This is the dining room decorations.   I have a total of 5 trees.  More pictures to come.

Lesson in Lights

I learn lessons in the strangest of places but I thought I would share what I learned last night.  I started decorating the house for Christmas a couple of days ago.  As I put garlands on mantles and trees in their places, I found that so many of the lights were no longer working.  After several years of them glowing, I was not really surprised.  I decided to run to the discount store in our town last night to get more lights to replace the ones not working.  I came home with five boxes of lights.  Each box had the same thing written on the outside and, in fact,they all appeared to be identical.  As I took the lights out of the boxes they too appeared to be the same exact thing.  I asked my daughter to check the first strand to make certain that they worked.  To my surprise, they did not work.  We checked all of the others and they all worked just fine.  It was at that moment that I heard a still small voice teaching me a lesson.

We call ourselves Christians.  We all look the same and act the same at church.  We are packaged the same yet do we all let our lights shine once we are "checked".  Can the world see our light?  Are we just "acting like Christians" or are we really Christians?  I could have put those lights on that tree but what good would they have been since they did not glow?  There is something wrong on the inside of the strand of lights so they are not glowing.  We are the same way.  We are no good unless we are glowing with the love  of Christ for all the world to see.  My Christmas lights are put in storage for 10 months of the year.  They are not regularly checked or used so I do not know if they are working or not.  Our Christianity cannot be treated the same way.  We cannot "store" or ignore our Christain life.  It is a daily walk and constant relationship with the Lord that keeps our lights working for His kingdom.  If there is something on the inside that is causing my light to not shine, I pray that the Lord reveals it to me so I can deal with it.  I want to be effective in His kingdom and not just look the part.

"This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine."

Decorations and Memories

I usually wait until Thanksgiving weekend to decorate for Christmas, but after going to the mountains and seeing all the Christmas lights, I came home ready to fill the house with the sights and sounds of Christmas. I have all my decorations out and in the process of being placed where they go. I love getting out ornaments and remembering where they came from and when I got them. I have old decorations from my childhood that cause me to think back to when they hung on the tree at my parent's home. As I decorate one of our trees with the older ornaments, I think about all the years my daddy and I would decorate a tree together. I have a ceramic tree that my 90+ year old aunt gave me that she originally purchased while shopping with my grandmother. It makes me think back to when my grandmother was still living and we would go to her home for Christmas. Decorating for Christmas is more than just getting things out and plugging in lights. It is a real stroll down memory lane that makes those that are still with me seem closer and those that have passed away feel near. I love nothing more than plugging all the lights in, lighting the logs in the fireplace, and making a pot of coffee. I spend time listening to Christmas music and thinking about how blessed I am to have the Lord in my heart and memories of the Godly people from my life that have gone on to be with Him.

Free ecard made with Smilebox

Give Me Mountain Air

I was invited to go to the mountains with several friends for a weekend away.  I have never done anything like this, but after the last 9 months, I felt I really needed to go.  We are leaving tomorrow morning and I am really looking forward to it.  I think a time of refreshing is exactly what I need.  A time to relax is certainly what I long for.  In preparing for my trip, I have really felt God speak to me directly through His Word.  Several verses have spoken to me lately that I would like to share:

"When life is heavy and hard to take,
   go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
   Wait for hope to appear.
Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
   The "worst" is never the worst."

Lamentations 3:28-30

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm hurt and in pain;
   Give me space for healing, and mountain air."

Psalm 69:29

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I called out your name, O God,
   called from the bottom of the pit.
You listened when I called out, 'Don't shut your ears!
   Get me out of here! Save me!'
You came close when I called out.
   You said, 'It's going to be all right.' "

Lamentations 3:57-58

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Sister....My Friend

Today is my sister's birthday.  She is almost exactly 10 years older than me but we have always been close.  She has never made me feel "less than" just because she is older.  Her 10th birthday was actually the day that I was brought home from the hospital.  She has always said that I was the best birthday present she has ever gotten but I am certain that a new baby in the house is not what most 10 year-olds want.  There are so many lessons that I have learned from my sister over the years.  I would like to share them with you.

1. Don't let other people define you.  Being an individual is a gift from God.
2. Be kind to strangers and it will lift your spirits.
3. Even when you are struggling, there is always something you can do for somebody else.
4. Your tone of voice carries a lot of meaning in how you make people feel.
5. Don't try to lift yourself up but putting others down.
6. Keep a constant conversation going with the Lord.
7. Just because you are miles away from somebody, you can still cause them to feel hugged, loved, and comforted.
8. Sisters do not have to hate each other.  It is possible for sisters to be best friends.
9. Age means NOTHING.  Never ever ever grow up!
10. You can face really difficult things with a great attitude.

These are just a few of the lessons my sister has taught me.  She has always been a hero to me and I have always said that I want to be just like her when I grow up.  Remember though, one of the things I have learned from her is NEVER EVER EVER grow up.

My first Christmas...sitting right beside my sister

It Is Not Just About the Coffee

When people see or hear that I have been at Starbucks...again...they sometimes make comments about my frequent trips there.  They say that I must REALLY like their coffee or they point out the cost of the coffee.  I actually buy one the cheapest drinks that they offer.  The truth is, it is not just about the coffee.  It is literally a ministry opportunity.  Ministry opportunity?  Yes.  I have had the privilege of getting to know most if not all of the employees personally.  I know them in a way that allows me to pray for their needs, encourage them, and show them the love of Christ.  It is not just about the coffee.  Yes, I love a good cup of coffee and I enjoy it anytime of the day, but if it were just about the coffee, I would stay at home.  Coffee is what allows me to "connect" to people that I otherwise would not know.  I firmly believe that ministering to people requires you to be around people, reach out to people, and connect with people.  I grew up in the shadows of my daddy as he lived his life this way.  He never met a stranger.  Everyone he encountered he set out to get to know in some way.  When I was little I watched him talk to the employees of McDonald's as he had his morning coffee and biscuit.  I watched as he would sit at stores waiting on my mama.  He would talk to the other gentlemen sitting there.  On our way home from these places I would hear him as he would share with me what he learned about these people.  Every encounter was an opportunity.  Christ was the same way.  He made every single encounter an opportunity to encourage, teach, heal, or save.  Why are we any different?  I jokingly call Starbucks my ministry but the truth is that it really is.  I have conversations with people there that allow me to later pray for them or encourage them.  So the next time you see me with my Starbucks cup remember that it is not just about the coffee.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God”
(1 Cor. 10:31)

Be still and Be Quiet...Not My Normal Reaction

I have been through a hurtful time in the last 6 months.  It has been a season of renewal but it has also been a season of pain.  I have discovered that dwelling on the hurt only intensifies the sting.  My usual reaction to things like this is to quickly defend myself by either having a confrontation or firing off an email that I later regret.  This time was so different.  Although I have never been hurt like this, I knew in an instant how I was suppose to handle it.  That knowledge was comforting but difficult to accept.  I had never handle anything this way before. 

Several months ago, I downloaded a sermon series by a pastor who is now our pastor.  I listened to it while cutting grass and honestly thought no more of it.  In one of the sermons he was speaking on when the children of Israel were at the Red Sea with Pharaoh at their backs.  In Exodus 14:13-14 it says:  Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again.  God will fight the battle for you.  And you? You keep your mouths shut!"   As soon as I started experiencing the pain of this situation, I recalled these very verses.  I decided to stand firm, watch God, let Him fight the battle for me, and keep my mouth shut.  I cannot say this was easy to do but I knew immediately it was what I was going to do. 

I have watched God handle the entire situation far better than I ever could.  I have learned a lot of lessons in the process and I have experienced the overwhelming love and comfort of the Lord.  I would have really messed things up worse if I had gone with my normal reaction.  Reacting this way has, at times, caused me to look guilty of what I was being accused of.  It has caused people to doubt me and question my motives.  It has meant walking away from several relationships that I at one time treasured.  I have experienced many nights of tears as I would dwell on what I could be saying or doing to make things "right", yet I knew all along that I was not the one to handle it...GOD WAS. 

I have witnessed how God truly "works things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).  I have had a peace even in the midst of what seemed like a hurricane of a storm.  I have learned so much about myself, the Lord, and the people that I love.  I have gotten closer to the Lord.  I have clung to His Word and truly meditated on it when my heart was crushed.  I have discovered I can change my "normal reaction" to suit His purpose.

Several months ago, I was furious at several people for inflicting what seemed like torture on my heart.  Now, I sit here with a need to thank them.  Were their actions right?  I would think not but God is the judge.  I am thankful for the experience because of what it has done to me as a person.  I am thankful for the experience for what I have learned.  I am thankful for it because I am closer to the Lord than I have ever been.  My anger was probably justified but in my anger, I did not go after the people that hurt me.  I left the fight up to the Lord.  I have forgiven the people involved and I can honestly say that I am not bitter or holding a grudge.  That is where peace comes from.  Did I like that God specifically told me to be still and be quiet?  No, but I am certainly glad that I obeyed.

"Give your burdens to the Lord,
      and he will take care of you.
      He will not permit the godly to slip and fall"

Psalm 55:52

Frazzled Hair

Last night was the first night of a new Bible Study with my Tuesday night group.  Some of us have attended the Tuesday night group together for a while and others were new to the group.  We started The Frazzled Female by Cindi Wood last night.  It is different from any study I have ever been a part of.  There is only daily homework and there is not a DVD for each session.  I am excited about being a part of the study because I really enjoy them, but one of the first questions we were asked to discuss at our tables was about why we were excited about the study.  I felt selfish as I answered but I was honest.  My answer was that I enjoy the social aspect of participating in studies.  I do want to learn more about the Lord and myself, but the truth is that I REALLY enjoy getting to know new people and more about people I already know.  I don't consider myself "frazzled" but I also know that, like every other Bible study, I will learn that I relate to the lessons more than I realize. 

With the name of this study in mind, I want to share a story from the rest of my evening yesterday.  I came home and my daughter suggested that we straighten my hair.  Now, you have to realize that I have very thick and very curly hair.  Straightening has always been laughable to me but I knew it was about spending time with my daughter and not about a perfect hair-do.  So she heated the iron, sat me in a chair, and started brushing my hair.  Something else you should know is "brushing" my dry naturally curly thick hair only makes it bigger.  As we talked and enjoyed time together she started the process of flat-ironing my hair.  She would joyfully say things like "Your hair is actually straight", "I cannot believe it is straightening", etc.  So I sat without a mirror and trusted her.  Soon, she was ready for me to look in the mirror.  As I looked I held back a laugh to keep from hurting her feelings.  Soon we were both laughing because of how different and odd I looked.  In a few minutes though, I realized I looked more like my sweet daddy.  He died over 8 years ago, but in that mirror I saw him and his thick, dark, and straight hair.  I suddenly did not think my hair looked odd but familiar.  I saw a change that looked more like who I came from and not my old self.

I consider my hair "frazzled".  It goes in all sorts of directions and you cannot tell which end is which.  There is no real style to my hair other than whatever it decides to do.  When the heat was firmly applied it changed.  It resisted a little, but in the end, my hair was straighter than it had ever been.  I was transformed to look more like my earthly father in the process.  That is so how life is.  We are going in a 100 different directions without much direction.  If something comes along and "brushes us" we seem even more out of control and our problems seem bigger.  If we allow the process of God firmly but carefully applying His warmth and love to our lives, we will be transformed into somebody that looks more like Him.  Now, remember, once I wash my hair it will be curly once again.  Once we wash our lives of time with God and applying His love and direction, we will be back to our old selves.  For me to have straight hair on a regular basis, I would need to have it flat ironed each and every morning which would take time and effort.  Our walk with the Lord is the same way.  We need to have daily time with Him and make the effort to look more and more like Him on a daily basis.  Others should see Him when they see us.

♫Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
   Let them flow in endless praise.♫

A Pure Heart....A Clean Road

I came home last night to the site of vulgar paintings on the road at the end of our driveway.  It immediately angered me because our road was just newly paved about a month ago.  I could not believe that somebody would do such a thing with bright white paint.  We ended up getting the police involved and hopefully with some evidence that they found, they will get to the bottom of it and the guilty person will be rightly punished.

As I thought about it this morning, I thought about sin in our lives.  I wonder how often I stand up from a time of confession and repentance with the Lord only to turn right back around and sin.  I have a freshly cleaned heart and I deface it with pride, selfishness, anger, rudeness, etc.  I am no different than the person that shook that can of spray paint and started defacing the road.  The road is visible to all who pass by. All can see that somebody did such a rude thing.  I am also visible to everyone.  They see my actions and know when I am doing things that are sinful.  What kind of witness am I?

As I look out most windows of my home, I can see the white paint glistening under the sun on that black road.  I am reminded each time that I look out and see it that others are looking at me and so is the Lord.  What do they see?

Create in me a pure heart,
O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

Quilting

Last night, I attended a quilter's guild show and demonstration.  I was really excited about going.  When my teenagers were toddlers, I was taught the basics of machine piecing.  I enjoyed it but it was not something I had a lot of time for.  Going to the show last night really made me want to come home and get started on a project.

One thing that caught my attention was the Yo-Yo maker.  I have always loved the look of the Yo-Yo quilts but thought the process was too tedious.  Watching the lady use the Yo-Yo maker sparked my interest.  I may look for one while I am out today.

As I stood and stared at a few of the quilts it made me think about how they are similar to life.  I thought about how you can have imperfections, flaws, and even mistakes yet still be beautiful in God's eyes.  I thought about how it takes so many different experiences in our lives to come together to make us what we are.  I am glad that when God looks at me, he sees a masterpiece even if I focus on the small imperfections and flaws.  I am grateful that my life is full of various experiences which make who I am.  Quilts are never perfect.  Each quilter picks the many different pieces of material, thread, and pattern.  Each quilt is unique and useful.  We are the same way.  We are not all meant to be just alike.  God can use each of even thought we are different from each other.

As I start my project, I will try to keep in mind that, like that quilt I will make, I am not perfect but I am treasured by God.

When life throws you scraps, make a quilt.  ~Author Unknown

Sunrise...Sunset

I started walking early in the morning instead of waiting until later in the day.  With the feel of the crisp fall air, the sounds of the world waking up, and the sight of the sun coming up, it is the best time of day.  I have found that leaving the house between 7 and 7:30 in the morning is the best time to go.  I have been able to see the sun come up like a ball of fire yet feel a chill as I make my way through town.  It is a priceless view that God repeats day after day. 

Sunrise

Last night, our daughter took a picture out of her bedroom window of the sunset.  Since I have watched it rise the last few days, I was anxious to see the picture.  We talked about how it is hard to know, just seeing the pictures, if the sun is coming or going.  When people look just at a snip-it of my life, do they know which way I am headed?  Do they know if I am bringing light or taking it away.  Jesus is the light of the world.  It is my job to bring His light to the world.  When I am going about my day, I need to make certain that people see that light.  Just like the sun, Jesus is a source of light that can be counted on.  I have yet to doubt that the sun would rise as I go on my walk.  Jesus is dependable.

Sunset

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,

"I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life."

~John 8:12~

Anxiety or Faith?

I bought a book this week that I am really looking forward to learning from:

I started reading it last night and found a quote that I absolutely love:

‎"Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety or by the handle of faith"

~~Henry Ward Beecher~~

This is so true.  I have struggled with anxiety my entire life.  It, at times, has totally controlled me and debilitated me.  When I was younger, I did not know to call it anxiety, but I knew the feelings far too well.  As I got older, I found that certain things triggered episodes.  Recently in life, I have learned more and more how to NOT let it control me and to lean on the Lord in times that can potentially stir up anxiety within me.  The truth is, once we start being anxious over something we have stopped trusting the Lord to handle the situation.  We get anxious because we start having thoughts like, "I cannot handle this", " This is more than I can take", or "I cannot do this again".  We put ourselves in the place of God.  What we should say to ourselves (and to Satan) is "God can handle this", "This is not more than God can take", or "God can do this again".  Instead, when anxiety takes over, we are consumed with how we can handle something, how something will turn out, or how we can control something.  God is in control and that is what I have learned to say over and over out loud when I feel anxiety creeping up on me. 

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

Matthew 6:34

Repotting and Renewing

Last fall I started attending a women's Bible study that has really made an impression on my heart and life.  It led to me meeting several ladies that have become precious to me.  Those relationships led to me attending the Anne Graham Lotz Revival.  That weekend literally changed my life.  It is so hard for me to put it into words but the one word that comes to mind as I think back is SURRENDER.  That word was mentioned and taught to the point that I finally heard to Lord speak loud and clear to my heart.  My husband had asked something of me for quite a while that I was extremely resistant about.  He had has asked that we find a new church home.  I had, like a two year old, planted my feet and decided that I was NOT moving.  The Lord really dealt with me that weekend and when I came home, I was surrendered and ready to let my husband lead.  That very Sunday, my husband was sleeping because he had worked 3rd shift so I went to the church where I had been attending the Bible study.  I knew as soon as I got there that this is where we were suppose to be.  I also knew that my husband would be resistant to going there because it was bigger.  I told him how much I loved it and he, reluctantly, went the following Sunday.  We both knew by the end of the service that we were where we needed to be. 

I am still attending the Bible study group and all of this time, my husband has said that he would love to have something like that in his life.  My prayer has been that he would make new friendships with Godly men.  This past week, I saw on the church calendar that a Men's Bible Study is starting that is exactly what we have talked about.  I am so thrilled that Glenn will start this Bible study this coming week.  I feel that it is what he needs and that God is going to really start some growth in his spiritual life that he has not seen in a while.

I thought about all of this recently when I repotted a house plant.  The plant was in old dirt, had stopped growing, and was looking sick.  I asked my mama to come over and help me repot it, hoping that new dirt and with more room to grow that it would survive.  When my mama got here, she was shocked to see how pitiful it looked.  She basically said that we could repot it but she did not think it would survive.  Less than a week later, I called her to announce that not only had it survived but it had grown bigger, looked stronger, and was much greener.  She said she had honestly thought it was going to die. 

I feel like my husband and I are like that plant.  We had been in the same spot, not growing spiritually, and were "sick".  Looking back, had I kept my feet planted and continued to be resistant to being "repotted", we would have withered to the point of death.  We have been moved and we see and sense the growth that the Lord is bringing to our lives.  I can see that we are stronger and thriving in the new place.  My prayer is that this Men's Bible Study is used by the Lord to fertilize my husband's spiritual life in a mighty way.

 "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me,

and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing"

John 15:5

Wait in Expectation

"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."

Psalm 5:3

It is so difficult to not get my hopes up when it comes to my husband getting a new job.  He just interviewed on Monday so I am trying to maintain perspective and thinking that no news is good news. 

I read this verse this morning and was encouraged to "wait in expectation" instead of just hoping.  In the past, we have gone through a job loss and it was so easy to get discouraged.  He had interview after interview only to be told they hired someone else or that he was not qualified.  Rejection really hit him hard.  As his wife, I took it personal.  I listened to a sermon yesterday by our wonderful pastor.  He was talking about how we all beat ourselves up when we feel rejected or even fall to temptation.  The truth is, our true judge and our real worth does not come from the opinions of others or our thoughts about ourselves.  The Lord knows us and is the only one in a position to judge us.  He loves us no matter what.  He values us even when the world devalues us.  He does what is best for us even if that includes rejection by man.  As I tell the Lord the desires of my heart, I need to trust that His will is PERFECT and that no matter what the outcome, it is best for us.

My prayer today is that Glenn will be blessed in due season with a better job.  We are not looking for more income as much as we are looking for a better schedule.  We want to be as involved in church as we can, and his schedule does not allow him that privilege.  He swings shifts on a 7 day rotation.  All we really desire is a better schedule, with better management, and a better working environment.  The Lord knows this, because it has been my prayer and heart desire for 4 years.  He knows what is best so all I can do is just wait in expectation.

Hopeful

Today, my husband had an interview for a new job.  We are trying hard to not get our hopes up.  He is certainly excited about the prospect that he could work a regular first shift schedule all the time, not have to drive much farther than he already drives, and off every Sunday to attend church. 

When he left the automotive field, he had to take a job in maintenance for the experience. He was out of work for quite a while prior to taking that job. We honestly thought a year or 18 months where he went would be enough and he could move on. As of next week, it will have been 4 years of swinging shifts. In the last year it has really started to have an impact on him emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. For a long time I would find jobs advertised and he would send his resume only to either never hear from them or to be turned away. That has caused him to feel so much rejection. Those of you who know him well are aware that he is VERY smart. He has a hard time believing that.

I have spent the last few months praying specifically for him to either find peace where he is or for God to move him. I have been very honest and even selfish in praying that he get moved to first shift of find another job that would be regular hours. Recently, he was passed over for a first shift job but was given a raise. I knew that even with the raise, he was still hurt by not being offered the job in a place he has faithfully worked for 4 years.

I stopped telling him about jobs I would find. I would just send his resume off. That way, if he never heard anything, he would not even know. It cut down on his feelings of rejection. A few weeks ago I came across a job opening that was everything we have prayed for: close to home, first shift, mon-fri, etc. The description is basically the same as his current job. I sent the resume off and literally forgot about it. We were at lunch Friday and he had a phone call from the company asking if he could interview.

I use to pray "God please give him this job." My prayer for him this time is "God, if this is where he is suppose to be, make it obvious and work it out. If it this is not where you want him, please help him to not take it as a rejection."

I am praying and I know he is praying.  We are not anxious but we are certainly hopefully.  We are fully trusting that God has a plan and a path for us.

Ready for Fall

I am so ready to put out the gourds, pumpkins, and mums.  In fact, I may go get some of the things that I want to put outside tomorrow and start on the inside fall decorations.  This is what I consider "The most wonderful time of the year".  I was born in October so it stands to reason that I would love it.  :)

Taking walks with a crispness in the air and seeing the leaves change colors are things that give me a sense or renewal.  I am not certain why.  I get an overwhelming sense to organize and clean this time of year.  I have spent the week cleaning...deep cleaning.  I have found things I forgot about, thrown away things that I no longer need, and gathered things to give away that I no longer have a use for.  It made me think about my habits.  Do I need to have this same overwhelming sense to clean when it comes to mindless habits?  I feel a need to list 5 habits that I no longer need and set out to work on cleaning them out of my life between now and the first of the year.  Here are five habits that I plan to break:

1. 
   
   I need to break the habit of answering my children before they are finished asking the question
2. 
   
   I need to break the habit of staying up too late in the evenings
3. 
   
   I need to break the habit of complaining more than I compliment
4. 
   
   I need to break the habit of texting while I am suppose to be having a conversation with somebody
5. 
   
   I need to break the habit of not always putting others first

I want to have good habits in my life and not habits that hinder others or me.  Fall may be a little more than a week away, but I am starting today.

70 Years

Today I have the pleasure of attending a celebration for a couple that have been married for 70 years.  They are two of the sweetest people I have ever known.  She is soft spoken, humble, and gracious.  I use to be her Sunday school teacher and she made the task so much easier just because of the countenance on her face as I would teach.  She has often talked with me about her love for her dear husband.  It has never failed to encourage me or inspire me.  I have seen her stand over him in ICU when she could hardly stand.  She held his hand and told him how much she loved him.  I have seen him walk her to Sunday school like a school boy who was courting a young lady.  Their marriage is something to celebrate.  They are one of the rare couples in this world that have weathered so much together yet after 70 years they are still in love, still each other's partner, and still friends.  What an encouragement to all that know them!!!

As I think about this I ask myself many questions:  Am I more in love with my husband today than ever?  Does he know by my actions that I love him?  Is he my friend and partner in this crazy world?  Do we work to make our marriage more and more what God wants it to be?If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first,"

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

~~~I Corinthians 13~~~

Coffee

I am on my way to make my husband and I a pot of decaf coffee.  I love coffee and it is my ultimate "comfort food".  There is something about the aroma, taste, and warm cup that make it comforting. I grew up drinking coffee and it was always available at our home.  My sister and I joke that we loved coffee before loving coffee was cool.

Meeting, Aunt Margaret, and Make-up

I know that it is a very strange title for a blog post, but stick with me and you will get it.  There are three things that I do not do every day but I find myself doing all in the same day.

(1)  I am a volunteer coordinator for a triathlon and the committee is meeting for lunch today as a follow-up to the triathlon.  I am sure I am the only person that will not be coming straight from the business world.  I will be coming from my kitchen where I have started some bread in my bread machine.  I will be straight from my laundry room where I have a washer working for me.  I will be in my workout clothes because I will go for a walk when I get home.  I will not be leaving a corporate office but I am leaving from a very important job.  Will I leave the meeting and go back to a "high-powered" job?  No.  I will come home to a "high-calling" of motherhood and homemaking.  How will I do my job today?

(2)  My daddy's aunt has a doctor's appointment today.  She is a widow who buried her only child years ago.  When I asked her if she would like for me to go with her to the appointment, she cried.  She was thrilled that I was willing.  I do not spend enough time with her and I should be ashamed.  She is a smart woman that is so much fun to be around.  Am I spending the afternoon having coffee with a friend that is my same age?  No.  I am spending the afternoon with a woman who is over twice my age.  I will glean wisdom from her, she will not gossip, and she will encourage me.  This is something that is not always true of my other friends.  What will I learn from Aunt Margaret today?

(3)  My children have always known that if I am putting make-up on and it is not Sunday, there must be something important going on.  I have decided to wear make-up today since I am going to an important meeting and to the doctor with Aunt Margaret.  Do I wear make-up every day?  No.  I do wear a countenance each and every day.  The world sees my smile or my frown.  They see if I am showing them the joy of the Lord.  I may not have make-up on each day but I always have a chance to show the love of the Lord in my expression.  What will I show the world today?

Yet I Will Praise You

I have been in what I consider "a storm" for several months.  I have experienced a deep hurt that I cannot even begin to explain.  I had this song on my iPod but had never really paid close attention to the words.  I was listening to it as I went to Bible study last night and it touched me in a way that I cannot even put into words.   Even when we do not understand what is going on around us, what is happening to us, or why we are in a valley, we should praise Him.  In my brokenness I have been guilty of losing sight and feeling sorry for myself.  I cannot forget to praise Him.  He died for me and He is here for me no matter how lonely or hurt I feel. 

Yet I Will Praise You

Vineyard

I will praise You Lord my God

Even in my brokenness

I will praise You Lord

I will praise You Lord my God

Even in my desperation

I will praise You Lord

And I can't understand

All that You allow

I just can't see the reason

But my life is in Your hands

And though I cannot see You

I choose to trust You

Even when my heart is torn I will praise (trust) You Lord

Even when I feel deserted I will praise (trust) You Lord

Even in my darkest valley I will praise (trust) You Lord

And when my world is shattered and it seems all hope is gone

Yet I will praise You Lord

I will trust You Lord my God

Even in my loneliness

I will trust You Lord

I will trust You Lord my God

Even when I cannot hear You

I will trust You Lord

And I will not forget

That You hung on a cross

Lord You bled and died for me

And if I have to suffer

I know that You've been there

And I know that You're here now

Good Morning

I am a morning person but yet I struggle once summer is over to get back on a routine and schedule.  This morning, I had to drive my husband to work.  We are a two car family, but the truck is in the process of being repaired.  I fixed us each a cup of coffee and we set out on our 25 minute drive together.  I enjoy time when we can be together to chat about what is going on with each of us.  It was neat how the very things I got out of my Bible study homework was the same thing he heard in a sermon on his way home from work yesterday.  As we talked this morning, we discovered that we are both struggling with the same issues but in different areas of our lives.  We promised to pray for each other in these specific areas.

Mornings are so refreshing.  I watched the sky light up, heard the birds waking up, and felt lifted up this morning.  I caught myself humming the song "Give Me Jesus" as I drove back home.  I love the words because it truly is my heart cry:

"In the morning, when I rise

In the morning, when I rise

In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,

Give me Jesus,

You can have all this world,

But give me Jesus"

Blessed By My Husband's Ability to Fix Anything

We recently went on vacation and before coming home our car started making a strange noise.  My husand is really awesome at staying calm when things like that happen.  I tend to get upset and stress over things like that.  He was as calm as possible. I need to learn from from him. He does not immediately get anxious.  His first reaction is to stay calm, access the situation and pray.  He spent about 20 minutes taking a belt off of the engine and listening to the engine.  He admited later that he had thought it was something seriously wrong with the transmission.  It ended up being something wrong with a pulley.  It had the potential to lock the motor down but he only told me that after we safely arrived home.  Once we were home he priced the part that he needed to repair the car.  The next day he spent several hours replacing the part and now my car is quieter than ever.  I asked him how much he thought the repair would have cost us if we had taken it somewhere and he said around $300-$350.  Our cost $14 + his time!!!  He is such a blessing in so many ways, but I truly am blessed by his ability to fix anything.  Where is he right this minute?  Showing our son how to put a water pump on our son's truck.  Yes, our son and I were on the side of the road yesterday with his truck smoking, smelling, and leaking.  I called my husband only for him to say, "Whatever it is, I can fix it!"  Praise the Lord!!!

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Philippians 4:6

Bible Study Homework

I am suppose to attend the second session of "Anointed Transformed Redeemed" tomorrow evening.  I am looking forward to it.

I am really enjoyed last week's session which was with Priscilla Shirer.  The study is not only led by her but also by Beth Moore and Kay Arthur.  The one thing that has spoken to me in this week's homework is how I am chosen.  God picked me and no matter what I face, He is with me.