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Thanks Giving Adventure!

29 Oct

Thanks Giving Adventure!.

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Thanks Giving Adventure!

29 Oct

Thanks Giving Adventure

Thankgiving

As I begin writing my blog today, I realize that Thanksgiving is coming up very quickly! For many Thanksgiving is a time set apart with their families as they partake of a bountiful meal. They all may express what they are thankful for! I love this tradition as well and usually have a crowd of family and friends at my house every year for Thanksgiving.  However, along with the old traditions, I wanted to start a new tradition with my family leading up to Thanksgiving Day! So I declare the entire month of November to be Thanks Giving Adventure month!  I think we will do it much like an Advent Calendar.  We are beginning November 1, 2014 until Thanksgiving Day. Giving thanks to God and giving praise to Him is always wonderful, but this year we will not just be Giving Thanks with words, but with our deeds as well! My family will make the month of November an adventure month full of Giving!

As I think about it I am already excited!   Honestly it will be easy for my family to do as my children love to give!  They always want to bless others.  I have begun already preparing for November 1, 2014 as my children have outgrown several jackets and winter coats that are in very good condition!  I have gotten their jackets and coats as well as a couple of jackets of mine and my husband’s out of the closet and washed them up to donate!  I am encouraging my children to think of what we can physically do to show that we are so thankful to God that we want to share his goodness with others!

Below is just a small list of some of the things that we may do that we came up with! A lot of these will take a little money or time, however, there are a lot of things that I am sure we will do that does not cost us anything but a little effort!  The point is that we will go through the month of November with Giving Thanks as our purpose and see how exciting it will be!  I say exciting because I know that anything that you can do for others and ask for nothing in return is such a blessing!  But, you know what I have found out?  If we will be a funnel for God to pour through, He will keep pouring in to us so that we can continue to give!

  1. Donate good, clean, clothing.
  2. Make special goodies such as cookies, muffins, candies etc. to give away. I usually do this every year anyway as my specialty this time of year is pumpkin rolls.
  3. Something we like to do is clip restaurant coupons and if we can’t actually pay for someone’s meal at the restaurant than we can give them our coupons so that their meal is at least reduced.
  4. Donate a bag or two of food to your local animal shelter or if you know an elderly person who may be on a fixed income who has a pet, bless them with their pet a bag of food!
  5. Maybe donate non-perishable food to feed homeless.
  6. Donate shampoos, soaps, razors and bath tissue to single working Mom’s that you know  may struggle.
  7. Donate socks or blankets to homeless shelters

Most of these again, my family already does, but to know that we are purposing it for our Thanks Giving Adventure just makes us excited about doing more of it!  We are going to use our imagination and if we see something that we can do to bless someone then with God’s grace upon us, we are going to do our best to do it!

Happy Thanks Giving Month! I hope that this inspires you to possibly go on a Thanks Giving Adventure of your own!   God only knows who will be blessed more,  those you bless or you!

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Thirty Four Years of Wedding Bliss….Not!

22 Oct

Thirty Four Years of Wedding Bliss…..Not!.

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Thirty Four Years of Wedding Bliss…..Not!

22 Oct

 Thirty-Four Years of Wedding Bliss….Not!

Wedding clip

 Thirty-Four Years of Wedding Bliss….Not!

While I am not one who looks to the past, I do really think that it is important to remember so that you can use it as a gauge to see how far you’ve come! This week is mine and my husband’s Thirty-Fourth wedding Anniversary! Yippee! Yes I truly look at it as celebration! “We have come a long way baby!” I think to be married after Thirty four years is a great accomplishment!

My husband and I were just two crazy kids who thought we had the tiger by the tale! He was Twenty years old and I was only Seventeen when we married! We chuckle at how childish and immature that we were as our goals or must haves back in 1980 which was the year we got hitched was for him to have a big new shiny four-wheel-drive truck and mine was to have a beautiful black Trans Am with  one of those huge golden eagles painted on the hood!  Boy, those were huge dreams of ours! At the time we rented a home and owned furniture that others didn’t want or wouldn’t have.  We begin our lives without a clue, and unfortunately we lived that way for many years of our marriage.   As I said we were just crazy kids who knew nothing about the hard work that it was going to take to be together or should I say “stay together” for a lifetime as we had promised each other we would.

Sadly,  I feel in this day and time that we now live in that the opinions of too many people are “If it doesn’t fit your lifestyle just right, then dump it”  I recently read an article of an elderly couple that had literally been married for Eighty years!  When asked how they stayed together for that long, their answer simply stated, “When something got broken, we just fixed it!  We didn’t throw it away!”  Yes I probably just lost some of my readers! If you are divorced or separated from your spouse, I in no way am trying to stand in judgment of you.  There are many reasons why people do not stay together.  For instance there may be physical abuse of which I would be your number one supporter, to get out with your life! What I have an issue with is just selfish choices!  Believe me when I say to you, I can totally relate.  It is not as though my marriage life has just been one big ol’ bowl of strawberries and whip cream!  Quit looked good to me many times over the past Thirty-four years! As I look back in remembrance of my past years of marriage, NO….with a capital NO they were not always easy or even pleasant. There were times when I longed to have my own way and just live differently than my husband wanted to live.  I had dreams that I wanted fulfilled and I am sure he did to, but somehow we couldn’t fulfill each other’s dreams! Here goes another honest truth…I was a manipulator and a control freak!  I wanted things the way that I wanted them and if they never went my way then I would throw a tantrum like a little two-year old to try to get my husband to give me my way.  My husband was just as stubborn and bull-headed as I was, and so as result he would not give in to me.   Let me just say…It was on! After screaming, hollering and raging to no avail, I would finally give him the silent treatment for days in a last ditched attempt to manipulate him and cause him to do things my way.  When in truth, he was probably so relieved and was saying “Thank God, that woman has finally shut up!”

Please note that I am not proud of my behavior and thank God and it is only because of God I have changed. My attempts at writing this to you is to perhaps spare you or even your marriage from being dumped!  So here goes, more honesty and transparency! “Yes, I wanted to dump us, as I am sure at times my husband probably felt the same way!  Why didn’t we dump us?   My answer to you is that we made a commitment before God and to each other that we would not throw us away.   Much like the little couple that I quoted above that was married for Eighty years; we vowed that we would fix what was broken.  But what if it can’t be fixed, you may be asking? Thank God, and it is only by God’s grace in my marriage I have not found anything that can’t be fixed. However, what became revelation to us is that we ourselves were broken! It was never our marriage that was broken, it was us! Both my husband and I were two broken people trying to merge our broken lives into one whole.  In order to fix us as a couple, we needed to be fixed individually.  Too many broken people are getting married thinking that their spouses are going to fix what is broken in them!  When this doesn’t happen, then they end their marriages. Another revelation is that we couldn’t fix ourselves.  We had to have God to fix our broken lives.  My husband could not satisfy the desires in my heart for wholeness, nor could I satisfy his.  If my husband and I couldn’t figure it out then we took it to the Lord and would simply ask him to help us.  He was always faithful to perfect that which concerned us.  He still is!

If I had any advice that I feel would be the most helpful and in my opinion is the number one thing that makes our marriage strong it would to have forgiveness. Be quick to forgive your spouse! It is not always easy to forgive, but if you do it because it is the right thing to do, you will be amazed at how much more quickly things will work out! Never go to bed angry with one another! Always try to resolve any disagreements in short amounts of time.  As I stated we are not perfect, so our marriage is not going to be like the perfect fairy tale marriages read in books where we ride off into the sunset when we are old and gray on beautiful Arabian type horses!  No my husband and I had to ride a couple of stubborn blue mules, but because of that our marriage is strong. I look forward to the day when someone may ask us when we’ve been married Eighty plus years how we stayed together.   My answer will be the story I just told you!

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God’s got a plan!

15 Oct

God’s got a plan!

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

 

As I’ve sat down at the computer and considered starting my blogs, I first had to ask myself, what do I know that anyone would be interested in? Well, my answer to that is honestly I know a little about a lot of things, but I also realize that sometimes the more I think I know and more I feel I haven’t a clue.  This is not a bad thing, because as long as I remain teachable, I can learn so much along my journey.  So I guess one reason I wanted to start my blogs was to try to encourage others who don’t feel like they have a clue either. One thing I do know is there is a place to go, when I don’t have a clue.  The bible states that if any lack wisdom, let them ask.

James 1:5 (KJV) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Maybe as the saying goes “two heads are better than one” and together we might just find that we have more wisdom and understanding than we thought we had.  Another thing that I have found as I’ve walked along my journey is that no matter what happens whether it is good or bad, God has a plan! If anyone has read my blogs very long, they know that I always encourage that no matter what it looks like, God has a plan and He always has the last word!  I have learned to trust Him!  He is faithful that promised!

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Perhaps also at times because we may feel as those we are groping at the air as if we are the “blind leading the blind.” We may even fall into a ditch or two, but another thing I have learned and  I say is  the key  is to always climb back out, dust ourselves off and start again.  I encourage you today, if you feel as though you are in a “ditch” so to speak, please let this blog be your hand to grab onto to.  Let me help you climb back out!  For honestly, I felt for a long time that falling into ditches and climbing back out was how I was supposed to do life!  Experience is a great teacher! I’ve had some wonderful blessings in life, but I’ve also fallen and even been thrown in a few ditches along the way.   Again, the key is that I’ve climbed back out of the ditch, dusted myself off and started on my journey again. How could I do that you may ask?  My answers always repeat themselves

  • I’ve learned that GOD’s got wisdom for me that I can learn from the experience.
  • HE has a good plan for me!
  • I can trust Him and His word. He had proven Himself faithful time and time again to me!

 

I wanted to share these words of truth with you because the word of the Lord is truth that will make us free! We have to hear it and believe it and then ultimately act on it or put it to the test! I hope that no matter where you’re at that you are continuing your journey as well….and maybe, just maybe we can extend a helping hand to one another and pull each other up.  The bible says a righteous man may fall seven times, but that he will get back up….Get back up, God’s got a plan for you!

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New Promotion for my book “Tell the Enemy to Scat!”

10 Oct

Hey Everyone, Amazon is running a $.99 Promotion on  my  book “Tell the Enemy to Scat!” For Kindle or your PC or other reader!

Tell the Enemy to Scat is a compelling victorious true story of a couple’s twenty year journey of faith to receive their promise that they would have children. Go down faith’s road with Christine as she opens up her heart to share her most intimate struggles, discouragements, disappointments, griefs and finally triumph as she battles against a true enemy of her soul and wins. Smile with her as she shares how God used the smallest things to encourage her and let her know that he heard her hearts cry for children. Rejoice with this couple as they cradle their children in their arms and give their Heavenly Father all glory!

My New Paperback Book

My New Paperback Book

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Cleaning out the Old to make room for New!

8 Oct

 

Cleaning out the Old to make room for New!

Have you ever wanted to just make over a room in your house, or just do something different to change it up a bit?

“Hey let’s put down hardwood floors” I pleaded with my husband. For years I begged, “Let’s get rid of the carpet, it will help the whole family breathe better!”  Well finally a few weeks ago, we went and purchased flooring.  We ordered a huge pallet of flooring and brought it home on Saturday.  Yay!  I am so excited! Well, since we decided to change out the floor, of course I purchased paint for the walls, and bought paint for a few other projects that I want to do to coordinate with the walls and flooring!  I’ve got just one more stop at my local home decor store to purchase draperies and a few other little accessories to bring it all together!

Well the whole idea sounded wonderful, so this blog is to remind myself that “It will be worth it after I go through all the stuff! My Living room will be beautiful once everything is finished!”  Call me naïve but I had no clue what tearing up carpet would be like!  I knew it would be a dirty job of course, I wasn’t totally oblivious!  After all we’ve had the same carpet down for fourteen years.  However, those big ol’ two pronged staples in the padding, that had to be pried up out of the plywood floor, well let’s just say “Pain in the Neck and a few other places, literally!”   After crawling on all fours, cutting carpet, prying, pulling, sweeping, vacuuming, and pulling some more, let me just say, “UGH! But it will be worth it when the remodeling is complete!”

As I was thinking of all of cleaning out of the old to make room for the new, I really became inspired! Isn’t this really what life is about?  I am constantly ministering to others who are really going through rough times!  I always tell them “Whatever you are going through will pass!  It did not come to stay!”  This is not just a little quick fix thing that I tell them.  No I realize depending on the circumstances that they are going through, sometimes it takes a long time for something to pass or to change!  This applies to good or bad things in our lives.  Life is a series of change!  Change has to take place to cause us to be what God the creator created us to be!

A picture comes to mind of a beautiful butterfly! The butterfly begins its life cycle as an egg, then larva (caterpillar), pupa (cocoon) and then finally when it goes through complete metamorphosis or change the adult butterfly struggles to emerge!  Wow, how beautiful that adult butterfly is!   I love this picture as it holds in my opinion just a true picture of all God’s creation.  We as humans are in a constant mode of change!  This is why we should never judge others! God’s not through with them yet, or with you or me!  That person that you may think will never amount to anything may be on their road to becoming the greatest Evangelist,  President,  Teacher, Mother, Nobel Peace Prize winner…they may be the ones who have the answers to cure cancers or other diseases!  The point being, they are in a state of change, even though  your  first impressions of  them  may be that act like “Hellions!”  They are not going to be like they are forever!  The Bible says that if we are in Christ that we are being changed from faith to faith and from glory to glory!

Butterfly

 

Yes, I am cleaning out the old to make room for the new in my home, but spiritually God is constantly helping me to do the same in my life. I am going through some remodeling! I think the main thing to remember is that we need to constantly be aware of the changing process.  We need to learn how to enjoy our journey and become excited about the changes especially if we are Christians!  If we are Christians then we know that we have a Heavenly Father that only has our best interest at heart and is always for us. He sees the beginning from the end and everything in between!  I am a firm believer in the saying that “If He takes you to it, He will take you through it!”  As I stated at the beginning of this blog, “It will be worth it after I go through all of the stuff!   It will be worth it after the remodeling is complete!  I encourage you my friend, it will be worth it!

 

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Distractions!

1 Oct

Distractions!.

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Distractions!

1 Oct

Distractions!

Cup of Coffee 

 

This morning which began very early for me, has been some kind of morning! Can anyone relate?  I did hear a great report on the morning newscast that today was National Coffee Day, which believe me, I took full advantage of …I am now on my second pot… So anyway, my mind was just reeling with great and wonderful Blog ideas to lift and encourage my wonderful attentive readers, but for some reason, they left me, not immediately but simultaneously as I began thinking about which one to write about…so the following is what I have come up with.

Have you ever had a deadline? Or maybe something that you needed to do for work, but you kept getting distracted?  If not you’ve never experienced this thing called distraction, I invite you to come and live in my world just for one Monday!  Today has been one of those kinds of days when I feel like I am working hard, but nothing is getting accomplished.    I’ve thought to sit down and do this blog many times this morning, but distractions keep happening!  The telephone has been ringing off of the hook. Oops, I apologize to anyone who is reading this that tried to reach me this morning! No, I have not answered my phone…..every time it rang out, But I do have a great excuse…I have to do my blog on Monday’s and well….I really can’t be distracted!

Okay, so I started my Monday morning routine of putting in a load of laundry. I then finally began my blog when all of a sudden…Why is that washing machine making that kind of noise?  I stopped and ran to the washing machine! When I raised the lid, somehow, all of the clothes had shifted on one side which was causing it to spin crooked…Oh well, I will spare you the details, but if you’ve ever got clothes off kilter in your washing machine you are familiar with the kind of sound and the sheer panic that drove me to run to my machine before it danced across the room .  So I fixed the clothes and got back to work…

Well, Dear Lord, What was that…Oh no…I will be back the dog just coughed and made a noise and I will spare you the horrible details…..Resolve carpet cleaner and a roll of paper towels later, yes I am finally back….so as I am beginning to really think about what I am going to write, I hear “Good morning!”

“Good morning, Son!”

Normally my boys are very quiet and want some alone time to get awake before they carry on conversation, but no…not today….it was as though they decided to divide and conquer…Both of them were like the energizer bunny…..They fussed over whose turn it was to feed and water the dog, they fussed about who was going to touch their nasty soccer socks that were left in a gym bag since Saturday, they fussed over the T.V. and breakfast and then fussed with me as I finally intervened and said “Oh, by the way boys, it is time to get to work!  Yes, work, something your mother has been trying to do all morning….without much success, I may add!”

Finally, after I made special ordered smoothies for both boys for breakfast, I sipped on another cup of coffee, threw the  load of laundry in the dryer, settled the argument about which son’s turn it was to feed and water the poor innocent dog…. And helped my youngest son work a crossword puzzle for English, I began this blog! Honestly though, my wonderful blog ideas turned to random thoughts until they came to finally rest upon Distractions!  The following is a definition of distraction according to Collins English Dictionary.

dis•trac•tion (dɪˈstræk ʃən) 

  1. the act or an instance of distracting or the state of being distracted
  2. something that serves as a diversion or entertainment
  3. an interruption; an obstacle to concentration
  4. (Psychology) mental turmoil or madness

 

I thought the definition of distraction suited my day perfectly, sometimes even my life! However, I also realize that regardless of how chaotic my life may become for the most part, if it is in my control, I can simply stop it. I can either choose to stay in the chaos or run to a safe and peaceful place!  So I stopped everything…..Hold the presses…….or in my case just stop typing….Tell the kids, I will be in a little bit!

I then find a peaceful place and get quiet. I breathe and simply whisper an open invitation for the Father to come!  As He accepts my invitation, I feel His sweet presence and His wonderful peace.  At this moment with Him, there are no distractions, just He and I.  There is nothing like having Him near, as I repent that I should have done this before trying to start my day…I usually always begin my day in worship and prayer, but this morning, guess what…you got it, I let myself become distracted….But now I have clarity, and Oh yes, that wonderful blog idea was about being lured away with simple things to steal our peace!

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

So Lord, use these words to encourage someone whose life is riddled by distraction today.  Help them stop, take a deep breath and say “I am running into your peace right now Father because all of the distractions come only to steal my peace and my time!”  Thank you Father that you perfect that which concerns us today!

 

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Tomorrow is September 23, 2014-Official First Day of Fall and a Mother’s True Confession!

24 Sep

Tomorrow is September 23, 2014-Official First Day of Fall and a Mother’s True Confession!.

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