Tom tom is my friend. My Dear Husband purchased him for me for Christmas. It was not a particularly welcomed gift, nor one I thought I wanted. I was appreciative, but it just wasn't the way I wanted it (This should have been a clue) However, it wasn't long before "Andy" my Scottish accented gps man proved his absolute ability to make my life easier in a new state in a new town. When I set the path for him, he quickly asserts the best way to get where I desire to go. He keeps me from staying off the beaten path by constantly redirecting me to the goal we had set . "Oops, turn around quickly, hope no one sees what's under your kilts" when I make a wrong turn and occasionally "I'll get cross the lake before you get home" when I am really off track.
The Holy Spirit is a great GPS too. I often wish He would be just as correcting as Andy on my life journeys. That when I make wrong decisions he would state firmly "Turn around when possible" but alas God requires me to make the choice....and allows me to go off on dirt roads that lead to nowhere if I am not listening and sensitive to His promptings.
Have you recharged your internal gps system lately? It runs on time in God's word and time listening for His call......the paths He takes you on may not be of your design, but I promise, the journey is worth the trip!
God is Good all the time!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Changes
|
The last few weeks God has so allowed me to see a first hand view of what we do to ourselves in our need and desire to try to be God in our own lives. One family that we were privileged to be around were really cute folks, darling child, and on the outside seemed so together and full of potential. However when we got past their outside what we found were lives filled with tortures of their own making from debts to dependency....and the beliefs that their problems were not answerable by anything, not even God. The second scenario we lived and learned from involved watching a broken family. The Dad had turned away from God a long time ago....he had systematically lost everything that mattered to him as God allowed him to have his own way on every topic in his life. Slowly over 12 years he has reduced himself to being alone, without his children, without a good career, and now without friends for the most part. His devotion to control has cost him almost everything he could have had. A third scenario involves a very bright young family. They have successfully achieved the 300K home, good works in their local church, health and love in their home, but abundance eludes them. They cannot see tithing in money form though they give of them selves regularly. They have thought that better to invest in their future and give of their services......and its funny how in that decision, somehow their finances always don't work out. They see saw on making it solidly despite hundreds of thousands of dollars of business a year.....bread money on some days of the month just doesn't exist. As we have prayed and listened to each of the people in the above stories. God has so shown me humility. I know that the root cause of all the issues they are facing I too face. The issues are such no brainers when you see it in others. They trust the problem more than they trust God is a God. They trust their control is better than submission to God in their lives. They trust sickness and overwhelming issues are more powerful than the way of Jesus and the promises of God to Abraham's and his descendents that if we obey and worship God He will provide for us on all levels. Pretty easy to see when the stage isnt your own life isn't it? God has so been present in our involvement with each of the families and many others on our walks. He has lead us to a place of absolute sifting this summer. We are being shown so many areas of our lives that He expects us to give up or to change how we handle. We are glad, for each step, which are always hard for me personally....within days I have been released from fear, from worry, from overthinking the issues to death. I simply look for and wait for peace before I move forward. As a toddler in this, I know that there will be disobedient days and God will once again set me straight. I had one of those moments yesterday as I was called to stand firm against someone attacking my family verbally and potentially in other ways. When after 18 years I stood up to him, he immediately stepped back. Amazing. That is God. For this person has had serious issues and standing up to him usually means a huge emotional scene. Why is it we cannot trust God in all things. Why does our humanness always involve taming our wills and surrendering our plans to Jesus...you'd think after the facts of the Bible...it would be an easy course, but ole self sure holds out until the end some moments of our lives. God is good. The more time I am purposefully finding to refresh my mind in Him, the better my life becomes. God help me to always run to and trust Him. Sweetie |
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Happy Wednesday
New Directions.... |
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thankfulness
|
This week has brought many happy tidings. My husband has submitted to the church his credentials for lay ministry in the next step for licensing for full time ministry. What happy news!! I was able to share time with dear Glenda and the fabulous five children....what a blessing they are each and every time I visit them! The homefront is busy these days, we've had a storage buildling moved from our property and that is going to give me an additional 30 feet of gardening room for a late garden. Alabama will tolerate growing late, so I am putting my seedlings in again! I have been busy busy busy with home projects, painting frames, rooms, and redoing things with what we have. Because we are down to three children at home, one on her own, I traded my van for a Honda Civic and am thrilled with the 40 mpg we get. Its a 2001 and in great shape! Best of all we're not in debt for it like a new car! God has been so good to me. I was not raised to believe you ask God for frivilous wants, but do what you can do and let God do the rest. Actually that is wrong. God wants ALL plans to be His, and he cares more about your heart's desires than you imagine. God has been showing me that He indeed is the one who puts those dreams in my heart, that the ideas are from Him and He will grow them within me. Simple things he has taught me this week, I guess because I am a simple person, or at least a hard headed learner! :) An example. I was at Sam's club, they had beautiful lillies that smelled sooooo good. I immediately wished I could have them, thinking $16 is too much for my budget, that's 1/3 of my groceries! Walking past, not sad, but aware that I needed to stay within my goals. When I later, an hour later, dropped off some fruit for a friend, her grandson said "wait...wait" Grandma has something for you. He literally came back with a huge HUGE bouquet of soft yellow lillies that were so beautiful..."From her garden" Thank you for bringing this by. Moreso, the note said "come back in the fall and we'll grow you your own lillies from bulbs" Is that a blessing or what? Now flowers aren't a necessary item, but our Father cared enough to bless my heart with its desire! That kind of thing has happened alot lately. Silly things, things that didn't matter, but as though God is whispering "Trust me in this too, you must trust me in all t hings" God is God and He is good! I see miraculous things happening every day in God's ministry in our area.....enough that I cannot stop being amazed at how God works things out and always, always with a plan that we simply didn't understand at the time, even when the difficult things come, God uses it for good for those who love and obey Him! Be blessed! |
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Isn't it interesting....
|
That the devil works twice as hard to keep things stirred when stress comes? We work with young families, blended families, and single moms as mentors. Often they are in financial, relational and at times emotional distress. It seems when one domino begins to fall, satan starts pushing the whole stack over. God is good, All the time. Have a blessings filled day! |
Monday, June 16, 2008
another God filled day
|
Today I had several concerns in a row that seemed unsurmountable. I sat down instead of panicking and simply went to the Word. In hours, not days, almost everything has cleared out and its calm again. God is good isn't He? Daughter 2 called this morning from their grandparents home and I talked to Son2 too. What a joy to hear their voices, only three more weeks until their visit is scheduled to be over! This weekend I may get to take them to a family gathering in Arkansas if I indeed get to go. The Farmer's Market had fresh squash today with sweet onions, they smell sooo good with the cornbread I have on for dinner. I am so thankful. My dear husband bought me a NLT Bible this weekend, while I was raised on KJV I am enjoying some new God breezes as I reread familiar passages. Isn't it wonderful how the Lord renews us with His word? Glenda, you'd be proud, I got 4 loads washed and hung out today , now folded and put away. Les might just faint. I am stil so trying to learn habits with consistent laundry for 6. I will get there. This week's project is making a new bedskirt from old drapes. Gotta love reuseable things! I have several new Mary Kay clients and I am ready to share with them too! Be Blessed! Sweetie! |
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Diet Accountability Update Week Four
Week Four Accountability
 June 15, 2008
As of this morning I am officially down 15 lbs. My bust has lost 2", my waist 2" and my belly (hips) 3". New hair certainly helped as well as exciting new clothes from several yard sales to help cheer me on as I went from a 18 to a 16 to a 14. (nothing like new dresses for $1.00 each) Who knew 5 lbs is a size in fitted clothes...I certainly didn't! But I am loving wearing waistbands and fitted dresses again even in size 14.
I'm still doing the same thing. Healthy eating, the old fashioned way....Basically South Beach Diet stage 2, but more so, no sugars purposefully, fruit only after 2 p.m. (I'm VERY sugar /salt sensitive) No more artificial additives for sugar unless absolutely nothing else is available. Higher in protein than most and alot alot alot of fresh broccoli and chicken dishes! About 1500 calories per day if one was tracking that at 5'5".
My next goal is to lose another 15 by the first of August. That is approximately 2 lbs a week. A healthy goal. My husband upped the ante on that one with a promised night away when I reach a certain weight....which is only 3.0 lbs away now! Then he said when I make the 30 lb mark he'll take us for a whole weekend for my birthday in August! Wahoo.
Food has moved from my comforter to simply something I enjoy. I have been careful to start preparing meals I enjoy, not just meals that work. I eat less when it tastes wonderful so I am using more flavors and more fresh things in my cooking. Simple is easy. Today at lunch I had a 6 oz steak, a twice baked small potatoe and a cup of broccoli. and a salad on the side. WONDERFUL and yet so easy. Tonight I'll have grilled chicken salad with beans, sour cream, guacamole, and a cut up ww tortilla pizza cuttered thin and baked crisp on the salad. Good stuff. The garden is really helping make meals taste much better. I am also doing Farmer's Market vegetables for things I don't have yet.
I had asked God for help in choosing right foods and recognizing when I am eating out of emotions and not hunger....He has certainly done His part...I now am very aware when I eat what the need is, hunger or emotions.
Go God!
|
Sunday, June 15, 2008
We indeed had a Happy Anniversary!
|
My handsome husband DID come home from Colorado after a week on business...we had a wonderful anniversary day doing what we do....chores, running errands, mentoring another couple most of the afternoon. Tonight we had dinner alone out at Maria Bonita's on the downtown square since our couple left late from mentoring rather changing our plans for dinner in Huntsville....and then had Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake my prince brought home from Denver for me! The best surprise was a new larger print Bible in a cool cover, I am visually challenged, so it takes Super Giant for me to read independently and we have looked for a long long time for a "pretty" Bible for me......he gave me my very first personalized Bible on our wedding day engraved with my new name, and today he added another to the collection! It's actually a "cute" cover too...well, its not plain....which is rare in the large print world. He bought me THREE girly girl tingly bracelets from Lifeway Bookstore (we were there making sure I could see the Bible before purchasing, the bracelets were 90% off!). He also gave me a sign and a tray sign I simply love (and he found them on his own in Colorado this week!!)....installed the CD player in my car (yeah! I won't be behind on my Bible study anymore!) and best of all....promised to love me another 50 years! He received a new Blackberry phone for our annivesary/Father's Day and service as part of his gift. I had saved forever to pay for it! I think he went all out for our anniversary from making the pancakes for breakfast to walking the square after dinner last night.....you see two of the last three years he was in Iraq or Kuwait on our anniversary to this was really celebrated for all three!
  My husband is one of the most Godly men I have ever met, I am so thankful for his obedience to God and his willingness to help others. He is a good father as well as a provider, and oh so kind as he helps me grow in God's word. Yes, I realize I am terrifically blessed, pampered and spoiled by my dear husband....he realizes that and found the most perfect sign for me.......
and as Forrest woud say: "That's all I have got to say about that!"
|
Saturday, June 14, 2008
A Berry Happy Anniversary Today!
Six years ago today there was a private family wedding. She had wanted to quietly wed in a chapel with her groom, however her daughter and his daughter had something else in mind. Within a week, a real wedding was planned so the children would be a part of this new direction our family would be changing to. It was not an expensive wedding, nor lavish, but a gathering of family near and friends from afar.......in a historic home of a neighbor of 24 years.....with much busy ness the day of....it was not a stress filled day, but one of continued joy as friends helped decorate the already beautiful home with buckets of roses and flowers gathered from other friend's homes. Family members kindly drove on short notice to be with us...small gifts were so special, such as a gift from my Grandmother through my Aunt Rose's hands, including her though she was in heaven.....no one was quite sure if that bride knew what she was doing and they were certain that groom didn't have a clue what he had gotten into (after all, he was from "out of state"...code in Southern Arkansas that she had to go that far to find someone who WOULD marry her) After all they had only dated sixteen weeks before the 400 miles commute was obviously not going to work with four children! Today we celebrate six years of happiness, of the blended family of six that we became....and all is well.
I am blessed! |