I have always enjoyed reading blogs. Always so neat to see how other people live their lives, what habits they have, and getting a glimpse of their walk with the Lord is usually so inspiring. So, I thought I would start a blog. From day 1, I just haven't had much to say, and certainly nothing on a consistent basis. Then I realized why my attempts at blogging were so dismal - the cold, honest truth is that for the most part, all my life consists of are broken promises, wishful thinking and all those shoulda's, coulda's, woulda's.
I have been married almost 22 years and have 3 daughters and 1 grandchild and so the fruit of what I did during the first 15-20 years of my marriage has now sprung forth and is evident for all to see. It really is true that what you sow you will reap. The sad thing about that is that by the time you start to reap, you can't stop and replant. The seeds are already sown.
Now to my children, when they hear me say something like that, they instantly take it personally, and think I don't like them. Well, I guess they would be right at times about that. I don't like everything they have done in their lives, but I love them. I guess though that even though the oldest one is almost 21, none of them are old enough yet to understand that there is a difference between liking what they do and loving their person.
I had hopes that after such a rough year in 2009, that 2010 would be better. I really didn't think it could get much worse, but how naive was that??? And true, things could still be a whole lot worse than what they are, but where I am walking right now, it is a very dark and sad place.
I do not plan to blog anymore. It is a total waste of space and of anyone's time who has read it. If you learn anything from my life, let it be what NOT to do.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Half Gone
Well half of the first month of the new year is already gone and I am just now getting around to blogging. Seems that some things just never change. LOL
I have had a very rocky start to this new year. I kind of had a feeling getting ready for 2010 that things wouldn't be great right off the bat, but little did I know just exactly what kind of things I would get hit with. This past week was probably the roughest for me in that I really let it all overwhelm me and I was having a very hard time struggling to get beyond that, but this morning I awoke determined to not let it beat me down anymore. Sure, times are hard and probably gonna get harder. I can either choose to focus on wondering how I will survive the harder times that are sure to come or I can choose to focus on my relationship with Christ who will be the one holding my hand and seeing me through the hard times that come.
I know every year most people set goals or resolutions for that year and I am just like everyone else. I write them down and dream big, but generally by the time the year rolls to an end I find I did not accomplish even one of the lofty goals I had and actually for the past few years I haven't even bothered to write them down new - I just recycle the ones from the previous year. How sad is that??? So this year I have decided that I am just going to pick a few things I want to work on (no more than 3 I think) and focus on those. Something I am just starting to learn is that it is not about how "much" one accomplishes, it is about what you learn in the process of accomplishing, if that makes sense?
So, to anyone who stumbles across this blog post, I challenge you to just pick no more than 3 things to work on this year and just focus on those and see just how much working on those 3 things changes multiple things about your life.
I have had a very rocky start to this new year. I kind of had a feeling getting ready for 2010 that things wouldn't be great right off the bat, but little did I know just exactly what kind of things I would get hit with. This past week was probably the roughest for me in that I really let it all overwhelm me and I was having a very hard time struggling to get beyond that, but this morning I awoke determined to not let it beat me down anymore. Sure, times are hard and probably gonna get harder. I can either choose to focus on wondering how I will survive the harder times that are sure to come or I can choose to focus on my relationship with Christ who will be the one holding my hand and seeing me through the hard times that come.
I know every year most people set goals or resolutions for that year and I am just like everyone else. I write them down and dream big, but generally by the time the year rolls to an end I find I did not accomplish even one of the lofty goals I had and actually for the past few years I haven't even bothered to write them down new - I just recycle the ones from the previous year. How sad is that??? So this year I have decided that I am just going to pick a few things I want to work on (no more than 3 I think) and focus on those. Something I am just starting to learn is that it is not about how "much" one accomplishes, it is about what you learn in the process of accomplishing, if that makes sense?
So, to anyone who stumbles across this blog post, I challenge you to just pick no more than 3 things to work on this year and just focus on those and see just how much working on those 3 things changes multiple things about your life.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Terrific Tuesday
Well, Tuesday nights is our usual bible study fellowship night, but we decided to combine it with a New Year's Eve party this year, so we moved it to Thursday night this week. Thought that would give me a night off of major cooking, but then Shelby called inviting her and the family to come eat with us. LOL That's okay - that just meant I got time with the grand younguns! Super fun time!
The Lord never ceases to amaze me. The work I do from home gets pretty slim through the holidays and for the past several days I have had no work at all to do. I was stressing about how pitiful my check was going to be and so after logging in this morning and getting the "no jobs available" message, I was a little frantic and threw up a short prayer that went something like, "God, I NEED work!" and then decided to reply to some emails. About 30 minutes later, I decided to check for work again and one came to my queue! I was elated, so I typed it, then got another one, and then another. I was afraid to take a break in case the work would run out. LOL I had a goal of 1000 lines today and after 5 hours of typing I had reached 972 lines and THEN I got the message, "no jobs available." God has a sense of humor, doesn't He? I was so very thankful for the work today. Of course, coming off of a week of severe back pain, all that sitting did not do me much good in that department, but the song in my heart knowing that God heard my cry for work and answered me so quickly made the back pain much more tolerable. So much so that I am asking God for the same miracle tomorrow and Thursday, which is the last day of the pay period.
We really do serve an awesome God and even if He hadn't chosen to answer my prayer and send work my way (and that has happened a lot too), He is still worthy of my praise and adoration. It is not because of what He does that makes me want to serve Him, but it is because of Who He Is!
The year 2009 has been a very difficult one for us financially and honestly, from my perspective, no change seems evident on the horizon of 2010, but you know what, whether or not we find financial stability again or not, I serve a God who is stable and who will never fail me and I am humbled to know He loves me enough to die for me and cover all my sins with his shed blood. Truly now, THAT is an amazing God!
The Lord never ceases to amaze me. The work I do from home gets pretty slim through the holidays and for the past several days I have had no work at all to do. I was stressing about how pitiful my check was going to be and so after logging in this morning and getting the "no jobs available" message, I was a little frantic and threw up a short prayer that went something like, "God, I NEED work!" and then decided to reply to some emails. About 30 minutes later, I decided to check for work again and one came to my queue! I was elated, so I typed it, then got another one, and then another. I was afraid to take a break in case the work would run out. LOL I had a goal of 1000 lines today and after 5 hours of typing I had reached 972 lines and THEN I got the message, "no jobs available." God has a sense of humor, doesn't He? I was so very thankful for the work today. Of course, coming off of a week of severe back pain, all that sitting did not do me much good in that department, but the song in my heart knowing that God heard my cry for work and answered me so quickly made the back pain much more tolerable. So much so that I am asking God for the same miracle tomorrow and Thursday, which is the last day of the pay period.
We really do serve an awesome God and even if He hadn't chosen to answer my prayer and send work my way (and that has happened a lot too), He is still worthy of my praise and adoration. It is not because of what He does that makes me want to serve Him, but it is because of Who He Is!
The year 2009 has been a very difficult one for us financially and honestly, from my perspective, no change seems evident on the horizon of 2010, but you know what, whether or not we find financial stability again or not, I serve a God who is stable and who will never fail me and I am humbled to know He loves me enough to die for me and cover all my sins with his shed blood. Truly now, THAT is an amazing God!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Prepping for the week ahead
It is Sunday night and my house is all quiet. Lindsay is spending the night with her sister at my parents' house and Jalen is in bed with his Papa. Not so sure that is the best idea since Papa Bear is sick, but I guess he has been exposed already so we'll see what happens.
My mind has been on the coming new year a lot. I guess it is the "season" to do some serious thinking about one's life and one's goals, but in reality, we can set goals for our life anytime we desire to do so. So, when February rolls around and you find yourself already behind in your "goals", you can just take a deep breath and remind yourself that a goal can be set anytime and you can always start fresh anytime.
My goals tend to be the same each year with only a small percentage gained on most of them. As we close out 2009 and look towards 2010, I do realize that there is one area of my life that I have improved upon a lot and that is my spiritual life. Now before you start thinking I am bragging or puffing myself up higher than I ought to, I will also say that no matter how far I have come I still have a very long ways to go and I am very well aware of that fact. However, it is nice to be able to look back and see where you once were and see that you are no longer there, but have in fact moved ahead a bit. It is encouraging to see growth in our lives and it also helps keep us motivated to continue growing.
As I ponder on these thoughts, my hope for the last few days of 2009, is that I can work on getting better organized and setting up a plan to maintain that for the year 2010. For those who think organizing is unnecessary, let me just say that if you want to be an effective person, you have to be organized. No, you don't have to be OCD about it, but general organization is critical to being successful in any area of our lives. It is what I will be working on in the coming year because there are many things I long to be effective in this next year.
So, as I finish up this blog entry, the last Sunday of 2009, I just want to remind you to look back at where you were and see where you are today and use that to motivate you to keep on keeping on.
My mind has been on the coming new year a lot. I guess it is the "season" to do some serious thinking about one's life and one's goals, but in reality, we can set goals for our life anytime we desire to do so. So, when February rolls around and you find yourself already behind in your "goals", you can just take a deep breath and remind yourself that a goal can be set anytime and you can always start fresh anytime.
My goals tend to be the same each year with only a small percentage gained on most of them. As we close out 2009 and look towards 2010, I do realize that there is one area of my life that I have improved upon a lot and that is my spiritual life. Now before you start thinking I am bragging or puffing myself up higher than I ought to, I will also say that no matter how far I have come I still have a very long ways to go and I am very well aware of that fact. However, it is nice to be able to look back and see where you once were and see that you are no longer there, but have in fact moved ahead a bit. It is encouraging to see growth in our lives and it also helps keep us motivated to continue growing.
As I ponder on these thoughts, my hope for the last few days of 2009, is that I can work on getting better organized and setting up a plan to maintain that for the year 2010. For those who think organizing is unnecessary, let me just say that if you want to be an effective person, you have to be organized. No, you don't have to be OCD about it, but general organization is critical to being successful in any area of our lives. It is what I will be working on in the coming year because there are many things I long to be effective in this next year.
So, as I finish up this blog entry, the last Sunday of 2009, I just want to remind you to look back at where you were and see where you are today and use that to motivate you to keep on keeping on.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Day After
Well, here we are, the day after Christmas. We survived it. This year for us was quite a bit different than usual. For one thing, our youngest daughter, who got married in September, was missing from our typical Christmas morning chaos. Secondly, due to financial hardships encountered this year, there simply was not much funds available for much gifting to be done. Despite the differences, I believe we had a very nice Christmas. Everyone in our family was well and together for the day. And really, isn't that what Christmas should be about the most - sharing and spending time with family?
Now as we get ready to begin a new year and a new decade, my thoughts turn towards what kind of goals I want to set. Every year I set goals and try to achieve them, but most years I fail to accomplish anything. In 2010 I hope to break that trend. I have learned a lot this year through various trials I have encountered that goals can be accomplished as long as one sets their minds/hearts on it and never quits. So maybe for me, the question becomes what "goal" (singular) can I set for myself this year that I can devote my energy to and see accomplished this year?
I know I have stated it often before, but I truly hope to start blogging again on a regular basis. It is a good way to share what is on my heart and in doing so, I think it helps me become a stronger person eventually.
So, Merry Christmas to my blog readers and have a wonderful NEW YEAR!
Now as we get ready to begin a new year and a new decade, my thoughts turn towards what kind of goals I want to set. Every year I set goals and try to achieve them, but most years I fail to accomplish anything. In 2010 I hope to break that trend. I have learned a lot this year through various trials I have encountered that goals can be accomplished as long as one sets their minds/hearts on it and never quits. So maybe for me, the question becomes what "goal" (singular) can I set for myself this year that I can devote my energy to and see accomplished this year?
I know I have stated it often before, but I truly hope to start blogging again on a regular basis. It is a good way to share what is on my heart and in doing so, I think it helps me become a stronger person eventually.
So, Merry Christmas to my blog readers and have a wonderful NEW YEAR!
Monday, August 17, 2009
A New Era??
So, in July I turned 40. I really thought it wouldn't bother me and had always said I couldn't wait to be 40. And it really hasn't bothered me, not the number anyway. It really is just a number. What has bothered me though is realizing that I really don't have that many years left to get in all the living I want to do still. Somehow, all those "I'll do it later" decisions have caught up with me and I am left looking at a lot of things not done that I had wanted to do.
Now I realize that life isn't over at 40 and I do have time left, but it really has been a wake up call to stop procrastinating and continuing to put off things I really want to do and make some decisions to "just do it" as the famous Nike slogan says.
I really do have a LONG list of things I want to accomplish and reality says I do need to prioritize it and really narrow it down to what the most important things are to me and get those set in motion.
I started this blog a long while ago and have never really kept up with it. Life just gets in the way and honestly, many times I just simply don't feel like anything I have to say is worth reading, by me or anyone else. My husband really is the one who has a gift/talent for writing, but I do hope that God will help me develop an ability to share the things that He puts on my heart, not for my glory, but hopefully that it will help inspire and encourage someone else who happens to read it.
One thing I have truly learned in my 40 years of living is that God never intends for us to be islands on our own. He created community and placed us in one to help us grow and thrive. We do ourselves a grave disservice when we try to avoid fellowship with others. Sure, relationships are not easy and community living is challenging many times, but the rewards and the joy that are found there cannot be matched by anything we can do by ourselves. So, God willing, this post will be just the first of many more to come as I share what God is doing in my heart and mind and teaching me as I journey through this life.
Now I realize that life isn't over at 40 and I do have time left, but it really has been a wake up call to stop procrastinating and continuing to put off things I really want to do and make some decisions to "just do it" as the famous Nike slogan says.
I really do have a LONG list of things I want to accomplish and reality says I do need to prioritize it and really narrow it down to what the most important things are to me and get those set in motion.
I started this blog a long while ago and have never really kept up with it. Life just gets in the way and honestly, many times I just simply don't feel like anything I have to say is worth reading, by me or anyone else. My husband really is the one who has a gift/talent for writing, but I do hope that God will help me develop an ability to share the things that He puts on my heart, not for my glory, but hopefully that it will help inspire and encourage someone else who happens to read it.
One thing I have truly learned in my 40 years of living is that God never intends for us to be islands on our own. He created community and placed us in one to help us grow and thrive. We do ourselves a grave disservice when we try to avoid fellowship with others. Sure, relationships are not easy and community living is challenging many times, but the rewards and the joy that are found there cannot be matched by anything we can do by ourselves. So, God willing, this post will be just the first of many more to come as I share what God is doing in my heart and mind and teaching me as I journey through this life.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tom's Word From California!
No matter where my husband goes, he has the heart of a teacher and today he sent me a bunch of text messages asking me to please post to my blog and to Facebook. He felt it was urgent for someone to hear today. So below is what he sent me:
Don't allow yourself to lose control of your temper. If you are a Christian and you lose control of your temper, who has control? A Christian with an out of control temper is a devastating tool in the ready hands of a spiteful devil. Keep your temper under the control of the Holy Spirit.
What kind of temper control do you want your kids to use in their homes? They will follow our example and we must be faithful to show them the Godly way.
Be angry and sin not and do not give the devil a foothold. Never allow yourself to lose control because it is then that you will commit sin. And don't let the sun go down while you are still angry. Forgive offenses before bedtime so that bitterness will not take hold and become the stronghold of a grudge which leads to more anger and hurt and may well be a breeding ground for even more sin to be committed.
We are commanded to love one another and it is the Lord who says this.
The time is now to obey the Word of God, no matter how we feel, and be true disciples of Christ so that we can stand in the presence of God unashamedly. A Christian who truly follows after the law of God with his life on the altar sacrificed in the service of a Holy God.
Don't allow yourself to lose control of your temper. If you are a Christian and you lose control of your temper, who has control? A Christian with an out of control temper is a devastating tool in the ready hands of a spiteful devil. Keep your temper under the control of the Holy Spirit.
What kind of temper control do you want your kids to use in their homes? They will follow our example and we must be faithful to show them the Godly way.
Be angry and sin not and do not give the devil a foothold. Never allow yourself to lose control because it is then that you will commit sin. And don't let the sun go down while you are still angry. Forgive offenses before bedtime so that bitterness will not take hold and become the stronghold of a grudge which leads to more anger and hurt and may well be a breeding ground for even more sin to be committed.
We are commanded to love one another and it is the Lord who says this.
The time is now to obey the Word of God, no matter how we feel, and be true disciples of Christ so that we can stand in the presence of God unashamedly. A Christian who truly follows after the law of God with his life on the altar sacrificed in the service of a Holy God.
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