Our Promise

 

We have a Promise. We have been given much. Sometimes it doesn't feel that way. We can't hold it, touch it or see it. And this gift given to us was from many years ago. It has been freely given and handed down to us as God's people, his child. 

Today is Easter. We celebrate that gift today. Not the easter bunny, but Christ. His sacrifice for us, for me. We are not worthy of this, but he loves us so much that he did this for us, those in his present time and those of us to come later. He loves us even though we are sinners. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." 

HE overcame death so we can have life, life eternal with him. Trust in him. Live a life for him. With Jesus, we can overcome anything. 

So while you are out today, celebrating with family and friends, hunting down those easter eggs (like me!) and putting on your easter clothes (not me, just jeans!), remember what today is really about....Our saviour and the greatest gift of all...forgiveness and love. 

John 16:33 says: "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But be courageous; I have overcome the world."

Love to all, 

Trust the process

 

I went to the beauty salon, hairdresser, whatever you all call it and got my hair cut. It's been a while since I have always had my hubs cut my hair. Yes you heard me! But I am needing some professional work since I am trying to grow it out. And anyways, my  hubs is telling me he is retiring from his cutting hair gig! So I guess you can say I was forced to find a new hairdresser. 

I was really nervous because I think I got a girl that is new at this. She was very shy, didn't say much and seemed to be working on her confidence level. Which made me more nervous. But I kept telling myself to TRUST THE PROCESS. 

As she was cutting my hair, I was certain she really was struggling with what I asked. I only asked her to even it out, trim the ends. I showed her a before picture of where my hair was at and then a picture of what I was working toward. Again, I was telling myself, TRUST THE PROCESS!

It only took her 15 minutes and I swear it felt like she didn't cut much of anything.  I'm not judging, but I was just a little uneasy since I did pay $60 for this hair trim. 

But today....I feel like my hair responded pretty good! It is still in that "in the middle" phase and will probably be there for a while, but she did a pretty good job. I have no complaints. I guess she DID know what she was doing! haha

Sometimes, do you ever feel like you are in those situations. Times when you are unsure and you keep hearing that little voice say "trust the process".  It is hard to trust something that you do not have full confidence in or something you cannot see. We all want to have those assurances that whatever it is, it will turn out the way we want. BUT, as you know, it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes you have to face disappointment. Sometimes you have to wait until what you are wanting happens at that right time. Like that job promotion, or getting a raise or starting a family, getting married and the list can go on. Everyone has those moments in time. 

Whatever you are working towards, stay strong and courageous. God is with you through all the ups and downs in life. He will walk with you, carry you and hold you in all the good and bad times. There were many times that I had wanted something so bad and God told me no.  I was so upset and even yelled at God! He can take it and he understands our frustrations. God knows our hearts and thoughts. He carried me through some disappointments in my life. But looking back, I am glad God said no at those times, because I was not ready for that yes at that time I was seeking it. Trust in HIS process! Trust in HIS timing. 

Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Love to all,

Doing it again!

 

Welp, I am trying it again. Yep, growing out my hair. I seem to get to a certain point and say, "I give up, I'm cutting it" and then I go back to short. But I am determined to get to my goal...just don't know what that goal length is. I guess I will know it when I get to it.

I just need to get an in between cut/trim. The problem is that the hubs has been cutting my hair and now I need to go and trust someone else to do it.  And that means I have to tell them what I want and how I want it cut. I DON'T KNOW!! That is probably why I keep going back to short hair....something that I know, the familiar.  And I know what you are saying, you let your husband cut your hair?. Yes I do. He isn't a barber, he just watched some videos on You Tube and does a really good job! You can learn a lot from You tube! LOL.

Bed head is another problem with thick,curly hair! Gotta love the curls!

With anything in life, there is going to trials. Me and growing out my hair and managing the morning bed head curls.  Or it maybe something else..something more challenging. We all have them.  Challenges, trials, But we get up every day, put our feet on the floor and move. That takes a strength that we sometimes take for granted. It takes courage. I am thankful that I wake up everyday, with breath in my lungs. That I have the courage to get up and live.

This week, Kentucky is facing many challenges with flooding and severe weather. A lot of people have lost so much... some have lost their life, some have lost their home.  I have family that have experienced some flooding, but have been lucky. If you are a praying person, please life up in prayer the families in KY and pray for courage to face the trials ahead of them. 

No matter what you are facing, going through or have walked through, God is with you. I pray for everyone reading this, that you have peace and strength to get through the challenges that life throws at you. You are strong!!

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" 

Psalm 46:1-3: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake with their surging." 

Philippians 4:13: "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." 

And my favorite, go to verse when I need to be reminded:

Isaiah 40:29-31: "He gives power to the weary, and to those who are without strength he increases might. Even the young men will faint and be weary, and the young women will stumble and fall; but those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." 

Love to all, 

No worries...Happy

No worry...just happy.  I am so happy. Have you ever been so happy, full of sunshine that you just can't hold it in? I feel things are looking up.  

We are getting ready for pickle season!! If you are local to me, I am taking orders. I do not ship them. But I hear they are the best ever!! All the money I make goes toward my mission trips. I am looking at my missions and starting anew. As of now, I am not traveling internationally, but looking at missions locally. My first trip is with Send Relief to Evansville In. I am excited to work with them and the local churches. We will be ministering to the local neighborhoods. The team that I will be assisting is working on a playground and helping host a block party for the kids and people in the neighborhood.  I am so excited!! Will I get back into medical missions, probably. Just not sure when. I do feel that I have a gift for medical, just need a break from it. So much is needed here right in my backyard that I want to be a part of. 

Now that the weather is SOOOO much better, Riley is getting a lot of walks in. And she needs it. She has gotten a little heavy over the winter! There are so many dogs in our neighborhood, that she can get all the free smells every day! I think it makes the exercise she is doing more worth it to her. 

We got the plans for our new house and fingers crossed, we will start breaking ground in a month. I am so excited about the new step and journey we are going. Lots of changes and lots of new things, but all worth it in this thing called life! 

God's got this and I give it to him everyday. All my anxiety, worries and needs and he will provide....on his time. And it is replaced with happiness, contentment, love. 

Ecclesiastes 3:12: "I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; "  

Love to all, 

Reset

Time to reset. I don't know what to do. I drive past the hospital where I have worked for the last 15 years, see a helicopter take off and remember those days. Wait! It has only been 2 days! Man, I didn't realize how hard it is to start over. To leave people I have worked with for a long time. How there is a missing piece in my heart right now. I know it will get better and I will have new experiences. And don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to those! 

BUT....just saying. I am not sure what to do. I am used to having 50+emails a day and now I am not getting anything, maybe 2 today! Not complaining about it, just not sure what to do with that. Trying to separate from my phone because my job had me connected to it. It is just so WEIRD. 

As I sit here typing, I can't help but smile. I am listening to my music, watching my dog Riley "GUARDING" the house from the mail-person.  Life is Good. Peace. That is something I have not felt in a long time and you know what? It feels good. 

I am thankful for all the wonderful times with my work family over the years. Am I going to miss them...heck yeah. But I am happy. I still worry about what I was in charge of each day, because we (our unit) worked so hard to get where we are at. I just want that to continue. And I life this up to God in prayer for each and every person I worked with and for the unit. I have to let go. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

Love to all,

that guilt feeling

 

Sometimes, your mountain seems so big that you do not know how to get over or around it. Right? And you try to do things yourself only to find that your way isn't the right way. God always has a plan, he just doesn't let us in on it! We only know the ending but not when that ending is going to come. What a sense of humor our God has. I can just imagine him sitting there watching me every day and thinking "what is she going to do today?" 

Sorry to be a downer today! It's just been a really hard last 6 months and I feel I have climbed over this mountain to the other side...FINALLY! 

When I look back on my life.. of ahem... 57 years, I have experienced so much and have had a lot trials and tribulations. But I have also has so much more goodness, and happiness. And throughout all those trials, God has held me, and led me. I just had to give up the control.

Sometimes we just stay with our mountains, trying to keep the control! Until you just don't have anything else to give. And that is when you realize it is time to hand it over to God. That's what I had to do. I had to stop trying to manage it all....my life, work, family and all the rest in between and just say "Jesus take the wheel"! Once I did that, so much relief flooded my soul.  I am happy, smiling, and soon to be enjoying life more.

It just took me a while to see this. You see, for me, it was my work. I have been a nurse for so long. I moved up to management and love it. But I let my job overtake me. I let it consume me. So much that I was neglecting myself and my family. No job should come above God or family. It just took a while to figure out that I can't do this alone and needed help.

So with that, me and my hubs decided it was time for me to step down. I can't tell you how hard that was but how relieved I was at the same time. And the enemy knows this. The enemy is playing on this and now giving me those feelings of guilt. Those feelings of "maybe this was a big mistake", "maybe I made the wrong decision". Have you ever felt that way? I know this isn't the first time and probably won't be the last.

But when I made that decision and my kids are telling me that it's about time, I know that I have failed them and myself. It is time to go forward. Put it behind me and make new memories. 

Proverbs 3:5-6; "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Psalm 16:11; "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

1 Peter 5:7; "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you"

Whenever you feel this way, look to God, lean on Jesus and talk with him, every day. Read his word and the promises he gives us. He will guide you and bring you joy. I can speak from experience. Without God, I would be nothing. 

Love to all, 

I'm back!

 

Well, I am back. Not that I have a lot of followers! But I am sure those who are wondering, where have you been?? 

A lot of things have been going on, one big thing is....we moved and that  has been a life changing experience! We are living back in the city and oh, baby, I can tell I have been away for a while. I miss the quiet, country life. 

The small town feel and friendliness of people. Traffic is cRaZy here! I have to learn to watch from all sides and just pick a lane and stay in it! Today, I was driving to the store and there was a guy that just kept honking his horn. I don't know if it was me or someone else, who knows. 

Our house is a lot different than I am use to. We are renting right now, because we are getting ready to start building a new house...in the country!  This house is temporary and ok but not what we would choose as our forever home. We took a Sunday drive out to the area where we will be living and how I do miss the back, country roads, no traffic and nobody in a stinkin hurry. Makes my heart happy that I have that to look forward too.  Now to figure out where we will do our shopping, because there is not any superstores and only a small family market for groceries! I may have to plant a garden!

And the biggest news of all, I am also changing jobs! I am moving into a position that will allow me to have more time with my family.  This is something that I have taken for granted and I need to concentrate on putting them first, not my job. So I am stepping down and I have never felt more happy about a decision. I am looking forward to this new part of life and getting to know my husband again. 

I know nothing about this new job, as I have never done it before, but I am so excited to learn and grow in a different direction. This is best part about being a nurse, you can do so much and in different areas. You can still help people in many different ways. I LOVE IT! 

    I got my orientation schedule the other day. So weird to get one because for so long I have been making and sending those out.  I can't stop smiling when I think about this new step in my life. 

God has answered so many prayers and has been so patient with me. Sometimes he has to keep giving me signs and putting things and people in my path for me to piece it all together to know what direction to go. I know and trust that he is guiding us and will provide for us and our needs. 

There is more life changing experiences coming my way and I am ready for them!

Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

The Good News: Life is full of ups and downs — moments where we wonder if He has abandoned us. But with His guidance, we can find happiness.

Love to all,