My Psalm 129

Psalm 129

From my youth, the enemy has attacked me.

let me say again,

The enemy has afflicted me ever since I was young.

BUT!  HE HAS NOT PREVAILED OVER ME!!!!

I have been down,

people have hurt me, 

I have been bound,

BUT! the Lord is righteous and loyal!!!

He has my back,

He has cut the ropes,

He will never leave me!

May those who are against the Lord be put to shame.

Let their plans wither and die before they can come to fruition.

Lord, may Your Sovereignty be recognized and known!  Forever!

-Amen

My Psalm 128

Psalm 128

When you fear, respect the Lord, looking to Him in every matter, you will be blessed.  

When you walk on His path, following His ways you will be happy.

Enjoy the goodness and blessings from the Lord when you join Him where He is at work.

Stay connected to the true vine, bearing much fruit on your branch.  Remember that you have been chosen and the fruit you were appointed to bear is fruit that will last!

By doing this, respecting God and reflecting His ways, You will be blessed.

May God continue to bless you from Heaven, so that we may enjoy His blessings everyday of your life and that we may see His prosperity to generations to come.

                                                                                  -Amen

One Vote

This was shown Sunday at church!
So powerful!
Enjoy!

Don't forget to scroll down and turn off the music so you can appreciate this as well.

My Psalm 127

Psalm 127

Is Christ the foundation of your family?

Is God at work in the work you are doing?

Unless He is, you are working in vain.  If God is not at the center of all you do and in your family too, it is meaningless.

You get up early and stay up late, all to get ahead in the game.  Stop working so hard against the Lord and go where He is and do what He is doing and rest in Him who loves you.

Your children are a gift from the Lord, your babies a reward from Him.

Your sons are like arrows who will defend, protect and take care of you.
Happy is the parent who has many children.

Thank the Lord for His rewards

Beth Moore's Newest Study!!!

This isn't even available until mid-November, but I stumbled across this and I WANT TO SIGN UP!!!!  I want this study!!!

Don't forget to go down and turn off the music before playing this!

Beth Moore's Esther, Web Promo from LifeWay on Vimeo.

Remember When????

Do you know who this is???

Since the last post was about so many years ago, 

here's another!!!

Think back to junior high and high school. (well at least for my age)

Amy Grant is coming to Houston celebrating her 20 years as an artist.

The commercials have brought back a ton of memories!

Lead Me On

Let Me Say Once More

Stay For Awhile

Father's Eyes

Do you know how many Amy Grant songs I sang for special music through the years???

Let me just say A TON!!!!

Do you know how many tapes and cds of hers I have!

Many!!

I soooooo want to go to this concert!  

I won't, but I want to!!!

Amy Grant was one of the first "contemporary" (makes me laugh a little) Christian artists that I listened to!  I loved her, well... still do!

I saw her live at a conference 4 years ago!  She is so real!

She was shoeless and had her guitar and it was great!!!

So who's up for a concert???!!!

Ouch! I Feel So Old!!!!

Heard this on the tv today as Kru was getting ready to watch his favorite show, The Backyardigans.

I was like....

25 YEARS!!!??????  Really????

Yes, I guess I was 10 years old when I wanted a Cabbage Patch Doll for my birthday!

And yes, that does mean I'm 35 almost 36!!!

OOOO I FEEL SO OLD!!!!!

I'm almost tempted to buy the cute African American newborn!  It's so sweet!!!

You see, when I was 10, I wanted a black baby!  

Not a doll mind you, but a real life black baby!  

I have always wanted to be a mother!!!!

I'm not sure why, but my parents freaked a little because this white little girl wanted a black baby, so they improvised...

There was a lady who made dolls in our church and they had her make me my very own African American homemade Cabbage Patch looking doll. (I would take a picture of her, but she is up in the attic in some box!)  She wasn't a newborn at all, almost weighing 10 pounds, but she was a black baby.

My parents made sure that I knew that this would be the only black baby I ever had!

I'm so embarrassed to even write that!

Because my heart is so not there and has never been there!

I'm not claiming that I'm not prejudice, because I honestly believe that we can not grow up and live in America and not have some prejudice within us.  I pray that as the Holy Spirit grows and changes me that that would lessen and that Christ's love would flow through me and out of me!

I love being in a church with families that adopt no matter the color of skin.  I love being able to be a part of their families!  The picture of adoption and the things that I have learned from these families has been wonderful.

25 years! That seems like an eternity ago!!! ;>)

Powerful Song

You will need to scroll to the bottom and pause the other music before listening to this!!!

Saying Good-bye to....

a great pair of pants!!!

Yes, you heard me....

Today, I put on one of my favorite pairs of pants and found that 

today would be the last day I would do it.

It really is a sad affair!

But....  the holes that have been worn through 

are no longer modest enough to wear out in public!

Seriously!

But you see, I have been wearing these pants for a while now!

My good friend, Mary, gave these fabulous GAP capris to me

3 years ago.  They were the first "real" pants that I wore after

having my third child, Kru!

They were snug at first and I wore them probably 1-2 weeks early,

but they were "real" pants and not maternity!!!

After a while, they were a little too big, but I kept wearing them

anyways!  They are comfortable, soft, semi-flattering and GAP

for crying-out-loud!!!!  So I just pulled the drawstring a little

tighter and have been wearing them ever since!

But I suppose after weekly washings....

(remember, I live in Texas where we wear capris year round)

the time has come to let them go!

They have been good to me!

I will miss them!

It is a sad day!!!

My Psalm 126

Psalm 126

When the Lord revealed Himself to me

and set this captive free,

it seemed like a dream too good to be true.

My mouth was filled with laughter and song,

My heart was joyful and light.

It was said, "God was wonderful to her!"

God WAS wonderful to me;

I am a happy person.

And now, God, years later, God

do it again-

rain down on my life again

So that which I planted with tears

I may harvest with shouts of 

HALLELUJAH joy!

And so others, as well, who have heavy hearts

will have laughter and many blessings.

-Amen

                    written on 10-20-08

6 Weeks Until Thanksgiving!!!

"Only 6 weeks until Thanksgiving!"  When I heard this on the radio the other day, I was shocked!  I couldn't believe it was only 42 days away.

While that may make some go into a frenzy or panic, because we all know what is just around the corner from T-day, it made me smile and it gave me a sense of inner peace, that I needed!

You see, I get to see my family over Thanksgiving!!!  It is a once a year event that I look forward to more than I can explain!!!

It is strange here in the south where we really have no change in season, to know we are in Autumn.  I forget what time of year it is!  So when I heard that the other day, it thrilled my soul.

I love Indian Summer, Autumn, Thanksgiving, the changing leaves, the noise and smell as you walk through the leaves on the ground, raking huge piles of leaves and jumping in them, beautifully trees dressed in reds, bronzes, oranges and yellows!!  The nip in the air of chilly Fall days, and I could go on and on.....  but I won't...  because I love all that so much, but I don't get all of that here in Texas.

But before I begin lamenting my sad tale, I DO get Thanksgiving in Iowa!!!  I DO get to go and see my dad's side of the family!!!  I DO get to be around people that have known me my entire life, they know me!  And they still love me!!!  I get to sit at a table with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and play cards!  I will spend some special time with just me and my granpa, who I love so much!!!  I will laugh so hard with my granma and aunts that we will cry and hopefully not pee our pants!  I will be among the many for the group picture!!!  And I will relish EVERY second, because they come too far and few between!!!

I have been going to my granma and granpa's house in Iowa since I can remember.  I have picture after picture after picture of all of us!  When Great-Granpa (Gramps) and Granma (Grammy) came, as we grew in numbers, to us growing up and now having children of our own in the photos!  It is a tradition, and 1 of the only traditions that my family has, that matters so much to me!!!  There have been years that I wasn't able to make the trip, and they were sadder Thanksgivings!  Because NOTHING!!! on Thanksgiving makes me feel the way I feel when I am with my family in Iowa!!!  My brother and his wife made the journey last year from DC.  That was the first time since mom died that Kory and I were there together! It was grand!!!  And they just bought their airplane tickets this week for this year! YAY!!!

NOTHING beats your family!  I love them all so much, even if I only get to see the majority of them 1 time a year!  They are so precious to me and I hope these next 6 weeks fly!!!

My Psalm 125

Psalm 125

We who are confident, secure and sure in the Lord

and who trust in Him are like a strong, 

unmovable, unshakeable mountain.

And just like the mountains that surround Jerusalem,

our God, the LORD, surrounds us, His people, now and forever.

He hems me in, He camps around me.

Those who are wicked will not rule over us forever,

tempting us to fall into sin.

LORD, be good to those who are good and 

whose hearts are honest.

But LORD, when You take away the evil-doers, will You

also remove those who stopped following You.

Let there be peace!

News from My Evacuee Friends

I have to tell ya right off the bat, I'm a little bummed.

Yesterday, Wanda called!  She is one of the friends I met while

she and her family stayed at the shelter.

They were from Beaumont and she told me that they are back 

in Beaumont.  :(  I'm so bummed!

I LOVE these people!  I miss little Eric, and Kiera and Aliyeah! (Wanda's grandkids)

They attempted to stay here in the Bryan/College Station area, but it wasn't going well.

The kids had enrolled in school and applications were put out everywhere, but nothin'

was happening.  The money that FEMA was going to give them was not going to put

them in a very nice area, so they went home.

They have 5 big trees in their yard, one smashed Morrise's shop!

They had pieces of the roof and ceiling off, so they had to repair that as much 

as they could.

Hotels are still full in Beaumont, so they had no other place to go.

Power was on when they returned last Saturday.

While they were gone for almost 3 weeks, vandals had broken into their house

and stolen a lot!  

Isn't that awful!  Not only have your house in semi-destruction, but to have 

things taken as well!!!

Wanda started back to work yesterday and Morrise the day before.

Shawn had found a job and begins Monday and Brittany is still lookin'!

THIS ISN'T OVER!

In fact, people from Galveston Island who were evacuated before Ike hit, 

are just returning this weekend from San Antonio where they have been.

They are returning to a tent city that they are referring to Clara Barton Village.

People have to wear masks because of the mold, mildew and nastiness that 

is there on the island!

Just today, October 2,  everyone except 4700 people got their power back on!

Monday there were still 161,000 people without electricity!

That's a LONG time to be without power!!!

I hope that as time passes and things get back to normal, that I don't forget what

it was like a few weeks ago!

But this I know, I will go and visit Morrise and Wanda one day!

I will see them again!

They are a part of my life now!  God brought them into my life, and I thank 

Him for that and for them!

A Crouching Tiger!

"...sin is crouching at your door;

it desires to have you....."  Genesis 4:7b

Yesterday was not a good day.

I was upset with one of my children's behavior from the previous night,

and shocked again right after school.  It sent me into doubt of his salvation.

My 3 year old was yelling and commanding me all day, to which I was

spanking repeatedly.

As soon as my middle son got home from school, he fought with his 3 yr. old 

brother and my mood was bad!

Yes, several times I acted out of anger (which I KNOW I shouldn't, but I did.)

Yes, my mood didn't help the mood of the house!

And yes, I should have snapped out of it before Darrin got home.

My lovely husband, pushed me out the door as soon as supper was over and told

me not to come back until he had all 3 boys in bed.  

How nice!

How needed!

I went and got gas, sauntered through a bookstore (that I never can do with kids!)

went and got a Starbucks, stopped and picked up a movie & a few groceries...

All ALONE!

It was great!

But this morning in my quiet time, I really confessed my inappropriate attitude to the Lord.

I don't want to be nasty!

I don't want to get angry!

I WANT to be filled with you, Lord.

I prayed for myself, my boys, our hearts and attitudes.

So I began a new day with His mercies anew!  

This morning was one of the best mornings that we have had since school began 

6 weeks ago.  We were out the door EARLY! even.  It was beautiful.

The day was going to get better because I had my 10:00 Bible study to go to.

After dropping the boys off at school, I went home and made my pasta salad for

HOPE group tonight, threw in a load of laundry, fed Kru, checked my email and such...

waiting to leave around 9:45.

Kru and I loaded into the van 

and.....

nothing!  Actually, there were noises that seriously made me jump!

My dashboard lit up and blinked like it was possessed, but their was nothing turning over!

You see....  here is what I know to be true from experience...

When you really and truly turn something over to the Lord, the enemy, the crouching tiger,  isn't going to attempt to get you there any longer, because he knows he can't!

So....does he just stop!  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  He is crouching at your door 24/7 desiring to have you!  So he'll change his angle, his tactics, his method.  He will try to get you in a different way!

Praise Jesus that I can see this!  And praise Jesus that I didn't give in!

Sure it is obnoxious!

Yes, I was disappointed that I missed Bible study.

No, it is not convenient to only have 1 car (Dakota truck that only seats 3) when I have a family of 5.

BUT.....

Thank God it is the beginning of the month and the money is actually in the bank to cover this!

Thank God we HAVE another vehicle!

Thank God this happened after I took the boys to school.

Thank the Lord, that I didn't allow this circumstance to take away everything that I laid down this morning in my quiet time!

I hate the devil!  I hate that he is unrelenting!  That he desires to harm me!  That he crouches in the shadows of my door to snare me, trap me, kill me!

BUT...

Praise Jesus that HE is more powerful, more wise, and even more unrelenting than the enemy.  And I belong to Jesus!!!!