Month: April 2019

Have you ever had something happen to you that you feel like it’s, “meant to be?”

My husband is out of town working for the week and my dog is still sick.

Yesterday I finally called the vet. and got him an appointment for 10 am today.

I pray that somehow there is something they can do for him, as he is not only NOT eating but throwing up constantly. They said on the phone that the last time he was there they just did the Lyme’s Disease test (which he tested positive for) but didn’t do any testing for his kidneys or liver.

This news (already) doesn’t sound good and last night I was up worrying about what today would hold. It’s almost as though I’m supposed to do this alone though (without my husband here). There is just something about the timing of it all that feels somehow that it is meant to be.

My five-year-old takes all of this with a grain of salt and I wish I could feel the same. He is watching t.v. as we speak and laughing and carrying on while meanwhile, I’m blogging and feeling like I could throw up all over my computer screen.

I almost didn’t blog today for fear that it would be nothing but bad news. So here is the good news: my family all is well, and we all have our health. We are safe and in good places in our lives. This is a blessing I keep reminding myself through this angst. That even though there is a storm elsewhere in our lives, there are also sunny days that we can take advantage of on the other side of things.

Do you ever feel like there is both a storm and sun in your life? I guess it is one of those glass is half full things…but it’s all in how you look at it. My dog is sick. But my life, overall is good. My husband is well and able to go away and depend on me and that from both sides is a blessing.

Please continue to pray for our situation here though because it is hard. I have spent some time with God last night and this morning and know that whatever comes I won’t truly be alone. And that it is going to be okay. Things will work out regardless.

Have a good day today. And remember to count your blessings even if things seem stormy.

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:46

We got Chinese food yesterday and my fortune cookie read: “Deep faith eliminates fear.”

As much as I want this to be true, I will admit that sometimes, I am scared even when I know (for a fact) that the Lord is always with me.

Today my husband left to go out of town this morning, and it has filled me somewhat with unease. It is not that I am scared to be alone here with my five-year-old, but that the dynamic of our situation has changed.

I’m not always good with change, but I try to get better at it as I move forward in life.

I keep telling myself that I can do this! I did it many times when my five-year-old was younger and my husband had to travel quite frequently. And if I did it then, then I can do it again.

I keep this self-talk revolving and it has helped me to regain some sense of control…because isn’t that basically what we are all afraid of? Lack of control?

To let go and let God is sometimes really hard but in situations like these it is vital if we ever want to grow in our faith.

My dog is still sick and has in fact, gotten sicker. He is now refusing to eat and throwing up everywhere all of the time. It is so depressing to watch this, so your prayers are much appreciated.

All in all, I am not writing with a letter of complaints today and I hope you don’t feel that way. With everything going on, I’m actually quite excited more than I am anxious.

When I really think about it, and count my blessings, I am glad for the time with my son I will get to reap while my husband is away and they do say that “absence makes the heart grow fonder” so maybe that will be good for my relationship with my husband too. I guess it is all in how you look at things.

Have you ever taken a hard situation and turned it into anticipation instead?

I am trying my best today to do this and know that with God’s help, I can do anything. I pray and hope you have a great day today too regardless of your situation. Every day is a day we can be thankful and praise the Lord. And we should. It makes everything fresh and new, and even if we feel fear we can rest assured we aren’t alone! And Amen to that!

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him and he will bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5

Well, today is the big day. The day we have been talking about since last Christmas: We are getting a new swing set!

I’m so excited. I’ve been waiting for this day for some time and I’m excited to be able to go outside more and stay inside less.

The weather today is cold and somewhat wet, but my in laws are coming anyway to help my husband put this monstrosity together.

I am sweating this morning with excitement as I anticipate their arrival. I already spilled coffee all over my top and my hair is still in curlers, but I’m excited to have some company. It has been such a long winter and finally, it seems, we are going to be able to get more social and have something for my five-year-old to do other than playing games here inside.

I don’t know how long it will take to actually “build” this set but it comes in a large box full of wood. My father in law is very handy and if it weren’t for him, I don’t think this set would be going up with the ease that it will.

My little boy is outside with his work boots on helping to rake leaves as my in laws should be here in a half an hour or so.

Isn’t it amazing to see generations putting something together with their bare hands? Maybe this sounds dumb, but the world has come a long way and it’s not often that we see this type of carpentry being done amongst a family anymore.

When I was in high school, I used to have a bumper sticker on my car that said: “Jesus is my carpenter.” And today, even though I’m forbidden to have bumper stickers, the same is true. I love Jesus and tell the world quite consistently. He makes the invisible visible and helps me grow in my faith every day. Today I am grateful to be able to have a group of people surrounding me, that love me and that are skilled…as I am not able to do certain things like build swing sets, God has provided me with people who can. With family we are all taken care of by using our different abilities to take care of one another; and that is what makes our differences so lovely.

I hope you have a great day today. Maybe you’re not out there building things, but there is always time to build your relationship with God. As you journey into today’s blessings, may you feel His presence and be guided by His word. Amen!

“Let each one of us make it a practice to please his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him, to strengthen him and build him up spiritually.” Romans 15:2

Every time I turn on my computer, it wants to update something…. or do something other than what I want it to do.

I have always had “tech” issues, and luckily this time I am married to a tech man, but honestly, I have never been good with technology and it’s all I can do to write this blog post and publish it on my own.

I think that, for the most part, it took me years to start blogging because I thought I wasn’t “tech savvy” enough…but one day I spontaneously sat down, pulled up a Word doc. and started writing and the rest is history.

Do you every have things you avoid because you “think” you’re not good enough at it?

Through these blogs I have told you a lot about myself and a lot of this includes my many career attempts.

In trying to find “myself” I did this in hopes to find my place in this world. I thought that my career would be what would define me. And boy, that couldn’t have been farther than the truth. In the end what I thought I “wasn’t” good at I was, and vice versa.

Is there anything that you do that you feel as though you shine when you do it?

I think that my writing is very blessed by God and that that is why I feel as though I’m good at it. I’ll admit to you though…it’s hard sometimes to put yourself out there. I am VERY aware that my talk of God turns a lot of people off.

But I do it anyway.

If my faith causes me to lose friends, so be it. I figure they weren’t real friends that I should be surrounding myself with anyways.

It’s hard to be a Christian sometimes, but especially in today’s world. There are so many people that persecute and criticize behind their tablets and phones and say nothing to your face when in real life. To me, this can be the most isolating feeling. A feeling of being shunned that I just can’t explain. But it’s happened before. The main point is (for me) to keep on going regardless. To be nice to everyone regardless. And to remain true to God regardless. In my faith I will grow and each and every time this happens, I will grow stronger. Thank you, God, for your grace!

My five-year-old is coughing this morning and I’m hoping we aren’t coming down with another bug. The weather is rainy and being true to the season. But the best, most promising thing are the bulbs that are starting to sprout outside! It reminds me God is good. He is there. And even better things are coming. The tulips are on their way! And Amen to that!

“Be happy and rejoice and be glad hearted continually; be unceasing in prayer; thank God in everything no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Holy Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Have I ever told you I used to be a Massage Therapist?

I got my training while living in Dallas and it was one of those things that I did on whim.

I remember touring the school during my lunch break. At the time I was a personal banker at Wells Fargo. But I was in definite need of a change. Working as a banker wasn’t completely my thing and I needed a break from the sales routines and uber serious lifestyle. So, that lunch break I signed a contract to attend school at a Massage Therapy institute called, American Institute of Allied Health. (I don’t even think they are there anymore, but nonetheless, that’s what it was called).

I’d never had a massage before.

How fun I thought…I’d seen a lot of things about massage on television and it seemed like something that would definitely help people—which is all I had wanted to do and after working in sales and advertising it was a definite health and balance driven vocation instead of something dealing with a rat race or money.

God blessed me with this new occupation in that case and I grew in my practice to end up opening my own mobile spa once I moved back home to Pennsylvania. What I used to like most about it was how I could “read” people based on where their tension was. I worked on many different types of people, but one group of people in particular were nurses. They always seemed to have held the most tension. A lot of people didn’t even seem to know how to relax let alone enjoy massage therapy benefits which I always thought was such a shame. It really says a lot about our fast paced and somewhat rough world.

I don’t change careers overnight anymore (well, until I became a mom), and God was definitely with me through the earlier parts of my life when I was so spontaneous. He watched over and protected me and for that I am forever grateful.

Do you ever make changes in your life spontaneously?

Nowadays, I follow my charted course and have learned to listen and watch for Him first. Life then takes its own path in much easier, less rocky ways. With God, life is much harder in many instances too, but in the long run God is good and is always faithful. We are so blessed to have such a great Father and one who continues to guide us and forgive us. Tensions or not, we learn through faith to follow His lead and over time learn to relax in different ways when we put our trust in Him.

I pray you have a good day today. We are going to get our haircuts so today instead of looking at it like it’s something to be checked off of a list, I’m going to try and enjoy it. I’ll pretend I’m being pampered and of course I’m always grateful for the quality time spent with my son. And Amen to that!

“You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you, that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting, so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He may give it to you. John 15:16

My five-year-old just told me that “everything in real life is really funny.”

At first, I didn’t know how to take this…so I said; “What do you mean?” (He was watching SpongeBob at the time, so I figured he was talking about this strange cartoon).

“Everything in real life…it’s funny,” he said.

“Watch!” And with that he went racing around in circles all silly like and laughing.

“I told you so,” he said.

I laughed (of course). But I was otherwise in a serious “let’s get ready for school” mode.

Trying to get this kid ready (for anything) is quite the feat as he IS silly and loves to take his time in humoring every situation by dancing around and laughing.

It got me thinking this morning though that maybe I’m taking life TOO seriously. After all, what am I rushing around for? I woke up earlier today so I wouldn’t have to rush as much with my blog and our breakfast time festivities so what was my problem?

Have you ever noticed yourself in super serious mode when you didn’t need to be?

God always tells me to practice balance, but sometimes I find this to be hard. It made me think this morning about progress and quite honestly, for a small time, it started to get me down. Mainly, because I started to get down on myself.

I think this is the biggest mistake, we as Christians, can make: to get too hard on ourselves or to start “getting down.” It’s the perfect time for the devil to start whispering in our ears and away we can go from the Big Guy if we aren’t careful. We can really lose ourselves if we become “down.”

So, love yourself and remember that there IS progress being made in you even when times are hard, and you feel somewhat lost. You aren’t. God is there with you and never leaves you. He loves you and wants you to be happy.

So, yes…if I had to say it again, I would tell my son that yes…everything in “real” life is silly. Real life IS funny. Not that I know what he meant by false life, but in the end, having a happy light heart is something I definitely want to identify with and to reinforce in my five-year-old.

I hope today you don’t take things too seriously and remember that “tasks” are just things we do each day to fill the time. Real progress is made with God. As He watches over you today try to have a happy, carefree heart. He loves you and so should you. Love  yourself! Be secure! And Amen to that!

“I love You fervently and devotedly, O Lord, my Strength. The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.” Psalm 18:1-2

I decided to write from bed this morning because my little one is (was) out there watching television. Then, he decided he wanted to come in here to my bedroom to “play his games.”

We have a system that allows our Xbox to work from our bedroom along with our t.v. So now we are both in bed, I’m trying to write while he is screaming at the t.v. at the top of his lungs.

Lord be with me.

Already today I feel the pressure of life weighing down on me. It is laundry and garbage day. One of my least favorite days of the week. And it didn’t help that today I ran out of creamer so I’m stuck drinking hotel coffee. Well, I mean it tastes like it.

I haven’t had hotel coffee since I used to travel for a job I used to have.

I used to work in advertising and each week (when I lived in Dallas) I would fly to Savannah for the week to help a company with their relocation efforts. The coffee was always the worst, with either little milk and sugar or straight black; but back in the day life was so exciting it never mattered much.

Being a mom: I NEED coffee. It was something this morning I realized I have grown to depend on.

Have you ever found yourself dependent on something a little more than you should be?

I prayed extra hard this morning because I woke up in somewhat of a disarray and knowing I had no coffee didn’t help. It reminded me though that nothing is greater than God’s power and that maybe that was just the lesson I was to learn this morning: that God is greater than coffee—that He is greater than ANYTHING.

I know that God is at work within me and I enclosed a verse today that has really been speaking to my heart lately. I pray it speaks to you too.

Do you have bible verses that ever seem to sneak up on you…ones that seem to minister to you whether you are looking for them or not?

I often simply pray in the morning and then sort through my Joyce Meyer devotional book. Wherever I land, I read and I don’t go by the date of the devotional. I find God throughout my day this way too and look for His direction no matter if I’m online or elsewhere. I try to find Him everywhere. Yesterday someone on my LinkedIn posted a quote from Abe Lincoln.

Take it for what it’s worth but Lincoln said “The best thing about the future is…it comes one day at a time.” And Amen to that! I decided to take that for what it was worth. Not everything you read online is helpful but there are things, positively speaking, that I have learned to save for my tool belt. Taking things one day at a time is great advice as it helps us to not become so self serving and consumed by worldly things. I know with God, I can handle things if I take them one day at a time. Do you feel this way?

I pray you have a day that you find Jesus everywhere and that you sow only what you want to reap. Today I know that God has great plans for me, even if sometimes it seems hard; I must continue this race one step at a time—and one day at a time with enthusiasm. In that way I will find my life overall to be happy, joyous and free!

“God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished.” Philippians 1:6

I woke up this morning to snow which was so fitting considering I had a dream last night that I rode a sled to Texas. Let’s hope that’s not any type of foreshadowing. It was a rough ride!

Did I ever tell you I lived in Texas once? I lived right around Dallas and moved there after a brief stint in Denver after college. I loved living there. The marriage I was in at the time though, was not good and it made for some pretty terrible living conditions.

After moving back home to Pennsylvania, I still feel like I’m getting used to snow…especially in April. I figure though, it’s the world’s April fool’s joke for the day and instead of complaining about it, I have decided to find delight in it all instead.

The pastor yesterday talked about a lot of things in church, but one thing he did talk about was downers. And boundaries.

Do you ever feel like you have a hard time establishing boundaries with people?

I used to have the very worst time with this. Over time and with prayer and practice though, I have become better, more aware, and it has saved me a lot of pain.

A lot of times, we just want to help people, but we end up at the root of their problems somehow without any type of life raft. Pastor Mike yesterday talked a lot about playing the hand(s) that we are dealt…and in the end, we all must do this. FOR OURSELVES. Our problems are (in the end) just our own.

“What do you want to do about it?” he said. He explained that after listening to people and their many issues, that that was the end all question he would ask them. And in the end if they weren’t ready to take responsibility, there would be a perfect opportunity for him to create a boundary. It may seem hard, but instead of throwing yourself into the fire, it’s best to pull back in situations where people aren’t ready to help themselves. Pray for them and love them but understand that you can’t save them. It is not your job.

I have no idea how I got onto this conversation. But there it is— the message for the day.

It makes me nervous sometimes to wake up each day, get clear to my computer and STILL NOT KNOW what I’m going to write about. Maybe this shows. I don’t know. But either way, I do not plan out what I’m about to say. I pray about it a lot though. I pray before bed to “bless my blog” the following morning so I hope that whatever you take away from these blogs is something you feel has been blessed. That is the whole point. To share ourselves and our journeys with one another; to help carry one another’s burdens—but with boundaries. And Amen to that!

I thank you Lord for the newness of each day and even though there is snow outside, I rejoice that spring is still here and so are You. Please help me to look for the hidden needs of others today and give me the opportunity to serve. Amen.

“Through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13