Moving Mountains

So yesterday at church, our pastor's wife was prophesying after a powerful praise and worship song. She was declaring that we have the gift to speak out and move mountains and we must exercise that gift/right......now.




So it got me a-thinkin'

A mountain is basically any obstacle/issue/trail that is standing in your way. We all face mountains in our lives. It's part of life.

Most of the time, we (including me!) pray to God about these mountains. But in a verse from Mark:

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." ~Mark 17:20

......Jesus is telling us to speak directly to that mountain (obstacle) and command it to move.

There is nothing wrong with discussing things with God. We should. But we also have to trust in His Word and promises. We need to trust in the fact that God wants only the best for us. But we have to believe. We need to have faith.

He replied, ".......I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. " ~Matthew 17:20

Again, Jesus said YOU should tell it to get out of the way. And again, most Christians just speak to God about the mountain. Instead of following Jesus' directions & speaking directly to the mountain.

I don't want to waste another moment talking about my mountains.
I want to talk to my mountains.
I don't want to waste another moment begging or whining to God about moving my mountains
I am going to speak to it myself.... in faith. Faith in the promises in His word.

I am going to just do it Jesus’ name & not my own.

We need to speak to fear and tell it to be gone.
We need to speak to doubt and worry and tell it that it has no place in our life.
We need to speak to sickness & tell it that it can’t stay in our body.
We need to speak to our debt. Tell it to be removed from our life.

I heard this reference to having hardcore, steadfast faith regarding a stone-cutter. He may be whacking at that rock over and over with no signs of the stone cracking. He continues to labor and even at 99 whacks he sees no results. But when he swings that 100th time, it breaks in two. We can apply this to our own rock (obstacle). We might not see any results with those first 99 whacks , but we are weakening that rock even with no indication. Being persistent can bring us victory.

So today I am believing in that 100th whack.

I will continue to press forward and know that I am covered in God's armor. I believe what the Bible tells me. It tells me that nothing is impossible with God. I believe that God gives me the authority. I will not let unbelief or lack of faith keep me from speaking to my mountain.

So today, I encourage you.


Speak to your mountain!


xox
*~Michelle~*

An Oldie but Goodie

So I am going through some things that sent me running to the "oldie" but "goodie" Serenity Prayer. I am sure you know it.....

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference....

That actually is the short version. The full version continues on to say:

....Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next. Amen.

Today I am going to take each line of this prayer and focus on applying to my life. I can get so caught up in the busy-ness of life that I forget to live one day at a time. I need to slow down and learn. When issues arise, I need to stop looking inward and try to solve it all on my own instead of looking up towards the One who knows all. All these things are robbing me of the peace that God wants for me.

I want to surrender to God.....and know that He is in control of everything. I need help to gracefully accept His will. It's so easy to trust God when things end up going your way, isn't it?

.....But the true "trust" is when they don't. So I will continue to pray for an increase my faith and trust in Him. I will pray for the courage, strength and acceptance when trials come into my life.

I know and believe that there is total freedom in turning it all over to Him. There is an indescribable peace.......there is serenity.

Do you have anything that you need to turn over to Him?

xox
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday

Alrighty.....this is going to be my version of a short but sweet 3TTT post! I hope you can also join in and share three random things today with me. Could be funny photos, a great new recipe or tip or maybe you have a prayer request. Just grab the button my on sidebar and jump right in. There's no rules to follow.......(we like it that way!)

1. my reason for a short but sweet is due to the insomnia issue (which I took my own advice and slept pretty well last night)......I have not been very productive during the day and I have a big day today. We are hosting a "field day" at our house for our small homeschooling group and I have 100 water balloons to fill, a scavenger hunt to set up and an obstacle course to create. All before 9:30AM. EEK! It's 7:30! (remember, I told you.....I am not a very seasoned blogger where I could have had this post prepared last night) Thankfully I have all my older kids home so I will be waking their sleeping butts up early and having them help.

2.
Here is how our garden is coming along.......so far we've gotten some yummy strawberries and romaine lettuce. I plucked one broccoli crown off yesterday too. I know it's small but it's just the right size for us to be manageable. We've been busy getting all our newest members of our hobby farm settled and safe. If you didn't read yesterday's entry, you can go on back and meet Boaz and Willow, our baby Nigerian Dwarf goats. We also have some new funky feathered friends, like Kevin. (you would have had to see the movie "Up" to appreciate his name......great movie, BTW). Right now the other hens are picking on Kevin (it's a pecking order hen thing, lol)....N says that they are just jealous of Kevin's hairdo.

I have been trying to think of a name for our little farm and would love to get some suggestions from you guys.....so send some along! We will need a name when we start breeding and I need the perfect one.

3. I was blessed the past couple of weeks with three awards from three very awesome bloggin friends. I promise to pass them along when I can get my act together....but for now....I am accepting these awards ever-so-humbly, I am fluffin my frizzy hair and doing the parade wave. I encourage you to visit them often as they will lift you up, inspire you, make you laugh, make you cry.....they each bring their own gift. So here they are.....I feel like I am displaying them on my blogging mantelpiece.

Christy Rose from The Secret Life of an American Wife and Mother presented me with "Love Ya Friendship" award......Sonja blessed me with a "Creative Mom Blogger Award" and Martha from Fly Away Birdie awarded me with this "Your Blog is Super" award.





I truly feel honored that these fabulous women appreciate what I have to say....I have to be honest, as I've said before......this blog has been a blessing to me from the beginning. It started out being my outlet to pour out what is going on in this pinball head of mine. A place to share my journey chasing Jesus and trying to enjoy every day. But it has turned into a place where I am also meeting such wonderful friends, learning something new everyday and praising God the whole way!

Have a beautiful day today.......

Please join in the 3TTT and leave your link below.....and keep those comments/suggestions coming!!!

xox
*~Michelle~*

PS. Did you really think I could keep anything "short but sweet"??

......"sweet" maybe......"short" never. :)

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

So I have been slipping back into some insomnia issues....sometimes it's me waking up at an even more ridiculous time than I normally do. Sometimes it's waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep. I am still having issues/nightmares about predators coming after the animals of our little hobby farm, which has now grown to over 25 chickens (all different breeds/ages) and our two newest members, Willow and Boaz. Josh and I have been meticulous with making sure every coop is secure at night. During the day, they are allow to free range withing two fencing units, so I am still popping my head out there every few hours making sure everyone is OK. Did I mention I went out at 10AM one morning and I saw a fox walking toward the corral? Yeah, licking his chops, choosing which one from the buffet line he wanted that morning. Since then, we've peeled back even more brush and property from the animals and I have all the boys (and Josh) pee around the wooded area boundary. (hey, we heard it works as a good deterrent)

Anyway....it's not only that fear that keeps me up thinking/worrying......thoughts of finances, choices with the kids, personal relationships swarm in my head like a pinball machine. And with every issue and topic there is this looming negative vibe associated with it. Like the finances issue wouldn't be about what I needed to buy/pay....it would be....do I have enough to pay? \Or the decision to start homeschooling E again....it isn't being happy that we will be able to school/teach him in a more positive environment, it is more like....do you really think this is the best thing for him? Are you going to be able to do it with everything else you have going on? What if things go belly up and you need to get a job? Now what? You're gonna mess it all up by pulling him out, putting him in, pulling him out, putting him in. It almost felt like someone was poking at my chest, pushing me into a corner with the badgering. Then it would go to the "kick 'em when their down" phase. I would go over the dr. appointments we all have coming up in July. As I mentioned before, I have my yearly mammogram coming up, and yes....I've had a few instances where I needed to go back for followups. Scary, but praising God all findings were normal and/or benign. "What if this is "the one" where you find out you have cancer?" started to creep in.

Of course this was the enemy. He comes to steal in the night, his warfare starts when we are vulnerable. Five words sum it up:

The enemy is a liar.

He lies and makes you believe that things are hopeless. He lies and makes you doubt yourself and others. He lies and tells you that you need to take matters in your own hands and take over. His main goal is to lie and make you to think that God is not listening to your prayers, is not going to protect you through the storms.....even try to make you doubt His existance.

I was bound in this restless state of mind for about a half hour. I was tossing and turning.....getting more and more restless where I was sure I was going to wake up Josh. I tried everything to fall back to sleep. Got up for a drink, went to the bathroom....I even tried the old "flip open the Bible and see what verse pops up".

I am sure it will make sense later on, but my eyes fixed on Proverbs 21:19 "Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife" Of course that sent me into wondering if my insomnia has made me crankier than normal.....hmmmm. Gonna tuck that one away for later.

Getting frustrated with flopping around like a fish outta water, I started to think about how my daughter N loves to fall asleep. In fact, she swears this is why she sleeps so well and doesn't have nightmares. She snuggles up to Josh and he twirls her hair. He also whispers to her. He tells her how proud he is of her, how she is growing up to be such a wonderful girl....how smart she is....how much he loves her. He always says that it is so important for kids to hear positive and encouraging words spoken into their heart right before they fall asleep. He often does this to me too. It's something about his soothing voice and gentle touch that sends you into La-La Land in less than 2 minutes. Too bad he couldn't bottle it up....

But then it dawned on me.....I needed to remember that My Father is always speaking those words to me, but there is just so much junk going on in my head that I am not hearing it! So I started to rebuke the enemy and His lies. I told him that I had no time for his nonsense and envisioned myself snuggling to God. I envisioned Him stroking my hair (probably getting tangled in my dready mess, but He doesn't care....in fact, He numbers every one). I focus on Him telling me that He is proud of me. He loves that I am raising my children to follow Him. He completely has faith in *me* to homeschool E as well. He reminds me that He is always protecting our children and Josh. He reminds me that if and when we face trials and struggles.....He is always with us. No weapon formed against me and my family shall ever prevail. And saving the best for last....He told me how much He loves me.

I felt His presence and an amazing peace came over me.....and the next thing I knew, it was morning.

So tonight, even if Josh falls asleep first and doesn't give my locks a twirl....I am going to make sure that when the lights go out and after I say my nightly prayer...I make sure that there is room in the bed for God to snuggle right in along side of me.

What prayers and/or thoughts do you focus on when the enemy tries to sneak in?

So I am off to go tend to all the clucking and baby goat cries that sounds like "mommmmmmm" with N. Hope this finds you all sunny, smiling and well....it has rained 38 out of 42 days here.....but there is sunshine in the forecast tomorrow! WOOT WOOT WOOT!!!

xox
*~Michelle~*

Special Delivery

Everyone loves getting something in the mailbox (except bills and overdue notices!). Something about getting a handwritten letter or package in your mailbox is sure to put a smile on your face.

Today I was blessed with both.....a birthday card with some heartfelt words from a dear friend along with a small gift attached. Funny how God uses friends and their thoughtful ways to deliver His own message via our worldly "delivery service".

He must have known how these few powerful words
would be exactly what my eyes, ears and heart needed today.

....maybe you might need this today too.......here.......I'll bring it a little closer for ya.......

I hope you are blessed today with the freedom and peace this message brings. Know that we can lay everything and anything at Our Father's feet and He will handle it all.


Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

Happy Father's Day X 2

A good man obtains favor from the LORD
~Proverbs 12:2

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Father's Day with Josh....we are planning on heading up to his parents for a clam bake, just waiting on the weather to cooperate!

We're not sure what we're gonna get him for a present this year.....we always put together a nice keepsake of personal letters from the kids along with something either motocross or music related. The hand written cards from the children are worth far more than anything we can purchase in my opinion....these kids adore their dad and what they express in these letters is priceless. He gets a beautiful assortment of feelings and thoughts that all ultimately point to how much they love him. The childlike awe is still present from our 18 year old's writings....filled with pure love with a twist of humor thrown in. The raw honesty comes through from our 15 year old son who shoots straight from the hip but is sincere and loving. Our 11 year old (do you realize I just typed 8 year old.......holy time warp, Batman!).....has a way of sharing his love and appreciation for his dad in all the simple things in life that most kids take for granted. And then there is our 6 year old Daddy's girl who will send Josh running for the tissues with a few misspelled words.

Point is.....they are so blessed to have Josh for a dad. There is never a time that they do not come first....in fact.....others always come first in his world. It's just his way. It's been that way from the beginning. I can remember when G was first born.....this long haired rocker was working not two, but three jobs to support us. He made countless trips to the pawn shop to sell off his collection of guitars and equipment . He was trading off Marshall Stacks for carseats and exersaucers......and he never complained once.

Let me back up a bit and give you a better picture of it all. And here I go with being transparent and real.

Josh and I were pretty young, living kinda reckless in our early twenties in the late 80s. Not sure whose hair was bigger now that I think about it. We met at a club (typical, huh?) and became friends. He says that when he met me, he knew I was "The One". I, on the other hand, was clueless to it all. We met, he was nice......I carried on. Then a few weeks went by and I started to wonder why I would have random drinks bought for me at whatever club I was at. It was getting borderline stalker-ish until I realized it was that skinny rocker dude, Josh that always happened to be hanging at the same hangouts as me. So I started to talk to him and really get to know who was behind the AquaNet and spandex. Five minute conversations turned into hours on the phone in the wee hours of the morning. We built a really good friendship and could be found hanging at the beach or crashing a party together. Then, that Fourth of July in 1990......something just went Ka-Boom along with the fireworks display and our journey began. He basically was the date that never left and were living together. We were harmless in the sense that we just did our own thing, loved being with each other and lived the rock-n-roll lifestyle together. We def. were slated as "one of those couples" who wouldn't make it past a year or so.

To make a long story short (which actually is quite funny now that we look back, I'll share it sometime)......I found out I was pregnant less than a year into "playing house". At this point.....Josh could have simply bailed on the situation, which unfortunately is the case more often than not. But that never crossed his mind (that I know of, LOL)......

......we now were faced with this inconceivable fact that we were going to be parents and responsible for this little life. It also became a reality/possibility of the health of this baby as I had no idea how far along I was and did my share of "recreational" partying. So, on that day......May 5, 1991.....I had my first real conversation with God. I "told" Him that I would never touch another drug in my life if this baby was OK. Like I was making a deal with Him. WOW....how far I've come. That point in my life is testimony alone to God's Grace.

So we were completely taken by surprise (like who knew that having unprotected sex could create a baby???....again, not proud of the way I lived my life......but laying it all out here and keeping it real for you all. I was...and still am.....a sinner saved only by God's Grace and Forgiveness)

So zipping along with this.....the 21 year old part time working musician (that would be Josh) immediately went out and got not only one, but two jobs. One being a pizza delivery guy who would have quarter tips tossed at him on a late Saturday night by the late night drunken customers. How humbling this was for him. But he never quit that job. He never quit on us.

Some day I'll share countless stories that will chronologically display what an amazing person and father he is.....I've got some wing-dingers that I think would have you say....."he did WHAT!??!!" I'll leave you wondering........

So through this long and crazy journey these past 18+ years......he still doesn't quit on us. Sometimes I wouldn't blame him if he did. After working 50-60 hours a week, he may come home to a selfish teenager who gives him an attitude when he asks for some help with a chore. Or he might find one of his few possessions broken or left out in the rain. He doesn't demand dinner on the table (if you tasted my cooking, you might see why) or walk around cracking a whip to keep everyone in line. He works hard so that I can stay home and homeschool our kids.....He does without so he can give to others.

He is a good loving man who is living his life for Jesus and his family.....that is just how it is.

I am so blessed to have him in my life......I cannot imagine spending this life with anyone else. I thank God all the time for bringing Josh into my life. I thank God for creating a "new" life within a life that was going no-where fast......I thank God for the privilege of being able to celebrate Father's (and Mother's) Day with Josh.


And I also want to celebrate Father's Day in honor of the Ultimate Father. There is not a more perfect example of a "Dad" than our Father above. There is no greater love than His.

So God.....I want to thank you for being the most amazing Father to me. You chose me as your child. You are with me always. I feel your presence every minute of every day. You love me unconditionally and know every hair on my head. You are my strength. You are my Light when I am in darkness. You lift me up when I am down. You never leave my side. You are my protector and my provider. You are my hero.

Thank you for sending Josh into my life to be the earthly father to the blessings you have given us.

Thank you most of all, God, for sending your Son Jesus to be my Savior and Redeemer.

Peace and love....

your daughter~
*~Michelle~*

Happy Birthday to *me* !!!

So yes....today I am celebrating my birthday! WOOHOO!

I am feeling the best I have in my whole life......physically, emotionally and most importantly spiritually. I have never been someone who dreads birthdays and "aging". I've never let my age define me before, so I am certainly not gonna start now.

So we kinda celebrated my birthday a little early as Josh has a long weekend at his job.....N made me this fabulous cake (she told me that the candle holes were put there on purpose, so that I could see what kind of cake it was).....there are seven candles. Two reasons.....if we went with N's original plan of putting the accurate number of candles on the cake, we would have needed to get a permit for the blaze......Reason #2 being that I could have been 46, 48, or 49 with the number candles we had stashed in the junk drawer....and although I have no problem with getting older, I have to put my foot down somewhere. The seven candles were supposed to be placed in a group of 4 and a group of 3. Somehow they managed to be sprawled all over the cake along with an entire container of sugar crystals. That is the way she wanted to make my cake and who am I to argue with a determined six year old.

I want to apologize for not getting The Three Things This Thursday carnival up this week. My blogging friend HomeSchool Dad, Dave even had a prize waiting for me over at his 3TTT post. I felt like such a shlep when only at 9PM, I realized it was Thursday. I do want to say that I am not a seasoned blogger who has posts/entries prewritten and set to auto-post. I really do just write what is on my heart at that time (which is usually at some insane early morning hour) so it just slipped my mind this week. I promise to have 3TTT back up and running next week!

If I could give one more reason to my "shlep-ness".....maybe it was because I was busy setting up the birthday present that Josh and the kids bought me this week! How excited was I to get the incubator that I wanted with even a bonus....an automatic egg turner!

(Right now I know most people are wondering why someone would get excited about this......yes, a pedicure or massage would have been a lovely treat....but I've always been a little quirky....so I've been told.)

So I have 26 (hopefully) fertile eggs in there as of now with a hatching date of July 7th! I am really excited to see what "flavors" of chicks will be born (maybe I shouldn't use "flavor" and "chicks" in the same sentence). They came from a farm with 3 different roosters and a variety of hens. So I have brown, white and even green eggs in there.

Maybe I'll get a few more of these little funky guys.

Meet Elton. (S)He is a Frizzle chick.....you can see what he is called Elton based on his flamboyant feathering pattern. When he fluffs them out, he looks like he is wearing a full length fur coat.

(S)He will someday look like this :)


OK......so that about wraps it up for me today.....I am planning a great day today for myself.....including another trip to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I am looking for a wall cabinet for our barn. We are supposed to pick up our little Nigerian Dwarf goats today and I want storage for their supplies.

The older boys have youth group tonight and my younger kids are heading over to grandmas for a few hours giving me a free pass to browse around Tar-Jay and HomeGoods for a few hours with some birthday money I was blessed with.

So I want to wrap this up with giving thanks to God...He knew me when I was in my mother's womb.....He is the only reason I am here, celebrating this day.....I am sure He was right along side of me blowing out the candles.....all seven of them. ;)

Call Poison Control!!!

poi-son [poi-zuhn] noun

1. a substance with an inherent property that tends to destroy life or impair health.
2. something harmful or pernicious, as to happiness or well-being
3. a toxic chemical or other substance, capable of causing injury or death.

So let's focus on the word "toxic" because my question today is how do you deal with a toxic person/relationship in your life?

Psychologists define toxic people as "highly insecure, angry and/or depressed people who only feel better about themselves if they make others feel worse". They increase stress levels and foster negativity. They basically rob you of your joy.

Pretty sure everyone has, had, or will have, a toxic person in our life. You know who they are.....

OK, just incase you don't......I'll give you a few examples.

Debbie Downer: someone who is just oozing negativity all the time. It could be a beautiful day outside and when you express how wonderful it is, they tell you that tomorrow calls for rain.

Nay-Saying Nelly: someone who always tries to negate what you are talking about. They think they know more than you therefore they feel the need to constantly correct you.

One-uppin' Oliver: no matter what you are going through.....they have had it worse. In fact, they don't even take the time to talk about your issue and offer comfort or support. It turns into their experience/conversation immediately. These people also just "wait for their turn to talk" as opposed to listening.

Emotional Ellie: this person is an emotional rollercoaster taking you for the most unpleasant ride every time you meet. They can never keep it together and are always falling apart seeking someone to help them.

Jealous Judy: suffering from envy (as I have honestly admitted to).....but taken to a severe level where they are bitter, seething and miserable and act accordingly in day to day encounters.

Fault Finding Fred: They never take responsibility for their own actions. They point fingers and blame others constantly so to take any feeling of failure or wrong-doing off of themselves.

Timmy Taker: name is pretty self explanatory......all they do is take, take, take. Your time, your energy.....they just suck the life outta ya.

or how about

"I'm the Victim" Victoria: She always is the victim....whether it is her health, her lack of finances, her hurts from the past that she can never let go, even how that clerk looked at her at the checkout. I heard this phrase one time from a preacher on TV and I just love it. "It's time to call the "whaaaam-bulance" for all the whining."

The guest list to the Poison Party can go on and on.......but you get my gist on whose attending.

One of the easiest and most sensible ways to deal with these people is to just avoid them. That's pretty simple, huh?

But what about when you have toxic people that are integrated into your life and you have to be in contact with them on a regular basis. They could be your boss or co-worker. They could be your neighbor. Or even more "regular".......a close family member such as a sibling or parent. Now what?

Having a toxic person pretty close in my life.....I have wrestled with this for quite some time. And I don't have much sage advice, by all means. But I have had all these years to find out what works best (for me) and what doesn't.

First things first......I am learning that toxic people have issues within themselves. Their toxic ways have nothing to do with me, and everything to do with them.

I am trying to set boundaries and speak up when necessary to defend myself and my "space". Mentally as well as physically, I am trying to distance myself when possible. I am realizing that I can become their personal target or outlet for their own misery, insecurities, and low self-esteem......*if* I allow them to.

I would like to note that I am sensitive and have compassion for the reasons/causes of their toxicity. My heart breaks to think about some of the events that transpired in certain people's lives that brings them to this state of misery. Depression and the feeling of hopelessness must be crippling. But this does not change the fact that their toxic attitudes and behaviors will continue until I (you) stop allowing them to hurt or upset me (you).

So even when it might be difficult, there might be a time where you need to cut ties or at least avoid visits even if this toxic person is in your family. I cannot afford to subject my family to their negativity or the negative effect this person has on me. Often at times, after a exhausting visit or phone call, I am uptight and then take out my frustrations on the innocent people around me, my husband and children. And they certainly do not deserve it.

I believe that my responsibility to God as a parent is to keep my children/family in the most positive uplifting environment as possible. I also believe that He would want me to remove as much negativity as possible as well.

But I know, that as a Christian.....I feel conflicted with "giving up" on people. It feels like there is a gray area on where to draw the line, doesn't it? Even after all the hurts they have bestowed on me......I know that forgiving them and praying for them is the right thing to do, but (again, being real and honest here).....it is the LAST thing I feel like doing. So yeah, this is and continues to be very difficult for me to do.

Then I think..... what if God felt that way about me? Where would I be today? I am sure I was acting in a self absorbed, arrogant way when I was not following Him. It was all about me and my desires. I am sure I was toxic to be around, I can only imagine on how God should have "cut ties" with me. But Praise Him and His endless grace. Not only did He forgive my ugly sin.....He continues to forgive me every day.

Jesus tells us this in Matthew 5:44-48 "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ................If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Of course it is easy to show kindness and love to our positive group of family and friends, they are a pleasure to be around! But the true testimony of walking the walk of Jesus (instead of talking the talk) is to extend that kindness, love and forgiveness to those who hurt us. I believe that God uses every relationship/experience for a reason. It might be for us to press deeper in Him by seeking His word/counsel with these events. It might be an opportunity for us to witness to others and bring peace to troubled people.....whatever it is, be sure that God does not do anything just randomly.

I have, on more than one occasion.....lifted my eyes up and say.....OK, God.....the insides of my cheeks are shredded from biting them to keep from lashing out.......can you hook me up with some healing here?

So for now, I will pray for them (and myself!). I can pray that the darkness is lifted off of them and they see The Light. I can pray that they find the peace and joy that knowing and following Jesus brings. I can pray that I am able to put on a filter when I need to be around them. I hope that they see a supernatural reaction "in me" when they try to inject their poison. I pray that they see Jesus as the perfect antidote. I pray that God blesses me with the perfect words to deliver His message of hope and pure happiness.

So how about you? How do you handle the Debbie Downers or the Timmy Takers in your life?

I'm all ears!

Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

Going "green" isn't always a good thing.

I have been struggling with a case of envy for the past week or so..... and then my friend Jen blogged about how that Little Green monster was creeping into her heart as well. I took her message as God poking at me and working on my heart that I had my own to finally confront and deal with. You see, Jen is a wonderful mama who loves Jesus too. So, it was comforting and relieving to read her words and know that I wasn't this horrible bitter person for having the same feelings. (BTW, she has a great sense of humor and a warm heart. Pop on over in her world to say "hi").

So yeah, in a warped way, it's refreshing to read about others struggle with sin. Because the truth is.......we all battle sin.

everyday.

We know that God doesn't take a day off doing His awesome works.........well, either does the enemy.

OK, so here it goes.....I am going to be pretty transparent here. I can display a smorgasbord of sin in one day. Just take a day where I've had a lack of sleep and a foul case of PMS and it can get ugly. This past week or so.......I had a double triple helping of envy. I also made sure I plopped a scoop of resentment on my plate........and oh, can you pass the strife too?

I had money envy
I had farm envy
I had baby envy
heck, I even had blog envy.

This is probably how I appeared to God. Veruca Salt from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

"I want it Daddy! I want it all!" *shudder*

I got into that place of sin where it binds you. It frustrates you. It steals your joy and peace.

Envy can be truly destructive.....we have the Bible to give us great examples of that. Just take Cain and Abel. eek! Or Joseph's brothers....or Saul being so jealous of David. It all started with desiring their own selfish gain, taking other people's success personally, and/or yearning for a higher position/rank in life.

Now we all are guilty of even a mild case of envy at one time or another. The common worldly phrase "keeping up with the Joneses" confirms that. Envy really just starts with our own desires and desires are part of our heart. We can want things in our life such as a nicer home or a little more security in finances. There is nothing wrong with having these yearnings as long as we realize that they do not bestow value on our lives. What we have does not make us who we are.

And like a magnet, envy can and will attract more sin and unhappiness. It brought me to open the doors of gossip and complaining, yet two more things that disappoint My Father. I was being a spoiled brat who, by being envious/jealous.......wasn't appreciating all the great blessings that God has placed on my life. I was focusing my energy on what I didn't have instead of all the amazing gifts I did have.

So today, I am choosing to be vulnerable and honest. Envy is often secretive and I am taking my first step to defeat it by admitting and bringing this to God (and now to whoever is reading this).

Thankfully we serve an amazing God who is full of grace and forgiveness. Through His Perfect Love, we can cover envy. By loving others, we can be sincerely happy that they are blessed, rather than wanting what they have.

I want to be motivated to do hard work so that it pleases God and helps others, not just for my own personal gain.

I don't want to keep up with The Joneses. Ecclesiastes 4:4 says: "And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

So God.....I am ashamed, but bringing this to You. Please remove this ugly envy from my heart......replace it with love, appreciation and pure joy. I know and trust that You, and only You, will always supply all my needs. I desire to swap out the "I want's" with more "thank you's" from today forward. Please work on me in this area.....

In Jesus Name~
Amen


I hope you are having with a beautiful weekend....filled with fun, family and friends. I hope you take the time to look around and appreciate all that you have. Take two minutes and let me know what you are thankful for today (a great way to drive out thoughts of what you don't have).....and I promise I'll be happy to hear how God is blessing you.

(unless you tell me that you just found out you are having twins when you weren't even trying, found a savings account with 20 grand in it and are off to work on your 200 acre farm.... then blog about it to your 384563 subscribers.......)

*kidding!!....well.....kinda. ;)

keepin it real~
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday (flashbacks, PSA, and more!)

Hello! Thanks for stopping by! It's Thursday and around here.......we like to share three random things. Could be anything from a great recipe, a funny event that happened this week.....or maybe you have something going on that you just might need prayers/support. Please join in! You can grab the button from my sidebar and leave your link below. It's a great way to meet new friends too. :)

This week I am gonna mix it up a bit.......a little bit of old, a little bit of new. The truth is, I woke up today and realized it was Thursday and had nothing remotely ready for 3TTT. But I work well under pressure so here it goes.

1. I was searching for a recipe that I posted one time within my blog entries and realized that I blab alot, don't I? LOL It's so strange to read what I've written after the fact, because when I get into some serious Jesus reflecting.....I just start typing and get lost in what message I am trying to convey out of my head and heart. Then most of the time, when I go back and read prior thoughts.....I ask myself "who wrote this? Dang, some of this is GOOD stuff!"

So I thought I would just list a few entries where I touched about certain subjects, like a table of contents incase someone might need a word of encouragement or perhaps you are going through the same situation and will be able to relate. So I'll choose.........hmmmmmmmm...........nine. That sounds like a good number today.

• Patience
• Learning random lessons in life
• Taking care of the less fortunate
• Experiencing a loss
• God wants us to want Him
• Three important words you should never forget to say
• It's hard for me to "be still"
• worrying
• trying to be the best wife and mom

oh, I just have to squeak in my latest two from this past week.......I tackled:

• learning lessons with losses
  
• words are powerful

So if one of these subjects catches your attention......hop in my virtual time machine and peek back into what was going on in my head these past few months. Make sure you come back and let me know, 'cause it might be news to me!

2. So I was going over my calendar......(which I should obviously do more often as I forgot my very best friend Lili's b-day this weekend......the big 4-0. In my defense, I didn't forget it as I didn't remember it existed......I knew it was coming up and bought her something......but on the actual day I dropped the bomb and forgot to call. *bag on head*)
So I was looking ahead......I skipped over my birthday which is coming up in a few weeks, because if you don't celebrate it, you don't age, right? Nah.....I will tell you that I am one of the few women where age has never affected me in the least. Seriously.....*knock on wood* I feel great, no complaints........so I am not quite sure what 40 something is supposed to feel like. I feel the same, actually better, than when I was in my twenties/early thirties. Yeah, I have more gray hair to color (been doing that since I was 25) and my butt cheeks are about 2-3 inches lower.....but it's all good.

anyway.......I saw something penned in early July. Yeah, it's not plea sent.......and it really is a drag. But I gotta do it. I gotta go get my annual mammogram in a few weeks. So I feel it is my duty to remind all women, if you are within a 5-8 year radius of my age......to schedule one. I've been getting them since my early thirties as I have had benign (praise God) growths removed. So I am getting use to having my "things" smashed into pancakes while trying to keep my dignity. And even if you are not in the my decade......another important yearly appointment to put on your priority list is your yearly girly visit. Again......sliding down and relaxing is not my favorite place to be. I try to make the best of it and talk non-chalantly to my doc asking how everything is looking down there, followed by asking her about the weather. But the truth is, I want to grow old with Josh. I want to be around for my children for a long time.....so it is my responsibility to put my fears aside and as Nike tells us.....Just Do It.

3. And lastly.......I'll leave you with this video....Pause my music and enjoy.

I hope it touches you half as much as it does for me, (I've included lyrics for you.....amazing....)

Worthy is the,
Lamb who was slain
Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song, to Him who sits on
Heaven's Mercy Seat
[Repeat 2x]

(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And I will adore You…!
Yeah!

Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and
Glory and power be
To You the Only Wise King,
Yeah

(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore You!
Yeah!

Filled with wonder,
Awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your Name
Jesus, Your Name is Power
Breath, and Living Water
Such a marvelous mystery
Yeah...

(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore You!

Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come,
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And – I - will - adore YOU…

(Chorus)

Come up lift up His Name
To the King of Kings…
We will adore YOU Lord…
King of heaven and earth
King Jesus, King Jesus
Aleluya, aleluya, aleluya!
Majesty, awestruck Honor
And Power and Strength and Dominion
To You Lord,
To the King, to King
To the King of Glory

(Singer: Kari Jobe)

WOW.....this is blessing me as I type and listen to it myself.

xox
*~Michelle~*

Don't be a Sore Loser

So I got one of those inspirational emails with a PowerPoint attachment. I am always leery about opening any email with an attachment, so usually I unfortunately delete most. (so this would be the reason that many of you or at least 10 people from my address book, including the person who sent it to me, will never get that forwarded message. This also might be the reason that my wish won't come true, that unexpected check doesn't show up in the mail or I wake up with a bad case of acne.)

So, after I scanned it 27 times and called the Internet SWAT team for back-up....I clenched my eyes tight and hit that little white box "open". To my relief....my PC did not sizzle or my screen did not start flashing. Phew. I guess I can trust Josh's emails after all.

It was a slideshow with positive encouraging sayings set on beautiful photos of nature. It might have been set to music, but when I went into my lockdown mode.....I don't think I ever turned my speakers back on.

One phrase really caught my attention:

"When you lose.......don't lose the lesson"

I started to reflect on events in my life where it might appear that I have lost or failed. Yes during that time, it felt horrible and discouraging. But now looking back, I see how not only did I persevere through it....I came out better and stronger.

(I need to interject here that this does not and will never apply to any board game action. I am a fierce competitor and winning is important to me. I will not allow defeat when playing Scrabble, Monopoly or Scategories. It is not an option. I even have my own victory dance down to a science.

I am pretty confident that is why no-one, especially Josh, will ever play games with me anymore. I tell him that he is weak and cowardly when he is not up for the challenge....
...he tells me it is because I am not fun to play with. I happen to like that song "Money, money, monnnnnnn-nay" .....you know, the Donald Trump theme song, and feel compelled to sing it when I am collecting rent during Monopoly. Is that a problem? hmmmmph.)

OK, back to learning the lesson. So I guess we have to turn losing around and see what good things came come from it. It can build determination. For example.....if you don't make the basketball team, you might train and try that much harder the next time.

Even getting lost when driving somewhere will teach Josh you to learn that it is OK to ask for directions or plan the road trip a little more efficiently. (*or your wife could be gracious enough to buy you a GPS for your birthday)

Losing humbles us as well. Sometimes, we think we have it all together....maybe we feel we don't need to study for that test as hard as everyone else or put in 120% at our job and still expect promotions. Then when we fail or the job is given to someone else....it is a little wake-up call that knocks us down a few pegs.

When we lost our sweet family of chickens, it taught us that we did not keep our barn as secure as it should be. Yes, it was a painful lesson.....but it alerted us to the fact that we need to step up our game when we decide to take these animals under our wing (no pun intended) and their safety is our responsibility.

And on the flip side.....If you believe, as I do.....that God is in total control of your life,....then we also need to trust that there is a reason for a loss or failure. God can get pretty creative when He wants us to learn something. Believe that the trials we are facing are all for the greatest good. Even when they don't feel so good.

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:7

Maybe it's not even a failure at all. Have you ever looked back and thanked God that He didn't give you everything that you prayed for? Or that you realize that His timing and ways were SO much better and more effective than yours? You are so disappointed when your offer didn't get accepted on that home....only to have a better house come along the following week that was even more affordable. You get laid off and it is frightening, but this enables you to find a job with better hours or benefits.

Goes back to the comforting phrase about when life closes a door, God will open a window.

The Amplified version of Jer. 29:11 states:
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

So we see and experience things in the "now"....we base our emotions and actions on what is tangible to us, what we are going through now. It is very difficult for us, as humans and our way of thinking.....to project "the Big Picture" as God does and understand His way of thinking.

Sometimes we will be able to figure out the lessons in our losses here on earth.....others we will only find out when we are in Heaven. I know I plan on asking God about some of mine over a good game of Scrabble......that is, if He is up for the challenge. ;)


I hope this encourages you to turn a trial or loss around and bring something positive out of it. Please share any lessons you have learned.....I'd love to hear about them.

Peace, love and stay barefoot~
*~Michelle~*

Sticks and Stones

We all know that childhood poem that our parents encouraged us to say on the elementary playground....

"sticks and stones
may break my bones
but names
will never hurt me"

Yeah, not so sure about that.

Words are pretty powerful.

I remember Josh reading this book about the power of speaking positive into your life and also others (the title slips me, it started to get a little too "new-age-y" so he never finished it.) Anyway.....he read this section to me that always stuck in my head. It basically talked about a little girl who loved to sing. She had a really good voice and one day, she was singing as she always did while doing her homework. Her mom was very stressed out and came home from work....things got chaotic in the home.....and in the middle of a meltdown told her that she wanted her to just stop singing. Also in heat of it all, told her that she had a terrible voice.

That little girl never sang another song. Her spirit was crushed.....she never had the confidence again. What could have bloomed into an amazing talent in her future, was squelched in the matter of a few words.

You probably know the "hole in the fence" theory. I often tell my children this. Now remember, I never claim to be raising Beaver and Wally Cleaver.....my kids can have their smackdowns just like any other. And Josh and I, of course, are far from Ward and June Cleaver ourselves (kinda thankful about that....did they really sleep in separate twin beds back then?)

Anyway, aside from normal sibling taunting......I remind them that saying hurtful words into others' lives can and will be irreversible. The words that ridicule, mock or attack will never bring life as Jesus wants us to do. Each time we speak something negative it is like banging a nail into a fence. Yes, we can apologize......and that would pull the nail out. But the hole still remains.

Words are powerful stuff. The Bible tells us that "With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape" in Proverbs 11:9

Words can build someone up.....or pull them down. They can bless.....they can curse.

Today, I encourage you to only speak positive words into others' lives. (and believe me, I know this can be very difficult).....keep remembering the other familiar quote we were taught as children....."If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all". Sometimes we get surrounded by people in our life, where if we apply this Golden Rule, .....it is difficult to speak at all.

Trust me. I know.

When someone is being negative around you, turn it around. I love this advice I read in Mothering Magazine one time......it spoke about how this woman who had a mother-in-law who always tried to trigger a fight or spark a debate and she was not interested in putting her energy into it. So she would let the woman spew her lava, nod and smile and then say...."oh I see {pause a moment}..... can you pass the bean dip?" Her MIL would just have this blank stare on her face and not know what to say after that. Worked like a charm.

Also remember that you should apply this to yourself as well......speak and think positive into your own life. Believe and know that God is doing great things in your life. Let's not insult Him by finding fault or pointing out the negative. Remember......when He is in us......we are a new creation. We are His children, made in His image.

Today...

I want to encourage, instead of tear down.
I want to be a blessing....not a curse.
I want to bring light to others....not darken the mood.
I want to offer healing to others.....not cause pain.

(even when they are trying to push my buttons)

Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
~Ephesians 4:32

I hope this finds you all smiling and well.....

Peace~
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday (Rescue Mission, FREE fun and a prayer request)

Thursday already? Yikes! Where did the week go?
OK folks.....3TTT is a fun way to share three random things such as recipes, tips, funny stories from your week. It also can be a place for prayer requests or maybe you just need to vent about something. The beauty is.....there are "no rules"!

So grab the button from my sidebar and jump right in.....come on, the water is great!

1. So we all know by now that I am an complete animal lover (except for that spawn of Satan otherwise known as the fisher cat.) Yeah, I am the one who lets out spiders and leaves food for the deer in our woods.
And I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree......N came home with this little guy a couple of days ago. Isn't he cute? I am stressing "cute" because my friend Amanda is completely grossed out by mice and refuses to have "cute" and "mouse" in the same sentence. So never being able to refuse a little extra fun in my life....I sent her this photo and I bet she would really appreciate it if you email her photos of little critters too! So feel free to get in touch with her on that. (actually she has a fantastic blog, so I encourage you to pop on over an visit her too!)

So this one is for you, Amanda. This cute little critter was rescued by N. She wanted to keep it as a pet, but I had to remind her that he belongs outside with all his other wild little critter friends. The conversation went like this:

N: Mom, look at what I saved today? Can we keep him?

Me: ooooooooh he is so cute, look at his little face. But no honey, we have to let him go.

N: We can't!!! Look at his widdle sad eyes.....he will be so lost out there in the world.

Me: No,.....he'll be fine. He'll needs to be back with his family. They will miss him.

N: Uh, no they won't! mom, listen to me! (putting her hands on the sides of my jaw to get my complete attention).......we have to keep him. I saved him from being eating by Mr. Mittens (neighbors cat). If I let him go, he will be so lost and lonely.

Me: N, listen (prying her hands off my face)......he needs to go back to his family, he will find them and be safe.

N: MOM!! (looking very stern at me)....His family is IN Mr. Mitten's stomach! I watched them all go down!

Me: *gulp*

FYI, *we will be setting Mr. Sad Eyes free later today......I talked N into making a little condo out back for him complete with a month's supply of bird seed and fluffy bedding for sweet dreams.

2. Be prepared! Get a jump start on the summertime "I'm bored" complaints. In our area, we have movie theaters that offer free (or close to it) movies for kids. One theater offers free admission for kids under 12 for the 10AM movie and adults bring a canned good for the local food bank. The movies are usually second run, but who wouldn't want to watch "Horton Hears a Who" or "Alvin and the Chipmunks" on the big screen again? Perfect for a rainy day or a nice escape from a hot humid one.

Wildlife sanctuaries/conservatories are great places to visit too. Many of them offer free tours....we've gone to this one, Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary for a few homeschooling field trips. The kids studied various subjects such as vernal pools (which I had never even heard of) and wildflower gardens. The classes included tours, projects and a short little classroom lesson. It was fantastic.....and free!

And check out your local libraries and community centers for other inexpensive things to do. Our library is theater workshops, book & game clubs, art and craft classes all summer long. They also have discounted passes for local zoos and museums....and rent DVDs for free. Again, they might not be the newest releases....but free works for me!


3. And now.......I have a prayer request. My brother in law and his wife were expecting their second blessing. Erin was just about 10 weeks over this past weekend and she started to experience spotting. The spotting got heavier and they ended up going to the doctor. An ultrasound confirmed that they lost their precious baby. Please lift them up in prayer as I know the pain and confusion they are going through all too well.

Lord, please keep Alex and Erin wrapped tightly in Your Comforting Arms. Give them strength. Grant them peace. Gently remind them that You always love them and are weeping along with them. God, You are good.......ALL the time. Your ways are not our ways and we may not understand why these things happen, but we trust in You, for You are The Great I AM. The Alpha and The Omega. You are the Author of our Lives. In Your Holy Name~ Amen


Thanks for taking the time to pop in my world.......please join in and leave your links/comments below. Have a wonderful day today! :)

peace, love and stay barefoot~

*~Michelle~*

Got guilt?

So this past Sunday, I committed to going to a friend's daughter's baby shower. As much as I love babies and everything about them.....I will be completely honest and tell you that I am not a shower fan....at all. I know that sounds selfish, as I have been blessed with baby showers myself......but again, this is my blog and I being honest/open. I think it's because I just am too ADD to sit still for two hours watching someone open presents.

But this was a good friend's daughter and it was important for me to go. So I originally planned on going to the earlier church service at 9AM so that I would be able to make it. Well....sleeping with the fan in the window blowing in 7 pounds of pollen kept me from getting anything close to a good night's sleep. I also couldn't understand how my head was so heavy with congestion, yet my nose was draining out gallons of clear goop. (sorry for the visual) I mean, how much liquid can the human head hold?

Anyway.....I never made it out the door for the earlier service. I couldn't get my act together in time. But I sooooooooo needed to get my praise and worship on too. Not sure about you.....but I have some of my best "convos" with The Big Guy during praise and worship. He speaks to me over my totally off key tone-deaf singing. He still manages to get close to me even when my arms might be waving all around or I am doing some funky dance steps, completely oblivious to everyone around me (or their feet that I trample on)

I decided we would just take separate vehicles to church, attend the 11AM service with everyone and leave early with N to get to the shower around noon-ish.

As expected, I had yet another amazing experience during worship. Pretty sure the angels were joining in the praise, in a much more pleasant key than me. I got stuck on this one line of a song......"We don't want blessings......we want You!" I've sung that song many times, but for some reason this line got placed in my heart. (this has nothing to do with this post....just thought it was such a powerful phrase and it might stick on your heart too.....ok......carry on)

So after praise/worship, they did the offering and it was time for me to go. I felt very guilty leaving......but I made the commitment to my friend and it was the "right" thing to do. (or was it?)

I wrestled with this guilt all the way to the hall where the shower was held. When I walked in, my friend's face lit up. She came running over to me and gave me one of the most sincere hugs I've had in a long time. I will keep the situation with her daughter's pregnancy private, but let's just say that my friend really needed to know she had the support of her friends right now.

It was then that I think that it *was* the right thing to do. Not only did I need to put my own selfish needs aside......but I also needed to banish the guilt that can be placed on the "religious" mindset I was raised with.

Yes, it is super important to be part of The Body of Christ in life.
Yes, I need to be fed/taught weekly daily with The Word.

but I also know that The Bible tells me this in Romans 3:28

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

So now what?

I am praying that God knew my heart and that I am trying to live my life the best way to please Him. Trying to figure out if Jesus would have stayed in His Father's house or would have skipped out early and went to Mary Magdalene's sister's baby shower to support her and let her know she is loved. (that is, however, if they even did baby showers back in The Day and if men were "allowed" of course)

I know I come from a background where the mindset is that you can earn your way into heaven. I am ever so grateful to know that I've learned that it is the wrong way of thinking/believing. You can't earn your way in. Even on our best days, we will never be "good" enough to get in on our own merit.

And how ironic that I passed an old Baptist church on the way home with this sign outside?

Good without God is Zero

Romans 11:6 tells us

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

How refreshing it is to know that we serve a God who is not keeping score.....He does not have a checklist with my name on it to see how many times I made it to church or double check I put in X amount of hours at the local community center. He loves me just as He found me......a sinner saved only by His grace.



WOW....this post is all over the place, huh?

(welcome to my brain world, every.day.every.minute)

I know I don't articulate my thoughts as well as many well versed bloggers out there.....but I write from my heart. Sometimes I know I go off on tangents and get completely off topic. My grammar is incorrect more than correct.....and thank goodness for spellcheck. My blog is my outlet to pour out what God places on my heart. So if you can follow along without getting completely lost and get a little message out of it....it will be a blessing to me and you.

So let me wrap this up with a prayer....

God.....Thank you for sending Your only Son for us. He died for us and shed His blood for our sins. He rose and conquered death. All so that we can live eternally. I know that having faith in Jesus Christ and accepting Him as our Savior is the ONLY door into Heaven. So I will pray that everyday....I am keeping my eyes and heart set on You. Know that I am making choices that I hope are pleasing to You. I will release myself from the pressure of relying on myself and my actions to "prove" I am worthy. I will rest in knowing that it is because of Your grace that I am still Your Child.....and You still love me, even though I skipped out early from church.

xox
*~Michelle~*

Pah-lease tell me this is a joke.....

(I figured I lighten the mood now that I am done with my pity party , thanks for all your kind words & prayers)


.....so as I am lying in bed last night......Josh is watching The Green Channel/Planet Green where he has delusions of grandeur to turn our home into a wind propelled, rain bucket collecting, solar energy selling back to the electric company habitat. It's all good.....he could be fascinated with those fishing/hunting shows where it's a painful hour of a man, with branches sticking out of his hat, hiding in some brush making ridiculous bird calls. Or he could be addicted to watching guys on way too many steroids in spandex rolling on a wrestling mat.

......no offense to WWF fans or bird-calling hunters. Just not my "thang". For the record, I wore my share of spandex in the 80s......and I am sure I look ridiculous making clucking sounds as I am chasing my chickens to round them up at night.

OK, now that I am not offending anyone......what actually offended *me* was watching this commercial that came on last night.

Paul Younane Neckline Slimmer from As Seen on TV Video

(click link)

"With Paul Younane’s Neckline Slimmer, you can reverse the effects of aging without surgery. Firm, lift and smooth your neckline in just two minutes a day. Developed by world-renowned physiotherapist Paul Younane, the Neckline Slimmer system tightens the muscles that keep your face and neck looking young and beautiful. Forget cosmetic surgery. Get age defying results with the world’s first resistance toning system for the neck, chin and face. The Neckline Slimmer does for your neckline what exercise does for your body, making you look and feel younger"

Are you kidding me?!?!?

OK, I can deal with the Topsy Turvy to help me grow better tomatoes....I will admit that I even considered the Touch and Brush that N insists we need. But for the love of all that is good....... please tell me that the general population is smarter than what these quacks are trying to convince us to buy.

Not sure what blows my mind more.....

• The fact that all the "after" photo shows is the person stretching their neck/chin out.
• That two minutes of "resistance" exercise will reverse the signs of aging.....get out!
• There actually are people out there that are thinking....."why yes, I want to get rid of my facial sagging and redefine my profile....there is nothing more attractive than a firm chin.....and only two minutes a day? I'll take TWO!"
• The woman who they show using this hideous gadget is like 21 years old.
• how they recreate that doctor's office to support the medical/professional vibe.
  
• and lastly.....going out on a limb, but that Vicky, Wendy and Julie are their real names.
  

I had to rewind (gotta love the DVR) because I was in shock. They even offer three levels of resistant springs......almost like a Shred workout for your neck!

Now that really caught my attention.

But I think it was the fact that world renowned (has anyone even heard of him?) Paul Younane personally guarantees it that I will see results AND he is offering his bonus luxury carry case, DVD and his European Accelerating Firming Cream (a $40 value) for only $19.99

......well that does it for me.....I'm sold!

not.

I think I'll stick to taking some good vitamins, exercising, using a decent moisturizer and eating right for now.

xox
*~Michelle~*
.....with the slightly sagging neckline.

PS. I will also note that I breathed a sigh of relief when N, who as I have mentioned is our infomercial addict, did not suggest that we needed to get that.

phew

*wipes brow*