"What's Left After Mom?!?!"

As I sit here tonight, with just me, kitty, and the bird.....I think about life and where I'm at in it. As most know, my children are "grown". I do have my son living here still, but he has a truck and a job....need I say more? As I've said before - - my role as "Mom" is dwindling down to the very bare minimum of neccesities. I've read that by the age of 30 they want to come back to Mom's house again.....we will see! I look forward to the day when we can all be grown up friends and just simply enjoy the time spent together. :)

I read an article that my Mother In Law sent my way. It was about a Mom who, as me, was realizing her days were numbered in the Motherhood Dept. She realized she didn't know WHO she was apart from that all important role of "Mom". I too have wondered that. Moreso....maybe.....than other Moms. For you see I've been a Stay At Home Mom for over 24 years now! My God, my husband, and my children (and in that very order) have been my life....nothing more.....nothing less. In this article, the Mom begans to realize she once was a person with her own likes, desires, and so forth. So she pursues those very things again and finds happiness starting to follow.

I've heard how Mom's find "life after children" in their own ways of becoming themselves once again. To that I commend them for their achievement. If your life was one of independent goals and doings than go for it....but don't forget to bring your spouse along with you at some point! :)

But, as I examine my life and review it......I find two things. My life begins and ends with a loving God and my beautiful husband. There was no me, previous to children, to go and fulfill all that todays woman seems fulfilled with. I am first and foremost a child of God, who lives to do His will, follow His path, and share the gift He has given me. I love God with the sincereist of hearts. I will live for Him always.
 Following that - - there is my life with my David. My life never stops, never looses hope, never is meaningless with him in it. I honestly look forward to spending each and EVERY single moment with him. We never grow tired of each other. We are best friends. Our world is each other. He is truely God's gift, in the utmost sense of the word, to me.

So as my children leave this "nest" God has helped us make for them, I know I have my answer who "Who will I be when they are gone?". I will forever and always be first and foremost a child of my Lord and Saviour, who lives to please Him - - -  and I will be my David's wife and very best friend.
Nothing more....nothing less. For there is no me apart from him!

Friend, this knowledge is more than enough for me, but maybe you would wrinkle your nose up at it and say "Not for me!" Just know..... that we all find our strength and happiness and purpose in different forms. Yours may not look like mine and vice versa. But God does have a plan for you to give you life to the very fullest.....yes, even after children! So, if you are a Mom reading this and wondering as the years are dwindling down to the "empty nest".....what is there for me after this? Hold on, my friend, for the BEST is yet to come!!!! Who knows whats just around the corner?!?!

I hear traveling days and a new home are both around our corner!!!!  (Possibly)

"Results or no results!"

Sometimes. . .  I think I'm the only one.

And then I stop and realize just how selfish is that?!

The father of lies wants us to be discouraged and decieved. When he succeeds he knows we aren't being our best for God. So what's the remedy? Don't listen!!

Let me explain myself. . .
Most know that I'm relatively a quiet person by nature. I'm not the center of attention . . . although oddly at times I like to be, I'm not loud and outgoing, but I am friendly, I don't have a big circle of friends, I'm not all involved and caught up in "Ladies ministries" at church, I don't have a job outside the home, my kids are human and have far to go,  my very BEST friend is my husband, and my ministry/gift is encouraging others, and.....I feel like I can do that best through writing.

My job as a mother is nearing it's end . . . .I know I know "Once a mother always a mother". . . but your influence can seem weak when 2 "adult" children live in your home. And all throughout our child rearing days I have turned to the leader of our home both spiritually and physcially to guide us through.....my David....so he makes many of the decisions. Yes indeed I know WHO leads him and I pray daily for that in his life!

So maybe you can see a little bit of me and understand when I say I don't always feel like I have a whole lot of influence, purpose and outreach in this world. Ya know....I have found it very easy to get on FB and get discouraged. You can get caught up in thinking everyone else's life  has lots of friends, lots of purpose, lots of good kids, lots of involvement, and this list goes on. . . .  But that really isn't the whole truth. There must be others, who like me, don't always feel as far reaching and purposeful as they would like to be.

As I said earlier. . . my gift (although I don't like referring to it as such because I feel like I'm lifting myself up) is encourager. My God given ability is writing. When God puts the two together I know that's how I can reach out to others hopefully to inspire, to strengthen, to lift up. I would love to write a book, but God hasn't put that into plan as of yet. I would love to have a story entered into the Guideposts inspirational magazines, but God hasn't put that into plans as well. I would love to write and encourage ANYWHERE God wants me to be . . .  and for now it is here with you through Blogs and status updates. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Blogging and am so very thankful for a very sweet friend who opened this world up to me! It has given me a chance to share me with you in ways that I wouldn't be able to otherwise. :) I sincerely hope and pray that with each Blog or status I share that you, my friend, find something to encourage you or even just make you smile.

The deception comes when I start thinking I'm reaching no one. . .  based on the lack of Comments/Likes . . or very few. And I will tell you that those who have shared their Comments/Likes regarding statuses and Blogs have been a great encouragement to me! I realize that I should not rely on this method to know that I'm reaching out to others and it is selfish of me to do so. The real me will tell you that I have another sweet friend (mentioned above) that is also an encourager through writing statuses and Blogs and it is at times of selfishness that I fall into the trap of listening to the deceiver say "SEE .... look at how many people she is influencing, helping, and encourging!" I know this is wrong. Michele, if you are reading this know that you are a wonderful friend, woman of God, encourager, and faithful servant. Blessings to you! Keep shining for HIM! And to you my readers. . . I'm sorry for my selfishness for I know that it is NOT based on the comments/likes or the lack thereof that tells me if I'm reaching out to others for God. There are those that do and those that don't.....and I thank God for both! Whether or not you are touched, inspired, encouraged, lifted up, or just made to smile.....I do it all for God and He is the One to receive glory and honor! :)

Just the other day, my Mom shared a very SPECIAL blessing with me! She has a circle of sweet ladies that are her friends and they call themselves the FIT group. As she went to their lunch outing, she told me how that my name was mentioned several times in regards to the Blogs I share and such. I will tell you wonderful ladies that may be reading this  - YOU each blessed this girl's heart and I am so very thankful for everyone of you! You brightened my day when my Mom called and told me!! :)  In saying that, I know that there are those that God has allowed me to reach out to and many times I'm not even aware of it! Thank you God!

So. . .  although I'm not a person with alot of friends, or an out-going and aggressively friendly person - God can and does use us quiet people too! I'm not the one with all the comments/likes, but I'm still reaching out to people others in ways I don't always see! I'm not busy and all caught up in other things like many are, but I am serving God through a mission led by our church! I don't have a job outside the home, but I do have lots of absolutely wonderful fun times with a husband who has work hours to do this! My kids aren't as good as yours sometimes, but they are my gifts from and by our God who is molding, shaping and leading them to be what He wants them to be! My influence may seem weak at times as a mother, but I'm gonna keep loving, praying for and being the best Mom I can be! And although I may not have many visible outlets to share a ministry through writing, I'm gonna keep writing and praying that God uses what I can offer to do His will!
(Results or no results.....for they are all in His hands. )

Don't get discouraged, my friend, when you physical eyes may not see and your physical ears may not hear for "We never know how far reaching something we may say or do today will effect the... lives of millions tomorrow." And never compare your blessings to the blessings of others for they are given to you by our God who loves you and knows you best!

Above all. . .  know that each of our purposes is to have a relationship with Jesus our Lord and our Savior as well as to bring Him glory, praise, worship and thanksgiving to Him alone. For there is no other greater purpose!

Thanks for letting me.....be me. :)

"Footprints of Time"

The weekend of our wedding anniversary, David, me, Levi and his friend got to go to a wonderful place by the name of Pensacola Beach, Florida. It was simply an amazing time! The beach, the water, NO crowds, the time spent together, the activities all rolled into one was a BIG blessing from God Himself.
We are thankful! We are even more thankful for the meaning of our trip for which we celebrated. . . 24 very blessed years together as two best friends living a life together as one. I am beyond grateful for the beautiful gift that God has given me in this life.



As you know when you are at a beach. . . you leave footprints everywhere you go. There are millions of footprints coming and going in all different directions. Big, little, fat and skinny prints all belonging to many various different people. But the one thing they all have in common - they are all only there briefly in time - and some even more brief than others. I took a picture of this particular subject and it happens to be one of my favorite pictures! It represents so much!!

One morning, David was sitting out on the beach watching people as we often like to do. He noticed a family of 4 running by. As they did, there were footprints left on the beach. Soon after though the tide came up and washed them all away as if they had never been before. David sat there thinking to himself "I bet Deb could write a Blog about that." He later told me his thoughts and thus, as he said, became a good Blogger subject! :) Btw...please click on the above picture and it will enlarge. I really love the beauty of it and don't want you to miss it!

As I think about footprints on a beach I am reminded of the age old poem called simply "Footprints". It is a reminder to us that often when we feel that God isn't helping us in our time of need. . . that truly He is. For as we complain and cry out to God saying "Why didn't you help me??" He gently says "I was there all along. . . . carrying you in my arms of love." That is why we look and only see one set of prints in the sand. I am also reminded that each of us carry our own set of footprints here upon this earth. We each are going in different directions, striving for different goals and have different walks of life. Some have footprints of persuing what's ahead such as a career, a marriage, children. Some have footprints of walking through days of being a wife, a mom, or simply a servant of God. Some have footprints of things accomplished - kids raised and retirement. They may see ahead to numbered days, but just as well knowing their life has been full.

Whatever your walk, whatever your direction. . . . a question comes to mind. What footprints are you leaving behind for others to see? Are they deep selfish prints heading in a direction that is centered around you and no one else? Are they scared prints hoping here and there in fear that God is not going to see you through your situation? Are they dragging prints saying I'm lazy and I don't want to do my part? Are they running here and there prints saying I'm confused. I'm running in all directions trying to make sure all turns out right?

OR - - -

Are they sure, steadfast, confident steps saying : 

• I want to walk as Jesus walked upon this earth. Loving and giving myself to others as doing it unto Him.
• I don't have all the answers, but I trust in a God Who does. He WILL see me through no matter what.
• I may not can do everything, but I can do my part to be who God wants me to be. A wife, a Mom, a friend, a servant of God.
• No matter how much people may want control of life's situation - they simply will NOT be. God is sovereign, He is trustworthy and He is able. His purpose will be done regardless of your fruitless efforts.

So stop stomping, hoping, dragging and circling. . .  for God is and will forever be more than enough to carry us through whatever He has in store for us! Trust HIM!

Know too that our footprints are only here for a very brief time before they vanish just as on the beach. Make the most of each and every opportunity God gives you to leave footprints of love, forgiveness, acceptance, gratitude and mercy in another's life.



And my friend, when you turn around and only see one set of footprints through your life. . . know that it was God carrying you in His arms, by His heart.

"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."

Isaiah 46:4