Pay Me Now Or Pay Me Later

This is a concept that we learned when we lived and worked at the Children’s home. They teach it to you as part of your training. Basically they are saying that you need to deal with the issues up front and right away. I need this advice when dealing with my kids. It’s easy to let them get away with something for a few times because I am too tired or don’t want to discipline them. Its not fun! But I know if I don’t do it I will have to pay for it later! It’s the same way with health. People will say it cost to much to eat healthy. But I know how expensive the doctors bills are and overnight stays in the hospitals are. If I choose to pay for the food now, I will save later in doctors bills! Make since right? I also thought about the fact that if you eat healthy, you have to eat less, but you have more choices in clothing options! If you have more food choices and eat more, you have less clothing options! Yet still I struggle! I tried a diet patch this week, but didn’t like it. It burned and made my skin itch. I did okay for 3 days but today it made me sick to my stomach to wear. I never did feel differently about my food intake. The patches were a free two week trial, so it’s not like I paid a large amount of money for them, and I’ve been waiting for 3 years to try them! So I’m glad they finally offered them for free, but sad that they are not for me. I know how to make my body lose weight. Just have to get my mind and mouth on board with my heart and mind! 

The Game Changer

In our household, we often have a plan. Typically each week I have a family to do list broken down into several groups. Grocery needs, home repair needs, church needs, you get the idea. Some things get moved over and over again to each week. They are things that don’t get accomplished because of random “game changers” that take place in our day to day lives.

Recently I have discovered that the Jesus I love and serve must not be the same to everyone. I taught a class a few weeks back to a group of middle and high school girls titled “How do you view God.” I felt it was important to know where they stood with their relationship with God before diving into heavy hearted subject matter. I’ve known most of them for a year now. Yet some of them I just can’t seem to connect with as far as where they are spiritually. Youth ministry can no longer be defined as it was 10 years ago when we were just starting out. Everything has changed about it, except one thing- GOD. He is still the same, and his word is still the same. I spoke to the girls about the ways many people view God. Over the course of the month I begin to open my eyes to those around me. I started realizing that it’s not a teenager generational problem, it’s a problem with most Christians today! We no longer view God as a SAVIOR, REDEEMER…. he is much less to most people. Therefore it because easy to compromise, because you don’t see that you hurt him each time you step away from the cross. Then in times of tragedy you ask God where was he, and why he didn’t do what you know he could’ve done!

Today in my devotion that I am working on, the question was to Name someone who has powerful faith. I couldn’t answer it! When I think of powerful faith, I think of Smith Wigglesworth he stands out the most to me! I’m sure people like Billy Graham and other evangelist have great faith, but I don’t see them, and for the people that I know I don’t hear them speak of Faith like it’s described in the Word. My husband is a man of Faith, he Trust the Lord with just about everything and is always telling me that I need to Trust the Lord to work things out. I have more doubt than faith- not doubt in God, but doubt in myself!

Then tonight I was reading again- and the question read: What is something you did in your past that you would never do now specifically because you are a Christian? I have my list of things. I would love to ask this of people and trust to get a real answer or at least get them to think about their answer!

What game changers are taking place that cause people to look at God less than they did years ago. Is he not the same savior? Is his story not the same today as it was yesterday? Why do we allow life experiences to manipulate our view of God? God doesn't change.

In the past month I’ve felt like my walk with God must be weaker than I realized. I felt that I should be able to bend God’s ear, and when my prayers were not answered as I thought they should be I immediately felt as if God didn’t come through as he promised. I’ve learned this week that the enemy is the one feeding my spirit these lies. For God kept his promise- If we felt no grief or no hurt or pain, we wouldn’t be human and heaven would be no reward!

Lord help me not to water down your word when I speak to people. You are LORD OF LORDS. King Of Kings! MY SAVIOR. MY DELIVERER! REDEEMER! MAJESTY.  Holy Spirit draw near to me as I draw near to you….

Take MY Money!

Okay so September 1st, our house payment is due and we have no clue who it is suppose to be paid to. I thought it would be like our loan was in Texas. That the bank who gave us the loan would want our money! Well apparently in the first 60 days they will sell your loan to other mortgage companies. Even the bank can’t tell us who has it! They can only tell us who they sold it too, and then we have to go from there. I am glad we check on it, because I was planning on just letting it be deducted from my account. The good news is there is no late payment the first 60 days, because of this type of sale. They can keep passing it on to others for the first 60 days! So anyway I hope to know before the end of the day who will take my money!  If they don’t take it I’m likely to spend it or give it away! So please TAKE MY MONEY…. whom ever owns my house!

Afternoon Fun

I am so thankful that the previous owners of our home (now friends to us,) decided to leave their swingset with the house! It's not just the normal $100 kind, Chris' mom and dad actually bought the kids that kind for Christmas, so we had one, but this one was bigger and nicer. So we gave our other swing set to Chris' sister fo her grandson and the foster kids that she keeps. The one we have is similar to what you would find on the best in backyards online catalog. If you search for the connecticut swing sets you will find a great collection of wodden swing sets. That is similar to what we have. I would love to build onto our set. It would be neat to have a treehouse style platform for the kids. They have wanted a tree house from Sams club for months now! Maybe we can do that as a BIG gift for Christmas this year. If they still have them!

Trip To Birmingham!

Tiff flew down from NC on Thursday and Friday we loaded up and headed to Birmingham. We didn’t take photos on the way, primarily because I was driving and I was tired! I tried to capture some of us actually surprising Nicole, but she didn’t come out into the bathroom like her family said she would! Plus my battery was dying and I left my charger at home! So I was skimpy on the photos! Anyway, we picked her up and headed to the Alabaster area. I needed shoes and so we went to  few shoe stores and then went to

 

Jamie was waiting there for us, and that was another surprise for Nicole.  We went right in and sat down. We all ordered something different but soon learned we should have split plates. We would have been better off! None of us ate all our food! We left there and went to Walmart to see if they had a charger for my camera and pick up some drinks. They had a charger but it was $40. I just couldn’t do that! So we headed to the hotel.

Crystal came to the hotel, but we didn’t do any pictures because we all looked rough- except for her! So we were in our pj’s and looking terrible. We were up until 3 am and the crazy hotel ladies knocked on our door at 8:20 am. Scared us all! We jumped up and were wide awake then. Then an hour later they were there for house keeping! We were like GO AWAY! Silly ladies. We didn’t have to check out until 11, so we did just that. We left from there and went to the galleria. I haven’t been there in over 10 years! It was fun. We shopped at a Lane Bryant and then headed out to the Aveda Institute for Pedicures! Jamie opted out so I could get my toes done and so she went and had her hair did. LOL. She looked great, we all wanted a fresh wash and cut after that! But we kept on going- since we had other places to go and money to spend! Amy joined us for a few hours too!

After leaving the Spa we headed to Johnny Rockets! I haven’t been there in years either! I liked the onion rings the best! Amy and Gabe had to get theirs togo- because she was going to need to be home by 3pm. So we enjoyed our meal and then headed to a fun store which will remained un named. It poured down rain! We left there and headed back to Amy’s to play games and hang out until David got home. I learned the fun game Mexican Train dominos. I enjoyed it, but like playing with them like this better! I set them up and let Gabe knock them down!

 

I loaded up on some dew- only ONE for me though. Amy and Jamie drank the other two! lol. We left from there and went to MOES. I forgot my camera in my van since I didn’t drive. So we just enjoyed our time together and then after  Moe’s, Jamie had to go back to her mom’s house, and we went over to the movies. We watched the 9:50 showing of Crazy Stupid Love. It was cute, had a few things in it that I didn’t like, but overall was still a good movie. I realized right before the movie that I left my dress bag at the Hotel so I called them before the movie and told them we would be there after 12 pm. I was so tired, so Amy drove us back to Pelham and then we went back to Amy’s house. Then headed to Nicole’s. I was so exhausted! I went to sleep fast, woke up when Nic’s kids where going to church and got up and ate oatmeal then went back to bed for a few hours! We left around 12:40 pm. Got back into Gulfport around 5:30 pm. It was a wonderful trip! I still have Tiff with me, until Tuesday around 8:00 am. Then life will go back to normal until next time! It was a wonderful weekend away! I missed my family but enjoyed the peace and quiet and tons of laughs with good girlfriends!!!

So many cables

This past week I spent a few hours working in my office. I ended up having a big box of cables and chargers and cords that I have no idea what they are for. Then I have a list of cables I need, like the dvi to hdmi cables, but until I figure out what my other cords are for I can't buy any new ones. I might have what I need in my box! I need to label them as I figure out what they go to. Don't they make some kind of strips that you can attach to the cords?

Outdoors

Birthday

I never blogged about my birthday! I can’t believe we went for 3 weeks with out the internet! So I missed out on blogging.

My mother in law bought me an Ice Cream cake from DQ.

IT was great! I still have a few pieces in the freezer! I also got some great cards from my kids and my husband picked out an amazing one, plus all the facebook wishes were wonderfully encouraging all day long! It was grand. I spent the night in Gulfport Friday night and went to garage sales on Saturday. I racked up on a few good things. I passed up a sewing machine and I’m still kicking myself for that one!  After that we went back to the Cook’s and I took a nap and then around 4 the rest of the family came over. We had grilled hamburgers and they were great! We were celebrating both my birthday and Jack’s. We got home late, and Chris ran a hot bath for me and I relaxed. It was so refreshing. My birthday lasted all week long! It’s still going on! I got a card in the mail this morning from my granny!

My friend Alyssa sent me this fun bling!

Here are some of my cards and gifts 

I used some of my birthday money to buy a deep freezer and two of these lovely Lucy Cups!

 

And some more gifts from friends

 

A girl in the youth drew Eli’s baby feet for me and framed them! I love it! So special to me.

Chris told me I could pick out a piece of James Avery for my special day. I haven’t looked through the catalog yet, but I’m excited! I also used some birthday money to buy a Heritage Sunbeam mixer at a yard sale. It sells for $150 now and I got it for $40. Such a fun deal!

I love shopping this time of the year! I had a great birthday! So thankful for my friends and family and who made this birthday a great one!

Old Friends

Last week I was able to spend some time with an old friend! It was a girl that use to be a teen in our youth group when we worked in Long Beach. She was about 6 years younger than me, but now it doesn't feel that way! She has two kids and is loving being a stay at home mom like myself! I haven't seen her parents in years, but she said they recently celebrated their 30th anniversary! I pray that I will make it 30 years with my honey! I need to see what kind of 30th anniversary gifts are out there! Then I can start planning! We are saving for Scotland for our 25th anniversary. So I'm sure for our 30th, we won't do much. Our pastors celebrated their 31st anniversary this past summer. They went to Alaska last year, I suppose that was their 30th celebration! They did a cruise. I'd love to do that some time. I think I'd enjoy it more than going to the Bahamas! I like the COLD better than the heat!