Remembered the Blog World

I love Pinterest, and yesterday I found a fitness blog that I wanted to follow, which triggered a vague memory that once upon a time I jabbered daily on a blog, so I decided to resurrect mine from its death. 

Lots happened during this past year with many blessing to show, a few more wrinkles & investments increasing in Loreal.  I really missed reading others blogs.  It amazes me how creative women are, and I'm always leaving the blog world with new ideas to implement or conviction leading me to make changes. 

I can't wait to catch up on what others have been doing. Its spring break here and its been raining the past 3 days, which is making our stay-cation more challenging.  

We took in a movie, "Journey 2" pretty good, not worth $26 & that's matinee prices, CRAZY!   We devoured Red Lobster cheesy-garlic rolls, then after stuffing our entrees down, we waddled to Cherry Berry.  

My husband and I are NOT "Mall shoppers"  but.... we sacrificed ourselves for the children's sake, and our sanity.  We gave each child $25 and made them promise to shop around before spending it, and one other rule, it could not be at Game Stop on electronic games.  Only half the town had the same idea to hit the mall, but the kids were ready to go after an hour, thank goodness, and we hit a few other places and later Mazzio's buffet.  

I didn't have any trouble making it to my exercise class this morning, but I would need to go everyday for a week to burn off my food intake the past 2 days. 

Now its time to shut up and read your blogs!  

"Woe-to-me" prayer

I read an article on prayer and it asked, "Have you ever recorded yourself praying? If you did, would you answer that prayer? Was it weak, or negative, a woe-to-me kind of prayer? Guilty, I know I've had many of those kind of prayers! I think everyone needs to express their feelings, have an honest heart before God, yet a prayer life minus praise and gratitude is lacking.  It would be like a friend never having anything positive to say to us, downer. 

I like the way Jehoshaphat prayed to God, and with such confidence. Do I really trust God? Really, do I believe he can answer what I'm asking him?   

We either magnify the LORD or our difficulty. Ouch! 

In  2 Chronicles 20, we see how J (much easier to type) focused on the Lord's power and sovereignty (v. 6), His past faithfulness to Judah (v. 7-8), and His promise to hear and deliver them (v. 9). Only after strengthening his faith through these reminders of God's adequacy did he make his petitions (v. 10-12).

I love how, J ended his prayer with the words "nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You" (v. 12). There is great wisdom in waiting for the Lord's direction while keeping our focus on Him. Not only does this strengthen our faith, but it also enables us to see His answer. 

Looking at verse 5 of Chapter 20 -  Then J stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court, 6 and he said, "O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens ? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations ? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.  "Now behold, I'm stopping mid-sentence, because I have never prayed to God and said, Now Behold!  What power and confidence that takes.  (verse continued now) Now behold the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), 11 see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. 12 "O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." 

 J knew, he was powerless and needed God, now that part I have down pat, because  I have too many situations in my life that I recognize,  I have no way to change. 

Later in the chapter J gets his prayer answered by GOD:  'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed ; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you." 18 Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.   

I love the way God says don't worry, I will fight and take care of this battle, he does that for all our battles.

I was touched and very convicted by the story, I hope it has helped you in some way. :) 

Female vs Male Brain

Got Knots?

Monday Mood Lifter

It was the first day of school, after summer vacations and time for me to pick up the children in my school bus and take them home again. After I had made the complete run that afternoon, one little boy remained on the bus. Thinking he had simply missed his stop, I started driving slowly back through the neighborhood and asked him to be sure to let me know if any of the houses or people looked familiar. The boy sat in his seat contentedly and shook his head whenever I asked him if he recognized a person or place. After the second unsuccessful tour of the area, I started back to the school to ask for his address. When we arrived, the child got off the bus and started walking away. "Wait!" I called. "We have to go inside and find out where you live." "I live right there," he said, pointing to a house across the street. "I just always wanted to ride in a school bus." --------------------------------------------- The day finally arrived; Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However, the gates are closed and Forrest approaches the Gatekeeper. St. Peter says, "Well, Forrest, it's certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast, and we've been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven." Forrest responds, "It shor is good to be here , St. Peter, sir. But nobody ever tolt me about any entrance exam. Shor hope the test ain't too hard; life was a big enough test as it was." St. Peter goes on, "Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions. First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T? Second: How many seconds are there in a year? Third: What is God's first name?" Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and sees St. Peter, who waves him up and says, "Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers." Forrest says, "Well, the first one -- which two days in the week begin with the letter "T"? Shucks, that one's easy. That'd! be Today and Tomorrow. The Saint's eyes open wide and he exclaims, "Forrest, that's not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I didn't specify, so I'll give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?" asks St. Peter. "How many seconds in a year?" "Now that one's harder," says Forrest, "but I thunk and thunk about that and I guess the only answer can be twelve." Astounded, St. Peter says, "Twelve? Twelve!? Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?" Forrest says "Shucks, there's gotta be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd. . ..." "Hold it, " interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you're going with this,and I see your point, though that wasn't quite what I had in mind....but I'll have to give you credit for that one, too. Let's go on with the third and final question. Can you tell me God's first name"? "Sure", Forrest replied, "its Andy." "Andy?!" exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St. Peter. "Ok, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions,but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?" "Shucks, that was the easiest one of all," Forrest replied. "I learnt it from the song. . "ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN. . . " St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates and said: "Run Forrest, run."

Meet me in the Stairwell - 911 tribute

911 Special Tribute

"Meet me in the Stairwell"

You say you will never forget where you were when
you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.
I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
is OK..I am ready to go.'
I was with his wife when he called as she fed
breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
tried to understand his words and as she realized
he wasn't coming home that night.
I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only
believe in Me now.'
I was at the base of the building with the Priest
ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
heard my voice and answered.
I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
faith has saved them.
I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan .
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?
I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me
for the first time on the 86th floor.
Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take
my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.
I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
may not know why, but I do.. However, if you were
there in that explosive moment in time, would you have
reached for Me?
Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
for you . But someday your journey will end. And I
will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
'ready to go.'
I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.
GOD

Super Heroes and ...

HERO HOPE

 http://www.therhok.com Yesterday the gals over at Real Housewives of Oklahoma asked what Super Hero would you choose to be?

 "Hero Hope" although she's not Jesus, nor an Angel, she has a similar resume. 

Hope is known for restoring light to those when their light seems dim. Diseases, sickness, and pain are unbearable for her to see, when she is near them, they all disappear. Her cousins names are Love and Faith. Together the 3 are an unbreakable force to reckon with! 

Hope can lift your spirits, help you find the right path, restore broken dreams, remove seeds of doubt, and more importantly, when she's in the presence of young children they are drawn to her.  Children with special needs are given the confidence, courage, and tools they need to succeed in this world which seems scary to them.  I wish I were Hope, but until that fantasy comes true, I will hold on to the possibilities of Hope.

Hurry Sickness

Yesterday was Part 2 - Homewreckers Series

Hurry sickness - a continuous struggle to achieve more and more things in less and less time. 
Words & scriptures that challenged my heart from the sermon yesterday;
Luke 10:42 Mary stayed in the moment, chose what is better. Martha was worried and upset about many things. Ever get this way before guests arrive, Frazzled? Especially when you seem to be the only one who seems to care, what the house looks like. Finally, I learned to ask for help.  Do you Hurry before school, before appointments, before church, constantly running, hurrying and always going? 
Our choices lead to Hurry Sickness, aka "Frantic" "Busy" or "Rushed".  Wait, did you catch that our choices, my choices, your choices, we create our own crazy chaos sometimes.
MY PRIORITIES determine MY CALENDAR - Convicting! I have learned to say No lately, I've had to, for my health, husband, and sanity.
We are ALL given and equal 24 hours each day and we choose how to spend our time. I've felt before like my kids activities and appointments set my schedule. I need to make sure I show them God comes 1st, and I'm the parent and I will teach them to balance and manage their time, making sure God isn't pushed aside. With sports, cub scouts, church, life group, homework, meetings, etc. its soo easy to fall into HURRY sickness and very easy to be distracted from what's most important. 
Back to the Martha story, Sadly, I have known more women admit to being a Martha, in fact... I don't know anyone who has shared they feel like they imitate Mary. Hmm....
Matthew 6:33  God calls us to seek first his kingdom...
3 ways to combat Hurry Sickness:

• Stay in the Moment
• Own your Choices.
• Set unchanging Priorities

Hopefully, you're thinking about your calendar, what does it show is most important to you?

Last week I committed to:

I have been tempted to fall into discouragement from sickness and other negative circumstances, yet, God shows me he's faithful and praiseworthy every day. 

I promised my Husband to save some energy for him at the end of the day. This sermon was a great reminder, enforcer, & encouragement to me, and will help me with my schedule this week. 

Homewreckers

What is this world coming to! Ever heard that? Ever said that? We look around us sometimes and the words of Dorothy come to mind, "Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore". We live in an ever changing world. A world that has the propensity to drift further and further from God. Its no wonder that the Bible describes this world we're in as "darkness". Not only are we called to shine our light in this world, we're suppose to raise our families in the midst of it.

Psalms 127

Unless the LORD builds the house,

its builders labor in vain.

Unless the LORD watches over the city,

the watchmen stand guard in vain

There are many aspects of our culture that work against a Godly home. How strong do you think a threat is to your family?

• Our culture's low view of love, often reducing it to only sensuality
• Alcohol
• Obsession with self
• Stress, over commitment
• Television, media, technology
• Pornography

Our church started a new series today called "Homewreckers". I look forward to learning more ways to safeguard my family. I believe God, his word, and teaching our children the scriptures are only a few ways to keep in the light, in the midst of the darkness.

Mean Mom Club

Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me:

I loved you enough...

·       to ask where you were going, with whom, &  what time you would be home

·       to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep

·       to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes

·       to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes

·       to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart

But most of all, I loved you enough…

·       to say NO, when I knew you would hate me for it

Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.

Was your Mom mean?  We had the meanest mother in the whole world!  

·       While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.

·       When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches.

·       And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.

·       Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison.

·        She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.

·       We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work.

·        We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash, and all sorts of cruel jobs.

I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.

·       She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!

·       Mother wouldn't let our friends honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door, so she could meet them.

·        While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.

Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. We weren’t caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults, doing our best to be mean parents. I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms!

Inspiring, have kleenex ready

A Marriage Story

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? 
I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!
With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.
She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now. The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again. In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.
This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.
She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request. I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully. My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office. On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her. On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.
She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.
Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.
Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.
She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.
Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.
At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.
That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.
My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce.-- At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband....
The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage! 

Can I get an AMEN!

GOD ENJOYS A GOOD LAUGH!  There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:  1. He called everyone brother  2. He liked Gospel   3. He didn't get a fair trial  But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:   1. He went into His Father's business  2. He lived at home until he was 33  3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God  But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:   1. He talked with His hands  2. He had wine with His meals  3. He used olive oil  But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:   1. He never cut His hair  2. He walked around barefoot all the time  3. He started a new religion  But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:  1. He was at peace with nature  2. He ate a lot of fish  3. He talked about the Great Spirit  But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:  1. He never got married..  2. He was always telling stories.  3. He loved green pastures.  But the most compelling evidence of all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:  1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was virtually no food  2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it  3. And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was still work to do    Can I get an AMEN!!