Thirsty Thursday

1Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

2Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them.

3Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.

4He has caused his wonderous works to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and merciful.

5He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.

6He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.

7The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;

8they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

9He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!

10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!

Psalm 111

Tooty Tuesday

#1. Education. I love learning new things.

#2. Pets. Even pets that are not ours. It has actually become a little joke that our home is turning into a pet motel. In the last 8 months we have taken care of four dogs that belong to several of our friends. We love it!! :-)

#3. New groceries stores that offer cheap and yummy produce!

#4. Family. No matter how near or far, they're always close to my heart.

#5. God's Word. I can't get enough of it! I would apologize if all of those Facebook posts that include Scripture annoy you, but I don't want to. God's Word is amazing in every way!

#6. Children who may be growing up at the speed of lightening, but still show their soft side of wanting their mommy.

#7. Options and decisions to make. No matter how hard it is to decide what to do, God has it all in His control and will work it out. May we just remain PATIENT in the process!! *sigh* <--- sometimes NOT my strongest trait. :-/

Thirsty Thursday

"Rejoice in hope,

be patient in tribulation,

be constant in prayer"

Romans 12:12

"Do not be overcome by evil,

but overcome evil with good"

Romans 12:21

Tooty Tuesday

New blog regular: Tooty Tuesday. This is where I'll "toot my own horn" on what I'm thankful for, in no particular order:


#1. Great friends! These are seriously hard to come by. I'm thankful that God has allowed some great people to be planted into our lives.

#2. God's Word. Without it, I'm completely lost.

#3. Calendar on my phone. If I don't note it in on my calendar, I WILL forget it.

#4. My husband. He's my best friend. Life is always nicer with him and I together! 

#5. Vacations.

#6. Even though I'm with our kiddos pretty much 24/7, I was reminded how much they'd miss me if I'm "gone" (explained in Kids Needs Mom)

#7. Cleanliness. <--- that explains itself. :)

Kids Needs Mom

Last night we watched Mars Needs Moms. The movie was a lot better than I thought it would be, that's for sure. I wasn't all too interested in it, but my honey picked it up at a Redbox with our youngest son. Mars Needs Moms has quite a few funny parts, sad parts, and quite a few learning parts (like lying isn't a good idea and that lies, even if you try to hide them, always get found out in some form or another).

How the son talked to the mom in the beginning of the movie was very mean. This son also brought out that old saying "Be careful what you wish for" and I think our kiddos seen that. At one point the mom tells the son that her life would be better if she didn't have to be a nagging mom. The boy replies instantly with "My life would be better if I didn't have a mom at all." <--- how sad!! :(

**Sometimes I feel like THAT mom. Please do this. Please do that. Why didn't you do your chores? Please help. Blah. Blah. Blah. And have even wondered if our kids have thought something similar to what that boy spoke.**

So, William asked the kids while the movie was playing: "Have you ever thought that about your mom?" All of them replied with a "No" and even a "No way!" Then I asked, "How would you feel if I had to leave?"

The reaction from our youngest totally was NOT expected (and even ended that conversation).

He teared up. Hid his face. Then he cried.

Honestly, it made me feel so bad for asking such a question. But then it's reality as "tomorrow isn't promised". I asked Corey: "Do you want a hug? A great big mama hug?!"

He looked at me with big 'ole tears in his eyes, climbed up off the floor and got on my lap. He sat in my lap hugging me and I, him, for a good 15-20 minutes or so, and 2-3minutes of that was spent him shedding a few tears. Poor kid.

Needless to say: Mars may need moms ... in a movie. But our KIDS NEEDS their MOM ... in real life.

Thirsty Thursday

"Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

Remember the wondrous works that he has done,

his miracles and the judgements he uttered"

1 Chronicles 16:11-12

"Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and joy are in his place."

1 Chronicles 16:27

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!"

1 Chronicles 16:34

Stuck. No. More.

Have you ever felt stuck? Maybe you have even been stuck, literally? Stuck at home because of having only one family vehicle. Stuck at work waiting for a ride. Stuck in your current living conditions, but wanting someplace new. Stuck without a job. Stuck spiritually, wanting to move forward but feeling ... STUCK.

I am about to be completely open and honest with you.

I had been feeling stuck lately. Spiritually stuck. Almost like I had quit caring. Quit wanting to try. Feeling like it did not matter. Stuck. Feeling like what I do does not matter. Like to the point of who cares? When I would pray, I felt completely removed from God's presence. Like I was crying out and God wasn't listening because He wasn't anywhere near.

I don't know if those who have been around me recently could tell how I was doing. How weak I was becoming. How drained I had gotten. How less of a Christian woman I felt that I was.

All the prayers and questions I had for God felt like they were going unanswered. Not prayers that I had prayed about others, but prayers that I had prayed concerning my spiritual well-being. No matter how hard I'd try to read my Bible and pray, I felt like there was a barrier. It all changed by simply reading two scriptures and then going back and reading the whole chapter from whence the two scriptures had come.

"Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! 12 Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgements he uttered" 1 Chronicles 16:11-12.

I read and reread these two scriptures. Then I cried. The LORD has done great things in my life (and someday I'll share with you His testimony over my life). These things alone are cause to always speak of the great things that He has done. Even aside from these things: JESUS has done something great for each one of us: He died on the cross for our sins; that when we accept Him into our lives that we will have eternal life in Heaven. <--- That cause right there HAS to be enough for me to always know that what HE has done is worth it. NOTHING that I will ever do will compare to what He has already done.

Sometimes the garden isn't always going to be beautiful flowers, perfectly pruned and weeded. Sometimes the garden has to be weeded, the flowers need to be pruned, and new seeds need to be planted and watered.

Those things that I had been feeling were nothing other than the devil playing tricks on my mind. The kicker? I was believing those things. Some will probably look at this in a bit of shock. Folks, I'm not perfect. Surprised? Please don't be. ;) lol. At times I get spiritually lazy and want someone else to do the work for me, which includes hearing the Word. I have to want it badly enough for me.

Just like an old pastor we once heard say: You won't get to heaven on the shirt-tails of your parents (or friends or even your spouse). Do it for you. Do it because Jesus loves you! Do it because HE wants you. I'm going to do it for me. Because HE has already called me. Because there are three children who need me. Because I have a husband who cares about me.

Be stuck no more. "Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place" 1 Chronicles 16:27.