Friday, November 16, 2012

5 Minute Friday: Stay

Let's go...

There were so many things that came to mind when I read the word STAY but what sticks out the most are my two boys.

Christopher is 21 and Jase is 3.



They are both moma's boys. They love their moma. Most boys do don't they? But their love is different.

Their love is sweet. Their love is unconditional. Their love is sappy.

They look at me like the girls don't. When they look at me they see safety. They see shelter.

I remember seeing in Christopher the vulnerablity that I see in Jase today. That heart that is easily broken.

I know that without a doubt they would both fight for their moma and their moma would fight for them.

Noone will ever be good enough for my boys.

I never want them to be anyone's boys but mine.

I want them to stay that way forever.

I want them to stay small at heart.

I want them to stay vulnerable.

I want them to stay open and full of fun.

I want them to stay just the way they are.

I want them to stay!

Time's up!

Monday, November 12, 2012

I met a stranger today...

It is raining outside today. It is cool outside and not the best weather to be meeting people but I did.

I met a stranger today.

The how and why I met this lady today is not important. What is important is the statement that planted a seed in my heart.

"I found your blog. I was only able to read a little bit but it had some inspirational stuff in it. I book marked it so I could read it later."

I didn't know what to say except "Thank You" and "Please keep reading".

It's happening y'all. God is using me to touch lives. It feels good. It's affirmation. It's confirmation. It's refreshing.

Never be afraid to share your story. Never be afraid of what you have to say. Let it out. Say it loud. Don't hold back.

I met a stranger today and it was awesome! She planted a seed in my heart and for that I am grateful.

"There will always be a reason why you meet people. Either you need them to change your life or you're the one that will change theirs"~unknown

Friday, November 9, 2012

5 Minute Friday: Quiet

March 1, 2012 changed my life. It was the day that my employer of 6 years decided that my services were no longer needed. They decided that my last 6 years of hard work and dedication meant nothing and my sincere adoration of my job was no longer of their concern.

Since that day, I have had lots of days of quiet.

During those quiets days I have learned of so many things. I have learned of love of the father. My heart has been raw in front of the man I call on for help. My emotions have been wishy washy and my pride has been crushed.

During those days of quiet I have found peace. I have found laughter. I have found dancing. I have found refreshment. I have found faith. I have found joy.

I have renewed my mind. I have found my purpose.

I did all of this all alone. I did this with intention. I did this all in the quiet.

I am thankful for this quiet. It changed me.

Time's up :)

...when your having fun


I take these two girls to school EVERY.SINGLE.MORNING. Most mornings the hour long trek to get the girls to school is full of mindless chatter, singing Luke Bryan and arguments about who goes first. Most mornings I dread driving that same ol' route down Hwy 70 to Baxter then back up I-40 to Algood then back down Hwy 70 to my house in between. But some mornings during the conversations I have an A-Ha moment. It's funny because it's always something I know already but it's just a reminder. Maybe I am being reminded so I can share it with others when I finally get back home.

Either way today was one of those mornings! The conversation went like this...

Me: I can't wait until next year when everyone is at ONE school.
Alyssa: Well, we finish this week. Then we have another week minus a vacay day. Then another week. Then Thanksgiving break.
Emilee: Gosh, this school year is flying by.
Alyssa: No it's not. It has been so slow for me. Highschool is so hard sometimes.
Emilee: Well, my 8th year has been so much fun.

Hello??? The old saying goes "Time flys when your having fun!"

Think about this for a minute.

Do you feel like your life is just drudging along. Day to day-same ol' thing-blah, blah, blah? Do you dread tomorrow?

PUT A LITTLE FUN IN IT.

The word says over and over that laughter is good for your soul.

Proverbs 17:22
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Psalm 126:2
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

Ecclesiastes 3:4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Proverbs 15:13
A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

Notice those words: Joyful, good medicine, laughter, joy, laugh, dance, glad.

Want some medicine to take care of that life that is no fun for you?

DANCE, LAUGH!

I have never in my whole entire life seen a person that is dancing without a smile on their face!

Wanna get some laughing going? Put some music on and dance! Really let yourself go! Let it out! Act silly.

Find some joy in your life. You are BREATHING. You have reason for joy! You think you have it bad??? Go down to the mission and volunteer. Head over to Genesis House and take a look around. Drive up to the NICU at Vandy and get a glimpse of sorrow. Can't drive to Nashville? Head over to CRMC to the pediatric floor and visit with the children that are happy that they woke up one more day.

If you can't find joy and happiness in your life after seeing how bad someone else has it then you are just selfish and you really need to pray about that (too harsh?)

Life is YOURS. Choices are YOURS.

Joyce Meyer said yesterday on Twitter that the holy ghost will move you and guide you but you ultimately have to make the choice.

Wow...WE HAVE THE CHOICE.

You can choose Depression Sadness Sorrow Self-Pity
OR
You can choose FUN Happiness Gladness Joy Laughter Dancing

I choose FUN. I choose GREATNESS.

What about you? What will you choose?

PS.
You can make a different choice every second. So, if you started reading this and you decide that you want to make a different choice...YOU TOTALLY CAN.








Thursday, November 8, 2012

What eats your lunch?

Today is November 8, 2012

I sit here and remember that in November 2011 I realized just how much the little monster called comparison would eat my lunch. Not only did it eat my lunch but it popped the bag it came in.

November/December had always been a tough time of the year for me. My parents living so far away made it hard because I knew in my heart that my mom was decorating for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The last 10-15 years she has really found her inner Martha Stewart. I felt like I was missing out on that with her. That is a really fun thing for me...decorating. I call her on the phone and she is at Lowe's finding cool things for her porch or at Michael's finding some neat tree decor...anyway, I found myself envious. Envious because I wanted to be there to help. Envious because her house was so beautiful. I found myself lacking in the matchy/matchy christmas tree and table centerpieces, etc. I found myself comparing my house to my mom's. I compared...I compared...I compared...I lacked...

I wanted to be able to decorate like this:

But in my mind it really ended up like this:

I spent a lot of time comparing my house with my mom's or my friends. What my house looked like all decorated at Christmas wasn't good enough because it wasn't decorated just like such and such. No matter what I bought or rearranged, it just wasn't good enough.

How many times in our life do we do that? How many times do we compare what we have to someone else?

Our marriage isn't good enough. Our clothes aren't good enough. Our kids don't behave good enough. blah, blah, blah! Men have this issue too but us ladies wear the crown for it most times.

Let's take that crown off.

This is what my christmas tree looks like...

It has mismatched ornaments made with love by 4 children that adore me. It is put together by a man that works hard to provide for his family. It is in a living room in a house full of love, compromise, sacrifice, forgiveness, fun, laughter and hope.

How does anything compare to that?

I hope your christmas tree looks like mine. I hope your living room looks like mine. I take a small amount of pride knowing that someone out there could look into my windows and compare their life with mine and long for it to be theirs :) My life is perfect just the way it is.

Guess what? So is yours. No matter where you are in life, it's ok to be there.

If you are at rock bottom...thank God that you can only go up.

If you are on top of the mountain...give God that shout of triumph for the strength it took to get you to the top.

If you are going around the mountain for the 5,215th time...thank God for the lessons learned each time and wisdom to make this the last one.

More than anything...Don't let the comparison monster eat your lunch. Find what is great in your life and thank God for it.

I read this quote and it is so true “Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you.”

Love who you are...Love the life you live!

No other life can compare!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Where to go from here...


Where do we go from here?

That is the question most Romney supporters are asking themselves this morning since the election did not go in the direction that we had prayed for. That is the question I asked myself this morning as well. Because of the election?? Maybe but more because at this point in my life I am searching...

I am searching for a direction that has been made clear to me by my God but my pride will not shut up long enough for me to follow the path.

I am searching for this woman in me that loves God more than life and longs to raise Godly children, have Godly friends and make Godly decisions. She is in there but she hides. She hides behind a mask of fear of facing rejection.

I am searching for words to say everyday that may change someone's life, especially mine.

I am searching for my identity in this world.

I am searching for a purpose for this blog in the hopes that it touches someone's heart.

I am searching for a life that will be an example to those around me. An example of hope, triumph, worship and love.

After the shock has worn off, after the smoke clears and real life starts again what are you searching for?

Are you searching for your place of success in life? A career? A dream? A purpose?

What are you searching for?