Travel

This morning at 3am I embarked on a trek across this great land!  I started at 430am in Orlando FL and then arrived in Orange County California at 11am THEIR time...

I might say there seems to always be adventure when traveling. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. SO many trips with the family and the laughs and the joy-- and the puking and fevers.... they go hand in hand when traveling!

As I sit here in a quiet hotel room alone with some happy Hawaiian music playing I reflect on all the travels we have taken.  And Im looking forward to all the trips that have yet to be disclosed!

Embrace this life.  Enjoy the day. Enjoy crowds and being alone. There is a place and time for each of them! SO stop stressing in the adventure-- just go for it...

“One of the drawbacks about adventures is that when you come to the most beautiful places you are often too anxious and hurried to appreciate them.”  -CS Lewis, The Horse and His Boy

WOW!

I have been gone from blogging for so long I hope I can remember how my fingers work with my brain! LOL

Well, I am excited to share that I'm back! With some fresh new ideas and some fresh new twists and turns....

I have learned to embrace me, my style and my brand over the last couple of years....

My kids are all grown up now- we graduate the last one this year! And life is changing so fast! I am always amazed at how fast time flies by...

I reflect here. I think here. I share here.  I hope you enjoy it and in some ways, I hope it helps you know more about you.

So, keep on following and looking at what I'm working for.... I will be sharing more and more with each of you!!!


"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." Ecc 3:1

Christmas Stuff

Well, it's that time of year when I bring out the numerous bins of fun items.... loading them from the attics and storage places upstairs to bring the items downstairs. Then, I papck away all the treasures I keep up during the year to put up the decorations and festive items for this special time of year. This year I was determined to downsize....until..... I pondered.

As I was placing my items up this year, it occured to me that all of this trinkets and knick knacks have a place in my home. Things like: the many Santas from Around the World- the only present I can remember that my grandfather gave to me; the ceramic piece of Mary with Jesus that was presented to us at our wedding from a dear friend of my husbands; the Santas which are 1950's retro from my sister-in-law as we just started our family; the snow globes that each child played with in wonder and that my third child grew to love more and more; the numerous gingerbread figures and items that my children have blessed me with and made me smile; the lego figures which still bring back soft warm meories; the wingless angel stocking holders that I cherish as they hold memories of the past in the stockings which they display on the mantle; the 'heavenly hosts' on the top of the tree - paper plate angels, noodle angels, paper colorings and plastic glow in the dark figures--they are all the host of the heavens and the heart of the tree. As I continued looking through things, I noticed there wasn't a lot that I could part with. All of the items had a dear memory of a time in the past when our family was growing. Even the goofy little paper chins which counted down the days until Christmas..... it is all so precious to me.

So, this year, I shall not dream of the 'visually perfect' tree or Christmas house as I have in the past-- I am content with my mismatched items which hold dear memories of the times past and the times to come.

So, I will look at pinterest and see how wonderful things may look, but I know that in my heart, I love the things I have as they are alive and real and each tells a different story!

Take heart this Christmas-- cherish the baby in the manger, THE Savior, THE Messiah and cherish those things HE has blessed you with, either big, small, visually perfect or perfect in EVERY way....

Pondering

I have days where I think-- a lot.  And with a new year, I always sit and try to find the one thing about me that makes me nuts and try to work on that situation on a daily basis. As I was pondering this, I decided I would try the old saying of 'how would God/Jesus act in this situation?'  This is always a tough one for me...... but, I have been reading my Bible more and I have come to some conclusions.

For example, I believe in grace. I believe we are showed grace as Christians through the blood of Christ. I believe grae started on the cross for all of mankind. I believe in free will and the ability of man to deny Christ and therefore deter grace to be given to them. I guess first, you have to recieve the gift before it can be opened.

So, I started reading more about the beginning churches, how Christ established His people. I learned the simplicity of them and how man came in with their

Paperwork

So, I will tell you that I HATE paperwork with a passion. I do not like taking the time to write all the happenings down if they are in the past. I do not like to try to balance records which are clearly not balancing and I do not like just keeping track of all the 'stuff' in life. I just want to live, be free and go about my daily business without the tracking system.

But, then it hits me. If I did not have paperwork I would not be accountable. I would not be credible or have record of all I have accomplished. I would not have a reason to be able to speak to others with wisdom or kind intentions. I would have no respect or authority over my actions or deeds. All because of paperwork, or the lack thereof.

Now I get it. As I look at my daily life, I see that I have been given MUCH paperwork. Not only to do, but also to read. I have been given great works by many authors who tell me their lives and stories and hwo to handle life. I have been given pictures and poems written in ink and other mediums to enjoy. I have been given hand written cards from my children when they could write letters-- pictures of their love to me. I have been given the love letter of ALL times from my Creator- the Bible. All of this paperwork.

So, as I look at my tasks ahead for this day, I will start to cherish the joy in the papers. The fact that I have a record of being on this earth and learning and loving those around me. That one day someone might look back and use the words I penned and are taught for another to continue in their days.

Paperwork. Maybe I am going to be able to wrap myself around it and try to enjoy this task. Maybe I can share something with someone else.



From the Book of  Luke 1 we read: "Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled^[a] among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. ³ With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."

TRUTH

This week has been a kicker.

I have had friends who have had the rugs pulled out from underneath them. I have helped them pick up the rugs, shake them off and get back on and into life....... I have prayed for undeniable truth in the court for a friend. That a judge would hear her story and see her written documentation and see that there was no doubt that she was in the truth.

Then, it hit our house. The truth was to be tested. It would be tested in our actions, words and deeds. It would be seen by many as a way to either hinder our influence or strengthen it. It was, and still is, a really  tough battle. But I kept in the TRUTH. reminding myself that the battles on this earth are not mine, and they have already been won....with the TRUTH.

What is truth? What does it mean? How do we know if it is truth or non-truth? Well, I guess, to some there is no value. No absolute truth. No means to measure integrity or honor. I pity those who are without truth and hence without hope. It hurts my heart.

I value truth, honesty and humility. I value that I can trust a person is honest and then if something is wrong or they just mess up, they are a big enough person to humble themselves and apologize.

We have had to learn some big lessons this week. Lessons about respect for authority, honor and humiliation. But I will say that we were able to do this with help from friends and more than not, from our God. He has given us the sense of truth and a living breathing Word. We have the answers, he has equipped us and made us whole and unique. We can stand for truth, because HE has already won.

I look back now and I see the injustice that was given to my child. I see the blatant lack of respect and dignity for human life. I see people who should not be in the positions they are in as they are hurting others emotionally. I pity them.....

But, in my heart, I have to rejoice because God is good ALL the time. And, for this time, God has blessed with showing us that "you shall KNOW the truth and Truth shall set you free".....

And now, forgiveness.

Mornings

What is it about mornings that are so special? I sit here thinking as I cannot fall back to sleep.

There are those days. Days when sleep is rare and for whatever reason, your body wants to get up at 4am. Some days I like these moments.

On most 'normal' days, I get up at 5:30am and get my day going. I enjoy the quiet of the house, the peace I feel as I read my daily devotion and calmness that comes when I speak to The King. I enjoy the beauty of the sunrise over my backyard and I remember that each day is a gift.

But on the days where I toss and turn and cannot get back to sleep, I cave and get out of bed and take on the challenges of the day. Lots can get done in that early extra hour. Today I was able to do two loads of laundry, the dishes, bake two cakes, ice another cake and halfway clean the kitchen, read email, read and respond to friends on facebook, do some schooling paperwork I have not been able to get to...oh yes, and I put dinner in the crock pot for tonight.  Very productive.

But, I am sure later today I will need a nap. A time for rest and reflection and recharging. A time for peace. SO as I get this day going and as I watch the sunrise, I will cherish the peace I am given. And I remember that 'I am not home yet' although God has provided some really nice things for me on this journey.

Jesus said:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14