Take it easy Gustav!

Another Sunday morning has rolled around and I am thankful for another week. It has been a rough week for many reasons, but as I watch Louisiana tags rolling down the road, my problems seem so small. We started taking in dogs and cats at the vet clinic yesterday and have taken in many more today. The look of uncertainty on peoples faces is heart wrenching. I know pets are pets, but many left with not alot more with them than their pets. It is hard for them to part with them even though they know we will take care of them. God has a way of showing us through others that we should quit wollering in ourselves and our problems, by showing us people who truly have problems. I have to pause today and ask God to forgive me for getting so caught up in my "bad" week and pray for those who are leaving all of their possessions and homes behind and being separated from their families. I think of those who have no or limited funds in their pockets, but have wide eyed babies looking at them wondering where they will stay tonight and saying that they are hungry. It has been in the storms of my life that I have learned the most. Lord, thank you for humbling me on this Sunday afternoon, if you can use me in the midst of this storm, Lord use me!

Happy Birthday Brother...

Tomorrow is August 28th, I will go over this date on the calendar with my class tomorrow during math, we will write it many times on our schoolwork, I will date papers with it that I have to turn in, I will most likely write it on a check and I probably even have a bill due on this date, but this is more than another day, this was my brother Jason's birthday. Tomorrow would have been his 32nd birthday. It has been 14 years since I have heard his deep raspy voice, since I have touched his hand, since I have seen him in person and not just had to settle for a memory. It seems sometimes as if the world simply swallowed up the hole that was left the day he died. Even in my life, the pain got a little easier every day and life simply went on. At times I feel guilty for not, as I say, "shutting down" on his birthday and the day that he died, but I don't think that is what God wants me to do. I couldn't help tonight reading my devotional for tomorrow's date, August 28th. The title was "Rerouted Dreams", it spoke of life simply not going as we might have anticipated or fulfilled in the way that we would have seen fit. How well this applies to my situation. Fourteen years ago, in many ways, my dreams were rerouted. I never intended on losing my only sibling to suicide, but friends, even in our darkest hours God is in control and God has a plan. Though I lost a prize posession, my only brother, God gave me many gifts of life through his death. Because of these "rerouted dreams" my journey in life changed it's course forever and I knew that God's way was the only way. I rejoice that God gave him to me for as long as he did, I could have never known him. So I celebrate August 28th for the years I was allowed to know him. Happy Birthday Baby Brother, love your sister, Beth

Trusting in the Invisible

As I rush through another morning I pause to read my devotional and my verse is

Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen
(Hebrews 11:1)

God impressed upon me that I should make sure that I read this verse this morning and it will be interesting to see how the day unfolds and God applies it to my life. You know, God is an everpresent peace in my life that I rely on daily. I turn to him with problems and situations that life throws my way and simply have to have faith that he will take care of me in his way and most importantly in his time. I don't know why my trust swaggers at times, in heart of hearts I know that there is nothing that he can't or doesn't want to handle for and with me. As I begin this day, I place it in his hands and pray that I follow his will. He's never let me down with anything I've handed him, truly handed him. Here's my day Lord, lead the way!

Just Another Manic Monday...

I am easily reminded of a song that I once danced around to in my "parachute pants" with the lyrics, "Just another manic Monday". Those of you around my age know what song I'm talking about. (You know about those parachute pants too, just admit it!) Well Mondays are just that, "Manic"! You would think that when you are coming off of a weekend that you would be refueled and energized, but somehow you can't seem to get yourself out of bed and your running on a half of a tank. After waking up late with only about 45 minutes to get dressed your son announces that he has a book that he was suppose to have read this weeked and that he was going to be tested on it today, you realize that you have nothing that is already ironed, so your off to the ironing board, your daughter announces at the last minute that you need to straighten her hair (mind you she's been watching cartoons for the last 20 minutes), then your son announces that you still had to put the pizza rolls for his lunch in the oven, so snatch and grab and away I go. It is amazing that God allows us moms to get 2 hours worth of work into a mear 45 minutes. As I sit here tonight with my family fast asleep, I must thank God for this "Manic Monday", for my children that keep me on my toes and busy, for the job that is demanding and tiresome, but fullfilling and for the friends that I am allowed to share it all with! Thank you Lord!

19 Years Together and He's Still Got It!

Do you ever just catch yourself looking at your husband and wondering, "What did I do to deserve you?". You catch a glimpse of him out of the corner of your eye or you simply watch him doing something that you see him do every day, but your heart still races like it did when you were in high school. Nineteen years we've been together and I still do. Lately I have found myself just staring at Pat and thanking God for sending him to me. You know, when we were younger "sexy" simply meant a nice hiny, good smelling cologne, a gentlemen etc. I just have to tell you there is nothing sexier to me than a man who will spend time with his children and my husband always has time for his children. He will load them up in a heart beat and take them off for the day, whether it be hunting, fishing etc. He always has time for our babies. Another thing that is sexy is a man who is there for his wife. Pat is my safe place to land. In those deep dark times when I am worried, scared or I feel like the world is closing in, it is in his arms that I find comfort. There is nothing that I can't turn to him with. He is my security. I find God bringing us closer daily through situations that life brings our way. Just this weekend I was upset over a situation and he was able to sit back and see it through my eyes. I find us trying to understand each other during times of disagreement, instead of standing off and letting stubborn pride come between us. We laugh together, cry together, budget money together, raise our babies together, pray together, grow together and the list goes on. The important word is that we do it all "TOGETHER". My best friend and I were talking recently about our husbands and how we enjoy spending time with them and how blessed we were to have the marriages that we have. I love the fact that we can get together and "giggle" and "laugh" with each other about them like we were still dating them and how we truly enjoy them. I believe God sent Pat specifically for me. He completes me! As for the hiny, cologne and gentlemen, well girls, in my eyes he's got that too! And the best part of it all is that he's mine and he loves me unconditionally! Have a "great" week girls!

Sticker Shock....

Oh dear me, it started out as my baby girl signing up to play in the band. Harmless, right? Well then there is the band meeting, the presentation, the price, the payment plan and my head starts spinning! Everything starts getting blurry and then it happens, I sign on the dotted line. It was a complete conspiracy! I shant even say how much one little silver flute cost me, but I am sure somewhere I had to sign over rights to my first grandchild. From the mouth of my best friend, "This is just the first of many". I remember her saying the same thing about a pageant dress not to long ago. However; you can't take it with you! The look of joy on my child's face when she got that little black case containing that shiny silver flute, no monthly payment can pay for. Lord thank you for giving me the means to not only provide necessities for my babies, but to allow them to do the not so necessary things that mean so much to them! :-)

Laughter is the Best Medicine!

Okay, we all know I've fretted about Bunko at my house, being sick and getting prepared for it. Well tonight was the night and it was just what the doctor ordered. I laughed so much that I thought I would wet my pants. I am sooo thankful for every woman that was in the room with me tonight. Everyone brings something special to the room and I had an absolute "blast"! I prepared everyone for such horrible Bunko prizes, that the "cheesy" ones I bought was sure to thrill them. A homecooked meal, good friends and lots of laughter! Good food for the soul! Thank you Lord for bringing good and best friends to my life! People who love me for who I am!

PS I think I'm getting the hang of the 3rd grade and I'm loving it! :-) It's really late girls, have a blessed Tuesday.

His Grace Covers Me

Well, I got off to a rough start today. Felt rotten this morning and missed church. Pat did nursery without me, of course with a fill-in sidekick. Today was a special Sunday, a really good friend of mine's child got baptized this morning. I have watched this child grow over the years and am so proud to see her make the decision to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Our babies are growing up right before our eyes, it was just yesterday that she was in the nursery with my Thomas every Sunday morning across from my Sunday School class and her mom was trying to get her potty trained. Where does the time go! It just makes you realize how important it is to live as examples before my own babies. I spent all day cleaning up at a "snails pace", but got a little accomplished. I found myself wishing all day that I had a substitute for the Sunday night Discipleship class that I teach. I literally drug myself to church and sat down to put in my time and then we sang a song with the words, "He covers me", referring to God's grace. That's when I realized that it was no mistake that I was there and I felt the warmth of God's love surround me. Lord thank you for pursuing me at all times! I know I've rambled tonight, but it's a "random thought" kinda' night! Have a "great" week girls!

Feel Like Death, but My Nails Look Good!

Went to some sort of "Extreme Impact" ministry with Pat and Thomas last night in Brookhaven, new I wasn't feeling well, but it was just one of those times as a momma and wife where you tell yourself, even though you want to crawl in the bed and go to sleep, go spend some time with your family. And then there was this morning! I woke up and thought I was having a near death experience. I feel like I am coming down with the flu, so I went and got me a shot, picked myself up by the boot straps and headed to Brookhaven to get Bunko gifts. Got everything accomplished with the gifts, not sure how good the gifts are and my house is going to be a wreck on Monday, but I'm sure my friends will love me through "cheesy" gifts and a dirty house. That's the good thing about true friends! Did I tell ya, on top of everything, I got trapped in a typhoon in Wal-Mart and decided to kill time by getting my nails done. They're always soooo pretty, but everytime I get them done I say that I will never do it again. Oh well, I feel like death, but my nails look good. Now I'm home in my "sloppy clothes" and going to self medicate myself with some tv, a bag of chips and a coke. God is good even in the stinky times! Thank you Lord for allowing me to have today!

Oh My Gosh! How easy was that!

I can't believe getting this started was soooo easy! I saw my best friends page and was so impressed that I thought I had to try it. I am such an "open book" for those who know me, that this will surely be pure therapy for my soul. This has been an action packed week in 3rd grade. (My first year teaching it for those who don't know me, I've been in Kindergarten for 10 yrs). I am going to absolutely love it, but I must admit that I am dragging my tail behind me! That's alot of dragging girls! Alot to do this weekend and not enough time to do it. My favorite verse is Psalms 46:10, "Be Still and Know that I am Lord". Lord help me to be still in the midst of all of life's hustle and bustle and turn to you for direction. Help me to not get so caught up in life that I don't notice the little "winks" and blessings that you give me daily. Life is so easily taken for granted!

On a mom's note, I am having a hard time excepting that my children are both officially out of the Lower Elementary. It is so hard to believe that my Thomas is in 3rd grade this year and that my Baleigh is in 5th. One more year until Junior High, I'm gonna start praying know. My babies are growing up and I don't know where the time has gone. As a mom you sit down and realize, "Oh my gosh! Did I really live yesterday to the fullest and enjoy my children like I should have. Was my temper too quick, was my voice to loud, did I put one of them off when they needed my attention, was I a Godly example and did they see God in any of my actions?" I guess we moms just do the best that we can and pray daily for guidance. See, I told you this would be therapy for me! Have a "great" weekend everyone and try and slow down and notice the small stuff. Beth