Praise You Lord!

I just have to give a big Shout Out to the Lord!
THANK YOU LORD!

My darling daughter, age 21, mother of beautiful Jada, lost her day care last week and as of today was at her wits end as to what to do. She actually took the baby to work with her yesterday and somehow got through the day. We, my husband and I, racked our brains to think what we could do to help and even tried to bring her up to ATL (from FL) for a couple of weeks but nothing was working out. Today my daughter had to stay home with her and made plans to extensively research all child care in her area. She called every number on a 12 page list only resulting in one possibility....she then called to tell me she was on her way over to this one possible home day care to make a decision and that BTW her boss had called to tell her she has just been promoted to the VP of the company's desk and all her clients are being reassigned today...she MUST be at work tomorrow. This is huge...she's 21 for pete's sake...but she's good at her job, very good and the VP loves her and wants to train her for bigger and better stuff. Fabulous opportunity....lousy timing...what if this daycare doesn't' work out? What if it doesn't work out all week or next week?? While enroute to visit said daycare, she makes one last attempt to contact the incredible daycare she has been on the waiting list for months to get into, just a by the way stop....Can you believe it, THEY HAVE AN OPENING as of tomorrow ?!!!?! No they don't? Yes they do!! She grabbed it on the spot, of course, having waited since last Sept.
Please don't tell me God doesn't care about these things....He is amazing when He takes care of things.
He has always had a soft spot in His heart for my baby and I have given her to Him....and I prayed He'd open a door...I guess I just wasn't too specific...He opened several! hahaha
He does all things well!

This is wild

I saw the results from a national survey on TV this morning and take a look at this!

...this survey included women from all walks of life with a number of the women labeling themselves as "feminists".

The question was:

What things make women the happiest in their marriages?

And Survey says....

1) Husband is loving and affecionate

2) Husband sets aside time for his wife

3) Husband is the main breadwinner

4) She doesn't need to work outside the home unless she desires to

5) Husband helps around the house

6) She attends church regularly with her husband


Amazing isn't it?!?

News Flash!!!

I think I found a dress for the wedding! I bought one anyway...we'll see if it stands the test of natural lighting and hair highlights...lol
I won't stop looking but this one looks pretty good...it's hanging in my closet and can alswasy be returned if I find a better contender. :)

Lyrical Challange :)

mrs zeke has asked if she could post lyrics from a song that has been speaking to her for 3 years. Wow, 3 yrs is a long time...I can get one stuck in my brain for days or even weeks, but years?! Now that may be something the Lord is really trying to get across. :) Anyway she gave me the idea to ask everyone to post a song...I'm not too particular...it could be your favorite of the moment or something the Lord is really speaking to you. Maybe He changed your life around a particular song...and it doesn't necessarily have to be a "Christian" song either, as you know if you've read my blog before. He is All and in all and can speak thorough the most interesting methods. Some of the churches we fellowship with actually write their own songs and they are very powerful and speak clearly of where the church is at that time. So really, anything goes...just be sure to include a note as to what you are hearing from the Lord along with the lyrics. You can print them here or link over to your own blog and put them there....

What song is or has the Lord been speaking to you through? share His voice with us...we need to hear too.

LIF

I have debated over two different songs this week to use for my Lyrics I Feel post and finally settled on this song by Jeremy Camp. I happen to know that Jeremy has been through a lot in his life including being widowed at a very young age and I have great respect for his father, Steve, and the stand he has taken in his life, although a bit on the legalistic side....None can argue his heart for the Lord or that of Jeremy's which is so evident in his life and songs.

I have paid very little attention to this partiuclar song since it came out a couple of years ago, until these past few weeks and as often happens...it speaks directly to where I am at the moment so I "hear" it for the first time. I would only change one word in the lyrics, were I to be singing it myself....that word is "prepares". I have to trust that all things come to my life through Christ and in so believing, I can handle so much more in my walk with Him.....my only thought is that perhaps the broken road mentioned is His will at that moment, so I can see His face and is not only preparation for the future. I don't like to look at my life in the Lord so much in future tense , which I find many Christians do, but I see it as a journey together with Him in the here and now. Either way, whatever road He guides me down, whatever words He has to say to me, I will Walk by Faith because I am sure He is in control!

Would I believe you when you would say
Your hand will guide my every way
Will I receive the words You say
Every moment of every day

Well I will walk by faith
Even when I cannot see
Well because this broken road
Prepares Your will for me

Help me to win my endless fears
You've been so faithful for all my years
With one breath You make me new
Your grace covers all I do

Well I'm broken, but I still see Your face
Well You've spoken, pouring Your words of grace

I will walk, I will walk, I will walk by faith
I will, I will, I will walk by faith

You know you're watching....

American Idol
when you overhear co-workers talking about Paris and you are sure it isn't France, Ace isn't the hardware store , Sway isn't describing your ride on the subway and Mandisa or Kinnik aren't countries in Africa. With names like these Bucky and Pickle seem rather normal.
I'm sure you have your favs but for now I'm rooting for Ace and Taylor along with Lisa and ?? I don't know yet. I really think Ace may have the edge this year, considering he's white, male, cute and he can sing too...of course that description could include Taylor too....just don't know yet....gotta keep watching I guess....
but my goodness!! 5 hours this week alone, or will it be 6?
Can't do it folks...I have a life to live sometime in there...so in an outright act of defiance...tonight I will have my hair done precisely at...ahem...5pm....
oh yeah, that should get me home in plenty of time.

Notes on Costs

A few notes on the Cost story (see earlier post):

I should say that I think of the kingdom mentioned in the reference scripture is not actually heaven as in "life after death" in my mind. Romans 14:17 identifies the Kingdom of God as "righteousness, peace and joy", which in turn can only be Christ. In my eyes He is the only true righteousness, peace or joy therefore selling all to gain Him is well worth the price. I suppose I am crazy enough to believe that this place that is God's, "the Kingdom", is kind of like a 5th dimension, a realm co-existing along with the natural world we see. It is big enough to contain the universe and yet small enough to fit inside of us. A place we can step into in our spirits, like stepping through the wardrobe and into Narnia. It is a vast and unexplored land of Righteousness, Peace and Joy meant to be discovered by God's people and Christ is the key, the Way, if you will. Perhaps death may be something like stepping through the wardrobe into this dimension and never coming back. So this is the context I look at the Kingdom of heaven in.

I see the cost, not only as giving up our lives to Christ, but as the ongoing refinement of our souls that we allow so that we might have the opportunity to explore "the Kingdom" daily. Tasting, seeing and even touching Christ in the here and now.
How much will we give up of ourselves in exchange for this priviledge?

I also wanted to address the fact that in our Christian walk we have never fully counted the cost and we cannot because we don't know our own hearts....and we don't know Him very well either. He does require the hidden parts of us, the things we keep secret or the things we hold onto thinking He wouldn't be interested in them. I don't mean material things either (unless that is your issue) but things like the motives of our heart, our talents and abilities, or our intellect..... He desires those also, the things we consider " good" as well as "bad". He is after all, a jealous God and wants to be number one. :) Not that He rejects us in anyway for continuing to hold onto our "suitcases"...(how can we help it when we often don't realize). No matter,He always accepts us even with our mountains of baggage.

I only hoped to point out that when He gracioulsy makes us aware of the situation and the things we hold to are finally given up to Him... however great the struggle...the return is great indeed.

And one more thing...not addressed in the story at all....
Sometimes what He requires is not even anything that we have to give... so we must fall on Him and trust Him to provide the sacrifice.

The Circus, the airport and the fish market

Just another crazy weekend in Atlanta. LOL

We started our looong weekend (it just felt long it wasn't' really) with our trip to the Circus. What was supposed to be fun, fun, fun turned sour. :( My hubby wasn't feeling well, but of course went along since it was our Valentine's present....we got lost....arrived late...and ended up sitting on concrete steps to watch since all the seats in our box were taken....except for the one we gave over to my mom...who believe it or not, has never been to the circus. We were certainly not in the best condition for the next few days due to 40 something year old bodies + butts on concrete ....My mother, however, had a blast! :)

Next the freezing rain moved in giving us ample reason to hibernate for a couple days in front of the fire with a good book. Very nice!

Yesterday hubby and I spent the day shopping for an appropriate outfit for the mother of the Bride...that's me :). who can argue with shopping :) ...how hard can this be? Well...we checked out Bloomys. Macys, Parisian, Nordstrom and Fileen's Basement...No luck so far...nothing...nada! I'm getting scared now....well possibly one at Parisian might work. (I could use some prayer here, people)

After that....The Atlanta Fish Market is one of the landmark restaurants in the city and since we were hitting every large department store in Buckhead we decided to splurge and treat ourselves to lunch/dinner (is that dunch?). All I can say is AWESOME! Every time we go there I am blown away. If you ever get to ATL you really should try it. Its definitley a piece of local color too.

Finally...my daughter (the Bride) who was visiting her fiance over the weekend in TX calls up to tell me that her 10pm flight arrival has been bumped back to 11pm...then 11:30pm...then 12:30am....GREAAATTT ...
So folks, come 12 midnight I'm driving down the Interstate while black ice is forming, to pick her up...at least she made it in last nite rather than this morning or I wouldn't be typing to you now.

Bed around 2am just about winds up my weekend....how was yours? :)

The Cost

Once upon a time there was a man who was very ordinary. His name was Hesme. He was a good man, kind to his family, well liked by his fellow man and rather shrewd in business. He had worked hard and done fairly well in his life, acquiring a comfortable living and a lovely family. He had a nice home, decent transportation, plenty of food and basically all of his needs met.

Hesme had come from humble beginnings and had a few things that were very special to him although they had no intrinsic value. He carried them in his wallet at all times. Along with the bank cards, credit cards, and such, he kept photos of his wife and family and tucked in the back, where it seemed of little consequence, were a few other items. One was an old and tattered photograph of his father, the second, the key to his mother’s family home, no longer even standing but still a memento of the house where he was born. The third item was the ragged business card of the very first company who had given him a chance to earn his living. Just personal mementos, nothing anyone else would be interested in. Even his wife occasionally asked him when he was ever going to clean out his wallet and throw some of those things out, but he would never do it. They were important bits of his history and he never wanted to forget.

Being a shrewd business man and experienced in dealing with properties, Hesme was always on the look out for a good opportunity. This talent had stood him in good stead throughout his life. One day he came up on a piece of property that, at first glance seemed rather ordinary but something about it caught his eye. It was beautiful really, small but lovely in a rugged and primitive sort of way. He decided to inquire into purchasing it and contacted the owner for first rights if the owner decided to sell. The owner was amiable to the idea and they began to draw up the paperwork giving Hesme the first option of purchase if the property appraised well. Of course being the business man that he was, Hesme asked his company’s surveyors, geologists and engineers to take a look. At first they weren’t impressed, and then the reports begin to come in. This was prime property, they said. Not only was it in a perfect location but the soil was very rich; there could be precious metals to be mined here. As they did more research they began to find that this was possibly the finest piece of property around. It was rich in minerals and perhaps was even the home of a diamond or gold mine. Perhaps even precious stones could be found there or oil! Besides, there was a particular plant growing there which had been discovered to have healing properties for cancer and possibly the Aids virus! Hesme immediately swore his employees to secrecy of course. No one could know for sure but this could be turning out to be the find of the century! Maybe in the history of the world! And Hesme had first rights to it! Unbelievable! This had to stay hush hush until the contract was settled!

Hesme went quickly home and sat down with his wife to tell her all about it. They couldn’t believe how incredible this was and how amazing that he had first rights to the purchase. The current owner obviously didn’t know what he had there. Why it was a treasure! A veritable fortune waiting to be uncovered! They were on the verge of an incredible acquisition in their personal as well as professional lives! Together they decided that this piece of property was worth buying even if it cost them a tremendous amount of money. They might have to move out of their comfortable home and go down to one car until they could get the return going from it but it was surely worth it. This was very exciting! They would keep this under wraps until the deal was sealed but they agreed that no price was too high to pay. They would buy this property, even if it meant selling all that they had to obtain it.

On the following day Hesme went to meet with the seller to discuss the price of the property. Perhaps the property owner was not as naïve as had been assumed, for the asking price was high indeed. The property owner wanted everything, all that Hesme possessed, his house, his cars, his businesses, everything. Hesme was prepared to offer a very large sum, contingent on selling some of his possessions but this was really more than he had bargained for. He went home to think it all over. The price was so high that it would mean selling everything, giving up his entire way of life, all that he had built and worked for. He and his family would literally have to move to the property and camp out. Could they do it? But the long term value of the property was absolutely incredible! He would be sitting on a goldmine, an endless, bottomless treasure. How could he say no? Of course he was buying it! He and his wife joyfully danced around their soon to be sold house, their decision made. To simplify matters, the owner had actually offered to trade with them. He would take their possessions and sell them or dispose of them however it suited him in exchange for the piece of property. So it was decided. Hesme and his family packed their suitcases and headed back to the property owner’s place of business to conclude the deal. After the papers were signed and sealed, Hesme handed over his various bank cards, the keys to his house and his cars. He turned and started to leave but the seller called him back. “I believe you forgot some things,” said the seller. “What could that be?” Hesme asked, unsure of what the seller was referring to. “Well, I’ll need to take those suitcases from you,” said the seller, “and I’ll take your wallet too.” In disbelief, Hesme stared at the seller. Could he be serious? “How will we survive?” He asked. “Surely you have no use for our personal possessions.” What could he possibly want with what we brought in our suitcases, he wondered, but the seller was holding out his hand. “The contract you agreed to and signed says that you will trade everything in exchange for the property, and I must ask you to turn over everything.” Hesme and his family dazedly handed over their suitcases, they figured that somehow they’d get by even though this was more than they had bargained for, still the property was the treasure of a lifetime and they were fortunate to get it at any price. Finally when all the suitcases and their content had been handed over, Hesme took out his wallet. He began to rummage through it removing the photos of his family and lastly, the mementos from his past that were stuck in the back. He handed the mostly empty wallet, with only a couple of remaining old grocery discount cards in it, over to the seller. The seller accepted the wallet then he did the unthinkable….he held out his hand, yet again. For what? What else could he possibly still want? Hesme, didn’t have a clue. There was nothing left in his possession except the family photos and mementos. But the seller was still holding out his hand in expectancy. “You can’t mean that you want these too?" cried Hesme. “Yes, I do, replied the seller. I want ALL, even the smallest most insignificant things. That was our deal.” So Hesme reluctantly and in disbelief handed them over, his family photos, the key to his mother’s homestead, his ragged business card, everything, until he was literally left with nothing of his own. Only then was the deal completed. Only when all the things Hesme was holding on to were relinquished did he gain so great a treasure.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Matt 13:44



The cost is always ALL …every time... over and over again ....

HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY!

Guess what I got my Valentine?
Fun! Fun! Fun!
We haven't been in years and this tme it'll be just us!

Hope your V'Day is lovely... :)

Good Morning Monday

We spent the weekend in AL doing the wedding shower/family thing. Very nice and Bek had a good time. Lots of loot too. :) Visited with future cousin-in-law who is getting married in May...her guest list has 400 invitations so far and a write up in Bridal Magazine...Whew! I don't envy her and her mom!

We got a dusting of snow and boy was that fun! The kids running around outside with their heads back and their mouths open. :) Me too when we came out of the restaurant after dinner to at least an inch on the cars and huge wet blobs of snowflakes still coming down.

RSVPs are beginning to come in.

Enough driving for a while. I plan on sitting (perhaps not literally) at home this weekend.....

Be Thou My Vision

I love history...especially as it pertains to me. I love when I can see a direct correllation between ancient peoples and myself. Never can I see it more clearly than in the writings of some of the earliest Christians. So pure, so true...Our story is their story, our hearts, their hearts. We share a love and an experience in Christ that spans time and eternity. We are bound to them with cords that cannot be broken.
You may sing this song in your church, I know we do sometimes. Who would ever have guessed that it came from the earliest days of Chirstianity in Ireland, it is still so pertinent today. Same heart..same Lord.
**********************************
Words: At­trib­ut­ed to Dal­lan For­gaill, 8th Cen­tu­ry Ireland and trans­lat­ed from an­cient Ir­ish to Eng­lish by Mary E Byrne, in “Eriú,” Jour­nal of the School of Ir­ish Learn­ing, 1905, and versed by Eleanor H Hull, 1912, alt.

Music: “Slane,” of Ir­ish folk or­i­gin
Slane Hill is about ten miles from Ta­ra in Coun­ty Meath. It was on Slane Hill around 433 AD that St. Pat­rick de­fied a roy­al edict by light­ing can­dles on East­er Eve. High King Lo­gaire of Ta­ra had de­creed that no one could light a fire be­fore Lo­gaire be­gan the pa­gan spring fes­ti­val by light­ing a fire on Ta­ra Hill. Lo­gaire was so im­pressed by Pat­rick’s de­vo­tion that, de­spite his de­fi­ance (or per­haps be­cause of it­), he let him con­tin­ue his mis­sion­ary work. The rest is his­to­ry.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

An ancient song...it says so many important things. But above and beyond all the wonderful things that it says, may I each day be reminded that being good is not the goal, doing it right or being blessed is not the goal, heaven is not the goal....He alone is the Prize, the Pearl of Great Price worth trading my life for, worth giving all for and like the ancient saint who penned these words I pray that whatever befalls...
He is the Goal! He is the Vision!
This entire life's experience is not about me at all. It is about Jesus Christ, God's Son!

On to better things...

Well this has been a profitable week for me...inspite of Wednesday's blog. :) Not all is woe is me. I had a wonderful surprise visit from my Jadabear over the past weekend, wedding invitations finally went out...huge load off. ( Now don't be offended if you don't receive one, we can't afford to feed half the East coast...only B & Js' immediate gazillion family and friends....haha)...AND last nite I got to have dinner with my wonderful son.

For those of you who don't know, he is a professional musician and travels most of the time. He happened to be in GA last nite so I drove over to see him and take him one of his text books (yes, he has re-started his college classes, via the internet...yeaah!). He's doing great and it was awesome to see him for a quick visit. Tomorrow we, as in myself, my bride-to-be daughter and my mom will drive over to AL for the weekend and for the first wedding shower, to be given by family on both sides. It will be so much fun to see everyone...which never happens....I am excited about that. :) So...there are good things going on in my world and I feel better today...I can actually see the good stuff. lol... funny how life is often about perspective..and some good ole Ibuprophen didn't hurt the cause either. :)

Now on to comtemporary Americana...and I mean The Grammys...!
Of course I keep up! Even though I definitley chose dinner with my favorite music star over watching the actual presentations....
All I can say is "Way to go John Legend! His Get Lifted CD is incredible and he certainly deserved the new artist award. Also congrats go to Kelly Clarkson and her Breakaway CD. Again...amazing work, she is a true find from American Idol. I like it when the deserving people actually win. I was pulling for Mariah but I can't really argue with U2 either. I'm just very proud of Mariah for her awesome comeback after basically falling of the planet and having a nervous breakdown a couple years back. Cream does indeed rise to the top.

Wonder what song lyrics I'll post tomorrow...hmmmm...maybe I'll chose a Grammy favorite...we'll see.
Well enough stuff.....I have to get some work done....Ciao

What's wrong??

What is wrong with me?!
I feel so yucky! Blah, blah. Is it the mid-winter blues? That "time" of the month? The fact that Jada came up for a surprise visit over the weekend and now I miss her more than ever? The fact that my 40+ body has numerous aches and pains this week (possibly caused by lifting during said visit from granddaughter)? or maybe a contribution from the aforesaid "tanning"? (I feel like I do when I've had too much sun). Could it be emotional....we are having some emotional upheaval here,... children( making questonable choices), wedding planning (translate - losing a daughter and paying for her departure, :) not questionable choices here folks), church, (translate- on-going turmoil...some of you know something of what I mean). I suppose it all combines to create the yuckiness I'm experiencing.... sigh.....

Then this morning I remembered something. It came to me from inside myself somewhere ....Something I know deep down inside where He lives....No one ever had to tell me this...it is something I have always known. It came to me in the words of an old song we used to sing in our Youth group years ago.......

God is Greater!

Mason-Dixon Line

This a hoot ya'll! Try out this Yankee/Rebel Quiz and see where you land. Having been raised in the deep South and doing almost 10 years in Philadelphia(it did feel a little like hard time at first...lol...not talking prison here, just culture shock.. haha)...apparently I'm a pretty well mixed up girl...I'm at 53% (Dixie) right on the line with a slight Southern leaning....Yep, that just about nails it. :) I like being well mixed. :)

LIF Day

Like Ray Charles said...."Country music tells stories, people love the stories" and I do, maybe its the "Southern" in me :). There are several titles on this CD by Rascal Flatts that could have spiritual implications, The Broken Road, The Day Before You.... but here is my super favorite from their Feels Like Today release. As I have mentioned before, many songs and types of music speak to me of the Lord and His work in my life. Some, with only a minor tweaking of words, can come to say something very profound when viewed from my "God eyes" or maybe I should say my "God ears". :) I have added the word "Jesus" in the middle of this song which obviously wasn't there in the original...but my spirit heard it anyway...:) Truly I do only want to be "Where He is"!

Where You Are

There you are standing strong, I'm a leaf holdin on
You believe, like a child, in this fire runnin' wild
Oh I love how you see right to the heart of me

You're a waterfall, washing over me
I'm a thirsty man let me drink you in
I am on my way, you're a mountain top
When I reach for you, your love lifts me up
All that I want to be is where you are.

I'm the frozen ground, you're the warm sunlight
Shining down on me, (Jesus) just in time
I have never been in a love like this
Oh, you move my soul every time we kiss (hey Bek, it works! :))
And I love how you heal; I can't believe how alive I feel!

You're a waterfall, washing over me
I'm a thirsty man let me drink you in
I am on my way, you're a mountain top
When I reach for you, your love lifts me up
All that I want to be is where you are
James LeBlanc, Catt Gravitt

No I'm not dreaming...

there is a funky smell...like salty or tangy, this from the required anointing oil ...indescribable really but it makes me sneeze...I enter into a realm of blinding light and bug eyes, something reminiscent of the alien creatures in my son's comic books...there are whirring noises and strangely enough...music blaring today's Top 40...the paper thin walls of the chamber tell me this is true for all....And so I go to a land where no man has gone before....well maybe a few have gone before but I am assured that their germs have been completely annihilated.....Let the tanning begin!