This post has been brewing in my mind for awhile now and in light of recent events and because I feel led to share a few things so here we go.. This is an honest and raw look at how God is working in my life..
I have had and still have on some days a bad habit of saying things I should not, complaining and not being thankful.. I am a human saved by Him.. I have prayed about my cussing, being thankful in everything and not complaining.. I will tell you that I know I have changed since I began praying about this a couple years ago. I can also tell you I am no where near perfect in any of these areas..
I began praying about being thankful because in 1 Thessalonians 3:18 we are told to Be thankful in all circumstances because that is what God wants from us and our union with Christ Jesus.. Before I started praying about being thankful and reading and studying more about being thankful I would let things get me down, I would get upset and I complained about how bad things were. I have been through some pretty rough seasons in my life and when I started realizing that God had a plan and that I was supposed to be thankful in all things.. Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, along with many verses in Psalm like Psalm 118:1-18, Philippians 4:6 and many other verses talk about being thankful in every circumstance and for everything..
I began to look for the good in every situation and to be thankful even when my heart was breaking because of a failed relationship, friendship that was shaken, illness, life changes, loosing loved ones, moving and in every other situation.. Now in all honesty sometimes at first I was inclined to throw a fit, yell, scream, be mad and go on because as humans that is sometimes.. (ok who am I trying to kid its almost always..) the easiest way.. God really worked on my heart and I began to immediately look for the good, the reason and what God was trying to teach me or say to me. Sometimes I drove myself crazy but I learned it is ok to say I know there is a lesson here God something you want me or someone to learn and I know you will show me or us that in Your time.. Being thankful has become almost like second nature and I am so blessed and thankful that God has given me a heart full of thanksgiving and even when dealing with situations where I know God is telling me something and others put a stop to it I know His will is going to prevail in the end and that is all that matters..
I think that Praising Jesus is such an important part of my life. It helps me with my relationship with Him and makes life so much better. I say "Praise Jesus" a lot and there are a few reasons behind me saying it as often as I do.. 1. Because Praising Him is what I am called to do. 2. It keeps me from saying things I should not and helps me to not loose focus, that I am a child of the King. 3 He is always in control and saying His name and praising His is so much better than other things that could be said and done. Do I regret saying Praise Jesus? No I do not because He is my Father, my Savior, My King, My number ONE and I am so thankful He is with me every step.
I praise Him when I am happy, sad, scared, mad, sleepy, wide awake, when I do not know what else to say or do because I know He will take care of me.. Are you thankful in everything? Do you Praise Jesus in Everything? Life is so much better when you do.. Do I always understand? No Is life always sunshine and rainbows? No But I trust HIM and He will not leave me or forsake me...
God Bless and Praise Jesus.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
What do you think about....
This one is also one I am moving over from the other blog.. Very thought provoking.
A friend of mine and I were talking today and if she reads this she will know exactly who she is, but I have to say that in all honesty she is one of the very very very very few people that I have ever met that is like me in the way that we go above and beyond to help someone or someone's out. She is always doing nice things for not just my kids and I, but so many people. I sometimes wonder how she keeps going because she gives so much. Now her dear husband is not of the same mindset. She and I are alike because I will help people out go above and beyond and the thing is neither she nor I are good at receiving when someone wants to do something for us. I know for me and I am guessing for her as well (if I am wrong she will tell me.. LOL) that we do things for people we see in need or because they are special to us or because well just because and we do these things without expecting anything in return.
She babysat for a friend the other day so she did not have to miss work. She did dishes for her, took care of the kids and whatever else she could do to help this friend out. Now I am sure she had 3million other things she could have been doing, but yet she chose to go and help a friend in need. I know that is what Jesus would have wanted her to do. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen her do these kinds of things for people, heck last year she let my kids and I show up on her doorstep late late one night cause we had no place to go. She has been a blessing to me more than she will ever know I am sure. It blesses my heart to know that she is like she is because I have been told that I have to big of a heart.. Really is that possible? I know that people say that because they think that since I/she help people out when we could use that $20 bucks for something for our family, or we had 3million things to do, but we choose to help out a friend by babysitting to help them out, taking care of a sickie, making a meal or ordering a pizza for someone we do it because we want to and we have been know to do things for people who tend to take advantage or be unappreciative which I know is why some people say I have too big of a heart.
Think about this.. Have you ever felt like you were supposed to help someone, do something nice for them or something?? If you did it because you knew it was the right thing and that God would want you to do it without expecting anything in return, I am willing to bet that you have been blessed beyond in some form or another and when we don't do it we get a knot in our stomach's and think about it and say darn I should have done...... whatever it is.. I have always heard you never know when you are entertaining angels and also that You may be the only Jesus some ever see.. God is so loving and amazing and He wants us to bless others like He blesses us.... Think about that the next time you see someone in need, feel that tug at your heart follow His calling and then enjoy the blessings...
Till Next Time..... God Bless
A friend of mine and I were talking today and if she reads this she will know exactly who she is, but I have to say that in all honesty she is one of the very very very very few people that I have ever met that is like me in the way that we go above and beyond to help someone or someone's out. She is always doing nice things for not just my kids and I, but so many people. I sometimes wonder how she keeps going because she gives so much. Now her dear husband is not of the same mindset. She and I are alike because I will help people out go above and beyond and the thing is neither she nor I are good at receiving when someone wants to do something for us. I know for me and I am guessing for her as well (if I am wrong she will tell me.. LOL) that we do things for people we see in need or because they are special to us or because well just because and we do these things without expecting anything in return.
She babysat for a friend the other day so she did not have to miss work. She did dishes for her, took care of the kids and whatever else she could do to help this friend out. Now I am sure she had 3million other things she could have been doing, but yet she chose to go and help a friend in need. I know that is what Jesus would have wanted her to do. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen her do these kinds of things for people, heck last year she let my kids and I show up on her doorstep late late one night cause we had no place to go. She has been a blessing to me more than she will ever know I am sure. It blesses my heart to know that she is like she is because I have been told that I have to big of a heart.. Really is that possible? I know that people say that because they think that since I/she help people out when we could use that $20 bucks for something for our family, or we had 3million things to do, but we choose to help out a friend by babysitting to help them out, taking care of a sickie, making a meal or ordering a pizza for someone we do it because we want to and we have been know to do things for people who tend to take advantage or be unappreciative which I know is why some people say I have too big of a heart.
Think about this.. Have you ever felt like you were supposed to help someone, do something nice for them or something?? If you did it because you knew it was the right thing and that God would want you to do it without expecting anything in return, I am willing to bet that you have been blessed beyond in some form or another and when we don't do it we get a knot in our stomach's and think about it and say darn I should have done...... whatever it is.. I have always heard you never know when you are entertaining angels and also that You may be the only Jesus some ever see.. God is so loving and amazing and He wants us to bless others like He blesses us.... Think about that the next time you see someone in need, feel that tug at your heart follow His calling and then enjoy the blessings...
Till Next Time..... God Bless
Spring forward or fall back?? On oldie but a goodie..
Good Monday afternoon. I hope that you are all adjusting to the new time change. I myself am still trying too.. I do believe that it is ahead right now in the race, but I am sure I will pull ahead and win just in time to fall back this fall.. LOL
Are you more of a fall back or spring forward kinda person? I do enjoy it being light longer in the spring and summer, but I really am not a springy kinda girl.. I would rather fallback.. As I sit here writing this and thinking about springing forward and falling back I think about our relationship with friends, family, but most importantly with our Heavenly Father.
You see I know as humans I think with God we tend to be fall backer kinda people. We spring forward when we need something from Him and then fall back into our old selfish human ways until we need something again. I know that we do this with other friends and family, but wonder why it is we do this to the ONE PERSON who is ALWAYS there for us, who wants the best for us and WHOSE Son gave HIS life for US. I would think we would want to be more respectful, loving and following of Him. He has given and will give us more than anyone else ever will.
Think about Jesus sacrifice the next time the devil or someone gives you the idea or thought to do something not pleasing to Christ and you are about to fall back into your old worldly ways and spring forward to the foot of the cross and lay it all down for Him. The only falling back you need to do is to fall back into the arms of the most loving, kind, gracious and merciful Father you will ever know..
As for the time changes well we cannot change them so we might as well get used to them..
Till Next Time.... God Bless
Are you more of a fall back or spring forward kinda person? I do enjoy it being light longer in the spring and summer, but I really am not a springy kinda girl.. I would rather fallback.. As I sit here writing this and thinking about springing forward and falling back I think about our relationship with friends, family, but most importantly with our Heavenly Father.
You see I know as humans I think with God we tend to be fall backer kinda people. We spring forward when we need something from Him and then fall back into our old selfish human ways until we need something again. I know that we do this with other friends and family, but wonder why it is we do this to the ONE PERSON who is ALWAYS there for us, who wants the best for us and WHOSE Son gave HIS life for US. I would think we would want to be more respectful, loving and following of Him. He has given and will give us more than anyone else ever will.
Think about Jesus sacrifice the next time the devil or someone gives you the idea or thought to do something not pleasing to Christ and you are about to fall back into your old worldly ways and spring forward to the foot of the cross and lay it all down for Him. The only falling back you need to do is to fall back into the arms of the most loving, kind, gracious and merciful Father you will ever know..
As for the time changes well we cannot change them so we might as well get used to them..
Till Next Time.... God Bless
Do I really have to cook?
I know that sometimes as a mother I often wonder if I really have to cook supper.. LOL I also often wonder where my kids put all the food. They come home from school starved to death and eat and eat and eat go outside play for a little while and are wanting supper.. Really?? I am like there is no way you are hungry and they are like yes mom we are starving.. Feed them a big supper and before bedtime they are like wanting to snack again, this irritates me especially when we have a late supper.. I am like where do you put all the food at, there is no way you can be hungry.. Of course we all know they are STARVING.. They eat like they have not eaten all day..
Now let me be honest here my kids are all big enough to make themselves a bowl of cereal or toast for breakfast and most of them can make ramen noodles, or the little chef boy r d cups or sandwich's. So often times in Saturdays because they all get up at different times and are doing different things they will grab breakfast on their own and depending on the schedule they fend for themselves for lunch.. (please tell me this makes me a mom and not a bad person) Then I will fix a big nice supper and after we have eaten supper and we are getting ready for bed one of my kids always says to me either right as I am cooking supper or afterward. Mom you did not make lunch or my personal favorite as they are going to bed, but mom you did not cook lunch. They think if I did not cook it or make it for them that it does not count as a meal.. LOL I am like you have been eating all day have you starved... Well no, but.... But what?????
I try to make sure that I have made homemade cookies, cupcakes or something for them to have after school everyday and believe me when I say they are hungry after school. They will eat yogurt, pudding, jello, toast and then eat chips, cookies, fruit and a lot of it. How in the world can these kids put away that much food..
I love to cook, but golly jeepers where in the world do they put it all.. I love cooking and baking and my kids are spoiled and do not like it if I cheat and do not make something from scratch, now they will come to your house and eat it, but if mom makes a cheat meal you better watch out..
Here is probably the number one reason I ask myself if I really have to cook.. The reason is that although I love to cook and love hearing people talk about how good of a cook I am I sometimes think it is just like laundry or cleaning.. You cook a good big meal, they eat it and you are left with the dirty dishes.. LOL
I know that sometimes I think cooking is a thankless job, but in reality I am blessed to be able to cook for my kids, our friends and others. I am blessed to know how to cook and how to feed my kids well and that we do not have to just eat sandwich's, rice, or beans. That we live in a place where we have a variety of foods to cook, eat and produce. So even when I am not wanting to cook I praise the Lord for allowing me to be in a place where I am able to cook a good meal with a variety of foods for my kids.. I am blessed indeed so yes the answer is I really do have to cook.. :)
Till Next Time... God Bless
Now let me be honest here my kids are all big enough to make themselves a bowl of cereal or toast for breakfast and most of them can make ramen noodles, or the little chef boy r d cups or sandwich's. So often times in Saturdays because they all get up at different times and are doing different things they will grab breakfast on their own and depending on the schedule they fend for themselves for lunch.. (please tell me this makes me a mom and not a bad person) Then I will fix a big nice supper and after we have eaten supper and we are getting ready for bed one of my kids always says to me either right as I am cooking supper or afterward. Mom you did not make lunch or my personal favorite as they are going to bed, but mom you did not cook lunch. They think if I did not cook it or make it for them that it does not count as a meal.. LOL I am like you have been eating all day have you starved... Well no, but.... But what?????
I try to make sure that I have made homemade cookies, cupcakes or something for them to have after school everyday and believe me when I say they are hungry after school. They will eat yogurt, pudding, jello, toast and then eat chips, cookies, fruit and a lot of it. How in the world can these kids put away that much food..
I love to cook, but golly jeepers where in the world do they put it all.. I love cooking and baking and my kids are spoiled and do not like it if I cheat and do not make something from scratch, now they will come to your house and eat it, but if mom makes a cheat meal you better watch out..
Here is probably the number one reason I ask myself if I really have to cook.. The reason is that although I love to cook and love hearing people talk about how good of a cook I am I sometimes think it is just like laundry or cleaning.. You cook a good big meal, they eat it and you are left with the dirty dishes.. LOL
I know that sometimes I think cooking is a thankless job, but in reality I am blessed to be able to cook for my kids, our friends and others. I am blessed to know how to cook and how to feed my kids well and that we do not have to just eat sandwich's, rice, or beans. That we live in a place where we have a variety of foods to cook, eat and produce. So even when I am not wanting to cook I praise the Lord for allowing me to be in a place where I am able to cook a good meal with a variety of foods for my kids.. I am blessed indeed so yes the answer is I really do have to cook.. :)
Till Next Time... God Bless
A cool thought...
I am combing my blogs and this is something I wrote awhile back but it is such a great cool thought..
The kids and I have been walking down to the river the past few days and taking pictures. We have been writing things in the sand and just having fun.. Last night while we were there I started looking around, picking up the sand letting it sift through my fingertips and thinking. How cool is it that what we had written in the sand the day before was gone yesterday only a few partial footprints were left. How cool is it that it did not rain, the river was not up, just the wind wiped out all that we had written in the sand like we had not been there before. The sand becomes a blank slate again and I am sure when we go back down today we will yet again have a clean slate to draw on. The wind wiping out sand slate clean is like what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross. When we come to Him, He washes us clean again like the wind does with the sand.
When we get caught up in the worldly things and are covered in sin Jesus blood washes us clean again.. Just like the wind does with our words in the sand.. God is so good to make us a clean and open slate so to speak again.. I love being out in God's Beautiful World and learning a lesson about His love for us and how He washes us white again...
Till Next Time..... God Bless
The kids and I have been walking down to the river the past few days and taking pictures. We have been writing things in the sand and just having fun.. Last night while we were there I started looking around, picking up the sand letting it sift through my fingertips and thinking. How cool is it that what we had written in the sand the day before was gone yesterday only a few partial footprints were left. How cool is it that it did not rain, the river was not up, just the wind wiped out all that we had written in the sand like we had not been there before. The sand becomes a blank slate again and I am sure when we go back down today we will yet again have a clean slate to draw on. The wind wiping out sand slate clean is like what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross. When we come to Him, He washes us clean again like the wind does with the sand.
When we get caught up in the worldly things and are covered in sin Jesus blood washes us clean again.. Just like the wind does with our words in the sand.. God is so good to make us a clean and open slate so to speak again.. I love being out in God's Beautiful World and learning a lesson about His love for us and how He washes us white again...
Till Next Time..... God Bless
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Taking a stroll down memory road....Lessons Learned
Tonight I drove up a highway I haven't driven up in years, to a little town that was once home. A town that is for the most part ran down, with few people still living there, that has seen so much destruction in the last few years and has been for many years dubbed one of the biggest drug towns around. But you see tonight as I drove up the highway towards that little town I felt like I was going home..
You see two of my kids were born while I lived there and another was just a baby when we moved there. It was a fun little town where everyone knew your name, watched out for your kids and you felt safe.. At least when we first moved there.. We lived right by the school playground and my kids loved to play there, they had friends all over town and it was really just a quiet little town.. We used to joke as long as you lived and stayed north of pine street you were ok.. My kids went to school there most of their elementary years and they got almost one on one teaching because the school is so small.. We lived there several years then the kids and I moved to another place for a little bit, but we returned to what felt like home to us.. It might not have been much or meant much to many people but it was home to us.
Tonight as I was driving up there and as I pulled into town and I drove around just a little bit I saw that its a bit more ran down than it used to be, there are now bigger "creeks" in the roads, more houses have either burnt or be destroyed, while others sit empty, but a few things still remained the same. The feeling of familiar, of home, of much simpler days, when kids could run around, you could always count on having a house full of kids waiting to devour the cookies as they came out of the oven, taking a walk down to the river and stopping at the city park to swing and talk to others doing the same, the annual fall festival and you could almost always count on a heated game of manhunt spanning a few blocks especially during the summer. It was a place where I made some changes in my life, some were for the good while others maybe not so good. It was a place where I found myself and a place to call home. There were some not great things that happened there but I believe that is part of life.. I found what i felt was the love of a lifetime that lasted only a season, but in reality I did find the love of a lifetime.. I found my way back to Jesus while I was there.. To be honest when I lived there I really didn't have problems with people wanting to judge me, throw me under the bus it was a town of friends who wanted to help one another. I believe God placed me in that town for many reasons. Sometimes one needs to find their "home" the place He wants them to be, to do what He needs them to do and sometimes He moves them from that home and "family" and friends to another place. We don't always understand these moves or why He chooses to send up to certain places or place certain people in our lives. He has a plan and often when we get comfortable He moves us to another place another "home" of sorts to continue His will and to help us to step out of our comfort zones..
This drive down memory road tonight has helped me to make sense of somethings that have been going on in my life. First of all God knows that I am not a big fan of change.. I deal with it and I can make it but I sometimes dig in my fingernails and clench my teeth and hold on to anything I can to keep me in the familiar things.. A few weeks ago God was speaking to me about missions and having a mission minded life.. I was so eager to talk to a friend of mine about this, but she was not where she could be reached at the time.. So I was waiting for the perfect time and before I found that time something happened.. Something that crushed me to the core. Bottom line I was not ever able to share what was going on in my life with my friend, the one friend I just knew would understand and be happy about what was going on.. This last year has been full of changes for me, some I handled like a boss while others not so much.. I love to help others, to be the kind of friend I hope to have and sometimes I spread myself to thin, but I had been praying and seeking God. My mission the last few years has been to help with Vacation Bible School and to help at the first place I asked Jesus into my heart all those years ago Church camp, both of which I am not helping with this summer. Now before you gasp and wonder whats up let me just say that I am not entirely sure what God is up too but I know that He has a plan and whatever it is I am ready. Will I miss helping in these spots this year? Yes but as awesome as I know camp is and as much as I love love love being there the past few years I believe the devil has really been attacking and that maybe it is time to take a break from that, regroup and see what God has in store for me. I will tell you this was a heartbreaking thing for me and it wasn't until tonight driving the highway to my old home town to the town I know call home that it dawned on me that we have to bloom where planted.
Sometimes when we move from our "homes" to a new one we have to do something different, we have to be open to change all the while hanging onto our faith in Jesus Christ and knowing He is in control and to let Him place us where He wants us and trust Him.. After all He is the only one who loves us more than we could ever be loved by another human, He is the only one who knows whats best for us, the people we should be friends with, the places we should go, the things we should do and He will never leave us or fore sake us, He will never hurt us, He is always with us and that as long as we trust Him everything will turn out..
So maybe it is time to step out of my comfort zone, to reach out for His hand and continue on this journey that He has me on.. Memories are good, familiar is good, but stepping out into the great unknown in faith is one heck of a ride.. Thank You Jesus for this trip down memory road..
Good Night and God Bless
You see two of my kids were born while I lived there and another was just a baby when we moved there. It was a fun little town where everyone knew your name, watched out for your kids and you felt safe.. At least when we first moved there.. We lived right by the school playground and my kids loved to play there, they had friends all over town and it was really just a quiet little town.. We used to joke as long as you lived and stayed north of pine street you were ok.. My kids went to school there most of their elementary years and they got almost one on one teaching because the school is so small.. We lived there several years then the kids and I moved to another place for a little bit, but we returned to what felt like home to us.. It might not have been much or meant much to many people but it was home to us.
Tonight as I was driving up there and as I pulled into town and I drove around just a little bit I saw that its a bit more ran down than it used to be, there are now bigger "creeks" in the roads, more houses have either burnt or be destroyed, while others sit empty, but a few things still remained the same. The feeling of familiar, of home, of much simpler days, when kids could run around, you could always count on having a house full of kids waiting to devour the cookies as they came out of the oven, taking a walk down to the river and stopping at the city park to swing and talk to others doing the same, the annual fall festival and you could almost always count on a heated game of manhunt spanning a few blocks especially during the summer. It was a place where I made some changes in my life, some were for the good while others maybe not so good. It was a place where I found myself and a place to call home. There were some not great things that happened there but I believe that is part of life.. I found what i felt was the love of a lifetime that lasted only a season, but in reality I did find the love of a lifetime.. I found my way back to Jesus while I was there.. To be honest when I lived there I really didn't have problems with people wanting to judge me, throw me under the bus it was a town of friends who wanted to help one another. I believe God placed me in that town for many reasons. Sometimes one needs to find their "home" the place He wants them to be, to do what He needs them to do and sometimes He moves them from that home and "family" and friends to another place. We don't always understand these moves or why He chooses to send up to certain places or place certain people in our lives. He has a plan and often when we get comfortable He moves us to another place another "home" of sorts to continue His will and to help us to step out of our comfort zones..
This drive down memory road tonight has helped me to make sense of somethings that have been going on in my life. First of all God knows that I am not a big fan of change.. I deal with it and I can make it but I sometimes dig in my fingernails and clench my teeth and hold on to anything I can to keep me in the familiar things.. A few weeks ago God was speaking to me about missions and having a mission minded life.. I was so eager to talk to a friend of mine about this, but she was not where she could be reached at the time.. So I was waiting for the perfect time and before I found that time something happened.. Something that crushed me to the core. Bottom line I was not ever able to share what was going on in my life with my friend, the one friend I just knew would understand and be happy about what was going on.. This last year has been full of changes for me, some I handled like a boss while others not so much.. I love to help others, to be the kind of friend I hope to have and sometimes I spread myself to thin, but I had been praying and seeking God. My mission the last few years has been to help with Vacation Bible School and to help at the first place I asked Jesus into my heart all those years ago Church camp, both of which I am not helping with this summer. Now before you gasp and wonder whats up let me just say that I am not entirely sure what God is up too but I know that He has a plan and whatever it is I am ready. Will I miss helping in these spots this year? Yes but as awesome as I know camp is and as much as I love love love being there the past few years I believe the devil has really been attacking and that maybe it is time to take a break from that, regroup and see what God has in store for me. I will tell you this was a heartbreaking thing for me and it wasn't until tonight driving the highway to my old home town to the town I know call home that it dawned on me that we have to bloom where planted.
Sometimes when we move from our "homes" to a new one we have to do something different, we have to be open to change all the while hanging onto our faith in Jesus Christ and knowing He is in control and to let Him place us where He wants us and trust Him.. After all He is the only one who loves us more than we could ever be loved by another human, He is the only one who knows whats best for us, the people we should be friends with, the places we should go, the things we should do and He will never leave us or fore sake us, He will never hurt us, He is always with us and that as long as we trust Him everything will turn out..
So maybe it is time to step out of my comfort zone, to reach out for His hand and continue on this journey that He has me on.. Memories are good, familiar is good, but stepping out into the great unknown in faith is one heck of a ride.. Thank You Jesus for this trip down memory road..
Good Night and God Bless
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