I am so blessed!

I've been thinking a lot lately about who I am and what I would like to accomplish in my life, and I have come to realize that I am incredibly blessed! I have two of the most beautiful children on the planet, and they are blessed with good health. I have a husband who truly loves me and is good to me. We have a beautiful home, a nice van to drive. My husband has a job that allows me to be able to stay at home with my children. I am not hungry or thirsty in the physical realm. I have the awesome privilege of knowing that I am the daughter of Jesus Christ the King, and that I belong to Him. And I have to freedom to worship my God and Savior. I have the most wonderful and supportive church family that I could possibly ask for!

I have truly been blessed with a lot of wonderful things in this life, and I am so thankful for all that I have been blessed with!

Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings you have given me in this life. I am so incredibly grateful for all that you have poured out on me! I am so thankful that I have the privilige and the honor to come to you in prayer, and that I have the freedom to worship you openly. I pray that you will continue to bless and protect my family, my husband and children, and my home. Thank you for covering us with your precious blood! Thank you for forgiving my sins and allowing me to start over afresh. I pray that You will continue to take me to new places in my relationship with You.
In Jesus' precious name I pray, Amen

This has been the week of Murphy's Law

I would swear that Mr Murphy himself had moved into my house if I didn't know any better!!

Here's just a little review of how my lovely week has gone...

On Saturday afternoon Jenna told me that her ear was hurting. Of course you can't go to the doctor on Saturday unless you go to the ER. We don't have health insurance, and this is one of those weeks we did not get a paycheck. Of course! It's always a string of emergencies once your checking account balance reaches a certain low number, right?

Sunday she starts to run a fever. It gets up to almost 102. I considered taking her to the ER on Sunday night, but decided I could get her in to see the pediatrician first thing on Monday.

On Monday morning I called the ped's office. After 40 minutes of busy signal, I finally get through. Get put on hold. For EIGHT MINUTES!! When she comes back, I am calm. I just told her that getting through to their office is like trying to win a radio contest! She laughed. We set up an appointment for 2:30 pm (boy, the whole day filled up in a hurry for a clinic w/ 8 peds!).

We get to the doctor's office, and her eardrum has ruptured. I almost cried at that point! This pediatrician is one we haven't seen before, and I didn't care for her... she made me feel like a horrible mother, and I don't even think it was her intention. She wrote a prescription for a strong oral antibiotic for the infection & some antibiotic drops to put on Jenna's ear to help her eardrum heal up.

I decide to call and find out how much it's going to cost us. The least expensive I can find is $115 for the drops & $25 for the oral liquid. That was when I started to cry. I'd already paid $67 for the doctor's visit, and I knew there was about $35 left in the checking account at that point!!

My mother-in-law came to the rescue. I went home and cried with my baby girl, and she picked up the meds and brought them to us. I owe that woman big-time.

Wednesday I pulled out of the driveway to go pick up Delaney from school and the tire was flat. And I mean FLAT. I drove it across the street to air it up, then proceeded across town to get it fixed. In about 3.5 miles, it once again flattened to the point where I was driving on the wheel. I knew when I got there the news would not be good. It was not fixable--has a cut.

Have you ever cried at the tire shop in front of 3 grown men? It's a little embarassing. I really don't recommend it!

I call Mike. I'm sure I was probably hysterical. We decide to have them put the "donut" spare on until we can figure out what to do. He says we will borrow a little money from our lease company so that I can buy a tire (they're $120 each new--just slightly above insane!). In the meantime, my check for babysitting comes in, and I decide to go this morning to see if I can find a used tire that will work until we can buy 2 new ones at a time.

I get to the tire shop (the second one--the first one doesn't sell used tires) and there is a perfect one on the shelf--it's the right size, and even the same brand and tread pattern as what's on my van! What a blessing!! The poor guy went to take off the spare and 2 of the lugnuts were cross-threaded.

Ugh. Can this seriously be happening?

I then decided to drive back to the other tire place I'd been to on Wednesday. I think the poor guy remembered me crying the day before! They replaced three studs (he said there was another that looked "iffy"), as well as the lugnuts and put on the used tire I had just purchased for $35. When it was finished, he came out and handed me the keys and apologized. Sent me on my merry way. This was 2 1/2 hours after I left the house to go to the first tire shop. But it's another blessing--they fixed it for free. (Thank you, Lord!)

I know there has to be something good in the middle of all of this chaotic mess, but I've yet to find it. But I refuse to believe that tomorrow is going to be the same!!

Today's Devotional

I needed this today, and perhaps someone else does too! :)

Disclaimer: To be certain that proper credit is given (this is not something that I wrote myself), here is the link to the devotional I am about to post: http://thelife.com/blogs/experience/devotionalforwomen/2009/02/10/know-who-you-are-2/

KNOW WHO YOU ARE


Are you living in spiritual poverty? Do you know that you are loved? We can pray for you. (http://christianwomentoday.com/prayer/share.html)

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat ( http://thelife.com/experience/chat/room/?channel=cwt-forum) today in our Women's Chatroom at 10:30am EST.

The Bag Lady did not understand her identity. She had lived so long as a bag lady. But the letter told her different today. It said she was an heiress. It said she was a wealthy woman. It said she had connections to one of the most powerful families in the area. "Nice", she thought as she set the letter aside amidst the clutter of her life. It gave her comfort to read the letter now and then. But she continued to think of herself as a bag lady. She simply could not picture herself with that name and that wealth and that inheritance and so she continued on in her poverty.

When we come to God He gives us a new identity. He says that we become His children. We have access to all the resources of His power. Yet, even as Christians, we so often continue to see ourselves in our old ways, just as the bag lady did.

In order to learn the ways of Jesus you first need to understand how God sees you. You first need to understand who you really are! When you said "yes" to God you stepped into a new identity. But just knowing that will not make the difference until you begin to walk it. When you begin to understand all that your new identity means, you can begin to live in the truth of who God says you are rather than in the ways you have come to view yourself through the ups and downs life has brought your way.

You are God's treasured child! You do not get your identity from what you have done, or from what has been done to you. You do not get your identity from what your earthly parents have said to you and about you! Those things have influenced the past but today is a new day for you as God's child! You get your identity from what God says about you! He is your Father. He created you to be all He knows you can be! And He is like no earthly Father!! Right here, right now, begin to change the way you see yourself. Put away the bag lady mentality of the past and step into who you are because of Jesus.

Know this for a certainty:

You are loved (John 3:16)


You are called Christ's friend (John 15:15)


You are forgiven (Colossians. 1:14)


You are God's adopted child (Ephesians. 1:5)


You can be sure that because God has started a good work in your heart, He will complete it! (Philippians 1:6)


You have a future and a hope. He has plans for you. (Jeremiah 29:11)


Get yourself a Bible and highlight these verses. Think on them. Absorb the truth of who you are in God's sight. When thoughts of low self esteem and insecurity crowd your mind, learn how to take those thoughts captive and replace them with the truth of what God says about you.

Father God, Thank you that I am precious and significant in Your sight! Help me today to believe it and to walk in my new identity! In Jesus' name, amen.

Questions: How does knowing that you have hope in your future help you live during this time of instability? How do you get your identity?

About the Author Gail Rodgers (http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/gail-rodgers/)

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, For me to live is Christ (http://thelife.com/blogs/experience/devotionalformen/2009/02/10/for-me-to-live-is-christ/), today on the Men's Devotional Blog


Comment on the devotional blog. Interact with others who are reading today's devotional. Visit http://thelife.com/blogs/experience/devotionalforwomen/2009/02/10/know-who-you-are-2/#comments

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Tag--You're It! 25 Random Things About Me

This is something I was tagged to do on Facebook, so I thought I'd go ahead and stick it on my blog, too. :)

Rules:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.


1. I am a Christian and a child of the Almighty God. I believe that His only son was born to save my soul and give me eternal life! I love my God, and I love my church.

2. I am the mother of two of the most beautiful little girls in the entire world. Delaney turned 8 last October, and Jenna will be 4 in April. They are the light in my world, and I can’t imagine my life without them.

3. I have been married for 10 years to a man I love very dearly. Our parents tried to keep us from getting married, and even the pastor that married us thought we shouldn’t get married. I’m very happy to say that we’ve proven them all wrong. I am so much more in love with my husband now that I was 10 years ago!

4. When I was pregnant with Delaney, I was so tired that I went to bed as soon as I got home from work every afternoon. Mike woke me up to make me eat supper, and then I went back to bed til morning!

5. I have struggled with depression, and did for several years. I was depressed to a point where I felt like I was in a deep, dark hole that I would never find my way out of. I don’t think people actually knew how bad I was, and Mike didn’t understand it—he just thought I needed to be committed! My doctor actually advised me to get involved in a church. I did just that, after being out of church for several years, and I firmly believe that the Lord has delivered me out of that darkness. I have not taken anti-depressant medication since August 2003 (which was when I found out I was going to have Jenna). Praise God!

6. I have a very hard time saying no when I’m asked to help. I’m learning.

7. My older daughter was 4 months old when my husband decided to become a truck driver. He didn’t really ask my opinion—just decided it was what we needed because we were struggling financially, and he believed he could make a better living than he was making at that time. It’s been our life ever since. I wouldn’t recommend it. I’ve been a highway widow for 8 years this month.

8. I have a very hard time following my dreams because I greatly fear what others think of me. I have an incredible fear of what they will say! What would I do if someone criticized my work? I’d shrivel up and die of embarrassment.

9. I want to be a photographer when I grow up. I’m working on that, too. That’s one of those dreams I was talking about in #8.

10. I like to get up before everyone else in the morning. I need a little time alone to wake up—otherwise my whole day is wrecked, and I’ll probably be a complete grump. I really don’t like that about myself!

11. I have a fear of heights and falling. It’s an unfounded, irrational fear. I know this, but I still have the fear nonetheless.

12. I lost my first grandparent when I was 13. When I turned 27, I lost the last one. I miss them all so much, and I can’t wait to see them again! I have often dreamed about walking through that big ol’ gate and seeing them all sitting on the edge of a fountain waiting for me.

13. I love my house. When I was younger, I remember driving past it and thinking it was pretty. Now it’s mine! It’s twice the size of any house I’ve lived in before.

14. My housekeeping skills are horrid. It’s not that I don’t know how to clean—I would just rather watch a movie with the kids instead.

15. I love doing thing with my hands. I loved to crosstitch back when it didn’t give me a headache (I need to visit my lovely neighbor across the street for some glasses! Lol!), and I love to scrapbook, stamp and make greeting cards.

16. I love to read, but here we go back to the glasses/headache thing. Yikes. (Anyone have the eye doc’s phone number handy?)

17. I love to sing. My husband says I have a beautiful voice (thanks, honey!), and Delaney will ask me to sing certain songs, too… but here we go back to the fear of what others might think. I’ve never used it. Too afraid.

18. My favorite color is red. And purple. And sage green. And turquoise. 

19. I am a total cheapskate. If I can get it for free, I would. If I can get it cheap, that’s great too. My family only gets brand new clothes when they’re on the clearance rack. Otherwise I scour the racks at consignment and resale shops! If it’s on sale, we can have it for dinner this week. Sale with a coupon? Even better!

20. I tend to be rather forgetful. If you told me something this morning and I didn’t write it down, don’t expect me to remember it this afternoon!

21. I am very unorganized, and I have a clutter bug living in my house. It’s me. Oh, boy. I have many faults.

22. I am pretty sure I have a touch of OCD. I am one of those people that will check the alarm clock at least 3 times before I can even close my eyes. I will sometimes get up and check every door to be sure they are locked, too. I tend to count things in my head (like ceiling tiles or the number of bricks on a wall), and I “need” even numbers. Yes, I know I need counseling.

23. I have a very hard time trusting people. I have been let down, so I keep my guard up to keep it from happening again. There have been times that I have even given my husband the third degree, knowing full well that he is worthy of my trust. If I do open up to someone, it’s really hard for me. When the words come back to me that I have said to them in confidence, I retreat back into my shell once again. The shell may be dark, but it’s secure. In fact, this is something that happened recently and it’s affecting a relationship. I would like to know what makes me so terrified of people. They are only people, after all… and it really does not matter what they think of me. It’s God’s view of me that truly matters. I know this, so I don’t understand why I hide so much.

24. I love color. Love it! If I was meant to live in a black & white world, I’d be at least 70 by now.

25. I love flowers! Daisies and pink roses are my favorite (and they were in my wedding bouquet!). I made the mistake of telling my husband that an old boyfriend sent me roses once a month & it got old. I think my husband has sent me flowers 3 times in the 13 ½ years that I’ve known him. See? Mistake on my part. I am big enough to admit it when I’m wrong.

Fun with glitter~a valentine-making adventure

Tonight at our Girl Scout meeting, I had the girls make up valentines that we're going to take to a local nursing home. I thought it would be fun to use some glitter and glitter glue in making them... boy, was that ever fun. lol!

There were a couple of girls that made me a little nervous as they approached the glitter section of the table we had set up. One of them dumped it on so that I was afraid there would be nothing left in the jar. And then Delaney had to pick up the box lid I had put down to contain the leftover glitter that had been shaken off--of course glitter went flying everywhere.

Oh, what a mess. But at least it was a pretty mess! Ha ha.

The best part? We meet in the fellowship hall at my church. Our pastor and the school board members (there's a school at our church) were coming in right after us for a meeting, so we rushed to clean up and make room for them. I could still see glitter in the carpet when we left, but Pastor said it was no big deal--sparkly is not a bad thing. ;-)

After I left, I realized that I hadn't wiped the glitter off any of the chairs... I can just imagine those grown men going home tonight with glitter on their rear ends.

Oops.

Ice Storm~Photos

Last week we had an ice storm that blew through, leaving us covered with over an inch of ice. It was like a giant ice skating rink. There are still people without power, water or heat!

Here are a few photos...



Light in my flower bed



Crepe Myrtle--I'm telling you, this stuff is thick!



Peek-a-boo, Jenna! She's intrigued by the ice everywhere!



Delaney found an encapsulated blade of grass.

Here is a link to some more photos I took:
http://www1.snapfish.com/share/p=18921233634147190/l=465084176/g=5268068/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB

BTW... this is in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. :)

Enjoy!

Declaring my Stand

I just want to make a statement declaring my stand on the issue of abortion. I feel that abortion in any form, at any stage of pregnancy, is murder. It is WRONG--plain and simple!

A baby is a blessing--not a "punishment" as Mr. Obama stated during his campaign for President.

I do believe that Mr. Obama is in need of an education where the issue of human life is concerned.

Do you know how many people are not able to have children of their own? I'm positive that those couples would be happy to adopt and take care of a child that another mother isn't able to care for. My nephew is adopted, and he's an incredible blessing to this family. If his mother had chosen not to give him life, he would not be a part of our family today.

I understand that not all people will share my opinion, but mine is based on my faith, my belief that life begins at the moment of conception and my knowledge of God's commandments. I do not believe that God intended for us to kill innocent lives simply because they are "unplanned" or "unwanted". There is NO human being that was unplanned by God. HE knew. He planned. He wanted them. It is dispicable what we are doing! Can we not see how much blood we have on our hands!? We, as a nation, will pay for this. We will all have to stand in front of God on our judgement day and answer to Him. What will we say?

Money--it's the ultimate stressor!

Our Peterbilt spent its second day in the shop today. Mike went to OkCity to have the clutch and the transmission seal replaced. He doesn't trust anybody to work on our equipment or vehicles, and I'm positive that he has watched them like I hawk. He told me this afternoon he was ready to go and weld something for the guy because he didn't like the way the mechanic was doing it.

Why he is such a perfectionist with the truck is beyond me... he certainly doesn't do that with anything else! I mean... we put a light fixture above our kitchen bar a couple of months ago, and there's been a nail sticking out ever since. THAT doesn't seem to bother him so much. (Other than the nail, he did an excellent job & I do appreciate that he did it!)

So far this week, we have spent a lot of money (who knows how much, honestly!)... but have not yet made a dime. I'm a little irritated about it, but I have not said one word. I've been trying so hard to hold my tongue, to control my temper.

Yesterday I went to the chiropractor. I had been there about 5 minutes when he asked me what I was so stressed out about. I was there for an hour! Poor doc. Of course, I explained that I have no control over my husband's job, and I don't make any money that supports us in any way...

Money (or lack thereof) is the ultimate stressor. It's been blamed for so many things. Mike says there is always money to be made, but you have to be DOING something in order to make that true. It doesn't just fall out of the allergy trees--I mean oak trees--in our front yard. Of course he knows that, but I wish we could just agree on how to spend it.

So, here I am. Complaining. Venting. My neck is starting to hurt just thinking about it... I probably just need to make a big ol' chocolate cake and take a hot bath!

I just hope my husband doesn't read this. LOL!