:1,3

He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds…God showed me something really amazing in prayer one day at our church concerning this passage. I saw this picture of myself standing at the keyboard during worship, with this gigantic rope tied around me- it had an oversized knot (like a clever Navy-knot) and it was keeping me from falling over. He then took me to a picture of a few people in my life who were broken, and there was yet again, that same huge rope tying them all so tight they couldn’t fall over if they tried. There was a sense of security in the ropes, they didn’t seem restrictive, but instead, were security and safety and refuge.

Some may know the path God has taken me on this past year, others may not. It wasn’t an easy way, and there were many times I felt broken, or like breaking down. Through every step, however, He kept me from falling to the left or the right. I look back and am so overwhelmed by His goodness to His broken, imperfect children.

I feel that Billy was a God-send to me. My heart was finally turned soley toward the Lord...and only He knew at what point that really happened (no matter how many times I said it was)....and then...He gave me the most perfect fit-for-a-life-partner. One day we will truly be bound spiritually-physically-emotionally in marriage.

And though a man might prevail against him who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken. ~Ecclesiastes 4:12

I really feel like another tool God uses to bind us is with family ties. There are family ties that do not tear apart! I was able to see this very evidently about 2 weeks ago.

Billy was in town, and had a family wedding in Dallas. We were going to make the trip, and meet his folks and younger brother there (they had to fly in from Cali). My parents decided to drive up as well, and meet the Burciaga fam. for themselves.

I’ll have to admit, I was anxious for this to finally take place, This was a VERY BIG DEAL that would affect our future lives-to see how my future family (in laws) would function and mesh with mine.

We got there, and almost immediately he and I both realized this was going to be a very easy trip. We were so blessed, they loved each other and they had much to talk about! He and I sat off to the side, in our own little la-la land, all googly eyed, without a care or need to know how everyone was feeling- or reacting to one another. What a peace of God there was with us all.

As Billy and I drove home, we agreed this trip solidified our ties as well. We already knew we loved each other, and each other’s family, but now, this was for real. His family was MY family, and vice versa. Oh how good our God is to know us! To know what we need- who we need- and when we need it!

God ties us- to Himself- to one another- and just plain ties us up when we feel too broken to stand on our own. He does all of this with His cords of love! Sweet Jesus lovin’.

“The Woman Who Brought Us Thanksgiving”

by Harold Ivan Smith


Most Americans associate Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims. Fifty-one survivors of the Mayflower gathered to celebrate after their first fall harvest. Governor William Bradford proclaimed it a day of thanksgiving.But during the next century and a half, thanksgiving was an irregular celebration, varying from community to community, dependent at times upon the religious and political climates and the attitudes of individual governors.

Then the victory of the Americans over the British at Saratoga in October, 1777 prompted the Continental Congress to set aside December 18 as a day of thanksgiving and praise to be observed by all the colonies.

On September 28, 1863, Sarah Josepha Buell Hale wrote President Abraham Lincoln urging him to make the annual Thanksgiving “a national and fixed Union Festival.” By this time, she had built the circulation of her magazine, Godey’s Ladies Book to 150,000. Hale’s letter could not be ignored. Nor her editorials. Her annual Thanksgiving editorial in Godey’s opened with Nehemiah 8:10: “Then he said unto them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”

Hale argued, from her strong Episcopal faith, that if Nehemiah set aside a time of thanksgiving in a time of national stress, “in a time of national darkness and sore troubles, shall we not recognize the goodness of God never faileth, and that to our Father in heaven we should always bring the Thanksgiving offering at the ingathering of the harvest?”

Lincoln weighed the matter and decided that the timing was right for something that would promote national unity. He ordered Seward to draft the proclamation.

Early on October 3, Lincoln read the proclamation: “The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and helpful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.”

Seward wrote, “No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gift of the most high God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”

Lincoln commended Seward for a project “well done” and then focused on the last paragraph: “I do, therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

Brown Sugar

We were doing our morning devotional this morning, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the translation they used on a well-known verse, Luke 6:38… it said,
“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

…for with the measure you use… I couldn’t help but envision my left hand holding a tablespoon, and my right holding a 2 cup measuring glass (or better yet the Pampered Chef 4-cup’er one). If someone was offering me something good and tasty, would I prefer to have just a pinch? Or a handful! The answer is obvious.

Then we continued to search out the same scripture…and we came across the New Living Translation, saying,
“If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving large or small it will be used to measure what is given back to you."

…pressed down…to make room for more…this time, I thought of a recipe calling for brown sugar. How do we measure brown sugar? It’s lumpy, and soft, and it doesn’t measure evenly. We have to PRESS IT DOWN, and MAKE ROOM FOR MORE.

Am I liberal enough in my thoughts/words/actions toward others that my generosity has to be pressed down, continually making room for more generosity? I want to love others abundantly, to give substantially, and to using the biggest possible measuring glass.

Tweener Trip

Billy flew me out for a quick "kidnapping in Cali" (basically meaning I dropped everything-Rainbows, events, work, etc) and the trip lasted a total of about 3 1/2 days, but it was WELL WORTH IT!! I got off the plane, rushed to the escalator, to find my man waiting at the bottom with a huge grin on. I walked down the steps as fast as possible, and felt this huge burden just lift as I was able to finally embrace this man I have fallen in love with. It was sweet relief, to say the least. I told him, "I just want to hug you"...(smile). We hadn't even realized how much more at ease, and peaceful our lives are when we're together. We live our life's separately in "autopilot" sometimes it seems, only to find moments like these as gentle reminders of why we both really are "better together".

We tried to spend a good portion of our time with his parents, and younger brother Todd. It was wonderful- no matter how short it seemed, it was really great. I am very blessed to be sharing my future with this family of God fearing, kind, as they say "good people".

The best biscuits and gravy I think I've ever had! Look how huge that thing is!

Billy reached around our necks to "cuddle" for the pic, and "accidentally" jabbed Todd's eye! He looks super happy about it huh?

They made us a delicious French Toast breakfast and we had a pajama party:) (I would show you pics of us in pajamas but we look SOOOO dead tired it would scare your eyes!)

Awwww, brother-lovin'.

*Trees with Fall colors? What are those?* :)

*The beautiful Mount Shasta in all her glory*

Hi Grandma!

Had to share a fun Rainbow's moment.

We're workin' on our Zebra badge and did a silly craft this week....

I told them to say "hi" to the camera....listen to Vincent's translation of that question :)

My little Zebra's

Off to the Race...

This past weekend, we participated in the Race for the Cure. The funds raised benefit the cause for Breast Cancer research. What a great opportunity and a blessing to be a part of.

It didn't even matter that it rained so much, there were still sooooo many people there, and if you looked around you could see a ton of PINK SHIRTS (see below). Those were women who are BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS!
We had a 5th team mate who wasn't able to be there. WE MISSED YOU LINDSAY! But they had St.Lukes towels for us, and it made us feel like YOU WERE WITH US!
I wanted to represent all of the friends and family members I was walking for-the ones who have battled Breast cancer and are still fighting today or the ones we have lost to the battle. Mom's clever hat idea worked out nicely :)

Normally, we make it under an hour for sure, but this year, we took it easy, and this was a record HIGH time for us! LOL. It was all good!

Here's a quick video so you can see all the people and excitement that comes with being apart of a wonderful cause!

Sum Fav's

All we're missin' is an old fashioned milkshake!

We hadn't roller skated for years!

He calls this our "Ministry Pic". One day you'll see it on a brochure...lol.

Check out our sweet skills :)

Taking our best

shot at dancing! :)

"and....spin..."

If he's the Cali Cowboy...can I be the Indian?

Even More Additions

We had more fam came to visit. At one time, we had 15 staying in the "Tharpe Hotel". :)

It was so great getting to see a ton of cousins and an uncle, and meeting my new 2nd cousin Chase! He was born in Australia..and I hadn't been able to visit them since they moved back to the states. He was SUCH A SWEETIE!

Billy came back a few days before everyone showed up *YAY*. So, now he's ALMOST met all my fav's (Ehemmm, one of them still needs to make the Texas trip from UGANDA).

David a.k.a. "Muscle-Man"

A fam tradition of ours is to enjoy some delicioso Ninfa's when we're all together. So we endulged ourselves at the original location in H-town....YUM! We love the green sauce, and queso chihuahua!

(my mouth is watering...)

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Happy Birthday Court!

What better way to celebrate than a nose full of whipped cream?!

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Jeremy and Steph minister to the innercity kids of Miami and we were able to pray over Julia, their adopted daughter, before she started her first semester at Bible College.

With our fam it's always fun times :)

Well, Dang

Rolled into a truck backing up today. They didn't even have a scratch to show for it. Check out the damage on Blanca...poor girl...



WELL, DANG

Short stories with Jamie

Once upon a time, a Rainbows teacher had a Rainbows class that was very entertaining to say the least. Every class time they would have a dramatic experience, that usually left her laughing, reminding her why she loved to teach 3 and 4 years olds.
One night (last night), the class was playing "Spin the teacher"...

the teacher allowed the Rainbows to take turns sitting in the chair, as the rest of the class tried to spin them around and around. The fast runners plowed right over the slower ones who had lost their footing and fallen to the wayside. They all ended up tripping and falling on the floor into a huge dogpile, and their level of energy and excitement turned into screams heard from the other end of the hall...

..during the class story time , the newbie Hailey KEPT trying to get the colors before it was time. The teacher gently said "Wait until Miss Jamie says it's time" and heartbroken over the matter, Hailey cried and cried and cried! It was a serious drama-queen moment! Miss Jamie couldn't help but laugh, and quickly took advantage of a Kodak moment.

Then, she looked around and the whole class was holding their ears! They looked at Hailey- and then back at Miss Jamie- as if to say "Aren't you gonna' shut her up?" Hailey got over the heartbreak quickly (the teacher ignored the drama) and they continued with class-

During craft time...Jenna threw a sudden fit for no reason and tossed her elephant ears on the ground

Sweet Maddy became a photo "poser"

and the elephant trunks suddently tranformed into loud and boisterous horns! The End.