Ever catch yourself saying something you don't mean just because it is the "appropriate" thing to say?
When I pray, I generally say, "Your will be done." Basically meaning, "Lord, you are the ONE, if anyone can do it, you can. Or, If it's your will Lord!"
I sincerely do want God's will in my life and all its varied pathways. So, why is it when I get God's answer, (and it's not what I think it will be) I tend to go, "God are you sure?"
How dare I? Who do I think I am? I'm speaking to the CREATOR, the very one who speaks things into existence. The Alpha and Omega. He knows all. Who am I?
Obviously, if I am writing about this, it is something I have experienced of late.
Here goes...
I get a call from a dear friend of mine that has one pitiful kidney, that has to endure dialysis several times a week, daily last I heard. He gets sick quite a bit.
He has been on the waiting list for a new kidney for a long time. Yesterday he got that call. The call of all calls.. There is a kindney for you, come to the hospital.
He calls his wife, and then updates me while she is on her way home to pick him up to drive him out to the hospital.
I'm elated to say the least! There are so many emotions going on with all three of us! I'm singing praises and send up a prayer for safety as they go to the hospital, a prayer for the family of the deceased, and for the doctors.
Nine hours later, I get a phone call. What I was expecting was his wife saying that he was in surgery, or had just gotten out of surgery. But it wasn't. It was the wife telling me that they were on the way home from the hospital. What? It's too early!
She explains that the kidney came from a donor that had died. The doctors found out that this patient had a drug problem. The kidney looked healthy, but they didn't want to take a chance.
My prayer had been that God's will be done. God's will was that he not get that kidney. It sounded good, real good. But the circumstances were not right. I am disappointed and so is my friend. However, we are both thankful that the doctors were vigilant and did their homework before putting a possibly questionable kidney into my friend.
Sometimes when I pray I don't get a answer right away, sometimes I do and don't recognize it as an answer. Sometimes it is right up in my face, blinking lights and all.
I have humbly asked for forgiveness for my haughty know it all attitude.
Moral to this story: If you ask for God's will to be done, and it is.. don't be so suprised! Be honored HE let you in on it!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
School is in Session
It's that time of year again!
We are in the groove! Actually, I am late in posting this. The boys have been in school for two weeks now.
Our typical day starts around 5:30 am. It's time to motivate the oldest. Sometimes he moves and sometimes he doesn't. He has learned from last years splash therapy, (see older post) so he tends to get up. This gives him time to eat and get ready. Mind you even though he is twelve gentle reminders to brush his hair and teeth are necessary. He could care a less about what he wears to school,or what he looks like. His bus, should he choose to ride it arrives at 6:40 sometimes earlier. If we miss it, we are not far from the school, and I like to think I've saved him from some middleschool horror by taking him instead. It is truly enough to make me blush just to process what he tells me is talked about between middleschoolers these days!
Since an hour later the youngest leaves on his bus, I'm in waking up our little ray of sunshine just before 7am. This is the child that cares what he wears to school and how he looks. (crazy they are both from the same chemistry set). Depending on his fashion of the day, yes he cares..then he will eat, and then without me asking or reminding, he is upstairs again to brush his teeth and fix his hair. He is really into the bangs being lifted just so in the front. A quick spritz of hairspray and he is ready to go.
I've developed a new plan for school this year. We pack lunches the night before. And preferably, the boys pack them. This has a two fold purpose! One - I'm not doing it, and Two- they always get what they want in there. No more complaining about what type of sandwich they got, or snack. They picked it out in the store, they pack it into their daily lunch bag.
Side note on lunch boxes these days...they don't come with a thermos! They haven't for awhile, and I just don't understand. Each boy has sooo outgrown the Capri Sun stage,they would take 4 or 5 with them each day! So, I went and bought each one a modern type thermos. I still have a old Hotwheels thermos from our oldest's first lunch box. So if one wants to take soup, this can be accomplished also.
This weekend we bought new soccer shoes for our youngest starting his 5th year. Just this spring he was wearing size 5. Now less than three months later he is wearing a 7! This is a MENS shoe size! uhuh. Now I know where all that food is going! A size 7! Sigh, time is going by so fast! Our Saturdays are filled up from now until sometime in November. Good stuff.
Our oldest has decided to opt for piano again this semester. From June 2008 until May of this year he took on violin. He excelled. Violin was such a neat change in the myriad of sounds coming out of our home any given day. Since to achieve a certain note, one has to listen for the appropriate sound, violin was right up his alley! He can listen to a piece of music and then re-create most of it on both violin and piano.
His piano teacher, whom he has played with for the last three years, minus the last year had an opening! Today they met again and both were overjoyed. She let me sit in on the lesson, and wow did I learn a lot! Yes, they spend time on the piano, but she also spends time with flashcards. Yep! Music notes on flashcards. When she flashes a card he has to name the note/symbol and find it on the keyboard and play it for her. If he is right he gets to move on, if not.. try again! Neat stuff! She enjoyed listening to the new songs our middleschooler has learned, and patiently showed him how to work on his timing. After the lesson she explained to both of us, how she wants to work on his recognition of the actual notes, not just the sound they make.
She could tell he still practices on his own here at home as he had many of the attributes of a seasoned player still! Kudos! He hopes to play in the band at church one day..and one day I believe he will!
We are in the groove! Actually, I am late in posting this. The boys have been in school for two weeks now.
Our typical day starts around 5:30 am. It's time to motivate the oldest. Sometimes he moves and sometimes he doesn't. He has learned from last years splash therapy, (see older post) so he tends to get up. This gives him time to eat and get ready. Mind you even though he is twelve gentle reminders to brush his hair and teeth are necessary. He could care a less about what he wears to school,or what he looks like. His bus, should he choose to ride it arrives at 6:40 sometimes earlier. If we miss it, we are not far from the school, and I like to think I've saved him from some middleschool horror by taking him instead. It is truly enough to make me blush just to process what he tells me is talked about between middleschoolers these days!
Since an hour later the youngest leaves on his bus, I'm in waking up our little ray of sunshine just before 7am. This is the child that cares what he wears to school and how he looks. (crazy they are both from the same chemistry set). Depending on his fashion of the day, yes he cares..then he will eat, and then without me asking or reminding, he is upstairs again to brush his teeth and fix his hair. He is really into the bangs being lifted just so in the front. A quick spritz of hairspray and he is ready to go.
I've developed a new plan for school this year. We pack lunches the night before. And preferably, the boys pack them. This has a two fold purpose! One - I'm not doing it, and Two- they always get what they want in there. No more complaining about what type of sandwich they got, or snack. They picked it out in the store, they pack it into their daily lunch bag.
Side note on lunch boxes these days...they don't come with a thermos! They haven't for awhile, and I just don't understand. Each boy has sooo outgrown the Capri Sun stage,they would take 4 or 5 with them each day! So, I went and bought each one a modern type thermos. I still have a old Hotwheels thermos from our oldest's first lunch box. So if one wants to take soup, this can be accomplished also.
This weekend we bought new soccer shoes for our youngest starting his 5th year. Just this spring he was wearing size 5. Now less than three months later he is wearing a 7! This is a MENS shoe size! uhuh. Now I know where all that food is going! A size 7! Sigh, time is going by so fast! Our Saturdays are filled up from now until sometime in November. Good stuff.
Our oldest has decided to opt for piano again this semester. From June 2008 until May of this year he took on violin. He excelled. Violin was such a neat change in the myriad of sounds coming out of our home any given day. Since to achieve a certain note, one has to listen for the appropriate sound, violin was right up his alley! He can listen to a piece of music and then re-create most of it on both violin and piano.
His piano teacher, whom he has played with for the last three years, minus the last year had an opening! Today they met again and both were overjoyed. She let me sit in on the lesson, and wow did I learn a lot! Yes, they spend time on the piano, but she also spends time with flashcards. Yep! Music notes on flashcards. When she flashes a card he has to name the note/symbol and find it on the keyboard and play it for her. If he is right he gets to move on, if not.. try again! Neat stuff! She enjoyed listening to the new songs our middleschooler has learned, and patiently showed him how to work on his timing. After the lesson she explained to both of us, how she wants to work on his recognition of the actual notes, not just the sound they make.
She could tell he still practices on his own here at home as he had many of the attributes of a seasoned player still! Kudos! He hopes to play in the band at church one day..and one day I believe he will!
Monday, August 17, 2009
De-Cluttering Our Lives
It's already mid August! What a challenging year this has been! How are your new year resolutions coming? Mine? Actually quite well. I know, shut up! But, see; I'm truly excited! We have gotten some projects completed that have been on the list a long time!
So far, this year we have been totally involved in home improvement! It started with the setting aside of funds to get new windows. We had the old single pane kind.. ugh! Ya know, the kind you prop open with a stick. Yeah..that kind.
Before we could do that, the water heater decided its contract was up, so it leaked all over the garage. So, we replaced that. Um.. the windows took three months to put in. I know.. long story. We had the windows wrapped so we don't have to get out the super tall ladders to paint them anymore! Yay! We replaced the square columns on the front porch as they were rotten. Now we have round ones! We painted the front door and side panels, and the gutters, and the garage door. We added two flower beds, one up front and two in the back yard! Stained the playset. Umm.. then we added a whole row of burning bushes along the ditch to the side of our home.
Then there was the day we realized our airconditioner wasn't working. Yep, had to replace that! Thankfully in the weeks we put that off, the little seperate unit that cools the upstairs still plugged along. Otherwise,eww..I don't want to think about it!
Sweetie's dad put in some shelves for us in the garage! Now we are garage organized! Whoo hoo! He even has a workbench now! It is so fabulous to go out there and actually find something! Yay! (I know, but it is so exciting!)
By end of September I will have (Lord willing) finished cleaning out the attic. It's amazing the stuff we have kept. Why? Who knows? I guess it's just part of that, 'maybe I will use it again' frame of mind.
The kids rooms will be next, as a neighbor and I have committed to throwing out the clutter this year! So far so good! We might even pull off a yard sale when it is cooler out.
High hopes! Great goals! Really fun, when for the first time in a long time, I am actually taking things off my list, instead of adding to it! How long will this last? If I keep watching the Do It Yourself network, I will always have a project or three ongoing! But that's okay, right? As long as it is within reason..time and money wise that is!
Personally, I've been able to declutter myself too. I am learning to successfully say NO~! For some, it isn't hard to do that. For me;it is. I am keeping track of my time. This keeps me from the frustration and stress I gave myself over trying to be everything to and for everyone! Admittedly there has been some flack from others as I have said no to something they wanted when they were banking on a yes. But, it truly is okay. Wow. I think I am maturing. Eeeks! Don't tell.
So, on to the de-cluttering.. one goal is to spend less time on the computer!
So far, this year we have been totally involved in home improvement! It started with the setting aside of funds to get new windows. We had the old single pane kind.. ugh! Ya know, the kind you prop open with a stick. Yeah..that kind.
Before we could do that, the water heater decided its contract was up, so it leaked all over the garage. So, we replaced that. Um.. the windows took three months to put in. I know.. long story. We had the windows wrapped so we don't have to get out the super tall ladders to paint them anymore! Yay! We replaced the square columns on the front porch as they were rotten. Now we have round ones! We painted the front door and side panels, and the gutters, and the garage door. We added two flower beds, one up front and two in the back yard! Stained the playset. Umm.. then we added a whole row of burning bushes along the ditch to the side of our home.
Then there was the day we realized our airconditioner wasn't working. Yep, had to replace that! Thankfully in the weeks we put that off, the little seperate unit that cools the upstairs still plugged along. Otherwise,eww..I don't want to think about it!
Sweetie's dad put in some shelves for us in the garage! Now we are garage organized! Whoo hoo! He even has a workbench now! It is so fabulous to go out there and actually find something! Yay! (I know, but it is so exciting!)
By end of September I will have (Lord willing) finished cleaning out the attic. It's amazing the stuff we have kept. Why? Who knows? I guess it's just part of that, 'maybe I will use it again' frame of mind.
The kids rooms will be next, as a neighbor and I have committed to throwing out the clutter this year! So far so good! We might even pull off a yard sale when it is cooler out.
High hopes! Great goals! Really fun, when for the first time in a long time, I am actually taking things off my list, instead of adding to it! How long will this last? If I keep watching the Do It Yourself network, I will always have a project or three ongoing! But that's okay, right? As long as it is within reason..time and money wise that is!
Personally, I've been able to declutter myself too. I am learning to successfully say NO~! For some, it isn't hard to do that. For me;it is. I am keeping track of my time. This keeps me from the frustration and stress I gave myself over trying to be everything to and for everyone! Admittedly there has been some flack from others as I have said no to something they wanted when they were banking on a yes. But, it truly is okay. Wow. I think I am maturing. Eeeks! Don't tell.
So, on to the de-cluttering.. one goal is to spend less time on the computer!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
"You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it. "
This quote is from Charles Buxton. He was a writer, philanthropist, and Member of Parliment. He is credited for working to abolish slavery in the 1800's.
I came across this quote early this morning and it gave me something to think about.
Do you know anyone who says, "I would love to do this or that, I just don't have the time." Or maybe you have heard this one:" I'm waiting for things to settle down so that I can commit to doing this project."
To give justification to both sides of this; I know folks who say those things and do find a way to fit in something they are interested in, or a service they want to perform, a group they wish to be part of. What burdens me is the folks that I hear say those phrases and others like them, just to be in the same situation this same time next year!
Did you see the movie THE BUCKET LIST? Or The Christmas Carol? There are movies out there with the same type theme that I'm sure came to mind as these did to mine. They deal with someone who has been living their life not to the fullest, or regrefully let their current circumstances dictate their life outcome.
When you breathe your last breath, do you want to say, "I wish I had", or "wow, I'm glad I did such and such!"
We get one life. We have dreams, and goals, each different. Some seem unattainable. Why? Is it money, time? Are you restricted due to your health? Have you written down your goals? Do you have a bucket list? What are your dreams?
Look at your calendar. See what needs to be cut so you can work toward those goals.
Set the goal, visualize it, look at it everyday! Then when you succeed.. yay! Move on to the next one! This will generate enough positive in your life to keep you motivated onto the next one, and the next one after that!
GO FOR IT!
I came across this quote early this morning and it gave me something to think about.
Do you know anyone who says, "I would love to do this or that, I just don't have the time." Or maybe you have heard this one:" I'm waiting for things to settle down so that I can commit to doing this project."
To give justification to both sides of this; I know folks who say those things and do find a way to fit in something they are interested in, or a service they want to perform, a group they wish to be part of. What burdens me is the folks that I hear say those phrases and others like them, just to be in the same situation this same time next year!
Did you see the movie THE BUCKET LIST? Or The Christmas Carol? There are movies out there with the same type theme that I'm sure came to mind as these did to mine. They deal with someone who has been living their life not to the fullest, or regrefully let their current circumstances dictate their life outcome.
When you breathe your last breath, do you want to say, "I wish I had", or "wow, I'm glad I did such and such!"
We get one life. We have dreams, and goals, each different. Some seem unattainable. Why? Is it money, time? Are you restricted due to your health? Have you written down your goals? Do you have a bucket list? What are your dreams?
Look at your calendar. See what needs to be cut so you can work toward those goals.
Set the goal, visualize it, look at it everyday! Then when you succeed.. yay! Move on to the next one! This will generate enough positive in your life to keep you motivated onto the next one, and the next one after that!
GO FOR IT!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Serving others
Today was a good day.
What made it good? Our family decided today was going to be all about serving others. Specifically, our elderly neighbors across the street.
We started with getting the grass all mowed, then moved on to the big stuff. Cleaning out all the flower beds, and trimming trees and bushes. We all are tired, hot and sore. Well, some of us. The boys are still plenty energetic. Bottom line, the neighbors yard looks great! The neighbors are happy, and so are we. It feels so good to see the fruits of our labor. And what fun we had blessing them! God is good!
Every year our family looks forward to serving in our church's OPERATION SERVE. Its a day/weekend where we serve our community in various ways. So we got to thinking that we could serve here in our very own neighborhood! Why not?
Now,I'm not writing this to toot our family horn. This is what's top on my mind today and I wanted to share.
Why not be a blessing to someone else? It's been a hard week for me personally in losing a friend of mine to suicide and then an older prayer partner dying yesterday. Seems I spend more time brooding over the bad news versus the good stuff happening to me and others around me.
Isn't it crazy how the "stuff" in our lives makes us loose focus? Is there someone close to you that could use your help? Maybe it is driving them somewhere, or picking up something across town for them, maybe just a phone call.
There are a lot of lonely people in this world, wouldn't it be great to be that difference for someone?
What made it good? Our family decided today was going to be all about serving others. Specifically, our elderly neighbors across the street.
We started with getting the grass all mowed, then moved on to the big stuff. Cleaning out all the flower beds, and trimming trees and bushes. We all are tired, hot and sore. Well, some of us. The boys are still plenty energetic. Bottom line, the neighbors yard looks great! The neighbors are happy, and so are we. It feels so good to see the fruits of our labor. And what fun we had blessing them! God is good!
Every year our family looks forward to serving in our church's OPERATION SERVE. Its a day/weekend where we serve our community in various ways. So we got to thinking that we could serve here in our very own neighborhood! Why not?
Now,I'm not writing this to toot our family horn. This is what's top on my mind today and I wanted to share.
Why not be a blessing to someone else? It's been a hard week for me personally in losing a friend of mine to suicide and then an older prayer partner dying yesterday. Seems I spend more time brooding over the bad news versus the good stuff happening to me and others around me.
Isn't it crazy how the "stuff" in our lives makes us loose focus? Is there someone close to you that could use your help? Maybe it is driving them somewhere, or picking up something across town for them, maybe just a phone call.
There are a lot of lonely people in this world, wouldn't it be great to be that difference for someone?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)