Comments

Ok so I fixed the comments portion on my blog. So all of you who would like to comment, please feel free to do so. Thanks.

Upside Down

For those of you who don't know, I take all of the pics on my blog. My friend has been encouraging me to put my pics out there so here you go. I just took this of my friends little boy. I love it. Not just because of the beauty of the child and the composition but because I often feel upside down. Been feeling it for a little while now. But, you know, upside down can be fun. It can be a blast. It is all about perspective. I choose to change my perspective and let these upside down days be fun. A unique learning experience. Take all that is upside down in your life and change your perspective. Swing with it. Fly. Laugh a little! Happy Thanksgiving!

My Provider

My husband is a teacher. He was a teacher then he was a sawmill owner. Now, he is a teacher and a sawmill owner. Neither of which pay much. He teaches for a small Christian private school that is just into it's second year of existence. That being said we do not make a lot teaching. I am the music teacher and he is the math science teacher for 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th grade. This is his first year of teaching since 2001. We prayed a whole lot about whether or not he should take this job, knowing that the pay was not much and that it would be crazy for a while. We felt the peace of God and still do.

Daily, David and his students take prayer requests and write them down and pray over them until they get answered. They ask for many things and so does David. He often asks for prayer for our finances and the kids are faithful to pray for that. One of my students , however, came to me to talk about it though and she was greatly distressed about the fact that we don't make a lot of money. It was a good opportunity to talk to her about God, My Provider. I told her that we were not doing what we were doing for the money and that God was always faithful to provide because we were doing what He was telling us to do. She still had a worried look. She asked me what we were going to do about school for our kids someday. You know, how were we going to pay for the best schools etc. I told her that if God wanted my children in those schools, He would provide the money to send them there. He is My Provider. He has been and He always will be. Even if , someday, we end up millionaires, He is our Provider. We don't find peace in money. I mean it is nice to have around but my peace is supposed to be in God.

I got tested the other day in that. I went to check an account and my heart sank. We had very little in it and almost went to the land of despair. But I checked myself and talked to God. I told Him that it was just money and that I would not let money or the lack there of steal my peace. Later that night I went to hear a speaker for the volunteers of our church. He talked about this woman who was in his Bible school. He felt like someone in his class had prayed for 500.00 that morning so he asked if there was anyone that had. A woman raised her hand. He took out a fifty dollar bill, which was all he had on him at the time, and said ,"there is 500.00 in this 50.00. Don't limit God and see what He does. On her way home she stopped at the grocery store to pick up groceries. While she was standing in the check out line, she noticed a family in front of her that could not pay for their groceries. Feeling God's leading she handed them the 50.00. When she got home that night, a person she knew met her at the door. This person told her that they felt like they were supposed to give her 500.00 dollars! God increased her gift in a mighty way and was her Provider.

That night I went home to my husband inspired and peaceful. One our friends was there just hanging out with him and I started telling them what the message was about and how we don't need to measure our success by how much money we make because God is in control of that. He is our Provider. I also told them how I did not let the enemy steal my peace that morning when I saw the depressing balance in our savings account. Not long after I finished telling them this did our friend pull a card out of their pocket and hand it to us. Inside was a really encouraging note to my sweet husband and a check made out for 500.00! I love my Provider! by the way, my handsome and talented son took that picture above.

What I am thankful for

I call this picture. All I Need to Be Thankful For

This picture was taken this last week on our trip to the coast. I looked down and saw all that I loved most in the world on the jetty and felt unbelieveably greatful. Thank You, Lord, for giving me what really matters... LOVE.

Love Came Down

Have you ever been through a time that is just hurts, You know that God is in everything that is happening and that He has a plan and that you have total peace about...but it hurts. That is what me and my husband David are going through right now. Peaceful pain. I guess it could be worse. It could be pain with no peace. Thank You Jesus for being our peace in every situation. I just call on You and You are there to hold me and my sweet husband. Anybody out there that is having painful peace right now? I pray for the Lord to sustain you and make you whole in every area of your life. Stay in the peace. We do have a choice. Blessings and peace.

Now

I was just reading one of my favorite blogs and she was having a converstaion with her husband about her career. She said to him" it's now or never" and he replied to her, "it's now." "It's now." WOW! Profound and simple but it hit me like a ton of bricks. Everything that we have in the whole world is right now. That is it. What are you going to do with "now"?

Right before I read this blog I was putting my little 2 year old angel to bed. I read to her a nightly Bible story and then covered her up and sang to her the medly of songs I always sing to her. There are times because of my lack of "alone time" that I rush through this process but tonight I just lingered and looked at the most beautiful little person and enjoyed all that God has given me. I did what I wanted to do with "now". What will you do with "now"? It is all you have. It is all that God has placed in front of you. Enjoy.

Learning

Has it really been over a month since I last posted. So much has happened in one month. My children started school again. I started teaching music again. I found out I was healthy and paid quite a lot to find that out. But my husband just looks at me and touches my face and says. Isn't it wonderful that you are o.k. ? He loves me. I like that.

I lead worship for a women's retreat and found some of my confidence for doing that kind of thing return to me. Not so much confidence in myself, but in God being able to use me like that again. Again, my husband supported me through the whole thing. Love him.

I have learned that I cannot possibly do everything. From grave mistakes that I made last year. Loading my boat so full of stuff I had to do that I did not even have time to see the beauty right in front of me. I don't do well in that environment. I know this aboout myself now and, while I realize that being stretched is sometimes a growing experience, when it is not God stretching you but you stretching you because you simply took too much on, it just hurts you and those around you. Kind of freeing to embrace that.

I have learned that I have still not dealt with my anger issues that I had when I was younger. I just stuufed them. Anybody ever do this? They just come bubbling to the surface and shock takes you over. Not fun. When I got prayed for about this issue, this sweet lady told me that it was bubbling to the surface because God wanted me to deal with it and get it out of my life. Probably true. Unless you see something you cannot face it. I kind of like prettier things bubbling up out of me though. Just because I like pretty things. Things that sparkle. Things that shine. One more thing to work on but I know His grace is sufficient for that.

I have learned that I love to hear my two year olds feet thunder across the wood floor in my house because of the life that she holds in that tiny little body. She just makes me want to live and experience life every day. She is never still except when she sleeps. I love this about her even when I am exhausted from it. Ha!

You should try this. Write down the things you have learned in the last month. It will amaze you. Many people in the Word called Jesus Teacher. Why should we think it stopped when He ascended into heaven. He has so many things that He wants to show us about Him, His creation and about ourselves. Why? Because He wants to know you and , without a doubt, wants you to know Him. Try it.