My Birthday!

Today is my birthday! OK...I'm not saying that so you will give me a gift...but, I woke up this morning and really didn't give it much thought. I am 44 years old! (UGH!) For some reason, the older I get, the more vain I get. I've always wanted to look good, but now it takes alot more effort! (Ladies, you know what I am saying!)
Anyway, I look at my grandmother, who will be 97 next month, I think "how beautiful she is!". She really is! Does she look every bit of 97? Yes...but something radiates from her. Don't get me wrong...she is beautiful on the outside, too! I've seen 50 year old women with more wrinkles! Everyone who is fortunate enough to know her falls in love with her...just ask the staff at Oakmont Nursing Home!
I hope that if I live that long, that is the effect I will have. I worry and fret so about my physical appearance that sometimes I forget that there is an inner beauty that come from knowing Christ that I need to work on, too. Yes, I need to excercise my spirituality just as much as my physical body.
Well, that's about all I have for today...hope you have a great day and God Bless!

Just a Few Thoughts

In deciding to blog this morning, I really didn't have anything profound or thought-provoking to say. So, I will just let you know about a few things that are on my heart.
I have been thinking alot lately about friendships and relationships. Now, I am a shy person by nature and have to push myself to "get out there" sometimes. Once I do, I am usually glad. I don't seem to do well in social situations where there are alot of folks gathered, unless maybe it's family or people I know really well. I think I do better in smaller groups or even one on one situations. I think God made me this way for a reason. Maybe it makes me appear to be "anti-social" at times, but that's just how I am!
God has blessed me with a few very special friends in my life. Some still remain....one or two were only for a season.
Sometimes the way that I am can result in loneliness and isolation brought on by myself! So, although I love having just a few close relationships, at times I shoot myself in the foot, because I hang on to the familiar and don't give someone else a chance.
Why am I telling you this? I don't know! Maybe I am being too self-indulgent this morning...I apologize!
I have also been thinking about death....ok, I know....now I am being morbid! But, in just the past couple of weeks, I have heard of two women who lost their husbands suddenly to heart attacks...and they were young! This scares the bejeebers out of me...especially when I watch Tommy day after day pushing so hard at work. But, I can't worry over it...or I'll drive myself crazy! Then, of course, the shootings at VT remind me that everyday my children are exposed to the madness of this world.
I have to put these worries in God's hands and let go! I have to do that daily, hourly, minutely, secondly!
I wonder how people who don't know Christ deal? Where do they put their hope and trust? Anyway... I am not going to regurgitate words anymore.
Somebody posted a comment on one of my old posts the other day and all it said was "trash". It was an anonymous post. when I looked back and read what the post was about, I couldn't help but agree. It was trash! But, I am just expressing some thoughts and feelings...nobody has to agree or disagree with me. You don't even have to read this! It may be that a private journal is a better place for me to write my thoughts.

VA Tech

As a parent of a child who is in college, I am feeling very sad this morning for the parents of those VA Tech students who were killed yesterday. When I first heard about it and saw it on TV, I couldn't help but think about Ashley. I was thinking about all the petty arguments and disagreements that we have had and how many parents may have just had one of those with their student before this happened. After all, that isn't uncommon among parents and college-age kids.
Or maybe they just haven't communicated in awhile, or just said "I love you and I am proud of you". Of course it also brings back memories of Columbine. I remember what I did that day...I went and got Ashley and Maggie out of school! I just wanted them home with me.
This morning I had to hug Maggie...just to hold her before she went off to school. Guys, we can't protect our children from the daily evils that are out there....only God can do that. Every day, if I don't pray anything else, I put my children in God's hands as they go to school and do other things. That's all we can do! And it is sufficient.
My heart goes out to the families of all those who were killed in this tragedy. I am praying for them and I call on all of you to do the same.

Lord Is It Mine?

I know that there's a reason why I need to be alone
You show me there's a silent place that I can call my own

Is it mine, Lord is it mine?

You know I get so weary from the battles in this life
and many times it seems that you're the only hope in sight

Is it mine, Lord is it mine?

When everything's dark and nothing seems right
there's nothing to win and there's no need to fight

I never cease to wonder at the cruelty of this land
but it seems a time of sadness is a time to understand

Is it mine, Lord is it mine?

When everything's dark and nothing seems right
You don't have to win and there's no need to fight

If only I could find a way
to feel your sweetness through the day
The love that shines around me could be mine.

So give us an answer won't you
We know what we have to do
There must be a thousand voices trying
to get through.

--Supertramp

Jonah

I know I haven't posted in awhile...I just really haven't had anything much to say! I am normally at aerobics at this time on Tuesdays, but I have alot of "stuff" to do this morning, so I am going to try and go tonight. Anyway...I just wanted to drop a few words before I get busy. The other day, I was reading Jonah and something struck me! God uses us in spite of ourselves! I already kinda knew that, but it just hit me as I was reading this passage. You know the first chapter is all about Jonah fleeing from God because God wanted him to go to Nineveh. He wanted him to preach to them against their wickedness. So Jonah gets on this boat that is going to Tarshish instead, thinking he can run away from God...of course, I would never do that! (Yeah, right!)
Anyway....because of Jonah's sin, this big storm comes up and scares the daylights out of the sailors and they start calling on their own "gods". Then they start asking who is causing this...somebody has angered their god and caused this storm to rock their world!! They question Jonah, and he says if they toss him overboard, the sea will be calm again. They really don't want to do that, but, they are in fear for their lives, so they toss him! Now here are the verses that struck me...

15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered sacrifice to the Lord, and made vows to him.

Then we know that God provided a big fish to swallow Jonah, etc. I guess it wasn't easy for Jonah to just let them throw him overboard like that...but, look how God used his disobedience to glorify himself and make believers out of those sailors! I don't know why I just dismissed that part before!

Well, I just have had that on my mind and wanted to share it. Let me know your thoughts on that! Hope you all have a great day and keep the Faith! TTYL!

DNow

Wow! What a weekend! I am so happy that we were able to serve as a "host home" for Disciple Now weekend! I am exhausted, but blessed! It makes me think back to a few years ago when we lived in a little singlewide mobile home on Tommy's uncle's land just down the road from where we are now. In the beginning, this was just fine for us, but as our family started to grow, it began to get a little cramped. Also, mobile homes don't hold up very well over time, and I was starting to feel really self-conscious about where we lived and people coming over. Don't get me wrong...I wouldn't trade those years for anything! But, we were dreaming of a house! I remember praying to God that if He would just allow us to be able to build a house, I would make it a warm and inviting place for people to come. Well, it isn't always clean and organized, but I think people feel welcome here...at least I hope so!
Anyway, it was actually kind of refreshing having all that testosterone in the house for a change! (We had 10 middle school age boys!) It was fun listening to them talk and noticing how different they are from girls, which is what I am use to! I think Tommy liked it because he wasn't out numbered for once!
My prayer is that they each received a blessing as well and that they will look back on this weekend as a fond memory and as a stepping stone in their walk with God.
Thank you, Jay, for the opportunity to serve God in this way!

Babbling On

First of all, I just want to thank you all for your prayers and concern for Ashley! She is doing much better now!
I love group fitness! It's such a neat way to get to know people better and get in shape at the same time. If you aren't a part of this awesome ministry, I encourage you to give it a try! Erin and Tonya do such a great job of motivating us to want to look and feel better! I just love them both to death!
Maggie just completed the classroom part of drivers ed and will begin the driving part this Thursday. She is really anxious to get her lisence...me, I'm not so sure! Sure, it will be nice not to have to haul her around everywhere...but, I will worry about her out there on the road!
I am going to get Ashley out of the house for a little while today. I think she is getting cabin fever. We are going to take the dogs to get their toenails trimmed...that's always an adventure.
I am going to get going,now...boring blog today! Sorry! Here is another pic of the twins!

Ain't they cute??? God Bless! Jen<><