It's all in how you say it....

We were at church tonight and my pastor (who is also known in our family as paw paw) was making an announcement of a new baby in our church that was born yesterday. He was reading the note that mam maw had made for him and said the baby's name and then proudly announced that he weighed 6 lb and 20 ounces. O.k., we all had that weird look on our faces like "That didn't sound right"....so after a few seconds it also registered with him that what he had said just didn't sound exactly right. What Mam Maw's notes had said was 6 lb and 20 inches!...lol.

I began thinking that I've always heard it isn't what you say but how you say it and so I thought for all of us ladies who would love to be the weight we were in high school....well....maybe we can. I would for instance say 116 and 96 ounces!...awww doesn't that sound better????!!!! Maybe it is in how you say it! :)

It may not be funny to you...but it sure tickled my funny bone thinking about it.

Some people......

Psalm 7:14-17 Behold the wicked man conceives iniquity and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He made a pit and hollowed it out and has fallen into the hole which he made before the trap was completed. His mischief shall fall back in return upon his own head and his violence come down with the loose dirt upon his own scalp. I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His rightness and justice, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. (Amplified version)

Ladies...this isn't for you as much as it is a reminder to me and a proclamation to the enemy that the LORD will take care of His kids. You can only do evil so long and push so far...He is JUST!! I do not have to worry about taking up for myself...my Father has it under control..He is in charge of me. He paid a great price to make me his own and he will not let anything happen to me that is not for my good. I need take no course of action other than keeping my eyes fixed on Him and my heart in an attitude of prayer.

"What we need to hear when we are disappointed is that God is still in control. We need to hear that it's not over until he says so. We need to hear that life's mishaps and tragedies are not a reason to bail out. They are simply a reason to sit tight." Max Lucado

I'm sitting tight Lord......sitting tight. :)

People Pleasers Beware!!!

Well, here I am again. About to confess to you how the Lord has once again opened my eyes to my shortcomings. I choose to be vunerable because I want someone, anyone to avoid the pitfalls that I find myself in as I walk this pilgrimage called the Christian life. You are probably thinking...this woman is a mess...I agree..but I am the Lord's mess and I'm secure in knowing He loves me and if I allow Him to..he specializes in making good things out of big messes!

Are you a people pleaser? Oh girls!...I know I am! I always have been. I wanted to please my parents when I was younger, wanted to please my friends, wanted to please my supervisors over the years....just want people to be pleased with me. I don't like...no, I HATE feeling like someone is disappointed with me. It took me many, many years to learn to say "no." At one point early in my Christian life I held 13 responsibilities in our local church...uh, yeah...13!!! Why?...I didn't want to let anyone down. I really have made great strides in that area and I pray and only do those things I think God is leading me to do in the church, but I have been hit in the face with a different creature.

The past 6 months I have completely thrown myself into pleasing an individual. I have prayed for them, loved them with my whole heart, sacrificed my time, my energy, my money and even other relationships to make sure this individual was taken care of and happy...pleased if you will. I absolutely love this person and feel that God brought them to my life for me to love them and most of all point them to Himself. But somewhere along the line I allowed the situation to become my life! I would find myself worrying all the time about this person and if I was making everyone "happy". But it hit me today as I did my devotion....All those months of trying to make people happy....I never once asked God if I was making Him happy. Wow...how could that be? How could I move God from that place of preeminence and replace Him with a mere human? I don't know. I just am confessing I did...and I did it without even realizing it. 1 John 3:22 "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." Pleasing in HIS sight...that is what matters. The order of priorities got out of whack in my life. It was Family, God, Job. Upon realizing that I couldn't help but cry..."I'm sorry Lord!" God gave me my family...but He didn't give them to me to place them before Him. He is to be preeminent in our lives.

God reminded me of this verse as well 1 Thessalonians 2:4 "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel even so we speak not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts." How freeing! The world is trying to give me a whole list of people that I need to please but it is a lie! There is only one I have to please and that is the Lord Jesus. If I please Him, then I will please those that have their hearts right and the rest...well, that's between them and the Lord. He is much better at handling them than I. My family absolutely is THE most important thing on earth to me but I must put the giver of all perfect gifts before them. I want to love them and do for them as He instructs...not as they expect, or not as others opinions say I should. It is amazing to me how the enemy can even use good things to derail your fellowship with God. Nothing I've done over the past 6 months was bad, no, actually people have commented on how "selfless" I was...but in fact, self was getting in the way of fellowship with my Savior. I was bending over backward to please others so that "self" would feel better. But it was only for fleeting moments. However, when I put my Savior first....it is a joy and peace that cannot be described. How do I know?....I've had it today since I confessed my sin and asked Him to redirect my energies to pleasing Him and allowing Him to tell me what to do and not a thing more.

I can't help but think of the song by John Wyeth wrote in the 1700's Come thy Fount. The 3rd verse says "O to grace how great a debtor, Daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to thee: Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above." John Wyeth knew his heart was prone to wander...we'd be wise to acknowledge the same. I am so thankful for God's grace and mercy...it is new every morning. I am clean girls! I am forgiven. Perfect?....No...Never to fail again.....No. But right now I am enjoying snuggling up in the arms of my Savior and having a heart that is worshipping Him!

There is a song that we sang and worshipped to at Women of Faith this year that Mandesa sang, originally by Mary Mary. Here are a few of the words from the chorus

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise you
I just wanna praise you
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I'm gonna praise you
I'm gonna praise you

The chains are gone...excuse me ladies...I have some dancing to do! :)

I love my hubby!

Doug and I counted and this was our 27th Christmas together...WOW! I love him so much! I sincerely don't know of a better man anywhere. I am truly blessed.

Do I Matter?

Ever had that thought? I mean, one of those days where everything you touch turns to disaster, everything that could go wrong does, and it seems you let everyone around you down, including yourself and most importantly your Lord, and that thought creeps in "The world would be better off without me, in fact, they probably wouldn't even notice." ..."I just don't matter." I would dare say most of us have thought that at one time in our life. Well, take heart dear sister! You do matter! So much in fact that God numbers the very hairs on your head! Matt. 10:30 "But even the very hairs of your head are numbered." Who else inventories follicles? We monitor other things like how much money we have in our checking account, how much gas we have in our tank, how many groceries are in the cabinets, how many pounds we've gained over the holidays ..lol...but I have never seen anyone with tiny signs adjacent to each strand of hair with a number on it. But God knows. And you may say he is just pointing out he knows everything...he is omniscient...and He is...but I really think he wants us to know that EVERYTHING about us matters to him. We matter to God Almighty! Wow! He came as a babe in a manger and grew up to go to the cross because we matter!! It is a lie of the enemy to tell you that you do not matter. It is a fear that can consume us and cause us to live defeated lives. Do not buy into it dear sister.

My husband's favorite movie is "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart. He loves to watch it every Christmas season. The whole plot of this movie is that George Bailey thinks everyone's life would be better if he had never been born...he had the feeling he had let everyone down and was buying into the lie of "I don't matter"...so an angel comes and makes it as though he were never born but let George see how everyone's life would be if that were true. Well, as you know it had a devastating effect on many lives. George saw exactly how much he mattered and wanted his life back. I know that God created everyone one of us for a purpose and with a plan for our entire life. The Word tells us that. As we go into 2010 lets remember that we DO matter and that every little deed done in the name of Christ is important. We may not have much materially, we may not have a lot of influence in the corporate world or in society, but dear friend there is a King..matter of fact the King of kings who has the very hairs of your head numbered and he says we do MATTER!!! AMEN!!

Good Friends

Proverbs 17:17 A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

As I sit here tonight I just can't help but have a heart overflowing with joy. God has been so good to me! I absolutely LOVE snow and we have had one of the most beautiful, perfect snows that you could imagine this weekend. It was about 6 1/2 inches deep and once packed down a little...it was the most awesome sledding you've ever done! It has been a weekend where I can forget that I'm an adult with lots of responsibilities and just enjoy jumping on a sled with my friends and family and head off down a hill screaming and laughing the whole way down. It was a weekend of looking around me and realizing I am one very blessed woman! I enjoyed the snow with my sweetheart and husband of 22 1/2 years, my 2 daughters and my two son-in-loves Ben and Travis, Mark and Renea and the hosts of our BIG HILL excitement Chris, Mary and Austin. I couldn't help but think of how so many people think having a good time is all about drinking alcohol, or going to a club and how that their friends are the one who party along with them but I beg to differ. We had about as much fun as anyone could this weekend and it was all about enjoying the blessing from the Lord. It was about knowing that our friends are definitely there in the good times....but they are also there in the bad times. Just like Proverbs says. Chris has pulled me out of a ditch, towed Hope's car to the shop, fixed my roof and not for money....no, just because he's my friend. Mary has helped me clean my house, picked up my kids, and been there when I needed someone to encourage me because I just didn't think I could go one more step. Mark and Renea have loved us, encouraged us and loved our kids like their own. True friends are God sent, and let me publicly say...I thank God for the ones He sent me..they are the BEST! Thanks guys for all the wonderful memories, I will never, never forget them!

I can only imagine......

No..I'm not talking about the song "I can only Imagine" ...I am telling you that I can only imagine what it must have been like the night Jesus was born. Luke 2:7 "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." Wow...what a night! God himself...the creator of the universe, the one who is Alpha and Omega, the one who is omnipotent chose to come to this earth and contained himself in the womb of a human...a young virgin girl named Mary so that he could be born of flesh and live a sinless life to only go to a cruel cross to give his life for you and for me...sinners...unworthy and certainly hopeless. But yet he came. His word tells us that if we don't praise him the rocks will cry out. His creation knows him...so what must the animals that night in the stable thought about him...did they recognize his sovreignty and power?....Did they know they were looking at God himself? I wonder if the wind stood perfectly still as his newborn cry filled the air. I wonder if the stars shined a little brighter...twinkled a little more? I wonder if there was a sweetness just by his presence...if maybe the young girl who was so scared and had been made fun of, talked about, not believed even by her own parents...I wonder if he brought her peace as she held her son and her Savior in her arms? I can only imagine.

The last part of that verse makes my heart sad...ache, actually. It says "there was no room for them in the Inn" I fear that today many still have no room for the one who can save them...the only one who has the power to redeem them and the only one who draws them to himself so that they can have life eternal. They still push him out because there is just no room for him in their lives. I'll accept him later in life, they say....or I can't live the Christian life and I refuse to be a hypocrite....or I don't believe the Bible....or I'm just to bad...Jesus doesn't want me. Oh dear friend, He wants you to make room for him. And just as the Inn keeper not having room for them didn't stop his coming....your rejection of him won't stop his second coming nor stop your appointment that you will have one day when it is your time to stand before him. His word tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. Why not confess it now so that one day you can say it in worship as we cry "Holy, Holy, Holy!" ...around the throne......awwww...I can only imagine.

Let's keep Christ in Christmas and make the season about the real reason....Jesus!

Humbled and it Hurt!

Rom 7:15 I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.


Rom 7:16 I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good.


Rom 7:17 But I can't help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.


Rom 7:18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't.


Rom 7:19 When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.


Rom 7:20 But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.


Rom 7:21 It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.


Rom 7:22 I love God's law with all my heart.


Rom 7:23 But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.


Rom 7:24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? [fn]


Rom 7:25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.


Rom 8:2 For the power [fn] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you [fn] through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.


Rom 8:3 The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.


Rom 8:4 He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us [fn] who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.


Rom 8:5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.


Rom 8:6 If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.


Rom 8:7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will.


Rom 8:8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.


Rom 8:9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)


Rom 8:10 Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive [fn] because you have been made right with God.


Rom 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.


Rom 8:12 So, dear brothers and sisters, [fn] you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. NLT

This past week I was reminded of the truth of these verses. No matter how long you or I have been saved we still have our sin nature and unless we are allowing the Holy Spirit to fill and control us....it will rear its ugly head. I'm just going to be vunerable and transparent with you girls because I want to help you...I want you to be warned and realize how important it is to allow the Holy Spirit to control you and your actions.

Before I was saved at age 25 I had a horrible temper. I had a lot of rage built up in me because of some things in my childhood and unfortunately my dear, sweet husband Doug had to catch the brunt of it. I could be very volatile and definitely knew how to use my words so that they were as sharp as a butcher's knife. But after I was saved...I became that new creature and God really began molding and making this old clay to be reshaped into gentleness..instead of brassiness, compassion instead of judgement, and love instead of hate. I have been saved now for 15 years and I really thought that was an issue that was settled. I was wrong. I was reminded that unless I am allowing the Holy Spirit to control me....I will be that man that Paul is speaking of that does the things he KNOWS he should not do. I lost my temper this last week and it was ugly, hurtful and scary. It really shook me to my core that I was capable of such rage after all these years. All I knew to do was fall on my knees and ask God and the person involved to forgive me and pray that healing could begin. The guilt and shame I felt and remorse was almost overwhelming. I could almost hear the person of the Holy Spirit calling to me to let Him take charge but the flesh was feeling to good at the time....you know their is pleasure in sin for a season....but those seasons can be very short lived. I do want to say that there is good news in all this....God is a forgiving God and his mercies are new every morning. His compassions fail not. He is faith and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and he can piece situations back together that seem impossible.

Dear Sisters..I don't know what your struggles with your flesh are but I do know that they will overpower you as well if you are not allowing the person of the Holy Spirit to control you. I do know there is no peace or joy when that happens and I do know that whatever situation you are in...it will not be helped...only bring more hurt. So please, read these verses I posted, meditate on them, and pray for God to give you a heart that desires to yield to His power. The enemy is ALWAYS on the battlefield and pressing toward us. Help us stand in Christ and Christ alone!

Renea brought this thought to my mind...

One of my dearest girlfriends Renea, told me tonight as we were talking about life and its difficulties that "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger or help you on down the road"....I told her I'd have to think about that one and then the Lord brought this verse to my mind and as I read it I saw something I'd never seen before. Oh, and the verse is in one of Renea's favorite books of the Bible by the way...lol

Isaiah 41:10 Amplified Version "Fear not (there is nothing to fear), for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you, yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My (victorious) Right hand of rightness and justice."

This past week we had Veteran's Day off from work and Hannah and Travis were off from school. The weather was terrible!!! All plans for a picnic outside in the moutains was definitely out!...lol So we went to Greensboro for lunch at O'Charley's and then went shopping for our Samaritan's purse gifts for the shoe boxes and then swung by movie gallery to get a couple of movies. We decided once we got home out of the cold drizzling rain we were staying in! lol! Travis had never seen the movie Hoosiers with Gene Hackman. I wanted him to see it. I love that movie! Partly because it is about a basketball team and that is my favorite sport to play and because it is a real "feel good" movie too. The movie starts with Gene Hackman aka ...the new coach...coming into this small country town in Indiana where basketball is EVERYTHING. He is not received well to say the least. His coaching style is not how "it has always been done" ...and boy do the people grow to hate him...quickly! He doesn't listen to them though. When they think he should be running plays at practice...he's running the boys....and running them.....and running them....lol. He is making sure their bodies are "conditioned" to not become tired during a game. He is also very clear that they are to follow his rules. He specifically tells them to pass the ball 4 times before it is to be shot. There is a player that thinks he can make the shot and disobeys the rules and he pulls him from the game. (that didn't make the town people any happier..lol) He is trying to condition them, and to teach them respect of authority and how to work as a team...he is trying to prepare them for the difficulties that they are going to face as they work toward the state playoffs...which they win by the way.

That is what stuck out to me in this verse...God says he will "harden us to difficulties".....He is trying to use those troubling times of life to teach us...just like Renea said, and he will even harden us to the difficulties that lie ahead. We don't have to be afraid. We don't have to wring our hands and look around in "terror" as the verse says....we can KNOW He will hold us up and harden us. This is just conditioning sisters! In the movie and in my life when I played basketball the conditioning I hated the most was what we called blood and guts...I think now they call them suicides...either way...they are painful and terrible!!....BUT....they work. Yes....they work. You may have something in your life that really is terrible. It may feel like you just cannot endure it, you can't take one more step, or deal with one more problem, not one more disappointment, not one more broken promise or empty words, not one more conflict....but dear child of God....he is hardening you and strengthening you....He is saying you do not have to be afraid. He is Just and He is with you! And You just like the Hoosiers...WILL BE VICTORIOUS!...His word says so! Amen!

Practical Applications for Parents

Hey sisters in Christ! I hope that you are all doing well. Yesterday at our church was baby dedication day and our Pastor preached an AWESOME message to the parents. He gave 18 practical applications for raising children and I just think I need to share them with you all. They WILL make a difference in your home if you abide by them.

1. Stay together - even when times are bad, even when your marriage feels hopeless...stay together and show them how to work things out. Show them that you never leave because things aren't easy but how it is possible to grow closer through the bad times.

2. Keep them in Church - and don't just send them.....TAKE them...go WITH them! Even if it comes to the point you have to make them go...make them. I am sure there were times when they didn't want to brush their teeth or take a bath but I feel pretty certain you made them do it any way. Don't let satan tell you the lie that they will rebel when they are older because you made them go.

3. Laugh and Have Fun Together - I LOVE THIS ONE!!! No home should be a stranger to laughter and fun. Do whatever it takes to make time for family fun! Mark a date on your calendar, schedule it in however you have to!

4. Tell & Show Them They are Important - Children need security that they are important to you. Go to their school events, be in the stands and cheer them on. Be sensitive to when they need to talk to you.

5. Learn to say "I love you" and "I'm sorry" - For those of you who saying I love you is a common thing...this seems silly to you, but there are homes that never utter these words. And all of us need to realize that we need to say I'm sorry and admit when we are wrong....there are no perfect children and by the same token there are no perfect parents either.

6. Love Unconditionally like God - do not base it on their performance in sports or academics, love them because they are yours and a gift from God.

7. Teach them young and teach them all the time - Look for everyday lessons, in creation, in sports, in life....teach, teach, teach!!

8. NEVER fuss in front of them - This one is soooo important. Doug and I have NEVER argued in front of the girls. You may think I'm joking...I'm not...ask either one of them...they'll tell you they've never heard us argue.

9. Never Contradict each other in front of them

10. Don't compare them to siblings or anyone - NEVER say "I wish you could make A's like your brother" ...or "Why can't you play ball like your sister!?"....never compare them to anyone!

11. Let them be who God made them to be - If they are shy..don't force them into situations that make them feel humiliated or horrified. If they are outgoing...don't try to stifle it!

12. Choose your battles carefully - don't be on them about every little imperfection....learn to let it go...and choose your battles carefully.

13. Discipline - Reward good behavior and punish disobedience.

14. Communicate - Talk and Listen

15. Say "no" and stick to it!

16. Know where they are at all times and who they are with

17. Be and example - show them what it means to serve Christ everyday

18. Pray for your children.

Put these into action and let's raise healthy, happy chidren who love the Lord.

Teaching my mind to "STAY"

Do any of you have a dog? We have a wonderful little Rat Terrier named Cookie. She is 12 pounds of pure love. This dog greets you with such energy that it is funny! She actually gets so excited she kinda snorts and snurls her lip...and her whole body wags...not just her little 1/2 inch nub! lol. She has a routine and she is the best thing about keeping it. But when we are outside she will not come to me when I call and she will not "STAY"....It is frustrating ....and embarassing. My neighbors dog is the same way....He is "off the leash" as they say and won't "stay" if his life depended on it! lol. Why are they this way? They haven't been trained. You see when Cookie first came to our home I worked non-stop to get her housebroken. By 3 months she was trained to pottie outside...hasn't had but maybe 1 accident in 5 years! She has trained her bladder to wait! But I never trained her to "stay"....afterthought says I really should have...lol Then this spiritual thought came to mind!...

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust in the Lord forever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Isaiah 26:3-4

How many times do I NOT have peace?....Maybe it is because my mind isn't trained to stay on the Lord. The verse in Isaiah promises peace...it is a PROMISE from GOD that he will keep us in PERFECT PEACE if our minds will just stay on Him. I want peace...don't you? I think everyone does. Lord, when the winds of this world are raging and the demands on our life seem overwhelming and we are troubled in our souls....let us remember we may not be "staying"....help us train our minds to stay on the Prince of peace!!! You Lord, will be faithful to your Word. You cannot lie and you have NEVER let anyone down.....you certainly won't start now! Boot Camp for my spiritual mindset.....Here I come!

Timing...

I'm a little discouraged tonight....a little blue. Ever been there? Yeah...I know you have. I can almost see you shaking your head in agreement. It is kinda sad how easy us humans can get to that place of discouragement sometimes. I know that God's ways and thoughts are not the same as mine...his word tells me so in Isaiah 55:9. But it doesn't keep my flesh from wanting to see my prayers answered in my timing.

Last night was when we all got that wonderful extra hour of sleep. Perhaps, my favorite Saturday night of the year...lol...something about laying down knowing that you really are getting an extra hour just brings a smirk to my face and a peace to my soul. lol! Well, as we got in bed last night I asked Doug if he had turned his clock back and of course...dependable Doug had in fact already taken care of it. I reached to my clock and began to search for the button to change the time. I moved it back an hour and went to sleep. This morning when Doug woke me up to tell me my coffee was ready (he always fixes me coffee and breakfast on Sundays...awwww so sweet!) I smiled gave him a kiss and began to try to open my eyes which felt like they had been super glued shut! lol. When I did get them open I looked at the clock to see what time it was and it said 5:30a.m. .....I was like WHAT!!!???? I don't get up until 6:30a.m. on Sundays! I sat up and looked at Doug's clock which said ....6:30. hmmmmm.....so Doug didn't mess up(strange how I automatically assumed it was Doug's doing)....how did my clock do that?...Well, turns our that it is like my cell phone and computer...it is smart enough and in control of things enough that it changes itself. Plain and Simple....it didn't need my assistance. Its timing was perfect...until I messed it up.

Ok,....Wow...it hit me later today, "How many times have I helped God out and messed up the timing of His plan?"....."How many times have I thought I was helping but didn't read the instruction manual (His Word) close enough to know that I was really in the wrong?" If I had only read the instructions for my clock....I could have RESTED in the fact....not probability but FACT that it would take care of the time and in turn....that it was taking care of my getting up on time. Why am I not resting in the fact that God says He will answer my prayers? Why am I not rejoicing over what God is doing now...instead of being discouraged over what He is not doing right now? Dear Father....please forgive me. Help me trust in your timing...help me read the instruction manual and follow it. Help me have sweet rest while I am waiting for the buzzer of my prayers to be answered. You ARE in control!

Mary's Birthday!!!!

Yesterday was a very, very special day! My dear friend and sister in Christ Mary turned 38! Mary is one of the kindest people you will ever meet and our close circle of friends always refer to her as the one "with a heart the size of Texas"...matter of fact I think I'll nickname her "Texas" for short! lol! I picked her up and then went and picked up Renea and the 3 of us went to PF Changs for supper. I had never been there and it was a neat experience. They have lettuce wraps that had been highly reccommended by Danita, and I must be honest I kept thinking how exciting can lettuce be? But I have to admit they were better than my entree! lol! We laughed and had the best time! Our waiter was a gift from God because he was funny and we didn't bother him a bit with our laughing and sillyness. Then after the meal came the dessert choices! Now that was exciting!! LOL! I have a picture of the shot glass dessert cups...we thought they were so stinkin' cute we ordered all 8! That even surprised the waiter! lol! I am just so thankful that God has given me good friends in NC. I lived here about a year and a half before I really clicked with anyone, but Renea and Mary are two gems that definitely shine in my life! Thanks girls! Happy Birthday Mary...I hope we made it a special one! I love you!!

Gotta Love the new hair color...

Hannah Jacklyn...My baby girl!

Soaring High!

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

These pictures are of Hannah and her "flying experience" through the JROTC at Rockingham County High School. She loved the experience and didn't even mind to much that they picked at her unmercifully because she required a "booster" seat. The view from the plane is so pretty...you can see that some of the trees below have leaves that are already changing into the beautiful colors of Autumn. The smiles on the girls faces are an evident reminder of how much fun they are having and the joy they are experiencing. I couldn't help but think how they must have felt so big and everything below so small from up in the air in that plane. They actually got to take control and "fly" the plane...(With the real pilot close by of course). It sparked a spiritual thought and application.

I have had times when I have had my strength renewed like the eagles and soared in the sky! There are times when I have felt in control and felt bigger than life but the real truth is....I wasn't. My pilot was actually doing the flying....He was the one causing me to mount with wings like eagles. I was actually very small and spiritually speaking, I probably needed a booster seat! It also occured to me that at times in my life I have looked from those heights and admired the beauty below just like those girls did today but you know what? ....those leaves on those trees are the same color when you are on the ground....you just have a different view...a different perspective. Wow! Could it be that God's beauty is just the same when we are on the ground or whether we are mounting with wings like eagles?....Oh dear sister I think so! I think it is only our perspective that changes.

I want to remember that 1. God is the Pilot! 2. Whether on the ground or in the air...his beauty and his miracles are the same...it is up to my perspective to see them the same! and 3. He knows when it is time to put me back on the ground. Those girls were in total trust of the pilot to give them a safe landing and one at the appointed time...and he did. Don't you know God will do the same for us!

What's really important to you?

Hey girls! Just wanted to let you know what the Lord has been doing in my heart this past week.

I have a particular burden that the Lord has given me and it seems to become heavier on my heart with each passing day. There is a particular soul that I am praying for and I have such a deep desire to see them come to know Christ. I have prayed for lots of people who are lost over the years and I have had a real desire to see them saved but never before have I lost sleep, cried during the middle of the day, or actually had an ache in my chest for someone......until now. I have a dear friend who I led to Christ almost a year ago and I really had a desire to see her come to Christ but it was as though the Lord had already assured me she would be saved and even though I shed many tears for her it wasn't quite the same as this person I am burdened for now. I feel that part of the urgency I feel with this soul is that I have been witness to the evil that is all around and I can almost sense satan battling for their soul.

I have been reading my Bible searching for verses that would comfort and encourage me to keep on praying and the first one that comes to mind is Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you." The greek tense in all three of the following words ask, seek and knock is present...the voice is active and the mood is imperative. It means ask and keep on asking. Seek and keep on seeking. Knock and keep on knocking. Don't stop, don't quit don't even slow down....keep on keeping on. Then the Lord reminded me of Isaiah 59:1 "Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." And as I mediatated on these verses I began to be encouraged. I know that scripture does not lie....it is a reality! If I keep on asking, seeking and knocking....if I believe that the Lord is able to save then I can take comfort in that. I know that he hears every word I say, every silent prayer I think...He knows! Every tear I cry, every time my knees hit the floor on behalf of this soul....God knows! He is not a high priest that does not care but Hebrews tells me he is touched with the feelings of our infirmities! Hallelujah! But then I remembered another verse and my spirituality was bruised a little. Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," It was as if the Lord said, you need to lay aside the weights that are keeping you from praying more for this soul. I just couldn't get it out of my mind.

I don't watch hardly any TV...doesn't interest me. I hardly ever go out with girlfriends. I don't scrapbook anymore. I mean, the only thing I do for "me" on a daily basis is I love to play on Facebook and see what my friends in GA are doing. Facebook was how I reconnected with girlfriends I haven't seen or heard from in 20 years! It has been so much fun looking at the pictures of their children and hearing about what they are doing now...so much fun! I will get on before work in the morning for a minute or two and then at night I will check it as well. One morning while checking my FB it seemed as if the Lord audibly spoke and said, "Do you love that soul you are praying for enough to give up Facebook?", "Why don't you spend the time in prayer that you would spend on Facebook?" Well, my first thought was ...oh, I don't spend that much time on here, this is my only indulgence for me, it isn't doing any harm....but that wasn't the point. The point was did I love FB more...or was I willing to give it up and spend that time praying. I chose to lay aside that weight and pray for the soul I want to be saved. I told the Lord that whether it took 6 days, 6 months or 6 years I would not go back on FB until my first post could be one of praise for this soul coming to know the Jesus I serve. Then I thought of Jeremiah 29:12-13 "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Wow..do you remember when I said I would first check my FB....first thing in the morning....why was I not seeking Him??? I will continue to rid my heart of anything that could be coming between me and my prayers being answered. Jesus could come any moment and I want to take ALL of the people I love with me to heaven....don't you?!! God help us to give you our whole heart.

Please don't think I am saying everyone should abandon their Facebook...lol. No, I'm just sharing with you what God wanted me to do. I'll be honest with you girls, it has been hard not to check my FB...silly...yeah, probably but I'm just being honest. It just really spoke to me that the Lord knows exactly what has our hearts and what is important to us. I just want to prove to Him that this dear, precious soul that I am bringing to his throne room daily is the most important thing to me. And if I know anything about our Lord is that he is compassionate and full of mercy and he honors the sincere actions of obedience and prayers of His people. I know my prayers will be answered and I promise as soon as we have a new family member birthed into the family....I'll let ya know!

Be sensitive to his voice....listen....listen carefully, you just may hear that still small voice calling you.

Such a blessed sound...

After months of hardly any rain at all it is actually raining here in Reidsville, NC tonight. It is such a blessed sound! Our grass has been brown and crunchy for sometime now, the dust is horrible and the lakes are showing more and more ground and less and less water. I praise the Lord for the rain! I know He has been gracious and sent it to us. It isn't just any kind of rain either. He knew that a hard downpour would only result in run off and flooding. We are receiving the slow steady rain that the ground can soak up and benefit most from. Would you be surprised that even as desperately as we needed it there are some who are complaining that the rain came at an inconvenient time for them? I find that to be so sad. It is obvious when you look at the surroundings how desperately we needed it and yet there are some who are not satisfied with the timing. That got me to thinking. We are just like that about our lives. We want sunshine ALL the time! We complain when a little drizzle falls into our lives. We may have been healthy all year but complain when a little sinus trouble comes our way.....Not once been hungry without food but upset when we don't have EXACTLY what we want in the cabinets or on the table.....Complain that we are tired of wearing the same summer clothes and want a new season to come so we can have a change (said that one this week....feeling more and more convicted as I write this..) God forgive us...forgive me! It is the times of rain that make us appreciate the sun! It is the balance in life that only you Dear Lord know how to give that makes us more like Jesus. Just as God knew we couldn't handle a heavy rain without a lot of damage....He knows how hard the rains in your life and in my life need to be. Trust Him.

I'm sitting here listening to the traffic on the highway and the spray of the water as the cars go by and it is a wonderful sound. I will not complain that the rain is here....I WILL rejoice and praise my God from whom all blessings flow. I will trust that he knows best and that His plan for my life is perfect! I will try my best to soak up this spiritual lesson he is teaching me just like the parched ground is soaking up every raindrop!

Must you know?????

I am reading this book called "Crazy Love" by Francais Chan and it absolutely wonderful!!! If you can pick a copy of it up then I highly suggest you do. No matter where you are in your spiritual walk it will be of great encouragement, great enlightenment or maybe even great conviction. My pastor's wife recommended it to me....Thanks Karen!!!

There is one chapter early on in the book that had a couple of statements I can't seem to quite "chewing" on so to speak. Here is the first...

"Isn't it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?" Wow...think about that! For those of us who have kids I think we have all been guilty of exaggerating at times of our childrens talents or gifts. lol...you know what I mean. Especially those first born...they crawl before any other child they possess a vocabulary at 10 months old that surely no other child has ever possessed, they walk sooner, feed themselves better and look the cutest of any child ever born! As time moves on and our chidren enter sports and activities such as dance, piano, band, etc. we are quick to state our opinion of how wonderful they are. I think that is natural and it just shows our love and pride in them and they joy they bring to our lives but to be honest.....we have probably been a little over the top in our desciption at times but you'll never be held guilty for that when you speak of Jesus. No matter how good you say He is....you are not exaggerating. Even if you spend days speaking of His holiness...you still aren't even skimming the top! If you write volumes about His love and how grand and infinite it is, you still will NOT be exaggerating!!! Just makes me want to shout! I serve a God who cannot be exaggerated!!! In this day and age where things are constantly being "overrated"....we have a Savior who will never disappoint!

Here's the second statement in the book that has really captivated me. "Can you worship a God who isn't obligated to explain His actions to you?" Immediately I think of people who have had great trajedy come into their lives and they never serve God again but are bitter and feel cheated by Him. I have never walked in their shoes and I certainly am not about to judge them but for myself I want to know more about the Savior so if the path He chooses for me is hard and holds a lot of pain I can still trust in His sovreignty and be able to serve Him. I do desire to be able to serve Him and not demand an explanation for His actions. This is the first step to that....realize He is God....and I am not. I do not want arrogance on my part to slip in and make me think God owes me an explanation. Instead I must remember he is fair and just, He is all-powerful and He is all-knowing and He is Holy. I have seen a lot of Christians who experienced great pain in their life such as cancer, loss of a loved one, betrayal by a spouse, heartbroken by a wayward child, emotional trauma because of sexual abuse and many other horrible things but I have also seen those same people be filled with such a love for their Savior during the trial and after the trial that it leads me to believe that they KNOW their Father in an intimate way and because of that knowledge, that experiential knowledge they recognize He is God and He really does know best. They KNOW that Romans 8:28 is truth and it has become a reality in their lives.

Well ladies, that is what I've been pondering on lately. I hope you get the book and I hope you evaluate yourself with those 2 statements. Love your Savior, the one who knows best, the one who is in control and the one you cannot exaggerate!!

A simple girl serving a Great God,

Lora

THANK YOU!!!!

To all my sisters out there who prayed for my dear friend during her storm I want to say thank you and PRAISE THE LORD!!!! He ANSWERS PRAYER!!!! God is so faithful and he hears every word you utter in prayer to Him and He definitely heard the one you prayed on her behalf. She is basking in the warm rays of His sunshine today and I am so happy for her. Just wanted ya'll to know!

Serving Him,

Lora

Are you numb?

Well, it is almost here!!! What's that you say? ....Well, the Ladies monthly Bible study is about to start back up. The frist Tuesday of every month starting in September. I am VERY excited! We always have a great time of discussion and fellowship and I expect nothing less this year...in fact I expect more. I just feel like last years study by Nancy Leigh DeMoss "Experiencing The Joys of Personal Revival" was what some of us really needed to reignite us and our passion to serve the risen Savior but even more importantly to cultivate the rich soils of our souls in fellowship with Him.

This year the Lord has directed my heart towards a study by Max Lucado. That's right...my favorite christian author...wooooohoooooo!!! lol...can't help but shout that little bit of joy out! It is called "Experiencing the Words of Jesus, Hearing His voice and Trusting His Words", and it is going to be fantastic!

There is a quote from the book that has really struck me and I continue to chew on it. It refers to numbness. Allow me to share a few thoughts about being numb with you. Numbness is something I dare say we all have experienced. The older I get the more I realize that my legs go numb very quickly if I sit on them and I have a bad habit of putting one leg under me when I sit down. Just a little over a month ago on July 4th, Ben was playing around and sitting in my lap outside on the front porch and when he got up I did not think I could stand. I'm not kidding ladies, there was NO feeling what so ever in my legs and when the feeling came back I was almost wishing it hadn't! It was so painful I thought I was going to be sick! lol! Have any of you ever slept on your arms during the night and wake up with two useless limbs? lol...to funny. Or you ladies that have had epidurals....now that is some good numbing medicine! After I had Hannah I had a tubal and they increased the epidural to go up the bottom of my rib cage. When they brought me to my room and were trying to get me from one bed to the other they kinda let my legs get away from them and all I could do was watch and think...."wow, those don't even seem like my legs...I can't feel them!" Luckily Doug grabbed them and didn't let me hit the floor...as usual..he came to the rescue. :) We've all had dental work probably which has required some numbing meds too. For all medical purposes the numbing is to get rid of pain. Sometimes in life we go numb for the same reason. Broken dreams, dashed hopes, broken hearts. We build walls and go numb. Sometimes life is so busy that we become numb to the real things that matter. We have selective hearing and selective feeling. I know one time I was walking down the beach when Hope was just about 4 and Danita and I were talking and Hope was behind us saying "mom......mom.......mom........mom.......mom........mom" and Danita finally said "WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT CHILD!!"....Oh, I knew I heard her soft sweet little voice that never gets hardly above a whisper but that "selective" hearing was working and I was simply numb to my worn out name. Unfortunately, I think we do the same to God. Our dear Savior whispers our name, gently taps on our heart and we are to numb to feel it. The busy life we have, the schedules that are so packed, the constant noise of our lives makes our hearing weak, and the disappointments of life make our walls go up and our emotions numb. But here is the passage from Max's book that started all this thinking of mine...I hope it causes you to do a self check on your hearing and feelings yourself.

"Let me state something important. There is never a time during which Jesus is not speaking. Never. there is never a place in which Jesus is not present. Never. There is never a room so dark....a lounge so sensual....an office so sophisticated....that the ever-present, ever-pursuing, relentlessly tender Friend is not there, tapping gently on the doors of our hearts - waiting to be invited in.

Few hear his voice. Fewer still open the door.

But NEVER interpret our numbness for his absence. For amidst the fleeting promises of pleasure is the timeless promise of his presence."

Hebrews 13:5..."I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

Revelation 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him , and will sup with him, and he with me."

What about it ladies, are you numb?

Prayer Request...

Would you please pray for a dear friend of mine...she is in the midst of a storm that is fierce and dark and the winds are strong and powerful and she needs some good godly sisters to lift her up. God knows who and the details...all we need to know is that she needs us to pray. Pray specifically for wisdom, strength, encouragement and grace. My heart is grieved for her, I hurt because she hurts.

Thanks ladies!

Serving Him,

Lora

Long time....no post...

I haven't made the time to post an entry on here in a while. God has been so good to me and I'm ashamed I haven't made time to share with you His goodness or to Praise Him by way of this blog. I have still been serving and making my way along this pilgrimage I'm on. The sun has risen every morning and the moon every evening. My kids are still healthy and happy and I'm still married to the best man in the world! Doug and I are still employed despite so many good people have lost their jobs in the struggling economy. I still have a young man in my life that is going to be my son-in-love one day and already is in my heart the son I never had. I still have a wonderful church family and the BEST pastor and pastor's wife EVER!! So you see... I have MUCH to praise Him for....but the best thing I've saved for last!!!! I still serve a RISEN Savior. I still serve a Lord who knows every emotion I feel, sees every struggle and knows every desire of my heart. I still serve a God who has VICTORY over sin and satan and hold the universe in the palm of his hand. I still believe in heaven and that He has prepared a place just for me that is already mine...just as if I were already there. He still provides every need and most of my wants. He still does what is best for me even though at times I don't see how the pieces will fit together. He knows every tear that I've ever cried and why I shed them. He still speaks to me in that still small voice when I am still long enough to listen. I'm still his child and He is still my dad. Now that is cause for PRAISE!!

You know what...I bet you could say much of the same if you just thought about it. So do just that....sit down...think about it....list it on paper or in a journal...God is good, all the time....All the time, God is good.

Catching A Glimpse

The older I get the more I think about heaven and what it will be like. The things I wonder about don't have a thing to do with streets of gold, or how my mansion will look, or gates of pearl; it is more like, will we get to fellowship with the saints we've read about all these years. Will we have the opportunity to just sit and talk with Jesus. Will we have "alone" time with Him. Will we get to have supper and talk and laugh with all our loved ones that have gone on before us. Will it be awkward conversation or will it be as though we've never been apart.

Well, recently I had the opportunity to go back to Georgia and visit my best friend and her family. Knowing ahead of time we were going I put a notice out on Facebook to the class of 87' members that I am in contact with and asked if they perhaps could meet for breakfast. To my delight there were 6 of us who could go. Danita and I got up on Saturday morning and began to get ready, and I've got to admit I was excited. I haven't seen these girls in 22 years! I had seen their photos on Facebook but seeing them in person is different. I couldn't help but think of how much has happened to all of us in our lives in the past 22 years. I mean, things have definitely changed since high school. We have husbands, children, careers, we live in different towns and I'm even in a different state. I think I was just a little anxious about how the breakfast would go.

Danita and I got there first and were standing outside on the sidewalk waiting for them to arrive. We had stood there only a couple of minutes when around the corner came the four of them together. As their eyes saw us and we saw them immediately there were shouts of "Hey girls!"...."Hey ya'll!"....and as soon as arms could touch...we were all hugging. Let me tell ya...it was not awkward at all, but it was sheer joy for me.

As breakfast continued and we talked and laughed and reminisced it was such a joy! And the greatest joy was that ALL of us were children of God...redeemed! We talked about how good God is and how blessed we are and how he gives strength in time of need. It was just wonderful.....or as some people say....it was "heavenly"....that is when it hit me....not only did I get the chance to see them & enjoy their company now...but one day....we will have eternity to laugh and talk and enjoy one another. And let me tell ya....just like there was not an awkward moment in that entire morning....I don't think there will be one in heaven either. I can't wait to join my sisters singing "Holy, Holy, Holy"....what a glorious thought!

Just another reason I'm glad I'm a child of the King!

What if......????

Hey ladies! I have a question for you, what if you were filled everyday with the Holy Spirit and everyday yielded to him? Do you think this world would possibly see "Christians" as having a relationship instead of just religion?

I am amazed at how offended the world is by just our presence. It all started when I participated last year in the chain of life. It is a silent demonstration against abortion. You simply stand on the side of the road and hold signs like "God loves you" or "You have options" or some scripture verse. As I stood there in silence holding my sign I was shocked at all the people who yelled profanities out of their cars as they passed. Others used obscene hand gestures and some honked in anger and screamed out their opinion on the matter. Over the past few months I've seen more of that "anger" that people have toward christians. And here's what I think. I don't blame them. How could we? We have churches who argue over petty issues like what color the carpet will be or people get mad and leave a church because they weren't asked to sing enough or acknowledged enough. We have those who will not so much as speak to each other in the church because they are wearing their feelings on their sleeve and so consumed with "self" that they have forgotten why they go to church in the first place. And ladies, the world is watching us and they have a right to be synical to our so called "Christianity".

When did we get so off course? When did we stop loving each other and those outside the church. Why are we not living holy lives and why are we not showing them our relationship with Christ and letting them see how He has changed us? We became carnal because we are not being controlled by the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess but be ye filled with the Spirit." Just as alcohol alters the actions and control that we have over our bodies, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit he will alter and control our actions. He will live the life through us that we could NEVER live on our own. Flesh can not reform flesh.

God help us to love those who are unloveable and to pray for those who do not know Him. Help us to get busy for you, to let go of all the petty things in this life that hold no eternal value and purpose in our hearts to win souls for Him. Help us sew, water and pray for God to give the increase. My hearts desire is to stand before Him and hear "well done"....ladies, I just want to make Him smile, don't you?

Surprise!

Hey Everyone! I just wanted to share this very special video with all of you. I have already posted about how wonderful my b-day was and then on Friday night (2 days after my b-day) I got probably the biggest surprise of my life!

I started my day on Friday with a day of vacation. I had breakfast with my kids,(Hope, Hannah and Ben) and my two buddies Renea and Mary. It was awesome! What a way to start the day with sweet fellowship and good food. Then after I took Hannah to school I headed to my appointment for a one hour massage. Oh my goodness...that girl can work wonders on a body! lol! It was so relaxing and made me feel rejuvenated and ready to shop! lol! I then left and came home re-washed my hair, touched up my make-up and went and had my toe nails painted. Then off to Greensboro to shop with my gift cards. I got a new dress, shoes, work out clothes and even stopped in Cold Stone for a strawberry shortcake Serenade!! WOW...what a day! I went by to show Renea my dress and then headed home. Doug took me to Monterey's for Supper and then we went to watch Hannah play ball. I have NEVER been on a ball field when the wind was blowing any harder or having any stronger gusts of wind. It was AWFUL! I was soooooo cold. It was the 1st game in all her years of playing that I watched part of the game from the car because I just could not stand the conditions. I couldn't wait to get home and get warm!

We pulled into the garage and I was the first one to the door leading into the kitchen. I opened it to the light being flipped on and people shouting Happy Birthday and SURPRISE!!! Well, that in itself was so sweet and touching but WAIT...it gets better....much better. You see my childhood best friend lives in Georgia, Danita, and I have not seen her for about 9 months! (That's to long by the way!) My 2 sweet precious friends, Renea and Mary along with my husband Doug had been planning this party and my special surprise for a month. Within a couple of minutes of me arriving at my party the phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and recognized Danita's number. I said (as you can hear in the video) "She'll talk forever" and wasn't going to be rude and make my party givers wait but they said "Oh she knows and just wants to be a part of the party" so I answered. We talk for a few minutes and then she asks me to hang on....I do....meanwhile she is coming from my bedroom closet down the hall to appear from behind me and touch me on the elbow. My reaction is delayed because I really couldn't process that she was really here. I was in TOTAL shock!!!! But once it clicked the rejoicing began!

The video captures it as best it can but only the Lord knows how full my heart was of joy. Pure joy! Our hearts are so tightly knit together and I miss her so much that her visit for my 40th b-day was definitely the missing puzzle piece that made it perfect. To think of her sacrifice to drive almost 450 miles on Friday to see me for one full day and then turn around and drive it by herself back to Ga is so precious and I feel so honored. Not everyone can say that they have friends like my sweet Danita, Renea and Mary but how blessed I am to say that I do have them in my life! Those two girls were as happy for me and Danita as we were to see each other. They love me like Christ wants us to love each other...preferring one another and to be self-sacrificing. Thank you girls.....thank you soooooooo much! I pray I can be a blessing to you all as you have been to me.

Enjoy the video.....some have said it could win me $10,000. I'm just glad at 40 I can jump like that! lol!

How blessed I am!

Today is my b-day, and by this world's standards a pretty significant one. I am 40 years old today. There is a lot of hype about this birthday. I've heard people say that they are depressed on this birthday but I am totally the opposite! You see I have the BEST girlfriends and family in the world and they made my 40th b-day a hoot!

My best friend in GA started celebrating my birthday 40 days ago! She has sent me a card for the past 40 days with sweet messages, funny lines, and pictures from the past that have been such a joy to receive! These days the mailbox only holds junk mail or bills both of which are not very much fun so receive an actual greeting card for 40 consecutive days was a treat! Then yesterday she sang Happy Birthday Eve to me...lol and 15 hours out she started sending me a text every hour on the hour telling me how quickly my new age and entering a new decade was coming! lol!

My two best friends in NC snuck into my yard and placed black "Over the Hill" signs for all to see today. Wasn't that a blessing? lol

Mary came this morning a little after 7 and brought me a gift and card and delivered her very own b-day hug! How sweet!

Doug woke me up by singing to me and had my towel laid out with the sweetest b-day message ever and had my coffee ready for me in the kitchen....he is such a keeper! Both the girls had made special cards/letters for me. Hope cleaned my bathroom from top to bottom while I was at work....such a GREAT gift!

A sweet sister from church called this morning and sang to me and sent her greetings of love.

The girls at work gave me a gift card and made me a cake and one of my customers brought me a balloon and a card.

My future son-in-love Ben called and wished me a happy birthday this morning...how sweet!

My dear friend Julie in TN texted me and wished me happy birthday. Lots of FB friends left their wishes. I got a text from my niece Audra and one from my 2nd daughter Kaylea (Danita's oldest) An customer from the bank I used to work at called and wished me well.

Tonight at church many had sweet things to say and my dear friends Kathy and Terry Miller gave me the most beautiful hanging basket. Renea brought me a cupcake from "Delicious"...yummy!!! and a gift card to Dress Barn.

Whew! I'm sure I've missed someone but you get the jest of just how blessed my day has been. I may be a year older, I may be in a new decade, and I may even be "old" to some, but I am also loved and for me that is the most precious thing we can experience in this world. It was like a gift to me from the Father. For years satan told me no one loved me, I wasn't "worth" loving but I know better. God created me and has loved me always! And what a "handful of purpose" it is to know that I have so many people in my life that love me too.

Thank you Father God for this b-day and for all my friends and for the joy and love I've felt today.

Thank you friends for all your special touches on my b-day and on my life.

I love you all!!!

More from Jennifer Rothschild....

Girls, let me just tell ya....if you have never read Jennifer Rothschild's books or heard her speak....you are missing out!!! She is awesome! Our Sunday School class is just finishing up her book "Walking By Faith...Lessons I Learned in the Dark" and it has been a tremendous blessing!!! Here are a couple of quotes from this last week.

Concerning perspective....If you're perspective is right the following is true...

Waiting on God is something that will NEVER deplete you.....It will only streghten you!

Perspective being the key and here's the verse she referenced. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart." (amplified version)

Don't delight in "what" God can do but in "who" God is! That's the key. That way the waiting won't be about him doing what you want...it will be about loving Him, and trusting Him.

Another story she told as a great illustration was the while doing a family ancestory chart her mom found out that many, many years ago some of there family had been purposely buried facing the East because they wanted their resurrected body to be facing the Lord when he returned. What a great thought in death but she said what a better way to live!! We should LIVE FACING EAST!!! Be prepared sisters! Live our lives looking expectantly for His return! Another phrase she used was "Follow God with Tenacity." That is something I think just sounds fun! I've been called tenacious so the thought of following my Jesus that way is so enticing to me...what about you?

Well, that is all for tonight....it is bedtime and this clay needs the rest. I hope you are encouraged by Jennifer's words.

I love you all!

Lora

Knowing it is coming....

It is 6:16a.m. on Friday morning and I must share that I am excited! Friday's are WONDERFUL days!!! For me, it means I have made it through another work week and a weekend is on the way. (so sorry for those of you who have to work weekends...I've been there too) I am tired physically and ready for some rest. Softball season has started and that means games at least twice a week until late and the away games this week have been almost 40 minutes away, and then church on Wednesday and it just seems like we run, run, run!! But this morning as I got up I had a smile on my face just knowing that in 9 hours...my weekend will begin. I stumbled into the kitchen and fixed my cup of coffee and with my first sip I just savored it and smiled thinking how grateful I am for that starter cup of coffee. I then checked my scripture of the day which was ... The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, [saying], Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31:3)and I felt so warm inside...not from the coffee but from the truth that God has ALWAYS loved me and ALWAYS will. I then checked my facebook account to which I had a friend request from someone I haven't seen in over 20 years....how cool! This Friday is looking good and I'm just giddy knowing the weekend with my precious family is just ahead!

You know girls, one day we'll get up not knowing that it will be our last "work" day here on earth. The rapture could happen at anytime and we ought to be looking for it just like I look for Friday's. The fact should excite us and make us giddy inside! We could be spending ETERNITY with our family, friends and most of all our precious Jesus within a twinkling of an eye. Wow!! Now that is something to be excited about!

Let's keep looking and let's serve him until the last hour!

Sunday a day of rest???

I don't think so! lol! If you attend and serve in a local thriving church then Sundays are NOT a day of rest. But they are like a shot in the arm of spiritual help. I am always so physically fatigued on Sunday evenings but so spiritually recharged!! I have so much I want to share with others, like my sisters in Christ and so much I've learned, been blessed by and just down right enjoyed throughout my Sunday that I can't hardly contain it! Sunday's are a day to worship (our message tonight was on this very subject) a day to express as a body of believers how much we love our Jesus....Our King....Our Redeemer! For me, it helps charge me so I am ready to face the world (and satan) on Monday, because lets face it girls, he's ready and waiting. It may be through a co-worker he rears his ugly head, or car problems, a sick child, an alarm clock that doesn't go off at the right time, an unexpected expense and no funds to cover it, etc. We know how Mondays and the "real" world can be, but I also know I have a firm foundation upon which I stand and that nothing can happen that doesn't filter through his loving hands long before it reaches me. I also know that even though it may not be well with my circumstances....it can be well with my soul and most of all I know that He told me to take heart....He has overcome the world.

It is 9:30 and I'm ready for bed....my body needs some rest but as David said in Psalm 23....."My cup runneth over".....I can't wait for next Sunday!

Have you ever wondered......

Doug and I attended our annual Valentine Banquet at church this past Saturday night and it was a real treat! The speaker was great, the food scrumptious and the games hilarious! The colors were chocolate brown and pretty pink and it was just beautiful! Each place setting had a dainty pink paper doily and candles, flowers, of course the plates, flatware, etc. It also had a very classy program and a piece of paper and pencil. This was the part that intrigued me.

I looked at that paper and thought maybe they were going to ask us to write down something sweet about our mate or something that we loved about Valentine's Day. It was for questions but different from what I had imagined. They asked what was our favorite thing to do in the whole world. What famous person would we like to meet. And then this question...."If you could ask God anything, what would it be?"......Wow...I guess because I am me, I thought about this one to deeply or took it to heart more seriously than some. That's just my personality. Someone said "Why did he invent mosquitos."....and other questions that were "lighter" in spirit than the thought that kept my minds attention. All I could think of was asking the question "Did I make you smile?" I fear the Lord, I know he is Holy and Omnipotent and Omnipresent, but he is also my Father....my Dad and more than anything I want to make him smile. I want him to be proud of me. My earthly dad never spoke those words to me. He spoke to others about me and they told me at his funeral how "proud" of me he was but he never told me. Over the years those words I heard at the funeral home from others has really helped me to know within myself that Daddy was indeed proud of me and that he loved me. My earthly dad did so much for me. He provided a good home, a good work ethic, a nest egg for my future with Doug that helped us get our first home and I appreciate it all so much! But my heavenly Father gave me LIFE! He forgave me, He took the payment for MY sin.....He loves me unconditionally and He will NEVER leave me. He is always there to listen and always there to lead. He has prepared a home for me to live with Him for all eternity. With all that He has done I can't hardly stand the thought that at times in my life I know I've brought him shame, but I have. At times, I've not talked with him and had fellowship with him...but there have been those times. So now in my life I am to the point that the only question that will really matter is "Lord, did I make you smile?" I pray I live a life that would enable Him to say "Yes child."

Lessons I learned in the Dark

We have started a new series in Sunday School and it is by Jennifer Rothschild. She became blind at 15 years of age and has several books out, but the one we are studying is called "Walking by Faith...Lessons I learned in the Dark" It has been soooo good!!! I encourage all of you to get it that have not read it. I have heard her speak at the Women of Faith conferences and she is a wonderful speaker and sings like an angel!

Here are some of the quotes she has given:

"Many of us STAND in faith but how many of us actually WALK by it?"

"It can be well with your soul even when it is not well with your circumstances"

"Being governed by your circumstances is walking by sight"

"When we allow ourselves to be dominated by fear, there is no room for faith"

There are so many more but those are enough to "chew" on for a while if you know what I mean. The truth and insight are great in each statement. As you read them ask yourself how they apply to you.

Jennifer has lived through many trials that most of us will never experience and yet she has such a love and passion for Christ that it is contagious! I leave SS each week feeling rejuvenated!

Father God, help me walk by faith and rest securely in your grace, knowing it is sufficient! Amen.

Seeing it all anew....

Hey girls! I've been studying Luke 5 and I'm finding myself seeing this passage in a whole new light. I wonder what you think? I've always heard this story preached with Peter being this disobedient rebel that missed out because he didn't cast the "nets" but only the "net". I have also always believed that partial obedience is disobedience......I still do. If I tell my girls to clean their room and they do everything but make the bed...they still did not obey because making that bed is part of cleaning the room and they know that. But with that thought in mind let's look at the story of Peter, Jesus, and a fishing boat in Luke 5.

First of all let's think about what details we are provided. In verse 1 we know that Jesus had drawn quite the crowd to Lake Gannesaret (which is the sea of Galilee) and he must have felt a little crowded or overwhelmed because he asked the fisherman that had their boats drawn to land if he could get in one of them and push out a little so that the people could hear him better. Peter was the ship owner in this case and he granted the request of Jesus. V2 tells us that Peter was washing his net. He was finished with the fishing thing for the day. V5 tells us that he had fished all night and caught nothing. I don't know about you but staying up all night alone is exhausting and puts your body out of whack so to speak and then to be up all night and not catch anything? Are you kidding? How frustrating! I wouldn't have been in the best of moods. That was Peter's livelihood. That was his profession....if he knew how to do anything, he knew how to fish.

Simon Peter must have had a soft heart and recognized that there was something special about the teachings of this man called Jesus. Why would he have granted him the wish of using his boat...I'm sure Peter just wanted to go home and go to bed. But there's no record of even a complaint. He just did what Jesus asked.

In v4 Jesus makes his second request. "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught." What?....Fish some more???? Really Lord, that is pointless. We've fished all night....haven't caught one thing! We JUST got the nets washed....that in itself is a lot of work...we are tired....we are frustrated....we have no fish which means no money.....(don't you think you would have had these thoughts?) Here's what the Word records for us v5 "Simon answering said unto him, Master we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." This is where I've heard preachers really give Peter a hard time, because he only let down a "net", singular instead of "nets", plural, like Jesus said. But girls, he did let one down!! Would you have done that? I don't know if I would or not. My flesh and the exhaustion I would have felt may have said, maybe next time Lord, Maybe tomorrow, there really isn't any use....etc.

Well, you read the rest of the story and you'll see that they took in so many fish that their net brake and then even their boats began to sink. Then in v8 we hear what Peter's reply was "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord." Now, I want you to think through this part too. Just think about what Peter had just witnessed. Like I said earlier, if there was one thing Peter knew it was fishing...he knew he had done his best and it yielded nothing! Now at the command of a man named Jesus they had enough fish to sink 2 boats! He witnessed a miracle unlike any he had ever seen. His feelings may have went from excitement to amazement and maybe even to fear...v9 says astonished and in the amplified it says "For he was gripped with bewildering amazement (allied to terror)" I would have been scared....or more like freaked out! What about you?

I think Peter really caught a glimpse of the holiness and power of Jesus and it opened his eyes to who he was in comparison and that yielded the phrase "I am a sinful man" We are all sinful compared to Jesus. That's why we need salvation.

Should Peter have cast both nets....I think so. But Jesus reply to him tells me that even though he didn't obey fully....his heart was not disobedient. God knew his faith was weak. Look at the response from the Lord in v10 "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." Jesus didn't rebuke Peter; He didn't lecture Him or tell him how horrible he was. He spoke the words that I think we all would want to hear if we were face to face with God "Fear not"....wow...what comfort. What peace that would have brought. And then on top of that he told Peter what his future had in store for him. He told him he would be catching souls! Read Acts chapter 2....boy did Peter catch some souls.....3000 of them!!! The Lord doesn't see you as what you are.....He sees you as what you can be in Him!

I love Max Lucado's words so much when he says "God loves you just the way you are but to much to leave you that way; He wants you to be just like Jesus." How true! How wonderful! God knows where you are, he knows how much faith you have and he sees your heart. He knows if you are sincere and even though you are, you may sometimes falter and even fail....but dear sister don't worry.....He's right there waiting to say...."Fear Not". There's comfort in those words!! Amen!

One more thought.....If Peter had not had his faith muscle worked out in this part of his life....do you think he would have been able to step out of the boat onto the water later on in life??? He may have started to sink but at least he stepped out of the boat..that was a HUGE leap in faith.

Meditate on it and let me know what you think.

I love you all! Keep on Keeping on!

Me and my honey

Another monumental moment....

Well, in less than an hour Hope will be 18. Wow! My oldest child will be the age I was when Doug and I got married!!! That is freaky! lol!

I find myself feeling incredibly thankful. Thankful for the young woman Hope is, and for how I see God at work in her life. Thankful that she is healthy and happy. Thankful that she is following the natural process of growing up. Thankful that I've been priviliged to be her mom for 18 years. I've had the opportunity to love her, nuture her, teach her, guide her and be not only her mom but her friend. I've been able to teach her about Jesus and his great love for her and for all of us. I had the extreme honor of explaining the plan of salvation to her and leading her to Christ. Wow...how exciting that was!! I'm thankful that Ben is in her life and that I'm allowed to see their love grow for one another and to see them begin to serve Christ together through Upward and teaching Junior church, through the Christmas Day hospital ministry, the Samaritan's purse, and many other things. My heart overflows with gratitude and love for Hope Lauren. She'll never know how proud I am of her and all her achievements and until she has a child of her own, she'll never understand how powerful a mother's love is. It runs deep and has a fire that burns within, it started for me when I found out I was pregnant and was confirmed when I held that 6lb 12oz bundle of pure joy in my arms.

I don't know what tomorrow holds but I do know who holds tomorrow and as long as He gives me breath to breathe I'll be trusting Him and thanking Him for my girls, their lives and my ability to participate in them.

Happy Birthday Hope.....I love you so much!.......Mom