Work Work Work!

 Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction. Anne Frank

I have always been a person who enjoys to be busy. In college, high school, and now in my adult life I tend to keep that pattern rolling. However, God should me a great lesson through this pattern.  I received a great gift from one of my students: STREP THROAT!!!! I don't know how many of you have ever had strep throat, but it had to be the worst thing I have ever felt. You are all probably thinking I am a big baby, but you know what I do not enjoy pain at all!  It was interesting when I was sick because I had a lot of time to think. I was feeling so horrible not upholding my responsibilites at summer school, JCP, and my student that I am tutoring. However, my mom and husband are a constant reminder that I need to take more time for me. I have had a hard time with this because I always want to please the people that I work for and the people that I care about.  However, I really feel that If I don't begin to consistently ask for God's will in this habit I will just continually get sick and pass my life away working.  It is even harded to think about reducing my schedule when I will begin school at IWU in September.  O boy O boy what have I gotten myself into!! Please pray that God will show his will in this situation.

 

Kenny Chesney, Live A Little

 

Stressed out, running late, racing down the interstate
Spilled hot coffee, down the front of my jeans
It's work, work, pay the rent, money and my time's spent
Not a minute left for me to be me

Been going like nothing can wait
I gotta get my priorities straight

Step back, smell the rose
Feel the sand between your toes
Unplug, unwind
Step out in the sunshine

God Bless America!

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home. 

On this day as we celebrate our freedom here in America I can't help but think how blessed I am! Last night Shea and I attended the Freedom Festival at Dayton United Methodist and were truly blessed by the festival.  I was a little cautious having never attended the festival before.  It was so refreshing to enjoy the fireworks in an atmosphere where God was being blessed for all the glorious activities we can take part in this holiday weekend.  In the past we had always attended the Frankfort fireworks.  The Frankfort fireworks are good don't get me wrong, but it was nice being able to quickly get out of the parking lot and enjoy a pretty lengthy display.  

The one thing I truly enjoyed about the show was that at the end they let off lanterns.  I had never seen lanterns be let off at a fireworks display.  They used these lanterns as a piece to remind us of the fallen soldiers and active soldiers. This reminded me about how thankful I should be for those soldiers who are fighting for us and who have fought for us.  I can't leave this post without letting Chase Malady know how thankful we are for him. Not only is he our brother ( and brother in law) but everyday he is studying and training to be the best Marine he can be. I know that this can't always be the easiest job, but he continues to endure to better our country. Without men like him we would not be as free as we are today. Thank you Chase! 

Deuteronomy 28:3

³Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field

“Other things may change us, but we start and end with family”

"God couldn't be everywhere, so he created grandmother's."

Last Saturday, June 18th, my mom's family and I celebrated my grandmother's 80th birthday! It was such a blessing to celebrate such an amazing women.  It is so hard for me to grasp how much this lady has seen, done, and blessed in her many years.  I know that I hope to be as much as women as she is some day. 

As we prepared for her party it was truly a blessing to browse through pictures of her children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters, and friends.  It is so hard to even imagine how many memories and life lessons she learned beside these people.   One of my favorite memories with my grandma was when I spent the night with her for the first time.  For those of you who don't know I was totally a daddy's girl, ok ok ok I still am, and was not enjoying my first sleep over.   I know you may be thinking it was with your grandmother how scary can it be. It was scary!!! :) My grandmother did all in her power to keep my mind busy and away from being homesick. However, know matter what she did it was not working for me. The one thing I remember the most was that she never mocked or discouraged me from calling home. She encouraged me and reminded me to never be to far from your parents know matter how old you are!

As the years continue to pass I know that one main truth will always be with me:

Philippians 1:20-23

Paul’s Life for Christ
²⁰For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. ²¹ For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. ²² But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. ²³ I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

 I could never tell her how much of an inspiration she is to me, but I am thankful to the Lord for allowing such an example of a Godly woman to be my grandmother. I know that one day  all of our bodies will pass, but I pray today, tomorrow, and  forever that I can live my life for Christ just like my grandma.

Grace ISN'T Fair!

Grace Isn’t Fair!

“Scandalous Grace”

Mathew 20:1-16

I wanted to begin this blog to keep people posted on where God has taken us and how He is working in our lives. Life is always constant and crazy with Shea and I, but I don’t believe we would change it for the world.  I was setting with my mom for a treatment and in church on Monday and I felt God leading me to share not only Shea and I’s journey, but how God is working in my life through my mom’s battle with cancer. We left attending Trinity Church of Mulberry about six months ago. I have to admit leaving Trinity was probably the most difficult decision we have ever made, but because of God and His plans we are happily attending Dayton United Methodist Church.

 We were setting in the Monday night service and I felt God speaking right to me.  Pastor Mike preached on the parable in Mathew 20:  The Parables of the workers in the vineyard.  Pastor outlined that each vineyard owner was responsible on hiring day workers each day for a daily wage.  Each day worker agreed to be paid a denarius for the day.  The vineyard owner went back out at nine, noon, and three and hired others that where just standing around looking for work.  However, at the end of the day each day worker was paid the same wage regardless of the number of hours they had worked.  The workers who worked all day were very furious that the workers that arrived at five received the same amount of pay.  Now if you are anything like me; I was wondering how Pastor Mike was going to apply this to my life.  In his outline Pastor presented five great truths:

1.       Grace Isn’t Fair!*

2.       The last will be first and the first will be last.

3.       God sets us about His work.

4.       The reward is the same for all who spend our lives for Him.

5.       It’s never too late to turn to Grace!*

*** Grace is awesome! God shows us in his word that we are not worthy of his Grace, but because of his death we receive His grace if we choose to accept him. Amen!

                As I think of Grace I think about how God is using my mom’s experience as a lesson for me and my family.  You may wonder how I see Grace in such a harsh disease. Grace is seeing God work in our life to share our story. Grace is allowing each new day, week, month, and year to be spent with my mother.  God always shows His grace by giving us strength and guidance, and by taking care of us each day. God, by His grace, gives me strength to handle difficult problems in my life.

Thank you God for your loving Grace!