Wordless Wednesday: My Little Pumpkin

I Just Had to Share...

I woke up Sunday morning with expectation. It was Mission Sunday. What is Mission Sunday you ask? It was a Sunday devoted completely to the Great Commission. Our church didn't have Sunday school or split services. Our whole congregation sat together and then enjoyed a pot luck lunch afterwards. We had guest speakers from Uruguay and Montana. We have had a few mission teams go and help these missionaries. It was neat to see the faces of these brave men and women that I have heard about for so long.

My husband had to go to church early because he was in a short skit as a bum. It is never easy getting three children ready for church, but its even harder by yourself. Well I was proud of myself, not only were we all ready, we were ready with minutes to kill! Well of course my picture-mania brain kicked in as I saw my two boys wearing matching sweater vests for the first time and I thought, "I have time to take some pictures!"

As you can see, Foster was not up for sitting still, he never is, but especially when he knows we are about to go "bye-bye". That boy loves to leave our house and then he gets just as excited to some back home! He will clap as we pull out of the driveway and then clap as we pull back in! It makes me feel good to see how happy is about coming back to our home. Hopefully I'll be more successful at picture taking for Halloween!

It was a great Sunday. I needed to see my church family getting together and simply enjoying one another's company. So often we forget that we are a family, meant to love and serve one another. What an important role in the church! I was also reminded that we are all called to go and make disciples, preaching the gospel. So often we think that foreign missionaries are the only ones who have to do that. We also have that same calling, we are do to do the same right here in our own homes, with our neighbors and with the people we see at the grocery store. He has placed that calling in all of us.

I had another sweet surprise this morning. My sister-in-law called asking if I wanted to come over to see her new house and to let the kids play. Her family just moved here last weekend and are now within a 12 minute drive from my house (versus an hour and a half). Wesley had helped them move over the weekend, but I had still not seen the new house yet. Our children are very close in age with the exception of Randol.

Right now, she is still so young that she can still play and have fun with the younger children.

One day Randol will be like I was-too old to play, but not old enough to be a grown up, but still getting more privilages than the younger kids. I got to stay up late with the grown ups and eat ice cream. I got to get paid to babysit my little brothers and sisters and cousins. There will come a time where she will be "too old" to play. For now, I will savor her desire to read to them and play with them and show them new things. I will enjoy her childhood! We grow up too soon and time goes by too fast.

Today...I enjoyed Keri's company and my children simply being children. It is so hard to get wrapped up in the day-to-day things that we miss the little gifts in between. When Keri called this morning, asking if I wanted to come over, my first thought was, "I can't, we have to do school!" Then I remembered-I have no time limit and flexibility is a must! So...we put school on hold for the morning and worked until the late afternoon to make up for it...but it was worth it! How blessed I am that Randol was home and not in school so she didn't have to miss out on playtime with her cousins!

A New Focus

Saturday morning I went to an estate sale with my mom, sister and aunt. Though I didn't leave with anything I could hold in my hands, I sure came home with a lot of thoughts.

There was so much stuff there. In addition to furniture and pots and pans, there were books given at Christmas time dated in the 1930's. There were diplomas to Medical School and books given from a relative who attended Berry College in the late 1920's. There was a photograph of a graduating high school class from over 70 years ago. There were journals, piano music and Catholic prayer books. There was a local newspaper dated 1939, talking about some team who won a championship. There were baby booties that had clearly been worn. There were homemade crocheted pillow cushions and a gorgeous bedspread that was handmade.

So many things...all being auctioned off to a bunch of strangers who were foaming at the mouth to get the best price. They didn't look at this stuff with love, it was just material, something to grace their own home or to sell in an antique shop.

I could see my own life in the lady of the house, named Sarah. She had old, worn out cook books with an old obituary marking her place. There were gardening books telling her how to grow apple trees. There was an old parenting book. This woman was a mother and a wife just like me, only seventy plus years ago.

I can't help but come home and look around my own house. I have a lot of the same things she had, only much newer and updated. The things I hold close to me will one day be left behind, as I go on ahead. How many times have I wished for a new dress or a new car or a new whatever? How many minutes have I wasted in a store deciding on what to buy? So much wasted time when I could be doing something more useful. How many times have I gotten upset over something my chlidren broke?

As the old saying goes, there are only two certainties in life-death and taxes. One day I will die and all of my stuff will still be here. What will happen to it all? Will it be treasured and loved by a grandchild of mine or will it be auctioned off to strangers? If I really think about it, it doesn't matter what happens to it. I'm quite sure that the last thing on my mind as I sit at my Saviors feet and bask in His magnificent glow, is "I wonder what happened to all of my stuff!"

Eternity is what our real focus should be on; not on what we have or don't have. Who are you taking with you to eternity? Is there someone you aren't sure is a christian? Is there a close friend or family member who isn't saved by grace? Start praying that the Lord will open the door and you can plant some seeds. The fact is, one day we will all be gone and our stuff will still be here. What will your focus be today?

"As for man, his days are like grass,

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and in its place remembers no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord's love is with those who fear him,

and His righteousness with their children's children-

with those who keep His covenant

and remember to obey His precepts.

Psalm 105:15-18

Risks of the Heart

We all have hopes and dreams. There are times we lay awake at night or stare off into space at the red light dreaming...thinking about something we've always wanted to do or places we've always wanted to go. Maybe its something that doesn't seem possible or probable....dream it anyway...God placed those longings and desires in your heart for a reason.

Don't be afraid to take the risks of your heart. Write that letter, make that phone call, book that plane ticket, mail off that manuscript. We only get one shot, one chance at this thing called life. Don't waste it because you're afraid! Remember, He didn't give us a spirit of fear,but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

With Him ALL things are possible. Stay in His will, tell Him about your dreams, about what you "want to be when you grow up" (no matter how old you are!). He loves to listen to your heart.

Never stop hopin'...never stop dreamin'..and never stop prayin'...I promise you He is listening!

(look below the video for the words)




Anyway
Martina McBride/Brad Warren/Brett Warren (BMI)

You can spend your whole life buildin’
Somethin’ from nothin’
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway

(Chorus)
God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good
When I pray it doesn’t always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

This world’s gone crazy and it’s hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway
You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
And in a moment they can choose to walk away
Love ‘em anyway

(Repeat Chorus)

You can pour your soul out singin’
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they’ll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway
Yeah sing it anyway

I sing
I dream
I love anyway

His Sweet Smile

Yesterday felt like winter...not fall, but winter. Now, us Southerners LOVE the fall air. We shout with joy over feeling the wind blow against our faces and having a much needed reprieve from all the heat. But feeling so cold in your house you don't want to get out of bed or having to bundle your children up in jackets just to go to church-that we don't enjoy. (I know my Colorado relatives are laughing at me, as they prepare for a much colder winter, full of lots of snow! Love you guys!)

Last night, I had to find long sleeved shirts and jackets for my children and load them up in the mini van and set out for a night at church. As we drive out of the garage I notice the cold, misty rain falling down. I glance in the back seat and look at my boys as they are on the verge of battling another round of ear infections. At the stop light, the rain falls hard enough for me to turn on my windshield wipers. I started praying without even realizing it. Here was my conversation, "Lord, my boys have been in and out of the pediatrician's office every other week. It's cold and wet outside. (Like He doesn't already know this!) Please stop the rain so we don't have to get wet and then they get ..."

All of a sudden I stopped and realized what I was asking. As my husband says, I was being a "finicky female". For the last two weeks we have been praying for rain. Our lakes are drying up and the water supply in Atlanta only has 90 days left. My mother was telling me about somewhere in Tennessee, where the drought is so bad, they can only turn on their water for 3 hours a day and flush their toilets once a day...and here I am, asking Him to stop the rain so my already frizzy hair-doesn't get wet! Am I a spoiled little princess or what?

So, I backtracked, "Lord forgive me. How selfish I am to even ask you to stop the rain when we need it so desperately. Please send the rain! Send it long and hard and cold if you must, but send the rain and please forgive me for being so selfish!"

We are about to turn on the street that leads to our church...
Randol says, "Wow Mama, it's really starting to rain! I think we might have to get wet!"

Five seconds later...
I park my car, Randol and I both open the door and she says,"Mama look-it stopped raining! How did that happen so fast?"
I laughed right there, out loud. I knew He was smiling down on me!

I unloaded all my children-with the help of a friend...walked inside...looked out the window five minutes later...and there is a family, all with umbrellas over their heads, as the rain fell!

Now you may say it was a coincidence, but I don't believe in coincidences! I say it was a small gift from the One whom even the rain and clouds obey! Even the smallest of requests...no, even the stupidest of requests-He listens too!

The men were amazed and asked,

"What kind of man is this?

Even the winds and waves obey Him!"

~Matthew 8:27

Wordless Wednesday

Randol, amidst the clothes she recieved

from our cousins Tavi and Carly. Me and Will (5 months old)Foster (my little Superman)
watching the blessed rain yesterday!

No Empty Promises

Last week was a hard week. That's the only way I know how to describe it. By Friday, my heart had had it. One small event set me off and before I knew it, I was bawling, puffy eyes and everything (and I am not a crier!). My poor husband tried as he could to console me, but what I really needed was some good 'ole girl talk. Wesley finally looked at me and said, "Maybe you should go call Shannon and she can make you feel better." And that's just what I did.

And I felt better. Much better.

Wesley and I are sitting in a small valley right now, not in a valley of our marriage (thank goodness!), but in the valley of life and circumstances. I am amazed at how the Lord is using this time to bring Wesley and I so much closer than we have ever been. I love the way He continues to evolve our relationships into something greater than we ever hoped for.

We are waiting on the Lord, sitting, praying and soaking up the Word daily to see what He has next for us. A new job possibility has come up and we are waiting to hear back from someone. We both feel that God has amazing things in store for our future, we just have to wait on Him and on His timing. Why is that so hard to do sometimes?

This morning I was thinking about the whole situation and God asked me, "Will you love me any less if my answer is no?" I realized in that moment that I had been thinking of things as a done deal, I hadn't truly left them up to Him. I have to always remind myself that His ways are not our ways and that His timing is not our timing. He sees the whole picture, I can only see the moment I am in. And to be honest-I don't know if I'd want to see the whole future and know how it all turns out. What's the excitement and suspense in that?

In this waiting time, I have come to realize a few things I do know and that I can count on.

1.He has plans for our lives, plans to prosper us and to give us a hope and a future.
(Jeremiah 29:11)

2. His ways may not be my ways, but they are so much better than my ways! (Isaiah 55:8-9)

3. I am deeply loved and deeply adored by Him and He truly has my best interests at heart. (Psalm 103)

4. He knows the desires of Wesley and I's hearts. (Psalm 37:4)

5. He knows where we are financially and He is greater than our checkbook! (Job 23: 8-10)

6. We all have a mission here on earth, a role to play in this big adventure, we are just waiting on our next assignment. (Ephesians 1:11)

How blessed we are that we can continue to count on His promises. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His Word will continue to be a source of comfort and relief. I am so glad I don't know the outcome-but that He does. I am so glad I can give my life over to Him and let Him worry about it!

Anytime, Anywhere

The other night Wesley and I were sitting on the couch talking about our day. Somehow a recent political situation came up. I started telling him all my plans to make sure a certain individual doesn't get re-elected next year. He laughed at how hard I had thought about it. Then he told me that he had thought about it too and he had his own plan, but that it was much different than mine. I tried to figure out what he could do that I hadn't thought of. I asked him, "What is your plan?"

"P-R-A-Y"

That was his response! That was his big plan. He was going to pray about it and leave the end result up to God! I laughed at how stupid I had been. I felt a little ashamed to admit- I hadn't even thought of that or incorporated it into my plan!

How many times does life hit us where it hurts and we go about trying to fix it in our human capacity? And how many times do we fail? I tend to forget that I can approach the throne of God with confidence, anytime I want. I can unload my busy days and leave it all to Him to work out as He wills. Part of my humanly mind says," I have to do more than just pray." Then I think about it-who is it I am praying too? Is it some idol sitting on a shelf? Is it some human that will surely fail me? NO, it is my Heavenly Father, the creator of Heaven and Earth. The One who has my best interests at heart. How can I not approach His throne and then completely walk away-leaving it all to Him?

This morning I read in Matthew about the woman who was healed just by touching the edge of Jesus' cloak (Matthew 9:20-22). She knew that was all she needed to do. She didn't need Him to touch her or to even talk to her. He was so powerful that just by touching a piece of His clothing, healed her.

Then there was the the centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus offered to go to his home and heal the man. The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word and my servant will be healed." (Matthew 8:8)

Think about what power that is-Jesus said the word and in a house a few miles away, a servant was being healed. He didn't touch him, He didn't even see this man, but the centurion knew how powerful Jesus was. He had faith that Jesus could do it.

Just as these men and women had faith to go to Jesus when they needed Him, we must also have the faith to go to Him in prayer and trust that He knows what is best for us. All our doing just gets in the way of His Almighty plans for our lives. How blessed we are that we can go to Him anytime-anywhere!

"Let us then approach the throne of grace

with confidence, so that we may

receive mercy and find grace to help us

in our time of need."

~Hebrews 4:16

Wordless Wednesday: Foster is 2!

Then...
The New Big Sister...

A Year Ago...


Now...

My, how fast they grow!

Letting Go

Two years ago, I woke up on a morning such as this, only I was pregnant with my son Foster and due any day. I sat on my couch and wrote in my journal. I was so anxious and a little afraid of the whole labor process. I was scared of how a new baby was going to effect Randol after being an "only child" for so long. I was afraid for myself and this new responsibility. I questioned my mothering skills, wondering if I had what it took to have another child. I was worried about the timing, would my mom and my mother-in-law get to be at the hospital like they both wanted? Would Wesley be able to get out of work or what if he was in the courtroom and no one could tell him I was in labor? So many things running through my head. That morning, I gave them all to my Heavenly Father. I poured out my heart to Him and asked Him to forgive my silly thoughts and to relieve me of my anxiousness. I can still remember how relieved I felt after unloading my (silly) burden.

That night around midnight my contractions were so intense that we went to the hospital. Foster was born the next morning and he was by far my easiest labor! Everything I worried about-He took care of, better than I ever could have hoped for. I knew the Lord was with me. He was faithful. I took Him at His Word to hear my prayer and He did.

This morning I also feel discouraged-not over having a baby, but over life in general. A few things have happened lately that's hard for me to let go of. I tend to think of things and let them fester in my mind. I need to let go and realize-I cannot please everyone and there will always be some people who will not like me-no matter how hard I try.

And that's ok.

I have to realize that there are some situations that only God can fix. I need to let go and let Him work and quit running myself ragged to try and do it all myself. So, I come this morning with a heavy, but hopeful heart. I know my Redeemer lives and I know that it is what He thinks that matters more than any person here on earth. Just as He comforted and relieved my heavy heart two years ago, I know He can do the same this morning, I just have to let it go...

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful;

but heartache crushes the spirit."

~Proverbs 15:13

Just The Way I Am

Last night I was able to put on my husbands favorite black dress with the spaghetti straps and my open toed high heels. I walked into the living room and he actually whistled! He looked at me and said, "Marion, you are so beautiful!" and he said it not just with his words, but also with his eyes. In that moment that's exactly how I felt-beautiful. It didn't matter what anyone else thought, I knew he adored me. I am blessed to be married to a man who tries on a regular basis to tell me how much he loves me. I hear other husbands tell their wives they are fat or they wished their wife looked more like some celebrity or they want them to dye their hair a certain color, on and on I could go. If you are one of these types of men-please stop next time you even come close to saying something like that. You have no idea what it will do to a woman's heart and self esteem.

I have noticed that no matter how young or old we women get, we all want to be found beautiful. My daughter started very young and still asks my husband, "Daddy, do you think I look pretty?" or "Do you like my outfit?" which I keep telling him, means the same thing. She is seeking his approval. When my Gramma was alive she'd always say, "Make sure you have lipstick on or you'll look like you're dead!" and she always made sure she had her lipstick on! It made her feel beautiful. My (great-grandmother) Granny was in her 80's when she passed away. When she was alive, I always made a point to comment on her outfit, telling her she looked beautiful. Her eyes would light up and she'd tell me where she bought it, getting as excited as a teenager talking about a recent shopping trip to the mall. The other week, I was at church and there were two women, one in her twenties and one in her fifties who were talking about what they were wearing for church. Both wishing they were skinnier and both complained of having to find something they felt good in to wear to church. Though many years apart, they were the same in how they felt.

I have this philosophy, if you feel bad in what you are wearing-change you're clothes. You're whole mannerisms show up in how you feel on the inside. Last night I felt beautiful. I felt confident (but not overly confident-I was still checking my lipstick every five minutes in the car before we got to our destination!) and so I was more at ease with my surroundings. There are other days (like this morning) where its cold outside and I have nothing to wear and I know whatever I do wear, I'm going to feel crummy in.

We live in such a materialistic world. There are thousands of different wrinkle creams and self tanners. People dye their hair and walk around with perfectly manicured fingernails and toe nails. We spend a fortune on our clothes and shoes making sure we look right. I'm not saying any of this is wrong. I use self tanners every once in a while, I'd go get a manicure/pedicure of I had the time and money and I know one day-I will dye my hair to get rid of the grey and I will use wrinkle cream! :-)

Last night as I basked in the adoration of my husband, I thought, "How any times do I bask in the glow of my Lord?" How many times do I seek His approval over the approval of man? If my heart is right with Him-He finds me beautiful all the time, no matter what clothes I'm wearing or if I have a pimple on my face or if I'm having a bad hair day. He looks down from heaven and says, "Wow, You sure are beautiful!"

Think about that for a moment, the God of the universe, the maker of heaven and earth finds you beautiful. It's almost hard to let that one sink in or to even try to comprehend it. Whenever I get hard on myself looking and wishing there was something I could change about the way I am made, I remind myself- I was created in His image. He made me the way I am for a purpose. Whenever I wish I was skinnier or prettier or whatever-I am insulting Him. I am insulting the time and effort He put in to create me just the way I am. There is a reason we are not all built the same. We are each unique. If He puts as much time and effort into making each and every snowflake different-think of the time and effort He put into making you! Each of our hairs are numbered, our fingerprints are unlike anyone elses, He knows you better than you know yourself.

Don't ever forget-you are dearly loved and you are deeply adored by your Heavenly Father. And He made you perfect-just the way you are!

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you..."

~Jeremiah 1:5a

F-A-L-L Is In The Air!

Can I just say, I L-O-V-E this cool, fall weather! Yesterday I turned off the air and opened all the windows. My children played in the backyard most of the afternoon. I even cooked in my kitchen and didn't get hot because of the cool breeze flowing in my kitchen windows. Granted, the weatherman says this cool weather may be gone by tomorrow, but what can you expect living in the South!

There is something exciting about the weather changing, no matter what season it is. When I start to feel the cool air, I know that Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming soon. I know that there will be many days of sipping hot chocolate and snuggling under heavy blankets. I know that coffee will smell even better in the mornings. I know that hot, beef stew and pot roast with carrots and potatoes will be added to my weekly menu. I don't have to worry about sweating or going outside and smelling like "yard" (as my friend Shannon says) when I come back inside. Saturday mornings feel so much sweeter, getting to stay in the warm bed for a few minutes longer than normal. My husband won't have to spend his day off, cutting our grass (that's why he loves this time of year!) I know cute pictures of kids in hats and rosy cheeks with big smiles is a given. I know I'll get to enjoy watching my Lords beautiful color palette as the colors change from green to red and orange to brown. I know Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens might be in our future. I think of big fires in my fireplace as my family and I sit around playing cards or Sorry or Life with Randol. In a way it feels like the end of an era and the start of a new one. You can start to feel the excitement in the air of knowing the holidays are coming soon. It is such a great time to be alive!

Have you ever thought about why the weather changes and the sun goes down sooner at night time? Why the grass all dies and most animals are missing from your yard? Is it a coincidence? Does it happen by chance? Is it apart of some weird ecological goof?

It is all apart of His big plan. The seasons have been changing since Noah in Genesis.

"As long as the earth endures,

seed time and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night

will never cease."

Genesis 8:22

God is still on the throne. He is still in control of not just the weather, but of the happenings of our lives. The next time you feel that cool breeze on your face or watch the golden leaves trickle down from the tree tops, remember-He is in control. All of those things are happening because He wills it. He loves to show off His glory! I just pray I don't miss it!

This Little Light of Mine

Last night my hubby and I watched our new favorite show-Hero's. It is one of those kinds of shows that has just enough surprises to make you watch the next week. It sometimes ends a little creepy (I guess is the word). I am not one to be afraid of the dark, but whenever I watch something (creepy) right before I go to bed, I have a hard time falling asleep in my dark room!

Last night as I lay there, listening to my husbands soft breathing and staring at the ceiling, I thought about how different my room looks in the dark. Shadows are cast along the walls and its hard to see where everything is. You start to hear noises and wonder what they are. Things don't appear the same way they do in the light.

Remember when you were a child and you had to get up to go to the bathroom? You'd run to get there (making sure the boogie man under your bed didn't get you first!) and you'd turn on the light. All of a sudden it wasn't so scary anymore.

I realized last night, that is how the world is all the time. People are suffering from addiction, depression, anger, frustration, on and on I could go. They live in fear. They can't just run to the bathroom and turn on the light because the light they need must come from within. They can't dodge the boogie man under their bed because surely satan has already attached himself to their backs and they just can't shake him.

We are their only hope. We are here to bring them closer to the One True Light-the only One who can defeat their enemy.

So often I don't hide my light under a bush (as the song goes), but under busyness, under lack of patience or under anything else that makes me forget-I am light. You can lose your whole testimony by a single word, standing in the pharmacy line, being impatient. The world is watching and waiting for you to mess up. Satan is on the prowl hanging on for dear life to the necks of those around you, whispering in their ear, "Look at her-and she says she's a christian! She's no different than you!" We must not forget to let our light shine. Our role is so vital to this important adventure we are in.

Can they see it? Can they see your light as you pump your gas or as you pay for your groceries? Is it shining as you wait at the red light or get handed another long assignment? It is your light that will draw them closer to shaking the devil on their back. It is your light that will bring them closer to the One who can save them from the depths of hell. Your light...so go...let your light shine!

"You are the salt of the earth.
But if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
You are the light of the world.
A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp

and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand
and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way,

let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in heaven."
~Matthew 5:13-16

Did You See Him?

I have this weird habit of writing on my calendar what all I did each day; what errands I ran, what I cooked for dinner, what we watched on TV that night etc. Sometimes I don't have time or I forget and when I look back, I see a blank spot for that day. I feel like I lost a day, like it didn't count. The days go by so fast, its hard to remember how I fill them! Our lives are not made up of vacations and weekends. We spend the majority of our lives in the mundane, Monday thru Friday, everyday errands of life.

Do you try and wait until everything is quiet and there is nothing to do-to talk to God? Do you find that you never find that quiet time to seek Him? I've got news for you my friend-if that's the only time you're looking for God...you'll be looking for a lifetime. There will always be one more thing to finish, one more phone call to make.

You don't have to wait for that perfect, quiet moment to find Him. God is in everything and is everywhere.

He's in that hot cup of coffee you drank as you sat and tried to relax before your roller coaster of a day began. He was right behind you as you took out your trash. He's in the car that got you to work this morning and that kept your children safe on their way to school. He's in the gas line as you wait to fill up your tank.

God was in the board meeting where you were upset over the outcome of your conference call. He was at the stop light that made you wait three times for it to turn green for it to be your turn to go. He was at McDonald's as you picked up your lunch. God's in the grocery store as you anxiously wait for some teenage cashier to hurry up and ring up your items.

God is in the pick up line as you get your children from school. He is in the pictures your child colored at school. He is in your child's smile as he or she tells you about their day. He's with you as you run off to football practice or ballet or whatever new activity your child is into. He is there at your kitchen table as you eat dinner with your family.

God is in the soft, creamy ice cream you eat as a treat after your long day. He's there at bath time and for wet kisses as you put your children down for bed. He is in your husbands embrace as you cuddle on the couch and watch a movie.

Did you see Him...did you feel His touch today? Or were you too busy and you missed it? All day long, from sunrise to sunset He's been watching and waiting to show you how special you are to Him....how loved you are.

He'll be there tomorrow when your alarm clock goes off and you start another day...don't miss Him. I promise you He is there!

"You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

you know it completely, O Lord."

~ Psalm 139:2-5

God-Sized Prayers

"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait in expectation."

~Psalm 5:3

This morning I came across this verse and it stood out to me. How many times do I pray...and then wait...expectantly? I usually pray...and then pause...and then go about trying to "fix" things myself. I once heard that you should pray-knowing and believing God will answer your requests. He doesn't always give you the answer that you want, but you should have faith that He can. I struggle with this a lot. Maybe it is my controlling nature, I don't know. I find myself praying all throughout my day over little things, but I often pray for small outcomes--not God sized outcomes. I will pray that God will get Wesley through his day, instead of praying for Him to open the window to a new job that is conformed to what Wesley wants. I will pray for symptoms (Help with the ache in her back) instead of complete healing (Remove this pain and heal her body completely). There is a BIG difference. How much faith do I have in my prayers and in my God?

God wants to bring about His glory through us. In order to do that, we must have the faith to pray for things only God can deliver. We must believe that He is who He says He is. He is the Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Nothing can get to us until it goes through Him first-even Satan has to ask His permission to roam the earth. He raised people from the dead and calmed the worst of storms. He fed thousands of people out of a few loaves of bread and a few fish. He opened a donkey's mouth and spoke out of it. He parted the Red Sea and people walked on dry land. He opened the wombs of many women and gave them children after years of being barren. He took all of my sins and scattered them as far as the east is from the west. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Man...how can I not believe...and wait...expectantly?