Do It Anyway

I was reminded of these beautiful words of wisdom over the weekend....was thinking it would be a great thing to share for people to start their week. Mother Teresa hung a copy of this poem on the wall of the orphanage she founded in Calcutta.

Do It Anyway


People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.



In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
...... It was never between you and them anyway.

Have a blessed week my friends~
*~Michelle~*

Proud Mama Moment

My son Hunter is an inspiring film maker....he is only 17, but has a gift with the camera how he "sees" life through his own lens.


Here is the latest video that he filmed/edited/etc. The fact that the artist, Pink, tweeted this to her 3.6+ million followers is insane enough to make us beam with pride.....but when Hunter gives God all the Glory for being blessed with his talent/opportunities.....well that is more than we could ever dream about.

Please watch this amazing video with a powerful message......and please share!!! (you will have to pause my music player)

He is on Facebook ..... HLFilms





Thank you for allowing me to share........

Peace
*~Michelle~*

True Love

......Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put His love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to Him.

Romans 5:6-8 {The Message}

Remembering the True Love that comes from Above~

xox
*~Michelle~*

Think About it {Phil 4:8}

I received this devotional today and I just had to share it's message:

We choose what we watch and read, the conversations we have and the time we spend with God and in His Word. If the mind is not filled with good, trust me, the enemy will fill it with bad.

Ain't that the truth?

We live in a world influenced by the power of Satan and sin. The media bombards us with war, poverty and sickness. Musical "artists" (and I use that term lightly) glorify alcohol, sexual immorality and violence. We have TV series that showcase teenage moms and reality shows with people/families who are so out of touch with reality....... it's unreal. We hear about break-ups, break-ins and break-downs every day.

So with all the world's distortion and deception.....we can become desensitized. We also can find ourselves compromised, which in turn affects our thoughts, decisions and actions. It can be very difficult to keep our minds free from the negativity. Our mind is our control center. It's the old "every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit" dealio.......(Matt. 7:17). Filling our minds with positive thoughts, images, and ideas will help us to remain positive/hopeful even when we have the trials and setbacks in life (which we will!)

But it's a choice.

We have to make a conscious choice to surround ourselves with as much positive influence as possible. We have to choose to turn off the TV when there are more "bleeps" than words.....we have to choose to listen to encouraging music {K-LOVE.com is constantly playing for me} and choose to be with like-minded uplifting people as much as possible.

But most importantly.......choose to make the time for God by reading His Word and let it deposit into our hearts and mind. When we do all these things, we are suiting up in God's Armor. God's armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective covering. It is the very life of Jesus Christ Himself. It is a life of freedom from the despair we face daily in this fallen world.

And lastly, people will take notice. The attitude that you show in your daily living is a witness to others. Even when things are not going well, if you keep the joy of the Lord in your life, you will show people something that they will want. We can slowly plant seeds in people's lives. And isn't that what we are supposed to be doing?

So today......choose the Light...for yourself, and for others as well.

The Message version of Philippians 4:8 ROCKS:

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.



I leave you with this quote {from the same devotional}

"You can't keep a bird from flying over your head
but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair."

Peace and love~

*~Michelle~*

Holding a Grudge is Like Drinking the Poison and Expecting the Other Guy to Die

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you."
~Lewis B. Smedes

Happy belated new year, my friends......I hope your Christmas Season was overflowing with blessings.......

As you have noticed........my time here in "blogville" has been less and less frequent these past few months. Although I do miss visiting many of you all and being blessed with your inspiration and thought provoking words....I have been pressing through some areas in my life that have taken up a higher priority.

So I try to always share the good, the bad and the ugly of "*~Michelle~*". I have always kept it real, and today is no different as I share a little glimpse of what has been going on with me.......and the beauty of answered prayer.

I am all about posting positive uplifting messages, being cheerful and trying to keep a smile on my face 24/7 despite any sadness/hurt toiling inside....but I have never been good at acting either. So I am guessing that one of the reasons I have MIA....is that I was unable to come here and just jot down some fabricated upbeat message. Just can't do it. Never been good at being fake.....in fact, I wrote about my thoughts on being"phony bologna" in the past.

The purpose of my blog/diary....is to share what God is stirring up in my life. It is not to paint some perfect storyline of some hippie Christian gal and focus on "me". No, I just hope/pray that through all the babbling and grammatical nightmares.......that even one person will be able to relate......in the good, bad and ugly....and be directed to Him in all circumstances.

So here is a little "ugly" for you.

I hold grudges.

For big offenses and sometimes for the most ridiculous ones. In fact, I white knuckle them. Like that Target cashier who wouldn't take my $5 coupon because it was torn near the expiration date even though you could CLEARLY see was dated 2011 and this was still in 2010.......yeah, she is dead to me.

(OK, that was a little harsh.....and not very Christian-like....it's a little over-the-top/over-reacting, but I will never go to her line again..........hmmmpf, take that cranky lady!)

There is something controlling, powerful and rewarding about holding a grudge, isn't there? Well at least that is what the enemy has infused in my heart. Yes, being the control freak that I admittedly am.....it is how I find myself wired when dealing with hurt and disappointment.

..... until recently.

Yes, lately I have found myself entering a new chapter of my life. A chapter that includes the possibility of losing someone close to me soon. Someone who I have built up walls in my heart from the resentment I have allowed to harbor there.

Isn't it true that when you experience the reality of death or impending death of someone in your life, you then realize your own mortality as well? It becomes so apparent what really is important....and how life is too short to be wasted in a negative mindset.

With this discovery.....I found myself not praying for God to change what was happening in my life, but rather to change *me* and my heart as I go through it all. I prayed to have His heart......to have His compassion and forgiveness.

What is crazy is that I know that God forgives me every day. And I totally mess up too many times to count. Yet, He still loves me and gives me chances. The Word says His mercies and grace are new everyday. So who have I thought I was to not extend the same to others?!?

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. ~Mark 11:25 NLT

And lastly, forgiveness is not saying that it settles all questions of blame, justice and fairness. But it is the only way to break the cycle of blame--and pain--in a relationship. It does allow relationships to be restored.....not only with the person you are forgiving, but most importantly.....with God. We have the chains of anger/bitterness broken off of our hearts and are finally free. Free to be happy, free to love......and be loved.

So here is where I am......in the middle of a transformation. I am not fully there yet, but can see the beauty of what is to come. I consider this another gift from God to be able to feel the walls slowly be broken down and have His warm love pour into a place that was once empty/cold. It is a gift for me to experience the love/relationship that was meant to be. And the gift of not having any regrets.


How about you? Do you hold grudges? Are you honestly able to overlook people who brought about past hurts and love 'em like Jesus?


Peace, love and stay barefoot~

*~Michelle~*

Are you putting your faith into action?

Time for me to have and share a pep-rally......

"we gotta stop asking for relief.......and start showing some belief"

Ouch.Guilty as charged.

So, Benjamin Franklin once said "God helps those who help themselves".

Now although the majority of what we learn in the Bible about God helping the helpless..... I do believe that we, as Christians can fall into the trap of inactivity. We are taught that God will provide according to His timing, but this should not stop us from getting off our keesters (to keep this a PG-rated blog) and believing His Promise, trusting His Word and putting our faith into action.

Sometimes being a Christian isn’t always easy. Sometimes we have to roll-up our sleeves and do the challenging work of following Christ, and stay obedient to God’s Word..... even when we don’t want to or it seems to difficult.

This also applies to our daily living. For example... like many of us....financially, things are stretched super tight around here. My part-time job of doing hairdressing is not cutting it.

(no pun intended, but can I get a ba-dum-dum *cymbal??)

*crickets chirping*

OK, lame.....anyway.

I trust and believe that God will always provide for us.....as He has always done. Even when the numbers do not jive.....supernaturally, we end up having just enough money each week, even if our balance is 2.97 right before the next direct deposit is coming in.

But I am growing tired of treading water.....feeling the waters rise, bobbing up to the surface for a few days....only to feel pulled under when the next bill shows up or an unexpected repair comes about. Bottom line......I am looking for an additional job. So I can pray and ask God to help me find one and while it is in His power to do so, it is highly unlikely that God will cause employers to come looking for me. I must get up and out, hit the pavement.... and look for one. I will set out trusting that there will be a job for me. I will not give up, I trust God.....but it is going to require alot of effort on my part as well.

In our lives, we will come across winding paths of uncertainties, setbacks and signs that read, “Road Closed.” However, these are not dead ends, but merely detours as we move toward our destined purpose. We need to keep the faith, take these potholes in stride, and move ahead boldly. We cannot let challenges discourage us.

The New Living Translation of Romans 12:11-12 tells us " Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying."

This message can also be applied to our spiritual connection with Christ. Sometimes I feel so distant and I long to feel Christ beside me (even though I know He is always there.....) That same passage in the New International Version reads "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

The word "fervor" literally means "to be hot, boil or glow." There is metaphor of boiling water and our spiritual life. The idea is that there must always be a stirring up or a heating up in our spiritual life as we pray and serve. We need to keep it that way. In order to keep water boiling we have to keep it on a flame. We need to constantly work and tend to that fire. That takes effort.....it takes action on our part.



I'll wrap it up with this story, you've probably heard it before, but I'll share it anyway.....

It's the one about the preacher in the flood. The water was up to the top of the church steps when a National Guard truck came by. "Get in, Preacher! The water's rising."

And the preacher said, "No. I trust in the Lord."

The water rose and flooded the church. The preacher climbed up on the roof. Two boys came by in a John boat.

"Get in, Preacher! The water's rising."

And the preacher said, "No. I trust in the Lord."

The water rose higher, and the preacher climbed up on the steeple. A helicopter came by and dropped a sling.

"Grab the sling, Preacher! The water's rising."

And the preacher said, "No. I trust in the Lord."

The water rose even higher, and the preacher drowned. In heaven, he said, "Lord, I had such trust in you. Why did you let me drown?"

And the Lord said, "Dummy! I sent you a deuce-and-a-half, a john boat and a helicopter!!"


The meaning of this is that the Lord helps us by giving us the means to help ourselves. And He expects us to do that.


So I ask myself.....and possibly you can ask yourself.....Do you feel that God is ignoring your prayers/requests? Or could it be that He is stalling so that we will stop acting helpless and put our faith into action?


Peace~

*~Michelle~*

Word of God Speak

(*please pause my music player)

"I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay........"

Word of God Speak {Mercy Me}

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say


Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice


I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay


****************************

As I remain in His place, I hope this find you all smiling and well.......

*~Michelle~*

R.A.O.K.

So the other day I was at the store and embarrassingly was $3.57 short. Trying to stay on a "cash diet" I purposely left my debit card/checkbook (and who uses checks anymore?!?) at home.

I was a little embarrassed, but reluctantly asked the clerk to take a couple things off of my order as I rambled on and on explained why I only had cash on me so as to keep me from overspending. She was probably about 17 years old at the most, looked like she wanted to be anywhere but behind this register. I also could tell she had a very important text to return as she kept looking into her smock pocket that was glowing from her phone screen. Obviously she could care less about the financial advice I was trying to share as she resembled a deer staring into headlights as I was talking. I think I gave her another reason to hate her job even more when I asked her to price check the dish-washing detergent, the paper plates and Chocolate Moose Tracks ice cream.

Before she could get the last eye roll in.......a very nice woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder and asked how much I was short. I told her it was less than $4 but no big deal because I really didn't need that ice cream......I started rambling mentioned I was going to start running again because of the extra few pounds I packed on over the summer. Before I could get to the part about how the all the local summer fairs' food was the culprit.....she handed me a five dollar bill and told me that she would take care of it. I thanked her but told her I really didn't want her to do that......but she insisted and told me to accept it as a gift. I was floored by her generosity. I asked her if I could have her address to return the money but she told me not to worry about it and just to pay it forward someday.

How awesome was that? Here is someone who doesn't even know me......yet graciously helped me out when I was in a pinch. (or maybe she just wanted me to stop babbling so the five bucks was worth it!) Either way.....she gave when she wasn't asked nor expected anything in return.

As I was driving home, I thought about how Jesus teaches us in Matthew 25:35-40

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

I love hearing about random acts of kindness........have you been the recipient of someone's kindness.....or can you share something you did to make someone's day a little brighter? Please share!

Have a great weekend, friends!

*~Michelle~*

The WOW factor

So I was listening to this preacher, Jeff Shreve and he was talking about the Grace of God. Then he mentioned this particular Scripture

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.~2 Corinthians 8:9

Think about this:

Rich is described as having wealth or great possessions; of great value or worth; valuable; abounding in natural resources.

So here is God sitting on His Throne in Heaven (and according to Isaiah)......His train filling the Temple with the angels singing and praising Him singing "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His Glory".

He has everything, He is rich beyond rich in all ways......yet He steps down off of His Throne and enters the world. He didn't even choose to be born in a prestigious influential family.......no, he was born in a barn. He slept in a trough. His parents were poor and came from Nazareth, a very small and insignificant town. (John 1:46 reminds us that this was probably on the wrong-side-of-tracks kinda town....."Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?")

Then, at the height of His ministry.......He is imprisoned, mocked, beaten beyond imagination, spit upon and scourged. He has stakes nailed through His hands and feet, and then has a crown of thorns smashed into his skull. He is then hoisted up between the Earth that He created and the Heavens that He reigned. He took His last breath and said "It is finished". Jesus paid our ransom to free us from sin and death.

The ransom (a price paid to achieve some one's freedom) was Paid in Full.

For me.

For you.


I don't know about you, but my stomach has been in knots when I really really started thinking about this. Not just taking for granted and knowing that "Jesus Christ died for our sins".....but really bringing me back the awe factor on what God has done for us.

I guess this message brought me in the WOW factor mode.

And I don't want to ever leave.


**I believe this message can inspire and bring hope.......so I linked it on up with all the folks over at Bridget's place . Hop on over for more great posts on this subject!

V is for Victory!

So if you've been visiting even just occasionally......you'll probably get the idea that I am a very visual person. I am guessing that this is one of the reasons I babble on and on sometimes all the time. I guess it's because I really want to get what is going on in my head (scary place!) and heart and get it out in words. Most of the time, WAY too many words/run-on sentences, grammatical nightmares and abuse of all forms of punctuation. Then I take you way off on some tangent. But that is another story and yes, medication has been suggested to me many times.

So today.....I will share briefly what is on my heart.....and leave you with a visual that I feel best sums it up.

Not sure who needs to hear/see this......but I know I cannot be alone on this. Being in a place where you feel like you are really breaking through some areas in your life and the Light is starting to shine again. You start to work out the kinks in those tired muscles and get back on your Walk. And just as soon as you start to pick up the pace.....the enemy throw down a roadblock......a set back. He knows where you are heading, and will do anything in his power to keep you bound in frustration, depression and bondage. He knows if he keeps you there, you will be unproductive. He tells you lies and reminds you of your short-comings/failures.

But I am here to remind you that God is the Great I Am. He is and will continue to be with you through it all. He knows the ending to this situation and will never let you down.
There is nothing in this world that He cannot do. There is no addiction He can't break, there is no heart He can't change, there is no medical report He can't contradict. He will bring peace beyond understanding. He will bring hope to the discouraged.

I encourage you friends to never give up. And pray. If you continue to press ahead, give it all over to Him.....and trust in His promise.....there will always be a Victory.

(excuse the quality, but I had to sketch what was going on in my head quickly and scan it)




But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
~1 Corinthians 15:57

Be well, my friends and celebrate the Victory~

*~Michelle~*

A thorn in my side

So we all know the parable in Matthew regarding the sower and the seeds.....

here is the recap.......

seeds land on the path......birds devour them
seeds land on rocky soil.....no depth/roots, scorched by sun
seeds land among the thorns.....thorns choked them
seeds land on fertile soil.....happy plants, happy ending.

As I am starting to break through this spiritual desert.....I found myself thinking about how I can totally relate to that third bunch of seeds scenario.

Jesus explains in Matthew 13:22 ~ "As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful"



So although I cannot relate to the "riches" part.....I totally can relate to the cares of the world choking the Word.

Does this happen to you? You hear an awesome sermon on Sunday and get all fired up. You are set out on your mission to save some souls this week and expand God's Kingdom. You feel unstoppable.....you declare to the Heavens and anyone within shouting distance that this will be a great week, nothing will bring you down. You commit to keeping your eyes and heart focused on God......you feel free as a bird.

Then Monday comes......along with that overdue bill notice. Or maybe it's going back to a negative atmosphere at the workplace. Either way, it's the rude awakening of the case of the Mondays (and the "world").

Tuesday's schedule is jammed packed with errands in the morning, meeting up with a girlfriend for lunch, two dentist appointments and tackling Mt. Rushmore of laundry all night.

Wednesday starts with a phone call from your doctor's office informing you that those tests you had done came back inconclusive, so you need to go back for a follow-up. Before you can self diagnose yourself with the Ebola virus, you forget that you have family visiting and that includes that one relative that sucks the life out of you. Fast forward to everyone turning their nose up to what you slaved on for dinner......you call it a night.

By Thursday.....you hear rumors of an impending layoff, so you start scrambling to every store at the local shopping mall filling out applications. Then, your teenagers are being.....well, teenagers......and have you running in 10 different directions all day with their wants and needs. You finally walk through the door at 9pm to find that your dog decided to vomit all over the house.


Before you know it....it's Friday. Where did the week go? You are exhausted. When did you ever even sit down and give God any attention during all of the craziness? Oh wait! You did....you do remember sending up a quick prayer, equivalent to a text message, in between that doctor's call and answering the door to that annoying visitor.

Now I won't say that all of this happened to *me* in one week.....but let's just say, it gives you an idea of some of the typical distractions......or thorns......that occur in any typical week for me. The thorns that choke out any of the seeds (or Good Word as Luke 8:11 confirms) that fall into my soil.

It is the enemy's desire to snatch those seeds. Or if that doesn't work, he will send distractions (thorns) our way so they will choke out the possibility of anything bearing fruit.

Throughout the Bible, thorns represent desolation and troubles.

"Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.~Genesis 3:17-18

I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.~Proverbs 24:30-31

They will sow wheat but reap thorns; they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.~Jer12:13

So yeah, I find myself often categorized in that cluster of Christians who finds themselves trapped in the thorns. The group that hears the Word (seed) but we are so drowning in the distractions, cares, issues, and pleasures of this life that the seed does not grow to maturity or completion. We try to develop our own solution for how to deal with economic, emotional and physical issues of life rather than accepting God’s solution.

I get lured and snagged in a thicket of distractions which takes my eyes off of God. I am not trusting in Him with my finances or my health. I am not seeking Him for wisdom, patience and peace. No, I am tangled up in my own cares and end up exhausted, overwhelmed.....and unproductive.

Thankfully we serve a loving and God full of grace. One that can and will yank those thorns out of our spiritual garden. He is the Master Gardener who will help us plant and cultivate the seeds of our lives. And season by season we can grow to bear fruit and be who we were destined to be.

So how about you......what causes a thorn in your side Walk?

System Restore

So I feel I have been reaching in my excuse bag lately for my lack of posting.....

Off the top of my head, I can definitely say it has been one and/or the combo of the following:

• family obligations
• preparing for and attending country fairs and livestock shows
• the endless list of home improvements
• enJOYing the summer as much as possible
• visiting friends and family
• spiritual dryness
• and lastly.....being so frustrated with this darn computer which is bogged down with viruses that cause it to freeze up every 18 minutes or better yet......when I am in the middle of something really important. I won't lie and say it has happened while I have been into a wicked awesome blog post where I am sharing such wisdom and inspiration......(see prior teeny excuse) but I will tell you that when said crashing/freezing event happens....I have been known to have non-Christian words slip out of my mouth all while screaming at the monitor asking what I have done to deserve such punishment.
  

So I am pleased to let you know, that a friend has kindly given me a Windows XP install disc and I plan on transferring the bajillion files/photos/documents over to my external hard-drive over the next few days and flat-lining this badboy and starting out again with a clean slate.

How refreshing to think that I won't have 948 unread emails (mostly spam) in my Outlook Express inbox. They loom in the shadows and haunt me. I want to hit "select all" and then delete.....but what if I delete an overlooked correspondence (like the 150,000 Euros that is waiting for me to claim)

And now.....Poof. They will be gone. Yes, I'll lose that coupon code for Viagra at the wholesale price (don't ask)........and I'll never get that link for the online degree to be a medical transcriptionist.....but I will be FREE of that daunting task of going through all of those emails looking for those few correspondences that shouldn't have gone unread.

Josh will be thrilled that our "desktop" will now be clear and clutter free......it will no longer look like a jigsaw puzzle of shortcut icons and cover the photo of one of my favorite chickens. (is that bad that I don't have one of my children up there?)

I am hoping that my sound driver will be re-installed so that I can finally get my K-Love on during the day. I can also resume watching some of the great podcasts from my favorite preachers/speakers. (did I mention that I believe that a good majority of these viruses are enemy-sent?)

And like a responsible and paranoid amateur computer person, I did my research on what all this restoring will do. It was explained to me that a system restore is like a time machine for your computer, in which we will be able to restore a previous configuration from before problems began to occur.

Wow....wouldn't that be nice if we could have a system restore in our lives?

Well folks.......step right up. We can.

Think about it. When we start digging deeper with Jesus, He offers us the ultimate System Restore.

Have a corrupt file haunting you from your past and/or the baggage of worries/anxiety hanging in your inbox?

DELETE them with Philippians 3:13,14
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

You also can get a whole new operating system to tackle this thing called life. And since the operating pretty much is the backbone of the computer, you get a brand new way to send and receive information and process applications. You can make major changes and upgrade to keep up with needs that change over time.

All you have to do is RE-INSTALL Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

And let's not forget about having a brand new anti-virus software installed with this offer. Knowing that even when we encounter dangerous situations, we can and will have the protection installed to keep us safe and hopefully make the right decisions.

Just DOWNLOAD Isaiah 54:17
"No weapon forged against you will prevail......"

I am sure I could list many more but I am sensing another meltdown approaching with this computer and I will lose my mind if it crashes on me again.

So wish me luck with this scary task I am about to undertake this weekend.....I am praying that I don't get sucked into the Black Hole of cyberspace and lose everything, including my mind (which is already half gone).

See you on "the other side" of this adventure! :)

xox
*~Michelle~*

The Sly Fox

Good morning friends! If you are reading this, I would first like to thank you for sticking with visiting me during my summertime borderline hiatus from being online/blogging/etc. I think if God has a suggestion box up in Heaven, I might slip a note in there about giving us a few extra hours for the days of the summer months because I could sure use them. As I mentioned before, us "New Englanders" have this pressure to jam in all joy of this sunny season with our unpredictable weather and the looming thoughts that fall is right around the corner. So we cram our schedules with cookouts/reunions.......vacations and beach days......fairs and festivals.......maybe even scraping up the extra cash to take your family to a waterpark for the day.

(On a side note, Dear Six Flaggs.....$42.50 for children under 12 years old??? Really people??? I asked Josh "How do these people sleep at night charging so much?"........His reply....."Probably on 1200 thread count Egyptian Cotton sheets". On another side note.....it was a little disturbing that he even knew about 1200 thread count Egyptian Cotton sheets)

OK, so a while back, I wrote a post regarding God's Ultimate Protection Plan..... (If you have a moment, and you missed it.....please go check it out....I'll wait.)
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Back? OK, great. Getting on to the sly fox......finally.

Well yesterday we had an experience that was a perfect example of how important it is to have your security system up and running at all times. Our security system, our 120 pound Rottie, Mufasa......needs his own security system which is an invisible fence. Well, with the lovely unpredictable New England weather......we had a surprise electrical storm sneak up on us this past weekend. Normally, when we know there is thunderstorms in the forecast, we simply shut off the fencing ahead of time. We were at a local country fair all weekend, so this time, it got zapped and blew out the transmitting unit. neat.


So between the blazing 90-100 days we've had these past couple days......and the fact that the fencing is out of commission.....I've had Moofie in the house with us. I am sure he was quite happy with my choice as I found him in this position often.

Well word must have gotten out that he off duty and was airing out every possible crevice of his body......because I heard a raucous going on outside my front window. When I stuck my head out the front door, I saw a slender red fox circling about six of my chickens in the front yard. He then proceeded to grab onto one of them by the back end but thankfully she managed to get away. I came out screaming like one of those old farm ladies with a mop in my hand instead of a loaded shotgun. Hey, cut me some slack.....it was the first thing I could grab and the mop wasn't locked up. I am guessing my high pitched screech alerted everyone else in the house as Nev came running with her bow and arrow and Ez on her heels armed with his slingshot. (ack, I am giving you quite the hillbilly visual, aren't I?)

Finally Mufasa woke up from his dream of being fanned by sexy Golden Labs feeding him slices of sirloin......(well I am guessing that part).......and came running out slobbering and barking about all the commotion. He picked up the scent of the fox and took off into the woods, but it was long gone.

We found our chicken, Pepper, and thankfully she only lost her tail feathers in that close call. Most visits by foxes don't end up this way. They are pretty quick to grab their lunch and go before you even know they where around. Usually, we just find a small pile of feathers from the struggle and play detective based on the colors/pattern of the feathers on who was the victim.

So you know I am gonna wrap this up with an analogy......only because I have been struggling with a spiritual dryness lately that I have been working on for a long time. Too long. And the enemy is like a sly fox. Reminds me of a song that I learned as a kid;

The Devil is a sly old fox,
If I could catch him
I would throw him in a box
I’d lock the door and throw away the key
For all the tricks he’s played on me.


I need an overhaul.....I need an awakening.......I need a revival. I need to be armed and refueled for the next spiritual attack....ready to handle the next family issue or financial set-back. I feel like I have had my security system out "for repairs" for a long time.....leaving me vulnerable to the enemy's attacks and lies, time and time again these past few months.

Because, like the issue of this fox returning for his next chicken dinner......it is not a matter of "if"......it's just a matter of "when".

And I want need to be ready.

Consider the sparrow......

Consider the sparrow they don’t plant or sow
But they’re fed by the Master who watches them grow

~from Consider the Lilies (Joe Hemphill)

Hello my friends......I know I have been MIA in the blogging world lately. No specific reason, just a combo of many reasons......my daughter is continuing to save the world, one goat at a time......we have been visiting friends, enjoying the weather/summer......and have been also been battling our share of trials (but keep reminding ourselves that these are just tests)

But sometimes trying to remember that these are just "tests" is a challenge. Sometimes in the middle of it all.....I will admit that I get anxious and worried. That brings out the control freak in me and then I start spinning my wheels trying to "fix" everything. But these things cannot be fixed by myself......I cannot make people do what I want them to do or make choices that I feel is best for them. I cannot magically make more money get deposited in my checking account, although that would be nice, wouldn't it?

This past weekend.......after all my attempts and scramblings, I ended up in that familiar place of weariness, frustration and helplessness. I felt physically and emotionally drained....I also have been noticing that my spiritual health is on the fritz as well. It's like I scramble and exhaust myself trying to find the answers and solutions, and then throw in a quick prayer to God at the end of the day. I am not sure if I feel my issues/problems are too insignificant for Him, that He has way more important issues to tend to....or that I am forgetting His promise that He will never leave me or forsake me. I am thinking the it is a little bit of both.

So yesterday morning.....still feeling spiritually dry.....I sat outside my front porch contemplating going to church. (how's that for brutal honesty about where I am at) As I drank my coffee, this teeny little bird flew over to the a dangling branch of my Weeping Cherry tree. The branch was right about eye level and she just sat there.....I swear......looking right at me. There was this amazing sense of peace about this little creature. She did not look concerned that the fragile branch she was perched on was going to give away, she did not look hungry or anxious of the threat of any predators (that would be one of my cats that was curled up under the tree liking his chops)

It was then that I felt God say these three powerful words to me.......

.....consider the sparrow......

It was then that I remembered what has been taught to me about the sparrow. So insignificant were these little birds that if you bought four sparrows the seller would throw in one more for free. It was this extra sparrow of which Jesus said, "and not one of them is forgotten before God." (Luke 12:6-7) He cares so much for His creations..... is so great that even this extra sparrow is noted and observed by God! So if we are taught about how He shows such concern for all the birds in our world.....how could I think he is not concerned and caring about me?And how I am far more precious to God than all the sparrows combined.

He also reminded me that He knows my troubles and understands my fears. I just need to trust Him just as this little sparrow does. She was not panicking, fluttering around......all flustered and worried. No....she was at peace....knowing that God's eye is on her at all times.

And I was pleasantly reminded that His eye is on me at all times.

And you as well.

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

“Be faithful in small things......

............... because it is in them that your strength lies” ~Mother Teresa

This is what I have been reminding my daughter of these past couple of weeks.

You see.....my little animal lover has been devastated, as we all have, about the horrific oil spill. She felt completely helpless as she clicked through the countless brutal images of all the animals affected by this tragedy......

......until we came across this website Matter of Trust. This awesome organization has a program where you can donate hair clippings as well as animal hair, fiber and fur and they turn them into valuable hair mats and "booms" (tubes) to assist in the clean up of oil spills.

They explain it this way on their site; "You shampoo, because hair collects oil. Hair is very efficient at gathering oil, skin oils off your face, oil pollution out of the air, and water, even petroleum oil spills. Hair is adsorbent (as in "clings to" unlike absorbent which is to "soak up.")
So she has been clipping all our goats and packing up the hair getting it ready to send out. We also just sheared our alpacas and are donating the majority of that fiber as well. Although we know that the few pounds of hair/fiber we are sending will probably only make a percentage of one boom.....we feel we are doing something to help out. And if we if add it to the many other people who are sending a few pounds over......we can all make a difference together.

Figured I share a few pics.....surely one will make you smile!



Here is how we "roll" when transporting our boys.(we're working on saving for a trailer, HA!) So, you gotta do what you gotta do....they actually didn't mind at all. This was when we were bringing them to get sheared.



Yeah....we do get some strange looks when people pass us on the road. Even funnier comments when we go through the drive-thru.



So yes....they didn't seem to mind the drive.....but I think they might have a problem with what they looked like after! (thankfully we don't have any mirrors in their corral) Isn't that hilarious? We decided to keep the fashionable "Ugg" thigh-high boot look along with the afro.







And here we have Ez and Nev clipping down our goats....





















oh, and while we are in farm-mode....I wanted to share that I am really getting my "midwife" skills on. A couple of nights ago.......at midnight!.....our first time mama, Margaret went into labor. Now normally, I am sleeping WAY before then.....but God has a funny way of keeping everything in line and had me out at a friend's house alot later than normal. So I happen to check on her just in time.

Well...after a half hour or so, I started to think that things were not happening the way they should with this birth process....and I started to panic. Then I started to pray.......more panic.....more praying. After calling my vet in the middle of night and knowing I was alone, I knew I had to put aside my fears and intervene. I also happened to get intouch with my neighbor and he came over. So with his help, I just had to go in and help get this little baby into her birth canal so the mama could get her out. The frightened mama still couldn't push her so we had to pull her out. So I just said to God....."OK, this is it. I need your strength to pull this off, don't leave me now!"

So after 3 hours.....we delivered a very breech.....but very beautiful little doeling.


I'd like to introduce you to little Ava. (We chose this name because you can always spell it backwards......just the way she came into this world)










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

Proverbs 27:27

Hello friends......
Hope this finds you all smiling and well.....I've got a few things that Jesus is teaching me as I dig deeper into His Word. I am getting my thoughts together on them (remember, my ADD is always on overdrive, it might be a while)....so in the meantime, I thought it would be fun to share what we've been up to with our little farm and the "fruits of our labor".

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"You will have plenty of goats' milk
to feed you and your family......."

~Proverbs 27:27

Feeling blessed that we now have this......

(fresh goat's milk from our does)

so that we can make this..........

(fresh "queso blanco" goat cheese)

and this.......

(carrot cinnamon goats' milk soap)

all while giving Him all the Glory!

....have a beautiful day~

*~Michelle~*

Agape Love

Just wanted to share my newest tattoo!

......I got it right after my son Hunter got his:

(pretty awesome, huh? But can you say OUCH!?!?!)

Thank you for letting me share...

Have a beautiful and safe weekend, my friends~
*~Michelle~*

May I please you, please?

Are you a people pleaser? Do you struggle (as I do) by taking it to an unhealthy level? May I please ask you a few questions that you can ask yourself to see if you are joining me in that same destructive direction?


Do you have a hard time saying "no" to people in general?

Do you take on responsibilities that you really do not want to do/have no time to do and then, in turn, harbor resentment? Do you take these responsibilities on out of desire.....or duty?

Do you take responsibility for others moods and/or happiness? And then, does the onslaught of guilt come upon you when they are not happy or content?

Do you constantly need the approval of others? So much so that it affects your choices and decisions?

Do people sometimes take advantage of you when they know you are overly-giving in the physical sense as well as emotional?

Do you constantly sacrifice your own legitimate needs when you are constantly pleasing others and tending to their needs? Does it leave you feeling empty, frustrated and depressed?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, my friends.......I think it is a warning sign that you might be a people-pleaser.....otherwise known as an approval junkie.

Now I am not saying that serving others is not what God calls us to do. But rather, we just cannot turn our actions/motives into an idolatrous concern for what others think of us instead of what God thinks of us. Does that make sense? It can be very confusing as we have read the verses and learned the stories......"Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and give His life for many." But who's servant are we?

I guess what I am starting to learn as I have been praying about this.....is that we are to serve others...... not out of a sense of legalistic obligation, but out of love. When we seek to serve God first.....pleasing others will just follow naturally.

Another side effect of being an approval junkie is the disappointment that is sure to come when we are dependent on others appreciation (or lack of) when we set out to seek their approval. It becomes an obsession and ultimately a downward spiral in bitterness, depression and a feeling of hopelessness.

We have to realize that we cannot please everyone all the time. Not everyone is going to like us, no matter what we do or say. It is human nature to seek the approval of others......we want to be liked, don't we?! And sure it stings when we are rejected......and it will affect us......but we must not let it direct us.

We also need to keep ourselves in check when we go on these approval seeking binges. We need to remember that we cannot give people the right to dictate who we are.......that is God's job. It is a slippery slope of idolatry in a sense when we give people that power. We start to take our focus off of pleasing God when we are chasing the approval of the world. Others' approval becomes more of a priority than God's approval. Is it because we take for granted that God loves us unconditionally, therefore we slack in putting Him and His approval first?

Ouch.


So how about you? Are you an approval junkie? How do you handle it when it takes you to an unhealthyholy level?

I want to share something I heard this weekend as I have been praying about this and it came as such a timely manner (God's good like that). Maybe if you suffer from people-pleasing-itis you might want to write this down and tape it to your bathroom mirror, desk or the dashboard in your car.

God doesn't love us because we are valuable....
....we are valuable because God loves us.

I think when we truly know and believe our worth in God's eyes.....the bondage of pleasing people will be broken off....and we can and will be set free!

Have a great week, my friends.......

Peace~

*~Michelle~*

Unevenly Yoked

**********post removed**********

I wanted to thank everyone for all their prayers, advice and encouragement regarding this family issue we are dealing with. You will all never know how much I have been blessed with each and everyone's thoughts. Josh and I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to pray, for sharing your personal experiences and support.


After praying about this, I have decided to remove this post in the best interest of my family. God knows my intentions were soley to seek the wisdom/advice, not to break the trust of the people who are the most important in my life. I have saved all your comments and read them more often than you think, but have also chose to keep them "hidden" for privacy reasons.

I hope you understand.

*~Michelle~*

Mother's Day thoughts......

(originally posted last year at this time....please forgive the repetition and my over-use of the copy/paste button this week, but......well.....not only due to being slammed with a crazy busy schedule lately....I still have these same thoughts this year as well and you can never read enough Proverbs 31 when reflecting on being a mom, wife, .........daughter of The King!)



So with Mother's Day coming up.....I have been thinking about alot of things beside my "typical" Mother's Day weekend thoughts and plans.

The "typical" ones are......I am going to sleep in both mornings (which usually is only about 7:30....wishing my internal clock had a snooze button)

Then I have a Get out of Jail It's Mother's Day Weekend pass to do pretty much whatever I want. Within reason, of course.....setting fire to the piles of clutter in my home or wracking up a huge bill at Pier One would not be reasonable. Taking off Saturday morning for yard sales, then hitting some nurseries for plants, and treating myself to a special lunch is more likely the reasonable choice I will make. This also gives Josh the opportunity to pick up a few things for me with the kids......and because I am such a thoughtful and gracious wife, I took the burden off of him and gave him a list of suggestions. ;)

I reminded him that he got the low maintenance version for a wife. My list only included home-made soap from a local farm, some new garden snippers and an exercise mat. Easy, huh? I am not a fancy jewelry person, although I "love me" a new choker or simple stone pendant once in a while....I work part-time at a hair salon so I could grab a pedicure/hair treatment whenever I wanted (although I am like the painter whose house needs to be painted)
Point being....have the kids write me a note telling me how beautiful, wonderful and awesome I am much they love me and a bar of patchouli soap and I am thrilled.

Sunday plans include church and maybe coming home to fire up the grill for lunch and just "chill-ax-ing" at home, playing in the dirt and doing a little bit of nothing with my favorite people. :)

But I woke up this morning and two things are on my heart:

1. First, I want to focus on what The Bible tells us in Proverbs 31 about being a wife and mother. These are just a few of my interpretations....

• I want to give Josh the extra confidence that he needs to know that I support, love and respect him always. I want to try to remember to think before I say something negative or complain. I want to make sure he is reminded that he is an awesome husband, provider and father. Proverbs 31:12
  
• I want to dedicate more time helping others this year......and have my children by my side to teach them as well. Proverbs 31:20
• I want to live my life as the best example to my children so that it will be a positive effect on their future. I want to infuse Godly wisdom every step of the way. For my boys with choosing a wife and how to treat her.....and for my daughter, (who this really won't matter as she will never be allowed to date, according to Josh anyway)....show her the respect she deserves and how she needs to respect/treat her husband. Proverbs 31:26

on a lighter note......I remind Josh that I am def. following Proverbs in other ways already......

• Proverbs 31:24 ( She makes linen garments and sells them....) I'm a tie dying mama.
  
• Proverbs 31:16 (.....she plants a vineyard) well a garden counts, right?
• Proverbs 31:17 (..her arms are strong for her tasks) working on that...30 Day Shred, baby!
• Proverbs 31:10 (She is worth far more than rubies) Josh always teases me. He puts his hands out like a scale and bobs them up and down.....he says that he can imagine what it was like back in those Bible days, lol. "Hmmmmm........rubies or Michelle.....yeah, I guess you are worth a little more than rubies."
  

2. And secondly.....it occurred to me that there are people who are not able to or wanting to celebrate Mother's Day in the way I am blessed to.

I want to pray for:

• the moms who have sick children, may God grant them peace/strength/trust and believe in the power of prayer/miracles.
• the moms whose children have went back Home to Jesus, may God comfort and fill that hole in their heart that only Christ can fill and heal.
• the women who are struggling with infertility, may they trust that God has a plan for their barrenness and may they continue to have faith during their journey.
• anyone who has had to say good-bye to their mom, may they continue to hold loving memories in their heart and keep them alive by sharing stories with others.
• moms who are raising their children on their own, may God continue to be your source of strength.
  
• and this last group is one that doesn't get thought about often at this time.....the people who have been abandoned, abused, and/or betrayed by their mom. May God bring forgiveness and peace in your heart so that you may your life full of joy, love and hope.

So, with that.....please take a moment to say a prayer for others. Maybe take a minute to call someone who might need a lift this weekend or bring a card/small gift over to them. This one small gesture could be just what this person needed and you can bring light where they might have darkness.

I hope you have the best weekend possible.....may you be surrounded by the family and friends.....and most of all, may you be surrounded by God's Love.

Peace and love
*~Michelle~*