The Answering Voice

We kneel to pray - we voice our desperate need
For quick release and comfort, then arise,
Not tarrying a moment there to heed
The answer to our eager clamoring cries:
The answer that will come, though soon or late,
If we would only listen, only wait.

God is not deaf to any earnest prayer.
He hears, he heeds, he answers every one
Who gives a burden over to his care,
And humbly yielded, prays, "Thy will be done."
God grant us patient grace to wait thy word
After our earnest sincere prayer is heard.

Oh, if men would listen as they seek,
Out of the silence God's clear voice would speak!
--Grace Noll Crowell

I know that I need to slow down and listen for God's voice to answer!


This poem is on a postcard that was sent to my grandmother.
It is postmarked August 13, 1953.

The Sun is Red

At the moment there are over 100 wildfires burning in every direction. Some are as close as 15 miles, 30 miles and others are 60 miles. The sky is smoke filled. Ash is falling and coating our cars and clogging our pool filters. Most of the fires aren't even slightly contained. Some of the fires in the more rugged areas like the Trinity Alps will probably burn until the start of fall. We have been blessed at they are mainly burning in vegetation areas instead of populated ones. We have lost very few buildings but if they don't get a couple of them contained there will be more lost. The sun is red.

It is all really eerie. Makes me really happy that I am God's Child because I am sure this is mild compared to Hell.

Prayers Please

This last weekend a mother was driving with her 12 year old daughter in the car. She over-corrected when she hit a soft shoulder and rolled her car. Her daughter Cassidy was killed. This poor mother is having a hard time. She lived her life for Cassidy. Please keep her in your prayers all of us around her are praying hard for her.

A Tater Story

A Girl Potato and Boy Potato had eyes for each other, and finally they got married, and had a little sweet potato, which they named 'Yam.'

Of course, they wanted the best for Yam. When it was time, they told her about the facts of life. They warned her about going out and getting half-baked, so she wouldn't get accidentally mashed, and get a bad name for herself like 'Hot Potato,' and end up with a bunch of Tater Tots.

Yam said not to worry No Spud would get her into the sack and make a rotten potato out of her! But on the other hand she wouldn't stay home and become a Couch Potato either. She would get plenty of exercise so as not to be skinny like her Shoestring cousins.

When she went off to Europe, Mr. and Mrs. Potato told Yam to watch out for the hard-boiled guys from Ireland. And the greasy guys from France called the French Fries. When she went out west, to watch out for the Indians so she wouldn't get scalloped.

Yam said she would stay on the straight and narrow and wouldn't associate with those high class Yukon Golds, or the ones from the other side of the tracks who advertise their trade on all the trucks that say, 'Frito Lay.'

Mr. and Mrs. Potato sent Yam to Idaho P.U. (that's Potato University) so that when she graduated she'd really be in the Chips.

But in spite of all they did for her, one-day Yam came home and announced she was going to marry Tom Brokaw.

Tom Brokaw!

Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset.

They told Yam she couldn't possibly marry Tom Brokaw because he's just......

Are you ready for this?



A COMMONTATER

That was for my daughter Hope. She said that I wouldn't post it. :) It is kind of cute! Come on your gotta laugh. LOL

He is Preparing a Place

Most of you that read my blog read Cindy Beall’s. I was led to Cindy through a post about her on Flowerdust. I would read her posts and then read the comments left and then I would click on their names and read their blogs. That continued until I have compiled quite a list that goes from the East Coast to the West Coast and even a few in Canada, HI HOPE and VIKKI!!!!! One of the commenter that I found on Cindy’s blog is Sarah Markley. I have really just been lurking for a while but this last week I started to make my presence known to her a little. Cindy, you better warn her about me. I am a cling on. Actually that isn’t totally true. I only Stalk one person at a time. LOL

Lately I have had a craving. Not a food craving, but a craving to be somewhere other than where I am. Maybe craving isn’t the right word for it. I have been experiencing homesickness. I have been missing the ocean something awful. Sarah and her beautiful family have spent this last week in my hometown region. Sarah took some beautiful pictures that are so amazing that when I look at them I can literally smell the beach.

In John 14 Jesus says that his Father’s house has many rooms and that he is going to prepare a place for us. What do you imagine your room to be like? Do you think that your views will be similar to the places you loved here on earth? Is heaven so beautiful that our memories of the beauty here will pale in comparison?

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. - John 14:1-33

10 Percent or NMFAPIMWLC

Today was my day to weigh-in at Weight Watchers. I have been following their Flex Plan. I feel that I have been pretty successful considering I have never dieted before in my life.

So at the weigh-in today I found out that I have accomplished 3 goals.

1. I have lost over 20 pounds in a little less than 2 months.

2. I weigh less than 200 pounds for the first time in over 4 years.

3. I got to receive this beautiful copper key ring that represents a weight loss of 10% of my starting weight. Copper isn't normally my color but I will use it with pride.

Miss Robin I want to thank you for being my Oklahoma accountability partner and cheering squad. I love you Lady. Someone please go hug Robin for me. :)

Actually I want to thank you all for your encouragement and support. I hear your cheers and welcome them.

5 Things....

5 Things in my life that are BLESSINGS......

1. My Husband
2. My Children
3. My Church
4. My Job
5. My Home

The ONE thing responsible for me having so much. My Heavenly Father.

Sometimes I just need to see it in writing. Have a blessed Day!

Solitude

I am not sure how it happened but I acheived 4 hours of solitude Saturday evening. I felt like the little guy on the top of the mountain. Of course the only way I would ever get up there would be by helicopter. The amazing thing about this time alone was that it hasn't been very long since the last time I was alone. I never get it twice in a year, this has been twice in 6 months. I am so blessed!

The guys left for a basketball tournament at 10. Hope and I went shopping. we had to get her the perfect pool party invitations which of course had to include a new bathing suit. Then at 4 her friend came and got her. They went to the fair. My father in law was still here but he is an adult with a drivers license and at the moment is capable of taking care of himself. I literally came into my room and sat on my bed slightly shell shocked. Sometimes it is hard to get use to the silence.

For the last few weeks I have been attending our Saturday Night service at church so I went to that. The rest of the time I did absolutely nothing except sit in silence and read my bibles. It was wonderful. I love it when I can have a couple translations and can compare verses.

It was such a great evening I almost feel guilty for not feeling guilty. Hope spent the night with her friend. I was pretty much in bed at 10:30 when the guys got home.

So I guess you can say I was Seeking Peace and Pursuing It.

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:15

Reverence

I pretty much love the whole Bible. Tonight I was reading in Philippians. This just really spoke to me.

Work Hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Philippians 2:12-13

The word Reverence is in the Bible lots. It is in the Old and New Testament. I have looked up the dictionary meaning but I think that there is more to it than that. One of the things that I see a lot of churches doing these days is forgetting to teach that we are suppose to have reverence towards the Lord. It seems that God has turned into the ever loving Father that would never treat us like misbehaving children. Reverence and Fear.

Do you remember early in the Bible when the Israelites were actually scared of God? Sure they grumbled and mumbled but they also feared him. Do you remember when they made Him mad he sent his wrath on them a few times. Illness, Snakes and then he pledged that none of them would ever get to go into the land of milk and honey.

Isn't this the stuff that Reverence is made out of?

What does Reverence mean to you?

Am I missing a point and getting confused?

Devastating News-Jokingly Sorry Deleise!

Tonight Craig and I found out some devastating news. It was quite troubling when it was brought to our attention. I am almost scared to admit it. I hope that it won't change any of your opinions of me. Poor Craig doesn't stand a chance since most of you don't know him.

OK Here goes.....

My 12 year old daughter informed us tonight that we are NOT HIP or COOL!

I know hard to believe. I am still stunned by this. I have always believed myself to be at least a little cool. So here is the reason that this title was bestowed on us.

Hope turns 13 on July 2 and she would like to have a pool party. She wants to invite about 8 girls. I really don't have a problem with that. Then she informed us that she wanted to invite a BOY. Now this isn't a boy that we have known forever and is like a brother to her. This is a boy that all of a sudden at the of the school year I started hearing his name. I don't know him or his parents but most of all...MY DAUGHTER IS 12 AND NOT GOING TO DATE!!!!

So are Craig and I being to UN-HIP? Please I could honestly use your advice.

Project Update or NMFAPIMWLC

Here is my every 2 week update. I am not posting any pictures this time. Sorry.

On May 25th My weight was 210
I am now 203.
Total Weight Loss since April 19th is 17.8 pounds.

Have a great week everyone!!!!

Friday Outing

It is officially 12:01 am PST Friday morning. I am about 150 miles away from home. So I that qualifies this as a Friday Outing. Most of this outing took place on Thursday.

Craig and I both got off work at noon. We meet at home, changed clothes, grabbed the camera and my laptop and ran out the door before anybody figured out we were home. Actually we had made arrangements for the kids to be taken care of. I am too much of a pre-planner to not have details taken care of. This excursion I felt as if I was flying by the seat of my pants because aside from one very small portion of our trip I took no directions. I usually have the directions from my house to the first stop, from the first stop to the second stop and so on….

Craig is folicaly challenged . He has been the entire time I have known him, 18 years. I have seen pictures of him with hair and I think he is better without it. I’m just saying (That was for you Cindy). A few months ago he had seen a hat at a store in Chico that he really liked. So he wanted to go back and see if they still had it. This is where women rock. We wouldn’t have taken the chance of it not being there, we would have just bought it. So we drive the hour or so in search of this elusive Giants hat. (I have attempted to buy it online and it is discontinued) Sad to say they didn’t still have the hat.

We decide to get some lunch and as some of you know I have been doing weight watchers and have been successful with it lately. Today was my spoil myself day! I had DOUBLE FRIED French Fries!! They were so good!!! (Robin, I only ate half the order. I couldn’t bring myself to eat them all.) Chico is a college town so I had a great time people watching. We wandered the shops which are very cute.

We hit the road and headed south for another hour and a half and ended up in Roseville, CA. Roseville is a suburb of Sacramento. I love concerts and I am one of those people that stalk the ticket sites before they go on sale. I make sure I have a seating plan printed out. I make sure that if I have to have a presale code I have it. Concerts are one of my most favoritest things in the world!!!! This time I wasn’t going to miss out either. This group has been on the top of my must see list. So on March 17, 2008 at 10am I was sitting at my computer waiting for tickets to go on sale. As soon as they went on sale I clicked and bought the best I could! 3 Tickets, 2nd Row, Center!!! I texted my girlfriend, Lenore, and we started planning. We were going to Casting Crowns!!!! My husband had a date with 2 of his most favorite ladies! My wonderful husband is driving me the 170 miles home tonight so that we can both get up and be to work in just a few hours. Lenore lives an hour south of Sacramento. So she is on her way in the opposite direction. That part of the evening sucks. We have been friends since school. I wish we lived closer.

The concert was held at Adventure Christian Church. It is big and holds probably about 3500 people. They host great concerts. I have made the trek a few times to see great performers like Jeremy Camp, Third Day, David Crowder, Kutless, and many others. They sit high on a hill that overlooks the valley. For being in the Sacramento area it is actually quite breathtaking in an unexpected way. We are blessed to have K-LOVE and AIR-1 both based out of Rocklin which is right there. They really strive to get good shows for us.



Have a Great Weekend!

WAS/AM

Who I WAS:
Selfish
Harsh
Sinful
Angry
Mean

Who I AM:
Blessed
Healed
Beautiful
Loved
Wanted
Peaceful


Today some of who I WAS came out. It came out in a somewhat joking manner. But it was one of those things that as soon as I hit send I regretted sending it. The person on the receiving end is an awesome woman who is a much more mature Christian than me and it is with a heavy heart that I think that I may have hurt her in any way. She was most gracious. Thank you for your loving heart.

Why is it so easy to slip back into the WAS instead of staying in the AM?