Recap

What a busy time of year! My last post was how God had used someone to encourage and lift me up, what I did not know is that maybe He was using me at the same time. That special person was released from her position that very same day. Maybe God planted ME in her path as we encouraged each other!
You never know the big picture, but you just need to be in His picture frame.

OK for a quick recap on the family.

Ted's finger has healed amazingly well, and the doctor was very pleased with how the third degree burn that left absolutely no skin has healed without skin grafts and minimal scarring. He has not lost any use of his finger and it no longer hurts. Within a few months it may even look like it never happened! What an amazing Great Physician we serve. His recent doctor's appointment was wonderful. He has brought his diabetes into remission and needs to keep on that same path now the rest of his life. He has not been taken off his medicine yet, but will get evaluated in 4 months to see if his levels are still normal. Ted's job keeps him soo busy, pray for him as he travels, and even if it be the Lord's will, he could get another job that might not be so time consuming.

My job is challenging as I have stated many times, I do hope as I work there longer that it will get easier to mentally handle. Honestly, I do not want to work, and I can't see myself spending the majority of my life working at a job that has no meaning for me. I do my best at the job and pray for strength all the time. If God needs me there to help others then it will have meaning.

James seems to like his job for the most part although it amazes him at the types of people he encounters on a daily basis. He is looking forward to leaving for the army in 8 weeks. Pray for him.

Justin is so tired of his job and wants to quit, he is weary of the 3rd shift and it won't be long before he puts in his notice. He leaves in 6 weeks for the army. Pray for him, I still am amazed that they cleared him medically. Pray that he will gain strength and endurance.

Pray for both my boys to be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might.

Alot of Christmas celebrations beginning to happen, and as our Pastor preached tonight... I don't want to lose Jesus in the midst of this celebration.


After Christmas, we will start packing up the boys lives as they knew it. Sorting through whatever treasures they want to keep and what they want to get rid of. This will be a bittersweet time. I hope to inject encouragement and support into this next stage of their lives that will remind them that this is how life is to be lived. They are now men who need to find the Lord's will and do it on their own. Mom and Dad will always be here in their hearts and memories, but it's time for them to walk their own path.

I will probably turn Justin's room into a workout room, so that I can start getting healthy as well. For the past seven months I have suffered daily headaches and frequent migraines. This is a chronic condition, and I was in despair that I would have to take medicine every day of my life. Just in the past week I have not had to take it every day and my headaches seem to be lessening in frequency and intensity. What a relief!

My hopes are that if I can lose my extra weight that my body will regulate it's levels and I can live a healthier less painful life.

Tomorrow marks the 4th year since Momma went to Heaven. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her. It's not as painful, but it's no less of a loss. We all miss her more then words can say, but now we are just that much closer to seeing her sweet face again. Jesus is coming soon, and I can't wait to see Him.

I will save you a seat at the marriage supper of the Lamb.... will you come?

In the middle of my path

Last week was very stressful and by Friday I was barely hanging onto my last nerve. I cried out to God, but part of me was so despondent that I did not know if and when He would answer. About 10am on Friday, I escaped to another part of the complex where I work and God literally planted a person in my path that reached out to me and encouraged me. We discussed spiritual matters and hugged each other, and after that Planned and Purposed encounter God bolstered my spirits and gave me the strength I needed to get through the day, take a meal to Ma who was recovering from back surgery, and helped me plan a lesson for the Super Teen Class the next day.
Does God hear you when you pray? YES!! and although sometimes He waits to give you an answer, He always answers you just when YOU need it.

Although this journey takes me along a rocky path and often there seems to be roadblocks and stumbling blocks in my way, He also plants people in my path to help me just when I need that help or assistance.
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow.
Strength for today is mine all the way,
And all that I need for tomorrow,
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness,

All I have to do is follow....

Life as We Know It

Many of you probably know that I am old fashioned for the most part, sentimental, nostalgic, and romantic. This year has been a journey of learning to adjust to new things and being ever flexible. From working part time to now having a full time career, and my two boys turning into soldiers bound for the unknown. The only constant has been church and family. I do miss the days of having more time with the family, and even more free time to just gallivant around town, or slipping out of town with my Man. As the time nears for the boys to leave for Basic Training, we are trying to treasure the little moments. We had hoped that this would be a Thanksgiving spent together, but the boys will have to work different schedules.... so Christmas has become even more special. Our little family is working to make this a Christmas to remember. I want them to have memories to take with them, that will last them when they want to give up.
Will I miss them? Of course!!! I will miss their conversations, their presence, and especially their strength for the heavy lifting. Our lives as we know it will change drastically. There are many things I won't be able to do without them. I am already going to have to adjust our living space and accouterments so that I can take care of things without any help.

Next year, if the Lord should tarry, will unfold even more changes. Life as We Know It always changes, each day is different, and we are NOT promised tomorrow. So, although I miss how life USED to be, I want to make the most of what LIFE will BE for as long as I am here.

BTW Happy Birthday to Cheyenne. Oh, and Rachel.. I see you when I look in the mirror.... it keeps you in my mind's eye :) Love you Sis!


Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Bucket List

Ever have a day that you suddenly got to do something you never thought you would get to do?

Ted's brother Tim called last night to see if Ted and the guys wanted to go see a football game that he had tickets to in Wake Forest. I piped up and said.. "I want to go!"

It turns out that only Ted and I were able to go with Tim today. I have not been to a football game in real life since my Dad took me to see the Big Red play at Cornell when I was probably in junior high. I am not an avid sports fan because I prefer to see the game played in real life and not on tv at the mercy of the cameraman. I was a ready fan of the Dallas Cowboys back when they had the praying coach(Tom Landry) and of course the Dream Team and the Chicago Bulls. After those classic years I just lost interest. Ted has never been huge on sports until lately so the football game is seen more often on our tv then it used to.

The actual chance to go to a game with free tickets and spend a day completely away with Ted and totally out of the normal was a chance I did not want to pass up! Now, this will sound like bragging, but really it's a blessing.... My sister in law works at a bank and the president of the bank had these "extra" tickets he wasn't going to use. He asked Tim if they wanted them. Now these tickets were NOT just your average bleacher seats like I had expected. Oh No, these were Club seats!! as in nice comfortable cushioned seats with cup holders up near the Box seats!!! I found out later that they cost $300 per ticket!!!!! That's right we got free tickets to exclusive seating at a real live football game!

Now, it was the Wake Forest Demon Deacons(anyone with that name is not on my cheering roster) and the Florida State Seminoles(a team that I had cheered on a year ago for some unknown reason). I was sitting in Wake Forest Club seats cheering on the opposing team! Needless to say the deacons were trounced, and we ended up leaving about 5 minutes before the last buzzer. I had wanted to see the whole thing, but Tim and Ted were not happy with Wake Forest only have 3 pts in the entire game. They were trying to be loyal to our state team.

We drove back to Tim and Jen's and decided to go out to eat. The town they live in is growing rapidly but the restaurant selection is still limited. They mentioned a restaurant that Ted used to tell me he wanted to take me to someday(20 years ago when we lived in that town and James was a baby!). I have always wanted to see what it was like since Ted wanted to take me there. I had to wait 2 decades, but we went tonight! The food was very good, and the time spent with family was incomparable!

So IF I had a bucket list, I could definitely cross off two things that might have appeared on that list.
A real live football game watching my team win while sitting in expensive comfortable seats, and then going to a restaurant that I have always wanted to eat at.....
Definitely a Saturday to remember!

Salute! Pledge!

That's right, It just seemed appropriate to title this post with the well known phrase that may have come to mind from my last post. Why? Well James officially enlisted in the Army this week. Yes, that's right, both of my young men are now officially US government property. James teared up while taking the oath, because he struggles with the political view that is prevalent right now. When he took that pledge, he was only thinking of the negative. I pray that God will remind him that darkness is only for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Just an update on what else is going on in our lives.

Ted was able to reopen his Shelby store and it's doing very well. Now they are renovating another one of his stores, and he is helping another district with their renovation projects as well.

I am still learning much about my job and ask that you pray I keep it all straight. Next week, I will be in charge of a wedding reception, help Ted cater a birthday party for my niece, finish organizing the menu for our huge family Thanksgiving dinner, and get ready to travel to Virginia for a weekend.
What does all that mean? That means TOMORROW I just want to SLEEP :)

ATTENSHUN!!!

Ladies and Gentleman, I am proud and pleased to announce that Justin Andrew Corriveau is officially a Private in the United States Army. We went to his enlistment ceremony yesterday and he will start Physical Training tomorrow. February 4th he will leave for 10 weeks of basic training in Ft. Benning, GA. His advanced training will be at Ft. Gordon in southern Georgia. He has enlisted for a 5 year contract. I would tell you what he is going to do but that is top secret(think about it).

James finally qualified to enlist and he will go next Tuesday for his medical testing and enlistment ceremony. If he is found qualified, he will go to Ft. Jackson, SC, near Columbia, SC, the end of February for 9 weeks of basic training. His advanced training will be at Ft. Lee, Virginia, below Richmond. His contract is for 3 years as a track vehicle repairer(fixing tanks, etc.)

Please pray for both of my boys as they strive to do God's Will for their lives.

Ted's finger has healed amazingly well and is closed over completely. He has not lost any movement and the scar tissue is minimal. He says it gets a little stiff once in awhile. Thank you to all who prayed for his healing.
My job is going extremely well and God is giving me wisdom and grace every day.

Foggy Cocoon

Morning, Folks,
I haven't really had a moment to sit down at this computer for any leisure surfing. The last two weeks have been full of training and beginning to take on the responsibilities of my new position. When I get home from work, it's time for supper and a bit of time with the family and off to bed early.

Today looks like the perfect day to snuggle down and catnap with the foggy cocoon surrounding the house. Alas, that will not be the case. This morning is our Fall Festival for our bus ministry, Ted is hoping to re-open the Shelby restaurant this afternoon after a very long renovation. James has to bury his beloved cat Socks who like so many of us think we are untouchable by danger and death. I dreamed last night that Socks was still alive and was only playing possum on the side of the road. I woke up this morning realizing that dreams aren't always a reality.

Now of course since the boys are actively pursuing enlisting in the army, I see all the horrible stories of how they are Anti-Christian, etc. Part of me wants to shelter the boys and tell them it's a dangerous place to be, but this whole world should not be our cozy cocoon! We are at war with Satan, sin, and evil... or we should be.
I call the boys-infiltrators... they will join the Army IF it lets them and they can be used by God.. if they let HIM.

So in spite of the extreme desire to sit and vegetate and rest all day as my mind and body craves, off I go and pray that God will bring another soul or more to Himself today.

Just Right

Happy Saturday Evening, Y'all,

I sound happy, don't I? Well, let me share with you why I am so cheerful on this busy Saturday in the midst of my training. I had a fairly busy week learning the first aspect of my field. I did alot of praying every day and made sure to give God the glory and honor whenever I was discussing anything with anyone literally. I yearn to be such a shining light for Him in the few days we have left on earth.

Friday was full of meetings and I started to feel overwhelmed at the magnitude of responsibilities and expectations put upon me from now until whenever. I am so glad that God will be the One in control. I keep reminding myself that God put me in this position and He will be the One Who will give me wisdom and guidance and help as I do my best to live up to everyone's expectations and hopes to further the company.

I admit I was a bit concerned that I would be so overwhelmed by all the overload of information that I would not be able to concentrate on the Super Teen Class today at church. Then I had 2 of my assistants call out and then I heard the fair was in town, and I started wondering whether the devil was going to win today. Let me just stop right here and Praise God for hearing my prayer and concern. He stepped into that classroom and convicted two young ladies of their need for a Savior! Today there are two new babes in Christ!!!! THIS is what makes me so happy!!! Praise our Precious Lord and Savior for stepping into a small classroom and showing two young ladies just how much He loves them.


After bus ministry was over, I felt compelled to stay and help our church secretary and my previous manager set up for our church's homecoming dinner tomorrow. God was once again showing me that He can help me have the strength and energy to serve Him not just at work, but to me where it's most needed, at church and in the community. I came home to become Super Wife and planned tomorrow's meal, cleaned up a bit, planned tonight's supper, and made lunch and a future snack option.
Right now our lovely dinner of chicken, sweet potatos, and peas is nearly ready.
The rest of the night we are gonna have some family time before Justin heads off to work.

Oh for the update on the guys:
Ted's finger is healing keep praying for that
James is liking his new job at the same location I work
Justin is still wishing for a job that isn't 3rd shift

Both boys have turned in their paperwork for the military, but due to the shut down we aren't sure when they will hear back for their next step. Pray for both of them to do God's will.

Once again, I just want to thank the Lord for helping me to juggle it all, but most of all like Trisha said... let Him do the driving and get out of the way!

Update...

Since my post just 2 days ago, the VP changed his mind and I start this MONDAY!!! James passed his military test and both boys plan on enlisting Monday. Their bootcamp starts after New Years! Ted is now thinking of cancelling his surgery and seeing if it will continue healing on it's own..... I have a possible busy schedule today, BUT I think I will take time to finish my new book! I already listened to a whole cd of southern gospel praise.... good way to start the morning...

How each piece fits in the puzzle

As a child I grew up with puzzles, usually relegated to the frame because it was the easiest to piece together. Many times we would agonize over where each piece fit and often had to walk away "puzzled" only to return to try again. In the last 20 years, God has blessed me with a variety of jobs that just seemed like puzzle pieces that did not fit in any particular puzzle.

I mentioned in my previous post that a new opportunity was presented to me, and I was praying about it. Let me brag on God, this is HIS doing, and none of me. When the door closed at my office job about a year ago, I was seriously in doubt if I had even been doing God's will at the time. Resigning my position there was definitely God's will, and He opened the door for me to be an answer to someone's prayer in the retail world. When that store closed, I was presented with 3 positions also in the retail field, and I prayed for the one that God would have me to choose. I was adamant that I did not want to work many Sundays or Wednesdays as that was very important for me to be in church. God immediately closed the doors to the positions that required - no demanded EVERY Sunday! This left me with the large retail store that was CLOSED on Sundays!

I giggle thinking about how obvious it was to me and to God as to which one I should choose. The only question left was.. "Did they want to hire me?!" God was already moving the puzzle pieces around on His table and shifting things around in my life. Three weeks ago, I was hired part time at that large retail store and began to learn my way around there. I confess I struggled with not being with my manager from LB, and the large store was a bit much to get used to. Every day I went to work, I prayed and prayed. Many various prayers, because at the time I still did not want to even have to work. I finally just poured my heart out to God and like I do with every job, I jumped in and did my very best while I was there. Many times I was able to pray for a coworker or customer and, or offer encouragement.

(When Justin started his process of deciding if he wanted to join the military, I strongly begged him to make sure it was God's will as I did not want him to be in doubt like I had been at this time last year. He looked at me and said that maybe God would find a way to put what I had learned in my previous job with what I was doing now. That maybe it had been God's will for me to be there at the office and then go into retail. I agreed that with God it could be possible, but I could not see it. These two different fields just did not seem to go hand in hand. I had puzzle pieces, but wasn't sure if they went in the same puzzle!)

Two weeks into the position, trying hard to just be usable and a blessing, the store manager approached me with some vague questions about my computer skills. She mentioned there might be a position in the corporate office opening up that I might qualify for. I did not think overly much about this although I did speak with Ted about it. Since it would be a full time position that would change the dynamics of what had been my work schedule for the last 3 years. He encouraged me to accept it, should it ever be presented to me. Again, I just went ahead and did my thing, praying that I would learn the different aspects of my job and be usable.

Barely 3 weeks into the new job, a manager came up to me telling me that the VP from the corporate office wanted to interview me within the hour! Now I had met this man on various occasions, but did not realize that he was the executive vice president!! In fact, one day he even helped bag merchandise as I checked out customers on a very busy day. I admit it was a good thing that I did not have time to stew over an interview, nor did I have to worry about how I had acted around this man as I treated him with the respect that I give to everyone - young or old.

We sat down and had a great interview and I walked back to work somewhat in a daze still wondering why I was even being considered and thanking God just for the honor of being interviewed! So that brings us up to now. The VP said he would let me know in a week's time.... well, before the week was even over, he brought me to his office again. This time he told me that the position was mine if I would accept it.
Praise the LORD!!

This position will tie in my office skills and my retail skills into a wonderful mix that only God could put together! Justin is not a prophet nor the son of prophet, but I am so glad God spoke through him to prepare me for the beautiful picture God is making of my jumbled life. I begin my position October 7th! I will have 2 months of training and then I will be in charge of taking care of the duties required to help the company expedite their services. This is a career not just a job. I will be at this position either until the rapture, retirement, or redirection from God.
Ted and I are so humbled that God would bless us so abundantly in this way. I will have Sundays off, but I won't work any nights or Saturdays! This answers every single prayer I had concerning working outside the home! Isn't God AMAZING!!!

James goes tomorrow to take his test in Charlotte to see if he qualifies for military service. He says based on how he does, he will then decide what he will do. Justin is nearly close to signing his enlistment papers.
I could be the mother of two military men and working in a brand new career all at the same time.

Ted saw the plastic surgeon today and his hand surgery is scheduled for October 1. I wanted to get it out of the way before my full time position started. He too is way too busy to keep postponing the needed procedure to help him heal faster.

With all the spinning on the hamster wheel, I took time today to get housework started, bought a new book, took a nap, listened to some wonderful praise music and cook my husband's favorite dish for supper. God will give me time to be the wife and mother He wants and still work full time. I will let Him figure it out.. it's HIS puzzle!

??!!

That's right, I have no idea how to title this post.
Justin is going through the process that is a pre-requesite to joining the army.
James has an interview tomorrow for a job, but he too is getting ready to see if the military is in his future.
I had the most amazing opportunity presented to me, and I am sitting here praying for God's will and His glory. I should know in a week or so if this new opportunity is final.
Ted did not have surgery today, the surgeon referred him instead to a plastic surgeon who specializes in hands. He will have surgery on the 30th.

Then tonight while watching tv, James was messing around with his cat and captured this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQu2fURpm_o

The World cries Peace, Peace, but there is no peace....

This is by far the best explanation of the Muslim terrorist situation I have read. His references to past history are accurate and clear. Not long, easy to understand, and well worth the read. The author of this email is Dr. Emanuel Tanya, a well-known and well-respected psychiatrist.

A man, whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II, owned a number of large industries and estates. When asked how many German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward fanaticism.

'Very few people were true Nazis,' he said, 'but many enjoyed the return of
German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come.

My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.'

We are told again and again by 'experts' and 'talking heads' that Islam is the religion of peace and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely
Irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant
To somehow diminish the spectre of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam.

The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the
Fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor-kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. It is the fanatics who teach their young to kill and to become suicide bombers.

The hard, quantifiable fact is that the peaceful majority, the 'silent
Majority,' is cowed and extraneous. Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China's huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people..

The average Japanese individual prior to World War II was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet. And who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were 'peace loving'?

History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers
Of reason, we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points:
Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awaken one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun.

Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late.

Now Islamic prayers have been introduced into Toronto and other public schools in Ontario, and, yes, in Ottawa too while the Lord's Prayer was removed (due to being so offensive?) The Islamic way may be peaceful for the time being in our country until the fanatics move in.

In Australia, and indeed in many countries around the world, many of the most commonly consumed food items have the halal emblem on them. Just look at the back of some of the most popular chocolate bars, and at other food items in your local supermarket. Food on aircraft have the halal emblem, just to appease the privileged minority who are now rapidly expanding within the nation’s shores.

In the U.K, the Muslim communities refuse to integrate and there are now dozens of “no-go” zones within major cities across the country that the police force dare not intrude upon. Sharia law prevails there, because the Muslim community in those areas refuse to acknowledge British law.

As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts - the fanatics who threaten our way of life.

Lastly, anyone who doubts that the issue is serious and just deletes this email without sending it on, is contributing to the passiveness that allows the problems to expand. So, extend yourself a bit and send this on and on and on! Let us hope that thousands, world-wide, read this and think about it, and send it on - before it's too late.
And we are silent...


PS - You can read more about how, over and over throughout human history, peace-loving people come under captivity by fanatics, hoodlums and outlaws:
See Chapter 30 of Richard Maybury's great little book "Whatever Happened to Justice?". Hopefully America will wake up in time ...... but will we?

Learned Lessons

It's been a week of challenges for us here at Mountains and Valleys. Tuesday was a good day at work, and I truly did enjoy being there. Wednesday I was supposed to have off, but they were short handed and asked me to come in. It was NOT a good day, I was so close to tears, I just sat in the break room and prayed! I still wonder if part of the problem was that I really wanted and needed a day off and just was not in the right mood to be at work? I did have Thursday off and spent the day helping my previous boss and mentor do her job hunting and realizing how great we had it at our previous place of employment.

Friday, I prayed hard and I KNOW someone was praying for me too because it was a much better day then Wednesday, and I did not feel like crying. Thank you to all who prayed for me, I desperately needed it.
Saturday, we had bus ministry and my heart yearned for all the teens in my class who hear the Word of God, but they seem to have such stony hearts. My heart aches for them and for those who chose not to come.

Saturday night, I was placed into the second position for which I was hired and I had a great time! I really enjoyed that part of the job of being out on the floor and learning the department responsibilities!

So what did I learn from this week?
Lesson 1 - I will have good days and bad days
Lesson 2- My attitude may have alot to do with how my day goes
Lesson 3- I have to be thankful for this job even if I really don't want to be working
Lesson 4- Praying always gets an answer from my Heavenly Father - I won't quit- I hope you wont either!
Lesson 5- Oh and the next time I remember to take my Kudzu Momma's advice "Just Breathe", I should make sure I am not driving over a skunk at the same time! God has a sense of humor and I am so glad I could laugh between gasps!


On the masculine side of things, Justin scored high on his official test and is now interviewing family and friends who are or were in the military to get the nitty gritty of what he should expect. He is no closer to a decision then he was before.

James is still actively seeking a job and needs your prayers as he is feeling the weight and worry of this situation.

Ted had a very good report from his doctor on Tuesday. If he can continue what he is doing he can be diabetes free! He was also referred to a wound specialist for his finger. He saw that doctor on Friday. His wound is clean and healing, but he will need to have therapy and weekly visits to ensure that it stays that way. It will take a long time to completely heal since he burned off so many layers of skin.

Lord, make me a blessing and help me to be a beacon of light and truth for you this week.

Floating Rocks

Today was my first day with the new company. I swam the best I could, but many times I thought I would float like a rock. (I heard that today after work at a Labor Day picnic with friends and family, it made so much sense I just had to use it for this post!) I do not know what God has in store for me, with this position or anything after. I had a long text session with my Kudzu Mother who again reminded me to keep swimming and to remember that the Everlasting Arms are holding me up. I will cling to the Rock of Ages, and try to keep my eyes on Him or I will end up like a pebble at the bottom of the ocean!

If tomorrow comes, Ted will see his doctor, Justin will go to Charlotte with the Recruiter to take a huge test before he decides if he wants to commit to the military, James will continue job hunting (pray for him, losing yet another job has again taken a toll on his confidence- this learning curve is hard on younguns), and I will have day 2 of learning to swim, or tread water.....

Blessed, but stressed....

Something to consider

Brer Rabbit

That's right, I feel like Brer Rabbit living in the briar patch, or maybe it's Eeyore who eats thistles.

Why so gloomy? Not gloomy, just matter of fact. Speaking of facts, here they are:


Fact 1- Ted should never wear a ring when working on the battery of my truck
- electrical burns are nasty! The ER visit was fun - he was the hero

Fact 2- Closed the store, and finishing up cleaning it this week

Fact 3- Justin decided to go to the Army Recruiter's to start the process to see if he wants to join the military

Fact 4- James was dismissed from his job today

Fact 5- I start a brand new job with a new company next Monday

Fact 6- Ted has a doctor's appt next Tuesday


This doesn't feel like a valley, just a rocky stretch in the road, I just keep plodding along and kicking the pebbles out of my shoes. So yes, rocks and thistles hurt, but they don't knock me off my feet. Besides, the Shepherd's rod and staff comfort me.

Be Steadfast

Be Steadfast, settle yourselves, wait on the Lord, have peace.... these were the words that God gave me this weekend. Then, today, I was able to watch the Lord very clearly shut doors that He didn't want me to go through and clearly directed my path to where He was leading.
Tomorrow, I fill out new hire paperwork for Hamricks who is NOT open on the Lord's Day!

Thank you for your prayers!
To God be the glory, I have victory in Jesus!

Wait On the Lord

After a busy day at work, and good resolve not to take the job at the children's store, I received a voicemail from that large retail store that is not open on Sundays. They too want me to work for them. So, I will go to my interview with BB on Monday see what they offer, and if it's going to affect my Sunday's then I will start paper work and the hiring process with the large retail store instead. I would prefer to take a pay cut then to give up my Sundays.
Pray for me, and have a blessed Lord's Day.

Prophetic

Although my mother in law is in Heaven, God has sent a wonderful second Mother-in-love to fill the void. I miss Momma, but Gayle has been wonderful! She, like Momma, has vast work experience and wise counsel. When I started this whole job interview business she told me that I would end up having to choose between jobs, and it might ruin my liver. I inwardly scoffed at the idea. Now I know exactly what she meant!


My phone interview with the DM of the children's store went very well. They want to hire me immediately! So what is the problem? Well, no matter how much I discuss it with them it seems that I can only get 1 Sunday off a month. The other Sunday's I would still end up missing nearly both services the way they work their schedule. I did NOT have peace about this at all. I ended up telling her that I would think about it over the weekend and give her an answer Monday. She did not want to wait until then, but I told her I needed the weekend at the very least. I was so distressed over it, and searched Scripture for help and peace. God gave me 2 Peter 3:17, and I ended up falling asleep praying over it. I woke up from a short nap and read an email from my husband. I had already talked with my mother in love and my boss. All three of them counselled me NOT to take the job.
As I paged through Scripture to read my verse again, the phone rang. Again, it was the manager of the children's store wanting to know if I had made a decision yet. I let it go to voicemail as I did NOT appreciate the abrupt interruption of my time with God. I thought the timing of it was way too sudden to be coincidental. I kept getting more peace about NOT working there then I did about working there. In the meantime, I was so tore up over a job that I did not even have yet, that I lost my appetite and my old ulcer pains returned! This did not seem to be anything that would come from my Heavenly Father.

I waited a bit more while getting ready for work tonight, and my husband called me. We talked at length and another call interrupted me. I was dreading that it would be the manager yet again. I let it go to voicemail and finished my call with Ted. My voicemail was from the very first interview I had(see my previous posts about this), and I now have a second interview set up with them for Monday! Do I know what God has in mind? NO! but I DO know He doesn't want me out of church every Sunday!

I went into work and my boss said the manager had also called her and couldn't understand what my issue was. My boss carefully tried to get her to be patient and told her to wait until I had an answer on Monday. In the process of the conversation, it was mentioned that maybe if I closed EVERY Saturday night I could work out my Sunday schedule. REALLY???!!!

As I thought and processed all of this- quiet words "Wait on the Lord" rang through my heart. That is what I will continue to do. I will not rush into anything that will compromise my values and my worship time with God. I have yet to hear from the large store that does NOT operate on Sundays, they were to call me by the end of this week, so there is still time for them to also offer me what they mentioned in the interview.
Pray for me, and for my gizzard!

Don't Hold Your Breath

I won't hold mine, but I will keep praying. Since I last posted, I had a great interview with a second company. They are supposed to call me by the end of this week to let me know. (It's nearly the end of this week, so like I said I am not holding my breath). The first company did NOT call me for a second interview (glad I didn't hold my breath)-- I did stop in there today and basically let them know if they snooze, they loose. I received 2 more applications that I just have not had time to fill out. I must admit this whole application filling out and then going to interviews is a bit.... ok, too may words come to mind to describe it.
Today, I was at work when a store manager from the same mall comes dashing in begging for recommendations for a part time sales manager. My manager directed her to me and we had an immediate interview right then and there! I filled out the application afterwards and she is faxing it to her district manager tonight. I am to have a phone interview with that DM tomorrow morning. I am not holding my breath! I have absolutely no clue where God wants me to go. I keep praying He closes all the wrong doors and directs me through the one HE has for me.
Holding my breath is just not going to get me anywhere. Prayer changes things.
So for all of you that pray for me and with me.... PRAY for wisdom.

God keeps giving me good interviews, but those don't pay HAHAHAA!

Oh! and I didn't mention that I am helping my own manager get her resume ready, get her connected online, and help her search for jobs for herself. She still hopes and prays for a store that she can manage and bring me in to be her assistant. May God's will be done.

Ok, I wasn't holding my breath, I promise, but I do feel breathless!

Found Faithful

I probably already have a post or two entitled this, yet God has burdened me so profoundly lately that I need to be found faithful when He comes. So many times I feel like quitting, whether it's looking for jobs, going to work, keeping my marriage working, etc..... When I get so worn out and feel like I just can't tackle the next issue, God comes alongside of me and reminds me that it's HIS strength I should be using and not my own. I can't be found faithful, if I am not faithfully relying on Him to get me through.

I had a great interview from everyone's point of view last Thursday. I am waiting to hear if I get a second interview with them. Friday, I got a call from the place that I really thought I wanted to work at, my interview is this afternoon at 2pm. Since then, I have heard so many comments about how bad the management is and how I may not really like it there even if I get Sundays off. I have experienced some of the same issues just in handing in my application, so I am not sure what will unfold today as I go to be interviewed. Praying that I will be who God wants me to be and go where He wants me to go. There are many other places on my list to apply at and see if anything unfolds as well. I am not worried, just maybe "wearied".
My current boss is coming over tonight, so that we can work on her resume.

James got certified on forklift at his job, Praise the Lord, another milestone he was working towards.

Justin really wants a different job that is no longer third shift.

Ted is swimming as fast as he can with all his job duties and obligations... I am concerned he will burn out. Pray for him.... he doesn't get to punch a time clock, he is always on the job.

My nephew Jordan graduated basic training from the Marines, we enjoyed having him around for the week and to see that some of the rough edges were smoothed over. He is heading back tomorrow to his next stage of training. Pray for him!

Birthday Greetings to Ted, my dad, my nephew Luke, and if I have forgotten someone, I am sorry.
Anniversary greetings to my parents, as well.

Don't tell anyone, but I have really loved all the rain this summer, but then again I haven't had to suffer through the damage and problems that so many in our state have dealt with recently.
Well, laundry is going, dishes are washing, I have swept half the house and folded part of the clean clothes. I need to sit down and eat something, plan supper menus for the week, and then shower and get ready for an interview.

Pray for us, so many times I feel like the hairball that the cat just hurled instead of a vibrant, faithful servant of our Lord and Savior.

You can dress it up, but it's still me

Got a call today for an interview at Brooks Brothers.... this is that second intimidating store that I just did not think the job process would even progress that far. Now, what does a country girl put on for an interview without making them think I am something that I am not? I do not have time to shop Thrift stores before my interview either.... it's a good thing I have a Heavenly Father and Best Friend Who cares about my concerns.... gonna let God tell me what to wear.....
Wow, can you imagine what we would all look like and be like if we decided to do that every day? Let God tell us what to wear???? hmmm, I think we would be much better off!

Blah, I am only me... I just need to remember that... be myself and try to be as Christ like as I can possibly be...

Walk down memory lane

Wild and Crazy... that was my week! Work during the day and then VBS at night. For the past three years, I have been the refreshment coordinator for VBS. I had a great crew, both the faithful ones that come every year and the new ones that had to endure my leadership. :) Everything with the refreshments went very smoothly, and best of all, 10 children were saved during the week!!! We averaged 200 people in attendance each night!

Saturday was also Ted's birthday, and I didn't know what I was going to do to commemorate his day. After some mad surfing and brainstorming, I decided to take him for a walk down memory lane. When he turned 40, he felt depressed at how old he was getting. Last year when he turned 41, it was barely celebrated although we had great intentions. I wanted him to feel special, so I found a huge antique mall nearby. We barely walked a quarter of it, but it was enough to see all the things that we had played with or seen as children. Yes, we are both getting old, but not as old as some of the antiques in there.

It was odd though to see things from our childhood considered antiques! They have an amazing cafe there inside the mall with everything homemade. DELICIOUS!!!

On the day of his birthday, we spent the morning together before I had to run off for work, and then he and the boys went out and did their own testosterone shopping together.

Ok, so here is what is happening on the job front.
Human Deadline: September 1
God's deadline: ???
Turned in 2 applications and picked up yet another application after speaking with the manager.
Secret shopped another store and was sorely disappointed with the service.... since they belong to the same company I am with, it sort of reaffirmed that I needed to part ways with them altogether.

Oh-- that other application for the local store.... uhmmmmm just not feeling it yet, but I guess I should fill it out anyway. I have one more place in mind to apply at now that I have experience they might be interested in using. Meanwhile, I go to work each day, thanking God for the job I have and how He has blessed me all these years. I won't doubt Him now.

Oh!! and huge kudos to the Rowan County commissioners for not agreeing to the Supreme Court decision that they couldn't pray in Jesus' name at their town meetings! Instead, citizens rose up and prayed instead! The ACLU and Supreme Court may not know it, but WE are on the winning side. We as Christians have Victory in Jesus!

What are my options? Rapture or Retail

I know I have been a bit obscure about the details of my faith journey, or I should say the cause of my journey into the unknown land of trusting before verifying.
We were informed a month or so ago that our store would be closed down. It is said to be a real estate strategy and nothing to do with the actual operations of the store. I was promoted to part-time management and will stay through the total closing of the store. It's a bit surreal since I was there for the initial opening of this same store 6 years ago!
So what does this mean? Well, I am job hunting on the side when I am not working or helping in VBS or catching up on housework, etc.
I got an application for a store opening in our local mall... but I confess it looked very intimidating.
Then, the store next to ours which happens to be a very high end retail clothing store came in looking to see if anyone wanted to join their team. My manager recommended me and told me that they would probably hire me. I glided past their window yesterday as I was leaving and thought "No way would little, ole country girl like me be able to look like all those models in there!" I am keeping it in the back of my mind, but they also intimidate me.
On my way home though, I stopped at the large store across the road and asked for an application. They are closed on Sundays which means sooo much to me. My manager has graciously only asked me to work 1 Sunday and sometimes 1 Wednesday evening a month in my present job. She has also given me evenings off for VBS this week, unless there is an emergency and I have to cover a shift. My sons and husband are keeping a watchful eye on my foray back into the job search. I fully trust that God will lead me to my next position as He has led me all my life.
My manager dreams of the day that she has another store to run and makes me her assistant manager-lol! I dream of the day the Lord Jesus returns and claims me as part of His bride!
My options-- retail? or something else? I would just prefer the rapture even if that sounds like escapism.

Burnt, Scorched Earth

These past couple of weeks have been a journey of faith, this journey is not over as it needs to take place every day that I am still on this earth.

This last week was really difficult for me, and I was getting frustrated and discouraged. Friday night in desperation to put a voice to my burdens, I sat down and listed the things that were weighing so heavily on me. I had 13 grievances, and then I ended it in a desperate prayer. Yesterday, I struggled to pull myself out of the dumps, only barely rising above the abyss. Let me tell you how good God is!!! He heard every single one of those pleas for help and today from Sunday School straight through the evening service He answered EVERY single one of those issues.
So, tonight I sat down and wrote down the 13 answers He gave me to EACH one of those issues.
I am so thankful to be in a church where God comes to meet with me and to remind me as I focus on Him that His grace IS sufficient and that He is all that matters.
I am bubbling over with humble thanksgiving for how He cares and loves ME so much that He wants ME to know it.

Thank You, Jesus, I praise You for help, hope, and healing.

With More Thought

As many of you may know, Ted was diagnosed with borderline Type 2 diabetes a few years ago. Some times he does really well and gets close to his goal of being medication and diabetes free.. but then life and work invade and he relapses. Every time a doctor's appointment nears, we both work extra hard to see how close he can get to having a good report. Well, it's that time again, so on my end of things I need to make sure that what I serve him will be healthy and tasty. Not only for him, but I need to keep my cholesterol down as I am genetically pre-disposed to having high cholesterol. Today on my day off, I had originally thought I would run around to various little errands and do some shopping... but God knew I needed a day to rest and to plan meals. The skies opened up and dumped all over my little world. Don't tell anyone, but I do like it when it rains IF I don't have to drive in it.

This change of plans has led me to sit and think about good meals that will be healthy and tasty. It is easy to just think of meals and throw something together, without taking into consideration what affect it will have on our health. It's harder to sit down and think through the elements of a meal and make sure they are balanced and promote good sugar and lower cholesterol. I have to confess, I only have about a week's worth of dinners thought out. This provoked a spiritual parallel for me as I was considering meal options. It is so easy for us to just go through each day and absorb whatever we come across regardless of the mental, emotional, spiritual implications it has on us. It takes more thought to remember to protect ourselves from the world instead of just letting it drown us in immoral and spiritual demoralizing deluges.
Are you proactive, or reactive?

Even in the Valley God is good

This Monday as you have read was just not a very good day, I can picture how Winnie the Pooh would say this.
Tuesday was my last day of work before Ted and I were to be on vacation. Ted was dealing with a gnarly issue at work, and I had to tell him that my job was going through a transition that we had not anticipated. I can't divulge much about this, but it is what started me focusing on what faith is all about. This is why God had me reading Hebrews over again slowly and thoughtfully. Hebrews 10-11 still ring through my subconscious as God showed me that it's only "by faith".
Anyway, both of us were just miserable and neither one of us handling these situations very well. I was forcing myself to practice what I preached about faith, and I was grumpy. The forecast for the week was rain, rain, rain... They were saying the ocean would be rain and extreme ozone, and the mountains would be rain and mudslides and dangerous to travelers.

VACATION??? It became a stay-cation and more like stagnation.
Thursday the 4th we had a potluck supper with family under a very dry roof.

Friday, we went to visit Momma Birt and rejoiced to see her doing so much better and getting ready to head to a great rehab facility. The O's were there and together we sang a song of hope and praise in her room with her. "Don't Give Up on the Brink of a Miracle"... I needed that song just as much as she did!

When Satan would have you look
At the trials of life that surround you
And he tries to appear, and bring doubt and fear
All around you
Don't look with the eye, or listen with your ear,
Just cry out to God, He is always near
In your darkest hour, your miracle is here!

The devil is a thief, and he sends those troubles
To confound you
And he lies and says "This time,
There's no way you can find to make it thru"
Remember God's true Word, the battle is the Lord's
Don't give in to fear, think on things that are pure
Praise the Lord, your miracle is here!

Chorus
Don't give up on the brink of a miracle
Don't give in, God is still on the throne
Don't give up on the brink of a miracle
Don't give up, remember you're not alone


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yesterday, we ran around a bit and did some self assigned chores around the house. My boss texted me to tell me that she was going to promote me! Right there in the midst of my faith journey, God reached over His hand and said "Here is hope".

Today, I enjoyed the service this morning, but let me tell you about tonight's service. The choir seemed to sing with extra strength, the special music was reassuring, full of hope and reminding me that God was right there with me through all of this. I was able to pray and praise and thank God for His love and goodness to me. Then Br. O got up to preach at the request of our pastor. He preached from Hosea... about the valley of Achor being the door of hope to Israel. Wow, let me tell you -that message was straight from God and reminded me that valleys are places God uses to draw us close to Himself. This is not a new thought to me, but to be so gently yet bluntly reminded that God gives us valleys for specific reasons not to hinder us but to help us!
What a victorious feeling to walk away with after such a week of "woes".



And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. Hosea 2:15

Month of Mondays

Ever have a Monday that seemed to top all other Mondays? Yes, probably on a frequent basis would be your answer.
I had alot of frustrating computer related issues at work... It brought home how dependent business and livelihood is on technology. If something is not working correctly, it brings everything to a screeching halt.

I received some work related news tonight that made me ask God to help me put feet to my faith. Ever try NOT to worry? I can say that I trust God to take care of things, I can look back and see how He has so faithfully done it in the past, but I still have to actually put feet to my faith and act like He really is taking care of it all. I don't want to just say the words, or even just believe the words, I want my faith to be so real that worry can't even cast a hint of a shadow.

Prayer Needs:
My job situation
Ted's job issues
James is still in his first 3 months.. pray he will make the probationary cut
Joann, a missionary, needs prayer
Rachel my sister is asking for prayer as they seem to have a reprieve from the forest fire.. pray God continues to keep them safe in Colorado.
Pray for Momma Birt, she ended up having surgery as her incision got seriously infected, she is in the hospital and having many health concerns.


For we walk by faith, and not by sight... that's a good thing, because I sure can't see where I am going.

What's for Dinner?

In my previous post entitled "Transitions" I had thought a few times to mention this stage of transition that I am going through as well, but when I sat down to finish posting it stayed raveled inside my brain.
Another transition you should go through as a Christian in your walk with God is graduating from milk to meat. For years and years, I felt that although I had been on this journey a long time I just didn't feel like I was maturing much past the simple milk passages of Scripture. With much earnest prayer, I stepped out and asked God to help me start delving into the meat of the His Word and applying deeper principles to my life. With this intent in mind, I found that He directed me in my devotions to passages that had to be meditated upon and chewed over. Instead of reading a whole chapter, I would often find myself pondering over just a few thoughts in each chapter. Those thoughts have stuck with me, and God has used them in my daily life.
On that note let me give you an illustration. We had steak for Father's Day, when steak is cooked right, it melts in your mouth and is easy to chew. When steak is the wrong cut or not prepared correctly you end up chewing and chewing and ultimately have to choke it down or spit it out. God's Word is digestible for whatever stage you are in, but when you find that you can enjoy the steak of the Word then you know you are starting to grow into that next level where God wants you to journey with Him.
Milk, it does a body, good... but.... Where's the beef???

Transitions

This blog has been around for a few years, and although I only know of a few people that read it periodically, it has helped to know that in some way, somehow our spiritual journey may still be a help and blessing to anyone that needs it.

I was going to write this post this morning, but thought I would wait to see what transpired at the funeral today and to see what more came to mind after that. I have a feeling that I need to write this post a little bit at a time until I know it says what God wants it to say.

My thoughts are so raveled together that I feel almost unraveled. What?? Can you tell I have so much on my mind that I just don't know where or how to begin?

This half of the year has been filled with weddings and graduations. Each event is a transition into another phase of life's journey. Another thing that happens with life is also death. This week a precious saint of God went home after a 6 month battle with stage 4 cancer. As I was getting ready for the service yesterday and thinking that she was spending Father's Day for the first time in Heaven with her Heavenly father and her earthly father I thought of the phrase - she just transitioned. It was an easy passing from one reality into the next. As our Pastor brought forth the sermon highlighting her burden for the lost and her bright testimony, he too brought out the term "transition".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is now exactly a week later after I started this post. I found that I just could not process all that was going through my mind and all that was happening in our family life and work at the same time. I shelved this post until I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, how did I manage to accomplish that feat? Well, Ted and I went off to the mountains for a couple of days to rest and relax. That first night as we sat on our hotel balcony looking over the rippling brook, I felt the first essence of peace come over me. The Lord and I communed many times together overlooking that creek, and He helped me transition through yet another death and the ongoing issue with Momma Birt.
God has graciously and abundantly answered prayer about Momma Birt and she is doing so much better.
Praise the Lord, Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Two scenarios run through my mind about the recent funerals, one of them the granddaughter was inconsolable.. I wanted to hug her close and tell her that her grandmother was in Heaven by her testimony and that she too could go there too through salvation. The second scenario was my own niece at the funeral of Mrs. Marla last week, she could not tear herself away from watching them close the casket. She was so upset, with her quiet sobs tearing her apart. She may be young, but she clearly remembers them taking Momma away in the casket too, and I know that brought back so many memories of that time. This time, I was able to hug this child close and reassure her that we would all see each other again in Heaven as Abby had accepted the Lord as her Savior. She only knows that when that casket closes, she never sees that person again on earth. I held her tight as the church service began, and she cried herself to sleep.
Our faith grows as we grow in the Lord. It takes the faith of a child to accept salvation, but our faith needs to grow so that we can face life and death as it happens. Thank God for His living AND dying grace!
Yesterday, I received news that a wonderful preacher has also just passed away, he was so close and precious to our church and my heart missed him. His funeral will be later this week. He is with his Lord and Savior and those precious saints who have already gone HOME throughout the ages.
All of this is the very picture of what transition means.

While checking over some mechanics of this blog, I looked over the comments through the years.... this blog has transitioned as well. It has highlighted our ups and downs or in essence our mountains and valleys. I do not know how much longer we will be here on this earth, so let me urge you again, Please meet me at Jesus' feet!

Summer!

What fragile beings we can be especially in extreme conditions. I am sitting here with the a/c blowing under my desk as I type, not even daring to open the door to the blast of heat that permeates the outside of my cocoon.
I have been thinking of starting another post, and kept thinking I would wait a few more days, but the whimsy to babble on became more then I could bear.

The last 2 weekends were supposed to be wedding filled... in our family's case they became work filled.
Life seems to be more about work then about life lately and I miss the days of whimsy. Most of the days that I have a low work load or a day off I usually spend it resting or trying to get housework done. Today, I decided that I was going to cook and plan a meal. It feels like forever since I have planned and executed a menu!
So, I took some leftover ham gravy and doctored it with more milk and some gravy master and heated it through, heated up some frozen meatballs and then added them to the gravy. They are simmering together in my crockpot now in my first attempt at Swedish meatballs! I am really excited that I was able to create such a yummy dish so simply... they will go well tonight with mashed potatos, corn, biscuits, and a bit of stovetop stuffing. Then, for dessert, I can't decide if I am going to make decadent chocolate cake, or double chocolate chunk cookies??

On another sidetrack, while I was musing and messing in the kitchen the phone rang.... it was my friend Joann who just left last week to be a missionary in Moldova. She was homesick and wanted to have a long conversation, but the connection was so bad on her end, all she got to hear was my voice and a few questions. Pray for Joann as she adjusts to the ministry and the minutiae(is this even a word?)of living in a foreign country.

I do have a hidden agenda in this blog post, I need to write a letter to my kudzu nephew at boot camp and since most of what I blog about is what I would send him I thought I would cheat and just print out these posts and mail it to him. Jordan, I know it's such a cheap multi tasking shortcut, I hope you don't mind. I hope all my readers will continue to pray for Jordan that he will be safe in all this heat... reminds me of the phrase, if you think it's hot now.... then stay out of hell!

Let me do the birthday greetings for June- Happy Birthday to my nephew, Andrew (somewhere in California), Happy Birthday to My other dad, Ronn and also his amazing wife- Gayle, Happy A-day to my Princess- Cheyenne, Happy Birthday to Ted's brother Jon, Happy Birthday to Carmelita, and then Happy Birthday to my Kudzu Brother-in-love, Mark.

Happy Anniversary to Tim and Jen this month too! Uhm, it might be possible that I forgot someone in there... when you have a family that rambles around the country like kudzu it's often easy to forget a leaf or bramble somewhere!

Also please pray for Mrs. Birt, she adopted Ted as her own especially after Momma died, and after a horrific break to her leg she is in the care of a nursing home that is not giving the best of care to it's residents. Pray she will stay safe and be able to heal!

Well, got my urge to ramble out of my system, the laundry is going, the boys are hither and yon and my hubby hopefully is staying cool in the midst of this heat and overwhelming work stress.

Jordan, my thoughts and prayers for you as you persevere and finish your next leg of life's journey!

Happy Father's Day to all my Dads!!!! and to my SuperMan husband- I love you Ted!!!

Jumble Laya

What a wild month this has been! Oddly enough I think life in general has become a tilt-a-whirl on it's last axis. Have you ever opened up a closet that was in your teenager's room and had to back up before the landslide buried you? This is how my life feels lately.

Work is going great! Still learning new things that I will need to use once promoted.
Ted's work is crazy as ever, but he loves his job.
James is finishing his Associates in Bible Degree and will graduate June 14th. He has also received a huge answer to prayer with a good full time job really close to the house. He too loves his new job working for a hardwood flooring company. Praise the Lord!!!
Justin is looking for a job that will allow him more of a social life ;)

My niece, Abby, graduated from Kindergarten.. wow, it does not seem possible! On top of that my niece, Cheyenne is now a rising Junior in High School.... Yeeeeks!

My nephew DJ graduates from High School this weekend- Congrats Bud!!!
My nephew Jordan from the Kudzu side of the family is in Basic Training at Paris Island... Pray for him!

Happy Anniversary to David and Carmelita! Happy Anniversary to Ken and Tammy!!

The teen class at our church's bus ministry went to court last weekend... WHAT??? Yes, we had a mock trial to see if they could defend their faith. If you were on trial today with the charge of being a Christian... how would you plead and how would you prove you were? On the other hand, what if you were accused of NOT being a Christian... could you sway the verdict with enough testimony and evidence that the charges were false? OR!! would you even care?

Christ is coming... are you ready?

Still fresh

For all those who follow our family on a regular basis you know that Momma went to Heaven 3 years ago. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her and miss her. I still have her phone number in my phone, although I can't call her I can't seem to delete it. Her email address is still in my contact list and every so often my computer wants to know if I want to include her in some activity. I wish I could.
I noticed that Ted was the same way, he still has her information active and current.
We just received the news that Momma's father passed away a few minutes ago. We had not seen him since Momma's funeral, and soon after that his health and mind rapidly declined. We thought a year ago that he would not live and started making plans to be up there, but God pulled him through.
So here I sit with thoughts of Gramps and Momma and lots of memories and wonder if the two of them are sitting at Jesus' feet together. Gramps insisted he was saved, I have to hope in that.

Yes, it feels fresh all over again...:(



Elmer T. Buckley (1926 - 2013)
Obituary


BUCKLEY, Elmer T.

WATKINS GLEN: 86, of Watkins Glen, passed away May 1, 2013. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Betty; children, Linda (Lyle) Diecenburg of Tyrone, Catherine (Dean) Thompson of Reading Center, Connie (Richard) Rexford, Tyrone, Chester (Susie) Buckley of Watkins Glen, Gordon Buckley (Lori) of Beaver Dams, and Carl (Annette) Buckley of Watkins Glen; 27 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Nathan and Gertrude; daughter, Shirley Walker; sisters, Doris Barber and Bernie Gray; grand-daughter, Theresa Rexford and great-great-grandson, Wayne Porter, Jr. Elmer was a US Army WWII veteran; and served in the Battle of the Bulge. He was a member of the American Legion Post #660 of Dundee and Local Union #823B. Memorial donations may be made to the Schuyler County Veterans Memorial Park, P.O. Box 137, Odessa, NY, 14869. The family will receive friends and relatives at the Royce-Chedzoy Funeral Home, 212 E. 4th St., Watkins Glen, from 12 noon-2:00pm on Saturday, May 4th; followed by a funeral service at 2:00pm. Burial with military honors will be held at the Union Cemetery of Hector, Burdett. You may sign a guestbook or "Light a Candle" in his memory online at www.Royce-Chedzoy.com.

Mind Boggling?

Today is our official last day of vacation. What started out last week as a "stay-cation" turned into a full blown week of wind, waves, and wooing.
Last Tuesday evening while eating out, we decided we were going to go away instead of staying home. We tossed around the idea of Gatlinburg, TN, but had just gone there for a quick trip a few weeks earlier. I had wanted to go to the ocean again since October, but just did not think it would happen. Ted quickly took matters in hand and made reservations for a hotel on Myrtle Beach. We had a splendid drive to the coast and checked in to a hotel that was way above our expectations! We walked into the suite, took in the view of the surf crashing onto the shore, and promptly extended our reservation for another night!!! What a wonderful week of fishing, shopping, dining, walking, exploring new places, and celebrating our 21 years of love and life lessons.


Yesterday at church, about 20 people got saved and assurance of salvation. These are people who have been church members and have been faithful and involved nearly their whole lives!
First, it makes you check up on your own salvation status, but secondly it boggles the mind that someone would either be satisfied for so long trying to pretend to be a Christian or "religious" without knowing FOR SURE! My heart aches for those others who just want to go to church and make others think they are saved and going to Heaven. In their desire to appear righteous, they are just sitting in filthy rags. I even know some who are NOT saved and seem to have no desire to be saved, yet will come to church and activities as if it's just part of their social life.


How I yearn for the light of God's truth to shine into their foolish minds blinded in darkness.

Do YOU know for sure that you are going to Heaven? How do you know?

Paris Amour

April 24, 1992-April 24,2013, no it's not an epitaph on some tombstone, it's the beginning and continuing dates on our marital journey of bliss.
Our vows have come true, better and worse, richer and poorer, sickness and health, until Jesus comes. If you don't care to do the math, Ted and I have been married 21 years today!!!!!
We both took vacations this week so we could spend time together. Yesterday, we went shopping and rejoiced how after all these years we are still very, very much in love and don't care who knows it or that we take time to show it (flaunt it, lol).

As we started today together, Ted made me breakfast and coffee and put together our new porch umbrella. Tammy gave me a tiara for my birthday, and I thought it would be cute to wear it today. Not sure how long I will keep it on, but it's reminiscent of the tiara I wore 21 years ago. Ted has been faithful all these years to make me the queen of his heart, and I am honored and humbled to be loved by him.

As my friend Kristi would say "MUSH, MUSH".

Happy Anniversary, SuperMan, I love you with all my heart and thank God for you every day!!!

Prayer Changes Things

There has been soooo much on my mind since my last post. I even went through what seemed like a mini-depression. Fortunately, God has amazing ways through His Word, and our church and His Holy Spirit to pull me out of the wallowing pit of despair that I plunged into. Since then, I am not stressed about the financial burden we have looming over us, I have committed Ted's job situation over to Him, and I have embraced the fact that someone prayed me into this position of employment. To know that you are put into places and positions for reasons where people need you and want you is humbling, but invigorating. I do not have God's big picture, but I can sure see how things are falling into place that will bring honor and glory to Him.
So, on this beautiful spring day, I want to shout to the Lord and thank Him for answered prayer and His peace that passes all understanding.

"Oh yes, I know prayer changes things,
When I was down on the stormy, raging sea,
I was lonely, sick, and full of misery,
But along came the Savior, and I know He rescued me,
That's how I know, yes, I know prayer changes things, changes things."
(adapted from the Robert Anderson song of the same title)

Just in Case

Nineteen years ago today, somewhere between 5:15 and 5:25 a.m., my second and final child was born. Coming just barely over a year after our first child, many people even now think they are twins. We named him Justin out of sheer desperation of finding a name that we both agreed on. For years, he struggled with his name partially because he did not think it was a name of quality or worth. He would beg that we would change his name to something else. On his 13th birthday, his great-uncle took him out for a birthday dinner, and the waiter was a really cool dude. His name was also Justin, and he, with great enthusiasm, informed my son that their shared name was a strong name that meant Just and Right! That started him thinking....
Our son soon became friends with another Justin at church who is also "cool" and "right". This too seem to make him think that his name was alright after all.


Happy Birthday, Justin, may you live up to your name of what is Just and Right in the eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Standing on the Promises of God

My recent blog posts have been geared towards the burden we have looming over us, and how God has given me assurance on a daily basis that He is taking care of us. My sister emailed me a week or so ago to let me know that she had found one of the songs that our church choir sings on YouTube. That song stuck in my mind since she called it to remembrance. This morning, our choir sang it!
Tonight, a precious lady came to church who has pancreatic cancer with a discouraging prognosis. When I first heard the news about her situation, the song our youth choir sings "He knows my Name" came strongly to my mind. I even shared with a fellow church member how that song just resonated through this situation. Tonight our youth choir sang that song! It was like God was reminding me that He knows her name, but He knows Mine too!
Then each song from the special music selections crescendoed with God's promises that He will never leave us or forsake us! By the time our associate pastor got up to preach I was crying tears of peace and victory. That would have been enough even more then enough, but the message was on "Standing on the Promises of God"!
If you read my previous posts you would remember that God gave me a promise a day, today it was God dumping over the bucket of promises and dripping them all over me!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRXABJdfb-k is the web address to watch Tammy and our church choir sing of the promises of God taped a few years ago. My sister tells me that she thought she saw my mother in law who is in Heaven now singing with the choir. What a legacy of the promises of God!
No, I am clueless how God will meet our need, but He sure has made it possible to thoroughly trust Him for it!

Nuggets of Hope

Last month, we found out that an upcoming burden was NOT going to be easily resolved in the way we had hoped. In fact, Plan A and Plan B both fell through with an overwhelming "thud"! Once again I fell to the knees of my heart in desperation and "wrestled" with God about the issue. God does NOT owe us anything, and we can't demand that He take care of this need. With my struggle and daily worry, I finally asked God to just remind me that He has this taken care of for us. As I prayed for His will whatever that might entail, He has on a daily basis give me reminders of His care for us.

Sometimes, it's a verse in my devotions, a thought from a message on the radio as I drive to work, it even came in a friend's email one day. Every time I go to church, God has given me a passage or nugget of hope to hang onto including last night. Just His faithfulness in caring about my concern has showed me that although I have no way of knowing how this situation will be taken care of, He knows what He is doing. He cares that I am worried.
How can I express my peace from God above to those of you that have never felt those nuggets of hope that He shares with His child when burdens seem so overwhelming?
You may scoff and say that I am looking for hope wherever I can find it and grasping at straws. No, these have been very obvious words from my Heavenly Father when I felt so overcome by worry and stress. It's in the pits of despair that they have come to me, when I wasn't looking for hope-because it just seemed that no matter what we did nothing was going to work.
It has been very evident that if this burden is to be taken care of, then it will only be by the miraculous hand of God. We have tried everything we could possibly think of and nothing worked. Just this journey to the deadline, learning to listen when God speaks has brought me hope.
Nuggets of hope are more precious then gold....

The Daze of our Lives

Alright, so yes the title is tonally similar to a show from yesteryear. Our lives right now seem to be going by in a daze. Trying to capture daily memories and treasure them has been my latest endeavor. Life is soooo short, I really don't want to let it go by at warp speed without anything to value. The boys' work schedule is very disjointed, my schedule never lets me get bored, and Ted's schedule is frenetic.
With this being the case, there are often late night soccer tournaments in the kitchen, or speed dating with my husband
(rushing to a date with him before he speeds off to work).
This type of family disarray was never what I had hoped the future would hold, so I am purposely forcing myself not to worry as much about housework and concentrate more on building relationships with my loved ones.

Today could be a day to spring clean the house, but the sun is shining, the roses on the table are whispering, and the basket of chocolate has been upended for easier access, I think I need to make myself take a day off and enjoy the little things instead of the dirty things.

Life is but a vapor, but what is done for Christ will last.


Just a shout out to my sister- yes, at the moment we don't seem to be sick although many people we know are suffering the flu and various ailments.

Happy birthday to my nephew Jordan, and Justin will turn 19 in a few short weeks.

Oh, and next week I have been called for Jury Duty!!!! Wow, but I will save all those for another blog post.

Someone please put the brakes on, the scenery is going by too fast!

Get what you ask for?

Good Morning,
With Ted's travel schedule and my varied work hours, we have precious little time to ourselves and not really any true days off. So yesterday as I spent the day with him before I had to go to work, and while he was working I was lamenting how I just needed a true day off and preferably with him. We don't count Sundays as off, because he still works between services and church activities keep us on the move. I LOVE church, but I inwardly wished my Sundays were somehow more restful.
Guess what? This morning, I woke to a swollen throat and fever, and Ted has a white spot on his tonsil. We stood inspecting each others various signs of illness and weighed the options. Go to church and share our germs, get more germs added to our weak systems, or stay home and miss church! He finally decided that we should stay home. God gave me my inward desire, a day of forced rest with my husband. Of course, I hadn't expected to be sick during this day off, lol. Yes, God has a sense of humor... He will give me a day of rest, but He is going to make sure I HAVE to rest if I want it that badly.

I really miss being at church, but the sun shining on the porch is begging me to come out and read my Bible and enjoy some quiet time with the Lord on this true day of rest.

Shhhhh..... can you hear it? It's the sound of peace and quiet.

Words

Did you read that last post? Yes, it was a miserable end of a long week, well until later that day. After constantly cleaning up with the sick dog, both of us were getting pretty blue. Ted looked at me and declared we were leaving and getting out of town. I looked at him and thought ~ oh my he wants a date and I look like, well more like "Cinder" then "Ella". He said he didn't care, we just needed a few hours to ourselves regardless of what life was throwing at us. We jumped into his truck and started driving for the border. By the time we got to the GSP airport exit, it was nearly whiteout conditions! Yes, we had driven straight into a snowstorm in South Carolina!!! Knowing that proceeding further would be hazardous and our destination would probably be closed due to weather, we turned around and headed north again. My sweet hubby declared there was no way he was going home! We stopped in Spartanburg, and enjoyed the cold snow, and went window shopping through the mall and other stores while 2 inches of snow fell around us. Then, Ted took me to one of our favorite restaurants for a belated Valentine's dinner. They seated us right NEXT to the fireplace. Our succulent prime rib was medium rare, but we came out "well-done" :)


We drove home after the snow stopped and the roads were clear as is usually the case in a Carolina winter. The dog was barely alive and stayed that way through Sunday. Monday morning we saw real signs of improvement, but it was still touch and go. Yesterday, we knew he was well on the way to recovery and today he is acting like his normal self.

Sunday morning we traveled to Morganton to see our niece, Emily, get baptized (she received the Lord as her Savior just a couple of weeks ago)! What a sweet assurance to know that another in my family is saved and going to Heaven. We had a sweet time of reunion with that side of the family for a very brief time.

That was to catch you up on the end of the Valentine Saga, now my thoughts for today.


Have you ever struggled to have personal time with the Lord? I pray often, but with work and sleep schedules now seeming to rule my day more then anything else, it has been a challenge. I started my daily reading in the Epistles from Paul and soon something caught my eye through the nudging of the Holy Spirit. The verses are very familiar and have been much read through in each book since my childhood, but now I am doing a word study instead. More then a year ago, maybe even longer I noticed the word "All" and how it means everything and everyone. I started going through and circling that word each time I read it in Scripture. Now, it leaps out at me every time I see it. I may have missed some places, but that word is important to me. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

This time as I read through the Epistles that were sent to encourage and edify the early churches, I began to notice how many positive commands were given. How many actual words of encouragement were in each verse. For example, Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." As I read, the Lord pointed out these words that so often we as Christians do not exhibit on a daily basis: love, joy, rejoice, gladness, kindness, peace.... the list is extensive! Our trials and burdens and evil society weigh us down, and we resemble little of Christ-likeness. This is indeed a wicked and perverse generation, but we do not have Caesars who burn us at the stake or boil us in oil. We are not beaten here in the US for being a Christian, we, so far, do not have to hide in fear of our lives when we worship. We are spoiled! If the early church can rejoice with exceeding joy over salvation and spiritual growth, why can't we? Our apathy has stunted our amazement at God's goodness! So as I read, I circle these words that portray emotion and not just an emotion, but an emotion that is to be put into action.
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

When things go awry

Ever have one of THOSE days? It was predicted to snow, but Ted wanted to take me out today anyway even just for the day since our vacation was canceled due to his work issues. I woke up at 8:30 and something smelled reallly bad. I dashed to the shower assuming it must be me.... the smell woke Ted up and we looked at each other trying to hunt down the source. Alas, Oscar was sick, I could say sicker then a dog, except he IS a dog. So we spent the morning cleaning the dog, his box, the floors and keeping an eye on him. He is hiding out in the boys' bathroom which actually keeps the cleaning down to a minimum. Then the cat inhaled the last of the food in the bowl and started puking. I have mopped the floor twice and spot mopped areas repeatedly. I put the cat outside since his issue was just gorging and not illness. He is staring at me through the window wondering why he can't come back inside. Between the smell of animal vomit and cleaning products I am starting to feel nauseous!
Anyway, so far no snow and no escape with my Valentine either. He has spent the morning working from his computer, and I have sat here praying that the dog will recover.

Yup, one of THOSE days!!!!

Big Girl Boots

Life is full of mountains and valleys, fantastic fun and frustrating flubs. Our family fully knows this as we rarely have a boring moment to treasure. That's right we are so rarely bored that when it happens we rejoice in it! Strange as this sounds, I would love for a boring moment right now. Our Valentines Vacation was canceled, our expectations totally disappointed as circumstances gnawed away at our sanity. Another of Ted's managers has quit leaving Ted trying to run a store that is 2 hours away. If you remember he was still trying to get the new manager in the other coastal store settled and moving forward. Ironically, that manager is not as competent as promised, and the one that just quit here was even less competent in training and running the store. The manager in training that Ted has is refusing to relocate and also seems to lack the training necessary to be in the position as titled. Ted is SO frustrated!
What does this mean? Well, it means that I will not invite myself to a pity party, or let frustration and disappointment become my bosom buddies. I will dig down deep, put my big girl boots on and pray for my man who desperately needs divine intervention and wisdom. He can fix stores, but he can't fix stupid :(.

Ruminatin'

Yes, by the titles you can see that alliterating wordiness is a quirky characteristic of mine that satisfies my indulgent quest for individuality.
Realizing that it's another month and so far no new post from this end of the hemisphere enticed a personal mental randomness. Already you are wondering what all this blabbering is about, or maybe you are following along easily with just a smidgen of a smirk on your countenance.
Actually, it's an attempt to see how far this post can go without using personal pronouns in every sentence. It's an adventure into the internal, mental thesaurus in which the challenge appeals to a collective sense of satisfaction attributed to individual quirkiness.


Whoo! Now that was nearly a tongue twister to wade through just so my personal blog stayed personal without seeming to be overly presumptuous.

Praise the Lord, James has a second job!!!
Praise the Lord, after a long week, these few days off have been blessedly quiet and unproductive!
Praise the Lord, Ted has chosen to work from home these past few days to be together with us.



There is a second pot of chili simmering in the crockpot, turkey fixing to be baked for tomorrow, and beautiful sunshine streaming in all the windows and doors.

May your February be blessed with love, and may the Son shine in your heart....

Quirks

Ever notice little quirks or personal preferences you might have? Here are a few that I have noticed about myself.
In this age of technology, I still strongly prefer to open the pages of my Bible instead of clicking my mouse to a website, or as some others do- open an app on their newest phone or device.

As many of you know, God did not gift me with a singing voice, but my soul and heart sing as loudly and strongly as they can. Many times I am at home, and I will think of a song that was song by the choir, or youth, or groups in our church and I will get online to re-play it. Nearly every time, I realize that it sounded better when it was sung at our church during a worship service, and I just don't hear that special touch when I listen to it online.

Another thing I have been struggling with is this blog, it's a vehicle of musings and encouragements, spiritual insights and lessons, but alot of time it just seems like there are too many personal pronouns being used. I know that if I didn't write it, then it wouldn't get said, but you know what I mean?

Now before you think I am anti-technology, which I am not, often times we use the ease of the internet to steal away precious, un-distracted moments with God.

Open your Bible page by page and read what God is saying to you
Worship in church with praise in your heart and a song on your lips
Share your burdens and encourage others as much as you can in person



Ok so this quirky person is off to have another cup of coffee... enjoy the sunshine, meditate on God's Word, and rejoice in the beautiful blessings of this day.

Spiraling

I think sometimes we get myopic when it comes to our little families or lives. It feels safer and saner to tune out the news on tv, relegate the internet to just being virtual reality, and isolating ourselves in a cocoon. We like to think that the big world around us only exists when we want it to. Today as I scanned the news online, I saw God taken out of every vestige of our lives, gays allowed into boy scouts, guns being banned from our homes, and the great country that was bled and died for spiraling out of control. Yes, this is extremely discouraging, BUT this means 2 things- First, Jesus is coming back VERY SOON, for it's similar to the time of Noah and also of Lot, but second, before He returns, how many people are we going to share Christ with? This whole miasma of a society needs the Lord.
Hell is enlarging itself according to Scripture... are you helping it along or are you handing out the lifeline of salvation to those who are spiraling towards the abyss?

Not sure how to share the Gospel?
It's as simple as the ABC's

A- admit you are a sinner the Bible clearly shows us that all are born sinful
B- Believe that salvation by faith through Jesus alone can save you
C- Confess your sin to God and ask Him to save you


If you have done these 3 things please let me know

Then there is D-decide to live for God every day....