Kicking off Randol's Birthday Weekend

I know this is random, but I wanted to share two funny motherhood stories with you...

Yesterday, I went to Publix to finish buying a few odds and ends for when our family comes over tonight to celebrate Randols birthday. My mom graciously took Foster to Speech, so it was just Randol, Will and I. When we were checking out, I realized I had forgotten my Publix green bags. The cashier was a really nice young man who looked at me and said in a compassionate voice, "It's OK, you already really have your hands full!" looking at Will in the cart. I had on a huge raincoat and my prego belly was hidden behind the jacket and the register. I looked at him and smiled, thinking, "If you only knew!" As I walked past him, I couldn't help but look back to see the look of suprise on his face as he now saw the outline of my really big belly!

Last night, we let Randol choose any restaurant she wanted to go to for her birthday. As you can see, she chose Steak and Shake. You should have seen the looks we got walking in there with four children (Randol's best friend Joanna was with us) and my huge, "due any day" pregnant belly! A few folks even stopped us to ask, "Are all those kids yours?" I'm sure it is the start of many...many looks of craziness directed our way!

A Little Catching Up

I know many of you have asked or emailed where I've been as far as this blog goes. A few weeks ago I realized that much of my day was spent online doing photography stuff, reading other people's blogs, on Facebook or simply looking up different things. Don't get me wrong, none of those things are bad, but they were becoming bad for me. I would get frustrated at myself for not accomplishing daily goals or I'd get upset with my children for bothering me while I was "working" on something. My days became short and my time would evaporate and disappear once I sat down at my computer. Checking email for five minutes would turn into a two hour ordeal as I'd get distracted by other things online.

I recently looked back over the past bible study books I've done. There were numerous times I was asked what God wanted me to do, or what I felt He was saying to me through the scriptures and almost every time, I would write the same thing. Nine times out of ten, I'd say something about His calling on my life to write my testimony and share it and then to submit a particular article I'd written to a certain publisher. For a whole year I've felt that...and haven't done it. My inspiration to write has left me, which is SO unusual. I used to write blogs or magazine articles in my head all day long, but not anymore. I began to pray about what that meant. Was I wrong? Had I missed something? Then God began to show me, everyday how I was essentially wasting away my days doing what Marion wanted-not what He wanted. If I wanted to get that daily inspiration back and start living for Him again, I had two tasks to accomplish-write and share my testimony and submit the article to that publisher.

For the last two weeks, when I get on the computer I am mainly working on those two objectives and I feel pleasure knowing that I am finally obeying Him. It's funny how we can start out doing something for Him only to have it become all about ourselves as time goes by. The whole reason I started this blog was to bring Him glory. It was a huge leap of faith for me. I was so afraid of who would read it, what they would say, if would I offend anyone and on and on the insecurities would go. With the help and support of my husband, I realized that it didn't matter what anyone else thought as long as I was pleasing my God, it is His opinion that matters. God is all around us, watching us, helping us and hopefully cheering us on in His good works. It is up to us to recognize Him and give Him the thanks and appreciation for all He has done and is doing in our lives.

Have you done that lately? Have you stopped to thank Him, not just pray asking Him for something? Stop and look around. It doesn't matter how this economy is or what our President is doing, the King of Kings is still on His throne. He knows what is going on around you and in your life. Trust Him and know that though people may fail you, He never will. He has a plan and a purpose for your life. Sometimes I'll listen to the news and feel my stomach turn into knots as I start to wonder what kind of life my children and grandchildren will face. I've even wondered if it was such a good idea to bring so many children into this crazy and unpredictable world. I am then reminded what a privilege it is to have them and I begin to pray for them and the future they may face. God is raising an army. I truly believe that. I wonder what role I will play, what part my children will play. And everything becomes clear. I am not on this earth for me-I'm here for a purpose. Any suffering that comes with it, is a privilege, not a curse. Am I accomplishing His tasks for my life? Sometimes I'm not, but for now, I'm back on track, right where I need to be!

That being said, keep checking for that testimony. It should be posted soon. Now...that is a huge leap of faith for me! I pray that if there is anyone left out there who still checks this site and hasn't given up on me, that you will be blessed by what you read. I love reading comments, it always puts a smile on my face...hint, hint! Thanks for your encouragement and your support! Until next time, keep your eyes to the skies and your hope in the One True God who will never leave you or forsake you!

God Bless, Marion

Wordless Wednesday

6 weeks left until our due date!

So Simple

So small and simple, yet so beautiful. Not a lot of color, but made up of so much detail. There is none in this world like it, nor will there ever be. It is here for just a short time, and then, gone. Never to return.

I sat watching the white snowflakes fall on my black jacket. There would be clumps of them, all together, making it impossible to distinguish between each flake. Every once in a while, there would be just one to fall; one to gaze upon in amazement of the beautiful, intricate detail. And then it would be gone, melted away, left only in my memory.

Sitting there watching the wonder of a small snowstorm in the South, I couldn't help but think of how much detail God put into all of those tiny snowflakes falling around me. How long it would take me to come up with just ten or more snowflake "designs" and yet here were millions, trillions and probably more, all different, falling around me.

I started to see, I was just like that snowflake. God has spent so much time and effort, first into creating me in my mother's womb, then to shape me and define me in His image. Just like that tiny flake, I am also beautiful to Him and cherished by Him, for His pleasure and to bring Him glory. One day, only He knows when, I will be gone from this world with only a memory to those I touched, remaining. How much of a legacy will I leave behind? How many lives will I have reached for His kingdom?

I am so small compared to the atrocities of the world; so tiny compared to the great spiritual giants that have walked this earth; so little compared to all the beautiful wonders of this world. Yet, I can be so big in His grace, so loved by His heavenly arms and powerful enough to move mountains, if I will only believe and commit to walking in His ways.
How about you? Are you ready to move some mountains today? Are you ready to let the God of all creation love you and cherish you like He has always wanted? Are you ready to live life like He has meant you to live it? The choice is up to you. Today could be your beginning, the beginning of where you were and where God met you. Will you choose Him today?