On a lighter note...!

OK.. so we all have rough days, months, years...
But who am I to dwell on that!?

On a lighter note.. I had the "privilege" of driving my husbands "spare," truck tonight!
(Spare - as in... he is using it because his good truck is out of commission for a wee bit.)

So this Spare truck.. yep... hmmm..  don't even know how to describe it! 
This is a good way... an EXPERIENCE like no other!

So, to lighten my day, God allowed me the time to drive this truck to visit our daughter as she is in the Hospital..
 and here is how it goes...

Me:
Getting into truck I attempt to fasten seat belt..
Closest latch doesn't work.. try the next one farther across the seat... BINGO...
A little tight on the waist, but sufficient for safety... I guess?

Me:
This is a standard truck, and my teenage daughter who is riding with me,, says.. "Why don't I drive,, you are going toooo slow."
Not gonna happen.  Nope.. not gonna!

Me:
My flip-flop gets caught on something as I am shifting out of 2nd gear, and I almost stall the engine...
I start to complain, and my daughter ( who, herself, as driven this truck), says...
 "Look down.. Under your foot you can see through to the road!"
WOWSERS....She is right..
I look down, and I can see pavement flying rather quickly by.. and I begin to think that perhaps this wasn't the greatest idea.. to use this...
SPARE TRUCK!

ME:
Dropping my daughter off at work and heading to the Hospital, I pass a police officer, and it occurs to me that I have no idea where all of the registration/Insurance cards are.. and so in a little bit of a panic.. I speed up a little, forgetting about the Police officer.
God is good.. that officer was too busy for this old clunker! ( The truck is in reference here!)

ME:
Almost to the Hospital to visit my daughter ( who has a staph infection in her foot)... I come to a slow halt near a road crew, and Lo, and Behold...
I accidentally hit the wiper- knob, and the windshield wipers begin to swish back & forth... back and forth..
RATHER quickly I might add! 
And the construction workers I am driving past... yep.. you guessed it.. are staring at this crazy woman.. in an old truck... on a warm... DRY.. beautiful evening.. with the Windshield Wipers going.. Swish Swish... Swish Swish!
I tried relentlessly to figure out how to turn them off.. but gave up... and let them have their chuckle.
Everyone needs a laugh in their day, right!?  I was glad to help!

ME:
I have arrived at the Hospital.. in one piece I might add.. a little more humble..educated.. and amazed at how God has just the right scenarios for a heavy heart.

Yep!  Me and the truck.. we are one now~!

I just have to share the two pictures below... they are so perfect to describe without words, the personalities of two of my girls. 
And sometimes, their personalities will be a reflection of my moods..
Perfect way to end the day on a lighter note!

Are you with Me?! A Hedge...?

Just to preface... this post is NOT, ( I repeat.. NOT) a post to vent, complain or set pity into action... It is a revelation., a prayer, and an experience in the making...

A Hedge, you ask?...
Yep...

I am speaking of a Hedge of Protection...

 Our Life in 2010 has been one series of events after another that would call for defeat, fear, escape, frustration, defeat ( oh, wait.. I said this already, didn't I?)... and bottom line...a crumpled family that has thrown their faith by the way side.

There have been times in my life when life seems to bring days like this... or perhaps even weeks like this... and rarely a month straight of non-stop problems...
But..
2010 -
 NON-STOP ...
not a day, not a week, not a month... constant..
Not to say there are not blessings, wonderful days, and the ability to see God's Handiwork in our lives..

But I am calling this an outright attack.
And this is where the HEDGE OF PROTECTION comes in.

For THIS I am now praying fervently.
Making a list of the things that are breaking left and right ( major appliances, vehicles, etc. ) would be pointless...
Making a list of personal attacks, unexpected financial surprises or ministry struggles would be pointless...
Making a list of our children's sudden and serious health issues that appear out of no where.. would be pointless...

WHY re-inforce to Satan what HE is trying to do...?
Rather...
PRAY for a HEDGE of PROTECTION!

The Lord protects us, and keeps us in the palm of His Hand...
Making this my daily prayer, and Keeping the Faith will be my best "weapon!"

AMEN!????!!!

Waking up every morning, and seeing smiling faces like the one below... just re-inforces the blessings I have and will NEVER take for granted..
Are you under attack?
I would encourage you to Keep the Faith!
Satan only likes to see us brought to a point of discouragement, and see us throw up our hands in defeat..

When you and I feel like throwing our hands up .. think on this...
RAISE THEM HIGH!!!!

BUT..NOT in defeat.. but with our palms opened to the Heavens, asking God to give us strength and fill us with HOPE.

Let's not let Satan get a foothold in the door of discouragement! 
Are ya with me?
God has NEVER failed me... things and people may,, But God?  Nope.

Keep the Faith!

One Down.. Eight to go!

My oldest has graduated and we now have eight to go.
Ben was home schooled until his last year of high-school. And then he went to an excellent local Christian school, and he finished there.

A wonderful day it was... his Graduation Day.  It truly made me reflect on what he has been taught, and what I am still teaching our other children as they grow.

There seems to be a lot of reflecting going on in the Season of my life....

Today was Ben's party, and we shared this special day with over 200 people... it was a special day!

Later that evening,, when the house was quiet, I walked the property and picked up left-over papers, water bottles, and removed the balloons.
I decided rather than pop them and throw them away...
I untied them and let them go,, little by little.. all over the property,,, as I came across them.

Looking up...
Seeing the bright balloons float away..
All was quiet and I was alone...
THIS is when it hit me...

My baby boy is grown.
He is going to be leaving someday.
I watched those balloons float so happily into the sky.. and without course...

and it occurred to me...

Ben has been given a course...
Ben has a Heavenly Father that will always be there...
... and it is my prayer now... that Ben will Stay the Course and not become weighted down with distraction and lose "flight." 

When our children are little, I pray for a long time that the Lord will guide me to a life verse for each of them.. knowing their individual personalities and "bent" towards different things...
This is Ben's Life verse,, and it is my prayer that he will bind it about his neck all the days of his life..

2 Timothy 2:15 -
"Study to show thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth."

Will you pray for Ben and all the young people that you know as they step out to a new future...?

Perfect ending  to a perfect day.... and special gift from God.... My Own Balloon Release for A Very Special Son!

I love you my son.

Lucky Charms - Lessons

Tell me again and again -  Perspective.  That is where I stumble and fumble.


The other day - a long, frustrating, tiring, emotionally draining day - I walked uptairs to retreat ... somehere... I didn't really even have a purpose for going upstairs,,, I put away some laundry, picked up a bathroom, switched out the towels to clean, and ended up standing in my bedroom..


Just standing there... lost, is a good way to describe how I probably looked.


I plopped myself down on my bed.  Laying on my back, eyes closed, hand over my eyes... spent!


In typical fashion for me... I lay there mulling over all that was on my heart, and all that was makiing me exhausted.. rather than  just.. resting. 
Resting.... and letting it all just... be.


Nope, not me.  Perspective is one of my greatest weaknesses.
Guess what... God knows that..., and He had to remind me again.


After a few moments of realizing that laying there thinking was not accomplishing any thing... I opened my eyes..
propped myself onto my elbows, and loooked down the bed at my feet....


WHAT DID I SEE?


A soggy, multi-colored Lucky Charm cereal stuck to the top of my foot. STUCK there..
I shook my foot to remove it...
Still stuck!
I laughed out loud, and said.. Perspective!"


..... life could be so ironically funny.

How could I not laugh? 


So, life is constantly reminding me to shake off the idea that I need to be "stuck" in the moments of trials, exhaustion, and frustration.
Shake it off- it is only temporary.


God has a bigger plan for you and I...looking through the lense of God's Word will give us all of the persepective that we need to get through all of those overwhelming moments.


Testing,, Testing...
What is keeping you down?
Is it our job to "fix" it, or our job to Let go and Let God?

HAPPY? HAPPY!

Can you find the "HAPPY" in your day!?

I found mine

Psalms 118:24!

5 Minute/ 5 Dollars

Busy lives we all live.. that is for sure.
I am sure that your life is not so different from mine... as far as busy goes. 

One thing that I have learned, is that through the Rush Hour of Life, we can find 5 Minutes here, and 5 Dollars there, to keep life in perspective, and help keep the teeter - totter of our schedules from overwhelming us!

Here are a ideas that fall into my own 5 Minute/5 Dollar List:
(Some of are gender specific.. so use them as they apply.)  

*Grab a new pair of flip-flops for $5 at Target - (An errand run is usually for everyone else- isn't it?...Throw a cute pair of flip-flops in the cart for yourself .. they have some cute choices)

*Try the French Manicure Pen...After you jump out of the shower... it takes less than 5 minutes to use this handy-dandy pen,, and whala!... you have a pretty french manicure... Use a clear top coat to protect it.. and you are set for the week... all ready to go in the new flip flops as well!  In under 5 minutes!

*Throw some herbal tea bags and water in a glass gallon container, and set in the sun as you start your morning.  Right before lunch bring it in and dilute for some healthy, tasty ice tea.
So refreshing as a middle of the day jump-start.  It only takes 5!

*Look around and find items that you would love to look new, and discourage you from using.. outdoor garden, deck or porch items..
Do not be discouraged with what you have... next time you take a trip to the store, add spray paint to your list.
Sounds cheesy?  Nope.. There are so many choices in spray paint now,,it is unbelievable!  And FAST!
Flower pots.. mailboxes...garden decorations..
Life does need to be dull...change things up in a quick and inexpensive way.

*Develop a few new pics of of your camera next time you are at the store.  Post them on the fridge or mail them out to close family or friends.
A five minute stop at the photo machine will bring a smile to your day and someone else as well.
Make it happen.

*Go for a walk... download some of your favorite tunes onto an Ipod, or work on memorizing your Scripture while you walk.  Either walk for leisure,, or take a 5 minute or more power walk, and rejuvenate your metabolism. 
Clear your mind.

*Order some liquid chlorophyll,, ( we like the mint flavored,)... and add it to your "under $5" Water Bottle with some ice.  Minty- Ice Cold Chlorophyll water is the best.. and it is soooo  good for you.
Cheaper and healthier than many other cool drinks.

*Rather than thinking your cleaning has to be done in hour segments, or it has to be done 100% all of the time... try this:  We use containers of cleaning wipes, and leave them in watch bathroom,, accessible...
Every time you pass by or are in the bathroom,, grab a cleaning wipe, and do a quick swipe of everything.
WOW!  A refreshing, inexpensive, and quick smile this will bring when you walk into the bathroom the next time.
This cleaning mind set has revolutionized my life.  Putting away the thinking that cleaning has to be a specific time set aside where it all gets done then and only then,,, and maybe the "then" never happened that day..
No more! 
 Spot cleaning... I call this..On the spot, and in a Jif'!

*Talk is cheap!  Heehee!  Sorry,, had to say that! 
Truly though... see a friend at the store?  Run into someone at a school or church function?  Take the time to talk.  It can make a difference in the course of a day.  Make it happen.  no cost... just 5 minutes!

*Prayer - is not cheap... but it won't cost you a thing.! Be sure to fit this in ALL day.  5 minutes here, 5 minutes there... God doesn't put a limit on the time he spends with us... Give more than 5 for Him.  No bargains.

Life is not about tasks. 
It can be overwhelming at times..

Take 5, and do something that fits into this category, and make it happen.  You won't regret it.
Just remind yourself... it is only 5 minutes, or $5.... your day can handle it.

A picture of Ben (1st on left) in a game of Tug - O-  War with kids from school.  This picture reminded me of how we feel sometimes with our busy schedules.

(p.s.  Ben's team won.)  

-September