Day 2--Busy

Busy--day 2

Day 1 self portrait

Self portrait

I love summer, and sun and fun.  This is just plain ole me  on a summer day.

Blessings and heart smiles

Today after we did some devotions we did some praise dance and then prayer.  I prayed for each of the children and then they wanted to pray for me. Their prayers were so sweet. Then we turned on some worship music.  Jenny suddenly fell to her knees then lay prostrate before the Lord.  She led the way.  Then we all prayed and had some quite worship before the Lord.  She lay there seeking God for 20 minutes. I am not sure what she sought God for, she could not put it into words.  The other two put their hands on her little back and prayed quietly and then knelt and prayed themselves.  I did not orchestrate this. I did not ask them to do this. It was spontaneous and it was beautiful. Then I began to pray out loud for our family, loved ones, needs etc. We sought God's face and we felt His presence.

His presence was thick and tangible.  A blanket of love, peace and joy surrounded us. It was not boisterous or loud, but still and quiet and so very peaceful.  My children sought the King of Kings for their own needs, without provocation.  I am in awe of HIM!  My Lord, my God and my King.  He has placed something in the hearts of my children, that is not my doing, nor can I explain it.

I stand in awe of a God who uses children to speak in words of quiet peace.

I prayed for God to overshadow them and fill them as they go to school this year. I prayed that they will be a beacon of light in this word. I prayed that God would teach me, in all my stumbles and mistakes, to go to Him like a child.  To trust in Him for everything.

Nothing............absolutely NOTHING is impossible for God. So we asked God for what to man seems impossible but to my God, nothing is impossible. He is Lord over allergies. He is Lord over sensory issues.  He is Lord over needs, bills, hopes, dreams, callings..........He is Lord over and of ALL.  He can do anything.  Great is He and awesome to be praise.  Great is His faithfulness unto us.  I stand in AWE of a God who can turn something simple into a mighty lesson for hearts, bless your socks off and leave your heart smiling and feeling love beyond the explicable.

July photo of the day

I am going to attempt to do this:



This means today I will post 2 pictures at some point.  I am hoping this gets me back in the swing of blogging. I may or may not blog some thoughts the picture brings......we shall see, time will tell.

Come on join the fun and post some pictures either on your blog or facebook.  Have fun with it, be creative, let your hair down a little, stop to smell the flowers, dance in the rain and enjoy the blessing of life.

Summer time...

Lazy days, sleeping in , Popsicles, swimming and so much more. I love summertime. I love having my kids home.

Children, always see the glass as half full. The world is full of possibilities, even when exploring under a rock at the creek.  Could that sparkly piece of rock really be gold? If not, then let's pretend that it is.  As I watched my children explore the creek the other day, I saw their imaginations soar.  Each one were their own little explorer with different ideas and thoughts.  Jenny was searching the rocks under the water for the allusive perfect shell. Hannah  kept looking for something sparkly,  Christopher searched for some creature to match to his bug collection cards.  It was fascinating to watch. Sometimes they searched together and other times separately.  They had a blast.  I helped some and we found a scary looking crawdad and decided to leave him alone. Wise move! Each one found something that made them feel as if they'd found the piece de resistance.  It was a great day.

As summer unfolds and flies by way too fast, we have some busy days and some lazy days, but they are good days.

Summer time.........what a time to grow together as a family and fun to surprise your children in the fact Mommy really can grill...just like Daddy. :o)

I hope and pray I am sewing good things into the hearts of my children.  I hope I always make our home a soft place to land for them and my husband. God is faithful and loving.  He enjoys watching us learn and grow as much as we love watching that in our children. Actually, He probably loves it more.

When we discover that nugget of wisdom He placed in our hearts He smiles. When we let Him remove a rock of something that didn't need to be there; He rejoices. When we take some wobbly steps into a new direction, or a higher level, He is ecstatic.  We are His children and He loves us as we are. However He is overjoyed and the changes we have allowed and anticipates the wonder of what we will discover if we allow Him to lead us to higher places or deeper places; depending on where He is taking us at the time.

My children trust me wherever I take them. They know I will be there. They know I will take care of them. That is how we are to trust the Father.

New exercise plan..also known as laugh at Thelma's hijinx day

New exercise plan: (It has a lot of steps, but follow it through, it pays off in the end, at least for a chuckle or two and laughing burns calories)

Step one: Run around like crazy getting kids ready for school.
Step two: Eat bowl of cereal while doing all this.
Step three: get ready for jury duty
Step four:  realize you can not find jury # badge(heart rate increases)
Step five: move the bed, the bedside table, virtually turn room upside down to not find it.
Step six: run to car knowing you are running behind.
Step seven: Get lost and heart rate will increase.
Step eight: Find shuttle after getting lost because GPS instructed you to turn where you can't turn (increase heart rate some more)
Step nine: Run to catch shuttle
Step ten:  Heart rate is increased it is now 9:05, and bus driver is taking the long route.
Step 11: Arrive at bus stop to discover it is 2.5 blocks away from the court house
Step 12: Run like a mad woman down 2.5 blocks in boots, carrying satchel
Step 13: Arrive panting at court to go through metal detectors.
Step 14: Ignore strange looks you are getting for your inability to breathe.
Step 15: Walk Rapidly to elevator, and take it...while you attempt to catch your breath
Step 16: Arrive at 9:15 to discover people pouring out of the jury assembly room. Heart rate increase as this does not bode well for said late juror.
Step 17: Talk to clerk, who gives you a badge and says don't worry about it, just check in with the lady at the front. BREATHE huge sigh of relief.
Step 18: Check in with very compassionate court clerk who understands being lost in downtown Chattanooga. Smile and say thank you.
Step 19:  Sit down and ask the lady next to you if she knows what is going on. Smile as she barely acknowledges you. Okay I know I am out of breath, but I don't stink cause I did wear deodorant.  Smile again and finally have her say, she is not sure.
Step 20: Read a few pages of a book since lady next to you is not talking. I seem to have offended her by asking a question. Say silent prayer for said lady, who is glaring at you like you are from planet mars. Superstitiously check clothes to make sure all is zipped etc. Discover all is fine, pray for lady again. SUDDENLY remember, you left your headlights on! Heart rate SKY ROCKETS. PRAY FOR CAR to not die.
Step 21: Look up to see court clerk approaching bench. She now tells you that your number and most of the rest of the court  room are excused because the expert witness for the murder trial is not going to make it today.  Silent lady shakes head in disbelief and still glares at  you. You say "have a nice day" and smile. She actually smiles back. Pray for  lady again.
Step 22: Walk to elevator quietly praising God that you think you can make it back to your car and the headlights before the car dies.
Step 23: Leisurely walk to bus stop 2.5 blocks away.
Step 24: Have a nice conversation with another potential jury member.
Step 25: Arrive at car and while digging  for car key, FIND LOST jury badge in your BIBLE.  How did it get there, no idea.  LOL
Step 26: Turn off headlights and start car. Praise GOD for His intervention.

Ahhh God is good and He has a great sense of humor too.

Fierce Beauty Book Review

My favorite quote in the book was:
"A true warrior understands that every pain and scar--when placed in the hands of the King--has great purpose. The Lord calls us to grow through our suffering and fight for those without hope".  This spoke to me because I am survivor.  Abuses from the past, having people compare me to my identical twin sister and she she was the "pretty one" (she happened to be prissy), inflicted deep wounds. While I have healed from them, I see through this book, fierce beauty, how those things color    how people view themselves. Instead of through God's eyes, we see ourselves through broken lenses that distort the view of who HE is making us to be.

He trades beauty for ashes, strength for pain. What we survive and endure makes us stronger and more beautiful. What we thought was in ruin, the Lord, makes into something to help others. It is through pain, we learn to deal with hardship and forgive. IF we forgive and let God use us, despite our brokenness, beautiful things can happen.

The world's definition of beauty is pointless. No one, not one person can attain it or even feel that they have attained. It is seeing ourselves through His eyes that we can find His beauty in us.

This was a good book, but hard to read at times. I would recommend it for anyone who needs to see themselves through the light of the King of King's eyes. For He sees beauty even through the pain. His love reaches to the highest mountains and to the deepest valley. We can not get away from His love. However we have to choose to reach out and take hold of all He is offering, the life line in order to really see differently. We can not do it alone. We need HIS help to see ourselves and other the way He does. BEAUTIFUL. We need to trust Him and lean not on ourselves, but let go of our I can do it pride and give it over to Him. Then use what He does in us to serve Him and help others out of love and compassion, not just duty.

 There was way more in this book than I can even address and I want to read it again, because it will speak to you in more than one way. I do think it was hard to read at times, maybe because of the topic or maybe because I was struggling with illness at the time.

I received this book to review from Blogger for books.  This book review is based solely on my view point and not the author or the company by which it was published