Friday, March 27, 2009

Good morning all. It's been a really long week, let me tell you, but a good one. I have seen more than one time in the past few weeks God working in my life. It can be nothing but God cause I didn't do it, handle it, or fix it myself and all I can say is THANK YOU!!! I hope you all have a really good weekend and good week next week. My kiddos and I are taking a vacation..YAYYYYY finally a real vacation. So we will be gone all next week (we leave tomorrow). That means no Internet access so no morning e-mails. Say a prayer for us please, we will be back a week from tomorrow!!

I love you all lots. Thanks for all your help this week!! Lord willing, I will talk to you again on April 6th.......

LOVE YOU!!!!!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

It's not gonna work

I prayed hard last night. See I know Satan is trying to get to me. I see it plain as day.

I left church last night all excited and happy. I am going on vacation next week (so no e-mails from me next week) and it was just all in all a good day. I had to make a stop after church to pick a few things up from the store. When I got back in the car, it was doing something really funny.. making a strange noise and I smelled something that seemed to be burning. GREAT.. this is NOT happening two days before I leave town I KNOW!!! I drive across the street to the laundry mat and turn the car off. Called a few folks and tried to start it again. Wouldn't start.. NOOOOOOOOOOO this is not happening!!! So I called some more folks and thank the Lord my ministers were still at the church building. Michele came to get the kiddos for me and we decide to just push it across the street to the GoodYear.. luckily it was across the street!!!

When I got home, all I could think was " No weapon formed against me shall prosper, no weapon formed against me shall prosper.." Satan was and is trying to get me discouraged and it's not gonna work. NOPE!! I thank GOD it didn't stop on my way to Orlando Saturday and I found out now!!

Today is going to be a good day, I'm gonna make it so!! I hope you all have a great one.. it's gonna rain here for the next three days I hear so stay dry!!! Lord willing, we will talk again tomorrow.. love ya!!!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Did you know?

Did you know that the Lord tells us exactly what forms of conduct He wants and does not want us to have as Christians? Yep.. it's there, in black and white, no denying it. I have heard in the past few weeks how we should be listening for God to tell us what to do.. well He did. The Lord tells us of works of the flesh He does NOT want as Christians:

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions,heresies, envy,murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand,just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."- Galatians 5:19-21

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man."- Mark 7:21-23

"These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:A proud look, A lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans,feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies,and one who sows discord among brethren." -Proverbs 6:16-19

**sigh** I looked over this list and I have to admit.. I have been some of those things.. alot of them actually. All I can say is that I thank God for being forgiving and merciful!!

But it's not all doom and gloom. See He also tells us exactly what He wants us to do and how we should live our lives. We need to make certain that we have these qualities.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true,whatever things are noble, whatever things are just,whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,whatever things are of good report,if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."- Philippians 4:8-9

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."- Galatians 5:22-23

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."- Romans 12: 2

Our habits should be good and gracious ones, that should show everyone we are around that we following the Lord's teachings and example.

I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!! Lord willing, we will talk again tomorrow.. love you all!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

I am really good at giving advice. I mean, I have been through alot of stuff and I feel I am well qualified to help someone out and I do it quite often. I am not trying to be overpowering or pushy, but I honestly try to help if I can. Now, when it comes to me getting advice from other people.. well, it's not exactly the same. It's almost like, there is not much you can tell me that I don't already know. I appreciate the fact that you want to take the time to try to help me, thanks but no thanks. That's how my mind works.. not right, but it does.

I was in college for a few years. I took speech and language classes but never one on listening. I think for me, listening is a skill that I lack and the really sad part is that we pay people alot of money to actually listen to us. We choose to listen to gossip, things that are not worth talking about that we see on TV and complaining.... things that are not important. But what is important is that God has alot of things He wants to reveal to us and we miss it because we are always talking!!

James 1: 19-20 - My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

There is no doubt in my mind that God speaks to us, but whether we will decide to take the time to stop and and hear His voice. Let's make today we strive to do less talking and more listening. Give God and others a chance to be heard.

Monday, March 23, 2009

God is really with us

About 4 months ago I started "dating" (f you wanna call it that this guy. He was really nice, seemed sincere and everything was going okay. After a few weeks I began to get "that feeling". I wasn't sure what it was but I knew that things were not going to work between us. He was nice enough, just not for me. I told a few people and some of them basically just told me it was me being hard as usual and to give him a chance. Naw... I mean he would call and talk but that was about it. No more going out. Last Tuesday night after some shopping at the mall, he called me. I thought it kind of strange since I had not talked to him in a few weeks, but whatever. He was outside the house so I went outside to talk to him for a few minutes. He began to tell me how he was just thinking about me and wanted to stop and see if we were okay. He also told me that I hurt his feelings because I basically dumped him and didn't give him a reason. I just told him that I felt it wasn't going to work but I appreciated him stopping by to check on us. He gave me a big hug and told me that he would call me the next day and maybe we could talk... yeah ok, whatever.

As the next night came, I had the TV on and I was on the computer. The news was on and I NEVER watch the news at night. Anyway, they began to talk about the GBI and local police breaking into the home of a man who had been impersonating a police officer, kidnapping women (and a man I found out) and assaulting them. They said his name and you could have knocked me over with a feather... it was the same one who was just at my house the night before. I cannot tell you the emotions that began to swell up in me, so much so that I could not even work the next day. He never hurt me in any kind of way, he was actually nothing but nice to me but I knew (not at that exact moment) that God had been with me and I found out also later on with other women who were dating him also.

After the initial shock wore off, I had no doubt that the Holy Spirit had placed in me something that told me he was not the one I needed to be around. Even when we think God is not listening, not really playing a part in our lives, things happen, like what happened last week to make me know beyond the shadow of a doubt, that He is listening and He is always with me and will never leave me.

Romans 8:26-27 - In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches out hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

In a moment where I had really no control over what could have happened, God and the Spirit protected me. I read something a friend of mine wrote this weekend and it said I know God is there and I am praying but I still don't know what it is He is trying to tell me. I am learning that sometimes we hear what we want to hear and if it doesn't fit OUR plans then we can't hear it. But maybe He IS giving you the answer, not what you want, but definitely what you need. Keep listening!!!

I love you all very much and I want to thank you all (the ones who knew) for everything and let me just say again, I am really OK .. he never put a hand on me, all is well.

I hope you all have a great week... I think its going to be another beautiful day!! Until tomorrow, Lord willing......

Friday, March 20, 2009

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.” — Psalm 91:14

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. — Isaiah 43:2

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. — 2 Thessalonians 3:3

… for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. — Proverbs 2:8

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carried out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret- it only leads to evil. For evil men will be cut off; but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. - Psalms 37:7-8

Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. ---Proverbs 2: 11

The Lord will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalms 121: 7-8

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Let them go!

I like Tyler Perry and I LOVEEE Madea! I have seen all the movies and plays and they are all great. In one of them, she said something that was so true:


"Some people are meant to come into your life for a lifetime, some for only a season and you got to know which is which. And you're always messing up when you mix those seasonal people up with lifetime expectations.I put everybody that comes into my life in the category of a tree. Some people are like leaves on a tree. When the wind blows, they're over there... wind blow that way they over here... they're unstable. When the seasons change they wither and die, they're gone. That's alright. Most people are like that, they're not there to do anything but take from the tree and give shade every now and then. That's all they can do. But don't get mad at people like that, that's who they are. That's all they were put on this earth to be. A leaf.

Some people are like a branch on that tree. You have to be careful with those branches too, cause they'll fool you. They'll make you think they're a good friend and they're real strong but the minute you step out there on them, they'll break and leave you high and dry.

But if you find 2 or 3 people in your life that's like the roots at the bottom of that tree you are blessed. Those are the kind of people that aren't going nowhere. They aren't worried about being seen, nobody has to know that they know you, they don't have to know what they're doing for you but if those roots weren't there, that tree couldn't live. A tree could have a hundred million branches but it only takes a few roots down at the bottom to make sure that tree gets everything it needs. When you get some roots, hold on to them but the rest of it... just let it go. Let folks go."

Even though she was talking about a man and woman relationship in this particular play, it is also true I think about all relationships. When I was younger I had ALOT of friends. That was just the type person I was. Didn't matter about background, color, money, where they lived, I just liked to socialize and I loved having people in my house and around me. As I got older, I realized (and not all on my own), that Madea was very right. Not all people that come into your life are meant to be there forever. And not all of them mean you good.

Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals. " I Corinthians 15:33. I had alot of people in my life that condoned the things I did that were in no shape, form or fashion right. It didn't really matter what it was, as long as they felt they were getting something out of it (which was watching me make a fool out of myself) then they were good. I have sense gotten rid of alot of people that were in my life. Our friends, or "associates" have a great influence on us, often in very subtle ways. When we try to pursue friendships with people who thinks that what God thinks is unimportant, it can cause us to become callous. True friends should help, not hinder our faith as we draw closer to the Lord.

Care should be involved in choosing our friends. The friends we choose will influence us in some way. We want the influence they have on us to be positive. The most positive influence that could be made is one that will help us on our pathway to heaven. When we pick our friends, this needs to be done with much thought and care. We need to be the kind of true friend the Bible encourages.

I hope you all have a great Wednesday. Love ya and Lord willing....

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Ready??

I am not really into those e-mails that you read and send to 10 folks or you'll have bad luck, but I just got this one. I deleted the bad luck part at the end, b/c this is serious stuff. I mean, no joke. This could very well happen today, right this moment as we are all sitting at our desk working, at home watching TV, anytime. And it hit me, hard... how many of us are really ready? I mean we say we are, Lord knows I HOPE I am, but what would you do it you walked outside for lunch in 28 mins and heard it? The trumpets, saw the sky open...






You are in your car driving home. Thoughts wander to the game you want to see or meal you want to eat, when suddenly a sound unlike any you've ever heard fills the air. The sound is high above you. A trumpet? A choir? A choir of trumpets? You don't know, but you want to know.. So you pull over, get out of your car, and look up.

As you do, you see you aren't the only curious one. The roadside has become a parking lot. Car doors are open, and people are Staring at the sky. Shoppers are racing out of the grocery store. The Little League baseball game across the street has come to a halt. Players and parents are searching the clouds. And what they see, and what you see, has never before been seen.As if the sky were a curtain, the drapes of the atmosphere part.

A brilliant light spills onto the earth. There are no shadows... None. From every hue ever seen and a million more never seen. Riding on the flow is an endless fleet of angels. They pass through the curtains one myriad at a time, until they occupy every square inch of the sky.North. South. East. West. Thousands of silvery wings rise and fall in unison, and over the sound of the trumpets, you can hear the cherubim and seraphim chanting, Holy, holy, holy..

The final flank of angels is followed by twenty-four silver-bearded elders and a multitude of souls who join the angels in worship.Suddenly, the heavens are quiet. All is quiet. The angels turn, you turn, the entire world turns and there He is..

Jesus.

Through waves of light you see the silhouetted figure of Christ the King. He is atop a great stallion, and the stallion is atop a billowing cloud. He opens his mouth, and you are surrounded by his declaration:

I am the Alpha and the Omega.

The angels bow their heads.. The elders remove their crowns.. And before you is a Figure so consuming that you know, instantly you know: Nothing else matters.. Forget stock markets and school reports. Sales meetings and football games.

Nothing is newsworthy.. All that mattered, matters no more.. For Christ has come.



This is the day we are all suppose to be waiting on....... ready??

Hardships along the way

**sigh** My dryer died a few days ago and let me tell you, I miss it alot. I never really thought about how dependent on something as simple as a dryer, until it quit working. Seemed like the day the dryer died, everything else stated happening too, and thus working the last good nerves I had for the weekend. I very quickly went into the whole "woe is me routine". You know.. this is not gonna work, how can I survive (yep, I actually thought survive) without this thing, WHY is this happening to me cause I am being "good". You know... all the stuff we think about when we go through things, like we are too good to have anything happen to us. And I am still working on attitude, cause see, when things happen to me, they tend to lead my whole day. If it starts out bad, then it pretty much is like that all day for me. Not something I am proud of.

Then I started talking to a friend who pretty much laughed at me and was like " Are you serious?" "You really need to get a grip and man (or woman up)". She tends to talk to me like that when I start feeling sorry for myself. But she was right. If a dryer can make or break my whole day, imagine what would happen if something "major" went on.

I reread a chapter in a book I am trying to finish now "To Live is Christ by my favorite ..Beth Moore. She talked about Paul and Barnabas going back to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch even after they left the cities the first time under severe circumstances. I mean they tried to stone Paul Iconium, persecuted them in Antioch and actually stoned and left Paul for dead in Lystra. And even after all of that, they chose to go back to those very cities to strengthen and encourage the disciples. They both faced a great risk to tell everyone that we must all go through hardships if we are going to enter the kingdom of heaven.

We (and I am talking to ME today) must realize that we ARE going to go through hardships (its gonna happen whether you like it or not) because one, "Satan is who he is and is trying to defeat us by causing us to struggle and fall and two, God wants to give us eternal victory by working His glory in and through them." God loves us and Satan wants us to suffer.. and for those reasons, we will have struggles. Seems odd huh?

I also had to come to grips with (and this one is the hard one for me) that I am gonna struggle because "hardships come as a direct result of sin and disobedience." Yep... I messed up, well sinned (and yes I know we are all sinners) and even if nothing happened to me right then, it doesn't mean that I will not have to suffer the consequences for it later on. And thus, I get really tired. So much so that I really don't want or feel like doing much of anything..... and Satan wins.

I guess that maybe I need to realize that hardships are inevitable and instead of letting it get me down as it does most of the time, it should encourage me in faith as she says in the book. As believers, we are going to suffer many hardships. Things are going to happen and there is no way to stop it and nothing you can do. When Paul and Barnabas went back to the cities after all the bad things had happened to them, it should great strength and courage and it said Yep, some bad stuff happened to me, but guess what, we are still here and we are not gonna stop!

My favorite song by Mary Mary has a verse in it that says: " I just can't give up now. Come to far from where I started from. Nobody told me, the road would be easy and I don't believe He brought me this far, to leave me."

Yep, life is difficult, dryer will break (especially after 14 years... lol), but God is true to His Word and as long as we don't give up or give in, none of our struggles will be in vain!

I hope you all have a great Tuesday. lord willing , we will talk again tomorrow!

Monday, March 16, 2009

I got this from a friend on Virginia last week....


"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?' He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto Him, 'Feed My lambs.'" John 21:15

Do you love me? Prove it! Jesus asked Peter 3 times... 'Do you love Me?' Each time Peter said, 'Yes...' And Jesus told Peter to feed His lambs; then He said, 'Feed My sheep.'

In John chapter 14, verse 15, Jesus said, 'If you love Me, keep My commandments.'It's not enough to say you love Him; it's not enough to tell others that you love Christ. It's not enough to just show up in church on Sunday and sing a song during service. If you love Him then do something!

Love is an action word! If you love Him, don't just tell someone today; show someone today. How? By letting others see the change in you; by letting others see you walking Christ-like; by having Godly conversations; forgiving those who hurt you; helping someone who doesn't like you; sharing with someone who can't pay you back; doing something for someone, but not letting them know you did it. Don't just talk about it; be about it!

Love is an action word!Do you really love Jesus? He showed His love for you, by dying in your place. Love is an action word. God showed His love to you, by sending His Son to pay the price for your sins. Love is an action word. Don't fake it! Don't be a counterfeit Christian. Don't say you're saved; show that you're saved! Don't just tell people that you love God; show them by doing everything you can to please God. Everyone will see that your life is sold out for Christ and you're in love with God. Love is an action word!Sure it's nice to say you love; but it's better to show that you love.

Love is an action word!Do you love Him...He gave His life for you...won't you give your life to Him?Love is an action Word. Don’t fake your love; show your love...."Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13


I told someone this weekend, my children do things that really make me mad and I am sure I do stuff that makes them mad too, but no matter how mad I get at them, it does not change my love for them. We are not going to necessarily like everyone or they choices they make, but as Christians, we are commanded to love everyone, including our enemies. Christian love is giving to others the things that you would want them to give you if you were in their situation and it's doing this even if they cannot pay you back. Actually, I believe that it is ESPECIALLY if they can't pay you back. Christian love is respect for others, mercy and charity.

I Corinthians 13:1-13 - If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I hope you all have a great week!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Thank You!

I got a phone call yesterday from Texas. Now I use to live there but I don't have family there anymore. I don't know this person, but she knows me.. The voice on the other end was very nice but very as a matter of fact. She told me that she was praying for me and that she wanted to know my daughter's name so she could pray for her specifically. She shared some of her life with me and told me to not give up. She talked about faith the size of a mustard seed that could move mountains. After about 15 mins, I hung up and went in the bathroom and just had to sit there for a minute. The fact that a woman I don't know, never talked to took time out of her day to call and encourage me.... wow. I want to say thank you. Actually thank you to everyone for e-mailing me yesterday. My daughter has spent the last three days not talking to me at all, and last night, she actually had a small conversation with me that was pleasant. Prayer!



As "busy" as my life seems to be, I had to sit down last night and think " OK, what am I doing and why am I not talking to the only person that can help?" " It's what you write about everyday???" So I did alot of talking last night to God, telling Him problems but also thanking Him for the good things that have been going on too. And then I went to bed and slept. It really amazes me every time STILL as I talk to God and then go to bed, how much at peace I feel when I sleep as compared to not talking and going to bed w/ my mind wondering the whole night. But he did promise



'Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, give your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends ALL understanding will guard you hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.'



Things are gong to be okay, not that I didn't think they would, but you know how we humans are.. always wanting things in OUR time, OUR way, not willing to put in a little work to make it worth it. I am thankful for God's understanding care for me and my family and when I get a little stressed or anxious, I'll just talk to Him.



Thank you all and I love ya!! I hope you have a great day (school is out tomorrow.... joy joy), Lord willing, we will talk again tomorrow!!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Good Morning

We started a new series in church this past Sunday on sin. Not the lightest topic of conversation let me assure you, but it is something that needs to be talked about. On Sunday nights, we have a small group discussion about what was talked about on Sunday mornings and basically, we kind of decided that in order to get rid of the sin in our lives, we first have to ask for forgiveness but also maybe if issues are going on in our lives, have someone help you. Meaning, if you struggle with something, maybe having someone you have to be accountable to might help you overcome it. I'll just say that we had a great discussion Sunday night. But as always, God puts those lessons in our lives at the right time.

I honestly have not much felt like writing the past week. I have a mental block or something... probably the "or something" more than anything. When I decided to write in the beginning, I remember this - Hebrews 3:13 - " But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." That was my main thing, I just wanted all of us to know that we need to be a constant encouragement to one another, building each one up, helping in any way we could. So now, with the new series at church and remembering why I started writing in the first place, I ask for your help.

My daughter and I are not really seeing eye to eye. We haven't really been in over a year now, but as she gets older, I get alot dumber in her mind so she feels like she can do whatever. I left work yesterday to pick her up from practice to find her not there. This was after a disagreement we had had. I made some phone calls to get some help and for about an hour we looked for her. My being upset with her not being there soon turned to panic w/ all the news of late of all the gang violence in Albany AND this is not the first time she has decided she did not like her situation and I had to find her. After an hour, she finally showed up, never even giving a thought to the fact that I was worried sick. I have dealt with this a long time.. the attitude, the whole thing. And don;t get me wrong, I KNOW alot of it is being a teenager, the pressures that they face which are nothing like when I was growing up... but even with that, alot of it is to just make me mad. So we go back and forth, making each other mad and it is getting us no where.

You all know that Brianna has no grandparents and her father is not in the picture, so it has been me taking care of all of it and if you know me, you know how stubborn I can be as far as asking for anything from anyone. That's just not me. BUT, it's about time I put that aside. I do not pretend to have all the answers nor am I perfect. I have made alot of mistakes when it comes to my family .. I try to do what I think is right but that does not always work. So now, I am asking, really begging that you pray for us. I have no intentions of letting Satan have my child under any circumstances, but I now also know I can't battle him alone... he's a tad bit stronger than me alone.

I would like for you all to please add her and my whole family actually to your prayers. If you see my daughter, please encourage her. Now she is stubborn like her mom, so she may look at you a little strange, she may say something, she may not... but maybe one day it will all click. If you see where I may need to do something different, handle something better with her, just tell me. I may have three children, but I still have a long way to go in raising them!

I apologize for this not being something bright and funny, but it's really been bothering me lately and it's just time for something to be done. I love you all very much and I do hope you have a great day!!

Lord willing, we will talk again soon!!

Monday, March 9, 2009

I sure will be happy when.......

I finally decided I was happy when I got married and had children. I got a little frustrated because I really wanted the kids to be older though and get out of the baby stage so they could do a little more for themselves. As they have gotten older I have thought, WOW I have a teenager and 2 soon to be pre teens and I don't really like that much either sometimes, but when they get older......seems that maybe once I get a nicer car, maybe a bigger house, finished school... I will finally be happy. But honestly, there is no better time to be happy than right now. Stop worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow... it's not promised to us anyway!

Life is going to always be filled with challenges, not everything is going to always go our way. We need to stop waiting til we finish school, til the kids are gone, til we lose weight....treasure every moment you have right now. I spent this past weekend doing something everyday with the kids. We went to see wrestling. Not my favorite thing to do but I ended up having a really good time, we helped with the marathon, went to a baseball game, to Mardi Gras and to church. That's what they will remember, the time we spent together.

So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.

I hope you all had a great weekend.. it was really beautiful!! Last night I went walking with a friend and we couldn't help but notice how beautiful and just a little strange the sky was. It's amazing the things we come up with but the conversation was good. I hope you all have a great Monday and a great week. Lord willing...

Love ya!

Friday, March 6, 2009

Its the weekend!

It's the weekend.. finally!! It has been a long week, lots of things going on. I think I am all tapped out now.

Albany has alot going on this weekend with a marathon (watch for runners all over town), WWE wrestling, which I am going to tonight, Steve Harvey, which I will be seeing tomorrow night... just alot! I hope you all enjoy the weekend, it's suppose to be really nice. Get out and do something constructive.. help someone, plants some flowers, take the kids to the park, just find something to do!

Lord willing, we will talk again Monday. Love you all!!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

He told me NO!

All week long I have had a nagging feeling. I had some plans this weekend and I was really excited about them and up until a few days ago and then I got one of those feelings that women get alot. Women's intuition I guess. But it bothered me alot. Now I KNOW God knew about this cause I told Him. I mean this was going to be a good thing, it seemed so perfect (first mistake!). How could He NOT want me to do this? But the feelings I was having was so strong I spent all of Monday literally with an upset stomach because I was just bothered by something. So I just said " Okay, I don't know what going on. But if this is something you don't want me doing PLEASE just give me a definite sign cause I am totally confused about this and it really seems good." I left it at that Monday night and I actually slept better on Tuesday. And last night.. right after church.... I got my answer. It wasn't a maybe, it wasn't a I'll let you see for yourself, it wasn't even a well just this one time... it was a NO!! I mean it was so loud and so in my face, as I woke up this morning and the first thing I said through tears was "THANK YOU"!!! I hear you and I am listening!!!

Jeremiah 29: 11-14 from the Message (now some of my favorite verses) - This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. "When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. "When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it."

SEE--- HE said it right there!!!! When we ask Him to help us He is listening! If we SERIOUSLY seek and look for Him we will find Him.. He's gonna take care of us. There is no need in being scared, disappointed cause He is gonna make sure that everything is ok... He promised!


God DOES have plans for our lives and anything that gets n the way of those plans.. well He is going to make sure nothing does! And His plan is for GOOD, even though we may go through alot of junk in our lives, His plan is always for good. God does not want us to be miserable, but He wants us to follow Him with all our hearts and that means sometimes telling us NO like He did me last night, and I KNOW HE did it because He loves me! Just like I am with the kids sometimes... I can't always give them what they want (I make sure they have what they need though) and saying no sometimes is hard, but I love them and am only thinking of their welfare, just like God does with us.

No matter what it is, if God says ‘no’, know that God loves you beyond what you can understand and He will get you through whatever it is that you must endure.Trust God and know that He has confidence in you and He believes in you enough to know that you will get through this with His help. So even if God does say ‘no’ to you in your life, do not ever give up for God will see you through. That is His Word and that is His promise!

God told me no last night.. a big NO, it's not good for you and I am SOO glad He loves me enough that He did it!!

Today is starting out to be one of my best days yet... I hope you all have a great one! Love you and Lord willing,.... I will talk to you again tomorrow!!!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

In 1991, I had it all figured out....

Last night I took out my Senior book and took a stroll down memory lane. I graduated from high school in 1991. All the pictures with the big red glasses, the football games, my old Dairy Queen paychecks, New Kids on the Block pictures (yep,I went to the concert). I even had in there where I would be 5 and 10 years from now, how my life would basically be. I was going to Valdosta State. I was going to be a lawyer and write a book... not necessarily in that order. Making 100,000 a year at least. I would not be married because that was NOT for me so definitely no kids. Those were the days... I had alot of plans.....


Proverbs 16: 1-4 (The Message) - "Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word. Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good. Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place."

And God had other plans.....There comes a point when we have to trust that God knows better than we do. We think that our motives are really for the best, but God sees and knows whats really inside of us and He knows that everything that "looks" good ain't always good.
God's plan for us I don't think ever stops, I just think we get side tracked from it sometimes with our own desires.But we need to always remember that He has a plan, and He works every circumstance of our life so that it is consistent with His purpose.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

So is your armor clean and ready for action?

Are you protected today? Is your armor ready for action?

It never ceases to amaze me that when I get "those feelings", God is right there to give me the answers. Last night I really had one of those gut feelings and I wasn't sure what to do or even if it was just my over active imagination was working overtime again. I got up this morning and got the boys ready, still not knowing what the feeling was about and also not knowing what I wanted to write about today. I took the boys to school, came home and sat on the bed, closed my eyes, said a little prayer and just opened the Bible. It opened to (and my eyes caught) -

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." - Ephesians 6:10-11

The Holy Spirit is never far from us and I think gives us those flags to know that Satan is still working even when we think he has left us alone. We get warnings not to go on with a particular situation or relationship. It's up to us to heed those warnings and feelings. We we get that nagging feelings we need to pay attention.

Beth Moore said in her book " When Godly People do Ungodly Things" that excessive thinking is a clear sign of a fierce demonic stronghold. And that the nature of a stronghold is something exhalted in our minds contray to the knowledge of God. WOW........

So as I look back now, I was armed. It was there all day because of God's grace and mercy. He helped me all day and even last night although Satan was trying his best to rip it off of me. But God is good, and He kept me and is keeping me strong. Everyday we live, we must take time out to put on the armor of God. When we wake up in the morning, we must be ready to face the war.. the battle between us and the devil... we need to be ready!!!

I hope you all have a blessed day and don't let Satan steal any joy you have today. Lord willing.. see ya tomorrow...

Monday, March 2, 2009

I really saw God's work this weekend

I got to go visit a friend this weekend and it was great. The kids had a ball and are ready to go back. As I drove home yesterday, I got to see God's work in action and had a chance to think about it. When I left Charlotte, it was raining.. and I love rain. Not really driving in it, but just watching it, listening to it. Then as I got out of Charlotte, it started to snow. My kids were really excited and my youngest asked, "how come it was raining and now it's snowing?".. All I knew to say was.. "that's how God works". He accepted that answer and watched as the beautiful snow fell. We even stopped to take a picture of it cause it never snows in SW Georgia..well not enough to stick anyway.

I just realized this weekend once again how great God is. I was allowed to take a short vacation with the kiddos to spend time laughing and talking with friends and just being able to see how the seasons really change and work. It was nice......

I hope you all had a great weekend and have a great Monday!! Lord willing ,we will talk again tomorrow and I will have all my thoughts together for my blogs this week!! Love ya!!