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~*

This is a test......this is only a test.

So my pastor was talking about this a few weeks ago, and it came at such a great time for me. I figured there's got to be a few of us out here that are facing some trial/struggle, some disappointment.....some unanswered prayer right now....so I thought I'd share.

He reminded us that when these trials and struggles come our way......ultimately they are just tests.

Now we use the word test in many common phrases;

When we are being cautious, we test the waters.

I don't know about your kids, but mine definitely test my patience. (not sure if I have passed this one lately)

We talk about the quality of something when it stands the test of time.

How about when we were in school? When a test was given, it revealed how much you had actually learned of what you had been taught. I hated tests......and I always bombed on them. Looking back, it most likely was due to my ADD/retention issues....(not anything to do with me totally goofing off)

But tests are part of school, I guess. There's no way around them. If we can relate this to life now....Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:20,21 that we are being taught in a different school when we are Christians. The School of Christ. We are "learning Christ" and are "being taught by Him, as the Truth is in Jesus". So we will have these tests........even "pop quizzes" throughout our walk in life until Jesus returns.

I decided to look up the word test and found the first definition to be:

~the means by which the presence, quality, or genuineness of anything is determined; a means of trial.

So the purpose of these tests are to determine.....or establish.....the genuineness of who we are.

How do we handle disappointments and setbacks? How do we treat others when we don't get the answers that we want to hear. How do we treat God when things are upside down? We ask Him to solve our problems, but do we ever ask Him what it is that He is trying to teach us through it all?

And it's not only to see how we handle these trials, but how we have been transformed when they are over. What is actually gained after the dust settles? That got me thinking about those first couple of verses in James that I always had a hard time wrapping my head around.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." ~James 1:2,3

(on a side note.....joy? Really, James? Not sure about you......but when I am finding myself struggling with relationships, wrestling with emotions, scrambling with finances and/or just the junk that life throws at me.....I can honestly say I am NOT very joyful.)

But what I have been learning, as I have been digging deep with my friend Jesus these past couple of weeks (which is one of the reasons I've been a little MIA)......is a little enlightenment on just what James is teaching us with that Scripture.

I guess the joy should come from the fact that we should look at these times as a sign that God has something great planned ahead. But we are not quite ready for it, so he needs to do a little work on us. I read somewhere that these hammerings and chiselings...although painful.... are necessary (while still in this earthly “quarry”) to prepare each of us so as to fit perfectly in our unique spot as a pillar in temple of my God (Revelation 3:12).

These tests are to shape and develop our character.....our true character......not just what we proclaim to be. I picture God using His tools..... chipping away chunks of pride, unforgiveness and selfishness off of me when I think back to certain issues I have gone through... or maybe I should say.......He brought me through. God, in His infinite wisdom, can work on so many areas in our lives with just one situation.

Of course, when we are amidst the trial, it is hard to imagine that God has His Hand on it. It is hard to trust that He has something better ahead for us. Whether it is a new job, a new chapter in our life, a new (or renewed) relationship. Helen Keller once said.....“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one, which has been opened for us.”

These tests are not only tests of our faith......but of our total trust in God that we are "going to be OK"....(in fact, quite sure we will be much better) after this all plays out. Think about some of the past trials you have gone through. If you had a clear picture of how it really turned out in the end, you probably would not have been robbed of a week's worth of sleep....saved your stomach some damage with heartburn/indigestion.....probably spared yourself some wrinkles and gray hair too. (oh, that would be me). Well, you might have said a few less damaging words to others, been a little more pleasant to be around......maybe you just might have enJOYed life a little more.


So I'll wrap it up here and leave you with these two things:

One, try to remember that these tests are for our learning, not God’s....... He knows the end from the beginning. If we recognize that these trials are meant to strengthen us, change us where change is needed.....we will persevere as James reminds us.

And second........when you find yourself in the middle of a difficult situation......try to imagine a loud voice in your head......with that annoying beeping sound in the background.....saying

"This is a test, my friend........this is only a test."

Be well~
*~Michelle~*


P.S. funny thing.....I was being tested with writing this post. Guessing the enemy did not want someone to read it. Basically started this about four hours ago. My computer locked up about six times, had to keep shutting it down, then go back and rewrite many run-on sentences just to get this message out. I will tell you that I am actually laughing now thinking about how I wanted to kick, scream and swear after the third time......or how I wanted to throw the whole computer out on the front lawn by the fifth time. But I passed the "keep my cool" test with flying colors. I only mumbled a few choice words......slammed my hands on the keyboard a couple of times and did a little tantrum dance on the front deck once.

P.S.S.

Thank you to all my friends who took the time to shoot me an email and/or post to my Facebook, wishing me a happy birthday this past weekend! I had a great time celebrating the 22nd anniversary of my 21st birthday! I was spoiled by my family with lots of presents including new muck boots (have to be fashionable cleaning barns), milking and soap making supplies....and a brand new dishwasher! WOOHOO! :)

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~*

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~*

Stealing my Joy

The One Word at a Time carnival topic today is joy......I am putting my twist on it and sharing when it feels like joy is being stolen from you. I am sharing a post from last October......because I feel I am sort of in the same place right now with my life and the busyness of it all. Like a repeat offender.

You see, our goals are set to glorify God in all that we do ( our plans with new renovation, our little farm, homeschooling, etc).......but sometimes we can focus so much getting closer to Him, those very same efforts are separating us from Him.

Keepin' it real......I am guilty as charged.

And without Him, what good is all of this?


(make sure you stop on over at Bridget's place where so many share their great thoughts on joy today, as well)

Stop the Ride, I'm Gonna Puke
(orig. posted 10.22.09)

Nice title, huh?



Well that kinda sums up how I have been feeling.....I feel like I am on this never-ending spinning ride at one of those carnivals and there is a freaky transient guy, with no teeth and bad skin, who is running the ride who refuses to stop it. Or wait, was that a dream I had? Regardless.....I do feel that I am on the not-so-merry-go-round of chronic activity lately.

(just for the record, I do not go on those creaky carnival rides, in fact I stay clear of them because I always think about how they totally do not use all the proper nuts and bolts to put them together. I mean, think about it.....how many times are those death traps erected and taken down??? Surely a few screws and thingamajigs get lost during their travels and it probably is too much work to find a replacement.....anyway, for the record, I avoid carnival rides and the sometime strange people running them. *hopefully not offending any of the non-creepy traveling carnival entrepreneurs who might be reading this.....or people who know/love them)


So, my life is whirling by me these past few weeks and I just want need to slow.it.down. I want need peace. I want need my joy back.

Sure, we've been busy with Homecoming, Hunter's birthday, searching for documents to finish up our re-fi, new additions to our herd, and homeschooling events. And btw, who-ever thinks that homeschoolers have no social interaction should come and hang out with us because we have hardly been home with all the events we've been involved in lately.

Another thing that is keeping us busy is the onset of fall....which in New England means winter is like... next week. I think that is why New England people are known to be uptight and always in a rush....it's because we try to cram in everything while we have a glimpse of enjoyable weather because we know that our summers are getting shorter and there is less time/light on our side to get whatever we want to get done, done. Our weather is very unpredictable and that also gives that feeling of no control. So everyone is in a tizzy to either squeeze/cram in whatever you need to do because tomorrow might be a washout. For example.....today is nice....it's 65 degrees and clear. Tomorrow might hit close to 70. But last week we had four days of rain, frost on the early morning ground and even snow on Sunday.

But it's not only us North Eastern people, it's everywhere in the US (and the world). We are living in a world of "rush". We feel the need to do everything as fast as possible so we can get to the next duty on our list. We ship Federal Express, we eat fast food and we use instant messaging.

anyway....I am at a point where the hectic schedule is becoming a total drag to me. I am in dire need of some down time. I am scurrying around so much during the day that I am passing out as soon as I am in a horizontal position. I am missing out on the wind-down time with Josh. The time where he and I connect, talk about random stuff.......reconnect after the world/family/etc has kept us apart.

But most importantly......I am in dire need of my wind-down time with God. I need to push aside all the busyness and make the time for Him. I am guilty of only giving Him the leftovers, if anything, these past few weeks. I am spinning my wheels and most of time, I end up dizzy from the chaos.

Sure, I thank Him and give Him the glory for the blessings He is pouring on us....but I have not been still or quiet enough to just talk with Him....or better yet, listen to what He wants me to hear/know. I've talked before about how I need help staying still.....and I fear that I am on a path lately that isn't keeping God at the forefront. And that scares me, because I know that I need Him in everything I do. I need Him to keep me focused. I need Him to help me make decisions based on His word and wisdom. I need Him to be by my side in my daily walk. How can I have Him so close and influential, if I am keeping pushing Him back in my list of things to do?

It's like that line in a song by Casting Crowns, Slow Fade: "people never crumble in a day". I am afraid that I am getting caught up in what appears to be important, and putting off what is the most important. And by the time I am really needing to rest physically and mentally in Him......I am so wiped out and drained, that I put it off til the next day. Unfortunately, even with good intentions, it doesn't come to pass and the next morning, I foolishly (and wearily) jump right back on the hamster wheel and spin back into another rat-race of a day.

Sometimes, I try to justify it all and tell myself, "it's not like I am turning my back on God, He knows I love Him".....but am I deceiving myself into thinking that these small stumblings cannot easily turn into a huge disaster?

Maybe it's because I am selfishly taking for granted that God will be there whenever I get to Him, He is available 24/7, and/or I don't need to make an appointment.

Not cool.

Lately, I am rushing around, sometimes with white knuckles on the steering wheel making sure I get the kids to the football game in time, race in the store before it closes or drop off that package at the post office. Our whiteboard on the fridge has a full schedule of everyone's appointments because we all know my brain is on overdrive and I can barely remember what I had for breakfast, nevermind remember who needs to be picked up/dropped off when or where. (I won't admit about forgetting to pick up G at the skate park last week......uh, I guess I just did. Thankfully he is almost 18, has a cell phone to remind me......and is forgiving)

Even now.......as I am typing this away......I am feeling guilty because I could be using this time to spend some quiet time with God. I will say that I started this post in the wee hours of this morning and have been popping on and off, adding a few paragraphs,(and also deleting many that have gone WAY off topic.....I know you find that hard to believe)
So, we are in between lessons...it is now 1:21 and the kids are having lunch. I am justifying tip tapping away on the keyboard instead of sneaking in my room for some one on one with The One because I figure the kids will be busting in my room within minutes. So, why should I even attempt it now? (ouch, that was raw truth.....but hey, I am keeping it real!)

...but that is not the point, or an excuse. The point is......I have NO excuse. I should have/could have done it this morning. I should have given God His sacred portion of my time before anything/anyone got some. I know the intention behind my blog is to share/shout about how much I love Jesus.......but guess what? I think that sometimes I am so busy about God's business that I am leaving Him out.

*gulp*

So today, my prayer is that I slow down and start making the time for God. I pray that I can put Him first before any/all appointments for the day. He is far more important than anything that I make appointments for or scramble through the day to do. I want to give Him my "first fruits"....not my weary leftovers. He is worthy of my best and I need to let Him know that. I want to slow down, to be still, to make room in my busy life....for Him. Because I know when I start my day with Him, there is peace and joy......and it will sustain me through my day.



Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me,
and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
~Psalm 28:7

Almost six months ago.....Josh and I took a leap of faith. You see.....God placed something on our hearts over the past year....

He whispered ideas in our dreams.
He nudged us at Christian festivals.
He poked our ribs listening to certain messages about the youth.
He brought messages about the importance of preparing the next generation.
He smacked us upside the head when reminding us of our talents and what we are called to do.

....so we could not ignore it any longer.

In this unstable economy and living already on a tight budget, we decided to apply for a refinance and take out a decent amount of equity on our home. It wasn't an easy process.....there were so many stumbling blocks and frustrations along the way.....looking back, we know it was the enemy trying to foil our plan. But we just kept trusting in God and knew that if this was what we were supposed to be doing, it would all work out and the loan would be processed.

.....and it was, and just like God.....we ended up with a lower rate and a higher appraisal on our property.

The day the check cleared......we started this journey. We knew we would have to do pretty much ALL the renovation work ourselves to make every dollar stretch. How thankful we are to have Josh blessed with the wisdom needed for all the construction that was necessary . We give God all the praise for the strength He gave to Josh as he worked 4-6 hours every night after working 8-9 at his "day" job.

Most would have given up when fingers and hands were split/bleeding from the labor, back pain was excruciating, and exhaustion was taking a toll on your physical and emotion self.........but Josh kept his eyes focused on God's goal....and pressed forward.

I could share so much on what we have gone through to bring this project together.....but I think that the photos will prove that "all things are possible with Christ" and we did it. We could have never done this without Him.....and this is all FOR Him!

So now......I present to you.....the future home of Bible study/worship center for our kids and their friends. We converted our two car garage into a 600 sq. foot great room for our family and friends. We have a friend, a youth pastor, who will be joining us for our special nights, getting "down with Jesus" with the teens and preaching the Good News. Of course there will be pizza, video games and bonfires too! We want to continue adding to our "Heaven Hospitality" welcoming list.

Josh also invested in tons of equipment for a recording studio that is located in the adjacent room where he is donating his time/talents to aspiring Christian musicians/bands.

So here it is.....from start to finish.

(remember this?)

We are so excited to see what God has planned......we know and trust that God has had His Hand on this since Day One. We trust and believe that the angels will be celebrating, singing, and praising Him along with us!

Have a blessed week~
*~Michelle~*

Jeremiah 17:7-8

So it's easy to trust and praise God when things are going well in your life......isn't it?

When things are flowing great...joy is radiating from me where-ever I go! I am giving people a Holy high-five....I've got that extra pep in my step on most days. I am "letting Go, letting God". Kinda like being on a rollercoaster with your arms waving up high!

But what about when times get a little rough? You wake up Monday morning and your checking account is already in the negative? You get that dreaded phone call that some medical tests were "inconclusive" and you need to return for a follow-up. Rumors are surfacing of an impending lay-off within your company. Despite all the guidance and boundaries......your children make poor choices in their lives.

I find that when issues arise (which they do!).......my hands that were freely dancing in the sky are now clutched with a white knuckled grip in a panic state. My brain starts racing on how to "fix" the issue with my own doings/actions/thought processes. I snatch the issues and hold them tight as if I can smother the solution out of them.

Of course I am doing more damage by reacting this way. Not only am I robbing myself of peace and joy with constant worry and anxiousness, I am basically telling God that I don't trust that He is able to handle it. I mean, let's be honest.....He can overcome the grave, but I think *my* issue just might put Him over the top and be a little out of His league!

How insane does that sound? But it's what I am saying when I act that way.

So friends, I need some encouragement to unload the burden and get back to the weightless freedom that trusting God with everything brings! Remind me that freedom is what God is all about.

Revive my way of thinking.....remind me of all what is taught in His Word:

We were bound in sin......Jesus sets us free.
He has paid The Ransom.....now we are free.
We will know the Truth and the Truth will set us free.
We are no longer slaves to sin for He has rescued us.
We are no longer prisoners, we have received the Ultimate emancipation.
There is total freedom in Christ

I know......the references are endless. Sometimes I just need that little nudge. I know God wants me to remember that He is never going to fail me. I woke up this morning, and flipped my Bible open. Ironically, my eyes went straight to this Scripture:

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."

~Jeremiah 17:7-8

What do you do when times get a little tough? How do you keep your eyes fixed on God? Can you offer some advice/prayer for me... and maybe that one person who also needs some encouragement that came to visit my place today?

Thank you in advance!

Peace~
*~Michelle~*

And that's my final answer.....

So this weekend we got the opportunity to listen to Don Piper speak at our church. He wrote about his amazing testimony of his death experience (not near death....death, as in white sheet over his dismembered body for 90 minutes) in his book, 90 Minutes in Heaven.

Here is a little recap from his website:

In 1989, Don was on his way back from a church conference when an 18-wheeler struck his Ford Escort head on. He was killed instantly - pronounced dead by four sets of EMTs. Shortly after the accident, a pastor from the same conference arrived on the scene and began praying for "the man in the red car." God worked a miracle and sent Don back to a broken body. To date, 34 surgical procedures have taken place. He walks only as a result of miraculous and in some cases medically unexplainable circumstances. During the time he was dead, Piper was granted the extreme privilege of glimpsing Heaven itself.


This book has sold over 2.7 million copies and he now travels all over the world sharing his message of hope and healing. It was totally awesome!

Don touched upon so many important things we really need to think and pray about. He believes that we all have that second chance right now to live the life that God has called us to live. To treat people the way they should be treated. To make the best choices.....and to show others The Way as well.

There was one thing that he spoke about that really stuck with me.

He was reminding us that God is still in the miracle business and said that God always answers our prayers. Period.

Sometimes the answer is "yes", sometimes it is "later".....sometimes it is "I've got even more than you are asking for".....

.....sometimes, that answer is just "no". Because "no" still is an answer, is it not?

*sinking feeling in stomach*

It is not because God wants to withhold anything from us.....He loves us very much. I am pretty sure the reason the answer is "no" is just for that reason. He knows what is best for us.....even when we don't understand. I've had a few no's in my life.......many I am thankful that God knew what he was doing in the "answering prayers" department! But if I am going to keep it real.....I have been told "no" a few times these past few years and it's left me wondering why.

So what do you do when God's answer is "no"?

As you ponder that thought........I'll leave you with this beautiful poem by Claudia Minden Weisz

And God Said No

I asked God to take away my pride,
And God said, "No."
He said it is not for Him to take away,
but for me to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,
And God said, "No."
He said her spirit is whole,
Her body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience,
And God said, "No."
He said that patience is a by-product of tribulation,
it isn't granted, it's earned.

I asked God to give me happiness,
And God said, "No."
He said He gives blessings,
Happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain,
And God said, "No."
He said, "Suffering draws you apart from worldly
cares and brings you closer to Me."

I asked God to make my spirit grow,
And God said, "No."
He said I must grow on my own,
but He will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked God if He loved me,
And God said, "Yes."
He gave me His only Son who died for me,
and I will be in Heaven someday because I believe.

I asked God to help me love others,
as much as He loves me.
And God said,

"Ah, finally you have the idea."

I'd love to hear your thoughts on hearing "no".....

Have a great day......and remember to live today to it's fullest!

xox
*~Michelle~*

Breech of Security?

So I know I have been pretty absent for the most part in the online/blogging world. Things have just been so busy.....but very productive.....in my physical and emotional world, as well as my spiritual world.

We are at the tail end of our renovation project....finishing up painting and now only the tile flooring to do. Josh and I (well.....mostly Josh) has been doing everything ourselves with the exception of the wood stove pipe installation. To give you an idea of what we are doing, we took our 600 sq. foot double garage that was under our house, closed it all up and are turning it into a family room, homeschooling room and music area. The best part of all, is that this room will also be the place that we are going to do something exciting that God has been working on us to move ahead and do.....(more on that soon enough!). Josh works his full time job 45-50 hrs a week, so you can imagine how all our his time has been devoted to this project. Just emptying out a two car garage with 13 years worth of crap was a job in itself. I think I would rather pluck out every eyelash than do that again.

Another "project" that is moving forward is our little farm.....With two does kidding (having babies) within a month and trying to get a new barn ready to move half the herd.......we did what any other UNseasoned still wet-behind-the-ears farmers would do......

meet Reese and Cyrus:

They are 6 month old Huacaya alpacas and we just couldn't resist! Hey, some women get shopping sprees with their tax return.....some are thrilled with spa weekends.....others indulge in some jewelry. Josh spoiled *me* with these two cuddly babies and I am over the moon!

So, again.....not being a hard-core farmer.....I was very concerned when I learned that alpacas do not prefer to be in closed in barns. In fact, it can stress them out. They like three sided structures so that they are able to come and go as they please.

Now we know that I am terrified of anything happening to our animals from past horror shows, all our little guys are locked up safe every night. So when we left them out the first night, I had a very hard time sleeping. In fact, I tossed and turned and kept waking up to check on them (who of course were completely FINE). Yeah, like 2 and 5 o'clock in the middle of the night.....they probably thought, "are you kidding us lady, are you really going to keep shining that flashlight in our face all hours of the night?"

So the next night, I decided that I needed a decent night's sleep if I was to continue to keep up a house, homeschool and be as conscious and alert as a person needs to be to survive in life. I also know that luggage bags under my eyes are not very attractive. I decided to pull out the big guns and utilize a new security system for our new little members. We had Mufasa, our Rottweiler, sleep outside to patrol and keep an eye on things.

I felt like I was wrapped in the ultimate security blanket and slept like a rock that night.

Isn't it funny how having that sense of security can do a 180 for you? There are so many "security blankets" we have/need in life. We feel comforted when we punch in that code on the control pad of our security system before bed. We buy different kinds of insurance policies to "protect" ourselves and our loved ones. We employ security guards, we need secure jobs.....we even put protection on our computers to keep out dangerous invasions/threats. Social Security was originally proposed to limit what were seen as dangers in the modern American life, including old age, poverty, unemployment, and the burdens of widows and fatherless children (according to Wikipedia)

We need to have security in our minds and hearts. And there is a 100% Ultimate Security Protection Plan that is completely free. This plan includes 24/7 surveillance, alarm systems of impending danger(s), and total protection. It has a lightening speed response system, all you need to do is ask for help (it will even help when you don't ask).

yeah,.....it's God.

We have God who protects the most precious "gifts" of all.......gifts that come from Him in the first place.....peace, joy and comfort. He promises us that no weapon formed against us shall prosper.

So why is it.....that sometimes......during trials in my life, do I not realize that I have this Fort Knox style protection of my heart, my mind......my life? Why is it that when the enemy.....the THIEF........ is trying to sneak into "my space" and rob me of all of these precious gifts from Above....do I not just activate this security system? Why is it that I try to suit up with my own worldly gear and pick up my own artillery rather than simply slip on the Armor of God?

Today I pray that I continue to remember that I have protection by The One who is higher than any force or power in the universe. No matter what I facing, God is my shelter. He is my refuge from trouble and my fortress that protects me from any attack (spiritually, emotionally and physically). His protection is never-ending and covers my whole family because we all His children. He is our Good Shepherd and will always take good care of His sheep.

I have had these thoughts on my mind for the past few days, but with my hectic schedule, I just haven't gotten chance to really sit here and write (which is when I feel I am having my time with The Holy Spirit because most of the time, I look back at some posts and wonder....wow, that is pretty good, who wrote that?!?!).

But this morning, I woke up to this encouraging word email from K-Love (a daily Scripture/devotional) and took it as a message that God really wanted me to take the time and pour it out. I am guessing that I am not the only one who needed to understand and remember His awesome protection and love for us.

The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid? ~Psalm 27:1

Oh, and one last thing.....(sounding like an "as seen on TV" commercial).....if you act NOW whenever you just ask.....His Security system package deal also comes with bonus features such as a life time warranty of joy, hope and love.

Hope this finds you smiling......

Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

Let there be Light

So I finished Crazy Love....WOW, just WOW is all I can say. Again.....I cannot encourage you enough to pick up this book! It will really impact you and the way you make choices in your life.

So this new fangle thing called "reading" that all you "shmart" folks do.... is starting to catch on with me....HA! I actually am halfway through my second book, Fearless by Max Lucado. I think I have read more in these past three weeks than I have in the whole decade of my thirties.

And with this new adventure, I feel I am being enlightened. It's almost like when you finally suck it up and go to the eye doctor and get your eyes checked. You find out that although you are not considered legally blind, you do have a slight impairment... and in my case, an astigmatism.

stopping here to think about this:

astigmatism: n; A visual defect in which the unequal curvature... (sparing the mumbo jumbo)............prevents light rays from focusing clearly...... resulting in blurred vision.

hmmmmmm, kinda reminds me, in my case......of The Light.

Ever notice that "light" is used in so many positive ways?

There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Bringing light to the situation.

This little light of mine......I'm gonna let it shine.

How about the best Book of all....in the third verse we see what God feels about light;

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good...... ~Genesis 1:3-4

OK, back to the eye exam:

So then, the doc gives you a sample pair of prescription glasses to try on and suddenly things come into focus.... so much more sharp and clear. It actually is a bit frightening to think that you've been walking around (er, driving would be my case) and things really were not being viewed/experienced the way they should be.

(*side note....it was determined that my vision is only 20/25, so I was not too much of a menace on New England roads.)

With your new "vision" you are able to "see" better and therefore you are able to make better choices. I think back to how I navigated through life with blurred vision making half hazard choices and decisions. And "hazard" is a perfect word when I look back.

Anyway.....I guess I am referencing this because that is how I feel lately as God is opening up my heart and mind in a new and improved way. Kinda like He is the Great Physician handing me some new glasses. Not only is He bringing things better into focus......He is showing me that working through this inner turmoil and pressing through the changes need to happen so that I can prepare for my future. It is all so that I will have the best vision to keep my eyes fixed on Him.

I am now seeing that Light in the distance. And it looks GREAT!

......I have SO much more I want to share with you all on what is going on with me, how God is putting people and situations into Josh and I's lives, over-the-top plans......and they all are going to give Him all the Glory!!!

But I am going to stop here and just encourage you to seek His Light today. Someone NEEDS to hear this, I am sure. No matter where you are in your marriage/family life, no matter what the doctor tells you, no matter what your bank account states, no matter what the world tells you...

....it doesn't even matter what the weather is.....SEEK and soak in the SONshine...... for there is freedom in It!

He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light.
~Job 33:28

Enjoy your weekend~

*~Michelle~*

PS. If you have any books that you feel will bring more enLightment......please leave your suggestions with me. Just remember.....go easy with me!