What?! It's right around the corner?!

Another year is being washed away into the deep sea of  memories.. It's amazing to me how fast this year has gone by...and all that it has entailed. Even as I write this some of us are remembering great things and others are overwhelmed by sadness. As I grow older, and as social media connects us with so many people I am constantly reminded that one person's day of joy is another persons day of great pain.  I am reminded that there are no pat answers, that life is truly a journey, and our choices make a difference.
This year was full of healing for us as we walked through our loss of Kirra.. and had to give the Lord back all of the dreams we had for her life with us. We did a lot of questioning and a lot of crying... and when we thought we had had gotten through the roughest patch the sadness would overwhelm us again.. but we promised to let every question, every tear, every part of our grief fall on that foundation that God is good all the time.. even if the circumstances suck. And I must say He has been faithful to heal. Of course we will weep for our loss through different times of our life but we thank God that we are not stuck in a pit of darkness or anxst.

We celebrated Kieva's 6 th year of life!! Our miracle baby.. full of joy, life and laughter! ( weeping, yelling, and overall craziness too!) He had the best summer and asks when summer vacation is coming again!!!

YWAM Kauai

one team from YWAM Maui

I had the most opportunities for teaching on the islands and it was amazing! I taught in the Honolulu Discipleship Training School (DTS), the Korean DTS in Kona, the Kauai DTS,and the Maui DTS ...twice! How amazing to be able to pour the truth of the beauty of God into so many young minds and hearts.
Bryan received a paddleboard for his birthday this year and has been having a great time teaching himself how to ride it. He has been working on a huge project of rebuilding one of the houses on base and was groomsman in one of his buddies weddings.

We had an amazing staycation on the North shore of Oahu. We house sat for some friends that live 2 blocks away from the ocean!!We were reminded of how much we love the country and small town living. we walked or rode our bikes to the store.. to Starbucks.. to the beach.. it was awesome!! Our friends blessed us by buying a real tree and real wreath so we felt the Christmas spirit as soon as we walked in!

 A day and a half left to make memories in 2011!!!!

Day Three.. is about to begin

This is the story of my life..
I think the Lord has waved this type of sign in front of me dozens of times throughout the years.. He seems to like to remind me that I am not in control and that maybe.. just maybe.. I need to stop... turn to Him and then embark on the journey again.. I hear Him wooing me closer and closer.. the tears are ever ready and the heart is being stirred.. but it's taking some time. It's the end of my second day on this cleanse and I am seeing some ugliness begin to arise... sigh.. my rock of faith has been nicked again.... I wonder how long it will take for me to be that unwavering, Jesus flag holding, woman that I was for sure going to be by age 40... but I can't seem to dispell the questions lately.. the ugly questions, as I call them.. the why's? the what ifs?.. those are the worst. I have heard many a speaker share that the Lord is in the now.. not the past or the future.. but the present.. and I see that.. but my heart still cries at times for the sadness of the past and the mistakes made. I am believeing that through this cleanse the Lord is going to build up that faith again.. just by the beauty of sitting in His presence..that He is going to restore His perspective to me in the places that desperatley need some restoring.
It's rather interesting to me that this is the first quarter I will taking on the Pastoral Director role 100% and will be shepherding others closer to Him and yet this seems to be a great time for a bit of a faith crisis... haha. Thank God that He is not afraid of my questions.. but beckons me closer still.. and can calm me and reassure me in a way noone else will ever be able to.
I continue to sit in this boat.. and I will continue to paddle.. fast and hard.. determined to know Him and His perspective. Even on the days that my sight is blurry from the sweat and the tears... give me your endurance Lord.

Back to the Basics

This is me with the best determined look I could muster at the time..  I had just finished my first work out of the summer and decided that NOW is the time for me to get back to me. I know.. it sounds.. well.. selfish.. but after seeing myself in pictures all summer I realized that I had become unrecognizable ...
Let me back up....
 Our family had the best summer together.. we were able to take Kieva to see everyone of his grandparents' most of his aunts,uncles,and cousins, and to experience their life with them. What a blast.. First to North
Carolina where we stayed at the beach house..searched for shells, hung out with family, jumped on trampolines, rode the Holy Mackeral, rode the pony, went to a water park, played in grandmom's pool and had not one  but TWO birthday parties to celebrate Kieva's 6th year of life!
Then we jet setted to Illinois where even more family was waiting for us.. We went to Great America, museums, a Discovery Center, swam in grandpa's pool, made new friends and discovered new parks to play in. I saw my grandma.. The Queen, as we lovingly refer to her...and had another birthday party for Kieva... it was a crazy 6 weeks.
During that last few weeks I found out that a friend from jr.high was losing her battle with cancer.
She had  been writing a blog on The Caring Bridge website.. so I went there and read her 80 some entries in one night.. It took me through two years of her cancer struggle... I found myself weeping and being stirred in the depths of me. see, we had not spoken for over 20 years.. but we were facebook friends and had a few exchanges over facebook... so reading her blog was like reconnecting and yet the last entry at that time was her going into the hospital due to pain.. and then a family member began giving updates for her since she had  then been taken to a hospice. I wept for her children.. for her husband.. her family.. and then I just wept for the injustice of it all.
In the days following I found myself questioning many things.. and asking the Lord for His perspective because mine seemed so cloudy and murky. All of this anxst just kept swirling inside of me.. and caused me to get on that eliptical and try to burn some of it away.. I ended up doing alot of crying and actually found myself crying...again.. for my little Kirra.
That was the beginning of me working out twice a day and allowing all of the pain and questions inside of me to rise to the surface and spill out. I have been working out regularly since then .. it's been about 3 weeks now and I am about to begin a cleanse..  I still can't verbalize what has been touched in me.. I can only say that some part of me has been shaken awake again...
I am ready to paddle hard from the boat of discipline in the sea of discovery again.. and to carve myself out of this extra flesh...

                                                            Let's adventure together!


Heres a few pics from the summer!


Kieva and great grandma



Kieva about to ride the pony



The Holy Mackeral




cannonball or swan dive?!



daddy and mini-me.. on our way to Illinois from N.C.

Inertia propels me forth!!!!

This picture says it all! I am in the 9th week of my Bible Core Course.. and I could fall asleep standing up! It has been an amazing time learning the inductive study method and hearing from some great speakers.
We have sailed through Philemon, Galations ,Romans, Mark, Ephesians, Old Testament Overview, 1and 2
Kings, Genesis, and now Amos, we have Hebrews and Revelation left. This course has exhausted me.. emotionally, spiritually, and physically. It is an intensive course with about 25 to 30 hours of homework...then add time in class.. then add the revelation after mind blowing revelation that occurs, the conviction that comes about and then time with my and for my family...You begin to see why I could, if I let myself, nap on two feet!
 I must say though, that I have fallen more in love with the character of God and who He is.. constantly reaching out to his creation.. desiring the best for them..and everytime they turn away He chases them even harder...Amazing! I know that without the support of my family I would not be able to do this school. My mom came to help with Kieva, and the Lord provided Bryan with a side job that is helping us pay for this school.We are all being stretched and blessed at the same time. I am confident that this school, and what
I have gleaned from it, has and will continue to greater equip me in teaching, in pastoral care, and in counseling.

As a base we just graduated another Discipleship Training School.. young people loving God and wanting to effect others with the beauty of that love.. Our school will graduate on the 3rd of July. and on the 4th a Korean DTS will begin. So we continue to equip young people with spiritual truth, beauty and strength.

Bryan  has been basically working two full time jobs. working on the base.. right now on a roof.. and a side tiling job. He continues to work out and be my example of getting back into shape!!!

Kieva is playing everyday and enjoying his summer break! He loves having Nana here and will be sad next week when she goes back home!!

But we will see her again soon.. as this summer we will be COMING TO THE MAINLAND!!!!!!! this will be our first trip in 3 years.. and we thank our families for providing a way for us to get there. We can't wait to hug and kiss and be close to our families.. Kieva will see both of his great grandma's as well as his plethura of grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunties. We would love to see any ywam friends out there and if there are any opportunities for me to share or speak let me know..

I still owe 1400.00 for my school.. if anyone would like to partner with us and recieve a tax deduction send a check to YWAM Honolulu and on a seperate paper please note it for 'the Daughtry's". If the tax deduction doesn't matter then just hit that paypal button! Thank you!!!!!!

ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

I am about 5 blogs behind but I must communicate all that has been happening here!!!!
I am in the 5th week of the intensely crazy  Bible Core Course.. I pulled an all nighter and have had plenty of nights where I have been up until the wee hours of the morning.. I am learning so much and really feel so blessed to be doing this school.. I know that this is just adding more tools to my belt for ministry.. I am reminded of how much I love school and how much I love learning.. My family is hanging in there.. but by thursday our house is trashed and it takes until monday to get it back in order and then we start all over again..
Bryan is working hard! He is doing a side job.. that is helping to pay for my school.. and is also heading up two different departments on the base. He has had to do more then ever because I am busy with so much homework.
Kieva is excited that kindergarten is almost over. haha He is counting down the days until summer!!!!
We are all exercising our perseverance muscles.. I know that when this three months is over I will have significantly more knowledge about the word.. and greater ability to study it indepthly... which will make me a better teacher ' discipler' and person. It has been amazing to be immersed in the bible and to reminded again the beauty of our God and how He came to set us free from the bondage's of legalism and from religion.. It is still very interesting to me that people truly think God is about "pushing down" when He has been trying to lift us up and remind of us of who we truly are since the garden..
I am in school with alot of young adults... I think the oldest one of them is 23 or something.. 10 out of the 13 students are young men.. and can I say I am learning alot about how guys interact... They are fun and make me laugh alot.. sometimes on purpose.. and sometimes their naivety in itself is hilarious..

I am encouraged.. that even though I still have not escaped this chubby mom suit.. my heart and mind.. my being overall is drawing closer to the Lord through revelation of His word and the beauty of the truth... signing out now because the hubby has to sleep and since our little son broke the lcd on our laptop we only have a stationary computer in the bedroom.. I promise more news sooner then later... oh yeah Nana is coming in a few weeks!! but its a surprise for kieva!!!!!!!!

Taking the Proverbial Plunge

I was about 23... My boyfriend and I were driving through a state park in Wisconsin and we saw these young guys jumping the cliffs. All of a sudden I just had an incredible desire to jump!So I asked my boyfriend to park the car and  I said "I have to jump!" Before he could say anything I was out of the car and began running up the cliff.. Sounds of people whistling,yelling, and cheering mixed with extremely loud punk rock music filled the air. I finally reached the crag in the rock that all of these punk rock kids were on.. I watched a few jump and then one of them asked me" Have you ever done this before?" I just shook my head "no"All at once they began to yell instructions at me " Don't stand on the edge.. just walk up to it and jump." "Keep your arms right next to your body" " Just stay stick straight until you hit the water." {My boyfriend had made it up to the crag and actually went before me.. His landing was not too pretty but I knew that I had to go next} I took in everything they had to say.. took a deep breath and began to walk to the edge.. I hesitated and then jumped..while screaming as loud as I possibly could. I remember that I kept thinking that I was going to hit the water at "anytime soon".. but instead I could actually feel the wind current under me.. and then I finally felt myself pierce through the water... I popped back up to the surface and all the punk rockers were yelling and cheering for me>. My boyfriend and I just couldn't believe that we had jumped the 75 foot cliff. We climbed out of the river and got back in the car soaking wet.. we had no towels and just had to drip dry while driving back to Minneapolis. About an hour after our jump I was so overwhelmed with adrenaline that I was talking non stop and I distinctly remember telling Jason that I felt like I could get out and run the 45 minutes home. I was hooked on cliff jumping and did it as much as possible.. until one day  I went with another group of friends and jumped wrong. I landed like I was sitting down.. I immediately felt something in my clavicle area... I tried lying down on the rocks to gain some relief but then realized that I could not pull myself back up with out sharp pains in my clavicle area. when I finally went to the doctor he told me that i I had strained my clavicle bone and that i would not be able to lift anything over my head for at least 6 weeks.. and that I would have to have someone around to help me get up and lay down for that same amount of time.I had to quit my catering  and waitressing jobs.. It sucked... But this is growing up.. Knowing that every risk we take can come with triumphs and yet can just as easily bring with it tragic defeats. I believe that though we can have a thousand triumphs  if we have hundreds of defeats we remember that pain of disappointment, loss, or perhaps rejection first and foremost. This is what causes us to take the safest route more then not as we get older in life.. not because this is what we desire but to simply escape any unnecessary pain. But I see so many people begin to lose passion and love for life.. instead they escape into books,movies,social networking, drinking.. even food. Yet I can see in their eyes that they are thirsting for more out of life.. thirsting to feel the passions they once felt.. thirsting to be able to dream vividly and experience new places in their heart and mind... thirsting to be able to touch that deep place with hope and joy.

I am on the proverbial edge again.. and I have hesitated.. but now am ready to jump. Here on the Honolulu base we are blessed to run a school called the SBSCC ( school of Biblical Foundations Core Course) This is a three month course that teaches the inductive study method .  I  believe that this course will not only grow my own understanding of the word but will also benefit the students that I disciple and teach in the future. I also know that this school will open more doors to teaching. Both Bryan and I believe that this is the best time for me to be a part of this school as we are hoping that next year at this time, when the course is offered again,we will be pregnant or will have a baby in our arms.The jumping off the cliff comes in two ways.. first is family time. Bryan will have to become the main giver to Kieva for the next three months as this course is known for its crazy amounts of study hours.. many days being 10 to 12 hours. The second is monetarily. The school is 3100.00 dollars in itself.. but even before that we need to pay 1300.00 of debt to the base. This must be paid by April 7th in order for me to do the school... So here I go ajumpin.. I am asking every person that reads this to consider becoming a part of our support team. We have about 400.00 a month in support but we have double that in bills a month. Phones. car insurance, staff fees, etc I am also asking you to consider supporting us in this schooling endeavor. Bryan will be the Head of maintenance and our transportation guy on base this coming quarter. He continues to minister to the young men on base that have had hard backgrounds. One just left for his outreach and I know that my husband's discipleship was part of the ingredients that helped this young man get to the place that he could be successful on outreach  for the Lord. We continue to pour into young people's lives and train young people to carry the love of God through classic ministry of preaching and teaching, through serving and building projects, and through friendship to places that many would never desire to go. we just sent teams to the jungles of Brazil, Borneo, and Mongolia! We want you to be a part of this exciting ministry and this exciting equipping time for our family.

If you would like to support us in anyway please facebook me or email me or call me and I can not only give you more information but can answer any questions you might have. Here's to jumping off that cliff!

Maria & Bryan Daughtry

2707 Hipawai Place

Honolulu. HI 96822

Kieva in his volleyball class

Sea Glass, Tsunami's, and Such

Some people call it Mermaid Tears... most of us know it as Sea Glass. Whatever the name, it's beautiful. I remember being a kid and visiting my cousins in Michigan. I had grown up in Illinois and only understood landlocked life. When we arrived at their home I saw jars and jars filled up with these beautiful rocks.. they had to explain to me that it was actually glass from the river. It was love at first sight. Then I went home and forgot all about them. Fast forward to my early twenties and me moving to Maui. I rediscovered my love for sea glass again. Somedays I would spend hours hunting at the beach for those perfect looking pieces. Sea glass actually brings a feeling of serenity to me.. and I believe it's not only their beauty but because of the what they represent. Here they are, broken pieces of glass, with the sharpest of edges, ugly and insignificant. Then they are rolled around in the ocean, thrown against the sand, sea shells, and reefs,again and again until one day the ocean carries them to the shore and they are "ready". They are smooth, have rounded edges,and the beauty has been brought out of them.    

Then with some help from an artist they are made to be adorned and shown off. This is so our life in Christ. Whether we know it or not we come to Him a broken people.. broken ideas of value, self, destiny,and even broken ideas about Him. We walk through this life in a world full of pain, injustice, disease and heartbreak. Yet if we allow His love to overwhelm us and overtake us He will soften our hard edges, and that undying, unconditional love will draw out that inner beauty that He knows is there. He understands our beauty and value from the beginning because He wove us together in our mother's womb's and formed our intermost beings. He calls  us precious and valued.I so love what the ocean does to these pieces of glass.. but the strength of the sea can cause so much devestation as well.

 Of course I am speaking about the tsunami in Japan. Watching the horrific footage brought tears to my eyes and an ache in my heart. It has caused me to think about the Tsunami relief work we did in Sri Lanka.. the people who were still in complete shock and complete devestation a week after their island had been hit. They recalled stories to us of fighting the currents to get to their loved ones bodies that were stuck under water. They showed us where houses once stood and huts stood but now was miles of flat sandy beach. I just remember the sadness in their eyes.. and I see that look in the eyes of the japanese... I wish I could fly over there today... hug someone, hold a hand, play with the children, bring some sort of relief to the deep set devestation they are going through. Lord please hear their cry, send the aid, the relief, send someone with laughter in their pocket and comfort in their shoulders... It's hard at times to talk about normal things when I know that even at this moment thousands are at their lowest in life and in devestation...wierd to go on facebook and see a post about the tsunami and then the next post about food, or fun, or silliness. This is a strange time we live in.. when we can know and see it all but still cannot touch in the places that need touch and comfort.

 Yet our lives go on too...

 I am now the Pastoral Director of the base.. It sounds too puffy to me.. haha But I do love all that it includes; overseeing worship and intercession times for the base, bringing about prayer intiatives here, I also have the privelage of overseeing the growth groups here.. the mission statement for this role is "To encourage spiritual well being and continued growth at personal and corporate levels." So official!  I am still overseeing our kids club and the boutique... I will be praying about the timing of handing those things over or keeping them on the agenda. 

Both Bryan and I are also exploring the idea of me speaking more and traveling more. I know I am called to the church body, I am called to stir the church and  be a reminder of the beauty of our salvation and to bring prophetic ministry. So we will be praying about what that looks like.. If you think that you would ever be interested in me coming to your women's group. college group, or church please let me know.

Bryan continues to be a sounding board for many.. and a speaker of love and forgiveness. He is still helping out the  base in any way that he can. He has now taken on the responsibilities of all our transportation matters on the base as well as heading up his landscaping team.

Kieva is on spring break and is cherishing every bit of it. He makes sure to ask me every morning if he has the day off! Such is this life...full of happiness, sadness, new adventures, and constant reminders that we are not in control.. Lord be with us.

One adventure after another!

So much has been happening since my last post.. lets start at the end of january.. when I went to Maui and had the opportunity to teach a group of young people in their DTS on the Holy Spirit.. We had a great time discussing and learning about the beauty of our God and how He has given us the awesomeness of the Holy Spirit in out lives. Many young people recieved prophetic words and through those realized the reality of how much God knows them as individuals and cares for even the littlest things in their hearts and minds.

I had a great time with this group.. one young man decided to ask Jesus to be a part of his life for the first time ever.. It was an absolute privilage to be there and celebrate with him and the class!

While I was there my mom flew in to Honolulu and spent special time with Kieva. She was a chaperone to his class outing to Makana Farms! It was great to return to my family with her here. 

Our family went to the fair and had great time together. Daddy Daughtry won some carnival prizes for His son and rode rides with him. Kieva got his favorite snack.. cotton candy and devoured it in about 3 seconds flat!

Since my mom arrived we have had kids parties, played games,attended Kieva's Jogathon, and have had many adventures! She has been here for about three weeks now but only this weekend did we finally make it to the beach. I think this is the busiest I have ever been since she began visiting me in Hawaii! My jobs and Kieva's school schedule caused us to have to stick around the house and base more. But we have decided to make up for it this week!!

Holly flew in tonight with Robin Pasley from Enter the Worship Circle and they will be ministering on the island this week. So we have already planned some beach and North Shore time together.

For those of you who have not heard I have had a myriad of wierd things happen in the last week. First I had  a bag of library books and movies stolen out of my car... while I was picking up my cat from kitty surgery! Second I lost my phone this month.. somehow it ended up in the trash at the bottom of the bag soaking itself in some chicken goo.. and third, on that same day while I was walking through the grassy field on base, at night, my contact popped out of my eye.. It was a crazy day.. and what I am about to say next may sound wierd to some of you.. but I really believe that we are being spiritually attacked...

You see there are some changes for me on the horizen but they are not official yet so details will come in the next update. but please be praying for my family as it seems when we make a decision to move forward in ministry the enemy tries to start beating us up.. I became aware of these possible changes the same day the phone and contact thing happened..

 On a positive note..I love the young women that I am getting to pour into and pray for. they each are amazing in their own way.. and I love that I get to be a part of watching them grow closer and closer to the Lord.. I really find it a privilage to do this job..

I am growing too.. the word, ironically enough, this month has been love.. love one another, be patient, kind, hopeful, longsuffering.... over and over this word has been coming to my ears.. even when I turned on my daily Joyce Meyers show.. she had to start talking about love!! maybe some of you out there could comment to me about how you love your spouse or someone close to you...not why do you love them.. but how do you love them... and how do you love those that do not love you? What do you do? I feel the pressing finger of my God on me.. I am on the potters wheel again... Shape me.. mold  me Lord.. I really do just want to be more like you..

grief....

Funny how grief can sneak up at any ole time and tap me on the shoulder... today was full of plans.. but I just felt myself not being able to do the chores of the day.. a friend of mine on the base has just lost her sister to cancer and I was planning on going to the funeral tonight.. I didnt really consider that perhaps this would bring up anything in my own heart... and all I day I tried to rev my motor.. until I realized that I couldn't attend this funeral with all these grieving people because my grief can still feel so fresh and ironically enough alive.. like it has it's own heartbeat. Then a young student was contacted tonight and told that a close family friend had been killed. I went to pray with her and as she cried and shook I was saddened by the news just as much by the road this young girl will face now.. the road of grief that can disappear underfoot at any time.. and then reappear just as quickly. Tonight I am praying for everyone of us that have gone through loss.. loss of a friend, loss of a husband, a wife, a father, a mother, a baby, a child.. that we would remember how healing the presence of the Lord is..and that we would run there first and foremost...

2011 ....really?!

 New year .. new ideas.. new perspectives.. ='s new blog name and new blog spot.  The name Mix Matched Perfection came to me about 2 years ago.. I felt like the Lord was telling me that this described me and Bryan (Dempsey). We truly are mix matched in many ways.. but add the Lord and His perspective to this relationship and that brings in His perfection.

 We are wiping the dust of 2010 off of ourselves and are welcoming in the new atmosphere of 2011.  That dust includes the loss of our little Kirra. This has been one of the saddest things that our family has had to go through. Through every tear and every moment of missing her we continue to determine that God is truly the only refuge that heals and that He will bring something good from our family' loss.

  We look forward to the springtime this year as it will represent to us coming out of winter months in our personal lives. Both Bryan and I have started work out regiments and are determined to eat healthy.. We realize that wanting to have another baby at this time in our lives means we must be in the best shape of our lives so was can keep up with a new baby that has alot of needs and energy. We also need to keep up with our ever energetic Kieva!

Kieva is in kindergarten at the number 5 school in the state. He told me today that he wishes he could take a break from school for the rest of his life! He is doing great academically but we continue to seek the Lord to see if He wants us to homeschool next year..Kieva starts his first extra curricular activity next week.. volleyball club!! It happens once  a week at our parks recreational center.. we will see how that goes!

This will be our second year on Oahu working with YWAM. In this season I have the awesome privilage of mentoring the DTS staff girls, being the Kids Club director, heading up our intercession times on the base and overseeing the prayer room. I also have the privilege of overseeing our little boutique on base.

Bryan is the head of the landscaping crew and has 10 young people on his team. He continues to be the listener to many of the guys on the base. He is so good at reminding all of us that we are called to love each other, to forgive quickly, and to shower one another with grace and mercy.

We feel blessed to be a part of this training base that has been a part of sending out so many long term missionaries and continues to do so.

So bring it on 2011.. we are ready, excited, and have wrapped ourselves in the joy of the Lord.... because that is truly our strength.