Life

So it's been a long time since I have blogged. (not that anyone reads my blog...) Life has taken many detours this year. We have gone from being broke and in debt to doing well. Last year I lost my dad and this year we lost my Father-in-law. My son is now 20 years old. My oldest daughter is about to become 18 and my baby turned 15 today. I went from being a stay-at-home mom to working 50 plus hours as an HR Admin @ Macy's Logistics and Operations. I love my life. I thought I loved my life before. I guess I always love where I am. Life is an adventure and you never know what is around the corner. :)

Dreams

I believe that right now, in this moment, I am doing what I am supposed to do, what God has called me to do. I love on women who need help with the Care Pregnancy Center of the Eastern Panhandle. It doesn't look the way I thought it would look. I am a counselor but I have not had any official women to counsel. I love on the women and men that come in and need help.

I sing on the Worship Team. I can't not sing. I would not have my joy if I didn't sing. I sometimes feel like I am being selfish singing up there but I know that I am not up there to perform. I am up there to worship God. To be His cheerleader. To help others worship Him.

 My husband and I reach out to help couples. We have done some counseling both marital & pre-marital but mostly we point them to Family Life's Weekend To Remember or The Art of Marriage DVD Event. Sometimes I feel that we don't have an impact but even the smallest something to point them towards God is all that it takes. We shine our lights in a way that God calls us to. 

Our big dream is to own a B&B. One that reaches the believers that need respite. To nourish people not just physically through food and rest and relaxation but also spiritually through listening, praying, encouraging and pointing them to God's Scripture. Recently, Jay voiced that it may even be a retreat center. We have talked about a campground...maybe it will be all those three combined! That would be awesome! I don't know when this will be or where this will be and obviously we don't know exactly what but that is our dream.

My good friend pointed out that we already have a B&B but it doesn't look like we thought it would. We like to open our home to people who need it. People that we feel lead to envelop into our family for a time. I am excited to meet the next person who will be with us for the summer. I hope that we can show God's love to her. It is a blessing to be where you are supposed to but don't overlook where you are thinking that you aren't there. I know our dream is being realized. I know that when the girls leave the nest it will grow bigger. I know that I shouldn't belittle what we are doing now. I know I can't wait for it to be bigger. I pray that I keep my eyes and mind opened to what it will be, to what God shapes it to be. 

Life is Busy

Okay, so I am not blogging very much. Life is very hectic. I feel guilty sometimes just sitting down at the computer so I have not taken the time to write. My Mamaw passed away the other day. She was 93. It is sad because I really did not know her. All I remember of her was her drinking and her apartment was very nasty. My mom and her two sisters sat down with Mamaw about 25 years ago and confronted her. They had to tell her that she needed to choose a relationship with them or alcohol. She chose the latter. Eventually she stopped drinking. Not because of wanting to but because she had "pickled" her brain and had alcohol induced dementia. I am glad that my cousin Sharon watched over her care in the last years. Makes we wonder about the choices I make. I pray that all my choices are covered in prayer and Spirit led. I know that won't always be the case because I am on this side of heaven. I can make some pretty stupid choices and I have reaped the consequences. All I can do is ask for forgiveness and look up toward God and ask Him to lead me again.

On Easter, sin, Christians, and marriage

I did not sleep well last night. My mind is reeling with thoughts, scriptures and prayer. I am lead to write this today. It will not make me popular.
 I am tired of Christians crying and complaining that standing up for what is truth is hate. That pointing out a sin and calling it a sin is not showing love. If your child is doing something wrong do you not point it out to them and correct them? Isn't that love? Some have said that this is taking away from the Easter season and what Easter is all about. But I beg to differ. Didn't Jesus die for our sins? How can the lost understand the whole gospel if they don't know what is sinful? Don't we as Christians need to stand on what our beliefs are even if they come with a touchy subject? Yes we are judged by a different standard once we become a Christ follower but do we dilute the truth so that some might be saved? It isn't up to us to save the lost. It is up to us to share our testimony. I am a sinner. I am a liar, an adulterer, a cheater. If I go with my thoughts being the same as the action I am a thief and murderer. I am guilty. The price for my guilt is the death penalty. I praise God for sending Jesus to take my place and to suffer my fate. Being a Christ follower means that I accept that what I have done is wrong. Being a Christ follower means begging for God's mercy and forgiveness, turning around, away from doing that wrong and following Him. Believing that He paid the price. Accepting that I do need forgiveness. This is at the heart of Easter!!!!

No, we are not to convict, for that is up to the Holy Spirit. We are to stand up for the truth.

God's definition of marriage:
Genesis 2:18-25

¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for^[e] him.” ¹⁹ Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed^[f] every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam^[g] there was not found a helper fit for him. ²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²² And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made^[h] into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.”^[i]

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. ²⁵ And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Ephesians 5:22-33

²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^[a] 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body. ³¹ “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³ However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Marriage is to be a reflection of Christ and his bride, the church. We were created to be together as man and woman. For those who argue about the separation of church and state I say this, the separation from church and state was made to get the government out of the church. Religious freedom. Not to get the church out of the government. This country was founded on God's principles. If marriage is redefined we distort the reflection. We distort God's plan. Because I believe this and I believe that homosexuality is a sin and I am not ashamed to say that doesn't mean I don't love the person who is a homosexual. Some have said we shouldn't shed light on just one sin. True. Sin is sin and the cost of any sin is death. But as Christians why do we overlook sexual sin? Murderers go to jail. Thieves go to jail. Liars are penalized. They admit their wrong doings ask for forgiveness we should forgive them and show them love. Yes we should even show them love if they don't repent but we tell them that what they are doing is wrong. These days if we even suggest that a sexual sin is a sin or is wrong we are being intolerant. But the Bible says that sexual sin is even worse! 

1Cor 6:18-20

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin^[a] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

I have also seen the argument that we need to take care of the log in our eye and not worry about what someone else is doing. Why do we tend to overlook the second half of that passage?

Luke 6:41-42
⁴¹ Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

Why would Jesus say, "...and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye." if we weren't to do so? Yes we need to work through the Holy Spirit on our faults. But we are also to shed light on our "brother's." Paul even says that we are to judge those within the church:

1Cor 5:9-13

⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰ not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. ¹² For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church^[a] whom you are to judge? ¹³ God judges^[b] those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

I am not perfect by any means. I am probably one of the worst sinners out there. I have done awful disgusting things according to God's standard. I am made righteous through Christ's death. I am forever changed by His love. I am still a sinner even though I am on the other side of forgiveness. I still do wrong. I am not holier than anyone else. I am forgiven. I am lead by Christ. I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to speak the truth, to shed light on what is sin, what is wrong. This is a fallen world. This is a sinful world. I long for the day that Jesus comes back and we are rejoicing with Him. 

My New Business

So I started a new business. I am excited about it but also scared. I have tried a home based direct sales business before and failed. I love the product that I am selling and I am eager to share it with everyone but I don't like calling people and I get frustrated and discouraged easily. 

First, let me tell you about my business. I am an Independent Consultant with Blessings Unlimited. What is Blessings Unlimited? It is a direct sales company founded in 2006 by DaySpring, Inc, which is the leading producer of Christian cards and gifts. DaySpring is part of Hallmark Cards and has partnered with Christian retailers for 40 years. Blessings Unlimited name is based on John 1:16 "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."  On my personal website I have written out my why, why I decided to join and sell these products. Here is my why: 

I learned about Blessings in 2012 through a friend’s gathering. I fell in love with the product and the mission of the company. My husband and I also have been praying for several months about how I can earn extra income but still allow our daughters to be involved in their after school activities. After much prayer we decided that Blessings Unlimited was the direction God was taking me.

Deuteronomy 6:4-8 says, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

The products offered by Blessings Unlimited are encouraging and inspirational. They are a great way to impress God’s truths in your home. I hope you enjoy browsing my website. Please let me know if you would like to receive a catalog or host a Gathering. As a host you can earn valuable discounts and enjoy time with friends and family while sharing the gift of faith.

Our Mission Statement: To pursue the heart of God and bring blessings to others. How great is that! 

My prayer today is that God give me the courage to do what it takes to work my business so I can be successful. That I will earn money to help pay our bills. That the message based products become a blessing in my friends lives and their friends lives. That I can boldly proclaim Jesus' love to others through my business. That people are willing to open their homes up to host a gathering so I can share God's Blessings to their friends and family. I also pray for those who would become partners with me in this awesome business. 
Lord, guide me in my business. This isn't my business but it is Yours. Steer me in the way You wish me to go and I trust that You are in charge. Thank you for Your blessings. Give me wisdom in operating my business and in my day to day walk with You. In Jesus Name, Amen

I invite you to check out My Blessings Unlimited website.

A Crazy Thursday

Yesterday was a crazy day. The craziness in my house doesn't start until people start coming home, which happens around 3pm when the girls get off the bus. Both girls had to be somewhere at 4:30 in different places and in different states so I had to do some manuevering to acheive this. I ask my dear hubby to change his schedule so he could take our beautiful 17 year old to a local photographer for an interview. They had an opportunity for 2014 seniors to become models and earn their senior pics for free plus get cash for referrals. I like the thought of that! I needed to take our younger daughter, Kat, to the dentist up in Maryland to have a tooth pulled. She is 14 and still has some baby teeth. We have been waiting for the baby teeth to go away so she can start braces.

At 2:50pm I get a text from Kat. She wants to stay after school for African Dance & Drumming. SO I say yes but tell her to be out at the doors no later than 4pm. Rebecca comes home and gets ready (which seems to include going through my make-up drawer.) I wait until 3:50 and start to go out to get Kay and Jay comes in so I say hi and give him the run down of where he needs to go. 3:55pm Kat texts me, I am outside. Stress. I text back OMW and get in the van. On the way there Kat keeps asking is it going to hurt? Will he have to give me a shot? Can't he give me the gas to knock me out? I try to reasure her that he knows what he is doing and he will make it as pain free as possible.

We get to the dentist and we are quickly taken back to the room. Numbing gel is given and the dentist gives her two shots. The tooth seems to come out okay but he is still digging. At this point she is holding the dental assistants hand with a death grip. Then I come up and she squeezes my hand. I am wearing a pretty purple shirt and my hand turns the same color. Meanwhile he is still digging for a root that the xrays didn't show. He gives her two more shots because she is moaning. For awhile there are two dental assistants and the dentist and me all staring into Kat's mouth while the dentist is digging around trying to get the pesky root. My hand is still very purple. What was supposed to be a very simple tooth extraction has turned into a 20 minute dig for a loose root and a very scared 14 year old. She made it through and so did I. Both the assistant and I tell her that she did a great job and reassure her that this won't happen again.

Driving home still in MD my hubby calls. I don't have a blue tooth so I ask Kat to answer it. She has gauze in her mouth and half her mouth is numb so she says, "herrow." At this point they are laughing at her and her dad asks, "are you still getting your tooth pulled?" She is like, "No? Why woulb I anper the pone?" Finally back in WV and I take the phone from her. Rebecca got the model job!

We get home and read the post extraction instructions. She can't spit or swallow. She asks, "what am I posed to do?" I tell her to drool into a cup. The instructions also saythat she can't drink alcohol for 6 days and she can't smoke for 8 weeks. She gets a kick out of that. I tell her it better be much longer for that. She can only eat soft foods and she cannot drink for a straw. So to lift her spirits up we go get chicken noodle soup at Chick-fil-a and a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. (She has to eat the smoothie with a soup spoon.)

I love my family and I am blessed to have them in my life. I also like the fact that our days are not boring. Though sometimes I think boring would be nice every once and awhile. :)

What is God working on in you?

I have recently been discouraged and quite frankly angry at how people act, more specifically how Christians act. I used to be an open book totally okay with sharing my life's secrets with anyone. I had faith in people, then I became cynical. I think it was gradual, this transformation, and I think it was necessary for me to learn what I needed to learn.
I have been looking at the negative perspective of  Christ's bride. The ugly human, complaining, slandering, back-stabbing, not doing what needs to be done part. The thing is looking at that caused me to become just that. Then in several different ways at several different times He has whispered Colossians 3 to me.

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

 

(Colossians 3:1-17 ESV)

I need to pray for the division and sin that I see in people but I am not to dwell on it. If I am called to approach someone then I do in obedience and love. But if I am not called to do that I need to pray and think on what is holy and good. I need to swallow my pride and humbly get on my knees and ask for forgiveness because of my selfish attitude. I need to forgive.

"Forgiveness is giving up the right to punish someone for what they have done." ~Bob Lepine LLYMI 2013

God is working on me. I lift up His bride and I pray she gets a clue but along with that I pray I get a clue too. I am unworthy. We are all unworthy. Thank God for His forgiveness and grace!!!

And what is God working on in you?

From Stressed to Blessed

It has been a long time since I have blogged. 2012 was not a good year. From hopes and dreams being torn away to a motorcycle accident that turned our life upside down for awhile with unneccassary drama and my dad getting lung cancer and dying. I am very glad that 2013 is here.

I have been discouraged by seeing other peoples behavior and my own. I have felt like everything that I have tried to get accomplished has failed. God reminded me this past Sunday that I need to get down on my knees and pray. Not say I will pray or even do a quick pop-up, generic "God help" pray but fervently seek His direction and guidance. I am not new to this concept. I have had times in my life where I was great at praying and seeking God. I do a daily quiet time and have for as long as I can remember but I get distracted. I don't give all of my attention to God. I need to lift my family, ministry, business, and church up in prayer. I believe that this is the way to totally go from Stressed to Blessed.

With that in mind I am going to open myself up to you (not that there are very many readers, lol) and make this my prayer journal. My hope is that you can hold me accountable and I can entertain you with the interesting things that happen in my life.

Lord, I pray that you guide me and help me in seeking you. I thank you for my blessings. Please give me wisdom as I seek you in parenting my children, in loving and respecting my husband, in leading the women in my Bible Study, in doing my business, in volunteering and in church leadership. Thank you for your gift of grace and forgiveness. In Jesus' name, Amen.