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.