a life blessed

It's been a 'month of Sundays' since my last blog, but time has just not been a friend to me in my blogging world!  I would LOVE to be able to post every day, but for now....only as time allows! This Thanksgiving season as I thought about our fast-paced life and wallowing in self-pity for those things I desire to do that time doesn't allow, the Holy Spirit reminded me that in every situation I should be content (Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 6:6.)  Oh, I am not really wallowing in self-pity, although I have before, and I DO desire to do things that time doesn't allow:  - there are many books purchased of which I've not been able to peruse past the 1st page  - many blogs I've posted in my mind simply because of no time to put it in type  - giving my house 'a lick and promise'... a promise to clean deeper the next time....only to have to do the same the next time  - and blah, blah, blah...many others too ...

We must plan - in advance - every day, to remain faithful to God.  In this way we will be sure to please Him. And it's important to teach this to our children. Every day, especially as they get older, our children are faced with certain situations that we cannot control because we aren't with them 24/7 as when they were younger.  Easter 2011 with their youngest cousins Every step of 'letting go ... ' is something God ordains for their lives, in order to become healthy, independent adults. At each phase of 'letting go', we must have instilled in them that they must plan in advance - before ever stepping out the door - to remain faithful to the Lord, so that when they are thrust into certain situations, they already know what their response should be. The best way to teach them is to lead by example.  (Easier said than done) Planning to stay faithful will help increase victory! I pray that the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth be...

I love to read magazines.  Especially those that help me grow spiritually!  I used to be your tabloid, People, Glamour kindof girl, until my thirst for God overpowered my thirst for useless information.  That's when my search for periodicals became one in which would help me gain the wisdom and knowledge that God promises to give freely when asked. My two most favorite magazines of all time have been Pray! magazine and Discipleship Journal magazine. Sadly, both of these magazines have stopped publication.   Devastating!  :-( I have since not been able to find another magazine that can match the caliber of information as was submitted by these two magazines.  I am still in mourning even though it's been (give or take) a year or so.  I did run across a magazine that I had stockpiled to peruse at a later date whenever time allowed.  It's back from 2009!  (Where has the time gone?!) ...

"If you build it, they will come."   This was our thinking when Todd & I discussed building an addition to our home.  We wanted the addition to serve as not only a Rec room for the boys and their friends (after all, they are getting at the age to where they are visiting their friends' homes quite often, and their friends are over here as well), but also to serve as a place for: Todd's Men's Bible Studies and my Women's Bible Studies, along with a place to hold our annual Super Bowl parties for our 6th Grade class Super Bowl Party 2009 Super Bowl Party 2010 Super Bowl Party 2011 not to mention other fellowships with Todd's football and baseball players as well as my lady friends, couple's fellowships, etc.  As you can see, there are many countless opportunities to use our home for God's glory. In a nutshell, we want our home to be one that people are drawn to. If only we had a room big enough... Through prayer and...

Learning through the storms of life. Why does God let bad things happen to good people? There may be some who might have wondered this, I'm sure, many times in their life, but I definitely have on 2 specific occasions over the last 7 years. I always felt as though I grew up having a relationship with God. I was a Christian, raised in a Christian home, had Christian friends, etc.....but did I really have a relationship with God? No, not really. I was a luke-warm Christian. Yes, the kind that God said he would spit out because he'd rather you be hot or cold, and I was neither. I was going through life playing the good Christian. You know... going to church, saying all the right things, serving here and there, praying to God, raising my kids to say the right things & act a certain way, and so on and so forth; but I never dug down deep to know whom God really was in my life. Through the different levels of maturity in my life (marriage, children, etc.) came different levels in ...

              The Potter's Hand Beautiful Lord, Wonderful savior I know for sure all of my days are held in your hands Crafted into your perfect plans You gently called me into your presence Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit Teach me dear Lord to live all of my life Through your eyes I'm captured by your holy calling Set me apart. I know you're drawing me to yourself lead me, Lord. I pray Oh Take me, mold me, use me, fill me I give my life to the potter's hand Oh Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me I give my life to the potter's hand You gently call me into your presence Guiding me by your holy spirit Teach me dear lord to live all of my life through your eyes I'm captured by your holy calling Set me apart. I know you're drawing me to yourself lead me, Lord. I pray Oh Take me, mold me, use me, fill me I give my life to the potter's hand Oh Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me I gi...

     Recently I ran into someone I had not seen in years.  Our paths crossed in many areas which kept conversation going between the two of us on a somewhat regular basis, even if in passing.  I see her around town from time to time but never within talking distance, and it's usually while we are in transit on the highways and byways.  This is a lady who has had a very rough life from the beginning, and it just seems to continue following her throughout her life.  In spite of all the trials she has been through, and many of them somewhat life-threatening, she always seemed to have a positive frame of mind.  For every challenge she had been through and shared with me, she always seemed to have a "But God....." following and seemed to maintain a certain sparkle in her eye, especially when referring to God and her faith in Him.  This was something that always made me smile about her....that ...