Sticks and Stones may break my bones...

It is very hard for me to find the right words to say today. Bear with me as I try to express my feelings today. Ha Ha...

To start off today's blog I must tell you that I love my family with all my heart. And it is my prayer that EVERY single one of them will find the "peace" that I spoke about earlier in the week.

There are a lot of words that come to mind when I think of my Grandma Pat. The first word that comes to mind is GIVING. I think anybody who knows her would agree that she is the most giving person in the world. I promise you, if she only had $20 to her name and she thought one of her kids/grandkids needed it she would make sure they got it. Her kids and grandkids do not go without. I always remember going to her house and NEVER being able to walk away without her slipping money in my purse. And I think ALL of my cousins can agree she does it with them too! Her Love Language is most definitely "Acts of Service." That is how she demonstrates her love to others.

With that being said, she has been under a lot of stress lately due to the illness of my great grandmother. It has come to the point that she can not be left alone anymore. She forgets things and although seemingly healthy , her cancer is now back. I realize that this kind of stress can cause families to act out of the ordinary. However, in no way does it excuse the way that some of her so-called "family" is treating her. Terrible things have been said to her...things that can not be taken back. Things that literally hurts my heart to even hear. It is so hard to watch someone you love so much...get hurt! It hurts me. I take it to heart. This is MY grandma and I'm pretty sure I could take on anybody who tries to hurt her!! :)

I am reminded of something I used to say as a kid, "Sticks and stones may break my bones...but words can never hurt me." Really? How absurd is that? Sure, it hurts to break a bone...but, bones heal...Words on the other hand are forever embedded in your mind...they cut like a knife...it is very hard to forget words...They MOST definitely hurt you!!

A good friend of mine sent me this scripture today...it was so much needed at the exact time it was sent. So, I'm going to share it with you.

"...For we have no power against this great multitude coming against us; nor do we know what to do, But our eyes are upon You...Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel...thus says the Lord to you: "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of the great multitude for the battle is not yours, but God's...You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of Lord, who is with you.

2 Chronicles 20:12-17

We are not going to fight this battle!!

Please be in prayer with me for PEACE for my family during this difficult time.

I'm so hoping my next blog will be light and free!! LOL!! I'm tired of all this heartache!!

...and He came to my rescue...

All week long I've been struggling with "life" in general. It's been a tough week to say the least.

I got a new mP3 player in the mail and I began downloading music from my computer. As I was going through this long process of downloading, I came across a song. I hadn't heard this song in at least a year, probably longer. As I listened to this song it totally spoke to my heart. I realized what I needed was RESCUED and the only person who could do the kind of rescuing that I needed was God. So, all week I saturated myself with this worship song...it was the only thing giving me peace!!

I got up this morning and fixed breakfast...got ready for church and as I was ironing my dress I decided to listen to that song one more time before I left...I just needed "rescued" again before I left for church...(I know weird..right?)

I got to church feeling o.k. The worship team began singing songs...during one song in particular I leaned over to Jake and said, "I'm not liking this song." He just shrugged.

The preacher got up and took offering. And as the music began playing I soon realized it was this song that I stumbled across by accident. This song that I haven't heard our worship team sing in I don't even know how long. Call it a coincidence if you will...I call it GOD!! I think it was totally for me at that exact time. He knew ecactly what I needed! They could have sang a million other songs...but they chose this one. WOW!!

It's amazing how God works. He is so awesome! Believe it or not, our sermon today was about "PEACE." And how we need to find peace before we fall to "pieces." Amazing! How I needed to hear that. I seriously thought I was on the verge of falling to pieces...But He came to my rescue!! "There is no need to worry about tomorrow." Pastor said at one point. And I thought to myself...EXACTLY! Why am I worried about anything? God has everything in control!! That's the great thing about being a Christian!! Someone better than us guiding our footsteps!

Life is not always easy...but faith makes it possible!!

So, I'm going to leave you with the lyrics to this song! It's short but the words say so much!! If you haven't listened to it, you need to. :)

This is my prayer...
In my life...be lifted high
In my world...be lifted high
In my love...be lifted high


Hillsong United

Falling on my knees in worship
Giving all I am to seek your face
Lord all I am is yours

My whole life
I place in your hands
God of Mercy
Humbled I bow down
In your presence at your throne

I called you answered
And you came to my rescue and I
I wanna be where you are

In my life be lifted high
In our world be lifted high
In our love be lifted high

And THAT is life...

I've had a rough day...and I think the only thing that is going to make me feel better is to blog about it...

My day started out as usual. Me and Halle got ready, went to Wal-Mart, picked up my pictures from Emily and I tried to drop off Halle with my brother so I could go to the funeral home. Halle didn't want to stay so I just took her with me. The funeral was awful!! I saw classmates that I hadn't seen in years. They were the people who were close to Jason throughout school and probably still were. I speculate that some of them may not be on the right path in life. My heart literally breaks when I think about the lives they are leading. I talked with Jason's sister. She told me that his church he attended was sending him into rehab on Monday. Why, God? I just don't understand. I walked out an emotional wreck. It was unreal to see someone 28 years old (my age) laying in a casket. But, that is life...right? We have a day to be born and a day to die. But, why...God? Why so soon?

So, I leave with an even heavier heart than I walked in. I got a call from my A/C guy who was bringing a part to fix my unit. He said he'd be by sometime after lunch. I had a few errands to run first. On my way I get pulled over by a cop. Who, just for fun decides to run my license plates...only to discover they are to a truck? Mind you, I'm in a rental car...totally not mine! Halle is hungry and tired and crying...Any mom knows how nerve wracking it is to have a crying baby in the car. He called Enterprise told me I should go down and trade out cars. So, I go down there..still with a tired, hungry little girl...and I wait and wait and wait! Finally, my turn...I was told...we don't have any cars on the lot right now. Come back later. AHHHH!! But, that is life...right?

Let me back up...My car went into the shop on May 26. Tomorrow marks June 26! The warranty company will only pay for TWO days of rental car. Because it is only a 9 hour labor job! It's been in there an entire month!!!! BUT, that is life...right?

My A/C guy shows up...he's here awhile. My husband sent me a text asking about it. I said..."It's been awhile and it isn't up and running...I have a bad feeling." Well, rightly so...$1100...and we have to get a new furnace. Now mind you, I get an extra check in the summer for logging hours throughout the school year. It will be close to $1,000. I'm very thankful to be getting that. But, I had plans for that money!! It makes me soooo sad it will be spent on an A/C. But, that is life...right?

I just don't understand how some people ALWAYS come out ahead...no matter what...they get what they want and they don't care who they screw in the process. I just don't get it...I don't wish bad things on people. But, I think that when you do things dishonestly...when you lie...and cheat and steal from people...you shouldn't EVER come out ahead.


AND THAT, MY FRIEND, IS LIFE!!

Where Will YOU Spend Eternity?

It is with a heavy heart that I write this blog tonight.


I found out this morning that CHS Class of 2000 lost a classmate last night. It makes me so sad. I believe this is the only classmate that we've lost in 10 years. Looking back I will always remember Jason as a guy who always kept everyone laughing. He was quite the jokester and always had a smile on his face. Unfortunately, he took the "hard road" in life as many of our classmates did. I think now, more than ever, it is important to make good choices in life...Godly choices. I don't know where Jason is spending eternity right now. It is my hope and prayer that he is spending it with my heavenly Father. As I reflect on that...it brings tears to my eyes. How many people come and go in our lives that we choose to not share the love of Jesus? Tonight, I feel like a failure. Not because I feel that I could have done anything to stop what happened to Jason. I hadn't seen him in more than 10 years...but I feel like I've failed my friends and family...the people that I love the most.


It is my prayer tonight that I can be a better Christian...that His light will shine through me and that He will give me a boldness that I've never known before. I've never been the "in-your-face" type of Christian. It is not in my nature to be that way. I just want to be a person who can make a difference in this world! "Whatever it takes, God! I'm Yours!"

I would like to leave my readers with a simple question.

If you just breathed your last breathe, where would you spend eternity? If you don't know...please don't wait a second longer! Ask Jesus to be the LORD of your life. You won't regret it! ;)

Just Trying This Out...Parenting 101

This is officially my first blog. I'm just going to try this out and see how I like it. We'll see!

So far this summer I have watched Dora the Explorer, Barney and Kate Plus 8 over and over and OVER!! I'm about to go insane. There is only so much that I can take. I'm one of those terrible moms who allows her child to watch T.V. all day long!! I can get things done when she is entertained!! My child is going to be the one that has no "creativeness" when it comes time to go to school. YIKES!! Maybe I need to take a step back and reevaluate my parenting skills.

We are currently in the "potty-training" stage. I have to say I am rather proud of my little girl! She picked up on it quick and is doing rather well! Unfortunately, we had a little issue yesterday (thank God my husband was home) and another issue today (all by myself) with pooping in the underwear. You know, as I was trying my hardest to get the poopy underwear off of her and not getting any on my hands the thought crossed my mind..."Nobody prepared me for Poopy underwear!" I didn't know what to do. Do I throw them away? Heck no!! Too expensive. How do I wash them out? In the sink...ugh...or better yet...in the toilet? YUCK!! So, I resulted to sloshing them in the toilet the first time. I'm pretty sure I remember my Grandma Pat always doing that. Ha ha!! But, then today I was by myself. I took her to the utility room where I have a wash sink. I carefully rolled them down, making sure nothing touched her or myself. And then she flung her leg and kicked them off in the floor. I freaked a little...And instead of cleaning them in the toilet this time...I chose to use the garden hose outside. Ha ha...I'm sure my neighbors got a kick out of watching me hose my daughter's poopy undies out on the front lawn!! You know, I was totally ready for disgusting diapers! However, poopy underwear is a different story!

I'm thinking it's time for me to turn Barney off and get my Hal-bug ready for bed!!