The meaning of {MY} life...

Awake at 3 in the morning is not usually how I spend my nights. Feeling sick is keeping me awake. Why wouldn't something more noble be keeping me awake?

Like praying, cleaning my house, or finishing a book that couldn't be put down.

Nope.

I'm up at 3:47 this morning not feeling well enough to sleep.

It's in these times I tend to contemplate the meaning of life.
Maybe not life in general but the meaning of my own insignificant life.

I used to not know myself at all...
I would read/hear/see others and they knew themselves. They knew what they liked, what their favorite things were, what they were going to go to collage for, when they would get married, when they wanted to have kids, and so on and so forth.

Me?
I could hardly tell you my favorite color or decide what to order at Starbucks {still have trouble with that one}, how could I know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life?

I used to always think that's what made me insecure- not knowing myself. At least that's what the world told me.

"Follow your heart" -- they say.

I didn't know my heart.

{The bible says, "the heart is deceitful above all else"}

Looking back I realize less of me was a good thing. I didn't know it then but not knowing me was the best situation for my prideful self. It gave room for God to show me who He thought I was!
In my selfishness- always wanting to know what MY plans were- God was right there- drawing me closer- giving me hope- letting me know what HE thinks of me.
It honestly took years! {and He isn't finished with me yet}


He says I am His child! I am His beloved! He is jealous for me! He knows the plans HE has for me! He tells me I'm beautiful and unique! That HE created me in my mother's womb!
He has called me to a life of intercession and a life of worship.
He continues to draw me closer to Himself as He shows me his plan for me- one step at a time!

But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
Psalm 73:28

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. (James 4:8 NLT)

30 days...

Thirty days: one month.

My wonderful friend Leslie had a spectacular idea to help get our butts in gear to loose unwanted bumps and bulges!

{While getting healthy and loosing weight one should not reward one-self with food...}

Leslie's idea is to have a party at the end of a 30 day period to show off what we have accomplished and to have great fun with wonderful friends!

Now- this 30 day period (our first of what I hope to be many) starts the 25th of January!

I am still figuring out the specifics but one goal I do have is to loose ten pounds! It may seem like a lot in 1month but I am convinced that if I actually try I will succeed!

Things to help me STAY on track:

I will be purchasing a treadmill (from my mother!! So excited!)

I will be purchasing a new set of workout clothes! (super inspiring if I do say so myself!)

I will be keeping track of my progress in my fitness journal! (If I can locate it!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We still have to decide the theme and the details of our goal-achieving-healthy-lifestyle-praise-the-Lord party.... And maybe the title of the party! But I am expectant and ready to put in the work!


A Lot can happen in 30 days.......let's see what God has in store for this next 30 days!

Hoops I did it again...

Do you remember the days of Relient K, John Reuben, T-Bone, white eyeliner, butterfly clips and Leonardo DiCaprio?

Yes I must confess I was a part of Leo mania from age 11 to.....how old am I again?

So I was thinking back to my adolescent days, of how everything was so dramatic and how when I felt a feeling it was felt in all extremity of the feeling! I was always hoping for the future days- days of when I would be able to drive and have a boyfriend (which of course would be Leo!). Days when I would get to have a job and pay my own bills and own my own checkbook!

Little did I know that gets old quick!

Thinking back on my life has made me realize that I have always longed for a different day than the one I was given. Always reaching for a new season.

To be content...

What a concept! Being JOYFUL in the day God has given me! Being THANKFUL for the season God has placed me in!

Still learning... Still seeking... Still longing for the hope of the future- the future the God has for me!

Thank you Lord for your plans!

We have WAY to many clothes!

Saturday I spent probably spent three hours doing laundry, organizing clothes, putting them away and hanging them up in our walk in closet.

There were so many clothes! I was CRAMMING them into the drawers and SQUASHING them into the closet. This morning I go to put away a pair of shoes into the hanging shoe drawers.

I walk away.

.

.

.

.

BANG! CRASH! CLUNK!

.

.

.

Shawn BOLTS up from his sleep and yells, "WHAT WAS THAT?!"

My heart is POUNDING!

"I don't know!"

We go to the closet. Our entire rack to hang the clothes on fell OFF the WALL!

Withe the clothes still on it we attempt to hook it back to the wall....

backs straining we manage to fix it.

We have WAY to many clothes!

Maybe we should have a garage sale!

overjoyed

I am so overjoyed-

I am overwhelmed by God's plans and how they work-

I am anticipating the wonderful things God is doing-

I am overjoyed-

I am becoming aware of the NEW things that God has in store-

I am humbled by His Love-

I am overjoyed-

Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:18-19

Marvelous Monday

Today is Monday.....not Mundane Monday, but Marvelous Monday!
Today I started my first day as the Lead Teacher in the two-year-old room at TLC, the daycare where I work. It started off very positive and fun! We played a new version of Candy Land, went potty the first time we were asked, and read a book about our Dads. Then we went for a walk. We spotted a bird, the water (the river), some ducks that were sleeping, a hawk, and some road construction trucks! How we marveled at those trucks!

Now we are getting ready for lunch and nap. Its only 11:15. Lord help us to look for the marvelous things this Monday.

So Full

I can't believe sometimes the LIFE God has given me. He has given HOPE when my world seems lacking. His GRACE is more pertinent everyday. I feel Full. Full of God's GRACE and HOPE. I am FULL of HOPE in that I am HOPING for the future that is about to unfold. Hope is a wonderful thing.

But I will HOPE continually, and will praise you yet more and more! Psalm 74:14

Without Hope I feel that I am living for no reason. Such a LIE that is! God has given PURPOSE and LIFE to His Children!

'For I KNOW the plans I have for you', declares the LORD,'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a HOPE and a FUTURE!' Jeremiah 29:11

Its so humbling to realize how much the Lord LOVES me.

He CARES. He KNOWS. He LOVES. He GIVES. He REVEALS. He FORGIVES. He SAVES. He BELIEVES.

All my shortcomings can't defer God's LOVE and His Grace. Therein lies the Beauty of HIS gift.

Its not about what I do. Its about what God has done and is doing and what He is GOING to do!

Praise the LORD!