"All Because of One Special Boy. . . ."

David and I have made a decision to start working out at the gym, on a continous basis....once again. We previously were committed and for one reason or another decided to not continue. Let me say here. . . I am SO very PROUD of my David and his accomplishments!! He is working hard and his efforts are coming with results! Please pray for continued determination and motivation if he crosses your mind. :)

As for me - I am self diagnosing myself to now know it's official.....I'm allergic to exercise!! I start sneezing whenever vigorously working out on treadmill! Craziest thing ever!! So if you happen to see me wiping my nose, and my eyes, all the while sneezing....I'm not sick.....I just have a case of allergictoexercise is all. :)

Yesterday, we were at the gym working out as usual. I absolutely love the fact that they now have a row of treadmills facing AWAY from all those crazy Tv monitors! BESSST thing they ever did for that place! We were treading along when I noticed a teenage boy catch my eye. I noticed that he had physical limitations that didn't allow for him to be "normal" as if everyone else was. He appeared to have Cerebal Palsy or maybe even results from a stroke. . .one side was considerably weaker than the other. I continued to watch him throughout his workout with a trainer. He became true inspiration for me in many ways.

He was a very GOOD looking teenage boy and he dressed the part of someone his age. He would joke around with the trainer, smile often, and wave at occassional people passing by. He was happy. He was determined. And. . . he didn't let his limitations stop him. As I said earlier, there appeared to be two sides to his body - a stronger side + a weaker side - and both were worked out during his time there. The stronger side was exercised with weights, while the weaker side was simply held, pulled, and stretched by the trainer. Both sides took genuine effort by this boy himself, but the weaker side made it visibly clear . . . this was tough. His face let you see the pain and focus of his determination. All the while, the trainer continued to gently lead him through his exercises. To me this boy was the true athelete, stronger than anyone in that entire gym. The simple stretching, lifting, and following through took a physical strength that not many of us probably have. His determination even brought tears to my eyes! Not only did this boy have to deal with his physical limitations, but as he sat there and rested, a group of teenage boys casually walked by him. I had to wonder "Does he wish his life was different? Does he long to be like others without viewable limitations?" I can't really answer that question for him, but my hope is that he sees himself as someone who is greatly BLESSED and that he doesn't have to look, act, think, walk, talk like others to be who God created him to be. The boys didn't appear to have any negative effects on his countenance and he continued steadily on. As time went on, I happened to look away for what only seemed moments only to return my focus on what was now an empty workout table. It seemed as if this boy who appeared from nowhere....suddenly was gone just as quickly! It was as if he was an angel of inspiration sent right in front of me!

As I was intently watching this courageous boy with his workout, I begin to see God and our own lifes, and the similarities. To me the strong side of this boy's body represented our strengths in our life > talents, abilities and such. We usually feel pretty good about working those areas out. We have reachable confidence to get us through the "workout". But when we come to the other side of our bodies known better as the weak side, it can be a different story! Maybe the weak side could be considered of failures, temptations, worry, mistakes, fears, doubts and the list goes on. BUT! in and of all those weaknesses none are too great for our Mighty God Himself to overcome and lead us through!! Just as I saw through the powerful example of this beautiful boy in front of me! The strong side, the trainer was there if he needed him, and at times he did, but he was more confident in doing it. The weak side, the trainer was there to assist and encourage. He gently held and supported him taking the boy's arm and leading him through it. Never did the trainer just step back and say do it, with his arms folded idlely, standing by, and the boy not being able to do it. He was there to see him through it....to completion and nothing less. How wonderfully the SAME as we see God in our lives!! God knows we are perfectly imperfect....He knows we have weaknesses that seem unbearable sometimes, He knows the limitations of our humaness. And yet He never once just stands back and says "Figure it out yourself. You got yourself here, get yourself out. You wanna be strong - then do this on your own and you will be." NO!! what He does do is holds us up when we can't stand, carries us when we can't walk, listens to us when we are afraid, and . . . He leads us through it. What he does say is "I'm here for you child. Lean on me. Trust me. I know it may hurt, but I'm making you stronger because of it. I will never give up on you."

So, my friend, whenever you may feel despair because of the weaknesses that you see in your life.....KNOW that God is there with you.....holding you, supporting you, encouraging you, bringing you to a better place and seeing you through to completion. He never asks you to do it alone. Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ."

Thank you Jesus for sharing hope with me. . . through one inspiring, beautiful boy! :)

"A Funny Look at a First Experience. . .That Soon Won't be Forgotten!!"

Sooo I had my first Spa Swedish Massage the other day and O what an experience it was too!! Actually, David and I were given gift certificates at Christmas from our sweet daughter, Heather. So we went together. I was the intimidated one. . . David on the other hand was not. David had even told me he would use his this week and come back next week and use mine if I wanted him to. O no. . . not passing up on this one!

We were taken back to a couch in a semi dark room where 4 different people must have asked us if we wanted something to drink. As we sat on the couch, we were handed 3 sheets of paper to fill out. This would be a questionairre as if you were going to the doctor! GEEZ people, we're only here to cash a couple of gift cards and get a massage!! David and I were both laughing at the silliness of all these questions when he said "I think we are supposed to be whispering in here." Um....ok. So we laugh whispered.....well sorta. : P

Once back in our perspective rooms, it was explained to me what I needed to do to prepare for her. Namely undress. First she tells me to take my shirt and bra off....so i repeat it back to her.....then she looks at me to say "Well, take your jeans and shoes off too." As if I was supposed to know that already. She leaves....I undress.....quickly so she won't come back in to find me NAKED. I crawl under the covers all the while looking at the big mirror in front of me wondering what kind of hidden camera they have in it. :) Now you need to know I'm a bit NERVOUS with this whole idea already....ok! As I lay down, I realize these covers are really WARM.....I could get hot even under them....wonder what they do when people are too warm, throw back the covers to see your bare nakedness?!? As I'm laying there I notice the table looked slanted as in head down, toes up, situation. I don't normally ever lay down on my back on a flat surface (especially tilted down) because it makes me dizzy of some sort....like my legs are gonna flip over my head feeling! I sit up examing the table myself trying to figure it out, but quickly laying back down so lady wouldn't come in and see me doing so!  I'm dealing with trying to figure out if I should tell the lady  to either give me a pillow or tilt the table back up even. Telling myself.....you can handle this! Convincing myself ..... somewhat that I'm gonna be alright.....I start realizing how SMALL, DARK, and enclosed this tiny room is....as if I'm on an elevator (which I do NOT do). Now I'm also debating the thought of telling the lady to please leave the door OPEN when she comes back in assuring her that I don't care who looks in!!

As I'm retelling this story later to laughing Heather, Levi and David....Heather speaks up and says "MOM, you are supposed to be laying there relaxing before she comes in, NOT stressing out over all this!!" Sorry daughter....didn't happen!

FINALLY, she comes back. I'm retelling myself at this point that I don't need to relay any of the information to this poor woman who is here to make me feel my very best. Hmmmm......
She begins to do her thing and soon my eyes are being covered with something that has weights in it, causing the room to be totally darkened!! She had placed some kinda eye pillow weights on them....for relaxation. SURE. Now I'm not only thinking more about the claustrophobic sense, but the unsettling feeling of WHAT'S NEXT?!? I'm a person who from childhood has needed to pretty much know......what's next?! :) I kept my mouth shut, kept my eyes weighted shut, and laid there under the submission of her every move.

This whole exprience could have added a few knots to my knots she felt and told me about. She described me as being "crunchy".....not everyday you get to be that description now do ya! She is now telling me that as she holds the sheet, I'm to turn over onto stomach. As I'm turning over as QUICKLY as I could to not expose myself....I now am wondering if I will be dizzy from going to my back - tilted down - to my stomach. I do get lightheaded at times. Secondly, I've got to put my face through this donut hole. The donut hole is tilted WAY down for me. Lady says she can adjust it for me just let her know when. She went up....more up....and more up. I said stop and she asked are you alright? I agreed. I'm guessing I could have looked rather peculiar with how far I asked her to tilt it. Ha! As she is doing my backside, I began to feel like the donut hole was a littttle too high. Did I tell her?? Nope. So I laid there and thought about that for awhile. Other funny thoughts were going through my head as well though.....like when she came up to my head and I'm looking at her legs and feet, through the donut....I wondered what she would do if I suddenly pinched her! Hahaha! Yes....I'm that weird. But, no I didn't.

NOW....as I'm laying there, starting to de-stress....somewhat.....my phones starts going off. I was later told by dear daughter that you are to silence your phone upon entering. Well....sorry daughter.....again. The first 2 calls I kinda blew off thinking it's our son, Levi but hopefully he will figure out what he needs to know. The following FOUR calls as well as TEXTS and notification for my turn to play a game made for a little bit of a STRESSFUL situation!!!! I couldn't get to my phone.....the lady obviously wasn't going to ask me if I needed to stop and answer it.....nor was she going to bring it to me. If I did answer it, I would have to prop myself up exposing pretty much my entire front side. . . . so I let it ring. . . .  and she let it ring. This really un-nerved me being as though I didn't know if Levi knew we were. He was told to go to the gym after school and we would pick him up for golf from there. I didn't know if the poor kid had any clue at all to know what to do....being as though we weren't answering and he probably saw Dad's car in the parking lot.

Meanwhile. . . as I'm dealing with the phone incesantly going off. . .  an alarm starts going off throughout the entire building with flashing lights!! A lady is stating that EVERYONE throughout the building now needs to evacuate! NICE. . . .I'm told by my lady now that she is going to go out of the room and ask if it is really real and necessary for us to leave. Sooo....I'm just left to myself.....in a dark room....lying NAKED under some really WARM covers......to wonder WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON??!! I even laid there and wondered if it was my poor son who was in the emergency of some sort that was cleaing the building!! Lady comes back to now say "You need to get up, get dressed. We need to evacuate the building. I will bring you some fresh water." Fresh water?? Is that what people do under evacuation settings??!! Hey at least I had fresh water when I died!! Haha! She grabs her purse from under cabinet and leaves.

Now.....I'm QUICKLY getting up and getting dressed and all the while my phone is STILL ringing! I'm standing there trying to decide "Do I ignore the phone and get dressed BEFORE she gets back in here and sees me standing like a naked monkey.....OR.....do I fish phone out of purse and answer?? I went with "B". I missed the call .......phone rings again......I make contact! It's Levi and all i can say is "Hello....can I talk with you in a few mins....I'm trying to get dressed and get out of a massage room?!?!" he sounds hesitant and agrees. I dress so quickly that I stuff my socks in my purse by now and I'm stomping out the door in my big boots that are even bigger now without the socks! I look around thinking WHERE is this lady with the fresh water who's supposed to be telling me what to do?!?!?? I see one lady seated on couch who is obviously not worried about evacuating as she is discussing on phone with someone regarding "No, what would you do if we went on a cruise? I don't know....what would you recommend? I don't know......" Wow lady....did you not get the memo....we are evacuating here?!!! As I'm standing around unsure what to do what to think and where is my husband at?? Another lady (employee) asks me if everything is alright. I said "Well, i was with Ginger and now I don't know where she is at." Other lady opens main door and what do I see?? Ginger standing at front desk laughing it up with other employers.....obviously forgetting poor pathetic client in room AND evacuating!!! I walk on out to the front desk all the while Ginger's back is to me. As I'm standing there I begin to see HOARDS of people now coming back in through the front doors!!! WELL.....I GUESS I MISSED THE DAD GUM EVACUATION AFTERALL!!" LOL!! The cashier begins to ask me how was everything when the only motion and response I could make at this particular time was to hold out my hand and point to Ginger. I didn't know what to think or what to say....so I just pointed at her. Ginger then turns around and sees me standing there .....most likely more stressed than when I went in! She says very casually "Heeeey....so let me get you some fresh water and you can go back in where you came from and relax!" Suuuuure.....Ginger......you bring me that water and I'll just go right back in here and do me some "relaxing" that you say! Mind you I still hadn't gotten a hold of my poor son yet! So I went back in and waited like a nice good girl. I still hadn't even seen the likes of David yet as well.....wasn't he told to evacuate too???!!!! As I'm sipping my "fresh water" I tried to get Levi with no such deal. I texted him then. I did receive word back and he was alright. Later, I would find out that he had tried to call to let us know he wasn't going golfing with us and to not wait on him at gym. He got on the bus and then it was that he saw Dad's Camaro in the parking lot. He thought "O no....there waiting on me and I'm rididng the bus home!!" Soooo then it was he began to call us a grand total of at LEAST TEN times during our de-stressing, relaxing, calming moments.....the massage.

David DID finally walk out of his room with the most casualist of walks and looking rather CALM. He smiled and asked me how it was? O BOY......... did I have a story for him?!!?!!! Come to find out his lady told him that no evacuation was necessary and she continued to finish up with his massage! My lady however probably went and had a really good LAUGH at her client's position!! Ha ha ha.

I resumed my once again serence composure once we left our "relaxing" massage......YEAH RIGHT! I had a story to tell and tell I was gonna! I told David all the way to the country club where we were going to play golf for the day! I had so much to say that we had to stay in the car once we arrived so that I could finish even!! David listened.....David LAUGHED......and David shook his head. Later, I would get to retell my story once again with the audience of Heather, Levi and David (again). We had SO MANY laughs over that story and I truly believe God let it ALL happen for a purpose (just like He has with everything in life we face) ......to share a beautiful laughing and sharing moment with our children......at Mom's expense. :)

So a lesson can be learned here as well. You probably could see a LOT of what if moments going on in this story! But truly what happened were the what IS moments in fact. I didn't get dizzy, I didn't get claustrophobic, I didn't pinch the lady (heehee), Ginger never saw me standing in the room naked, no one saw me through a hidden camera (that I know of and if they did....they laughed), I didn't get too hot, I lived through the "what's next" moments, my son wasn't in an emergency, my son didn't die because he couldn't get us, and no evacuation of emergency situations were real. All my what ifs were non-existant....thank the good Lord!! Too many times we can get caught up in living in a what if world.....but you know what?? God IS IN CONTROL and will see you through any and ALL situations. Your what if's are no match for Him! Anyways.....What if's DON'T exist.....What is DOES!! Trust Him!! :)

Guess what?
I'm going back again and I know I will enjoy it so much more this time!! Please God, could you keep the alarms and my purse from going off though??!! Thanks!! :)



I'm thinking I looked about as relaxed as this big guy!! :)





"Letting Go. . ."

It was said in part of today's sermon that God wipes away ALL guilt, shame, regret - once you are forgiven. I agree - - but through experience I also know it can take T I M E as well. God can do it all at once OR He can do it through a healing process. . . . and HIS timetable doesn't always look like ours!

And I know that as humans, we ourselves can add to those things as well.

My friend, whatever you may be hanging on to - trust God to do what you may feel is too difficult for you - Let it go. Or if it requires time to bring about your healing - trust Him to see you through. Whatever the situation. . . it's in God's hands. . . and not yours.

"For the faith to move ahead and to let go of the past and to see me as you do - - I turn to you."





Letting go and letting God!



"Take a Look at Our Celebrated Weekend We Shared!"

This past weekend we celebrated the man I love most's birthday!! Rather than just tell you about it - I wanted to share with you, through pictures as well, of all that we enjoyed.

David planned our trip, in honor of his birthday, for us to share. He did an excellent job too....as always! Friday morning, we hit the road for Lake Charles, Louisiana. It was a beautiful drive. David loves to drive and I love to ride. . . so we make a really good team! Once there, we found the LauBerge Du Lac Casino and went in to see the sights as well as find some lunch. The "sights" were nice, but the people inside the Casino itself were quite a different story. Everyone looked so pathetically HOPELESS and LIFELESS! No happiness anywhere really. If gambling is supposed to be some happy thing (like the billboards portray) well these people didn't show it!! What a sad world. Anyways...we found a nice buffet lunch to try. I ate alligator for the very first time as well as key lime pie and ONE prune. In order of like I would rate the pie first, prune next and alligator LAST...it was disgusting!! : P

Afterwards, we went to the golf course to tee off at our posted 2:oo time. We did find Tee 1....finally! It was a very nice golf course. I compared much of it to Walden (back home) and found I preferred this one even if it did have alligators on it. : ) Yes there were two as a matter of fact! I found them exciting and adventerous as I made way, little by little, to get the best picture of one almost on the greens!



Come here gator, gator, gator. . .



Here are some shots of the Casino as we are on the golf course looking back.

The wind was something else!! I was hair beaten from all the wind, so trying to just see the ball was a task for me. We were able to take our time and go slowly which made it nice. Two holes past our usual game of 9 - - I was tired and getting cold. I became solely the golf cart driver as well as ball retriever/finder while David played the rest of the 18. He did well and had a great time, which made it all the more worth any discomforts I felt. :)

After our game, I was in dire need of a pitstop. David drove us back to the Casino part. As he did I questioned his action to which he said "You need a bathroom." Umm...yes dear I need a bathroom, but have you taken a look now at your wife who resembles something out of tornado herself?? I didn't feel "suitable" enough the first time we went through there to eat lunch....there was no way I could enter now looking the way I did! I quickly told him no and that I would prefer something down the road. So he lovingly consented all the while he half heartedly wanted to go back and try a hand at the gambling. . . as I would learn on down the road. He just couldn't convince himself though as we had earlier seen such despair in these people's faces. So not worth it.

Sooo...we traveled up the road to a town called Jennings. We found a very NICE Hampton hotel there. Checked in and I got a hot shower....YAY!! Then we set off to find some real Cajun food. I on the other hand would be happy with just a simple and much loved Subway sandwich! Poor David traveled up the street and down the street in search of something good to try. I say street, as in singular, because the other side of the highway was pretty much pitch BLACK! The closest thing he could find was ..... Popeye's Chicken. . . which had a super bonus because right next door was ...... a Subway!!! Yup, I got my Subway and took it inside our "Cajun" restaraunt. Hey the cup did say "Louisiana Kitchen" right on it....that counts right?! Afterwards, we went back tot he hotel and had some super YUMMY cookies complments of Hampton. We also played our new game, that we had bought just for the trip in case got bored. It was very nicely titled "Smart Ass". Fun game too!! Haha! :)

Next morning, we ate breakfast at the hotel and set off for the Plantation Homes tours. These were a good 2 hours up the road, so we had another nice drive. We arrived at Oak Alley Plantation and let me just say here - - WOW WHAT A PLACE!!! Words don't do it enough justice! We ate lunch in a nice little house on the plantation grounds. It was absolutely PERFECT! They sat us in a little room with windows all around that looked out to the home and ground itself. It was as if we were literally sitting outside underneath one of the beautiful oak trees! And the meal?? Like nothing I have ever tasted so amazing before! I ate all kinds of animals. . . alligators (fried this time and it was so GOOD!), duck!!, catfish, and chicken! The gator, duck, and catfish each had it's own dipping sauce too.....so wonderfully good!! Finally....David had got his REAL Cajun meal....and I was SO happy for him!

This was a picture taken of our view, as we ate, at the lunch place.

We still had some time before the next tour started, so we walked around taking in all of this majestic place. The trees themselves were what made this place so gorgeous and full of history as well!! These next few pictures were what they called the "Baby Oaks" which were no babies to us, but in comparison to the ones planted in the front.... they were! These were planted in the back of the house and where many of the slave houses originally were.





These are the BABY oaks!!



Now it was time for the Big House tour!! Once inside we learned all about the timeless history that this once thriving home had. I so love History and am beyond blessed to have a best friend who allows me not only to enjoy every moment of it.....but also enjoys it himself!!



Oak Alley Plantation. Built 1837-39.

If you look closely you can still see the ghost of the lady who once long ago lived here! I'm kidding....she was a tour guide. :)



This was Mamie and she did a very fine job of sharing her knowledge of days gone by.



The parlor where we learned many interesting facts of  how parents handled courtship of their sons and daughters. I think we should still practice them today!! Ha! 





The Dining Room and more interesting facts!



I didn't continue taking pictures throughout house because I wanted to absorb all the history she was sharing with us. There was many interesting stories throughout the home though.



These next pictures are of the front and the most majestic of the oak trees planted! They were planted some 300 years ago, by an unknown settler, who planted 28 evenly spaced trees (each 80ft apart) leading out to the mighty Mississippi River. Planting these trees would assure him to bring in the cool air right off the Mississippi to cool his home which was a quarter mile back. These mighty oaks have a life span of 600 years old so these are just considered middle age at 300!! 

If pictures could only do justice!! This is looking towards the  front of the home.

This is a view from the balcony looking towards the Mississippi River. In warmer seasons it is beautiful and green.

Me standing in front of one of the mighty oaks!

I told you it was B I G!!

We later returned for a night shot of the place.

Next, we traveled up the road to the next Plantation we would visit. This one was not as majestic and was really of a different lifestyle all it's own. It was a Creole Plantation. But what it lacked in majestic scenery was made up for in more history about a family and the life they led so many years ago. Very interesting indeed!! What they did have in common with their more majestic neighbors would be both were sugar cane plantations harvesting crops by slavery.

This was called the Laura Plantation. Built in 1805 by slaves.

And this was our tour guide, Bryan, who was a real Cajun and his 8th great grandfather owned this property.

This was an original slave house on the property! Two families would be given this house to live in! It was basically a 16ft X 32ft house with a wall down the middle. If it was cold you ALL slept in the attic. If it was warm you all slept outside. If it was too hot you ALL slept inside the one room. And I thought our home was too SMALL sometimes for 5 people living in it at 2,500ft!!

I absolutely LOVE this picture!! It just seems so perfect in it's rare form of history. Once again another slave house. If truth be said, I see this house just as majestic as the Oak Alley Plantation one....for it held a family inside it's walls just as the Oak Alley once did. A family of no lesser value in the eyes of God Himself. Both families faced hardships, victories, sadness, happiness, lonliness, and acceptance. There was no difference.

We would leave our enchantment with the days of old to return to the present.

Once again on the road. We traveled back, towards home, for two hours for our dinner. David had been wanting pizza and remembered a nice little place in Lafayette. We had a delicious meal! Then it was time to decide where we would stay for the night. There was a toss up between the Holiday Inn Express right across the street which would give us a better breakfast in the morning than at previos Hampton. But then the Hampton, in Jennings 30 mins down the road, had mouth watering cookies and a really NICE room to stay in as well. We decided on the Holiday Inn Express.....bought a room.....walked up stairs to check out the room.....found hair in the bathroom across the tub......walked back down the stairs....said No thanks! .....and set off down the road once more. I thought that meant we would stay at the Hampton now, but Mr Moore was missing his o so comfy bed and decided he could be home by 12:30am. Soooo....the car didn't even slow down going through Jennings.....and we did in fact make it at 12:30am......on the dot!

All in all it was an absolutely wonderful time to share with this most beautiful man I know. . . .

I am most blessed to call him my own.

I am so thankful that we share the same interests in life and can enjoy our time together in sooo many ways as well! :)

And that is the story of how we celebrated my best friend's 49th birthday!!

"Ever Have One of THOSE Days?!?!"

Ever have one of those days. . . .

When you wake up at 6:05am to get the boy up for school. . . . and you have NO idea what lies ahead of you, only to be "pleasantly" surprised as you meet your challenges of the day head on? Let's just say I'm thankful not everyday begins this way!

In a "shortened" and not so detailed story - I will tell you that I was met with cat vomit as I proceeded downstairs. Not just cat vomit alone, but smeared in cat vomit on my beautiful area rug, as well as other various nice places around the downstairs. Seems Heather came in last night and unknowingly walked right through it. *YUCK!* Going back upstairs I also noticed the nice little kitty hit my other area rug 3 times as well. Well, now I'm trying to best decide how to clean up this whole mess. I grab 2 bottles of spray, a knife, paper towels, plastic bag and go to work. One spray was for the wood floor and the other was for the carpet rug. You know when they say "Test spray in an unconspicous place before using." <<They ain't lying. Without seeing any such place on this rug I grabbed a bottle and begin to spray. Not knowing I grabbed the wrong bottle! I blotted that up quickly and used the UN-tested one. As David says . . . it's not noticeable unless you're looking for it. Well. . . .

Mess #2: Levi needs Mom to clean up a bed sheet and his clothes. Seems he fell asleep yesterday after school with GUM in his mouth. When I asked him HOW do you get gum everywhere while sleeping, his simple reply "Gum stretches when you take it out of your mouth and unknowingly leave it in your bed....half asleep." Thank you dear son.

Mess #3: After taking boy to school, I return to go back to bed. When I get up for a second time, I met once again with the O so lovely vomiting and this time it's WORSE. He has now managed to hit even more nice rugs as well a path around the entire downstairs - which I had just freshly mopped yesterday. At this point I had to make a decision of Vet or no Vet. We have not had very good experiences with Vet dealings so I was really un-decided. I went with Vet seeing this just wasn't going to stop. I once again start cleaning,  mopping, and vaccuming.

While I'm talking on phone with David relaying the run of the day so far, our pet bird KiKi decides to take a nose dive in her cage to the bottom of the floor. This is NOT a usual occurence and usually means it is in distress. I recently even went through an episode with it where it was rolling around sqwacking in pain with blood getting everywhere. I had NO clue whatsoever to help him. All I could do was pray for him. God very graciously took care of him for bleeding stopped and wounded leg healed by itself by next day. As I'm telling David about nose-diving bird who apparently is going to die now while I'm on the phone, I remember that it was late in the morning well past feeding time for our two dogs and I hadn't fed them yet! Our oldest dog had recently knocked on death's door as well and we thought this was it. God also very MIRACULOUSLY turned her around 180 degrees and she is doing much better.....if she is fed that is. Ha!

Now we have 1 dying cat, 1 dying bird, and 2 dying dogs < due to starvation. As sad as that all sounds, it really hit David and I as funny. Funny in that David said "Well, I guess I know where we are going for my birthday in a couple of weeks - Romance, Arkansas." We have a new show that we have started watching. The guy runs a taxidermy place in Romance, Arkansas and it's not your ordinary taxidermy. He also is called a Pet Preservation guy. He stuffs people's dead pets so they can keep them around forever. Actually, we find it rather comical, so you can see why the comedy here. Well, maybe you can. :)

I made it to the Vet and of course they gave me "We have 2 options...the conservative and the aggressive." speech. I had told David before I went that I was choosing the conservative view. . . and I stuck with it. The doctor had informed me that she hadn't seen this kinda mass in the stomach area before and that it was very firm. She went on to say "if it were a 18 year old cat we would call it Cancer, but not necessarily in a cat this young." Hmmm.....
I get cat home and read her remarks on paper of which state that she thinks the treatment we chose will help him feel a little better but not solve the problem. She leaned more towards the X-rays and possible surgery instead. Did I choose the right decision?? God knows. I'm trusting God to take care of him and to guide us. So far all he has been doing since coming home is . . . .sleep. He is supposed to be getting medicine but I NEVER have been good at waking up sleeping people or pets. Haha!

Later, David comes home and gets ready to go golfing with me and Levi. I decided my day had already been a little TOO eventful and chose a nice hot relaxing tub instead. Yes, Mother.....a hot bath.....your remedy for ALL things known to mankind. :)

Now - - I tell you all that story to share with you that even during all of the chaotic messes and decisions to be made, God helped me to keep a right perspective. He even influenced that perspective when earlier this morning I could hear that familiar song by Mandisa playing on the radio - "Good Morning".
It's a good morning!
Wake up to a brand new day
This morning,
I'm stepping, stepping on my way
Good morning,
You give me strength,
You give me just what I need
And I can feel the hope that's rising in me.
It's a good morning

It was a brand new day! And I was stepping, stepping (although carefully) on my way! God did give me strength and gave me just what I needed to accept the challenges before me and carry on. He has given me hope that he will see us through. . . .and it was not just a good morning but pretty darn good day too!

So, my friend, what is your perspective of your day? Are you bogged down by all that you see, hear and feel or have you chosen to turn to the One who can give you the strength to face come what may? Amist the chaos you too can feel hope rising up. Let go and let God.

Maybe this was why I came up empty this past weekend when I sat down to Blog and nothing came. Possibly it's because I was supposed to wait. . . .wait to give you a perspective check and maybe even a laugh or two! :)



Before being so sick.
I love this picture. . .
Ever feel like you're being....WATCHED?!
I looked up from where I was sitting in kitchen to see this! :)





"Hey Did You Know?!"

Hey did you know that God is a God who sympathizes and identifies with our weaknesses and suffering? In Hebrews 4:15 it lets us know that. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin."

God really made this verse stand out to me yesterday as our pastor shared the real meaning of what it's saying. I am no pastor, but I will try to put into words what I learned through this message. . .

When we hear this verse it can almost seem cold in a way. . . as if God is seated on his mighty throne in Heaven looking down us with our pain, sickness, struggles and says "You poor thing. I see you from way up here and you look miserable. That's a pity. Not sure what it's like, but I will say a prayer for you."
But that's not it at all!

God came to earth as Jesus himself and has lived YOUR life. Some may say well he's never been married to my spouse or had my children to deal with. . . and this list could go on. And although those could be true statements, that hasn't stopped him from having every single feeling you have, every single thought you have, every single challenge, every struggle, every fear, every doubt, and even faced the same temptations you have. He lived through it ALL as a human here on earth.  He knows. He is not some distant God who is unable to identify with all that we have ever been through and will go through. Let me say it again. . .He has lived YOUR life.

God not only knows, but he even gets in our weakness with us when we are experiencing the pain, suffering and struggles of it! He feels it with us and doesn't just leave us on our own to figure it all out! How amazing is it that we know he doesn't just know. . . but he feels it along with us?! He feels sadness, pain, fear, lonliness, rejection, worry right along with us.

The second part of the verse "but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet was without sin." lets us know this >> God has lived our life and he aced it! When he walked here on earth and was faced with all matters of fears, doubts, worry, struggles, challenges - he made the right decisions. He made the right choice, took the right path, chose the way that led to righteous living, freedom. And as the verse said he was without sin - he led a sinless life.

So in understanding all of this we see that: 1. God sees our struggles. 2. God came to earth and lived your/my life....feeling every pain, sorrow, doubt, fear, worry. 3. God gets in our struggles with us NOW. 4. In living and knowing, all the while living a sinless life,  he is able to navigate us through them and out of them!

God gets you and me, my friend. He understands. He isn't someone removed from knowing all the pains and struggles of our life here on earth. Trust him to navigate you daily through this journey of life. Draw near to him. If it has been awhile since you have, it's never too late to do so. If you have made wrong choices in life, God was/is with you in those times and he can and will lead you out of them. No life is ever too wrong, too distant, too messed up to turn to God and tell him "I messed up. I need your help."

O and an add on here: God not only shares and feels our pains and weaknesses, but he also shares and feels our JOY, our VICTORY, our HAPPINESS, our FREEDOM right along with us as well!! So rejoice in and with him today!

Thank him for not only knowing, but leading us through too!! :)

"Miracle Number 3!"

Three significant miracles have taken place, in our family, over the last 2 weeks. . . and yesterday was one of them! All three of our children not only came to church with us, but they even rode with us in the same car. . .my little Dodge Neon no less! I wish someone could have taken a picture of us all packed in the "little yellow car that could".

Going as a family to church may sound trivial and something to be taken for granted, but NOT in this family. It rather is, as stated, something no less than a miracle!! I know that God needs absolutely NO help from me, but this Mom stuck to her guns and didn't back down when setbacks that tried to step in. There was no setbacks going to happen - - we were going to church together. . . period.

I was so thankful that I even documented the miracle with picture taking too!





I pray daily for these three gifts in my life. They have each been raised in a solid christian atmosphere where God was/is leader of our home. They have attended church during their growing years, but somewhere at some point got mixed up. Moreso my girls. Now church is a place where people judge you, people are hypocrits, people don't accept you as you are, people are unfriendly, and people are boring. I know very well that God can remove this thinking and open their blinded eyes and softened their hardened hearts. I truly believe....no question about it. And in His timing - - He will. 

I say those very personal thoughts to share with you an incident that occurred during our Sunday morning miracle.

I share this incident with limitations, for I do not wish to show anger or rudeness. . . because it could turn that way. Rather I give an account of something we all need to be aware of and careful with. While the service progressed, Savannah had a slight cough. As she coughed, I began noticing a lady seated in front of her. The lady was beginnng to seem agitated. Let me say here that Savannah's cough was in no way loud, she wasn't leaning forward when she coughed, nor was it constant. She would cough just every now and then. At one point, the lady in front of her turns herself completely around, sitting on the edge of her chair, gives a look that said "Did your really just cough?!?!?" and turns herself around. My daughters found it amusing and rude. As time went on, I saw the lady close her Bible with a little added force, grab her coat and her purse. . . and continue to sit there. I knew she was on the verge of leaving by now....rather obvious. Well, as you guessed it.....Savannah coughed once more as time passed by. Lady jumps up, sitting on the 3rd row from the front of church, says to her friends with a look of disdain "I can't take the coughing anymore."...... and leaves.

As a protecting mother, I was mad << best word to use. But as a positive mother, I chose to tell my kids that this lady was looking for a way out beforehand and she found one. She must have felt uncomfortable, out of place and needed an escape plan.....Savannah became her ticket out. My kids, of course, didn't see it that way. As I related the incident to my Mom later, she said something about praying for the lady and going on. I told her right away "I didn't pray for her!" This was an example of someone living out in the flesh exactly what I had been trying to guard my kids from seeing.....making what they think of christians today and churches all around.....the truth!! How could she?! But as time passed and I thought about what my all so wise Mother told me, I decided I WOULD pray for this lady.....for only God knew of any pain she may have been feeling, what fears she may have been experiencing, what problems she may have been facing.

As I did pray, my thoughts changed to a more positive thinking. I know because of this incident my kids are not damaged and in time will return to church again. I also know that I canNOT nor have I ever been able to guard them from really anything in this world. What I can do is to keep praying for each of them to have their eyes opened, their ears opened, their desires to be God's, and their fellowship- with a God that loves them more than I do- to be R E A L.

So please the next time you may feel the need to be annoyed by something, don't like the way someone is dressed, tempted to say an unkind word, don't approve because they aren't like YOU.....take a moment and realize that this someone may be needing God and a closer walk with Him and your disapproving may be the thing that steps in and hinders that from happening.

In the front of my Bible I have written these very true words: God is infinitely more concerned over my children than I ever could be. He IS abundantly able to care for them in any and every situation.  The same applies for your children {no matter the age} as well, my friend! :)

As always.....thanks for letting me share!