Tornado Safety

Tornado's never come this way...We live on a hill... in a small valley... and we always hear of the Tornado's...
but we never see their path of destruction.

Our surrounding area was touched by tornado touchdowns , and I am so thankful we are safe.

We took our kids to the basement... and my husband went upstairs to check the house, and returned back downstairs .. after hearing wind like he had never heard before...

We came back upstairs a little later,,, to a phone call..
My Father - n- law saying a Strong storm, must have hit ...by their home... down our road.
It actually hit AROUND their home... ALL around their home... leaving their home untouched.

Here is some pictures of the damage in the cemetery right next to their home...

and  1/4 mile down the road from our home.

Were you affected by the storm?
Thank you Lord for protecting us.

This is REAL Life

Blogs are fun places to stop by..
Blogs are part of someone's life...

One September Day often shares the happy side of life, the every day moments that make us smile...

But ... this is REAL Life...

And there are a lot of people who read this blog that go thru hard times, happy times,  and real life moments that we don't see.

Real Life....

~Laying in bed some mornings... putting off slipping our feet from under the covers.. knowing all we have to do..
~Finding the gas tank empty again..  wasn't it just yesterday that we filled?
~hearing the diagnosis that we dread to hear
~unexpected phone calls
~tears falling freely in the hot shower.... unabashed... unhidden from God
~no sleep due to pain from illness or injury
~life-long disease or pain that affects every day life
~lack of employment
~hurtful relationships
~cleaning up the spills of life when others leave them for you...
~burning in the pit of your stomach over news broken to you
~bills that are left unpaid
~children making bad decisions....watching them grow
~caring for sick children without any control over their healing
~stranded alone with seemingly overwhelming problems

...to name a few...

This is REAL LIFE....

~Mercy falling free for sinners
~healing of the soul for the lost and hopeless
~comfort and care for pain and illness
~healing tears that bring relief
~casting cares upon His throne
~sharing one anothers burdens
~Grace abounds with forgiveness
~Open arms for the frightened and angry
~An altar waiting for surrender
~Peace for the peacemakers
~rest for the weary...
~Laughter for the lighthearted moments
~Thankfulness for when the Light shines clear

One September Day... REAL LIFE

Will you leave me a comment if you are in REAL LIFE mode?

What are you experiencing today?

UPDATED: A small air pump and a pumpkin...Hmmm?

What could a small air-pump and a pumpkin have in common?
I mean,, If I was you,, I wouldn't be able to think of any correlation.

Can you picture one of those small- hand-held air-pumps that you would use on a bike tire?
It makes that sphhhss.. sphhhss.. sphhhss noises as you are using it?

Moving on....

Here are some pictures of our annual Pumpkin Day...
( Will get back to the air pump in a second... sorry to leave you wondering.. but I think and speak fragmented as a rule.. ask my kids)...

It was a beautiful afternoon..
Before we went to get our pumpkins,,,we took a long walk/hike... in our woods...
The leaves were beautiful!
I loved it!



Maryahana kept picking out the "warty-looking " pumpkins!!!

Finally.. SUCCESS!  She was determined to carry her own pumpkin!

I Love this picture!!  Sams overalls.. and pensive look --pricelss!!

Hey... Hey... The gangs all here!!

Sarah took this picture and did a little work with it...

It truly captures the heart of the day.

Sooo..

Back to the Small Air-pump and a Pumpkin:

When I am expecting a baby...

I always feel as if ...over - night...

every night..

someone has taken one of those small-hand-held air-pumps,,,

inserting it into my face,, my hands,, my thighs...

and sphssss..

sphssss..

sphssss...

little by little,,

I blow up...

and look....

like....

a

PUMPKIN!

That large pumpkin the middle... uh huh...that's what I am talking about.

No need to comment on the truth of the post.. Haha!!

Pumpkin Days are here...

for me... at least anoter 5 months!!!

( that air pump hit my face first! heehee)

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?

It is NOT about US

Different Walks - Same God

A great chum of mine reminded me today that I haven't blogged in about 17 days.
I knew that... and I tried..
It just cannot happen when my heart so full.

I had to focus on what is true, lovely, honest, pure ,, of good report...
To keep my mind and heart free from distraction.

Are you like this?  Do you see all of the people that you know and even some that you don't ...through God's eyes?

Look around this week.   We are walking such different walks.  Some with the Lord by their side, and some without.

There are a lot of people enduring trials, suffering pain,others are rejoicing over new seasons in their lives.

But, God is always the same... Yesterday, TODAY, and Forever!

What comfort we can share with those that don't have any hope!
When I look or talk to someone .....this perspective helps me see past my own cares and concerns and try and focus on them,, then and there....
That they are one of God's creations - and my life is not even the same walk that they have.

I have a lot of friends/family whom share similar daily lives with me... but, we all share our own unique Journey with God.
Am I on the path that HE wants for me?
Am I caring about others and what impact I am having on their Journey.

It is not about US.. is it?
It is about what are WE doing for God and for Others.
Let's not compare our lives with that of another.  We all have a different purpose.

My daily challenge-
Remember that my journey needs to be what God wants,,,not what I want... and I need to remember that we all have a different walk - but GOD is the same... and Boy!  Does HE love us all!

I hope you know that you don't have to walk your Journey Alone...  Let God take your Hand this week and guide you.

Is God using you to walk beside another this week?  I pray that I will stay on His chosen path for me.

Step back !

from it all...

I am not going to beat around the bush....

I am mommy...
I have been diagnosed with the infamous syndrome ..."Touched and Touchy!"

It certainly seems that not a minute goes by where I am not holding someone, rocking someone,, feeling the pull and leaning on my legs,,, even while sitting... a hand in my hand, a hand on my sweater as we cross the road, because the other two hands are already being held,
....

So, what did I say the other day??????-
..... shocking my entire household into stares, and gaping mouths..

"Step back! - please"
(Wasn't that polite and sweet of me to add the please?)

I am mommy, and I love waking up to that call every day.
I am mommy and love to hold my children's hands,
I am mommy, AND wife, and am held and loved by both of these roles.

I needed my family to just step back- step away from me and give me a little space.

But more importantly, I needed to step back myself, and take some time to myself and with the Lord.
We can all use alone time,, and we should all make a concerted effort to do this...

Symptoms of the Touched and Touchy Syndrome:
-Irritability
-Easily Annoyed
-Sharper speech/tones
-Noticing that little things aren't important any more- ( changing clothes, combing hair.. lol)
-Not seeing the joy in the life around you

Step back- please!
  Call unto the Lord, and let Him fill your empty tank with His word, and with peace.
Step-back- find your joy again..
Those little fingers in your hands will grow larger than yours someday.
Wrap your arms around those you love, and let the refreshment of the Holy Spirit surround you both.

There is SONSHINE in my soul today!

Am I Genuine?

I have chosen laughter.
I have chosen love.
I have chosen to make choices that I know will last forever.Forever in Eternity.. and Forever in our hearts.

A recent occurence in my life has challenged my day to day life.
If I can give the gift of being genuine to those I know, meet, love, and the ONE I live for, then I will be accomplishing the one thing that I know will make a lasting impact on my eternity.

So, every day, I am asking myself- Am I genuine? And what am I passionately genuine about?When I talk to someone, am I really listening? With my heart?

When I tell my family I love them, am I showing them this too?

Do I follow through with the things I say to others?

Am I embracing the trials or struggles that I know are meant for my good?

Can I look in the face of all I know and have peace ?

Do I worship, or proclaim His promises and blessings and do I see them in each day as well?

I posted this picture of my two youngest daughters spending time together playing.

This is a picture of genuine love.

Being Genuine - It is a gift to all that know us. I can try to give this gift. It's worth the try.