My Life...It's All Good

Today is December 21st. Christmas is only 4 days away. I am dealing with a full of a range of emotions on the inside all while trying to handle everything that needs to be done.  Stress: This year seems so different. We've had to cancel two family events due to conflicts. Two of my nieces can't make it to the immediate family gathering due to work schedules. My in-laws are basically housebound now due to my father-in-law's health, so that situation is different and somewhat difficult.  I can't seem to get all of our gifts purchased -- where did the time go?? Excitement: At work, I've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from some of the congregation (I'm a church secretary). I've received a number of gifts, goodies, & cards. It has been very sweet and touching. We've been able to have some friends over to the house that we haven't seen in a long time (along with some other friends). We are hoping to continue our tradition of eating Chin...

Wow! It's hard to believe it's already December 7. Where have the last 3 months gone? I guess I don't have to tell you Christmas will be here before we know it! Just as a lot of people, this is my favorite time of year. I love to give gifts (to my hubby), though I struggle figuring out what to get. I love doing things to make him happy. I love how people tend to express their gratitude of other more freely this time of the year. I love, love, love to see all of the pretty decorations and Christmas lights. I love spending time with family and friends. I love cooking Christmas goodies and enjoy (too much) eating them.  Most of all, I love what the season represents. I love the story of Jesus' birth and the fact that He is THE greatest gift any of us can receive. I love that He offers this gift to anyone that is willing to accept it.  While this time of year can be pretty hectic and tiring. Take time to enjoy it. Try not to stress over it. When things start getting s...

With Thanksgiving fast approaching (only one week away!), I thought I would share some things that make me very thankful.  My salvation - I'm thankful that, even though I am very undeserving, my Savior has covered my sins with His blood and I will live eternally in Heaven one day.  My husband - He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He loves me even though I'm sure I'm a handful sometimes. I love him with all of my heart and thank the Lord every single day for him. Family - Lord knows we are a strange bunch and obviously not perfect, but we love each other -- warts and all.  Faithful friends - Even though you don't see each other as much as you would like or hang out as much as you used to, you know they are there.  Feeling appreciated at work - Okay, no job is perfect, but there is not a week that goes by that I'm not told by at least one person (usually multiple people) how much they appreciate me. That is not to say I do my job perfectly (far ...

I want to tell you about a very special man. He is 68 years old. He is currently at the church where I work. I'll just call him "Bro. J." Bro. J is one of the most humble and sweetest people you will ever meet. He has a heart of gold. He is always looking for ways to do something for others. You will never hear him say an unkind word against anyone. You will never hear him gripe and grumble about things. In fact, he always looks for the good in every situation and gives God the glory for all good.  He IS one of the best people I know. Which, if I said that to him, he would probably tell me he is not and that he has a lot of work to do on that front.  I just want to say that the world needs more Bro. Js. He lives his life trying to do what the Bible tells us to do and he does it in a very humble and caring way. A lot of people are striving to do the Lord's will, but not always with the same heart at the center of it.  Let's all strive to have a heart for ot...

We are in troubling times. We just had major hurricanes that hit Texas, Florida, & Puerto Rico; fires in the northwest, and now, a shooter at a country music festival with about 60 people killed (last I heard) and hundreds injured. It's easy to get discouraged and depressed. In times like these, it seems more important than ever to communicate with the Lord. Tell Him if you are frightened. Tell Him if you are upset. Tell Him your concerns. He is there for you. All you have to do is call on Him.   He doesn't want us to worry and fret. For some of us, that is easier said than done, but we can ask Him for peace. I am a worrier by nature, but I can speak to the fact that He will provide peace when we ask Him. He's done it in my life many times. The trouble is, I let myself get in a big worry session before I remember to ask.  So, when the bad happens in the world...and it will, remember to ask God to help you through those times. "God is our refuge and strengt...

My heart is feeling overwhelmed right now. We've had Hurricane Harvey and its devastation. Now have Irma on the way to the FL, GA, & SC coasts. I have several friends battling serious illnesses, some life-threatening, some life-changing. Wildfires are out west doing so much damage. The country is so divided over what seems like every single issue. It's just so much.  My work church is asking everyone to have a week of prayer for our country starting this Sunday. If you believe in prayer, please join with us in praying for our leaders, churches, families, and those affected by the devastation of hurricanes & fires.  There is power in praying with someone else! Join with us!   "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 18:19

Wow! I'm so filled with joy right now. When you see God at work directly related to a prayer you have prayed...it is AWESOME! That's not to say has anything to do with me, but I know that I prayed about a situation and saw something of a miracle related to that situation yesterday (busy day and was unable to post this yesterday). It was just what I was praying for and I'm sure others as well.  It is comforting to know that God loves us and answers our prayers. He is a faithful God. He says that if we ask, believing, then we shall receive. I don't think that means God is up there just handing out anything and everything to us. I think if it is in line with His will and we have faith, then we will receive our requests. When you see God at work in your life or in the lives of your loved ones, it renews your faith. Just remember, you don't always see a grand revelation when prayers are answered. Look for the little things! Sometimes God is a work and showing Himself...

Family... That word stirs up different feelings depending on your background. For some people, you think of happy times and people you love dearly. For others, it can make you feel sad at the loss you've experienced. Still for others, you may be so disconnected from your family that you really feel nothing. For the group that makes me the saddest, you've only had heartache and pain associated with family, so you prefer not to even think about them (may be due to different forms of abuse or other bad circumstances).  I can tell you that I fall into the first category. We aren't perfect, but I love them dearly and have a lot of happy memories. Are they all happy? No, of course not, but I choose to let the happy over-shadow the bad in my heart and mind. Our bad doesn't compare to the bad some people experience, so we are extremely blessed. I'll take our dis-functioning group any day!  When you think of family, remember you have a heavenly FATHER that loves you. I...

Blessings... I've been thinking about blessings today. The Lord has blessed me beyond measure. That is not to say I have everything I've ever wanted, but I have a husband, family, and friends that love me. We have a comfortable house, food to eat, cars to drive, and jobs to pay for what we need. Not everyone can say all of that...I know.  I.Am.Blessed.  I could go on and on about how the Lord has blessed me daily. There are little things that we take for granted every day that is the Lord showing me how much He loves me. I believe that with all of my heart.  As I type this, I have pandora.com playing in the background. Matt Redmond's song "You Never Let Go" is the current selection. I can't think about blessings without thinking about how the Lord has always taken care of me. This song does a great job of speaking to that.  Whatever situation you are going through, look for the Lord. If you are His child, He is always at work in your life in differe...

I was talking to my sister earlier today. We were discussing what amounted to God's timing and taking next steps in life. You don't always have the full picture of your life or know where God is leading you. Sometimes He lets you see only enough to take the next step not the whole path. In times like this, it can be scary, but at the same time, exciting to see what He reveals next. You just need to remain faithful and know He will take care of you. "God's got this!" With each step, He is revealing more about yourself (that you didn't realize) to you and more about Him to you.  Sometimes He is preparing someone else for you. They may have a part to play in your life and they may not be prepared for their part yet. That could be in business, relationships, friendships...many different ways.  It's easy to get discouraged when things don't happen when YOU think they should or get worried that something will not happen at all. Just know God is able to...

Eclipse Day 2017 I know it's a big deal because it rarely happens, but can I tell you I don't get that fired up about it. I walked outside and looked, with my pseudo 3D glasses - - that's what they look like anyway. I thought it was just "meh." It didn't get as dark as I expected (we are in the south, so that may be why). While the sun did look like a crescent moon (and smaller before it ended), it just didn't seem that big a deal. I mean we have heard about this for weeks. There was such a build up that I couldn't help but be let down by all of the hoopla. Our focus should be on WHO hung the moon and sun. That's what should be really exciting to us. Sometimes we are let down by the human factors of church. Sometimes we just get in a slump of going through a routine every Sunday. The Lord does not want us to be lukewarm. That is nauseating to Him.  I'm struggling with some things lately and I'm praying that the Lord will give m...

I've had such a busy week. I've had a conference to attend to take me away from my desk for a day, plus all of the normal stuff at work. It's financial statement week, so that always means extra work trying to get that ready for the business meeting. Add that to losing a day for the conference and whew, I'm tired. I've noticed when I'm feeling particularly drained at work I tend to feel a little sorry for myself or have feelings of inadequacy. I don't know why I do that. It's such a silly thing. After attending the conference and realizing that I'm not up to par on everything, I felt particularly inadequate. In fact, I told someone the church might be paying the wrong person to do this job. I'm sure there are better qualified people out there. I have experience after 8.5 years, but I don't have full knowledge of all of the financial rules and regulations.  Anyway, my spirits were a little low...self-inflicted. I'm having a conversatio...

I thought I would share some random observations today. The older I get (nearly 50) the less time I'm able to sleep at night. I think summertime is enjoyed by teachers, kids, and skinny people...only! Procrastination only makes things harder on you. Don't! Nothing is free in this world. Everything cost someone something whether it's time, money, or stress. It takes less time to pick up/straighten up a room than it does or fret over the mess if you leave it (me). God wants us to be willing...He will handle HOW. Sometimes simple things are best -- like vanilla ice cream. Roasting vegetables (with olive oil, salt, & pepper) is by far my favorite way to eat veggies. You should try it! If your good friends are worth keeping, they are worth the effort to keep in touch.  It always pays to have a "guy" or someone you work with in different areas in your life. They can find you deals, help you find a solution to a problem, or take care of you better than so...

As I was out for lunch today, I saw something that was rather puzzling to me. Well, first let me set the stage. It was POURING down rain. We are in a pattern of rain around here with afternoon showers likely nearly every day. Granted, we've had about 3 days in a row without rain, but NOT TODAY. Okay, so back to lunch... So, I'm driving through this pouring rain and look over at a local car wash. There is a line of cars waiting to go through the wash. I'm not talking about a sprinkling of rain, I'm talking about windshield wipers running, hard to see because of large drops rain.  All I could do is stare and wonder what in the world is wrong with these people? ;) Why would you PAY to get a car wash on a day when it is raining like this? I understand if you get it washed and it happens to rain, but not having it done WHILE it is raining. I'm still floored about that. God's washing your car when it's raining, right? That's always the running joke! Well...

When I saw this meme I knew it was for me! I was having an email discussion with my cousin about this very subject today. She is a better housekeeper than me, but she still has her hang ups. She hates to fold clothes and put them away. She said her guest bed will have a pile of clean clothes getting all wrinkled, but she ignores them. I, however, will hang and fold (except the random load I leave in the dryer to be reheated at a later time) as I'm doing the laundry, but I get behind on doing the laundry and never seem to catch up with the demand...not totally.  It just goes to show, even though I thought my cousin was the "perfect" housekeeper. No one is perfect. While her hang up is not a large one...believe me, I wish that was the only problem I had with housework, there are flaws.  Everyone of us has flaws. We put too much pressure on ourselves when we try to live up to an imaginary standard that we set for ourselves or that we allow others to set for us. As...

You know, sometimes in life it is easy to get discouraged. It's easy to let burdens weigh you down. You feel like God is not listening when you pray. I'm here to tell you that our God is still on His throne and He is still answering prayers if you have a relationship with Him. I heard from someone this morning that testified to that fact. Prayer works!  This started me thinking about the different types of answers we get from God through prayer. There may be others or more ways to describe these, but here is a quick overview anyway. QUICK RESPONSE or YES (a.k.a, Everyone's Favorite) You pray and it's not long before you have confirmation or feel like you hear from God concerning your petition.  THE WAIT (Ugh!) Sometimes you have to wait for answers. It's not fun, but just remember that God's timing is best. There is a reason for the wait. It may have something to do with you or someone else involved (i.e. you have something to learn, waiting f...

There are some good people in this world. I know I know...you know this all ready. Really though, there are some GOOD people in this world. I have the privilege of working with two of them. When I tell you this story, I want you to know this isn't about me. This is really a tale of two men that love the Lord.  You see, I work at a church. It is a good church with good people. I care about them. We have a new youth minister on staff. He has been here a couple of months. In that time, he has made quite an impression on the congregation with his work ethic and passion for the job. Believe me they notice these things! Also on staff, we have an interim pastor. By that, in case you are unfamiliar with the term, I mean he is a temporary pastor until they are able to find a permanent replacement for the position. He is one of the nicest, most caring men you will ever meet. He really strives to do the Lord's will and lives what he says. Good man! I am blessed and I do mean BLESSE...

Life has a way of throwing curve balls at you sometimes. There are so many changes in our life right now...way too many to mention...that it gets overwhelming sometimes. Some of the "curves" are big and pretty significant. Other "curves" are not as big and not nearly as significant, but they still add to the stress.  In each instance, we have to learn to take things (whether big or small) one day at a time. When we get so bound up worrying what will happen, we fail to appreciate everything else going on in our lives. For one thing, worry is not good for your health. It does not change the situation nor does it make it better. Sometimes, when we are spending our time worrying, we miss the good things going on around us -- the blessings!  The best way to stop worrying is to change your focus. If you are focusing on God, you will start to think less about your circumstances and more about Him. When your thoughts are on HIM, you will realize He is in control. Once t...

Does boredom ever overwhelm you sometimes? I didn't realize how bored I was until someone asked me if I was bored. I then realized that I am in fact - BORED. My answer to this person was "Sometimes, but it's a good bored." :-) By that I mean, there have been times when there was so much noise or so many interruptions that I couldn't concentrate. Right now, because there is not much going on and not many people around...it's just quiet without many interruptions. I'll take that! Now that I realize I'm bored (haha!), I'm thinking about ways to alleviate the dull-drums. Some are not very practical if you are bored at work. I'm sorry. You'll just have to keep working! Here are things that are on my list. I'm sure your list will differ from mine, but maybe it will give you an idea or two. Watch a movie/start a new series (Netflix or Amazon Prime are great sources for something to watch.) Give yourself a manicure/pedicure Read a book...