"Living Together.....Right or Wrong?"

Maybe I can be a voice to that "one person" as they say.......
A voice that tells you simply  - - It is NOT acceptable, permissable, alright, excused, or okay for you to live with your boyfriend/girlfriend before or out of marriage. Although this world has somehow blindly come to accept that it is......God does not. WHY has this act become a situation that is so permissable and accepted as a normal way of life today?? WHY are the churches not loudly proclaiming to every adult - "You don't live together before you are married!" ??

For years I have cried out - "Someone PLEASE tell my children this is not an acceptable way of life. It dishonors God and the act of marriage He has ordained." And not let it just be me, my husband, and their grandmother. But sadly......no one does. That hurts like a hurt that can't be explained. So, if I can be that voice in the wilderness- and God allows me to be - then maybe you will read this and understand why it isn't okay anymore.

You may be asking "Well who are YOU to be making such bold decisions of what is right and wrong in this world??" And my answer to you would be "I am no one especially chosen to enlighten the world of it's wrongdoing. Rather, I am a Mother who loves her children deeply. A Mother that longs to see her children make godly decisions in their life, and follow the One true God Who loves them more than I ever could. A Mother who has read God's Words."

You see....God has made this decision that it is wrong and not this Mother.
Find a Bible and look up these verses along with me so that you too can see: Ephesians 5:31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." No where does it say that a man shall leave his father and mother and move in with his girlfriend before she becomes his wife. No, rather it says a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife. That same verse orginated from the beginning of time, with Adam and Eve as the first ones being told this in Genesis 2:24.

Living together before the thought of marriage....or not......only invites tremendous temptation that you are placing yourself in. The Bible tells us to flee temptation - And that temptation being sex before marriage - and not to continually expose ourself to temptation. 1 Corinthians 6:18 "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." 
You see, premarital sex is wrong in all matters and is repeatedly condemned in scripture alone with all sexual immorality. "The Bible promotes complete abstinence outside of (and before) marriage. Sex before marriage is just as wrong as adultery and other forms of sexual immorality, because they all involve having sex with someone you are not married to." 

Ephesians 5:3 "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people."

1 Thessalonians 4:3 "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality."

Colossians 3:5-7 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these in the life you once lived." 

1 Corinthians 6:13 "The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."
verse 19 and 20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whome you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body." 

Galatians 5:19 "The acts of a sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery." 

"The Greek word translated “sexual immorality” or “fornication” in these verses is porneia (from which we get the English word pornography), and it means literally “unlawful lust.” Since the only form of lawful sexuality is the marriage of one man and one woman Genesis 2:24 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.";Matthew 19:5 ""For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.", then anything outside of marriage, whether it is adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, or anything else, is unlawful, in other words, sin. Living together before marriage definitely falls into the category of fornication—sexual sin."

"Hebrews 13:4 describes the honorable state of marriage: “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” This verse draws a clear distinction between that which is pure and honorable—marriage—and that which is sexually immoral—anything outside of marriage. As living together outside of marriage falls into this category, it is definitely sin. Anyone living together outside of lawful marriage invites the displeasure and judgment of God.

If this is your path that you have chosen PLEASE, PLEASE know this.....God forgives, God heals, God restores. I know this to be O so true in my very own life, for I am by no means perfect and have made many wrong choices. In 1 John 1:9 God tells us of His forgiveness "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness." Romans 4:7 also reminds us of God's great forgiveness "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." 

Young adult.....adult......won't you make the right choice today and start following God's Word to live a life that is set apart from this world -"As believers, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates. Rather, we are to conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2). This is a daily activity and commitment.

Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers (and sisters), in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." 

"Being “in” the world also means we can enjoy the things of the world, such as the beautiful creation God has given us, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship of God."

And isn't it what this life is all about?? 

Worship....worship to a God Who has given His ALL for us. 

Father, thank you for allowing me to write this today for you....for I do NOT choose to speak with my own authority or voice.....but in and through yours. May this Blog touch one, a few, or many who may have strayed and need simple guidance back to you and your truths. 

I love you always......

"A Day of Disappointments or a Day of Blessings??"

Ever had one of those days when your entire day was full of plans that kept changing? Ever had a day when you were actually excited and looking forward to those plans you made - only to seemingly keep being met with disappointment?

That's pretty much how my past Thursday was playing out.

It began with plans to go to Kemah Boardwalk and enjoy our delicious and much anticipated meal of pizza and Cesar salad. If you've known anything about us then you know we that we look forward to each week of driving a hour away to enjoy one of our most favorite meals of the week. We never eat anywhere else while in Kemah - only this one place. If you are wondering why I keep elaborating, it's because I want to emphasize the excitement it holds for us! :) Are you with me? This place is a true highlight to our week!

David dear remembered that he had not called about a recall on our washer. What better day to remember?! He makes the call, and long story short, he agrees to a open window time of 1-5....on our Kemah day. Wait a minute.....did you possibly forget how important this day is, dear??!! Surely not.
I was just a little set back.....ok NO I was VERY setback!! And yes....I had to pout for a time. I mean c'mon, let's be honest here. Much of my pouting is simply amusing to dear husband.....and rightly so. I'm sure I'm a pathetic case. He calmly and nicely told me "We can do Kemah tomorrow." It wasn't just no Kemah that upset me - we also had plans to do our training we are in for an up and coming adventure we are taking at the end of September. Those plans would also be put until tomorrow.

Sooo....I decided (after a bit) to make the best of it. David gave me two choices of what we could eat and I
UN-excitedly chose one. I texted our oldest daughter, before we left, thinking that she was at work. I thought I would just let her know our plans anyway. Turns out....she wanted to meet us there. Hmm...how bout that!

We met her there and had a very nice lunch as well as good fellowship.
Was this lunch a blessing? Yup!
I had previously told her of our plans to go to Kemah and she had declined saying she needed to go into work. IF we had followed through with our plans then we would have missed this blessing of food and fellowship with a daughter that needs us in her life....and we need her too.

Setback # 2- After lunch, we went our way and daughter went hers. I knew we had to stay close to home due to waiting on repairman coming. That's when I thought that hubby and I would go to the woods and train. Uhh....hubby had another idea up his sleeve. He told me "Do you want me to surprise you or do you want to know where we are going?" I normally would go for the surprise, but today, nope give it to me up front. He said "We are going to the gym and training." Did I mention I know how to pout?!?

Here we go again.....
Seriously....the gym is considered in my top 5 most  boring places to exercise!! It literally makes number 1 on the list!! We are working out on the treadmills. No beautiful scenery around you. Absolutely NO reward or incentive is given while you are sweating and exerting your full energy. I need scenery, people, like the WOODS. I need a reason to have exerted that much energy by seeing something really awesome in the woods such as a waterfall, deer, mountainsides, rivers, trees falling down....something!! Ok you get the point again....I don't like the gym.

We drive to the gym and I very glumly walk inside. And just about as glumly, I began to workout on the treadmill. My super, wonderful husband tries to make me smile and have a decent attitude. He is so super wonderful....but even so. The girl goes glumly on. During this time, a girl approaches us. That girl turns out to be our second daughter! She had come to work out also. Neither of us knew the other would be there. We were both pleasantly surprised. This second daughter we see so very little of as it is, so you can maybe imagine the surprise. As we continued our workout, she visited us for a time. She was waiting her turn on one of the machines. Once she was able to workout, she did in fact come back our way and continue the visit. She delighted herself in increasing Mom's incline as well as her speed, however. Make that dramatic increases!! Much to Mom's frantic exclamations and trying her best to keep atop this crazy machine...she laughed merrily on. O gee!
Was this encounter a blessing? You betcha!

Afterwards, we took our tired bodies home.

 - Showers done - we waited. Yes....for the repairman. To which, as you can guess, he never called and never made a showing. David called and guess what they said? "O we can schedule you for tomorrow." I shouted out "NO!" I wasn't about to give up another beloved Kemah day!! David told them that he only would allow them to come out IF they would come before 11am. No later! They could not guarantee it and required him to call the repair company himself the following day to confirm it. Yada-yada-yada......

Setback #3 - Now...it was time to decide where we were going to eat dinner for the evening. We chose a place hoping that it wouldn't be too crowded. Something about Thursday evenings makes people want to go out, I'm tellin ya. The more I thought about this place....the more I really wanted to try it again. Guess what? We were met with "It will be a 30-40 minute wait." And to think this was BEFORE 7pm and on a week night!!
Here we go again....
Ok, so I only pouted a tad. But, I really was NOT excited about going to our next choice. It was close by though and my David was really hungry. We got in line and I decided to call our son to let him know where we were at. While talking to him, I casually said "Do you wanna come?" all the while expecting him to say no. To my surprise....(lots of surprises on this day) he says yes! He very rarely enjoys eating out with us and we eat out alot! He either is working, with friends, or sleeping (his favorite hobby). He met us up there and once again we were having a very nice meal and fellowship with yet another one of our children.
Was this dinner a blessing? Absolutely!

Later that evening, as I'm relaying the day to myself, I came up with the very profound assumption - - God wanted us to be with our children today! I voiced my thoughts to David and he quite agreed. He also brought light to my thinking when he confidently shared "There is going to be a Blog in here somewhere." The man knows what he is talking about. Through his enlightment of helping me to see the grander side of things AND as always God helping me to write and share.....a Blog surely did come forth! :-)

Together God, David and I put together these 3 points resulting from our day:

1. God's plans are stronger than ours.
2. God's plans are better than ours.
3. We can't screw up God's plans.

I don't think I need to spell it out for you any, for it is quite clear. :-)
We make plans - God has the  plans. We get disappointed - God shows us better.

If you would allow me, I would like to share the verses I have found to support these points. . .

Proverbs 19: 21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."  
Proverbs 20:24 "A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" 
Psalm 25:11 "He will instruct him in the way chosen for him."
Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." 
Psalm 33:11 "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Psalm 75:2 "You say, 'I choose the appointed time...."
Job 42: 2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted."
Proverbs 21:30 "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord."

So, we see that God always has the plans. He directs and instructs us in those plans. And....we canNOT screw up those plans. Thank ya Jesus!!

At times we must wait to see the plans unfold. What does God ask from us during this time?

Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope."
Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." 
Psalm 38:15 "I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God."
Psalm 33:20-21 "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name." 

We wait with hope and patience and rejoicing.....knowing he will answer us in his appointed time.

For we know that he "The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made." Psalm 145:13

Thank you, God, that you turned this girl's day of disappointement into truly a day of BLESSINGS!!!

"How DO You Say Good-bye?"

As I thought about this Blog I realized there could be multiple titles regarding it...."When Is It Time To Say Good-Bye?" "Saying Good-byes Are Never Easy" "Good-byes Can Hurt!" and the list goes on....

But before you close this Blog and say "this is just going to be a sad, sad story and I don't need sadness in my life today." give it a chance. For there may be hope in it as well. :)

This past Friday, August 2, my husband and I had to make a very hard decision. It seemingly had come time to put our sweet and oldest dog to sleep. That decision is never easy. There was not only concern for our dog, Jenna, and the pain she was so sweetly and pathetically suffering through, but also for our "children". Our concerns were brought to God with much prayer.

As I titled this Blog, I knew this picture would go perfectly with it. For in this picture it reveals one very broken-hearted girl grieving at the up and coming loss of her faithful and beloved pet.  

From this picture, I believe it symbolizes that even animals can feel our sorrow. Although, yes our other dog, Lacie, loves to be petted....it's as if she feels Heather's sadness as well.

How DO  you say Good-Bye?

I believe people have many ways. Some choose to avoid the situation and remember the loved one in the happier times and some choose to be there by their side through it all. Each is good and well and that person should be left knowing they have made the right choice. Let me say here....I fully know that the passing of a pet holds very little measure to the passing of a loved person, but each is sentimental and emotionally ..... well..... tough. I will also insert here that I never knew just how tough it was until I was placed in that situation myself. For all readers, that have been faced with this dilemma, or even your pets passing on their own....my heart goes out to you.  In all my years, I have never been faced with death in such a real manner.

Over 13 years ago, in January of 2000, Jenna came into our lives. She would be 14 years old this Decemeber...or 98 freakin years in human terms! Our kids wanted a pet and Heather's friend had a neighbor that just happened to be selling Golden Retriever puppies....thus began the days of Jenna. She was the perfect puppy - cute, cuddly, O-so-sweet, and beautiful too....of course! I remember that we had to keep her in the front yard for what seemed forever. We had a stray dog come into our yard before the "days of Jenna" and we attempted to keep it. Turns out....puppy dog came with the dreaded PARVO sickness and we had puppy put to sleep. We didn't stay for that one...no attachments made. So, as you know....when Parvo is involved it contaminates ANYWHERE the dog may have been....which happened to be.....yes....our backyard. It was a matter of months before it was safe to put Jenna back there. We must have kept her in the garage at night and tied her to a lawn chair, in the grass, by day to provide some shade. Below is a first picture we took of her at age 3 months. We had traveled with her to visit my parents in Dallas. She was A D O R A B LE!

Jenna was always a wonderful dog and you really could not ask for any better. She was tender and sweet, caring and loving, patient and tolerant. She loved people, as often G.R.'s do and it was always evident in her gentle wag. On a sad thought....that tail had lost it's wag and excitement in these last months. She was always a model patient at the vet's office and no matter the procedure she would simply tolerate it with her gentleness.

Jenna, not quite 3 years old, and my Levi, 6 years old.

September 29, 2002

Jenna, 5 years old, and my Levi, 8 years old.

July 13, 2004

I love this picture!

 We had forgotten just how dark and beautiful she was until looking back at this.

The day had came that we decided Jenna "needed" a playmate in her world. That word "needed" is used more of an overstatement on her part. We were the ones "needing" a playmate for Jenna so as to not feel badly for our lack of playing with her ourselves. Sorry Jenna girl.



And so enters Jenna's world...and ours....Lacie-Loo.

July 13, 2004

David and I had been to Petco recently and as always I loved to look at all the animals there on adoption day. There was a gorgeous black Lab there named Charlie. I kept being drawn back to him over and over. David really liked him alot too. But as always and in most things in life, my wise David said "If he's there when we come back...we'll know he was ours to get." As you can see....he wasn't there....sadly. It was just me and the kids that day, when I went back, and somehow they convinced Mom that we couldn't let this sweet little dog NOT go home with us! I am a softie...at times. Surprise, Jenna!! :)

We thought Lacie was going to be a relatively small dog with short hair. BOY was we ever wrong! She got fatter and fatter and her hair grew thicker and THICKER. She became a lion - - or maybe just the Chow in her was awakening! Lacie was obviously a very abused dog as a small puppy....she had many fears. But her fur was/is ridiculous! We were told when she was found that she was completely bald all over. Whomever took her in must have confused her for a duck with fur. They not only replaced all her missing fur with a new coat, but they also put duck down in it too! That dog is the hardest to get wet and stay wet!! Never seen anything like it before!! Lacie loved Jenna from the start and was never without her for any large amount of time. Jenna, on the other hand, tolerated Lacie as any good natured dog would.

July 13, 2004

Somewhere along the way they became...Lacie-Loo and Jenna-Too.

Big smiles!! :))



Our shaved lion-dog.

And then one day.....Jenna got old.

And older......

Lacie just kept growing more fur........

and older still.

We would begin giving her Glucosamine pills along with aspirin each day. Without them she would have days where she could not get up at all. Her hips were wearing out on her. In time, she was also diagnosed with Cancer in one of her back legs. She would loose 17 1/2 pounds in this last year. She also began to get enormous fatty tumors throughout different parts of her body. They were hideous looking they were so big! Her eyes had cataracts and her ears and hearing were questionable. The old gal was simply withering away, but she always had love and gentleness for us no matter how much pain she was in. 

It appears she is still trying to give us a smile here.

These last two pictures was a day we thought she was going to leave us.

But amazingly...she would bounce back and once again go on living.

I know....you're probably wondering where is the hope I spoke of earlier in this story?? Just stay with me a little bit longer.

Down the road in time, I noticed that she was coming out of her pen looking stiffer than usual. I watched her, wondering does this mean the pills are no longer helping? And then this past Thursday, she began swaying and falling alot more than usual. She seemed to not want to put weight on her front left leg. Wonderful...now the poor dog has only 1 good working leg. David and I gave her a bath that day. She was laying fully spread out, on her right side, on the concrete. Pretty pathetic looking too. We tried to get her up and to change sides....wasn't happening. So, David rolled her gently from the right side to the left side. I felt like I saw something pop when he did. That night her walk was not good at all. When looking at her left leg it was as if her shoulder had sunk in and was gone. We thought it must be out of place and dislocated....possibly from David rolling her over. At that time, we knew we had to make the decision to go to the Vet and have her put to sleep. But we would wait until morning to do so. Now was the decision of whether to call our kids home and have them upset all night long. After praying together, we chose to wait til morning.

Friday morning, August 2, came and this is how she ate her breakfast. Never before had she had to eat like in this position.

As pathetic as she was....she still found one last smile for us. :)

And then....it was time to tell our kids.

That, in and of itself, was very hard. They knew she was old....they knew she wouldn't live forever. But, they had no clue it would be today. Heather came over first. She was here while David made the call to the Vet. She wanted to go with us, but this would not be. For the Vet would tell us the only appt available wouldn't be until 4:15 that day. Wow..... do they have any clue what it's like to know you're putting your beloved pet to sleep that day and being told to wait that long is like?? And as well the fact of poor Jenna in being such pain and discomfort?? But God knew. And so we waited. God was good to us all in our time of waiting....for Jenna, although in considerable pain most likely, was able to get up and walk on her own at times, as well as rest, and wait with us all. I had called Savannah and told her, but she chose to not come over for fear of not wanting to see her in her present condition. I assured her that was fine. She would however call me later telling me through alot of tears that she couldn't stay at work and had to come home. She didn't know we hadn't put Jenna to sleep yet and so I told her to come over and that it would be fine. She too would come and share her heart wrenching pain with Jenna. She did it alone. Only Jenna and her. And then....she was gone. That hurt, but it was the way she wanted it, and I gave it to her. Next, would be our son, Levi, who would show up around about the time David and I were leaving for lunch. And now I have a third child to "help" ease through this transition. <Deep breath>.....but alas this child was not as nearly upset as his two sisters were. He appeared to be more distracted by his car that we have been having so much trouble with lately. I knew then that he would be ok and we left for lunch. He would tell me later that he had went and spent a few quiet moments with Jenna before he left for work. That was good.

Once we returned from lunch and shopping (to distract us and make time go faster)....David began to dig the grave. Jenna would walk up and watch him. David would then say "Jenna, I hope you don't know what I'm doing." How sad it was to see that happen. He dug a very nice grave and it was no simple hole dug in the ground, but rather a very squared hole just about 4 feet down. He placed her bed in the bottom of it. He worked so very hard on it....so hard that he may have come very close to heat exhaustion! He couldn't catch his breath, he was sweating bucket loads, and his face was O so red. Thankfully, God took care of him!

While David dug....I laid in the grass with the dogs and took pictures......

Our two old ladies.....forever together.

Lacie is also a crippled dog. She has torn an ACL something or other, in one back leg, and a genetic defect, in both back legs, that has only worsened with time due to her age and her weight. She has been dealing with excessive hot spots all over her body and allergies. <Shaking my head> poor old dogs.

And finally.....it was time.

We loaded Jenna up in my Jeep. As we did, I heard Lacie let out a cry. David and I wondered if she knew that would be the last time she would see her faithful friend. David carried Jenna in his arms into the Vet's office and carried her once again to the room. Jenna was fragile, big, and awkward, but he did it with love for her.

Waiting for the doctor.

We asked the doctor if we possibly had caused this most previous situation with Jenna by rolling her over on the concrete. She assured us that had it been the reason, we could have never done that to a healthy dog....therefore saying Jenna was very fragile and it wasn't us to feel badly over. She never questioned us on our decision and agreed that it was time. The doctor explained that the most pain she would feel was a simple prick of the needle. This would be a shot to relax her, calm her....two things she basically always has been. It was her "I don't care" shot and "I'm going to sleep now." That's exactly what she did....little by little she would relax and drift farther into sleep.

Goodnight, sweet girl......

 I cried silent tears stroking her head.

David and the doctor then picked her up from the ground and placed her on the counter. The next process would begin. She shaved  a place on her leg for an IV to go into. It was then explained that this would make her heart stop beating. As the IV meds went in, I once again was stroking her head, tears dripping slowly down my face, and I told her what a good girl she was. The doctor would wait......giving the meds time to work. Jenna's body ever so slightly jolted, but I don't believe it was from any pain....just the body responding. The doctor would check her and tell us "Her breathing has stopped, but her heart is still going." And we would wait..... She was checked again and the heart was still beating although slow and weak. The doctor decided more meds were needed. As she was checked one last time....the reply to us was "Ok...it's stopped." And the final nod was given from her to us. Such a final thing......

We were told that the body could be prepared to take home out of our room or that it could be done in the room with us. I chose to have it done in our room with us. She wasn't quite sure I knew what I was deciding, but I did. I wanted to be a part of it all. No matter how hard it would be......

And so it was that we brought our sweet Jenna back home to be placed in her pen where her and Lacie had spent so many days together. David had mentioned did I want a special song played while we buried her. That's when I got the wonderful idea to get my phone and play Pandora on it. It was such a God thing too! For it could not have been a better song! Chris August sings a song called "Center of It" and he would sing

"In the dark, in the light
In the morning and night
In the good, in the hurt
In the places I hide
When I rise, when I fall
You'll be there through it all
At the start, at the end
In the center of the center of it."

And as David and I both would bury our Jenna we knew that he was there in the center of it all ....in the dark, in the light, in the morning and night, in the good, in the hurt. And this my friend is where the hope comes into view in my story. For through all the waiting, the pain, the tears, the un-knowing, the decisions, even through one child separating herself from us.....it ALL was in the hands of a loving Father. A Father who felt our grief, shared our tears, eased the suffering, gave strength, led us in our decisions, and was our sincere peace in the time of need.

 In Psalm 34:18 it shares that "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." In Hebrews 13:5 it encourages us to know that "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." In 2 Timothy 4:17 it strengthens us to know that "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength...."

Friend, know that God is there with YOU also in your time of making painful decisions, facing the un-known, feeling your pain, waiting with you, understanding you, and helping you through it all . It's his promise to us as his children. Trust him today. Rely on him today. Wait on him today. And rest in him today.

I share with you the beautiful grave my sweet husband worked so hard on. He gave it his all. We do hope to get a name plate placed on it as well.

And then....there was Lacie.

She receives more attention and love than ever before! Gotta love her.



I leave with you a special verse that has great meaning to me.

Psalm 13:6 "I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." Couldn't say it any better if I tried. :)

And one last beautiful picture......

We love you Jenna......

"On a Dark, Two-Lane, Back Road...."

Warning Tip #1- Do not eat Mexican food when you are going to have car trouble, on a dark two lane back road, still 30 mins from home.

Ah yes.....

Some may know, and many don't, that our son is on his second vehicle in less than a year of receiving his license. And with this second vehicle has came some frustrating challenges. I won't go into all the details, but will say - this car has been in the shop 3 different times now. . .with the first time requiring them to hold it in shop for SIX weeks, the second for 4 weeks, and the most recent for 1 day. The first time being the engine was blown. The second time...well, the engine was blown again. The third time...that's where my story comes in. :)

Dad was going to break the engine in this time. As you know the first 1,000 miles are crucial to that happening. In order for that to happen, Dad gets to take Mom driving to each of her far-away favorite eating spots more often! We also get to go for alot of loooong driving sprees which I love! Afterall...Dad loves to drive - Mom loves to ride. We have quite easily racked up the necessary miles in a very short amount of time....much to Levi's delight (he gets his car back sooner). As Levi would listen to the engine though, he would repeatedly tell his Dad "something just doesn't sound right about it.". But, he could never pin point it.

That brings us to last Friday night.

Dad and Mom, were out driving son's car, coming back from Huntsville - a little over a hour away from home. We had a nice dinner in Huntsville and were driving through Conroe to see some homes we have been considering moving to in the not too distant future. While driving, the power steering goes out. Seemingly odd - we decide to just deal with it and continue on. Next, the word "Battery" displays as well as the word "Brake". (It's a stick shift, if that matters)
 Hmm...well ok. David made sure we still had brakes....and thankfully we did. He had looked under the hood earlier and noticed a belt had came off which in turn affected everything else. Not too much of a concern because we assumed the battery alone would last us the rest of the trip of home.

Guess what?

At 9:00 pm, on a two lane back road, we were pulling off on the side with a now non running car. Yay.

Thankfully, we had called our son, Levi, earlier and told him to be on-call for us in case needed. It messed up his plans for the night....but hey!
Mind you...we were not on the highway, which would have been so much more easier to find us....we were on the dark back roads. So, David gave Levi instructions to find us, called a tow truck, and then we waited. As we are waiting, our flashers are going quite dim.....nice! It just added more to the adventure! A police stopped as well as one other person. But, help was on the way....at least we believed it was. :)

As we waited, there was LOTS and LOTS of frogs and various insects of the night making their beautiful melodies. I sat there and laughed telling God "Thanks for the enjoyment! I get all I want for free right now!" That is something I have always loved - the songs of the creatures of the night. I have many stories of that love, but won't share that now. Waiting was not done nervously or worringly, for as I shared above - I love adventures - and that's just how I saw this one. I knew God would get our son to us...and He did. I knew we would get the help we needed to get the car home....and we did. God was in control.

There has only been once in my lifetime that I have NOT enjoyed an adventure (that I can recall) and that would be when David, me, and my Dad seriously got lost in the woods!! That could be a whole other Blog in itself, I tell ya!! I will tell you....that the trails were looong G O N E, we could have desperately used a machetti (sp?), the familiar sounds of civilization were deceiving and confusing us from every angle, and we were going in circles. To no help whatsoever my "dear" Dad was behind me saying such things out loud as "Well, I think we may have enough water til someone finds us." and other various no helping words. Should have left that man at home!! Let's just say it scared the crap out of me in every sense of the word!! Lol!! I will say - we survived, found our way out, and lived to tell about it. Today....well today, as much as my heart is IN the woods and LOVES the woods....I do need to be somewhat confident that we in fact can know that we will make it out in a confident manner. My fearless leader, David, is very good about that. :)

As I said, our son did find us and I was very proud of him! He was driving his dad's Camaro, which in turn brought on a potential race with another car while he was enroute to find us. Thankfully, after showing off just enough he "maturingly" (haha) left it alone. Good job, son. ;-) After a time, the tow truck arrived also. Car was loaded and we met them down the road, at a convienent store, to pay them.

No, this is not an alien spaceship. Rather it is my one and only picture of our entire "adventure". Description: Car being hooked up and loaded to tow truck. :-)



As you will recall....I started this Blog off with a Warning Tip.
Yes, dear ole Mom should have made a pit stop before getting in car to go home...especially when it's over a hour away and we just had Mexican food. But she didn't. So dear son took Mom into the store while Dad took care of business. Have I ever told you, my readers, about me and motion sensored restroom lighting? YUP. At least one Blog covered that situation well....probably others too. As you can guess, I was in another motion sensored restroom. Remembering what I already knew about these things, I decided to wave my arms in the air ever so often. Seemed to work well enough this time...for they stayed ON throughout the whole entire process!! YAY!! :)

Sooo, car was towed back to our town and left at shop....once again. However, shop was very apologetic and even reimbursed our money back from the towing. Problem was fixed and car sent back on it's way the next day. All in all, this car has been towed not once but twice to this shop and driven there by son at night for them to find next morning. Hmm....

And now?

Now my son has been looking online, once again, to find another car. O yes.
Uncle Dan, if you're reading this....you probably should give him a call soon. He's looking and found a "fox body" 92 Mustang!!! Uh-huh.....call him!! But be nice and don't be a dream crusher! By the way - - how do you feel about selling a 06 Infiniti G35?? :-)

As always....I want to tie my readers in with how God works in our lives.
I know that God gave the peace and assurance needed that night to believe he would work it all out and we would be taken care of. He not only gave it, but proved it to by meeting our needs. In all of life, I believe he wants us to have that assurance. That peace that says even though I don't know how, I don't know when, or I don't know where....God will supply all our needs and bring us safely through. Remember, he may not give you all you want, but he most assuredly will give you all you need. Trust him, even when it's the hardest to trust, for he alone is trustworthy. He is a faithful God and stands ready to be your everything in this life. Let him. He loves you with an unimaginable love for now....and forever.

"Thank you, God, for being our great Navigator who leads us through and out of all life's 'adventures'!" :-)

"Celebrating Her. . . "

This Sunday, June 30, marks a very special day. It is the day that we celebrate two very beautiful women's lifes here on earth. The two beautiful women I speak of are my own dear mother and her sweet twin sister. One we celebrate here on earth. The other we celebrate living joyously in Heaven.

I have been wanting to write a special Blog in celebration of my Aunt, but all the while not being sure of how to share. For it is not sadness I want to bring, but rather a smile. I know that is what Auntie would want afterall. :) I do not write this Blog in "memory" of her - - for she has never been forgotten. I write it simply to celebrate her and the beautiful presence she was in her time on this earth.

I shared, in April of 2012, a Blog in honor of her and some of the many memories we made here together.
http://lifeiswhatgodmakesit.blogspot.com/2012/04/if-you-had-chancewould-you.html That link should take you there if you would like to read. There is a very dear memory that I did not share in that Blog and since then I have wanted to. Although it may not mean much to others reading, it is very meaningful to me. I have memories of laying on her bed, an old fashioned wire table fan blowing gently on me, listening to the old classic Disney 45 records, and looking at the big colorful pages of the album they came in. If I can remember correctly there was The Jungle Book, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Polyana. . . to name a few. I must have listened to Mary Poppins quite often for out of all, it is the very one that brings the MOST memories alive. I bought the Mary Poppins soundtrack sometime back and play it many times over. When I do, I can't help but believe that Aunt Sandra is dancing around the house along with me as we loudly belt out the songs together. Or in the times of just sitting quietly and listening while tears stream down my face. It is in those times - whether dancing and singing loudly or just quietly sitting and listening - that I often feel the closest to her. I can't help but believe that the very last song on the album/CD must have been one of her favorites "Let's Go Fly a Kite!" for it is one that we sing the loudest together. :) I would have loved dearly to have thought to ask for those records in times past.

Though we can not reach out and physically touch her, verbally hear her, or see her, we do celebrate not only who she was - but who she IS today. Her presence here while on earth was a blessing to many countless lives. She was a tender heart, with a pretty smile, a tell it how it is attitude, and an inspiration to those around her. And today - - today she is a living, breathing, very much alive, vibrant, healthy, O so happy daughter of God Himself!! She is alive and living, more than we possibly could be, in every sense of the word!! Her days are filled and overflowing with the truest form of JOY, while she is praising and rejoicing and serving God!! How wonderfully A M A Z I N G will that day be for each of us when our time has come!! We will not only be alongside her, but also rejoicing, praising, and serving God Himself as well!! Can't wait!! :)

For those of you reading along, I ask that if you would just stop and say a prayer for each of her family members during this time. There is hope most assuredly for all of us, for we each one day soon be reunited with her. But it is during that waiting moment that we sometimes need prayer. Thank you!

And to my dear, sweet, never forgotten, Auntie - - I loved you then, I love you now....I always have, I always will.

Happy earth Birthday this Sunday!! :)

The beautiful SMILES I leave you with. . . .



"The Little Girl on the Bicycle"



David and I often ride bikes. In fact, we choose to ride bikes wherever we go rather than riding in the car when possible. We both enjoy the exercise, being active together, and enjoy being outdooors. I admire his willingness to hop on his bike, after a long day at work, and go for a ride with me. :)

The other day, as we were riding, a little girl appeared in front of us. I didn't see from what direction she came. . . it was just as if she showed up. As we followed her, I noticed how young she was and how, in this day and time, it seemed odd that she would seemingly be so far from home without an adult close by. She pedaled on crossing a couple of busy neighborhood streets. She wasn't on a leasurily kid-ride, but pedaled with great intent, stopping only once to grab a precious souvenir (a feathery stalk from a flowering plant). She was off once again with great determination to reach her desired destination. We continued to follow her. We usually have no problem passing others on bikes, or people walking - this girl was pedaling! Watching this little girl brought back memories for me in a sweet and tender way. I too was once that little girl pedaling hard and with great purpose. She reminded me of being O so young and on my own each day. For back LONG ago, starting around the age of 6 or 7, I would ride my bike over a mile each way to school. Heck the way I went could've been 2 miles each way! I am so thankful that my Mother had the faith to let me have that freedom at such an early age. For in this day I don't believe many Mothers would. As some say, "things were different back in the day". I doubt that, for evil and bad have always been. . . they just weren't talked about and made public as they are today. I can remember crossing very BUSY streets for someone so small. I remember the "scary streets" too that you didn't just pedal casually on, but rather stood up on the pedals and gave it all you had! As I look back, I am amazed and all the while thankful for both a Mother willing to give her child an early independence AND for my God who was with me to watch over me....every pedal of the way.

As we followed on, my phone distracted me from my thoughts of long ago. We stopped only briefly to check the distraction. As we started back on our way, I noticed the little girl was no longer in front of us. I pedaled on a little faster to search where she may have gone. I could see for quite a ways up ahead....nothing. I could see to the left where the streets intersected.....nothing. It was as if she simply vanished....gone just like that. We do entertain "angels unaware" as the Bible says! I believe it whole heartedly too!! Maybe she was the little angel that would remind me how that God has been with me all along....never leaving nor forsaking me....even in my worst times....even in my times of doubt....even in my good times....always with me. Or maybe she was the little girl that God himself would call me to pray for. That is exactly what I did as I rode. I prayed for her safety and protection, for her to know she is loved, for her to make wise decisions for all the days that lay ahead, and most of all - for her to know the Lord as her Savior. I have prayed since then when God brings her to my mind. I pray with great emphasis that God leads and protects her with all the many choices that lie ahead of her. How awesome would it be to know that a stranger {a kind unknown person} would take the time to stop and pray for your very child?! I would absolutely LOVE to know that there are people praying for my children that I don't even know!!

Regardless of the many questions there may have been as to why this child would appear such as she did and then be gone just like that ( I do tend to have an analytical mind sometimes ha!). I find these things to be certain and true::
1. God has been with me always and never leaves me. Just as He was with her. He crossed the "busy streets" of life with me and He even carried me through the "scary streets". He isn't just with me in those times but also in the "happy times" of enjoying life as David and I do together.
2. Jesus prays for me. Even when no one else is praying for me I know that He is. No one may have thought that day to stop and say a prayer for this little girl, but Jesus was and He even invited me to join along with Him in it.
3. We can trust God to get us to our desired safe haven for He alone is trustworthy. Just as He took this little one safely to her destination....back to Heaven or to her house! :)

Friend, know that YOU too can have those assurances!

For if you too have asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior of your heart then He assures you that YES He is with you today....tomorrow.....and always {He was even with you yesterday too!} You are never ever alone. If you are in times of doubt, pain, hardships, trials do NOT ever give up on Him. For He alone is supremely trustworthy and will carry you to your safe haven. He not only will help you, but He IS helping you even now. Sometimes we just need to give Him more time and space....and wait. But never quit trusting....NEVER. If you are having a hard time doing so then tell God and ask Him to be the trust that you need. He understands. Afterall...who knows us better than the very One Who created us?!

Also, know that Jesus does pray for you to God the Father. When it seems no one else knows and no one else cares....He does. And He lives to intercede for YOU. John 17:9 "I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours." God intercedes for us in our weakness for us personally. Romans 8:26-27 "In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." How empowering to know that Jesus the Holy Spirit prays for us in our weakest moments!!

And lastly....God will take you safely to your safe haven. Psalm 107:28-30 "Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven." We can be confident in Him because of Isaiah 46: 4 "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."

I leave you with this: 2 Timothy 4:18 "The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Friend....He is with you....pedaling through life's journey WITH you. Never give up trusting in Him alone.

"Who Turned Out the Lights?!"

Just the other day David decided we would go out for lunch to a spot we hadn't frequented lately. It was a nice surprise when we pulled up! For those who do know and those who do not. . . there is ONE thing I try never to leave the house without. And that would be - HAND SANITIZER!! As you can guess, I did not have mine. I headed towards the restrooms to wash my hands. As I neared it, I remembered the motion sensored lights in the hallway just outside the restrooms. They nicely appeared on as I entered the hallway. It was a different story once I reached for the Women's handle and attempted to enter. I pulled it open only to find darkness on the other side with no visible light inside. I thought "Well, the inside of the bathroom is the same way, so shouldn't me pulling the door open make the lights come on??" I mean what's the meaning of "motions sensored lights" if no apparent movement is causing the effect of light?? I decided to enter, while keeping my foot propping the door open, and see if I could find a switch. No such luck....not a single switch anywhere inside those walls! I began waving my arms and saying "Heeelllloooo!!" Still nothing.

For some reason, there seem to be funny stories that appear when it's me and motion sensored lighting.....O and well - restrooms too. I can remember one such funny incident and actually wouldn't have minded seeing it on a sensored video! Yes, it was that funny. For lack of telling too many details - - it was me, in a restroom, trying my best to keep the lights on while in use of facilities. In other words...leaving stall and taking a lap once up and down the aisle, as well as lots of jumping up and waving arms and saying "Helllooooo!!! I'm in here!!!" while in stall. Could it be said perhaps they're saying I'm a bit slow in the stall? Ha! Couldn't be! I blame it on poor time management of lighting! ;-)

Now where were we......
Back to the present complication.....as I'm still propping door open with one foot and nothing is happening, I wonder if I can stretch myself to the sink all the while still propping door open with foot. Not gonna happen. I'm no Stretch Armstrong. A thought crosses my mind to go try the Men's Restroom. I decided against. As the situation lingers, I then decide well....maybe I should just let the door go and see what happens while I stand here silently in the dark. Guess what? - - - I let the door go. . . was all the way inside. . . and BEHOLD the lights came on!!!! No more wondering, no more darkness, and soon, no more dirty hands. :-)
Dumb idea if you ask me.....but hey I found the light!!

As I came back to my seat, I told David all about it (of course) and that's when the Blog processing mind started taking over inside of me. As you know, I'm always looking for an inspirational thought to cross by me to share with my readers!

So many directions God could take me to share this with you.... faith, letting go, trusting even when we don't see, direction......etc.

As always though, my heart leans towards giving you HOPE. Hope in the waiting. Hope in the unseen. Hope in the past. Hope in the present. Hope for the future. Friends, maybe there is a place in your life that you are at and you feel as if you are left standing there with the door open and no one is turning on the lights to light your way. Maybe you have held onto that door for so long that you don't know how to let go of it and watch God Almighty provide the direction you are seeking in your life, or that of your children, or spouse or whoever it may be. We have ALL been door holders at one time or another in our lives. Afraid to let go, afraid to trust, discouraged because the "light" isn't seemingly coming on in our lives, our children's lives, our spouses. Friend, let me remind you. . .  Jesus IS the Light and He IS always there to light our way...no matter the situation, circumstance, or the person. Our hope IS in Him. We must remind ourselves that His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts. Isaiah 55:8. Also know that He has the plans for each of our lives. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.

There are MANY unknowns in life to us. But we take comfort in knowing....God is always and forever in control. "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."

We trust - "For I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:8. "Trust in him at all times, O people, pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." Psalm 62:8.

We hope - "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24 "Those who hope in me will not be disappointed." Isaiah 49:23c

We wait - Lots of waiting!! "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 28:14. "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1.

Friend, I leave two verses that I believe sum up the whole Blog.
"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-5.

"The Lord is my LIGHT and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1.

Whatever door you may be hanging onto may it be fear, doubt, discouragement, undecided direction, worry....let it go in God's strength (and not your own) and watch him bring the needed Light to your soul that you may be searching for. Allow God the time needed to work in your life, your children's life, spouse's life and DON'T give into discouragement when you don't see it happening right away. God's timing is perfect no matter the wait. Believe it. Hope in it. Rest in it. :-)



"Dear, How Long Is This Going To Take?"

My sweet husband is redoing a bathroom.
Nothing really spectacular about that for a story now is there? Although, I do think he IS spectacular and doing a wonderful job!

This particular bathroom has taken him at least 2 months to give his labor of love on. And shall I say....the work continues. In the beginning dear husband thought this project would take no more than 2 weekends to complete - - little did he know.

Carry on dear, for there really is light at the end of the tunnel!!

As I watch him work diligently on each project through completion, I think of God and how he works in our lives. We are individually each a project of God. Each area is a unique work of God. We trust him to form us into the very man/woman of God he has chosen us to be. With that said, there are times that God decides to take his time in the molding process. Instead of a short 2 weekend project, it becomes a lengthier one.

There are many areas of life that God is shaping daily. Our faith, our trust, our hope, our character, our obedience.....and the list goes on. In some areas he works quickly. In others, painfully slooow. But his timing is perfect always. There are times that we call upon God for healing from grief, loss, pain, discouragement and his answer is - wait on me, trust in me, hope in me. "Wait on the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Ps. 27:14. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5. "Those who hope in me will not be dissappointed." Isaiah 49:23c.

Maybe you have prayed for your children to have their eyes opened, their hearts softened, their wills brought into submission of living for him. And it may seem the more you pray, the further they drift out into this world. Does it hurt? You BETCHA! Is it discouraging? Absolutely! Does that mean you give up on God answering your prayers and delivering them? Ten million times over - a strong and absolute.....NO! what it does mean is that we keep on believing God's Word; never being moved away from it by what you see or feel. And as you stand firm, God's power is being developed in you. The fact of looking at your prayers and knowing this is God's will for your children's lives, and being unmoved by what you see or do NOT see- makes you stronger in every sense of the word.

I know that - "Deliverance comes from the Lord." Ps 3:8. I know that - "He rescues and he saves." Daniel 6:27. And I also know that - God uses his power to change the areas in my children's lives, and my own, that desperately need his touch. "Ah Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outsretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." Jeremiah 32:17. I know that - God's timing is perfect and lacking nothing. Think of Abraham and Sarah who were promised a son. God required a whole 25 years to pass before that promise was fulfilled!! "And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised." Hebrews 7:15.

And so my friend....whatever you are waiting on God for in your life - deliverance, hope, answers, strength, know that God hears, God sees, God knows. His answers will come in HIS timing. For we serve a faithful and trustworthy Lord God Almighty.

And just as I wait patiently on my loving husband to finish up what he has started.....I wait on a loving Father who will finish what he has started as well! "He who began a good work in you (or your children) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6.