2010

So what do you have planned for the New Year?? My son is graduating from college, my daughter is graduating from High School. I have a few plans already for 2010. My son will start his graduate studies while my daughter startes her undergraduate studies. These are big things in my life as well.
So what did you do you do in 2009? My list is long.... The biggest thing for me, I learned to be a Christ follower instead of just a Christian. What's the difference?? To me the difference is that I'm learning to "feed" myself better and not wait for my pastor to feed me on Sunday mornings. I'm learning that to be a Christ follower, I have to get my hands "dirty" and actually meet people on their terms to show them Jesus. I can't cram Jesus down their throats. I'm learning to live each day like it might be my last day.
My friend Cara says it so well in the first four sentences of her blog, Pieces of the Sky: A backward glance and a forward gaze. Her whole blog is great. But for me the first four sentences sum it up very well.
Trying to live each day like it's my last and Happy New Year. DA

We are home from Louisville, KY! Yay! We had a great time. The kids went to their meetings and the closing dance. In between, we went for a ride on a paddle boat on the Ohio River, walked around downtown and drove. It is exactly a 1427 mile round trip from my house! First night we stopped in Forrest City, Ar. I think we all crashed that night. The 2nd and 3rd nights we were in Louisville (see previous post). The 4th night we stayed in Hurricane Mills, TN, which is the home of Loretta Lynn. The teacher and all 7 of the kids went to see the New Moon movie at a little theater in the next town over. The other parent and I crashed! We visited the Opryland Mills Mall in Nashville, TN yesterday on the drive home. The country is beautiful! We missed the leaves turning for fall but it was still gorgeous! I really like to travel but Dorothy off Wizard of Oz said it best, "There is no place like home!" I'm thinking that is how it's gonna be when we see Jesus, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HEAVEN!
Trying to live each day like it's my last, DA

Special Louisville Edition

Out my window today is Louisville, Kentucky! i'm here for my daughter's FCCLA [Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (was FHA when i was in school)] Cluster trip. There are 10 of us in our group, 7 teenagers and 3 moms. It's been neat. We rode a paddle boat down the Ohio River for an hour and then back. We had lunch while on board, an early Thanksgiving meal. We are in downtown! I can see Indiana across the river. One child had a hard time believing that they could see another state from where we are staying on the 12th floor of our hotel. It's fun to watch Oklahoma grown kids travel outside of their region! i enjoy seeing the sights thru their eyes!
We are heading to Tennessee tomorrow for some sight seeing, staying the night in Hurricane Mills, TN (home of Loretta Lynn), and then plan to be home 5 or 6 Monday night. Having a great time with my daughter and her peeps!

Our Senior!!

Life Insurance

My hubby and I pre-enrolled for our medical, dental, vision, and life insurance policies for 2010 yesterday. The medical, dental, and vision insurance is no biggie. Just select our choice and done! The life insurance used to be another story. When we were first married, I would make Mike do the life insurance choices. I wouldn't even look at the paper it was on. Sounds silly, right? As I've aged (I said aged, not grown up!!), I've realized that having life insurance is another way for my gift of a husband to show he loves me! How you ask? He is making sure that I am provided for in the event of his death. Jesus also provides me life insurance. Eternal life insurance or fire insurance, whichever way you think about it. How's your eternal life insurance??
Trying to live each day like it's my last, DA

Coffee!!

Good Morning! i haven't been a coffee drinker until the past two years. i've always liked the smell of it, but not the taste. No matter how much sugar or creamer, i just didn't like the taste. A friend of mine gave me a piece of chocolate with a coffee filled center. OH MAN!! Was it delicious!! i have been hooked since! At first, i was only allowed one cup a morning by my family. Let's just say i gave them a run for their money with my motor mouth! Now, i can usually handle two in the mornings and maybe one after 3 pm as a pick me up! Also, we have one or two samples hidden in the freezer for "I forgot we were THAT low on coffee!!" emergencies. My family says i'm a grouch if i don't have at least one cup of coffee in the mornings now.
It hit me this morning.... Coffee is like reading the Bible. (i know but that is how my brain works!) i've always liked the Bible stories i heard when growing up. i just didn't like sitting reading it for myself. i have not ever read the Bible completely from Genesis to Revelation! i started a year and a half ago on that project! i'm on Matthew now! It's like, "WOW THAT'S IN THE BIBLE?!" i can't start my day without digging in His WORD! My whole day is off if i don't!
So find time in your day to have a cup of coffee, tea, soda, whatever and at least a chapter or two from the Bible! When i'm reading my Bible, i imagine that i'm having a cup of coffee with my Abba! It's a great way to get connected or stay connected with Him!
Trying to live each day like it's my last, DA

Be careful with advice given

i called a friend this week to visit with them about something that was on my heart. If you want to know the who and the what, too bad! Anyway, i visited with this friend for a while and gave friend some advice. Well, guess what?? i have had to take my own advice!! i'm glad that my advice was sweet. i don't like sour stuff.
The difference between sweet advice and sour advice is how it is given. The adviser has no control over how the advice will be received. But total control of how it is given. If i had given it without consulting my heavenly Shepherd first.... i know it would have been sour when it was my turn to be the advisee.
Prayer is a powerful thing. i've heard that all my life. i've experienced the powerfulness of answered and unanswered prayers! That's for a different day though.
Today's point is to be careful when you give advice. Give it only after you have consulted with the Great Adviser. i promise you, you will have to receive said advice yourself sometime in the future.
Living each day like it will be my last, DA

Bittersweet Day

Well October 27th is this week. This may be a regular day for you. For me, it's a bittersweet day. Two things are marked for this date. They both are a happy/sad thing really.
The first one....18 years ago on this date God gifted me with my baby girl. We have been blessed to watch her grow up! All children are God's gift! She has been a gift to me and her daddy.
THEN = Tabitha Daniele Wilson 21" long and 7# 4 oz.
NOW = Tabi 5'5" tall and not too big to sit on my lap!
We have watched her blond piggy tails turn into auburn waves. My memories of my little girl are many. She wore spaghetti several times. She has always been "Me DO, Momma!" independent! She's not afraid of much. She wanted to pickup a huge snapping turtle that wandered into the yard, even though it was bigger than her!. She loves animals! She's sweet and very well mannered. (I know, I'm bragging!) She is quick witted. Her one-liners crack us up! I'm sure I will shed tears on Oct 27th when I think about my gift of a daughter turning into an adult!
The second one.... The man I call my Dad was escorted to the Great White Throne of My Lord and Savior on this day one year ago. It has been a heart tugging year for my mother, my brother, me and others in my extended family. I know that life goes on. The pain isn't any smaller, isn't any easier, isn't any lesser. But my pain of losing Richard Donald Hall has changed. I still miss him, always will. The rawness of my grief has changed though. The scab of my grief is healing as all wounds do. Will it leave a scar? Yes, but I want it to heal. I don't want to pick at the scab. I have friends who have also lost a parent or both last year and this year. They know what I'm talking about.
This just came to my mind.... Lost is not the right word. Because I didn't lose him. I know where my Dad went. Do you know where your family will go? Will they be escorted to the Great White Throne of my Lord and Savior or will they be sent to Hell? I know that's harsh! But if you are not sure about your or your family's salvation, that's the choices. Even if you are sure, that's the choices! Who in your life can you say that are or are not saved? I'm not talking about actions. Anybody can be good and good works won't get you into Heaven. Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? If it's not, it is so easy to get it written there! Jesus gave His life for your sins! That still boggles my little brain! How can some one love me (my sins are many and filthy!) so much, they are willing to suffer "excruciating" pain for me? I'm not sure. Would I give my life for my children? YES, without a second's hesitation. That's as close as I can come to why God loves me so much! I'm His child. Back to the easiness of this gift. All you have to do is:
Admit that you are a sinner
Believe that Jesus died and rose again for you!
Confess Him as Lord and Savior of your life.
Yes, it is that easy. You don't have to be good to become a Christ-follower. God will change your heart! Don't let others tell you any different! You dont' have to dress a certain way, or go to a certain church! Please don't let religion (yours or others) keep you from seeking the Lord! I was raised Baptist. But ya know what, that won't get me into Heaven. My name on a church roll won't either! I have to be a Christ-follower first and foremost!
Living my life like today is my last day, DA

Ramblings, I guess

Was at the Panama Band homecoming the other night. My daughter is growing up so fast and she's beautiful, if I do say so myself! Shortly, she will be graduating from High School and on her way to college. My son is already in college. My job as a mom is changing. I'm not needed to kiss the boo-boos to make them all better, or to wipe their chins or noses. That's okay, though. Yeah, I shed a few tears the last couple of days. I'll admit that!
I am a people watcher. I don't like crowds though. (That could be an oxymoron.) I was watching some parents at the homecoming the other night. One parent caught my attention in particular. I visited with her for a moment, too. She was upset with her child. She was ready for them to be out on their own so her job would be finished, so she wouldn't have to bail them out anymore. I had to remind her that they are only kids. She was upset about an incident that was costing her $1500. Yeah, I'd be upset to but not to where I'd want my job to be finished. My son is on his 3rd vehicle that his dad and I have bought for him, one car died, and the other one is at the bottom of Poteau River. That's part of raising children. I don't think my job as a mom will ever be "finished". I pray it won't be actually. I pray that my children will become responsible adults. But this won't happen the day they turn 18 or even 21. That and I have to keep in mind that teenagers are the most unreliable people on the face of the earth! Let's face it, they are kids! They do stupid stuff! So do we as adults! I pray I will always be there for my children.
After visiting with this parent, it got me to thinking, What if God raised us until we were an 18 year old Christ-follower? Would we mess it up as bad as we do now or would it be worse?? Probably worse!
If you don't have a church to go to tomorrow or even if you do and want a change, check out our church at the Rock Garage in Poteau, OK at 10 a.m. We have a nursery and children's church. There's coffee and muffins and fellowship available before worship. I hope to see ya there.
Living like it's my last day and looking out my kitchen window, DA

20 years ago today... What were you doing?

Me? I was getting married to a wonderful gift of a man! On that day, my heart was so full of love for this man, I thought it would burst!! If you told me then that it was possible for me to love him more, I probably wouldn't have believed you. But my oh my, I love him more each and every day!
Yes, there have been a few storms along the way. But only a few, like able to count them on one hand few. We have tried very hard not to go to bed angry with each other.
What's our secret you ask? There has always been three in our marriage. I know that sounds like an open marriage, but oh no ours is definitely a closed monogamous marriage. The third, is Jesus! He's our center! Yes, we've strayed from Him from time to time as a couple, but HE has always been there! And we have always found our way back to Him.
I'm certain that we are not going to suffer from "empty nest syndrome". I think we're going to have "failure to launch"!! I love my children very much. I know that my job will never be "done" with them. I am looking forward to the next step in their lives as well as the one in ours as a couple. Andy was a result of a successful honeymoon! Tabi was a gift 16 months later! So, it feels that we have always had kids and weren't a couple. Know what I mean?
I thank the Lord for the 20 years that I have had with my gift of a husband and I am looking forward to the years that He has in store for us!
I love you, Mike, forever and a day! Wifey

Decisions, decisions, decisions,,,,,

Have you ever had a decision that you didn't want to make for whatever reason?
i'm there now. i've been in prayer for these decisions for a few weeks now. i've tried to keep satan and/or his minions out of this. He's crept in with doubt, indecisiveness, fear of the unknown results, and i'm sure other things. It's not that i am having to choose between things really. It's what to do type decisions. After consulting with my Heavenly Shepherd and talking with my earthly shepherd Shane, one decision path is clear now. The others, still muddled from my viewpoint. i know what i have to do in these decision, i just don't want to do it for different reasons. i guess this is my doubtfulness of God taking care of the results of these decisions in particular. i'm in prayer about them still, but i'm gonna have to do something soon one way or the other.
It's not easy to live each day like it's my last. Nobody ever said it would be either. If it were easy, would we look forward to being in Heaven one day, or talking with our Heavenly Shepherd every day?? i don't think so...

Out my kitchen window today it is cool and cloudy. How long has it been since you have looked out your kitchen window? Before my dishwasher, I did it all the time while my hands were in the sudsy water doing a not so fond chore. It was my time to think and ponder with my Abba. My blog isn't going to be about the weather outside (well maybe some) my window. It'll be about my thoughts and such. The title for my blog came while I was watching the hummingbirds at the feeder out my kitchen window. It reminded me to slow down! I'll try to post a picture of one for you as soon as I figure that out.
Let me tell you about myself some. I am 38 years old. I have been married to a wonderful gift of a man for 20 years the 14th of this month. I have two children: a son of 19 yrs and an almost 18 yr old daughter. I have 6 brothers and sisters. My oldest sister has lived with Jesus for 5 years now. My oldest brother lives in Oregon, 3 sisters and my mother live north of Dallas. My younger brother lives south of Houston, Tx. My Dad was escorted to the Throne of our Heavenly Father almost a year ago.
I was born on the east coast, lived on the west coast but grew up south of Houston, Tx, then moved to north of Dallas, Tx. My parents divorced. I was 13 when I met the man I called my Dad, my stepfather. We moved to NC, then back to Oklahoma. I have lived in Oklahoma for 23 years but I am a beach bum at heart! My hubby calls me a "displaced beach bum". I have several friends and lots of family. Some of my friends are family and some of my family are friends. I am active in my church. My church is different (yeah right you say, but it is!). It's not just a building where we meet for worship, it's a group of people striving to live each day for the Lord. We don't own the building we meet in! We are different, I promise. Come try it sometime or visit our web site at fuelchurch.tv !
I hope you have a great day! Leave me a comment, if it's not just stupid or vulgar, I'll post it.
Trying to live each day like it's my last and looking out my kitchen window, DA

New to Blogging

So, I'm new to this blogging. But I'm trying. As a rebellious teen, I'd say "I'll try anything once!' As an adult it's changed to "I'll try almost anything once!" Please bear with me as I try blogging. I pray that my posts don't glorify me but glorify my Lord and Savior.