Whew....time flies when you're having fun.....

At least that's the story I'm going with! 

I can't believe another year has flown by.  I remember when I was little my parents talking about how time seemed to just fly by and I would think, "Are you kidding me?  This is the LONGEST school year ever!"  Lol....little did I know how right they were.  I watch my now 14 year old walk into the room and he's as tall as me (taller he would argue) and it seems like just last week I was rocking him in my arms.  CRAZY! 

Well, I've been on a bit of a wild ride since I last posted.  Nothing too major, but just life, but through it all the Lord has continued to sustain, to provide, to bless and to take me places I didn't expect to be.  Sometimes to places I didn't WANT to be but just like always, it's to place HE knows best!  Fortunately after (ahem) years of walking with the Lord I've finally gotten it thru this thick head of mine that His ways are NOT my ways....and it's a good thing they're not!!! 

We've started on a journey at church of reading chronologically thru the Bible in a year, as a body, so I hope to get back to blogging a bit more regularly....no promises for the 2 of you reading this...;-) but we shall see.  My prayer for this year is that the Lord will continue to stretch me, to KICK me out of comfort zone and to take me on the WILDEST ride of my life.....I've got my seat belt locked and Lord, I'M READY!!! 

Here we go........... 

God has brought me from a Mighty Long Way...

Boy will that title preach or what? Can't believe it's been a year since I've blogged, but in this instant world of Facebook, Twitter, and the like, blogging seems like a relic sometimes doesn't it? I started this process knowing only a few close friends - and hopefully one day my kids would be able to know my heart and I've fallen short on staying faithful to them this past year. For that I'm sorry. So much has gone on. Job change (or loss of said job), kids growing up, middle school started for my middle son, broken bones, broken relationships....broken.....so many changes....but like the lyrics of that Geron Davis song says "God has brought me from a mighty long way"!!! He's the ONE constant in my life, in this world!! For THAT, I am thankful.
So, today I'm coming off a whirlwind week. My boys went to Camp Paradise - first time for my middle child - and my baby girl went to hang out with Aunt Regina while I worked at the LifeWay You Lead conference and then had the honor of attending the Living Proof Live event with Beth Moore this weekend. Every time I've gone to one of her events the Lord has been faithful to give me a WORD and He did NOT disappoint again this weekend! Only this time, I got a BUNCH of them!! My intention is to try to blog about some of those this coming week and to continue to try to blog at least weekly. Again, knowing that only a few who care and hopefully one day my kids will likely be the only ones who read it. My hope is that someone will benefit from my words, not because they are MY words - as if I have anything to offer - but that the Word of the Lord will speak to them as He did to me! He is all I have to offer anyone! He is my life!!
So, this weekend one thing He clearly spoke to me about came from Deut 6:23. "But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers." The Lord brought me out....that He might bring me in....that was my Word from early Friday night! When I look back at what the Lord has brought me thru - make a timeline of my life -I can see His hand so clearly - so faithful. Sometimes He brought me out of BIG things, drugs, alcohol, etc...sometimes it was not so BIG things...but sin none the less. SIDENOTE: Isn't it just like our nature to "classify" sin as BIG sins and not so BIG sins. Sin is sin! Murder = gossip. Stealing = overeating. Rape = prayerlessness. He sees it as the same, only we put it in categories.
Ok, back on topic. God brought me out....to bring me in. He is constantly changing me. Constantly making me more like His Son. Constantly cleaning me up and cleaning me out so that He can use me. THAT's the bottom line! He'll continue this work til He takes me home and the older I'm getting the quicker this process is becoming. Not less painful, but thankfully I'm not quite as stubborn as I was...not quite...;-)
So I'll wrap this blog up with this line from Sheila West - speaker at You Lead. "God loves you too much to leave you where you are." Do it Lord.....

Wow......

I'm sure no one will even be reading this blog, but hopefully one day my kids will pop on here and be able to find comfort in knowing that their Momma loved Jesus, loved their Daddy and ADORED them! So, for that reason, I will try to get back to bloggy world.

Let's see if I can sum up the last 5 months in a just a few sentences. Still working part time, though my boss was gracious enough to let me work from home!! YAY GOD and thanks Roy! We have moved and I'll make the story of our move another blog entry....WAY too amazing not to share it. God was so faithful and he TOTALLY showed off with our new home!! We have a pool for crying out loud!!!!! Hubby got a new work van that we are allowed to use for our family - again God showing off! Kids have been doing GREAT - though they're kinda 'bored' since Momma has to work M - Th. We are blessed. I mean, I can't even begin to explain to you how blessed we are!!! God has been so faithful to me and to my family - despite our shortcomings and He has just blown me away this summer!!!

So, it's getting late on this pre-Lord's day evening and I will get back to blogging soon but for now all I can tell you is that God is good!!! He provides, He sustains, He blesses, He loves!!! If you don't believe that.....well you're just looking at the wrong thing!!! "Seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Mth 6:33 Jesus' words, NOT mine! Just sayin.......

OH NO HE DI'INT!!

It's been a while since I've taken the time to sit down and blog, but after my morning I knew I was gonna share this story! I'm going to warn you that if you think I've got it together you are going to be sadly disappointed in me, but if you're willing to hear this as one who messes up like the rest of us then read on....just tryin' to keep it real!
Alot has changed since I was last on here. We're fixing to move....still don't know where, but we are...and I started a part-time job. The Lord was faithful to provide it for me - though it wasn't something I really WANTED, it was something I really NEEDED to do during this time for my family! He was gracious enough to give me a Christian office and not just one of those feel good Christian offices, but I know the owner and he's a real, talk it and walk it Christian...fruit EVERYWHERE if you know what I mean. The in God's loving generosity to me He gave me a job that allows me to take my kids to school every day and pick them up - basically I work while they're in school. They're home...I'm home! God is good!
So back to this morning. My #2 child's grade level left today for their DC trip and we were just not in a financial place to let him go. When I woke him this am he went straight to the clock, looked at it and goes "Well mom, they're loading the bus for DC right now!" He was then very quiet on the way to school and asked if we could go visit my stepson this summer who lives very close to DC. By the time we got to school I was about to explode into tears, but I waited until he was out of the car.
As I drove home to get ready for work I proceeded to have myself quite the little hissy fit with God. I told Him how tired I was of this and of that, how I understood why people walk away from Him when it feels like He's not doing anything to help us. (AS IF!..ugh) Just sat in that car and pitched myself a good one. No response. No special little song on the radio to cheer me up. No Scripture brought to my mind to remind me who I am...who He is. NOTHING. Until....
I leave the house with #1 to take him to school (he goes later than #2 and #3). We're driving by this sweet little church with one of those electronic signs out front and they always have the best verses or sayings on there so I was sure to look as we drove by. What was there....."In your anger do not sin" Ps 4:4!!! OH YES IT WAS!!! I immediately start cracking up and apologizing to God for my behavior. Doesn't He just kill you?! Then I got to work and started making my calls and don't you know that for well over an hour EVERY call that placed me on hold either had Christian music playing or even a Pastor teaching!!!! I just sat there cracking up at how patient He is, how kind and loving He is, and yet how gentle - even in correction - He is!!!
Anyway, it ended up being a great day and when I picked up #2 today he goes "Mom I had a blast at school today and guess what....NO HOMEWORK this week!" So even if he's still a little sad about missing this trip, he's just as happy here with us AND he doesn't have to miss his guitar lesson! That's right, my little man is seeing that glass half full! Makes my heart skip a beat!

Alive and active indeed......

I love to study the Bible. I mean, to find the ins and outs of Scripture - there's nothing better. However, I did my first precept study last fall - and it wasn't even a REAL precept - it was BASED on precept. It was Kay Arthur's Covenant study and let me tell you that it CHANGED MY LIFE! Not Kay Arthur, not the study, but the Word of God changed me......AGAIN!!!

Here's a little background.....I had heard of Kay Arthur's precept studies and heard about the lists, and the coloring and the marking and I have to tell you just talking about it gave me a bit of a headache. I'm not really a detail kinda girl, more of a big picture person. So when I was asked to join the Covenant study by our women's director this people pleaser of course said yes - all the while kicking and screaming! Then the Lord started peeling back the veil - giving me glimpses of things I'd NEVER seen in His Word and when it came time to sign up for the full fledged Genesis precept, I was one of the first on the list!!!

So, 3 weeks ago I began this journey diving into Genesis and let me tell you friends - the pool is DEEP!! We have spent 3 weeks and haven't made it past Gen 2:4!!!!!!! Who knew?! (besides God of course) I have learned more about creation and the great lengths God went to to use His Word to prove His Word over and over then I have ever known. I have learned that I don't need ANYONE else to spoon feed me the Word. I have learned that even this ditsy blonde can GET IT!! God's Word has become alive and active to me like never before - and not just parts of it - ALL OF IT!!! The hard part now comes in making what's alive and active motivate me to clean up the junk in me that God can't use. That's where the work truly is. Not in the studying, but in the applying! I will tell you though, that I'm LOVING it! I mean, I can't say I won't ever do another kind of study cause you know I LOVE me some Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer and so many other anointed teachers, but I can say that I don't NEED them to teach me because "No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord', because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest." Heb 8:11

Wow.....

I can't even believe how long it's been since I've blogged. So long in fact, that no one will likely notice that I HAVE blogged! Lol That's ok really because this is mainly for my kids anyway!! ;-)

2010......WOW! Where in the world did 2009 go? I mean really! I can vividly remember my parents talking about how time seemed to fly the older they were getting and I would think "Are you kidding me? I'm never gonna turn _____(fill in the blank! lol)!" Now I know just how right they were...about many things!

So today I just wanted to post about my hopes for the new year. It's starting with mixed blessings for my family. We're moving....again. Long story. But I'm really anxious to see how the Lord is gonna make this happen, because it's gonna be NOTHING short of His hand doing it! We're also starting with some big changes with Jimmy's job. Changes that are for the good, both for the position he's in and financially. Also BIG changes at our church!!! A pastor that I never thought would return is in fact coming home...Rev. Clint Pressley! AMAZING how the Lord did that work! I can't wait for this adventure!!

Changes with One Voice. One of our sweet members has decided to pull out because of her commitments at home (which I FULLY understand) but I will still miss her presence! We're also facing some exciting months ahead with several opportunities that the Lord has presented us with. Keep us humble Lord!!

So, all in all 2010 is off to a bumpy but thrilling start. I'm kinda seeing it like a roller coaster. Right now we're on the climb up the tallest hill of the ride, but I can see the crest and I can't wait til I can let go with both hands, throw my arms in the air and scream (like a girl of course) as we race down the other side in complete joy!!! All things joy!!! NO FEAR, NO WORRIES, just reckless, abandoned JOY!!!! That's my motto for 2010 and I know the enemy hears that and he's already starting to plot against me, but to him I say "You are DEFEATED by the power of Jesus and I WILL WIN because I am HIS!!!"

Today in my God Calling it talked about the anticipatory love of God and it compared that love to a Mother's love as she prepares a gift for her child for a birthday or for Christmas. Where do we, as Mom's learn that kind of joy? From our Father, of course!! Listen to these words from the book..."The Anticipatory Love of God is a thing mortals seldom realize. Dwell on this thought. Dismiss from your minds the thought of a grudging God, who had to petitioned with sighs and tears and much speaking before reluctantly He loosed the desired treasures. Man's thoughts of Me need revolutionizing." That's what I'm gonna do this year...revolutionize how I see God...how BIG He really is....how He's anticipating the revelation of His plans for me!!! Does that blow your mind like it does mine? God - the Creator - the Sustainer of the Universe - the Redeemer of the lost - is finding joy in revealing His plans for my life - to me!!!!! Somebody wants to say "There ain't no high like the Most High!!!" lol

So thanks for listening to my ramblings and I pray that 2010 bring revolution to how you see God as well!!!!

Storms.....

I actually love storms...at least when I'm at home, when my man and my babies are all safely tucked in with me. I don't love the ones where we're glued to the skies because tornadoes have been seen or predicted - those I could do without - but a good rattling of the house and watching the yard light up at midnight from the lightning - love it! I think it's because when I was little my PawPaw used to sit me on his lap during the storms and tell me God was bowling. (yeah I know, not very theological, but it kept his little "brown eyed huzzy" - what he called me - from being scared) The thunder was him rolling the ball and the rain fell because He's so big and His bowling ball is so heavy the clouds couldn't hold the rain in. The lightning - you guessed it - a strike! LOL Funny thing is I've tried that with my kids and they just look at me and go "Yeah right Mom". Oh the power of the PawPaw!! LOL

So, I'm in a bit of a storm right now. Some people would look at my life, the pattern of the way things have happened in it, and think that I've always been attacked following a major spiritual event. They would be right. I went to hear our preacher's wife lead an amazing women's event - it was the final night in a series she'd been doing - and that night ended up in the hospital bleeding internally and losing a baby. I went to another women's event on a Saturday at our church and my Daddy went to be with Jesus on the following Tuesday. I had been on a retreat with my Sunday school class and my brother-in-law died the following week. So, after going to Deeper Still this weekend - well, I've learned to brace myself. Life did not disappoint. Fortunately it's not anything as tragic as a death or an illness, but it's a storm for my family. Long story short, our landlord has decided to sell his house and we've got to move. Right before school starts. Special. We've had this conversation with them before and they decided to wait but this time events in their life have lead them to this decision. I don't blame them.

When you read that last paragraph some people might say "Girl, I'd stop going to those things if I was you. Every time you do something bad happens." But I say "Look how faithful the Lord has been to fill me up so that when those storms have hit - I'm READY!" And He was faithful again. Last weekend Priscilla Shirer brought the thunder with her when she taught from Eph 3:20-21. Among the many nuggets God gave me thru her was this one: When you pray, be specific. Ask God specifically for things that you want. Ask Him to specifically meet this need or that one. But then say to Him "But God if you have something better in store for me....GIVE ME THAT!!!" So that's what I'm asking Him to do. I'm asking Him for something better! I have no idea what that something better will look like - and frankly I could care less - I just want HIS something better for my life! I want Him to go BEYOND the beyond that I could ask for or imagine! That's the truth of Eph 3:20-21. His Spirit is at work in me and that power, combined with my faith in Him, combined with the pattern of faithfulness I can see in my life bring me rest! As Jesus slept on a cushion in the boat during the squall on the sea in Mark 4, so I will crawl up in my Abba Daddy's lap and rest while this storm passes by. That doesn't mean I won't see the storm, hear it or even feel it's power trying to shake me, but I will rest. I'll rest because I know who holds tomorrow and He is Faithful!!