She Stands

Another New Year is upon us.  In just a few short days will ring in 2013 and say goodbye to 2012. Time seems to fly by.... We blink and it's gone.... ~sigh~ In 2011 I wrote a post about "Endure". It was short,sweet and to the point. You can read it here Here That was my word for the year 2012.... To endure...... And endure I have~ I have endured many changes this past year... Many lessons learned..... Some hard, some easy..... Several growth periods in my walk with the Lord.... To a higher level of faith....... Humbling forgiveness..... and patience in some areas. A stronger understanding of His word...... His promises...... His instructions.... His teachings. And many blessings as well. My daughter home from Afghanistan unharmed.... My babygirl learning the true meaning of forgiveness and grace...... Seeing His provision in our lives when it looked as though there was none..... I endure

How much of our lives are spent waiting? We wait at red lights and stop signs, we wait in line at the grocery store, and if you work outside of your home, you know how much we wait for the weekend to get here! All of the above things have a specific time we have to wait. Whether it be 3 seconds at a stop sign, 2 minutes at a red light, 5 minutes at the grocer or 5 days for the weekend. What else do we wait for? What about when we are waiting on God? The Word says "his thoughts are not out thoughts and his ways are higher than are ways". Where we say, "Lord, we need this now"....He says, "Not yet". So what do we do "in the waiting"? Its easy to get discouraged "in the waiting". When we are waiting on God to show us the manifestation of a promise, when our bills are due, when our loved ones are running from God, the waiting seems endless. But God is a good and merciful God and his timing is always perfect and ALWAYS on time!

There are no words to describe or express the sorrow from the events that took place in Newtown Conn.  As a mom, I too grieve with all the parents who have lost their child. As a woman, I grieve with the loss of the amazing adults who stood to protect their "children" in the midst of such a horrific tragedy. I believe with all my heart, Jesus met each and every one with open arms........ As we continue to mourn as a nation, and continue to ask "why" such a thing could happen..... I ask that we all continue to lift these families up in prayer, to stand in the gap for the whole town, to be the prayer warriors God has called us all to be. May God bless each and everyone who are suffering..... May He surround them with a peace that surpasses all understanding...... May He carry them, when they have no more strength to walk..... And most of all...... May He allow them to feel His love like no other love before. Much love in His nam

Have you ever been around those who seemed to be able to look straight through you? The ones who seem as though they can see every failure, mistake and down fall  you have experienced in life........... What about those who you have shared some of life's trials and they just simply nod their head, put on a fake smile and simply say "Ohhhhhhh".... Or my favorite...." Hummm bless your heart" .... And the whole time you know they are making their own assumptions and judging every aspect of your life. They automatically deem you unworthy of their time......  And of their friendship...... I have had those moments in time when I wanted to just crawl in a hole and hid. I was ashamed to bear my heart and soul..... I was fearful of the sneers and judgmental conversations that proceed concerning my life.... I didn't want to be the example of who NOT to be in this life..... I didn't want my children labeled as failures because

Friendships have taken on different meanings as I’ve journeyed through life.   As a child and teen, the friends in my neighborhood made up my world.   We were an eclectic bunch, much like the Breakfast Club of Smalltown USA in the 1980’s.   We didn’t all agree on morality, religion, or politics, but even today we respect and love each other in our own way.   There is strength in growing up being respected for who you are. As a young parent, my friendships revolved other stay-at-home moms.   We raised our kids together, shopped together, spent hours at McDonald Playlands together, went to bible studies, made homemade applesauce, and were exhausted together.   Different paths in life have brought many of us to different churches, schools, jobs, and stages with our own families as we have entered the parenting stage of family life.   But when tragedy or celebration strikes, each one of us picks up the phone, drives a child to practice, or sits and cries with each other if needed.   A

Gosh, where to begin today??...... It seems our little congregation has been hit from every angle hard over the past few months. From our pastor having open heart surgery and complications upon complications that followed..... The numerous trips back to the emergency room has taken a toll on him and his precious wife. Our darling sound lady aka Aunt Sally, fell and injured herself.... Thank you Jesus nothing real serious as far as injuries go...... I have had numerous fires come up since the day before Thanksgiving and it seemed as if ALL the walls in my world were caving in all at once........ From an unexpected move, to the flu hitting me with all it's rage and several other of life's unwanted issues...... My best friend and sister of 33 years has had her share of fires blazing a trail through her world and it seems no matter which way she turns there is a wall of heat starring her down........ At this point all I can say is ......REALLY?????