Living in Harmony

Are You Just A Fan ?

2011-10-11T20:06:00.011-05:00

“astounded, and they were filled with awe and said.
‘We have seen incredible things today.’” (Luke 5:26)

Here in my home state of Alabama football is the ruling sport, college football to be exact. Just about any baby shower you attend will have at least one that is either crimson and white or orange and blue that either represents the bias of the expecting parents or of the gift giver. A few years later that same child is begins to decide their own allegiance by learning to call out “ROOOOLLLL TIDE” or “WAAR EEAAGLE”. Parents will dress their little girls in cheerleader outfits with hounds tooth and an elephant head or their little boys in football jersey and helmet with the big AU on the side.

Are these people fans or followers?

A fan wears their team colors but a follower will paint his body from head to toe to show his team spirit

A fan can recognize the mascot of their team but a follower knows the story that brought the mascot into being.

A fan might know who the head coach and a few of the star players are but a follower knows the last 5 teams the coach coached at, his record and the 3rd string
quarterbacks uncle’s sister-in-law.

A fan knows if their team is winning this year but a follower has ALL the stats of their team for all of history memorized.

A fan is upset but can still have a nice dinner with friend after a loss but a follower is devastated for days after a loss.

I could go on and on but I want to take a little turn here to ask you, Are you a fan of Christ or a follower of Christ? The difference between the two is as wide as the difference between a fan and a follower of any sports team.

A fan of Christ shows who they “cheer” for only on Sunday and maybe Wednesday but a follower shows Jesus from head to toe everyday.

A fan knows who Jesus is but a follower has a personal relationship with Him.

A fan knows a few bible stories but a follower knows the author of the stories and knows that they are more than just stories.

A fan knows the miracles written in the bible but a follower knows and sees that miracles are still daily occurrence.

A fan politely stands and claps when a soul is saved but a follower is “astounded, and they were filled with awe and said. ‘We have seen incredible things today.’” (Luke 5:26)

So are you just a fan or are you a follower?

What differences do you see between a fan and a follower?

A Prepared Heart

2011-09-27T07:35:00.008-05:00

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” Psalm 100:4

I mentioned in my post last week that I am a planner, so it should come as no surprise that I began Wednesday to plan our Saturday trip to visit our daughter at college. We were going to make the 2-hour drive north about mid-day visit some, go to the homecoming game and then come home that night. Since it was such a short trip, you would not think there would be much to plan but there was. See the weather around here has been crazy lately. Fall is here but summer has not quiet decide it is ready to leave. With these two varied seasons pushing each other around you just never, know when a rain shower or even a thunderstorm will pop up. So with all that in mind I made sure that I packed a rain jacket, a sweatshirt, cushions to sit on, quarters to give her for laundry and a few other things she might need. I planned out what I was going to wear, what time we needed to leave and even the radio station in that area so we could listen to other football games. We had a great time spending time with Samantha and letting her show us around campus some. Her team won in a close exciting game.

The next morning as I was getting dressed for church I thought back to Saturday of all the preparation I had made for just an event that would only last a few hours. I made sure that every ‘what if’ was covered. I had my full focus on making sure that we enjoyed our time to the fullest extent that we could. Now with that in mind, I begin reviewing my Sunday morning routines. I am not as attentive to in preparing myself for church. Yes, I get up and make sure that my clothes are ironed, that my hair is fixed and my make-up is applied. However, I do not always make sure that my heart is prepared. I do not take the time to develop my attitude to be grateful. I do not focus on walking into that sanctuary to praise God for all He has done for me that week. Although I would tell you that God speaks to me through the words the pastor speaks, I do not always go expecting to hear from God. How would me worship, praise and life change if I spent as much time on Sunday morning preparing for church as I did preparing for that ball game on Saturday?

So how am I suppose to prepare for church? I think it begins way before Sunday morning. These are the things that I will be more diligent in:

Daily quiet time
Prayer – prayers of thanksgiving and repentance
Expect that God WILL speak to you

These few simply steps can prepare the soil of my heart for whatever seeds the Lord wants to plant during worship service.

What steps do you take to prepare your heart for worship ?

Amy

Mission of Hope

2011-09-22T21:24:00.005-05:00

Today I so very humbled to be asked to speak at the Mission of Hope in Dora, Alabama. The Mission is a local 501c3 clothes closet and food bank. Every 1st and 4th Thursday they open both their doors and their hearts to the surrounding community. They offer food for the body and nutriment for the soul. Today they served over 100 families. Families that are hurting. Yes, they are hurting because of the economics of our day but some have deeper hurts. These are not wounds that a pair of shoes or a bag of non-perishables can heal. Some wounds have come quickly due to a job loss or an unforeseen divorce. There are also old wounds that have been have been cut deeper and deeper over time. Wounds caused by physical abuse, drug abuse and years of neglect. Yet, no matter their hurts, they all come together twice a month and the truth of Christ is spoken into their lives. While handing out bags of food or looking for some winter clothing for a child the volunteers make sure they show every person love and respect without showing any favoritism.

For me to be allowed to share with them all that God has done in my life was such an honor. I left my house this morning thinking that I was going to be a small God "blessing" to them but instead He used them to be a blessing to me and to teach me. As I walked up to the building the clients where lined up outside waiting to register and many of the greeted me with a smile and a "Good Morning". Then after I shared my testimony several made a point to come hug me and let me know they enjoyed it. However, the thing that pierced my heart the most was as I stood in the front of that room with over 100 sets of eyes looking at me I realize that who these people really were. God reminded me that they were just the same as me, my family, and my friends. They, like me, were children that God was calls out to. My heart realized that even though the world wants to divide us into segments we are all just sinners in need of a Savior. To Him we are not black or white, we are not rich or poor, we are not this or that but we are simply a heart that at it purest form is seeking after Him.

I pray that I never forget the lesson that I learned today. That I never look at another person with my shaded human eyes. That God will always allow me to see people and circumstances with His eyes only.

Amy

My Agenda ... Changed

2011-09-20T20:14:00.009-05:00

In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9

I am a list person, one that loves to have a plan, and has to know the agenda for the event before I attend. I even begin asking my husband mid-week what his plans are for the weekend. Maybe it is that I want to feel like I have some control issue. Maybe it is just a “have to know” issue. No matter what the reason is, I always feel uneasy walking into the unknown situations. I just want to be prepared for anything that may come up. Growing up I, like many little girls, had my wedding and my marriage all planned. I had plans for my career. I had plans for my kids. I had a plan...but God (those two small words both thrill me and terrify me) had different plans than we do for our lives.

• I never planned on my mother in law, one of my closest mentors, passing away while my kids were still young.
• I never planned on Mike having a heart attack at 42 and having to change our lifestyle because of it.
• I never planned on my dad having to fight cancer.
• I never planned on so many things that we are facing both personally and as a nation.

However, as I study the bible more I realized that God is not only in the life changing business but He also changes plans.

• Noah never planned to built an ark
• Abraham never planned on becoming the father of a new nation
• David didn't just wake up one morning as a teenager and plan to
become the king
• Esther never planned to be used by God to stop the genocide of her people
• Mary never planned to be pregnant outside of marriage
• Peter never planned to ever leave his fishing business
• Paul never planned that one day he would travel around the nation
spreading the news of Jesus
and John the Baptist ushered Jesus in as Lord. In John's mind, Jesus had come to be a Warrior King. That He would be the one that would set Israel free from the bondage and oppression of the Romans. But God (there are those two words again) had other plans.

God not only changed the plans of those people He changed their hearts. He taught them lessons. The restored to them more than what they thought they had lost.

What plan are you holding on to that God wants to change? Are you willing to step out and follow Him even when you do not know the plan?

Amy

The Winner is....

2011-09-16T18:33:00.003-05:00

amycloud !!!! Thanks to everyone who entered and made this first give-away but an encouraging and learning experience for me.

amy, please forward your mailing address to amypboyd@bellsouth.net and I will put your book in the mail first thing Monday morning.

I have to run now because my little girl is home from college and I am spending the evening washing her clothes while she catches up with friend. Then we will be able to sit tomorrow and talk. What are your plans for the weekend ?

Anniversary Gifts

2011-09-12T15:59:00.037-05:00

As I mentioned in this post last week, today is mine and my husband's 24th wedding anniversary. We agreed many years ago that we would no longer buy gifts for one another but instead would purchase something for the family to use. This year it is a small video camera. I also have a gift for one of you. See the end of this post for details.

Mike and I had known each other most of our lives. We attended the same school, he had played football with my brother and we had some of the same friends. Finally one day when I was about 15 he stayed around after football practice for me to finish with band and asked me out. I quickly told him I would go out with him if he got a hair cut. (He claims now that is why he lost all the hair he had). That was late on a Thursday evening and when he showed up at school on Friday morning his hair was cut. That is when I know we might have something. We dated for the next three years and got married when I graduated from high school. As I told you in my last post the beginning few year we had our difficulties as we learned not only to live together but also to live with a new baby that was born just a year and 3 months after our wedding. As aggravating as the toothpaste was, we or should I say I had bigger issues that I had to deal with. As much as I knew Mike loved me, I still had trouble believing that I was lovable. As often as he told me I was beautiful I did not believe I was. No matter how much he praised my cook, cleaning, mothering or anything else I just did not feel I was good enough in any of these areas to keep him in the marriage. Therefore, every small disagreement became more than it should have been.

Most of the disruptions in our marriage came from the lies Satan had convinced me of. Lies that I continually told myself. It was not until 2002 in a small rural church when I was introduced to the Truth, to God that I was able to combat the lies that bombarded me daily. I can not say that I never have those thoughts, that I never speak a negative word to myself but I can let you know that with the Word of God-the Bible I have a sword to weld. I know that if it had not been for God and His words of truth we would not be celebrating 24 years today.

Here is what God says about you:

You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 6:19
You are the apple of His eye. Zec.2:8
You are in the palm of the Lord’s Hand Isa. 49:16
You are covered by the shadow of His Hand Isa. 51:6
You are loved by God as much as He loves Jesus John 17:23
You are complete in Him. Col.2:10
You are accepted in Him. Eph 1:6

I pray that you will hide these words (and more) in your heart to be able to fight the Father of Lies when he comes at you.

Now, for my anniversary gift to one of you: Another book outside the Bible that has help me to fight this battle is "Soul Talk, Soul Talk" by Jennifer Rothschild. Jennifer has a message for every woman: Words are powerful. Especially the words women speak to themselves. All too often, what they say to themselves when they lie in bed at night or look in the mirror in the morning is not even close to the words God wants them to speak to their souls.

I have 3 ways for you to win Jennifer's book:
1) Leave a comment today telling me what you continue to tell yourself that you know is not a truth from God. I will pray for God to show you a specific promise in His word for you combat that lie with whenever it comes to you mind.
2) Become a follower of my blog through either Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs on the left sidebar.
3) Share a link to my blog on either Facebook, Twitter, your own blog or all three.
**Winner will be picked at random on Friday, September 16,2011 at 12:00 PM CMT.**

Squeezing the toothpaste

2011-09-07T12:03:00.017-05:00

But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of

them, just as he wanted them to be. 1 Corinthians 12:18

Since mine and my hubby’s 24th wedding anniversary is coming up next week, we took advantage of a rainy day to reminisce about the early years of our marriage. For months before we said our I Do’s we had discussed and came to agreement on how we would handle most of the major issues that we would have to deal with in joining our two lives into one. Major issues like who would handle the finances, where we would spend the various holidays, if/when to have children and how their discipline would be handled. Those things were easy to address and work through but after just a few month of living together we realize that the little things we had not anticipated were the things that were causing the most conflict. They are things that now seem so silly and ridicules but back then they caused major strife. I remember us having heated discussions over things like how T-shirts were to be folded, if the toothpaste was to be squeezed from the bottom or if it was okay to just squeeze it in the middle, and of the big one was if he had to always make sure the toilet seat was down. These type disagreements faired up every so often for about a year until we decided that we needed do something to settle this. So we sat at the dinner table and each took turns pointing out things that the other one did that just got on our last nerve and set us off. Through honest discussion and open hearts we were able to come up with some solutions to our problems. For the T-shirt the easiest thing was that we would just each fold our own in which ever manner we chose. Then we decided that we would have to have two tubes of toothpaste. I could squeeze mine from the bottom while Mike could haphazardly squeeze his from the middle. Finally, I had to just resign myself to the fact that I need to check the toilet seat each time. If we had not come together, opening discussed the problems, and realized that we saw and did things differently, I am not sure we would be celebrating 24 years together. Now that is not to say that the next day or even today that I won’t walk into the bathroom and find that the agreements made had been broken. And I have to honestly admit that it still bothers me but because of us talking through it face to face in a calm matter, I know that these slip ups do not mean that he doesn’t love me or does it on purpose to upset me. These are just different ways of doing things. These things are such silly things to allow to tear apart a marriage.

As the body of Christ we, too, are commanded in 1 Cor 12:12-18 to be united. The verse does not say we have to become like robots, all doing the same things in the same way. We have to realize that we are all created to fulfill the plan that God has both for our life personally and the life of us as the church body corporately. Let’s face it there are always those in our family (rather it is our blood relatives or those in our faith family) that will just get on our nerves. They may do things differently. They may say things differently. They may be the ones that are doing the jobs that that are seen. While other may do the “behind the scenes” jobs. However, just because our ways are different does not make either way wrong. No matter where the toothpaste is squeezed from it still get the paste on the brush. It is the end result that makes the difference not always how we get there. As Christians we are all working to reach the world with the gospel. We may be the elderly widow that can’t go on the mission trip but we can donate to the youth when they go. We may not have the gift to sing a solo but we can worship with the one that does. We may not feel called to teach but we can encourage the one who does. Each of us have a role to play just like each part of our physical body have a role to play.

Are you willing to let someone squeeze the middle

of the toothpaste instead of the end ?

Are you Plumb ?

2011-09-01T07:49:00.005-05:00

This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. Amos 7:7

This past Sunday our pastor began his sermon by asking, “Do you believe God can use everyday ordinary situations to teach you powerful biblical lessons?” Of course, the entire congregation agreed that yes He could. Pastor went on to explain that last week he had moved his satellite dish from one place on his house to another. He had worked with it all afternoon but no matter what he did, he got not find the right angle that would receive the signal. Finally, he decided to give up, eat supper and maybe work on it the next afternoon. During the night he was kept awake. He continued to mull over this problem in his mind to try to find the solution. Since he was awake (and he could not watch TV), he went into his office to pray and study his bible. It was during this quiet time that he was able to hear from God. God prompted him to turn to Amos 3. As Pastor read over the text about the plumb line, he came to understand a couple of things. One was practical daily application and the other a biblical “forever” lesson. First, as he moved his dish and reset it in the new position on his house he did not adjust the base to plumb. Without the base properly set then it receiver was not pointing in the direction to pick up the signal from the satellite. See if it is off just a few centimeters at the base then it is a long way off out in space. The second lesson (and the one God really wanted Pastor and all of us to learn) was/is that Jesus is our plumb line. He is the one we are to measure up to.

Being plumb is a construction term that refers to being straight up and down. A plumb line is a string with a weigh on the end. When you hold the string at the top the weight makes the line hang down straight. Today carpenters tend to use a level more often than the plumb line to make sure the construction is straight and level but the concept is the same. As Pastor explained that Jesus is our plumb line, I began to ask myself a few questions:

How out of plumb am I?
What areas do I need to allow God to bring into plumb?
Whom have I used as my plumb line?
Will I ever be plumb?

These questions continued to roll over and over in my head through out the evening. I wondered, “God I am so out of plumb and unlevel, how will I ever get to where I should be? I quietly felt His answer, “allow me to adjust you a little at a time.” It was then that I thought about the old table I was refinishing, it did not sit level. Once I determined which leg was causing the out of balance,I flipped the table upside down, sand on the leg for a few minutes and then stand it back up right. I laid the level across the top. If the level bubble did not come to rest between the marks then I would once again sand the bottom of the erred leg. It took several time of doing this until the table finally sat level. See, I did not just take out a saw and start cutting away at the leg because it is better to take off a little at the time. God deals with us the same way. He gently moves us closer to plumb a little at a time. I am thankful that He loves me enough to not allow me to remain out of plumb.

Are you allow God to work to make you plumb ?

Amy

Do I hurt your ears?

2011-08-23T20:45:00.006-05:00

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Psalms 98:4

Many years ago, I was asked to help take care the four and five year olds during morning worship services at church. As the time for the end of service drew near, I had the children to start putting away all the toys. Then we all sat down to wait for their parents to come pick them up. As we were waiting, I decided to have them to sing a few songs like ‘The Wheels on the Bus’. After only the first few lines this sweet little girls comes over to me and softly taps me on the leg. Thinking that she is just going to ask to go to the restroom or maybe request to pick the next song I leaned down to hear her. She quietly said, “Can you please stop singing? You are hurting my ears.” I had to laugh because I am well aware that I am not a singer but I was attempting to make a joyful noise as instructed in our key verse.

Many times as I sit staring at the cursor blinking on the screen in front of me, I struggle with what to write. I finally let my fingers begin typing the words that come in my mind only to go back re-read it, pick it apart and finally delete it all. About two years ago, God called me to share my testimony and biblical lessons through speaking and I accepted that calling easily. However, the call to start this blog was also clear but not as easy for me to accept and follow. Just as I know that I will never make an album with my singing, I also know that I will never use my literary skills (or lack there of) to write a book. As I sit and read post so gracefully written on other blogs, I once again hear that little girl’s voice saying. “Please do not write it hurts my ears.” There are times that message seems so loud that I want to quit. Then I feel God’s sweet and gentle reminder of the words I spoke to that little girl so many years ago. I told her, “Everyone may not sing the right words, carry a tune or have a perfect pitch but as long as they are singing for God is sound sweet to Him.” I know that I write only for an audience of One. I write because He has told me to. Yes, I am to do my best to try to follow all the grammar rules and to make my post something that will by uplifting and encouraging to you. However, most importantly, I write to remind myself of the things that He has taught me. To be a witness of what He has brought me through.

What is the enemy speaking to your heart that makes you want to quit? Is he causing you to compare yourself to others? Is he reminding you of past shame? Is he telling you that the calling you think you heard was not from God? Now, what does God use to remind you that you are just simply called to make a joyful noise not to be the soloist?

AMY

How Bad Do You Stink?

2011-08-16T20:09:00.005-05:00

“Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” John 11:3

Last month a group of youth, along with the youth director and his wife, went on a mission trip to South Carolina. Now if you have never been in Southeast weather in the middle of July then I am not sure I have the words that can describe it to you. Some words you might hear used are hot, humid, sweaty, sticky and miserable. Theses teens along with a few adults spent a week in Walterboro, SC walking the streets to witnessing in the neighborhood and doing home repairs on a couple different houses. Upon their return home they took an hour one Sunday night to share with the church about the work they did and the people the talked to. I was so proud to see a group of young people beam as they talked about serving the Lord. However, it was something the youth director’s wife said that made me think. She talked about how hard they had worked in the heat and how bad the smell was on the van ride back to the host church each evening but that it was also a sweet smell of love. That statement made me think, “How strong is my smell?”

I thought about when Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with the oil. I visualize that once Mary had finished that she would have brushed her hair back and left the room. As she walked down the street – for days to come - the aroma of the spikenard would drift through the crowd. The strong smell would cause people to ask questions. Question like, “Where is that smell coming from.” “Why would she have used so much of costly oil?” In fact, Judas did ask this exact question because he considered her use as being “wasteful” and not of any value. I also imagine there were some in SC that questioned why a group of youth would have given up a week of their summer to work hard in the heat. To sweat. And to stink so badly. However, to God the body odor of those kids was as pleasant of a smell as the finest perfume. Both smells came from love, devotion and service.

So how bad do you stink? Do you smell strong enough that would cause other to ask questions?

AMY

What kind of Vacation Do You Want ?

2011-08-12T18:38:00.006-05:00

I am come that they might have life, and that they might

have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b

When my son, Anthony was about three years old, my husband and I had spent weeks planning a nice family vacation but we could not decide where to go. I wanted to go to the beach but Mike wanted to head north towards the mountains. Since I had just found out I was expecting another child, we knew these would be the last vacation with Anthony as an only child. So we decided to let him be the decision maker. When we posed the question to him that evening at dinner without a seconds pause, he yelled “WAL-MART!” He was so excited just at the thought of going to his favorite store. He knew he normally got a toy, a piece of candy or something that made his life a little happier every time he went. In his sweet little three-year-old mind, he had associated a trip to Wal-Mart with the best there was. He had no idea the great vacation plans his dad and I had for him. He had no conception of playing in the waves or standing on top of a mountain and seeing for miles. He did not know how much better these places would be than a one-hour walk around a department store.

As a family we were remembering (and laughing) over this story the other night when I God gave me a light bulb moment. Just Anthony was so willing to settle for so much less than we had planned for him, I tend to settle for less then God has planned for me. Just as the key verse above says He came for us to have life more abundantly. One of the definitions for abundantly is well-supplied, providing more have a plentiful supply. Think about that, Christ wants to give us more….

… more than you can imagine

…more than you can ask for

…more than your desires

…more than you deserve

…more than others have given you value of

Are you happy with just a vacation to Wal-mart or are you going to wait for him to give you a trip to the beach?

AMY

“Our lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are half hearted creatures fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us. Like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday by the sea.” ~~ CS Lewis

Zero-Turn Lesson

2011-08-08T12:59:00.002-05:00

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” -- ISA 43:18-19

Since my father-in-law has a small lawn care service, we have several lawnmowers to choose from when it is time to cut our own grass. Yesterday I went to pull crank the one he calls “old faithful”. I always use that particular one because it is the oldest in the fleet and therefore, if it breaks down it would not be that detrimental to his business. However, as I turned the key nothing happened. There was not even the sound of the engine trying to turn over. I climbed off the mower and called for my husband to come check it out. He tried to jump start it from one of the other mowers and check it out from one end to the other, but he was not able to get it to crank either. He said, “I guess it is time you learn to cut grass a new way.” It was then that he stepped over to the newest mower. It was a large zero-turn mower, the type that you control all movement with joystick instead of a gas pedal and steering wheel. I was very unsure of it. It was so uncomfortable and even a little scary, so I took it very slow and easy for the first few passes around the yard. As I became more familiar with how it would react to each push or pull of the controls, I began to enjoy it. It certainly finished grass-cutting job much quicker and better than the old-faithful mower.

God used the simple Saturday morning chore of cutting grass to show me that it may be time for me to step out of the comfort zone of my old faithful service and try a new way to serve Him. We are all call to minister and share God’s love, grace and mercy with others. However, we are not all called to do it in the same cookie cutter way. In fact, I have learned that I am not to reach out to every person in the same way. Since we are all called and created differently we can’t judge the way others serve nor can we compare our service to that of someone else. Some of us at some time are going to use the good old standard lawnmower while some at other times will be asked to sit on the zero turn mower and learn to operate in new way. Therefore, we should all be aware of not only what God is calling us to do but how He wants it done. There are many times in the bible that He gave specific instructions on how he wanted thing said or done.

Dear Lord
May I always be open to hear, willing to follow and unashamed to do all you call me to without concern of others thoughts or opinions. I ask that you show me the specific step I am to take but also realize that it will come in your perfect timing. Amen

Divine Appointments

2011-08-02T19:51:00.006-05:00

In May 15-16,2010 a very good friend, Tricia Russell, and I attended the Extraordinary Women's Conference in Birmingham, Alabama.

IT WAS AWESOME !!!!!

God showed up in every way.

First let me tell you how we were able to attend this conference at the last minute. Since Tricia and I would be attending Proverb 31's She Speaks in July 2010 we had decided we would save a little money and not attend E-Women. The Monday night before E-Women came to town, Lysa TerKeurst, the president of P31, left a post that they would be giving away 2 tickets to a randomly drawn reply. Not really believing I would win I just left a short little comment. Later that evening I found out that I had in fact won. Of course I called Tricia the first thing the next morning. told her to get a sitter cause we were going.

We knew from the first note played on Friday night that we were there by divine appointment and we were going to see God move in mighty ways. I wish I had the time, space and words to tell you all that God did through each speaker, each song and each sponsor but I mainly want to share with you where God took us during lunch break on Saturday.

Because we had won the tickets we did not get the boxed lunch that was offered so we had to leave the complex to get something to eat on Saturday. Due to me have a little brain hiccup and not being able to tell my right from my left we ended up getting on the interstate going the opposite way than we had planned. So we decided to just make the best of it and was heading to McDonald's. As we came around the block to turn to Micky D's we were stopped but a construction roadblock. Once again we had to go to our back-up plan and we went on around the next block to Burger King. As we walking in we sort of questioned if we should stay because it wasn't the cleanest, the line was long, and the staff was no moving to quickly. However, since we were limited on time we decided we would just stay and make the best of it. After a couple of minutes of standing there and couple and their friend came in behind us. As we all continued waiting and waiting the gentleman just started joking and carrying on with us. He asked us what we were doing in town and we began to tell him about the conference. He told us that he and his wife were both in the ministry. As we continued to tell him about the speakers, we found out that his wife was the managing editor of a Christian publishing company. That just blew us away. See Tricia has been working on write a book but neither of us really knew anything about the publishing business. We decided that even though we only had a short time we were going to stay and share lunch with our new found friends. This couple was such an encouragement to us, not because she was a publisher but because they loved the Lord so much and that came through in the way they shared with us. This couple just sat with us and listened to our hopes, dreams and concerns.

At a time when both of us had begun to throw out all those questions that seem to come in a time of waiting:

Did I really hear from God?

Am I really the one He wants?

Can I do this?

Am I qualified?

An on and on and on..

God sent to us the sweetest couple to confirm what He has already done in our lives and what He will do in the future. In His timing.

And now for the icing on the cake....

Because we had sat and talked with them for so long we were late getting back to the conference. We were afraid that we had missed the concert by Mark Schultz but it turned out that they had been some technical problems and was just playing the first song we we slipped into our seats.

Guest Post: Tricia Russell

2011-07-28T08:08:00.002-05:00

Today I am so excited to have my friend, Tricia Russell, guest post for me today. Tricia is in the process of compiling stories of how God has brought her family from the back side of the desert through health issues with both her children among other things. She agreed to go ahead and share one of those stories here today. Be sure to leave her a comment here to encourage her in her book writing.

Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

One sunny Saturday in August, my 5 year old son was attending a birthday party at a relative’s house. All of the kids were running around, climbing up the steps, and jumping off the edge of the porch. He had done this a few times, but the last time he was slow standing back up. He complained about a hurting knee but went right back to playing. By Monday, he was in severe pain and complaining with his knee hurting to the point that he was crying. I made a doctor’s appointment for the next day, but the doctor was puzzled by my son’s pain. He ordered x-rays just to check. He called me to the hallway to show me the x-rays, and he circled a gray area on his femur bone. He told me it was some type of cyst but it didn’t look like cancer. I couldn’t believe it. My perfectly healthy child had a cyst inside his femur bone but it didn’t look like cancer. I fought back tears and tried to stay calm for him. We were given an appointment to see the orthopedic specialist for the next morning. We spent the rest of the day trying to absorb this shocking news. We arrived early for the appointment. More x-rays were taken. The doctor came in a sat down beside my son, looked straight at us, and said he has a unicameral bone cyst. Basically it is a fluid filled cyst inside the bone usually near a joint that wears away the bone normally resulting in a broken bone. Jumping off the porch should’ve broken his leg but God had other plans in mind. His jump was actually a blessing in disguise because if we had not found the cyst, it would’ve worn through the bone and his leg would’ve broken into. The cyst was very close to his hip joint which caused some concern that his hip could break. We were told not to let him put any weight on his leg at all, not to let him get on his knees, and not to allow any pressure at all on his leg. We were then sent straight to Children’s Hospital to be admitted and have surgery the following morning. The ride to the hospital was chaos. We were still trying to absorb all we had been told and prepare ourselves for what was ahead. All through the day phone calls came in by the dozens, many visits, and most importantly prayers. This was truly a test of faith, but God who is so gracious to us so much more than we ever deserve, sent all those calls, visits and prayers to help us get through. I could feel the strength and love coming from those people. He was scheduled for surgery early on Wed, August 11, 2004. I didn’t sleep very much the night before. I just couldn’t understand why this was happening. This should’ve been a day of celebrating his first day of Kindergarten but instead he was having major surgery. I woke up early and just started to cry. My thoughts soon switched to being upbeat for him and trying to make the best of our situation, but in the back of my mind I was struggling. He was taken to surgery and we were led to a small waiting room. The waiting was hard, but we knew God was in control. I knew God had a plan for this even though I didn’t understand why and had been watching over him all the time. God had protected him from breaking his leg and hip. Even though our circumstances had caused chaos, God had provided peace in the middle of the storm. I found this quote which fits perfectly “Peace - it doesn’t mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the middle of those things and still be calm in your heart knowing God is in control” (Unknown). Peace definitely reigned in that waiting room that day. He did come through surgery fine and recovered. We faced several other storms with his leg but God was there every time supplying our every need.

How Are You Walking

2011-07-14T20:49:00.001-05:00

“Train up a child on the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

My brother and I had been stuck in the house all afternoon due to a typical southern afternoon thunderstorm. We had not been on our best behavior and we were driving our mother crazy, so as soon as the skies cleared up she declared it was time for us all to go out on a family walk around the block. Dad noticed that the Jeffersons had a tree down in their yard, however as we got closer we realized it was more that just a downed tree. The leg of the Jeffersons’ beloved German Shepherd, Shadow, was pinned under the large pine. As dad began to try to free Shadow, my brother ran to get Mr. Jefferson. Soon they were gently putting her in the truck and rushing her to the vet’s office.

“Will she still be able to have her puppies?” I asked my mom.
She replied “I don’t know. I just do not know.”

See Shadow was due to have puppies just any day and we had been promised the first pick of the litter. We waited for what seemed like forever before we got a phone call from Mrs. Jefferson. She let us know that there was good news and bad news. The good news was that they had four new little fur balls to raise, but the bad news was Shadow was in surgery to have her hind leg amputated. Dr. Killen was unable to save both the leg and the puppies. He assured the Jeffersons that the momma dog would be able to teach herself to walk on her three legs. Sure enough in just few weeks after the accident, Shadow was using her front legs to walk and then hop on the one hind leg. She would get a little stronger and walk/hop a little farther each day. After eight weeks, Mrs. Jefferson called to ask if we were ready to pick out our puppy to take home. We made the short walk down to her house and she called the dogs out from the doghouse. Out came Momma with her unique stride and followed closely by her babies. The closer they got to us I notice that the little ones were walking with the walk/hop style just like Shadow.

“Why do they not walk on all four legs like they are suppose to?”
“Well, they walk the way their momma does.”

I was reminded of this story one night recently because in a little more than a month I will do one of the hardest things a parent has to do -- I have to take my daughter two and a half hours away, drop her off at college and drive away without her. As I think about this life transition, I wonder if I have I told her everything she will need to know. Have I told her all the dos and don’ts that will keep her safe? Have I told her enough that I love her? Have I told her how to iron without burning the dorm down? Have I told her this? Have I told her that? I was thinking of all the things I need to tell her when God reminded me that it is not about what I tell her but the way I have walked before her. The one thing I know I have shown her is that God loves us even when we walk on three legs instead of all four.

Waiting

2010-10-27T18:33:00.006-05:00

I feel that God has me in a season of waiting right now. Waiting on doors to open in my speaking. Waiting on various test results for myself and others. Waiting on answers to questions. Waiting - Waiting - Waiting. So when I heard Nancy Leigh DeMoss read this poem on her Revive Our Hearts show today I knew it was for me and that I needed to share it. I pray it speaks to each of you as much as it did to me.

The Waiting Poem

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . .
And the Master so gently said,"Wait."
"Wait? You say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!"
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.
My future and all to which I relate,
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to Wait?"
I'm needing a 'yes,' a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.
You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting . . . for what?"
He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . .
And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.
I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.
You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me,
When darkness and silence are all you can see.
You'd never experience the fullness of love,
When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.
The glow of My comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask,
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.
You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But oh, the loss if I lost what I'm doing in you.
So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see,
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still "WAIT".

CPM - Continuous Passive Motion

2010-09-17T18:38:00.008-05:00

For those of you that read my blog or are my friend on Facebook you know that on September 7, 2010 I had to have a total knee replacement on my left knee. The surgery was needed due to inherited degenerative arthritis and not taking care of it as I should have. The surgery itself was not as painful as I had expected but the recovery has turned out to push my pain tolerance. A major piece of my physical therapy is a machine called a CPM which stands for Continuous Passive Motion. This machine slowly takes the injured leg and moves it to a bend position at a specified angle and then straightens it back to a completely flat position. I am to use the machine always increasing the bent angle every day in order to keep my knee from stiffening and becoming unusable. As I sat this evening with my leg harnessed in the machine, I began to think of how much that CPM machine is like my church family.

Let me explain: Since my surgery I have had to miss several church services and I have truly in my heart missed the fellowship, love and encouragement I receive when I join with my brothers and sisters in God's House. It seems that I need them to be my spiritual Continuous Passive Motion. There are times in my walk with Christ that I become stiff and unwilling to move easily. It is at those times that a dear sweet Christian friend will give a hug, speak a word or smile a certain smile that moves me to that next degree. Google defines Passive Motion as "Movement of a patients joint by a person who is examining or treating the patient." There are those weary tiring time when we just don't see, feel or hear God or His next step for us to take but if we are connected to a CPM type of group then there is some there to "examine and treat you by moving you". I thank God tonight for my dear church family especially my small ladies group that have not only been there physically during this surgery but even more for the fact that they have been my Spiritual CPM machine.

Population of one

2010-09-06T15:19:00.004-05:00

Over the last few weeks I have spend much of my time preparing for total knee replacement surgery tomorrow. During this prep time I have made sure there was food in the house for the family, paperwork was in order for my co-workers at the office and bills were paid so others wouldn't have to worry with it. But while doing all of this I have to admit that I spent a lot of time thinking...... thinking about myself and how the surgery would effect me alone. As I got into the car the other day with all the "what ifs" on my mind Matthew West's song "My Own Little World" came on the radio and I realized no matter what happens with this surgery there is a larger world out there with the bigger hurt and worry of where they will spend their eternity. THat is now where my mind and heart is focused. I am including Matthew's words for you in hopes that you too will see more that a population of one. (The youtube embedding disabled but I have included the link.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvSwcMp9vU4

Is this a last-first event ?

2010-08-26T14:18:00.002-05:00

“But forget all that- It is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new. See I have already begun!
Do you not see?” ISA 43:18-19

Monday Aug 16th was my daughter’s last-first day of high school. Tuesday was her last-first high school volleyball game. Tonight she is attending her last-first high school football game. This is all the beginnings of the end of her life as a high school student.
These times are both exciting and nerve wrecking.
Times of tears for joy and tears of sorrow.
Times to look both forward and backwards.
She will spend this year remembering back on all the good times she has had with friends over the last 11 years. She is also really starting to look forward to the next step in her walk of life.
As I have watched her through this process it made me look at my walk with God differently. Do I look for the next phase that God is bringing me into? Am I excited, a little nervous but excited, to let go of where He has me now in order to move on. My daughter is embracing each day of this senior year for all the last-first things that she gets to do and be a part of. God does not want us us to stand still… to become lukewarm. So He is always doing something new in our lives. He is always preparing us to graduate on to something else but we have to see it. We have to be willing to let go of where we are and step toward where He is taking us. We can embrace all of our last-first moments as long as we also move towards our first-first moments.

Missing puzzle pieces

2010-08-09T20:59:00.003-05:00

It has been so long since I have been here to post. I have sat at my desk and stared that the blank computer screen many, many, many times but nothing came. Others have ask me to post about various subject, mainly the She Speaks conference and I promised I would once I had take time to process all that I learned that weekend. However, as I began to step back in time in my mind to July 29-Aug 1st I realize that there were piece to my puzzle still missing.... questions still unanswered... dreams still unconfirmed. I have just felt undone since those days in North Carolina. I left my house on Thursday the 28th fill with self assurance that I was going to meet God to recieve my "marching orders". That I was ready to run into the fire as others would be running out. When I stepped into the Embassy Suites in Concord NC, I realized that I was going to be rudely awakened.

My eye opening first came in the Friday night General session when Lysa Terkeurst told the tale of two cities. The cities that fought for year and final City A decided to take up all their garbage and dump it over the wall to City B. In turn City B want to bring peace between the two so they gathered up all their treasures and tossed it over the wall to City A. My heart was broken at that point. I became so aware that daily I had been dumping my garbage on God and He just continued to hand treasures back to me. I have even come to expect His treasures and yet I have never really offered Him anything but my leftovers, the things I didn't need or want anymore.

Aren't you Glad ???

2010-06-18T16:16:00.005-05:00

These last few days/weeks I have felt a little under the weather. I have not been sick physically but just felt myself sinking into that depression pit of my past. I have fought it with all my human powers but it continues to swept over me like the waves in the oceans. So today I made it a point to find some quiet time to pray to and hear from God. I didn't know what verses to read or what words to pray so I sat in my comfy chair and cried. As the tears began to fall the weight on my heart began to lift and I opened my bible to Romans 5:8 " but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NIV) In this old familiar verse God reminded me that He loves me unconditionally.

Aren't you that God loves us unconditionally even when.....

We neglect spending time alone with Him

We are overwhelmed by all the things others have added to our "to do" list.

We are frustrated and speak harshly to those around us.

Our house is a mess and we have no desire to clean it.

We don't give our spouses the attention they need, want and deserve.

We feel the weight of the world pressing in on us

We take our eyes off of Him and focus on our own wants and desire.

He love you and me no matter what life is coming at us.

The Plan....His Plan

2010-06-18T15:45:00.009-05:00

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you a hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

This verse has always meant so much to me. It was on a book mark my daughter gave me for Mother's Day when she was in 1st grade and was really the 1st verse I memorized. For each season of my life it has meant something different an special. As I went back and studied it again over the last few days God has opened my eyes to new things.

Back in March I was in Houston on a business trip. I had arrived at my hotel late in the evening after working that whole day and then taking a very uncomfortable flight. After checking in I went to my room and swiped my room key/card............

........ nothing happened.

I turned the key over thinking I had swiped it the wrong way.

Swipe.....

...Nothing again.

After standing there for a few minutes tired and hungry, I threw my head back in frustration. It was then that I saw the number on the door, 349. The room that the hotel had assigned to me was 348. I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry at myself.

As I studied Jeremiah 29:11 this last week God brought this story to my memory and I felt him say to me, "that is how you are treating the dream I have given you."

God has given me (all of us) a dream. A plan or a purpose, whatever it is you want to call it God has something for each of us to accomplish for His kingdom. For His glory. The talent/gift keys He has give us will open the doors to hearts in a might way when they are swiped properly in the door to the room assigned to us.

Are you using you key in the right door ? or are you trying to open a door that is not assigned to you ?

Put it ALL on.

2010-06-02T20:24:00.008-05:00

"Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be

able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Eph 6:11

This morning I got to the office, sat down and flipped my calender to begin the new day. On June 2, 2010 Ephesians 6:11-12 was waiting in me. I have read this passage about putting on the armour of God many time. I had even attended a weekend retreat in which the speaker broke down each piece yet today God taught me something new.

My son played football from the time he was 5 years old until he graduated high school. Between days of practices and weekends filled with games, I have see many hours of football but one particular game stood out in my mind as I read and re-read this verse. One Friday night our varsity team came running on to the field and lined up to do their "warm-up" exercises. They stretched, ran, and pass. They did all the things football players do before a game. Then when it was time come together and run through the cheerleader's sign, one of the referees walk one of our starting players up to the coach and pointed him toward the locker room. After a short discussion the player trotted off the field with the trainer. The game started and several plays passed before the player reappeared to the sideline. When the coach saw him he motioned for the young man to go into the game. The game went on but I (being the nosey woman I am) could not help but wander what the player had been sent to the locker room for. He had his helmet, the right jersey, a chin strap, mouthpiece and all the vital pads that I could think of . Had he said something wrong ? Did he make a obscene hand motion? What was it ?

After the game was over I found out from the boys mother that he had left a pad out of his pants. The pad is about 2 inches wide and 10 inches long and fits just in the back of the pants. Most players (and some coaches) consider it useless and unimportant. But on this night the ref, the man in charge of the game, told our coach that the player had to have on the WHOLE assigned uniform or they could not play. He was not willing to risk them getting hurt on "his watch".

Do you think that is why God tells us in His word to put on the WHOLE armour? Do you think it is because He knows best and is not willing to let us get hurt on His watch ? That small pad is a part of a football prayers uniform for a purpose. Frankly it is made to protect the player tailbone. It doesn't seem important until you get hit there without that protection. Parts of the armour of God may not seem especially important until Satan sees that you are unprotected and "hits" you there.

Are you putting on the WHOLE armour of God everyday ?

Calling Confirmation

2010-05-21T20:21:00.011-05:00

This past weekend (May 15-16,2010) a very good friend, Tricia Russell, and I attended the Extraordinary Women's Conference in Birmingham, Alabama.

IT WAS AWESOME !!!!!

God showed up in every way.

First let me tell you how we were able to attend this conference at the last minute. Since T.R. and I will be attending Proverb 31's She Speaks in July we had decided we would save a little money and not attend E-Women this year. The Monday night before E-Women came to town, Lysa TerKeurst, the president of P31, left a post that they would be giving away 2 tickets to a randomly drawn reply. Not really believing I would win I just left a short little comment. Later that evening I found out that I had in fact won. Of course I called Tricia the first thing the next morning. told her to get a sitter cause we were going.

We knew from the first note played on Friday night that we were there by divine appointment and we were going to see God move in mighty ways. I wish I had the time, space and words to tell you all that God did through each speaker, each song and each sponsor but I mainly want to share with you where God took us during lunch break on Saturday.

Because we had won the tickets we did not get the boxed lunch that was offered so we had to leave the complex to get something to eat on Saturday. Due to me have a little brain hiccup and not being able to tell my right from my left we ended up getting on the interstate going the opposite way than we had planned. So we decided to just make the best of it and was heading to McDonald's. As we came around the block to turn to Micky D's we were stopped but a construction roadblock. Once again we had to go to our back-up plan and we went on around the next block to Burger King. As we walking in we sort of questioned if we should stay because it wasn't the cleanest, the line was long, and the staff was no moving to quickly. However, since we were limited on time we decided we would just stay and make the best of it. After a couple of minutes of standing there and couple and their friend came in behind us. As we all stood there waiting and waiting the gentleman just started joking and carrying on with us. He asked us what we were doing in town and we began to tell him about the conference. He told us that he and his wife were both in the ministry. As we continued to tell him about the speakers we found out that his wife was the managing editor of a Christian publishing company. That just blew us away. See T.R. has been working over the last few years to write a book but none of us really knew anything about the publishing business. We decided that even though we only had a short time we were going to stay and share lunch with our new found friends. This couple was such an encouragement to us, not because she was a publisher but because they loved the Lord so much and that came through in the way they shared with us. This couple just sat with us and listened to our hopes, dreams and concerns.

At a time when both of us had begun to throw out all those questions that seem to come in a time of waiting:

Did I really hear from God?

Am I really the one He wants?

Can I do this?

Am I qualified?

An on and on and on..

God sent to us the sweetest couple to confirm what He has already done in our lives and what He will do in the future. In His timing.

(This is just the period and the end of the story)

Because we had sat and talked with them for so long we were late getting back to the conference. We were afraid that we had missed the concert by Mark Schultz but it turned out that there had been some technical prblems and was just playing the first song we we slipped into our seats.

Thoughts......

2010-05-13T19:54:00.003-05:00

I had not really planned anything to post tonight but after completing the two bible studies that I am in and then surfing several of my favorite blogs I noticed a recuring theme... our thoughts that we think/say towards ourselves. Why is it that we can believe every promise that God speaks in His word for others but not take it to heart for ourselves ?

I can comfort a hurting friend by reminding her that she is a daughter of the most High King but not act like I am also His daughter.
I can tell others that they are made perfect in His image but each morning I look in the mirror only to see each new wrinkle or gray hair.
I can go on and on to my children about how God has a plan for their lives even quoting Jer 29:11 over and over to them but if they hear me say that I can't teach a class or take on a job at the church that needs to be done, what have I taught them.

I have recently become more aware that the words I speak to myself not only beat me up and effect me but they also reach out to others like the ripples in a pond. The one small pebble of negative self-talk I throw out can continue on.

What are some of the words you speak to yourself ? Are they truth? Do they reflect the new creature you are in Christ? If not, why?

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T23:35:00.007-05:00

Our pastor played the audio to this poem in our morning service. I wanted to post it earlier but I have just now been able to find time to sit at the desk and upload it. I pray that each child has some one in their life that they are carrying this I owe u around for. If not a biological mother then maybe a step-mom, an adopted mom, a grandmother, a childrens sunday school teacher, a church friend or even your dad. Always remember and be thankful for those people that God placed in your life to care for you.

I.O.U.

BUDGETING IS NOT AN UGLY WORD

2010-04-28T14:31:00.003-05:00

Have you ever gone up to the ATM, type in your PIN only to have your card shot back to you with a message on the screen showing that you have no money in you account ? Do you look around to see if anyone else saw it? Do you try it again thinking surely they accessed the wrong account? However, you get the same glaring insufficient fund announcement. You walk away with think, “How did this happen?” Then you go home review you check register, yell at you husband accusing him for not giving you the receipts or you just realize that you just did not budget for the small expense you had to pay.
How many other things in our life is the same way? How many other things get out of control if we have not preplanned all the small details? We have to be able to budget all areas of our lives (with God’s direction) to stay balanced. This week in our First Place 4 Health meeting we discussed the concept of budget the various areas (mental, emotional, spiritual and physical). So just like with our money we must plan our food, our exercise, our time and even our emotions beforehand in order to stay in God’s plan for a balanced life. This balanced life will enable us to better service Him in our individual calling.
I am sure you all understand the idea of budgeting money but how do you budget food. One member discussed how dinner is her only family meal so she wants to enjoy it as much as possible. Therefore she may not eat as many carbs and/or proteins that are allowed for breakfast or lunch in order to eat more at that family time. This is not to say that she skips meals to have one large binge or that she does it every day. For example: If you know you are going out to eat Saturday night then you may eat a medium size brunch (instead of breakfast or lunch) then be able to eat more at that dinner.
This study of budgeting gets very interesting once we more it out all aspects of our lives. This week as I filled out my bible study each night I discover a part of my live that desperately needed to be budgeted - - MY TIME. Due to family illnesses, increased responsibilities at my job, additional commitments at church, personal hobbies and dreams I have allowed myself to over spend on these things and I did not have time left to spend with God. So even though I was completing my First Place bible study every night, reading and studying to teach bible classes and I was even praying but I was not giving God my attention. I had not budgeted my time to make that needed appointment of quiet time for me to hear from Him just for me. As a result, I have begun to budget each day’s time the night before by marking the time in my calendar. I have only done it for a couple of days and it is not easy to stick to but I can already see great perks from it. I have learned that when you turn back to God and His divine plan for balance then he will bless you in all areas.

What area (emotional, mental, spiritual, or physical) have you been overspending?

(PS – I feel I need to just give a short explanation on how you can over spend spiritually. If you over commit to doing things in God’s name without His calling or His power. Let me give you an example—If you are teaching Sunday School, keeping nursery, teaching on Sunday night and are on 3 or 4 different committees plus involved in everything else at the church just because you think you should be not because you feel God is calling you to do them. And as a result you have not time to spend at His feet in worship, praise and learning for yourself you may be spiritually over committed. I do not think we can over commit to God Himself and what He has called us to.)

Will you be my # 3 ?

2010-04-19T10:18:00.007-05:00

When I read this post on the Proverb 31 ministries website, I knew God was nudging me to post and ask if you all would join in to become another strand in my braid.
I have recently joined a First Place 4 Health at our church to try once again to lose the same 25-50 pounds that I have lost 100 times before. After just two meetings and listening to the others that have gone through this program, I have realized that this program addresses on more than just the physical. That is the meaning of the #4 in the program name. God made us all mental, physical, emotional and spiritual beings. So as we meet each week we are discussing and addressing each of these areas in order to heal the whole person. Now having said all that this is where I need each of you to join in: my family is the first strand in my fight, my 1st place group is the 2nd strand and I would love for my blog friends to be my 3rd strand. I am simply asking that you pray for my total health as I progress through this program. I have realized that my weight is out of balance because my focus is out of balance. I do not plan to turn this blog into a weight loss site even though I will give updates now and again. What I do want to share is what God teaches me along this journey. Following is a short summary of what I have learned in this week’s bible study. (Remember I never claimed to be a great writer)

Deuteronomy 30:19 – This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.

God has given use all we need for us to walk through the life/calling that His has for us but it is up to us to choose to live that life. There are small choices that we make each day, hour and even every minute that will lead us to death or to life physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually or a combination of all. God has given me the free will to chose. It is up to me to decide to choose life. However, if I make pick incorrectly and began to head to towards death I will have to deal with the imbalance that it causes. And just like a car that has it’s tires out of balance we have to go to the mechanic for service and correct, we have to go back to our focus on God and the right tools he has given to us to correct that imbalance.

As I am daily re-focusing on God to bring all areas of my life back into balance I ask that you join me as my third strand. That we all become braided together as sisters to strengthen one another in all areas to uplift and encourage the whole beings that we are.

So much yet so little

2010-03-29T20:16:00.007-05:00

There are has been so much going on around here the last few weeks yet I have done little to no writing. I would like to blame it on lack of time but the truth is I just have not been able wrap my mind around it all and find the right words. So I thought tonight I would just share a few things and try to give more details later.

In the last 7 days I visited 3 different hospitals with 7 different patients.

1st Hospital
Friday 3/19 - He dad had surgery to repair lymph nodes that have not healed from having a cancerous tumor removed back in October. What was suppose to be a 15 to 30 min surgery ended up lasting 2 1/2 hours and he had to stay over night.
Friday 3/19 - On my way home, I stopped by to sit with a friend at the hospital. The friends brother -in-law had been in a severe car wreck and he had been in trauma ICU for 21 days. I will not share any more since I do not have the families permission. Please remember this family in your prayers.
Saturday 3/20 - Samantha and I stopped to visit with our friend again. Samantha was wanting to visit with her daughter.
2nd Hospital
Saturday 3/20 - My son, Anthony, flew back in from his mission trip in Nicaragua. As we sat on the couch looking at pictures on his camera I noticed that his feet look a little different. As we investigated a little further we noticed that both feet were swollen all the way up to his knees. Due to the fact that he had been in a different country, had cuts on his legs and had been in the water we decided it was best to take him to the ER to be tested. Praise God, after 4.5 hours we finally saw a doctor. They checked for blood clots, infection and parasites but nothing was found. The doctors all agreed that it had to be from the flight altitude.
Saturday 3/20 - As we entered the ER with my son I notice a lady on the phone in the waiting room that looked so familiar, it was my sister-in-law. She was waiting on my nephew to be moved to a room. He had been 4-wheeler riding earlier that day and had wrecked. They had run MRIs, X-rays and CT scan to find that he had dislocated his shoulder (the same one that has already had 3 surgeries on it ), he had 4 broken ribs, ruptured his lung and was cut up all over his back.
3rd Hospital
Tuesday 3/23 - Mom had to have an arteriogram on her carotid artery. Since Dad was still recovering from his operation is was difficult for him to stay with her all day so I got him to stay home and I went with her The doctor found that it was 80% blocked and she would need surgery to "clean it out."
Wednesday 3/24 - One of Mike's dear friend had a heart attack so we went to visit him. Ever since Mike had his heart attack 2 1/2 years ago he makes sure he takes the time to go visit whenever he can.
Friday 3/26 - Mom had her surgery. Dad was feeling better so he was able to go to the hospital this time. I had to leave once she was settled in a room to help Samantha get dressed for her prom.

As crazy as this all sounds I have been so blessed during it all.

I have seen the faith and trust in God grow in the hearts of my friends as the wait for their loved on to recover on blink of the eye or one movement of the hand at a time.
I was able to to feel as if I could do just a little to thank my mom and dad for all they gave me growing up by being there when they needed some help.
I have seen God remind my nephew that a former Marine is not bullet proof when a 4-wheeler is involved
I have also been reminded in my heart that when all is said and done nothing in this world matters except Christ and showing His love for one another.

Take time today to show those in your life how much they mean to you.

MAKEOVER OF THE HEART

2010-03-18T19:24:00.002-05:00

Last year we decided to redecorate our kitchen. Due to the fact that we had a very small budget we were going to do all the work ourselves. We are not new do-it yourselvers so we were fairly confident in being able to complete the work in the 8 short weeks we had until I was to host my ladies bible study group. We worked many late nights and long weekends to get the walls painted, refinish the cabinets, and install a new sink and new countertop. With one last weekend push we completed one week early. Luckily that gave me a couple of days to clean up and prepare for the bible study. Many of these ladies would be visiting my home for the first time so of course I wanted to make the best possible impression. I first cleared away all of our “construction” tools and then I move on to the rest of the house. As I worked to clean I began to notice that the other rooms of the house just were not up to the new standard now set by the re-made kitchen. As looked at the newness and brightness of the kitchen I become conscious of the wear, tear and darkness of my family room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. So I worked even harder to make every inch of the house as clean as possible. The night came and all the ladies went on and on about how great the kitchen looked but all I could think about was how bad the rest of the house looked. By the end of the night I was miserable because I allowed the enemy to twist and turn my thoughts into a beating stick. Later that night God used the event to teach me a lesson. He taught me both gratitude and grace. Let me explain: For the first few weeks/months after I was saved God slowly opened my eyes to sins in my life. As these sins were reveled to me and I worked to repent of them He would mend that piece of my heart. Then as time pasted I would begin to think, “Ok I have arrived.” I would feel as if I had come as far as God would bring my and I would praise Him for the changes in my life. But then He would slow remove more scales from my eyes to reveal more darkness that still remained in the corners of my heart. I had to acknowledge that I was not yet wholly redeemed and I would not be until I was with Him in heaven. I could have let that acknowledgment throw me into a deep despair or I could take another step into the light closer to Him. So just like my kitchen ended up being just the start of a total home makeover, salvation was just the first step to a total me makeover.

Calmed Nerves

2010-03-08T20:26:00.006-06:00

Last week was full ( that is the easiest way to say it). The days were packed with month end financial close on my "real paying job", learning a new task at said "real paying job", decorating the church sanctuary and fellowship hall for a community wide Women's conference, purchasing food for the conference luncheon, preparing my testimony to be given at the conference and still doing all my wife and motherly duties. Because of all these things by Saturday I was just full of nervousness. I was to the point of making myself sick so I went to a restroom out of the major traffic to try to gather myself some. I wanted to be alone but I wasn't. Nope. No matter where I went I wasn't alone because He was with me and when I was finally still and quiet He spoke to me. He reminded me that this conference was not mine. Successful or not the conference out come had NOTHING to do with the decorations, the food, the music, the dramas or the words spoken but had everything to do with the hearts that He would touch. Hearts the He had already been dealing with. Once He spoke those words to my heart I walked out of the restroom and the whole atmosphere of the building was different. My nerves were calm and I was ready to be fully used for His glory.

Since I was the last of three speakers I was able to just sit back, relax and be amazed watching Him work, watching His Spirit move from one lady to another. I know that He cared enough to meet me in a small restroom just to calm my fear and nerve.

PS. Just wanted to add a little THANK YOU to all that prayed for me and for this event. This was the first speaking event that I have had and your prayers were truly felt. There were about 65 ladies that heard how God will walk you through any storm from hopelessness to hope filled. ( There were also about 10 men that were there to help run sound, fix lunches and park cars that listened too)

Personal Branding

2010-03-01T21:03:00.002-06:00

In my "real paying" job I had to attend a sort of "state of the company" presentation last week. During the presentation, the Vice-President of Marketing addressed the crowd explaining the future marketing plan. She talked a lot about the company's brand and how it would be used in commercials, billboards and all types of marketing promotions. So what exactly is a corporate brand? According to this VP, a corporate brand is a statement that answers the question: What positive change the company is trying to create in the world. Then that Brand statement becomes the guide. It is the "North Star."

What is your personal Brand statement?

Can others recognize your personal brand as well as they do these corporate brands?

UPS …. What can brown do for you?
Wal-Mart …. Save money. Live Better

Mary Kay … Enriching Women's Lives

I am striving everyday to make my brand … Jesus is my all … know to all those around me.

Again, What is your brand?

Blessed Assurance

2010-02-20T21:39:00.005-06:00

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for
good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

This has always been one of my favorite verses because it reminds me that God did not just create me and leave me here swaying in the wind alone. He is with me walking me through His plan. I was home alone this morning doing some cleaning when a tune came to my mind. I continued to hum the tune but it took me a few minutes to realize even what song it was. It was the old hymn "Blessed Assurance". I quickly went to my computer to look up the verses since all that was coming to my mind was the tune. Wow, how sweet and powerful these words were to me today.

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine

Heir of Salvation, purchase of God

Born of His Spirit, washed in his blood

This is my story

This is my song

Praising my Savior all the day long

Perfect Submission, Perfect Delight

Vision of rapture now burst on my sight

Angels descending bring from above

Echos of Mercy whispers of love

This is my story
This is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long

Perfect Submission all is at rest

I in my Savior am happy and blessed

Watching and waiting, looking above

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love

With this song God reminded me that His is the perfect one to submit to. He is a perfect God who has a plan for an imperfect person like me to be able to openly come into His presence (Heb 10:22) with a sincere heart and fully trust that He will accept me there. Becasue of Jesus' own submission even to death I , a sinner, can boldly enter into the Holy Place. Not only can I enter - I am expected to enter. That is a sweet invitation that I for one do not take advantage of often enough.

Lord - Please help me to always remember that you have given me an open invitation to come to You and to bring all my "STUFF" . Thank you for allowing my to bring that stuff and leave it all at your feet and walk away with Your peace.

Snow on the Beach

2010-02-18T17:42:00.002-06:00

I am a little late checking in with this Valentine's weekend review but better late than never.
My sweet hubby and I left around lunch on February 12 and headed to the Gulf coast of Alabama. I had been awake off and on the whole night before wondering if we were going to be able to make this long awaited trip due to the predicted snow fall. It had been 22 years (since our honeymoon) that we were able to get away, just the two of us alone, without the children. We desperately need some quiet and reconnection time, so I was not going to let a little snow and freezing temperatures stand in our way. As we left the house in Northern Alabama we had about 2" and it was still falling but the further South we drove the deeper the snow got. After driving for about 3 hours the snow was as deep as 5-6" but thank God the roads were not icy. We finally got to the coastal area and although it was very, very cold there was no snow. Even if the weather was not what you would consider perfect beach conditions it was exactly what we needed as a couple… as husband and wife not as mom and dad. During the next two days we were able to recognize that we do still have things to talk about beside kids, school events and work. We realized that we will be able live together in the empty nest that is quickly coming. We had laughter filled dinners, late brunches, walks through the outlet malls with no concern about purchasing anything, visit to an historical site and we were even able to brave the cold to stroll on the beach. This weekend was not the grand vacation many dream about. It was not an expensive trip. It is not one that I will pull out the photos to show others but it is on that I will always remember. It is the vacation my marriage needed. The one my life needed. The one my heart needed. It is the vacation that our God provided.

2010-02-08T19:08:00.003-06:00

We have time in the morning to sit in front of my mirror to put on make-up to cover all the “flaws” we see
but we do not have time to look in the Word to be reminded that we am fearfully and wonderfully made.

We have time to communicate via phone, text, facebook, email and a number of other ways
but we do not have time to talk to my Heavenly Father.

We have time to stand in the kitchen to cook meals and desserts to feed my physical hunger
but we do not have the time to sit still to be feed spiritually.

We have time to wait in line to be served by a tired and weary salesperson
but we don’t have time to sit with the Bible before us to learn how to serve others.

We have time to spend watching my favorite television show
but we do not have time to just be still and know Him.
We have time to work those extra hours in order to purchase earthly treasures
but we do not have time to work to lay up treasures in Heaven.

We have time to do all the hobbies that we want to do
but we do not have the time to thank the God that gives you those abilities.

I realized these things above after reading a wonderful letter that Elaine over at Peace for the Journey had written on her blog to a friend that she was going to be gifting a new bible to. That letter showed me that He could work so much more in my life if I knew Him better and to know Him better I have to spend time with Him. The way to spend time with Him is to read the Word that He has given to us.

Are you a Sword Fighter?

2010-02-08T18:57:00.002-06:00

When my kids were younger they both love to sword fight. Anthony did it to act like Michelangelo, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle but Samantha just wanted a change to beat up on her big brother. They would grab up just about anything and swing it around like a sword, like a stick, cardboard wrapping paper rolls and the dollar store plastic swords. They would be running around the house wildly swinging whatever the sword of the day was and as long as it did not get to out of hand I just let it continue. However, eventually someone’s cardboard sword would bend and tear, the stick would break or the plastic would come apart. This disaster would leave one of my little ninjas unarmed and defenseless. All the weapon they were using were just cheap replicas of a real sword. A real sword that is forged of steal. A real sword that is hand crafted by a master blacksmith. A real sword formed just for the purpose of fighting and defending.

As I remember back to those day of the sword fights I think of how many time we as Christian find ourselves unarmed and defenseless against Satan. All because we try to use cheap replicas instead of using the real sword of the word. We try to fight Satan by simply pretending he is not there. We fight by repeating wonderful quotes from great teachers or preachers. We depend on others to fight for us because we know they have the real sword. We also try to fight with our sword, the sword of the word still on our hip in the sheaf .

How are you fighting the fight set before you ?
Are you welding around the true sword of the word of God ?
Have you pulled it out of sheaf?
Or are you just using a cheap replica ?

I have decided to spend more time this year to memorize at least 12 verses of scripture this year so that I will always have His sword with me ready to fight. If you would like to join me let me know so that I can be praying for you. I have decide not to post verses for us to learn together because I believe God puts different verses on our hearts in order to prepare us for the battles that He knows we will be facing in the future.

Your Comfort or His Calling

2010-02-02T18:40:00.002-06:00

There is a small store front church on Main Street in our small town. This church always has some of the most thought provoking quotes on their sign. The quote I noticed this morning has been stuck in my mind, “God is more concerned with you calling than He is with your comfort.” I believe the reason this has really gotten to me is because I have been tossing and turning God’s calling on my life over in my mind the last couple of weeks. I have tried to blame these unsettling feelings on Satan but after reading that sign I think God may be trying to make me focus more on my calling than my comfort. As I have mentioned before about 2 years ago God called me to begin speaking to women. He has called me to share my testimony and encourage others that they are worthy in Him. I was fine with that calling as long as it was just a calling that I was working towards. However, my calling is becoming real now. I have my first speaking event scheduled for March and now I am not so comfortable. I have had all sort of doubts, fears and worries flow in and out of my head. There are things that I had not originally written in my testimony that He is telling me to share. Things that I am not comfortable with yet. The church sign stands as reminder that I am to follow His calling and He will handle the rest. Please pray for me to continue chose to follow His calling rather than settle in my comfort.
Which do you chose – calling or comfort? What things make you uncomfortable in following in His calling on your life? How can I pray for you this week

Listen and you will hear

2010-02-01T19:47:00.001-06:00

I grew up in church even though I did not become a true follower of Christ until I was 32 years old. I had always heard people in church talk about how God had told them such and such. They would go on and on about God speaking to them. Once I became a Christian and began reading the Bible I read all the various stories of God give instructions to the men and women. Once I realized that God does speak to His children then I desired to hear from Him but I did not know how. It seemed all my time with Him was one-sided, me speaking to Him. I would pray praises, thanksgiving and even my request but I did not ever hear Him speak. There would be time that I would determine in my heart to hear God speak so I would take the time to sit still and be quiet waiting on a word, just one word. However, it would just be silence and I would get discouraged and walk away. Then one day my bible study brought me to the small Old Testament book of Habakkuk.

Habakkuk was a man that was desperate to hear from God. He not only wanted to hear from God but he expected that God would speak to him. At first it did not appear that Habakkuk would ever hear God speak but he never gave up. Habakkuk did get discouraged but he never gave up on waiting for God’s word to come to him. Little did Habakkuk know that while he was waiting and wanting to hear from God, God was already working. HAB 1:5 - Look among the Nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days- You would not believe if you were told.

Even we do not hear from God directly He is still working in our lives. Like I said I wanted to hear from God but I was not sure how. Once I quit trying myself to hear from God but instead I just spent time with Him in prayer and in studying His word is when I did finally hear Him speak nuggets of wisdom to my heart. Now I look for Him to speak to me daily in various ways. Sometimes it was just nudges in my mind of things I should do; sometimes it is in things I remember, in dreams, in nature and even in the words of others around me.

Do you expect Christ to speak to you? Do you know that no matter how long you have to wait to hear that He is already at work?

Hummingbird Head

2010-01-25T18:46:00.004-06:00

This past year my dad was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in his groin. (I praise God that in October his scan shown that there were no active cancer cells.) While he was going though his chemo and radiation, treatments his was very weak and did not get out of the house much except to sit on the porch. He had one small hummingbird feeder out there and loved to watch the small birds. After a few weeks, he decided that one feeder was not enough for birds he had so he added a few more all around the yard. One evening I stopped by to visiting with him and I began watching those colorful little birds. They would rocket back and forth from one feeder to another. The funniest thing was to watch one try to dive bomb another to move it out of the way. In the middle of all the hyper-activity, I realize that in the last few weeks my head had felt like those birds were inside there. There were so many different ideas, project and obligations that my head was spinning. All of them were meaningful and most of them are things I love. They were things I wanted to do. Were they the right things for me to be doing? Were they things God had called me to do? Things that would bring Him glory?

Calling of a father’s heart

2010-01-21T20:22:00.002-06:00

I wrote yesterday about Mike’s heart attack two years ago. I spent those first few days in a semi-shock think what would I have done if he had not made it. (He was only 42 at the time). I have to admit that my thoughts were mainly selfish. I worried about how I would provide for my two children, how would I manage the household, and so many other things. I just did not know how I would carry on. Three days after Mike’s heart attack the nurse had taken him for more testing when the News reported the 2 ½ year old son of a famous local radio personality had drowned the evening before. William Bronner Burgess, son of Rick and Sherri Burgess (The Rick and Bubba Show) had found his way out to the family pool and drowned. I listen to the Rick and Bubba show every morning and they feel at least like friend if not family. As I heard the story continue to unfold, even today, I realize that my concern in facing Mike’s potential death should not have been for myself or even for Mike because our security and salvation were already in Christ. My concern needed to focus on those that are having heart attacks each day whose salvation is not secure. I should hold things and people here on earth with an open hand. I should be willing to let go of it all if it draws one person to a saving faith.
I have not done the true message of Bronner’s death in any justice in my words. Please listen to the following youtube links to hear “A Father’s Heart”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PUHUZWyFeg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7aNDixS2J0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUT8Bk6Ou90
Sherri Burgess has started writing a new blog that is worth visiting:
http://sherriburgess.blogspot.com/
Always remember that if Jesus came only to save us He would have taken us to heaven immediately but He has left us here to be about His business of preaching the Gospel and revealing Him to the world

Life's By-Passes

2010-01-21T20:19:00.001-06:00

Two years ago this week I was sitting in a hospital room while my husband was recovering from a heart attack. During our week there Mike had been rushed into the ER and then up to surgery, had a stint inserted in one of his arteries, spent two nights in ICU, convinced our daughter (daddy’s little girl) that it was okay to go on the already planned youth trip and was finally moved to a regular room. It was in my first conversation with the doctor after the stint was put in that Dr Parks explained something amazing to me. He told me that sometime in the past Mike had a previous heart attack. The “old” attack had been on the backside of his heart and had created a natural by-pass. He drew a diagram that demonstrated how new capillaries had grown off of either side of the blocked artery past the area that contained plaque built up and then reconnected so that the blood continues to flow.
As I have sat reflecting and being so thankful that God still has a plan for Mike and decide to allow us more time together, I thought of how that natural by-pass in his heart is such an illustration of our walk with God. We can be following God’s plan just flowing freely and then “things” began to build up in front of us that disrupts that flow. Those things that block the fellowship between us and God can be family, friends, works, church ministries, hobbies and so many more. Just like Mike’s heart we can decide to let that blockage attack us and kill us or we can look for the by-passes God always provides.
Are you allowing a blockage to be built up in your relationship with Christ? Are you looking for God’s natural by-passes that will bring you back to Him?

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

2010-01-11T20:54:00.004-06:00

In the event that you have been living in a cave for the last five days or if you just do not listen to any type of sports cast, I have an announcement to share with you:
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA FOOTBALL TEAM IS THE BCS CHAMPIONS.

You may think the picture above was taken at the game, but it was not. So maybe you think it might have been taken of the crowd at a pep rally before the game, but it was not. No this large group of fans had lined the fence standing in the freezing cold at the airport just hoping for a opportunity to see the newly crowned champs exit they chartered plane walk a few feet and board the bus. As the players walked past waving, the crowd cheered. They yelled. They all hoped that they might be able to get a picture of Mark Ingram, the Heisman trophy winner or Coach Saban. I, myself, am a big football fan but watching this scene played out over and over on the various newscasts made me question the value we place on material things.

▪ A championship sports team flys in … we stand for hours in below freezing temperatures.
A town square march against abortion … we say it is to cold to come out in support.
▪ The BCS coach’s trophy is on display … 6000 people stand in line just to have picture made.
We are asked to serve meal at the local mission … our old knee injury hurts to bad to stand.
▪ Sports Illustrated BCS special edition comes out … we almost rub the ink off the pages by flipping through the pages ever minute we can.
Our Bibles … sit on our tables or in our cars untouched day after day.

Where is my focus? Where is yours? Are you more excited by a sports team victory than you are about what God is doing in lives around you and in your own life?

· I have used the Alabama football championship only as an example.

Tune-up Time

2010-01-06T13:09:00.002-06:00

When I was younger I enjoyed being a part of our church’s youth choir. There was one special song that we all enjoyed learning. Even though I have been unable to remember the name, the exact words or tune to the song, I have not forgotten the meaning/story. The story has spoken volume to my heart over the years. It tells of an old neglected violin that is the last item to be sold at a small country auction. The auctioneer just wanted to sell it and close the door for the night, so he offered it up for one dollar. Then he asked “who’ll make two, its just one dollar more. Come on who’ll give me three.” Although he repeated the calling over and over no one gave a bit. Finally an older gentleman quietly stepped out of the crowd and picked up the bow and violin. He spent a few minutes blowing the dust off and turning the pegs until he ultimately pulled the bow across those string. The people all stood in silence as the sweet sounding notes filled the air. Once he had completed the song, the gentleman softly laid the violin back on the table and returned to his seat. The auctioneer broke the stillness by beginning the bid asking, “Who’ll give me one thousand, who’ll make it two- just one thousand more. Now who’ll make it three?” The crowd questioned, “What made the change in the price. We don’t understand.” The auctioneer simply replied “It’s been touched by the master’s hand.”

Have you been touched by the true Master’s Hand? Have you allowed God to tune you with His word everyday so that you can bring harmony and joy to those around you? As we start the New Year spend some time reflecting on the thing in your life that may be out of tune. The things that are not allowing you to bring beautiful music to life. Over 2010 allow Him to reach into your life to bring all those thing together for His glory.

M.I.A – Missing in Action

2010-01-04T11:21:00.001-06:00

I need to apologize for being gone for so long. I do not have any excuses but I will share with you my reasons:
1. After I finished my 2 prior post in which I shared my “junk”, I reviewed all that I had written and read the comments that I received in return and honestly I was just a bit overwhelmed. I was not expecting such tender loving responses for all of you. So I just had to take a little time to regain my thoughts.
2. Then the hussle and bussle of Christmas came. I spent time with family in a much more quiet and reflective way than we have in the past. It was so nice to move back closer to the true meaning of Christmas.
3. When I finally sat down to spend some time at the computer reconnecting, I discovered that my home computer has a severe virus. I delivered it to the repairman today and I am praying that it can be saved.
With all that said I plan to begin posting again later this week if I can borrow a computer or sneak some time on the office computer.

Part 2: More Junk

2009-12-15T18:51:00.003-06:00

After my suicide attempt at 15, I tried to make my life better on my own. I began dating a wonderful man who is now my sweet loving husband. Although he helped me so much in those early years he would not be able to be the savior I needed. See, I had believed in my heart that if he married me then my life would be fulfilled. Soon after the honeymoon was over I realized that he was not the one that could fill that emptiness in my heart. It was like trying to put the square peg into the round hole. Mike did all that he humanly could to keep the junk out of my life but Satan keep send towards me from every direction. So again I tried to "fix" it on my own. I had a beautiful healthy baby boy. Little did I understand that each time I an attempt to clean out I only open myself open for Satan to add more guilt and shame in. I still had not learned the lesson. I attempted suicide 2 more times and gave birth to a little girl. I put on my perfect little mask as if everything was great when actually it was all falling apart inside me. I, me, myself had tried all that I could to make myself "right". I had turned to everyone around me expecting them to fill my needed but they did not because they could not. Finally one night about 8 years ago I called out to God not for him to help me but for Him to send me a friend, someone that could listen to me and help me. Although it was not the most sincere prayer ever prayed He still heard me and answered me. That dear friend that He sent to me in turn took me to back to Him by loving me and inviting me to church. One night after attending church regularly for about 3 months God touched my heart in such away that I could not turn away from Him. I know in that moment that He was the answer I had been looking for.
I dedicated myself to Christ and my life changed. I want to be sure that I do not leave with the impression that now my life is all wonderful with no more bouts of depression and not troubles because it is not. The change - the difference is now I have the peace to walk though those storms because I know that I have a Father looking over me. He has guided me to a wonderful doctor that has worked with my physical needs through medicine. I deal with the emotional needs with prayer and close Christian friends. But at the core of it all I realize that He has a plan for me and I have to stick around to fulfill that plan.
He has a plan for each of you also (Jer 29:11).

My Junk Drawer

2009-12-08T15:26:00.003-06:00

How many people have a “junk” drawer in their home? You know the drawer that holds all those things that you need only occasionally and some things that you are not if sure of what they are. I think my family has a junk drawer in every room. These drawers did not start out as junk drawer. They were just regular drawers that slowly day after day accumulate the junk of life and became what they are….junk drawers. I have tried many times to organize, rearrange and clean them out but they clutter up again.
As I was searching through one of those drawers today I realized what an analogy that drawer was for my earlier years. I grew up as normal and regular as you can be. I had a very loving and caring family with mom, dad, brother and sister. We were involved in church, school and community. Life was good for me. However, at around the age of 12 or 13 the junk of life started coming in. Self-doubt, worry, contempt, fear, and a multitude of other thoughts all bombarding me from various sources yet really all from the father of lies(junk), Satan. Eventually, just like a junk drawer or room, my life became out of control and overflowing from the junk. I knew I had to put a stop to Satan’s endless stream of junk but unfortunately at the age of 15 and with limited coping skills I made the only choice I thought I could. I decided to take my life but God had another plan. Although He spared my life that cold December night I still did not turn to Him to allow him to clean up my junk.

I will share the rest of my junk drawer at a later date as I am praying for God to lead to that next step.

WHY???

2009-11-30T19:55:00.003-06:00

I started this blog over a month ago with a certain purpose in mind. God had called me to began speaking. He called me to began sharing my testimony. Why ??? After about 18 months with no doors opening to speak He impressed on me to start this blog. Why ??? I believe the reason is to share my story. To tell how far he has brought me. Why ??? Will my story really matter ? Will I be able to find the words to fully express how much He has loved me. Why does He love me ??? In the few months. That question of Why, has been in the foremost front of my mind. I pray that in the next few days or weeks He will give me the words to adequately tell you all where I was, how He came to meet me there and how He has walked with me since.

Become 1 Leper

2009-11-23T09:05:00.002-06:00

17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17:17-19

This Thanksgiving week are you like the one that returned to give thanks and praise to Christ or are you like the other 9 that never returned. Our pastor preached on Luke 17:11-19 this past Sunday. We often are thankful for the “things” we have and the people we have in our lives but how many time do we stop and just thank God for the breathe He puts in our lungs each second. And even more than that do we ever thank Him for the pain and trials that we go through.
As we get together with family and friends over this holiday not only thank Him for the material things but express your thankfulness to Him for the Cross

One Car = One Soul

2009-11-15T16:00:00.005-06:00

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
I John 2:17 NIV

This past week was one of those weeks that cause your mind to re-focus and ponder on the things in life that truly matter. Let me explain:

On Monday morning when I got in the office I found out that one of my co-worker's mother had passed away over the weekend. So that day was spent in prayer for the family, arranging to send flowers and going to the funeral home for visitation.

Tuesday morning brought more sad news. After only being in the office a couple of hours I received word that another co-worker's father in law had passed away early that morning. Since this funeral was out of town I would be unable to attend but all the same sadness and sentiment that I had felt on Monday came over me again.

The wild mixture of emotion continued on Wednesday, Veteran's Day, as I stood on the sidewalk watch the tribute that was being paid to the men and women that had served our country. How do you say thank you to those people? How do we even begin to repay them? How do we allow our children to forget?

Praise God the Thursday brought no additional news.

I arrived at to my office Friday morning and was there alone. I really was just unmotivated to work and I caught myself staring out the widow. From my perch on the 21st floor of the building this is what I saw…..

I sat there for several minutes watching these cars coming and going, to and from whatever their day holds. I begin to think that in each one of those cars is at least one soul and my concern grew. Tears flowed down my face as the questions started rolling through my head. Where is that soul? Does he/she know Christ? Are they just wondering through their daily routine with no thought of eternity? Are they seeking and searching, lost in their in need for God? Do I really care? Do I hurt and weep over those individual souls as Jesus does? Why do I and so many others sit still in our salvation while others are unaware of the peace and joy God has to offer them?

There are lost souls around us each day and in all situations. What are we going to do to reach them?

Thank you isn't enough

2009-11-11T21:37:00.001-06:00

This is only a test

2009-11-09T13:54:00.001-06:00

I have not been seeing the comments link on the last post that I put up. I have made some changes I hope I have corrected the error.

Pebbles in his Pants

2009-11-04T21:48:00.002-06:00

"Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. " ISA 43:4 ESV

Recently, I was going through some boxes that had a few of the treasures from my children’s kindergarten years and I found one of Anthony’s most prized possessions of that time: a rock. It was just a plain rock. It was not a precious stone or a shining crystal but just a simple rock. While I sat in his room holding the rock in my hand I felt the sting of tears in my eyes as well as laughter bubbling up in me.
When he was about 3 or 4 years old I would have to empty handfuls for playground pea gravel out of his pockets every evening when I would pick him up at daycare. This daily pocket checking/empting just became a natural part of our routine and then one day there was no gravel. There was none in the front pockets and none in the back pockets, none in the jeans pockets and none in the jacket pockets. I was so please and thought that we were finally past this “rock loving” phase.
Later that evening as I picked up his jeans off the bathroom floor one tiny piece of pea gravel fell and rolled across the floor, then another one and finally many more started spilling out of the cuffs of those jeans. I gathered up the all of his little treasures and went to his room to have yet another discussion with him. I questioned his fascination with these small, plain, ordinary stones. Why did he cherish them so much?
He lowered his head, looked back up at me through those cute little blue glasses and said, “Momma, each one is so special."
I replied, “But they are all same. Why do you have to bring them ALL home?”
“No, they are not all alike. Each one is special. See this one is brown with darker spots, this one is pink and shiny and this one is gray with lines on it……” He went on and on to list something exclusive about each one I held in my hand.
My eyes still fill with tears today remembering that story because it makes me some what understand why Jesus holds us so dear. All the marks, scars and imperfections we see in ours lives are the exact things God sees as our uniqueness that He will/can use for His glory. He hides us in the covering of His blood just as Anthony hid his pebbles in his pant’s cuff.

High School Homecoming week

2009-10-30T17:56:00.001-05:00

My daughter is a junior in high school this year and this week was homecoming week. I am not sure what the traditions in other places are but the area we live in celebrate homecoming week of the football season by different dress up days. This year Samantha's school had Pajama day on Monday. Since she just wore sweatpants and a t-shirt there are not any pictures. I do want to share pictures of the rest of the week.

Tuesday - Decades Day

Wednesday - Nerd Day

Thursday - Character Day

Friday- School out for weather so no dress up

The finally picture I want to share is so you can see just how beautiful she is.

Faithful in little

2009-10-23T17:02:00.001-05:00

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:21

This week God has just knocked me over with a lesson I should have learned a long time ago. Back in the summer of 2008 God called me to to began sharing my story of depression, bi-polar, suicide attempts and His saving love, grace and mercy. I spoke a couple of times to our church during special services but God was calling me to do more. In December 2008 I finally agreed with God and even shared with my women's group that I was going to start a speaking ministry. Then I waited and waited and waited. I waited for the right words to come. I waited for an opportunity to speak to be opened to me but these things never came. I prayed for the last several months asking God why he called me to this ministry and then shut all the doors. I felt so lost and alone not able to hear His reply. Finally, early this week as I read the Parable of the Talents, a story I have heard and read since I was little I heard my answer for God. His direct and clear words were, " How can I trust you in the bigger ministry I have called you to if you are not faithful to the little things I have called you to." See there are things that God has told me to do such as speak to a certain person, buy someone groceries or spend more time with Him. These are the small things that I have not been faithful in so therefore, He has not given me the bigger calling. I compare it to a parent not allowing a child to go to a party because they have not fulfilled the agreement to clean their room. Since I have learned this lesson and taken it to heart by asking my Father to forgive me He has opened several doors.

WAVE ON WAVE

2009-10-21T22:26:00.002-05:00

“You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations.”
Psalms 65:7

Have you ever just sat on the beach and watched as the waves crested and then slammed down on the beach? The waves come one after another. As one hits the beach, one is cresting and another one is just building.
That is the best way I can explain the way my thoughts were being tossed about in my mind yesterday morning. I was on my drive into the office as these many thought waves came: a wave of worry for a meeting my daughter would be having at school, concern for a friend’s family, unease over medical test my dad would be having and the waves just continued to crash in my mind. All of these were things I had no control over neither in my mind nor in reality.
I turned off my regular morning radio show and just cried out to God. I cried all my worries, all my hurt, all my angry, all my regret along with all my praise and thanksgiving for about 45 minutes. As I entered the office parking deck I began drying my tears. I turned the radio back on and I put it on the Christian music station. The song playing was “How He Loves” by David Crowder Band.
God spoke to us through that song even though I had heard it many times. I realized that no matter what is going in my life He loves us. Because He loves us He will take care of us. Because He loves us He will work all things out for His glory. Because of His love, He gives us our family and friends to encourage and support us. All we are is because He loves us.
So next time the waves start coming one after another instead of allowing them to drown you, let them wash His love over you.

Stuck in the Swamp Again

2009-10-20T20:23:00.001-05:00

We have a beautiful pond in front of our house. This pond is feed by a small stream that flows through our yard underground. Most of the time the stream goes unnoticed that is until we have a large amount of rain falls in a short time, then it becomes swamp like. This is exactly what happened a few weeks ago. Because of the rain, the grass grown and needed had to be cut. While Mike did the trim work with the weed-eater I rode the new and larger than normal John Deere lawnmower. In my attempt to complete the whole two and a half acres in one day, I thought that the “swamp” was dry enough to drive through. Boy was I ever wrong. After a couple of attempts to go forward, back up, turn the wheel one way, and then turn the wheel another way, I had to admit I was stuck. I yelled for Mike to come help get me out. He hooked the 4-wheeler to the front of the mower, and pulled it slowly out of the thick muck and mire. After he checked it to make sure nothing was wrong he said, “Finish the rest of the lawn. I’ll take care of this part later.” I cut a few more rounds, all the time trying to think of how to get the tall unsightly grass cut out of the swamp. I knew Mike had said don’t worry about it but he had his hands full weed-eating the ditches, around the trees, and all the way around the pond by himself. So, yes, you guessed it. I decided to wander off into the swamp again, and yes, I got stuck again. I called for Mike’s help, and although I knew he was a little upset and a lot frustrated with me, he came to my rescue. Once he had pulled the now mud-brown John Deere out of the swamp, he asked, “Why did you drive through there again?” I replied, “I thought if I went in at a different angle I would be able to make it through.”

As I finished cutting the lawn, away from the swamp, God revealed to me that my tendency to look at some sins in the same way I viewed that swamp. I thought if I tried to go into a sinful area at a different angle and with a different attitude, or perhaps days later, I would make it through on my own. Yet, just as with the swamp, I continue to find myself stuck and trying to maneuver my own way out. It is not until I call on God that I am finally pulled from the miry clay and set back on solid ground.

I have been stuck in a sin swamp many times. At times I have tried to go back into a situation at a different angle. Once knee-deep and unable to free myself I realize that it is only God who can rescue me. He needs only to hear me call out to him, and He reaches down to pull me out of that muck and mire I had gotten myself in to.

Welcome to Harmony!

2009-10-16T18:52:00.001-05:00

I have been lead to write a blog for the last few months but felt very incompetent as I surfed through bloggerville read all the wonderful tales everyone has to share. The more I read the more the thoughts of, "Am I really capable of writing something that others would want to read and that will think deeper or feel more?" and " Will my words be adequate to be used by God to inspire, uplift and/or encourage other?" Because of my fears and doubts I just wrote in my personal journal but God continued to tug at my heart to share my stories with others. Once I finally said YES to God's calling I was stunned with the way He opened my heart and my eyes to all the ways He has taught and is still teaching my life lessons. It is my prayer that He will use these lessons, as I share them here, to bless you.

Once I came to agree with God about this blogging thing, I tried to find just the "right" title for it. All the other blogs I had been reading had either very cute, catchy or deeply meaningful titles. As I compiled my list I found that what I had come up with was either taken or they didn't really fit. Then one night as I was spending some quite time writing in my journal and praying God spoke to my heart "Living in Harmony". Why did I decide this was perfect title fit for my blog? Harmony is the name of the small community I have called home for the last 22 years. It is the place that God has truly grown my heart to desire to live in harmony with Him. So “Living in Harmony” has the double meaning of the physical place I live as well as the spiritual place I desire to live.
I would love to know about how others came up with the titles to their own place in the cyberspace. I think the title can tell a lot about the blogger and their passion/desire.