Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Stand

"Lord, teach me to stand firm when I've stood every way I know how--and the...help me to keep on standing."

Today is a special day!

   A dear teacher that I worked for years ago would always start our day in our class of children with special needs by saying, "Today is a really special day! There will never ever be another May 13, 2013 so make sure you make the best of it and make it special!" Okay, he didn't say the May 13th part, he would insert that days date. I have thought about that many times over the years and how true is that? We can't take back what happens today, we can't take back the words we say or the seconds, minutes, or hours we spent. But what we can do it make it special.
   My day today was very special. I awoke in a panic because I forgot to set my alarm but thankfully my internal alarm went off. But when I woke up I realized I had been dreaming something that made me happy and sad all at the same time. First let me say that I unfortunately, have not been to an actual church in quite a while. I stopped going when I started working many hours at my job last year and haven't been much since. But I had a dream I went in to talk to someone at the church that I was raised in and the service started so I stayed because getting up would mean making a scene and I wanted to stay anyway. I realized I was wearing jeans with designer tears in them and I had a couple of "tasteful" tattoos. The older lady sitting next to me in the awkward spot we got stuck sitting when the service started began asking me questions about the significance of the different tattoos. I felt fine talking to her and explaining; one was something that I got when I was really sick and it was to remind me basically how blessed I was to be alive. I turned around to look at the people in the sanctuary and everyone was much older wearing very much Sunday attire. The ladies had fancy frilly dresses and hats, etc. And no one was smiling. I don't know why I am telling this story except that I realized after I woke up that I really miss church. I feel closer to God now than I have in a long time, but I want the church family as well.
   After I got Sierra to school, I came home and soon there was a knock on the door. It was my friend Stacey who is the host on the radio station that is live from the Habitat for Humanity Women Build! It is going on again which means it has been a year since our house was built, can't you believe it! Wow! She wanted to interview me on the radio this morning so I went down and hung out with the super awesome Women Build people again. I still can't emphasis what a life changing experience that was in getting to know so many wonderful people and in the process, we got the home of our dreams. It still feels like a dream.
   The rest of my day consisted of the regular million applications and resumes and praying that every time the phone rang or my email alert went off, it was a job offer. Not today, better luck tomorrow.
   I picked Sierra up, brought her home, Cody and I did some errands including mailing Brittany her prenatal vitamins that she forgot while visiting me for Mothers Day (that is a whole other blog! Awesome!). Came home and my two teen daughters began to bicker, I had a good cry without them knowing...the joys of being a single mom! Came out with my Supermom cape on, cooked dinner, did some other things and here I am.
   So as you can see, today was a rollercoaster, or as I like to say, I typical day! Every day is a learning experience, a joy to be alive, a job (there is a purpose for every day that God gives us!) and most importantly, one more day for God to mold us into the person He wants us to be!

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

Monday, May 13, 2013

"Level UP!"

  Have you ever felt that you are in the midst of a real life video and God is finished with that chapter of your life and you can almost hear those words, "Level UP!" Me too! I have said for a couple of months now that I feel like God has taken me to a new level in life and it is exciting!
   New news in my life...I was laid off in March and have yet to find a job and it's okay, God is in charge. I mean, how bad can it be when they call you to tell you that you no longer have a job WHILE you are on vacation! True story!
   All joking aside, this past few months have been one gigantic, crazy, exciting, scary, sad, happy, fun and about every emotion in between! We went on vacation to my favorite place in the world (yay!), while there I found out I didn't have a job (boo!). My oldest daughter and her hubby moved to Tennessee (boo!) then a couple of weeks later found out they were expecting their first child and my first grandchild (Yay! Except boo that they are so far away!)! But in the grand scheme of life, life is a blessing and I am so thankful for every day. I see where people are coming down with cancer or terrible things are happening to families and I am so aware that life could be so much worse. I get stressed out, sure, I go have a good cry and a good talk with God and come out feeling like a new girl.
   Struggles stink, but they are stretching us, growing us, molding us into that person God wants us to be. He never said it would be easy, but He did say it would be worth it.
   A prayer that I say each morning includes the line, "Lord, teach me to stand firm when I've stood every way I know how--and then help me to keep on standing." Amen! That is SO true! And even truer is that He DOES!

"Put on the whole armor of God; that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:11